Sorry for not updating last night. My laptop has decided to go on the blink after updating Google Chrome or something and it's just glitching and taking forever to do anything, so I went to kill zombies to chill for the night. I'm using the other laptop and it's bigger than my one, different keyboard- nightmare! D:

I think there may still be a few chapters from the old one that I could include, I'll have to check, but for tonight's update, it'll be something new. Ish.

Leo was bored thumbing through the knitting and gardening magazines offered to those in the waiting room. Jessica had a newspaper and was doing the crossword, but Leo had nothing to do. And if he started pulling scraps and wires from his tool belt- knowing his luck- people would think he was building some sort of bomb.

Sighing, he slouched in his seat and stared blearily around at the bland waiting room. Someone to his right coughed heavily, almost choking. Someone else next to them hit them on the back and held out a water bottle, which was politely declined. Another patient to his left was, annoyingly, whistling tunelessly. Leo had wanted to send a single flame at him, but a warning look from Jessica had quelled the urge several times over. He was getting that look again.

"How much longer?" He asked.

"I don't know." Jessica replied for the umpteenth time. It was bad enough Louisa was ADHD- Leo was even more so. Keeping him in check would have made saints cry.

Something was wrong with Louisa- not just the mental torment from the after effects of Luke's wrath, but something else. It had taken them almost a month to convince her to go to the doctors just in case it was something bad. She had only been to the doctors once before and that was a week after she got home- thankfully, Luke hadn't been contagious in a bad way, if you get the gist.

"Can I go and see if she's OK?" Jessica hesitated, her eyes straying to the room Louisa was in. It had been half an hour- was everything alright?

She almost relented when, as if summoned, Louisa swung the door open and sprinted out. She ran straight past them, down the hall and out the door before they even registered what was going on.

Leo was faster and caught up with her first. "Lou!" He grabbed her wrist and turned her to face him. She wouldn't meet his eyes, biting her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. "Lou, what's the matter? What did he say?" He gently wiped his thumb over her lips, stopping her from chewing them. She only did that when she very upset.

When she didn't answer, Leo pulled her into a hug. "It's OK, chica, I'm here. I'll help you, whatever it is." He promised. She sniffled and returned his hug tightly, nearly cracking his ribs.

"Lou!" Jessica arrived then and she looked murderous. Leo transferred Louisa to her adoptive mother, taking a polite step back. "I talked to the doctor." Jessica said quietly, turning away from Leo slightly. He made sure to study the walls, getting the feeling Jessica was trying to keep things suitable for Louisa- whatever it was, it was for Louisa to tell him, not for him to overhear.

Try as he might to find the wall interesting- which it wasn't- the one-sided conversation going on behind him was much more problematic. "He told me." Jessica continued in a softer voice. Louisa was shaking at that point, not even trying to control her tears.

Leo had seen her confronted with snakes. This was worse.

Jessica looked up at him then. "Can you take us home?" He nodded, drawing his car keys and a packet of tissues from his belt.

The older woman kept her arm around Louisa as they walked to his car, practically keeping her upright. It was amazing Louisa had the sense or physical stability to hold a tissue.

Jessica stayed until Louisa fell into a fitful sleep on the sofa. Leo still hadn't been told what was going on, but he was beginning to get an idea...

"Can you tell me?"

"No." She replied softly, confirming his suspicions. Louisa was to tell him. No-one else. "Sit with her for me." Jessica instructed pleadingly, rising from her seat. "I need to talk to her father."

"Wouldn't he know?"

"It's hard to say. He's a god, but he's also very busy." She looked around. "Where did I put my bag?"

"I think you left it in the car." Leo pointed out his keys hanging on the hook by the door. She gave a grateful nod and left.

"Leo?" He startled.

"I thought you were asleep!" She shook her head. "Well, five stars for acting and three for nearly giving me a heart attack." She gave a weak smile, clearly false. "Talk to me, chica. I want to help." Her forced smile melted away and she lowered her gaze. Leo took her hand in both of his, feeling it quivering and ice-cold.

"Don't tell Percy."

"Why?"

"He'll do somethin' stupid."

"Percy's always doing something stupid." Leo smiled. She nodded in agreement, chewing her lip again. Leo reached out to stop her doing so when she started talking again.

"I don't know what to do, Leo." She admitted quietly, looking pained. Leo shifted to sit behind her, letting her use him as a pillow. Her hair tickled the curve of his neck, but he didn't say anything. She shivered and mumbled incoherently. With a little concentration, Leo warmed himself up a bit, wrapping his arms around her. The world's most attractive hot water bottle.

"I won't tell Percy- or anyone for that matter- unless you want me to. Promise." He kissed the top of her head.

"Leo, he... I'm... with his..." She stumbled over the words, wringing her hands. Agony burned in her eyes, pooling into fresh tears. "He... I can't..."

"It's OK." Leo soothed, taking her hand again. "I get it." He kissed her fingers and then her. "I'll be here, whatever you decide to do."

"Really?"

"You're stuck with me now." He smiled lopsidedly, but his heart wasn't a hundred percent behind it.

Luke- that demon- had gotten her pregnant.

Not sure if this is what I had planned or not, I can't remember. What'd you think?