Sunflower (or, a Solangelo Spider-Man AU)

You Touching My Hand In A Darkened Room (nico powers core)

Cecil and Lou Ellen looked at Will and Nico grimly.

"You're gonna take down Nyx?" Cecil echoed. "No offense, but...how?"

Will tried to push down the wave of irritation that flooded through him at Cecil's words, because honestly, it was a valid question. "I don't know."

Lou Ellen frowned. "You don't...know? And you're just gonna take her on? Do you have a death wish?"

"No, I don't have a death wish, Lou." Will snapped. "Someone has to do something." He squeezed Nico's hand. "And out of everyone...I think we're the only people who would be able to do it."

"But do WHAT?" Lou Ellen pressed on. "I mean, are you guys gonna take out her whole organization? Destroy her plan? Kill her?"

"Kill her-?" Will hesitated, because at the moment, that didn't seem crazy. "I don't know."

"And," Lou added. "How do you even plan on finding her?"

"We were with her before."

"What if she's moved, dumbass? And this place is probably crawling with security, looking for YOU. Considering you broke out of jail, and god knows what else you've been up to that you haven't told us. How on earth are you gonna track her down without getting caught or lost?"

Will really needed to stop being friends with smart people, because Lou Ellen was making some very good points. Before he could counter her with something really smart like "I don't know" again, Nico spoke up.

"I can find her." He said softly. "And I can get us there. Without being caught."

Will tried not to look skeptical. Nico was, after all, the most well versed in all the Mansion stuff. But he hardly knew his way around this building. How did he expect to get them to some location where Nyx was without getting caught?

Fortunately, Will didn't need to voice his doubt, because Cecil was there to do it for him. "How exactly do you plan on doing that?" He asked dryly.

"I have ways." Nico responded vaguely, sounding slightly exasperated. "I can get me and Will to Nyx. You guys do your thing here."

Cecil raised an eyebrow, but he didn't continue questioning. Even he seemed to have figured out that Nico was not the person to go to for thorough answers.

But now...it didn't seem like they had any questions left answering. This was real.

Will spoke up again, trying to hide the quiver in his voice. "Then...I guess this is it."

"Don't say it like that." Lou Ellen snapped, her voice wavering. "This isn't IT. We'll see each other again. After we free everyone, and you defeat Nyx, whatever that means, and we're heroes."

"I'm already a hero."

"Shut up, Will."

Will could see tears in the corners of her eyes, and Cecil wasn't doing a much better job at concealing his fear. "Guys." Will said softly. "It's okay. We're gonna be okay."

"I know." Lou Ellen sniffled. "Sorry-"

"Don't." Will said. "All of this hero stuff- I know it's new to you guys. And it's scary. Really scary. I'm terrified, okay? But we're gonna be fine. We'll see each other soon, okay?"

Cecil and Lou Ellen nodded, and for the second time that day, pulled Will into a hug. They stood like that for a long moment, trying to all shake the same thought: that this was the last time they were ever going to see each other.

Finally, Will pulled back. "Okay, okay." He wiped a tear that had traced down his face. "We have to go. You guys got this. Open the cells, let people go free. There's an exit on the other side of the hallway." He paused. "I think."