Hi [:

So, you probably don't know this, but I am a HUGE Thalico shipper! I just love Thalia and Nico together. They just seem to complete each other. Because of that, I decided to write another story, this time for them. It's based after the Last Olympian. (ironically like everything I've ever written for Percy Jackson.) Just to clear up a bit of confusion I might cause, ages had been tweaked for Thalia and Nico. Nico is 17 and Thalia is 19. Don't think I'm creepy, okay? Because I probably will seem so in a few chapters. (;

Hope you like it. Review, please!
Merry Christmas!

Thalia's POV

How did I end up here?

I sat in my car, staring into the dark night, for about five minutes, thinking that repeatedly.

It was the dead of night. My clock assured that the time was 1:58 AM on Tuesday, July 8th. And here I was, in distressed short shorts, a tight black tank top tucked in, a skull belt, and converse. The humidity was already beginning to make my freshly straightened hair wave after the short time of no air condition. I sighed and got out of my glossy black car, slowly turning to stare up at the towering apartment building.

Lights from windows broke through into the slate coloured night and a cool breeze roused goosebumps on my arms. I rubbed them, careful not to scratch myself with my long, black painted nails.

My shoes made soft padding noises as I walked into the building and to the stairs. I went up to the third floor and found apartment 301.

I was shaking as I reached up to knock on the door.

'Damn, Thals. There's no way in Hades you're scared. Pull it together.' I thought to myself and knocked once.

The sound of cussing made me smile warily and the door was yanked open to reveal a scowling Nico DiAngelo. His eyes widened at the sight of me.

"Hi," I said awkwardly, crossing my arms over my shirt.

"Thalia. What are you doing here?" He asked in a monotone. Then, probably because of the weird look between hurt and I-will-violently-kill-you that passed my face, or maybe even because a somewhat intelligent thought passed through his vacant and mentally confused brain, Nico realised he had said something wrong.

"That's not what I meant — I um..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably.

I nodded. "It's fine. Could I come in?" I asked cautiously, sneaking a glance into his dark-as-death eyes.

"Yeah, sure." Nico said a bit more calmly and stepped back, opening the door wider.

Mumbling a thanks, I walked in and inspected the mini-underworld. Nico's apartment was dark themed, to put it simply. Almost everything was 101% black, chrome, or something of that nature. I had to admit, he had good taste in interior.

"Nice place," I murmured, still in a state of impression.

"Thanks." Nico said and grinned slightly at me. I smiled back faintly before looking away.

"Nico," I started. "I have to tell you something."

"Over smoothies?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

That caught me off guard for a moment and I faltered. "What?"

"Tell me over smoothies?" Nico asked.

"Sure, I guess." I said and followed him into the kitchen. Nico got out a black (huge surprise) blender and some fruit while I spooned out yogurt and poured in a bit of juice. We chopped up pineapple, strawberries, bananas, and kiwi and put it in. Nico put the top on and blended it all together.

We poured the smoothies and sat down on the floor in the living room. No lights were on, so it was only the TV's bright glow that cast shadows around us. I sipped my smoothie through a bendy straw and thought about how to word my situation.

"Artemis threw me out." I said before I could stop myself.

Nico didn't look surprised. I didn't know to what, though. I would have taken offence if he wasn't surprised my lady had kicked me out of the hunt, but there was also the factor that he was used to me getting straight to the point.

"Why?" He asked, looking over at me as I leaned back against the sofa, crossing my legs.

"Because I..." Was all I could say.

Nico waited for me to finish and I forced myself to tell him. "I accidentally kind of maybe destroyed a marble statue of her..."

Nico almost chocked on his smoothie. I think he was trying not to laugh.

"This is so not funny, Death Boy!" I said, scowling at him as he regained his composure.

He nodded. "I know, sorry, Thals. But how the hell did you 'Accidentally kind of maybe destroy a statue of Artemis?'"

"We were in Olympus. One of the girls was seriously getting on my nerves. She's so damn annoying! Anyway, I was fed up with her. We were walking past Artemis' statue, and I suddenly unleashed my daughter of Zeus wrath on her. A huge electric lightning aura blazed off of me and completely fried the statue. It was in ashes and smoking. Artemis was obviously not amused. She was so miffed. I guess I would be too if my best lieutenant had destroyed a sacred statue of me..." I said, trailing off at the end.

Nico looked at me seriously and was quiet for a few moments. "Wow. I mean — sorry. That really sucks."

I shrugged. "Yeah, it does. But honestly, I think I'm happier now that I'm out of the hunt. It got rid of that horrible girl bothering me."

"You mean your inner self?" Nico said like a smart ass. I was sitting on him in a second, my knife blade pointed into his chest.

"Gods, Thalia, I was just kidding." He said and I removed the blade, still a bit irritated.

"Nico DiAngelo, you are a jerk." I told him, pretending to be mad. He didn't buy it, though, and just smirked at me. "I know. Now can you get off of me so I can sit up?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry." I said as I moved and sat in his lap. "But you're not getting away that easy. I'm staying right here as your punishment."

"Who said it was a punishment?" Nico said like the perv he is.

I resisted the urge to slap the Hades out of him and settled on an eye roll. "Let's just watch a movie." I said.

"Works for me." Nico said and picked up remote, switching to Netflix. We ended up watching 21 Jump Street, my favourite movie, and sipping smoothies. At some point, I had leaned back against Nico. His arms went around my waist naturally and when I noticed this about half way through the movie, I didn't really mind.

Both Nico and I ended up rolling around on the floor laughing, yelling at the idiotic parts, and choking on our smoothies when something funny happened while we were taking a drink.

The movie ended all too soon and I stood up, stretching. I probably wouldn't have admitted it then, but I was just a bit reluctant to have to leave.

"Well, this was an interesting night." I said, grabbing my car keys. "Thanks for everything, Nico." I smiled, heading to the door.

He followed me, a look of confusion on his face. I thought it looked good on his darkly accented features. "Where are you staying, Thalia?" He asked me.

Shit. I had not thought about that. "Um, I know someone nearby..." I lied slowly.

Nico shook his head. He wasn't as thick as I thought. "Stay here," he insisted.

I looked at him doubtfully. "You sure? I don't want to get in the way." I said.

Nico rolled his eyes. "We're friends aren't we?"

I nodded. "We are." I said surely.

"That's what friends are for, then!" Nico teased cheekily and I lightly punched his arm, laughing.

Ten minutes later I stood in the guest room, brushing out my just-above-shoulder length choppy hair that I had had layered and thinned as it progressed to the tips. I sang one of my favourite songs, 21 Guns by Green Day, softly as I worked.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a voice spoke. "You're an amazing singer, you know. Especially when you're signing a song from one of the most amazing bass of all time."

I looked away from the mirror, a bit startled, and saw Nico standing in the doorway. His hands were shoved in his jeans pockets and he smiled crookedly at me. Maybe I was just warm, but I felt my cheeks flush.

"Thanks, Mr. Stalker." I joked, putting down my brush. I sat down on the bed and laid back with my arms behind my head, staring at the ceiling.

"I try my best." Nico said as he smirked.

A small silence followed until I broke it. "So, how are things at camp?"

The hunters hadn't visited Camp Half-Blood in nearly a year, and I didn't hear much from Annabeth or Percy because they were always busy.

Nico shrugged and came over, laying next to me on his back. We were motionless for a few moments, just lost in our own thoughts.

"Tons of new Demigods are arriving daily. You've heard of the Gods' promise to claim their children right at 13, right?" Nico said, turning his head to look at me. I glanced at his black eyes that seemed to glow and replied, "yes."

Nico nodded and once again, we were silent.

We must have fallen asleep there, because I woke up with Nico next to me in the morning. We were facing each other, backs curved so our foreheads gently pressed together along with our slightly drawn up knees.

I rolled over and looked at Nico. His toned chest rose and fell gently as he breathed through his slightly open mouth. I had to smile. He looked younger, maybe 14, right now. So innocent.

Realising I had been staring at him for a few long minutes, I looked away, somewhat embarrassed with myself.

Slowly, not wanting to awake him, I slid off the bed and went to the closet. Nico had helped me unpack all of my clothes and I sifted through them now. I picked out a Three Days Grace band t-shirt and white shorts with studs lined on the seams. I showered and changed before drying my hair, brushing it and my teeth, and finally lining my eyes all around with a thin jet-black line of eyeliner. I winged the edges a bit and then was done.

I walked out of the bathroom and to the kitchen. "Morning." Nico said. During my time in the bathroom, he had dressed and then freshened up in his own. His messy hair hung in his eyes as he loosely cooked scrambled eggs.

"Morning." I replied, pouring a glass of juice and sitting at the table.

"What's on your agenda today, Miss Grace?" He asked me, scooping eggs onto two plates and setting one in front of me.

"Nothing really." I said honestly, picking up my fork and eating some eggs.

"Good, because we're going to the beach with Percy, Annabeth, Travis, Connor, and Katie."

"Are we now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yes," Nico replied matter-o-factly, pointing his fork at me.

I shook my head, smiling. "Okay, boss." I teased.

Nico smiled and stood up, taking his empty plate to the sink. "Hurry up and finish. We've got an awesome day ahead of us, Lightning Girl."

"You got it, Death Boy." I replied, laughing.

I think was really beginning to enjoy my stay.