A.N.: This chapter took me forever. I could blame it all on traveling to Dubai and me being sick but when it boil right down to it it's all because of my horrible writer's block I've had, and in all honesty, it couldn't have had worse timing. It totally collided with my spring break and the writing portion of my vacation was a total bust. I finally, however, managed to finish it. Of course, I had no other option but to make it from Nico's point of view, but hey, anything to move on from my block, right? Enjoy this long awaited chapter, the final chapter of the Ocean's Daughter until the sequel fanfiction I'm planning on writing ;) I want to thank everyone who followed, favorited, and reviewed this fic. It was my first on and I was soooo happy you all liked it! Keep a lookout for the sequel!
~Much love, Lola3

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Nico could not, for even one second, fathom why Sasha was worried about his safety. He was the son of Hades, the god of the dead. He wasn't dying any time soon. Nico wasn't cocky, either. Not even in the least bit. Son of the God of Dead with a dead sister and mother and a reputation as one of the weirdest demigods at camp? Yeah, his self esteem was way high up there. But even still, he knew Sasha liked him back. Ryan'd told him. So even though it was probably the stupidest thing he'd done, when Sasha kept on rambling about wanting to be with him but not wanting to be with him he just wanted to shut her up. So even though, yes, it was idiotic, it was a split second decision to kiss her and he'd ended up regretting it. Er, not the kiss. her reaction. Every time he passed Sasha now she wouldn't even look his way. She'd stop in her tracks, divert her gaze, whirl around and speed-walk away. She didn't seem to notice it slowly killing him internally. Or maybe she did and just believed that 'she was doing it for him' bullshit. Either way, Nico figured he'd crack eventually. He continued to hang out with Ryan, Leo, Jonathan, and the others, but Sasha found a way to ignore him then, too. She simply ignored the others unless they weren't with Nico, and he couldn't remember another time he'd been so frustrated since Bianca's death. It was almost as if Sasha had never known him and she expected him to act the same—which, there was no doubt in Nico's mind, was her goal. Her brothers were of no aid either; Ryan found the whole situation hilarious and when Percy talked to his sister, all she had to do was bring up Annabeth and how would HE act if he were in the same position, and he shut right up and 'totally understood where she was coming from'. Ridiculous! So, after finding no refuge in the matter from neither Ryan nor Percy, Nico moved to seek Arya's help. Arya had apparently become Sasha's closest friend since the whole ice rink incident with Andrea, and Nico was actually happy for the daughter of Poseidon. Even though, you know, she was a child of Athena and a total know-it-all, she was sincere, and Sasha needed a friend like that. And no, Nico was not just saying that because she was helping him get Sasha to acknowledge him. That's a preposterous presumption! Arya had totally understood where Nico was coming from in the situation, and although Sasha was her best friend, she was continuously pestering the girl about Nico. Her boyfriend, Orlando, was pretty cool too. He was a son of Hecate, and some of the tricks he could do with magic were badass.
Weeks went by, And even with both Arya and Orlando pestering Sasha, her decision on how to deal with Nico never wavered. One night during a discussion in the Hades cabin between Arya, Nico, and Orlando, the topic popped up, just as it frequently did. Arya had been rummaging through Nico's things and found the stack of pictures of Sasha Ryan had given her. He couldn't remember why exactly, but the boy had been angry at his sister, snuck into her room, stolen some of her favorite pictures and given them to Nico for "safe keeping". That was before the twins had found out they were demigods; when Nico was still going to their school and recruiting them to camp.
"Stalk her much?" Arya teased, waving the shots around, and Nico rolled his eyes, jumping onto his bed so he was lying on his back beside Orlando and crossing his hands behind his head.
"Didn't have to. Those're from Ryan."
Arya wasn't too fond of her best friend's twin, to say the least. She detested the boy, her reasons beyond Nico's knowledge, and at the sound of his name, snorted. She tossed the pictures to Orlando and Nico on the bed, rolling her eyes.
"You're no fun." She whined, and Orlando rolled his eyes, sitting up and taking a few of the pictures to look at. Nico followed suit while Arya continued to scour the son of Hades's nightstand. The photos were all easily recognizable by Nico—several of her in multiple different locations, with a boy with tangled crimson hair and dark grey eyes, who, Nico had discovered with a bit of research, was Sasha's ex boyfriend, as well as a cousin of Andrea's. Several shots consisted of Andrea, Sasha, and Mikeal all cracking ridiculous faces to the camera, and twice that amount were of Andrea and Sasha just doing things girls usually did. Shopping, sitting in a café, at the beach, etc. In a way, Nico couldn't help feel guilty to have been responsible of stripping Sasha of the normal mortal life she could've had. Of course, she was bound to get found out by the monsters eventually, but Nico regretted that it'd been him to introduce Sasha and her brother to this world. Aside from the fact that Nico didn't care too much for Andrea, she'd been Sasha's best friend since childhood, and there was no disputing the fact that Sasha moving to camp severed their friendship. And of course there was the inevitable truth that she'd loathed Nico just as much as he her. To realize that Sasha and her brother had left with him...
Well, that wasn't Nico's problem, seeing as Sasha didn't even bother glancing his way anymore. 'But it is your problem.' This annoying part of his mind nagged. 'Why don't you shut up?' The other, more dignified part responded.
"That's weird," Nico began, collecting all the pictures to put them away, "one's missing." One of Nico's particular favorites, a shot of Sasha and Andrea covered in bubbles and making goofy faces at the camera, was missing. Shrugging, he figured it didn't matter and he put the pictures away.
"Wonder if she found it." Orlando teased, nudging Nico with his elbow. Arya rolled her eyes.
"So, I heard there's going to be a quest sometime soon. But it's top secret, so don't go telling anyone."
"And how would you know that?" Nico asked, and Orlando smirked.
"Trust me dude, this girl's got her ways."
"Anyways," Arya continued, flashing a grin at Orlando, "apparently Rachel recited some prophecy in her sleep a couple days ago. Something about the Son of Kronos being 'a hopeless attempt of recovery to the soul, dispose of the time child with a heart of gold.' I dunno, something about his heart being an empty bottomless pit, similar to his Father's prison, and like someone with a pure heart and the right intentions can kill him. Apparently there was more, like, said pure person can only discard him at their weakest; and with some white chocolate clock or something—"
"white chocolate?" Nico asked, raising an eyebrow.
"—at least that's the analysis Annabeth and Malcolm came up with."
"So basically all this information is from eavesdropping on your siblings?" Orlando asked, and Arya beamed.
"But do me a favor? Don't tell Sasha. It'll probably make her feel even worse, and Nico, that will not help with getting you onto her good side."
Nico scoffed. "You say that as if she talks to me."
Arya pursed her lips.
"Ari, Malcolm said he needed your help with…er…well, I couldn't remember everything he said exactly, but it was something, so, go help him?" Orlando asked, and Arya rolled her eyes, holding her hands up in surrender.
"Alright, I can take a hint. I'm gonna go catch up with Jonathan, I think Sasha has archery with him now. See you!" She sprinted out of the cabin, making her way to the archery range.

-
A week passed and nothing changed. Sasha still avoided him, he still hung out with the others whenever Sasha wasn't there, he went about his daily routines, and he began to grow less and less offended about Sasha's attitude towards him and more and more perturbed. There was also no sign of a quest popping up any time soon, and there was no sign of neither the son of Kronos or the Oracle at camp. Nico began to slip away again, too. He felt less and less attached to everyone. Percy'd been able to get him out of his down slope last time this'd happened by being there for him, but now the son of Poseidon was caught in the middle of Nico and his sister, and Nico didn't find it right to force him to make that decision. He hung in the shadows a lot more, too. It was easier—to be the observer, not the observed. Nico was eating dinner at the dining pavillion one night. The evening had started out just like any other; he'd finished swordfighting, spent some time with Leo, Jonathan, Garrett, and Ryan in the forge before heading down to the meal pavilion. He sat in his usual spot and endured the glowers shot his way from the Aphrodite cabin and the rude remarks spat by Drew and her lapdogs. Drew must've gotten even more bitter after Nico'd dumped her. If that were possible. She was already bitchy enough. Actually, Nico dating her was pretty damn stupid in the first place. It seemed so long ago. Anyways, Nico was eating a happy meal and thinking of his trip to the underworld he would be taking in a few weeks. Nico was required, by his father, to visit the underworld for a couple weeks each year. Sometimes he spent more time there. Sometimes less. He used it as an escape, when he felt too dead to have the patience to deal with the living. Chiron stomped his hoof, silencing the demigods and gaining their attention. With everything that had been going on and how much time had lapsed since the half bloods had received any information on the matter, all eyes and ears were focused on the centaur in seconds. Save those belonging to Dionysus. He sipped his diet coke, a bored expression plastered on his chubby face, his eyes dim. Chiron cleared his throat.
"Demigods, It is time that I informed you that our oracle, Rachel, has recited a new prophecy, concerning the matter currently at hand. Rachel, if you would please..."
The fiery haired oracle stood. Nico, from where he sat, was able to see she'd been seated at table 3. THAT must've been awkward for Sasha, after the girl had suggested they kill the Daughter of Poseidon at the council to resolve the issue of the prophecy. Nico shook his head. 'Not my problem.' He wasn't going to go crawling after her after she blatantly rejected him. What was the point of them caring for one another anyways, if she was too afraid to show she cared? Nico, as far as he was concerned, had done his part. He had to move on eventually, he wasn't going to wait around forever. Besides, he still had some dignity left.
Maybe.
"Okay, first of all, I've been having visions in my sleep regarding the issue." Rachel sighed, then added sarcastically and with a shrug, "that's always a good omen, right?"
No one laughed.
"Right," she continued on, "so mostly in these visions I see four demigods. You know, the silhouettes. I can't make out their faces." Her eyes flashed to Nico. "And these demigods are on a quest for something called the 'Albus Aurum Clepsydra'. The demigods, uhm, two of them are of Big Three descent, the other two children of knowledge and sorcery."
All eyes on the Athena and Hecate tables. Several whispers erupted around the pavilion. Hecate was never hand-picked for quests.
"Their goal is to find the 'Albus Aurum Clepsydra', which is an ancient Roman hourglass constructed of White gold, as per the translation."
'Pftt, yea Arya, white chocolate.' Nico chuckled, earning the glares of some other campers. he glared back.
"This hourglass was, according to a vision, constructed by a mad man named Prucilius, who was always haunted of a 'Child of the clock who would raze the world.' Of course, no one really knew what a clock was back then, but he was so paranoid about what he'd see in hallucinations that he constructed a small time telling mechanism that could be connected to a sword. I don't know what sort of advantage it has over Charbel, but it's the only thing we've got. You don't hear too much about it in the myths, either. I've looked...along with Annabeth and some of her siblings. There's little to nothing about the Albus Aurum Clepsydra anywhere.
There's more we found out, but I think it'd be best if I recite the prophecy first."
The oracle closed her eyes, beginning to sway slightly. She began to look as if she had gone unconscious but continued to sway rooted to where she stood when her mouth opened and green mist began to pour from it. Her eyes shot open, illuminating a vivid green light.

'Dispose of the time child with a heart of gold.
The uniquely crafted ornament, of no use without he;
In the Jewel
of the Middle East.
To find the Albus aurum Clepsydra,
In his fatalist moments,
all wrongs are correct,
Children of Hell, Ocean, Witchcraft, and brains,
Your match may have been met.'

As soon as the prophecy had ended, Rachel slumped forward, only to be caught be the Stoll brothers, who were used to this. They sat her back down with them at the Hermes table.
Sasha abruptly stood up from her seat.
"I want to go." She said, her voice final and steady. Nico waited for Percy to object, but he never did. However, Nico was able to notice Sasha glare down at her brothers, and wondered what that was all about. Arya stood, following suit after Sasha.
"I volunteer as tribute!" She said, attempting to lighten the mood by referencing the Hunger Games. Sasha offered a strained smile. Annabeth stood and looked as if she were about to argue about this, but Orlando quickly stood at his table.
"I'll go too." He said, and Annabeth turned to look cautiously at her sister before sitting back down. All eyes slowly turned to Nico. He raised an eyebrow, biting a French fry in half and twirling the other between his fingers awkwardly.
Then Sasha spoke to him for the first time in weeks.
"Well?"
Her tone gave away no emotion. She stared at him expectantly, her eyes empty. Nico couldn't tell whether she wanted him involved in this quest or not. And at that moment, Nico couldn't help but think of her as something like an automaton—no heart, no brain.
No emotions.
Nico rolled his eyes and stood, French fry still in hand.
"Yeah, alright. I guess I'm the only child of Hell here, so I'm kinda obliged to be in this."
He turned to look at Sasha, but her eyes wouldn't meet his. You know, not that he cared.
He sat back down, listening to all the events that would occur, discussions of transportation, and other tactics. He heard Percy and Annabeth butt in at several times. He couldn't help but smirk when Sasha got fed up and asked her brother to 'Please just shut up!'.
Lol.
Finally, he left the pavilion, making his way down to the beach with Arya, Orlando, Jonathan, Leo, Ryan, Garrett, Travis and Connor, and Sasha. Not that Nico tried acknowledging Sasha. Her attitude towards him wasn't any different, though, either.
Of course, they were all talking about the quest. Nico took part in the conversation at times while Sasha sat off to the side, simply gazing beyond the beach.
Arya suddenly sighed and threw her hands up in exasperation.
"You two -" she said, gesturing to Nico and Sasha, "-are unbelievable. It's been weeks. Whatever issues you have with one another, get over them."
Sasha remained silent, but Nico saw she had closed her eyes, and her face was slightly twisted; cringed with Nico didn't understand what. Nico himself remained silent, too. He didn't really have anything to say. After a while, Sasha simply stood up and left. Everyone turned to Nico, who watched her silhouette shrink, every second longer feeling like a harder punch in the gut than the previous.
"But," Arya said, incredulously turning back to the others, "you guys are gonna have to go on a quest. Together."