XLIV

NICO

Nico had gotten discharged from the hospital in the afternoon. Hazel, despite being worried sick to Nico, had to go back to work immediately because of an important meeting that she couldn't refuse to attend to. She had apologized profusely, even though Nico had sincerely said that it was fine, had rolled his eyes at some point and had gotten annoyed a little bit for repeating the 'Hazel, it's fine, I'm not going to die staying in the apartment' line for the hundredth time. Her sister promised that she would be back immediately after her meeting, and after canceling her other appointments for that day. Hazel had even made Will to swear on his life to take care of Nico while she was away. Nico had to scowl at that and for treating him like a baby. Nico felt like they had over-reacted.

"You almost died!" Hazel had reasoned which Nico couldn't argue about.

So, it was Nico and Will on Nico's apartment. They were both on the bed. Will was resting his back on the headboard while Nico's head was on the pillows and lying flat on his back. The dark-haired guy was staring at the ceiling while Will let his eyes wander around the room.

"Why am I not surprised that your room is as monochromatic as you?" Will muttered.

Nico chuckled. He rolled to his side. He hoisted himself up and propped his elbow to the mattress. "So, tell me something about us before."

"You should be resting." Will reprimanded.

Nico rolled his eyes and flopped back to bed. "Gods you're as bad as Hazel."

Will snorted. "I'm a doctor. I know better."

"Don't use your profession on me, William. I know my body better."

Will sighed in defeat yet his voice seemed cautious. "All right. What do you want to know?"

Nico continued to look up at the ceiling. "Reyna said I saved you and your brother last year. Is that true? How did you end up there?"

"Austin was an adoptive brother. . ." Will began. "He was my patient last year when he got a stab wound in the chest. He's a primary witness for a syndicate at that time. The same syndicate who got him a stab in the chest. ."

Nico winced.

"At that time also, he's got a girlfriend that had been captured by that syndicate. So when Austin woke up, that syndicate used his girlfriend to lure Austin back to them. They wanted to silence Austin for good because of what he knew about them. But despite the danger, Austin still went after her. I couldn't leave that kid alone, so I went after him. I wanted to convince him to get help from the police but it was too late when we ran into Python –the, I don't know, operational boss, supervisor of the gang? Austin said that he's not the actual boss as in like the leader of the entire syndicate. Although he has no idea either, who is. Anyway, the point here is, we got captured and Austin's girlfriend still died in the end. Then when I was about to think that it was the end for me too, you came, beating up Python's sorry ass. That was also the last time I saw you."

"Where's Python now?" Nico asked.

"Dead."

"Did I kill him?"

"Yes."

"Good. I don't want him bothering you again."

Will was silent.

"What do you mean about that was the last time you saw me? Did I run away or something?"

"You were just... .gone," Will answered after a brief pause. "I had no idea where you went. Then I learned that the very same night, you got hit by a car a few blocks away from where you saved us."

Nico frowned. "Where would I go to that time?"

"Sssh, stop overthinking." Will moved closer to Nico and kissed Nico's temple. "Now that I told you something. Rest now. We could talk about our whole past later."

"Last question, what's our relationship looked like." Nico looked up at Will.

Will's eyes glittered as he smiled at him. "We argued a lot because you're so stubborn."

Nico rolled his eyes again. "Was it really me? Or you're just putting the whole blame on me?"

"Oh shush you. Be thankful, that I love you or else I wouldn't put up with your stubbornness."

Nico's face heated up. "Uhm, do you –do you still feel the same until now?"

This time, Will was the one who rolled his eyes. "I think the answer to that is obvious or I wouldn't be this miserable when you went away."

"In the magazine. . ." Nico reached for Will's hand and intertwined their hands together. "Hazel noticed that your eyes looked so sad. You looked sad. Did I do that to you?"

Will gazed down lovingly at their intertwined hands. He squeezed it. "Yes you made me sad but I really don't blame you for it because you made me the happiest at the same time. Besides, it's all in the past now. The more important thing is, now. You're here again, beside me, holding my hand."

"I'm sorry that I caused you that sadness. I'm sorry that I can't remember-"

Will slid down on the bed and shut Nico up with a kiss. When the blond pulled away, he spoke in a soft voice "It's not your fault that things happened the way they were. After all, it still led you to me. You. Here. Now. That's all I care about."

"Thank you. . ."

"Now, sunshine, let's cuddle up. I want to sleep too before my shift starts again." Will snuggled closer to Nico.

Nico smiled at the familiar warmth before he drifted to sleep. It felt like home. . .

Nico was positive that he had gotten lost in the maze-like corridor of Triumvirate Labs when he had been asked to bring a file to the office of Mr. Rodriguez. He already went to work the next day after he had gotten discharged, despite Hazel's disapproving look.

But Nico couldn't locate the office. No one was around so there was no one he could ask for directions. Nico looked around. He was in a narrow corridor with a dark blue-tiled wall. The light was dim. The floor was carpeted in the same shade of blue.

There was a big steel door at the end of the corridor. He approached it. The door was heavy-vaulted and there was no handle nor doorknob. Only a small rectangular pad on the side of the door. It looked like a screen where you have to swipe for the right pattern for the door to open.

Nico wasn't sure if this was Mr. Rodriguez's office. Was his office supposed to have a heavy-vaulted door with a sophisticated lock? Nico absentmindedly touched the door.

Please help us. . .

Nico froze.

Let us go. . .

Nico took a step back as he stared wide-eyed at the door. He wasn't sure if he had imagined it but he heard voices behind the locked door.

Please help us.

Was he hallucinating?

Please. . .

No, there were definitely voices. The voices were faint, but their pleads and wails rang in his ears.

"Nico!"

Nico jumped out of his skin and spun around. Chiara was marching towards him with an angry look on her face.

"What are you doing here?" Chiara hissed at him.

"Uh, I was supposed to bring this to the office of Mr. Rodriguez . ." Nico held up the folder

"And does this look like the office of Mr. Rodriguez?" Chiara said angrily even though Nico didn't know why she was so angry. "The office is in the lower ground, you idiot. This is the underground basement and we are strictly not allowed to be here. I got notified when the security saw you on the CCTV"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"You could have asked me! I swear we could be in trouble by just going down here." Chiara said, still fuming. "Come on now."

"Wait," Nico pointed at the door. "I heard voices behind this door. Are there people inside?"

Chiara gave him the strangest look ever. "Nico, this is a soundproof area. How could you hear someone from on the other side?"

"B-but what's behind this door?"

Chiara looked exasperated. "I don't know. No one knows. No one can even pass the security of this hall and I don't even know how you got here."

"Well, no one's guarding when I came in," Nico muttered.

"That's not the point. There are still CCTV cameras around. We should really go. I've just given a few minutes to collect you."

Unknown to them someone was looking at them from the corner, with a hard look on his face.

oo00oo

"Sir." Luke Castellan entered Nero Johansen's dimly lit office. Nero sat behind his desk.

"It was like you predicted, Nico di Angelo can hear the voices in the underground basement. What should we do now? What if he does something about it?"

"Nico di Angelo isn't a regular mortal from the beginning," Nero said amusedly. "Besides, he can't do anything right now. He doesn't remember anything, right?"

"Then what if he suddenly remembers?" Luke Castellan asked.

"Then we kill him like we were supposed to do a long time ago."