Oh look! Another chapter already here. But before I continue I must note that Percy Jackson and all affiliated characters, plot, and other things DO NOT belong to me. They belong to Rick and his own brand of awesome godly-ness. Thanks!

Chapter Nineteen: Not the Board Game, Not My Policy

"So that could have gone better."
"Do you really think that?"

"Not one bit. In fact, I can't believe it turned out as good as it did."

I turned my head to look at Nico. "Good? I get into an argument with the King of Hell who then turns into a fiery demon-thingy and you think that's good?"

"You're still alive aren't you?"

"Point taken."

My head rolled back into position, with my face looking up at the drapes of Nico's four poster bed. He had dragged me in here not even an hour ago after my show down with Hades and tossed me on the bed. And as romantic as tossing me on the bed sounds, it really wasn't. Nico and I had come through the door at a dead run and he sort of just pushed me onto the bed before locking his door. Not that a locked door would keep a god out, but I feel it was more for his peace of mind than anything else. After catching our breaths we both just mutually and silently agreed to lay down. Him on one side and me on the other. The only parts of us touching each other were are hands. Nothing had been said until now.

"Will he come?"

He sighed heavily. "No. If he hasn't yet then I doubt he will tonight. Tomorrow is up in the air though."

"Why don't we just go then?"

I didn't look at him, but I felt the soft smirk grace his face. "Sarah Kenneth, are you actually wanting to run from a fight? I thought I'd never see the day."

My hand left his briefly to smack his stomach. "Don't be stupid. I'm not afraid, concerned yes, but not afraid. I just don't see the point of staying now. He wants something I won't give him and he is angry. Staying here will only make the situation worse."

"Maybe. How about we sleep here tonight and I'll speak with him first thing in the morning. If he hasn't calmed down we'll leave. Sound good?"

"Yeah." I sighed.

Did I really want to stay here? No. But right now I was so emotionally and physically spent that the idea of not moving from the oh so comfortable bed was impossible. I knew Nico felt the same. I wonder if he slept this comfortable back at camp? Maybe because he spent so much time here he was just more at ease and could sleep better. Then a horrible guilt settled in my stomach.

"Nico, will he be mad at you over this?"

"What?"

I sat up. "Because we're together and he hates me. Is he-is being with me going to make it hard for you to come here?"

He sat up to, meeting my eyes. "Sarah my father and I have had our disagreements before. Before the war ended, we were at each others throats constantly. I was so sure he hated my guts and at times I felt the same way about him. Then I convinced him to help the other gods and the war was over. Things got better after that. Nothing is perfect, but we settled in a good place. Yes, he may be mad that I choose to be with someone who doesn't bow at his feet. And he might fight with me about it when I do return here. But Sarah, I wouldn't want you to bow down to him. You're not like other demigods, who are quick to assume the worst or openly disrespect him. You only pushed back when he pushed you first."

"But I don't want to be the cause of a rift between you two!"

"He's making the rift. This is the line Sarah."

"Why does it have to be?"

"Because you're worth it. Always."

The kiss was slow and sweet, but also made me feel protected. It wasn't like the ones before where passion and want had been the drive. Even though we were locked in his bedroom, on his bed, and not likely to be disturbed, I knew nothing more than kissing would happen tonight. And as we broke apart I knew Nico realized it too. He got up from the bed and walked over to a wardrobe in the corner. Quickly opening a bottom drawer he pulled out two pairs of sweatpants and a couple of shirts. He tossed the dark gray sweats to me with a Green Day t-shirt.

"You can use those as pjs. I don't have a lot of options. If you really want something else I could get a servant to get something from Persephone."

"Thanks, but these are perfect." That and I was slightly fearful what that sometimes bitch would send. Lingerie most likely.

True, they would be a bit baggy on me, but they looked comfy. I reached for the bottom of my shirt before I realized that Nico was still watching me.

"Well?"

"Well what?" he asked innocently, but his smile gave it all away.

"Nice try Goth Boy. Turn around."

He attempted to pout and while it was cute, it was also useless.

"Nico, the first time you see me naked is not going to be under your father's insanely large roof. End of."

The pout vanished in seconds and he looked stunned. Then his smile turned anything but innocent. "So I will get to see you naked eventually?"

My face was burning. "Just turn around!" my voice slightly higher than normal.

With a quiet laugh at my distress he took his clothes and strutted into what I assume is the bathroom. Making quick work of my shoes, pants, and shirt I put the pjs on. Folding my other outfit and putting in inside the wardrobe I went back to the bed just as Nico poked his head out. His hand covering his eyes.

"Is thou virtue covered milady?"

"Dork and yes."

He joined me on the bed and we crawled under the covers. With a flick of his hand the lights went out. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me close. Despite everything that had happened, I found drifting off into sleep easy.

~*Page Break*~

My eyes cracked open, meeting only the dark. My brain was still fuzzed over by sleep, but one thing was obvious. I had to use the bathroom. Getting up I waited for my eyes to adjust to the dark as much as they could, making out the slight shapes of furniture around the room. After locating and using the bathroom, only stubbing my toes once on a side table, I made my way back to the bedroom. Just as I turned to go back to the bed I heard a noise, footsteps. For a moment I thought Nico had gotten up too, but looking over I saw the lump that told me he was still dead to the world. Then the footsteps came again, I realized they were coming from outside the room, in the hall. I tip toed over to the door and opened it slightly to look out into the hall. I saw nothing, but being the paranoid person I was I went out into the hall anyway.

The hall was lit with torches and were eerily quiet. The phrase 'silent as a tomb' crossed my mind before I heard footsteps again. I went down the hall where the footsteps seemed to e coming from. But after turning half a dozen times I found no one and the noises vanished. This is also when I realized I had no clue how to get back to Nico's room. Damn it. Looking around hoping to see something familiar my eyes landed on many paintings. Definitely none I had seen before, which sucked because that meant I was truly lost, but fascinated by the pictures. They were obviously very old and done by different people, god and human alike, but one stood out to me. It was framed in gold and showed a beautiful man with black hair and gray eyes. He held fire in his left hand and a human man, much smaller of course, in his right. Mountains and storm clouds surrounded him in the background.

"What are you doing here little thief?"

I tried so hard not to, but my nerves had been jumbled since yesterday, and so my body jumped at the hard tone.

"I could ask you the same question." I put as much confidence in my voice as possible. It still sounded terrible.

Hades just sneered at me. "This is my palace, I can be anywhere I wish. You, however, are lucky to still be here. And breathing."

I rolled my eyes. "Persephone talked you down didn't she?"

"How dare you-" he started.

"It wasn't an insult. It was an observation. Immortal or not, I don't think anyone would want to get on her bad side. Not even you."

I turned to look back at the painting. I could feel Hades stare burning into me, his anger still there, but at least he had shut up.

"Looking for another treasure to steal?"

Spoke too soon.

"Oh yes, I came out into the hallway in pajamas, because they're my chosen 'stealing outfit', and plan to make off with a painting that looks to weigh well over a hundred pounds." I muttered sarcastically. "And where would I hide it? In my bra?"

"You seem to forget who you speak to little thief. I am a god and one that controls what becomes of you after your pathetic life ends."

I shrugged. "I won't apologize if that's what you're after. When I bump players in 'SORRY' I don't apologize because it's what I intended. Wouldn't do it then, won't do it now. As for death, I never thought about afterlife before I came to camp and I won't change that now. That's in the future and I can only control what's happening now." I turned back to him and met his stare head on. "That being said. I care very much about your son."

Hades opened his mouth, but I held my hand up.

"Please Lord Hades, let me speak. I care about him, I love him. I want him happy. And I would do anything to ensure that happiness. If I thought that leaving him would be better for him I would have left already. Sure, it would break my heart, it would destroy me. But I would do it, for his sake. You may think that this anger towards me is only hurting me, but it's not. It's hurting him too! Don't think for one moment that if me giving you the stone would make that anger vanish that I wouldn't find a way to do it. Because I would, but I'm not stupid. It's more than just the stone. And I don't care. I don't care what you think of me, trust me, I've heard much worse than 'thief'. So I'm asking you only one thing. That if we could at least pretend to be civil towards each other for his sake, I'd be grateful."

He didn't say anything for moment, his eyes searching my face for a trace of decent. I really didn't know how this was going to go. But I was ready for anything.

"And why should I? Just to make you feel more comfortable?"

I snorted. "If I wanted comfortable I would just leave. No, you should because Nico is your son. That should be enough."

He said nothing but looked back towards the painting.

"What do you make of this painting?" his tone wasn't friendly or casual, just not as tense as it was moments before.

Well that shifted the conversation fast. "It's well done, but I don't know what it's supposed to be of."

"He is known as Prometheus, titan of Forethought. A slippery little snake if you ask me."

I had no clue who that was, titans were beings that people at camp didn't talk about. And no one seemed willing to speak of them either.

"What's the deal with the painting?"

"It was done by a mortal artist long ago. It came into my possession hundreds of years after his death. Many mortals worshiped him as they did my fellow gods and I. You see, Prometheus was the creator of mankind. He made humans in the image of titans, but smaller, weaker. One of the few things that scum ever did right."

I raised an eyebrow. "So I have competition for your hatred? I'm horribly offended."

"Do you want to know or not thief?" he spat.

"Yes." I said through clenched teeth.

"Then shut up. It is because of him that mortals have come as far as they have. He tricked my brother Zeus once into taking the poor part of an ox for offerings. That most overlooked. Then he got cocky. You see, he cared for his creations, more than he should have. Out of that care he used his cleverness and stole fire from Olympus. He then gave it to the mortals. This caused them to progress and become stronger."

"Zeus didn't like that did he?"

He didn't snap at me for interrupting and merely continued. "Zeus punished him for his actions by chaining him to a rock. A vulture would eat his liver everyday and it would regrow every night. Eventually he was freed, but that's another story. This painting is to show the mortal's love for their creator and the sacrifices he made for them. I believe he was just a weak hearted fool that gave a gift that was more trouble than it was worth."

And right then my heart stilled and I couldn't breath.

"Gift?"

Hades had apparently lost interest in our conversation a she was walking away when I looked to my side. But I heard him before he rounded the corner.

"Yes, fire was considered the first gift given to the mortals."