AN: I added a scene with Persephone and Will in her gardens. We get a little more background about Persephone. Again, it's not vital to the plot so it isn't a huge change. Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: All rights to Rick Riordan. I own nothing, but the plot.

Themes of self-harm, anxiety, and depression are expressed within this story. TRIGGER WARNING! Please do NOT read if these themes upset you. TRIGGER WARNING!

Criticism is appreciated, but please no hate. Please review and leave me suggestions! Enjoy!

Will's POV:

Nico finished eating first, his father beckoning him away. Will watched his boyfriend and the Lord of the Dead leave the room, leaving Persephone and Will alone in the hall. Persephone said nothing as Will continued eating his meal. Once he finished, Persephone led him out of the dining room. Will looked around at the palace, having not been paying attention the last time he was here. Something always distracted him.

Now, he focused his attention on his surroundings. The pair walked into the main hallway and Will looked up. He realized that there was no ceiling above, just cavern roof. Far above, Will noticed the Furies circling the parapets. Will felt a certain disdain for Alecto, who wouldn't keep her nose out of Nico's business.

Will blinked these thoughts away as they walked into the entry hall. It had a polished bronze floor, which seemed to boil in the reflected torchlight. Persephone opened the double doors, leading out of the house of Hades. They descended down the steps of the black marble portico and into the courtyard of Persephone's garden.

Inside the courtyard was the strangest garden Will had ever seen. Multicolored mushrooms, poisonous shrubs, and weird luminous plants grew without sunlight. Precious jewels made up for the lack of flowers, piles of rubies as big as my fist, clumps of raw diamonds. Standing here and there like frozen party guests were Medusa's garden statues— petrified children, satyrs, and centaurs—all smiling grotesquely.

"Wow," Will was in awe.

Persephone smiled "It is not as gorgeous as my gardens in my palace on Olympus, but it is the best I could do with the lack of sunlight down here."

"It's beautiful," Will wondered aloud.

His eyes were drawn to the center of the garden; there was an orchard of pomegranate trees. Their orange blooms were neon bright in the dark. The tart smell of those pomegranates was almost overwhelming. He stepped closer to the tree, feeling a sudden desire to eat them.

"Careful," Persephone warned. "You must know the legend of Underworld food."

One bite of Underworld food and he would never be able to leave. "Of course. I know they are what trapped you down here. But, I don't necessarily understand it."

"There are many misconceptions about my trapping and subsequent marriage to Hades." Persephone considered Will carefully as if determining if he could be trusted or not. She apparently decided that he could. "We can tend to my garden as I tell you my story."

Will nodded, sitting down by the flower beds and sinking his hands into the dirt as Persephone did.

"Millenia ago, I was born to Zeus and Demeter. I spent most of my early years shielded with my mother's closest nymphs. She wanted to protect me from the evil of the mortal world and the corruption of Olympus. My early years were happy ones, as I was completely dedicated to my craft. Nature... became wild. My powers eventually had to be reigned in, but for a while, my powers were left unrestrained.

"Eventually, as we all do, I reached a marriageable age. Many tried to court me, but my mother continued to shield me from the 'vices' of men. After all, my own father is the ultimate womanizer, so my mother wanted to protect me from the likes of him. As much as she thought she was helping me, it felt as if I was suffocating. I had to get out of there. I wanted to experience the world, experience love.

"I escaped to the mortal world, exploring all that the Earth had to offer. I wasn't aware of this at the time, but Hades had noticed me. He said that it was love at first sight. Eventually, my mother found me and brought me back to her sanctuary. But, now Hades knew where I was.

"Realizing that nothing bad had happened to me, my mother lessened her grip; she allowed me to explore Earth more fully. With the supervision of her nymphs, I went to Enna. Being the rebellious spirit I am, I got away from the nymphs, enjoying freedom. When I was alone, Hades appeared from a crack in the Earth.

"Of course, I was terrified at first, never having really been exposed to a man at first. But, just as he immediately fell in love with me, I fell for him too. Hard. He was so... charming. So unlike anything I had ever experienced. In the first few moments of meeting him, I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him."

Will paused in his weed-pulling. "You know that quickly?"

Persephone nodded, a smile coming across her features. "I did. At this point, the nymphs had noticed my absence. They began scouring for me. I begged Hades to hide me. He grabbed me, startling me, and before I knew it, we were in the Underworld. Where my mother couldn't reach me.

"My mother was devastated by my disappearance. She searched everywhere for me, not realizing that I was in the Underworld. Since the Underworld is the Land of the Dead, she assumed that I, the goddess of springtime, would not be able to survive down here. Eventually, because she likes to start drama, Hecate told my mother that I had screamed before being abducted underground. Due to my mother's distrusting nature, she believed that I had been kidnapped. She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that maybe I had wanted to leave. She was angry and heartbroken. She soon stopped caring for the Earth.

"Meanwhile, I finally felt free, finally felt as if I could be myself in the Underworld. Hades courted me; he was the perfect gentleman. He created this garden for me as well as giving me riches and treasures beyond belief. I fell even more in love with him. I married him and never looked back. While he and I have both had our few affairs, we remain ever loyal to each other. I was ready to spend the rest of my immortal life in the Underworld with him.

"Unfortunately, Zeus had heard the cries of the hungry people of the earth. My mother had to begin fulfilling her duties and caring for the Earth again. He came down to the Underworld, operating under the impression that Hades had kidnapped me. I tried to explain that I was here on my own accord, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. Zeus threatened Hades to release me to Hermes the following day. Otherwise, there would be consequences.

"Not wanting to be trapped and shielded by my mother again, I begged my new husband to help me. We devised a plan. As you know, it is a rule of the Fates that whoever consumed food or drink of the Underworld was doomed to spend eternity there. So, I ate six pomegranate seeds. Before I could eat all of them, Hermes arrived early to take me to my mother.

"There was a huge fight between the Fates, Hades, and my mother. The Fates claimed that me eating the seeds bound me to the Underworld for the rest of my life. My mother, still believing I had been kidnapped, argued that I had been under duress to eat the seeds. Zeus came up with a compromise: I would return to the Underworld for six months each year. The other six, I would be with my mother, to help tend to the Earth. And now, we have what you mortals call seasons." Persephone finished.

"I- I had no idea!" Will exclaimed.

Persephone nodded. "Most people are unaware of the true story. It has been distorted by my mother, father, and Hecate. Hades encouraged the narrative as well, wanting to maintain his reputation. But, the truth is, his and I's entire relationship was completely consensual. I am in love with him."

"That's beautiful," Will repeated.

The two fell silent for a moment.

"So, if the Fates are serious about 'eating and staying' after eating Underworld food, how was Nico able to eat them?" Will asked, referring to the little he knew about Nico's time with the Giants when he had been forced to survive off pomegranate seeds.

"He's a son of Hades; he can get around the rule," Persephone informed. "I gave them those seeds for emergencies. Anyway, he is in the Underworld so frequently that the Fates have overlooked it. Also, he is planning on moving down here soon, so I believe that will also reassure those batty old ladies."

Will's stomach sank as he remembered his boyfriend's plan to move down to the Underworld full time. "Right-"

Persephone seemed to pick up on his distress because she changed topics. "Our counterparts have not returned. Shall we go locate them?"

Will nodded his consent as they exited her garden and through the gates. Will looked back at the palace. The outer walls of the fortress glittered black, and the two-story-tall bronze gates stood wide open. Up close, he saw that the engravings on the gates were scenes of death. Some were from modern times—an atomic bomb exploding over a city, a trench filled with gas mask-wearing soldiers, a line of African famine victims waiting with empty bowls—but all of them looked as if they'd been etched into the bronze thousands of years ago. Will wondered if he was looking at prophecies that had come true.

He felt a shiver go down his spine as he turned away from the gates.

Nico's POV

After leaving the dining room, His father held a steady pace, not waiting for Nico to catch up. He walked through the hallways, into the foyer, and out the door. Nico caught up with him, walking across the dead Underworld lawns.

They continued walking in silence for about twenty minutes before his father finally spoke up. "You should be nicer to Persephone."

So that's what this was about. "She should be nicer to me. She's lived longer; she should have more maturity."

"It's not about maturity-"

"Yes, it is! She treats me like I'm the worst thing to ever happen to the world." Nico said indignantly.

"She doesn't really think that," Hades placated. "She just resents you."

Nico laughed bitterly, kicking at the ground as they walked. "Because that's so much better."

"She resents you because you represent my relationship with Maria-"

"All gods cheat on their godly partners. If they didn't, we wouldn't have demigods." Nico replied.

"She's jealous," Hades revealed.

That stopped Nico. "Jealous?"

Hades continued walking, forcing Nico to follow to hear what he was saying. "Yes, she's jealous of you. Of our relationship."

"Our relationship isn't that envy-inducing," Nico retorted.

"Listen, for once in your life, child," Hades said forcefully, shutting Nico up. He took a composing breath, quelling his anger. "She wants our relationship. The relationship of child with parent. She doesn't believe in dalliances with mortals, even though I have assured her that I would not mind. That's why she resents you, and your mother."

"But she's a goddess," Nico exclaimed. "What does she have to resent?"

"Maria-" his father had a wistful look in his eyes as he walked, arms crossed behind his back. "Maria was a very special mortal. She understood me in a way that very few people ever have. She was so enticing and so beautiful. I saw her in Bianca- I loved her, unlike any other mortal I've ever fallen for her. And Persephone knew that. She was jealous that I had that connection with Maria. A connection that I didn't have with her.

"When Maria was- was killed and you and Bianca were both out of the picture, hidden in the hotel, her anger subsided, and she was happy. Once you came back into our lives, she was reminded of Maria and the terrible memories she had associated with her. Even you are so much like your mother. Maria was always disdainful towards Persephone as well. When you displayed that attitude, she wrote you off as being your mother's son. If you want her to treat you differently, you have to respect her."

"But doesn't she hate me?" Nico asked, not expecting his father to share so much.

"No, she doesn't. She does care about your wellbeing, because of how close you and I are. But she does not treat you nicely because she associates you with Maria. Because of your attitude towards her." Hades explained.

Nico nodded, mulling over his father's words. It would explain Persephone's animosity towards him. "I suppose I could make an effort to be nicer to her."

"I expect you will do so, Nico. Especially if you plan on living in the Underworld with us. Are you ever going to say yes to my offer?" Hades looked over Nico.

"I'm going to wait until this all blows over with Cecil going missing and Apollo's disappearance from Olympus-" Nico explained.

"That could take a long time, Nico," Hades warned.

"I know, but I can't leave Will. Not now."

"If you really care for him this much, why leave him in the first place?" Hades questioned.

Nico considered his father's question as they continued their stroll through the Underworld. Should he be honest? Should he actually confide in his father? Hades had just revealed his own secrets, regarding his mother, a topic his father usually didn't like to talk about. He decided to be honest.

"Because I have to heal alone. With him, he- I am dependent on him. I am dependent on him for everything. To heal me. To love me when I can't love myself. To make me happy," Nico confessed. "Don't get me wrong; he does an excellent job at it. But I need to be able to take care of myself, since he won't always be there. I need to be able to rely on myself for a change."

"You've relied on yourself for many years. You've been alone for so long." His father pointed out.

"Yes, I was independent and strong, but I'm not anymore," Nico ran his hand through his hair. "I'm not half the demigod I used to be."

"You've been through a lot."

"And it should have made me stronger, not weaker," Nico said bitterly. "I didn't recover from my experiences before I started dating Will, so I don't really know who I am, with those experiences, without Will. I just need to figure out who I am before I think I can come back and be with him."

"I understand that decision, but you cannot put off leaving forever. It will make it that much harder to heal and to leave when this crisis clears up." His father advised.

"I know that."

"Do you even want to be with him, considering how different you both seem to be?"

"I love Will, I do. He's an amazing boyfriend and so good at supporting me. I don't want to end our relationship. But, at the same time, he doesn't understand the challenges I've had to deal with. Of course, he has dealt with his own hardships, but I cannot talk to someone about something they cannot understand. I don't want to discuss what's happened to me with him, because I don't want his opinion to change about me. I don't want him to judge me for my mistakes and the immoral decisions I have made."

"I can help you through all of this." His father assured. "I want you to be happy and I will do whatever I can to help you achieve that. Whether that be with Will or not. I can help you."

"It's different for you though," Nico pointed out. "You are accustomed to the kind of horrors that I can barely begin to fathom."

"I know, but I understand what you've seen. I can be someone for you to talk to."

"I wonder if there is a 'Demigod Group Counseling Session'," Nico joked. "'We discuss killing innocents, strolling through hell, and dealing with inescapable grief!'"

His father didn't laugh. "I'm being serious, Nico."

Nico looked down at his feet. "I know, and I appreciate your offer. I just am not very comfortable talking about my experiences. The memories- let's just say, I wish that I didn't have them."

"I know, but, as we have discussed before, your memories make up who you are as a person. Removing them- it would leave you as a shell of a person," Hades explained. "You have to face your memories and your fears in order to move past them."

"That's what most people say, but it still hurts to think and talk about," Nico admitted.

Hades put his hand on Nico's shoulder. "I know, but I will be here for you, every step of the way.

Nico grew quiet. His father did as well. They continued walking, not paying attention to where they were going.

The silence was broken by the arrival of Persephone and Will. "Nico!"

Nico turned his head and watched Will approach. He looked okay, not appearing to have been cursed by Persephone or anything. He arrived at Nico's side.

"Hey, what's-" Will started, but Nico interrupted.

"Persephone."

The goddess turned from greeting her husband to face him. "Boy."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" The usually composed goddess sounded shocked.

"I'm sorry for how I have treated you these past couple of years." Nico apologized. " I- I treated you with disrespect and thought I knew who you were, without actually trying to get to know you. I assumed you were this evil stepmother and never gave you the benefit of the doubt. You acted like I was this spoiled, bratty kid, and I lived up to your expectations by behaving like one and for that, I am truly sorry. I hope that we can maybe start over."

He extended his hand. Persephone eyed it warily. "This isn't one of your tricks?"

Nico shook his head. "I just want a new start. Especially if I move down here." Will moved uncomfortably at his words, but Nico kept eye contact with Persephone.

She gave him one last look over before taking his hand. "I will play nice. As long as you do."

Nico gave her one handshake before releasing it. "You have my word."

Persephone inclined her head at him, looking at him a little differently than before. She turned back to her husband, discussing something with him quietly.

"I didn't know you were that good at apologies," Will mused.

Nico shrugged. "My father explained the reasoning for why she showed me so much animosity and I understand her a little better now."

Will smiled knowingly. "So, your father made you apologize."

"No-yes- okay, maybe. He told me I should be nicer. But those words were mine. That apology was from the heart."

Will clasped his hands together. "How sentimental!"

Nico playfully punched him in the arm. "Oh, shut up."

"It's just always heart-warming to see your soft-side coming out."

Nico ignored the obvious jab, trying to get him to rise. "What did you guys do? We left the palace an hour ago."

"We toured the gardens, which were quite beautiful. Currently, we are on a tour of the grounds of the Underworld. Not as beautiful, I have to say. All the- souls just walking around. And when they walk through you-" he shuddered.

Nico chuckled. "I'm sure you didn't see the Fields of Punishment. She hates going there. It's the most terrifying part of the Underworld; I even avoid it. Although, my father has a balcony overlooking it."

"Which I have asked him many times to get rid of," Persephone interjected, listening to their conversation.

"I will not change the architecture of my palace just because you don't like the view." Hades asserted.

Persephone rolled her eyes. "It's sadistic, watching the punishment of souls."

Hades smiled creepily. "I am the god of the dead, after all."

Persephone ignored him, turning her attention back to Will. "How about we continue the tour, with these children?"

Will looked to Nico for a cue. Nico shrugged. "That sounds wonderful, my lady."

Persephone smiled. "We should stop by Elysium and the Isle of the Blest. The heroes are always so nice, and their parties are fantastic."

Nico thought back to Christmas. He had planned to take Will down to the Underworld and to Elysium to show that the people he had lost didn't blame Will. But that was when all hell had broken loose. Maybe, now was his chance.

He turned in a circle trying to figure out where he was. The gates to Elysium were in the distance, up the hill. The palace was towards his back. To his left, the cavern narrowed into a tunnel. His heart stopped. The hairs on his arms stood up.

It smelled of evil down the tunnel. Nico could taste the fire of the Phlegethon in his throat. He could feel the acid coursing through his veins after his encounter with Akhlys. He could feel the hellhounds ripping into his skin as he took one too many for one demigod to handle. The tunnel was an entrance to Tartarus.