A/N: Sorry in advance for all the POV switching in this chapter.

Again; I disclaim Never Took The Time by Akon, Rolling In The Deep by Adele, and Boulevard Of Broken Dreams by Other Person Whose Name Doesn't Start With 'A'.

I didn't know Florida had woods.

'Hellllllllll—'

Pothos came out of nowhere. 'No. Keep shouting; I don't think your father heard you in Italy.'

'What the—'

'I overheard your conversation.' Pothos said. 'It was nice you volunteered to sacrifice yourself. Your iPod would've been of no use to me.'

I charged at him. 'You son of a—'

Pothos disappeared and reappeared ten inches behind me. 'I am not worthy of that insult. My mother is not Aphrodite.'

'Go to hell.' I said.

'Been there; your father has very poor interior decor sense.' Pothos said.

'Fuck you.'

'You are rather too young; fifteen? Sixteen?'

I was freaking livid. 'Why aren't you getting angry?'

'If I get angry, you win.' Pothos said. 'I also learnt from my father that it is very costly to get angry.'

I scowled. 'What's the deal? Why did you bring me here?'

'A test.' Pothos said, turning from me. 'This is only the first of many, many others you shall face in this journey alone. What about the rest of your life?'

'I hate tests.' I muttered.

'You are only part of this one.' Pothos assured. 'All your brother has to do is find you; we will change position every time I sense him near.'

'You want to make this impossible?' I asked.

'Yes.' Pothos said. 'You like music, don't you?'

'Uh; duh?' I asked, waving Creesome in his face.

'Can you sing?' Pothos asked.

'Enough.' I replied.

'Sing something for me.' Pothos said, sitting on the grass.

'Look—'

'Preferably a song of sadness.' Pothos said. 'A song about people far away.'

'You want me to sing Adele?' I asked.

'Adele. Maroon 5. Westlife. Johnny Drille; anyone.' Pothos said. 'Just sing.'

I wondered if my iPod had Karaoke Mode.

'Never Took The Time karaoke.' I ordered Creesome.

It worked.

I started to sing.

Nico almost kicked a tree before he heard the singing.

'What am I supposed to do,' He heard. 'with all these empty rooms?

Sit here in solitude; with the smell of your perfume.'

'Nica!' He called.

'Ya never took the time to know me.' She continued. 'Ya never took the time to understand.'

Austin's right, Nico thought. Music could save your life someday.

He followed the voice.

'Follow me.' Pothos said.

But of course; he dragged me. Rude.

I still kept singing.

Pothos took us deeper into the woods and the song was over.

'Should I—'

'Change it?' Pothos asked. 'I'm already tired of Akon.'

'Rolling In The Deep karaoke.'

Neeks was sure he had gotten to the spot he heard the music.

He listened closely again.

Gods; now she sang Adele.

'There's a fire starting in my heart,' She said. 'Reaching a fever pitch and it's bring me out the dark.'

He kept running.

'He will not give up, will he?' Pothos asked himself.

'Don't listen to him!' I yelled. 'You got stamina! You're my life jacket!'

And Creesome played The Greatest and Life Jacket simultaneously.

'Stop it.' Pothos said. 'Play something melancholic.'

'What's with you and sad stuff?' I asked. 'Boulevard Of Broken Dreams karaoke.'

Once again; no dice.

'You're my life jacket!' Nica said.

He almost shouted back Thanks, then he realized she was on to something.

Nico almost kicked himself. He'd been running around at sixty degrees with a hoodie that could turn him invisible; and possibly shield him like he could shield himself with his powers.

Neeks put on his hood, made sure he wasn't visible, and ran.

'I do not sense him anywhere.' Pothos said, smiling. 'He must have accepted defeat. You can stop.'

I hoped Neeks took the hint, but I had to act for a bit. 'No way. Neeks would never do that.'

'Your brother isn't as strong as he seems.' Pothos said. 'Then again; compared to you, he's Arnold Schwarzenegger.'

'What did I do to you?' I asked.

'You called me Patricia.' Pothos said.

'And so what, Patricia?' I asked. 'I was just playing.'

'Names have power, Nicola. Especially with gods.' Pothos said. 'That is why your brother did not carelessly talk about Cupid. Speak his name; and you invoke him. You give him power.'

'So you want me to say your name properly so you become Dwayne Johnson?' I asked.

'Some part yes.' Pothos said. 'And it's just rude.'

'So you're angry?'

'Offended.' Pothos said. 'My name is rare; like a thornless rose. No two gods have the same name, of course; but my name means something. My name was chosen carefully to fit my destiny.

'As for most of you mortals; you just choose a name because it sounds good. Barbara. Amethyst. Dylan. Robyn. Do you know why you were named Tymborchos?'

I shook my head. 'No.'

'Your father saw that it would be your destiny; digging graves. Maybe metaphorically; maybe not. Do you know why he also chose Nicola?'

'No.'

'Nicola means Victory. Or in Greek; victory to the people. It is possible that Hades chose it because you might bring victory to your people someday.

'Might.' Pothos said. 'According to me it is very unlikely. Your brother makes more sense.'

'Just when I thought you were being nice.' I said.

'There is nothing nice about longing, Nicola.' Pothos said.

Neeks should be on his way, I thought.

'You see?' Pothos asked, reading my mind. 'You think that Nico will come. You long for him to come, rather. That is where I am strongest.'

'What do you—'

'What is my name?' He asked.

'Pothos.' I blurted.

Pothos stared straight at me. 'I control you now. So look at me.'

I complied and looked into his dark brown eyes.

'Nico is not coming back.' Pothos said.

'Neeks isn't coming back.' I repeated.

'He left you.'

'He left me.'

'You have no choice but to stay with me.'

I didn't repeat that one.

I wanted to look away. Those eyes were filling me with hopelessness and, well, longing.

But I couldn't look away. I knew there was no hope. Neeks didn't like me that much anyway.

So we just stood there. Staring.

Damn; those eyes were more whack than Neeks's.

Aren't you supposed to feel closer to someone once you stare at them for a long time or at least according to the movies?

Looking at Pothos, I felt farther; like he was leaving me, even though he looked like he wasn't even breathing.

I kind of understood Green Day better now.

'You walk alone.' I said.

'My shadow's the only one that walks beside me.' Pothos said. 'My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating.'

'Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me.' We said in sync. 'Till then I walk alone.'

And Neeks came out like, "Surprise, bitches!"