This is mostly a filler chapter, my brain's fried D:

To Riordanlover16- Yeah, she gone gone! And no no, it's fine. I spent HOURS faffing with a map of America for Louisa's past. I decided to have everyone move closer together in San Fran to save myself a headache; it might not fit their characters 'cos I don't think Percy would ever truly leave New York, but it fits my story because I said so :P I have no idea what Arby's is.

To valdeznation- (Chapter 48) You're gonna love this chapter then XD I'll reply as best I can, as always, no spoilers! Jessica's mom... I'll tell you what the fuck (it was on purpose). Only Leo and Lou know though, so ssssshhhh. Jessica and Leo, they're family now! Leo knows his shapes fine enough, it's just Lou; she's a certified dumbass XD We need more dumbass female characters, for sure. I was literally keyboard mashing the different letters to mispell parallelogram so many times, that was fun! Frolicking in fields and flower crowns will only work part of the year- Lou has hayfever (like me!) White girl music? THEY WILL GET MARRIED, JUST BEAR WITH 'cos I haven't actually written it yet, I've been... playing Assassin's Creed 2, that one's on me :( (It's a good game!) Jessica's mom again, I'm with you on this. There's been abuse in our family as well and I have reached a point of hatred for them that I feel nothing so not my problem if something happens to them, I'm done. If all they've done is hurt you, constantly, for years, you owe them NOTHING. You are more than welcome to drop Spanish/Latin advice on me at any point, I am AWFUL at checking my messages. I have all the chapters together in one big word document and my notes for it all go at the bottom, all colour-coded. Shrines are appreciated :3 Your loss? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but I hope you're OK! (Chapter 40) Ooooh, you mean the song. Yes, yes, I'm with you now :P Who are we throwing into the sun, Leo or Elton John? (Chapter 39) Hey, it's getting me more reviews, I love it XD I'll add it to the list and I will get to it, just bear with me. I'm doing this one AND my Eyes of Violet series and reading through my TBR (it's taller than me!) so I will get to it at some point, just keep reminding me. Riordanlover16 is always reminding me to read theirs as well, just don't let me forget!

Jessica and Harvey alone attended Denise's funeral on the eighth. It was not a big ceremony for there was no-one to be invited. Denise had no friends, a self-imposed solitude birthed from bitterness and hate. Attendance was abysmally small and out of obligation. Jessica needed the closure; she needed to see the coffin to the earth.

On the eleventh, Bradley laughed so hard at a balloon he puked over his new T-shirt. Louisa had been bumping it on his head, just lightly, over and over, cheered by his incessant giggles. Leo got it all on camera, though the feed did end abruptly as he tossed the phone aside to aid Louisa in clearing up. He scrubbed the sofa cushions while she bathed the baby. The balloon bobbed away and nestled under the table in sulk.

On the twelfth, the girls (and Mikey) arrived to whisk Louisa away for the day. Unfortunately for Leo, they took Bradley with them; he found himself victim to Mellie and reminded he had some orders to work on.

"It's my day off!"

"Not anymore it's not. We've got more orders incoming; you need to double time. Or," she added as he groaned, "hire more staff. Or both. Either way, you'll have to come in."

So, while Leo worked away and debated employment contracts with his siblings in the Hephaestus cabin, Louisa was ensnared by her friends into a shopping trip.

The smiley lady on the reception desk greeted them with an even bigger smile, rising to shake Piper's hand in greeting. Louisa missed what she said, squinting suspiciously at the white tides clinging to every wall of the store. An elbow in her side and she looked round, marshalling her thoughts.

"What?"

"Yes," Piper said with forced brightness, "she's the bride. Lou, concentrate." Louisa pouted, rocking Bradley's pram.

"I thought we were gettin' food."

"We'll get food after," Piper assured. The lady directed them to the back corner of the shop, near the changing rooms. It wasn't a particularly large shop, so their group made it all feel rather crowded. Annabeth, Mikey and Hazel squeezed onto the available couch, beaten to the solitary armchair by a smug-looking Reyna.

Louisa parked the pram beside Annabeth. Bradley had fallen asleep, unconsciously sucking on his new pacifier.

The bell tinkled above the door and the receptionist lady returned, towing Jessica, Sally and Estelle.

"Sorry we're late," Sally puffed hair from her eyes. "Someone wanted to bring her bike."

"I can use my bike at the wedding!" Estelle beamed. "I can have the petals in the basket and— ooh, aaah, whoosh." She threw imaginary handfuls of petals left and right, splaying her hands in celebration.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?" the receptionist asked, clasping her hands.

"We're OK, thank you," Piper said. "We're just browsing."

"Of course, of course. I'm at the front desk if you need me." She bustled off, humming to herself. Louisa frowned after her, then at the others. Piper's smile turned cheeky.

"I'm designing your dress," she said, "but I need to know what you like. I could show you all the pictures in the world, but it'd do no good. It was best for us to bring you here and try some on." Louisa looked around, scrunching her features.

"Why are they all white? That's borin'."

"I can make yours in any colour you want," Piper assured, "but I still need to know your style."

"This'll be good," Jessica snorted, arms folded.

"I got her in a dress once, I will get her in a dress again." Piper's eyes sparked with some energy, crazed, determined, something that sent a chill over Louisa's skin. "Pick something," she ordered. Louisa tipped her chin up.

"No."

"Knew you'd say that," Piper muttered. She faced the rest of the group, hands spread up dismissively. "Go. Be free. Find this girl a dress. She will try them all." Louisa stared at her.

"Moms, she's scarin' me."

"Then you'll do as you're told," Jessica remarked knowingly.

Louisa learnt more about dresses in the next few hours than she had ever wanted to know in her life. Piper was strict in her tutelage, describing and demonstrating variations in necklines and drops and styles of skirt and overlays and statement sleeves and and and and. Her head was spinning at the start of the intervention, for that's what it was, and constituted as a hurricane at the end.

Her family swarmed her with their choices. Mermaid and trumpet and A-line, scoop necklines and Queen Anne necklines and sweetheart necklines. Beads and laces and frills and sashes. The mermaid selection had been Annabeth's.

"A fitting piece for a fish, don't you think?"

"Is this 'cos I threw Tobias in the lake?"

"It's because you threw Tobias in the lake," Annabeth agreed before she finished speaking. "Put the dress on, Fish."

"I'm not a fish!"

"Neither's Tobias!"

"Children, children," Sally made a T with her hands. "You'll wake the baby."

Louisa eyed the dress, wrinkling her nose.

"No, I don't like it."

"Put it on," Annabeth insisted, "or the next thing you'll be in is a shroud."

"Oooooo-kay, let me jump in here," Piper said, taking the dress from Annabeth. "How about I put her in the dress and you get us some tea, mm? We could all do with some tea." Annabeth muttered swears, trudging off. Piper smiled easily at the group. "Pregnancy hormones, huh? They sure do pack a punch. As does this." She curled her fist and slugged Louisa in the arm. Louisa smacked her, open-palmed, in retaliation, an action so quick there was no room for thought, just instinct.

"The fuck was that for?"

"Come on. You've got dresses to try on."

Piper hauled her, cursing and arguing, into the changing room. She swished the curtain shut, metal rings clacking on the bar. Louisa stood in the far corner, her back to the mirror and arms stubbornly folded.

Piper hung the dress on the hook. "What's wrong?"

"I'm bein' bullied."

"You're not being bullied," Piper assured, "but you are worrying about something, aren't you?"

"No."

"Don't lie to me, Lou." Louisa ducked her head, glaring at the floor. Piper rubbed her jaw. "You don't like the ones without sleeves, do you?" Louisa flinched, biting her lip. Her fingers dug into her elbows. Piper nodded. "I can add sleeves to anything you pick, it's not a problem."

"Can't I just wear that blue dress you did? For the grand opening?" Piper shook her head. "Why not? I don't want all this…" Louisa waved an exasperated hand in place of words. Piper raised an eyebrow at her. Louisa glowered.

Piper had seen her scars, the ones on her arms, the ones branded across her shoulders. Jessica had seen the ones on her arms when she had worn short sleeves. The others… not so much. Not even Leo had seen the extent of it, their ventures done without light. She was comfortable with him, safe with him, but she did not want him to see the full extent. What if he changed his mind?

"Lou," Piper said, pulling her from her thinking. "No-one here will think any less of you. You've been through hell and come out the other side. You're… you're not ashamed, are you?"

"Yes. No. Fuckin'… I don't know. Ain't brides supposed to be all pretty 'n'…" She looked down at her arms, still covered by the long sleeves of her hoodie. "I can't heal them. Not completely."

"Brides can be whatever they want to be," Piper retorted, "and they can be whatever they are."

"Yeah, but—"

"No, buts except yours in this dress." Piper plucked at the article hanging to her right. "I will make whatever you pick and whatever you're comfortable with."

"But—"

"Leo won't think any less of you either. If anything, he thinks more of you than he ever did. That's why you haven't run out the door, isn't it?" Louisa glanced at her, inscrutable. Piper smiled gently. "You know it'd make him happy if you wore a dress at the wedding and that's why you're doing it. If it had been anything or even anyone else, you'd have set the place on fire and sprinted down the street in search of food."

"I am hungry."

"Lunch is on me, but only after we find you a dress."

"Fine. With dessert."

"Yes, Lou."

Piper dutifully turned away as Louisa undressed, though did not leave the changing room. A clatter as she threw the hanger to one side and then some swearing.

"Piper, how the fuck are you supposed ta put this on? There ain't no room for my legs."

"That's 'cos it's a mermaid dress, Lou. Some of them are like that." Louisa teetered, arms flailing, and crashed into the wall with a thud, head and shoulder striking at the same time. Piper, through some sheer, godly mastery, did not laugh, not even when she slid down and landed in a foul-mouthed heap, kicking the fabric away.

"I don't like that one," Louisa announced stroppily, reaching for the silk bathrobe she had to wear between dresses. "Kill it with fire."

So, Piper went to grab the next one.

"Mermaid tails are out. She fell over."

"I did not!"

"There's a dent in the wall."

"That was already there!"

"What else have we got?"

Hazel's choice was next. Piper carried it through, Louisa eyeing it sceptically.

"Where's the end? What is that?"

"Do you want me to help you put it on?" Piper suggested. Louisa dithered, chewing her thumbnail. "I can hold it while you step in, I'll look as little as possible, and then I'll help you do it up at the back." Louisa studied her, lowering her hand to fidget with the robe.

"OK," she eventually relented. Piper smiled.

It took a considerable moment to get Louisa in the dress, much twisting and turning and spinning in circles and then some more obscenities as Piper tied the back. "Ow! What are you doin'?"

"It's a corset style."

"Corset? What, that old shit? Ow! I have bones, Piper."

"You also have a wonderful waistline and I will—" Piper yanked on the ribbons, Louisa yelping "—accentuate it."

"I can't breathe."

"You haven't passed out yet." Piper tied the ribbons together into a neat bow. "There. Don't you look lovely?" Louisa wheezed in response, hands at the sweetheart neckline.

"I don't like it. I can't breathe." Piper rotated her on the spot, directing her to the mirror. Louisa looked down, moving stiffly and grumbling at the constrictions. "No, I don't like this at all."

"OK, if I loosen it then," Piper demonstrated, Louisa gasping in a hefty breath, "and then how about some… sleeves, here." The receptionist had provided a box of accessories. From it, Piper pulled two tulle sleeves embroidered with flowers and vines. Under orders, Louisa held her arms out, one after the other. "There, see? Is that better with sleeves?"

"A bit, but… I still don't like it."

"What about it?"

"This bit," Louisa gestured at her chest, scowling. "It's too low. I don't like it."

"That's OK. Do you want to see what the others think on this one?"

"No. Wait, am I supposed to show them?"

"Only if you want to."

"Not this one."

"Alright, let's get you back out of it."

Sleeves, yes. Sweetheart necklines, no. Piper went back out to see what the next suggestions were, sending half the group back out to find something that met the new criteria. She took Jessica's in next, something that did have sleeves and an off-the-shoulder cut.

"What's wrong with the bottom bit?" Louisa frowned.

"I heard that!" Jessica called through the curtain.

"It's tiered, Lou," Piper explained calmly. "It's pretty, all the layers, the ruffles!" She ran her hand over the material, picking at it and showing Louisa the details.

"Try it on!" Jessica demanded. Louisa made a face at the curtain, but not any braver than that to argue with her mother.

Less wriggling this time. Piper poked her in the side, making her jolt.

"This is an empire waistline, see?"

"Waistline? What?"

"Do you know anything about clothes?"

"If it ain't got pockets, I ain't interested."

"Of course there will be pockets on the dress, when I make it, but do you know anything?"

"No. That's your job." An empire waistline was not at the waist, but higher, encircling her lower ribcage. She could breathe easier in this dress, Piper buttoning up the back. She considered the top, satisfied it was not as revealing as the previous dress, though it only just covered her collar bones. She toyed with the ruffles, grabbing handfuls of it up, hoisting the skirts, and then letting it fall again. "It's not as poofy as the other one."

"That other one was a princess gown. This one is a column style. Do you want the sleeves again?"

"OK, but I don't like the flowers on it."

"I can do sleeves with something else on it. What would you want?" Louisa shrugged unhelpfully. Piper sighed.

So, they kept trying dresses. Louisa would like part of one and not the rest, nitpicking every little detail. From the fourth dress onwards, Piper managed to get her out to show the others, which was key to her final design, though it ranged in how much it helped.

Mikey loved everything, naturally, and even wanted to try some on himself. Louisa had found this funny and offered to help him find something, curbed by fierce looks from her mothers and Piper.

Annabeth proved more useful in opinions, studying everything as she would any architectural blueprint. She was still miffed about the Tobias-in-the-lake incident, but she provided a few pointers and had Louisa turning around so they could see every inch of the dress.

Sally was teary-eyed, Estelle patting her arm and dutifully holding a box of tissues. Jessica, exhausted from the events of the last week or so, smiled tiredly and gave a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down.

Reyna was the least helpful, disliking almost as much as Louisa herself. When Piper pressed her on it, Reyna shrugged.

"She should go dressed as a hotdog. Fancy dress party."

"Yes!" Louisa grinned.

"No!" despaired the rest of the group.

Hazel was her godsend, having come equipped with her pencils and sketchbook, drawing each bit that Louisa did like. Piper later hoped to use all these visuals to cobble together a worthy design.

Mermaid was definitely off the list when Louisa fell over in another one, on route to showing the others. Dropped and natural waistlines were out, though she seemed to like basque, a V-shape coming down from her waist and hips. Sleeves were a must, strapless and spaghetti straps disregarded with an upturned nose.

Piper showed her illusions, sheer overlays of tulle adding volume to the main skirts. This could stem from the back and down, or from the waist. Louisa was in two minds with this, fussing the material between her thumbs and fingers.

There were many, many questions aimed at Piper. Some were about the dresses themselves, about the innumerable styles, but most were what Piper should have expected from her in the first place.

"How the fuck are you supposed ta pee in these?" Louisa protested, fighting with an umpteenth floofy skirt. "Where are my legs, where the fuck is the floor?" She throttled the material back and forth, stomping her feet just to prove she still had them. "What if I needed a shit in this thing? Then what?"

"OK, so we can take ballgown off the list."

"There's too much stuff," Louisa fluffed the skirts up, kicked out to flare it all. "It's too hot."

"Do you like anything about it?"

"Eh."

"That doesn't help."

"I'm really hungry now, can we get food yet?" Piper frowned. "What?" Louisa asked. "I'm hungry. I can't make decisions when I'm hungry."

And when Louisa finally noticed the price tags, she swore loud enough to bring the receptionist lady running.

"You only wear it once!" Louisa raged, shaking a dress about by its hanger. "Fuckin' rip off! This is like a year's wages for some people, have you no shame?"

"Ma'am—"

"It's OK!" Piper hurried over, layering on the charmspeak. "Don't you worry about a thing back here. You go back to work at your desk, have some tea. Everything is all tickety-boo over here."

"Tickety-boo," the lady agreed, expression dreamy. "Tea. Yes. I like tea."

"Go and have some tea, you've earned it," Piper urged, smiling brightly. When the receptionist had returned to her desk, she wheeled on Louisa. "I left you alone for a minute!"

"You see this shit? Who the fuck pays four grand for a dress?" She threw it on the floor in disgust. "'N' that one, that one over there is twelve grand! Twelve, Piper, twelve! Do ya know what I could do with twelve fuckin' grand? I won't be spendin' it on a dress you wear once, I'll be buyin' the fuckin' lunch you promised me!"

"I said we'd get food when we found you a dress!"

"Twelve grand!"

"I know, but not all of them—"

"Twelve grand!"

"Oh, hey, Bradley's awake," Sally interrupted, dumping the tot in his mother's arms. And only just awake, it appeared, his minute face puffy with sleep, blinking dazedly at this change in surroundings. He looked up at Louisa, coughing once.

"Twelve grand," Louisa muttered to him, returning to the changing room. "I could send you to college for twelve grand. 'N' get lunch." She swished the curtain shut after one final glare at Piper. Piper sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Sally patted her on the shoulder in commiseration.

"You got further than anyone else ever would. You've done well."

"Yeah, but… she still hasn't picked anything. Just odds and ends."

"Lou is all odds and ends, but I know she trusts you, trusts your judgement. I do too." Sally nodded. "Let her feed Bradley. You take a break, take a deep breath. You're doing great."

"Here," Hazel said, standing to pass her sketchbook over. "Does this help?"

Piper sunk into the armchair, momentarily vacated by Reyna in search of a bathroom, and studied the pencil drawings. Hazel had been quick with her work, keeping up with Louisa's indecisiveness, but accurate in her depictions all the same. She had also added her own notes, scribbled out some tiny designs of her own.

Piper had to hold the sketchbook closer to read the writing, so tiny in places, thoughts whirring to life as she did.

"Hazel," she said without looking up, "you and I need to work together."

"What? Oh, no, no… I couldn't intrude—"

"You're not intruding. I'm insisting. These," she fanned the sketchbook, "are brilliant. I need you on my team." Hazel flushed, delighted.

Piper had been on the brink of despair, too many options to pin any one thing down. Hazel, an outsider on the couch, hadn't had to deal with Louisa's nitpicking and constant dislikes, the frowning and swearing and fighting with infinite folds of material in the changing room. She had had the opportunity to observe things Piper would not have seen up close and had come up with some truly wonderful things that helped Piper put some pins in.

Together, she and Hazel came up with some rough ideas, stuff to be finalised away from prying eyes and ears. She allowed herself a half hour at this, reminding herself Louisa was still in the changing room and awaiting the next over-priced torment.

She was sitting on the floor, in the bathrobe, her legs stretched out before her and crossed at the ankles. Bradley, fed and burped, was standing on her stomach, her arms supporting him beneath his diapered bottom. He was smiling, tipping his head left and then right. Louisa was copying the motion, which made him giggle.

"OK," Piper said, crouching beside her. "We have some ideas."

"Ah!" Bradley said. Piper smiled, stroking his warm cheek.

"Hello, sweetheart." He burbled happily and ducked his head, lying on his mama's shoulder. Piper pouted, shaking herself back into focus at Louisa's arched eyebrow. "Right, right. Hazel and I are working together now. We'll come up with something for you."

"Does that mean I can get dressed now?"

"Yes."

"'N' we can get food?"

"Yes."

"Thank fuck for that, I'm starvin'. Here, take him for a sec, would ya?"

"Oooh, you're never getting him back," Piper cackled, holding the adorable Bradley close and running out. Bradley cooed and grabbed at a feather in her hair.

"Moms!" Louisa called. Piper's path was suddenly blocked by Sally and Jessica. She took a step back, smiling sheepishly, sweetly.

"I was only to going to borrow him."

"Yes," Jessica said with a steely eye, "borrow."

"It's not fair," Piper muttered. "I want one."

"Well, go get one then," Jessica shrugged. Sally swatted her arm.

"That's not how that works!"

"I found that one," she jabbed a finger at the curtain, "on a beach, washed up and half-dead. Why can't Piper find one too?" Sally shook her head, mystified.

"Pretty sure that's called kidnapping."

"Naysayer. Take your pick, Piper, but don't take my Bradley. He's my only bit of sanity."