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New Girl in Mystic Falls

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BONNIE STIRRED IN her sleep. And then she sprang up and gasped.

Bonnie looked around as she found herself in the forest, the forest in Mystic Falls to be precise. She heard a twig snap and a head peek around a tree. She could only make out a white dress and brown hair. Bonnie took one step forward, then the figure sprinted away.

"Wait!" Bonnie screamed. She ran after the figure. A shadow danced up a tree. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion yet it did not stop her. She ran to the bottom of the tree and looked up. "Please! I promise I won't hurt you." The head peeked down at Bonnie. This time she could make out the most beautiful green eyes she's ever seen. The figure turned around and jumped off the tree elegantly.

She saw a flash of speed and then a head peeked out unsurely, cautiously. "I'm Bonnie. What's your name?" Bonnie asked softly. The figure showed more of itself, and it was clear to Bonnie it was a girl.

"Athena," the figure answered. 

Bonnie smiled at the young girl. "It's nice to meet you, Athena." 

The girl stepped out completely. Her hair was fair brown tone and had a braid with light blue flowers in them. Her dress clearly indicated that she was not from modern time, coming down to her knees. The girl's green eyes were beautiful. In response to her gazing in awe, Athena smiled shyly.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen anyone for a long time," she apologized.

Bonnie's eyebrows furrowed. "But aren't I dreaming?" 

Athena looked at her curiously. "Yes, I suppose you are." She paused. "Are you a witch?" 

Bonnie nodded surprised. "Yeah, how did you know?" 

"I can sense it." 

The Bennett narrowed her eyes though trying not to intimidate the girl who was still uneasy. "How?" 

Athena shrugged, taking a look around them. "I don't know."  Her voice trailed off into a whisper. The trees swayed in the wind, making Athena's dress flow back before settling.

"Wait if I'm dreaming, why are you here?"

The young girl frowned, still looking around as if she were searching for someone. "I don't know. Maybe the witches want you to do something."

Bonnie gasped. "Are you... are you." Words failed her. She choked and couldn't bring herself to utter the word.

Athena shook her head. "No, I'm not dead. Many years ago, someone took me away from my family and put a spell on me. Preserving my body I assume. I remember a coffin and then darkness. But then I was also in a forest." Athena looked around. "It looked just like this." Then there was a flash, and she was gone.

"Athena!" Bonnie screamed, looking around for the girl. 

While her eyes scanned around her, something caught her eye. A coffin sat in the middle of the forest. Bonnie walked slowly over to it and lifted the lid. There laid Athena, in the same exact attire as Bonnie just saw her in. But there were vines wrapped around her arms and legs, protecting her body from harm.

And then she heard a voice whisper, "Help her Bonnie."

Bonnie looked around her room for any sign of the girl but found none. She jumped up and got dressed, running to her car and driving to the only place she could think of.

———

Elena sat in the boarding room house with Damon and Stefan. The brunette had her knees tucked to her chest, her palms resting on the caps. Damon stood with a glass of bourbon, Stefan sitting next to Elena. They were currently discussing the new threat, Klaus. Without them even so much as laying an eye on him, they knew he was a problem. And it was only a matter of how to deal with him now.

Bonnie ran into the room suddenly, drawing their attention. "Guys, I had a dream." 

Damon rolled his eyes and sipped his bourbon. "So?" 

She glared at him, traveling further through the room. "It was a witch dream. I think they want me to find someone."

The younger Salvatore stood up. "Someone?" His interest was piqued. Whenever the witches reached out, they always had a reason. And perhaps the reason could assist them in killing Klaus before he became a major issue.

Bonnie nodded and explained. "I had a dream about this girl. She um... had brown hair, green eyes, and was wearing a white dress. She told me her name was Athena, she couldn't have been more than 13-years-old. And then she told me how someone took her away from her family and put a spell on her, putting her in a coffin. She could feel that I was a witch too. But then I saw the coffin she told me about. When I opened it, there she was. There were vines wrapped around her arms and legs."

"Can you remember anything else?" Elena asked. 

She nodded. "I heard a voice. It said, 'Help her Bonnie'."

Everyone looked to Stefan and Damon. The eldest Salvatore for one looked intrigued by the news. He must have been thinking the same thing as Stefan was though now Stefan debated against it. After all, if what Bonnie said was true, then their possible solution to their Klaus problem lied in a young girl. "Do you remember where the coffin was?" Damon asked. 

Bonnie nodded. "I think so." 

"Take us there."

———

Mystic Falls was a hub for the supernatural. Several events had taken place in the town, including the woods where miles of trees stretched out so far that you couldn't see the end. There were places that had an eerie feeling if you just stood there. And the place where Bonnie led them had that feeling. Powerful magic surrounded the same area and they all felt it.

Bonnie stopped, second-guessing herself before she nodded, pointing. "It was right here."

Damon and Stefan went to that spot and started digging. Elena came up next to Bonnie as the two of them watched the brothers dig. Then Stefan hit a hard surface as well as Damon. They dropped their shovels and brushed off the dirt to reveal a coffin with a wolf symbol on it, vines surrounding the coffin.

The first thought that came to mind was that this girl in the coffin was a werewolf. A wolf was the last thing they needed at the moment. Damon hit the vines and they shriveled away instantly. 

"Ok that is totally not creepy at all," Damon grumbled sarcastically.

Stefan rolled his eyes and lifted the coffin lid. Bonnie and Elena came over, peering over to see the young girl. She looked just like how Bonnie described her as yet her beauty was more awe-striking in person.

"Oh, my gosh," Elena gasped as she put a hand over her mouth. Her mind swirled. Why would someone do that to a child? How could someone do that to someone who was so young and hadn't even seen the world? She couldn't come up with a logical explanation.

Stefan lifted the girl up. Once he was sure his grip was tight enough, he and Damon jumped out of the hole they dug.

Bonnie nodded, sighing. "That's her." 

———

There were many extra guest rooms in the Boarding House so Stefan had randomly chosen one. He lied the girl down gently, everyone else gathered behind him. Bonnie went to Athena's side, looking over at him.

"Ready?" They all nodded and Bonnie hovered her hands over Athena's body. Her eyes closed. "Praecipio tibi filiam matris natura oriri ignis aquam ventum ad lucem duce natura." Bonnie repeated the chant two more times before the girl sprang up, gasping.

Out of shock, Elena recoiled, holding a hand to her chest to slow her heart rate. Athena calmed down, looking over at Bonnie. She smiled. "Bonnie." 

Bonnie nodded and hugged her. "Yeah, it's me." 

Athena pulled apart from Bonnie, glancing over at the three other people in the room. She felt threatened. Her eyes glowed violet, dark veins under her eyes, and fangs came out. She hissed at them as she moved further away from them even though the bed only let her get so far. Bonnie put her hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Hey Athena, it's ok. These are my friends. This is Stefan, Damon, and Elena."

Her eyes went back to normal, the human features returning. She dipped her head down. All of the people surrounding her at once frightened her. Never had she been around this many people at once in a long time. "I'm sorry."

Bonnie nodded, smiling softly. "It's ok Athena." 

Athena looked back up at Bonnie with fearful eyes. "They won't hurt me right?" The memory of her father slapping her, him driving a sword through her chest while she cried, screaming in agony. Her body froze, her posture showing that she was ready to attack at a moments notice.

"We won't hurt you," Stefan said, as he sat on the bed in front of Athena.

He was clearly a vampire, she could tell. There were sadness and pain swarming in his eyes though he concealed it. She could almost see his past just from a single glance. Red hair flashed across her vision, confusion spreading over her features before she relaxed.

The next person she looked at was Damon. He had the same look but it was hidden deeper. Raven hair and icy blue eyes were his distinguishing features. Athena made a thoughtful sound as she was reminded of her brother Kol. She wondered where he and the rest of her siblings were. Did they know where she was?

In a flash, Athena had Damon wrapped in a hug, tears poking her eyes. Kol. If only she was hugging him. The Salvatore was stunned for a moment before he hesitantly hugged back. Elena, Stefan, and Bonnie were gaping in disbelief. When Athena pulled away, she sniffled to cover her sadness, ducking her head.

"Close your mouth before you guys catch flies," Damon warned, glaring. He appreciated the hug. And he knew that he needed it. But he wouldn't admit that out loud. The three of them closed their mouths and Athena tilted her head in confusion.

"Why would flies go in their mouths?" she asked. 

They all laughed, Damon cracking a smile. "It's just a saying," Elena explained, smiling. Athena looked over at her and realized she looked a look like Tatia, but then she remembered that Bonnie had called her Elena.

Athena saw a look in Elena's eyes and she didn't like it very much. Her eyes narrowed into slits at the brunette, forcing away a growl. Before she could make a single movement, a burning sensation coated her throat. She put a hand there. Stefan looked at Damon and Damon flashed to the basement to get a blood bag. He came back and gave it to Athena. She stared at it confused. Looking at it made her hungry.

How many had she killed when she turned? An innocent girl no more than a few years older than her was the first she recalled. Athena remembered digging her teeth into the girl's neck, ravishing in the taste of her blood. Elijah had pulled her away with the help of Kol. The girl lived. So had she killed anyone?

"What is that?" she asked quietly.

"It's a blood bag. You'll need it to help with your thirst," Stefan explained. 

Athena gulped. "Oh." Memories of her other feedings passed through her mind. She shook her head the rid of it. Each movement she made was watched by them all. It was odd. But they assumed that this girl hadn't lived in years. How long was she in that coffin? Bonnie and Elena left the room, both giving her a small smile. Athena only acknowledged Bonnie's, still wary about the other female.

The blood bag in her hands began to weigh heavier. "Stefan, I think it would be best if you left too," Damon said. "Just in case." 

Stefan nodded and left the room as well. Athena stared for a second before opening the top and drinking the contents. Damon watched as she hungrily gulped it down, her eyes shining bright violet. Once she finished she dropped the bag in horror, her breathing becoming erratic. Damon flash in front of her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Hey, hey. It's ok. You just need to get used to your thirst that's all." 

Athena's eyes filled with tears. She managed a small nod and Damon hugged her. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Damon," Athena whispered, tugging on the bottom of his jacket.

"No problem Athena. Come on let's give you a tour."

———

Damon gave Athena a tour of the Boarding House, letting her know where each room was and the like. Once they finished, Bonnie, Stefan, and Elena were in the living room with someone else. She was a blonde. She smiled at Athena when she walked in.

Athena didn't feel threatened by this girl so she smiled and walked over to her. Athena sensed she was a vampire and Stefan introduced her as Caroline. "It's nice to meet you, Caroline. I'm Athena." 

Rebekah. The only sister she had was a blonde, her personality a bit like Caroline's. Her older sibling was the one she went to when she needed to talk. Rebekah would sit and listen, not interrupting at all. She was the more gentle and softer sibling.

Caroline smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you too Athena. You don't mind me calling you Ena do you?" 

Athena laughed, her eyes brightening at the remembrance of the nickname. "No, I don't. Can I call you Care?" 

Caroline and Bonnie laughed. "That's what my friends call me, so of course," Caroline said.

Athena smiled back, already feeling a connection with Caroline. It was as if each person she met held a connection, some good and others not so much. Stefan, Bonnie, and Caroline were by far the strongest in terms of the good side. And maybe it was because they reminded her of the family she had.

———

The young girl yawned, laying her head on Caroline's shoulder. Caroline laughed quietly and Stefan came over and picked Athena up. "Come on, time for bed." 

Athena frowned and said goodbye to Caroline. She waved over Stefan's shoulder. Caroline smiled and said goodbye too, leaving the Boarding House.

The two females had nearly spent all day with each other. Just talking about everything. Caroline had figured out Athena didn't know a lot of things, so she told her about what things were like in the twenty-first century. Athena had listened to every word, entranced by this new era.

Caroline had asked Athena about her family, but Athena had sobbed uncontrollably. It had taken Stefan, Damon, and Caroline to calm her down. Now they knew not to bring up that subject. The only question that lingered was why the topic was such a sore one.

Athena yawned again as Stefan walked into her room. Her room was located close to Stefan's because Stefan wanted her to come to him if she needed anything. In a way, he felt like he needed to protect her. He waited as Athena grabbed pajamas Caroline bought her and went to the bathroom to get ready. The top was a cream colored shirt that had a black decorative deer on it, and the bottoms were long black pants that went down to her ankles.

Once she finished, she looked confused at the what Stefan and them called a "toothbrush". She huffed and walked out of the bathroom.

Stefan looked up - like he expected it - and chuckled. "Come on. I'll show you how." He got up and he walked to the bathroom. He opened the top to the toothpaste, putting a tiny bit on the brush. Athena watched carefully. Stefan handed it to Athena and she put it in her mouth. Stefan guided her and soon Athena was brushing her teeth with no problem.

Athena spat out the toothpaste and rinsed her mouth with a glass cup of the counter. "See, not that hard," Stefan said. 

She smiled and shrugged. "Guess not. Thank you." Stefan smiled and nodded. Athena used her super speed to flash to her bed. By the time he followed, she was tucked under the covers, pulling them up to her chin. "Goodnight Stefan." 

He walked to the door. "Goodnight Athena. If you need anything, I'm right next door."

Athena nodded and rolled to the side. Stefan smiled once more before closing the door. The young girl was definitely a mystery. Her actions and emotions changed swiftly. One minute she was crying, the next, she wasn't. Her past was unknown as was her family and how she got into the coffin to begin with. But her past would be uncovered in all due time.

———

Who did you like Athena bonding with better?

Caroline?

Bonnie?

Stefan?

Damon?

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