So this is my birthday gift to all of you... (I'm going with the hobbit tradition of giving gifts to others on ones birthday) It's a new chapter! Do you like it? :-)

Important thing to note... This will be yaoi (boy-boy). Don't like? You do not have to read.

Disclaimer- I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or the Heroes of Olympus series. (One can dream though) All rights go to the proper parties.

ΩΩΩ

Nico POV

Even though I was exhausted I had a hard time falling asleep. I couldn't stop my brain from over thinking everything that Percy had done and said. It was foolish. I knew that he had made his choice but my mind couldn't stop dissecting his actions. When I did finally succumb to my exhaustion, my dreams were plagued by thoughts of the sea.

I groaned as I woke up. A poor sleep combined with the after affect of a major healing had put me in a foul mood. I rubbed my eyes and made my way to the opening of the cave.

I had just stepped foot into the afternoon sun when I was pulled into a hug. I stiffened and turned to glare at the offending party. My expression dropped however when I saw my sister. She looked so relieved to see me that she tears of joy streaming down her face. I bit my lip as I returned the embrace.

She was shaking. "I'm so glad that you're okay. I was so worried that you'd..."

I smiled into her hair and drew back so that I could see her eyes. I placed a kiss on her forehead before I completely pulled away. "It's alright. Don't worry, I am fine now. Besides... it would take more than some puny sea snake to take me down."

She chuckled and grabbed my hand. "Come on, the others are down at the beach. They are all waiting for you."

I frowned. I really wasn't ready to face a certain son of the sea god yet. I sighed and allowed her to pull me towards the ocean.

I needn't have worried. Percy wasn't even there. It was the other crew members and Calypso. They were all seated on the sand having a picnic. Jason saw me first. I watched as his jaw fell open and his sandwich dropped to the ground. Before anyone else could even turn to see what he was looking at he was up and running towards us. When the others saw what he had, they were soon to follow.

Jason ran up to me and shook his head. "Don't you ever do that to us again."

Before I could react the son of Jupiter pulled me into a hug. I had already had my fill of physical contact for the day by the time the others joined us. They all crowded around us shouting their joy at seeing me out and about.

I felt uncomfortable with all the attention that they were giving me, and then Piper made it worse by starting a group hug. Piper jumped forwards and embraced me so I was sandwiched between her and the golden boy. Before I could even voice my complaint Frank, Hazel, and Ryan had joined in as well.

I tried to pull away but they refused to release me. Hazel laughed and shook her head. "You aren't getting away that easily. Consider this your punishment for scaring all of us half to death."

I couldn't stop the small smile that appeared on my face. It may have been awkward as hell but if it made my sister happy than I could endure it.

Eventually everyone pulled away. I was quite glad that I no longer had five people touching me but unfortunately, I was still the center of attention. Jason wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me towards the picnic. He made sure to wedge me between himself and Hazel.

I nodded in greeting as I accepted a sandwich from Calypso. After a few minutes the conversations started up again. I tried to keep my eyes from looking for him but I failed. Jason noticed my wandering gaze and whispered in my ear. "He's sleeping."

For a second I was confused. I had just been sleeping and I hadn't seen him. Then my brain kicked in and reminded me that he had a cabin on board the Argo. I tried to stop myself from blushing.

I couldn't help but think about why he would still be sleeping. I knew that he had gone for a walk with Calypso but I had no way of knowing just how long they had spent together. I looked at the sun and had to guess that it would be some time around noon. The sun had just been setting when they left, so if he was sleeping they must have spent hours talking.

I bit my lip and looked down. I couldn't help but remember the prophecy. If he had spent that long with Calypso, did that mean he was rediscovering his feelings for her? I had a feeling that Calypso still cared for him, even if she no longer loved him as she once had.

I supposed that I could understand how he might find her attractive. I looked at her and I could that she was beautiful. I didn't know her that well but I could see how kind and compassionate she was.

I frowned and looked away. I tried to ignore my thoughts but they kept coming back to the way he was looking at the two of us last night. He had almost seemed jealous.

ΩΩΩ

We had just finished our picnic when Percy found us. I saw him smile at me and my heart beat painfully in my chest. It always surprised me just how strongly I could react to such a simple gesture.

I stood up and turned to walk away.

Calypso called out to me before I could leave. "Nico, would you like a tour of the island? Everyone else has already had one."

I turned back and nodded at the goddess. "Yes, I would appreciate that."

She smiled at me and looked towards the son of Poseidon. "Percy, would you mind showing him around? I need to start packing." I felt my stomach clench.

Percy gave her a huge smile and squeezed her shoulder. "Sure, I'd love too."

I felt myself pale at the sight, so there is something between them... "No it's okay. I will be fine on my own."

Percy pulled away and walked towards me. "Nonsense, it's not really a tour if you do it by yourself. Come on."

He reached out to grab my hand and I pulled away. I glared at him and he raised his hands in surrender. "I said I will be fine. You just woke up so you must be hungry. Sit and eat your food. The islands not that big, it's not like I'm going to get lost."

Percy rolled his eyes and grabbed a sandwich. He raised his eyebrows at me as he took a bite. "I'm fairly certain I can walk and chew at the same time. Besides, you already said that you wanted a tour so come on, let's go." He started walking away. After a few steps he turned back around, "You coming or what?" I frowned and reluctantly followed.

ΩΩΩ

It may not have been a very big island but it was quite beautiful. The ocean, the white sand, the trees, it was truly a paradise.

Percy showed me all around the island. I had a feeling that I would have really enjoyed the afternoon if it wasn't for how he was acting. I wasn't certain if he was purposely doing it or if he just kept forgetting that he had chosen Annabeth. The entire afternoon he kept flirting with me...

For example, a leaf fell in my hair, so he reached over and ran his fingers through it to get it out. And somehow whenever we would go down a path he managed to end up walking so close we were almost touching. He even picked a flower off a tree and gave it to me. The worst was when he tried to hold my hand; he would only back off when I glared at him.

I couldn't understand as to why he was torturing me like that. It was driving me insane. I wasn't certain how many mixed signals I could take before I snapped.

By the end of the afternoon I was very glad that the island was so small. I was dying to get away from him. The longer I spent with him the more it reminded me of what I would never have.

Percy led us back to Calypso's cave. He smiled at me, "Thanks for letting me show you around the island Nico." He had tried to make small talk with me all afternoon but I simply couldn't take it. I glared at him and started to walk away.

I felt his hand on my arm and pulled away. "What do you want now?" My voice came out as a furious growl. He looked shocked and stepped back. I felt my features soften slightly; I didn't want to scare him.

He bit his lip and looked down. He looked pained. It made me want to reach out to him but I stopped myself. Mixed signals or not, he had made it clear how he felt for me.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I was a child of Hades, holding grudges was supposed to be my fatal flaw, so how was it that a single pout from the son of the sea god could completely erase any anger I felt towards him?

I looked at him and softened my tone. "What did you need?"

He looked at me and then looked away again. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"About?"

He met my gaze and started towards me before he stopped himself. "I was a jerk. I... I don't want you to hate me." I heard him mumble something but I didn't really catch it.

I sighed and looked away. If only hating you was that easy, then we wouldn't be in this situation. I shook my head. If that knowledge was all it would take to get him to stop playing with my head, then I would do it. "I don't hate you."

He looked at me like I had just given him everything on his Christmas list. The joy on his face from that simple statement was enough to pierce my heart. "Nico, I want to tell you something..."

I found myself unable to stay with him any longer. It didn't matter what it was, it could never heal the hole that he had put in my heart. "I need to go."

Before he could say another word I dropped into the nearest shadow and was gone.

ΩΩΩ

I didn't even know where I wanted to go. I subconsciously ended up in front of Jason's cabin. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was about to walk away when the door opened.

"Nico?"

I looked up at the golden boy and his eyes widened. Without a word he stepped aside so that I could enter.

The son of Jupiter sat on the bed and patted the spot beside him. "Tell me everything..."

I didn't even know where to start. I was so confused and hurt. I ended up telling him everything that had happened the night before, during my tour, and even my suspicions about Calypso him. He listened quietly and didn't interrupt. I didn't look at him once, not until I had finished.

When I had gotten everything off my chest I risked a glance at my closest friend. I had expected him to be pissed like he normally was when I told him about something that Percy had done, but he wasn't. I couldn't quite understand his expression. It was a mixture of sadness, anger, confusion, and something almost hopeful.

He saw me looking at him and he hid his expressions. "What?"

He bit his lip and looked down. "I am not sure what to tell you Nico... I don't completely understand everything that you've told me."

"But you know something, something that you're not telling me."

Jason adopted an innocently confused look until I glared at him. He sighed and looked away. "I don't know what to think. Percy has been acting really strange since the attack."

"Percy is always strange; its part of what makes him Percy."

He looked towards me, "You didn't see him Nico." He shook his head. "I think I might know what's going on but I can't say anything. Not until I have a chance to speak with him myself."

"But what do you think is going on?"

Jason looked at me with a serious expression. He looked hesitant but finally spoke, "Are you certain that you want my opinion?" I nodded. "Don't give up just yet..."