Hey guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter- and I want to point out that I do like Bianca- she's still mentally twelve and she's a lil bit of a desperate dumbass trying to find out the truth about her mom, she's making mistakes with terrible timing. Also, Percy and Rachel are cute.
Percy and Rachel didn't get the chance to head out to Central Park until after lunch- Sally had insisted on that, and they promised to be back in time for dinner and Percy had charged up her phone so that she could call her mom if they needed to.
They headed into the park- when they'd left Leo was excitedly explaining Festus to a bewildered but enthusiastic Paul, and Luke had been talking quietly to Sally about May.
And when they arrived and started looking around Percy noticed something, she could feel a sort of tingling through the empathy link- which was more than Percy had gotten for months- and she focused on it, trying to follow where it pulled her- Grover was nearby she was sure of it- but when she tried reaching out to him it did nothing, he wasn't responding the way he usually did- they'd gotten good at using the empathy link to communicate in the time since Pan's fading.
As much as she didn't like to admit it Percy was a teensy bit of a mother hen towards the people she loved- she'd gotten used to being the big sister after all, so they'd practised a lot so that she could check in on him while he travelled and prepared for the war- while also doing what he could for the environment to protect the wild places.
They wandered through the park for some time before they were distracted from their search by a loud bark- and Percy was turning around even before Mrs O'Leary came bounding down the path that the two girls had been walking along, Nico on the Hellhounds back.
"Woah girl-" she was bowled over, Mrs O'Leary's tongue was as rough as sandpaper as she was licked- thankfully Percy managed to throw her arm up to keep her face clear as the giant dogs tail wagged eagerly. "What in Zeus' name are you guys doing here?" Percy pushed herself so that she was sat up, her eyes wide, "Neeks is everything okay?"
"Yeah." Nico slid off of Mrs O'Learys back, "Sorry- I didn't I wasn't sure where you'd be and I figured Mrs O'Leary could find you quicker if she Shadow travelled us."
"What's going on?" Rachel tilted her head, "We spoke to Annabeth a few hours ago- she didn't say you were coming."
"I wasn't then." Nico looked uncomfortable, "My dad IM'd me. Bianca's apparently been trying to find out more about our mother- dad seemed pretty stressed out about it. He wants me to try and get her to stop because she won't listen to him."
"Oh." Percy frowned, "Does- do they even realize how busy you are?"
"I honestly don't know." Nico snorted and shook his head. "Dad's pretty busy too to be fair- I think Kronos probably knows that dad planned on helping us because he's been stirring up trouble- I honestly don't know if he'll be able to come up to help us and now Bianca's... I don't even know." his expression was pained. "I get wanting answers about our mom, really I do, especially after- you know-" he gave a strained smile and Percy nodded quickly, biting her lip.
"Of course I know." she remembered Bianca's ghost back at Christmas- it made sense. Sure she was happy enough in the Hunters now but- it was different for her than it was for Nico. Nico had a settled family now, his life was pretty good- sure he'd had difficult times, but he had a settled healthy family, he didn't have regrets or doubts these days like he had at first. He knew he was loved and cared for- he'd come to terms with Bianca's decision to leave him and while he probably wouldn't mind learning more about his past he didn't feel like there was anything missing in his life.
Bianca probably didn't have that- even if she loved the hunters Percy was sure she still had regrets about leaving Nico behind the way she had- and unlike Nico she didn't have a mom, she had people she probably considered sisters but it wasn't the same as having parents and siblings the way Nico did, she didn't have the same sort of family.
So yeah, Percy understood why she'd be desperate to find out more about her family and her life before the Lotus Hotel, she really did. She knew that for some reason Bianca and Nico didn't remember very much about it at all. She'd want answers too in Bianca's place. But the timing was just ridiculously bad.
A part of her wanted to tell Nico to let Bianca do what she had to do and to stay with them- but Bianca would be making it harder for Hades to get to them to help when the time came- with there being unrest in the Underworld Percy doubted Hades would want to just leave her down there, he wasn't a perfect parent but he did make an effort, and as much as Bianca was talented, she didn't use her powers often at all so she was nowhere near as skilled with them as Nico was with his powers- leaving her down there would be just asking for the enemy to get to her.
Percy forced back a groan, running her fingers through her hair as she met Nico's eyes, "Go down there and shake some sense into her then." she ran her fingers through her hair, biting her lip as she did. This was ridiculous. But what choice did they have? "Come back as soon as you can okay?"
"Of course." Nico darted forward, hugging Percy tightly, "I'll be careful Percy I promise. I'll go down there, talk some sense into Bianca and check in with my dad- hopefully he'll still be able to help us." he was frowning, "I don't- like how stressed he sounded last time IM'd. There's been a lot of issues with the spirits and idiots like Melinoe."
"Do what you can to help him then." Percy said after a moment, "But try not to take too long. Please." her smile was almost shaky, "I know you might need to take a day or so to help your dad out but- I'd rather have you close." as much as she hated the idea of him being in the middle of the inevitable battle she knew he'd be invaluable- Nico was strong and capable- one of the most powerful demigods in camp actually, next to her and Thalia. She'd had to accept that a long time ago- and she was proud of him for it, she really was.
Besides if he was close she could try and protect him if she needed to- if he was in the Underworld and dealing with attackers there then she wouldn't be able to protect him. It was simple logic.
He must have seen something in her expression because Nico gave her an exasperated look. "Percy, you're my sister and I love you but you don't have to fuss over me all the time- you know that right? I've got a few years of experience under my belt now, a few quests. I'm not the ten year old you had to look after that I was when I first met you."
"Knowing that and accepting it doesn't mean the same thing Nico, you know better than that. I nearly lost you once- and Leo-" Percy's brows furrowed, "You know, the more I think about it the more understandable my fussing is, you know that? And if I have good reason then you don't get to ask me to stop." she declared firmly, giving him a look that made Rachel laugh loudly.
"She's a secret mother hen, you'll never stop her." her girlfriend looked fairly amused as Percy's eyes narrowed, "What, what you know I'm right-"
"No more kisses for you-"
"Uh huh." Rachel snorted, looking amused as she waved a hand dismissively, "Like you'd last more than five minutes-"
"Screw you Rache!" Percy flipped her middle finger at the other girl, who laughed loudly.
"Just because you know it's true."
"Can you two not." Nico's nose scrunched up as he pulled a face, "You guys are gross-"
"This coming from you." Percy snorted, "You literally forced Chiron to let you eat at the Apollo cabins table with Will sometimes because otherwise you summon up little mice skeletons-"
"Will wrote me a doctors note." Nico's expression was entirely unashamed. "Besides- it's not like you haven't done worse. Chiron literally gave up on stopping Annabeth from sneaking into your cabins-"
"It was the trauma." Percy gave an innocent grin, "Back in the early days I had nightmares about falling into Tartarus, having Annabeth and Grover there made those stop- besides we weren't even dating back then. And you and Will would so do that if you thought you could get away with it-"
"Yeah, but sadly I don't have a cabin all to myself and neither does Will so we'd get caught."
"You're not actually countering my point though." Percy teased lightly, "You are just as bad as we are-"
"No one is as bad as us." Rachel declared with a laugh, which earned her a pout from Percy.
"Rachel you're not helping our point here-" she was cut off by Rachel grabbing the front of her tee and yanking her into a kiss.
Percy pulled back quickly, her eyes wide and face flushed, "I said no more kisses for you-"
"But you're so cute when you blush-"
"I swear to my dad if you two don't stop flirting I will end you both-"
"Sure you will." Percy turned her head to look at Nico and poked her tongue out, "You love me too much for that my adorable little- HEY!" because there was a little skeleton mouse clambering up the leg of her jeans- and Rachel let out a cackling laugh as she stepped back and Percy hopped backwards kicking her leg wildly trying to shake it off,
"Nico!" and Nico was doubled over laughing, clutching his stomach.
"Oh gods! The great and might Persephone Jackson beaten by a tiny skeleton mouse-"
"Oh fuck you Neeks!" Percy glared at her little brother, who smirked in response and with a twitch of his hand the mouse was letting go of her jeans and
skittering back to Nico, who bent down and scooped it up.
"Don't be mean to me Percy, or I'll sic the mouse on you."
"Oh I wish I'd had my phone out then to film that." Rachel was grinning, "Because that was just, just beautiful Nico. Truly amazing to witness, you're my favorite of the Jackson family."
"Don't tell Leo that." Nico laughed as Percy let out a betrayed noise.
"Oh that's it you're both assholes!" she huffed the words, throwing her hands into the air, "I'm disowning you Neeks- and Rache-"
"If you say you're dumping me that's fine I'll just go make out with Annabeth." Rachel smirked at the mock offended look on Percy's face at her girlfriends words.
"Oh that is just not fair-"
"Life's not fair love." Rachel declared, "For you anyway, I get a stunning girlfriend either way."
"Honestly-"
"And I think that's my cue to leave." Nico was still smiling as he looked between them both before he paused, "Actually- what are you two doing out here anyway?" he looked around, "We're in Central Park right?"
"Looking for Grover." Percy frowned, "He's around here somewhere I just can't figure out where." Percy admitted, "He doesn't feel like he's in danger or anything I just- can't find him."
"You'll find him." Nico was frowning, "I wish I could help but I mean- I can't do much and I feel like I'll be more useful helping dad with Bianca."
"Good luck." Percy moved forward, wrapping her arms around Nico tightly and pressing her face into his hair, "We'll see you soon. Be careful- and take Mrs O'Leary with you okay? She'll help you out if you need it."
"This coming from you." Nico snorted, giving Percy a mock offended look, "Rachel- look after the dumbass for me would you? And I'll take your pet with me, she likes playing with Cerberus anyway.""
"Honestly." Rachel laughed, "Dumping my own girlfriend on me." she slid an arm around Percy's waist, "We'll see you soon Nico." then Nico was moving back to Mrs O'Leary, who had been taking a nap but lifted her head when she felt his hand on her nose, barking loudly as Nico climbed onto her back before she stood up and, after he whispered something into her ear dissolved into the shadows and Percy bit her lip, glancing at Rachel, who squeezed her gently.
"Nico's gonna be fine Percy." Rachel hesitated, "We need to get back for some dinner but we can come back here after if you want."
"I-" Percy hesitated before letting out a breath. "Right. Let's go home I guess- but- we will find Grover right."
"I'm sure we will." Rachel pressed her lips to Percy's cheeks, "But you need to eat and rest as much as anyone else. We will find him."
And with that Rachel was towing Percy home.
