Okay, so before I start...Good grief is this place confusing. :P I've conquered every creative writing/fan-fiction place there is...and I finally get the opportunity to come here and it took me forever to figure everything out. Bear with me.
Anyways...I had to fix up my chapters. Little problem with the editing...yeah, I failed at that point. I totally forgot to put paragraphs in, because in most other places it's automatic. Ah well, c'est la vie.
So, backround story...muahaha. So, in a nutshell, my character, Echo Jackson, has been tied to Calypso. It's a bond that was forged by her father, Poseidon made it because he took compassion on Calypso's state. This means that everything that Calypso feels, I feel, and visa versa, only sometimes...it's worse than just emotions. This part of the story is loosely based off the Percy Jackson series...but in the next few chapters, the Mortal Instruments gets introduced, as Echo is also a shadowhunter at birth. If it's confusing or anything, just let me know what and I'll explain it in the next chapter. Have fun! ;)
(STILL trying to figure things out here...ugh. What a pain.)
ALL the characters in this chapter and those to follow belong to Rick Riorden and Cassandra Clare. Echo, Andra, Alison, and Nisha are mine.
I woke up in the morning, my head throbbing. Usually that meant my other half, Calypso, had lost yet another hero. Her heart must be really broken this time, cause my headache was worse than any other I have ever felt.
I threw my blankets aside, sliding my legs out of bed. Lucky for me, AND Percy, since he had met Calypso, no one knew my secret. My father, Poseidon, took pity on Calypso and spilt her in half: Her personality and heart-mirrored mine. I was different only for my sharp, sea green eyes and my stunning black/brown hair. I had her pale skin and almond/gold flecks in my eyes.
I shuffled over to my mirror. I looked terrible, like hell warmed over. I sat down, and summoned some seawater through the porthole to scrub my hair. It seemed to have worked a little too well. I flicked my wrist, getting rid of the water and leaving my hair perfectly curly. It turned a deep, dark brown. Now I'm really starting to look like Calypso. Of course. It would just be easier of we could become one again. My eyes even turned from green-gold to brown-green. I huffed, getting up and pulling on my skinny jeans, blue/teal tank, and black boots.
I flung my door open, and was hit with a vision: Leo on a beach...with Calypso? A raft was bobbing towards them. She forced him on, and they seemed to exchange words. Suddenly, she grabbed him and kissed him, then shoved him away. I could feel his soft kiss sting my own lips...mmm. I was hit with a realization: she had been affected by my love for Leo.
My sight returned, and I slumped onto the floor, staring at the wall, the kiss still tingling on my lips. "Ech! Leo's back!" I heard Hazel call out down the hall. I stood shakily, walking slowly out towards the main deck. Leo was being tackled by Piper, and by Hazel. I walked towards the group, still shaken by my vision. I knew what it meant: Calypso and I were rejoining. That is why my hair and eyes were turning a funny color. I was lost in thought, but I could feel Leo's eyes burning into me. He stared at me, mouth agape. I locked eyes with him.
"What?" His mouth snapped shut.
"N-nothing." He shuffled past me into the lower decks. Piper seemed to notice the change too.
"What happened to your hair and eyes?" She inquired.
"Long story." I retorted. "I'm going to go talk to Leo about the engine. Something's squealing down there." I forced a grin, and ran down to the engine room.
Leo sat with his head in his hands, clearly upset. I knocked on the side of the door, slowly pushing it open. His head lifted, and I was struck by how much he had changed over the months. His normally impish face had gotten more chiseled, and his hair had grown out, flopping over his eyes in a really cute way that made my heart go ka-THUMP. He had gotten a little taller too, so he stood maybe an inch over me. His eyes were darker, still full of humor and mischief, but now they were full of pain.
"You okay?" I asked. He stared blankly at the wall, emotions running wildly over his face.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." I slid my feet across the floor, holding my hand out for him to help him up. He looked at it, a sad smile playing across his face. He grasped it, standing up and peering into my eyes.
"You look...like someone I know. Your hair and eyes have changed..." his voice broke off, the hurt more obvious.
"Calypso?" I whispered. His eyes widened.
"How did you know that?" The shock was present. I smiled sadly.
"She's...um. How do I put this?" I raked my hands through my hair, biting my lip. He stared at me.
"Do you know her? Can you contact her?" His eagerness hurt.
I laughed bitterly.
"I'd hope that I knew her, since she's me."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that she and I are the same person. My father, Poseidon, took pity on her because she couldn't be allowed off her island. So, he took half of her, an exact copy of who she was, and put it into me. She was allowed to contact me, to see the outside world, and to feel what I did. She could see me dance, learn, and love others."
I could feel tears welling up, and I sniffed them back, collapsing on the floor to lean against the wall.
"That's probably why she liked you so much, even when you left, when she hated the heroes for leaving her." I felt a single tear slide down my face. Leo watched me.
"So why are you crying then? What do you mean by 'probably'?"
"Because she is crying right now, probably upset that you left her. Trust me, every time she's gotten her heart broken, mine gets ripped apart too."
I was full on sobbing now.
"It's awful. I've never felt this crappy before." I coughed out.
"You haven't explained why you said 'That's probably why she liked you so much' part." He told me, looking concerned.
"Because I have had a crush on you for the longest time, you just never noticed. I assumed you didn't care. "
After the words slipped out, I could feel Leo's wide eyes staring at me. I wiped the tears away, and stood quickly.
"I...um. I should go." I couldn't even look at him. I pushed past him and opened the door to the hall, happy for the chance to escape.
I headed for my cabin upstairs, running the whole way. Tears streamed down my face. As I entered the cabin, I closed the door, and opened the secret door in my closet. The tiny room was just big enough to store a few books and some cushions for when I needed some time to vedge and be alone. I closed the door behind me, not even bothering to turn the light on, and I broke down.
My chest heaved with silent sobs, and I fell deeper into darkness. My heart was being ripped apart slowly and painfully. Leo would never like me. He loved Calypso. I'd be kicked out of my own kind, forced to go back to live with the shadow-hunters, to be a third wheel again. I buried my face into my arms, drawing my knees up to my head. My sobs slowed to sniffs, as I calmed down slowly. I planned to leave a note on my dresser and let someone find it, so I didn't have to be embarrassed in front of Leo again.
As I was planning my escape, I heard a soft knock on my door. I stilled my breath.
"E? Are you in there?"
Leo. My heart stopped. I almost began to cry again, but I restrained the waterfall. I heard my door squeal open and he stepped in. I could hear him mutter, mostly about himself.
"You're an idiot, Valdez...a girl finally likes you and you let her get away." He grumbled. I heard him turn back to walk away. I hesitated, but cleared my throat.
"In here, Leo." I rasped.
His footsteps grew louder as they made their way into the closet. He opened the door, and moonlight streamed into my tiny room. It must have been longer than I thought. I kept my eyes closed, leaning my head against the wall to my right. His hand touched my cheek, sending shivers down my spine.
"I'm sorry, Ech. I didn't mean to hurt you." His voice was low and full of anxiety. I lifted my hand and placed it on top of his, tightening my grasp. His hand was warm.
"It's okay." My voice was thick with hurt, even I could hear it. Leo grabbed me by the arms, and lifted me up into a standing position. I forced my eyes open, to see his face inches from mine. He pulled me into a hug, and I began to sob again, hot tears running down my face. He rubbed my back gently.
I calmed down, lifting my head up. I watched him, but he looked away, turning from me. I wasn't going to let him get away again. I grabbed his arm.
"Leo."
He turned back, halfway, and looked at me from the side. I smiled.
"C'mere, repair boy." I tugged at his arm and walked him over to the wall, and placed my hand on it.
"Sed Lex, Dura Lex." I uttered my passcode, and the side of the ship slid open, and formed a patio. I stepped out, and pulled Leo with me. He tripped on the step down, and fell, pulling me down with him. I landed directly on top of him, staring at his dark brown eyes. His hand reached up and slid around my neck, and back down tracing my jawline.
"I like you." He said to me. I smiled.
"I like you too." I placed my hand on his cheek, and his hand slid down my arm and covered my hand. I bent down, and pressed a kiss to his forehead. He laughed, a chuckle if you will. He reached back up, and swept his hand through my hair, and pulled me back down. Centimeters away from his lips, He whispered, "Is that all you got?" I felt the warmth of his breath on my mouth. I smiled, and closed the space between us.
His lips were so incredibly soft; I couldn't imagine why no other girl wouldn't have kissed him. He smelled like machine oil, but I didn't care. I pushed my hand into his curls, and kissed him back. His arms tightened around my waist, and my hands pushed deeper into his hair. The curls were soft and sprang back once I let them go.
He pulled away, but I grabbed him back, giving him one final kiss before rolling off of him and standing up. I leaned on the railing, and felt his arms wrap around my waist. I leaned back, enjoying his scent and relaxing for the one time I could. He kissed my neck softly, and pulled me closer. I ran my hands along his, relishing the feel of his skin.
He rested his chin on my head, burying his nose into my hair.
I turned around in his arms to face him. The moonlight illuminated his face, highlighting his cheekbones and eyes.
"Listen, I should go." I told him reluctantly. His arms tightened around my waist, sending shivers down my spine.
"You can't yet. I won't let you go to bed that soon." He whispered to me. He rested his forehead against mine. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. I ran my finger down his sharp jaw, flicking his lips once I reached his chin. He laughed gently, a low noise disturbing in the silence of the night.
He leaned in to kiss me again, his lips barely brushing mine. I pulled away, and rested my head on his shoulder. He trailed delicate kisses up and down my neck, ending back at my mouth. He deepened this kiss, gently pressuring my mouth with his. He slid his hands up my waist, holding me tightly. The cool night air seemed to warm up. He let go of my waist, pulling away.
I went back for another, my lips barely touching his before I doubled over in pain. I collapsed on the deck, gasping in agony, as an indescribable jolt of pain seared my stomach.
As quickly as the pain came, it subsided. I lifted my hands from where I was clenching them over my stomach, and saw red. I began to feel dizzy, like the whole world had just turned upside down.
Leo knelt down next to me, concerned.
"Are you ok?" He whispered. I forced a smile.
"I'll be fine." I attempted to stand up, but I grew lightheaded and fell to my knees. I rested my head against the railing, taking deep breaths.
"Are you sure you're not lying to me and trying to look strong?" Leo sounded very concerned at this point. Couldn't he see that I was hurt? I rolled my eyes, mentally scolding him. I had to remain strong for Percy and the crew.
"There is no need to dode on me, Leo. I can take care of myself." I smiled. "Just help me up, please."
He lifted me up into his arms, and carried me to my bed. He put me down, carefully, and closed the door to my patio. I rolled over, sending white hot pain into my stomach.
"Leave me for now, Leo. I'll heal, remember?" I muttered. He nodded consent, and strode to my bed.
"Goodnight, sea glass." He kissed me gently, sending a shiver down my spine, all the way into my feet. I pulled him down, deepening our kiss, suddenly terrified I would never see him again. He pulled back, kissing my forehead and brushing my now black hair away from my face.
He walked out of my bedroom, closing the door. I squinted, making sure he was gone before pulling my shirt up over my chest. What used to be a tanned stomach was now decorated with an ugly red wound. The center was a perfect circle, completely black, with lines of red tension tracing their way up to my chest. I pulled my shirt down, deciding not to tell anyone. I couldn't be a burden now, not with Percy and Annabeth still in Tartarus. I rolled onto my back, pulling my covers to my chin, a desperate attempt to sleep.
