Shattered

Nico

As the water rushed in museum from seemingly every nook and cranny, Nico's thoughts were for once not focused on Percy, but rather his family. So just before the flood waters reached them, he wrapped his arms around his mother and father and pulled them into the shadows.

As they zoomed through the realm of shadows, he could hear the terrified screams and anguished cries of the unlucky mortals who had been caught within the son of Poseidon's fury. He just hoped that Percy had enough sense left to him that he wouldn't intentionally harm the mortal guests. He could forgive Percy for a few broken limbs and ruined clothes, but the blood of the innocent would be pushing it.

The three of them tumbled out of the shadows into the now partially flooded Lions of Tsavo exhibit, said lions had been knocked over along with everything else and were floating away in the ankle-deep rapids.

"What the hades is wrong with Jackson?!" Persephone cried as his father pulled her to her feet. His stepmother, who had looked lovely only moments before, looked like a drowned rat. The black slip she wore was now in danger of slipping off, her hair had worked its way out of it bun and was plastered to her head, and the water had made her mascara run. In Nico's opinion, he thought that she had never looked more like the Queen of the Underworld. "Does he not understand the meaning of subtle?!" she cried, wiping away the smeared makeup.

Nico gulped and stared his stepmother in the eye. "He wasn't going for Arthurson. Percy was going for-"

"His stepfather," Hades finished. "Gabe Ugliano, the only thing I believe Percy truly hates." The older man then removed his drenched jacket and tossed it aside; the article of clothing quickly disappearing from sight along with a stuffed capybara. "There is no way this is a coincidence, this was a trap." The god bit his thumb and stared off into the distance in thought. "And from what you and Percy experienced, I'm going to wager that Arthurson had some form of protection."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Persephone cried, shaking her head rapidly in disbelief. "How would they even know we were coming? How would they know to set their trap in Chicago? Or know about Jackson's stepfather for that matter?"

He thought that Persephone raised some valid points. How could they know? We've been keeping to ourselves and hiding at the farm. It's not like Percy was running a blog about-

"They've always known where we were," his father announced, his voice suddenly quite small. Hades threaded his fingers through his long dark hair and pulled at it. "They've known since the beginning! How could I have been so stupid!"

"What are you talking about, my love?" Persephone asked nervously.

"I've been a complete and utter idiot!" Hades cried, terror in his eyes. "Avalon has been after demigods since the beginning! It would only make sense for them to keep tabs on any unusual events!"

"Unusual events? Father, what are you talking ab-"

His father turned to him and grabbed him by the shoulders. "The day this all began, Nico! The hospital! A god and a demigod riding on torrents of water, hurling cars at each other, is going to attract a lot of attention, Mist or not! We couldn't have been more obvious if we shot off a flare!" the Lord of the Underworld cried, shaking his son as if the action would help Nico understand. "Then, I was foolish enough to register you for school using your real names! And chances are they search New Rome for registers, records, anything and everything that would list out the names of demigods!"

Thankfully, before he developed a severe case of whiplash, Persephone grabbed his father's arms and gently pried them off Nico. "My Love, settle down," she whispered. The goddess then placed her hands both sides of Hades' head and pulled him down so they were looking eye-to-eye, which seemed to calm the man down considerably. "As funny as it sounds, we are only human. We made some mistakes, but everyone is okay," she cooed. "Let's get Percy, go home, get mother and Jason, and leave. We can start over as many times as necessary."