Chapter One: Memory

Thalia,

I know this is out of the blue considering we haven't talked since this summer but, I saw your name on the list of half-bloods that would be at the winter solstice council meeting. and I don't know I was wondering if maybe we could meet up and talk there? I've been thinking about you a lot lately due to something that's come up… I mean I think about you anyways… Wow I know I'm rambling now so basically please just try to see me when your get to Olympus tonight, if you wait till tomorrow it'll be pointless . I hate how things ended with us. No ones affected me this way in a long time… just so you know.

Apollo

Thalia sat down on the bed in her cabin at Camp Half-Blood with a thud. Wow what the hell? She had been packing for the trip to Olympus when in a flash of brilliant sunlight a letter had appeared on her bed. She read it again twice, three times still unbelieving. Apollo and her hadn't spoken since an argument in late August and she really didn't need him popping up in her life now, especially when things were going so well.

Things with Nico were amazing they had even toyed with the idea of moving in together into an apartment with Percy and Annabeth. This two-month trip would be like a trial run of spending a lot of time together. So far the longest time they'd been together was a ten day trip to the Bahamas on a cruise in October when things had been relatively quiet on the monster front. The winter council meeting on Olympus was kind of like a demi-god internship and her and her friends had all gotten spots. It was pretty much a given that they would but it was still exciting! Thalia had been waiting for this trip since she got the news before Thanksgiving but now her happiness was like a popped balloon, she felt her heart slowly deflating all the joy leaking out. How could she have a good time when Apollo would probably be lurking around her the entire time? Un-freaking believable!

"Knock, Knock!" Cried Annabeth bursting into the Zeus cabin. "Are you ready to roll! It time to party with the immortals for two months!"

Thalia jumped up putting her arms with the letter still in her hand behind her back. Why hadn't she locked the door when she had come in to pack? "Um yeah, I'm not quite ready yet." She said shuffling towards her suitcase hoping to stuff the letter into a pocket until Annabeth left.

"What! You came in her like half an hour ago you said you just had to put your make up and stuff in a bag and you'd be ready. I was freaking out cause I had to re-pack one of my bags and I though you'd be mad that I was running late." Annabeth said flopping down on the bed. Thalia turned her body quickly so her friend wouldn't notice the letter but the other girl noticed the strange movement. Annabeth's stormy grey eyes narrowed. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing just a note from Nico." Lied Thalia.

"If it was a note from Nico you would show it to me." Countered Annabeth. "You always show me the cute little things he does for you."

"That's not true!" Exclaimed Thalia, even though it totally was. Before she could think of something to do her friend had snatched the paper out of her hand. She watched as Annabeth's eyes got bigger and bigger, finally she laid the letter down in her lap. "I can explain…" Thalia said.

"Please do because I am quite curious at why the lord of the Sun is sending you a love sick note."

Thalia scoffed. "Psh he doesn't sound love sick." Annabeth raised an eyebrow incredulously. Well ok thought Thalia he does sound kind of love sick or at least not like his usual cocky, obnoxious, sexy self. Ew where had sexy come from. She shook her head and took a deep breath preparing to tell a secret that she had tried to forget. "Okay so, wow how do I say this… well in Orlando when Nico was talking to Zeus and you and Percy were exploring the city umm." Thalia paused this was really hard to finally get off her chest. "Anyway I was waiting for my friend and Apollo showed up, we had a few drinks and he was being all Apollo like so one thing led to another and we had sex. As soon as it was over I felt so bad I was about to leave and there was this loud thump outside of the door so Apollo opens the door like a dumb ass and there's Nico."

Annabeth gasped. "Oh my god Thalia-."

"Wait there's more. That's why Nico and I didn't get together till the end of summer he was completely disgusted with me and he should've been. Right before camp ended we talked and he forgave me it took a while for him to trust me again but now he does. The only thing is that right after we started dating he goes "I'm so glad that thing with Apollo was just one time, how can I compete with a god?" I just nodded and kissed him but really it wasn't. While Nico was dating Sage I was dating Apollo. We got in this huge fight a couple days before my talk with Nico and he said it was over he had wasted enough time on me and I haven't heard from him since… until today."

Thalia waited anxiously for Annabeth to say something. No one knew about her and Apollo dating except for well probably all the Olympians but no one human. "I'm not sure what to say… I can't believe you had sex with Apollo! Or dated him for that fact. Yes he's fucking hot but he's a god!" yelled Annabeth.

"That's what you care about? You aren't judging me?" asked Thalia shocked.

"What's there to judge technically you were single, you shouldn't have lied to Nico but you know what you have to do now. You have to tell him before we go on this trip."

The daughter of Zeus sighed, leaning back on her bed head thumping on the wall. "I was afraid you would say that."

Thalila found Nico in his cabin also packing up his belongings, his door was ajar letting in some of the crisp winter air. She knocked lightly getting his attention, he turned slowly flipping his ebony hair out of his eyes, a smile spreading across his face when he saw who was at his door.

"Hey babe are you totally stoked to go on this trip?" he asked walking towards her wrapping his arms around her small frame. She squirmed out of her grasp feeling anxious and guilty she had a feeling this wouldn't go well.

"Listen Nico I need to talk to you about something, I was packing earlier and uh a note from Apollo appeared on my bed." Nico tensed visibly before her. "He wants to talk to me before the council meeting.

"What does he want to talk about?" Nico asked through gritted teeth then continued "What do you guys even have to talk about?"

Thalia took a deep breath trying to steel her nerves, Nico had trust issues and a temper she was going to have to handle this delicately or risk really hurting him.

"We have a lot to talk about actually Nico a lot of unfinished business. The thing is I lied to you before my relationship with him wasn't just a one night stand; I dated him while you were dating Sage. I'm really sorry I should've told you before I just didn't know how."

"Whoa wait a second you what? You dated Apollo? The guy you basically cheated on me with and you're just now telling me because he sent you a note? Pretty much you're only telling me to save your ass so I didn't find out when we were there right?" asked Nico visibly fuming.

She wanted to say no that's not how it was but honestly yeah if she had been able to never tell Nico about this she wouldn't have. Early on she had learned that honesty was not always the best policy when it could hurt the other person.

"Well I'm not going to lie so yes that's why but it was just to protect you! We had already been through so much why add that to it?"

Nico rolled his while unconsciously cracking his knuckles. "Really that's the reason come on Thalia you know me, you know I've always had trust issues on what planet would I rather you hide you dating a god than telling me? I admit I probably would've been upset but I would've gotten over it quickly now I just wonder what else you're hiding from me. Every time I think things with you and I are getting normal something else pops up."

Before Thalia could answer a knock on the door and a call of "Hello" startled them both. Percy poked his head in grinning from ear to ear. "Come on guys we're leaving in five and we still need to load your luggage. Let's get a move on!" he said jerking his thumb towards the waiting van outside.

"We'll be there in a second." Answered Nico quietly. When Percy had disappeared he turned back to his girlfriend, taking a deep breath to clear his head he gazed at her. She was biting her lip looking at him intently, he could see the nervousness in her eyes and could tell how bad she felt but it wasn't enough. "Let's just try to enjoy tonight we can talk about this tomorrow. If you need to talk to Apollo talk to him."

"I don't want to talk to him if it's going to hurt you." She whispered lowering her eyes.

"Ha being with him no matter what it does to me hasn't stopped you before." Said Nico sharply as he grabbed his bags.

"Nico that's not fair? I, I, just never mind. Forget it." Thalia said pushing past him heading outside. When Nico got into one of his moods there was no reasoning with him. She had fucked up and there would be no fixing it tonight, she just hoped nothing would happen that would make it worse.