Artemis walked into Percy's tent. Percy was lying on his bed, staring off into space above him.

"Hi," he muttered when he heard her walk in.

"Hi," Artemis said, "thanks for bringing back Zoë."

"No problem," Percy replied. "I can still bring back four more people."

"Four more people?" Artemis asked. "But shouldn't it be, like, three more people or something? You had to have brought back someone to help you out from Tartarus."

"I think I can do some simple math," Percy said, still staring off into space, but his gaze was slightly more troubled. "And I would appreciate it if you don't mention that --- that place while I am here." Percy's eyes flashed slightly.

Artemis took a step back, startled.

Percy looked over, then back off into space and sighed. "Never mind. But who didn't turn against me?"

"Only one person," Artemis said sadly.

"Who is it, who is it?"

Artemis looked over at Percy. "Nico di Angelo. He was given partial immortality so that he could help search for you."

Percy jumped out of the bed and ran out of the camp before Artemis had even made it out of his tent.

*     *     *

Percy ran into the camp at full speed, barreling in so fast that all the campers saw was a blur.

Percy ran out to the Hades cabin. He stopped right in front of it and knocked.

The door opened a second later to reveal a very tired Nico di Angelo.

He saw Percy smiling right in front of him, and all grogginess left his body.

He tackled Percy.

Percy fell backwards and they rolled across the hill for a second before Nico untangled himself from Percy, was just lying down in front of him, with a big smile.

Suddenly, Nico's fist was in Percy's face. His face was suddenly coated with golden ichor.

That's when Nico noticed the scars all over Percy's face and how he hadn't even stopped smiling.

"What happened?" he asked.

Percy stopped smiling immediately and his face turned to stone. He seemed to grow older in front of Nico's eyes.

"A lot," was all he said. Then he stood up and dusted himself off.

"Now what I'm wondering," Percy said, returning to his usual self, just looking angry, "is why Artemis didn't tell the only person who didn't turn on me that she had found me two thousand years ago."

Nico's eyes widened. "You were found two thousand years ago?" he asked.

"Well, then I left again, but that's beside the point."

Nico groaned.

"Now I have to go, but I should probably explain a few things first. To your cabin!"

I led the way to Nico's cabin.

*     *     *

"So how about you ask a question and I answer it?" Percy asked him.

"Okay. . ." Nico replied. "Why did you leave?"

"Annabeth gave me a choice," Percy answered.

"What was it?"

"I leave or she leaves," Percy replied, "so I left."

Nico nodded.

"Why did you stay away when she lied about it?" Nico asked. "Why didn't you come back?"

"I only learned about it two thousand years ago. I needed some time alone, though now I'm starting to think that that wasn't the best thing for my mind. I know I'm a little bit insane."

Dionysus appeared.

"A little?" he asked. "I think its more than that!" He started ranting about how Percy's eighty eight percent insane or something like that. He got bored.

He grabbed his arm and bent it backwards, and it broke with a loud Snap!

They both stared at me.

"What? I got bored. You wouldn't stop talking," I told Dionysus as I wiggled around my broken arm.

I snapped my fingers and the golden ichor went away.

"Did that hurt?"  Nico asked nervously.

"Nope!" I shouted. The two took a step back, startled.

"Where we you?" Dionysus asked.

"Oh, you know, up and down, here and there."

"Sure but that doesn't answer the question," Nico said.

"Well I'm not gonna tell you," Percy said, falling off the bed and onto his head, sticking his tongue. A glint of insanity shown in his eyes. "I'm okay. I fell out of Zoë's constellation yesterday, you know. I was talking to Zoë in a dream and brought her back to life."

They just stared at Percy as he rambled on.

"She's with hunters now. Did I tell you that I'm the Guardian of the Hunt, Nico? Well I am."

"That's nice, Percy," Nico said, "but can I please talk to you?"

"Sure," Percy said, "just a second."

He looked at Dionysus expectantly.

"Oh, yeah, right." He flashed away.

Percy ---"

"Wait," Percy said. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, the glint of insanity was gone and his face hardened went expressionless. "Okay, go on."

"Percy, for a long time I've had a crush on you. I still do, actually."

Nico looked down. Then after a moment of silence, he looked up.

Percy didn't talk for a while. He was staring intently at Nico, his face still expressionless.

After a couple of minutes under Percy's intense gaze, Percy looked looked away towards a wall. He seemed to zone out for a while, thinking.

He hadn't even gotten over Annabeth yet. He was still hurt by her betrayal. Maybe Nico could help him get over her. . . but then Nico would basically be a tool. . . Percy doesn't want to do that to him. . . but does Percy like Nico back?

He thought on that four a while, staring at the wall.

When Nico started shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Percy examined him. He looked him up and down, then stared into his eyes. Percy's eyes seemed to look all the way into his soul, and Nico couldn't seem to look away.

Percy could tell lots of things by looking into Nico's eyes. He could see all of his secrets, his feelings, and everything else he tried to hide.

Percy's eyes widened and grew slightly fearful when he saw some of Nico's memories in his eyes, his painful ones.

Of Bianca dying, of that ---- that place.

Nico's trip through Tartarus was much worse than he let on.

At that moment there was no doubt on if he loved Nico di Angelo.

Percy quickly closed the gap and kissed him.