The Jacksons are Friends | DC & PJO

I'm Home

[A/N: How's everybody?]

With the injured vigilante gone, Nina took a moment to process everything. She couldn't help but wonder who the beneath Red Hood was and what had led him to her apartment. Well, it could have been a mistake. That could often happen. She better start locking her windows.

Okay. Think. Could Jason and Red Hood be actual friends? No, that couldn't be it. Friends don't tend to have the spare keys to your apartment or crash into the window without warning. Could they be something more? Were they like Solangelo? Ohh! Is that what all the scream was about? In her thoughts, Nina stopped working once she understood what she had just thought of. Ew.

She made a mental note to call a repair service in the morning. Safety and security should be at the forefront of her mind. For now, cardboard and tape for the window was a temporary solution that would work.

Nina lay in bed that night, unable to sleep. There was so much that happened today. However, she must have drifted at some point as she suddenly jolted awake by the sound of the front door opening. Her heart raced, was there another break-in? From the front door?

As she ran to the door, she sighed in relief. Percy was standing there, looking worn out but otherwise unharmed.

"Nina, you're still awake?" Percy asked with concern in his eyes.

"Nah, I just woke up," she replied nonchalantly.

"Sorry," Percy replied.

"Is everything okay? You're back late."

Percy sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just some extra stuff to take care of. Don't worry about it."

Nina knew better than to pry further, so she simply nodded. "I had a little incident at home earlier," she said, trying to divert the conversation. "But I managed to handle it."

Percy's eyebrows furrowed with concern. "What happened?" his eyes traveled to the tapped window. Turning back to his sister, he checked her from top to bottom, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured him. "It was just some broken glass and a mess to clean up. Nothing major."

Percy looked at her skeptically. He continued to check over her. "This is blood, Nina," Percy spoke pointedly. He held up her hands, it seemed that there was blood underneath her nails. "Are you hurt? What happened here?"

Nina felt a pang of guilt for not telling Percy about the injured vigilante earlier, but she didn't want to burden him with any more concerns. "It's not my blood," she admitted without thought, not wanting her brother to worry, only it seemed to have caused the opposite effect with his shift in expression. Nina continued to explain, "Someone broke in earlier, but I took care of it. Don't worry about it, Percy. I was just cleaning up the mess. The window's broken, though."

Percy's eyes moved to the window covered with a cardboard box. His eyes narrowed with concern when he looked back down at her but didn't press further. From her reaction, he had understood she wouldn't spill what had happened, like when she covered his ass with their mom. This didn't mean he would stop trying to find out like their mom never stopped. "Who broke in? Did you see them?"

"No, I didn't get a good look," Nina lied, not wanting to reveal the truth. "It all happened so fast, and they were gone when I got to the door."

Although Percy continued to look skeptical, he knew she was lying with the small shift of her right foot outwards, mimicking a confident stance, she usually wasn't like this. He accepted her words at the end of that minute stare down and her uncomfortableness. Relaxing his expression, giving his sister understanding that he wasn't disappointed, just worried, he knelt to check on her. There seemed to be nothing wrong with his sister, physically and mentally.

He pulled his sister into his arms, hugging her, relief that there was nothing wrong with her. "I'm glad you're okay," he says into her ear. "I want you to be extra careful. Gotham can be a dangerous place." He knew from his recent experience.

Nina nodded, hugging him back. She felt like a little kid who needed others to protect her again. "I know, Percy. I will. I'll be careful," she said in a small voice.

Percy sighed, torn between wanting to protect his sister and understanding her desire not to be stuck home all day after school. "Just promise me you won't take unnecessary risks," he said, concern etched in his eyes.

Nina nodded, knowing that her brother's concern was justified. "I promise," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. "I won't do anything reckless." Unless desperate, her mind added.

Percy gave her a small smile, a mixture of relief and worry in his eyes. "Good. Now, get some rest. You look exhausted."

Nina couldn't help but chuckle. "Says the guy who looks like he just got back from who knows what kind of dangerous mission."

Percy grinned sheepishly, thoughts of what had occurred during the end of his shift. "Touché. But seriously, try to get some sleep. I'll be here if you need anything. Also, there was a lot of cleaning at the aquarium, nothing dangerous."

They both fell into an uneasy silence, each lost in their thoughts and worries. Nina wanted to tell Percy about the injured vigilante, but she held back, unsure how he would react and not wanting to add to his already heavy responsibilities.

"I'm going to head to bed now," Percy finally said, breaking the silence. "You should get some rest, too."

Nina nodded, following him to her room. "Goodnight, Percy."

"Goodnight, Nina. Don't hesitate to talk to me if something's bothering you."

She nodded again, and as Percy left her room, she finally allowed herself to collapse onto her bed. I seriously need sleep right now.

Closing her eyes, she thought about the injured vigilante and wondered what the next day would bring. One thing was certain – her life in Gotham had taken a turn, and she would have to navigate the dangerous waters alongside her brother, even if it meant facing the unknown and putting herself at risk.