Chapter 2

Sitting right there at the shore was Nico. He had a towel sitting at the water's edge. He sat on it, looking over the ocean. I tried to sneak up on him, but, he wasn't fooled.

"Just get over here and sit down, you goof." he said, smiling at me.

I did. The breeze was blowing in a fresh salty smell. I closed my eyes and listened to the waves. Nico but one hand on my cheek, causing me to open my eyes. He was right there, his face inches from mine. We were practically breathing the same air. "Will you go to the dance with me?" he asked quietly. I smiled and nodded in response, the butterflies not letting me speak. He smiled quickly before leaning in. I closed my eyes right before he did.

Nico kissed me softly, one hand on my cheek and the other on the back of my neck. I wasn't one for soft caresses, so I tangled my hand in his hair like I wanted to from day one and pulled him into me. I felt him smile a little and then pull me back. Let's just say that Percy would be very upset if he would've seen his little sister that night.

When we broke away, I bit my lip and giggled. He laughed in response. We just sat there, his arm around me until the waves and his heartbeat lulled me to sleep.

I woke up to see Jason, Piper, Annabeth, and Percy peering over my hammock, waiting for me to get up. I did the normal thing and fell out of it in surprise.

It was barely dawn! What were they doing here?

According to Piper, her cabin had put together a little filmstrip of Nico and I last night. They were waiting for me to get ready, Jason surprisingly rushing me more than any one else. "Why are you so suddenly interested in my love life?" I ask while brushing my hair out. He mumbled about us being his new OTP.

"You know, the invasion on my privacy doesn't bother me nearly as much as that does," I said, making Jason blush and Percy snicker. We walked without any interruptions to the Aphrodite. In the main room, the boys were setting up a TV and plugging in the camera while the girls were straightening the chairs they set up.

Piper clapped her hands and said that it was time to start the movie. We sat down, me as far from Percy as possible. I figured that they had filmed last night, but I didn't think that they went this far. Piper had apparently sensed something with her AphroPiper senses and began to film Nico and I from day one, the day we met. Every time Nico and I were together, someone was there, filming us. Even in New Rome. I though back to when we shadow traveled there when Piper was holding her cell phone, screaming, "It's code blue-and-black! I need you and the rest of the Roman dovelies to watch these two! I have divine chocolate riding on it!" It must've been the children of Venus. I would never be safe.

Percy had to walk out when the skeleton and Piper were playing tug-of-war with me. Jason and Annabeth went "AWW!" when the cameraman showed me walking on the path of candles. A louder "AWWWW!" was heard when Nico and I kissed, making me blush like crazy and hide me face.

I looked up just in time to see that Nico carried me back to the cabin and laid me in a hammock, seeing as how it was against the rules to go into a cabin alone with a person of the opposite gender. He kissed me on the cheek, making me smile in my sleep before walking away. On the way back to his cabin, he pumped a fist in the air, whispering, "Nailed it!" I smiled and whispered to myself, "He is such an idiot."

After the movie, I literally had to peal everyone off of me so I could walk to breakfast. Percy met me outside and walked with me.

"Maria, I want you to hear me out."

I nod for him to continue.

"Nico is a great guy. He's powerful and nice and witty, but he's unpredictable. Nico disappears and leaves without a word. He's hurt people and made them worry for no reason. Nico's…..well, the Ghost King, and he got that name from being like a ghost, there when you need but don't want him, and gone when you want and don't need him. I don't want to see you get hurt, Maria," Percy said, stopping before we got to the pavilion.

I listened silently, but I spoke when Percy stopped. "Percy, I'm glad that you're so protective and annoying, but I am a big girl. I can deal with a broken heart if I need to. But I don't think Nico would do that to me. Not the Nico I know," I say shaking my head.

Percy smiled at me before getting his food and sitting down. I gave my offering, also throwing in a piece of bacon and thanking Aphrodite for her nutty children. I began to think about what I meant to Nico. Was I just a passing thing, a shinny new toy who will be thrown away as soon as I get too attached? Was our relationship a fling?

I didn't have time to brood on the issue. I heard a weird sound. It was like a sonic boom mixed with a splashdown slash explosion. And for some reason, "Girl on Fire" by Alicia Keys was playing.

Percy and I made eye contact from across the table before taking off in the direction of the beach, Jason, Piper, Annabeth, and half of the camp following us. I felt something beside me and noticed that Nico, who I had never seen run before, was beside me, matching my pace. We got to the bay, Chiron shooing the rest of the camp away.

In the water was the Argo II, which had just made its splashdown. Leo Valdez was sitting at the helm, singing along to the song and randomly bursting in flames. Another girl was behind him. I recognized her as Calypso, the one Odysseys, Percy, and Leo had all met and left. Leo had found her and brought her off of Ogygia.

The pair were standing beside the head of Festus who was blowing out fireworks. When they landed on the beach, Leo jumped off first. He burst into fire and pointed to Calypso before yelling, "THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE!" Percy and I made eye contact again before extinguishing Leo. The water didn't hit the goddess, but Leo was completely soaked.

"Hey! I was in mid serenade!" he complained before looking up at his goddess, opening his arms as if to say, "I'll catch you!" I could tell that she didn't buy it. I made a geyser of water push into the air and come level with her feet.

"Go on," I said, "I'll actually catch you,"

The goddess stepped on my water, me dropping the geyser until it was nonexistent. Leo's mouth was wide open. "Girl Percy? You're not just a dream?" he said in a dreamy, out-of mind voice, walking up to me until he got uncomfortably close. Nico growled and stepped between us, pushing Leo back a little.
"She's my dream," he said in a deadly quiet voice. Leo held up his hands before walking back to Calypso saying, "All yours man! I just had a dream about her and the Minotaur and one seriously wrecked town!"

I blush at the Little Rock reference. Leo urges us back to the big house where he can explain his "amazing adventure and romantic reunion." We did as he said. Chiron let us sit alone while he went back to breakfast.

The eight of us sat and traded stories. We told them about the dance, Calypso saying that she would make our dresses on her loom. Piper showed Leo and Calypso the videos of Nico and me. Leo sat back and whistled, saying, "You know, I didn't think that this guy could be so feelin-romantic! I didn't know he could be so romantic."

I nodded a thank you to Calypso who had pinched him under the table. She smiled back at me before saying, "You really should be in the Aphrodite cabin," I blushed and shook my head, saying that I couldn't leave my idiot brother. Percy rolled his eyes and lightly punched me on the arm. I shoved him back, throwing him out of his chair. Everyone laughed at Percy's expense, even Nico. Leo continued to throw glances my way, but I pretended not to notice it. I didn't know what he was thinking. I planned on finding out.

Eventually, we parted ways, Leo taking everyone minus Nico and I to the Agro II to see the damages and remove Festus's head. I had my backpack with me, so I dug through, trying to find my iPod. Somehow, Nico knew what I was looking for and pulled out his own black iPod. He offered me an ear-bud as we walked to the forest. A couple songs played that I didn't know, but then a song came on. My jaw dropped as the first few lines played. When the days are cold, and the cards all fold, and the saints we see are all made of gold.

"You listen to Imagine Dragons?" I ask, incredulous at the fact that we liked the same music. Nico grinned and nodded before saying, "Yeah, they're sons of Apollo. Well, Dan is Apollo." I laughed and then we started to sing along, Nico taking the bass with me harmonizing.

After the song was over, Nico laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist. "That's our song," he whispered into my ear. My arms went around his neck. We were about to kiss when Leo walked up. "BRAVO!" he yelled, making the two of us jump apart and the iPod to fall to the ground. Percy had told him to find us for Festus's final touches.

Nico and I shadow traveled while Leo was left to walk over to Half-Blood hill. There was Festus's head, sitting beside his brand-new shiny body. Leo finally arrived, out of breath and sweaty. Calypso and Piper were polishing the ruby eyes.

"Alrighty," Leo said, effectively silencing the chatter. "Now, I found Festus in the woods, where he had a corroded command disk and a bad attitude. He was a creation of Beckendorf, who I doubt I could ever outdo," Our group got a somber mood, everyone remembering the boy I saw in my dreams.

"So, here we are, carrying on his memory by restoring his greatest creation. He's probably still making stuff in Elysium as we speak." Leo smiled a little and then said, "Alright, here goes nothing,"

Leo walked back to the head and plugged in a few wires, his hands flying across the head and neck. Finally, he put a bronze plate over the neck, taking a screwdriver from his belt and putting the hinges and latch in. He looked back to Piper and nodded. She inhaled and said in a voice full of commanding air, "Wake up, Festus, you're back home,"

The metal dragon didn't move. Leo said, "Son of Medusa! You've got to be kidding!" and kicked the neck. The ruby eyes began to glow and steam shot out of a few pipes as Leo hopped around, rubbing his foot. The dragon picked up his head and stood, looking around as if he was actually alive. "FESTUS!" Leo cried and hugged the metal hunk. The dragon groaned back in response, still looking around at us.

The tinker looked back at us and asked with an impish grin, "Who wants to take a ride?"

Everyone stepped back except Calypso. Leo grabbed her and flung her into the leather saddle he had installed. He sat behind the goddess and told Festus to take off. Calypso was screaming as loud as she could when the beast took off. Everyone laughed at the poor girl, who had fallen in love with the idiot boy.

We all walked back to the pavilion, seeing as how it was lunch. We parted ways, Nico kissing my hand as always. Complications are some kind of wonderful. I sat down with Percy, chattering about the dragon and poor Calypso.

"I'm really glad that Leo found someone. And that she got off of Ogygia," he said, sipping on his blue Pepsi.

"You need to apologize to her, you know."

Percy almost did a spit take and asked, "For what?"

"For not making sure she got off of that island. It was part of the deal you made with the gods, but you didn't check."

"But if she would've left then she wouldn't have met Leo!"

"You don't know that!"

Percy got up and went to Annabeth, asking her the same thing. Thankfully, Blondie agreed with me. Percy threw his hands up in the air and stomped over to Piper and Jason. I was glad to see that everyone agreed with me. I grinned and turned back to my own food. Soon, it was time for Capture the Flag. Tonight, it was the Ares cabin against Cabins 1, 3, and 13: Jason, Percy, Nico, and me. This was going to be good.

This was the first time we had played together so the Ares cabin had the flag. I was dressed in full armor, as was Superman and Percy. Nico was in his normal attire sitting on the back of Mrs. O'Leary. He closed his eyes and summoned the dead. About thirty assorted skeleton warriors rose from a fissure in the ground. Archers, spearmen, and swordsmen alike were in the mix. I grinned at Nico who was shouting orders to the legion. "Fight off any of the enemy, disarm them without any wounds. Don't touch the flag; leave that to the rest of our officers," he said, talking about us four.

Finally, the horn was blown and we set off into the forest, jogging at a steady pace. Jason flew up and saw that the Ares cabin had put the flag at Zeus's Fist, taking the high ground as far from the stream as possible. We split into two teams, Jason and Percy taking half of the skeletons up and around the rocks and Nico and I leading the rest in a full out charge.

When we got to the edge of the clearing, Nico summoned more skeletons, giving them the same orders. Before we attacked, a bolt of lightning struck the ground, just a few feet away from Clarisse. She was thrown back and landed on her butt, screaming curses at Jason. I smiled and summoned water from the creek, creating twelve "arms" of water around me in a circle

Nico grinned and yelled, "Charge!" The skeletons obeyed, running into the clearing with only the sound of rattling bones as a war cry. Half of the cabin surged forward and met them, the other half hanging back and waiting for the tricks. I charged in with Nico. I used the arms of water to throw anyone in my way aside. I didn't even have to use Tsunami until Clarisse ran through a hole in the circle. I was feet away from the flag when our swords locked.

Neither of us had a shield, but I had a trick up my sleeve. Connor and Travis having a crush on you did come with perks. I slapped a button on my armor and out popped an enchanted rope that tied Clarisse's arms around her back. The sword was sucked up by one of the water arms, but that didn't stop her. She barreled forward, aiming to tackle me. But I disappeared in a flash of shadow before she reached me. When the world came back into focus, Nico was holding my hand and we were in the middle of the rest of the Ares cabin. "Oops," he said.

Thankfully, my brother came through, leading his batch of skeletons into the fight. Jason was riding a horse that was made of….thunder clouds and lightning. Tempest was a sight to see, striking down anyone in the way. Finally, we reached the flag again. Nico was the first to touch it, grabbing me and jumping on the hellhound. We took off in the direction of the stream with Jason and Perc in tow. Jason was back on Tempest with Percy on behind him.

When we crossed the stream, Chiron was waiting for us. The flag turned white with the symbols of Hades, Jupiter, and Poseidon all in the circle. He blew the horn and announced that we were winners, spared from chores until the next games. I smiled up at Nico. Percy grabbed me up and put me on his shoulders before walking back to Cabin 3. I blew a kiss to Nico in goodbye.

Most of the camp was already asleep, Calypso deciding to stay in the Big House with Mr. D. Leo and his siblings were still trying, and failing, to park the Argo II in Bunker Nine. I could still hear the crashes and yells and the occasional shriek from Leo. Percy sat me down on the porch, thankfully thinking about the low doorframe. He and I walked inside silently, not really talking at all. Tyson's bunk was empty, and I began to miss him. I took out the watch he made for me, stroking the timepiece and remembering my other brother. Percy sat beside me again, still silent. I saw him open and close his mouth out of the corner of my eye. He did so again and again and again, looking like a fish out of water. Then I realized, he kinda was a fish out of water.

I started to snort with laughter, probably scaring the crap out of him. He kept asking what was so funny, but I couldn't catch my breath. I laughed until my sides hurt, finally collapsing on my bed, Percy still clueless. He just shook his head, saying, "You're nuts, you know?" I nodded, going to change into my pjs before snuggling down into my covers and falling to sleep.

I didn't know why people liked to wake me up at dawn, but it seemed to happen regularly. The Friday before the dance, Calypso forcibly drug me into the Big House before going back out, dragging in Piper, Annabeth, and somehow convincing Hazel to shadow travel here through an Iris-message.

"Now that we're all here and mostly awake," the goddess began, looking pointedly at yawning Piper, "I wanted to show you the dresses I came up with!"

I didn't know if goddesses needed sleep, but obviously this one didn't. Calypso had made not only five dresses, but also gotten the accessories and shoes for each one.

Annabeth's dress was sky blue that faded into a more vibrant turquoise. The top was halter-line with a white band along the waist. The sleeves were silvery white and flowed down to her wrist. There were white pearls and white shoes to go with it.

Hazel's dress was a deep purple and went down to her knees. The straps rested on her arms, suspending the dress. A white fur stole and gloves were her accessories; Hazel was sick of jewels. The shoes were white and simple, like Annabeth's.

Piper's was a beautiful golden, like candlelight. It was slim with a slight flare-out at the legs and was also floor-length. It shimmered with each movement, and had pink shoes, gloves, and necklace to go with it. It was perfectly Piper.

Calypso's was scarlet, a color that would contrast her skin tone very nicely. Her sleeves were golden-copper. It went to her mid-thigh and flared out like flower petals. The dress also looked like a flame. Leo would love it.

And then there was mine. It was dark blue, one that had flashes of green the color of my eyes and turquoise. It was sleeveless and strapless with a heart shaped top and a slit going up to my thigh. There was a white band that went under the bodice and had six strings of pearls handing from it. There were elbow-length white gloves and strappy heels that went with it. I could already tell that I was supposed to wear my trident necklace with it. It was beautiful.

They were sitting there chattering about hair and makeup, but I was still looking at my dress. I had never owned a dress before, much less wore one. Calypso smiled when I stroked the silky fabric and asked, "Do you want to try it on?"

We all tried the dresses on. Each one was tailor made for us, thanks to our new bff goddess. I looked around and said, "I don't know how we're going to control the boys," making almost everyone blush. Annabeth, being the Wise Girl, said, "Two words: judo flip." Everyone's laughs were cut off by the ram's horn signaling breakfast. We quickly changed back into our normal clothes before running to the pavilion, me almost dropping Tsunami on the way.

I looked over to where Hazel sat down beside Nico at the Hades table. Our little romance had flourished since he asked me to the dance. Between listening to music and fighting in the arena, our relationship moved out of the complication stage to boyfriend and girlfriend stage. Nico looked over to me and winked, sending shivers down my spine. I smiled right at my oatmeal, trying to cover it up before Percy sat down.

Chiron told us that all chores and normal activities were to be canceled today in preparation for the dance since the Romans would be arriving tonight. Rachel and all of the cabin counselors had come up with the plans and were in charge of giving out orders. The theme was "We are one united," a very cheesy thing for me. Hephaestus kids were going to be building the walkway, props, and stages. Aphrodite were to beautify it. The Ares were to round up any monster and help with the heavy lifting. Athena were to arrange. Everyone else was to help in any way possible. And I was supposed to go with Nico to collect items from the demigods to represent their parents. I was so glad that Piper was a counselor.

Nico and I left immediately after breakfast to find the items. Mrs. O'Leary was sent with us to help us carry the stuff. We went to Mr. D first since he was closest and since Pollux was busy with helping. He snapped his fingers and gave us a huge wine fountain. "Don't worry, I've enchanted the wine to never run out and to keep all you insects from getting too drunk," he had reassured us. The taste of wine without consequences? Sounds good to me.

The next was Iris. Butch, her only son so far, provided us with the item, saying that she was way too busy to meet us herself. It was a rainbow projector. I didn't know how well that fit into our theme, but who cared? Hephaestus's kids told us that Festus was the gift. "I'll make sure he's here," Leo told us with a wink.

Jason gave us a golden eagle I hoped wasn't stolen from the Romans. We found a peacock couple in the Hera cabin. The Demeter cabin gave us a torch and popcorn machine. Clarisse handed over her electric spear and the cabin's mascot: a live boar. Annabeth gave us an owl and said that they would have a olive tree planted at the dance grounds. Apollo's kids sent us a golden lyre. We took a silver bow from the range and hoped for a crescent moon tonight for Artemis. Piper sent us a dove which didn't get along with Athena's owl. We didn't even have to ask the Stolls for an item. We were walking to meet them when a box from the Hermes Express appeared at our feet. Inside was George, one of his snakes from the caduceus. Do you have any rats? he had repeatedly asked. The Hypnos kids gave us a pillow and poppy stem when they managed to wake up. Nike's twins, Bruce and Brenna, gave us golden laurel wreath. Janus's son, a boy named Gavin, gave us a giant silver coin. It was the size of a dinner plate and had the god himself on one side and a door on the other. Nemesis's daughter, a eight year old named Cathy, gave us a scale and told us that revenge would be sweet for Nico, whatever that meant. Tyche, the goddess of luck, gave us a ball, one that rolled around in a circle, sometimes stopping, sometimes going the other way, just like luck itself.

Hades and Poseidon were the only two left. Nico said that Mrs. O'Leary could be the Hades item, but Hazel said that wasn't enough and summoned a solid gold and diamond collar for the hellhound. For Poseidon, I swam out into the ocean and collected a few miscellaneous things. A hippocampi scale and a mini-trident were the sea-god items.

We took the last of the items back to Piper, who called over a few of the Ares campers to move them. Mrs. O'Leary had to be given a new shield to stay in place. Nico and I helped with a few other things like filling up the fountains and checking on the Roman's progress.

Finally, it was time for dinner and everything set up. The dance was going to be between the arena, cabins, and creek, a perfectly level spot. Dinner was uneventful other than the Romans arriving. Octavian and Reyna were the first to be seen coming over the hill. Frank and the others soon followed. Everyone was welcomed with open arms and no hostilities. Even Octavian seemed on good behavior other than constantly stabbing a teddy bear. Reyna gave us a trumpet for Bellona, which represented the Horn of Victory and Defeat.

We all went back to the cabins, everyone splitting up. Nico and Hazel got luck and weren't given anyone to stay with in Cabin 13. Frank, Octavian, and about a dozen other kids were assigned to stay in our cabin. Percy and I moved outside to the hammocks, giving them the less-comfortable inside beds. He went to sleep almost instantly, snoring away. I wasn't given that option. Nico snuck to Cabin 3 and laid in the hammock with me. "What are you doing? You'll have to scrub toilets for weeks if you get caught!" I scolded him.

"Ah, but I'm not inside the cabin am I?" he asked with a sly smile. Gods, he was good. I snuggled up next to him, using his chest as my pillow again. He was stroking my hair and singing in Italian softly. I couldn't tell what he was saying, so I asked him. "I'm not going to tell you," he muttered into my hair. I growled at him and poked his ribs. I tried everything: bribery, threats, offers. Nothing was working.

"You'll find out tomorrow night," he whispered to me. I growled one last time before giving up. I could wait till tomorrow, right? Turns out I could, but sleep couldn't. Before Hypnos took me under, I heard Nico say, "Ti amero per sempre, mi cara. Finche morte ci porta, io rimarro tra le tu braccia."