"Whoa," Kurt whispered as he leaned against his chair.

Percy nodded solemnly, he had warned Kurt that Beckendorf's story wasn't a happy one. But Kurt still wanted to hear.

Now Percy was wondering if it had been a good idea, Kurt looked very stricken. "Are you okay?" Percy asked.

"Yes," Kurt breathed, "Yes," he repeated once he saw Percy's face.

Percy eyed Kurt carefully, still not really believing him. Percy had lived through this stuff and it still destroyed his being on a regular basis. He couldn't imagine how it would affect someone learning about it for the first time.

"Poor Jake," Kurt sighed, calling Percy's attention back to him, "After what happened to his brother this must have destroyed him."

"Brother?" Percy asked intrigued.

Kurt looked up, "Yes, his brother Mark Mason. Did Jake ever tell you about him?" Kurt asked.

Percy shook his head, mistified. Jake was a pretty quiet guy and didn't really talk to anyone outside of Cabin 9.

Kurt frowned, "I probably shouldn't say anything, but I doubt Jake even remembers me. He probably wouldn't care much.

Jake lived in Ohio with his mom and little brother until we were eleven. When Jake was five his mom worked at my dad's tire shop and Jake was always trying to sneak in and 'help'. So eventually my dad asked me if I would be friends with Jake so he wouldn't get hurt."

Percy smiled sadly, it didn't take much imagination to picture a little Jake trying to help in a machine shop.

"I'll be the first to tell you we didn't along too well at first," Kurt continued, "But soon enough Jake and I were best friends. He was there through it all. When I realized I was gay, when I broke my finger, when my mom died."

A lump rose in Percy's throat. He wanted to comfort Kurt at the mention of his mother, but Percy had learned quickly that Kurt didn't take well to pity.

"I'd like to think I did the same for him. When he broke his arm, when he got into his first fight, even when he his little league baseball team lost in the playoffs.

Then the worst thing happened. A few months before Jake turned eleven, his little brother Mark got hit by a car while he was walking home from the bus. The driver panicked and drove away, so the police never found out who killed him. Mark was only nine."

Percy swore in greek under his breath. He couldn't believe something like that could happen to a child. Was life ever fair?
"Jake and his mom moved out of Ohio the day Jake turned eleven." Kurt finished, his voice thick, "I haven't seen him since."

A/N: I am so, so, so sorry I haven't updated this in forever. School has been a major pain in my ass lately.

My break starts soon so hopefully I will get my act together and write, but we'll see.

x Phina