Nick's POV

I cursed and in ancient Greek no less. I was watching as the small battalion of undead came rushing at Percy and I. My head snapped to the left, hearing a voice I recognized all too well. "Concentrate!" Nico screamed. Even from across the banks of the River Lethe I could hear the terror and desperation flooding his veins. He was standing on the edge of the river, black obsidian sword in hand. He flipped his raven hair out from his eyes. Piercing eyes, black as coal, pleading with me not to worry. I could see Percy several feet behind me eyes shut in concentration. The river roared and rolled in rebellion to his will. "Watch out!" Nico shouted again.

I felt a searing pain cut my right arm and I hissed in pain. Blood flowed freely, black spots danced in front of my vision as I kicked out blindly and stumbled back a couple feet. My eyes focused on a skeleton smiling in grim satisfaction at the same time my brain was analyzing the battlefield. The enemy had begun to approach and surround the son of the sea god. I made quick work of the skeletal minion wearing, was that a pirate hat? A well placed stab between two ribs and it collapsed into dust at my feet. I ran swiftly to Percy's side even as we both became surrounded. The River had begun to respond to Jackson's Call, parting as Moses had parted the Red Sea. A son of Poseidon? The skeletons were chattering and clicking in what appeared to be a bizarre form of communication. They seemed…hesitant. I bellowed, channeling the gifts my mother had bestowed upon me as the son of the Night. A wave of telekinetic force threw the skeletal monstrosities away from us in a perfect circle. Some flew in the Lethe and didn't surface, others to the front or sides of us were down, but wouldn't stay that way long. Indeed, some were beginning to reassemble after losing some of their limbs or legs.

I chanced a look back at the river. Nico was moving as fast as humanly possible, stumbling over the muddy bottom of the river. He was nearly half way when Percy gasped and the gap began to close starting with the opposite side of the river. Sweat was pouring down Percy's face, clearly struggling with the force of the river. I put that from my mind as best I could. I cut my black hoodie and deftly tied it around my bleeding arm. I ran forward just as the remaining skeletons got back to their feet and went on the offensive. My right arm was throbbing in pain, but I could still swing my sai. They paired off in groups of four, four groups to be precise. Rocks and boulders littered the landscape and I suddenly heard my mother's voice from our many training sessions. Use the landscape to your advantage. When you are outnumbered, as you will undoubtedly be at times, you have to be smarter than your enemy if you wish to survive.

I began jogging and I jumped on the nearest boulder, using my momentum I began jumping from boulder to boulder slashing the Saki of my sai at various vital points. I jumped off. Looking around I realized, too late, I had made the colossal mistake of stopping to catch my breath in the center of the enemy. I was surrounded. Sabers and long swords of various lengths and eras assaulted me from all sides. I began defending, dancing and whirling around blocking strike after strike. I couldn't keep this up for long there was simply too many. I felt a now familiar burning sensation and warm blood dripping from a cut on my leg. It was all I could do to keep from being skewered. I felt the blood drain from my face as I felt a long slash blossom on my chest, cutting my shirt and exposing my bare chest. I fell to my knees as I brought up my sais in a defensive X. This is it. I'm sorry Nico. The saber belonging to a skeleton with eyes burning with black flames came closer and closer as I lost the strength to fight. I was losing too much blood. The saber was pulled back and thrust down. I tried to throw myself to the side as it came crashing down, but my reflexes were sluggish. Agony ripped through me and distantly I realized someone was screaming. Is that me? I thought hazily. The blade had become lodged in my leg, the golden hilt glinted mockingly and my leg pinned unceremoniously to the ground. "No!" I heard someone nearby scream and the pain became too much to bear. The world was rocking and shaking and I knew no more.

Nico's POV

"No!" the word tore from my throat without my volition. I saw Nick go down, his leg pinned to the ground, a sword protruding like an intruder. I scrambled onto the banks of the river just as the water came crashing down behind me. Percy was in no shape to fight. He looked like he was barely standing. I ran forward my vision blurring and turning red from rage. I felt the ground shaking and rumbling beneath my feet. It traveled forward as if with a life of its own throwing skeletons aside like ragdolls. The shockwave stopped and dissipated as it neared Nick, but still managing to tear some of the earth apart beneath him. I turned my attention to where the skeletons remained on the ground barely a few feet from the boy I had just recently come to understand I was in love with. Looking at him blood pooling on the ground and the sword impaling his leg, I realized how he must have felt when I had almost died.

I poured all my rage and fear into a ball deep in my stomach. I raised my sword and a chasm opened in the earth, swallowing the remaining undead. Just as I had done the day Bianca died. I felt myself begin to lose consciousness, but took a few steadying deep breaths. I will not black out right now, not while Nick needs me. I stumbled the few feet to Nick and collapsed next to him. I ever so gently removed the saber impaling his leg. Blood gushed from the gaping wound and I began to panic. "Percy?!" I cried. "Shhh. I'm here Nico, he'll be fine. Annabeth packed me ambrosia." Percy said soothingly as he pulled a plastic baggie of the food of the gods from his shorts pocket. I watched as he tore off a small piece and forced it into Nick's mouth. "Chew." Percy commanded. He was always a great leader. Thankfully he did, yet almost mechanically. Percy quickly turned to me searching my face and brushing my hair from my eyes. I hadn't even noticed that I was holding Percy's hand yet, there it was entwined in his.

"Are you okay?" Percy asked quietly. I nodded dumbly. My mouth gaping open. My heart was fluttering in my chest. I couldn't breathe. I had had a crush on the Great Percy Jackson since the battle in New York with Luke and Kronos and here I was finally holding his hand, him gazing down at me almost lovingly. Percy's enchanting sea green eyes traveled down to my lips and I licked them in anticipation. He leaned down and our lips met. I deepened the kiss pulling us together and trying to eliminate any space between us. I couldn't think, I mean I had fantasized about kissing Percy for what seemed like ever.

"Nico?" a voice asked hurt and disbelief quite evident. I pulled away from Percy franticly already feeling guilty. How could I have forgotten about Nick when he was dying just seconds ago? Damn those sea green eyes. "…Nick-"I began but he cut me off. "Forget it, I'm not dumb…I-I've seen the way you look at him." He said with tears forming in his eyes. I moved to hug him, to apologize, to say something, anything, but before I got close the shadows surrounded him and he disappeared. Nick…I thought sadly, I love you not Percy. But did I really love Nick or did I only believe that because he was a good friend and he loved me? I had known Percy since I was a kid and crushed on him almost as long. Now it seemed Percy was returning my affections. I groaned to myself. What am I going to do now? Damn you Perseus Jackson, Damn you.

Percy's POV

I can't believe I kissed Nico and in front of Nick! Gods I was stupid. I was dating Annabeth. We were walking back along the road to Hade's palace and Nico had been quiet and moody since Nick had left. Since our kiss, I thought feeling horrible. I had to admit I saw what Nick saw in Nico. He was beautiful in a haunting way. Ever since I saw him with Nick my mind had begun to wander. I hadn't meant to kiss him, it just happened. I groaned out load and Nico shot me a questioning glare, but said nothing. He seemed pissed. I mean I had never seen him this mad unless you count when I came back from that quest without Bianca. I knew I didn't love Nico. Sure I was attracted to him. So did that make me bisexual? I shook my head it didn't matter. I had to think of some way to make this right. I seemed to have jeopardized our mission to save Camp Half-blood and Nico and Nick's relationship in the space of five minutes. At least it wasn't as bad as the Trojan War. Not yet, I thought. I looked over at Nico, who appeared lost in thought, biting his lip. I had to fix this, Nico was my friend. I looked ahead of us. We would be reaching Hades Palace soon and we still had no clue where Nick had gone. I sighed. All we could do for now was to continue on with the quest. For now, there was nothing else to be done.