As she left her house in America while saying goodbye to Nico and Bianca, and headed to the secret location and opened up the door, Nico was prepared for the dream to end.
But this time it was different.
As she opened the door to go inside, he was able to see the people inside for the first time.
There were about 2 dozen people crowding the place. They all looked scared and upset. There were people of all ages, both female and male. The only thing a lot of them had in common was their dark hair and eyes.
"You can't stay here long." Maria told them. "It is still illegal in America for Jewish people to live here, and for homosexuals to have rights. So you have to go before you get taken back to Poland and sent to concentration camps. There are underground passageways starting over here." She pointed outside and showed them all a secret entryway underground. "And different pathways will take you to any of the countries that take refugees. While the Jewish people in this room will be able to live freely there, I regret to inform you all the homosexuals will not be able to live freely in any country. And I'm very sorry for that. I have hope that someday in the future you will have the rights you deserve, including the rights to marriage. Love is love. We're all people."
As she walked about the busy room helping injured people and having conversations with others, a young woman asked her how there were conveniently tunnels and passageways that were able to send people to and from. Maria smiled and told her it was a coincidence that's why she chose that place, but Nico knew better. He had a feeling it was his dad's doing.
A young man walked up to Maria. "Excuse me, you said you helped people in Italy as well? Because I had heard rumors about you."
She smiled and nodded. "I did."
"May I ask how many?"
She thought for a minute. "At least a couple hundred. It isn't nearly enough, though."
The man lowered his head. "No, you are doing amazing. I thank you for your help. We'll always be grateful. You are a wonderful woman."
Her smile turned sad. "Please, don't thank me. Thanking me makes it seem like I'm doing something extraordinary when all I'm doing is something that is the right thing to do."
"So humble, miss." He joined his family.
Another woman came up to her. "Do you really believe that I'll one day be able to live freely for who I am? For loving women?"
"I cannot say for sure, but I really hope so. All we can do is hope, and try to change the world for the better."
"Thank you."
She talked to multiple other people before giving them more instructions on traveling through the tunnels. But by then, the dream was fading.
But this time, Nico wasn't anxious for more. For now he knew what his mother had been doing.
Nico smiled at his mom with tears in his eyes. He had a feeling that this was the last memory he would be shown. Even though it was a memory, even though he wouldn't be able to feel her, he tried to hug her.
"Ti voglio bene mamma. Mi manchi tanto. Arrivederci." Which meant, "I love you, mama. I miss you so much. Goodbye."
When she turned, it almost looked like she was looking at him.
Then the dream was gone, and he was awake in his bed.
Nico had his hand over his mouth, shaking. Yet again he was crying.
Will woke up. "Nico? What's the matter? Another nightmare?"
Nico shook his head.
Will sat up. "Hey, it's alright. Do you want to tell me what's going on?" He asked him gently.
Nico moved his hand away from his mouth, but he was still shaking and crying. "Mama."
"Another dream about your mom?"
"I....I know what she was doing now. She was helping Jewish people and gay people escape from prosecution from the Nazis. She was a hero. She got hundreds out of Italy safely, and helped some that ended up in America illegally."
Will's eyes widened. "Start from the beginning."
Nico told him everything that happened.
"That-that explains so much!" Will exclaimed. "Why she was so secretive, why people were huddled up in abandoned buildings, why she got in trouble from that guy and had to flee the country!"
Nico was still crying.
"Why are you still upset?"
"Because. Beforehand, I wanted to find out so badly what my mom was up to. But now I wish the dreams never ended, and I still didn't know because now I won't be able to see her anymore. Seeing these memories showed me things I didn't know about my mom, but that won't happen again. Getting these dreams were kind of like she was still here in a way. Now she's gone again."
Will held his hands. "Hey. It's going to be okay. You were pretty lucky to get to see new things about your mom, you know? And know that you'll probably get to see her again someday. Because of all of the things she did, I'm sure she's in Elysium. I know Hades would make sure of it."
"You're right."
"And think about how great it is that you found out what your mom was doing! I mean, now you know she would be supportive of you!"
"That's the other reason I'm crying, you know. I'm so happy about the things she did for Jewish people and the LGBT+ community. I'm so happy that she was accepting."
"I am, too. Though I had a feeling she would be."
As the 2 laid back down, Nico had a slightly easier time falling asleep that night.
His mom was a hero.
And she would have accepted him.
It was like a weight had been lifted. All the worry he had about his mom hating he was gay. Then the worry about what the Hades she was up to. All of that worry was gone.
He was sure she would like Will. Maybe one day she would be able to meet him.