[Edited July 26, 2022]

Nightwing and Nico walked in silence to the manor. The tension was palpable as there was so much left to be said and neither wanted to say it. Nico knew he should be feeling shame or regret for tricking Nightwing and lying as he had for all this time. He knew that he should feel guilty and apologize, but he couldn't make himself feel remorse and he refused to make an apology that he didn't feel. That wouldn't help anyone. He knew that he had been doing what was necessary and he couldn't feel ashamed for doing what he thought was right or safe. He only wished he knew if Bruce would see it that way.

Even if Bruce didn't understand that Nico wasn't in danger and that he really felt that he was doing the right thing, he wouldn't regret the times he went to see Ivy. The son of Hades didn't regret leaving Hazel with her or hiding out at her place after the Telkhines attacked. He didn't regret getting to know her or calling on her for help. If he had the choice, he'd do it all again if he knew how much she'd help him and how important she had become to him. Though they hadn't had much time to get close, Ivy had become important to Nico and he was glad to have gotten the time to see the real her. She wasn't just a villain, she was a person who was fighting for a better planet. He respected and admired that aspect of her.

With the knowledge that he didn't regret his actions, Nico decided that he wouldn't fight with Bruce over this. If Bruce decided that he needed to pass down some punishment, the demigod would accept it without complaint. Not that there would be much time for any involved punishments like being grounded since he wasn't planning on being around for more than a couple more days. Even still, if there was some lecture Bruce wanted to give him or new restrictions he felt he needed to put in place, Nico would abide by them.

It was strange for Nico to have a parent who is so involved in his life. Though if Sally Jackson is anything to go by, Bruce really isn't all that involved either. Just more involved than Hades. It was a blessing and a curse.

Nightwing walked Nico as far as the Manors' breezeway before he split off to go down to the cave to shower and detoxify after the trip to toxic acres. Nico briefly considered showering first as well, but he figured that it was probably best to get this over with right away. He could always take a shower to cool off emotionally afterward if things went poorly. Nico stalked silently through the manor until he stood in front of Bruce's office doors.

Nico stared at the door, silently willing himself to open it. It is hard to force oneself into a situation that they knew they were going to hate. This wasn't something that would just go away, so Nico took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come in." Bruce was behind his desk looking over a computer screen when the demigod stepped inside and closed the door behind him, leaning against it. A few seconds later he glanced up at him.

"Nico? Come on in. Take a seat. I'll be with you in just a moment." He didn't seem surprised to see him so Nico guessed Nightwing told him that he was back in town or something. Last Bruce knew Nico would be back by the 26th. The son of Hades hadn't even known he would be back this soon.

"No rush," Nico replied lamely and Bruce peered at him skeptically over the top of his reading glasses. Nico vaguely wondered if the glasses were actually prescription or if this was for his Bruce Wayne persona. With Bruce, you could never be sure. The billionaire stared at him through his glasses and folded his hands in front of him on the desk. It reminded Nico of one of the times Dr. Thorn had called him into his office for skipping English. Well, before he tried to sell the demigod to Kronos.

"It's never 'no rush' with you. What's going on?" Bruce took off his glasses and leaned back in his chair with a resigned sigh. Nico felt his stomach flutter. He knew that he didn't have anything to worry about from Bruce, but he didn't like the idea of being in trouble. It was never a good feeling to have someone disappointed or angry with you.

"You're not going to like it," Nico replied honestly, sinking into one of the chairs in front of Bruce's desk. He slouched, laying the back of his head against the back of the chair. The ceiling was coffered and Nico spent a few long seconds wondering how ceilings like that were built. Bruce's reply drew his attention back to the present.

"Probably not. Tell me anyway."

"I was the boy that the team spotted visiting Ivy. I've been keeping in touch with her since the time she saved me from the Joker. I wasn't going to tell you but I stopped by Toxic Acres tonight on my way home and the team caught me."

"Nico--" The son of Hades held up his hands to stop the physically older man. He wanted to get everything out before he could get cold feet.

"Please just let me finish." Bruce waved him on tolerantly.

"I know that you think she's dangerous but she's saved me several times now. She gave Hazel a place to stay when I first brought her back. She patched me up and gave me a place to stay after the Telkhine attack. She rescued me from Slade-- well she saved Ghost-- but only because I asked her to. She's not a threat to me." Nico took a breath and rubbed his hands over his face to settle himself before continuing.

"I know that I should have told you or asked permission or something. I just didn't want you to keep me from visiting her. I'm not trying to make excuses, I'll accept the consequences. I just want you to understand what I did and why."

"Great, now can I speak?" Bruce leaned forward. He didn't look angry but Nico knew from experience that looks could be deceiving.

"Yeah," He replied though he knew it wasn't really a question.

"I know about all of that."

"What?" Nico felt his stomach sink.

"I knew you were keeping in touch with her, at least. I didn't know about Hazel or anything like that, but I knew you had been building a rapport with Ivy. I did have a tracker on your phone, after all. The one that you so cleverly disabled. Remember?" Bruce met his gaze evenly and he could only nod. If he knew, why hadn't he ever said anything?

"I always keep track of you boys. With all the trouble you all get in, it's a necessity." Bruce stretched. "I kept tabs on you when I could, just in case, but I was never really worried."

"Really? Why not?"

"I had never seen Ivy so gentle and protective over any human being before. I couldn't imagine her hurting you. I thought that-- if I let things play out-- maybe you could bring out a better side of Ivy and maybe we could use that to reform her someday." Nico sat staring at the vigilante for a moment. There was nothing that he could think of to say. Bruce had known all this time and just let it happen because he believed that Nico could help make Ivy a better person. The son of Hades didn't have any idea how he should feel about that. On one hand, he was grateful that he didn't intervene, but on the other, he didn't like that he was an unwitting part of his social experiment.

"So you're not mad at me?" Nico asked carefully.

"No, I'm not mad. You should have told me-- yes. But I know why you didn't. I do want to know when you are going to see her from now on, though." Nico nodded, just relieved that he wasn't mad. He was so relieved that he found himself choking up. He had been so prepared to have to sit through a lecture that he didn't know what to do with his emotions now that he wouldn't have to. He was so happy that his last two days wouldn't be spent being grounded and coughed to clear his throat. Nico couldn't cry now, that would make Bruce concerned or suspicious.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I just swallowed wrong. If we're done here, I really need to shower."

"Yeah it's getting late we'll talk more at dinner. I want to know everything about the Roman Camp and this upcoming war. Also why you've come back so early. You've kept a lot close to your chest and I feel like I have no idea what's going on with you at any given time."

"I'm sorry about that. I'll tell you anything you want to know." Nico agreed, knowing that wasn't entirely true.

"I know you've already told us a little bit, but I'm going to want a full recap. Just to make sure that I have a good grip on everything. And I want to know more about Hazel."

"Yeah, sure. Just... after I shower." Bruce chuckled and dismissed him. Nico left to go detox after his trip to Toxic Acres. He was very pleased with how the conversation went. He had dodged a figurative bullet. Nico took a long hot shower, savoring the feeling. He knew that the hot shower would leave him feeling drowsy for a little while and then freezing once he dried off, but at the moment Nico couldn't bring himself to care.

If he was going to die sometime this week, Nico felt he should be able to indulge a bit. He finally got out and dried off, changing into some nice clean clothes. A pair of black sweatpants and a long-sleeved black shirt and a black hoodie. All items were chosen for their insulating properties. He looked at himself in the mirror and almost wanted to laugh. He looked like he was wearing one of Bruce's sweatshirts with how big it was on him.

After that, Nico headed down to dinner. He was sure he was a little late, but he wasn't worried about it. He'd had a busy last couple of days. They'd understand that he was still on California time and just tired.

"Good of you to join us, Master Nico," Alfred said as the middle Wayne child walked in.

"Are you cold?" Bruce motioned to his outfit. Nico blushed but he really was cold. He couldn't feel his toes and his hands were freezing but he was pretty used to that by now.

"I'm always cold," he replied, taking a seat next to Damian.

"Take a hot shower," Dick suggested. Nico chuckled lightly as he looked over the meal.

"I just did."

"And you're still cold?" Tim cut in incredulously. He looked over everyone who was looking at him with concern.

"I'm always cold. My body doesn't retain heat. I can get hot for a short time but that just means I have a long way to plunge. It's almost worse."

"We need to get that checked out. That could be signs of a serious medical problem." Bruce stressed. Nico grimaced uncomfortably, he didn't like it when people started talking about doctors or medicine.

"Or a symptom of being a child of Hades."

"Really? Why would that have anything to do with it?"

"If you ever met my father you'd understand. Plus my biological sister had that problem too." He replied uneasily. Nico didn't want to open himself up to this line of questioning but being evasive would make them more curious.

"Does Hazel have that problem?" Bruce cut in, driving the conversation. Nico was caught off guard by the bluntness of the question and it took him a second to formulate a response.

"No, she doesn't. Though she wouldn't have this problem." He replied, not thinking about how they didn't know anything about her and what he said wouldn't make any sense to them.

"Why not? She's a child of Hades, isn't she?" The son of Hades had Bruce's full attention now.

"She's a child of Pluto. Hades' Roman form."

"What's the difference?" Jason cut in biting a piece of steak off the end of a hunting knife.

"There's a pretty big difference, actually," Nico replied, setting his utensils down. Nico knew this was probably going to be a long explanation.

"As you probably know, Ancient Greece came before Ancient Rome. That means that the Greek Pantheon also came first."

"So how did the Roman pantheon come about?" Tim asked. His eyes were alert with his endless curiosity.

"When the Roman Empire emerged the Roman people stole the Greek gods and modified them to better suit their needs. In short, they made them more militaristic-- more severe. Well, most of them anyway. Athena went from being the goddess of battle strategy to the goddess of arts and crafts but I digress."

"Goddess of arts and crafts?" Damian sneered.

"Like the patron goddess of Hobby Lobby?" Jason joked. Nico winced and hoped the goddess didn't smite him where he sat.

"More or less." He agreed. "Believe me, Athena doesn't like it either."

"So how did Hades change?"

"Hades is more welcoming. The afterlife is a pretty universal concept so he doesn't change too much. Pluto is colder, less forgiving."

"I don't think I'd like him very much," Bruce muttered.

"Most people wouldn't." Nico agreed. Hazel had told him of her meetings with him and he sounded alright by godly parent standards. He cared about her, at least. Though he did curse her mother for her greed so that kind of evened it all back out.

"Have you met him? Pluto, I mean." Bruce pressed. Nico shuddered at the thought. His relationship with Hades was tense at best. He didn't even want to imagine what Pluto would make of him.

"No. And Hazel hasn't met Hades. Greeks and Romans do not mix." He replied, taking a drink.

"You said the afterlife is pretty much universal, right?" Tim spoke up. It was hard to tell sometimes if he was listening or not because sometimes he would just stare at you even if you weren't the one speaking. It was a little unnerving at times. Though his gaze was always intensely focused and it made the son of Hades wonder if he could see into his soul. He reminded him of Rachel sometimes.

"Yeah. Most cultures have lore about some sort of afterlife-- even if that lore says that there's just more life after life." He agreed.

"Life after life?" Jason frowned.

"Yeah, reincarnation and stuff."

"So if your father's power stays the same in both forms, does that mean that Hazel has the same abilities?" Tim acted like the deviation hadn't happened.

"No. Hazel doesn't have any of the same powers that I do. Hades and Pluto both are the gods of the Underworld, yes. However, they also control all the riches under the Earth. Hazel can control gold, silver, gemstones-- anything considered valuable that can be found underground. Between the two of us, we represent both of our father's spheres of control; death and riches." Nico explained carefully. He wanted to keep Hazel's curse out of this. That wasn't his secret to tell.

"That's amazing." Bruce breathed.

"Yeah. Super." He agreed.

"You say that as though it's not." Dick eyed him closely.

"Let's just say that our powers come with more drawbacks than most. I'm a walking talking corpse who nobody wants around and Hazel has it just as bad if not worse. Her powers got her and her mother killed. So I'm sorry if I can't get excited over it." Nico didn't mean to get upset, but once he had started ranting all his suppressed anger boiled over.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hit a sore subject." Dick backed off. Nico shrugged him off. It wasn't like he meant to.

"For what it's worth, we want you around." Tim gave him a small smile which Nico returned it gratefully. This is what he would die to save. Moments like these. Not just his own memories, but all future moments like this for other demigods.

"So what happened to you staying to help out with war preparations?" Bruce asked, cutting into his steak.

"I was going to stay and help, but honestly I'm mostly in the way. The Romans are a well-oiled machine and I'm the Greek piece that doesn't have a place in their puzzle. Plus there's the fact that, once Percy shows back up at camp he'll probably recognize me and tell them that I was going back and forth between the camps."

"Though if negotiations go well, wouldn't that be overlooked?" Tim cut in.

"It's more likely that they would have me executed on principle. The Greeks would then retaliate on principal and I would be the sole reason for the second Civil War or World War Three. No thank you."

"Sounds like it's better that you lay low for a while," Jason said. Nico nodded in agreement.

"Tell me more about the Romans. Tell me about this new camp that you've found. Tell me about the people, the quest, everything." Bruce insisted after the conversation lulled. So the demigod told him everything he could. Nico told him as much as he could about the whole situation; even mentioning the doors of death. Though he told them that there would have to be an entire expedition of demigods and that he would be needed elsewhere-- in the Underworld and collecting runaway spirits and souls. And they believed him.

After the long debriefing was done, Nico headed up to his room to get a good night's sleep. Before he could get ready for bed, Nico remembered that he still had a letter in the clothes he had worn this afternoon. Nico went into his bathroom and grabbed the letter for Thalia out of the pocket of his jeans. He still had to find a time and a place to drop it so that Thalia would see it. He decided that he would try to see her in his dreams and hope that would tell him where the Hunters were.

It took him a long time to fall asleep that night. He couldn't get comfortable with everything that was going on and his looming fate. Nico wondered what it's like to be dead. He knew what the dead were like, of course. They were attached to their old lives and old routines. They had a hard time letting go. They were judged and sorted then they stagnated until they finally faded. Thus was true for all spirits in all the fields. It may take thousands of years, but souls have limits too. The souls that expire lose themselves to time. Some deteriorate faster than others. Some stay stranded on the banks of the Styx until their spirit can no longer hold on to the Erebros and are forced to let go. He wasn't so sure what happens to them after that.

Even if his soul made it out of the pit and to the banks, even if he was judged and made it to Elysium, even if everything went right-- he'd still eventually fade into nothing. Get to the point where no one remembers him-- living or dead-- and he'd truly die. Perhaps the Mexicans were right. There are two deaths. The death of the body, and the death that comes when no one remembers you. The death of your memory. The death of your spirit.

Nico couldn't tell what lies beyond the Underworld-- beyond the afterlife and it terrified him. People think that just because he was a son of Hades that he would have all the answers. They think that death doesn't scare him but it does. Of course, it does. The death of the body isn't what scares him. It's the death of the soul. Knowing that someday he will cease to exist on any plane. If you're smart, it scares you too.

When he finally did fall asleep, it took him a while to wade through dreamland to find Thalia because he hadn't been thinking about her when he fell asleep. When he did find her he was pleased to see that she was teaching a young daughter of Aphrodite how to fire a bow and arrow. She was at camp then. He watched as the girl-- who couldn't have been older than eight-- took a shot and missed. She huffed in frustration, glaring at the target as though it had done it on purpose.

"That's alright. Try again." The camper knocked another arrow and took up a stance. Nico don't know a thing about archery, but she looked fine to him.

Thalia adjusted the girl's arm. "Keep your bow arm straight. Loose in the pause between breaths."

"Loose?" The girl frowned but didn't take her eye off the target.

"Yeah, fire. Bows existed long before gunpowder or cannons so the term used to be loose. Like, let loose your arrow." Thalia explained awkwardly. "The older hunters use that term. Sorry." The girl didn't reply. Instead, she took a deep breath, released it, then fired. Before the arrow could meet the target he was yanked into a different scene. This in itself was unusual because he normally had some control over where he went in dreams. It was almost like someone had sent him here on purpose.

In this vision, Nico was standing on top of a huge rock in the middle of a field of grass. He looked around and saw Hazel clamoring up into the rock, covered in tiny scratches and looking disoriented.

"Can't grow on this, can you?" She shouted towards the field. "Go away you bunch of weeds leave me alone!"

"Schist..." the grass hissed. Nico frowned, not used to grass talking, much less cursing. Hazel didn't seem to be expecting this response either.

"Excuse me?"

"Schist! Big pile of schist!" Before Hazel could respond little winged plant babies materialized out of the field. What caught his eyes were the dog-like teeth. The creature bared its teeth and he was pulled somewhere else.

This time it looked like he had stayed in the same place but now it was dark. The night of the 20th, if he was right. That would mean that this happened a few hours ago. Or that it was currently happening. Nico found himself on a rock outcropping looking down at a run-down shop in the middle of nowhere. When he looked around this time, he could see Percy, Hazel, and Frank hunkered down and watching the shop as though it might attack them.

"Let's go to the store," Hazel said. "If there's a goddess inside, maybe she can help us."

"Except a bunch of snake things are guarding the hill now," Frank said. Nico scanned the hill that he gestured to but it was too dark for him to see anything in the grass. "And that burning rainbow might come back." Burning rainbow? He wasn't sure what that meant but it sounded like a particular goddess might be involved. There can't be that many beings that utilize the magic of rainbows. Right?

"We've got to try," Hazel said looking at Percy with concern. He hadn't noticed before but Percy looked like crap. He was green in the face, pale, and trembling. If Nico didn't know better he would think he had the flu or something.

"Well... any goddess who throws a Ding Dong at a giant can't be bad. Let's go." Frank stood up to lead the way and the scene changed again.

This time, Nico was on the porch of the strange shop. Frank was standing a few feet away clutching a spear with a strange tip. Nico knew what it was the moment he laid eyes on it. And he knew what it could do. It was just like that dream he had about Atlas raising the skeletons at the Air and Space Museum. If Frank buried that tooth, he'd have a skeleton soldier at his command. Handy-- if he knew how to use it.

Frank made his way off the porch and out into the withered grass. Whatever he was looking for had a sort of death touch or something. When he was about halfway downhill a plume of fire came up from the grass, catching me off guard. The son of Hades couldn't see where the flame was coming from but it was low to the ground. Frank seemed to head towards the flame. He followed after him, feeling like he was meant to see what would happen next. Something had pulled him here, after all.

Frank entered a clearing and came face to face with a big frilled snake. It rose like a cobra and displayed its fringe angrily at Frank. Frank-- to his credit-- stood his ground. He didn't seem to know what to do about the snake in front of him. Plus it also seemed like he was fighting with the spear. The tip had dropped a considerable way towards the ground and Frank seemed to be struggling to keep it upright. He obviously hadn't been given an owner's manual with it.

"Stop that." Nico could see his muscles straining to lift the tip of the spear. Moments later two more monsters appeared on either side of him and the trap was sprung.

"Stay back!" Frank squeaked. "I've got... um... amazing powers and stuff." Nico couldn't tell if he was bluffing or if he was serious and his confidence didn't give anything away. Children of Mars didn't really have powers, after all. The monsters seemed to think it was a bluff too because they started circling him like they were trying to see how to make the best kill. In a last-ditch effort, Frank drove the tip of the spear into the ground. A sickening crack rang out through the clearing and Nico knew the deed was done.

The ground rumbled at Frank's feet, a fountain of dirt rose from the ground as the warrior clawed its way to the surface. It looked like a US Army soldier to me but he was no expert. The grey coloration didn't help much either. The soldier turned to the summoner-- Frank-- and waited for a command. Frank whimpered heroically and leaned on the shaft of the spear-like an old man's cane.

"Kill the basilisks! Not me!" Frank yelped out. Nico guessed it was probably a natural reaction for a guy whose own life was so fragile, but he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Frank the scaredy-cat. Nico didn't get to stick around to see how it ended. he was shaken awake just as the skeleton leaped into action.

[June 21st]

"Nico? Wake up, man." Dick was leaning over him.

"Man it was just getting to the good part," Nico complained. His head felt like it was full of cotton candy and the only thing he could think of was those flaming snake monsters.

"You're going to miss breakfast. Alfred made French Toast."

"It's not actually French." the demigod rolled over and pulled the blanket up over his shoulder.

"What?"

"Aliter Dulcia. Latin. Means 'another sweet dish'. French toast dates as far back as Ancient Rome." he replied, groggily. Nico had no idea why he knew that, but he also felt it to be true. Maybe he knew that the same way he knew how to cook.

"Why do you know that? Did they teach you that at Camp Jupiter?"

"No. They taught me how to put on a toga." Nico sat up and held his palms over his eyes. Every time he blinked, Nico saw images from his dreams. It's really disorienting.

"What?" Dick sounded confused. he waved him off. He was about to head down to breakfast but Dick stopped him before he could.

"How'd it go last night? Was Bruce mad?" He seemed genuinely concerned. Nico shook his head and stretched.

"He already knew."

"Seriously?" Dick sounded annoyed. Nico nodded, confused.

"He let me and the Young Justice team stake out Toxic Acres for weeks when he knew it was you?" He was standing now smiling in a way that wasn't at all funny.

"Yeah, I guess so." Nico agreed. He found the situation laughable but he wasn't going to tell Dick that.

"God--!" He cursed under his breath.

"Let it go, Dick. He's Batman." Nico wasn't really sure what he meant by that but Dick seemed to agree.

"He could have at least told me." Dick sighed in frustration. The son of Hades smirked.

"You're laughing at me." He accused.

"I am not!"

"You totally are! You know this is all your fault. If you hadn't been keeping secrets I wouldn't have been on that mission in the first place." Dick griped but he had no real fire behind his words.

"And deprive you all of the team bonding time?" He countered.

"Why you little!" Dick lunged at him but Nico shadow traveled to the kitchen before the angry protege could grab him. Nico settled down into his seat and grabbed the not-so-French toast off a platter. Bruce was reading the newspaper and looking over stock reports with Tim, Jason was chowing down on what was at least his second helping of french toast and Damian had his nose buried deep in a book. Nico couldn't see the cover from this angle. Dick came in a few minutes later but he didn't even look at him. The demigod was too busy drowning his food in sugary goodness. So he has a bit of a sweet tooth.

Nico looked around the table and was hit by this overwhelming sense of normalcy. It was like the Greek, Roman, and vigilante worlds were a distant nightmare. This was reality and everything else was a dream. Sometime soon he would have to wake up and face the music, but for now, he would be content to hang on to this moment as long as he could.