Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Summer at camp meant many things for all its Seasonal inhabitants.

For Chiron it was being a mentor once more to all his students he perceived as almost like his own children.

The god Dionysus known as ‘Mr D’ by the campers found it a time of great sorrow and annoyance.

To Connor Stoll? It had lots of different meanings to him. Being a year rounder with his older brother Travis it signaled the time they could stop learning English and Mathematics and finally focus on what mattered most to them, Their girlfriends.

And training. That too…

Both of them had girlfriends in the Demeter cabin. Travis had Katie Gardner, they had been together for years now.

Connor, well he had Kassandra Brand, another daughter of Demeter. They had only been dating for some months, creeping up on a year now but very solid and stable together.

He brought all the crackhead, younger sibling vibes to the relationship and she brought the calm and grounding energy to keep him tethered to some fiber of reality.

She had her moments of joining him in being a little shit and he sometimes joined her being as calm as a rock tower by a stream.

But they mainly stayed in their lanes.

She traveled 10,127 miles (16,297 kilometers) every year to camp, since she lived in Canberra, the capital of Australia.

It always amazed him just how far away her home was from camp.

He would wait at the peak of halfblood hill bouncing on his heels looking down at the small road that hugged the base of the hill.

This summer she arrived wearing a black stretchy top and a stiff skirt with a dark floral pattern and two big suitcases.

“It takes a lot to look this awesome” she would say to him when he tried to help her carry it all up the hill. They each took one suitcase in the end.

Now, one week into this year's summer and she had finally gotten over the jet lag and was able to get a decent night's sleep in.

Camp Half-Blood, Long Island: New York

Summer

7:23AM

Sunbeams started to creep into the windows of Demeter cabin, slowly nurturing the battalions of plants they housed inside the cabin.

Kassandra woke up and blinked a few times before yawning and snuggling back into the covers of her bed.

“Uh uh! Kassandra you better get out of bed before I knock some sense into you!” Katie Gardner, Demeter cabins counselor. She was the one responsible for the entire cabin getting up, cleaning after themselves and getting to activities on time.

Kassandra grumbled from under the dark floral covers but sat up in the end.

“Mhm”

“Morning to you too Katie”

“KASSIE!”

Georgina, the newest and youngest addition to Demeter cabin at 8 years old.

She was this little ball of energy that reminded her so much of her little half brother back in Australia, Jamie.

Although Georgina was a couple of years older then Jamie Kassandra could still see the connections.

“You were asleep for ages! I tried to wake you up but when you didn't I just hung out with Julian and Arabella for a bit!”

“Aww, good girl sweetheart” Kassandra picked up Georgina and rested her on her hip and hugged her tightly.

The little 8 year old beamed and attached herself to Kassandra like a leech and wouldn't let go until she was thoroughly satisfied with the hug.

Kassandra looked over and she could see her two bunnies, Julian and Arabella in their hutch munching on some hay, their big floppy ears covering their eyes.

Arabella had a nice long elegant coat that was a crisp white.

Julian on the other hand had fur that was mottled brown and black and was a bit more scruffy.

Both of them were sweethearts to the people they liked but if Arabella didn't like a camper she would let it be known.

Julian would just avoid them.

Georgina walked back over to her bed and began to chat with Meg about ferns as they discussed what to wear today.

Billie surreptitiously began to get up from her bed and looked from the open bathroom door and Kassandra.

There was a moment of stillness in the cabin before the two girls exploded with shouts and screams as they launched themselves into the open doorway.

“No, back off Kassie, it's mine today!”

“Ah heck to the no! I need to brush my teeth so I can have more time to get dressed!”

“Too bad! Beat it!”

“You beat it!”

“No! You!”

“You!”

“Yo- “

Kassandra elbowed Billie in the ribs and then slipped into the small bathroom and locked the door with a smug click.

Billie grinned and huffed back in the cabin and walked back to her bed as she began to collect her shower and bathroom toiletries.

Kassandra turned the tap on and let her toothbrush fall under the cold stream and then applied toothpaste and added some more water, tapped it twice and began to brush her teeth.

The correct way to do it.

Meanwhile a few minutes before…

6:47 AM

Hermes Cabin looked like a pig sty with the amount of old clothes, food wrappers and trash that littered the floor.

Connor Stoll groaned as he climbed out of bed, shirtless and looked around like blind newborn, his big brother Travis was still asleep in the bed next to him. Bad play Trav.

Connor sauntered over to the other bed and wrapped his hands around Travis’s ankle and with one quick tug he had managed to pull Travis out of bed completely and fall on his butt.

“Wha-gfpgh!”

Connor laughed like a hyena as well as a couple other campers nearby.

Travis gritted his teeth and glared up at Connor. With his feet he swiped Connors right foot and he came toppling down on his butt this time.

At that point the whole cabin was laughing and snickering at their banter. Connor and Travis looked at each other and began to laugh too.

Just another morning in Hermes cabin.

The bathroom was already being used by someone so Connor put on an only slightly grubby white t-shirt and grabbed his comb that was residing in a puddle of dirty jeans and boxers. Totally hygienic!

Him and Travis lead most of the cabin as their co-counsellors towards the shower block and herded them all inside a stall.

For the first minute the water was cold, but after a while the boilers kicked in and it came out nice and toasty.

“Friday i'm in Love” was Connor's song of choice for his morning shower as he shampooed his hair and then rinsed it out with the comb and water.

When he got back to his cabin with his towel wrapped around his waist, he grabbed a camp t-shirt, a pair of underwear and some grey shorts that very well could have been Travis's.

Once he was all dressed in the bright orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt and the grey shorts that he definitely knew belonged to his brother because the tag read “Trav. Stol”

Chiron sounded the conch shell at five minutes to nine, signaling breakfast for the campers…

Connor hurried over, sat down at the Hermes table. He spotted Kassandra and she saw him too, She gave him a smile and then blushed and giggled when he wiggled his eyebrows.

“Wanna go by lake for our weekly friday date?” Connor yelled across the tables.

Kassandra sunk deeper into her chair and grimaced, Katie rolled her eyes and Billie whooped.

Georgina grinned and whispered something to Kassaanda who then turned even more red.

“Ill that that as a yes!” Connor shouted when he got no response.

Kassandra whimpered and lifted Georgina up in front of her face to hide her red cheeks.

Chapter Text

Connor had already prepped the basket with snacks and drinks he thought appropriate, for a nice calm Friday date under the willow trees by the lake.

• Peanut M&M’s
• One bag of party size chips 
• 2 cans of room temperature coke

Yeah. Perfect

Friday had been their special day since he asked her to go out with him, Friday opening night of the camp's musical up on stage.

She had said yes of course and then shoved him off because he was ruining the beginning of Candy Store

But after the production had finished and he went backstage to find her they shared a kiss against the old vending machine.

 He had once rigged to only give people cherry ripes ... .Evil and he knew it.

Truth be told he honestly didn't think she would say yes, Kassandra had always seemed to express more of an interest in girls and practically any kind of people other than men.

Maybe it was the fact that Connor was a little bit fruity and openly bisexual, maybe it was because of his humor or maybe and this was Connors guess…

That he was just to gods damn cute for anybody to say no to.

Cough Cough  

Anyway, Fridays.

Ever since then they had always just had dates or tried to make time for each other on fridays and this year at camp they had decided that picnic dates around camp would be a good idea.

He leaned back against the blanket he had laid out and sighed, waiting for her seemed to be an eternity to Connor but he knew it would be worth it.

A cool summer breeze floated through his little encampment among the reeds and then he heard light footsteps walking towards him.

“I packed my own food, last time you stole the food from the damaged packaging bin at the camp store.”

He turned his head around and grinned.

Kassandra was standing behind him with that smile he loved, it was half a smirk and the other a doting  expression that she only gave to certain people.

He was lucky enough to be one of them, which is what he always thought.

She was wearing a dark red sundress with little strawberries  she had most likely embroidered on.

 She had her usual dual string of purls and she was also wearing a necklace of yellow cowrie shells.

Her dark brown curls rolled down to her shoulders and down her back with a forest green bandada perched on the top of her head to keep the curls out of her face.

“That was because I had spent all my money on- “

“The inflatable duck you and travis put on the lake, i know”

Connor rolled over onto his back and grumbled up at her

“It would have given Percy a run for his money for the water battle if Annabeth hadn't snitched and told Chiron about the Anatidae on the lake, whatever that means…”

She set down her small satchel that she carried around, it smelt of tuna and mayo so connor assumed that was her lunch and not some kind of new scent makeup she spilt in the bag.

“It means duck, it's the scientific name Connor. Annabeth told you this, how do you forget something like that?”

Connor blinked at her a couple times and shrugged which made her chuckle.

She eyed the candy he had laid out and rolled her eyes, he gasped and put a hand on his heart.

“How dare you eye roll the candy I got for us!”

“That candy looks like you got it out from you halloween stash, from last year.”

Connor narrowed his eyes and for a second they were still. Then he tugged on her legs and swept them out from underneath her and she crash landed into his lap.

She yelped as she went down like a sack of potatoes and grunted as she fell on top of him.

“CONNOR!” she screamed

“Is so cool, dont worry babe I know I am” he replied which earned him a flick on the forehead.

Once they had stopped bickering they finally began to eat their food, she revealed a second sandwich she had made for him, he took it and immediately added chips and peanut M&M’s to it much to her horror.

“Connor, no that's so gross!”

“Eh.”

He took a bite and gave her a grin with some chips and tuna sticking out of his mouth and dribbling down his chin.

“You wanna have some?” he asked, muffled by the food sticking out of his face.

“What do you think?”

Connor shrugged.

“I never know what you're thinking.”

Kassandra smiled as she giggled slightly and nodded 

“Just how i like it” she teased

The sun began to fall in the sky above Camp Half-Blood, the couple that had been there for a while now, by the lake cuddled closer as it began to grow chiller.

The willow trees that stood nearby blocked out the sun as it dipped below them and their reeds fluttered about the grass as if to greet it a good afternoon.

“SNAP!” Kassandra yelled as she slammed her hand down on the small bit of blanket between them on top of the cards.

“Fuck!”

“Haha! Cant beat the game master!”

“Games master? What do you mean that's obviously me, Kass!”

“I dont think so buddy”

“Well I do think so!”

“Nuh uh!”

Yuh huh!”

“Wha- “

He pulled her in and kissed her, effectively stopping her counter argument.

After a while she pulled back, her eyes glittering in front of him, she took a deep breath trying to combat the rosyness in her cheeks.

“Cheater”

He nodded solemnly 

“Ay, that be me”

Both of them giggled as they began to pack up the picnic so they could go back to their cabins and get ready for dinner.

Connor just shoved everything inside the basket and nodded.

“Right, all cleaned up”

“I’d hardly call that cleaning up, don't forget i’m the one with the basket next week thank you… ill need that in ship shape if you want me to make my special quiche for us.”

His eyes widened and he nodded desperately .

“Okay, Okay! I'll take the trash back in my pockets. PLEASE! I need that quiche at least once a month and I'm starting to have withdrawal symptoms.”

She smirked and nodded, taking the picnic basket in her hand as he scooped out the crumbs and took all the wrappers and the blanket from inside it.

“Alright, Mr Stoll I bid you adieu.”

Connor smirked and used one of his powers as a child of Hermes and changed which language he wanted to speak in.

“Adios chica caliente”

Goodbye, hot girl

She raised her eyebrows and chuckled “Sure, make sure the girl with an ecuadorian dad who send her to spanish school for three years cant understand you by using spanish, that’ll work”

Connor just smiled at her.

Chapter Text

It was dark in the Demeter cabin. Kassandra sat off the side of her bed absent mindedly stroking her bunnies as she stared at her bedside lamp, it was a glass blown lily that Connor had commissioned Leo to blow in the forges. Connor did stuff like that a lot, get her stuff, cool stuff, expensive stuff… stuff that she didn't deserve.

She got them anyway.

In her bin sat the Exacto knife she had stolen from the arts and crafts building. She never had the intention to  cut that deep. She didn't want to die, just be in a different situation. One without all the pain and suffering of simply being herself.

Being a demigod was incredibly hard enough but being a trans demigod. It was simply too much to just “deal with” or “talk about”. Since she was at camp she couldn't talk to her therapist back in Canberra and she also wasn't with her family. Oh gods her family… Mum and Dad and Vance…Jamie.

He would’ve made her feel better, he always seemed to be able to make anyone feel better. But they weren't here and in their place was the usual summer depression that came with camp half blood. It wasn't that camp in itself was a negative place, but certain specifics to her just… bad.

For example, all the sweating she had to endure, every time she sweat to the degree she did here at camp she ALWAYS felt out of place more than usual in her own body, the gender dysphoria and suicidal thoughts creeping in at the edges like frost on a window panel during the winter. 

She didn't often self-harm harm relapse at camp, but this time she did, and it was bad. She had accidentally pressed too hard because she was in such a rush to feel the feeling of being in control for once. Kassandra was always safe with her self-harm, or as safe as you can be when it comes to self-harm. 

• Making sure the harming items were clean.

• Never cut or harm near her wrists or vital arteries like the neck

• Never tried to draw blood, just inflict pain and suffering upon herself

Kassandra had failed the last one, and she was scared. She knew she should be in a mental hospital

Trying to get help but how could she go to one when a monster could simply infiltrate the staff and get her when she was most vulnerable. No it simply wouldn't work, sure she could go to Katie or Mirrandra her cabin counselors but she didn't want to burden them more plus if she told Katie then Katie might tell Travis and if Travis found out… he would absolutely most certainly without a doubt tell Connor. If Connor knew that Kassandra had a history with self harm AND relapsed at camp sometimes AND was passively suicidal… yeah they wouldnt be dating for much longer and all those nice gifts he gave her would make her even more guilty than they already were. 

She put her bunnies down on her bed and they hopped away and settled down between her pillows. Her hand slipped into her purse and took out her last golden drachma. When she had first started sending her mother messages she had a decent amount. Not anymore, Demeter must have been busy being the goddess of the Harvest and fertility and the Mistress of food. Goddess of the seasons, the literal earth, sacred law and bread…

Kassandra turned on her small night light and the multicolored glass shone down into the cup of water on her bedside table for the last time.

“Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering and show me Demeter, Mount Olympus”

She plopped the coin into the water, just as it touched down on the bottom it melted away into the clear cool water. 

Where the coin had been, a small spark appeared in the water and then lifted up, and a circular mirror appeared that shined and then burst like a bubble into rainbows.

The same image appeared as all the other times she tried it, the study with a soft plush chair behind a delicate ornate desk decorated with several pot plants, succulents, ferns, and terrariums. All thriving and blooming much like the plants Kassnadra kept on her windowsill next to her bed, but those ones seemed special, like they were on steroids but the steroids were all natural. The usual dark wooden bookshelf behind the chair with the titles too far away for her to read but she would see more plants nestled between books and trinkets. Plant pots in the corner, same as usual. 

“Mother? . . . Mother, can you hear me?” Kassandra whispered desperately while trying to keep her voice down so as to not wake the others in the cabin.

“Please! I need you...Mama. Please, don't just abandon me…”

After a few more minutes of quiet pleading to a chair and succulents the message faded and blinked out of existence. Fine. She had tried everything to talk to her Mama for help and nothing worked, she gazed back at the bin her thighs still tingling.

She shivered and walked over to her wardrobe and grabbed a sweater and pulled it on over her button up Pajama top. She slipped into some high top converse and stockings, she grabbed her bunnies transport cage and carefully placed them inside and gave them some hay to munch on as well. Then she grabbed a piece of paper from her nightstand drawer and clicked her pen and began to scribble a  note to Connor. She folded it up and placed it on her nightstand.  the word “Connor” on it so hopefully he would understand that much for once and open the letter.

Kassandra put some of the essentials in her tote bag, Deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, and books

She slung her bag over her shoulder, grabbed her bunnies transport cage with her as she walked to the door.

Was she going to do this?

Walk away from the place she called her second home?

She didnt want to, she didnt want to hurt people, but she didnt want to hurt herself anymore.

She feared if she stayed it would mean giving up...

And she couldnt do that. not yet.

Kassandra sighed and left Demeter cabin. 

“You won't talk to me, fine. But I need help so I am going to get it."

Chapter Text

Connor Stoll woke up that next morning happily. The morning sun streamed through his window in cabin eleven bathing his tanned skin as he rolled over, shirtless in his bed, his hair as usual a mop of messy dark curls but his ears remained poking out like an elf. He smiled to himself as his mind went to his girlfriend. His mind often went to Kassandra and especially in the mornings when not that many people were awake and he could get ready by himself and watch her cabin waiting for her to walk out in her usual black wool spencer over her colourful bra  and floral baggy  pajama bottoms. You see, the mornings at camp were still cold enough for Kassandra to not feel gender dysphoria from sweating. “Do you think i give a fuck about gender dysphoria right now?” She would tell Drew Tanaka when she would try to attack her outfit. Kassie’s Australian language could shut Drew up like a concerned clam. 

Today felt like any other. He had no idea that his love had relapsed over the night and run away because she felt like she couldn't get help. Connor just thought he would get dressed and watch her cabin for her to come out, as beautiful as ever. Nothing else.

He first started to feel uneasy when Katie gardener flung the door open and did a lap around the cabin looking for something. Her sharp green eyes Travis would talk about scanned over his bed and personal belongs. She then stopped and bolted to the big house as more Demeter campers spilled out, Connor could judge from their faces that somthing terrible had happened.

Mirrianda, Billie, Steve. Even little Georgina who was their newest and youngest addition to the cabin at just 8 years old. Boths her parents had died in a monster attack, she had been brought it by a Saytr just the other week and chosen Kassandra as her "mama", or atleast a protective role.

The poor kid loved her. Connor hastily pulled his shoes on and then Hurried outside onto the porch looking over at the Demeter cabin. It was odd because if there was drama, Kassandra would certainly be on the scene. Unless the drama was about her, if so she would be inside her cabin crying.

Connor didn't like that he couldnt find her in the group of green thumbs, Connor walked over as he ran a hand through his messy hair,  Pushing past them all and stopping at the door looking inside the empty cabin for a certain someone who wasnt there.  

“Connor…” a voice came from behind him, it was Katie Gardener with Chiron and the others behind her “I…”

She grabbed him and pushed him into one of the chairs on one the front porch. Chiron told the Demeter campers to go have an early breakfest.

Chiron took a step forward and sighed once it was just him, Connor and Katie. “There’s no easy way of saying this but..... last night Katie believes Kassandra had... a self harm relapse ,and she run away from camp with her bunnies, shes not here anymore Connor” 

Connor’s heart was always fluctuating with Kassandra. It could be because she had put her bra buds in. It might be because her laugh transitioned to her wheezing on the floor and him staring at her, or maybe because she was going back to australia for the end of the north american summer and the start of the Aussie summer and he had to help her leave him…

This was just another reason to add to the list, Right?

No. this was more than her leaving for australia, this was more than her on the floor wheezing and it was more that her bra buds that made her boobs bigger that they had so many inside jokes on. She had hurt herself like actually intentionally hurt herself, but a relapse means it had happened before! Did she have a history of self harming? Next part was when she left camp, SHE LEFT CAMP! Connor had always thought camp was the safest place on the world for half bloods and in practice, yes, it was but magical barriers and a golden fleece guarded by a dragon can't protect someone from hurting themselves, and it most certainly cannot stop someone from leaving willingly. 

“Connor?” Katie asked him, from the look on her face he hadn't been functional for quite some time.

“Hm?” 

“There's a letter for you, from Kassie” She took him inside and took him to Kassandras bed. Her bed with dark floral sheets and the weighted blanket folded up at the end…

--- ==={Flash Back}=== ---

Connor walked into Demeter cabin and smiled when he saw his girl on her bed but she was fumbling around with a big box. 

“Whatcha doing?” Connor sauntered over and wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder staring directly at her cheek.

“It's a weighted blanket.” She explained as she pushed him onto the bed. She pulled out a exacto knife and sliced the box open in a flash and slowly unfolded the heavy blanket

Connor lay there on the bed stunned, his heart broken.

“It's a what?!”

“Weighted blanket”

“Then what the heck am I here for, hm?”

Kassandra giggled her melodic giggle that made her face light up and his heart beat just a little faster. She tossed the box aside and then rolled herself up in the blanket. 

“You're here for kisses and yeah i guess some cuddles but i mainly use you as a heater and to get tall things from shelves for me.” she giggled again and looked up at him all swaddled up like a burrito.

“Treason! How dare you!” Connor yelled getting up and hurriedly unwrapping her.

“Ack! Connor, I was warm!”

“Weighted blanket, HA!”

She wriggled on the bed and then he jumped on her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Connor!” she said giggling and thrashing around

“I AM YOUR WEIGHTED BLANKET! OKAY!” He yelled as he rolled her over so he was on top of her.

They were a mess of dark curly hair and limbs. They stayed like that for a while, just laying together. She fell asleep next to him, her arms and legs wrapped around him, she could always fall asleep anywhere. Once she had fallen asleep in the strawberry fields. Connor lay there next to her smiling softly and watching her beautiful face all calm and peaceful. Now when he thought of her he just wondered what she had been going through and why he didnt see it.

--- ==={Flash Back}=== ---

He crossed the room quickly and picked up the letter from the lamp he had got for her, and unfolded it as he sat down on her bed. He pulled her weighted blanket over him, her scent still lingering on it and for a second he could pretend it was Kassandra there with him again.

“Dear Connor,

Where to start? By the time you read this I will be dead. No just kidding! But… sometimes I do wish it. My therapist back in Canberra says i’m passivly suicidal and i agree. So i know this might come as a shock to you but i self harm. Sorry. I don't want to and I have been good for a while, just, things happen, Don't they? So I'm writing this letter because you at least deserve to know what happened and I trust that you will know who to tell and who to not. I mean I shouldn't trust you, your a dumbass. But I do. I really love you Connor and I'm sorry I have to put you through this. But i couldn't get help here and I can't go to a mental hospital as much as i would want to. I just can't because I have this fear that a monster will kill me there when I'm at my most vulnerable. So I've gone to go and get help. I hope it will pay off. I think it will.

From your little cinnamon roll, Kassandra Elizabeth Brand.

PS: Was that last bit cool? I hope it was. “

Connor had tears streaming down his face and the pit in his stomach had only gotten deeper. He hated her. He loved her. He was confused by her. He was scared by her. He just wanted her in his arms again. How could he have not seen the warning signs, she hurt herself and he had done nothing to help her and now she was gone.

Chapter Text

From camp half blood she walked all the way to the nearest corner store and took out what was left of  her mortal money at an ATM in the corner next to the candy. From that she then caught the bus from montauk into garden city. She then got a cab over the Williamsburg bridge, she had to make the driver stop 3 blocks from her destination because the meter tipped over what was left of her budget.

She was on the corner of 31st and 5th avenue at a coffee shop called “Blank street coffee” She walked the three blocks and there she was. At the foot of the Empire State Building, otherwise known to demi gods as Mount Olympus the home of the gods from where Zeus and Hera reign.

It was also the home of her mother Demeter. By now it was about 6:00AM and the first signs of life were being breathed into the city, the cars honking and the smell of morning coffees being brewed as well as the smell of exhaust. 

She walked in through the glass doors and her eyes widened. She had only been inside once before during the battle of Manhattan so she hadn't paid that much attention to decorations but she had remembered it being art deco and grand. Correct. There were marble floors and a massive mural of the Empire State Building on the wall behind the desk of the reception desk. Her converse were surprisingly quiet on the floor but that wouldn't hide her from monsters if there were any in the lobby. The  security guard behind the front desk, eyes narrowed when he saw her walking to the desk.

She set her suitcase down and smiled politely at the receptionist as she leaned in looking back at the other people in the room checking they weren't too close before speaking.

“I need to go to the 600th floor.” she whispered

“What? Speak up, miss please!”

Kassandra grumbled “The 600th Floor, I need to get there, it's an emergency.”

He looked her up and down and chuckled “No such floor miss.”

“Yes there is, Mount Olympus.” she said getting slightly annoyed

“Mount what? No, I'm sorry miss but that doesn't exist.”

“Yes it does.” she said her tone becoming more and more irritated

“No. It doesn't!” He responded one upping her tone.

“Look, I was here for the battle of Manhattan. I literally have been to Mount Olympus when the gods were out fighting Typhon, I know it exists so don't gaslight me. I've had a very hard time getting here and I know it exists so please! Give me the key so I can go up!” Yelled Kassandra now attracting heads of confused people just trying to get to work

His expression wavered for a moment before he shook his head and crossed his arms “Now now miss!” he said holding up a big fat red hand right in front of her face “Calm down please miss, if we just- “

“NO! I am not going to calm down! I know it exists. Don't patronize me, I KNOW it’s real!” 

“Miss! I won't say it again, the 600th floor does not exist!” 

Normally Kassandra would have had the energy to argue more but she was so tired and emotionally drained. She  was a chubby girl who had been walking for ages. Her thighs still hurt from where she had cut herself, but... she wasn't going to let that smuck of a security guard make her turn around and go back to camp because she just couldn't. The thought of Connor's face made her even more scared than a usual suicidal trans demi god teen could be.

She had,had enough.

“ALL RIGHT MATE!” she screamed with her Aussie accent thick. Which made everyone turn around and give her strange looks.

“I Know i look crazy and that's because i probably am crazy but you dont know the SHIT i’ve had to do just to get here and all the totally unfair crap the world aswell as this SHIT HOLE of a nation dumps on people like me so don't you dare tell me that floor “does not exist” because i KNOW! I KNOW IT DOES!” she screamed tears streaming down her face, her expression weary and exhausted. Everyone in the lobby now looking at her.

“Miss, I have to ask you to leave,” The security guard receptionist smuck arsehole of a man said.

Kassandra let out a desperate whimper and slumped against the desk. She grabbed her suitcase and turned around to see everyone acting like they weren't looking at her and getting in elevators to go do their jobs they were paid to do not watch a crazy teenager yell in the lobby.

Kassandra was utterly defeated; she had nowhere to go. If she went back to camp she would be getting back there around noon? And she would then have to explain to everyone what happened and how her shitty plan didnt work and that she was suicidal. Maybe to Katie or Piper she could have, but to all of camp? Connor?! No, there was just simply no way she could hold the atoms of her body together to do it.

The elevator doors to her left dinged open and a man in a black suit and tie stepped out and behind him following were two ladies. One older and one younger. The younger one had a colourful floral dress the kind Kassandra would dream about owning one day from a well known designer and not just her junky dresses she made herself in the arts and craft building. The older woman wasn't middle aged but she wasn't as old as the first woman, this one was maybe 35? Kassandra could never tell but she could tell that both of the women were exceptionally beautiful.

The slightly older woman was wearing a light green and dark green jacket that was long enough to be a coat. She had long wavy blonde hair the colour of ripe wheat and a crown of woven corn leafs adorned with poppies and the smell of rain hitting a field of jasmine filled the lobby. The strange thing was that Kassandra had a weird feeling of connection to the women, especially the older one.

Like seeing a stranger on the street and then later in the day seeing them again. The younger woman in the bright floral dress said something to the older woman before she then stepped ahead, she  was now arm in arm of the tall pale man in the black suit who seemed happier now she was with him. The older woman now standing behind them scowled as they turned so Kassandra could only see their backs as they walked through the marble lobby. 

Kassandra noticed the older woman's fists clenched when the man whispered something to the younger woman making her smile and chuckle softly. The trio walked out past the glass doors allowing  Kassandra to still see their silhouettes as a dark fancy car pulled up on the curb.

The man opened the door for the younger woman. Both of the women embraced, Kassandra could tell the hug ment a lot to them. The older woman stroked the younger woman's hair as she said something quiet to her. The younger woman nodded in response and smiled at her before waving softly and getting in the car.

The tall man closed the door behind her and turned around before he got in the other side himself. He began to say something to the older women but she responded with  turning around and pushing the doors open aggressively ignoring the man's words as she walked back into the lobby. The man got into the car and it drove off and then it clicked into Kassandra’s dumbass brain as the Older woman now, all alone walked back to the elevator and clicked the button tapping her foot. 

“Mother?” She whispered softly as she got up and hurried over to her looking up at her

For a second the older woman seemed to light up for a second a like a magnificent surprise had just happened as she turned around hurriedly 

“Perse- “

Her face fell when she didn't see the younger woman in the colourful dress that Kassandra now understood to be Persephone and the man was Hades, just like Nico had Described his dad of the king of the underworld. Demeters gaze fell upon Kassandra, her eyes cold and calculating but there was an unmistakable warmth behind them.

Demeter's face reminded her of when Katie Gardner would study Kassandra after asking her if she was okay and Kassandra would always respond with her blank I’m okay . Of course they shared the same biological mother, the woman that stood before her was the woman 15 years ago who had fallen in love with Theodore Brand.

Kassandra had known her mother Sarah before her transition and she had always accepted Sarah as her main motherly figure because well she was. Like it or not Kassandras Mother was Sarah AND Demeter. She saw them both equally as mother and now she could finally actually see them like they really see them. Demeter looked her over in the span of 5 seconds before bringing her walls back up and giving a curt nod.

“One of mine I see”

Kassandra beamed her face lighting up with happiness at meeting her other mother.

“Mum” Kassandra said in her distinctive Australian accent which made Demeter stumble slightly on her words for now she knew which one this one was; it was the Australian offspring she had had with Theo.

“Mat- no… That's not your name now is it?” 

This time  it was Kassandra the one who stumbled, at the mention of her deadname she winced, albeit unintentionally but it still made her heart ache for so much in her life to change. 

“KAsSAndRA” she said hurriedly in a unintentional high pitched voice “Kassandra Elizabeth Brand, its Kassandra”

“Oh, my apologies, Kassandra. You're my. . .d-daughter are you not?”

Kassandras heart was back up and soaring again hearing those words. This was the kind of emotional rollercoaster Connor got very easily confused at. Her smile is wide and her dimples are showing. 

“Yes. yes yes i am” she said quickly, straightening up

“What, are you doing here?!” she sounded offended and hurt, great first impressions Kassandra thought.

“I need your help and before you say no just please! Listen because I've already had to fight with the dickhead at the front desk and I just NEED someone who will listen to me and I mean ACTUALLY listen! And…And your the only person i feel comfortable going to.”

Demeter pursed her lips, then sighed looking Kassandra up and down as she tilted her head to one side. It was clear she was debating this heavily but maybe it was because of her natural motherly nature or the fact that she just had to say goodbye to her own daughter, the favorite no doubt and here Kassandra was another daughter of hers, the only trans and Australian one, and she was Theo’s…

“Fine I will hear you out, but you only have 2 minutes because I need to start  Autumn and Winter, now dont I?” 

Kassandra looked up and nodded hurriedly as she took a deep breath and began to speak

“I want to come up to Olympus with you and just shut up and let me speak! I know it's crazy and it is but I NEED this. I have a very good reason. So i came out when i was 12 and ever since then my mental health has tanked and i mean TANKED and i started getting really depressed in highschool because i got bullied, heck i’m still being bullied and i just dont think that am safe at camp half blood and i want to stay with you because i will feel safer but it's not just that. I hurt myself.” 

Kassandra had only ever said that to her therapist once other than that it was the first time in her whole life she was venting about this topic and to her godly mother. Demeter seemed more and more annoyed and angry even but when Kassandra said she hurt herself her expressions softened slightly. Kassandra began to cry as she spoke more and more, her shoulders sagging and her words becoming faster and faster into a hurricane of emotions. 

“I hurt myself i cut myself i jab myself i want help i think about ending it all i think about killing myself a lot of the time and am scared i mean am really really really scared i just want help but i cant tell anyone at camp not the Aphrodite cabin guidencer counceliers or my friends because they would never understand, and i most certainly tell my boyfriend Connor Stoll that would just make him so worried and i cant tell Chiron because he just ugh!"

"Mr. D isn't even an option because he's like never where he's supposed to be and I think he hates me. I think a lot of people hate me and I hate myself. I hate everything about myself and I want to just- AHHG!"

"I need help but if i go to a mortal mental hospital i might get treatment but a monster might be able to smell me and then get me when i’m at my most vulnerable and i can't do that because i don't want to die but i do but i don't and am so confused and sometimes i don't even know if i am trans but i am i definitely know i am trans its just so confusing mum, and i need help!"

"But when i try to iris message you i get NOTHING!!! I get NOTHING ive used up all my drachmas trying to reach you mum but you never answer them or never in the shot!! NOTHING AND SO I NEED THIS! You owe me this! I need you to take me with you to mount olympus so i dont fucking kill myself and become a godamn FUCKING STATISIC IN A CHAT ABOUT TRANS YOUNG SUICIDES!"

Kassandra started sobbing and she fell to her knees before her immortal goddess mother. Kassandra couldn't stop crying her face getting puffy tears streaming down her face and if she kept this up she would flood the lobby with her tears of pure frustration. She might even out do the Cocytus. The river of wailing in the underworld.

Demeter was fuming at the curse words and foul expressions Kassadra exibiteb unto her, but Demeter’s expression softened somewhat when Kassandra shifted slightly her skirt rode up allowing Demeter to see  her daughter's thigh where some fresh red cuts lay on her flesh. Seeing them made the reality of it all sink in much deeper for her.The elevator dinged as the golden art deco doors slide open and Demter stepped inside and pressed and held down on a button.

She didnt care about, Kassandra...she was going to leave her here.

After a while she sighed and stepped out again, knelt down in front of her daughter and said.

“Kassandra, i’m keeping the doors open for you, come in” she nodded in the direction of the elevator behind her

Kassandra sniffled and looked up at her mother, her eyes wide with emotions glistening with tears.

“Really”

“No, I am just standing here waiting for someone else called Kassandra to get in. Of course you!” she said, chuckling sadly making Kassandra smile which then just made Demeter smile.

Kassandra stood up and collected her things from the ground while Demeter walked back inside and kept pressing the button to hold the doors open. She walked inside and stood beside her mother as the doors closed.

“Thank you” Kassandra whispered softly, her gaze looking down at her converse. 

Demeter looked down at Kassandra with pain and guilt “So, hm…those m-marks on your legs Kassandra. You did those?” 

Kassandra looked up at her biological mother, her eyes wide and her baggage around her made the teenager look like a little girl.

“Yes” she squeaked 

“Forgive me but, why did you…that?” Demeter asked with a hint of maternal worry in her voice.

Kassandra looked up slightly and shrugged “When..you dont know what to do with the monumental amount of pain your feeling, you would do anything to feel again… just exist in something other than numbness.

Demeter sighed and nodded, looking back up at the closed doors as the elevator began to hum to life, and they began to climb the floors. “I understand. When I feel that kind of pain, gardening always helps me. More people should do it, you know? 6 months hard labor can do wonders for the soul…mortal or godlike you know- “ she looked back down and frowned.

Kassandra had looked up at her and was giving her a look. This kind of look was one people gave when they heard the most stupid responses in their lives. Kassadra thought it was totally unfair for Demeter to apply her methods onto her child when this was the first time the two had met.

Demeter closed her mouth, frowning. She was kinda ticked off that her daughter seemed to refuse her advice, the first advice she had ever given her too. Then again… she knew how much first impressions mattered. Her entire childhood was stuck inside her fathers stomach, sharing what little space there was with her 5 siblings.

She had grown to dislike Hades naturally as they had polar opposite interests. She dreamed of the sun and fields with flowers and grains. He on the other hand had a great interest in the darkness of Krono’s stomach, the doom and gloom entertained him but it would have been much better if there wasn't food and squishy walls too.

The small but grand elevator finally emerged from the empire state building, bursting into the daylight to join the sun. The speakers in the corner still seemed to work, maybe Apollo fueled magic? Kassandra knew this because the song ‘Rocket Man’ by Elton John began to play. Leave it to magic speakers to make her cry. 

Higher and higher the small box went into the quickly thinning air. Kassandra could see a crack of the world just through the doors in the elevator. She could see a strip of some street in New York, she could imagine Connor back at camp crying over her departure… ‘And I think it's gonna be a long, long time

'Til touchdown brings me 'round’  it probably was going to be a long time until she returned to camp… that was if she ever did. ‘I miss the Earth so much, I miss my wife’. Kassandra was already missing camp and earth… Katie and Mirriandra have to pull a little bouncing George from her bed in the mornings. Brekkie at camp and watching Connor as he gave his dad peanut M&M’s. Connor…Oh gods she hoped she had done the right thing by not telling him and putting it all in a letter. What if she shouldnt of told him and only addressed the letter to Katie or Piper or maybe even just Chiron.

There was always the possibility that she just shouldnt of written a letter full stop. She didnt know what was going to happen but she wanted to get better, if not for herself then for the ones who loved her.

When the song ended the wiped a few tears away, she hoped her mother wouldn't see but that fear was snuffed when a soft ‘ding’ rang out and the doors to Mount Olympus opened…

Chapter Text

Kassandra had been to Mount Olympus only once before, during the battle of Manhattan. The Olympus she had seen was war-torn and battle hardened. The one before was nothing like it, Annabeth really had been hard at work because the Olympus that stood before her was beautiful. Simply  Exquisite, picturesque.

Demeter sniffled slightly when she saw Olympus. When she had gone down the elevator, she had been giving away her daughter, now she was taking one in.

She naturally stepped forward and led the way across the precarious stepping stones. She made sure Kassandra could make the slight jumps carefully. Kassandra smiled when she saw the first acts of care being laid upon her making her feel better instantaneously. 

The mother and daughter reached the main street of Mount Olympus. It was dazzling to say the least. There were palm trees in the middle of the road with giant signs that lit up with a divine glow. ‘Hephaestus TV HQ’ was highlighted on a big sign that was in the shape of a TV with two hammers for the antenna. ‘Predicted Strings’ was another sign, the balls of yarn and knitting needles jutting out of them. She guessed that was fate perhaps? The biggest building was a giant skyscraper with a set of wings on one side that fanned out and a staff with two snakes curling around it that spanned from the pavement to the top floor. ‘HERMES EXPRESS’ read the giant silvery blue letters that sat on the glass. The building's wings pulsed steadily but the building stayed grounded in the Olympian ground. Kassandra always assumed the ground would be clouds but, nup. Just straight concrete paved the high street. What a let down!

Demeter led her along the path but she didn't need to. Just by simply existing on the footpath people swerved around Demeter. Some whispered “That's Demeter!”, “She must have just given Persephone away, poor thing.” , "Who's that with her?”

They stopped in front of a store that Kass could tell was a bakery, inside its shop front windows sat rows of cakes and cookies, breads of all shapes and sizes, rolls and buns, icing and sugar galore. Her stomach rumbled, She hadn't eaten since yesterday dinner time.

Demeter smiled softly and looked down at her.

“What would you like, my child?” 

“Oh, uhm…could I have that thing?” 

Kassandra pointed out some kind of cinnamon roll that oozed custard and was covered in granulated sugar, it looked violently unhealthy.

Demeter nodded without skipping a beat. She stepped into the small high street bakery and Kassie followed in after her quickly. The moment the goddess stepped into the establishment all that sat inside gasped and stared. Apparently it was a big deal to have one of the gods in your store even though Mount Olympus was their home and the only thing it was basically known for. 

The store owners, two nymph sisters with black straight hair with cute little aprons  that had bows on the back. Kassandra thought they looked kind and very nervous. 

“Lady Demeter!” the one on the right said 

“Just the Custard Cinnamon roll please and thank you” Demeter said in a voice that sounded more professional than when Kass had last heard her talk. 

She had a work voice… Kassandra smiled as she looked at the polished floors, her other mother had a work voice.

Which meant in theory that she had trusted Kassandra enough from the very beginning to use her normal voice.  Kassandra liked that. 

“Of course!” the Nymph on the left said, taking the roll with a pair of fancy silver tongs. The nymph on the right held out a cardboard white box with painted roses on it, it was clear they were giving Demeter the best they possibly could. 

The sisters didn't just stop with the first roll, they kept adding more and more of the same kind of pastry into the big cardboard box with the roses. 

“Yes alright, that's plenty, thank you” Still in that official work voice, lips pursed slightly in annoyance and her delicate brows inched closer ever so slightly. 

The sisters looked up and nodded hurriedly. Once they had closed the box they slid it over the counter and smiled up at Kassandras mother. 

Demeter nodded in thanks and then began to reach into her cloak.

“Oh no! Please its on the house!” the nymphs squeaked in unison.

Demeter looked up, her eyes narrowed and her shoulders tensed 

“Pardon me? I assure you that I will provide payment.” 

They tried to speak but she held up a hand and then produced a small bag filled with drachmas, the two Nymphs thanked her profusely. She took the box and handed it to Kassandra with a shrug.  

“You may do with the extra ones as you wish” she said back in her normal voice, that calm and reassuring tone was like a sweet melody to Kassandra and it really did make her feel better. So did the fact that she was holding a box with about 18 diabetes filled rolls.

Kassandra and Demeter walked up the main streets of Olympus again, people cleared the way once more and gawked. Kassandra really didnt like being watched by hundreds of people and she guessed that Demeter knew this because when they stopped at a crossing to let some chariots drive past, she reached out and took Kassandra under her cloak as she grew to give her more space and more cloak.

Kassandra was stunned but took the offer and walked over the crossing inside her mothers cloak. She didn't know where they were going but she trusted Demeter. 

After a while Demeter stopped and shrunk back down to her regular mortal size and unfurled her dark green cloak. 

“Alright my child, no one can see you here but my attendants and they are really quite nice. Kass looked up and nodded softly

“Thank you, where should I put the box?” 

Demeter looked around and smiled.

“Come” she said softly as she walked up the steps to her palace.  

Demeter's palace resided close to the hall of the gods. To reach it you had to go through the olympian main streets and then take a right into the apple orchards and through a winding path you would find it. 

The part that Kassandra stood before was thick foliage behind her and to her right, in front of her was a large stone staircase that curved round to the right, climbing higher as it did and ending on a balcony. From there you could keep walking along the balcony passing statues of Demeter, Persephone and a man wrapped up in a robe.

 Kassandra usually didn't find most men attractive, Connor always said he was the one that got through, with his charm and speed… with the determination of a salmon traveling up stream. 

Oh gods, Connor. Even though she usually didn't find most men attractive she did with this man, he looked kind and thoughtful.

 His statue was placed on an intricately carved dais. Then she remembered the tale of her mother and Iasion. They fell in love after she had Persephone. Zeus was jealous and zapped him, leaving Demeter alone again. 

Kassandra began to climb the steps and stood at the foot of  a similar dais but on this one stood a statue of her mother, the exact same woman she had seen moments earlier, except this one was carrying a bundle of wheat and had a sickle by her side. 

“Here, my dear” The voice of her mother came from behind her, making her turn around. 

Demeter was a few meters away, inside what looked to be a foyer. Her hand on a round table with flowers in a pale pink vase that sat in the middle. 

“Oh…thank you, mum” Kassandra hadn't meant to say the last part but she did.

Demeter inhaled slowly and then breathed out and smiled, like it hurt to hear someone call her that this time of the year. 

“S-sorry” Kassandra muttered as she placed the box down where the goddess had indicated.

Demeter looked surprised and shook her head quickly 

“No no my child, my sweet blossom. Not your fault, please…I'd like it if you called my Mum.” 

Kassandra's smile creeped back onto her face. 

“Alright, I will, Mum.”

They stood there for a moment, something passing between them and then Demeter looked around and made eye contact with a Nymph who was standing at the very end of the balcony at the start of the next wing of the house. 

“Would you bring my daughter something to drink with her custard and cinnamon rolls?” 

The Nymph looked stunned when the words ‘daughter’ left the goddesses mouth but nodded and walked off. 

“Thank you!” Kassandra called out to the Nymph as it left.

Demeter looked around and spotted two birch chairs nearby, she waved her hand and moved and sat tucked into the round table. 

“Please, take a seat. We have much to discuss.

Kassandra took a seat and slowly lifted the lid of the box and lifted out a roll. The nymph came back with a tray and put a tea plate down for Kassandra to lay her food upon, she also brought cutlery, napkins and a fancy glass jug of lemonade filled with lots of ice. 

Once the Nymph had departed and Kassandra had thanked her again she began to eat her food. She gasped and looked at the box of the rolls.

“Holy fuck this is really good!” 

Probably not the best thing to say in front of your immortal mother but whatever. Demeter chuckled and poured them the lemonade. 

“I see Theodore has brought you up the true blue Australian way.”

Kassandra blushed with embarrassment and nodded. 

“Yeah, Dad taught me my first swear words at age 3… someone had bitten me in daycare and he said that I wasn't allowed to fight back physically but I sure could cut them down with my words.”

Demeter smiled and chuckled again.

“Oh my…that does sound like him.”

There sat an awkward silence between them. Many unanswered questions wanting to be let free and many answers locked away.

“So, when did you change your name to Kassandra?” 

“Uhm, When i was about 13? Maybe 12… I wanted to go into high school as much as I could.”

Demeter nodded and sipped on her glass of lemonade. 

“Right, o-of course”

Kassandra could tell she didn't really understand but she knew she cared, that was all that mattered to her.

“Now, my child…You came here for help, I will give it but there will be some ground rules."

Kassandra gulped nervously. She could totally understand how people described her mother as the weather, her tone could change in a matter of seconds.

“Yes mother?”

“First, You are not to leave my palace’s grounds, I can't have you traipsing all over Olympus without my knowledge, you're here so I can keep an eye on you and keep you safe…and to keep you from trying to hurt yourself again."

Kassandra chewed on her bottom lip, she knew that she was right of course but that didn't mean she liked hearing it said back to her.

“Second, I'll have nymphs check on you regularly in your room, when i cant”

Kassandra nodded, that sounded good, nice even. She would like to have someone just sit with her for a bit and chat.

“Third… you need to try and actively get better,  there are support groups here in Olympus, believe it or not, there's therapists and people who can help you, if I can't take you to them I'll have one of the Nymphs take you.”

She sighed, Kassandra knew that part would be hard but it was the whole reason she had come here so she couldn't really say no.

“Last thing, you're not at camp so you won't be training and getting in that important daily exercise. So I will facilitate it here. With the transition from Summer to Autumn there will be plenty of leaves to be raked, small things like that. I’m not asking you to keep training, I understand that putting a lot of pressure on you with sweating causes gender dysphoria. But… if you do want to do some training there are places here that I can let you use. Perhaps I could show you how to use more of your powers? If you can harness them correctly you won't need to train as much?”

Kassandra smiled and looked up.

“Wait Really?! That would be great! Thank you so much Mum!” she yelled and jumped forward and hugged Demeter tightly. 

Demeter’s eyes widened with surprise but she quickly wrapped her arms around her daughter and smiled.

Chapter Text

Once their quick meal and chat had ended Demeter showed Kassandra her room.

It was up another set of stairs, in the west wing of the palace. Once you mounted the stairs you were in a square room, that was the parlor. Then on the left and right hand side were doors, both were bedrooms. 

Her bedroom was the right set of doors. It was a beautiful room, Square with the queen size bed on the left wall, opposite on the east and south walls. It was all open arches with simple sheer curtains in front of them that could be pulled back.

In the corners next to the open arches where wooden door panels all folded up, Kassandra assumed that was for when it got colder. 

The bed was surrounded by the trunks of two trees at the foot, and the canopy that would usually be fabric was an actual canopy of leaves with ivy that hung down as the curtains she could tie back.

Damn that was such a good design, why hadn't she thought of ivy curtains and a leaf canopy for her bed back at camp?

She spun around slowly and smiled. The room really was beautiful.

“So…this will be your room for the duration of your stay here, daughter.” Demeter straightened up and gave her a quick smile.

Kassandra looked up, an inquisitive look upon her face. 

“You know you can call me by my actual name…not just “Daughter” and “Child of mine” right?” 

Demeter paused and looked at her incredulously. But then her expression softened and she sighed.

“Yes, I suppose that's custom in your generation my dear” 

“Yeah…” My dear” isn't really any better mum…”

She pressed her lips together and nodded.

“Yes, point taken.”

Kassandra smiled and then Demeter smiled. 

“So, my attendants, ladies in waiting if you will. Will be checking up on you in the morning and just before you go to bed and then during the night while you sleep… to make sure you're in bed and not…harming yourself honey, okay?”

Kassadra nodded.

“Yes mum, I understand. Thank you”

Demeter smiled and patted the top of her head and then stepped back.

“Well dear, i would stay but i have very important work to do with the Horae.”

She tapped her foot a couple times and then pushed the box of cinnamon roll tarts forward on a small table in between them.

“Keep them, there all yours now”

“Really?”

“Yup…enjoy sweetie” 

Kassandra nodded and gave her a quick wave.

“Thank you mum…for everything” she said softly

Demeter's eyes twinkled like a drop of morning dew on a leaf, she didn't have to take care of Kassandra. She could have refused her and kicked her to the curb like all the gods did with their kids.

But she didn't, maybe because she felt kind… it might have been because her other daughter Persephone had just left and she wanted a replacement daughter for the colder months… or it might have been because she genuinely wanted to help her daughter.

Kassandra didn't know her mothers reasons but she was grateful anyway.

Demeter turned around and walked through the threshold and then turned and left down the stairs, her steps echoed out and reverberated in the antichamber between the two twin bedrooms as she left.

Once she couldn't hear her mothers footsteps anymore she opened the cage she had been keeping her bunnies in and let them roam around the room and sniff around.

The day passed with Kassandra exploring her room to familiarize herself with what would need to become her safe place and sanctuary while she was here. 

When she walked through the open arches that led onto the balcony she could look down into a small garden courtyard filled with lush green bushes and Lavender growing in the middle planter box.

There was a small garden path that winded throughout the greenery but eventually met with a small wooden gate that when you unlocked the latch you could walk right to the end of the rich dark earth and meet the end of mount olympus.

 Kassandra couldn't approach the cloudy ledge for the main reason being that there were rose bushes that lined the cut off, thorns twice as large than regular mortal roses you would see in a florist's front shop window.

She assumed this was a unique experience and that other ledges that led down into the metropolitan streets of New York as Demeter had made all the places she could reach within the palace grounds safe for her.

There was also a shed, when you walked down a set of stone stairs that were attached to the end of the balcony and then entered the small courtyard garden towards the right.

 against a wall covered with ivy and wisteria a small rectangular wooden building with a low steeped roof and a wooden door with a window built into it.

Inside were bags of soil and a cabinet filled with all different types of seeds from all over the world in small packages with writing identifying what it was, and a picture of the plant when it would be grown.

There were absolutely no sharp objects like snippers or trowels. She had two spades, one a hand held one and the other was a longer one she could use to dig much bigger holes. 

Kassandra wasn't sure if she felt like gardening at the moment, to be perfectly honest she didn't know what she was feeling or how she was supposed to feel currently. 

Guilt? For leaving the boy she loved alone with nothing but a note as a good bye?

Shame? For leaving the place that had welcomed her given her life long friends… and shame for leaving her friends…

Resentment? Towards the person who had taken her in for not being a part of her life more? 

Maybe if Demeter had been a mother to Kassandra, she wouldn't have hurt herself…maybe Kassandra wouldn't have raided the infirmary for sleeping pills . . . when Will was busy helping a patient.

She regretted that now but at the time she had definitely felt that just falling asleep and not waking up again would have been a viable option. 

She now saw that it wasn't and would have hurt people she loved and it was a permanent solution to a temporary problem. 

A temporary problem that hurt so so so much that it almost killed her. Yes.

But it was temporary indeed, when she got back to Australia like she did every year, she was going to be getting her first dosage of Estrogen…

It had been a long fight for it, court trials that didn't work out and Sarah, her other mother.

 (step mother technically but not to Kassie.) to pull some strings at her work as a doctor to get an appointment at a private endocrinologist.

 A letter from her therapist saying that HRT was the best and next course of action, and then she was clear to start taking the pills daily.

Of course she had to go to camp which was a problem because it put off her being able to take her gender affirming care by 2 months but when she got back…she knew it would be all her and she would finally be able to become herself.

• Breast development.

• Body fat redistribution

• Softening of skin/decreased oiliness

• Thinning and slowed growth of body and facial hair

Those were the main factors that she was most excited about in that order.

She spent the next hour slowly unpacking and talking to Julian and Arabella who were on the bed rolling around and leaving soft wisps of fur on the pillows. 

Kassandra knew that she would wear most of the clothes she brought, but inside the wardrobe were 3 simple white dresses, sleeveless, white cotton that flared out at the waist…

The exact kind of dress she would wear at camp except they had no colour, she didn't mind that though.

Having no colour gave the dresses a traditional look, like if an Ancient Greek chiton and a 1950s dress had a baby.

Traditional from very different time periods but still, Traditional.

Once she was done she had another three of the cinnamon custard crack doped up ecstasy rolls that were the best thing she had ever tasted in her 15 years of living.

The clock on her monster proof phone, courtesy of the bad boy supreme, Mr Leo Valdez. It read 12:33 PM.

She laid down into her bed and took a big breath and then sighed and began to cry quietly.

It had been a very long emotional morning and she just needed this. She just wanted to be better and the thing she wanted most was her boyfriend Connor to be next to her and wrap his arms around her.

A thing he did frequently back at Camp Half-Blood whenever she needed it, which was apparently whenever he felt like it. 

At the nightly campfire? Check. Hanging out in the strawberry fields with friends? Check. Alone in Hermes cabin sleeping in his bed after a long day of training? Check.

Kassandra fell asleep with both her small fluffy bunnies cuddled up beside her next to her tummy.

When Demeter had left Kassandra's room and walked down the stairs she had walked all the way to her office and began to fill out some paperwork that needed to be completed before she could start.

Things about farms at risk and what to do when the frost hit, what not to do and which farms to give up on.

Where water needed to be frozen for the next step in ecological cycles. That kind of thing, but once all the stacks of eco friendly paper had been put into the correct piles.

It was carted off to be filed in the archives of Olympus as the paperwork for the end of summer and start of autumn and winter for that year. Demeter could start her mourning properly.

She walked to the hall where her chariot was kept, she stepped onto the gold and silver platform that was carved to look like a wheat and grains with leaves growing along the edges and picked up the reins. 

The two serpentine Drakons bounded over like great big german shepherds and waited attentively as she secured the reins on them.

The Drakons roared and pawed at the ground when they heard the familiar clicking of the leather and buckles locking in place. It was show time.

“Go” Demeter said to them in a flat expressionless tone and then clicked her tongue a couple times and WHOOSH.

The Drakons unfurled their wings and in the span of half a second they were gone and up in the air, roaring enough to give the engines on the world's largest commercial flights a run for their money.

She flew a couple times of all of Mount Olympus as she began to change into her autumn form for the trip. 

Her once green dress turned blue and frosty.

Her dark green cape that made it look like new shoots sprouted when she walked turned black and clung to her tightly as if trying to protect her from the incoming cold.

 Her eyes glazed over with pain, she reached down and took out her long golden saber and held it high up above her head.

People on the streets of Olympus, gods and goddesses. Minor gods, Nymphs and Satyrs. When they looked up they saw the golden glint and heard the roaring, and the weeping. 

The clouds over the eternal city grew closer, like they too were trying to keep warm from the incoming cold that they would soon bring. 

Back up in the chariot Demeter screamed with a pain that only mothers would understand. It sent waves of sympathy though Hera, her only sister who was also a mother, Hestia in the Olympian throne room sitting by her hearth in the form of a young girl shivered and moved closer to the flame.

Demeter slashed at the air with the golden sword and snowflakes began to fall like blood from the open wounds in the clouds she was making. 

Several Winter type venti surrounded her chariot and swirled around screeching and screaming with glee, Demeter wailed and stomped her foot sending them outwards over Mount Olympus and soon the streets were coated in a thin layer of snow.

With her divine eye sight she could spot that black expensive car now on the highway traveling to L.A to D.O.A Records. They would reach their destination by nightfall.

Demeter screamed with rage again and flung her chariot to the left and descended upon New York city, now just after the morning rush hour with people on their lunch breaks and flocking to the coffee shops and hot dog vendors. 

The city reeked with  happiness and it disgusted her. 

Demeter knew she couldn't put winter on the morals as fast as she could the olympians because they wouldn't be able to comprehend it but she sure could start it.

Clouds gathered quickly over the city when the temperature dropped slightly and she sent cold breezes through the street blocks.

Demeter didn't have complete power over the weather like her brother Zeus did but she sure did have SOME power over it and that power definitely spiked when her emotions spiked too. 

[Next part best read when listening to ‘Winter’ By Vivaldi]

Once the city had started to see what Winter had in store for it that year and she was satisfied. She moved onto her next target…

She traveled the upper half of the globe that afternoon. 

Moving first to  north towards Canada where she could have more effects faster, Ice hardened over the tips of the finger lakes. Lake Ontario dropped a degree as her chariot rode on the waves.

Up in the north of Canada, she took a hard right and went flying forward, hurtling towards the residence of Boras to let him get to work as well. 

She reached the castle-like structure in the middle of Quebec city within minutes, one lap around was all it took for his chariot to be up and in the air, the two exchanged a nod and he rode off with his followers behind him.

He would go left and she would go right. 

Boreas sped along doing the northern parts of Canada and then worked his way inwards towards the midwest in a big spiral, starting what would be the first snow storm of the year.

Demeter took off right, she passed over camp half-blood at the tip of Long island, bearing as much cold as she could down upon its magical barriers and then moved west. Of course as usual only a cold wind blew through the camp's midday lunch, only adding to a certain son of Hermes' sorrow. 

Skating on the icy waters of the Atlantic, she passed over Poseidon's underwater palace and sent a cold shock right down the middle onto his throne. He had been napping on his throne in a Hawaiian shirt when he felt an icy shock on his bottom and jumped up with shock, the god didn't suspect a thing. 

All the waters in the Atlantic began to grow colder for the autumn and winter months, Europe soon had felt the start of her wrath, Fjords in Norway froze over if they weren't already and snow storms began to start in Sweden.  Russia took a big hit with the Volga icing over with her pain and misery.

Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China were next and received snow that would only grow as the end of the year progressed.

Finally Japan and Siberia. Cold fronts moved in on both sides and would meet up soon with snow and ice.

Her work was done and Boreas and the Horae would continue it for her the rest of the season until winter where she would go out again and really show the world who was boss…

Canberra, ACT Australia.

Yarralumla, 6:17 AM

Theodore Brand, Kassandras father sat on the back porch overlooking the oval behind their house that then spread out onto the woods known as ‘Stirling Park’ where Jamie liked to go in the afternoons to find acorns and different kinds of nature items for his dinosaur tanks which were old fish tanks he liked to clean up with Kassandra and then fill with dirt and moss and put plastic dinosaurs in to look like a freeze scene from prehistoric periods.  but when Kassandra was at camp, Sarah, Theodore's wife and Jamie's mother would help him and or Theo would too. 

He had a cup of Coffee resting on the brown painted beam railing of the back porch.

He looked down and in the rose beds below a bud carefully bloomed as the last one, it had been the last bud that hadn't bloomed all spring, but it started now before him.

Of course rose buds don't just pop open but this one just started to break free.

Theodore sighed and took a sip from his cup, sighed, he scratched his beard and looked up at the sky pensively…

“Dont worry, Dee…she’ll come back eventually, you know that.”

Chapter Text