"Are you sure it looks okay?"

Will smoothed out his black gown for the millionth time.

He tugged at the brim of his graduation cap, giving it a skewed rebellious look Nico couldn't help but find attractive.

"You look fine, Caro," he assured Will tucking a fold on his collar for him.

"I better," Will groused "Mom will take an estimated three billion pictures and if I have spinach on my teeth in them..."

"You hate spinach," Nico pointed out.

Will sighed. "Not the point, man!"

"Fine, fine," Nico chuckled. Will scowled and fussed with his collar.

Nico stopped his hand.

"You know I'm really proud of you, Caro," he said affectionately.

Will smile tenderly. "It's you I'm proud of" he said "You're so far from that scared little boy I hardly recognize you half the time."

Nico smiled "It's thanks to you I'm not that scared little boy anymore."

Will shook his head. "No...It's like you told Hazel...you can be given a second chance but you have to take it. You took it, Nico. You beat the odds."

Nico smiled. He leaned in to kiss Will when the door opened. They both leaped away.

Eli was beaming radiantly at them from the door.

"Momma wants you to come to the car!" he said proudly with a toothy smile.

"Oh...okay, Eli..." Will breathed, a hand over his heart

When Eli left, his message, complete, Will looked grimly at Nico "Well, here it is. Moment of truth."

Nico grinned and leaned back in and kissed him gently.

"You're going to be fine, Caro." Nico said with finality.

At last, Will smiled. "You're right. This is just the winter of our discontent, is all."

Nioc looked at him strangely. "Will...it's summer."

Will rolled his eyes. "You really have to start reading things beside The Amazing Spiderman."

"Whatever. That's your job. You're the graduate, graduate." Nico laughed, poking Will as they got up to go to the car.

Later that day, after most of the alphabet, Will was finally called across the stage. Nico thought he looked taller, older even as he took his degree and shook his principal's hand.

He thought of Will in a year, going off to premed. In Five, going to Med school. In eight, an intern and then resident and then a full fledged doctor. Thought of himself being by his side for all of it.

Looking up at Will's smiling face as he walked down the stage, Nico couldn't help thinking odds could be beaten after all.

A/n: Sorry for being MIA for so long! Recently, I graduated from college, moved, and began graduate school. I've been very busy getting settled into my new place and school.

But I'm back and I want to thank you guys for still reading my work! You guys are great...thank you for your patience and as always thank you for reading!