Hey so this chapter is pretty short and kind of uneventful and I apologize for that. It's more of just a filler for what's to come. But hey it exists and it's been slightly less than forever since I updated this time. So yay!
Thank you so so so so so so much to everyone who reviewed I'm getting so many reviews on this story and it's great and it's makes me want to out out more chapters and just like I love every single one of you who took the time to review you all rock.
Note that this probably has typos because I'm too lazy to send it through my editor. Yup I'm a real go getter.
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Late night rain drizzled around Jason as he sat aboard the Argo II, silently keeping watch. He had volunteered to take a shift keeping the ship on track while the others slept. It had been a peaceful night so far, and he was almost dozing off to sleep himself when Nico Di Angelo's face appeared in front of him.

Jason immediately jumped back, startled, before he was overtaken by a feeling of relief. "Nico!"

Nico looked worn out, and something had him on edge. "Jason." Nico said. "Is anybody else with you?"

Jason shook his head. "They're sleeping. What's wrong? Where have you been? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Nico reassured him. "But I'm with these people..."

"Are you being held captive?" Jason asked, hand tightening around his sword hilt.

Nico shook his head. "No, they're, uh, allies. But we have a problem. One of them, a half-blood named Libby, was captured by Gaia."

Jason's face fell. "Oh."

"That's why I called." Nico said. "It's my fault. I don't know what to do."

"Nico, I don't even know where you are. I want to help, but..." Jason began, head racing.

"Jason," Nico added, "Libby is eight months pregnant."

Jason's eyes widened. "What about your allies? Can they help?"

Nico shook his head. "Only two of them are in fighting condition, maybe three." Fallon had shown she had skills, but so far she seemed to be reluctant to take part in any battle.

"What's wrong with them?" Jason asked, concerned.

Nico suddenly felt fiercely protective of the outcasts. "Nothing. Nothing is wrong with them."

Jason held up his hands in surrender. "Ok. I can wake up the others. We can all figure out a way to help."

Nico looked hesitant.

"I haven't told them about what happened, Nico." Jason reassured him. "They don't know."

Nico fidgeted with his hands uncomfortably. If the others could help Libby, he should talk to them. Even Percy. But he didn't want to. "Look," Nico said. "You talk to the others. I still have to talk to my allies here. If you guys have a plan, Iris message me. If you can't reach me, Iris message..." He though for a second. David was the leader, but of there was some sort of fight going on where they couldn't reach him, David probably wouldn't be available either. "Bea Allen, Las Vegas." Bea would be most likely to not be fighting, or out of the hotel.

"Bea Allen, Las Vegas." Jason repeated. "Got it."

"Good." Nico said, and swiped through the message.


When Nico returned from sending the message, Fallon, foot wrapped and shoulder reset, had already began giving a detailed recollection of everything she remembered. Nico had cut in only to talk about his dream, thankful for Fallon doing most of the talking. The others all listened intently with somber expressions.

"And then we just came back here." Fallon finished. There was a brief silence, during which Nico stared at his feet uncomfortably. This was the part where they would all yell at him, curse the day they ever helped him, and then kick him out forever. Instead he felt a comforting hand placed lightly on his shoulder. Cassie.

"It's not your fault Nico." Cassie said softly.

Yes it is. Why did they all have to be so goddamn nice. Couldn't they see everything was entirely his fault? Why wouldn't they lash out at him like he deserved.

"Nico." Cassie spoke again. "If what you said is true, you got a pretty nasty hit on your head. You should go let Bea examine you."

Bea immediately spoke up in protest. "We don't have time for that- Libby's in trouble."

"And we can't do anything about that at this very second." Cassie said sternly.

Bea sighed. "Follow me." She rolled herself in the direction of her room not bothering to wait for a response. Nico hastily followed her into the hallway. When they reached her bedroom, she waited for Nico to enter, slamming the door angrily behind him.

The second the door had closed and they were out of sight of the others, Bea grabbed ahold of his shirt collar faster than Nico would've thought someone in a wheelchair could move. She pinned him up against the wall with impressive force.

Nico reacted immediately, kicking out at her chair with enough power to send it toppling over, Bea herself being deposited on the floor. "Sorry." He said quickly.

"Help me up you bastard." She spat.

"Why did you attack me?" Nico asked cautiously. Nico picked her chair back into an upright position, then walked over to where she was trying to pick herself up the floor. He crouched awkwardly beside her. "Should I uh, pick you up?"

She snorted. "I'm not picking myself up."

He hesitantly put one hand behind her back and one under her knees and gently lifted her. It was only a few feet before he set her back down in her chair. "You going to say why you attacked me now?"

Bea was glaring at him, and when she spoke, her voice was dangerously low. "If any harm comes to her I swear to the gods I will rip you to pieces, chair or no chair. Everyone else may be ok with you just waltzing in and screwing everything up, but forgive me if I'm not as welcoming. You put my friend in danger and I hope you know that I will not forgive you for that, and I blame you for anything that happens to her."

Nico was shocked into silence for a second. "I'm sorry." He stammered out. Bea was right. He had brought nothing but trouble. "You're right. It's all my fault. I should leave now."

Bea was fuming now. "Just leave now? That's your plan? Abandon us after all this shit you caused? I don't think so. Here's what you're going to do. You're going to stay here until you help us do whatever it takes to get Libby back. And then, once she's safe, you're going to get your ass out of here and never show your face in this state again."

Nico nodded, but Bea wasn't finished. "And however polite the others may be, remember this: I am not your friend. I'm not keeping you around because I like you, only because I need you to get Libby back. And I really couldn't give less of a shit what happens to you- I would trade your life for hers any day."

"I'm sorry." Was all Nico could say.

"Sorry doesn't save her." Bea wheeled herself around. "Come on, I've had plenty of time to determine you don't have any serious injuries. Let's get back- we need to make a plan."


Coming up with any sort of plan was easier said than done. They had no idea where to start. Libby could be anywhere, with no way for then to reach her.

"I have an idea." Bea grumbled for the thousandth time. "How about we go and grab Nico's friend and give the Earth goddess what she wants."

"No." Nico said sternly. He couldn't put Percy, and the world, in danger because of his mistakes. "I can't do that to Percy."

"Well that's not my problem." Bea snapped back. "You know what is? You."

"Bea." David warned. "Putting someone else in danger isn't going to solve anything. We give up Percy Jackson and Gaia ends up taking over the whole world anyway."

Bea crossed her arms. "This is dumb. We're getting nowhere."

"Well the arguing isn't helping." Mumbled Fallon.

"Libby's not here so I'll speak for her." Patrick said, raising his voice to a high pitched imitation of Libby's, "All y'all need to get your heads out of your asses and focus on something other than yourselves for a second. Like me. And now allow me to dramatically angst about my baby."

"Fine." Bea spat. "New idea. Gaia seems to be into Nico too why don't he just turn himself in. I know he's not as important as this Percy kid but apparently he's some sort of hot shot- ow Cassie!" Bea huffed as Cassie stomped on her foot under the table.

At this point Nico just wanted to slip into the shadows and crawl back into the underworld. Dead people weren't this complicated. Maybe Bea's idea was valid. Would Gaia trade Libby for him? That would make everything easier- no one would miss him that much. It's not like he spent much time with them anyway.

"Bea could be right." Nico spoke up quietly.

"No Nico, of course not." Cassie cut in quickly.

"Hey if he's cool with it what's the issue?" Bea argued.

"Well for one we don't know if it would even work." David said, "and there's no use putting Nico in danger for no reason."

"Why can't he just ask Gaia then? It can't be that hard." Bea said, "Like 'Hey Gaia, I know I'm not exactly your first choice but I'm somewhere on the list right? I mean, I'm totally worth trading for that random chicks. My ultra powerful friend you want to kill will like try and save me and all.' See, easy."

"How's he supposed to get in touch with her? She doesn't exactly have a snapchat." Fallon asked.

Bea shrugged. "He's done it before. Like everyone he goes to sleep. How about David punches him out and we hope for the best?"

"This is ridiculous." Cassie said.

Patrick nodded in agreement.

Bea crossed her arms. "What's your plan?"

Cassie hesitated. "Something where we all work together."

"Specific." Bea muttered.

Fallon sighed. "This is the most pointless discussion ever."

"Are you saying Libby is pointless?" Snapped Bea.

"No." Fallon quickly replied. "I'm saying all we're doing is arguing, not actually strategizing. And it's getting us nowhere."

David nodded. "Fallon is right. The last thing we need is too split up. We survive because we work as a team. And Bea, now Nico is part of that team as well."

Bea threw up her arms in protest. "We don't even know the kid!"

"Since when do we even know you?" Patrick asked. "Isn't the whole point that we've all done shit in the past and we're not obligated to talk about it. We came here for a safe place. In Libby's words, some sort of wacky support group."

Nico was only sinking further into his chair as the seemingly endless debate. He wanted to just disappear and thanked whatever gods didn't want to kill him that no one had asked him his opinion again. It was probably his separation from the argument that let him hear the knocking in the first place. It wasn't coming from behind them, in their usual back entrance, but more far off, probably near the hotels actual boarded up entrance. "Guys." Nico said quietly, but it was loud enough that everyone turned to look at him. "I think someone is at the door." Nico watched them all strain their ears to listen.

"Should we get it?" Asked Patrick.

There was a silence.

"It could be a monster." Cassie pointed out.

"Most monsters don't politely knock." Fallon said. "They usually like burst in and try to kill us."

David picked up his sword. "I'll go see what's up, then come back."

"Alone?" Cassie asked worriedly.

"I'll be fine, I won't get to close." David said, then turned around before Cassie could protest again.

There were a few minutes of worried waiting, during which Cassie proposed a few times going after him and Patrick shushed her. In about ten minutes, they heard the door open and footsteps approaching. Nico felt his grip on his sword tighten automatically. David came back, but he wasn't alone, next to him stood a tall, slightly tanned brunette with one green eye and and on brown one.

"Um." David said. "So it wasn't a monster. It was a mortal girl. She says she wants to talk to us."

While the others looked on confused, Bea's eyes widened in shock. "Pen? I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

The girl waved. "Hey Locke." She had a slight accent Nico couldn't quite place.

"You two know each other?" Fallon questioned. "How?"

"Uh-" Bea stammered, but the girl spoke for her.

"Well," Pen thought for a second, "I guess you could call me her ex girlfriend."