𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐀 | 𝐬. 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞

46

"Athena,"

"No! No, you're a condescending prick, okay? In case you weren't aware of this, you're not a saint. You have skeletons in your closet just like any one of us, and you would think that after so long, you'd realize it's not always as easy as right and wrong."

Anger and hurt flashes in Stefan's eyes and he takes a step towards her, looking down into her blazing irises. "I understand that it's not that easy, but there's a clear choice here, Athena!"

"So, you're willing to die for Elena? If I hand her over to Klaus all wrapped up with a bow, you're going to run after them and save her life and be killed in the meantime? Klaus won't spare you because you have empathy, okay? He's been trying to break his curse for a thousand years, and that's a hell of a lot more time than you've spent with Elena fucking Gilbert."

Athena scoffs, feeling tears burst over her waterline onto her flushed cheeks. "All I'm doing is looking at the big picture, Stefan. What has Elena ever done for any of us? She's spent her whole life hating me and making sure I was as miserable as possible, and the second you and Damon get to town, her mere existence causes problems between all of us,"

Stefan tries to speak, perhaps to calm her steady stream of tears she's not bothering to hold back anymore, but Athena doesn't let him get a word in.

"If we let Klaus kill Elena in the sacrifice, everything will be fine. We– we can graduate high school, we can go on and have a life, we'll be at peace, Stefan. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"

She drops her head into her hands, her shoulders trembling with her cries.

"Athena," He rests a hand on her shoulder and she pulls away from him, looking up at him with glassy brown eyes.

She looks at him with wide, wet eyes, looking more lost than ever. "Do you love her? Is that it? You have feelings for her still?"

"No," Stefan says immediately, looking appalled at the thought. "Athena, I would never do that to you,"

She shrugs her shoulders, using the sleeves of her sweater to wipe her cheeks off. "God," She shakes her head defeatedly. "You know, I thought after Caroline I'd never have to go through this again."

Stefan looks at her, regret pooling in his green eyes as Athena steps around him. "Sweetheart, please,"

She looks over her shoulder at him, a heart-wrenching look of sadness beaming in her eyes as tears stutter across her cheeks one by one. "Everyone always chooses Elena,"

She doesn't wait for him as she leaves the bedroom, hurrying down the stairs as her tears become more steady. She practically stumbles into the living room and falls onto the couch in a heap of sobs that fall flat in the still silence.

She feels like the universe truly has it out for her when she hears a throat clear behind her, and she snaps her head around to look at the intruder. "What? What is it?"

She meets Damon's concerned and apologetic gaze through her blurry one.

"There's, uh, there's someone here to see you,"

Athena sniffs her nose and watches as Damon steps aside, her eyes widening when she sees the smiling blonde and an unfamiliar-looking man standing beside her. "Lexi? How'd you get here so fast?"

Athena stands, her eyes still looking at the man warily. "Who's your friend?"

Lexi sighs, a slight sense of awkwardness coating her features. "Athena, I, uh, well, this is–"

"Apollo!" The man exclaims, making Athena's eyes widen impossibly. "I'm your brother, half-brother, technically. Artemis's twin."

Athena looks at him oddly, her eyes drifting to Lexi. "How do you know him?"