"Sha-la-la-la-la-la, my oh my, looks like the boy's too shy, ain't gonna kiss the girl!" Seven year old Melody Jackson sang happily, dancing around, her cleaning supplies forgotten. Her twin brother Percy frowned.

"That's girly Melody!" He complained, "It's about kissing!"

"Fine," she grinned, "Under the sea!"

"Okay!"

Soon they both were singing and dancing around, laughing all the while. Gesturing grandly, Percy announced,

"Presenting, the beautiful, the fabulous, the one and only, Melody Jackson!" He then whispered in her ear, "Sing a solo."

So she began singing another song, one heartfelt and full of emotion, catching Percy by surprise. He had expected another goofy Disney song, because that was practically all they knew, but this, this was something so different. She put so much feeling into this song that it was hard to believe she was only seven years old. As beautiful as it was, sadly, her moment didn't last.

"What're you punks doing?!"

Melody stopped abruptly, whirling around. Gabe was standing in the doorway and he looked furious. She backed away slowly toward Percy.

"Stop making noise!" Gabe shouted, shoving Melody the rest of the way to Percy, "I told you to have this house clean before I got home!"

"You told us you wouldn't be home until six and it's only half after four!" Percy snapped back, shielding Melody behind him. Gabe shoved Percy aside, picked Melody up by the front of her shirt, and threw her into the wall on the other side of the room.

"Melody!" Percy cried.

"Percy… it hurts everywhere…" She mumbled.

"Awwwwww," Gabe mocked, "Pewcy it huwts evewywhere. It's your fault. If it wasn't for your ugliness and your racket, you wouldn't hurt so much."

"Stop it!" Percy yelled.

"I do whatever I want punk! This is my house! My rules!"

He smacked Percy backward into the wall. Then he marched over and punched him in the stomach, knocking him down.

"Leave him alone!"

"Leave him alone!" Gabe sneered, speaking in a baby voice, "Don't hurt him! My poor weak brother can't handle it!"

"He's not weak!" Melody retaliated.

"I'm tired of you!" Gabe shouted, "Get out of my sight!"

Gabe turned and left right back out the door. Percy stood shakily.

"C'mon Mel," said Percy, walking over and helping her up, "Let's leave before he gets back."

"But what about mom?"

"We'll be back," Percy assured her, "We're only leaving long enough for Gabe to calm down."

"Okay…" Melody agreed apprehensively.

They went through their room and down the fire escape. No one paid them any attention. To this neighborhood, they were good ol' Sally Jackson's kids. The sweet little family landed with the walrus everyone knew as Gabe. To the rest of New York? Some kids doing something. As long as it wasn't about to affect them, they're fine with it. While walking down the alley, Percy asked where that song came from.

"I heard it on the radio the other day." She replied.

"Could you finish it?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because then Gabe will find us."

"No he won't." Percy argued.

"You can never be sure."

Before Percy could retaliate someone called to them.

"Hey!"

They turned slightly to look behind them and see a man walking towards them.

"You the kids from apartment 307 in the Niedermyer apartment building?"

Percy and Melody shared one look and took off running.

"No!" The man yelled, "I just want to help!"

"That's what they all say," Percy thought, "And it never holds up."

"We… need… to… hide," Melody huffed, "I… can't go… much more…"

"Ok."

"Kids wait!"

"No chance," Percy muttered.

They rounded a corner and Percy caught his foot on something and tripped, crying out in pain as he fell.

"Perce!"

Melody doubled back to help him up, supporting him with an arm around his shoulders.

"Let's... go... That guy will… catch up... soon."

It was worth a shot, but it ended up being a fruitless effort to outrun their pursuer when Percy was hurt. The man caught up and scooped Percy into his arms.

"Put him down! Let him go!" Melody screeched, punching him using a bout of energy brought on by anger and fear.

"Look kid. I'm trying to help you."

"We don't need your help!" She shrieked.

"Really?"

"Yeah! So… put him... down!"

"Okay."

He set Percy on the ground gently, but held firmly to his upper arm.

"I got an anonymous tip this morning that twin kids from apartment 307 in the Niedermyer apartment building were being abused."

"We're fine," Melody lied smoothly.

"Are you or are you not being abused?"

"We're not," she repeated.

"Then why did you run from me?"

"Because this is New York and we didn't know who you were."

"At least let me walk me back to your apartment."

"No thank you." Percy said firmly.

"Kids-"

"We said no," Melody reiterated, "This is New York. Kids wander around all the time. A little more than 62,400 people out of the nearly 8.5 million inhabitants of New York are homeless and approximately 23,750 are kids."

"How do you know those facts?"

"School. We'll be going now."

"Fine. But I'll always be around to help you."

The twins both thought, "Yeah right. We'll never hear from you again," but they smiled and nodded as they parted ways with the man.

"We're never gonna see him again will we?" Percy asked.

"Nope."