Nope I don't own Percy Jackson or any other characters created by Rick Riordan and distributed by Disney-Hyperion in the USA. So please don't sue me. :) I do however own the carrot. ;)

The Brief Love of Nico di Angelo

(A note tucked into the journal of Nico di Angelo)

I know you won't remember what you're about to read. But please know that it is the truth. It really happened. No one else will remember her. But you have to. You have to believe that this happened. Remembering is the first step on the road to reclaim what was lost.

- N

Day 3.
So bored. Can't believe Percy talked me into coming back here. Did a little shadow traveling earlier today to check up on some things. Got back before Mr. D or Chiron could notice I had left. Everyone is keeping away from me which is fine by me. But soooo B-O-R-E-D!

Day 4.
Another day in prison. Well, not really. I mean this camp might as well be. The others all love Camp Half-Blood so much. Probably because most of them haven't spent as much time on the road as I have. And those who have spent most of their time running for their lives. Sometimes I guess there are benefits to being the son of Hades.

No, scratch that. There are none. But more on that and my dream from Dad later.

Today's entry is about a girl. I know what you're thinking. Oh look at Nico, finally writing about girls in his journal. How typically teenage. Shut up. Listen its nothing like that. Just listen.

It was a normal day. We did basket weaving with the nymphs by the lake (gross) and I was getting really frustrated.

"Nico, is everything okay?" That would be Selena Beauregard, Aphrodite's daughter (double gross). "You seem upset today."

"I'm upset all the time." I stood up and just walked away and was ready to shadow travel to my room when I saw them, the new arrivals.

So, it's usually not a big deal when new arrivals come to Camp. I mean, we had just played host to the whole of the Hunters of Artemis so really I didn't think anything of people coming over the hill past the pine with the Golden Fleece and the dragon. But this group was different.

First because instead of being headed by a satyr it was being headed by a minotaur. Which should not have been able to get past the Camp's defenses. But more then that, there was a small girl, maybe only four or five, riding on the minotaur's head, her small hands gripping the horns like handle's on a big wheel as she bounced up and down, making her blonde pigtails bounce. On either side there were undead people staggering and stumbling as the undead do, forming a guard on either side of the girl walking at the center. I didn't catch a good look at her but I could see a flash of pale skin and black hair, that shimmered with just a hint of deep, dark purple.

So needless to say this was not your average demigod party. Chiron comes charging out of the Big House in his horse form (I really don't understand why he doesn't just stay that way all the time. The whole wheelchair thing isn't as clever as he thinks) and Mr D is suddenly standing in front of the group out of nowhere. And what happens next is hard to describe but there is this sort of rippling in the air between the girl and the two head councilors and there was this bubble of darkness that starts to spread out from her. Weird right? Not as weird as when it engulfed the whole camp.

Everyone was running around and yelling and the Aphrodite cabin was screaming their heads off because suddenly they couldn't see their own reflections anymore and there was sheer chaos. And as this is all happening, I can still see perfectly. Fine, maybe there is one or two benefits to being a son of Hades. But seriously, the dreams are getting a bit overrated. I mean, referring to himself as Pluto? Really? Whats up with that? Dad's going mental if you ask me.

So anyway, the black bubble thing. Yeah, the thing engulfs everything and there are these weird purple runes on the sky around us and Chiron is looking worried and he's doing that ground tapping thing with his hoofs that's actually super annoying. But Mr. D just stands there and laughs and then he says.

"Well, you've got some guts kid. I'll give you that." And then he snaps his fingers and the runes on the sky start to wiggle and change their shape and turn from purple to green and then the black bubble sort of fizzles out. Like a bad reception on your tv.

And then everyone in camp starts to act funny and stumble around and giggle and fall on each other like they're drunk or something. Again, not sure why it didn't do anything to me except maybe the fact that I'd partially faded into the shadows when the bubble started.

"Dionysus! You can't do that! They're just kids!" Chiron's all upset and you can tell he's torn between helping the kids that are stumbling and staying to deal with whatever was going on with this girl.

"Listen, they'll be fine. Trust me, a lot more fine then they would have been if I hadn't changed those runes. Speaking of which, that took some heavy magic, girlie. After that amount of power you should be flat on your back by now." Mr. D says with a wink, "I can help with that, you know."

"You must be Bacchus." She says as she steps out from her corpse guard, a pale girl with long black hair held back with a ribbon as black as night. "I have come on a quest from my mother."

"Hmmm. Let's take a guess here." Mr D says placing his hand under his chin like he really has to think it through, "Corpses. Black magic. Purple runes. You must be a daughter of Trivia then."

"Correct." She glared down at Mr. D since she was a whole head taller than him. "However, I believe that the protocol here dictates that I refer to mother as Hecate."

"You seem very knowledgeable about our Camp." Mr D says with a knowing look, "And knowledge can be very dangerous when dealing with the gods. Your mother of all should know this."

"Ah, but she says that you owe a boon to her and that she has sent me here to collect it." And then she stares past Mr D at me. "But not in public. Let us go to your Big House and talk more."

And as she walks past me she isn't snide like the other girls. Also not flirty. She doesn't even ignore me. Any of that I would be use to. Instead she walks past me and gives me this look like she knows exactly what I'm thinking about how weird all this is and how at least its not boring and she gives me a little nod, like we're friends who know each other.

Alright this entry is getting super long so I'm gonna end now, but oh yeah, Dad sent me a dream that was kinda weird and he said something about the place three roads meet and bleeding of something or another. I really should have written it down. But I know him and if it's really that important he'll send more dreams till I remember all the bits.

Day 10.
So bored. Nothing to do. Stupid capture the flag was dumb. I shadow traveled and got it in under 5 seconds. Now that stupid Beckendorf is saying I was cheating. Which is stupid cause there aren't any rules against it. But you know, whatever. It's just a stupid game anyway. Nothing compared to what we actually have to face out there.

I'm not irritable. I know it sounds like it. People are just getting on my nerves again. They do that sometimes. No more dreams from Dad so maybe it wasn't important. I haven't seen that new girl either. Oh well. Back to the boringness I guess.

Day 17.
Yeah I'm really bad at journal entries. It's been like a week since the last. So not much happened. I mean a lot did. There's been new sighting of the Princess Andromeda ship and Selena Bauregaurd and Beckendorf were caught kissing behind the Hermes Cabin (yeah, I know, what a stupid place to go making out), oh and the Stoll Brothers got a bunch of fireworks in and set them off in the girls bathroom. But besides that its been so quiet.

So I snuck into the Big House again. You know, cause its off limits now. The first time I snuck in was almost a week ago, when Chiron first told us that it was off limits to the rest of us while the girl was staying here. So obviously the minute he said it was off limits I had to go see what they were hiding.

I'm was sitting in the bushes outside, trying to blend into the shadows without falling through them. The Big House is bigger than it looks. And if you don't have permission to go inside it's even bigger. Trying to shadow travel through it is like trying to shadow travel through the Underworld. It just keeps going and going until you get so exhausted that you collapse and when you wake up you realize you're still only an inch past the front door.

No, in the Big House the trick is to trick the house. And when you need a trick who better to ask than the sons of the God of Tricksters. The Stoll Brothers do have such a natural knack for it, I've got to hand it to them. So they arrived and then they showed me how to make the house think I'm Chiron. It has to do with horse thinking and leather underwear and a very uncomfortably lodged carrot but the gist of it is that we got in.

Then the two of them got cocky. Like they do. One moment we're finally inside and I'm trying to figure out which way the front door would be. The next Travis picks up a vase that says "Do Not Touch" on it and then Argus is right over us. Now don't get me wrong. Normally Argus is a great guy. I mean besides all the eyes and all, he's kind and caring and he has a big heart. But when he's been set to guard something its like a whole other side of him comes out. And when he opens all of his eyes and stare at you, the fear that suddenly starts to build inside of you is unbearable. And then it spills out and the next moment you're crying for your mommy.

So as Argus is busy trying to calm the two crying Stoll brothers I turn to run and who do I run into but that girl from before. She was standing there, on the stairs that lead up to the Oracle room. And it was like some special effect. Like she was backlit with a faint purple light that glowed on her skin and her hair and her ribbon that is as black as night. And she seemed to float down until she was standing next to me. And then she took my hand and the glow spread from her along my arms and making the hair on my arms stand up.

The next moment I'm back in my cabin and if it weren't for the fact that I still had the carrot (don't ask) I would have thought it was just a dream. The next morning the Stolls had been super upset that I had left them to take all the punishment. But you know them. A few days later and they'd forgotten all about it. Including that they were supposed to clean the bathrooms. There are things alive in there by now. Use the bushes.

But yeah, since then I've felt like I've had to see her again. To say thank you for helping me get away. And to give her something. I don't know what. It's like there's an idea in my mind but every time I stop thinking it I forget it. And it just randomly comes to mind when I'm close to her.

So here I was on my second attempt and I had a theory this time. I know the Big House will defend itself as long as I'm outside it. But once I was inside it everything seemed normal again. Except for Argus of course. So my theory is that once I'm inside I'll be able to shadow travel again. And so I went ahead and got inside again.

This time no Stolls with me so everything was going pretty good, no Argus alarms being triggered. I stepped into one of the shadows nearby and felt the familiar pull, subtle, not strong anymore. I slid into the shadow and the next moment I was pushing through the cold darkness into the Oracle room. Which given who my Dad is and the crowd I hang with shouldn't have scared me as much as it did. But then again I'd never seen the Oracle room before. But I'm sure it never looked the way it did right then.

It was covered with black candles. I don't mean candles that have black wax. No, I mean candles that have black flames. They don't make light as much as they just make thicker darkness around them. On the floor there were glowing purple runes in a circle. And in the circle there was a girl with her back to me. The girl. With her hair floating like it was underwater, shimmering in the purple and black light, barely held back by her ribbon as black as night.

She was singing and for a moment I stopped. I don't know why. I don't know what caused it. It was just that one second I was perfectly fine and the next my chest was feeling really tight and ached and it was like my heart was beating way too fast. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't. And secretly didn't want to stop her from singing. But I wanted her to notice me. Again, no idea why. I just wanted her to know that I heard her singing. I know it sounds stupid. Anyway, so of course I decide the best way to do that is to trip over and fall on her.

God, I'm stupid sometimes. But yeah, so there we were, sprawled across the floor in the attic with a mummified oracle staring down at us. And I don't know why but making a fool of myself makes me feel ashamed and angry and defensive so before she can say anything the first thing out of my mouth was, ready for this,

"Hey! What are you doing on the floor! I could have broken my neck!"

Yeah, I'm awesome like that sometimes.

She pushes me off of her and says, "I'm sorry. What?"

And I'm struggling to get to my feet and grumbling, "And why don't you have any lights on in here! I mean, thats like a double safety hazard!"

"Please, those big feet of yours are a safety hazard." She smirked. At me! "I didn't realize they made limited edition Demigods & Dungeons sneakers anymore."

"Hey! Watch it these are limited edition Demi––" And then it hits me, "Wait, you know about Demigods & Dungeons."

"A little." And she does this small smile and I suddenly realize that I hate it when girls do big smiles because small smiles like hers are just right and her words quickly brings my mind back, "I may have played a bit when I was younger."

"What Class?" I ask and then suddenly dread the instinctive question because I know it makes me sound like a total nerd.

"Mage Class." She says with that same small smile and then, "You?"

And I can barely believe I'm having this conversation. With a girl! I must be dreaming I think at this point (ouch, no still have that carrot) and so I think why not go for it. "Cavalier Knight. Level XXVII."

"Wow, that's pretty good." But the way she smirks as she says it makes me feel uncomfortable. "I was an Arch-medea Mage. Level XXXIII."

"What! But I though all the Arch members capped at Level XX?!" And there's a faint part of my brain that's telling me to stop being so competitive and nerdy and find some firmer conversational ground but I'm not listening to it.

"Well, they normally do, unless you find and equip an Imperial Dragon Hide Cloak of Ascension." She does her little small smile as she sees my mouth gape open.

"But those are so expensive! You'd have to pay a year's worth of tribute to get one!" And I don't even care about seeming nerdy anymore.

"Well, yes. Or you can make one out of an Elder Dragon's hide." And here she hops in before I can, "And yes, they are only found in the Forbidden Mountains of Qu and yes, there has only ever been one party that has returned from the Mountains without tanking."

"The Everest Party." I breathed. "You were part of it!?"

"I was lead Mage." She smiled at me. "Play magic is so much easier to handle than real magic."

And as she motioned down to the shimmering runes beneath us I suddenly realize that we are still in the real world (if you can call any part of being a demigod being in the real world) and that I have to get back to my cabin before I'm caught.

"Well, yeah, listen I should probably go soon." I said looking towards the shadow I had come out of. "Listen, about the other night. When you helped me. Thanks."

"Don't mention it." And she does that small smile of hers again.

"Yeah, well. I just wanted to say... thanks... so yeah..." And here I go and put my foot in my mouth again. God! Why is talking to girls so hard sometimes!

"And you should probably go because I don't have enough strength to do a transportation spell again tonight like I did last time." And she winks and after that I'm not sure what happened but I think it involved shadow traveling and going back to my cabin and getting rid of the carrot. Oh. And she kissed me on the cheek. Yeah. There was that part.

Day 19.
I think I'm going crazy. I mean. Okay, it's only been two days. But I keep thinking maybe I should have said something. Told her about her singing being nice. Or that I liked her hair. Or maybe not cause then she would have gotten the wrong idea or something. Or maybe I should have at least asked her when I could see her again. Yeah, I should have done that. Now what was I gonna do? Pop up in her room again, fall on her and say, "Hey, I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop in."

I'm such an idiot.

Day 20.
Okay. Okay. Calm down Nico. Calm down. There is no reason to be nervous. It's just a date. It's just a date. Plenty of people go on dates. You can totally do this. As long as you relax and be yourself you'll be fine. Actually. Wait. Maybe not. On second thought. Rules. Ground rules. No talking about Demigods & Dungeons. You've got to be cool. Suave. Sophisticated. Hey there baby. How ya doin'? God, it's hopeless. Maybe I should have Percy tell her I'm sick. It feels like I'm going to be. My insides are all tangled and gross feeling.

Day 20 (part 2)
That girl! I can't believe she's so... so... arg! Okay. Here's what happened. So I take her to dinner in Paris (thank Dad for shadow travel) and everything is going great and she's doing her small smile and everything is fine. And then...

"Nico, I'm sorry." And she starts to cry.

So I have no idea what to do now. Should I comfort her. Put my hand on her shoulder? Is that allowed? Should I pretend not to notice so I don't maker her feel worse? It's not fair. I've never done this before! I don't know the rules.

"Er, is everything okay?" I ask, hesitantly stretching out my hand but decide against her shoulder and instead settle on her head. Great. Just like her dad or something.

"No. I'm sorry. I've been trying to keep it all inside but... Nico. I'm lost." And she stops and I wonder if I should say something but I have no clue how to respond to that so I keep quiet which is just as well cause apparently there's more. "I mean that I don't know what to do. You see, I'm in a position where I need something from someone. But it's not something they can give freely. I mean it is. But the way they have to give it is kinda like stealing. And I'm afraid that it will hurt that person. A lot."

"Oh. Well. What's the situation? How can I help?" I am so out of my league at this point that I don't know what to say.

"You can't." She sighs and at least she's stopped crying. "But being able to kinda sorta talk about it makes it easier. Thank you."

"Ummm. Sure. I guess." And I hazard a stab in the dark, "Sometimes we have to do things that hurt other people. I know that. But I think as long as you do everything you can to make it hurt as little as possible. Or at least if you make it up to them afterward, enough that it makes them forget all about the hurt. That's what counts."

And then she just looked down at her food and then back up at me and then over her shoulder as she says, "Wow, its a beautiful waxing moon tonight. We should head back. It's getting kinda late."

So here I am, back at Camp. And it's not like I did anything wrong. Okay maybe the pat on the head was wrong. But in all fairness I didn't know what to do! I mean, I've never taken a girl out to dinner before. And I've NEVER had one start sobbing in the middle of pasta. Well if she's going to be like that then fine! I'm done with her! From here on out–– hold on, there's someone at the window. Probably those Stoll idiots.

Day 20 (part 3) (or I guess technically day 21 now since its so late)
She is the most wonderful. Amazing. Just. Wow. I can't believe. Tonight was just. And I felt like I was floating all the way back to the cabin. Okay. Okay. Let me back up.

So I look outside ready to throw my sneaker at the Stolls and there I see her, standing there under my window in the moonlight, glowing as she smiles that small smile at me. And suddenly all that anger is gone and I'm so glad to see her (though I'm a bit frustrated with myself for being so easily won over).

"Can we talk?" She asks and beckons for me to come outside.

So we're walking outside, gliding between shadow and moonlight, our powers luckily blocking us from any prying eyes. I'm feeling self conscious. I don't know what I did with my nice slacks and jacket I had before so now I'm just in black jeans, a pair of converse, and a black t-shirt. As if reading my mind she says,

"I like it better when you look like this. It's more normal. More you." And she take my hand and lays her head against my arm and suddenly its like there's a warmth I didn't realize I was missing and its all pouring in through my arm and its filling me up and making me feel like I have something bubbling inside my chest and other areas of my body that all just woke up at the same time.

"Th-thanks." I stammer. "You look really nice too. I like your hair."

I like your hair? Really? That's what I said?! God! But she just smiles and keeps walking, almost like she can still read what I'm thinking. I hope she couldn't. At least not everything my mind was thinking as we were walking along. Deep down I suddenly wished she would sing again. I tried to think of a way of steering the conversation towards it.

"So, erm, do you, uh, like singing?" I ask her, and then seeing the look she gives me I quickly decide to backpedal, "I mean, it's just, I was wondering what you like to do and that song you were singing when I saw you up in the attic. I mean, that sounds weird, it was the same night I fell on you, not a different night that I just watched you sing. That would be weird too. And I'm just digging myself in deeper aren't I?"

"Shhh." She says placing her finger on my lips. "And, yes. I'll let you hear me sing again."

"Really?!" Yeah I sounded overeager I know, shut up.

"But not tonight." She must have seen my face drop because she said, "I only sing when I do magic. And tonight I think I will be doing a different kind of magic."

And then she kissed me. Not on the cheek. On the lips. And it was a good kiss. A really really good kiss. I mean I hadn't even realized there were levels of kissing quality but this kiss was definitely up there. And after the shock that she's kissing me wore off I suddenly realize that she's still kissing me and I have no idea what to do with my hands. I let them flail around for a bit, until I settle on just letting them hang from my sides. I know. Lame. But you know what that kiss would have disoriented anyone.

I get all warm just thinking about it even now. The walk back to the Big House was quiet except for her giggle and my laughing. We said goodnight. She kissed me again and then she took the ribbon out of her hair. The ribbon as black as night. And she gave it to me. On the walk back to my cabin I wanted to laugh and jump and shout and scream and yell and do a backflip all at once. It really did feel like I was floating. Even right now, I have to keep checking to make sure my feet are still on the ground.

Day 21
Today was really weird. Chiron had all of us boys go on a camping trip all day long out in the woods which meant no time at all for seeing anyone else, if you know what I mean. I was hoping to catch some time away from the Stolls when we got back but Chiron had us all sleeping under Argus guard. Even as I'm writing this he's trying to peek over my shoulder with the eye on his neck. Maybe tomorrow. (sigh)

Day 22
Okay this is getting ridiculous. Chiron went through and said a bunch of the younger boys could go back to normal camp duties. And then he said a few others like Percy could go back too. Which is complete BS because why do I have to stay under guard while someone like Beckendorf is allowed back. I wonder what Argus would do to me if I tried to slip into the shadows. Would he be quick enough? But at the same time, I'm getting kinda curious about what's going on. Maybe they're deciding who to send on the next quest. Or maybe it has something to do with this upcoming mission that Percy and Beckendorf have to blow up the Princess Andromeda. Anyway, if they don't tell me what's up by tomorrow I'm getting out of here. I'm starting to get really tired of Camp Half-Blood again.

Day 23
I don't have a lot of time to write. I don't even know why I'm taking the time to write this down. It has something to do with the dream from my Dad. I know that. Ever since that dream that I can't remember, I don't know why, but keeping this journal has been super important. Anyway. I'll just jot down what happened and then I'm out of here.

So tonight Chiron called a big camp meeting and makes an announcement. It has to be really important for him to make it before 'smores. It means he's hoping the 'smores will make us all feel better after the bad news. So I'm expecting bad news. What I wasn't expecting was for him to call towards the Big House.

And then she stepped out of the door and in the light of the full moon she is breathtaking. Somewhere in the back of my mind I faintly register that I haven't seen Mr. D in a long while. Mostly because he would have made some sort of joke right then about what my face must have been looking like.

So she walks into the firelight and Chiron says, "This young lady was supposed to remain undisturbed in the Big House until Mr D and I had come to some agreement with her mother. However, it seems that someone" and here he looked over towards the Stolls, "broke into the Big House and... er... disturbed her."

"Just go ahead and say it, Horse-master. They won't be able to remember any of it." She spoke hauntingly and every word cut for some reason. "I already explained the terms of the deal."

"Well, yes." Chiron seemed pissed. "But I had hoped there was still some... flexibility in the terms."

"No. There is none. Given the circumstance, it seems benevolent that my mother should extend the terms she already has. Trivia does not usually bargain. Never more than once." And the way she said it you'd think that she was sending him to clean his cabin.

"Alright. Basically. One of you boys broke into the cabin and gave something to this girl." Chiron's face was a mask of pain as he said it, "I had hoped we could avoid it. But it seems that she has come to claim her prize tonight. You gave her your heart."

Everyone but me seemed confused at the statement but Chiron must have believed her that no one would remember this conversation because he just powered through, "If you still have any hold on your heart, whoever you are, I would take it back. As soon as possible. If you can't fight it. Then my the gods have mercy on you. That is all."

And then we were dismissed and I heard her voice as clear as day in my head.

"Come and meet me at the lake tonight after lights out."

And I knew that I was the one whose heart she has and I'm scared because I don't know what's gonna happen and what it means when Chiron says she's gonna claim her prize or how to take my heart back or if I would even want to take my heart back from her. All I know is that once I finish this sentence I'm going down to the lake.

Day 24.
My hands are shaking. I'm trying to keep them steady enough for me to write. I never thought a day would come when messy handwriting would be so important to me. But right now it's a matter of life and death. And beyond that. Oblivion.

I met her down at the lake. It's a path that goes right to the pier and intersects a path that runs around the lake. So it makes a Y intersection. She was standing there, with her back to me, facing the full moon over the lake. And she was singing again. But this time her song was heartbreaking. I literally felt my chest hurting in pain.

"Nico." She spoke my name so softly. "You've come."

"Of course." I clutched my chest as I walked closer to her. "What's going on?"

"It's like Chiron said." Mr. D stepped out of the woods, holding the small girl with the blonde pig-tails that had been riding the minotaur into camp. "She stole your heart. But she has to take it back with her if she's going to finalize the deal."

"What deal?" I gasped over the pain shooting through my chest.

"A deal to get my daughter back from Trivia." Mr D said as he shifted the small girl to his other arm. "She is Castor and Pollux's younger sister. I thought she was lost. But Trivia is the keeper of secrets and she knew where my daughter was and returned her to me. But she said it would come at a cost."

"So, my heart for your daughter?" I wasn't sure what it meant but all I knew is I felt cheated. "You made a deal? How could you! You're suppose to take care of us!"

"He didn't." She said turning to face me. "Nico. The reason Chiron and Bacchus kept me from the rest of you was to prevent me from stealing someone's heart because they weren't ready to offer one of you to me. And then you came to me. Sent by the Fates."

"I'm not sure if those old hags had anything to do with it." Spat Mr D. "But yeah, she's right. We tried to protect you. Fat lot of good it ended up doing. Though I guess I should be grateful you volunteered di Angelo."

"So now what. You have to kill me?" I asked, confused and hurt and not sure about anything.

"No, Nico. I wish it would be as easy as killing you." She said sadly, "I wish it hadn't been you. No, when I take your heart at first it will hurt you. So so very much. Remember what I said in Paris."

"Paris?" Mr D scowled.

"About having to hurt someone you didn't want to hurt?" I felt like my head was spinning, "You were talking about me?"

"Yes. And thank you. You helped me figure out what I have to do." She whispered as a tear rolled down her pale cheek.

"About making it up to the person by making things good after the bad?" I felt confused and light-headed as she stepped forward.

"No. The last part. About making them forget about the pain." And then she kissed me and it felt like she was pulling things out of my mind. Memories. Like her name. I suddenly couldn't remember her name.

"Stop!" I pushed her away, "I don't want to forget you!"

"But you haven't felt the pain yet." She whispered, "After that you will pray to the gods for oblivion. And do not fear. They have already answered. With that kiss."

"No! No! No!" I screamed as my lungs ached like they were on fire. "Please! Don't! Don't do this!"

And then she reached her pale hand forward and the front of my black t-shirt tore open showing pale skin. And then she reached her hand forward and there was a tearing noise again. But it wasn't fabric this time. And there was a snapping sound and a squelching sound and I realized faintly that I was screaming. And then the pain hit me.

I was lying on my back and she stood over me. She reached down and I felt cool fingers like ice wrap around my heart. And she pulled it out of my chest and for one agonizing moment I felt so much pain. More pain then I had ever felt in my life. More pain then when I had a root canal. More pain then when Bianca had died. Tears were rolling down my cheeks and my fingers were clenched and I wished that anything would make the pain stop.

And then just as suddenly it stopped. There was a snap and she stepped away. There was something glowing red in her hands. I reached down and felt my shirt still torn open but my skin was whole again. And then I realized. My heart. I couldn't feel it beating. But even though I knew should have felt something, that I should have felt panic or angry or betrayed, I felt nothing. I felt dead on the inside.

I looked over and she was walking back towards the pine tree at the ridge, leaving me there are the place where three roads met, in front of the lake with the full moon behind me. And while some small part of me said I ought to run after her or talk to her it was more of a passing thought. And then it was gone. I watched her leave and she turned and smiled her small smile at me one last time. And then she was gone. At least. I think that's when she was gone.

Because then my Dad's dream all came back to me. I would lose my heart at the place where three roads met. Trivia's daughter would make Pluto's son bleed. But words on paper would bring memory back. And remembering is the first step on the road to reclaim what was lost.

So I ran. I ran as fast as I could. My feet felt like they were being weighed down by lead weights. But I ran anyway. The Stolls were out to steal something and tried to say hi but I ducked into the nearest shadow and came out back in my room. And I was exhausted. More than I had ever been before. Shadow traveling had never affected me like that before. It had taken everything out of me.

And that's how I got here. My hands are still shaking and more and more I'm beginning to forget her. I already can't remember what color her eyes were. But I think I've written down everything here. Now, all that's left to do is add a note at the beginning of the journal to remind myself to believe. Believe Nico. I know you won't remember any of this by morning. But it really happened. And if you believe me, you, us. Then you'll be able to remember her again. And remembering is the first step on the road to reclaim what was lost.

Day 30 (I guess)
Well, it's really weird. Everyone in Camp Half-Blood have been acting really weird the last week. Everything's just been off. Like the Ares Cabin thought it was Wednesday and time to clean the bathrooms but Aphrodite Cabin was already in there doing it cause it's Friday and a big fight happened. Water everywhere. Luckily Percy took care of it so most everyone and everything is dry now.

And everyone keeps coming up to me and asking if I'm okay. I'm fine. I don't know what their problem is. They keep saying I'm not my cheerful self. But I've never been cheerful. I don't do cheerful. It's not that I'm sad. I'm just not emotional. I'm logical. Rational.

Take these crazy entries in my journal. It's probably just the Stolls messing with me. Why else would they be in almost every other entry. And besides, it sounds nothing like me. I would never be that emotional and sappy. Do they honestly think I'm gonna believe something as immature as that.

However... just between you and me. I was going through my box that I keep half hidden in the shadows behind my door. No, literally IN the shadows so no one else can get into it. And inside it I found this journal. And ribbon as black as night. And funny enough of all... a carrot.

I'm not saying I believe the journal entries... but this is Camp Half-Blood after all. God, I'm glad I'm back.

Thanks for reading. I know I diverge a bit from Nico's voice in the books and I know that I've probably left out important Nico related plot points from Son of Neptune and Mark of Athena (since I still haven't gotten to reading them yet) but I hope you enjoy. Please forgive me for being so vague about when it takes places during Percy Jackson, but I honestly don't know myself. I know it happens before Last Olympian. But that's about it. As always all reviews, feedback, and critiques are welcomed.