Hey, everyone!

Before you get all mad at me about not updating on Thursday, I technically did update Thursday (Epilogue for What Happens to Love!) so, I just wanted to put this up...early, I guess. Yeah, because it's Sunday, it's early!

Um, kind of a filler chapter.

Enjoy!

Chapter 12

Leo

How dare he? How dare he come into my room and accuse me of letting him go! I wanted him to be free, yeah, but that doesn't mean I could compromise the quality of this whole establishment, this whole trust thing we were building together, just to let a pig go that they might not have even been going to kill! Operating doesn't always mean murdering! Leo thought angrily as he paced around his room. He'd fixed the door hinge in a couple seconds and now had nothing to do.

Sometimes Leo wished he was more of a novice with tools; maybe it would have taken him longer to replace the door hinge and he could have blown off some steam. He was even able to update all the hinges to silver metal instead of bronze and wired them to a remote.

All in a couple seconds.

He pressed the only blue button on the tiny remote again and the door closed once more.

He repeated this sequence every time he turned.

Turn left, door opens. Turn right, door closes.

LP was special, sure, he helped me woo Hazel and save her life at the same time, which is huge. I don't think I'll ever get to say a pig helped me woo a girl again, so it's nice to know I can this time. But like I said, I wouldn't compromise this trust we were trying to build! How could we re-

Leo's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden shift in the ship, a loud creaking noise, and the ship not moving anymore.

There were lots of loud moving noises and booms coming from the hallway and down the hallway and up above him on the deck.

There was a sudden bang on his door and Leo jumped. Then Piper said, "Dude, there's no knob on this thing, how do you use it?"

Leo pressed the button and ran a hand through his hair. Piper jumped in and said excitedly, "We did it! We landed! We're going to camp, and then we're going to find Percy and Annabeth and then we're going to stop Gaea and everything is going to be okay! We made it to Camp, Leo. Leo made it…"

Leo smiled at her. "I'm happy you're excited. I'll grab some stuff from Bunker 9, if you'll help me."

"Um, last time I helped you with Bunker 9 stuff, I almost got eaten by Dionysus's Fan Club," Piper sighed.

"Don't worry, we're just grabbing some things. It's no big deal, really. I've never felt so out of place with my cabin mates before, but only the people who ride on this ship understand our process, and Jason pissed at me and Hazel will be with Frank and Nico…is missing, like Hazel said, and I need more arms than my own. Please?" Leo finished.

Piper waited for a second. "Leo, Jason is going to forgive you. I promise. Sure, I'll go."

Leo smiled. "Let's go."

"Now, tell me," Piper said as they left and Leo pressed the button on his door, "how long did it take you to do that to your door?"

"Couple seconds, maybe," Leo shrugs.

"How did you do it? I could use some privacy," Piper said.

Leo laughed, and then they climbed up onto the deck.

The sunlight was nearly blinding. Leo had forgotten how Camp Half-Blood had its own little weather system, basically.

Leo saw Jason leaning over the rail, sulking, and Hazel and Frank waving to the ground below.

Leo and Piper ran over next to Hazel and Frank and waved as well. They could see a whole bunch of people crowded down to meet them. It almost seemed like they were arriving in Rome all over again. Leo just hoped that this time there would be no eidolons possessing Leo and destroying their camp.

Leo swallowed a lump in his throat and continued smiling at the crowd.

It seemed like everyone was there, waiting, watching and cheering. Leo's ear drums could barely stand the volume of it all.

"Come on, let's go greet our friends," Piper said happily and took the lead in getting off the ship.

They were all greeted to loud cheering. Lots of the Hephaestus kids were milling around. Leo tried to call out to one, but then he heard a voice from behind him shout, "IT"S LEO!"

He was instantly under a dog pile of friendly laughter and happy cheering.

After they helped him up, Leo explained his mission to the others.

"All I'm saying is, is that I need as many celestial bronze things as you can find. I need anything that people won't miss, and I need it now. If it's not already in plate form then melt it down to plate form. Understand? You're saving the world, you guys. I hope you know that." Leo smiled at all his half brothers and sister, all his friends.

"No, Leo," one of the girls put her hand on his shoulder and smiled. "You're saving the world. We're just the pit crew."

"Actually," one of the guys said, "I'd say he's more of our representative for this mission."

"Now I feel pressured," Leo sighed. "I need a pep-talk."

The girl with her hand on his shoulder said, "How about this: If we weren't related I would have made-out with you by now."

Leo nodded. "That helps. Bye, guys! And remember, bring it all down to Bunker 9!" and he turned and ran off to find Piper.

"Are you sure you need this much?" Piper asked hysterically. "You can't seriously expect me to be able to carry half this stuff!"

They were staring a pile of celestial bronze plates of all different widths and sizes, stacked up to be taller than both of them combined by about a foot.

"I certainly hope he didn't," a voice said from behind them, and they whirled around to see around twenty of the Hephaestus kids. "We may not quite understand, but we're still family, Leo."

It took them around ten minutes to haul all the metal onto the ship. Once they'd said their "goodbyes" and "good lucks," a younger man with blonde hair and gray eyes ran over and asked Leo, "Where are Annabeth and Percy?"

Leo fell silent. He couldn't tell him. He couldn't really think about what had happened if he was supposed to keep going.

He cleared his throat but he couldn't get the painful lump out if it. He tried to swallow but this time it did not good.

Jason came to his rescue just then. "They…they fell into Tartarus together. We're going to save them."

The teen face fell. He looked away, took a shaky breath, then looked back. "Then what are you still doing here? Save them. Save the world."

He smiled at them. "I'll tell everyone else. Please, save them."

Leo nodded. Piper hugged Jason and Jason closed his eyes gently.

The boy ran off the deck along with the Hephaestus kids and Leo set to work on fixing the ship.

Piper had gone off to talk to Jason, and Leo was working on fixing part of the deck and insulating the hull again when he heard, "Hey," from behind him.

He looked over his shoulder and saw Hazel standing behind him. "How can I help?"

"I don't really think you can," Leo said as he hammered the metal in place.

"I can use a hammer, Leo," Hazel came up behind him and helped keep the metal steady. "And I also have hands."

Leo blushed. He knew she couldn't see his face, so he mustered, "Thanks," and finished with that piece.

He bent to pick up the next one when Hazel picked it up for him. "Leo, I wanted to talk about something."

"What?'

"About our kind of…history."

"You mean how my great-grandfather was you best friend?"

She nodded. "Leo, I've felt kind of a…connection toward you since I found out."

Leo was silent.

"I just…I don't know what to do about it, so I'm just going to ask to be friends until I can sort my feelings out. Okay?"

Leo nodded and then he whispered, "Okay."

The silence was short between them; Leo didn't want things to become awkward so he said, "The ship should be back in the air soon. Would you help the others restock on food and medicines and ambrosia and nectar? And tell Piper I need her on that case, too."

Hazel nodded. "Okay, Leo."

She turned to leave, but she stopped and said, "Thanks, Leo," and ran off.

You're welcome, Hazel, Leo thought as he finished reinforcing the hull. I can see what Sammy saw in you.

Leo, Hazel, Frank, Piper and Jason all assembled on the deck an hour later, the ship fully resupplied and reinforced. Leo made some minor adjustments here and there but otherwise the ship was the same.

"Alright everyone, this is your captain speaking," Leo said. "Please fasten your seatbelts and prepare for lift off."

"Shut up, Leo," Piper said playfully. She ran to the edge to wave to the crowd, as did everyone else, including Leo.

They waved, and then Leo ran over and started the ship. Leo could hear the goodbyes and the come back safely pleases from down below.

The ship took air quickly, and Leo couldn't help but miss Camp already.

Leo turned the ship, set the GPS for Greece and started forward.

But now he had other friends to save. Two really good friends, stuck in Tartarus together.

We're coming to save you, Percy and Annabeth. We're finally ready.

Yay, friendship!

So, they're finally ready to save Percy and Annabeth! Next chapter is going to be very fun to write...}:)

Thanks for Reading!