Will Solace- Demigod

"When was the last time you slept?"

"Last night." He answered not stopping. He carried another pack of first aid supplies to the Hospital wing. Before he got two feet a small hand stopped him. He whinced a flash of fear realizing her hand was inches from his secret.

"Don't lie. When was the last time you slept?" Nyssa asked again.

He didn't look at her directly. He knew she would notice soon enough. Perphaps she hadn't figured it out entirely. But he answered the same again.

"Last night. Can you please move? I have to get these to Crabbe's room." He pushed past her hand and strolled out into the hall way. 

"What you have to do is Take a  seat and sleep!" Nyssa protested. He kept walking forcing her to scurry after him. He hoped in the little corner of his mind that she'd give up and head back to her house. The bigger part of him knew she wasn't going to stop. He just prayed that she couldn't see he was shaking. 

"Nyssa, I appreciate you looking out for me, but I assure you I am fine. I have had enough sleep to-" He started but suddenly he stumbled, dropping his first aid pack, and grabbing the wall to steady himself.

"Will!" 

"Shut Up!" He snapped at her.

Nyssa looked taken aback. He closed his hands into fists, trying to stop the shaking. "Gods..." He muttered under his breath. The world seemed to spin for a moment and he dropped to his knees trying to pick up the random assortment of medicines. 

He took a controlled breath. "Nyssa, I swear on the River Styx I am fine." He said. For once the echoing thunder that would have been reassuring, like a sign that their parents were still watching, didn't happen. He cursed silently in his head, wiping away his watery eyes before anyone could see.

"You still are a stupid idiot, aren't you?" He heard Nyssa say. "Still believing they're up there. Idiot, they're gone."

"What is your problem?" He snapped up at Nyssa. Confusion flashed on her face. "Go pester someone else!" He glared at her. "And leave my dad out of it next time!"

"I-I...I didn't say anything about you're dad," Nyssa stammered, shrinking away. "I didn't say anything at all."

He looked at her before realization hit he sat back on his hindquarters and ran a hand through his greasy blond hair. Styx, how long had it been since he showered? He couldn't remember. His headache started to build, a massive throb in his skull. Nyssa's question started to sink in. 

"When was the last time you slept?" 

He could see his reflection on the polished floors of the hospital as he counted back the days. He had deep bags under his eyes. His blonde hair was slick with grease. His camp Half-blood T-shirt was wrinkled and covered in stains. How many days had it been? He received Crabbe, who was sick with some sort of delusions, two days ago. Dakota had brought in a demigod who had tried to commit suicide earlier little before that, Thursday maybe? 

Jessica (AN: there she is again...) had arrived half carrying, half dragging a family of mortals, that had been caught in a crossfire, trying to protect some mutants, probably a day before that.

Five Days. He hadn't slept in five days. Blood roared in his ears as Nyssa sat next to him and rubbed his back. What was he doing still here? There were people still in his hospital clinging to life by a thread. 

"Di immortas." He hissed struggling to his feet. "Crabbe-"

"He's fine, Will!" Nyssa said shoving him back down. "Unlike you! you need to sit down and rest-!"

"I told you i'm fine-!"

"No you are not-!"

"I SAID I'M FINE!" He roared pushing her away. "Gods of freaking Olympus!" He grabbed the first aid pack and walked away. He was shaking but he couldn't stop now. He had work to do. People were depending on him. He couldn't let them down. He didn't hear Nyssa following him and worked hard to keep the guilt  out of his mind. 

She was just trying to help.

He didn't need her help. He said it himself-- he was fine.

Yes, hearing things and shaking uncontrollably is fine.

"Shut up." He mumbled to himself. He stopped outside a door, lightly opening it and stepping inside. 

The room was white with blue trimming around it, a hospital bed and IV tube sat in the corner and a TV hung from the ceiling. On the bed Crabbe laid deep in sleep, a monitor  next to him beeping out his heart rate.

He set the first aid kit down on the bed side table for the next volunteer that stepped in to feed Crabbe. He quietly stepped back to the door, that was until the heart monitor started beeping wildly. 

Will whipped around, to where Crabbe was thrashing in his bed, cursing. The patient's eyes were open but he wasn't see anything. Crabbe's face was contorted in fear and anger, a silent screaming in his mouth, like choking on water, which in retrospect isn't silent, but he didn't have time to think about it. 

Will raced back to his side flinging open the medicine box and pulling out a needle. It would've been easier if -a, he was qualified for this or b, he had a second person helping him. He guessed being a Son of Apollo made him qualified but it didn't make him feel better.

With one hand he tried to steady Crabbe's arm. Bad move. White hot pain arched in his face causing him to stumble backwards and fall. Crabbe's flailing arms swung around swatting at invisible attackers. 

Will muttered a couple choice words in Greek.

He readjusted his grip on the needle and prayed for just a little luck. He pulled himself up to his feet, a motion that shouldn't have made him dizzy. He calmly strolled back over to Crabbe, dodging a flurry of kicks and punches and struck his arm.

He wouldn't recommend doing this at home.

Hades, he wouldn't recommend doing it ever.

He stepped back as the sedation took effect. He very much doubted that if any other person attempted to stab a thrashing patient with a syringe, that it would hit its mark persciosly. Perks to being an Apollo kid.

He stepped back taking a deep breath. His head felt like it had been slammed by a wrecking ball repeatedly. Beads of sweat lined his brow. It wasn't long until he would start shaking again. He shook his head. He needed another pill.

He pulled the bottle from his shirt pocket, his hand unsteady. He nervously check for anyone else in the room. He was being stupid. He just had one eight minutes ago. But he didn't hestitate as he popped open the top to the orange contianter.

It started as an energy booster, something he didn't really need. But then it moved on to an antidepressant...or at least that's what he told himself. He needed to stay awake. He needed to find a cure. He needed to-

Suddenly the door burst open, scaring him into dropping the bottle and whipped around. The last thing he saw was a bright flash of flash of yellow and he fell on the floor.

He sat at his desk back at the Apollo Cabin furiously staring at the piece of paper in front of him. The rest of his cabin was at dinner and then probably at the campfire. He glanced around the empty cabin as if afraid someone was going to walk in. His hands twiddled nervously against his desk, his mind wandered far from his work. 

His breathing became ragged like he was out of breath. His eyes darted to mirror on the corner of the desk, looking specifically at a backpack that hung on the post of one of the beds behind him. He started shaking and clamped his hands into tight fists. He brought them up to his forehead and leaned on them against the desk.

"Dam." He whispered, his head pounded painfully. A hunger filled his thoughts, a yearning for something beyond his reach. His eyes were rimmed red, the type of a crazy person. 

With a shudddering sob, He picked himself off the desk. Tears lined his vision but he couldn't stop himself anymore. He ripped the bag off the post and dumped it out on his desk. He cursed himself, shifting through the mess of junk. 

His hand cleared away the bottles of nectar and other assorted mediances that were constantly found in the Apollo cabin. Crumpled papers, covered in long forgotten and terribly bad poems, were swept onto the floor. Shafts and points of arrows were shoved away, until only one signal thing remained in the middle of his desk--an orange bottle.

He squeezed his eyes shut holding back his hand. His fingers itched to pick up the bottle, his palms growing sweaty. He needed the pill. He needed it to focus. He needed it to live. He let a couple tears fall. The pounding in his head becoming unbarrable. 

He couldn't take it anymore. 

He greedily snatched the orange container up and popped the top. He quickly poured out two of the pill capsules and check to make sure no one was coming in. He honestly wished someone would come in and stop him. But his cabin was probably busy singing songs at the campfire making the flames rise high in the air.

"You could go join them."

Will nearly screamed and the pills tumbled from his hand. Standing behind him was a man in a white toga, with sunglasses. His blond hair was matted down and his usual cocky smile was replaced with a worrying frown, as if he was fretting over billions of things.

He felt panic rise in his chest making it hard to breath. "Dad! I-" He looked at the bottle in his hand. "It's not what it looks like!"

Apollo glowed a little. "Will, I've been watching." He said disappointment leaking into his voice. "I've seen you sneak out at night. I've seen you try to hide it. You can deny it for much longer. One of your siblings are going to find out, or even that Hephaestus girl, Nyssa! "

Will took a painful breath. He choked back a sob. "I don't know what your-."

"She worries about you. She knows something's up. Do you want her to find out? Do you want her catch you?! Everyday you take more and more of those little pills. Will, you have an-"

"Don't say it!" Will said, tears falling down his face.

"An-"

"SHUT UP!" Will screamed he covered his ears. Somehow he found himself on the ground sobbing. He clutched the stupid bottle in his hand. Apollo looked at him, his heart breaking to see his son like this.

"You have an addiction."

Will looked at him, feeling betrayal fuel his tears. He wanted to be angry. He wanted to be able to fight it, fight the hunger within him. But looking up at his father's godly face, the truth was written plainly.

Will had an addiction.

To a pill.

He was close to overdosing.

He sobbed. He didn't even try to hold back the tears. Pain flooded over him, his head throbbed. He held himself, trying to keep himself together. Images of his friends and family that had given their lives flashed through his mind, each more painful than the next. He couldn't do it. It was overwhelming.

"Will," Apollo said towering over him. "Let go of the bottle."

Will felt his chest constrict as if a snake was wrapped around him slowly squeezing him until he couldn't breathe.

"Will, let go of the bottle." He said a little more forcefully.

Well looked at the orange blob in his hand. He was holding it do tight his knuckles were white. All he had to do was open his hand....

"I can't." He croaked softly. "I can't do it. I'm too weak."

He felt Apollo step closer. He didn't move from his position on the floor. Tears stained his face hiccuping sobs filled the cabin's empty silence. Apollo knelt next to him, taking of his sunglasses.

"Look at me."  Apollo commanded. Will stared towards the voice, unable to see through his salty tears. "Will, you are not weak. Let go of the bottle."

Will was shaking his hand unsteady. The hunger for the antidepressant was omnipresent. He couldn't do it. It was his life line. It kept back the demons, stopped him from feeling the terrible sadness.

"Will, I need to tell you something." Apollo said. "The mortals have found out about us. The mist faded, along with Hectate. The minor gods are fading, Will, I am fading."

Will felt like his world was collapsing in on him. Fresh tears dropped down his face. He was shaking so bad he couldn't see.

"Will, I came to you tonight, not only to stop you from overdosing, but also to tell you that there is a place, that if the mortals decide to attack, that you can go to. The gods created it for you."

"Dad, I-I..."

"The directions are in this envelope." Apollo said putting the letter in his hand. It was blank and unmarked, but heavy. The pills rattled in the bottle in his hand.

Apollo looked at him, sudden fear in his face. "Will," He said. "When I...When I fade, I want you to stop. That's my last request. I want you to leave the antidepressants behind."

Will choked on a sob. "Please don't do this to me."

"Please Will?" Apollo said. "I want you to let go of the bottle."

Will closed his eyes. "I can't! I tried!"

"Just promise that you'll try!"

Will shook his head. His head screamed in denial. His dad couldn't do this to him. He couldn't let go. He was too weak. The pills made it easier to live. To pretend.

"Say the words please! Just let me hear them."

He felt his world break. "I promise."

For a second Apollo looked relieved like the weight the world had been lifted off his shoulders.Then just like that his eyes went suddenly wide. He gasped and fell backwards as if he had been punched. Fear and surprise were evident in his eyes.

"Will!" his voice came out like it was strangled. His body began to glow. Will watched in horror as his dad's form began to smoke and steam. The young god let out a heart wrenching scream of agony.

"Dad!" Will screamed.

Apollo looked at Will one last time. His face was brighter than the sun, making Will want to look away but he couldn't make himself. The temperature was rising rapidly, causing things to around him to burn up.

"You have to go!" Apollo yelled. "Run! "

He couldn't make his feet move. He seemed frozen to that position on the floor tears trails on his face, choking on sobs and the terrible truth. Frozen with fear.

"Go!"  Apollo raised his hand and he was flung out of the window the cabin. Will landed hard on the rocky ground. The air was knocked out of him leaving him gasping and unable to see. Glass landed all around him, showing him in cuts and scraps.

A loud echoing expansion rang in his ears. Screams from the other campers could be heard over the ringing. Someone yelled his name. His head filled with fractions of thoughts, pain that leaked from his cuts, anger at everything, everyone, and....

undeniable addiction.

He woke with a start, gasping for air. Almost immediately, he felt something heavy slamming into his face. Will bit down on his tongue, as his head jerked back. Stars exploded in his vision.

"You God awful, son of Apollo!" Nyssa fumed. Towering over him, her dark hair splayed behind her as she raged. Her eyes were red and puffy like she had just been crying. "You stupid, worthless, pathetic, foul, little- ugh!"

A metallic taste filled his mouth. Blood. She punched him with every insult. He tried to block her attacks but he couldn't move. Looking down, he saw she had tethered his arms and legs to one of the hospital bed.

"What is this?!" She finally demanded. In her hand was the orange bottle. The orange bottle that ruined his life. When he didn't answer she cried out in rage and slammed the bottle onto the ground.

He winced as the pills tumbled all over the floor.

"All this time! I can't believe you! Do you know how close you were to overdosing?!" She yelled.

"Nyssa-!" He croaked.

"Don't you "Nyssa" me! I tried to help you, you stubborn Hydra!" She punched him in the chest, so hard he could've sworn she fractured at least two of his ribs. "I got Harry to put a sleeping spell on your idiotic face, and what I find? You secretly ingesting pills! Gods!"

Will looked at her, inside he was breaking into a thousand pieces. Everything was coming to an end. His dad was gone, his camp was gone, people were laying in a hospital bed depending on him to keep them alive, but here he was, strapped to a bed, facing a raving Hephaestus girl, his broken promise and his....addiction.

"Sorry." He said. "I'm sorry!"

"Styx Will! Couldn't you see how much I loved you?! I thought Apollo's plan had worked. I guess I was mistaken." Nyssa wailed her tears ran down her face. But when she looked him in the eye, he saw a fire. A flame of determination. And he was terrified. "I made a promise to your father too. I told him I'd help you. I'm sorry, Will. But, this is for your own good."

She turned to the door shakily walking. Will's breath started to catch.

"Nyssa! Please! Don't!" He yelled to her. "Don't leave me! Please!"

Nyssa looked at him one last time. "You should've let go of the bottle." She turned around and walked out the door.

She left him in that room.

Without any pills.

Without anything to fuel the addiction.

And Will felt all the pain, the depression, the horrible sadness, he had been trying to avoid.

He screamed.

He cried.

He begged.

He should've kept his promise.

He should've let go of the bottle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yeah. Sorry. This is slightly over due... Sorry if it's terrible. Again I'm leaving on Thursday, do I probably won't have a chance to update. I promise I will have an update when I get back!  But for now...

Toodles!

~Greenninjagal