A/N: This is partially from Jason and Percy being my brotp and partially from watching End of Watch. I hope you enjoy.

Jason slunk onto the stool and placed his shaking hands on the table top. It took Piper three attempts to get his attention. "Jason! Off the fabric!" Her shouts finally making it through to him.

"Yeah," he muttered. "Sorry."

"What the hell is up with you?" She pulled the fabric away from him and made sure he hadn't damaged it.

"Just... saw someone today." He shook his head, trying to make sure the memory was real.

"Yeah?" Piper put the fabric bolt next to a stack of others that were also going to be used. "Someone from camp?"

"Percy," Jason said making Piper stop. He kept his head down but lifted his eyes enough to see her hands gripping the table edge and her mouth tight. "It was real."

"Jason losing them-"

"Saw Annabeth too." He cut her off.

"You didn't see them." She said soothingly.

"They're twelve." He looked up at her and caught the shock on her face.

"Jason... are you..." She expected him to fill in the blanks.

"I'm not losing it again. I know what I saw, it was them. Just... not them. They showed up at the department for a school tour. First thing she said was about the architecture, first thing he did... ask about a taser." Jason started laughing. He smiled at Piper. "They're going for it."

"You're... you're sure?" Jason nodded at her. "Why didn't you call me! Or text me? Jason why didn't you tell me sooner?" She grabbed a fabric pen and threw it at him.

"I thought the same thing you did. I thought I was seeing them again. I thought I was losing it, but when the other kids acknowledged them. When the teachers started yelling at Percy," Jason started laughing again. "I knew they were real I just couldn't understand it."

"They're together though?" Typical of Piper.

"Yeah, they say they are just friends but gods know how that worked out last time." Piper laughed with him.

"I wish I could see them." Piper's tone dropped and she lowered her head.

"I think you will," Jason reached out and cupped her chin. "I asked them if they wanted to go on a ride along."

"Jason! They're twelve!" He fought off her playful swipes.

"Yeah, that's about the time they started fighting monsters isn't it? Besides I was three..."

"When you were given as a sacrifice for a god? Yeah because that's what every kid needs." Piper still had issues with his history.

"I was more of a snackrifice, besides it made me into the man you love." He gave her a wink.

"Doesn't mean I want it to happen to our kids." Piper blushed when she realized what she had said. Jason stood up and walked around behind her placing his palms over her stomach.

"I won't let it happen. I promise." He kissed the side of her head. "Besides he'll just come marching back with an arm full of marks telling us he made Centurion."

Piper spun on him, "You think he's going to Camp Jupiter?" Jason leaned in and gave her a kiss.

"If he wants to, it is a lot closer. If not he can go to Camp Half-Blood. It doesn't really matter to me." He moved his hands in slow circles on her arms.

"You, the great Son of Jupiter, would let our son be a half-blood? What happened to that duty to Rome crap?"

"I found this cute little Greek in my bed one night and since then..." He chuckled as she punched him in the stomach.

"Crap that hurt." She shook her fist and he pulled it up to his lips, giving her a small kiss to make it better.

Piper leaned into his chest and let him wrap his arms around her. "You think it would be super weird to invite them over for dinner already?"

"Probably," Jason replied between bursts of laughter. "Give it some time. You'll see them again."

"I really miss them." She pressed her face into his chest and he felt her start to cry.

"I know baby, we all do." He whispered soothing things into her ear.

"Stupid hormones." She cursed.

"Yeah. Hormones." Jason received another fist in the stomach but this time he winced.

~~oOo~~

Jason parked the unmarked car in front of the apartment complex. He took a deep breath and ran through every thing again.

"They are twelve, the don't know about the gods, they don't know about monsters, they will be effected by the mist." He repeated to himself. "Don't let them out of the car, don't ask deep questions, don't ask about the relationship, don't ask anything creepy." He took another deep breath. "This is going to end badly."

Jason opened the door and headed up the stoop towards the buildings door. When he had reached the top step the door swung open and a grinning Annabeth stood in front of him.

"I told you it was him Payton." The blond girl called out triumphantly. Payton, Jason reminded himself. "He didn't think it was you." She gave Jason a smile and he played with is watch to keep his hands busy. Jason wasn't too proud to admit that he had been afraid of Annabeth, but now that she was Allyson it felt strange to be afraid of her. After all she was only twelve.

"I just thought he would have a cooler car. He's supposed to be some big-shot detective isn't he?" Jason smiled, Payton was still as bad with authority figure as he used to be.

"I am a big-shot and for that comment you get to sit in the back."

"What ever, Ally would have made me sit in the back anyways." Payton snorted.

"Yeah because making you act like a gentleman is such a big deal."

Jason waited for them to say goodbye to Payton's parents before taking them to the car. He gave them the run through on what they could and couldn't do. Gave them the safety and 'this is a serious job' speech and then took them to his favorite twenty four hour cafe.

He spent the night watching them joke around and be themselves. The same themselves he had known thirteen years ago at the end of the Second Giant War. Jason forced himself to keep from laughing at their antics and jokes. He knew Piper was going to lose it the first time Payton said something numb skulled and Allyson called him out on it.

"How does your wife feel about you being a detective?" Ally asked breaking him from his train of thought.

"Better than me being... in the military." He gave her a weak smile.

"You were in the army? Wicked." Payton said with a mouth full of pancakes covered in blueberry syrup.

"Not as cool as you think." Jason said softly. "War isn't fun. You lose friends," he looked between the two of them. "Some times people you really care about." Allyson nodded at him while Payton looked like the syrup had gone sour on him. "I shouldn't be talking about that. What about you two?"

"City planning," Allyson said quickly. "I want to help build something better, something that can last a long time and really help people." Jason nodded knowingly.

"What about you Pe-," Jason caught himself. "Payton."

The boy gave him a shrug. "I was thinking army I guess. I don't really know." Jason swallowed but Ally spared him from having to speak up.

"You're just going to go off and join the army?" Jason tried not to smile knowing why she was saying this.

"Yeah," Payton said matter-of-factly. "Why does it mater?"

"Because that's dangerous and you have people who care about you. Don't be dumb, you could do something else." Allyson offered.

"Yeah like what?" Payton huffed.

"You really like marine biology." Payton winced.

"That's what everyone says I should do. I'm tired of hearing that, think of something else." Payton rolled his eyes.

"'Think of something else?' Like I'm just supposed to plan your life for you?" Allyson shot at him.

"Well you are the one who always has a plan." Jason couldn't hold it any longer and started to laugh. He stopped when he realized they were glaring at him.

"You guys have a long time to figure that all out," he said trying to defuse the situation. "Just enjoy school and figure out what you really like doing."

"I already know I enjoy city planning. It's what I'm going to do." Jason gave her a smile.

"I'm sure it is Ally."

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry."

~~oOo~~

Just before the end of the ride along Jason found a reason to swing by his and Piper's apartment. He told the kids they could come up with him and meet Piper. He left out the again part.

When he pushed open the door she was waiting in the living room feigning interest in cleaning up the place.

"Hey, sweaty," Piper greeted him excitedly. "You two must be the tag alongs." Piper was beaming.

"Yeah," Jason said hunting down his car charger. "Payton and Allyson, this is my wife Piper. Piper, Jason and Allyson."

"Oh," Piper turned so only he could see her face and mouthed their names again. He just nodded knowing what she was thinking. "Well, it's nice to meet you two. Are you hungry?"

"Piper," Jason cut in. "They already ate and I took them to the Cafe for shakes and fries."

"I could eat." Payton said with a shrug.

"Seriously, Seaweed Brain?" Allyson gave him a scowl. Piper dropped the magazines she had been organizing and stared at the little girl in shock.

"I'm... I'm sorry..." Piper turned and ran from the room. She dipped into the bathroom and shut the door firmly behind her.

"Can you two wait outside?" Jason asked them. They nodded and went into the hall.

"Piper?" Jason checked on her through the door, he knew she was crying.

"She... she called him..."

"I heard Pipes, I didn't know... I should have though. I'm sorry I would have told you."

"No," Piper opened the door. "It's ok, really I just over reacted. Hormones right?"

"Hormones." He repeated giving her a hug. "I'll be back in a couple hours." She gave him a quick kiss and he went back to Payton and Allyson.

No one talked until they were back in the car and on their way to Payton's house. Eventually Allyson elbowed Payton in the ribs and he spoke up.

"I'm sorry about saying I could eat." He mumbled from the back of the car.

"No, really its ok. It's just... my wife is pregnant and... there's a lot of hormones... and being around kids." Jason tired to explain but he was still rattled by the incident.

"We're not really kids. I mean I'll be thirteen in only a few months." Payton said defensively.

"Right, teenagers then." Jason smiled. "Anyways don't worry about what happened. You didn't do anything wrong, Piper was actually happy." The two of them gave him quizzical looks in the rear view mirror. "She was, just trust me okay?"

Jason dropped off the two of them at the house and told them goodnight. He waited until they were inside the house before he pulled away from the curb and drove back to the station. It had been a warm spring night but Jason couldn't shake the chill on his skin.

~~oOo~~

Jason spent the next two weeks trying to come up with a reason to contact Payton and Allyson. He had run background checks on their entire families and even taken a discrete look at their school records. Everything was as he expected it to be, Allyson was getting straight A's and Payton was scraping by.

So it was a surprise when he got the call.

Jason's was finishing up the paperwork on a case when his phone rang again. He tried to contain his frustration thinking it was another call about where a file was or where a piece of evidence had been put. "Detective Grace," he said putting the desk phone to his ear.

"Hi Detective Grace, it's Allyson." The girls voice sent him into a panic.

"Allyson, is everything ok? What's going on?" He was already reaching to grab his keys and making sure he had his service weapon still on him. He calmed when he heard her laughing on the other end of the line.

"Every thing is fine. I was just hoping I could talk to you about Payton." Jason noticed the concern creep into her voice.

"Of course, what's the matter?" He leaned back in his chair.

"I was hoping you would talk to him. About his future. He still says he's thinking about going into the military and I thought maybe you could talk him out of it. I know he doesn't get the best grades but I could tutor him and he could get through collage. I know he could it's just that he has to find something ineresting-" Jason was struggling to keep up.

"Okay Allyson calm down. I'll talk to him but I wont force him into anything and neither should you. This has to be Payton's decision. Maybe I can give him some other options instead of the military."

"Thank you!" Jason moved the phone away from his ear so he could keep his hearing. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll tell him to give you a call."

Jason ran his hand through his hair. "Maybe you should give me his number so I can call him. That way he can't make excuses."

"Yeah," Allyson agreed. "That would probably be better."

Three days later Jason was meeting up with Payton at the same Cafe he had taken them to on the ride along. Jason had offered to pick him up but Payton had said he would walk. Jason knew he didn't want to go and Percy wouldn't have wanted to sit through an awkward drive.

Jason found a booth and ordered a coffee while between a sandwich or pancakes. A few minutes later Payton came in and slid onto the bench across from him. Jason decided to show the kid why he was such a good detective. Instead of acknowledging Payton's arrival Jason kept looking over the menu. Payton began to fidget and shift around in his seat.

"Why are you nervous?" Jason broke the silence abruptly.

"I'm not." Payton said defensively.

"Shifting around, clenching your hands, keeping them under the table, not starting a conversation. Those mean either nervousness or guilt." Jason put the menu down and looked Payton in the eyes, those same sea green eyes. "Why are you nervous around me Payton?"

"Because you're a cop." Jason chuckled.

"People are only nervous around cops if they think they could get in trouble for something. What do you think I'm going to nail you for?" Jason waited a second to see if Payton would answer. When he didn't Jason continued, "Maybe about the fire? Or the water damage? Of course there could be the tardiness and absences. Yes Payton, I looked into your record and I'm a little surprised a cop hasn't talked to you before now."

"Look that stuff wasn't my fault. They were accidents and I have excuses for the other stuff. Besides who cares, I'm just some dumb punk aren't I?" Payton finished bitterly.

"That why you think your only option is military?" Jason slipped the question in just before the waitress came over to the table. He ordered his sandwich and a stack of pancakes for Payton. When the waitress left he looked back at boy. "Allyson is right."

Payton let out a groan. "She's always right. It's freaking annoying."

"Get used to it," Jason said finding humor in Payton's discomfort. "She's going to be right for the rest of your life."

"What makes you think we'll be friends forever?" Jason knew this wasn't about them being friends.

"I'm not implying anything Payton so calm down. But I do know that you two are really close already and you're only going to get closer. I'll even put money on that." Jason pulled out his wallet for effect.

"You think you're going to know me long enough to cash in that bet?" Despite his words Jason knew he was interested. Percy had always been a sucker for a dare.

"I am. I'm going to be your mentor. Now wait-" Jason stopped Payton before he could interrupt him. "I'm not forcing you into anything. If you want to talk you can call me any time and ask me anything. My military service, life advice, stuff about school or needing help, and... eventually... relationship advice if you want it."

Payton flushed at the last item but didn't turn the offer down right away. "So... I can ask you about anything?"

"Yes, even questions about my time fighting." Payton's eyes shot up to meet Jason's. "I'm a detective, that's going to happen a lot." Payton nodded and gave a weak smile.

"Okay," Payton reached up and started playing with the condensation on his water glass. "So what was it like?"

"Horrible." Jason was going to be honest with him. "I was in the Airborne. Hundred and first. I served two tours before I retired and, while the experience helped shape me to be who I am, I'd rather not see anyone join the military because they think they have no other options. If it's what you really want to do then that's fine and I'll even go talk to recruiters with you, but make sure this is what you want to do not just something to do."

Payton kept quiet and stared at the table. "Allyson says I'm smart enough to do anything I want but I don't feel like it. I suck at school and fail almost all my classes."

"I only have my GED." Jason's confession clearly shocked Payton. "In fact I never went to traditional school, I don't think I could have made it through if I had. Instead I went to a special boarding school... for... what most people would normally call 'problem children'. Really it was a military school that was a little more... old fashioned. And look at Piper, she's a well known designer and she got kicked out of more schools than you can probably count to." Jason gave Payton a grin while the boy just huffed at the joke. "Don't think school is the only system of measurement for success."

Payton gave him a curt nod. "If I still have no idea what I want to do," Payton confessed.

"You don't need to know right now. Just start looking at options. There's the National Guard, Coast Guard, police, fire department, EMT, and so many others. You're twelve you still have time."

"But how do I do that?" Payton slammed his head into the back of the booth and slid down in his seat a foot. "I literally have no idea where to get started."

"That is where Allyson and I come in." Jason waited for Payton to look at him before he continued. "I'm going to meet with you every week. Ally is going to give you some career tests to take and we will go over the results. I'll also take you to the station and introduce you to some other departments. I even know some guys from my old unit that are have gone into some of the jobs I talked about. We can meet with them and talk with them about what they do. This is your choice Payton. I told Allyson that and I'll keep reminding her. But you're going to have to make an effort in school. No more tardys, no more missing assignments. Your grades have to come up. Deal?"

Payton looked Jason over for a minute. Jason could see the gears turning and the boy processing everything that was happening. "Why are you doing this?" Jason cursed himself silently. Percy hadn't been the brightest but he had a good sense about people.

This time Jason looked down. "Because... you remind me of a friend I lost a long time ago. He was a lot like you, almost the same actually, and he did a lot for me and I guess this is my chance to give back. To help someone from ending up in our situation." Jason regretted saying so much but Payton decided not to push the subject. They were spared from any more deep and profound by the arrival of their food. They spend the rest of their time talking about school and family.

In the middle of the meal Jason realized how much he had missed his friend and how glad he was to have him back again.

~~oOo~~

"Shit," Payton muttered not silently enough.

"Language!" Piper snapped at him. Jason laughed when Payton actually flinched at the woman, that's when she turned on him. "Why are you laughing? He used that language while holding your child." Jason's look sent a clear enough message, even to Payton, for getting him into this situation.

"Why are you holding her anyways, you should be making a decision." Jason leaned over the couch and pulled Chelsea from Payton's lap.

"Sorry, she just runs over to me as soon as I show up." Payton turned back to the papers in front of him. "This is so fre-" he caught himself. "Really hard," he finished. "I don't know."

"Payton!" Chelsea squealed. "Payton!" Jason tried to keep the squirming two year old in his arms.

"Chelsea go play with your brother. Go find Dylan." Piper suggested. Her eyes lit up and Jason put her down letting her waddle off to find the six year old.

"You know if you hadn't put off the decision it might be easier." Jason told Payton who rolled his eyes in response.

"I didn't think I'd get this many offers. I didn't think I'd get any offers." He dropped his head into his hands.

"Hey," Piper walked up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be ok. Maybe you should just follow your heart. Let it decide for you." Payton just shook his head. Jason glanced at Piper and nodded towards the kitchen. Piper sighed but smiled and headed off to let them talk.

"Your heart is the problem isn't it?" Jason said quietly. He maintained the illusion of privacy from Piper for Payton's comfort. Payton focused on wringing the imaginary water from his hands. "You know what you want to do, but you don't want to hurt her do you?"

"She kissed me," Payton's blush was only deepened by the squeak that emanated from the kitchen. Jason moved over to sit next to Payton. "I was going to tell her I still wanted to join the Navy, just for a few years, I had almost worked up the courage and then..." Payton ducked his head and Jason put his arm around his friend's shoulders.

"You still want to join don't you?" Payton's raven hair bounced with the motion of the nod. "Then do it."

"What?" Piper's screech rang through the apartment.

Jason managed to catch her in the doorway between the rooms. "I told Payton this would be his choice and promised to back him up on his decision. I'm keeping my promise to him, Piper." Jason said pointedly. He knew the amounts of shit he'd take later about this. Knew that he was going against a daughter of Aphrodite and against true love but Payton needed to do what he thought was right.

Jason used all of his training from the Legion to keep calm under the scalding gaze of his wife. When Jason showed no signs of backing down Piper was forced to relent and deal with him later. She turned and stormed back into the kitchen while Jason fell back into his seat on the couch.

"You're screwed later." Payton shot.

"Never say I didn't take a hit for you." Jason put his arms behind his head. "When are you going to tell her."

Payton stood up quickly, "Right now. Well, if you'll give me a ride." Jason gave the kid a crooked grin and went for his keys.

Jason realized how much Payton had grown in the last six years. When they had met the kid had been a dead end trouble maker. He was still a trouble maker but now he had such a bright future. He had a career path, opportunities, and if things went well, an amazing girl.

Payton had decided to go with his time proven plan of 'wing it' but Jason was nervous. He knew they would end up together, it was already given, but how long it took them to figure things out was the question.

Jason's phone started going off and snatched it up, "Hey Piper. He hasn't knocked yet." Jason knew it would be her.

"What's he doing?"

"Am I going to have describe every detail?" Jason let the annoyance creep into his tone.

"Yes! If I can't be there you have to fill me in." Piper snapped back.

Jason groaned and hung up. He opened Skype and called her back. She was ready to yell at him until his end of the video kicked on and gave her a view of the scene.

Payton wove a path around the street light and garbage can at the base of the steps to the building, his arms were tracing erratic patterns as if his sleeves were infested with ants. Eventually he clasped his head in his hands and let out a groan loud enough to get the attention of the entire block. That's when he darted up the stares, taking two at a time, and pounded on the door.

"He's going to kiss her." Jason mused.

"The boy had better," Piper told him. "Or I'll force you to make him."

"Good luck with that." Jason whispered.

The door swung open to a pajama dressed Allyson who looked at Payton with clearly registered confusion and concern. Payton never gave her the chance to figure out what was going on. He wrapped his arms around her waist and tipped her back, any child of Aphrodite would have been impressed.

"Damn," Piper muttered. "Our boy has game." Jason couldn't help but laugh.

It didn't take long before both of the teenagers were enthralled in a full blown make out session in Allyson's doorway.

"Watch this," Jason told Piper. He hit the sirens on the car for a second making Allyson jump. Even across the street they could pick out the red in her cheeks. Payton tried to stare down Jason, who in response grabbed the car's loud speaker.

"Break it up or I'll drag you to the station." Allyson started to freak out and ducked back inside the apartment, most likely to tell her parents everything was fine. Payton's response was to flip him off. Jason went into a second round of laughter while Piper let her feelings on Payton's display be well known.

The ruckus had gotten the attention of Allyson's parents, along with several neighbors, so she gave Payton another quick kiss goodbye and swiftly shut the door. Payton kept his vision locked on the windows of her house as he walked backwards to the car. Jason hung up just before Payton was back.

"Not funny, dick." Payton snapped as he climbed into the car. Jason howled with laughter but clapped his friend on the shoulder.

"Piper says you have game." Jason smirked as he heaped onto the mound of embarrassment.

"You let her freaking watch?"

"Yep," Jason started up the car. "Because I'm more afraid of her than you." He looked over at the kid in his passenger seat that he had just humiliated in front of the entire block. "You know Piper and I are going out this weekend and Allyson is going to babysit for us."

"Yeah and?" Payton spoke to the window.

"We're going to be gone most of the night and the kids go to bed at like 7:30." Payton slowly turned his head around and scrutinized Jason. "And we'd call to let her know when we were coming back." Payton's eyes slowly widened. "Dude, I'm not sure if I should be ashamed or proud that it took you that long to catch on." Payton gave him a you're-so-funny-face and turned back to the window. "But one thing."

"What?"

"If you have sex in my house I'll kill you and no one will ever find the body." Jason dissolved into another fit of laughter as Payton was crushed under another mountain of embarrassment.

Jason pulled the car up to Payton's place and let him out. As Payton started to walk away Jason pulled the ace out of his sleeve on the night of humiliation and threw a box of condoms at Payton who jammed them into his pockets while looking around to make sure no one had seen it. He muttered his thanks and headed to his door as Jason turned the loud speaker on again and started spewing phrases like 'no glove no love' and 'wrap it before you tap it'. Payton let out a stream of profanity and sprinted to his door. It took Jason a minute before he finished wiping the tears away and could drive home.

~~oOo~~

Jason stood with the waiting mass at the end of the pier. The ship had docked and the first men in their uniforms were coming down to meet their waiting loved ones. He saw Payton amongst the others. In a crowd of eager and excited faces of men coming home from war he looked like he was headed into combat. Jason flagged him down and pushed through the mass of bodies to get to his friend. They grabbed each other and held on for a long time.

"A year," Jason shook his head. "Damn that's too long." Payton gave him shit-eating grin.

"Yeah it is." He gave Jason a once over. "You look old by the way."

"Shut the hell up." Payton chuckled at Jason. "We've got something to do don't we?" Payton reverted back to his battle face and his Adam's apple bobbed.

They made their way to Jason's car and Payton gave him the address of where they were going. And two hours later they were back in the car to their last stop.

"She's going to kill you," Jason informed him. "I may honestly have to arrest her." Payton gave him a weak smile.

"Maybe."

Jason parked the car a block from their destination and checked his watch. They had eight minutes.

"I'm going to make this quick. I've always had your back Payton, ever since you were twelve. I've watched you grow up, watched both of you grow up. You know she'll say yes. You know she loves you," he stopped and took a breath. "You're a good man Payton. My best friend, have more faith in yourself okay? Just because you don't see why she is in love with you doesn't mean there aren't reasons." Payton squeezed the little box in his hands and pressed his eyes closed.

"You're right."

"Payton."

"Yeah Jason."

"Get the hell out of my car." Payton laughed and hugged Jason again. They walked that last block in silence. "Good luck." Jason told him as he opened the door.

Jason and Piper stood outside the restaurant and watched Allyson burst into tears. They watched as he knelt down and opened the box holding the most expensive ring Payton could afford on his Navy salary. They cried when she fell into his arms as soon as he had the ring on her finger. And they hugged them both when Allyson realized they were standing outside the window watching and waved them in.

~~oOo~~

Jason stood beside Payton on his wedding day. He sat with him through the nights studying for the police academy. He sat next to him in the police car during their long shifts.

He also gave Payton a place to stay when he and Allyson were fighting, he gave him an open ear when Payton needed to vent, he gave him a hug when Payton told him Allyson was pregnant, and a shoulder to cry on when they lost that pregnancy, he was there the first time Payton had to fire his gun at someone, he was also there when Payton found the huge break that saved two little girls. Jason and Payton stayed friends through the rest of Jason's years in the department and well after.

They watched sports and went fishing. They talked and laughed and they drank. They stood bye one another through it all.

Eventually Payton stood next to James' hospital bed and shared one last drink and a few last laughs.

And years later when Jason found his best friend in the fields of Elysium they held each other again and cried. Though they didn't know it at the time they spent their next lives as best friends and closest confidants and when Piper and Jason left Elysium for the last time Jason did so knowing that he would see his friend again in the Islands of Blessed where they would be together for eternity.

A/N: This story had something for almost everyone, some percabeth, jasper, even a little jercy. Thank you for reading and please leave a review letting me know what you think.