What If Three Days Meant Forever?

Kind of Nice, Kind of Not

Nico POV

"Hey, Neeks! Are you okay?" I hear Monique ask as I walk back into our shared room. Her voice sounds so far away but I know I can't give up now.

"Yeah I'm... I'm fine." I desperately try to shake off the feeling of fainting but it's not working. Monique notices my wavering stance and rushes over to lean me toward the bed.

"Lie down." She coos as she puts me on one of the beds. "You should've said it was gonna be too much to shadow travel all of us." She says, hitting my arm.

"I didn't think it would be." I lie.

"Yeah right," She challenges, "you had a look of fear on your face when you volunteered!" Of course, there is no lying to Monique. I chuckle slightly as I slowly fall into darkness.

***

Monique POV

I notice his eyes close and feel a cold, icy fist close around my heart. He isn't dead, that much I'm sure of but he's close and that's already too much for me to bear. I quickly gather my bearings and have one coherent thought at once.

Will

I hastily make my way down the steps, trying not to trip over my own feet as I round the base of the stairs and see Will in the living room with his mom.

I approach slowly and cautiously, trying not to make a big deal out of the situation at hand. However it is a big deal. Nico, my best friend, my family, is about to... I can't even think about it. I gently knock on the wall to drag some attention to myself. They both look up at me.

"Sorry to interrupt this... family reunion of sorts but, uh, Will? We kinda need you upstairs."

"Well, he's kinda talking to his mother." Ms. Solace says in a cheerful tone. "Please understand, I haven't seen my baby boy in seven years-"

"Yes, yes I get it. I totally understand and I don't want to get in the middle of this, but we need him really quickly upstairs."

"I'm sure whatever you need can wait, Monique?" Will says, pleading me with his eyes to drop it.

I drag my gaze away from his mother's eyes and force myself to look at Will.

"No, actually it can't."

"Alright, just... give me like, five minutes or so and-"

"Oh I'm sorry!" I snap, my anger and worry taking the wheel. "But in five minutes, Nico might've died so we wouldn't really need you anym-"

I'm cut off by Will rushing up the stairs to the room. I'm about to follow but wait for a second.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Solace, but on literally every level, saving a life is more important than a reunion chat. I promise I'll try to make it up to you... somehow." And with that, I rush up the stairs.

Once back in the room, I see Will start to work-his-magic so to speak. I could also hear him muttering under his breath, "C'mon Nico. You can do this. Wake. Up."

I feel a pang of sympathy for the Son of Apollo. Sure, I could be loosing my best friend, but he'd be loosing the love of his life. Though, Nico hasn't said it back to him, I know he feels the same way.

Will straightens his posture above Nico. "He.... He just needs rest." He says. I nod my head slightly as he sits down on the bed next to Nico. "Monique... can you please explain the situation to my mom?" I want to protest that I didn't really get the vibe that she liked me very much, but one look at him and I give and nod before going back downstairs to the living room.