Chapter One: Coming Up For Air

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"I'll take care of you."

"It's rotten work."

"Not to me, not if it's you." 


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1.  

Coming Up For Air



ACE ONLY STARTED TO GET WORRIED about Arya three days later.

On the day after the quest neither of them really wanted to leave the room. Ace left three times, twice to get food, and once when the attacks started. Arya didn't eat, she didn't even ask about the attacks. She didn't talk at all other than to ask him to read at night so that she could fall asleep.

The second day he started to worry when she wouldn't eat again. Wouldn't give him much response to anything. He thought maybe she just needed a little bit more time, and told the others at dinner. He didn't miss the look of knowing concern that flashed on Nico and Jason's face. He brought her food that night and refused to read to her until she ate enough to satisfy him.

On the third morning it was the same story. No response, little movement, no appetite. He pleaded with her for something. She didn't give it to him. Hazel and Piper decided to give it a try, and while they weren't successful either they at least got her in the shower and cleaned.

"Do you two know what's wrong with her?" Ace asked Nico and Jason desperately while the girls had gone to try and help.

They shared a look and didn't seem to know how to answer. Nico, who had known her longer, was the one who decided to answer.

"She gets like this sometimes. When something happens and she doesn't really know how to cope. She calls it sinking. I call it depression. Pretty sure it's one and the same. As far as I'm aware it hasn't happened in a few years. When Percy was presumed dead."

Ace's stomach dropped at the understanding. Clearly Jason and Nico had talked about this sometimes in the last forty-eight hours and Ace wished they would have shared their thoughts with him.

"Neither of us have actually seen it before." Jason added in, "And I don't know if there's anyone that's ever been able to help her out of it."

Nico dropped his eyes, "Luke could, I think."

The air around them went cold, "Who's Luke?"

"The boy she loved." Jason whispered in a tone that told Ace no more questions should be asked.

A Dance With Fate// Arya Jackson//Where stories live. Discover now