Chapter 1: The Storm
P.O.V. Thalia Grace
Camp Half-Blood
I couldn't believe it! It had been about 5 years since I had seen camp half-blood and all my friends. I couldn't believe how much it all had changed! Everyone was so much older and I... I was just the same. I mean don't get me wrong I love the hunt... But I don't like everyone around me moving on while I stayed stuck in time.
While I was getting a good look at the place and how it's changed I heard a ear-piercing scream. I spun around to see a older, surprised looking Annabeth running toward me. We hugged and then I pulled back and told her "You've grown so much! Way-to-go at making me feel short!"
"I haven't seen you in so long! Why didn't you call? I can't believe you're here! How long will you be staying?" Annabeth said after laughing at my comment. Annabeth kept talking but I zoned out the second I meet eyes with a certain, older, son of Hades.
"Oh My Gods." I said under my breath so the huntresses wouldn't hear, but sadly, Annabeth still heard.
"Wha-What is it Thalia?" Annabeth asked unsure of what was wrong. Apparently Nico understood what I was thinking by the surprised look on my face. He smirked at me before walking over to us.
'Oh My Gods! Look at him! Nico's grown so much that he's my age! I Knowles I shouldn't be staring not only because it's rude but I'm a freaking huntress! But can you blame me? I mean, his olive-skin, his soft looking black hair, his strong arms, the way you could get lost in his dark eyes! How could you not stare? But I can't be thinking this stuff! I'm a hunter of Artemis, sworn off men! Even if I wasn't a huntress there would still be one big problem... Zeus. There is no way in hell that I, Thalia Grace, Lieutenant of Artemis, Daughter of Zeus, would ever fall in love with Nico di Angelo, Ghost King, Son of Freaking Hades! But he's just so... No!' I thought to myself when Nico finally made his way over to Annabeth and I.
"Hey Thals! Surprised to see me?" Nico asked while laughing at the look on my face.
"Oh My Gods! You're my age now! I remember when you were such a hyper, little kid! Do you still play that little game? What was it called again? Mythomagic?" I said ruffling his hair while laughing at his death glare. "Now look at you! I've gotta say, being immortal does have its downsides! Not only is everyone growing up while I'm stuck in time, but you're all making me feel short!" I said pretending to be angry. Nico and Annabeth laughed together and everything was perfect... until Annabeth burst out with questions again. Nico and I just stared at her for a second before both of us just walking off, tired and annoyed by her questioning.
"So what have you been up to lately?" Nico asked.
"Umm... Hunting monsters I guess." I replied.
"Oh cool. Hey do you want some help with your bags?" Nico offered.
"Wow! Who would have thought that the son of Hades actually has manners!" I said handing him one of the bags I had been carrying, smiling at him. We finally reached my cabin walking in I sat my bags down in a corner and Nico did the same.
We sat on my bed in silence for a few minutes before Nico asked "So what brings you to Camp Half-Blood?"
I laughed and I responded "The hunters and I are staying here while Artemis is at a meeting on Olympus." I told him. He took a second and looked down at his feet before looking back up at me with sad yet happy eyes. This confused me... "What's wrong? Your eyes look so.. sad, yet happy?" I told him questioningly.
He chuckled before responding, "Well, I'm happy you're here, but its also sad to think that soon you'll have to leave." That surprised me! Nico was actually sad that I was gonna be leaving. He made it sound like he wanted me to stay! At that thought, I smiled. "Try not to look so happy! Jeez!" Nico said jokingly.
"It just makes me happy to think that you actually missed me, And that you're gonna miss me when I must leave!" I said without thinking, wish I hadn't afterwards. 'Stupid Thalia! Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!' I started to think to myself until I saw Nico's smile.
"Yes, I will. I missed you when you were gone, and I will miss you when you leave! But don't over-think it!" Nico said laughing, and I laughed along with him.
I stood up before saying, "Come on, Death Breath!" Nico gave me a confused look and I told him, "Are you coming or not? Just get up and come on! You'll see where we are going in a second! Don't you trust me, diAngelo?"
"I don't know, Should I?" Nico said seriously.
"Good point, Deadhead. But right now you can, so get off your ass and come on!" I told him, getting frustrated. Why does he have to be so stubborn!
"Fine, fine! But I'm getting Percy and Annabeth as witnesses, Just in case." He said with a smirk and I couldn't help but laugh. He was so stubborn I could shock him right now, but I've decided to try to be more nice to my friends. But that's kinda hard having Seaweed Brain, Wise Girl, and Death Breath as friends.
"Ha ha! You are sooo Funny!" I told him sarcastically.
"I've heard that a few times! I guess I just have an amazing sense of humor to go with my awesome personality and good looks! " he said looking proud of himself.
"Right now, I'm comparing you to a son of Aphrodite. To be honest, I don't think there's much of a difference." I told him trying to keep a serious face, but not even I could do that when I saw the look on Nico's face. He looked like the Minotaur just mooned him! I couldn't help but go into a fit of laughter!
"How rude, just plain rude!" Nico said angrily. "I could send you to Hades if I wanted! So maybe you should think about what you say to me." Nico said matter-of-factly.
"Yes, that may be so, but my father is Zeus and I can strike you down with lightning." I told him with a straight face.
"You wouldn't dare!" Nico said laughing, covering up the nervousness in his voice, but the emotion in his eyes told me it was there and that he knew I could. "I think I'll shut up anyways." he later added.
I laughed, and a few seconds later Nico joined in. I just then noticed that, right then, at that very moment, my life was perfect. I was at Camp Half-Blood, walking towards Zeus's Fist, talking and laughing with one of my best friends. Life honestly couldn't get any better!
I hadn't noticed I had stopped walking until Nico gave me a worried look and asked "Thals? You okay?" while waving a hand in-front of my face.
I shook my head and grabbed his wrist. I absolutely hate it when people wave their hand in-front of my face like that, and Nico knew it. "Stop that!" I hissed at him, "You know I hate it when people do that!"
"Seriously, Thals! What's wrong? Why'd you stop?" Nico asked, obviously confused but could tell that something was up.
"Seriously, Nickie! Nothin's wrong!" Mocking his tone of voice. "I was just thinking... but, its not important! Really!" I told him reassuringly.
"Thal-"
"We're here!" I interrupted as we arrived at Zeus's Fist. We climbed up to the top of Zeus's Fist and I flopped down on my back with a heavy sigh. Nico sat down close beside me, knee touching my side, looking down at me smiling.
"So, what is it that you were so consumed in thinking about?" Nico asked still with that goofy smile on his face, that I couldn't help but smile back.
"I was thinking about how shitty my life used to be and how perfect it is now." I explained, still smiling back at him. "At that very moment, my life couldn't have been better!"
Nico smirked and then asked "And why's that, Huh?"
"Because, I was back at camp, my real home, walking towards Zeus's Fist, talking and laughing with one of my best friends who understands Me! Someone who understands what I've been through, losing my mom, losing a sibling, never knowing my dad as a kid, being stuck in time while everything else passed by. Someone who understands my style, the clothes I wear, the music I listen to, why I wear mostly black, why I listen to loud, metal rock music. Why-" I said sitting up and gesturing to myself until I got interrupted.
"Okay, okay! I understand! I don't need to hear your whole speech!" Nico said, jokingly. "Anyways, we both know you were just thinking about my good looks and how funny and irresistible I am!"
"Uh-huh! Because I'm just absolutely, totally in love with you! You and your soft black hair, toned body, and dark mysterious eyes!" I said sarcasm practically oozing out through each word.
"Excuse me? Thalia, would you like to explain?" asked a frighteningly familiar voice.
I looked over my shoulder to find none other than a pissed off Lady Artemis, Lord Zeus, Lord Hades and a bubbly, giggling Aphrodite. "Oh shit." I said absentmindedly. "It's not what you think! We were just joking, it's called sarcasm! What the hell are you doing here anyways?" I asked at first sounding a little too desperate for my liking, but then starting to feel enraged and angry. 'They had no right to just pop in whenever they want! It's my life and I can do whatever the hell I want and they can't fucking do anything to stop me!' I thought to myself.
"Actually we do have the right to 'pop in whenever we want'! You should know by now that you can't do 'What ever the hell you want'." my father, Lord Zeus, said looking even more pissed than before.
"What the hell! My thoughts are my own so fuck off! It's my life! I don't see why all of a sudden you seem to care so much! You never gave a shit about me before!" I said and before I knew it the clouds had darkened and it was storming, but It wasn't my father causing this storm, It was me.
That was when I felt a hand on my arm and I turned to see Nico looking worriedly at me. "Thals, calm down. Its okay." Nico said soothingly, putting both hands on my upper arms. "You don't have to explain yourself to them, we can go back towards camp. You need to get out of this storm, come on." he said draping the jacket that he was wearing just moments ago over my shoulders along with his arm, pulling me towards camp. I looked over my shoulder to see if the angry gods were still there but they weren't. They had left but I had a feeling that this wasn't over, not even close to it.
A/N: Hope you liked it! Please Review and Tell me what you think and give tips and Ideas! Please no flames or hating! =) Wuv Ya All! ^_^
