The Beginning of the End (J. Grace)

XXII: I get distracted by graffiti

We ran back to the ship.

Dove leaped up at the sight of us, clearly startled, and she pointed in our direction, turning her head to Lightning Boy who caught my eye immediately. He ran out to meet us before the ship.

"What's wrong? What's happened?" He demanded, grasping my elbows and holding me close, his electric eyes searching my own as though he was afraid I was going to disappear at any given moment.

"Nico doesn't have much longer." I gush out, reaching towards him and holding his shoulders tightly in an attempt ground myself. "We need to hurry."

"On deck!" Seaweed Brain's call floated down to us, and I looked over to find him already on the ship with Piper looking earnest. "We'll tell them on deck so Hedge can hear!"

"Okay!" Jason shouted back up to him, but didn't move as his attention went back to me. "What do you mean, he doesn't have much longer? We have the rest of the day, don't we?"

"Apparently not." I let out a long, shaky breath, trying to compose myself. I can't be getting this weak. We will save him. We will. But... with Annabeth gone... will I see her again? I will, won't I? But I'll probably die before then? What if I die when we take on the giants? I'll never...

"Come on." His tone was gentle and his expression softened slightly. He brushed away a tear I didn't know I had shed with his thumb and gently guided me to the ship. "We'll get through this. It'll be okay."

I nodded shakily, though I didn't believe it.

Guineapig explained everything, with me adding in little extras here and there, but I mostly left the talking to him.

"So Annabeth was kidnapped on a motor scooter." Dove sounded out the words like they didn't feel quite right, but I remained still on deck, looking out at the horizon and thinking about how much time we're wasting just stood here, talking. We have to save my son. "By Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn."

"Not kidnapped, exactly," Percy corrected, and Lightning Boy squeezed my hand gently, his arm around my waist. "Anyway, she's – she's gone."

"Maybe we shouldn't have let her..." I mutter feebly, not looking at any of them, consumed in my own thoughts. Would dying be a painful thing, or will it be quick? I imagine I'll embrace death with a smile and a nod, perhaps I'll shake his hand, while we're meeting.

"You had to." Piper's voice manages to cut through, a soothing balm to my restless mind. "You knew she had to go alone. Besides, Annabeth's tough and smart. She'll be fine."

I looked over to the helm control, only to find that it was two o'clock. It couldn't be that late already, could it? And where's my daughter, Teddy Bear and Iron Man? They said they'd be back at three, at the latest. They still have an hour, but what if something happened? Is Hazelnut okay? What if...

"Tiberinus said you could find Nico's location..." I looked back over to the others and leaned against Jason a little more, needing the support, craving the security he provides. "You know, with that."

Percy pointed to Piper's dagger, seeming to make her a little uneasy as she bit her lip and her eyes went dark green with light brown around the edges, her scared colour. "I've tried. The dagger doesn't always show what I want it to see. In fact, it hardly ever does."

"Please." Percy begged. "Try again."

She sighed and drew her dagger. "Fine."

While Piper stared intently at her bronze blade, I took to searching the city of any sign of the others. Jason muttered about something not being good, but I didn't have the energy to see what they were staring at, probably a vision in the dagger. None of it's good, apparently.