A BIRTHDAY PARTY GONE WRONG

Nico edged closer to the pit.

Yes, he probably shouldn't be getting closer to a giant hole in the ground, but this person was his granddad, right? He was family, so why would he try to hurt him?

"Yes! Just a few more steps child, and you and I will be able to spend some quality bonding time together! Now doesn't that sound nice?"

Yes, it did sound nice. Just a few more steps...

"Nico, wait!"

Nico stopped in his tracks, he knew that voice!

"Papa? What are you doing here?"

"Get away from the pit Nico!" Hades shouted.

The voice in the pit decided to join their conversation.

"Hades! It's been years! You never write, you never call, how are you doing son?"

Papa growled, "That's none of your business Father! What were you trying to do to my son?"

"I was just hoping to spend some quality time with my grandson! Isn't that right Nico?"

Nico nodded, realizing how tired he felt, he didn't feel like doing much except nod. Papa was standing next to the pit and yelling.

"Do you always have to ruin everything? I am finally happy father! Can't you stop trying to claw your way out of Tartarus for a few centuries so that I can have some peace?"

"I wouldn't be Kronos if I did! And relax Hades, the only thing I wanted to do to your son is drag him into Tartarus, convince him to join me, and teach him to be a vicious warrior from the age of 5! There would have been no harm done!"

Hades massaged his forehead, "I don't have the time to deal with this right now. Nico, come on we're going home."

The voice sounded angry, and almost desperate.

"Think about it Hades! Your child could be great! He could be the child of the prophecy and bring you glory! Isn't that what you've always wanted? He could have a new home, a new family! One that wouldn't try to kill him!"

Hades frowned and gently picked Nico up, "I've told you thousands of times father, I'm not joining you, and I'm certainly not letting you raise by only child."

Nico felt his eyelids droop as his father carried him back home. The last thing he thought before he fell asleep was, ' I really don't like adventures'

*******Line break*******

Hades sighed as he made his way back to the palace. He had almost been too late. If Nico had taken a few more steps, he might never have seen him again. Hades couldn't stand the thought of losing his son. He had lost children before, but he had never felt so devastated at the prospect that that they might die. Nico was only mortal, and he would die eventually, but Hades was going to protect his son from all of that danger for as long as he could. Nico wasn't going to die anytime soon, not on his watch.

That night, Nico had his first ever demigod dream. It was obvious because he had woken him up at midnight with his screaming. Hades had found Nico clutching at his sheets, frozen with terror. After making him some hot chocolate, Nico finally seemed ready to talk to him.

"Papa, why can't granddad come to visit us?"

Hades wasn't really sure how to answer that question.

"Well Nico, Kronos isn't really a very nice person."

"But he's our family! We can't let him stay stuck in that creepy hole forever! He seemed so lonely."

How was he supposed to tell Nico that he and his brothers were the ones who put him in there?

"What did you dream about Nico?" he asked, trying to change the subject before it got too emotional.

"I saw someone get sucked into the creepy hole. He looked a lot like you, but a lot smaller. It was so strange, I could almost feel how scared he was! There was this creepy voice inside the hole too, except it was a girl's voice. It was really scary. She-she pulled him in."

Hades felt like ice was freezing his heart. Was it possible... no, it couldn't be. No demigod had ever gone to Tartarus.

'Technically, no one has gone to Tartarus and lived.' Interrupted a voice in his head.

Hades shrugged it off, it was probably a coincidence that the boy being sucked into Tartarus looked like a younger version of him. That was all, just a coincidence.

Hades knew that he should probably tell his brothers that Kronos had gathered enough power to lure a demigod. But that would mean telling them about how he knew that. Kronos had probably only been able to do that because they were so close to Tartarus, right? Besides, Kronos probably wouldn't be able to talk to a demigod on the surface and actually make a move for another 100 years or so. So there was nothing to worry about!

*******4 years later******

Four years had passed since that day, and a lot had changed in the Palace of Hades.

It was January 28th 1940, and the Underworld family were celebrating Nico's 8th birthday.

Sometime in the last 4 years, Nico had slipped up and called Persephone mom. Hades had been ready to defend his son from Persephone's anger, but he hadn't been ready to see his wife ruffle Nico's hair fondly and pretty much adopt him as her own child. Hades wasn't sure what was worse, Persephone hating Nico and yelling at him for siring another child with Maria, or seeing the two of them gang up on him and make him spend more time with them.

Whatever the case, Hades had his own perfect little family, right here in the underworld. For the first time in centuries, he was truly content.

He should've known that it wasn't going to last.

Hades was sitting on his throne, waiting impatiently for the last spirit on his list to stop complaining so that he could go and join his son's birthday party. Just as he was about to dismiss the spirit, an Iris Message shimmered in front of him.

'No, no, no! Not now!' he thought frantically.

The Iris message revealed an underwater landscape, which meant that it was his brother, Poseidon calling.

"Hades!" said Poseidon with one of his signature grins, "How's it going big bro?"

"Poseidon! You're calling me! Today! Right now! Yay?" he said, trying to sound enthusiastic and slightly less desperate than he felt.

"I just felt bad for ignoring you for so long! Just thought that I'd see how things are going, you know, since it's today, and all."

Hades hesitated, "Why? What's so special about today?"

Poseidon looked at him sympathetically, "You don't have to pretend Hades. We all know what day it is. Today was supposed to be your son's 8th birthday, you talked about his birthday for ages, back when Maria was still alive. Excellent woman, I must say, not many mortals would have the courage to call Zeus an imbecile. Everyone knows how much that boy and his sister meant to you."

Hades gulped, "Yes, it's... extremely tragic. Well you know me, I'd like to be alone today, and mourn. Yep, lots of mourning!"

Poseidon nodded, "Of course, take care Hades. I'll see you-"

Before Poseidon could finish his sentence, the throne room door burst open. Nico entered, wearing a party hat and holding a slice of cake.

"Papa! Do you want some cake? We've got plenty!"

Poseidon stared at the boy, dumbfounded.

"Papa? What- Oh Hades, what have you done?"

A.N:

Sorry for the short chapter! Please review and let me know what you think of this story!