-𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯 4-
𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔯 𝔡𝔞𝔡 𝔱𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔱𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔥
Grover let out a shaky sigh of relief as he saw Nicholas at the door, in an oversized hoodie and some very loose joggers.
Before he could even say anything, or yell which seemed more likely at a time like this, the McCallister raised a brow and shouted a very bored "Paige it's for you!" and walked away from the door to their apartment.
He stared blankly at the now empty space in front of him.
He hadn't even noticed Grover's fur covered legs. Or questioned why he was there. Or how he found out where they lived.
He didn't exactly get to think about it, because a tired looking girl appeared in his place, smiling as she saw who it was.
Her brown her was pulled up into a bun on top of her head, a few strands falling down to frame her face.
She too wore an oversized sweatshirt, but instead of the joggers, she had on a large pair of blue shorts that went to just above the knee.
"Grover hey, what are yo-" Her eyes fell to his legs, mouth gaping open at the sight. As she looked back up, his cheeks were blushing intensely as she gave her a shy grin. "What happened to your legs? Why are you here? How'd you find us?"
And there were the bombard of questions.
Grover wished he could just explain everything to her right away, but he knew it'd have to wait. He could sense the monster getting closer. It was just a matter of time.
"Paige, I need you to listen to me. You and Nicholas are in danger. Percy's in the car, we need to get you all to camp before it finds you."
Paige scrunched her brows.
Camp.
What camp?
In danger?
"What are you talking about?"
"Is your dad in?" She nodded hesitantly. "Get him. He'll explain everything, hopefully really, really quickly. We don't really have much time left."
The girl seemed reluctant, but let him in after a desperate look. He walked into the apartment, taken aback by how empty it seemed. The only furniture in what he assumed was a living room was a singular sofa in the middle of the room, facing a small tv. Further in was a kitchen and dining room mixed into one. But there was no table.
There was an open door that led to a dark hallway filled with more doors, he presumed they were the bedrooms.
Paige came back in a rush with her dad, Derek McCallister, and Nicholas, who seemed a little out of it. His eyes were basically covered in his dark bags, which was odd as they hadn't been earlier.
Derek was the first to notice the lack of human legs on the boy, his eyes widening in recognition at what he was. And then it was Nicholas' turn.
He had been staring blankly at the floor in front of Grover's feet, blinking every now and then to show he wasn't sleeping with his eyes open. Then, he'd glanced over for a second. And then again.
His forehead creased as he trailed up the legs, seeing grey fur at every angle. Just to make sure, he flicked his gaze back up to the boy's face and chest.
"Why is there half a goat in your pants?"
Grover sheepishly grinned at him.
"The important thing is not to panic."
"Not to- not to panic? Dude you're half a goat! What the hell is going on?"
He looked at his dad, and to his sister, seeing some sort of a knowing look in both of their eyes. He suddenly felt very left out.
"Did- did Chiron send you?"
Grover saw that Derek seemed to have a guilt filled tinge to his features as he watched the younger boy with watchful eyes.
"Yeah. A monster's on its way. We have to take them to camp."
Nicholas and Paige looked between the two as they shared a pointed staring contest, as if talking in their minds. The girl turned to her twin, regretting the fact that she hadn't told him what she and Percy had heard that night.
Maybe he wouldn't be looking like he'll have an aneurysm at this point.
"Monster? Camp? Can someone explain to me what's happening, because if this isn't one of my nightmares, I swear to God!"
Gods, actually, Grover wanted to say, but chose not to out of sympathy.
His fur covered legs were bobbing up and down, eyes flicking to the window as the storm got bigger and brighter.
It was close.
"Kids, I'm so sorry I never told you, I thought I'd have more time. At least until next year. Why is it happening so early?"
The last bit was obviously directed at the Underwood boy.
"The Gods are mad. Hades has sent a monster after them. We really need to go. Now, if possible."
Paige's face made him really want to pray to every nature spirit and tell them to leave the twins out of it. Let them live mortal lives. But he couldn't. That wasn't how it worked.
"Dad? What is he talking about? Hades?" the girl asked, on the verge of yelling.
Derek sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.
He knew this day was coming.
He just wished it wasn't today.
"Your mother... she was special. I didn't really believe it when she told me. It was true when I told you we met at the hospital where your aunt was having her kid. I sat next to her, she looked like she was worried about someone. But she told me... she told me she was there to help someone, with their pain."
The man chewed his lip, thinking of what to say next.
Nicholas was getting rather annoyed at all this beating around the bush.
Something was happening.
Something dangerous apparently, and his dad was talking about how he met their mother that they'd never met.
"Great. Very sentimental, can we get to the part where you tell us what the hell is going on?"
Paige paused at her brother's voice, shoving her hands in her pockets and finding the thing Grover had given them.
"The card... Half blood," she spoke softly, everyone's eyes going to her. "Is that what you are?"
Grover nodded slowly.
"A Satyr technically. But that's not important. Mr McCallister, please hurry."
Derek turned to finally look at his kids, a pleading look to his face.
"I didn't believe her when she told me. I thought she was just trying to get out of raising me. But when your nightmares and visions started, I knew... God, if I'd just believed her."
"Believed what?" Nicholas blurted out.
"Your mother- she was a goddess. Just before she was about to give birth, she told me. I thought she was crazy. But she was being truthful. You two are demigods, half bloods is what they call you. There's a camp, Chiron told me about it. We met in a park a few months ago, he must've known what you are. I don't kno-"
"Demigods?" Paige said, in awe at the fact.
She knew her dad wouldn't lie in a situation like this.
So that's why her mother wasn't there? She was a goddess.
And they were demigods, halfbloods...
"No. You're lying." The trio all looked over at Nicholas, who was holding back tears. "You have to be lying because- because you would never have called me crazy if this was true. Every time I came crying to you about my dreams, and the stuff I saw, you told me I should see a doctor! Why- why would you say that if you knew about this! You're lying!"
Grover felt like he was intruding on a heavy family moment, but he couldn't leave. He had to rush them out to the car, or no one would make it.
He couldn't let what happened to Thalia happen to the twins and Percy.
He couldn't.
"Nik... I've always wanted to tell you. But when a halfblood finds out about what they are, they become more noticeable to monsters. They'd have found you earlier. I just wanted to protect you."
The boy let out a shaky breath, trying his best to control his anger.
"Who was she?"
"What?"
"Our mom, if she was a goddess, which one?"
Derek seemed torn.
"I-I don't know. She didn't tell me."
The siblings' shoulders sunk at his words.
Grover really wanted to run to their couch and eat of one of its arms but refrained from doing so.
"Listen, guys, I'll explain everything to you as soon as we get to the car. The Camp is great, it'll protect us from the monsters. But, we have to go now."
Derek nodded in agreement.
"Hold on, I had bags prepared for this. Let me go get them."
He walked off down into the hall, probably to his bedroom.
Paige rubbed her brother's arm, "it's okay. He was just trying to protect us right? Grover's gonna take us to the Camp and it'll be fine. Someone there might know our mom."
It seemed unlikely.
And all she could think about was what she and Percy heard that night. The Summer Solstice. The Kindly one.
It was all making sense now.
"Yeah whatever."
Nicholas shrugged her off, and if possible, the dark circles became more prominent.
Derek came back with two rather large rucksacks and hand one to each, "they have some clothes in there, toothbrushes and paste, and a few snacks for the journey, I didn't know how long it was. Be safe."
"That's it?"
"I can't go into the Camp, there's no point in me going. You'll be safe." He then turned to his son, "I'm really sorry Nik, I thought I was doing what was best."
Nicholas ignored him and started walking toward the front door, leaving the other three to watch as he slowly walked away.
"I'll look after them, Mr McCallister, don't worry."
Derek nodded and smiled thankfully as Grover followed after Nicholas, Paige trailing after him, soon to come by his side.
They walked in silence as they went down the stairs, worried that one wrong word would set the boy off and he'd burst out crying or screaming.
Either of the two was very possible.
After what seemed like years, the trio had arrived by Sally Jackson's car, the woman greeting them with a warm smile as Percy looked at them like they were aliens.
Slowly, and begrudgingly on Nik's part, they got into the backseat.
The black-haired boy turned in his seat at the front, staring at the twins on either side of Grover.
"Are you guys... halfbloods too then?"
"Yeah. How much have you been told?"
He glanced between his guilt ridden mother and regretful best friend, and then to the boy in the left side of the car. He was staring, or rather glaring out of the window, and didn't seem to be paying attention to their conversation.
But Percy knew.
He could just sense that secretly, Nicholas was listening intently.
"Well, Grover's a Satyr. Or something. The Lord of the Dead and his minions are after us. And I'm probably gonna die because some old lady cut some wool."
Sally has already started driving, rather quickly may I add.
Definitely over the speed limit.
It wasn't long before they were out of the city, the twin's apartment wasn't really far from the border.
"Great, nothing more than us then."
Grover awkwardly shuffled in his seat as he felt Paige's watchful eyes on him.
Percy turned back to face the front, looking at the mirror on his side.
As his mother turned right, he caught a glimpse of something. A large figure.
A moment later and it had disappeared into the storm. But he quickly peered over at his mom, who was freaking out heavily, muttering "please please please" over and over, almost in prayer.
"What was that?"
His question was ignored.
They continued down the road for another half a mile, the tense air not exactly helping the situation.
Paige kept nervously glancing over at her brother, seeing him simply staring at the view through the glass. She felt guilty about not telling him, but then again, what good would it have done?
Her and Percy still basically know nothing more than he did now, even with the extra information.
She licked her lips, trying to gain back some control.
But before she had even finished, a bright explosion came down in front of the car, and it flipped upside, sending the five flying, the only thing stopping them from smashing their heads on the roof being their seatbelts.
And yet, as the car came back to ground, now the wrong way, Nicholas felt his forehead slam against the glass of the window.
He felt an overwhelming sense of nausea, pain and dizziness, barely hearing the multiple "you okay's?" and "yeah I'm fine's" as his eyes got heavier.
Slowly, blackness covered his vision.
The last thing he heard was very concerned Paige's voice calling out "Nik! Are you okay?"