Any mistakes are all mine.

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or the song Take Care by Drake.


If you let me, here's what I'll do. I'll take care of you.

Hazel wasn't sure whether to scream or to run or to smack Blondie across her face after she pulled down Percy's hood. She didn't understand how someone could be so noisy. Most people preferred to go along with the pathetic lies that Percy told when questioned about his bruises, not investigate even more.

"I knew it! I could see those bruises from miles away!" The girl exclaimed, looking ever so proud of herself. Percy was still frozen in place, staring at the girl with wide, incredulous blue eyes. "What'd you do, fall off of a moving train?" The girl asked, her eyes narrowing. She looked over to Hazel, causing the younger girl to decide what she was going to do in a split second. "Who said that it was any of your freaking business?" Hazel snapped, before grabbing Percy's arm and making a run for it.

Annabeth huffed while mentally kicking herself. She hadn't meant to scare the kids off, and she knew that they were already too far away for her to catch them. She glanced back towards her house, and then back at the kids, who were running like she was running after them with a gun that she wanted to kill them with. She couldn't blame them; if some random girl that just moved in was trying to get them to reveal secrets about herself, she would run off as well.

She continued to mentally berate herself while making the trip back to her house, deciding against going to school. The kids would probably think that she was chasing them, and she didn't want that. She couldn't believe the way that she had executed her horribly thought out plan. She had seen a boy who looked her age and a girl who looked a little younger come out of the house next door, but she probably wouldn't have approached them if she hadn't seen the bruises on the boy's face. Annabeth wasn't exactly the time that went out of her way to make new friends, which was why she was usually isolated every time her family moved in order to accommodate her father's job.

"Nicole?" Annabeth called out cautiously, not sure of what her step-mother's reaction would be when she found out that Annabeth hadn't gone to school. She would probably be aggravated by the whole school thing, but would become sympathetic when Annabeth explained what had happened. Sure, her step-mother couldn't tell when Annabeth was actually telling the truth, but she would probably be able to do something about the kids next door.

"Annabeth?" Nicole Chase's high voice filled the house, and she walked towards the front door while drying her hands with a towel. "Why aren't you in school?" She asked instantly. When all that she was met with was silence and a calculated glare from Annabeth, she sighed and prepared herself for bad news. "What happened, honey? You usually like school."

Annabeth blinked, wondering if she had come to the right person. Nicole knew that Annabeth hated school, but she didn't seem to care because Annabeth maintained straight A's in all of her classes. "You remember the noises that the boys were scared of yesterday, the ones that we thought were coming from next door?" Annabeth starts, biting her lip.

Nicole nods, eyeing Annabeth suspiciously. "Did you find out where the sound was coming from?" She asked softly. Annabeth stared at the clock behind Nicole. Annabeth couldn't even focus on the numbers because of her dyslexia. She was usually able to control what she wanted to read if she put in enough effort, but she couldn't focus right now. She knew that it had to be a little after eight, and that school had probably started already.

But if she didn't tell Nicole, something horrible could happen to those kids, and if it did, Annabeth wouldn't ever be able to forgive herself. She watched as the hands on the clock stared back at her, as if they were judging her on her decision.

"I think that they're being abused."


"Percy Jackson to the main office," Mrs. Clark announced after walking away from the classroom telephone. Percy's head almost snapped up, but he controlled his instincts and headed for the classroom door silently. "And for the millionth time, Mr. Jackson, no hoods on in class!" The teacher screeches as Percy slams the door and starts down the hallway.

Percy is surprised to see that there isn't anyone else in the main office except for a few police officers, the principal, the guidance counselor, Hazel, and he knows that this is that girl's fault. She told someone, and now everything was freaking messed up.

Percy is instantly sure that this was a mistake, and he is about to go back outside, but he knows that it is too late when he hears loud gasps behind his back. He knows in that instant that they have all seen the bruises.

"Percy," The guidance counselor says gently, shock evident in her voice. "The police would like to ask you and your step-sister some questions. It was brought to our attention that there might have been a...conflict at home. Hazel didn't want to answer any questions until you arrived."

Percy can feel his hands clenching into fists, and is trying to think of a lie, but something believable this time. People actually care this time, and it needs to be something good. He keeps his eyes glued to the poster on the wall, the one reminding him that he should just say no.

Say no to what?

Percy finds that he can't think; he can't make anything up. Everything feels like it is swirling together. "What did she do? It was the blonde girl's fault, wasn't it?" Percy asks suddenly. He is surprised to find that his voice sounds hoarse, like he hasn't spoken in days. He tells himself that he doesn't care, that nothing is going to happen. He'll be alright, because they won't tell anyone. Hazel already told a lie that was good enough….

"We were contacted by a concerned parent and student, and their identities are not to be revealed. However, when we tried to contact your step-parents, but when they didn't respond, the police were forced to intervene. They are being held at the local jail at the moment." The counselor continues. Percy notices that all of the cops are stiff, like they are afraid that Percy will explode. Hazel, the Hazel that is usually outspoken, has her hands folded in her lap and her eyes glued to the tiles on the floor.

"T-they didn't do anything to me." Percy says, and he winces when he realizes that he blew it. His voice is too hoarse, there are too many bruises, and he sounds too defensive. He can tell by the sympathetic expression on the counselor's face that she doesn't believe him. Hazel doesn't even budge, and her eyes are still glued to the ground. All the principal does is stand there in the corner, his eyes filled with pity.

"Percy, please speak to the police. Hazel already has." The counselor reveals, making Percy feel even more uncomfortable. He didn't expect the counselor to tell him the truth, but he never would have thought that Hazel would say something. She was sworn to secrecy, and even though Hazel was a liar and sometimes a thief, she never broke her promises.

"Please don't lie and say that they've never laid a finger on you, because we all know that isn't true. Your stepparents need help, Percy, and if they don't go to jail, they won't be able to learn. You wouldn't want them to do this to anyone else, would you?" The counselor presses. Percy shakes his head and balls his fists and feels tears running down his cheeks, but this shouldn't be happening.

The worst part is that he's imagined this all happening before, he's imagined the moment where he'd finally have the opportunity to escape hell, but he never would've thought that it would be like this. That his fists would be clenched and tears would be falling and Hazel would be silent.

"Alright, so I'm going to need to ask you some questions." One of the cops announce, pulling out a clipboard.


"Hey! Hey, kid!" Annabeth finds herself jogging up behind the kid from earlier as raindrops fall from the sky. "I'm sorry that I don't know your name. Do you wanna tell me what it is?" Annabeth asks hopefully. The kid keeps his eyes glued to the ground as he walks, his hoodie barely shielding his body from the rain as he tries to avoid eye contact. He acts the same was that he did this morning. For a second, Annabeth wonders if he knows that she was the one that told, she was the one responsible, but she brushes the thought aside.

"Do you have anywhere to go? I-I saw that the cops came and took your parents away earlier. My stepmom said that you're welcome to stay with us while the cops work out somewhere for you to stay-"

"You're such a bitch." The statement is said quietly, in a voice that sounds like sandpaper rubbing against wood, but Annabeth hears it loud and clear. "Excuse me?" She asks incredulously, giving him a chance to check himself. All that she was trying to do was help, and he didn't have to call her any names. God, why were guys such jerks?

"I said that you are such a bitch." The kid hisses, his blue eyes flashing. Earlier, Annabeth would have found them attractive, but now all she feels is anger. Annabeth is about to retort angrily, but is cut off by the kid speaking. "Why couldn't you just keep your mouth shut like everyone else? No one else has said anything, no one except for you. Now I don't have any goddamn place to go." The kid's voice rises with each word, so by the end he is practically screaming in Annabeth's face. Annabeth is flustered, and is about to fire back with her own collection of insults when she sees what she thinks are tears in the kid's eyes. Sure, there's a chance that she could be wrong and there are just raindrops on his face or something, but Annabeth knows that isn't the case here.

She's seen abuse victims. She knows what it's like.

"Look, I-I'm sorry about what happened. I'm not going to say that's it's going to get better or anything, because I honestly don't know if it is. All that I do know right now is that it is raining outside and that you probably don't have anywhere to go." Annabeth states, knowing that she is correct because the tremble of the kid's chin.

"I have somewhere to go-" The kid starts, but Annabeth cuts him off. "Don't you dare lie to me!" She snaps which causes the kid's eyes to widen like he's a deer caught in headlights. "Look, just come to my house for a few hours, alright? Just until the rain stops?" Annabeth pleads. When she notices that the kid might not budge, she sighs and uses her secret weapon.

"You're sister is already there."

The got him to agree real fast.


"Nicole, we're back!" Annabeth calls as she enters through the door and shrugs off her jacket. The kid just stands there and stares at her before his eyes begin wander around the house, and Annabeth realizes that he's probably looking for his sister.

"She's probably in the kitchen. Nicole makes hot chocolate with my brothers whenever it rains, it's kind of a tradition," Annabeth explains as she leads the kid into the kitchen. The kid nods, but Annabeth isn't sure if he's paying attention. He sure had a mouth on him before, but he isn't talking now. Annabeth figures that he's probably tired, since a million aspects of his life have probably changed in less than twenty four hours. She feels guilt bubbling up in her chest, but she pushes it back down. She's done a good thing, she reminds herself. A good thing.

The kid is shivering even though the kitchen is pretty warm, and Annabeth is about to get him a blanket but is stopped by Nicole. "Oh, you poor thing! You're soaked to the bone! Bobby, go get him a towel…" She orders while busying herself with getting the kid a cup of hot chocolate. Annabeth notices that the kid doesn't react except to walk towards his sister, who sits at the kitchen table. They whisper to each other for a few seconds before they latch onto each other in what looks like bone crushing hug. When she starts to see tears falling, Annabeth decides that the stepsiblings need their privacy and decides to turn away.

Crying isn't exactly Annabeth's strong suit.

Annabeth busies herself with washing dishes that are already put away when Bobby comes running back into the room, Matthew not far behind him. "Hey, um, Percy? Here's a towel." Bobby offers the kid a gigantic fluffy towel and his teddy bear. A light bulb goes off in Annabeth's head when she hears the kid's name! Percy, it was.

That was a pretty weird name.

The kid, Percy, nods his thanks and tries to off a small smile of gratitude, but it ends up looking like more of a grimace instead. "What happened to your face?" Matthew asks incredulously, making Nicole's head snap around to look at him. "Matthew! What have we said about personal questions?" She hisses, causing Matthew's eyes to widen and him to disappear from the room.

Hazel's chin begins to tremble, and Bobby remembers the other item that he brought. "This is Mr. Snuggles." He states, shoving the teddy bear into Percy's arms. "I use him when I get sad, so I thought the he could help you too."

Hazel looks genuinely thankful, and both stepsiblings look like they are going to thank the younger boy but he disappears after Matthew.

"Do they do that a lot?" Hazel clears her throat, not asking anyone in particular. Annabeth shrugs, a smirk on her face. "Consider yourselves part of the family."


Edit: Sorry that it said Madison last chapter. I was talking to my sister while I wrote it, and didn't proofread :/ I went back and fixed it.

Random author's note: This is actually based off of a true story. Something like this happened to my friend, and she asked me to write it. For the Percy Jackson fandom, of course, because those are her favorite books (and mine as well).

Thanks to:

Alison daughter of Poseidon: Thank you!

Alter Server: I guess that you'll see if you keep reading ;)

grod44: Sorry, typo :/

Demigod-and-thief18: Thank you so much! And again, typo :/ I went back and fixed it.

Sadie Breezy-Frost: Thanks for reminding me! I haven't done disclaimers in so long :/

ShadyRach: Thank you so very much!

alyaJackson: I tried to!

Guest: Thank you!