Hello guys, I'm back with a Percico fic I've been wanting to write for a long time. It's going to be a slow burn because that's how these things happen. The events of TOA are not relevant to this fic. Title is still a work in progress

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Percy Jackson series or the characters in it. I'm unfortunately not Uncle Rick.

1. The Aftermath

Percy let out a relieved sigh as he sat down on his bed in his cabin after a whole year. "Hey there, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, popping her head into his cabin. "Hey, Wise Girl," Percy replied, smiling slightly. The smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

Annabeth's eyes searched Percy's face, "What's wrong?" she asked and went to sit next to him, "All our friends are alright." "Except Leo. He died to save all of us, Annabeth," Percy replied with a sad sigh.

"I know," she said, laying her hand on Percy's back. "I'm gonna miss him," Percy said, a tear going down his cheek, "It's gotta be hard on Jason and Piper more than anyone else." "I know, Percy, I know. But this is not your fault, okay?" Annabeth tried reassuring him,

"If I had just tried harder….," "Nothing would've happened. You were exactly where you had to be, Percy. Don't be so hard on yourself. It's not your fault, okay?" she asked. Percy sucked in a deep breath and nodded, "Okay," he said.

"So, wanna help rebuild stuff after some food?" Annabeth asked. Percy's stomach responded to the word and made the sound of a dying whale. "I guess that's a yes," he replied and got up.

The camp was almost in ruins. The demigods from Camp Jupiter were also helping out the demigods of Camp Half Blood to restore order and rebuild their camp. The Romans had also created a temporary camp near the strawberry fields.

Annabeth, Piper and Reyna were inseparable and went around surveying. Percy stayed back and gave a hand to the campers. Then he met up the rest of the eight. Even though there were only seven demigods in the prophecy, Nico was definitely part of their crew, Percy would always think.

The celebrations were not lavish as everyone were still grieving over their fallen comrades. Nico handled the burial rites and Percy was surprised since Nico hated being in the center of attention.

Percy's chest tightened when he saw how down Jason was along with Piper. He could see tear tracks running around Jason's cheek. Percy put an arm around Jason and squeezed him. "There wasn't anything you could've done, bro. It was his choice," he said, trying to reassure his friend who had become so close in a very less time.

"We should've been there with him. We could've helped him," Jason said, his voice breaking multiple time, a fresh torrent of silent tears streaming down his cheeks. "Jason, you couldn't have done anything, man. You did all you could. If you'd stayed there you would've died too. Is that what you want?" Percy asked him, silently, understandingly.

"I…" Jason's voice was caught in his throat. "He was my best friend," he said in a small voice. "We got the physician's cure and for what? All for nothing," Piper sobbed next to him. Annabeth out an arm around her and Piper fit her head in the crook of her neck and cried into Annabeth's shirt.

Even Annabeth had tears in her eyes but she was blinking them back. Percy's chest ached as he remembered how Beckendorf died. His very good friend. This moment felt very familiar to that.

Same cabin, cabin counselor and looking out for his girl. Percy let out an anguished sob, past and present mixing into his pain. Jason looked up at him surprised and tried to comfort the other demigod.

Percy took in a deep breath and let it out and nodded, indicating he was fine. Hazel broke down sobbing and told the others everything with some help from Frank. All of them were stunned. Jason and Piper were raging but their anger dissipated as Frank and Hazel continued to speak.

"Gods, that idiot!" Piper yelled. "And how was he planning to take the cure anyway? He was alone!" "Knowing Leo, he would've fashioned a contraption," Percy said and looked at Nico, "Is there any possible way that he's still alive?" he asked, pleadingly.

Nico shook his head, "I felt him die, Percy. There is no way." Percy felt that Nico was holding something back but he didn't push the younger demigod. "Well, then, Leo did this so that we could survive and I'm pretty sure if he were here in ghost form he'd be looking at us in disapproval. He'd want us to move on," Percy said.

The others nodded in agreement and got up. As evening came around things were a bit more pleasant. The dining pavilion was crowded and the Romans were welcomed like long lost friends, which they were.

Coach Hedged paraded his son around amongst the demigods and the Aphrodite and Athena girls cooed over the hyper satyr baby who was shaking his fists around. He was closely followed by Clarisse who had been named the baby's godmother and trailed along with them like a bodyguard.

Pushing the campers away so that the baby could have some breathing space. At announcement time, Chiron stepped forward and raised his glass and toasted to the gods. The demigods joined the toast with muted enthusiasm. Percy understood how they felt.

It was how he had felt for all his life and for the Titan War too. The gods did nothing and now we have to thank them! Unbelievable! Then Chiron toasted to new friends. All the demigods roared actively.

After some festivities, the praetors of the Roman legion were called to the front. Reyna and Annabeth had a short banter. Percy's eyes were on Nico though. This was the longest Percy had actually seen the boy without him slinking off into the darkness and he decided to take that to his advantage and really see Nico.

Nico was leaning on the wall, in the shadows. He was pale and very thin. Percy could see the bones jutting out of his skin through his shirt. He frowned at that. Then he saw Reyna pull Nico into the light. Percy could see him clearly now and saw how thin and lanky he was.

Well, we have to fix that, Percy thought to himself. He heard Reyna say, "We had one home and now we have two," and then pull Nico into a hug. Nico didn't flinch or pull away. Instead he hugged Reyna and buried his face in her chest.

Percy was pretty sure he saw a tear on the son of Hades's face, but that might've been a trick of the light. What he couldn't understand was the alien feeling that bloomed in his stomach when he saw Nico hugging Reyna.

Percy moved his eyes off of them and looked at Annabeth. It felt weird to finally be done with all this. At least for a while, what with Rachel unable to spew prophecies and Apollo grounded.

After the feast, Percy went back to his cabin and pondered while he was in bed. The war was finally over, so what was he going to do next? He wondered and he fell asleep somewhere in the middle of his wondering.

But he didn't sleep for long. He woke up with a gasp to Annabeth's worried figuring looking at him. "Nightmare?" she asked him. Percy nodded, greedily gulping in air before he could speak.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" she asked. Percy shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks, "It was horrible, Annabeth. I don't want to remember it," he said and tried to keep his tears at bay. He had to be brave for Annabeth, his mind reasoned.

"It's alright. We'll be alright, Percy," she said, her fingers weaving through his hair. "It was Tartarus. I thought we were done with that place," his voice broke as he spoke. "I thought so too. I had a nightmare too, Percy," she said and Percy looked up to see silent tears streaming down her face.

"You can let it out, Annabeth. It's all over. You don't have to be brave anymore," he said and brought them down on his bed. Annabeth buried her face in Percy's chest and let out a sob and then the others followed.

Percy buried his face in her hair and he held his breath, silent tears streaming from his eyes which he wiped of frequently so that Annabeth wouldn't notice. At least one of them had to be brave, he told himself.

He felt as if he was breaking into pieces, keeping all his anguish and pain hidden away but his heart won again. Annabeth was more important. He had to protect her. It was a necessity. A trauma that had come along with him when they'd come out of the pit.

To see Annabeth all broken and helpless when the curses from the aria hit her, to see her get scared over his powers! He just had to protect her like he'd done countless times before. He had to be brave so that she wouldn't breakdown even further and with that thought he spiraled into the realm of Hypnos

But their peace didn't last for long. Percy and Annabeth tossed and turned in his bed, tears streaming down their cheeks. But they were unable to escape to reality, stuck in their dream world.

"Perce, Perce, bro, wake up!" Percy could hear someone. He clung to the sound and pushed himself awake. Jason was standing next to him, his face marred with worry. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Percy didn't reply. He turned around to take look at Annabeth who was curled up into a small ball, mumbling, "I can't see. Why can't I see?" Percy was instantly hit with the memory of him facing the aria and choked.

Jason shook his shoulders so hard that his teeth rattled. Percy gasped, his eyes cleared. 'I'm not there anymore. I'm back,' he told himself repeatedly. Jason took that distraction to shake Annabeth awake as well.

She woke up a gasp, her eyes bloodshot, her face covered with tears and snot, tiny crescents in the palm of her hands from when she'd dug her nails into. "Bro, are you ok?" he asked Percy seriously.

Percy nodded with a slight smile that didn't reach his eyes. Jason forced Percy to look into his eyes. Terrified sea green met the calm sky blue. "Breathe, Perce. You're still hyperventilating," Jason said and placed Percy's palm on his heart.

Percy slowly relaxed and looked at Jason, "Thanks man," he said. "Percy, are you really alright?" Jason asked. Percy bit his lip and shook his head in a way that Annabeth couldn't notice. Jason hugged Percy and rubbed his back, "It'll be fine, Percy. You have Annabeth. You'll get through this," he said.

"Thanks, Jase," Percy said, pulling away from Jason and laying an arm around Annabeth's waist. "No problem. I'll be there anytime you need me. I just came over to wake you up for breakfast," Jason said.

Percy got up so quickly at the mention of food that Annabeth and Jason had to steady him before he fell down from whiplash. "I'm starving. I'll take a shower and be right there," Percy told Jason.

Jason didn't hover. He smiled and nodded, giving Percy a bro fist and left. "I'll get ready too," Annabeth said, washing her face in the fountain in the Poseidon cabin and left it. Percy stepped into the shower and contemplated life.

He felt that it was so overrated. Ever since his return from Tartarus, his dreams have been plagued by memories and nightmares. It feels like he's back in the hell hole every night and every time he slips back into flashbacks.

Percy felt so fragile and he hated it. The great Hero of Olympus reduced to a sobbing mess every night, who'd slip into the pit every time a wrong word was uttered. He tried to be strong, he really did but it wasn't working out so well for him.

Percy sighed and let the water soak into his muscles. He was feeling a bit better. Leo had told him humor was the best way to hide the pain after he had returned. His eyes glazed with tears on remembering Leo but he shook them off.

Leo would want him to be happy, he told himself and gritted his teeth to keep them from falling and took in deep breaths to clear them off. Percy turned the shower off and insta-dried himself.

He got out and got dressed and headed to Cabin 6 to get Annabeth. He waited outside her cabin for a while and then he walked with her, but they took a detour and walked towards the Hades cabin.

"Percy, where are we going?" Annabeth asked. "Cabin 13. I saw Nico yesterday. Like really saw him. He looks like he hasn't eaten in years Annabeth. So I'm gonna make sure he eats at least today," he said.

They stood in front of the Hades Cabin. Percy gave the door a knock. It opened an eternity later to reveal a scowling son of Hades, rubbing his eyes, "I swear to the gods Jason . . . oh, Percy . . . what do you want?" he asked.

"Breakfast. Come on," Percy said, giving Nico his hand. Nico flinched away and looked at it. Percy drew it back, a little hurt. "I'm not hungry," Nico replied looking at Percy's withdrawn hand as if it was some kind of a plague.

Annabeth was watching this. She had no idea why Nico was acting like he hated Percy. "Come on, Nico! You look so malnourished . . . wow, I know what that means . . . anyways, you need to eat," he said.

"Why do you care?" Nico spat out with more venom than necessary which made Percy take a step back. "Because you're my friend," Percy replied, scrunching his eyebrows together. Nico laughed humorlessly.

"Of course, friend," he said the word with so much disgust that it visibly shook Percy and Annabeth. Why did he hate Percy so much? Annabeth wondered, trying to figure the mystery of Nico di Angelo.

"Just leave me alone," Nico said and closed the door with a slam. He slid against the door and put his face in his hands. It hurt him to see that he'd been the one to hurt Percy. He could hear muffled voices through the door.

"It is okay, Annabeth. We'll just send Jason. Nico listens to him," Percy said and Nico could hear some wistfulness in his voice. Nico could hear their footsteps as they walked away. He rested his head on his knees feeling like he'd screwed up once again.

He stayed that way until he heard another knock. He sighed and open the door to see Jason standing there with a disapproving look on his face. Great, Nico thought, another person that he'd inadvertently upset.

He should've left when he had the chance. Stupid Jason and Will Solace for convincing him to stay. Nico opened his cabin door wider so that Jason could come in. Jason's eyes softened as he saw how down Nico was.

"You alright?" he asked. "I guess," Nico replied, rubbing the back of his neck. "What just happened, Nico?" Jason asked him, "Percy just came to the pavilion looking like his blue food was just snatched away from him. And then he tells me to get you to come to breakfast cause apparently you'll listen to me."

"I'm sorry, I don't what came over me," Nico said. "No shit, Sherlock. He looked so sad. Look, I know you've been through a lot and he probably hasn't faced as much as you but he's still been through a lot of shit and he's my friend like you and I don't like seeing any of them unhappy.

"I know it hurts you, Nico and I obviously have no idea how that feels, but you still need to get it together and at least try to be his friend when he's been trying for so god damn long," Jason said, softly but firmly.

"Fuck, Jason, I know that. I'm causing so much pain. Maybe I should just leave," Nico said. Jason bristled, "And go where, Nico? Back the underworld where you'll disappear for who knows how long! Make every one go crazy with worry. What would Hazel and Percy say, huh? You always run and run but I have no idea what you're afraid off," Jason yelled at him.

"Everything, Jason! I'm afraid of everything. I don't know where I'll go. I can't go to the underworld, it's too close to that stupid pit that fucking haunts me every day and every night and every waking moment of my miserable life!" Nico lashed out.

"Stop it, Nico! All this self-loathing," Jason said, gesturing to Nico, "Has to freaking stop! You can't keep running forever! The problem isn't around you, it is you and you know it's true! So you have to sit down and face your demons and realize that you do have people who actually care about you. Hazel, Percy, me!" Jason yelled.

"I know, Jason! I know. But . . . I just-" Nico gave out a strangled sob that he fought to contain. Jason gathered him in his arms like he'd done a few times. "Nico, it's fine," Jason said, rubbing his back. This felt all too familiar to how he had comforted Percy this morning.

"It just hurts. I know I need to get over myself and make amends with him. I just need some more time, okay," Nico said, nervously, worrying his bottom lip with his teeth. "Take as much time as you need. We all know Percy is going to be here at the end of the day. The question is, are you?" Jason asked with an eyebrow raised.

Nico looked at him with new resolve, "Yes, I am. You are right. I can't keep running away from the demons that are inside of me. I have to face them one by one and overcome them," he said.

Jason smile was blinding. He gave Nico a clap on the back, "That's the spirit. I'm proud of you. Now why don't you start by coming to breakfast and get healthy," he said. Nico gave him a nod and his lips twitched a bit.

Jason guessed that it was as close as a smile as Nico was going to give him and accepted it. He'd work on that later. He walked out of the cabin with Nico by his side to the dining pavilion.

Jason sighed. Percy was going to be so sad that Nico listened to Jason rather than him, but when they reached the pavilion and met Percy's eyes, he gave a huge smile and came over to them and gave Jason a hug.

"You did it!" Percy said with so much enthusiasm, "I thought so. Make him eat." He went back to his table without talking to Nico. "Ouch, I was standing right here," Nico said. Jason raised an eyebrow at him.

"You just snapped at him a few minutes ago. He thinks you hate him and doesn't want you to hate him even more or worse, leave. So he's trying to keep his distance. What did you expect Nico?" Jason asked.

"I suppose you're right," Nico resigned with a sigh. They sacrificed some food to the gods and went to their tables to eat. Nico actually ate quite a bit which was a pleasant surprise for both Jason and Percy who were watching the younger demigod like a hawk, well . . . a shark in Percy's case.

Grover was sitting next to Percy in his usual spot. "How are you, Perce?" Grover asked him. "I'm dandy, perfectly fine," Percy replied, not looking at Grover. "Perce, I know when you're lying to me. Empathy link, remember?" he asked,

"Shit, it's really hard having a best friend I can't lie to," Percy said, sighing. "Yes, I know. Now, spill," Grover said. "It's nothing G-man. I'm just sad about Leo. Jason and Piper seem to be holding up okay but I know for a fact that they're not okay and I kinda feel a little useless cause I can't do anything about it," Percy lied through his teeth.

Thankfully, Grover didn't delve deeper and seemed to accept that reason. "Gods, Perce, I missed you so much, man. Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Grover asked, covering Percy's hand with one of his.

"Hades, I know Grover. I was so worried to do. I'm glad you came out unscathed man," Percy said, giving Grover a one armed bro hug. "I see you and Jason have hit it off and are now really close. Don't replace me, dude," Grover said, trying to break the tension.

Percy laughed, an actual laugh and smiled at Grover, "Jason has helped me out a lot throughout the quest. Besides, we both shared the same burdens. I guess it brought us closer but no one can ever replace you G-man," Percy replied.

Grover smiled at Percy and continued to eat paper tissues and the metal can he got out of his pocket. Percy smiled at that. He was glad to be among his friends. It brought him a sense of peace that he couldn't really describe.

And he really liked that considering what happened when he slept or relapsed and found himself back there, He tried not to think about it but that was hard considering people always remembered bad memories distinctly.

Tartarus couldn't be described as a bad memory. No one has ever found a word worse enough to describe it and he hopes that no one ever will. Percy finished his breakfast and headed down to the docks. Grover and Annabeth offered to come but he shot them down cause he wanted to be alone anyways.

And that's how Percy found himself underwater for three hours, playing with his powers and talking to fish that came next to him. He got out from the water all dry and feeling a little bit better which was a lot to say for the son of Poseidon.

He walked towards the stables to see his favorite pegasus, Blackjack and suddenly, he didn't know what triggered it, but he found himself trapped in a memory of Tartarus, surrounded by Nyx and her children.

His breathing accelerated as he fought his own mind to free himself. This is not real, he yelled repeatedly in his mind and the memory fractured and he returned back to the land of the living.

Percy shook his head as if trying shoo away the bad memories and went into the stables. Of course he couldn't find Blackjack there. What was he thinking? Blackjack hated stables. So he called out to his dear winged horse with his mind.

He could hear the horse's voice as he came closer and then the mighty black pegasus landed in front of him, grinning at his master. It was infectious and caused Percy to grin too. Percy stroked Blackjack's muzzle.

"Hey, boy! How have you been?" he asked. The pegasus reared his head back and neighed, galloping. Then he proceeded to nuzzle every inch of Percy. He could see there were tears going down the horse's muzzle.

"Blackjack, are you crying?" Percy asked, bewildered. Blackjack never cried. What do you think? How do you expect me to react when I hear that you got stuck in that pit! I thought you were doomed. I missed you so much, boss! You owe me so many donuts!

Blackjack said. Percy smiled, getting a bit teary too and gave his pegasus a tight hug. And what is this I hear about you riding Arion? My half-brother, kinda! Are you cheating on me? Blackjack continued.

"Hey, I had no choice. Besides, I didn't even touch him, and he pretty much only liked Hazel anyway and please don't bring family into this. That horse is actually my half-brother. And one more thing! You shouldn't be the one complaining! You let Rachel and Reyna ride you!" Percy replied.

Heh, I guess I'm at fault too! I'm never leaving you again, boss. You are a magnet for trouble. Blackjack said. "Tell me something I don't know, buddy," Percy said and climbed on to Blackjack.

"How about we fly around for a while, huh? Would you like that? And once I get permission to get out of camp and visit my mom, I'll get you donuts." Sounds like a good deal to me, Percy heard Blackjack say and take off.

And then he was soaring through the sky feeling the wind rush past his face and he felt so free. Flying was like swimming except without the water, absolutely freeing, Percy thought as he continued chatting with Blackjack, exchanging stories.

I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter. Please give a review if you'd like to see more. I'm not really sure about this story. Thanks so much for reading though.

And btw, if anyone caught the vampire academy reference there, I love you!

The Dam Author

Jen