Annabeth sat in the passenger seat and held my hand, massaging it slightly as I drove. I was actually great at small talk, especially compared to Annabeth, so I made friendly conversation with Steve as we drove. Every once in a while Annabeth would include something in the conversation but she was looking into the distance as if deep in thought. I let her think.

"So, what happened to Nico?" Steve asked, trying to sound patient. Annabeth looked away from the window and back at me, her grip on my hand tightening significantly. She gave me a reassuring look.

"I'm sure Nico would like to tell you most of this himself so I'll just go over the basics. Zeus tried to kill him and killed his mother instead. Hades got there in time to save Nico and Bianca. he put them in this hotel casino place that basically stops time for like seventy years," I was interrupted before I could finish.

"Wait, Bianca's alive?" Steve yelled so loud that I nearly crashed the car. A pang of guilt ran through my chest and I looked away again. I felt Annabeth next to me. She knew this was a difficult subject for me, so she took over the conversation.

"No. After she and Nico got out of the hotel, she joined the hunters of Artemis." A look of understanding came across his face and pain showered his eyes. He didn't get it; it was my fault. "We were on a quest, she didn't make it out," Annabeth said. She didn't tell him that I had promised to keep her safe. She didn't tell him it was my fault, even though I still thought it was.

"Oh poor Nico, I can't believe," he cut himself off by folding his hands neatly in his lap and looking to his feet.

"I know. Me too."

From there, we drove in silence. I wasn't sure if he didn't want to talk or if I was just making it awkward by not talking. Why do I always have to make things awkward? Annabeth says I get it from my father but I think that was more of her mom talking. I began strumming my fingers against the wheel to try to please my ADHD. It wasn't working. Annabeth tapped her fingers against my calm, which calmed me.

Will and Nico were thinking about living in New Rome for college, but there were still a few people that had a grudge on Nico despite the fact that he saved their lives. Stupid if you ask me. There's also people that don't like Jason and I, but we've got our bromance to keep a positive attitude. And Annabeth of course.

Nico and Will live across the lake from Camp. Seriously, you can see their house from the beach. The easiest way to get there was to go through Camp Half-Blood but I doubted Chiron would appreciate me bringing Steve along through Camp borders. Instead, I decided we'd get as close as we could to the lake and I'd take us the rest of the way. I knew I should probably call ahead and tell Nico that we were coming, but I really wasn't in the mood for a monster attack. Knowing my luck, we'd get attacked anyway.

I'm glad Annabeth was with me.

We got to the road running up to the fields by Camp and I parked and got out of the car.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked. I motioned towards the familiar hill in response.

"Hiking," I answered. The look on his face told me that I hadn't told him all he'd wanted to hear. Oh well. I kept walking. #noregrets

Annabeth walked next to me for part of the way, then apparently got tired because she jumped on my back.

"Wise girlll," I whined, but I really didn't mind. She only laughed, knowing I didn't care.

The hike took a lot longer than it had the first time. Of course, the first time I trekked through these woods I was running for my life trying to process that my best friend was a satyr and that we were being chased by the minotaur. Oh, the memories. I tried not to picture my mom being crushed by the minotaur's hand as we passed Camp's entrance. I gazed over the camp but didn't enter. Trust me, it was tempting.

"Is this where Nico lives?" Steve huffed from behind me. I turned away from Camp and began to walk along its borders to the lake.

"Not quite," I said. "He lived across the lake."

I could feel Steve's miffed glare into the back of my head. I heard him muttering something about not liking boats but didn't pay it much thought. Well lucky for him, we weren't taking a boat. We reached the beach, and I smiled as the waves climbed to encase my feet. My sneakers were getting wet but it didn't bother me. I'd just will them dry later. Annabeth slipped off my back and stepped into the water with a beautiful content smile. The water curled around her toes and they melted beneath the sand.

"Come on!" I called over my shoulder. Steve stood next to me overlooking the water.

"So where's our ride?" He asked, scanning the beach. I grinned and shook my head, then threw my arms into the air.

"Right here!" I motioned towards the water and closed my eyes in concentration. Annabeth was rolled her eyes. I just knew it.

"Anybody out there? A buddy and I could use a lift, if that's alright."

I had twelve responses in the next few seconds. I decided to go with the hippocampus and called her over. A shining head scaled horse head emerged from the water and I waved. I spread the water like Moses, creating a path to the hippocampus. When I looked behind me, Steve's jaw had dropped to the open floor. Annabeth ran her fingers along the wall and the fish followed her fingers. Steve peered through the walls of water on either side of us, running into me when I stopped walking.

"Hop on, but mind the fins."