Chapter 3: Underworld Aftermath

AN : I posted this story yesterday. Immediately I started getting reviews and follows and favs. I'm so happy you guys are enjoying this so much and I hope you like what comes next. This story will be continuing. Give me ideas and we'll see what will happen. Feel free to send me a review with your input.

Oh, and to make it clear. Hazel, Jason, Frank and Piper were only there that weekend. This is before the events of the Hidden Oracle and right around the time they get Leo's scroll. There are spoilers for the Hidden Oracle though so please know that.

Of all the cousins, Greek and Roman, 4/5 had been to the Underworld. Jason had been pretty close in the house of Hades but he had never actually gone on the full tour like Percy, Nico and Thalia had. Or stayed there for a bit like Hazel did.

It was on another BTC outing that this topic had been brought up. Hazel and Jason had been picked up from California and Percy willingly ditched his DSTOMP and SAT studies. Nico also really needed the distraction after the first disappearce of a camper.

So they sat in a McDonalds in Florida. Jason and Hazel were listening closely to the tale of the first big three cousin adventure to the Underworld. The topic of Jason and Thalia's mother being impersonated by Melinoe made them wince. They had a recent run in with her real ghost. Her mania had haunted Jason during the last leg of the seven's quest to Athens.

Yet even before that Thalia was oddly quiet. She didn't say anything about Percy getting a big head under Jason and Hazel's astonishment of him controlling the Lethe. Something that was supposed to be impossible. Both had seen him do things they considered impossible but that was a feat Poseidon had tried and failed to do. Percy also wasn't himself. This story probably wasn't the best choice. Being reminded of Bob hurt but he thanked Nico yet again for making sure the friendly Titan was alright in the underworld.

Thalia got up to go get a refill and Percy decided to follow. This story was affecting both of them. Jason, Nico and Hazel barely noticed through their laughs as Nico started his next story. One about finding out he was a demigod after a Manticore attack and a bus ride in the sun.

Percy popped the lid off his disposable cup and added more ice. Thalia was putting more coke in hers. Both stayed quiet the laughs of their cousins/siblings echoing in their ears. Thalia looked at Jason, her smile at his laughs faded and she sighed.

"You okay Thals?" Percy asked.

"Yeah," she lied.

"Really? It's about Jason isn't it? I thought seeing him again made you happy?"

"It did. It also made me realize how much I missed when I was a tree and he was at Camp Jupiter. I wasn't there for my little brother. I was 10 and Jason was three. We were all each other had. My mother wasn't there for us and then she gave up Jason. I tried to forgive and forget everything, so I could stay with my her. It didn't work. I ran away two years later. Then I met Luke and Annabeth. You don't know how heartbroken I was to come out of that tree and seen her all grown up. After I failed Jason I had a second chance. Luke and I took care of Annabeth. We were a family. Then Luke betrayed us and most importantly he broke his promise to take care of Annabeth."

Percy clenched his fist. Luke had done so much damage and ultimately helped pave the way for Gaea's rise. He understand where the son of Hermes opinions came from but he would never forgive him for hurting his friends and especially Annabeth, Thalia, and Grover the way he did.

"So I joined the hunters. It's where I felt a purpose. Annabeth no longer needed me, she was all grown up and she had you. Luke was gone and there was nothing I could do. I thought Jason was dead."

"That's who you were looking for."

"Huh?"

"In the fields of Asphodel. When we were on that quest for Persephone in the Underworld. I thought you were looking for your mother, remember? But you were looking for Jason. You thought he was dead and he was too young to have done anything special enough to land him Elysium or Punishment."

"Yeah, I was looking for Jason. I thought maybe with Nico's help or with the sword I could bring him back. But I couldn't find him. I guess that was lucky because he's alive. But I've still missed so much time. I think you could understand that. You missed a year of school and other milestones you should have had. And imagine if you had disappeared this year. Aunt Sally's pregnant! What if you had missed your sister being born, or her first steps or more!"

"It's all okay now though. We're all alive and well. Most importantly we're all together."

"Yeah, thanks to you."

Percy protested but Thalia kept talking, "We owe all of this to you Kelp Head. You brought us all together and have saved us all so many times over. Honestly Percy, you've got to be the single most important and loyal demigod for the last five centuries or so. You're more deserving of the myths and fame then Hercules, Theseus or any of the originals."

This was getting to be too much for Percy because to him none of that seemed true, "Thalia, I never thought I'd hear you get sappy on me."

He got clubbed in the arm for that. With her burden now unloaded Thalia donned her usual confident grin and started walking back to the others. Percy just watched for a moment relishing one more happy moment with his family.