In which Zoe is actually very caring with people she likes, and she gives Bianca some closure. Also- Bianca is almost as blind as Percy to when people have feelings for her. Also, Percy would be losing her shit in this chapter, and Jason wouldn't be that much better.
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Undeath9087: Yeah, family trees are complicated.
The good part? It didn't take them long to reach the statue- which was exactly where they'd left it.
The bad news was the fact that they didn't have much time.
As soon as they reached it Calypso and Hedge were rushing to move it all around so that they could get to the ropes so that they could harness Bianca up again- and Reyna managed to pull herself together enough to help them, though she kept glancing back towards Bianca and Zoe.
And Bianca swallowed hard as her gaze met Zoe's.
The huntress was glancing over her shoulder- and Bianca knew her well enough to know that she was anxious to get back to the rest of the hunt. But- Bianca had to offer. "You could come with us. With Cal. Help us get the statue to camp."
"That is not my path to tread." Zoe told her- and there was a sadness in her eyes. "Bianca- thou must know-"
"You heard. Didn't you?" Bianca swallowed hard. "You heard what I said to Orion."
"Yes." Zoe didn't even try to deny it. "If thy had told me-"
"It wouldn't have changed anything." Bianca's smile was shaky, almost teary. "You love Lady Artemis. And I get it I do. It's not like I was there thinking you'd somehow turn around and fall in love with me. I wasn't stupid. You didn't need to tell me anything. You didn't owe me any kind of explanation."
"I should have known-" Zoe shook her head, "I never meant to cause you pain Bianca- I do care for you- but I cannot love you-"
"I know." Bianca reassured her. And somehow this wasn't as bad as she'd been expecting. She'd never wanted Zoe to find out about her feelings. But- but it wasn't as painful as she'd imagined it being.. The bandaid had been ripped off. The worst had happened, and it was almost a relief now that she knew.
"When thou left the hunt-"
"It wasn't because of you." Bianca reassured her, "Not totally anyway. I had to-" she took a deep breath, "I had to move forward. I needed to figure out who I am. Which- I'm not finished with doing that."
"You are a hero." Zoe's voice was firm, "And my friend."
"Even now that you know I was in love with you?"
"Even now." Zoe gripped Bianca's shoulders, "I've already spoken to Calypso. I must leave now. But know that if ever you need us the Hunters will be there-" a wry smile flicked across her lips. "You may no longer be one of us but you are still my friend."
"Thank you." Bianca darted forward, hugging Zoe tightly and pressing her lips to Zoe's cheek. "And- thank you for- I needed this talk." it felt sort of like closure. The pain was barely even there. After so long spent pining for Zoe it should have been more painful to say goodbye but- Bianca glanced over her shoulder, her gaze focusing on Reyna- and her eyes met the other girls- Reyna turned her head away quickly. Clearly she'd been watching them.
Admittedly Bianca's moving on had included falling in love with someone who would never feel the same way about her, but, well. It was moving on.
"Before you go-" Zoe's hand moved to Bianca's cheek, and then her lips were on Bianca's, a chaste thing but- Bianca could feel her heart hammering in her chest. But- there was no spark there, not like she'd imagined there might be. She truly had been in love with Zoe- but- maybe now she could finally say she was over her, even if she'd always still love her as a friend. "Know that it is not because you are not worthy of love that I do not feel the same. If things had been different- but Lady Artemis- I will never be able to love another the way I love her. But- if things had been different."
And that made Bianca's chest tighten. "You think you could have-"
"Of course. Thy deserve all the love in the world Bianca. If that is what you wish. You are beautiful, fierce and strong. Thou must know that." and then Zoe was stepping backwards. "The daughter of Bellona is lucky to have you."
"I-" Bianca's mouth opened and closed, "Zoe- even if- I mean I don't- and Reyna certainly doesn't-" she shook her head. And Zoe looked faintly amused at that, shaking her head.
"As you say." She stepped back, "I will go rejoin my hunters. I believe your friends are ready for you. Good luck Bia." and then Zoe was running- and Bianca turned her head, and the daughter of Atlas was right.
And it didn't take long to get Bianca all strapped in, and she managed to shadow travel them away from San Juan.
And they landed amongst overgrown fields next to a large historical marker.
Bianca felt herself slipping through the ropes, through the harness as her legs gave out beneath her- and Reyna was there, a panicked note to her voice, "Bianca!" but her hands went straight through the daughter of Hades.
And she felt weak, like she was going to fade away into nothing.
And then Reyna's hands were on her shoulders, and they could touch her this time. "Bianca- Bianca look at me." and Bianca blinked slowly- maybe she was slipping in and out of consciousness. Because one second she'd been almost hitting the ground face first, the next she was on her back, her head resting on Reyna's laps as the praetor gently tipped one of Calypso's concoctions into Bianca's mouth. And she swallowed slowly- and then nothing again- then she could hear Bianca ordering Calypso and Hedge to go scope the area and see if they could get supplies.
When Bianca actually came around enough that she wasn't blacking out again within ten seconds she had a blanket draped over her- which she distantly thought was weird because it was bright and sunny where they'd landed, and her head was still in Reyna's lap.
She did feel a bit better, though she still felt faint, like a shadow herself. "Reyna?" she murmured the name softly. "I- Reyna. Are you-" she blinked slowly, "Have you been crying?" because Reyna's eyes were red and swollen.
"Shut up." Reyna muttered the words, but she used her praetors cape to wipe at her face. "You scared me's all. I thought- I mean my hands went right through you."
"I'm sorry." Bianca let out a weak laugh, "Next time I almost become a shadow I'll warn you-"
"Don't even joke about it." Reyna's voice was hoarse. "You can't do that to me." she swallowed hard, "How do you feel now?"
"I-better than I did." Bianca murmured, "But I don't think I'll be able to shadow travel again. Not yet." maybe not for a while- which was not a good thing she knew.
"It'll kill you." that wasn't a question. "Gods Bianca- I knew I wasn't imagining it when-" she shook her head, "You can't do it again. It'll kill you."
"Give me a few days." Bianca murmured the words, "And I'll figure it out."
Reyna went silent for a while before she eventually shifted slightly. "I- so that was-" she looked uncomfortable, "That was Zoe Nightshade."
"Oh gods." Bianca groaned, closing her eyes, "I-"
"You love her."
"I-" Bianca groaned, "That is..." gods why was Reyna of all people asking her that? "Yes. Yes. But I've never thought it would work out and- and I knew I needed to move on. I think a part of me will always love her but I think- I'm starting to not be in love with her. Does that make sense?" she asked the question quietly.
"I don't know." Reyna's voice was stiff, "For someone who you don't believe shares your feelings she seemed very close to you. When she kissed you."
"That was a goodbye." Bianca's face felt like it was on fire "It didn't mean anything." and the fact that she was telling the truth was- strange to think of. "Not that it matters." why, why was Reyna so interested in all this. Bianca knew, she knew that Reyna couldn't like her like that so why? If Bianca didn't know better she might have suspected jealousy but- Reyna couldn't want her like that. Why would she? Reyna was beautiful and strong and brave and kind and everything good. And Bianca knew that she wasn't.
She was the daughter of Hades, the lesser child of Hades even. She was selfish and cruel and immature. She'd made stupid mistakes and Reyna could do a thousand times better.
There was more silence- several minutes of it before Reyna spoke again.
"A few years ago." her voice was tight. "I met Venus. She- she told me something. That no demigod would heal my heart. That I wouldn't find love where I wished or hoped. I guess you and I have something in common. We've both- we've both loved people who didn't love us."
"I think we even liked the same person at one point." Bianca managed to joke.
The crush on Percy wasn't too painful for her. It hadn't been intense like her feelings for Zoe or her feelings for Reyna- who was raising an eyebrow at her.
"What do you mean?"
"Percy." Bianca let out a weak laugh, "She's impressive. But I'm pretty sure she wanted me dead by the second time we'd met so I mean. That was doomed from the start."
"What?" Reyna let out a startled laugh, "What happened?"
"I'd left Nico behind. Percy had already declared herself his big sister. She was protective even back then. She was furious with me for hurting him." Bianca's brows furrowed, "I don't blame her. But yeah, that crush burned and crashed very quickly."
"She rejected me instantly." Reyna said after a moment, "For two girls who's names she remembered despite having no memory. I almost felt jealous." Reyna remarked, "Not many people love so fiercely. But- after what Venus said."
"It's Venus." Bianca frowned, "I wouldn't- I mean first of all- of course no demigod will heal your heart. The only one with the power to heal your heart would be you. And- I mean. Who knows what Venus meant by the other part. I mean maybe she just meant that it wouldn't be Jason-" she winced as she said that- she regretted it instantly, because a pained look crossed Reyna's face.
"Perhaps. I used to think he and I were-" she shook her head, "We were... he was my closest friend at Camp. He welcomed me. Made me feel at home. Perhaps I fell for him because I thought that was what I was supposed to do. It made sense after all."
"I don't think love is supposed to make sense. Not that- not that I have any real experience. I've never had anyone love me like that."
And what was with that look Reyna was giving her? That strange gleam in her eyes.
But before she could say anything more Hedge and Calypso returned. And Bianca couldn't help but feel disappointed.
Whatever had been on Reyna's mind- Bianca got the feeling that it was important.
