Hazel Levesque || ANGST

Sally Jackson

Basic info: Sally and Hazel, set after ToA
Tw/Cw: flashbacks

Hazel stood awkwardly outside the door to Sally's apartment as Percy rang the door bell. A middle aged woman with kind brown eyes and a large smile answered, laughing as she tackled Percy into a hug. From inside, a child's joyful laughter could be heard.
"Hey, Mom..." Percy hugged his mother back. "This is Hazel. Remember, I told you about her? The daughter of Pluto."
"You're Nico's other sister!" Cried Sally, letting go of her son to hug Hazel tightly against her chest. Hazel awkwardly hugged back, trying hard not to think about how the last time she had been hugged like this was when she was in the cave.

Rocks fell as the cavern walls shook violently, and Hazel buried herself in her mother's warm chest...

No. Hazel gently extracted herself from Sally's hug, smiling weakly. She looked over at Percy, who seemed to see the memories flash through her amber eyes, and he nodded understandingly.
"Mom, was that little Stella I heard in there?" He asked, peering over Sally's shoulder into the apartment.
Sally beamed. "She's been waiting all day for you two to arrive. Come in, come in. Oh, and make yourself at home, Hazel dear. It means a lot that you agreed to help me watch Estelle while Paul and Percy went to a lecture."
"C'mon!" Percy took Hazel's arm and tugged her inside, causing her to chuckle slightly.
"I'm coming, I'm coming..."

But the truth was, that if Hazel could somehow have disappeared right then and there, she would have. Sally was amazing. An amazing mother, person, hero. Hazel couldn't afford to get too attached to this woman - not after what happened to her Ma. She wouldn't let Sally get hurt, she wouldn't risk trusting the woman only for her to end up like Marie. She couldn't do that to Percy, or Estelle.

Percy tugged on her arm again, frowning. "Haze, you okay?"
"Fine." She told him, possibly a little coldly but Hazel wasn't paying much attention to her tone of voice. She walked inside, instantly being hit with the smell of cookies and cinnamon. Under different circumstances, the scents would have been comforting, but today they only added to her nerves more. Sally was so... motherly.

She was like a mother that Hazel never had.

"The bathroom's over there, the kitchen's probably where Mom went, and the bedrooms are down that hall." Percy was saying. She flicked her amber gaze carefully to him, watching him relax in his home. The effect being here had on him was very visible - Percy was normally very tense and serious, at least he was around the seven. But at his home, he was loose. He smiled almost every other second, he laughed real laughter, he seemed... more Percy than ever. She smiled a little. At least one of them had a home.

A kind, make voice called his name, and Percy perked up. "That's Paul. We gotta go now Haze, thank you so much for staying here with Mom, she's pretty busy with 'Stelle at the moment and could probably use a bit of help. Hey, make yourself at home. I find it fairly easy. Bye!"

Without another word, Percy was out the door, followed by a kind-looking middle aged man.

Sally came in, carrying a tray of blue cookies. "Estelle!! Come meet Hazel!" She called, and was answered by the tiny pattering of little feet sprinting the the living room. A small, ecstatic three year old came bounding in, letting a little yell of delight when she saw Hazel and instantly running up to hug her. Hazel smiled, and gently hugged back, being sure not to stay hugging too long for fear of hurting the child. Her powers were unpredictable - even now she was growing used to them they still terrified her.

"M-Mrs Jackson..." Hazel started, starting to panic when Estelle wouldn't let go. "My powers-"
The woman's brown eyes shown with understanding as she quickly pulled Estelle off Hazel. "Sorry, Hazel dear. She's clingy. And please, call me Sally. Mrs Jackson makes me feel old. Are you alright?"
Her heart was beating too fast, and Hazel's vision blurred. "I- I..."

"Please, call me Marie. Mrs Levesque makes me feel old."
Hazel watched as her mother led a customer into their living room, towards a selection of jewels that had recently revealed themselves in Hazel's agitation.
"Oi, dont just stand there Girl. Go fetch a cup of water for this fella here." Her mother commanded in a strict voice. Hazel dared not disobey her in company, so she quickly raced to the small kitchen. The scene shifted - Hazel stood alone in their house (a mere room) in Alaska. Her mother came into view.
"Get in the boat. We're going."
When Hazel didn't budge, she grabbed her arm and pulled tightly. "Now!!"

They were in the cave. Gaea, the giant, her mother. Hazel held tightly onto Marie, shaking and sobbing in her mother's warm embrace.
"I'm sorry, Ma. I'm so sorry."
"Shhh... my child, this isn't your fault. We lived together, and we'll die together. If it's at your hands, so be it."
The cave cane crashing down. They were in line for judgement. Hazel fought with the judge for her mother's freedom - giving up her own place in Elysium in turn for an afterlifetime of Asphodel. Mindlessness, endless walking...

"Hazel!!" Sally Jackson's concerned voice snapped Hazel out of her flashback. She heard crying - was Estelle upset? She opened her amber eyes a crack - no, the child was outside, playing on a small swing set.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Whispered Sally, wrapping an arm around Hazel's shoulder. Hazel looked around, flinching as she saw her old life playing by like a movie in the mist. Sally knew it all.
"Why aren't I kicked out?" Hazel asked in response, preparing herself for the harsh words from Sally, forbidding Hazel anywhere near the Jackson-Blofis family again.

A small sigh. "I'm not going to kick you out, dear. You need some love, okay? You're always welcome with us... my child."

"Sally..." Hazel's eyes filled with tears once more, her heart simoultaneously filling up with love for this woman. "Thank you."
"Of course, my dear. Now, cookies?"
"Cookies."