𝐎 𝐂 𝐄 𝐀 𝐍   𝐄 𝐘 𝐄 𝐒   !

𝙲 𝙷 𝙰 𝙿 𝚃 𝙴 𝚁   𝙴 𝙸 𝙶 𝙷 𝚃   !

( 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔬𝔰 𝔦𝔫 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔫 ! )

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

          𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓, 𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐀 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 sneaking into Jason's cabin. She didn't know exactly what had caused her to get out of her bed, slip into the dark halls, and search for her boyfriend's cabin door. Maybe it was all the inner turmoil building up within her from the moment she'd met Reyna and the other kids from Camp Jupiter? Or maybe it had something to do with the upcoming war. All she knew was that right now, she needed to talk with Jason without anyone else listening in, and the middle of the night was the perfect opportunity. 

The door moved silently as she crept into his darkened room, having seen the inside of his cabin before during the building process. It looked just like how one would imagine it to⎯neat and tidy with a few personal touches here and there and battle plans hanging on the walls. He may be leaning more towards Camp Half-Blood, but he was still a Roman legionnaire at heart.

The girl closed the door behind her softly, smiling when she saw just how peaceful Jason was while sleeping. All the worry lines from waking hours were smoothed away, his perfect hair a mess over his forehead and a small smile on his lips. She almost turned back, not wanting to ruin the peace, but she knew she had to talk to him. She had to get whatever was on her chest off. Communication was key to any relationship (or, so she'd been told by her Aphrodite friends). 

She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking him. At first, nothing happened. Then, his muscles tensed under her touch as his eyes shot open, his hand reaching for the gladius resting on the table beside his bed. Malia stopped him quickly, taking his hand in hers and causing his eyes to finally land on her, body relaxing. 

"Hey there, Hercules," Malia said softly, crouching a bit so she was eye-level with him. Even in the dark, his eyes shone an electric blue she adored.

Jason used his free hand to rub his eyes, as if he couldn't tell if he was dreaming or not. "Ariel?" She nodded. "What are you doing in my room? What time is it?"

Malia tilted her head side-to-side in thought. "Around midnight, I'd say." She let out a breath, fingers fiddling with his hand nervously. "I couldn't sleep."

As if sensing just how serious this was, Jason sat up, giving her all his attention. The blankets fell away, revealing that he'd been sleeping shirtless, so Malia kept her eyes on his hand to keep herself from getting distracted. This obviously wasn't the first time she'd seen him shirtless, but the feeling of heat in her cheeks never really went away.

"What's wrong?" he asked, moving over in bed and gesturing to the spot beside him. Malia climbed into bed with him, leaning into his side as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Are you okay? Is it about Charleston?"

Malia shook her head, fingers moving to mess with the sheets now that his hand was no longer in her grasp. "No," she muttered. "There's just . . . I don't really . . . I just, I have a lot of things on my chest I kinda need to get off, and people tell me communication is important in a relationship, so I thought it would be best to tell these things to you." Slowly, she felt embarrassment creep up inside of her. "Um, it's stupid. I'll⎯I'll just leave you to go back to sleep."

Before she could get up, Jason moved his arm from her shoulders to her waist, taking one of her hands in his and lacing their fingers together. He pulled her into his side and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, resting his cheek on her hair moments after. "No. Nothing you have to tell me is stupid, Lia. Nothing. You can tell me anything and I promise I'll listen."

Malia swallowed thickly, breathing softly to ease her nerves. She wanted to let everything go and be as open as possible with him, but another part of her was scared he'd get defensive and the gap growing between them would get bigger. She didn't want to lose him. Jason was the best thing to ever happen to her since finding out she was a demigod. He made her feel normal for the first time in four years, and she cherished that more than anything. 

"I know you've told me a thousand times before, but part of me can't help but worry. And you know how I get when I start worrying. I start rambling and shutting people out and it just becomes this big mess that no one wants to deal with⎯" She stopped herself, taking a deep breath. "Do you, or did you ever, have feelings for Reyna?" She felt him stiffen. "Jason, I don't care if you say yes, okay? This isn't some trick or something. I just⎯I need to know. I need to put these worries at ease."

Jason sighed softly, his thumb running over the back of her hand. She could faintly hear his heart beating from her spot against him, finding it soothing.

"Part of me, when I was younger, felt something toward her. She was my friend and my fellow centurion, and I guess at some point the platonic feelings turned to something like a crush. But I never acted on it. Because I knew deep down that it was just a crush, and there was something telling me that Reyna wasn't the right person for me." Jason's eyes were straightforward as he spoke, his tone soft and gentle. "I promise you, Lia. Those feelings are gone. And I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like they weren't."

Malia smiled slightly, leaning more into him. "I know you are. Just . . . during our first meeting as a group, the things you were saying about Reyna and the camp . . . I don't know. A part of me just felt doubt. It was like there was this little voice in my head telling me that you could do better. I'm not a Roman demigod or some praetor with leadership skills and an intimidating stare. I'm a goofy and sarcastic Greek kid who deals with stress and uncomfortable situations by making sarcastic and joking comments."

Jason shifted, moving so he was sitting in front of Malia, able to look her in the eyes. He placed his hands on her biceps, lips pulled down in a small frown. "You really thought that any of that mattered to me? That I wouldn't like you as much because of your leadership or bloodline status?" Malia shrugged, trying to look away but unable to. His eyes held her captive. "Malia, you are the most amazing girl in the world. I could never imagine my life without you. I like how carefree you can be, and how caring you are for your friends and family. I love how you can always lighten the mood but also bring people down to Earth. And I love how you aren't afraid to talk to me about these kinds of things."

"Really?"

Jason nodded. "Lupa teaches Roman demigods not to show emotions. For years, I was trained to be a stone-faced soldier. But you brought me out of that. You taught me how to live and love and have fun. Without you, Malia, I would still be that cold Roman soldier. You brought life to me, and I⎯" He paused for a moment, hesitating as if he was afraid to speak.

Malia tilted her head. "What?"

He took her by surprise as he leaned forward, pressing their lips together in a sweet kiss. Malia felt her heart do jumping jacks in her chest, eyes fluttering closed. Jason pulled away slowly, moving to cup her cheeks with his hands as he looked in her eyes again.

"I love you."

Malia felt her heart stop, eyes searching his for any sign of this being a joke. He loved her? He loved her? The corners of her lips began to move upwards uncontrollably as a breathtaking smile took its place on her face, eyes glowing with happiness. 

She pulled him into another kiss, arms wrapping around his neck as his hands moved from her cheeks to her waist. When she pulled away, she was beaming. "You do?"

Jason nodded. "I love you, Ariel Jackson."

"I love you, Jason Grace."

And the couple sealed their words with a kiss, their shoulders feeling lighter as laughter filled the cabin for the rest of the night until they eventually fell asleep in each other's arms, smiles on her lips.

⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯

"I need pants."

Malia stood in front of an Iris Message with Lou Ellen, the Hecate head counselor back at camp. When she'd told Frank earlier about how she had a friend who could get him more pants, she'd meant it. Lou Ellen had powerful magic, and had sent Malia spare clothes more than once out of thin air. 

Lou Ellen eyed the girl suspiciously. "Am I allowed to ask why, or would that embarrass you and your boyfriend?"

Malia rolled her eyes at the insinuation, her cheeks warming. "They aren't for me, Lou. And get those thoughts out of your head. If Percy hears them, he'll kill me and Jason both."

Lou Ellen held her hands up in mock surrender, laughing. "Fine, fine. Who are they for and how many pairs?"

Malia thought for a moment. "Frank Zhang. He's a little over six feet, very built, and prefers looser clothing, I think." She hummed. "I'd say five pairs should do. Leo used his dirty laundry as a way to divert attention away from us, and something tells me they won't come back."

Lou Ellen nodded, making mental notes as she grabbed something that was out of Malia's sight. "Okay, I'll get to work."

"Thanks, Lou. We'll be in Charleston in half an hour at most, and his cabin is the third door on the left wall of the right hallway."

"Got it! Be safe and keep me updated!" Lou Ellen snapped her notebook shut, filled with information.

"Will do, Lou." Malia ended the call, swiping her hand through the image and allowing the water to evaporate into the air. With that problem solved, she turned on her heel and made her way toward the dining hall, dressed in a simple pair of athletic shorts and a blue cropped tank top. Something easy to swim in, she supposed. "Good morning, my lovely brother, boyfriend, and friends!"

She sat down beside Jason, who smiled at her happily. Piper perked a brow. "What's got you so cheery this early in the morning?"

Malia shrugged. "Nothing really. Frank, I just ordered you five new pairs of pants. They should be in your cabin by the time you return from your little adventure today."

The Zhang boy gaped at her. "Um . . . how⎯how is that possible?"

"I have a friend who's a daughter of Hecate. Well, you guys call her Trivia. She's excellent at casting long-distance materialization spells," Malia explained, grabbing two pieces of toast from the center display, as well as a bowl of fruit. "I promise you can trust her."

Frank managed a smile. "Thanks, Malia."

"No problem!" Most of the eight were in the room, aside from Leo and Annabeth. She assumed they were on the deck, getting the ship docked and prepared. Everyone else was eating breakfast in preparation for the separate missions. "So, how much longer til we reach Charleston?"

Percy shrugged. "Fifteen minutes, I think. How do you wanna handle the Harbor?"

Malia pursed her lips as she began eating her food. "I'll take the South, you take the North?" Percy nodded. "Cool. What exactly are you expecting to find? I mean, I'm hoping there are some Nereids that could help us, but what else?"

Percy frowned in thought for a few moments. "I guess I'm just trying to find someone who can help those sea creatures, you know?" Malia hummed. "Hopefully someone will know what to do since we can't go to dad for answers."

With the Roman and Greek sides of the gods still fighting, there was no telling what type of answers they'd get if they went to their dad for help. 

Casual conversation filled the dining hall once more, the group finishing their meals and taking some time to relax before their separate quests began. Just like Percy had assumed, the ship was docked at Charleston Harbor within fifteen minutes, the group moving up to the deck to take in the city. 

Along the shore was a historical district with tall mansions, palm trees, and wrought-iron fences. Antique cannons pointed at the water. Malia wondered if they still worked, and she hoped they wouldn't. Because if the Romans found them, then they'd be in deep shit.

Jason wrapped Malia in a hug, pressing a kiss to her lips. "Leo, Frank, and I are heading out. Be safe in the Harbor, okay?"

Malia nodded, hugging him tighter. "As long as you promise to be safe in that museum. You may be some praetor of New Rome and the only son of Jupiter, but those ghosts could still kick your ass if they wanted to."

Jason chuckled. "I promise, Ariel."

With that, the boys all left, Malia moving over to where her brother waited. Annabeth soon joined the two, taking Percy's hand.

"What are you two going to do while we're gone?" she asked.

"Jump into the harbor," Percy said casually. "Lia and I want to try communicating with the local Nereids. Maybe they can give us some advice about how to free those captives in Atlanta."

Malia nodded. "Yeah. Besides, the sea might be good for us. Being in that aquarium made me feel . . . unclean."

She shivered at the thought, remembering the way the salt water had made her skin crawl. 

Malia fake gagged when Annabeth kissed him. "Good luck, Seaweed Brain. Just come back to me, okay?"

"I will," he promised. "You do the same."

Malia rolled her eyes. "You know, I'm here, too?"

Percy placed his hand on her face and pushed her away, Annabeth laughing as the two siblings began bickering with one another. 

Once the ship was cleared out aside from Coach Hedge, Percy and Malia dove into the water. Immediately, Malia felt better. A rush of adrenaline hit her, filling her with the usual excitement that came when swimming in the ocean. Her body relaxed for the first time in months, a smile stretching across her lips as a few fish curiously swam up to her.

"I'll go left, you go right," Percy said, nodding at her.

Malia rolled her eyes but did as he said, heading to the right in search of any Nereids that lived in the Harbor.

The Harbor was relatively clean for a city like Charleston, which Malia appreciated. It would make her job so much more easy if she could actually see where she was going. She's been in dirty water before and knew how much of a bitch it could be, so she was thankful for the clear water. 

She swam through the Harbor in search of anything that could help her, momentarily stopping to help a tangled fish from a plastic bag. She wound through the dock posts and under the different water bridges before finally stumbling upon a small pod of Nereids who were⎯ironically⎯playing Uno. Where they got the cards from, she didn't know nor care.

"Hello!" she called out, swimming closer.

The nymphs turned, smiling and waving. 

"Hi, Miss!" they greeted, their bright green eyes wide with joy.

"What brings you to our waters, Miss?" one asked.

Malia stopped once she reached them, brushing her hair from her face. "Nothing good. My brother and I are part of the quest to stop Gaea's uprising." 

The Nereids gasped. One shook her head. "That's mighty dangerous business, Miss."

"I know. My brother and I are in need of your assistance." The Nereids moved closer in interest. "While stopping in Atlanta, we stumbled across an aquarium being run by Phorcys and Keto. Within their aquarium were trapped creatures like hyppocampi, Nereids, Naiads, Telkhines and more."

"That dirty old sea god," one of the Nereids huffed. "Trapping our sisters and cousins alike."

Malia reached forwards and placed a hand on the nymph's shoulder. "Do you know how to stop this? Who we could go to to handle the aquarium? My brother and I would do it, but⎯"

"No, Miss. You have a quest to fulfill," another Nereid said. "While we can't do anything, bound to these waters, we know someone who might." Just then, a bronze glimmer caught Malia's eye. The girl turned, spotting Annabeth's dagger sinking into the sandy bottom of the Harbor. "Seek out Chiron's cousins. They'll know what to do."

"Thank you." The Nereids nodded before going back to their game. Malia swam over to the dagger and frowned. For years, she saw Annabeth with this dagger at her side. Not once was it ever left behind or thrown carelessly. So if the dagger was currently sinking to the bottom of the Harbor, that meant that her friends were in trouble.

She plucked the dagger from the floor and looked up, spotting shadows moving overhead. With a roll of her eyes, she twisted her wrists. There was a pull in her gut before the Harbor exploded around her, her body flying upwards with the force of the water and landing gracefully before her three friends. Percy, who had been coming over to her, landed on his back with a groan as the Roman soldiers threatening the girls were swept into the Harbor with the water. Malia flicked her fingers and felt the water pool around their feet, keeping them afloat for the moment.

Then, with the straightest expression she could muster, she held the dagger up and met Annabeth's eyes. "You dropped something."

Annabeth laughed as she wrapped Malia in a hug. Percy looked at his girlfriend like he'd been betrayed as he stood up.

"No hug for me?" he asked.

"Did you save her ass?" Malia asked, letting go of Annabeth. "No, I don't think so."

Annabeth went over to Percy and gave him a hug as well, making him smile. Malia rolled her eyes at her brother. He was the biggest dork she'd ever met.

"Guys, we need to hurry," Hazel said, a small smile on her face.

Down in the water, Octavian yelled, "Get me out of here! I'll kill you!"

"Oh, I'd like to see you try, Fluff-For-Brains!" Malia shot back, glaring.

"What?" Octavian shouted. He was holding onto one of his guards, who was having trouble keeping them both afloat.

"Nothing!" Malia shouted back. "Let's blow this popsicle stand, you four."

Hazel frowned. "We can't let them drown, can we?"

Malia sighed. "Now, while I would really appreciate that, I know he'd find a way to come back and haunt me," she said dramatically. "So, there's some water circling around their feet. As soon as we're out of range, it'll throw them onto the deck just like it had done to Percy just minutes ago."

Piper grinned with a laugh, reaching forward to high-five the daughter of Poseidon. "Nice."

They climbed aboard the Argo II, and Annabeth ran to the helm. "Malia, get below. Use the sink in the galley for an Iris-message. Warn Jason to get back here!"

Malia saluted the blonde before racing off, hoping to get to her boyfriend before any of the Romans could. Apparently, while she and Percy had been on their little side-quest, the Romans had found them and there was now this huge attack going on that none of the eight wanted to be a part of.

Reaching the galley, Malia wasted no time in tossing a drachma into the rainbow and requesting to see Jason. The image was fuzzy, like TV static, but she managed to get the message through. She could faintly hear fighting in the background and cursed, knowing the Romans were onto them.

"Just hurry back, okay?" With that, the connection cut and Malia ran back up to the deck, spotting everyone running about in preparation. "Got a message through to Jason. Kind of fuzzy, but he's already on his way. He should be⎯oh! There!"

Soaring over the city, heading in their direction, was a giant bald eagle, unlike the golden Roman birds.

"Frank!" Hazel said.

Leo was holding on to the eagle's feet, and even from the ship, Malia could hear him screaming and cursing.

"Yep, that's Frank all right," Malia said, snickering.

Behind them flew Jason, riding the wind.

"Never seen Jason fly before," Percy grumbled. "He looks like a blonde superman."

Malia laughed harder, hitting her brother's arm. "Tone down the jealousy, Barnacle Brain." Her eyes then widened. "Holy shit! They're in trouble!"

Sure enough, the Roman flying chariot had descended from a cloud and was diving straight toward them. Jason and Frank veered out of the way, pulling up to avoid getting trampled by the pegasi. The charioteers fire their bows. Arrows whistled under Leo's feet, which led to more screaming and cursing. Jason and Frank were forced to overshoot the Argo II and fly toward Fort Sumter.

"I'll get 'em!" yelled Coach Hedge.

He spun the port ballista. Before anyone could yell, "Don't be stupid!" Hedge fired. A flaming spear rocketed toward the chariot.

It exploded over the heads of the pegasi and threw them into a panic. Unfortunately it also singed Frank's wings and sent him spiraling out of control. Leo slipped from his grasp. The chariot shot toward Fort Sumter, slamming into Jason.

Malia's lips parted in horror as Jason⎯obviously dazed and in pain⎯lunged for Leo, caught him, then struggled to gain altitude. He only managed to slow their fall. They disappeared behind the ramparts of the fort. Frank tumbled after them. Then the chariot dropped somewhere inside and hit with a bone-shattering CRACK! One broken wheel spun into the air.

"Coach!" Piper screamed.

"What?" Hedge demanded. "That was just a warning shot!"

Annabeth gunned the engines. The hull shuddered as they picked up speed. The docks of the island were only a hundred yards away now, but a dozen more eagles were soaring overhead, each carrying a Roman demigod in its claws.

The Argo II's crew would be outnumbered at least three to one.

"Percy, Malia," Annabeth said, "we're going to come in hard. I need you to control the water so we don't smash into the docks. Once we're there, you're going to have to hold off the attackers. The rest of you help them guard the ship."

Malia shook her head. "But⎯Jason!"

"Leo!" Piper said.

"Frank!" Hazel added.

"I'll find them," Annabeth promised. "I've got to figure out where the map is. And I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who can do that."

"The fort is crawling with Romans," Percy warned. "You;ll have to fight your way through, find our friends⎯assuming they're okay⎯find this map, and get everybody back alive. All on your own?"

"Just an average day." Annabeth kissed him. "Whatever you do, don't let them take this ship!"

Malia's eyes stormed. "Over my dead body."

The new Civil War had begun.

Malia and Percy slowed down the ship's entrance to the docks, Annabeth jumping off in search of everyone and the map while the rest god ready for battle. Malia flicked her wrist, sword coming to life in her hand and a hard look casting over her eyes. Percy's expression matched her own, the two looking about as dangerous as a hurricane-controlled sea. Neither of them were going to let their friends or loved ones get hurt. 

A few Romans tried to board the ship, but the group took them out with ease, the boys soon joining them. Jason immediately wrapped Malia in a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead despite being covered in bruises. Frank and Leo looked fine as well, filling Malia with a bit of relief.

"What's the plan?" he asked, looking between the siblings.

Percy set his jaw. "We defend the ship while Annabeth searches for the map."

"Something tells me we're gonna have to work together to do that," Jason said. "Use both the sky and sea to drive off the Romans and protect the ship."

Malia nodded. She then twirled her sword before slamming the tip into the deck, a rumble spreading through the wood before traveling to the ground before the ship. The boys followed her lead, crossing their swords before her as the sky, seas, and earth bent to their wills. Water and wind churned together. Waves heaved against the ramparts and lightning flashed. Giant eagles were knocked out of the sky. Wreckage of the flying chariot burned in the water, and Coach Hedge swung a mounted crossbow, taking potshots at the Roman birds as they flew.

And the ground cracked beneath the soldiers' feet as Malia twisted her sword deeper into the wood, her powers surging over her body and shaking the earth. This was the third time Malia had ever used this ability, and it was like an adrenaline rush each time. Each moment of tiredness was wiped away as another wave of water splashed against her, refilling her with strength. 

Malia spotted Annabeth running through the fighting soldiers. "Piper, get to the gangplank and prepare to help Annabeth onboard! Leo, let's get out of here!"

Both did as she said. Annabeth wasn't affected by their powers, slipping through the winds and easily dodging the cracks in the ground as she raced toward the ship. Finally, she leaped up and grabbed Piper's hand. The gangplank fell into the sea, and the two girls tumbled onto the deck.

"Go!" Annabeth screamed. "Go, go, go!"

The engines rumbled beneath them. The oars churned. Malia pulled her sword from the ground and let it fall, grabbing onto her brother's hand and her boyfriend's hand. Together, Jason changed the course of the wind and the children of Poseidon called up a massive wave, which lifted the ship higher than the fort's walls and pushed it out to sea. By the time the Argo II reached top speed, Fort Sumter was only a blot in the distance, and they were racing across the waves toward the ancient lands.

"Let's not to that again, okay?" Malia asked breathlessly, suddenly feeling drained.

All she got in return were a bunch of groans.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

𝐀 𝐔 𝐓 𝐇 𝐎 𝐑 𝐒   𝐍 𝐎 𝐓 𝐄   !

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⬩❖⬩ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

Sorry for going MIA for a bit! I know you've all been waiting for another chapter, so I decided to gift you all with a little Malia and Jason moment. They finally said I love you, which is a big step for them! And I want their relationship to be realistic. Malia talked to him when she was uncertain, and he gave her honest answers. I don't want their relationship to be like Piper's and his, which is why they actually communicate.

Also, Malia's badass earthquake powers showed themselves again. I love her, honestly! Almost as much as I love Aurora from my Percy fic. Those two have my heart!

Next chapter gets more into the travels to Rome, so I'm super excited for all of that!

Please comment and vote!

Love you all!

~ a.h.