Hey sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I tried to make this chapter as long as I could to make up for it. It may take a while for me to update a lot at a time, but I am also taking my time with my writing for the best reading experience I can give you.
I do not own Percy Jackson all rights belong to Rick Riordan.
"This is so boring." Leo complained. Annabeth seemed to be ignoring him as she searched the wall for any weak point in their cell. Her face was covered in mud and sweat, the normally curly hair that framed her face became flat and stringy. His mother use to look like that when she had finished her work on a car. The connection immediately stabbed guilt into his heart.
"If you have any ideas on how to escape now would be the time, Repair boy."
Leo didn't want to point out that Piper was the only one who he allowed to call him that. From anyone else's mouth it just seemed like an insult. He let it slide as to avoid a conflict. The Latino had heard stories of what a child of Athena could do to his or her enemies. Leo wanted to tell her it was pointless to try to escape, he'd tried with no success. His still smarting cheek reminded him that Annabeth wasn't afraid to hurt him if he said something that offended her.
In truth Leo knew he shouldn't blame their current troubles on Percy, no matter how easy it may be. Maybe he was jealous of the guy, not only did he have both the Roman and Greek camps willing follow under his wings, but he also had not one, not two, but three beautiful girls wanting him. Leo wasn't blind he saw the look Reyna had given Annabeth, it was the same look she had given Piper. And on top of all that he had a mom who loved him and was still alive.
"Tell me something..." Leo began as he tapped his fingers rapidly on his knees. "Why do you love him?"
Annabeth stopped working long enough to look at him. Her grey eyes were like daggers being thrown at him. He silently cursed himself for not censoring his words. Slowly her gaze soften a fraction.
"He's sweet. I remember when we first met I insulted him a lot after finding out he was a son of the sea-god and he still wanted to be friends with me. When Luke betrayed us Percy was the one who was there for me and after a while I couldn't think about wanting to go to anyone but him..." Leo listen intently as Annabeth told him about her feelings for the only son of Poseidon. "After he went missing everything I felt for him became so much more. It was as if he were my center. My other half."
"Wow, he really means a lot to you. I wish some one would care about me like that."
Annabeth placed a hand on his shoulder, "The right girl will come, until then you have the rest of us."
Leo strongly disagreed with the daughter of Athena, if that were true why did he feel so alone. He was the third wheel, or in their quest the seventh, the unwanted child thrown from foster home to foster home. He's lived more places than he'd like to say, but has never had a home. Camp half-blood was probably one of the coolest places he's lived in although he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't going to last.
"It's easy for you to say. You've never been tossed out as if you were worthless."
Annabeth sighed dejectedly, "You've never seen my childhood, or Percy's or any of the other campers childhoods. Many of us, nearly all of us, come from terrible home situations. Thalia's mother was an alcoholic that sacrificed her own son to save her sorry butt, Percy's first step-father was an abusive alcoholic who hit both him and his mom, and my step mother...she hated me. Everything was my fault. If spiders came to attack me at night she'd play it off as me attention seeking and force me to stay in the dark locked room with all the eight legged beast."
"I never thought about that..." Leo said apologetically. He brought his knees to his chest and sighed. "There was only one person who loved me without a shadow of a doubt. That was my mother. I'm the reason she is dead. That is a guilt I'm going to live with for the rest of my life."
"We all have skeletons in our closets Leo. It's when we choose to let those skeletons affect us in the present when we lose our self."
Leo smirked ruefully, "Wise you are, daughter of Athena."
"Okay Yoda are you going to help me now?" With a new sense of self-worth Leo began to search for a route to freedom as well.
It seemed like hours, but they found a weak point in the wall and began to dig, hoping to find their freedom. The two of them took turns digging giving each other a fifteen minute break to sooth their swollen red fingers. Annabeth's shirt was now black with mud and Leo looked like the dirt man. Laughter of manic joy escaped them. The lack of security was almost too good to be true.
When they had gotten a space that was deep and wide enough to fit an entire Frank, the two of them sat in disbelief.
"How much farther do you think we have to go?" Leo asked as he scraped mud from his face. Annabeth crawled into the hole and tapped the wall. The smile on her face was bright as she came back.
"I think we're almost through. The wall sounds hollow."
Leo kneeled closer, "Then what are we waiting for. Let's blow this Popsicle stand."
Annabeth was right a few well placed kicks later and they were home free. In a manner of speaking. The lack of cell bars and walls was a welcomed sight for the two exhausted demigods. Even though their finger tips were torn to shreds and their ankles hurt from kicking the dirt wall down the two of them were laughing and just soaking up their freedom.
"Now to save Percy." Annabeth listed as she jumped to her feet and began to creep towards another room.
"And Calypso," Leo added and followed at the daughter of Athena's heels.
"Let's try not to get caught."
The two of them searched for any possible way out. Leo had a dark image of the two of them clawing their way up through to the surface. That would be something they could do if there wasn't the high likelihood that they'd suffocate or maybe end up burrowing through to the bottom of the ocean.
Leo was no son of Poseidon so he couldn't recreate Percy and Annabeth's not so secrete underwater bubble. The whole camp had told him stories of their private place. Annabeth pushed Leo backwards.
"Wait, I think I hear something. Be quiet."
"Calypso thinks she's going to be able to resist him." The familiar laughter of Giga reached there ears. "Let's make resisting him a little harder."
"How will you do that my queen?" one of the servants groveled.
"Well it is Percy Jackson. He won her heart the first time without even trying. His charm will work in our favor." Giga explained. "But lets put the two of them in situations that bring them 'closer'."
Another voice spoke up, "What about the boy's loyalty to his girlfriend? He'd never be romantic with Calypso."
Giga let out another laugh which made Leo's skin crawl. "His innocence is one of his most endearing qualities. That's part of why Calypso liked him so much in the first place."
Annabeth and Leo peered around the corner to catch a glimpse of what they were up to. Giga and her minions preoccupied a large cavern space. It was the size of the Rose bowl field in Michigan. The walls and floors were smooth as if water had run through and carried off excess dirt.
On the wall directly in front of them was a screen of magic which held a screen of both Percy and Calypso. Except Percy looked slighter framed, younger even, his hair was singed as if he had been caught in an explosion. Calypso on the other hand looked like a goddess, in Leo's opinion, her face glowed with sorrow, but also a bit of hope.
(This scene that I am having the two demigods see is from battle of the labyrinth. Meaning I don't own this either. Some parts may be different because I'm not going to go directly by the book.)
"Percy, you wanted to know about my curse." Calypso began as she wrung her hands together. "You see I am a prisoner on this island."
"Because of your dad." Percy protested. "That's not fair. You didn't join him."
"But I did Brave one." The sea Nymph admitted. The son of Poseidon nearly stumbled back.
"Why?"
"Tell me Percy why do you support the gods?" He was silent. "It's because he's family. What would you to for your family?"
Percy nodded, "I'm sorry. I understand. I'd do anything for my family. So can you tell me more about your curse."
"I am always alone on the island, but from time to time the gods will send me company. A hero who needs help but he can't stay. They always send someone, someone I can't help, but fall in love with."
Percy blinked in surprise. "Me? You're in love with me."
"If you could just see your face." Calypso whispered. He stood still as her hand caressed his red cheek. "Yes you."
Leo heard Annabeth growl lowly. The green-eyed monster was showing her face. He knew how she felt, he himself was jealous that Percy got Calypso's affection quicker than he ever could. He drew himself out of his thoughts to watch more of the scene.
"You could stay Percy. You wanted to help me. That's the only way you can." Calypso told him as she clasped his hands in hers. "You'd be immortal. You could escape your prophecy."
"Stay." Percy whispered as if in a daze. "Escape my prophecy?"
"Yes." Calypso told him. Leo watched as Annabeth was trembling. "What do you say?"
Percy's eyes casted to the sunlight, "I can't."
The sea-nymph looked defeated. Leo wanted to comfort her, tell her she didn't need Percy Jackson to be happy, but Percy Jackson was a novelty to the Greeks. Well liked and loved by many. She began to slip her hands from his.
"Oh." She tried to hide the sorrow in her voice. She failed miserably. Percy grabbed her hand back.
"It's not that I don't want to Calypso. You're nice and you've done so much for me, but my friends need help. My brother and one of my best friends are in danger. My home is in danger. I'm the only one who knows how to save them. I'd never be able to forgive myself if I let anything happen to them." And just under his breath he muttered. "Or Annabeth."
Calypso smiled. "I know, you're a hero. Come with me."
The scene ended. Leo had a smart comment waiting on the tip of his tong, but for the sake of their hiding place he remained quiet. Annabeth turned to face him with a 'we should go' look. The two of them turned to try to find another way out.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Rough hands grabbed them by the scruff of their necks. The two demigods cried out in shock. Annabeth, in her struggle, managed to punch Leo in the face.
"Wrong face." He complained.
"Well, well." Giga gave them a sleepy smile. "Just the two I wanted to see. How does it feel to know that the boy you love is in the arms of another girl now."
"He'd never betray me." Annabeth spat.
"Oh it's not about what Percy wants. He's just a prize, a new form of currency for my use." The earth goddess drew on. "And I intend to get my 'moneys' worth out of him."
"Percy is NOT an object to be used." The daughter of Athena growled. Leo wondered what Annabeth would do if she was free enough to strangle Giga.
"But you know his worth. Don't you child." Mother Earth sneered. With a wave of her hand she created a cage in the center of the room. "I think this show needs a bigger audience. Put these two in the cage so they can watch Calypso fall in love with him again."
The magic screen flickered back on as it showed Percy and Calypso sitting in the grass eating beef stew. Percy was telling Calypso a story about actors kidnapping his girlfriend. Despite the fact the story was about Annabeth and was basically him telling her how much he loves Annabeth, Calypso still laughed at the animation of his expressions.
Hey guys. I'm not going to be able to update as fast. Partly because this story isn't pre-written like my other stories and partly because I have a lot of school stuff to do right now. All of it is of the utmost importance. I won't leave you hanging though so please keep reading!