author note:

other things: enjoy the criminal minds theme song, I thought it fit the chapter lol

spoilers: titans curse, trials of Apollo (also a headcanon regarding titans curse/trials of apollo) 

trigger warnings: murder, guns, blood

plot: what if when Nico was walking around new york he saw a murder happen, the police questioned Nico and then found out that the murderer would be after Nico, the police put Nico in protective custody, what will happen? will the police find the murderer? will the murderer find Nico? 

1st person pov (Nico's pov)

     we had just celebrated Estelle's birthday, Percy's younger sister. she had just turned six, after the party, I decided to walk around new york to clear my head, Estelle had the same birthday as Bianca. estelle even reminded me of Bianca sometimes. I looked down, I know that Bianca had chosen rebirth, I wish she would've at least said goodbye to me first.

     I was only pulled out of my thoughts by a gunshot, it came from my right, I brought my head up and looked to my right, I saw a man, I guess I should say teen, since he looked young, around my age, he had black hair, he was wearing a cardigan sweater and kaki pants, he was on the ground, there was blood coming from his head, another man was standing above, this man had brown hair, brown eyes, he had a scar on his cheek, the man was wearing black pants with a black hoodie, the man was staring at me, he had a gun in his hand, no doubt that this man killed the teen, sirens could now be heard in the background, for some reason I was frozen still, I couldn't move, I didn't even bring out my sword, I stared at the man and he stared back, when the sirens got closer the man took off running, I again stayed frozen.

     two minutes later the alley was filled with police.

     "Hey, kid." an officer said waving their hand in front of my face, I was suddenly able to move again, "you alright?"

     "huh?" I asked, "um yeah."

     "did you see what happened?" the officer asked, her voice soft.

     I stared at the ground, "yeah." I answered quietly.

     I don't know what was happening to me, I never act like this.

     "you'll need to come down to the station for a statement," the officer told me, "do you have anyone you can call?"

     "yeah." I said, "could I get a ride to the station though?"

     "of course," the officer said, she opened her car door, "you'll have to wait till we're done processing the scene, but then we can take you there."

     "thank you." I replied getting into the back seat.

time change...(same pov)

     when we arrived at the police station I asked to go into the bathroom so I could call, I went into the bathroom and turned on the sink, I made a rainbow and took out a golden drachma.

     "oh iris, goddess of messages, take my offering."

     I dropped my golden drachma and a screen of mist appeared.

     "the Jackson's home, please."

     I saw percy and his family in the living room watching Estelle play with her gifts.

     "nico?" percy asked seeing me appear, "where are you?"

     "it's complicated..." I said.

     "what is it dear?" sally asked, she sounded concerned.

     "I'm at the police station." I told her.

     "what happened? are you hurt?" sally questioned, concern still rising in her voice

     "I'm fine." I answered, "but I need you to come down to the station, please."

     sally stood up immediately and started grabbing her stuff, "paul stay here with Estelle, percy you can stay or go, up to you."

     percy stood up and put on a blue jacket, "I'm coming." 

     I then heard knocking outside the bathroom door, "how much longer nico? we have to get your statement and it's best when it's still fresh."

     "I have to go now." I told them, "thank you."

     "of course hon," sally replied, "we'll be right over there."

     I swiped away the iris message, and I then opened the bathroom door.

     "they'll be here in a minute," I told the officer, "sorry I took so long."

     "It's alright nico." the officer replied, "do you want to wait for them?"

     I thought it over, "if that would be possible, yes please."

     "Alright then," the officer said, she then brought me towards a chair and desk, "you can sit here while we wait."

     "thank you," I told her, I then sat down and the officer walked away, I sighed and placed my head in the lap, I hated how weak I feel right now, I'm nico di Angelo, I'm not weak, but yet when I saw the murder happened I couldn't move, I still feel how I did earlier, helpless, weak, even scared, I hate feeling scared.

     I was pulled out of my thoughts by feeling someone hug me, I looked up and saw that it was sally hugging me.

     "I know you don't like hugs, but you look liked you needed one." sally said leaving the hug.

     "thank you." I told her.

     "let's start the statement shall we?" the officer asked, I shook my head in agreement, "tell me what you were doing before the murder happened.

     I then started telling the officer everything, I told her about how I was walking around after the party, then told her how I heard a gunshot, and I told her about the man I saw standing. she just kept nodding her head.

     "thank you nico." she said, "if I were to show you pictures of people that match the description do you think you might be able to recognize the face?"

     "I think so." I told her.

     "Alright," she replied standing up, "if you three want to follow me I can take you into a room with all the pictures."

     she then leads us to the room, she opened the door, in the room, there was a billboard with a bunch of pictures of men. I stood in front of the billboard and stared at the faces.

     I then pointed at a picture, "him," I said, "that's the one who shot the teenager."

     "Are you sure nico?" the officer asked, she had a hint of worry in her voice, most people would miss it.

     "I'm sure," I answered.

     the officer then faked a smile, "alright then, thank you, you two boys head out I need to have a chat with ms Jackson real quick."

     percy and I did as we were told.

change of pov

1st person pov (sally's pov) 

    "what's wrong officer?" I asked her, "I can tell that something is bothering you."

     "the man that nico saw," the officer started, "his name is Rowan sand, he's a serial killer, he targets boys that look exactly like nico."

     "I see," I said.

     "nico told me that rowan saw nico, meaning that rowan could come after nico," the officer explained, "it's up to you and nico, but we would like to put him in protective custody, even if it's just a police officer watching him at all times."

     "as long as nico's fine with it do it, anything to keep him safe." I told the officer.

     "let's go ask him then." the officer replied.

     the officer and I headed out to the boys.

     "Mr di Angelo?" the officer asked getting the boy's attention.

     "yes?" nico said.

     the officer then told nico and percy what she told me.

     nico looked at percy, percy just shrugged his shoulders and nico rolled his eyes.

     "if you think that's what I should do," nico started, he then looked down, "then, okay."

     "Okay." the officer replied, "Robert! come over here."

     another officer walked over, he had blonde hair, "what's up cal?"

     "Follow the Jackson's home, you're on protective custody duty for nico di Angelo, don't leave him alone." the officer told him.

     "yes mam." officer Robert said, "shall we leave?"

     "let go boys," I told them, "thank you both."

     percy, nico, Robert, and I all then left the police station and headed home. 

time change...

1st person pov (nico's pov)

     when we arrived at Percy's house and walked in paul came up to sally, I saw Estelle sleeping on the couch holding her monkey stuff animal she got from leo today.

     "What happened?" I heard paul ask sally.

     "ill tell you later." sally whispered back.

     the officer, Robert, was just standing in the corner near the door.

     "ill go get the air mattress set up." percy told me.

     "thank you." I replied.

     "course dude." percy said, he then left the room.

     sally then turned to me, "what do you want for dinner nico?"

     "you're asking me?" I replied shocked, I rarely go to other people's houses but when I do they don't ask me what I want for dinner.

     "of course," sally answered, "we all take turns picking dinner, today was Estelle's but she's asleep so you can pick, only one other rule with that, we all help with the meal."

     "Okay, meatloaf?" I asked shrugging my shoulders.

     "Alright then." sally said cheerfully, "we can start making it in an hour, why don't you go see if percy needs help."

     "yes ma'am," I told her.

     I then started making my way to Percy's room.

     "nico?" sally said, I turned and looked at her, "call me sally dear."

     "yes ma- um, sally." I replied.

     I then walked away and into Percy's room.

change of pov

1st person pov (Percy's pov)

     I was sitting on my bed waiting for the air mattress my mom bought a while ago (so then if any of my friends need a place to stay they can come here) to blow up, when nico walked into my room.

     "do you need any help?" nico asked.

     "I think I'm good," I answered, "but if you want to go grab a blanket and pillow from the hall closet, that way you can pick out the one that you like best."

     "Okay." nico replied, he then left the room.

time change...

1st person pov (nico's pov)

     it was now time to make dinner, paul tried waking estelle up but it didn't work, so instead, he took her to her room. percy, sally, and I all washed our hands, sally brought out the meat and paul came back into the room.

     "let's cook!" paul exclaimed.

     "wash your hands first." sally said.

     "of course dear." paul replied.

     Paul made his way to the sink while percy and I started putting seasoning on the meat.

     sally turned on music and the whole jackson house started dancing while cooking, I just watched them while putting the seasoned meat in the pan.

     we then put the meatloaf in the oven and took out a board game.

time change...(same pov)

     it was after dinner now, percy and I had just brushed our teeth and were heading to bed, I was feeling better since this morning, I climbed into bed and welcomed the darkness I was being brought into.

change of pov

1st person pov (Robert's pov)

     after the jackson family headed to bed I gave them thirty minutes to make sure they were truly asleep, I then walked into Percy's bedroom, I smiled evily at the sleeping nico di Angelo, 'Rowan will be so proud of me.'

author note: hope yall enjoyed this chapter!!! this was a super fun chapter to write and I hope it was fun to read!! see yall in the next chapter!!