“You can’t leave me here!” I screamed with a hoarse voice.

   Bianca didn’t respond she just kept on stuffing her bag with clothes.

   “Why are you leaving me?” I felt a tear roll down my cheek; I wiped it away angrily.

   “It’s for the better.” Bianca said coldly.

   A bottle smashed against the bathroom tile, I guess dad has woken up and realized that his last bottle was dry. We heard how he stormed to the kitchen, slammed the doors and the kitchen cabinets in his search for his wallet.

   “What do you mean for the better?” I asked.

   “I think dad will behave better.” She said and turned away from the bed to look at me. “Soldatino,  I know that dad is the worst person ever but I want to really go to this camp with Thalia.”

   “You’re saving yourself and leaving me here alone?” I loved my sister but right now I wanted to kick her or slap her. Can’t she understand that the only reason our dad doesn’t storm in here for search for money is because Bianca is home.

   “No, I’m going to a camp to learn new things and I’m leaving because I think dad could use the new silence. Plus you won’t have to do the dishes or make dinner now… not like you did that before but.” Bianca sat down beside her huge bag. “I’m moving and you can’t stop me.”

   “Dad will kill me. He hates me and he loves you.” New tears rolled down my cheeks. “He fucking hates me and blames me for moms death okay? You can’t leave.”

   “But Thalia-“

   “I don’t care that you got a girlfriend that you love more than me, all I beg of you is that you stay.”

   “Thalia and I aren’t girlfriends. We are just girls who are friends.”

   “Please I have walked in on you two having sex. Just because I’m fifteen doesn’t mean I don’t understand sex.”

   “Well fine, friends with benefits then.” Bianca shrugged. “I’m leaving today so… behave Neeks.”

   “It’s not me who is giving up.”

   “I’m not giving up!”

   “You are too!” I screamed.

   “Stop with the shouting you brats!” Hades screamed and entered the room. “Bianca are you leaving? What did you do now Nico?”

   “I haven’t done anything.” I whispered angrily.

   “It’s your fault this family is falling apart son. I suggest that you leave and buy me something to drink.”

   “No the moment I leave is the moment I have failed. You can’t leave me.” The last part was directed to Bianca. A pleading look, the tears that was fresh, it was all for her.

   “It’s a one year camp, it’s not like I’m gone forever.” She scoffed.

   “Nico leave. I will take care of your sister.”

   “No.” the slap echoed through my head but I didn’t winch or back down. “No, I won’t leave, I’m not her, and I’m not giving up. I know that from the minute she leaves she won't be coming back.”

   “I love you baby brother but this is the best for me and I promise, just one year.”

   “Well fuck you, I don't believe you.” I sneered and earned myself another slap.After that I went to buy father his stupid alcohol.

   When I returned, Bianca was gone and Hades sat alone in the kitchen, fiddling with mother's wedding ring. I guess that now he has two women that have left him.

Ten years later

“Nico come on I just got back!” Bianca pouted. The apartment was dark and dirty since I had been at Percy’s place for the last couple of days. Dad was at some meeting with his drinking group, they had decided to go bowling in Texas… of all the places. Bianca and me were meeting up here because I didn’t trust her to be nice to my new family.

   “Yeah so?” I asked.

   “Aren’t you happy?” she smiled and tried to hug me but I took a step back.

   “Bianca you left me okay. I was fifteen when you went away with Thalia to some weird training camp and now… ten years later you decide to come back like nothing has happened.” I looked at her like she was crazy and she was. I knew that she wasn’t getting treated fairly but she wasn’t the only one who had dad’s wrath upon her.

   “I ran away because dad was a drunk and he was abusive, I didn’t know what to do and Thalia saved me. She asked me to come along and I did.” Bianca defended herself, crossing her arms over her chest, showing of her left hand, the one were now a golden and silver ring rested upon her finger.

   “So you married her?” I asked.

   “No… I love Thalia like a sister and yes sometimes we went over the boarder but in the end I married with Apollo. He was the leader at camp and he is sweet.”

   “Why are you here Bianca?” I sighed and just wanted to go home.

   “I came because I wanted to talk to my baby brother, to my soldatino.”

   “You have no right to call me that.” I sneered and started going out of the apartment. I loved her more than anything else but my days of being abused was over.

   “I’m sorry Neeks I am. I was a kid and I didn’t know how to handle the situation that we were in. Stop being so selfish.”

   “I’m not selfish, okay? I have finally gotten a real family, one that doesn’t give up on me and I had tried my best to fix up dad’s life too. He is clean because of his drinking group, they have all quit, and dad has even found a woman that he likes. He was moved on, Zeus is in prison for life and I’m happy. Don’t ruin this Bianca. I tried so hard to please you and dad when I was younger but I’m done, I got nothing in return.”

   Bianca bit her lip and faced the floor; a blush crept over her cheeks.

   “I’m sorry. I was supposed to be the big sister and protect you… I’m sorry but you are alive and you are here.”

   “I almost died eight years ago!” I screamed and wanted to hit something.

   “Was that my fault?”

   “Partly yes, everybody leaved me and you didn’t even text or write to tell me how things were going with you. You drew a blank page after you left me here.”

   “Geesh are you done blaming me?” she screamed.

   “No!” I sighed. “I’m done here, I won’t forgive you and please don’t come after me.”

   I left the apartment and went home. I was now really glad that we had moved away from Sally’s old apartment to a neat little house in Manhattan.

★★★★★

When I arrived home and stepped through the door, the twins hugged me tightly and I received a soft kiss by Percy.

   “Hey have you lost my ring?” Percy asked taking my hand in his.

   “No.” I pulled it up from my pocket placing it on my finger. “I was meeting up with someone who doesn’t deserve to know about us.”

   “Who was it?”

   “Me.” A soft whisper was heard from the door.

   Bianca stood at the door and Percy stared at her like she was some ghost, which she was. At least to him. The last time he saw her was ten years ago, the day she ran away to some weird camp. It wasn’t a surprise that they knew each other since they both were popular in school.

   “Who is the scary lady?” Sebastian asked and hid behind Percy’s leg.

   “I’m Bianca… I’m Nico’s sister.” She smiled and sat down to be on eye level with the twins.

   “Daddy doesn’t have a family. He only has us.” Annabeth said sticking out her chin.

   “Annie, princess can you take your brother to your room. This is a conversation for us grown ups.” I said ruffled her blond hair.

   She did a hasty salute and then dragged her brother away. I still found it adorable that Annie saluted people when she left the room or took orders from me.

   “I told you not to follow me. I’m done with you.” I said with venom in my voice as soon as the kids were safely behind a door.

   She silently combed her dark brown hair with her fingers and then smiled. “Remember when dad used to say that to us. He threatened to send us to some foster home.”

   “Funny I always remembered that he threatened me while you stood in the door to our room with a smirk.”

   “Bianca it was really nice to see you and we are both glad that you are alive and well but I don’t think you should be here.” Percy said, he laced his fingers with mine.

   “Oh.” Bianca looked shocked. “I didn’t know my little brother was gay.”

    “Laugh all you want Bianca.”

   “No, I… I’m truly sorry for being a bitch and the worst sister ever. I thought that if I disappear dad would behave better. I’m sorry that things went wrong and that you almost died. I won’t apologize for being treated better and I won’t apologize for coming now and seeing you. I just thought you wanted to know that Apollo and me live in LA and are expecting a child, a child that I want you to know.”

   “Bianca you are a little too late. Like I said I still love you but I won’t just forgive you.” I was so tired of fighting with her. “I can’t forgive you and not just because you abandoned me and wouldn’t text or write. I won’t forgive you because you never tried to stop dad when he hit me, you never tried to make things easier for me. I know that you love me too but, fuck, Bianca this isn’t easy. Our lives were shit and I have been abused enough.”

   “I understand baby brother. I hope that we some day will be friends.”

   “Sure, now leave.” I slammed the door after her.

   “I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore, you know that right.” Percy kissed my cheek.

   “Yeah, thank you for backing me up.”

   “I didn’t say anything.”

   “But you stood by my side and didn't leave me.” I said and kissed him.