Okay I just couldn't wait to write more, I know that is weird but I really like to write. Especially when the readers are as amazing as you are!

Chapter 13 – It's always darkest before the dawn

HAZEL

Hazel turned and her jaw dropped.

"L-Lord Apollo?!"

Apollo looked amused. He had the clothes of a Roman soldier, the helm in his arm. He was handsome, like one of those models on the commercials for men's wear. He had black, curly hair and sky-blue eyes.

"Well, hello there." He said. "I heard someone was hurt?"

Casually he walked by Hazel and pulled of Leo's bandages and examined the wounds.

"Ouch." Apollo said. "Dragons, huh? Their claws are poisoned. These dragons are of a really old kind, no doubt that Gaea woke them up… That's why the poor guy isn't getting better."

As Hazel watched, Apollo let his hands rest on the biggest wound. They started to glow unnaturally golden. The wound started to close. Leo's eyes closed. Hazel was so startled she couldn't say anything.

The god did the same thing to the other wounds. Soon Leo's body was healed, and he looked like he was sleeping.

"Done!" Apollo said cheerfully. "So, now he just needs a few hours to rest, He will wake up as soon as I'm gone. But first…"

Apollo snapped his fingers. A small golden whistle suddenly appeared in his hand. It glowed the same way as his hands had when he healed Leo.

"Here you are, Hazel Levesque. You can only use it once. Use it when the darkest times comes, but remember: it's always darkest before the dawn. As the sun god, I should now." He winked.

He handed her the whistle. Hazel stared it.

"A-Are you in your Roman or Greek form?"

"Ah, hard to say." Apollo frowned a little. "Like Nemesis, I have the same name as Roman and Greek. I'm one of the gods who don't change that much. I guess, right now, I'm Roman. It goes well with my outfit."

Hazel was still shocked over the god's sudden appearance, but she nodded.

"Of course. Er, what exactly did you mean with 'use it when the darkest times comes'?"

"You'll figure it out!" He said and smashed his hands. "Well, I have to go. Apparently Diana is angry with me. She's even whinier in her Roman form…"

And in a flash of golden light, Apollo was gone. It all happened so fast, that Hazel had to blink a few times to remember where she was. She put the whistle in her pocket.

A groan made Hazel jump.

Leo was slowly awakening. He looked tired, but healed. Hazel wanted to hug him and cry out in relief.

"You're awake!" She said breathlessly.

"Well, I gotta say that I don't remember falling asleep, but yeah. I'm awake." Leo said. "I feel like an elephant stepped on me, but I'm awake."

Hazel rushed to him and gave him some ambrosia and nectar. He immediately looked more alert.

"So… How long have I've been unconscious?" He asked Hazel and grinned. Hazel's heart jumped.

"A few hours. It looked pretty horrible. I thought-you almost-"

She didn't finish. Leo cleared his throat.

"So what happened? I don't remember more than yelling at dragons and then a horrible pain."

"They almost killed you." Hazel said. "You would have died if it wasn't for Apollo."

Leo frowned.

"You mean god of the sun-Apollo?"

"Yes. He healed you and-"

Hazel almost told him about the whistle, she could feel it in her pocket, but for some reason she stopped.

"And..?" Leo asked.

"Nothing. He healed you and… that was it."

Leo looked unsatisfied, but he didn't say anything. They were quiet for a moment.

"Where are the others?" He asked at last.

"I don't know… Maybe they are trying to kill the fire on de-"

Leo's expression turned to worry. Hazel cursed herself for saying anything.

"My ship is on fire again?!" He demanded. He almost looked scary.

"It's okay, I'll go and fix it."

"I'm coming with you." Leo said quickly.

"No, you have to rest, Leo." Hazel said and frowned. "I'm back in a moment."

Hazel left Leo and walked up on deck, and almost cried out in surprise.

The fire was gone. There were no signs of fight. Everything was shiny and clean.

Suddenly Leo appeared behind her.

"I had to see if my ship is okay." He said to her when she gave him a what-are-you-doing-here?-look. "What the heck?! Who cleaned up?"

"I-I don't know." Hazel said and frowned.

"Well, it looks good." Leo said and grinned. "Look, even Festus is shiny. How are you, Festus?"

Festus creaked.

Leo stumbled.

"You have to rest, Leo!" Hazel said. "Come on. Back to the sickbay."

"Who is going to steer?"

"You know, we know how to keep the ship from sinking."

"I think I forgot the sonar."

"You did not."

Leo sighed.

"Well, then. How long do I have to stay down there?"

"According to Apollo, a few hours."

"Great. How am I going to not think of my dream now?!" Leo muttered silently, but Hazel heard him

"What?" She said.

"Nothing. Just keep going."

They were quiet for a long time. When they were back in the sickbay, Leo lie down on the bed and fiddled with some machine pieces.

"Are you feeling better?" Hazel asked him.

"Yeah, sure." He said distantly. "Thanks for taking care of me, by the way."

Hazel's heart leaped when he met her eyes and grinned.

"It was nothing." She said and smiled back. "You want me to stay here?"

A part of her wanted him to say no so she could bolt, but the other part wanted him to say yes.

"Um, if you want to." Leo said nervously. "But you don't have to."

Hazel smiled.

"I'll stay. So, what was that dream you muttered about?"

She wanted him to tell her. Why? She didn't know. Maybe because she wanted to know if he trusted her enough.

Leo's cheeks got a little red.

"You heard that?"

"Well, yes. Otherwise I wouldn't ask." She said.

"Well… Yeah…"

They got interrupted by Jason.

"You're awake!" He said happily to Leo, who grinned back. "Man, I thought you were dead. Are you able to walk? Everyone has been worrying out of their minds. I would love to see their faces."

Leo shot Hazel a look, but said:

"Sure. I wanna see Coach Hedge's expression. Hazel, you coming?"

Hazel tried for a smile.

"Of course."

I know, kinda' boring, but it was a necessary chapter. Leo had to wake up and Hazel had to get that whistle X3 And I know Apollo don't look like that in the PJO-books, but this is his Roman form and he can change appearance if he wants to, he's a god X)

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