Waking up

Sorry it took so long, had one almost done on Friday but decided this needed to come first, so good news I just need to add a few tweaks to that and it will be published by the end of the week. Just a few apologies; the spelling error, if I didn't have spell check they would be so much worse. This is an alternative ending sort of, everything is the same on the ArgoII its just Nico's part that's changed, didn't make that clear last time. And also apparently there's a random book cover picture at the top of this? I don't know why, it has nothing to do with the story and I didn't upload it, so err yeah trying to fix that. Thank you for all the reviews, I always have more difficulty judging how a piece of writing has worked out then anything else I do so I completely rely on you guys for that. Hope you like it.

Will Solace

"Where am I?" Will surged forward as Nico tried to sit up, Nico flinched away from him and fell back, "Wait, what am I doing here, I was-" Nico's face suddenly darkened but he struggled up again.

"You shadow travelled here Nico, you, well you weren't very well so we brought you in here but then you passed out and we couldn't wake you up, don't you remember that? Will you please stop trying to get up your in no condition to go anywhere. Which reminds me, I need to see how that cut on your head is healing." Will carefully tried to examine Nico without him noticing how worried he was, at least this time he didn't flinch when Will reached towards him, moving the bandages back.

"No, not getting here anyway, I remember before that… but I don't know why I chose to come here. I need to go anyway"

"I don't particularly care where you need to go, you're not leaving. I said that."

"What? Why not?" Nico demanded,

"Because you were unconscious for four days! And I'm a doctor"

"That does not mean you can tell people what they can and can't do! Seriously four days?"

"Of course it does. And yeah, was a bit concerned you wouldn't wake up at all for a bit."

"No it doesn't. Why would you care anyway?"

"Because I'm a doctor." Will said smugly. Nico opened his mouth to protest but suddenly he went pale and sank back down onto the pillows. Will sat beside him, "you okay?"

"Fine"

"Nico. Your clearly not fine, no don't start arguing again, look I didn't want to say anything before but when you got here you were babbling nonsense, at least it sounded like it, but you mentioned the doors of death and people noticed, they'll want to ask you what happened. If your not up to it then you don't have to, but if it would help-" Will broke off, conflicted between forcing someone to describe what awful thing happened to them and helping to prevent a war. "It's your decision." He reached out to touch Nico's arm but he pulled away.

"I'll tell them." He murmured, not looking at Will.

Nico DiAngelo

"You know what the Doors of Death are?" Malcolm said, pen poised like he was going to take notes, either he wasn't gifted with a photographic memory like Annabeth or he just didn't want to mess up in her place. Nico figured she was out looking for Percy still.

"Of course I know what they are. It's where they are I didn't know."

"You do now?" Butch asked, Nico nodded, "Awesome! Then we can go on a quest and-"

"No you can't." Nico snapped so suddenly that everyone jumped. "You're wasting your time. The doors are the connection between the mortal world and the underworld, they move around so no one but Thantos can find them, the giants have taken them and chained them to one spot, so monsters that die can just reform instantly."

"Yeah, see that doesn't sound like 'wasting our time', that sounds like, 'we really need to sort it out now', you know? Before all those now apparently invincible monsters turn up?" Nico turned to glare at Clarisse but apparently she wasn't done yet, "I'm guessing they're guarded? That's fine, just because you apparently can't handle the guards doesn't mean we can't take them." Nico was really tempted to throw something at her at that point.

"If by guards you mean whole army of Giants and Titans and any other kind of monster you can think of, then by all means, go cut the chains and close them yourself." He snapped. She was being so thick headed, he doubted Clarisse would even go into the underworld if she knew they were there much less, where he did find them.

"Well we can plan that later, where are they?" That was Malcolm, Nico didn't really know him, he almost wished Annabeth was here, even if he would have to put up with her pouting and have to try his best to resist sympathising with her so he wouldn't blurt out that actually he had seen Percy and he was fine although in a Camp full of Roman soldiers. Still at least she would have had the sense to listen to why it was impossible to do something before deciding to prove him wrong by doing it. Did Malcolm just ask a question?

"The mortal side is in the House of Hades in Italy. That's probably just about possible to get to, minus the army but I told you you're wa-"

"Yes, yes, yes, were wasting our time, blah, blah, why do I get the feeling your avoiding the question?"

"Clarisse! Leave him alone, I'm sure he has a reason for not saying." Nico glanced up at Will defending him despite also thinking the information was vital. Why couldn't they all just understand it was impossible? He didn't want to remember, didn't want to see that darkness, the red pulsing heart where the rivers met, to be pitied by the goddess of misery, now to be pitied by them. Fine.

"Tarturus, the doors of death are in Tarturus."

"Oh gods, well no wonder- how would you know that?" Nico could see it dawning on Will as it was the others, he looked away from them, didn't want to see them.

"I didn't mean to get that close. Like I said you can't get to them, and yeah that means monsters can't die and when this war starts there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop them."

"Well that was an inspiring speech, made everyone convinced we were going to win." Nico was curled up on his bunk when Will came in and sat down.

"Were not going to win."

"It was a joke Nico" Will said smiling, he always seemed to be smiling,

"It's hardly amusing" Nico snapped and Will sighed,

"No, not really, but I was trying to cheer you up. We will find a way you know, always do, I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but we can survive this." Nico could suddenly feel a small, illogical wick of hope light up inside of him. He shook his head, shaking it off and turning away from Will.