Percy's POV

I ran down the street, chest heaving and hid behind a dumpster. I was alone. Of course, spring was supposed to be a peaceful time but, for me, that was never the case.

My name is Percy Jackson. I'm a demigod, child of Poseidon and at the age of thirteen I thought I was going to die.

A shape shifter had followed my school trip to Washington DC and blown out school bus sky high. We hadn't been in it but thankfully I had my backpack of ambrosia and my sword in pocket.

As soon as the bus had blown men in black suits and sunglasses came at us, looking for terrorists. One of the man had taken me aside, claiming he was going to ask me questions, but once out of ear shot of my history teacher, he had grinned at me.

"Percy Jackson," he hissed. "It's nice to see you. Kronos will be very happy when I bring him the corpse of his least favorite demigod."

Which was my cue to book it as fast as I could. Running down a city street I tried to catch my breath, and stuck my head out the side. I couldn't see anyone but took my sword from my pocket just in case.

Stepping farther behind the dumpster I stepped on something, something alive. "Ow!" it groaned in a high pitched voice. It's fuzzy head appeared over a dirty blanket, greasy, tan face with pointed elvish features glared at me. "What are you doing?" he asked in a slightly Hispanic accented voice.

"Hiding," I pointed out.

"Sure," he stood, stretching and picking up his blanket. He was painfully skinny, his shirt hanging off him and overalls rolled up around his ankles. He looked about my age.

"Hiding from who?" He glanced at my sword, which he shouldn't have seen. "And what's with the fancy toy?" He looked me in the eye and his nose wrinkled. "You're one of those fancy rich kids who play monsters with their mommy." He threw the blanket in a worn backpack at his feet.

"I am not a rich kid," I rolled my eyes and glanced down the street again, "my name's Percy and believe me or not I'm hiding from someone who wants to kill me."

"Whatever," he mumbled, preparing to walk from the alleyway.

"Wait!" I held him back and he glared at me, a fire lighting in his eyes almost literally.

"What?" He hissed.

"He might go after you too!"

"Good for him." The boy mumbled, trying to push past my arm. "Does he have a gun or a fancy toy like yours?"

"Neither," I looked at him.

He was taking this very lightly. Like the thought of being chased down bored him. "So it's a vampire?" he laughed harshly.

I tilted my head at him. "Why are you so calm?"

"I've run from guys scarier than vampires." The fire was in his eyes again and he tried to push past me.

"Wait!" What was I supped to say to make him stay put. He was almost starting to scare me more than the monster. He looked, in a word, ferrel.

"You're crazy," the boy shook his head, curls bouncing against his gaunt face. "I'm getting out of here."

Then came a sound that made my teeth in edge and all my muscles tense. It was a growling lurching and I glanced around for the source. It sounded like it should be from a huge cat or something. "Did you hear that?"

"Yea," he groaned. I looked to see him gripping his stomach, wincing. "I did."

"You're hungry?" I almost laughed with relief.

"More accurately I'm starving," he moaned as the sound came again.

"When did you least eat?"

He shrugged, "a couple days."

I took my backpack off my shoulders and dug around for a moment before pulling out my peanut butter and jelly sand which my mother had packed that morning. "Take it," I offered.

He looked at the sandwich with desperate eyes. "You sure?" He asked.

"Go ahead."

He grabbed the sandwich and had inhaled it in three bites. "Thanks," he smiled, swallowing the last bit. He had a nice smile. It was gentle and kind, something I never really saw on anyone anymore.

"Isn't that sweet?" a deep voice crooned. "Young Percy has made a new friend." It was the same security guard as before but when he smiled, his teeth now sharp fangs and his tongue pointed and black.

"What the–!" The boy yelled reeling back. He shouldn't have been able to see the fangs or anything strange. But when I saw him, his eyes were wide and disturbed.

"Run!" I grabbed his stick thin wrist and shot out into the street, my sword hanging by my side. He kept up well, for a skinny kid he was really fast. Soon he was outstripping me and I was holding to his wrist to keep up.

"Where are we going?" I asked when he turned sharply.

"Somewhere safe," he called over his shoulder. I saw his face, he was grinning with glee.

"What are you so happy about?" I panted.

"It's been to long since I run like this," he put on a burst of speed and I almost stumbled. He stopped at the end of an alley, crawling into a cardboard box.

"This is your safe spot?" I felt my heart plummet.

"Just hurry!" he called, his voice sounding much farther away.

Groaning I ducked into the massive box.

Inside was not something I had been expecting. It was an entrance to a house. This was a messed up, dirty place where half a dozen rat carcasses were strewn over the floor.

"Ew gross–!" I was cut off by the other kid, dark eyes wide, clapping his hand over my mouth.

Even his hand was bony, long, and thin was calloused fingers.

I didn't try to struggle, even if I was a little startled. I could hear the heavy steps outside the way.

"Blast!" I heard the monster groan. "Two months of this stupid job and this is all I get? I kid who can vanish into thin air." I heard him take a large whiff of air and gag. "Stupid rats," he grumbled.

With a harsh whooshing noise the man was gone.

"Thanks," I smiled as the kid took his hand off me.

"Welcome," his grin was crooked.

"How'd you know the smell would throw him off?"

"Smell?" His eyebrow raised "I know I haven't taken a shower in a while but..." He shrugged.

I decided to drop it. "How'd you know about this place?" I asked.

"A few..." he paused, nervously, "friends live here. If that crazy man is gone we should get going before they get back."

"Why? I thought you said they were friends."

"Friends who don't like skinny homeless children and their hostages," the smile came back to his face, but didn't reach his eyes. "Come on," we crawled back out to the street.

My eyes darted to the rooftops and I felt my heart begin to pound. He wasn't completely gone.

"If you still need to hide I know a bit safer place," he offered.

"Really?"

"Sure," he nodded. "Follow me."

We walked lazily down the street hands in our pockets. "I never got to properly introduce myself," I held out my hand. "Percy."

His eyes flicked to my hand but didn't move out of his pockets. He was obviously not used to niceness.

"And your name is?" I prompted.

"I'd rather not..." He glanced at the street. "I don't want anyone coming after me."

"Are you some kind of celebrity?" I asked, honestly intrigued.

"No," he chuckled darkly. "No, I'm the king of all runaways. Fifth one and counting."

"Are you with anyone else?"

It was obviously the wrong thing to say. Those massive dark eyes fell and he shook his head. "Just, just me." I saw a small smile pull itself on his face.

"Oh," I nodded, trying to think of something to change the subject. "So where is it we're going?"

"Just a couple more streets," he pointed. "So what about you?" He looked a bit more open, glancing to the sky. "Why are you here? I've been around this city more than I can count and I've never seen you."

"I'm on a school trip from New York," I admitted. "A secret agent popped claws and now he's after me. Just a normal day."

"Popped claws?" He glanced at me, bemused.

"Figure of speech."

"Sure it is," he rolled his eyes, dragging out the vowels.

"You don't believe me?"

"I believe the claws more than the 'figure of speech.'"

"Really?" I asked.

He turned a grim look in his eyes. "I've seen some weird crap."

"Like?" I wondered if he was talking about any monsters.

"You wouldn't believe me." He shook his head. "No one does."

"Try me," I offered.

He glanced over, biting his lip, obviously worried I might tease him. "Woman with snakes for hair, men with only one eye. Women who talk out of the ground."

My jaw dropped. "Really?"

"I knew it," he kicked a discarded tin can. "No one ever believes me. But I'm not lying."

"No!" I held up my hands. "I believe you."

"You're kidding."

"I see the same stuff and I know what they are. They're–"

A black suited man came out of the shadows. "I followed the smell of demigod and what do I find? Two of them!"

"Two of what?" The kid cried.

I stepped in front of him and pulled out my sword. "Get away from us!"

The kid gasped. "A sword?"

I watched the monster back away from the blade. "Run!" I screamed at the kid behind me.

He stood stalk still, eyes wide. "So I'm not crazy...?" He glanced at the man and obviously saw something I couldn't. "Either that or I'm extra crazy."

"Didn't you hear me?" I turned to the kid. "Run! He's after me!"

"I was, yes," the monster advanced, "but imagine how much happier my employers will be when I bring them two demigods."

I began backing up, the kid close behind me, his panicked breath in my ear. "Turn this next corner. Follow me closely."

Nodding imperceptibly I felt his muscles tense and we dashed around the corner. It happened so quickly I didn't know what was going on. A small hand shoved me and I tumbled aside, my head hitting a wall and spinning. In front of me I saw a hazy figure leap over a fence, quickly followed by a man in a dark suit.

My head was fuzzy and I couldn't think straight. Shaking it I leaned over. In my hand was my sword and in my other hand I held a pen cap. Why did I have my sword out?

Wait. "Kid!" I stood, shakily. But I was to late.

The tiny latino and my pursuer had vanished. There was no way I could get over that fence. Retreating to the street I ran down it, desperately hoping I could find them. But the farther I got the more my hopes sank.

Then I heard the crash.

It sounded like a cannon had gone off. Turning frantic eyes to the sky I saw smoke only a few blocks away.

I took off again, hearing fire trucks and ambulances. Everything seemed to echo in my head. "Kid..." I muttered.

The building was engulfed in bright orange monsters, dark black air billowing from the top, and tiny streams of water on either side desperately trying to put it out.

"Please take a step back," a large man took my arm and pushed me back.

"My friend is in there!" I cried.

"I'm sorry young man. You must wait for the fire fighters."

I did. With heart in my throat I waited until the fire died. A crowd of people had gathered but I stood directly in the front, legs shaking and mind numb.

After what felt like eternity a large sturdy looking man stepped out in a police uniform. "Would you please disperse everyone. We have the situation under control. While the evidence of two people have been found there have been no reports of a body.

He turned around but I stopped him, grabbing his arm. "Wait! Those two people. Do you know where they went?"

"We don't know yet but we believe they may be trapped under the building," his face became grim. "I'm sorry."

I stopped.

Sometime in the next half hour I felt a hand on my shoulder, my history teacher. Numbly I was lead away and I made it onto the bus before I realized what was happening.

Once on the bus I began wondering. He had been a demigod. Who had his parent been?

Then something else struck me. "I never even found out his name."

Three and a half years later.

I watched the skinny boy jump up and down the control panel like a mad man. His eyes burned and, despite his size and attitude he looked almost like an adult. It was like I could hear his brain moving.

Although it was amazing to have Annabeth back I could already see her rubbing off on me.

Before, when I had told him about Hazel he has refused to look at me. Next to me he looked like a child, thin, worn and dirty. But deep inside me head something clicked.

"Kansas," Leo muttered. "Where the heck is my controller?"

I had been watching him out of the corner of my eye for an hour now. I wasn't sure but something about him confused me. Something in the back of my head recognized something about him.

I was also using the word 'something' to much.

Rubbing my temples I leaned over the side of the ship. "Are you alright?" Annabeth's perfect voice whispered, her blonde hair brushing my arm, her hand on mine.

"I think my memories are still trying to squirm their way back to the surface," I chuckled.

Annabeth nodded, her brows scrunching.

"You're doing it again," I poked her in the forehead.

"What?" she looked up.

"Thinking to hard. You're going to give yourself wrinkles."

"Am not," she argued playfully. She stood on her tip toes and kissed my cheek. "Maybe you're right. I guess I just need some sleep."

"Night," I kissed her again and both our cheeks turned red. I watched, entranced, as the blonde hair swished around her waist and she vanished down the stairs, her storm gray eyes looking back only once.

Once she had vanished my eyes flicked to Leo who's own eyes had watched us with... was that envy?

Trying to sound jovial, and most likely failing, I called, "you're not after my girl are you?"

He jumped so high I checked to make sure he couldn't fly. His face had gone pale and he twitched worse than normal. It took a moment for him to process what I had said.

"Oh," he managed eventually, his accent stronger with... nervousness, fear? "Of course not." He smiled, a fake smile. "Besides, you might be able to take her beatings but I'd end up nothing but a pulp."

I laughed which seemed to set him at ease.

Biting my lip I suddenly asked, "have we met before?"

"Yea," he raised an eyebrow, setting down one of his wii remotes. "This afternoon? I also was at dinner." He carefully avoided our first official meeting where I had yelled at him.

"No," I shook my head. "Before that. Before today."

"I don't think so." Leo picked up a different controller, swiping the screen to what must have been a map.

I took that moment to collect my thoughts, to remember where I had seen him. Walking up the stairs to him I remembered, or thought I had.

"We did meet." I snapped my fingers. "Were you in DC three years ago?"

He paused, hands twitching wildly. "Yea, I was. What of it?"

I grinned. "You saved my life. You hid me from that CIA man."

Leo tilted his head. "What are you talking about?"

"I wandered into an alley and I gave you my lunch," I tried to prod his memory but I could tell it wasn't ringing a bell.

"That happened a lot," he looked down, fingers clenching and un-clenching.

"I doubt many people who gave you their lunch had a sword."

That flicked a light on. I could see his mind whirring and he smiled a crooked smile. "You stepped on me," he remembered. "Woke me up from my nap."

I nodded. "You saved my life," I reminded him. "You distracted that monster while I escaped then..." I remembered myself how that memory ended.

"The building," Leo nodded, "and the fire."

"What happened?" I asked.

"Guess," he held up a hand, a tiny beating heart of flames in his palm. "I lost control. The monster blew up and I got away."

"I want the whole story," I egged him on. "I thought you died."

He bit his lip, fingers shaking madly. Pressing a few more buttons he began, "the monster chased me, transforming into some kind of wolf beast. I couldn't really see him, I was running to fast.

"There was a building, completely empty and I was running out of energy. I hid under a bed. When I heard him coming in I freaked out," Leo shuddered, piking up the controllers and guiding the ship in a different direction. "My fine got away from me. My hiding place caught fire and I ran down the stairs, into the basement. He followed and attacked. I managed to hit him and he dissolved like all monsters do."

Leo chuckled. "Of course I didn't know that they dissolved. I thought I'd just killed someone." His face fell. "I couldn't get out, the building fell on top of me. The monster had done it's best to kill me so I wasn't at the top of my game either."

"Wait," I stopped him, my heart pounding. "He cut you?"

Leo nodded, lifting up his shirt sleeve. His shoulder revealed the beginning of a thick scratch that could've reached all the way to his hips.

"It really isn't that bad," he shrugged, dropping his shirt sleeve. "I've gotten worse. Besides, I didn't feel it. I passed out a minute later and woke up in a hospital. I got sent to the next foster home, ran away and the next place I ended up was the wilderness school."

"Whoa," I whistled. Then my heart sunk. "You saved my life and I almost got you killed."

"Occupational hazard," Leo smiled. "It's fine really." It was his turn to look guilty. "Doesn't matter anyway. I messed everything up today. Nothing I can do to fix that."

I tried not to feel angry with the short kid in front of me. He still looked as small and skinny as when I'd met him. But I had to say something to him. "I know I can't say it makes everything alright..." I began. "But thanks for saving my life back then."

He smiled up at me then shook his head. "Don't get all mushy on me man." He turned on the auto pilot and walked down the stairs. "Night Percy."

"Good night Leo."