AN: I have Pjoherolover's permission to do this, don't worry. I liked the idea and asked her if I could try it out. We go way back, and watch out, we're posting a collaborative piece soon. So look out for that!

Fallen Angel

The Hades cabin was just as cold, dark, and unforgiving as when it was built. Nico tried to make it more hospitable, but the builders seemed determined that all children of Hades liked the dark and the cold, which was pretty much true anyway. And also that they were vampires, which was not true with Nico, but he wasn't sure who Hades might end up loving, so you never know.

The one thing that seemed to make the cabin like an actual summer camp cabin was Will. The cheerful son of Apollo could brighten up any room just by being in it. Literally. Children of Apollo glowed faintly with golden light. Or maybe it was the way that he walked in a room with such confidence, or that he never let anything pull him down.

Either way, he seemed to make the curtains less black, the floors and walls less imposing, the beds less coffin-y, overall the cabin more lived in. Nico loved it. The healer made Nico happier just by being near, made everyone more optimistic, even the Ares kids. Will just made everything better, and that was all that needed to be said.

That night Nico and Will were just laying on Nico's bed, talking about everything and nothing all at once. It was nice. That day hadn't been too busy, but it was still nice to just relax and enjoy each other's company.

Nico started to drift off, safe and secure in Will's arms. Unfortunately, sleep brought the demons back out of hell. Demons. They lived and festered in every cell of Nico's being. They controlled his thoughts, moved his body, spoke his words. Ran through his blood, spilling out onto the floor with every cut of a knife on Nico's body.

Except when Will was there. Will kept the demons at bay, if only for a little while. Will locked them up back in Tartarus where they came from. And that was all Nico could ask for.

When Will wasn't around… The demons came back, broken out of their prison. They whispered to him. They told him things. They showed him all the mistakes he had made, all the problems he had caused. They showed him the truth. And they punished him too.

They spilled his blood on the gray tiles of the bathroom floor. They pushed away everyone he loved. They made him miserable. They brought him back to hell, where he deserved to be.

Tonight was not a good night. Will was here, but the demons ignored him. They still broke out of their prison, and broke back into his mind. They were going to make him suffer tonight.

0o0

I screamed as I fell through the blackness. Burning red eyes glared at me through the darkness, whispering things in my mind.

He is back, they whispered. He has returned to his rightful place. Welcome to hell, Nico di Angelo. We knew you would be back.

I fell past them, wind whipping through my hair and ripping at my clothes. I neared the bottom, and I finally got a good look at my surroundings. Oh, fuck. I was back. I may visit this place in my dreams most nights, but now it felt so real.

The poisonous atmosphere burned my eyes and nose, the rotten egg smell invaded my nostrils, the glass shard floor cut my feet. It was really here. I was really back in Tartarus.

Bursts of black smoke surrounded me, and I tried to cover my face as the smoke surrounded me. As it lessened, I saw five figures in the smoke.

"Ah, the little di Angelo returns. We knew you would end up back here at some point." A voice cut through the smoke. I knew that voice anywhere. Percy.

"Yes, we even betted. Hazel even betted fifty dollars that you would end up back here in the next six months. It was only a matter of time, we all knew it. You should have too," This time it was Jason. I tried to cover my ears, but I could still hear their voices.

"No, boy. Do not deny the truth. This is what you need to hear, deserve to hear. This is what your so called friends think. I do not agree with mortals often, but I can see the truth in their words. You try to deny it, but even you know that it is honest. Pathetic," Hades now.

"Listen to Father, Nico. You know he is right. Do not let your childish dreams delude you. Listen to your "friends". They do not lie to you. They only wish to make sure you get what comes of you. A soul that has cheated death, yes? You could have brought me back to life, with your soul. I would not have made mistakes as you did. I would have made Father proud,"

Bianca. My own sister. I don't see her very often, but it always tears me apart when I do. At this point tears were cascading down my face, and my chest was heaving with sobs.

"Hello, Nico," A voice comes through the darkness. It was Will. I turn in the direction of his voice.

"Will, is that you?" I ask. "Please, please help me!"

"Oh, Nico. There is nothing to do anymore. I can't help," Will's voice sounds truly sad. I don't know why he's sad, but I need to know. So I can make him not sad. I couldn't bare to hear the love of my life so miserable.

"What? What are you talking about?" I ask desperately, yearning for the answer.

"I'm so sorry, Nico. There was nothing I could do. I tried, I really did. But I couldn't. You were such a good friend, and the best boyfriend anyone could ask for. I really tried to be the boyfriend you wanted, but I couldn't. I couldn't delude myself anymore, Nico. I really am sorry," Will's voice faded at the end, and I tried, vainly, to reach out to him.

"Wait! Will, no, please! We can talk! We can try, please! Please stay!" I shout desperately, the laughs of Bianca, Hades, Percy, and Jason swirling around me. "Please, don't leave me…"

I fall to my knees, putting my head in my hands. I sob even harder. Will is gone. He's gone. He never loved me. All the time we spent together, all an act. It was never true. It was never real. It was all a lie. My face is wet with tears, my eyes red, my nose running. My chest heaves for air, even the poisonous air of Tartarus.

The smoke swirls around me, sweeping up the laughing voices in a smoky twist. They should words at me, their voices cutting into me like the knives I'm so familiar with.

Failure, unwanted, useless, heartless, coward, fake, worthless, monster, disgrace.

All those words cut into me like razor knives, striking me physically and emotionally. My head, knife. Guilt, knife. Love, knife. Back, knife. Hand, knife. Pride, knife. Everything. Pierced, cut shredded. Gone.

The voices laugh, and laugh, and laugh. They pierce into my head, rushing through and tearing everything apart. They destroy everything, tearing my psyche apart. My head fills with endless screaming, and I realize it's mine.

0o0

Will's POV

I watch Nico sleeping, reveling at how peaceful he looks dreaming. All the worries vanish, and he finally looks his age. His extra years vanish like steam, gone from his face. He looks like his namesake, an angel. And he's my angel.

And just in a second, the peacefulness vanishes. I wonder what I did to make it go so suddenly, but I ignore that. He's obviously having a nightmare. His face contorts in fear, something I'm not used to seeing. He has a perpetual scowl, but no matter how hard he tries, he can't hide his smiles from me. I know him too well. But, however well I know him, the son of Hades is never afraid. It just didn't happen.

But the look on his beautiful face was definitely fear, no doubt. I gently put a hand on his face, to see if it would soothe the fear. It didn't. He started to whine, thrashing around on the coffin-like bed. I tried my best to calm him down, but it didn't work.

Suddenly he jerks awake, screaming as his wild eyes scan the room. His eyes don't seem to see, and he thrashes in my arms, trying to get away. It hurts me to see my love like this. Pushing me away. Fighting me. It was like he didn't know who I was.

Eventually he seems to come back, his dark eyes locking with my bright ones.

"No!" He yells. "G-get away!" I feel hurt by his words. I know he can't mean them, but they hurt anyway.

"Nico, Love, what's wrong?" I ask. He just shakes his head violently, trying to get away.

"Will! No, you don't love me! Let me go!" He screams. My eyes widen in surprise. How could he think I didn't love him? I loved him more than I'd ever loved anyone in my life.

"Nico… Of course I love you. It was just a nightmare, Sunshine," I say soothingly. He calms down and looks as me.

"It was?" He asks in a small voice.

"Yes. It was just a nightmare. I love you with everything I have, Nico. I could never love you any less," I say. And it was all true, every word. I really do love him with everything that I have, and there's no way I could ever love him less than that.

"Will…" Nico says. I shush him, and pull him against my chest in a comforting hug. He melts into my arms, and I smile. It was just a nightmare. Nico still loves me.

Nico starts to fall asleep again. As he was dragged back into the hands of Morpheus, he mumbled something up to me. I barely caught it, but it brought a smile to my face.

"I love you, Will…"

"I love you too, Sunshine," I say as he drifts off. An idea came to my mind. Nico loved singing, either himself singing, or listening to someone else. I really didn't know how to sing, but I guess I could try it this once. We both like this song, and I think it describes Nico perfectly.

I open my mouth and start to sing.

"Late at night, I could hear the crying,

I hear it all trying to fall asleep

When all the love around you is dying

How do you stay so strong?

How did you hide it all for so long?

How can I take the pain away?

How can I save

A fallen angel, in the dark

Never thought you'd fall so far

Fallen angel, close your eyes

Won't let you fall tonight

Fallen angel…"

AN: Whelp, here it is. My own version of Pjoherolover's Fallen Angel. The song's pretty good, it's not exactly my usual 'tunes'. But I still like it. Go and check out Pjoherolover's original one, it's where I got the inspiration to write this one. Feel free to tell me hers is way better than this one. Review!