I haven't updated this story in nearly a year, I am terrible, TERRIBLE. I have one chapter for you all for this one at the moment- gods know when I'll be able to update it again. TERRIBLE, I'm a horrible person! I'm so sorry!

To Guest 1- In my fics, Percabeth have seven kids- Tobias, Max, Alvie, Sage and then the triplets, Theo, Callum and Lilly.

To Guest 2- It's a few years later, they're in their twenties-ish, I think :P

I AM SO SORRY!

Tyler was unusually quiet today. Sage had first thought he was still sulking about the whole baby thing that had cropped up when they had kicked the fences down. He had been very quiet as they had driven to the hardware store to get the replacements for the fence- already paid for to guarantee they got them as so many fences had been damaged. He was very quiet while they started putting the fences up, even when their chatty elderly neighbour came for a visit.

"You're not so spirited today, young man." Mrs. Hildegard commented. "You're not still sore about your falling out, are you?" Tyler drilled in a screw while Sage held the panel steady.

"No ma'am."

"Then kindly sort that boat race out."

"Boat race?"

"She means your face." Sage elaborated. "And she's right, you do look miserable. If I'm being a cow, tell me."

"You're being a pig keep nicking my biscuits. But you aren't any other farmyard animal."

"Nice to know." Sage balanced the spirit level on the fence and nodded once, satisfied. "Look, if you don't tell us what's wrong, I'll get Tobias over to put you right." She looked at Tyler and then her eyes brightened with an idea. Tyler felt terror claw at his insides. "Or I'll tell Dad you're keeping secrets and-"

"Please don't." He pleaded. Sage smiled, but her eyes gleamed ferociously. "I will get down on my knees and beg if I have to, ple-"

"You have to." Sage decided. Tyler made a face at her, silently chastising himself when he followed up on his offer.

"I beg of you, oh almighty Sage, please do not tell thy father." Sage and Mrs. Hildegard had a good old laugh about that, leaving poor Tyler in the dirt. "My knees are going numb here." He pointed out.

"You idiot." Sage giggled, grabbing his sleeve and dragging him up. "I won't tell Dad as long as you tell me by the end of the day. And that's a fair deal before you say anything."

"Of course it is." He muttered.

"Best listen to her, dearie." Mrs. Hildegard said wisely. "Don't forget what I told you; women are-"

"Women are always right." Tyler finished, trying to sound as reluctant and as dejected as possible. Sage kicked him in the shin. "Ow! What was that for?" Tyler protested, hopping about and nursing the inevitable bruise. Sage shrugged and turned back to the fence. "You saw that right?" He implored of Mrs. Hildegard. "That's domestic abuse, that."

"You need a strong woman in your life, young man. Sage is good for you."

"Yeah, well, if my gravestone reads 'Here lies the battered remains of a fallen warrior' or 'This is all we could find', look no further." He gestured at Sage. She scratched her cheek with her middle finger. "You are now another farmyard animal. Congratulations."

"That's it. You're sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Dammit."

"Young man, I did warn you."

"He's male, he never listens."

"Sexist farmyard animals!"

"You'd better hope that couch is comfortable 'cos guess where you're sleeping for the rest of the week!" Sage said brightly.

"Dammit…"

Sage had called a lunch break after two hours. They still had two panels to do and she would have done those before food, but a certain idiot couldn't. "Too hungry!" Tyler insisted. "Feed me!"

"No."

"I'll die of starvation."

"Tyler, we've been over this. On average, a human can survive up to three weeks without food."

"But I'm below average."

"In intelligence." She shot back. Tyler smiled and pulled a goofy, cross-eyed face. Sage flicked him with the tea towel, hearing a nice sharp crack of pain across his arm.

"Ow! Abuse! I'm telling my mom!"

"Dawww, you lil' mama's boy."

"There is nothing wrong with that and we all know your dad is a lil' mama's boy too."

"Yeah," Sage agreed, "and he never hears the end of it." Tyler made shooing motions with his hands. Sage smacked him with the towel again before organising their lunch. "So, what is the matter? You never said."

"Oh, um… just one of those days, you know?"

"Tyler." She said sternly, not looking round. "I know you and I know when you're lying. Or not telling me something. You have thirty seconds to tell me or you can bet your next meal you'll be spending a month on the couch."

"You heartless woman." Sage reached for the pig themed timer and twisted it to thirty seconds. Tyler lost most of those second half-struggling with the truth and half-admiring the fire in those beautiful sea green eyes.

"Ten… nine… eight…" Sage counted. "Four… Three…" She glared at him warningly. Tyler decided to tell her.

"It's Sebby's birthday." The timer trilled. Sage waited for it to fall silent, examining him half in confusion and half in wariness.

"Sebby?" Tyler nodded, chewing his lip and rubbing his hands together anxiously. "Who's Sebby, Tyler?" Her voice was much gentler than what it had been two seconds ago. She put aside the timer and took his hands in hers, lacing their fingers. "Talk to me; I can tell this is upsetting you."

"Sebby. Short for Sebastian. He's… he was… he was my brother and-" Tyler's voice caught. Sage seemed to understand as she squeezed his hands encouragingly. Tyler gave her a weak smile and led her from the kitchen. He didn't feel hungry now.

In their room. Tyler retrieved Sebby's box from atop the wardrobe. Sage looked curious- she had seen this box for years, but Tyler had never told him what was in it. Out of respect for his privacy, Sage didn't look. Now she was going to know.

Tyler told her the story of Sebby as he showed her the few treasures he had kept over the years. She kept her hand on his arm, smiling when he faltered and hanging on his every word respectfully. "Obviously Mom and Dad didn't have anymore, but… well, it's… um… it was IVF, so…" Sage nodded and he got to gloss over the awkwardness. "Anyway, Dad's drinking got worse. They had counselling and all that, but it must have been hell for Mom to put with that as well as Sebby." Again, his voice lodged in his throat on his brother's name and a sudden, crystal clear image cropped into his mind. "I found him." Her eyes widened and she took his hand. In his other, he held Sebby's dog toy tighter. "I don't remember much, but I remember that. He was blue, Sage. Blue. I was two, I didn't understand."

"Of course you didn't." She agreed sympathetically. "Oh, Tyler, I wish you'd told me earlier. Something like that… it's not easy to carry around."

"I know, it's just… it's just hard and-" She hugged him, arms around his shoulders and her hand stroking his hair. Tyler felt a little better having now told her, but he couldn't shake the image of a tiny figure swaddled in blankets with the mobile tinkling softly above him and delicate, innocent features a pale blue.

Closing his eyes, Tyler forced himself to focus on Sage. She had used the apple shampoo again, he liked that one. She was warm, her heartbeat steady and her breaths gently disturbed his hair. "Sorry." He mumbled.

"No need to be sorry. I think it's kind of sweet you've kept his things." She brushed his hair back and kissed his forehead. "Do you do anything special for his birthday?"

"I make donations to children's hospitals, a different one each year."

"Is that what that big jar is for under the sink?" Tyler nodded. "You really are a big softie, bless your little cotton socks." For years, there had been a big jar full of coins and notes and Tyler refused point-blank to touch it even in a financial crisis. He had made Sage promise not to take anything from it and now she understood why. "I'll help you fill it from now on."

"You don't have to."

"But I will." Tyler kissed her.

"Thank you."