Jason dodged a spear thrust. He wasn't sure if he would survive the night, but if he didn't, this battle was going to mean something. He turned to his friends, looked the sun god in the eye, and yelled at him to leave. To remember. He swung his sword up to block Caligula's next attack, but he was too late. The spear hit him in the back. Then, two figures appeared out of the shadows, and everything went dark.
Fifteen Minutes Earlier at Camp Half-Blood
Nico was sparring with Percy when he felt it. Cold dread creeping down his spine. He knew immediately that something was wrong. He could sense danger. But not here. Someone, someone he cared about, was in peril. Percy saw his expression and lowered his sword.
"What's wrong?" Nico didn't answer, he was already running towards the cabins.
He found Will in the dining pavilion, trying to settle an argument between his siblings. Something about a rap musical. Without a word, Nico grabbed his boyfriend's hand and slipped into the shadows, leaving a very confused Apollo cabin in their wake.
They rematerialized in the midst of a battle. Arrows were flying overhead, just missing a- horse? Pegasi? Cloud?- which carried two people, too distant to make out. Jason was on the ground, covered in blood. Nico placed a hand on his shoulder and the other on Will's. The three heroes vanished in a blur of darkness before finding themselves someplace else.
After confirming that they were no longer under attack, Nico found the first aid kit in Will's satchel and watched anxiously as Will bandaged Jason's wounds and fed him ambrosia, chanting under his breath. Nico took the opportunity to explore their surroundings, though he kept glancing at his friend out of the corner of his eye. He'd been aiming for Jason's dorm, and from the looks of it, that plan worked out pretty well. The room featured a lofted bed with a couch underneath. It felt like an eternity before Will spoke:
"I've repaired the internal damage. He lost a lot of blood, but he should be okay," He gave his boyfriend a concerned look. "What about you? You haven't shadow-travelled that far since the war. And how did you know about Jason?" Nico brushed off his concern, although he did take the bottle of gatorade Will offered him.
"I'll be fine. Just need some sleep. And as for Jason… it was just instinct. Something felt off. Wrong. I could sense that he was near death. And I followed that feeling to him. We're in his dorm room now. He's been sending letters, checking up on his 'little bro'."
He smiled at the memory and glanced down at his unconscious friend, "I figured we'd be safe here. But I'd better Iris-message Apollo, Meg, and Piper to let them know Jason's okay." Nico pulled a few drachmas from the pocket of his jacket and headed for the bathroom.
Jason regained consciousness slowly. He could feel something soft underneath him, and a sharp, stiff pain. He was lying on his stomach. He groaned. Then, memories flooded back to him. His friends. The battle. His eyes snapped open and he tried to get up, only to be restrained by two gentle pairs of hands.
"Jason, it's okay. You're safe," That was Nico, Jason realized. The son of Hades had a worried look on his face and darker-than-usual shadows under his eyes.
Will was beside him, wearing a similar expression and checking Jason's pulse. "Try not to move too much; you've lost a lot of blood and that wound needs time to heal."
"Apollo and Piper are fine, they'll be here after they find Meg. Jason, you scared the crap out of me," Nico's voice broke, "I-I felt you dying. What happened?"
So Jason told them about Apollo's quest and Caligula's yacht. "...And the last thing I remember is getting stabbed. How are you guys even here?"
Nico filled in the blanks, from his premonition to Jason's awakening. Jason gave him a shocked, slightly awed look: "Nico, you're telling me that you teleported across the country because of an instinct. For me. You sensed that all the way from New York?"
Nico nodded. "I don't know how it works, exactly. I just… felt it."
By the time they had finished exchanging stories, there was a knock on the door. Will went to open it, revealing Piper, Apollo, and Meg. Piper had clearly been crying, Apollo looked shell-shocked, and Meg just looked exhausted. They were dirty, bruised, and covered in dried blood and monster dust. But as their eyes landed on Jason, all that was forgotten. Piper rushed to his bedside.
"Jason, thank the gods, I thought I lost you! I thought- I thought you were dead. I don't know what I'd do if- if I lost you and we left things like that." She burst into tears again and just sat there, holding his hand.
"Shh, Pipes, it's okay, I'm gonna be fine," Jason tried to reassure her. He still looked awful, but now that the others were there it was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Will had a hand on Piper's shoulder, simultaneously comforting and checking for injuries.
"Piper, why don't we let Jason rest. He'll be okay, I promise. Come on," Will guided her to Jason's desk chair and began cleaning a nasty-looking gash on her forehead.
Jason fell asleep soon after that, secure in the knowledge that his friends were safe.