Piper rushed in before Leo had the door fully open. She snatched up Elsie in a big hug and then ran around with the toddler in her arms in search of the new baby. In her hurry, she had completely missed the fact that Alokia was safely nestled in her father's arms. It was only when Jason was giving the infant an awkward hug and Leo laughing at her, did she realise. She protested, stomping her foot and then squealing when Elsie tugged on her hair. "Elsie!" She pleaded. "Detach the hands, please; you'll give me a bald patch." Elsie loosened her grip, looking imploringly to her dad. Leo snickered and rescued her, letting her scramble up his arm and sit on his shoulders. "How come Jason gets the first cuddle?"

"He wasn't running about like a headless harpy." Leo pointed out, crooked smile growing. Piper pouted. "Besides, I think he's warming up to babies now." Leo said in a not-so-quiet whisper. Jason glared at him, passing Alokia to Piper.

"Oh, she's so sweet! And she looks so much like Elsie!"

"I big girl!" Elsie frowned from behind Leo's curls. "She baby!" Leo jiggled her feet playfully.

"That's right, hija, you tell that crazy Aunty Piper." Elsie blew a raspberry. Piper copied. Alokia squirmed in her arms, getting her small foot caught in a fold of her blanket. Piper deftly freed her, smiling and cooing. Leo nudged Jason and they sidled over to the lounge. "You're going to get it later." Leo told him quietly, cheeky smile back in place. Jason slumped dejectedly in his seat. "They're not Gremlins, Grace. If you can conquer staplers, you can handle a baby."

"You make it sound so easy."

"I've had practise. Ain't that right, Elsie?" Elsie had fallen from his shoulders, toppling into his lap only to giggle uncontrollably. She nodded at her father, her feet flat against his chest. Jason watched dubiously. "I wouldn't worry about it. Piper probably won't even let you near one if you did have one."

"Just because you're over there doesn't mean I can't hear you." Piper's kaleidoscopic eyes fixed on her partner, narrowing. Jason and Leo shared a look. "I'm taking Alokia." Leo shook his head. "I am." She insisted. "I don't have one! You have two! That's just unfair!" Leo did his best to give a sympathising look, but he was trying too hard not to laugh at the look of despair on Jason's face. Babies really did scare him.

Elsie wiggled around, sitting up and leaning back against Leo's stomach. She contemplated Jason for a moment, fingertips set in a steeple before her face. Jason raised a brow at this, looking to Leo for answers. Leo just shrugged. Elsie began to hum thoughtfully, biting her lower lip. Piper was watching interestedly.

"The Water Lady says man up."

"Does she now?" Jason said stiffly, more focused on his best friend. Leo didn't meet either of their gazes, feeling the weight of them as suddenly and as heavily as he felt Louisa's presence. Was she just talking through Elsie? Was Elsie's childish mind more open to Louisa's words?

"Yes." Elsie half-turned at the waist to look her father in the eye. "Water Lady says not worry, Leo." Elsie stuck her bottom lip out. "You not Leo. You Daddy." Leo managed a weak smile, brushing her hair back. Elsie's eyes locked onto something past his shoulder. "Water Lady make faces, Daddy. Now she tell me shush."

"She's just playing, hija." Leo croaked. "Stick your tongue out at her." Elsie did so. A shiver trembled down Leo's spine and he shivered, tickled. "What's she doing now?" The toddler followed something, as though she were watching a fly buzz around. She pointed at Piper and Alokia. Upon closer inspection, Leo saw a haze in the air next to Piper. Jason saw it too.

"Hello, Louisa." In response, a stapler landed in his lap, a green trident sticker on it. "Yes," Jason sighed, "I've missed you too." Slowly, the shimmer solidified into something much more comprehendible. Elsie gasped. Louisa grinned cheekily. "You don't look as shiny green this time." Jason said, rising and throwing aside his dinner. "Why's that?"

"Elsie." Louisa's voice was faint, but it was there. She smiled at Leo. "You've seen better days."

"I know."

"Daddy?" Elsie whispered. "You see Water Lady too?" Louisa laughed.

"Ah, Water Lady. I love that. Hello, Elsie. 'N' hello small child." She waggled her fingers at Alokia, her image fading as she neared the living. "What'd ya say her name was?"

"A-Alokia." Leo stammered.

"I like it." Louisa nodded. She passed her hand over the infant. Alokia whined and hit the air with her small fists. "Sssh," Louisa said softly, putting a finger to her lips, "that's so you can breathe underwater too. 'N' maybe talk to horses, I don't know. Dad ain't bein' very specific 'bout stuff lately. Drivin' me mad."

"You're already mad." Leo mumbled, shakily getting to his feet.

"That's beside the point. Elsie, I have a job for you."

"A job?" Louisa nodded. "What job, magic Water Lady?"

"I want you to keep an eye on ya Daddy for me. Can ya do that?"

"Yes! I keep eye on Daddy! He silly!" She added in a lowered tone. "Need me to help him."

"Yeah, he does. But don't tell him that. It'll break his ego." Elsie stayed quiet for a moment.

"What an ego?"

"Something the Water Lady insists I have simply because she's out of her mind, crazy as a cat of bags." Leo paused. "That wasn't right. Bag of cats. Crazy as a bag of cats." Louisa smirked. "Shush." He put Elsie on the floor and she toddled over to examine the Water Lady closer. Louisa watched her interestedly, smiling sadly. Elsie's hand passed right through her, which made her jump back a couple of paces. Eyes wide, she stared at her ghostly mother.

"Are you lady in Daddy's wallet?"

"Yes." Elsie hesitantly held her hand out. Louisa took a step closer and Elsie squealed. Her small hand darted through the apparition and then out again, only to be stared at in complete awe. "I see she's takin' after you, Valdez."

"No." Leo shook his head. "She's like you." Louisa grinned triumphantly. Elsie was now swinging her arms, trying to make contact with Louisa and looking more and more confused with each failure. "Maybe there's a little bit of me in there." Leo admitted sheepishly. Elsie attempted a kick, losing her balance and crashing into Piper's leg. Louisa cackled. With a wave of her hands, sea energy circled her daughter and righted her.

"Nice try, kid, but ya can't hit me."

"Why?" Elsie wailed.

"I'm dead."

"What?"

"I'm a ghost." Elsie squeaked in fear and disappeared behind her aunt's legs. "No, not a bad ghost. I'm a good ghost, promise." Louisa crouched as Elsie peered cautiously around Piper. Louisa snapped her fingers and a beautiful, intricate shell appeared, a coiled spiral one, as white as sea foam with soft blue lines and dots. "This," Louisa smiled supportively, "is a magic shell. Here, take it." Elsie didn't move for a moment, only stepping forward after a nod from her father. "If you are in any trouble at any time, just…" Louisa's voice caught and she had to take a breath, dropping to her knees. "Just call for me, OK? Say 'Water Lady!' and I'll be there." Elsie squinted at her.

"Water Lady!" She yelled into the shell. Louisa recoiled, hands over her ears.

"Not so loud though, yeah? There's only so much noise I can take."

"Sorry." Elsie giggled. "Thank you, Water Lady. But… can Daddy use magic shell too?"

"If he wants to." Leo's heart felt ready to explode. He had a connection to Louisa! "But don't ring me up early in the mornin'." She warned, fixing a mischievously steely look on her husband. "I am far more annoyin' as a poltergeist than a livin' person."

"Figures." Leo muttered. Louisa straightened up and stretched. She froze for a split second, tilting her head to the side as if listening for something. "You're going again, aren't you?"

"Only for a bit. You ain't gettin' rid of me that easily, Valdez." She grinned. "Elsie, look after him. Use the shell. Piper, that thing you were thinkin' 'bout last night? Go for it." She gave a double thumbs up. "Cuz," She made a face at Jason, "treasure that stapler."

"I'll guard it with my life." Jason deadpanned. Louisa mimicked in a high pitched voice and then looked down at Alokia.

"As for you, keep pointy things out of Daddy, OK?"

"Wait, what?"

"Seriously, Valdez. Put two 'n' two together. Son of Hephaestus," She gestured at him, "you make pointy things. Reyna, daughter of Bellona, loves usin' pointy things in ways I'd generally enjoy, but I don't think ya'd like one in ya eye."

"No."

"There ya go then."

"And Elsie?"

"What about Elsie?"

"Is she going to take after her mother?" Louisa smiled slyly.

"You mean the nicest, funniest, smartest person you know? Most definitely."

"You flatter yourself."

"I know." She bounced over to him. Leo tried for a smile. Louisa lifted her hand, her fingers fading as they neared his face. "It'll be alright." She said quietly for him alone to hear. Jason made the point of joining Piper. "I'm always gonna be around, Valdez. Remember that." Leo made to smooth her hair back, like he used to, but his hand only went through her. "I'll come visit ya later." She breathed. "We'll talk properly then, yeah?"

"Yeah."

"You're in trouble, don't look so pleased."

"I'm always in trouble." Leo shrugged. "It's nice to go back to normality. Even for a bit."