Disclamer: I don't own anything.

Jason POV

Once he jumped from the ladder and onto the soil beneath him Jason finally felt like he was back where he should be.

The buildings (although damaged) were as familiar to him as his own 2 hands. The smells and sounds, the faces in the crowd... they were all part of his home. Jason hadn't truly realized how much he had missed New Rome until he was standing there before it.

But it was different now. The atmosphere was... tired. And wary. And it seemed like in the middle of the crowd there was a disturbance that caught everyone's attention. Yet Jason was very glad to be home.

But then she stepped out and Jason had eyes only for her.

Reyna.

Her hair, as glossy and dark as ever was hanging loose over her shoulders. She wore all of her medals and her praetor cape and her stance was half welcoming and half offensive. Her eyes were black and glittering and when they met Jason's the corners of her mouth twitched up.

Jason vaguely felt Annabeth move from beside him to greet her and he turned to watch the two girls meet for the first time.

But then someone else, an unfamiliar demigod, stepped out of the crowd and Jason saw Annabeth gasp silently.

He was tall. Dark hair, tan skin and very muscular. He was handsome, Jason had to admit. And the moment Jason caught sight of him he felt the powerful aura of the demigod. So much that Jason could have mistaken him for a god. It was muted power, but definitely there. But one thing about him bugged Jason.

He wore the other praetor cloak.

Now Jason knew he had no right to be annoyed or angry at this. He had been gone for 8 months. Of course they would elect a new praetor. It's just that this guy... he didn't threaten Jason exactly more like... intimidated him. Wait no, that wasn't it either.

He unsetlled him.

Jason just couldn't get past the cloak hanging off of his shoulders. It wasn't even fastened correctly which made Jason think that he must not have been praetor for long. It had taken Jason years to become Praetor. Starting at age 9 Jason knew he wanted to be the praetor. It had taken him 5 years to get the position.

And his eyes. Even they held power. Sea green, full of knowledge and happiness. But those emotions were hidden behind two very obvious ones.

Love and relief.

And when Jason followed the guy's gaze he was met with Annabeth Chase.

Was this...?

He saw Reyna turn and tried to meet her eyes but she was studiously avoiding his gaze. She studied him for a moment before speaking. "Jason Grace, my former colleague," Jason was surprised at her tone of voice. Finally he met her eyes and was unsure of what he saw there. She was glad to have him home but she was... colder. Not as open or warm as she used to be. It was like... like she had finally gave up on him after months of worrying and now that he was back she wasn't sure what to think.

Or maybe he was reading too much into it.

She continued as if they were strangers yet to meet and get to know each other. "I welcome you home. And these, your friends-"

Then something happened. Something Jason couldn't completely understand.

Both the guy and Annabeth surged forward, moving at the exact same time. Jason cried out to her, trying to tell her to stop but he didn't think she heard him. What was that praetor doing? More importantly, what was Annabeth?

She was going to get them all killed.

And then the pair wrapped their arms around each other and both pairs of lips touched each other and Jason could swear he saw Annabeth relax for the first time since he had met her. He knew that this was one of the happiest moments of her life.

Jason heard sighs around him and turned to see Piper smiling like everything was suddenly great. Even Jason had to admit that the love coming off of the two demigods was heart warming.

The guy pulled back, but he never took his eyes off of her. "Gods, I never thought-"

Jason had one thought before Annabeth judo-flipped him. Even his voice was powerful and held a tone of leadership.

But then Annabeth brought a hand to his wrist and flipped him over her shoulder. Jason didn't know how she did it, he knew Annabeth was strong but not that strong. Maybe it was adrenaline, because the guy was probably about 50 pounds heavier than her, but he flew through the air. He landed on the stone pavement and Jason was surprised when the guy didn't even wince.

The romans cried and started to pull out their weapons and Jason winced internally, knowing what would inevitably follow.

But then Reyna surprised him.

"Hold! Stand down!"

The romans looked at her unsurely, and only when the guy opened his eyes did they obey her.

Annabeth pressed her knee to what Jason assumed was Percy Jackson's chest and pushed her fore arm to his throat. Jason saw her ragged breathing and looked at Percy's face which held a look of, surprisingly, amusement.

Was the guy Jason had been hearing so much about crazy?

Suddenly Jason saw Annabeth was blinking rather rapidly and surprise took over him. Annabeth was crying? She never cried. Jason had only known her for eight months but in the first week he spent with her he knew she was one of the stongest demigods he had ever met. She had never broken down and from what people (ahem Travis and Connor Stoll) had told him she was as ferocious as a titan on a bad day.

So now, seeing her like this, it made Jason re-evaluate the guy. Percy wasn't much on the outside, but he must have a huge effect on Annabeth to make her almost break down like this.

"If you ever leave me again," she hissed at Percy, "I swear to all gods-"

And then he laughed. That was when Jason knew Percy was crazy.

No one- and Jason meant no one- ever laughed at Annabeth while she was like that. If she had you pinned down and you were the reason for her anger then you stuttered out an apology and tried to not let her stab you when you ran away. Everyone knew that.

But Percy laughed. His eyes still held the love and amusement and his body was as relaxed as if he were sun tanning on a beach. Jason could see Annabeth's shoulders fall into a relaxed stance.

It was the first time Jason had seen her give in to anyone.

"Consider me warned," Percy finally said, still amused. Suddenly his eyes warmed, "I missed you, too."

A smile adorned the blonde's face and she helped raise her boyfriend to his feet. He casually dusted himself off but Jason saw that neither his, nor Annabeth's eyes left one another.

Jason cleared his throat, trying to clear the awkward silence that had started to come over the group of demigods. "So yeah... It's good to be back."

There was a few laughs but no one made a move to welcome him. There was no big reunion, not like Percy and Annabeth's and Jason couldn't help but feel a pang of hurt. He knew that Romans were taught and disciplined strictly but surely they could have at least smiled at him.

Maybe it was from all of the time Jason had spent with the Greeks, but he knew that he had become more open. More emotional, not so cut off and harsh. Warmer. Maybe that's why it twisted his heart when no one, not even Reyna, moved to acknowledge him in a way that showed they cared. Maybe after 8 months of seeing people worry and stressing about someone else he had hoped they had been doing the same for him.

Right now he highly doubted it.

Or maybe it was even the reunion Percy and Annabeth had just shared, and how they hadn't cared who had seen them or judged them. They had just focused on being together again.

Jason was snapped out of his thoughts by Piper's hand slipping into his. He met her eyes and she smiled at him, glancing towards Annabeth and Percy and back again. He smiled at her, understanding what she was trying to convey with eyes alone and squeezed her hand.

He thought that Annabeth seemed better already too.

She squeezed back and Reyna cleared her throat quietly, but loud enough for close demigods to hear. Jason turned to meet her eyes and instead of letting his true emotions show he smiled at her.

Gently he dragged Piper towards the female praetor. It was obviously up to him to make the introductions since Annabeth was... occupied.

"Reyna this is Piper. Piper meet Reyna."

The two girls appraised each other, and Jason could see Reyna's eyes flicker with doubt.

"Piper helped to defeat a giant." he blurted out.

Reyna's eyes filled with surprise and she turned to him. "Is that so?" her voice was slightly cold but it held something in it, something Jason hadn't heard in a long time from Reyna.

Hurt.

He nodded, suddenly embarrased at his outburst. "Leo, Piper and I."

Reyna's eyes flitted to Leo before meeting Piper's again. "Well then you must be fiercer than you look."

Piper looked at Jason uncertainly, unsure whether she had been insulted. He covertly shook his head and Piper looked to Reyna and smiled. "Thank you, you're not the first to tell me that."

Reyna suddenly laughed. "You and I will have much to talk about. Now... you said the other boy was Leo."

Jason nodded, unaware of the sudden silence. He led the two girls over to Leo and turned to Reyna. "This is Leo."

Leo grinned and flashed a peace sign. "You must be Reyna."

Reyna nodded at him, unaware of the slight twinkle in his eyes. "Yes, that is my name."

Leo looked over to Jason. "When you said she was hot, you didn't quite-"

"Leo!" Piper and Jason said.

Reyna looked at Leo again. "I beg your pardon?"

He shrugged at her. "Nothing." He smiled again, steamrolling into another subject. "My last name is Valdez by the way."

Reyna looked at Jason and he sighed. "Leo has a lot of energy." He tried to explain.

Suddenly Leo groaned. "Jason," he whined, "you make me sound like a 2 year old."

Piper shot him a fake surprised look. "But isn't that what you are?"

Leo mumbled a "shut up beauty queen," while Jason laughed and Reyna smiled.

Jason looked around and spotted a head of blonde, curly hair. He looked back at Reyna. "There's someone else you need to meet."

Reyna glanced at Annabeth as well. "Yes, it seems Percy can be defeated by at least one person." Reyna's eyes twinkled. "I would very much like to meet this Annabeth he's mentioned."

Jason shot Piper a surprised but happy look. So Percy Jackson had remembered Annabeth? Jason knew one person who would be very happy to hear that.

But wait. Suddenly Jason stumbled on their way to see the blonde as a thought struck him.

Had Percy even had his memories taken away?

A flash of jealousy went through Jason but he shook it off. It was probably because of Percy's curse... the Achilles one. Maybe Hera couldn't remove his memories, or maybe he got his back faster than Jason had.

Piper touched his hand lightly, once again snapping him out of his thoughts. "Jason, you okay?"

He nodded. "Sure sorry, I just tripped."

Both girls looked at him worriedly but he shook of their questioning eyes. "I'm fine guys." He kept walking, hoping they would follow, and was relieved when they did. No need to trouble them with his irrational feelings.

They made it to Annabeth and Jason was surprised to find Percy's arm around her waist. Usually Romans didn't show public displays of affection. Maybe a glance here or there, or a touch or two, but nothing long term.

But then again, these two had already shown they didn't care what the Romans thought of their relationship. And, Jason supposed, they weren't really Roman either.

"And this is Annabeth. Uh, normally she doesn't judo-flip people." he said.

Reyna's eyes flicked from Percy, whom she had been looking at previously, to Annabeth and her eyes suddenly sparkled. "You sure you're not a Roman, Annabeth? Or an Amazon?"

Annabeth's eyes turned confused for a moment before they cleared. Jason saw Percy give Annabeth a slight, almost non-existing squeeze and then she held out her hand to Reyna. "I only attack my boyfriend like that," she said, and Jason could even heard the happiness in her voice. He saw Reyna glance at Percy again and was surprised to see a sort of sadness there. The blonde continued. "Pleased to meet you."

Reyna seemed to accept the answer and brought her hands together. "It seems we have a lot to discuss. Centurions!"

Jason didn't miss how Piper slipped her hand into his again when more Roman soldiers stepped out of their rank. Again he saw Reyna glance at Annabeth and Percy and then at Piper and himself. He also didn't miss how Annabeth leaned into Percy slightly when the attention was again off them.

At the sudden twist in his gut a feeling overcame Jason. For the first time in the past 8 months he wasn't sure he wanted to be home.

oooOOOooo

There the first chapter! The next one will be Piper and then Leo and so on. I hope you all liked it!

Reviews are loved and appreciated!

Love you all!

Percyjacksonfan3