Chapter Text
Sally sighed as she stepped up to her apartment door, her day had already been particularly poor, and she wasn't looking forward to the rest of it either. Percy, bless him, had gotten up almost as early as she had to help out with chores. Unfortunately Gabe got up shortly after she did as well, so instead of getting a calm morning with her son before work, she wound up having to run interference between her son and the monster in human skin she called a husband. Then, to add to that, her shift at work apparently coincided with a day-camp's field trip, and while she loved children, two hours of thirty children under 13 on a sugar high was enough to try anyone's patience. And now she was about to spend even more time attempting to manage Gabe before going to bed to do it all over again.
"It's all for Percy's safety, it's all for Percy's safety, it's all for-"
Sally's internal chant was brought to a screeching halt as she opened the door just in time to see Gabe slam a meaty fist into Percy's face.
She felt horror creep down her spine as she froze, "Wha-"
Gabe turned his beady eyes on her, completely ignoring her son curled up on the floor, spitting blood out of his mouth and trying to get his bearings. "Finally, you're home, your dumb fucking brat couldn't even manage to get me beer from the corner market, and now I'm pissed. Get this shit cleaned up and make me some food, and none of that blue shit this time!"
Sally couldn't move, she just kept staring at Percy. She could see him trying to say something to her but she couldn't hear it over the buzzing in her ears. She knew, gods she knew, that Gabe was an awful person, but she'd always believed and hoped that he wasn't...wasn't this bad. But the evidence was right in front of her, how long had this been going on? How long had her farce of a husband been beating her child behind her back, sending her baby out on errands after he promised not to send Percy anywhere? Expecting her Percy to break the law for him?
She jumped as she was ripped out of her thoughts by the sound of a shattering beer bottle next to her head. Gabe lowered his hand and sneered at her, "Got your attention now? Good, get to work!"
Sally blinked, then slowly started making her way to the closet where she kept the cleaning supplies, and other things.
She heard Gabe begin to gloat, something about being happy that she'd finally caught him and how now things would be different because he knew she wouldn't do anything. She could barely hear it over the rushing of her own thoughts.
He wouldn't be talking much longer anyway.
She cut him off as she started to rummage through the closet, looking for one item in particular, "Did I ever tell you two about the two months it took for my uncle Rich to be found after my parents died? I was put up in a foster home during that time, and while it's hard for me to remember much from that age, I'll never forget them."
Gabe spluttered, tried to take control of a conversation he didn't understand, but she ignored him, only pausing to make a little pleased noise as she gripped the glowing green object she'd been looking for.
"I met a young boy my age, my foster's biological son. We were thick as thieves during those two months, he always managed to take my mind off of my recent loss, even when we were that little. I actually kept in contact with him afterwards. We've been close ever since then, and even if he and his wife are a bit eccentric I know that he still worries after me, and always has my best interest at heart. In fact, he even gave me an open offer for me and Percy to come live with his family! Though, none of this really matters to you. The only thing relevant to you..."
Sally pulled out baseball bat covered with glowing green paint, a furious glint in her eyes as she stalked towards Gabe, raising the bat in preparation to strike.
"...Is that Jack Fenton sends his regards."
Jack Fenton laughed uproariously into the phone, "Serves him right! I always said that you had the Fenton mettle! So, now that you've taken care of that pile of trash-" And that man better hope he never meets Jack or he'd happily create a new ghost and take up hunting again, "-what's your plan now?"
Jack was quiet for a couple minutes, before an excited grin stretched across his face, "Great! We'll get a room made up for you and Percy, and don't worry about school, Casper high will be happy to take the little man in! You go ahead and get packed and I'll tell my family, my kids will be so excited! Right. Gotcha, talk to you soon!"
Jack hung the phone up with a conflicted sigh, on the one hand he was glad his sister would be coming to stay, but the circumstances...
"So...what was all that about?"
Jack jumped and looked up, meeting a blue eyed gaze framed by a mass of long black hair that hung down around her head as it poked through the solid ceiling above Jack.
Jack gave the girl a mock glare, "Deianira Fenton! What have I told you about phasing through walls in the house?"
Dei shot her father a grin that was just a bit too wide and a bit too sharp to belong on a human face and allowed herself to drop through the ceiling into her dad's arms with a laugh that was quickly joined by her father's own chuckles.