To Riordanlover16- If you can take the time to review, I can take the time to answer! It's only fair! ^_^

To valdeznation (Chapter 3) Strawberryfreckless, you've changed your name! Hi! XD There is much more to Leo than being a running joke, my boy deserves development! I love your reviews, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :P I am very proud of how far I've come, I won't lie, and seeing this feedback is all worth it! I have genuinely missed writing Leoisa. Like, writing romance/shipping arcs is a struggle for me a lot of the time, but not with Leoisa. Not entirely sure why, but we're rolling with it. It's so much easier for me to write their interactions. I know I created Lou, but she fits so well with Leo (definitely the most popular ship I've ever written), they just feel so natural! And putting them together in this one... oohh I've got some kickers coming, you'll love it XD DON'T BE SAD. I mean, it's going to get worse before it gets better, but DON'T BE SAD. You can trust me, I've never written anything mean O:) Kick school's ass back, fair's fair!

To valdeznation (Chapter 4) I'll go in the order you did so I don't miss anything :P Don't tear your hair out, it hurts! Lou doesn't scare easily, but now... oh, now she does. Do you know how much joy I get terrifying a dreadnought? 3:) Something I didn't do as much before is Lou interacting with characters beyond Leo for the healing process; I'm doing it differently this time. The Seven, her mortal friends, her moms, Storm... so many pieces to play with. So many scenarios. I wrote that Nico chapter yesterday and I'm only telling you about it because daaammmnnn I'm so pleased with it :D Tobias swearing is something so small and silly, but no. No no no, she gave up a year of her life for this child and her first interaction with him is swears. I get what you're saying, I'm fluent in Excited Reviewer :) Are you writing down the bits you like or something? That or you've got a bloody good memory for my lines! The twins, the connection they have, a year to catch up on and not a good year at that.

Carrying on here to avoid big block text. I can't concentrate on big block text so well, feel I've crowded everything with nonsense. Jason, yes, I so want to finish the rewrites where he's alive, it's been bothering me for the last three years. Again, he had so much potential and Rick killed him! D: Joint pain is no laughing matter, I've buggered my knee through retail work :'( I got to name my brother when he was born, called him Billy. Estelle is a very young aunt, not something overly typical in fiction, I've found. Don't worry, Esmelle and Pooisa will return! XD In regards to that bit about Lou being harder than her life, YES, THANK YOU, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M GOING FOR and I ADORE the wording on that! I had this idea once, probably not going to build on it, but I had an idea for an AU where Percy was taken instead of Lou and the difference in personality they would have had. I was going to have that Lou and this Lou meet, the effects of her trauma, the PTSD, everything, the unfairness of it all. She lost so much of her childhood, but she'd be damned if she lets that happen to kids in her care.

Still going, I love your reviews and will answer them as fully as I can :D "The terror came with a result", a tangible, permanent result that will depend on her for near on two decades. A walking reminder, if you will. Keep the thoughts coming, I've read your reviews like four times today already, they do make me smile :D I think I've got to Chapter Eighteen so far, I've still got loads planned! I grew up with these characters and honestly, I would be lost without them. All my fanfics helped me practise my own writing, to the point of publication (I am sitting on my own bookshelf, it's very surreal) and I couldn't just leave them behind. I wanted to see, with how far I've come, how well I could write them now and I am so so happy I came back. If your review for my book is anything like these ones, I will truly be blessed ^_^

Now on with the chapter!

"There we go!" Leo called brightly, wiping his hands on an oil rag. "One room done!" Louisa's bedroom had been first and foremost, so she could at least try and get some sleep tonight. Jason had helped him most of the way, though most of his help consisted of supplying tools or lifting Leo up on his shoulders to reach high places— Leo had remembered everything but a ladder, but who needs a ladder when you've got a tall friend?

The others had gone home hours ago and it was nearing eleven o'clock. PM, that was. Louisa was still awake, rocking Bradley to sleep in the dim light of the living room when Leo had come out with his announcement. Jessica had gone to bed about an hour ago, exhausted by the sudden surplus of people in her house and keeping a toddler entertained.

He escorted Louisa to her room himself, all the airs and graces of a very posh tour guide that took the job a little too seriously. Every square inch of the room had some sort of security measure in place and, at Leo's insistence, Louisa herself couldn't break a single one of them.

Leo tipped an imaginary hat to her once she was satisfied and impressed, trying and failing to hide his smug little grin.

Louisa stood in the doorway, surveying the room. Leo had been quite crafty and, if she hadn't known where to look, she would have spotted none of his fixtures. She turned to thank him, freezing. He wasn't paying her any attention.

Having dared her to break the security equipment, Leo had offered to hold Bradley. He still held him now and, while he was no longer making silly faces at the infant, he was beheld by the small creature. "Lou," he whispered, sensing her gaze on him but not looking up. "Lou, he's got my finger."

Bradley's tiny fingers had clamped around Leo's forefinger and there was, seemingly, no intention of letting go. "Lou," Leo whispered again, "what do I do?"

"I don't know," she whispered back. "He seems ta like ya though."

"Good taste," Leo nodded approvingly. Bradley liked him because he was warm, warmer than everyone else. Warm and cosy and perfect to fall asleep against. They didn't realise this though, at the time, and Leo was adamant it was the Valdez Charm.

Seeing her baby doze peacefully in Leo's hold, Louisa felt herself relax. She trusted Leo, of course she did, but something about seeing Bradley so content with him stirred something in her chest.

It was a very tense, slow, hushed while in putting Bradley in his crib. Leo, despite all the delicate work over the years that required a steady hand, had never felt so unsteady in his life. Neither he nor Louisa dared to breathe; she was supervising at his side, which was very distracting for Leo. Did she have to stand so close? What if he dropped the baby? That would undo all his good work of the day! Not to mention she would string him up by his insides if he did drop Bradley.

Thankfully, he never dropped the baby, laying him down carefully and gently. It took some serious prayer to get his finger free— why did babies have iron grips? — and then they tiptoed from the room. Louisa pulled the door to, making sure she could still see the crib from where they stood.

"Thank you," she breathed. "I… that's… that's made me feel better."

"In that case, you'll be over the frigging moon when I've done the rest of the place." He grinned, spreading his hands. Louisa smiled weakly.

"You've done a lot, Leo. I owe you." Leo's expression softened.

"You owe me nothing. This is the least I can do. No, honestly," he persisted when she made to argue, "where would I be without you? Let me help you this time, Lou, please. You don't owe me anything, you never have. Now, you go to bed and get some sleep. No offence, but you look like shit." She snorted in disbelief. Leo grinned lopsidedly. "Imma go home and have a shower. I'll be back tomorrow."

"What? No. Stay on the couch. It folds out."

"It does? No, I've been under your feet all day, I'll go home."

"No, you won't." A flash of warning passed through those sea green eyes and Leo was suddenly tongue-tied. "I won't have you trekkin' back at this hour. Have a shower here, sleep here. I'll get you a pillow."

"But—"

"Do as you're told."

"Yes ma'am."

She offered to show him how to work the shower. Leo assured her that, if he could work out how to fly a helicopter just by touching it, he was sure he could work out a shower. She rolled her eyes at this and went to find him some clean clothes and the aforementioned pillow.

Leo came out of the shower, wearing Harvey's (Jessica's boyfriend's) pyjamas— too big on him, he had to roll the legs and the waist. The couch had been folded out for him, ready and waiting with the pillow and a blanket, despite the summer warmth. The door to Louisa's room was shut.

Jessica was not surprised to see him there come the morning, waking him up with a delicious bacon sandwich. Leo wolfed it down, stomach grumbling, and she made him another.

"Mm," he said, licking sauce from his thumb, "how do you make your bacon so good?"

"That would be telling. Oh, what's that? It's a really good sandwich? Yes, of course it is, thank you. Hm, say again? As thanks you'll do the washing up? That's mighty kind of you, Leo. Have at it." Leo eyed her suspiciously. Jessica smiled sweetly, but he knew that look in her eyes all too well— Louisa had to have learned it from somewhere.

He came back, drying his hands on his shirt, to see Jessica pacing the floor, mumbling to Bradley as she bounced him gently in her arms. "Mama's still sleep. Let Mama sleep. Gods know Mama needs to sleep." The baby mewled and she shushed him gently, patting his back.

She looked up as Leo approached curiously. "Here, take him for me, would you? I need to go shopping. Someone is getting low on diapers. Aren't you, stinky? Yes, you are, you are stinky."

"I can go," Leo offered. He had hardly finished his sentence though and then he was holding Bradley.

"Thank you," Jessica smiled, "but I need some fresh air. You can look after a baby, right? Good for you."

Leo did his best. He changed the diaper without too much of a headache, though he wasn't sure if he was supposed to put the offending article in the normal bin or launch it into space as hazardous waste. He knew there was milk in the fridge for Bradley, which he warmed up in his hand when the grizzling started. There was a moment of panic when Bradley kept turning his head away and crying more.

"It's here, you turnip," Leo soothed. "Look. Wait, can you see yet?" Bradley opened and closed his little mouth, lungs hitching. Leo tried following him with the bottle, but Bradley was having none of it. Leo adjusted his hold, keeping the wobbly head supported in the crook of his elbow.

A light went on in his head.

He laughed. "I'm holding you the wrong way, aren't I? You're looking for Mama." He set the bottle down and carefully turned Bradley around, holding him in his left arm instead. "I am not Mama," he told the baby, "I am Leo. Say Leo. Le-o." Obviously, he knew words were many months away for the infant and the only sound he would get was the wailing demand for the bottle, but, being the right way round now, Bradley accepted the bottle immediately. Leo made sure not to fill the teat completely, having seen Jessica doing so.

Bradley guzzled. He made some funny little noises, adorable noises that melted Leo's heart. Babies had been a bit of mystery to him, but this one was OK.

Leo had to stop every so often to let him breathe, tilting the bottle away gently. Even so, it was empty quicker than he realised. He swished the bottle, inspecting the measly remnants. He marvelled at the baby. "Where did you put it all? You are so small, where did it go?"

Bradley squirmed in his blankets. Leo put the bottle down, wrinkling his nose. He was supposed to do something else. What was he supposed to do now?

Slowly, he sat Bradley up on his knee, cupping his face as if it were made of glass. Squishy indeed, warm and squishy. And so so so small! Leo, for the first time in his life, felt like a giant.

He patted Bradley on the back, feeling milky dribble running over his knuckles. "Is this right?" he asked the tufty black hair. "Is this what Mama does? Oh, there we go!" Bradley had burped and Leo grinned. "Not bad, chiquito."

"What's that mean?"

Leo startled, looking round guiltily. Louisa had snuck up on him, standing behind the sofa. She hugged herself, holding her elbows. Her hair was a wild mess, ruffled by sleep. A sleep that had done her well; her eyes were clearer and some colour had returned to her face. She had lines in her cheek from creases in the pillow.

"What?" he said when she continued to stare at him.

"What's it mean?"

"What's what mean?" He ran back in his head. "Oh! Chiquito?" She nodded. "It means… it just means, like, small baby. Baby boy. He is very small, Lou, look at him!" Bradley burped again. Louisa leaned down, hands outstretched. Leo lifted Bradley into them, seeing the tot's legs scrunch up. His hands felt strangely empty and cold.

Louisa rested the baby against her chest, his head lolling on her shoulder. She continued to pat him on the back, studying Leo curiously. Leo ducked his head. "Jessica gave him to me," he said meekly. "She went shopping."

"I know. She left me a note."

"I changed his diaper, Lou. I can't figure out how something so small can make a smell so big, but I did it." She smiled shakily.

"Well done."

"I think I'm owed a medal." She hummed dubiously. Leo canted his head. "You look better. I mean, the hair is a choice, sure, but you look better." He looked at his watch. "A solid eight hours of sleep. That must be some sort of demigod record."

"Mm. Don't think I've ever had eight hours of sleep. Unconscious, maybe, but I don't think that counts." Leo shook his head. Bradley burped again, though it sounded more like a hiccup this time. Louisa turned her head at the noise, her nose brushing the side of his head. Leo sniffed.

"He has such tiny ears!" She raised an eyebrow at him and Leo whined. "He's so cute, I just wanna squish him. I mean, the diaper wasn't cute, but the rest of him…"

Louisa didn't say anything, still studying him. Leo cast his gaze over the baby. Bradley's legs were still curled up, his knees in the curve of Louisa's shoulder. "Are his legs OK?"

"What?"

"His legs. He's like a little ball."

"Oh, that. He's fine. Mom said he don't know he can stretch his legs out yet. He's used to bein' a ball, I guess." Leo scratched his chin, thinking.

"Yeah, that makes sense," he eventually relented. She arched an eyebrow at him and he cleared his throat. "I'll… get to work. Security measures and whatnot." He got about four paces away.

"Thank you," Louisa said, her voice drawing him to a halt. He glanced back, catching her eye. Louisa nodded. "Thank you." She turned away. Leo did too, hovering on the spot while warmth spread through his chest. He heard her mumbling to Bradley. "Did you have fun with Leo?" she asked. Bradley burped, almost if in answer. "That's nice. Chiquito," she said, testing the word. Leo peeked back, seeing her near her bedroom. "Chiquito," she said again. "I quite like that. Chiquito."

Leo waited for the bedroom door to shut before bouncing into a victory dance.