A/N So remember those two weeks when I didn't update? Well this chapter was the one to suffer. It's about 200 words shorter than most, but a chapter isn't supposed to be about the length, so yeah.
Disclaimer: To know Percy Jackson is to know that I own nothing in this story (except Charlie and I just realized that I also own the past of photokinesis).
XXXVI. Nico
No one could think of a reply to Leo's proposal. It was what both the Greeks and the Romans had decided to do to fight the Titans, so why not the Giants? But what about them there? So no one could honestly say which was better, bringing the demigods or not.
Nico's mind soon changed courses from finding a reply to Leo's idea to the past users of photokinesis. What said that Charlie wasn't like them? Most of the time, the bad past tends to go along with the abilities, it just depended on how mentally strong the person is. So, what about Charlie? Did he have a bad past? And if so, was he strong enough to handle it?
"Well, I'm hitting the hay." Jason said, standing up from the table.
"Me too." Piper said, following her boyfriend's suit.
Slowly, the people in the room started leaving, until only Frank, Hazel, and Nico remained in the room. An awkward silence lay around the three.
"Hazel, can I talk to you… alone?" Nico broke the silence around the three, eyeing Frank.
"I was going to go to bed anyhow." Frank said, stretching. Nico swore he sent a glare his way.
"I guess we're on patrol anyway." Hazel said getting up from her chair. The chair squeaked on the floor as she pushed it out from under the table.
Nico got up and followed Hazel out of the door and through the halls of the Argo II to the main deck.
It was a cold, windy night up in the atmosphere. The wind bit through their clothes. The boat's loss of elevation was barely noticeable, though. Hazel was curled up in her coat, shivering while Nico was unaffected by the cold.
"So w-w-what was it you w-wanted to talk about?" Hazel shivered.
"Uh," How would you describe that you were about to betray someone, only you weren't quite going to betray him or her?
"Yes?" Hazel prompted.
"Well you see, Gaia said that she could bring back Bianca." Nico explained, "She said that all I had to do was join her. I'd never forgive myself if I don't try."
Hazel bit her bottom lip. "N-Nico, I understand, b-but you can't. As I s-s-said earlier, I can't find the D-Doors of Death. Y-You're the only one t-that can, so you can't go. I have to."