The Impact

Chapter 95

I walk back up to the beach house. alone. I look down at my skin. water is dripping from it. I'm home. Yet I'm not.

"Aww, you miss your mortal, how sweet," Persephone, my niece, is standing on the porch, looking out at the water.

"Where is yours?" I ask, mounting the steps.

"Inside. he's sad. He gets like that sometimes it's part of what makes him nice," she says, smiling.

"He kills and eats his own kind," I say, flatly.

"Oh if you're going to be rotten about him I'm going in," she says.

"No, no just feel like as your uncle I should remind you of these things, come here, I'd actually like a woman's opinion," I say. Lacking Ian's auxiliary father to give me not very good insight at all into the straight person's psych, I'm going with Persephone. Yeah I know but Glenn wasn't ever all that great either. Mr. Kind of Straight. I need to talk to him, or better yet have Peter talk to him.

"What's up?" Persephone asks.

"Parker," I say, nodding towards her and Ian, on the beach, "As you know---she thought I was her boyfriend---"

"Yes and you got her pregnant following," she says, nodding. I glare at little at her.

"Yes, but my point is, she and Ian had never had sex, they weren't sleeping together---"

"Yes I know what having sex means---"

"Let me work through this----so when I'm introduced as her boyfriend and she's staying in my bedroom and I exhibit a healthy to normal sexual interest in her-----why doesn't she say anything?" I ask.

"Have you asked her this?" Persephone asks, dryly.

"Yes, she just says she doesn't know," I say, shaking my head, "And I feel bad----I didn't force her---why wouldn't you say anything?"

"She thought she couldn't," Percy answers, immediately.

"What do you mean? I was slow, I mean I kissed her, I talked to her I didn't---force myself on her I wouldn't do that---"

"No I know you won't even have sex with me and I ask nicely and take my clothes off very nicely and show up in your bedroom naked very very nicely---"

"This was being normal, stop making it weird—you're my niece---we're moving on---" I say, "What do you mean----why would she think that?"

"Somebody else taught her she couldn't say no so when you're presenting as somebody she loves, well, not going to say a word is she?" Persephone asks.

"What do you mean somebody taught her?" I ask.

"God you were always stupid----was she a virgin when you first had her?" she asks.

"What---I don't know---"

"Like I said, always stupid----come on, I know you're a man but try to use some brain cells, had she done it before? There's always a bit of awkward fumbling with a new partner especially if you have never done it before to begin with," she says.

"No," I say, quietly, "She just---"

"Went along with it?" Persephone asks.

"What are you getting at?" I ask.

"She was raped---or abused, whatever you want to call it .I call it rape. By what you're saying I'd guess repeatedly, father uncle stepfather, somebody. Taught her to sit nice and still and not say no. So when you come along somebody she does actually love---well, what's she to do?" Persephone asks.

"Oh my god," I mutter, lowering my head.

"That make sense?" she asks.

"Yes that's why she's been acting so---it's like she's been taken advantage of all over again----" I groan, "I would never want to do that to her."

"I know you won't even take advantage of me," Percy says, fiddling with my shirt, I duck away. "See?"

"Damn it---I need to do something," I say, shaking my head.

"Considering she's bearing your child you do but for now let her have her mortal boy, he's the best medicine---speaking of which there is my prescription," Persephone says, as Slade walks out.

"Prescription is far too legal and structured," Slade says, pulling her up for a kiss, "He still won't let you seduce him?"

"No it's not nice," she says, pouting a little.

"Aww such a shame you still against me killing Gage?" he asks.

"Yes I won't let you. I rather like him," she says, leaning against him.

"Okay you two are weird, moving on," I say, shaking my head, "Thanks for the talk, Percy."

"Anytime, you know you're my favorite uncle," she says.

"Actually I don't but---you know," I say, shrugging.

"Oh that's right I keep forgetting you haven't got your memory, ha ha---- I keep forgetting---anyway my father will be here soon and when he gets here he'll give you your memories back if you---"

"THERE IS SOMEONE WHO CAN GIVE ME MY MEMORIES BACK????"

"Yes my father, your big brother---"

"THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN RELEVANT TO KNOW SOONER!!" I cry, annoyed.

"Harry knew as well---on no well wait he's an idiot he may not have, anyway, sorry," Persephone says, hanging on Slade's waist and looking innocently at me.

"Okay, do you have any idea where your dad is?" I ask.

"Somewhere in the sky probably," she says.

"That's very unhelpful fine, I'll find him myself----you, you're very okay with all of this---" I say, looking at Slade who is just standing there.

"Life happens. I just sort of let it. you got to, that's what my dad used to tell me when I'd cry and be disappointed in myself," he says.

"Why would you be disappointed?" I ask. I know I shouldn't go there but the particular way he says it intrigues me.

"I wasn't such a good shot when I was really little so I'd miss game when he'd take me hunting," Slade says, "So he'd tell me that life was just gonna happen sometimes and there wasn't anything I could do about it. I got better at shooting though. Not much better at life."

"He got much better at shooting," Persephone says, hugging him tighter.

"Oh yes game means people I forgot I don't like talking to you," I say, shaking my head as I go back down the steps.

"You asked," Slade says, shrugging.

"And I regret it now," I say.

"You aren't a person," Slade points out.

"He's gotten attached to them," Percy explains.

"Yes---yes I have and that's not a bad thing, okay? From what I've met of my family---which is just you and Harry but still from what I've heard and the fact that I'm in this mess to begin with and I was apparently a total dick before---"

"You'd rather have them? how sweet," Percy says.

"You know what? Forget it," I say, walking away down the beach. But she's right. I would rather have them. and yet I don't have them. not anymore they all hate me to. even Parker. No not Parker. She's confused she's scared---I need to tell Gage and Peter what I know. I don't want this---what happened with me, damaging her. She doesn't deserve that. I'll tell them, they'll know what to do.