Chapter 17

Percy POV

It's bedtime and I can't believe that this is my last day in moms camp, my last day with my sisters, the hunt. Fresh tears pour out of my eyes and I bite my lip to stop myself from crying out. The coppery tang of blood on my lips makes me gag. Leo is laying on his cot across from me, fast asleep. I'm happy Leo is out of that horrible place though, so I guess something good came out of this whole thing.

I sit up in bed, i'm not gonna get any sleep like this, I know. So I head out of my tent and into the tent next to it, Ms.O'Leary's tent. She lifts her head as I walk in and shifts I smile and stroke the soft fur on her nose, she leans around and bites the back of my night clothes and plops me in between her front paws, letting me rest my head on her right one, then she lowers her head like a blanket over my thin frame. Instantly i'm calm, warm, and my mind can rest, she is my closest friend and I don't think I'll ever let her go. And with that thought I drifted into an uneasy yet peaceful sleep.

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I didn't want to wake up, but all good things must come to an end;At least that's what Zoe says. Groaning I shadow travel to my tent and dress, and wake Leo, who unfortunately is not a morning person either. I had to practically dress him myself. Then deciding it's too much work to drag Leo out, I shadow travel back to Ms.O'Leary's tent and lay Leo down on her back, then pull myself up, and whisper in her ear to please take us to breakfast.

Breakfast was gloomy and no one wanted to eat, picking at our food and frowning at our plates. Two minutes in and I couldn't take it anymore. I sat up, making everyone look at me, and spoke, "Ok, that's enough! No more moping around, where's my happy family with my crazy sisters and scary mom, where's the tough it out and walk it off, I'M NOT DYING, i'm leaving, and I'll be back, so will you guys please stop moping and let my last breakfast with you in a while be a good one?"

There was about a minute of stunned silence, which I think is actually a record, and then smiles broke on everyone's faces and talking and laughter filled the table once more. I sighed and relaxed, much better. I want to memorize the sound of everyone having a good time, to lean on later when I get stressed. I look over to mom, she's staring at me, as soon as I make eye contact, piercing silver against overflowing green, she smiled and I knew I was gonna be okay.

We arrived at camp a couple hours later, by now it's probably noon. The campers were at their classes and we walked together to the big house. Now this was the hardest part, talking to Mr.D who looks so much like him it unnerves me. Zoe held my hand the entire way through camp and squeezed it when we got to the big house. Taking a deep breath I looked up, but who I saw was not who I was expecting. Well it was but, it was Mr.D but he, well he looked about late twenties, had a full head of brown curly hair and was wearing a button down shirt with a grapevine design.

I stared in shock. I won't have to deal with seeing him everyday. I look over to my mom, but she looks just as shocked as I do, realization dawned on me and I looked to Uncle, he was already looking at me and did one of his tiny smiles. "This is not me saying you couldn't have handled it, it's me helping you feel safe here, help not pity." I smile, I could do this. "Yes, yes it's all very touching, now Perry Johnson was it? Anyways we already know who your godly parent is and your father sent some water nymphs to fix up your cabin a while back, so welcome to Camp-Half Blood and all that, now go away i'm taking a nap."

"Uhm, Mr. uh D?" I called. He stopped and turned around, "What?" "First off, my name is Percy Jackson, and second, i'm not the only new half blood." I turned to look at Leo, Nico, and Bianca who were all standing to my right. They smiled at me. "Oh? More brats, great. Well, since we don't know who your godly parents are you'll have to stay in the Hermes cabin until your-" at that Uncle waved his hand above Nico and Bianca's heads and a purple-black ram head appeared above both their heads. "They are mine."

Was all he said, and thunder shook the sky. Hades glared at the sky, and even Artemis growled under her breath. Mr.D seemed to recover quickly however and said, "Well, you boy will still have to stay in the He-" a fiery red hammer appears over Leo's head. "Oh come on!" Mr. D shaked his fist at the sky, "You take the fun out of everything!"

I smiled, a bare up lift of my lips at Leo and he grabbed my hand, he was looking back and forth between me and the fading hammer above his head, awe showed in his face, an orphan no more he had family. I could tell he was scared to meet his new cabin mates, but I leaned in and whispered in his ear, "If you don't like your cabin i'm sure my uh dad won't mind you staying in mine." He smiled at me then full and impish. Chiron walked down the steps of the big house and told us to follow him to the cabins,

"Who first?" he asked. "Leo." I replied smiling at the boy who was still too scared to let go of my hand. "Very well, this way." Chiron led us past many campers who leered at our group but were too scared of the two gods to actually come close. Eventually we came to a large cabin with huge gears and little robots scuttling around it's fenced in yard.

"Nyssa!" Chiron called, "Beckendorf!" two grease and soot smudged kids came out of the cabin, the sound of grinding metal and clanging hammers loud from inside. "Yes Chiron?" the girl Nyssa asked. "You have a new cabin mate." Chiron said gesturing over to me and Leo. Her and the large boy, no nearly a man came closer, and I tensed. The boy was huge easily six feet with large muscles from working in a forge, he looked menacing, but his eyes were soft, like warm cocoa. Leo felt me tense up and quickly stepped in front of me, whispering over his shoulder to breathe. I relaxed a bit, mom, uncle, my sisters, Chiron, Nico, Bianca, and Leo were all here, I am safe. I squeezed his hand once, Nyssa and Beckendorf had stopped coming closer when Leo had moved in front of me.

"Are you ok?" Beckendorf rumbled out, but it wasn't harsh, no it was low and gentle like he was coaxing a wild animal. I nod stiffly, "This is Leo, he's your new cabin mate." I said struggling with myself on whether to let him go or pull him back. He decided for me, using the hand I wasn't currently clutching he reached out and said, "Hi, nice to finally meet you." I watch as he plasters on his smile, not his true imp one, but one he used when he wasn't sure of the situation, wasn't sure if he should use fight or flight. I sucked in a deep breath and glared at them over his shoulder, daring them to be unkind. I feel Leo squeeze my hand,

"Chill Perce, your gonna start a rainstorm." he said turning to look at me, my eyes icy, i'm sure. Slowly I nodded and my eyes melted. Raising my hand to ruffle his curly locks, "Take care of him for me yea?" I stare them down, "Of course." Nyssa said, her fingers twitching like Leo's do when he's nervous and needs something to tinker with. "Oi. I can handle myself. It's not my first house." He poked my forehead and I smiled. "I know, but I busted you out once and I'll do it again if need be." I directed that last bit at his siblings. They nodded. Leo gave me a hug and walked over to them, slowly releasing my hand. I stared at it, it feels cold.

Suddenly a olive toned hand grabs mine, and then I was warm again, I released the breath I didn't know I was holding and look up, Nico. He is smiling at me his dark brown eyes full of kindness, a dusting of pink across his faintly freckled face, "Well, come on we have to see our cabins too. Don't worry, we'll see Leo again in a little, I mean look at him," I did, Beckendorf had a hand on his shoulder and Nyssa was laughing at something Leo had said, and Leo. Leo looks, ecstatic, practically glowing, his whole life all he's wanted was family, and now he finally gets it.

"He's happy Percy, now let's go see what our cabins are like!" He pulled me along to follow Chiron who had started to walk away. Mom and uncle gave each other looks but kept quiet, and Bianca came to grab my other hand, "Come on Percy! We have to run if we want to keep up with his horse legs!" Nico giggled and I smiled, I guess I have two new friends I can spend time with too. Chiron comes to stop in front of a green and blue huge cabin with a aquamarine trident over the front door. "Well Percy this is you." He stated. I look up at the massive cabin, I don't see any traces of it EVER having been lived in, and that makes me just the slightest bit sad and jealous, everyone else gets a family. Nico has Bianca, Leo gets a whole cabin full, and I get, a huge empty cabin.

Uncle clears his throat, "I actually, don't have a cabin for my children Chiron, and I don't think there is any room for claimed demigods in the Hermes cabin. Percy, could Nico and Bianca stay with you perhaps?" I know you don't like to be alone went unsaid but it was heard anyways. I smile softly up at him, then look to Chiron, "Can they!?" Chiron shifted his hind legs and tightened his grip on his arms, "Well-"

"Of course they can!" Suddenly, a wild dad appeared. Everyone blinks, he had appeared in a misty cloud and then, BAM he was here. Could I do that someday? Chiron started stuttering but we didn't care, a purple-black rams head appeared next to the trident and the cabin gained black trim, the overall effect was, stunning. Smiling we ran inside half the cabin had blue sheets on the beds and the other half had black. We all flop on our beds peace and relaxation seeps into our tired bones, the smell of sea salt and earth invading our noses.

I can do this.

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The next morning proved, difficult. Turns out Bianca is very much a early bird, whereas me and Nico are night owls. The combined effect in the morning was not pleasant.

"Get UP!" Bianca growled as she yanked Nicos leg, he was clutching his bed with his eyes still closed, I was already forced up and zombie walking to the bathroom to get changed. Shutting the door I can hear thumps and cursing and a rather pathetic whine. I smile slightly, it is nice to have people my own age.

Mom doesn't give her blessing of immortality until the girls are at least twelve. Which left me beings the youngest ALWAYS. I am ten now but I am still the shortest, which sucks. As soon as I put my hands under the water to wash my hands, I felt refreshed, awake, re-energized, like I just spent a while eating blue candy with- with my, mother. I blink away some tears, it's a new day, I can't start it off on a sad note. Wiping my face I leveled out my face, no trace of crying, I try a smile, my face looks strained and my eyes unsure.

I wonder if I'll ever smile easily again.

Knocking on the door,

"Percy, can we switch I have to shove Nico in the shower." Groaning comes from the other side, my lips twitch. Opening the door I see Bianca carrying Nico like a princess, his arms wrapped around her neck face buried in the crook of her shoulder and throat, still in his pjs. I move aside and she shuts the door behind her, I hear a thump, some rustling and a very unmanly scream.

"B-B-BIANCA!" A giggling Bianca comes out of the bathroom, holding his pants and top, I notice the lack of underwear meaning she had turned the water on while he was still wearing them, I half smile at her, and she lets free a light and carefree laugh, so bright it hurt my heart. Nico still cursing in the shower, I can't help but feel, i'm gonna like it here.

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Breakfast was a slightly awkward affair.

We were separated by godly parent to a table, the Hermes table being three times as long as the others, I found my blue table and watch as Nico and Bianca shy away from the stares as they sit at their black one. I scan again for Leo, finally spotting him at the orange table with gold edging. He made eye contact and smiled, I nod at him and raise my eyebrow, did it go ok? He nods and glances at the others at his table, then crosses his fingers, yea, these people I really like them, I hope they still like me if I show them my fire. I nod then pat my table, well if need be you can always come stay at mine. He smiles and I know he says thank you like I know that he didn't brush his hair that morning or that he's so scared they won't like him his hands won't stop shaking and how I know he ordered pizza so he could stuff his face and not have to talk.

I know my best friend and I know he will do fine.

He smiles at me, and I know I will be too.

AN:

OMG. I can't even begin to apologize, this took so. long. I am honestly ashamed of my lack of writing.

So sorry if anyone was like super excited for a next chapter, though I doubt that. I have been busy at home trying to figure out what the hell i'm gonna do with my life, right now, Coast Guard.

Anyways, I'll try to update more regularly but you know me, i'm so goddamn inconsistent really sorry, but even if it's been a long while you guys know I'll never abandon this story right? Because I won't. Promise.

-WolfMistwood