WILL
We're just about to move Nico to the infirmary when he jerks awake. He's breathing heavily, pure terror in his eyes. His hand moves on reflex to where his sword usually is, but it's still leaning against the table where he left it.
'Nico, Hey. Hey, calm down.' I say, holding his shoulders tightly.
'No, no, no, no.' He says, over and over. He closes his eyes, buried his head in my shoulder.
'Nico, you're okay. You're okay.' I say.
'They're open. They're open.' He says.
'What's open?' I ask, but I see Percy's face fall.
'Nico, what did you see?' He asks, despite knowing the answer.
Nico doesn't move from where he is, head buried in my shoulder.
'Nico!' Percy shouts.
'Back off, Percy.' I say, warning. Annabeth holds him back a little. I can see the fear in her face. They know what he's talking about. And I can feel how he's shaking. I know too. The doors of death. Tartarus.
'You're not going back.' I tell him, 'I promise you. I promise you, Nico, you're not going back.'
'We closed it.' Percy says, 'we closed it. It's not happening again. It's not.'
Annabeth holds him back again.
'Percy, please. We'll figure it out. Just...just stay calm, okay?' Annabeth asks. He turns to her, about to argue, but he clearly sees the fear in her eyes that I see.
'Okay.' He says, softly, holding her. He turns to me, 'let us know when he's up to talking. We need to figure out what he saw and what it means.'
I nod, still holding Nico tightly, and refusing to let him go.
Percy and Annabeth leave, and make everyone in the dining area clear out too. It's just me and Nico. Just us. I hold him close.
'You're okay.' I tell him, 'you're never going back.'
