A\N: This is a tribute to a close friend of our family, who died a painless death today in the hospital. We love you, Aunt Nina.
Song: When you´re gone
Artist: Avril Lavigne
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Author: Rick Riordan and TheSkySpiritsTalentShow
"Isn´t this a lovely dinner? I worked hard on the flowers. How do you like it, dear? I love the colors. I´m so glad I thought about this. Hey, why are you standing up? Hades, where are you going? Did I mention I worked hard for these flowers and the dinner? Hades!"
The door slammed shut before Persephone could summon any flowers to get her husband back.
The lord of death stormed past his minions out of the palace. As soon as he got out, he began to feel better. For a moment. Then he thought about Persephone demanding to know what´s wrong with him and his mood darkened again.
Hades started walking again, trying to build off the pressure. What was wrong with him? The day had started out great.
Well, not really the day, since night and day are the same down here. But the moment he stopped his break and continued to work on the judgments again. It had all gone very smoothly.
Most souls were normal mortals who died with a car crash or from a sickness. A few demi-gods had mingled, they all died fighting monsters and were sent off to Elysium.
Olympus called with some good news, the Underworld was pretty peaceful despite Sisyphus´ constant cursing and whining. Everything was great.
But then his son came over. That when things started to go wrong.
Hades walked faster, heading into the direction of Punishment
Apparently, Nico got involved in some kind of quest.
He had just asked for permission to use one of the Underworld entrance and exit for safer travel. Hades wouldn´t care less for the half-bloods to travel around his kingdom as long as they don´t fall into Tartarus and he gets annoying complaints from parents. That was the second most annoying thing other than Demeter complaining about no cereal in the house.
That wasn´t the problem. It was when he gave his son permission.
Nico smiled (Maria´s smile) and said, "Thank you, dad-I mean, father."
That was the problem.
That small thing that caused the hard worked on dam to crash again.
Punishment wasn´t on the Top Ten most relaxing spots. The airs was dry and humid, it was uncomfortably hot and the air was filled with screams and pleading.
Hades found it very relaxing. Especially when in anger.
Even though the air could use AC and some air fresheners, all the tortured souls crying out to him made him feel more powerful. In control, kingly. He decided what happened with them. He could lessen or add to the punishments. Everyone here was at his mercy. That´s what he liked about Punishment.
But maybe it was already used out because as the god of death strolled through the hot grounds, he didn´t feel any of the pressure melt off like before. Quite on the contrary, actually.
His thoughts returned back to his throne room.
Dad…
The last time own of his children had called him that was such a long time ago…
Nico was only two and Bianca four. Maria and Hades still lived together, but constantly traveling with fear that one of the gods might wipe out the di Angelo family.
Hades almost smiled at the memory of little Bianca and Nico in their pajamas, Bianca jumping around the room with her little brother watching and laughing. Maria was sitting next to Hades, reassuring him that they were safe now and in the same time telling Bianca to stop bouncing on the bed.
As soon as that picture floated through his mind, the god quickly got rid of it. He can´t think of the past. That was yesterday.
The screaming was getting unbearable now, so Hades found the next shadow and traveled to the most silent part of Hades.
The Underworld was huge and the parts that weren´t the mainstream was just desert with a few dead trees. There was a huge desert behind the palace. With more dead trees. They started off single but then grew bigger into a huge sandy forest.
No hero had ever wandered through them, so the myths couldn´t capture their story.
The dark woods would either frighten you to death or remind you of your biggest longing or darkest memory. It was like a trip into your inner self.
No god except Hades wandered through here. Maybe because Hades was the only one who could scare off the creatures lurking around in the shadows. Or maybe because no one ever came over for tea.
As soon as he stepped into the shadows of the trees, he could already feel their effect taking toll on him.
The smooth, warm voice of Maria filled his thoughts. The feeling of pride and awe as they held their first baby in their arms, it all came back to him.
I always needed time on my own. I never thought I need you there when I cry. And the days feel like years when I´m alone. And the bed where you lie is made up on your side.
Hades remembered that first night after Maria died. He was alone in his palace. His children were safe in the Lotus Casino and Persephone was spending the summer with her mother.
The god always told himself it was good he was alone back them. He needed time to think and to straighten out his feelings. That and the other cliché lies you tell yourself.
But he promised himself he´d only mourn for a few days, then get on with it. A god shouldn´t feel attached to mortal that much. It wasn´t healthy.
When you are going, I count the steps that you take. Do you see how much I need you right now?
Maybe he had been too much in love with her. With every activity, whenever it was judging a female soul or ordering his dead minions around, he had thought about Maria. Whenever he saw a dead spirit, he thought about Maria. Another reason why he hated Percy Jackson that much at first sight.
The boy was giving up everything to save his mother. It was his first week as a demi-god and he went through all the trouble and dangers, just to get his mother back. It reminded Hades of his children, how they would have to grow up without their loving mother and they won´t even remember Maria when they do get out of the Lotus Hotel.
When you´re gone, the pieces of my heart are missing you. When you´re gone, the face I came to know is missing too.
The shadows were very much alive in this place. They shifted and growled, some brave ones even snapping at Hades´ ankles, but the god burned them away.
Soon he started doing that regularly, imagining his pain melting like the shadow creatures.
What really scared him though was how when he saw Maria´s face in the shadows again, he realized how the memory of her had faded. He had forgotten about the ever-present sparkle in her eyes or the small crevices when she smiled.
When you´re gone, the words I need to hear, to always get me through the day and make it okay. I miss you.
Maria had never worried about her death. Hades warned her, but she didn´t really care about his angry brothers. Just as long as they were together, she would always say, then everything was fine and no god could get between that.
Family meant a lot to her and whenever she talked about them, Hades had started to believe it.
I´ve never felt this way before.
He could save his family. He could convince her to come into the Underworld with him. He could prevent all of their deaths.
Everything that I do reminds me of you. And the clothes you left, they lie on my drawer. And they smell just like you, all of the things that you do.
A soft breeze floated by, filling the air with the rich smell of her sweet perfume. And something else. Something just as strong, but very familiar. Oh yeah, the kid´s room in that one hotel. They stayed in the same hotel for three years and had a small room where Bianca and Nico slept. Every night, Bianca would cuddle up to her little brother and they´d both fall asleep. Soon it smelled like milk and playground.
When you are going, I count the steps that you take. Do you see how much I need you right now?
And then there was another thing he regretted. Commanding Alecto to wash his children´s memories.
They would never remember the muse that was their mother.
The sight of Maria´s scorched corpse would be outweighed by her loving smile and her face filed with pure joy, no matter what her kids did.
When you´re gone, the pieces of my heart are missing you. When you´re gone, the face I came to know is missing too.
And when you´re gone, the words I need to hear, to always get me through the day and make it okay. I miss you.
Something happened when he first saw Maria. Something scary and yet at the same time somewhat pleasant. He began to feel more …human.
He had had other wives before, but none like Maria di Angelo. She was the only one who could make him feel human feelings like happiness, love, jealousy and sadness. And even though he was the god who protected his family, Hades couldn´t have done it without his wife´s reassurance.
We were made for each other. Out here forever. I know we were, yeah, yeah. And all I ever wanted was for you to know. Everything I do I give my heart and soul. I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me…yeah!
Another thing Hades liked about these woods was the crushing silence. No screams, no laughter, no whispering, only silence so loud it rang in his ears.
He thought about Nico, the only surviving member of the di Angelo family. The demi-god had tried a couple of times to get Bianca back, even searched for her new-born self out in the mortal world. At least Hades knew he wasn´t alone.
Then an image got invaded his mind.
Nico was a small toddler, stumbling through the streets, a little scared but daring.
Maria had never stopped worrying. She and Bianca searched the hotel rooms, called everyone they know and reported him to the police. Maria and Hades searched the streets, calling his name.
Hades finally found him thanks to a shadow the boy had been sitting in.
As soon as his mother was done scolding him, she had taken him into her arms and didn´t leave him out of her sight the rest of the day.
When you´re gone, the pieces of my heart are missing you. When you´re gone, the face I came to know is missing too.
She wouldn´t have liked this, Hades realized, her only living son roaming the world full of monsters, without a place to really call home. Especially not with thirteen. Of course it wasn´t easy feeling welcomed here in the underworld, with a dad no one really likes and a stepmother who hated him.
But maybe, the god could change that. He realized he´s desperate for anything right now, or maybe that´s just the trees taking effect on him. Then again, he did miss his son. A lot more than he first paid attention too.
When you´re gone, the words I need to hear, to always get me through the day and make it okay.
Hades stopped walking and blasted another shadow creature with black fire. They were definitely getting stronger back here. Maybe some other time he could come back here and explore the rest of the woods. But for now, he was fine. Literally.
The forest was the only place where he had been able to mourn all he wanted without making himself look weal in front other gods or made Persephone hate him permanently.
The judges probably needed his help again or Thanatos with a few rebellious souls.
I miss you.
Besides, his son is stopping by. He couldn´t miss that.