Part 2: Facing the truth

Piper was glad that for once, Hunter wasn't with her; Leo had agreed to stay at her house and watch after him until she came back. Because Piper was a mess.

It was like she had gone back in time and they were driving to the base where Jason's commander would explain everything around her boyfriend's death. She closed her eyes, repeating in her mind that this wasn't the same; that the worst had already happened. But somehow her mind didn't have control over her body so she balled her hands into fists to stop them from shaking and looked out the window to distract herself. But her breaths still came uneven and the car felt too narrow, the walls were closing around her and the seat was too uncomfortable for her to stay still. Piper desperately wanted to run away. To not face this again.

Could a heart be broken again if it never healed the first time? It felt like it.

''Miss Mclean, we're here.'' The soldier, sergeant Zang said suddenly making Piper realize that the car wasn't moving and that they were alone, only the two of them in front of the all too familiar grey building: their military base. The sergeant had opened her door, waiting for her with somewhat concerned face.

She hurried to get out, feeling claustrophobic in that small vehicle. Taking a few deep and calming breaths, she nodded to him and he led her forwards, going through the double doors. A man in his forties was already there, talking with another familiar face. Piper sighed, trying to stop the panic from rising again. The news couldn't be good if her psychologist was there also.

''Miss Mclean, it's nice to see you again. I don't know if you remember me…'' the other man started but Piper nodded quickly, cutting his words while shaking his outstretched hand. Of course she remembered the man that came to her door that day, announcing Jason's death and ruining her world: Jason's commander.

''Major Wallace.'' She tried for a smile and was almost sure that managed a descent one.

''Yes.'' He answered, his face softening a little as he smiled at her. ''Then it will be unneeded of me to remind you of Mr. Solace, our psychologist?''

She nodded again, turning to shake hands with the younger man.

''Long time no see Piper. But I guess it's for the best.'' He chuckled and for some reason Piper felt even more nervous than before.

She hadn't seen him since around a year and a half ago when her last session was. After her boyfriend died, she went almost completely crazy. First she went into hysterics: throwing and breaking things, shouting and they had hard time stopping her; they couldn't even sedate her because of the pregnancy. So she had to deal with everything on a sober head which required two hours every day with the psychologist Will Solace here in his office in the base. It took her more than three months to finally come to her senses. Hunter's birth and the cares she had to give him helped a lot too but her visits were still regular even after she started acting sane. All in all, she didn't want to remember her last meetings with Solace.

''Yes, I think it was. And why the change now? Why am I required here?'' she asked, wanting to get this over with and get back to preparing dinner for tonight. She had promised Hunter.

The two men exchanged looks and Wallace nodded before they both turned towards Piper and again with the small smiles.

''Let's go to my office first, shall we? I want to know how you and Hunter are doing, we haven't talk in a while.'' Will smiled and opened a door for her while she sighed and got in.

As always he sat on his chair and she: on the beige couch across him, giving the first impression that they were going to have a nice chat and a cup of coffee. Despite the cozy look of the place, Piper shivered slightly at the memories it gave her. Hopelessness, disbelief and finally numbness. It really had been a long time.

''So Piper, how have things been lately?'' he asked her casually, his notebook left on the coffee table between them, seemingly forgotten while his pale blue eyes were studying her reaction.

''Good I guess. Hunter is talking more now and can't stay still on one place for more than ten seconds. It's a challenge looking after him.'' She finally concluded, trying to forget where they were and to pretend that they were just two friends talking.

''And you? How are you coping with the fact that you are alone in this?''

Straight-forwards much? But somehow, she wasn't surprise in the slightest. So she decided to answer truthfully.

''It's hard. Sometimes more tan others but I don't have other choice, right? I have to do it for Hunter; he deserves to have a somewhat normal life.''

''So he's the reason for you to move on? And what if he wasn't there?''

Piper didn't answer right away, trying to imagine what would have happened with her if her boy wasn't born. She would be truly alone then.

''I don't know, maybe I would be still coming here every week like before.'' She chuckled without humor and then sighed. ''I would have definitely been worse though. Even when Thalia, Annabeth, Percy and Leo are around…it's not the same without him. I really appreciate everything they do for me but they can't return him back. No one can.''

Will pushed a box of tissues towards her and she watched him questioningly before feeling the moisture on her cheeks. She ignored the request, brushing the tears away with the back of her hand instead.

''You haven't forgotten him after all this time.'' It wasn't a question, it was a statement and Piper felt the anger boiling up in her. She was up before she could even register it herself and staring angrily at the calm man in front of her.

''I love him, he was the father of my son, how do you expect me to forget him?!'' she asked not really caring if someone from outside had heard her. This person obviously hadn't fallen in love.

''I know Piper. I just wanted to be sure.'' He stated again with the stupid smile and she huffed before plopping down on the couch. She was aware that she acted like a five-year-old but she couldn't care less.

They stood silent for a while. Piper tried to calm down while the doctor patiently waited for her to be able to continue their talk.

''Why am I here? Have they found his…body?'' she asked finally, her voice wavering at the end. ''But after three ears it won't be a body right, more like remains or something. Bones…ashes.''

She rambled more to herself than to him then. Her vision was unfocused as she imagined what might the sight be and her hand covered her mouth instinctively. It wasn't going to be him.

''Piper…''

She didn't listen, her eyes were close and her head was downcast. No, wait she wanted to tell him don't say it just yet. But she could feel Mr. Solace's gaze on her and she knew she had to take a hold of herself.

''Just a minute please.'' She finally managed and started taking deep breaths in a feeble attempt to calm down, to stop the sudden panic attack she had.

She felt the couch shifting slightly from beside her and a hand was placed on her shoulder but she couldn't stop it. She started hyperventilating, her tears still falling silently down, dampening her jeans.

''Piper, listen to me. You need to hold your breath for a few seconds. Do you hear me, can you do it?'' the psychologist's calming voice reached her mind and she nodded to the voice because she was still swimming in the darkness; her eyes were still closed.

And she did as she was told, resisting the urge to take another desperate breath for a few seconds before releasing a shaky one. The air started coming in and out of her lungs more easily, allowing her to calm down. She opened her eyes and locked them on the shelf on the wall right in front of her. Distraction, she had to find a distraction. She couldn't have a breakdown. Not when Hunter was waiting for her to come back home.

''Better?'' the doctor asked and she nodded.

''Yes, I'm sorry about…this.'' She waved her hand feebly, aware of his own arm on her shoulder. ''So, why am I here?'' she tried again, this time blocking the images that came up in her mind.

''Piper, it may come out as a shock but…''

''Please doctor, say it already.'' She asked more tired than impatient and she heard him sigh.

''They found him.''

Three simple words and Piper was feeling the tears again. His body was probably in this same building with her. Or what was left of him. She felt herself sigh and nodded resignedly. In one way or another, he was home.

''Okay.'' She barely recognized her own voice, it sounded so distant and cold. It lacked any emotion.

''Piper, I think you didn't understand me.'' This time his voice sounded careful like he was trying to choose his words. Was he nervous? ''I think it's better if you come with me to Major Wallace.''

And even though Piper was mentally exhausted already and the only thing she wanted was to go home and wallow in her own sorrow, she stood up and followed Mr. Solace to the Major's office on the next floor.

''Major, we're here.'' Said Will after knocking on his office door. When the 'come in' came the door was suddenly open and Piper was let to go in first.

She heard more than felt how her breathing hitched sharply at the sight in front of her. Her eyes were wide, her body numb. She couldn't believe it, it wasn't possible! She tried making a step back but she couldn't feel her feet so she tumbled backwards. It didn't matter because everything went blank before her head could touch the ground.

The first thing Piper registered was that her head was heavy, throbbing slightly even. The smells around her were different yet somehow strangely familiar. Okay, she wasn't at home. Then where was she? What had happened? She tried to open her eyes but her body didn't respond.

Warm fingers wrapped around her left wrist and stood there for a few seconds before disappearing again.

''Her pulse is going back to normal. She should wake up soon.'' a familiar voice sounded but Piper couldn't remember where did she know it from.

''But why did she fainted in the first place? Is she sick or something?'' another voice, more frantic asked. She felt a strange tug in her heart. She knew that voice too well but it sounded so foreign right now. Must be from hitting her head though. Maybe she was dreaming.

''She's okay lieutenant, it was just too much of a shock for her. She had a panic attack a few minutes before we came here.'' Said the first voice calmly. Piper noticed a regular thud coming from not far away. Someone was pacing.

Everything fell silent and Piper thought she had passed out again before she felt how the surface beneath her shifted and then a familiar touch warmed her forehead. Trembling fingers, sliding down her face trying to touch every part of it ever so lightly.

''Come on Pipes, wake up for me.'' He pleaded and her heart stopped.

The voice. The smell. The familiar touch. The nickname…

And as the memories from the last few hours came back to her she bolted up straight on the couch she was lying. She was in Major Wallace's office, on his dark brown couch that was very uncomfortable to take a nap on. But that didn't mater right now.

Because she was staring, gaping at the man sitting right next to her. He was so close that she could see the specks of gray in his bright blue eyes, the tiny lines formed on his forehead from worrying too much, the shape of that scar on his upper lip she knew so well…he was so close that Piper couldn't believe it was real.

''J-Jason?'' she heard herself whimper, her body still frozen in spot by the mere fact that he was there, hole and unharmed.

''Hi Pipes. I'm home.'' He said, like he used to do every time he came back from a mission and that line, that saying did things to her body, woke it up and she was in his arms in a heartbeat.

She closed her eyes ignoring the tears flowing freely and just savored the sensation of his body pressed against hers, of his familiar scent of outdoors and something sweet yet so refreshing that was only Jason. She felt his hands on her back, tangled in her hair and just then she noticed how his shoulders shook a little while his face was hidden in her hair so she backed away from him, hands tangled at his neck.

''Hey, it's okay. You're finally here.'' She whispered to him, cupping his face in one of her hands, brushing the tear from his cheek with her thumb. ''God, you have no idea how much I missed you.'' She finally admitted connecting their foreheads and not resisting the urge to finally let it all out.

So she just lowered her head a little and laughed whole-heartedly because right now happiness and joy couldn't quite cover what she felt. After all this time spent alone, crying and cursing the world for doing this to him, to them he was alive and here, breathing in her arms. Safe.

And she was whole again. Finally.

One look in his eyes showed that he was just as emotional as her and she smiled like she hadn't in a long time.

''Shit baby, I missed you too.'' He choked a little and in a flash, his lips were on hers with urgency, longing, passion and promises. Love. ''I'm never leaving your side again.'' He chuckled after they separated and she joined him shortly.

''You better not because we can't handle it again.'' She said and froze after realizing what exactly were her words.

''We?'' he tilted his head slightly in question, his hands never leaving her body, her neck, her hair…

''Yeah, I have something to tell you actually.'' She admitted sheepishly looking him in the eyes again, playing with the hair at his neck. It got longer her mind registered.

''And what is that?''

''Jason, you…we actually have a son.''

A\N: Part two is done, only part three left. It will come in a few days' time. Thanks for all the amazing reviews, it means the world to me! :)) And yes, he is alive. I just can't kill him, sue me!