Coming Back [A ReyNico FanFic]

Twisted Nightmares

Piper
The sound of a tortured wail shook Piper awake.

It was quite distant, but she recognized the voice instantly. It was Reyna. And hearing her — the all-powerful daughter of Bellona, master of weapons and combat and whatnot — whimpering helplessly like that scared Piper. A lot.

None of the other Aphrodite campers stirred. Their cabin was only half full, since most of her siblings were off to vacation somewhere else. She was a year-rounder now, since she didn't find a good school. Annabeth and Percy quit school as well, and Nico didn't even bother to find one. They just took "classes" from the Athena campers, who were just as good as regular teachers.

Piper climbed out of bed, trying to catch her breath, but the reek of designer perfume wasn't too helpful. The screaming stopped, making the night eerily quiet except for the sound of hooves clopping the ground. She hastily put some slippers on and burst out the door.

Chiron was passing by the Aphrodite cabin. He was carrying a frightened-looking Hazel and a sleeping Clovis on his back. Chiron and Hazel were talking in urgent whispers, but the centaur quickly stopped when he saw Piper.

"What's going on?" she asked, jogging towards the three. "I heard Reyna. . ."

The moonlight made the centaur look like he was thousands and thousands years old. Of course, he was that old, but usually it didn't show. "I do not know, my child," he said gravely. "Come, we must find out."

She clambered on Chiron's back and soon they were trotting over to the Roman cabins.

Reyna's cabin was in the farthest corner. The door was removed from its frame and all the lights were on.

They jumped down from Chiron's back and ran inside. Clovis plopped down, but he snapped awake and followed them. The centaur had to duck to get in.

The place was exactly how Piper remembered. She was one of the people who helped build it, after all. Marble walls and floor, shiny wooden furniture and purple curtains. Nothing weird, nothing remotely different except for the trampled door, but it made Piper's skin tingle.

Reyna was sitting up on her bed, her face pale and clammy with sweat. Nico was settled beside her, one arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders.

Frank, who was pacing the floor, stopped abruptly and ran to greet them. "Thank the gods you're here! We were worried."

"I'm okay now. No need for this slumber party," Reyna said, trying for a weak smile. She glanced at Nico, and some sort of a silent understanding passed between them. "It was just a nightmare. Nothing big."

"I'll just check, if you don't mind, Reyna," Clovis said gently. Nico released her as the son of Hypnos stepped forward. "I'm gonna get a flashback of your dream, and we'll know how and why you had it."

Reyna looked uncertain, but she let him press his fingers against her temples. Nico reached out and gave her hand a gentle squeeze as she closed her eyes.

Despite how serious the situation was, Piper couldn't help smiling at how easily Nico and Reyna understood each other. If she didn't know better, she could've mistaken the two for a couple who had been together for at least a year. They had that connection, you could just see it. (Or at least, she could.)