Sorry for not updating last night. I was having a party. Wait did that sound cool? Okay I'm going to ruin it. It was a movie party with six people watching Star Wars. Not Star Trek. Star Wars. And it failed miserably. I was the only one actually watching it by the end. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to Rick Riordan

Nico POV

All I perceived was darkness. That's all I could see and if darkness was a sound then that's all I could hear. My senses were numb. I had just come out of the most awful dream. It's was back when Percy had told me Bianca was dead, but instead of Bianca it was Will. He was the one who had sacrificed himself. No. I couldn't handle it. Finally it ended, leaving me in darkness for a long time.

The darkness ended after what seemed like hours.

I opened my eyes to see Will's gorgeous face. He was pressing a cool cloth against my face. Outside the sun was high above.

I had to let Will know how pretty his face was though.

"Ya know Will," I mumbled. "Your face is gorgeous."

His eyebrows rose in surprise and a smile crossed his face, but before I could hear his response shadows closed in from the sides once more.

The next time I woke up it was dark outside and a ton of stars glittered in the sky. Everything was quiet, but you could hear the monsters and crickets from the woods. Cool breezes blew in from the open windows.

I turned my head on the pegasus down pillow and saw Will. He was asleep in a hard wooden chair and his arms and head lay on my bed. Someone had thought to put a blanket on him at some point at least.

He slept so soundly that I didn't want to do anything to wake him up.

Silently I brushed my fingers through his wavy, golden hair.

When the darkness started to close in again I placed my hand atop Will's.

Will POV

I woke up to find Nico's hand resting on mine. It had to be a coincidence. He probably just shifted in his sleep. Either way I didn't want to move. I wanted this moment to last forever.

Sadly enough it couldn't. I had to get back to my job, and Nico was doing well enough that he could be on his own for some time.

I tried to busy myself with other work. The constant stream of people with scrapes and burns. The occasional sprain. Updating anyone who was hurt in the battle, which was everyone, but only the most serious cases still required attention.

It was never long before my thoughts circled back to Nico though.

His mysterious bad boy persona made him appear as sad, lost little puppy in my eyes.

There was no way he could live through life as a loner, constantly moving from place to place. Never having any friends. I wanted so desperately to give him a hug. To give him a reason to stay.

I closed my eyes, ignoring the storage room around me and the bundles of bandages in my arms.

Flashback

Suddenly I was back in the Second Giant War, peeking out from behind Half-Blood Hill in order to spy on the enemy.

Six onagers spanned their attack force and small groups of demigods swam in an ocean of monstrous creatures.

This was going to be a tough battle.

That's when the shadows pulled together and solidified into the striking form of Nico di Angelo. He stood there like a real life angel on the edge of collapse. Yet the shadows were gathering up around him again. I couldn't stand by and do nothing.

End of Flashback

The bandages fell from my arms. I couldn't just let him up and leave again. If Nico di Angelo left my life I don't know what I'd do. But how could I tell him that. How could I tell the boy that wraps his heart in armor to keep it from being broken again that I love him.

Was that mushy enough for people? Hopefully, because I'm not too good at mushy. Anyway, not sure when my next update will be. Soon I guess. But no promises. Suggestions?