Will looked down at the boy asleep in his arms. The poor thing, his life was a never-ending battle against unbearable pain, but he always seemed to overcome the challenges. Nico had toughly fought against the obstacles no matter how hopeless, but no one can win all their battles. Time, the most patient enemy of all, had taken its toll on him. The fog of despair had snatched Nico into its endless void of loneliness.

Will picked up the pale white boy with black shaggy hair and held him in his arms and started to walk the trek back to camp. Goosebumps tingled across Will's bare skin and his breath misted out of his mouth like a dragon's breath. Ear to ear, a smile grew on his face as he thought back to the first time he had met Nico. It had been a few months ago...

Sauntering around the camp, Will had found himself at the battle grounds where capture the flag took place. Broken armor and rusted helmets lined the ground and a fog rolled in over the horizon. Chills flew down Will's spine as he stopped mid step after hearing a bone like sound and a strange noise off in the distance. Slowly, he had inched his way over, sword drawn and sweat piling up.

BAM.

As Will had peered around the trees, he had run right into a walking skeleton. Will jumped what seemed like ten feet and landed on his butt, then screamed

"OH MY GODS WHAT IN HADES IS THAT?"

"OH my gods, I"m so sorry I thought I was the only one out here." a slender boy had said sheepishly.

"Holy crap, you scared me dude!" Will said as he got up. "Anyway, I don't think we have met. I'm Will Solace."

He extended his right hand and was reluctantly met with the other boy's hand.

"I'm… I'm Nico." The boy stammered and awkwardly shuffled his feet. It was obvious he wanted to be left alone. Will ignored the signs and had spent the rest of the hanging out with Nico, doing stupid things while Nico was unwillingly following along. Right then and there, on that day, Will promised himself he would be the person who took care of Nico. If no one else would, he would.

Jumping back into reality on that cold harsh night, Will stared the boy in his arms. The boy who had been broken by fate. Nico, like a child to its mother, clung to Will even while sound asleep, a soul searching for a rock to grab onto in the stream of tortured souls. Will would be strong for Nico; he vowed it.

Finally, after that long walk, Will could see the shine of firelight from his home, their home, Camp Half-Blood. Because Will was the camp doctor, he had his own place where he could go so as not to spread sickness among the cabin, and that's where he headed. His house was a small but cozy one room building with blue walls slathered with posters. There was a mini kitchen, a TV, a bed, and a half-room bathroom. Gently, Will lowered Nico onto the bed as he slowly ruffled his hair to wake him up.

"Nico, we're home!"


Hey everyone! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Catch you later. -Halo