A/N: This relationship is really addicting. I already wrote a Caleo reunion (which I've gotten some lovely reviews on btw!), but I kind of felt like there was more I had to say. This is the scene where Leo leaves the island in HoH. There are a couple parts that may seem a little similar to this scene in other fanfics, but just know that that's because I liked the interpretation. Most of it is from me though. I've spent so long analyzing this relationship so please listen to it. It's all canon.

Disclaimer: Everything here belongs to Rick Riordan, particularly the dialogue which is straight out of the book.

They sat on the beach, taking a break from their work. Calypso tried to remember the last time she'd felt this happy. It had to be a time long ago, before she was imprisoned on this island. Back when she was surrounded by people and was a part of the outside world.

Leo fascinated her. He had been right about her having interest in him. Of course he was interesting. The kid was completely unpredictable; he could be obnoxious and sarcastic one moment, and then so serious and subdued the next. Her interest had only grown over the course of getting to know him, and she often times forgot why she had disliked him in the first place.

When Leo dropped in (literally), he had found her in her 'angry stage.' She was raging at the gods for making her fall in love with Percy and then taking him away from her. It had been quite a while since she'd received a hero when Percy came, and in her solitude she had begun to forget the impact of having another human being on the island. Of course the gods had to go and remind her again. She had been furious.

So she took it out on Leo. It seemed too soon to have yet another man come and leave, and she was not in the mood to be kind. As a result she insulted him quite a bit at the beginning. He was not as intolerable as she made him out to be though. And he wasn't as bad looking either. Despite what she actually thought, she had been rude to him from the beginning, and did everything she could to get him to stay away from her. She was not ready to set herself up for another heartbreak.

But that was the thing. He did stay away from her. And that was intriguing in and of itself. The guy was completely unsympathetic and passive towards her. He went into survival mode, working as quickly as possible to get himself off of the island without any help. After a while Calypso started feeling a little neglected. As a goddess who was used to heroes admiring her, respecting her, acting grateful towards her—she was bothered by the lack of attention. His completely neutral and even cold attitude towards her threw her off her usual routine. She became sassier, more sarcastic, more aggravated. She would do and say anything just to get him to do something.

It caused her to subconsciously start seeking out his attention. She brought him food while he worked, made excuses to talk to him, brought him new clothes— looking for a reaction. She wanted him to stop looking at her in distaste. He was so infuriating because even when she knew she was affecting him, he still wouldn't do anything about it. He was so resistant to her, blocked her out, like he didn't want to like her. That wasn't normal! It was like he saw her acts of kindness as an irritation, as an insult. He acted surprised when she did anything thoughtful. He expected nothing from her, like he was very used to being ignored. She began to understand that every time he was purposely annoying, he was actually pushing her away. He didn't want to be treated like anything more than a mechanic.

His mysterious behavior and his diligence in his work also sparked an instant interest. She did 'look him up,' as he had said. The story of his constant wanderings, lost and alone, always defending himself— it hit something personal, something deep within her core. He was... isolated.

It wasn't until she had given up that something changed. She finally decided that if she couldn't make him ask for the help, then she would give it to him anyway, and get him off the island as quickly as possible. It was what he wanted. He had to leave anyways—save the world like all heroes did. It wasn't like he was particularly attractive, so she figured she didn't need to worry too much about it.

But when she sat down the first time to start working with her hands, the look he gave her was unforgettable. It was look of true admiration and respect. It was the most precious, and undeniably the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

From then on she was addicted, absolutely addicted, to his eyes. They were a dark, chocolate brown, and full of passion and mischief. There was something in the way he looked at her that made it hard to breathe. Those deep eyes would bore into hers, and always seemed to say, I know, Calypso. I know you. And it was true. He saw something in her that none of the other heroes had seen. When she spoke he gave her curious looks, like he was trying to read the truth behind her words. But still, he was never, ever sympathetic. He didn't pity her. He just... saw her.

He told her things about the modern world. He loved explaining the details of current technology like electricity and computers. She heard about his quest and his friends, and everything he had done since getting to camp. His stories were never glossed over though, like those of the previous heroes. He always made it sound very, very real, and wasn't afraid to admit to his mistakes. He didn't make himself sound like a hero, but a boy who was trying to figure out how to get out of unfortunate situations that he didn't want to be in. His friends he presented in a more positive light, like they were the heroes and he was the sidekick who didn't know what he was doing. Calypso was very taken by the stories though. They were captivating, because she honestly didn't know what would happen next. It made the heroic actions seem less intimidating.

He made her laugh. Although his jokes weren't always funny, he still managed to easily lighten the conversation and keep her in a good mood. She began loving the days that passed, enjoying every one of them, because she didn't know how much longer she would have his company. While the other heroes that had come to her island had been overwhelmingly attractive and charismatic, Leo was more normal—more reachable. She felt so comfortable around him, like he had been on this island with her the whole time. She knew that it wasn't true of course, but it was nice to imagine what it would be like if he stayed... He couldn't stay. That's why they were building a navigation system after all.

"All we need is a boat," Calypso said now, excited by the idea of building with him more.

Leo looked up and nodded. "I can start chopping wood into boards tomorrow. Few days, we'll have enough for a small hull."

"You've made a ship before," Calypso remembered. "Your Argo II."

He had told her all about his amazing warship, that he was undoubtedly proud of. That was one of the few things he really felt confident about: machines.

"So how long until you sail?" She asked, reluctantly bringing up a topic that neither of them had mentioned this whole time. Although she knew they were working so that he could leave, she had started avoiding the thought of it.

"Uh, not sure," he replied. "Another week?"

Calypso sighed in internal relief. She had a whole week left. The longer they worked the longer he stayed. "This took so long to make," she commented, running her fingers over the intricate circuit board.

"You can't rush perfection," Leo said.

"Yes, but will it work?" She asked. He had explained the details to her, but she still was unsure about it's reliability. Magic was much safer, in her opinion.

"Getting out, no problem," he said. "But to get back I'll need Festus and—"

Calypso's felt her heart stop. She must have misheard something. "What?"

Leo looked at her, confused. "Festus. My bronze dragon," he clarified. "Once I figure out how to rebuild him, I'll—"

"You told me about Festus," she waved it off impatiently. "But what do you mean get back?"

Her heart was pounding, realizing what was happening. He was planning to come back. This whole time Calypso had been banking on the fact that he didn't care for her like that anyway, so certainly she just wasn't meant to fall in love with him, right? But if he wanted to come back?

He grinned uncomfortably. "Well... to get back here, duh," he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. He glanced at her hesitantly. "I'm sure I said that."

"You most definitely did not," Calypso replied curtly. She had to stop this instantly. This was not right. Leo couldn't want to stay. He wanted to leave! When he had offered to take her with him, he didn't really mean that, right? He didn't like her, and had no interest in seeing her ever again. So why did he think he was coming back? Did he not get that he couldn't come back?

"I'm not gonna leave you here!" He exclaimed, looking at her. Calypso caught her breath. Those damn eyes, she thought furiously. "After you helped me and everything?" He said. "Of course I'm coming back. Once I rebuild Festus, he'll be able to handle an improved guidance system. There's this astrolabe that I uh, that I found in Bologna," he paused. "Anyway, I think with that crystal you gave me—"

Calypso shook her head. He wasn't understanding. "You can't come back," she told him, trying to get it through to him.

His face fell instantly. "Because I'm not welcome?" He asked. He sounded defeated, like he had been given something and it was suddenly taken away from him. Of course you're welcome! she wanted to say. Looking at his distraught expression, she realized that Leo actually cared a lot more than she had believed. He had been subconsciously planning this whole time to come back. But that didn't mean Ogygia would let him.

"Because you can't." Calypso said sadly. Her voice cracked slightly. "It's impossible. No man finds Ogygia twice. That's the rule." It wasn't her fault. None of this was her fault. She wanted to tell him to come back whenever he wanted. She was touched by how much he cared. If she had the choice she'd ask him to stay forever. But he had to go and she knew it. He couldn't come back.

Leo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, you might have noticed I'm not good at following rules." He gave her a signature smirk, and Calypso suddenly felt a trickle of affection seeping through her veins. As she hastily squashed the feeling, she realized at that moment that she was already doomed. One more week with him was out of the question. "I'm coming back here with my dragon, and we'll spring you," he said like it was simple. "Take you wherever you want to go. It's only fair."

Fair. He wanted things to be fair. Here was a hero who didn't promise to come back because he felt bad for her; Leo just wanted things to be fair. It was unbelievable.

"Fair..." Calypso whispered, turning away. Justice did not exist on Ogygia. Only a sixteen year old mortal would think it could. She knew better.

"You didn't really think I could start Leo and Calypso's Auto Repair without Calypso, did you?" Leo continued, like he needed to explain himself better. Calypso dared to look at him— at his genuine, honest, irresistible eyes. "I can't make cider and stew, and I sure can't sing," he tried to joke.

Calypso wanted to cry. When he had brought up the shop, she thought it was just a wistful 'what if.' Leo actually wanted it. He wanted to turn his dreams into reality, and he wanted Calypso to be part of it. She wanted that. More than anything she wanted that.

"Well, anyway," Leo said, "tomorrow I'll start on the lumber. And in a few days..."

That's when it happened. Something deep inside of her exploded, something she had never felt before. It was an incredible yet absolutely terrifying feeling. She couldn't just let Leo leave. She had no idea what she would do with herself! She had worked for his attention, earned his trust, earned his friendship. She knew who she was when she was with him. He had connected to her in a way the other heroes hadn't, and made her feel like she wasn't the only one who was alone. He didn't want to be alone anymore either. Calypso realized that there had never been a doubt in his mind that he would come back to her, because to him she was the most important person in the entire universe. He valued who she was, not as a goddess, but as a girl. He wanted her. And at that moment Calypso knew with her whole being that she would give everything to keep Leo on the sand next to her. Because she needed him; this is what love felt like. Without even realizing it, Leo had become her anchor to reality and to herself. Her entire life, her entire future, was lying in the hands of the hero next to her. And the stupid curse was going to force her to let it go.

She didn't need to look to know the raft had finally come. She could tell by the strength of her emotions and the look on Leo's face. The sadness she usually felt when a hero left didn't come. Instead, Calypso felt like she was living a nightmare; a horribly frightening, someone-please-wake-me-up nightmare.

"Hurry!" She yelled. Calypso felt lightheaded, and moved in a daze. Maybe if she got him out of here as fast as possible, she would wake up and everything would be okay. "I don't know how long it will stay!"

Leo hadn't moved. "But... That's the magical raft?" He asked. He had been expecting another week as well.

"Duh!" She yelled, straining her voice so she wouldn't cry. She brought the sass back, covering her anger and her complicated, overwhelming emotions. "It might work like it's supposed to and take you where you want to go. But we can't be sure. The islands magic is obviously unstable." Okay now she was just making stuff up. She was rambling, pretending like she felt nothing when her entire being was practically shaking from the fear. "You must rig up your guidance device to navigate," she said. As long as she talked and the faster she moved, the sooner this terrible dream would be over.

The wind was strong, blowing the sail like Ogygia was eager to send Leo away from her faster than he had come. They worked together to rig up the equipment and get the raft ready to go. She loved working with him. His long, thin, elegant fingers were calm and skilled, and seemed to move on their own accord. Now, more than ever, she wanted to feel his hands against her skin, even just once, just to experience the absolute bliss it would bring her. The adrenaline she felt coursing through her body made her breathing heavy and labored. He spoke a prayer to his father, and the navigation system whirred to life. All too soon everything was done, ready for him to leave.

"Go," Calypso choked out, pushing him towards the raft. She just wanted to get him away from her again. Just like when she first met him. Just like she knew she should have done from the very beginning.

But he was looking at her. Gods, she hated how much she loved when he looked at her. He had that same curious expression on his face, like he was trying to figure out how she worked. There was a sadness to it as well, like a confused puppy who didn't understand why he was being punished.

"The raft finally got here," he said, stating the obvious. But Calypso didn't hear that. She heard what he was saying in his eyes, which was I don't want to leave you.

She put on the sarcasm again, hiding the throbbing pain in her gut. "You just noticed?" She asked with a snort. But Leo was too good to fall for a facade like that. He saw what she was feeling on the inside, which was please don't leave me.

"But if it only shows up for guys you like—" Leo began, trying to bring her thoughts to the surface.

"Don't push your luck, Leo Valdez," she warned him. She didn't want him to be able to see just how desperate she felt. "I still hate you," she said, knowing that Leo had heard the opposite. His eyes were soft. She suddenly realized what that look he kept giving her was that made her insane. It was love. Calypso suddenly couldn't breathe. If he didn't leave soon she was going to collapse from the pain.

"Okay," he replied carefully.

"And you are not coming back here. So don't give me any empty promises." She was breaking. If he made a dumb promise like that, he would do the same thing as the other heroes who came and left her island. Calypso didn't want that. He just wasn't like the other heroes. She knew from the foreign, desperate feeling in her heart that this was the only time she had ever actually fallen in love with anyone. She finally knew what it felt like to not be alone.

This wasn't supposed to be happening. It was wrong. She didn't want him to go. He didn't want to go. How could she live after this? How could she ever love again? She couldn't. She just couldn't.

"How about a full promise?" He insisted. "Because I'm definitely—"

She had moved without thinking, and suddenly she was kissing him, really kissing him; and in that one moment all of her fears went away. Her entire body relaxed into him and she tightened her hands around his neck, holding on to the moment as long as she could. He was small, but so warm and strong and gentle. His hands held her waist tentitively and she ran her fingers through his curls, before remembering where she was.

She pulled away suddenly, breaking from him completely. Her eyes were wide. "That didn't happen," she said breathlessly. I love you so much.

"Okay," he replied quietly. You are the most beautiful creature I've ever seen.

Calypso was already crying. "Get out of here." Don't leave me.

"Okay." He looked at her determinedly. I'm coming back.

She took one last longing look into his deep brown eyes, and didn't wait for him to board the raft. Unable to keep herself under control, she turned and ran as fast as possible back to her hut. It wasn't until she reached it that she stopped abruptly and turned around, her gut twisting in dread and despair.

Wait! She wanted to yell. Stop! Come back! You have to come back!

The wind blew her hair back, and she shivered from the cold. Her clothes were stained with oil and her face was covered in dirt, but she couldn't care less. Far out in the distance, she could see the small speck of a raft floating in the ocean. It became hard to breathe again. Falling to her knees, she let out a deafening, terrified scream.

She screamed and screamed and cried and screamed, until her voice was hoarse and her eyes were sore. Fear shook her entire body; she was more afraid than she had been in her entire existence. She was afraid of the isolation, of the invisibility. She had absolutely no one to turn to, and nowhere to go. The only person who had ever been able to see her was gone, and he could never, ever come back.

Her punishment had never felt so cruel. This had to have been a mistake. This whole thing must have been an aweful, aweful mistake. He was never supposed to come to her island, she was never supposed to fall in love with him... However it had happened it was wrong, because a man like that was never, ever supposed to leave her. The deep love she felt for him was more real than anything she had ever experienced. And for the first time, she could have sworn it was mutual. No one had ever loved her, but with Leo she just knew. He loved her. He had to be in love with her.

Wake up, Calypso, she told herself. You have to wake up, you're dreaming. She curled up in a ball on the ground and squeezed her eyes shut. The lonely isolation of her island, surrounded by nothing but miles and miles of water, engulfed her and trapped her in an endless silence. This shocking quietness hit her each time a hero left, and she had to adjust back to having thoughts in her own head instead of speaking them aloud. But she struggled to remember what to do when she was alone. It felt fake. It felt surreal. Why do anything, when no one would even know? Who would care?

Eventually she fell into a dreamless sleep. She slept for a long long time, drained from the emotional distress. When she finally woke up the sun was going down, and her eyes were dry. She felt numb. Although her entire body ached, her head at least felt a little more clear.

"Leo," she whispered, the name falling instinctively off her lips. She sighed and closed her eyes. His face remained vivid in her memory, smirking at her knowingly. His eyes were full of life and excitement on the surface, but behind it was a deep understanding of loneliness and suffering. She clung to that expression in her mind, and promised herself to return to it every time she needed comfort. That was her anchor, and could remind her that someone out there actually loved her. Someone knew she was real. And no matter how many heroes came to her island after this, Leo was the one she would hold on to. He was the only one who made her feel like no one else mattered. He was the only one who really, truly cared.

Calypso sat up slowly, and looked out at the crashing waves on the beach. The bright orange sun glowed like fire as it sunk into the water. An odd calmness suddenly washed over her as she breathed in the fresh salty air. Every hero that had come to her island had left her an empty promise— a promise to return, a promise to give her a happy ending. She had always known it was a lie. They never had any intention of coming back. She had just been a fun part of their adventures. But with Leo... He had left her a full promise. A promise from the heart; a promise that made her believe that he actually had a plan. And even though she knew logically that no man could ever return, she couldn't help but feel like perhaps this time was different. She loved him. She trusted him.

Leo was a man of the impossible. He lived for it. He made her believe for the first time that perhaps her curse didn't have to be eternal.

For the first time in eons, Calypso began to hope— really genuinely hope. She didn't try to surpress it. She let it relax her mind and clear her thoughts. The feeling filled her heart, and she surrendered herself to it. It was risky, but there was no one she'd rather hope for. This would be the hero who would save her. Just this once, she had come first in his book, and no other girl had taken his heart.

I'm waiting for you, Leo, Calypso promised into the wind. Do not forget me.

Not everyone interprets what she feels as fear, but I think that's part of what makes this time different, you know? Fear is such a powerful emotion; it puts more meaning behind her feelings than sadness.

Anyway, I really would love reviews for this one. Tell me your thoughts, favorite parts, etc. I'm putting this up for you guys, and I want to know if it made an impact! You're all the best. Thanks for reading!

Next chapter is Leo's POV and it's super good so keep reading!