A.N. This is my first fanfic so please don't hate. It takes place during House of Hades, while Percy and Annabeth are in Tartarus. BTW I do not own Heroes of Olympus
Nico P.O.V.
I'm sitting on the Argo II's mast, while Jason and Piper are on watch down on deck. I just can't sleep at all these days. When I close my eyes, all I can see is the depths of Tartarus and the inside of that jar. Monsters and loss and... I start to lose my breath and clam up. Can't breathe... can't see... What am I going to do? No escape. I snap open my eyes and lean into the breeze. My thoughts drift to Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus. I was barely able to come out of that place sane. Me... A son of Hades... Nico di Angelo, Ghost King. If I could barely manage, how will they? No. I can't think about that. They'll be fine. I WILL get them out. I'm trying to ignore Jason and Piper down there. I'm not really paying attention to anything or watching for monsters, but, why should I have to? They're the ones on watch. They look kind of busy. Eeewwww! I guess I'm still a little bit if a kid even after having been through so much. They should really be looking to make sure... OH my gods.
"Piper", I shout, "look out" she jumps, and spins, too late though. The beast's claws pierce through her back. She screams. I jump, sliding down the ropes and mast. Jason has already killed the monster. Piper is in bad shape. Jason's just holding onto her. "Pipers... PIPES!" She just smiles, blood pooling on the deck. Jason tells for me to do something or go get help. I hit the alarm button to wake the others. The sky darkens and we are in the middle of a lightning storm. "Jason" I tell him, "you're going to knock the ship out of the sky." He yells at me to save her, "You're a son of Hades, Nico. Stop her from dying! DO SOMETHING!" I feel Piper's soul leave her body. I don't know if I can handle this. War. So much pain and darkness. "Jason," I say, "There's nothing I can do. She's gone." The others have arrived. Frank is trying to move Jason, who crumples to the deck, clutching Piper's body and cries, "It's all my fault." Leo cries out for his good friend, kneeling on the ground, while Hazel comes over, and hugs me, her tears staining my black shirt with salt water. I can't help but think of Percy.