"Damn you, Percy, damn you," Jason grumbled to his reflection in the mirror while washing all the flour off. After Piper's freak out because she forgot dessert, she had sent him up to his room to get ready while she rested in the spare bedroom he had shown her.

That was probably the worst thing she could have done, because now he had time to think while he got ready. It wouldn't have been a problem if Percy hadn't decided to bring up the subject of Piper when he visited, because now that's all he could think of. Jason was supposed to think of Reyna, and how he was going to apologize, change…blah blah blah. But no, Piper has to be so attractive, and have this amazing personality and all.

Jason debated on whether he had enough time to take a shower or not. He'd take one later, he decided as he opened the giant closet doors. He flipped though his many clothes, trying to decide what to wear. Definitely not a suit. Maybe dress pants?

No way. This dinner isn't that important. Jason pulled out a pair of dark jeans and a plain white shirt. More comfortable, and he looked better in them anyways. Plus, this is what he always wore when he and Reyna hung out together. Piper wouldn't be very happy with his clothing choice, but she would get over it.

After he was finished getting dressed, Jason did one last check in the mirror and brushed his teeth. Right as he stuck his toothbrush in his mouth (He checked to make sure it wasn't the one Piper used) his phone vibrated violently. Jason pulled it out of his pocket.

"Yeah, Piper?" he meant to say, but it was pretty hard to say with a toothbrush in his mouth.

Apparently she didn't care, because she started talking in a frantic voice. "Get to the door! Hurry! Reyna's almost here, Leo just called and told me she walked in the door!"

Jason spit into the sink. "Alright, alright! I'm on my way down!" he said as he hit the end button. Not even bothering to rinse out his mouth, Jason hastily wiped his face and stumbled down the stairs just as the doorbell rang.

Piper was no where in sight, but the table was neatly set with the food delicately covered and the slender red candles were lit. Jason sent a mental Thank you, to Piper and approached the door.

Nervously, he reached out and turned the doorknob, revealing Reyna waiting patiently on the other side. Running Piper's guidebook through his head, Jason invited her in.

"Good evening, Reyna. How are you?" Jason said, but it didn't feel natural. He hoped it didn't sound forced to Reyna.

Reyna smiled curiously. "I'm fine, Jason. And you?"

Jason took her hand and led her inside. He remembered the guidebook saying to give a simple answer when the conversation turned to him, let Reyna do the talking or else he would forget not to be self-absorbed.

"I'm good, thanks for asking. Can I show you to your seat?" Jason asked. Jason had spent all morning after team pictures with Piper practicing proper etiquette and how to show a woman to the table.

Reyna gave him another curious look, like she was suppressing a smirk. "Yes, that would be fine, I suppose. Did you really make dinner all by yourself?"

"Pretty much. I did have some help with the recipes though," Jason said smoothly. He led Reyna to her seat and pulled it out for her.

Reyna took it hesitantly and Jason could feel her studying him as he took the cover off her spaghetti plate, poured them both wine, and sat down at his seat across from her. Jason took off his cover and lifted his glass.

"Here's to us, and a new start," Jason said.

Reyna lifted her glass and joined him. "Agreed."

They set their glasses back down and began to eat, making conversation between bites.

"I must say, Jason, I'm impressed. What changed you? What happened?" Reyna asked, twirling a strand of spaghetti on her fork.

Jason swallowed and laid down his fork, trying to think of how to word his answer. Obviously, he couldn't tell her about the baby and Piper. "Um, well you see…I got this counselor to help me out, and I realized that I needed you back in my life. I'm sorry for what I've done to you over the years, Reyna. It was immoral of me, and I should've realized what fame was doing do my personality. Will you take me back?"

Reyna pursed her lips. "As a friend, I will. I know I said I wanted a relationship with you, but right now I want to make sure that you really have gone back to the Jason I first met. I'm not eager to get my heart broke again," she said slowly, pushing a meatball around her plate.

Jason's spirits lifted. Piper's guidance was actually paying off! "Great! It's been pretty lonely without our usual Wednesday night movie every week. Do you think we could reinstate that?" he asked, shoving the last bit of spaghetti in his mouth.

Reyna smiled and took a drink. "I think I could handle that."

As soon as Reyna left, Piper burst through the spare bedroom door and chased Jason down. "You did it! You really did it! I had my doubts, but you did it!" Piper exclaimed while jumping up and down.

Piper was happy that things were working out for Jason, and that little by little he was reverting back. She had listened to his dinner conversation with Reyna (Thanks to Leo's secret microphone that Piper attached under the table) and had heard them making up to each other. She was happy, really. Even if it was on the outside. Even if she was lying to herself.

Jason grinned. "I know! I can't think of how to thank you, you've been such a great help. Where would I be without you?"

Piper's stomach dropped, and she hoped it didn't show on her face. She regained herself quickly. "Well, definitely not here. Now to the hard part!"

"What do you mean? About me or the mess we need to clean up?" Jason asked.

Piper frowned. "Now that you say it, both. How about we talk while cleaning?"

Jason shrugged and picked up a dirty plate. "Sure, why not. But why can't I just call someone up here to clean up the mess for us? It would be so much easier and I don't feel like doing it," he complained.

Piper picked up a few more dishes and piled them up in Jason's arms. "Uh, no. We don't take the easy way out, no, we work hard for our success. Which also involves doing the whole job, not just the beginning. Now put those in the sink, I'll grab the rest, and I'll wash the dishes while you do everything else," Piper instructed.

After about an hour of vigorous scrubbing and cleaning while Piper told Jason on what he could improve on (like walking Reyna to the door when she left), the kitchen was spotless. Piper carefully placed the last of the delicate porcelain dishes in the tub and closed the lid tightly.

"Hey, I'm going to haul this box down to my car and come back for my purse and the other box," Piper said, pulling her keys out of her pocket.

Jason jumped off the couch and held out a hand. "Here, I'll just take that box. You get your purse and the other one."

Piper put her hands on her hips. "Wow, someone's awfully in a hurry to get me to leave."

Jason's hand fell down. "Oh, well okay."

"I'm just kidding, Jason. I appreciate the offer," Piper laughed at Jason's expression while slinging her purse on her shoulder.

"Women," Jason muttered. But he picked up a box and opened his door all the same.

Piper smiled encouragingly and went through the door and into the hall. Jason closed the door with the tips of his fingers and pressed the elevator button. Soon, the shiny elevator doors opened and the both of them stepped in and Jason punched the lobby button. The elevator jerked into motion.

After a few moments of silence, Piper decided to break it. "Jason, I'm really proud of you, do you know that?"

Jason looked over to her in surprise, but Piper kept her eyes fixed on the door. "You are?"

Piper laughed lightly. "Yeah. I am. But don't let that go to your head, okay?"

Jason was quiet for a moment. "Why do you have so much faith in me?"

She couldn't decide if he was being sarcastic or not, so she just went with not because she did have an answer for that. "Because I know that somewhere under all your excessive ego a different you is buried. Tonight, I think I seen him come back for a while," Piper said slowly.

"Piper-" Jason started to say, but the elevator stopped and the doors slid open.

Piper rushed through the lobby and out to her deep purple car that was parked on the busy curb. She was avoiding Jason, too afraid of what he might have said. Even if it was nothing important, she couldn't be too careful. Piper clicked the button on her keys, and the car beeped. Piper walked around and lifted the trunk up, carefully placing her box in. Jason lay his box next to hers and closed the trunk for her.

"I guess this is goodnight," Jason said lamely.

Piper pretended to be interested in the bustling traffic. "Yes, I suppose so."

Jason crossed his bare arms and Piper realized that it was January and he wasn't even wearing a coat. "Jason, you better get inside or you'll get sick. You can't afford to be with playoffs this weekend," Piper scolded.

"I'll be fine," Jason said haughtily.

"Okay, whatever you say." Piper said. She walked around to the driver's side and Jason followed. Piper reached for the door handle, but Jason got there first. "Jason, I can get the door just fine by myself."

"What's wrong with me opening it?" Jason protested.

Piper pushed his hand away from the handle and opened it herself. "Because, Jason, I'm not your girlfriend. Reyna is. Practice that kind of stuff on her, okay?" she said firmly as she sat inside and put the key in the ignition.

Before Jason could respond, Piper turned the key, slammed the door, and drove off into the busy streets. She didn't want to hear his answer. Her feelings for him were already complicated enough. In frustration, Piper turned up the radio to block anymore thoughts on the way home.

Music blasting, Piper pulled into her rocky driveway a half an hour later. Annabeth's car was still here, but Percy's was gone. Without even parking in her garage, Piper turned off her car and stepped out into the country air.

Piper loved her house and the area around it, even if it was deserted in the middle of nowhere. It was quiet and peaceful, with many hills and few trees all around, the dead knee-high grass waving gently in the January breeze. Even in winter, the sight was breathtaking.

Her house that her father had had built for her blended in to the landscape perfectly. Of course it did, Annabeth herself had designed it, which was how they had met. The house met the standard white farmhouse stereotype, but looked as if it had been brought straight out of an old rich plantation down in the south because of its size. Piper hadn't wanted an extremely big house, she didn't need all the extra space, so her father and her had agreed to meet in the middle.

Piper also had a barn behind the house with a few horses, only one of which that was hers. Some people paid her to keep their horses there with quite a bit of money since the area was so rich. Enough money that it served as Piper's main job other than the fact that she assisted Annabeth in her architecture job sometimes. Percy helped out as a trainer too when he wasn't playing.

Breathing in the fresh air, Piper walked up her columned porch and opened the door, walking into the entrance room. Her old-fashioned house was dark, but if she squinted she could see the faint glow of the T.V. coming from her living room. Piper hung her coat on the rack and walked softly through the house and into the living room.

Sure enough, Annabeth was laying on the couch, fast asleep, while the History Channel was playing something about the possibility of aliens. Piper sighed and shook Annabeth awake.

Annabeth snapped awake. "Are the dishes okay?"

"Yes, they're perfectly fine, don't worry. I was just waking you up to let you know I'm home," Piper assured.

Annabeth rubbed her eyes and pushed her blonde hair out of her face sleepily. "I'm staying overnight. I don't feel like going home."

Piper laughed. "That's fine. Do what you want, this house is practically half yours," Piper said. She was used to Annabeth staying over all the time.

Annabeth sat up on the couch. "So, how did it go?"

"Jason did great, actually. Reyna forgave him and all. They even agreed to reinstate their movie nights together," Piper tried to say enthusiastically.

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. "Something else happened." she stated.

Piper stretched. "You know, I'm kinda tired. I think I'm going to go to bed," Piper said smoothly as she got up from the couch and walked up the wooden stairs and into her room.

Piper quickly undressed and jumped into her bed, hugging her stomach. She hated leaving Annabeth like that down there, but she was afraid. Afraid of what?

Afraid that maybe, just maybe, she was falling for Jason Grace.

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Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.