Chapter Seven
"This is supposed to go here and then it should connect to this piece near the bow. With that, Marie can get it to stay together," Leo said to his cabin mates. It had been six months since the incident with Jason and Marie's eye. She received a new eye from an anonymous donor. The eye colors were not the same, but, Marie and the donor matched. Marie wore the patch to hide the mismatching colors unless she was fighting. Her new eye gave her new abilities with what she had before.
"Leo, we need a bucket of water! Marie is trying to cool off the hot parts," one worker called from the second story. Leo pressed a button that sent water to the second story work level.
"THANKS BABY!" Marie shouted.
"YOU'RE WELCOME, BABE!" Leo shouted back. The cabin mates laughed and went on with their work. Annabeth, Jason, Piper, and Rachel came in to look the boat over. They saw a tunnel of water and it hit a pool under the boat. "Hey, guys, what do you think of the boat?"
"Awesome, you guys are doing a great job with getting it done," Annabeth said. She looked the blueprints over as Piper and Jason went to get a closer look. It was able to sail on the water in the air with the help of Jason and the help of Marie. "How much longer before we can set out?"
"We should be done before our set date," Leo said. A bell rang and everyone cheered. "That means we have met the goal we had planned for tomorrow."
"We are done, Leo!" Marie exclaimed. She slid down a pole in jean shorts, Leo's green tank top, and steel toed boots. She was sweating from a long day's work and her braid-bun was coming undone. Leo spun Marie around and they shared a kiss. Jason looked away and put his arm around Piper.
"Great, we can do a test run tomorrow and then decide when we should pack," Leo said once he and Marie broke apart.
"Good, everybody head on to the Big House for dinner!" Annabeth said. The Hephaestus cabin cheered and went to eat. Marie got a piggy-back ride from Leo.
"Guess what tomorrow is," Leo said.
"Is it our six month anniversary?" Marie giggled.
"You are good, babe," Leo chuckled. Jason watched the couple walking ahead of him and he sighed. Piper and Rachel were walking with Annabeth. Jason saw the smile that he once got from Marie not too long ago. Everyone made it dinner and Chiron announced the finish of Argos II. Everyone cheered and gave congratulations to the Hephaestus cabin. Leo sat with Marie near his table, but at her table. Jason watched them like a hawk as they laughed and poked fun at one another. Chiron saw Jason's face and went to see him.
"Is it something uncommon to see Marie happy with another guy?" Chiron asked.
"No, it is just odd not getting that when she was the first to give that to me. We were each other's first love and she has moved on. While I am stuck on what we used to be," Jason said. Chiron nodded his head as he looked to Marie and Leo.
"Her father told me that she was never really happy. As she got older, she never really showed happiness to many people. Once you came around, you changed all that and got her to show happiness," Chiron said. Jason went to offer his plate to Zeus and send a prayer.
'Father, help me win the girl of my dreams. Better yet, help me figure out who is the right girl for me. Is it Marie or is it Piper?' Jason prayed to his father. Leo and Marie finished their offerings and went back to their cabins. Leo and Marie went into separate showers that were connected with a wall that had and opening at the bottom and the top.
"Hand over the shampoo, baby," Marie said. Leo gave her all she needed that he was finished with. Leo stepped out in a blue towel and went to get dressed. He went to get out a necklace box with a silver locket. Marie emerged in a Bullet for My Valentine t-shirt and cut-off sweats. She had her towel on her head as she went to look at the lake. Leo walked up to her and put the necklace around her neck.
"Happy six month anniversary, babe," Leo whispered into her ear. Marie touched the locket and turned to him. She had tears in her eyes as she stared into Leo's eyes.
"Leo, you are so sweet," Marie said. She kissed Leo before she went to get her gift. It held a Hot Topic necklace with their names on it. "The necklace is specially made; water proof and not flammable. I had it made for you with my pass from being a top worker."
"That necklace was specially made as well," Leo said. Marie put the necklace around Leo's neck and they held each other as they stared out to the full moon. "Jason has been watching us more and more. It is starting to bother me."
"I know; he does the same for me. I am not able to go for my morning swim without him popping up," Marie said. Leo kissed Marie's head when there was a strange noise from the trees. Marie shrank back into Leo's arms as the noise got closer.
"Get out of my cabin," someone said. A dark figure stood not too far from the two.
"I am sorry, but, this is my cabin now! So, show yourself," Marie said. Percy stepped out with his hair down to his shoulders and his face covered in grim. "Percy, is that really you?"
"I am Percy Jackson, but, who in the name Poseidon are you and that boy? He smells like fire and burnt things," Percy said. Annabeth and Rachel ran into the cabin. "Annabeth, Rachel, who are these two and why are they in my cabin?"
"Come with us to the Big House and let Chiron explain," Annabeth said.
Chapter Eight
"Percy, your mother had twins the day you were born, you, Perseus Jackson, and her, Charitomene Jackson. Your father made the choice to separate the two of you to protect you. Marie has different powers than you, for she is the Roman of your father, while you are the Greek of your father. Marie knew of you, but, you never knew of her. She watched you from the distance to protect you. Percy, look at her and then try to see your resemblance to one another," Chiron said.
Percy looked to Marie and then they stood across the room from one another. The symbol of Poseidon appeared of both them. Marie removed her eye patch and let him see her eye. Marie had one blue eye and one green eye. Percy walked over to her and put his hand over Marie's cheek. He stared into her purple eye and then sighed.
"Father never lied to me about you. I went to look for you and then I was kidnapped. Mother said you and I look alike, but, it is only in our personalities not our looks I guess," Percy said. Marie hugged him and they held each other.
"Mi amore Perseus, you have grown so much since you arrived here. I am proud to be your sister," Marie sniffled. Percy spun her around and then they laughed at each other. He ran his fingers through her rainbow color looking hair.
"I am back for good this time," Percy whispered and he kissed her forehead. He let her go and ran to Annabeth. Marie and Leo went back to the cabin. They stopped in front of Hera's cabin. Marie walked over to it and then she pushed the doors open. Inside, it was bare with empty bunks with bare mattresses. Marie walked over to the statue of Hera and then she kneeled.
"Please, Great Mother, allow me and my true love to stay in you cabin," Marie muttered. The torches lit and the room changed. Leo stepped in as Marie stood to her feet. As the two faced each other, the symbol of Hera appeared above them. "We thank, Great Mother, for your approval and for allowing us to stay in your house of wisdom. We hope you have an eternal life of youth and joy."
'I am blessing you with my symbol as another way to have children. You two are to be the next king and queen in my eyes. I hope the two of you live a long life of happiness. Your children will be able to be in this cabin with my blessing,' Hera said to them. Leo and Marie kneeled as Chiron and the others entered.
"These two have been allowed to stay in the house of Hera. This is a first from the queen, who normally hates demi-gods," Chiron said.
Leo opened another clean notebook and began to sketch a ring. He watched Marie pack her things into her backpack. She had her hair in a small ponytail from having her hair burned by him. It had white, blue, green, blonde, brown at the tips. Her hair only reached her shoulder and it showed off her locket; that was hanging from her neck. Leo began to sketch her next the ring and he smiled. Marie went to put some flowers by Hera's feet.
"Marie, Leo, we are entering the cabin now," Percy said, teasingly. Marie ran to the door and then hid behind it. Once Percy was in, Marie jumped on him. "Dang it, Marie, stop doing that!"
"It is fun to scare you! We are ready to go and I have finished packing Leo's things in the duffel bag. Mine are in the backpack next to his things," Marie said. She hopped to the bed where Leo sat and she giggled. Percy took the bags and left quickly. Leo hid the notebook from Marie and he kissed her nose.
"When we get back, we can then find a place to stay for awhile. We will be legal adults here soon," Leo said. Marie intertwined her fingers with his calloused hands and then smiled.
"To have a permanent home with the one I love is something I have been dreaming of since I was little," Marie said. "Will we get married on the beach and build our own house and have children?"
"Of course, we will live or dream lives together," Leo said. The two got up from the bed and then went to the sailing of Argos II.
"Tell me that we are not lost!" Piper whined. Jason messaged her shoulders and kissed her head.
"We are not lost, I can smell cold, salt water not far below," Marie said. Leo held onto the wheel of the ship and then he watched Marie lean over the side of the boat.
"Marie, stop doing that! Or I am going to have a heart attack," Leo and Percy said. Marie giggled at the boys and then went to sit next to Annabeth. Percy gave Marie's head a ruffle of the hair and then went to show Leo a map. Jason went to look at the map to get his sense of direction.
"We are near Greenland, a little more south and we are the Mediterranean Sea," Percy said. "Drop the ship into the water and let us do the rest."
"No problem," Jason and Leo said. The boat shifted and then Piper and Marie went rolling. The girls giggled and helped each other up. Marie and Piper ran to the edge and then they puked their guts out. "What is wrong?"
Leo and Jason ran to the girls and left Percy to the wheel. Annabeth helped Percy. Leo looked at Marie with a worried look and Jason did the same. Piper and Marie looked to each other and shook their heads.
"Nothing to worry about," Marie said. She went to get them water and they chugged it. The boat dropped into the water a few hours later and Marie went to front of the boat. She spread her arms to her side and let out a shout. "I am home at last!"
"Marie has been here before?" Percy asked.
"She went to school in Greece not too long ago," Jason said. Marie laughed and dipped her hand into the water. Leo laughed as he watched her face light up.
"She sure knows how to make people smile," Percy said.
"She sure does, it is not the greatest thing to see her smile. I told myself that I never want to see her cry and always want to see her smiling and laughing," Leo said. Percy put his hand on Leo's shoulder.
"Better live up to that," Percy said. Marie turned around and then she ran to Leo. He dropped his duffel bag and they went to the side. Marie put Leo's hand into the warm water. The boat jerked as if something was pushing underneath. Marie pulled Leo's hand out as a sea monster reached for them. Jason swung his sword at the monster and it dove back into the water.
"Percy, give me a headlight," Marie said. Percy threw a headlight and Marie put it on her head. Leo watched Marie swing her necklace and jump into the water.
"MARIE!" Jason and Leo shouted.
"Does she always jump at the first sign of danger?" Annabeth and Percy asked.
"Yes, and she is always the first to get hurt," Jason said. Marie jumped out of the water with a mermaid clawing at her. The mermaid was red headed and had tan skin. Marie gagged as she and the mermaid fell back into the water. Jason jumped after her with Percy right behind him. Marie was falling to the sea floor with seaweed around her.
'Dang it, she always does this to new people,' Marie growled. Percy got to her and tried to cut the seaweed. The mermaid grabbed Percy and pulled him away.
'Marie, wiggle free,' Percy said. Jason cut the seaweed as the mermaid was rushing to them. Marie pushed Jason out of the way and then she caught hold of the mermaid. Marie and the mermaid were in a water bubble and were going at each other. Percy and Jason watched Marie try to choke the mermaid. There was a bright blue flash and they were shot out the water. The four of them landed on the deck of the boat. Jason started to cough out water as Leo removed the mermaid off of Marie. She was unconscious, but, still breathing. Percy tied the mermaid's arms and tied it to the mast.
"Tell us your name and why you attacked us," Jason said. The mermaid opened her mouth and she let out a low note. Marie gasped and sat up. The mermaid smiled and then she jumped for joy. Leo put a towel around Marie and he held her in his arms. The mermaid watched Marie and Leo cuddle together.
"You know what I told you about attacking unknown boats. It is not allowed anymore and my father would be displeased to see you doing that," Marie said to the mermaid. "Saphir, I told you never do that."
"You know this mermaid?" Piper exclaimed.
"I went to a boarding school here and I spent most of my free time in the ocean. I found Saphir not far off shore; she was hurt and needed help. That was when my father came to me about how I got my special powers. I was only ten," Marie said through chattering teeth. "I cared for her, gave her a home and helped her home before I went to find Percy."
"So, she attacks foreign boats to find you?" Annabeth asked. Saphir began to sing to Marie.
"No, I am only here to do some things and then I have to leave once more. I am sorry, Saphir, but I told that the next I came that I would not be around forever," Marie said. She passed out from exhaustion and wounds. Saphir tried to reach for Marie as Leo took her below deck.
"What are we supposed to do with her now? I can't speak mermaid," Piper said. Percy bent to look at Saphir at her eye level.
"Lead us to the original camp for demi-gods," Percy said.