Time and Earth: A Doctor Who and PJO Crossover (Bk 1)

Chapter 8: Fireworks

Chapter 8: Fireworks

The walk to the beach was silent, but the noise from our joined arms was enough to make my ear drums bleed. It was like a medieval band had taken residence where our elbows met, drums beating incessantly and lutes playing a melody too old for living memory. The melody battered along as we passed through the cabins, towards the beach.

Many times, Leo looked down to me, eyes searching my face for any sign of the panic I'd shown in the cabin, but I made sure to keep my expression precisely to what I was feeling. Calm. If Leo was a gentle fireplace accompanied by a hot drink, then Daniel was a forest fire dwindling on the borders of control.

Smiling, I wrapped my arm tighter against his.

By the time we reached the beach, we'd disassembled our arms, too sore from remaining in that position for so long. The sand was void from rubbish, though I knew within a few hours the place would look like a hurricane had swept through.

Ahead, Nyssa and the Hephaestus campers were busily setting up the barge for their display, Nyssa yelling out several orders in the absence of their Head Counsellor.

Leo called out to her upon our arrival and she turned around, teeth nearly glowing compared to the shade of her skin.

"Valdez! About time you showed up!" she exclaimed. Even today, Nyssa hadn't moved out of her usual tank top and red bandana. At least the smiley face band-aid had gone. She smirked, noting Leo's new attire as a cold night breeze whispered past. "And look at you, all dressed up. Thought I'd never live to see the day."

Leo shrugged shyly, keeping his gaze on Nyssa, a gaze which was nowhere near shy . Similar to Piper's own stare, Leo's was an assault of molten rock, fixing Nyssa in place with whatever previous task he'd asked her to do, words not to say.

She nodded imperceptibly as he asked, "What's the story, Nyssa?"

She turned back to the bustling Hephaestus campers, Leo waving at a particularly young one- Harley. "We're all set to go," she answered, and turned back to her Head Counsellor, "Did you want to help us out? If you want to Lucy, we can do it without you."

I didn't know Nyssa knew my name. I only knew hers because of her temporary leadership of Cabin Nine for the months before Leo arrived. How she'd come to know it, I had no clue. She must've remembered me as the unclaimed girl.

"You sure?" Leo replied, "It wouldn't cause too much of a hassle?"

Nyssa waved us off, "Nah bro, we've got it handled. Run off, lovebirds!"

Leo looked down at me, curls nearly blending into the fading sky. At the entrance to the beach, campers were beginning to flood in as the Hephaestus kids pushed the barrage out to sea. In the crowd, I thought I saw Daniel and Pollux. We turned and began to walk as fast as we could towards the back of the beach.

Once we reached the border between the sand and grass, I stopped short, another sea breeze ghosting through the hair which I'd chosen to let loose tonight. Leo kept walking, wading through the grasses and into the beginnings of the forest beyond.

"We're not allowed off the beach!" I called out, wondering when Chiron or the harpies were going to show up and squelch him in fire.

Leo beckoned me over, "Yes we are; Head Counsellor benefits."

Unsure, I stepped onto the grass and began to catch up. Once at his side again he began walking again. "Come on, I know where we can get a sick view."

I laughed, following him.

The fireworks were stunning.

Maybe it was because I hadn't seen them in three years, or maybe it was because Leo was the guy behind it, but they were gorgeous. Leo was right; our place on the tree branch, perfectly placed over a natural break in the leaves to see the beach, was the optimum viewing spot. So much so I wondered if he'd cut the branches previously.