AN: I'm so sorry guys; I meant that the question for ch 17 would name Newbie! But since, Gfish59 got the answer for ch 16, and gave me a name for the son of Apollo, he/she/it gets priority! I'm so sorry I was confusing like that.

So, the winner for ch 17 was ThePercyJacksonOracle , review me the character you want, have some cookies and donuts (0)(0)(0)(0) (0)(0)(0)(0)(0) (::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)

Pandora's box- I'm a little bit scared, please don't kill me in my sleep (or steal my copy of BOO)

Sweg, Liper wouldn't really fit with the story, cus Leo would end up feeling weird, since he's mentally 16, and pipers still 12. Plus, Piper is firmly Jason's in his mind.

Nszorua- extra credit huh? Well, how about this, after this chapter, you tell me how many more chapters I'm allowed to use before I start the sea of monsters arc. (Has to be at least one). There's your reward for extra research. Have an apple ( ' ) (doesn't look much like an apple) ;)

Disclaimer: If you recognise it, I don't own it. If you don't recognise it, I probably still don't own it. All credit to the awesome, almost JKR level (I said almost, don't kill me) Rick Riodan, everyone's fave American author, (Wait, is John Green American?)

On with the story!

In Which Adoptive Mothers are Actually (Sometimes [a Little Bit]) Cool...

Leo hadn't really considered the state of newbie when he all but dragged him out of the alley. Sure Leo had given his ambrosia, but he was still exhausted and needed a lot of rest- he was in no state to walk to camp, and he needed at least one decent night sleep before he went anywhere, otherwise he was liable to collapse into a puddle of exhausted demi-god. Leo had forgotten that not all demi-gods were like him and the others of the Seven.

But they had left the alley only a street ago, and already Leo was supporting Newbie, as he realised they were never going to get to camp in this state. So, best bet was to return to Harvey and Jo's (he wasn't ever going to call them mum and dad, although he was certain they understood why) and see how much freaking out would occur. Time to put M.O.N.S.T.E.R to the test.

By the time he reached the apartment, he was pretty much dragging Newbie, who was almost out cold. Leo fished out the key he had been given, and opened the door, dropping newbie on the empty couch where he immediately lost his battle with unconsciousness and was out like a light before Leo could even turn to face the shocked adult in the room.

Fortunately for everyone involved, Benny wasn't in the room, and Jo was the only one to see his shocking entry. Leo thought that having Benny see him bring an unconscious ten year old into the apartment would be a bit of a nightmare. Jo looked shocked enough- and he really didn't want to cause too much trouble. Although Leo's version of too much was probably a lot more than anyone else's version of too much- the whole war thing kinda raised his muchness bar.

Jo rushed forward to the couch and looked Newbie; Leo could see her grow more worried at his unconsciousness, as she turned to look at Leo with alarm. "What happened to him?"

Leo felt unnaturally nervous, and grabbed some wires from his tool belt to fiddle with; "Um do you remember me mentioning M.O.N.S.T.E.R?"

Jo straitened up and looked around at him, "That government thing you and your dad are in? What does that have to do with...? Oh, but he's so young, I mean. I was mad at you fighting monsters at 12, but he can't be anything over 10. This is... Unethical. You can't send kids off to fight at his age!"

Leo looked on in shock, "I thought you'd be mad at me for bringing him here." Leo wasn't kidding with that, he had honestly been prepared for a lecture at best and being dumped back at the orphanage at the worst. To have Jo kind of accept him was amazing- and well, it was more than he'd hoped for. He remembered the Greek dress swirling round the door frame at the orphanage when Jo, Harvey and Benny first came in. He thought it was Lady Hestia at the time. She was the only one he could think it might be, and she was the patron of home- perhaps she had seen this was a place that Leo could finally feel at home again.

"I'm madder at the government for letting kids fight- especially kids as young as... What's his name Leo?"

"Dunno. He kind of zoned out, I was too busy trying to help him heal than asking his name- I'm just calling him Newbie." Leo noticed newbie shivering. Well that wasn't good. It wasn't cold in the room, so it was probably a symptom of poison. Only problem was he didn't know what poison. He approached the couch, and slipped what was left of Newbie's hoodie and t-shirt off. He had revealed the three gashes across his back, and Leo saw Jo gasp and put her hands to her mouth when she saw them. It looked like a hellhound, but a young one. Beside hellhounds didn't have poison on their claws, so it couldn't be that. He turned Newbie over and noticed a sting on his hand. It looked like a scorpion bite. "Jo, do you have any anti-histamine?"

Sure it wasn't ambrosia, but Newbie had taken enough of that, and Leo didn't want him to combust, so anti-histamine should keep the reaction down till Newbie could take more ambrosia and get rid of it. Jo appeared again and gave him a small yellow tablet and some water. Leo opened Newbie's mouth and put it in, then rubbed his throat so he'd swallow it. Hopefully that would sort out the shivering. "Jo. Where's Benny?"

"He's got an after school club, but Harvey will be back with him soon enough. We should probably move... Newbie? We can put him in your room for the minute."

Leo dragged Newbie up off the couch and nodded at Jo, "sure, when Harvey comes you should probably both come find me. I'm sure you have a load of questions." He dragged Newbie to the corridor and through to his room, dumping him on the bed face-first, and rearranging him to a comfortable position. He put Newbie's ruined hoodie and t-shirt next to the bed. He should probably get rid of them, but Newbie might think they were important. He didn't want to take them away if they were.

Leo looked again at the strangulation marks on Newbie's neck, feeling his anger growing, those marks were definitely human hand shaped, and Leo felt like hunting the guy down and showing him why you don't mess with a demi-god. Wasn't it bad enough that monsters were after demi-god blood, without mortals trying to kill them as well?

Leo made a mental note of the kids' injuries, claw mark on his face, three slashes on his back, bruises up and down his arms, the sting on his palm; he checked the kid had boxers on, and then removed his jeans. He needed to see if Newbie had any leg injuries, or if he was just limping through fatigue earlier. He saw a nasty jagged cut down the back of one of his legs, and various bruises, assumedly from falling while running. Nothing too extreme though, and the ambrosia was already healing the cut.

Leo fished amongst his cloths for something that would fit newbie. He withdrew a small hoodie, and a t-shirt that would probably be too large for Newbie, but wouldn't stick to any of his injuries. He grabbed some shorts as well, and struggled to redress Newbie without hurting him further. By the time Newbie was all dressed, Leo could hear Benny's voice in the lounge, and could hear the T.V being turned on to Ben 10, Benny favourite program (mainly because the hero had his name). Then he heard Jo and Harvey coming down the corridor.

As his door opened, Leo turned Newbie's head to the side and moved the pillow comfortably under it. He didn't see Jo's small smile as he did so, but he certainly heard Harvey's curse. He gave a manic grin "that's about right."

"You said you'd explain what happened, and why M.O.N.S.T.E.R is letting ten year olds fight for their life!"

Leo turned to look at Jo. "It's not that simple. You know the monsters are machines- so they have to have creators. And they do. Near the start of the M.O.N.S.T.E.R group, all 12 of the original members were captured. Each of them had blood taken from them. Now each machine is programmed to recognise this blood, and destroy anyone who has it. Meaning, their kids as well. Now some of the twelve swore to never have kids. Some didn't. I didn't choose to join M.O.N.S.T.E.R, I had no choice. For the children of the twelve. You join or you're murdered."

By this point Jo was crying and Harvey had gone pale, though he was clenching his fist in anger. Leo took a breath and continued. "Most of us are one night stands of the twelve- and the majority of us are killed before we find the safety of M.O.N.S.T.E.R headquarters. If I hadn't been there today, I'm betting Newbie would have died as well."

"How can they be so irresponsible?" Harvey ground out. "If most of their kids are going to die, why wouldn't they just stop having kids?"

Leo laughed bitterly (man was he a good actor), "Because they need us, yes most of us die before reaching 18, but some of us manage to survive, and we become monster hunters too. Because there are too many monsters for the twelve to handle all by themselves. The death of a few children to save America. What do you think the government are going to do but encourage the 12 to keep having kids?"

Jo spoke tearfully. "When you said your father was MIA..."

"He's not, he just has too many kids to look after all of them, and so as to not discriminate he looks after none of us. That's how most of the twelve works. Apart from Lady Artemis, she doesn't have kids, she had a band of hunters- people who volunteered to join and fight. Mostly normal people. I can't help but wish all the twelve did that."

Jo's next question was cut off by a groan from the bed, and Newbie snuggling further into the warm blanket, before he snapped awake in shock. He turned to face the three in the room, wincing as he pulled on his back. "Where am I? What do you want?"

"You're safe, nothing from you and I'm Leo. What's your name Newbie?"

Newbie froze and turned to face Leo, "You're the one who saved me." Newbie relaxed minutely and answered. "I'm Nick. Nick Bewson."

Sorry about the really long break. Next Question

What's the name of the island where one of Zoe's sisters was imprisoned?