Out In The Open

|Chapter 2| A mother for two

Persephone wanted to hate Nico di Angelo and Hazel Levesque. Oh, Gods of Olympus, she wanted to hate them. They are living proof of her husband's affairs. But she doesn't hate them.

The first time she realizes she cares about them is when the gods are revealed. Nico shadow travelled in Hazel stumbling behind them. They rush to Nico's room in the palace and shut themselves away. As Persephone passes later she hears muffled cries but ignores it.

Later when Hades has returned from the conference in which they were revealed they hand in hand pass Nico's room. The door is ajar and a dim light reveals the two sleeping figures on the bed. Hazel and Nico.

Hades asks Persephone when they got here and if she knew why they were here. She told him that they got here at the start of the reveal and no she doesn't know why they are here.

Their conversation wakes the two children. Both are half asleep, so their words are slurred and mumbled but she does hear when Hazel calls her mom. She had flushed red and looked away. She ignored Hades' stare and continued to her room.

That night as she laid awake she realized she did love the two children.

She's the one who tells Hazel she will become a goddess. Hazel grips her hand tightly and starts to cry. "Hazel, what is wrong?" She had asked the girl.

"I can't be a goddess I'm too-too weak and I can't." Hazel paused and said "I'm gonna let everyone down. I won't be good enough, and I'm scared because everyone will know who I am and I don't wanna be famous and-"

"Shhh."Persephone cuts her off. She tucked a strand of the girl's cinnamon hair behind her ear. "You will be terrific Hazel. You will not fail, do you know why? Because you are strong and brave and so lovely. Trust me, child. I know."

Hazel's gold eyes met Persephone's brown. "You really think so?"

Persephone smiled at the young demigod who will soon be a goddess "I don't just think so; I know."

Hazel's lip quirked upwards as she settled into her bed in her new room in Hades palace. Hades had given it to her that day. "Thank you." She said.

"Of course child. That's what mothers are for after all." Persephone closed the door behind her, feeling so happy. Hazel and Nico from then on referred to The Queen of the Underworld as Mom.

It's been two months since the reveal. With them being in school, Persephone hasn't seen her two children in so long. But right now she and Hades are enjoying themselves by just sipping on wine and talking over dinner. It's quite nice actually.

Out of nowhere the shadows darken in the room and from them come tumbling out Hazel and Nico. Nico is carrying Hazel who appears to be passed out. The two Rulers of the Underworld run over to their children.

Nico, who at this point is clearly going into shock and about to pass out from blood, or ichor, loss recounts how he and Hazel had been walking down the street when a dracaena attacked them. It was nothing they couldn't deal with. But the mortals had noticed and started throwing things at them. The police got involved and both of them were shot. Hazel at least four times in her stomach and Nico three times in his left leg.

As soon as Nico was done with his story he collapsed onto the marble. The two gods picked up their children and rushed them to the medbay. It was run by ghosts who had been doctors while alive. One of them, a son of Apollo, had been a famous surgeon while he was alive. When his queen and king rushed in with the princess and prince of the Underworld bleeding and unconscious he set to work immediately.

A few hours later the children had been healed and were now to be taken back to their rooms. Persephone took Hazel and Hades took Nico. Persephone barely registered Hades peeping into Hazels room and telling her that he was going to teach the mortal who hurt his children a lesson.

One of the only children she ever had was injured and unconscious. Yes, she was a goddess and wouldn't die from this, but that made no difference. It then hit Persephone why she loved these two children when she ought to hate them. Almost 1,000 years ago Zeus had forbidden her and Hades from having any more children. It had been devastating.

Now that she thought about it that was probably why Hades had affairs. He wanted children too and he was forbidden from having them.

Persephone turned her eyes back to her young daughter. She stood there taking in her daughter until Hazel started to stir. Her eyes opened slightly and upon seeing Persephone she mumbled "Mom?"

"It's me, sweetheart. How do you feel?" Persephone asked.

"Everything hurts." The young girl said.

Persephone wiped off some of the sweat on Hazel's brow and planted a kiss on her forehead "I know love, I know. Some mortal shot you. It was four times in the stomach."

The young girl reached her arms out for her mom. Persephone sat down on her bed and cuddled her close. Soon Hazel's steady breathing signalled she was asleep. Persephone herself felt her eyes grow heavy and after planting one more kiss on the crown of Hazel's head she fell asleep.

Later after Hades came back from getting revenge on the police officer he was looking for his wife. She wasn't in their bedroom, or Nico's. He then checked Hazel's room where he saw her and Hazel both asleep and cuddled together. He had a family now.