I remember when my mother died.

My father had tried to dissuade my mom from leaving. 

She was in my room helping me pack. She said we were moving away to keep us safe. Bianca was packing on her own. Mother was helping me because I was younger. While she was helping me put away my shoes, he had barged into my room like it was his own. He was furious. At least that was how it had seemed at first because as soon as his mouth opened to speak, his angry facade crumbled. Silent tears spilled over as he asked, "Why?"

My mother, with a sad expression, continued to comb my hair back to keep me calm and urge me to keep packing. But with my father crying a few feet away from me, packing would now be a slow task. "There is a war. I warned you after Nico's birth that I did not want this life for my children. Now with this war... Hades, I will not have my children living in a war."

"Where will you go?"

"I have family in Domum."

He took a staggering step toward us. "Maria. Please. Stay here. I will keep you safe."

"You have a duty to your people. I will not make you loose sight of that in a time like this."

"But you are my wife━"

"We haven't married Hades."

"You are to be my wife. Those are my children. It is my duty to keep you safe."

She cast her gaze to the floor, never once stopping her ministrations with my hair. "I love you but this is not a life I can live. I'm sorry."

"Maria..."

She ignored him and began helping me pack again. When I looked at her, there were tears in her eyes as well. "Let's finish soon, yes darling? It's best to leave before it gets dark." 

It wasn't long before we were all done and went into the hall where Bianca waited. She saw our crying father and turned to ask our mother what was wrong but then she saw she was crying too and instead took my hand as we walked beside our mother. 

Hades didn't come out of my room. 

The next day was when she died. We had stopped at an inn for the night, in the wee hours of the morning, fighting broke out. The war my mother had tried to outrun had reached us. My mother hurried to get us dressed but that day luck was not on our side. The battle came into the inn. We ran down the stairs, trying to leave but we were too slow. 

My mother was stabbed.

When Bianca and I saw the sword protruding form her belly, we screamed. As she crumpled, somehow my father was there. He shouted something I was unable to hear over the fighting. Later, as I replayed the scene in my memories, I realized he had shouted our mother's name. But right then, he ran to us. He crouched and held my mother's body as we stood idly by, unable to process what exactly had happened. When a someone approached, attempting to kill us too he stood and fought. No one but us survived that inn.

The days following her death were filled with sorrow and pain. My father locked himself in his room the entire week before her funeral. That week, servants hurried to keep an eye on Bianca and I as our father could not be bothered to. I had begun to have nightmares, too. About my mother's death and Bianca was the one to care for me, she would lay with me until I fell asleep. After her funeral and our father still could not bother with us, Bianca had servants move another bed into my room because my nightmares had worsened. She shared a room with me for two years. As long as it had taken me to finally subdue the night terrors.

Finally, we seemed to be healing over our mother's death. Our father met Persephone and she helped him a lot but he also stopped paying attention to me. I blamed it on me having been there the night we left and they had argued. Maybe he had wanted me to say something and the fact that I had not was something he would always hate. Either way, in his eyes, I was practically invisible.

Bianca was another case. He adored his eldest daughter. He praised her and talked to her more than he would to me. So when death took his claim on her, he decided I was not worth his time and rarely looked my way. I again, was lost. It was a repeat of what had happened after my mother's death and worse. Night terrors again plagued my dreams but now I was utterly alone. I had no one to turn to. I began falling into a void I was afraid I would never escape from. In short, it was hell.

My mother's and sister's deaths were hell and I wish to never repeat such a thing.

We had reached Columba two hours ago, just before nightfall. Thankfully we had had no run ins with any knights. Just in time, as Will had started on a fever. Theresa turned out to be an older woman with graying hair and a striking resemblance to Calypso. Her mother, I realized, and she had indeed helped us when we mentioned Calypso's name. She had immediately taken Will into her home and set to work. As soon as she was done she had told me not to worry, he would be okay. I thanked her and was at last able to relax. I then proceeded to try and pay her but she refused any payment and when I insisted, she ignored me and went to bed. I was left alone with a sleeping Will. He had fallen asleep as soon as she had given him medicine.

Now, as I studied him in the darkness in my inability to fall asleep just yet, I was seeing how peaceful he looked and I wanted him to have nothing to worry about when he was awake too. I scooted my chair closer to the side of his bed and took his hand. All of a sudden, I was afraid that he would wake but it would be the last time he did, and the only thing he would feel was anxiousness. Anxiousness because of me. He was worried because he helped me escape and now we were being chased. Everyday he was running with me we were in danger of being caught and being caught could ruin both our lives. I squeezed his hand. I didn't want that for him. Just as he claimed he wanted me to have control over my life, I wanted him to have control over it as well. There was no need to hand that control over just because he wanted to help me. Look where that had led him. Had we not stumbled across Calypso, he could be dead. If it was just me who was gone, he would be out of danger. He could return to Caelum and to his duchy. 

Maybe...no. He was with me now. It would be foolish to leave him behind now. On the other hand...ugh.

I sighed. Exasperated with my thoughts, I dropped Will's hand and decided it was time for bed. 

Theresa had set up another room for me but I turned her down. I would be sleeping in the same room as Will. In his state, I did not want to leave him on his own. I rolled out my own bedroll a little ways from Will's bed and settled in for the night. My thoughts threatened to come up again but I pushed them down. I did not need to think about that now. What I needed to do was sleep.

  ♛☠♛ 

I awoke the next morning due to the bright rays of sunlight coming through the windows in the small room. I sat up and searched for Will, promptly remembering he was in a bed not too far from me. I went to his side to check on him. He was still sleeping soundly. I was quick to take notice of the color that had returned to his features. His fever had broken as well. I let out a breath in relief. He was recovering. He shifted in his sleep and a couple curls fell over his eyes. I reached out to move them away.

The door opened behind me. I snatched my hand back, turning. It was Theresa. "Oh I'm sorry. I knocked earlier and you were still asleep. I guess you've awoken now." She gestured to the tray in her hands. "I brought you breakfast."

I let my hand fall, "Thank you."

She smiled and set the tray on a small table by the door.

She was going to leave again but I stopped her, "Do you know when he will wake?"

"Sometime tomorrow. He's lucky he's only sleeping. It could have gone the not so pleasant way."

"What's that?"

"When healing from poison, you could sleep as your body rids itself of it and other times you become very ill. Your body removes the poison by vomiting and diarrhea."

"Oh, I see."

Theresa chuckled. "Do not worry. If he was going to get sick, he would have already."

"Thank you."

"No need to thank me."

I shook my head, "Of course there is. You cured my friend. There must be something I can do to repay you."

She looked at me for a couple seconds in silence before agreeing. "Very well. You may help me with the chores until you leave. Eat." She nodded toward the food left on the table. "I will be in the kitchen. And don't forget to bring your dishes with you."

She left me to eat, which I did. When I finished I made sure Will was still okay before leaving him on his own. 

Theresa was in the in the kitchen as she'd promised. She was just finishing her own breakfast. When she saw me she immediately put me to work. "I'd appreciate it if you would clean the kitchen. I've been very busy and I have a lot of cleaning to do. It would be  a great help if you could help me with the kitchen."

I nodded. "Of course."

"Very well. Thank you." She left to clean whatever it was she had to and I was left to start on my own chore. I was thankful that the kitchen didn't appear to dirty but once I started, I realized that it actually was. There was a lot of dust and any corners were positively dirty. It took me a lot longer than I expected to clean the small kitchen. I was only halfway finished when Theresa came back to make us lunch. I may not have been finished but she was really happy about what I had done so far.

"You're a hard worker."

"I am only doing what was asked."

"No need to be so modest."

I thought it would be a good time to check on Will as she cooked. Upon entering the room the first thing I heard was a muttered "Lou" followed by "Cecil". From what Will had told me, I knew they were his closest friends and if dreaming of them was any indication, he missed them. My thoughts from the night before resurfaced. Did he really have to travel with me? Was it really to late now for him to return home? If he went home he would be safe. No more running away from someone who was not really after him. Back to normalcy. He could forget about me because forgetting about me would keep him out of danger.

"Nico," Theresa called, "The soup is heated up, you can come have your lunch."

"Yes," I answered, "I'll be right there."

Looking at Will again before going back to the kitchen I made up my mind. I would leave. Will did not need me to keep complicating his life. I just hoped I wasn't making a mistake.

Theresa was placing two bowls of soup on the table when I entered the kitchen again. We both sat and began eating. After one spoonful of soup, Theresa set her spoon down and looked down at her hands. "Nico, if you would...please tell me how Calypso seemed when you saw her."

The sadness embedded in her words took  me aback and I was forced to set my spoon down as well. "She is healthy if that is what you ask. She limped and was using a cane but I suspect that to be from a previous injury."

Surprised, she looked up, "But she was not hurt?"

"Not then. She is okay, I assure you."

"Did she mention anyone being after her?"

When she asked that it occurred to me that someone could have been after her. Why else would she have asked how we found her? I hesitated to say it though, I did not want to upset this nice woman any more but if she was asking, she probably already knew. So I told her.

She nodded, "But if she's healthy, then she can take care of herself."

"Yes...Theresa?"

"Yes?"

"Calypso is obviously someone close to you that you care deeply about. I'm guessing you had to separate at some point...how did you know it was the right thing to do?"

She was quiet, debating my words. Then, "Calypso felt it was the right thing to do in our situation. She believed it was the best way to keep us both safe. Are you perhaps thinking of leaving on your own?"

"Will was hurt because of me. If he was not with me, he would be safe."

"If that is what you believe, I will not stop you from leaving but make sure it is something you are sure of."

"I am."

She did not say anything else instead began eating again. After finishing, she left to continue and I to finish the kitchen. I was able to finish before dinner and I asked Theresa for bread and cheese instead because I would be leaving as soon as everything that was mine was packed. She gave me what I asked for and told me to take care of myself. I assured her I would and returned to the room to pack. Because I didn't have many things with me, I was done quickly. I looked over Will one last time. I thanked him again and apologized for ever putting him in danger. I left a note for him and took my leave.

I debated taking the horse but she was not mine and Will would need her to return home so I continued on foot. Before leaving the town, I bought a cloak. If I was to be walking, I would need a way to hide my profile from view of any passing travelers. It would also help to keep warm as colder times approached.

I walked for the rest of the night. Now being alone, I did not want to to risk being found unprepared. I would keep walking until I could no longer continue. I wanted to cover as much ground as I could. Especially when I could come across Ethan's knights at any time and forced to take a detour.

During the wee hours of the morning, I had expected to become very tired but I was the exact opposite. It was a good thing considering my goal to cover as much as I was able but not the best when I did not want to think. Being alone and wide awake, all I could do was think.

I thought of the day I met Will. How he had dropped limes just to use a corny pick up line. How he had danced with me so I wouldn't have to dance with Ethan. I thought of the time I snuck out with Will the first time. When I left the castle for the first time in a long time. How happy the citizens were to see me. How much fun I had had despite having first thought Will would only gall me. I thought of how easily he had figured out I did not want to be with Ethan. How easily he had prepared to help me should I have wanted to leave. I thought of all the months we had spent together in Invidia. How he didn't give up planning when we could not come up with anything. How nice it felt when we had normal conversations. In those moments I was able to forget anything unpleasant was happening around us. I thought about how he had taken an arrow for me and how after being hurt, I had instantly wanted to do anything to get him better. About how I had an urge to keep him safe at any cost. And lastly...I thought about how over all that time, I had fallen in love with him.

I was in love with him.

I was in love with Will and  I was leaving him behind. 

All of a sudden, I wanted to return to his side and tell him━ no. I quickly squashed that impulsive thought. I still needed him safe. Not only that but I was already hours away from him. I had to keep going. I started running when an ache started spreading throughout my chest. If I ran, I could get away faster and leave that feeling behind. Will didn't need me to put him in harms way. He needed to be safe and sound at home. Away from any poisoned arrows. Away from Ethan and his army. I ran faster. I would not go back. I made the right choice. And no feelings would make me change my mind. Even if I never saw him again. I managed without him before we crossed paths. I could manage without him again.

And in the end, it did not matter that I loved him. Because Will was not in love with me.

A/N

Hey guys! Feely chapter yay! I didn't take forever to do the next chapter! YAy! Thank my procrastination! Also, it's 1:15 in the morning and I'm feeling loopy so excuse me if I say anything weird coming up.

Thank you for your time everyone I wish you a merry life and happy Halloween

Yours in demigodishness and all that, Izzy

PS. Isn't that song perfect for them? Thought it kinda fit. HSM to rescue amirite