LEO
As they sped back to bunker nine Leo started doubting his next invention. He was almost completely sure he'd lost Piper when he'd told her the thing's name. He just hoped this one did more good than bad. They got out of the Jason I. He led Piper to the bronze disc on the floor he had made four foot shaped holes so he could go too. He stepped on first Piper looked a little scared but she followed.
'Give me your hand and close your eyes.' he told her.
She obeyed ,her hand was cold. It wasn't necessary, but it was easy to get lonely where they were going.
Leo concentrated hard, Tristan McLean, Los Angeles.
There was a loud bang and Leo could feel himself dissolving.
'Leo, what-'
'Hold on tight, you won't be able to see or hear me,but you'll know I'm there!'
'Where?'
And he couldn't see her panicked face anymore he was standing in a neat office, Tristan McLean was working on his laptop, Leo felt as if he was alone there, but the nervous squeeze Leo felt on his right hand made him sure Piper was there. Tristan would only be able to see and speak to Piper since Leo hadn't completely figured this machine out.
'Pipes!' Yelped Tristan, noticing Piper for the first time, Leo couldn't hear her reply,but Tristan said' I was so worried about you, Leo too. He visited every night to tell me of your progress, when... When he told me you had tried to- to drown yourself. He burst out in tears. I thought you'd never be well again, but he came up with a plan to help you. I had to tell him everything I know about you to help him, but I take it it worked.'
Tristan said, his eyes tearing up. Leo's heart felt very heavy, he didn't want Piper to hear that he'd been crying,but he couldn't help himself, he remembered that night vividly, it had left a mental scar on his brain.
They had arrived home from Greece that day, it had also been Jason's burial at Camp Jupiter, he had said a final word at the burial,since no one else seemed to be able, Leo had suffered enough to stay strong for the sake of the others. Piper on the other hand was a total wreck, she cried on his shoulder through the whole ceremony. He had tried to make her feel better,but nothing worked. She had really, truly loved Jason. So he just took her hand, something stable and real to hold onto in that tragic moment of grief.
When they got back to camp Half-Blood Leo didn't trust Piper with herself, so he borrowed Annabeth's invisibility cap, which was working again. He checked on her from time to time through the day, she had pulled the curtains around her bed and wouldn't speak to anyone.
That night Leo kept waking up from nightmares, so he decided a bit of fresh air by the beach would do him good, he took the invisibility cap for incase the harpies were around. He sneaked down to the beach, careful not to make a sound. He walked a bit ,but decided to sit down. He was absently building a sandcastle when he heard someone coming , he sat quietly careful not to breathe to hard, but his heart was hammering against his ribs, in the moonlight he saw the figure of a girl as she came closer he could hear muffled sniffs, the girl walked onto the boardwalk, she stood at the very edge, this girl seemed very familiar, her hair and her pj's. He waited for something to happen, then she took off her clothes except for her underwear and jumped. Leo ran to the edge of the boardwalk, he waited for her to come up, she didn't. One minute passed. Two minutes. She couldn't possibly breathe. He had to help her, he stripped off his pj's (since he didn't want to go back in wet clothes) so he was standing there in his underwear and the invisibility cap. He fixed the cap's strap around his wrist and dived. At first he couldn't see anything, he only felt the cold water, then he saw two glowing green girls drifting around a murky object which he identified as the girl as quickly as he could he swam towards them, he grabbed the girl by her waist and swam upwards with her, their heads broke the surface and Leo could see her face. It was Piper.
'No. No. No!' and he pulled both of them out to the beach, he set his ear against her chest. She wasn't breathing. He preformed mouth-to-mouth resesitation, never ever had he even dreamed about kissing Piper, but here he was his lips to her mouth forcing air into her lungs, then pressing her chest expelling the water from her lungs, he repeated this until he gave up hope, he'd lost her. When suddenly she gasped for air it was the most beautiful sound he'd ever heard. Her eyes fluttered open, he was so happy, so relieved that he kissed her for real. Two seconds passed. Three. Four. Five. Then he shot up he had just realised what he was doing and to put the cherry on the cake he was standing there almost completely naked, wearing only his underwear and so was she, if she realised it was him, he'd have a big problem. So without thinking about it anymore, he slapped the cap on his head and felt himself vanish. He watched Piper stare at the place where he'd disappeared. Then she closed her eyes and she was sleeping. After Leo got dressed, he just put her clothes on top of her and he carried her back to her cabin, fortunately she wasn't very heavy. After he had put her in her bed. He ran to bunker 9 to tell her father. When he shook himself back to reality Tristan was saying his goodbyes,'And say thanks to Leo. Stay close to that kid Pipes, he really has earned my respect and trust. I love you. Bye.' and then he was back in bunker 9 awkwardly holding hands with Piper.
'So it was you all along, you who saved me from drowning, you who took me back to my cabin.' She asked, though she didn't let go of his hand which made him hopeful.
'Yes, nice Power Ranger jammies by the way.'
'What happened, that night.' She asked looking at her feet. Completely ignoring the pajama joke.
So he told her everything including the last kiss and the awkward moment when he had pulled away because he thought she'd hate him if she'd found out.
There was a long silence, Leo knew he'd lost her for good.
'Listen. I'm sorry, I couldn't just let you drown and -' his words were cut short because Piper had thrown her arms around his neck and was now kissing him and he couldn't believe what was happening. He felt a fire inside him, not the usual kind. This was much stronger, spreading to his fingers and toes filling him with the warmth of happy memories and something new that must have been love.
