Reyna had never really been on good terms with Juno.
She made it official the day that Jason decided to disappear.
Nada. Into thin air. Zilch. Nil. Nothing to signify that Jason Grace had ever been at the legion—except for his house, of course.
Reyna's pretty sure she knows who is behind Jason's disappearance. Because really, she didn't look that bad, did she? So who better to blame than Juno?
Traitorous thoughts, Reyna knows. Lupa would have her skinned alive if the wolf knew what Reyna was thinking. After all—Juno was Juno Moneta, guardian of the state, patron of Rome, yada, yada, yada.
And Reyna secretly despised her for that. Nobody would ever question the queen of the gods' role in whisking away Jason. Nobody would ever think that Juno had a role to play in Jason being gone.
Come to think of it—Reyna doesn't even know if the legion knows that one of their praetors disappeared.
Here she is in Jason's room, at 12:05 in the morning—nobody would be awake if they could help it. Reyna had woken up five minutes earlier to a miniature outburst of yelling, which is rather hard to ignore when it is right next to her ear. Why Lupa put her bed straight against the wall to the joint praetor's room, Reyna had no clue.
Jason doesn't shout. Reyna knew enough about her fellow leader to know that. So she got out of bed and crept to the door, noticing that it was open a crack.
"—memories!" Jason was complaining, more quietly now.
Juno replied, "They might be less severe than your fellow soldiers, but they would still give you a good thrashing. This is for your own safety, Jason."
"I don't see how I can be safe if I walk straight into a hellhound's jaws," Jason stoically said. "Will I even remember my name?"
Juno was silent, but she finally answered, "Your first name, yes. Your surname...you will have to find that out by yourself."
"Jason, Jason Grace, what's the deal?" Jason lowly asked. "My mom's dead. Dad couldn't care less." His voice caught, and Reyna had to strain to hear: "Unless you've been lying to me for fifteen years, my sister's gotten killed by a monster, too. What do I have to lose from knowing my last name?"
"Our time is up," Juno said, almost sounding regretful. "You must go now, Jason."
"So I'm supposed to trek across the whole country to Long Island."
Reyna narrowed her eyes. Jason...
"No," Juno said. "Take my hand, Jason."
Jason bit his lips and looked at the door, and saw Reyna watching through the crack. He inhaled sharply and opened his mouth, but Juno waved a hand, and they both disappeared.
Reyna retreated into her own room, completely stunned. She sat on her bed and buried her head in her hands.
And she cracked.
Annabeth didn't understand why Percy dragged her aside to supposedly, "Tell her something that is a matter of life or death itself."
All she could think was: Please, please, please let's not have the breakup talk.
But apparently, it was not the case. But it, in no way, prepared her for what was coming next.
Percy sat her down on the sand and stared at her thoughtfully. "Annabeth. Do you..." His voice dropped. "Do you love me?"
Annabeth looked at him disbelievingly. "Percy, I didn't swear on the River Styx that I would keep you from harm for nothing. I didn't jump on a manticore and hold up the sky because I wanted to. Among other things. What do you think?"
"Good." Percy sounded satisfied, but he had a hint of sadness in his voice.
"You're not..." Annabeth felt her voice tremble.
Percy shook his head violently. "Never in a million years. I want you to have this." He opened his cupped hands.
The conch horn blew, signalling light's out. Percy put the thing in Annabeth's hands, and stood up. "Promise me...Stay strong. Stay you. Please."
Annabeth was confused. "Of course, but...why?"
Percy merely looked at her. "You better go to your cabin. Wouldn't want the harpies eating you." He helped Annabeth up and escorted her to the Athena cabin, quietly opening the door. "Love you too." He walked away, his head down, to the Poseidon cabin.
Annabeth numbly sat down on her bed and decided that she would ponder over this tomorrow. She put the little object Percy had given her under her pillow and went to sleep.
She instantly knew that something was wrong when she woke up.
Malcolm was shaking her, looking panicked. "Annabeth! Wake up! wake up!" His tone sounded terrified.
Annabeth clumsily tipped out of her bed and raced out in her clothes she had worn the last night. Obviously, she had just passed out.
There were yells echoing all around camp.
Nico tore out of Percy's cabin, screaming: "He's gone! Just gone!"
Annabeth was frozen in place. She felt hollow, like all the life had left her.
She numbly walked back to her cabin and snatched the thing out from under her bed, which was a ring, made out of gold and a pearl with an owl engraved in it set in it. Inside, it read: Happy One Year Anniversary.
He had known. He had known that he was going to be taken.
Annabeth buried her head in her pillow and felt the first wet spot slowly spread across the white fabric.
I can't write romance. I'm sorry. That's my best attempt at it. I wrote this while watching Power Rangers Dino Thunder. :/ In other words, it isn't exactly A-class.