Leo Valdez: The One They Disregarded (Discontinued)

Chapter 4: The Experience

I would like to dedicate this chapter to reader Honeydew05010, who voted for all three of my chapters. Thank you!

- 3rd Person -

"Oh my gods..." Hazel muttered. "How could he have never said anything about this? Gaea appeared to him as a little boy and killed his mom! Why didn't he tell us?"

"Agreed. I mean, he couldn't have at least told us? His closest friends?" Jason said, looking to Piper.

Hazel crossed her arms and glared at Jason. "He should have told all of us."

"Don't worry, Hazel," Piper soothed. "I'm sure we'll be able to talk to him soon, right? When the memories are over, we can beat him up and yell at him all we want, okay?"

Hazel nodded slowly. "Fine..."

The next memory played.

Little Leo is shown in the same position as before. He's on his knees, his head in his hands and is sobbing intensely.

Around him, the room was ablaze. Smoke and fire were licking the edges of the desks and shelves and making them heat up. Scorch and burns marks were scattered around the crying child, but he paid no mind to them, if he even knew they were there.

"No, mama..." He whispered. "Mama, why...?"

Piper gave a dry sob. "This is awful. How did he go through this alone?"

Screams and shouts could be heard outside. Sirens, police and ambulance, were going off and alerting locals.

A few minutes pass, and a firetruck's honk makes Leo jump, and he looks around to notice the building and fire around him.

"It's burning..." He mumbled.

"No durr!" Percy said sarcastically.

Frank yelled at the screen, "Get out of there! Fire, you dolt! FIRE!"

Nico coughed. "Leo's immune to fire."

Frank blushed, but pretended not to hear. "Fire," He shivered.

Little Leo shook his head. "Fire doesn't hurt me. But it...it hurts-" He choked up. "-it hurts mommy."

Two firefighters kicked on the door. "Hello? If someone's in there, open this door! You need to get out!"

The door busted open, almost hitting Leo. The firefighters looked around for a while before one noticed Leo sitting but their feet.

He jumped. "Holy shit kid! Come on, we need to go! Didn't you hear us yelling?"

Leo looked up with his tear streaked face. "My m-mommy. Where's m-my mommy?"

The firefighter grabbed Leo and held him on his hip. "Don't worry kid, we'll find your mom! Jim, come on, let's go! There's no one else!"

"You got it boss!" The female firefighter shouted back, and they both ran out the door and out the garage doors.

"My gods..." Annabeth mumbled. "My gods..."

"Leo, gods, how old were you?" Percy asked, his eyes showing intense concern.

Leo didn't move, but instead said, "I was eight years old when my home burned down."

Jason shook his head sadly and looked at Leo, who was now crying and gazing upwards in misery.

Piper hiccuped. "Not only did this happen to him, alone, but as a little kid, too. Not even ten years old."