It had almost been a full 2 years after the giant's war had ended. Reyna had thought she had a hard time shouldering the praetorship alone when Jason was missing the first time, but after the son of Jupiter had been killed by the giants, and Frank Zhang had given his life for the war, all the responsibility was shoved on her again. Percy had decided to stay at camp half blood and with his family while he recovered from the passing of his late girlfriend, Annabeth, which still left only one praetor in New Rome.

"Thank the gods Octavian was taken out," she thought, "or else he'd probably be trying to take the praetorship again and make my life a living hell. Again."

It was tough running a still recovering camp. Too many lives had been lost in the cause, many more than in the Titan War. Looking at the faces of the legionnaires while they stood at the ready was a punch in a gut when she realized again and again that she was checking for demigods that would never get the chance to stand there again. There were many new faces, which usually halfway made up for the disappointment Reyna felt. Many half-bloods with Greek parents started enrolling in the legion either out of necessity because of their proximity, or that they liked how Camp Jupiter was run over the Greek one. Many Roman demigods has made the switch also, but in the opposite direction. Those demigods were similar to Jason in how they decided to choose Greek over Rome; which would have made the daughter of Bellona angry in the past, hardly phased her at all when a legionnaire asked for permission to make the swap.

Watching her friends and soldiers leave the camp she loved disheartened Reyna and she often retreated to the summit overlooking Camp Jupiter to think. In the peace and quiet, she could relax and let down her guard. There were no surprises, no deserters, no death, no killing, and no problems up here. Up here, everything was under her control, nothing could sneak up on her—

"Well don't you look lonely."

Reyna almost fell over in fright. She spun around quickly while simultaneously unsheathing her sword. In a matter of seconds, she had the stranger pinned with a sword at the throat. She was breathing heavily and her heart was pounding. It was only when she registered the stranger's face that—the stranger—was—

"Woah, woah, woah war girl, calm down. You're gonna kill someone with that thing," Percy said good-naturedly, putting his hands up in self defense.

"Wha…?! What…Percy?!" Reyna sputtered. She sheathed her sword and jumped off him. "What are you doing here?! How are you? How did you get here?! Wha—"

Percy laughed. "Didn't I answer enough questions for you the first time I showed up here?"

Reyna laughed at the memory. "Maybe," she smiled, "but that still doesn't answer my question, what are you doing here?"

"To be honest?" Percy shrugged, "I'm not really sure. I can't handle being in New York anymore, there are too…too many memories….of of her…."

"Oh."

Reyna immediately felt guilty for bringing up the sore subject if Annabeth's passing. "I'm really sorry about that, Percy."

Percy set his jaw and stared out over the camp. He didn't say anything. Reyna moved beside him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "What do you say we get something to eat and catch up? It's been awhile."

"Yeah, sure beats just standing here. Lead the way your highness" Percy responded, mockingly bowing to his friend, his good-naturedness returning.