Chapter Seven- Leo
How did things get so messed up? Leo asked himself that every day. He really didn't want to leave on bad terms with Noah. He was mad, he wouldn't deny that, but he wish he had said things differently. As if that wasn't bad enough, he wasn't doing so hot on this quest. He seemed to be constantly messing up with everything; with the Roman camp, with the others on the ship, and with Hazel.
Hazel was a different story all in itself. As if he didn't feel guilty enough about hurting Noah, he had to make things worse by liking Hazel- who already had a boyfriend! There was just something about her that he couldn't help but like. She was really pretty, she was sweet, and she had that old school modesty that was really endearing. When she had revealed her past to him about his great grandfather, Sammy, he didn't even know what to say. He was more connected to Hazel then he realized. It was a good and bad feeling.
He hadn't kept in contact with Noah at all since she left. He wanted to but he couldn't face her. After she left, he spent the rest of the day working alone. It wasn't until he was heading to bed that he noticed the mirror on a table right next to Festus' head. It was a small hand mirror in silver with a dove etched on the back. This must have been what Noah had wanted to give him. What did it do? For some reason, Leo took it on the quest with him. He couldn't explain why but he felt like he should have it with him.
Even more so now than before. While Leo was in his room resting after his underwater excursion with Aphros, he was twirling the mirror in his hand when the iris message appeared. It was so unexpected Leo almost tossed the mirror on the ground in surprise.
Jake was looking at him from the other side of the rainbow message looking completely distraught. From what he could see, it was like he was trying not to cry.
"Whoa, what's up man?" Leo asked, his eyebrows furrowed. He hid the mirror under his pillow before standing in front of Jake's image.
Jake sniffled. "I don't know where else to turn. It's been six months, man! Our parents already gave up on her. They think she's dead."
"Wait, who?" Leo asked. He could feel his heart skip a beat, hoping Jake wasn't talking about who he thought he was talking about.
"Noah," was his devastating response. "She never made it home. No one knows what happened to her. Her dad's convinced some monster killed her but I can't believe that. I don't believe that. Please, tell me you know where she is! That she stowed away on the ship or something."
All Leo could do was shake his head 'no'.
Jake wiped his face, maybe to hide his tears. "I don't know what to do," he mumbled. "Holy Hephaestus, things are really bad. Well, it was worth a shot. If you hear anything about Noah let me know."
The iris message disconnected. Noah was missing? Things were just getting worse and worse! He couldn't tell the others. They already had too much on their plates.
He went back to his bed and pulled out the mirror again. He ran his fingers over the diamonds that surrounded the mirror. His disheveled appearance looked back at him. He wasn't much to look at.
"Noah, where are you?" Leo asked himself.
Almost as if in response to his question, the reflection rippled as if it was water and an image appeared to him. It was similar to Piper's Katoptris in that it showed visions. The vision that the mirror showed Leo was of Noah. She was sitting on the ground in a dank room that looked vaguely familiar. It took him a moment to realize that it was the same room that was in his dream. She was sitting with her knees in her chest and her head resting on her knees.
"Noah?" Leo asked. He didn't think she would respond but when her head lifted up and she looked around curiously, he couldn't believe it actually worked.
"I'm going insane," she muttered to herself. "Now I'm hearing Leo call my name. I can see the padded walls already."
Leo couldn't resist, "You will if you keep talking to yourself."
Noah sat very still, trying to hone in where his voice was coming from. She happened to glance down at where he was projecting himself and she gasped.
"Leo?!" she shrieked. She quickly covered her mouth and looked around. When she turned back to him her voice was significantly lowered. "You figured out how to work the mirror? How did you do it?"
Leo shrugged. "I don't know, I just said your name and here you are. Are you okay? Are you in trouble? Jake said you never made it home."
"I didn't. I was at the airport when-" She looked up again with wide eyes. She moved so her back was covering the mirror when another voice joined in the room. Leo was smart enough to keep quiet.
"Are you almost ready to go, my sweet?" It was a masculine voice and Leo couldn't help but notice it was the same voice as the guy that was criticizing him in his dream. Who was this guy and why did he take Noah? "I want you to wear the tight red dress I got you tonight. It's gotta be a good show."
Noah groaned. "Yeah, I'd like to help you out. Which way did you come in?"
"Touchy. Keep that attitude up and I might feed you to the Cyclops twins," the voice said angrily.
"Pardon me, but you must have confused me with someone who gives a damn," Noah growled.
Instead of the man responding, all Leo could hear was the sound of skin making contact with more skin. Noah gasped and Leo suspected that the man had slapped her across the face. His blood was boiling now.
"Just get dressed. I'll get the make-up girls to cover that new bruise up."
After a few minutes of silence, Noah's face came back into view. Her cheek was somewhat swollen and a faint blue tint was already forming. She looked relieved to see that he was still there.
"I've been stuck with this guy for months," she started to explain. "He came and knocked me out at the airport. He thought I was Piper and tried to trade me off to Ephialtes and Otis for favor with Gaea. When they realized I wasn't her they told him to kill me off but he decided to keep me instead. I don't know which fate I prefer…"
"Who is he?"
"He's a minor god who lost favor with Zeus and was kicked out of Olympus. His name is Momus and he's got me locked in here somewhere. All I know it that we're in Rome. Not sure where though." She looked around again. "I have to go. He'll want me to get ready for the show." As an afterthought, she smiled warmly and said, "I'm glad you're talking to me again."
She swiped her hand over the mirror and she was gone. Leo was staring at himself again.
Leo didn't tell anyone what he saw. He contemplated telling Piper since they were good friends but he chose against it. So she was in Rome as well? Would he be able to save her? They had their own quest. When would he find the time?
When he was stuck underground with Hazel and Frank being attacked by the Eidolons, the last thing he was expecting was to come across Noah. He almost missed her. They had been trying to find an exit to make it back to their friends; Hazel sensing the tunnels around them and Frank turning into a weasel to maneuver in the tiny spaces in the wall.
"I sense a living person," Hazel commented. "Should we check it out?"
Leo wanted to say 'no' but there was something that was telling him that they should see who it was. There was a little crack in the wall and that was where Frank wriggled in. The wall wasn't very thick because as soon as Frank made it through to the other side, they heard a girl scream.
"Frank, who is it?" Leo yelled through the wall. He had his fingers crossed. Could it be possible that they had found Noah? Would that really be his luck?
There was silence for a few minutes before there was pounding against the wall. Frank had transformed into a gorilla and was pounding against the wall to break it down. Then there was a good sized hole in the wall, Leo could see who was with Frank and almost wept in relief.
Noah was standing there giving Frank an appraising look. He didn't blame her; this guy she didn't even know had come through the wall as a weasel and became a gorilla right before her eyes. She looked okay and was only slightly scratched up.
Frank turned back into his human self and Noah chuckled. She looked at his chubby, baby face and shook her head. "Not what I was expecting…"
She turned, completely bypassed Hazel and rested her eyes on Leo. They stared at each other for a few seconds before she catapulted herself forward and latched her arms around his neck in a vice-like hug.
Leo hesitated at first but then slowly wrapped his arms around her small waist.
"I can't believe you found me!" she exclaimed. Leo couldn't even speak. He was just in shock. When she started crying, he didn't even know what to say. She pulled away from him and quickly wiped her eyes. "We have to go before he comes back!"
It took a while but they managed to make it out of the underground unscathed. They didn't come across anymore monsters or Momus as they made it back to the Argo II.
"Maldonado," Coach Hedge said roughly. "What are you doing here? This quest is strictly for the seven of the prophecy."
Noah huffed. "Trust me, I didn't ask to be here."
The old satyr manned the ship while Leo, Noah, Frank and Hazel sat down on the deck so Hedge could hear the conversation as well.
First thing she did was turn to Leo and take his hands in hers. "So we're not fighting anymore? As you can probably guess I'm not talking to Will anymore." She smiled lightly.
Leo frowned. "You're not allowed to make jokes after something serious like this. That's my job."
She hugged him close. "Okay sorry. I'm just so relieved to be outta there." She turned to the other two and gave a mini wave. "I'm Noah by the way. So you two must be from the Roman camp then?"
They nodded giving Noah blank stares. Noah seemed to notice and asked what was wrong.
Hazel said, "You're really pretty," while Frank said, "Isn't that a guy's name?" at the same time.
Noah laughed. "Thank you and yes. My dad wanted a boy."
"So, what exactly happened, Noah?" Hazel asked timidly. "What are you doing all the way in Rome instead of Camp Half-Blood?"
Noah then delved into her story of what happened the day she left to go back to school. Leo was grateful that she didn't include what happened between them. She talked about how a man came up to her at the airport and knocked her out. When she woke up, she was in a gross room where the man came to her, a mask in his hands and told her that he was Momus and that he was trying to gain favor with Gaea by bringing her to Otis and Ephialtes. He thought she was Piper but the twins knew better. Thankfully they hadn't killed her but told Momus to do what he pleased. She thought he was going to kill her now but instead, decided to keep her. He performed as a stand-up comedian in Rome and used Noah as his "lovely assistant". Unfortunately, Momus was horrible at telling jokes. He was the minor god of criticism and mockery so what he did instead was insult the audience instead of making them laugh. "I can't tell you how many times we've had tomatoes thrown at us," she added. "Takes forever to get out of my hair." Noah soon realized that the only way to get back at him was to play his game. Jokes that insulted his intelligence were her favorite.
"Why would he want to get in Gaea's favor, though?" Hazel asked.
Noah shrugged. "He mentioned revenge. Apparently Momus was kicked out of Olympus for insulting the other gods. If there's one thing I learned, don't insult Aphrodite's outfit. That's what he did and he sure paid the price."
Frank looked between Noah and Leo now like he was watching a tennis match. He must have noticed the looks Leo had been giving Noah throughout her story. "Are you two dating?"
Leo looked at Noah and she looked the same. He could feel his body temperature begin to heat up at the awkward situation but he seemed to have lost his voice. What was the matter with him?
Noah answered for him. "No, we're not. Just good friends."
"Uh, I should go make sure the ship is in working condition for when we find the others," Leo said, excusing himself. He could feel the stares of the others burning through his back but he had to get out of there. He didn't know what was wrong with him but he needed to think.
Leo wouldn't be alone for long because Noah was following him.
"You like her don't you?" Noah asked when they were out of earshot of the other two.
Leo stopped short. He turned to face him and felt like he was two feet tall under her penetrating stare. "Uh…what?" The key was to play it cool. He was on a roll.
Noah rolled her eyes. "Why does everyone forget I'm a daughter of Aphrodite and can sense these things? There's a connection between the two of you."
Leo put his hands in front of him defensively. "It's not what you think. Besides, Hazel is with Frank. I wouldn't do that to him."
Noah stared at her feet for a second before looking at Leo again. "What about me?"
Leo was stuck again. He still liked her. Looking at her here, he was sure of it. But Hazel did complicate things. He assured Frank he wouldn't go for Hazel but he couldn't deny that he liked her too.
Noah spoke before Leo had the chance. "The truth? I like you. A lot. You make me happy. You make me laugh. You're smart. You're different. You're a little crazy and awkward, and your smile alone can make my day." She walked closer to him and placed a hand on his cheek. She leaned into him like she was going to kiss him.
Leo hesitated. "I…might not be good." How embarrassing, but he had never kissed a girl before.
Noah smiled warmly, her dark brown eyes making him feel better already. She closed the distance between them and placed her soft, warm lips on his. He wasn't sure what to do but tried to go with it. It only lasted a few seconds but when she pulled away, he wished she would kiss him again.
Leo cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "Was I okay?"
Noah nodded. "But this time…-"
"Aw no! I did suck!" Leo interrupted.
The brunette giggled. "I was going to say, this time, let's kiss a little longer." Without waiting for his response, which Leo would have approved anyway, she leaned into him again and they kissed. He was really starting to get the hang of it!
When they pulled apart again, Noah's warm smile was replaced with a wistful look. "I've been wanting to do that for a while. I just want you, that's all. All your flaws, mistakes, smiles, laughs, jokes, sarcasm. Everything. I'm not going to make you choose between me and Hazel. I know you have a lot on your plate and things are really complicated but you choose what will make you happy. You deserve that much."
"Will you wait for me?" Leo asked hopefully.
"Of course," she replied. "I feel like everything in my life has led me to you. My choices, my heartbreaks, my regrets. Everything. And when we're together, my past seems worth it." She gave him a crooked smile. "And now that I have completely burdened you with my corny, emotional words…"
Leo shook his head. "They weren't corny. Okay, maybe they were." Noah shoved him playfully. "But to be honest, I kinda needed to hear that." He was being honest too. Ever since he heard he was just going to be the seventh wheel, pretty much forever, he needed to feel like he was wanted by someone. He didn't have his mom anymore for that, and while he knew his friends cared for him, it just wasn't the same, especially when they had each other.
"Well, I meant what I said. Now get to fixing your ship." She gave him a little push forward towards the engine room.
