Heyy! Hope y'all doing well! Here is another chapter, so much longer. I think I might be able to update sooner from now on? (I think...) I hope so.

Anyways...


"Chiron wants to meet him," panted Frank (who'd god-knows-why chosen to come running all the way), gesturing towards Nico.

Percy groaned. It'd just been fifteen minutes, yet it had felt like an eternity. He wasn't in the mood to answer any questions; he just wanted to stay here – preferably alone. He looked at Nico. He didn't look like he was in a great condition to talk to anyone too.

But it was Chiron after all, so off they went.


Piper was the most composed person Percy could lay eyes on, besides Chiron, of course. Frank was trying to sooth a panicking Hazel, who looked like she was about to get sick – or maybe already was. Jason stood with a nervous-looking Grover, trying to shoo away a small crowd of overly curious students who looked like they were about to engulf them both in questions.

"Meet me in my office, Nico. I'll be there in a minute," Chiron instructed. "I'd like you to please escort Mr. di Angelo there, Percy," he added with a meaningful nod.

Percy returned the gesture. With a hand pressed lightly to the small of Nico's back to guide him, he led the trembling guy to the headmaster's office.

The office was classy, but kind of old-fashioned with a bulky desk and a 90's computer in one corner – "for research purposes" – as a scrawl on a sticky note on the monitor cared to explain. The fairly large windows and a solid principal's desk made of what seemed like polished teakwood. The wood-paneled floor was covered with a red- brown carpet.

Percy sat Nico on one of the chair. Pouring out water from a jug into a tumbler, he offered it to Nico, who gulped it down rather hastily and slammed it on the table. The green-eyed boy was afraid of breaking the silence, which had started to grow more and more uncomfortable by the minute. Nico was as silent as ever, and Percy was scared that even a squeak could break the increasing tension in the room. Neither of them was ready to face the consequences if that happened.

Thankfully, Chiron came quickly. Murmuring what seemed like a casual apology for making them wait, he seated himself in his chair, opposite the Nico. Percy leaned against the wall, a little away from the two.

"So, Mr. di Angelo, first of all I'm sorry for… what you just had to witness," Chiron paused. Nico barely moved his head in a nod – as if even putting in that much effort hurt.

With a grim expression on his face, the headmaster continued, "Bianca was a good student and a good person; she didn't deserve what happened to her. I assure you a team will be investigating the case. As a part of the school authorities, I cannot offer you much. But what I can offer is sympathy. We will be here when you need us," Percy noticed how he'd said 'when' and not 'if', as if he too was expecting the pending panic attack sooner or later, "so please don't hesitate to reach out."

Another slight nod in answer.

"As a part of school rules, you'll be requested to remain at you home for at least a month, to help you cope with the… loss."

No response.

Nico looked on with a blank expression on his face, as if still not sure if any of this was real. Then for the first time since he came into the room, Chiron turned towards Percy.

"Please sit down Mr. Jackson."

Percy did as he was told.

"I called you here for no other reason apart from that you were there with Mr. di Angelo. You did a good thing by taking him away from that room. One thing I'd request you to do is, however, to take care of him," he gestured towards Nico, "as a friend would. Professional help would be available through the school, so you don't have to worry about that part."

"No problem, sir," Percy choked out. Shit, it hadn't even been half an hour since he'd last had water and his throat was already parched.

Looking satisfied enough, Chiron took of his half-rimmed glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. He contemplated for a moment, and then told them they were free to leave.

Percy stood up and took Nico's hand in his. It was slightly small and a little cold compared to his, yet fit perfectly. As both of them approached the door, Nico following behind limply, Chiron called out.

"Mr. Jackson."

Percy stopped halfway and turned around with a puzzled look on his face. Chiron hesitated for a second.

"Yes, sir?"

"I saw you that day; you know… you were lurking around the restricted area – the girls' washroom. May I ask what you were doing there, Percy?"

Crap. Someone had seen that.

Percy contemplated for a moment, should he reveal what he had found that day? Judging from the waiting look on Chiron's face, he could clearly notice Percy's inner doubts. Then he decided not to.

"Nothing, sir. I was merely walking around, thinking I'd find interesting stuff, you know. Too bad I didn't though," he added pointedly.

The headmaster raised an eyebrow at the obviously defensive tone of Percy's voice, yet chose not to question further.

The green-eyed boy turned around yet again and walked out hastily, with Nico at his heels. They turned around the corner and walked straight to the ground.


Piper, Jason, Grover, Frank, Hazel and Leo were sitting on the ground near a bunch of trees and overgrown bushes.

"Uh, Nico? Do you want anything?" asked Grover when he saw them both approaching. He was sitting on the ground and unconsciously tearing grass blades into tiny pieces, looking quite nervous.

Ignoring everyone else, Nico pulled his hand out of Percy's and walked away towards the bleachers. Stumbling on the way, he sat there and slumped back.

Grover turned towards Percy with a questioning look on his face. Percy just shook his head and shrugged. Jason patted the ground next to him, gesturing to Percy to sit down, who had neither the will nor the energy to say no.

"He's still refusing to accept what happened," noticed Jason. He sounded genuinely worried about the situation. "It's not healthy."

Percy sighed and leaned back with his hands behind him, supporting his body. He was exhausted, not so much physically as he was mentally. He couldn't even imagine what Nico must be going through.

"Don't worry too much, Jace. He'll come around eventually. He's got to. There is no other way," Piper's words were encouraging but not comforting.

"How can I possibly not worry? He's like my little brother," argued Jason.

"Well, we are all worried about him too. But being worried won't help with sorting out stuff. What we can do is help him through… this."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Jason!"

"Guys, can we please not argue right now?" It was Hazel, sounding like she'd just stopped crying. She was sitting next to Piper and holding onto Frank's arm as if her life depended on it, looking sick and miserable. Hazel was, after all, Nico's distant cousin.

"It's okay Hazel, it's okay. We'll help Nico, okay? He'll be alright," cooed Frank in an attempt to calm her down.

Suddenly Leo, who – as Percy had noticed – was unusually quiet for his cheerful self till now, spoke up.

"Um… whatever happened was really depressing, but are we really not gonna talk about who did it?" he asked.

Everyone went silent. He had voiced the question that had been torturing them since the "incident".

"We will, Leo. But now is not the time for it," Frank said sternly.

Leo hummed in reply, resting his arms behind his neck and leaning back onto a tree.

Percy looked at the boy sitting on the bleachers, and thought about what had happened. About Bianca, her pale face and blue lips and her glazed eyes, about Chiron and the chain he had found. Amazing how everything had been so normal just two hours ago, how their cheerful talks had turned into nervous whispers.

Time went by and Percy continued to drone out the discussion the group was having, lost in his own world. Thoughts lead to more thoughts, eventually one of them escaping and bringing back memories from a few months ago, of his old school, the bullies and misery. He remembered that one time one of them had broken his water bottle for getting better marks…

He shook his head, driving out unpleasant thoughts and instead trying to focus on what was happening in around him.

"This is my theory about what might have happened. I'm not sure though…"

"I think we should get going now."

"Yeah, it's getting pretty late."

"I'll just go and bring Nico…"

"Wait!" It was when everyone turned to look at him that Percy realized he was yelling.

"I mean, I'll go check on him and accompany him back. You can all go back. It's getting late."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Piper skeptically. She had obviously noticed his absent-mindedness and clearly doubted Percy's mental condition at the moment and his control over himself.

"Yeah… yes."

"If you say so," shrugged Frank, holding back Hazel who was trying to protest. Piper mouthed a thank you.

He watched as the rest turned smaller and smaller the further they got. Finally, Percy got up and stretched, then started walking towards the bleachers.

Sitting next to Nico, he gazed at his face. It looked so pale, shining in the moonlight. He looked so stoic, yet so fragile as if the calm mask on his face could break any moment.

But his eyes… they seemed so distant…

"Nico?" Percy choked out the name with much difficulty.

After what seemed liked ages, Nico looked back in response. His eyes were filled with desperation. They seemed to be silently pleading to Percy to leave. To go away. But Percy knew he wouldn't.

"I'm right here, you know? By your side."

Finally, the tears Percy had been desperately wishing for appeared in Nico's eyes. Crying, sobbing – anything was better than nothing. Percy didn't like an emotionless, hollow body. The green-eyed boy extended a hand towards Nico's face and stroked his right cheek with his fingers.

Unable to remain contained anymore, Nico finally let his tears flow. He buried his face into Percy's shoulder and cried. He cried and wailed loudly, letting go of the agony and confusion that had built up inside him.

"Please, please tell me it's all a nightmare," he sobbed. Tears streamed down his beautiful face, which was now scrunched up in anguish. When Percy didn't respond, he looked up.

"Tell me it's a terrible, terrible nightmare – that everything will be alright when I wake up – please, please…"

Percy winced and closed his eyes. It was physically painful for him to witness Nico like this – begging for something he knew he couldn't get anymore – broken and hard to repair.

Nico screaming in frustration and grabbed Percy's arms and shook him violently.

"I want Bianca! Please ask her to come to me… I'm sure she'll come to see me if I call her… she never left me alone when I wanted her... And I want her NOW! I want her…"

Getting no response, Nico buried his face into Percy's shoulder again and sobbed silently. His thin body shook each time he forced himself to breathe in.

"Why… Why me…?" he kept whispering, over and over, until he no more had the energy to. He didn't let go of the sleeves of Percy's shirt.

"Shh… I'm right here, Nico," Percy kept whispering into his ears, patting his back.

"I'm right here, beside you. You can cry, I'm holding you and I'll keep holding you whenever you want me to. I'm right here…"


Back in their dorm room, Percy heaved a sigh he didn't know he had been holding in as he tucked the blanket under a sleeping Nico's chin. His lightly traced the faint trail of dried tears that surrounded the pale boy's eyes and covered his cheeks.

"You'll be alright, Nico. I promise I'll be there for you when you need me."

Slipping into his own bed, Percy pulled the covers over himself. Albeit he was tired to the bones, he didn't feel sleepy and that made him restless. He had an inkling that he was missing something – rather someone – that he ought to remember.

Within a second, realization dawned upon him. Where was Annabeth? He hadn't seen her since… since she'd left before Grover had come running to the door of the girls' dormitory…


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