Gods, I'm so sorry about this! it's been like, what, a month before I updated? I did have wifi for around 3 days, then I got back to Canada after two months in china. Yep, I've been busy, but still...no excuse for not updating. I will try my best to speed things up, but now that I'm in eighth grade, homework monsters and extracurriculars might get in the way. I will aim for a weekly update.

This chapter is short, but it just feels important to me. I am already working on the next chapter, and it should turn out 3000 words or something. Anyways...

Annabeth's POV

That night, I dreamt about my boyfriend…kind of, considering he was 4 years old in the picture.

"Where's that coffee I asked from your mama, brain boy?" A large, beefy guy asked without even looking at whoever he was talking to. A little boy stood in the corner. He had a mop of black hair and his green eyes burned with fear. I gasped. It was Percy.

"My mom's at work right now, Gabe. Why can't you get it yourself?" Little Percy's voice quivered.

"What did you say, punk?" Gabe said, raising a fist and Percy shrunk back. Gabe then grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the nearest wall. Percy gasped as the air rushed through his lungs and kicked around hopelessly. He looked so tiny, helpless and adorable that I wanted to go up to him and crush him in a hug. But it was all a dream, and all I could do was stand and watch.

"No one talks back to me, understand, punk?" Gabe asked. Percy nodded weakly, slowly growing unconscious from the lack of air.

"Now get out of my way," Gabe said, shoving Percy into his room. He went out to continue his incredibly important game of poker, leaving Percy alone in his room.

Little Percy quietly closed his bedroom doors then went to sit down on his bed. A single tear escaped his sea-green eyes.

"Daddy, why did you leave me and mommy?" He whispered. I felt a tear gliding down my face.

"Please come back daddy. I want Gabe gone. Please come back." He whispered. "Mommy said you were important, that's why you had to leave. I want you to make Gabe disappear. Please daddy?" No one answered. Percy closed his eyes, then tucked himself into bed like he's done it a million times. Normal 4 year-olds would have their parents there at night to kiss them good night. Percy has no one.

My dream fast forwarded, and suddenly, a figure opened the door to the same bedroom I was in a moment ago. She tiptoed over to his bed to check if her son was alright, just in time to see him crying and thrashing over a nightmare.

"Mommy! No! Get away from my mom!" He yelled. Seeing this, Sally urgently shook him awake.

"Shh, it's alright Percy. Mommy's right here. No one's hurting mommy." Sally said, comforting Percy.

"Mommy?" Percy asked, confused. His eyebrows scrunched together the same way they did whenever my seaweed brains as confused. He slowly opened his eyes.

"It's alright Percy."

"Gabe was hurting you." Percy said, sitting up.

"It's just a nightmare. A dream, Percy. I'm alright. We're both safe." Sally said, comforting her son.

Percy nodded, and he hugged his mother fiercely.

"Why won't Gabe go away?" Percy asked after a while, resting in his mother's arms.

"it's complicated, sweetie. Someday, you'll understand. Someday, you'll meet your father. I promise."

"Ok." He said. They stayed silent, lost in their thoughts, until Percy yawned.

"Go back to sleep Percy. I love you." Sally said, gently laying Percy down on the bed and kissed his forehead.

"I love you more mom." He sighed, and drifted off to a peaceful sleep for the rest of the night.

I jolted awake. It was 2 o'clock at night. The others were still asleep. I looked around, and saw my boyfriend sleeping on the ground next to me. He was drooling, his dark hair a mess and talking about things I couldn't quite make out, but I kissed him anyways. I finally understood why Percy never talked about his childhood.

I tried going back to sleep, but found myself staring at the ceiling for the rest of the night.