Chapter XXXII NICO

There's nothing like an engagement to make everybody happy, Nico thought as they walked slowly back the the Argo II.

After Percy made his miraculous exit from Tartarus (trust him to make everybody flip out), the group all settled down to tell their different stories. They all sat in a circle around the breach where Tartarus had opened open and talked. Frank, Hazel, Jason and Piper all helped tell what had went on at the ship while Percy, Annabeth, and Nico were all missing. Nico then jumped in and explained Calypso, to which Percy grinned and gave him a fist-bump.

And then it was time for Percy and Annabeth's story. They couldn't talk about it much, which Nico could totally understand. Some things are just too terrible to be spoken about. They said what they could and then Percy brightened. Turning to his girlfriend, he asked,

"Do you want to tell them, or should I?"

Annabeth blushed, looking at her feet.

"I don't know, Percy. Now might not be the best time-"

"Tell us what?" Piper asked nervously.

Percy grinned and even Annabeth had to smile. Taking each other's hands, they said together,

"We're engaged."

Everyone stared at them in numb silence. Leo cleared his throat and then said,

"Like- in the "engaged to be married" kind of way?"

"What other way is there?" Percy asked, staring at Annabeth. Nico smiled faintly at his mesmerized expression.

Hazel, Calypso, and Piper all squealed with joy and nearly tackled Annabeth to the ground, asking her millions of questions.

"How did he ask?"

"When did he ask?"

"Where's the ring? Percy, you didn't get her a ring?!"

"How was I meant to? We were in Tartarus!"

"Guys, one at a time!" Annabeth cried, holding her hands over her ears.

The girls fell silent, waiting eagerly for Annabeth to continue.

"He asked right before you guys showed up."

"While you were fighting?" Piper asked incredulously,

"You were trapped in a net together for days on end. He had all the time in the world to ask you then. And he choose while you were fighting for your lives?"

"That's Percy for you." Annabeth said with a helpless shrug.

They decided that they better head back to the ship while there was still light. They all walked in a big clump, mingling together. Nico didn't think the reality had fully set in yet. They were all together, and all alive. This must have been some sort of demigod record or something!

Calypso came up beside Nico and slipped her hand in with his, interlocking their fingers.

"Hi there.' he said with a tiny smile.

Calypso put her head on his shoulder and they walked along together, matched step for step. Nico pressed a soft kiss to Calypso's head and shut his eyes. He couldn't remember a time when he'd felt this happy. And that was soon torn away by a feeling of dread. Because if there was one thing Nico di Angelo was positively sure of, it was when you were happiest that the Fates knocked you down.

On the other side of the group, Hazel froze. Nico glanced over at her and said,

"You okay, Hazel?"

She looked at him and shook her head,

"I forgot my jacket back there."

"Well, it can't be that important-" Nico started,

"Yes, it is. I'll be right back." Hazel said, whirling around and dashing back the way they'd come.

No one else seemed to notice where she'd gone. Nico dropped Calypso's hand and said,

"Guys, Hazel's gone back on her own. We need to catch up with her."

And with that, he turned around and hurried after his sister, everyone close on his heels.

The area was deserted. Nico turned around in a circle, searching for Hazel. His heart was hammering underneath his shirt. Where was she? With a sigh of relief, Nico spotted her to his right, picking up the jean jacket she wore everywhere.

"Hazel, there you are!" Nico called tensely.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

Hazel nodded and shrugged the jacket back securely on her shoulders. She started walking quickly towards them, a reassuring smile on her face.

Nico shivered as he felt a shadow pass over him, Snapping his head up, he saw a giant towering above them. And it was heading right for Hazel.

"Run!" Nico cried,

"Hazel, hurry up!"

She started running faster, weaving in and around the giant in an attempt to get away from it. But the monster was persistent. Nico froze as he heard a voice he'd come to know well start talking,

"Ah, little heroes. The other two might have escaped me. you really are admirable. But this one will not get away."

It was Gaea, her sinister voice emanating from the giant. It leaned down and snatched Hazel up, swinging her around in the air. Nico yelled,

"Hazel, hang on, we'll help you!"

Frank hurriedly turned into a hawk and soared upwards, pecking and clawing at the earth giant's arms. Jason flew up and tried to pull Hazel from it's grasp, making her shriek in pain.

Nico could only watch in terror. He had already lost one sister to a giant. Bianca had died from a fight with a metal monstrosity in Nevada. He couldn't lose the other one in a similar way. And Nico got angry. He was sick of stuff like this happening to him, and he had no way of helping. In a complete rage, he grabbed his word and stabbed it in the giant's leg, trying to draw some of it's essence out of its body and hopefully weaken it.

It did the trick. The giant couldn't bear being touched by the Styxian iron. It howled and grabbed at its foot, releasing Hazel. She were hurtling through the air, screaming in terror. Too late, Nico realized his mistake. She would have been safer stuck up there with the giant. Because the fall alone was enough to kill her.