Chapter 1

Nico ran into the hospital, his breath ragged as he looked around. His heart beating out of his chest, he ran up to the first person in scrubs he found. "I-I'm here for Bianca di Angelo? They said she came in as trauma. I'm her brother."

They nodded, steering him away. "Her daughter is this way."

"No, I want to see her." he frowned. "I want to see my sister."

"You can't. She's in surgery." the directed him to a waiting room, not bothering to tell him anything else. Once he got there, he brushed his hair out of his eyes before moving to the young girl that sat in the corner. Her hair was long and dark, blood matted in it. Her clothes also held blood, the bright colors now tragic. "Selena?"

The ten year old jumped up, hugging him tightly. "Uncle Nico..."

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking down at her. "What happened?"

She wiped her eyes, not breaking the hug. "We were driving. M-mom was talking to me about v-vacation."

Nico nodded. "Okay." he sat down, pulling her into the seat next to him. Rubbing the stitches on her face, he looked at her sadly. "How bad was she?"

"T-They said something about her brain." she managed. "Is mom okay?"

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Nico looked down, his heart racing. He couldn't lose anyone else. He couldn't...he couldn't...

"W-we were on our way to see grandpa Hades, grandma Maria, and daddy at the cemetery." Selena looked down at her hands. "And we were talking about vacation because it was really fun."

He nodded, relived that her shock was going down somewhat. "Are you hungry?"

She nodded, sitting up. "But I never got to give daddy the flowers."

"We'll do that later, okay? He'll understand." Nico got up, taking her hand. "Let's go down to the cafeteria."

She nodded, staying close to him as they walked. "Can I get a burger?"

He nodded.

"And fries?"

He nodded again.

"And a pop?"

"Does your mom let you have pop?" he asked, smiling softly at her.

"No, but uncle Nico does!"

"I do?"

She nodded in triumph. "Yep, and I won't even tell mom."

He smiled. "Okay, just this once."

She jumped up in excitement. "Thank you!"

He smiled down at her, pulling at his clothes uncomfortably. He had just gotten off his shift at the diner, having been ready to go home and sleep. When he got the call, however, he came straight to the hospital. He couldn't leave the little girl alone. He was all she had.

Her father went off to the war a couple years ago and never came back, but a flag did. Every since, his sister was raising Selena by herself. Bianca was doing good with money, but Nico got a job and moved out so he wasn't such a burden. Now, at seventeen, he was going into his junior year while working every day. It wouldn't be so bad, but every cell in his body knew that today wasn't just a little crash. He knew his sister was going to die.

So he would be taking care of a ten year old by himself.

"What's that?" Selena's voice broke him out of his thoughts. Looking up, she was pointing to a boy about his age. The blond was in scrubs, however, holding a chart in his hand. His blue eyes looked up in surprise before looking down at Selena, smiling.

"This?" he asked, holding up the chart.

She nodded.

He knelt next to her, showing her it. "It tells about patients. See?"

"Are you a doctor?" she asked.

He shook his head. "But I will be. I'm just an assistant for now."

"Oh,..." Selena looked disappointed.

"I'm sorry for her." Nico finally said, taking her hand. "Selena, that's mean."

"It's fine." the boy stood up, smiling. "I'm Will Solace."

Nico nodded. "Any way you can show us to the cafeteria?"

Will nodded. "Of course." he glanced at the stitches on Selena's face. "Is everything okay?"

"Um,...my sister's in surgery." Nico replied. "They haven't said anything."

Will frowned. "Nothing?"

Nico shook his head.

"What's her name? I'll go get an update." Will stopped at the cafeteria doors.

"Bianca di Angelo." Nico answered. "Thank you,"

"No problem." Will winked at him before walking off.

"Uncle Nico?" Selena asked, smiling up at him.

"Yeah?" Nico looked down, trying to hide the blush that settled on his face.

"Does that boy like you? Because I say you like a doctor. Not him."

Nico smiled. "He doesn't like me, Selena. Let's go eat, okay?"

She nodded, skipping into the cafeteria. Once they got their food and sat down, the bad feeling in Nico's stomach didn't go away. Tapping his feet nervously, he watched her eat as he waited for the certain blond to come back.

"Uncle Nico, why aren't you eating?" Selena asked, looking up from her burger, fries, and (as promised) cup of pop. "Mommy says you have to eat or you'll get sick."

He smiled softly at her. "Yeah, I guess that's true." he stole some of her fries, Selena pouting immediately.

"That's not fair!" she held the plate close to her.

"But I bought them."

"No, you just ordered them."

"Oh, did I?" Nico finished the hand full of fries. "Then who bought them?"

"Mommy," Selena stated. "She buys all my food."

Nico nodded. "Yeah, but I get to steal fries or you get tickled."

Selena smiled. "No!"

"Yeah, I can't help it." he teased, holding his hand out threateningly.

She laughed, backing up in her chair. "I'll tickle you!"

"I'm not ticklish, though." Nico replied.

"Everyone has one ticklish spot." Will said from behind him, making him jump slightly. When he turned around, the blond was smiling softly at him. "I could probably find it."

Nico blushed darkly. "U-um...did you find out about my sister?"

Will's smile immediately dropped as he glanced at Selena before shaking his head slightly at Nico. "I-I'm sorry, but-"

Nico's heart stopped as he stared into those blue eyes, no more feelings of blush or embarrassment. All he felt when he looked into them was torment and grief, every piece of his heart breaking further than it already had.

"Is there anyone I can call? Her husband, maybe?" Will asked softly.

"Why? Where's mom?" Selena looked at him, taking a drink of her pop.

Nico swallowed thickly, shaking his head before turning to her. Biting his lip, he managed to get a couple words out. "S-she's asleep."

Will frowned sadly, taking a step back but not leaving.

"Asleep?" Selena asked, confused. She looked at him for a second before frowning. "L-Like in the movies? Like asleep forever?"

Nico nodded again, trying to hold in his tears for her. However, sadness didn't come. Only the numb feeling did.

"L-Like dad?"

He nodded again.

Her eyes started to water before she turned to Will. "Stupid fake doctor! You hurt mom!"

Will frowned. "N-No, I didn't. I-"

"He didn't hurt Bianca," Nico took Selena's hand. "Your mom isn't hurt. I promise. She's just sleeping."

"She's not hurt?" Selena asked quietly.

He shook his head. "She isn't hurt. W-Why don't we go spend the night at my house?"

"Your house is small."

He smiled softly. "O-Okay, then I'll stay with you at your house."

She smiled happily, jumping up. "Yay!"

He smiled sadly at her before glancing at Will, the teenager's face full of sadness and guilt. "Thank you, for telling me."

Will nodded. "Of course. Is there anything I can do?"

Nico declined the offer before leading Selena out. He stopped halfway there however, everything crashing together. The dam broke behind his eyes, and tears poured.

"U-Uncle Nico?" Selena looked up at him. "Why are you crying? Mom's just asleep."

His hands shook as he got his phone out, giving it to her. "C-call Percy. Tell him to come here."

He sat down against the wall while she did, his sobs starting to echo throughout the hallway. No matter how hard he tried for Selena, he couldn't hold them in.

Will was suddenly next to him, frowning sadly. "Want me to take Selena and show her stuff? Until you calm down?"

Nico nodded, burying his head in his knees. When he heard their footsteps walk off, he let everything out in angst-filled sobs.

After about ten minutes, when he was close to hyperventilating, he heard someone walk up to him.

"Nico? What's wrong?" his voice was soft and quiet, full of worry.

Looking up, Nico saw Percy kneeling next to him. He didn't say anything, but continued to sob.

"Nico...Selena said Bianca's asleep. Is she...?" Percy asked. He was Nico's longest friend, always there when he needed him. He was no stranger to the family, almost like an uncle to Selena.

Nico nodded, starting to shake even more.

"Where's Selena?" Percy asked, frowning sadly. He went to hold Nico's hand, but the younger boy yanked away.

"With Will...just...leave me alone."

"You told Selena to call me."

"I want your mom to watch her tonight. I-I can't-..."

"I understand." Percy glanced at him again. "Are you sure you're okay?"

He shook his head, putting his head in his knees and sobbing again.

Percy sighed, looking up. Will was walking back with Selena, taking a couple gloves away from her. When she saw Percy, she ran up to him.

He smiled, hugging her. "You're going to stay the night with me, okay?"

She frowned, looking between him and Nico in confusion. "B-But...uncle Nico was staying with me tonight."

Percy frowned sadly. "He...he's got to work. At the cafe. But we'll have fun, okay? We can watch movies and stuff."

"With no bedtime."

"With no bedtime." Percy promised, holding his arms out for her. He picked her up, turning to Nico worriedly. "I don't like leaving you alone."

"I-I..." Nico continued to sob, not able to force anything out.

Percy turned to Will, shaking slightly. "I have no idea who you are, but can you watch him?"

Will nodded. "Of course."

"Here," Percy wrote his number down, handing it to Will. "Call if he needs anything. Try to get him settled down. And watch..." he talked quietly so Nico and Selena wouldn't hear. "Watch for self harm."

Will nodded in understanding, kneeling by Nico as Percy walked off, talking to the little girl quietly.

"W-Will..." Nico choked out, his voice breaking as he looked up. His eyes were rimmed in red, tears pouring out like waterfalls.

Will frowned sadly, not caring that they just met. He hugged the broken boy, keeping him close as he continued to cry. "It's okay, I promise, it'll be okay..."

He silently cursed himself. Who was he to promise something like that?