I HAVEN'T LEFT YOU GUYS THIS LONG SINCE THE GREAT SPACE OF CHAPTER 8.

It's not really my fault. I still haven't gotten ten reviews and I did say I'd put up the next chapter at ten reviews. Kind of unfair, but I also wanted to buy time so I could give you guys what is (hopefully) not such a crappy chapter as the last two.

Good news! I think my writer's block is nearly gone!

Oh, and someone asked me how old I was: I'm thirteen.

ANYWHALE ON WITH THE STORY.

Leo's POV

Taking Jen out of the mess hall, I led her to the deck again. From the feel of it, we were already in the air.

I grinned. Perfect.

'Hey, Jen,' I turned to face her. 'C'mon. Look over the edge.'

All the color drained out of her face. 'I-I don't think I-'

Too late, I pulled her to the edge of the boat, between two railing shields.

Jen gasped, looking down over the water. 'Oh my gosh…'

I laughed from behind her. 'Told you.'

I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind when she gripped the railing, probably scared she would fall off. 'It's okay,' I whispered. 'I'm right here.'

She looked unsure at first, but then laughed and spread her arms wide, marveling at the view. 'Oh my gosh, Valdez…we're flying…'

'On a ship,' I finished for her. 'Pretty cool, huh?'

'Pretty awesome.' Her hair blew into my face, obscuring the view of the wide, turquoise ocean.

Then she squirmed, as if just realizing my arms were around her. 'Um…Valdez…'

'Oh. Right. Sorry,' I released her, and we stepped away from the rail awkwardly. Her face was flushed, but whether it was from the view or me hugging her, I don't know. 'Next on the tour, Festus!'

'What's Festus?' She asked, accepting my hand.

'More like who,' I replied, and started heading over to Festus. I stopped midway to point out the ballistae and the main masts, and I spent about 10 seconds describing their uses before I saw Jen look very confused. Smiling apologetically, I continued on till I reached the masthead at the bow of the ship.

'Hey there, buddy,' I set a hand on his huge bronze neck. 'Did ya miss me?'

'Um, Valdez, you're talking to a-AAHHHH!'

Festus had interrupted Jen's questioning of my sanity by spinning his head around 180 degrees. It was just his way of saying hello, but Jen didn't know that.

'Ohmigosh, ohmigosh, ohmigosh!' Jen started backing away, shrieking, and I suddenly realized how intimidating Festus could look if you didn't know him. The fact that he was a celestial bronze fire breathing dragon would most certainly not help matters.

'Whoa, Jen, take it easy!' I stepped towards her, hands out. 'It's just Festus! He won't hurt you!'

She calmed down slightly, but still looked weary as she eased her way back to me.

'Easy boy…calm down…' I said to Festus, who was creaking something like 'What? What did I do?'

I turned to face Jen, who still looked really pale. Wait, she had been screaming, right? Which meant…three…two…one…

'What? What's wrong?' Jason ran up with his sword drawn, it's gold glinting in the sun. 'Is it monsters?'

Piper followed close behind with one of the swords from the armory, followed by a panicky looking Hazel. I assumed they'd just gotten back from the sword practice they'd said they'd have. 'Who screamed?'

I had to force myself to hold in my laughter. 'Sorry guys. False alarm. Jen just got a little freaked by Festus, that's all.'

They all blinked, dumbfounded, then turned to stare–or was it glare–at a now-blushing Jen. 'Ohmigosh, I am so, so sorry…it's just…I don't see a live dragon everyday.'

Jason sighed, shrinking his sword back into a coin and shoving it in his pocket. 'Yeah, well, it's not everyday you get told you're half god and board a flying ship to Greece either.'

Everyone relaxed slightly, although they still looked a little miffed. Jen, however, was staring at Jason's pocket. 'Did…did your sword just turn into a coin?'

Jason smiled. 'Yeah, it kinda did. I'll tell you about it later, ok?'

'Sure, thanks,' she said, grinning at him, which made me feel the most ridiculous pang of jealousy. 'Again, sorry for the false alarm.'

'Don't worry about it,' Hazel waved it off, slipping her sword into her sheath. She nodded at Piper. 'At least now we can see how effective we are at getting here on time. In case, you know, any actual monsters show up.' At this, she looked very pointedly at Jen, which was confusing. What was she implying?

'Just try not to freak out too much, okay?' Piper called as she and Hazel headed back to finish sword fighting. 'You're on a Greek trireme that's twice as big as most, with people who are half human, half god. You're gonna see weird stuff.'

Jen nodded, and everyone else headed below deck before she turned to me. 'Sorry, that was pretty dumb of me.'

'No, no, I'm sorry,' I insisted. 'I should've warned you that a Festus was a dragon.'

She shook her head in wonder at him. 'That has to be the coolest masthead ever.'

'Well, he did used to be a full dragon,' I said, which obviously brought on a wave of regret. 'He got reduced to just a head after an accident on a quest a while back.' I rubbed his neck longingly. 'Man, the things he could do when he was normal. He was the most awesome thing I'd ever restored. He was like a best friend to me…but, well, mechanical.'

'Aw, Valdez, I'm so sorry,' Jen said, looking up from inspecting Festus's teeth. 'What happened to him?'

I scratched my neck, then smiled tiredly. 'Maybe I'll tell you sometime.'

She smiled back. 'I'd like that.'

Festus said something like 'I like her.'

Wheeling around, I surveyed the vast ship. 'Ok, we've still got the tour to do. There's a lot to see.'

'Ok,' Jen got up from where she'd knelt to look at Festus's chin. She kissed his dragon cheek. 'I like you. I'll come back soon, okay?'

Festus made a sound that sounded like the dragon equivalent of a purr. Then, just as we were about to leave, he creaked again.

'What was that?' I asked, turning, and Festus repeated himself.

I felt my face heat up, and not just because I was the son of the fire god. 'No, Festus, Jen is not my girlfriend.'

And with that, I pulled Jen away from the prow, not looking at her reaction.

Jen's POV

Wow. Was it that obvious how Leo and I felt about each other? I mean, even a masthead could see it. Sure, it was a bronze, dragon masthead on a Greek trireme full of demigods, but it was still just a masthead.

He, I reminded myself. Festus was a he.

I followed Leo down two flights of stairs to a hallway with two doors on either side and one straight ahead. He pointed to the one on the right. 'That's the sickbay. Pretty important for when, you know, we get attacked by monsters.'

I peeked into the room. It looked like a mini hospital, with a solitary, clean looking bed, and a cabinet filled with…just two different types of things.

'What's that?' I indicated the jars in the cabinet. Half were filled with some sort of juice, and the other with something that looked more like pudding.

'Ambrosia and nectar,' Leo answered. 'Food and drink of the gods. Us demigods can handle small doses, and it pretty much heals everything. But there is the downside that it could burn you to death if you have too much.'

The blood drained from my face. Leo groaned. 'Sorry. Shouldn't have said that. Moving on.'

He waved his arm at the room on the left. 'The armory. We'll probably find you a weapon in a few days, and you can start training.'

'How necessary is training?' I asked, peering at the crates and crates of what I supposed were swords and shields and daggers. Some hung on the walls, and one really caught my eye: a bright gold sword with intricate designs running down the blade. It shone almost all by itself in the armory, as if calling my name.

'Pretty necessary. Monsters love demigods…for dinner, that is.'

I shot him a look again. 'Sorry, sorry,' he mumbled, scratching his neck. 'I should stop being so morbid. Anyway! On to the engine room!'

I stole one last glance at the beautiful sword, then walked down the hallway with Leo to the gaping door straight ahead. When I reached it, I realized the hallway led around the room and continued on.

'The engine room,' Leo said, walking in. The entire room was filled with all sorts of odds and ends that, although seemed a bit confusing to me, must've been like a mini heaven for a son of Hepheastus. And as soon as I turned around, I saw, to my surprise, a bedroll on the floor.

I pointed at it. 'Someone stays here?'

Leo stopped in the middle of the room, smiling a lopsided smile and running a hand through his hair. Gah. Can you not look so attractive when I'm trying to concentrate…

'Um, yeah. I have a cabin upstairs, but it's pretty much just another workshop. I find it safer–and easier–to sleep here.' He spread his hands and shrugged. 'Son of Hepheastus.'

I looked around at all the machinery around him. He must've felt right at home.

'Well, uh, last place on our tour then,' Leo led me past the door again and we continued down the hallway. Opening a set of wooden double doors, he announced, in his best presenter voice: 'The stables.'

The stables were pretty. They were huge. They had an amazing view out the bottom because of the glass lining. I rushed to the panels in the middle of the floor, amazed at the world whooshing along beneath us. Leo joined me, and we just knelt there for a few minutes, staring in wonder.

Then I realized something else about the stables.

They were…kind of empty.

'Uh…so no horses?'

Leo laughed. 'We hardly ever deal with anything as normal as horses. Pegasi, mares made of storm winds and golden stallions, sure. But horses? Pfft.'

I blushed, inspecting one of the stable doors. 'Well, why are they empty?'

Leo came over to join me. 'I realized too late they're kind of free spirits. Can't stand being cooped up.'

'So…this entire place goes to waste?'

'Pretty much.'

I turned to see Leo was standing right behind me. I mean, right behind me. I tried to not to freak out, but my breathing sped up against my will.

'Uh…Leo?'

His expression faltered. 'Oh, sorry…uh…just looking at the…uh…wood.'

'Wood,' I repeated, glancing at his lips, so tantalizingly close. 'Right…the wood…'

His eyes bore into mine. He leaned forward, ever so slightly.

My heart rate sped up. He was going to kiss me. No, no, he couldn't kiss me. Gabe. Gabe would come back with his claws…and…and…

I couldn't think. Leo's lips were nearly on mine. Just a few more inches and-

'Jen?' Piper's voice snapped me back to reality. Leo jerked his head away and turned to look at the visitor.

Piper looked at us awkwardly from behind a half opened stable door. Oh gods, I thought. She'd seen. She'd seen us.

And even if she hadn't…she was a daughter of the love goddess. If even a bronze masthead could see it, well, wasn't it in her genes to?

'Uh,' Piper shuffled her feet. 'Sorry. Am I…uh, interrupting anything?'

'No,' Leo and I said hurriedly. Leo took a huge step away from me, so I wasn't so crushed against the stable doors. 'I was just showing her the stables,' Leo continued.

Piper looked unsure. 'Um, okay… I just came to see if you were done with your tour? It's getting kind of late.'

'Yeah, yeah,' Leo waved a hand dismissively. 'Just about to show her her cabin.'

'Ok, but then you're gonna have to get some sleep.' Piper shot him a look. 'And actually sleep this time. No working on the engine or whatever. We can't have you manning the ship when you barely have enough energy to stand upright.'

'Will do, Pipes,' Leo said, giving her a mock salute. Piper glanced at me one last time before leaving.

I reached down to smooth the front of my shirt. 'Uh, so I'm going to my cabin now?'

'Yeah, it is kinda late.' Leo looked at his watch, then headed to the doors. 'We should get back.'

'I left my bags and things in the mess hall,' I announced. He hadn't said anything about trying to kiss me. Was that a good or a bad sign?

'Yeah, it's on the way,' he called over his shoulder, already at the stairs. I bit my lip. Why wasn't he saying anything?

We walked up the stairs in silence. Getting my stuff from the mess hall, I followed Leo on down the hallway as he vaguely pointed out whose room was whose. Glancing into the room he'd called Piper's, I saw her and Hazel sword fighting. Hazel glanced at me and gave me a smile, and while she was still looking at me she managed to expertly parry one of Piper's blows.

I began to wonder if I'd ever be that good.

Then Leo stopped outside an empty room, slightly smaller than the rest. It was right next to his, I realized quickly.

He turned to me, smiling apologetically. 'This is yours. Sorry it's a bit small, I pretty much only built this ship with space for eight cabins. This place was kind of meant for a storage area. I got it cleared out for you.'

I blushed at the idea that my room was right next to Leo's. Then I scolded myself. It wasn't like he even slept there.

I peered into the room with barely space for a closet and a bed. 'It's great. Thank you.'

I turned to smile at him, and suddenly, without warning, he gathered me up in his arms. After a second of shock, I melted and hugged him back. His smell was so comforting.

'Thank you for choosing the ship,' he muttered into my hair. 'I don't know what I would've done if you'd chosen otherwise.'

Me neither, I thought, but I didn't say anything.

I pulled away, tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. 'You're welcome,' I replied, then realized I'd just kissed him. It was just a kiss on the cheek though–how strict was this curse, exactly?

Leo beamed at the kiss. 'You should get some sleep. See you in the morning.'

'Yeah,' I answered, backing into my room. 'See you.'

He flashed me one last grin before walking away, and I went into my room. Small as it was, there was still space for some walking around in front of my bed. The bed lay horizontally across the wall, and my closet was at the foot of it. Besides that, there wasn't much to my room.

'Not bad,' I muttered, slinging my bag on the bed and plopping down next to it.

That's when the next attack came.

Leo's POV

I had barely taken three steps away from Jen's door when I heard her shriek again, fainter this time than when we were in her house. This time it took me about two seconds to get to her door and fling it open.

'Jen?'

She was sitting on her bed with one arm around her back, her face scrunched up in pain.

'Hm? Yeah, I'm fine.' She took her hand away from her back and used it to push her hair to one side. Her hair looked really nice like that…ugh, concentrate.

'What, uh,' I moved closer to her cautiously. 'What happened?'

'I, uh, thought I saw a rat. I freaked, hit my back on my bag. Must've hit a hairbrush or something.'

I cocked my head, squatting to look in her eyes. 'A rat?'

'Mmhm. I hate rats. It was probably just my foot or something.' She kept avoiding my gaze.

Taking her chin in my hand, I tilted her face up so she had to look me in the eye. Her expression was filled with something–I wasn't quite sure what.

'What are you not telling me, Jen?' I asked, dropping my voice to a whisper.

Her eyes flitted around my face, and I noticed her breathing speed up slightly. 'I'm not telling you what I don't want you to know,' she whispered back.

I pulled her head slightly forward. 'Do you trust me?'

She nodded, and I think I saw tears glistening in her eyes. 'Good,' I whispered back, and kissed her softly.

I pulled away after barely a second, but it'd taken it's toll. The ghost of her lips on mine lingered for a few moments longer as I stood up. 'You should really go to bed. Tomorrow the rest of the crew is going to want to start your training.'

'Ok,' Jen replied, forcing a smile. 'I'll…I'll just unpack.'

I regarded her warily, but eventually I left her room.

Jen's POV

I know I shouldn't have let Leo kiss me, but I had two good reasons. One, he was Leo freaking Valdez. 'Nuff said. Two, I wanted to judge how bad the attack would come.

I held my breath when the chill came, and then managed to only slightly squeal as I felt the claws on my back. They came harder than before, but I was prepared for them now, and the chill was always a warning. They would help me keep my reactions at bay.

Pushing my bag off the bed, I lay down and sighed heavily. Here was the price I had to pay for the sake of Leo Valdez. And I couldn't even tell him about it.

What if I did, though? What if I told him? Then he'd understand. He'd tell the others, and we'd find a way to break the curse.

The tiny inkling of hope that began to sprout in me was immediately extinguished by a voice in my head saying, 'Don't even think about it.'

I sat up in horrific surprise. A chill ran down my back, but this time not because of an impending attack.

I gulped. I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

'G-Gabe?'

Leo's POV

I was beginning to worry about Jen. This was the second time today that she'd randomly screamed and insisted it was nothing. That couldn't be a coincidence.

I made my way down to the lower level of the ship, ready to sign in for the night. Stifling a yawn, I pushed the door to the engine room open, expecting to find a semi-empty room with maybe a certain three legged table in the middle of it.

Instead, I found a certain Cherokee girl in the middle of the room.

Uh-oh.

'Ok, spill. What is up with you and Jen?' Piper crossed her arms and looked at me stubbornly.

'I, uh,' I tried to play it dumb, casually crossing the room and sitting down on my mattress. 'What are you talking about? Aren't you meant to be asleep?'

She slitted her eyes. 'Don't change the subject, Leo. What's the deal?'

She plonked herself down next to me. I sighed, knowing I wouldn't get out of this.

'I may or may not have a crush on her,' I muttered, looking away. Would that be enough to put off a daughter of Aphrodite?

Apparently not. 'That part's obvious. There's more to it.'

I pushed a hand through my hair, glancing at her through the corner of my eye. She wasn't giving up. 'Hey, I'll tell you when I figure it out.'

Piper studied me for a second, then seemed to decide I was telling the truth and started picking at her shoelace. 'I think she likes you too.'

'I don't know what to think anymore.'

'Trust me, Leo. I've seen the way she looks at you. Do you never actually notice even that?'

I flashed her a tired smile. 'I'm not really a love expert.'

Piper sat up again and looked at me with an exasperated look on her face. 'A blind pig could see it, Leo.'

I laughed. 'Yeah, well, I don't know. I don't think she…I…I don't know.'

The engine hummed gently around us. 'Well, I'm just stating what I know.'

Piper got up to leave, but turned to face me right before she left. 'If you want me to…talk to her or anything, just let me know, ok?'

I grinned tiredly at her, stifling another yawn. 'Yeah, thanks. I appreciate it.'

She shook her head, smiling. 'Anytime, Repair Boy.'

As soon as she left, I lay down on my bed and fell asleep. It felt like I'd slept for about two seconds before Annabeth was shaking me awake, a panicked look on her face.

'Wha-' I yawned widely. 'What's up?'

Her stormy gray eyes widened. 'Leo, we've got a problem. A major problem.'

WHOO DOUBLE CLIFFHANGER YEAH GO ME

I didn't mean for the tour to be that long and boring…oops.

I think this chapter was better than the previous two? Meh?

But seriously this site always glitches whenever I try to update…if anyone has any tips to avoid this they are much appreciated.

But yeah! Eight reviews for next chappie? I promise it won't be a three week wait.

I've pretty much given up on making my author's notes shorter. Baby I was born this way *fabulous hair flip and finger snap.

Love y'all! Peace out, fish trout…