Hades was a force to be reckoned with.

Nearly all mortals and most immortals feared the god of the Underworld. Other than the whole Lord of the Dead thing, Nico couldn't really see why. Like all gods, Hades was about ten feet tall. His skin was as pale as Persephone's, an attribute to the lack of sunlight in the Underworld. His hair was black and fell to his shoulders. His body was angular, thin and elegant, like a thing from the past.

He looks like me. The thought struck Nico like a slap in the face. Although I ought to be taller.

Hades stood up from his throne, and shrunk to the size of a regular mortal. He approached Nico, his black silk robes swishing around him. He placed a pale hand on Nico's shoulder. Nico could feel the chill of Hades' skin through his t-shirt. He suppressed a shudder. Hades was still smiling that dangerous smile. Maybe Nico did understand a little why the god was feared.

"My son,'' said Hades again. His voice echoed throughout the room. "It is good to see you. You look well.''

He sounded sincere. It unnerved Nico. Skipping the pleasantries, he asked, "What do you mean I've come at last? How did you know I would be arriving?" Nico knew the answer. But he wanted to hear it directly from his father.

"I've been unable to contact you directly, so I took more extreme measures to get your attention,'' Hades said without further explanation.

"You took my powers,'' said Nico through gritted teeth. "The powers you gave me!"

"I didn't give them to you, boy. They were inherited.''

Anger bubbled up inside Nico. He shrugged Hades' hand off, which was a very stupid thing to do. Hades didn't vaporize him though. He had the nerve to look actually amused. He raised a jet-black eyebrow at Nico like he was misbehaving a child. Nico was not deterred. "You had no right to do that,'' he hissed.

"Perhaps not,'' Hades replied. "But I did, and you came, just as I intended.'' His voice was unconcerned. It was as if he didn't know the anguish he'd caused his son.

Hurt lanced through Nico's chest. He struggled to keep it off his face. He struggled to remain angry. "Why?" He demanded.

"I already said it was to contact you. And because nothing else got your attention.''

"'Nothing else?'" Nico suddenly felt cold. "What else did you try?"

"Let's see,'' Hades cocked his head, as if trying to remember the specifics of his orchestrated torments. Sometimes Nico forgot Hades designed the Fields of Punishment. "Small things, mostly. First I started taking your powers little by little, but you didn't notice because your sunny little boyfriend wouldn't let you use them anyway.''

Nico blanched. So Hades did know about Will. He didn't seem to care though. There was no malice in his voice when he mentioned him. Nico didn't know why he himself cared whether or not his dad approved, but he couldn't pretend like he didn't.

"I sent you some particularly gruesome nightmares,'' Hades continued conversationally, "although I must not have tried hard enough, because you thought they were of the ordinary type.''

Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you.

"Then, my personal favorite, I sent an old demon to your camp to wreak some havoc. It returned to Tartarus only a few days later though, claiming you slew it. Well done.''

Nico's jaw dropped. "You what? Dad. That thing almost killed several of my friends.''

Hades shook his head. "No, no. I gave it specific instructions to poison and maim, not kill.''

"Poison and—'' Nico was seething. "I can't believe you.'' Travis, Katie, and Cecil had almost died. He could have died, if it weren't for Will!

"And then I decided to take your powers completely, which worked like a charm. Although I did allow you to Shadowtravel here.'' Hades finished. He looked quite please with himself.

"I didn't even Shadowtravel here!'' Nico's voice rose. "I had to come down through that goddamn recording studio!"

Hades frowned. "My mistake. I was multitasking at the time, you know, damning souls is consuming work.''

"Okay.'' Nico tried to calm himself down. Getting angry was not going to help anything. "Okay, okay. I'm here. Congratulations. Your mindfuckery worked. Now what do you want?"

Hades' chilling smile returned. "What do I want? To talk to my son.''

It took Nico a moment to realize he was serious. "That's it?" He spat. "That's why you tried to ruin to my life?"

Hades regarded him thoughtfully. "On the contrary, my son—"

"Stop calling me that!" Nico snapped. He hadn't thought it was possible to be this angry. Or, more accurately, he'd forgotten. Maybe Will had influenced him more than he thought. He hadn't felt this bitter, this resentful, since before Will came into his life. He was afraid of it and he welcomed it. He wanted to fight it and embrace it. Nico was a mess of contradictions without Will. And here he was, in the Underworld, the place without the sun, arguing with his jackass dad who had the nerve to call him son. Nico suddenly wanted to be anywhere else in the world. He wanted to be back at Camp. He wanted to be with Will, getting ready for the summer campers. He wanted to immerse himself in the excitement and anticipation of the arrival of new friends and the return of old ones.

"Nico,'' said Hades, and reality caved in on itself around Nico. Nico. My son. They were one and the same to Hades. Whether he liked it or not, Nico was Hades' son. Hades was Nico's father.

Nico was the son of Hades.

"Father,'' he said, and it was enough.

"I never intended to ruin your life, Nico. I do not believe I have done so. As I told you some time ago; with little exception, my children hardly ever achieve happiness. I want you to be that exception. I want you to be happy.'' Hades placed his hand on Nico's shoulder again. This time, Nico didn't shrug it off. "For reasons I am unable to explain to you at this time, the gods must remain silent. We must distance ourselves from mortals for now. Artemis has attempted to commune with her Hunters, thought I don't know if she was successful or not. I have attempted to vie for your attention.'' He smiled coyly. "And I have succeeded.''

But why? Nico wanted to ask. He held his tongue and listened as Hades continued.

"I cannot see everything that goes on in your life. But I've seen enough. You, Nico, are so close to the happiness you deserve. That other boy, Apollo's son?"

Nico stiffened.

Hades chuckled. It was such a shocking thing to be coming from the god of the Underworld, Nico momentarily forgot to be surprised at his boyfriend's mention. "I've watched you two,'' said Hades. Nico hoped this didn't mean his dad had seen their, ah, more intimate moments. "I think he really cares about you. And I think you really care about him. Correct me if I'm wrong.''

"You are not.'' Nico was surprised by the relief speaking those words brought him.

"I am no god of love,'' Hades continued. "Nor do I appear to be the god of anything good or beautiful. I am the god of the Underworld. But you must remember, my son. Elysium, the place of eternal peace, is part of the Underworld too. And just as I plan the tortures of the Fields of Punishment, I plan the rewards of Elysium.''

Nico had never thought of it that way. He wondered if anyone ever had. He remembered how joyful the souls in Elysium had looked. Hades had orchestrated that? It was hard to believe, Nico admitted to himself. But so were many things. And unbelievable was not the same as impossible.

"I want you to be happy, Nico,'' Hades repeated. "This boy . . . Will. He makes you happy. So I urge you to put your differences behind you. Make amends.

Let go.''

The silence of the throne room was a distinct noise in of itself. It filled the space between Nico and Hades.

"Yes, Father.'' Nico's voice was quiet, but firm.

Hades nodded. "Difficult times approach, I must warn you. The fallen god Apollo will soon need your help. You must rise to the occasion. Be the hero I know you are. And remember,'' Hades finally removed his hand from Nico's shoulder. He stepped back, but his molten eyes never left Nico's face, "you are not alone.''

Nico felt as if he had just been hit by a tidal wave. So many questions raced through his mind. Apollo needed him? Whatever for? How did Hades know? And emotions flooded him as well. Things his father had said. What would happen to Hades if Zeus found out he had tipped Nico off? Nico wasn't sure why he cared, but he did know one thing: He would not tell a living soul. Not even Will. He would be ready for Apollo. He would also not be the reason Hades suffered Zeus's wrath.

"That is all I needed to tell you,'' said Hades. He drew himself up, suddenly ten feet tall again, towering over Nico. "You are dismissed.''

Nico watched as Hades turned and exited through a side door. Nico was now alone in the throne room. Hades's dark throne and Persephone's golden one beside it were the only other things in the room. You are not alone Hades had said before leaving Nico by himself. Nico smiled in spite of himself. He knew what Hades had meant, but the irony was worth appreciation.

Nico exhaled. He started towards the throne room entrance. His eyes caught on a lovely shadow the lit braziers on the wall and the double-doors created. He couldn't explain how he knew, but somehow Nico had no doubt his powers had fully returned. Still, Nico didn't Shadowtravel away. Returning to Camp would be as easy as stepping into a shadow. And yet, he didn't attempt it. Not yet.

There was one more place he needed to go.

Nico hadn't been to Elysium since before Bianca was reincarnated. It brought waves of nostalgia over him, ones so strong he had to stop to catch his breath several times. Nico was surprised the security ghouls let him enter Elysium at all. It was the one place in the Underworld he felt like he shouldn't be allowed. But security let him in to visit Bianca years ago, and they let him in again now. It wasn't that Nico didn't deserve to walk through Elysium. He didn't consider himself that bad. It was that he felt like he killed the happy vibe.

He walked through streets lined with suburban-esque homes, rainbow grass waving gently in the breeze. The atmosphere was bright, although there was no sun. Joyful children chased each other through yards and across the street, where no cars were there to stop. Nico thought that if there was a car coming, it would have stopped and the driver would have probably gotten out to play with the children or something ridiculous like that. Not that Nico scoffed at the joy of those in Elysium; they deserved the happiness they were given. He just couldn't understand it. Nico di Angelo was probably the darkest thing to ever enter Elysium, not counting his father. He didn't understand why things that seemed so artificial, so shallow, counted as eternal reward. The lives the people in Elysium led appeared depthless. So why were they so happy? What reward was there in such empty pleasure?

Nico passed by a family sitting out on their lawn. Their house was reminiscent of a plantation from the early 1800's. It was large and grand, white marble and a picket fence. The women, Nico thought a mother and two grown daughters, wore hoop skirts. The men, a father and five sons, wore trousers with suspenders and white button-down shirts. They were having a picnic on their lawn. The mother and father had their finger entwined and were smiling lovingly at their children. Nico slowed down to watch them for a moment. As one of the sons wrapped his arms around one of the girls and kissed her cheek, Nico suddenly knew that the girl was the daughter-in-law of the parents. The other girl was the grandchild. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he was certain. The family, all nine of them, appeared to be the same age. Nico realized that this family, whose parents probably died at an old age decades before them, was complete. At least, these were all of them who made it to Elysium. They were all young and healthy and beautiful, maybe even more so than they had been in their mortal lives. This Nico could understand. This exquisite togetherness. Being with your family for all eternity. That was what an eternal reward should be.

One of the girls, the grandchild, caught sight of Nico. She smiled widely at him and raised a hand in greeting. Nico waved back, but didn't wait to see her reaction. It was all he could do to keep from running. Not only did he feel like he had imposed on a private moment, but the family's happiness made him feel a nearly overwhelming sense of sadness. His family could never have that. They could never be together again. If Nico made it to Elysium, Bianca would hopefully be in her third life or in the Isles of the Blest. Nico had no idea where his mother was. He assumed she was somewhere in Elysium, but he had never been able to find her and Hades refused to tell him where she was. Hades himself was an immortal god. Hazel . . . Well, Hazel hadn't ever been part of that family. But Nico would wish her to be with them if they were able to come together. He thought of the mother and father, holding hands and smiling. He thought of the son and his wife, their child. He thought of Will.

Nico was beginning to almost regret coming to Elysium. How could a place of so much happiness cause him so much pain? There had to be some rule about not being able to suffer in Elysium. But, Nico suspected, like all rules of the Underworld, he was excused.

Almost. Nico almost regretted visiting Elysium. As he approached his destination, that "almost" glared angrily at him.

Nico couldn't explain how he knew the way. Like he'd known the roles of the family on the plantation, he knew exactly where to go. No one had told him and he'd never been there before. Gods, he didn't even know the place he was going. Just how to get there.

Nico stopped on the outskirts. He wasn't sure how welcome he would be. After all, these were Romans. Despite last summer's reconciliation between Greek and Roman camps, Nico didn't think he would be welcome. He was a Greek. And these were Roman demigods, and few of them had died after the reconciliation.

Nico stared out at the small field. The grass was a merry green here, not the rainbow sort. Picnic tables were lined up, piled with food. A glittering blue lake similar to the one with the Isles banked on the field's edge. Roman demigods milled around. They were doing various activities together, talking and laughing as they wrestled on the ground or sparred. It reminded Nico so much of Camp Jupiter. The demigods were dressed in purple. Some had togas and some had t-shirts. Everyone was dressed according to the century they had lived in. Nico didn't see much difference between this party and normal Camp Jupiter parties, although these demigods were more relaxed. Everyone was enjoying themselves. Nico watched several girls strip off their purple clothing and jump in the lake. They surfaced spluttering and laughing, calling for others to join them. Their completely nakedness bothered no one. Except maybe Nico, who turned away wondering why anyone found naked girls appealing.

"Nico di Angelo!"

Nico was startled even more by hearing his name here than he had been in Persephone's garden. He turned around to see a familiar boy approaching him. The boy was stocky and had curly black hair. He was drinking red KoolAid straight out of clear 32-ounce pitcher. Nico's stomach clenched. Shock stole the air from his lungs. Dakota loped up to Nico and playfully slapped him on the back. "Son of Pluto! It is good to see you!"

Dakota was grinning, and Nico realized his teeth and lips were not stained red with KoolAid, as they always were. For some reason, that was what sent Nico reeling the most. He stumbled back.

Dakota's grin flickered. "You alright, Nico?"

Nico couldn't speak.

"Oh,'' Dakota nodded, as if it all made sense now. "I gotcha. Yeah, I died. It sucked. But I'm here now! And the KoolAid here is so much better than at Camp Jupiter!"

"That's great, Dakota,'' Nico choked. Dakota was dead? How had he not known? Oh, right. My powers were gone. Thanks again, Dad. Nico remembered how Dakota had helped him at the end of the Giant War. And before then, when Nico had been with Hazel at Camp Jupiter, Dakota had never been unfriendly to Nico. He was a good person. He had been a good person. He was dead now.

Nico didn't bother asking the Roman demigod how he died. It had been recent, he knew. He remembered what Hazel, Frank, and Reyna had reported about their recent battle with the Triumvirate. How many people they'd lost. Dakota was just another casualty of war. Another life lost. Whatever form Elysium took for the Romans, Nico hoped Dakota was happy. He hoped he got the peace he deserved.

"We all heard you were coming,'' said Dakota. When Nico started, he continued, "Word travels fast down here. He's waiting for you.''

Nico blinked. "What?"

"That's the reason you're here, right?" Dakota nodded towards a tall pine tree. Nico hadn't noticed it until that moment. "He's over there.'' With that, Dakota was off, taking a long swig of KoolAid as he walked away. Nico was dimly aware that the quantity of KoolAid was not diminished in the slightest after Dakota drunk from it. He watched him go. Then he turned to face the pine tree. Nico saw him waiting. He swallowed hard and approached him.

Jason Grace was dead.

Nico told himself that over and over as his shaking legs carried him towards his old friend. Jason looked exactly the same as he had when Nico had last seen him. He was tall and handsome, with tanned skin and close-cropped blond hair. He was standing at the base of the pine tree. His arms were crossed over his chest and his posture was more casual and relaxed than Nico had ever seen it. Jason smiled at Nico and it reached his electric blue eyes. Nico swallowed again. Jason looked more alive than Nico himself. And he looked at peace. For the first time, Jason appeared to be really, truly at peace. What more could one ask for in death?

Nico stopped. Jason was there, right there. Face-to-face with him. Was he really in this place? Nico didn't know what to do. Should he talk first or wait for Jason to set the tone? But Jason appeared to be patiently waiting for him. Nico was fighting for words. What could he possible say? There was so much he wanted to say. . .

"You left me,'' he blurted out.

Jason's eyes were sad. "I know.''

His voice. Nico realized he had nearly forgotten what it sounded like.

"I'm sorry, Nico.''

"You promised.''

"I know.''

"Why?" When Jason didn't respond, Nico pushed further. "Why did you have to die?"

Jason shook his head. "It was my time.''

"It wasn't!" Nico knew he sounded like a little kid. He didn't care. "You shouldn't have had to die. It's not fair.''

"Life isn't fair, Nico. Neither is death.''

"But . . . " There was nothing else to say. Nico came up completely empty. He struggled for something else, anything else. Jason waited patiently. He was the same Jason Nico had always known, and yet so different. He was a Jason whose story had ended. Nothing else was coming for him, not ever. He would spend the rest of eternity in Elysium. Nico would spend the rest of his life doing gods-knew-what. He had no plan from here. And then, eventually, he too would die. Nico had lived for so long. He potentially had decades left in his life. Death seemed so far away. Jason was so far away, despite him standing right in front of Nico. "But I miss you.''

He choked on his words, a sob escaping his throat. Tears had come to his eyes and spilled down his cheeks before he could stop them.

Jason reached out a hand. Nico flinched.

An unreadable expression flashed across Jason's face. He lowered his hand slowly, as if trying not to startle a frightened animal. Nico would have tried to hide his discomfort at being touched by Jason, but he was so damn tired of concealing his emotions.

"I didn't want this,'' Jason said softly. "Nico, I swear to you, I didn't want to die. I just wanted Piper to live. I wanted Apollo and Meg to succeed on their quest. I wanted them to save my friends, give them all a secure future, even if that meant sacrificing my own future. I never, never wanted to hurt you.

"I know I promised I would always be there for you. I hope you know I had every intention of doing so, Nico. I may not be up there with you anymore, but I am down here. And I'll be waiting for you, like Eurydice waited for Orpheus.''

Nico sniffed. "That's a horrible comparison.''

Jason laughed, and it brought back so many bittersweet memories Nico felt like he was drowning. He wrapped his arms tightly around himself. He forced his obsidian eyes to meet Jason's blue ones. Nico couldn't speak without completely losing his shit, so he bit down hard on the inside of his cheek.

"It's time for you to go now.''

Nico blinked. He hadn't expected a dismissal from Jason.

"You belong in the world of the living,'' said Jason. "It's not good for you to be here any longer. Go home.''

I don't want to go home! Nico wanted to wail. I want to stay with you! But not trusting himself to speak, Nico nodded stiffly and turned to leave. Jason's hand on his shoulder stopped him. He glanced quizzically at the older boy.

"Find it in your heart to be happy. There are people who love you, don't you ever forget that, Nico di Angelo. But there's only so much they can do for you. At some point you have to take initiative of your own decisions. You have all the tools to be happy, now you just have to make the decision to live your life and take charge of that happiness. It's your choice.''

"Okay,'' Nico whispered, "I'll try.''

Jason cupped Nico's face in his hands. "I know.''

Nico began to cry.

Jason pulled him close and held him. Nico wasn't sure how long he slumped against Jason, sobbing into his chest. But the pain he let out had been pent up inside him since he first heard of Jason's death. He didn't just cry for Jason. He cried for Bianca, his mother, Dakota, all the lives lost during Camp Jupiter's recent struggled. He cried for himself. The childhood he could never get back, all the pain and fear he had kept hidden inside himself for years, his inability to let go of his sister, his blatant refusal to be happy. He cried from shame at leaving Will the way he did. That was when he knew with a fierce certainty that Jason was right:

It was time for Nico to go home.

He took a deep breath, wiped his damp face on Jason's purple t-shirt, and pulled gently away. Jason held him by the shoulders. He smiled. It was a happy smile. Happy for Nico and the life he was going to live. And a sad smile. Sad for himself and the life he had lost.

"Thank you,'' said Nico. His voice was hoarse from crying.

Jason touched his forehead to Nico's, a gesture Nico found both intimate and very Roman. Then Nico stepped away. He didn't look back at the Roman party behind them. He could still hear the sounds of the celebration. He vaguely wondered if anyone had watched the exchange between him and Jason. It didn't matter.

Jason glanced meaningfully up at the pine tree he was standing by. Nico wasn't sure if this was a tribute to Zeus or Jason's sister Thalia. Jason stepped aside, revealing a shadow cast by the large tree. The shadow was impossible. There was no sun. Then again, there was never a sun in the Underworld, and shadows seemed to be everywhere. Nico suspected that this one was specially created by Elysium though. Nico took one last look at Jason, who nodded, and stepped into the shadow.

The first thing Nico noticed when he reemerged in Camp Half-Blood was that it was dark outside. A few campers were still milling around, so curfew must not have started quite yet. Nico was standing near the shore of the lake. The moon was full and the sky was clear. The trees obscured the moonlight, creating dim shadows on the ground near the beach. He'd been gone all day.

Nico blinked hard, twice. He still felt like he was a shadow. He wasn't used to Shadowtraveling again. He decided as he began walking a little unsteadily to the Cabins, that for Will's sake he wouldn't make a regular habit of the dangerous form of travel. Nico didn't really want to do it either. He appreciated that he could do it if he ever needed to, but he wasn't going to use it frequently. The time of hiding in shadows had passed for Nico.

Nico thought of what his father had said. Difficult times approach, I must warn you. The fallen god Apollo will soon need your help. You must rise to the occasion. Be the hero I know you are. And then, Remember, you are not alone. What did that mean? Was Apollo coming back to Camp Half-Blood? Why would he need Nico, of all people? Then there was that other part - You are not alone.

Jason Grace had said something very similar: There are people who love you, don't you ever forget that, Nico di Angelo.

Lost in his thoughts, Nico didn't realize where his feet were carrying him. It seemed as if all of a sudden he was standing in front of Cabin 7. His hand hovered over the doorknob. For the first time since they started dating, Nico wasn't sure Will wanted to see him. Nico had left Will with no warning again. That was twice in one week. Will had every right to be pissed. But Nico knew he had to apologize. He couldn't just slunk away and wait for Will to seek him out. Nico had to be the one to make this right.

He found Will in the infirmary.

Will was sitting on a bed with his legs crossed, rolling bandages. He looked up when Nico walked in. Something in his expression shifted, but he said nothing. He went back to his work. Nico sat down on the bed directly across from him so that they faced each other. They didn't speak.

Nico watched Will's skillful hands work. It was something Nico had seen him do many times. There was something different about his mannerisms now though. He was rolling the bandages with the same delicate fingers, but his movements were filled with . . .

Nico had seen Will angry on a few occasions. But that anger had never been directed towards him. Nico knew he deserved it. He felt heavy with guilt.

They sat in silence for several more minutes. Will had an old radio on, playing country music. Sometimes Nico forgot Will's mother, Naomi Solace, was a semi-famous country singer. Nico watched Will continue to roll bandages, placing the finished ones in a neat pile beside him on the bed. When his temper did not subside over time, Nico understood he was going to have to be the one to make amends.

"Will.'' Nico's heart was pounding. He'd never felt this nervous talking to Will. When they'd first gotten together, Nico had been shy, but talking to Will had never been difficult. Because he's never been mad at you before, dumbass. "Will,'' Nico said again. "I'm sorry.''

Will didn't look up. He continued his work like he hadn't heard Nico speak.

Nico ran a hand through his lengthening dark hair. "I know I shouldn't have left again. I just . . . I needed to get some control over my life back. Everything this spring has happened so fast, and I couldn't take it anymore. I still should have told you where I was going. I have no excuse for that.''

Will looked up then. His face was flushed and Nico was horrified to see tears in his eyes. "Where did you go, Nico?'' He didn't sound malicious or resentful. He didn't even seem angry anymore. He just looked defeated. And tired. He's tired of me, Nico thought. Me and my bullshit. Honestly? Nico couldn't blame.

In response to Will's question, a lie would have been the easiest way out. But there was no way in hell Nico was going to do Will wrong again.

"I went to the Underworld.''

Will jerked back as he had been punched. "You what?"

"I went to the Underworld,'' Nico repeated, "to see my dad.''

"Why?" Will cried. "Nico—''

"I had to get my powers back!" Nico didn't care how childish it sounded. He didn't care that he'd cut off Will. He couldn't bear much more, so he pressed on. "I couldn't understand what was happening to me, and I needed to know! I'm so sorry I left without saying anything, Will. I know it was wrong, and I regretted it almost immediately. But I'd already figured out that Hades had taken my powers to get my attention and I had to know what was so important.'' And then he told Will everything. He told him about realizing his powers were depleting, not wanting to say anything to anyone about it, and deciding Hades was the culprit. Nico explained that that was his reason for being so short-tempered that morning, for being pushed over the edge and ultimately deciding to go to the Underworld. He described mysteriously being able to Shadowtravel to Los Angeles, journeying through the dark abysses of the Underworld, and the conversation he'd had with his father. Nico left out the part about Apollo. It seemed that Will would know soon enough about his own father's endeavors and Nico was not going to endanger Hades for warning his son. Nico told Will about Jason. He'd already cried his tears; he had none left to shed. Will listened intently, his expression carefully guarded. When Nico finished at last, Will studied his empty hands. He had finished rolling bandages some time ago.

Nico waited, his chest fluttering.

Finally, Will raised his eyes to meet Nico's. "You should have told me you were losing your powers. I could have helped you.''

That was . . . not what Nico had expected. "Uhh. Well, I-I know. I'm sorry. I know you don't like Underworld-y stuff so—"

"If something is bothering you I always want to know,'' Will interrupted. "And it's not that I have a problem with Underworld magic itself, I just don't like you doing it because it's not safe and I love you and I don't want anything bad happening to you.''

"Oh.'' Nico felt a mixture of embarrassment, shame, and affection. "I'm sorry?"

"You should be,'' huffed Will. "That was a stupid thing to do. And you better never run off without telling anyone again. Do have any idea how worried I've been?"

Nico had the decency to be greatly ashamed.

Will didn't wait for an answer. "Of course you do. I accept your apology, as long as you swear to me you'll never pull a stunt like that again.''

Nico nodded fervently. "I swear it.''

Will nodded, satisfied. "Now that you've been on your journey of self-discovery, what have you learned?"

"Am I supposed to say 'There's no place like home'?"

Will cracked a smile. "Is there?"

"No.'' Nico smiled back. "No, there is not.''

"Good.'' Will pushed his neat stack of bandages off the bed. Nico watched in surprise as they rolled on the ground. "Now come kiss me, Death Boy.''

Nico's grin widened. "Sure thing, Sunshine.''

He clambered onto Will's bed. As the two of them tangled together, Nico was dimly aware of the song playing on the radio. It was familiar, as if he had heard it recently.

'Cause there we are again when I love you so

Back before you lost the one real thing you've ever known

It was rare, I was there, I remember it all too well

Nico wrapped his arms around Will and held on.

Nico had been searching for happiness for what felt like his entire life. In reality, it had been the years since he'd lost his sister. Since he'd lost Bianca, the one person who Nico had ever really known. Nico had been so caught up in the pain of his past, that he'd failed to realize the present.

Nico had chased happiness for so many years that he failed to recognize it when it was standing right in front of him. Or when it was wrapped around him, caressing his cheek, kissing him softly.

Nico had hung on to all the things he had lost for so long. In the throes of it all, he had failed to see what he had gained.

Hades was right.

Jason was right.

Nico di Angelo was not alone. He hadn't been in quite some time. Here he was, with his boyfriend whom he adored. He remembered his mother, his sister, Jason, and everyone he'd ever lost. He knew he would always love them. He would always miss them. He would always wish they hadn't died. And for the first time in his life, that was okay.

Nico let go.

AN: The song used in Chapters 9/10 is "All Too Well" by Taylor Swift, which also happens to be my favorite song of all time.

Please review! One more chapter to go :)