Chapter 2

Sally gasped as tendrils of darkness surrounded her, their grip caressing, she felt like she was drowning, drowning in shadow. Only Nico's grip kept her grounded, stopped her swirling into a void of endless black. And as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. She was standing on the bank of a river, overlooking a sprawling metropolis of buildings. Old roman structures, and newer looking Greek ones, with a few modern buildings thrown into the mix.

"Welcome to New Rome." Nico said, standing silently behind her. However she caught a tremor in his voice and found him slumped, leaning against one of the trees that adorned the hill.

"I'm okay," he said, seeing her concerned look. "It's just a long way from England to California." She stifled a gasp. California? She turned around, only to find herself face to face with a man-no, a boy- in full Roman armour, pointing a sword straight a her chest. Sally froze. This was all so surreal, it couldn't be true. But it was.

"Who are you?" The boy asked, but suddenly his eyes widened as he looked over her shoulder.

"Ambassador of Pluto." He said, voice trembling with-was that fear?

She twisted her head slightly, to see Nico, seemingly fully recovered, glaring at the boy.

"Billy, Son of Octavian, the girl is with me. Lower your sword." The boy lowered his sword slowly.

Nico relaxed slightly, but his demeanour was still stiff.

"Get the Praetors, tell them it's urgent."

Billy nodded, before running back into the city.

Frank sighed and rubbed his eyes. Being Praetor involved more paperwork than he thought possible. As a frantic knock echoed throughout the large cavernous room behind the senate chambers he exchanged a worried look with Reyna, no-one disturbed them unless it was an emergency. Well, Hazel did, but she didn't bother to knock.

"Come in!" Called Reyna, and Billy came into the room. Although he was Octavian's son, and looked almost exactly the same, his temperament was more like his mother's, a kind-hearted-always-smiling, daughter of Vulcan. Apollo only knows what she saw in the Augar.

He was panting, and in his armour- it was his turn to patrol, Frank recalled-

"Billy, what is it?" Frank asked, standing automatically.

"Pluto's ambassador… Outskirts of the Little Tiber… Strange girl… urgent, he said." Billy panted. Frank stifled a gasp. Nico was back? He hadn't seen the younger boy in ten years; Jupiter only knows what he had been doing. And who was the girl? A girlfriend perhaps? Frank thought all this in a fraction of a second, and when he flashed a glance at Reyna, he saw the same thoughts reflected there. They understood each-other perfectly. Fifteen years of co-preatorship would do that, but they were more than colleagues. They were friends. Reyna nodded curtly to Billy,

"Thank you, we will deal with it." As she swept from the room, Frank followed behind her, smiling at Billy as he passed.

When they reached the Little Tiber they saw Nico sitting cross-legged on the ground talking to- a teenager. He looked more comfortable around this girl than Frank had ever seen him look. A strange question came into Franks' mind. Was she Nico's Daughter? But no, Nico wasn't old enough. This Girl looked to be around fourteen. If this was true, then Nico would have been fifteen when she was born. Nico looked up and saw Reyna and Frank, and his entire demeanour suddenly changed. He stood up in one fluid motion, on edge. The girl stood as well, although it was obvious she was confused. As she stood she looked over at Frank, he swore there was something familiar about her. Well duh! If she's a demigod then she's got to be related to at least one person he knew. When they reached the banks of the Little Tiber, Nico spoke first.

"Praetors of Rome, does this graceus have permission to cross into New Rome?"

Frank frowned.

"If she's Greek, why not take her to Camp Half-Blood?" Nico scrutinized Frank for a second, before glancing to the girl.

"It's… complicated. And not to be discussed here. Does she have permission to enter?"

"Of course." Frank nodded and they made their way to the senate room.

When they reached the Praetor's room, Frank saw that Billy was still hovering uncertainly outside the door. Frank was about to ask him to return to patrolling the border, when Nico spoke to the girl.

"Sally, would you wait out here with Billy?" He glanced at Billy,

"If that's alright with you?" Billy nodded, shooting a curious glance at the girl.

"But Nico-" the girl started, but Nico crouched down to her level.

"Sally, I will tell you everything, but only when I'm certain of a few things."

She hesitated, but then she looked into Nico's eyes, and she seemed to come to a decision. She nodded and he bent and whispered something into her ear. Frank only caught a few words.

"…Childs… don't mention, okay?" She drew back, eyebrows furrowed and slowly nodded her head.

"Okay."

He turned away from her and looked to Reyna,

"May we proceed?" Reyna inclined her head and they entered the senate room.

As the door swung shut behind them with an ominous click, Nico turned to the pair of Romans.

"Who is she?" Frank asked. Nico closed his eyes for a second.

"My story may be unbelievable, but I ask you not to interrupt until the end."

The praetors agreed and Nico took a deep breath before starting.

"Do either of you remember what happened fourteen years ago?" They both nodded their heads. Who could forget that October morning? No-one talked about it though.

"Well… then you remember that the Jacksons had a daughter." Frank drew in a breath. Was this going where he thought it was?

"You all know that their daughter died. Everyone knows that. Even Hades. But it's not the truth. Sally Bianca Jackson is out there with Billy." He stopped and regarded them for a second.

"You said even Hades knows she's dead. If what you say is true, how can that be?" Reyna looked at Nico coldly, clearly not believing him.

Nico's stare was even colder.

"I tricked him. Zeus would have blasted the child; she was too powerful. He has shown himself capable of killing powerful children." Nico's voice was angry, and Frank wondered when Zeus has proved this.

"Before she was born, they came to me and asked for my help. Infants cannot make their way through the underworld unassisted, they must be escorted. Normally ghosts would do this, kind-hearted mothers, but I told my Father I would do this. For my friends. He agreed and I told him that it was done, when in actual fact she had been placed with a mortal family, who were unaware of her heritage. I warned Percy that she wouldn't be safe, and it turns out I was correct, the Gods are sensing her presence. She cannot go to camp Half-Blood because Chiron is bound by an oath not to lie to the Gods."

When he finished this speech he looked at them, but Frank didn't fully believe this story. Nico had a close relationship with his father, he wouldn't defy and lie to him.

"I don't believe you." Reyna's voice was certain, and Frank knew she had the same thoughts he had.

"Hades and Pluto can control metal, we cannot take the risk with Argentum and Aurum."

Nico gave a laugh that was so sad and bitter it sent shivers down Frank's spine.

"Of course you don't believe the estranged son of Hades. Percy and Annabeth can't know she's here, that would alert the Gods." He hesitated and closed his eyes, before they snapped open.

"Do you trust Jason Grace?" This question surprised Frank, yes he knew that Nico and Jason were friends, of sorts, but Jason never let personal feelings cloud his judgement.

"I do"

Nico nodded. "IM him, he'll believe me."

Reyna frowned, but she threw a denarii into the fountain.

Jason appeared in the mist.

"Reyna, what-" he broke off when he saw Nico.

"Nico, where have you been?"

"Protecting someone." Nico's answer was short, and caught Frank off guard. If what Nico said was true then he had not only defied his father, but protected this girl for fourteen years. Nico quickly told Jason the story and the blonde's face morphed into an expression of- was that pity?

"I believe him." Jason's tone was certain. "But Nico… fourteen years! You have to move-"

"Jason…" Nico's voice was a growl, a warning.

What did that mean? Was Nico still caught up with Annabeth?

"Okay, dude, I'll lay off. But seriously…" Jason's tone was gentle, and Frank once again wondered what he knew about Nico that no-one else seemed to.

Reyna's face was sceptical, but she looked like she was beginning to accept the story.

"I think we should talk to her ourselves, don't you?"

As the door clicked shut behind Nico, Sally let out a long breath and looked over at Billy. He was standing awkwardly, his sword hanging limply by his side. He turned to her.

"Sorry I almost skewered you, Duty, you know?" Sally shook her head.

"Actually, I don't." His brow furrowed at her words

"Do you know why you're here?" She slumped against a wall, sinking to the ground, head in her hands.

"All I know is that Nico is a son of Hades, and he brought me here to protect me."

And that he told me not to mention the name Jackson the unspoken words hovered on the tip of her tongue.

He sat down next to her, giving a long, low whistle.

"This is going to take a lot of explaining. Before we start, my name's Billy, and I'm a legacy of Apollo and Vulcan."

"Sally" Sally said, glancing up briefly, to see him looking at her with concern. "What's a legacy?"

"My mother is a daughter of Vulcan, Roman God of Blacksmiths, and my Father is descended from Apollo, which makes him a legacy of Apollo too."

She nodded slowly.

"So the first thing to remember is that all the myths are true. Greek or Roman, it doesn't matter."

"So you're telling me Medusa and-" he cut her off quickly.

"Names have power. Don't use them if you can help it. But yes, she exists." He stopped and seemed to be collecting his thoughts.

"The Greek and Roman Gods are separate, yet they're not. It's like they have two personalities. And they have children. If you're here, it most likely means you are the daughter of a God, or descended from one." Sally's head was spinning. One of her parents was a God? Billy put a tentative hand on her shoulder.

"I know it's a lot to take in, but you get used to it pretty quickly."

At that moment, the door opened, and Nico came out. He extended a hand to Sally, pulling her to her feet.

"Reyna and Frank want to talk to you, don't worry, I'll be there." She nodded, oddly comforted. Even though she had only met him today, she had known him her whole life. She trusted him.

A/N- Chapter 2 done! Please tell me what you think! I am trying really hard not to make Sally a Mary-Sue, but It's my first time using Oc's so... yeah.

Is Frank OOC? He's the only POV I've used that had a POV in the book.

(I totally made up that thing about Argentum and Aurum)

What about Billy? He sort of popped into my head as I wrote this chapter, thoughts?

'Till the next time- rainbowchameleon