Nico over the years had questioned his existence many times. Was his existence important? Was it worth anything? Both answers of course had been no. After dying and becoming a spirit he didn't value his life one bit. He was always just going through the motions. There was no excitement or quests, not Percy mother henning him or Hazel to talk to, his existence had become dull and boring; and he wouldn't be upset if he died for good. In the first year he had considered taking his own life; but went against it- he didn't like the thought of suicide. So he had waited for three years for something to come and get him.

Now it was actually happening. He was dying. Someone once told him "dying is the hard part, death though; death is like falling asleep". It seemed that person was right. Of course Nico had died before, but he had been in a state of insanity induced delirium, hardly aware of anything except shadows and voices in the dark. This time he could feel it. Each breath felt thick, his joints felt heavy, his fingers and toes tingled, and his head pounded. Hot flashes riddled his body, making him grimace inwardly. He knew that if he wanted to, he could just expel all of his power, maybe cause an earth quake, and then be done with it.

Part of him didn't want to. It was the same part that wanted to beat Pitch. He hated that grey smooth talking git. It was enough that he took Nico's memories, but Bianca's? Using them against him? It made him so mad. Nico knew at the rate his powers were draining, he had perhaps 2 days, 3 if he was lucky. Pitch wouldn't make his move in that time. He'd wait until Nico was done, get one more player off the board. If the Son of Hades got a believer though, maybe he could last long enough to beat Pitch. No doubt a battle like that with only one believer would finish him.

For Nico, it was all he could really ask for.

Jack, unfortunately, seemed set on keeping him around. Nico followed Jack down off the roof, drawing his jacket closer around him, hearing a single coin jingle against various things he kept in his pockets. He twisted his skull ring as he walked. He felt uneasy. Memories huddled close to the surface, making him eye the shadows with unease, and flinch slightly as noises carried down the hall.

"-his names Jamie, he was my first believer, he's great-" Jack was rambling on.

Tooth appeared at the end of the hall, listing off orders to her fairies, but she paused when she saw Nico. She offered him an extremely tentative smile, that he returned- and despite the fact it was completely forced, she seemed to accept it as an invitation to approach.

"We're going to see Jamie," Jack swung his staff onto his shoulder.

"I don't think that's a good idea-" Tooth gazed out the window at the darkness in worry, "-We aren't prepared to fight Pitch."

"I need a believer," Nico said, stuffing his hands in his pockets, "Pitch is taking all my power."

"If you get power from believer though, wont that give him more to take?" Tooth asked as she absently played with a feather, obviously trying to calm her nerves.

"Yes," Nico shrugged, "without it though, I'll be dead in two days. I get one believer, it'll give me enough energy for a week, maybe. It'll be my only opportunity to get enough power to stop Pitch."

Tooth seemed to be trying to take all the information in, her expression changed a million times in a minute, until she seemed to brighten; "you need to find your center!"

"Of course," Jack said suddenly, "your center can keep you going for longer!"

"Good luck finding it. I don't think death is something children appreciate," Nico said sarcastically.

"Well, you're the only one who can figure it out," Tooth reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder, "but I promise you, we won't let you fade. I swear it."

"Thanks," the word tasted foreign on his tongue.

"I mean it," Tooth slid her hand away and looked him in the eye, and Nico found himself slightly entranced by her oddly beautiful coloured eyes, "we really do care for you- Bunny included- he just likes to act tough on the outside. He's really a big softy."

"If you're done with the chick flick moment..." Jack was smirking a little bit.

Tooth blushed and moved away, awkwardly beginning to give off more orders. Jack beckoned for Nico to follow. The son of Hades felt a little out of his element. People actually cared for him.

"North!" Jack jumped down from the bannister while Nico took the stairs, moving slowly.

"Jack!" North called back, chucking Jack a figurine, "what do you think?"

"It's good," Jack through it back, "we need some snow globes."

"No, already told you Jack, I need snow globes-"

Nico lent against the wall, watching as Jack floated up to whisper something in Norths ear. The large happy man paused for a moment.

"Only two!" He shouted, "no more,"

Nico rushed to keep up with Jack, who was rocketing through the workshop. The loud noises of the room made his head throb even worse, and he tried his best to push the pain away. It slowed him down, so by the time he reached Jack, the winter spirit already had two snow globes on hand.

"No wind?" Nico questioned as casually as he could.

"Need to make the most of the time we have," Jack held one up to his face and said "Burgess" before dropping it on the floor.

A colourful and blinding vortex suddenly appeared. Nico took a step back in shock while Jack just chuckled and jumped in, disappearing immediately. Nico paused before jumping into the magic portal. Everything suddenly went bright, so bright he had to close his eyes, but it still pierced through his lids. A nauseated feeling filled him as he hit solid ground, landing in a snow bank, the icy cold biting into his skin. It took him a second to open his eyes, but he shut them quickly, feeling them sting in annoyance to the dim light of the street lamps.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you didn't enjoy that," Jack chuckled from somewhere above him, "much better then your form of travel."

"Too bright," Nico forced himself to stand, before very carefully opening his eyes inch by inch.

"You're not going to hurl, are you?" Jack questioned, standing a fair distance back.

"No," Nico took a deep breath of chilly air, "I'm fine."

"Right..." Jack trailed off and swung his staff in a basic pattern, "that's Jamie house I think they've cancelled school so he should be in."

Nico followed Jack through the snow, looking around the suburban area. It looked like the atomic-all American- neighborhood. Reasonably priced cars in the driveways, picket fences, garden gnomes. The son of Hades never really understood why people would want such boring lives.

The wind boosted them up the window ledge, and sure enough, inside a reasonably sized room, sat a pre-teen at a desk, looking as if he was studying/ He had a mop of brown hair, and from what Nico could tell, freckles and brown eyes. Sitting on the bed was a girl with blonde hair, with an age Nico couldn't determine, no older then 7, by sure.

"That's Sophie," Jack said in a whisper as he cracked open the window and slunk through, a ball of snow forming in his hand.

In one swift move he threw it. It hit Jamie in the back of the head, making the boy shout out in alarm. Sophie though jumped off the bed and tackled Jack in a hug. Nico scowled slightly and moved to lean against the wall.

"Jack!" Jamie shouted, leaving his desk and homework behind, "I wondered where you were. Why is it always dark? Is it Pitch-"

"Calm down, Kiddo," Jack chuckled as he lifted Sophie up, "remember, breath."

Jamie blushed a little. Jack sat down on the bed and raised an eyebrow to Nico, who couldn't help but scowl.

"Bunny?" Sophie questioned as she plopped down on the bed next to the Winter Spirit.

"Not today," Jack gave a small smile.

"So is it Pitch?" Jamie seemed like he couldn't keep It inside any longer. For some reason, Jamie reminded Nico of his younger self. Percy did say he always used to ask questions.

"Can't keep anything from you, can I, squirt?" Jack set his staff down on the floor.

"I'm not a squirt! I'm nearly a teenager," Jamie sulked a little.

"I can see the hormones are already kicking in,"' the white haired spirit joked, "is that some hair I see?"

Jamie covered his upper lip and blushed even brighter. Nico rolled his eyes and began moving around the room, finding it impossible to stay still. Jack watched his movements with keen blue eyes.

"I actually need your help," Jack smiled brightly, "it'll help us beat Pitch."

"Anything!" Sophie said excitedly.

"We have a new Guardian," Jack began, "his names Nico."

"Where is he?" Jamie's words made Nico scowl even more. Jack caught sight of it and frowned a little.

"He's here right now," The Winter Spirit stood up, "you see, he doesn't have any believers. I figured who better the you two to be his first!"

The siblings eyes widened in excitement.

"Hi Nico!" Jamie said to his left, even though Nico was standing behind him, inspecting the pictures on the walls.

"Uh, Jamie, he's behind you," Jack chuckled.

"Why can't we see him yet?" Jamie spun around, looking a little to the left of Nico.

"Well, I can't just give you a name and expect you to see him, can I?" Jack clapped his hands together, "he needs to have a legend. Because its like me telling you about an imaginary friend that you know nothing about and expecting you to see him."

"Story time," Sophie bounced up and down.

"I hate story time," Nico faced a picture of Jamie on a field trip to the zoo.

"So, Nico, he's really new. The Man in the Moon created him only three years ago," Jack crouched down to the siblings levels, "but even before that, he was a hero."

"Like superman?" Jamie questioned excitably.

Nico rolled his eyes.

"Do you know Hercules-"

"Hercules is Roman. Herakles is Greek. And don't compare me to him, he isn't exactly the best person to be comparing to," Nico cut in as he turned around to face Jack.

"-okay, forget that. What other heroes are there?"

"I don't know," Jamie shrugged a little confused.

"Hang on a minute, Jamie," Jack held up a finger.

"Perseus," Nico listed off the first one that came to mind.

"Okay, Jamie, do you know Perseus?" Jack asked the pre-teen.

"The Greek hero?" The brunette nodded.

"Nico's like him. He fought monsters and even saved the world before he was chosen-"

"I never mentioned that-" Nico cut in.

"- and now...well, now, he takes care of children when they move on."

"Move on as in...die?"

"Smooth, Jack, real smooth," Nico sat down at the desk.

"Yeah. When they die, he finds their spirits and takes them to heaven-"

Nico stopped listening. He picked up a random book off the boys table and began flicking through. It was something about UFO's. Kicking his feet up into the desk, he fiddled with his camp beads while looking at the pictures. He was no more then a couple pages in when something suddenly launched itself painfully into his lap; barely missing his privates. The air was knocked out of him and he dropped the book in surprise, only to find two warm-and very small-arms wrap around his neck.

"What is it? Get it off me," Nico stood up in a hurry, but the thing around his neck kept its grip, giggling slightly. Vision blinded by blonde hair, Nico tripped on the corner of the bed and landed hard on the floor with a groan.

"Sophie," the thing was pulled off him, and Jamie entered his feels of vision, "sorry about her, she just really loves Guardian's. Are you okay?"

Nico rolled onto his stomach before pushing himself into a standing position. Jack was cackling madly to his right, and Nico but his tongue to keep back rude comments.

"Uh...you're not what I expected," Jamie looked him up and down.

"What did you expect?" Nico questioned with a raised eyebrow as he rubbed his lower back.

"A Skelton with-"

That's when Nico realised something. His breath was coming easier to him, it no longer felt heavy, and his pounding headache and tingling digits were gone. His eyes widened slightly as he looked at Jamie, who he realised was still talking -something about scythes-and who could see him. Jamie was looking right at him. Not looking through him, but actually at him. A strange feeling bubbled right within his chest. Someone human could see him. It was invigorating. He loved the change. He even found himself holding back a smile.

"-is that a real sword? Are you going to use it to fight Pitch? What did Jack mean by you saved the world-"

"Is he always this talkative?" Nico swivelled his head slightly to look at Jack, who was sitting on the bed with Sophie, smiling so brightly that his whole face seemed to glow.

"Usually," Jack commented as he shrugged.

"Is it true that you can beat Pitch?" Jamie asked suddenly.

Jamie's chocolate brown eyes met Nico's- who's due to his sheer happiness had turned a clear chocolate brown, nearly matching in colour- and the son of Hades felt a confident answer slip off his tongue;

"I'll finish him for good,"

-THIS IS A LINE BREAK-

The cabin had been abandoned long ago. No new children had arrived, and Hazel refused to sleep there when she visited. It stayed untouched. A thick layer of dust covered everything, giving the already dark cabin a horribly abandoned feel.

"I never did like this place," the voice echoed around the cabin, "you always had a bad habit of not opening up the curtains to let in any light."

Percy didn't make a move to open the curtains. He just stood in the center in the rows of the bunk beds.

"Maybe I just left the figurine lying around in my room and it happened to find an old note..." Percy trailed off, "...or maybe you're still around.

"Chiron says its impossible," the raven haired teen made an odd noise in the back of his throat, "the doors are closed. It's been three years. I hardly survived more then a month...three years...you have to be gone, right? I always thought you were.

"I haven't contacts Hazel, she's still sensitive...but she knows your soul isn't in the Underworld. So it has to be somewhere,right?

"So if you're actually here, give me a sign," Percy held the Hades figurine in his hand, "because I need to get on with my life- I can't lose my job-" Percy rubbed the back of his neck, "-and I only have one more day of sick leave. So give me a sign that you're actually around."

Percy waited for ten minutes. He stood there in silence, clutching the figurine he had given his cousin so many years ago. The seconds ticked by loudly until Percy knelt down and placed the figurine on the floor before walking out the door, closing it softly behind him.

"I guess it's time to get on with life," he said to no one as he left the dusty abandoned cabin behind.