Chapter 24

Damien didn't know when he fell asleep but he soon found himself waking up to the sound of tropical birds high above in the canopy, daylight streamed through the leaves, illuminating everything with a faint green tint to it, the jungle was a beautiful sight in sunlight, he saw high above that flowers hung from the limbs of the massive trees.

Movement in his arms caused him to look down, a small smile creeping over his face as he saw Reyna move and rub her tired eyes, large brown orbs finding his face

"You're okay" she said taking a deep, sleepy breath, her beautiful eyes still heavy with exhaustion

"Yer, thanks to you" he replied softly, he absentmindedly ran his fingers through her raven hair once more "Thank you Reyna"

Her tired eyes began to close again "Thought I'd return the favour" she slurred before she fell back into a deep slumber

Damien watched her with a dopey smile plastered on his face, she was still curled against his chest as he lent back against a rock they had moved to last night. Hazel had cleaned his face up and did what little medical attention as she could with the tiny med kit they had brought with them as he held Reyna close to him, not wanting to let her go, not even for a moment, he could still feel the stitches she had used to close the nasty gash on his forehead.

"I see you're feeling better" a voice came from nearby

Damien jumped slightly as he turned to see Hazel sat nearby, her jacket wrapped around her small body, her sword in hand, eyes vigilant

"Hey" he replied wiping the grin from his features

Hazel's golden eyes flickered over Reyna wrapped in Damien's arms "Y'know you haven't moved all night" she gave him a small smile "You've slept for hours"

"Slept?" Damien's mind panicked, he stared looking around fearful that this was another sick nightmare thought up by Elliot, he loosened his arms from around Reyna who didn't even stir

Hazel saw the panic "Damien… just relax, don't hurt her" she reached a hand out in a calming manner

Damien's eyes flashed towards Hazel "I would never…" but his words failed him as he remembered what Elliot had conjured in his mind, he took a deep breath and looked down at the slumbering beauty "How can I be sure though?" he asked

Hazel sensed the fear in his voice "Look at her Damien, really look at her" she gestured towards Reyna "Use her as your anchor, can Elliot really fool you so well that you forget the real her, she has shown her true self to you Damien, use that and remember of the connection you two share, that cannot be faked"

Damien looked down at her, he caressed her warm cheek, feeling the softness of her skin, surely this could not be in his mind. The slow breaths making her chest rise and fall gently, the way one of her hands gripped the front of his shirt like she was afraid he would disappear while she slept

"Only you can decide if this is real or not" Hazel said, watching his reaction carefully, she remembered the first time he had woken with Reyna around, he had stabbed himself with a pen knife which Reyna had never given back to him

"I want her to be real…" He muttered dropping his hand from her face and taking a breath "But how can she be real? She's perfect"

Hazel's smile grew on her features, she had known for a very long time that the both of them shared feelings for one another, she also knew why Reyna had tried to keep these feelings a secret from everyone, especially Damien himself, she feared it would make her weak in front of her legion, she had already bent the rules that she held so dear to keep him safe.

"Damien in the end we only regret the chances we didn't take" Hazel quoted softly, a kind smile on her face "Being a child of Pluto and having already died once… well, just trust me, I know a few things about wasted chances" Sadness crossed her petite features

Damien frowned slightly "You died once?" he asked

Hazel's gave him a small smile once more "That is a long story, the short version is I was born in 1928 and due to my mother's greediness we were tricked by Gaia, goddess of the earth and she needed my mother to sacrifice herself and I erupted the ground we were on halting Gaea's plans but unfortunately it killed me and my mother in the process"

Damien jaw dropped "That's the short version?"

Hazel nodded

"How did you come back?" he asked "Like don't get me wrong it's great but I just wonder how"

Hazel smirked "My brother Nico, he found me in the Underworld and brought me back to the land of the living"

"There is still a lot I need to learn it seems" Damien said looking down at Reyna again "But I'd like to learn it all"

"Will you stay this time?" Hazel asked, watching his expression closely

Damien pushed Reyna's hair back from her face "If the Praetor will have me, I haven't exactly been a model Roman, I don't even know if I would be accepted back, it seemed like I caused trouble by leaving last time and you two kept me a secret"

Hazel dropped her eyes "That is true, I have no doubt that there will be a punishment waiting for you but a true Roman accepts the consequences"

Damien nodded solemnly "I will take whatever they throw at me if it means returning with the both of you" he sighed "I've made a lot of mistakes Hazel"

"Nobody is perfect Damien, to err is human as they say"

Damien smirked up at her "You like quoting people don't you?"

"I like to read, you pick stuff up along the way" Hazel shrugged "Stick by her Damien and return to Camp Jupiter with us, if it is truly what you want" she touched her own tattoo "You will always have a place with us"

Damien nodded but didn't take his eyes from the sleeping Praetor in his arms, in this moment he felt peaceful like he hadn't felt in a very long time, he wished that they could stay here forever, but he also knew the importance of the quest they had been set.

So for now he would just and enjoy it while Reyna rested, his arms wrapped around her body, his mind flashed back to when she had fallen asleep at her desk and he had carried her to her bed, at first he wasn't sure if he should move her but she didn't look very comfortable. He recalled lifting her into his arms and laying her gently on the bed, he had sat down beside her so he could pull the cover over her, the next thing he knew he was waking up looking her in the face, and then she freaked out, not his finest moment, but one of his best memories.