AN: So the next chapter. I know it's rather short, but the next chapter will be longer since we'll be getting back to Danae and present time (Danae will be around eighteen nearly nineteen). The whole plot and point of the story. I want to thank everyone for reviewing and I hope to hear more from everyone.

Enjoy!

Sea, Wisdom, and Thieves.

IV

Percy.

The first thing Percy realized was that he was dead. Not only him, but Annabeth as well. His first thoughts went back to how they'd died and then the last time he'd seen his children. He and Annabeth were dead and had basically orphaned their young children.

Danae and Sawyer would have his mother, Sally, but he couldn't imagine how this would effect them. Especially Danae.

"Percy," Annabeth breathed beside him, looking around at the other spirits in a very familiar place. DOA studios. "Oh gods, we're dead."

Percy sighed, wrapped an arm around her. At least the dead could still touch each other, he thought sadly. His mind wondered back to his daughter and son, they were so young. Too young to have to loose their parents.

He wished he had told the gods to go screw themselves, he wished he'd listened to Danae.

"I'm sorry Wise Girl," he said. "But we are."

He let his wife lean into his chest and let a single tear escape from his eyes as Annabeth unleashed tears from hers. It almost gave the illusion that they were still alive, but he knew better.

"Hey, don't I know you two?" Charon asked as they moved forward towards the desk where the ferry man stood.

He looked exactly the same as when he had been twelve and on his first quest. That seemed like such a long time ago... 16 years actually.

"Hello Charon," Percy muttered and the man leaned forward some to get a closer look.

He grinned. "Well, If it isn't you two. Dead this time or on another visit little godlings?"

Annabeth made a almost whimper like sound in the back of her throat but had calmed down from her breakdown earlier. "We're dead this time Charon. We'd...we..."

Percy squeezed his wife's arm and pulled out two drachma's. "We'd like to go now."

Charon looked at the couple and sighed. They must have left something behind that was important to be this broken up. Most heroes were never this broken about having died. Some, if not most he'd met were either confused or relieved.

He took the coins though and nodded, coming from behind the desk.

"You'll be the last on this boat then," he said. "Come along."

Percy was almost amused how little changed in all these years. Even the warning Charon gave the other spirits was the same. The one thing that changed was the fact when the spirits became clothed in those robes so were he and Annabeth.

Across the the Styx where they were let out he and Annabeth were met by a surprise.

Nico di Angelo stood waiting. Looking like he'd been crying before he'd arrived, or at least been close enough to give him the puffy eyed look. Nico had grown in sixteen years, he was no longer the little boy Percy had once known. He was a grown man, who looked quite a bit like his father, just not as bitter or cold.

They'd just been to Nico's wedding a year before. It was so unreal that now they were meeting again but on less then nice circumstances.

Only 29 and dead, Percy laughed bitterly. What a surprise, demigods barely ever mad into their middle ages. Not many lived long enough to even have children, well unless you were Roman. But even the Roman's didn't live long enough to raise their children completely.

He'd learned that when he'd spent five years as Camp Jupiter's Praetor before stepping down. During that time they'd lived in New Rome part of the time.

"Percy, Annabeth," Nico said sadly.

"Nico," Annabeth said with relief. "How are the others? Did they finish the quest alright? How are Danae and Sawyer?"

Percy looked at his wife as if to tell her to calm down and let Nico breath between her questions, but he wanted to know the same things.

"The others are fine, they came back with your bodies three days ago. The funeral's already occurred, Sally had you cremated," Nico said.

Percy blinked. "Three days? Funeral, but we just died... didn't we?"

Nico shook his head. "Time moved differently down here and when you're dead. A day to a spirit could be more time on earth. It's not surprising you just woke up so to say now, after the funeral. Sometimes that happens. Usually with powerful souls."

"And our children?" Percy asked.

Nico shifted.

"They're... taking it hard."

Annabeth looked rather put out as she narrowed her gaze at Nico.

"What do you mean Nico? Is something wrong with my children?" she demanded.

"They're missing."

Percy was the first to speak, his eyes wide and cold.

"Missing? What do you mean missing?"

"The last time they were seen was two days after the funeral, on Saturday at your shroud burning," Nico explained. "The gods think Danae took Sawyer and ran. Zeus has everyone looking for them. He's ordered them found... dead or alive."

Percy and Annabeth stared at him in surprise and fear.

"You have to find them first," Annabeth said. "You have to protect them. If one of the gods who didn't want Danae to be born finds them first..."

Nico sighed.

"It's not that easy. Danae is your daughter, she may not be easy to find if she doesn't want to be."

Percy shook his head.

"Please Nico, you and Thalia have always been there for us and Danae and Sawyer. Time to step up as Godfather and Godmother. We need you to protect them for us."

Annabeth nodded in agreement with him.

"If we can trust anyone with them it's you and Thalia. And Miranda of course."

Miranda Gardiner was Nico's wife of a year and a daughter of Demeter – something Demeter never forgave Hades or Nico for. Something Hades liked to rub in Demeter's face from what Percy understood.

Nico sighed.

"I'll try my best. I won't let anything happen to them as long as I can be there to stop it," he promised and Percy and Annabeth sighed with relief.

"You two should go ahead. The Judgment pavilion hasn't moved, I'm sure you can find your way there," he said and two of the greatest Heroes of Olympus nodded and walked past him.

Percy saw Nico sighed as they passed and the shadows engulf the son of Hades and take him away, most likely to the upper world.

He could only pray that Nico could protect Danae and Sawyer. He didn't want to see his children in Elysium for many, many years to come.