A/N The way I see it, I have this chapter, one after it, abs an epilogue. Maybe two after it, but no more than that.

It's weird, Nico reflected detachedly, to be in the infirmary without Will fussing over me.

Kayla, splashing something that bubbled and fizzed over his scars and fretting over the fact that they weren't closing up, told him that Will was 'busy' - Nico understood this to mean that Will didn't want to see him. But that was alright (well...) because he had the Ehtel's blood clutched in one hand, ready to give him.

Eventually, Kayla gave up trying to use magical medical methods, and rooted in a draw, emerging with a brilliantly sharp needle and a spool of thread.

"So," Nico said through clenched teeth as she began sewing his skin back together, "where will I find him?"

Kayla finished the first scratch and tugged on the thread to tighten the stitching. He gave an involuntary gasp of pain.

"You okay?"

"Fine," he spat. "Where is he?"

She bit her lip. "He wants to be left alone at the moment..."

Nico dug his fingers into his palm to stop himself reacting as she moved onto the last scar. "Kayla. Where. Is. He?"

Her voice was small as she cut the thread with a pair of golden scissors. "The lake."

XxX

Will was at the lake. Nico was just about to run down to greet him, when he saw who he was sitting with, and Kayla's hesitancy to tell him of the blonde's whereabouts suddenly made sense.

Will was sitting on the sand, talking quietly with none other than Drew Tanaka.

Nico almost dropped the vial of blood in surprise. This was one pairing that he had never expected.

He expected what happened next, however, even less.

Drew laughed lightly at something Will - his Will - said, and then put one hand on the back of his neck, pulling his face down to hers and - kissing him. Full on the lips.

And Will did not pull away: he tilted his chin slightly to one side and pushed his face back into hers.

Nico's heart was pounding so fast it must surely have broken his stitches by now. Something dropped onto the sand in front of him, and he realised that tears were sliding down his nose. He turned and ran, not stopping until he had entered the cool darkness of the Hades cabin through the open front door, slamming it behind him and sinking to the floor.

How could he...? Will wouldn't want the memories back now, Nico was sure.

He doesn't have a choice! I'll get him to take the blood, even if I have to break down his door and -

His door had been open. He distinctly remembered closing it last time he'd left, and yet it had been open just now.

That meant someone was in his cabin.

He jerked his head up, swiping quickly at the tears on his cheeks and ignoring the sharp sting from his cuts.

Someone was indeed in his cabin. Two someones, staring at him like rabbits caught in headlights. Two someones, with pink paint buckets and lilac paper chains clutched in their hands.

It looked like the Stolls had been trying to redecorate his cabin for him.

"Um, hi, Nico," one of them started nervously (his eyes were still slightly blurred and he couldn't tell who it was.)

"Yeah, hi," the other one added. "We were just, um..."

Nico sighed and waved his hand at them. They flinched, as though expecting the floor to open beneath them (that probably was what they were expecting, to be honest) then walked back towards the door, revealing a stretch of already hot pink wall.

"No, stop."

"Ah, you see, we-"

"Have an appointment!"

"Yes, a dentist's appointment..."

They started babbling anxiously. These two could probably steal someone's teeth out of their mouth while they slept, Nico thought.

That gave him an idea.

Swallowing (just to make sure that there was no clue that he'd been crying only minutes ago) (only they'd seen that) (he'd still pretend), he opened his mouth and started talking.

"Look, guys, I'm willing to let you off this time..."

"Thanks, Nico!"

"Yeah, you're the man!"

"We'll-"

"... if you do something for me."

Both looked exceedingly worried at that.

"All you have to do..." he explained his plan to them. Or the parts that concerned then, anyway, so barely any of he finished, identical devilish grins appeared on their faces.

"That sounds awesome!" They said together.

"Oh, and I'd appreciate it if you repainted that section of wall to the way it was before you got in."

They nodded in the kind of way a car sales man might nod before conning you out of house and home, and Nico handed them the vial of Ehtel blood. "You know what to do, then."

They left, and Nico slumped down onto the mattress Will slept on. He was breaking his promise to Leo, he knew, but he didn't care.

The only thing that mattered was getting Will back. He would even forgive him for kissing Drew (which would not be easy), but he needed him back.

He needed Will.

A/N Thank you to everyone who reviewed and followed and favorited. Over 100 reviews, guys, thanks so much!

~Fi