Love Across Lifetimes

Justin loved Shadow Travel. It was like the best roller coaster, only it was in the dark. He was relieved when it stopped though. Being in the dark with all that fear, shortly after he was in a nightmare world, it stretched his sanity a little too far for comfort.

Hades had sent them to the sword training arena back at camp. It was just after sunset.

Justin lets out a sigh of relief.

“It’s good to be home,” he says looking at his friends. Then he looks at Rose, standing at the edge of the group.

He walks over to her and wraps her in the tightest hug he can give. When she hugs him back, she squeezes a little too tight.

“Owowow! RO, too tight!”

Immediately, she lets go and backs away. “I’m sorry!” A look of fear covers her face.

Justin turns to the rest of his friends. “You guys go on. Let everyone know we made it back safely. We’ll catch up.”

They all nod and start walking toward the dining pavilion.

Justin turns back toward Rose. “What’s wrong Ro?”

“I’m a monster, I can’t control my strength. I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispers. A tear forms in her eye.

Justin walks over to her and wipes the tear away. “Rose, you are not a monster. You will learn to control this new power, and the only way you could hurt me, would be leaving.”

He can’t lose his best friend, not after all they’ve been through. Especially not after they have finally gotten passed this awkward friendship and are now a thing. “I can’t lose you Ro, I won’t. If you run, I will follow you.”

A small smile appears on her face. “You honestly think that you’d catch me Barnacle Brain?”

“All the Gods combined couldn’t keep me from following you,” he says with a smile.

Her face relaxes slightly, “What makes you think you could catch me?”

“I know you more than anyone else, I could track you easily,” he says with a chuckle. He wraps his arms around her, holding her tightly. “I don’t care if you break every bone in my body, I won’t let you leave. You will learn to control your strength, I’ll help you.”

From behind them, they hear a woman’s voice.

“Hello my daughter. I am glad to see that you made it back from the Underworld safely. However, you left something behind.”

Justin and Rose turn around to see Athena. She is standing there holding a hand out, smiling. In her hand is the owl charm bracelet.

“Lord Hades found this in his throne room and realized that it must be something important. He sent it to me, wondering if I knew what it was.”

Rose walks over to her mother and takes the bracelet from her. She puts the bracelet back on and she has a look of relief on her face. She walks back toward Justin, when she gets back to him she turns back to her mother. “Thank you mother, I greatly appreciate it.”

She then looks to Justin, smiling, “Now I can only kick your butt at mortal strength.”

“I’m just glad that you will stick around to kick my butt, no matter what strength.” He gives her a slight squeeze of affection.

“Mother,” Rose starts, turning her attention back to her mother, “In the Underworld. I heard, a couple times, that this was our third life. Can you tell us anything about who our other lives were?”

“I am sorry Rose. That is not something I can tell you at this time. I will, however, tell you that you were a past daughter of mine, and Justin was a past son of Poseidon. You also lived at the same time in your past life.” Athena gives a knowing smile. “Also know that I could not be more proud of either of you.”

With that, Athena starts to glow. The young demigods turn away to avoid the supernova of her true form.

“So,” Justin starts. “You have your strength gone, what are you going to do now?”

She looks him directly into his eyes. “Well, I won’t be running away, that much is certain.”

Justin smiles, “Good.” Then he pulls her in close and kisses her. His mind goes into the fog that comes when he kisses her. His heart starts racing like crazy, and he is pretty sure this is what Elysium is like.

From behind, they hear, “Well it’s about time!”

They turn around and they see the entire camp looking at them and grinning. Justin was pretty sure he even saw some golden drachma exchange hands.

He looked to Rose. Then she said, “What do you say we get out of here? I have enough strength and speed to get us out of here in no time at all.”

He gives her a grin, “I’ll throw some water up as a diversion.”

He feels the pull from his gut, calling the water that was in the ground to come up. When it was just below the surface he looks back to Rose. “Ready?”

She gives him a smile and a nod.

He then wills the water to erupt into a large wall of water and mud separating them from the campers. The perfect screen to get away.

Rose put her owl charm into her pocket, and then picked Justin up. Carrying him like a groom carries a bride.

Justin feels the blood rush to his face in embarrassment. But then he accepts it, “I guess this is fitting for our relationship, in a weird way. Shall we get going?”

With that, Rose takes off running into the woods. Justin feels content being in the arms of his best friend and now, his girlfriend. She has always been the one who has been saving his butt. She saved him when they first met, she saved his sanity numerous times, now she is saving him from the teasing from the other campers.

“Got any ideas on a spot where we can have some privacy?” she asks.

Justin smiles, “Head toward the beach, let’s take a swim.”

Notes