Percy Jackson Ships

The Hardest Part of the Job -//- Solangelo

Nico had just gotten home from work. He had a job at Camp Half-Blood teaching the younger children the basics of training and how to control their budding powers so they didn't go, as Percy so well put it, "Death-shit-crazy like you did, Neeks.". Percy now had a bruise on his chest, but oh well, what can you do? But the job was freaking exhausting.
"Amity, Bianca, Fletcher! I'm home!" Nico called, knowing his and Will's young children would be playing in Marie's room with her extensive collection of toys. The first one out was Bianca, their 6 year old, who came and jumped into her papa's lap. Then, Fletcher, their 14 month old, came toddling out in front of Amity, their 10 year old. Nico grabbed Bianca in one arm and walked over and scooped Fletcher up with his other arm. He and Will adopted these three siblings only 10 months ago, when Fletcher was only four months old. They picked them for several reasons. One being they were sweet children with huge, caring hearts. The other being that they looked extensively like the two men. Amity and Fletcher had blonde hair and blueish eyes like Will and were very pale like Nico. Bianca had darker hair like Nico, and almost black eyes, but she was fairly tan like Will. She tanned like a monster in the sun and never burned. 
"Hi, papa!" Fletcher said happily. Nico smiled and kissed his son all over his face, making him laugh.
"Ciao piccola(hello baby)!" Nico said, flopping onto the couch and letting his kids down next to him. "What time did Kali leave?" he asked Amity. She thought for a second.
"Around... 20 minutes ago? 30 maybe." she reported. He nodded.
"Good. How was school, i miei piccoli amori (my little loves)?" Nico asked.
"Good, papa. I got an A on my test! We're learning about Greek Mythology this whole semester!" Amity said happily.
"Well, daddy and I know everything about Greek Mythology, so ask us anything if you need help." Nico said, and she nodded. He looked at her. "Hey, you didn't hear it from me, but daddy and I have a million books on the bottom shelf of our bookcase about Greek myths that are super cool." he mock-whispered, and she was off like a flash. He chuckled. He quizzed Bianca on her day and then asked Fletcher questions just because his answers were adorable.
"Papa, park?" Fletcher asked. Nico grinned.
"Sure. Hey, Am, we're going to the park! Come on!" he called. 
"Coming!" she called, and within 2 minutes, they were on their way to the park. Nico's phone buzzed then. It was Will.
"Ciao, tesoro.(hello, treasure)" Nico said, letting the kids run ahead a ways.
"Hi, baby. I don't have long, but I wanted to let you know I'm going to be late. Last minute urgent surgery rushed in as I was packing up. Hopefully it won't take long, but Andy will call you with an update if I'm not home by 11, okay?" Will said quickly. He sounded nervous.
"Okay, just take as much time as you have, okay? I love you." Nico said. 
"I love you too. See you at home, try to save some dinner if the little monsters don't eat it all, okay? Tell our babies I love them and I'll see them tomorrow." Will said, and hung up. Nico jogged down the street to the park where Bianca and Fletcher were already sliding and Amity was running laps around the track. Nico sat on a bench until Amity jogged up.
"Papa, can you run with me?" she requested. Nico smiled. If there was one thing he could do besides raise the dead and sword fight like a boss, it was run. He was very used to it after growing up with Percy and the rest of the 7. He set down his jacket and phone along with the bottles of water he had brought and crossed over to the track. "Can you run on your own first? I want to see how fast you are." Amity requested. Nico sighed.
"Sure, love. Count me off." he said, and Amity smiled.
"Three.. two... one!" she said, and Nico was off, flying around the track as fast as ever. He was almost floating, only slowing down when he reached Amity. She looked awed.
"Papa you're faster than anybody!" she said. He smiled.
"No I'm not, sweetie, but thank you." he said.
"I'm hungry, papa. Can we go home now?" Bianca said loudly, right next to them. Nico about jumped out of his skin. She was quiet until she was right next to him. That happened a lot. Nico nodded.
"Let's go." he agreed, going over and scooping Fletcher up from the sandbox right before he climbed in. "What do you want for dinner? I was thinking asparagus and grilled pineapple. Or maybe some spaghetti with pork in the sauce?" he said.
"Spaghetti!" the kids cheered. Nico shook his head.

"See, but I thought asparagus sounded pretty good!" he joked.
"But, papa, you don't like asparagus!" Bianca reminded him. He smiled.
"It so happens you are correct, baby. Now, let's start dinner, hmm?" Nico asked as they walked into their large apartment. The kids cheered and they got started.
Once the kids were seated at the table eating, Will took a plate and set it in the microwave for Will. Then he got his plate and sat down with them.
"Yummy?" he asked Fletcher, who nodded, mouth full.
"Daddy, can we have this every night?" Bianca asked. Nico shook his head.
"Afraid not, love. But we can have it a lot." he promised, and his daughter cheered. Suddenly, Nico felt something. Like a gust of air coming into him. A soul of a newly dead person. He also felt Will become upset. 
"Oh no." Nico said out loud.
"What's wrong?" Amity asked. Nico recovered quickly, checking the clock.
"It's almost time for bed, that's what! Daddy will be home soon, but you'll see him bright and early tomorrow, okay?" Nico said. All the kids groaned, but stood up. "It's later than I thought, so chop chop, or daddy might get mad." he said, mock scared. The kids moved a heck of a lot faster, thinking he was serious. Will mad was not something any of them wanted to see after seeing him mad only once. Nico helped Fletcher get ready for bed and quickly tucked his kids in. He knew Will would be home soon, and he knew he would want to be upset and probably cry for a while, and he didn't want the kids awake when that happened. He flopped on the couch and waited. Suddenly, a rainbow appeared and then a face.
"Father?" Nico asked in disbelief.
"Nico, I have spirits to tend to, but I wanted to let you know. 11 year old girl, died from severe trauma and shrapnel to major organs. Died 30 minutes ago, maybe. On Will's operating table." Hades said. Nico blinked back a tear.
"Okay. Thank you, Father." Nico said.
"You're welcome. I've got to get back. I expect Will will be home soon." Hades said, and with that, he was gone. All Nico could do was wait. He was restless, checking the clock and pacing around the apartment. The clock turned 9:00. Then it was 9:30. Then 10:00. Finally, the door unlocked, and Will walked in, dropping everything on the chair by the door. Nico stood up and walked over. Will was crying.
"Neeks... I..." Will started.
"I know, sunshine. I felt it. Come on, let's go to bed." Nico whispered, and Will nodded numbly. They walked to their bedroom and both laid out on their bed in their clothes. "C'mere, amore(love)." Nico said gently, drawing Will into his chest. He was still crying. "Do you wanna talk about it?" he asked simply.
"Not yet." Will said quietly.
"Okay. I'm right here when you're ready, though, okay?" Nico said. Will nodded. They laid there quietly together for a while, just together while Will cried. 
"Sierra Wilcox, 11 years old. Came in bleeding and almost passed out and crying. She had severe head trauma and shrapnel absolutely everywhere, including her heart and lungs. They put her under anesthesia not 3 minutes after I got there. We worked fast, but not fast enough. We couldn't get the shrapnel out of her heart and it stopped. She flat lined before we could even get there. She was gone. I took off my gloves and my operation scrubs and started filling out papers. Her parents were relatively uninjured, but still in the hospital. I had to.. go tell them that their daughter was dead. The look on her mother's face... I couldn't... I had to look away, down.. anywhere but at her. And then I had to sign her death certificate, and as I signed it, I just couldn't stop thinking of what she kept saying. She kept saying "don't let me die, please don't let me die", Nico. She was crying and saying that over and over. And she died and there was nothing we could do and I feel so guilty for not being able to help her more." Will said, and started crying again. Nico had started crying when Will told him that he had to tell her parents. "And.. I couldn't.. couldn't stop thinking of.. of Amity and how... broken I would be if she... she died." Will whimpered.
"Hey. Will Will Will. But it wasn't Amity, okay? It was Sierra. And I know it hurts so bad right now. I can feel her parents aching for her. This is the hardest part of your job. Accepting that it was just her time. She may not have wanted to, but it was her time. Her body was ready, her mind was ready, and my father was ready to accept her soul. She's at peace, and she will be okay." Nico comforted Will.
"I know your dad will take care of her, it's just hard to accept that she's gone so young." Will shook his head into Nico's collarbone.
"Maybe she'll try to live again, live a longer life, a happier one. But whatever she decides, she'll be okay. And so will her parents. And so will you. Just like always, babe, it takes time." Nico said, cuddling around Will best he could. Honestly, Will was the worst tall person ever because Nico couldn't curl around him when he was upset and had lost a patient, which when you're an ER Trauma surgeon, happens more than anyone cares to admit. 
"I know..." Will whispered. "Thank you, Neeks. For everything." he added.
"What are husbands for? I love you so much, sunshine." Nico said quietly. Will yawned.
"I love you, too, darling." he said.