Disclaimer: I do not own the Heroes of Olympus or Percy Jackson series.

Sorry it's taken me so long to upload, it's been Christmas and everything. So yeah, read, enjoy and tell me what you think. Warning, this chapter isn't that great, I had writer's block for quite some time.

Chapter 3: Cracks

Percy held her close again. His girlfriend finally back with him. He could've sworn they'd been separated longer than eight months. He didn't want her to leave ever again. He didn't want her life to be left to the hands of fate, he wanted to protect her from any harm that could ever could to her. He would give his own life for hers.

Annabeth smiled up at Percy, the golden beams of the sunset giving her face a radiant glow, which highlighted her smile beautifully. He couldn't deny he loved her smile. He couldn't deny he loved her. He didn't want to spend a moment of his life without her again, but he knew he'd have to.

Annabeth squeezed Percy's hands gently.

"Should we go?" she asked, trying to mask the sadness that slipped inside her voice.

"We probably should," Percy sighed, not wanting to leave their moment of peace. They didn't move. Annabeth laughed quietly after both of them showed no signs of wanting to move.

"Do you think it'll work?" Annabeth asked, blinking her eyes gently.

"What?" Percy asked.

"The whole plan. Do you think Reyna believes we need to work together? She seems only half convinced. I don't think she wants us to cooperate."

"I'm pretty sure she's cool with the plan," Percy tried, unwanted doubts slipping into his mind, "I don't think Reyna's the sort to go back on her word though." Annabeth exhaled.

"I just don't know. I think we can trust the Romans in the team, there were just others who didn't seem as trusting. The sooner we get out of here the better."

"They raised me, a Greek to praetor, and they're really not the sort to back down on a team."

"I just don't know," Annabeth sighed, "I just have this crazy feeling something very bad is going to happen."

"Gaea's rising, that's bad right?" Percy said. Annabeth nodded slightly. Percy didn't enjoy seeing Annabeth concerned, because when she was concerned, something bad was going to happen.

After pushing a list of possible tragedies out of his mind Percy got to his feet.

"Hey," he started, "It's probably nothing. I'll make sure no one hurts us." Annabeth smiled, and held her hands outward. Percy hoisted her to her feet and then raised her of them. He spun her around and kissed her.

"I love you Seaweed Brain," Annabeth admitted as Percy set her down. She kissed him again. "We should go 'catch up' as you call it." With a dreamy smirk on his face, Percy guided Annabeth towards the cohort cabins.

His mind seemed at peace that night. No dreams bothered him, or kindled worrying thoughts; he wasn't lying in bed for half of the night wondering about how his friends were; the thought of Gaea waking seemed distant.

When he woke in the morning he felt perfectly rested and peaceful, willing to move on with the day ahead. He got up and moved along to a day that seemed only far too short. He spent his morning talking to Annabeth, Tyson and Grover, he felt so at home talking to his old friend's again. He also told them about Nico. Percy hadn't thought about Nico in a while, and telling his friend's seemed a bad thing, but he did. Grover listened intently to the story and seemed really worried.

"Gaea's not stupid," he said, "She wouldn't hold hostages for no reason. She's either trying to torture him or distract you."

"Gaea should know that we wouldn't trust Nico after he's been her prisoner," Annabeth said, "There has to be more to her plan." A dark cold feeling spread through Percy, he feared he knew what Gaea knew. Did Gaea know his fatal flaw was being too trusting towards loved ones? Did Gaea know he would never leave a friend? Did Gaea know Percy would always trust Nico?

"Percy?" Annabeth started, "Is something up?" Percy shook himself out of his state of mind. He didn't want to tell them what he feared, he didn't want to let down his friends. He was the child of the prophecy, two of them, he couldn't tell them that he'd mess it up for all of them. He knew he'd have to try to give Nico the cold shoulder if he returned, even if he didn't want to.

"No," Percy replied, "So what was happening at camp the past few months?"

"Nothing really," Annabeth told him, "They built the boat and we got a load of new campers, but nothing you wouldn't already know." Their conversation ended about there. There was just too much to think about to talk.

Their conversation slowly trickled into silence and they each eventually left for one reason or another. Reyna and Jason came over to speak to Percy, looking cheerful and happy. It was nice to see them both smile.

"War games," Jason said.

"Tonight?" Percy asked.

"Tomorrow. Make sure all the Greeks come; we'll be having a Roman version of Capture the Flag. It'll be better than the Greek's."

"Maiming and killing allowed?" Percy asked jokingly.

"Well Death isn't working properly so we figured we could take our chances."

"Are you serious?"

"No! That would be the worst way to try and get us to unite. There are some idiots who still don't trust Greece."

"Octavian," Reyna coughed, making herself choke and sputter.

"Like that idiot," Jason growled, "I bet he's going to do something extreme to get more people to agree with him."

"Sounds like him," Percy decided.

"Octavian just doesn't get how to be normal. If I didn't know any better I'd say he's working for Gaea."

"We'll just have to hope he doesn't do anything insane," Reyna sighed.

Percy's dreams weren't as rested that night. They weren't nearly as calm. He had prayed he wouldn't have to see anything as bad as what he did then. He refused to accept that Gaea knew his fatal flaw.

Percy found himself in a darkened building. It was clearly ancient, he didn't have to look at the columned walls, he could tell just by the musty smell. It probably should've been a major tourist attraction, but the room was deserted and through the small cracks in the marble wall no tourists could be seen crowding every nearby street.

"Perseus," a warm, feminine voice greeted, "Come to see your friend?" Percy didn't respond. He didn't want to.

"Your friend, Nico, don't you want to see him?" The voice sounded sad, but Percy knew better.

"I can take you to him," the voice continued, "He admits to thinking of you as a brother, the funny thing is, you didn't come to help him when he called. He called for your help and earned no response. You've already let him down." Percy was utterly confused, he hadn't known about any cry for help Nico could've sent out.

The earth trembled and the columns forming the opposite wall moved apart to reveal a small doorway.

"You can see your friend," the voice offered, "If you wish." Percy wanted to see Nico, to make sure the kid was ok, yet he was pretty sure he wasn't going to see that. The small door swung open and Percy took a chance and crawled through it.

Percy regretted his choice to soon. His head entered the other room and he heard screaming. Screams loud and desperate, crying for help that was never going to come, screams that must hurt to let out. As Percy raised his head he saw his friend. Suspended in midair by some invisible force, was Nico. His skin had turned grey from all the strain of whatever form he was under, his eyes were bloodshot, puffy and rimmed with black, his whole body shook under the pain and tears fell endlessly down his face. He couldn't stop screaming, his whole face showed how pained he was and his screams were agonised beyond any measure.

"Welcome to the Doors of Death Percy," the voice spoke, making Percy notice the archway Nico was suspended in the middle of.

"Let him go!" Percy demanded.

"For what price?" the voice asked, joy creeping into it.

"You can take me instead!" he yelled, "Just leave Nico alone! He's only twelve!"

"A worthy price," the voice decided, "Yet you are willing to stay suspended between life and death, the unimaginable pain of an intant's instant for your average person, millennia for you."

"Just let him out now!" Percy stormed.

"Are you sure you don't wish to lower your price? After all, what has the boy ever done for you?"

"He trusted me. He trusted me with his sister and I returned without her, yet he forgives me and trusts me still. I need to pay him back."

"So heroic. I accept your offer, if you would step into the archway." Percy heard the satisfaction he had given the voice, but he didn't want to take back his choice. He was going to help Nico and take the terrible fate upon himself.

Percy watched as Nico continued to writhe and release tortured cries. It seemed too much pain to force upon him, but Percy knew he had to help Nico. He took a deep breath and steeped forward, into the archway. White-hot pain hit Percy from every imaginable direction, making his skin seem to fizz and bubble away, and his lungs cease to breathe and burn when cool air touched then, making his insides seize up and fold in on themselves, making his flesh burn and send unbearable heat blast through his whole system.

But it was only an instant.

Percy gasped as his eyes jerked open. He put one hand to his neck to try to steady his breathing. He couldn't stop himself from shaking. His skin still seemed to be fizzing away. He kicked his covers off him and tried to recover from the torturous pain, tucking his knees into his chest and tipping his head down.

"Are you ok?" the person in the bunk next to him whispered urgently. Percy couldn't answer. His head was still bouncing around his skull aching like Tartarus. Leo's head hovered next to Percy's bed.

"Are you right dude?" he asked again. Percy replied with a strangled gasp and Leo walked away, returning seconds later with an ambrosia cube. He pushed it into Percy's mouth and cool relief spread through Percy.

"Better?" Leo asked. Percy nodded, breathing heavily.

"Crazy dream," Percy panted.

"Just get to sleep again, Gaea can't haunt you forever." Leo trundled back over to his bed leaving Percy alone with eerie silence in his ears. He felt like he'd failed, he'd taken on so much pain - for nothing. He hadn't saved his friend or helped him in any way. He wanted to rip Gaea's head off and enjoy it.

Now you peoples reading. Can I ask you a favour? I will anyway. I want to know if for the next chapter you want me to write from Piper's direction or Octavian's direction. Both are vitally important parts, but I am unsure if I should include an Octavian chapter. Your help will be much appreciated.

Next chapter, hearts start turning. This will get intense. And you'll all hate me.