Forced to Love

Bet your window's rolled down and your hair's pulled back
And I bet you got no idea you're going way too fast
You're trying not to think about what went wrong
Trying not to stop 'til you get where you goin'
You're trying to stay awake so I bet you turn on the radio
And the song goes

I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby, baby

The highway won't hold you tonight
The highway don't know you're alive
The highway don't care if you're all alone
But I do, I do.
The highway won't dry your tears
The highway don't need you here
The highway don't care if you're coming home
But I do, I do.

I bet you got a dead cell phone in your shotgun seat
Yeah, I bet you're bending God's ear talking 'bout me.
You're trying not to let the first tear fall out
Trying not to think about turning around
You're trying not to get lost in the sound but that song is always on
So you sing along

I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
I can't live without I can't live without you baby, oh baby

The highway won't hold you tonight
The highway don't know you're alive
The highway don't care if you're all alone
But I do, I do.
The highway won't dry your tears
The highway don't need you here
The highway don't care if you're coming home
But I do, I do.

I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
I can't live without I can't live without you, baby, oh baby

The highway don't care
The highway don't care
The highway don't care
But I do, I do.

I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
I can't live without I can't live without you, baby, oh baby
(The highway don't care
The highway don't care
The highway don't care
But I do, I do)
[x3]

I can't live without you, I can't live without you, baby
-Highway Don’t Care- Tim McGraw
________
I was feelin' the blues
I was watching the news
When this fella came on the TV

He said I'm tellin' you
That science has proven
That heartaches are healed by the sea

That got me goin'
Without even knowin'
I packed right up and drove down
. . .
She said goodbye to her good timin' man

Oh now I've gotta say
That the wind and the waves
And the moon winkin' down at me

Eases my mind
By leavin' behind
The heartaches that love often brings
-Two Pina Coladas- Garth Brooks
_________
I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don’t bother me
I can take a few tears now and then and just let them out
I’m not afraid to cry every once in a while
Even though going on with you gone still upsets me
There are days every now and again I pretend I’m OK
But that’s not what gets me

What hurts the most
Was being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was tryin’ to do

It’s hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go
But I’m doin’ it
It’s hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I’m alone
Still Harder
Getting up, getting dressed, livin’ with this regret
But I know if I could do it over
I would trade give away all the words that I saved in my heart
That I left unspoken

What hurts the most
Is being so close
And having so much to say (much to say)
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do, oh.

What hurts the most
Was being so close
And having so much to say (to say)
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do

Not seeing that loving you
That’s what I was trying to do
-What Hurts the Most- Rascal Flatts
___________________
Last night I had a crazy dream
A wish was granted just for me it could be forever
I didn't ask for money or a mansion in Malibu
I simply wished for one more day with you
One more day, one more time
One more sunset, maybe I'd be satisfied
But then again, I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you, one more day
First thing I'd do is pray for time to crawl
I'd unplug the telephone and keep the TV off
I'd hold you every second, say a million I love you's
That's what I'd do with one more day with you
One more day, one more time
One more sunset maybe I'd be satisfied
But then again I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you
One more day, one more time
One more sunset maybe I'd be satisfied
But then again I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still for one more day
Leave me wishing still for one more day
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you
One more day, one more day
-One more day- Diamond Rio
Eliza
I woke up a few hours later in the infirmary. I was confused at first. Then the events came rushing back to me: Leo’s death, Aphrodite’s cruelty, how I’d wanted her to die. I wanted to cry, but there were too many people around.
Everyone from the Argo II-with the exception of Leo, Nico, Caleb, Coral, Chiron, and Peter were there. Peter was fussing around dampening cloths, getting ambrosia and nectar, telling people to back away from me. If I didn’t know better, I would have said that Peter was one of the older, more experienced Apollo campers, not one of the youngest ones.
When my eyes fluttered open I heard Peter mutter under his breath “Thank goodness, it’s about time,” but he covered it up with as sigh as he dropped into the chair next to the bed I was in. I looked over to Peter to see if I was clear to sit up, and, when he gave a nod of approval, I sat up slowly.
“Now, no magic for a month, Miss Eliza, and I would not follow your fiance’s example and try to use any powers as soon as you’re out of the infirmary, which will be in about thirty minutes. I’ll come and get you when you’re clear to leave.” With that, Peter left. It took me a minute to lace what was different about Peter. He looked the same. He hadn’t grown an inch. He hadn’t cut his hair. Then, I realized it was his personality. When he was here, working in the infirmary, he was calm, cool, confident, and knew he was in charge. Outside, he was shy, timid, meek, and unsure. It was strange seeing him take charge.
Chiron interrupted my train of thoughts causing a train wreck as the train fell off the end of the tracks into the emotional canyon. “Eliza, I know today has been an emotionally rough day for you, but I was hoping you would write a speech for the burning of Leo’s shroud.” I felt like my heart had been seized by a cold fist. It hadn’t been a dream. This was all real. I curled up in a ball. My hair fell in a curtain around my knees.
Piper gently touched my elbow. “Eliza, what happened?” she asked gently. At this, I gave up. I didn't wait for Peter’s all clear. I took off to the beach tears streaming down my cheeks. I found myself at the beach. When I turned around, I was surprised to see that no one had followed me. Just to be safe, though, I stepped into the water. No one but the naiads and Percy could bother me here. I was alone.
The whole underwater seemed to be drained of color, changed to suit my mood. I cried. There was nothing else I could do. I was not about to try to write a speech for the burning. Don’t get me wrong, the speeches were normally easy. I had given more than one before, but those weren’t close friends.
His death was painful. It cut deep, like a knife blade dragged against my heart. I wanted to be angry at him. Angry for rigging that contraption to explode. Angry at him for going over there to try to stop it, but I couldn’t be. I couldn’t be angry. Not at him. Not now.
I cried. That’s all I could do. My emotions poured out with the tears. All the anger, frustration, sadness, fear, annoyance, confusion, and every other emotion I had felt over the last few months streamed down my cheeks. After about thirty minutes I felt a hand on my shoulder.
I turned around to see Percy. “It’s time to come back,” he told me. I nodded and allowed him to drag me out of the water and back on to the shore. We walked to the cabin, his arm draped over my shoulders in a protective gesture. He led me inside before wrapping me in a tight embrace. For a minute, I allowed myself to feel small again.
After a few minutes he whispered “Are you okay?”
I nodded, not speaking.
I pulled away and went to take a shower, thinking of a speech for Leo’s burial.

Notes

Sorry this took so long! It took me a while to write because I kept getting writer's block, so thanks for your patience!
Also, do any of you guys have ideas for Eliza's speech. I know I want her to talk about how Leo died at the end and struggle not to cry, but beyond that I don't know. Thanks for your assistance!