That night I had blissfully dreamless sleep. I awoke the next morning and stood up groggilly. I headed over to a nearby tree to answer nature's call. After I finished I went to check on Percy and Nico. I found them still asleep on the ground next to their respective horses. Right now were under cover of trees so being spotted wasnt too likely but still what do the mortals see? I threw that thought around as I walked around the area doing a little scouting before they woke up. I finally came across the metal that had glinted in the moonlight the night before. To my surprise a carnival stretched out before me and at the epicenter was a 2 story ferris wheel. I looked at all the mortals buying cotton candy and hot dogs. Waiting in line to use the roller coaster was majority of the carnivals occupants. Further ahead on my right there was a sign in bold red letters. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY,CELEBRATE AMERICAS INDEPENDENCE AT FAIRFIELD'S FABOULOUS FOURTH OF JULY FAIR! and in smaller blue letters underneath the sign read: Tickets $10. Present Student ID get HALF OFF!

I had forgotten it was the fourth of july. I never did care about holidays like Christmas and Easter or Independence Day, but it was a day to celebrate and have fun and if I had learned anything in my life as a demigod you have fun when you can because the oppurtunies are few and far in between. Hey I can get to know Nico and Percy better too. I quickly ran back to our clearing, coming back it appeared we had slept in a park of some kind in a small city. Remebering the sign about Fairfield's Fair,I had my suspicions we were in Iowa. We had made good time on the undead horses we had a few hours to blow off some steam. I smiled as I walked up to camp seeing Nico was already sitting up against a tree trunk trying to wake up. I sat down across from him, my back against a tree of my own. Nico yawned and rubbed his eye. I tried to stifle a chuckle,unsuccessfully. Nico shot me his death glare,"What?" he demanded grumpy. I wanted to say you look so cute like that but what came out was,"Nothing,just thinking of that time me and Clarrisse were fighting." Now it was Nico's turn to chuckle,"When aren't you and CLarrisse fighting?" I laughed, "Fair enough." We lapsed in to a thoughtful silence and waited for Percy to wake up.

Sometime later,and if the sun was any indication it was around mid-day,Percy finally woke up and joined Nico and I by the tree's edge. "So what's the plan?," Percy began,"Not to be a bother or anything but did anyone think to bring food? I'm hungry." Nico reached into his avaiator jacket and pulled a bag of beef jerky. "Your always hungry Seaweed Brain." Nico teased handing Percy the bag of meat. Percy took it eagerly and began shoving jerky in his mouth at what can only be considered an alarming rate. "Thanks...Nico...it's...mmm...really good." Percy said between mouthfuls of beef. I stare at Percy and he finally says "What?" "Oh,nothing," I reply casually,"it's just that they call me? crazy me? riggghhht." Nico laughed and Percy glared at Nico and I looking confused and insulted at the same time. "Okay enough of this," I say quickly,"There is a carnival just a block or two south of here. We have a couple hours before we need to move on so I suggest we make the best of it."

"A carnival?" Percy asked frowning,"Like the kind with clowns and tigers?" "Well maybe but it was more like a fair but it had a ferris wheel and a roller coaster and cotton candy. Ya know?" I asked Percy and he nodded,smiling. I looked over at Nico to see how he was processing this chain of events. He was smiling from ear to ear. If Nico diangelo was ever excited this was it. I smirked at Nico as I saw how cute he looked briimming with happiness. I wanted to make him this happy all the time just to see his face light up just like this. "Do we really have time?"Nico exclaimed. I laughed,"Yes really." Sometimes I forgot Nico was still only 12 or 13. Technically he was like 80 years old but the Lotus Hotel had kept him from aging. Now that he was out however he had began to grow taller and more muscle had develop. If I was being honest though it wasn't just Nico's gorgeous looks it was personality it was...the boy who saved my life,the boy who was measurablly more intelligent than most his age yet so ignorant to the world in general. This world the world of monsters and gods was commonplace and chilhood was his fantasy. "C'mon guys I'll show you where it is and Nico,your going on the ferris wheel with me." I winked at him and this time I made sure he saw it. I turneed abrubtly not meeting his eye and continued on to the fair.

We reached the entrace to the fair which wasn't much more than a red and white striped tent with a kind woman who could have been one of their mothers judging from her age. She had blonde flowing hair and she wore white tank top and jeans. Her eyes were peirciing and playful. There was something familar I couldn't place about this woman. She smiled warmly as the three demigods walked in. "How may I help you guys?" She asked sweetly. "We need three tickets please,uh full price." I said before she could ask for student ID's we didn't own. She gave me a knowing look and glanced at the others as she pulled out 3 tickets and I 3 $10 dollars bills from my wallet. After handing out the tickets to Nico,who smiled shyly at me and Percy,who nodded his thanks, I turned back to the nice lady. "Thank you." I said smiling again. "Oh your welcome honey,i hope you don't mind me saying but you two make a lovely couple." She said smiling warmly at Nico and I. My face felt hot and I knew my cheeks must be flaming red. "W-W-We-We aren't a-a-"I began but the woman frowned slightly and said "You two aren't a couple?" I shook my head ," why not?" she said confused. I looked nervously from Percy to Nico not sure what to say or how to respond. Percy was clearly amused and enjoying this spectacle,Nico however looked withdrawn,thoughtful like he was musing over the laws of the universe or some such. "Ah,I see." the woman said knowingly."Sorry to have bothered Nick,but you two are adorable together." "Um...thanks?" I said uncertainly. I walked out quickly Percy and Nico in tow,putting space between the tent and us .

I gave Nico money to spend and Percy ran off to go on the roller coaster not even waiting to see what we were doing. "Typical Percy Jackson." Nico muttered. "C'mon lets go on the ferris wheel." I say grabbing him by the hand and leading him to the ferris wheel line. We waited for what seemed like forever and finally as the sun was just begining to set and the pinks and golds were clearly visibe on the horizon we were getting seated for our turn. When we stopped at the top we looked out over the carnival. "I really like spending time with you Nico,I should have listened to you earlier and came to camp but if I were to be honest with you I didn't want to because you weren't here. The only reason Nyx was able to convince me to come to Camp was she told me I would see you there..." I looked into Nico's eyes trying to read something that wasn't there to read. "I...damn!" Nico cursed in ancient greek."Look down there!" he said pointing down. There was a group of maybe six humanoid figures that appeared to be made entirely of flames. The ground the stood on did not light fire but wherever their inhuman hands touched rides and tenst would be engulffed in fire."What are they?" I asked Nico as I used my Sai's to cut through the saftey bar holding us in. We were stuck at the top the people below running and screaming in panic. They knew not who or what was starting the fire but nonw wanted to die to find out. "I don't know..."Nico said sounding confused and scared. I looked down there was maybe a drop of 20 feet between us and the ground jumoing from this height would be suicide unless...yes that could work. "Do you trust me?" I asked Nico as more of the carnival was lost to flames. "Of course I do,with my life," he replied instanly and with conviction that was not normally present in his voice. I cast a sidelong glance at him and said"Take my hand when I say jump we jump,straight down." Nico nods and I can see he's trying to force down his fear. I couldn't let fear distract me I blocked out the running the screaming the flames and smoke permeating the air. I focused on the ground below us and focused my mind and threw a mental net on the ground,I used the darkness around us to form the net slowly weavinf the darkness into threads that would support our weight. There! I thought as the net was finsished. I struggled to keep the net of darkness in place. "Now!" I yelled as I jumped straight down, Nico rushing down next to me hand in hand. We slam into the net of darkness and bounce back. The jarring motion cause me to lose my concentration. The threads of darkness quickly unraveled. "hold on!" I screamed as we plummeted the last 5 feet to the ground. I gathered what was left of my strength and threw a telekentic barrier around Nico. I slammed into the ground feet first,the impact jarring my bones and I heard a sickening twist. Pain flared through my left ankle. Nico stood up quickly drawing his sword and assesing the situation. I stood slowly and painfully. "Are you okay?" Nico asks me concerned, "I'll be fine," I assure him. "Go! Find Percy I'll make my way to the horses and bring them for our escape." Nico hesitated biting his lip. It looked like he wanted to say something. "Thank you" He said sincerly and ran off into the night.

I limped in the opposite direction heading back to the horses. As I moved back through the carnival I saw burning remains of tents and rides nothing was more evident than that. As I exited the now burnt entance I saw a group of 3 fires up ahead. I crouched down my sai's in hand. I crept forward an as I did I wrapped the shadows around me cocealing me from any prying eyes. I moved as quickly as my sprained ankle would allow and silently. I snuck by them unseen to our horses. I tied the three horses in a line with some rope from Nico's bag. Now this was the hard part. I climbed on the front horse and led our horses at a gallop back towards the creatures made of flame. Their turned toward my approached but i reached them first two slashes of my sais took out two and i brought the horses around to take out the third. the living flame seemed to run but it's "feet" didn't touch the ground. I pulled out a throwing knife and let it fly. the flames were exxtinguisehed the moment my knife made contact. I wheeled the horses around yet and again and rode back towards Nico and Percy.

I saw two figures fighting 3 figures wreathed in flame. As I drew closer one flame was extinguished then another. I threw another knife and the final flame went out just as the others did,as if some god had blow out a particuarly viloent birthday candle. I cut the horses free and waited as they approached. "I guess we'll be riding through he night,"Nico said,"We do not want to be here when the cops show up." Nico and Percy hurried onto their horses as the sound of sirens grew ever closer. We turned West and started a slow even pace that continued throughout the night. Percy who had been falling asleep on his horseback for the last 20 minutes finally said"We need to stop and rest." I looked around assesing our possibilities. We seemed to be in the middle of a forest or wooded are of somekind. "I guess here is as good as anywhere." I reply bringing my horse to stop. Nico does the same and Percy who took the rear gratefully slipped off his horse. Percy uses the blanket that was used as a saddle and lays it down on the ground. Within moments Percy is snoring peacefully. I chuckle and Nico just smiles at me as he follows Percy's example finding a clear space of his own.

I slowly and painfully make my way over the a spot on ground laying out my blanket and laying down as well. "Nick?" Nico's voice floats from the darkness. "Sup?" I ask him. "How did we survive that fall?" I was quiet as I thought how to answer. "I used the shadows to create a net." I say to him. Nico was quiet for a long time and at first I tought he had fallen asleep but then he said "You saved my life ya know? All I could think about being up there was I would fall to my death or be burned to death. I thought of Bianca and..."his voice cracked from emotion. "Where you hurt?" he asked concerned again. "I think I sprained my ankle." I tell him matter of factly.

I hear Nico rummaging through his bag and his foosteps coming closer as he crouches down next to me. "Eat this." He says handing me a golden square of Ambrosia. "Thanks" I say smiling befeore I realize he can't see me in the dark. I chew on the square and swallow. It tastes like the best pizzza i'd ever had. As I swallow a warm energy floods through my body quicly healing my ankle and popping it back into place. Nico heads back over to his place and lays down once again. "Goodnight Nick." he says. "Goodnight Nico." I reply. I layed there thinking of what we had been through already and how much i cared for Nico. I thought back to that strange woman at the fair. There was something about her...like an aura of power.I replayed the conversation in the tent over again. Who was she? and how did she know my name? I thought of how cute Nico had been when we had decided to go to the fair or just now when he made sure I was healed. I couldn't deny it anymore;I was falling in love with Nico Diangelo.