Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Nico wondered through a dense forest, the trees stuck up from the ground like needles puncturing the earth's crust. They were thin and bare but the shear number of them made it an eerie atmosphere, fog seeped through the gaps between the trees making it easy for anything or anyone to folow him unnoticed. The moon had found its place in the sky, however, its rays become distorted in the fog making everything glow in a ghostly light. An unnatural chill clung to the darkness, forming any water residue into ice.

Nico realised the almost sinister environment, but he didn't mind. In fact he liked it, this place (where ever it was), was isolated away feom interference from people. He could walk through this forest without fear of being judged about his past, his father, his feelings... Here in what seemed his own secluded world he felt he didn't need to worry, even if there were monsters there was enough shadows to melt into.

For some reason he just felt he didn't need to know what was going on in the outside world.

Here he could just be Nico di Angelo.

No extention of 'the son of Hades', or 'Ghost King'. No Gods or Goddesses. No monsters. No camps. For the first time since he found out he was a demigod, he could just be him as he used to be. Happy.

He carried on walking, he didn't know how he got here, how he would get away, he didn't know where he was or how far he had walked, neither did he know where he was walking too. In fact he knew nothing. And he didn't care, the strange calmness of it all made him want to stay. He felt free.

A few steps on front three silhouettes matearalised. As Nico reached them he recognised them, the Fates. They sat under a dead willow tree, the fog seemed to clear out of the space around them.

"Why, hello son of Hades." They all said in unison. Nico took a step towards them.

"Where am I?" He questioned, suddenly having the urge to find out. The Fates shook their heads while tutting.

"Manners, manners, Nico. You didn't say hello back."

Nico straightened.

"Hello Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos." regarding each one. They all smiled.

"Where am I?" Nico repeated, "I need to get back, to Camp Half- Blood or the Argo II if they need me." The Fates sighed.

"Always misunderstood. " Clotho stated.

"Wha-" Nico began to ask but a view of himself in camp around 3 years ago came rushing into his head. He was watching from a third person perspective, he watched as people jumped out of his way. Whispers and unfriendly stares followed close behind.

Lechesis's voice then pierced through his thoughts, "but always there for those who need you." The images changed to him in the Labyrinth helping Percy, Annabeth, Rachel, Grover and Tyson. Then the battle when he summoned the zombies to help protect Camp Half- Blood. Then the picture shifted to him helping Percy to the River Styx, then him convincing his father to join the war. More and more scenes ran through his head, talking to Bob about Percy (which inadvertently saved Percy's and Annabeth's lives). Taking the Argo II crew to the Doors of Death as well as his journey to Camp Half- Blood with Reyna and Coach Hedge returning the Athena Parthenos. All different parts of his life flashed through his mind.

"S-Stop." he pleaded. His head ached, and it only reminded himself that far more bad things have happened then good.

"Despite all your losses and set backs ending up as one of the strongest demigods." Atropos's voice weaved into his head. Nico clenched his teeth as another volly of pictures flipped through his past. Him taking down Minos, him walking through Tartarus, being captured in the bronze jar, and helping fight Clytius in the House of Hades.

Nico slumped to the floor, "so- so what?"

The Fates stood up, stepping towards him in synchronised movements.

"You should feel honoured Nico. Fore without you Percy Jackson and his friends wouldn't of made it to where they are. You chose loyalty over rage. You are a hero." By this time they had made it to Nico and they had helped him up. He frowned in confusion, but they carried on their voices in unison "Not only have you played your part in those who needed you, but you found your own path despite being alone and carried on going."

"So?" Nico questioned, he knew the Fates were never clear in what they say but this was taking it to the extremes. He looked around to provide himself with answers. But the forest was gone, every tree was no longer there. Only flat land remained, coated in the same thick fog, each direction had nothing as far as the eye could see.

"What is going on?!" Nico asked, the cold temperature suddenly dropped and it become freezing. As he turned back to the Fates. They had gone. As well as the willow tree they had sat under. He felt a slight breeze brush against his left leg, he swallowed and reached into his left coat pocket, and pulled out a piece of thread.

Suddenly everything rewinded in the order that it just happened, him being shown the images, him finding the Fates, him walking randomly through the forest.

He knew.

He remembered.

He blinked.

And as he opened his eyes, still standing in the same position as he was in the forest, holding up the piece of thread. He looked up at the several ghosts in the judgement pavilion. It dawned on him the thread he was holding was his. In the forest he had asked himself many questions, but he hadn't asked a very simple one.

Why had it been so cold?

The answer?

It was becuase his cold body was dead.

Thanks for reading! R&R. :3