In Another Life

The Sun And The Star

Because I always have to have a death possibility, this is what would have happened if Liz had died in Tartarus facing Alyssa. 

I held the knife tighter in my hands. I could feel her power work through me. Her eyes were hard and unwavering. There was no way to convince her. No way for her to back down so they could get through. 

I swallowed. I felt my heart beat faster. Felt it pound in my chest. My left arm was shaking. She was killing me. Tears pricked my eyes. I couldn't... I wouldn't be able to get home. I wasn't surviving this. I wasn't going to see Jordan again. I wouldn't be able to explain my choices to Nico and Will. I wouldn't get to see seventeen. I would die here. But this was my mistake as well, I created this in the first place. The boys wouldn't be able to get to Bob unless I dispelled her. This was my responsibility. This was my choice. 

"I'm sorry," I told her. "I'm so sorry." 

Before she could say anything, I drove Terrorem into her. She screamed and my chest tightened. 

Someone screamed my name. 

I fell to my knees. I couldn't breathe. 

I saw something white disappear into the Tartarus air. 

The ground shook beneath my hands as I fell to my side. I gasped, searching for air. 

It wasn't coming. There were hands on my body. 

I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. 

My hands shook and my head rolled back. 

I couldn't breathe. 

My eyes half closed as everything seemed to fade out. 

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He could feel it the moment she stuck the knife in the ghost. That buzzing in his ears returned in full force, blocking out everything else. But he couldn't move forward. He couldn't move until she fell to the ground, nearly rolling into Chaos. He caught her. Will tried to help her. He tried to heal her. 

It didn't matter. He felt it. He saw the moment it happened. There was nothing more they could do. It felt like Bianca, it felt like he was watching another sister leave. It felt like Jason, a good part of him was destroyed. Another part of his heart torn away. 

He reached out and stopped Will from continuing. His hands shook as he closed her grey eyes. 

He looked up at his boyfriend. "Nyx is going to pay," he declared. 

Will met his eyes. It was one of the first time Nico had seen true anger in his eyes. "Yes she is." 

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Bob gently laid her down in the boat. Her colour had paled completely. Her hands were at her sides, still a little clawed from her heart attack. Nico still had her backpack on. It felt wrong to have it. It felt wrong to see her so... lifeless. Not even long ago she was smiling and laughing and teasing. He still remembered how at peace she looked when she was singing at the festival of Athena they had done in August. 

Now it was all gone. It was just over. 

Will sat beside him. He held Nico's hand. "Why?" the son of Apollo whispered. 

Nico felt more tears sting at his red eyes. "For us," he said. "So we could get to Bob. So we could keep going." 

Will sniffled. "She shouldn't have." 

Nico felt a tear roll down the side of his nose. "She was a hero," he decided. 

Bob carefully unclenched her hands, the bones snapping a bit as rigor mortis began. He placed her hands carefully on her stomach. The way her head rolled, she almost looked like she was resting. The paleness however told the truth. "She was a brave hero," the Titan agreed. "I wish I had the honour to meet her."