How Jason and Piper first began dating - in real life, not in Piper's fake memories from Hera. I just had this idea and had to type it up before I forgot it.

Camp Half-Blood was preparing for a campfire sing-along. I'd been here for about four months now, and the Greeks were really warming to me. The Greeks' way of life was certainly very different from the Romans' – much more laid-back and relaxed. At Camp Jupiter, training was your life. Maybe, if I ever got home, I could suggest that the Romans take a few leaves out of the Greeks' book.

Normally, I'd be hanging out with my friends, or thinking of some practical joke to pull on the Ares campers. But today was different. Today I had something to do.

I made my way down past the cabins, down to the canoe lake. Even though the evening was cool and comfortable, my hands were sweaty. I'd already given myself five pep talks in the mirror, but nothing could really prepare me for what I was about to do. My emotions were at war with each other; on one hand I was a bit nervous and scared, but on the other hand there was a steely resolve within me to do what I had to do.

As I arrived at the lakeside, I scoured the lakeshore. Then, I spotted her. Piper.

She sat with her back to me, looking out at the lake. Her shoes and socks lay beside her, and she was dipping her feet in the water of the lake. I gulped.

Son of Jupiter, I reminded myself.

Slowly, I walked over to her. I tried to keep quiet, but when I got closer I could see there was no need – she had earphones plugged into her ears. I approached her and then sat down beside her. She immediately noticed me and pulled out her earphones.

"Jason," she greeted me with a smile. My heart did a little flip. I loved her smile. I loved the way it shone out of her like a ray of sunshine, out of her eyes as well as her mouth.

"Piper," I responded with a grin of my own.

For a few seconds, we sat there in silence. Then Piper spoke.

"How's work on the Argo II coming along?"

"Well, Leo's hard at work, as usual," I replied. "He'll be done pretty soon, I think."

Piper nodded. "I'm sure Annabeth is looking forward to seeing Percy again."

"Yes, I'm sure she is."

What are you doing, dipwad? a little voice inside of me shrieked. You're going completely off topic! But before I could speak, Piper was talking again.

"Are you excited about seeing your Roman friends again?"

"Um," I stammered, "I guess so…"

"You must feel really homesick." Piper's voice held sympathy. Then she began to grin again. "Praetor Jason Grace."

"Um, yeah…"

"What's the other praetor's name? Reyna?"

"Yeah, Reyna," I confirmed.

"Do you miss her?" Was that a hint of bitterness I detected in Piper's voice? She'd been looking at me, but now she turned to gaze back at the lake.

Idiot, the voice inside me shouted. Idiot, idiot, idiot! Stop talking about Reyna! You're ruining it!

I cleared my throat. "Yes, Piper, I miss home," I answered her firmly. "I miss Camp Jupiter, I miss walking through the streets of New Rome, I miss San Francisco in general, I guess. But there's one thing that can't be found with the Romans."

"What?" Piper's voice was soft, barely audible. She continued to gaze at the lake.

"You, Piper."

There was a moment of stunned silence, and then Piper turned to face me, her eyes wide. I took one of her hands in both of mine, raised it to my lips, and kissed her fingers, all the while looking into her beautiful eyes.

"You're amazing, Piper. Beautiful. Strong. Hilarious. Sweet. I think about you all the time, even when we're not together, and when we are the only thing I can do is smile and laugh. I want to know what you're thinking, and whether you're thinking about me, because I'm always thinking about you. I want to be the guy you turn to with all your problems. I want you to trust me with your secrets, and I want to trust you with mine. I want to provide the shoulder that you cry on when you're sad. I guess I just want you, Piper." I caught my breath, stunned at the speech I'd just made. I hadn't rehearsed that at all – it just came pouring right out of me. And it was all the truth.

Piper's eyes were shining, and her lips were twitching upwards in a joyous smile. I chuckled, and began to plant kisses all over her hand.

"I know that we met because of Juno," I said in between kisses. "Or Hera, or whatever. I know that she manipulated the Mist so that you had memories of us dating. But Piper, I don't want those memories to be fake anymore. I want us to make real memories, together – a real relationship. So I guess what I'm really trying to say here is: will you be my girlfriend?" I looked up at her hopefully.

The moment of truth. Piper stared at me, flabbergasted, for about ten seconds. Just when my hopeful grin was beginning to slip, she flung her arms around my neck and smashed her lips against mine. And when she did, it felt like my heart was expanding, growing, swelling, with love for the girl I was kissing, kissing at long last.

I kissed her back, lifting her onto my lap. She wrapped her legs around my waist and tangled her fingers in my hair. Our lips met again and again. Finally, we broke apart, panting slightly.

"Jason," she whispered, "you don't know how long I've waited to hear those words from your mouth."

I grinned happily at her. "Is that a yes?"

"Of course, in every language. Yes, oui, si, ja, da, hai, yes!" She kissed me again, and it was like fireworks were going off inside my head.

When we broke apart again, the sky was darkening. Piper slid off my lap, and put on her shoes and socks, before climbing to her feet. "The camp sing-along," she reminded me. "Or did you forget?"

I shook my head. "Nope, I didn't." I got up, and drew Piper close for yet another kiss. "I love you," I whispered into her ear, then claimed her lips again.

Juno did do something right, I thought. She introduced me to Piper.

Piper giggled, the most melodious sound I'd ever heard. Then our fingers intertwined, and we walked off to the sing-along together, holding hands.

I got the "in every language" idea from High School Musical 3...I just thought that line was so sweet! But of course, instead of Troy and Gabriella, it's Jasper and Piper, and they're a much cuter couple in my opinion ;)