Chapter 34: I Miss Us

Sorry again for not updating for a couple daysSo my school's almost having club week! HELLA EXCITED! But the downside I broke my bike and still haven't got it fixed yet! So my afterschool biking time is pretty much going to be playing basketball or you know go back to my scooters…..*sigh* On the bright side of life however….basketball tryouts and conditioning are starting next week! Kinda nervous but also excited! Anyways, enough of my jabbering, now on with the story :D

Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson! ARE UP HAPPY NOW?

Nico's POV:

"TRAVIS LET ME DOWN!" I heard Thalia yelled as she got put down into the harness for skydiving.

'Oh man! She's scared of heights! I gotta help her! The hero in make-up and tied to a chair. How am I going to help her now? MY POCKETKNIFE! DID I BRING IT TODAY!' I tried to reach my hand towards my back pocket and slowly cut the rope. While Connor and Travis had their backs turned to me I quickly got out of the chair and quickly went behind them, hiding in the shadows. 'HA! NICO THE NINJA AS ALWAYS!' I grinned. All of the sudden Travis turned toward where I was sitting before.

"CONNOR! SHIT! WHERE'S NICO?" Travis yelled to his brother. "WE STILL NEED TO GET HIM TO THE DANDALIONS!"

Connor looked up from the string he was holding together. I quickly jumped into another shadow hiding me from view. Thalia caught my eye and stayed silent as the Stoll brothers started searching for me.

When Connor was far enough from Thalia I quickly grab some random ropes attached to the harness. 'So which one is it?' I wondered. 'Let's just cut them all.' I decided. As quickly as I can I started cutting away the ropes when I felt two arms grabbing me and pulling me back into the chair.

"AHH!" I heard Thalia screamed in terror as she dropped down from the very tip. "NICO! WHAT DID YOU DO? HEL-" her voice got cut off as she was hanging in midair supported only by the harness she was wearing.

Travis and Connor started laughing like crazy, "Wow! Nico! You did a better job than us!"

I glared at them, "GET HER OUT OF THERE! SHE'S GONNA FREAK LIKE CRAZY!" I tried to take a look where Thalia was. There she was screaming her head off and closing her eyes tightly as if scared she might fall. Luckily she was in fear of heights or else she probably would've skinned me alive for making hang in midair like that.

"Calm down Nico boy." Travis begin. "Don't worry we'll get to your punishment soon enough." He told me with an evil glint in his eyes.

'Oh gods! Could Travis actually be the dark lord or evilness with Connor as Darth Vader or something?' I wondered a bit scared. I racked my brain of any movie moves I can pull to get out of this chair but came up with none.

After taking a picture of Thalia hanging from the sky dive, the Stoll brothers turned to me and carried the chair I was sitting on to a field of…. "AHHH!" I screamed trying to get out of the chair. "NOO GET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Yea I know, lame, the Ninja Lord being scared of dandelions, but it's not my fault that my stepmother Persephone decided to paint my rooms with dandelions, and cover me with it when I was small. Even now, I am still deathly afraid of dandelions.

Connor dramatically picked up the horrible thing by the stem and plucked it into my hair making me look like a little three year old. "Hmm… Nico this is a good look for you!" Connor exclaimed.

'AHHH NOO DANDELIONS! STUPID FREAKEN PERSEPHONE! YEA I DON'T CALL YOU MOM, DEAL WITH IT! NOW I'M STUCK IN A FIELD OF THESE DANDELIONS! HELP DADDY!' I tried to have a telepathic message with my father. Unfortunately, either he is busy at the moment or this trick only works in those epic love stories.

I struggled in my chair and looked up at Thalia again, "AHHH! CONNOR! TRAVIS! I WILL PERSONALLY KILL YOU WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE!" I heard Thalia yelling from right above me.

"Thalia just one minute!" Travis yelled back to her trying to hold in his laughter. "Now for little Nico's picture."

I looked at the dandelions in fear and practically begged the Stolls to get me out of there. "PLEASE GET ME OUT OF HERE! I'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING!" I promised them.

"Nah, we're gonna enjoy you guys getting tortured for a little bit more." Travis grinned.

I tried to jump up but instead fell on my face again with those….those….."HELP! I GOT IT IN MY FACE!" I struggled to get back up trying to get away from the white stuff coming out of the plant.

Travis laughed, "You think this is torture enough for them?" he asked his brother.

"Nope, but you know we'll be nice and let them go." Connor grinned. "Oh and your prize for surviving this is the panda!" Connor told me.

They brought me back to the safe haven and finally got Thalia off the sky diver. Her face was filled with fear but also looked a bit scary as if she would kill the Stoll brothers any second. Luckily for the Stolls however she was still being held back by the rope. "Oh yea the panda is right here, and we'll give you the knife once we're safely out of sight. Oh yea and the panda is right where you first saw it! It's your prize!" Travis called back as he and his brother started running.

"Oh yea, by the way Nico, there's a knife in your back pocket…." He paused. "WHO'S THE NINJA NOW!" Luckily for him, he ran off before I could get out of these wretched ropes.

'I AM THE NINJA LORD!' I yelled to myself as I took away the ropes. Quickly I got working on Thalia's rope, "Wow, they really are gonna be dead once you see your face." I complimented her pinkish face filled with girly make-up. I mean sure Thalia wears make-up but to this girly extent, NEVER! It seems so unlike her.

Now that she's no longer hanging in midair with her life at risk her face seems scary yet so beautiful at the same, I don't know how she pulls it off but this Is Thalia we're talking about. "Did you see yourself…? There's dandelions still stuck in your hair." She informed me.

I jumped right from where I was and quickly brushed away anything on my hair. "GET IT OFF!" I screamed in terror.

Thalia laughed, "Relax Nico! I'm just kidding. But we need to kill the Stoll's after this."

I slung my arms over her shoulder, "We sure do, but for now we need to give whoever these kidnappers are the big panda." I told her. "Seriouly..? What's so important about a big panda?"

Thalia held a mischievous glint in her eyes that I've always love about her. "How about we find out?"

Percy's POV:

Oh, gods! We seem to be millions of feet in the air. I felt like a coward, I mean what kind of guy is scared of kiddie rides like this. I vaguely remember how my grandparents died in a plane accident and my body trembled in fear as I quickly sat flat on the floor with my head buried in my hands. 'Nico and Thalia is so going to pay…' I told myself and tried reassuring that the ride is not going to suddenly stop in the middle of nowhere.

I heard Annabeth's voice filled with worry and confusion, "Percy are you okay?" She asked me.

'I'm freaking scared of being in the air!' I wanted to tell her, but all I managed was, "It's nothing." I raised my arms toward the seat and tried to sit up when suddenly the cart lifted into a stop making me jumped right back down. 'COWARD!' I wanted to yell at myself. But as much as I tried to I couldn't manage to get up.

I heard Annabeth calling my name again and asking if I'm okay, I tried to answer but my mouth wouldn't open. I just gripped tightly on one of the bar as if afraid it would fall. I felt Annabeth coming closer to me, "Percy?" She asked a bit uncertain.

"I-I'm okay." I managed. "Looks like Nico and Thalia got us stuck in here." I said weakly still not daring to look out the window. Annabeth came in next to me and sat down.

"You know..? I still don't get why Nico and Thalia would want to pull this prank on us." Annabeth told me as I felt her presence near me. "I mean… Why go through all the trouble?" Annabeth asked angrily. I knew she hated not knowing something, but even if I do know the reason, I wasn't going to tell her when I'm not even sure if she even does like me.

"They just love to torture us." I decided on the safe answer while kind of loosening my grip on the seat a bit. I lifted my face up trying to look at her face, but with the darkness surrounding us, I could only make out her blond hair. "But at least we didn't have to buy Bobby and Matthew food." I managed a slight grin.

I could've sworn I saw her frown in the pitch black darkness, "It's your money they are using Seaweed Brain." Annabeth told me and playfully hit me on the shoulder.

I didn't even noticed that my hand was no longer gripping on the seat, "Ouch!" I pretended to be overdramatic.

"Oh please, that punch didn't hurt." Annabeth teasingly told me.

"Of course it didn't." I smiled to myself. "I'm too strong and powerful for something that weak to hurt me." I boasted.

"Is that a challenge, Seaweed Brain?" Annabeth asked me with a competitive tone.

I shrugged but then forgot she couldn't see me in the dark. "Maybe…" I said not really wanting to get hurt. I'm not going to admit it but when Annabeth is mad, her punches really hurt.

"You're so gonna get it!" She laughed and I felt coming in closer to me so fast I didn't even manage to dodge, but nothing came except Annabeth's laugh. "You're so gullible Percy!" She laughed.

"Not funny Wise Girl." I frowned, 'Wait why am I frowning…?' I wondered, 'I should be happy she decided not to hit me… Me and my messed up mind.' I shook my head.

"Whatever," She said still laughing.

After her laughter died down a bit I finally got enough courage to ask, "So, have you met anyone after Luke?" I asked a bit hesitantly.

A moment of silence passed until she finally answered, "No, I still haven't gotten over…" She paused as if trying to find the right word. " it yet…" She finished.

"Oh." I said obviously disappointed, 'She's probably still sad over Luke or something.' I thought with a frown. All of a sudden, I was aware of where I was, hanging in the air with a risk of dying. I trembled once more, ' You're not gonna die.' I told myself, 'You're just hanging in midair with the ride that is being shut down as a prank from your friends.' I tried to assure myself. I glanced over at Annabeth nervously, when suddenly the cart seems to be pushed by a strong wind.

Annabeth quickly grab hold of my hand as I made my way to holding on the seat. 'Please don't break, don't break.' I repeated over and over in my head as I remembered how my grandparents have died in a plane crash. Annabeth squeezed my hand tighter.

I smiled weakly feeling a bit nauseous, still gripping my hand on the seat. "Percy are you okay? You're hand is burning." She informed me.

I'm pretty sure my face was blushing and add to my fear of heights, it doesn't really help control my temperature. I somehow felt a bit dizzy, a headache seems to be creeping up. "Percy?" She asked again her voice getting more faint.

She was about to let go of her hand when I held it back, still fearful of our current altitude. "Please don't let go." I begged her quietly. She stopped moving but I could tell she was still tensed. With that I blacked out holding Annabeth's hand.

I woke up, the cart was still unmoving stuck in the middle of nowhere, I felt better with no dizziness in my head and I looked to my right to see Annabeth fast asleep leaning on my shoulder, our hands still entwined. Oddly enough I wasn't as scared as I was before with Annabeth leaning in so close to me. I felt a slight vibration from my pocket and quickly took out my phone to see five new text message.

Annabeth! Percy! Where are you guys? –James/ Mark

We already finished tricking those two emo couples, now the second task is up to Annabeth's cousins- Stolls

Are you guys okay? – James/Mark

Dude you should've seen the look on Nico's and Thalia's face! HILARIOUS!- Stolls

Annabeth! Percy! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS! SERIOUSLY ANSWER YOUR TEXT! – James/Mark

I opened up my phone quietly, careful not to wake up Annabeth and quickly send the message back.

Sorry we were asleep, I need you guys to get us off this ride though, we're stuck in midair right now. The ride's call Sky Flight. Thanks man!- Percy

I quickly send the message to Annabeth's cousin and closed my phone still holding onto her hand.

"Stupid Seaweed Brain." I heard her mumbled quickly. I turned my face to look at her and saw she was smiling slightly as if she was having a good dream. I couldn't help but smile at her peaceful expression. Right now in her sleep she seems so much more calm, not having to deal with any lying, betrayal, or trouble. I brushed a strand of her hair out from her sleeping face. No matter how many time I'm looking at her, she's always beautiful since the first time I saw her.

I admit I missed holding her hand, I miss being so close to her without anyone else to ruin the moment, I miss just having her love me the same way I love her, I miss her boring lectures, her violent side, her amazing smile, everything about her. "I miss this…" I whispered quietly to no one in particular. In truth, I miss us.

Aww…. I'm a sucker for cheesy ending even though I'll never admit this…so don't tell anyone! What was Annabeth dreaming about? (you're probably never gonna know :D) What did the Stolls do to Thalia and Nico after the first task? Could Annabeth actually like Percy as well? (Of course we all know the answer to this one, but Percy is too much of a Seaweed Brain to notice) What was inside the panda? AND WHEN WILL PERCEBETH FINALLY GET TOGETHER?

Anyways… was this chapter good? Bad? Okay? REVIEW PLEASE!

Agent Astro Zombie