Shattered Ghost King

Chapter 12 – Lies and Trust

William hovered nearby Nico and Piper hugging each other and crying. He stood back, just in Nico's view. After a nod from the raven haired man he noticed him signaling.

Nico /Help Piper to leave, then come back. We needed to talk/

William pointed to his watch and then the IV. Nico shook his head. / Wait to give me that damn morphine. I need to be clear headed for a little longer/ He nodded in reply.

William rubbed Piper's back and softly said, "Come on Piper, time to go." She raised her beautiful face that was now marred by tear tracks and red swollen eyes. She sniffed before kissing Nico lightly on the cheek.

Piper /time for me to go. I'll be back as soon as I can. Be strong, he would of wanted that/

Nico simply nodded as she let out a heavy sigh and stood. William took her arm to lead her away.

She paused at the entry way, dabbing her eyes and pulling herself together. Then she fixed William with a penetrating stare, "William, it is very important you are absolutely honest with Nico. Even if it is unpleasant you have to tell him the truth." Her voice caught, "You see he is just hanging on by a thread right now. If you lie, even a little white lie, it could destroy him. Can you do that?"

William was taken aback. She hardly knew him. She certainly didn't know him well enough to get answers to the questions she asked earlier today. Now this? She doesn't know me, but on the other hand, she does know Nico better than anyone else. And she is only asking me to be honest with him.

He answered,"It hadn't ever occurred to me to lie about anything. I'm not the type of nurse to cover up a bad diagnoses."

Piper countered, "That was not the type of truth I was talking about."

William lift his hand palm up, "I knew what you meant, Piper. And I assure you I won't tell him any falsehoods, no matter how minor. I promise."

Piper smiled weakly, but said sincerely, "Thank you William, think about what I said before. I don't need to know your answers, just tell him." She stood straight and proud as she walked away with the crumpled paper still held in her hand.

William returned to find Nico with is brow furrowed and gritting his teeth in pain. Could he be seething in anger, too? He started signaling as soon as William was in range.

Nico /William this is very important to me. You need to give me an honest answer. None of that bedside manner crap/

William took the time to get into position facing him and put his hand carefully on his chest. He looked Nico squarely in his beautiful angry brown eyes.

William eyes displayed an earnest intensity /I will never distort the truth just to save your feelings. If you were terminally ill, I would tell you straight out. I'm not just your nurse, I'm your friend/

Nico's mouth dropped open in amazement, then he closed it and started signaling /so you would you say we are friends? Would you be my friend even if I was not hurt and we met as equals? /

William gazed directly into his smoky glasses and saw the utter intensity of his gaze. He didn't even blink as he signaled back /you are someone I would want for a friend no matter how we met. Even if I had to learn a new language, like Morse code, to even talk to you/

Then he smiled broadly at Nico's astonished face and signaled, /Are you ready for the damn morphine now? /

Nico's mouth pursed into a thin line as his eye brows contracted and he flushed. William's intense gaze still didn't wavier, /Please say you believe me/

Nico huffed and his face softened as he admitted, "Alright, I believe you, so give me the damn medicine."

As soon as William broke his gaze and stood, Nico's face broke into a slim smile. William was delighted as he administered the medicine. He wants me as a friend, I'll important to him.

William stayed long after his shift was over to watch Nico sleep. He was so beautiful and peaceful asleep. He contemplated what Piper had said, 'William, how would you describe your feelings for Nico?" He had been shocked, because her whole attitude implied she knew he was enamored with him. He had no answer for her. His apprehension probably made it even more obvious, because she pressed him. When she finally asked him to tell Nico how he felt he had readily agreed, mostly because he was relieved that he did not have to answer right then.

He pondered the talk about truth and lies from both Piper and Nico. Who had lied to him and caused him so much pain. Surely not Jason. Then again, maybe Piper and Jason and Nico had a much more complicated relationship than he thought. But no, that could not be, Nico had an easy relaxed way with her and had opened up as soon as she arrived. The more he thought about it, the more he decided it was this 'Percy' who had damaged Nico. That they had been a couple he had suspected even without Jake's assurances of it.

Lying was a touchy subject for him, too. He hated them and avoid telling any. At the same time he had to live with lies every day. He decided he could tell Nico he was homosexual, but he had other lies that were not his to reveal. He had to live with the lies his parents left with him. Some he only suspected before Lee confirmed them. It was all those fucking mad men trying to take over the world and trying to make killers out of everyone. He seethed with anger. They took away the once quiet happy neighborhood streets from his parent's youth. Then they took his parents and his youth and made him the responsible parent. The thought of his responsibilities created an automatic visceral response. He stood up and left Nico's bedside. He had to take care for his sisters. He was all they had left.

He was shocked to see a relaxed Percy sitting next to him. He draped an arm around him casually as he laughed at the screen in the darkened empty theater. He first scanned Percy's cheerful face and then gazed up at the screen.

That was when the nightmare began. He was horrified to see himself as a baby in his mother's arms crying. The most painful part was the vivid image of his mother. He'd forgotten her angelic voice and the divine sparkle in her eyes. Meanwhile Percy sniggered, "Stupid kid, did you see him just run up and hit the stove. Hilarious."

The scene changed to him at seven years old being threatened by his father. He stood shivering as an ominous dark shadow towered over him throwing ornaments to floor that almost hit him. Percy comment through his guffaws, "Yeah, see that's what you get for spouting fascist propaganda." When his mother rush in to save him, Percy groaned disappointedly.

Next he was a skinny nine year old leaving for Canada as he hugged his parents goodbye and cried silently as possible. Percy rolled his eyes saying, "Don't be so melodramatic, it is not like you'll never see them again." Then he laughed and added, "No wait, you won't ever see them again." In his utter disbelief and horror he curled into a ball rocking in his seat.

Nico knew what was coming and he was unable to turn away as his eyes teared up. On the screen he sat at Bianca's bed side day after day in a speed up film. At first she sat up and gestured with her hands as she spoke. As it went on she drooped into listlessness hardly able to lift her head. Percy tutted, "This is boring. Would you just let her die already, so we can get onto the blood and guts?" And all too soon the bed was empty and the macabre film of his life moved on.

This time it was Percy's blood and guts on the windscreen from strafing fire. Percy wrapped his arms over the chest of his bomber jacket where black stains widened as blood seeped out of his wounds. He was pale as he gasped out instructions for landing. Nico cried while he desperately tried to focus on the instruments and prayed it would not be too late. As he watched tears ran down his cheeks as he shook. The Percy sitting in the theater laughed loudly, "Would you look at your face. You'd think it was the end of the world. You stupid child. I wanted to die. It was the only way to set things right."

Again he sat at a death bed and the Nico in the theater began to whimper and then moan. The theater Percy for once looked at him fully in the face and he clutched his shoulders shaking him. He had tear stained cheeks and shattered sea green eyes, "I'm not worth it, and everything I've ever said is a lie. Especially when I said 'you are just my favorite stress relief.' I didn't mean any of it."

That was when Nico saw what he had only glimpsed and easily dismissed in real life. Percy's face was earnest and eager while his eyes filled with adoration and affectionate. He kissed him as if he could never get enough and lied again, "You have to forget me. I never said I loved you."

Nico woke suddenly in a cold sweat with his heart beating erratically. He poked his head up to look around and remembered William was not on nightshifts anymore. He lay back down staring into the dark shadows of the ceiling trying to get control of his heart beat. He tried to forget the horrible images from his past. He tried to hold on to that image of Percy in love. He bit his lip to keep from letting out a groan of longing. It was so real and it hurt so much. All of Percy's lies were awful, but that look at the truth was far worse.

He did not even try to fall asleep again, it was too horrible to think he might end up in that dream again. Instead he tortured himself by remembering all his time with Percy. With this new information he now saw all the looks he had dismissed, the fevered touches he had discounted as lust, the affection he had thought was simply a need to cling to someone, anyone against the emptiness.

Then he became angry. Angry and exasperated he had been so blind and had discounted everything pointing to Percy's real feelings. Then angry and infuriated at Percy for hiding what was so important to him. Jason was right, love was a gift to share. He was glad to share his love with Percy even if, Percy was not able to love again. Yet Percy left him to suffer with his silence, it was inexcusable. If anything, that lie alone could be what destroyed his love for the man. He brooded on, shifting back and forth between anger and astonishment at Percy's love, only drifting to sleep once his next dose of morphine took hold.