Bewitched || P. Jackson

𝔽orever immortal...

Nico reacted first.

Extremely unceremoniously, he shoved Hermes out of the way. Nicki stumbled back thanks to the force with which her brother slammed into her.

Hot tears streamed down Nicki's cheeks as she clung to the boy. It was hard to tell where one person ended and the other began. "I thought I lost you." Nico sobbed into Nicki.

"I'm here, it's okay."

"Holy shit," Thalia breathed. She tore across the room, wrapping the pair into a bone-crushing hug. "You're alive. You're okay!"

Nicki sucked in a shaky breath, trying to hold onto the feeling of them hugging her forever. "I'm okay." She repeated in disbelief.

A third body slammed into Nicki, adding another person to the group hug. "You saved my life!"

"All in a day's work, E." The witch laughed through her tears, squeezing the three teenagers even harder. Nicki cast a glance over her shoulder. Annabeth stood shaking as she stared at the four demigods. A small motion from Nicki was all she needed to run and join the hug.

If the world had stopped, they would never have noticed. All that mattered was they were there, all together and mostly in one piece.

If they could've stood there forever, they would never have moved.

But they couldn't.

"Nicki?"

The black-haired girl tensed at his voice. With some encouragement from Annabeth, the three teenagers peeled off of Nicki.

Percy looked at Nicki like he was drinking in the fact that she was still here. Nicki realized that she was doing the same thing. The whole world had collapsed, and the only thing that really mattered to Nicki was that he was alive.

"Phoenix, actually."

Percy shook his head in confusion. His face was filthy, covered in dirt and dust. A dried trickle of blood trailed down from his eyebrow, but to Nicki, he was the most gorgeous person alive. "What?"

Nicki ran her good hand through her messy hair. "Back at Westover, you asked me what Nicki was short for. It's Phoenix. Phoenix Kate Driscoll." Taking a tentative step forward, Nicki searched Percy's eyes for emotion.

"Well, Phoenix Kate Driscoll," Percy took a small step toward Nicki, "I'm Perseus Jackson."

Thalia shoved Nicki's back hard, sending her stumbling closer to the son of Poseidon. "Just kiss or something already. Please."

Nicki didn't need much more convincing. In one swift movement, she threw her arms around Percy's shoulders. The boy let out a quiet sob as he cradled her against him. "Don't you dare do that again, I can't lose you."

"I missed you too, Perseus." Nicki couldn't wipe the smile off of her face as she reached up to kiss him.

"Yes, welcome back Phoenix." Zeus interrupted. The god didn't look very pleased with her reappearance.

Hades smiled lazily. "I did a bit of rearranging, this is all within the Fates' wishes, brother dearest."

"But Hades—"

Poseidon chuckled, cutting Zeus off. "If our children are happy, so am I." He smiled down at Percy who was still clinging to Nicki. The rest of the demigods had gathered around Nicki, unwilling to let her out of their personal space bubble. "Now, where were we, brother?"

"And, of course," Zeus continued, though he looked like his pants were smouldering, "we must... um... thank Poseidon."

"I'm sorry, brother," Poseidon said. "What was that?"