In Time {Solangelo}

~ Nico ~

As soon as he dropped Kathrine off at the infirmary, Nico headed for the hearth. He knew he should, he had just shadow traveled, but he didn't want to rest. He wanted to think. he wanted to clear his mind. Charlie's screams had been the key to the safe in his mind, the safe that he had forgotten all about. The screams reminded him of Bianca's screams, her screams the night their mother died.

Suddenly his thoughts turned to Octavian. He replayed the sence of Octavian's death in his mind as he walked, he approached the hearth and nelt, a girl in brown robes sat tending the fire.

"Lady Hestia."

She turned to face him, she smiled. "Nico di Angelo, son of Hades. Please sit." She gestured to a stool next to her.

Nico sat down, the fealing of warm happiness spread through him, a fealing he now understood. He looked at Hestia, she looked the same as the last time he had seen her.

She studied him with her caring brown eyes, "There is something on your mind." She said simply.

Nico nodded as she passed him a cup of something, he took a tentative sip and the liquid filled his entire body with warmth. He felt good as new.

"You did the right thing son of Hades, you let the fates decide his future."

Nico knew she was talking about Octavian, "I understand that."

Hestia looked at him kindly, "You feel you are responsible for the death."

Nico shuffled his feet, "Yes. But I knew that if we tried to stop him..."

Hestia's face darkened, she looked off into the distance, "That boy was foolish..." She looked at Nico, "I'm not speaking of the Auger."

Nico looked at her confused.

"You accepted his death, but I was referring to the other one" Hestia's last words rang in his ears, she stepped into the flames and disappeared.

* * *

Nico could not concentrate, his mind raced. The other one. The other one had to be Leo.

There was no way it was possible but he and Hazel had both sensed something different about his death.

He shook his head and tried to clear his mind, he sat at the top of half-blood hill, overlooking the camp. He looked down and saw Lou Ellen and Cecil are laughing. He wondered what they were, and scanned the area. Then he saw Will, he was going to wave then he realized that the son of Apollo was standing in front of the Aphrodite cabin, talking to Piper. It didn't take Nico very long to notice a girl a few feet away from them, her lips were moving as if she was trying to cast an enchantment. She was looking at Will. Nico scowled. When he realized he was scowling he forced himself not to. He did not like Will. The son of Apollo was just a friend. He shouldn't get jealous. And was he even a friend? No, Will had just been doing his job to keep Nico alive.

Nico lay down, his mind was spinning. Leo... If Leo was alive... There was no way, but it was Leo Valdez. He had always done things his own way... If Leo had somehow escaped death...

Nico shook his head. No. No one could escape the underworld. But some part of Nico wanted to believe that he was okay. That Leo Valdez would come back.

*

He was in the palace of Hades, kneeling before his father. Nico's hands shook, his sword felt heavy. "Father, I'm telling you, if Kronos destroys Olympus, there will be no home for you. If Olympus gets destroyed then all the Olympians will perish."

Hades stood at his full height, "I am not an Olympian."

Nico bowed his head, "I know you don't consider yourself an Olympian but you are."

The god of the underworld's face was full of rage, "Why should I help them, they have only caused me pain."

"If all the Gods will die, here will be nowhere for you to call home."

"Olympus is not my home."

Nico stood, "But this is. The Underworld is. This is your home Father. And if you don't help, it will get destroyed. You will get destroyed. Your family will get destroyed."

Nico willed his dream to change. He had come here to get information, that's what he was going to do. He stood beside spirits who were waiting for Charon's boat. As the boat approached the dark hooded figure on board nodded to him. Nico pushed past the dead and stood next to the ferryman.

Charon studied him, "You're back."

Nico nodded, "I'm looking for someone."

"I see. The doors of Death are closed so they couldn't get out."

"I know that. I came to confirm a suspicion."

Charon pushed off the bank, "Don't waste your time."

Nico clenched his fists, he had know. "Do you even know who I'm looking for?"

"Yes. You won't find him. He never came."

*

Nico woke up cold. There was frost everywhere, covering everything. The sky was dark. Nico shivered and sat up. He hated dreaming. It brought back painful memories. And this time it had been no different. But Charon had known something. Something about Leo.

"Stop." A voice interrupted his thoughts, Nico spun and saw Will. Perfect, just perfect.

* * *

Nico stumbled and fell to the ground. What had just happened... Why had he done that... Someone walked over to him and helped him up. A blanket was wrapped around his shoulders. "Come on," The voice was gentle but fierce. Nico looked over to see Charlie leading him by the arm.

"You're an idiot, you know that? You can't always run away."

"I wasn't running."

Charlie rolled her eyes, "Whatever. Will clearly told you not to do any underworldy stuff."

"I didn't."

"Then how did Kathrine get to the infirmary?"

Nico scowled.

"You can't go back to using power all at once. You've got to do it in steps. One small jump from the hill to the infirmary, that was fine. But using your powers to freeze the camp and then trying to jump as far as the woods, that was stupid."

"I don't have control over weather."

"I don't know okay. All I know is that the cold was clearly coming from you."

Nico shrugged.

"Nico, I know it's a lot." Charlie's voice was suddenly calm, "I understand. But you need to stop running. You have to face your fears. You don't have to tell me or Will or Jason. But you need to accept what's going on and it might help if you tell someone."

Nico looked over at Charlie, her voice filled Nico with warmth. She sounded so confident. "I can't talk to Jason. Because if I'm wrong..."

Charlie's smile faded, some sort of understanding passed between them. She just nodded, "You think he might be alive?"

Nico nodded slowly, "Ya."