Growing Up Again

Chapter 1: Baby Nico

Nico's POV:

In a demi-god's life there aren't many things that seem strange, so when Thanatos asked me to help him find a soul, I shrugged my shoulders and agreed. I didn't have anything better anyway. The war was over and I wouldn't dare look at Camp Half Blood ever again. I didn't want to go somewhere I wasn't accepted. But this was meant to distract me from my problems not encourage me to think about them.

Apparently this soul was wandering in the forest, it was highly embarrassing for Hades if anyone found about the wandering soul. It wasn't unusual for me to help my dad out, it was sort of like bonding. I spent most of my time in the Underworld when the war ended. Everyone came back alive, except Octavian. He sacrificed himself for Rome and it was an honourable death. Rachel was the one who was the most distraught over it. Those two had gotten closer.

I wandered through the forest which had a large winding river coursing through it. I saw small poppies dotting the green grass. I felt strangely at peace. I hadn't felt like this since Bianca died. I closed my eyes and just let myself forget everything. It only lasted a minute.

I heard a low growl and my eyes snapped open. I grabbed my blade and turned around. I saw a water nymph being chased by some creature. I didn't know what it was. I lunged at it and I had the upper hand. It was surprised and fell backwards but it quickly bounced back. Its large hands smacked me into a tree. I heard a crack but didn't dwell on it because the monster went back to the nymph. I quickly pushed her out of the way just as it was about to strike. I stabbed my sword into its chest and its claws plunged into my mine.

It died and I felt myself dying. The nymph ran over to me. Her hair was blonde and cascading over her shoulders. Her beautiful blue eyes were filled with worry and fear. I imagined the ocean in her eyes and to me, that didn't seem such a bad thing to see before I died.

"I can't prevent this death. You know that?" She whispered softly.

I gave a weak smile.

"I know. It's ok. Just do me a favour. Go to Camp Half Blood and find my sister Haz-"

"No. I can give you a better chance in life. I can make you into a child. Innocent and clean from all the horrors in the world." She said her hands over my wound.

I mused over my decision before nodding.

Then everything went black.

Hazel found a toddler sleeping outside her cabin. She almost screamed when she saw it. Except his features seemed familiar to her. After looking at him for a little longer she knew it was Nico. He had his big brown eyes filled with innocence. His hair looked like bat wings. He wore a black shirt with a skull on it and some black pants. Hazel picked Nico up carefully.

"Hazel?" Nico asked with a lisp.

'He was so cute.' She thought and took Nico inside. Hazel had changed the Hades cabin, she made it more…lively. There were lights on each corner of the cabin and the bed covers was a deep red and bright white. The pillows were collected with sweet quotes on them.

Hazel smiled and pressed a kiss to Nico's cheek. She gave Nico one of Frank's old shirts she had. He was practically drowning in his clothes. She giggled and snapped a picture of him. She put her phone away and looked at the little boy. She had missed Nico so much after the war. He had just disappeared and she felt so lonely. Shaking those thought out of her mind, she prepared Nico for bed. There was no use waking up the whole camp right now. They all needed sleep; repairing Campy Half Blood after the war was hard work. She laid Nico down with her and they both fell asleep.

Frank came barging into Hazel's room to wake her up for practice when he saw them. Nico was cuddled up to Hazel and he was wearing his shirt. At first Frank was confused about why a child was snuggling with his girlfriend, then he was hit with a realization. It was Nico.

Frank ran to the pavilion where most of the campers were finishing breakfast. He burst through the door and went straight to Chiron.

"Nico's a baby." He said seriously to Chiron. The remaining Seven's eyes widened as Chiron strode (galloped?) to Cabin 13. They all followed behind.

Hazel had woken up and gotten dressed. She slipped on blue jeans and her camp shirt. She was attempting to brush her curls when they all barged in.

Chiron and everyone entered Cabin 13 and Hazel opened her mouth to explain.

"Hazel?" Nico asked while rubbing his eyes with his tiny fists. He looked positively adorable.

"Aww." Piper cooed making her way to Nico but Nico scooted further away from her, scared. He made grabby hands towards Hazel and she picked him and rested him on her hip. He nuzzled into her neck.

"Why is he like this Chiron?" Jason eyeing his friend warily. Nico and he gotten extremely close and Jason could call Nico his best friend. He was terrified when Nico had disappeared. When Leo had come back with Calypso, Jason finally stopped grieving and planned to find Nico and bring him back.

"It seems like an irreversible magic spell has been cast on him, probably done by a nymph. This was done with Nico's consent though," Chiron explained carefully while examining the boy. Nico seemed content with sitting in Chiron's hair and pulling his hair shouting, "Donkey!" Percy and Leo snickered and Chiron shot them a look, with that they shut up.

The seven glanced at Nico and then at each other. It was time to find Nico a baby sitter.