Ok… just a warning…get ready for some serious emoness in this chapter and the next. Listening to epic music while reading is highly recommended, otherwise you'll think I'm on drugs or something. I'm not on drugs, I promise! I was just listening to Unbreakable by the band Fireflight (incredible song btw) and this is the outcome! Its amazing to me how easily music affects my mood lol!

Read on! Enjoy! :D

Leo's POV

My heart was overflowing with pride and awe as I took a step back. There it was. The Argo II stood before me, its wood and metal exterior solid and strong, its mast tall and proud. It was so incredible, I could not believe that I, Leo Valdez, had helped to create it.

"Wow," Jake breathed, rubbing his grimy face. I was sure mine was no better.

"I know," Nyssa said. "It's great."

"Great?" Christopher said disbelievingly. "It's awesome!"

Harley nudged me. "What do you think, Leo?"

"It's…it's unbelievable," I said. "I can't believe it's finally done."

"Hey, man, it's not done!" Jake said, gesturing to Festus's head, which was sitting on a table behind us. "You forgot the masthead."

"Wow!" I said, slamming my palm into my forehead. "I can't believe I forgot that!"

Jake grinned as I went over to the table. "Sorry I forgot you," I couldn't help saying, stroking Festus's metal hide. "How could I do that?"

"You want some help?" Nyssa asked when I made no move to lift the dragon's head.

"Um…no," I said. "Sorry guys, I know that this is all of our project and everything, but can I have a moment? Festus was the best thing I ever fixed. I kinda want to do this alone." I hoped they would understand. "Please?"

One by one their faces broke into understanding smiles. "No problem," Jake said, beginning to lead the way out of the bunker. "C'mon guys, let's go tell Chiron the news."

As they all filed out the door, I had to bite my lip to keep the tears at bay. There was no way I could ask for better cabinmates.

I shook off the waterworks and took a deep breath. I looked up at the ship and back at Festus, lying next to me on the table. It seemed like so much time had passed between the two projects. I'd discovered Festus as a fledgling half-blood, and I'd managed to fix him before my cabinmates could destroy him. It seemed like forever since I was riding on his back with Jason and Piper on our quest. Three inexperienced half-bloods (well, two actually inexperienced and one with amnesia) on a crazy quest to save the world.

And now there was the Argo II. My crayon drawing of destiny had sprung from paper and wax to metal and wood. It and Festus would come together in a spectacular combination.

It was surreal.

I sat on the table beside Festus and rested my hand on his head. As soon as I attached him to the ship, the Argo II would be officially finished. There would be no going back. We would be sailing all the way to California before departing to Greece, the birthplace of the gods themselves. We would be fighting an army of giants. And only one side would survive.

I wasn't ready. I couldn't do this.

For a crazy moment, I considered summoning my fire to burn the ship. I could say that my excitement got away from me and I couldn't stop the flames.

But I couldn't make myself do that. People would wonder: if I had the power to create fire, shouldn't I have the power to stop it as well? And as unprepared as I felt, there was no way I could burn the ship. My cabinmates had worked tirelessly with me to bring this beauty to life. I couldn't do that to them. I couldn't destroy their work and make them start over.

My head sank into my hands. I knew it was inevitable. Chiron would want us to leave as soon as possible. So many emotions were racing through me. I was scared more than anything. What if something in the ship failed like Festus had? What if the Roman campers refused to cooperate?

What if I wasn't strong enough to handle this? Jake Mason had said it himself: I wasn't a machine. I couldn't always produce the same outcome over and over. What if I just couldn't do this?

"Knock, knock," a voice said from the door.

I turned as Anne walked into the room.

"Hey," I greeted her halfheartedly.

"I heard from Nyssa that the ship was finished," she said, sounding excited as she turned to face the Argo II. "Oh my gods, it's beautiful! I mean, I know nothing about machinery and whatnot, but even I can tell when somebody makes something awesome like this! It's absolutely amazing, Leo."

"Thanks," I mumbled as she came over to me.

"You don't sound very excited," she said, sitting on the table beside me. "Is something wrong?" Her voice took on a gentle tone I remembered from the night we met.

I heaved a sigh. "You should know the answer by now. When is something not wrong?" I said sarcastically.

"I don't know," Anne replied calmly.

I rubbed my face with my hands. I really didn't know whether I should say anything or not.

"What're you going to do with this guy?" Anne asked, lightly stroking Festus's nose.

"He's going to be our masthead," I said, momentarily distracted.

Anne gazed up at the ship. "That's going to look great," she said, smiling. "Why haven't you put him up there yet?"

My eyes dropped to my lap. "I can't."

"Why not?"

I stared at my hands for a few seconds, debating whether or not I should tell her about all the feelings I had going on inside my head. I had to be a leader. People were going to look to me for guidance. But something inside me wanted to break down and start sobbing like a little kid.

I gave in and opened my mouth. "Because once I put Festus up there, the ship'll be officially finished," I began. "And that'll mean the start of our journey. And all of a sudden I have to be this powerful guy that has to have everyone's back and I don't even know what the heck I'm doing," I confessed in a rush. "I don't know how I ended up in a prophecy, or why I was given my power with fire, or why I suddenly have this destiny that I have to live up to." I took a shuddery breath. "I'm not cut out for this. I can't do this."

Anne took my hand. "I think you can."

I bit my lip hard. "I can't." I shook my head, convinced now. There was no way.

Anne took a deep breath. "Leo, do you think you're the only one feeling this way? Do you think Jason and Piper are totally ready for this? The same things are going through their heads right now, I'll bet you anything."

She squeezed my hand and smiled. "And just remember, you're not alone. I know Jason and Piper will back you every step of the way. And the other four half-bloods, whoever they are, will too."

I was beginning to feel reassured when a bolt of shock lanced through me. Leaving Camp Half-Blood to go on this journey would mean leaving Anne. The other four half-bloods, she'd said. She knew she wasn't one of them. She wasn't part of the prophecy.

She wouldn't be coming with me.

I was swept with such a strong emotion that now no amount of lip-biting could hold the tears back. They flowed down my face like a river. Seven tears dripped from my chin and fell onto Festus's head.

"Oh, Leo…" Anne murmured, wrapping her arms around me in a hug. "What'd I say?"

"You're not coming…?" I choked. Maybe if I made it into a question, it wouldn't turn out to be true.

She flinched ever so slightly.

"No, I'm not," she said quietly. I'd never heard her sound so sad.

More tears flowed from my eyes and I lifted my hand to brush them away.

"Hey," Anne said, tapping the bottom of my chin with her hand to get me to look up. "Leo, listen to me. There's no reason you can't do this. Do you think the Fates would have given you this destiny if they didn't think you were strong enough to handle it? They chose well, Leo, I know they did. Go prove them right."

My eyes dropped to my lap. I didn't know what to say.

She hopped off the table and put her hand on Festus's head. "Go put him where he belongs."

I met her eyes. She nodded encouragingly.

I stood up and lifted the bronze head from the table. I hauled it over to the ship and set it on the ground before summoning what I needed to attach it from my tool belt, lifting the head to where it needed to be, and fastening it securely to the mast of the ship. I stepped back.

It was finished.

Suddenly I was filled with a grim determination. Anne was right. The Fates did know what they were doing. They had chosen me. And I would be strong enough to handle it. I had to be, somehow. I had to do this. For Jason and Piper, for my mother, for Festus, for anyone who had ever cared about me.

Anne appeared at my side. "Drachma for your thoughts."

I turned and wrapped her into a hug. "Thank you."

She hugged me back. "You're welcome."

"Really," I said. "Thank you for everything." I pulled back to look her in the eyes. They gazed back at me, their dark blue depths so like the lake where we'd spent an afternoon together. "I'm going to show you that you didn't waste your time on me," I said, suddenly determined to repay her for all the things she'd ever given to me. "I'm going to kick some giant butt just for you. You didn't waste your breath comforting a quitter."

Tears sprang to her eyes and she made no move to brush them away. "Leo Valdez," she said. "Just being your girlfriend is the best reward you could ever give me. I don't care how many giants you kill. I just care that you come back alive and well so I can see you again."

I stepped forward and hugged her tightly. She hugged me back and kissed my cheek. A few tears fell from my eye and landed one by one on her shoulder.

She sobbed quietly, burying her face into my shoulder. I realized with a sudden sadness that this was the first time I'd ever seen her cry.

"Don't cry," I pleaded, kissing her cheek.

She clung to me in silence, her tears falling one by one onto my jacket. Suddenly I realized why she was crying.

"Anne, I'll come back," I promised. "I'll see you again. I know it."

"How do you know?" she said, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"I just do."

She looked up. Her eyes, shining with tears, met mine.

"Please don't cry. C'mon, you're the strong one," I said, forcing a smile.

"No, I'm not," she said, swiping at her tears. "You are, Leo. The Fates needed a champion, and you were chosen. If they needed somebody like me, they would have chosen me. I'm not one of the seven, Leo. I'm not as strong as you are."

"You think I believe that?" I said.

She said nothing.

"I wouldn't be able to do this if it wasn't for you," I said. "Without you I'd be sitting in here crying, unable to make myself finish the ship. You spend five minutes with me and I'm ready to take on this journey." I looked at her, trying to will her to understand. "Don't you see how much you've done for me?" I smiled. "You've got to stop being this amazing. You're making me look like a bad boyfr—"

When she kissed me, I swear my heart lit on fire and began to melt. I tasted salt and wondered momentarily if it was from her tears or mine. It didn't matter to me. As long as we were like this, nothing else mattered and never would.

My eyes opened to be faced with the dark blue depths that were hers. No tears marred them this time.

"I have to leave," I said sadly. "But I promise I'll come back."

She said nothing, but her eyes brimmed with emotion.

The moment was shattered by a knock on the bunker door. Harley poked his head inside. "Um, sorry," he muttered, flaming red when he noticed how close we were standing.

"It's cool, man," I said, turning around. "What is it?"

"Chiron told me to come find you," he said, still looking embarrassed. "He wants you to come to a meeting about the quest."

"Now?"

He nodded.

I turned back to Anne, standing motionless beside me. "Sorry," I said to her. "I'll see you later."

She nodded. "See you."

I followed Harley from the bunker, my heart hammering with nerves. What would Chiron say? How soon would we have to leave? How soon would I know whether I had what it took to get through this?