Seventeen-year-old Nico di Angelo sat up in bed, having had the worst dream in a long time, with tears falling down his pale cheeks. It had been about his sister, Bianca, being taken away from him again. He looked at his bedside table at the only picture he had left of her.
He gave a small teary smile as he remembered how she used to hold him tight when he was scared and tell him everything would be alright, even if she knew it wouldn't be. How she would never let anything happen to him, no matter what the danger was. How she had told him they would always have each other…
He got out of bed and went outside. The camp was calm and quiet, with everyone sleeping soundly, without a care in the world. He went to the camp shore and sat down on the soft sand. He looked around the camp and remembered how they had been when they first arrived. He remembered how he had gotten angry at her when she had told him that she'd joined the hunters of Artemis, and how sorry she had looked.
More tears fell as he remembered how he'd run into the woods after Percy had told him what happened, and how he had cried for hours. How scared he'd been, and how he wished none of this had ever happened. How he'd tried to bring her back, but couldn't. She hadn't wanted to come back, but he now knew it wasn't because she didn't care about him, even though he couldn't forgive her at the time.
He closed his eyes and remembered that one year they had spent at Westover, and how Bianca had snuck into the kitchens on Christmas and stole cookies and hot chocolate for them both. She had even dared to cut off a branch with an ornament from the Christmas tree in the headmaster's office, so they would have their own. He must have been the most annoying little brother ever, he thought sadly, but she still put up with him and cared for him. She still helped him and comforted him when he needed her to. She had been the best older sister anyone could ask for, and he hadn't been able to notice it until she was gone.
He looked at his reflection in the water, and saw how similar his face was getting to his father's. He thought about how Bianca had looked more like their mother, but had still managed to look like him. He remembered her kind face smiling at him when he said something nice to her, and her laugh when they would joke around.
They had a lot of fights, but they had even more good times. He wanted to thank her for those times ever since she had died, and for never holding a grudge against him. For always looking at him and seeing all of the good things, and none of the bad. She had loved him and cared about him, like a sister should, and her memory would never be gone from his mind or heart. He had already forgiven her for everything she had done, whether to annoy him or tease him, because he knew now that she would never have wanted to hurt him intentionally.
He wiped his eyes and smiled at how she had taught him so much, even after her death. She had taught him that holding grudges is never a good thing, and how you can always find good even amid so much bad. And she taught him how the bond between family should never be broken and should always be there. That was one lesson he would never forget.
"Thank you," he whispered, closing his eyes.
Then he stood up, ready to get back to bed. Before he left, he felt something brush his hand. He turned and saw nothing but a trace of a very familiar smile fading into thin air. He looked around, then noticed something in his hand. He opened it and found a small note lying on his palm. He unfolded it and saw the words, "watch the sky" written in neat letters. He did and his face broke into a wide, teary smile at what he saw.
Because when he looked up at the stars in night sky, a new, temporary constellation had formed. A constellation of the words, "You're welcome."
A/N To anyone who has a brother or a sister; cherish every moment with each other, 'cause you never know when something might happen to either of you. Something that you might regret for as long as you live. All siblings fight, but forgiveness is very important when you do. Don't break the bond between each other, because its the only bond that should always remain strong. The bond between siblings; the bond between family. Your sibling is the one that would always be there no matter what they say. They will always defend you, and help you up when you fall. You may say you hate each other, and say and do things a million times worse, but in your hearts you know they're empty words. Let them know that, and you'll find their words and actions are too. Life is just too short to hold grudges.
:)
