NICO
I wake in sweats again. Flashbacks and nightmares and everything I don't want to remember. I feel weak.
I sit up in my bed, and look over to Hazel. She sleeps, blanket drawn to her chin. She mutters lightly in her sleep, but she doesn't stir. I watch her for a moment, assuring myself that she's safe. She's okay.
I pull a jacket on and step outside. It's warm, but the sun hasn't risen yet. The war was just under a week ago and I haven't been able to sleep longer than an hour or so at a time. And when I do finally sleep, my dreams have been worse than ever - back in Tartarus.
I sit on the bench outside my cabin. Close my eyes. I try to stop myself thinking about it. I don't fuel the thoughts. I distract myself, or do everything I can to do so.
I open my eyes and see the door to the infirmary open. A boy steps out. Blonde and tall. I watch him stretch, look up to the sky as the sun starts to rise. I recognise him from the war. He was the one who nearly got us both killed. I don't remember his name.
I stare at him. He doesn't move, just basks in the sun for a moment before heading back inside.
People start coming out of their cabins a while later. In groups, talking laughing. I watch, crosses legged on the bench.
'Hey.' Hazel says, making me jump, 'Sorry. I thought you heard me.'
'It's fine.' I say. She sits next to me, her head on my shoulder.
'I don't have to leave.' She says. I smile, taking her hand.
'I'll be fine.' I insist, 'the Romans need you more than I do.'
She looks to me, eyebrows raised. She doesn't believe me.
'You could come.' She says, 'Reyna wants you to. Frank and me will be there too. You could come with us.'
I smile and shake my head, 'I've done enough moving. I'm going to stick it out for a while.'
She rests her head on my shoulder again, 'I'm going to miss you.' She says.
'I'll miss you too.' I say.
We head over to the dining area, and there's a somber mood. The Romans are returning. A lot of campers are heading back to their homes and families.
Jason, Percy, Hazel and I have all combined our small cabins to a collective. We usually sit together on one of the tables, but this time we're joined by everyone else. Annabeth, Piper, Frank, and Reyna. At first it's quiet, reserved, but quickly we grow comfortable again. Everyone talks, jokes. It's bittersweet.
'We've got to go.' Reyna says, finally. Our table grows quiet.
'We'll wall with you guys to Thalia's tree.' Percy says. We all rise, walk together to the tree.
I say goodbye to Frank and Hazel. Reyna is the last one I say goodbye to.
We don't speak at first, she just hugs me tightly, my head buried in her shoulder.
'You could come with us.' She says. I shake my head.
'I'm going to stick it out for a bit.' I say.
'I'll miss you.' She says, finally. Her voice breaks a little.
'Thank you.' I say, 'for everything.' She looks at me, carefully before hugging me again.
'We should get going.' She says, looking to everyone gathered, ready to go.
'Be safe.' I say.
'You too.' She says.