''I know that something is wrong, you can't fool me.''

''It's nothing, it's just…''

''You miss them.''

No answer came.

''I can always show you if you want.''

''It's been too long. I don't know…''

''People don't forget so easily.''

''But it's been over five years!''

''Let's see then!''

Another silence. And then…

''Fine, show me.''

Piper was trying really hard to concentrate on her papers, she really was, but her head was hurting too much for that. How could she leave her assignment for the last moment again? She sighed in frustration, cursing her dyslexia for what seemed to be the thousandth time.

''Oh, come on!'' she practically yelled in frustration when her laptop's screen froze and refused to continue. ''You have got to be kidding me!''

''Hey Pipes!'' came Jason's greeting from the front door as he was entering their little apartment.

''In the bedroom damn it!'' she shouted back in response and he froze in his bend-down position to stare with a cocked eyebrow at the direction of his girlfriend's voice. Since when did she greet people swearing?

He walked towards their bedroom and entered cautiously. His eyes landed on the desk, placed by the window, where Piper was sitting, furiously glaring at her laptop.

''Hey, are you okay?'' he asked, coming to stand behind her and threw a glance at the screen.

''Just peachy.'' Her answer came forcefully while she was slamming the keyboard with hatred. ''I have this assignment for tomorrow that I forgot about and now, this stupid piece of shit won't work with me!''

Jason blinked a couple of times at her unusual behavior. She had noticed that lately, she was more cranky than…ever actually. She wasn't easy to annoy but recently, she was acting so out of character. Like forgetting things; she was usually one of those who remembered every detail about something that had happened months ago. And yet, this was the third project she had forgotten about this month.

Jason shook his head and placed his hands on her shoulders, massaging gently. Her head leaned on his stomach and she looked up at him with tired eyes.

''Maybe you should take a break. You've been stressing out for what, the whole afternoon? A few hours of relaxation won't hurt you.''

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

''Something must be wrong. Since when are you the one to pull me away from work?'' she smiled a little and he couldn't resist leaning down to kiss her lips.

''Since you've turned into a workaholic.''

And again, she surprised him by averting her eyes, looking nervous. His eyebrows scrunched. Was something wrong with her? Had he missed something? His thoughts were interrupted by her words.

''Well, I guess I can finish this later. I have to give it in tomorrow though so the break must be a short one.'' She stretched a little and stood up, heading for the kitchen.

She was trying to come off as casual but Jason didn't buy it. Something was clearly going on, something important for her to not want to even meet his eyes. But more of that later.

''Pipes, we don't have classes tomorrow, remember? It's Saturday an we're leaving for the Grand Canyon…like every ear since…since the war.''

Piper froze in her spot, the cup she had just taken out of the cupboard slipping from her numb fingers and shattering on the floor. She turned slowly towards him, eyes wide.

''No, I would have remembered that…I would have, I wouldn't forget…'' her eyes flew to the calendar on the wall next to the fridge and she gasped. ''No.''

She stepped back, grabbing the counter behind her for support. Her breaths started coming out unevenly. When the first tear rolled down her cheek, Jason closed the distance between them and immediately hugged her to his body.

''Hey, it's okay.'' He murmured in her hair as her body was trembling in his arms. ''Everyone forgets something once in a while.''

''But…but this is Leo…this is our anniversary…how could I…''she couldn't continue, her voice caught in her throat. ''It was my idea…how could I just forget?''

Jason walked them to one of the kitchen chairs and sat there, pulling Piper on his lap. She was still clinging to him, her shoulders shaking from her quiet sobs.

''I can't believe it…I betrayed him…''

At this, he pulled her a little away to look her in the eyes.

''Hey, look at me Pipes.'' He said firmly, placing both his palms on her cheeks, brushing the tears there. ''You didn't betray him. You hear me? You could never betray him. He used to forget so many things when he was busy, he would hardly hold this against you.''

It was quiet for a few minutes as Piper calmed down. Finally she sniffled one last time and pulled herself away from his damp shirt.

''Sorry about that, I didn't mean to ruin your shirt.'' She mumbled, her head downcast.

A finger appeared under her chin and Jason pulled her head up so their eyes met.

''Don't mention it.'' He answered with a smile. ''I just want to know if you are okay?''

She nodded but he wasn't reassured. Her nervousness was back, she was biting her lower lip.

''What's wrong?''

Her eyes scanned her surroundings as if looking for an escape and Jason tightened his hold on her. She sighed, glancing up at him shyly.

''Promise you won't be mad.'' Her voice was small, unsure and it made Jason even more worried than before.

''I could never be mad at you Pipes.'' He answered incredulously, trying to find the answer in her eyes but failing miserably. ''You can tell me everything.''

She suddenly found her fidgeting hands between them the most interesting thing in the room. A few sighs escaped her but no words came out. Finally, she took a deep breath and looked up at him.

''Jase, I…I know we haven't really talked about this and it's sudden but we can't really go back now. I mean, we can but I don't think I want to. No, I definitely don't want to, but I'm scared and it's too early but…''

''Whoa, slow down there.'' He chuckled, stopping the river of words that was coming out of her mouth. Nervous wasn't even covering it anymore. ''Spill Pipes, you're scaring me more.''

Her next words were mumbled and Jason had to lean a little but he still didn't hear anything.

''Sorry, what?''

''I'm…pregnant.''

Whatever he was expecting, it wasn't this. His mind froze, as did his body, while he was trying to accept this tad bit of information. Pregnant…Piper was pregnant?

''Like with a baby?'' he heard his voice without registering moving his mouth.

Piper laughed shortly, nervously.

''Well, yeah. I mean, what are you expecting, a giraffe?''

He chuckled too, not really registering any information because…yeah, a baby. A living breathing mini human…inside his girlfriend. He put it in there. Well, he helped, it definitely didn't happen only because of him and him alone. But gods…they were going to be parents?! Like, real parents?

''Gods.'' Yeah, brilliant orator skills there Grace, he scolded himself but seriously, this was big and he was allowed to have a moment. Right? Right.

''Please say something.'' Piper's small voice brought him back to reality and he looked at her.

She had drawn back from him a little, her hands playing with strands of her hair that fell around her face as she stared at the dark brown carpet in front of her. She looked so…scared and vulnerable. Jason couldn't recall the last time she had let herself be like this. With a pang of guilt, he realized that she shouldn't feel scared when she was with him. He wanted her to be safe. He wanted her to be sure that he would be there no matter what because that's exactly what he was gonna do.

That's why he tightened his hands around her waist and closed the distance between them yet again. The familiar feeling of her body pressed to his calmed him down enough to let him form coherent thoughts again. And when that happened…

''Oh shit!'' Piper turned to look at him and he hurried to explain before she could fall in hysteria. ''Your dad is going to just kill me!''

She laughed and he couldn't help but sigh in relief, feeling her relax a little.

''We fought Mother Earth herself, not to mention all her vicious children and my dad is able to actually scare you?''

''Well, you are his only child, his daughter. Gods, if you were my daughter, I would kill the guy that got you pregnant at the age of twenty!''

She chuckled again and he shot her a scared look, which caused even more laughter to escape her.

''I'll protect you, he won't dare hurt the father of his grandchild.''

''Smart Beauty queen. You tell him that and I'll be flying across the ocean without my powers.''

''A) My dad can't kick that hard no matter what you've seen in his movies and B) Leo is rubbing off on you.''

But as soon as the last sentence slipped from her, the mood in the room shifted. The two became quiet, not really knowing what to say, how to react to the sudden ache that always followed the memory of Leo Valdez: the best friend they lost in the war.

''He would have been so happy for us, you know.'' Jason then mumbled in her hair.

''He would have been the best uncle ever.'' Piper nodded, quickly brushing her cheeks to get rid of the fallen tears. ''I miss him so much.''

''Me too Pipes. But I'm sure he's in a better place right now.''

After a second, both of them burst out laughing through their tears.

''If he was watching us right now, he would have clamed this moment as the most cheesy in the history of cheesiness.'' She laughed, meeting Jason's electric blue eyes.

''As always, he'll be right on the spot.''

''I told you so.'' She says in that I'm-always-right tone that makes him so annoyed.

He rolls his eyes at her and looks away.

''Whatever.'' But he can't hide the smile that practically splits his face. His gaze returns back to the frozen picture of Jason and Piper huddled on the kitchen chair, hands clasped securely over her belly. ''Thank you.'' He finally sighs, giving up because really, he doesn't feel like fighting with her right now.

He's surprised by her laugh and turns to look at her.

''They aren't only your friends you know. They are your family. And Leo, people don't ever move on from family. No matter how far away they are from each other.''

''Maybe.'' He shrugs because he really doesn't know. Family wasn't something he had much experience with.

''I can always send you back there, you know that.'' Her voice is casual but her eyes can't hide the truth.

Leo faces her fully, grabbing her hands in the process.

''I made a promise and I'm kinda keen on keeping it so please, don't think that you can get rid of me so easily Sunshine.''

Calypso rolls her eyes dramatically but her laughter shows him that she isn't really mad.

''What a lucky one I am.''

Their eyes meet and the humor between them shifts. Leo leans towards her unconsciously and their lips meet in the middle. His breathing is shallow when they separate but he still manages to chuckle.

''They can take care of themselves.''

Okay, I'm really REALLY sorry about not being around these past few…months actually. I'm not going to start explaining why because the story is pretty long and I'm sure, too boring. The only thing I have to say is that I'm going to move out of my house soon to go study into Medical university! I was accepted and I'm so happy! It was really hard to bet accepted but it's totally worth it!

Enough for me. How did you like the story? I feel like I should clear something about the plot: for everyone Leo died in the war but in reality, the gods took pity on him and sent him to Calypso's island to stay there for eternity with her. No one else knows about this though.

Please review and let me know, it means the world to me! LOVE you guys so very MUCH!

P.S. I want to thanks all those of you who stayed with me even when I wasn't updating and publishing. Seriously guys, you are the reason why I keep doing this.