Dear Readers,
Here's a new part! I hope you like it, so here you go! Sorry for the last "part" being a note from me... I just wanted you guys to know how much I appreciate your positivity! Please excuse any typos I may make, and enjoy!
Happy Reading!
<3 Lunie
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Will
Angel and Suzie were tight now, even after just a few days. We're flying back tomorrow, and Angel's not wasting any time in playing with Suzie. But Angel still didn't really like Nico, for whatever reason. When I asked her about it, she just told me that she didn't like how we had broken up and she didn't get to grow up with Suzie. How that translantes to hating Nico, I don't know.
Nico and I were in the kitchen, cooking together, just like old times. We were making waffles while the girls talked in the other room.
"Where's your scar?" Angel asks boldly. "In all the pictures you have a real ugly scar running across your face. It looked like whever cause it musta been painful. Where is it?"
Nico set down the plate and went to the doorway to make sure things were okay. I saw Suzie glance at him helplessly and he was instantly crouching next to them.
"Hey, Angel, honey?"
"What," Angel said primly, not looking at him.
"I need you to not ask about her scar, okay? It's a sensitive topic for us, and we don't want anyone to get upset. Okay?"
"Why's some dumb scar such a big deal? If I got a scar, I wouldn't care. People would still think I'm pretty. They say I got nice eyes," Angel replies. Nico glances at me, and then at Suzie, who is fighting back tears.
"Hey, guys, waffles are done," I call, ending the conversation. Nico looks at me gratefully, and Angel hops up and scurries to the kitchen table, grinning and laughing, oblivious to how upset Suzie is. When she's older she'll understand other people's feelings more.
Nico and Suzie talk in hushed tones in the living room, Suzie nodding and wiping her eyes, Nico kissing her forehead and rubbing her back, then they both laugh and hug eachother. Then they walk into the kitchen and sit at the table.
As I serve the waffles, Suzie says something to Nico and they laugh. I smile and sit down next to Angel, who's already shoving waffle in her mouth. We all giggle at her silly face.
Angel, oblivious to this, keeps eating. We join her in the land of delicious, steaming waffles.
Later that day, we go to the zoo. Angel was hyper all morning, unable to wait. Maybe that 16th sugar waffle wasn't such a good idea - she's practically bouncing off the walls at light speed.
When we arrive, Suzie insists that we go to the giraffes first. Nico explains on the way through the zoo.
"When we used to come here when she was little, I would put her on my shoulders and pretend that we were a giraffe, so they became her favorite. Now we always have to visit the giraffes first, so she can say hi to Sheila and Arnold. They're the giraffes."
"Oh," I say, smiling a little. Suzie seems to have gotten over this morning's episode, because she's holding Angel's hand and pointing out things and laughing with her. I hope that's not going to be a lasting memory, because Angel's not mature enough yet to understand how much words can hurt.
When we arrive at the large giraffe area, Suzie runs to the fence and yells, "HI SHEILA! HI ARNOLD! MY, UH, FRIEND ANGEL'S HERE. SHE WANTED TO SAY HI AS WELL!"
"HI SHEILA AND ARNOLD!" Angel yells. It's so sweet that they're talking to the giraffes, because the giraffes seem to know their names and turned when they were called. Almost like they were listening for Suzie, waiting for her return.
After lunch, we visit the big cats. Angel is fascinated by the tigers, and her face lights up when the tiger comes and flops down against the glass, and its large, orange eyes stare directly into her round blue ones. Suzie, showing her blood as a daughter of Hermes, sneaks up behind Angel. As Angel gets even more lost in the tiger's mesmerizing eyes, Suzie leans in close, ready to-
"ATTENTION ALL ZOO VISITORS."
Angel snaps out of the tiger's gaze. The rest of us are startled by the announcement as well, including the tiger.
"WE WOULD LIKE TO STATE THAT THE ZOO WILL BE CLOSING IN ONE HOUR, SO YOU SHOULD PLAN THE REST OF YOUR TRIP ACCORDINGLY. THANK YOU."
"Let's go," Nico says, and Suzie nods and walks over to us. Angel, however, is hard to pry away from the tiger. And I swear that when Angel finally turns away, the tiger looks disappointed. if tigers can feel disappointment.
That evening, we visit Camp Half-Blood. I'm nervous, and afraid that people will hate me for making Nico almost kill himself and practically wrecking Suzie's life. Nico assures me that they won't.
When we arrive, Suzie breathes a sigh of relief. She looks so comfortable and natural here, and goes to the bathroom first thing. When she comes back, a pale pink scar is running across her face. Was she wearing makeup?
"I see you've already shed your disguise," Nico says playfully to Suzie, picking her up.
"It feels like I'm wearing a mask when I cover it up, but I like it better than people staring. Here people know me, and I don't have to worry about judgement!"
"Well said!" Nico praises her, and we walk towards the Big House. Everything about here brings back memories of my teen years, spent here learning and fighting and healing. And, of course, this is where we met, Nico and I.
The one person I hadn't even dreamed would be here shows up, and the situation is more than awkward.
Who might that be? Thalia. With Angel, her blood-daughter, right next to me.
"Hey Nico, Will!" She says, running up to us. "And hi, Suzie. Have you grown in the last week? I swear you didn't used to be this tall!"
"Thalia!" Suzie hugs her and Thalia laughs. Then Nico and I embrace her warmly.
"And who's this?" Thalia says, looking at Angel. And then her smile melts away and her face reflects shock.
"This is Angel, my daughter," I say, slowly, hoping she'll understand.
"But, but she- oh no, that's- I gotta go," she says, backing away, horrified. Then she turns around and runs.
Angel looks up at me, worried. "What was wrong with her?"
"It's... not important right now," I say, not looking her in the eye. We head to the Big House to tell Chiron of our arrival. He welcomes Nico and Suzie warmly, and smiling crisply at me.
"Who's this?" he asks, looking at Angel. Angel seems intimidated by the giant centaur, even thought he's more like a stern grandfather than anything else.
"My daughter, Angel."
"Who's her godly parent? I mean, by birth."
"She's... a granddaughter of a god," I reply tentatively. I never told her about her real mother, and Thalia hasn't seen her since she gave her up.
"Alright. I hope you like it here, young Angel. Suzie, how about you show your sister-"
"She's not my sister."
"Okay, then. How about you and Angel go find some activity to try. I know you love the archery!" Suzie smiles and nods, then kisses Nico on the cheek before rushing off. Chiron beckons us inside once they have gone off.
When we are inside and alone, Chiron looks at me, the crispness gone. I guess he sees that Nico is okay around me.
"Who's Angel related to, really? I'd like to know."
I glance at Nico, and he nods. "She's a granddaughter of Zeus. And a daughter of..." I lower my voice significantly, "Thalia."
Chiron is silent, processing this information. "So Thalia broke her oath to a god."
"Not purposefully. She made a mistake and got herself trapped with a man who was interested and... it wasn't consenting, it was more like rape," Nico says in defense of Thalia.
"I see. Does Artemis know that this is how it was brought about?"
"Yes. She wasn't pleased with Thalia for getting into that situation, but ultimately she had a lot of godly rage to unleash on that guy. Let's just say he won't be getting a job any time soon, what with the broken bones and the questionable background that she made."
Suzie comes running in, breathless. "Come see! Angel's really good at shooting her bow!" Nico heads out, and I make a move to follow, but-
"Will, could I have a word?"
I turn around and face Chiron.
"Yes, Chiron?"
He looks me in the eye in the way that used to make me crumble. It still shakes my foundation.
"Does Nico know who you're working for?"
My eyes flicker from his face, and my reply comes softly. "No. But I'm trying to tell him."
"He should know soon, before you totally grow together again. He won't be happy that you kept it from him, and he's still repairing from the last event with you."
"I- I'll try to tell him."
"Please do it soon. I know you're not bad, and there was a lot of miscommunication and messed up feelings during that time, I know. But I just want you to be careful." He pulls my chin up so I'm looking at him, like he used to when I was little. The tears in my eyes are also reminiscent of that time. "I love you like my own son, you know that. I only want you and Nico to be happy."
I nod, and then turn away, wiping my eyes.
I do hear the comment not meant for me, however, which was muttered under Chiron's breath.
"The Community of the Experimentals is probably not the best job for the husband of a test subject."
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Yay for more than 1600 words! And let's welcome back our old friend, Mr. Plot Twist!
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it would make me very happy if you left me a comment telling me what you thought! It might motivate me to update more..... naw, you don't have to if you don't want to.
I will try to update soon, this chapter has been a couple days in the making, it's the middle of the week, my plan is to update again this weekend, so let's hope that works out! *crosses fingers, toes, legs, arms, eyes*
See you in my next chapter! Well, I'll write to you and you'll read it, I won't actually see you... I WISH YOU'RE ALL SO BEAUTIFUL!
Love you!
<3 Lunie