Solangelo 1

Part 36

WILL

I have to hold Nico right to stop him lashing out. He calls out in his sleep and people come to check, only to find him in his own world. I tell them to try to ignore it. After a while one of the Hecate girls puts a noice cancelling spell around us.
This is the worst I've seen Nico in a while. He must get worse when he's drained. When he can't mentally protect himself.
'You're okay.' I whisper to him over and over again, holding him tightly, trying to let him know he's safe, that it's okay.
'Stop.' He says, shaking his head and crying slightly, 'stop it. Stop it. Please. Gods, stop.'
'You're alright, it's alright.' I say. I've tried to wake him, worried of what he's experiencing, but he stays fast asleep.
It's an hour before he wakes up, screaming, eyes wide and looking round the room in confusion. He's panting and I have to hold him by his shoulders and say his name over and over before he looks at me.
'Hey, you're okay. Look at me, you're okay. It's okay. You're safe.' I say gently. His breathing calms down slightly.
'Will...I was...you're...' He lets out a sigh and leans his forehead against my shoulder.
'It was just a nightmare. Just in your head.' I say, holding him tightly, running my fingers through his hair.
'It was so real.' He says, exhausted, 'I thought they were getting better.'
'They are. It's just because you were so drained from all the shadow jumping.' I say, 'you are getting better.'
'Kayla...did they find Kayla?' He asks, lifting his head up and looking st me hopefully. I shake my head and he closes his eyes.
'Not yet.' I say.
'She's not gone.' He says to my relief, 'she's still out there, somewhere.'
'Then we'll find her, but leave it to the others for now.'
'What others? Jason and Piper are going back to camp Jupiter in a couple days, and Percy and Annabeth are going off to college soon. Leo's still missing and I...well yeah.' He trails off. I don't try to force him to continue.
'If she stays missing then they'll issue a quest.'
'And how are they going to do that without the oracle working?' He says, angrily. I freeze, close my eyes, remember that my dad is still uncalled for. No word from him for months, 'sorry.' He says, noticing my tension, 'I didn't mean to...I...it's...I want to help.' He says.
'I know.' I say, 'so you're going to get better. And I guess you're right, I guess we can't have a quest, so I guess Kayla will stay missing and I guess that's just what's going to happen and no one will-' Nico rests his hand lightly against my cheek, wiping a tear away.
'Hey, she'll be okay.' He says, suddenly very calm and quiet, 'we'll find her, quest or no.'
'What if it's related? My dad missing, Kayla missing. I nearly went too.' I say, scared.
'We'll find her. And we'll find your dad. Crazier things have happened.' He says, 'I promise, it'll be okay.' We stay quiet for a while as I try to calm myself down, match my breathing to Nico's.
'What if she's...what if she...' I can't finish the sentence, but Nico cuts me off anyway, pulling my head onto his shoulder, letting me cry. He doesn't try to stop me. He holds me tightly and I find myself gripping to his shirt, clinging to him.
I don't know how long we stay like that. But he stays holding me, talking to me gently, as I cry, beyond terrified for my sister.