To Riordanlover16- Aaaaah yes, Popadom. Tree Demon. Yes, yes, yes, I do wonder what he's doing... Babies are weirdly comforting, until they poop or start crying. Babies don't tend to like me, my glasses throw them off :P

Louisa didn't bring Bradley over at breakfast. Leo didn't mind; sometimes she had Bradley with her for mealtimes anyway, cradling him while she ate.

But something nagged at him. She was sitting with her back to him and had Bradley firmly on her lap. She wasn't eating. Leo was sure of it, seeing Percy pushing toast at her, bits of fruit, a yoghurt, seeing his concern mounting as the meal wore on.

"Back in a sec," Leo told his siblings. He took his plate over, sitting down beside Louisa. Chiron, at the head table, cleared his throat. Leo waved and stayed put.

He didn't sit too close to her, not with Big Brother on the other side. He kept a clear two feet between them, sitting gingerly, slowly. Even without seeing her face, he knew something had happened. She was on edge, the air around her prickly and storm scented.

Leo raised an eyebrow at Percy. Percy's expression darkened. Leo noticed Tobias hadn't joined them for breakfast over here, sitting with his mom at the Athena table. He was happily turning toast into mush and smearing it over his face. Annabeth was pretending not to notice. At least, not until she had finished her coffee.

Louisa sniffed.

"Mornin', Leo."

"Morning, Lou. Morning, Percy. Morning, chiquito." He smiled, holding out his hand. Bradley latched onto his finger, smiling like he always did. Louisa stirred. Her movements were sluggish and heavy. Leo braved scooting closer a couple of inches to help her shift Bradley over to him.

Bradley snuggled into Leo, leaving a nice damp drool patch on his shoulder. Leo listened to the familiar grunt, sighing. "You had to wait for me to poop, didn't you? Why can't you poop on Mama?"

"He was sick on me before we left," Louisa mumbled dejectedly.

"I suppose that's fair then." Leo looked from one to the other. He scrunched his face. Louisa had her guard up, walls insurmountable. A nightmare, he guessed, a terrible one if she wasn't taking her brother's food, even dishes so willingly offered. One she did not want to talk about, clearly, if she had eyes only for the dribble machine currently filling his diaper.

He started to speak. Louisa shook her head and pushed away from the table. She walked stiffly, as if she had forgotten how, to the head table. Mr. D looked up from his pancakes. Whatever she said, he nodded. She, the god and his pancakes disappeared in a puff of purple, grape-scented mist.

Leo bounced Bradley on his knee, only twice. Bradley beamed at him, clutching his thumb. "Are you done?" Leo asked him. "You done pooping?"

"I can take him," Percy offered. His tone brooked no argument, gaze exhausted but heavy. Leo shook his head, Percy bristling. "Hand him over, Leo."

"No. I look after him in the morning." Leo swung his legs from the bench, holding Bradley at arm's length. "We should bottle that stench," he told the baby. "No demigod will ever be sniffed out again."

"Leo—" Percy began warningly. Leo was saved by Tobias, the toddler sprinting across the pavilion to slather his father's leg in mushy toast remains.

A hand on Leo's arm. Annabeth smiled sadly at him.

"You go," she said. "I'll have a word with him."

"I'm only trying to help."

"I know you are." She squeezed his arm reassuringly, then let him go. Bradley was starting to complain and the longer Leo lingered in Percy's eyeline, the more likely he was to lose something vital.

Once Bradley was clean and the baby bag had been restocked, Leo devised a plan. It would definitely be safer for him to stay near Annabeth today; Percy was no match for her.

He stuck his head in the command tent, breathing a sigh of relief to see his would-be murderer wasn't there, only Annabeth, his saving grace.

She put her pencil down as he sat, lacing her fingers. "Are you OK?" she asked.

"I'm on Percy's Most Wanted," Leo muttered, "I'm just great." She smiled, almost apologetically. Leo scowled. "What's his problem? I swear, no matter what I do, it's never good enough."

"It is good enough, it is," she stressed at his disbelief. "I know how hard you work, Leo. I know what you did to Jessica's place, all that security. She said Lou wouldn't sleep until that was put in place." Leo nodded absent-mindedly, drumming his fingers on the table. Bradley was batting his feet against his stomach, demanding attention.

Leo picked him up, standing him upright and holding him there, hands under his arms. Bradley smiled at him again, a clumsy splay of fingers reaching for his nose.

Annabeth tipped her head, honey curls tumbling over her shoulder. "If you weren't good enough," she said, "why would Lou call him Valdez?"

"Lou doesn't want to string me up by insides," Leo grumbled.

"Why would Lou trust you with him?"

"Why doesn't Percy?" he countered. "Every time I think I'm getting somewhere with him, he hates me all over again."

"He doesn't hate you," Annabeth denied immediately. Leo scoffed.

"He's got a funny way of showing love then." Annabeth sighed, tapping her conjoined hands on the surface.

"I know he's struggling. Whatever he's feeling over the twin link, I know it's getting to him. He said Lou didn't say anything about her nightmare, but… when she woke up, eventually woke up, she couldn't move." Ice flooded Leo's veins.

"What do you mean she couldn't move?"

"Will said it was sleep paralysis. He and Percy put her in the water, Will did some spells. It was only temporary, but still…"

"Terrifying," Leo breathed. Annabeth nodded.

"She was panicking. Percy said worse than anything else he'd felt from her. He was panicking too, in case… in case it was permanent again."

"But it's not."

"No, thankfully. That's probably why she wanted to talk to Mr. D early though. Probably why Percy wanted to take Bradley from you. He's confused and worried. He doesn't know how best to help her, none of us do. I think he wanted Bradley because he couldn't look after Lou. If he can't look after her, he can look after the next best thing."

"I can look after him too."

"I know you can," Annabeth assured. "You do an excellent job and Bradley clearly adores you." She motioned to the baby. Bradley was still smiling, thoroughly enjoying this new vantage point. Still a few months from standing on his own, making the most of this change. "See, I think you and Percy clash because you're so alike."

"You take that back."

"You're both loyal to a fault. Willing to do whatever you can for those you love. You just have very different methods."

"I still want to smack him."

"Figures. Don't smack him."

"Not even a little bit?"

"It won't help your case," she promised. Leo huffed. Bradley reached for his nose again.

Annabeth began to speak again, shoulders tensing. Leo eyed her warily, then heard what she had.

"ANNABETH! LEO!"

"Is that Nico?"

They were both on their feet as, yes, Nico burst through the tent flap. He seemed paler than usual, his dark eyes locking on them with an intensity that pushed Leo back a step.

"What's wrong?" Annabeth demanded.

"You need to come quick." He motioned frantically, hurrying back outside. Leo bundled Bradley in his jacket, following Annabeth out. Nico was running towards the Big House. Annabeth kept up with him easily enough, Leo settling into a jog so best not to shake Bradley about too much.

The entirety of the Apollo cabin crowded the infirmary, bustling around each other. Faces Leo had known for years right down to didn't know at all. They were split between two rooms, Will in charge and shouting orders. The youngest was about nine, toting bags of… blood. She disappeared into the second room, calling out to her siblings.

"What's happened?" Annabeth barged her way forward, grasping Will's arm. His hands were bloody, red streaks smeared on his face and scrubs.

"Been an accident," he said through gritted teeth.

A scream rent the air, emanating from the first room. Bradley wailed, hiding his face in Leo's chest.

"That's Lou," Leo said, surging towards the room.

She was on the bed, though barely. Six Apollo campers, including Kayla and Austin, seasoned veterans, were battling to restrain her. Two of them held a leg each, the others pulling at her arms or around her waist. She thrashed and kicked, screaming. She managed to rise, Kayla catching her around the middle and yanking her back down.

Leo cried out. "Stop it! You're making it worse, stop it!"

"She's resisting all sedatives!" Austin shouted. Louisa yelled and elbowed him in the face. There was a crack of bone and Austin went down, clattering into the bedside unit. Blood spilled from between his fingers and he blinked, stunned.

"Let me go!" Louisa ordered, swinging her arm free. Kayla ducked, making a wild grab for her. Louisa screamed. "Let me go, let me go!"

"Let her go!" Leo agreed hotly. He summoned flames to his free hand, Kayla's eyes widening at the sight.

"That's not helping!" she scolded. Leo primed his arm to throw, the younger campers wisely scurrying away to safety.

Louisa sprung down from the bed, rushing to the door. She made it two steps past Leo, freezing.

Bradley was still crying, terror pitching his voice. She was drawn to the noise, eyes darting to find its source. Leo extinguished his hand and hurriedly unzipped his jacket.

"He's here, Lou," he said. "I've got him."

"Bradley!" she sobbed. Leo passed him over and she wailed, clutching the baby to her chest. Her knees gave out, Leo catching her by the elbows and gently lowering her. "Where've you been?" she asked Bradley, stroking his hair, his tiny tearstained face against hers. "Where've you been, where've you been?"

Leo stood over her, glaring silent dares at the Apollo cabin to come closer. They were mystified, keeping a careful distance from her and his fire and his mallet when he pulled it from his belt. Austin was still cupping a broken nose, bruises staining under his eyes.

"Someone care to explain?" Leo growled.

"There was an accident." He turned at the voice, Nico di Angelo hovering in the doorway. He had shed his black coat, his orange camp shirt a rubied brown with drying blood. He glanced at Louisa, soothing her baby and soothed herself to have found him, his mouth downturned.

Leo frowned.

"Where's Percy?"

"Next door."

"What's wrong with him?"

Nico didn't answer. He motioned with his head and left. Leo hesitated, glancing round at the medics. "Don't touch her," he warned. "No one touches her." Bradley was quietening now, grumbling. Louisa was kissing his face, mumbling reassurances.

Leo followed Nico next door, stumbling in the doorway.

Percy lay on the bed, his shirt cut away. Blood soaked the tatters, the bed beneath him, the bandages encircling his chest and throat. Annabeth was sat beside him, gripping his hand tightly; she was shaking.

Will and some of his siblings were still working. Will was singing, tipping nectar into Percy's mouth. The little girl stood on the bedside table, holding aloft her bag of blood, a tube connected to a needle in Percy's arm. Two others cut away the bloody bandages, packing the wounds beneath with a green-ish paste and dressings.

Leo leaned on the doorway, the room spinning. "What the fuck?"

"Mr. D said Lou ran out of therapy," Nico said quietly. "She kept saying, uh… 'I have to find him, I have to find him'. It's a good job he sent me after her. She found Percy on the beach and…" His words failed, hands wringing. "I don't think she saw him. She screamed at him, attacked him. Her sword. Kept telling him he wouldn't get her again, he wouldn't get Bradley."

"She saw Luke," Leo realised, horror shrinking his lungs. Nico nodded grimly.

"Percy was defending himself and I ran in, but I was… too slow. She got his throat." Nico rubbed at his face, exhaling heavily. "I brought them here."

Annabeth looked up, her face streaked with tears. Leo staggered into the room, making it to her side. He put a hand on her shoulder.

Will stopped singing. He was pale and trembling, leaning on the headboard for support.

"I've done all I can," he said. "He's stable, for now. Kiki, go get another bag. I'll hold that." Kiki, the little girl, nodded and hopped down from her perch. She scurried past Nico and vanished upstairs.

Will saw his fiancé, expression crumpling. "Where's Mr. D? I thought he'd be here."

"I'll get him," Nico said, stepping into the shadows and promptly disappearing. Will sighed. He touched Percy's forehead, concentrating and leaving bloody fingerprints. Percy stirred, groaning, but did not wake.

"You need rest, Will," Annabeth chided, wiping her face on her sleeve. "I'll sit with him."

"Is he going to be OK?" Leo asked. He and Percy may have had their differences, especially of late, but that didn't mean he wanted him to die.

Kiki came back and Will swapped the tube to the new bag of blood.

"Let this get into his system," he advised. "If Lou snaps out of it, she can heal him. If not, I'll take him down to the water in a bit." He shook his head, baffled and drained.

Nico reappeared from the shadows, Mr. D in his wake. The god frowned at Percy in the bed, sipping from his Diet Coke. Will caught his eye, frowning. "Can you help Lou, sir? Please?"

"She does not yet realise what she's done. Are you sure you want me to bring her round?" Will shared a look with Nico, wincing. They both nodded. Mr. D sighed. "Very well. Lance," he beckoned to Leo, "with me. I refuse to babysit."

Louisa refused to give Bradley over, the mite now asleep in her arms. She was still sat on the floor where Leo had left her. Only Kayla remained, watching over her from a safe distance.

Mr. D placed a hand on her head. She blinked in surprise, then grimaced.

"What—? What's goin' on? Where am I?" She scanned the room frantically. "How'd I get here?"

"What do you remember?" Mr. D prompted gently. She shook her head, biting her lip.

"I… I don't…" She stiffened, head turning slowly. "Where is he? Where did he go? Did I get him?"

"No," Mr. D said. "You did not get him. You got your brother instead."

"What? No! No, it was him! I swear, I saw him! I got him!"

"He is not permitted within these borders, Louisa."

"But I saw him!" she cried. "It was him! It was! It…" Her argument died as Mr. D shook his head. Tears fell thick and fast. "Where's Percy? What… what did I do?"

"Hand the child to Levi," Mr. D waved vaguely at Leo. "I will show you what you did."

"Sir," Leo interrupted. "Sir, is that—?"

"A good idea?" Mr. D finished for him, purple eyes flashing in warning. "Probably not, but you heard Mr. Solace. She is his best hope of survival." Louisa choked on a sob. Leo took Bradley from her with no further protest and she rushed from the room. He heard her cry out in horror, heard her hurry to her brother's side.

"Percy! I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please wake up!"

Leo made after her, Mr. D holding out his arm to stop him after a step.

"Not yet," he instructed.

"Oh, come on, come on," Louisa despaired. "Please wake up. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I… I didn't see you, I didn't…" Her voice broke under fresh tears. Leo closed his eyes against his own, holding Bradley closer.

Oh, hey, he ded.

Gimme reviews or he ded ded :3