JUST KIDDING. Did you guys really think I wasn't going to leave you with a happy ending ;D.

Thalia stared after him, feeling a tear fall down her face, making a path of warm salty water, mixing with the cold mist of the water. As Nico disappeared, she suddenly felt empty, and the darkness seemed to close around her. More tears spilled down her face as she thought of Nico, the tip of his black shirt disappearing through the doors and into the chaotic light—without her. Leaving her out here, alone. And this, she realized, was the only real loss you could feel. When you are completely, utterly and impossibly alone. When there is no one there to be with you, to—to love you.

"Nico," she whispered, then staggered along the deck and through the doors of the party. She had to find him, right now.

She ran, which she was fairly good at in heels, through the horde of people still dancing and shouting like nothing had just happened. The heat shrank in on her, and as she ran, a sheen of sweat appeared on her face. She barely avoided tripping over a woman's obnoxiously long dress and falling on her face while turning a corner to go down a hallway. Nico would have waited on the opposite deck, he must have.

Nico. His name rang in her mind as she raced down the hallway, almost crashing into the wall as her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the hallway. It had always been him, she thought, for the nearly two years they spent together, she'd never seen it. He'd always been there for her, always kept her company and let her vent, all without complaining. He'd been the one to help her keep it together when she had just wanted to fry someone to a crisp, and distracted her with his dead soldiers. He would help her cook up revenge plans and conspiracy theories about people at camp, the Gods, everything. And he loved her.

She couldn't help but—

"Nico." She had reached the end of the hallway where the door was swung wide open, revealing a familiar slim figure in black. He slowly turned around to face her, his mouth in a tight line. His face softened when he saw her, his eyebrows down in worry. So different than how she had last seen him. Then, they turned up in disbelief.

"Thalia what are you—" Thalia marched forward and pressed her lips to his. At first, they were immobile under hers, his body rigid with surprise. She worried for an instant that he was going to push her away, or step back, leave her alone again. Then, he softened, bringing his hand on the small of her back and pulling her towards him. She brought her hand down his side and gently drew her finger across him hipbone, earning a small gasp from Nico.

It was then as if all his self control snapped—he pressed her up against the door, slamming it shut with a loud bang. He was crushing her against the metal in a way that should have hurt, but she could only feel Nico. Her hands raked through his hair as he kissed her harder, his hand slipping the thin strap of her dress over her shoulder. His lips came down and brushed her collarbone, then slid along her shoulder, and she gasped loudly as the heat that had started in her stomach spread all throughout her body. Nico pressed himself against her, closing the remaining space as his mouth found hers again, and she found herself kissing him with a passion she didn't know she had. She ran her hands down his arms slowly, resting on his hands as she brought them down.

"Nico," she whispered, pausing and staring into his eyes. They were sharp and alive with a happiness and relief, and they bored right into Thalia's. "Thank you."

"For what?" he whispered, his voice hoarse. His lips were swollen, she noticed, and wondered if hers were as well.

"Making me realize what I really wanted."

Hope you liked it! Please rate, review, follow, favorite, whatever you want. Everything makes my day, and I'll try to update as soon as possible. Let me know which chapter was your favorite and what you liked about it so I can keep pumping out whatever you guys like. Thanks, all you awesome reviewers made this story come to light :D.