Trust Me (a Percico Fanfic; Sequel to Letters to Nico)

Chapter 20

NICO'S POV

"Grab her!" Nico called. Zoe tore through the cabin on tiny legs. It had been five years since the day Zoe was born and there hadn't been any sign of Destiny which was good. It meant that perhaps there would be peace now..

"Woooahhh!" Percy yelped as Zoe ran into his leg. She fell on the ground with an oomph and looked up at Percy. Her face crinkled with sadness and she broke into choked sobs. Percy gasped and gently picked her up and held her close. "You have to be more careful," Percy whispered as Zoe wailed. Nico jogged over to Percy and inspected their daughter. She seemed to be unharmed, which was good. The shock was probably the cause of her tears rather than the impact itself.

Ten minutes later she finally calmed down. Nico picked her up and moved her onto Percy's bed and left her to her own devices. She was old enough to know not to jump off the bed!

Or so he thought.

As Nico was walking away, there was a loud thump and another cry of pain. Nico dashed over to Percy's bed and saw Zoe sitting on her butt.

"It hurt!" she screeched. Nico picked her up and held her close. Guilt soared through him. How could he leave her like that? He should have known something like this would've happened!

Then, Ze was pried out of his arms. Nico looked up to see Percy. His green eyes sparked with anger. Percy put Ze into her closed off room and gently told her that he'd be right back. Soon after, laughter could be heard from her room.

"How could you be so stupid?" Nico felt himself flinch back in shock.

"What are you saying?" Nico stammered.

"How could you leave Zoe alone like that? She's a child! My bed is very high up. She could've broken her neck thanks to your reckless actions!" Percy whispered angrily.

"Percy, every kid falls off their bed at some point. Just calm down, alright?" Nico said, doing his best to control his anger.

"That's not the point! She could've been badly damaged," Percy snapped.

"Yeah, well, she wasn't. And she started crying in the first place thanks to you. If you'd been paying attention to our daughter like a good parent, then maybe she wouldn't have been so bruised in the first place!" Nico snarled, anger hitting him like an unrelenting wave.

"I think you should stay somewhere else for awhile. This isn't the first time this has happened. You've almost cut off Zoe's finger in the kitchen, you almost shadow-travelled with her- which would've killed her for crying out loud!- and you took her tree climbing and she broke her arm! You're just a danger to my daughter, and I want you gone," Percy hissed.

"This isn't the first argument we've had lately," Nico mumbled. "Maybe it would be better for Zoe if we split up." An eerie silence filled the cabin. Tension crackled in the air like a storm. Then, Percy's eyes lit with hurt.

"Go then, if that's what you want," Percy whispered. Nico ignored the pain in his boyfr- ex's voice. He walked past Percy and went into Zoe's room. Nico brushed through the curtain and knelt beside her. She was playing with her dolls, and her face was bright with happiness.

"Hey, Court, can daddy talk to you for a second?" Nico asked softly. Zoe stopped playing and turned to Nico.

"Yeah!" she giggled.

"I'm going away for a bit, but I'll come back to visit, I promise. Daddy loves you, okay? I love you very much, mi amore," Nico felt his eyes brimming with tears. Zoe's face fell.

"You're going away again?" she said, her voice cracking. Nico felt his heart break. He wrapped his arms around his daughter and Ze did the same.

"I love you," he whispered again.

"I love you too, Daddy," Zoe whimpered. Nico ignored the sorrow in her eyes as he went into his and Percy's room. A suitcase was already sitting on the bed for him. Nico packed everything he owned and walked toward the door of the cabin. Memories swam through his head as he recalled every moment he'd shared with Percy. Leaving for good hurt more than he thought it would.

Lately, his and Percy's relationship had been falling apart more and more. When it was over for good, he wasn't surprised. Their arguments had been getting more heated with each passing day. Courtney was scared, he could tell. He was doing the best thing for Courtney by leaving. He didn't want her to grow up in a home where there was constant arguing.

Nico remembered when his mother had dated a man named Jack. He was tall with blonde hair and hazel eyes. His mother had been in love with him and soon they had moved in together. Nico didn't remember much about him, but what he did remember was the arguing. The shouting. The sobs. The bruises that would lay upon his mother's skin. It was scary. Every time the first shout was heard, he would take refuge in the sanctuary of his closet with Bianca. Then, one night while he was asleep, she woke him up. She had bags packed for him and Bianca. They ran out of the home. They ran all night until they were a safe distance from Jack and the screams. They never saw him again.

As Nico stood in the doorway of Cabin #3, he glanced at Zoe. Determination settled in his belly. He knew what he had to do.

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Thanks for reading! Sorry if this chapter was somewhat abrupt, but it's necessary for the next few chapters. Only about 3-4 chappys left of this series! So sad to see it go after over a year in the making. I love you all and have a fantastic Friday! Expect another update on Tuesday! Be sure to comment, vote, and keep reading!

Until next time,

-Callie