Hello Readers! Thank you for opening my story.
This story works as a standalone, but is set as a prequel for a PJO/VLD crossover that I am attempting to write.
Please be warned that there is gore and severe abuse - it's T for a reason!
"Hey Bianca!"
Percy Jackson waved over the sea of pupils at his black-haired, freckled friend. They elbowed their way toward each other as they were carried down the hall and through the doors by the human tide. It was the last day of the semester, and nobody wanted to infringe on their Christmas vacation any longer than absolutely necessary.
"Percy!" laughed Bianca DiAngelo when she'd gotten close enough to reach for him. He pulled her over to the side of the current, and they leapt over the rail rather than try to navigate the stairs in the confusion.
When they'd landed, still laughing, Bianca peered back into the school, looking for her little brother.
"I hope Nico isn't still mad at me," she said.
"Why's Nico mad?" Percy asked, patting around in the dirt in search of his pen. He'd already lost five that day, and he hated losing more than that in a day, because they came in packs of five.
"'Cause I'm going to the beach with the girl scouts tomorrow night."
"You are?" Percy found the cap without the pen, and stood in resignation. "That's quite a coincidence, because I'm going to the beach tomorrow night, too."
Bianca looked over at Percy, trying to be stern, but her eyes danced. "Percy, I'm going with the girl scouts."
Percy smirked, the infuriating smirk he knew Bianca loved. "Well, I'm going alone," he said. "But that doesn't mean we won't run into each other. Coincidentally, that is."
"Of course." The last of Bianca's sternness dissolved into smiles.
"Bianca!" Nico's voice piped over the general hubbub, making both older children turn. Nico couldn't be seen over the crowd, being too short, but he jumped up and down, waving, and his hand appeared and disappeared. Bianca waved back, and Percy jumped up on the railing and hauled the little boy over the edge. It wasn't hard; Nico was too small and thin for his age. He was getting stronger under Mr. Brunner's care, but too many years of bad foster homes were hard to erase.
"Bianca, I got an A on my report card!" The boy giggled. "Can we go to Bibi's Bagels? Like, tomorrow?"
"Nico," Bianca sighed. "You're just trying to stop me from going out with the girl scouts tomorrow. Jealousy isn't becoming."
Nico pouted. "I don't want you to go," he whined.
Bianca pursed her lips. "We can go to Bibi's Bagels right now, though. And next week while we're out of school, we'll go to the shelter and get a kitten just like I promised. Want to come, Percy?"
Percy did, but he saw that Nico needed time with his sister. Besides, it was his mom's early afternoon off, and he wanted to be home for her. So he shook his head.
"You guys go ahead," he said. "I'll see you in the morning."
Bianca shot him a worried look, but Nico was tugging excitedly on her sleeve, so she allowed herself to be pulled off, leaving Percy by the school, working up his nerve to go home.
"Hey, kid."
The harsh voice of Percy's stepfather, Gabe, cut the boy's ears as soon as he opened the door. Percy controlled the violent flinch the words elicited- just.
The smell of liquor and vomit, stale chips and sweat and blood, flooded the apartment. Percy made sure he'd beaten his mom home, then forced himself to walk into the living room.
"About time you showed up," Gabe drawled. He was already drunk, and in the middle of a poker game. "Cash. Now."
Percy bit his lip in frustration. He'd told Gabe he made less than he really did at his after school job, but he couldn't hide the whole job. He pulled a handful of bills from his pocket.
"They're all ones," Gabe complained. "And there should be more."
"I had to buy pens," Percy snapped.
Gabe snorted. "You always have to buy pens. It's a waste of money."
So is playing poker and drinking, Percy thought, but he kept his mouth shut. He'd learned the hard way to pick his battles. He went to his room and unslung his backpack. There was still time before his Mom was due home, so he flopped onto his bed, letting his mind wander to Nico and Bianca, imagining them at Bibi's Bagels. He knew exactly what flavors each of them would pick, and he mentally went through the process of picking his own, sitting with them, stealing Nico's onions and Bianca's poppy seeds, and laughing the whole time.
The sound of the door woke him from the daydream. He sprang from his bed as quietly as possible and crept down the hall. In the living room, Gabe was making lewd comments to his poker buddies, manhandling Percy's mom. Sally, looking tired and uncomfortable, was obviously trying not to struggle too much. Percy was about to spring into the room when she caught his eye, sending a clear message. I'm ok for now, save it.
"I'm off to make dinner, dear," she said to Gabe. "And I can make some bean dip for while you're waiting. Would you like that?"
Gabe, who liked food more than almost anything, except perhaps beer or poker, let her go with obvious reluctance. Percy let himself relax, and faded back into the hall, heading to the kitchen through its other door. Sally's tired face creased with a smile when she saw her son.
"Percy." She gave him a hug, and Percy felt the tension of the day drain from her muscles as he squeezed back. "How was school?"
"Great," Percy fudged. "Bianca's social studies report won the honor medallion, and Nico got his first A."
Sally let out a pained sigh. She knew her son well enough to see right through his efforts to hide his own drowning grades.
"We'd better start that dip," Percy said quickly. Sally allowed herself to be distracted, but only because Percy was right. Gabe wouldn't be oblivious forever.
Together, mother and son prepared the dip, and Percy delivered it while Sally started dinner.
Percy loathed the time he had to spend in the same room as Gabe. He couldn't wait to be back with his mother, blissfully alone. It always felt like he was holding his breath, waiting for the disaster he knew better than to think wouldn't come.
It came after dinner, when Gabe's poker buddies were gone. Percy and Sally were doing the dishes together, and there was a football game blasting in the living room. Percy heard the sounds of the commentators wrapping up after the game, just before Gabe's voice rang out.
"Sally! Come here!"
Percy and Sally tensed simultaneously. Percy put out a hand, telling his mother to wait, and walked into the living room, reflexes taut.
Gabe peered up through bloodshot eyes. "I called your mother." The rough gravelly tone of his voice scratched at Percy's ears.
"She's busy," said Percy.
"I don't care what she's doing. I'm the man of this house, and I say she gets over here now."
Percy grit his teeth. "You're no man of this house," he muttered.
He didn't plan on ducking. A person with normal reflexes wouldn't even have seen the swinging backhand coming. By the time Percy realized what had happened, he was crouched, hands up, watching Gabe stumble from the force of his own swing.
Uh-oh.
Gabe screamed in rage and dove at Percy, teeth bared. Percy rolled to the side, then pushed the off-balance Gabe to the floor. The drunk was more tipsy than usual, and Percy dared to hope that he could tire the man out before Sally got involved.
For nearly ten minutes, they danced around the living room, little more than cuffs being exchanged: in Gabe's state, he couldn't land much better, and Percy dared not hurt the man seriously.
It all went wrong when Percy tried to avoid Gabe's latest strike by vaulting over the couch. Gabe caught him with sudden force between the shoulder blades as he sailed through the air. Percy fell, and his face met the coffee table. For a moment, the world went black.
When he awoke, one eye was swollen shut. The other fluttered open to see his mother cradling him.
"Percy, my baby," she whispered, sobbing.
"Mom," Percy croaked. "Get out of here."
But it was too late. Sally screeched in pain as Gabe grabbed her arm roughly and jerked her up. Percy tried to get up, to race to her rescue, but he couldn't make himself move. His head swam, and something sticky was oozing over his swollen eye. He heard Gabe drag Sally down the hall, heard the bedroom door slam. There was agonized silence for several minutes, then a bloodcurdling scream tore through the apartment.
Percy felt wetness prick at the back of his eyes. He never cried—he'd made sure of that years ago—but even letting his guard down this much was something he hated. Tonight, though, as his breath grew more and more ragged both with sobs and with pain, he could only lay on the floor, alone and defeated.
Percy hissed as Bianca pressed the gauze against his eye. The sting of alcohol entering his wound made him suck in his lips, but it grounded him, too. Bianca's fingers were so gentle, her voice so relaxing, that she could completely unwind him. The pain helped him focus.
He'd waited until Mr. Brunner left with Nico on an errand before sneaking around to the back of Bianca's house. She'd been there in the kitchen, waiting for him, all her supplies spread on the counter. Sometimes, Percy wondered if Mr. Brunner knew what was going on, since he always seemed to be out—taking Nico—when Percy needed Bianca the most. If he did, though, the man never said anything, for which Percy was grateful.
"Hold this," Bianca instructed, pulling a minty teabag from a cup of boiling water and pressing it to Percy's eye. The heat burned at first, but soon he could feel the soothing draw. While he held the teabag, Bianca opened a tube of arnica and reached under Percy's shirt to rub the gel between his shoulder blades. She knew just how much pressure to apply to massage it in without making the bruise worse. Percy, who hadn't been able to move his arms more than a few inches all morning, sighed.
He swallowed the last of the oral arnica he'd been sucking just as she finished with his back. He reached under the teabag tentatively, feeling the split in his eyebrow. That would be hard to hide. Bianca gave him a wry smile as she came around, wiping her hands on a paper towel. She set two cups of strong, hot peppermint tea on the table and sat beside Percy, just close enough that their shoulders brushed when they breathed.
Soothing silence flowed between them. They sipped their tea. Percy let his elbow drift across the table until it was against Bianca's; the movement didn't hurt his back as much as it would have a few minutes earlier.
"How's your mom?" Bianca kept her eyes on the steam curling from her mug as she spoke.
"She skipped out to work pretty quick this morning," Percy said, wincing when he tried to frown. "But I guess Gabe passed out less than ten minutes after they left me, so it was over sooner than other times."
The silence swirled around them again. Percy felt the familiar tide of resentment trying to bubble to the surface.
"Why, Bianca?" The waves broke with a sickening surge. "Why are we stuck with this jerk?"
Bianca didn't answer. She laid her head on Percy's shoulder.
"Mom married him because she was having trouble taking care of me alone," Percy started, answering his own question. "She was afraid she wouldn't be able to keep it up as I got older. Gabe was so slick then. He owned a business, he said. He could work from home, he said, so that on the days when my mom worked someone would be there to watch me. He could take good care of us, he said. And never mind that he had the police chief in his back pocket."
Bianca snuggled closer. Percy didn't have to explain to her what came next. In a small, seaside island town, whoever owned the police chief could get away with murder. Sally had no recourse once she and Gabe were legally married. Bianca knew all too well how easy it was to be forgotten in plain sight. Sometimes, when she wasn't careful, Percy caught a glimpse of the terrible scar on the back of her neck from the hit she'd taken for Nico in a particularly bad foster home.
Percy put his arm around Bianca stiffly. In a few minutes, he'd have to leave for work, a task that would have seemed impossible without her expert care. For a last long moment, he just enjoyed her presence.
He didn't know what he'd do without Bianca.
After work, Percy slipped home to gather his things for the beach, just in case, even though another plan had started to form in his head instead. He went unnoticed, since Gabe was still feeling the effects of the previous night.
Bully for him.
Percy waited until Bianca was gone before knocking on Mr. Brunner's door. The wheelchair-bound latin teacher smiled as he opened the door.
"Good Evening, Percy," he said.
"Hey Mr. Brunner!" Percy genuinely liked the man, and always had a grin for him.
"Percy Percy!" Nico shoved past his guardian and dove at Percy, making the older boy laugh.
"Hiya, Nico!" He squashed the little hellion, enjoying the warm, contented feeling that blossomed inside him. For some reason, he and Nico had bonded quickly after the DiAngelo's had moved to town. Percy had come to care for the boy like he was his own flesh and blood, the little brother he'd never had the chance to have.
Nico pulled back. "Are you going to the beach?" His dark eyes were so piercing. Percy still couldn't get used to the way they seemed to see right into your soul.
"Well…" Percy grinned. "I was going to, but I thought maybe you and I could hang out, play some video games, make bagel pizzas, whatever you'd…"
"NO!" The force of Nico's shout drove Percy back a step.
"Nico," Percy began, "just because you didn't get your way earlier…"
"You don't understand! No one understands!" The boy scrunched his face in an effort to hide the tears forming in his eyes. "You all think I'm jealous, but I'm not!"
Percy squatted down, feeling the pull in his eyebrow as he frowned. "Then what's the trouble? You can tell me, it's ok."
"I didn't want Bianca to go 'cause she's in danger!" The boy wailed.
Percy stiffened. "What kind of danger? How do you know?"
"I don't know! I just feel it!" Nico broke down then, sobbing. "Nobody will believe me!"
"There now, just a minute!" Percy folded the little boy in his arms. "I never said I didn't believe you." He didn't know what to think, but it was true that Nico seemed to have a sixth sense about certain things, and right now he needed comfort and validation. Percy glanced up at Mr. Brunner, but the man just shook his head, forehead creased with concern and helplessness.
Nico cried himself out, then held Percy at arm's length, staring straight into his eyes with sudden seriousness. "You have to go find her. Watch her. Make sure she gets back ok."
"If that's what you really want," Percy said gently.
"She needs you," insisted Nico. "You can save her. Promise me you'll bring her home safe."
A million things went through Percy's head. Bianca's strong willed personality, her penchant for adventure, the sudden storms that could arise on the island. But more than that, the knowledge that he couldn't survive without her, and neither could Nico.
He laid a hand on Nico's head as he stood. "I promise, squirt. You can stop worrying."
Nico smiled a wan, tentative smile laced with thanks, but all he said was "I'll stop worrying when she's back home."
Percy slung his beach bag over his shoulder and stepped onto the porch in the darkening winter twilight. The last he saw of Nico was the little boy peering out the window, his huge, dark eyes following Percy down the walk, his white hands gripping the sill.
The cool, salty breeze ruffled Percy's hair as he spread his blanket on the side of a sand dune. He enjoyed the feeling too much to give in and put up the hood of his cozy sweatshirt. He'd chosen his spot perfectly. In maybe twenty minutes, the girls would 'happen' upon him, from the other side of the dune, so they wouldn't see him until the last minute. Meanwhile, he had time to just enjoy the view to sea.
He lay back, taking a deep breath. Immediately, he felt the sensation of home. From here, he could see the shipping lane that his father had travelled all his life. He could see the straits that only his family had been able to sail safely for generations. He could also see the place, far in the distance, where his father had died in an hundred-year storm a decade ago. Percy realized it was almost the ten year anniversary of the fateful day. He closed his eyes, losing himself in the sound of the waves, imagining the feel of a rocking boat beneath his feet, and remembering, as well as he could, his father's face. It was more of a feeling, really, than an image. His Father leaning over him in the cradle. His father scooping him up and swinging him round and round. The deep, warm chuckle that rumbled from the broad chest, and the tickle of a dark beard.
So content was Percy, the feeling of floating (both physically and emotionally) overwhelming him, that when he heard the giggles from the top of the dune, he started.
"Percy!" shrieked Bianca, her surprised voice high with mirth, as she nearly tripped over him.
Percy didn't bother to get up, but he made an awkward mock-bow from his splayed position. "Ladies," he said with his trademark smirk.
"Percy Jackson!" One of the girl scouts frowned down at him. "How dare you interrupt us."
"Hey," said Percy. "I was just lying down here minding my own business. You're the ones interrupting."
Bianca shot him a wry, amused glance, but she didn't say a word.
Of course, ten minutes later he was strolling down the beach road, proudly pocketing his change. He'd bought the girl scouts ice cream with his afternoon's paycheck, and he was walking on air. Bianca was draped over his arm, laughing - probably at him.
Percy didn't mind being the butt of the girls' jokes, though. He may have gotten the reputation of a terrible flirt, but he really just loved the girls' company. They were so giggly and dramatic over the smallest things; it made him feel like his own problems were smaller.
They were heading back to town, a chill wind making the damp ground slick under their feet. It had started to drizzle; Percy had given up and pulled his hood tight around his face. Beside them, the trucking route recently built across the archipelago - a series of graceful bridges that had given shipping some competition - was nearly deserted.
Suddenly, a tiny noise reached their ears. It sounded like crying, and Bianca, always tenderhearted, stopped to listen. Her eyes found the source right away.
"Percy, look!" she gasped. There, in the middle of the highway, a kitten sobbed. How it had gotten there, Percy could only guess, but it was clear that it was hurt and frightened. There was no way it could escape on its own.
"I have to get it," Bianca murmured.
"Bianca, no," Percy said, suddenly getting a horrible feeling.
"Percy, it's in trouble. Plus, Nico was so upset about me leaving him tonight; maybe if I bring a kitten home he'll forgive me. I did promise him a kitten."
"From the shelter," Percy reminded, but Bianca was deaf to his protest. She stepped out toward the highway.
"There's no traffic, I can get in and out quickly," she said.
Percy grabbed her arm. Bianca looked at him, and they stared into each other's eyes for a long moment.
"You can save her. Promise me you'll bring her home safe."
Percy's grip tightened as Nico's words echoed through his head, but Bianca pried away.
"I promise, squirt. You can stop worrying."
And yet, he just stood there, frozen, as Bianca looked both ways and darted into the road.
She made it to the kitten and picked it up, cradling it gently. It curled into her chest.
Come on, Percy thought. You have the kitten, now get out of there.
Right where they were standing, there was a curve in the highway. Around that curve, just at that moment, barreled an 18-wheeler. It was going far too fast for the slippery archipelago roads, and by the time anyone saw what was about to happen, it was far too late.
Tires screeched. Time stood still. For one awful heartbeat, Bianca looked up at the oncoming truck, perfectly illuminated in the headlights. She was beautiful, black hair blowing in the truck's draft, clutching the kitten in her thin arms, unnaturally white skin glowing in the blinding light. The rain seemed to freeze in the air, streaks of moonlight surrounding an angel of mercy.
Just for an instant, an etherial peace reigned.
And then everything shattered. Glass cracked. Blood spattered. The truck swerved violently, fishtailing on the ice. Percy couldn't have torn his eyes away if he'd wanted to.
It was over nearly before it had begun. Percy ran out into the road, disregarding his own safety, and fell to his knees beside the limp figure. The rain came harder now, but he could barely feel the wetness as it soaked through his hoodie. He didn't know whether his cheeks were wetter from the rain or his tears, but he didn't care.
"Bianca," he whispered, hands hovering. He was afraid to touch her, to even look, but he forced his eyes to rake over her body. No amount of arnica was going to fix this; nothing was going to fix this.
Losing all inhibitions in the wild grief the realization brought, Percy grabbed her, hugging her tight to his chest. She gasped at the motion, and he pulled back to stare into her eyes. They were too bright and distant.
"Percy," she rasped, the sound so forced, so painful.
"Ssh," Percy murmured, fighting his tears. "Don't strain yourself."
"Percy," she said again, more insistent. "You have to promise me something."
"Anything." Percy's fingers tightened.
"Promise me you'll look after Nico. Be everything I wanted to be for him. I know you'll do a better job than I could."
"No one could do better than you," Percy said. "You were the best. Bianca, I can't replace you- I can't get on without you! Don't leave me!" He was starting to shake now, nearly blind with grief.
"Promise me, Percy."
She was so cold now, and growing heavier in Percy's arms, but the pleading in her eyes was keeping her awake. For a moment, Percy thought about refusing. If he did, maybe she'd hang on. But then he looked down at the street. Despite the rain, he could tell that she was losing too much blood. He couldn't deny her peace.
"I promise," he choked.
Bianca smiled then, and relaxed a little. "You are so strong," she breathed, barely audible now. "You are a survivor. I couldn't ask for a better brother for Nico. I know I'm leaving him in good hands."
"Bianca!" Percy cried, tightening his arms around her, panic clawing at his chest.
"I love you, Percy." Her eyes drifted shut, and he had to put his ear to her mouth to hear.
"I love you too," he said, and he felt her lips, cold and thin, press into his cheek.
"Tell Nico…"
Percy pulled up enough to look into Bianca's face when she didn't finish. Just for a moment, her eyes dragged open, and he saw all the things she wanted Nico to know brimming inside her, unable to get out.
"I'll tell him," Percy whispered.
Bianca smiled then, and closed her eyes, letting out a slow breath. It wasn't until a full minute had passed that Percy realized she wasn't going to take another one.
"Bianca!" he screamed, and then the sobs took him, shaking him so hard that he could do nothing but surrender to them, burying his face in Bianca's hair.
How much time passed, he didn't know. He would learn later that the truck had managed to stop half a mile down the road, and the driver had called 9-1-1. In the moment, though, the next thing he knew was a brawny hand on his shoulder as a paramedic gently pried him back. Percy resisted at first, but he'd lost all his strength. He felt a thousand years old and as if life had just begun all at once.
The paramedics swarmed Bianca, but Percy knew it was too late. Slowly, the glow of police lights crept into his vision as they blocked the curve. They were moving Bianca now, and his attention snapped back numbly. Her arms slipped open, and there, clutched safe and sound against her chest, was the kitten. It was a smokey tiger-stripe creature, mewing in fright, but entirely unhurt. Percy broke down again, realizing she'd managed to save the tiny life, even though it had been at the expense of her own.
At some point, he was escorted back to town. He didn't want to leave Bianca, but they finally got him to move when she was put in the ambulance. He was in the back of a police car when his phone rang. He felt like a rock dropped in his stomach when Mr. Brunner's number flashed onto the screen.
"Percy," the man's voice cut into Percy's ear as soon as he answered. "Nico is going crazy. He's babbling something about Bianca- I tried to call and she's not answering. What's going on? Can you come over?"
Percy couldn't make his voice work for several minutes. "Yeah, I'll be right over," he finally managed.
He didn't know what he was going to tell Nico.
It wasn't until Percy got out of the police car that he realized he was covered in blood. He looked down dumbly, unable to understand or care. Someone had also brought his beach bag, and he kitten was peeking out. He blinked at it, frowning. After a moment, he staggered toward Mr. Brunner's house.
The door flew open, and Nico raced out, eyes wild, face white. He stopped on the stairs, searching Percy.
"NOOOO!" He screamed, and any part of Percy's soul that might still have been in tact broke at the sound. Nico fell to his knees, and Percy managed to go over to him before collapsing himself.
"Nico, I'm sorry," he whispered, reaching out to hold the thin arms.
"You promised!" Nico yanked back.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry." Percy could barely speak around the lump in his throat.
"How could you?"
"I tried." The words sounded lame as they slipped from Percy's lips, even to his own ears.
"No," Nico shook his head.
Percy's fingers trembled. "She told me to tell you she loved you."
"Stop," Nico said, but Percy couldn't stop. He needed to get it out before he shut down forever.
"She loved you so much, and she was sorry to leave you so soon, but she wanted you to have all the best."
"What happened," Nico demanded; eyes, burning with hate and grief, boring into Percy's.
"She saw a kitten in the road," Percy finally managed to say, throat closing against the words. "She felt bad about leaving you on such bad terms, and thought you'd forgive her if she brought it home. Plus, you know she couldn't let a living creature suffer. She had to save it."
Percy reached into his beach bag then, and pulled out the soaked kitten. Nico's eyes snapped to it, and loathing filled them.
"Take it away!" he shouted, shaking violently.
"She saved it, Nico," Percy sobbed. "She saved it." But not herself.
"I hate it! I hate it! I hate you!" Nico shoved Percy hard, then took off, running into the house.
Percy wanted to go after him. He wanted to comfort him. But he couldn't even make himself get off the walk. The rain was still falling, more sleet than anything now, and he could only sit there and cry.
It wasn't until later that the sound of wheels on the ramp brought him out of his stupor.
Mr. Brunner laid a hand on Percy's head. Percy leaned into the man's lap, unable to pull himself together, and Mr. Brunner patted his head until the boy's tears dried and his breath evened out.
"It's not your fault, Percy," he said gently. "There was nothing you could do. Bianca was a strong willed girl."
He might have been right, too. But all Percy could think was that he should have tried harder. After all…
"I promised," he mumbled. "Mr. Brunner, I promised him."
The funeral came and went. Percy had no memory of it, or of anything else from the following months.
Nico was gone. He'd run away that night. It felt like a failure on Percy's part; taking care of Nico had been Bianca's last wish.
Percy kept the kitten. He couldn't bear to give it up after Bianca had sacrificed everything to save it. The little thing never grew very big, but it was strong and loyal, and saved Percy from Gabe more times than the boy could count.
Life went on. Gabe hung on for another year and a half before his lifestyle killed him. Percy took care of his mom with a fierceness he hadn't had before.
Most of all, he never stopped worrying about Nico. He thought of the little boy every day, hoping that he was safe, and had found someone to comfort him, wherever he'd ended up. He swore to himself that if he ever got a second chance, he wouldn't waste it.
He wouldn't fail a DiAngelo again.