Thickening Shadows (Percy Jackson/Rise of the Guardians Crossover) - Completed

Chapter 13

He couldn't believe it. He didn't think he waned to. There was Nico, still warm beneath his searching hands but not breathing. His believe in Nico being alive had been a roller coaster.

Only minutes ago he had written Nico's existence off as some elaborate trick. But here he was. He had been the one to create the chasm. Percy knew it. And now he knew for certain his cousin was actually here. Something was wrong Nico now rolled onto his bak, he noticed a lack of movement in his cousins chest.

Putting his ear to Nico's mouth, he didn't even hear the slightest intake of breath. Pressing fingers to his cousins neck he didn't feel a pulse, but he felt nothing.

"Come on Nico," Percy ignored his own hurts and placed his entwined hands on Nico's chest, "I'm not losing you again. Think of Hazel! How happy she'll be! And Thalia! Nico! I believe in you I believe you're alive. Just come back!"

With each sentence, Percy pressed his hands down, trying to get Nico's heart to beat again.

"You saved me, didn't you?" Percy slumped down further, "you have a habit of doing that. Just do me a favour and not be dead, please?"

Nico remained still.

Inside his head was a whole story unfolding. He found himself in a field. The son of Hades didn't know what to make of it.

The moonlight filled the whole clearing, making it easy for Nico to see the three figures there. His mother, so beautiful in the glistening moonlight, was sanding and waiting, a young Bianca gripping her hand like a life string. Behind her stood Hades, no longer in his ghastly robes of screaming spirits, but rather in a black, forties style suit.

Nico found himself running forward, into hi mothers arms, feeling like a small child again. Burring his head in her dress, he breathed in the smell of her, something he never realized he had missed. It was like Lilly's, but sweeter. A hand ran through his hair, male, and surprisingly warm.

"We've been waiting," Maria said softly, "for so long we've waited."

"I missed you," he said, voice young and unbroken.

"I know," Maria soothed him.

"I'm not losing you again-" Percy's voice shattered the clearing, and Nico pulled away rom his mother, who was showing no indication of having heard it.

"How are you all here?" Nico found himself asking, "Bianca's been reborn...father you've never been so affectionate...and-"

"You kind get to go to a special kind of heaven," Maria cupped his cheek, "filled with whatever you want. You can live the life you've always wanted."

"-Think of Hazel! How happy she'll be! And Thalia!-"

"So you're just...projections from my mind?" Nico found himself listening to Percy's voice more and more.

"That doesn't mean we don't love you," Maria stroked his cheek, bending down to eye level.

"I can never go to Hades," Nico shook his head, "I can never be with Bianca again..."

"The worlds aren't supposed to meet," Maria pulled his chin up a little so they could maintain eye contact, "isn't this good enough?"

"-Just do me a favour and not be dead, please-"

"No," Nico backed away, "this isn't what I want."

"Then what do you want?" Maria was looking so heartbroken.

"I want the real Bianca," Nico continued to step backwards, away from the family he had always wished for but now didn't want, "not some made up thing from my head."