I think this chapter turned out a lot better than the last one. At least, I hope it did.

I'm already only a little over a hundred away from my goal of 900 reviews before my birthday! (May 3, for those of you who didn't catch it) Should I up it to 1000? Hmmm...But don't worry, I won't do that just yet. We'll see where we are in a week.

RMS Titanic (guest): Thanks for reading and reviewing every chapter, it's really helped me get further with my goal. And I'm glad you like it.

Me (guest): I've been trying harder with that, although this chapter doesn't start like that. But I really am working on starting chapters with a punch line-ish sentence. And yes, you really should read The Son of Sobek-it's pretty awesome.

Random Person (guest): I've been wanting to read it, but I haven't had the chance. I didn't even know it existed until a couple weeks ago. And thanks so much for the compliments and encouragement.

Divergent-R-Us (guest): Germany. Wow. It's so hard for me to believe that so many people from so many different places are reading my story. And thanks very much for complimenting the way I write Reyna! I think she's a seriously underrated character, and I wanted to give her and Nico a place in my fanfic. So I did.

Guest (guest): That's a great suggestion, thanks. I'll remember that when I write my next Chiron conversation.

Icehawk54: Sorry, you'll have to wait for a little bit longer. I'm glad you liked the chapter, though, and I appreciate your compliments.

Piper (guest): You should make an account, even if you can't use your real name. If you get an account, you can PM (private message) authors, and follow and favorite stories.

daughterofzeus911: Nico and Reyna's official ship name is Reynico. ;)

destinyowldreamer: This is your first time reviewing isn't it? Thanks very much! I hope you start reviewing regularly.

Chapter LXI

Nico

When Nico wakes up, at first he doesn't notice anything except for how good he feels. Fully rested for the first time in weeks, warmed all the way down to his bones-no doubt from the sunlight that's probably shining through the window, and his negative emotions have all retreated. He feels...not happy, exactly, but content.

He opens his eyes, deciding that he's lingered for long enough, and that's when he realizes that Reyna's in the bed with him. More specifically, that his chest is pressed against her back and his arm is laying lightly across her waist, with her body molded perfectly to his-they're spooning.

Blood rushes to his face, and he just knows that his cheeks are completely red. But then his confusion and curiosity overshadow his embarassment-why is Reyna in his room? And, most of all, why is she in the bed with him?

He watches her sleep, loving the way the sunlight makes her skin glow and her hair shine. Her face is so peaceful in sleep, completely without worry, and there's a faint smile on her lips that makes him wonder what she's dreaming about.

She stirs slightly, and Nico, startled into action by the fear that she might wake up and find him cuddling with her, rolls to his right across the blankets-and over the edge of the bed.

He hits the floor with a thud, adding several new bruises to his already extensive collection and instantly waking Reyna, who bolts upright in bed and looks wildly around the room. Then she looks down at the floor, and her alarm fades, to be replaced by an amused grin.

"Good morning, Nico." She greets him teasingly.

"Morning, Reyna." He grumbles, picking himself up off the floor and smoothing his rumpled clothes.

"Any reason why you were on the floor?" She asks, smoothing her hair to the side.

Nico's cheeks color slightly, but he tries his best to hide his embarassment. "Nope."

She raises an eyebrow. "Really? You just decided to fall off the bed?"

"Not really. I didn't exactly plan to fall." He tells her, grabbing his sword and buckling back onto his belt, mostly just to have reason not to look at her.

Out of the corner of his eye, Nico sees her start to braid her dark hair. "Then why did you?"

"Accidents happen." He replies vaguely.

"I suppose." She says. She finishes her hair and tosses the braid over her shoulder before turning to look out the window at the sunlit fields, resting her arms on her blanket-covered legs. Her longing is written plain on her face, but before long, she sighs and turns away, pushing back the blankets. "We should probably get going; Chiron said we were going to meet with the counselors today."

"You guys talked last night?" Nico asks.

"Yeah. I told him about bringing back the Athena Parthenos, and everything that happened on our way here. But I was only up for maybe an hour or two after you fell asleep." She tells him.

Till midnight, then, maybe even a little after. So she slept several hours less than him. But at least she's actually sleeping again.

"Well, I'm all for a counselor meeting-they're always very eventful-but I think I want to take a shower first. And maybe grab a change of clothes. I've been wearing the same thing for a week." Nico says.

"A shower would be nice." Reyna agrees. "And a change of clothes." She blows out a frustrated breath, an aggravated look in her eyes. "You'd think, after returning successfully from the Ancient Lands, I'd have at least had time to grab fresh clothes from my tent."

You're cute when you're mad. Nico tells Reyna mentally. And she really is, the way her eyebrows scrunch together and her lips pout.

Reyna turns and sees him smiling, and her eyebrows scrunch together even more. "What?" She asks crossly.

"Nothing." Nico says quickly, trying to stop smiling. "Don't worry, I'm sure we can get you fresh clothes. After all, we are in a camp full of teenagers. I'm sure someone has some extra things you can borrow."

"Good." She replies. "Now about that shower..."

Nico laughs and gestures for her to follow him. She quickly slips on her shoes and scoops up her sword, reattaching it to her waist as they walk out into the hallway.

"Most of the cabins have their own bathrooms, with a shower. And we have public showers for everyone, too. But there are a bunch of bathrooms up here at the Big House, too, and they're better than the others anyway. You can use one of those." He tells her as they walk to the end of the hall. "I'll have Chiron ask one of the girl campers to bring you clothes."

"What are you going to do?" She asks.

"I'm going to go down to my cabin and grab some of my clothes. I'll probably take my shower there too, but I'll be back up here before the meeting." He promises.

"I don't even know when the meeting is." Reyna grumbles.

"I can set a time with Chiron before going out to my cabin." Nico offers.

"That works." She replies. "How about noon?"

"Fine with me." He says. "It's about eleven now, so I'll meet you back up here in, say, half an hour? That way we have time to get ready for the meeting."

"Sounds good." She looks relieved.

Nico stops at the end of the hall and gestures to the door on his right. "Here's the bathroom. We keep extra shampoo and stuff in the cabinet under the sink for guests, and towels are under there too, so you should have everything you need. And I promise I'll make sure someone brings you clothes."

"Thanks, Nico." Reyna lingers outside the door, her fingers resting on the wooden frame. "See you in half an hour?"

"See you in half an hour." Nico confirms, and she nods before walking into the bathroom and shutting the door.

Nico waits for a few minutes to make sure she won't need anything before heading back down the hall in the opposite direction, to the meeting room, which is empty. He worries a bit about what he'll do if Chiron isn't at the house, but as soon as he steps onto the porch, he sees Chiron sitting in his wheel chair, talking to Grover, who's wearing a faded green shirt that says 'Got Hooves?' with a picture of a satyr on it.

"Ah, Mr. di Angelo." The centaur says, leaning back in his chair. "I trust you slept well?"

"Yes." Nico answers, a little stiffly.

Grover steps forward, his entire face lit up with hope and enthusiasm. "How long has it been since you saw the others? Are they all okay? How's Percy? And Annabeth?"

Pain lances through Nico at the sound of Percy's name, but it's a lot less than it once was. Almost nonexistant, and it's gone in an instant.

"It's been about a week, and they were fine then. As for Percy and Annabeth...that's a bit more complicated." Nico tells the satyr.

Grover's enthusiastic expression wavers, and Nico can see his worry. "What do you mean?"

"Reyna has already explained this to me, but I think you might do well to wait until the meeting, Grover. She'll have to tell all the counselors as well, and it's best heard from her." Chiron tells him. Nico can tell that Grover wants to protest, but he just nods, and Chiron turns back towards him. "Did you need something, Nico?"

"Yes, actually. Reyna and I think the best time for the meeting would be in about an hour, at noon. Can you arrange that?" He asks.

Chiron nods. "That sounds reasonable. I'm sure the counselors won't object. Anything else?"

"Well, Reyna's taking a shower right now-I showed her to one of the bathrooms-but she doesn't have any extra clothes. Could you have one of the other campers bring her some?" He continues.

Chiron nods again. "I'm sure it won't be any trouble. Grover, would you do that? Ask one of the girls at the Aphrodite cabin, they probably have the most clothes out of all the campers."

Grover nods his assent. "I don't have too much else to do today, so that'll be fine."

"Just make sure you get her something semi-normal." Nico interjects. "No pink. A tank top with either jeans or shorts would probably be fine with her."

"Okay, I'll go ahead and do that now. Unless there was something else?" He looks from Nico to Chiron.

"No, that's it." Nico says, and Chiron gestures for Grover to go. He raises his hand in a wave before jumping off the edge of the porch and trotting down the hillside towards the cabins.

Nico looks over at Chiron. "I was just on my way down to my cabin to take a shower myself. And to get clean clothes."

"Go ahead, Mr. di Angelo. Just remember to be back here before noon."

"I will be." Nico assures the centaur. Then he turns away and jogs down the stairs, heading towards his cabin.

It doesn't take him long to get there, and when he does, he smiles fondly at the grim skulls grinning at him from all directions. Just like dad's place. He thinks. He actually has a room at his dad's palace that's pretty similar to his cabin.

He opens the black metal door, careful to avoid the spikes, and heads inside, shutting it behind him. When he flips the switch just inside, eerie green light shines from above, illuminating his room.

Of course, it's technically for all children of Hades, but since he's the only one that ever stays here, he has all the extra beds pushed to one side of the room and has his own bed shoved in the far corner, which is actually pretty cluttered. The top of his dresser is covered with different things he's brought up from the Underworld, and he has several pictures pinned on his wall.

He tries not to look at them-the memories they hold are too painful-but his eyes are inevitably drawn to them.

The first is a picture of him and Bianca at Westover. She's wearing the green beanie hat she always used to wear-before she became a Hunter of Artemis.

And before she died. He thinks. The memory makes him sick, and he turns his attention to the rest of the picture-he's standing next to Bianca, a broad grin spreading from ear to ear. He's wearing an aviator jacket-not the one he has now, he grew out of the original one years ago. But what really stops him is how happy he looks. How young.

Did I really look like that? He wonders. He decides not to dwell on it, and moves on to the next picture.

It's of his mother-Hades had finally given in and gave it to him when he realized that Nico wasn't going to stop nagging him until he did. Nico is sitting on her lap, with one chubby toddler arm around her neck. Bianca is standing in front of her, looking earnestly into her face, one hand resting on Maria's knee.

Nico's eyes come to rest on his mother's face-so happy, she's practically glowing, with no idea that she's not going to get to see her children grow up.

A tear rolls down Nico's cheek, and he wipes it away, turning from the pictures. He's not here to think about what ifs-he needs to hurry up and get back to Reyna.

His depression lifts a bit when he thinks of her, but even if it lessens his sadness, it only adds to his confusions and frustrations. But he pushes it away, reminding himself that he has a meeting to be at in less than an hour-and that he promised to be back at the Big House in less than half an hour.

Nico grabs a fresh pair of clothes and goes to take his shower, leaving the pictures behind.

Mostly a filler, again, and the first half is better than the second, but I don't think it's as fantasticly craptastic as last chapter. So at least that's something.

I love you, make up funny new words, say hello to the poodle, and throw good rocks!