Fate Withstands

Chapter 10

"So this is the Door of Orpheus. How does it open?" Percy asked.

"We need music," Nico said. "How about your singing?"

Percy blushed at the memory. Nico often heard him singing in the shower before he eventually broke the news that it was able to be heard throughout the apartment.

"Um, no. Can't you just, like, tell it to open? You're the son of Hades and all."

"It's not so easy. We need music."

Percy turned around. "I have a better idea. GROVER!"

They waited for a while. Nico finally agreed to after Percy explained to him about the empathy link, sitting on the cold ground with his arms wrapped tightly around himself.

"This reminds me of something," Nico whispered after some time. Percy had sat next to him, the cold feeling finally mutual.

"What's it remind you of?" Percy asked.

Nico reached a finger out and trailed it over some of the dirt. "The war." It was the only thing he didn't talk about, and Percy knew better than to bring it up. Over the weeks of knowing Nico, he had learned to change the subject as quick as possible.

"Nico, why are you so okay with going back to the Underworld?" Percy asked. "Aren't you scared you're going to get stuck down there again?"

Nico moved his face into the shadows, something he only did when Percy caught him in a lie. "Everything will be fine. We're not going near the fields."

"Yeah, whatever you say." Percy looked away from the son of Hades, knowing that he was hiding something. "So, how does it work again?"

"I'll explain better when we're down there." Nico's shivers were growing more violent and intense. His teeth began to chatter. "B-But you'll have t-to anchor y-yourself using a happy thought. A s-strong thought."

Percy focused more on his link as the fear that Nico would freeze to death kicked in. Grover. Something hummed back. Then an image came into his head, showing Grover asleep in some clearing.

Grover, wake up.

Unnnh-zzzzz.

Dude, you're covered in dirt. Wake up!

Sleepy, his mind murmured.

FOOD, Percy suggested. PANCAKES!

Grover woke up, but it was more violent than Percy anticipated. Memories came shooting forward before the whole image shattered.

"W-What happened?" Nico caught him before he could fall on his side.

"I got through. He's . . . yeah. He's on his way." Percy pulled himself up.

A minute later, the tree next to them shivered. Grover fell out of the branches, right on his head.

"Grover!" Percy yelled. Nico jumped in surprise.

"Woof!" Mrs. O'Leary looked up.

"Blah-haa-haa!" Grover bleated.

"You okay, man?"

"Oh, I'm fine." He rubbed his head. "I was at the other end of the park. The dryads had this great idea of passing me through the trees to get me here. They don't understand height very well."

"Good to see you, G-man," Percy said. "This is Nico di Angelo."

Grover kept a noticeable distance from Nico but kept the question in that might be seen as rude. But Percy could tell what Grover wanted to ask. Why are you in Central Park with a shade? Nico still shivered to himself, either not caring or not noticing Grover's look.