Hi guys!

This is the second to last chapter! But you will get an epilogue, so don't worry. I'm not quite sure what I will write into it, so give me ideas!

Finwitch1: Not you again. Stop figuring things out! Haha, kidding, you're awesome. ;)

Lord of Potatoes: Wow, 3 reviews in one day. I like you :). Also, regarding ch 26, I see what you did there :D And of course, it was my mistakes, I should go and fix it immediatley

TypewriterGirl13: Aww thanks. It's so hard to not write an OOC charakter or bad OC so its nice to see that you think I'm doing a good job here.

Thanks for the rest of the reviews, love you all

Have fun reading!

PS: I have no idea what subway trains in Chicago are like, only that they drive overground most of the time. But there are stations underground, so just pretend this is one of them

PPS: There is a quote from one of my favorite TV series in here, who finds it gets a cookie

PPPS: Sorry it's not as long as the others. The next one will be a really looooong chapter to make up for this


Chapter 28

Thankfully Nico never found out what it was like to kiss Gina because Ida came walking into the room.

"I cleared up everything with her school and her piano teacher. Anything else I have to do?", she asked.

Will shook his head and got up. "Thank you for doing this, but it wasn't necessary. Camp normally takes care of these things. If you say good bye now to Claire, we will be on our way"

Ida looked surprised.

"But it's only three in the afternoon, surely you don't have to go already", she protested.

"Actually, we do have to go. We have to get back into the city after all", Nico spoke up.

"Yeah and I need to pack some things too, so time is running a bit short", Gina backed them up.

With her being outnumbered, Ida gave in and told Claire to come with her for a moment.

"Let's go then", Will said to his friends and helped them up.

"Are you still tired?", he asked Nico, who nodded slightly. He still didn't want to admit that.

Will wrapped an arm around his shoulder to support him for which Nico was thankful.

"I guess that means no shadow-travel", Gina pouted.

"Definitely not!", Will exclaimed and pulled Nico even more towards him. He practically hissed at Gina protectively. Nico might have appreciated the gesture, but his arm was stuck between the two bodies and bend painfully.

"Will, my arm hurts", Nico told him.

"Oh gods sorry!"

Immediately Will let go of the younger boy and Nico rubbed his arm slightly.

"Guys, a little help please?", came Gina's faint voice. She sounded like she was in pain.

It turned out she was only trying to lift one of Claire's bags. Will went over to help and lifted the bag without much trouble. Gina stammered something about her just acting but they all knew she wasn't able to lift it. Demigods were stronger than mortals, everyone knew that. Okay, not everyone, more like all the people that knew about their world. And maybe only all the people that knew about their world except Gina. And Ida. And...Nico should stop thinking now.

"Let's pick up Claire and get back home", Will said. He readjusted his hold on the bag and frowned. "What did that girl put in there?"

He sat it down, opened it and took a long look. His frown deepened.

"Why is there a pot in there?"

Claire was skipping along happily, holding her stuffed tiger in the one hand and Gina in the other. She was swinging their joined hands and humming some tune Nico had never heard before. Gina was laughing and started to hum the same song. Nico couldn't help but think that that was the perfect disguise. Nobody would suspect a wanted criminal to skip down a sidewalk with a young girl while humming.

They stopped at a bus station and Will went to look for the next bus leaving towards the city or at least a subway station.

"There's a subway just ten minutes from here. It would be way faster to go there", Will told them.

"More walking?", Claire complained, leaning against Gina. "I already walked here"

She was clearly acting and probably just wanted a piggy-back ride or something.

"Claire, walk or we will leave you here", Nico said and gave her a challenging look.

Two women pushing buggies looked at him scandalized. Claire, however, instantly dropped her act.

"I will be nice, I swear. Don't leave me here", she begged and made big puppy-dog eyes.

"Well, then get moving"

Claire nodded and hurried to catch up with Will, who was a few meters farther away already. Gina laughed and ran after her.

"You shouldn't treat your sister like that", scolded one of the women.

Nico looked over at her and scowled.

"Oh trust me, I don't treat my sister like that"

He turned and followed the two girls.

They reached the station ten minutes later and Will went to find another plan to get the right train.

"I think I know which one to use", Gina piped up. "Keep an eye on her"

With that instruction she left.

Claire latched onto the sleeve of Nico's jacket and scooted closer to him. Nico frowned down at her. Why did she do that? Her eyes had changed colour again and were now grey. It made him wonder who her godly parent was. As far as he knew only children of Aphrodite could change their looks. Noticing that they were standing in the middle of the subway station, Nico lead her towards the side. Claire shuffled her feet and started tugging on the sleeve.

"What?", Nico asked annoyed.

Why did they leave him to babysit? He wasn't good with kids.

"I have to go to the toilette", Claire muttered, head bowed down in shame.

"Uh...okay. There's one over there.", Nico said and pointed across the station.

"Mummy said I'm not allowed to be alone in the subway. You have to come with me"

Nico had the urge to hit something. He clenched his teeth and took a deep breath to calm down.

"Come on then", he gritted out and pulled the young girl towards the toilette sign.

He stopped in front of the women's door.

"Now you go in, do whatever you have to and wash your hands", he told her.

Claire hugged her tiger harder and eyed the door warily. "But mummy said, it's not safe alone"

She turned to Nico and the boy noticed some tears in her eyes. The scared look he got from her made him feel some kind of sympathy.

"I can't go in there with you", he said softly. "It's only for girls"

Claire snivelled and nodded.

Nico send a short look around to check if anybody was watching, before crouching down in front of her, so that they were at eye-level. He pulled out a small bronze dagger and held it out towards her, handle first.

"If anybody weird looking comes at you, stab 'em with the pointy end"

Claire's eyes dried out instantly and she started to grin happily. She reached for the handle, but Nico pulled back slightly.

"Don't stab yourself, understood?"

Claire nodded and grabbed the dagger. Nico stood back up and patted Claire on the back. "Now off you go"

Claire made a happy sound and disappeared through the door. Nico leaned against the wall next to the door got ready to wait. He wondered if Will was looking for them yet. He couldn't see them from his spot against the wall and figured they were still busy with the plan.

The door creaked open and Claire came back through.

"You washed your hands?", Nico asked her.

Claire nodded proudly and showed her slightly wet palms to the boy.

"Dagger?"

Grudgingly the girl handed over the weapon and Nico stored it back in his jacket. Nico pushed off the wall and started back towards the main hall of the small station. Claire grabbed his hand and followed. The station was small and therefore it shouldn't be too hard to find Will and Gina.

As it turned out it only took five seconds. Will slammed into Nico, nearly sending them falling to the floor.

"There you are!", Will exclaimed and smiled. It looked a bit forced and Nico wondered if everything was okay.

"Nico gave me a dagger!", Claire told them proudly.

"You did what? She is eight years old!", Will yelled and shook his head.

"She was scared", Nico explained.

Will sighed in exasperation and turned towards the tunnel leading to the train platform. Nico left Claire with Gina and ran after his boyfriend, who was walking with fast steps.

"Everything alright?", he asked when he caught up with him. Why was that boy so fast?

"Yes", Will growled.

"What is it?"

"I don't like it here, no sun", Will muttered.

He looked around in disgust and shuddered. Nico should have figured that Will wouldn't be comfortable under ground. He on the other hand was feeling a lot better down here, less tired.

"We won't be down here for much longer" Nico tried to be comforting, but he had never been good at that.

They arrived at the platform just as a train was slowly rolling into the station.

"Perfect timing!", Will laughed.

He turned towards their companions, who were lagging behind a bit. The smile dropped right off his face. Claire was showing Gina something that was apparently interesting enough to slow them down.

"Hurry up girls!", Will yelled and they looked up.

The doors opened and people started piling into the train.

"Uh...Will? We should really get going", Nico said.

According to Gina the next train would show up in 45 minutes and then they would miss their train to New York.

Gina grabbed Claire's arm and ran towards them. Claire's bag was bouncing on her back and Nico feared it might fall off and slow them down even more. The last passengers were getting on, showing that the train would close its doors any minute now. Nico reached forward, grabbed Will's arm and pulled him to the nearest door. Claire hopped in right after them and flung herself at Nico, which surprised him quite a bit. Gina slipped on the train just as the doors closed. A few strands of her hair were caught in the door and her head snapped back and slammed against the glass.

"Ow", she muttered and rubbed her head, which resulted in her loosing the cap.

"You have red hair!", Claire screamed.

Some of the people on the train looked at the group of teenagers and frowned.

"Put the hat back on", Will hissed and shoved it into Gina's hands.

"I have red hair too, look!", Caire said and held up a strand of her hair. It brightened and went from brown to red.

"That's nice", Nico muttered and then pulled Claire away from the other two. He sat her down in an open seat and plopped down in a seat in front of her. "You should be a bit more quiet. There are other people on this train and they might be bothered"

It was not really the reason why he wanted her to be quiet. He actually didn't want anyone asking questions or finding out about Gina. Why was she here again? Oh right, because Nico's boyfriend was a softie who couldn't withstand puppy-dog eyes.

An older woman, who was sitting next to Claire looked up from her newspaper at this, but as soon as she caught sight of the son of Hades, she gulped and looked down again. Claire nodded and started swinging her feet. Will shuffled over to them after fixing Gina's appearance and dropped Claire's second bag at Nico's feet.

"If you're babysitting her, you can keep watch over her things. We will be over there", Will said and motioned to a couple of seat a few rows down the train.

He was hopefully kidding. There was no way he would leave Nico alone with Claire. But Will ignored his disbelieving look and walked away.

"I hate you", Nico whisper-yelled after him.

Will just laughed and slit into his seat next to Gina, who was hiding behind a Teen Vogue. Nico turned around grumbling and came face to face with a smiling Claire.

"What?", he asked, slightly afraid of the answer.

"I want to play a game! How about 'I see something you don't'? I begin! I see something and that is...", she looked around and frowned. "...black!"

"I never agreed to this!", Nico told her.

"But pleeeaaassseee", Claire whined and pouted.

"No. If you want to play a game then go and bother Will with it", Nico said and crossed his arms.

Claire shook her head and looked down at her tiger. She played with its paws and let out a sniff that was obviously fake.

"Don't even try with the tears"

Claire stopped and Nico thought she finally gave up. In that moment Claire kicked him against his leg. And again and again and again. Nico let out an annoyed sigh.

"You're not giving up, are you", he asked.

"Nope!", Claire told him.

Nico closed his eyes and tried to control his anger. It wouldn't help anyone if he blew Claire up now.

"Fine. It's the tunnel wall"

Claire looked at him confused. "What is the tunnel wall?"

Nico felt like banging his head against said tunnel wall.

"What you asked me. You know, the black thing?"

"Oh that! No it was you, dummy", Claire said. "Can we play a different game now?"

Can I throw you out of the window?

"No. Play with your tiger or something. Just leave me alone"

Claire huffed but actually started playing with her tiger. Finally. Nico leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. Hopefully she would stay quiet for another five minutes and left him alone.

The train rattled out of the tunnel and into the sunlight. As soon as they passed the border between underground and overground the exhaustion slammed back into Nico and nearly knocked him out right then and there.

"Are you okay, Nico?", Claire asked, worry clear in her voice.

Nico blinked his eyes open and looked at Claire. He nodded slightly and closed them again. It would be another thirty minutes until they reached downtown Chicago, there was no harm in taking a short nap, right?