So this is chapter two! We are still in Hazel's point of view for the moment, until next chapter, at least!

I would like to point out that I did what I told myself I wouldn't do: added a fifth POV. Or maybe not. I haven't decided yet.

Also: guess who's baaaaaack?! (Hint: You'll have to read to find out, cause I'm not gonna tell you.)

Anyway, on with the chapter!

2 – Hazel

"Hazel?"

The curly-haired girl turned reluctantly away from Frank and toward the door. Leo stood at the entrance to the barrack, looking uncertain and… was he nervous?

"Leo?" Hazel replied in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

He backed up a step. "I…. Never mind. I should go."

"No!" Hazel exclaimed. He jumped. "Sorry. But I didn't mean it like that; I was just surprised. I figured you'd be on the ship, or with Jason and Piper. But please, come on in!"

He did as she asked but sat down on a bunk right beside the door. He fidgeted constantly, fingers tapping out messages in Morse code. Hazel had never seen him look so nervous.

"What's up, Leo?" Frank asked. "You're smoking."

It was true: smoke was rising in curls from the tinkerer's hair.

Leo swallowed hard and turned to Hazel. "You know when we were in Utah searching for Celestial bronze to fix the Argo II?"

She nodded. "We took it from Narcissus' pond and got chased by a mob of angry nymphs."

"And do you remember who we met?"

"Yeah, Echo. What about her?"

"Well…." Leo beckoned through the open door. The air seemed to shimmer for a second before becoming a single shape.

Hazel gasped. A young girl stood just inside the barrack. If she hadn't had some idea of what to look for, Hazel would've missed her completely. She blended in almost perfectly with the nature outside. It took intense concentration to even see the outline of her body.

"Echo?!" Hazel exclaimed.

The girl nodded. "Echo," she confirmed.

The daughter of Pluto turned to stare at Leo. "How did – where did – what?!"

The Latino smiled for the first time. "That's what I said! She showed up on the Argo II twenty minutes ago – almost gave me a heart attack when I recognized her. She just stood there staring at me until I said something she could actually repeat."

Frank was gaping at the nymph. He couldn't seem to look away now that he'd seen her.

Echo shifted uncomfortably under his stare. Leo reached out and, to Hazel's surprise, grabbed the voiceless girl's hand. It looked strange, like he was holding the air. He seemed to notice and closed the door. Immediately, the almost-invisible figure became solid.

Hazel saw how beautiful the cursed nymph was. Her hair was a long, wavy curtain of silky brown. Her eyes were blue; they reminded Hazel of a cloudless sky. Her skin was fair, and there was a sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of her nose.

Then Hazel realized – she could see her.

Leo noticed her questioning look and grinned. "Yeah, I figured that out earlier. It makes sense if you think about it. She blends in with nature, but inside, everything is man-made."

"But why is she here?" Frank's voice broke through Hazel's wonder.

Leo's smile faded. "As you can imagine, it took a lot of yes or no questions to get the full story. The basics: Echo stayed in Utah with Narcissus for a while, like she told Hazel and me she was going to. She tried everything she could think of, but eventually she had to admit defeat. She left the island and, after weeks of finding nothing, she saw the ship landing. She walked all night until she found Camp Jupiter, waited until our meeting this morning was done, and approached me while I was checking on Festus."

Hazel was still confused. "But why would she leave the island?" She felt bad about ignoring Echo, but it wasn't as if the wood nymph could speak on her own.

Leo fidgeted. "Narcissus, um… died."

Echo whimpered.

The curly-haired son of Hephaestus leaped into action at the sound, standing up and wrapping his arms around the now-teary-eyed nymph. He rubbed her back soothingly.

Hazel shared a surprised look with Frank. The caring gesture was definitely unexpected. While in Greece, Leo had pretty much come to terms with what Nemesis had told him, that he would always be the seventh wheel, the only one of the seven demigods of the Prophecy who would never find someone. He'd told Hazel – late one night, when neither of them could quiet their brains enough to sleep – that he felt bad about leaving Echo behind in Utah, even though she wanted to stay, because she was like him: always looking in from the outside.

So maybe it was a bit strange. But maybe Echo and Leo would be good for each other.

Hazel gave Frank a look, and together they slipped around the embracing couple and quietly left the barrack.

So, yeah. Echo's back! I love that girl (nymph, whatever) so much!

And no, Leo and Echo are not a couple (yet). But guess what? I've decided their couple name would be Eeo. Or Lecho. Whatever you prefer.

Please review! It helps me get through life without pain (and that was probably one of the dumbest things I've ever said/typed. Oh, well).

Peace, love, and whatever else comes next!