There was nothing like waking up to an argument. Thankfully, it wasn't directed at me and it also wasn't Circe and Artemis, so that was a win as far as I was concerned. Hugging my pillow that little bit tighter, the reality of the situation came to me just as I nearly got back to sleep. From the lounge area, I could practically see Apollo in full righteous mode, while Cain sat on the sofa looking very unimpressed, and seconds away from reigniting their old feud. Silence greeted me as I sat up, making me wonder if I'd dreamt it, but nope, Apollo was definitely on a tirade right now.

"Shit." I got up as quickly as I could, ignoring the head spin and bed hair as I left the bedroom.

Cain stood the second I opened the door, the scene much like I imagined only with a hell of a lot more tension.

"Is it a full moon or something? Everyone is going mad." I groaned, running my hand through my hair in an attempt to brush it as I joined them. "What is going on?"

"It's nothing. Go back to bed." Cain attempted to turn me back around.

"Sure sounded like nothing?"

"Sorry." Apollo mumbled.

I look between the pair of them, both wearing similar masks of guilt as they avoided eye contact. "This is ridiculous. What's going on?"

"Apollo had a lot to say about our adventure this morning, and I disagreed with him on, well, everything he said." Cain summarised. "You've barely had an hour's nap, go back to sleep."

"He's right. You still look exhausted." Oh, now they get along.

But they had a point. "Fine. But not because either of you told me to."

"Of course not." Apollo smiled, turning to sit where Cain had just been on the sofa.

I was led back into the bedroom, and once we were out of sight, I stop yet his arm is around my shoulders and he tugs me closer.

"It's fine. I can deal with him. I thought we were being quieter than we were."

"Before I passed out, I was going to ask if you knew Gaia was there?" I ask him.

He hesitates before kissing my forehead. "Makes sense now you've said that. I knew it wasn't Eirene but couldn't get enough of a read on them to work it out."

Cain guides me back into bed, frowning at the body pillow as I give in and wrap myself around it. I close my eyes for barely a second, turning to look back to find him gone and the deep orange light of dusk creeping in around the window frames.

And a lion.

On my bed.

As I get up, he does too. We yawn, stretch and look at each other in some kind of acknowledgement. Then Cain's reminder came back to me from earlier and it got weird as I tried to imagine the animal as some long-forgotten warrior.

"Just so you know, I hate sleeping alone. I get these, nightmares, and it's like, a whole thing, so don't get the wrong idea or think you're special, or anything. You're like a friend. That I trust. I mean, the number of times my friend Eric woke up with me in his bed, or even Zane. Between us, Hades even laid, well sat with me once." I stopped talking, as whoever this was just stared at me. "If I ever meet you, in person, just, don't make it weird."

More staring.

"I have a therapist." The lion walked out. "Good chat."

Going into the bathroom, I run a bath and once I'm comfortable, don't even care about the burger and waffle fries that appear in front of me. The fries are gone, and I'm nearly finished with my burger when Cain walks in.

"Did not expect to find you like this."

"I'm full of surprises. Want a bite?" I hold what remains towards him, cringing as part of the patty slips out and into the bath. "Right. Well, I did not think this through."

He shook his head, smiling. "You seem brighter."

"I feel it. How long was I out for?"

"Nearly five hours. Did Jason behave?"

"That was Jason? Damn it, I thought it was Telemachus." I frown, picking out the bit of fallen burger before making it all go away. "Honestly, it got a little weird when we woke up."

"Do I want to ask?" I shake my head. "I thought it might help you sleep, I've been with Kara, everyone is busy with something, and I know you sleep better when you're not alone."

"Thank you."

"Are we going to talk about everything?" He asked as I got helped out of the bath.

My robe is soft and fluffy but doesn't last as I head out to the lounge area dressed to start the day. Again. And it's night.

"Where do we start? Gaia, what happened in Tartarus, Leander? I want to say no and go cuddle in bed while watching Friends reruns but I think we both know what we really need to talk about."

It's a minor detail I hadn't completely shared with the group and I had seen the silent conversation between him and Hades when I left it out. Considering how quickly Fishman had gotten out of town, I wasn't sure where that left us or how involved he was now either.

"Us." Cain hesitates as he says it, and I'm positive my heart just skipped a beat.

His mask of indifference is firmly in place, and I'm struggling to find any signs that I'm either going to regret or be happy to ask what that meant exactly. My mind races through the last few hours, while Blueberry seems to wake up now which doesn't help my train of thought. I blink, instantly going back to a few weeks ago when I was being offered all of the diamond rings in the shop window to this morning, having tea with Eirene.

Was this a case of the ex, kind of us chat?

"I was going to say Poseidon, but us? What's wrong with us?" I ask cautiously.

"Nothing is wrong with us." Reaching for me, I step back because it sure as hell did sound like there was.

"Was it the burger in the bathtub because I wasn't planning on having any witnesses." I frown, a million worst-case scenarios taking over every logical thought I've ever had. "But, you've seen me drunk and puking so many times I didn't think there was anything I could do to shock you. I hate to sound like every other moron out there, but I'm pregnant and I got hungry. I slept a lot today and missed main meals and snacks. Oh. Shit. Are we back to that?"

"Back to what? I'm talking about what happened in Tartarus."

"We kicked butt until he kicked ours?" I have no idea where this is going.

"Do you remember what Valkryie said, about us being soul mates?"

This wasn't sounding like it had a happy ending anymore and instantly the tears threatened to begin.
Not yet.

Nope.

Hold your shit together, Elise.

"Yeah? A bit. I mean, they made everything sound romantic or super dramatic, and I mostly just remember how great drunk Deimos was since everything else was a flop." I couldn't connect the dots between Tartarus and the Valkyrie implying we were soul mates. "Is that a legit thing? Dramatic romance and all that aside, I love you, but-"

"I love you, but. Exactly what every guy needs to hear." Hermes interrupts.

I spin in surprise, a tiny squeak leaving me before all I want to do is chuck Hermes into Tartarus and close the gates.

"What do you want?" Cain speaks through clenched teeth, a subtle drop in the warmth of the room and light enough to make Hermes lose his confidence.

Even I was affected, shivering slightly yet instead of leaning away from the storm I went closer to it. Sliding my arm around Cain's waist, he didn't take his eyes off Hermes but his arm went around my back keeping me close.

"Artemis filled me in, and you weren't keeping me out so I thought you were expecting me?" He frowned. "My apologies."

"Im a little distracted right now with um, I don't know what's happening exactly. Why are you here?" Cain growls and I'm impressed at his patience.

"I just, I wanted to make sure you're both okay."

Today's craziness had no ending in sight.

"You do?" I couldn't stop myself from being suspicious."Why?"

Hermes sighed. "Because I care and once, a long time ago, I was sent where you were."

"You've been to Tartarus?" Cain asked, less deadly now.

"Not by choice." Hermes closed his eyes, hugging himself as he rocked slightly. "I still have nightmares about what was done there."

Instantly I felt guilty for my earlier thoughts and I not not so discreetly glanced up at Cain, who still didn't seem to know what to do. Hermes' pain was as visible as Cain's anger at us being interrupted, and without thinking I went and hugged him. He tensed for a moment, before relaxing and letting me.

"I'm sorry, Hermes."

"You didn't send me there." He snapped, frowning instantly. "I wasn't supposed to be either, I was tricked and released after a while. No one came for me though. No one even tried. Tartarus himself found me, restored my sanity and removed the worst of the memories. I was given a job to do after that. A prisoner had managed to slip away, and for my freedom, I had to return him, which I did. Uranus is your debt to pay for his kindness."

I hugged him tighter, yet his story reminded me of Hecate of Hades, she left him a soul to replace hers when she left keeping the balance. Tartarus was no different in Hermes' story, releasing one to claim another.

"I don't know how it was for either of you there. It sounded like yet another test you passed, but even if it wasn't, know that I understand." His voice trembled much like his body before he pulled away, ran a hand over his face and was suddenly back to his usual self.

"Thank you, Hermes." I tried not to pity him, but my heart ached for whatever he had to endure as it clearly still haunted him.

"Be careful, both of you," Hermes warned, and then was gone.

"That was unexpected."

Sitting on the sofa, I was almost scared to go back to the group in case more crazy was on the cards.

"You love me, but?" Cain prompted, coming to stand in front of me.

"I love you," I smile, tugging on the belt loops of his jeans, to bring him closer.

"But?" He lowers himself onto his knees in front of me as I rest my hands on his shoulders.

"I do love your butt."

"Elise." He warns his hands on my thighs with his thumbs circling around and around- too distracting. "But, what?"

"I don't know if I believe in soulmates. I mean, I should. Look where we are, what we've done, and the rest. It just sounds cheesy." I sighed. "Cheesier than how I actually feel about you, which is that you're everything to me. I thought about it after, but it just feels like it comes with a lot of expectation and drama. I'm not a fourteen-year-old crushing on my idol, positive we are soul mates and destined to be together. Especially since Fate has actively been working against bringing us together, which doesn't seem as divine and everlasting for two people who were supposed to be made for each other?"

"You're rambling again."

"Obviously. Please don't take it as though I don't love you, or want us. I'm with you. Completely. For as long as I can be. Trust me when I say it's only you." I anxiously sucked in my lip, panicking, which made it impossible to think clearly as surely he couldn't be doubting or questioning any of what we had or that I felt for him because the idea of 'soul mates' just didn't sit right with me.

"I know and trust how you feel, Elle. And I understand where you're coming from. It's a lot to take in." He leans closer, smelling like heaven with his hands sliding higher; his kiss quiets my mind and makes my heart race for other reasons now.

And then I pull back. "What did this chat have to do with what happened in Tartarus?"

"Have you heard of a twin flame?"

"No." This makes him look nervous. "Why?"

"Me and you, well we're not quite soul mates-"

"Oh." For something, I wasn't sure I believed in, that kind of hurt to hear. "I mean it's fine. We're like, in love though right? From what I've heard most people don't even find their soulmate. But we're happy, we are happy aren't we? Portia said Penny and Colton were but I thought she was being nice and trying to fit in with the girls which is insane but I think I'm pretty much there now!"

"You're not insane. I'm making this worse." He groaned, gently banging his head on my knees. "We're twin flames."

"I don't know what that means. Like, Apollo and Artemis, kind of twins?" I cringed, glancing down to where Blueberry currently poked an elbow around. "Or is it more of a metaphor twin thing?"

Please be a metaphor.

"Just let me talk, don't interrupt," Cain asks, sliding up to sit beside me on the chair now. He keeps my hand in his, looking more conflicted than I've seen in a long time.

"Okay." I agree.

"When we were in the Crossroads, Apollo and I were visited by our mother. She wanted us to get along and said we would not survive what was coming if we didn't heal our relationship. Apollo, he said things and she had an answer for everything, even if he, we, didn't want to hear it. Turns out, on some kind of subconscious level, you and I are very alike, and he could have been picking up on that so a lot of the issues you had together, were manifesting in similar ways as they had for me and him from the unhealed trauma of our past."

Yeah, today was definitely earning its points as the craziest fucking day ever, and apparently, Leto sounded a little like Richard. Generally, things made sense when Richard explained them, but this so far wasn't, especially when terms like soulmate and twin flame were being thrown around.

I really, really wanted a drink right now.

"A lot of this has to do with being twin flames. There are various types of soul mates and guides. You know that saying, that everyone comes into your life for a reason or a season? It's true. They're here to help you, your soul, and your purpose. It's how we're all connected, at the most basic levels, no matter your species, race or any of it. It's life and we all exist out of the Aether because of how Gaia created it all."

"Even dinosaurs?" That alarm was going off in the back of my mind; a meltdown was approaching. Abandon the fucking ship!

"Even the dinosaurs." He smiled, kissing the top of my hand. "Apollo and I are soulmates. We have a deep connection with each other, and lessons to learn together."

"Wait, what?" Yup, I'm done.

In seconds I'm standing, no I'm pacing and can not work out what this actually means. Cain lets me go, just sitting there casually like he didn't just tell me he's soul mates with his mostly estranged twin, who I dated and could have actually only been with because I reminded him of his sibling.

If the Furies turned up now, I think I'd hand myself over freely.

"You know soul mates aren't necessarily romantic." Cain points out.

"No. I'm a twenty-one-year-old, naïve mortal from a simple, unknowledgeable realm who has had a completely insane day!" I snap back.

"You could say Alfie is your soulmate. It's a connection between any other living thing, human or otherwise." I stopped pacing; that made sense, Alfie and I did have a connection. "Come here."

I obeyed.

"There's a tale I was once told as a child that might help with the next part." He spoke softly as if I was the child, though being tucked up against his side kind of made me feel like one now.

"There's more?" I groan.

"When we were created, the Firsts realised that what they created was too powerful, and not wanting to form anything that may be able to one day turn on them, or stand a chance at winning, they broke all of their creations into two certain it would weaken them, and they'd forever be too busy searching for their other halves to rise against their creators." He paused, and I turned slightly to look up at him now, the reference to Tartarus made sense. "And sometimes, two halves do get to find each other."

"Twin flames," I whisper.

Holy shit.

We all make mistakes. Gaia gifting you to me was a big one. Losing her touch.

Tartarus knows exactly what Can and I are to one another. It's why he separated us, letting Cain go and keeping me there. Together, we actually posed a threat, but we were also a tool he could manipulate and use. It's also why we could do what we could do there, what Hermes and the caged Titans couldn't - fight back. What else had he said?

She doesn't know either.

Did it matter? It seems like an odd thing to bring up.

"So, you've known this since the Crossroads?"

Cain looked down at his hand that was wrapped around mine. The war in his mind was obvious and he kept his voice lower.

"We didn't remember what went on there."

"But you two have been friendlier since then, so you must have known something?" I point out.

"Kind of. I just knew that I didn't want to keep arguing anymore and he said he felt less angry. It has been nice, but ah, we got our memory of it all back a couple of weeks ago."

A couple of weeks was like a lifetime these days, and then I realised Apollo had mentioned it after Oizys attack, looking awkward, as if he wanted to tell me something. I'd told him it wasn't for me to know, only maybe it was after all.

"Apollo said he remembered some stuff last night, I thought the attack triggered it, but he already knew too?" I frown, trying not to feel a little sad it took this long for either of them to mention it as Cain nodded. "Oh."

"I think we completely reconnected that last night at home. After burgers-"

"And waffle fries." Great, now I'm hungry again. "We felt weird afterwards didn't we?"

"I felt a lot of things after that." He kissed me and a memory of it all came rushing back. I'd joked I saw stars, but I think we may have created them. "I didn't know what to think and then that fog in my mind lifted, like whatever had been stuck there was shoved aside. Apollo felt the same, and we could finally remember everything we ever forgot."

"So, you two have been discussing this?"

"Yes." He admitted a hint of guilt there. "He wanted to tell you right away. Twin flames are as much of a fairytale as they get, but I wasn't sure what to do. It's a lot."

"Do you not want this for us?" I hesitate, awkwardly shifting around to face him completely. Did I want this? "Do we even get a choice?"

"Not anymore. We've essentially sealed the deal Elle, but-"

"But what?" I whisper.

"I love your butt."

I laughed, I had to otherwise I wasn't sure what else could or would happen. It was ridiculous, and I couldn't stop, until I did and the tears became real. A panic I couldn't place or ease took over and the alarm that had been blaring since this whole chat started was a constant ringing in my ears.

On the floor, I curled up into myself, hiding my face against my thighs as best I could; wrapping my arms around my head thinking it could save me from the colossal weight that was bearing down over me. Then Cain was behind me, his chest firm and warm against my back, his arms building a greater defence around my own as I seemed to fit within him like a missing piece.

Eventually, my sobs turned into hiccups and we just sat on the floor together; my cheek pressed against his chest, our hands entwined and resting on my stomach.

And that is how Apollo found us.

"You told her?" He asked softly, sitting on the coffee table beside us.

"Yes," Cain answered. "What is it? I can sense Hermes hovering but he won't come back in."

"Well, this is probably going to make your night even better." The lack of enthusiasm he showed me better may not be his best choice of words.

"Just tell us." I groan

"Gaia is here."

I groan again. "Take a message."

"It might be a little too late for that." Apollo stood, and I didn't even need to look to know what had him instantly alert, or why Cain pretty much did the same before helping me get up. "She's ah, she's here. Right there."

The flickering white light that appeared near the bedroom doorway, began to merge into the familiar form of Gaia. She looked completely like the ethereal goddess of all that she was, and a lot less intimidating than she had in Tartarus. This was more like the mellow, curious woman I'd first met at the Crossroads and despite our last encounter, I couldn't help but be in complete awe of her.

"Hello again, Elise. Cain."

Cain's hand returned to mine as I took a deep breath, bracing myself for whatever was next. There were a few things I wanted to say to her, some of which I wasn't sure would ever be appropriate the to say to the mother of all, but then again, she had abandoned us in Tartarus and lured us there with the promise of finding out about the Fourth.

If she wasn't beneath playing stupid games like everyone else, we were all kind of doomed so what did it matter?

The movement in my stomach mattered.

The man at my side mattered.

Just like the one behind me,  and the people that were probably stressing out over in the main Hall, as well as the ones that filled the towns and cities all over this land.

So I smiled, ran a hand through my hair while shifting to stand a little taller despite how hard just breathing was right now, and stared right back at those all-seeing eyes that held my gaze.

"Hello, Gaia."

"I owe you some of my time, shall we?" She held out her hand. "Just you, Empress."

"Elise," Apollo warned.

"One moment." I grabbed the pair of them, keeping us close together.  "She owes me more than her time."

"I agree. We need some answers and actual guidance." Cain narrowed his eyes at Apollo. "Don't."

"You're actually considering letting her go?"

"There aren't enough compartments left in my brain for me to get today in a good enough space to guarantee I'm not going to fall apart again," I confess. "But I have to go."

Cain looked conflicted. "I know, but not right now."

Now was all we had.

"Good, at least one of you can see sense." Apollo groaned, "Or not. Elise, no. You have no idea where she will take you, what you will be expected to do or if she can even be trusted! She just left you in Tartarus."

"But I got out."

"You got lucky!" He argued.

"I always do." I looked at Cain. "Find me if I'm not back tomorrow."

"Nothing will be able to stop me."

I grabbed his shirt, pulled him closer and kiss him to just feel that fire burn between us. If he said he'd find me, I believed he would.

Breathless, I pull back as his forehead bumps mine but don't let him go. "I love your butt."

"I love your butt." He smiles as he kisses me again. Shorter, sweeter, a reminder of what awaited when I came home to him.

"You're both fucking insane," Apollo mumbles, a bunch of other things too but I don't hear him as I let Cain go and take Gaia's hand.

"Let's go before I change my mind," I tell her.

She smiles at me, and then there is only light.