I hope everyone's holidays are going well. Here's another chapter; This one might be a little different from usual but I realized that I needed to finish it after I had ingested... uh... oregano. Yeah, oregano. Anyway, TW for all the things mentioned in the last chapter plus self harm.-- There had been a sort of awkward blanket of tension over the ship and crew for the past few hours as they all sat in the mess hall waiting for another memory to come alive around them. Coach Hedge was, as usual, in his cabin or standing near the ledge, "keeping watch" aka sleeping. Everyone had settled into their places as they waited together. Piper amd Annabeth were chatting quietly as both Percy and Jason slept. Frank held Hazel's hand and nodded off while she listened to the other girl's conversation. Leo pretended to sleep while vigorously trying to wipe his brain clean of all incriminating evidence. He thought maybe if he focused enough, the memories would magically erase. He wasn't sure if that would work or if he was wasting his time and energy, but it was worth a try. If Percy and Jason could get amnesia by accident, how hard could it be to do it on purpose?

There were some things he had never told anyone, and there were particularly embarrassing memories in which he did very, very questionable things, usually for money to survive on the streets. 'Dike,' Leo thought, "If you're really the goddess of justice please don't show them that."

As if in response to his plea, the room swirled in tendrils of gray smoke and mist enveloped them. At once everyone was on their feet, alert. When the smoke cleared, the heroes stood in a small bedroom, where a small boy sat at the window, tying sheets together. Percy in particular, noticed the small flecks of blood on the sheets, and the source of them. The small boy's wrists were riddled with scars. Percy had seen enough troubled kids, and been one, enough to know where those came from.

Save for a small lamp on the bedside table, the room was dark. It was slightly smaller than an average bedroom, as if it had been intended as a walk- in closet. There were few personal belongings besides a pair of shoes and a small bag of what probably contained clothes laying on the floor beside the bed.

Young Leo finished the makeshift rope of sheets and pulled on it slightly to test it's strength before starting to lower it out of the open window. As he worked quietly, a creaky door and footsteps sounded from somewhere in the house. The boy frantically pulled the rope back up and shoved it under his bed, along with the bag of clothes. He pulled down his sleeves and scrambled under the covers. Just as he closed his eyes to fully sell the lie, his door creaked open.

"Leo," said a harsh voice, "One of your teachers called me today. She's concerned for your safety because of the bruises on your face."

Standing in the doorway was a middle aged woman with blonde hair tied back in a tight low ponytail. Here eyes were icy blue and held a vicious hatred for the small boy in front of her. Leo shuddered as the woman in the memory looked right through him at his younger self, knowing what was about to happen.

"Miss Teresa, I promise I didn't say anything-" He was cut off by a sharp slap, right across his already bruised face. He didn't make a sound, apparently used to it. Teresa looked at Leo with contempt.

"No dinner tonight, Leo. I'll think about tomorrow. In the meantime, I think you deserve a better punishment than a tap on the cheek. Come here."

The memory turned to smoke but almost immediately solidified. It was the same day, maybe half an hour later. Leo's lip was now bleeding as he crouched beside a tree. his bag slung over his back. His breath rattled, like he was in pain, and he was badly bruised. The memory turned to smoke again.

The other demigods stared at Leo as he avoided their gaze. Around them appeared a nightclub of some sort. Loud rock music blared from speakers around the crowded room and people danced, drank, and made out in various corners that offered no privacy. After a moment, they became aware that the music was live. On a stage at the front of the room, a band played songs that Annabeth didn't know very well but had heard at various points when she was on the run with Thalia and Luke. Thalia lived this stuff. She felt a pang of longing for her friend as she listed to the music.

The singer was decently okay and so were the others but what really held them all together was the small curly brown haired boy playing the guitar. He was obviously way too young to be in a place like this but nobody seemed to care. In between songs the young boy took shot after shot. After they finished their set and bowed drunkenly to the audience, they staggered offstage and dispersed. The guitar player, who was definitely Leo, headed straight for the back to a man who silently handed him a stack of cash. Without another word, Leo left through the back door to an alley. The demigods followed.

As young Leo leaned against the wall, counting the cash to make sure he wasn't being cheated, a girl of about the same height and build appeared at the entrance of the alleyway. She had smooth clear skin the color of coffee, and her long hair was I'm braids that danced behind her as she walked toward young Leo. She wore leather pants, boots, and what looked like a corset. As she approached, the real Leo breathed in sharply.

"Allison." He muttered, transfixed as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Hey, cutie." Allison called to young Leo. He looked up and rolled his eyes, but still smiled as if he couldn't help himself.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" He bowed mockingly.

"I want you to reconsider." The smile melted off of the boy's face. He turned his back to her.

"I told you, I'm not leaving this gig. It pays well. Besides, I'm not looking for a family."

"Leo, you need people. And we could take care of you. We all take care of each other." Leo sighed in frustration.

"Im not doing this with you again. I have a band."

"Yeah, and none of you know each other's names."

"It's better this way."

"Fot who? You? Leo, please. We don't have a guitar player."

"No." Allison looked disappointed and took a step away from him.

"Fine." She turned to leave but Leo reached out and grabbed her arm. He pulled her close and kissed her. They both pulled away and their eyes met for a moment. Then the moment passed and she turned and walked away. Leo stood in the alley alone, watching the place in the dark where she had last been in his sight as he watched her leave.

The smoke reappeared, this time solidifying into the same club. Leo stood up front, singing this time as he played guitar. His voice was actually really good, to everyone surprise. As he sang, Leo's friends stared at him in disbelief. Piper leaned toward him and whispered.

"You have so much explaining to do when we get back." He gulped. Oh no.

Before he could answer her, the smoke returned.

Another chapter will be up soon. Happy holidays! Read and review!-R