Astrid's POV

I couldn't help but scream. I never did, but this was different. The powers are starting to take control of me, it had never been this painful before. I could sense the fear on everyone's faces outside. I could sense that Athena and Poseidon knew what was happening, that it was getting worse. But the others did not know, and they don't need to know. I hope Athena doesn't tell them.
Then the pain started coming up again, I tried to hide it, like Zeus told me. But it didn't work, It was too painful, I had to scream. Fire was escaping my my hands. I had this strong feeling to destroy everything, but that was because of the parts of Kronos which made me feel this way.

I felt my skin burning, my clothes burning. My water control tried to fight the fire controlling me, but it was losing. Thanks Hephaestus for the fire gift, could have given me the gift to create weapons, but no. I tried to fight it, but all my other gifts were joining in on the battle, It made me scream again, even more agonising than before. I screamed until my vision blurred and went black.

No ones POV-outside the room where Astrid is

All everyone heard was screaming. Nico was thinking about Astrid. With whatever was happening, would she be okay? Athena knew what was happening but wouldn't say anything. The screaming finally stopped. Athena went to open the door. Everyone else looked inside. There were little fires around the room, scorch marks on the padding on the walls and roof, water surrounding the floor, then there was Astrid's body, laying motionless on the water filled floor. Her body was burnt, her clothes were burnt, the water was slowly trying to heal Astrid.

Nico went and picked her up, she was a mixture of hot and cold and wet and dry, all at the same time. Nico laid her on the ground outside the room, he was going to feed her nectar and ambrosia, when Athena stopped him. She just grabbed a bucket of water and dumped it all over Astrid, causing her to heal faster.

Astrid woke up. Her eyes shifting more than ever. She backed away from everyone. "I will destroy Olympus, just watch me." Astrid said in an evil tone. Everyone looked surprised and confused. "Guys, why are you staring at me, I'm perfectly fine, see." She added, gesturing to herself. She clearly didn't know what she just said. Athena came over to her. "Gigi, you said it again, Kronos' gift is torturing you. You said you would destroy Olympus." "Why did I get Kronos' gift? It's destroying me." Astrid asked. "It was the only way to make you have strength like the other demigods, Persephone's gift wasn't going to work so we didn't, I'm so sorry." Athena answered, looking sad.

Nico ran over and hugged Astrid, not too hard and not too soft. It was perfect. Astrid softly, put a kiss on his cheek, and walked towards the edge of Olympus. She sat, swinging her legs over the edge, letting them dangle into the air. She could hear Annabeth and her mother, Athena, talking about everything. She also heard her father talk to her twin brother, but he wouldn't dare come near me.

She sat thinking. Thinking about anything and everything, to get her mind off her happy family. Sally Jackson was ranted permission into Olympus, somehow. Percy, Sally and Poseidon, all looked like a happy family, they didn't need Astrid to be happy. They were talking happily. Nico came and sat next to her. His legs dangling off the edge as well. "Astrid, why don't you go to see your family?" Nico asked. "I don't have one. Athena is my only family, not even by blood. They look happy without me anyway."

Nico sighed. "Look, summer is tomorrow, go spend it with Sally and Percy." Astrid shook her head. "No, I don't need them. I have you and Athena." "Why don't you like Sally if you were separated from Percy at birth?" Nico asked. "That was only half the truth. Most of it to be exact. When I was born, fifteen minutes after Percy, she found out I was dying. I only had one month to live. She kept me for a couple of days, to show the midwives I was loved, then dumped me in front of the elevator here, in Olympus." Astrid answered, bitterly.

"I want you to go over there, I'll come with you." Nico said. "If I set her on fire or drown her, it's not my fault, right?" Astrid asked, Nico laughed, and led her over to her family.

Astrid's POV

He led me over to my family, one of his hands placed on my back for support. He never said no about me setting her on fire so... It shouldn't matter. We made it there. "Hey." Was all I said. My mother looked at me, but I couldn't see her expression. So instead, I dug through her fears. I saw it and shuddered. I slowly backed away. "Nico, I can't talk to her, I know you wanted me to, but i can't." I ran. I didn't stop running until I found myself at Long Islands beach. I sat in the water. I cried, not sad tears, but angry tears. I made the water burst like volcanoes. It started to pour with rain."

"I knew she never wanted to see me again, I knew it. Why did I give in to him. I guess I thought that she would love me now, not like I was when I was a couple days old. Nico I know your there." I said. I turned to see him. But he just stared at me. "I know my eyes are shifting, you have seen them shift before-" I was cut off by Nico. "It's not that, it's just, you never seem to cry tears of sadness or happiness, only ever anger. And don't go blaming it on my fathers, Zeus' and Kronos' gifts. I know that's not it."

"I looked through my mothers fears. I wasn't going to set her on fire, or drown her because I knew you would hate me. When I looked, I saw me as a newborn baby. I was looking at her with red eyes, my eyes were never red. She said that I was just like my Poseidon's father, Kronos. That's what she saw when she looked at me, I never looked like that. I had sea green eyes, that shifted different shades of blue and green. I was born without mine being in control. Percy wasn't, he could make his shift whenever." I said.

"I could never hate you. Now stop playing with the water before all the oceans contents go all over the shore." I laughed at what he said. "You know, you bring out the best in me, a side I never thought existed. This is the second time I've ever said this, both to you. Thank you." I said. I whirled around to see him. Then his lips connected to mine, we kissed. I felt not a spark, but fireworks. I kissed him back, then we broke apart, smiling and laughing. "I think I like you, Nico Di Angelo." I said. "I think I like you too, Astrid-Grace Atlantis Jackson." He said. I groaned. "I hate my last name so much." "I'm not going to argue about keeping your last name, so change it or get rid of it." He said. "I'm just gonna go by Astrid-Grace Atlantis."

"You know what would sound even better?" Nico asked.

"What?"

"Astrid-Grace Atlantis, my girlfriend."

"You know," she said, "I like the sound of it." They kissed again. "I don't know how love works, I've never loved anyone before, let alone liked." I said in between kisses. We broke apart. "Well, you have so much to learn." He said.

We turned to see The Jackson family and Poseidon, standing there staring. "Did you know they were there?" He whispered. "Yep," I said loudly and proud. "I also didn't care if they saw. Not like they ever cared anyway." "Astrid, I am your mother, this is your family." Sally said. "No it's not, since when did you care. I am not a Jackson, I never will be. I don't care if I am by blood, but the closest thing to a family I have is Persephone, Ares and Athena. I don't need you. I survived this long without you." I stood up gave Nico a quick kiss, before walking off, a massive smile on my face. I could tell Nico did as well.