To Riordanlover16- Duct tape is always an option, for this kid that won't shut up. If that doesn't work, removal of the tongue is usually quite effective but you didn't hear that from me ;) I did! I was saving it to read at work (it's never busy so...) and I did leave reviews. Not sure if you've seen them yet, just odd comments. Excellent concept and I do love a crossover, you know I do XD

To Guest- Hello! Thank you for reviewing and thank you! I was worried about coming back to Fanfiction, but everyone's been so welcoming, so thank you! :D

She could smell honeysuckle and juniper, warmed by the brilliant sunshine painting the hills in jewel-like hues. A bonny blue sky, cloudless and endless. A cool breeze played across her skin, lifting her hair from her shoulders.

The cobbles beneath her feet were well-worn from untold footsteps before hers. She followed them down the hill, to a line of shops within New Rome. There was the bakery, exuding the delicious aroma of fresh bread. The ice-cream shop was busy, clustered with parents fanning themselves and children chasing each other between their legs.

There was the fountain, sparkling like a million diamonds beneath the sun. Its trickling, tinkling, teasing sound was orchestral, festooned with rainbows caught in its spray.

Percy sat on the edge, his back to her. He sat with his feet in the water, wearing knee-length shorts. He greeted her with a smile, pointing into the fountain.

There was Tobias, spinning on his little feet. He was steadier now, even in the water, clumping under the fountain's display with delighted squeals. He clapped his hands, beaming at them, and went back under, squealing again.

Annabeth joined them, managing three ice-creams. There was one scoop cookie dough and two scoops blue raspberry one— Percy had infected his son with his strange habit. They were already starting to drip on their cones.

Tobias scrambled from the water at his mother's call. Percy sat him on his knee while Annabeth took a seat beside him, her feet on the cobbles. With a nod of her head, Annabeth redirected Louisa's attention.

Leo was waiting for her, raising his hand, outside the ice-cream shop. A bird landed on the roof behind him, trilling a mesmerising ditty. Louisa watched it take flight before venturing over.

He offered his hand to her, smiling. Gold bedecked the brown, sunbeams captured by the earth. Their fingers laced and they began to walk. Her hip bumped his on every other step. They had no destination, revelling in the good weather and the better company. The sea sparkled in the distance, a faint taste of it as the breeze changed direction.

He told her of something he was working on, something fantastical that she did not understand. She understood his excitement about it, understood the way he lit up as he spoke. She saw riches in his eyes. Brown eyes were never simply just brown, emboldened with precious metal or rolling fields or the crackle of a hearth. She had seen many brown eyes in her life, but none like Leo's. Leo had the world in his eyes and how she longed to paint them.

He asked her about her artwork, almost as if he had heard her thoughts. Was she working on anything new? Did she need a subject to work with? He smiled teasingly, flourishing a hand beneath his chin. She smacked his chest when he offered to pose naked for her, both of them laughing.

It was perfect. She walked with a lightness she had not experienced in gods knew how long. His hand was warm in hers, come together like companionable puzzle pieces. The weather had never been better, crowning the day, and she found herself wishing it would never end.

They walked a bit more. Leo pointed out to sea, closer now. He had seen something move between the waves, something maybe red. Louisa caught his hand, lowering the point.

It was almost perfect.

"Leo," she said, her voice crisp and clear, "where's Bradley?" He blinked at her, canting his head.

"Who?"

"Bradley," she repeated. Maybe he had had too much sun today, brain frazzled by the perfection above.

He laughed and squeezed her hand.

"Should I be jealous?" He had that tease about him again, his worldly eyes glimmering cheekily. She frowned, searching for the joke. "Who's Bradley?"

Something cold wrapped her spine.

"Bradley," she said again, as if the name had not gone through. "Our baby."

"We… don't have a baby, Lou." He was looking at her strangely. Bemused. "I mean, if you're offering…"

Louisa pulled away. Her hands tingled where his had been, but she did not return. Ice grew through her system, embedding in her bones. Why did she feel so chilly? The sun still shone, but its warmth had evaporated. Its brightness was not so friendly now, prickling her eyes.

"It's not funny, Leo," she chided. "Stop joking." He shrugged, laughed nervously.

"I'm not joking, I'm not."

"Where's Bradley?"

"Seriously, who's Bradley?"

"He's—" Her voice caught in her throat. She touched her chin, brow creasing. "He's…" Warmth edged back in, bringing with it the contentment of a few minutes ago. Louisa looked at Leo. "What was I talkin' about?" He made a noise of 'I don't know' and offered his hand to her again.

"Let's go see what that red thing was, in the water."

"OK." She took his hand and they fell back into step. It was a perfect summer's day and Leo held her hand.

There was nothing to worry about.

She awoke in tears, inhaling over a sandpaper tongue. Warmth on her cheek, a shadow over her.

Hey, Storm said, hey, stop it. Some of us are trying to sleep, you know.

Storm stepped back as her rider sat up, her ear twitching. You don't look so good. Do you want me to get your mom? Louisa didn't respond. She scrambled to get up, overbalancing. Her foot twisted in the bedding and she sprawled, landing heavily on her forearms.

Storm snorted. I'll get your mom.

Hands, face, back all slick with sweat, Louisa pushed herself up on trembling arms. Her legs weighed her down, boneless and packed with wet cement. She dragged herself forward, focus locked on the crib. It blurred in and out, two cribs then three then one again.

Bruises throbbed on her elbows and her knees, something that felt far away. The crib became one again and she reached for it, gripping the cool wood and pulling herself forward. She held onto the bars with both hands, resting her forehead to the gap between them.

Bradley was there. Asleep, his hands above his head as always. She found herself unable to look away, watching for the rise and fall of his breathing. She watched until her mother came in, convinced she was imagining things.

Jessica crouched beside her.

"Is he OK?" Louisa rasped. "Is he OK?" Jessica checked the baby, her arm about her daughter's shoulders.

"He's fine, Lou."

"He's breathin'?"

"He is."

"I can't tell." Jessica touched her cheek. Tears spilled and Louisa blinked. She stammered as she described the dream, how perfect it had been, how deceptive. It had made Leo forget about Bradley and, "It made me forget too." She wilted, sobbing. Her hands slid an inch or so on the bars but did not let go. The whole time she spoke, she had not looked away once. Neither Storm nor Jessica had said otherwise, but she still could not tell if her baby was breathing.

Jessica smoothed Louisa's hair back from her damp face.

"Sally said she did that once," she said softly. "When Percy was small. She was panicking, thinking she had lost him, put him down somewhere and forgotten where. He was too small to go anywhere on his own, she said. Said she had been really freaking out. Do you want to know where he was?"

"Where?"

"She was holding him. It happens, Lou."

"But Leo…" Jessica held a finger. Wait. She got up, fetching Louisa's phone from the bedside table. Louisa did not have a password on it. She would forget it and be locked out and really jeopardize her Duolingo streak.

Leo was in the recent calls list, at the top. Jessica tapped his name with her thumb and then put the call on speaker.

He answered on the fifth ring, slurring.

"Whazzat, who you want?" He coughed, groaning. "What's the time?"

"Sorry, Leo. Didn't mean to wake you."

"'S OK," he managed. "What's up?"

"Where's Bradley?"

"What? What?" He was awake now, panic stricken. They could hear him throwing back the covers, hear him stumble in the dark of his room. "What do you mean? He's with you, isn't he? Do you need me to come over?"

"Do you know who Bradley is?" Jessica continued calmly, watching her daughter. She had finally looked away from the baby, staring at the phone as if it held all the secrets to life itself.

"Of course I do," Leo said indignantly, offended. "What's going on? I'm coming over, I'll be ten minutes. Festus!" He hung up. Louisa startled at the sudden silence and turned back to Bradley.

"Is he OK?" she asked again.

"He is," Jessica confirmed.

Leo was less than ten minutes. They heard a dragon roar and the thump of metal on the stone roof. A minute later, Leo was letting himself in.

Jessica had given him a key. She had had it cut after he had signed the birth certificate, told him he could use it whenever he wanted. He used it now. He was still in his pyjamas, had only thrown on some sneakers and his toolbelt. He had a weighty mallet in his hand, scanning the apartment frantically.

He calmed when Jessica waved to him. There were no monsters to fight, no monsters beyond the one Louisa's trauma spawned.

He tucked the mallet away as he went into the bedroom. Louisa still knelt by the crib, looking up as he sat beside her. He gently coaxed her hand away from the bar, rubbing warmth back into it.

"You're here," she said, blinking with surprise.

"I am," Leo smiled. She grasped his hand, a hint of a smile lightening her expression.

Jessica sat on the bed, watching. Storm lay at her feet, ears pricked. Leo spoke softly and earnestly. He promised the tot was sound asleep and breathing perfectly, promised he knew him. To prove it, he detailed several disastrous diapers. "And, and I have to hold him the other way around when I feed him. He looks for you, you know, but you hold him in your left and I hold him in my right. He won't feed unless he's in my left."

He never let go her hand.

Jessica rose. Leo looked round, Louisa a second behind him.

"See, Lou?" Jessica smiled. "I told you not to worry, didn't I?"

"You did."

"One day you'll learn to listen to me."

"Not any day soon," Louisa mumbled. It was the usual response, said with a lopsided, half-hearted smile. Jessica stooped to kiss her forehead.

"I'll be next door if you need me. Leo." Jessica fixed a look on him and he sat up ramrod straight. "Look after them."

"I will," he vowed, nodding madly. Jessica patted his head.

She managed to squeeze in a couple hours extra sleep. She made them breakfast about half-seven, totting in her famous bacon sandwiches.

They were still sitting by the crib, but with the additions of the blankets from the bed. Storm had moved closer, looped around her rider. Louisa cradled Bradley, his blue-green eyes open. He waved a tiny hand, fingers flexing haphazardly.

Leo was reading from the surplus of books he had brought. There were two piles beside him, one read and one to read. He was currently reading The Billy Goats Gruff, applying different voices to each goat and growling, "Who's that trip-trapping over my bridge?"

Jessica set the tray before them. Storm looked up, huffing.

"If you want breakfast," Jessica told her, "get up and get it. No, don't take that tone with me. I can't carry the tray and your bucket."

You should have left the tray, Storm sulked, ruffling her wings. She nuzzled Louisa's shoulder, sniffed the top of Bradley's head. She was very careful in getting up, aware of her bulk and the fragile small being so close. She followed Jessica out, still grumbling that she didn't get preferential treatment.

Leo tented the book on his knee and reached for the tray. He offered Louisa the first plate, tucking into his own. Jessica's bacon sandwiches were the best he had ever had. He would never grow tired of them.

Louisa snorted, watching him eat.

"Wha'?" he said around his mouthful. "'M hung'y."

"I can tell." In response, he took an even bigger bite, smearing brown sauce on his cheek. Louisa had to bite into her own a bit more delicately— emphasis on a bit— as she had to eat one-handed.

Bradley tipped his head back, opening his mouth with a tut. Leo coughed a laugh around his breakfast, chewing quickly.

"He's hungry too," he said once he got some of it down.

"He's always hungry," Louisa remarked. Her thumb massaged Bradley's hand, his fingers automatically locking around it. She smiled.

That nightmare had been stupid, she could see it now. How could she forget this little boy, his darling little face and the comforting weight of his little body squirming in her arms? How could she think Leo would forget him? He bore his surname, after all. Leo had come running when he was called, abandoning sleep to sit here fighting his dyslexia and an ever-increasing parched throat for the last three hours, reading out stories. Bradley would not understand what was being said, but that didn't stop Leo from putting his all into it.

Jessica had brought them tea as well, Leo drinking half in one go.

Louisa reached for his hand. "Thank you."

Leo squeezed her fingers, his smile squeezing her heart.

"I've got you, chica."