MONDAY

J: Hi, Pipes.

P: Jason? You texting in class? I'm telling Leo, he would be proud.

J: Ha ha. I was thinking, we could go out today.

P: Sure, why?

Do you wanna talk to her about Mackenzie?

Yes.

Good idea, take her on a date to talk about another girl.

Sarcasm doesn't fit you.

J: Do I need to have a reason?

P: Being you? Yes.

P: But sure, we can go out today. Meet me in my locker after this class.

J: Why?

P: Do I need to have a reason?

She got you.

P: I just want to give you a kiss, silly.

***

Jason kept looking around, but Piper wasn't there.

We're in the right locker, right?

If she didn't change since last weekend, yeah.

He saw a familiar blonde ponytail and approached the girl.

"Hey, Annabeth!"

She was in the middle of taking a book, but stopped to look at him.

"Jason? Is there a problem?"

"No, I was just wondering if you've seen Piper. We were supposed to meet at her locker, but she wasn't there."

Annabeth shook her head, taking her book and slowly closing her locker.

"No, I haven't. Maybe she was caught up in somet-"

"Annie! Don't close your locker!"

Jason looked up to see an unknown girl running in their direction. Apparently, Annabeth knew her, because she complied and waited for the girl to arrive.

"Jodi? What happened?"

The Jodi girl took a deep breath.

"Do you still have my book with you? The Complete Sherlock Holmes? With the hardcover?"

Annabeth nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I do, why?"

Jodi was obviously in a rush, with her hands extended for the book.

"Lend me it. It's quick, I promise, I just need to make a point."

Annabeth opened her locker again and handed Jodi a thick book, collector edition.

"Sure, it's your book after all."

"Keep your locker open, this will only take a minute."

Jodi left, striding toward a red-haired boy. Jason turned to Annabeth.

"You know her?"

"Yeah, she's friends with Percy. Or Peter, from a certain point of view. And now mine and Annie's too."

I know her.

You do?

Not 'best friends' know her. We had a class together a couple years ago. She's insanely smart.

Makes sense why she befriended Annabeth.

Jodi waved the book at boy's face, before holding it with both hands and slamming it in his head, repeatedly. Jason saw Percy, Frank and another guy around, but neither did anything to stop the assault. Percy pulled his phone to record it, while Frank and the third guy kept talking, with an occasional glance.

Are they friends?

Yes, but I never saw Jodi getting into trouble like the others.

After a minute, Jodi came back and handed her book back to Annabeth, grinning.

"I think I've made my point."

Yep, I can see why she and Annabeth became friends.

"HEY."

Along with Annabeth, he turned to see Piper running in his direction. She was so fast that when trying to stop all at once, she almost fell, him and Annabeth reaching to stead her. Piper smiled gratefully at them.

"Hi, Annie."

Before Annabeth could protest, she added with a sly smile.

"And hi to you too, Annabeth."

She was panting, but looked at him with a smile.

"Sorry, there was a small... thing I had to take care of, anyway..."

She kissed his lips quickly, before taking a step back.

"And now I have to run, because my next class is on the other side of the build..."

She trailed off when she saw Percy still laughing with his friends.

"What is he doing here? He has the same class as I do."

Annabeth sighed, motioning in his direction. Piper nodded, before walking to him, grabbing his backpack and start towing him backwards, which resulted in him almost tripping over himself while trying to talk her into releasing him. A feeling at the back of his neck like someone was watching them made Jason turn until finding the culprit.

Who is he?

That guy who walks with your friend Nico, remember?

Right. Why is he looking at us like that?

No idea. Creepy.

Jason shook his head and walked to his class, waving to Annabeth and Frank on the way.

***

When he left the locker room after practice, Andreas was by his side and smirked when they caught sight of Piper waiting leaning against the wall, eyes closed and with her earbuds on.

"Your girl is here."

"Yeah, I can see... OW!"

He turned to glare at Andreas, who smiled like he didn't just slap Jason's back with so much force he had to take a step forward to balance himself.

"Is everything okay?"

He whipped his head to see Piper taking off her earbuds, looking at him expectantly.

"Yes, everyth... OW!"

David had joined Andreas at Jason's back, and was probably the one responsible for the second slap. Trevor left the locker room whistling, and walked to stand at Jason's side, putting a hand over his shoulder and grinning at Piper.

"Are you taking our pretty boy out?"

Piper was a little hesitant to answer.

"Yes..."

"Make us a favor and take him on a nice ride. But don't go too fast, take your time, enjoy the ride. He could use the... distraction. Take care of our boy."

You have my permission to punch these bastards.

A clasp on his other shoulder called his attention to Kyle at his other side.

"I'm sure he'll take care of you too, right? After all, he's not a selfish guy."

Piper smirked, looking between his teammates.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of him, so you guys can get back to that locker room and take care of each other."

Trevor laughed so hard Jason could feel his hand trembling where it connected with his shoulder.

"I like her! Take good care of her, John."

Jason groaned when Trevor removed his hand just to slap it on his back.

Oh, come on, again!?

Before Jason could retaliate, Kyle mimicked Trevor's actions, and Jason could feel his skin tingling where Kyle's hand had hit. His friends left laughing, and he has very tempted of chasing him, before feeling the gentle touch of Piper's hand on his arm, before she tugged him in the other direction.

"Come on, pretty boy, time to take care of me. Preferably, by feeding me some pastries. I know an awesome place."

***

"So, hum... how is it?"

"How is what, Jason?"

"Your pastry."

"... Good?"

"Hum, good."

"And yours?"

"Good too?"

"Are you sure? You haven't been eating."

"Of course I am."

Jason took a big bite just to prove his point.

Keep eating, you suck at small talk.

I didn't ask for your opinion.

***

"Hum... is Claire okay?"

"Yes, she is."

"Good."

Piper crossed her arms, and scowled at him

"Jason?"

"Hum?"

"How about you just say what you want and stop trying to postpone it?"

Never try to hide something from your girl, you suck at it.

I don't like to lie.

He could feel his palms sweating.

"Okay! So. I met a girl..."

One eyebrow raised. Except for that, she didn't change her posture.

"Yes...?"

Awful start.

Jason raised his hands in front of him.

"Not the way you're thinking! She's a... I don't know what she is, but she needs help and I'm trying to help her."

"And..."

"She's pregnant."

"Yours!?"

WHAT!? NO!

"No! I told you it's not like that!"

"I meant, is it John's?"

NO! Why would she think that?

"No! We both met her a week ago or such."

"Then who is the father?"

Jason shrugged.

"I don't know; she won't tell us."

"And you're trying to help her?"

"Yes."

We're dead.

Piper rolled her eyes, murmuring something he wasn't able to catch, before uncrossing her arms and relaxing.

"How?"

Huh. We aren't dead.

"That is kind of the reason I asked her permission to tell you."

She waited, so he added.

"I want to help, but I don't know how to?"

"Well, that depends how long is she."

"Hum."

Piper sighed.

"Jason, that was a question. How long is she in the pregnancy?"

"I don't know."

How should we know?

"You didn't ask?"

"I should have?"

"It's usually one of the first questions made to a pregnant woman. Girl, in this case."

"I didn't know."

We don't exactly deal with pregnant women in a regular basis.

"Can you see her belly?"

"I think not. I didn't exactly stare."

That would have been awkward.

Piper shook her head, her hair almost slipping from her bun.

"Jason, you're way too good. Okay, how do you want to help?"

If we knew, we wouldn't be here asking her, right?

"Anyway I can."

"Well, do you know if she has someone to take her to the hospital for the exams?"

"No."

"No, you don't know or no, she doesn't?"

"No, I don't know."

Piper kept staring at him, not saying anything.

She is talking with Trish, right?

Most likely.

What do you think they're talking?

I have no idea.

Maybe how much of a lost cause we are?

Possibly.

Piper blinked, focusing on him.

"What is her name?"

"Mackenzie."

Piper shook her head, her feather earring got stuck in it in a weird angle, getting his attention.

Can't she feel it twisting her earlobe?

I don't know. What kind of feather is it? Is it natural? Or dyed?

I don't know, it looks natural.

But it's a very bright red.

It looks good on her.

Except it's crooked and twisting her ear.

Piper snapped her fingers in front of him.

"Jason, I asked you a question."

"Yeah, just let me..."

He reached his hand and fixed the feather, disentangling it from her hair.

"There. What did you ask?"

"Trish knows two Mackenzies. Describe her."

A little help?

Hum... her height?

"She's the same height as you, has a dark skin, curly hair, but less wild than Hazel's... hum... dark eyes... does it help?"

"It let us know is neither of them."

"What?"

"Both Mackenzie's that Trish knows have fair skin. Keep describing her."

I don't know what else to talk about her, we don't know her enough.

"She was wearing a red sneakers two of the four times we saw her. She has a green and purple backpack. Hum, what else?"

"Wait, green and purple?"

Jason was surprised by her sudden interest.

"Yes?"

"Are you SURE it was green and purple?"

"Yes, why?"

"It was really purple, not a weird shade of blue or something?"

Jason crossed his arms, annoyed.

"Pipes, I was raised in Camp Jupiter. I think I know what purple is."

She looked like someone had hit her.

"Damn. I think I know who she is."

How!? Because of her backpack?

"You do?"

"Not personally, but I have a strong suspicion of who is she, and now that you said she is pregnant and don't want to talk about the father... I'm even more convinced she is that girl."

"What girl?"

"She once asked me a... favor, but I never knew her name."

"What kind of favor?"

She shook her head, but thankfully righted the crooked feather right after.

"One I'm not telling you. But count me in to help her. Why don't we schedule a meeting between us three?"

She took a bite of her pastry, and after swallowing, smiled at him.

"Now that this is out of our way, can we please have a normal date?"

He breathed in relief and nodded at her.

***

TUESDAY

"Green lollipop! Orange lollipop! Focus! We lost our last match, and if I catch you, ANY of you, daydreaming about glittery unicorns betting their golden hooves on a blackjack table in Vegas again, I swear I'm making you regret it!"

How does he come up with this kind of stuff?

I have absolutely no idea.

"So, John, did you enjoy the ride of your girlfriend yesterday? Ops, sorry, I meant the date with her."

Jason ignored Trevor chuckling beside him.

"Black and gold lollipop! Something funny?"

Trevor quickly sobered up and mumbled under his breath.

"Oh, great."

I can't believe he's getting us an extra punishment.

"If you think the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus fighting over Befana's hand in marriage is funny, you can join blue lollipop taking a lap, NOW!"

Jason and Trevor joined David, who was already paying for a moment of distraction.

Who the hell is Befana? Is it Greek?

Not that I know. Not everything is Greek or Roman, you know?

"Yellow lollipop!"

He's gonna kill us all.

We have to talk to him.

We?

I'm the captain, remember? It's my responsibility.

I can't wait...

***

We should have gone to another Café.

Agreed.

The cashier from when he took Mackenzie there was glaring at him at seeing Piper at his side, holding his hand. He pulled her to another table, one that was mostly hidden from the cashier's line of sight.

"Let's just... go over there."

"Sure."

Barely two minutes later, Mackenzie entered the Café, looking around until spotting him and heading for their table. She froze when she saw Piper by his side.

She looks... scared.

Do you think Trish did something for her?

He stood up along with Piper and introduced them.

"Mackenzie, this is my girlfriend, Pip-Trish."

Piper gave the frozen girl a smile and offered her hand.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you, Mackenzie."

Mackenzie shook it, still warily.

"Do you two... know each other."

As discreetly as possible, Piper stepped on his foot, hard. He bit his inner cheek do not show any sign.

"Of course not, that's why I just said it's nice to meet her. Why don't we all sit and chat?"

While sitting, she glared at him really quick, before turning to Mackenzie, who seemed much more relaxed.

What did we do?

I don't know, but Invictus Jupiter, she didn't need to step on my foot with that much force.

"So, Mackenzie, I hope you didn't get too upset when John wanted to tell me. However, I can promise I'll try to help you however I can."

Mackenzie smiled in gratitude.

A/N: If you're curious about how Piper knew Mackenzie, check Chp 87.