Clover POV

I helped Leo to his feet as Arthur ran toward the tents the campers had set up. The rain spilled through the cracks in the sky like a leaky dam. I smiled.

"We have leaky dam problem," I said aloud. Leo looked at me, wincing at the spots he was getting from the rain.

"What are you talking about?" I shook my head.

"Nothing. Inside joke." We stumbled through the trees and toward one of the tents. Will was holding the door's flap open, ushering others inside. We slipped though and I assisted Leo over to a bench. Once everyone was inside, Will closed the flap and tied it closed.

"What in hades name is going on?" Clarrise asked, directing the question toward me. Every eye in the tent fixed on me. I could feel a drop of sweat trickle down my neck, or was it just water?

"Um, well, if I told you guys, it might make it rain harder. It's... Dangerous information."

"Then how come you have it?" Asked another Ares kid. I took a deep breath and stood.

"Look, I know this is scaring all of you-" a few kids started to protest, but I continued. "-even if you don't want to admit it. If you want the truth, I'll tell it to you, even if you don't want o accept the consequences." I took one more deep breath before saying, "this world isn't real." A few kids exchanged looks.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rebecca asked. I bit my lip, but decided I should continue.

"You guys, all of you-" I gestured around the room, "-are all fictional characters. There is a man, named Rick Riordan, who created all of you. Leo," I turned to him. "He made you sarcastic, funny, and determined all wrapped up in a short son of Hephestus. Will," I faced Will. "Rick made you caring, full of leadership, and a strong son of Apollo." I pointed at Clarrise. "Rick made you snappy, rude, but a very heartwarming daughter of Ares.

"And me?" I put a hand on my chest. "I'm a girl dropped into this story to keep things on track. I failed and I tried to make things right." I looked over at Leo and our eyes locked. "I left this story, but I had to come back because I left someone I couldn't leave behind..." I shifted my gaze toward the ground and sighed. "I was selfish, and because of it, we are in this mess." I waved at the door, my eyes still on my feet. "The sky is cracking because the world is falling apart. When the real world rain touches you..." I walked over to Arthur and showed the group the circles on his arms of no color. "You start to fade."

The demigods stared at their arms and shirts, slightly damp from the real rain. Many of them had similar circles where the rain drops had hit them.

"There are people out there, in that real world, that read these books. Fan art, fan fiction books, even role plays are being done off of the things that are happening right now. I am one of those people. We concsidered as 'fan girls'. We obsess over everything that happens in the books." I looked over at Leo with a sad smile.

"The face in the potty sludge," I quoted. "Evil expresso drinks', 'I need some time away from you organic lifeforms', 'Team Leo is the best', 'Sometimes humor is the best way to hide the pain', would you like me to quote more from you?" Leo's face was in complete shock. I pointed to Clarrise.

"The first line you ever said in the books was 'who's the newby?', and I right?" Clarrise blinked, her face twisted in confusion.

"You see?" I asked. "I know also everything. I know your weaknesses, your stregnths, your dreams, your fears. Basically everything you can think of." I looked each one of them in the eye.

"You are all my heroes. Young and old. I've always dreamed of being a demigod. You guys are..." I started to choke up. "You guys are my dreams brought to life. I've always wanted to be someone somebody in the universe looked up to. It never happened, so I turned to books. Rick Riordan is my ultimate hero, and I will always be forever grateful he created all of you." I turned to Leo.

"Especially you, Leo. You've taught me that I can do anything and still have a good laugh afterward." The tears ran down my face. "I love you, Leo."

The other campers in the tent stared at Leo and I, waiting for the obvious. Leo stood. Even with his bad ankle, he walked toward me and engulfed me in a hug. I had already cried so hard already, and I thought I couldn't have cried any more.

I was wrong.

I sobbed so hard, I thought my whole body was having a seizure. Leo just held me, his eyes closed tightly. I felt his breath against my ear like a butterfly kiss.

"I love you too, Clover." I mustered a smile and buried my face into his shoulder.

Patter patter patter.

The rain hit the tent like a soothing song. The grass benieth my shoes seemed to grow an inch taller and tickled my ankles. The amazing smell of rain and motor oil mixed together in my nose and I felt complete peace.

I was with someone I loved. And I had no plans to let him slip away.

But that was when someone appeared in the center of the room, almost as if someone had drawn them in under a second. Leo and I pulled away, but we didn't let go. We held each other's hand tightly.

The girl was beautiful. She had beautiful carmel hair pulled back into a loose braid with flowers placed in carefully. Her dress was pure white and she had simple Greek sandles.

Leo gasped.

"Calypso."