Well, I'm back with another PJO one-shot. And it involves Reyna and Piper. BUT THERE IS NO ROMANCE XD.

This is a songfic to 'There Are Worse Things I Could Do' from Grease.

Which I don't own.

And I also don't own PJO.

By the by.

Anyway enjoy, read and review :)

I could hurt someone like me
Out of spite or jealousy
I don't steal and I don't lie
But I can feel and I can cry
A fact I'll bet you never knew
But to cry in front of you
That's the worst thing I could do

I toss another pebble into the Little Tiber. The sun was setting and I shiver, wishing I had a jacket.

It had been a long day.

Octavian had once again tried to get her to step down as praetor by various means of bribery and blackmail, and on top of all that Jason had proposed to Piper right in front of me.

I'm okay. Trust me.

Oh, Jason … You were perfect. You were my knight in shining armour (not that I needed one), my prince, and the one I thought I would marry …

And then Hera comes along and takes that all away from me and stamps on it with her high heels, turning my dreams into dust that crept into my eyes. But I don't cry. At least not in public.

At night, on my own, is a different matter. At night no one can hear your wild sobs, feel the pain of the tremors attacking your body, hear you scream in agony as you take your knife and apply its cold pressure to your wrists …

But I'm okay- I think.

"Reyna?" someone has creeped up on me. "Are you okay?"

Yes.

It's Piper. Damn her.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Mrs Grace. How may I assist you? Need some floral arrangements? Or perhaps a lesson on where not to stick your nose in?" my speech turns to snarls as I get more and more aggravated.

Piper stumbles for a moment, but then regains her composure and sits beside me on the riverside.

"Look Reyna, I know we're definitely not the best of friends-"

"Tell me about it." I snort.

"- but can you just listen to me for once!"

I turn and look her in the eye. She looks flustered and angry, yet I also detect a hint of … sadness? Or is it pity? I do not need pity.

I motion for her to go on.

"Reyna, you're not okay." it's a statement.

"I'm fine." I say sharply, managing to keep a monotone up.

"No, you're not." she says this so forcefully.

"I'm fine." I insistent again, but my voice cracks under pressure.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

But I won't cry. No.

"Reyna, it's okay not to be okay." Piper says gently, pulling me into an awkward hug.

I pull away strongly. "That doesn't make any sense, Mclean." I say, standing up.

Piper stands up too. "The point is, Reyna, that if you wanna cry, I don't care. It's okay." she says.

I want to. I want to accept her kindness, cry in her arms then go back to new Rome and forgive Jason, and possibly forget all about him.

But I can't

That's the worst thing I could to.

I want to.

But I can't.

"No." I say, shaking my head. "No. NO! I won't play your stupid games and live along with your lies. Nothing ends up okay in the end because the darkness is always there, so you might as well accept it." I'm near tears now actually.

Piper tries to speak again but I stop her. "That's the worst thing I could do. The worst thing I could do." I'm shivering, not because of the cold that's just set in along with the night.

Piper stares at me with a crestfallen expression. "Okay," she says, walking backwards, ready to go back to new Rome, to Jason and to her normal life. "Okay."

I walk away from Piper, from Jason, from New Rome. I doubt I'll ever go back properly, mentally. I don't belong. I lost my home the minute Piper stepped foot on the soil.

There were worse things I could do.

But to cry in front of you
That's the worst thing I could do

I enjoyed that :) I hope you did too.

Happy 2013!