Disclaimer: Unlike Rick Riordan, I do not enjoy randomly killing characters. It goes against my nature. So, I don't own PJO.

CALYPSO

VI

I dropped the berries and ran.

I ran through my gardens, over the pebble paths, scattering stones all over the place. I ran past my cave, which was bustling with activity - albeit invisible activity - and over the pine roots. I ran through the glade, past Leo's forge, past the trees, over the dirt and the needles and the dust. I ran through the undergrowth as the wind tangled my hair, through the leaves and branches, past the bird's nests and mouse holes.

It could not be, surely? I must be imagining it. He could not have come back, could he? No, Calypso, you are ridiculous. Do not give yourself false hope. He is not here, he is not coming back, but could he have? Could it be, could this be the freedom I have been waiting for? I ran faster, despite my attempts to quell my hopes.

And I burst out of the jungle, into the sand and stared.

It is HUGE.

A gigantic, golden-bronze ship with a dragon figurehead with ruby eyes at its prow was anchored not five metres above the sand. It was so large, my cave would have fit into it fifty times at least, if not a hundred. And it was flying. Or floating, more like. The ship was connected to the land only by a thin rope and a rope ladder, which dropped down onto the the golden sand and led to…

My vision sharpened when I saw him. LEO. The son of Hephaestus was wearing an orange T-shirt with the words 'Camp Half-Blood' printed across his chest. And jeans, jeans which he had taught me how to make. His magical toolbelt was slung around his hip and his hair was a mess, as always. He was holding a megaphone in one hand, and on his face was that huge, sardonic grin which annoyed the hell out of me.

I ran. My feet seemed to obey a higher call, pattering over the dunes like a gazelle, propelling me towards Leo. Sand scattered everywhere, dusting my feet, my hair, the hem of my jeans, but I didn't care. I had to get to Leo.

I am ashamed to say, when I got there, I threw myself into his arms. Tears streamed from my eyes, until I was laughing and crying at the same time. He grinned and whispered: "Hey, sunshine. You really did warm up to me, huh?"

"I hate you," I whispered back. Leo held me, hugging me tighter, and cried into his hair, crying from sheer joy and relief and happiness. I loved Leo. I loved the way he made me feel. I loved the way he annoyed me to death. He came back, I thought. He came back.

"You came back," I whispered, releasing my death hold on him so I could look him in the eye.

Leo grinned. "I did promise on the River Styx, didn't I?"

I gasped, stumbling back. "You promised you would come back on the River Styx?!"

He nodded.

I slapped him. "You vlacas!"

The son of Hephaestus stumbled back, holding his cheek. "Annabeth slaps Percy, and Katie slaps Connor, so.." He grinned, as if an extremely amusing thought has just occurred to him.

Before I could ask what he meant, he leaned in and kissed me.

I was so surprised, I just stood there for a moment. And then I kissed him back. Finally, we broke apart.

"I still hate you," I muttered.

He grinned. "Okay."

"So, how did you get here?" I asked. He ahem-ed. "Long story, involving several immortal arguments and almost getting turned into a barnyard animal.. Why don't you come with me first? You're free to go now and you can meet my friends up there."

I looked at the rope ladder, following the rungs up into the sky. Where the rope met the bronze railing, I could see figures standing on the deck of the trireme. "Am I free to go? Are you sure I am?"

Leo nodded. I'm sure. Don't worry so much, sunshine."

I glared at him. "One, don't call me sunshine." He gulped. "Two, can I take my friends with me?"

Leo frowned. "What friends?" I laughed and turned around, gesturing at the jungle. "Come on out, I know you are listening anyway! We are free at last!"

The leaves rustled as a hurricane of invisible servants hurled over the beach. Leo's eyes widened. I laughed. He was cute when he was scared.

"Don't worry, they are friendly." He nodded. "Good, good. I approve of weird, friendly, invisible people." The rope ladder swung around madly for a minute or two, then it hung limp again.

Leo made a sweet gesture to me. "Looks like it's your turn. Ladies first. By the way," he added as I set my foot on the first rung of the ladder. I looked back at him. "You look... beautiful." I blushed and raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"

He turned red. "Nothing."

I coughed and hurriedly climbed up the unstable ladder, my face hot. But still, as I reached for rung over rung, I could not help mentally squealing. I am free! I am free to do whatever I want! I could go anywhere in the world - Oh! The world is suddenly so large and there is so little time! I climbed faster.

Finally, I reached the top of the ladder and pulled myself over the rim. A hand reached out and grabbed my arm, hauling me over the bronze rail. I stood up and straightened my shirt. "Thank you."

The girl smiled at me. She was very young, about thirteen years old, with warm, cocoa-brown skin, cinnamon hair - like mine, but hers was curly - and brilliant golden eyes. She gave me her hand. "Hi, I'm Hazel, daughter of Pluto."

I heard a grunt next to me as Leo swung himself up. "Hey, guys, I'm back. Okay, Hazel, Calypso - Calypso, Hazel." I smiled and shook Hazel's hand.

She stepped back into the shadow of a boy who looked about nineteen years old, and had the features of a bull. Contrarily to his appearance, he smiled nervously. "My name's Frank. Son of Mars." I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Leo gabbled on behind my back. "Frank has this amazing ability to turn into any animal he knows." I nodded in awe, taking in the boy's close stance to Hazel. Hmm...

Next up was a seventeen-year-old girl with choppy brown hair braided with feathers and bright, multicolored eyes. She was lean and tan, with a shiny dagger clipped to her belt. "Piper," she introduced herself. "Daughter of Aphrodite." Suddenly she pulled me into a hug. "I really hope you and Leo get together."

Then she released me, smiling as if nothing had happened. Leo coughed. "Piper can charmspeak people to do what she wants them to. And this," he said, pointing to the young man next to Piper, "is Jason, her boyfriend."

Jason looked every bit as impressive as Frank, with white-blond hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to calculate my every move. I felt a little uncomfortable, but he smiled warmly. "Hey, I'm Jason, son of Jupiter." I shook his hand, too and we moved along.

Leo looked uncomfortable. "So, yeah, this is Annabeth," he told me. The girl stepped forward, and I resisted the urge to step back.

She had blonde, shoulder-length hair that was slightly curly, and stormy grey eyes that said, If you mess with me, you loose. She was wearing only ripped jeans and a T-shirt, but somehow, with her muscles and the bronze knife strapped to her arm, she looked way more scary and mature than the others, even the son of Mars, Frank. Her eyes bored down into mine and she thrust her hand forwards. "Annabeth," she said curtly. "Daughter of Athena." I mumbled something along the lines of, Hello, please do not kill me. Then, Leo gulped.

I looked back at him. He was shuffling his feet in an embarrassed way. "And, well, you probably know seaweed brain over there."

I frowned and looked, and gasped.

Because standing there, in the flesh, with sea-green eyes, tousled black hair and an awkward expression on his face, was Percy Jackson.

Dun Dun Dun Duuun. (Well, that was horridly mushy.)

No, I am NOT Rick Riordan, though I do enjoy making cliffhangers.

Thank you to a very special person for reviewing EVERY CHAPTER of this story! It means a lot to me!

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