Chapter 5

Cabin 1 (3rd P.O.V)

The door slammed open with a BAM! And there, at the entrance, stood Perseus Jackson, grinning.

"Haha, I win Repair Boy!" Percy shouted over his shoulder.

"Not fair Aquaboy! You ran off before I could say go!" an annoyed Latino argued as he skidded to a stop upon arriving at the entrance.

"Psh- like that made a difference."

"I DEMAND A REMATCH!"

"Oh, so you're demanding things now?" Percy sassed back.

"Oh bugger off. Do you accept or not?" Leo grumbled.

"Sure! It's on!"

After Leo and Percy stopped conversing, they realized that they had an audience watching them in shocked confusion. Leo nudged (read elbowed) Percy.

"Ow! Leo!" Percy hissed, then looking up, he waves shyly and says, "umm, hey guys... what's up?"

*Cue Leo facepalming*

"PERCY!"

"LEO!"

Said two demigods were now buried in the hug-nope doggy pile, definitely doggy pile, that their friends had created.

"Guys we can't breath!"

"So?"

"You're the ones who left! We were worried, you idiots!"

"He he sorry?"

Slowly the others started to get up, the final two to get to their feet being Percy and Leo (to no one's surprise). Everyone settled down and looked at the former.

"So... Percy, mind telling us what happened? You ran out like the 3 Furies were chasing you."

Percy and Leo exchange looks, Percy's being nervous (terrified) and Leo's being encouraging.

When Percy didn't say anything Leo prompted him by saying, "well Sea Boy has something to tell you."

Said 'Sea Boy' glared at Leo.

"Really Flame Child?"

Leo just smirked.

Percy sighed. Looking at Leo, he received a supportive nod.

"Well?" said the impatient demigods.

"Iwasabused!" Percy said quickly receiving a nod of approval and a comforting hand on the shoulder from Leo.

"..."

"..."

"WHAT?!"

"Explain now" growled Jason, thinking of the satisfaction he would feel basting this person with a lightning bolt.

"erm..." Percy hesitated glancing at Leo.

"Aquaman you owe me the details too. Go ahead. No one will make fun of you, right guys?"

"duh!"

"Blahaha, make fun? Why would you even ask that?" Grover bleated incredulously, obviously insulted by the suggestion.

Percy looked relieved but a tad bit awkward. His friends look at him in shock and hurt. Did he really think they would do something like that?

"Percy... you can start."

"Well... Wise Girl, Goat Boy you remember how I told you about Smelly Gabe?" Percy started hesitantly.

The two nod, their eyes widening.

"H-he used to beat me. I would do something bad that made him mad and he would beat me. I know I should have behaved better then he wouldn't have gotten mad but I couldn't help it. I don't even remember what I did sometimes but I must have done something wrong for him to yell and hurt me. Like when he lost a p-poker game because I was being too noisy while trying to do my homework."

A few of his friends gasped while the others were pale and sickly looking. They all however had dark murderous glints in their eyes.

His cousins were having a hard time controlling their powers. Thalia and Jason were sparking while Nico and Hazel were causing the earth to tremble.

And the others were not faring much better. Leo was literally blazing with fury, Frank growled angrily looking, even more, intimidating since he was currently a bear, Annabeth and Reyna looked like they were devising the most painful ways to torture someone to death and Grover grasped his pipes probably wondering what the guy would look like as a tree. Piper, Calypso and Will all looked ready to commit bloody murder.

Percy was just lost in a memory of the past.

*Percy's flashback starts*

"BOY! You. You made me lose! You and your freakishness. You'll pay for it brat."

Gabe hoisted him drunkenly by the collar and threw him against the wall roughly. Percy groaned in pain from the impact and struggled to get up only to feel his step-father's grubby hands make their way around his throat choking him. He immediately started squirming trying to free himself but the only result was the grip tightening. It wasn't until his vision was covered in black spots that he was thrown to the floor. He fell like a rag doll and remained there gasping for air.

"Well boy, anything to say in your defense?"

Percy remained motionless.

"Answer me, boy!"

Percy, unfortunately, was unable to as he was too busy breathing in air greedily.

He felt a sharp pain in his stomach then his chest as his step-father began to beat him, kicking and punching. His ears hurt from the tirade of insults courtesy of the vile man.

Percy curled up in a ball in attempt to protect his chest and stomach. This simply served to infuriate Gabe further. He stepped over the 8-year-old body and kicked him with all his might in the back.

The pain caused Percy to whip out of his protective ball positive. As his vision went dark all he could feel was the intense pain in his back and in his subconscious, he could hear the sneery laughter at his pain coming from Gabe.

*Percy's flashback ends*

"Percy?"

Percy's head whipped up, his eyes wide with fear. He came face to face with Will looking at him in the face with concern the others looking over his shoulder.

Percy was about to lie like he always had but the lie got stuck in his throat. Before he could stop himself a tear fell, followed by another and another, then a sob. Soon he was full out weeping. His friends didn't sneer or look at him in disappointment. They just gathered around and hugged him, whispering to him that it was okay and that they were there.

"Percy, did you tell your mom?"

"...no"

"Dude, why not?"

"Gabe. He threatened to hit her if I ever told..."

"WHAT THE HADES?!"

"Percy, there's something your not telling us. Please do"

"I found out after my first quest... h-he hit my mother anyways."

There was an uproar and all of Tartarus broke loose.

"Where. Is. He?" growled Thalia.

"Great now there goes my slight chance of trying to deal with him myself..." Nico grumbled.

The others looked at him incredulously.

"On your own? Good luck getting to him before I do cause there'll be nothing left when I'm done with him!"

"Perce. I repeat. Where. In. Hera's. Name. Is. That. Scum?"

"Yeah, I have to pay him a visit."

"You'll find him in a museum and he'll be the statue labelled 'The Poker Player'."

"Statue?"

"Medusa"

"Ahh"

Unbeknownst to Percy, his friends lock eyes and create a plan. Gabriel Ugliano would regret the day he messed with this demigod and his mother.

But for now, they would stay with Percy, making sure he knew they cared and promising themselves that they would never let something like this happen ever again. After all, they're family and family protects it's own.