Kara is positioned in the middle of the battlefield, golden and more beautiful than I have ever seen her. She sat on a golden throne. Queen. The living bow down to her, the dead stare back with lifeless eyes and ever so slightly I reach out to touch the canvas, expecting the blood to be real and wet only my finger comes away clean.

"I was surprised when I first saw this, scared too. I wasn't sure what it meant, or what had happened to you." Matt says from behind me. "Then the vision changed. It got dark, and was confusing as anything, but I understood."

Turning to look at him, he seems calm and any injuries from before have healed.

"Are you alright?" I ask softly, putting a hand on his arm.

He smiled and nodded. "I've been waiting for you to come back. I was starting to think you wouldn't."

"Another vision?"

"No, kind of. I left it all out." He shrugged.

"Left what out?"

"The truth." His eyes found mine, and I knew exactly what he was talking about. "Thank you for coming for me. For saving me. I know you're here now to check in, and it's okay. It's all okay."

"Forever?" I ask a little too hopefully.

"For now." He gave me a hug, and let out a big breath as he let go. "You're really something, Ellen Bradshaw."

"Who even is she?" I laughed, and while he laughed with me, it was forced and more nervous than anything.

"I thought, when you reappeared in my life that I could embrace this otherworld. I was so relieved I wasn't crazy or had a brain tumour or something,you know? I can deal with all this, but at the same time, I want to go back to how things were. Before you became real again and weren't a ghost from my dreams. The visions aren't what they were, not like before, and if anything comes through I think you should know, I'll tell you."

"So, this is goodbye again then?" I didn't blame him.

"Yeah. It is." He frowned, looking so out of place I felt anxious for him.

"I understand. Stay safe, Matt."

"You too."

I watched Matt leave the studio and glancing at the clock on the wall, groaned. I was late. Guess I wasn't the queen of efficiency afterall, and appearing in Ailin's office, she was too busy typing away at her laptop to notice me at first.

"You're here early." She greeted, not stopping what she was doing.

"I am?"

"Eleven. It's only ten." Now she stopped, slamming the screen down with a snap. "I'll take the extra time, since you hardly seem to have any for me these days."

"Please. I always have time for my favourite kitty cat." I flopped down on the lounge, wiggling slightly until the cushions were just right. "Matt just broke up with me. With us, this world."

"I'm not surprised. It's a lot for anyone to take in." She hesitated. "I'll put a guard on him, just in case."

"Thank you." My eyes close before I can stop them. "I am so fucking tired."

"Elise, what are you doing?"

"Trying not to fall asleep. Please tell me that the meeting has been cancelled." I mumble.

"When did you last sleep?"

"Um, maybe two nights ago?" Yes, that was it. I can't even try to make a joke, as despite it being a sleepover night, I had literally just slept. "We're made for this. It's fine."

"While your kind can go without sleep, you do still need it. Elise, you have been back now for a few weeks and you have not stopped. Not even for a minute." There was a hint of her mothering side coming out, and I decided to ignore it.

"I have."

"When?"

"Now. Half an hour, power nap. It's all I need." I declare, my body instantly relaxing as I close my eyes.

"It's been half an hour." Ailin whispers in my ear.

"No it hasn't. I just closed my eyes." I groaned, rolling over.

My mouth felt dry and after swallowing a few times, I slowly forced my eyes to open. My hand was numb under my head, and slowly sitting up, a rush of pins and needles flooded my arm.

I had been asleep.

"You're going to burn out like this, Elise." Ailin scolded, sitting beside me.

"I'm not. It's fine!" I yawned, rubbing my eyes. "Coffee. I just need-"

"A break."

"I had a break." I lean against the back of the lounge, and flex my fingers. "There's just a lot to do at the moment."

"And you've seem to have made it your personal mission to do it all." She frowned, wrinkles appearing on her forehead that aren't normally there. "I feel we've been here so many times before. You've been through so much, again, and I can see you following your usual pattern. While I'm proud you're not running away, or drinking away your issues, you're still hurting yourself. I don't want you to break in order to get through it. Not again."

"Ailin, I'm fine. It's different this time." I assure her.

"Then answer me instead of dodging the question. What are you doing?"

"I'm helping. I'm being what my friends and family need me to be right now. It's just a busy time. Once the wedding is over, it'll get easier. It'll slow down."

"Ah." Ailin nods, getting it and I squeeze her hand before letting go.

Now we can move on and-

"Your deflection says more than you do." She didn't get it.

"What deflection?"

"You're hurting yourself in a new way, Elise. You are being someone you're not, in order to please everyone else. What is it, your guilt, your fear, whatever else you brought home with you this time? You don't need to be Wonder Woman. No one is expecting you to be." Ailin's frown only deepened. "I should have stopped you sooner, I'm sorry."

Anger burned through me, yet it vanished just as quickly as it had come. My phone buzzed in my pocket alerting me to the meeting we were due to be at. I looked at the screen, sliding it open where 43 notifications sat above the calendar icon. My new found planner friend appeared in my lap and putting my phone down, I picked it up.

"I fucking hate this thing." I admitted.

I let Ailin take it as she flicked through, before closing it. "This isn't a schedule, its punishment. What are you trying to prove exactly?"

"I don't know." She looked at me unimpressed and I let the words free before I even realised I was saying them. "I belong here. Don't I? After everything, this is where I am supposed to be."

Ailin said nothing, and I got up, unable to sit any longer.

"I gave it up. I gave everything up, to come back here." I finally say, stopping myself from pacing back and forth in front of her. "So why doesn't it feel like enough? Why do I still feel like I need to prove to everyone, that I belong here?"

"Start at the beginning." Was all she said.

I told her everything, from when we first arrived to the second we left and once I was done, her silence was deafening. A thoughtfulness crossed her face, a slight twitch of her lips as a flicker of a smile came and then left.

"All of this is only to try and convince yourself. As much as you may have struggled with your previous roles, they defined you and you had come to accept them. Own them. You wore them like an armour and now it's been stripped away. Throwing yourself into being the best wedding planner, the perfect daughter, sister, and friend or even the best Hunter isn't how you find your new identity. There is no need to find you, for you are not lost. You, the you behind the names and reputations, is still there. Elise doesn't work via a planner, she doesn't obey her parents, as nice for them I'm sure this has been. She doesn't march to the beat of another's drum, she is her own rhythm." She reached out and wiped a few stray tears as they fell onto my cheeks. "I've missed her."

Her words slowly sunk in, reaching a part of my brain that had been in hyperdrive since coming back. It sparked, and then slowly switched off, allowing me to admit that she was right.

Cain appeared then, a look of concentration appearing as it studied the two of us. There was something else though, I just couldn't work out what it was.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I ask as Ailin stands.

Glancing her way, it was obvious she wasn't surprised to see him.

"I'm late, for the meeting?" He answered.

"No, too early." Ailin reappeared at her desk, rubbing her temples before she reopened her laptop.

"I didn't know you were-"

"She was supposed to talk to you." The tension that suddenly filled the space between them instantly hit me. "It wasn't just a meeting."

"We did talk. Just not about everything." She answered. "There were more important things to discuss. This will need to wait, it's too late anyway."

Cain only glared at her in response.

"What is going on? Oh gods, is this an intervention or something?"

"What? No." Cain mumbled, shaking his head. "I should have told you. We-"

"You agreed to my rules." Ailin snapped, interrupting him.

"As a sign of good faith, demon. Fuck your rules."

Well this was escalating quickly.

"Tell me what?" I feel stuck in the middle as I look back and forth between the pair of them.

I was going to need a jumbo size coffee and then some to get through this.

"Don't!" Ailin blurted as Cain began to talk.

"Things aren't great for the Council right now. You know how exhausted everyone is, their magics and powers are weak, and they're barely able to keep everything together. It's bad. Worse than you were first told and what she was going to let you find out."

"I was gone for too long." I already knew it, and had my suspicions on Ailins updates. I understood why she did it, but trying to make me feel better wasn't going to help anything.

"Yes." Cain agreed.

"It isn't your fault, do not add this to your schedule." Ailin warned.

"She's right. It's not your fault," Cain put his hands on my shoulders as he stood in front of me. "And it shouldn't have to be your burden either. You have done enough for this world."

"But it is. I only have these powers because of the Treaty. It was part of what I signed up for." I appreciated what they were trying to do, but it didn't mean anything. "I knew that, and I still left. It's not a burden, it's a responsibility and I failed everyone."

"No, Elise." Ailin soothed, coming back over to where I stood. "He's right. You have done enough for this world."

Well at least they were no longer looking like they wanted to kill each other.

"What was the meeting supposed to be about then?"

"You." Ailin glanced at Cain, who only tugged me closer against his side.

It didn't make me feel any better.

"We are in agreement, the Treaty, this power, shouldn't be your responsibility. The Treaty isn't what it used to be. Times have changed." She started, pausing as she seemed stuck on what to say next. "Perhaps the timing of Cain's return was for a reason."

We both rolled our eyes at the thought of fate, the universe, or whatever other worldly force was behind the timing of his return and that there was a reason for it. If it was, I would be even more paranoid that no good was going to come from any of this.

"You two are the worst. Just tell me what's going on." I demand, pulling away from Cain to glare at both of them. No one answered. "Losing my shit at both you wasn't on my list of things to do today, but I will gladly add it if you do not hurry the fuck up and answer me."

"Since we were in agreement, we considered what we might be able to do to help put things back to how they should be. The beings that helped during your absence need some rest and healing. It could be weeks before they regain their strength. There is no denying the Treaty needs to stay in this realm for it to remain active and effective." Ailin started.

"So, I won't leave again?" I tensed, unsure where this was going. "Kara can come here to visit. The others too. Simple. Portia managed for a long, long time."

"You shouldn't have to remain here, permanently because of this." Cain spoke softly, a subtle hint of regret in his tone. "There was no other option for Portia when she was here."

"I don't understand. Where is this going?"

"I sent Cain back to the other realm." Ailin said quickly.

"You didn't send me. I went." He huffed.

"What? When?"

"Yesterday. I just came back. You've been so busy and distracted, it made it easy to disappear for a little while." He shrugged.

Guilt took hold of my gut once more and I forced a nod; he was right. I hadn't even noticed he'd left. Ailin didn't let me dwell on it.

"We agreed the Treaty needed to not be bound to anyone, like it is now." She explained. "So, Cain went to find a solution."

"A solution?" I repeated, still not able to understand.

"You should be free to do what you want, Elise. There will come a time, years from now, when you will want to go somewhere else. You are immortal. Friends will die, your family will go. There is no stopping time." Ailin told me sadly. I knew, I just didn't want to have to think about it until later. Much later. "You may decide to live in the other realm with Kara, you may want to explore further than that. There is no reason why you should be trapped here. You've done enough."

"Wait, you want to take my powers?" I stopped, a cold feeling washing over me. "No more Treaty?"

"No, you will keep your powers." Cain quickly answered. "The Treaty will no longer be tied to them."

"Then how will-" He held out his hand and two golden balls appeared. Id' seen them before. "But who, what will, I don't-"

"It wasn't easy, but since their bodies remained where they had last been, I was able to take what power remained from Lyssa and Apate." I stared at the power just sitting in his hands as though it was nothing. "It's not quite as strong as it was originally. That's why I collected both."

"Did you get-" Ailin started, jumping as Apollo suddenly joined us. "You're here. Again. Why are you back?"

"Hello, Ailin." He greeted, throwing an easy smile at her before it moved to me. "Miss me yet?"

Ailin rolled her eyes.

"I got it, and brought him with me too." Cain answered Aili dryly.

"Why?" I frowned.

I was asleep.

This was some weird kind of out of body experience.

No. A dream. I was thinking about seeing Matt tonight, ran out of time, fell asleep and was dreaming this crap up. This is my brain punishing me for missing Ailins meeting.

"Ah, what's going on?" Apollo frowned, reading the room.

"Ailin hasn't told her about it." Cain informed him.

"I told you she wouldn't. So this isn't-"

"Shut up." He growled back, placing the power into a small golden box. "Elise, with this you can be free. The Treaty will be released from your powers, and connected to these instead. It will give the others the recharge that they desperately need right now, and exist as its own entity."

I played along.

I was definitely asleep.

"So you collected dead Powers magic, to attach to the treaty, to be stored in that little box, removing my connection to the treaty, which will just exist and carry on like normal all on its own?" All three of them nodded, so I decided to just roll with it. "Right. Great. Let's do it."

"Bunny, it's going to hurt." Apollo came closer. "Are you sure you just want to do it? I came because at some point, I'm going to have to heal you. Do you remember how it was the first time, when you got these powers? It's not that simple."

I didn't think it had been that bad, but before I could answer him, Ailin was next.

"You don't have to do it now. Think it over. See how you feel in a year or five. Give it twenty if you like. This isn't a punishment. It's a gift, but one I want you to be sure you're ready to receive." She paused, glancing at Apollo for the smallest of seconds. "When you are ready."

I looked through the gap between them to where Cain stood, silent and in ultimate brooding mode. Our eyes met and everything else seemed to blend into nothingness yet it was the clearest moment I'd experienced all day.

Reality found me.

Not dreaming.

Pushing past the pair, I threw myself at him and he caught me. I pushed my nose into his neck as my arms tightened over his shoulders; with ease he lifted me up, able to support me as my legs wrapped around his waist. The room vanished, replaced by the meeting room levels up. He sits me on the desk, but doesn't move. I wouldn't have let him anyway as my grip doesn't ease.

"You know, for a minute there, I thought this was some kind of dream."

"Why?"

"It just doesn't sound real. I never thought that this could even be an option." I lean back so I can look at him. "You'd do this for me?"

"El, there is practically nothing I wouldn't do for you. Did your talk with Ailin help?"

"How do you know we talked?"

"Because you two were nearly an hour late to what had been originally arranged, and yet she hadn't mentioned any of this to you yet." He smirked, looking very impressed with himself. "I told you, I know your family. All of them. I know you and I know what she does for you."

"Touche. We talked. I don't know if it helped, but I can't keep going this way." I decide.

"I tried to talk to you the other night, and the day before that, and last week. You weren't listening or you'd already passed out before I got a chance." His forehead rested against mine. "So you definitely weren't listening then. I thought maybe Raya would be the one to stop you, but after talking with Ailin, I knew you'd end up with her at some point."

"Clever."

"I'm not just a pretty face. I mean, it helps, but-" I silence him with a kiss.

"So, we're doing this?"

"If you're up to it. If you want to." He kisses me again, but his lips don't linger. "Or as Ailin said, we can do it another time, there is no rush."

"What about the Council and the ones that will benefit from this boost? If I don't-"

"They'll survive."

"Do you think Ailin might have come close to the truth in there, about the timing of all of this? What if they are behind it?"

"I'm going with my gut on this and think she just used a very old expression. They're not involved."

I nodded. "I feel the same. If we're wrong-"

"We'll deal with it." He smirked, yet my mind was already drifting at what this actually meant. "What are you thinking now? I know that look."

"What if we had done this before? How different would things be?"

"Did you want to go back, ask Kara to-" He frowned.

"No. That's all for the best, I know that's how it's meant to be." I sighed, hiding my face in my hands with a groan. "It'll change everything. Again. There's no point dwelling on the past, on the could ofs and what ifs. It's not going to change anything."

"It can. You could ask-" Cain started softly, and I knew what he was going to say.

"No." I quickly stopped him. "There will always be a what if to think about, but I like where we're at now. Even that could change, and not for the better. I don't want to risk it and-"

"I know." He stopped me this time.

I lean back into him and try to process what's about to happen. I still feel tired, my power nap not so powerful after all and I knew it was only going to get worse before it got better.

Either way, first things first.

"Can we scrap the sleepover roster?" Cain nods, looking amused as I glance back up at him. "Good. I sleep like crap when I'm alone and I've been avoiding it as much as I can. Jordan has a special friend now, don't tell Mum. Kara isn't here, and I'm not sure what you'd think about me going to Eric like I used to."

"I trust you, especially from what you've told me." He shrugged, like it was no big deal I even mentioned it. Cain was not Apollo. "But I'd be a great deal happier if it was only my bed you went to."

"It's the only one I want to be in."

"Good answer."

"Okay. Let's do it." I reached back up, holding onto him again as I wanted to try and absorb some of his strength to get through whatever was next.

"It won't hurt as much as last time. That was unbinding you from the Fates, completely different. Though Portia was already immortal, so it was easier for her when she gave it to you." I felt his kiss on my cheek. "I've got you, okay. Apollo is here as a precaution. You know I won't, that none of us, will let anything bad happen. Are you sure you want this?"

Closing my eyes, I thought back to last time. It had hurt; more than hurt, but I remember the ease of Portia just handing over the powers as easily as what Cain just held Apate and Lyssa's in his hand.

Portia appeared in my mind; nervous and looking so new and strange to me. Now I was used to her real appearance, back then it always managed to shock me.

"Portia, did you want this?"

"Of course." She answered quickly . "I'm just nervous. It will be fine."

"Cain will make sure we're okay." I promised her.

"No. He'll make sure you are okay."

She was right, even back then. He would always make sure I was okay.

"Yes, I want to do this."

We go back to find Apollo laying on the lounge flicking through a gardening magazine while Ailin is once again typing away on her laptop.

"That was qui-" Apollo started, pure mischief on his face yet his eyes said otherwise.

If looks could kill.

I don't even know how to respond or even if I should without making things worse.

"Don't." Cain growled, silencing him instantly. "Let's get this over with."

"In here? Now?" Ailin asked, slowly coming over.

Cain closed his eyes, and then nodded. "We're shielded."

"Why?" I ask.

"If anyone senses anything going on, you're going to be open for attack, especially since the rest of us will be distracted."

"Oh, right." Get this over with, then I can sleep.

Move on.

Begin again.

"Are you sure you're okay to do this now?" He asks as if he's able to read my mind.

"Yup." I smile. "I've got a bachelorette party in two days. Let's get this over and done with."

Cain turns to Apollo who is up in an instant. He takes my hand and as Cain places his over my heart, the gentle circles Apollo is making with his thumb distracts me from the sudden stab of pain in my chest. Looking now, my powers are in his hand.

"Elise!" Ailin shouts, startling me.

I looked up at her, then around me from my new position in Apollo's arms as he stopped me from hitting the floor. My body feels like jelly, and I didn't even realise I'd fallen.

"You okay?" Apollo asks quietly from behind me.

I think I nod.

I can't feel my head move. Trying to move my hand, my arm, my leg, anything doesn't seem viable right now. My words come out as a groan, before the pain is back in my chest. My vision clouds with black spots as the pain shoots upwards into my head.

"Apollo!" Cain sounds pissed off.

I've never been more thankful to not be Apollo than I am in that second.

"I've got you, you're okay." Apollo sings, the pain being replaced by tingles and I feel the change in my body as I inflate. "Just, breath."

"In and out." Ailin instructs. I feel her hand in mine.

"Listen to my voice." Apollo instructs.

"Why? It's so annoying." I groan.

His chest rumbles with a chuckle against my back. "You're going to be fine."

Everything goes by in a blur and before I know it, I feel like I've been recharged. With the Treaty no longer taking up a large part of my powers, I felt the full extent of them like I had in the other realm. It wasn't because my powers came from there, it was because the leech on them was inactive once I left here.

It felt good.

I felt good.

The box disappeared from Cain's hands and Ailin lowered her voice as the pair of them talked. Apollo stood beside me, and turning to him, I gave him a hug.

"Thank you for always having my back."

"Any time, Bunny." He squeezes me tight, glancing towards Cain. "Are you happy?"

"I am." I smile, yet it vanishes as his face smooths out. The old need to defend myself, or to try and explain kicked in. "Apollo, I'm sorry. This can't be easy for you."

"It's fine, I've been dealing with it for a while now, this-" He pointed between Cain and me. "It's not anything new. Not really. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be and I'm glad you're happy. It sucks, but I'm okay and despite everything I'm pretty happy too."

He nudges me with his elbow, as Cain comes back over.

"So, where did you send it?" Apollo asked.

"Do you expect an answer?"

"No." He smiled, slapping his hand down hard on Cain's shoulder who merely glared at it until he removed it. "Until next time then!"

He disappeared and Ailin went back to her desk.

"Unlike some people, I have work to do, most of which needs to be finished before dawn." She waved her hand, dismissing us. "You may go."

"So that's it then?" I ask.

"That's it." Cain confirms. "How are you feeling?"

"Good, great actually. Brand new."

"Well, considering how busy you've been and when was that Bachelorette Party?" He tugs me closer against him.

"In two days."

"Then I think I've just earnt two days worth of your undivided attention." We kiss, and from behind Ailin groans making me laugh.

"I'll clear my schedule." I assure him.

"And get out of my office!" Ailin huffs.

We're gone in seconds, back to the penthouse Cain had left behind and had used whenever he visited this realm, only my mind was wandering again.

"What is it?" He asked, for the second time tonight I had to wonder if he could read my mind.

I thought of a dancing elephant, and watched his face for some clue he was getting the same mental image I was, but instead he simply sat back and waited for me to answer.

"Why now?"

"Why now what?"

"I never had to have the treaty attached to my powers, why not-" He shook his head.

"One, it only occurred to me when Ailin actually said she wished there was another way. I started thinking and here we are. Two, when you got your powers, you were staying here. You were done with us, and everyone. I didn't think you'd be realm jumping and well, again, here we are. I did wonder what would happen one day, when things here change. Until then, it wouldn't have been a priority." He explained.

I understood. One day, I won't want to be here, things will change in unstoppable ways and then what would I do?

"Is there a way for them-"

"No. It's too risky, and who would it apply to? Your parents are old, they've lived longer than most of their generation already. Jordan? What about Penny and Raya? Where do we draw the line? Not only that, it'll be a constant trade of one life for another and if it even-" Cain sighs, looking more tired and drained than he had for weeks. "I would do whatever I could for you, El. You know I would, but I can't do everything."

"I don't expect you to." I climbed into his lap, bringing his face to mine. "You've done enough, more than enough."

I kissed him lightly on the lips; tenderly. It was slow, and easy. There was no need to hurry anything. Clothing was removed, piece by piece as required. Hands roamed a familiar landscape; every groove, scar and oh so sensitive part of his body memorised. Our connection deeped, eyes met and breathing ceased to matter.

The world stopped.

Then exploded around us in the best possible way.

"I love you."

Cain's words were faint, yet they burned their way across my skin with each breath he took. I felt them dig in, taking hold. They rushed through my heart as it thumped so fast and hard, I expected it to break free. Those three words went deeper still as he said them again; not a part of my being, of my soul untouched by them. By him.

Our eyes met once more; they looked different to what they had before.

Shock.

Fear.

Love.

"I love you too."

————————

Pretty sure we're nearly done now... let's get Penny married!! 🥂👰💍

Am I forgetting anything major that needs to be wrapped up? I hope not! 🤦🏻‍♀️