Anne's POV

I'd always known that the day I got Diamond was the happiest of my life. But I realized that my happiness then was being challenged by that of now. I was sitting on the beach with Leo, listening to one of my favorite songs, with an amazing sunset in front of us.

Seriously, how much better could it get?

The last score of instruments drifted away and the music went silent. Sighing, I gently removed the ear buds and switched off my iPod. I tucked it into my bag and leaned back against the sand bank. Leo's arm went around my shoulders, gently pulling me a little closer. I laid my head against his shoulder and fought the urge to close my eyes as he leaned his cheek against my head.

"This is so perfect," he mumbled.

I smiled even though I didn't think he could see it. "I know."

"The sun's going down," he said. I looked and he was right, the last shred of red-gold fire was descending below the horizon. "Did your day get turned around?"

I tilted my head back to look him in the eye. "You know what? I think it did."

He smiled, his beautiful dark eyes seeming to light up. "I'm glad."

"Wanna celebrate?"

He kissed me almost before the last syllable left my mouth. I laughed while trying not to ruin the kiss, but I was unsuccessful. Leo pulled back, laughing too. "Sorry," he said.

"What in Hades are you apologizing for?" I said, grinning at him.

"I don't know," he said. "Let's try that again."

I smiled as he leaned in toward me. As our lips met I half-closed my eyes contentedly and took in the face that was centimeters from mine, Leo's face, and remembered the night we'd met. So much had changed from then to now, even though it had only been a few days. But a little had stayed the same, and I was relieved for that. There would always be some of the old me, and I was glad to know that meeting Leo hadn't completely changed me.

We gently pulled apart and I smiled at him. He was everything I could have hoped for in a guy. He was kind. He made me laugh. He wasn't the kind of guy who was ashamed to lose to a girl. He wasn't afraid to let me see him cry. He worried that he wouldn't be good enough, even though he had the potential to be the next hero of the world. But I knew he wasn't perfect. This was the guy who'd accidentally offended a goddess, the guy who completely mortified himself to ask me out. I smiled wider. That was my Leo.

He was smiling back and I could see the emotions in his eyes. The happiness, contentment, and sparkle left over from the kiss were all there. But behind all that I could see a glimmer of sadness that tomorrow would end it.

We kept smiling until I could see the sadness surface on his face. He broke eye contact with me and stared at his hand in his lap.

"Don't be sad," I said, poking him with one finger. "We'll have to turn the day back around again and it's over by now," I continued, trying to keep my tone light.

"I'm sorry, it's just…" Leo bit his lip a little. "I just hate to think that tomorrow means goodbye."

I smiled sadly. "Don't say anything tonight if you're gonna say goodbye."

Leo looked at me. "Is that a song?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Do you want to hear it? I have it on my iPod."

He smiled a little. "Is there a song you don't have on that thing?"

"Probably not," I said, smiling at him as I reached into my bag yet again. But this time I realized that the cord of my iPod had gotten tangled around my camp necklace. Sighing a little in frustration, I pulled them both out of my bag and used my fingers to separate the knot. "How on earth did this get all tangled, anyway?" I muttered.

"You brought your camp necklace?" Leo asked, leaning over so he could see.

"Yeah, for good luck, even though I didn't really need it," I answered, separating the two and holding the necklace up for him to see. "Why?"

"That's funny then," he smiled, reaching into the pocket of his jacket. "Because I'd planned to give this to you back at your cabin. But if you've got it with you now…"

My breath seemed to get stuck in my throat as he removed his hand from his pocket and extended it to me. Sitting in his palm was a charm, a silver "L", engraved with a fire design. My jaw dropped. "Did you make this?"

Leo nodded. "I got the idea from Annabeth's camp necklace. You know how she has that ring on there too? I thought you could do the same thing; wear something else with the beads." He smiled. "I'm sorry if it's a little messed up, I had to do it kinda fast."

"Oh my gods, are you kidding me? It's perfect!" I said as he placed the charm in my hand. "It's beautiful," I breathed as I turned it in my hand, admiring the silvery metal and the flames curling around the shape, simple yet symbolic.

"And I'm sorry that it's only the L, I know that makes me seem self-centered," Leo continued. "But I wanted it to be like I'm always with you, you know?"

"Will you stop apologizing?" I said, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "I love it. This is like the single sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me."

He smiled broadly, his teeth white against his skin. "I'm glad."

"You should be," I retorted playfully as I unknotted the cord on my necklace and tilted it so the beads would slide toward my hand. I took off one of the beads, strung the L charm onto the cord, and put the bead back on.

"Can you put it on?" I asked Leo, pulling my hair to the side and holding the necklace out to him. Smiling, he took it and gently brought it around my neck. I felt the brush of his fingers against my skin as he knotted the cord and leaned back. "There you go."

I brought my finger to my neck and touched the metal L resting against my skin. "Thanks."

"That looks great," he said, smiling.

"I'll never take it off," I said, only half joking. I leaned back against my sweatshirt and sighed contentedly. The sun had gone down, but I wasn't cold at all.

Leo smiled at me, his dark eyes completely free of all the bad emotions that tonight had brought to the surface. He looked happy, and I felt awful to ruin this for him.

"Do you want to get some sleep before tomorrow?" I asked. "It's starting to get late."

"Here or in my cabin?" he asked with a playful grin.

"In your cabin," I said, elbowing him.

"No, not yet," he answered, pulling me close to him. "Just a little longer."

"I know how you feel," I said, smiling sadly. "I don't want this to end either."

"It won't be the end," he said, holding my gaze with his dark brown eyes. "I promise."

In truth, I was talking about not wanting this date to end, but he looked so sincere I couldn't wreck the moment.

"Do what you can," I said, smiling at him. "Just try not to die, okay?"

Leo grinned. "Not dying is my specialty."

"I'm glad."

Leo gently laid his forehead against mine. "Me too."

We sat like that for a moment, holding eye contact, until I couldn't help grinning. "Are you gonna kiss me or not?" I asked, laughing.

Leo realized why I was laughing and grinned. "Is that another song? Jeez, how many do you know?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it is. And you're asking a daughter of Apollo?"

"That was a dumb question," he said, grinning. "But in answer to your first question, I'd have to say yes." With that he smiled and leaned forward. I closed my eyes contentedly as our lips met, reveling in the sensation of the warm golden sparks swirling around me. The scent of smoke and machine grease, however faint, still clung to him and made me smile through the kiss.

After we pulled away, I felt his hand tuck a lock of my hair behind my ear and finger it gently. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him close to me, wishing that this moment could last forever, that I would never have to let him go. And in that moment I forgot the darkening sky, the sand beneath us, and the fact that I was wearing makeup and a dress.

All that mattered was my arms around him and his around me. The L resting against my chest seemed to warm up ever so slightly. And a small voice inside me seemed to say, Remember this, Anne. Few moments will ever be like this one.

I had no trouble obeying. I closed my eyes and hugged him a little tighter, trying to seize the moment as it was so I could remember it always. I tried to remember every detail; the way his cheek pressed against mine, the way the smoky scent still lingered on him, the way his strong but gentle arms were wrapped around me.

I realized something, that there was no way this night could have been better. I wouldn't have changed a single second. I wouldn't have changed a single second of all the time I'd known Leo, despite its ups and downs. This love was worth the tears, the monsters, and all the burns and cuts and getting brushes yanked through my hair. And as I closed my eyes contentedly, I couldn't help but smile.