NOT ALLOWED

CHAPTER THREE: DESTRUCTIVE PROCESSES

THE oldest of the three siblings; Athena, liked to believe she wasn't as somber as Apollo, but in more ways than one, they seemed to be the twins of the three siblings.

Apollo was quick to get to business and usually snipped at people that seemed to be wasting his time while Athena was more reserved and tended to get lost in her head among other things.

But on the inside, they were almost identical.

Neither knew how to let out their emotions and neither liked to own up to them.

Irene was the first one to begin the ascent of the long set of stairs, Stan stepping down the first two so he could wait for the rest of them to go up ahead of him, when he saw neither Aidan nor Athena move to start up the stairs he roughly nodded his head hoping to get them going.

They didn't.

"Athena..." he warned his voice low to try and keep Irene from hearing him, Apollo glanced over his shoulder currently aware of the situation taking place, she shook her head with a scowl planted across her face before following after her younger brother, Aidan still refused to go.

Stan crossed his arms over his chest and gestured to his son, "Ares, now." the boy looked up at him his blood coursing throughout every corner of his body, he wanted nothing more than to beat the look off his fathers face.

Nothing more than to watch the blood drip as his father groaned out in agony and he finally realized how much he'd put all of them through over the years.

"That's not his name." Stan turned to look at Athena, obviously annoyed over her tendency to get into her brothers' business, but, in reality, she was defending them from him.

That was her job.

"That is his name, it's on his birth certificate and identification card." she shook his head, "he already said he doesn't like being called that, why can't you just respect that?" it took everything in him not to raise his voice and yell at his oldest child, he knew that this was especially hard for her, forcing her to come to the one place she'd craved to never hear of again.

But he didn't like the fact that she was questioning his authority.

He would call his son by his name, nothing else.

"Ares, inside with your brother and sister, now." the two siblings begrudgingly moved to start up the stairs mumbling curses beneath their breath as they met Irene's gaze- who currently waited for them at the top with Apollo standing beside her- the older twin glanced off to the side unthankful for the attention that was being cast upon him by his siblings and father.

He preferred none of them bring him into their petty arguments, it was all childish nonsense.

Irene uncomfortably shifted beside him glancing in the direction of the front door Stan was eyeing from his position behind the children as they ascended the long set of stairs.

None of them spoke till they reached the top where Irene seemed eager to cut the line of tension that was forming between all of them, it was only getting stronger by the minute.

"Hurley, do you by chance have any coffee?" he stopped on the next step looking up at her with raised eyebrows before letting out a sigh, "I might, Ares, go check." the boy didn't respond, instead, he trudged up the rest of the steps and paused at the door before quietly sliding the glass door open to step inside.

The first thing that hit him was the smell of bleach.

It was everywhere.

The smell haunted the rooms, and in all of them, the furniture hadn't been moved at all, not even half an inch. It was like their father had tried to pretend that she was still around, that she had gone to go get groceries, and that she'd be coming back shortly.

He hated it.

Stan and Irene came in moments later, both finding themselves spots at the dining room table they sat, waiting for the three siblings to join them.

Athena had stopped at the threshold, she was letting her eyes run over everything, in her head, she could see the scene replaying in front of her, everything about it.

The amount of blood, the height of the man, the sound of the tray clattering, the look on her mother's face as she stumbled to the carpet, and her blood sprayed everywhere.

"Athena." she looked up from the white carpet and met her fathers gaze, he was silently beckoning for her to come to the table, he knew it was hard for her, and if he could have, he would have kept her away from the lake house for the rest of her life.

"Athena, come inside, we have things we need to discuss." the girl let out a sigh and urged her foot to move forward, to slip just past the door, she found it hard to do so as her thoughts screamed for her to stay where she was, to stay away from the house.

Apollo watched from beside the sofa as his sister struggled to make her way inside the empty house, he wanted to reach out and help her, maybe even give her a shove in the right direction.

Instead, he crossed the room and gently grabbed his sister's hands, he met her gaze watching as she stared back with terrified eyes. Giving a small nod, he took a step back carefully taking her with him before he released a hand and reached behind her to close the door.

"There, you see? You're alright." He whispered watching as her gaze flicked away from him and to the living room, the place that haunted her everywhere she went.

Everything looked the same.

The carpet looked like it had never been touched, hadn't been stained, or ruined.

She wanted it gone.

All of it.

Apollo released both her hands- letting his own fall to his sides- before he cast a look towards the kitchen to try and make out where his brother was.

It seemed Ares was taking a bit too long to figure out if there was coffee of any sort, Athena twisted her hands between each other quietly looking from the living room to the kitchen, being in the house was almost overwhelming, and it only grew worse as Apollo led her to the dining room table before heading off to the kitchen to check on Ares.

Neither of the two adults among them spoke for several moments, not until Irene set a small stack of vanilla folders on the table watching Athena for a few seconds before gesturing to them.

The teen stared at the folders- trying to decide whether or not she should pick one up and open it, "go on." Irene spoke, she knew that once the girl looked through the contents she wouldn't question what she had to say, what was being told to her.

Athena silently picked the folder up and held it in front of her, she wanted to open it, but she also knew it wouldn't be anything nice inside.

Taking a small breath, she flipped the cover open and braced herself for the photos and reports she knew had been hiding inside.

The first thing she saw was a mutilated body lying face down on a honey-colored carpet, upon further inspection, she could see that it was a woman, her long brown hair clumped together by her own blood.

She looked up at her father, almost asking if he had known, if he had suggested the idea. "they found your aunt dead in her apartment last Thursday." he stated his expression neutral as he watched her.

Athena glanced at the photo once again, she could make out all the distinct details of Luna now, the small green ring she wore on her index finger, the discolored strands of white hair caused by her chemotherapy as a young adult.

Everything seemed to fade at the corners as she set the folder down and looked up at the two adults, "what does this have to do with us? she questioned her eyes just barely falling to the edge of the table in front of Irene and her father.

"As you can clearly see, your aunt was attacked." he paused looking to Irene for some assistance of sorts, she cleared her throat quietly raising her hands to rest in front of her on the table, "some of the details are still a little unclear, but, we believe you and your brothers are the attackers next targets, specifically you." Athena's world slowed, her brothers returning from the kitchen, Irene continuing on to explain how they'd come to the previous assumption.

"That's why we've decided that each of you require a bodyguard, your brothers will have one to share, as they're usually together, and you will have one of your own." she looked up from the tabletop and narrowed her eyes just barely paying enough attention to know that she didn't like what she was being told one bit.

"When will they be here?" she questioned, Irene smiled back at her, "they're out in the car." looking to the kitchen, she gestured towards the door, "would you send one of the boys to bring them in?"

Stan didn't answer, instead, he stood and made way for the kitchen disappearing inside for a few seconds before returning with Apollo in tow, the two quickly separated after a few seconds, Stan returned to the table and the boy stepped outside disappearing as he descended the stairs.

In what seemed like a lifetime- but was only three minutes- Apollo returned with two men trailing behind him, one, short with a muscular build, while the other was a bit taller and leaner.

Gesturing to the first one, she stood and smiled watching as Ares exited the kitchen quietly stopping beside the dining table, "this is Pietro." the man gave a somber wave and met Irene's gaze.

"Ares and Apollo are your charges, I expect neither a scratch to be inflicted nor a hair to leave their heads, do you understand?" the twins silently watched intrigued and curious as to what the hell they needed Pietro for.

"Yes ma'am." he responded cutting a quick glance to the boys, taking a step off to the side towards the two boys, he let his eyes fall to the next man.

Stan frowned quietly crossing his arms across his chest as he watched Irene smile once again, this was a genuine smile, a smile of accomplishment, a smile that said she was happy with her decisions past and present.

"This is Mitch." she glanced to Athena who still sat ahead of her at the table, the girl moved her gaze to the man feeling the slightest bit uneasy when he met her with a glare that seemed so natural she could've sworn he was looking at someone else.

"Athena is your charge." he gave a slight nod letting his eyes return to Irene, "I expect no harm to come to her, do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am." he spoke his voice clipped with sarcasm that somehow wasn't as apparent as it seemed.

Athena sat up, letting her gaze leave Mitch and flicker to her father, "I'm still not getting what this has to do with me." she stated her voice low as she tried to maintain her calm stature, her father let out a sigh and took a few steps forward.

Standing at the edge of the table, he shuffled through the stack of folders before tossing one in front of her, it slid across the wooden surface just barely resting at the tips of her fingers.

He watched as she picked up the folder and opened it her eyes narrowing at the photo she was met with, looking up at her father she watched as he gestured to the folder.

"That's what you have to do with this."

It was a photo of her mother.

NOT ALLOWED

CHAPTER THREE: DESTRUCTIVE PROCESSES