Author's Note :
Is this story mostly just angsty wish fulfillment with too many plot holes? Yes, yes it is.
Jason continued to act as an ambassador to the Romans after the war, for the next two years he worked tirelessly with both camps to utilize each other's resources and build more lasting bonds. This included a cooperation week each summer. (The Romans had taken to calling it Greek Week while the Greeks had opted to refer to it as Roman Holiday on Leo's insistence.) The first year the Greek campers had come to New Rome to train with the Legion, the older campers were even taken on a tour of New Rome University which had recently expanded its terms of acceptance to include all demigods and their legacies. It had been hectic, not only traveling across the country in mass, but trying to get the Greek campers to uphold the Romans' strict rules and guidelines. There had been a number of fights to break out between the campers and while he knew the transition wouldn't be smooth Jason was hoping for better results this year. It was the Romans' first time coming to Camp Half-Blood. And Jason needed it to go off without a hitch. What he hadn't anticipated was the particular brand of chaos that seemed to follow Percy Jackson.
Piper woke up to find the Aphrodite Cabin in full force. Scarves, headbands, jewelry, and other accessories were strewn across every bed, desk, and vanity. Some of her sisters were sitting at the vanities on the far side, sharpening their liners and braiding their hair up into intricate styles. With Mitchell taking summer classes for college Trevor was the only boy for the summer, but he seemed to be taking it in stride as he had Valentina Diaz up on a stool while he was hemming her new bellbottoms, pins in his mouth and surely littering the floor around him. Piper's bunkmate, Lacy, was standing at the full length mirror in the corner holding up two different camp shirts.
"Oh, Piper! You're up! Which one do you think? I like the idea of the traditional orange because like that gives a uniform look, I mean last year the Romans were so organized when they greeted us I just want us to give a good impression, but the bleached tie-dye is so much more interesting, and the muted tones don't wash me out. So… thoughts?" Lacy alternated the two shirts in front of her.
Piper sighed, but smiled at the antics of her siblings. "Go for the tie-dye. This isn't the Legion, be yourself. But I would switch the shorts. We have pegasus riding this afternoon and the last thing you want it to stain those with saddle oil." She said, eyeing the white shorts Lacy had on.
"Good call! Oh also Trevor went through Drew's trunk again and once she finds out all hell is going to break loose." Piper looked over to see Drew headed towards her trunk for a hairdryer, hair thrown up in a towel from an early morning shower. Piper took that as her cue to get up and get out of there before she was forced to intervene in the inevitable melt down that was about to happen. She threw on a pair of loose jeans and her cropped camp shirt before grabbing her shoes and slipping out the door.
She sat down on the cabin steps to lace her sneakers, taking a deep breath of the damp morning air. She looked up to see Jason scurrying around between the cabins with a clipboard, pushing his glasses back up his nose every now and again from where they slide down with his head bent over the papers in hand. Piper gave a loud whistle, grabbing his attention. As soon as Jason saw her his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly. He was momentarily diverted from his task when he came up to greet her.
"Good morning! Get enough beauty sleep?" He joked.
Piper rolled her eyes, but smiled at him nonetheless, "I got plenty before my cabin turned into Project Runway this morning. I'm going to need a metal detector just to walk in there safely with all the pins Trevor drops… You don't look like you've slept much at all." She noted.
Jason rubbed the back of his neck, looking away with a guilty smirk, "Well…"
"Jason, you can't be doing that. We're not sixteen anymore. It's going to catch up with you."
"I know, I know. I've just been so stressed about Roman Holiday."
"Don't tell me Leo has got you calling it that now too?"
"At this point I'll call it anything as long as it goes smoothly." He took off his glasses rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I don't know how Annabeth does it. I mean I'm only in charge for a few days a year and it wrecks me."
"You're doing a great job. You were praetor for years, this can't be that different." Jason scoffed a bit.
"Praetorship is paperwork and leading formations, it's organized and there is a set way to do things. Trying to lead Camp Half-Blood is like herding cats. The Legion isn't even here yet and the Ares kids are ready to start a brawl, Cabin 11 rigged the field where they're supposed to be camping with powder bombs that all have to be deactivated before everyone gets here, and I haven't seen half the Activity Heads' schedules on how they're going to work the Romans into the rotations."
Piper stood beside Jason, rubbing her hands up and down his arms. "It's all going to work out, and you don't have to do it alone. You said you don't know how Annabeth does it, but we both do. She delegates. You need to rely on others' skills sometimes. We'll have your back." Jason took a deep breath trying to push some of the tension out of his frame with the exhale.
"Okay. What should I do?" Piper smiled at him.
"Well I'm so glad you asked. Have Leo and Nessa take the powder bombs; get them to deactivate the explosives and stow them in the Bunker so the Stolls can't pick the lock. Malcolm should be up already, he'll be able to take a look at the schedules before breakfast and sort out the rotations. I'll take the Ares kids, maybe a little charmspeak will dull their edges at least for today. And you need to grab some breakfast and a nap before the Legion marches in here to you dead on your feet."
"That's a good plan."
"Make sure to tell Annabeth next week how wonderful I am at planning. She'll get a kick out of it, for sure." Piper said with a laugh in her voice. Jason chuckled along.
"Can you take Leo and Nessa and I'll go track down Malcom?" He asked, leaning his forehead against hers, finally looking more at ease.
"Can do!" She gives him a quick kiss and jokingly salutes him with two fingers to her brow, "now get going so you can grab a granola bar and a bed, Sparky."
"Yes, ma'am." Jason said with a smile on his face as he watched her go.
Around noon Jason was back up and about having been able to get a couple hours of sleep with Piper's delegating. The Legion would be coming up the road any minute so he was doing his best to only pace back and forth at the boundary rather than running around trying to check that everything was in place one last time. Piper was lounging in the sun, soaking up the rays when Leo approached, wiping grease and orange powder off his hands with a rag.
"Well that's the last of 'em, just in time too. I could hear those engines from a mile away." He said.
Jason's head whipped toward the small dirt road, sure enough three large charter buses rumbled up the hill toward the makeshift parking lot, Mercury Travels emblazoned on the side. As they came to a stop and began to unload Jason spotted the family mop of dark hair.
"Praetor Jackson!" Jason called in greeting.
"Jason, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Percy," the demigod laughed, shaking Jason's outstretched hand.
"Just one more it seems. I hope your travels went well. I remember making the trek last year. It's not an easy feat getting a hundred and fifty teens across the country."
"You can say that again. I about made the whole lot of them walk the last half if it wouldn't have made us late. Now where can we set up camp?"
"Just over the hill, by the strawberry fields, just be careful not to harm the vines or Demeter Cabin will have your ass." Percy laughed at the buttoned-up guy in front of him cursing.
"Noted. Alright, gang, grab your stuff and let's move out!" Percy called behind him, gesturing toward the field for the campers to start moving. With militant precision they unloaded the kits for the tents off the roofs of the busses and began the short journey to where they could set up.
Frank and Hazel spotted Jason, Piper, and Leo and came to exchange greetings and hugs before heading off to join the rest of the Legion in the field.
"No Reyna this year?" Jason mused to Percy as he watched the bus unload.
"Nah, she wanted to come, but the Senate was having a conniption about something or other. She decided it was best for one of us to stay back, and well, she's always been the more diplomatic one." Percy said with a carefree shrug of his shoulders. "Can't say I'm too bummed about having to come though. I hear you guys have a lava wall?!"
Jason laughed at his enthusiasm, "yeah, since you're the only child of Po- Neptune. You can choose which group you rotate through activities with. The rest have been divided up mostly by their godly parent, so they can get a feel for how we operate here."
"Sounds like a plan! I look forward to it!" And with a wave Percy was trailing off behind the last of the legionnaires, blue duffle bag swung easily over his shoulder as he sauntered off toward the field.
Right as Jason let out the breath he had been holding a loud BOOM thundered through the camp. Jason turned in the direction of the sound to see bright orange powder thrown into the air where the Legion had just begun to set up camp. Looking back at Leo, the boy's eyes were wide, a look of shock on his face.
"Looks like we missed one." He said with a slight grimace.
Jason just shook his head, running his hand through his short blonde hair.
"This is going to be a long week."
It didn't take long for the Romans to retaliate from the bright orange greeting they received, disassembling the steps on most of the Greek cabins, making it near impossible to enter or exit the buildings without someone to hoist or pull the other up, before they were caught by a group of campers coming back early from archery. From there it just kept escalating. The two factions had never gotten along swimmingly, but this was far worse than Jason ever expected. After the first few rounds of activities Malcolm came to him with a new schedule dividing up the Romans and Greeks completely as antagonizing remarks had nearly come to blows in multiple sessions on the first afternoon.
After a few days Jason was finally starting to think they could get the fighting under control when he heard shouts coming from the edge of the forest. He locked eyes with Piper and then turned to see Frank and Hazel making the same connections as they all started running toward the commotion.
When they made it to the edge of the forest they could clearly see Clarisse, her electric spear, Maimer, pointed at a Roman Centurion. A small posse edging up to back both of them. Jason could see Percy looking uncomfortable off to the side, a girl about their age standing in his way from breaking up the fight, looking like she was trying to keep him from interfering.
"Hey now, sweetheart, we were merely curious about the Minerva kids here. I mean, it can't be natural, right? Being born from a virgin goddess."
While Clarisse would normally be the first to pick a fight with Athena cabin she wasn't about to let some Roman jerks pick on them. As Cabin Head of Ares these kids were her campers too, her responsibility.
Jason quickly threw himself in the middle of the two, grabbing hold of the spear and pushing it down. Electric currents visibly run up and down his arm as he held it away from the Centurion's neck. "Clarisse, Athena Cabin is due at archery in five minutes, please make sure they make it there on time. You know how Kayla gets when lessons start late."
He met Clarisse's fiery gaze with one of his own, electric blue eyes sparking at the unspoken battle of wills.
"Fine." She said curtly, whipping her spear out of Jason's grasp and over her shoulder. "Come on, brainiacs. They aren't worth our time."
"Hey! I'm not done with you!" The Centurion that Jason recognized as Dakota called, causing Clarisse and the campers to turn back around, Jason turned, knocking the guy back with a hand on his chest. Jason let a little bit of the electricity from Clarisse's spear juice up the shove.
"You're done, pal. If you cause my campers any more trouble then you're out of here. I don't care what your rank is. You'll be gone."
"You're not the boss of us anymore, Grace. Not since you jumped ship to a weaker team."
Clarisse snarled behind him.
"The Greeks are just as capable as Romans. That's what these trips are all about, showing each other how our difference make us better, not picking fights and bullying my campers."
"Very diplomatic of you, Grace, but we both know it's bullshit. They wouldn't stand a chance against a legionnaire. Heck, even you've gotten soft being here. Bet you wouldn't even be able to hold your own anymore."
"Is that a challenge?" Jason said hotly. Letting his usual cool demeanor slip.
"You know what, yeah it is. The Twelfth Legion of Rome challenges the Greeks to trial by combat. Send us your best and we will strike them down. For none of you can stand to the power of Rome!" Dakota yelled loudly, full of showman's bravado. Followed by uproarious shouts from the near-by legionnaires. Percy seemed to be rolling his eyes, but had a knowing smirk on his face.
Percy stepped forward extending his hand out to Jason, "Well what do you say, Grace?" Jason's expression hardened. He didn't like being made a fool of, and he especially didn't like how Dakota and his crew continued to talk down to the Greeks. They would never achieve any real peace if both sides didn't at least respect each other. Jason gave Percy's hand a firm shake, sealing the challenge.
"Tomorrow morning in the sparring arena. Don't be late, Jackson."
The challenge seemed to placate the mob of campers as the Romans walked off rough housing and talking excitedly about the upcoming competition. Jason looked around at the usually chaotic Greeks, but the campers were quiet, small groups starting to whisper, but not taking their eyes off the Romans' retreating forms.
"This is bad." Frank said, stepping up beside Jason, Piper and Hazel in tow.
Jason nodded, "Piper, call Annabeth."
Later that evening in the dining pavilion tensions were running high between the two factions of campers. The only Romans to have crossed the invisible picket line were Hazel, Frank, and Jason, although Jason was considered a Greek now by most of the legionnaires. Sitting at Table One together they were eating quietly, each trying to form some sort of plan to be able to find a way to resolve the animosity between the two camps that had arisen since the challenge was made. Hostility was dripping off of every interaction between the two sides, Romans goading the Greeks, the example trickling down from the Centurions to their youngest campers. The Greeks were doing their best not to take the bait, the oldest ones biting their tongue about revealing Percy's true lineage from the Romans taunting how he was going to kick Jason's butt in the spar, doing their best to not violate the executive order from the Cabin Heads on the subject and incur the wrath of the Head Counselor.
Across the pavilion as the meal as coming to its conclusion a legionnaire stood from her seat and screamed in terror, "HELLHOUND!"
A panic swept over the campers until Gracie from Apollo Cabin looked in the direction the Roman was pointing and noticed the large blue collar around the hellhound's neck. "It's Mrs. O'Leary! And she has Annabeth!" The girl yelled joyously.
The younger Greeks started to talk excitedly upon seeing the blonde. The Romans quickly understood the monstrous dog was not a threat but their confusion only mounted as a girl disembarked from the large animal's back.
Percy watched as she approached. Storming toward the dining pavilion from the woods she looked like a goddess stalking into battle. Her shoulders set back, her pace brisk. Everything about the way she held herself carried an air of formality and power that juxtaposed her simple t-shirt and jean shorts. It wasn't the supernatural power of the gods either, this was all her. Percy could tell she held the attention of every camper in the pavilion as her steps brought her closer. This is the same girl he met three years ago, but she looked different now, more in her element, a dagger sheathes at her waist and golden hair catching the light of the setting sun.
He overheard the Hephaestus boy, Leo, muttering to Jason. "Dude, you are so fucked. She's pissed."
Percy couldn't help but agree with Leo because that's when she was close enough to be heard.
"I take one week off a year! One week! And you can't keep the camp out of a major diplomatic incident? Seven days to not cause trouble, that was all I asked!" It had been a rhetorical question. She knew trouble would occur while she was gone Annabeth had just hoped it was something Jason and Piper could handle in her absence. By the time she reached the pavilion she was in full Head Counselor mode.
Focus on the job, Annabeth. Then you can go back to Sally's.
"Bonfire is postponed until tomorrow." As the campers started to protest she continued. "Yeah, yeah, yeah take it up with the idiots who challenged a trial by combat that could cause the downfall of an inter-pantheon alliance. Cabin Heads report for an emergency meeting. Romans… please return to your campsite. Those of you who were staying with your Greek siblings please return to the Roman accommodations for the night. I think it's best that we try to remain separate until after this matter is resolved." She continued on through the pavilion meeting Percy's eyes for a brief moment. "Praetor." She addressed him with a simple nod as a sign of respect to his position as she passed on her way to the Big House. He gave her a slight nod back. Simply put, he was stunned by this girl, and not just because she was undeniably stunning, all long legs and golden tan. Percy recognized her as one of those on the Argo II at the beginning of the war so he knew she was a capable demigod, but this… this was something else. He watched as the campers followed her orders to a T. The usual chaos of the group quelled and funneled into tasks, plates being cleared and campers filing out to their cabins with little to no protest. Unquestionable loyalty to her leadership. The Legion and New Rome had been operating under the assumption that if there even was a commanding officer of the Greeks it was Jason Grace because that's who they always dealt with but now Percy could see Jason was strictly an ambassador. This girl was their leader, and she was here because of the challenge.
From what Percy had heard of Jason's skill and strength he was a force to be reckoned with but nothing he couldn't handle, but with her coaching the son of Jupiter Percy knew he'd have to step up his game.
For some unknown reason he wanted to impress her...
"So how do I beat him?" Jason said, leaning back in his chair contemplatively. When he told Piper to Iris Message Annabeth about the situation he more meant to keep her up to date, not for Annabeth to come back to camp early to coach him through the fight, but he would take all the help he could get to get an edge over Percy.
Annabeth, standing at the head of the table, both hands planted on the wood, sighed, "you don't."
"What?! You have that little faith in me? You've sparred with me before you know what I'm capable of."
Will Solace, Head of Apollo Cabin, responded before Annabeth could. "Jason, I don't think she means it that way. It's just-"
"Only one person here has consistently beat Percy." Clarisse finished. As much as she loathed to admit it, she knew just as much as any long time camper what had to be done.
"It's not that I don't think you could beat him, Jason. But it's not a guarantee. He's the best swordsman in a century, I think you could keep up enough but you're still relatively new to fighting with a sword as a primary weapon which only means a fight between the two of you will come down to powers, and that's where you would fall, probably taking most of the camp with you."
Jason stilled. He knew he was letting his ego get in the way, but was Percy really that powerful? He had never fought with him; all he knew were the stories, but those had to be at least somewhat exaggerated. They were basically rumors, legends at this point, right? Told in hushed tones after bonfires when Annabeth wasn't around to hear. And he never dared ask her about the boy she had lost to Hera's plot. "So what are you suggesting we do then? They challenged me."
"No, they challenged the best , last I checked, that's still me." Annabeth said, almost sadly. She didn't want to be here any more than Jason wanted her to have to be. A wave of sympathy rushed through him.
"He still has the Curse of Achilles." Connor Stoll noted.
"It won't be an issue. It's a friendly spar so it's to yield not blood."
"But-" Annabeth looked up for the first time since they had entered the room instead of staring down at the table her piercing gaze met Connor's.
She took another deep breath and looked around the room at the Cabin Heads, her friends. "I'll have the advantage. He doesn't- he doesn't remember so he won't know my fighting style, even if he has the muscle memory it won't be a match for applicable knowledge."
"Are you sure about this?" The sincerity in Piper's tone warmed Annabeth's heart. She had been there for Annabeth when she had finally broken down on the Argo II all those years ago. She had seen the aftermath, and personally stepped up as a friend and confidant. Piper had done her best to keep Annabeth from running herself off the deep end, but she had a feeling Annabeth might have finally reached the end of her rope.
"No," she answered honestly. "But I think it's about time we stop pretending like he never existed here."
"So you're going to tell him?" Clarisse asked, her face looking almost sympathetic.
"No, that's- that's not an option. If he has questions… I'll figure out what to do then, but for right now let's focus on quelling the diplomatic disaster that this is going to be when it reaches the New Roman Senate."
And so began a long night of arguments, plans, wording of statements, and talking Clarisse down from formal declarations of war.
"Annabeth! Annabeth, wait!" Piper called after her as loudly as she could without waking the campers as she tried to catch up.
"Hey, Pipes. Sorry. Just trying to get to bed. Big day tomorrow." Annabeth joked wryly. But Piper didn't laugh, she just looked concerned.
"I know. I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I mean this whole situation has sucked, but this- it isn't your fight, not if you don't want it to be."
Annabeth sighed, "this has been coming for years. Camp is my responsibility, and I've been shirking a lot of that onto you and Jason, particularly with the alliance. It's time I step back up, and that means starting by answering this challenge. We've let the Legion talk enough shit over the years."
"Beth, no one blames you for not being involved with the Romans." Annabeth raised her brows skeptically. Piper rolled her eyes back at her, "Fine, maybe Clarisse has some issues with it, but we both know she's never been one to consider the emotional toll of a situation… You've had your guard up for years. I'm just afraid that if you bring it down too fast you'll get hurt."
Annabeth smiled at her, "Thanks, but if we're being completely honest I've already been hurting. I've been hurting for years. I- it was foolish of me to avoid facing him." Annabeth looked over at Hera's stoney cabin on the other end of the formation. Cold and empty just like the goddess. "But it's time to face facts, and put aside my grief for the sake of everyone involved. Hera is a vindictive bitch, who isn't satisfied unless everyone else is as miserable as she is, and I'm not going to give her the satisfaction anymore."
Piper looked a bit surprised at the venom on her tone when she referred to the goddess, but she had her own bones to pick with Jason's step-mother. So Piper simply nodded, "You should get to bed and try to get some sleep. Like you said, big day tomorrow."
By the time Annabeth made it back to the Athena Cabin after talking with Piper it was well past curfew. Thankfully, she had been able to convince Chiron earlier to keep the cleaning harpies at bay for the night so they had proper time for their strategy meeting. She tossed her backpack by her bunk as she flopped down unceremoniously. Once she was finally settled she waited for sleep to overtake her senses, but it didn't come. Her brain was too wired, her body too on edge.
The sounds of her sleeping siblings usually comforted her, knowing they were all here safe, sleeping soundly, but some nights the sound of their steady breathing felt suffocating, tonight was unfortunately one of those nights.
She looked at her Yankees cap hung on a nail by her head, but she couldn't sneak out tonight, at least not to where she really wanted to go.
Being in the Poseidon Cabin alone had at one point made her nervous, afraid the god would strike her down for stepping foot in his domain uninvited, but each time she was greeted by a gentle sea breeze, a simple blessing from the god to let her know he was sorry. Sorry for her loss, sorry for what his brother's wife had done to his son and by extension Annabeth. It was no secret at camp that the Sea god had developed a paternal fondness for the child of Athena, so much so that they had even added to her official title. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, Savior and Architect of Olympus, blah, blah, blah, Beloved by the Sea .
A small penance for her loss, but even the love of the sea could not fill the void left in Percy's wake.
She couldn't sneak away to Cabin 3 tonight, not with him just over the hill. It felt wrong. To go sleep in his bed so she could feel close to him, only for the demigod, himself, to be a few hundred yards away. She shut her eyes tight, sending a silent prayer to Hypnos for a dreamless, restful sleep before the inevitable morning, before having to truly face him.
It seemed all the gods were taking pity on her this evening, as she drifted off into an unencumbered rest.