Broken

Chapter 17

Time Skip 5 months, Poseidon's POV:

I wish Sally could see just how much he has grown over the past few months. We are still working on his social anxiety and fear of other men that aren't part of the family. That scum that called himself a man ruined Percy. I know people say well he is young he probably will forget when he is older but, I have my doubts. Something holds him back, but I know he is smart and will accomplish great things in the future.

Hestia keeps joking that when Annabeth and Percy get older, they will date since they are so close. I keep telling myself that is too far away to worry about that. Jay, Tyler, and Jack are settling in nicely I have never seen my sister so happy. I remember the day she was told she could never have children; she was devastated. Her fiancé left her because he wanted kids that she couldn't give, Zeus, Hades, and I where there only ones that supported her. She went through a huge depression, and it seemed like forever until she got better. She never smiled until she realized she could do more with her life and became a social worker. I wish I listened to her when she said I should have chased Sally down to tell her how much she meant to me. Maybe then Percy would have had a better childhood.

Gabe is long gone, but I don't know for how long. Things could change in short years some good some bad. But in the end, I know everything will turn out fine. I feel like time has flown by and soon Percy won't be a toddler anymore. Gods, I sound like a worried mother hen about to have her babies leave the nest.

My thoughts left me as soon as I heard the thumping of two feet running down the stairs. Percy runs over to me holing something in his hand. "Daddy! Daddy look I lost my first tooth!"

I look down as he puts a bloody tooth in my hand but I smiled anyways "that's good bud now go put it under your pillow, or the tooth fairy won't give you money."

His eyes opened wide "I get money?"

I chuckled "that's what the tooth fairy does."

He looked at me "why would a fairy want an old tooth for?" He looked all serious like the world depended on that very question.

I hesitated because truth be told I never understood the whole tooth fairy thing as I got older "because in her world teeth are money, so she is um... Collecting money, for the fairy bank."

He blinked then started walking away. I heard him mumble "why teeth?"

"Percy where are you going?"

"To bring you a paper to write a letter to the tooth fairy."

I raised my eyebrows "why?"

"It's not okay for her to take my tooth I want to keep it but I want my money still."

His little feet pounded the floor as he ran back up the stairs and down. He set the paper and a Scooby doo pencil in front of me "please write the letter for me."

I laughed and wrote the letter to Percy's request and expectations. He smiled when I handed him the letter "When will she come?"

I laughed "when you are asleep otherwise she will never come to bring you money."

He frowned "but it's the only morning!"

"Go play son the time will fly by before you know it."

He turned to go "time can't fly." He muttered as he walked into the living room.

Tomorrow Hestia, Zeus, the Chase's and Hades will be coming over to have a small cookout. All the kids will be together to play while we adults talk and drink a glass of wine. Helen has done an awesome job with Percy and his anxiety along with his night terrors. Only recently the night terrors have slowed down, and he can get a full nights rest. I still can't help but worry but parents are supposed to worry. I hired a new worker named Amphitrite who has a son who is just a little older than Percy named Triton. She hasn't met Percy yet, but she wants to. Maybe one day I will start dating again and it maybe Amphitrite.

I sighed. Gods life is crazy about everything happening at once. Tomorrow I am going to share the news that the aquarium will be expanding and has been the top most visited aquarium in New York. Percy will be five and about to go to kindergarten, and he just lost his first tooth. I feel worn down with all this. I wonder if Sally ever felt this way. But knowing how she was, she handled it with a breeze. She could handle anything that stepped in her way and would be calm through tough times. I can only imagine what she went through when she was alive living with Gabe. I still blame myself for never going after her. Her life could have been different; Percy would have a childhood that could smile when he looked back. All of it gone when I didn't chase after her. She could have been still alive if I did.

I got up to grab my paper work to distract my raging thoughts. As I worked through them I still couldn't stop thinking how quickly time will change and how much my life is changing. Percy has made me a better man who no longer drinks, parties and does stupid things. Something still trickled in the back of my head. Gabe, he could get out of jail with ease if he has the right kind of people who have money. Yeah sure right now he is in jail but for how long. How long does Percy have to hold this burden? How will he handle it when he gets older and actually knows the meaning of what Gabe did to him? I worry for that day to come. Everyone is different and handles these things differently but no one can erase mental scars easily. Whatever has been said to Percy can stick like glue and will always resurface when something reminds you of that person. It's part of being human that makes life all the more difficult.