AN: I am, of late, very interested in Reyna and I've been thinking about-among other things-what Venus said to her. So, this is either a two-shot or a chapter story. It really depends. Anyway, here it is.

You will not find love where you wish or where you hope. No demigod shall heal your heart.-Venus to Reyna in The Blood of Olympus

"Hey," a man said tapping Reyna on the shoulder. She turned. "I knew it was you!" He beamed and Reyna took an instinctive step back. This guy was clean shaven with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He wore jeans and a button down shirt. She was sure she'd never seen him before.

"Do I know you?" she asked warily. What was he? A monster? She was just trying to take a walk in the park. She wasn't really in the mood.

"Yes! Well, no. Not directly anyway," he admitted. "But you did." Reyna just stared. The logical part of her brain told her to run. The other part- well the other part could get her killed.

"Can we please go somewhere?" he asked. "To sit and talk?"

"I don't think we should-"

"Please?" He grabbed her wrist and she felt a shock.

"Okay."

They ended up on a bench somewhere farther into Central Park. The man leaned back and regarded Reyna with an unreadable expression. Suddenly she felt self-conscious in her khakis and blue blouse. Her dark hair was in a ponytail. She didn't know what he was staring at.

"I can't believe I found you," he finally said.

"Stop saying that," Reyna replied. "I don't know you."

"You did," he repeated. The way he said the word made her skin prickle. She didn't know what he meant until he added, "In your last life."

"My last-no. No, this is my first life."

"It is not," he replied. He looked excited. Like a little kid with a lollipop. He leaned towards her and she quickly leaned away. He didn't seem to notice.

"Who are you anyway?" Reyna asked. "Let's say what you just told me was true." He beamed. "Not that I'm saying it is," she quickly added and his smile dimmed. "But let's just say that this is my second life. You look about as old as I look now. So how would you have known me before?"

"Trust me," he said. "I am much older than you." He changed form then- into an elderly man.

"You're a god," Reyna said tying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. She should've known it before.

"Yes," he changed back.

"And we used to…"

"Date?" he filled in.

"Yeah," she breathed.

"Yeah."

"Can I ask you something?" she asked.

"Anything?"

"How-uh- how old was she, I mean I, when I died?"

"23."

"23?"

"Yes."

"Oh," she swallowed. "I'm-I'm 27 now."

"I figured you were about that age," he said. "You still look so much like her… like she would've looked had she lived."

"Who are you anyway?" Reyna asked. The subject of her own death was beginning to creep her out. She made a mental note to contact Nico later and get some more information about this whole rebirth thing.

"Aether."

"Oh?" There was a lull in their conversation and then,

"I-uh-tried to make you, her, immortal-Heather, her name was Heather- but she didn't want to live forever." He said the entire thing a little too quickly, she noticed. He bit his inner cheek looking ill. And all at once it hit her.

"I don't even know you!" Reyna exclaimed. "I'm not going to become immortal and live with you forever." She stood. "I should go."

"Wait," he said. "Wait. I wasn't asking you to be immortal and to live with me forever. I understand you're her but you're not. I wasn't insinuating that I was even going to offer again."

"Oh," she sat back down feeling stupid.

"I would however, like to hang out. Get to know you," he said softly. "With your permission, of course."

"Okay," she replied. "I'd like that."

AN: I know it was short (like really, really short) but I hope you guys liked it. Props to anyone who can tell me anything about Aether! And please tell me what you thought. I may make this a longer story- I certainly have more than a few ideas about where it could go- but I also have a lot of other story ideas so whether or not I go on a lot or just tie up the end really depends on all of you. I may just incorporate this story line into one of my other pending ideas, or I may draw this out into its own separate thing. I'm open to suggestions.