Missing moment in Mark of Athena, because either you ship them or not, Jason and Reyna deserved a proper reunion too. (I don't ship them!)

Jason guessed most people were terrified by Aurum and Argentum, but he wasn't at all. They were glaring at him from each side, and yet he wasn't nervous about it.

They'll only attack if I lie, he kept reminding himself.

Reyna finally spoke, cold and distant: «What do you want, Jason?»

He pretended not to notice her cool attitude.

«So,» he began, confident as usual, «I guess a lot of things happened since I disappeared, I mean, eight months are a great amount of time. Things can change…»

«Right, Jason. Things can change, and people too. You certainly did.» was her sharp reply.

He still played it like he didn't hear the hurt in her voice.

«Did I? I've been just doing the usual – yeah, there has been the shock of finding out about the Greek gods and stuff, but beside that, I've gone over to the other camp, met a couple of new friends, gone on a few quests, almost died a dozen of times… yeah, pretty much the usual. I haven't changed a bit.» he said cracking a smile.

«I disagree, you're different. I find you… softer, you know?»

He wasn't expecting this.

He remained silent for a minute, took a deep breath and then calmly spoke.

«Reyna, tell me. What's wrong? I can see something is bothering you, I know you that much.»

Her answer was much colder than he'd expected.

«Jason,» she spoke his name like it was an offense. «My point is that you've left me here, alone for eight months. I ran the camp all on my own, I've had Octavian trying to get the praetorship ever since you were gone. I had to deal with everything alone. Everything, Jason. Shouldering a job meant for two people.»

Ouch. That hurt. But he couldn't let her speak to him like this, like all of this was entirely his fault.

«It's not my fault! It's Hera you need to blame, not me–»

«It's Juno! Why do you even call the gods by their greek names? You see? You've changed,» she was shouting now. «You've gone over to their side» she whispered.

«Don't act like I had a role in this! It was not my fault, it is Juno's, she decided to exchange us! I didn't want to leave camp, my home, my friends… I didn't want to leave you.»

«Don't make it look like you missed me, Jason, because you clearly didn't.»

«I didn't even remember the camp, Lupa, let alone you,» he defended himself, tears in his eyes.

«How come Percy remembered Annabeth then?»

«That's a completely different situation,» he replied sharply.

«Really? How are they different from us?»

Jason inhaled deeply before answering.

«I was there, Reyna. I was there to watch Annabeth struggle through her pain. I watched her lead Camp Half-Blood through the tears. I watched her breaking. I watched her never stop believing that he could be found. She never lost hope. She never stopped looking for him, for Jupiter's sake. For eight months. She was always on quests, she barely ever slept. One look at her face then, and I understood how much she cared for Percy, how she couldn't live without him,» he paused, «When I got my memory back, you were one of the first faces I remembered. Even though it was all still very fuzzy, I knew you were somewhat important for me. But I knew that we were nothing like Annabeth and Percy.»

«You didn't use to be so compassionate,» commented Reyna.

«Listen, it's still me. I'm the same old Jason that used to be your best friend. Your fellow praetor. Sure, I made friends with the–»

«Greacus!» she snapped.

Jason had to stay calm. He would not attack Reyna.

«That's not an insult anymore,» he said at last.

«Of course not! Because you've made friends with them. You're right, I'm sorry. Go and be off with that Venus's spawn, or should I say Aphrodite? You can't even see that she's manipulating you!»

Reyna could insult Jason all she liked. But she would not insult Piper.

«You shouldn't have said that.»

He turned and left, before he could make the situation even worse.

The only thing he registered was the metallic barking sound Aurum and Argentum were making at him while he moved away from the Praetor House.

Rewiew? :)