(c) - Rick Riordan.

WARNING: SON SPOILERS

R & R

Forever

For a demigod, everyday was a difficult day to face. Nico's difficult task for the day was worse than fighting a monster.

Shopping.

It was some new mall, and there were no air conditioners on a blazing summer afternoon. Nico wanted to get it done as soon as possible. He walked with his head down, avoiding eye contact. He didn't notice where he was heading until his right knee bumped into something soft, and the shriek of a little girl rang in his ears.

He looked up.

The girl tipped her head sideways, letting her jet black hair fall on one shoulder. She has deep brown eyes and smooth olive skin, looking older than she seems even though her height showed she is only around six or seven. When she caught Nico's awed expression, her head dropped down towards her black Converses. She reminded him of all the painful, incomplete memories he had tried to bury. She made him think of the times memories managed to haunt him in his dreams. She is a part of his memories. She was his sister, six years ago.

Bianca.

Nico's heart literally stopped for a few seconds, he could tell. He had been heartbroken, devastated when Bianca announced her decision for rebirth. It was enough to crush any little brother's spirits, but it was just like when Bianca joined the hunters - unsure, scared, but definitely not regretful. He had once hoped she'd learnt her lesson, although apparently dying doesn't always change a person's heart, their mind, or their old ways.

"What's your name?" Nico found his voice wobbling slightly. The new version of Bianca did not notice.

"Trisha." She replied, hiding her lips behind her teddy bear. It only had one eye, and his head seemed to be newly sewn on. It was hardly a little girl's dream toy bear, but Trisha/Bianca cuddled it tightly. "I am lost."

Lost?

"Lost from what? Who?"

"My mummy."

He led Bianca (She just isn't a Trisha to him) through the mall, hand-in hand like a big brother would do. It felt weird being the older one, and older meaning a nineteen-year-old holding hands with a seven-year-old. Even though it didn't seem possible, he let her go once they got to the LOST CHILDREN station, placed at one small corner of the mall.

She smiled. "Thank you, Nico."

He frowned. "How - I mean, how did you know my name is Nico?"

That trapped Bianca up as well, which gave him hope. "Um...you seem like one."

He was begining to see hope. If Bianca remembers his name, maybe she would remember the times in Westover hall? Maybe even his old favorite card game, Myth-o-magic? Maybe even the times she had in Elysium? But Nico didn't dare push it. "Um, bye Trisha."

The rest of the day was catastrophic. He suddenly forgot what he was searching for in the over-heated, crowed mall. He ended up ordering a pineapple smoothie at the smoothie stand, and he didn't like pineapple. The guy serving the drink to him had to yell in his ear to grab his attention.

He blamed himself inwardly for being such an idiot. He finally found his reborn sister, and he let go of her so easily? Now she was lost again, lost from him, that is.

Before the sky started turning shades of orange, he went back to the same station he'd dropped Bianca off. Most of the children were gone, and spilled toys were the only evidence of them ever being there. The woman in charge was on the phone. She didn't recognize him, but when she saw Nico she gave him a sign that said "Go on, take what's yours and leave".

Little Bianca was still building bricks. She was leaning against the wall, and shot up when she saw Nico. How could a parent do this to his older sister? Or, maybe in this new world they are nothing anymore.

"Are we leaving?" She asked excitedly. He could not stand to break her heart. Maybe her new parents was just working late, and they would return by the time they realized they have a missing child. Meanwhile, Nico would be done with his time with Bianca.

"Yes, let's get you a new teddy bear." He heard himself saying.

Shopping with Bianca came naturally to him. It seems as if she was still anchored to her old personality in a new life. She found everything on display rather exciting, even a plain mug. He found himself smiling occasionally - something he hadn't done for a month since his other demigod sister Hazel moved out of camp and got married to Frank.

But the other part was wondering how long it would take before his day with her has to end.

The clock is ticking. The old Bianca would say whenever they are running late.

Suddenly in the teddy bear section, Bianca froze. She was looking at a furry, caramel-coloured bear with a neat tuxedo that looked pretty ordinary to Nico. "Can I have it? Please...my teddy bear needs a friend." She held up one-eyed-teddy just to prove its loneliness.

Nico sighed. "Of course."

He walked alongside his sister on the way back, with her gently kissing the forehead of each of her teddy bears. At the same time, a frazzled-looking lady with the same jet black hair and high heels strolled in, looking motherly stressed.

Letting go was a blur. Nico hugged "Trisha" tightly for a few seconds, before letting her run to her mom. The lady was generally alright, thank the gods. She bought him his second smoothie for the day just before the mall closed, and then ran off juggling a silver car key in one hand. She could be worse. He thought, waving goodbye to Bianca/Trisha until their red Volkswagen became a single dot to him.

Nico didn't dare think back. He knew without having to be the oracle that he was never going to see Bianca again. It was generosity of the Fates to give him even a few hours to complete his unfinished business. He wasn't going to cry, he was simply going to let his life go on.

But he swore, whenever his eyelids drop down, he sees a six-year-old olive-skinned girl smiling.

Thank you... brother.

Nico smiled.

A/N: Not a good piece, one of my worst I think, but please read on:

I have this idea for a story that sorta expands this one. So Nico meets the new Bianca, she's actually a clear-sighted mortal, she goes to camp...and the minors gods are on a strike again (This is the part I'm not sure about) because many years later the minor gods are getting ignored more and more.

So...what do you think?

- Taylor