It's not like she didn't see it coming. Him getting old and dying. She just didn't want him to go alone or even think it. She knew that when his soul reached Elysium he would find out the truth.
Her wedding day, standing across the altar was Leo, smiling at her so happily, but his nerves roll off him like an ocean breeze. His hands wouldn't be still. She tried to focus on him, not on anyone else, especially not to what the pastor was saying.
She said her vows and he kissed her, one of the few times that it was that way. People were clapping but she could barely hear them. Lost in his lips.
Leo tried to talk but she shushed him.
"Hey, it's okay." She croaked in her fake old person voice. "It's okay, you don't have anything to say to me anymore."
"But I do." He breathed out, then coughed. Her heart twisted sharply, at the sound.
"Say it then. What have you been holding out on me?" She squeezed his hands.
He chuckled then coughed, more horrible. She saw blood on his arm and tried very hard not to show her tears.
"Wouldn't say *wheeze* I've been holding out on you." His eyes shone with love and she couldn't breath. "... I love you… So much."
"I know you do. And I love you too."
"Congratulations. It's a healthy baby boy." The doctor said, holding the little bundle.
Sweat pooled down her face and she collapsed back onto the bed and relaxed. She held out her hands for her baby. They placed him in her arms and she laughed as she saw his face. She felt Leo behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Hey there, little guy." He said softly.
The baby made a gurgling sound.
"Go on, go met your brother." She looked up to see Jason at the doorway pulling her little Nessa forward to see the bundle of joy.
Leo guested for her to come forward and she did slowly.
"Nessa, this is your new brother."
Leo's loving smile, her smile, suddenly relaxed. His eyes lost their light.
"Leo?" She asked, no response. "Leo?"
Tears fell then and she moved her hands to close his eyes. She hiccuped a little and give him one last kiss. She broke away and burst into tears at his bedside.
A car started and drove away. She didn't get to watch it very far before it turned a corner and went out of sight.
"You know she's going to be alright."
She turned to see Leo leaning against the doorway, his usual smirk gone and instead replaced with a genuine small smile.
"I know that!" She snapped. "I just… It's just I'm going to miss her, you're going to miss her. The house already feels so…"
"I know. But this is her path. We've made ours, now she makes hers."
"It's not all bad, she gave me all the stuff she couldn't bring with her." Her son said and she just rolled her eyes.
Ah, her boys, always making stupid remarks.
She closed the door behind her and began walking forward. Vanessa ran towards her out of breath. She stops and stares at her mother, unable to comprehend what was happening.
"No." The sound was barely hearable.
"Nessa-." She started but Nessa pushed past her into the room.
She just stood outside waiting for her daughter to come back out. Her son came up behind her.
"He passed?" It was a question, wanting to be contradicted.
She could barely even nod and tears collected. Her son warped his arms around her and just held her closely as she cried.
Nessa came out and stared at the two until she turned to go.
"Nessa." She pulled herself out of her son's arms.
Nessa glared back at her. "You could've told us sooner."
"Nessa." She tried again.
Nessa just turned, away from her devastated mother and her crying brother.
"Nessa." She begged. "Please."
Vanessa's shoulders started to shake and she dove into her mother's arms.
"Oh, Mom." Her son joined them and they just sobbed for a few minutes, a few hours, a few days. She wasn't sure.
They broke and Vanessa wiped off tears. Her son looked at her, tears streamed down his face but he didn't wipe them off.
"I know what you're going to do."
"Then you will know where to find me." She managed.
"Mom, can't you stay for a few days to tie up loose ends."
Two weeks.
Two weeks was all it took.
Now she stood in the presence of Artemis. Her youthful looks had returned, since she no longer needed to keep up her illusions.
"Lady Artemis." She bowed.
"Calypso Valdez." Artemis acknowledged.
"You know why I am here." She said.
"Why should I allow you to join the hunters?"
"You know why. But we both know I need this more than you ever could."
"And I can trust you not to love man again? You do have that reputation."
"I assure you, lady Artemis, I could never love another man again."
"And if I do let you join. What's to say that you won't become suicidal?"
She was taken aback.
"My children." She promised not to abandon them. "I could never just abandon them."
Artemis apprised Calypso's words for a moment.
"Very well. Repeat after me." And Calypso took the pledge. Never again would her heart be broken. And maybe someday, she would be united with her late husband. As a hunter she at least had the chance.