A New Order of Chaos

Awkward Reunions

To say that Piper couldn't sleep was an understatement.

It's been nearly a week since she and her friends escaped from New Rome, like if they were common criminals. They weren't criminal, she would remind herself. They were forced to run away, to avoid a new war.

Peace and quiet. Was that too much to ask?

Apparently, it was.

She rolled around in her spot, catching the attention of Jason, who was on guard duty for the night. He was sitting next to her, his eyes inspecting their surroundings, like an animal who couldn't find the perfect hiding spot from a predator and is forced to stay awake all night, to avoid being hunted.

"You can't sleep?" Jason guessed, his hand brushing some long hairs off her forehead. His eyes, however, were trained in anywhere but her. Piper was a bit disappointed that he wasn't looking at her, but she understood that, with the situation, if was justified.

"I felt like high school all over again" Piper recognized, sitting up. The phrase caught Jason's attention and he turned to see her.

"You're not a criminal, Pipes" he assured her, cupping her face and stroking her cheek, comforting "Neither of us. We're-"

"We're survivors, I know..." she completed for him. Jason's been reassuring her since night one that none of them were running away because of pleasure. 'If we don't run away, we'll be dead... We're survivors', he said "I just, never imagined, this..."

"I understand, love" he nodded, kissing her forehead and pulling her in his lap. Piper smiled to herself: Jason was one of those weird guys who are charming in the solitude. Comparing her friends' boyfriends (an oblivious Percy Jackson, who's sassiness can make you, either kill him or smile. Or, a clumsy Frank Zhang, who's insecurity would have him stuttering during the entire date), she felt really lucky.

"Want me to help you keep guard?" Piper offered, though the following yawn had Jason chuckled at her.
"If by 'keep guard', you mean 'sleep in my lap while I guard', then sure... Knock yourself out" he agreed, with a smirk in his face. Piper rolled her eyes and rested her head between his shoulder and his neck, his arms around her and drifted to sleep, hoping it was long, dreamless and recharging.

~oOo~

When the morning came, the roles were inverse. Piper woke up with the noises of her friends trying to make breakfast, while Jason was sleeping away with his head on top of hers. Giggling to herself, she pushed gently his head back against the tree he was resting on and kissed his cheek, before getting off his arms and walking to the other demigods.

"Morning" she greeted, in general. Hazel, who was busy picking up dry branches and leaves, waved at her, while Annabeth greeted her with a yawn "Still not a morning person?"

"I'll never be one" Annabeth agreed, stretching. Percy and Frank were nowhere to be seen.

"Where are the guys?" Piper wondered, looking around.

"Frank turned into a snake and went scouting" Hazel answered her, coming back "Percy said something about 'following the water'"

"It means he feels the water under the earth" Annabeth explained at her dumbfounded face "That way, we can know where's people and stuff-" Annabeth cut herself after hearing a noise behind the bushes. Neither of the girls wasted time, they pulled out their blades and formed a circle, their backs pressed together. The noise was too subtle that not even Jason woke up.

From the bushes, a very noisy and oblivious Percy came out, his eyes examining his surroundings. Even when those surroundings were filled with girls, who wanted to kill him at this point.

"Seaweed Brain" Annabeth gritted her teeth, trying not to be mad at him. Percy smiled sheepishly at her.
"Sorry, I was so focused on the water that-" This time, was Percy who turned around so quickly, Piper felt the need to wake up Jason.

"Jason, wake up" Piper used her charmspeaking, though she hates it sometimes. Jason was up and ready to fight in a second. But, from the bushes, a snake appeared, which lead Piper to two conclusions:

1) That was Frank.

2) That wasn't Frank.

Honoring her suspicious, Frank changed form, turning back to his human form, and earning relieved sighs from everyone.

"I think I found a trap ahead" he explained, scratching the back of his neck "I'm pretty sure it's a trick of the light, but... I think I saw Leo..."

His words were greeted by the silence that covered the remain of the Seven. Piper had grieved her friend for a long time, only understood by Jason, who both considered Leo like the brother they never had.

"Frank, it was probably was someone that looked like him..." Hazel tried to be strong, but even the strong get weak.

"That's what I thought, so I walked closer to take a look... It's Leo" Jason quickly wrapped an arm around Piper, knowing what those words meant to his girlfriend. What those words meant to him "But he wasn't alone... There was a girl-" A loud gasp interrupted Frank, who turned to see Percy, who, in his obliviousness, had figured everything out. Annabeth was only a second behind.

"Calypso" she whispered, holding tight to his boyfriend's hand "Lead the way" Frank nodded and everyone was quick enough to gather their stuff. They knew that, if Leo was around, they wouldn't stay in that place longer.

The walk was adrenaline-fueled short, through the woods and rocks, avoiding them, until they reached a small area, where they could smell the remains of a fire. Sitting and chatting next to it, Leo and Calypso.

Piper had mixed feelings about how everyone should feel about seeing Leo again. She watched as Frank and Hazel were guilty, because he had forced them into letting him die. Percy and Annabeth were happy, but she was slightly annoyed. Probably because of Calypso's presence. Jason was holding her tight, unbelieving what was in front of him. That way, Piper knew what she had to do.

She uncovered herself, making a lot of noise. And while Leo and Calypso stared at her, one more shocked than the other, Piper did the exact same thing Annabeth had done:

She walked to Leo and flipped him onto the ground.