Disclaimer: I do not own PJO.
Over the years, Nico had heard little about Dr. Chase, other than that he was Annabeth's father, that Annabeth had run away from him aged seven, and that he was a mean shot in a Sopwith Camel. But Percy seemed to remember him as trustworthy, and so Nico followed him down into the city to an average looking house. Percy knocked on the door, and a man opened it. He had sandy-coloured hair, and deep brown eyes. He took a moment to register there presense, before jumping back in surprise.
"Percy?" he said, "What are you doing here? I thought you were missing,"
Nico stepped in to save his befuddled cousin, "He is sir, Hera took his memory. We need your help, and you can't tell Annabeth about it. We need some way to get up north fast,"
"And you two are?" he asked, looking confused,
"Nico Di Angelo. Son of Hades. That's Hazel, Daughter of Dem- Ceres,"
Even though Dr. Chase knew little about the demigod world, and his civilisation had given up on the Greek gods almost two thousand years ago, he still gave an involuntary shiver at the mention of Hades. Inwardly, Nico smirked. "So I can't even tell Annabeth?"
"No. Nobody can know about us, we need to remain secret. Do you have a car we could borrow? I'd take us myself, but I taking three people that far would put me in a coma for at least a week. And we only have a week,"
"Umm… sure I guess, you can take my car. But I want two things. First, when you can, you need to explain all this to Annabeth. Second, Percy, don't destroy it this time, ok? This one is almost brand new,"
Percy smiled, "Sure,"
"Do you want to come in? Were about to eat, but I'm sure Helen can rustle something up for you,"
"Thanks for the offer, but we need to get going, we only have until the 21st,"
"Do you need me to drive? None of you look old enough,"
"No sir. Percy has a learners licence,"
Dr. Chase sighed. "Fine, I guess. Off you go then. And please take care of the car,"
They thanked him again and he handed them the keys, before climbing into the Ford Focus parked in the driveway.
"And he gives you the keys, just like that?" asked Hazel,
"Sure. He doesn't really know me or you, but Percy is his daughter's boyfriend, and he saved her life. I guess he trusts Percy enough at least,"
Percy started the car, and tried to pull out of the drive. The car wouldn't move.
"The handbrakes on, that leaver there,"
Hazel looked accusingly at Nico, "How would you know?"
He laughed, "You hear things in the underworld. Every person who ever lived ends up at some point in Erebus, and believe you me, some of the old racing drivers just don't shut up once you get them going."
Hazel nodded but looked thoughtful. Nico sighed, and watched as the landscape seemed to slide past more and more smoothly as Percy got used to driving. They hit the motorway and he sped up. As Nico watched, the landscape slowly got darker and darker. The moon rose, full and pure white over the horizon. Nico concentrated, using the darkness to improve his eyesight so he could look through the mist, and saw Santa's slay pulled by reindeer, and a figure that stood upon it. He smiled, but then grimaced, remembering his sister. He felt the anger within him start to stir and boil, an old grudge reawakening, and before he could quell it, he felt pure hatred rise up. Suddenly, the figure and the sleigh seemed to slow down, and the glow it was giving off grew dimmer and darker. Hazel gasped,
"What's happening to the moon?"
Percy turned and looked straight at Nico, "Calm down Nico. It's not her fault, stop it. Forgive her Nico." But it wasn't Percy speaking. His eyes had turned to a warm, homely brown, and the car was driving itself. He looked at him on a different level, and could see the aura of Hestia superimposed upon Percy's sea green. He felt the anger recede until he felt nothing but guilt towards Artemis and her hunters. Percy returned to normal, and the car swerved out of control; they smashed into a tree at the roadside and the engine exploded. Hazel had fainted and Nico pushed he head first out of the car before leaping out himself. Percy jumped out and Nico through him a bottle of water,
"What am I supposed to do with this?" asked Percy, perplexed as usual.
"Control it, put the fire out!" Nico's voice was horse, the smoke entering his lungs.
Percy opened the water bottle and flung the water out before timidly raising his hands, making a pulling outwards motion. The water expanded, three, four five times the volume, then it fell across the car and tree and put out the flames. Percy gasped, and doubled over in pain; Nico ran to him.
"I don't think I've done that in a while," he wheezed, "I'm out of practice,"
"No," Nico smiled, "But you sure as hell saved our bacon,"
"What about Hazel?"
"She'll be fine, we just need to give her time. We'll stop here for the night before we get to tired. Get the tent out of my bag and we'll put it up,"
Why on earth, Nico thought, did the person who invented tents have to make them so ridiculously hard to put up? They had been working on it for half an hour, and now finally they were finished. He looked up at Percy and spoke,
"Finally,"
Percy smiled, and then looked at the car, "What should we do tomorrow? Dr. Chase is going to kill me,"
"We can't drive it any more. Sorry Percy. This is my fault, if I hadn't done… whatever I just did Hestia wouldn't have had to intervene, and we would still be driving,"
"Wait, Hestia came? What happened, I thought I fell asleep,"
"Don't worry, it's done with now. I can't shadow travel us, even though were much closer now, but I know someone who can,"
"Who?"
Nico smiled, "An old friend,"
