Background: Starts right after Percy refuses to become a god in the last book. He still chooses the same thing as the books but with a different reason in mind. One-shot story.

~*~

"Well," Zeus said, "if you don't want to take our gracious gift, Percy Jackson, what do you want?"

"I . . ." I didn't know what to say. What I wanted was to be human - to live a full life and experience new things. The only time a god experienced something new was when his life was being threatened and I'd had enough of that to last me for a life time. I looked to the Gods - Posiden, Ares, Aphrodites . . . What would they chose?

I looked to Zeus. The idea had crossed my mind a couple of times over the last year but I never thought there would be a chance for it to happen and yet here it was. Could this really be it?

"Zeus, I know what I want."

~*~

Coming back to Camp Half-Blood was like coming back home. The camp needed repair and it lacked the festive spirit of before but things were already getting back to normal. Plans were being made to rebuild and Chiron was already talking about gathering more half-bloods. It was exciting but I needed a break from the hustle of the camp. The entire time I was away seemed to have stretched into one long, terrifying day and I was exhausted. As the sun dipped underneath the horizon, I walked down to the beach and sat on the sand, letting the waves lap over my feet.

The sea was calm at last. I could feel the power surging through me, as if the waters were welcoming me home. The stars were exceptionally bright today as if the sky was celebrating Olympus's victory over the Titans. Zoë, the great huntress, was twinkling brightly in the sky. I hoped she was celebrating the victory since she helped us so much in the past.

Thinking of Zoë brought back all of the people who had passed on for the cause. All my friends. Suddenly, I didn't feel like a great hero. I thought the sea would calm me, make me happy, but it didn't. I felt as if I'd lost everything and gained nothing for it.

"Percy," a sweet voice whispered to my left. Almost ten feet from me was stood a young girl. She was either fifteen or sixteen dressed in a sleeveless white linen dress. Her dark hair was loose, falling around her olive shoulders. Her eyes shined in the moon light, sad yet hopeful. I knew who she was instantly.

"Calypso."

My heart fluttered madly in my chest as her face broke into a smile and she took a tentative step towards me. I rose from the sand and made my way towards her, trying not to trip and embarrass myself.

"I . . . Zeus released me." She started, looking up into my eyes. I was now a head taller than her so I had to tilt my head forward to look into her eyes. "He told me that you had asked. He told me about your wish after the battle. Thank you, Percy Jackson. No hero has ever done something so great for me."

My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest and runaway when she smiled again. She was so close that I could feel the heat off her body. It made me nervous.

"I had to. I . . . I couldn't just let you stay on that island forever. You deserve to be free." There was a silence between us. It wasn't awkward or anything but I felt the urge to talk, to tell her I missed her, to tell her that she was constantly on my mind.

"I planted the garden!" I blurted, causing her to jerk back a little bit. I guess I was a little loud. Sorta. Okay, a lot. I felt heat come to my cheeks as she just stared at me. "The garden. In Manhattan. I promised you I would so I did. I planted your moonlace in my mom's planters. They're blooming like crazy. You should see them."

She smiled once more and it seemed as if she swayed just a fraction of an inch closer to me.

"I would like that, Percy Jackson. To see your Manhattan and your garden."

I felt giddy as she looked up to me with her beautiful eyes, no longer sad. I didn't know what was to happen next but I knew that in that moment, I was happy to have Calypso smiling at me, wanting to see my world. It was perfect.

I don't know who made the first move but in a second, Calypso's hands rested on my shoulders and my palms cupped her cheeks. I could feel her pulse quicken underneath my fingers as I leaned in closer. Our eyes were locked until we both let our lids shut as our lips met.

It may not be manly but the kiss we shared was sweet. Tender. Almost fragile, like Calypso herself. When we parted, I pressed my forehead to hers and caught my breathe. When I opened me eyes, I was shocked to see tears running down Calypso's face.

"Calypso! What's wrong?" I tried to brush her tears from her cheeks but my hands were clumsy. Of course I would make a girl cry just by kissing her.

"Oh, Percy,' she sniffled out. "I'm happy. Really, I am. I fell in love with you on Oygygia but when you left . . . I thought I would never see you again and yet here I am! I'm free of the island and I'm here with you. Never in a thousand years have I been so happy." She still looked so sad, holding my palm to her cheek as tears trailed down her cheeks, that I was confused.

"Then why are you crying?" She let out a small sob and screwed her eyes shut, bending over as if she was going to fall to the grown in despair. I was starting to feel like the world's biggest jerk though I didn't know what I had done.

"Percy, can't you see? Nothing this good could last this long." I brushed the hair from her forehead and kissed her on her lips once more.

"Calypso, don't worry about it. If there's one thing I've learned as half-blood is to enjoy the good things as they come and not how they spoil later. Right now, I have you and you have me. It maybe different tomorrow or the next day or whatever! But it doesn't matter. All that matters right now is this moment."

Calypso threw her arms around me, slamming her body into mine so that we fell down to the sand. I held her tight to me and hoped my words were right. I didn't know how things would work out but I was happy to have Calypso in my arms.

~*~

Author's Note: Well, this was a one-shot and probably a crappy one at that but after reading the entire series in less than a week, I had to write it. Completely odd for me since I haven't written anything in YEARS but sometimes you just get that itch to share, yeah? I just love Calypso and Percy - I know Annabeth and Percy make a lot of sense but I don't know. I just love the thought of Calypso and Percy together makes me giddy. Hope you enjoyed and if you didn't it's completely okay with me. Kudos!