Not a sexy chapter more emotionally driven. Nico and Will have their first fight against minions. You get some of Paul's POV and he learns a lot about his Papa.

Nicos POV

As we laid in our post coital bliss we were just almost asleep until...

CRACK!

The earth shook and the cabin rattled. Something was wrong and I could feel my scalp tingle. Shooting out of bed I threw on a black tank top and training pants as did Will. Grasping weapons we shot out the door only to be see that Hazel and Frank were already running toward the arena. I grabbed Wills hand and pulled the darkness in around us. Landing right infront of the arena what I saw was impossible! A dragon! A full alive dragon with its little dragon spawn around it. Also what I could only make out to be minions of Tartarus. All of them scattering around trying to kill the nearest thing to them that wasn't eachother.

"Will where are the kids!?"

"I don't know! I'm heading to the infirmary I'm going to need supplies! Look for the kids!"

"Hurry!"

Will sped off as Hazel and Frank came up behind him.

"Kids!?"

"I don't know!"

"There not ready!"

"I know I know !"

Frank turned into an eagle and went to do a loop to look. Hazel and Nico I the arena Stygian weapons in hand tearing down everything in our paths.

Paul's POV

The fucking dragon came out of fucking nowhere! We were all just sitting around talking by the hearth when we heard the crack. Naomi being the smart one traveled away and reappeared moments later with our weapons. We ran full force toward the commotion. Demigods of every age were fighting they dragon and its kin. I saw uncle Jason and uncle Percy working back to back fighting off the creatures. Our cousins were in full mix with the hoards. A few perched on the roofs of the cabins to get good archery range. Damn I wish Naomi would have brought my bow instead of a short sword and my throwing knives.

I started to panic as they came toward us. My sisters of course were hell on wheels two 13 year old hellions looking forward to the idea of battle. They took a page from our uncles and were back to back using their powers to their advantage. What the fuck was I supposed to do! I don't have powers! I've never had powers! I can play guitar really well it came really easy. The archery was also pretty easy but being in the mix in the heat of battle wasn't me!

The scene started to shift. The beings and the creatures started to take on a double vision effect. Like a blue shadow showing me where they were going and where they were going to step. Bright yellow spots appeared on their skin! What was happening! I knew I should have had alcohol! I was being pulled by my collar backwards only to find I was in Reynas grip.

"Can you see the spots?!"

"Ugh uh yes yes I can see them"

"Good that's a gift from me! That's their weak point! The blue shifts tell you where they are going to be. Be there before they are! You have a step ahead of them! Use it boy!"

I shook my head taking in what she was saying. Could Bianca and Naomi see this too! As I saw them fight I realized that yes yes they could see what I was seeing! I ran in stepping in front of monsters bringing my blade down just to be showered in gold dust. I saw papa! He was fighting his way toward us.

Wills POV

I found Kayla in the infirmary already with a bag for me.

"Austin and Raze are on the roof! Here's your bag and your staff"

I grabbed both and we headed toward the battle. I still couldn't find the kids! The forces were starting to become overwhelming. Demigods were being cut down left and right. I went toward the injured fighting off minions with my staff. Nico was also my trainer so I had a good hold on my weapon. Piper was laying on the ground over her son Tom.

"Pipes let me see him!"

"He's gone Will" she trembled.

"Oh pipes." Lifting her up he grabbed a dagger out of my pants and thrust it in her hand.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! But your other son isn't gone and neither is your husband I saw him in the other side of the arena! Go! Defend them. Defend us!"

Her tear soaked face was covered in dirt and blood from her son. She nodded and headed downfield. I leaned down to check tom just in case she was mistaken. She was! Very weak pulse but he had one! Grabbing the ambrosia I stuffed it in his mouth and made him chew. I could already hear his pulse getting stronger. Naomi came up behind me.

"Sweetie! Tom is ok get him to the infirmary!"

She grabbed him without hesitation and traveled away. She's the one I need to keep by my side! Bianca was back to back with Paul and they were fighting so well! During that thought my worst fears started to happen. Bianca was about to die! She had missed a step and the smaller dragon was going to snap her in half. Inches away from her and he dragon fell. The earth cracked open and he dragon fell in and zombies and skeletons came out. Nico. It had to be Nico. He was opening the earth letting the undead swarm our enemies on the ground while Jason and Percy fought the boss dragon. Hitting it with lightning and storms. I looked over to see my husband and he had gone full fucking mama bear! His eyes were green and glowing( that had never fucking happened before) the shadows danced around him to the point that I didn't even think that he was walking or running he was gliding on darkness. Nothing stood a chance against him. Sure the enemy was hitting him every now and then only to be met with his brute force and abilities.

We were gaining ground and Naomi kept popping up next me to transport injured and well.. the dead. Arrows were flying all around our heads. Paul was protecting me while I was tending to wounded til Naomi was back to take them to Kayla. Percy and Jason were suffering. They were running out of steam and even though it looked like we were taking the ground battle the one in the sky was still raging. Nico looked up at Jason and gave him a signal. Shit I know that signal. Shadow traveling up to Jason Nico was in his arms being thrown toward the dragon. Paul and I stared at the sight since our area seemed clear.

"Dad what is papa doing!"

"Something really fucking stupid!"

Percy egged on the dragon and got it to open its mouth just enough for Jason to throw Nico into the mouth of the dragon.

"PAPA!" Paul tore off toward the dragon.

"Paul no wait no!"

I caught up to him and caught his jacket and brought him back to me in hysterics.

"Dad! Uncle Jason just fucking killed Papa!"

"No son hopefully he didn't"

"What do you mean he didn't he just threw him into the mouth of that thing!"

"Yes and hopefully it works"

"What works?"

"Papa is small that's why they do that. It's a move him and your uncle used to do all the time. Drives me insane! But it had worked before!"

We turned to stare. The dragon was still fighting and I could only hope my husband wasn't being digested. All the sudden the dragon broke into a million golden shards of dust. My husband falling from 50 feet from within the cloud. Naomi showed up just in time to catch her papa in her arms and travel him to I can only assume is the infirmary. The skeletons and undead stood stiff. Fuck! Nico was controlling them. Bianca was next to me in moments.

"Dad what do we do the skeletons have stopped!"

"Bianca you have to tell them what to do!"

"I can't thats Naomi!"

"Now it's you baby girl! Your a granddaughter of Hades young lady tell them what to do. Do what papa told you to do!"

She closed her eyes and a flash of green light flashed in them. Oh thank gods! I won't lie I didn't know if this was going to work I could only hope the stress of all this would bring out some of her underworld powers. The skeletons started to fight again though not nearly as well but they were still fighting. Luckily Percy, Jason,Frank, Hazel ,and piper were finishing off the leftovers it was safe to tend to the wounded now.

"Paul go check on Papa I'm going to help the others"

Paul's POV

I sat next to my Papa in the infirmary. Laying here on one of the cots passed out. Sometimes I forget how small Papa is. Though I shouldn't be surprised I grew up with him as my "mother" for all intents and purposes. Even after meeting Reyna with my sisters she didn't feel like my mother. Papa was my mother. It's funny how big I used to think he was. Looking at him now he's very very small in the bed. Papa couldn't even see over the fridge. Couldn't reach most shelves and I had to help him grocery shop because of the things he couldn't reach. So small. Yet he just took down an army of creatures pretty much by himself. My small little Papa glowed green seeing my sister in trouble. Raised an army of the dead and broke open the earth to save her; to save all of us. My little papa threw himself inside of a dragons mouth and tore it apart from the inside out.

All of this clothes were ruined in the fight and he laid here just in boxer shorts and I started to notice how scarred my Papa was. Old marks littered his body from head to toe. Marks so deep but so old they showed white on his olive skin. I leaned in and traced a rather large one in his side. Then trailed the ones down his arms. Some on his inner arms too. They were different than the others. Clean. Straight. How could I have never noticed this before! Why papa?

"I've seen that same look before only it was my face. I was your age and I sat in the very chair. I looked at your papa while he was once again passed the fuck out from a battle. I saw all of his scars and was amazed that someone so small could survive being hurt that much."

My Dad walked into the room.

"He got all of these from the last war?"

"No Paul Papa lived a very rough life. If I hadn't been with him these last 25 years he wouldn't honestly be one big scar or dead. Finally with me I could heal him before he scarred. "

"What are these from" I pointed to the ones on his shoulder"

"Lycon"

"And these?" Point to ones on his side.

"Arrows and a few swords I think from the war of manhattan."

"These?" I pointed to the map that was his legs and stomach.

"Different things. Tartarus. Being homeless for 4 years."

"Papa was homeless!"

"Yeah survived on his own by himself shadow traveling around. Both here and the underworld."

"What about these?" I pointed to the clean ones on his inner arms and wrists.

"Oh those are from papas worst enemy"

"Who is that?"

"Himself."

"Why?"

"Because before I found Papa he was very lonely and very hurt. Your papa didn't know anything but pain. When I found Papa he wanted to die. He didn't care about himself or what happened to him. But pain. He knew pain very well and so it was only natural for him to want to hurt himself."

"Does he still?"

"No Paul. Papa hasn't done that in a very long time I would say before you were born."

"He still did it after you guys got together?"

"Oh for years. Only now he had someone to answer to about it. He didn't get the way he was overnight and he wasn't going to change overnight. It took years but I got him there."

"Is he going to be ok?"

"Oh yeah this is nothing. Papa has dealt with much worse as you can see."

"Did you know you would get married to papa when you sat in this chair?"

"Oh gods no! I thought your Papa was an insane suicidal head case with no hope"

"And your realized he wasn't?"

"Fuck Paul no I was completely correct in thinking all those things! Except the hope. I was wrong about the hope. I made him stay in the infirmary for three days. In those three days I found out that he was indeed insane. He was indeed suicidal. Total head case! He was also funny and smart and adorably shy. If you would have told your papa at your age that he would end up at a party with me in a dress he would have punched you in the face and cut off your pinky just to make a point. "

"Your kidding?"

"Yeah I'm not kidding. I think he had a collection of them from the Ares cabin. Like I said totally insane. But he lasted the three days. I asked him on a date. He said no like 100 times. I forced myself on your Papa. I made him hang out with me and I woke him up in the mornings to do activities and made him work here in the infirmary with me and after 100 No's he finally said yes. We went on a stupid camp date and I asked him that night to be my boyfriend and he didn't even blink he agreed. After so many No's I got a lifetime of yes. "

"Why would you want to date someone so.. unstable?"

"Because he was interesting. Never a dull moment. Opposites attract. It was also surprisingly easy. To be with him. I guess I just knew. I was a goner. Plus did you see your Papa tonight? That was scary and terrifying and crazy. Also it was powerful and sexy and every reason I know I married the right man. I know that Papa would burn the world to the ground just to pull me from the ashes. When you meet the person who will pull you from the very ashes they create that's the person you marry."

"Wow this all sounds insane. Papa so different now? When I think of papa I think of him cleaning the house and making dinner. I think of him making us go clothes shopping and helping with homework."

"That's actually really funny that you let him help you with your homework your papa had a 5th grade education. He ran away when he was 10 and never went back to school."

"Why am I only finding out all of this now?"

"Because you finally asked you little twit!" Papa creaked from the bed.

"Papa!"

"Pauly stop shouting I have a head ache."

"I'm sorry Papa."

"Pauly go find your sisters and go back to the legacy cabin ok? You need rest and Daddy has me. "

"Ok papa I'll see you in the morning." I leaned down and kissed the side of his mouth and he held my head down and put our foreheads together.

"I'm fine Apollo just go to bed. I love you. "

"I love you to papa. "

Nicos POV.

"Wow you pulled his full name on him? I haven't heard you call him Apollo since he got suspended from school two years ago."

"Yeah well I wanted him to know how serious I was. Plus it's better than pulling out the full name of Apollo Hades Solace Di Angelo. I'm saving that for something really bad."

"Good idea cause that a long fucking name."

"Yeah why did we screw that up so bad?"

"Cause we were excited about having our first baby and we didn't know if he was going to be the only one or not so we went nuts."

"Oh yeah that's right."

"How do you feel?"

"Like I was swallowed by a dragon. And glittery I feel glittery"

"Yeah you still have gold dust in your hair."

"Did I fade?"

"No you stayed very solid I was surprised honestly. But..."

"But what?"

"Naomi's fingertips faded a bit"

"Well I don't think she's ever traveled so much. Is she ok?"

"Yeah Kayla fixed her up. "

"Good. Are you mad at me?"

"Oh yeah I'm pissed Nico!"

"I know I figured you would be. I'm sorry I just didn't see another way."

"I know worst part is there was no other way."

"What then why the fuck are you mad at me!"

"Because I get to be! Piper thought she lost Tom! I don't even know if she knows he's alive I haven't seen her! Clarisse is dead Nico so is Travis Stoll and 19 others. 6 were kids! We were so lucky to get out with our entire family intact and then you jump a fucking monsters mouth! Again!"

"I've only done it like 3 times!"

"26 Nico I've seen you swallowed 26 times!"

"Your exaggerating."

"Fuck you Nico this isn't funny!"

"I'm not saying it funny!"

"I- I can't ..."

My dear husband fell to his knees next to my cot. Tears falling from his face soaking the sheets. I pulled him to me to join me on the cot. Crying into my shoulder I held him close humming Italian lullabies that usually reserve for the kids.

"Shhhhh it's ok baby I'm here I'm still here."

"I- I can't lose you Neeks I need you here.. please don't leave."

"Sunshine I told you that you need to keep your shit together! The kids need you! "

"They need you more!"

"They need both of us but.. baby I have to play my part in this war. I'm a big three player here. That means me Percy and Jason are targets and it might not turn out very well. I'm doing everything I can to prevent that but we both know I'm the fighter in this relationship. I need to fight! I like to fight..."

"I know. I saw you lose control when Bianca almost got bit."

"I've never felt that much power before I just reacted."

"Mama bear"

"Yeah I guess so..."

"I'm so proud of them though. They fought really great!"

"They are kids Nico they shouldn't be fighting!"

"Will we were younger then them when we were thrown into fights like this. We were what 12? 13 when manhattan happened and Paul's age during Gaea. It just part of this life."

"It's not fair"

"Nope it's not"