Thud!
"Whoa!" I shouted as I reached over and tried to catch Annabeth from falling, but Chiron got to her first. I glanced down at the unconscious blonde currently being held by the centaur, and I felt bad for her.
I heard Chiron sigh as he caressed Annabeth's hair. "It seems the news was too much for her to take, Miss Tanaka," he said as he looked up at the other girl in the room.
"I know, but she needed to know. And it's not like we can keep this new from her. I just know Malcolm will call her later and tell her himself," Drew explained. I agree with her; Annabeth's a strong woman. She can take that new, after she wakes up, that is.
"For now, it would be better to bring Annabeth back to her cabin to rest." Chiron grunted as he stood up and carried Annabeth on his arms. "Should I take her?" asked Drew, surprising me even more. "No, you've had a long day. You should rest as well." The centaur shook his head before heading out of the room.
Drew followed Chiron out, leaving me in the room with Sherman, who shrugged his shoulders before walking out too. I found myself alone in the rec room for a minute before I pulled the calling card out of my toolbelt and started at it again.
On it was Piper's name in bold letters with her name printed in a smaller font below, 'her manager maybe? ' Across that was a contact number. A string of seemingly insignificant numbers would be what would allow me to get in contact with my friend. A friend who I had not seen or heard of in three years.
I sighed and placed the card back in my toolbelt and walked out of the room and out of the Big house. Outside, it was quiet. Almost everyone was in their own cabin. With the exception of those on patrol duty. Something we didn't have before, but with the increased number of campers. It became a necessity.
I decided not to head to my cabin and went straight to the woods, heading to Bunker 9, for a bit of privacy. If I were to make the call, I didn't want an audience. I walked in silence, gradually going deeper into the woods until I reached the blast doors. It used to be that I was the only one who could open it. Due to my Fire powers, I, together with my siblings, modified it with a keypad for coded access, making it easier for those with permission to enter.
You would still need the access code, though. And Chiron is the only one who can give those to you.
I opened the doors and went inside; the doors closed behind me, and I made a beeline for one of the benches scattered all around the interior. I looked around, and a number of ongoing projects of my siblings and others graced my vision. I smiled at the wide variety of activity happening in the bunker. It made me remember when I was the only one in here. With the occasional visits from Annabeth when I was making the Argo.
Once again, I pulled out the card and looked at it. Trying to decide if I should call now or later. Or maybe it would be better to call tomorrow. But Drew said that she will be busy for the next 2 days, so I really should call now. But it's already late into the night, and I might be disturbing her beauty sleep. The last time I did that, I had Katropis hurled at me. But she gave the card to Drew, so she should be expecting a call.
'Hurnnnggg," I groan as I hold my head in my hands. The indecision was killing me.
I closed my eyes for a bit and thought real hard.
Finally, I took my phone out of my toolbelt and dialed the number. After a pause, I hit the call button and placed the phone on the workbench, already in loud speaker mode.
"Ring Ring Ring!"
The phone rang for a bit. Every ring made my heart beat a little harder. 'Will she pick up? ' I asked myself. After a few more rings, my nerves got the best of me. I was about to reach over and cancel the call when the click was heard, signifying that the call connected.
'Click'
"Hello?"
A voice I have recognized, one I have not heard for 3 years. Hearing her voice halted all my thoughts. My heart did a little happy dance in my chest, as cheesy as it sounded. I was very glad for that. I woke me up and made it possible for me to respond. But as always, she beat me to it.
"Leo? Is that you?" I heard her ask over the phone, making me snicker. Which I'm sure she heard.
"Hey! Beauty queen! Congratulations on your engagement!" I greeted her enthusiastically.
I heard her laugh, and that brought a smile to my face. After all the years, we can still joke around like we were never apart.
"That wasn't what I thought you would say to me first!" Piper said after a while. And I understood what she meant. But I wanted to break the ice before going to the nitty gritty.
"What did you expect?" I asked curious and also nervous, stalling for time.
"I expected you to ask me why I cut off contact all of a sudden," she replied. And I nodded.
"Oh, believe me, Piper! I will get to that. But for now, I just want to have fun and catch up with my best friend!" I told her honestly.
Piper was silent for a bit. "I see, well, what do you want to talk about? Besides the obvious," she asked, her voice teasing.
"I want to know how you're enjoying the spotlight!" I asked in a giddy voice. remembering her aversion to fame.
"Hahaha, I knew you were going to ask that!" she replied, happiness evident in her voice, and I found myself relaxing. Clearly, she was modeling willingly.
"I'm actually enjoying it a lot. It's tough work but easier than what we used to do," she spoke. The truth in her statement was undeniable. "Plus!, I get to enjoy wearing all those expensive dresses and get to tease Percy with it." Piper truly was happy, and she was having fun in her new life.
But she has also changed a lot. Back then she wouldn't be caught wearing dresses and was defiantly stuck with a camp shirt and jeans. Now not only was she modeling, something she was opposed to before. She was doing so while enjoying and living her life to the fullest. Maybe being in love had something to do with it.
"You've changed Piper," Leo said after a while.
"I know. It's a good thing too. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been talking to you right now," Piper replied with a somber tone. Leo remembered Drew telling them how Piper almost committed suicide.
"Why didn't you reach out then, Piper, if it was that bad already?" he asked, still in disbelief at how close things got.
"You weren't around back then, Leo. And I didn't want to let anyone know. Stupid, I know. But that was what was going on in my head back then," Piper explained, and in some strange way, it made sense. Leo admitted to himself.
He remembers how he was like back then. Still with Calypso and enjoying the couple's life. He can see how Piper wouldn't want to burden him with her problems. As she said, it was a stupid thought. But one that can be accepted, given how he wasn't even at camp when Piper went to her mother. He only found out when she IM'd him to tell him that she would be gone for a while and that he shouldn't worry.
He accepted that reasoning at first, and at the start he didn't worry. He only got concerned when 2 weeks passed with no calls from Piper. Then it escalated as such that he went to Olympus to ask her mother where she is. And a lot of help that did. All he was told was that Piper was sent to a safe place for her to heal and recover. And that she will get in touch with her friends when she is ready.
"I get that, but why did you stop reaching out? That's what worried me the most, you know! I didn't know how you were. And your mother was no help at all." I complained to Piper, letting the frustration I felt bubble out.
"I know, and I'm sorry. But after everything, after I left and started to live with Percy, I found out that since the land was warded against the gods, even IM's didn't work there. And you still haven't developed the phones you're using now, so there wasn't really any way for me to reach you. Or for you to reach me," Piper explained, and I nodded. Then I remembered that I was talking to her through the phone, and she couldn't see me.
Stupid.
"Okay," I responded.
"Then, as I lived there, I kind of got busy," she added. We were getting to the heavy topics, so I decided to lighten the mood a bit. Doing what I do best.
"Busy with Percy, you mean?" I teased her. Knowing what I do now, I waited for her response, which came quickly.
"No! I didn't," Piper denied it just as I predicted. "That came after," Piper added, surprising me. She was always more reserved compared to her siblings in cabin 10 at camp. Her saying that was not something I expected. Then again, she was engaged now; this might just be one of the changes about her I need to get used to.
"No, I got busy getting better," she went on. "A few days after I arrived at Percy's place, he got me a spot with a shrink. And he was adamant I meet with her as often as possible," Piper told me.
"Percy, got you a psychiatrist?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, and a therapist. He really went all out to make sure I got better," Piper said with a soft tone. I could feel she really fell for Percy just from that.
"He really got you, huh?" I told her.
"He did, yes. And how could I resist? Tall, dark, broody, and handsome. Strong and powerful too. But most of all, loyal and loving. Add to that how supportive and understanding he is of me and the troubles I brought with me," Piper confessed, a dreamy tone mixing in her voice as she championed her fiancé.
"Well, before I knew it, I was in love. It got so bad I couldn't be in the same room as him without me making a fool of myself. My therapist was the one who pushed me into telling Percy about how I felt, and after thinking it through, I decided to confess to him." Piper went on, and I let her. She was telling me stuff about her life away on her own after all.
"So, I talked with Hazel, and she gave me her permission to confess to Percy. I remember that day clearly. I was so nervous." "Wait, Piper!" I cut Piper off. Something about what she just said bothered me.
"Huh?" I ignored her and asked what was bothering me. "You had to ask Hazel permission to confess?" I asked slowly, making sure she understood every word.
"Fuck!" Piper cursed, and I knew she didn't intend to say that.
"Okay, what's going on, Piper?" I demanded; something about that statement just doesn't feel right for me.
I heard Piper sigh, and I knew she was going to tell me something serious.
"I'm going to need you to stay calm about what I'm going to tell you; can you promise me that, Leo? If not, then it would be better for us to stop and we can forget about this call ever happening. And we will never meet again," Piper asked me. That was a surprise. Was what she was going to say that serious?
I had to think for a bit, and Piper waited for me. That was ominous. What could it possibly be? Was she pregnant? Wait, it's been three years. Maybe they have a child already? But what has that got to do with asking Hazel permission? But most importantly, could I bear the thought of losing Piper all over again?
No, I couldn't, so I really only had one choice. I had to agree. I can keep calm. Or if worse comes, I can mute the phone so Piper doesn't hear it when I react to whatever it was; she will share with me.
"I can stay calm, Piper; you can tell me," I replied finally.
"We'll see," Piper said. Then she started. "Okay, the reason I had to ask Hazel permission was because," Piper paused. I could hear her taking deep breaths over the phone. After a few seconds, she continued, "Because she was Percy's first girlfriend." Then Piper went quiet.
"Huh?" was my most brilliant response.
"Hazel and I are both Percy's fiancée," Piper said slowly. Worry is evident in her tone.
"What the fuck!" I shouted at the phone, completely forgetting my promise. Until she reminded me of it.
"Leo! You promised!" Piper shouted back.
Her shout stopped me from saying anything more. Of all the things she could have said, this was not even on my radar. I mean Percy? Ever loyal Percy Jackson going after two women. It just doesn't make sense. Not with how I knew Percy to be. But maybe the years have changed Percy as well. And not for the better.
I closed my eyes and counted to 10. Trying to calm down. It doesn't always work, but I had to try something.
After a while, I was calm enough to start speaking again. And so I asked Piper to clarify how it came to be that way. How could she allow herself to be dragged into that kind of nonsense?
"Explain, Piper, how did you agree to be in a relationship with Percy if he was already with Hazel?" I asked, the strain in my voice evident from holding back my emotions.
"I didn't agree on anything, Leo!" Piper shot back. "If you listened properly, you would have heard me say that I asked Hazel for permission. It was my decision to confess." Her reply shocked me, but not enough to convince me yet.
"And another thing! Percy didn't pursue me. I fell for him. I could tell that he was also developing feelings for me, but he was holding back. Because of Hazel, so I had to be the one to make the move." The longer Piper talked, the more I grew confused. What I had in mind was so different from what Piper was telling me.
Did I perhaps jump the gun?
"I asked Hazel as a courtesy, since she was Percy's only girlfriend at the time. And she wasn't blindsided by my request. She knew I was falling for Percy. We were all living under one roof, and she is a woman who was also very much in love. With the same man I fell for, so of course she noticed. And she encouraged me to do so, as a matter of fact!" I was scratching my head at this point. My anger earlier was now replaced by confusion.
What was going on here?
"Hazel helped me with my confession to Percy! She staged a picnic out on the lake for the three of us! Then she pretended to have forgotten something in the mansion and needed to go get it." Piper's tale continued.
"That's when I confessed to Percy! And he was shocked and reluctant to accept it. Because, like I said, he was with Hazel. That's when Hazel came out of hiding and explained to him that she was okay with it." Another change I had trouble accepting.
What happened to Hazel?
"Then you started dating?" I asked.
"Then we started dating," Piper repeated, agreeing with me.
"I think mom knew I was going to end up with Percy; that's why she sent me to him. I think she knew only with him will I be okay. After everything with Jason and Shel," Piper mentioning Jason so casually really drove in the fact that she's okay now.
I remember her not even having the strength to say his name. And when she did, she would either go quiet or burst into tears. But now, not just Jason but even Shel. And there wasn't even a tremor in her voice.
She really has moved on.
"It's still very weird for me, Piper. It's all very confusing," I admitted.
"I'm not asking for you to understand right away, Leo, but I am asking for you to keep an open mind about this. About us," Piper asked with a soft voice. "Because this is how it is. And it's not going to change, not if I have any say about it," she added.
"Let's put that aside for now. Now I want to know how Percy became the owner of a jewelry store?" I asked, trying to change the subject to a lighter one. I didn't intend to talk about the heavy stuff this early to our reunion.
"About that, when I got here, Percy and Hazel were already selling jewelry online. According to Hazel, when she joined Percy, her curse was lifted, and so they thought of what they could do to make money from the jewels Hazel could summon. It was obvious that they couldn't sell them as they are."
Yes, that was obvious.
"And so, they decided that they will make jewelry to sell. Now that they are no longer being hunted by monsters and have access to technology." Make sense. But one thing still baffles me.
"So did they hire a jeweler or something?" I asked; that was the most logical thing I could think of.
I heard Piper giggle, and I had a hunch that what I was going to hear next would be another blow to my mind. And I was proven right.
"You'd think that, but no, they didn't hire one," Piper said with a teasing tone again, and I can tell she was having fun correcting my assumptions about Percy. She was having fun gloating about her fiancé's achievements. If she was like this with her man, I dread to think how she will be with her own child.
The thought made me shiver.
"Percy became one!" Piper declared proudly.
I was right; I was floored by her words. And she was also gloating about Percy. Still, how did Percy become good enough with his hand for such delicate work? Some of those pieces I saw could be called masterpieces.
"How?"
"I think it would be better to ask Percy about that, but long story short, Percy cashed in a favor from your dad." That was unexpected.
"Dad?" I exclaimed.
"I don't have all the details; it didn't matter to me really. But Percy trained under Hephaestus for three months. Your father was very impressed with Percy for some reason, so he blessed him. He can't control fire like you, but as a blacksmith, he's better than some of the best mortals. Almost on par with some of your siblings," Piper explained.
"Huh, I wonder what he did for dad to owe him a favor?" I wondered.
"You know, when I learned that from Hazel, it made me realize just how much we didn't know about Percy." Piper's voice was soft. "I mean, technically we've only known him during the fight with the giants. And then after that he was gone. All we knew about him were just stories told to us by the older campers. And now I know they didn't know the whole story." What Piper said made sense.
"Like what you said, how did Hephaestus owe him a favor? What could have possibly happened to allow that to come to be? It made me realize that Percy has been doing that for 5 years before we came to the picture. We were kids, ignorant to the world around us while he was fighting with gods, for gods." Yeah, that was a fucked up way to grow.
"It's hard to believe that's been his life since he was 12," Piper added.
"It wasn't just him though." I tried to be diplomatic about the others, but I think Piper took it differently.
"Yeah, I know. Annabeth, Clarisse, Nico, and the rest of them. I'm not diminishing what they went through. But none of them had to spend year after year fighting a war with a prophecy that foretold your possible death at 16. Percy did. None of them had to grow to 15 only to learn that the fate of the world rested on your decision when your next birthday came."
"We all lived hard lives, Leo, but none of us had it as harsh as Percy. I know some of the campers think that Percy ran away when he disappeared. And after knowing how he is living now, some may even think he's living the good life. And in some way, he is. But never confuse this peaceful life as a burdenless life. This is Percy were talking about. He will always carry a burden." Piper ended, or I thought she did.
"And he didn't deserve what was done to him by Annabeth!"
There it is!
I was waiting for that outburst. Being Percy's fiancée, I knew she would have felt strongly about that. But then again, she was also embroiled in that reveal back then, so how could she be angry at Annabeth?
"I'm not trying to defend Annabeth, Piper. But please don't be too harsh on her. I think she suffered enough for what she's done to Percy. And as I remember it, you were the reason Percy found out."
"I know I played a part in Percy knowing about that. And I've felt guilty over that for a long time. But both Percy and my therapist made me see that I was not at fault. I didn't tell Annabeth to do what she did. I had no part in her decisions. It was only my carelessness that allowed that truth to come out." Was Piper's reply.
"Besides, you can call me selfish for this, but I'm thankful for that. I truly believe that if it wasn't for that happening, I wouldn't be with Percy like I am now." The utter surety in Piper's voice left me speechless. How do I refute that? She was right, of course.
"You're right, but still. Please, Piper, when you do meet Annabeth, be kind to her. You don't need to be friendly to her. But just, don't be cruel to her. Like I said, she's suffered enough." I pleaded. I may not be as close to Annabeth as I used to be. But she was still a friend. A friend I watched fall into depression while I was unable to help her.
"Sigh. I'll try Leo. I also don't want to be at odds with her. She used to be my friend after all, I even looked up to her. I viewed her relationship with Percy as the ideal. Up until I learned what she did at least," Piper agreed, making me let go of the breath I was holding in.
"Thanks!"
"Now! enough of that! I want to know about you, Leo! How have you been?" Piper asked in a loud voice.
I smiled as we came back to lighter topics.
"There's not much that's interesting to tell!" I replied in an equally loud voice.
"I refuse to believe that! Tell me what you have been up to in the last 3 years!" Piper insisted.
I laughed as we talked about my life for the next 40 minutes. Discussing where I've been, the jobs I've done, and what I'm doing now.
After a while, Piper asked about the topic, which I was most reluctant to talk about. But seeing as she opened up about her situation with Hazel earlier, I figured it was only fair of me to share.
"Leo, I hope you don't mind me asking, but what happened with you and Calypso? I know you were already broken up before I went away, but I didn't get to ask you then," Piper asked in a kind tone.
I sighed, 'Here we go.'
"It's fine, Piper; it's been 5 years since then. I've moved on." I started. "We just stopped working together Piper, we started fighting more. I think I latched on to Calypso as a way to no longer be the odd one out of us seven. I mean, the rest of you had your own partners, and then there was me. The seventh wheel as it were," I told her.
"For the record, I don't blame any of you guys! Okay! But I also couldn't help how I felt back then. So, when I was sent to Calypso's island, I fell hard. But it wasn't the kind of lasting love like the ones I wanted to have. Then I needed to leave, so I swore to the Styx to find her again and free her. What I didn't know back then was that she was already freed by Percy months before. She just needed some way to leave the island."
"And then we came together and tried our best to stay together. We really did, but it just wasn't enough. I didn't help the situation with my insecurities and her fears," I confessed for the first time.
"What fears did she have? She was a Titan. And what were you insecure about, Leo?" Piper asked.
"I think that was her biggest fear, her sudden mortality. I believe she needed time to get used to that, on her own. And I was insecure about a lot of things. Even when it was just us seven, I just didn't let it show. But it's different when you're with someone romantically. Things that you bury deep inside have a way of surfacing when you're in love, and I was in love with her back then." I continued.
"Okay, I can understand her fears, but you, Leo, what were you insecure about? You were the Bad-boy supreme! What happened?" Piper asked, trying to lighten the mood with her teasing.
"I think you know I was just projecting that time, Piper. But, to answer, I had a lot of insecurities, chief among them being her past," I told her. Baring the truth for the first time.
"Her past?" Piper asked.
"I know every woman has a past; at least I know that now. But back then, I couldn't get over it. Just to be clear, it was her past with other men that I was insecure about." Being able to say it now, it felt good. It was also a sign that I've grown as a man. At least I think it does.
"You shouldn't have to be insecure about that," Piper said, but I cut her off.
"Like I said, I know now. But really, could you blame me? Some of the men she's been with were so much greater than me. She's been stuck on that island for thousands of years. And the gods have been sending her heroes all those times. She didn't really tell me who they all were, but I knew who some of them were," I went on to say.
"Like Odysseus, he stayed with her for almost 7 years. And we all know his story. Then of course there's our own Percy Jackson! I thought to myself back then. How do I compete with them?" I confessed. It really felt good to talk about these things with a friend.
I was so focused on my own story and hardships that I forgot one crucial detail. Piper was Percy's fiancé. And here I was talking about how my ex used to be linked to him.
"Look, Piper! I'm not saying there was anything between them, okay," I quickly said, hoping I didn't just place Percy in hot water with Piper.
I heard Piper's loud laughter from the other end, and I was relieved and weirded out.
"I appreciate you trying to clear that up, Leo, but Percy already told me about his brief connection with Calypso. I'm fine with it!" Piper said after she calmed down.
"He did, huh? What did he tell you?" I asked before I could stop myself.
"I guess you would be curious about that," Piper answered, and I thought she wouldn't tell me. But I guess she was feeling very secure in her relationship with Percy; she didn't mind sharing with me.
"When I asked him about the women he's been with, I thought he was going to be like other guys, you know. Secretive and will try to hide things. But he didn't, proving one more time how different he was compared to most other men," Piper started.
"No, Percy didn't hide things from me. And really before us, I mean Hazel and me. He's only been linked with three women, including Annabeth. And out of the three, he really was only with Annabeth," she went on.
'Huh! only three?' I thought he'd be with a lot more than that.
"I know about Annabeth and Calypso, but who was the other one?' I asked Piper.
"Oh! You didn't know? It was Rachel!" Piper blurted a name never in all my life I ever thought I would ever hear linked with anyone in a romantic sense.
"Rachel? Oracle Rachel? But I thought she wasn't allowed to have any romantic relationships?" I was flabbergasted. Was everything I thought I knew not true?
"She wasn't always the Oracle Leo. Percy told me she was just a clear-sighted mortal girl he met by chance or by fate during one of his quests," Piper revealed.
"Then they met again in one of Percy's schools. From there she joined up with him and Annabeth and gradually became close with him. To the point where she would stay over at his place or him at hers. I think Annabeth was very jealous of her during that time, which is just stupid. She wasn't going out with Percy back then after all." Piper ranted by the end.
"Then when the second Titan War ended, she discovered that she was fated to be the new Oracle, so she ended things with Percy even though they never really started dating," added Piper. I thought she was done. But no,
"Percy told me they kissed one time though, so it was a little bit serious between them. They just didn't get to label what they had going on."
Dam! Percy really got game even back then.
"Now with Calypso, according to him. When he was sent to her island, he felt very close to her. Like he wanted to do everything to her just to make her smile. I asked him if anything ever happened between them, but he said nothing happened aside from a kiss on his forehead by Calypso." Piper followed up. Calypso was never forthcoming with her time on the island with Percy. Especially after she learned how the world knew of her time with Odysseus. All she told me was that Percy was with her for a time, and then he left. Even when I was on the island, she was holding back the details.
"According to Percy, most of his time on her island was spent recovering his strength. So, most of his interaction with Calypso was her tending to him while he was lying in bed immobile." That tracks with what little I know.
"I never found out, but why was he so weak when he was sent to the island?" I asked, hoping Piper knew.
"I was told that this happened after Percy made the Mount St. Helens explode on a quest. A quest for your father, if I remember correctly," Piper answered.
"I'm sorry, what?" I had to ask.
"What do you mean? You know about this!" Piper retorted.
"I know he was there with Annabeth when the volcano exploded! But not that he caused it to explode! Since when was he capable of that?" I shot back. My voice was heavy with disbelief.
"Always? He is the son of the Earthshaker, Leo. Even now he's still discovering more of his capabilities." Piper was equally as done with Percy as I am based on her tone.
I mean, I get him summoning a tidal wave as tall as skyscrapers; he is the son of Poseidon after all. God of the Seas and Stormbringer and all that. But volcanic explosions? Really?
I give up.
"Let's stop talking about Percy," I told Piper, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"I agree, it's getting a bit late. I need to go to sleep if I'm to wake up early tomorrow," Piper said, reminding of the fact that Drew said that she has 2 more days of shoots in the city.
"Oh right! That's your job; I'm sorry if I kept you up!" I rambled, feeling bad.
"Don't be; I enjoyed our talk. And I would want to do it again," Piper replied, making me smile.
"I want that too. But how, though? Drew said that you're going home after 2 days and that you are going to be so busy during those 2 days," I asked. Hoping we can figure things out.
"That's easy! You just need to go to us! Sherman told me how you rebuilt Festus! Impressive Leo!" Piper suggested.
Huh, it really was that easy.
"I'm okay with that, but will Percy be okay too?" I asked, making sure we were in the all clear.
"Why wouldn't he be? He already got visitors from camp there right now! What's another one?" Piper countered.
"Okay! Let's do this! Where do I need to go? And when?" I asked, feeling excited about this coming adventure.
"I can't tell you where," was Piper's brilliant response.
"What?"
"It's a warded land, Leo. I can't tell you where it is exactly. And even if I did, you won't be able to find it and get in," Piper explained.
"Ah! Right, I forgot." I really did.
"Here's what we'll do; I will send you the coordinates of where you can land with Festus. Then we'll come and pick you up. We need to invite you in anyway before you can come in so that makes it easier." Piper shared her plan.
It was a solid plan. I like it.
"Sounds like a plan! Next, when do I go there?" I asked the next phase of the plan.
"How fast can you fly to Washington State?" Piper asked.
I thought for a bit before answering.
"About 4-5 hours, why?" I told Piper.
"I'm going to be stuck with jobs during my last days here, then I plan to fly back home the day after. I would want to spend 1 whole day with Percy before anything so, hmmmm," I heard Piper murmured to herself, thinking things over. I waited for her to be done.
"I think it would be best if you came 4 days from now; that way I'm sure to be there, and I would have had enough time to inform Percy of your arrival," Piper told me.
"And it would also give you a whole day alone with Percy, right?" I teased her.
"Yes! I'm not ashamed to admit that," Piper retorted, her voice clear.
"You really are in love with him," I declared.
"I told you that already." Piper retorted, a bit miffed.
After a while, we both laughed for a few minutes.
"I really do need to get going now, Leo, but I'll be seeing you in 4 days, okay?" Piper said after a while. her tone pleading.
"I'll be their Piper! I promise!" I swore to her.
"I missed you; you know," Piper said.
"Me too."
Silence.
"Good night, Piper!" I finally said.
"Good night, Leo," she replied.
I grabbed the phone and ended the call. I dropped it back to the bench and held my head. So much new information. So much I needed to think through.
Was I really ready to meet with Piper? Can I bear to face Percy after what I just learned about him? And what about Hazel? Would it be weird? I hope not.
I was brought out of the spiraling thoughts by a ping from my phone. I looked at it and saw a notification for a message from the number I dialed to call Piper.
Stupid! I didn't realize I hadn't saved it yet.
Quickly saving her number to my contacts, I checked her message and found a string of numbers.
'Coordinates' like she said.
Below that is a message.
'Don't you dare bail on me!'
Well, I guess my decision was made for me.
I smiled and stood up, placing my phone in my toolbelt. I turned and headed to the area in the bunker where Festus was currently housed.
It was going to a long journey! I had maintenance to do!