To Hold Up the Sky (Percico/Pernico)

Chapter 43: Will The Dreaded Normal Return At Last?

Annabeth ignored Percy’s question, her eyes glittering with hope at the recent news. “Rachel says there’s a way to restore the world before it was crushed. Including the people that died from Ouranos’s weight.”

Nico stared. “You’re kidding right? You can’t reverse death that easily.” He knew that Annabeth had a mortal family that could’ve easily died. The son of Hades figured it was her insanely hoping for a miracle. But when Rachel agreed, Nico couldn’t believe his ears.

“You can’t.” Rachel agreed. “But with this, we can.” She held up Gaea’s staff, the thing pulsing with abundant energy. Nico couldn’t help but glance at Percy when the oracle said this. The son of Poseidon was staring at the staff.

Nico looked over at Katie’s cold body, which stopped bleeding ages ago. Did this mean his friend would return too?

“How did it get so much energy?” Annabeth asked. “Katie had to give up her life to replenish the staff so she could save Percy.”

Rachel’s eyes widened for a second. She seemed to come to a conclusion. Nico noticed the way she glanced at Katie’s body. “I...I think Katie’s life didn’t just give the staff energy for seconds.” The oracle told them. “She did something else.” Her piercing green eyes looked over at Nico sympathetically. “I’m sorry Nico, but whatever she did isn’t going to bring her back.”

All his tiredness flew back into his bones. Nico felt numb, feeling stupid for believing that the people he cares about would return to him. He looked over at Percy, his brain chanting with the likely possibility that Percy wouldn’t be the exception. Sure, he almost died and came back. But what about later? The crushed hope was too much.

‘Nico!’ A voice hissed at him. Startled out of his thought, Nico looked around, trying to locate the source.

Then he saw her.

Katie’s shimmering form stood next to the staff, the usual happy, joyful expression on her face. She smiled when Nico’s eyes met hers, eyes crinkling. ‘I’m so glad I get to see you!’ Katie exclaimed.

The son of Hades didn’t miss how he was the only one who could see her. He felt like slapping himself, for it was obvious now that Katie’s presence was still here. ‘What are you doing here?!’ Nico hissed in his mind. ‘You should be in the underworld!’

‘What do you think silly!’ Katie scoffed. Her dirt brown eyes sparkled with her usual energy, making Nico furiously blink back the sudden heat in his eyes. ‘I’m here to help!’

‘But you’re dea-’ Nico stopped short when he realized why she wasn’t waiting in line for her death trial.

Katie smiled sadly. ‘I’m doing this for everyone Nico.’

‘Nonononono.’ Nico clutched his hair, ignoring the fact that the five had stopped talking and gave him worried looks. It was happening all over again. ‘This isn’t happening’ He chanted in his head over and over again, hoping that if he said it enough reality wouldn’t become true.

‘Oh for goodness sake.’ Katie rolled her eyes with exasperation. ‘Nico, look at me.’ She ordered.

Nico looked up to see her only a foot or two away. Katie stood with her dirt brown eyes gazing at him sadly. ‘I’m so sorry Nico. Its the only way everything can go back to the way it used to be. You know that, right?’

Nico glared at her. ‘I don’t want things to go back to normal Katie!’ Nico yelled at her. ‘I thought I was never going to get better. I thought that I was stuck living a life with nothing and no one.‘ His eyes began to burn. ‘This journey made me closer to people than I ever thought I could be.’

He paused, putting all his effort into keeping his tears at bay. His second friend was leaving for good. Just like Bianca (Nico's sister chose to get reborn).

‘Wanna know a secret?’ Katie suddenly asked, a mischievous smile on her face. The daughter of Demeter  looked like the time when she asked him to run ahead of the group with her, making a pang of grief strike him.

‘What?’ Nico sighed.

‘When I tied my soul into the staff, I told myself that it was ok.’ Katie started. ‘ Do you know why it’ll be ok?’

Nico didn’t answer.

‘Because when that staff unleashes ALL its energy, I’ll be all over the world!’ Katie exclaimed. Her eyes turned far away, leaving the present as the excitement consumed her. ‘Can you imagine what it would be like? To be everywhere at once like the gods, to watch the sun rise and set each and the world change every day?’ She looked at the setting sun with starry eyes. ‘I don’t have to sit around in the dusty old underworld! I get to see everything!’

Her eyes softened when she looked at Annabeth. ‘I get to be with her Nico. Even though its definitely not the way I thought I would be, this is the closest I’ll ever be to her.’ Katie looked at him pleadingly, trying to make him understand. “Don’t you see? I want this!”

Nico sighed and looked at the ground. He knew that it was the best option, but it didn’t make it any less painful. ‘This is the last time I’ll ever see you won’t it.’

Katie huffed in annoyance. “Honestly Nico, it doesn’t matter! Even though you won’t see or hear me, I’m going to be there every step of the way.’ She glared at him. ‘And don’t you think about bailing out on telling Percy about your true feelings for him, you got that?’

As soon as she finished her sentence, her form started to fade, slowly being sucked into the staff as it readied to fire. Nico’s eyes widened as she became more and more transparent, the grass and sky behind her turning greener and bluer. ‘I’ll be fine!’ Katie told him. ‘Don’t worry about me, ok?’

And with that, she disappeared into the wind.

Suddenly, the staff shot a blast of green energy around itself, picking up the demigods (Octavian's sword went flying somewhere). The green light pulsed as it swept across the damaged world, raising the buildings and plants as it pass over acres and acres of land.

Soon enough, New York loomed over the horizon, the squashed tall buildings staining the ground with a depression grey. When the magic of the staff passed over it however, they watched their home city literally raise from the ground. The wave of green magic dropped them off in Central Park, a familiar woman that Nico figured out who it was on the spot.

“Percy!” The woman yelled, running forward to give him a hug.

“Mom!” Percy wrapped his arms around his mother gratefully, silently crying into her shoulder.

Nico watched the mother and son reunite with a small smile, his heart  throbbing with his love’s happiness. He wanted to hug Percy so badly, but he didn’t know if he could…

“Oof!” He felt his small frame squished like a bug as Percy gave him a quick hug.

“We made it!” Percy whooped, pumping a fist into the air. He gave Nico a smile. “We did it.”

“Yeah, we did.” Nico answered curtly. “We’re alive.”

“Oh, com’on Nico!” Percy nudged him. “Everything’s great now! Everything’s back to normal!”

“Yeah. It is.” Nico replied. He tried to drown his feeling of depression at his love's words and couldn't.

 He couldn't take another second of it.

As soon as he finished his short reply, Nico jumped into the nearest shadow, leaving Percy standing there with shock of his face.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hmm, I smell a confession coming...hehe...

QUESTION: Do you think Percy and Nico will kiss in the next chapter? Or do you think I'll be a troll?xD