Time's Daughter

Sweat dripped from my brow. I concentrated hard on keeping my balance, whilst upside down. I was taping into Athaliah's power less now. My months in the underworld, training like this, had given me my old strength back plus so much more.
Just last week, I had to make a run for some new clothes, as my old ones were too small, I'd gained so much muscle. Now, I could even balance with on finger up in the air on my scythe--still needed a little bit of help with Athaliah--but I could do it any that was the point.
I strained my muscles as far I as could, as Nico walked into the part of Persephone's garden I trained in. He was wearing his scrubs from the hospital he interned at. He looked up at me. "How much of that is you, and how much is Athaliah?" he asked, clearly surprised.
"About three-fourths of it is me," I grunted. "I'm trying to concentrate, go away."
He smiled. "No, I don't feel like it."
"Child," I muttered. "If I fall you're catching me!"
He pushed slightly on the scythe making me lose my balance and fall into his arms. I glared at me. "That didn't mean push me."
He shrugged. "I'm home and I want to spend time with my girlfriend, not watch her balance on a weapon."
"Who said I was your girlfriend?" I asked.
He stared at me. "Are you serious?" he asked, incredulous. "You're going to pull that now, after all we've done together?" He put me down none too gently and started to walk off, obviously annoyed and frustrated.
I blinked, slightly confused. I ran after him. "Hey! Wait! What did I say?"
He glared at me with such anger, I could've sworn he was going to kill me. But he didn't say anything, he just shouldered past me and disappeared into the shadows. I felt bad that I hurt him, but I didn't know what I had done. So I made a phone call.
"Piper," I mumbled into the phone, feeling nervous. "I have a problem."
I could tell she was smiling, even over the phone. She always seemed to smile when I saw her. "Is it something with Nico again?"
"He's mad, at me again, Piper, I think it was something I said."
She laughed. "You always say things without thinking, Angel, tell me, do you remember, what the last thing you said was before he got mad?"
"Um," I felt like a child. "I think it was: 'who said I was your girlfriend'."
Her laughter stopped. "Well no wonder he's mad at you," she said. "You basically just told him, you didn't think the two of you had a relationship."
I blinked. "But, I just--" I stopped for a moment. "I don't want him to get mixed up with my problems and get hurt."
"That's what happens when you're in a relationship, Angel," she scolded. "And if you think about it--all of us are mixed in quite deep with your problems anyway, so why not?"
"Well, I suppose," I mumbled.
"Tell him that." The line went dead. I walked over to Nico's room, hoping to find him in there. He was--he was reading an old medical textbook, and didn't look up when I entered.
"Is there something you need?" he asked coldly.
"I'm sorry," I started. "I shouldn't have said what I said. I thought I was protecting you, but refusing to say we were anything more the friends, but there is no longer anything for me to protect you from." He turned to look at me while I stared at the floor. "I will be whatever you want me to be. Whether it be girlfriend or not. I--" I stumbled. I'd never said those three words to anyone who wasn't family. "I love you."
I don't remember him getting up. I don't remember him moving. But I do remember him embracing me. I do remember him kissing me. And I do remember him.

Notes

Sweetness...I tried to get this up last night, but obviously, I didn't manage...oh well...its here now!