Daughter of Aphrodite(a demigod story)

I'm Back!

I heard the strumming of a guitar and I slowly opened my eyes. Stewart sat on a chair beside my cot. He looked more muscular since I last saw him running away with Tyson in the lead carrying Aphrodite and he wore my sharktooth necklace; though he still had that same calm look on his face. I just watched him until he looked up. Seeing me awake, he leaned his guitar to the side and we hugged each other. I had never seen that much emotion on his face.

"I'm back," I whispered into his ear.

"And I'm never letting you leave me again."

After we had sat like that for a while, I spoke up, "Um Sunny boy, do you mind?"

Stewart realized what he was doing and went back to his music project. I tried to stand but I couldn't feel my legs.

"What happened while I was out?"

"Only that you looked like a zombie, I hit you the the head with my guitar, you slipped into a comma and Apollo softened the memories of your torture."

I raised an eyebrow, "That's it? And wait- you hit me in the head with a guitar?!"

"Did I say that?"

"Yes,"

"Then forget I ever said that because it never happened," Stewart then picked up his guitar, "any requests?"

"'Roller Coaster' by Luke Bryan."

The sound of his voice was a joy to hear. It was like the old days, when I would sit on his bed and listen to him play, or he would have me sing. Either way, we were together, and we are now.

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Next day, I was able to stand and with the help of Stewart. Some of my half-sisters nearly tackled me when we came over and Leo was all excited and he talked nonstop about his new inventions.

"And you wouldn't believe how Stewart was acting," he started.

"Go on, I'm listening."

By the time Stewart had come back from archery class, Leo had told me of how emotional strait-faced Stewart had acted. This made me wonder if I should tease him about it or not; to tell the truth, if I was the one who had to leave Stewart, I might have done the same thing.

Stewart filled me in about the latest happenings at the camp and I was disappointed about Percy, Annabeth and Piper being gone. He also returned Heartbreaker and my shark-tooth necklace.

"How did you escape?" Stewart asked.

I shuttered at the memory, "She tortured me, not with cuts and bruises but with things of chaos. The snake, the snake was the worst of it, I heard its thoughts and its dreams were so real that I lived them. One night, I felt just as horrible as I looked, I started to argue with the snake. Then it seemed to agree with me. I was surprised but then I remembered something, daughters of Aphrodite charmspeak. I told him to ram his head against the doors and it did it. The force it put into it killed it and opened the doors. I ran, my adrenaline the only thing keeping me on my feet. The cyclops who stood guard at the cell door chased me but of course, I had no weapon so I couldn't fight back.

I came to the exit of the Greek side of Mount Rushmore and just as I came to where the stones blocked the entrance, Eris had caught me and her hands clutched around my throat. Her nails cut through my skin and I hung there helpless. The cyclops that were chasing me were so clumsy that Eris had to step to the side and they crashed into the rocks, knocking them out of the entrance. Natural light streamed into the cave and called to me but Eris started dragging me away. I had forgotten Percy had given me a whistle that would call for Blackjack any time I'd need him and I used just the last amount of strength I had to blow it. Eris thought I was a fool and snatched it from my mouth. Blackjack came wheeling in and knocked Eris off her feet. I climbed onto his back and from there on, all was black."

We had made it to dinner by the time I had finished my story and Stewart patted my shoulder and joined his friends. I sat in my old place at the Aphrodite table and had my plate heaping with food.

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That night, I was able to sleep back on my old bunk, with fresh pajamas. I tossed and turned in my bunk, but failed to find comfort. Quietly, I stood up from the pastel green and blue sheets, wrapping my blue fleece jacket around my arms, I slipped out the door and darted across the soft grass to the Apollo cabin. I opened the door and heard the soft breaths of the Apollo campers. Silently, I stepped over campers to where Stewart slept and shook him.

He rolled over and opened his calm brown eyes.

"Alyssa?" He mumbled.

"I can't sleep," I muttered.

He pulled on his shirt and jacket and lead me outside; the midnight sky was sprinkled with stars. We stood facing each other outside the cabin door.

"Sorry, I just couldn't have anybody gossiping about this," Stewart said.

"I understand,"

Then Stewart did something I didn't expect; he put his arms around me and rested his head against my neck. I returned the hug and kissed his cheek. We stepped back and sat down with our backs against the cabin wall, looking up at the sky.

"Stewart,"

"Hm?"

"I being haunted by Eris. She has so much power, and now that I had spent that time of torture, I'm afraid that she has managed to craze Percy, Piper and Annabeth."

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I rested my head against his shoulder, "You're not the only one," he mumbled.

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I was interrupted next morning during my daily jog by Percy, Piper and Annabeth coming into camp, looking a little worn down but absolutely fine.

"You're alive!?" Percy exclaimed incredulously.

"Of course I am. I was afraid you were otherwise!" I replied.

"So all that searching was for nothing," Annabeth sighed.

Piper ran up and pulled me into a crushing hug, "I'm so happy you're fine."

I awkwardly hugged her back and smiled at the sense of relief. We walked as far as the volleyball courts before I got distracted by laughter. I turned around and saw Stewart, doubled over laughing. This stunned me.

"What?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.

"That's just it," he chuckled, "they went all that way to help someone who somehow managed to escape."

"Yeah, but I don't see how that's funny."

Stewart sighed and shook his head, "They went all that way for nothing, how is it that you of all people don't find it funny."

"I find it funny that you are trying to convince me that something is funny."

"Ah Alyssa, I'm glad you're alright."

"Me too."