A/N: Second chapter! Guys, I'm on a roll! I might have FIVE chapters up tonight for this story! FIVE! Woo!

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or HoO!

LEO

I felt hollow. Oh gods I felt so empty. So numb.

Aphrodite was hugging me, and I could feel her own tears dripping on top of my head. I took a deep breath, my body quaking. Clutching at Aphrodite tightly, I felt so childish as I murmured, "I want her back." It was then that Aphrodite started to cry. "I need her." I could hear my voice in that childish tone. Why was Aphrodite crying.

"Hey, no crying Aphro." I cracked weakly. "I'm the one supposed to be crying." I gave a weak laugh into the goddess's shoulder and I could only feel her shoulders quaking as she wrapped her body around me.

Then I felt the tears welling up in my eyes again, then I was bawling again. We were both bawling, in fact. This was never going to end. A quiet laugh escaped me at this thought, and soon I was cracking up again. I could see Aphrodite's beautiful face show confusion, but soon she was cracking up too.

"G-gods, we're ridiculous." I let out a shaky breath, wrapping my arms around myself briefly. Then I swore viciously. Shit. I felt like I was on fire actually. Why was I burnt again?

I inhaled deeply, letting it out shakily. I no longer felt the deep rage I had felt when I tried to kill Artemis. Actually, all I felt was emptiness. I felt completely, utterly numb. Heh.

I risked another glance at Calypso, but it felt like my heart was shattering all over again. Gods, I hurt. I felt heavy all over actually. Wasn't I supposed to be dead? Wait a minute.

I froze.

I was supposed to be dead.

Why the hell was I alive?

I turned a glare on to the Underworld King, who glanced at me suspiciously. "What?" his bass voice inquired.

"Why. The HELL am I not dead?!" I hissed to him. I felt curiosity and slight anger as I glared at him. "At the moment, I should be a piece of barbecued veal!"

He smiled at me weakly. "Uh. Surprise?"

Urrrrrghh!

Then all of a sudden all of the gods and goddesses formed a circle around me, and everything spun. After a dizzying moment, I found myself in an amazing white room. For a moment, I gaped, before I shut my emotions down.

Calypso.

I felt tears blur my gaze again. Gods. Oh gods. I could feel something restricting my chest, and I took a wheezing sob. Everything around me spun and I wheezed again, sending me into a ridiculous coughing fit. I felt like I was like some kind of puppy with my bark-like coughs. When I glanced down at my fist though, I froze at the sight.

Specks of blood dotted my burnt hand, and after bending over double, I was coughing even more blood. Oh god. I felt like I was dying. For a moment, I had to admit I absolutely freaked the fuck out. I was coughing up blood!

I felt myself collapse and continue to wretch, coughing and choking up blood. Clots of the sticky, copper-smelling liquid spilled over the pure white Olympian marble, making the floor look like some kind of glowing red thing. Then it came to me. This was my life blood. Oh god.

APOLLO

I glanced at my sister as we heard the fire kid start to cough. For a moment, I pushed aside my slight concern as everyone else went to their thrones, but it was when I saw something dark red land on the floor that my gut froze.

Shit.

Godly travel was NOT meant for mortals. Didn't the other gods even remember that?!

Then he was bent over double, and it sounded like he was coughing his lungs up. I swear chunks of blood spewed from his throat as he collapsed to his knees. Pure worry shot through me as I bolted forward.

"Leo!" Oh my god stay with me kid. "Shit!" I caught the kid as he fell forward, hacking up even more blood. Blood came out all over my skin and clothes, but I didn't care. "Stay with me kid!"

Then my insides froze. Calypso's death had only been minutes before Leo's arrival, and Hades' announced it. With Leo coughing up this much blood.. Shit! Holy shit! I didn't think soul mates were real! Shit!

He glanced up at me from puking up his guts on the floor and my innards froze even more. His chocolate brown eyes were pleading, and his head was being matted with blood from it getting on his hands. His face was spattered with bright red liquid. His eyes, once so trusting and humorous, were pleading and absolutely panicked. "I don't want to die." His words made me burst into gear.

Scooping up his body and glowering furiously at the other gods, who were staring at him neutrally except for Aphrodite, I began to work on him. "C'mon kid!" I hissed furiously, pumping much of my godly energy into his limp form. His eyes were dimming, and suddenly Aphrodite stiffened out of the corner of her eye. Watching the beautiful goddess stalk over here furiously, I pumped more energy into him as Aphrodite began to do the same.

I couldn't let him die, goddammit! No don't you dare die, Leo Valdez!

Then suddenly his back arched and a gut-wrenching scream of agony tore through his throat. I stiffened in surprise. Only three gods could make Leo an Olympian himself. I glanced up in mid-godly-power-transfer, staring in shock when I saw my father's bright blue eyes staring down at the boy in fierce determination.

Leo's agonized, pain-filled screams filled the silent air. When the doors to the throne room opened, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw the rest of the seven. This shouldn't be even painful!

When he let out a final, muffled whimper, I slumped over in relief. Thank Chaos he survived the transfer. I was panting slightly from exertion, as were Aphrodite and Father. It took a bit out of us to transfer power into a demi-god to turn him into one of the Olympians.

Picking up the passed out, newly transformed God, I met each of the other Seven's eyes. I made sure I looked disapproving as I cradled Leo like he was a delicate child. Then I turned a furious glare on to Hephaestus, who was gazing at Leo in a way that made me let out a growl of fury at him.

It was time to start the reward ceremony.