Everything is Changing

Tartarus

Nico's Point of View
"Guys we should probably get out of here. Like now." Percy said. I turned around letting go of Maggie for one second. One second.
      In that one second the ground shook. In that one second I turned around and saw Maggie holding on to a rock a foot below the cliff. In that one second I had a decision to make.
     "I love you and always will Nico." Maggie said. She let go and started to fall.
     "Percy we will find you." I said and jumped in.
     "Nico NO!!" I heard Percy yell.
     I keep falling until I saw the outline of a person. Maggie.

          Maggie's Point of View
I was falling into the darkness. I was just thinking about what would happen at bottom. I thought I was going to die. Then arms wrapped around me. The person leaned into my ear.
"I love you and always will Maggie." It was Nico. He dove in after me. He really loved me. "You came after me."
    "We are in this together. Always." He whispered, still by my ear.
    "Always." I laid my head on his neck.
After what felt like days, it was only hours, we saw a light below us growing closer. I sensed a body of water below us. I used my mind to control it to get us to shore. We got to shore and my legs were asleep so I fell. Apparently so were Nico's because he fell too. On me.
    "Oww." I said.
    "I'm sorry. My legs." He rolled off of me.
"It's okay. I can't move mine either." I tried and made little progress.
Nico was able to move his legs now. He sat up and tried to stand up and fell again. I wasn't even going to try. After a minute I realized my arms were slightly burning. I looked down and saw that the sand, or so I thought, was actually glass. Little particles of glass. I sat up and looked at Nico. We were both still in our pajamas. But he had his hoodie and pajama pants. I had a black t-shirt and black shorts on. So the glass was cutting my skin.
"How's this glass affecting you?" I asked. He looked at me confused.
"This is glass?" I nodded. "Oh. We should probably get you up and off of it then." He stood up but didn't fall this time.
He grabbed my hands and hauled me up. I still couldn't fully stand so he supported me. He had an arm around my waist. I held on to his shoulder because he was taller then me. I was trying to figure out a plan.
"Nico, were in Tartarus." He nodded. "How are we going to survive this?" I asked.
"I have a plan." He said plainly.
     "How?" I asked. How could he just have a plan?
      "Later." Is all he said. Okay then.
We walk for an hour with no encounter. And I could finally walk on my own. Then out of nowhere a manticore appear. We took care of it but Nico had a close call. After another hour, we arrived at a cave. You barely noticed it if you weren't looking for it. When we got inside there was a makeshift bed. A king-sized blanket with a queen-sized blanket over it. And two pillows. Which was weird because we are in Tartarus. And there was a fire pit. It looked as if someone lived here.
"Nico I think someone lives here." I said. I noticed a large duffle bag in the corner.
     Nico sat down on the bed. He patted the space next to him. I walked over and sat next to him.
     "Maggie," He started. "I live here."
     "What are you talking about?" I asked, not believing him.
      "I'm going to tell you something I've never told anyone." He said. "My dad, Hades, has sent me on missions in Tartarus. My first time in Tartarus was to find the Doors of Death so we could defeat Gaea. After that it was to check and make sure the things down here stayed down here. No early get outs." He paused and took a breath. I took the opportunity.
     "He can't ask you to do that! You could have gotten killed! Or trapped!" I basically yelled.
     "Maggie. The first time he asked me I said yes. And I say yes every time." He explained. "He doesn't forced me to go."
     "Why?" I asked, standing up. "Why do you go?" I said in a whisper.
"Because..." He said calmly. He stood up and stepped towards me. I backed away.
"Why?" This time I yelled. "I want to know." This time he yelled.
"Because no one cared." He took in a breath and continued calmly. "No one cared if I got hurt or if I was in Tartarus. No one bothered to ask."
"When was the last time you went?" Tears were falling out of my eyes. Silent tears.
"A week before I met you." He said. I turned away.
"Are you going to come back here again? After we get out?" I still didn't look at him.
"No." He was getting closer to me. "I can't. I would have to leave you and I can't. I don't think I could try without going insane."
He wrapped his arms around my waist. I felt something wet on my neck. I turned to see we were both crying silent tears. I kissed his cheek were a tear was falling. I look him straight in the eyes.
"I don't want to leave you." I paused. "But when it comes..." He started crying harder because he knew I meant my death. "But when that time comes please promise me you will not hold onto me. That you'll meet another person to be happy with. Please promise me that." My voice cracked.
"No. I can't. I love you too much. No one ever made me feel this way. Ever made me feel loved. Or understood. Or made me feel compassion." He paused. "You have taught me to feel so many things I never thought I would feel. So no I can't promise you that because it won't happen." He said.
"Nico." I said and started crying harder. He just held me there against his chest. I sobbed into his shirt. No one ever made me feel this strongly about anything ever. And within a month this boy has taught me so much about love. We were just royally screwed. The Fates were against us.