On a distant shore. (Accalia)

It was nighttime.  Geoff stood near the edge of one of the harbors, gazing off into the distance.  The air was warm and relaxing as it usually was during this time in Concordia.  One might think that he was out here just to idly enjoy the peaceful surroundings.  Unfortunately, that wasn't entirely the truth.  Yes, he had chosen to be at the ports because of the tranquility, but he was plagued with sad and regretful thoughts about Accalia and what they had lost.

Earlier in the day, he had witnessed her kissing another guy, an aggressive bloke named Jason.  He had tried to calm his shock, misery, and hurt by jumping back to work and busying himself for the rest of the day.  That had worked--only a little bit.  He had been able to occupy himself with other matters, but he had been distracted, too.  Come nighttime when he had nothing to do but to be a victim of his own merciless thoughts, he just couldn't bear it in his apartment.  It was too stuffy in there.  He needed some fresh air so he could think clearly, and his nightly stroll had led him to the ports.    

In his regretful nostalgia, he had been remembering how it had been for them at first.  Geoff had been a typically shy boy who was discovering a new life full of discipline, friends, and possibilities for himself after living a childhood of insecurity.  A beautiful and lively daughter of Ceres with brown hair and dark eyes had caught his attention.  For a Roman, she had been full of life and love.  He had gotten to know her and she became a close friend, and for a long time he had a crush on her of which he was too embarrassed to admit.  Damn, he had cursed himself, he had developed into a more confident being, one who had learned to be unafraid of others.  He had learned to be direct and straightforward.  So how come could he be acting like such a coward?  He had asked her three best friends for advice on how to impress and attract her, and even if he had received a boatload of support from then, he hadn't been brave enough to confess his feelings.  Some of the advice did rub on him, though, and he had been able to flirt a bit, but never gave any indication of feeling more than playful toward her. 

But then, one night when he couldn't sleep, he had been sitting idly on the porch of the third cohort barracks.  Accalia happened to be outside that night, too, and had wandered over to where he was and sat down beside them.  They had been talking normally, but out of some unexplainable impulse, he had reached over and kissed her.

Remembering that brought a faint smile to his face.  Ah, yes, after he had kissed her had been sure she was going to slap him and announce that they were now enemies.  He had thank the gods everlasting that she had actually reciprocated those feelings.  What resulted that fateful night was a young, sweet, and strong romance that had been almost unbreakable.

And then skip to when they were in the thick of their relationship.  He remembered using his stealth to scare her and her three best friends by jumping out at them unexpectedly whenever he happened to stumble upon them without them knowing he was there.  When she was alone, he would not only jump out on her but grab her and lift her off of the ground, spinning her as she squealed and laughed.  He had even wore a circlet made of flowers on his head just to amuse her.  Sometimes, on nights like these, they would sneak out of the barracks and take a clandestine stroll around the camp hand in hand--of course, they would kiss, too.  Once, a kid who didn't like him at camp had been bullying him, but Accalia had stepped right in and got the idiot to bugger off in a way that even Geoff had been almost afraid of her.  Geoff had overheard Rebecca, then a mean girl (and still one, but he didn't know that) gossiping maliciously about Accalia and had scathingly told her to shut up.  It had been an act that had wildly out of character for him, but it had happened, nonetheless.

The smile was wiped from his face, though, as he started to remember that dreadful moment of which he had thought she had been killed by the collapsing wall.  She had instructed him to get the Silver Falcon back to the rest of the group, but he had staunchly refused to leave her.  But right at that moment, the wall fell on her.  He had watched in complete terror when it did, yelling out her name.  When the wall had fallen, she was no longer there.  She was underneath that wall, he had thought with tears in his eyes.  She was dead, and there was nothing he could do for her.  All he did was get down on his knees beside what he was convinced was her grave and weep his eyes out until he knew that he had no choice but to leave and rejoin the group. 

The journey back to the camp and the initial days without Accalia had been pure torture.  He felt numb, heartsick, distraught, distracted, depressed, wondering how he managed to live knowing that he'd never see her again.  He had also been sorely ashamed of himself for not being able to help her.  Luckily, Rebecca was there to give him the comfort and assurance that he needed.  She convinced him that he could still move on in life and not let the past destroy him.  She had been genuine, expressing her sorrow of Accalia's death and sympathizing with his yearning for her, saying all the things he needed desperately to hear.  She had also let him know that it hadn't been his fault, and that Accalia had died honorably as a demigod on a quest.  He should be proud that she had been so brave and sacrificing.  And with that, Geoff had entered into a relationship with Becca.

But all of a sudden, Accalia came back and was very much alive.  He had been immensely confused, but happy that she was alive and not dead as he had feared her to be.  However, the horror that struck him when he realized that he had left her thinking she was dead, when indeed she had been alive--he wasn't sure how and today he didn't know how she did it--was stronger.  Not to mention, the fact that he had a new girlfriend.  Basically, he had cheated on her without being aware of it.  Accalia had been wroth with him, angry, bitter, and unforgiving for leaving her behind and not trying hard enough to save her.  At first he protested, saying that she wasn't being fair--how could he have known that the wall hadn't killed her? But it didn't take long for him to realize that his argument was weak, and she was right.  He was surrounded by a bunch of demigods who would walk to the ends of the earth to rescue their friends, while he had simply walked away from his girlfriend.  What he had done was inexcusable.  Worse, he had dated another girl while she had been struggling on her own to make it back to camp.  Now he couldn't break off the relationship and hurt the sinless Becca, and there was no point in doing so.  Accalia didn't love him anymore, and he only felt shame and guilt where she was concerned.  He did not deserve to love her, having failed her in the steadfast loyalty and romance department.  Day by day, they had grown more distant until they barely spoke to one another at all.  Her three best friends, the girls he had come to see as his sisters, turned against him. 

That was how he and Accalia had left off in their relationship.  After five years in being in Concordia, it hadn't been any different.  He rarely saw her--the only break in that phase was that he had encountered her on her own at the climbing wall.  But after that, he hadn't come across her again and he hoped he wouldn't.  For five years he had done his best to convince himself that Accalia was no more than a distant memory and an experience of what not to do.  When she had re-entered into the scene, he had told himself that their relationship was no more than civil politeness borne from maturity.  He had Becca now, and he would protect her as he had failed to protect Accalia.  He had been accused of jumping into his relationship with Becca too soon after Accalia had been "dead", but he justified it with the age-old argument of moving on in life and the healing process.  Because, again, he had thought she had been gone for good.

Yet, sometimes he would dream about her.  He would hear her laughter and revisit some of their happy memories together in those dreams.  And now...after seeing her kiss another guy and feeling rabidly jealous, he finally realized how much he still wanted her.  He was in love with her, very much so.  After all these years of casting her out of his mind, she had still remained in his heart.  He had some success in viewing her as a bad memory, but when he thought about her, she was more of a sweet and loving one.  Becca was amazing, but his time with Accalia had been too incredible to put into words.  He wanted those times back badly, and the fact that it could never happen again was unbearable.

He dropped his forehead to his hands, wondering why that unfortunate twist to the mission just had to happen.  Why? Gods, why? What had he done to deserve it, to lose the love of his life and live in this perpetual misery? What had Accalia done to deserve it, too? He clearly saw her side to the story, and he understood how shattered he must have felt.  She must have felt even more shattered than he did, and knowing that made him all the more miserable.  Tears misted his eyes and rolled down his face, but he made no effort to wipe them away.   
             

And there he was. Crying.

Accalia was leaving in the morning on a quest to find her father along with her best friend, Quinn. Jason was going to come, and was going to bring someone along but... she wasn't sure if that was going to happen anymore after what had happened a few days before. After Geoff had seen them kissing.

She came to the docks in order to scope out the ship she was going to be using and make sure that everything would be good to go in the morning. She didn't get far, however, before she saw Geoff there. She bit her lip. Should she approach him? Well, she could die on this quest, couldn't she?

She stepped toward him, moving beside him. "Hey..." she said softly.

Even in his time of grieving, he still had the sharp senses of which he had inevitably inherited from his father.  He could sense that he wasn't alone now, and that someone was approaching him.  He didn't have time to wipe the tears on his eyes when he saw who was standing beside him, and his heart skipped a beat.  Accalia! What in Mercury's name was she doing here? And why did she seem to appear at the most unexpected times? It was as if thinking about her had summoned her here.

He stared at her for a quick moment.  After having two surprise confrontations with her, he was already passed the time of shock and disbelief at the very sight of her.  He ought to know how to behave properly around her by now.  He quickly wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.  "Accalia..." He tried to smile, couldn't, but at the very least he did what he could to look confused, which he rather was.  "What...what brings you here at this time of the night?" 

Accalia looked over at him as she noticed him turn to her with surprise, no doubt. As he wiped his eyes, she felt her hand twitch a little, but she didn't lift it. Instead she folded her arms across her chest. "I'm leaving tomorrow, actually." She explained when he asked what she was doing there.

"I'm going on a quest to find my father. Quinns coming, as well as some friends..." She didn't want to explain who that was, though Geoff probably had a good idea as to who. "I was coming to see what boat I'd be taking... I was thinking of just falling asleep on it," she said softly, turning away from him and looking back out into the docks.

"Are you okay?" She asked, her voice incredibly soft he may not even hear...

He was startled when she told him that she was leaving tomorrow.  "Leaving tomorrow? Where--" But then he didn't need to ask further, because she was already explaining, and he listened attentively.  So...she was going on a quest.  A quest to find her father, who Geoff remembered being told had been missing when she was a young teenager.  Of course he would remember.  Quinn would be going; he definitely knew who Quinn was.  She said she would be going with other friends, and he wondered if Mac was one of those friends.  He also wondered if Jason was, too, but decided not to think about that right now.  

"I remember what you told me about your father," he said, nodding.  "Jordan...he left when you were thirteen."  He didn't really need to repeat what she knew, but he was recollecting to himself facts from her past which he had ceased to think about for a long time.  Geoff would understand why Accalia wanted to find him; she had told Geoff nothing but loving memories of him.  The thought of her going on a quest sent a stab of guilt and some sad emotion through him, though, remembering how the one they had went on together went.  He really hoped that this one would be better for her.

She mentioned that she hoped to be falling asleep on the boat that she was to pick out, and he was finally able to force a smile.  "An early start is always convenient," he agreed, although he hoped that she meant to sleep in a bedroom within a boat, not just on the deck of the boat.  He'd be worried if that were the case.

He was expecting a bit of silence to follow as she formulated her responses, but instead, he heard her ask, almost imperceptibly, if he was okay.  He knew where that came from, and it sent another stab of pain through him again.  Of course he wasn't okay, but he was willing to lie in this case.  He didn't want to burden her.  "I'm alright, Accalia," he replied.  He hesitated for a fleeting moment before asking, "What about you? How are you feeling? You must be...anxious about the quest and what lies ahead of you tomorrow." 

She nodded as Geoff remembered her fathers name. The sound of it caused her ears to burn, her heart to hurt. Especially coming from Geoffs mouth, who had been so supportive back in the day. Clearly he still supported her now, didn't he? It seemed so. He smiled now, as she mentioned falling asleep on the boat. She smiled too, though it still wasn't a genuine one. Not just yet. So, he said he was alright. She didn't believe that to be true for even a second. Still, she let him tell the lie. There was no reason to go on pushing him to say how he was really feeling. "Me? Oh," she started, a little startled that he asked her. Even though she had just asked him the same question, it was still strange to be speaking after five years of avoiding each other. "I'm good. I'm ready. Anxious, sure, but... happy. Want to see the boat?" before she knew it she was gesturing to the Everest, offering to show him the vessel she'd be taking.

Why did she do that? After all, she didn't trust him. Why would she take him on a ship in the water where he could easily harm her. No, she knew he wasn't going to do that. Sure he left her for dead, but he must have tried at least a little... the real hurt was that it didn't take him long at all to start dating Becca. He wouldn't intentionally try to kill her, right? Geoff was a gentle soul, he would never do a thing like that.

Geoffrey's gaze moved in the direction to where she was gesturing.  It was a boat, a decent looking one.  He could see the words Everest in big letters at the side.  He couldn't believe what he was hearing.  She was...offering to show him the boat? Like, let him board it with her? The two of them; alone? That was...that was a friendly offer.  Too friendly for the two of them, who had been bitterly estranged from one another for half a decade.  He could almost hear the sound of his heart pounding in his chest.  He wouldn't lie that he was nervous.  But nonetheless, he found himself turning to face her again with a sheepish smile on his face.  "Sure," he said.  "I...I'd like to see it."

Accalia didn't smile back at him as he agreed to go aboard with her, but soon they were there on the boat. She took off her shoes, leaving them on deck as she showed him around. "This is the deck, where we'll spend most of our time. Down here," she opened the door and led him down a few stairs, "this is where the cabin is on the right, and there is a small space for a cot on the left. It can only fit about... three to four people on it. There will be four of us, it looks like," she explained. She led him back up the stairs and back to the deck. She turned toward him, finally, biting her lip for a second.

"We should... straighten a few things about before I leave. You know, in case I don't make it back," she started.

And here they were, on the boat.  He had taken off his shoes as well and followed her.  He still did not trusting his senses as he walked beside her, listening to her show him around and explain some things about the different parts of the ship as if they were good friends.  Yet there was part of him that was still living the moment, and he listened to her speak in earnest.  But it was finally when they made their way back up to the deck, and when she finally turned her complete attention upon him again, he was dismayed by what she said.

 Geoff swallowed.  He really didn't like the idea of her not making it back from a quest.  "D-don't say that!" he said in panic, but regretted that the moment it escaped his mouth.  She had the right to think that she might not come back, and there was nothing wrong with believing in that possibility.  Quests were dangerous, after all...Geoff sighed and quickly shook his head.  "Sorry...what I meant was...sure, what do you want to talk about?"

As Geoff panicked a little, Accalia almost reached out to comfort him, but didn't. "Sit down," she offered, gesturing to the bottom of the boat. She sat down, waiting for him to join her before speaking again. "Listen, Geoff, I don't want to hate you. I really hope we can be friends but... I just need to know something," she started. She was looking down at her hands in her lap for a moment of silence before she glanced up, making eye contact with him. "Did you leave me there to die, Geoffrey? Did you leave me there on purpose?"