Sorry it's taken so long to upload! I could give you a bunch of lame excuses like assignments and homework and all that, but I won't waste time. I'll just apologize; Sorry! :)

Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to Books_forever19 for her comment, "Oh my gods!!! I thought this was another boring story I've read about Percy, Thalia and Nico or just Percy being betrayed and going with Chaos then they bring back some people. But all of them were the same: Luke, Bianca, Zoe, Charles and Silena. Usually they're the ones they bring back to life. And the enemy usually is Gaea and Kronos together. But yours isnn't!!! THIS IS AN AMAZING STORY!!! PLEASE UPDATE!!!! LOVE THIS!!!!" Thanks Books_forever19. All comments and reviews are well appreciated and I love receiving them. Now, on to the story. I left it at a real cliffhanger, I hope ...

Chapter 8: A Fiery Reunion - Percy's POV

I locked eyes with Luke and glared at him. I wanted to stick him in an oven him for promising Poseidon information, but there were too many people in the room. Instead, I used a form of communication that the Chaos warriors could use. It took quite a bit of energy and focus, but I could probably manage. Directing my power, I talked to Luke telepathically.

Really? I said, You promised him information about me? Why?

It was the only way he would help; if he thought he could get something out of it, Luke scowled, And you shouldn't be using telepathy, it uses too much energy and you don't have enough to spare.

He was right. My forehead was already beaded with sweat, and I only managed a single sentence. I quickly cut the connection and stared at my hands. Poseidon was looking back and forth between Luke and me, probably wondering what in Hades was going on.

'Well,' he asked eventually, 'Do you know anything about my son?'

I glanced up at Luke and tried read his expression under his hood.

You have to tell him something, Luke said to me, You can't leave him like this. He's devastated that he knows you're alive, but he still can't find you.

I looked back at Poseidon's wrinkled, weary face. I'd only seen him like this once before; when the Titan Oceanus waged war against him. That's what me being missing was doing to him.

I sighed. Luke was right, again. I had to tell him something.

'When was the last time you saw Percy?' I asked Poseidon.

'10 years ago,' he responded immediately, 'We had a fight and he ran away. I thought he went back to camp. But he disappeared the next night.'

I nodded, 'Then what did you do?'

'I started looking for him, of course,' his eyes glittered with hope, 'I've been looking for him every day, for the past 10 years.'

I stared deep into my fathers eyes and I knew that he was telling the truth. I also knew that I didn't want to tell Annabeth who I was. She betrayed me, and I didn't know if I could trust her yet. But I had to tell my dad something. I looked him straight in the eye.

'Your son is alive,' I said bluntly, trying to keep all emotion from my voice.

A smile broke out across his face. Annabeth and Poseidon gave each other joyful looks across the room.

'I knew it!' Annabeth sung out, 'I knew he wasn't dead.'

'Where is he?' Poseidon seemed to grow visibly younger before me, 'Where is my son? Will he come home?'

I smiled. My father did love me, 'I can't tell you where he is. But I can tell you that he will come home. He always wondered whether you loved him. And now, he will know. I can tell that you really care and I will let him know. He is sorry for that fight, all those years ago, and he is ready to forgive you, too.'

Poseidon's eyes sparkled with tears, like the sun glimmering over the ocean.

'That's wonderful!' Annabeth squeaked.

I turned my gaze on her, staring coldly, 'You, Annabeth, he is not ready to forgive. You cheated on him. He gave you his heart and you cast it underfoot! You broke him.'

My voice rose with each sentence. Annabeth looked ready to burst into tears.

'Epsilon,' Luke warned, 'Calm down.'

He turned to Annabeth and made up an explanation on the spot, 'Percy is his friend. He told Epsilon everything. They've known each other for 10 000 years. They're very close.'

Annabeth shook her head, 'But, Percy disappeared 10 years ago. How can Epsilon have known him for 10 000 years?'

'Time is different where we are from,' I said bitterly, '1 year on Earth is approximately 1000 years on Chaos' planet.'

She nodded absently and I sighed.

'I need some fresh air,' I announced, 'I'm going down to the beach.'

Poseidon frowned as I got up gently, 'You must be wary, Commander Epsilon. If you exert yourself too much in your weakened state, you will most surely die as if I had done nothing.'

I smiled at him, 'I will be sure to be careful, Lord Poseidon.'

His eyes looked a little wistful and I wondered if he was really paying attention to anything that had been said, or if he was just thinking about what I had told him.

'Thank you,' he said, his voice wavering, 'It's good to know my son is OK.'

'Its been as honor to see you again, Lord Poseidon,' I bowed and walked to the door, Luke and Clarisse by my side.

'Again?' Poseidon asked, confused.

But I was already gone.

Leo's POV

(AN: I have received intelligence {HP and the Order of the Phoenix anyone?} that readers would like to see a little bit more of Flaming Valdez. So here you all expectant readers go; Bit'o'Leo!)

Man, I really felt like taking a nap.

I was sitting on the couch, lighting, putting out, then relighting my hand, just for the sake of it. Everyone looked extremely bored, but no one wanted to do anything except wait to see if Percy was alright. It felt like they'd been in their for decades. Though that could have been due to the time difference between Earth and Chaos' planet or simply my ADHD.

Then Luke and Clarisse walked out of Percy's room, closing the door behind them. Everyone jumped up at once.

'Is Epsilon OK?'

'Is he alive?'

'Can I have his sword?'

'Do we have to answer to Iroas now?'

Questions were fired from all directions until Luke held up his hands.

'Hey!' he shouted, 'You guys wanna know if he's OK?'

We all nodded furiously and waited.

Luke's chest shook with silent laughter, 'Why, don't you ask him yourself?'

He and Clarisse stepped aside and revealed Percy standing there with his hood pulled up. He spread his arms like he wanted a hug. The room was so silent you could've heard a pin drop.

'What?' Percy said, 'No one missed me?'

That broke the spell. Every single Chaos Warrior in the cabin, save Luke and Clarisse, rushed at Percy and jumped on him. I saw his eyes grow wide before he was buried under a pile of demigods. I chuckled before running and bounding on top of the pile.

'Help!' Percy voice came from under the mass, 'Iroas! Drakon! 911! Somebody!'

From atop the mountain, I could see Luke and Clarisse rolling around on the ground, laughing their heads off. Percy heard it too.

'Stop laughing! I am your commander! Help me!'

They ignored him. Now everyone was laughing. Suddenly, the mound began to tremble, so much that I fell off the top of the pile. Then everyone came tumbling down as Percy used the powers of Chaos to stand up and shake everyone off him.

'Thanks for the assist,' he grumbled at Clarisse and Luke who were sitting cross-legged and staring up at him innocently. He tried to sound mad, but a smile tugged at the edge of his mouth.

'No problem!' Clarisse said sweetly. That set her and Luke off again.

From underneath his hood, I saw Percy grin evilly, something the two on the ground missed. The rest of the warriors in the room took a step back. A bucket of ice-cold water suddenly materialized above Luke and Clarisse's heads. It tipped over them and they snapped up, screaming.

'Ahhh!'

Now it was everyone else's to laugh. Zoë and Bianca clutched each other for support and Travis fell to the ground, convulsing with laughter.

I laughed my head off until my stomach ached. Everyone started going their separate ways; talking to Percy, going to their rooms. Then I sat down on the nearest couch and thought for a while.

Yeah, yeah. I know what you're saying, Leo Valdez can think?! Well, yes. Yes I can.

Anyway, I was thinking about my life before I died, when I lived here at Camp Half-Blood. I lay back, staring at the roof, remembering the good times and the not-so-good times; having a good laugh with Piper and Jason, nearly getting torn apart by the maenads, being congratulated on the Argo II, Bunker 9 ...

I sat bolt upright. Bunker 9! It was probably still in the woods, exactly how I'd left it! Only a fire user could open the door. I could go back and see everything after 10 000 years.

I started towards the door, hoping no one would notice me leaving. One of the greatest things about being small and unimportant is that no one notices you when you want to get away. I slipped through the open doorway and into the woods.

I walked the same path that I did when I was Leo Valdez of Camp Half-Blood, instead of Flames of the Army of Chaos. Just before I reached the rock face that was the entrance to Bunker 9, I was greeted by a strange sight; Jason and Piper.

The two of them were sitting side by side on a small rock, their hands interlinked and their faced cheerless. They both looked pale in the late afternoon sunlight. As I watched, Piper sniffled and buried her head in Jason's shoulder. His own face was free of tears, but it was still washed with grief.

I wondered why they would be crying out in the middle of the woods, in front of Bunker 9. Well, no time like the present!

I made sure my hood was secure before I stepped out from behind a tree.

'Sup guys,' I walked slowly and cautiously to stand in front of them.

Piper's head jerked up and she hastily wiped the tears from her eyes, but the redness remained.

'Sorry,' Jason croaked, 'We were just-'

He trailed off, not really knowing what to say. He closed his eyes and leaned into his girlfriend. Then Piper spoke up.

'We were remembering a friend of ours,' her voice was watery, 'He died a long time ago. But we still miss him. Sometimes, we come here to remember him,' she gestured to Bunker 9's entrance, 'He loved it here.'

I tensed. I was sure I I knew who she meant. But I wanted to be sure.

'Who loved it here?' I asked.

Jason looked up, his eyes weary and crestfallen. Not like the Jason I use to know at all.

'Our best friend,' he whispered, 'Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus.'

I stared, gobsmacked, for a single moment. Piper noticed my shock.

'What?' she frowned, 'Why does that surprise you?'

'It-it doesn't,' I stammered, 'So, this Leo guy, what was he like?'

Suspicion danced in her eyes, but I guess she was too tired to say anything.

'Well, like Jason said, he was a son of Hephaestus. He was also a fire user, which meant he could summon fire at will.'

'So why are you sitting here?'

'This was his favourite place,' Jason mumbled, 'Bunker 9. He could create whatever he wanted here.'

He pointed to the door of Bunker 9, 'Thats the entrance.'

He put his head in his hands and rested his elbows on his knees. Piper leaned on his shoulder. The woods were deathly silent, no sounds apart from the wind singing as it rustled through the trees.

Slowly, I stepped over to the rock face. I placed my hand on the stone and summoned a small flame in the palm of my hand, so Piper and Jason wouldn't be able to see it. The rock door groaned as it swung open to reveal the interior of Bunker 9.

It was just how I remembered it.

Machine parts everywhere, catwalks lining the roof, work tables scattered with plans, and the big banner that still read, "Leo Is The Coolest!"

Behind me, I heard Jason and Piper gasp. They walked carefully over to stand beside me.

'This hasn't been opened since Leo died,' Piper breathed.

Jason's eyes were huge, 'It's like getting a piece of him back.'

A thought occurred to me, 'What would you do to get him back?'

Together, they chanted, 'Anything and everything.'

I nodded.

'What I want to know,' Jason began, 'is how you opened the door. It can only be opened by a fire user.'

Oops! Didn't think of that!

I started um-ing and uh-ing, until Piper gasped.

'You're a fire user!' she exclaimed.

I sighed. My gig was up.

'Yeah. Yeah, I am,' I said, holding out my hand and letting fire dance along my thin, nimble fingers.

My old friends studied the flames for a long time. Then I closed my hand into a fist, extinguishing the fire.

I walked around Bunker 9, keeping one eye on Piper who was watching me suspiciously.

'Epsilon said that everyone in the army was dead,' she called out to me, 'Does that go for you, too?'

'Yes,' I replied shortly.

'Who were you in life?' Jason asked.

'A nobody,' I said.

'Howl long ago did you die?' Piper asked, 'In earth years.'

I hesitated. I knew she suspected me for who I really was. I thought for a spilt second. These guys were just sitting on a rock in the middle of the woods, weeping because they thought me dead. They really are my friends.

I made up my mind.

'I've been dead about 10 and a half earth years.'

They exchanged a look, and I could tell they were putting the pieces together; fire user, Bunker 9, dead 10 years.

Piper stepped forward.

'Leo?' she asked tentatively.

I smiled and let out the deep breath I didn't realize I'd been holding in.

'I've missed you guys!' I said, taking off my hood.

'Leo!' they both squealed and crushed me in a hug.

'Woah, guys!' I gasped, 'Can't breathe here!'

Eventually, they let go of me and the three of us sat down in a circle on the ground.

'You have to tell us everything,' Jason demanded while Piper nodded her head furiously in agreement.

I laughed, 'I'll tell all I can. Some things Father has forbidden us to speak about. What do you want to know first?'

They looked at each other, then back at me and said, 'Everything.'

I sighed. This was going to be a long night.

AN: Hey guys, sorry for the lack of action. I'm writing this late at night at the end of the week, so my brain has, like, shut down and stopped working. I need some new ideas. PLEASE! You guys are my inspiration. And I'll tell you what, the first person to give me a great idea that I love and can use, gets a dedication (is that blackmail? I don't think its blackmail.).

So, yeah. Also, if you want me to write from someone in particulars POV, just leave a comment and I'll do it as best I can.

Thanks, everybody!