This one is an AU Jasper story.

#4: Strangers and a Bar

"Eee!" Piper Mclean squealed, falling out of the bar. "I hate you, Drew. I'm never going out with you again. I got so drunk."
The girl at her shoulder shrugged and flipped her hair back. "Whatever, McLean." And she walked away, swinging her hips and winking at the blonde boy walking past.

"Okay, Pipes," Piper muttered to herself. "Gotta get home without dying."
She took a step forward and immediately fell, arms flailing. The blonde boy from before reached out and caught her.

"You okay?" He asked worriedly.

"No," She said, looking up at him. "I'm drunk."
He set her up on her feet. "Can you get home alright?"
She swayed lightly. "You just have to go left, left, straight, right, left, park. And then you walk up the stairs."

"Uh..."
"Okay. Car keys." She rummaged through her bag. "I rode with Drew, didn't I? Smart. Then when she ditches you you can try to walk home and get hit by a car. Great."

The boy raised his eyebrow. "What?"
She smiled at him, her biggest, brightest smile. "I rode with a friend. She—well, not really a friend. Anyway, she ditched me, so know I have to walk home."
"Where do you live?"
She told him.
"I can drive you," He offered.

"Okay! Wait, no." She frowned. "Stranger danger."
"I'm not a stranger," He said, offering his arm. "I'm Jason."
"Oh!" She grinned and took his arm. He led her to a small gray car, opened the door, and shoved her in after she wouldn't get in.

"Well, this is a nice car," She told him, petting the seat like a cat. He shook his head in bewilderment.

"Uh, thanks?"
He drove her to her apartment, attached to others with the doors on the outside, and she got out, standing my the front door for a few minutes. Finally, after watching him, he got out and asked her what was wrong.

"The key won't fit," She replied, dangling it in his face. "I think it's broken.
"Give me that," He said, snatching the key and fitting it perfectly in the lock.

"See?" He asked impatiently. She didn't answer. "Hey?" He tipped her head up to look at him.

"Ugh," She mumbled, and went limp.

He caught her, just barely, and lifted her in his arms. She mumbled something in his chest.

"Is this your place?" He asked softly. There were stairs, which he climbed, and then her apartment door was on the left. He unlocked that one too, holding her up with one arm.

Her apartment was average—living room connected to kitchen, a few books and magazines scattered about. Her bed was a tangled mess of blankets and pillows, and he set her there as comfortably as he could, slipping her shoes off of her.

There were birds chirping on the window. Piper sighed and rolled over, trying to sink back into sleep. It didn't work

"Uuuuuuhhhhhh," She moaned. Sitting up, she stepped on her shoes on the floor. She swore, remembering that Drew had taken her out and she'd gotten drunk.

Lurching slightly, she took her clothes off and wrapped herself in a short robe.

She managed to make coffee, and it wasn't until after she'd drank a few sips that she realized there was someone sitting on her couch. Whirling around, coffee splashed onto her bare toes. She ignored it, staring at the blonde man sitting there, watching her.

"Who are you?" She asked, her voice steady.

"You don't remember? I drove you home."
"And you stayed?" Her voice rose.

He shook his head hastily, getting up and taking a few cautious steps toward her. "No, I just—I forgot to give you back your key."
"And decided to sit on my couch," She pointed out, leaning against the counter. Slowly she drew her robe more firmly closed.

"I—yeah."
"Why?"
He sighed. "I'm not sure."

She raised an eyebrow.

"That's weird."
"No, I just didn't want you to—to-"
"To what?"

"Um...forget about me?"
He was the color of a tube of her lipstick—bright pink. Trying not to laugh suddenly, she realized that her robe wasn't as secure as she'd thought.

"Well," She said, walking toward him. He blinked. "Thanks for the...key."
And she grabbed his collar, pulled him to her, and kissed him on the lips. It only lasted a second before she separated, spun him around, and shoved him to the door.

"Talk to you later!" She yelled. The door closed and she sat down on the floor.

What's the matter? She thought. I've kissed dozens of men before—none of them meant anything.

The door swung open.

"Piper Mclean, what did you do to that poor man? He's stumbling like he's drunk."
Annabeth came and knelt down in front of her.

"What did you do?" She asked, her voice stern.

Piper shook her head, bewildered. "I...I don't know."

"You did something."
"Oh, well, last night I got drunk and he drove me home and put me in bed. So he was here this morning, and he was looking, and then I kissed him and shooed him out."
Annabeth shook her head and pulled Piper to her feet.

"Piper Mcheart breaker," She mumbled. "Well, I met a guy. He lives in my building, and he thought my apartment was his, trying to unlock my door with his key, probably because the doorman's an idiot and doesn't know up from down. Anyway, he was actually pretty cute—you know, black hair..."
She rambled on while making coffee.

"But it's different," Piper whispered. "Because I care."
"And then I..." Annabeth died off mid-sentence. Then she shook her head. "You're either hung-over or you like this guy."

Piper shook her head. "You know how many guys I've-"
"Piper, you know I do. And I've never seen you be upset about manipulating them with your prettiness."
"But..."
"That's probably the hangover."
But it wasn't. It wasn't, because for a few days after she went back to that bar, every night, from seven until midnight, waiting.

She was heading for her usual table when she spotted someone sitting there—a brown-haired man alone.

"Hey," She said, appearing in his sight line. His eyes widened. "Maybe...you could go up to the bar and I'll meet you there in a few minutes?"
He nodded, grabbed his drink, and stood up. She slid into his seat, idly drumming her fingers.

"Should I come back after you've met him?" A voice asked behind her.

Her heart slowed as she turned. "Um, no. That's—that's okay."
He pulled the chair out across from her. Her heart returned to normal pace and then faster.

"He's going to be disappointed," He said, pointing at the man she'd moved.

"He's going to forget," She replied.

Shaking his head, he held his hand out to her. "I'm Jason."
"I know."
"Yeah," He laughed. "But I don't know your name."

"Oh!" She nodded, flustered. "I'm Piper."
He leaned forward, and the light played in his hair and made the scar above his lip gleam.

"Tell me, Piper," He said, his voice low. "Why were you so smooth a while ago, but seem to be shaking in your heels now?"
"Maybe because...people?" She asked, knowing it was thin.

He laughed, his scar almost disappearing.

"People," He repeated, and she felt a surge of confidence. She was Piper Mclean, did what she wanted with men and didn't really deal with the consequences.

"Yeah," She said, leaning forward so that their faces were inches apart. "But I can be smooth if you want me to."
He blinked rapidly.

"Oh," She said, smiling. "You're losing your smoothness as I get mine."
He shook his head.

"Yes," She persisted. "Hey, remember when I...did this?"
And she kissed him again.

"That's why," He exclaimed when they'd drawn apart. "You like me."
She shrugged. "Maybe."
"Oh, sure." He grabbed her hand and pulled her, out of the bar and into the street.

And they stood there, under the moonlight. He put his hands on her waist, holding her tight to him.

"Admit it," He said, his breath tickling her face. "You, the do-whatever-she-wants-and-get-away-with-it girl, likes me and is scared."

Slowly she put her hands up, around his neck, holding herself up so they were eye level.

"Yeah," She admitted. "I like you, and I'm scared."
He smiled. "Me too."
Please don't do that with strangers. Review!