WPOV:

I rushed Nico into the infirmary at top speed. Yelling orders at some of my siblings. A few ran over and helped get him situated before I started my check up. I wouldn't be able to do parts of my check up until he woke up again but I did the parts I could.

Why couldn't he just listen to me for once? I thought. Why didn't he care? 

When I was done I started to walk away so I  could check up on other patients. 

There's nothing else you can do. I told myself.

But I didn't really believe it. I turned around and looked at him. Lying there, completely helpless, he looked so fragile. I wanted to wrap my arms around him. I wanted to tell him that he was loved and needed. But whenever I came close he pushed me away.

Someday. I told myself. Someday he'll believe me. I'm sure of it.

I walked back over to his bed. The checkup had taken longer than I had realized and I had missed dinner. It was almost 9:00 at night and most of my cabin was either at the singalong or asleep. I smiled knowing how hard my siblings worked here at camp.

I sat down next to Nico and grabbed his hand. His hand was colder than usual.

Please let Nico wake up. Soon.  I prayed.

My brother Jacob walked over to where I was sitting. I quickly pulled my hand away. He smiled weakly.

"Do you want to head back to the cabin? I can watch him if you want, you and I are the last ones here." He asked me, still smiling slightly.

I shook my head.

"No, that's okay, I'll take the night shift, you can go get some sleep, I'll see you in the morning."

He didn't argue with me, he only nodded.

"You've had a rough day. I'm sure he'll wake up soon." He told me.

"Really?" I asked a little too desperately.

He chuckled.

"With you caring for him, there's no way he couldn't." He emphasized the word caring as if telling me he had seen.

"You don't mind?" I asked him carefully.

He smiled bigger.

"Goodnight, Will." He told me and headed out.

"Night." I whispered.

✨✨✨✨

I awoke to screaming. I jerked up. I had fallen asleep.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I mentally scolded myself.

I looked around, a couple of the other campers were starting to wake up from the screaming. I looked at Nico. He screamed again. He must have been having a nightmare.

I layed down on the bed next to him and pulled him into my arms. He grabbed my shirt and started crying. Tears ran down his cheeks and I quickly wiped them away.

I rubbed circles on his back and whispered condolences. He immediately calmed down but he still held tight to my shirt. I sighed. I guess I was staying here for a while.

Not that I really minded. If Nico needed me, I'd be here.

If only Nico knew that. I thought.

Then I gently drifted off to sleep again.

✨✨✨✨

The next morning Nico was still laying on me, though his grip on my shirt had loosened. I didn't want to leave but I had work to attend to. I wiggled out of his bed and started making my rounds around the room. Checking in on the patients occasionally, doing other check ups, or jotting something down on my clipboard. Some of the patients had gotten worse. A few had stayed the same. Most had gotten better. No one had died. I nearly cried out in relief then remembered I had one last patient. Nico.

Part of me didn't want to check on him. Part of me wanted to run the other way. The doctor part of me won out and I walked over cautiously. When I got over to his bed I realized he was already awake. I nearly cried.

Thank the gods.

"Morning, Sunshine." I said with my best smile.

It was only after I said this that I realized how horrid I must look. My hair was undoubtedly a mess and I was wearing the same clothes as yesterday.

I looked at Nico. His hair was swept all over his face. His eyes we red and bloodshot. Yet to me, he'd never looked more handsome. I could tell he was tired. He looked like he was struggling just to keep his eyes open. I pushed the hair out of his face.

"Do you want to go back to sleep?" I asked him softly.

He nodded slightly then closed his eyes again. When I was certain he was asleep I gently kissed his forehead.

"It's okay. Sweet dreams, Sunshine." I whispered.

I quickly wrote down the time and details of his waking up on my clipboard.

He would be okay, he would really be alright.

I went into the bathroom and fixed my hair as best I could before my siblings got in. My eyes weren't red anymore. And my face was less puffy. But I was tired. I rubbed my eyes then splashed my face with water from the sink. When I walked out of the bathroom I ran straight into Jacob.

"Whoa, you okay?" He asked.

I nodded.

"Did everything go okay last night?" He asked.

I nodded and started showing him the clipboard and explaining the patients' conditions when he stopped me.

"I meant with Nico."

I took a deep breath.

"Oh. Yeah, I guess. He woke up this morning, but then he went back to sleep again. He's exhausted. All that shadow traveling really wasn't good for him."

Jacob nodded.

"I'm sure he'll come along eventually. Slowly, maybe, but that's to be expected. He's been through more than you know."

I gave him a questioning look.

"Go back to the cabin and get some sleep. You deserve it."

"But-" I started.

"No buts, I'll come get you if anything happens with Nico, okay?"

I was too tired to argue at this point.

"Okay."

He nodded and took the clipboard from me. Then he left the room.

I started to leave the room when it hit me.

His sister. Tartarus. His mom. He'd seen so much.

I raced to my cabin, I had so many thoughts whizzing around my head I couldn't focus on any of them. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was fast asleep.

✨✨✨✨

"WILL WAKE UP ITS NICO!"

At the sound of Nicos name I shot up nearly hitting my head on bunk above mine. I turned and saw Jacob looking panicked. My stomach dropped.

No. Please let him be okay. Please.

I shoved on a random shirt, not bothering to brush my hair. I was about to rush out of the door. When Jacob grabbed my arm.

"Will." He pointed down.

I looked where he was pointing.

I was not wearing pants.

I face palmed and mumbled my thanks. Then I ran over and threw on some khaki shorts and flip flops. Together, we rushed out the door.

When I arrived at the infirmary I immediately ran to Nicos bed. I stopped. His eyes were wide open. I smiled and rubbed my neck suddenly very self-conscious.

"Hey Sunshine."

Nico mumbled a greeting. I turned to Jacob.

"What's the problem?" I asked him.

He smiled wide.

"I never said there was a problem. You jumped to that assumption on your own."

I face palmed for the second time this morning.

Jacob leaned in closer so only I could hear him.

"By the way your shoes are on the wrong feet." Jacob grinned then left to check on another patient.

My face turned a bright red and I looked down. Sure enough I had put my flip flops on the wrong feet.

How did that not hurt my feet sooner? I guess I was too caught up in worrying about Nico.

I quickly switched them around and walked to Nicos bed.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.