Pain spread through Percy's body as his torso took kick after kick. He clutched his ribs that he was sure were going to break at any moment, but that didn't stop the vicious kicks.

Percy was lying on the kitchen floor in front of the refrigerator as he endured the pain his stepfather Gabe inflicted on him over a spilt drink. Percy clenched his teeth trying to hold in the cries of pain that were yearning to be set free.

"Next time learn how to hold a damn bottle right punk"

Gabe grabbed Percy by his hair and tossed him to the side to reach into the fridge for a new bottle of beer. Percy stayed curled up on the ground with his arms wrapped around his bruised body.

Gabe stepped over Percy to walk back to the living room. He plopped onto his leather reclining chair as Percy lied on the kitchen floor moaning in pain. After a few minutes the pain subsided slightly and he shakily got to his feet, clutching the kitchen counter.

Percy limped down the hallway to the bathroom. Once there he pulled out the painkillers he kept hidden under the sink.

After taking a few pills and wrapping some gauze around his bruised ribs Percy plopped down onto his bed with a sigh. He wished his mom were here to run her nimble fingers through his hair telling him everything would be okay.

But she's been gone for five years and Percy learned a long time ago no one was coming to save him. Percy lost her when he was only ten and since then things have never been the same. Percy's tradition of eating blue food died with his mother, after Gabe called it stupid and forbade him from it. After she died Percy tried as hard as he could to move on, to not feel guilty but these days he could hardly look in the mirror without breaking down.

Percy still had his two best friends Nico and Leo, they had always been by his side and ready to cheer him up, he was grateful for them because he knew they would never let him down, even if everyone else did.

They had asked about the bruises multiple times, they always got suspicious but Percy always came up with an excuse. Of course he felt bad lying to them but as bad as it was living with Gabe if anyone found out he'd end up in foster care. It doesn't sound all that bad compared to living with Gabe but this was his home, where he grew up, where his mom cooked him all his favorite blue foods and helped him with his homework, he wasn't going to lose this place to the likes of Gabe.

Percy sighed and rolled onto his side; exhausted he finally closed his eyes and fell asleep despite the pain

…

The blood it was all he could see it was everywhere, surrounding her in an endless pool of crimson. It seeped from her head and through his fingers as though it was never there in the first place, as though everything she was, everything she was going to be was always destined to end up here. Sally Jackson no longer existed, the most important person in Percy's life, his rock, the one person he knew would always be there, was gone.

Percy held her in his arms rocking back and forth no longer fighting the tears that rolled down his pale cheeks. She was gone. She was really gone. How could he keep going, how could he live without her, without her warm smile and reassuring hugs.

He begged her to move, to make a sound, to come back but she simply stared up at him with wide unmoving eyes. The vibrancy that once danced in their depths, her once beautiful and optimistic filled orbs now held nothing, none of its shine or pride.

Gabe paced back and forth in front of Percy cursing under his breath and tugging at his hair. Percy knew Gabe hadn't meant to push her that hard, he didn't mean for her to hit her head, but he still did it.

He still took her away from him. Percy had always told himself as long as he had his mother he could endure whatever this world put him through. That he would always have something to fight for. But now looking down at her dead body he wasn't so sure anymore.

…

Percy slowly woke to the sound of an engine. He rolled onto his side and rubbed his eyes. He sat up in his bed and looked out the small window in his room to see Gabe's car pulling out of the driveway.

Percy looked over at his clock to see that it read nine-thirty. He was thirty minutes late for school. Percy jumped out of bed throwing on his clothes and hoping he would make it there before first period ended. But the leap out of bed had been too much for him, pain spread through his side and his knees buckled.

Percy carefully backed up to the edge of his bed and slumped against it, breathing heavily from the minimal effort.

Percy slowly lifted up his shirt with clenched teeth his chest going up and down rapidly with each labored breath. He softly gasped at the purple bruising covering the majority of his torso, the darkest over the left side of his ribs. Hissing in pain Percy pulled down his shirt and painfully but undoubtedly got to his feet clutching the bed frame.

Percy hobbled to his closet and got dressed in a t-shirt and jeans the best he could without aggravating his wounded ribs.

Percy bounded out the door pulling on his sneakers and wrapping a thick jacket around his skinny frame. He walked as fast as he could; wincing with every step as the pain in his ribs flared every time he took a step. He made it out of his house and down the street towards school, trying to keep his composure and not simply keel over.

Percy made it a good few blocks before the pain became almost unbearable and his legs gave out on him. He fell to the ground with a whimper, his arms wrapped around his ribs and a deeply pained look on his face.

"Hey kid, you okay?"

Percy's head immediately snapped up in the direction of the man's deep voice. On the road next to the sidewalk Percy was crouched on, was a police car, a cop leaned over in his seat and looked out the open window with a worried look.

Percy immediately tried to mask his pain and stood with a grimace.

"I-I'm fine" Percy uttered cursing himself as his voice broke.

"You sure didn't look fine"

Percy looked down away from the officers piercing green eyes.

"Shouldn't you be in school kid?"

Percy nodded slowly still looking down, His midsection still burned with pain and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep a slack face.

"What school do you go to?"

Percy gulped trying hard not to wince, "G-Goode"

"Alright let me give you a ride"

"No!" Percy was finally looking at the officer who had his eyebrows raised from his quick protest, Percy cleared his throat trying to conceal his panic, "I-I mean I-I'm okay, I don't need a ride"

Poseidon was about to protest that the kid didn't look in shape to walk anywhere, but the kid had already turned away and started walking back down the sidewalk. Poseidon pushed down on the gas lightly so the car slowly followed along with the kid. The boy was thin so much so that his clothes hung off his lithe form. He had a messy ravens nest of black wind blown hair. All that Poseidon had seen of his eyes was a flash of bright green.

"Look kid-" was all Poseidon could get out before the boy's knees buckled and he fell to the floor with a moan of pain.

Poseidon immediately pressed on the brakes and stepped out of the car to help the kid. The boy was crouched on the sidewalk with his arm over his ribs, his breaths were fast and ragged and his head was down. Poseidon carefully stepped forward and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder.

The moment his large hand dropped on the boy's small shoulder the kid jumped and scrambled away from him, now facing Poseidon.

"D-don't touch me" His voice was desperate and broke halfway through.

Now that the kid was glaring directly at Poseidon he could see the kids eyes. He had to admit he had never seen eyes more beautiful. They were large and as green as the sea, and despite the pained look on his face they were bright and hopeful.

"I'm sorry, I'm just trying to help"

"Well I don't need your help" The boy exclaimed climbing to his feet.

"Look, I just want to make sure you get to school safe, you don't look in very good shape"

Percy stood on shaky legs wishing the officer would leave him alone, but he understood the man's persistence, Percy had to admit he didn't exactly seem well and able, he knew he winced with every breath and had a slight limp, but he still didn't want the man asking questions, "I'll manage"

"Well considering that it is school hours and you're not in school, I'll have to take you to the police station" Percy glared up at the man who had a smug grin on his face, "unless of course you let me give you a ride"

"Fine" Percy muttered as he shouldered his backpack and walked to the passenger's side of the police car.

The kid stared down at his hands as Poseidon drove. The boy was quiet and guarded, whatever was causing him pain it was obvious he didn't want to talk about it, but it was his job to protect people, and even though this kid obviously didn't want his help, Poseidon was well known for his persistence.

"So…" Poseidon started.

The boy looked up at him with a look that almost pleaded for him to let it go, to stop asking questions and let him go on with his miserable life. Poseidon sighed.

"Look whatever it is, I get it if you don't want to talk about it, but I am really just trying to help"

"Yeah well I don't need-"

"Help yeah, yeah" Poseidon cut him off as he parked besides the school.

The officer turned to the boy who glared at him with eyes that almost told of the sufferings he lived through, and all though Poseidon searched for more, for answers the boy was holding up a wall, a fragile but well managed wall that stopped him from falling apart, it held at bay what would surely destroy him.

"But if you ever do need help, just call me" Poseidon held out a card with his number and the address of the police station on it.

Percy glared at the card; he knew the officer had good intentions, or at least his version of them, but even though Percy would like to trust him, he knew what trust entailed, betrayal, heart break and eventual loss, it was inevitable, and he had lived through enough, he had given out more trust than he had before his mother had died and he had lost it all and more.

He snatched the card out of the officer's hand and shoved it in his pocket with a scowl, he was sure that he would never use it. He opened the door and stepped out not wanting to look back.

Before he could shut the door, a large hand wrapped around his wrist, he froze and immediately jerked his hand out of the gentle grip. Gabe always grabbed his wrist before he hit him, to keep him in place, to stop him from running, to watch the fear in his eyes as Percy realized what was to come, what always came.

Poseidon recoiled as he watched the kid pull away violently, his sleeve rode up and Poseidon caught a glimpse of fresh purple bruises shaped like large fingers wrapped around the boy's wrist.

Poseidon could see the un-doubtable look of fear in the boy's large green eyes as he pulled his sleeve down, covering the bruises, the secrets, the words that were so willing to escape help me.

"I just wanted to ask your name" Poseidon clarified.

Percy could see the suspicious look in the officers eyes, he wasn't sure if he had seen the bruises or not but either way he was tired of this guy.

"Percy" he growled and turned uninterested in the response.

"Po-" Poseidon started but the kid was already walking away, "-seidon" He sighed

He watched as Percy walked into school, head down and arms wrapped around his surely bruised midsection. The kid was hurting.

Poseidon smiled; he couldn't get Percy to talk. But maybe he could give him a ride tomorrow.