Yay for chapter 2! I know, its short, but I only had about ten minutes to write it... xD Enjoy!

Katie Gardner (love your username, btw): Thank you. Yes, I do realize that she is EXTREMELY OOC. However, I did that on purpose. You'll understand later. I promise :)

Cockapoo: xD Yes, your advice is epic! xD She's REALLY OOC at the moment. But you'll understand why later :) xD I'll try to remember that ;)

Disclaimer: I own nothing xD


A warm hand on his shoulder snapped Jason out of his daydream (although it was sincerely more of a nightmare). Startled slightly, Jason swivelled in his desk chair, turning to face the intruder.

"I just wanted to stop by. You don't seem to be acting normally so I came to check up on you," Aquilla, his fellow praetor, said sweetly.

Aquilla was just one of those people who always made good friends. You could tell her anything. She wouldn't leave you because of what you said.

Yet Jason was definitely not in the mood to explain so he hurried to hide the picture behind his back. Sadly, it was too late.

"You like her, don't you?" Aquilla asked, the smile on her face growing. "The new girl. You've been following her since she arrived."

"No," Jason stated simply, placing the photograph into his drawer and dragging himself to his feet. "I'm going to go get―"

"Not so fast," Aquilla giggled, forcing him to sit down beside her. "Explain how... this happened."

"I'm quite hungry and I―"

"I won't tell anyone."

Jason sighed, sitting down beside the teenage girl. Although she was nearly twice his age (eighteen to be exact) he felt as if she were his only friend. As a fellow praetor, he loved and respected her. He knew that one day she would retire and he would get a new partner. However he knew he couldn't even hope that his new one would be quite as nice as Aquilla. It was a surprise that the near quiet girl had managed to hold the position for so long.

"I actually don't know," Jason admitted to his friend, watching as she strangely became suddenly happier.

"When did you first start following her?"

"The day she left the infirmary she had gone for a walk and she had forgotten... something or other. I went to go give it back... but..."

"You lost your nerve?"

"Yeah... So I just sat in the trees and watched her. And I've been doing it since."

The older girl cooed and giggled, ruffling the younger boy's hair before cupping his cheeks in her hands. "You are too cute! Why don't you talk to her?"

"I... I can't," he admitted, his red face growing ever redder.

Then, suddenly, Aquilla got up from the bed, Jason following her example. A smile still played at her lips as she hugged him. "You need to go get your girl. She won't keep waiting."

They exchanged their goodbyes and she left, leaving him, once again, alone in his room. He sighed, knowing Aquilla was right.

He wanted to follow the girl's advice. He wanted to tell Reyna. He really did. Yet he couldn't. He knew he would chicken out at the last moment and go running back the way he came.

But maybe he actually had a chance. Jason was praetor. He was good looking and strong. But Reyna was... different. She seemed kind (not like Jason had ever actually spoken to her). But most of all, she was carefree. She had an aura of child-like joy surrounding her. He knew that his presence would only taint her. And at the same time, he knew that eventually she would become just like him. Just like every other Roman. He had everything, the greatest weapons, the best army in his hands, and power. Yet at the same time, he had nothing. I didn't know how to... live.

She did. She knew how to enjoy the little things. The flowers in bloom, the small chirping birds. Everything. She even managed to enjoy those two blood thirsty dogs, Arurum and Agentum. It was like magic.

And Jason knew it was the only thing he could not have.