Oh my gods, guys, I am so so sorry, I really am! But our stupid wi-fi got all wacked up again and we ended up going over our data limit three days before it renewed. Well, technically four, if you count today, since we couldn't use it again till today. I even had the Jason chapter done on time for you, because I didn't want to disappoint. I feel so bad, you all must hate me. :(

Good news is: I'm back to updating daily! Yay! Hopefully the wi-fi thing won't happen a third time (it's already happened once) and I will be able to continue with my promise.

You people are all amazing, I love you. Lots of people gave me Jason advice, and the reviews just keep on coming...it's making me feel like I'm actually wanted. *tear*

I think this Jason chapter is loads better than they have been, but you guys can form your own opinions after you've read it.

Anyhoo, as you may have noticed, before now, Jason has been feeling jealous, guilty, worthless, and so on. You can ignore those chapters if you want, I know they were terrible, and I'm pretty sure none of them really did much for the storyline.

I love you, I will respond to reviews some time soon-next chapter or the one after-and you all deserve a dozen blue cookies!

Chapter XLVIII

Jason

Jason watches in amusement as Frank, newly transformed into a fire-breathing dragon, flies down from the mast with Hazel on his back and Leo held securely in his claws. He hovers above the deck for a few seconds before changing back into his human form and lands, stumbling a bit. He grabs onto Hazel to keep her from falling, and they both walk over to join Jason and the others. Leo goes over to the controls and types something into the console before he turns to join them as well.

"All right, then, time for lunch." Percy says cheerfully, as if nothing happened, and sets off for the mess hall, holding Annabeth's hand.

Jason looks at Piper and they share a grin before following the son of Poseidon and his girlfriend, with Leo, Frank, and Hazel right behind them.

When they walk into the room, Percy is already seated and eating an extra-large slice of pepperoni pizza. Annabeth is sitting at the head of the table with her arms crossed, rolling her eyes at her boyfriend.

"How can you be hungry?" Hazel asks, staring in astonishment from the pizza in his hand to his face. "You just ate about a dozen cupcakes, plus ridiculous amounts of candy! You should be in a sugar coma, not eating even more!"

Percy shrugs, taking another bite of his pizza. "I'm a growing boy."

"You're almost seventeen. If you're still growing, there's something wrong with you." Annabeth tells him.

"You just don't want me to get any taller. You already hate how much shorter than me you are." He replies, finishing his first slice of pizza and grabbing another.

"Don't forget, I was taller than you when we first met." She reminds him.

"Yeah, and now I am taller than you. So that doesn't really matter." He says.

Jason smiles at their antics and takes his seat on Annabeth's left side, while Piper grabs the seat next to him.

"Okay, so how are you guys going to do this?" Annabeth asks, looking between Frank, Jason, and Percy in turn.

And, of course, it's Percy who answers. "We fly in, we say hi to Frank's dead ancestor-my nephew-"

"Will you quit reminding me of that?" Frank interrupts. "It's like when you found out Arion is your brother."

"You have a horse for a brother?" Jason asks.

"Guys!" Annabeth shouts. "Getting off topic here!"

"Oh, yeah. Back to my plan: we say hi to my nephew-" Percy continues.

Frank throws up his hands in exasperation, groaning.

"-Frank has a nice chat with him, and then we come back. Piece of cake." He finishes.

"Have you forgotten that you tend to attract monsters?" Annabeth asks.

"Have you forgotten that I tend to vaporize monsters?" Percy shoots back. "We'll be fine, Annabeth. Frank, Jason, and I are more than capable of fighting a few monsters. And we'll be gone before too many of them can find us, hopefully."

"You've also forgotten one other key detail: Even if Frank and Jason can fly, you definitely can't." Annabeth says, ignoring his last statement. She leans back in her chair and crosses her arms.

"Frank can give me a ride; can't you, Frank?" Percy says, grinning.

"Why not?" Frank replies, shrugging nonchalantly. "As long as you promise to stop reminding me of the fact that you're my great-times-a-hundred uncle."

"Deal." Percy promises.

"Jason, are you sure you'll be all right just flying on your own?" Annabeth asks politely, although Jason can see genuine concern in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I've had plenty of practice during fights." He adds, smiling faintly and looking over at Piper.

"Hey, technically you only had to catch me once. The rest of the time you were just showing off." She argues defensively.

"Showing off, was it?" Jason asks, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close so that his lips are inches away from hers.

"Showing off." She answers firmly. But Jason can't help but notice that her eyes keep straying to his mouth.

Grinning, he kisses her, and then pulls away when Percy interrupts them.

"Okay, lovebirds, break it up." He tells them. Annabeth opens her mouth to say something, an amused look on her face, but he continues before she can. "So, I say we leave in, oh, half an hour? That gives us time to get ready, and...things." He finishes, glancing at Annabeth.

Jason has the feeling that as soon as the meeting is adjourned, Percy and Annabeth are going to disappear into his room, but he doesn't say anything. It'd be hypocritical of him, considering that he's probably going to do the same with Piper.

"Sounds good to me." Frank agrees. Jason still can't get over how much older he sounds. His voice is deeper, gruffer. It goes with his new look, but that is definitely hard to accept too.

"Same here." Jason echoes Frank's agreement. If Annabeth is upset that they'll be leaving so soon, she doesn't show it.

"Are you sure you don't want to wait till tomorrow? You'll have more time then." Piper asks, looking up at Jason. He knows she just wants to put it off.

"Pylos is still pretty far from Athens, Piper. It's better if we go now, so that we can get back on our way as soon as possible." He tells her.

Annabeth looks around as if she half expects someone else to object. Hazel doesn't look happy, but she doesn't speak up, and neither does Leo, who's once again standing in his corner, although this time he's looking longingly out of the window.

"Okay, then. Frank, Jason, and Percy will leave in half an hour to Pylos. And even though I hate the idea of us splitting up, we all agree that if anyone has to go ashore, it's better for a smaller number to go, right?"

Piper, Hazel, Jason, and Frank all nod their agreement. Percy is paying more attention to his pizza than what his girlfriend is saying, but he mumbles something through his mouthful of food that might be 'right.' Leo doesn't even look up.

"Frank, Jason, don't forget to pack nectar and ambrosia just in case you get hurt. And Jason, Percy-no heroics. Don't do anything stupid." She looks mostly at Percy as she says the last statement, but glances at Jason as well.

Percy acts offended. "Why didn't you say anything to Frank?"

"Because I know Frank is smart enough to know better." Annabeth replies.

"And why was I included in that?" Jason asks, also acting offended.

"Because you, like Percy, occasionally act on impulse and don't think things through, usually during a battle. I do recognize, however, that you don't do it very often, which is why that was mostly directed towards him." She jerks her head at her boyfriend, who's once again absorbed by his pizza.

Jason reluctantly concedes her point and drops it.

"And Jason, Frank, make sure you both eat something before you go, okay?" She tells them. Jason shares a look with Frank, and together they turn back to Annabeth, grinning.

"Yes, mother." They chorus. Annabeth glares at them, but when they just start laughing, her expression softens, and she smiles a bit.

Jason, still smiling, turns to Piper, who's already eating. He reaches over and steals her second PBJ sandwich off of her plate.

"Hey!" She protests, reaching for it. Jason holds it out of her reach and takes a bite, smiling at her, so she settles for smacking his chest. "That was mine."

"Mine now." Jason replies after swallowing. Piper rolls her eyes and continues eating her remaining sandwich.

Percy ends up leaving the mess hall first, although not willingly. He just finishes his fifth slice of pizza and is reaching for his sixth, when Annabeth, who was already finished eating and was getting impatient, stands up, grabs his hand, and drags him from the room, with him protesting the entire time.

It takes a while for the rest of them to stop laughing.

Next to go is Leo, who sits and stares into his bowl of stew for several minutes without eating any before finally getting up and leaving, muttering something about a crystal.

Frank, Hazel, Jason, and Piper all end up leaving at the same time. Frank and Hazel disappear into Hazel's room, and Jason and Piper continue on to Jason's room, where Piper sits on the bed while Jason grabs a bag and starts throwing things haphazardly into it.

Ambrosia, check. Nectar, check. Extra pair of socks, check.

"Do you think I should wear my armor?" Jason asks, looking over at Piper.

"You're going to try and be back before tonight, right?" She asks. Jason nods. "Then no, I doubt you'll need it." She looks down at her palms, studying them with an expression on her face that could definitely be categorized as 'upset.'

Jason walks over and sits next to her on the bed, rubbing her back soothingly, grabbing her hand and squeezing it reassuringly.

"Hey," he says, "we'll be fine. I promise. We'll be back before you know it."

"I don't like being separated." She confides, looking at their clasped hands.

"Neither do I. But it's only for a few hours." He reminds her. She finally looks at him, and now her expression is fierce.

"You better come back in one piece, Jason Grace, or I'll kill you myself." She threatens. He smiles and pulls her in for a hug.

She curls her arms against his chest and buries her head against his neck.

"You'll be okay here with the others, right?" He murmurs in her ear.

"Of course, Jason. I'm a big girl." She answers, her voice muffled by his shirt.

"Poor Leo. He'll be the only boy here." Jason says.

Piper laughs, pulling back to smile up at him.

Jason feels his heart start to beat faster in his chest. He pulls her in for a kiss, still holding her tightly in his arms, and she obliges, kissing him back with a sweetness that takes his breath away.

He pulls back first, his brow furrowed, and looks down at her.

"What?" She asks, confused by his expression.

"How much time do we have before I need to go?" He says.

"About ten minutes, why?" She answers.

"That's plenty of time, then, isn't it?" He mutters, avoiding her question.

"Plenty of time for-oh," She breaks off, breathing faster, when Jason lays back on the bed, pulling her with him. He smiles mischeviously and kisses her, long and slow.

Awww, Jason and Piper are being naughty. But don't worry; they're just making out.

Is this better? Please tell me it is; I spent three hours on this thing.

Unicorns and Sprinkles! :)