Disclaimer: I don't own DC or percy jackson by Rick Riordan

Jason's age:7

All Jason wanted to do was get an actual dinner from that nice lady who ran the chinese food place down the corner who occasionally gave him leftovers. Getting chased by a...something was definitely not what he wanted to do on a friday night.

Like what the actual frick! How does this happen to him? Did he do something bad in his old life or something to deserve this. To be fair he could be rude sometimes but a literal monster chasing after him? This was way too weird for him, and he lived in Crime Alley!

He rounded a corner into an alley. He could hear the beast right behind him. If he could just make it home maybe he had a chan- oh s***. His mom was there. He couldn't drag his probably wasted mom into this.

So he kept running past the door to his building and after a couple feet tripped on a can. Really?! A can?! This was not how he wanted to be killed. Like, he didn't want to be killed anyway, but tripping on a can? Yeah, a true child of Gotham he was.

He turned to see what exactly he had been running from. At first he thought it was a dog, but then it started snarling at him. As Jason started backing up he saw the dog had begun to grow.

So naturally he noped out of there, like any Gothamite would do. You know, if they weren't high or drunk. So basically at least 50% of Gotham.

Jason's eyes widened as he saw the creature. It looked like a big bulky dog, but scarier. The dog's fur was a dark red, reminding him of the color of dried blood. The monster's eyes were a bright glowing red. The teeth were at least a foot long and sharp. Jason knew that if he got caught by those teeth he was a goner. The monster started moving forward, the smell of it's breath becoming more apparent and putrid by the moment.

Then suddenly a knife sunk into the back of the hound and pulled out. It howled and turned around. It was promptly met with a blow to the eye. The creature lost its balance and leaned against a wall, taking heavy breaths.

Jason's unknown hero took his hand and they ran, Jason looking behind him. The person dragged him into his building. He kept just staring blankly until he was pushed into his apartment.

This broke him out of his stupor and he looked up to thank the person. But he was cut off by his surprise of seeing who it was.

It...was his mother! But how!

As Jason stared at her amazed, she lowered herself to his level.

"Jason? Are you alright? Did it hurt you?" Catherine asked him.

After a few moments Jason shook his head, not being able to talk. She gave him a warm smile and hugged him, the knife still tightly in her hand.

A minute later,"Mom? Did...did you just save me from that...thing?" His voice was muffled as he talked into her shoulder.

His mother gave a small nod and then picked him up. She carried him over to the couch and sat there, him close to her side.

Jason looked over and looked at the knife in their silence. It looked golden, but somehow different. Why would his mother have something like that?

He glanced at her and asked,"Mom, what was that? And where'd you get that knife?"

She sighed and looked at her son, concern clear in her eyes. "Jason, that thing was a monster. A hellhound, I think."

Jason raised an eyebrow,"But those things don't exist, right?"

His mother's face made him rethink his statement.

"Look Jay, you're special. Not many people can see the monsters. And even those who can have some trouble."

"Really? But why did it chase me?" he questioned. He felt her arm tug him closer if possible.

"It's...complicated, Jay," she replied.

She then looked at him very seriously, in a way she never did except when she needed him to be quiet,"Jason, you have to promise me something."

"...Yes?"

"No matter what happens you will either have this knife with you or you'll know where this is. Is that clear?" she declared, showing him the weapon.

He nodded. "I promise."

She smiled at him and something in him jumped. She usually didn't smile that much since his father had gotten arrested. She put him on her lap and hugged him. He returned it, slowly falling asleep to his mother's steady breath.

Jason would always remember that night, and keep his last promise to his mother before she would get caught up with drugs and met her fate.

Ok now this chapter did not include any PJO characters. But don't worry they'll be here! Thanks for reading this!

And for anyone wondering I personally think Catherine in my universe would be like sally where she could see past the mist and kind of knew Jason was a demigod, so she tried to protect him.

P.S. we are not going to do the new 52 canon where Catherine was his original mother because that is such a load of bullcrap.