ALL RIGHTS TO THE CHARACTERS (except Celeste, she's mine.) BELONG TO THE AMAZING RICK RIORDAN. I DO NOT OWN THE PJO/HoO SERIES!!!

Chapter 26 - Celeste

Celeste awoke to a cloth over her face. In fact, the cloth was over her whole body.

She ached all over, not being able to move from the pain that was creeping through her body.

She heard crying in the distance and the faint murmur of voices.

Energy was draining out of her by the second. She winced as she tried to move.

Her breaths rattled in her throat and her pulse was so slow, you could barely feel it.

"Am I dead?" She thought.

Of course that was a stupid thought. When she dies, she should go straight to the Underworld and then get in either Elysium, the Fields of Asphodel, or the Fields of Punishment.

Eventually, she found her strength and sat up, her body fighting every move of her muscle.

She cried out in agony, and tears began to stream down her face. The cloth over her had fallen into her lap and she was looking at 8 very shocked demigods.

"Celeste?" Leo was the first to talk.

"We thought you were dead." Jason stated.

Even Nico and Hazel, children of the Underworld, nodded.

Celeste's eyes met Percy's, who was pale and wide-eyed. He was speechless.

"Celeste, you were dead. Your heart stopped." Annabeth said.

Celeste shook her head. "I think I would've remembered if I died."

Suddenly, Percy was on top of her, holding her in a death-tight grip. "I thought I'd lost you. It was all my fault. Celeste, I'm so sorry." He whispered into her hair so only she could hear.

She patted her brother on the back comfortingly, hoping to soothe his unease.

"It's okay Percy. It's not your fault. I'm not blaming you." Celeste said.

Percy sighed and pulled back slightly so they were eye to eye.

His big sea green eyes were brimmed with tears.

Then his look of happiness changed to curiosity.

Percy suddenly jerked back, clutching his head.

"Percy!" Everyone yelled.

It stopped.

Percy lay still, his breaths shaking. He looked up at the others.

"Are you okay?" Celeste asked.

Percy nodded, slowly sitting up.

"Sorry. Just a memory. Came out of nowhere." Percy said.

"What kind of memory?" Celeste asked.

Percy shook his head. "I don't remember. It was too brief."

"We need to get out of here." Annabeth said, helping Percy to his feet.

"Where will we go?" Hazel asked.

No one knew what to do.

They were stranded who knows where with no transportation or help whatsoever.

Transportation.

Ignoring everyone, Celeste dove in the water and used her power to summon any sunken boat she could find. Her powers strained her, but she continued on, using more and more power every second.

Suddenly, the Argo 2, mysteriously put back together again, rose from the water.

Black spots danced in Celeste's eyes, but she forced herself to remain conscious.

When the boat reached the surface, Celeste swam back to the island.

Everyone was wide-eyed and opened mouthed.

Especially Percy.

"Right then." Percy muttered.

"All aboard?" Celeste said with a half-smile.

She stumbled from the effort of using that much power, but she righted herself before anyone could notice.

Then, everyone was on the boat, and they set sail for Athens.

Celeste sat beside Percy above decks.

Celeste took a deep breath and decided to ask him the question that had been bugging her.

"What was your nightmare about Percy?" She asked.

Percy sighed. "I'll tell you if you tell me what your nightmares are about."

Celeste froze. She had never mentioned her nightmares.

Percy must've noticed them.

"Fine. You first." Celeste said.

Percy took a deep breath and explained his dream of Camp Half-Blood in ruins and everyone dead. Then, about Gaea slotting his throat and using his blood along with a female demigod's to raise her.

Celeste didn't know what to say when he finished.

"Alright. Your turn." Percy said.

Celeste noticed the others watching them, but she shook their stares off and focused on her brother.

"It's always you and me. And I always die in the end. It's different every time." In fact, Celeste had had another nightmare when she was unconscious on the island.

This time, it was Gaea behind them, a knife at her and Percy's throat, ready to spill their blood over Olympus.

However, in the end, Celeste kicks Percy to the side and grabs the knife just as Gaea stabs her.

Then, in her dying rage, Celeste stabs the goddess. And she dies.

But a goddess just doesn't die from a knife blow, she's a goddess.

But Gaea died.

And Percy had cradled Celeste as she died, crying. Mumbling something about Gaea dying being impossible.

And Celeste could've sworn Poseidon was in the background, mouthing the word, "Dangerous"

This time, it was Percy's turn to be silent.

"Celeste-" he started.

"Don't. If anyone needs me, I'll be belowdecks." Celeste said, walking off.

She saw Percy try to follow her, but then he decided against it.

On her way down, Celeste ran into Leo.

"Celeste. Hey. Are you okay?" He asked.

Celeste tried to give him a smile. "Yeah. Thanks."

She pushed past him, but he grabbed her arm.

"Wait." He said.

She turned and gave him a look which made him wince and look at his shoes.

"Listen, Celeste, I..." He paused, turning red. "I care about you. I don't want you to get hurt."

Celeste froze. Did he...like her?

"Um, thanks Leo. I...I care about you too."

Leo's head snapped up at that. "You do?"

Celeste smiled, her heart doing jumping jacks in her chest. It was beating so loud that she could've sworn that he heard it.

"Of course." She said.

Then, the most bizarre thing of all happened.

He kissed her.

A real, actual kiss on the lips.

At first, shock made Celeste start to pull away, but then she melted into him as if they were made for each other.

He smelled of oil grease, which meant he had been working on something. His hands around her neck were warm, heating up like they did when he was nervous.

Celeste was worried for a second that he would accidentally light her hair on fire, but she ended up forgetting about it.

Leo had her up against the wall now, gently brushing her hair back as he pressed his lips harder against hers.

Celeste sighed, wondering how she could fall in love so easily.

Then, Leo pulled away, his eyes wide and his grin wide with happiness.

"I have to go." He said. He ran off, running into the wall. Celeste winced at the impact.

Leo instantly righted himself and ran off, still smiling.

Still dazed from the kiss, Celeste wobbled off towards her cabin.

She loved Leo. However, she wasn't sure she'd live long enough to even start a relationship with him.