Val's POV

So here I am again getting to 'talk' to the over glorified demigod Nico Di Angelo. Now that I think about it he really isn't over glorified. Actually I don't really hear many people talk that highly of him or at all unless they are just some ridiculous girls that have crushes on him. As I got lost in thought about how I realized that Nico wasn't all that bad he had apparently taken a seat across from me. After a while I snapped out of my reverie I noticed how Nico was just looking at me somewhat amused.

"What are you looking at me for?"

"Oh, it's just that's the first time in a while I've seen you without a scowl on your face near me."

"Oh yeah sorry about that." I looked away from him.

"It's alright." There was a bit of an awkward silence after that. Looking everywhere but him I asked, "So, um, what did you want to talk about again?" I readjusted myself by tucking my legs underneath me to help get out of this awkward phase of the conversation.

"Percy told me what was going on." Oh. That's what he wants to talk about.

"I also wanted to know how you're settling in."

"Why do you care about how I'm settling in?"

"Unlike you seem to think I'm not the devil's offspring." I quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Oh really now?" He rolled his eyes at me.

"You know what I meant." I laughed at him.

"Alright is that all you wanted to tell me about?"

"What are you going to do?" He asked completely serious. All joking gone.

"About what?"

"About the whole thing with your friends." My face paled.

"Uh, I don't know."

"Are you going to join them?" Where was he going with this? If I say yes I would just have a harder time here, but I don't think I can actually say no.

"I, I don't know." I bit my lip and looked away.

"I heard you're going to be helping out the Apollo Cabin."

"Uh, yeah they want me to make potions and work on spells or whatever to help with healing."

"Just healing?" Was he interrogating me?

"What else would I use it for?" He shrugged.

"Just asking."

"Is that all?" I ask a little uncomfortable now.

"Why aren't you joining them?"

"I'm not really sure I'm just really confused."

"Why?"

"I told you I don't know everything is just all confusing right now. Why do you care so much?"

"I guess you could say I'm worried."

"Worried? About me? Now why in all that's holy would you be worried about what I'm doing?"

"Well I don't know just that there is possibly a huge war like thing about to happen and apparently you are going to be a big part of it whether you want to be or not, and considering all that's happened so far I think I have reason to worry, and oh I don't know maybe I was just trying to be nice."

"Nice? How the hell is interrogating me being nice? You don't even know what's going on. All that you know is whatever Percy told you and how do I know that's even the whole story. Not only that, but how would you feel if as soon as everything was starting to go right everything decided to just flip again!" I was getting frustrated with him now.

"Well then why don't you just tell me then?" His eyebrows scrunched together. Looks like I'm not the only one getting a little frustrated here.

"Tell you? TELL YOU? What is there to tell you?"

"Well apparently I don't know anything so why not start with that."

"Ok, ok, you know what? Fine." I took a deep breath to help regain my composure.

"Alright. Apparently my best friends are trying to figure out a way to dethrone the greek gods, I'm in a camp who would definitely defend the gods, and against what I was originally planning I made friends with some of them, so now no matter which 'side' I choose which I am extremely confused about because one side makes sense but the other side doesn't really bother me, but I have to throw my friends into the mix too. Not to mention my best friend is over like 400 years old and a son of the lord of time. Now I don't know whether or not I would like to just disappear into nonexistence or if I should just off myself now and save everyone a big load of trouble." I sighed exasperated.

"Oh not to mention I'm pretty sure the other half of the camp probably doesn't tryst me which don't get me wrong I don't mind, but still." I added.

"Actually I'm pretty sure most of the camp likes you. You happen to be pretty well with most of the head cabin-mates. Like with Will, Percy, Annabeth, Connor & Travis also me."

"Wait you?"

"Well yeah I'm the only one in the Hades cabin."

"No I mean why do you trust me? I mean I've been nothing but angry with you since I've gotten here, but you trust me?"

"Well yeah I don't see why I wouldn't."

"But why?" He shrugged.

"Because you're a good person."

"Figures." I mumbled to myself. Of course he would say something nice to me. I'm beginning to feel guilty now.

"What was that?" I looked up at him. His eyes. They were so dark and intense.

"It was just I don't really understand why you trust me even with the whole 'being a good person' which sounds like complete bull if you ask me."

"Well let's just say I have been pretty good when it comes to judging people."

"Cause that's something people love to admit."

"Well I'm not most people."

"Yeah apparently neither am I." I smiled sarcastically at him.

"That's probably a good thing."

"Why is that?"

"Because no offense, but most people tend to be a bunch of assholes."

"Oh I'm sure none of them would take offense to that."

"So, um you said you made friends?"

"Oh yeah not really what I was looking forward to but I did."

"That was with Alaska right?"

"Uh yeah and she introduced me to her friends I really only talk to Chelsea and Derick though, but Alaska was my first friend here besides Percy."

"Right, right."

"You seem friendly with Derick right?"

"Uh, yeah." He said kind of nervously although you wouldn't really pick that up unless you were really paying attention to his voice. I only barely caught it, but at the end his voice seemed a bit shaky.

"I was just wondering because usually big three kids aren't necessarily the best of friends and seeing as you were already good friends with Percy I wasn't sure whether luck struck you twice or something."

"Oh we aren't really friends as we are just camp-friends. We really only train together."

"Ah, so you can't really tell me much about him then can you?"

"Why? What do you want to know about him?"

"Oh it's nothing really I was just curious about him because well he's been really nice to me lately, and I don't really know what's going on in his head cause I don't really know him that well, so I was curious if you could tell me anything about him?" Nico had the frustrated look on his face again.

"Uh, no I can't really say much other then he's a pretty good fighter."

"Right." I blushed looking down.

"Yeah, right.."

"Well, um I guess if you really do trust me I can um, well, I can trust you too." I was looking down at the floor in front me struggling to say this aloud to him. It was silent a while before I looked up and saw him looking at me in shock.

"Really?" He whispered probably not for me to hear still shocked.

"Really." This time looking him straight in the eyes, those intense dark eyes. We stayed like that for a while just searching each others eyes not uncomfortable, but I wouldn't consider it that amazing.

"I think I should go now it's getting pretty late, and you need some sleep." He said getting up.

"Wait." I said reaching out then quickly bringing back my hand.

"Um, thanks Nico." He looked back at me confused.

"For what?"

"For trusting me even though I've never really given you reason to." I said becoming quieter with each word. He looked at me with a smirk on his face.

"No problem, and thanks." My turn to be confused.

"For what?"

"Not just putting me off because I was a son of Hades." He then disappeared into the shadows.

"Right, that just happened." I said now talking to myself. Alright you can get it together Val nothing too new got thrown into this big mix all that really got added to it was a little hope. I think? He trusts you. Why you still have no idea he isn't the best at expressing his feelings apparently nothing new. I checked the time and realized there was no way I was going to be awake enough tomorrow to take on all this training especially if I was tired today.

"Great, just great." I huffed at myself putting up the book for potions and going to bed.

I was in this white room again, but it was different then last time I'm pretty sure I wasn't going to be torn apart by scenes of despair. "Well this is great. I get to dream of pretty much nothingness." I started walking around this never ending room of white. Sooner or later I began to hear whispering. Time doesn't seem to really be a factor here.

"Why can't I just go see her?" A familiar female voice said in the distance.

"Because I don't think she's ready for that yet." Another familiar but male voice replied.

"Oh please shut up Barron if anyone can talk to her it should be me." My ears perked up at this, so who's he talking to. I know that voice.

"You don't know what's going on right now just let me handle it and you can talk to her later." Well if he's right about one thing I'll give him credit for this one.

"Yeah right, if I let you 'handle' things I'll be dead before I get to talk to her."

"Please just let me handle it. I promise you'll get to talk to her soon just let her adjust a bit before we do too much of this."

"Ugh fine, but you'll be hearing about this when you get up!" The female replied back in a sharp tone.

"Alright then just go I'll see you then. Oh she's here." The white room thing I was in got a little darker before it lightened up once again, but this time with my good friend Barron in front of me.

"Who were you talking to? She sounded familiar." I said inquisitively looking behind him to see if whoever it was, was still there.

"No one you need to worry about right now."

"Oh alright." I said a little disheartened.

"So why did you show up in my dreams this time?" I asked.

"Well for starters I needed to talk to you, and well I wanted to know how you were doing?" I sighed.

"Everyone is just so willing to talk to me today, or er night."

"Oh did you talk to Chiron today?"

"No it's just Nico he wanted to talk to me about what's been happening."

"So you're friendly with the son of Hades now. Can't say I saw that one coming." He scowled.

"Well why not? I mean I know I was mad at him for bringing me to camp, but other then that I don't really have much to be mad at him for."

"It's nothing really, he's just not all that good to be around."

"And why is that?"

"Well people he's close to tend to get hurt."

"I think I'll be fine thank you very much." I said curtly.

"So how are you with everything else? Are you settling in?"

"You could say that. They have me working with the Apollo cabin to create healing potions, and to help out with spells and such, I've made a couple of friends."

"That's good you should learn about you're powers and who?"

"Well, there is Alaska, Derick, and Chelsea plus I have Percy, Annabeth some of Alaska's friends and Nico I think now."

"So you like it there? Are you enjoying the gods' camp?"

"I guess so. I haven't really been there that long to tell much. Why?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh."

"Yes because if you don't like it there you are welcome to come to ours. With all of our friends. We could train you, and find where ever your father has gone. You will always be welcome with us."

"Is that who you were talking to?"

"Hm?"

"You were talking to Kaylee weren't you?" The sudden realization hit me like a bullet. Kaylee. The girl I practically grew up with. The person I've spent the most amount of time with besides my father.

"Yes."

"And you didn't want her to talk to me."

"It's not like that. I didn't know if you were ready for that yet. I also wanted to talk to you about joining our forces, or at the very least letting us take you out of theirs."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to make you join us, but if it comes down to a fight against the gods and the spawn they manipulate against us I don't want you to be one of them."

"So you would just take me away?"

"Precisely and hide you of course so they can't just kidnap you or something ridiculous like that."

"Right."

"That was really all I wanted to tell you. To give you choices per say."

"Tell Kaylee I said hi then, and that I miss her and everyone else." He smiled at me.

"Of course." I then ran to him giving him a big hug.

"I miss you too you know?"

"Ditto." I started laughing.

"Don't ever say ditto again; it does not fit you oldie."

"Oldie?"

"You are over 400 years old aren't you, or were you just playing me."

"Oh that, no I am I guess I'm just not used to being called oldie yet." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Of course not."

"I need to go now. I didn't really have much time to tell you this, and I'm going to get hell when I wake up from Kaylee as I'm sure you already know." I laughed.

"Good luck she's got a nice spit fire it's pretty hard to dodge immortal or not." He gave me one last hug before fading into the white. Sadly though I did not just go back to dreaming regular dreams instead I was stuck in this white maze of dreamland. Walking around looking for just anything to do I stumbled upon a note written in a fancy red scrawl on a thick piece of faded black parchment paper.

My dearest daughter,

It has come to my attention that you have quite a bit on your plate. I have been looking for your father I can't seem to locate him. I hate to know that he can't be there to help you with things, and that I cannot be there in person myself. I would also like to have been able to visit you in this dream state, but alas I'm busy with many things. Although you can look forward to me visiting you soon. I'm so sorry you got caught up in all of this craziness I tried so hard to protect you through the years. I wanted you to know that. Even when it seemed like I was never there I was always in some form of contact with your father who else would be able to cast those charms to dissuade those monsters from such raw power that you and your father possess. You've grown up to be such a woman, but you have so much growing to go, and I hate to see all this craziness put onto you. I'm glad to see that you like your cabin though I worked hard to give you a home away from home. It has many secrets though from the bookshelves to the floorboards, but know that what is in there is not to hinder you, but to help you figure things out. Also know that no matter which fate you decide I will still love you, and I know your father will too. Stay safe and think clearly.

Much love,

Mom.

Well that explained much of nothing. Although I am glad to see she cares for me and my father. I wonder where he is. There is no way he could have been taken, but I know he wouldn't just disappear like that without leaving some form of notice about where he is. I hope I remember this when I wake up because I'm pretty sure I can't bring letters into the physical world. With that my world swirled to black and I was given regular dreams for once. Maybe I'd get enough sleep for tomorrow, or maybe I'll just end up even more exhausted then I already am. Who knows.

SORRY THIS IS A BIT LATE, THIS WAS MY FIRST REAL WEEKEND TO ACTUALLY RELAX SO WE ALL KNOW I TOOK WHAT I COULD GET. HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS THE NEXT CHAPTER MIGHT BE A LITTLE TIME SKIP SO THIS CAN PROGRESS BETTER. ANYWAY TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK IF YOU WANT TO NOT GOING TO FORCE YOU TOO.