"Should I tell Sally?" Paul asked.

I stared at my hands. What do I tell him? Do I tell him yes and risk Percy never speaking to me again? Or do I tell him no and risk Sally freaking out if she discovers it on her own?

"It's up to you to decide what to do. I promised her I wouldn't tell Sally. If you do tell her, and Percy finds out, you're going to say you overhead me talking to myself. Got it?"

Paul nodded. A large sigh left my chest and I disappeared from the sanctuary.

I spent the rest of the day taking care of the duties I had been putting off while I was with Percy: meetings, laws, hearings, and other things like that. No matter how busy I found myself, I couldn't shake the heavy unease that followed me.

I even had a call from Hades, asking about his son. It took some doing, and a quick trip to the Underworld as good faith, to assure him Nico was not in any danger.

If I'm being honest, seeing Hades in such a state was amusing. It is well known I am protective of anything I consider to be mine, but to see Hades acting in a similar manner is not a sight you get to witness every millenia.

"Are you okay?" Triton looked over at me. "You aren't paying attention."

The merman who had been speaking stopped and stared at me. Probably upset that he went through all sorts of trouble to get an audience and I'm ignoring him.

"Something just does not feel right to me. I've been on edge all day, and it bothers me that I do not know what it is. Perhaps there is a monster stirring in the deep." If Oceanus's forces have rallied under a new leader...

I stood. "I am going to go check on things. I will allow you to begin your proposal again, as the first meeting during the next council session."

There was nothing wrong with any of my holdings under the sea, nor with any of the aquariums or horse ranches I occasionally donate to. Still the uneasiness did not go away.

The warmth from the metal of a bench seeped through the back of my shirt. I had sat down ten minutes ago, trying to think of anything else I could be forgetting.

I don't have anything else that belongs to me on land.

Well, I guess there's Percy, but if I check on her and she's fine then she'll probably get more upset.

I don't want to damage my relationship with her more than I already have. But at the same time...

If she's hurt and I don't go to check on her, I might lose her. That thought made up my mind and I appeared next to the lake.

I frowned, why would Percy be here? It's nearly dark, she should be home for dinner.

I looked around the lake and didn't see her. I didn't sense her in the water either. Maybe the shrine-

Percy came crashing out of the tree line, limping towards the water. She collapsed without making it a yard.

Without thinking, I rushed to her.

Her blood soaked the grass and her body was still. If she wasn't gasping, I would have though she was dead.

I scooped her into my arms. She struggled against me, flailing her limbs to try to land any sort of blow.

"It's me, Percy, it's me." I calmed, briskly walking to the lake.

She stopped flailing. A soft groan left her lips and I wasted no time in kneeling at the edge and placing her in the water.

Hair floating around her head, Percy almost looked like she belonged in my court. The myriad of wounds and torn clothes ruined the image.

Guilt washed over me, as I directed the water to tend to Percy's wounds. If I had checked on her earlier maybe she wouldn't be hurt.

The moment the last of the scrapes and scratches sealed, I pulled Percy out of the water and into a tight hug. I rested my head against hers, ignoring the tears slipping down my face.

"Dad?" Percy mumbled, shifting in my arms.

"I've got you. I've got you, baby." I moved one of my hands to rest on the back of her head. "You're safe. I'm not going to let you get hurt."

I wanted to find whatever harmed her and send it back to the Pit myself. I wanted to hurt it for hurting my child. Here, I could do it. My brother would be none the wiser that I killed a monster that had attacked my child.

I almost did, but Percy weakly grasped at my shirt. When I looked down at her, at her small trembling form, the urge intensified before being replaced with the urge to protect her.

"I'm not leaving you, so you can rest now. I'll keep you safe."

"But...wants...Nico." Her words slurred together, and that was all I could understand. Rubbing her back, I ignored her random mumblings. I can heal the wounds, but her body has to replace its own blood.

"It's okay. Sleep now. I'm right here and I'll make sure you're okay. I can put you in the water again if you want."

She didn't answer and I continued to hold her, she seems like she comfortable and I don't want to change that. I sat there even as Apollo finished his route and Artemis started hers. Percy struggled weakly and I hushed her.

"I'm here. Dad's here. I'm going to keep you safe, Percy. Got that? I'm going to keep you safe."

I should have been doing like eight different things but I still have an hour until my next class so I'm gonna edit Death's Apprentice some.

So...

Do you guys want (and feel free to add specifics)

Angst

Fluff

See yah