Part Two: Chapter Eight: A Night to Remember

=Percy=

I stood, leaning against a pole in the captain's cabin while waiting for Nico to return. Over the past week I've made sure to come at supper time each day as promised. But ever since returning with Bianca I haven't seen him. It makes sense, they're catching up with Hazel, telling each other everything that's happened in the time they've been apart. I hardly glanced over when the door opened and closed. Katie walked over at took a seat near the small table. I stared out the window at the setting sun. "What are you thinking about?" She asked, her voice was distant. She had been crying but didn't want me to know.

"Nothing." I answered, not looking at her. She frowned and studied me. "How are they treating you?"

"Like an outcast." She commented. "I don't belong here."

"It's a complicated situation." I mumbled. The door opened again. "What will you do when it's over?"

"What can I do? I don't have a home to return to." She commented.

"You can make a new home."

"It won't be the same." She sighed, looking over to the newcomer.

"No," I agreed. "It's never the same. People change, places change. The best you can hope for is the ability to move on."

"I think I'll settle down, find a husband, start a family." She said honestly. "What about you?"

"I belong at sea."

"You don't want to start a family?" She wondered.

"That's a difficult question." I sighed. "I'd like too, sure."

"But you don't like being tied down. You're a free spirit. Is that why you became a pirate?" She asked.

"I became a pirate to find a friend." I answered. "I stayed one because I enjoy it. The way of life I had created for myself. I made friends, found love."

"Romantic." She noted, I smiled a little.

"Not as romantic as it seems." I turned, looking at Nico. He was standing near the door, watching us. "Captain," I greeted. She turned her attention to him, then got up.

"Sorry for intruding." She said before making her way to the door and leaving. He watched as the door closed behind her then walked over to his desk. I returned my attention to the window.

"Do you want to start a family?" He asked after some time.

"Maybe."

"What happened between you and Katie?" I stayed silent and he glared at me. "Percy,"

"Nothing."

"Bullshit. I hate lies and you've been telling an awful lot of them since you've returned." He stated. "I demand answers."

"It's not my place to tell you." I repeated my earlier words.

"It is your place to tell me." He hissed. "You asked for help with this voyage and I need to know why. This isn't just about getting Will or stopping Luke, something else happened. Now you can tell me what the hell is going on or you can make the rest of this damned trip without my, or my crews help." Silence answered his words. "Damnit Percy!" He pinned me to the support beam I was leaning against. I could feel my resolve crumbling. I knew I was hurting him by keeping silent but I didn't want to pull him into the middle of everything.

"It's not your fight." I whispered.

"Because you won't let it be." He growled, forcing me to look at him. "You don't have to do this alone, let me help you." The last words were barely a whisper and his lips were pressing to mine.

ΩΔΩ=ΩΔΩ=ΩΔΩ=ΩΔΩ=ΩΔΩ

I woke with the moon bathing me, Nico's fingers were running through my hair absently, he was looking out the window until he felt me moving. I pushed myself up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Our clothes were discarded, somewhere in the room and the only thing covering us was the blankets from the bed. "I'm sorry I forced myself on you." He said quietly, supporting himself with his arms.

"You didn't." I responded. "Not really," I looked at him. With the white light shining on his face his eyes glowed brightly. He cupped my face and I leaned into the touch.

"You don't need to protect me anymore," he said quietly. I sighed, reaching up to take his hand and held it. "I can protect you,"

"When Luke raided the village I was staying at. He caught me off guard." I started, looking away. "Some of the crew, I knew them. We had been friends and he… turned them away from the gods. I didn't know that until it was too late. We went to the local Inn, got a few drinks, talked. By the time I got back to the cabin it was surrounded. They easily detained me, they had stolen my sword, pinned me. I was useless, they must've slipped something into one of my drinks or… I couldn't do anything to stop them. Luke kept me locked in place while they took Will, the others ganged up on Katie." I could feel myself trembling, my voice was shaking. He took my other hand and squeezed it gently. "I couldn't do anything as they raped her." I bowed my head, tears slowly falling down my cheeks. "It was my fault." He pulled me into a hug, arms wrapping around me and holding me close.

"You couldn't have known it was going to happen." He told me softly.

"I should've been able to stop it." I stated. "I was careless,"

"You didn't know." He shushed me. "You couldn't have known."

"They saved me Nico. And I-I was useless when they needed me." He held me closer, placing kisses along my shoulder and rubbing my back

"You're here for them now." He told me, "that's what's important, that's what they care about. That's what we all care about, you're here." He pulled back and cupped my face, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "And you're not alone in this. I'm here for you, the crew, your friends. We're all right beside you." He kissed me. "So don't try to do this on your own. Do you understand me?" I nodded, he smiled. "Good, if you said no I would've beaten you up, then let the girls each take a turn at you." I laughed a little before kissing him.