The overhead light flickered dimly in the praetor's office as Jason yawned, piercing the silence of the cavernous room.

He turned to the dark haired girl beside him.

"I'm calling it a day. Night, Reyna."

"Mm," Reyna acknowledged placidly, continuing to shuffle her papers busily.

"Aren't you coming?" Jason wondered.

"I'll catch up."

"Reyna, it's after midnight."

"I'll catch up."

Jason shrugged. "Okay, then."

As he turned to leave, Reyna looked up and caught his eyes. Her jet black eyes swam with an emotion Jason couldn't pinpoint...hope?

"Would..." Reyna cleared her throat. "We have furlough tomorrow...would...would you like to get some hot chocolate together?"

Reyna's eyes sparkled forlornly as if she already knew the answer .

Guiltily, Jason thought of a long ago day when he offered a lost new girl comforting chocolate and said

"Um...I'd love to...but I have...paperwork. That needs done. Soon."

His face reddened with shame and he didn't miss a second getting out of there once Reyna gave him a curt nod.

He sighed in the cold night air, zipping up his windbreaker.

He knew he should tell Reyna the truth. It wasn't right to get her hopes up. But it was so hard to let down such a good friend. And she had lost so much already. How could he bring himself to do that to her?

He looked bitterly at his forearm where hidden under his jacket lay his legion marks.

Like everything in his life, Reyna was a duty, a part he had to play.

He rubbed his arm in the chill, thinking Reyna wouldn't like him if she knew what he was really like.

If she knew he resented the mark on his arm he should be proud of...that he didn't want the leadership the legion thrusted upon him... or being treated like a hero just because of his dad, never for his own merits.

The familiar surge of guilt overcame him. It was his personal shame to bear that he secretly wanted to be anywhere but at camp. That he wanted his own life, to live it the way he wanted.

"Like that'll happen," he muttered to himself, crossing the street. "You're stuck with this place forever, Grace. Get used to it."

Don't be so sure, my champion.

Jason swung around, his sword ready.

Standing in front of him was a tall, middle aged woman with a goatskin cloak, smiling at him.

Jason's eyes widened. "Ju...?"

But Juno was already raising her hand and Jason fell into unconsciousness...

…And woke up on a bus, a girl holding his hand.

A/N: I've been gone a while, huh? I got some requests to continue this and I've been meaning to so here it is! I feel like it's a good time to do so, what with the resolution to his character arc in BOO.

Thank you for reading/reviewing/ect.!