A/N PLEASE READ: This chapter does deal with serious topics. I want to say first and foremost that I do NOT condone suicide, suicide attempts, etc. It is NOT the answer and it does NOT stop the pain. If you are feeling depressed or suicidal, please do NOT READ THIS CHAPTER. PLEASE CONTACT EMERGENCY SERVICES (SUCH AS A HOTLINE OR 911) IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING A CRISIS, EMERGENCY, OR IN GREAT PAIN. To reiterate, this is not the typical angst. Please DO NOT READ if you are prone to being suicidal, attempting suicide, hurting yourself, or being depressed. Thank you.

Nico stood in front of the three judges of the souls in the afterlife.

Would Nico reach Elysium?

"Well, he did kill himself, and a lot of heroes do that!" Midas hollered, laughing.

The other two spirits continued deliberating quietly.

After a moment, they turned to Nico, pale and wearing all black. "Elysium, it is, son. Have a good time!"

They said it like it was a vacation, and honestly, Nico didn't much mind.

He started making his way to the third line, the shortest line, in the afterlife... following the souls who would reach Elysium.

Nico wondered how big it was. What it looked like. Who he'd find there. Who he wouldn't find there... Yeah, he was the son of Hades, but he never explored Elysium -- he didn't want to spoil his happy ending. After all the shit he'd been through, he deserved a sweet surprise to top off all the madness.

As he wandered, he still felt great pain in his heart, but he knew it'd be over once he reached the spiritual island. The land where the sun never sets and everyone is always dancing, someone had once told him. Maybe his father. His mind wandered... What would Hades think of his death? Surely, he knows. He hasn't shown himself.

Once he got there, he couldn't see any of it until he'd stepped in. Suddenly, the sun was beaming down on him, but it wasn't too hot of temperature. There was laughing and cheering and music. There were little huts where people were relaxing, a beach to the right and mountains to the left. It was a paradise, really. A long-lasting vacation, just like the judges had mentioned.

A smile grew on Nico's face and the pain in his heart melted away instantly. He looked around, overwhelmed with a sense of inner peace. This is the feeling he'd been searching for when he killed himself.

He whipped his head back and forth, taking in deep breaths of fresh air. He hadn't breathed in fresh air like this since before the Lotus Casino, before the world had polluted the atmosphere so much. It was refreshing and it reminded him of home, of his family, of the good times he'd had in his life.

Before he could finish reflecting on his life, a happy face appeared before him, stepping up close to him and happy tears in its eyes. The face belonged to none other than Percy Jackson.

He was younger than Nico, but not by much. Percy had died in his early twenties, and Nico was in his mid twenties now. Nico had a noticeable mustache and peach fuzz, but Percy was clean-shaven and raven hair volumized.

"Baby..." Nico said, pulling Percy into a hug. He squeezed him tight, kissing his neck gently and holding him as if it was possible to lose him a second time... as if it was possible to prevent losing him the first time. "I missed you so fucking much. I love you, Percy."

When the two had separated, Percy was crying now. He was still smiling, but hadn't said anything.

Nico cupped his cheek, "Speak to me. I was starting to forget the sound of your voice..."

Percy closed his eyes and leaned into Nico's hand. After a moment, he took a deep breath. With a soft smile and curious eyes, he asked Nico gently, "Why are you here, my love?"

Nico stepped closer, their chests nearly touching. "It doesn't matter anymore. I'm here with you now."

Though Percy knew that was true, he still felt the need to correct Nico. He kissed his nose gently, "It does matter. Your life mattered."

"If it did, then Hades would've sent my soul back up," Nico argued, but was too caught up in Percy to be upset at all. He laid his head on Percy's chest, smelling his shirt. It was so nice to lay against him again, he thought.

"Maybe he should..." Percy stepped back and took both of Nico's hands, holding his eye contact strongly.

Before Nico could ask what he meant, a dark figure materialized behind Percy, the only sense of dark shadow in all of Elysium. It was Hades, cold and... tearful.

With sad eyes, Hades stepped next to Percy, "My boy."

Nico shifted. Feelings he'd felt in his heart before Elysium started poking at his chest, sending shots of anxious thoughts and flares of depression through his mind. He felt like he couldn't breathe, the weight of this happy place and the sudden reminder of why he came here weighing down on his heart.

"You need to go back home," Hades said.

With that, Nico shot up in bed, gasping and crying. He pushed his hands through his hair, Was that a dream? Coughing, he stood up and left his cabin bed, walking to the bathroom and washing his face. Looking in the mirror, he noticed he was wearing the same black clothes in the dream.

He found it ridiculous, but was too curious. With much hesitation, he lifted his shirt. He saw a deep gash, healed but the obvious scar of a blade that had been shoved into his chest.

He felt tears prick his eyes. He held his head high because he knew he'd crumble to the floor if he didn't.

It was real. It was all real. Percy was still gone, Nico had tried to kill himself and his father had denied him the peace he'd searched for all his life. He didn't even get to say goodbye to Percy, he just got one last hug.

With an angry exhale, he bit the insides of his cheeks and squeezed the cloth of his shirt roughly. This wasn't fair. He had made a choice to end his life and he deserved to be in Elysium right now. He earned it, after all the years of strife and loss.

What was he even doing at Camp Half-Blood? Nothing! He had nothing to stay on this earth for. Besides, most demigods died before their mid-twenties anyways.

He seethed through his teeth and looked away from his angered reflection.

Why?