"Le-o." She glared at him. "Le-o." He repeated slowly, staring at her pointedly. "Just say my name, dammit!" Instead she slammed her fist down on his hand that had been resting on the table. Leo cradled his injured hand while she smirked devilishly at him. "You're probably the meanest person I've ever met." She nodded, picking up their coffee mugs and walking into the kitchen. Leo jumped up and followed her. He grabbed her by the shoulders, making her jump. "Saymyname!" He growled playfully and insistently. She ducked out of his grip, grabbing a knife from the block and holding it to his throat in warning. Leo was a bit stunned at first, but then he smiled. "It's amazing you have friends if you threaten to kill them." She rolled her eyes, flipping the knife over in her hand. Leo carefully took it and replaced it in the block. "So, are you always this violent?" She shrugged, washing the coffee mugs. "Come on, just say my name." She ignored him.

Leo wasn't going to give up though, an idea forming in the twisted, coffee-fuelled depths of his insanity- uh, his mind. "If I get you to talk, you've got to kiss me." She froze, frowning at the mug in her hand. She slowly turned her head and looked at him as if he had gone mad. He held his hand out simply. "Deal?" She looked him up and down, considering if he was actually worth her time.

People had tried for years to get her to talk. What made him think that he was different?

She found himself shaking his hand, mentally rolling her eyes at his goofy, yet triumphant smirk. "I'll hold you to that." She nodded slowly, shaking her head eventually at him, returning to washing the mugs.

Louisa had stayed with him a few months. Leo lived next door to Percy and Annabeth, so at least he had a translator close by. Charades was becoming a part of his daily life. It was hilarious when he got the wrong meaning, ending up in Louisa getting frustrated with him and pretending to throttle him.

The whole time, he had tried to get her to talk. Why wouldn't she just talk? Was she physically unable or something? Why had she stopped talking?

Leo decided he should talk to Annabeth. "I'm gonna go and see if they need any help with the nursery next door. Coming?" She nodded, drying her hands and following him out. There really was no point putting shoes on just to go next door- they were that lazy.

"Hi Leo." Percy grinned. "Hey Lou." Louisa nodded.

"We're bored and thought you could use our help."

"Right… uh, I don't think we have anything." Louisa pushed past Percy.

"No, Lou, put it down!" Percy and Leo shared a glance before rushing to Annabeth's aid. "Bad Lou." Louisa smiled cheekily. Annabeth watched her carefully. They had just wrestled a paint pot from Louisa, not something she was overly happy about, but at least they had gotten her under control- a big achievement for them.

"We've finished the nursery, guys. Not a lot we can do really."

"Aw…" Leo complained. "I'm bored." Louisa nodded in agreement. Annabeth and Percy glanced at each other.

"Why don't you go swimming or something?" Annabeth suggested.

"Or you could teach Lou to cook, Leo. Annabeth said she was just about trusted with the toaster."

"You can't cook?" Louisa shrugged as if it were no big deal. "What woman doesn't cook?!" She glowered at him. "No… that's just wrong. Women are supposed to be able to cook."

"Leo, you might want to run." Annabeth said slowly, smiling as she pressed her lips together. Leo glanced at Louisa before following Annabeth's advice. He got back to his apartment, closing the door before Louisa caught him. He was sure she punched the door before a few seconds of silence. He heard the door next door close and risked peeking out, opening the door.

Louisa pounced and knocked him flat, pinning him down with her hands at his throat. She wasn't strangling him, just threatening it.

"Um… want to go swimming?" Leo smiled sheepishly and innocently. Her emerald eyes bore into his, but he didn't understand what she was trying to say.

Annabeth appeared, rubbing her swollen stomach.

"She wants you to say women and better than men."

"Hell no." Louisa's hands tightened.

"Leo, remember she's trained to kill and knows how to do it without getting caught."

"Really?" Leo asked nervously, looking Louisa in the eye. She gave a single nod, one that was filled with warning. "OK… would you stop trying to kill me and go swimming if I said what Annabeth told me to?" She gave another nod. "Alright then- just this once, girls are better than boys." She tightened her grip. "OK, OK! Girls are better than boys!" She narrowed her eyes at him. "Full time! All the time! Please stop strangling me." Louisa sat back, folding her arms, giving him a smug smirk. Leo tipped her off and scrambled up. She only wrapped her legs around his, twisted her hips and made him full over backwards.

"Good l- ooh…" Annabeth's hands shot to her stomach. Louisa jumped up and took her friend's hand, worry in her eyes. Leo ran and got Percy. "Ooh, Lou, do something."

What the bloody hell did Annabeth expect Louisa to do!? OK, being in the legions covered some first aid and medical training, but there were rare times when the legions had to deliver babies…

I'm going to leave it at that 'cos I forgot my idea…

Fic I've read recently- Gem's choice by annabeth10269. Go read that and make sure to leave a review!