Chapter 16

Percy POV

When I stumbled out of my shadow, I was not expecting so much screaming. Disoriented I drew my sword and looked around. What I saw was both surprising and not. Uncle had shadow traveled into the middle of camp, right as the girls were taking out their laundry. He was now hogtied and pinned to the ground with lots of red faced hunters pointing arrows at him. Nico and Bianca were tied back to back and blindfolded.

I couldn't help it. I dropped my sword, gaining everyone's attention, and I LAUGHED. I laughed so hard TEARS were streaming down my face. Zoe, bright red, stalked over and thwacked me on the head.

"AND WHAT, IS SO FUNNY?" she yelled. Rubbing the back of my head I looked at their still red faces and giggled,

"Well, the fact that uncle just saw your underwear, obviously." Zoe looked murderous, she swung I screeched and ran. She chased me around the clearing swinging her arms wildly as I shrieked and giggled. Soon everyone ganged up on me, cornering me and pinning me to the ground. By now everyone was laughing and all the laundry was away. We got up and untied Uncle, Nico and Bianca. The two new demigods looked terrified, well, awed and terrified. Laughing still I go to walk over to them, only to feel a hand land on my shoulder. I freeze, and so does everyone else.

"And just, Where have you been?" asked my mom gripping my shoulder tightly. Gulping, I look to Uncle for help but he won't even look at me!

"Well, uh- we, me and Uncle that is-"

"Uh huh." she cut me off.

"You weren't training, were you?" I stared wide eyed at Uncle begging him with my big green eyes to help. He took pity on me and my shoulder which was surely going to be bruised.

"Well, you see, Percy came with me on a very important, uh rescue mission, for my, uhm... kids." He mumbled that last part and instantly she was in front of them, inspecting them. They were so shocked they didn't even blink. Nodding her head she opened her mouth to say something, then closed it, narrowing her eyes at Nico. Worried I walked over and put myself between them, I knew how scary my mom could be sometimes, and I didn't want her to scare such a innocent boy.

"Mom you're scaring them." She stared at me, then at Nico then at me. Then groaned and hung her head. Getting up she ruffled my hair and smiled sadly. Then without explanation she walked away. Calling over her shoulder she said

"Percy, be a dear and go pick up Leo, it's time you two went to camp." And then she was gone inside her tent. Everyone was silent, no one quite sure what had happened, then quick as lightning, Zoe was in front of me, looking at me, then frowning she said

"Go on Perce, go grab Leo." I stare a bit dumbfounded at her, how did they know about Leo? Nodding dazedly I shadow traveled to Leo's house, well, orphanage.

Sneaking in I found him in his room tinkering with some metal bits. "Yo, Leo." I said, startling him, he looked at me surprised and then his face broke into a huge grin, "PERCY!" He flung himself at me, hugging the life outta me. Smiling I hugged him back, the scrawny latino boy seemed thinner. Frowning I pulled back and looked at him.

"Are you, thinner?" I asked. He looked away and scoffed, "No." Shaking my head I told him to pack.

"What why?" he asked, but started packing anyway. " You're coming with me, to camp." He spun away from his bag of clothes, looking at me shocked,

"No way, you mean I'm gonna live with you?"

"Is, that a bad thing?" I asked nervously, smiling he shook his head quickly.

"No! This is just kind of amazing, I finally can get out of here." Smiling I helped him pack his essentials. Then taking one last glance around the room he nodded his head and holding hands, we shadow traveled to camp.

.

..

.

Mom wasn't that happy to have three boys in the camp, the three being Uncle, Nico and Leo. She kept a constant eye on all of them and by the time dinner rolled around I was excited to have an excuse to hunt. After returning with a dead boar we gutted and cleaned it, then put it up to roast. Using Leo to speed up the cooking process.

Nico was absolutely amazed with Leo's fire, his eyes going all sparkly and doe eyed.

Later, Bianca and Nico traded stories with Leo and me as we sat eating dinner, with my sisters and mom and uncle adding the random comment or story in between. By the time we were finished we were all very ready for bed. Mom set up a tent for Nico and Bianca, and let Leo share my tent. As I lay in bed trying to drift off I heard Leo whisper,

"I don't think your mom likes me very much... Or your sisters for that matter." Rolling on my side I look over at his cot, he's laying on his back, staring at the ceiling.

"Well, to be honest they don't really like anyone that's not a girl."

"But they like you." He pointed out.

I was quiet for a bit, thinking about my past and how I came to be here. Poisonous memories mixed with sweet drifted through my mind. By the time I came up with a response he was already asleep.

They like me because they saved me. If i'd never been saved, they would hate me, just like everyone else.

.

..

.

The next morning mom made an announcement. "Today we are traveling to Camp Half-Blood," cue chorus of complaints, she raises her hand and there was silence.

"We will be staying for a week and then continuing on the hunt, however," she looks at me, "Percy, Leo, Nico, and Bianca, will stay." Shocked silence. Finally Zoe regains her voice,

"W-What?" and then it's a crowd of complaints, many of my sisters coming to stand around me, like she would try to steal me away. Mom looked shocked at the blatant refusal of an order, but soon tears welled in her eyes and she too came over, pushing her way through the girls and hugged me, my still frozen body rigid with shock. I am going to camp, mom and my sisters won't be there to protect me this time, older boys, oh gods oh gods oh gods... Mom is sobbing on my shoulder holding me, whispering i'm sorry but it's time over and over again. I suck in a lungful of air, I didn't realize I hadn't breathed.

Mom looks at me through tear clouded eyes, I can tell she feels horrible. It's my turn, I think, to protect my family, to be strong and show them that I can take care of myself, that they don't have to worry. Swallowing my panic attack, I look at my mom and hug her. Shocked she freezes, but just as quickly she melts, and soon it was a giant cuddle puddle, with all my sisters curled up around us hugging me and holding me. Just like the first night I was here.

Hades POV

When Artemis started sobbing, I knew we weren't supposed to see this. Grabbing Leo, Nico, and Bianca, I shadow traveled them to one of the training grounds I use for Percy and more recently Leo as well. Once there I let them explore, Leo however wasn't as excited.

"Why'd you make us leave?!" He all but hissed, "Percy looked like he was about to have a panic attack! I should be there!" He yelled. The little latino was so upset, little fires were starting in his hair and sparks along his arms. Frowning I crouch down to be the same height,

"Leo, you know just as well as I do how protective they are of Percy, what do you think they'd do if you tried to 'help'?" He opened his mouth and I raised an eyebrow, slowly he closed it and thought.

"Well, they probably wouldn't like it huh?" Smiling slightly I patted his head. I stood up and looked for my children, Nico had found the crystal blue pond Percy used to practice his water manipulation, which he was much better at though still not perfect. Bianca on the other hand had found a injured bird, I had felt it's waning life force and something tells me she did as well. Walking over to her she looked towards me, asking me why she always finds dying and dead things with tears in her eyes. Smiling sadly I knelt down next to her,

"Everything dies sweetheart, but you have the ability to know when something is dying, that can he a terrible burden but also a great asset, you can tell doctors which person to help first because their life force is weakest, you can find injured people who are unconscious, you can find birds with broken wings, and nurse them back to health." at that I called for Apollo. He flashed down,

"What is it? Is it Percy!?" He looks around wildly, shaking my head I gesture him over, confused he walks closer. I nod at Bianca, she looks shyly at Apollo,

"Uh, t-there's a bird, and i-it needs help." she mumbled, Apollo furrows his brows and walks closer, crouching down on the other side of the bird he slowly reached out and gently stroked it's wing, a golden light seeming to pour from his fingertips as he hums a gentle airy tune like fairy music. The golden light seemed to seep into the bird and she watched avidly as we both felt it's life force returning. Then it was done, Apollo patted her head smiled and said,

"Thanks! This little guy probably wouldn't have made it if it weren't for you! Good job kid, and I'm sure he says thank you as well." the bird chirped and rubbed its beak on her knee, then flew away. I nodded to Apollo and he nodded back, a silent exchange, and he flashed away. Bianca was still staring at the spot the bird had disappeared to, patting her head I got up and walked over to Nico.

Nico was staring intently at the pond, his eyes a mass of light, like liquid gold drizzled in coffee. He looked amazed, like the water was the prettiest thing he'd ever seen, he slowly reached a hand out. Even I was startled when a hand reached back.

"Nico!" I lunged forward, grabbing him back. The water nymph hissed at me and slithered back under the water.

"Daddy!" Nico yelled at me,

"She was nice! Why'd you scare her away? She told me she'd show me how pretty the water was UNDER the surface! Doesn't that sound cool!?" I stare at my son I honestly can't believe his innocence.

"...Nico, can you breathe underwater?" I asked slowly. I watch at he opens and closes his mouth, the realization sinking in about what the nymph was trying to do.

"Oh." he mumbled. His eyes had lost the sparkle and he looked down at the ground. I sigh, I didn't want to see him like that.

"How about this," He glances up at me, "next time I see Percy I'll ask him to take you under the surface so you can see, and NOT drown." His eyes regained their sparkle and his smile once more graced his face.

"Really!?" He asked me, "Really, really." Laughing he got up and ran over to where Bianca was still staring at the sky, a small smile on her face. I stayed sitting on the ground, looking around the small clearing, all the slash and burn marks on the ground and trees. Evidence of Percy and Leo's sparring. Leo. Where did Leo go? My eyes widen, and I look around the clearing frantically, Percy would KILL me if I lost his only friend!

A while of searching later found the little latino curled up, fast asleep in a tree that's limbs grew to make the perfect little pocket of safety. Safe from wind, rain, snow and out of view unless you knew it was there. Smart, I think as I scoop the frail ten year old up. Frowning I notice he's thin and his life force is slightly weakened.

Tucking him in my coat to protect him from the cold I walked over to my children, we have been here for quite some time, I say it's time we head back. Nodding their heads, Nico and Bianca walk over to me each holding onto my cloak as my hands were full. Once sure they were holding on tight, we shadow traveled back to camp.

AN:

So sorry, this took forever and I am terrible. I am trying to update more regularly REALLY I AM. But I am not very fast and I'm sorry! But Hey, I got the next chapter done! YAY! As always if anyone has any ideas, PLEASE let me know, whether it be in the reviews or in PM. I don't care either way. I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did, and no, Percy is not over his panic attacks, trust me, this won't be one of those fic's where suddenly he's all better! No he's gonna have to work for it.

Welp, until next time!

-Wolf