Whats up?

I know, I know, this update has been FOREVER in the making. I blame writer's block.

Anyway, here it is, guys!

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO. Or HOO. Or anything written by Rick Riordan.

General P.O.V

Their giggling was interrupted when the smell of poppies filled the air.

Anni made a face. "If this is who I think it is…"

Slowly, the two turned around.

Hera stood there behind him, looking regally composed and calm and not at all unruffled by the death glares she was receiving. And Anni had a good death glare.

"Hera." Muttered Leo, standing.

"Juno." Anni said calmly.

"You will rise when you address me, Annaliese." Hera said sternly.

Anni rolled her eyes, but stood.

"Soooo." She said, drawing out the word. "We gonna get an explanation, or are ya just gonna stand there and look impressive?"

"It was necessary."

"Right." Snapped Leo. "It was totally necessary to make me believe my best friend had been murdered."

"You do not understand, Leo Valdez. It was for your own good."

"What about making me believe Leo was dead?" Anni snapped, crossing her arms and glaring at Hera.

Hera resolutely did not look at them.

"I had to. I needed Leo to stay focused on the mission. He would have never stayed focused if he still believed you were alive and waiting for him. As for you, Anni, that was also necessary. I had to make sure you wouldn't look for him. You meeting here was a mistake. I had stopped watching Anni and had no idea she was here."

She sighed at the glares she was still receiving.

Anni marched toward her. "You better pull a disappearing act right about now, dammit, or I don't care how immortal your ass is, it's going over that ledge."

Hera got the message and disappeared, but someone else appeared in her place.

"Heeeeeyyyyy, Leee-ooooo."

Nick, obviously very drunk and possibly also high, stumbled towards them, waving a knife in front of him. The years and the drugs had not been kind: he had a serious beer belly; his hair was falling out in weird places, and he was missing several teeth. The ones he did have were yellowish green.

"Knew you'd come back here, baby…" Nick slurred. He stumbled, cursed, then lunged.

But Leo was not the scared kid Nick had last seen. He was a demigod, a son of Hephaestus, a hero of Olympus. The days where he might be scared of Nick were long gone.

His time training in Camp Half-Blood kicked in. He sidestepped and grabbed Nick's wrist, keeping the blade away from him. He yanked hard, pulling Nick off balance, then placed a hand firmly on Nicks back and shoved him.

Nick stumbled forward, gashed his own leg with his knife, and tripped over the ledge, falling to the hard concrete of the alley below.

He died on impact.

Anni and Leo stared at each other for a moment before a slow grin spread across Anni's face.

"No different from killing a really stupid monster, huh Leo? It's his own fault, showing up drunk off his ass and high as a kite." She reached up and ruffled Leo's curly hair.

"Come on. Let's go inside."

…

The next day, Anni came with them to see them off.

"I'm gonna miss you, Leo." She said softly, hugging him goodbye.

"You sure you won't come with us?"

"I'm no hero. This is your quest, your job. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"When you're done with this quest, when your eighteen, come find me again, shithead. You know the address."

"Promise, bitch." He hugged her again.

As the ship rose, Leo looked over the side and saw her, standing there with her blonde hair whipping all around her face, a hand raised to shade her eyes as she watched them go.

...

"Babe, you look nervous."

"Nervous? Who's nervous? I'm not nervous. Are you nervous?"

"And now you're rambling." Calypso smiled fondly and looped her arm through Leo's. "It'll be fine. She's your best friend."

A small house came into view at the end of the road. Leo took a deep breath and walked towards it, Calypso beside him.

The distance to the house seemed far too short. Before Leo knew it, he was standing in front of the door.

He stood there staring at it for a little longer than Calypso thought was appropriate, so she reached forward and knocked sharply three times.

"Sunshine!"

"What? You weren't man enough to do it yourself."

"What if she attacks me again?"

"Then I'll die laughing right here on this porch."

The door opened. Anni, her hair cut to brush her shoulders, stood in the doorway, standing at her full adult height of five foot five. She looked clean and happy and well-fed.

She saw Leo, and a slow smile spread across her face.

"Hey, shithead."

Leo grinned at her. "Hey, bitch."

She leaned forward and hugged him. He hugged her back: a hug a very long time in the making.

Finally, Anni stepped back, her eyes skipping to Calypso. A teasing grin spread across her face.

"And this is?"

"Hi." Calypso smiled, holding out her hand. "I'm Leo's girlfriend."

Anni raised her eyebrow at him with a sly grin.

"Come on in, you two. Let's catch up."

…

FADE IN: ONE YEAR LATER.

Leo and Anni are sitting on a blue couch in a modestly furnished living room. Leo looks devastated, his head bowed, hands clasped in his lap. He's dressed in a red T-shirt and blue jeans with gaping holes in the knees. He's older now: his hair is a curly mess and there are muscles beneath his shirt. His army jacket is lying next to him.

Anni's voice comes from behind the camera.

ANNI: So, you gonna look at the camera or not?

LEO: (glaring at his hands) Not.

ANNI: (heavy sigh) Look, the therapist said this would help. Like talking about what happened during your day, cataloging how things are going, will help you move on. So come on. Help me out a little, huh?

There's a pause before Leo huffs.

LEO: Fine.

He swivels to face the camera.

ANNI: (relieved) Okay, so since this is your first one, say your name and age, okay?

LEO: (to the camera) I'm Leo Valdez and I'm nineteen. The bitch holding the camera is my best friend Anni. She's also nineteen.

ANNI: Damn right I am, shithead. Why are we doing this?

LEO: (glaring at his hands again and mumbling)

There's another heavy sigh from Anni, and suddenly the camera is turned to face her. Her hair is pulled into a sloppy bun and the nape of her neck, and she's wearing a green shirt and only slightly nicer jeans then Leo's. She looks half exasperated, half worried.

ANNI: Hi, I'm Anni, and I'm TRYING to help Leo get over Calypso.

There's a sound like a walrus giving birth from behind the camera. Anni rolls her eyes.

ANNI: That was Leo. See, he and Calypso were together from the time he was… what? Fifteen? Sixteen? A long-ass time, let me tell you, and Leo kinda got her off of an island and stuff, so you would think that would be enough for her to stay with him, but see, Calypso was under this curse that caused her to fall in love with EVERY guy that washed up on her island… including Leo. So apparently, she figured out a couple years ago that she DIDN'T ACTUALLY LIKE LEO, so instead of trying to talk to him, she just kinda grew more and more distant until she UP and FUCKING DISAPPEARED, leaving a nothing but a letter explaining everything, a bunch of cutesy pictures, and Leo, with a broken heart. So, after he got all depressed, a bunch of his friends and I all pooled our money and got him a therapist, who suggested video diaries would be a good way to help him work through his grief.

It's obvious Anni is angry on Leo's behalf. The camera spins to face Leo, who's now crying silently.

ANNI: (worried) You okay, Leo?

A slow shake of the head. The camera is suddenly tilted sideways as its set down, and Anni comes into view, hugging Leo tightly. He hugs her back, crying softly.

LEO: I thought she loved me… I really thought she loved me…

ANNI: (gently) I know. We all did. (rubbing his back) That's it. Let it out. Its gonna be okay.

She glances at the camera and reaches for it.

ANNI: I declare the first video diary OVER.

Sorry if you guys ship Caleo, but I'm not a huge fan.

AND NO, ANNI AND LEO WILL NOT GET TOGETHER.

I might as well tell you guys that now.

This story is reaching its end, but there are still a few more chapters to go!

Love you guys!