Too Late

Chapter 49

~ Will ~

He leaned forward and kissed his boyfriend firmly on the lips.

The world seemed to disappear, the only thing that mattered this. Always felt like this, and he couldn't get enough.

Will broke away from the kiss, "Nico-" He was cut off by the sound of a scream coming from Shelby's room.

He was down the hall and at their side in an instant, "What happened?" He demanded, Ayla looked shocked. After a moment Nico walked in and took her by the arm, "Hey, what happened?"

Ayla blinked and seemed to regain her senses, "They were talking about what happened in the woods.. about what they saw.. Harper and Luke."

Will clenched his jaw, "Why would you bring that up?"

"I didn't," Ayla protested, "Shelby brought it up!"

"You should have-" He was cut off by Nico, "Will, it's not her fault. What's done is done. Come one Ayla, let's go." The son of Hades left, glancing over his shoulder at the last moment, giving Will a get your shit together look. Then he was gone.

Will turned to Shelby, "I guess it's just me and you."

Shelby nodded weakly, "It's too much."

"What? What's too much?"

"The voices. They're so loud." They looked so pained, "Make it stop. MAKE IT STOP." They screamed.

Without thinking Will grabbed Shelby's hand and he was plunged into memories.

*

He stood with Blake, they stood at the back of the campfire. At the front Harper stood next to Luke, beaming.

Will leaned over to his friend, "I don't want to go."

Blake nodded, "I know, but I'm not letting you leave her alone with him."

Will nodded reluctantly, "Good point." Then Blake shoved him forward and Will stumbled into place. Harper grabbed his hand and beamed at him, "Ready to die?" She asked him.

He laughed, "Always."

Beside them, Luke scowled, "No one is going to die."

The memory changed, he was alone in the woods, voices all around him. Calling him from every side. The words overlapping one another.

Will closer his eyes and tried to concentrate. If he could just block out the voices, he just needed a moment to think.

Then he saw her.

The daughter of Apollo ran through the trees, laughing. Blake chasing her, laughing. The looked so happy, so peaceful. Will took off, sprinting after them as his friends tore through the trees.

But they were gone.

He turned, searching, but saw nothing.

After an hour of searching he found them. "You're alive." He cried.

Will ran up to his two friends and knelt next to them. They lay on the ground, battered and bruised. The voices got louder. Wills hands shook as he tried to check Harpers pulse, but his hand went right through her and she and Blake disappeared. He scrambled back, heart racing. It had been fake.

*

He opened his eyes and found himself back in the infirmary, Shelby was snoring softly beside him. Will took a step forward and almost fell down. That had taken a lot out of him. He steadied himself against the bed and took some deep breaths. Then he was on the floor and the world was spinning.

When he opened his eyes he found Nico di Angelo standing over him. "What happened?" Nico demanded.

"Is Shelby okay?"

Nico squatted down next to him, "Yeah, they're asleep. Now tell me why you're on the floor."

"I... I must have passed out." Will said, sitting up.

"Obviously." Nico said, offering him and hand. He grabbed Nico's hand and stood, "I tried to help Shelby, their mind was overwhelmed so I just took some of the pain away. It's like when you shadow travel, I took on some of their burden."

Nico studied him critically, "Why should you do that?"

"They were in pain, Neeks. I couldn't just do nothing." Will said, steadying himself against his boyfriend

"Sometimes nothing is the best thing to do." Nico said cooly, Will shivered, he'd forgotten how cold Nico could be. The son of Hades looked over at Will and his expression softened, "I mean, you can always do something but... maybe Shelby just needs to learn how to get though this. They can't learn if they don't have a chance to. If you keep taking their pain away they won't know how to fight it."

"It's my job to save people, Nico. I have to do what can."

"I know, but you won't be saving anyone if you're putting yourself in danger. What happens after they leave? You can't keep taking their pain away."

Will shrugged, "Nico, I'll be fine."

The son of Hades studied him, "You can't keep doing this. Will, you need to take a break."

"I've been taking breaks!" Will protested. "I was just on one."

"You just sapped all your energy, again." Nico said gently, "I'll watch Shelby."

"No. I'm staying here."

"Fine." Nico said, leading Will to the couch, "but we're sitting down."

After a moment Will broke the silence, "Whatever happened in the woods... It was too much for their body to handle."

"It was too much for their mind to handle." Nico corrected.

He studied the child of Hecate, maybe Nico was right, he couldn't keep taking away their pain, if he did he would be dead in a matter of hours. Will had to let Shelby live with it.

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