Ship in a Bottle (𝓘𝓷 𝓔𝓭𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰!)

Minor Interruptions

"Now, now," Gabe chuckled humorlessly, taking a mild step back. "There's no need to bring the authorities into this. This is just a normal day in the Jackson household."

Nico scowled viciously. "I've been visiting this family for years. Hell, my sister and I once had to live with you guys for a while. Don't pretend I don't know how abusive you've treated Percy in the past. I'm just surprised nobody's tried to do anything before."

"He deserves to live a happy life, and one without issues," Jason added. "He deserves to live a life without you as his parent."

Gabe's expression tightened. "I warned you."

The boys froze in their tracks, Percy's eyes pleading for help. "What are you planning, Gabe? You can hurt me all you want, but stay away from my friends."

Gabe shrugged innocently, something Percy never thought he'd be afraid of. "Go on. Go visit your mom. You might think I'm just a smelly, old guy your mom married for no reason. There was a reason, brat. Don't fucking forget that."

Jason and Nico sent Percy a panicked glance, but he simply ignored that and went on his way. Nico threatened to call the authorities, but Percy pushed his phone away. All he wanted at that moment was for his mother to be safe. Gabe was only going to hurt him worse if he tried to call for help.

"Percy, are you sure?" Nico trailed off, his voice weakening the moment they climbed into his cousin's car. "They can help you and your mom. Whatever he's doing to your family, the police will fix."

"I don't want to be involved with that dipshit anymore," Percy claimed, pulling out of his driveway. He violently turned onto the street, his eyes set on the hospital far away from his home. "Calling the police won't fix anything. I've tried that already, and all that did was get me in more trouble."

"When?" Will pondered softly.

"Three years ago, when I was fifteen. My mom and I went out for a drive because I needed a few more hours to get my license," Percy explained grimly, glaring daggers at the slow car in front of him. "I got a tiny dent of Gabe's Camaro, which is basically his prized possession. When my mom wasn't looking, he beat me senseless. She didn't notice since I was locked in my bedroom until further notice."

"And you called the police?" Nico questioned.

Percy nodded. "I called 9-1-1 and expected them to help me, so they dispatched a few nurses and policemen. When they arrived at the house, Gabe pretended to have an asthma attack. The nurses helped him breathe properly and asked about the call. He claimed to not have children and blamed it on the neighbor's kid, so they went back on their way."

"Where were you when that happened?" Jason asked.

"In my bedroom," Percy sighed. "The window was locked and I couldn't move the outside covering on it. Gabe finally took the covering off a few months ago after my mom told him to get rid of it."

The quartet pulled into the hospital that Sally Jackson resided in after their personal talk. Only Nico had really met Percy's mom, so Will and Jason were going to be meeting her for the first time, even if she was unconscious.

"Are you ready to see your mom?" Will exhaled loudly, his body trembling with both excitement and anxiety.

Percy nodded briskly, speed-walking through the parking lot to enter the reception area. "Which room is Sally Jackson in?"

The receptionist squinted her eyes at him, somehow recognizing his eyes matched his mom's. "You must be Percy, Sally's son. I'm Juniper. Your mom and I are old friends. She's in room 32."

"Thank you," Percy muttered before leaping in the direction of the hospital rooms. His friends followed him down the hall, all scared by the sight they were soon to see.

Percy burst into Sally's room, his mother plastered against the bed with tubes all around her body. Bandages wrapped around her midsection, blood staining the pure white color. Her hair was sprawled across her pillow, unbrushed and messy.

He sat by his mother's right side, feeling the grooves in her hand while he wished she would awake soon. "Mom, it's me, Percy. I brought my friends here today to see you. Their names are Jason, Will, and Nico. You know Nico already, though. I just hope you're okay."

Percy pointed at them when he mentioned their names, and they waved slightly at his unconscious mother. "We don't have to stay long if you guys are uncomfortable. She's just the only one I have now."

"You have us." Will set his hand on Percy's shoulder, staring into his eyes. "You don't have to be alone anymore."

He didn't realize it, but tears began to spill from his eyes. They weren't astronomical, but enough that his friends recognized the water droplets. "I'm sorry, I just haven't had anyone say that to me before I came here."

Nico sucked in a breath. "I never thought I'd say this, but Percy, you're my favorite cousin. I should've seen the signs before. But why didn't you tell anyone that he hurt you so badly?"

"Why didn't you?" Percy shot back calmly. "You said you saw him hurt me all those years, but said nothing."

"Every time I saw something, you always shot me a look that pleaded for me not to say anything," Nico remembered. "I didn't want you to get hurt, sure, but you refused to get help. I didn't want to meddle."

"It's alright," Percy muttered. "That's just what I wanted back then. Now, I just want to make Gabe pay. He doesn't deserve my family. He threatened us earlier, so he must have something to do with her."

It hurt to say her name aloud after her murder, but Percy's friends understood what he was saying.

"How can we get back at him?" Jason pondered. "I'm all for helping you out, and I'm sure the girls are as well."

Percy took a deep breath. "We're calling the police. I've been quiet for much too long. Nico, do you still have your phone on you?"

Nico nodded, sliding his phone into Percy's palm. His fingers tapped the three numbers, putting the phone on speaker immediately.

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?" Asked the dispatcher on the other end.

"My name is Percy Jackson, and my step-father has been abusing me for a few years," Percy spoke instantly. "He's been threatening my life since I called you, but I just need him gone. Over the years, he's given me scars that I have to prove he's abusive, and also witnesses. Please, just...help me."

"What's your address?"

Percy listed his house and street number into the phone, ultimately hanging up after the dispatcher left. He took a long sigh of relief, following his friends back to the vehicle.