It's all fun and games being the main character, until you're expected to be the main character.

Seriously, though, these gods need to stop trying to get her grounded. And after all that work she put into distracting Hedge for the night, too.

Julie's happily sprawled out across one of the armchairs, lips locked with Jason's in the control room the night they pull into Croatia. Are they meant to be on watch? Maybe. But, in their defense, they did at least take the time to switch on the scanners before getting...sidetracked.

Julie winds her fingers through Jason's hair, pulling him flush against her as she sighs happily against his lips. She feels him smile into the kiss, scar tickling at her cupid's bow. A callused thumb swipes across the base of her ribs, warm through the thin layer of her CHB tank top. Julie shivers underneath him and winds an elbow behind his head, trying to close every millimeter of space between them.

Jason laughs at her attempt to basically fuse their faces together, and Julie pouts as he disconnects their lips and pulls away slightly to meet her eyes.

"We're going to get in trouble," He whispers.

Julie grins up at him, enjoying the taste of his breath on her tongue as they share the air between them. "Scared?" She teases.

Jason raises an eyebrow. "Of an angry Coach Hedge? Yeah, kinda."

"Praetor Grace," Julie gasps with a smirk. "Afraid of a satyr in a baseball cap? Aren't you meant to be some kind of hero?"

"According to some people," He shakes his head with a smile and runs a hand through Julie's hair. She practically purrs and nuzzles into it. "Sometimes, I'm not really feeling up to the challenge, though."

Julie's face turns fond rather than teasing. She reaches for him as well, running the tips of her fingers across the scar in his lip. The skin there feels taught, but soft. She bumps their noses together. "Well, I can't claim I'm not a challenging person to date, but...I don't think I have a lot of requirements for you here, hero boy. I think you have enough to worry about as it is."

Her words seem to touch Jason deeply (she means emotionally, get your head out of the gutter). His blue eyes widen a bit, mouth parting against her hand. Julie quirks an eyebrow at him.

"What? What'd I sa-OUCH!"

Jason leaps off of her, backing all the way to the other side of the control room. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I don't know what-I didn't mean to...I'm so sorry." He rambles, cheeks pale and horror splashed across his face.

Julie pops her stinging fingers into her mouth and shakes her head. "I'm good. It's okay," She assures him around the wounded digits. With a wince, she pulls them back in front of her to observe the damage. "Dang, dude, you got me good," She laughs.

Jason looks like he's going to cry. He takes in the pink, blistering burns blooming on her pointer and middle fingers like he's looking down on her casket. Julie shoots him a soft smile.

"Hey, I'm okay. I promise," She soothes. When he doesn't react, Julie lifts off the chair and crosses to stand in front of him with a cheeky smile. "So, this is what they mean when they say 'sparks fly,' then."

Head still bowed, Jason glances up at her.

"Would you say you find me...electric?"

A twitch of his lips. Julie doubles down.

"I knew you were hot, Jason. Maybe I'm okay with a burn or two," She snickers, eyebrows wiggling up and down. "You know, as long as it comes from you."

She winks, and that finally gets him to turn red and huff a laugh. Julie pokes him in the forehead to push his head up from his chest. She thrusts her injured fingers in front of his eyes.

"See? Not dead. Not even falling off. So, I'm fine."

Jason sighs and nods. "I'm really sorry."

"Would you stop?" Julie groans with a roll of her eyes. "Seriously, I'm kind of flattered. I didn't know I could make you lose your cool like that."

He looks back down at the ground, worried. "I didn't either..." Julie blinks in concern and reaches for him. He steps away before she can make contact, though, and gives her a very obviously forced smile. "I should go sweep the deck for monsters. I'll come check on you before we switch with Frank and Hazel."

He backs out of the room without looking at her, and part of Juliette really wants to call out after him. She should probably give him some space, though. To let him cool down.

She sighs. That boy could set her on fire, and she'd still be wrapped around his pinky finger. A little accidental burn on the hand? That really is nothing.

Deciding she probably oughtta do her actual job now, Juliette turns around to make for the scanners. When she pivots to face the front of the room, though, there's a man standing by the helm.

Smirking at her.

Now, when you're a demigod, finding random beings suddenly standing behind you is not a novel experience. Finding a god standing behind you is typically a little more rare, but it's not new to Julie either. Honestly, when she sees the guy leaning against the wheel in Bermuda shorts, a tank top, and flanked by two enormous russet angel wings, Julie's first thought is, 'Great, here we go again.'

Her second thought is, 'Ooh, cute sandals.' She voices that one out loud.

The god looks down, frowns in confusion, and then shakes off her comment. He looks back at her with a laid back sort of frown, arm resting casually on the wheel. "You're Juliette?"

"Who's asking?" She answers with a sigh. "'Cause, if you're looking for somebody to run errands for you, I'm already booked up. End of the world, and all," Julie shrugs.

The god grins. "You don't recognize me?"

"Do people usually ask 'Who's asking?' when they already recognize the person doing said asking?"

He chuckles. "I see why my sister would not be a fan of yours. She's always had a stiff sense of humor."

Julie rumples her nose. "Your sister?"

"Yes," He nods. "My sister, Khione. Goddess of Snow."

Julie freezes (no pun intended). He fingers twitch, instincts urging her to reach for her bow. She's facing a god, though. One that's caught her off guard. She'll never be able to grab it in time. "Well, this is awkward," She laughs nervously.

"Oh, it doesn't have to be," The god waves off her concern. "I'm not here to do her bidding. She can solve her little rivalries on her own. My name is Favonius, Miss Aster. And, my master is expecting you."

Favonius...Favonius...Yeah, that's not ringing a bell. Gods, Julie needs to get Jason to make her some Greek to Roman flashcards or something so she'll stop finding herself in these unfortunate situations.

"Right, and," Julie gulps. "Say, hypothetically, I had no idea who your 'master' was. Hypothetically."

Favonius laughs, loud and long. The sound grates at her ears like the churning of an approaching tornado. She waits impatiently as he chortles, giving him an unimpressed scowl until he finishes and wipes way the tears of mirth from his eyes.

"Oh, he is not going to be pleased about that. You're brother and sister, after all. From what he's told me, he's looked forward to his meeting since you were very small."

"Brother and sister?" Julie asks.

A new gleam appears in Favonius' unnerving, hawk-like golden eyes. It sends a zap of adrenaline down her spine not unlike the spark Jason had unintentionally flicked at her just minutes ago. The god pushes himself off of the helm and begins approaching her. Juliette can't help but step back towards the door.

"Correct," He nods. "And he would like an audience. If you'll come with me, Miss Aster," He holds out a hand. "I'm to deliver you to the Palace of Cupid."

Note to readers: blowing raspberries at gods does not make them leave you alone. They just end up kidnapping you instead.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" Julie shouts, struggling where she's tucked casually under one of Favonius' arms. She kicks at his legs as she dangles above the ground, but the god doesn't flinch. "Is kidnapping teenagers, like, a family hobby? What is wrong with you people?!"

Favonius chuckles. "You've got spirit, kid. Keep hold to that when my master shows up. You're gonna need it."

With a warm gust of wind, the god's body disappears, and Juliette falls painfully to the stone floor with an oof. Grimacing, she sits up on her knees and looks around. She's in the ruins of some old palace, one made from a pale pink limestone she's never seen before. The energy of the place feels familiar, but not quite in a good way. It's sort of like if someone picked up Cabin 10 and dunked it into a shadowy-terrifying-black-licorice candy coating. She snatches the charm from her bracelet, nocking an arrow.

There's no need for hostility, little sister.

Julie gasps, darting to her feet. She turns a circle with her bow drawn, trying to search out the source of the voice.

I mean you no harm. I simply require your assistance with a task.

The words are dark and velvety. The sound of them sends fire ants nipping down her spine. Julie tries her best to swallow down her fear as she begins advancing further into the ruins. "I'm kind of busy at the moment," Julie says shakily. "Can we take a raincheck?"

The voice...Cupid chuckles.

I am afraid not. But, not to worry, this task is not for you. You will simply act as...collateral.

"Collateral?" Julie repeats. "So, what, I'm a hostage?"

What an ugly word. But, yes.

"Great," She grumbles. Stepping up a set of pink marble stairs, Julie peeks around multiple corners, trying to come up with some sort of plan before she's actually stuck here. "And, is there a reason that I'm the lucky gal of choice?"

Another chuckle. It makes all the hairs on her arms stand up.

A few in particular. For one, I expect your wellbeing will be an effective motivator for your loved ones in the trials I have arranged.

"Fabulous."

Secondly, though, I simply wished to meet you. Call it...professional curiosity.

Julie stops, dropping her bow and glaring at the ceiling in annoyance. "I'm not a zoo animal."

No. You're a Heartbreak. The first born in a century. And, I believe, the most powerful there ever was.

Bad Julie. Do not be flattered by your kidnapper. Push those mommy issues down now.

Which is why I find it curious for the Graces to have chosen you.

What?

"What?" Julie echoes her own thoughts.

A rose scented breeze lifts Juliette's hair from her shoulders. She turns around to follow it, green eyes darting around fearfully as the presence all around her grows stronger. Her gaze lands on a man, tall and pale, wrapped in scarlet leather armor. A feathered masquerade mask hides the upper half of his face, but his deep red eyes glint at her in satisfaction from behind tendrils of straight black hair.

Julie's faced a lot of gods before. She's stood in the same room as every Olympian. She's stared down Hercules and the King of Giants. She's even given the Lord of the Underworld a fist bump (though, he was a somewhat unwilling participant).

Never before has an encounter shaken her so deep in her bones.

As Cupid opens his mouth to speak, Juliette's bow slips from her fingers. It clatters against the stones, the sound nearly deafening her, yet she can't convince her body to move and retrieve it. Pure, raw, primal fear is paralyzing her. And, it seems to boost the god's ego.

Cupid's enormous white wings shake themselves out around him, widening to a span that could swallow the length of the Jackson family Prius. Juliette shrinks down into their shadow.

"You know, our mother forbade me from ever speaking with you," He smirks. "However, I believe she is incapacitated enough at the moment, thanks to you, that we can get away with one little chat."

Julie's mind spins like a jetpack on a merry go round. She tries desperately to catch her breath as her fingers tremble at her sides. "Incapacitated? But...she was-"

"Oh, yes, she likes to claim that Venus and Aphrodite are one and the same. It seems your encounter in Charleston shook her more deeply than she wished to let on. She has been in quite a sorry state since your departure."

Is that supposed to make Julie feel guilty? Honestly, in a less terrifying context, learning that would probably crack her up.

"So," Cupid smiles at her. It springs tears of terror to Juliette's eyes. Her heart nearly explodes from how quickly it's beating in her chest. "Now is your chance."

"...M-My chance?"

"To understand," He explains. "Our mother wishes to keep you in the dark, but you are a creature of tragedy. Of romance. I would argue that is more my domain than hers. You could almost consider me your patron."

"No thank you."

The god's laugh is surprisingly high pitched. Julie makes a mental note to stop being funny.

He reaches in front of him, then, eyes narrowed on her in amusement. His hand raises, palm to the sky in between them. Then, his fingers close like he's grabbing onto a fishing line.

The god yanks, and Juliette is pulled violently forward and falls to her knees.

She yelps as her already abused legs collide again with the cracked marble floors. When she looks down to examine the damage, though, her eyes catch on a glowing golden tendril of light.

It's emanating from the left side of her chest, just where she'd expect her heart to sit. As she follows its path, the shimmering line, looking as thin as a bowstring, twists and spirals until it disappears over the broken walls of Cupid's palace and into the horizon.

"A tether," says Cupid.

Juliette's jaw drops.

'I want to take a peek at that tether of yours,' Persephone had said

That was real? Julie had sort of assumed it was, like, metaphorical. Like Persephone was making fun of her crush, or something. But, here it is before her eyes.

Julie reaches out to touch the string, but it fades the moment her fingers pass through it. She looks back up at the god, gut feeling heavy with anxiety and confusion.

"What is it?" She asks.

"It is a connection," He answers simply. "Forged between you and the son of Jupiter following his departure from the Wolf House."

She blinks rapidly, hands balling into fists on her knees. "Why?" Julie breathes.

Cupid tilts his head and surveys her curiously. "That is yet to be answered. The intentions of the Graces are often kept between only them until the time is right. It seems," He smiles again. Julie shudders. "That you and your true love are of some importance to them. Importance enough that they would go to such drastic measures to ensure your tapestries would interweave."

Juliette shakes her head and rises to her feet. "You mean...all those dreams? That was because of this? That's why we met?"

Cupid nods. "Indeed."

Wow. Okay. Is there somewhere around here she can have a little lie down? This is a lot of information for 3AM.

"But why?" Julie asks again, practically pleading with Cupid at this point. "Why would they do that? Who even are they?"

"The Graces," He tells her in a teacherly tone. "Aglaea, Euphrosyne, and Thalia. They are the goddesses of art, beauty, and splendor. They are also our mother's closest attendants."

Julie sputters. "What, like her maids?"

"I don't believe they appreciate that term. They are attendants."

"That's, like, the same thing."

"They would certainly disagree," Cupid says with a clipped tone. He looks at his wrist like he's checking a watch. "Well, it appears it is time for your friends to arrive on the shores of Croatia. Our conversation will have to end here."

Julie gapes at him. "Wha-You can't just drop a bombshell like that and then tell me to go away!"

"I never requested you leave," corrects the god. "In fact, I shall be ensuring that you do not. I still need your assistance for this afternoon, after all."

"And, what if I say no?"

"I am not asking, little sister," Cupid smirks. "You will be my assistant whether you wish it or not. After all, there is nothing more romantic than the rescue of a damsel."

Before Juliette can open her mouth to fire back another retort, Cupid snaps his fingers, and her world goes black.

The next time Julie wakes up, she's being cradled in the arms of a sobbing Nico di Angelo.

Her arms and legs feel weak, her head too heavy to hold up on her own. Nico's hand is behind it as he squeezes her like a teddy bear and soaks tears into Juliette's hair. Highly confused, Julie just decides to hug him back.

"Um...You okay?" She asks.

At the sound of her voice, Nico jolts back and drops her onto the stone floor. Julie yelps and another hand appears behind her head to keep her from smacking it on the marble as Nico untangles himself from her and raises to his feet, backing away quickly. Julie blinks up at the relieved face of her boyfriend, and her heart twists unpleasantly at the presence of tears in Jason's eyes as well.

"I-You were-" Nico's words are rough and nasally. "You were supposed to be dead!"

Julie puts a hand to her head in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

A sob/laugh rumbles out of Jason beside her. It grows in intensity and volume until he's practically howling, bent over her and cracking up like a madman. Julie looks between him and Nico's glower in complete bewilderment.

Nico wipes aggressively at his wet cheeks, stamping his foot in anger. "I thought we were too late! I thought..." His voice chokes off. "I thought Cupid had killed you anyway."

Jason gets ahold of himself and winds his arms under Julie's shoulders, pulling her gently towards him so he can prop her up against his shaking chest. "Gods, you scared the ichor out of us, Rosa. You just disappeared last night, and then Favonius said Cupid had you, and..." He sighs and leans his forehead into the back of Julie's shoulder. "We weren't sure he was going to give you up."

"Oh," Julie blinks. "I'm...I'm sorry for scaring you. I'm alright."

Nico is still shaking. The fear in his aura hasn't faded, taking on that strange, burrowed-in quality Julie had noticed that first day he was on the ship. Pursing her lips, Julie reaches out to him.

"Nico, I'm okay. Whatever it is you did," She smiles. "You saved me. I'm good now."

Nico's eyes dart to Jason at those words, and Julie feels the blonde tense behind her. They share a look, one that Julie's head is still spinning too much to try translating, and Jason clears his throat.

"We got the scepter," He declares a little too loudly. "So, I think we should head back to the ship. I mean," He gives Nico another meaningful glance. "If you're ready."

The son of Hades drops his gaze to his shoes and nods. With a warm smile at the younger boy, Jason turns back to Julie, who's blinking at him quizzically.

"You two are being weirdly friendly," She announces suspiciously. "Should I be concerned?"

"Of course not," Jason chirps. His too-bright smile just encourages her to narrow her eyes a little bit more, which makes him laugh as he scoops her up. "Just two guys taking down the god of Love. Nothing special."

"A tether?" Piper asks.

Juliette nods. "Yeah. Apparently, at some point, some goddesses made a link between me and Jason. That's why we used to have all of those dreams."

If possible, Jason looks even more bewildered than Julie did. "But...why?"

She shrugs.

Hazel leans forward over the table in thought. "It's possible that one of you reached a crossroads at around the time it was made. Hecate said something about 'fates intertwining' most often when the magic veil is thinnest. Maybe one of you came across a crossroads, and the tether was the result of the choice that you made."

Julie groans and covers her face tiredly. "This is all too confusing. Why is my life so complicated?"

"Oh, don't be like that!" laughs Leo. "At least you got a cute widdle wove stowy out of it!"

"I will hurt you, Valdez."

"Yeesh, touchy."

"I guess that," Jason sighs, picking at the wood grain of the table. "Regardless of the reason it exists, the tether has been a useful tool in the past. I mean, you said your warning to me about Kronos is why Camp Jupiter was able to find Mount Orthys," He looks at her across the table and shrugs. "Maybe it's worth learning how to use the connection to our advantage."

Julie doesn't quite know what to say to that.

"It doesn't...?" She cringes. "I dunno, weird you out? That somebody linked us together?"

Jason frowns. "Why would it weird me out?"

Julie looks down at one of the shiny pieces of fairy hair she wove into her waves last night, tugging on it sheepishly. "Well, isn't that kind of...What if you were, like...influenced?"

Jason laughs. Actually laughs.

It makes Julie look up at him and glare.

"Oh, I'm sorry, is that funny?" She snaps.

He grins at her. "Yes."

Leaning forward to take her hand on the table, Jason shakes his head fondly.

"Look, I don't have all of my memories back, but from what I do have," He runs a thumb over Julie's bruised knuckles. "It's pretty clear that I've fallen in love with you twice now. Even Hera couldn't keep me from loving you. I don't think that had anything to do with a couple of magic dreams. That was all Juliette."

Julie is getting tired of crying so much.

She sniffles and raises a hand up to wipe at her wet cheeks with a pouty smile. "That was really cheesy, Soldier Boy."

Grinning in satisfaction, Jason just shrugs.

Somebody clears their throat, and Julie and Jason look over at their captive audience. The girls are smiling dreamily, chin propped on the heels of their hands. Frank and Nico look uncomfortable. Leo is grimacing at them like they'd just leapt across the table at each other for an intense make out session right in front of his salad.

Jason clears his throat and sits back in his chair professionally. His hand stays clasped around Julie's on the table, though. "So, Hazel, would you be able to help us figure out how this works?"

Said girl tilts her head in thought. "Maybe? I can try. I've been practicing with the Mist, so maybe I could walk you through a few exercises."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Piper yawns and stands up to stretch. "So, are we good, then? We're heading to Epirus next?"

"That seems to be the next step," Frank agrees. He turns to Leo. "How long a trip is it?"

Leo shrugs. "Probably, like, three days. Unless Jace wants to beef up the winds a little."

"I can probably do that," Jason agrees. "Alright then. Meeting adjourned. Everybody go get some rest."

As the group stands up as one and starts shuffling out of the room, Juliette's hands dart out to snag Nico and Jason's sleeves. The others look over at them with bemused expressions, but Julie waves them off. "Go mind your business, nosies."

With several shrugs, Hazel, Frank, Piper, and Leo all file out to their respective rooms or duty positions. Once the door clicks shut behind them, Julie turns to Jason and Nico.

"So, who wants to tell me what went down back there?"

They both go stiff, and Julie hugs her upper arms anxiously. Jason shoots a tense glance at Nico and then locks his jaw and lifts his chin. "Nothing noteworthy," He says in a very poor attempt at a casual tone of voice. "We just had a conversation, and Cupid agreed to let you go."

Julie frowns. "Just like that?"

He nods.

Juliette looks to Nico. His eyes are trained down on the legs of their meeting table, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his aviator jacket. Whether they've been on thin ice lately or not, Julie knows him well enough to recognize when something has happened. Something more than what they're letting on.

She tries to keep her voice as gentle as possible, like she's trying to soothe a spooked baby deer. "Nico?"

Whatever he hears in her voice knocks down the final layers of Nico's defense. His shoulders melt inwards, his face crumbling into an expression of profound sadness. The wave of shame and fear that smacks Juliette in the face has her shoving aside the chair in between them in order to take his hand tightly.

"What happened?" She whispers.

He doesn't answer her. He just sighs, laces his fingers with hers, and, for once, lets her drag away the pain a little at a time.

After she's drawn out enough of what he's feeling that he stops trembling, Nico pulls his hand away and puts an entire room's worth of distance between them. He backs all the way up to the projection wall, which happens to currently be showcasing their own little creek from back home, and Jason sighs on Juliette's other side.

"It was a rough conversation, but none of it's worth repeating. Again," His eyes fix intently on Nico. "Nothing that happened is wrong."

The comment makes Nico roll his eyes, but his mouth quirks up a bit at the side.

Julie looks between them in confusion. "Okay, why do you have, like, a secret language now? I was out for less than twelve hours, and you found a replacement?" She scoffs at Nico with a pout.

Jason shakes his head, raising his hands like he's ready to deny further that anything of note transpired back in Croatia, but Nico speaks up louder. "She knows, Grace. It's fine."

Jason's eyebrows go up as Julie's do the disco-point dance across her forehead. "Wait, what? I do? What do I know? I'm confused."

Nico rakes a hand down his face and looks at her in exasperation. "What is the one secret you've ever managed to actually keep?"

"What is the...Uh..." Julie scrunches her face in thought. "That Lacy's not a natural blonde?"

"No."

"That Piper has a stuffed frog she hides under her bed named Mr. Giblets?"

"...No."

"That Will has KitKats stashed in his desk, even though he pretends to have sworn off sugar?"

"I don't even know who that is."

"That-" Julie's eyes go wide. She looks between Nico and Jason nervously. "Is it...That you...?"

Nico blinks at her expectantly. Well, she doesn't want to just say it - what if she's wrong?!

She flicks her hand like she's showing off her nails. "That you're...?" Hand flick.

Nico looks at her in bewilderment. "What the Hades are you doing?"

"Shit, I forgot you're from the 1920s. Okay, hold on, lemme whisper something in your ear-"

"Absolutely not."

"I thought you weren't mad at me anymore!"

"I still don't want you breathing on me."

"Hey! I'll have you know, I have excellent dental hygiene-"

"Yes, Juliette," Jason interrupts, looking torn between annoyance at the derailment of the conversation and relief that the two of them are getting along again (probably so he can stop listening to Julie whine about Nico ignoring her). "That's the secret."

She turns to him and blinks owlishly. "You mean...that he's..." Hand flick.

Jason grins. "Yes, Rosa. That he's..." Hand flick.

Face contorted in a disgusted sort of confusion, Nico looks between them like he's regretting ever allowing this conversation to continue this far. "I don't know what either of you are doing, and I'd like it to stay that way. Goodnight."

"He didn't tell you willingly, did he?" Julie asks with a sigh, resting her elbows on the rail of the ship.

Jason shakes his head, and a vicious sort of anger gleams in his eye. "No," He confirms.

Sighing, Julie nods and rests her chin in her palm. She figured as much. Judging from her own conversation with the guy, Cupid's not much for sensitivity. "Was it to save me?"

The boy beside her shrugs. "In part. Not entirely, though. It was the only way we were going to get the scepter," He looks at her with hard eyes. "Whether Nico was prepared to see that through or not, though, you were making it out of there. There's no way that kid was going to leave you behind. When he saw you floating there all pale like that...He about lost his mind."

"My hero," Julie giggles wistfully, mostly the cover up the extent to which that proclamation is threatening to choke her up again.

Jason smiles. "Yeah. Hero is right," He looks over at her, moonlight reflecting off his cheekbones ethereally. "You were right. Everything you told me about Nico. That kid is something else."

Jason's approval, the protective fondness in his eyes as he talks about her best friend makes Juliette's heart go all fuzzy.

She approaches him, but hesitates before reaching out for his shoulder. She smirks. "If I kiss you right now, are you gonna shock me again?"

"...I can't promise I won't."

"Hmm. Yolo."