Hi, so I redid this story because it was kind of necessary. The other one was not written well. So here is the new and improved one. Enjoy!

Thanks

Percy peeked his small head through the apartment door. He had just arrived home from school. He had to take the subway to and fro from Yancy Academy because Stupid, Smelly Gabe was too cheap to have his babysitter, Maya, come pick him up. His blue school uniform fit snug around his body. The tie was knotted loosely around his small neck and his dark, raven-feathered hair was matted to his head with sweat. Percy looked around the apartment. Where was Maya? She usually waited for him outside of the short, bricked apartment building with a smile plastered on her face. His mother would be working at the candy store and arrive home about an hour later and Gabe—well he'd be lazily sitting in the torn, green recliner in the small living room in front of the box TV, a beer in hand. Once Percy's mother arrives home, Maya would leave Gabe wouldn't do anything and that would be a typical day. But today was not a typical day. When Percy had arrived outside of the apartment building and Maya wasn't in sight, he had suggested to himself that she was waiting inside. Maya had frizzy dark brown hair and chocolate skin. She was really nice and always played games with him. He ran in, pushing the glass door with little difficulty. Not seeing her in the lobby, he hurried into an empty elevator and went up three floors. Once the metallic doors opened, he ran towards his apartment door. He frowned, realizing that the spare key was not in its usual spot, underneath the door mat. Trying his luck, his hand latched onto the golden doorknob and hesitantly turned it. The door was unlocked. His eyebrows furrowed. The front door was never unlocked. Something was wrong. Always lock the door. He peeked through the crack in the door, one eye closed. The inside was messy, nothing unusual. Opening the door wider, he opened his other eye. He walked into the house, leaving the door open behind him. The TV was cracked and fidgeting awkwardly. Unusual. Beer bottles scattered the ground. Usual. His foot made a squishing sound as he stepped. Peering closer, the bottle was lying in a small pool of blood. Very unusual. Percy's sea green eyes widened. His breathing seemed louder as he walked towards the bedrooms. The master bedroom was in ruins. The white sheets were soaked in blood. A figure was hunched over the bed. Percy screamed bloody murder. Gabe was hunched over the bed with a bloody knife in his hand. The fire escape had a trail of blood after it and the window was shattered.

Gabe turned around. He had messy brown, thinning hair and a potbelly. His mother and Maya were nowhere in sight. "You," Gabe snarled. Blood trickled down the side of his face marring his already ugly face.

Percy's voice came out cracked and hoarse, "Where's mom…and," he took a breath, "Maya."

Gabe glared at him. "Don't speak their names you stupid piece of crap."

This enraged Percy and his small hands turned to fists. "Me? You're the one who can't seem to do anything! You have the nerve to call me a stupid piece of crap?"

Gabe lifted the knife intimidatingly. "I'm giving you thirty seconds to leave before I make you."

Percy backed out of the room slowly until he was out of sight. He ran to his bedroom grabbed the picture of him, his mom and Maya from that day they went to the beach and Gabe had come to the conclusion it was stupid. He ran out of the apartment's open door and ran down three flights of stairs, leaving bloody footprints. He held the picture inside his Yancy jacket pocket as he ran aimlessly through the streets of New York. Yancy was a few hours away on the subway so he usually made it home at around seven p.m. and by then it was dark. It was a colder night as it was already August 18th—Percy's 11th birthday. He felt tears spring to his eyes. Undoutbly, his mother would've made an awesome blue cake and—the wind picked up again. He'd been walking for hours by now. Percy squinted into the wind. It blew his hair into his eyes so he could barely see. He wrapped his arms tightly around himself. He looked both ways before crossing the street through the fog. Always look both ways before you cross. The words echoed through his head. But no, his mom wasn't here, he reminded himself. He was alone, and he was not about to run back to Gabe. He quickly turned the corner into the smelly back alley when his face came in contact with something else. Whatever it was, it caused him to fall roughly to the ground. He heard something cracking. Looking down, he saw his photo frame cracked but the picture itself was okay.

"I-I'm so sorry."

Percy slowly looked up at another face. A man's green eyes are stared back into his own green hues. Whoever he was, he stares into Percy's face like he's studying it, like he wants to memorize every little detail. Percy didn't know it then, but he did. The man's eyes averted to the picture in Percy's hand.

Percy butt-scoots back automatically stuffing the picture in his pocket again, tearing his uniform further. He's been with Gabe enough to be cautious about everyone—even when they looked as friendly as this man. "Wh-who are you?" He asked, forcing out the words. He squinted at the man. Recognition lit up Percy's face, "I know you."

The man chuckles nervously, digging his hands into his short pockets. He was wearing a green t-shirt along with blue shorts and sandals. "I am called by many names. But I think I do like Poseidon the best. What is your name?"

"Percy," he paused, "My name is Percy." Poseidon smiled at him. Percy stared at him, and then began a coughing fit. Percy blushed, embarrassed then stuck out his hand to shake. Always be polite.

Poseidon smiles and gladly accepts his hand, pulling up Percy in the process. "Well Percy, would you like to come with me?"

Never go with strangers, they can be dangerous.

Percy pulls his hand from Poseidon's. "I-I'm not—I can't." He seemed nice enough but he had rules he had to follow.

Poseidon sighs, "I'm not going to hurt you, Perseus."

Percy's head snapped up. "How do you—"

"Know your full name?" Poseidon inquired. "I'll tell you if you come with me.

Percy bitterly accepted, "Alright, fine."

"Follow me, Percy. Where is your mother?"

"She never came home," Percy sniffs and wipes his nose with the back of his hand then wipes his hand on his ripped pants. He could feel his eyes burning with tears so he quickly looked away. Poseidon's soft hand lightly turns his head towards his. He smelt like the ocean and is wearing shorts even though it's a really cold night.

"And your father?"

"Mom said he had to leave," Percy answered, shrugging. On the inside, Percy resented his father for leaving. Why couldn't he stay?

Poseidon grasps Percy's hand and begins to walk, pulling him along.

Percy slightly resists but, doesn't scream or struggle. He may only be eleven but he knew who to trust and who to not. They walked out of the alley, past a few homeless men. Percy could've sworn he saw a shadow following them, but he blinked and it was gone.

Poseidon looked around, obviously confused as to where he was going. "Percy, do you-"

"Mister, I saw a shadow," Percy blurted. He couldn't help it. His ADHD had a mind of its own.

Poseidon whips his head around. The man comes out of the shadow of the alley. He was wearing a long jacket and regular jeans underneath. He smirked at Poseidon.

"Poseidon. How nice it is to see you," a feminine voice says.

Poseidon opens his mouth, "Athena, please I-"

"Save it! Do you think I'm stupid? I understand Poseidon. I understand that you, as well have broken the oath. You and your brother can't seem to take things seriously. Can you? Can't believe that Hades is the only one that can though."

Poseidon sighs, obviously defeated, "What will it take to keep you quiet?" Percy looked between the two adults. Athena seemed to be ignoring him though, like he wasn't worth looking at.

Athena smirks, "Simple. You and your...child go and pick up my daughter. She's in Los Angeles, but unfortunately I don't have the time to visit her. Hades is roaming there. If you don't hurry, who knows what he'll do to her. Lead them to camp and no one will ever know that he is your son."

Percy looked up at Poseidon with a questioning look. "Who's your son?" He asks.

Athena laughs, "He doesn't know that he's your son? Poseidon-"

"Shut up, Athena!" Athena purses her lips and looks down at Percy. She studies him, just like Poseidon.

They're all quiet for a few minutes until Athena starts the conversation again. "He looks like you," she observes. "Do you think he'll get cramped in the Hermes cabin?"

Poseidon looks down at me. "I will claim him."

"But won't you get in trouble?"

"Like Zeus didn't?"

"That makes no sense. Why keep him a secret just to claim him?"

Poseidon shrugs, "I don't know. Why do you care?"

Athena sighs. "Just please, get Annabeth and lead her to camp," Athena said her gray, stormy eyes serious.

"Annabeth. Is that her name?" Poseidon asks.

Athena nods.

"Alright, I'll grab her."

Athena sighs for what seems like the millionth time and hugs Poseidon. "Thank you." Poseidon looked surprised. Do they even tolerate each other, Percy wondered.

She released him and nods one last time. Then she disappears, floating away with the wind. Poseidon sighs. "Looks like we're going to LA."

Poseidon holds Percy's hand tight as they fly away into the wind like Athena did. It felt like he's floating into the wind, without a care in his life. He gulps as all the bad memories come flowing back to him. Gabe, mom, the babysitter. And he didn't even understand. Now the babysitter and his mom are gone. He knew life wasn't fair, but he didn't know it was cruel.

The thoughts are replaced with nothing as he lands back on his feet. Poseidon quickly grabbed his hand and ducks Percy down behind a thick tree. It was probably about 2:00 a.m. now, and there was near nobody outside. Light pollution covered the stars but the moon shone bright.

"My brother, Hades, he's here. He doesn't like you," Poseidon explained, looking around cautiously.

"Oh. Sounds like a lot of people who I've never met hate me because of you," Percy snarled.

Poseidon's quiet.

"It's true you're my dad, correct?" Percy asked, staring at him.

Poseidon hesitates. "Yes Percy, now let's go find Annabeth."

"Whatever. Just don't expect me to—" he began, but decide it's best to be quiet this time. Sometimes, his mouth got the better of him.

They began to walk around and Percy eventually opened up and got a kick out of pointing at random people although the time limited his selection of people.

"Is that her?"

"No, Percy."

"How about her?"

"No."

"How about h-"

"No! You'll know when we see—Wait, that is her."

Percy looked at the girl he was obliviously pointing at.

"Her?" Percy scrunched his nose. It was a petite girl, about his age. Her clothes were ripped and her face had blood on it. She was sitting at the edge of a beach crying throughout the dark morning. Her head was in her knees and her blonde, curly hair was around her knees. It was chopped on one side and much longer on the other side. Percy gagged. But then he smelt strong perfume and scolded himself for gagging. She was beautiful. For some reason all of a sudden he couldn't see her as an ugly person anymore. What got into him?

Poseidon began to walk towards her quickly. Percy's feet forced him into the direction of the girl.

"Annabeth?" He asked once he had reached her.

She looked up. Her eyes were ready and puffy and she had several scratches creating perfect imperfections. "How do you know my name?" She asked quietly.

"I'm Percy," he started, slowly gaining confidence, "and I'm here to save you. Let's go," he held his hand out for her.

Both she and Poseidon looked at him with a weird look plastered across their faces.

"Absolutely not!" She spat out. "You're a stranger and just a child!"

Ouch. He licked his hand and used it to pull back his messy raven black hair after smelling the perfume again. "Ya know, Annie, strangers are just friends you haven't met yet. And I am definitely a stranger."

Poseidon begins to laugh quietly but quickly stops when Annabeth gives Percy a deadly look. If looks could kill…"Do not call me Annie you-you-"

Before Annabeth could say anything nasty, Poseidon jumps into the conversation. "Yup, you're definitely Athena's kid. You all hate my kids. Anyways, you're mother sent us here to come and pick you up and take you to where you'll be safe."

"My mom? Athena?" Annabeth asks perking up.

"How'd you know Athena was your mom?" Poseidon wonders out loud.

Annabeth hesitates like she was thinking of a lie, before answering. "She visited me once and told me to run away. So I did. She said she'd send a man and a child to take me to camp. I guess you're them."

Percy reaches his hand out farther, smiling politely.

Annabeth smiles and accepts his outstretched hand. "I guess you are a stranger. Thanks."