A/N: The epilogue, if you want.

'To think it has been nine years since we last saw each other...'

'It would explain why you suddenly look like an adult.'

'Wel, I was already an adult when I left.'

Dionysus shook his head while he pulled back his restaurant chair. 'When your Twenty-two, you're not really an adult. People only tell themselves that.'

'And people who are thirty-one are adults?'

'Barely.'

I snickered and sat down myself.

'I wanted to know how you were doing, after all that time.'

I put my hands on the table. 'I am doing alright, I think.'

'You think?' He peered at my wedding ring. I failed to hide a smile.

'I know,' I corrected myself. 'I know I am doing alright. Eh, and yes, I am still with Will Solace.' I drummed on the table with my left hand.

'You put a ring on it, even.'

'Yes.' I blushed a little. 'So… that's good.'

'It sure sounds like it's good.'

A waiter came over to out table. After he asked what we wanted, Dionysus gave him a smile. 'Two glasses of wine.'

My mouth fell open. 'Are you allowed to do that?'

'It's more the question if you are allowed to drink it.'

'I am thirty-one. Yes, I am.'

He winked, as the waiter walked away.

'What does this mean?' I asked.

'I am not released, if that is what you are implying. Yet, I…' He narrowed his eyes, '...I don't know if you heard the news…'

'The news about you raising hell on Olympus after it leaked that Zeus manipulated the evidence that got you punished…'

'Exactly...'

'Because you rose up against the lord of the heavens, you had to stay in camp Half-blood, but you did gain certain privileges.'

'I only have to be there during the summer, and Ariadne gets to visit. Which means she's basically a second director at this point.'

'What are you doing with all this extra time you suddenly got? Did you consider getting a job at a year-round camp?'

'Thin ice, Nico.'

'Sorry.'

'Wouldn't be you without it.' I snickered. 'Care to tell me what you do during the day?'

'It changes. Right now, I work at a secundary school as a mental health counselor and an Italian language teacher. Sometimes I do some work for my father, when he needs help with the other death gods. Yet, that might be different if we ever meet again.'

'Uh-huh.'

'The Italian teacher part was Gloriana's idea. We still go to the di Angelo's every Easter. And to the Solace's every Christmas.'

The waiter came over, with our glasses. I trailed my hand over mine. 'After I left college, you told me I should come call if things got to bad. I am sorry I never did, but it never felt necessary.'

'On one hand not needing me is a lie you tell yourself, on the other, that's good, Nico. I take it that you learned enough in those seven years to be mentally healthy for a good chunk of your life.'

I snickered. 'I think so, too. Then you did the job you had to do, right?'

He nodded. 'Perhaps a little too well. Don't forget that the other part of my job is madness.'

'I haven't.' I took a sip. 'Do you know what Mary is up to these days?'

'She's a designer with a few of her own shops.'

'That's a big step up from Fast food employee.'

'Literally everything is. Her son's okay, too. He goes to a high-end school somewhere in high-end America.'

'As we always said: Perhaps the gods did bless him.'

'Oh, Perhaps they did, yes.'

I held a hand under my chin. 'And how are you, Dionysus?'

'You don't have to ask me.'

'I am asking you, though. If I can say it: It amazes me that you haven't changed. Not physically. I knew you wouldn't have, yet part of me expected you to look like… fifty. Not still somewhere between twenty and thirty. People probably think I am older than you now.'

Dionysus shrugged. 'I prefer this form to anything else.'

'I understand, but it's still weird.'

'And now?'

I blinked and looked back. He didn't look much different to me. 'You shouldn't drive me insane during a check-up.'

'Not?'

I narrowed my eyes. 'I can't remember that you tried to pry open my brain in the past. And I think I had enough therapy during my teens.'

'Then it's as you said: I did my job.'

'Yes, yes, but you haven't answered my question yet...'

'Dad?' I felt someone tug on my leg. A little girl was looking up at me and - oh crud, it was my little girl.

'Anita!' I stood up and I picked up my daughter. I looked around. 'Where's dad? The other one?'

'There!' She pointed to Will, who looked a little confused. 'I thought you said you would be going to the other side of town...'

I did, you just can't trust the god of madness to stick to your rules. I turned to Dionysus. 'Anita. Our daughter.'

'Wonderful.'

'Yes.' I began to grin. 'It's like with Ernest. As if she was blessed, or something.'

'She may have been.' He got up from the table. 'And to answer your question, Nico: It's difficult to call an immortal life good or bad. Right now, I'd say it's good enough. Good enough because I've got my domain, I've got my freedom and I've got my wife, which proves to be all I need. I hope that answer gives you the mental rest you wanted.'

'I does.'

'I'll still come when you call.'

'I'll remember that. And thanks, Dionysus…'

He was already gone. 'Thanks,' I whispered. A warm feeling spread through my body. It might have been the wine, it might have been a sign that he heard me, but then again, what was the difference?'

Will put a hand on my shoulder. 'Sorry...'

'No, that was perfectly fine.'

He snickered. 'How was that?'

I hugged Anita close. 'Still alright,' I said, while stroking her hair.

A/N: Almost all the time, I had seventy chapters, until it STILL became 71. A last chapter will follow tomorrow, to tell you my thoughts on writing, say my thanks, that work.