A young woman stared up at the tempestuous clouds, letting the frigid rain soothe her burned hands. Her dark hair stuck to her wet face. The war was over. They had won. Three long, hard years of constant battle was finally over. During this war, however; something new and unexpected had entered her life. She had fallen in love. Hard and fast, she fell for the person she least expected to fall for.
In the end, the boy had fallen and she tried to catch him. The memory was forever burned into her mind, always present, and hopelessly persistent to be remembered.
"That's it. It's over. We can finally go home." Leo said quietly. He turned to Reyna. "I-" Gaea's voice ran out loud and clear You have may have won, demigods, but I will not go down alone. A crevice burst open directly behind Leo. He stumbled, arms flailing wildly.
"Leo!" Reyna cried and grabbed his wrist. He fell despite her efforts, but she still managed to hold him up.
"Reyna..." He looked below him, fear in his eyes. "Reyna, I-" His skin began to heat up. "Don't let me go!"
"You're heating up. Leo, don't let your emotions control you. I can't hold on." Her eyes stung. She blinked her tears away, frustrated at her own weakness.
Leo tried, but to know avail. He slipped from her grasp.
"No!" She cried. She sat back and clutched her hands to her chest. She sat, motionless, until a firm hand was placed on her shoulder. she looked up.
"We need to go. The Romans need a leader." Percy said softly.
She slowly got to her feet. She walked forward, staying silent. She had to be strong, a leader. Her people need her and not the broken pieces.
A week had passed and she kept her composure, until the rain came. Now her walls were collapsing, and the emotions that had been built up and held behind a frozen mask came out in one moment. She was strong, and now she was crumbling to nothing.
The dam burst and tears streamed down her rain soaked face. Squeezing her eyes shut, she sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands. The young women had reached a point where she could no longer hold anything back. All her fear, regrets, and love pouring out of her in silent sobs.
She wanted him back. More than anything, she wanted to hold him and tell him she loved him. Alas, the boy was gone. She had once seen him as an enemy, and she regretted this heavily. "I'm sorry." She whispered to the rain. "I'm sorry." She said to the clouds. "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed to the heavens, wishing in vain that it would reach his ears. "I'm sorry for everything." She said nearly inaudibly.
Yet, not too far from where she knelt, a young man watched her in silence. He witnesses the fierce leader break into a million pieces. He subconsciously moved forward, standing just behind her. The next words that moved across her lips left him shocked. "I love you. Leo, I love you." She whispered. He sank to his knees, a small smile gracing his face.
She jumped as warm arms encircled her. "I love you too Rey, and you should never be sorry for me." She gasped quietly. He was here, and he loved her. She turned and their lips crashed together. They stayed in their embrace, in the rain. The rain washed everything away, her grief, his guilt for leaving, and the past. At that moment, the slate was washed clean, and they started over. But this time together.
Love is a powerful thing. It breaks the strongest, and strengthens the weak. It starts wars, and stops them. It breaks hearts and shatters souls. It has also mended the broken, and lifted the weary. Reyna believed in love, but then it turned on her and the boy she thought she loved left. He eventually returned but he had moved on. So she did the same, but she promised that she would never fall in love. Love doesn't work that way, and she fell in love again. This time she knew, she knew, that she loved him and always would.
Leo spent many years chasing love. He longed for the happiness his friends had with each other. He wanted to look at someone and see the happiness that he gave them. It took a long time, but he fell hard for the calm, strong and powerful roman leader. Now, locked together, they were happy. Leo would never look far for love again, as it was right next to him, and Reyna had found real love that would last for eternity.