AN: It's always encouraging to read your reviews no matter how insignificant, so, u'know, if you want to...no ones stopping you :))

Also, to the guest review, thank you, I'm glad you enjoy it haha. and i don't really have an updating schedule, i just...kinda write...and then decide when the chapter ends, then upload it soooo...yea hehe

Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights go to Rick Riordan

Questions whirling in his mind, Joel waved at his wife, motioning for her to come and sit beside him on the couch, out of earshot of the still eating child.

"Honey, I think Percy's wanted. By the police. I just saw him on the news. Apparently his parents were found dead and they want him in for questioning," he whispered, glancing back at Percy, still content in eating as much as he could. Her eyes widened, uncomprehending.

Turning her head, she gazed at the little boy, taking in his thin frame, the way he was demolishing the food, as if he hadn't eaten in days at the very least.

"Well, what should we do? We can't just abandon him to the authorities, what if they imprison him or something equally bad?" her hushed tone did nothing to cover up the anxiousness of her tone. He looked into her eyes, seeing the concern for this boy they had just met there; concern for what would happen to this child.

"Look, we already told him that we would give him some food, maybe a change of clothes, and then take him to the station. It wouldn't really be doing anything that we didn't already say we were going to do, sweetie, he'll be fine. They're not going to imprison a child. I don't even think that's legal!" Despite the situation, a wry grin appeared on her face even as she shook her head at his incredulous voice, waving her hand in an up and down motion, indicating him to lower his voice.

"Fine, we'll let him finish eating, give him some more food, water, his original clothes, and then we can take him to the station. I'm still letting him have dessert first though," her tone was firm leaving no room for debate. Mind made up, she headed to the bathroom, presumably to clean Percy's clothes before giving them back.

He shook his head at her stubbornness before rising as well, trying to remember where he had placed the backpack he had been thinking of throwing out a couple weeks ago. Walking past the dining area, he watched as Percy finished his plate, refilling it from the pan for possibly the fifth time.

He let out a soft chuckle as he continued on towards the spare bedroom that he and Emily had converted into a study. The boy sure can eat. Entering the room, he started searching around, opening draws and looking in between shelves, hoping to find it crammed somewhere.

Finally, after a solid ten minutes of rummaging, he finally spotted the straps dangling out of a box stacked precariously on top of the small bookshelf. Scanning the room, he took out the small, foldable step ladder sandwiched between a filing cabinet and a wall. Shaking it a few times to ensure it was steady, he climbed up, carrying the box back down where he could take out the backpack.

Once everything was back in its place, he walked back out to the kitchen area, backpack in hand, ready to fill with some supplies. Opening the pantry, he reached for some granola bars, wondering what else he could give the boy.

"Umm, Mr Joel?" A tug on the back of his shirt drew his attention to Percy behind him, stick in one hand and the other clenching and unclenching at his side.

"Yes Percy? Have you finished eating?" Another glance towards the dining table confirmed that he had indeed finished eating the entire dish that could have fed three people.

"Mhm, I finished. Mrs Emily said I could have jelly beans. Can I have jelly beans?" He wouldn't have been able to deny Percy's request even if he wanted to, something about the way he looked up at him with those eyes strongly reminded him of the eyes of a baby seal; adorably cute and impossible to refuse.

Moving away from the pantry, he walked back towards the grocery bag that had been left on the counter and pulled out the pack of Walmart jelly beans they had bought on the way home.

"Here you go. Now remember, don't eat too many too quickly or you'll get a stomach ache, okay?"

"Mhmm," came the only reply as Percy tore open the packet with a delighted glee, shoving multiple blue beans into his mouth at once.

-Line Break-

An hour later, the couple had finished preparing things for Percy to take, and they made their way out of the apartment. As they were walking down to the subway station, he asked what they were doing now; they had fed and clothed him, what else was there to do?

Walking down into the station, they purchased a ticket for Percy before heading towards the platform that would take them to the police station. As they explained that they were going to take him to the police station so that the police would be able to get him back home, he tensed up and started backing away from them, eyes darting from Emily to Joel.

They had their hands out in the universal "we're not going to hurt you, it's okay" sign, pleading for him to calm down. The placating gestures did nothing to pacify him, only making him look at them warily, the trust he had had for them falling away. Holding his stick out at them, he eyed them suspiciously.

"Mr Joel and Mrs Emily, thank you for helping me, but I can't go to the police. They think I killed my mom, but I didn't!" The crack in his voice didn't go unnoticed by the two adults as he looked up at them even as tears started forming. His eyes darted around, taking note of where the exits were.

As the rumbling sound of a subway train grew louder, he steeled himself, mind made up.

"Smelly Gabe killed her and he tried to kill me. The police won't believe me, so I can't go to them. They can't help me," he said as he slowly backed away towards the other platform, eyeing it as it came to a stop, the doors opening up. Emily and Joel looked up as well, realization dawning on them.

They advanced towards him, still imploring him to come with them, before he turned around and ran towards the subway train even as the doors started closing. Mustering as much strength and speed as his frail and weak body could, he threw himself through the doors just as they slammed shut.

He turned around from his position on the floor, picking himself up as he gazed at the couple that had helped him. He held their gaze, even as the subway pulled away from the station, leaving the couple that had helped this little boy on the street behind.

He shook his head and sniffled, he had done the right thing. He had to leave them. He was better off on his own. Holding up his right hand, he stared at the knife, looking into his own bronzy reflection. His mom would've said he did the right thing. Nodding to himself, he surveyed the car he was in, taking note of the occupants.

A middle aged man, a group of teenagers and an old lady. No one else out this late at night. He walked towards an empty seat near the end of the car, where there was no else. Pulled himself onto a seat, he plopped his backpack down next to him, looking up at the sound of footsteps.

It was the middle aged man, wearing a trench coat and hat, making him look like one of those cartoon detectives he always saw in the picture book back in preschool. He couldn't read through his dyslexia, but the pictures were always entertaining enough. The man sat down next to him, and Percy shifted away, pulling his backpack closer to himself.

"Hey kiddo, whatcha doing on a subway all by yourself?" The man's voice was slightly raspy, like he didn't use it often.

"My mom said I shouldn't talk to strangers," Percy mumbled, cringing away, shuffling a little further away from this strange man.

"Oh, but you can talk to me. Can't you, sweetie?" Percy jerked, whipping his gaze towards the man, eyes wide, mouth open in shock. This man had just spoken….but he had heard his mother's voice? He looked up at the man, and for the first time realised something wrong.

He only had one eye.

"Now, now, sweetie, you wouldn't disobey your mother would you dear?" The cyclops grinned, baring his unnaturally sharp teeth in a grin. Despite the fear coursing through him, Percy gulped, before holding out his knife, pointing it in a way that could be perceived as threatening. The cyclops glanced down at it before chuckling; it was as intimidating as a fly.

"S-stay back, o-or I'll stab you!" Percy tried to growl out, but the clear anxiety in his small voice only made the monster grin wider.

"You couldn't even if you tried. Now hold still, this won't take long," as the cyclops reached out to grab Percy, his eye suddenly widened, making a strangled choking sound. He gazed down at the bronze spear head poking through his chest, before exploding into a yellow powder, leaving only the trench coat and hat combo he was wearing and the smell of sulphur.

Mouth gaping in shock, Percy's eyes travelled up from the spear head to the person holding it, taking in their lithe and strong figure..

"You okay? He would've killed you if I hadn't been here. You need to actually use the knife, not just hold it up, kid," the strong voice snapped him out of his stupor, even as he still gaped at the girl, taking in her appearance. She had short black hair, the freckles sprinkled across her nose standing out against her lightly tanned skin. Her clothes looked like a cross between punk and goth styles; matching black t-shirt and tattered jeans, complete with a leather jacket with badges from bands he had never seen before. If his mom had seen her on the street, she would've taken him to cross the street. The features that stood out the most, though, were her eyes. They were a startlingly bright electric blue.

"Uhh, yea, umm I'm okay. Who are you? How come you can see them too? Where'd you get a big knife like that?" Voice still slightly wobbly, he shook off the daze, eyeing her skeptically, wondering if she was going to try kill him too.

"Woah kid, calm down. I'm Thalia, and I'm a demigod like you."