XXXVII

WILL

After Bianca had vanished, Will turned and was about to leave the place.

"Hey. You."

Will stopped and turned at the direction of the voice. He saw a woman approaching him. She had piercing black eyes and her black glossy hair was braided over her shoulder. She was quite tall and had a figure fitted to an amazon. She wore a black vest, underneath was a light blue collared blouse with sleeves rolled to her elbows. It was paired with jeans and black combat shoes. All in all, she looked intimidating and Will felt like she was ready to kill any second.

Will looked around confirming if he was really the one that the woman had called. So far, he was the only one in the perimeter.

"Yes, I'm talking to you, Will Solace."

Will froze. "Um, how did you know my name?"

The woman reached the inside pocket of her vest. "I'm Reyna Ramirez-Arellano, NYPD detective." She raised her badge for Will to see and then pocketed it again afterward.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Detective?" Will asked inquiringly.

"I'm the one who's investigating Nico di Angelo's hit and run case, and I've been told that you know Mr. di Angelo quite well. You were interested to know what happened to him that you asked a detective for some answers."

"Oh."

"Why are you interested in his case?" Reyna asked again.

"I just wanted to know how the case is going. I also wanted Nico to have the justice he deserves."

Reyna narrowed her eyes at Will. He felt like he wanted to shrink into the ground. "So far, you are telling the truth, Mr. Solace."

"Where were you at 11:30 pm on October 20th last year?"

"Hospital, you probably heard what happened here." Will jammed his thumb in the direction of the building. "You can check the hospital I was admitted to if you like."

"Did you happen to see Nico here around 10 pm the same night?"

He paused. "Yes, but he disappeared immediately."

"How did you see him when you were captured at that time? Where exactly did you see him?" Reyna was bombarding him with questions. Her expression remained stoic.

"You're hesitating to answer, Mr. Will Solace. Why is that?" Reyna spoke again.

"It's nothing-"

"You're lying. I must have warned you before that you can't lie to me."

The two stared at each other, carefully gauging each other's reaction.

Should I tell her the truth? She'll think I'm a lunatic if I told her. . .

"Nico. . ." Will exhaled. "Saved me that night."

Reyna frowned. "How exactly?"

"He went inside that building and fought Python because he's about to kill me."

"I thought you were the one who fought Python."

"Technically, I fought Python too but he captured me in the end. Then Nico came. . ."

"Where you really the one who killed Python?"

Will was still hesitating. He was still not sure about how much information he should tell.

"So, it was Nico, wasn't it? Why didn't you include Nico in your statement? Do you know that you can be charged with Perjury because of your false statement? That is 7 years in prison and you could lose your medical license because of that." Reyna said.

"Because Nico suddenly disappeared and I didn't know where he went. How could I include a person who suddenly vanished out of thin air? Will the police believe me if I told them that someone actually rescued me and then vanished?"

"Who are you really? Who are you to Nico that he would risk his life for you?" She was impassive as ever.

He stammered. "I... I used to be that someone who's important to him but he's already forgotten that."

"Then why didn't you introduce yourself to Nico?"

He gazed at her. "Because, I thought he's already left me, and that we have already parted ways. I thought that we should live our own lives."

She remained silent. But her eyes remained on him.

"Will you tell the police now what you have learned?"

"Not yet. Still, nothing is making any sense. It's not even leading to the culprit I'm after. But the fact that he came here and saved you was quite substantial. At least, I have a reason now why he left Queens that day."

"Will you tell Nico about this?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Would you like me to?"

"Not now."

"You know, Nico is also my friend and I think he will be really happy if you told him who you really are."

"How long do you know Nico?"

She shrugged. "Since College."

"Do you know where Nico was five years ago in July?"

She contemplated for a moment. "As far as I remembered, he was in Italy at that time. Why?"

"Oh." He deflated. That was around the time when he had first met Nico at JHH as a death angel. Now, it seemed that the mist had altered that too. So how could he introduce himself as someone Nico used to know when the proof that they had vanished too. How would Will explained that to Nico?

He faced her. "Please. Don't tell Nico about this. I'll help whatever I can to solve Nico's case but keep this a secret."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because he'll ask questions about me and I'll just confuse him because I am someone who hasn't existed in a lifetime he's believed in."

"You know, I don't understand you but you were telling the truth so I can't really argue with that." She exhaled. "Alright, I won't tell him for the time being. But I still don't fully trust you."

Will nodded in relief. "Thank you and I understand. For you, I was probably like someone who has suddenly popped up in Nico's life."

"One more question," She said.

"Shoot."

"Were you involved in Nico's hit and run case?"

"Are you insinuating that I was a suspect in his case?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Are you?" Reyna countered.

"You're good at detecting truth and lies, then will you believe me if I told you that I wasn't? That I would never do something to harm Nico? Because I-" He paused.

"I what?"

"Because I love him." He was blushing. It had been a long time since he admitted that again. He had always loved him. Those feelings had never faded even though he had thought Nico wouldn't come back anymore.

"Well. You're telling the truth." Reyna decided. "As Nico's friend, I would advise to introduce yourself to Nico. Maybe not someone whom he used to know in the past but someone he can call a friend in the present and the future. What's the use of the past when he can't remember them anyway?"

"We have actually met." Will conceded. "I was his sister's doctor, so our paths crossed again."

"So I've heard. Since your paths have crossed again, I think your story hasn't ended yet, so don't put your period on it. To be honest, Nico was constantly asking me if there's a special someone he has forgotten somehow. Maybe it was you? He's constantly looking for people with blond hair and blue eyes like you," Reyna said.

Will didn't know what to say.

"Anyhow, my interrogation with you was done. But I'll still contact you for further questions. I looked for you at the hospital you work at but you weren't there. Fortunately, I ran into you here. I was just about to look at the place where Detective Jackson saw Nico on October 20th."

"Wait, Percy remembered seeing Nico here?" Will asked.

"Yes."

"Who else remembered Nico? I mean, seeing him here?"

"I think, Detective Grace too, they were the only two who witness seeing Nico here, that's why I'm here."

Will nodded "Okay"

So, not only my friends remember Nico? But Percy and Jason as well? Why?

That night, Will was busy tending patients in the ER of JHH when Cecil came running to him.

"Will!" Cecil called out of breath. "I mean, doc."

"What?" Will said absentmindedly. His focus was on the forehead of a ten-year-old kid as he taped a gauze pad on it.

"Come back to me after a week, so I can remove the stitches," Will said to the mother after he had taped the gauze pad. Then they left.

"What is it?" Will faced Cecil while removing his latex gloves,

"Um, while going here, I saw someone in front of the hospital. . ."

"Who?"

"Nico."

"I don't know if he has any plans of going in but he's walking back in forth outside while talking to himself like a lunatic, so maybe you should check if he's okay or something. . . " Cecil continued.

Will threw the gloves in the nearby trash bin and walked passed Cecil and went out of the ER. He reached the lobby and paused. Just outside the door, he immediately saw Nico who, as Cecil said, was walking back and forth and seemed to be in deep thought.

"Is it really all right though? If I walked back into your life again, Nico di Angelo?" Will said to himself. He walked towards Nico.

Will pushed the revolving door. He stood outside. He watched Nico stopped walking and drew out a long sigh. Nico was looking down so he didn't notice Will yet.

"I was about to ask on how long will you keep on walking like that, thankfully you stopped." Will put his hands on his lab coat's pocket.

Nico glanced up. He froze.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked. "Are you sick?"

"Um... I was just passing by... " Nico stupidly pointed his index finger somewhere behind him.

Will stared some more at him. Not totally buying his BS.

Thankfully, Nico was aware of this so he relented. His hand slumped to his side. "You know that was just an excuse. I came here to see you." He walked closer to Will and stopped in front of him.

Will was unfazed by their proximity. There was still a personal space between them but Nico was within his reach. His fingers twitched inside the pocket of his white coat, wanting to touch him, to brush aside that strand of hair on his forehead.

"I don't understand what you said last time about not meeting again." Nico began. "It didn't make any sense to me so I will not consider that as a valid reason not to meet again. Furthermore, I've drawn out some conclusion about you."

Will raised an eyebrow amusedly. "Interesting. Let's hear it. The conclusions you have drawn about me, Mr. di Angelo."

"You're still hang-up on your ex-boyfriend. You can't move from him that's why you're sad." Nico said straight to the point.

Will's eyebrow rose higher, that it could have reached his hairline. Well, Nico wasn't that wrong.

"I mean... " Nico continued. "Based on the things you said to me when you asked me to pretend to be someone you know, I could only think of that. You're probably thinking that it was unfair for me since you still have feelings for that someone. I'm right, aren't I?"

The blond didn't know how to answer and to point out that Nico got it half right and wrong at the same time.

"Tss. So I'm really right, huh." Nico concluded.

"Did he leave you?" Nico asked again.

"He has forgotten about me." Will answered.

"So you should do the same. Forget about him. Start a new life. Why would you waste your time on someone who has already forgotten you?"

"Should I really do that?" Will tilted his head at him.

"Of course!" Nico said. "But you know, I appreciate your concern about me, but it's okay with me. So don't use that as an excuse not to meet me again. Okay?"

Will it really be okay if chose to be at your side again?

"Who knows along the way, you'll be able to forget him too. There are other guys out there and one of them is more deserving to be with you, not someone who's just going to forget you. . ." Nico added.

Are we going to be alright if we stay together?

"I mean it's okay to be sad about the things that didn't work out for you but don't be sad for too long. I understand that you probably love him so much, but he was now someone in your past that you should let go. Sometimes that is the only way you can move forward and not be stuck in the same moment forever."

Can I take that risk? Will you take that risk with me?

"Give me your hand," Will suddenly said.

"Huh?" Nico blinked. He sighed. "I just felt like I made a speech worth of Nobel Peace Prize and that's the only thing you're going to say?"

Will rolled his eyes and reached for Nico's right hand. Nico jumped in surprise.

"Hey!"

"I don't have much time since it's my shift tonight." Will reached for his fountain pen attached to his lab coat's chest pocket. Then he started to write something on Nico's palm.

"What happened to your hand?" Nico noticed the bruises formed on Will's knuckles.

"Due to too many frustrations," Will said nonchalantly.

"And what are you writing?"

"There." Will released Nico's hand. "If we were going to meet again, you need that."

Nico stared at the 10-digit number on his palm. "Is this. . . "

"My number. Just call me later for plans of meeting again. I can't stay out long. See you later, Nico." Then Will turned around and headed back inside the hospital.

Nico remained on his spot as he stared down at his palm. Then suddenly, he punched the air in glee. He grinned like an idiot. People nearby looked at Nico liked he was crazy.

Unknown to him, Will Solace was looking back at him with a small smile on his face. He shook his head in amusement and resumed his way to the ER.