Jason wiped another tear away and stuffed his hands in his pockets, gripping anything in there just to remind him that this was real. He stared out over the edge of the cliff until he couldn't see anything but blurs. This time he let the tears fall freely.

He heard footsteps behind him and turned around to see a guy- only about fourteen- dressed in all black, walking towards him. The boy stopped about five feet away from Jason.

"Nico," Jason managed to croak out.

"Jason," Nico greeted. "Uh," he cleared his throat awkwardly. "How are you holding up?"

Ignoring the question, he asked, "Does it ever get easier?"

Knowing that he shouldn't say no, but he also shouldn't lie to Jason, Nico replied, "You'll learn to deal. Over time, things will start to fall back into place."

Jason nodded. "She was so strong," he said more to himself than to Nico.

Still, Nico agreed, "Yeah, she was. She still is actually."

Jason looked at Nico in silence for a moment. "Can I say goodbye?" he asked.

Nico gave him a small smile. "Actually, that's mostly why I'm here. She wants to talk to you."

And suddenly she was there. She just walked out from behind Nico as if she were still alive. Spiky black hair, electric blue eyes, and ripped jeans- just as if she were alive.

She gave Jason what looked like a teary smile, but he couldn't' be completely sure since he didn't think the dead could cry.

Nico turned to walk away. "I'll give you two a minute."

Thalia quietly thanked him while Jason stood there motionless. When Nico was out of hearing- range Jason finally spoke. "You're…you're…" his voice faltered.

"It's okay. Say it," Thalia told him.

"Dead. Gone." He brushed yet another tear away. It killed him knowing that he couldn't touch her or hug her. He wasn't a child of Hades.

"Yeah." She glanced back at Nico for a fraction of a second. "It's okay though. I'm not hurt. I'm okay," she assured her baby brother.

"But," he paused, "you won't be here to see me grow up. We won't spend holidays together," he whispered.

Thalia swallowed. "I'll be watching over you. Look, I want you to go out and have fun and get married and have kids- or don't. It's your choice. But whatever it is that you decide to do, just be happy."

Slowly, Jason nodded. "So this is it. We have to leave each other again," he stated bluntly.

"But we'll be together again one day."

"I'll miss you until then," he choked out.

"I'll miss you too, but you're going to be fine, kid." She gave him a joking smile.

He returned the smile. "Goodbye, Thalia. I love you."

She smiled that teary smile again. "I love you, Jason."

Nico must have sensed that the goodbyes had been exchanged- or maybe he was just getting tired- because he was already walking back over. He looked at Thalia and then stepped a little closer to Jason. "All done? Are we good?" he asked.

They both nodded. Before Nico could reach out to take Thalia away for good, Jason placed his hand on Nico's shoulder and then let go just as quickly. Nico looked back at him, a puzzled look on his face.

"Take care of her for me," Jason pleaded.

Nico instantly thought of the time when he asked Percy to watch out for Bianca and he thought of the pain he felt when he learned that she had died- the pain he still felt. "I will," he promised. And he meant it. He would make sure that Thalia was happy in the Underworld.

Nico turned again and walked to Thalia. She gave Jason one last smile and a wave goodbye before taking Nico's hand and stepping into the shadows, into the Underworld where she would stay for the rest of eternity.

When they were completely gone Jason collapsed on the ground, dirt clinging to his jeans, as he sobbed for the sister that he never truly got to know.

A/N: Just a short story that I pulled out of my butt last night. I think it may be a little rushed, but it's meant to be short, so...whatever. xD Also, head!canon: Nico is a child of Hades. Therefore, he can touch the dead as if they are solid. :3 Why did Thalia take Nico's hand and shadow travel away instead of disappearing like a normal ghost? Because I decided to write it that way. Problem? *insert troll face here* Also, I predict that in this new series- 'Heroes of Olympus'- Thalia will die. Just because Rick seems to like to piss us off lately. NICO SHOULD HAVE FUCKING BEEN IN THE STORY! HE'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN THESE NEWBIES! ESPECIALLY JASON!