The first thing Nico noticed when he woke was that he hadn't had a single nightmare. In fact, he'd had a wonderful dream, and he was quite reluctant to let it go. Although he already had difficulties remembering what it had been about, memories of a calm, soothing voice hovered at the edge of his consciousness, and he could still feel the warmth of a hand wrapped lightly around his own.

The second thing Nico noticed was that the feeling of warm skin was not a memory at all. Someone was holding his hand.

Nico's eyes snapped open. He was still lying in the bed Will had assigned him in the infirmary. A curtain was drawn around it, shielding him from curious eyes. And at his bedside, slumped into a rickety chair and staring tiredly into space, sat Will Solace.

Nico felt blood rise in his cheeks. "Um, Will?" he asked carefully.

Will flinched so badly he almost hit his elbow on the armrest of the chair. He turned to Nico and, seeing that he was awake, blushed and pulled his hand away hastily.

"I was just… taking your pulse," he explained quickly. Nico raised his eyebrows.

"I thought you did that at the wrist, not the palm."

Will blushed even more deeply. "Well, yeah," he said, keeping his eyes fixed on Nico's sheets, "but you, um… you were fading. Physical contact helps your spirit to hold on to this world," he added, sounding more confident with every word.

Nico nodded uncomfortably. He wasn't sure if he liked the way his hand was tingling. It reminded him too much of something he had wanted to leave behind. To distract himself, he scrutinized his healer.

Will's blush had faded completely, leaving his normally tan cheeks pale and sunken. There were deep circles under his eyes, and his eyelids were half closed, as if Will was struggling to keep them open. The boy was exhausted.

"Will, what day is it?" Nico asked.

"7th August," Will said, slurring slightly.

7th August. Nico had slept for two days. And Will had been healing the wounded from the battle against Gaea for seven. Nico looked up at him.

"When did you last sleep, Will?" he asked quietly.

"I… yesterday, I think," Will replied, somewhat uncertainly. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I got an hour or two before I dragged you in here."

"That was the day before yesterday," Nico corrected him. "You need to sleep, man!"

"I can't," Will said. "Not with half my healers wounded themselves. And we've run out of ambrosia!"

"One more day and they're going to run out of Will Solace," Nico said. "I can tell when people are close to death, remember?"

Will stared at him with furrowed brows. Nico managed to stare darkly back at him for a full ten seconds before he had to grin. The healer relaxed and slapped his arm.

"I almost believed you, idiot!"

"You totally believed me," Nico said.

"Did not."

"Did, too."

"Did not!"

"Yes, you did," Nico said, sitting up in his bed, "because you're a healer and you know exactly what a stupid idea it is to go for days without sleep. Only you're too bloody noble to look after your own health as long as anyone else has so much as a nosebleed!"

Will stared at him, taken aback. Nico realised he was glaring at him and hurriedly changed his expression into a regretful smile.

"Sorry," he said, lowering his eyes. "I just… I don't like to see you all weary and exhausted. And I am worried about your health. Please sleep." He looked up at Will and grinned. "Doctor's orders."

The healer relaxed and flashed a quick grin back at him. Then he ran his hands over his face tiredly. "I could use a nap," he admitted. "I'm just afraid that something happens to one of my patients while I'm away, and I'm not here to help them."

"You're not abandoning them completely," Nico reasoned. "There'll be healers with them, and if anything requires your attention, I think they can be trusted to run the hundred yards to your cabin."

Will sighed. "I know," he said. "I just like to be close to my patients, that's all."

"Why don't you sleep in the infirmary then?" Nico asked.

"Almost all our beds are occupied, and the few that are free we need for possible emergencies."

"Couldn't you just get up when – if – somebody needs your bed?"

"Wouldn't be hygienic."

Nico rolled his eyes. "You are one pigheaded fellow, Solace."

"As are you, death boy," Will replied, grinning.

Nico cocked his head. "Tell you what," he said, "You're gonna sleep in my bed. I need to stretch my legs anyway." He pulled back his blanket and moved to stand up, only to be stopped by Will's outstretched arm.

"When I said 'three days infirmary', I meant three days infirmary. You're not leaving this place before tomorrow afternoon." Will put his hands on Nico's chest and pushed him gently back down. "You need your rest at least as much as I do."

"I've just slept for two days straight! Anyway, you need to sleep somewhere."

"Not in a patient's bed."

"What if I sit at the bedside? I won't leave the infirmary. I won't even leave this compartment. I won't even get up, just sit upright for a few hours. You can't tell me I'm too weak to sit."

"No, you're not," Will admitted, swaying slightly. Nico raised his eyebrows. "Oh, alright, fine," Will said, sighing. "But don't you dare leave while I'm asleep. The other healers know you're not supposed to be out of bed, they'll stop you."

"Alright, alright," Nico said, taking Will by the shoulders and pushing him down onto the bed. "Just sleep, okay?"

He moved over to the edge of the bed while Will took off his shoes and curled up next to him. The son of Apollo closed his eyes and lay still for a minute, then he rolled over to lie on his other side. Within the next two minutes he rolled again, from his left to his back, from his back to his belly and from there back to his right side. Eventually, his eyes snapped open again.

"I can't sleep."

"Evidently."

"I feel like there's so much to do. I can't just lie around like this."

"Will."

"What? I'm just not that kind of guy."

"If 'that kind of guy' means having to sleep every couple of days, everyone's 'that kind of guy'."

"But…"

"Shut up," Nico said gently. Will obeyed. "Close your eyes," Nico instructed. He waited until the healer had done so, then he closed his eyes, too. Painful memories arose, of his sister singing to him many years ago, after their mother had been killed… but he pushed them away. It was the song he wanted to remember now, that and nothing else.

"Non è la morte la fin del amore…"

His voice was high and clear, but it had a dark resonance to it, a sound that hinted at the pain the boy was carrying. And even though Nico sang quietly, his voice seemed to fill the entire compartment. Already, Will's breathing was starting to slow down. Nico smiled. Sometimes having power over dreams was even more useful than commanding the dead.

"Anche le tombe son tempi de fiore–"

He stopped. Will had taken his hand.

"Don't stop," the boy mumbled sleepily. "I'm… just making… sure. That you don't leave. Doctor's… orders." He hadn't even opened his eyes to speak. Nico smiled again, and ran his thumb gently over the back of Will's hand. I won't leave, he promised silently as he sang.

"Pregò l'amante, l'amante che more

Prece e ricordi dell'antico fiore

Pregò l'amante, l'amante che more

Prece e ricordi dell'antico fiore."