Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus Series.

Story: Divided Soul

Chapter 38: The Gloomy Cousin

Argo II – two days later

Nico Di Angelo sat on the deck of the ship. He stayed in the center of the deck far away from the rail of the ship. As a son of Hades, he would never give his Uncle Zeus the chance to blast him into oblivion. He wasn't invulnerable like Percy. He had a lot of time to think about his cousin. It was hard not to. Percy had saved all of their lives by defeating Iapetus, but then Nico returned the favor by rescuing his cousin from impending doom within that cave.

"Skeleton for your thoughts?" Annabeth asked as she walked up to the boy. Nico was fourteen now, but Annabeth still saw him as that ten year old boy who'd lost his sister, first to the hunt, and then to the war.

Nico looked up with a wicked smirk on his face. "That's not the saying," he said.

Annabeth smiled at her friend. "It seemed to fit the moment. I see you're as gloomy as ever," she observed.

"I was just thinking," Nico replied.

"That sounds dangerous," Annabeth said with a wry smile on her face.

The edge of Nico's mouth curled into the briefest of smiles. "Well, I'm not Percy or Thalia," Nico retorted.

"Certainly not, you're too gloomy to be Percy and you look terrible in silver," Annabeth said mockingly.

Nico rolled his eyes before a serious expression crossed his face. "What can we expect in Yellowstone?" Nico questioned.

Annabeth's face looked grim. "Giants and monsters of course," she said flatly. She sighed. "I don't really know."

Nico looked at her in disbelief. "You don't know?" he asked.

"I don't know everything. I can't tell the future. If you want a prophecy, ask Rachel,"Annabeth said in frustration.

"I didn't mean anything. I'm worried, that's all," Nico admitted. "I've got a bad feeling."

Annabeth sighed. There was no need to get upset. Sometimes she forgot that Nico was still a kid, even though he spent all those years in the casino and he acted much older. "I'm sorry for getting upset. I'm frustrated too," she conceded.

"Do you think Percy knows?"

The question took her by surprise. "I don't know. He's different than before. A lot more confident and very mature," Annabeth explained. "Well, most of the time."

Nico smiled. "I like this Percy better."

Annabeth grinned at the confession. "Let me tell you a secret." Nico leaned closer. "I like this Percy better as well."

"What are you two whispering about?" Percy asked as he walked towards them. Nico and Annabeth moved away from each other quickly. "A jealous guy would probably kick your butt for sitting that close to his girl."

Nico gulped. "We weren't doing anything," Nico said quickly. Annabeth's cheeks turned pink at the tone of his voice.

Percy laughed. "I don't know who's worse. Nico thinking that I'll kill him or Wise Girl with the red face," Percy said in amusement.

Annabeth turned toward Nico and frowned. "I take it back I like the old Percy better," she said.

Percy chuckled. "That's what you're talking about. So, you like me better than the old Percy?" Percy asked Annabeth with a smirk on his face.

Annabeth huffed. "Not when you're acting like a smug jack ass," she said.

Percy's crooked grin widened. Percy sat down next to her and took her hand. She tried to pull away, but Percy held it firm. "I'm sorry, but you're both easy targets when you're embarrassed," Percy said. Annabeth didn't try to pull away again.

"You can be a real jerk sometimes," Annabeth said, but Percy could tell that she didn't really mean it.

Percy leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "I know, but you still love me," he said his breath sending a shiver down her spine.

Nico gagged. "I'm going to puke," he said as he began to cough.

Annabeth smacked him in the back of the head. "Shut up," she said. She turned back to Percy with a mischievous smile on her face. Percy leaned forward to kiss her, but she put her hand over his mouth. "Not now." She stood up and smiled wickedly. Percy just stared at her. "Go talk to your cousin." She walked off; Percy followed her with his eyes.

Nico laughed. "Wow, the great Percy Jackson dissed by his girlfriend," he teased.

Percy turned toward his cousin and frowned. "I think I made a mistake,"Nico looked at his cousin curiously. "I should have strangled you in your dad's prison when I had the chance." Nico's skin paled even more than normal. Percy's crooked grin spread across his face as he punched his cousin in the shoulder. Nico winced. "Just kidding Nic."

Nico let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Can we be serious for once?" Nico asked.

Percy nodded. "What are we being serious about?" Percy questioned.

"The battle; you know the fight of our lives?" Nico asked incredulously.

Percy grinned at his cousin's annoyance. "What about it?" he asked.

"Aren't you worried?" Nico inquired. Percy wore a blank expression on his face. "Are you worried about the battle?"

Percy smiled. "I knew what you meant. I just like to irritate you." Nico huffed in annoyance.

"You act like Leo."

Percy smiled. "I don't think so. I don't hit on any girl that walks by and I don't start fires."

Nico rolled his eyes. "Whatever"

Percy's smile faded as a determined look crossed his face. This was the look of a leader. "I would be foolish, if I wasn't worried." Nico nodded. "However, I have faith in all of you and I'll be damned, if I'll let Gaea and her children destroy this world."

Nico smiled, he felt happier than he had in a while. Percy was there to keep them in line and to make sure they'd win. "Sorry, that I got depressed."

Percy slapped Nico on the back. "You wouldn't be the Zombie Dude, if you weren't a little gloomy."

Nico laughed. "That's a terrible nickname."

Percy shrugged. "I can't be good at everything," he said slyly.

A bell rang from the control room. Percy and Nico jumped to their feet.

"We're here," Leo's voice rang out across the intercom. "Jellystone Park… hey Sparky… where's Yogi?"

Percy and Nico both laughed as they shook their heads at Leo's stupidity.

"Shut-up Repair Boy," Piper's voice yelled across the intercom. Percy and Nico put their hands over their ears at the sound.

"Wow, she's pretty loud," Nico commented.

"At least she didn't charmspeak or just about everyone on the ship wouldn't be able to talk now," Percy said with an amused grin on his face. Percy's smile faded as he looked down at the landscape below. He could see the Rocky Mountains and below were forests and meadows. He could see Bison running through a large meadow. Steam from several geysers and thermal ponds and lakes wafted into the air. He knew this was Yellowstone; they were near the end of their trip. The final battle with the giants and Gaea was near. Percy was anxious and a little worried. Prometheus had escaped in Greece; he knew the Titan had a plan to help his grandmother. It was just a matter of time before the Titan put his plan into action. Percy had to be ready for all contingencies.

"Perce, you okay?" Nico asked worriedly.

Percy turned away from the view to look at his younger cousin. "I'm fine, just thinking about the battle. Prometheus will have something up his sleeve," Percy said.

"We'll be ready for him. I owe that bastard," Annabeth said as she walked up from behind them. Her steely grey eyes shined as she thought about the Titan that made her look like a fool in Greece.

Percy frowned at her tone. "Don't let him get to you. He hurt your pride, don't let it cloud your judgment," Percy warned.

Annabeth sighed. "I know, he just knows how to push my buttons," she explained.

Percy wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "I guess I need to kick his ass for that," Percy said.

Annabeth smiled up at her boyfriend. "You can have him after I cut off his…"

"Yeah, let's don't go there," Nico said as he interrupted Annabeth's use of colorful language.

Percy looked back down at the ground below; he could see camp fires glowing in the darkness. He adjusted his eyesight like he was in the deepest part of the ocean. He could see tents and demigods walking around. He looked for a place to land; a small lake was next to the camp. Percy turned toward the control room. "Leo, there is a lake just below us to the right," Percy yelled.

Leo looked over the rail of the ship. "I see it," he yelled back. The Argo II lurched to the side as Leo maneuvered the ship towards the small lake. "Hold on to your buts."

The ship hit the water harder than the son of Hephaestus meant. Nico fell forward and crashed into a stack of celestial bronze cannonballs that were stacked near one of the cannons. The large metal balls rolled around the deck nearly hitting Percy and Annabeth. Percy held Annabeth in a tight hug as he lifted her out of the way of the cannonballs.

Leo ran out of the control room. He rushed to Nico's side when he saw the son of Hades on the ground. "I'm so sorry," he said.

Nico sat up; he had a large bump on his forehead. Percy laughed at the sight. "Cannonballs one, Zombie Dude nothin," Percy teased.

Nico's face turned red. "Shut-up Perce," he yelled.

Annabeth smacked her boyfriend in the back of the head. "You're still such a child sometimes, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said with just a hint of amusement in her voice.

Percy grinned at her. He walked over and helped Nico stand up. He turned toward Leo and frowned. "I think you need your license revoked, Cap'n," Percy chided.

Leo's face paled. "Sorry, I guess I got a little excited," he explained.

Percy looked at the bump on Nico's head. He raised his hand and a ball of water formed in the air. Percy willed the ball of water to cover the bump on Nico's head. The water began to glow until the bump had completely disappeared. The water evaporated into the air.

Nico rubbed his forehead. He looked back at Percy and smiled. "Thanks," he said.

Jason and the others walked up from below decks. They had a few bruises and scrapes. Leo's eyes widened at the sight. "I'm so sorry guys," Leo said.

Piper glared at the son of Hephaestus. "Repair Boy, I'm going to kill you, if you do that again," Piper threatened. Leo visibly gulped.

"I'm really sorry Beauty Queen," Leo apologized.

"Don't Beauty Queen me. I'm going to…" Piper began before Jason pulled her into a hug. He didn't like to see his two best friends fight. Piper's anger melted away as her boyfriend hugged her tightly.

Jason pulled away and grinned at his girlfriend. "I like you better when you blush," Jason said as he rubbed his hand along Piper's cheek. A deep red blush crossed her cheeks.

"Now that is a cheesy line," Percy said. Jason and Piper turned to the son of the sea god; both of their faces were red now.

Leo lowered the gang plank, but before anyone could go down they heard footsteps stomp up the wooden walkway. "Where is that damn son of Neptune," a familiar female voice yelled.

Percy turned and smiled when he saw Thalia Grace. When she saw Percy her eyes narrowed. "Scipio Marcellus, there better be a good reason that this boat nearly swamped our camp with water," she exclaimed. Percy looked at Leo. Leo's face was as white as a sheet. Percy began to laugh at the sight. "What's so funny?" Thalia pulled out a hunter's knife and stalked towards the son of Neptune. She swiped her knife at Percy's mid-section, but he dodged the strike before he hit a pressure point in her forearm. Her blade fell to the ground.

A surprised look crossed Thalia's face. Before she could even figure out what was going on Percy pulled her into a tight embrace. "It's so good to see you Pinecone Face," Percy said happily. Thalia was shocked. She looked at Annabeth. The daughter of Athena smiled at her friend.

Percy pulled out of the hug. Thalia wasn't angry she was surprised. When she saw the crooked grin on her cousin's face she knew that this was Percy, not Scipio.

"Kelp Head," she said.

Percy laughed. "Thals, it's me," he confirmed. Thalia rushed him again. Percy braced himself for a punch or something. Instead, Thalia pulled him into another hug. Percy felt something wet on his shoulder. He pulled Thalia out of the embrace; she had tears in her eyes. Percy froze; he'd never seen her cry before. "Don't cry; I missed you too."

AN: A little sappy moment between Percy and Thalia, but remember this is a Percabeth story. Thalia will be back to her butt kicking self in the next chapter, poor Leo.