Ah. The end. Bittersweet, isn't it?

I've still got the Misadventures, Papi Version Two, and a new story called Tartarus Labs, which I will post once the prologue turns out better than what it is now :P

Sneak Peek at Tartarus Labs at the end.

Until then...enjoy the FINAL CHAPTER of The Keys!

It's been a wild ride.

(PS: Giant time-skip here)

I own nothing you recognize as canon.


XLV

LEO

Leo Valdez tinkered with a bit of scrap metal in his hands. He paused, looking at how gnarled they were getting. Years of working with his hands had taken their toll on them, that was for sure. He was 47 now, but after ten years of being bound to a wheelchair while still working hard at his job, he looked older than he should. His hair was turning white, and the smile lines on his face were permanently present, along with a few wrinkles.

He was sitting in the New Athens hospital. No, it wasn't because he needed to be there. Tulio was next to him, along with his partner, Miguel. Miguel was a son of Hermes who worked part-time at the New Athens pegasi stables and down at the shop, which had been renamed Valdez Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters. Miguel wasn't married to Tulio—Leo kept prodding at his son to pop the question—but he was still considered one of the family.

At first, Tulio had been a tad nervous about being publicly gay, but after knowing Leo could be bi without problems (even if it was still a secret to everyone outside the Valdez family) he was willing to do some PDA in public with Miguel. Eventually, he'd get married, just like his sister was with Sammy.

Funny thing: Esperanza refused to change her name, so when Sammy Leo popped the question, he was willing to change his name from Zhang to Valdez. Leo, being the great guy he was, rubbed it in Frank's face. And then he bashfully talked about it with Hazel.

Said Zhangs were sitting nearby. Frank was reading a magazine. Hazel was napping. Their other son, Gus, was reading a Teen Titans comic book in the corner.

Tulio and Miguel sat on Leo's left. Tulio was also working on something in his hands, while Miguel was working on drawing a design for a new horse saddle. He and Tulio supported each other's dreams, so it wasn't uncommon for one to be separated from the other for work from time-to-time.

On Leo's right were Calypso, Aria, and Zac. Calypso's hair was getting grey, and now she, too, had smile lines. Leo still thought she was the most beautiful thing on the whole damn planet. She was reading a garden magazine, every once in a while her gaze drifting to Leo. If he caught her looking, he'd grin and whisper he was okay.

Aria was plucking out a few notes on her violin. Being in a hospital waiting room, it would have been rude to start playing, but she was still determined to get some song inspiration down for her music performance major. One of the classes required she write a song, so that was what she was doing.

Zac was asleep on the floor, snoring softly. His overalls were dirty, since he had rushed from the middle of camp to come to the hospital.

The reason for their visit was because of Espie. She had checked in last night and Sammy Leo was with her now. Will was with her, too, being the family's primary physician.

Leo sighed. Where did the time go? he asked himself. It seems like only yesterday I had proposed to Calypso in Italy, and now…now my first born is already 25 and…

Calypso placed her hand on top of his own. She smiled at him. "She's fine. Our baby is strong. She can get through this."

Leo smiled back. "I know. I'm not worried about her."

"Then what's with the face?"

"I'm not making a face."

Calypso cocked an eyebrow. "You're making a face. Don't deny it."

Leo pouted. "Woman, you are impossible."

"I thought that was why you went for me," she said cheekily.

Leo grinned. "Touché," he said. "But I didn't mean to make a face. I was just…thinking."

"Sound the alarm," Frank announced. "Leo's had a thought!"

Leo glared at him. "I do have thoughts, y'know."

"I thought they interfered with you being nuts," Hazel said with a smirk.

"Ha ha," Leo laughed sarcastically.

Calypso kissed him. "What were you thinking about?"

"Just…how fast everything is going," he said. "One minute I'm getting my hand crushed by you while you have Aria, the next…"

Frank nodded. "I get it. I can't believe how fast the time's flown. Our kids passed us before we had time to blink. I think I realized it when we were rescuing Calypso all those years ago."

Hazel smiled. "They did all the rescuing. We just sat back and watched."

"That reminds me," Leo said. "It just occurred to me that we all required keys to unlock the chains around us and wake us up…but then the lock would melt into our skin and vanish. Why'd they do that?"

Calypso frowned. "Did they?"

"Yeah."

Tulio looked up from his tinkering. "Come to think of it, you're right. Me and Espie had wondered that back when we first rescued you, Papi, but we got so caught up in getting everyone else, we let the thought die…"

Leo patted his chest, as if he would be able to feel the lock. "I wonder where it went or where those keys came from."

"Or why only one of us could activate it," Tulio put in. "I mean, I don't know why I activate Frank's beyond the fact that I had to do the performance."

Miguel smirked. "I'm so glad you did that. I still think it was fantastic."

Tulio blushed.

Hazel giggled. Then, she said, "Perhaps that was why you activated Frank's, but maybe the others had a deeper connection to the lock?"

"What do you mean?" Calypso asked.

"I mean," Hazel continued. "Maybe some keys were more connected than the others. Like, how mine was activated by Sammy—the original Sammy. Maybe that was because he had a deep connection with me, deeper than the kids did at the time. Or like how Sammy Leo activated Piper's key—not because he was connected to her, but rather her inherited power of love."

"With the Jacksons and Jason it was pretty obvious that it was going to be their kids, who shared their powers," Frank offered. "And then there was Leo, who was literally Calypso's key."

Calypso smiled.

Leo nodded. "And Espie was the one who unlocked me. Now that I'm thinking about it, perhaps there was a bigger reason behind her activating my key…"

"What would that be?" Gus asked.

Leo was about to say he didn't know exactly, when Will walked into the room. He was smiling at Leo. "She wants to see you, Leo. Just you."

The son of Hephaestus blinked and nodded nervously. He wheeled himself away, leaving everyone else in the waiting room. He gulped as Will opened the door for him.

Sammy Leo was sitting in a chair by the window, cradling his hand and whimpering. He locked eyes with Leo. "Her Titan's strength really packs a punch."

Leo chuckled. "I understand completely. And I was dumb enough to do it twice."

Sammy shook his head. "No way is she holding my hand a second time!"

"You're gonna, afro-brain, if there is a next time," came Espie's voice.

Leo wheeled over to Espie's bedside. His daughter was exhausted and breathing hard, but she was smiling. Tears welled up in her eyes. In her arms was a tiny blue bundle.

"Papi," she said. "I wanted you to be the first besides me and Sammy to see him."

She held out the bundle to him. "Meet your very first grandson."

Leo took the baby in his arms and grinned. "A grandson! He's so cute!"

Indeed, he was. The baby's skin was a half-shade darker than Espie, with little black curls adorning his head. He looked up at Leo with wide golden eyes, smiling toothlessly at his abuelo. He was a little chubby, just like his father and grandfather had been, but he'd soon grow out of it. Leo knew he'd either get the Valdez scrawniness or get some sort of Mars blessing to rid him of that baby fat soon enough.

Leo poked the baby in his tummy, making him giggle. "What's his name?"

Espie smiled. "Theodore Alonso Valdez. I think I'll nickname him Theo."

"Theo," Leo repeated. "I think I have a good nickname for you. I'll be calling you Tito."

Sammy looked up. "Why Tito?"

"He sorta reminds me of that Chihuahua from Oliver and Company. When you said Theo, my mind heard Tito." Leo bounced the baby gently. "So, abuelo is gonna call you Tito," he said to Theodore. "Little Tito! He's gonna be just like his abuelo!"

Espie rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Papi. Can I have Theo back, please?"

Leo cradled him. "Gimme another minute," he said. "I just…It's so unbelievable…"

"What is?"

He handed her back his grandson. "That my little girl has her own baby now," he said. "Esperanza…you've grown up so much…I just can't see it!"

Espie smiled. "Papi," she murmured.

Leo blinked at her, then looked at Theo in her arms. A light-bulb clicked on. "I see it now."

"What, that I'm grown up?" Espie chuckled.

"No." Leo reached up and tickled Theo's chin. "I see why you were the one that activated my key all those years ago."

"Key?" Espie blinked. "Oh, your key. Papi, that was a long time ago. Why are you thinking about that now?"

"Eh, we were talking about it outside. But, I had said there might have been a deeper reason behind why you were the one who could unlock me."

"And what would that be?" she asked, smiling.

Leo smiled back. "You, out of all my children—even Tulio—give me the most happiness. Esperanza Grace Valdez…you made me smile every day. Calypso was the center of my love, but you have been the center—no, the heart of my happiness since the day you were born. I see now; I was Calypso's key because I was her happiness. That was why she was last—besides the fact that your grandfather was saving her for last. I was first to be rescued because it mirrored her."

He took Espie's hand in his. "Mija," he muttered sweetly. "Cheesy as though it may sound, know this is true: you were the key to my happiness, and therefore the only one who could unlock my heart."

Espie smiled, a tear falling down her cheek. "You mean that?"

"I do."

"Aww, Papi," she cried, throwing an arm around his shoulders. She kissed him on the forehead. "I love you so much, Papi, but why'd you have to say that? Now I won't be able to stop crying!"

Leo rubbed her cheek. "I say it because it's true. And I love you, too, Espie."

He then got an evil glint in his eye and stole Theo from Espie's other arm. He wrenched himself free and wheeled away. "Ha," he shouted to Sammy Leo. "Tito is mine to show to the others!"

Sammy stumbled out of his chair. "Hey, wait! That's not fair!" He looked at Espie. "Tell him no, Espie! I should show everyone!"

Espie shook her head. "With the speech he just gave me, he pretty much bribed me to do it. Let him."

Sammy pouted as Leo rolled out of the room and sped down the hall. Theo giggled in delight at the exciting ride.

"Ah, you're gonna be begging for me to take you places," Leo said to the baby. "I just know it! And I'm gonna be your favorite grandfather!"

He wheeled into the waiting room, where everyone—including Zac—was on their feet. Leo held the baby up a little bit.

"Meet my first-born grandson," Leo announced with pride that filled his chest so much he thought it would burst. "Theodore Alonso Valdez. And I'm calling him Tito!"

Theo giggled and gurgled as the others surrounded him and cooed at him.

Leo smiled. Espie was my key to happiness. And now, Theo will be hers…


A/N: The cheese! *eats ham* The cheese!

All done. Meet Leo's first grandchild, Theodore. He'll be just like his abuelo when it comes to machines and sense of humor, just like Leo wants (unfortunately for everyone else). He'll be fireproof (not a user, just fireproof) and will get Mommy's strength. He'll have a brother (Diego Franklin Valdez) and a sister (Emily Maria Valdez) but it'll be awhile before they are born.

I'm not gonna elaborate on the Grace or Jackson families here. In the One-Shot Challenge, there will be a story concerning Jason and Piper's grandkids. Right now I haven't thought much on grown Mark, Lacy, or Bobby, so that's why those families aren't present.

And now: A sneak peek at Tartarus Laboratories's Prologue:


More notes. Finally, the woman looked at him. "We need to do some experiments."

"Finally," the man said. "I bet Kronos is just itching to cut some of these animals up."

"Atlas is getting uncomfortable, just using the Northern animals," she said. "It's time to capture some of these."

"And, if I may ask, how will we do that? The Reserve doesn't allow hunting. Humans aren't allowed anywhere."

"Says the man who established cameras all over the Reserve."

He smiled.

"Orion will always be my favorite choice," she said. "He's the best hunter we have. He'll get in there and find us some good specimens."

She began to leave. The man turned back to the screens, sipping his coffee.

"Good work, Enceladus," she said before closing the door to his office.

Enceladus smirked. "Thanks for the praise," he whispered. "Mother."


Well? Intrigued yet? That's just a taste of what's to come. It's an animal AU with Gaea and the Giants/Titans as humans. No legacies, just the canon characters. Here's the line-up, not subject to change: Jason is a Lion, Piper is a Fox, Hazel a Jaguar, Frank a Tiger, Percy a Wolf, Annabeth a Coyote, and Leo is...*drumroll* a Hyena! Threw you for a loop, didn't I? Keep watching, for soon T.L. will be out for you to read soon. Until then...

Bye~!

Make sure to tell me how you liked the end of the Keys, and not just how excited you are for T.L.