Thanks so much for the reviews :) Glad to know people are enjoying reading this as much as I enjoy writing! You guys & gals are the best!

And now for chapter 9, chalk full of angst and betrayal (which is what I like writing best :P )

Hope you enjoy!

Nico was happy. He paused for a moment, suddenly realizing this was the first time he had applied the word to himself since Bianca's death. He smiled wistfully and brushed a hand over his mouth again.

Will had kissed him.

Nico flushed, remembering how he had just frozen when he had opened the door, wide eyed as his best friend pulled him close and crushed their lips together. It was messy, confusing, full of desperation and unsaid words.

It was everything Nico had ever dreamed of.

When Will had pulled away, blushing furiously and babbling out a meaningless stream of apologies, Nico had shaken himself out of his reverie and yanked Will in for another kiss. This time their lips had met with a gentle caress, as they carefully explored each other. Will's lips had been warm and Nico had hesitantly brought his hand up to twine it with the hair at the back of Will's neck. They breathed each other in, until Nico's lungs had finally protested, and they had to break away. Will had trailed his hand down Nico's arm and clutched his hand tightly. "So, I guess that's a yes?"

Nico had blinked and grinned wryly, "What's the question?"

Will had laughed and pressed a chaste kiss to the corner of his mouth. "Will you be my boyfriend?"

"Yeah," Nico had smiled, so widely that he was sure his mouth would split apart, and tiptoed to meet Will's lips again.

Nico sighed and curled up in bed. He had no idea how he would tell Hazel, but remembering her secretive glances, Nico suspected she had known long before he did that he and Will would somehow end up together.

Will yawned and reached for his coffee mug. He brought it up to his lips and scowled, realizing there was nothing left. He leaned back in his chair and stretched, smiling as he brought a hand up to his lips. He and Nico had kissed. He was giddy with excitement, but also with fear. He only had four months with Nico. Will turned back to the computer and pulled up another research paper. Four months to come up with a cure for pulmonary hypertension? He grit his teeth. There was no way he'd let Nico slip from him that easily.

Hazel muffled a giggle behind her hand as she opened the door. Will was standing on the doorstep, hair askew and shirt buttoned up improperly. She stepped forward and adjusted his collar. "What brings you here at 7 am? You know Nico won't be awake until at least noon today."

Will looked down at her, bloodshot eyes crinkling as he smiled. "I was up all night researching pulmonary hypertension." Hazel stiffened as Nico's illness was brought to the forefront of her mind. It was always there, lurking and casting a dark shadow on her day to day activities. Even spending time with Frank did little to abate it. "There are four different types of pulmonary hypertension and there are some treatment methods. I was hoping you would come to see Nico's doctor with me, so we can discuss some solutions?" Will continued, oblivious to Hazel's tension.

Hazel looked up at him in surprise and relaxed, "Shouldn't we go with Nico?"

Will shook his head, "I don't want him to get stressed out about it. Besides," he blushed slightly, "It would be a nice surprise for him if we could figure out a way to save him."

Hazel grinned and stepped back into the house. "Well, then let me get ready and you can take the guest bathroom to fix your appearance up."

Glancing down, Will groaned. "I can't believe I went to your house looking like this."

Hazel winked, "Don't worry, you're not trying to impress anyone who is awake here."

Hazel's chest was tight with apprehension as she and Will strode into the hospital. Will chatted casually with the receptionist as they waited for Dr. Chiron. When a kind-looking, bearded man stepped into the waiting area and ushered them into his office, Hazel's heart rate spiked. Will seemed completely in his element though, as he explained to Dr. Chiron that they wanted to discuss Nico's condition, spewing out medical terms Hazel didn't understand.

Dr. Chiron nodded but he seemed slightly bemused. Turning to his computer he typed quickly on it. "I definitely have some viable treatments for pulmonary hypertension. However, don't recall having ever seen a Nico di Angelo though." He shook his head, "I can't find him on my records, and I am a hundred percent sure I remember all my patients."

Will and Hazel looked at each other in confusion. "What do you mean, you've never seen a Nico?" Hazel snapped, "I have his forms right here." Dr. Chiron took the forms and read over them quickly, shaking his head in confusion.

"These are fake," he said gravely.

Hazel blinked and understanding slowly dawned on her. "He lied to us?" Her throat constricted as she tried to keep her eyes from watering.

Will was slower on the uptake, "What do you mean? Nico gave us these, he said...he said he was dying."

Hazel slowly shook her head, and pressed a hand to her mouth. "He lied," she repeated hollowly. Wrapping an arm around her, Will apologized and thanked Dr. Chiron and pulled Hazel out of the doctor's office and into his car.

"He must have had good reason to," Will explained, although he looked betrayed as well. Hazel pressed her lips together and stared out the window as the world rushed by. They drove in grim silence until Will pulled up outside Hazel's house. "Do you want me to talk to him too?"

Hazel shook her head, "No, I think we should have a family discussion first, then he can explain to you."

Will pursed his lips and nodded. He forced a smile, "Look, it's Nico. He wouldn't have done this just for kicks. Maybe he's in trouble."

"Maybe," Hazel muttered doubtfully, already feeling the sharp sting of deception. As Will drove away, Hazel walked inside, shutting the door with a tiny click. She paced around in the kitchen, hearing the shower upstairs signifying that Nico was awake. The distress was slowly creeping in on her and her mouth dried as she tried to think of what to say.

Hazel pulled out her cellphone, fingers hovering over Will's number. She needed more moral support, but suddenly, she heard Nico materialize behind her. Feeling her anger boil over at his casual "Hey," as if he had never lied to her, as if he hadn't been the reason she spent several nights crying herself to sleep, Hazel spun around, eyes blazing with hurt.

She didn't notice that she had hit call.

"I went to the doctor with Will today, Nico." Hazel said, barely concealing her anger. Nico glanced up, peanut butter covered knife hovering in the air.

"Is something wrong with you or Will?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing. He placed the knife on the counter and stepped towards her.

Hazel breathed in deeply through her nose, noticing that she was already starting to tear up. "No, but apparently, there isn't anything wrong with you either."

Nico tilted his head in confusion, then a look of horror spread across his face. "You know," he whispered.

Hazel gave a sharp bark of hysterical laughter. "Did you enjoy watching me hurt?" Hazel said slowly, "Because it was killing me to think that any day now, you would be gone from my life. Do you how many people I've lost? And you just decided to play around with my feelings?"

"Hazel, I'm so sorry, but..." Nico began.

"Why did you lie to me, Nico?" Hazel shouted. "I thought we were siblings!" Her voice cracked, "Is it because I'm not good enough? Would you have lied to Bianca?"

Nico reeled backwards. "No! I love you. I did this because I care." Nico reached out to his half-sister, and when she flinched away from his touch, as if it had burned her, it hurt more than a shot through his heart. The betrayal in her eyes was worst than every nightmare he'd had while conceiving the plan. "I did it to protect you from Will!"

Hazel shook her head in confusion, tears blurring her vision. "What do you mean? Will's nice, he..."

"He's a player!" Nico snapped. He wasn't sure where this was coming from, after all, weren't he and Will a couple now? But in the chaos of the moment, drowning in the fears that he would lose another sister, this time to his own stupidity, Nico couldn't think. "He's terrible and cruel and I had to keep him away from you!"

Hazel opened her mouth, but Nico steamed on, desperate to defend his unforgivable actions. "All he does is walk around breaking girls hearts, making out with anything. I didn't want him to hurt you like that. He's not good enough for anyone!"

"I...I know."

Nico and Hazel started, glancing around to see a distraught Will standing in the doorway. He had his phone half-raised to his ear and his lower lip was trembling. Nico was shocked to see the tears running down in twin trails from Will's eyes. Then he realized. "Did you hear everything?"

The pain filled gaze was all the answer Nico needed.

Will spun around and sprinted from the kitchen, front door slamming behind him. As the adrenaline rushed from his body, Nico slumped to the ground, hearing the Will's car screech away. His eyes, wide and haunted, stared unseeingly at the floor.

What had he done?

BOOM ANGST Can we reach 55 reviews please? :)

A/N: I know that the whole "Will hearing the conversation on the phone" is unrealistic, but I couldn't really figure out how he could eavesdrop otherwise :P