No One To Save Me

First day at Midtown High.

Percy POV.

Today was my first day at high school. Joy. (Note the sarcasm) Mom said it would make me feel better to go meet new friends, that they could replace my old ones. She doesn't understand my pain. No one does. She doesn't understand that they had my back. That they trusted my plan and it got them all killed. Hazel was betrayed by the metals of the earth and suffocated in solid gold. Frank, distracted by Hazel, failed to stop the dracaena from burning his lifeline to dust. Jason was shot out of the sky by a traitor demigod's arrow, laced with poison. Piper overused her charmspeak and, upset about Jason, could not avoid the hell hound that tore her apart. Leo was forced to drown as he watched the enemy destroy the Argo ll, the Mcshizzle going down with his ship after all. Annabeth died soon after. Geia forced me to watch as she slowly suffocated her and she said her last words; I love you seaweed brain, don't follow me too soon. It was my fault. I was silent the whole ride to school. I will not make more friends. Tartarus would not be happy with just torturing me in my sleep, no, he would kill everyone I love. I can tell that my mom is next. All I can do is wait. Wait. I already have friends at Midtown high! Maybe if I avoid them they will survive? "We're here sweetheart." My mother's voice rang through my thoughts.

"Ok." I WILL NOT let my mom see my pain. "See you after school." I jumped out of the car and walked to the front doors, my hood up over my head. I entered the office and grabbed my schedule. I managed to make out my first class; Advanced Greek year 2. I sighed. This is going to be a long day.

@@@@@@@@ TIME SKIP@@@@@@@@

I walked into the classroom and sat in the seat furthest from the front. Luckily nobody recognized me at first. Sadly, Tyche hates me. "Percy?" I heard a familiar voice from the seat beside me. "Is that you under that hood? Come on man, talk to me." Peter. Of course, my old friend had to recognize me. I have the worst luck.

"Yeah Pete?" Why am I being nice? I need him to hate me! Only then will he be safe! All of them will be safe! I will not watch their lives be stolen from them.

"Where were you for the last 9 months! We've been worried sick!" The brown haired boy exclaimed quietly. I felt the memories swimming to the surface. Blinking away the thoughts I spoke.

"I don't want to talk about it." My tone clearly states to leave it alone, but I swear, Peter is just as dense as I used to be before... Stop thinking about it Perce. I scolded myself.

"Percy! Are you even listening?" Peter looks sad. My heart breaks a little at his expression, but I quickly hardened myself. I can't get close to him again. If I do he will surely die. I will not let him die. This is for his own good. This is for everyone's good. This way they're safe. Everyone is safer when I am alone.

"Nope." I replied. I stared out the window until the bell jolted me from my thoughts.

Peter POV.

I never expected to see my old friend when I walked in the door that day. MJ? Yeah. Ned? Of course. Flash? I hoped not. But Percy? I felt curious as he shot down my questions and seemed to be... pushing me away? No. Perce would never push me away, Right? He is obviously depressed. He would never act like this otherwise. Percy needs help. And I swear I will give it to him. Whether he likes it or not.

@@@@ Hermione uses the magic time skip spell!@@@@@

At lunch, I sat with MJ and Ned as usual. "Sup guys?" I questioned as I took my seat. They each replied with a hello as they ate. MJ, as usual, packed her own lunch, while Ned ate mini pizzas. 

"Sup? Percy is finally back and you ask 'Sup'?" Ned exclaimed. "Have you seen him! Obviously, something happened over the last 9 months he's been gone. Look at him!" He gestured at the hooded boy by the maple tree in the courtyard, not touching his pizza. The old Percy would have been all over that tasty slice.

"Wow. Percy never misses a meal. I wonder why he is now..." MJ spoke, deep in thought. The bell rang and we continued on to classes, one thought echoed in all our minds. What happened, Perce?

Percy POV.

After lunch, all my old friends seemed to be watching me. In science, Peter watched me. In English, MJ tried to make a conversation, and in History, Ned would not leave me alone. They were NEVER this clingy before. I need to step up my game. The bell rang, signaling the end of school. Slowly, I trudged out of the building. "Hey, Perce!" I groaned quietly as Peter once again approached me. Will he take a hint?

"What?" I growled. Peter flinched and I felt the familiar bubble of guilt swell in my chest.

"A-aren't you coming to swim practice today?" Panic filled me. If I don't go, they will be more suspicious. If I do go, they will see my scars and be more suspicious.

"I am not doing swim team anymore. Go without me." I made sure my tone was cold, yet the only impact it had on him was to cause him to flinch again. He still stayed. Why won't he just go!?

"Fine then. I will just hang out wherever you're going." He had an undertone that said that this was not optional. The king of sass rules otherwise.

"Sorry, Peter. I have somewhere to be." A look of sadness crossed his face. "See you later." I spoke. I stood up and walked away. I walked home. A presence seemed to be following me wherever I went, but when I looked it was gone. Great, first I lose all my friends, now I'm getting paranoid. Walking up to the doors, I could tell something was wrong. The door was open a crack. While mom leaves the door unlocked for demigods to use, she NEVER leaves it open. I dropped my bag and felt my hand go to Anaklusmos. "Mom?" I questioned as I opened the door. What I saw chilled me to my core.

Peter POV.

I followed Percy. Yeah, I know it was a stalker move, but I have to know what's going on. After joining the Avengers I got some training from Black Widow, allowing me to move silently. I watched as Percy walked up to the door. It was open a crack. For some reason, the fact that it was open seemed to make my old friend nervous and his hand dropped his bag as it flew to his pocket, his feet shifted in a defensive stance. "Mom?" I heard him ask, a silent 'are you ok?' seemed to follow. There was no answer. An audible gasp came from his mouth as he opened the door. I couldn't see what was inside, but I saw him pick something up off the floor. As he read the piece of paper tears formed in his eyes. He ran over to his neighbor's door and knocked. I wonder why.

"Can I help you?" The older woman asked Perce.

"I-I need to use your phone. My mom never bothered to buy one." He responded seemingly in shock. As the woman gave him her phone I swung down as spidey and what I saw almost made me faint. Percy's parents laid on the floor. Paul had an arrow stuck through his heart and Sally was strung in a pool of blood, a spear sported in her neck. No wonder Percy was upset. I heard Percy's footsteps returning so I swung back up to the roof. Percy crouched over his mom and sobbed. "I'm sorry mom. I should have been here to protect you. Instead, I went to school. I could have saved you." With every cry he gave, my own heart sank a little more. Poor Percy. Why did he think it was his fault? Why would he have been able to save her? I best get back to Aunt May and give her the news, and then go to the Avengers meeting. Fury hates it when we are late.