My line breaks are made of Baymax faces. ONLY 25 PEOPLE HAVE READ THIS. BROKEN WINGS HAS 4912 READS. SERIOUSLY, WHY AREN'T PEOPLE READING THIS?!

I took a deep breath before continuing. "It happened back when I was five. Mom, Visucia, and I were at the park playing hide-and-seek. Mom had already found me and we were looking for Visucia. We found her, but she was out cold in a strange man's arms and he was getting into a van. Mom tried to stop him and called the police, but it was too late. We haven't seen or heard from her or the kidnapper since. I know she's not dead, I just know."

I look down at my hands, only to find them shaking. Something wet and hot rolls down my cheek. I'm… crying? "I'll be back in a few minutes." I mutter shakily, standing up and heading through the garage. I need to stop running from everything, the past, my fears, and towards the future.

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Nico's POV

After all of the monster fighting, dealing with the Reyna's past and my insecurities, and shadow-traveling, I come down with a fever.

The Fates really don't like me, do they?

The last thing I remember is accidentally shadow-traveling into someone's yard before passing out, then waking up on a couch hearing someone singing Soldatino.

It turns out the person's name is Bianca and she's lost her sister, and she lives with just her single mom. Like me, I suppose. She also shoved me into a chair and offered me cookies, which could rival Sally's cooking.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." Bianca stands up and walks through a doorway, her hands shaking and tears in her eyes. I looks towards Reyna, whose eyes were filled with pity and a need to help.

"She's been through hard times, hasn't she? She kind of reminds me of us." Reyna's gaze rests on the doorway. I nod in agreement.

"She smells different than a mortal, but not like a monster or a demigod. There's something odd about her." Hedge remarks.

After a few minutes, I stand up, ugh, weakly and head towards the doorway Bianca went through. "Nico, what are you doing?" Reyna asks. "You should be resting."

"I'm fine. I'm gonna find Bianca." I reply without turning around. Truth is, I feel like I had been dipped in the Phlegethon. My body aches all over and I feel like I'm on fire like Leo is when he's excited or freaking out. I step through the doorway and see an open door with a flight of stairs. I descend the stairs, hand latching onto the railing as if I was going to pass out if I let go.

Faint music is coming from behind a door that says 'Keep Out, Archery in Session'. I opened the door to find a soundproof archery range, music blaring, and Bianca furiously shooting bullseye after bullseye. "What did the target ever do to you?" I ask over the music.

Bianca whirls around and, what appears to be subconsciously, fires the nocked arrow at me, missing my ear by mere inches.

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I had been shooting and a voice came out of nowhere. I instinctively turned and shot, missing Nico's head by a few inches.

"Oh gods, Nico, I'm so sorry, did I hurt you?" I ask worriedly, pulling out of my trance and rushing towards the boy.

"No, I'm alright. I'm guessing there was a 'Keep Out' sign for a reason." Nico mutters.

"That's good to hear. I've nearly shot my mom on multiple occasions." I turn red for saying that and Nico smirks. "I come down here to… free myself from the world, if that makes sense. It's my safe haven, books in one corner, the spare fridge all to myself, beanbag chairs, wifi, art supplies, anything I could need if when I feel like the world's against me." I look at the black-haired boy's face. His dark eyes seem kinda unfocused and a faint blush was spread across his deathly pale face. "Nico, are you okay? Nico?" I ask worriedly.

His eyes close and he slumps forwards, almost hitting the floor of not for my fast reflexes. His breathing is changing at random intervals, and his forehead is burning up. I drag him over to an orange beanbag before running to the door and letting out a high-pitched shriek. Why does the universe have to worry me with fainting boys?

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Reyna's POV.

Gleeson and I were discussing how to get the Athena Parthenos, which landed in Bianca's backyard, back to Camp Half-Blood when I heard a scream. I jolt out of my seat, and Gleeson does the same. "Gleeson, stay here." I call, racing through the doorway and down the stairs.

When I reach the end of the stairs, I find an open door and hear Bianca inside. "Bianca! What's wrong?" I ask, running into the room. I then spot Nico on a beanbag chair, wrapped in a blanket and shivering, a grimace marring his face. He looks so fragile and vulnerable, lying there like that.

Bianca bursts into tears. "He said he was feeling better a-and I nearly shot him with an arrow a-and he fainted a-and I don't know what to do!" She wails.

I look at her in surprise. "You nearly shot Nico?" I ask and she cries even more. "Never mind, I'm sure it was an accident. He'll be alright, he puts a lot of strain on himself often, so it's no surprise that he fainted. He'll be fine in a day or so. You don't have to cry, he'd tell you the same thing." I reassure her, and Bianca slowly stops crying.

"O-okay. He's got a really high fever, chills, and judging by the grimace, he's in pain." Bianca takes a deep breath. "Be safe, le petit prince des ombres." She kisses her finger and places it on Nico's forehead.

The son of Hades' face goes slack, his breathing evens out, he stops shivering and the pink across his cheeks fades by half. "Très meilleur. Sleep well, le petit prince des ombres." Bianca murmurs and Nico reaches out from under the blanket, only to grab Bianca's hand. She said something in French… what did she say? How did she heal Nico?

"Sis, don't leave. I can't lose you again." He mumbles, pulling Bianca's hand towards himself. He must be dreaming about his Bianca, poor thing.

Using her other hand, Bianca pulls up a gold and green glittery beanbag and plops next to Nico. I pull one over as well, a purple one. The question leaves my mouth before I can even process what I'm doing. "How did you do that?"

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