Finally Free

Leo stood at the wheel of the Argo II in disbelief. He couldn't believe it was finally over. The Dirt Woman was asleep again, hopefully in a coma she would never wake up from. And they were all alive. A prophecy that didn't end in the death of at least one good guy? The Fates must have been feeling generous. Or maybe Gaea had annoyed them as much as the demigods had. If anyone could drive them into making an ominous prophecy turn out well, it was the dirt hag.

He almost laughed out loud because of that. All of them had pretty much drained their power in the effort, and some were worse off than others. Gaea had tried to sacrifice Percy and Annabeth, and it had been pretty close, but in the last minute they had been lifted up by a strong gust of wind from Jason. Leo had used some pretty wicked fire moves, if he had to say so himself. His pyro technique had served as just the distraction Jason needed to scoop up Percy and Annabeth. They took a few minutes to recover, and then the battle really started again.

Jason had suffered the most, out of all of them. The prophecy had been about him. A storm he created, with help from Percy, had finally driven Gaea down in the mud. He had almost burned up in the process, the lightning he summoned so powerful Leo could almost see through him for a minute. It was terrifying in that moment, but Leo knew he'd be making jokes about it eventually.

Now everyone else was asleep. The only reason Leo wasn't in his bunk was the fact that he couldn't sleep. He was completely exhausted, buy right now he couldn't imagine trying to lie down. After defeating Gaea, they had sat right on that spot and just talked. About an hour later Leo had almost burst into flame as he remembered something: Calypso.

He always thought about her, but he didn't feel bad about putting her to the back of his mind for the battle. His focus was the only reason he was still alive. But since the battle was over, he was finally free to fulfill his promise. So instead of resting for the night and starting home tomorrow, he was racing the Argo II as fast as it could go, trying to get back to Camp Half-Blood. Festus creaked and clicked in excitement at the prospect of getting a body again.

"It's gonna be a while before we set down, Festus." Leo said, patting his dragon's head. "We need to get back to Manhattan."

Festus growled in agreement, snorting.

The sun was just setting as he steered away from Athens. Somehow the land had more appeal now that Gaea was gone. Leo actually thought it looked nice.

On second thought, maybe he was seeing things. No sane person defeated the goddess of the earth and then complimented dirt in the same day. Actually, no sane person complimented dirt. Wow, Leo seriously needed sleep.

He couldn't help but wonder how Ogygia looked right now. His thoughts were wandering.

"I'm coming, Calypso. Just a little bit longer."

He made it back to Camp in a week. By the time they landed in the center of Camp, the ship was groaning in protest to being run so hard. It wasn't in danger of breaking down or anything, but it would need a rest for a while.

They landed and found a very tense environment. The campers all had distrusting expressions on their faces, and it took Leo a moment to figure out why. There was a mix of Greeks and Romans in the crowd. Kids from eight to eighteen, some dressed in orange tee shirts, others in purple. At first glance they might look like any group of kids, but Leo saw the way they were standing. The Greeks remained roughly on the same side, talking amongst themselves. The Romans glared at the Greeks, standing ramrod straight and like they had a stick up their – well, they looked like an animal does right before its cornered; uncomfortable and willing to strike at the first opportunity. It was unbelievably tense, but there was a delicate balance to it, and he couldn't figure out why. After asking around, he found out there was a meeting going on at that moment in the Big House, with Chiron, Rachel, Reyna, Nico, and Octavian. The battle had stopped when Reyna and Nico appeared with the Athena Parthenos, and now the leaders of the camps were discussing peace terms. The Athena Parthenos stood right next to the Big House, proudly displayed. Leo had a feeling it was helping prevent a battle from starting again. That thing had some serious power to it.

Leo and the other six demigods aboard the Argo II had talked it over on the ship. Every one of them had wanted to tell the camps the good news, but they had agreed that two would be enough. And who better than their most obvious leaders, who had taken up senior status in both the Greek and Roman worlds? Yeah, it made sense, but still. Leo felt a bit left out. Until he remembered his task and brightened. He was no good at story telling anyway.

Immediately upon landing Percy and Jason forced their way through the crowd and into the Big House, determined to join the meeting. Frank and Hazel stood uncomfortably by back end of the ship, away from the crowd. Leo felt bad for them. They had never seen the Greek demigods or camp before, and the Romans considered them traitors. That couldn't be easy.

The three remaining demigods lingered by the ship, unsure of exactly what to do. They couldn't leave the ship unattended, and the crowd certainly wouldn't let them go to their cabins without answers. Annabeth and Piper looked like they wanted to talk to people, but resisted the urge. Frankly, Leo wanted to get out of there as soon as he could. Everyone was looking at him with distrust. He tried to ignore them and found it easier than usual, but he still felt like he had a death sentence hanging over him, and fell into a wary but relaxed state.

Leo's thoughts started drifting as they waited for word from the Big House. About ten minutes later Annabeth tried to get everyone's attention, and within a few minutes the crowd had calmed down enough to hear her. No matter how long she had been gone, everyone knew Annabeth was a leader for Camp Half-Blood. Even the Romans were respectful.

"We need everyone to remain calm." She said. "Percy and Jason are explaining everything to our leaders now, and we have to keep the peace until they reach a decision."

Why was she saying that stuff? Leo studied the crowd and realized just how tense the campers really were. One wrong move and fighting could start up again. Piper stood next to Annabeth and spoke reassuring words to those who seemed the most agitated. Dang, he was glad those two had noticed before the fighting broke out. That would have been a great welcome home, restarting a battle. He shook his head and forced himself to pay a little more attention to his surroundings for the next few minutes. He could go into his own world in Bunker Nine, when he was rebuilding Festus.

Leo walked over to Frank and got his attention. "I need to do something, okay? Tell Annabeth I went to Bunker Nine if she asks."

Frank looked down at him and nodded, still unsure of exactly what to do. That settled, Leo made his way through the Greeks and Romans, for once glad he wasn't really noticed. He kept his eyes open and smiled when he saw the person he was looking for. Nyssa was standing near the back of the crowd, her hands fidgeting with small pieces of machinery. When she saw Leo she smiled and hugged him.

"You're back!" she said. "I knew you guys could do it!"

Leo grinned. "Yeah, it wasn't that big a deal."

Nyssa laughed and punched him in the arm. "Of course it wasn't." She saw that he wasn't joking around like he had been before and was quiet for a moment. "What's wrong?"

He shifted his weight and spoke quietly. "I need your help to build something. Actually, I need all the Hephaestus kids' help."

She nodded, her chin up as she heard she had a task to do. "I'll spread the word. We'll meet you at the Bunker as soon as we can."

Leo gave her an appreciative look as she started walking purposefully through the crowd. If he had his whole cabin working on it, maybe he could be done within a few days. That was being optimistic, but Leo knew he wouldn't be resting much until he'd fulfilled his promise. He reached into his tool belt and felt for the compass, to make sure it was still there. He sighed in relief when he felt it. The precious crystal was there too.

He looked behind him to make sure he wasn't needed for anything before walking into the forest, on the path to Bunker Nine. Minutes later he arrived, and was pleased to see how clean it was. Obviously his siblings had been spending time in here. There was a ton of celestial bronze scraps in one of the corners.

The first thing he went for was blueprints. He needed a diagram before he could start building, but drawing it wouldn't take long. He'd practically memorized Festus's form when he, Jason and Piper and gone on their first quest together.

He had just finished drawing when the doors to the bunker opened and his cabin-mates entered, led by Nyssa. There were probably fifteen total. "Hey guys." Leo said.

He cleared his throat as he remembered that he was head counselor. "So I know I just got back and all, but I need your help right away. I need to rebuild Festus."

One small girl spoke up. "I thought you attached his head to the Argo II?"

Leo smiled at her. "Yeah, I did Rebecca. But I need to make him a full dragon again. That means rebuilding his body and wings. Festus and I have another quest to go on, and the sooner the better."

No one moved for a minute, and Leo was worried they wouldn't help him. Then they swarmed him, studying his diagram and grabbing supplies. He couldn't help but smile as he was bombarded with questions. He was home.

His estimation had been right. After working most of the day with little sleep, he and his siblings had just about finished the job in a week. The Athena cabin had helped out a lot, which really sped things along. Now it was the night of the seventh day, one week after they had returned to Camp from Greece.

Leo was shoveling down a quick dinner at the dining pavilion. He hadn't eaten since early morning, and he was starving. He was about to head back to the bunker when his friends blocked his path. Percy stood in front of him, Annabeth at his side with her arms crossed. Nyssa was just behind them.

"Leo, you need to sleep." Annabeth said.

He waved away her comment. "I'm fine. I just need to start working again. I'm so close to being done."

Her gray eyes glinted as she took a step forward, stopping him from moving. "After all we've been through, you haven't had a solid night of sleep yet. You need it."

Percy spoke up. "Look man, we're just worried about you. If you don't rest you'll get sick, and that doesn't help anyone." He could see the argument in Leo's eyes and continued. "Just try to sleep. That's all we want."

Leo exhaled in annoyance and immediately grew concerned. Had he just snorted fire like Festus?

Apparently he had, because Percy laughed. He really did need sleep.

"Alright. I'm going to my cabin now."

His friends were obviously relieved. They walked him to his cabin and he fell onto his bed, doubting he would be able to sleep. Oh, how wrong he was.

He dreamed of Ogygia. The soft white sand and deep blue water seemed so inviting. It was a shame most people didn't even know it existed. Calypso stood in her little shelter, wearing her chiton. Leo felt a little disappointed she wasn't wearing her jeans and white top, but smiled when he saw why. She was washing them, slowly and methodically. Her pale skin glowed in the soft moonlight. Gods she was beautiful. He saw her wash her clothes and get up to hang them for drying, and then she turned toward him as if she'd heard something. Her alarm faded to confusion and then disbelief as she saw him.

"Leo." She said.

He tried to say "I'm here", but as soon as he opened his mouth he was transported out of the dream and into blackness.

He didn't dream the rest of the night, and woke up feeling a sense of loss. That was it. He was leaving today, whether Festus was perfect or not.

"Are you sure you want to leave so soon after getting back?" Hazel asked him.

Leo nodded. "Absolutely. We completed the quest. The world is safe. Now I have something I need to do." He saw her face fall and immediately felt bad for sounding so nonchalant. They had been through a lot together, and Hazel probably thought he was running away from them. "I promise I'll be back as soon as I can." He said with a softer tone.

He looked at Jason as he slung a backpack over his shoulders. Leo had told him everything early this morning. Jason was the only one who really knew where Leo was going, but Leo knew he would keep his secret. He trusted Jason with his life.

The blond praetor nodded at him. "Travel safely, Valdez." He said. "We'll manage the politics while you're gone."

"That's probably good, considering I blew up New Rome."

He and his friends laughed, and then the mood became serious again. Leo was just about to climb onto Festus when Hazel ran into him, hugging him. He was shocked but pleased with the gesture, and when he looked at Frank he saw that the boy didn't have any jealousy in his eyes. Their roles had finally been settled.

Leo climbed onto Festus and strapped himself in by the legs. Festus wasn't exactly the same as before, but he looked great. Celestial bronze plating, a broad wingspan, almost all of the features he had before the accident. Reattaching his head had been a little difficult, but Festus had told Leo how to do it. He seemed to like his new body. Right when he was connected to it he looked to the sky and blasted fire, smoking a bit but otherwise incredible.

"See you soon, guys." Leo said. Then he urged Festus to go, and the celestial bronze dragon soared off into the sky. Within five minutes Camp was just a dot behind them.

Firmly strapped in, Leo didn't worry about holding on in the beginning. He took out the compass and crystal and put them together. It started to glow faintly, and Leo slid open a panel in Festus's neck. The compass, now completed, inserted into Festus with a click and the panel shut. "Did you get that buddy? Do you know where to go?"

Festus creaked.

Leo smiled. "Great. Now all we have to do is get there."

He stopped four times in the journey to rest himself and Festus. He'd packed enough food for a week if he ate only what he had to, so he only stopped when Festus needed a break, really. Leo could sleep while they were in the air.

At least, in the beginning he could. As they got closer he encountered monsters. Nothing too serious, but enough of a threat that he had to stay vigil, which was tiring. There was something else though. As he drew closer to Ogygia, he felt his energy leaving him, slowly ebbing. And the worst thing was that even sleep couldn't replenish it.

No man was meant to find the island twice, and the compass was allowing Leo to do just that. But the price was high. It took everything he had to keep going, all of his energy. Of course there was no way he was turning back. He'd made a promise to Calypso to find her again, or die trying. He just hoped he didn't really die in the attempt. Leo Valdez, the boy who helped defeat Gaea, died flying his bronze dragon.

Yeah, he could do without that.

He imagined he must look pretty heroic though. He saw the island after he didn't know how long traveling, and his back straightened automatically. He started searching for Calypso even though he knew she was still too far away to see. He hoped Calypso saw him ride in to save her. That had to earn him some points in his favor.

His energy started coming out of him in waves as he approached, and a pain started building in his gut. "Just a little more, Valdez." He said to himself. "You can do it."

Festus prepared to land and spread his wings straight, hovering more than flying as the white sand drew closer and closer. Then they touched down, and Leo slid off without a moment's hesitation.

"Calypso!" he called. He started running around the island, searching for her. He felt incredibly weak, but he didn't care. He was so close now it hurt. "Calypso, I'm here!"

He ran to her cave and looked inside, but she wasn't there.

"Leo?" he heard.

He ran to where he had heard her calling from and found her back by Festus, inspecting him. She saw him and stopped, her mouth slightly open. Her golden brown hair was loose, and she was dressed in her jeans again. Her dark eyes were unreadable, but only because Leo saw so many emotions in them at once. Disbelief, hope, happiness, confusion… and did he see some attraction in there?

He didn't question anything. He ran to her and hugged her, and he felt her shaking. She pushed him away and looked at him, wiping away a tear. "I didn't know if you would come back." She said.

"Are you kidding?" he tried to joke but didn't have the heart to. "I never break a promise."

She kissed him on the cheek and he felt warm all of a sudden. Her expression had relaxed some, not as conflicted as before, and as she looked at him he could tell she was done crying. If it was up to him she'd never cry again.

He also knew that his weakness was taking over. He stumbled forward and Calypso caught him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, studying him for wounds.

He grimaced. "Feeling weak. Ogygia really didn't want me to find it again."

She gasped. "The curse! Leo, how stupid you are! You didn't have any protection!"

"Scold me later." He said. "Heal first." Then he raised an eyebrow. "I figured I could make the reckless hero thing work for me."

She scowled at him, and he grinned. That was more like the girl he knew. Then spots danced before his eyes. His hearing and vision faded in and out, but he knew that Calypso left him for some time. At some point she returned and spoke some incantation, and Leo's eyes felt really heavy.

"Sleep, my annoying hero." Calypso said. "I promise we'll talk when you wake."

Leo decided he should listen to the pretty girl. It didn't hurt that he couldn't fight it anymore either. Within seconds he was asleep.

When he woke up he was inside Calypso's cave in the hillside. She sat by his side, making new clothes and cooking beef stew. He realized he had a cold cloth on his head and groaned, moving it and sitting up. Calypso noticed him stir and smiled at him.

"You finally decided to wake up, then."

Leo blinked slowly and pushed off the thin blanket covering him. "I feel like I was hit by a bus." He said as he stretched.

"Ogygia fought against your return with some heavy magic. It almost completely drained you of energy."

Leo smirked. "Guess I was too strong for it."

Calypso laughed. "Or too stubborn."

She helped him get up and they walked slowly to her garden, still the most impressive one he'd ever seen. They planted in silence for a few minutes before Calypso broke it.

"I can't say how grateful I am that you came back." She said. "I'd hoped, but I was never sure if you would succeed."

Leo kept his hands busy adjusting plants and dirt. "I've thought about this place since the day I left." He admitted. "After defeating Gaea I knew it was time to find you again. The crystal you gave me really was the key." He told her about the compass he had found, and everything after he had left Ogygia.

"Do you think the spell is broken?" she said after hearing his story. "Do you think I can finally leave this prison?"

He stood, wiped his hands on his jeans, and helped her up. "There's only one way to find out."

Twenty minutes later he had talked her into leaving and made her pack supplies. It if worked he didn't want to have to come back for anything and risk her getting stuck again.

Festus was ready to go, snorting fire and tossing his great head. Calypso stared at him warily, but Leo guided her forward. "Festus is just excited." He said. "Last week he only had me to put up with, and the idea of another person on board makes him want to show off."

He strapped her in and buckled himself behind her. "Ready?"

Calypso nodded and grabbed his hand. "Ready."

"Alright Festus. Let's go back to Camp."

Festus launched himself off the ground and into the air, wide wings flapping to gain altitude. He felt Calypso tense and tightened his arms around her. It could be considered a smooth move, but all Leo cared about was her feelings at the moment. He didn't want her to be scared.

They started getting higher and Leo found himself holding his breath. Please, he thought. Please let us leave. If any gods are listening, please.

A minute later Festus gave a defiant roaring sound and shot forward with power Leo didn't know he had. They were out of Ogygia's range.

"Calypso." He said softly. "We made it."

She must've had her eyes closed because it took her a minute to respond. She glanced carefully around them at first, non-believing. Then her curiosity overwhelmed her fear and she studied the ocean they were flying over, the land in the distance. She turned in her seat so she was facing Leo.

"You did it! Leo, this is fantastic! I love you!"

They both got sort of red at that, but neither one denied it. "Well, now that we've gotten that cleared up-." He was interrupted by Calypso leaning in and kissing him on the lips.

All thoughts left his head as their lips touched, and when they separated he stared at Calypso with open affection.

"I just can't believe it. Three thousand years, and I'm finally free. And how am I rescued? By a stubborn boy on a bronze dragon." She smiled at him. "Don't get me wrong, I love it that way."

Leo was starting to feel like himself again. He could feel the cockiness rising. "I think I've said it before, but you look good for three thousand."

Calypso rolled her eyes and turned around. "Don't push your luck, Leo."

He laughed and relaxed for the first time in weeks. He could understand Calypso's emotions. He felt them too. It was good to be free.

A/N: Alright guys. There's my prediction for Leo's reunion with Calypso, and the end of the Giant War. The final book comes out tomorrow, so I had to get it out there tonight. I hoped you enjoyed it, and please leave a review!