A/N: So hey there. It's Nyx here. Again. *awkward silence* Anyone there? *crickets chirping* Well... ahem... *awkward throat clearing* well I wrote this... so... you know... if you wanna read it... *shoves story towards you and runs away* I DIDN'T CHOOSE THIS LIFE!

Please, PLEASE R&R. It would absolutely make my day. Especially since the last story got like no reviews. So if we could at least get one review... man that sounds pathetic. Anyway. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any of these characters or Ghost by Ella Henderson. Nor am I responsible for any crushed feels you may experience while reading this.

I had to go through hell to prove I'm not insane
Had to meet the devil just to know his name
And that's when my love was burning
Yeah it's still burning

I keep going to the river to pray
'Cause I need something that can wash out the pain
And at most
I'm sleeping all these demons away
But your ghost, the ghost of you
It keeps me awake

Yes, Hades had always known he was different, but then again so had everyone else, it was, after all, startlingly clear. From the youngest age it was evident that he was nothing like his brothers, while Zeus and Poseidon preferred to spar with each other and wrestle, Hades would always stay inside and read books. When they went on hunts, the youngest god would always manage to sneak away to explore the surrounding area, often not returning until dusk. Zeus and Poseidon were loud, brash and boisterous but Hades was cunning, preserved and silent (so much so other often forgot he was there); with his pale looks and dark features he often passed for a phantom or avenging angel, his otherworldly aura and and his permanent macabre mood did nothing to help the fact. The siblings' fighting styles were also extremely dissimilar: the two elder gods used simple brute strength, attacking head on with their distinctive weapons. Hades was the exact opposite, but what he lacked in muscle he made up for in brains. Darting from shadow to shadow he was able to observe the strengths and weaknesses of his enemies, calculating the best way to defeat his opponents in a matter of seconds. Only after he did this did he join in the battle, and when he did all hell, quite literally, broke loose. Because Hades being Hades had taken the best and most effective fighting skills and combined them all into a clever fighting style that was all him, consisting of poised grace and fluidity as well as aggressive agility and speed that focused more on outsmarting your enemy rather than raw power.

And no matter what Hestia told him, no matter how many times she reassured him, Hades could never believe that his idiosyncratic quirks were anything but trouble. He knew, of course, that his favorite older sister would never lie to him, she was a kind and gentle soul that probably couldn't even fathom the idea, but still he couldn't convince himself to listen to her. At least not completely, because how could one person's acceptance on the matter overshadow the fact that everyone else despised him for just that? Nevertheless, despite the ever-present aching sadness and festering bitterness, things never really escalated much farther than the occasional sneered derogatory slur thrown his way by a foolishly over-confident god or a shove to his shoulder as he walked down the hallway. At least... that's how it all was until That Day. The day he was cast out of Olympus.

The trouble all started when Hades was summoned to the Olympian throne room, this was troubling in itself and had sparked immediate worry and tension within him since his family took pointed care to spend as little time with him as possible. It was no secret that none of the original six (save Hestia) liked their gloomy sibling and they weren't at all shy about flaunting it. It hadn't always been that way though, Zeus and Hades had always been especially close as children ('too close' Hera had often remarked with a disdainful sniff), but they had grown apart ever since the Titan War.

Upon entering through the massive, golden double doors leading to the throne room, Hades' feeling of discomfort only intensified when he found all of the Olympians (and several minor gods) seated in the room and, as expected, staring at him with barely concealed contempt. Hades swallowed nervously and his eyes darted anxiously about the enormous room, discreetly scanning the area for Hestia. Finding no evidence of his only friend Hades sighed in dejection and came to stand in the middle of the throne room.

"Hades." Hades started at the sound of Zeus calling his name. His tone was not warm or friendly in the slightest, but rather sounded sour and riled, as if Hades' very name was some unholy blasphemy that caused the king of the gods great physical pain to utter.

"Hades," Zeus repeated again, forcing his tone to sound neutral, he paused for a moment but then decided to skip over the pleasantries and just get down to business, the quicker this was over the better, "I have consulted the council and... we have come to an agreement." Zeus refused to add how he had fought the decision tooth and nail.

Hades felt a sudden surge of dread building up in his gut.

"I'm sorry broth- Hades, but you cannot stay on Olympus anymore." Zeus gazed at the dark god with downcast eyes, pushing down all the bittersweet memories that resurfaced whenever he looked at his younger brother.

Hades felt his heart sinking and his stomach dropped about three stories.

"You don't belong here." to Hades the statement was cold and harsh, devoid of any and all emotion or meaning, which was somehow worse than the burning hatred. But to Zeus it was just another one of his fake acts as king. One he dearly wished he didn't have to play.

Hades forgot how to breathe. Traitorous tears pricked at his eyes but he blinked them away, he refused to show any form of weakness before his once-upon-a-time family. For a moment deathly silence reigned, then everything happened at once. Poseidon marched forward and violently yanked Hades towards him, quickly snapping handcuffs on to his wrists. With Zeus' poisonous words still ringing in his ears Hades reacted too slowly, only managing to try and pull away when the sea god had attached a chain to his cuffs, by which time it was too late as Poseidon had managed to effectively restrain him. But before Hades could get his jumbled thoughts together or try to fight back he was hit in the back of his knees by some unseen powerful force. Immediately, a shock wave of excruciating pain pounded up and down his body, causing him to crumple to the ground with a whimper of pain.

His body still convulsing with pain, Hades shakily struggled to his feet, only to be knocked back down by the blunt end of Poseidon's trident, the god of the sea hissing, "Stay down you freak," venomously under his breath as he yanked Hades' chain again, causing several drops of golden ichor to drip down from his chafed wrists and stain the floor. Head now swimming like a piece of jelly on a roller coaster ride, Hades blinked sluggishly as he craned his neck to peer up at the blurry form of Zeus through his pitch black bangs. Somehow he managed to catch his brother's eye and the two gods stared at each other, a silent exchange echoing between them.

Brother please... Hades begged, eyes hurt and beseeching as he tried to get through to his older brother. Zeus stared back with a conflicted gaze, but before he could cave he gave an almost indistinguishable shake of his head and broke eye contact with the younger god, he didn't want to see the devastation and betrayal on his baby brother's face. But it was already too late, the gut-wrenching image was permanently seared into his brain and Zeus knew it would haunt him for the rest of his immortal life. Whispering broke out all around them, getting increasingly louder, and Hades barely managed to conceal his flinch when he realised the rest of the deities were mocking him. Zeus pretended not to see or hear any of it, or acknowledge the surge of protectiveness that flowed through him.

Mentally steeling himself, Zeus prepared for the official speech,"I-I, Zeus," the king of the gods frowned at the way his voice broke and cleared his throat, straightening up and puffing out his chest, "I, Zeus, king of the gods and sky, deem you, Hades, unworthy of your throne on Olympus, I take from you your crown and your title and I cast you out!"

Zeus exhaled and looked around, denying the fact that he was trying to delay what was coming up as long as possible. But at the impatient glares from the restless Olympians, Zeus begrudgingly raised his arms, a lustrous golden-white glow beginning to dance across the palm of his hands. He cast a quick apologetic look in Hades' direction, he desperately wished he could voice all that he was feeling but he couldn't bring himself to.

Hades' eyes widened in fear, the full reality of the situation finally hitting him, Zeus was choosing them over him, but he had promised, he had swore, he had- "Brother, please, wait, please don't-"

The rest of Hades' sentence dissolved into an agonising scream as a blazing flash of light erupted from Zeus' hand and surrounded Hades in a vivid whirlpool of light. Then just as suddenly as it had appeared the light was gone, leaving the Olympian throne room much less bright than before. And the spot where Hades had been kneeling in moments ago empty.

Hades woke up still screaming. But as he jolted upright in bed he realised the landscape of his night terror had been replaced by a large, umbrous room. He stared about the familiar surroundings with wide, unseeing eyes, still overwhelmed with the trepidation of his nightmarish memory as a few stray tears rolled down his cheek.

No wonder they banished you, I mean look at you, pathetic, a traitorous voice in his mind whispered viciously.

Shut up, he growled back.

Well you didn't think any of them actually liked you did you? the malicious voice asked.

Hades fumed in silence.

The voice made an ominous hiss that could have passed for mocking laughter, Like anyone could care for such a waste of space.

Leave me alone, Hades hissed bitterly, pushing his hands against his ears in hopes of somehow drowning out the words.

Silence.

The lord of the dead sighed in relief. However the relief didn't last long as his imagination quickly kicked up again and the walls of his room began steadily closing in. Hades eyed them warily for a few more moments before hurriedly getting out of bed, exiting the room and setting down the dimly lit hallway of his desolate palace with no particular destination in mind. The king of the Underworld wandered down the tenebrous, winding hallways aimlessly until he reached the piano room. Having nothing better to do he pushed open the door and slipped nimbly inside, a less sombre expression reluctantly gracing his features when he caught sight of the gleaming, ebony piano sitting in the middle of the room.

With practiced ease Hades slid into the chair in front of the piano and ghosted his fingers over the chalk white keys. Experimentally he tapped a few keys, relishing in the way the notes echoed smoothly from within the piano and resonated around the room. Humming quietly to himself he started playing a tune and before he knew it, he was in full swing.

"Hey there brother
How's things up on Mount Olympus?
You're a thousand miles away
But still, I can't get you out of my brain
Resistance is vain
Do you ever think about me too?
You must do"

His voice rang clearly about the obsidian walls and the fires from the torches dotted the hallways flickered, as if moving along to the sound.

"Hey there brother
Just give the word and I'd sell my soul
Cause underneath my cruel facade
Is a broken heart that bleeds for you
I belong to you
My screams of pain are your utter bliss
But still it's you I miss

Oh I hope you finally see
Oh please hear my plea
Oh I hope you finally see
Oh you're the one I need
Please just hear my plea"

Maybe it was pitiful and maybe it was crazy. But it's not like he could stop.

"Hey there brother
I knew what we had wouldn't last
And like the pieces of my broken heart
My life, you left broken and smashed
But still I hoped
For years I held onto your empty words
But not anymore"

He knew the truth now, he wouldn't play the fool again.

"Hey there brother
I've still got so much left to say
If every drop of blood I let you spill
Could erase this all away
I'd give it all
Then maybe I'd be the one you fall for
We'd have it all

Oh I hope you finally see
Oh please hear my plea
Oh I hope you finally see
Oh you're the one I need"

He knew it was foolish to think that maybe Zeus was listening, but that didn't stop him from hoping that maybe, just maybe...

"Brother, it's now been much too long
Please for me, just play along
This one last time I need to see the light of day
I really did try to be strong
But you saw through me all along
Still I never wanted things to end this way
Brother, now things are getting rough
Memories of you won't be enough
Come years later I will never be the same
And you're to blame"

Hades paused for a moment, the air around him humming with the sound of music, he breathed out then started playing again.

"Hey there brother
How's things up on Mount Olympus?
You're a million miles away and now
I know you don't remember me
I finally see
Once upon a time I called you family
Still I need you like you needed me
Hey there brother, can't you see?
You're everything to me

Oh I hope you finally see
Oh please hear my plea
Oh I hope you finally see
Oh you're the one I need
Please just hear my plea"

His fingers remained on the keys a moment longer, the final notes of the song still ringing in the air. Pretty soon the atmosphere in the room became suffocating and Hades got restless again, not liking the memories his song had stirred up he inhaled sharply and darted out of the room, this time with a clear destination in mind.

The River Styx was the same as it had always been: dark, deep and foreboding. Years upon years of lost knowledge and secrets concealed by a stream of turbid, murky liquid that slithered and wove lithely around sharp edges and cliffs, like a snake stalking its prey. Inky black water lapped at the edges of the ashy gray bank, gradually devouring it bit by bit. It wasn't a real river by any stretch of the mind, hell it didn't even contain water (it did however contain lost souls of the damned) but it was as close to a real substance from the world above as Hades was going to get so he wasn't about to complain. The air around the Styx was fresher, the stench of death, sulfur and ash wasn't so heavy and instead of rough, solid rock or dark, gleaming metal the ground was sandy and lighter, in fact if it wasn't for the howling of the souls and the permanent mist of darkness that shrouded the Underworld Hades could have fooled himself into thinking he was back outside in the Overworld. Needless to say it was one of Hades' favorite places in his kingdom. Letting his eyes fall shut, the lord of the dead tilted his head back and the left the soft noise of the river and clear(er) air bring back the feeling of being above the ground.

A sudden clap of thunder behind him made Hades whip around, his hands raised in preparation for a fight. But at seeing who it was his hands fell to his sides and his face took on an expression of bewilderment.

"Z-Zeus?"

Hades stood frozen with shock. The last time he had seen Zeus... he could feel the old burning fear and pain he had experienced on That Day resurfacing, eons of upon eons of suppressed feelings rising to the top and breaking through his carefully built shields, as if an icy fist had grabbed a hold of his heart and started squeezing. He quickly pushed away the memories, illusory defenses leaping up around him like an iron-clad wall as the king of the gods cautiously advanced forward.

"Hello, brother..." Zeus said softly, now just bare inches away from the king of the Underworld, whose eyes were cloudy and swimming with guarded emotion.

Hades swallowed but refused to show how much the other god's presence affected him, "Zeus," he drawled in a clipped tone, fixing a cold glare on the older deity, "It's been a while... when was the last time you visited? Oh yes... never. And yet we're somehow back to 'brother' are we? Funny. That's not how I recall things going on at all. Do you even remember me, brother?" he snapped bitterly, tensing up in preparation for an angry retort from his temperamental older sibling. None came.

"You've never left my thoughts." Zeus murmured, electric blue eyes gleaming intensely. Hades refused to acknowledge how it made his heart miss a beat. Instead he raised an unamused eyebrow.

"Oh? Is that so?" Hades remarked snidely, tilting his chin up and crossing his arms, eying Zeus with critical suspicion and aloof distaste. His gaze faltered however when Zeus took a final step froward so they were nose to nose.

"Yes." the god of the sky breathed huskily. Crimson colored Hades' face and he tried to stumble back, a stuttered retort on his lips, but Zeus grabbed him by the waist and crashed their bodies together, kissing Hades full on the lips before he had a chance to protest, not that he would have even if he could. After a second Hades' eyes fluttered shut and he wound his arms around the other god's neck as Zeus pressed a hand into the small of his back, drawing him closer still. Then suddenly Hades felt a stabbing pain in his middle. He pulled away and looked down.

The master bolt was impaled in his chest.

Hades couldn't even scream as white hot bolts of pain coursed through his body, the pain too numbing for him to do anything but stare. Slowly, afraid of blacking out if he moved too quickly, he looked up at Zeus. His older brother gazed back at him with a mirrored expression of unbearable pain. Just as darkness engulfed him a single sentence reverberated through his head.

"I'm sorry, brother... I had to."

Each time that I think you go
I turn around and you're creeping in
And I let you another skin
'Cause I love living in the sin

I keep going to the river to pray
'Cause I need something that can wash out the pain
And at most
I'm sleeping all these demons away
But your ghost, the ghost of you
It keeps me awake

A/N: Well I hope you enjoyed reading that, I know it's a little different then what I've written before. Also I apologise if the characters are OOC. I wrote them how I pictured them. And, yes, I know Hades is older than Zeus and Poseidon, but I made him the youngest for certain plot convenience. Well I think that's all folks. Remember to R&R! Till next time!