A/N Thanks to everybody who reviewed! It may not seem like it but I am trying to use your comments and critiques in the story! THX AGAIN!

Chapter Three:

Nico's POV

My stomach was already protesting. It had only been a few hours since my punishment, but my stomach was growling and howling for food. I sighed. Acting like Dora was going to be harder than I thought it was gonna be.

I hadn't heard or seen anything of the other kids since they left this morning. It was kind of ….freaky. In a house with six kids it shouldn't be this quiet. There should at least be a sound of some kind, footsteps, and voices anything! But not in this house there was only silence. Zip .Nada. Nothing.

Bored of just sitting in that damp corner, I walked over to the other side of the room to look around. The bed had two raggedy blankets with tears and holes covering it. I dragged my feet has I walked towards the closet. I reached forward and grabbed the iron doorknob. I flung the door open with all of my strength. I let out a low whistle when I peered into the closet. There was absolutely, without a doubt, nothing in it. I felt bad for the kids even though I hadn't even said a word to them. From the looks of the room, they only owned what was on their backs.

Sighing, I slumped over to my corner. I let my head fall back against the floor and I popped my knees up. I didn't have anything better to do, so I closed my eyes and willed unconsciousness to find me.

When I forced my eyes open, a warm piece of golden bread fell onto my lap. I sat up with a bolt and turned my head to find Hope standing a few feet away from me. The other children were staring at me. I looked at Hope and picked up the warm bread. Even though my stomach was growling like a hungry lion, I couldn't let Hope get in trouble.

"Here take it."I mumbled" you'll get in trouble for giving me this." I held the bread out gesturing for her to take it.

"No. You should keep it. You deserve it." The brown haired boy told me, stepping in front of Hope.

"What did I do?" I mean really, I hadn't done anything that surprising. I mean yeah, I got in trouble for Hope, but at camp people would take the blame for others all the time. We take knives and arrows for each other sometimes.

"You lied to keep Hope out of trouble!" The brown haired boy sounded honestly astounded."Oh by the way, I'm Peter."

"She didn't deserve to get punished!" I gestured towards Hope has I was speaking. Hope honestly hadn't done anything. I had just startled her.

"Neither did you!" Peter started to slowly shake his head. "Just eat the bread. We all know you want it. While you're eating I'll tell you about the rest of us."

I didn't need to be told again. I all but stuffed the, now cold, bread into my mouth. It tasted wonderful. Peter pointed at the proud looking girl who was sitting on the bed staring at me. She looked to be about 11.

"She's Miranda."

Miranda had short blonde hair that went just below her chin. Her startling gray eyes flashed towards us when we said her name. She reminded me of Annabeth.

"That's Zane."

Peter, again, pointed towards a small black-haired boy with dark eyes. He was probably 7.

"That's Erin"

This time the little girl turned towards us and smiled. She had darker hair than Hope and electric blue eyes. She was definitely 5. She still had those pudgy cheeks of a little kid.

"And last, but not least, that's Lexxi."

She was tan and had dirty blonde hair and startling green eyes. She was probably about five too. She was smaller than Erin though.

"So ….. What is your name?" Peter asked after an awkward silence.

"Oh! Sorry! I'm Nico Di Angelo." I said stupidly. Man, I was acting so stupid! I was still in sleep mode, I guess.

"Well, Nico, you should probably go back to sleep. The first morning is always the hardest."

I stared at Peter confused, and then I remembered one of Hawk-Eye's rules. We had to get up at 5:00 a.m.! I groaned out loud. The earliest I ever wake up is 10:00! Miranda giggled at my expression.

"It gets easier! Trust me." She even sounded like Annabeth. Superior and proud.

I heard one of the younger kids mutter something that sounded like "liar". I'm pretty sure it was Zane.

I was shuffling towards my corner when Hawk-Eyes zoomed into our room. Oh great, I thought. I was beginning to really hate this lady.

"Tomorrow I expect you to do your chores Di Angelo! I will not accept laziness in this house! You are acting like you've had everything given to you before! Maybe you should learn some responsibility! What did your parents teach you!" she had her boney finger pressed against my chest and my back against the wall.

What she said hurt me. Well the last sentence did, she could rant on about my laziness all she wanted. I couldn't care less. But family was a tough subject for me. I closed my eyes for a second and took three deep breaths. I wouldn't blow up this time.

"You told me to stay in this freaking room!" I barely raised my voice.

"I NEVER told you not to do your chores!" she screamed at me louder.

"You never said do them!" I yelled louder than her. I was in her face now. My eyes were already giving her one of my best death glares.

"Don't get smart with me!" She poked her finger at my chest again. I swiped it away and said something that really shocked me.

"You're NOT my mother."

"You're here because your family DOESN'T care! They left you! You have nowhere to go, but here!"

I was blinking back tears now. Those words hurt me worse than any slap or sword or arrow possibly could. Flashbacks were flashing through my mind. Bianca leaving me to join the Hunters. How Hades hadn't shown me any sign that I exist since the war.

I was tempted to call it quits, right then and there. Go back to camp a failure. Fine, I could deal with that. It would be easy getting there alone. Hawk-Eyes probably wouldn't even try and stop me. But, I saw the scared gazes of Hope, Peter, Zane, Miranda, and Erin. I couldn't just leave them here. They deserve better than this. Heck, nobody deserved this living hell.

I pulled myself together enough to put my death glare into action. (They come to me easily.)I folded my arms across my chest and took one more deep breath to make sure my voice didn't squeak.

"My parents died in a car crash. My sister joined the army and THEN she died. You don't know that they didn't care! I will not listen to your bull about my family when you don't even know their names! "I was screeching towards the end but at least I wasn't squeaking. I was telling her my cover story that Chiron and I had agreed on. It was the closest to the truth we could think of.

Hawk-Eyes looked stumped for a second and then she took a couple of steps back, and addressed all of us.

"Your possible new parents are coming in three days. I want this house spot-less! Not a speck of dust! Di Angelo, you are off of your punishment until they leave. After that you have an extra day added." She was back into a smug mood now. I really hate that face.

Hawky was starting to turn out of the room when her eyes bulged out.

"What's that?" she demanded pointing at my waist towards my cell phone case.

Uh-oh…. That wasn't just any cell phone case. I didn't even own a cell-phone. It was my sword's sheath. If you opened it my short, black sword would pop into your hand. And from the way Hawk-Eyes was looking at it, she wanted to have it in her oily hands.