Nico was sleeping peacefully.
"He seems to have no problems, which is surprising," Will informed Annabeth. "Are you sure it was just a panic attack like the one I have seen?"
Annabeth looked down at the floor. When did di Angelo had a panic attack in front of Will Solace? "I had seen it three days ago," Will said suddenly, like he'd read he mind. "I forgot to tell. I'm sorry." The guy had such a charming personality that it was impossible for Annabeth to be mad at him. She shook her head.
"He was throwing up like he had been sick for a while, Will. I seriously think it can't be a panic attack." With the words she said, she opened her eyes widely. "Maybe that is why…" she murmured. Of course, Will heard it.
"Why?"
Annabeth looked at him. He seemed to be a person who was a good friend. But Annabeth knew better, she'd met people who were equally friendly, but also people who had stabbed her from her back. "Can I trust you?" Will smiled a little.
"I keep secrets well," he said quietly. "I need you to promise on the River Styx that you won't tell this to anyone. I mean it. This is not my secret." Will played with his blond hair. "I promise you on the River Styx that I will keep this secret to my grave, Annabeth. Can you tell me what is wrong with my patient?" She took a deep breath.
"You do know that Percy and I went to…there, right?" She asked. Will's ice blue eyes were filled with pride.
"Oh, yes, and I forgot to tell you that I am very glad that you guys are back. You are great, you were the only ones who made it, Gods know what would you do if you or Percy were alone," Will said, he was smiling now. Annabeth shook her head.
"You're right and wrong, Will. I sure don't know what would I do if Percy weren't there for me, but we were not the only or the first ones who made it through." She took a deep breath. "There comes the secret: before us, there was a much stronger demigod who went there, who returned from there alone, who is so strong that carried the sorrow of the world alone. And I don't mean the way Percy and I did it literally, but when he got out, he was no longer the person he used to be."
Will gasped. "Nico."
Annabeth nodded. "Tartarus makes people be the way they had never been before, I had Percy, but even though I still have nightmares. Imagine Nico di Angelo, all alone, trying to survive."
Will raised an eyebrow. "But… he's the son of Hades, isn't he? There is his…territory." Annabeth shook her head. "Tartarus is no one's territory, Will."
Will shivered a little. "You are suggesting that Nico has some kind if a PTSD, right?" His long fingers held his chin as Nico let out a small snore and stirred. "You may be right," he decided. "But how can we be sure?"
Like a joke or like Nico had heard them, he screamed and began shaking. "No," he yelled. "Don't do that to me! No!" The infirmary rumbled a little. Nico paled as he unintentionally summoned ghosts, some zombies, the people of the tainted Underworld, woke up and rose.
"U-oh," Will said and started to shake Nico. "Dude, wake up!" Nico shivered as he continued to yell and kept telling he didn't want whatever they were doing to him in his dream. The sky darkened. Will started to shake Nico faster. "Come on buddy, wake up!"
Then, miraculously, Nico broke it off and woke up with screaming -real screaming- and everything turned back to normal, like things hadn't happened two seconds ago. "What is going on?" asked Nico. Annabeth couldn't help but snort a laugh. "What's going on? Nico, you were about to bring the doom to the camp!" Nico's eyes widened. "What?" He asked. "Did I have a terror again?"
"Again?!" Will asked. "Are you kidding me? Again? How many times have you had this before?" Nico thought for a second, the shook his head.
"I am not speaking with you about this, Will," he said. "I said I am all right, so it is."
"So it is," Will repeated with a raised eyebrow. Nico nodded, and they stared at each other so stubbornly and so long that Annabeth felt like she wasn't even there. She cleared her throat.
"Okay guys," she said. "Let's drop it." The tension broke down and Annabeth took a deep breath. Nico frowned. "I need to go and check… something," he said, and disappeared. Will sighed.
"I just am worried about my patient," he murmured. "He'll be fine," Annabeth told him. She patted his shoulder, then left the infirmary, and went to her cabin to get some sleep.
Yay! 10th chapter! I never thought I'd come this far, if it weren't for you guys! I thank all of you guys who reads and reviews! Love you! Have a great day!