Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Harsh breathing echoed within a pitch-black cavern. 

“I won’t let you win.” A voice whispered. “Not now, not ever.” 

Although slightly hoarse, the voice still had a pleasant quality to it, like the strum of a lyre or the whistle of the wind. In better circumstances, they would have been an excellent narrator, one who’s stories could bring even the gods to their knees. But here in the darkness of the cave, there was no one to listen, save one. 

“Hah,” a hissing laugh escaped the other. “Still trying to play the hero?”

Scales rasped against stone, one of the voices moving closer to the other. In response, the other shifted back, disrupting stones and dust, before abruptly stopping. The first voice began to screech in pain, barely audible at first but steadily increasing in volume. Within minutes, the voice that had sounded so hoarse yet melodic before became a strangled mess, the sound of a violin thrown upon the floor. 

A final cry escaped the first before everything fell silent. This silence didn’t last however, with maniacal laughter spilling from the sole survivor’s throat. 

“I did it,” they gloated. “At last, it’s all mine! I-“ 

The survivor, or maybe murderer if one was to be more specific, was interrupted by harsh whispers and the clang of bronze. The whispers swirled together in a thick knot of words. 

“How could this happen?” 

“We’d planned it so perfectly.” 

“But even that wasn’t enough.” 

“We’ll have to fix this-“ 

“-it can’t happen again.“ 

“-but who-“ 

A beat of silence before a final, unified line.

“ Ah, yes. ” 

The whispers seem to have reached a conclusion.  

Jason wakes to the chill of the night. Strange, considering the fact that he should be dead. 

Squinting, Jason looks around. Tall redwoods circle him, casting long alternating shadows across the ground. The patterns of light and shadow illuminate his surroundings well, revealing the ruins of a broken down mansion. 

Perhaps this is the Underworld , Jason muses. Nico had told him that all souls saw the underworld slightly differently. But still, wasn’t it kind of odd that it looked like the forest that Jason had spent most of his childhood? 

Jason wonders if this says something about him. Foolish Jason Grace, an imaginary judge might chide, forever stuck wondering what went wrong in his childhood. 

A lot of things did, Jason would say to that imaginary judge. My mother left me in middle of the night to a pack of wolves because my deadbeat dad and jealous stepmother told her to, my sister ran away to the other side of the United States just to get away from the thought of me, and the wolf that raised me would tell me to ‘conquer or die’ when I didn’t want to eat the raw, probably spoiled meat she gave me. 

He could have gone on and on, but a sudden bark interrupts him. 

A bark? In the Underworld? If that was Cerberus, then Jason had to stand up quickly or be mauled to his second death by an over enthusiastic Doberman. After all, he hadn’t brought any dog toys. 

Unlike usual however, Jason finds it hard to rise to his feet. His legs seem to have shrunk and his feet don’t go where he tells them to. After a futile few seconds of struggling, Jason decides to lie down and resign himself to his fate. So what if Cerberus bites him, Jason sighs. Maybe he’ll just serve as another tool, this time as a chew toy for the hellhound. 

Jason waits, hearing the steady steps get closer and closer. But when the animal finally stops, Jason rises(albeit unsteadily) to see that they aren’t even a dog, but rather a wolf- a familiar wolf, in fact. 

It’s Lupa. That’s all that Jason can think. Lupa, the wolf who raised him like her own sons. Lupa, the goddess who had taught him to stand strong and fight with his head. Lupa, the mother who had put her head on his lap those final weeks before Jason’s death and told him that she was proud of who he had become. 

Jason can’t help the tears that spring to his eyes. But how could she be in the Underworld? Other than Proserpina and Pluto (‘ Still using their Roman names?’ A voice hisses in his ears. ‘ I thought you’d already decided which side you would stand on’ ), no other gods were permitted in the Land of the Dead. Lupa, with all of her power, would not be able to enter. 

Unless he wasn't actually in the Underworld? An absurd thought, but Jason couldn’t discard it for some reason. In fact, the evidence seemed to point to something even ridiculous. The familiar redwood forest, the shorter limbs, and finally Lupa’s arrival… 

His eyes snap back to Lupa. Jason could read the wolf goddess just as easily as ever. Her narrowed silver eyes and curled lips all lead to a threatening message. 

The son of Jupiter has arrived, Lupa declares. Let us see whether he has the strength to become part of the pack. 

In just two sentences, Jason’s suspicions were confirmed. Time travel, the phenomenon that countless books and movies had been created about, the gift that so many people had wished for, was the reason for his return to the redwood forest of the Wolf House. 

Why him though? Although he had leadership skills and was quite capable with a weapon, Jason wasn’t anything special, aside from his exclusive status as a child of Jupiter. Surely someone like Reyna, with her knack for leadership and planning, or Leo, with his creative talent and ceaseless drive, would be a better candidate for time travel. And even if there was something special about Jason in particular, why was he sent back to when he was two during Lupa’s trial? 

But before Jason could truly have an existential crisis about his situation, Lupa rushes at him, intent on testing his strength. Following her lead, the other wolves(when had they appeared?) spread out around Jason, enclosing Jason in a tight circle. 

Ignoring his trembling hands, Jason holds his ground. He doesn’t remember much about his first trial, but he does know that he had tried to run. Lupa used to tease him relentlessly with it. Don’t back down , Lupa had grinned after one of Jason’s sparring matches not unless you want to end up with scraped knees like in your first few weeks. 

Hand trailing to his side, Jason reaches for Juno’s gladius, before realizing there’s nothing there. That’s right , Jason thinks, he hadn’t received any weapons yet . Frantically, he searches the ground for anything that could help.  

A couple of stones? No, Jason’s good at throwing things, but he isn’t good enough to hit Lupa while she is running. Anyway, even if he did hit her, the stone would just glance off, as gods and monsters can only be hit with sacred materials. A worn brick? Jason throws that idea aside immediately. Lupa would be able to bite him before he could hit her with it. The same problem with the stones would arise as well. Ultimately, Jason decides that it’s useless to look for anything else. That’s fine. He’s worked with worse odds. 

Breathing in, Jason takes a moment to ground himself. He has to be calm once Lupa strikes. If he panics, the results will be disastrous. 

Then, with Lupa mere inches from his face, Jason extends his hands and reaches for the constant buzz of energy under his skin. 

It struggles under his touch at first, like an unruly child refusing to take a caretaker’s hand. Jason hadn't missed this part of learning to use his abilities. It had taken years of training and being shocked to conjure a lightning bolt half as big as the one he had struck on Camp Halfblood’s campfire. But if Jason was going to survive this encounter with Lupa, then he had to learn how to use it fast. 

Come on , Jason coaxes. I need you. With trembling hands and soft cry, the lightning bursts from his hands and strikes Lupa from the side, barely missing her face. 

Despite his best efforts, Jason’s cautious blow proves to be much more powerful than he had intended. As the last of the lightning crackles around Lupa, Jason watches as the wolf takes a careful step backward. The lightning had struck Lupa’s left flank, leaving the fur around the area charred and blackened. To add to the horror, the smell of ozone and burnt flesh wafted from the wound.

Howls burst into the air. Jason, with numb, twitching hands, watches as the wolves that had been circling around Jason leapt to Lupa’s side, nudging her as if to reassure themselves of her safety. When Lupa doesn’t react, the wolves snap their attention back to Jason.

That bastard, Jason can almost hear them thinking, he’ll pay for this . Slowly, they stalk forward, keeping their eyes locked on his hands.

In a strange echo of earlier, Jason stands still, waiting for the wolves to reach him. Only this time, Jason doesn’t bother thinking of any ways to defend himself. Just the thought of another thunderbolt is enough to make his head spin. Maybe it’s presumptuous of him to think so, but Jason doesn’t think he’ll die. Lupa detests anarchy and insubordination. As angry as the wolves are, she wouldn’t let her wolves kill him without her orders. 

The wolves, noticing exhaustion in his heavy breaths and hunched figure, take their chance. Two wolves adorned with dark fur( Lupa’s lieutenants , Jason remembers) knock him to the ground. They pin him down, stopping what little strength that he can muster to try to push them off. Before Jason can try anything else, a third wolf with ashy fur slinks forward.

The wolf reaches out, teeth sharp and deadly, and-

ENOUGH . 

The wolves all freeze as one. Jason thinks that even Khione’s ice statues looked more alive than the pack at that moment. Slowly, their heads all turn towards Lupa, who stalks forward toward Jason. The three wolves leap off of him and return to Lupa’s side, tail between their legs. Lupa gives each of them a sharp nip, a reminder of her authority.

Taking a few steps forward, Lupa lowers her head to examine Jason. Jason doesn’t dare move under the gaze of her gray eyes. Show no weakness, Jason chants. Weakness will get you killed. After a few long seconds, Lupa bares her teeth in a sharp grin.

Excellent work, Lupa laughs. You’re the first to have ever truly injured me during the trial. 

Gently, she grabs him by the shirt collar and shoves him in front of the other wolves. They growl hesitantly at Jason, no doubt distrustful from their earlier fight. Nonetheless Lupa has spoken, and so they weave around him, accepting him into the fold.  

Lupa smiles.

Welcome to the Wolf House. 

Chapter Text

Next to a lonely pine tree, Jason stood next to his older sister. 

It was 4 AM, that special hour where it didn’t feel like morning but neither did it feel like night. Normally at this time, Jason would be sleeping in, welcoming the rest after a tiring afternoon building the Argo II, but for some reason, Thalia had woken him up early.

Holding back a yawn, Jason turned his gaze to his sister. She stood in the shade of the pine tree, patting the shiny wool carpet draped on one of its branches. Unlike with the other campers, Peleus, the dragon that curled around the bottom of the tree, didn’t seem concerned with her proximity to the fleece. Jason wondered if it was because she was a Hunter of Artemis. Didn’t they say that animals got along better with them? 

As if she had a sixth sense, Thalia suddenly turned around to stare at him, electric blue eyes locked onto his own. Determined not to look away, Jason took the chance to study his sister closer.

Of all the things he could have noticed about Thalia, it was her hair that drew his gaze first. Her soot-black hair was short and choppy, almost haphazard in the way it was cut. There was no change in her hair length since their fateful meeting in December. But it wasn’t just her hair - Thalia’s demeanor, her air of strength and power, and those wistful and contemplative expressions she sometimes showed - nothing had changed in the past few months. Immortality suited her too well. Or maybe not well enough. 

To be honest, Jason wasn’t sure how he felt about Thalia being eternally 15, and he got the sense that Thalia didn’t know either. It was fine though. Perfectly fine. Thalia had an eternity to reflect on her choice. Jason had an eternity to mourn what could have been. 

“I spent years as a tree, you know.” His sister’s voice jarred him from his thoughts. Jason blinked, effectively breaking their staring contest. Thalia gave him a fleeting grin before digging her fingers into the wool even further. “This tree, in fact.”

Jason hummed in acknowledgment. “Were you conscious?” 

There was a moment of silence between the two. Jason didn’t think he asked something too absurd (surely, anyone would want to know if a basically petrified person felt anything), but he’d always been bad with tact. Thankfully, Thalia soon replied, interrupting his tangent. 

“I was conscious… in a sense.” 

She deliberated on how to explain the matter before speaking again. 

“I wasn’t so much thinking as I was remembering,” Thalia began. “You know that old cliche where when a person dies, they start remembering everything that ever happened in their life? It was a bit like that. I thought about all the things that had ever happened leading up to when our good old dad zapped me into a pine tree, from the end right up to the very beginning.”

Before continuing, Thalia pulled Jason under the shade of the pine tree with her. Jason thanked her, grateful that she had noticed his slight trembling, though it wasn’t from the cold. Thinking about all the years Thalia spent running away, being hunted and trapped, left Jason feeling…  bitter. If Zeus was the most powerful god out of the entire pantheon, why hadn’t he been able to ensure safety for Thalia? (Or even for Jason himself?)  

“Did you think of Annabeth? Or the other blond guy in the photo?” Jason found himself offering questions in an attempt to keep Thalia talking. Anything to distract him from the biting taste of resentment. 

“Of course I did,” Thalia said with a wistful smile. She turned her head and gazed off into the distance. “They were like family to me. We used to joke that we were siblings even. Luke was always like an older brother. He used to be this brave, cunning and, most of all, kind guy. He’d take most of the night shifts, comfort me whenever I felt down, and give Annabeth all the candy that we came across, even though he liked it the most out of the three of us. I always thought about apologizing to Luke for not helping him out more.” 

Her smile then grew a bit more genuine. 

“And just like Luke was an older brother to me, Annabeth was my little sister. She was the bravest little seven year old I’d ever seen, swinging her hammer and knife at monsters that scared even me and Luke. I don’t think that Luke and I would have survived without Annabeth’s cheerful teasing and her penchant for strategy. But, even then, even with the two of them-“

One breath. Two breaths. The forest clearing was quiet while Jason waited for Thalia to finish her sentence. Finally, Thalia locked eyes with him again, and he could feel the love and anguish radiating from her. 

“- I never forgot about you.”  

The sheer affection brimming in her eyes was almost enough to overpower the bitterness and anger churning in his gut. Almost. 

Despite Jason’s worries, the wolves don’t immediately whisk him off to their training grounds. A strange thing to agonize over, perhaps, but Jason thinks his concerns were quite justified: gods had a tendency of throwing demigods into all sorts of dangers, no matter how young or inexperienced they were.

Instead, Lupa’s pack settles down in the ruins of the Wolf House. The younger wolves split off from the rest of the group, prancing and playing with each other among the dry twigs. The other wolves either journey into the forest to hunt, or gravitate towards Lupa. Although the hurried jumping of the pups is entertaining to watch, Jason focuses his attention onto the group of wolves surrounding Lupa.

The oldest wolves huddle around Lupa, murmuring reassurances and bumping their noses gently into her. Jason feels a twinge of regret. Although Jason was relieved he passed the test (he was sure that Lupa would have eaten him if he did not) , he did feel guilty for hurting Lupa. His tight control over lightning had deteriorated, likely because he was back in a two-year old body.

Suddenly, a faint, but desperate cry echoes through the air. 

The clearing goes quiet. One heartbeat. Two heartbeats. The call repeats again, more heartbreaking than before. 

Jason spins around, almost tripping over his feet. The voice was distant and high pitched, likely belonging to a young girl. A young girl… Could it be? In a state of panic, Jason almost misses Lupa’s movement.  

Come. Lupa pushed past the wolves, ignoring their pleas that she stay behind for her injuries. Let us greet the intruder who has entered our sacred grounds. 

The pack, following Lupa’s lead, leapt into formation. One of the wolves, a she-wolf with light coloring, grabs Jason gently and hoists him onto her back. Tilting her head, the wolf seems to ask ‘ Are you ready?’.

Nodding, Jason grabs onto her fur. It seems a bit unlikely that he’d be able to stay onto her, but there didn’t seem to be any other way for them to bring Jason along without dragging him by the foot. Jason grimaces. He desperately wants to get rid of that mental image. 

Without further ado, the she-wolf moves forward, falling into step with the other wolves. Their footsteps were light but steady, a lulling beat that calms Jason’s heart. That’s right, Jason reassures himself. Lupa’s pack is here. I don’t have to do this by myself. 

In only a few seconds, the pack came to a stop. He guessed that whoever was making the noise must not have been all that far from the Wolf House. Jason slowly slides off of the wolf, landing unsteadily at his feet. Urgh. He really had to get used to this body. 

“Jason?” A hoarse but hopeful voice questions.  

Jason lifts his head. Even though his suspicions were correct, a part of Jason still couldn’t believe his eyes. 

Before him was Thalia, with her usual spiky haircut and sharp blue eyes. But the girl in front of him wasn't the Thalia of his memories; no, this one was much different. This Thalia was much smaller than the proud, confident Lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis, and not just in height. Younger Thalia had an anxious disposition, the kind that was common on beaten animals. 

Her bloodshot eyes darted around, scanning her surroundings. Upon seeing Jason, Thalia’s eyes light up, but her expression turns apprehensive as she takes notice of the wolves huddling around Jason’s tiny form. Her fists clench slightly, as she stares balefully at Lupa. Thalia’s wiry form and gaunt face remind Jason of the prey Lupa’s pack enjoyed hunting the most: the ones they thought didn’t have enough strength to survive. Jason knew better however. Even at this age, Jason was certain that this Thalia was fierce enough to go toe-to-toe with several of the wolves present.

Lupa huffs, most likely disagreeing with Jason’s assessment. Child of Zeus. You are not welcome in these sacred grounds. 

Thalia narrows her eyes, her right hand inching towards the knife sheath at her waist. Judging by the growing snarl on her face, Thalia understands exactly what Lupa meant, even if she couldn’t read Lupa as well as Jason could. She had always known exactly what Jason meant to say, even when his words hadn’t come out quite right. Maybe it was just some kind of magic that older sisters had? Honestly, that wouldn’t even surprise Jason; if monsters had some kind of wifi-tracking magic, then why couldn’t older sisters get mind-reading magic either?

The person in question drew her blade, pointing it directly at Lupa herself. The other wolves immediately tense, low, rumbling growls emanating from their throats. It must have been embarrassing enough that Jason had managed to injure Lupa, but if another child did as well?. They wouldn’t be so forgiving, especially not towards someone who was never destined to be present in the first place. 

Ignoring the protests of her wolves, Lupa stalks forward purposefully, each step making Thalia curl in more and more. 

How did you find your way here? Lupa muses. That was a good point. Jason doesn’t remember Thalia ever mentioning any meetings with him after that fateful picnic day. Perhaps Juno has a reason for your presence here. That meddlesome goddess does like playing her games… 

“I… I don’t know what you want.” Thalia unsheaths her knife in full. Although he can't see it very clearly behind the sea of wolves, Jason could tell that Thalia’s weapon was only plain steel.  “But I’m not going to leave. Not unless Jason is with me.” 

At those words, Lupa tilts her head, evidently intrigued by Thalia’s bold words. Jason knew that motion extremely well; he’d even used it himself at times. It meant that Lupa was thinking hard, though about what, Jason wasn’t so sure. 

Baring her bloodstained teeth, Lupa calls out a command that makes Jason’s blood run cold. 

Attack her. 

With those words, Jason panics. Thalia was strong, especially for her age, but her steel knife wasn’t going to be enough against Lupa’s pack. He has to do something to help her. (He couldn’t lose his sister again.)

With the surge of wolves, Jason is struck with an idea. Taking advantage of their momentum, he leaps towards Thalia, using the wind to push him the final few feet. Unfortunately, he almost falls face-first onto the ground, due to the exhaustion of overusing his abilities. 

“Jason!” Thalia wraps her free arm around Jason, pulling him close to her. It’s strange to be shorter than Thalia, but Jason finds that he doesn’t really mind. Even with the change in perspective, being close to Thalia had a special way of comforting Jason. 

Jason leans in even closer to Thalia, cherishing the contact with his sister. He tries his best to greet her but, with Jason’s face pressed against her side, his words come out less like “Hi, Thalia” and more like a jumbled mess of syllables. 

Despite his ineloquence, Thalia seems to understand. Though still wary, her eyes seemed to shine just a shade brighter. 

Sadly, the wolves didn’t find their reunion quite as touching as Jason himself did. During the short amount of time the siblings were together, the wolves had surrounded the two, keeping them in a tight circle. Jason feels a pang of deja vu. Hadn’t he just gone through this exact scenario half an hour ago? 

Even though the situations were quite similar, Jason could tell that this fight wasn’t going to be as simple as before. For one, he didn’t think he had enough energy to manage another lightning bolt. The one Jason had used against Lupa and the small boost of wind was all that he could manage. At least Thalia was here with him though. As awful as it was to be grateful that his sister was trapped with him, Jason couldn’t deny that he was glad for her presence. If he died this time, at least Jason wouldn’t be alone (not like before, when he was pinned down to a ship, forced to watch as his friends left him behind) . 

It surprises Jason when the wolves don’t attack him and pivot towards Thalia instead. Unlike Jason though, Thalia was expecting it. She grins and, with a flash of silver, swings her knife. 

Thalia’s first strike rings true, leaving a deep gash over the jaw of one of the wolves. Shiny scarlet liquid leaks profusely out of the cut. Under the moonlight, the blood gleams slightly golden. Jason gulps. Thalia definitely can’t fight them with a plain steel knife. The wolf, the lieutenant that had pinned down Jason before, backs away and barks out an order towards the rest of the pack. All at once.  

With a gasp, Jason rushes to push Thalia out of the way. Jason couldn’t let the wolves surround them any longer unless they wanted to be overwhelmed. It was one of the first things Jason learned during his initial training experiences with Lupa. If the two could break through the circle of wolves though, then Thalia would be safe to fight. (‘And leave you behind’, a voice taunts. Jason ignores it as usual.) 

Though Jason’s shove doesn’t budge Thalia an inch, she picks up on his panic and scoops him up in her arms. With a shout, Thalia kicks the wolves out of their path, swiping her knife in a circle and barely avoiding bites and scratches along the way.

“Don’t worry,” Thalia pants, as she sprints farther and farther away from the wolves. “You’re safe now, Jay. I’ll always protect you. Alright? Never forget that I’ll always love you, and that I’ll always come back for you.” 

Upon hearing those words, Jason feels his breath catch in his throat.

Logically, Jason always knew that older siblings were supposed to look out for the younger ones. But it had always been just that: a piece of insignificant knowledge proven only by the siblings that he often saw in New Rome. 

But now that he was faced with irrevocable proof of his sister’s love, Jason didn’t know what to think. Yes, Thalia had told him about how she had mourned and searched for him during his quest, but Jason had always viewed her words as platitudes, meant to soothe him after losing all that he knew (quite literally). Now, Jason feels relieved . As if something deep inside his soul finally settled into place. He never quite realized just how much he doubted his sister's words in the original timeline before this moment. 

Jason shakes his head to clear his thoughts. He could think about this later, once Thalia was safe. Right now, he had to focus on helping - well, being less of a burden to Thalia.

A shimmer of gold near a pile of rocks catches his attention - a slightly dented gold dagger. Some other demigod trained by Lupa must have dropped it during a training session. (He pointedly doesn’t think of the other option.) 

“There!” Ignoring the strange pitch of his words, Jason points towards the weapon on the ground. Thalia needed a divine weapon if she was going to really make a dent against Lupa’s pack. 

For a second, Jason worries that Thalia didn’t care enough to listen. Thankfully, Thalia takes his suggestion and slows down, even with Lupa’s pack on their heels. “What is it, Jason?”   

Instead of responding, Jason struggles against Thalia’s grip, his gaze focused on the gleaming gold dagger. There’s a moment of fumbling before he lands on the ground.

“Wait, Jason!” Thalia shouts after him. “Where are you going?”  

To give you a fighting chance, Jason stops himself from yelling back. He feels a bit bad for making Thalia worry, but the sooner he could get the dagger to her, the likelier Thalia was to survive. 

Brushing aside dirt and fallen stones, Jason unearths the old Imperial Gold pugio that he had seen a moment before. From its worn handle and chipped blade, Jason can tell that it used to be a well-loved dagger. He wonders if the owner of the knife ever cherished it as much as Jason had loved IVLIVS, the first sword that was ever truly his own. With that thought, Jason grips the knife tightly in his hands, feeling its weight drag him down. It’s heavy to his young hands, but Jason thinks it would be the perfect weight to Thalia. 

Behind him, footsteps approach. Jason turns, feeling a little guilty. It looks like Thalia had finally caught up to him. 

“What were you do-” Thalia opens her mouth to scold him, but is interrupted by the knife shoveled handle-first into her hands. As nice as it was to have someone worry over him, they did not have time to argue over Jason’s disobedience. Di Immortales, Lupa’s pack was coming to kill Thalia. 

Jason watches as Thalia fumbles with the two knives in her hand, one shining silver and the other a muted gold. With narrowed eyes, Thalia examines both weapons. Although the steel weapon looked sharper and more effective at first glance, Jason knows that Thalia could tell that there was something special about the gold dagger. Jason reckons that she felt the same rush of enchantment on the blade as he did; Thalia had always been good with magic after all (though maybe not to the same level as Hazel) . In that moment, Jason finds himself recalling a conversation he had with one of the Fifth Cohort’s late centurions.

( “How do you just tell whether a weapon is enchanted or not?” Jason remembers complaining to his centurion in Camp Jupiter’s armory. “It’s so hard to identify it quickly.”

His centurion, a child of Trivia, had ruffled his hair and laughed. “Jason, it’s so cute that you think it’s special to me. Really, all demigods can feel the flow of magic. It’s just a bit easier for me because I have an affinity for it.”)   

Jason swallows the familiar grief that came with thinking of his former ( future? ) centurion. Despite the many years that had passed since his death, the grief had never really faded - it had only gotten easier to push aside. Even with all the friends that he had lost, Jason thinks that he never really learned how to accept death. 

Thunk.

A metallic sound rang through the clearing. Thalia had evidently decided which weapon she wanted to use.

“I’ll go with this one, I guess,” Thalia squeezed the handle of the Imperial Gold pugio , unhappy with the condition of the blade. “It’s old and chipped, but it feels … right. Like it’s calling to me.”

Jason breathed a sigh of relief. Although Jason wouldn’t be much help against actually fighting Lupa’s pack, at least he was able to get Thalia a decent weapon. With an Imperial Gold blade, Thalia would be able to hold off the wolves, maybe even incapacitate them if she was lucky. 

A rustle of leaves and light footsteps alert Thalia and Jason to the arrival of wolves. Right on time, Jason thinks with a strange burst of levity. 

Against Jason’s expectations, Thalia does not immediately rush to attack. Instead, she pulls Jason behind her, shielding him from the inevitable bloodshed that would occur. Jason blinks. It was a touching but ultimately unnecessary action, seeing that he had fought Lupa himself just a few hours prior. 

“Hey, Jay,” Thalia called, using her free hand to tilt his face towards her. “Can you look at me?”  

With a slight frown, Jason looked up to Thalia, meeting her sharp gaze. There was an odd, vaguely-recognizable emotion in her eyes, though Jason couldn’t figure out exactly what it was. With some deliberation, Jason decides to consider Thalia's ambiguous look as being ‘worried’. What was she worried about though? Did she need him to do something? 

In a strangely familiar moment, the two stood in silence, each taking in the other’s presence. 

Unlike in his memories, Jason is the one to break the silence. He makes a questioning noise, something he’s sure that Thalia would have no difficulty interpreting.  

“It’s alright. I’ll be back soon Jason.” Before Jason could respond, Thalia hugged his shaking form, muttering calming phrases to him softly. Jason froze for a moment before hugging Thalia back. (He thought back to when his mother said those words to him in the first timeline, and how that ended up with Jason crying alone in the rain. In his gut, Jason knew Thalia would never break her promises.)

With a final sigh of contentment, Thalia released herself from Jason and approached the growling wolves, a ferocious smirk plastered on her face. Now, she looked like a hunter. (Now she reminded Jason of the Thalia from his timeline.)

“Come.” Thalia declared, brandishing her knife. “I won’t run away this time.” 

Chapter Text

On a cloudy night, Jason clutched a small backpack and trekked through the long roads of Camp Jupiter. It was around three or four in the morning, the hour reserved for heavy partying, emergency meetings, and sometimes the odd ritual or two. Most people, particularly members of the Legion, would long be in bed, dreaming of great victories in battle or field promotions. 

Normally, Jason would be one of those legionnaires - dreaming of restoring the honor of his cohort, and becoming the best hero he could possibly be. (But on dark and stormy nights, when the wind howled and jagged arcs of lightning flashed across the sky, Jason would hear the anguished sobs of Beryl Grace in his nightmares, and let the bitter thoughts stew in his dreams until daylight.)

Tonight though, Jason walked, each step taking him farther and farther away from Fifth Cohort’s barracks. The ground beneath his feet changed slowly from muddy cobblestone to pristine marble, and a slow thrum of energy started flowing through his veins. 

Abruptly, Jason stilled. Was this really a good idea? Ignoring curfew, entering forbidden areas, bribing superior officers… all for something as dumb as this?

Yes, Jason decided. It probably was a stupid idea, but he’d already come too far to turn back now.

Letting out a deep breath, Jason raised his head to see the towering pillars and ceiling of the Temple of Jupiter. Lit with bright braziers, gold streaks and carved prophecies moved in radial patterns on the floor, all flowing towards the massive statue of Jupiter in the center. A few mosaics lined the floor as well, showcasing Jupiter’s greatest feats, from overthrowing Saturn to striking down Typhoeus. Grand and opulent, the temple was everything that Jason had imagined it to be. 

During the day, the temple would have been bustling with a multitude of people- ranging from priests diligently cleaning the temple, to civilians offering their prayers to the Gods. At this time however, the priests and civilians who normally wandered the Temple of Jupiter had all gone home, leaving Jason free to roam the building. 

With quiet steps, he carefully followed the swirling prophecies, gold-streaked marble, and mosaics towards the center of the temple. Despite Jason’s best efforts, the temple still echoed with his footsteps, an anxious pattern that mimicked the beating of his heart. 

Breathe in, breathe out. 

Jason made sure to calm himself, using the tried-and-true relaxation technique. He couldn’t let anything get in his way: not rules, not legionaries, not even doubts. (Gods were a different story; their intervention would have been a welcome one.)

Before he even realized it, Jason’s feet hit something hard: stairs. Looking up, Jason noticed just how close he was to his end goal. The dais, where both sacrifices and prayers were made, was right in front of him, just waiting for Jason to take the final few steps up the stairs. 

In only three broad steps, Jason leaped up the stairs, landing directly in front of his father’s statue. With rich, purple robes and a stern scowl, Jupiter looked vaguely… fatherly. 

Jason swallowed. While the idea was a strangely appealing one, Jason knew that it would never happen. Besides, even if Jupiter stepped up to be a father, he’d probably turn out to be one of those “don’t bother me” or “how shameful” type of parents. The King of the Gods would hardly clap a hand over his shoulder and congratulate him for a quest well-done. Still, Jason couldn’t help but wish for that impossibility.

Jason held back the scowl that threatened to rise. It wouldn’t do if Jupiter was to see him upset at his temple. Jason was here to ask a favor from the god, after all. 

Unzipping his backpack, Jason revealed the gifts that he had gone to painstaking lengths to retrieve. 

Most of the objects were of minor value; Jason had gathered these things as a precaution, just in case the guards confiscated his more precious goods. They included a shell that he had found in the San Francisco Bay, a small jar of incense that another legionnaire had gifted him, and even a half-eaten brownie that Jason had picked up from Bombillo’s. (In his defense, the brownie was incredibly delicious, and the old textbooks had proclaimed that ‘food offerings could be sacrificed in part’ as well.)

And while those objects were of little real worth, Jason did have one particular item that was precious: a smooth oval of carnelian. In the dim glow of the braziers, the stone shimmered a rich red, not unlike the fires of Vulcan’s forge. Jason smiled, thinking of how he had received it. It had been a reward for successfully leading his first quest, which had consisted of a basilisk extermination, three lost pilum, and a truck full of chickens. It hadn’t been the most glorious quest he’d ever participated in, but the joy that he’d experienced when he was handed the jewel was still something that Jason treasured. Hopefully, Jupiter would accept the offering and all of the precious memories associated with it.

Carefully, Jason gathered the objects together and arranged them in a neat pile. The gods didn’t require any kind of precision in their sacrifices, but Jason found that moving his hands was always a good way to prepare himself for prayers. 

Taking one last look at the pile of sacrifices, Jason closed his eyes and began to speak his prayer. 

“Jupiter Optimus Maximus, King of Olympus and Lord of the Sky, this legionnaire has come to your temple in order to make a humble plea,” Jason felt the practiced line echo across the temple, every crack and crevice filled with his words. He startled, clasping his hands tightly together. Jason’s prayers normally didn’t sound so loudly, even in quiet places. If Jason hadn’t already been convinced that gods existed earlier, then this would be definite proof. 

“Would you please show me a sign of your favor? If you are worried that I will disgrace the legion, please do not be.” 

He gestured to the red gem on the marble dais. “I have led and completed quests before and have received this carnelian as an award for my success. In the future, I will continue to serve the legion faithfully and achieve more than I have today. Your claim would not be wasted upon me.” 

“Wasted upon me, wasted upon me…” Jason’s final syllables echoed around in the temple, before slowly dying out. 

At this point, Jason knew he probably should have just left the prayer at that (everyone knew that some blessings could be delayed for years, like the infamous story of a love blessing that kicked in thirty years after a prayer), but for some reason, he couldn’t stop himself from rambling. “A… Anything would be fine! It doesn’t have to be really big like a lightning bolt, you could even send an eagle to steal my clothes, or something.” 

A hollow silence followed. There was no rumble of thunder, no jagged arc of lightning, no slight gust of wind to indicate Jupiter’s watchful presence. Jason licked his lips, desperation starting to settle in. “My lord … father. If… If you are even listening, please give me a sign.”

Nothing. A tear leaked out of Jason’s eye but he quickly wiped it away, and continued to stare at the statue. Why was he so insistent on ignoring him? Did Jupiter think Jason was not worth even a single moment of his time?

Jason stumbled to his knees, the doubt and lost hope finally culminating in an all-consuming despair. With a choked breath, Jason released his hands, which had gone white with how tightly he had been holding them, from prayer. In the dead of night, inside the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus (not father), Jason couldn’t deny the fact any longer: Jupiter would never acknowledge him, no matter what he did.

Lowering himself in front of the dais, Jason’s eyes slowly closed, letting out a final whispered ‘please’ to the heavens above, hoping for any response from his father. 

Still, there was none. 

Instead, that next morning, Jason would wake, not to the cry of an eagle or a sprig of oak, but to a single peacock feather, resting lightly on his open hand. 

In all of Jason’s very short life, he doesn’t think he’s ever been quite as anxious as he is now, watching Thalia charge into Lupa’s pack. His heart pounds loudly in his head and Jason can feel himself begin hyperventilating. 

“Look away,” Piper would have said. “She can handle herself. You trust her, don't you?”

Jason does. His faith in his older sister is without a shadow of a doubt. He trusts in Thalia’s drive to keep her family together, her bravery in the face of the worst dangers, and maybe most importantly, her promises of companionship ( of love) . But if Jason were to look away, he would be betraying his own duty, his own vow to never let anyone feel abandoned (like he was abandoned so long ago).  

So he ignores the memory and watches on. His eyes start to tear up, barely able to keep pace with Thalia’s frantic movements. Jason didn't need to be able to see the fight clearly to know that Thalia was losing. The satisfied snarls of the wolves and the ensuing wails of pain from Thalia far outnumbered the occasional hiss of the gold dagger as Thalia sliced and hacked at the pack surrounding her. The sacred grounds of the Wolf House were covered in red, and Jason held back a flinch as one wolf bit down hard on Thalia’s hand, resulting in rivulets of blood gushing from her wound.

Even with her injury though, Thalia was relentless. Wrenching her hand from the wolf’s jaw, Thalia continued to claw at Lupa’s pack, letting both her own blood and that of the wolves to stain her blade. 

But as close as the fight seemed so far, Jason knew the stalemate wouldn’t last forever. Even the Thalia from his timeline would have had difficulty going up against Lupa’s pack, not to mention this ten-year-old version of her. There was no way his sister would win - not without divine intervention.

Sucking in a sharp breath, Jason takes a quick peek at the darkening sky above. Divine intervention… could he really count on the Gods to help? The Gods had already failed Jason and the rest of their children numerous times - there was no guarantee they would respond this time either. However, watching Thalia lose her footing makes Jason curse out loud. He doesn’t have a choice. This is his only chance at helping his sister. 

Silently, Jason prays to every god he could think of, which was a lot, considering how many names and prayers were shoved down his throat during his training to become Pontifex Maximus. Although it was usually quite disrespectful to pray to many gods at once, most of them probably wouldn’t even hear the first word of his prayer. He conjures prayers for every god he can think of, begging them to keep Thalia safe, before hesitating at the final two immortals. 

If Jason wants the highest possibility of helping Thalia, then his best option is to pray to the two highest deities of the Roman pantheon: Juno and Jupiter. But with the two gods still fighting over the violation of the oath, a dual prayer would likely be in bad taste. So, which one to pray to?

While Juno was a secretive and spiteful goddess, she had, at least, always answered Jason’s prayers. Whether that was through a small favor such as delivering a peacock feather or something closer to a miracle like healing an amputation, the Goddess of Marriage never failed to let her affection for Jason be known. (Part of him wonders how much of that was just Juno trying to one-up his father though.) However, with the clear animosity between his patron and his sister, Jason isn’t sure whether Juno would answer, even if it was a prayer from her favored hero.

But if he didn’t pray to Juno, then Jupiter was the only other option. Jupiter however… Jason’s feelings towards Jupiter were more unclear. The Lord of the Sky had certainly helped Jason out before. The two examples that immediately came to mind were the lightning strike against Enceladus and the support that the god had offered in the final fight against the giants. That was already more help than some demigods got in their entire lifetime. Quite frankly, the only reason Jason could find to not pray to his father was simply that Jason didn’t trust that Jupiter would answer. 

Biting his lip, Jason brings his hands together. Even with his misgivings, Jupiter was still the best option. He was someone with enough power to intimidate even the great protector of Rome and presumably held the slightest morsel of care for Thalia, at least enough to save Thalia from death in the original timeline. Jason just hopes it’s enough.

Jupiter, Jason pleads, feeling just as helpless as the first time he had tried to contact the god. He has no fancy words or memorized scripts this time, only a heartfelt plea. Father. Help Thalia Grace escape from this trial alive. Please, you can take any offering from me, just save her.

He scrambles for more words, to try and better catch Jupiter’s attention, but the body language of one of the pack catches Jason’s attention.  

A wolf, the very same one that had nearly ripped out Jason’s throat, flicks one of his ears and curls his lip just enough to show a few teeth. With dark fur that blends perfectly into the shadows, the wolf goes unnoticed by Thalia as it stalks behind the moving mass of fur. In a few seconds, the wolf stops. Normally this would be good news, but this time, it sends a shudder down Jason’s back. The wolf’s head is pointing right at Thalia’s back.

He’s going to lunge at Thalia, Jason thinks, blankly. He’ll attack Thalia and he’ll succeed.  

Just as he finishes the thought, the wolf leaps, teeth sharp and glinting, even with the moon covered by the clouds. 

Jason screams. 

He wants to reach for Thalia and drag her back to safety ( wants to do anything other than stand around and shriek) but it’s already too late. The wolf slams into Thalia and sinks his teeth into her shoulder. With an agonized gasp, his sister flings the wolf off her shoulder, but ends up accidentally unbalancing herself in the process. Thalia falls to the ground with a sickening crunch. 

For a few seconds, there’s only the sound of the wind and the oncoming storm. Then, a guttural wail rips its way out of Jason’s throat. It’s a high-pitched sound, one that Jason can hardly believe came from him. Although he knows that his cry is only a sign of weakness to the wolves, Jason couldn’t bother caring. He doesn’t stop until he runs out of breath, until he’s scraped out every last drop of anguish. 

Jason stumbles his way towards Thalia, pushing away whichever wolves were in front of him. Most of them allow him to pass, uncaring of his plight. Others, like Lupa, stand firm, judgment lingering in their gaze. Mourning an enemy, they snarl disapprovingly. How improper. Normally, Jason would heed their rebuke, but he can’t find himself caring much about what they think this time. Only the she-wolf with sandy fur that had brought him earlier tries to stand in his way, but a jolt of electricity makes her back off as well. 

When he’s only a few feet away from Thalia, Jason finally lets himself collapse. Harsh sobs wrack Jason’s frame, which has already curled into a tight ball. Jason can’t see anything through the tears in his eyes and the raindrops that have begun to pour from the sky. With some effort, Jason wipes his tears away and looks back at the unmoving body of his sister. 

No, that’s not right. Jason bursts into tears again, but this time, it’s out of relief. His sister is still alive, albeit barely. She is not yet a corpse, not yet somewhere unreachable. 

Almost unperceivably, Thalia’s chest rises and falls, just like the Argo II’s broken bellows that Leo had insisted on fixing. (At this moment, Jason desperately wishes Leo were here to help. He misses his best friend, who had always had the best of intentions, despite his rather questionable methods.)

Jason tries his best to stop Thalia from losing too much blood, but with all of her wounds, he’s unsure which one to treat. He decides on stopping the blood flow from her shoulder, pressing down on the wound with what little energy he can muster. It’s definitely unsanitary with the dirt and rain that Jason has covering his hands, but it's not as if he could wash his hands or use anything else. When he’s done what he can with first aid, Jason moves forward to inspect what he fears is Thalia’s most dangerous injury of all: her head wound.

With her head tilted towards the sky, Jason can see Thalia’s blown out eyes and pale lips, both signs indicative of the kind of injuries that would put a legionnaire out of commission for at least two weeks. Blood drips sluggishly down her head, dark red liquid trickling down her temple to the dirt beneath her. It’s a horrible sight, one that will remain in Jason’s nightmares for months to come.  

“Jason,” Thalia chokes out, blinking away the rain and blood in her eyes. There’s a warm light in her eyes, despite the pain that clings to every crease in her face. Jason moves closer, trying uselessly to stop her from speaking. “It’s okay. ” 

Jason vehemently disagrees, but remains silent while he buries his head into Thalia’s core and sobs. Jason doesn’t want this - any of this. He didn’t ask to be sent back in time. He didn’t ask to relive his whole life. He didn’t ask to witness his sister bleed out in a place he once called home. Was it worth saving everyone else if his sister doesn’t survive? Sacrificing for the greater good was one of the principle Roman ideals, but Jason knows he isn’t Roman anymore. He can’t lose his sister again. But there is nothing he can do. So Jason sobs, praying for a miracle that might never come.

Above him, the gentle drizzle has already grown into a thunderstorm. Combined with Thalia's warmth ( her blood ), Jason can almost imagine that the two of them were back in that small apartment in Berkeley, listening to stories about how their father was always watching over them. In those memories, their mother had always turned off the television and waited for claps of thunder to echo through the sky. In those memories, Thalia and Jason would stay huddled in Beryl’s arms, eyes darting upward at the flashes of light that would race through the sky. In fact, if it weren’t for the bright light above them…  

Lifting his head towards the sky, Jason sucks in a breath. His prayers had been answered. The glow that he had seen in Thalia’s eyes hadn’t been a metaphor. In fact, that glow had come from the radiant lightning bolt blazing above his sister, casting harsh shadows around the siblings. 

Jason whips his head around to stare at Lupa from where she stood in the distant trees. How would Lupa take this? The type of claim hovering above Thalia was reserved solely for the Greek gods, distinct from the more subtle signs of their Roman counterparts. While Roman claims were private and given as a symbol of favor, Greek claims were given as a form of protection, a warning to those who try to harm the god’s child. Wryly, Jason wonders if Lupa was more offended at the idea that the god that had taken her prey was Greek or that the god had believed Lupa’s judgment was incorrect and that their child deserved the right to live. 

As he ponders, Lupa’s pack slinks into the further reaches of the forest. A strategic move, in Jason’s opinion, as the faint shimmer that normally surrounded Lupa grew like an incandescent bulb, bright and heated. His guess to her reaction seemed to be quite accurate. The rain around her vaporized, leaving dry earth where mud once was. Jason wants to retreat as well, but he can’t leave Thalia alone to the incoming argument between the gods.  

You step too far, Zeus. Lupa warns, her tail thrashing angrily around her. The light around her was now almost blinding in its intensity, leaving dark spots in Jason’s vision. Breaking your oath with your brothers was one thing, but interfering with Roman trials and reneging on our agreement? You must be foolish to believe that you can escape punishment twice. 

The thunderstorm looms overhead like a guillotine and yet, Lupa still does not back down. And for a few seconds, the two gods are at an impasse. Lupa’s sense of justice and Zeus’ inability to admit fault war against each other, like an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. To Jason's surprise however, Lupa is the first to make a move. 

With her eyes still locked onto the sky, the wolf goddess slowly makes her way towards Jason and Thalia. With more lucid eyes from the healing that Zeus’ claim provided, Thalia tracks each of Lupa’s steps. Jason digs his fingers into Thalia’s shoulder, before forcing himself to loosen his grip. He senses no ill will from Lupa, but knows her mood could shift in a matter of moments. So Jason warily lets Lupa approach, his eyes narrowed on the Wolf Goddess.

Lupa is only a few inches away from them when she stops. If Lupa were to attack now, there would be nothing that either Jason or Thalia could do to stop her. Thankfully, Lupa doesn’t move any further.

I recognize that nothing will come from a dispute between us. Lupa’s displeasure is evident, but Jason can tell her expression has shifted from angry to something more considerate. The sky rumbles once more, an indication of Zeus’ attention. However, your transgression cannot go unheeded. 

Lupa grins, though the expression looked more threatening than pleased. Jason holds back a shudder. What was Lupa planning? It couldn’t be anything good. 

You are now part of the Wolf House, daughter of lightning. Even braced for shock, Jason still feels his heart jump at Lupa’s words. This was a rather strange punishment however, particularly for Lupa. Sharp bites and murmured threats were typically much more to the goddess’s taste. 

Beside him, Thalia grips his hand hard enough to hurt. He turns his head to look straight at his sister. There was no hint of confusion on her face and no sign of the slight gap in communication that had previously existed between Thalia and Lupa. Jason knows that Lupa’s own claim over Thalia has set in; only members of Lupa’s pack could hear her words, after all. Perhaps this was the “punishment”, that Zeus would lose both of his children to other gods.  

There is one last crash of thunder, one last reminder of displeasure, before the sky lightens. Although the sky hasn’t cleared completely, Jason knows that his father is no longer paying attention to them. Unexpectedly, this comes as a relief rather than a disappointment. 

“You…” Instead of paying attention to the slowly dissipating storm, Thalia holds Jason close as she points a finger towards Lupa. “You can speak?”

Ah , Jason remembers. Thalia hasn’t had the whole “gods and monsters exist and now that’s your problem” speech yet. Jason himself had to give the spiel to the few members of the legion that didn’t come through the Wolf House or from New Rome. For a second, he pities Lupa, but he quickly takes it back. This could be Lupa’s repayment for almost killing Thalia. (And isn’t that sad, that Jason can forgive something like attempted murder as long as its committed by someone he trusts?) 

Of course. Lupa lets a sharp bark of laughter escape. Moving away from the siblings, the wolf goddess joins the rest of the wolves, who were already leaving the clearing. Now, come along, pups. You have delayed us long enough. 

“That’s not an explanation,” Thalia grinds her teeth and mutters a few unflattering phrases about Lupa and her pack. Jason pushes her forward, careful not to jostle her too much. As far as he can tell, Thalia’s wounds healed completely. Her eyes no longer had the hollowness in them signifying the presence of a concussion, and the only blood on her was already drying. Thalia glances back at Jason, and his breath catches. 

For some reason, Thalia’s wind-ruffled hair and sharp blue eyes remind Jason of Piper, or perhaps more specifically, the children of Aphrodite. Jason blinks. That’s a strange thought. After all, Thalia doesn’t look anything like the members of Cabin 10. No, Jason remembers. They did have one similarity: that look of desperation born of love.    

Jason sighs. He really needed to stop getting lost in his own thoughts. 

Looking over at his sister, he could tell Thalia wouldn’t stop until she got what she wanted, so he gave his sister a sharp nod in the direction of Lupa’s pack. Jason would probably just slow her down. After giving Jason a quick lookover, she moves towards the wolves, desperate for more answers.

Jason, however, lingers back. 

Out of the corner of his eyes, Jason can’t help but notice the shadows writhing. In a strange way, they reminded him of Nico’s shadow travel, specifically, the way the outlines undulated and shook. Jason closes his eyes momentarily, counts to five, and opens them to find nothing remiss or out of place.

It’s probably nothing, Jason reassures himself as he turns away and makes his way towards the rest of the group. He shudders, but keeps walking anyway, ignoring the foreboding chills traveling up his spine. 

It has to be nothing. It has to be…