Hey everybody I'm back! I'm soooooooooooooo freaking sorry I haven't been able to post in forever! I was finally allowed to get back on the computer at the start of summer (June) but my life was really hectic and I really had a hard time getting a chance to write! I was a good for a while and tried to write in a notebook before I got my computer back. Guess what happened to the notebook. POOF! Gone and I have no idea where! I've also had a seriously bad case of writers block for a while now but I think I'm finally over it! Don't expect too many regular updates but I should be posting way more often! Certainly not a huge gap like this time!

Sorry this chapter is really dark. I know a lot of FF writers have dark chapters cause it reflects their mood, but I'm in a great mood (except I'm about to fall asleep on the keyboard) I just for some reason needed a dark chapter. Sorry if it bothers you but some parts will come back to be really important, I did put most of it in for a reason!

MAX/Bella (haha, poor Max!) POV

"All right kids, just let me know if you need anything. You're rooms are both up the stairs and down the hall, please try and make yourself at home." At man with light brown hair and warm brown eyes says kindly, leading us into his home.

I give him an honest, albeit small, smile. "Thanks for everything Charlie. It really is great of you to do this for us."

He just waved his hand dismissively at the gratitude. "It's nothing -Max right?"

I shook my head quickly, now glaring at the wall opposite us as I manage to growl between my teeth, "Bella, just call me Isabella."

Charlie looks rather afraid for a minute that I was angry at him, then the annoying pain in the butt standing slightly behind me, that for some I call my friend, couldn't hold back his snort and automatically my glare shifted to him. Nico just ignored my death stare and smirked slightly at the still worried looking Charlie. "Don't worry about her, she's just peeved at the name she was forced to use."

The now confused man turned to me, "What's wrong with the name Bella? I think it's quite beautiful." (Sorry, I couldn't resist! Bella means Beautiful in Italian!)

"Let's just say that our Bella here can be a little hard headed about some things. Such as even coming anywhere near anything girly. Right my friend?"

My eyes narrowed on their own accord, and as per usually I was about to make a snarky comment about not being hard headed, when I looked in to Nico's eyes and saw something I hadn't seen in them for weeks. Happiness. So, I shook my irritation off and and set off, tromping up the stairs to find our promised rooms. I heard Nico snicker, and Charlie, ever trying to be the good host, called after me to tell me to let him know if I needed anything. You know, he might be one of the very few decent men I've met.

NICO POV (It's funny, in the beginning Nico was not supposed to be a huge character! Now I Freaking love him! Not in a / way though, sorry.)

Watching Max's retreating figure I shot Charlie a grateful smile before turning and following her up the stairs to my own room. As soon as I was out of sight the smile slid away, as did all the good humor Max had brought about. My room was at the end of the hall to the left, and I took a moment to notice what it looked looked like as I walked in. Obviously Charlie was aware of my blood status and had painted accordingly. My bed was black and the cover was sleek, almost shiny looking, the walls were all painted a dark gray with different shades swirling in disorganized patterns, in the corner near a small book shelf that looked perfect for holding nicknacks, was a black bean bag painted with a large skull on it. Actually, the only true color in the room came from the window that looked over the street, and the rich dark wood flooring. All in all the perfect room for a son of Hades. I nodded at the room and immediately moved to begin unpacking. Taking no time at all to place the only thing I have left of my sister, the Mythomagic figure of Hades she got just for my collection, on my book shelf, I spent the rest of the day taking my time putting all my possessions away.

Max POV

My room to put it simply, was beautiful. The walls were painted a bright sky blue with fluffy clouds scattered around giving it the illusion of a real sky. Wall to wall there looked to be just enough space for me to spread my wings all the way (although I don't think Charlie knows about the wings), in the middle of the room was a bed with silky looking sheets that were blue tinged with green and seemed to ripple and flow like the ocean. Best of all was the large shuttered window that opened out to uninhabited forests and skyway.

The desk in the corner was the perfect place for the laptop my mom had given me last time I saw her. Yeah, that's right, my mom. I got back in contact with her a few months ago when I managed to convince Bianca to shadow travel me to her house. I couldn't help smiling as I thought back on the moment.


I stood in the shadows watching the house. It looked the same as the last time I had left it all those years ago, homey and inviting. I couldn't find it in my self walk up to the door. It had been two and a half years, would my family still care about me? Would they even remember the girl who had shown up on their doorstep with a bloody wing, claiming to be their long lost family member? And even if they did remember me, even if they did still care for the girl the had known, would they be able to accept the new me? I had been through so much more than when we first met, my physical scars may have faded but the ones in my mind were still as sharp as ever. Too much had changed for me to revert back to being the person I once was.

I was jarred from these thoughts by a soft hand placing itself on my shoulder. "It's going to be okay Max. They're going to love you, I know they will." I turned and stared hopefully into earnest onyx eyes. "And if things don't work out," she shrugged, "Then I guess I'll just have to make sure those shadows in the closet grow a little bit larger!" She gave me a smirk that was so evil even now I couldn't resist a small chuckle. "But seriously Max, you have nothing to worry about, I would kill to have a sister like you.

"I pull the girl I had practically begun to see as my little sister into a quick hug. "Thanks Bi, I needed that." I let her go and determinedly strode up to the front door and rang the bell. I shot Bianca one last look just in time to see her wave bye and sink into the shadows and vanish. Well folks, I guess it's show time.

A moment later a heard the sound of my moms voice asking someone to get the door. I swallowed. Just stay cool Max, just stay cool!

"No problem!" A male voice answered and my forehead wrinkled in confusion. A moment later the door swung wide open and I found myself face to face with man who looked to be in his early twenties. Most likely the one who was talking with my mom. "Hello, can I help you?" He asked politely.

I hesitated just a moment. "Hi, I can to see Valencia Martinez. Is she home?"

Never losing his professional demeanor he calmly answered, "Sorry, but she's busy at the moment and doesn't have time for visitors. Have a nice day."

He started closing the door so I quickly stuck my foot out to block it. "Wait! Can you just give her a message for me? Tell her it's Max. Just that."

He nodded his head reluctantly and I let him go back inside. A moment later I heard footsteps pounding and the door was thrown open once again. This time I found myself facing Mom, looking almost the exact same as the last time I saw her except for a tiredness that hadn't been in her eyes before and the addition of a few more gray hairs. She just stood there, staring at me. "Max?" She whispered finally, almost too low for me to hear. I gave her a nervous smile. "MAX! It's you!" She threw herself at me and encased me bone crushing hug while I held her just as tightly.

"Hi Mom."


The smile kind of disappeared when I remembered the conversation that followed.


An hour later I found myself sitting next to her on a couch eating some of her famous cookies. "So how's Ella?" I finally got up the nerve to ask. Moms face fell and my blood ran cold. "She's alright isn't she? I got her out of there! I watched myself as she came free! The School didn't take her again did they!" I asked, near hyperventilating at the thought of my sweet innocent little sister being hurt. And yes you did read that right. Ella was captured by the school, it was the starting block that lead to me being kicked out of my own flock. I'll explain more later.

Mom grabbed my hand and gave me a forced reassuring look in an attempt to calm me down. "She's fine, just at school (The normal kind people!) right now, she should be home in a few hours."

"Well then what's the problem?"

Mom sighed. "Physically she's a lot better now, she was pretty beat up after being held for so long, but she's long since gained back the weight she lost and for the most part she's doing great! But, she's not the same as she used to be. It's like she's still haunted by what was done to her. She rarely talks, she's so skittish now, and in a lot of ways it just seems like the fire was taken out of her. She's just a shell."

My head hung and guilt was pounding through my head. It was my fault she was taken. I should never have let those bastard white coats take her! Jeb is going to pay for this one day. "I hate to bring the pain back, but do you know what was done to her? Did she tell you anything?" I whispered.

She nodded and in a near silent tone proceeded to tell me what had been done to my sweet, innocent, little sister. Thankfully Ella was only at the School for a little under two weeks but in that amount of time they had managed to squeeze in plenty of blood, running, and even fighting tests. Twice they had trapped Ella in a closed room with an Eraser as a way to test her fighting skills. Both times she woke up the next day battered and bloody with a killer headache from being knocked unconscious. Yeah, fighting lessons didn't go over so well.

When Mom finished talking we both say in silence for a few minutes before I finally spoke out in a broken voice, "She's lucky."

"What?" Mom exclaimed, shocked and appalled.

"She's lucky." I repeated, "Things could have been a whole lot worse, and probably would have if she hadn' t gotten out of there. Trust me on that. I'm just so sorry she had to go through it in the first place. I wish I could have done more to help get her out of there sooner."

"What do you mean help her more?" Panic flared through me as I realized where I'd slipped up. A look of comprehension crossed her face and fear filled her gentle eyes. "And what did you mean you watched her go free?" I didn't answer and I felt her watching me anxiously. "Max, where have you been for the last two years?" She asked near inaudibly, hoping wouldn't answer the way she knew I would.

I turned my head away. "It was worth it," I muttered. "They didn't want the girls, they just wanted me and there was no way I was going to let anyone else suffer when I could stop it."

"You let just let them have you!" Mom cried appalled.

I shook my head quickly, "They already had me! After the flock left me-"

"Wait! The flock left you!"

I shot her a look that either said 'I'll tell you about it later,' or 'I absolutely don't want to talk about it.' I'm not sure which one it was. "Anyway, I was injured and and next day a bunch of erasers took me captive. Of course, I was royally pissed off and for days I was impossible for them to work with. So they to the incentive to tell me if I behaved they would agree to let them go and never bother them again. I was an easy decision really." I finished casually, not regretting anything in the least.

Mom seemed to realize that nothing she could say would ever make me see what I had done her way so she didn't even try. She just pulled me to her and held me, whispering in my ear that she wished I had never had to go through that. To which I responded, "Better me than someone who would have been destroyed by what was done." She just held me tighter.


After my little revelation, Mom seemed determined to keep the conversation happy. We spent the hours till Ella got home just talking. I told her I had found Camp Halfblood, and she told me stories of my dad. That night, and many nights after that, I took the time just to enjoy having a family. In the week I was with them I told them everything, not the specifics of what they'd done to me (I'm not that stupid), but what had happened with the flock. It was at the end of my stay with them my mom gave me the laptop, claiming it made up for years where she wasn't there for my birthday. I still email them as often as I can. I've discovered that if I go way off shore outside the protective bubble of camp I can sit happily on the waves and browse the internet. I love that part of being part god. None of the normal laws of nature have to apply to me.

Just like his sister had done all those months ago, Nico pulled me out of my thoughts and memories by tapping on my door. "Come, Charlie says diners ready." I sent him a quick smile, dropped the backpack I was still carrying, and rushed down the hall to find me some chow. Trying to leave all the memories behind me.

Nico POV (I was going to end the chapter there cause I'm exhausted, but I feel really bad for not updating so here you are!)

He slowly climbed the small set of stairs to climb in front of everyone. A mob of faces looked back at mean, only a few recognizable through the tears blurring his vision. "Bianca was the best older sister I could ever have asked for. She was kind, passionate, and stubborn as a mule. Today I stand here not to say my final goodbyes, or to prove to everyone here that my sister was as amazing and they'd heard or believed. No, I'm up here today because I couldn't bare living the rest of my life looking back on this day wishing I had spoken. My sister was all I had and all I can remember ever having. We supported each other when life was hard. She was my best friend and I know I was hers. It's impossible to imagine a world without her in it. It will never be the same without her by my side, without her there to keep me sane." His voice dropped to a hoarse whisper, "I know you're here Bianca. You would never let one of Dads rules keep you from coming back one last time. So this is to you. You're the best sister I could ever hope for, my best friend. I love you, and I swear on my life and all you or I has ever believed in, I'll never forget you... Goodbye."

"It's all your fault you know."

His head jerked to the left to find the person I had least expected to see glaring at me. "Bi?"

She doesn't answer, just keeps walking towards him. Her eyes were dark and sunken, her skin purple and gray, while she was still dressed in the clothes she died in. A simple set of silver pants and a jacket, the uniform of a huntress of Artemis. To Nico her attire was ironic, mocking how as a supposed immortal she had been killed her very first mission. Life just wasn't fair.

As if sensing his thoughts the corpse spoke again, "It's not Artemis's fault Nico. You were the one who wanted the Mythomagic collectible, I was only getting it for you." She seemed so sad and vulnerable. "I loved you Nico! Why did you have to hurt me?" The brightly lit dais he had been standing on disappeared and he found himself in a dark place, only the light from the moon and the eerie glow secreted by his sister allowed him the recognize the place to be a junk yard. Piles or trash everywhere, casting long shadows that for once felt solid and dangerous.

"I didn't mean to! I never wanted you to get hurt, if I'd known I never would have collected them! You're all that matters to me!" He cried helplessly as shapes solidified out of the shadows and began a slow march towards him.

"If that's true why have you replaced me? You promised you would never forget me Nico. Why have you broken that promise?"

"What! No, I could never replace you Bi, you're the only sister I have!"

"You only waited a few weeks after my death to leave Nico. You've left me. You left me to go with Max. You've replaced me with Max."

The shadow creatures were grabbing at his clothes, ripping them to shreds. His sisters accusations turned into a whispered chant at the creatures started pulling him down."Noooo! Bianca that's not true!" He cried, struggling to fight against the shadows that were claiming his body, if only to have a chance me make her understand. He never meant for it to happen!

Bianca just continued chanting, ignoring his cries and pleas. "You were all that I had Nico and you replaced me, you betrayed, you left me." His head started swimming and the last thing he heard before everything was gone was her broken voice, echoing as if heard from a great distance, whispered just loud enough he could here it. "You said you loved me. You broke your promise."


I woke with a start and shot bolt upright in bed, breathing hard and my pulse pounding. My body was drenched in a cold sweat and my hands were shaking like a leaf. All I could hear was Bianca's voice echoing in my mind, repeating over and over I broke my promise to her. I broke my promise.