Nico stumbled into the throne room, falling to his knees before the dais. He looked like his clothes had been run through a blender. His arms were cut in several places, his knee badly skinned. He hadn't shaved in a while.

"Son?" Hades stood in shock.

Nico glared up at Persephone, "You knew."

She looked incredibly sad, "Apollo…"

"He knew too?" Nico was shaking, he wanted this anger. He needed it. He needed to be able to blame someone. Something. He needed his daughter back and he didn't care who had to yell at for help trying to find her. They had known she would be taken.

"Knew what?" Hades asked, his own temper flaring briefly.

Nico turned his pain-filled gaze to his father, "Echo has been kidnapped. And I couldn't stop it. I was too late. I've searched…and searched…and there's no trace of them anywhere."

"When?" Hades asked, though he had a feeling he knew when. Nico's shadow-traveling had suddenly increased exponentially about four months ago. Hades had figured Nico would say something about why when he came to visit eventually. But this…was not what he had expected.

Nico was trembling, "Four months ago, almost four and a half. It wasn't just her. It was Riley Stoll and Gareth Valdez as well. There's bigger search party out looking for them than there was when Percy went missing…but nothing. There's nothing. Not even whispers in the shadows, the oracles are silent, and my daughter…" His gaze dropped. He never finished the thought. He couldn't. He was in too much pain and anguish. Hadn't he and Will been through enough? Hadn't it been enough for them to lose Declan?

Declan…

Nico looked back up at Hades, "Declan?"

Hades face was grave, "He's in Elysium, as promised, and as you already know."

Nico closed his eyes. He was glad Echo hadn't shown up in the underworld, if nothing else.

"I could summon him for you."

Nico shook his head, "Too painful. Is he…is he aware?"

"Not really. Some other souls have taken him in, it's strange some of the lives they construct down here." Persephone answered, "Though, his mother recognized him."

Nico looked up, "Megara?"

Hades nodded, "She's one of the more active souls. Looks after the souls of children."

That was just like Meg. Always thinking of kids first. Even dead, she cared more than some living mothers.

Nico stood up, finally finding the strength, "You'll tell me if any of the three show up here?"

"I will." Hades inclined his head. "And I'll have my informants keep an eye out."

Nico dipped his head to his father and walked out, heading for Elysium. He couldn't bear to see his son, but there was someone else who he thought he could talk to.

Finally, he spotted her.

She looked just as he remembered her. Her hair just a little longer than a pixie, but not quite a bob. Her small frame, and small waist, her overall boyish body. She was directing a soul towards another, more aware than any of the souls surrounding her.

"Megara," He called softly.

She turned to look at him, "Nico?"

He waved for her to come over, join him by a tree. He sat down, realizing how long it had been since he walked through Elysium.

She came over, floating into pretzel style beside him on the ground, "Is this about Declan?"

"No," Nico shook his head, "He's…"

"Out of pain. Happy. At peace. Unlike a certain son of Hades that I know." She had a slight smirk. Gods he had missed that smirk.

"Echo and Riley were kidnapped." Nico said, his voice shaking, "And…Will is so broken…and so am I…"

"You're both being open and honest about it?"

He nodded, "Yeah, but…"

"Nico, she's not dead. You will see her again. Right now…" Megara's spirit flickered, "There's nothing you can do but look and wait. Take care of the twins, teach them. Get ready, go to bed, hug your husband. Sleep. Eat. Live, because we both know that eventually all of the birds will leave the nest. But I know you and Will raised her well. I know that she loves you. So, our little lark will always fly home."

Nico closed his eyes, allowing the tears to slip out. "You should have been alive for this, Meg. I miss you."

"'Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas,Layin' In The Sun, Talkin' 'Bout The Things They Woulda-Coulda-Shoulda Done...But All Those Woulda-Coulda-Shouldas All Ran Away And Hid, From One Little Did.'" She quoted that poem again. "I had the privilege of being a Did. So, don't tell me what I woulda-shoulda-coulda."

Nico smiled a bit before a sob escaped, "I still miss you."

"Oh, Nico, I'm not going anywhere." She whispered, "And I always knew that what little time I did live even after Echo was born, that it would come to an end. I was lucky."

"You deserved a painless death."

"I don't remember my death." Megara said calmly, "I remember my life."

Nico looked at her again, unable to speak anymore.

She smiled at him, one of her brightest smiles, the kind that would warm him to his very bones when she was alive. So many happy memories flooded through him at the sight of that smile. Cooking with her, watching her read to the kids, her rolling her eyes and pushing him toward Will when Will was being a hopeless flirt. Talking about books. His wedding. Her wedding.

"I don't understand, though, why is this happening? Haven't we been through enough pain?" He asked, looking at his hands.

She took his hand in her ghostly one, "Oh, Nico. Didn't I tell you before I gave birth to Echo? That the greatest happiness comes after knowing the greatest pain? It is the only way that happiness can be measured. Look, you should go home. Hug the twins, kiss your husband. Just…"

Nico was afraid she would drift, spirits did that every once in a while.

But Megara leaned forward and kissed his cheek, "Remember this pain, the fear and worry that you're facing. Remember how protective you were when it was just Echo. When you lost Declan. And remember that…my husband's alone."

Guilt washed over Nico. He hadn't even thought to make sure Travis wasn't killing himself trying to find Riley.

"Riley is the only child Travis has…he already lost me…" She was quiet, "I know it's a lot to ask of you, just don't forget him. Please."

Nico nodded, "Only through pain?"

"Will the happiness seem better." She said smiling. "Have I ever steered you wrong?"

Nico met her gaze, "No."

AN: And that's that for this story. The next story will be coming probably this weekend or next week, titled Solace Kids 2-Rory's Revenge/Echo's Song. I've decided that there will be a Nico POV, and it's going to be first person POV for the next one because I had serious trouble writing this story in third person. It worked fine for Surrogacy. I don't know why I had trouble with it. Anyway, please review, I love hearing from readers even if it's about grammatical errors or something, let me know what you want to see, I will listen take requests into consideration.