Spoilers for the first chapter of Blood of Olympus

Chapter 4

"So… let me get this straight; we know it's a trap, and we're going to head straight into it on purpose?" asked Leo scratching his head.

"Yes." said Annabeth grimly.

"Well, it does seem like our style anyway." sighed Leo dropping his arm and shaking his head, "I'll go chart our course for the island."

"Good. Now Hazel, you'll need to start laying down the mist for Jason's disguise since we don't know how long it will take us." instructed Annabeth turning to the others, "Everyone have their instructions? Piper and I will get into our servant outfits right now to accompany Jason and hopefully help the illusion that he is insignificant. Leo will hide the ship once we get close but stay near enough for back-up if we need it. Nico will be following at a distance behind you to control the ghosts if things get out of hand… and to help getting you guys out of there if things get sticky. Any questions?"

"Um, what will I be doing?" asked Frank hesitantly, which looked pretty strange since he was such a big guy compared to Annabeth.

"We need you to guard the ship and, more importantly, Percy," said Annabeth grimly, "According to Nico, Gaea has sent someone or something to collect him so you'll need to keep a very close watch."

"If we know they're going for Percy, then why are we leaving him so vulnerable in the first place?" asked Piper frowning, "Shouldn't Nico stay back incase he needs to shadow travel Percy away safely?"

Nico growled quietly, that was exactly what he had argued when he and Annabeth had discussed the plan earlier. Well, actually, Nico had argued not to go at all, but Annabeth had insisted this was the only way.

"He… should be fine." said Annabeth though everyone could hear how worried she was, "If anything goes wrong Hazel will make jewels appear and Nico can just shadow-travel back."

"I still don't like it," said Jason wincing as Hazel began weaving layers of mist over him causing the young Roman to seem to age before their eyes, "This is the Island where all those suitors came to try and force Penelope to marry them and Odysseus tricked them into thinking he was an old geezer to get inside and defeat them, right? The ghosts of these suitor surely must remember that, why on earth would they fall for the same trick twice?"

"It does seem risky," Annabeth admitted, "But if you think about it then you'll realize that the old Greek and Roman monsters and gods are stuck within never ending cycles. Penelope's suitors were used to taking things for face value and not looking deeper; that Penelope might not be a silly woman who was dithering about which suitor to marry and might actually have a strategy, that Telemachus could ever grow to be more then the compliant boy-child he was when his father departed, that the king might decide to dress in rags to come to his own palace. A flaw in judgment like that is not easily unlearned and especially not so for ghosts."

"But they will have probably been warned by Gaea about our coming." Piper pointed out frowning.

"Even so, Annabeth's right." said Frank sighing, "The Island is too heavily fortified for us to attack straight out to get what we need. If we even stand a chance we'll need to use some sort of stealth in which case Annabeth's plan is as good as any."

"Thank you Frank." said Annabeth clearly tired of having to explain her reasoning over and over.

"Maybe Hazel should try her magic on Percy." groaned Jason, who now looked like a old man now that Hazel was finished with him, "I literally feel like I've aged 60+ years…"

"It's just an illusion, it doesn't actually change anything." said Hazel quickly, though she kind of looked anxious.

"I sure hope so…" groaned Jason rubbing his back, "I am not going to be much use to you guys in a fight if I can't shift out of being an old geezer."

"You will." insisted Hazel.

"All right Annabeth, let's go get ready too." said Piper looking like she was trying very hard not to laugh at her boyfriend. With that the two girls left the room and the others started trickling off to their other duties. Except Nico that is. The son of Hades remained where he was glowering at the wall Annabeth's chiding words from their earlier conversation that morning still ringing in his ears.

You don't have to be the one solely in charge of taking care of Percy. We are all very strong Half-bloods. You've seen Frank in a fight, he will be as safe with him as any of us.

It wasn't that he thought he was that much stronger then Frank… Well okay he was a direct child of one of the Big Three, but with Frank's family gift and until Nico fully mastered his powers they were probably evenly matched at the moment. However it came down to something more then that. Like Leo had said, they knew it was a trap, but even though Annabeth had pointed out that their best chance of survival was to fall into it(which was true Nico would grudgingly admit) he couldn't help the desire to just take Percy and hide somewhere safe until the mission was done.

"Nico? Are you sad?" asked Percy peeking up at him and making Nico nearly jump out of his skin. He had forgotten that the small boy was sitting under the table playing with the toy from a happy meal Nico had snagged him. Maybe Annabeth was right; some caretaker he would be if he forgot about Percy's presence in a room.

"I am alright." sighed Nico pulling the son of Poseidon up onto his lap, "Just thinking."

"Hmm… you don't smile too much." noted Percy examining Nico with a slightly scrunched up face.

"I smile." Nico protested grimacing at getting called out on his brooding by a child.

"Sometimes. With me," agreed Percy still making his "thoughtful" faces which were quite adorable. Nico quietly thanked the gods that Percy wasn't this perceptive when he was older or Nico would be in trouble fast. To prove it, the young boy continued on his train of thought uncertainly, "But you still don't smile much. Have you… lost you're happy?"

"Lost my happy?" repeated Nico startled.

"Yes, your happy." smiled Percy with more certainty patting Nico's chest, "It comes from right here, and it makes you smile. Did yours run away?"

"I…. don't…. um…?" said Nico not really sure how to respond to that.

"I see." said Percy with his best 'grown-up' face as he put his hand on his chin and nodded to himself.

"…what's that supposed to mean?"

"We'll just have to go find your happy again!" grinned Percy slapping his fist into his palm with a 'Aha!' manner, "It can be a quest!"

"We're already on a quest." Nico informed him trying to hide the fact that he was secretly pleased that Percy was concerned about him.

"Oh… right." said Percy his face falling before scrunching up his nose, "But this quest is not fun. People keep being mean to my friends and putting them in danger."

"Yeah…" agreed Nico glumly thinking about how much worse that was probably going to get before they reached Grease.

"Nico…?" said Hazel uncertainly coming back in, her eyes softening as he looked at the two of them, "The others are taking off up the mountain. You should… probably be ready to follow them."

"Right…" said Nico gruffly feeling anxiety creep up within him again. Percy seemed to sense it for he was looking at him worriedly as well. Feeling a sense of impending doom settle on him, Nico held onto Percy more tightly as he stood with him in his arms and turned to his sister, "Okay now Percy, Hazel and Frank are going to look after you for a short little bit."

"You're leaving?" exclaimed Percy looking devastated.

"Just for a little bit. I've got to keep away the mean ghosties, remember?" said Nico with a weak smile as he tried to hand the boy to Hazel.

"Noooo! I want to come too!" insisted Percy digging sharp little nails into Nico's jacket.

"You told me last night your scared of ghosts! So Hazel is going to keep you safe here." Nico reminded him as he attempted to work the small fingers lose without hurting the child.

"I can be brave! I want to go with you!" Percy insisted as tears started to stream down him face. Nico didn't know what to do, part of him wanted to do whatever it took not to see Percy cry, but another part of him wasn't willing to have Percy anywhere near any kind of danger. He quickly sent his sister a 'help me!' look and she stepped in.

"Come on Percy, Nico is going to come right back. And while he's gone, you and I are going to do something special!" Hazel coaxed the crying boy.

"No! I just want Nico!" wailed Percy clinging harder and Nico was reminded of how he would have given almost anything to hear Percy say that a few weeks ago.

"Oh but if Nico is here it will ruin the surprise!" sighed Hazel tragically, "I thought it would make him so excited too…"

"A surprise to make Nico happy?" asked Percy sniffing and looking at her wide eyed.

"Yes," said Hazel seriously her eyes twinkling, "Here let me tell you what, and then you can decide."

"What is it?" asked Percy uncertainly as he allowed himself to finally be removed from Nico's arms so Hazel could whisper in his ear. Nico watched warily as whatever his sister told him made the boy's eyes light up with delight, "Yes, yes! I want to do it!"

"But Nico has to go away otherwise we won't be able to surprise him." Hazel reminded him. They all held their breath as Percy thought about this.

"You promise to come back?" said Percy worriedly, his green eyes wide and shimmering.

"Of course." Nico promised and Hazel shot him a look, both of them probably thinking the same thing. The Prophecy. But Nico also was determined not to be the person the Prophecy spoke of. He had managed to not to be in the last Great Prophecy, and he wasn't going to be this time either if he could help it!

"Okay then," said Percy smiling happily, "Go away Nico so that you can come back!"

"Okay…" said Nico feeling a tightness in his chest. He hated goodbyes, or lack of them, ever since Bianca… he couldn't help but look at Percy and Hazel- the two people he probably cared about most in this world- and wonder bleakly if this would be the last time he saw either of them.

"Nico," said Hazel seeming to read his thoughts, her eyes worried even though she was still smiling for Percy, "Be careful."

"You too." said Nico earnestly his eye flicking to Percy's before going back to hers, "Both of you stay safe, okay?"

"Okay!" agreed Percy with a grin while Hazel nodded firmly. Before he could change his mind, Nico quickly ascended the stairs up onto deck.

"Whoa there death boy!" said Leo brightly nearly toppling into him, "I was just about to get you, the others should have gotten a safe distance ahead so you should be safe to follow behind. Probably."

"Can you tell me anything with certainty?" asked Nico testily.

"Erm…" said Leo awkwardly scratching his head with a glance at the sky, "It is almost definitely going to rain later."

"Wonderful." said Nico darkly as he pushed past the Latino.

"Though you could probably do that on your own Mr. Storm cloud. Geez, I forgot how moody you can be without lil' Percy around to brighten you up." said Leo hurrying to catch up with him.

"Shut up." Nico said shooting him a glare.

"See! I know we're on a super deadly end-of-the-world quest and all, but you need to-" began Leo dramatically before a large hand fell onto his shoulder.

"Let him be, Leo." Frank chided him. The two of them were still a little awkward around each other, but over all their relationship was improving. Frank fixed Nico with a shy, but still uncomfortably calculating look, "You ready?"

"The sooner I am gone, the sooner I can be back." said Nico shortly turning his back on the two and climbing onto the railing and catching ahold of the rope waiting for him.

"Nico!" Frank called making him turn as he fixed the son of Hades with a determined look, "I'll protect them you know."

"Hey, I will too! No one is getting past me and Festus!" Leo chimed in as well.

"You'd better." said Nico giving them both a long, hard, look before sliding down the rope into the small boat floating on the dark water.