Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Rick Riordan, or the Percy Jackson / Heroes of Olympus series. I make no profit from this.
Nico stood staring out over the dark waves, the cold rain on his face and arms making chills run down his spine. But he couldn't bring himself to go back inside. Back to the sadness enveloping the others since They had fallen. He couldn't put himself through that. Rain or no rain, he would stay outside.
Just last week, he had believed he would die. He believed that the giants would leave him there until his breath gave out, and that the others would not come for him. The dream he had while in the death trance had told him as much.
"Don't get me wrong, Hazel. It's just that your brother, Nico… he knew about both camps, right."
"Well, yes." Hazel said
"He's been going back and forth," Leo said, "and he didn't tell either side."
Jason sat forward, his expression grim. "You're wondering if we can trust the guy. So am I."
Hazel shot to her feet. "I don't believe this. He's my brother. He brought me back from the Underworld, and you don't want to help him?"
The dream had been his worst nightmare, but he knew it was true. And it would not stop haunting him. And Leo and Jason were not alone in their doubts. The others didn't trust him, not even Him and Her, the ones who he had known the longest. Then again, he had betrayed Him in the past. And now He had fallen, chosen to accompany Her rather than leave her behind to face Tar... That Place alone. He wondered if anyone would have ever done that for him. He shivered again at the memory of wandering through that place.
Light suddenly spilled out on the deck below, framing the tall figure standing in the doorway of the dining room. Nico watched Jason Grace step out on the deck, saw him scan the deck and look upward toward Nico. Nico shrank into the shadow of the mast, knowing that the rain would most likely drive Grace back inside. Coach Hedge and Valdez were on duty tonight, after all, and they always did so from the helm.
"DiAngelo, you out here?" Nico kept silent, certain that if he ignored Grace, the other would assume he had gone inside. "I know you're out here. I already checked the stables." Nico ducked further into the shadow, kneeling now to avoid being seen. He had no desire to talk to anyone. "Hazel is looking for you, too."
Nico sighed. Grace had picked the one thing that would convince him to come down. He stood, and stepped to the edge, sliding one leg to the top of the ladder. He climbed down slowly, shivers still raking through him. He tried to prevent them, but had difficulty doing so.
Shame filled him. He got through Tartarus alive, but a little rain and he was shaking. Pathetic.
His foot slipped on the last step, and he landed hard beside Jason, who reached out instantly to steady him. Nico pulled away. He didn't need Grace's help, and even if he did, he refused to take it. He would leave after helping the others reach Epirus. He didn't need anyone, much less the Son of Jupiter.
Nico started inside, but Jason got in the way. "Hazel went to bed already. I told her I would find you and convince you to go inside. Besides, I wanted to talk to you."
Nico glared at him.
"I didn't lie! She is worried." He paused. "We all are."
Nico scoffed. "You don't know me."
"Fair enough. You know… it wasn't your fault."
Nico glared at him, hate in his eyes.
Jason swallowed hard, but continued, refusing to be intimidated by someone so much smaller than him. "You're… you're a comrade now. And you were in New Rome long enough to know what that means."
Nico rolled his eyes. "Except that you trust your comrades, right?"
Jason's eyes widened for a second, and Nico used that opportunity to slip past the older boy. He pulled the door open just enough to slip through, leaving Jason Grace behind. He continued down the hall, leaving the light and warmth of the kitchen behind. He stayed in the shadows, edging his way through hallways and down stairs until he reached the stables.
They had offered to let him sleep in Percy's room, but he couldn't do it. Not when he knew the horrors he was facing right at this moment. Nico curled up on the floor of the stable and closed his eyes. Sleep claimed him instantly.