Mom and dad were arguing again, so I had to get away one way or another. Bianca came up to me and I knew something was wrong. I hadn't seen her this sad since...well, ever. She had seen me at my saddest, but I had never seen her this down before. The only time she was even close to being like this was when we had a dog that Mom said we had to give away. We both knew what that meant, but Bi was too upset to admit the truth. Anyway, I couldn't stop looking at those eyes. So much loss, so much sadness. I had seen it before on the faces of the likes of Orpheus and Eurydice, but never her. Something was wrong, and I had to know what.

"Bi, what is it?" I asked

"I'd rather not say until Mom and Dad are done talking in there." she said her tone indicating just as much sadness as her eyes.

All of a sudden, Mom walked through the door. Hade- I mean, your father is waiting to speak to you. I knew something was wrong, and the tear stains on her face weren't helping. I anxiously walked into my father's throne room. Next to him was his current wife, Persephone. I liked her, but she tried to hard to be my friend. Back to my dad, he had a grim expression, but that wasn't unusual. He wasn't the cheeriest person you'd ever meet.

"Nico, we need to talk."

Whenever Dad wanted to talk, it wasn't good. Instantly I knew something was wrong.

"Your mother doesn't necessarily agree with this decision, but I feel it's for the best and I currently hold a higher position here."

"But Da-" before I could finish, he cut me off.

"Let me finish." He said, and when he said it, he was even more serious than before.

"Yes, sir."

"As I was saying, your mother and I have been talking. Your mother had some opposing feelings towards this, but I believe she'll realize that it'll be beneficial in the long run. You have been around your mother and sister for far too long..."

Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face.

"Thanatos isn't random, Maria and Bianca were taken for a reason. You weren't supposed to see them until Thanatos deemed it right. I know you've become attached, and it was wrong of me to let you get that close to them. For your own good, I have to send you back to the surface. You may come back anytime, but not to stay, and only when you require something of me...and you know, if you need something from me, it better be important."

Things quickly progressed and I kneeled down, bawling my eyes out. To hear Dad say this was worse than when Bi and I faced that metal giant four years ago. It was worse than when I had to leave...it was just the worst. Persephone just sat behind my father, giving me a sympathetic expression, but (like usual) it was insincere.

All I heard from my father was, "I'm sorry." before I could react, my vision blacked out. I knew what it was like to shadow travel, but I had never shadow travelled without wanting to. Dad had sent me somewhere...but where?

In front of me was a lake, I turned around, and there was a regal and important looking marble building. There were a few other buildings, but the this one stood out to me for some reason. I walked over, and as I did, I saw lots of teenagers and children and adults alike. All of them seemed laid back and happy. There was an adult under a tree, and he was surrounded by a large group of little kids. I walked a little further and saw 5 or 6 teenagers sitting, talking, and eating. Dang it, I just remembered that I left without lunch. I hope that this place has some good I can eat.

When I finally reached the entrance, there were two dogs...that weren't dogs. One was gold and one was silver, and as soon as I took a step closer they growled and circled me. I'm not afraid of dogs, but there was something very intimidating about dogs made of metal.

"Argentum! Aurum! Venite!" I looked up and saw what seemed to be a warrior. She had on a gold breastplate, and covering the rest of her was a rich purple toga. On the center of the breastplate were two pins that I didn't quite recognize. This lady just radiated authority and presence. Behind this girl were a few people. None of them gave off that same kind of authoritative look, but there was one guys who sure was trying hard to make it seem like he was. It must've been a pretty big challenge considering his belt of torn-up teddy bears.

Before I could really look at the rest of them, the girl screamed at me, "Quid tu, inquit, quis es?"

"Wait, what?" I asked, "I don't understand."

"That was Latin. You obviously don't belong here. So, who are you and WHY ARE you here?"

"I'm Nico DiAngelo, and I don't know why, but my dad sent me here."

"Wait, say your name again..." All of a sudden someone who I haven't seen for a long time walked out of the crowd in a toga and a purple t-shirt.

"Percy, you can't honestly say you don't remember me." When I said his name, my sea green eyes seemed to flash as if a light went off in his head.

"How?..." he asked, bewildered.

"Don't talk to him!" the girl said.

"Reyna!..." So that was her name! "He knows me, and I don't know why, but I think I know him. Who's your father?"

"Hades..." I said, somewhat shyly.

"Haha, that's funny. The Greek demigods were wiped out millennia ago." Reyna said.

"What makes you say that?"

"Um, there are no more Greek demigods. Please, call your dad by his true name, Pluto. Either you're a Roman demigod or you're a mortal."

"Oh...of course..." I said, not knowing what she was talking about at all. "Sorry, sometimes I misspeak. Yes, my father...Pluto, sent me here."

I had heard that the Roman demigods had been killed off, but now these people were saying the Greek ones had been killed. The people heard and believed the opposite, and if they knew about demigods, then they must be demigods too...

"Percy! Since you seem to know this one, you can show him around." Reyna commanded.

"Yes, Reyna." He replied.

He showed me all over the campsite, it was apparently called Camp Jupiter. They had a forum, and a coliseum, and bathhouses, and a ton more. As we got back to the Senate House (the important looking marble building), Percy stopped talking about the camp and turned to look at me. "Now that we're done, how do you know me?"

"Wait, Percy, you honestly don't remember me?" I asked.

"I can't remember a lot of things. Ever since I got here, I couldn't figure anything out. Hazel and Frank are trying to help me rediscover my past. I woke up with amnesia a few weeks ago and...you get the point. Now tell me, how do we know each other?"

I paused, and I thought for a while. Percy didn't remember me, and knowing Percy, he'd probably believe whatever I said. I remembered all the days when I sat in my room in my father's palace and cried remembering why I left. The old Percy would've never accepted me, after all, he had Annabeth...but now, Annabeth wasn't here. Percy probably didn't even remember her...

"Percy..." I said sadly, letting tears fill my eyes, "Don't you remember? We loved each other." It felt good to say that, as if, by saying it, it'd be true.

"WHAT?!" Percy asked, practically yelling. From the look on his face, I could tell he was confused. His sea green eyes seemed distant as if he were deep in thought. I'd never seen him like that.

"You don't remember..." My memories came flooding back, and even more tears came flooding down my face. Before I knew what was happening, I felt his arms around me. I don't remember the last time he even tapped me on the shoulder.

"I'm so sorry. I wish I could remember you." Percy explained. "Maybe, if I'm around you enough, I'll remember..."

"I'd love that." That was the most sincere thing I had said to him yet other than that he had known me. All I wanted to do was be with him.

"Okay, then that's what we'll do. I need to remember you. Especially if what you said is true."

Then I thought to myself what would happen if he found out it wasn't...I couldn't let him get too close to his past.

•••

We ended up spending week after week with each other. The more he was around me, the more he seemed to open up and care for me. This didn't seen to be the same Percy, but he was the Percy I wanted. It was my wildest dream come true.

"Hey, Nico?" Percy asked bringing me back to the real world and out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"I've been thinking about what you said when we first met-...I mean...reunited? You said we loved each other. I'm not sure if you still love me, but I feel as though I love you."

I couldn't believe it. It was my wildest dream come true...except it wasn't a dream anymore.

"Percy, I'll never stop loving you. I never stopped, and I never will." As I said it, I knew that it felt right. Percy put his hand on mine and just looked at me as if I were some kind of mystery to him. "What is it?"

"I can't quite figure you out." he said.

"What do you mean?" I said, hiding the butterflies that were flittering around I'm my chest.

"You just seem so complex. You have so many levels and I feel as though there is so much I don't know."

I almost said 'There is', but I knew better. "Perce, you know all you need to know."

There was a pause, and then...

Percy said, "I love you."

I couldn't hold back my tears of joy. I could live the rest of my life just hearing that one sentence on an endless loop. Percy gasped for air as he felt the pressure of my arms around his torso. Soon enough, Percy was returning the hug and was crying too. After 10 minutes, both of our shoulders were soaked. My dream was coming true, and I felt like I could go to Tartarus and back. I looked into Percy's eyes and inquired, "How come you're crying?"

"This...this just feels so right. I've felt like there's someone that I've been looking for, and I finally found them- I mean...you."

When I heard him say that, I felt my heart sink. I know my heart should've soared, but I knew that he hadn't actually been searching for me. Instead, he's been searching for...her. I closed my eyes, and as my vision went into blackness, I felt as though the rest of me did. As the blackness went away, and I opened my eyes, I saw that I was in my room again.

"How?..." I jumped. Percy was still right next to me. When I accidentally shadow travelled, he had been holding on to me, and we both teleported.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." My voice faded out as my vision followed. I slumped into Percy's arms and slipped into unconsciousness.