A plate of cornetto sat near the edge of Chiron's desk. Nico warmed his hands on his cup of cafe d'orzo and tried to ignore them.

"You've been recovering in the infirmary so there was never a chance for a proper orientation," Chiron said to him.

"I already watched the orientation video."

Chiron waved his hand at cornetto. "William harrassed the harpies in the kitchen until they prepared these. He's quite fond of you..."

"I guess he could be."

Chiron leaned forward, resting his chin on his fists, and scrutinized Nico. "I have a notion that you may have similar feelings for him."

Nico took a drink to avoid the question. "Maybe."

Chiron tilted his head slightly and kept observing Nico in a searching manner.

"Yes," Nico admitted. He stared at the liquid in his cup.

Chiron offered the cornetto again. Nico took one.

Probably poisoned, Minos chimed in.

"What happened just now? Your face changed for a second," Chiron asked.

Nico pulled apart his pastry. "They reminded me of home. I mean- when we lived in Venice. My mother would make these and zapotes for Bianca and me when she was worried."

"Did she worry often?"

"Yes. The great war was coming again and everyone knew. Someone said it was like being on a giant slide with everyone else and even though you know there's something terrible at the bottom, you can't stop yourself from going down."

Chiron looked thoughtful. "That's a very good description. It can feel like that."

"Yeah."

"Did things improve when you lived in D.C?"

Nico thought about it. "I don't really remember D.C. There's a lot I don't remember."

"That's alright. You may find that later the memories come back and we can discuss them further. If you'd like."

"I thought once you bathed in the Lethe that your memories were gone."

"Nothing is ever truly gone, Nico. You may be surprised by what you can remember with a little effort. I can help you with this."

A honey trap.

Nico put down the pieces of cornetto and searched Chiron's face. "I can remember them? I mean, really remember?"

Chiron nodded. "Let's try something simple. I want you to tell me more about what they mean to you," he said, drawing attention back to the cornetto.

"This is the weirdest orientation ever." Nico took another from the plate and cautiously took a bite.

Chiron smiled. "Not poisoned, I see?"

Nico's face burned with shame. He shook his head.

"Trust is a strange beast, isn't it? So hard to reclaim once lost."

"Yes," Nico agreed.

"We'll talk more about that later but for now..."

Nico sighed and tried to concentrate. "Appearances were important to my mother. She had little white flowers braided into her hair that day and a white dress with sunflowers.

She came home and she was the happiest I remember seeing her. She came home with a pound of powdered sugar and a pound of cocoa, instead of the syrup we usually got.

We were luckier than most. We had a radio.

Bianca and I sat at the table all afternoon, listening to the radio, while she baked cookies and pastries. It made her so happy to do that for us.

Everything was getting worse and everyone was more afraid by the day. But there were still days like that."

Nico sat back in his chair. The memory seemed so clear now as if it had just happened.

"How are you feeling?"

"I miss them."

"It sounds like your mother tried very hard to shield the two of you from much of it."

"Her appearance was everything to her. Her father was an important man. So she always dressed well. She would stand in the ration lines made up like Rita Hayworth."

"That was bold of her. I can't imagine that made her very popular."

"She was popular though. She was kind. There was an old lady that kept chickens near our summer home in Tuscany. We went to visit every week. They would talk while Bianca and I played and collected eggs." Nico stopped talking and looked at Chiron. "How did you...?"

But Chiron just nodded and asked him, "Would you like to continue?"

Nico didn't have to think about it. It was more than he had an hour ago. "It's not a bad idea."

"Not everything we uncover will be as pleasant."

"I know."

Will sat at the Hades table at dinner with him that night. Nico didn't argue this time. He was relieved to be able to leave the infirmary, even if it was only at mealtimes. And he was glad for the company.

They ate in silence for most of the meal before Will finally asked, "So how did it go?"

Nico sighed and said, "He reminded me that I came from somewhere."