Chapter 10 - I Get a New Outfit

I stared at the scroll, still mystified. Had Leo done it? Had he survived? I could've sworn that he was dead - I felt his death. And if he had managed to come back to life, would I have been able to save Bianca that way?

"Don't be an idiot." I muttered.

"What?" Jason asked next to me. He'd been staring off into space, his arms crossed on the Big House porch railing.

"Nothing." I said quickly. "Just… thinking."

He nodded. "Do you think it's true? Is Leo alive?"

I shrugged. "I guess so… I mean, he died. I know he died. But…." I turned to look at him. "But I can't feel him in the Underworld."

I watched as a smile slowly spread across his face. "Thanks, Nico."

"So…. I guess you'll be going?"

Jason nodded. "Yeah. Piper's finishing packing, then we're heading off. Percy lent us Blackjack."

"I….. uh, I mean…. Good luck." I didn't want to say 'I'll miss you' or anything sappy like that, but, well, with Reyna, Hazel and Frank back in California and Annabeth back at school, I was starting to feel a little alone again.

Jason grinned at me. It felt weird, but in a good way. "Thanks! Oh, and Hazel helped me with something." He disappeared into the Big House and I followed after him. He came out of Chiron's office with a small stack of some kind of black cloth. He picked up the first one and held it out to me. It was a black t-shirt.

"It's the Camp Half-Blood t-shirt," Jason explained. "But, you know, for the Hades cabin. Hazel drew the skeleton pegasus and I convinced Chiron to get some of these printed. What do you think? Cool, or did I go too far?"

I grinned and pulled on the t-shirt. I had never liked the orange t-shirts that most campers wore. And I had never thought of asking someone to wear a different style. But I liked this. It felt like….. Well, like I actually belonged here.

"Thanks, Jason." I held out my fist. He grinned and tapped his fist against mine.

"You making any friends at Camp?" Jason asked.

I shrugged. "Not really. Will Solace has been keeping me in the infirmary to rest. That guy's insufferable."

Jason laughed. "He saved like, half our lives during the war? I think he's allowed to be insufferable."

I just shrugged. "Anyway, uh, maybe you can check in while your gone? Just, you know, to make sure you and Piper aren't in any kind of trouble."

"Definitely." Jason assured me, and I felt myself relax. I still got nervous when my friends went on quests. I still remember Bianca coming to say goodbye to me before her quest, assuring me that she would be safe. "Stay here and train, be a hero like your card game." She'd told me. "These people will be your friends, your new family."

Maybe she was right. Maybe, I was starting to find a new family at last.