This is something totally random that my mind just couldn't let go of. I know, they're probably pretty OOC, but that's just how it turned out. Also my first multi-chapter fanfic. Hope you guys like it!

Warnings: Slight spoilers for the HoO series.

Word Count: 1160

Pairings: Not really one unless you want to read between the lines and make it Leo/Nico (but that's completely your choice).

DIsclaimer: I sadly do not own the PJO or HoO series' or any of the characters.

Nico's eyes stung. The tears kept coming, no matter how hard he tried to stop them. Silent sobs racked his entire body. He couldn't keep himself from shaking.

The images… the visions from Tartarus were still haunting him. Months after the war against Gaea was won, weeks after there was peace between the two camps, the nightmares still came. Every night. Every time Nico closed his eyes. There they were.

He whimpered as another vision shot through his mind. He had to keep himself quiet, though. Hazel and Frank were visiting Camp Half Blood and Hazel was sleeping in his cabin. Nico looked at the clock on his nightstand. 4:09am.

Nico bit his lip. Quietly, careful not to interrupt his half sister's slumber, the son of Hades grabbed his sword and tip-toed out of the room and into the cool night air. He drew a deep, shuddering breath. He needed to clear his head, so he walked toward the beach.

The dark haired boy sat down at the shore and looked up at the nearly full moon, surrounded by millions of stars. He sighed. The Hunters of Artemis. That's what he thought of every time he saw the glowing orb in the sky. Then, of course, he'd think of Bianca.

'Wonderful,' Nico thought. 'More depression.'

A stick snapped somewhere behind the boy suddenly and he jumped up, whirled around, and drew his sword all in one swift movement. Then he realized that the deathly sharp Stygian Iron blade was at the throat of an innocent, unsuspecting camper.

"Woah, man. It's just me." There was genuine fear in his eyes, of course, that always happened with Nico. Even his friends were scared of him.

He pulled back, "Sorry, Leo." Nico turned and sat in the sand once more.

"It's all good," Leo replied, plopping down beside the slightly younger yet older boy. "Couldn't sleep?" he inquired.

"Nope," came Nico's reply.

"Nightmares?"

Nico sighed, then reluctantly said, "Yup."

Leo snorted, "Same."

Nico raised an eyebrow at him, "Really?"

Leo chuckled, albeit a bit sadly, "Yeah. Funny flame boy get's bad dreams too."

Nico shook his head, "I didn't mean it like that."

Leo shrugged, "It's alright."

There was a short silence with only the waves from the water and the growls of the monsters in the woods to break it.

"So…," Nico ventured. "What did you dream about?"

Leo's smile held a bit of sorrow this time. He took a handful of sand and watched it slip through his fingers as he said, "My mom."

"Oh." Nico knew all about Esperanza's death.… then again, he knew all about everyone's deaths. "Sorry."

"Don't be. It was pretty happy this time," Leo grinned as if this new occurrence was a treat.

"Well that's good." Nico gave a slight smile back.

"Yeah. It just didn't really end how I would've liked." A frown replaced Leo's grin.

"You shouldn't feel guilty about your mom's death," Nico blurted suddenly.

"Wait- how?" Leo was definitely caught off guard.

"I'm the Ghost King…." Nico said simply, "I know how everybody died." He paused to let that sink in. "Besides, I've spoken to Esperanza before. She's a really nice person."

"You've- you've talked to her?" Leo's voice was fragile now.

"Yes, she's in Elysium. She's happy and really proud of you… Your mom doesn't want you to feel guilty, Leo. She said that everything happens for a reason and that it was her time. Even if you didn't have those powers she just knows she would have died…"

There was another silence, this one much longer.

"Thanks, Nico." Leo looked at him intently. "I really needed to hear that."

Nico only nodded in reply.

"Well," Leo said after a moment, "What was your dream?"

There was a bit of terror in Nico's eyes as he remembered. He drew his knees to his chest and set his chin on them.

"Look," Leo began. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Nico shook his head. "It's okay," he said then took a deep breath. "I-I dreamt about Tartarus again."

"Again?" Leo asked; he sounded concerned.

Nico nodded once more.

"They're getting worse." Tears stung his eyes again but he refused to let them fall this time.

"What do you mean…?" Leo's question hung in the air for a moment.

"I… I can't really describe it, Leo. They just—" he shuddered. "I don't know. I just…" his voice trailed off, then he sighed, shaking his head.

"But Percy and Annabeth were in Tartarus after you. Why aren't they getting nightmares too?" Leo wondered.

"They do get nightmares… they just don't happen nearly as often and they aren't as bad as mine."

"How do you know that they aren't as bad?"

Nico paused for a moment as if mulling it over then looked Leo straight in the eyes and said, "They can actually describe what they see, Leo... If I tried, I-I…" he took another shaky breath and looked away, "I might go insane… I almost did when I was there." A few tears slipped his eyes and he hastily wiped them away.

Leo pretended not to notice and thought about what his friend said. "Why do you think they don't get the nightmares, though?"

Nico looked out at the shimmering waves, his red and watery eyes distant. "Believe it or not, Tartarus is a living thing—the pit I mean—it knows that Hades is the main god keeping it in check. Tartarus hates my father for that, therefore it most likely gave me the worst things it could conjure up. It still sends me fresh visions all the time." He paused again. "It doesn't do that to Annabeth and Percy, they only have the memories. Besides, they didn't have to face it alone."

Leo stared back at him, dumbfounded, "I never thought about it like that. You do a good job of acting like nothing's ever wrong, though. And believe me, that's a compliment."

Nico snorted, "Same to you."

Leo didn't expect that answer, then did something unexpected himself.

He laughed hysterically.

Nico couldn't help himself, he laughed too.

The two boys wound up falling against each other for support as they tried to stop their hilarity.

"Why—are we—laughing?!" Nico asked between gasps of air.

"I—I don't know!" Leo replied.

Finally, after a good five minutes, the two of them regained their composure.

Leo leaned back on his hands, "We should probably get back to our cabins."

"Yeah," Nico agreed. "Chiron'll kill us if—"

He was cut off by loud, vicious screeches from up above. Both boys were scared witless and Leo's hands caught fire, superheating the sand under them and turning it to glass.

"Harpies!" They yelled at the same time.

Why did they laugh? It's been proven that emotionally drained people find little things funnier and also find it hard to control their laughter. That's why.

I don't really know what else to say about this. Not my best work, but I don't think it's too bad...

R&R. Let me know what you think!

-The Shadow Traveler