The next time Nico opened his eyes, everything was blue. A soft breeze wafted over his face, and the stars came into view: tiny pinpricks of light poking through a navy blanket of sky. He wasn't sure which part of the Underworld this was, but he lay there for a few moments, just existing. Until a seagull spoiled it all. When it cawed loudly, Nico bolted upright. He'd somehow made it to the stern of the boat, and his Cocoa Puffs chirped at him as he looked around.
Will and Bob were both awake, sitting together on a bench in the canoe, facing front. That's when Nico figured out where they were because on the horizon the sun was beginning to rise over the Long Island Sound.
They were out of the Underworld.
They had made it!
Well, they could thank Bob for that.
Nico stretched his arms above his head, and Will turned at the sound of him yawning.
"Morning, sleepyhead," he said. "Welcome back to the land of the living."
"Ha-ha," said Nico. "Funny joke."
Will scooted over to join Nico on the rear bench. "You missed Bob's waterworks display."
"Another one?" Nico said, leaning his head on Will's shoulder. "I feel like I need to cry some more to catch up to him."
"You are welcome to join me," said Bob, running his enormous hand over Small Bob, who was curled up in his lap. "This view is worthy of a good cry. I did not think I would see the sun or stars again."
The Titan lifted his head and took a big whiff of the brisk sea air. "To be alive in the world once more ... It is beautiful." He quietly wept while Small Bob purred.
Nico examined Will's face. His boyfriend looked significantly better. His skin was no longer waxy, and the bags under his eyes were starting to fade.
"I'm guessing I don't look like I'm close to death any more," said Will.
"That's right," said Nico. "But I still find you attractive anyway."
"I'm pretty sure I spent the last few days looking like a pile of melted Play-Doh."
"Nonsense. You were more like soggy ambrosia."
"Your little pile of soggy ambrosia," said Will, blowing Nico a kiss.
Nico watched as the north side of Long Island grew in the distance until he could make out details on the shoreline. Trees. Docks. The garish, impossibly huge houses of rich families, their estates sprawling along the coast in both directions. And there, far, far to the west, he could see the outlines of skyscrapers and towering apartment buildings. He couldn't make out the Manhattan skyline, but that didn't matter.
Those were buildings. Buildings constructed by humans. He truly was back in the world of the living.
Bob guided the boat through Long Island Sound to the beach, to Euros Creek southward into camp. Each sight they came upon – from squirrels rushing up the trunk of an oak to reeds wavering on the banks – thrilled Nico.
He wouldn't say he was becoming a nature person or anything like that, but he was overjoyed to be back in a world that wasn't actively trying to kill him or Will. Nico finally let loose his own waterworks when he saw Peleus trotting alongside them in the forest.
They were home.
They were home!
The dragon that watched over the Golden Fleece at Camp Half-Blood kept pace for a while, then darted off into the trees.
Next two dryads cried out in shock at the sight of the boat and its strange inhabitants. They ran off, too, probably to tell the others.
The others.
Oh, Hades, who else was at camp right now? How much time had passed since they'd gone through the Door of Orpheus? Would Cressida and Percy be here for their fortnightly visit?
The air was chilly but not freezing, so it had to still be autumn.
Will tapped Nico's arm. "Do you hear that?" he asked and Nico furrowed his brows, extremely confused for a second before he heard it. Before he heard what Will heard, and the sound brought Nico to tears once more because, for a moment there, he didn't think he'd ever hear that sound again.
"I am so sick of you!" bellowed a feminine voice. "We're done! We are over!"
"Drama Queen, you can't pretend to break up with me every time some monster that just so happened to be chasing me explodes on you."
"Who said anything about pretending? I'm actually doing it. As of today, you are a single man, because this is the 14th time in the last month and I'm done! From now on, they can explode on you! Not me!"
At the edge of the Canoe Lake, where the creek came to an end, there stood Percy and Cressida as they bickered with each other. It was a common enough occurrence that even Chiron, who was standing nearby, didn't intervene because everyone knew by now to never intervene.
"Cress," Percy said with a grin, not taking her anger or her apparent break-up with him seriously. "You do realise that you're dating and Styx-Sworn to the son of Poseidon, i.e. me, who has control over water and will take literally two seconds to clean you up? Case in point," he said as he waved his hand and the water from the canoe lake splashed over her before it drained away, along with whatever green monster gore she'd been covered in.
She still looked unimpressed as she turned on him. "You're still annoying and I still hate you."
His muscled arm reached out and looped around her waist as he pulled her flush to him. "Liar," he kissed. "Be angry all you want, but understand something. You are mine. Even before we swore on the Styx, you were mine. And I am yours. You, Grape Girl of mine, are stuck with me, for all eternity and even after that. So again I say, if you get tired of me, take a nap. Because I am not going anywhere."
Cressida gripped the lapels of the open zip-up hoodie that he wore with the sleeves rolled up. She gripped it as if it was the only thing keeping her up. "Did you pray to Apollo or something because that was annoyingly swoon-worthy? And I can't stay mad at you when you say attractive things like that."
Percy gave her his signature troublemaker grin as he held her up on her toes. "That's the point, Crazy Girl."
And when he kissed her, it was all-consuming, like she was the air that he needed to live or the water that he needed to thrive, like she was more important to his survival than both air and water. Her back arched a bit as Percy dipped her back, right in front of the spot where they kissed for the first time as boyfriend and girlfriend at the bottom of the Canoe Lake.
But then something in the air changed. The wind seemed to blow in the opposite direction and it was almost as if Cressida sensed them coming. She pulled back from Percy so abruptly that he nearly toppled forward. And Cressida's indigo eyes landed on the incoming boat.
Cressida met Nico's eyes and both of them were on the verge of tears as they both charged into the water and to each other.
"Oh my gods!" Cressida cried as she wrapped Nico in a hug, the girl smelling like sweet grapes and seawater, but her embrace felt like home and the kisses she covered his face in were warm. "You're here! For days I-"
"I'm home," he promised her as his voice broke. "I'm home." That word meant more to the two of them than anyone would ever know.
"I'm so happy you're home. And I'm so proud of you, Ghost King," Cressida praised before her grip on him tightened and they were pulled onto the shore by Percy before he commanded the water to return to the lake after doing his bidding.
Percy then hugged Nico, albeit it was a bit stiff and tense, but it was still a hug that reminded Nico that he was alive, that he wasn't in Tartarus anymore. Cressida, meanwhile, was focused on Will.
"It's good to see you, Sunshine," she greeted as she hugged him.
"It's good to see you too. It's good to see the sun again," he said and she could feel the relief rolling off him.
Cressida's eyes then lifted up to who stood behind them, to who departed the boat that they'd just beached on the shore. And her tears returned ten-fold as she approached the Titan.
"Bob?" she murmured, almost as if she was scared.
"Hello, friend," he said with a small grin. "Sister of Little Guy."
And she launched herself into Bob's arms, crying into his shoulder as the large Titan held the small girl.
"I told them. I told the stars you said hello. I told them," she sobbed, her whole body shaking. "You're ok! You're here!"
"Sunset," Bob said as he gently set Cressida back down on her feet. "Little Guy said it was called sunset."
Her head turned in the direction of the setting sun, and she wasn't filled with grief as she thought about her brother. She missed him sure, but it was all love and appreciation for Castor and all he'd done to help her and Percy get free of Tartarus.
"Yeah," she said. "Yeah, he did. This, though, this is called the sunrise."
"Sunrise," Bob repeated, testing out the word.
Percy then took his turn to come over and hug the Titan they thought they'd never see again as Cressida turned back to Nico. "What about Damasen? Did you - is he - "
"He's still regenerating. It's slow, but he's alive," Nico promised her and Cressida cried more tears of relief as she hugged Nico again.
"I swear on the Styx Nico, I don't care what kind of restrictions your father has on hell, he and Thanatos, in fact, all of the gods are going to help bring Damasen back unless they want to make enemies out of me and Percy."
Nico gave a small chuckle. "Me too. I won't let you fight alone. And I know a pretty good medic to take care of us."
"The gods won't stand a chance," she grinned.
"What the Hades?!" Percy exclaimed as dozens of fluffy black things came flooding out of the boat.
Nico wished he could have bottled the gasp Chiron let out when the Cocoa Puffs hesitantly emerged from Gorgyra's boat. The one with antlers peeked over the edge, then hopped over and scurried to Nico's side.
Chiron reared, then slammed his front hooves down on the ground. "Nico, what are those?"
"It's a long story," he said. "But ... uh, Chiron, I'd like you to meet my Cocoa Puffs."
Chiron's mouth dropped open. "Your ... what?"
More and more of Nico's cacodemons poured out of the boat until they formed an inky blot of a group at his feet. A couple of them yipped and jumped up towards his hands.
"They're kinda cute," Cressida commented as a couple of them hung around her feet where she stood clutching Percy. Nico swore she could Shadow Travel or something with how ridiculously fast she ended up at Percy's side at the possible threat of danger.
"Sorry, Cocoa Puffs," Nico said. "I don't have any food." He raised an eyebrow and turned to Will. "Wait, what do they eat?"
"You're asking the wrong person," said Will, shrugging. "I didn't even know anything like them could exist until a few days ago."
Nico then turned his attention to the white canoe that had floated back out to the creek, heading towards Long Island Sound.
Will groaned. "That's the second time we've lost that boat," he said. "I hope Gorgyra isn't mad at us."
"You need not worry," said Bob. "These things find their way back home." He knelt so he was closer to Nico's height as Percy and Cressida came back over. "And I must go find mine. It is time for me to leave."
"Stay a while," said Nico. "Let me show you around the camp."
"Please," Cressida begged. "Let us show you our home that you helped save."
"We'd love to have you stay, Bob," Percy agreed as he had his arm wrapped around his girlfriend's waist.
"Yes, you are very much welcome to," said Chiron. "I, for one, would love to chat with you about all sorts of things."
Bob shook his head, and Small Bob leapt into his arms. "I must head west. It is where I belong." Then he smiled. "No, that's not quite right. It is where I want to go."
Percy and Cressida seemed to squeeze each other a little tighter at the mention of travelling west, no doubt remembering the first time they met a Titan in the west and Cressida had to take on Atlas's curse to save them all. Nico thought they would protest, but to his surprise, they kept any grievances to themselves.
Bob hugged Nico tightly, then held his arms out for Will. "Thank you, Will Solace, for helping me obtain my freedom."
"It was my pleasure," said Will. "Well, actually, I was miserable most of the time, but, Bob, I'd do it again if it meant saving you." Small Bob meowed loudly at Will. "And you, too, Small Bob," he added.
"It is good to see you, friends," Bob said before he gathered Percy and Cressida in each arm, hugging them much like the way he did in Tartarus as Cressida pulled back to meet his large eyes.
"Promise me that you will come back to visit."
Bob smiled at her. "Bob will always be here."
Cressida kissed his nose before she went back to hugging him a final time.
"Where exactly will you go, Bob?" Chiron asked as he finally let go of the demigods.
"I have no idea." The reformed Titan rose and looked to the west, and when he did so beams of sunlight hit the back of his head. Nico thought they looked like points on a crown. "But that is the best possible reality for me. I now have choices when I used to have none."
He raised his hand to Will, Nico, Percy, Cressida and Chiron, and then he strode off through the forest, Small Bob glowing at his heels.
They all stood in silence for a minute, mourning the temporary loss of a friend they just got back, but it was what needed to happen. Camp Half-Blood was no place for a Titan as much as they wanted it to be. And even if it was, it wasn't their choice to make. Bob had enough of his choices taken away, he was right, now he had all the choices in the world to make.
Chiron cleared his throat. "You boys managed something impossible," he said. "Mr D and I are eager to hear how you accomplished such a feat, but first, let's get you both a nice hot meal."
"Yes, please," said Will. "I'm tired of nectar and ambrosia."
"There will be more of that in the future to facilitate your healing," said Chiron, scanning their faces. "I see you're both a bit dinged up." He reached down and lifted Nico's chin. "Do you need to visit the infirmary first, son? I'm sure we can fix that slash on your cheek."
"Nah," said Nico. "There's nothing to fix. I like it how it is."
"It definitely looks badass, Ghost King," Cressida remarked as she walked hand-in-hand with Percy, the tears still half-stained on their faces but they didn't care. Today was a good day.
"In the meantime, though, how do bacon, eggs and toast sound?" Chiron offered.
"Sunny-side up?" asked Nico.
"I like my toast dark," said Will. The demigods grinned at each other.
Chiron looked down at them with a serious expression. "I just want to say how deeply, deeply proud I am of both of you. Dionysus will probably not admit as much, but he feels the same way."
Cressida scoffed. "Please, you're looking at four out of Papa's five favourite demigods. He'll admit it."
"So you admit that I'm one of his favourites!" Percy exclaimed cheekily.
"Perseus Jackson -"
"Yes, my Wine Vine, love of my life?" he interrupted with a sickeningly sweet smile as he kissed his girlfriend's cheek and she glared at him. Will and Nico just muffled their laughs and the four demigods and their mentor walked together into their home.