"Annabeth, you know I can't do this. You'd be doing me a huge favour."

"Jason, no."

"Annabeth, please," he pleaded, attempting again. She shook her head with her eyes turned awkwardly to the floor, before she turned away, chin jutted upwards as she made her desicion final with all the dignity a child of Athena had to offer, using only body language. Jason groaned and ran a hand through his hair, wanting to slap Annabeth, and, admittedly, himself for just being stupid enough to think this would work in the first place.

"Come on, Annie."

"Don't call me Annie," she snapped, not even tilting her head.

"Fine, Annabeth, just- please. This is the hardest thing I'm ever going to have to do, and you know it is."

"Jason, for the last time, NO."

This wasn't going to work. Thinking like a Roman, he decided he was going to have to change his tactics. He jogged a little to catch up with her long, purposeful strides until he was at her side, but even so she ignored him and faced the other way. "Annabeth?" he tried.

She sighed, kicking the dirt with the end of her shoe and crossing her arms.

"No, Jason. This is your fight and your problem, and one I'm not going to sort out for you."

Right, ready for the tactic change -

"Annabeth, you have to do this for me!" he cried, punching out each word with unecessary force. He gripped her shoulders tightly and spun her round to face him, staring intently into her grey eyes.

She was momentarily dazed, a distant look glazing over her eyes as the force of his words and his nails digging into her flesh sank in. Then, after a few brief seconds she snapped out of it, freeing herself from his grip and huffing indignantly. "Jason, you have girl problems, then it's your responsibility to sort them out. How would you like it if Percy asked you to inform me that he prefered Rachel and was breaking up with me?" she snarled, turning on her heel and strutting away. "And if it's Reyna you want me to talk to, then jeez, talk about shooting the messenger."

Jason paused, a frown creeping onto his face. "Reyna's not like that," he protested. "If anything, the most likely outcome is that she calmly accepts it-"

"And completely breaks down as soon as I've left."

"Reyna's not like other girls."

"No person here is like other people."

"What I'm trying to say is, Reyna isn't like demigod girls, let alone mortals!"

"I don't care what kind of girl she is! Take it from someone who knows - she'll act completely nonchalant and fine about it, and may do even on her own, but inside, she'll be completely torn up!"

"Only for a bit! Reyna gets over things quickly!"

Annabeth looked up at him, eyeing him down with sharp, intense, and heck, even scary eyes. Jason braced himself. She opened her mouth to speak, until deciding it would get her nowhere. She just grunted irritatedly and began walking away. Jason sighed, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. How was he supposed to tell her by himself? If Annabeth didn't, he would have to speak with Reyna eventually, and his last chance was walking away, locking itself up and throwing away the key.

"Annabeth," he started, shakily, choosing his words carefully. He didn't want to put Reyna through this, he would do anything just to escape, and he knew that he couldn't, wouldn't be able to do it himself. Besides, Annabeth was better at these things than him. "What I was trying to say, was that Reyna wouldn't 'shoot the messenger'. She would almost certainly want to pinpoint her anger or sadness at whatever, whoever's there, but she won't. She has more self-control than that, and would probably wait until you'd gone and then shoot me - in fact, she'll probably want to speak with me afterwards."

Annabeth faced him; boredom and frustration was written all over her face and in her body language, with her hand on her hip as she cocked her head to one side and blew a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes. "Either way, you end up speaking with her," she breathed loftily.

"Look, Annabeth, I know; I just don't want to be the one to break the news to her."

"Well then why me? It seems much more fitting you get Piper to do it."

"Piper's in the same position as me - you have much more common with Reyna and can relate to her with your memories of Percy's absence."

Annabeth's expression hardened. "You forget I now have Percy back. Reyna's finding it hard enough to have you not remember her, but beingtogether with someone else, Jason? I can't believe you expect me to be the one to tell her."

"Look, how about this? You tell her, be the one to comfort her, then me and Pipes will handle the rest."

"Jason, it's not my business. Now leave me alone."

"Please-"

"No! For the gods' sakes, Jason!"

"Will you do it if either me or Piper is there with you?"

She chewed her lip, narrowing her gaze as she pondered the possibilites. "Maybe."

" 'Cause that's fine by me. As long as we have someone else who's not involved with the whole thing there, that'd be great."

Annabeth sighed and dug her heel into the ground with defeat. "Fine."

"Thanks, Annabeth."

"Don't get used to it though. Next time you need help sorting out your social life, ask someone else to do your dirty work because I have strategies to plan and right now, in the middle of a war, is not the best time to be working on your love life."

Jason chuckled and nodded slightly. "I know. But this needed sorting out." Then he turned and began making his way back to the Camp Jupiter barracks. Annabeth watched as he walked away, wishing she hadn't just agreed to his stupid proposal. Just before he was out of earshot, he called back, "Thanks Annabeth!" over his shoulder.

"Yeah, whatever!" she yelled, shaking her head and heading back to the Fifth Cohort. She had promised Percy a training a session with him, and stupid Jason and his stupid, typically Roman negotiating had already made her fifteen minutes late. She jogged gently down the hill towards the Barracks, knowing that Percy probably couldn't care less whether she arrived on time or not, but still wanting to get there as quick as possible to make up for the precious training time they had lost.

And, of course, precious bonding time with her boyfriend, but she wouldn't admit that.

She grinned when she met Percy leaning against a column of the Fifth Cohort, casually capping and uncapping Riptide like he had only just realized what it could do and was examining it like a four-year old with a new toy. He looked up at the sound of her footsteps and grinned back, but not before glancing at his wristwatch and tutt-tutting playfully. "Fifteen minutes late, Wise Girl! That would be a new record."

Annabeth smirked as she slid her hand into his his and said, "You're just cocky because you arrived on time."

"Well, actually," he started, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly before a 'great' idea hit him and he grinned slyly and said, "Never mind, you're right. I so was on time, and you weren't."

"Whatever, Seaweed Brain."

"But tell me, why were you late? Any reason?"

Annabeth opened her mouth and caught Percy bracing himself for an expected long, angry rant on all the reasons she was late, when she closed it and paused. Percy was good friends with Reyna and they got on well, and Annabeth knew that he wouldn't be happy with what Jason was asking Annabeth to tell her.

"Well, it's kind of a long story," she mumbled, turning away.

"Come on, I'm all ears."

"Have-" she paused. "Have you noticed Jason and Piper have been getting on... well, recently?"

Percy, being the oblivious doof he was, looked confused. "Well, yeah, obviously. They're like, best friends. Although, often they do act pretty cold to-"

"Percy."

"What? It's not like- oh. Oh."

"Yes. Oh."

"As in- oh?"

"Yes, Percy! And now we both know what I'm talking about, you can stop saying oh to cover up everything you feel uncomfortable talking about!"

"Wise Girl, this whole topic is making me uncomfortable. Reyna's my friend. But what does this have to do with you being late?"

"Well, you see, on the way here, I bumped into Jason..." and she told him. They continued walking, but at a much slower pace, and all the while Percy remained completely silent. He was frowning, and he didn't like what he was hearing.

When she had finished they came to an abrupt stop for everything she had said to sink in as she faced him, waiting patiently. Then, finally, he spoke;

"I'll come with you."

Annabeth was shellshocked. "What?"

"I know Reyna better than you do, and with Jason's amnesia, better than he does. If anything, if you and me do it together she'll take the news a lot better."

"I- I guess," she shrugged, already disliking the idea and not wanting to offend him. "But what about Jason? I think having three people at once might overwhelm her."

"Jason's already shown he really doesn't want to be there. We just tell him he doesn't have to, and then I'll go in his place."

"Are you sure Reyna will be okay with the fact that he sent two other people to tell her, rather than doing it himself? She'll think he's scared."

Percy sighed. "Annabeth, he is. Reyna will probably have more on her mind than whether she think's Jason's weak or not. Besides, it'll probably be easier if it's just you and me doing it, rather than someone who's involved. That would be seriously awkward."

"Are you sure she won't be overwhelmed?" Annabeth asked, Percy still not managing to pursuade her. She was really worried for Reyna's feelings now. Boys just don't get it...

Percy chuckled. "Annabeth, this is Reyna we're talking about. Reyna doesn't get overwhelmed."

So many pros and cons - Annabeth was having a hard time weighing them up. Jason, Percy, Jason, Percy, Jason, Percy-

She sighed. "Fine."

"Great!" he grinned, giving her a tight hug. That's the second time today a boy has talked her into something stupid... "You made the right choice Annabeth."

"Did I?"

"Sure! Reyna will find it a lot easier with you and me telling her the 'news' than you and Jason. Plus, I know her better than Jason and want to be there; she was one of my closest friends here other than Frank and Hazel."

"Okay. Whatever you say, Seaweed Brain," she said, giving him a light kiss on the cheek. She had to admit, his idea was pretty good. Logical, even. She really had to start giving him more credit.

Percy seemed to read her mind. "I bet you're wondering now how a brain full of kelp managed to think up an idea this amazing."

Annabeth pulled a face and punched him lightly on the shoulder, saying, "Don't get too cocky Seaweed Brain. Your idea was good, but I wouldn't call it 'amazing' just yet."

"Sure, Wise Girl," he said, taking her hand again and setting off on their delayed journey to the Training Grounds. "Lets go train. We've been holding it off for long enough now, and then we'll tell Reyna after dinner."