Hey guys, quick AN, this chapter will be in two parts and this half is heavily Melody-centric. So if OCs aren't your cup of tea, then skip to the next.

*Totally a line break.*

Years later, Percy and Melody were spending time in the city with their cousin, Nico di Angelo, showing him the sights and walking about aimlessly.

"New York is cool." Nico enthused.

"Yeah," Melody agreed, "It sure is."

"Uh Melody?" Percy asked nervously.

"Yeah?"

"Have you been watching where we are?"

"Are we lost?" Nico asked.

"No. It's just that this is…" He gestured around them, "Too familiar…"

Melody paled slightly with the realization.

"Oh no…"

"Guys?" Nico asked his cousins, "What is it?"

"We shouldn't be here."

"Is that the Jacksons I see?" A voice called.

Melody tensed. Nico put a hand on her arm.

"Mel? What's wrong, cuz?"

They turned to see a man walking over toward them.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't little 'ol Melody Jackson. And teeny Percy, I see," The stranger pointed to Nico, "Who's this?"

"Our cousin," Percy growled.

"Ah."

"Leave us alone Ted," Melody snapped.

"Still just as snarky after all these years. No, I don't think I will just leave ya alone Jackson," the stranger sneered, "Remember the old times? Why don't we have some more… fun?"

Melody paled even more. Nico glared at the guy. What did he mean? Why did he make Melody so uncomfortable? And more importantly, so terrified?

"C'mon. Let's leave."

Percy took Melody's arm and started to lead her away, Nico hot on their tail.

"Who was that creep Mel?"

"A friend of our old stepfather, Gabe."

"The guy who abused you?"

Melody only nodded. Percy moved his hand to her back and kept her walking.

"Jackson?!" The man called, "You think you're leaving?!"

"Keep walking." Percy muttered.

"What does he want?" Nico asked.

"Nothing good."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just keep walking. We'll explain later."

"No, Perce, I want an explanation now!"

"We do need to tell him eventually, Mel." Percy conceded.

"Percy…"

"Tell him or I will."

"You tell him," she replied, "I think I might shut down if I have to say it again."

"Okay," Percy began, "When Melody and I were little our mom taught us this thing called the 'underpants rule'. It meant that no one but you, doctors, and very trustworthy adults like your mom or dad could touch or look at what was under your underwear. It was to protect little kids from being sexually assaulted, and/or raped. One day, when we were seven, Gabe was having one of his poker parties and one of his friends said he had to use the bathroom. So Gabe told Melody to show the guy where it was. So she lead him down the hall, and once the rest of us couldn't see them, he cornered Mel and… and well... he touched her."

"He raped her?!" Nico nearly shouted.

"It was a sexual assault," Percy corrected quietly, "But I get what you mean. She was seven for crying out loud! But anyway, Gabe sent me to go get the guy because he was taking too long and it was his turn, so I walked down the hall and saw him. From the look on Melody's face, I could at least tell that she was scared and didn't want to be there, so I punched him in the side to get him to face me, and then I kneed him right square in the family jewels. I took a terrified Melody by the hand and we ran down the fire escape and through a few allies. We ended up hiding behind a dumpster until our mom and Gabe found us and brought us back."

"Did it happen again?" Nico asked frantically, "Did it ever go further?"

"Thankfully, no." Percy replied.

Nico sighed in relief. There was silence between the three cousins for a moment.

"Yeah it did." Melody whispered.

Percy looked at her in utter shock.

"Mel… you… you never told me."

"I was hoping to forget about it. It happened so much. And yes, it escalated. I was raped, the first time, two months after the first incident."

"Was it Ted?" Nico asked, utterly furious, "Is that why you were so scared of him?"

"Well… sometimes it was Ted, and he was the first. But there were others. He most certainly wasn't the last."

Ted walked towards the small family. Melody shrank behind Percy, who put his arms around her and pulled her into his chest to calm her fears. Nico stepped forward angrily.

"You stay away from her," he spat, shoving the older man backward.

"Aw," Ted jeered, "You sure he's your cousin and not your boyfriend? Or your brother? He sure acts like it."

"Don't talk to her," Nico snapped, "Don't even go near her."

"I don't like your attitude, boy," Ted barked, shoving Nico back in retaliation, "This is my neighborhood and you play by my rules."

"Fat chance of that. I've faced way worse than the likes of you."

"Nico…" Melody squeaked.

Nico always had time for his cousin and his heart broke hearing her sound like that. He turned.

"Yeah Mel?" He asked.

She had something else to say but what sprung forth by way of a screech was, "Look out!"

She was unfortunately only seconds too late, as Nico was jumped from behind. Nico and Ted fell to the ground, wrestling around. Eventually, despite all his training, Ted had the advantage of the surprise attack and he weighed about twice what Nico did, and pinned him, wrapping a thick arm around his neck and pulling his head up by his hair so his face, his pain well masked, was facing Melody.

"Let go of him!" She cried, all of the pain of her childhood seeping back, clouding her mind. She struggled, trying to escape Percy's grip, but he kept his strong arms around her to keep her away from the danger.

"That was fun, kid," Ted joked, "I haven't had a workout like that in weeks, you on steroids or somethin'? C'mon. Get up."

The small demigod was hoisted to his feet by his hair, eliciting a minute cry of pain. Ted kept one hand on the fifteen year old boy's hair and used the other to hold him still.

"Stop it! Let him go!"

"Let him go!" Ted mocked, "Why? You scared I'll do something?"

He emphasized 'do' by moving his hand from Nico's hair to his throat and squeezing. Percy wanted nothing more than to slice this man in half with his pen-sword, but he knew Riptide did could do no harm to humans. And somehow, some way, Ted was in fact, human. He also knew his sister's pen-trident wouldn't work either, because it too was celestial bronze.

"She said to leave him alone," Percy growled, "I suggest you comply."

Ted let Nico breathe, and the young demigod gasped for air.

"What're you gonna do about it?" Ted taunted.

"They don't have to do anything. I've got it covered." Nico whispered, his voice slightly hoarse, digging his elbow deep into the older man's stomach.

Startled, Ted loosened his grip and Nico kicked backward, fully releasing himself. Even though he was younger, he immediately moved to Melody's side, taking her from Percy and wrapping her in his arms as she started to cry.

"Oh you gonna cry?" Ted laughed, "You're pathetic. And I'm beginning to think this kid is your boyfriend, Jackson, not your cousin."

"She isn't pathetic," Nico snapped, "She's stronger than a despicable lowlife like yourself could ever understand."

"See what I mean Jackson?"

Ted took three steps toward the cousins and Percy snapped. He wasn't going to deal with this anymore. He thought they could handle themselves, but Nico was one of the best fighters Percy knew. So if Ted could take him, they had some problems on their hands. But one thing was for sure, this creep was never going to lay so much as a finger on Melody Jackson again.

"Nico, how's your energy?" He asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. Can you get us out of here?"

"Like, shadow travel?"

"Yes, like shadow travel."

"Okay…"

Percy grabbed onto one of Nico's arms and the son of Hades shadow traveled the three of them back to camp. Melody broke away from Nico and ran off to the lake, throwing herself in. Nico made a move to follow her, but Percy put a hand on his chest.

"She needs time. The was was quite the scare for her. She'll come out when she's ready."

"She's so strong to have gone through all that."

"Yeah. Yeah, she is."

"What about you?" Nico asked.

Percy's fists clenched. This wasn't necessarily something he wanted to talk about again.

"I was lucky. More than she was. But then, I'm not a girl. He had... Different punishments for me."

"Such as?" Nico pried.

*Line break for real. Why does my computer hate my guts?*

Such as what he'll admit in the next chapter. Bye folks!