Nico Di Angelo- demigod.

He leaned on the railing. His head was pounding. He wanted to cry. He wanted to sob, and just let go of everything. He wanted to leave. He felt trapped. He was afraid again.

His dark eyes peered down on the empty streets of Survivor City. Why was no one up? Why wasn't there more people, kids, adults, here? Why wasn't there any laughter, smiling faces, something to hide the fact that they were only shadows of once powerful, heroic races?

Why couldn't they just pretend like they weren't broken beyond repair?

He shook. Because they weren't him. Because they weren't void of emotions, they weren't use to the pain, they weren't lying to themselves.

He clutched his fists. They needed someone to lift their spirits. Someone to lead them. That's how they managed to find this place. To trust each other. Percy was that leader. Percy had stayed strong for them. But Percy was gone now.

No, not again. He started to shake. His heart pounded in his chest. Blood roared in his ears. His vision blurred. His back erupted with pain.

Flashes of the attack ran through his head. He couldn't breath. Tears fell blindingly down his face. He toppled to the ground. Oh Gods, no! Please!

He walked through New Rome, wearing his jacket of shadows. He ignored the sounds of peacefully happy couples laughing and talking at the tables outside the cafè. He saw Rachel and, surprisingly Octavian, sharing a plate of fries, Frank and Hazel laughing and holding hands, and then he saw Reyna. All alone. He stopped walking, feeling something he never really felt before. Well before Percy. But Percy was with Annabeth, so....Why not?

He started over to her. What would he say? What if she didn't like him?  What if...

"Nico?" suddenly an Iris Message appeared in front of him. Percy and Annabeth stood together hand in hand, looking worried. "Nico do you have a minute? This is extremely important."

Nico looked past them at Reyna, her back to him. Surely it wasn't that important. Surely they could talk another time. It was probably just some stupid errand they needed him to run. He couldn't miss this opportunity.

That's what he wanted to believe.

"Sorry, guys, I'm busy..." Nico tired an apoplectic smile. Before they could protest he swiped his hand through the mist. And walked towards Reyna.

Maybe if he had stayed a little longer....Maybe if he listened...Maybe if he'd hadn't pushed them aside...

He sat in the empty chair across from Reyna. She barely looked up from the salad she was stabbing. A piece of her dark hair had fallen from her perfectly braided tail, and was settled over her eyes. She had been crying recently. She was trying not to show it. But he was a master at reading emotions.

"Can I help you, Di Angelo?" She asked her voice hard like stone.

Nico gave her one of his rare smiles. "You just did."

"Please go. I'm not in the mood." She let a slight waver in her voice out.

"What's wrong, Reyna?"

"Leave."

"Reyna."

"I said leave me alone!" Reyna shouted standing up and knocking back her chair, causing a couple of people to look over. She glared at them and then at him. Her stance was guarded, her voice and mind repelling him but her eyes gave her away. She was barely holding it together.

She turned on heel and marched away. Nico felt the stares of the others in the cafe but he didn't look back. Instead he placed the payment for Reyna's salad on the table and then he got up after her.

He found her where she always was; the gardens. Wind blew through her hair and seeing as she thought she was alone, tears ran down her face.She hugged herself tightly, as if the world would fall apart if she let go.

"Reyna." Nico said quietly.

"Go away!" She cried. Nico noticed she was shaking with sobs.

"Reyna, tell me what's wrong." Nico said. "Please?"

Reyna looked at him. He could practically hear her thoughts. She didn't want to say anything. She wanted to keep the sadness to herself. But she wanted to tell someone. She needed to tell someone.

Suddenly she flung herself at him sobbing a stream of incoherent words. Nico stumbled and almost fell with surprise but he stayed upright and held her. His heart tugged in his chest. What does he do? How should he comfort her?

"Reyna, calm down." He whispered into her ear. "It's okay. I'm here. Calm down, Shhh....." He rocked her from side to side and talked to her calmly. Gradually her sobs became softer, until all that was left was a small hiccup and dried tears.

Reyna pulled away from their tight embrace, leaving him slightly cold. She wiped the rest of the tears away. "Thank you, Nico." She said shakily.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He said gently.

She stared off the edge of the garden into the view of New Rome below. She was quiet for a long time. He started with her watching the crowd of Romans walk around and the sun sank lower into the sky. The sky itself was a scenery of oranges, pinks, and purples, displayed onto the clouds like a painting. He was about to leave, figuring she didn't really want talk, when she started.

"Remember that day after the defeat of Gaia? When we sent her back to sleep with the help of Ouranos, The sky?" Nico nodded, not that she could see him. "Octavian foresaw something that day. Rachel tried saying a Prophecy but something was blocking the Oracle from seeing that far. Octavian said he saw a glimpse of something bombing the Amazons."

Nico furrowed his brow trying to remember why Reyna was concerned for the Amazons, and then remembered Reyna's sister, Hylla, was the leader.

"Octavian spent two weeks trying to see further, but when he finally did all he could see was New Rome charred to the ground." Reyna sniffled. Tears came back rolling down her cheeks and she didn't even try to hide them. "Yesterday, I was Iris Messaging Hylla and I watched as....as..."

Reyna burst into tears again. "As The Entire Room BLEW UP!"

Nico stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. She sobbed into his jacket clinging to him. He held her, trying to reassure her, he wouldn't let anything happen to her. He couldn't find the words.

"I have to evacuate the entire New Rome. That could take weeks." Reyna sobbed. "I don't want anyone to die!"

Nico looked down at her. Even when she was sobbing uncontrollably, Red eyed, and miserable, she looked as beautiful as Aphrodite. He gently lifted her head up, so she was looking to his eyes.

Even in the sadness he saw the light of her eyes.

He leaned in and kissed her.

For a second nothing else mattered to him. For a second he felt sparks fly between them. For a second he could taste her salty tears mixed with the strawberry lip gloss she wore. For a second he put as much passion as he could into that little kiss. For a second she replied with the same amount. For a second everything was perfect. For a second he was more alive than he'd ever been.

Then that second ended, along with the entire New Rome.

Pain exploded in Nico's back and he pulled away gasping. Gunfire and screams could be hear around the garden. Nico toppled to the ground pain attacking every nerve in his body. Reyna screamed. Explosions shook the ground.

Reyna.

Where was Reyna?

He forced the pain out of his head. He needed to find Reyna. He needed to make sure she was okay. Red and orange and black filled the sky blocking the view of the sunset. Nico didn't have to look far.

Reyna was on the ground next to him. Blood leaked through her shirt, straining the ground. Reyna looked at him the light flickering in her eyes.

"Hold on." He said through gritted teeth. He struggled to crawl closer, within hand holding each. He grabbed her hand, though every movement felt like a sword in his back.

Nico shadow travelled them...somewhere. He wasn't concentrating. By the time he grabbed her hand, the light was gone.

She was gone.

Nico's head spun. His back still felt the pain. His eyes leaked tears. Sobs racked his body. Black blurred the edge of his vision. It wasn't fair. He only had her for a second, then she was ripped cruelly from him. He couldn't even visit her in the underworld anymore.

It wasn't the first time he had a black out like that.

He needed to find someone. Anyone. He needed help. The pain in his back was like a thousand sharp daggers in his skin.He yelled out in agony, hoping for someone to hear.

There was no one on this side of town.

He crawled towards the door that lead back into the condo. If he could reach the wall phone he could call for help. Call for help. For help....

Who would help him?

Who was left to help him?

Nico looked at the white phone on the wall. It seemed so far away.

Too far.

Every nerve in his body was on fire.

Too far.

Reyna's hand was too far. He wasn't fast enough. The light left her eyes. The screams, the pain. Reyna. The sun set. The kiss. The light leaving her eyes. Too slow. Too far.

Nico felt the room spin. Then he closed his eyes.

Then Nico Di Angelo gave up.