The babysitter

Fifty-Four

It was like she disappeared. There was no trace of her. Tim had tried many times to find anything. He started hacking into government cameras trying to find anything. He hated this feeling, of searching for months and not finding anything. Tim had searched every college in California for Percy Jackson and come up with nothing. He was starting to question if she was alive.

Cass was quiet. Even for her standards. She seemed like she was the little soldier she was when she first got here. Cass glared at everyone, never smiled, and was ruthless in the field. Dick was never home. Surrounding himself in work and patrol as he almost drowned in the stress and grief. He was slowly getting better but found it funny that no one in the family knew how to grief. He just wanted to say goodbye but everyone was holding onto a thread of hope that she was alive. Dick would love to believe that but she was bleeding out and turned into mist. He's never seen a demigod die, but that looks like a death to him.

Damian was the same way as Cass. He had to sit out on many patrols since he had become too violent and almost killed many people. He was even moodier and almost never came out of his room or the training room. Damian blamed himself for it. Had he not been so reckless and actually followed the plan she would be here. It was his fault she's dead. Damian often cried himself to sleep most nights.

Jason was, like Tim, in denial. He refused to believe that she was truly gone. But as summer slowly started creeping up on him, he found it harder to believe she was still out there. Jason hated the man he had become in her absence. But it felt nice to take his anger out on someone. Him and Bruce weren't on good terms due to the deaths caused by Red Hood. He never came by the manor and never worked with anyone but himself. Jason didn't trust himself not to kill any more of his teammates. He had already killed enough.

Jason sat on his bed staring at the books Percy had given him for Christmas. They had started to collect dust since he was never in the mood for reading and felt like he shouldn't touch one of the things he had left of her. He kept replaying the moment in his mind. What could he have done to save her. He should have helped her fight. Done anything other than just stand there for fucks sake!

As much as Jason hated Joker for pushing her to the edge, he hated himself more for not doing anything. But he hated how much of a hold Percy had on him in the couple of months he had known her. Jason couldn't stand to be in the manor knowing that he killed Damian's mother figure and best friend. Jason could see the pain in Damian's eyes and that drove him mad.

Jason's phone rang, making him wipe his tears and clear his throat. "What?"

Bruce was on the line. He had stayed relatively the same but sometimes Bruce would almost say Percy's name but would stop himself. "Jason, we still haven't seen or heard anything about Percy."

Jason felt all the grief in him be replaced with rage. Bruce had been subtly asking for a funeral for the past month. Bruce understood what Jason was going through, but a funeral is a place to say goodbyes. Jason didn't want one yet, he didn't want to believe that the girl he loved is gone. Of course he would want to say goodbye at some point, but he could process that she was gone. She had so much to live for and was gone too soon.

Jason didn't feel like she had died. He felt it in his gut, she was out there somewhere. But as much as he wanted to believe that feelings, he couldn't help but doubt it. What if she was dead and he have wasted the past months looking for a corpse. But what if she was alive?

Jason said abruptly. "I'm not having a funeral for her." Then hung up.

He didn't even know who to pray to. Who is the God or finding lost people. Should he ask Hades if she's alive or not? He just wanted answers. Jason didn't want to spend his whole life on a wild goose chase.

Jason loved Percy, he still does. But he wanted to start a life together. Have kids or a dog. He didn't care as long as he got to be there with Percy. Jason wanted to pick her up from wherever she was going to be working and take her on a date. Maybe if they had children they would go get ice cream.

Jason's worse regret was not asking her to take the next level. He wish he could have spent time with her romantically. Not just as friends who like each other.

He groaned. Jason seemed to be thinking about what life he wanted with Percy more and more often. It just doesn't matter. Maybe he should just except the fact that she's gone. No, Percy would never give up on him if this situation was reversed.

Jason wiped his face of any stray tears and grabbed his jacket. Being in that apartment was almost suffocating. He didn't know where he was going but he couldn't stay there. He should be out there looking for her. Jason quickly packed a bag with his Red Hood clothes and a couple civies. He wouldn't stop until he found her. Jason needed to check every spot she's ever been and then some.

While he was packing he saw the picture that Percy had brought. A photo of eight people smiling at the camera. They were bloody and beat up, looking a bit sad but over all in good shape. Percy was smiling her lopsided smile, her gray streak more prominent than the last time I saw her. "I'll find you, Perc."

1024 words

7/19/22

I love tricking people into thinking that it's the last chapter or you won't get one for a little while. But this is probably the second to last chapter, the next one will be her funeral. Anything you guys want to see?

Pieces Angels and Stay Safe