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Self-Doubt And Reunions

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ATHENA RUBBED HER EYES to rid of her sleep as they pulled into a warehouse. She had nearly slept the entire way except for when Klaus stopped for bathroom breaks and to grab some snacks. Obviously, the snacks being innocent humans to which Athena made sure she didn't kill. But it didn't matter because Stefan finished the human off for her.

The girl kept telling herself that killing those werewolves was for the best. She had to grow up and get over it, moving on. Her family was one of the most powerful beings in the entire world and she had to learn that there would be times where she would have to kill to survive.

Klaus stopped the car and they all got out.

"Welcome back to Chicago, Stefan," he said.

"What are we doing here?" Stefan asked as the three went over to one of the doors.

Klaus opened it and through it, you could see the tall buildings that caressed the sky. Athena gazed and rubbed her eyes again.

"I know how much you loved it here. Bringing back memories of the good old ripper days?" Klaus replied.

"Blacked out most of them. A lot of blood, a lot of partying. The details are all a blur."

"Well, that is a crying shame. The details are what make it legend." Stefan was silent as he thought over, trying to remember even the smallest detail, but couldn't. "Chicago was magical."

"Yeah, well, I'll take your word for it. Like I said, I don't remember most of it," Stefan told him, walking away from the door.

Athena sighed. "Can we just get down to business, please? I kinda still tired."

"Soon sister," Klaus replied, closing the door.

"Why am I still with you? We had our fun, your hybrids failed. I mean, don't you want to move on?" Stefan asked.

Klaus smirked and started to walk back to the car. "We're going to see my favorite witch. If anyone can help us with our hybrid problem, it's her."

Athena and Stefan watched him and then the younger hybrid sighed.

"I'm surprised any witch likes you."

---

She had gotten the rest she needed and the next morning, Klaus drove her and Stefan to an unfamiliar place. It was a bar and Athena didn't feel so sure about going inside, considering that she was underage But once they entered, she realized that the place was empty and the blinds were closed, making the place look dim. It was completely quiet which unnerved her.

"Looks familiar, doesn't it?" Klaus said to Stefan

"I can't believe this place is still here," Stefan mused.

Athena huffed and looked around. She was tired of following her brother around all the time and the fact that he used Stefan like a lap dog. But - naturally - the girl bit her tongue and didn't say anything.

"You got to be kidding me," someone said.

Everyone turned to see an older lady with white hair and dark skin. Klaus smiled.

"So a hybrid walks into a bar, says to the bartender-" he started.

"Stop. You may be invincible, but that doesn't make you funny." She started to walk over to them. "And besides. I wasn't talking about you." She looked over at Athena and smiled. "You're the Nyx. The youngest Mikaelson sibling. The Queen of wolves."

Athena looked surprised that she knew. But she was confused as to why she called her the Queen of wolves. Klaus looked annoyed.

"How come every witch has heard about my sister and I just learned a few months ago?"

"Because it was just a legend. No one thought it was true until word got around that there was another Mikaelson sibling that awakened after a thousand year sleep. Then people started to talk, and found out that Athena was indeed the female Nyx of the legend."

Stefan looked impressed and Athena looked uncomfortable that she was put into the spotlight.

"You're Gloria," Stefan realized. "Shouldn't you be..."

"Old and dead?" Gloria guessed, looking from Athena to Stefan. "Now if I die, who's going to run this place, huh?"

"Gloria's a very powerful witch," Klaus told him.

"I can slow the aging down some. Herbs and spells." She saw Athena's shocked face. "But don't worry, it'll catch up to me one day."

"Stefan, why don't you go and fix us up a little something from behind the bar?"

Stefan looked at him and knew that there was no point in arguing. "Yeah, sure thing."

He went over to the bar and Klaus, Athena, and Gloria sat down at one of the booths.

"You look ravishing, by the way," Klaus complimented with a smirk.

Athena scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Flirting isn't going to help your case, Nik."

Gloria smiled at her sass and then looked at Klaus with a straight face. "I know why you're here. A hybrid out to make more hybrids? That kind of news travels as well."

"So what am I doing wrong? I broke the curse," Klaus pointed out.

"Obviously you did something wrong. Look, every spell has a loophole, but a curse that old...We'd have to contact the witch who created it."

"Well, that would be the original witch. She's very dead."

Athena's ears perked up and she recognized that the Original witch was her mother. But the younger hybrid didn't say anything as the two continued to talk.

"I know. And for me to contact her, I'll need help. Bring me Rebekah," Gloria said.

Athena looked up and her eyes widened. Her sister? Athena's heart started to race as she nearly started jumping up and down from joy. Klaus needed to bring Rebekah back which meant that Athena could see her again.

"Rebekah. Rebekah is a bit preoccupied," Klaus replied.

"She has what I need. Bring her to me," Gloria demanded calmly.

Klaus made a face and Athena smiled at the thought of seeing her sister again.

"What is this?" Stefan called out to them, making the three turn to him.

"Well, I told you, Stefan. Chicago's a magical place," Klaus reminded with a smirk.

"But this is me. With you."

He showed him the picture. Athena peered over and saw it. The picture was of Stefan with his arm around Klaus's shoulders in the 1920s.

---

They had gone back to the warehouse and Stefan was still shocked as he tried to process the information, holding the photo in his hand.

"This doesn't make any sense. Why don't I remember you?" Stefan asked as he followed him and Athena.

The girl was downright bored out of her mind. She wanted her sister back which made Klaus think that she didn't enjoy his company (because Klaus hated the thought of his sister being annoyed by him or even hating him).

"You said it yourself: that time had a lot of dark holes," Klaus pointed out, watching as his sister skipping her way through the warehouse, a smile on her young face.

"No, if you knew me, then why haven't you said anything?" Stefan asked.

"I'm a little busy right now. Memory Lane will have to wait."

Stefan seemed to get fed up and grabbed Klaus's arm, making him and Athena stop.

"What the hell is going on? Answer me," Stefan demanded.

Klaus glared. "Let's just say we didn't get off to a brilliant start. To be honest, I hated you." He took a pause and looked at Athena before looking back at Stefan. "You knew our sister."

"Your sister. So I knew another Original vampire."

"If you can't handle it, then don't ask."

Klaus walked over to a number of coffins which contained the rest of his family. Athena followed after him, with a big grin. Klaus opened one of the coffins and there lied Rebekah with a dagger stabbed in her chest. He smiled and gently touched her face, moving so Athena could see her.

"Rebekah," she whispered, smiling, tears filling her eyes.

Stefan peered over and his eyebrows furrowed. "I don't recognize her."

"Well, don't tell her that. Rebekah's temper is worse than Nik's," Athena told him with a slight laugh.

Klaus smiled and pulled out the dagger from her chest.

"Time to wake up, little sister." She stayed lying there and the greyness of her skin and the veins did not disappear. "Any day now, Rebekah."

Rebekah still did not wake up and Klaus looked at Stefan.

"She's being dramatic," he explained.

Athena still stared at her older sister. Rebekah was the only sister she had actually. She would've had another, but she was told from a young age that her other sister had died of the plague.

The younger hybrid remembered Rebekah as clear as day. She remembered the comfort her sister gave her, the way she always helped her when they wove baskets. Rebekah was usually the one who helped calm her down if she was upset about something. And she always told Athena that "us girls need to stick together".

"Look, why don't you just tell me what the hell is going on?" Stefan asked, still pissed. "I mean, you obviously want me here for a reason, right?"

"Well, you have many useful talents," Klaus said.

"Do I?"

"In fact, I learned some of my favorite tricks from you." They started to walk away and Athena frowned before following, giving her sister one last look. "I was your number one fan."

"Why should I believe any of this?" Stefan asked as he followed

Klaus stopped in front of a guardsman and compelled him. "When she wakes up, tell her to meet us at Gloria's Bar. Then volunteer your carotid artery and let her feed until you die."

The guardsman nodded and Athena sighed. "It just had to be the carotid artery didn't it?"

Klaus shook his head smiling and grabbed his sister's hand, leading her out of the warehouse.

"Where are you going?" Stefan asked, following.

"You think I'm lying, Stefan. You and I knew each other. You trusted me with one of your secrets and now I'm going to prove it to you," Klaus explained.

"How?"

"We're going to your old apartment."

---

They arrived at Stefan's old apartment and Klaus smiled. "What a charming little homestead." They got to the door and he stopped, feeling something. He saw that the lock was broken and then kicked open the door, walking inside. He held a finger up as he looked around. "Do you feel that?" He turned to Stefan and Athena who both felt the same thing.

"It's been vacant for decades, Nik. People must break in all the time," Athena pointed out, walking into the room.

"Why'd you bring me here?" Stefan asked, walking further into the room.

Klaus looked around as he explained. "Your friend, Liam Grant, the one who drank his wife's blood...I never could figure out why you wanted his name. And then you told me your little secret. It was all part of your special little ritual."

"To write it down," Stefan realized.

"And relive the kill...over and over again."

Athena shuddered. "That's pretty dark, Stefan."

He didn't respond and the two followed Klaus as the hybrid opened a hidden door. Athena gaped in shock and Klaus turned to them.

"You believe me now?"

Stefan entered the closet to see the list. He turned his head but neither Klaus nor Athena knew that Elena was in the closet. Klaus walked back into the apartment, looking around, Athena following his action. She looked around and ran her hand over a dusty book. There wasn't much in the apartment but the younger hybrid could smell a familiar scent. But she couldn't pinpoint where it can from.

"Look what I found," Stefan called out. He grabbed out a bottle and gave it to Klaus. "1918. Single malt."

Stefan stood in the doorway of the secret room for a moment while Klaus smiled.

"My favorite. Let's go and find someone to pair it with," he said.

Athena sighed, shaking her head. Stefan closed the closet and followed the two out of the room.

---

The bar was now full when they arrived and Klaus led the two over to the bar. Gloria gave him and Stefan a beer while she gave Athena a glass of lemonade, to which the girl smiled gratefully.

"Where's Rebekah?" Gloria asked, washing a glass with her cloth.

"She'll be here. I can't just conjure her on demand," Klaus replied. Athena smirked slightly and took a sip of her drink. Klaus looked at Stefan who had been acting odd since they came back from the apartment. "What's with you? I thought Chicago was your playground."

"So this is why you asked me to be your wingman? Because you liked the way that I tortured innocent people?" Stefan guessed.

Klaus smirked. "Well, that's certainly half of it."

"What's the other half?"

Klaus took a sip of his beer. "The other half, Stefan, is that you used to want to be my wingman."

Stefan didn't reply and Athena moved the ice in her cup with the straw. She was anxious to see Rebekah again but the older sibling still hadn't woken up from her slumber, which made Athena feel a bit disappointed. On top of that, the girl felt like she was useless. She was young, naive, innocent (sort of), and too kind to everyone.

And to think that she was supposed to be this "Nyx" thing and the Queen of werewolves. It was stupid. She was weak and young. Athena was stuck being 13-years-old.

But she wanted to be strong. She wanted to be able to take care of herself.

She had to

---

Stefan and Klaus continued to drink as Athena sipped on her second glass of lemonade. It was the first time she had tried the beverage and she loved it.

"So I'm confused. If we were such great friends, then why do I only know you as the hybrid dick who sacrificed my girlfriend on an altar of fire? Huh?" Stefan asked, tilting his glass a bit.

"All good things must come to an end," Klaus told him. "I compelled you to forget Rebekah and me and all of the fun we had."

"You compelled me to forget?" Stefan repeated in disbelief.

"It was time for Rebekah and me to move on. Better to have a clean slate."

He drank the last of his glass and Athena put a hand on her cheek, supporting her head on it.

"But why? You shouldn't have to cover your tracks...unless you're running from someone," Stefan said.

"Storytime's over," Klaus told him.

Stefan turned his head and saw Damon, who motioned to come over to him. Damon then walked behind a wall, waiting for Stefan to join him. Stefan then looked at Klaus who was watching his sister with concern.

"I need another drink. A real one," Stefan said, then got up and left.

Athena didn't look at Klaus as he moved into the seat next to her.

"Alright, you're giving me the silent treatment. What did I do wrong?" he asked.

"You didn't do anything wrong," she told him, lifting her head back up but didn't look at him. "I'm not good enough Nik. I'm not like you. I'm not strong, I'm weak. I can barely even drink from someone without feeling guilty-"

"Don't say that. You are strong and you are good enough. And trust me, you don't want to be like me." He turned her head toward him. "Don't think any of that nonsense alright? I know for a fact that Rebekah wouldn't either." She smiled and Klaus kissed her on the top of the head just as Damon slid into the seat next to him. "I see they've opened the doors to the riff-raff now."

"Oh, honey, I've been called worse," Damon replied.

Athena tensed at his presence and glared. She had found out that he was willing to sacrifice her if that meant saving Elena, which made her upset. But the younger hybrid didn't let it affect her. Damon and Elena weren't part of her pack anyway.

"You don't give up, do you?" Klaus said, smirking.

"Give me my brother back...You'll never have to see me again."

"Well, I am torn. You see, I promised Stefan I wouldn't let you die, but how many freebies did I really sign up for? And clearly you want to die, otherwise, you wouldn't be here, plus you were willing to kill my baby sister to keep Elena safe so..."

Athena could tell he was angry but she didn't bother to stop him. Damon deserved it anyway. Damon put his hand up and then hit the counter lightly, looking at Klaus with a smirk.

"What can I say? She deserved it."

Athena growled and went to lunge at him but Klaus beat her to it, clutching Damon's throat. He got up and lifted Damon off the floor by his throat.

"Oh, dear, what was that? I'm a little boozey, so you'll forgive me if I miss your heart the first few tries." He picked up a toothpick and stabbed it in Damon's stomach, making Damon grunt in pain. Athena smirked from behind her glass. "Ohh! No, that's not it. Hmm." He stabbed him again. "Ohh. Almost." He angled the toothpick upward toward Damon's heart with a glare.

"Your sister is a little freak. Let's see how long she lasts before she gets herself killed," Damon taunted.

Klaus threw him backward and Damon crashed on top of a table, breaking it, and landed on the ground on his back. The Hybrid glared and went over to him, ripped off a leg of a chair, and crouched over Damon.

"My sister's a freak huh? Well, what about that little doppelganger you pinned over? Last I checked, she had to depend on others to save her. At least my sister can take care of herself."

With one hand, he held Damon down and used his other hand to raise the makeshift stake. Athena made a sound of satisfaction and watched as Klaus was about to kill Damon, but then Gloria intervened and lit the stake on fire, making Klaus throw it, being burnt by it.

He looked at her with an unimpressed look. "Really?"

"Not in my bar." She pointed outside. "You take it outside."

Damon tried to sit up but Klaus pushed him back down and looked at him.

"You say one more nasty thing about my sister. I'll make sure stabbing you with a toothpick will be child play compared to what I'll do to you," Klaus threatened, taking his hand off Damon. He went over to Athena and grabbed her hand. "Come on."

---

Klaus entered the room in the warehouse full of his family's coffins to find that Rebekah's coffin was empty. The dead guardsman was nearby and he smirked, looking around.

"Rebekah...It's your big brother. Come out, come out, wherever you are."

Rebekah flashed over to him and stabbed him with the dagger. "Go to hell, Nik!"

He sighed and removed the dagger, dropping it to the floor. "Don't pout. You knew it wouldn't kill me."

"Yeah, but I was hoping it would hurt more," she hissed.

"I understand that you're upset with me, Rebekah...So I'm going to let that go. Just this once. Brought you a little peace offering. You can come in."

Stefan came in but still looked at Rebekah confused.

"Stefan..." Rebekah trailed off in astonishment.

Klaus went over to Stefan and compelled him. "Now you remember."

Stefan blinked and then looked over at Rebekah who was smiling.

"Rebekah."

He walked closer to her before Klaus stopped him.

"Stefan."

Stefan stopped and turned to face Klaus.

"I remember you. We were friends," Stefan realized.

"We are friends."He looked at Rebekah with a smile. "Now for another gift. But for this one, you need to close your eyes."

Rebekah glared at him but did as she was told. Athena walked into the room, getting her cue. She tried to cry in shock as she went over to Rebekah. The younger hybrid stopped in front of her and took a deep breath.

"Rebekah?"

The older sister opened her eyes in shock and tears instantly filled her eyes when she saw the face of her younger sister.

"Athena?" Athena started to cry and hugged her sister who also started crying. "You're alive. You're here."

"I'm alive. I'm okay," Athena told her as the two embraced. "I've missed you so much, Bex."

Rebekah held her sister close and tried to stop crying. "I've missed you too, Ena."

Klaus watched with a smile and Stefan watch with a surprised look. He didn't truly understand what the younger girl meant to the Mikaelson siblings.

And he didn't truly understand what they would do if something were to happen to her.

---

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