Surprisingly, the walk back didn't take long. Maybe just over an hour. However, the map hadn't taken them back to camp, it took them to the beach of long island sound. Waves crashed softly against the shore and the moonlight lit everything in a dream like kind of way.

Leo looked to the map and could feel his face flush as he read the words scribbled on it.

'I know you two don't hate one another. You should talk about it. -Thalia'

"Hey, I know it's late and all, but do you wanna sit here until the sun comes up? If we try to go back to our cabins, the Harpies will definitely catch us." Leo asked.

Y/N looked to him in question, very obviously exhausted. "Harpies?"

Leo had forgotten she hardly knew all there was to know about camp. "Eh, you don't wanna know. Creepy...old bird ladies."

"Waiting for the sunrise it is!" Y/N's face scrunched in horror at the thought of the harpies.

Even if the pair had gone back to camp and somehow managed to sneak into their cabins, there was no way they would sleep. They had just spent the entire night fighting off monsters together, ones Leo had never even seen before or could have imagined. Y/N was still convinced this was all just a dream. How could snake ladies and chimeras and centaurs, and Greek gods actually be real? It wasn't possible. Couldn't be.

"Hey, let's make a deal." Leo piped up through a sleepy, hoarse voice. "I'll give you my life story if you give me yours."

"Sure." Y/N yawned.

"Ok," Leo knew he'd have to go first. He took in a deep breath and was going to get all of this out in one breath. "Born, raised as fire baby in a workshop, crazy babysitter, a.k.a Hera who like to put me in more fires. Soon burned down workshop killing my mom, ran away, foster home to foster home, then to some random school where I ended up with other demigods and a satyr. Fell into the grand canyon, got saved, brought to camp half-blood, went on crazy adventures, somehow am still alive, swore my life to a girl who left me, and am now chilling here in retirement cause the real world isn't really for me."

Y/N's mouth fell agape, her eyes fuzzy as she tried to process all of the information in her sluggish mind. She would have asked questions, but was stopped by Leo. "Questions later, your turn."

"Uhhh," Y/N croaked. "Always on the run? Since day one practically? I learned how to hide from the monsters. It was especially easy at school because there were so many people. I had no idea why no one else could see them...no one believed me, so I was always alone. I can't remember a time I even had someone I could call my friend."

"I'm really sorry you couldn't get to camp earlier." Leo's heart went out to the girl. He, better than anyone, knew what it was like to struggle to make and keep friends. Demigod or not.

"Whatever," Y/N brushed it off. "Question time! I'll only ask three."

Leo sighed in detest, but knew he'd have to answer anything thrown his way. After all, he did give quite the sum up of his life.

"Numbero uno, what's it like having the fire powers?" She smirked playfully.

That wasn't exactly the question Leo was expecting. He was ready for questions about his mom, how she died, or even Hera. But it was a simple, lighthearted question instead.

"Cool, I guess?" He laughed. "Scary to begin with, a big responsibility, but it makes me good for something." Leo sighed a little sadly.

"Two, favourite place in the world?"

Totally unrelated to pasts but Leo didn't care. "Bunker nine."

"Eh?" Y/N tilted her head. "What's that?"

"I'll show you one day. Secret hideout I only allow my closest accomplices in." He winked.

"Three," Y/N looked him dead in the eye. That was when Leo began to fear the third question. "Who was she?"

Leo didn't want to answer. He was moved on from Calypso. It was in the past and he didn't care anymore. Or, he tried to tell himself he didn't care anymore. "A daughter of Atlas, trapped alone on an island lost travellers could only visit once and never come back to. Well, I did find my way back and brought her here with me. Then, she left. The real world was better than me."

As it appeared to Y/N in the many things he had said, Leo seemed to have a real problem with what he considered to be the real world.

Y/N's frame sank in sympathy. Leo didn't deserve that. In fact, no one did. But he had risked his life to save her and then she left. "I'm sorry..."

"Yeah," Leo huffed. "My questions now!"

Y/N grumbled in protest.

"One, craziest situation you've been put in because of a monster?"

Y/N thought for a moment, looking puzzled. That told Leo there were many, and one day, he looked forward to hearing all of them. "Flaming snapping turtles. Nuff' said."

"Mkay, that'll require elaboration later. Two, what's the longest you've ever stayed in one place?"

"Uhh, well, I've stayed at my house up until the start of last year. I'd get home late, sleep, then wake early and get out of the house before anything could attack me there and hurt my family." She explained quietly and anxiously.

Leo understood that. "Three, who's the lucky guy or girl?"

Y/N's attention was certainly grabbed and she shot her head up, eyeing Leo in confusion. "What?"

"C'mon," He nudged her teasingly. "What's their name?"

"Ahhh, nobody?" She mumbled. "I literally told you I have no friends back home."

"Oh, y'know, I just assumed there was someone." He muttered. "Because, y'know, you're super cool...and nice and stuff."

Y/N scoffed. "Nice? I've been nothing but mean to you. Which, by the way I never actually hated you—"

"I never hated you either." He laughed.

"So, what does the make us, friends?" Y/N asked.

"Ew." Leo gagged and then broke out in laughter. "I guess it does."

Y/N smiled softly and rose her hand up for a high five. "Here's to my first, actual friend!"

Leo giggled. "Wow, I'm so honoured."

"You should be." She pointed a finger at him. "Too bad I have to leave again."

"What do you mean? You're leaving?" He fumbled over his words. For once, Leo thought he'd found some kind of security and happiness, but she was going to leave, just like everyone else.

Y/N was a little taken aback by Leo's sudden, aggressive, shift in behaviour. "Chill out, dude. It's just for the school year and then I promise I'll be back. I have to live a normal life—to some extent."

"Y/N, there is no normal life for a demigod. So, it doesn't matter. Just stay here. There's plenty to do and learn. Maybe you'll finally find out who your parent is—"

"Leo," Y/N stopped him. "I have to go. It doesn't mean I'm ditching you forever."

"I know, but what if something happens?" He crossed his arms in frustration and slumped further down the log he sat against.

"I've made it how many years just fine?" Y/N shoved his shoulder. "And now, it'll be easier knowing why there are monsters chasing me around no one else can see. It also helps to know there's a reason I feel like such a mess up all the time. Who knew most of us demigods would be ADHD, huh? What did Chiron call it earlier? A battle reflex?" She laughed lightly. "I'll be fine."

Not having been paying attention for a while and not able to find the right words to respond to Y/N, Leo finally noticed the rising sun on the horizon of the ocean. He also noticed Y/N, slowly standing up, being completely mesmerized by what she was seeing. There were streaks of bright orange light, just like the colour of his t-shirt, flickering on the horizon of the water. They danced like some kind of mixture between a mirage and the northern lights. The light brought a new life to Y/N's eyes, making the boys heart skip a little beat.

"What...are those?" Y/N whispered breathlessly.

Leo pushed himself off of the ground and stood at her side, arms crossed over his chest. "We call them kerosine dreams."

Y/N's gaze never left the beautiful lights until they began to slowly fade away as the sun rose higher.

"They're really rare here. You're one lucky person." He stifled a soft laugh and took one last glance at the lights before turning on his heel.

"C'mon, we'd better get back and let Chiron know we're still alive." Though he had turned to leave, Y/N really didn't seem to want to go. He stepped back a little and held out his hand to her, fingers so cold to his touch he nearly jumped back. "Ooh, cold hands. Want me to warm them up?"

Y/N gave him a shy, yet defensive look as she pulled her hands to her chest and began to warm them herself. "No thanks."

The walk back to camp was quiet aside from the noise of distant waves crashing on the beach of long island sound and the slight crunch of leaves beneath their feet. To neither of their surprise, Chiron was already standing at the mouth of the grove ahead of them. A look of relief was painted across his features, glad to see his newest and one of his favourite demigods still alive.

"You two look as if you had a long night," Chiron stifled a laugh, gladly taking the sword which Y/N had been dragging at her side out of pure exhaustion.

"You have no idea." Y/N groaned.

Chiron ruffled Leo's hair and laughed. "How about you two head to your cabins and get some rest."

Y/N liked the sound of that. Leo was more than ready to sleep. But, Y/N knew she still had to go. "I actually need to start making my way back home."

"You don't have to leave, Y/N. We would be more than happy to have you stay the year." Chiron sounded softly. He knew he'd never be able to make her stay, but he could still place the offer in her mind. Especially if she ever reached a point where she needed to come here. "However, if you are choosing to leave I can arrange transport for you."

"Is it gonna be that manic taxi again? Cause if so, I'd rather walk." Y/N cringed.

"No, of course not." Chiron laughed. "I will have one of our campers take you in one of the pegasus chariots. It will be a quick and smooth ride."

"Phew," Y/N sighed. "Thank you."

"Now, just promise you'll come back for the summer and we're good to go." Leo barged in. "Don't join any...exclusive club you know I wouldn't...or I guess couldn't."

Y/N laughed, rolling her eyes. Suddenly, a baseball cap was careening toward Leo's face and he scrambled to catch it, just barely grabbing hold by the tips of his fingers. "Then hold me to it. That's my favourite hat and I will be back for it."

Leo's eyes widened. "No pressure, asking me not to lose it."

Y/N held out her hand and smiled smugly. "Well, I could take it back and then I wouldn't have any reason to come back."

The boy held the hat close to his chest and snarled. "I'll take good care of it."

Little did Leo know over the next year just how well he would look after that hat. It would be with him every second of every day, never letting it out of his sight.

"So..." Leo sat down in the grass beside Y/N where they looked down to a couple of campers preparing a chariot. "Guess this is goodbye for now?"

"Nah, just a 'see you in a little while.'" Y/N said. "I can't wait to come back."

Leo would have yet again asked why she didn't decide to stay the full year, but he could see where she was coming from. She had responsibilities back where she came from, a family, regardless of how little she saw them.

"Gotta go!" She shoved his shoulder and stood up. "See you later, fire dude."

Leo, in his stupor couldn't do anything other than nod with an awkward smile. He was thinking so far into the future he wasn't able to be in the present. Soon, she was far out of earshot and clambering into the chariot. She waved from afar, something he returned slightly sadly.

"It's going to be a long winter." Leo sighed to himself as he watched the girl fade off into the distance. All he had was that hat in his hands and a hope she'd hold to her promise of returning.