Solangelo Rising

Chapter 27 (Nico)

    It was a miracle I was still awake. At lunch I was already starting to nod off. Will was keeping me awake with his touch- barely. We were now walking towards my cabin, presumably to 'hang.' I think a nap was a more likely outcome. Suddenly Will stopped me. "Whaa?" I mumbled out. "I want to talk to you" he said. I just cocked my head to the side in confusion. He glanced around before continuing "I feel like I barely know you. Everyone knows all about me, I'm basically like any other Apollo kid. But just being around you for the last few days has shown me that you are much more than shadows and darkness. I want to know you know you. I want to know what makes you, well, you." He had my attention now. I was scared, terrified actually. I had been through a lot. More darkness and evil than pretty much anyone ever. I was scared if I shared my life with Will I'd scare him. I was even more terrified that he would reject me after learning everything bad about me. I felt my face go pale and I nearly dropped on the spot.

    I felt his strong arms wrap around me, supporting me. He gently led me back to my cabin, and set me down on the bed. "Nico, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Just know that I know that you've been through a lot. I don't know everything, but I would like to. Maybe if I knew what was happening inside I could help you." At 'you don't have to tell me' I made up my mind. I was going to share. Everything. If I couldn't trust Will, then who could I trust?

    I flopped back to the bed, bringing him down with me. I looked him straight in the eyes "Words will take too long, I have an idea." He nodded. "Are you sure you want to know?" Again he nodded, and wrapped his arms around me. Immediately I fell asleep. I could feel the dreams coming. Not yet. I had something to do first. I spun in the fluid darkness "CLOVIS" I shouted. The Hypnos boy popped up in my mind. "What Nico?" he murmured sleepily. I quickly outlined what I needed. In order to share with Will I couldn't just go into nightmare mode. I needed everything, the good and bad (though admittedly there wasn't much good). And Will had to come with me. Clovis snapped his fingers. "Done." I glared at him before he faded away. "And Clovis, if you tell ANYONE about this, I'll send you to the Underworld faster than you can say 'Hades underpants' got it?" He nodded and faded back to whatever dream land he was constantly in.

    I let it take me. The images flashed in my mind. Me clinging to my sister as the world around us crumbled, taking my mother. Alecto as a lawyer bringing us to the lotus hotel. My mythomagic obsession. Meeting Percy for the first time and my instant crush on him. Bianca joining the hunters. Crash landing in Apollo's sun car at camp. Percy coming back without my sister, and sending the skeletons to the Underworld in the dining pavilion. Being on the run from everyone. Trying over and over to summon Bianca's ghost. Backstabbing and lying. Mistrusting everyone around me. Forcing Percy into the river Styx. The titan war. Finding the Romans and Hazel. Promising to find the doors. Wandering helplessly through Tartarus. Being captured by the twin Giants. Watching Percy fall to hell and promising him to get to the outside set of doors. Running into Cupid with Jason. The grueling shadow travel trip back with Reyna. Nearly dying a million times. The final fight with Gaea. The small twinge of satisfaction from seeing Octavian flying through the air to his death. Coming out to Percy. Seeing Will kissing Drew on the beach and feeling empty, like I had just lost everything I could possibly lose in that moment. The final image wasn't an image but a sound. Will's voice. "Angel"

    The real world came back in a flash. I could feel Will next to me. We were both breathing hard, and I could sense that he had seen everything. I looked at his face expecting a look of shock and repulsion. Instead all I saw was something I had never seen directed at me before.

Love.