I always wanted to know so bad what Jason and Piper's first kiss was like. I'm sure Rick Riordan could have done it better, but . . .

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The night was cold. Piper McLean shivered and watched as all the other demigods hastened into their cabins; she was soon left alone, with just a few half-bloods, stumbling sleepily toward bed, and some nymphs, cleaning up what was left after the campfire: some blankets, folding chairs, an empty hot chocolate cup rolling on the ground . . .

Piper yawned and rubbed her arms. The chill of December made her cold, even though she was wearing a wool jacket.

She was sitting on a long wood bench, her honorary seat at the campfire, as the head counselor of Cabin 10.

Piper stood and headed toward her cabin. Because she was the head counselor of her Aphrodite siblings, it was her duty to set a good example to them, and go to sleep early.

Halfway there, something made Piper stop. She glanced toward the Zeus cabin and squinted. Was there someone on top of the roof? Piper sighed, thinking it was a Stoll brother. Travis and Connor were always up to mischief and pranks. She knew it was dangerous to be on top of a cabin roof, but she didn't want to bother Chiron about it. She'd just walk over and tell whoever it was to get down. If they didn't listen—she was thinking, Stoll!—then she'd just charmspeak them into coming down.

As Piper came toward the cabin, she noticed that the person sitting on it was too muscular to be a Stoll brother. Also, it was only one person. Usually the Stolls were together in everything.

Piper grew more puzzled as she came closer. This person had blond hair. The moon reflected off his blond head—it was now obvious that it was a he—making his hair seem almost golden.

Piper caught her breath. It was Jason.

She panicked and thought about running away. Her legs were trembling. She was taking short, quick breaths.

But Jason noticed her. She could almost imagine a smile on his puzzled face as he gazed down at her. Jason raised an arm in a half-hearted wave. "Piper! What are you doing?" Jason asked.

"Oh, uh," Piper stammered. "I was just . . . It's not safe to be up on a roof."

Jason laughed quietly. Piper felt worse.

"Are you going to tell Chiron on me?" he asked her. Piper gazed up into his bright blue eyes. She could see them even in the dark, all the way here on the ground. She realized he was daring her.

"No." She sighed wistfully. "I might have to charmspeak you to come down, though. It really isn't safe."

Jason smiled at her. He gestured for her to come up. "Come on up. It's a nice night out, and the stars are brilliant."

"I can't." Piper shrugged helplessly. "I'm the head counselor to my cabin, and I'm supposed to set a 'good example' to my siblings." She made air quotes with her fingers. "I'm not sure staying up late on roofs is a good example."

"Oh, they're off in bed. You can come up for a few minutes," Jason insisted.

Piper finally sighed, trying her very hardest to sound like she was actually hesitating. It took all her willpower not to jump on the roof now and clamber over next to Jason.

"I guess so . . ." she finally agreed, then took her time climbing up. She settled about a foot from Jason, so he wouldn't think she was actually excited about being up here with him.

Jason gave her a quick, flitting smile, which almost made Piper melt in a puddle on the roof. He pointed at the sky. "Have you ever seen so many stars?"

"Only here at Camp Half-Blood," Piper answered evenly. She hadn't even glanced at the sky. She was staring at Jason's face, thinking how handsome he looked, even in the dark. His eyes were bright. His mouth smiled, and Piper could see that little scar above his upper lip; she always had to try her hardest not to stare at it. She loved that scar.

Jason finally looked at her, still smiling. "I'm not sure I'm allowed to do this, either, but I actually climb up here quite a lot at night. It's so peaceful."

"Yeah," Piper agreed. Gods, can't you even make conversation? she scolded herself.

Piper cleared her throat. "So . . . um . . . is your memory coming back more, now?"

Jason gave her a puzzled look.

Just trying to make conversation, Piper thought nervously, sweat beginning to break out at her brow.

"Yes . . . I remember lots more now," Jason told her. He settled back on the roof. "I remember a lot about my old camp—Camp Jupiter. And my friends there, and my old job as a praetor."

"You remember your friends?" Piper said weakly. "That's . . . great."

"Yeah. I remember Dakota, and Bobby, and Hazel, and . . . Reyna," Jason said.

Piper noticed he'd hesitated at her name. "Who's she?" she asked casually.

"Oh, just a girl." Jason sighed.

"She must be pretty important for you to remember her," Piper noted. She immediately bit her tongue. Jason would know for sure now that Piper cared an awful lot about who this "Reyna" girl was, and that she wanted more than anything right now to know who she was.

Jason cocked his head at her. "I know what you're thinking, Piper," he said at last.

Piper gulped. "You do?" she said in a small voice.

"Yes. I know you're wondering who Reyna is, but don't worry;"—here Jason casually reached over and took her hand, and Piper's heart nearly leapt out of her throat—"she was just a friend of mine at Camp Jupiter. Nothing more." There was something strict in his eyes, as though he dared Piper to suggest that he and Reyna had been more than friends. Piper felt herself feeling suddenly light and bubbly with a warm happiness.

"The reason I remember her is because she was a praetor with me," Jason continued. "We worked together, saw each other at mealtimes. But she really was only my friend. I didn't have a . . . a girlfriend at Camp, Piper."

Piper took a long, shaky, deep breath, and let it out slowly. She looked off into the starry sky, suddenly realizing how truly beautiful it was. "Thank you, Jason," Piper said, still holding his hand, but not looking at him. "I had been wondering about your old life for quite some time."

"Well, you can rest assured that I wasn't romantically involved with anyone there." Piper could hear a smile in his voice. "I'd wanted to tell you that for a while, but I wasn't sure if you wanted to hear it, or if . . ." He trailed off.

"If what?" Piper asked, turning to look at him.

"Well, just . . . I thought it might hurt too much, since I'd already messed with your mind . . ."

Piper looked him squarely in the eye, though he wasn't meeting her gaze, and took his other hand in hers.

"Jason," she told him firmly. "Before our quest, I thought you were my boyfriend." The word hurt a bit in her mouth. It rang with a sad bitterness. "When I learned you weren't . . . I wanted you back more than anything."

Jason finally looked up and gazed into her eyes.

Gods, he has beautiful eyes, Piper thought. Then she suddenly shivered. We're sitting alone on a rooftop. In the dark. Holding hands. Staring at each other.

"I almost wished our fake memories had been real," Jason told her softly.

"Well, we can make new, better ones," Piper suggested. "Will that do?"

In answer, Jason leaned forward and kissed her. Piper was so surprised she almost toppled off the roof. She squeezed his hands tighter to keep from falling, and at the same time her lips were tingling. A warmness had crept up her chest to her face, making her feel lightheaded with a dizzying happiness.

Jason finally pulled back, but their faces were still so close together that Piper could feel his breath on her face. She hoped her own breath wasn't coming out too fast. She felt like she was hyperventilating.

"Was that all right, for a starter?" Jason breathed.

A smile had crept on Piper's face. Suddenly she couldn't stop herself from grinning. She was about to nod numbly in answer to Jason's question, when she heard some whispers and giggles below.

Piper looked down and gasped. The whole Aphrodite cabin was crowded below, watching eagerly and tittering on their feet. Some other campers were there also, and Leo, who couldn't keep a grin off his face. Everyone gasped or squealed when they saw Piper and Jason looking at them. Then everything was awkwardly quiet. Piper felt her face burning.

Suddenly one Hermes boy shouted, "I get the twenty bucks!"

Immediately everyone piped up what everyone else owed them.

They all began chiming in; some complaining that it wasn't a fair bet, because they hadn't been able to hear what Piper and Jason were saying (Piper was thankful for that). Others demanded that they be given their payment now. "I need money before tomorrow to pay off another bet!" one Hermes girl whined. And then others complained that they had been sure Piper would kiss Jason.

Apparently Piper and Jason were nothing more than a scam betting spree.

They eventually clambered down from the roof, and everyone swarmed them, chattering excitedly. Piper was sure Jason couldn't be blushing near as hard as she was.

One Aphrodite girl, smiling, folded her arms and told Piper in a scolding tone, "You're our head counselor. You're supposed to set a good example for us and be the first one in the cabin, and not sit on top of roofs."

"Is that what tipped you off?" Piper asked weakly.

Leo was standing to the side, grinning and saying things like, "Yeah, man. Good job. Go Piper!" and flashing peace signs.

Piper and Jason managed to say good night to each other in the crowd; Jason even kissed her on the cheek, which made everyone wild, and Piper blush harder. Several Aphrodite girls even fainted, after an "OH MY GODS! NOTHING'S BEEN THIS EPIC SINCE PERCY AND ANNABETH!" and they had to be dragged away.

Piper went into her cabin, smiling, her face feeling flushed.

She could barely get to the bathroom to change into her pajamas, because everyone kept asking, "How did it feel to kiss him?" Typical Aphrodite kids.

Piper ignored all her siblings' questions and finally climbed into bed, a satisfied smile on her face. She drifted off to sleep, still smiling. It was a peaceful night.