They arrived in the nick of time – all of Hades had broken loose. The air smelled of Greek fire and a blacksmith's workshop. Jason guessed that the latter was from the Cyclopes that barreled through the Roman legion effortlessly, but one thing he knew for sure was that he wanted to be as far away from them as possible. The air was filled with the sound of Celestial bronze against Imperial gold, the roar of the battle cries as thunderous as a waterfall.
Demigods had flooded into Camp Half-Blood; there was fighting in every nook and cranny of their home. Swordsmen and axe wielders trampled over the strawberry fields; lancereavers fought in the dining pavilion, parrying and holding their own as they jumped from table to table; Appolo's cabin had secured the Big House, their shots hitting with deadly accuracy into the raging battles. Arrows were coming out from the rooftop, windows, and somehow one came out through the keyhole at the front door.
"Frank, get you and Leo down there!" Jason shouted to the Canadian and Latino teens. "Try and break up the fighting down in the forest! Leo, try to smoke them out into the open and then divide them with fire!" The two boys nodded, Leo grabbing onto Frank as he morphed into an ancient pterodactyl and took off with ease. Down below the Argo II, there were multiple high pitched screams, as though the opera had decided to show up to the battle and sing a few high bars.
Jason turned to Hazel and Nico, their stance confident yet anxious. "You two, take the ladder down." He ordered them. "Nico, pull out an undead army from the ground – no maiming or killing, just get them to do ground control! Hazel, I need you to confiscate everyone's weapons with your power."
"I've never tried it with this much celestial bronze or imperial gold before!" Hazel cried, distraught. "Especially not ones that are in motion to kill us!"
"Hazel, you need to try!"
He watched her take a deep breath and, with a reassuring hand on her shoulder courtesy of Nico, she nodded. They both disappeared off the edge, the ladder swaying with their quick, agile movements.
The son of Jupiter turned back around, in time to see Percy grab onto Annabeth, pull her close, and dive into the ocean. He watched as the water shot up to meet them, enveloping them like a cool blanket. They disappeared for a split second, only to shoot back up onto the beach in a cyclone, dousing the whole third barracks and the Ares cabin, sending them sprawling a good ten feet backwards. That left just him and Piper on board.
Piper was staring out at the now war-torn camp. She looked up at him, and he could tell she was formulating a plan, something she had picked up from Annabeth. Their eyes met for a split second, a palette of colours against electric blue.
He took a deep breath, knowing what he would say, she would not be excited about. "Pipes, stay close to me on the battlefield. This could get –" Suddenly, the kaleidoscopic eyes vanished, leaving the blonde stunned.
"Piper, where are you going?" He ran after her as she sprinted across the deck. He watched as she picked up a coil of rope, and scrambling for Frank's abandoned bow. In amazement, Jason saw her tie the rope in a sturdy knot around the arrow, knock the arrow, and send it flying straight into the base of a evergreen. When had she learned to do that?
"Piper, what are you doing? I can fly us down, alright?" He was still looking at the embedded arrow. "Not that I'm not impressed…" The daughter of Aphrodite turned to him, a nervous fire in her eyes he had never seen before. Jason could tell she was scared – who wasn't? – but he couldn't pinpoint her fear.
She closed the distance between them in two steps, wrapping her arms around his neck as she melded her lips onto his. His eyes fluttered closed, his hands resting against her hips. She smelled like everything he ever wanted, needed, and loved. And all too soon, she pulled away, resting her palm against his cheek.
"I love you, Jason," she whispered nearly inaudibly. He felt his heart flare with happiness, as though it were a balloon filling with helium. "I'm so sorry that I have to do this." Wait, what?
The hilt of Katoptris flew towards him like a lightning bolt. He felt himself crumple to the ground and the last thing he saw was the guilt ridden on his girlfriend's face, tears streaming down her cheeks. Pipes, don't cry, he thought before slipping into unconsciousness.
Jason came too quickly, though he wasn't sure how much time had passed. Ten minutes? An hour? It didn't matter; he jumped to his feet, rushing to the side of the Argo II, scanning the battlefield. The rope Piper had shot into the tree had been severed at the other end. He could see shots of fire in the North Woods, the roaring of a lion trying to strike fear into the hearts of hundreds of demigods. Leo and Frank, no matter what was going between them and Hazel, made a good team.
The strawberry fields had now opened up completely – literally. Cracks and crevices shot across the farm as Nico summoned an army undead, yet weaponless warriors. Hazel was in the middle of the canoe lake, standing atop of a churning whirlpool Percy was maintaining while sending spurts of water, stopping them from fighting and momentarily blinding them. Annabeth stood with her back to her boyfriend's, fending off Romans and trying to reason with them.
Faces shot out at him; the Stoll brothers shooting firecrackers from the camp store, Will Solace on the highest roof of the Big House, shooting down Romans, yet hitting them in places that would only injure them. Jason spotted Dakota's cherry Kool-aid lips, slashing away at the grape vines that were tangling themselves round his waist, courtesy of Katie Gardner.
There was a loud, ear-shattering roar. Jason turned in shock and was appalled to see Grover Underwood standing in the middle of over thirty Romans and Greeks, all of which were either unconscious or curled into a ball. But there was something that scared him more than seeing the satyr's heaving chest and glowing eyes. It was something – or someone – he couldn't see. Panic rose into his throat – where was his girlfriend?
He didn't take the time to find out; following Percy's lead, the son of Jupiter launched himself off the Argo II like a kiwi bird. He called on the winds and felt his drop decrease to a gentle pace. Jason landed on his feet and looked around wildly – Piper, where are you? He thought to himself frantically. Why had she knocked him out? He couldn't fathom a suitable response from this one, unless…
He never got to finish hit thoughts. His senses sharpened and, as quick as the eagle that his father was known for, he unsheathed his gladius and turned, blindly blocking the Imperial Gold sword the dark-haired teen had pulled on his back.
"You'd attack a warrior with their back turned to you?" Jason asked, his eyebrows arching in disbelief. "That's coward's play, Reyna, and you know it." The praetor allowed herself a small, wry smile.
"It's not coward's play if I knew you'd block it, Grace."
"How did you know I'd block it?"
"Because I know you."
Her sword never lessened, though she looked hesitant to fight him. "Why do you fight with them, Jason? You're Roman, not Greek!" She looked almost hurt to see him with his sword against hers.
"I'm not fighting with anyone!" Jason shot back, his blonde hair tumbling into his eyes. "I refuse to join in on this bloodshed – all seven of us do! We're here to stop it, we're trying to make peace!"
"Then why did your fire-wielder attack us?" The girl demanded. "Obviously not everyone wants what you want, Jason!" Jason felt himself fill with energy – all the pent up anger, confusion, and remorse he had felt in the last year and a half finally came bubbling to the surface like a geyser.
"He didn't!" Jason screamed. "He was possessed by Gaea's eidolons, just like Percy and I were possessed later! Don't you see? This is what she wants! This Civil War between demigods is playing right into her hands! She wants us to kill each other, so there's no one to stop her when she rises! You're acting like a pawn, Reyna! A pawn for Gaea, do you understand me? You and whoever else fights today fights for her!"
Reyna's face went slack, her sword-wielding hand dropping to her side, both hanging limp at her hips. She looked shocked, but the boy knew he had her attention, and he was going to make her see the light of day if it was the last thing he did. After all, they did know each other quite well, and Jason knew exactly how to push her buttons to make her listen.
"I'm sorry I came back dating a Greek," he said, sheathing his gladius to show potential peace. "I never wanted to hurt you, and I definitely never wanted to forget you or anyone at Camp Jupiter for that matter. But you and I both know it never would have worked out. But you've never spoken to the Greeks; you don't understand that they're just like us. They may do things a bit differently than us, and they may be on the original side of the godly family, but I have never met anyone so similar to us in… forever. We fight today, and we might as well fight the Romans, because the Greeks are no different."
Jason thought she would run him through with her sword, impale him against a tree and leave him there. He was so scared he'd said something wrong; he wasn't Piper, he didn't have her amazing powers. But the gods were on his side today – they didn't want a Civil War either. Slowly, Reyna put her weapon away, her eyes flaring with rage as she realized she had been played with.
"I see now that you and the daughter of Venus make a great couple," she admitted, her cheeks burning with shame. "You both have an extraordinary way with words. I will try to calm the legion; you better get Piper to try her utmost with her charmspeak." And with that she was gone, her warrior armour a fading gold in the horizon as she tried to quell the Romans.
That brought him back to the present. "Piper!" He yelled, turning around in a circle. "Pipes, where are you?" No one attacked him as he called out for the daughter of Aphrodite. Both Romans and Greek knew and liked Jason Grace, just like they all knew and liked Percy Jackson. He saw no one even close to his girlfriend and her beauty.
Jason took off, his heartbeat drumming in his ears like an Indian tribute drum. He rushed past the canoe lake, nearly getting his head cut off by an unknowing Cyclopes. Luckily for him, Percy had noticed him rush past and sent a blast of lake water into its eye. The eight foot tall giant howled in pain like a cat, and scratched at its eyelid, trying to get the water out.
"Watch where you're going, dude!" Percy called, his focus on throwing a whip around two Romans who had tried to slice Annabeth and throw them across the lake and tumbling into the lavatories.
"Will do!" Jason replied distractedly, his mind racing. "Annabeth, have you seen Piper?"
"Yeah, I saw her go after that kid with the mangled teddy bears five minutes ago." She yelled. "They were heading off to the amphitheatre, as far as I could see."
Jason's heart stopped. Percy must've known how bad this was, because he stopped whipping people with water and turned to face him. Hazel fell into the water with a splash, but both boys were too distracted to notice her come up spitting water in shock.
"Jason, if she's alone with Octavian…"
"I know!" He snapped, his voice full of emotions. "I'm going to kill him for this, I swear to all the gods if she's hurt, he's going to die a slow, painful death."
"Do you need one of us to come with you?" The son of Poseidon asked.
Jason shook his head almost regrettably. "Keep Hazel on top of that water – I can handle Octavian." He turned and sped off to the amphitheatre, only barely registering Percy curse and the sounds of water churning again. He was dimly aware of hearing Hazel yell something in Latin at the dark-haired teen, a painful clunk! – like Imperial Gold hitting someone's head – and a pained moan from Percy as he apologized yet again.
He jumped the walls of the amphitheatre and hit the ground with a resounding crack. He screamed out the augur's name, his face flushed from the sprint and anger he was feeling.
Octavian and Piper were about ten feet apart, on either sides of the stage that stood in the middle of the theatre. Octavian had pulled out a long, Imperial Gold sword that glinted in the sunlight, while Piper was brandishing Katoptris, her eyes narrowed. At the sound of Jason's voice, she flinched, yet she never took her eyes off the Roman across from her.
Jason stalked forward, getting as close as the edge of the seats before his girlfriend screamed, "Stop! Don't come any closer, Jason!" Instantly, his feet froze before him. He tried to move them forward, using all of his willpower, but to no avail. His mind may not have been responding to her charmspeak, but his feet definitely were. Why? She never willingly used charmspeak on him before, especially not so forcefully.
Octavian cackled. "Yes, Jason," he mocked, saying his name with a sneer, "stay right where you are. I'll get to you soon."
"No you won't!" The daughter of Aphrodite yelled, and the augur turned to her, his teeth bared like a dog with rabies.
"Oh, really?" He held the sword in his hands and turned it over, as though Jason and she were nothing more than background television. "And why, pray tell, is that, Venus spawn?"
"I've seen inside your head, Octavian," she replied, and Jason knew instantly what she meant; that Celestial Bronze dagger in her hand was quivering slightly as she spoke. "I know your plans. You want nothing but complete control and you will kill anyone who gets in your way."
Her adversary blanched, his eyes flashing with a pure, undeniable rage. Jason could tell she had struck on the head of the nail; and apparently, so did Piper.
"I've seen what you're capable of," she continued, taking a few steps towards him. "You let everyone think you're weak, nothing but an augur with a few quick words. But I know differently – I've seen you kill monsters with a practiced hand and disappear from battles when you think it won't go your way. I know your thoughts and reasons on this war – you think you can kill Percy and Jason and be elected praetor by default. But because he's Roman, Jason's a bigger threat and therefore you want him dead more – you actually think I would let that happen?"
Jason could feel the charmspeak on his legs beginning to fade. He took a few tentative steps forward, as inconspicuously as possible. He didn't want to alert either of them that he could move again until the time was better.
Octavian began to laugh, a deep, throaty chuckle that sounded neither amused nor joyful. Piper locked eyes with Jason for a second, both stunned into silence. The scrawny boy looked at Jason's girlfriend with contempt, his eyes dancing with malice.
"That was never the plan, my dear," he said, "I never intended to kill Jason – I wanted to break him; and if, by some unfortunate chance, he were to be physically injured, then all the better for me if he was."
Piper lowered Katoptris, confusion flitting across her face. "What do you mean, break him?" She asked suspiciously. "Break him how?" Jason was perplexed as well – why did he want him broken?
Octavian took a step towards him, his head lowered, and his eyes looking up at Piper from under his lashes. There was a malicious glint in his eyes, a cruel smile plastered on his face. He eyed sword almost hungrily for a second before he looked back at her.
"Oh, you know… the usual. Break his spirit – make him feel a pain he's never felt before."
"Don't touch him!" Piper screamed.
Octavian grinned, flashing his teeth. "Who said I was going to touch him?" He closed the distance between them in an almost imperceptible speed. Too late, Jason understood what the augur had meant. I wanted to break him… Make him feel a pain he's never felt before.
"No!" Jason screamed, his heart dropping to his stomach. He was too far away to do anything, too stunned to call on the winds to knock the blade out of its owner's hands. He felt himself scream Piper's name as Octavian stuck her through with the weapon, pulling it out just as swiftly. She squeaked slightly, looking at her side in horror before falling to her knees.
Jason could feel himself go numb, every single sense shutting down as he stared at Piper. Then, his heart won over his body – he had never seen so much red. It was a deep, opaque red that washed over his sight and enraged him like a bull. He could feel himself launch at Octavian, hear the Roman's laugh as Jason swept his sword around blindly. He could feel the blood pounding in his ears, and when he heard a yelp of pain, he blinked back the red.
Octavian was staring at him in obvious disbelief , holding his bleeding shoulder. The son of Jupiter must've caught him pretty well, because the red liquid was already pouring out between his fingers. Jason caught a quick glance of his gladius dripping slightly, yet all he could feel was disgust that his weapon had been touched by such tainted blood.
"The next time we meet," Octavian growled through clenched teeth, "you will not be as lucky as you have been today." He grabbed one of the shredded Build-a-Bears from his belt and yelled something in Latin Jason never caught, and threw it to the ground. There was a blinding white light, and when he could see properly, the blonde discovered the boy was gone.
He didn't care; he scrambled over to his girlfriend, falling to the ground and looking her over. He put his ear on her chest, and cursed when he could hear no heartbeat. Her wound had formed a puddle of blood next to her, and her normally smiling lips were drawn and unmoving. Her chest didn't heave with breaths, and she lay as still as if she were already…No, Jason couldn't think like that.
"Piper!" He called softly at first, then louder, until his voice had escalated to a loud roar. "Piper, wake up! Pipes, please!" She never even twitched – no signs that she could even hear him. He ripped off his shirt and pressed it her side, feeling his shirt soak with the red liquid. He felt sick to his very core.
He put his lips to hers, forcing breath down her lungs. He did it three times, each one more desperate than the last. He was crying now, tears streaming down his face as he tried again and again to wake his girlfriend. There was nothing – her lips were cold.
Jason was panicking now – he shook her shoulders, yelled in her ears, slapped her cheeks lightly. Better she have a headache than the alternative. But it looked like the latter was winning.
Jason looked up, choking on his own tears. "Save her!" He screamed to the skies. "You're the king of gods! I can't live without her! I'm not asking you – I'm telling you! If you love me, you will save her!"
He waited; one minute, two. Nothing.
He could feel himself breaking down, just like Octavian had wanted. Memories flashed before him in a sadistic montage – waking up holding Piper's hand, flying up the Grand Canyon with her in his arms. Piper sleeping against his chest on Festus' back, when she saved him and Leo from killing each other – and later him and Percy. Jason finally kissing her on the beach on New Year's Day, her laughing face when Leo did something ridiculous. He remembered the way her dimples showed when she smiled, and how she tried to act brave when she faced her fears.
He was facing his biggest nightmare right now – and he was terrified, terrified of losing this girl, because she was the only one. She was the sole person on this planet who respected him because he was Jason Grace, not because he was the son of Jupiter; the only girl who would knock him off his high horse when he was being arrogant. He loosened up when she was around, and she taught him how to have fun while still doing your duty. She was the only one; the only girl. And now she was gone.
Rain started to fall into the valley. Jason didn't stop to wonder why, since the camp boundaries prevented anything besides sunny weather unless they allowed it. He didn't care – he was sobbing, closing his eyes like it would shield him from the pain.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice nearly inaudible. "Pipes, I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry…" He wrapped his arms around her, rocking her back and forth, repeating his sorry's over and over again, like a mantra.
He brought his lips to hers again, this time in a tender kiss that he had never thought he would have to deliver. "I love you, Piper" he cried silently, resting his forehead against hers.
"I love you too."He nearly died when he saw her eyes opened slightly, her mouth pulled back into her beautiful smile, no matter how weak it was.
Jason scooped her up in his arms, setting her in his laps before he pulled her close and buried her in his arms. "You're alive!" He laughed, standing up with her still in his arms. "I can't believe you're alive!" He stopped, held her at arm's length before gently looking at the tear in her camp shirt. Sure enough, there was nothing but a scar. He smiled, his lips pulling back into the widest grin he'd ever worn.
Jason cupped Piper's face in his hands. His joy gave way for a moment, and he put his hand on her cheek gently. "I almost lost you, Piper…" he frowned, his voice cracking. "Don't ever do something like that again. Ever."
"Which part?" She asked. "Knocking you out, charm speaking you, or trying to save your life?" Jason threw back his head and laughed, so relieved she was in his arms, breathing and joking around like every other day. He pulled her towards him, their noses touching and their foreheads resting on each other's.
"You can knock me out any day and charmspeak me whenever you like," he murmured, looking at her in amazement and happiness. "But don't you ever try to save my life again. Not if that was the cost."
She looked at him for a moment, slowly brought up a thumb and brushed away his stray tears, smiling through her own. She grabbed his neck and disintegrated the gap between their lips. Jason felt himself smile against her mouth, and never wanted to go save the camps. They could handle themselves.
Jason rested his chin on her head while Piper pressed her face into his chest – he had never been so happy to feel the warmth of her skin against his bare skin. The blonde looked up into the sky, his lips curled upwards slightly.
"Thanks Dad," he whispered, knowing he wouldn't get a response. And for once, it didn't matter.
To those of you who are reading this, thinking, OH MY GOD SHE ACTUALLY UPDATED...
shut up.
Just kidding, but I feel terrible! I haven't been able to write anything in so long but I'm so happy with how this one-shot turned out. I've had so many Jasper and Percabeth feelings since the end of Mark of Athena, and I figured since I already had a lot of percabeth, I would try my hand at some Jasper.
I love it. This shipping... I don't know why everyone hates it! I love it so friggin much - it's not as great as Percy and Annabeth, obviously (nothing will ever be ;) ) but I love how unsure the two are, how they're learning about each other, and learning about themselves. And I love how Jason is one of the two leaders but he's completely oblivious about girls. Jason, I love you.
And Piper! I LOVE Piper! I don't care what anyone says, Piper is amazing.
Just not as great as Annabeth or Percy, mind you. ;)
Now all I need is to find a real Leo for myself and I AM GOOD FOR LIFE. LEOLETMELOVEYOU. :'D
~Sistergrimm97