Nico…..

I walked up the stairs to the upper deck. It was still early morning and I hadn't been expecting to see anyone. I thought I might have a moment of peace and then shadow travel home for awhile. But no such luck. Then again, when do I EVER have luck. My own stepmother (even if she is the goddess of flowers and springtime) turned me into a dandelion. I mean, a dandelion! Seriously! Then I got kidnapped and placed in a glass jar by two giants… Wow. Yeh, then my older brother like figure gets thrown into Tartarus with his girlfriend… I need to have a serious talk with Tyche- goddess of Greek luck. Or maybe Nemesis- I definitely need some balance in my life.

Piper, Jason, and Leo were all standing together; in a small circle talking. They looked surprisingly better. Maybe, they had gotten over and moved on. I sure hoped so. I cleared my throat.

Piper jumped a little and Jason let out a chuckle. He got a Piper glare in return and boy did he look sorry.

"So, how is everyone on this fine morning. Nico?" Leo had turned back to the controls and couldn't see my face, but Jason and Piper were studying it closely.

It was a silent way of asking if Percy and Annabeth were alive. "Fine. We are all alive as far as I can tell."

Piper smiled and Jason nodded approvingly. "So do we even have a plan for what will happen when we reach the Doors of Death," Piper asked.

"Not yet," I replied, "but we should wait for Frank and Hazel and Gleeson. Then we still need to notify camp…" My voice trailed off, and I looked up.

Piper nodded, "The sooner the better." For some reason I believe she was talking about moving on and getting over and not notifying camp.

"Well, if you don't mind then I will just…ugh," I faltered. I pointed to the shadows reaching forward trying to get to me. "Oh.. Sure then," Jason said nervously. "We'll send an Iris message to…. Where exactly will you be?"

"Nice, soothing town called Helltown, in Ohio. I'll be back be 8:24.25," I answered calmly.

"Oh, how refreshing, and precise? See you then?' Jason replied, but it sounded more like a question.

I closed my eyes and walked straight into the wall. I sunk through and appeared on the side of a tree on the hedge of a forest. I straightened my Day of the Dead tee, fixed my skull ring, brushed my hand through my hair, adjusted my sword, and walked out into the open. I walked aimlessly down Riverside Road for awhile- drifting in my own thoughts. I thought back to how worried I had been when I first saw Percy, and then when I realized, he would remember and want to wring my neck out… Fun, happy times. I thought about how mean I had been to Percy in the beginning, when I blamed him for the death of my sister. Scratch that. My other sister, Bianca. I paused on the road thinking. I flashed back to the one time after I had seen Percy that I was at the Greek camp. Camp Half-Blood.

I appeared on the side of a cabin- the Poseidon cabin. I learned from experience that trees do NOT make the best landing spot. A black Pegasus was flying overhead. Blackjack. Was that Annabeth on his back? The campers were all cheering and laughing. What the?

"Prissy would keep us waiting for months wouldn't he," I heard Clarisse say. Oh no. Please say this is a joke. He couldn't have remembered ALREADY. Could he?

"Counselors- meeting- NOW! That includes you Nico! Shouldn't you be happy?" Chiron was almost shouting from joy or maybe he was just trying to get heard over all the noise.

I muttered, "Just stunned, that's all." And followed the other senior counselors out. I stuck to the back and tried very hard to mask my nervousness. Of course I was glad Percy remembered and him, Frank, and Hazel were still alive, yet now- I might actually get in trouble for this.

I mean of course Percy had every right to tell on me, but from how I knew Percy he wouldn't do it first without having a nice little chat first. Of course Percy's 'chats' involved Riptide being twirled aimlessly and Percy being sad and upset from me and maybe some neck wringing. I still hate that blade, ever since the time Alecto told me how much they hurt, and she's a FURY! And then when I felt it for myself. I rubbed my neck where Percy had thrust the blade in his state of half sleep… after I lead him to my dad who then locked him in a cell, with minimal air…

I turned around to face a pack of souls that had come out of the woods. I whirled around surprised and saw I was at The End of the World. Yeh, ghosts do actually haunt this place. One looked puzzled while another pointed franticly at his watch. I glanced at my cell and saw the time. Five more minutes. I sighed, turned around and headed back down the road. I remembered earlier this week, how Percy had saved me, even if I had deserved to die in that jar.

I had to return the favor. I tried hard not to think about the lines from the prophecy, An oath to keep, with a final breath, and on my oath to Percy. I would lead the questors to the Doors of Death and then save Percy.

Ugh. 8:25. Got to go already. Time to get moving. Good thing is though, I had already moved on.

I know this one is bad, I had writers block, and personally have never been able to really understand Nice that well, so writing from his perspective is a little harder. Thank you to Andromeda Luna for reviewing, and I look forward to all the future reviews! Please REVIEW! It isn't that hard, trust me, I do it too. Thanks.