Disclaimer

I own none of these characters, they all belong to Rick or Disney (Shudders). Also, just a reminder to all you dizzy dreamers who made up some crazy-old age in your head for Will:

Rick stated on his twitter that Will is actually only two months older than Nico, give or take. So, stahp with the huge age difference junk. Also, I don't care what's "Canon" if it's fiction, it's fiction (I do what I want).

PS. if you were looking for just one of the ships in fanfic, you will find them all here, no worries, just read.

PPS. SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED THE SERIES

Annabeth

The first day at camp without the Romans was uneventful and Annabeth couldn't be happier. Of course, the Apollo kids ran around like mad men, still trying to heal all the injuries from the battle. The Ares kids weren't helping, still insisting on fighting over this-and-that but at least they had found normalcy again. Everyone seemed to be falling into old habits, and some of the younger campers were finally coming out of their shells.

The most surprising change was in Nico. When Nico walked up to she and Percy and fearlessly confessed his old attraction, she didn't know whether to A) Laugh at Percy, or B) Be the true proud momma she wanted to be. However, she was a little upset that it had caused a two hour long rant from Percy, "I'm not his type? What does that even mean?! I'm everyone's type!" Luckily, Annabeth had been able to distract him with some camp activities. Annabeth was a bit curious as to who the figure in the distance had been when Nico had left, but whilst having too much of a good time poking-fun at Percy, she'd forgotten to look.

Now close to nightfall, she and Percy sat at the edge of, what was commonly referred to as the Kissing Lake, and leaned against Percy's shoulder blissfully. Their fingers intertwined between them, Percy shuffled a bit to look at her.

"Wise Girl," He began, "What's your favorite color?" She was a bit taken aback by his question. She was sure she'd answered it many years ago (things change) but now she spilt forth a most embarrassing answer,

"Sea Green," As soon as she registered this answer she blushed from her chest to the tips of her ears. Percy chuckled at her.

"I'd have to say, mine is probably the gold of your hair, nowadays."

She was so happy to have him trying to defuse her embarrassment, she smiled a silent 'thank you'. "What's your favorite… word?" He continued thoughtfully. She rolled her eyes but once again let forth a most embarrassing answer,

"Riparian!" She blurted out. Percy knit his eyebrows together, waiting for an explanation. She continued, quieter than before, "Basically, it means: 'where the land meets the water'… it's more specific than that… but yeah." Percy didn't laugh this time, he looked at her lovingly.

"Is that a metaphor, maybe?" He asked grinning wide.

"Oh, look, Seaweed Brain knows his figures of speech, for once." She grumbled looking down. Percy just laughed and leaned in to let their lips meet.

"Say you love me, Wise Girl," He squeezed her hand, softly chuckling.

"You know I do." She muttered staring out into the forest. It was getting dangerously close to Harpy patrolling time or what she liked to call, the-unsuspecting-camper-dinner-time.

"Percy, I think we'd better get going," She murmured into the night. Percy huffed in agreement but suddenly jumped up in surprise.

"Oh!" He shot to his feet fiddling with his pants, "I almost forgot! So, I know you may not like it- I mean that's okay, I just… it took a lot of time to- anyway!" He reached into one of the many pockets of his cargo pants and pulled out a maroon item, wrapped in silk cloth. He began unwrapping it, fidgeting too much to really do it properly,

"Well, when we fell into - I know you lost a lot of important stuff down there, I just, so I talked to the Hephaestus kids and I-," He babbled on, not really finishing his sentences or making any progress with the cloth. His blush was growing all the while. Eventually he stopped and sighed, focusing on the cloth, unwrapping it properly and staring down at what was inside.

"I know it's not what it was… but it's still got the memories." He held out to her an almost exact replica of her old dagger, with one exception. On the handle was engraved the greek words, 'Sophia Korasion' .

"Wise Girl." Annabeth translated in an amazed whisper. She could feel her eyes beginning to sting, the throb in her ankle gently reminding her that she could be strong. She picked it up gingerly, running her fingers over its surface, like giving a hug to an old friend.

"Percy, this- this is perfect." She wrapped the dagger back up, tucking it in her belt. As soon as it was out of her way, she threw her arms around him, crying softly into his shoulder. He pulled away to kiss her full on the lips, another proper kiss.

"I love you, Annabeth Chase," He sighed staring down at her tear streaked face.

"I love you more, Perseus Jackson," He laughed aloud.

"Firstly, I never really liked that name but now that you say it… you should say it all the time. Secondly, we'll have to see about that 'more' bit." He reached down to hold her waist from either side, pulling her toward him gently and then taking her by surprise with his tickle attack stealth. She slugged him softly on the shoulder through her loud laughter,

"Jackson, I will end you!" She cried. He chuckled, stopping his assault and started walking her back to the cabins.

"G'night, Wise Girl," With a small squeeze and a light kiss on the temple he was off, galavanting back to Cabin III.

The war was finally behind them and Annabeth could not be more thrilled or exhausted. She fell asleep peacefully, glad to be back in the Athena cabin with all her siblings.

Annabeth was back in her cabin, absentmindedly fiddling with some blue prints when she heard Percy call from outside,

"Come here, Annabeth," He said glassily. She wondered why the seaweed brain was calling her by her first name... maybe he had something important to tell her. Grover chimed in as well,

"Yes, Annabeth, come here."

"Come and see," Percy shot back. A chill went down Annabeth's spine. She stood from her table walking to the cabin's threshold. When she opened the door, instead of the vast greenery of Camp Half-Blood, she saw an ever-winding cave tunnel. A tunnel she recognized all too well. She turned back to find her cabin was no longer there, just more breathing tunnels, twisting infinitely. The smell of damp earth was enough to make her skin crawl. She decided this wouldn't perturb her, she knew just how to get through this, she had done it before.

She placed her hand on the damp wall only to jump in surprise as Percy called again,

"Annabeth, I'm waiting."

"Yes Annabeth, I'm waiting," Grover called as well, their tones still glassy and emotionless. She walked hesitantly down the tunnel, still feeling the wall for the mark of the Labyrinth. The tunnel began to grow in size until it opened into a dimly lit coliseum. She recognized it from Percy's description of his battle with a giant. Bones swung, clacking together from the vaulted ceiling.

"Come and see, Annabeth," Percy's voice echoed through the room, or was it Grover's voice? Annabeth looked around the room, searching for the voice. It seemed to come from too high up. A very familiar realization swept through her blood, placing goosebumps on her skin.

Suddenly the cyclops jumped from the shadows into a crouch. The look on its face was crazed, eye wide and bloodshot, teeth sharpened into fangs. The cyclops loomed over her, a scream stuck in her throat. The cyclops opened his mouth, Percy and Grover speaking together,

"Now you see, Annabeth?" The stench of death blown into her face with every breath. The cyclops struck lightning quick, engulfing Annabeth's head in his enormous hand to pull her off her feet by her hair. The shriek that had evaded her came and let loose from her lips in pain. He lifted her as high as he could, a drop from here would kill her. She clung to his hand for dear life, never being able to quite grasp his giant fingers.

"Afraid of heights, Wise Girl?" Percy's voice snarled as he dropped Annabeth to the ground. As she came crashing down the ground turned to icy water, for a moment, she feared she was back in Tartarus in the River Acheron but when her head breached the surface she knew exactly where she was.

The voices of the Sirens called out from all directions,

"Can you save them?" Annabeth looked above where she saw Percy and her father in the melting muddy hands of Gaea. They wailed for her, calling for her help. Annabeth swam as fast as she could towards the jagged shore when she felt a soft hand grasp her own.

"Annabeth, please, it's not real." She turned to find Percy, the actual Percy right behind her, but the Sirens kept calling. She struggled out of his grasp but Percy held her fast. He pulled her under the water into his little bubble of air, holding her in his arms until her crying stopped. She pulled herself away to look into his eyes. He was smirking, smiling grotesquely when his image began to fade.

"Please, Annabeth, can you hear me?" His voice was full of panic but his face was mocking her fears. He was abandoning her to the sirens or to something even worse... Suddenly his form was gone and the bubble popped around her. She swam in every direction, but she was stuck in the water. Unable to escape, unable to breathe. Suddenly she felt something shooting her out of the water, but it was too fast, her eardrums were bursting, her head throbbing when suddenly…

Annabeth shot out of bed into the noon sunshine. With Percy's arms around her, she cried until there was nothing left in her.

Why do I keep counting?

Nico

Nico had regretted several promises he'd made in his lifetime, but none as much as his promise to the Apollo boy that he would 'rest' for three days. Hazel had left the day before with Frank, returning to Camp Jupiter and their duties to the fifth cohort. She had explained to him how much disarray Octavian had left the camp in. This thought made him shudder. "Oh, yes," Di Angelo thought, "One more reason for the other campers to despise me, knowing I let the poor loon die." Nico shook this thought off. It hadn't really been his fault, he really just felt like he was following orders… What had Hades said? 'Some deaths cannot be prevented' and whatnot.

Nico liked to think that this was true, that it was his duty to allow Octavian to run his course. 'Hey, he still helped us defeat Gaea.' he thought wickedly.

Nico stared up into the green glowing ceiling of his cabin when a loud persistent knock came at the door.

"Death Boy!" A familiar doctor called, "You're an hour passed due!" Nico groaned loudly, pulling himself from his coffin shaped bed. Nico looked down at his appearance, still wearing his torn and cinged beach button-up, he scowled. Although, he figured Solace would make him wear a ridiculous hospital gown anyway, so he didn't bother changing. When he walked out, Will began to snicker at the shirt, however, when he started noticing the other things about Nico's appearance, the hollows under his eyes, the Werewolf claw marks, he was not nearly as jolly.

"Are those Werewolf… Gods Nico," He frowned disapprovingly. Nico couldn't help but blush even though he knew he shouldn't. What was it Percy had said yesterday, 'What was his type'... Nico was pretty sure he was looking at it.

"Let's get you to the infirmary, Death Boy or I think that nickname may get a little more ironic in a big way." Nico shrugged off his morbid joke, he really felt fine. Nico begrudgingly followed the peppy doctor to the infirmary.

Or should he say zoo. Apollo kids were running around madly, cutting bandages, carrying ambrosia milkshakes, like waitstaff, on trays, Nico had never seen this place in more disarray, not that he had seen it much. Will escorted him into a small room that didn't have open access like many of the others. Instead, it had one wall made of windows so the doctors could see in, and a door to close it off. Nico felt a little guilty taking up this room considering he didn't actually feel that bad. Will turned to him sheepishly about to speak when Nico interrupted, "Gods Will, I shouldn't be taking up space. I feel fine, really, I don't need this whole big room all to myself."

"First of all, Death Boy, you are not 'taking up space'. Second of all… I thought you'd like a little more… seclusion." Nico was slightly stunned by the fact that Will would care what he liked but got over it quickly,

"Don't call me Death Boy," He muttered. Will chuckled, walking over to his check up area where the stereotypical doctor's chair resided. He picked up his clipboard from the counter and sat down on the swivel chair, turning to face him in a dramatic spin. Nico rolled his eyes.

"Well, first of all," Solace said in a dramatic voice and pushing up an invisible pair of glasses on his nose (definitely a son of Apollo), "I'm going to need all of the medical records you know you have so far. Amongst… other things…" His dramatic voice lilted up at the end, attempting to maintain its sophistication. Nico had to suppress a small smile. 'A small smile? Boy, I must really be dying.'

"Alright," Will sighed, "Date of birth?"

"October 26, 1932," Nico blurted out without thinking.

Will laughed out loud, "Yes, and I'm Michael Jackson. Seriously, Nico?" Will raised an eyebrow. Nico felt a little hurt but mostly just embarrassed.

"Seriously, Solace. That's when I was born, now do you need my life story or can we move on?" Will looked at Nico confused but then got over confusion and moved on to shock.

"How in the…-," Nico rolled his eyes.

"When I was ten, WWII was in full swing thanks to an... unfortunate brother of mine. Yada, yada, long story short, things were beginning to be unsafe for Big 3 kids so my dad hid me and Bianca," his voice broke a little, "Away in the Lotus Hotel for some odd… dunno, some odd 70 years?" Will's jaw was on the floor but he regained his composure thanks to some master Apollo acting.

"Well then…" Will said thoughtfully tapping his temple, "I guess I should say, how old are you currently roughly?"

"Fourteen," Nico replied haughtily. Will seemed so old… he would never like a little baby like Nico.

"Me too!" Will replied to his surprise.

"What?" Nico raised an eyebrow, "You, basically 7 foot tall Apollo kid with rugged leg hair, are 14? Now I'm Michael Jackson… Also, who is Michael Jackson?" Solace laughed tearfully hard.

"Yep, I'm fourteen, guess I'm just so experienced and charming I throw people off. Also I'm choosing to ignore that last part," Nico glowered at him.

"Those aren't exactly the adjectives I'd use," He muttered. Will chuckled again. Will finished all his questioning with several more shocked moments. The most pressing part of the conversation was that A) Nico must get all his vaccinations and Werewolf treatments pronto, and B) He needed lots of food, sleep and, as Will described it, "Lovins". Apparently, his depression was greatly affecting his health. Pft, no.

When Will had left the room, drawing the curtain on the window-wall, Nico changed into his hospital attire. Surprisingly, not a gown but some black sweatpants and socks with a soft grey T-shirt. Will returned with lot's of syringes, generic bandages, and also some Ambrosia Salve in a jar.

"These shots may hurt pretty bad, especially the ones specifically made for demigods. They're going to burn up some of your mortal blood, it'll sting for a minute but it will pass," Will seemed very cautious and concerned. Nico just chuckled (that's right, actually laughter).

"I think I've felt worse." Nico gestured plainly to his still burning Werewolf claw marks. Will smiled slightly, although his eyebrows were still knit together.

"Yes, I suppose so." He muttered as he began to use alcohol to disinfect a patch on both of Nico's upper arms, careful to avoid any claw marks. The mortal shots were a piece of cake. Will let him know they just had two demigod shots to give and moved around him to his other arm. Will's expression softened, trying to calm Nico as he gave the first shot, quickly placing a bandage over it. Nico took in a small hiss of breath as the stinging ensued for about fifteen seconds. It wasn't as bad as a fresh claw mark, but it was much more painful than the dull ache of the old ones. Will grabbed his hand to comfort him, careful to make it seem as casual as possible. Nico's urge to pull his hand away was strong but he fought it back, distracting himself with the pain.

Nico gradually untensed and Will let go of his hand to grab the last shot.

"Last one," Will said comfortingly. Will did the injection and bandage as quickly as possible. He held Nico's hand fast as the younger boy gritted his teeth. Will was a little less casual this time, moving his thumb in circles on the back of Nico's hand in a soothing manner. When the pain had subsided Nico took a moment to relish the feeling of Will's hand on his. He hadn't noticed through the pain before, but wherever the older boy's skin touched his own he felt a tingling shock. The son of sun god's hands were warm and toasty, like fire to Nico's own icy skin and it sent warmth shooting directly into his chest.

To his own dismay, the tingles disappeared when Solace reached away to retrieve the ambrosia solve.

"Alright, the shirt's got to go, di Angelo."

Nico blushed violently, reaching down to remove his shirt. He was probably so gaunt and scarred up he looked like a ragdoll creation. Instead, to his further embarrassment, Will succeeded in calming him with his cat-call whistle,"Someone's been working out." Will winked down at him.

"Shut it, Solace," Nico muttered, still embarrassed. Nico laid his arms awkwardly at his sides, holding his breath as Will reached up to address a long scratch on his collarbone. Apparently, this skin tingled a lot as well. The heat was overwhelming. If it hadn't been for Nico not wanting to look like a doofus, he probably would have fanned himself in a very 'Hazel' way. He hoped he wasn't being too obvious when Solace murmured from a stiff smile, "Gonna breathe anytime soon, Death Boy?" Nico blushed even more violently than before.

"Haven't you heard, Doc? We children of the underworld don't need to breathe."

Will snickered.

"Sure thing, Zombie Breath," Solace continued to gently rub Nico skin. It felt almost kind. Nico rolled his eyes.

"Zombie Breath?" Nico complained, "That one wasn't even good, Solace, you're losing your touch."

"Eh, c'est la vie?" Will shrugged. Nico smiled to himself, a good, genuine smile. "Whelp," Solace interjected his thoughts, "I have to go do some busy-work now but you better believe I'll be back to annoy- I mean, check on you for lunch and dinner," Nico tried not to let this make him melancholy. He smiled up at Solace who was surprised to see such an expression.

"Gee, I can't wait," The sarcasm was thick but the smile was genuine. Secretly, Will knew that Nico meant it but he would never tell.

Will left with a quick 'Bye, bye, Death Boy' and a joking kiss blown over his shoulder. With all that time on his hands and much less pain than before, Nico drifted off into a comfortable sleep.

Just not for long.

The dream had been so real, the grotesque figures all around him, the dark innards of Tartarus unfolding before him, the claws grazing his back… Nico shook with sobbs, pressing his palms to his eyes, hoping that maybe that would keep the tears from escaping.

"Dang it, di Angelo," He heard a familiar voice, filled with worried. A pair of very strong, VERY warm arms wrapped around him. He tried to shrug them off, pressing until defeated by a quick, "Shut it, Death Boy. I'm going to hug you, get over it."

"It was just a dream." Nico muttered into his hands.

"Hey, you're a demigod, it happens, I've got you," Nico clenched his jaw fiercely at that. "Also, it is lunchtime anyway! Look at the glorious buffet which I have provided just for you." Will said in his best game-show voice.

"You won't force me to talk about my-?"

"Nico, anyone who cries that hard from a dream would have said something already if they wanted to talk. Now! Allow me to cheer you up with- Ah! What is it we have here? Chips and dip?! Oh! What's that? Pizza?" Will held all of the items up in his best Vanna White impression. Nico would later ask who Vanna White was and Will would shed a silent tear for the culture-shocked dingus.

Notes: I will be updating this if I can, if I can't, I'll add on with a new post.