Hey peoples! I'M SOOOOOOO SORRY! I hope you can forgive me! I've been really busy lately! I know, that's probably not a good excuse for not updating in…how long? I don't want to look it up. ANYWAY! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
I don't own PJO. If I did, there would probably be a different pairing instead of Percabeth.
Previously:
Nico smiled as tears formed in his eyes. He hugged Percy tightly. "I thought I lost you," he whispered.
Percy smiled. "You're not getting rid of me that easily." He looked down at himself. "I guess I need to change so we can go see 'Splice'."
Nico shook his head. "You should rest. We can go later."
Percy laughed. "Fine, fine. But at least let me change out of these 'clothes'. Nico laughed a little at the quotes Percy made at the word 'clothes'. He kissed his boyfriend and helped him get upstairs.
Now:
Once The two teens got upstairs Nico found some new clothes for Percy.
"Here," Nico said, handing Percy a tee shirt and jeans.
"Thanks," Percy said. Percy tore the rest of his shredded shirt off as well as his shorts that were also in shreds.
Nico blushed at his boyfriend's clothing, or lack of. He turned quickly to not let Percy see his red face. Unfortunately, (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it) Percy had caught it and walked over to Nico after he was dressed and wrapped his arms around the other's waist from behind.
"You know," Percy whispered in Nico's ear making him shiver, "you're adorable when you blush." Nico's blush only grew and Percy smiled. "And I hope you know that I'm not going to let your dad get in the way of our relationship."
"I know," Nico said as the older teen turned him around to face him. "Your dad told me that he was going to help us too."
Percy smiled at him. "Well I guess we don't have much to worry about then."
"Yeah, I guess that's true." Percy leaned down and kissed Nico. It was a light kiss. Nothing like earlier in the day Nico thought with a huge blush.
"Hm," Percy murmured pulling away from the kiss, "what're you thinking about?"
"Just…just about earlier today," he said, his blush growing deeper very quickly.
"Well," Percy said mischievously, "you never know what will happen…"
"Oh, shut up." Nico shoved Percy lightly and pulled away from the embrace. "Once again," he said, blush fading, "we missed another meal."
"Then I guess we'll just have to have a big dinner. Besides, I have a surprise for you."
"Oh, joy," Nico said sarcastically. "I LOVE surprises."
"Oh, shush. You'll love this one. Now go put on some nice clothes."
"Why nice clothes?"
"You'll see."
Nico sighed, but got out some nice pants and a button-up shirt. Percy dressed up too.
A few minutes later they were ready to leave.
Once they got in the car Percy put a blindfold on Nico. "What's this for?" Nico asked.
"It's a surprise, remember?" Percy said. "It wouldn't be a surprise if you saw it."
"Fine," Nico mumbled. Percy smiled and put the blindfold over his boyfriend's eyes.
When the car stopped and was turned off, Percy took the blindfold off of Nico's eyes. Nico gasped. "Sardi's? But-"
"But what?" Percy got out of the car and opened the door for the surprised son of Hades. Once they got inside Percy walked up to the front. "We have a reservation for Jackson," Percy said.
The host looked through a list. "Ah, yes. Right this way." He led Percy and Nico over to a booth with an amazing view of the city.
Percy looked at the menu. "What would you like?"
Before Nico could even pick up his menu, a manticore leapt into the resturaunt, shattering a window.
People started screaming, and Percy and Nico drew their swords.
"Perseus Jackson" the manticore snarled. "We meet again."
"(Dr.) Thorn," Percy said.
A little girl, probably only four or five years old, sat cowering and crying in a corner.
Nico looked over at the girl. Percy leaned over and, without taking his eyes off Dr. Thorn, whispered to Nico. "Go. Get her out of here."
Nico looked at Percy, hesitating, but only for a second. Then he ran over to the little girl.
Dr. Thorn noticed this, and threw a barb at Nico.
"No!" Percy intercepted the shot and took it himself. He was knocked off his feet.
Dr. Thorn laughed. But as soon as Percy stood again, his laughter stopped. "How-" he started, but was cut off when Percy put his sword to Dr. Thorn's throat.
"The river Styx." With those words, Percy drove his sword straight up into the manticore's throat.
Percy lowered his sword and looked around for Nico. He was in the corner, holding the little girl, whispering comforting words. The girl was hugging him back, clutching Nico's shirt for comfort.
Percy walked over and kneeled down beside them. The girl was slowly calming down.
Once she calmed down enough to speak she said, "Where…where's my mommy?"
Percy looked at Nico. Nico looked sad, but replied, "Don't worry. She's close by. We'll-"
Before Nico could finish his sentence, the girl pointed and shouted, "Mommy!"
Percy and Nico looked to where she was pointing. There, in a pool of blood, was a woman's body. She was probably only in her late twenties.
The girl started to cry again, only harder. It seemed like she understood what happened. Nico held her, but didn't speak. He knew that the little girl wouldn't accept the words like, 'it's okay.'
Again, the girl calmed down. But it took longer than before. Though that was to be expected. She did just lose her mom.
Once she was calm, Percy asked, "What's your name?"
The girl sniffled and looked up at Percy, her eyes holding a look of sadness and fear. "Abby."
Percy smiled and sat next to Nico. "Well, Abby, my name's Percy, and this is Nico."
Abby looked like she was trying to smile, but couldn't.
"Where's your dad, Abby?" Nico asked.
"He…he died."
Percy looked at Nico with a worried expression. "Do you have any other family?" Percy asked.
Abby shook her head. She looked like she was about to cry again. Nico gathered her up into his arms and stood. "We should talk to your mom," Nico told Percy. Percy nodded in agreement.
He whistled. Within minutes, Blackjack flew in. (Hey, Boss!) he greeted. His eyes landed on Nico and Abby. (Who's the girl?)
"Blackjack," Percy said, "this is Abby. Abby, meet Blackjack."
Abby's eyes widened. She stared for a moment. Then she squealed. "A pegasus!"
Percy and Nico smiled. "Do you want to pet him?" Percy asked Abby.
Abby looked so happy and excited that it was almost like she forgot about what just happened. "Yeah!"
Blackjack whinnied. (Whoa, Boss!) Blackjack said to Percy. (I ain't no petting zoo pony!)
"Relax, Blackjack," Percy whispered to Blackjack. "Abby just wants to pet you. She just lost her mother. Let her pet you so she feels a little better."
Blackjack snorted. (Fine.)
During this time, Abby was petting him. "Be nice, Blackjack," Percy told him. Blackjack nodded his large head.
Abby looked at Percy. "You can talk to him?" Percy smiled and nodded. Abby said, "How?"
Nico kneeled down beside Abby. "I guess we have something to tell you."
"We should probably go to my house," Percy told Nico.
Nico nodded. "It looks like you'll get to ride him," Nico said.
Abby squealed again. "Yay!"
Nico and Percy smiled. Percy got on Blackjack's back and Nico lifted Abby up to him. Nico climbed on the pegasus's back behind the little girl. Percy turned his head to look at Abby. "Ready?" he asked.
"Yeah!" Abby said excitedly.
"Alright. Hold on to me tight."
"Okay!"
"Ready, Blackjack?" Percy asked the black pegasus.
(Ready as I'll ever be. Giving little girls rides like I'm a state fair pony,) Blackjack muttered.
Percy ignored him and made sure Blackjack was taking off smoothly, mainly for Abby's sake.
Abby yelped when Blackjack jumped off the ledge. She buried her face in Percy's shoulder and held on even tighter. Nico, who was sitting behind her, held on to her tighter and reassured her that it was okay and that they were flying.
Abby squinted her eyes open a bit to look down. She squeaked and leaned back on Percy and made sure that Nico was holding on to her tight enough so she wouldn't fall.
After a few minutes they arrived at Percy's house.
"Okay, Blackjack," Percy said, "drop us off on the roof."
(Sure thing, Boss).
Blackjack landed smoothly and quietly (as quiet as he could) on the roof.
Nico looked at Abby. "Abby, we're here. You can open your eyes now."
Abby opened her eyes a bit then closed them again.
"What's wrong?" Nico asked kneeling down in front of the little girl who was trembling. She shook her head. "Are you afraid of heights?" Abby nodded. Nico gathered her up in his arms. "You wanna say bye to Blackjack?" Abby leaned back a bit and nodded. "Come on." Nico picked her up and brought her over to Blackjack.
Abby petted the pegasus's nose and said, "Bye, Blackjack." Blackjack, sensing that the girl needed a bit of comfort, nuzzled her hand and cheek. Abby giggled.
The pegasus galloped across the roof and took off, heading back to camp.
Once Blackjack was out of sight Percy came over and said, "We should get inside. It's cold out."
Abby shivered, proving Percy's point.
Nico took off his jacket and placed it around Abby's shoulders. She smiled at him and Nico smiled back, a real smile, the smile that he only gave to Percy. And now Abby.
Nico picked the girl up and Percy led the way back down to his mom's apartment.
…
It didn't take long until they arrived at the door to the apartment. Percy knocked. He heard a voice that he recognized as his mother's say, "Paul, can you get that?"
A few moments later, the door opened, revealing Percy's stepdad.
He smiled at Percy and said, "Hey, Percy." Then he saw Nico and Abby. "Hey Nico. Who's this?"
"I'm Abby," Abby said shyly.
Paul chuckled. "It's nice to meet you, Abby."
"Paul," Percy said, "where's my mom?"
Paul seemed to recognize this as a moment of 'something's wrong' and led Percy ad Nico, who was still holding Abby, into the apartment's living room.
"Percy!" Sally said. "Nico! How are you?"
"We're good, Mom," Percy said. He motioned with his eyes toward Abby.
"And who's this?"
"Sally," Nico said, "this is Abby. Abby, meet Percy's mom."
"Hi," Abby said.
"Hello, Abby," Sally said.
"Mom, can I talk to you for a minute?" Percy said.
Sally looked a little worried, but nodded. She led Percy into the kitchen.
"What's wrong, Percy?" Sally asked.
"Mom, I took Nico out to Sardi's tonight, but a manticore got in and we managed to kill it, but Abby's mom… Well, she didn't make it."
Sally seemed to realize where this was going.
"Abby's dad is dead and she doesn't have any relatives that are alive, so we aren't sure what to do," Percy said. "She can see through the Mist because I called Blackjack to take us here and she saw him as a pegasus. I think she might be a demigod."
Sally nodded. "But do you think it would be good to bring her to camp at such a young age?"
"She has no family, her father's gone, she has no place to go. I mean, if Nico and I could take her, we would, but I don't think we can. It'd be too dangerous."
"Alright."
"I'm going to call Grover and see if he can find out if she's a half-blood for sure."
Sally nodded. "If you need a place for her in the meantime, I bet Paul and I could take her."
"Who would we be taking?" Paul came into the kitchen.
"Paul," Sally said, "Percy thinks Abby's a half-blood. I want to check with you if it's okay for us to take care of her until Percy's friend, Grover, could make sure of that."
"Yeah," Paul said. "That'd be fine."
"Cool," Percy said. "Thanks, Paul."
"Should we tell Abby?" Sally asked.
"No." Percy shook his head. "Not yet. It might scare her too much."
"What should we do then?"
"I think we should just say that you could keep her here. We can't tell her anything too extreme yet."
"Okay," Paul said.
"I'm going to IM Grover. Mom, will you tell Nico and have him tell Abby?"
"Sure, Percy," Sally said.
"Thanks."
Percy walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.
Once mist started to form, he threw a drachma into the mist and said, Iris, goddess of the rainbow, accept my offering. Grover Underwood. Camp Half-Blood."
The mist shimmered and turned into a picture of Grover sitting next to Juniper in the forest.
"Grover!" Percy said.
"Percy!" the satyr said. "Hey man!"
"Hey, Percy!" Juniper said.
"Hey, Juniper," Percy said. He turned to Grover. "Hey, I have a favor to ask you."
"Sure, what's up?" Grover asked.
"I was at a resturaunt earlier and a manticore attacked. A girl, probably five, lost her mom. She has no dad; no other family. Her name's Abby, and Nico and I think she's a demigod."
"Alright. I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Thanks, man."
Percy waved his hand through the mist. Now they had to wait.
Thanks for reading! Please review!
Sister~