Hello, I'm sorry it took me so long to post. Thank you so much, Beeimahalfblood, you make me feel really great! Drinkingthestarswithbob, Okay, okay, calm down. Deep breaths! I love your enthusiasm, and I will definitely update as soon as I can, since you asked! PlusIsis, I'm really happy you like the story! It's always nice to hear people enjoy it! Kate, thank you so much. I always look forward to your review! FangirlAlertWatchOut, IIIIIII WWIILLL! :) Thank all of you guys so much, you guys really make my day!

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or any of it's characters. All right's go to Rick Riordan.

Annabeth's POV

"I'm a demigod."

"What?" The word breaks the stunned silence that had settled over the group. It fell from the slack lips of Thalia.

Percy's eyes are wide. "That's not what we were talking about?" He asked in a halting voice. My brain went a million miles an hour, Now it makes sense! The swiftness, the agility, the ADHD, the Dyslexia, even how he got up after Gabe and his friends beat Percy up! He's like us!

"Y-you're a half blood?" I stuttered, completely shocked.

Percy blinked. "I guess that's not what we were talking about." He murmured under his breath. Louder he said, "Yes, I am. But please, please don't tell anyone!"

I steped forward and place a calming hand on his shaking shoulder. "Don't worry, we are too." I say softly.

Percy's green eyes widened to the size of saucers. "W-what?"

I cleared my throat and took a step back. I gestured to our group. "We also have godly blood in us. Except for Grover who is a satyr." Percy looked around wildly, as if seeing us for the first time.

He finally stopped when his gaze fell on Grover. "My best friend is half goat." He stated plainly. Then he bursted into another fit of laughter. He seemed to be in hysterics. Thalia, Nico, Grover and I exchanged looks, obviously wondering if he lost it. Soon after Percy started, however, Grover began to laugh a little as well. Then Nico. Then Thalia. Then me.

By the time we recovered ourselves enough to sit up from where we had fallen on the grass, the tension had been swept over. I turned to Percy who was wiping tears from his eyes, still chuckling softly. "Okay, so I guess we have a lot to talk about." I said, trying to organize my thoughts.

Percy nodded, his smile fading a little. "Right." He cast a gaze across our group. "So should we start with proper introductions?"

I nodded, it seemed like a good enough start. "Alright, good idea, Percy." I stood up and walked over to Percy. I stuck my hand out to him. "Hi, my name is Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena goddess of wisdom and war." It sounded so ridiculous that I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

Percy chuckled. He stood as well and took my hand. "Hello Annabeth Chase. Pleasure to meet you." Wow, I didn't know Percy could be so formal. I thought, my eyes widened a little. Percy looked at the others, obviously not going to introduce himself until they did. I shot them a look.

Grover came up. He held his hand out to Percy, who took it without hesitation. "Hey, my name is Grover Underwood, satyr of Camp Half-Blood." Percy nodded and smiled.

Thalia was next. "Thalia Grace, like you already know, daughter of Zeus the king of the gods."

"Nico DiAngelo, son of Hades the god of the Underworld." Percy looked a little shocked. He mumbled something under his breath.

"What?" I asked, curious.

He looked back at me, "Oh nothing. I was just thinking about how weird it is that Thalia, Nico and I are cousins not just by mortal blood, but by godly as well."

My jaw fell open slightly. "You mean you're...-" I trailed off, looking at Percy in a new light.

He nodded and smirked the slightest. "My name is Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon the sea god."

Everyone seemed to freeze. Poseidon? I thought in astonishment. I looked around our group, seeing the same shocked face as mine. I cast a glance towards Nico and Thalia. The children of the Big Three. Altogether. I couldn't imagine the amount of power radiating from where they stood.

I stepped forward, "Percy, you couldn't have lived for so long without having any training. Your aura would be incredibly powerful to monsters."

He smiled. "Who said I didn't have training?" His eyebrow raised the slightest bit.

"Well I've never heard of you for as long as I have been at Camp Half Bloods, the one safe haven for demigods. And I have been there for most of my life." (She just went to summer camp and stuff)

"My mom sent me there for a few weeks once."

"Only a few weeks?" I asked, surprised.

"Well," Percy looked down at the ground. "I didn't really fit in there. My mom told me not to tell anyone about my heritage. She didn't want me to go, but she wanted me to be able to defend myself. Plus I stayed in the Hermes cabin while I was there. That was a nightmare." He tried to crack a smile.

I narrowed my eyes. The explanation would be perfect for anyone, anyone besides Percy. He was to laid-back and selfless to be chased away from camp because of the cabin he was staying in. "Really? Those are the only reasons?" I asked.

Percy looked back up at me. "Yeah, they are." He slowly said. "Why?"

"It just doesn't seem to add up to me for some reason." I explained.

He gazed with his intelligent green eyes at me, as if deliberating whether he should say something or not. Thalia, Nico and Grover were also looking at Percy, as I did. He sighed. "Nothing gets past you, does it Wise Girl?" He muttered. I was surprised by the nickname, and even more at the warm tingling feeling it gave me. "Your right, there is something more."

"Percy, you don't have to hide anything from us anymore. We're with you." Thalia softly reassured.

Percy looked at his cousin with a mixture of hope, family-love and sadness. "My mom wasn't as well as she seemed to be, Thalia. She was depressed, but she tried to hide it from me. Some nights I would wake up to the sound of her crying. I would get up and walk over to her. I'd hug her while she whispered, '"I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry."', over and over again. I had no idea what she was apologizing for until one night I caught her in the act.

I had just come into the kitchen to get some water, when I saw my mom standing at the sink. She was shaking and I was about to go up to her and hug her, but then I saw what she had in her hand. A razor. I watched in horror as she cut herself, to scared to move." Percy took a deep breath. I was astonished, Percy had to go through this? I thought. Percy continued. "I must've gasped or something because she spun around with wide eyes. She seemed stunned that I had caught her, and a little guilty to. She set the razor in the sink and cleaned out her cut. When she finally came over to me I was trembling. '"Percy,"' I remember her saying. '"Percy, it's okay. Momma just got a little sad for a second. Everything is okay."'. I was about eight at the time, I didn't understand why my mom would've cut herself. I looked up at her, '"Mommy, why did you do that? Cutting yourself hurt didn't it?"' She smiled a strain smiled. '"It does, Percy. Don't you ever do it."'. I still didn't quite get it, but I knew that I didn't want her doing it. She led me back to my room, laying me down and tucking me in. Before she could go, though, I caught her hand. '"Please don't do it again, Momma. Don't hurt yourself, you're too nice to be hurt especially by yourself."' She looked down at me and smiled. She kissed me on my forehead." Percy inhaled deeply again. My eyes had turned watery, Even when Percy was young he still had a heart of gold. I thought. Thalia had a heartbroken expression while Nico seemed to be in shock. Grover wore a sad expression. "I-I remember what she said just as she left. I think she thought that I was a sleep. S-she said, '"If I am nice, my little baby, why did he leave?"'. I guess when I was at camp, I was just so worried about her being alone that I had to come back." He concluded.

Percy took a shuddering breath. I couldn't help it anymore. The pain of watching him in pain overwhelmed my rational side and I found my arms wrapping around his waist. His body was shaking from the enormous effort it probably took him not to fall apart. He buried his face in my blonde hair I had always disliked. It occurred to me while he stood shaking in my arms, that he was the strongest person I knew. Sure he looked weak at the moment, in the arms of a girl who was only up to his chin, shuddering and shaking like a leaf, gasping for breath. But he wasn't, he was so much stronger than anyone, possibly even the gods. He had been through his mother's depression, the death of his mother, the abuse and pain inflicted by his stepfather, the torment caused by knowing that monsters walked Earth, the pressure of being a son of one of the most powerful gods in ancient mythology, the stress of training to fight monsters, the anxiousness of turning a corner just to find another monster waiting, the daily toll that makes adults break down, and yet he still has kept it together for sixteen long years. He still kept his sanity when most people's would snap like a twig, he kept his natural personality of fun and love even when everything seemed dark. He didn't even let anyone else share his burden. Percy Jackson was the most impressive person I had ever met or heard of.

Percy mumbled things into my hair, most of which I didn't catch, but I was able to make out a few words, "I'm sorry... I don't... weak... need to be strong, but... I... miss... m-mom... why...-" My heart ached for Percy. He tried so hard to be brave and strong when all odds were always against him.

"Shh, shh, Percy. I got you, everything's gonna be alright." I whispered to him, not quite aware of Thalia, Nico and Grover standing around us.

Percy shuddered. "A-Annabeth, I m-miss her s-so much. S-So so much. A-and I j-just want her b-back." I swallowed my own sob at Percy's innocent, almost child-like words. Most people, I thought, would be screaming profanities at whoever died, saying how the person promised to stay. I smiled a weak, wavering smile. Not Percy, though.

"I know Percy. I know. It's gonna be okay. We'll figure this out, okay? You and me." I promised as I held him tighter. His arms were wrapped around my waist, much like how mine were wrapped around his.

"Y-yeah, Percy. We're gonna do this thing together. You're not alone, you've got us." said Thalia, placing a comforting hand on Percy's shoulder.

"She's right, Percy." I whispered in his ear. "You've got us now, and we've got you."

Percy finally looked up at me. His green eyes weren't the dull green I usually saw, instead they were lighter, like a huge weight had been lifted from Percy's-already-overburdened-shoulders. Since I was so close I could see flecks of blue and interestingly enough, gold, mixed into his sea green eyes. He looked down at me, "Thank you."

_Line Break~

All five of us lounged around in Nico and Thalia's apartment. It felt good with five people here, complete. Nico was again surfing the TV while Thalia was sprawled on the couch. Grover was in the kitchen like last time while I was lounging on the recliner. Percy was in the kitchen with Grover, probably clearing the fridge of all food. Boys.

"Hey guys." I whispered as I leaned over near Thalia and Nico. They leaned towards me as well. "So now that we know that Percy is a half-blood, how are we gonna break it to him that we know that he is abused?"

Thalia frowned. "Well obviously the whole 'persuade' him didn't really work. We were talking about completely different things for most of the conversation."

"We could just do it bluntly, screw the riddles. They just confuse everyone and make it more frustrating." said Nico quite plainly.

"I guess," I sighed, I didn't like my plans not working, "But seeing as how Percy reacted to the first secret, I'm not sure how he's gonna take this one." I weighed the options mentally.

"Oh like it really bothered you having Percy in your arms." Thalia joked lightly, rolling her eyes as she stuffed some potato chips in her mouth.

I blushed a beet red. "No I did not! I was simply comforting a friend." Even I couldn't convince myself I was telling the truth.

Nico snorted. "Sure you were." I glared at Nico fiercely, making him cower. I smirked, Even a child of Hades is afraid of my glare...

"How 'bout we just roll with the punches? It's not like planing actually helped us the first time. Percy might even bring it up on his own." I considered Thalia's words.

"I guess."

"What do you guess?" A new voice interrupted our conversation. I turned to see Percy and Grover in the doorway. Grover had a vegetarian enchilada stuffed in his mouth, while Percy had an orange in his hand.

"I guess that you were there for only the last few seconds of our conversation, right?" I asked.

Percy shrugged and sat down on the floor by Thalia's couch. "You guess correctly. What were you guys talking about?" He started to peel the orange. Grover sat down next to Percy.

"Stuff..." I trailed off, not knowing which way we were approaching this situation. I didn't need to.

"By the way, I was wondering what you guys talking about when you said that 'you knew my secret' or something like that?" Percy raised an eyebrow. "Because obviously you weren't talking about being a demigod."

Everyone nervously looked around the room. "Um, okay. Look," Nico started off. "We were a little worried about you." Percy looked curious, but didn't interrupt. "A-and so-" I cut him off.

"And so we sorta went up to Rhode Island, your old home. (I know Montauk is in Long Island and Long Island is in New York, but I'm just gonna keep it Rhode Island) We met Grover there."

"Then when we came home, we started to watch and compare notes on what we thought was wrong. You just weren't the boy I remembered, Perce." Thalia said. Percy grimaced.

"When we finally had enough with not getting any answers... we uh, well we sorta followed you after school one day." admitted Grover sheepishly.

"So that's what I heard..." Percy raised an eyebrow at us, probably thinking of the many times we ran into things.

I nodded, embarrassed. "So we followed you into Bramford and..." I looked at pointedly at where Percy probably still had a bruise on his shoulder from where Gabe hit him.

His shoulders tensed and his green eyes grew slightly panicked. "You saw." It wasn't a question. I sighed sadly and nodded. He sucked in a sharp breath. "So that's what you guys were talking about." We all watched him, waiting for an outburst or something.

"Yeah, Perce, we saw." Grover said sadly.

"Please, Percy. You can't keep this in. Someone has to know! We can't let this happen anymore!" Thalia pleaded.

Percy shook his head slightly. "You don't understand, Thals." His voice was broken, like the shattered remains of a mirror. "I don't have anyone else. My mom died, and I certainly can't go to my sire." I noticed that he didn't say the word, dad.

"You could come live with us, of course! We're your family, too!" Thalia insisted.

Percy sighed. "No, Thalia, I can't. I am under the age of eighteen and therefore can't switch permanent residence without my 'guardian's' permission. And there's no chance in Hades he'd let me go that easily."

I frowned. "Why not? He abuses you, so he can't like you all too much. No offense or anything!" I quickly added.

"Oh he doesn't like me, that's for sure." Percy resumed peeling his orange, not meeting any of our eyes. "But he does like the paycheck that comes in the mail every few weeks. Some kind of pact my mom made with the government, I think." Percy squirmed uncomfortably. "It's probably the only reason Gabe has kept me around."

My vision turned red. How dare someone do this to Percy! I'm gonna kill Gabe. I thought murderously. I felt my hands clench into fists. "I will kill him." I hissed under my breath. By the looks of the others, I could see that they were thinking the same thing.

I exhaled loudly, thinking of ways to get Percy out of this. "Percy," I started. "You can't move permanent residence without your guardian's permission, but you can if we bring the fact that your guardian is abusing you to court. We could get you set free from this monster if we win the case."

Percy snorted. "And then where would I go? I can't legally go to Thalia and Nico, they're minors, too. Plus I don't have any other living relatives."

Thalia scrunched her forehead in thought. "What if we use the Mist? Make it look like Nico and I are older than we really are?"

His black hair fell in his face as Percy shook his head. "No way. It would catch up to us eventually."

"Why don't you ask Poseidon for help?" Grover, the ever optimistic satyr, suggested.

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Like he helped oh so much before. He let my mom suffer from depression when he could've helped her, he let her d-die, and he didn't lift a finger when I went to live with Gabe. Why would he possibly help me now?" His voice was bitter, a tone I didn't like coming from him. He should be happy, I thought sadly, Not bitter.

Grover sighed. "Right." We all slumped, stumped on the problem at hand.

Percy glanced at the clock and jumped. "Oh my gods! It's four?! I gotta go!" He was at the door in a flash. "Thank you guys," He said, turning his head to face us. "We'll figure this out, but I can't risk being late again. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Wait, Percy! Don't go back to Gabe! Stay!" Thalia pleaded.

"Sorry, Thals." He turned and sprinted out, leaving us stunned in the living room.

Thalia's bottom lip started to quiver. I never thought I'd see the day she'd cry. I stood up and hugged her. She started to shake, tears slowly streaking down her face. "H-he ca-can't go b-back. H-he'll be be-beat-ten."

Tears started to make their way down my face as well, the stress, frustration and utter despair for Percy getting to me. "I-I know, T-Thals. B-But Percy's Percy. He'll m-make it." I managed to stutter.

I felt another pair of arms wrap around us, holding us in a brotherly hug. "It's okay, you guys. Percy is the strongest person I know, if anyone can make it out of this mess, he can." Nico comforted, a slight waver in his words. I tightened my hold on Thalia with one arm as my other wound around Nico. I looked over my shoulder to see Grover staring at the floor, moisture threatening to fall in his brown eyes. I held my hand out to him, a silent offer of comfort. We made eye contact from across the room. He shakily got up and joined our group hug.

"W-we can do this, guys." Grover mumbled.

"Yeah, we c-can." Thalia agreed, trying to sound confident as she hugged us tighter.

"We can, and we will." Nico said.

We stayed that way for a while, taking comfort in each others presences. I finally pulled away. "We'll make it through this, but to do that we need to figure out a plan." The others nodded. "We need to bring this to court."

"We'll need evidence." Nico said.

"Lots of it." Thalia added.

"Are we going to get a lawyer?" asked Grover.

"Yes, I think we should. It's not like court would take a couple of sophomores seriously." My head swam with thought. "We would need evidence to show a lawyer first, a starter to make him or her believe us."

"I don't mean to be a downer, but how are we going to be able to afford a lawyer?" Grover nervously asked.

"Dude, I'm the son of Hades. You know, god of the Underworld and riches under the Earth?" Nico said. "I'm pretty sure I can come up with a few bars of gold."

"Tomorrow we should start." I said bluntly. "I would suggest we start tonight, but I don't think any of us are in a stable enough state of mind."

They nodded in agreement. Thalia turned to face me. "Why don't you call your dad, Annabeth? Ask if you can stay over, we can use the pull-out couch and stuff."

_Line Break~

"Annabeth, you know it's the only way!" Nico begged me.

I shook my head. "No! We've kept too many things from Percy. I hate doing this to him."

Nico sent a pleading look at Thalia. "Please, Thalia. You know Percy! He wouldn't let us see him weak, especially in pain!"

Thalia crossed her arms. "I think Annabeth's right. We've kept too much from Percy already, why should we keep it a secret that we're trying to help him?"

Grover cut in then. "Guys, Nico does raise a good point. Percy wouldn't allow us to see him in pain, I know him better than anyone else here." Grover sent Thalia an apologetic look when she seemed to flinch.

I tried to stand my ground, but the logic was working on me. Desperately, I played my last card. "How are we supposed to follow him without him knowing. He found out we're demigods, so he'll be suspicious if he hears just one sound."

Grover holds up his panpipes in response. I sighed, it made sense. I could see that Thalia also was defeated by the way her shoulders slumped.

Sadly, Thalia nodded. "Yeah, yeah, okay." A little fire came back into her eyes. "But after this, no more secrets." Everyone else couldn't agree more.

_Line Break~

It was ten when we finally settled down for the night. The stars shone brightly through the windows as I curled up in a blanket, exhausted from the day's events. As I felt the tendrils of sleep pull me to my dreams, I made a vow to Percy. We will make it through this, Percy. You and me.

Hello, so that is it for this chapter. I'm sorry it took me so long to update, I was really busy. Review if you'd like, there is no pressure. Same goes for following and stuff like that. I'll be updating as soon as I can, until then, take it easy. U got 2 get up 2 get down