Money Isn't Everything

Foster Care and Social Workers

I know I said I'd update on Thursdays but my internet ran out so I couldn't. On the bright side I have written three chapters ahead so I should update regularly.

Percy POV

Apollo leads us to a big red van like thing and hands Hazel over to Thalia. We climb in the back and Nico pulls Hazel's head into his lap and pushes her hair out of her face. The drive to the hospital is spent in silence and it feels like it takes hours rather than minutes. When we finally arrive Apollo gives us all a sad smile before driving away and leaving us to face the huge building one our own.

Thalia scoops Nico up and I shift Hazels head onto my shoulder, we stand like that side by side for a few minutes before Thalia finally gets up the courage to approach the doors and I follow her. As soon as we get inside I take a seat while Thalia goes to explain our situation to the ER nurse. I'm only there for a minute before someone is wheeling a gurney towards us and I'm having Hazel taken out of my arms and then someone is leading me and Nico away. They take us to a conference room and they tell us to wait for a social worker.

As soon as they leave I turn to Nico, "Don't tell them your surname Nico or they'll take you back to your parents."

Nico nods and climbs onto my lap. We'd done this before, of course or at least I had. I'd been taken back to Gabe and my mother, they left again though this time it was a little more violent. After that if I was ever caught it was Percy, just Percy. Few people know my surname now, it's Jackson.

Finally the door opens and a man walks in, he's pretty old and in a wheelchair so I suppose I should say wheeled not walked. "Hello, I'm Mr. Bruner but you can call me Chiron," he says, taking a seat across from us.

I don't respond, just stare at him while Nico buries his face in my shoulder. Apparently Chiron is used to this because he just continues, "I'm your social worker. Apparently you're homeless, is that true?"

"Where is she? Where's Hazel?" Nico asks, lifting his head to look at Chiron.

"She's being taken care of," he says kindly then turns back to me, "How many more of you are there? And where?" he sighs when I just look at him, "We're not trying to hurt you, we're trying to help you. I know you've probably been through this a thousand times but I'm begging you to trust me."

"There are two, they're in the sixth abandoned warehouse on Carmen." I say, they'll find the rich brats and say we kidnapped them. The rich brats will say we did and then I'll be blamed and sent away, that's how this thing works.

"Carmen?" Chiron asks, obviously confused by the street slang.

I sigh, "Sixth Street."

"All right," he nods, making a note in his little black book. "Now, what's your name?"

"Percy," I answer, "Where's Thalia?"

"Do you have a surname, Percy?" he asks and I shake my head, asking again, "Where's Thalia?"

"Your friend is in the room next door with another social worker, we thought it would be best if the person who dealt with her was female." Chiron explains.

I shake my head at him, "No, you thought it was better if you kept us separated in case we tried anything. I know how this whole thing works."

Chiron sighs again, "We're trying to help you. Social services isn't the enemy."

"I know that, you're just not very good at weeding out the good foster parents from the bad. You're stuck in a system but I just want to stay out if it." I say, pulling Nico closer to me. He's crying, maybe because of Hazel or maybe because of this how blasted situation or maybe just because he's had enough.