Yay! Here is some action, and some more Nico-Rose time! I have big plans for this story! Now, I am very picky about how I portray my characters, and I am not sure how I feel about Rose and Nico. Tell me if you like/hate them!

Thanks for the one review but I will NOT be posting until I get more reviews!

ENJOY!

I have seen some pretty weird things in my lifetime. Being a goddess has those perks. But what was before me beat Lady Gaga at weird. It was a large bird with a shiny beak and metallic feathers. Its shone a vivid red, and it let out a squawk. It had sharp talons.

The worst part?

It wanted me dead.

I was at a vulnerable stage with no weapons, a hurt heart and a weak mind. I reached to my neck and tried to open my locket.

It wouldn't open.

The creature lunged at me and I ducked, and its talons missed by an inch. I dove into the trees and it followed me. Then it did something strange. The creature shot a feather at me. I whizzed past me with incredible speed, and it hit a tree. The tree leaned to the side.

Okay, don't get hit by a feather.

I reached for a branch, but the creature gashed my back. I could feel the blood oozing down my back. I kept running. Finally, I found a broken branch on the ground and I picked it up. It was a dry branch, but it would have to do. I whirled around and whacked the creature. It just shook it off and let out an angry squawk. I just made it more mad.

I ran faster.

I stumbled out of the forest, the creature just half a second behind me. We were in someone's backyard. I looked around for potential weapons and ran for the grill, hoping there was something-even a spatula-inside.

Then, the bell tower just down the street started to clang. It echoed down the streets. The bird yowled in pain, the sound hurting its ears. The bell continued to clang. It must have been signaling it was noon. The bird burst into dust.

I left the backyard, huffing and puffing and blood oozing. Now, I had to find my way back to the house. As I walked back, I was even weaker than before. I could barely survive a creature attacking me. I took off my necklace and looked at it. It still wouldn't open.

I stumbled into the house, and tore off my shirt and wrapped it around my stomach. I could feel four scratches on my lower back. I hurried upstairs and opened the bathroom door. Nico stood in front of the mirror with dripping wet hair. No worries, he was full dressed.

I wasn't.

"Out!" I cried, weakly shoving him. Nico looked me up and down. No, he wasn't checking out my good body (or lack thereof.)

"What happened?"

Without answering, I closed the door on his face and turned to look at the wound. It was beginning to heal. My godly blood came in handy. Within the minute, the wound was healed and I washed away the residue of blood. I slowly opened the bathroom door and slipped into my bedroom. In the closet, the gods had given me several clothes. Problem was, Aphrodite had been the one to choose the wardrobe.

I pulled out a colorful flowing shirt and slipped it on. I went downstairs and found Nico on the laptop.

"Can I use that?" I asked. I really wanted to see what kind of creature had attacked me.

"You are weak," Nico stated, sliding the laptop next to him. I sat down next to him and got on google.

"No," I replied, but I really was. I hadn't trained in months.

"This quest will be a failure anyway if you are weak," Nico stated, "This will be a waste of time."

"I'll become strong. Just help me," I answered. I decided to be honest, "I need you. I need you to fight beside me."

"You need me or you need the old times?" Nico snapped, "You should really move on."

"Is that what you did?" I asked coldly, "If it is, I want no part of it." Moving on was not an option. I studied Nico for a second when he did not say anything. "You haven't moved on, you have simply pushed out the past. That's not moving on."

"Stop talking like you know everything," Nico finally said after a moment of silence.

"This is what attacked me," I said, changing the subject. "You know the dream god, Morpheus? These creatures, Stymphalian birds, work for him. They are these man-eating birds that have bronze beaks, metallic dart feathers and are allergic to sound. I just have no idea why Morpheus's creatures are trying to kill me…It's Coeus that's after the gods, not Morpheus… "

"Don't care," Nico muttered. I gripped the sides of the laptop, tempted to hit him with it. I did not move.

Nico and I sat still for several minutes. There was so much I wanted to say, but I didn't. Now wasn't the time. I didn't know when was the time. I wanted to tell him how hard life has been without him. How I needed him. I didn't.

This time, I chose to leave and escaped to the TV.

"You should be training," Nico stated, "I'm not doing this quest but you are." I waited to complain and say I just got attacked, I was too weak and I wasn't ready. Yet, those were excuses. Nico was right.

I left the TV room and went to the workout room. That's just how big the house was. I blasted Taylor swift and ran on the treadmill. Truth is, I hated working out. I hated training. I would much rather eat candy on the couch.

I worked out for a long time, and went to take a shower. Once it was dark, I decided to find Nico. He was lying on his bed, sketching in a notebook.

I stood in the doorway, "Sometimes, I wish I didn't have this power. This necklace has a piece of me inside of it. That's why I would die if it were to be destroyed. Sometimes, I wish I could destroy it, and be normal. I wish I was human." He didn't look up. "Do you ever wish you were normal?"

Silence.

I wondered if he was going to answer. When I was about to turn and walk away, Nico spoke up. "No." Pregnant pause. "But I wish you were."