An Extended Visit

Day 4

Warning, there's gonna be another wait until the next chapter (probably about a week) but this isn't really a cliffhanger though!

Nico

"Kayla, get in here!" Will screamed at Nico's livelihood. "How you feeling Nico? You know what, don't answer that. Just...you alive?"

Nico sighed. "Yes, Will. I'm alive."

"Where were you? What were you doing?"

"What do you mean? I've been here, in bed."

"You know what I mean, Nico."

Nico hesitated before answering. Will's theory wasn't wrong, Nico had dream traveled, and he couldn't get out of it. Someone had pulled him in, and he was in Tartarus for two days. He didn't know how he got out if it, but he heard something that brought him out of it. A song.

"I was in Tartarus,  Will."

"Oh Nico!" And Will threw aside all inhibitions and hugged Nico. "You'll never have to go through anything like that again. At least not alone," Will promised Nico.

And then Will noticed what he was hugging. Nico was getting worse, then Kayla came in.

"He's awake!"

"Yes, but he's shadow."

"Wait a minute, how long have I been out?"

"Just a couple days, but that's not our problem right now. Right now, our problem is that you're turning to shadow. The dream traveling doesn't look good on you."

Nico was still hung over not being awake for  two full days.

"Kayla, I think I have an idea. Can you come help me out?"

"Course, but do you trust...?"

"Good point. Stay with him a mo' while I find a straggling medic. Or an Athena patient or something."

"So what do you think of your cabin, Nico? Now that you finally got some use if it?"

Nico laughed, just barely. "It's awful. I think someone on the decoration committee was convinced children of Hades were vampires."

Kayla cracked a smile. "Good thing you weren't too attached."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, you technically still haven't got three days of rest. But also, you just passed out for two days, and have you seen yourself lately? You're literally becoming a shadow. You'll probably be staying in the infirmary a while."

Will walked in with a wheelchair. "Couldn't find anyone who could spare a minute, but I think I've got my plan taken care of," Will said to Kayla, who nodded in response. Then Will picked (can you pick up a shadow?) Nico up, and plopped him in the wheelchair.

"I really don't think this is necessary."

"Doctor's orders. No over exertion."

"Walking is not over exertion!"

"Maybe not for someone who has an actual physical body and didn't just wake up from a two day forced dream travel."

Nico huffed around for the rest of his ride to whatever Will's idea was.

"Ohhh. Nice thinking, Will." Kayla told her brother.

"What? What's in there?" Nico begged.

"Thanks, Kayla. Rigged the windows to follow west pattern. Always sunshine."

"What are you guys talking about?"

"Well, Nico," Will started,  "I assume you've taken notice that you are dissolving into shadow."