A/N: Hey you guys! Happy New Year! *Takes handful of confetti and throws it into the air.* Doing a special New Year's update! Well, it's not that special besides the fact that it's New Years! Can you all tell that I am excited? 2013 has been one hell of a year, but I have a feeling 2014 will be even better! Oh, and by the way, the other day I deleted an author's note and then all the other chapters were moved back one. So, after that I updated and realized you can't tell that I updated. I was just like -_-. I just thought I would tell you all that in case you missed a chapter. Anyways, on to chapter 11!

Love Me Forever Or Love Me Never
Chapter 11: The Runaway

Leo felt guilty the whole time he was driving with Nico. The other boy sat there in silence, his eyes fixated on the darkened world just beyond the windshield. Every once in a while Nico would call out directions, pointing in the way he wanted Leo to turn. Leo would attempt to strike up a conversation each time after the boy gave him directions, but Nico would only nod or grunt in reply before slumping back down in his seat.

He was pissed.

It had been a while since Nico spoke. They were just driving down a long stretch of street, houses lining either side of the road. Leo had a feeling they were almost to Nico's home. He knew he was running out of time. He had been wanting to ask the boy a few questions, one that definitely couldn't wait until the next they saw each other.

"Stop." Nico said suddenly holding up his hand.

Leo applied the brakes, looking over at the boy curiously. Although he didn't understand why, but he loved the way Nico was always doing hand motions and such. The boy did it a lot when he talked.

"What is it?" Leo asked.

"This is my house." Nico said pointing out the window. Leo could feel his cheeks growing red. He felt like such a idiot.

"Oh." He said quietly as he watched Nico open the car door. "Nico, wait."

Nico stopped, looking back at Leo. This time it was his turn to be curious. Before Nico could ask what the boy wanted Leo grabbed his wrist, stretching his arm out. Without taking his eyes off Nico Leo reached over to the car's cup holder, pulling out a marker and a few ink pens. Leo carelessly dropped the ink pens to the ground. Pulling the marker up to his mouth Leo bit the cap. Spiting the lid out of his mouth, sending it down to the floor to join the ink pens, Leo took the marker in his right hand and began printing numbers across Nico's arm in his best hand writing. Once he was finished he let the boy's arm fall from his grip.

Nico ran his fingers over the black numbers that now stood out against his pale flesh.
"What is this?" He asked looking at Leo.

"My phone number." Leo said with a small smile before he reached over and rolled Nico's shirt sleeve down over top of it. "So your parents won't see."

Nico once again ran his fingertips over the numbers, a smile appearing on his lips. Without warning Leo leaned forward, grabbing the front of Nico's shirt, pressing a kiss against the boy's lips. For a moment Nico was startled and started to pull away, but after a second he melted into the kiss. Slowly his hands drifted up to the boy's hair and he began running his fingers through the mess of curls.

Finally Leo pulled away feeling breathless and flushed. Nico felt the same.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Leo said after a moment, the words coming from his lips raggedly. "Does this mean that we're like… you know….dating?"

Nico smiled at the boy's embarrassment thinking that it was actually pretty cute. "I guess. I mean, if you want us to be."

"Yeah, I want us to be." Leo said giving his breezy smile. "Now, one more question. What school do you go to?"

"Why does that matter?" Leo shrugged his shoulders.

"So I can drop by some time and see you." The boy once again gave a smile.

"Half-Blood High." Nico murmured, glancing over at his house. He knew he need to go, but the problem was he didn't want to. He knew all hell was about to break loss when he got inside.

"Go on." Leo said, startling Nico out of his thoughts. "I know you need to get going. I'll see you soon, alright?"

"Yeah, alright." Nico said as he climbed out of the car. "Bye."

"Bye." Leo said quietly as Nico shut the door. Nico stood there watching as the car peeled away from the curb, driving away. No one would ever know how much Nico wanted to drive away with him.

It had been hours since Percy talked to Bianca and learned the startling truth about Nico. His stomach was still churning. He couldn't take the fact that he had caused Nico to cut himself. How could the boy do that to himself?! The moment Bianca had closed the door on him Percy bolted to his car, terrified that he was either going to throw up or cry. He had never been one to cry easily-in fact he hardly ever cried. The only time he let the tears fall was when his heart was completely broken, his pride wouldn't allow him to do it otherwise.

Now, as Percy lay in bed desperate for sleep, he felt as though he was completely empty. Percy glanced over at the TV that was placed against the far side of his bed room, watching as silent scenes rolled by on the screen, the volume turned down so that it wasn't making a sound. He didn't know why, but he felt the sudden urge to watch a movie- maybe it was just his need to stop thinking about all his pain.

Slowly, stretching as he got up, Percy made his way across the room. Lined against the wall, on the lowest section of his book case, was a row of different movies. Bending down, sitting on the ground, Percy began shifting through the shelf, looking for nothing in particular. Nothing was catching his eyes until he came across an old box. He didn't know why it was sitting up with the line of DVDs. He wasn't even sure what it was, although he knew it was taking up a ton of room on the shelf.

Pulling the box from the shelf Percy flipped it open, moving the flaps of cardboard out of the way. He nearly lost it when he realized exactly what it was. The video camera hadn't been used in a few years but Percy remembered why his mother had bought it. She said she want him to be able to look at the recordings when he got older and remember all his old friends and smile about all the good times they had. The only problem was he knew what would be in the videos: Him and Nico. Every family vacation they went on, every birthday party, every single sleep over they had when they were kids. Nico would be in every single one of the videos.

Percy didn't have the heart to play any of them at that moment.

He knew he was probably over reacting to all of this. Most people would only act the way he was when someone they loved was gone. It wasn't like Nico was gone or dead. He just didn't want to see Percy, but that was enough to cause the other boy to lose it.

Slowly standing up Percy made his way back to his bed, picking up his phone on the way. Laying back down, holding his phone out in front of him, he dialed the number that he knew by heart. Placing the phone to his ear he waited.

All Percy was met with was the busy signal. With a growl Percy pulled the phone from his ear, tossing it across the room for the second time. He couldn't believe it. He had called Nico six times in the past three hours and the boy still wasn't picking. At that moment Bianca's words came back to him.

"Maybe he won't come back tonight." She had said.

"Fuck." Percy moaned before leaning back down onto the bed. Without thinking he took the pillow out from behind him, placing it over his face, and screamed in frustration.

Nico walked across his front porch slowly, trying not to make too much noise. He prayed to god that his family was already asleep, but he knew for a fact that they were still awake and waiting. Every light in house wouldn't be on if they were asleep. At that moment his foot struck the one board on his porch that was loss. It gave a loud squeak.

Of. Fucking. Course. Nico thought to himself.

The front door swung open quickly. Bianca stood there, her eyes red. She froze when she saw him standing there. Without thinking she ran forward, embracing him in a frantic hug. She held him in an iron grip, not daring to let him go. Suddenly, she pushed him away.

"You fucking bastard!" She screamed angrily as she shoved him again. "I thought something might have happened to you!"

At that moment Nico's mother came to the front door. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw him. Running forward, grabbing her son, she pulled him forward into the house.

"Nico." She muttered quietly, looking as though she had seen a ghost. "Are you alright? What happened!? Are you hurt?!"

"No, mom. I'm fine." Nico said peevishly. He shook off his mother's hand as she gently grabbed his shoulder. He didn't know why, but he just felt utter pissed at all of them.

Glancing over to the living room Nico saw his father sitting quietly on the couch, looking not the least bit happy or worried about his son. He just looked utterly pissed. Nico held his gaze for a moment, waiting for his father to yell at him. Instead Hades just stood slowly. Pointing towards the stair he looked at his son, rage flickering in his eyes.

"Go. Now." He said through clenched teeth.

"Hades, wait a minute. Let's give him a moment to explain. I'm sure he has a reason for being late." Maria said quickly.

"No. I want him to go upstairs, right now." Hades said. Nico was afraid at that moment. It wasn't because of his father's words. The fact that Hades seemed utterly calm scared him. His father's voice was oddly calm.

"I-I can explain. If you all just give me a second. I know this looks really bad and I'm sorry! But I have a reason fo-" Nico feel silent as his father held up his hand.

"Nico, I have a question. Why is it that you smell like you've been dipped in alcohol? Have you been drinking?" Hades asked sternly.

Nico's eyes flooded with horror at that moment. "N-No! I haven't been drinking at al-"

"Oh, and I have another question. What exactly happened to Thalia?" Hades asked again.

"Thalia? Oh god, Thalia." Nico whimpered weakly. "I d-didn't mean for her to get hurt. I shouldn't have pushed her!"

"Nico, what happened?" His mother's voice suddenly came forth, the words leaving her lips weakly.

"It doesn't fucking matter what happened! That girl had to go to the hospital, Maria!" Hades screamed suddenly.

"What?!" Nico's voice trembled. "God please, no…"

"Get up stairs. Now! Well talk about this in the morning! And you can bet your going to be punished for this!" Hades yelled, refusing to look at his son. Nico felt his heart split into pieces. Without a second thought he bolted from the room and towards the stairs. Taking them two at a time he stopped once he was at the top, listening to his parents arguing below.

"Hades!" Maria cried.

"What do you want me to do with him, Maria?! He comes home five hours late, has you and Bianca crying, smells like he took a bath in fucking liquor, sent a girl to the hospital to get stitches. Listen to all that. That's fucking crazy! Not to mention all that shit he got started with that Jackson boy and him slicing his wrists open. I just give up! I give up on him!" Hades screamed.

Nico choked, tears coming to his eyes. Running to his room Nico slammed his door closed, locking it behind him, and collapsing to the bed. He couldn't hold it anymore. He cried, letting tears fall down his face, shoulders quivering with each gaspy breath.

They fucking hate me! They hate me! I can't take it! Nico thought ruefully. Lifting his head for a moment he glanced over at the bathroom, his mind suddenly flashing back to the razor blade that he had thrown into the cabinet days earlier.

"No." He said weakly to himself. "I can't do that again. Never again."

Glancing throughout the dark room Nico saw that his window was cracked open a bit. He slowly sat up, eyes focused on the open window. Suddenly, an idea came to his head, one that was purely bat shit crazy. Standing up he marched towards the window, opening it fully. Leaning out he looked around, glancing down at the ground, wondering if he could make the jump.

Although he was terrified he was going to fall and break his neck Nico leaned further out the window, sitting on on the edge, hoping he would suddenly tumble out. It wasn't that far of a fall, but damn was it scary to him. Suddenly, Nico saw it. Propped against the side of the house was the long ladder that his father had used to get up on the roof when he was cleaning out the gutters.

Thank you, asshole, Nico thought as grabbed the ladder from the side of the house. It was quite heavy and made a bit of noise as he repositioned it but finally Nico moved it over enough to where he could climb down it. Well, he was hopeful at least. Turning around Nico slowly squeezed his way through the window, praying to god as his feet touched the first rung of the ladder. It was a slow process, moving down a rung every ten minutes, but finally Nico managed.

Once his feet were on the ground he felt like he was the king of the world. Like he had just fought a bear and lived. In reality anyone probably could have gotten out of his room, but at that moment he didn't care. Nico took off at a running speed, not really sure where he was going, although he decided towards the woods was a good idea. Darting across his back yard Nico took out his phone, thinking maybe he could call Leo to come get him and take him away from this awful place.

Instead Nico realized he had six missed phone calls. The number was the thing that shocked him the most. Slowly dialing the number in his phone, swallowing the fear that was building in him, Nico pressed it to his ear.

It took only seconds for the person to pick up.

"Hello?" The sleepy greeting came.

"Percy?" Nico asked cautiously.

"N-Nico!" The cry came from the boy instantly. After that there was a pause.

"What are you doing?" Percy asked, his voice sounding strange.

"I-I think….I think I'm running away."

A/N: Well, there you go guys! Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment or favorite or something like that! I don't know 0.0 Just do whatever you like. Anyways, I'm not sure what to do with this fan fiction now. It can go two ways. Nico and Percy could get together in the next few chapters (this would cut the fan fiction a lot short then I expected) or it could go how I planned from the beginning and something bad could happen with Nico (I don't want to tell you all what though) What do you guys think I should do? I mean I'm afraid if I add more suspense and cause Nico more trouble you all will kind of get tired of it. Oh, I almost forgot. Thanks for reading! :D