Solangelo 1

Part 41

WILL

Nico gets better quicker and easier than usual. He's clearly gaining some of his original power back. I stayed in his room with him for three days after he saved Mary - the nightmares getting particularly severe.
We always wake early though. Without fail, we're always the first ones up. Always getting breakfast early and wandering down to the docks. Always just catching the sun rise.
It's the same today, and we sit with our legs dangling over the dock, the waves just brushing our feet. A couple of other people can be heard waking up every now and then, but no one interrupts us.
'I've got to...' I start, then try again, 'I don't want to spoil the mood or anything. This is always my favourite part of the day.'
'Go on.' He says, warily, but open.
'Have you had any more visits from your dad? Any...I don't know, any chance to...' I trail off, unable to even talk about the possibility of him dying.
'I would tell you if I did.' He says quickly, 'and no. I've got every reason to stay.'
'Right. That's, that's good.' I say, my cheeks going red. He nudges me lightly.
And just as we're about to continue our conversation, a call comes from the forest. Nico is on his feet in an instant. Another call, urgent.
'Shadow travel?' He says, looking to me. I hesitate, but someone is in trouble. I take Nico's hand and we reappear just beside the forest. Nico wavers on his feet, but I steady him.
But then I see Tony, an Ares boy, supporting a vaguely unconscious boy, accompanied by a young girl in violent colours.
'What...' I say, thoroughly confused.
'He's not human.' Nico says, looking at the boy, 'or he is, but he's...not.'
'I saw her trying to drag him out the forest.' Tony says, struggling to handle him.
'He's my worker.' The girl says, 'can you fix him. Poseidon Jackson said you could help us.'
'You mean Percy Jackson?' Nico asks, still fairly out of it.
'That's what I said.' She says, 'he says he's a god and that he has to do what I say. I've decided not to question it.'
'You...what?' I ask, 'he's a...' I trail off as I put things together. Remember the two times my dad was cast down from Olympus. 'Holy shit.' I say.
'Am I missing something?' Nico asks, and Tony shares his confusion.
'That's...is that...is this Apollo?' I ask, looking to the girl, who stands rather defensively. She looks young, but not one to start a fight with.
'That's what he calls himself. I call him Lester. But he doesn't like that much.' She says, unaware of the momentum this has for me.
'Will.' Nico says, as he notices my disbelief.
'Right. Yeah.' I say, sobering up, going into my medical mindset, 'can you get him to the infirmary? Nico can help carry him.' Nico instantly steps in, picking up his legs, and I watch as they carry Apollo, my father, into camp.
'What's your name?' I ask the girl. She looks angry I asked.
'Meg.' She says after a moment.
'Meg, are you a demigod?'
'Maybe.'
'Okay, you're entitled to your privacy, but I need you to tell me everything that happened. Anything that might help me help him.' I say, walking with her briskly through camp, close behind the others - completely thrown by the series of events that have led me here, attempting to help my father, who somehow looks the same age as me. I try not to think about it.