ZOMG! So, school just started (3 weeks ago…), and I'm taking an AP class, as a freshy, so I've had so much homework and since I have to get up at 5:45 every day, I end up falling asleep when I intend to update… I apologize for this, so I will probably be updating this on weekends only for a while. :)

2 months later, Nico had decided that it was time. Actually, Nico had been content lying in bed for the rest of his life, seeing that he couldn't move. His dad had decided that it was time for him to return to school.

For the past 2 months, he had relied on his father for everything. At first, showering had been a little awkward, and learning how to roll around and steer a wheelchair had been impossible, but after a while, it had gotten easier (not that Nico would admit it).

He did, though, miss other people. He missed his friends, his cousin, although he had seen him once a week, his mom and sister, who he still thought about constantly, and Thalia. She hadn't been to see him since that one time. He didn't blame her, though, because no girl wants to hang out with a total wimp like him.

Nico had chosen his clothes today. A black tee shirt, a black pair of jeans, a black hoodie, and black skate shoes were his preferred attire. He had let his hair grow out. He used to comb it back, but he thought it would be a good idea just to let it hang over his eyes… just to cover the scars.

"Papa? Do I really have to go back?" He whined from his seat in the car. He would have gotten out of the car, but it really wasn't possible.

"Yes, you do. And stop whining, it really is an unattractive quality." Hades said, getting in the front seat of the car and buckling his seatbelt.

"It's not the only one." He fingered the marks along his forehead and right cheek.

Hades saw this and sighed. He knew that his son had been pretty nice looking before the accident, thanks to Sally and her album of memories. It wasn't like he was terribly scarred, though, but they were definitely prominent.

Sally had become kind of a life saver. She taught him how to be a dad in the 6 weeks he'd had a son. She was over their house at least once a week, cooking enough to last a month, taking days from work to spend time with Nico, and at nights, she would come over and show Hades photo albums of when his kids were younger, going to Italy, Nico playing soccer, anything imaginable.

"Nico, no one will notice. You'll just go back to being a normal kid." Hades glanced at his scowling son.

"Yeah, the normal kid who was out for two months and is a frikin' cripple."

Hades sighed. "Listen, son. Everything will work out in the end. We'll… we'll figure it out."

"Bianca would know what to do." Nico said, giving his father a sour look.

"Nico."

"Mama would know." Nico sniffed, and rubbed his eyes.

"It'll all work out, I promise."

Line

They rode in silence as the pair pulled up to the school. There weren't many people there because it was early. They'd gotten there early so that Nico could meet with Chiron early.

Earlier that month, Hades had gone and traded his expensive car for a minivan. Not just any minivan, but a fancy minivan. It was sleek, black, and shiny. He drove the car up to the school, and in the parking lot, smoothly came to a stop.

Hades got out of the car first, and Nico unbuckled his seatbelt and pressed the button to open the door. Hades opened the trunk and he took out the wheelchair.

It was black, except for the metal connecting the wheels to the chair, which was yellow. Hades brought it to the open door, and Nico peeked out the door to make sure no one was around.

This was probably the most embarrassing thing he'd ever done. He held out his arms and his father lifted him out of the car and into the seat.

Hades reached into his coat pocket and took out a pair of black fingerless grip-y gloves.

"Thanks." Nico mumbled, taking them from him and putting them on.

He rolled himself over to the stairs, and looked at his father for guidance. Hades grabbed the handlebars of the chair and tried to force it up the stairs, but the chair wouldn't budge.

Hades, aware that the action he would take next was potentially embarrassing, looked to make sure no one was coming,

Hades was a strong man, and Nico was a thin boy. Hades lifted the kid over his shoulder, against Nico's protests, and folded the chair. He took them both and walked up the stairs.

"Papa, put me down." Nico hissed as they entered the building.

Hades obliged, and unfolded the chair and dropped Nico back in it.

"Don't ever do that again."

Line

"I cannot believe you actually did that." Nico huffed, rolling himself down the hall quickly, Hades half jogging to keep up. (Not exaggerating, Nico had gotten very good at this.)

"I'm sorry, how was I supposed to get you up the stairs? Levitate you?" Hades replied.

Nico made a face and kept going, not slowing down until he reached the office. He slowed down, and turned to face the door. As he reached to open it, by pushing in, the door was opened, and he looked to see the face of a girl he hadn't seen for 2 months.

"Nico?" Her black hair stood on end, blue eyes wide with shock. "I thought you were out for another week?"

Thalia stared at the kid in front of her. He was definitely not the kid she saw at the hospital, or even before that. His eyes half closed, and hair in his face, everything. The scars scared her, though. They… they definitely did.

He turned his head so she couldn't see the scars, though she had already seen him much worse.

"I decided… my dad decided… I guess, I could come back early."

"Ok." She stood for a moment longer, searching his face, but he refused to look at her.

She took one more look, and ran towards the library.

Nico sat there, ashamed. He couldn't do anything about her anymore. There was nothing he could do to impress her.

"Nico?" Hades huffed as he caught up to his son, only to see him sitting in the doorway. "What's up?"

Nico looked at his dad through his hair, and gave him a mix of a grimace and a smile.

"Nothing. Let's go." Nico rolled himself into Chiron's office, followed closely by his father, who looked admiringly at the decorations surrounding the walls.

There were swords and shields, as well as pictures of old Greek heroes, and a pinochle board on the table.

"I like what you've done with the place." Hades said, pausing to look at the inscribing on a shield. It had the picture of Medusa's head on it.

"Thanks, I guess it's a hobby of mine, collecting this old stuff." Chiron paused to look at Nico, who was leaning on one arm of the chair.

"Nico." Chiron said his name, and Nico looked up.

"Huh?"

"I was wondering how you were feeling?" Nico rolled his eyes.

"How do you think?" He snorted. Chiron smiled sympathetically.

"I'm guessing the answer is not so good?"

Nico laughed, but it was more of a hollow feeling behind the noise.

"That would be an understatement."

Chiron knew how he felt. When he'd had his accident, as a teenager, it had ruined his life. He wasn't about to tell Nico that, though.

"Nico, I want to know if you think you're ready to immerse yourself back into classes." Chiron said seriously.

Nico gave him a dark look.

"How about… never?"

"I think you know the answer to that one." Nico shook his head, letting the hair fall into his eyes.

"Mr. Pantos, if I may ask," Chiron said, gesturing to Hades, "What do you think would be best?"

"I think that he's ready now, as much as he may protest." Hades looked to Nico, who was shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"Papa, I don't think so…" He said, glancing at his father under his bangs.

"But why not? You've been fine at home, why not at school?" Hades asked, throwing him a look.

"Fine. I'll stay. Just lay off." Nico grumbled, and turned away from the two men.

Hades rolled his eyes and turned back to Chiron. "So, is there anything else he needs?"

"Actually," Chiron reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a key, "He'll need this to get into the elevator."

Nico turned and took the key from Chiron, and put the chain around his neck. "Thanks."

"There is one more thing to discuss, Nico. Do you want a teacher's aid?"

Nico looked at him as if he'd grown a 2nd head.

"Of course not! Are you insane? I'd be an even bigger freak than I am now!" Nico pushed himself closer to the desk. "I can do it by myself. I'm not a baby."

"Of course not, Nico." Chiron said, nodding understandingly. "I have your schedule here, then."

Nico took the schedule from Chiron's hand, and rolled furiously out the door, backpack on his lap.

Hades threw Chiron an exasperated look, and Nico reached over the desk to pat his hand.

"In all due time, he'll get over it."