Hello guys! I hope you enjoy this first chapter of this AU, it is kinda rough to start with I won't lie- we hate Gabe here. Like, a lot. Anyway, please do read and review- tell me what you guys are thinking of it.

Percy was scared. She was really scared, that was why she ran.

Gabe had always been mean- he was nasty and Percy hated him, she didn't get why her mommy loved Gabe so much. But she always told Percy that she needed to be good, that Gabe was good for them so she didn't tell her how unhappy she was, how Gabe liked pinching her on her sides where no one would see the bruises, how Gabe said that she had to be quiet about it or he'd tell mommy that Percy was a bad girl.

Percy wasn't a bad girl- or she didn't mean to be anyways.

And it had gotten worse recently. The pinches were harder, and sometimes he'd twist Percy's arm until she cried for him to stop but he wouldn't. She hated him.

But she'd never been this scared of him before.

She'd been sick in school, her tummy had been hurting and she'd thrown up, and since mommy was working Gabe had to come and get her.

He hadn't been happy at that- she could smell the nasty drink he drank sometimes all over him.

Mrs Balsky had asked if he was going to walk her home-she'd looked pretty unhappy that Percy was going with him but he was her step father so she'd had to let Percy go.

Gabe had bundled her into the car with a scowl on his lips before getting in himself, muttering about how Sally better not take long to get home- how he didn't want to look after the 'little bitch'.

Percy wasn't sure what a bitch was but she was pretty sure it was a bad word.

And Gabe had kept swerving as he drove- which just made Percy's tummy hurt worse, and she sniffled, trying not to cry as she curled up in the back seat of
his car.

It was when he skidded to a halt that it happened- Percy couldn't help it, he stopped so suddenly that she jerked forward and her stomach twisted and she was heaving, sobbing softly as she hunched over.

Gabe started cursing instantly, turning off the engine as climbing out of the car, his face red with fury as he opened the passenger door.

"What the fuck you stupid little bitch-"

"I'm sorry-" Percy wiped her face with the back of her hand- but then Gabe's hand was on her arm and he was yanking her hard.

She yelped in pain as she was dragged out of the car.

"Sorry? You're fuckin' sorry you stupid bitch. You're lucky I'm not rubbing your face in it you dirty little shit."

"I don't feel well- I want mommy!"

"Well your fucking bitch of a mommy isn't here." Gabe kicked the door shut and he was towing her inside their apartment quickly, "And if she aint here soon you won't see her again 'cause I'm sick of your shit you stupid little bitch-"

"I didn't mean to be sick I'm sorry-"

"Yeah right. You're fuckin' useless. You're not even old enough to be fun." he dragged her along until he was unlocking the door and tossing her into their apartment- she stumbled as she did, crying out as she hit the ground, trying to catch herself- and pain shot through her arm as she did.

She sobbed violently, shaking her head.

"That hurt-"

"Think I give a shit?" Gabe sneered, kicking the door shut behind him as Percy pushed herself up so that she was on her hands and knees.

"Hey!" Gabe's voice was sharp, "Did I tell you to get up bitch?"

"W-wha-" Gabe's foot hit her side and Percy cried out, arms giving out as she curled into a ball.

"Ouch! That hurt!"

"'Course it did bitch, it was meant to." Gabe sneered at her and he kicked her again.

And again and again until Percy was sobbing and screaming.

He was panting by the time he stopped, and he snorted as he stared down at Percy- who was crying brokenly, shaking- her body hurt all over.

"Help me-"

"No ones gonna help you you stupid little bitch. No one loves you. Your mommy doesn't even want you-"

"S-she does-" Percy whimpered, "You're a nasty liar-"

"Yeah, well mommy's not here-" Gabe reached down, grabbing Percy by her hair and lifting her up, ignoring Percy's pained yelp as she grabbed at his wrist with her uninjured hand- he'd caught her left wrist on one of his kicks and now it really hurt.

She kicked her legs frantically and Gabe laughed.

"Shame you're too young." Gabe sneered, "You might actually be useful in a few years."

"I hate you!" Percy clawed at his wrist and Gabe let out a yelp, dropping her, and she yelped as she hit the ground, ignoring the pain as she lurched to her feet, punching out at the spot that Jack had hit Lucas in in school- and Lucas had been crying and Mrs Balsky had told them all that that was a no no spot for hitting- not that they were supposed to hit anyone anywhere but that was a big no no spot.

Gabe let out a shocked yell of pain and hunched over and Percy turned around and bolted.

Gabe was a monster- only monsters hurt people. That was what her mommy had told her.

She wasn't sure how she did it but she managed to get out of the apartment and down into the street and she ran- she ran for what felt like a lifetime- she wanted to find her mommy- she knew where she worked but she'd never gone there by herself before- and it didn't take her long to get lost.

Percy was crying by the time she crashed into the legs of a tall man.

He was big, really tall, with dark skin and piercing brown eyes when he looked down at her- his head was bald and he had one of those funny beards that was just on his chin.

She hit the ground hard, bursting into tears.

"Woah-" that came from a boy by the side of the man- he was older than Percy, with the same dark skin as the man and short dark curls. "Are you okay-"

"What happened to you?" the tall man's voice was surprisingly gentle and Percy whimpered.

"Monster hurt me." her voice shook- and the man stiffened, his eyes narrowing.

"A monster?"

"Y-yeah." Percy nodded as the boy pulled a square of white cloth out of his pocket, crouching in front of her and using it to wipe her tears, it came away with blotches of red from blood- and Percy winced when he touched her eyebrow- it stung.

"I see." The man looked very unhappy at that as he crouched in front of her, joining his son "Where did it happen little one? How badly are you hurt? Do you need a doctor?"

Percy took a deep breath- she knew their address at least- she'd been taught it in case she ever got lost. "East One-hundred-and-fourth and First. A-and I don't like the doctors. Please don't make me go to the hospital."

"Right- well you're not in immediate need of the hospital so I suppose-" The man nodded, his gaze shifting to the boy, "Carter, see that cafe?" he nodded towards a little cafe just across the street, and Carter nodded.

"Yes dad."

"You will take- what's your name?"

"Percy-"

"Good, well you will take Percy into there and wait for me." his voice was firm, and he pulled some money out of a wallet and handed it to Carter, "Get yourself something to eat and don't leave there until I come."

"Okay dad."

"And try and get Percy here cleaned up."

"Okay dad."

And a moment later the man was gone and Percy focused on the boy- Carter, who gave her a nervous smile as he held out his hand.

"Uh, should we go then."

"O-okay."

And soon enough they were inside of the little cafe- they went to the customer toilets first, and Carter spent several minutes helping her clean away the worst of the blood on her face- when Percy looked into the mirror she barely recognised herself.

Her face was bruised and swollen, her eyebrow was split and her nose had been bleeding too.

Carter must have seen something in the way her bottom lip was trembling because he straightened up slightly and gave her a reassuring grin.

"You're super brave y'know."

"I-" Percy hesitated, "I am?"

"Yeah." Carter nodded, "You're super brave, I'd be crying right now if I was you." he assured her.

That made Percy smile slightly and when Carter held out his hand she let him pull her out into the cafe and they made their way over to the counter- where the server looked down at them, her eyes widening slightly.

"Oh my god- are you okay sweetheart?"

"Uh huh." Percy nodded as Carter wrapped an arm around her shoulder to pull her into his side, tucking her in close. "I'm okay now."

"Do you need me to call-"

"My dad's sorting it out." Carter spoke up, "He told us to wait here for him. We'll be good."

"Can I have a milkshake?"

"I-" the woman hesitated before nodding, a worried glint in her eyes, "Of course sweetheart, what flavor."

"Chocolate please."

"Can I have one too?"

And within minutes Carter and Percy were sat at a little table in the corner with their milkshakes- the server watching them as they sat and sipped their drinks, Percy slowly brightening up as she started to swing her legs.

She wasn't sure why, but she trusted Carter. And that was all that mattered.

...

Julius had seen many things in his life- many of which he wished he could forget about, but one thing that always struck hard was the sight of hurt children, and the little girl he'd left with Carter was clearly very hurt- she was so young- younger than both of his own children.

The thought of whoever might have hurt her made his blood boil.

That was why he'd decided to find this monster- and if it was a real monster or someone who would just barely fit the term human was yet to be seen.

When he arrived at the apartment building Julius headed inside, taking the stairs so he could stop at every floor- and he knew he'd found the right one when he heard yelling.

He moved quickly towards the noise- and he pushed open the slightly ajar door, stepping inside in time to see a woman- a beautiful woman with long dark hair, blue eyes that seemed to catch the light, something about her struck him as fierce- though maybe that was the fact that she was clutching a knife and pressing it to a huge, horrifically ugly man's throat- and Julius pulled a face as the smell hit him- it was horrendous- by far the worst thing he'd ever smelled.

The woman froze, head turning to look at the door when she heard it opening, and the man managed to gasp out- "Help me! She's insane!"

The woman pressed the knife harder, "I am not insane. Where is she?!"

"Percy?" Julius raised an eyebrow- and the woman's eyes widened.

"That- you found her?"

"I assume she's your daughter?"

"Yes- oh thank the gods-" the woman looked like she was about to cry, though she didn't lower the knife. "Is she okay? I- I got home as fast as I could but-" her voice cracked- and Julius couldn't blame her- he could see the blood drying on the carpet. It left a sick heavy feeling in his stomach as the thought about
that tiny little blood streaked face.

"She's safe, no serious injuries from what I could see, I left her with my son at a cafe not far from here. She said a monster hurt her."

"And you came-"

"To deal with the monster-"

"Hey-"

"Shut up." Julius and the beautiful woman spoke in unison and Julius' lips twitched very slightly as the man's face paled and he shut up, mainly because Sally pressed the knife to his throat harder.

"Thank you." Sally let out a breath. "For helping her. I had no clue he'd ever touch her-"

"I can tell that." because a mother who reacted like that clearly wouldn't knowingly let someone hurt their child. "I think it's a good idea to deal with this man- and then perhaps I should take you to your daughter?"

"Yes." Sally nodded, "Yes that's an excellent idea."