Ten

                                    

                                          
The House of Hades 

I stared down at the water, feeling useless.  Percy and Annabeth were in Tartarus.  Currently, Jason and Nico were going to retrieve a staff, and everyone was trying to ignore me.  Guess I seemed threatening or something.  
Leo sometimes cracked jokes around me, but it wasn't enough to make me laugh.  I just felt empty all the time, never-ending emptiness.  It was so much worse whenever I thought of what caused it and if I could have prevented it.  
Nico appeared on the ship a few feet away from me with Jason, shadows surrounding and fleeing them.  He took one look at me and hurried away below decks, holding the staff.  
"He needs some time to himself,"  Jason told me awkwardly before walking away.  
I slumped against the railing and sighed.  Then I jumped.  How could I have been so utterly stupid and forgotten?  The goddess from our first quest was still down in the caves.  Well, assuming she was still down in the caves, and she hadn't woken up by then.  
Even though he needed time alone, I went below decks and to Nico's room, which I guess he was so sure no one would dare interrupt him, since the doors were unlocked.  He looked up at me as the door burst open.  
"Go away, River,"  he grumbled, holding his head in his hands.  
I paused.  He looked miserable.  His arms were slightly shaking, and even though he wasn't crying he looked close to it.  I hesitantly walked closer and knelt next to his bed.  
"Nico?"  I reached out a hand and he silently grabbed it, holding on tight.  
We stayed in silence, neither of us knowing or wanting to say anything.  But when his grip loosened half an hour later, I knew he was okay.  
"I need to go back to the caves,"  I whispered, glancing up to find him watching me.  
"That's not what I meant by go away,"  he said.  "I didn't mean it."  
"I know, but the goddess is still back there-maybe-and Allora's..."  I cleared my throat.  "There's no one to watch her, so I need to go back and see if she's still there.  After that I'll try and convince Reyna to call back her forces and meet you guys at Camp Half-Blood, okay?"  
He stared at me, seeming to search into my soul.  Then he hugged me tight.  "Be safe, River, okay?  Promise me."  
"I can do better than that,"  I said, needing to make sure I wasn't reckless myself.  "I swear on the river Stix to be safe and to take care of myself.  Okay?"  
"That's one of the worst swears you could make,"  he said, in all seriousness.  "You can't guarantee your own safety, River."  
"Don't worry, Neeks, I'll be fine.  You do the same, alright?"  
He crossed his arms.  "Fine, but I'm not swearing recklessly."  
I smirked.  "But that's the only fun way."  

-*- 

"Well,"  I said, staring at the broken golden bubble-dome thing.  "That can't be good."  
I'd searched the place three times, the last one not as thoroughly but really, I checked it twice before, give me a break.  The place was empty, besides Nico and I's old mattresses and candy wrappers, stuffed animals, and an occasional Happy Meal box or two.  
Yes, were a bit sloppy when we lived there.  More like when I lived there and Nico visited, but still.  The place was a wreak, no wonder the goddess burst free when she had the chance.  
I also found some stuff Allora had brought when she was "babysitting".  An old map, an engraved compass, some spare clothes, books on Aquatic life written in Greek, and a journal that actually had a shark tooth pressed in the center of the dark brown leather.  
The pages were thick and crinkled, the edges ripped.  It had obvious water damage, but almost like it was on purpose.  The ink was in neat handwriting, not messed up by water at all.  
Well, looks like I'm stuck in a cave!  was the entry of a random page I flipped to.  Part of me felt guilty for looking at something so personal, but she was d... 
I'm supposed to visit dad again the summer, so that'll be nice.  But it looks like I'll be staying up during the night with mom, trying not to flood ships.  I need more reasons for why ships are good and shouldn't be drowned.  
River (you remember River, the Roman cousin) asked me to watch this sleeping goddess that's in a glowing golden bubble.  Which means I'm locked in a cave all day, yay.  But it'll give me time to think, I guess.  Though thinking never did me any good in the past.  
I've never had much luck with friends, and even thought River's not here much, it's nice to be wanted.  Even if it means I have to stare at walls all day, it still means a lot.  Besides, I can't get creative with pranks and rig a bunch of stuff in here.
I closed the journal and stared at it.  She didn't think I was terrible for basically taking advantage of her.  She was...grateful.  
And look at what good that got us,  I thought bitterly.  
I grabbed some black shorts and a black T-shirt, changing into them from my old clothes and grabbing a zip-up hoodie, tying my hair into a bun and shoving the journal in my pocket.  
Then I went to look for the runaway goddess.