Broken

I don't know what I'm doing here. It's the middle of the night. It has to be below zero, with it being the middle of winter. Even here in camp, Dionysus has aloud the horrors of winter to enter. And I'm the dumb one, out here in this cold only wearing a pair of sweats and a long sleeve tee-shirt. I look over my shoulder. The Zeus' cabin is practically 20 yards away. I can always turn back.

Then the monsters that lurk me in my dreams seem to pop out into reality. Because before I know it, I let out a blood chilling scream. I run up the steps to the Hades' cabin. Before I have time to knock, the door flies open. There stands a very dazed, yet very aware Nico.

"What's wrong?" He demands. I shake my head and brush past him into his cabin. When he sees the look of terror in my eyes, he all too soon understands. I'm shaking. Yet very some how I manage to take in my surroundings.

Nico's cabin is pitched black, the only light coming from his TV. I can see that his bed is still made, but blankets are pilled on top of the made comforter. His laptop is open, looks like he was on face book. The halls that lead to his bathroom and kitchen are blackened. I turn and face Nico. His hair isn't messed up, so I know he wasn't sleeping. He is only in a pair of black skinny jeans and converse. He doesn't have a shirt on, so his abs is visible. His eyes are studying me very closely.

My guess is my eyes give me away. He takes half a stride and takes me in an embrace. He has to be a good foot and a half taller then me. He also is nothing but muscles. I actually feel safe in his arms. But, my guess is that it takes a minute for my body to comprehend that I'm now in safety, for I'm still shaking like crazy.

"Same dream?" He asks. Over the years, his voice has gotten very deep. But some how, I still find comfort in it. I manage to shake my head.

We stay like that for a while. I'm afraid that if Nico moves or loosens his grip on me, I will fall to the ground because my knees are that weak. Nico has been the person I confine in. After al he is the reason I got kicked out of the hunt. We both are 7 now. Let's just say, I don't know what I would do without this dude.

"Come on Thals, you need your sleep." Nico said, guiding me over to his bed. I crawl in on the left side. He gets in on the right. It's basically the routine now. Even though we are breaking the rules of camp, and if Chiron were to find out, he would totally freak. But it seems the only way I can get some sleep, if Nico is right there next to me. I know he will wake me up if it gets to bad. So for times like this, I'm grateful for that stupid son of Hades.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"So Thalia, would you be interested in knowing who I just talked to?" Artemis' voice was icy and dangerous. I couldn't help but wonder why she would call me to her tent in the middle of the night for this. What ever the reason, it couldn't be good.

"Didn't you talk to Zeus, my Lady?" I asked, clearly confused. A smirk made its way on Artemis' face.

"Yes, indeed I talked to father. I also ran into Aphrodite. She filled me in on some very important." I know my face went pale. My stomach dropped. I felt dizzy and weak. Artemis knows. She knows I've broken my oath. She knows I didn't completely turn my back on the company of men. Worse of all, she knows I've fallen in love.

"Really. What did she have to say?" I asked, determined not to give myself away so easy.

"Why Thalia? You made an oath, yet you decided to break it. Now you're going to play dub with me?" She asked. I could hear the sharpness in her voice. That frightened me. She never used that voice with me.

"Artemis I'm s-" She cut me off.

"Thalia, don't. You betrayed me by falling for that son of Hades. Now lever before I decide not to take mercy on your soul." It was clear I was dismissed. I walked out of her tent, making my way to my own. I grabbed the little belongings I did have, and started on my way. Not before I heard the growl. I turned around all to soon to realize Artemis did not take mercy on my soul. She had realized her own hell upon me. All I could do was run while the worst kinds of beast chased after me, wanting to taste my blood. I knew these things never stopped hunting until they got their prey. I knew there was no way out of it alive. Unless my dad would take pity on my soul one last time...

"Thalia! Wake up!" I was shook awake, still screaming out of my dream. I looked up at Nico, and the familiar ness of my cabin over took me. I was alive. I was safe. They didn't catch me. My dad did take pity on me again. But not enough to take away the nightmares of that horrid day, he wouldn't be nice enough to not make me have to relive that day every time my eyes found sleep.

This is how I lived, either in Nico's bed screaming or my own with Nico pounding on my door or shaking me awake. At the slightest sounds, I would jump. At a twig snapping, I'd yelp. When the wind blew hard enough, I'd scream. Yeah, Artemis broke me, just how I broke her oath.

A/N: So this was just a one-shot I thought up. You know, everyone always has Thalia get kicked out of the hunt, but always peacefully. Clearly Artemis isn't the most peaceful Goddess. Review?

~ Gummy