Chapter Text
Bianca had a secret.
Well, it wasn't really a secret, at least not to those in the Underworld. Those among the living had no clue what it was, because she had lied. She hadn't chosen rebirth... she chose to remain in Elysium for a little while longer... she just couldn't let Nico keep trying to contact her. She did feel bad, but then again, who could blame her? It wasn't good for Nico to rely on her for everything... and it certainly wasn't fair on Bianca either.
Why couldn't her brother just leave her to Rest In Peace? Still she remained there, waiting for him. One day they would reunite, but Bianca really needed him to live his life, and stop worrying so much about her. It's for his own good, she would tell herself, and to some extent, it was true. Yet, Bianca knew deep down that it was also selfish.
"Bianca it's your turn."
Bianca blinked, snapping out of her thoughts, "Huh?"
Silena, her chess partner, raised an eyebrow, "Your move?"
"Oh, right."
Bianca moved a random pawn, still not feeling the game. It was often that Bianca found herself getting lost in thought. She missed her brother, she truly did... though it didn't seem like it to Nico.
Silena had just made her move, snatching Bianca's pawn along the way, when the doors busted open, and none other than Charles Beckendorf burst into the room. He had an intense look on his face, that Bianca couldn't quite read.
"Charley, what's wrong?" Silena asked.
"Lord Hades is in the Underworld, and he's looking for Bianca." Beckendorf announced.
Silena looked at Bianca, who's entire body was shaking. She hadn't spoken to her father since they devised the plan to fake her rebirth. Her and her father didn't have a good relationship- typical with most gods and their mortal children. This still meant that if Hades was looking for her, it couldn't be good.
"Where is he?"
***
Bianca found Hades a few miles away, his attention focused on scanning the Underworld. She stood back for a few seconds, before approaching him, but before she was even able to make his way towards him, he turned.
"Bianca."
His voice was cold, but Bianca didn't take it personally. She may not have spent a lot of time with Hades, but she certainly knew Nico did. Bianca remembered Nico ranting about their father, describing Hades was instinctively cold, but Bianca only hoped Hades wasn't as cruel to her as he was to Nico.
"You we're looking for me, Father?" Bianca kneeled down.
Bianca's father was intimidating, his stature alone demanding respect from everyone in his presence. No wonder Nico always seemed afraid of him... she had only been speaking with him for a few moments, and was already kneeling at his feet. She also knew that Nico wasn't quite as... civil as she was.
"There's no need for that child," Hades said, ushering Bianca to her feet, "I am your father after all."
You were Nico's father too, but that doesn't mean you didn't mistreat him for not respecting you. Bianca thought bitterly.
Bianca knew that she had no reason to see Hades in a negative light- she did barely know him after all. Yet, Bianca still felt resentment for the way he treated Nico. Bianca never felt she was the best sister, but Hades was supposed to be his father. Bianca stood up, repressing a glare she so desperately wanted to give him. She had managed to keep her peace with him for so long...
"Why do you need me, Father?" She asked impatiently.
Hades looked uncharacteristically nervous, which was strange for him, only causing Bianca to worry more than she already had.
"I am afraid I will have to return you to the land of the living for a little while..."
That was the most insane request Bianca had ever heard, and the sad part is, a year ago, she would have said yes. Bianca would do anything to see Nico again, and she would do anything to learn what he'd been up to these past few years. However, Bianca knew that resurrection was impossible... wasn't it? She certainly knew that Hades couldn't go around resurrecting people.
"How?"
Hades shook his head, "It can only be temporary, or else horrible things will happen."
Bianca didn't bother to ask for clarification on those "horrible things." To be honest she didn't want to know, nor did she need to know.
"A soul has been released." Hades deadpanned.
"And how on earth did that happen?"
"I'm not sure I want to answer that, my child."
Bianca raised an eyebrow, "Do you want my help or not?"
Hades looked sheepishly at his feet, "I may have accidentally pressed a wrong button."
Bianca's eyes widened, "How-"
Hades put his hand up, "Doesn't matter, what matters is that a soul has gone missing, and I cannot abandon my place in the underworld and retrieve it, so I must send one of my children out to get it."
Bianca sighed, "Don't you have other children?"
"Indeed," Hades said, "I have two other mortal children, but unfortunately... there would be complications if I sent them. You see, they know the soul who got released, they were rather close, in fact."
Bianca looked at Hades. He had another child? Besides her and Nico? She knew it was irrelevant, but this surprised her.
"Wouldn't that make them better for the job?" Bianca said. "If they know this person, then obviously this person trusts them more than they'd ever trust me."
Hades shook his head, "I'm afraid not. It would only make things personal. You remember how desperate your brother was to get you back. Do you honestly think he'd accept a quest to bring one of his closest friends back from the dead?"
Closest friends? Bianca was glad to hear that Nico had made friends since her departure, as it had always been something difficult for him... but then she also knew how much it had to work for Nico to lose his friend.
"My other child... she would do it, but it would crush her, and she's already been through a lot. Besides, souls and the dead aren't her strong areas..." Hades said.
Bianca bit her lip, "So, what you're saying is, you already lost one soul, but you would prefer to risk horrible things to get it back. There isn't a better way?"
Hades shook his head, "I'm afraid not."
Bianca looked down. It would be nice to return to the living world, even temporarily...
"What do I have to do?"
Hades shook his head, "I can resurrect you and send you to Camp Half Blood-"
"What?! Father, no!"
Bianca knew there was a chance Nico would be there, meaning she would have to face him after lying to him. She imagined what Nico's disappointed and angry face would be once the reunited. She couldn't bear that disappointment.
"Bianca, my dear... you must speak with the oracle, and you will need to see a medic once you're resurrected... I am sure one of Apollo's children could help." Hades explained.
Bianca sighed. She couldn't argue with her father, nor any god for that matter... which was probably why Hades blatantly preferred her to Nico. Her brother was confrontational, Bianca was not, and the gods did not like their authority being questioned.
Bianca sighed, "Very well."
Hades looked around, "One more thing, my child," he said, "you mustn't tell anyone why you are there. Just say you are on business for your father."
Bianca nodded, "Is that all?"
"Yes, I believe it is."
Bianca took a deep breath, "Okay."
This was all happening so quickly, she didn't get a chance to process it. Was she really going to return to the world of the living? Was she going to see Nico again? As Hades raised his fingers to snap, she had to stop him.
"Wait!" Bianca cried. "Who's the lost soul?"
"Right." Hades lowered his fingers slightly, "The soul is Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, or as you know him, Zeus."
Before she could stop him again, he snapped, and she felt her would disintegrate. Within seconds, she landed somewhere else, which she recognized as Camp Half Blood, but it seems to have grown. Yet, she didn't have time to process it, before she felt herself fall to the ground in pain.
She saw two people, a girl and a boy, run up to her.
"What the hell?" The boy gasped.
"Leo, we need to get her to the infirmary."
Then she felt herself being lifted off the ground, as her senses begin to fade. She then heard Leo say, "Piper? She looks familiar... like I've seen her in pictures before..."
"You're right... she does."
That was the last thing she remembered them saying before things went dark, but not after saying, "Need... Find... Jason... Grace."