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“He’s going to come back.” She told them and they looked at her like she was insane. Maybe she was. After all, she was holding out on a boy who had exploded. But if there was one thing that Piper McLean was, it was stubborn, and she had a gut feeling - one that no one could convince her to not believe in.
And so began 20 months of waiting. Maybe she was insane for that.
#
Leo would have loved Tulsa, Piper thought as she stared out at her grandfather’s garden. The house was still there, still painted lily white and lilac, still old and worn in. Still there. Like Piper.
She wondered sometimes if she was crazy for this. For waiting this long. For not moving on. But then she would remember how much Leo had longed for a family, for people to love him the way he loved them. And Piper was determined to give him that.
Even though he had been missing for 20 weeks now officially. Even though everyone else seemed to have given up.
“I know you’re gonna come back.” She said to the wind, her eyes scanning the horizon. She could see a glint in the skyline and a part of her, a silly stupid part wondered if it was Leo on Festus. She shook her head before continuing. “You’re Leo ‘Bad Boy Supreme’ Valdez. You fix things, you don’t break them. Don’t break my heart Valdez. Come back to me. Please.”
And maybe it was stupid, making wishes on the wind. But Piper had never been an entirely intelligent person. Hope was something that was good to have. It kept you sane and strong.
Hope was important. No one could tell her otherwise.
#
Camp was lively in the summer. Her cabin was bustling with activity as she walked around. Cabin inspections were later that day, and she had a feeling that her siblings had a lot of unmentionables - contraband essentially, hidden in their drawers. As long as she didn’t see it, she didn’t personally care but she knew that if one person was found with it, the entire cabin would get in trouble.
She was so in her head as she went around the cabin, Lacy and Mitchell running into the cabin scared the shit out of her. “Piper! You have to come right now!”
Piper raised an eyebrow, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “What?” Mitchell rolled his eyes. “Just come with us, gods.”
And with that, Piper found herself dragged out of their cabin and down the stairs towards the Big House.
Chiron was waiting outside and he looked nervous - something Piper never wanted to see on his face. “Is everything okay?” She asked and he simply nodded. “Everything is alright Ms. McLean. We have something to show you.”
She was brought inside, and her heart sped up. Why was everyone acting so weird? Lacy and Mitchell were giggling to themselves and Piper just wanted them to tell her what the hell she was there for.
Before her frustration overtook her, a voice came from the common room. “I heard you’ve missed me, Beauty Queen. Glad to know someone did.”
Piper’s heart to put it eloquently, dropped out of her ass. Leo Valdez was standing behind her, a smile on his face. He was dressed in a white tshirt with grease stained jeans and that stupid army jacket she used to tease him over.
It should have been perfect. She would run into his arms and he would hug her and it would all be okay. But for whatever reason, rather than the long heartfelt thoughtful speech Piper has spent months perfecting, the first thing out of her mouth was simply, “What the actual fuck.”
Lacy gave her a look and Piper stepped towards Leo. He stepped forward as well. “You’re alive.” She said dumbly and he nodded. “Yeah. I am. Who would have thought?”
Piper stared at him before surging forward. “Oh my gods. You asshole!” She cried, tears welling up in her eyes. One of Leo’s hands came up and wound up in her hair as his other hand rubbed her back as she sobbed. “I waited 20 months for you. 20 stupid fucking months. I burned a funeral pyre for you. With little dragons on it. And I cried so much I got tension headaches. And you-you’re okay. You’re okay…”
Leo pulled back slightly before grabbing her face between his hands. “Hey. I’m okay, Pipes. I’m fine corazón.” Piper hiccuped through tears before nodding. “You can’t do that to me ever again.” She said, after a long moment. “You’re my person, you are not allowed to leave me like that.”
Leo smiled at her sheepishly. “I’m sorry. Won’t do that again. Promise. You’re my mejor amiga.” His hands left her face and Piper shoved her face into the space between his collarbone and his head.
Lacy and Mitchell tapped her on the back before smiling softly as they left Piper and Leo alone. “I missed you so much.” Piper mumbled and Leo sighed. “Missed you too.”
Having hope had done her well, Piper decided. She wasn’t ever going to lose it if she could help it.