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014. i always needed you

chapter 14
i always needed you

TW!! mentions of sexual assault

"Has he called?" Sarah questioned John B.

"Have you heard from them?" Pope asked.

"No. Nothing." John B shook his head as he went through his phone.

The sun had set and none of them had heard anything from neither Sage nor JJ. They were now freaking out, knowing they were quickly running out of time.

"We have to go. We don't have eight hours." Sarah informed the group. "Topper might've already called the police."

"Okay. Okay, I'll call him." John B nodded, dialling JJ.

"Wait. That might be JJ right there." Cleo gestured over to the bike speeding towards them.

"That's not JJ." Athena disagreed immediately. The bike stopped in front of them, the driver pulling his helmet off to reveal Rafe with a concerned look on his face. Ward groaned from behind him, falling off the bike onto the ground.

"Hey. You're okay, Dad." Rafe reassured the man, who was in visible pain. "You're okay, Dad. Come on. You're good. Hey. Hey, Dad. Hey, come on. You're okay."

Athena took one look at the man, groaning on the floor covered in blood. She rushed over to help Rafe lift him off the ground, not having the heart to leave him dying.

Rafe looked up at the other pogues, "Come on, help! Help! Don't just stand there. We need some help, please, come on. You got it. Come on. Come on, you got it."

Athena pulled the helmet from Ward's head, trying to lift him with as little pain as possible. Athena put his arm over her shoulder as Sarah rushed over to help them.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Let's go on the plane." Rafe stated. "A fisherman spotted him, all right? They know he's alive. We gotta get him off the island right now."

Athena helped her siblings get the man onto the plane and into a seat. Sarah walked back off the plane as soon as he was comfortable while Athena held back for just a moment. She looked over at Rafe, who nodded that he had it covered. She turned and walked back off the plane.

"Don't worry, he's not coming?" Cleo spoke, saying the words she wants either of the twins to tell her.

"He wasn't supposed to." Sarah panted. "I told you. If he stays on this island, he gets arrested."

"No, no, Sarah. I don't think you understand. I don't know if I can get on a plane with that guy." John B argued.

"Just listen John B." Sarah stated. "This is his plane. I can't stop him from leaving. But he will still give us a ride to Orinoco, so if you don't wanna get on the plane, I get it. We'll find another way."

John B sighed with a shake of his head. "There is no other way." He looked at the other pogues before turning back to Sarah. "Let's go. If you're going, I'm going. It's you and me. Let's get on the plane. Come on, we're getting on the plane. We gotta go."

"With them?" Pope questioned.

"Without JJ, Kie and Sage?" Athena asked.

"Yes." John B snapped. "We don't have any other choice."

"Just stick to the plan, come on." Cleo urged Pope towards the plane.

"You're gonna be alright. You're gonna be alright." Rafe's voice spoke up as he came to the door of the plane. He stopped in his tracks at the sight of Pope. They stared at each other tensely for a moment before Rafe walked down the steps.

Pope stopped him with a hand on Rafe's shoulder. "We're not done."

Cleo stopped him from fighting Rafe, pushing Pope onto the plane. Sarah walked in front of Rafe next, Rafe sending her a pleading look. "Please take care of him."

Sarah didn't say anything as she walked onto the plane. Athena stared at Rafe with a clenched jaw, moving forward and shoving him back.

"You selfish piece of shit." She swore in anger. "I defended you when you murdered a literal human being, okay? Because I know that you have unresolved trauma, that you needed help but destroying someone's heritage, hurting someone I care about's family. You melted the cross and sold it and for that I will never forgive you. Never."

Athena walked past him angrily, stepping onto the plane and sitting down on one of the seats. She watched as John B sat down next to Sarah, Ward passing him to go and talk to Rafe for a few minutes. He came and sat down to Athena, who rolled her eyes as they took off into the air and towards Orinoco.

Sarah cleaned Ward's wounds, bandaging them. "Thank you baby. God bless you. Thank you. John... thank you too. I know you won't believe it, but... you have nothing to worry about from me. Not anymore. I'm just here to help you. All of you. I have a lot to make up for. For what it's worth... I'm glad your father's alive."

No one said anything for a little while, Athena just sitting in silence until her father held a small cookie out to her from the sweet tray in front of him. Athena stared at it for a few moments before taking it from his hand.

"You can't bribe me to speak to you." She stated.

"I know, I can't ask you to speak to me either." Ward nodded in head in understanding. "But you're sat with me for a reason."

"JJ and I broke up, but that doesn't matter I don't know why I'm telling you." Athena rambled slightly. "But um, he went to save our friend Kie, with Sage from a wilderness camp her parents sent her two. And since I don't want to third wheel either of these basically couples I got the choice of sitting alone or with you and I hate being alone."

Ward nodded once more, handing her another cookie. Athena took it with a small smile as he looked over at her. "I only have those on this plane because they were your favourite."

"Yeah, I love them." Athena let out a small sigh. "You know I lied to you."

"What?" Ward looked at her in surprise at her statement.

"When you disowned me, I told you I didn't need you all these times but I lied. I did need, you were my dad, that's—that's why I'm came to you when they happened." Athena spoke with a small frown. "I loved you, you were everything but you hurt me so much when everything went down."

2009

Five year old Athena walked into kindergarten with her head down. She made her way to her seat, trying desperately not to draw attention to herself. Athena took her pencil case out of her bag, her purple and pink sparkly case catching the boy's next to her eye.

"Ew, the freak brought her girly pencil case again." He grimaced, looking up at the teacher. "Can I move please, someone told me this girl could give me a death disease."

A few laughs were heard around the classroom as Athena kept her eyes on her lap. It wasn't anything she hadn't heard before. They picked something new each day, her brown hair, her shoes, her clothes, her books, her stationary, her nose, her eyes. It had been going on for a little while and so Athena had tried so desperately to be normal. She wore the plainest of outfits and used Sarah's stationary because everyone seemed to like Sarah.

Nothing seemed to work.

She tried to ignore it, she tried so hard to ignore everyone, to get them to ignore her. But nothing worked. They always got to her, they always found her in the corner of the room, they always, always found a way.

Athena looked up at her teacher smally, "Can I use the toilet?"

The teacher nodded at her with a small smile. Athena got up, walking out of the classroom and towards the toilet as confidently as she could. She locked herself in the bathroom stall, trying her hardest to keep her tears at bay. It was too much. It had been weeks since it hardest and the students hadn't let up.

She didn't know what was wrong with her. Why everyone seemed to like Sarah, why Sarah had so many friends and she didn't. Everyone hated Athena but she was nicer than Sarah, she was kinder than Sarah.

Athena was more likeable that Sarah.

And yet Sarah was the popular one.

Athena didn't know what was wrong with her. It had to be something, right? Something had to be wrong with her, why else would people dislike her so much?

Athena let out a small breath, turning and leaving the toilet. She walked back into the class, grabbing her bag and telling the teacher she was feeling really ill. The teacher believed her, taking her to the office and left her there while the receptionist called her dad.

Ward turned up quickly, dropping what he was doing at home to rush to the school when he heard his daughter was sick. He smiled at the girl as she approached him. He waited for her to hug him but she never did, she walked straight past him and got into the car in her car seat.

Ward watched her with furrowed eyebrows before following. He got in the car and drove them back home. His confusion grew when they got home and Athena immediately unbuckled herself, jumping out of the car and walking up to the house ignoring everyone as she took herself up to her bedroom.

All Ward heard when he got into the house was the distant sound of Athena's bedroom door slamming shut. He shared a confused look with Rose, who had stepped into the hallway with two year old Wheezie at the noise. Rose shrugged, gesturing for Ward to go see what was up with Athena.

Ward walked up the stairs and down the hall to Athena's bedroom, knocking on the door softly three times.

"Go away." Athena grumbled from where she sat on her bed inside.

Ward ignored her wishes, opening the door slightly to see Athena in her biggest and most comfy jumper, under her covers with tears running down her cheeks. He walked into the room slowly, sitting on the end of her bed with a sympathetic look on his face.

"Athena, what's wrong?" He asked, pulling the duvet covers down slightly so he could see her face fully.

Athena shook her head. "I don't wanna talk about it."

Ward watched her carefully for a few moments before he let out a sigh, "Athena, baby."

Athena sobbed quietly. "They're so mean, dad. They keep picking on me, saying really mean things about me and I—I can't do it. Why? Why are they mean? What's wrong with me?"

"Athena, there is nothing wrong with you, sweetheart." Ward reassured her, moving so he was sat next to her. "Kids are horrible, Athena, you shouldn't let them get to you. And I know that's heard to hear, but the best thing you can do is be you unapologetically."

Athena looked over at her dad, nodding before she fell into his embrace, crying silently until she fell asleep.

The next day, Athena went back to normal – or as normal as she could be – she wore her favourite clothes, took her sparkly stationary and continued to spread sunshine even when people tried to dim her light. There was always a nagging thought in her brain that she was too much, that she was unliked and that there was something wrong with her.

But she chose to trust her father, and in the end, the kids left her alone. And she was just fine.



2011

Athena was running after Wheezie, the two sister messing around. Athena was put in charge of keeping four year old Wheezie happy and out of the kitchen where Rose was trying to cook dinner. The two were outside in the garden. They started with playing a small game of football and were now playing hide and seek because it was one of the Cameron family's favourite games.

Athena picked her baby sister up, spinning her around as they laughed loudly. The brunette placed Wheezie back on the floor, pointing at her.

"Okay, count to ten and then come find me." Athena told her.

Wheezie nodded, covering her eyes and beginning to count. Athena turned on her heel, running to hide behind a nearby tree. She heard Wheezie get to ten and run around trying to find her. When she got close to the tree, Athena started walking backwards.

Wheezie walked behind the tree, catching sight of Athena and smiling widely. "Found you!"

"Ah!" Athena exclaimed, turning and trying to sprint away.

However, what she didn't expect was the massive tree root sticking out of the ground. She tripped over it, immediately doubling over in pain. Her pain grew when Wheezie, who had now caught up to her and grabbed onto the bottom of her shirt also fell, landing on top of Athena's already hurting ankle.

"Ow. Ow. Ow." Athena let out a sharp breath through her nose, tears pricking at her eyes as Wheezie scrambled off her. She stared at her sister with wide eyes before running up towards the house as Athena held her ankle in pain. "Dad! Dad!"

Wheezie ran as fast as she could into the kitchen. "Dad! Athena's hurt!"

Ward spun, looking at his youngest daughter. "Where?"

The two made their way over to Athena, who was still crying. Ward picked her up carefully, Athena clinging onto the man as he put her in the car. He took her to the hospital where she had an x-ray and was told she had broken her ankle.

Ward spent a lot of time with Athena after that, the brunette refusing to leave her dad's side. She went to school and then came home and sat in his office while he worked, considering she couldn't go out with Sarah, Rafe or any of her friends as she couldn't walk very fast on her crutches.

Athena was lonely during the few weeks she was recovering, but she had her dad and he made her time at home as fun as they could be. She was glad she had a dad like him.

2017

Athena stared at a thirteen year old John B in shock as he shoved Samuel Kingston to the ground. She was frozen in place, fresh tears on her cheeks and her back against the wall. The Routledge boy sent her a warm smile, holding his hand out gently and walking her back home. He didn't say anything to her, and she didn't say anything to him. It was almost like she hadn't realised he was there, she had of course she was just too in shock to do anything.

She didn't wave to him when she got home but he knew she was grateful – she spent a lot of time giving him snacks after that for him not to know she wasn't grateful for him.

Athena walked up into her house with a straight-face, something Athena rarely wore. She stepped into the living-room, only looking up when she nearly bumped into her dad.

"Hey, Thena." Ward looked over her face, his eyebrows quickly furrowing into concern. "Are you okay?"

Athena raised an eyebrow, forcing a smile onto her face. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Ward sent her a look, one that made Athena's façade break. Her lip trembled and tears were in her eyes immediately. Her breathing grew erratic and Ward's concern was increasing dramatically every second Athena stood in front of him.

"I was just walking home and he—he grabbed me and he pushed me against the wall and—I couldn't—he wouldn't get off of me and—" Athena sobbed, barely breathing as she tried to speak, her rambles turning indistinguishable. Ward didn't need to ask anything else though, he understood, he understood straight away what she was trying to say.

His anger hit like a ton of bricks, how could someone hurt a baby, his baby. He couldn't quite comprehend the type of person you'd have to be to hurt a young girl. A girl who was nothing but kind and sweet.

But then again, kindness had always been easy to take advantage of.

Ward stepped closer, gently wrapping his arms around his daughter as she cried uncontrollably. Athena didn't hug him back, simply leaning her head against his chest, her whole body shaking. They stayed like that until Athena was out of tears, she wasn't sure how long, fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, an hour, she didn't know. All she knew was that her father didn't even dare to move a muscle, he stayed there, hugging her until she felt the slightest of bit better.

2019

Athena walked into her home after school, yet another failed maths test in her bag. She stepped into the kitchen, wanting a snack when her father walked into the room, looking straight at her.

"Athena, I just got a phone call from the school." He started and Athena let out a sigh, knowing exactly why they called him. "You're failing maths."

"I know." Athena nodded.

"You need to get your grades up or you'll have to retake sophomore year." Ward told her.

"I know." Athena repeated. "I'm trying, okay? But I just don't get it. The teacher just talks at me and I don't understand any of it."

"Okay, that's okay." Ward nodded, clearing his throat. "I'll help you. I'm good at maths."

Ward was good at maths, and he managed to help Athena get a D, but she still wasn't passing. It was one of the reasons she was okay with Pope helping her.

Athena never told Ward that Pope was the real reason she was passing. She kept letting him help her, allowing him to believe he was doing a good thing for his daughter. She didn't mind the extra work because it meant that she got to spent more with her dad.

The time they spent together doing the work was fun for the most part. Half of the time they'd get distracted and start rambling or doing other things. Athena enjoyed it because she rarely saw her dad, with him so busy with work and other things, and Athena constantly out doing things, their paths rarely crossed and usually when they did it was because the entire family was doing something.

PRESENT

Athena looked over at her dad once more, her eyes slightly teary, "I always needed you. You were one that sat with me with buckets of ice cream when Sage went missing and I still asked if you were okay when we thought Sarah and JB died, even though it was partly your fault. I needed you, I always have but you hurt me, you hurt Rafe and Sarah, and poor Wheezie, who's always forgotten. Because of you, I feel completely alone in a room full of people."

"Athena, sweetheart, I am so sorry. I never—I want to change." Ward told her. Athena kept her gaze straight ahead, not daring to look at the man anymore. "I regret everything I have done. The gold it made me greedy, it—Look, I'm not trying to justify my actions, there is nothing I can say or do that could change what I've done but I miss being your dad. I hate that I ruined our father-daughter relationship."

"The last person that told me they would change ended up stealing and melting one of my best friend's family's artefacts." Athena commented. "How do I know you really mean it?"

"Let me prove it on this trip." Ward stated. "I wanna be better Athena, I really really mean it."

"You promise?"

"Cross my heart." Ward held him pinkie up to Athena, who interlocked her own, finally looking up at him.

"Okay." She nodded before leaning against his arm. "I love you, dad."

"I love you too, Thena." Ward smiled. "And I'm so proud of the woman you've become."

Athena wiped a stray tear from her cheek, closing her eyes with a smile on her face as she drifted off to sleep. It wasn't entirely peaceful, part of her brain full of constant worry for JJ, Sage and Kie, but it was a decent sleep, one that would allow her to be ninety percent refreshed the next morning when they would arrive in the Orinoco.

( 💌 ) isobel's notes
just wards redemption happening
athena immediately knowing it's not
jj is either such a cute jathena moment
or a bittersweet rafe and athena moment
not sure yet
athena's officially done with rafe so catch
her going full cameron psycho on him
next season with no remorse 🤭
get excited for next chapter because they
meet up with jj kie and sage again 😍
two more chapters left

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