HEPHAESTUS grunted, and a dusting of soot slowly fell to the sand, where Calypso's eyes were still held as she maintained her deep bow.

She could feel Percy shuffling awkwardly behind her, unsure what to do in such a formal meeting. Hephaestus cleared his throat, and a wave of emotion hit Calypso: contentment, peace… xenia, the antithesis of Argeiphontes' previous visits. Coming out of her bow, she beckoned Percy to come closer. A questioning glance came from her hero, but Calypso merely held up a finger.

"Calypso. Beautiful as always," he began. How amusing he would comment on her beauty upon every visit and yet would ignore Aphrodite so often. His gaze met Percy, before adopting a solemn look. "Would you excuse us, please, my dear?" Hephaestus' voice was softer than Calypso had ever heard. Did he pity her? She did not need pity from those who placed her here. "I need to have a word with our young Percy Jackson."

Calypso looked at her hero, knowing he would be gone soon. Hermes was right, she truly did have no say. Wine-dark eyes still looked at her, eyebrows furrowed in deep confusion. Hephaestus allowed the pause, stumbling over to her dining table where the two had been sitting moments before. Steeling her nerves and setting her spine straight, Calypso gave one last, longing look at Percy, before beckoning him to sit down with the god of the forge.

Their time was short, and while not as passionate as Drake or as timely as Odysseus, Calypso would treasure these few moments that Ananke permitted her. A wave of sympathy washed over Calypso, as the forge god looked at Calypso with remorse, before subtly and painfully beckoning her away. And so, Calypso slowly turned around and walked to her moonlace, a slow stream of saltwater escaping her eyes. The last she heard of Percy before crossing the threshold of trees was his indecipherable native tongue.

/ / /

The raft had been quick to make. Odysseus and Calypso waited until the next day after their confrontation upon the shoreline to visit her great cedar grove, as she had promised. Odysseus had gained new life at being told he could leave, darkening Calypso's heart in both rage and anguish. Why was he not happy before, with the home and immortal life Calypso had provided him? The food and wine and love? No, he was happier to leave, and had finally begun to act as he did during the beginning of his stay, becoming slightly less… distraught around her.

And so, they stood now staring at their cooperation and work together, the cedar wood raft standing proudly in the freshwater, wine-dark sea. The sail contained the last gift Calypso would give to her lover, something to ensure his arrival, no matter what may happen.

"Son of Laertes, Odysseus of many devices, must you now find your way home and to your native land at once?" While she had accepted he would leave, her heart could not let him go without asking him to stay once more.

Odysseus stared at Calypso, as if challenging her to state what both knew she was asking. She continued, "yet even so I wish you the grace of the gods on your journey home. Although if your heart were to know the measures of woe you are fated to suffer before you reach Ithaca, you would stay here and make this land your home with me, to be immortal, no matter how much you long to see that wife of yours that you yearn for day after day."

Calypso paused, and moved closer to Odysseus, linking herself around his muscular sword arm, and pressed her head against his shoulder, speaking quietly. "Surely I can be no less than her in beauty or in stature, for in no way wise is it seemly to propose that mortal women could in any way compete with divinity in either form or attraction." For Calypso was divine, and Odysseus was happy upon these isles. Their children were happy on these isles. Calypso was happy on these isles, for once.

Calypso felt Odysseus' body stiffen slightly beneath her grip. A hesitant and slow breath escaped his lips before he spoke in a steady, firm voice.

"Calypso, be not angry with me for my departure," he intoned. "I know full well that my wise Penelope is… lesser to look upon than you in beauty and in stature, for she is mortal and limited whilst you are immortal and ageless. But even so I wish and long for day by day my arrival home, to see the day of my return." Odysseus moved his sword arm ever so slightly, and Calypso reluctantly removed herself. He began walking towards the prepared raft, looking at the sky, while Calypso remained motionless. "And if again some god smites me whilst I sail the wine-dark sea, I will endure it, having within my chest a heart that endures such affliction. For before this I have suffered and toiled much amid the waves and within war; let my… stay upon this isle be also added to that."

However, just as Odysseus reached the raft, he paused, looking to the ground. Calypso heard a breath escape him, and his shoulders slumped for just a moment before his posture corrected itself. His body fought ever so slightly to turn and face her. "Farewell, Calypso, I trust you will ensure the safety of your children".

/ / /

Calypso felt his hesitance long before he entered the garden. Her magic was erratic, her moonlace catching the waves that emanated from her, transferring them to nearby flowers on the border of the garden. It was as if the morning sun was radiating Iris' light into her room. Percy had no intuition to the true meaning of what her magic meant. Colors signifying her rage, her forlornness, her anxiety, her acceptance.

Calypso grabbed her watering pot and tenderly gives a new seedling the nectar of nature. She could sense Percy was going to cross into her garden, but Calypso could not deal with him in here yet. She raised her hand and sent a small gust of wind to Percy — he stopped moving.

Without turning to face him, she spoke softly in a whisper carried only by her magic, "he has ordered you to return."

He began hesitantly, sensing the somber mood of Ogygia and her resident, "well, not ordered. He… gave me a choice."

Calypso's head slowly turned to face Percy and began to walk slowly to him. Do not give me hope. The words of Argeiphontes once more ran clear through her head.

Looking at Percy finally, Calypso could see the conflict within her hero far more than was radiating off his body. Never had Calypso seen a hero this conflicted about staying, but then again, none were ever given a… a choice.

Her thoughts drifted back to their conversation at dinner, before Hephaestus interrupted them, and she knew what had to be done. Calypso steeled her inner turmoil before speaking, blinking back tears as she met his eyes. "I promised I would not offer".

"Offer what?"

She paused and clenched her fists before slowly breathing out, relaxing her hands. The isle stilled as Calypso finally broke her vow. "For you to stay."

Percy's face morphed into a plethora of emotions, before settling on confusion. "Stay, like… forever?"

Calypso let a short breath of air escape her nose, the most of any semblance of laughter she could allow herself.

"You would be immortal on this island," she explained softly, still not accepting the possibility of her hero staying. "You would never die or age. You could leave the fight to others, Percy Jackson. You could escape your prophecy." Only now did Calypso allow a single tear to fall from her eye, and a shaky breath was released from her mouth.

"…Just like that?"

"Just like that," she answered.

"But… my friends." And Calypso knew his answer.

Softly, Calypso took Percy's hand into hers, sending a short burst of magic to his soul. A burst of magic that would make him feel no pain upon leaving when the time came.

"You asked about my curse, Percy. I did not want to tell you." Calypso would give Percy an understanding of what was happening, he deserved that at the least. "The truth is the gods send me companionship from time to time. Every thousand years or so, they allow a hero to wash up on my shores, someone who needs help. I tend to him and befriend him, but it is never random. The Fates make sure that the sort of hero they send…" That was all Calypso could manage before her voice broke, and more tears fell.

Percy squeezed Calypso's hand, and what was once calm flooding his heart became a wave of desperation. "What? What have I done to make you sad?" However, both knew the answer at this point.

"They send a person who can never stay. Who can never accept my offer of companionship for more than a little while. They send me a hero I cannot help… just the sort of person I cannot help falling in love with." In a whisper that Percy could barely hear, Calypso admitted the truth for once and all.

With Percy's hand still grasped in Calypso's, and the connection she had to his body, it was obvious the confusion her declaration made. Percy stared at her with glazed eyes. They stood in silence for a time, Calypso relishing in the last few moments. He would be gone by sunrise.

Percy's eyebrows began to furrow, his lips parting a little and Calypso could tell their reprieve was over. "Me?"

A faint smile graced her lips. "If only you could see your face. Of course, you."

"That's why you've been pulling away all this time?"

"I tried very hard," gods knew she did, "but I cannot help it. The Fates are cruel. They sent you to me, my brave one, knowing that you would break my heart." There was no energy left in Calypso to add the anger she felt on to the end. There was only raw acceptance and sorrow left in her to be felt.

"But… I'm just — I mean, I'm just me."

"That is enough." How true that was. Percy was still unlike any other hero she had been with, so much love with no confirmation. His laughter. His innocence. His youthfulness. His heart. All reasons why he cannot stay. Percy's loss on the mortal realm would be far too impactful. And yet… no. Calypso quickly squashed down that hope. "I told myself I would not even speak of this. I would let you go without offering. But I cannot. I suppose the Fates knew that, too. You could stay with me, Percy. I am afraid that is the only way you could help me."

And at her declaration did early-born, rosy-fingered Dawn appear.

"I can't." Percy looked at his feet, emotions running wild through him. He let go of her hand.

I am ready and willing to send you to your home.

"I would never do anything to hurt you, but my friends need me." But I have a duty to my Queen and my country. "I know how to help them now. I have to get back."

Calypso slowly reached down with her spade and began to remove a seedling she had deposited during Artemis' apex. Carefully, she placed the seedling into the pocket of his shirt. Hesitantly, with the demeanor of a mortal, she shakily kissed Percy on his forehead, her lips relishing in the taste of the sea.

And I will send with you and your raft a wind to ensure a safe voyage to your home.

"Then come to the beach, my hero. And we will send you on your way."

Their walk to the beach was silent, Percy's emotions radiating off him with intensity she had never felt. Her poor hero, he could not accept the reality of what Fate and the gods had done to her. A glance would be felt occasionally as Percy looked around at his surroundings. Soaking up the last few moments of his time upon Ogygia.

By the time Dawn had retreated to allow Apollo his ascent, they had reached the raft. Calypso had a soft smile on her lips before she spoke. "This will take you where you desire." She could tell he was hesitant to board, and still she beckoned for him to board. He was the son of the sea, of course, even if for some reason the raft was not seaworthy, he would be quickly accepted back in his home. "It is quite safe."

Percy reached for Calypso's hand, but she quickly removed it, clasping her hands behind her back. His face was an unreadable mess of emotions, and the energy radiating from him was no clearer. Percy sadly looked into Calypso's eyes. "Maybe I can visit you."

Calypso softly shook her head, silently laughing at his naivete. "No man ever finds Ogygia twice, Percy. When you leave, I will never see you again."

"But—"

"Go, please," Calypso spoke forcefully, voice breaking. "The Fates are cruel, Percy Jackson. Just remember me." Sadness. That was the emotions Calypso could now clearly feel. Yet, something else was brewing. Percy's breathing slowly intensified, his eyes furrowed in confusion and thought. "Plant a garden for me in Manhattan, will you?"

"I—" Percy paused and looked past Calypso to the forest line behind her. His hand raised as if reaching for the land behind. His eyes slowly began to harden, eyebrows relaxing from their furrowed state. He shakily let out a long and slow breath before allowing his arm to fall next to him.

Percy looked directly at Calypso, tears growing in his eyes, as a small, sorrowful smile grew on his lips. "I can't promise that Calypso. I'm sorry." He spoke softly, voice strained.

Calypso had not the time to process what was said before Percy clenched his right hand into a fist and threw his arm behind him. Calypso felt the wine-dark sea respond to his call, currents quickly forming beneath the freshwater sea surrounding her isle. Any thoughts Calypso had halted, as ichor ran cold, and her stomach dropped.

Slowly, the raft began to move. A tear fell onto the sand near Percy's feet, before he slowly unfurled his hand and pushed outward. The raft rapidly gained speed, and Percy's eyes closed tightly, face twisted in a plethora of emotions, and tilted towards the ground. He held this position until the raft disappeared over the horizon.

His hand fell to his side, defeated. Percy then set his back straight, wiping his face clear of tears with his hand. Red-rimmed eyes met her own gold-rimmed ones.

"I can't plant that garden if I don't go back."