I'm updating twice tonight on this because it's the only idea I have at the moment.

"Crystal?"

"Mm?" Alvie was silent for a few seconds. They were meant to be sleeping, but both of them were hyped up on sugar, thanks to the three dozen blue cookies Annabeth had baked earlier. "Alvie?"

"Did… did you ever meet your real dad?" He asked slowly, as if he was prying too much and fearful of upsetting her.

"No. Mom told me he left a short while after I was born." She propped herself up on her elbows to meet his silver gaze. "Why? You're not going to do any creepy psychic stuff, are you?" Alvie mutely shock his head. "It's creepy in a cool way, but it's still creepy." Crystal assured.

"OK."

"You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"Why did you ask about my real dad?"

"I don't know." He admitted. "Something to talk about, I guess." Crystal settled back down, staring at the ceiling.

"I kind of hate him for leaving Mom like that with a baby. And then we got stuck with William." She felt Alvie's eyes on her. "But the other part of me wants to meet him. I mean, he can't be worse than William, right?"

"What would you do if you met him?"

"I don't know. That depends what he's like." Alvie was quiet for a few seconds.

"We could find him."

"We?"

"I can help."

"What? Use your psychic powers?" She smiled teasingly.

"Maybe. I can't control them."

"You should try. Imagine if you could get lottery numbers with a thought."

"Dad's always asking for lottery numbers. I think he's trying to make me feel better."

"Your dad's awesome."

"He's crazy."

"Better than William by a long-shot." Alvie didn't respond. He was quiet for a short while and Crystal figured he had finally fallen asleep.

It took her a while to discover he hadn't fallen asleep, but was staring into space with milky white eyes. She sat up, reaching up to take his hand. His skin was icy cold and he was shaking. "Oh gods, Alvie…" His hand tightened on hers, looking for comfort and support. "It's OK, Alvie, just stay calm." She knelt next to him, gently running a hand through his hair repeatedly in attempts to calm him.

A sudden knock on the door made her jump. Alvie whimpered and the door creaked open. Percy cautiously walked in, wearing an old T-shirt and pyjama trousers while armed with a… pen? Crystal didn't give it much thought as he slipped the pen in his pocket and moved forward to comfort Alvie.

"Hey, buddy." Percy said quietly, gripping Alvie's shoulder. Alvie tensed and closed his eyes, grimacing. Crystal moved over as Percy shifted and sat Alvie up. Percy sat on the edge of the bed and held Alvie in his arms. A sea scent gradually increased in the room, a relaxing and comforting sensation gently washing over them. Crystal felt her own nerves subsiding and she saw Alvie visibly relaxing. Annabeth wandered in and sat behind Alvie. Percy let Alvie go, passing him to his mother's arms, before leaving. He returned a minute later with a bowl of water and a cloth. This bit Crystal was getting used to. Everything before- not so much.

Annabeth was running a hand through Alvie's hair, like Crystal had been moments ago.

"It's OK, Alvie, we've got you." Annabeth murmured. She glanced at Percy and some unspoken conversation surged between them. Crystal was about to ask them what was going on when she had a sudden urge to remain quiet.

Alvie tensed, bunching his fists and grimacing deeply.

"Bad…" He mumbled. "Window…" Percy drew his pen from earlier and padded towards the window. Crystal nearly died in shock when he uncapped the pen and a bronze sword lengthened in his hand. Using the tip of the blade, he flicked the curtains open.

He couldn't see anything.

Nothing at all.

It was just inky blackness.

There were no surrounding buildings, no street lights, no cars, no people, no nothing. He couldn't hear anything either. Even at night, his hometown was fairly noisy. He glanced back at Annabeth, confused.

That's when the glass shattered and inky blackness flowed into the room, like liquid shadows. Percy stumbled back as the substance tried to wrap around his ankles. He slashed at the stuff, but it was like slicing through water.

"Crystal, sit with him." Annabeth ordered. They switched places, Annabeth pulling a knife from a drawer in Alvie's bedside table. She moved quickly to help her husband, pulling him away from the ooze.

Alvie's breathing turned ragged and he let out half-whimpers, half-groans of pain every now and then. She mumbled words of reassurance to him, but they appeared to have no effect. He cried out as the inky blackness twisted up Percy's sword and around in his arm. Percy gritted his teeth, seeming paler. Annabeth was dodging around the substance rolling after her. She was being pushed back and couldn't get around this thing to help her husband.

Alvie grabbed blindly at the air with his left hand, complaining in pain and annoyance as he failed to find anything.

"Alvie?" Crystal breathed, confused. Alvie mumbled something incoherently. He stopped grabbing at things and opened his hand, revealing his palm to the ceiling. An orb of pure, crystal white energy hovered there. He slowly relaxed in his arms and she soon realised it was from exhaustion.

He flicked the orb in his parents' direction and it struck the darkness creeping towards them.

An inhumane, deathly screech made their ears ring and the thing drew back so quickly it was as if it had never been there.

Percy's sword clattered to the floor. Where the darkness had crept up his arm, deep gashes had been carved in overlapping spirals. Blood flowed down in scarlet torrents. Alvie didn't see this, his left hand reaching for Crystal's.

"It's gone." Crystal said, keeping her voice as steady as possible while Annabeth moved forward to steady Percy, who had started swaying on the spot. "You done it, don't worry, it's gone."

Alvie's breathing slowly steadied and he dozed off in her arms, his head on her shoulder. The damp cloth over his eyes had fallen. Crystal gently laid him back against the pillows and replaced the cloth. Annabeth sat Percy on the end of the bed, grabbing the water bowl. She dipped Percy's injured hand in the bowl. Crystal watched in silent amazement as the water slid up his arm in a thin, shimmering layer. His wounds slowly healed and the blood washed away. Percy sighed in relief, his shoulders relaxing.

"What's going on?"

"I'm not sure." Annabeth said, holding Percy's face in her hands and scanning his eyes for any more hints of trouble or pain. "Percy?"

"I don't know." He got shakily to his feet, muttering in Ancient Greek. The sea breeze returned and it was tinged with sea green. The glass in the window repaired itself and a sense of stability and safety appeared in the room. "But I don't like it."

OK, that's it for now. The last bit was made up- I just wanted a bit of trouble if I'm honest :D