Hey! I know, two new stories in one week? Crazy, right? Anyways, this idea had been rolling around in my head for awhile. And one of my friends gave me this idea, as this is one of her fave songs (Hi Luna!)

So...this is basically what it comes out to be. Reyna's reflection on Jason's leaving and the whole thing. Basically, everything between TLH and MOA. I'm gonna be honest, I re-read it, and I thought it was okay. But I wasn't sure on how I'd written Reyna. For some reason, I can't write her unless she's fighting.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: 2/15/2013. So, I got a notice saying I had to remove the lyrics from the story because of copyright, so it's removed now. I also had to take out the page breaks, so they story will seem much shorter. Sorry!

But you can listen to the song when you read! (Haunted by Taylor Swift)

Jason and I had always had an interesting relationship. It was strange. We straddled that line between friends and maybe something else. I've always known that line would be there until something happened or until one of us came out with it.

I never thought that the fragile line would break. I thought it would have to wait until one of us died.

It's so weird without Jason, almost like he never existed. Like when I'm working, it's so quiet. I don't have his random outbursts or clever one-liners. It's just

this weird empty silence and I feel so strange. It's almost as if Octavian or someone is just waiting to come and ambush me. I can't trust that they're not

though. I can't trust anything. I already trusted Jason that he wouldn't leave. But that was clearly a mistake.

When Jason got off the Greek warship, I was hoping so hard that he'd come back. I hadn't realized that I hadn't exhaled until I finally did. Something inside me knew that he probably wouldn't remember what we'd had, months and months ago. Still, part of me kept hoping.

When he finally got off the ship, I was so excited. I was seeing him again, after all this time. I exhaled, but tried not to change my expression. My Saving Grace was finally home. I wouldn't have to lose him again, or so I thought. He was home and Rome could finally fight at its full power.

But even as he stepped down from the warship and stood next to that Greek girl, I could tell that something was different about him. His normally alert eyes

seemed strange. Softer, almost. Like the used to be when he was with me. They seemed…just different. Jason wasn't the same, and I knew it. I'd just been

too hopeful to realize what would happen. Something made him so different.

"No you don't. It's a crazy idea. It's not even worthy of a psychotic Dakota!" I said back.

"Reyna, these people are depending on me. It was Juno's wish, and it's a prophecy. It's not like I can just avoid it. Romans never walk away from their duty; you of all people should know that."

"What? Like your duties as praetor?"

Grace didn't say anything, just stared at me like I'd stabbed him in the gut.

"So now what? You're leaving us for your Greek friends again? You're leaving me to run New Rome?"

"I'm sorry Rey."

-
I thought I'd figured out his reasons for leaving a long time ago. I thought maybe he'd gone off to find his sister or maybe to find something else out of his life. I'd just believed that maybe something had gone wrong with life here for him.

When he left again, it felt so weird. I already felt strange after he left, but now it's even worse. Like I can't breathe when he's gone.

-
When Jason got off the ship, I saw him walk away from me. It was like he didn't even know me or who I was. He walked away from everything we'd had together. All those times where we'd fight in the Field of Mars, sleepovers in the villas, even hanging out with our friends. I meant everything I'd said to him.

Having Percy around has sort of relieved that pressure of being praetor. I'm not alone anymore. And he knows what it's like to be missing the person you've been fighting alongside for years.

Percy's been trying to take away the hurt of losing Jason, and occasionally he's been successful. Sometimes, I think he'd made a better praetor than Grace did. Still, it's not the same for some reason. Inside, I still wish it was him here.

He left again. But this time, I don't know if it's more comforting or more unsettling that I know where he is. Seriously, if he doesn't come back alive, I think

I'll lose it from all the stress. (Especially with Octavian's constant attempts at earning the spot as praetor.) Something inside me knows though. That part

from C.C.'s Island knows, the rational part of my brain knows, that when (and if) he comes back, he'll be with the Greek daughter of Venus in the end.

Something inside keeps me holding on to a dream. It's like trying to chase a venti. I feel like I'm clinging to nothing.

"Reyna, he's gone. You cannot still believe that he is going to come back," Octavian said.

"Is there a point to this Octavian?"

"You need a new praetor. Both Grace and the graecus have left you here in charge on your own. I think we both know who the most qualified person is."

"Octavian…"

"Praetor, you know what needs to be done to help save our city."

I rolled my eyes and didn't even look up from my scrolls as I replied, "I know that something needs to be done. But you are not the solution."

"Then who do you intend to have fill the position?"

"I am not sure yet. But it is not going to be you. Now…" I finally looked up. "Get out before I let Aurum and Argentum go."

The augur shot me a dirty look. "This is not over."

I know that there's a prophecy. And I know that there's this big quest, for him and for Percy. I know that Jason has a new, beautiful girlfriend that loves him.

But somehow, I just know that some part of Jason remembers. He can't be gone. Not all of him. Grace is Roman. He belongs to the city, always and forever.

He's not gone forever. He can't be.

He liked me. At some point he did. But now, he won't tell me. He refuses to do it. He can't finish what he's started. I wish he wouldn't leave me like this. I was just starting to understand. To figure out exactly how I felt him. I thought that I had life with him around figured out.

I almost can't breathe whenever he's gone. It's like being confused and so alone without him by my side in the principia.

But I can't change it. It's not like I can just give up. Now it's just a memory. Like C.C.'s Island. Like Blackbeard's ship. It's gone, so now I just have to push it aside.

Now I'm haunted.

Jason and I always had this odd relationship. I have known it all this time. Don't think I'd ever see the day it broke. I never thought I'd see it.

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