A/N: SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SORRY ABOUT TAKING FOREVER TO UPDATE! You all have my sincerest apologies. All I can cite for an excuse is school. Sigh. And prom. Sigh. And drama. BUT please enjoy my latest humble offering to you all! OH and thank you for all the lovely reviews! We've cleared 400! YAAAY! :D :D
Chapter 35
A dry twig cracked under his foot as he walked towards the deepest pits in the Underworld – the pits of Tartarus. A sardonic smile twisted his lips as his boots scuffed the dry, dead earth, and his fingers rested lightly on the scabbard of his sword. His footsteps echoed as his confident stride raised small puffs of dust. The fires from the Fields of Punishment blazed so far away that they were small specks of dull redness in the darkness, but Hades' palace provided enough light for the area to be barely visible.
"Tartarus sleeps," he whispered in awe, as the pits seemed to be complete silent – a place of death, not restless slumber. "Hades did his job well – but not well enough." From his hand a small flame burst into life, its red glow suffusing his palm. Whispering in Ancient Greek, he watched the flame grow redder and redder, before enclosing it in his fist and tossing it down into the deep slope of the pit before him.
"Control that, Hades," he said softly, watched its glow dim as the flame fell down the pit – a feat that only a god could have achieved. And a god he was. Chuckling quietly to himself, he backed away into the darkness and vanished, leaving no trace of his visit behind him.
Meanwhile, back at Camp Half-Blood, Jessie had returned to her cabin after breakfast to talk to her cabin, confident that they would support the idea of Nico returning – she hadn't yet mentioned that he was actually back – but she'd received a huge shock. Moments after she'd asked if anyone was against his return, Jamie, one of her half-sisters, spoke up.
"I don't think he should come back," Jamie said pensively, absentmindedly rubbing her finger along the bow of her cello. "Hades isn't welcome on Olympus, and his son isn't welcome here – it just makes sense. I mean, hello? They represent fear and pain and death – I don't know if that's someone you want for your best friend. And he's heartless! Look at the way he just dumped his girlfriend and ran off. And besides, every time he's here for a longish period something bad happens. Last time it was the Titan war, and this time we've had monsters attacking from everywhere."
"And he may really have been betraying us and trying to get us killed," Scott, another Apollo camper, added. "You can't trust Hades, or his kids. They freaking started World War Two – maybe he's trying to get the third going! More deaths would increase his and his father's domain and power, right?"
"He isn't as bad as you think," Jessie snapped, taken aback and more than a little disappointed.
"Yeah, he's a pretty nice person," Will interjected, sending Jessie a sharp look as a warning not to get too angry. "I thought most of you agreed that he was!"
"That was before he ruined Percy's sister's life," another girl, Hannah, responded, staring fearlessly at her older brother. "I mean, we all thought he was so great – he isn't bad looking either, which was even better, but then he just left and I heard a rumor that he was cheating on her, which was when she decided they were over. Who does that?"
"You guys aren't getting it!" Jessie shouted in frustration. "He's a good guy who messed up – but everyone makes mistakes! Why can't you forgive his?"
"Because some things you just can't forgive," Scott said, trying (and failing, in Jessie's opinion) to look intelligent while saying it.
"Please. It's not even like you and Lily are so close that you hate him for making her feel bad. Does this have to do with Thalia?" Noticing the way her siblings' expression closed off a little as she mentioned the name, Jessie frowned. She glanced at Will, who shook his head at her slightly.
"Fine. I have somewhere to go – I'll see you guys later. Think it over, okay? Thalia's opinions aren't law. You don't have to do everything she says just because her dad is sitting behind her shoulder with a lightning bolt. What if Hades decides he doesn't like you, and you wind up burning in the Fields of Punishment afterwards? Think about it." Deciding she'd scared everyone enough with the possibility of burning in hell for eternity, Jessie stepped outside, letting the door slam behind her. It was time to see just how the land lay in the rest of the camp.
Lily, that evening, decided that she couldn't avoid Percy any longer. Slipping through the door of his room in the Big House, she found a smile curling her lips upwards as she watched Percy and Annabeth engaged in a silent, intense game of chess. Stealing quietly towards the rug and fireplace, Lily stood behind Annabeth's shoulder, marveling at how neither of them noticed her, and watched.
Percy's face was twisted in concentration, but occasionally his eyes would slip from the chess board onto the little box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates next to them. Both he and Annabeth had a little pile of wrappers next to them, and Percy was halfway through unwrapping his next when Annabeth laughed.
"Checkmate," she announced happily. "Oh gods, I am so stiff!" Stretching her arms out, she stood up – and noticed Lily. "Hi, Lily! Did you see that move?"
"I bet she'd been setting me up since we started the game," Percy mumbled, popping the chocolate into his mouth for comfort.
"Well, I needed a de-stressor, and playing chess with Percy kept us both entertained," Annabeth said.
"Speak for yourself," Percy muttered, earning himself a light slap on the cheek. "Lily, how have you been? It's been a while."
"Yeah, Percy, listen…I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to get hurt, and it was my fault that we were even out there in the middle of the night alone…I didn't –"
"Shut up," Percy advised. "I know it wasn't your fault, I am not mad at you, and I am well enough to be out there fighting…whatever needs to be fought. But Annabeth thinks that –"
"Stop moaning, Seaweed Brain, you know you're better off here than being all antagonistic outside. That wound did not look like it was going to heal easily, and I don't even know how it treats you at night because Chiron won't let me stay in here with you."
Percy smirked. "There's a reason for that, Wise Girl."
Before Annabeth could respond, Lily cut in. "How about I stay with Percy tonight? Our cabin is empty anyway – I can bring a sleeping bag in. Is he allowed to take a walk outside?"
"He can answer for himself," Percy grouched. "Yes he can. And he will see his girlfriend tomorrow morning, okay?" Pulling Annabeth over, he gave her a quick kiss, grabbed a sweatshirt, and led the girls out the door.
"Bye Annabeth," Lily said. Lowering her voice to a whisper, she added, "Thanks for letting me steal him. I just haven't talked to him in a while, and – "
"I get it," Annabeth smiled. "And make sure he tells you about what I told him this morning, okay? Just prompt him – he'll know what to tell you. I think you should know. Bye!" The blonde ran off, her hair cascaded down her back and glimmering with the light of the setting sun.
"So," Percy prompted her as they wandered by the edge of the trees, "How are you and Chase?"
"Fine," Lily deadpanned, her hair swinging forward – whether because of the light breeze or by the slight movement she made with her head, Percy couldn't tell – to hide her face. "He's…he's nice and everything, but I can't…"
"Can't what?"
"He tries, and so do I, but I can't forget that he isn't –"
"Lily!" Chase jogged up, his sandy hair flopping over his forehead and his brown eyes sparkling with the fading sun. "I – oh, Percy. Hi."
Percy smiled. "Hey, man. Okay, how about I give you two some time together. Lily, I'm gonna go see G-man and go back to the Big House. I'll see you there, alright? Have fun, you two. Chase, don't try anything."
Lily watched her brother walk away, wondering why he'd left so quickly. Whenever she'd been with Nico, he'd been hesitant, even unwilling, to give them even a few moments alone. But a hand on her shoulder jerked her out of her reverie.
"Hey, you okay? You look totally lost."
Brushing nonexistent hair from her face, Lily smiled nervously. "I'm fine! What…"
"Just felt like saying hi," he smiled, his dimples winking at her. Lily felt discomfort awaken in the pit of her stomach as Chase drew closer, his arm wrapping around her. She lowered her eyes, painfully aware of the absence of even the faintest blush on her cheeks.
"Are you sick? You're really pale." He ran a hand over her cheek, sliding it across her face to tangle in her hair.
As he leaned in, Lily stumbled back out of his arms. "Hey, Chase, I actually wanted to spend tonight with Percy – it's nothing personal, I just haven't seen him in a while and I thought I should –"
"It's cool," he responded, smiling down at her before glancing away – and his gaze seemed to fixate upon something else. Following the direction of his eyes, Lily saw Hannah, one of Jessie's sisters, walking towards the Apollo Cabin. Chase's cheeks were slightly flushed and his eyes sparkling even more than before – even if he wouldn't acknowledge it, it was obvious to Lily.
"I'll see you later," she said quietly before walking away. He didn't respond – in fact, he didn't even seem to have heard.
"You're back," Percy said when she walked in. He was lounging on a pouf in front of the fire, already dressed in the green sleep pants and black muscle shirt he wore to bed. "How'd you two split up that quickly?"
"He has a crush on Hannah," Lily announced, sitting on the floor next to him. Moments later Percy slid down to join her.
"He told you?"
"No," Lily laughed, marveling at the question. "But it was obvious. He was staring at her as if he'd never see her again."
Eyeing her warily, Percy asked, "But…I mean, he's going out with you. Don't tell me you're okay with that."
"I am, because…Percy, can I tell you something? Honestly?"
Her brother scoffed, sliding his arm around her shoulders. "What do you think I'm here for, Lily? Decoration?"
"I miss Nico."
Silence. Percy withdrew his arm from her and shuffled around so he was sitting across from her. "You what?"
"Please don't make me say it again," Lily whispered, twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands before looking up. She instinctively cringed as she saw Percy's expression – his green eyes were flashing, and his right hand was clenched around something in his pocket, probably Riptide.
"Come on, Lily, you already have a new boyfriend!"
"He doesn't like me – he doesn't care about me that much! He's just dating me because I'm Poseidon's daughter and your sister, it's a political thing for him! I know he likes Hannah, I saw the way he was staring at her, it was how you stare at Annabeth and Nico –" She broke off, the tendons in her neck standing out as she drew in deep gulps of air.
"Okay, calm down," Percy advised, passing her a bottle of water and waiting until she'd taken a sip. "But I think you're better off with Chase, you know? At least you can have a normal life and relationship. Every time you're with Nico either one of you almost dies or there's a bunch of drama going on."
"You and Annabeth had a bunch of drama too! She said you two couldn't stop fighting and making everyone around you nervous or miserable!"
"This is different," Percy snapped, too angry to even register the way Lily flinched. "I supported you two the first time around because I thought he deserves a chance at happiness, but after he blew it so badly, I don't really think he does. If this happened to Jessie, you would tell her to give up on Leo and find someone else, right? And besides, the son of Hades…I don't know if you want to be in a relationship with him. What if you have a fight, and he loses his temper and accidentally kills you?"
"Percy, just shut up. You don't know what you're talking about!"
"I do! Do you think either our father or Hades was happy when you two got together? Don't you know you guys are powerful enough yourselves to screw things up badly if you end things on a bad note?"
"Things can't end any worse," she replied, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You are way too attached to that relationship! I'm not an Aphrodite kid, but even I can tell you that! You weren't even together for that long, and it wasn't like you loved him! And I'm pretty sure he wasn't in love with you. So quit holding on to something that's already gone." Percy frowned as he watched Lily's expression – it was crumbling in upon itself, as if his words had sparked a realization. "Lily? You didn't love him, did you?"
Lily fixed her watery aquamarine eyes on his green ones, her lips opening to speak, when a door slammed somewhere. Their heads snapped around, her hand flying up to dry her eyes and she drew her sword with the other, and Percy approached the door, Riptide elongating in one hand. But before he reached the door, it swung open.
"Freaking hell," Percy muttered, tightening his grip on Riptide.
A/N: What did you think? PLEEEEASE REVIEW I love to read them! They motivate me and make me happy, and clearly I'm not above begging for them. So please take the time to drop a review! Thank you! Over and out.