Author's Note: When I first read the first Mark of Athena chapter, I felt absolutely heartbroken. For Reyna. Jason is Piper's boyfriend. Kill. Me. Now. SO, I decided to write as many Jason/Reyna fics I have the time to write to show my support for the pairing! I don't hate Piper but I just strongly dislike her paired up with Jason. I've been wanting to do this for a while but me writing my other stories hasn't spared me the time. So, better late than never!

Please review or favorite or anything but flame! But, that is optional. (It just makes me happy.)

No, sadly, I do NOT own PJO or Jason and Piper would NEVER have been together.

Enjoy!

"You're Roman, Grace," Reyna said emotionlessly, studying Jason with the expression of a tigress stalking her prey.

"Since when are we on last name terms, Rey?" Jason raised his eyebrows at his former fellow praetor.

"Since you're suddenly going all Greek on me." Reyna replied casually as if she was just commenting on the weather.

"You say that as if that is a bad thing." Jason said defensively, narrowing his eyes at Reyna.

Reyna gave him one of her well-known cold, you're-an idiot, praetor smiles, "That's exactly what I meant."

"What exactly, Praetor?" Jason spat out the last word. His blood was boiling. Reyna doesn't know the Greeks as he does.

"You just did it. I don't recall you being that defensive about the greaci since I last saw you before you got switched." Her voice was cool and controlled. Almost too controlled.

"Look, I'm just saying that they're not all bad, okay?" Jason took a deep breath. His temper was as unpredictable as storms. Reyna was always the one with the cool head.

"Okay. Well, I'm just saying you've certainly have changed, Grace." The last word was taunting and uncharacteristically filled with venom.

"Change is good, right?" Jason looked at her quizzically. But at the same time, he was daring her to say different.

"I haven't decided whether you've changed for the better or worse. All I can say, is that you've certainly have changed a lot." Reyna leaned back onto her chair, examining Jason as if figuring out the best way to tackle him, the way she would study an enemy.

"Is this about my loyalties again?" Jason asked with an edge to his voice. He was tired of discussing this over and over again.

"It would be best for everyone if you declare your loyalties. The sooner, the better. I have to look for suitable future praetors as I just simply cannot have Octavian sitting next to me in this chair." She gestured to the chair that had once belonged to Jason. The Jason she knew.

Jason locked his jaws angrily. He knew she was taunting him, "I told you I'm loyal to Rome. But I also love Camp Half-Blood." He added the last sentence as his own affront to her.

"So you're not Roman." Reyna said decisively.

"What is wrong with you? Of course I'm Roman!" Jason protested. He has been longer here than she was for Jupiter's sake!

"Then you're some odd Roman. But if that's so, you most certainly not Jason Grace," she replied slickly.

"I am Jason Grace and you know it." Jason glared at her furiously.

"Oh, really? Well, the Jason Grace I knew and fought besides would never doubt his loyalty to Rome. He would never desert his friends and comrades. He is the son of Jupiter, not Zeus. He is actually a true Roman." The venom in her voice was definitely starting to show.

"That is just who I am! And that is why I won't desert Leo and Piper and the others." Jason said triumphantly.

"Oh? So you'd leave all your friends here, the ones you've fought a war with and grew up with, because you won't desert your Greek friends? How Roman of you to be so loyal to your friends. Lupa and the entire Legion are so proud of you." Sarcasm dripped from her every word. She was actually seething inside while she kept her 'praetor mask' on tight.

"Look, Reyna, I- we don't have time for this. There's a war going on in case you haven't noticed. And we need to unite in order to win this war." Jason was having a hard time keeping his anger out of his voice. But he knew if Reyna don't support them, none of the Romans will.

"Well, I have noticed. But I'm sure the Legionnaires here would do much better if they knew whether their saving grace will be staying for good or not. It would be best if you stopped torturing them with that kind of hope," Reyna said calmly. Sure she looked calm, but in her mind, she has already killed Jason nine times over.

"You know my loyalties lie with Rome and always will." Jason said forcefully. He needed Reyna to trust him. They all need Reyna's trust since the Legion will follow Reyna and Reyna only.

"Oh? And what of your Greek girlfriend, Piper?" Reyna smiled coldly.

"Don't bring Piper into this!" Jason yelled at her. What is it with her? She just loves using Piper against him, doesn't she?

Reyna tutted disapprovingly, "See what I mean? You do have strong feelings for her. You just can't promise me that you'd stay in Rome. Even if you did, I wouldn't believe you."

"I am a Child of Rome. You can trust my word." Jason stated proudly.

Reyna mused quietly in a somewhat cruel way, "Yes, a supposedly Child of Rome. Lupa always said that the Children of Rome never doubt their loyalty to Rome. Or have you forgotten that along with everything else?"

Jason nearly screamed out loud in his frustration. "Why do you have to make things so freakin' difficult?"

"Why do you have to make things difficult for everyone including yourself?"

"You're the one making things difficult! Why can't you just get along with the Greeks?" Jason yelled exasperatedly.

Reyna's dark eyes flashed with anger, "I am getting along! If I wasn't, your ship would be burned down and the greaci would be prisoners by now!"

"You aren't even making an effort to like or trust them!" Jason protested whiningly.

"Who says I have to like them? I just have to cooperate with them to save Camp and the world, don't I? And as for trusting them, they have to earn my trust. Lupa must've taught you to be wary, hasn't she? Or have you forgotten that as well?" Reyna bit her lip disapprovingly.

"Stop bringing up the part where I lost my memory! I can't help it, okay?" Jason yelled at her.

"If Camp Jupiter or anyone or anything here was important enough, you would've at least have fragments of it, like Percy did." Reyna stated quietly.

Then a silence descended between the two.

The words stung and Jason was pretty sure Reyna knew it too. It hurt much more even than accusing him of not being Roman. It hurt because it was true. "I…"

"Have changed a lot. Too much, in fact. I can barely recognize you as one of my closest friends here. You're nothing like the Jason Grace I knew. This," she gestured to the empty praetor chair next to her sadly, "once belonged to him as you should know. He…he was a great friend to me. Funny, brave, and extremely idiotic," Reyna gave a brittle laugh, "He was the person I trusted the most in the Legion, the best leader, and probably the most courageous warrior I've ever known. He disappeared eight month ago and I don't think I've seen him since. I'm also pretty sure he's gone forever and I'll never see him again," she ended bitterly. It was like talking about someone who is already dead. But the Jason she once knew and maybe even loved was already long gone.

Jason looked down, "You talk about him as if he is already dead."

"But he is." Reyna half-whispered.

"No, you're wrong. How can you judge me if you haven't even bother to be my friend again?" Jason's voice was getting louder by the moment.

"You're the one who's wrong! You're not him! You just don't understand! How am I supposed to be you friend if I don't know if I can trust you or not?" Reyna yelled with her voice unusually higher than usual. She felt furious and tears were gathering in her eyes already. Uh-oh. This was not good at all.

Jason immediately noticed something different in Reyna's eyes, which were normally cold, unemotional, and ever so strong. Reyna…looked vulnerable. Like a girl whose boyfriend had just died in a car accident. "Gods…I'm…I'm sorry, Reyna. I didn't mean to make you-"

"Cry? I'm not crying. I'm perfectly fine!" Reyna said, laughing albeit hysterically. Sometimes, all you can do is laugh to keep the tears from falling.

"No, I've known you for years. I know that you-"

Reyna cut in, "No, you don't know. But he did." She jerked her head towards a picture hanging on the wall. It was a picture of Jason and Reyna, newly elected praetors at the height of their powers. Jason's arm was casually slung around Reyna's shoulders. They were smiling brightly, like no one and nothing can bring them down or tear them apart.

With that, she tidied her appearances, cleared her throat and said, "I have business to attend. Good day…whoever you may be or claim to be." Then, she turned and left Jason, the new one, looking at the old picture and thinking deeply.

"Wait!" Jason said firmly, just before Reyna was out the door.

"What?" Reyna said coldly, not bothering to turn back to face Jason Grace.

"It'll just be a matter of time. You'll see. I will prove to you that I am Jason Grace." Jason said with confidence.

"Oh? We'll see, Jason. We'll see about that." Reyna walked away with the faintest trace of a smile on her face.

Jason allowed himself a small half-triumphant smile as he looked up at the old photo again. And the chase was on again.

Just like the old times.

"It'll be a matter of time, Rey. You'll see. I will win your heart one way or another."

"Oh? We'll see, Jason. We'll see about that."

Author's Note: Well, how was it? I don't usually write one-shots much. But tell me what you think!

Smiles and chocolate to everyone!