Percy POV
Song Inspiration: Come Home by OneRepublic
"Yes, Percy?"
I can only stare at him. Seventeen years. That's how long I've been waiting for him to show up. Too bad I gave up on him a long time ago. Hate, anger, and sadness course through me all at once. But there's a tiny shred of happiness mixed in there, and I hate myself for it.
"You're my dad?" I ask him tentatively, still hoping that he isn't my dad. If he is, that would complicate things so much more.
"Yes. I haven't been much of one, though," he admits. He twists a fisherman's cap in his hands, twisting the faded fabric nervously.
Resentment boils up inside of me. "What happened?"
"What?" He looks up at me confusedly, setting the cap to the side.
"You heard me," I growl. "Why did you leave? And why didn't you come back until now?"
He sighs and bows his head. Deep worry lines etch in his face. "Percy, it's a very long story."
"I have time."
"Well, at the time I worked for GreenPeace, and I would go on ships for months at times to help marine biology in the Atlantic. Right before you were born, I was assigned to stop a whaling ship near Russia. The ship crashed into the whaling ship, and I managed to escape alive. I sailed to Russia in a lifeboat, hoping to get back to you and your mother as soon as possible. When I arrived to Russia, I was arrested for interfering with official business. There was nothing I could do about it, and I didn't have any money. Everyone at GreenPeace assumed that everyone died in that crash, so they didn't bother looking for me."
He sighed deeply, and his sea-green eyes looked like murky water, sad and full of despair.
"After sixteen years, I was finally released for my "crime."" He looked up at me, fidgeting slightly with his cap. "I tried to return to you and your mother. I searched and searched, trying to find you. Finally, when I was about to give up, I saw the news report."
For a while I stay silent, not knowing what to say. After all these years, he's come back. It's all I've ever wanted.
"I'm sorry," I mutter. "I'm sorry for being to quick to judge."
"You shouldn't be sorry, Percy," he says. "I should've stayed with you and your mother, instead of accepting the job. I should've been there for you."
"You were just doing your job," I say.
"I know, it's just..." he trails off, not knowing what to say. "The reason I came here is to ask for your forgiveness and to make you an offer."
I furrow my brow. "What kind of offer?"
"While I was searching, I managed to find a well-paying job in Chicago. I bought a nice house there, in a good neighborhood. I was wondering if you would like to come live with me there?"
"What?" I say in shock. "Live with you?"
"Just think about it," he says standing up, grabbing his hat. He sets a small piece of paper on the nightstand next to me. "When you figure it out, call me." He hugs me tightly, careful not to touch my bandaged shoulder. "Goodbye Percy, I hope I can see you soon."
And he walked out, the door swinging behind him.
Look After You by The Fray
One Week Later...
Annabeth's POV
"So where are we going again?"
"Percy," I say, looking up at him. He's pushing my wheelchair down the hall. "The police need to fill out a report so they can hold a trial."
"After all he's done, he gets a trial?" Percy frowns.
"We need to present the evidence to the court," I explain.
"Oh," he says, pushing the wheelchair further down the hall, the rubber tires squeaking against the floor.
"Make a left," I say. "They're holding the questioning here, instead of at the police station."
"Yeah, I figured."
"Now make a right."
We continue down the hall in silence.
"Percy?" I break the silence.
"Hm?"
"Can you promise me something?"
"What is it?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.
"No matter what they ask me," I begin, "and no matter what my response is, please stay calm. You promise me?"
His sea green eyes bore into me. "I can't promise that, Annabeth."
"Please, Percy," I plead.
"After all he's done to you," he says quietly. "You just want me to sit there and take it?"
"Percy," I beg. "Please. At least try to control yourself."
"Fine. But I won't promise you that."
"Thank you."
We reach the room where the report will be filled. A tall woman with caramel hair tied neatly into a ponytail, and a clean, blue officer's uniform sees us.
"Hello," she says, her warm brown eyes welcoming us. "Come in, let's get started."
We sit at a white folding table set in the middle of an empty room. The light filters in through the blinds on the windows, casting shadows on the floor. The policewoman sits across from us, next to another policeman.
"Hello Annabeth, hello Percy," the man speaks. He is tall and stout, with black hair cropped close to his head.
"My name is Hazel," the woman says, then she gestures to the man. "This is Frank. We'll be asking you both several questions for the police report on Luke Castellan." I wince as I hear his name aloud.
Frank notices this. "No pressure," he says reassuringly. I nod.
"Okay, let's get started. Remember, in order to make a full and valid report, we'll need all the facts."
"Okay," Percy says. Frank takes out a small recording device and presses a button. A light flashes red.
Hazel turns towards me. "Did Castellan abuse you domestically?"
"Yes." There was no question. It was as clear as the scar on my face.
"How often?" Hazel's voice is gentle, like waves lapping against the sand.
"Whenever I did anything wrong," I say, looking down at my hands. "Which to him was often. Once or twice a week." I can see Percy's eyes flash with anger from the corner of my eye.
"Were they rough?"
I bite my lip, reopening a wound. "Sometimes I could get away with just a few punches and slaps." I mumble. "But most of the time I was unable to walk afterwards." I see his hands clench against his lap.
"Since when?"
"The end of spring break."
"When did you find out?" Hazel turned towards Percy.
"Well, I guess she always seemed a bit nervous at times, especially when he was around," he mutters, staring at me. "But I found out a week before school ended. Our friend Piper invited us to the pool, and convinced Annabeth to come."
He recreates the events leading up to his discovery. My refusal to enter the pool, him throwing me in like a rag doll, him diving in after me when I tried to drown myself.
"What weapons did he use on you two?" Frank asks.
"A pocketknife and a gun." I say. That was enough to nearly kill us both.
"And how long did you know about his use of marijuana?" Hazel asks.
"When he found out that Percy knew—" I hesitate. "It was the worst beating yet. I was this close to dying. Right as I was about to die, he showed me the bag of marijuana and his whole plan."
"Why didn't you tell anyone or leave him?"
"He threatened to hurt my brothers, Bobby and Matthew." I can still feel his breath against my cheek, as he told me how badly he could hurt them. "He would've killed them."
"Did your parents ever find out, or intervene?"
"No." There was no questioning it. "They were always on business trips, only coming home once or twice a month. I don't think they've even seen the news report."
Hazel's warm brown eyes look at me, filled with sorrow. "Did he ever sexually assault you?"
I freeze, my heart pounding. It was once.
"Annabeth?"
I sit at the kitchen table, flipping through a few history textbooks for some light reading. The warm weather of May felt nice, temporarily taking me away from reality. I barely reached the Industrial Revolution when I heard a loud pounding on the door. I stood up, trying to stretch out my t-shirt to cover more of the bruises.
I see Luke slouching against the door, his eyes droopy instead of angry. I let him in, afraid of what he might do.
"Hello Luke," I mumbled, looking down.
"You look nice," he slurred. He prods me against the wall, keeping me between his arms. His breath reeks of alcohol. "Real nice."
I tried to control my breathing as he begined to kiss me sloppily on my lips. Luke never kissed me, only hit me. He's obviously been drinking, he's probably drunk. His lips traveled down my neck, biting occasionally. I winced, afraid to try to push him off me.
Luke noticed and grinned. "Are you scared?"
"Have you been drinking, Luke?" I asked through clenched teeth.
"Yeah," he said, kissing me on the cheek. "How'd you know?"
"Just guessing," I said.
"You're really beautiful," he slurred. He twisted a strand of my hair in his fingers. I was taken aback by his words. I was only swore at by Luke, never complimented. At least not in public.
"Luke?"
"Yes?"
"C-can you leave?" I stuttered, as he tugged at the bottom of my shirt.
"But I want to stay!" He whined. He pulled me to the ground, forcing me to sit across from him. He looks at me like a child would, curiously.
"Don't tell Annie," he whispered. "But do you know why I'm mean to her?"
I shook my head, scared to do anything else.
"Well, it's because I like her a lot," he said, acting like a five year old. "And I'm scared that she'll go to that Prissy guy. I'm scared to lose my Annie. Do you know if she likes me a lot too?"
I shook with anger, fear, and frustration all mixed together. "No, Luke! Annie will never like you!"
For a second, he looked like he was about to cry. His ice blue eyes melted a little, before turning frigid again. "Then I'll have to make her like me!"
He jumped on me, kissing me all over my face. I struggled to break out of his grasp, but a few punches and slaps ended that quickly. He forced me to kiss him, locking my head against his. Then, he wrestled off my t-shirt, throwing it to the side. He kissed down my neck, slowly traveling down my chest.
I shivered, trying to hold back my tears, my fists clenched at my sides. "Luke, please. Don't do this."
"But I need to make Annie like me," he said, his wintery gaze fixed on me. He felt over my chest, squeezing it tightly. He slowly began to unbutton my jeans. He slid them off, staring directly into my eyes. He cast them aside. I laid there, curled up in a ball, half-naked and sobbing. I couldn't take it anymore. I kicked him as hard as I could, knocking him backwards, making his nose bleed.
For a moment he laid back, staring at my half-naked form. His eyes looked like a winter storm, at first white flecks of frozen water, then all of a sudden, sheets of snow speed to the ground, piling up higher and higher. He stood up, his face emotionless. He reached in his pocket, grabbing a small black object. A switchblade.
He said nothing as it flicked open. He walked towards me, and I pressed up against the wall, bracing myself for the new bloody decorations I was about to receive. But he gently took my hand, making my body lie down flat against the wooden floor. I was surprised by his sudden change in moods.
He took the knife and pressed it up next to my left hip, right above my stomach. He slowly began carving something in my skin. Whenever I winced, he would stroke my head softly. But he never took his eyes off of the knife.
When he finished, he silently stood up, cleaning the blood off his knife with his shirt. He kissed me softly between my eyes, then left without a word, closing the door behind him.
I laid there, my cheek pressed up against the wood, the tears slowly receding. My hand pressed against my hip, coming away bloody. There was a mirror across the room. I stared at myself, frozen. I looked horrible. My hair was messed up, pieces sticking to each other with blood. I had on only a bra and underwear, and the scars and bruises were clearly visible. And carved on my hip was a tiny bloody heart. With the initials A+L.
"It was only once," I finish. Hazel brushes a tear from her cheek. Frank looks down, not meeting my gaze. Percy's shaking, his face red.
"No," he says, looking at me. "No!" He takes off, slamming the door behind him.
"Percy, please!" I leap out of my wheelchair, ignoring the searing pain running through me. I limp out of the room, trying to find him. Frank and Hazel try to hold me back, but I brush them aside, ignoring their protests.
I look down the corridor, looking right and left like a lost puppy. I decide to go right, towards the shocked-looking nurses. I cling to the wall for support in order not to fall over. I search and search, trying to find Percy.
Finally, I come across a figure curled up against a corner near a water fountain. His head his buried in his knees, and his shoulders are shaking. His mop of jet black hair hangs loosely over his head. And his shoulder is bandaged heavily.
"Percy," I say, my voice breaking. I touch his hand, and he recoils instantly. He lifts his head to reveal bloodshot eyes, streaming with tears. My heart breaks instantly. I made my Seaweed Brain cry. "Don't cry, please."
"Annabeth," he says, barely a whisper. "He nearly raped you."
I bite my lip as tears begin to fill my eyes. "I know. But you don't know how much it hurts to see you—"
"You? Every time I look at you, I want to kill myself for being so stupid, for not realizing that he was hurting you, killing you. And now...I just might." He whispers.
"Percy," I say, grasping his hand tightly, refusing to let go. "Don't talk like that."
"Why not? You almost did." He laughs into his knees, the tears coming down harder.
"That was different," I sob, trying to control my emotions. "If I ever lost you, it would be Hades."
"Hades?" he says, his confusion temporarily keeping his tears at bay.
"The Greek god of the Underworld," I say in between sobs.
"Wise Girl," he mutters.
I ignore him. "Besides, you promised."
"What?"
"You promised that no matter what you heard, you would remain calm."
"But Annabeth," he says, wiping his left eye. "He-he—"
"I know what he did, Percy. But that's why I need you more than ever. Please."
He stares at me like a child. "Okay, Annabeth." Then he reaches down and softly brushes his lips against mine.
And for once in so long, I felt okay. Not good. But okay.
So, what do you think? Let me know with a review. Also, I'm reading the Divergent series! Wooh! And P.S., THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR THE 300 REVIEWS! I never even thought I'd hit 200, let alone 300! I know I haven't exactly been showing my appreciation by updating quickly. Stupid school... But I will try to make a chapter at least every 7-14 days or so!~Wisegirl869~