Don't Let Me Forget

Death

     Nico ran his fingers through his hair, he was totally NOT over Percy, and it felt like Tartarus keeping it a secret, and Nico knew what that felt like. Gods, those sea green eyes made Nico's heart beat out of his chest. He had told Percy that he just wasn't his type, but secretly, Nico wanted to hold him or kiss him or something. He had to focus on how annoying Percy could be, but he just couldn't. Even though Nico still didn't completely forgive Percy for Bianca's death, he knew it wasn't Percy's fault.

     The wooden planks above the ground didn't help the fact that skeletons were started to crawl out of the ground. Nico kicked a skeletal hand away from his shoes. "Get away," he growled. The skeletons started retreating back underground. Nico stomped his foot and the wood placks went back to normal. Black smoke still came off of his body, another result of his anger. He had to get away from this place for a bit.

     Ocean air filled Nico's nose as he raced up the stairs to the ship's deck. That didn't help anything. Annabeth was on deck teaching Hazel how to steer the Argo II, since Leo had dissapeared. Of course, Percy was sitting there worrying that Annabeth would accidently kill herself. Gods, no, Nico thought, Exactly who needs to be here. "Drop the anchor," Nico said nonchalantly. Hazel turned around and gave him a worried look. She raised an eyebrow, knowing something was wrong. Nico simply waved her off and repeated his order.

     Hazel reluctantly dropped the anchor as Nico walked over to a ladder. He turned around and nodded at Hazel before dropping the ladder and climbing down. When he hit the ground, Hazel called down to him asking how long he was going to be. "Go on, I'll be back," Nico replied simply. He needed to get some fresh air, away from the sea. "Nico," Hazel called down, "be careful." Nico nodded grimly and turned away.

     Ruins stretched across the grassy meadow, and a shrine sat in the middle. The grey sky shadowed the ruins, allowing Nico a quick escape if he needed it. A strange, green thing sat on the shrine. Nico lifted his foot out of the dry grass and walked forward. As Nico got closer, he could see a piece of metal behind the shrine. "Oh gods," Nico whispered as he realized what this was. He stepped onto the stone platform. Nico looked down at Bianca's green hat, and the head of the robot that killed her.

     Nico's knees gave out from under him. He picked up Bianca's hat and looked at it for a second. "Bianca," he whispered as he held the hat to his chest. He doubled over even more. This hat had been like a Celestial Bronze blade to the gut. Tears struggled to escape from his eyes. Nico fought back the tears. He couldn't help it, the tears streamed. He rested his head against the shrine and cried. "Nico?" someone whimpered. Nico sat up to see Hazel through an Iris message. He moved his right hand from Bianca's hat to his sword.

     "Hazel, leave me alone," Nico said.

     "Nico, what's wrong?" Hazel asked him.

     "I said leave me alone!" Nico yelled. Hazel stepped back.

     "Nico, you can tell me, you know," Hazel said. Nico gripped his sword and stood up. Hazel looked sad. "Go away!" Nico yelled as he slashed his Stygian Iron sword through the Iris-message. It dissolved. Tears continued streaming down Nico's pale cheeks as his mind battled itself. You shouldn't have done that! Percy killed Bianca! Kill Talos! Apologize to Hazel! He thought. Nico kicked the weak shrine in frustration and it crumbled. A white piece of paper stuck out of the rubble. Nico bent down to read it. 

     Angels slay the Hero's Tide,

     The lost one shall live his mistakes,

     Razing a god's bride-

     The rest was scribbled out, but Nico could make only one word up, Gold. Hazel, maybe? Or... no, not possible. Nico brushed the thought away. That couldn't be it. If so, strong magic was present, even now. Nico looked up, only to black out.

     "ANNABETH!" someone screamed. Nico then heard himself yelling. "Percy, no! I can't! S-she-" The image shifted to Percy sitting on the ground with Annabeth's unmoving head in his lap. Nico sat down next to him. "I'm sorry," Nico said. Percy's shoulder's slumped as a tear dropped of his jaw and onto Annabeth's cheek. Nico looked at something sitting in front of him. He looked at Percy. "I saved Gracie," Nico said. Percy looked at the child and dropped his head again. Nico reluctantly crawled closer to Percy and wrapped his arms around him for comforting. Percy laid back into him a bit and cried. Nico had never seen Percy look so broken.

Author's Note-----------------------------------------

     New HOO fanfiction. (woo-hoo!) Not much else to it. Please tell me in the comments if you liked this chapter. Um, I guess you can tell me your favorite characters and ships, and I might add them. Go PJO/HOO!!!!