Out of Nowhere

Chapter 13

Nico "has something to do" (I made him promise to be back by tomorrow), so I trained with bow and arrows all morning, then after lunch I swam.

Percy and Annabeth apparently had a 'together' day and I have no idea where Nico went. I go to dinner, exhausted and hungry from my swim, and sit down next to Percy, digging in.

"Hey, Ames. What have you done all day? You hang out with Nico? Or train?" Percy asks.

I hold up a finger to indicate one second and finish my food quickly. He starts eating and then I answer his questions.

"I just trained and swam today. I don't know where Nico is, he's not at his table now," Percy and I look at the Hades table and it's empty.

"Ah, well. He should be back by tomorrow. I spent my day with Annabeth," Percy sighs and his eyes drift away in thought.

I grin at his reaction and get seconds of pepperoni pizza.

After dinner we head down to the campfire, I sing along, but my heart isn't totally in it because I'm still thinking about Nico. I noticed Percy and Annabeth slip away in the middle, and it makes me want to see Nico more.

Ames, what is wrong with you! Get a grip! You used to never need a boy!

I sigh and put my chin in my hand, Nico's different, though.

I groan and stand up, might as well go to bed. I walk up to our cabin, not really wanting to think about anything. I open the door to find Percy and Annabeth making out, like seriously making out. My hand flies to my mouth to contain laughter, I don't even know why it's funny. I cross my arms over my chest and lean against the door frame, grin on my face.

One of them moans a little and that does it for me, I burst into laughter. They jump back from each other and look at me, standing in the doorway laughing.

Percy's face is bright red, but Annabeth just grins, "Sorry Ames, I can leave."

I finally catch my breath, "No, Annabeth you're fine."

I turn to leave, but Percy finds his voice, "Where are you going to go?"

I look back at him, still grinning, "I have resources, now carry on." I close the door behind me.

An idea comes to mind, I'm going to see if Nico's back. I walk over to his cabin and knock. I get no answer, so I open the door a little. I look inside and see a few bunk beds, and on one wall there's a fireplace with a couch in front of it. I open the door a little wider and Nico, detecting the light, suddenly sits up from the couch, looking at me.

"Oh good, I thought you were someone else," he lays back down on the couch. I close the door and walk around to the other side to find a very tired looking Nico. I curl up on the other side of the couch.

After a minute Nico asks, "Why'd you come here?"

I laugh a little, "I wanted to see you and Annabeth and Percy are a little busy in my cabin."

He laughs a little too, "What did you do today?"

"Trained and swam," I laugh at my own lame answer, "I wish I could tell you I saved the world, but I'm to new to this to tell you that."

"Trust me, you don't want to have to save the world," he replies. He makes no move to tell what he did today, so I don't ask.

He stands up to stretch, then climbs onto the couch behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "I missed you today," he whispers.

I smile, "No one gives you credit for how sweet you are."

"I didn't used to be," he nuzzles into my neck a little more, muffling his next words, "I used to be to angry to love, or be sweet I guess."

"What changed that?" I ask, staring into the flames.

"You," he answers quietly, lifting his had to say it.

I turn my head and press my lips to his.

His lips are cold, and so are his arms against mine. We pull away from each other and I can't help but voice my question, "It doesn't bother me, don't take this the wrong way, but why are you so cold all the time?"

He sighs, "I don't really know, I guess it's because I'm the son of Hades. The underworld is always cold and I could survive there if I wanted. I can communicate with ghosts and travel in shadows. All of those things are cold."

I smile, looking into his dark eyes, "Ghost King," his eyes flicker, "When I was little, I always wanted to marry royalty." I leave the statement in the air as he figures out what I ment by that.

I tun back to the fire and I feel his cool lips work their way up from my neck to my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"I like the way you say it, Ghost King. When other people use it they sound disgusted or scared. You... I don't know, say it again," his soft voice in my ear makes me smile.

"Ghost King," I say it like he asked, then turn in his arms to face him.

"I'm not disgusted or scared by you because I know you're really a sweet guy. It's because I think I love the Ghost King," our eyes lock and I can't look away, he trapped me and I've fallen for him in a split second. All I've got left is hope that he won't let me down.

"Ames, what should I call you? What are you the Queen of?" He asks.

"I'm not the queen of anything," I reply with a sigh.

"You may not think you're a queen, but I can tell you what you are. You are beautiful, you're funny, you're the only daughter of Poseidon, you're strong, you're my girlfriend, but that isn't saying much compared to all the wonderful things you are," his eyes are unwavering from mine and I know I made the right choice, "You're my Queen."

That makes me grin, "Then that's the only thing I want to be."

No words are said after that and we fall asleep peacefully.