If Only (Nico di Angelo) {Complete} {#Wattys2015 #Feels}

Chapter 32

We all walked slowly up to the Amazon camp, supporting Asha on a stretcher. I took the lead. I wasn't holding the stretcher because I wanted to be the one that told Hylla what had happened.

Unfortunately, I wasn't sure how to do that. I mean, what, was I going to walk up to her and say: Hey Miss Twice-Kill, your soldier is dead. Yeah, sorry. Suck it up.

No. Just no.

We reached the building sooner than I would have preferred. I still had no idea what to say. Nonetheless, I knocked three times on the door.

It opened quickly. A girl with black hair pulled into a tight bun and a pantsuit on greeted me. She stared at us for a moment, her eyes wide. Scanning us, she whispered: "Asha's dead?"

I bit my lip and nodded grimly. "Take me to Hylla please." I begged. The girl nodded too and led me inside, gesturing for my friends to follow.

"My name is Johanna." The girl explained as she led us through a maze of shelves. We turned down a corridor and entered a room full of forklifts and conveyer belts. Men in orange jumpsuits milled around, driving the forklifts and moving boxes from belt to belt.

"Good work today!" She called, still moving at her brisk pace. The men all nodded as one in acknowledgement and continued to work as if nothing had happened.

"This is...nice?" I muttered. Johanna turned around and glanced sideways at me, her eyes glittering with amusement. "Yes, Erica, we date. We just believe that we rule the house. No one else."

We moved on in silence. Our little group passed door after door. We also passed a few women dressed like Johanna, with stiff buns atop their heads and clean pantsuits.

"Are we going in there?" Leo would ask every five seconds. "No," Johanna would reply, her voice getting more annoyed in each turn.

An evil grin flickered across Leo's face. "Are we-"

Fast as lightning, Johanna spun around and held a dagger that had come out of no where at Leo's throat. Leo crossed his eyes to keep it in view. "Well, sweetheart." He muttered.

"Do not," Johanna pushed her dagger a little closer, "call me sweetheart."

I started to laugh, mostly because of Leo's completely baffled and horrified expression. "Alright. No sweetheart, sweethea-you know I'll just call you Dagger instead."

Johanna pulled away. "Can't you just call me Johanna?" Leo snorted. "Dagger, Leo Bad Boy Supreme Valdez has a nickname for everyone. Ain't that right, Princess?" He added, looking at me.

I scowled at him. "You've got a lot of nerve, kid." Johanna laughed. "I like that."

We continued to troop through the room until we came to a big red door. It was on the back wall. Johanna knocked on it three times and it opened with a loud squeak. Kind of like the ones you hear in the chainsaw-killer movies.

Hylla was sitting on her throne. She looked at us for a moment, and then her eyes clouded sadly. "Asha is dead, then?" She questioned.

I stepped up and looked Hylla right in the eye. "She died bravely. She even helped..." I paused, not knowing how to explain. "Well, she even help carried back my body...and Nico's too. She collapsed on the way back due to a fatal blow to the head."

Hylla shook her head. "I do not understand, Erica. You say that you died, that she helped return your body, and yet here you are, standing right before me."

I sighed. "I know it's hard to believe, but Hades let us go. He knew very well that it wasn't our time, and he did us a favor."

Hylla nodded slowly. She got up from her throne, walked toward me, and hugged me. "Thank you for bringing her back to us." She whispered. I nodded once, my voice clogging my throat.

Hylla backed away. "Thank you all, very much. Now leave, and may the gods be with you."

~*~

A week later, we arrived back at camp. Yes...it took a week. A big ship in the sky being attacked every five minutes by monsters and all the while trying to avoid being seen isn't going to move at your average speed of sixty miles per hour. Or twenty...or ten...

Whatever the speed you go, let's just assume we were slower.

Anyway, as we set down on the beach, yells and joyful screams fill the air. We trooped off the ship and were immediately tackled by flying demigods, happily hugging, slapping, and punching us. Travis ran by and squirted silly string at us, followed by...Connor!

I ran up to him and hugged him. "You're alive! Oh thank the gods!" I said. Connor grinned at me. "Right back atcha sweet stuff."

Nico was suddenly beside me, his face expressionless. He looked at Connor harshly and I broke into a fit of giggles. Oh, Nico. Protective, sweet, Nico.

"When did you get better?" I asked Connor, still giggling. Connor shot a nervous glance at Nico before responding. "About a week after you left."

I stared at him. "But...Chiron didn't-"

"I told Chiron not to." Connor said, grinning wickedly. "Why?" I snapped. "Well, everyone likes surprises..."

A smile flickered across Nico's face. He slapped Connor on the back and walked away to go say hello to some more people. I followed him through the crowd, glad to be home at last.

~*~

I was woken that night by a loud bang. I shot out of my bunk and was on my feet faster than you could say "home".

"Relax, Erica. It's me." Nico's voice whispered in the darkness. "Nico!" I yell-whispered. "You're going to get caught!"

"Who's there?" Percy called from his top bunk. "Just Nico, Percy." I replied. There was a pause, then Percy said: "you two alone in the dark? I don't think so."

"PERCY!" Nico and I yelled. We grinned at each other. Percy snickered. "I was kidding. I swear."

Nico shrugged and sat on my bed. I sat next to him. "Happy to be home?" I asked.

Nico wrapped his arms around me. "As long as I'm with you, I always will be happy."

"Forever?"

Nico's breath tickled my neck as he laughed into my hair. "Of course forever."

~*~

"Race you to the bottom of the hill!" Nico yelled. I watched him run, his black leather jacket flying behind him and his hair flopping. I always let him get a head start. I had been faster for a while now.

My name is Erica Chase. I'm a demigod. I know you're probably wondering whether Nico and I are happy together.

Well we are.

And we will be.

Forever.