lessons in fate

ATHENA WALKS INTO HER HOME WARILY. Her face is set into a glare as Josh trails in behind her, wandering around the space curiously.

"I've always wanted to see where Zeus spends his time on Earth," He drags his fingers on a mounted set of armor Athena had hardly looked twice at in her life, but now questions the authenticity of. "This makes a lot of sense."

She rolls her eyes, forgoing a house tour for the man. She'd thought him a nuisance on his worst days before, but it seemed that now she knew who he truly was, he was ten times more talkative.

She led them up to the kitchen, hoping to walk through the room and straight for the hallway that led to the staircase to the den. Athena stopped short, though, when she saw the lights on above the island. "Shit,"

Ignoring Josh's confusion she let her footsteps fall heavily on the ground as she entered the kitchen, finding her father standing across the room with his arms braced on the countertop.

"Oh," Josh breathed in shock, his blue-green eyes wide at the sight of the man.

The man gives him a nod in greeting. "Hermes,"

"Josh is cool, too," The blond boy shrugs, still wide-eyed. "Whichever you prefer."

"Josh," The man smiles, though it's tight around the corners. "Could you give me a moment with my daughter?"

The blond boy nods, waiting for Athena to wave him off before he begins his departure.

Athena stares unwaveringly at her father, her fingers twitching aimlessly at her side. "I'm busy,"

"You're avoiding me," He sighs, standing straight. "I understand."

"Do you?"

"I'm sure I would if you talked to me," He tries, earning a humorless look from Athena that makes him roll his shoulders back and straighten his spine more. "I'm sure you have a hundred questions, I'm willing to answer them to the best of my ability."

She scoffs, shaking her head even as she takes a seat on a stool. "What do you want me to say? That I understand why you lied? Because I don't. You did everything except tell me what I am, who I am. I took dance classes, I took defense classes, and I had tutors for every subject even if I was making straight A's. You were making me a goddess before I even knew they existed."

"I was preparing you for anything, Athena. I only ever want you to be safe, no matter what you do,"

"You expect me to believe that?"

"It's the truth!"

She slams an open palm down on the counter. "Why should I trust a word that comes out of your mouth?"

Raphael runs his hands through his dark hair. She eyes his human appearance, recalling that in her dream he looked practically the same, just larger than life. A god. She wonders how much of his life was a facade for her, and everyone else. "I had to make sure you were ready when the time came, but it all happened sooner than I expected. You weren't supposed to know about any of this until your eighteenth birthday."

"Is there any difference between seventeen and eighteen when my life is going to fundamentally change no matter what?" She shakes her head, defeat flooding her voice. "I don't know anything about myself anymore, Dad. As far as I know, every decision I've made, every minute of my life has been orchestrated by you from the moment I was created."

"No," He shakes his head. "Every minute of your life was orchestrated until May. I should've known, I should've seen it coming. I was just hoping I was wrong, and that I would have another year to figure out how to tell you."

She furrows her brows, looking at him confusedly. "May– what, the accident? What does that have to do with anything?"

"You died, Athena,"

"I'm aware,"

"Gods don't die," He stubbornly informs her, wringing his fingers momentarily. It's the most distraught she's ever seen her father. "As long as people still believe in us and worship us, we exist forever. Our forms may change, but our spirits don't die. But you did– you drowned."

She shivers subconsciously at the reminder of how it had felt to drown. The pressure of the water in her lungs felt like she would have exploded, and then all at once it disappeared and she was at peace again. "So, what, I died because no one believed in me?"

"I've spent lifetimes weaving tales of Athena into the world. I've left no stone unturned when it comes to your worship, Athena. Witches, druids, humans, creatures of any species or any lifetime have worshiped Athena day in and day out and it is part of what gives you your power. But when you got in that accident, your fate shifted."

She pulls nervously at her tight-clad legs, looking at her father almost fearfully. "Is that– is that a bad thing?"

"That's what I've been trying to figure out these past few months. On all of those trips I took, I was searching for an answer, but the Fates are stingy with their knowledge, even with me. You weren't supposed to get in that car, but when you did, you unknowingly changed your fate. It woke what I had made dormant, it brought you back to life."

"My powers?"

He nods. "That's why you're so overwhelmed with them, it's why they hurt you. You weren't supposed to have them yet. I was going to– I was going to do this the right way. But everything changed."

She rubs her arm through her sleeve, recalling the torturous burning sensation. "Will they always do that?"

Raphael shakes his head. "You just need time. It's going to be hard, given this power is in your DNA and is practically second nature, but you will learn. It will become second nature."

"Athena," She mutters her name, thinking of the knowledge she had of the well-known Greek goddess she'd heard countless things about throughout her lifetime. "She's the goddess of wisdom, isn't she?"

"I have given you dominion over many things, yes. Wisdom is just one of them. Courage, inspiration, strategic warfare– you've been growing into your powers more than you realize, Athena."

The teenager shifts uncomfortably, thinking of the countless times she's been praised for her wisdom. Of her courage to face vampires without fear. Her father was right when he said she had been becoming what was destined for her all along.

Athena's phone began to ring, and she looked at the device she'd laid on the counter earlier in her haste to get in and out of her house. Stefan's name flashed on the screen, and she reached for the phone, only for her father to lower it slightly. "Your sister, Aphrodite,"

His words make her falter, and she momentarily forgets about the phone call that ends abruptly.

"She goes by something different now, I'm sure," He shrugs nonchalantly. "She's been on Earth long enough to choose a different name. She brought you a gift when you were born."

"A gift?"

"'Sworn in the Eternal Flame, the last daughter of Zeus will find her fate. With loving the undead back to life comes strife, and she will pay with her life.'"

Athena's doe eyes widen at the fatal-sounding word. "The Eternal Flame– that's what Bonnie's grandma said when she channeled me. What does it mean?"

"The Eternal Flame is what keeps Olympus alive. It's considered a harbinger of fate, and right before your birth, Aphrodite visited the temple where it's guarded to bring forth a prophecy. As the goddess of love, she was hoping for something positive. But nothing comes without a price, Athena."

Her hand reaches for her phone as she is reminded of the man who comes to mind when she thinks of love. "Stefan,"

"I tried to keep it from ever happening," Raphael huffs humorlessly, running a hand over his scruffy cheeks. "The Fates are a sadistic bunch, though. They made him immortal just so he would be in your lifetime, and you almost missed him."

"He came because he thought Elena was Katherine," Athena whispers, her eyes widening in realization. "And then we met."

He nods slowly at her, unknowingly making an anchor of dread plummet into her stomach. "Of course, he was never in love with that girl. Either of them, really. He's fated to love you, and only you."

"So, he doesn't really love me? He's just doing what's expected of him?" Her voice breaks into a thick whisper at the end, and Raphael hurries to correct himself.

"No, no, look at me, Athena," She does. "Stefan Salvatore is full of love and empathy for nearly everyone he comes into contact with, but for you, it is different. You are made to love him as fiercely as he loves everyone but himself. You were made for one another, there is no one else."

"But what about Katherine? And Elena? And Caroline? Was it all fake? Is all my love just for Stefan because fate said so?"

"Of course not," He speaks softly, doing his best to explain what is second nature to him. He knows deep down that an extra year still would not have prepared him for any of this. "It's just– no one else will be able to love him like you do, and vice versa. So if there comes a day when you aren't with Stefan, you might be able to love again, but it will never feel the same."

Athena's face scrunches up and she bites her tongue to hold back her tears. Her phone rings again and she ignores it. "Are there others? Siblings, I mean."

Raphael doesn't miss the abrupt change of subject but he says nothing of it, figuring he'll let her pick and choose what is discussed until she's let go of some of her anger. Bashfully, he nods in response. "I, uh, broke a few rules back in the day. There's Hermes, of course. And Aphrodite."

"Who else?"

"The twins, Apollo and Artemis, and then Ares– but he's not big on family. Persephone is off-world with Hades, those two lovebirds can't get enough of one another."

"If– if they're my real family, then what about our family here? Like Davina?"

Raphael waves a hand. "Davina is a witch, sweetheart. Witches are descended from gods dating back thousands of years ago. She might not be your direct cousin, but if you traced your lineage far enough, she's related to you. They don't know the difference."

"Davina's a witch? She's barely eleven!"

He nods. "She won't come into her powers for a few years now, but the day will come and you'll be there for her when she needs you."

Athena crosses her arms over her chest, still avoiding her father's gaze. "Rosie– Hestia," She corrects herself bitterly. "Said I was your favorite child."

"I try not to play favorites, really, but," He trails off at the sight of her disbelieving glare and nods his head apologetically. "I spent thousands of years merely thinking of you, Athena, it would be hard not to favor you most. You weren't a simple project or a child of one of my many affairs. You were made from divine thoughts, you were destined for greatness no matter what path you chose."

Her phone rings once more, this time with Damon's name flashing on her screen with a half-dozen notifications from Stefan and Caroline. "I have to go, my friends need me,"

"Athena," He calls out to her as she darts for the doorway, not bothering to protest her departure. He meets her dark brown eyes over her shoulder and forces a small smile for his own sake. "Your sister, Artemis. She's the goddess of the hunt."

"What does that mean?"

He heaves a sigh. "Aphrodite wasn't the only one to bless you when you were born. If you find yourself in trouble with no way to get out, just think of something that will protect you."

She thinks of arguing with him in a last attempt to be stubborn, but her mind tells her not to. She's feeling far too aware of her infinite wisdom, so she simply nods and staves away her troubling train of thought as she disappears through her house, grateful that Josh is already seated in the car.

She glances up to the doorway of her house, finding her father standing there against the doorway watching them back out of the driveway. She lifts two fingers off the steering wheel in a farewell, and the smile on his face eases the dread in her heart.

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Athena pulls Josh through the hallways of the school, narrowly avoiding Bonnie and Caroline in the cafeteria where they're sitting with Elena, starting the decorations for the Founders' Day float. She barely got out of helping with the float this year with a promise to dress up at Caroline's insistence.

"God, I hate high school," Josh groans petulantly but lets her drag him towards the history classroom. "I've been at least a hundred times and it never gets better."

"I need you to shut up about how old you are before I have a full-blown breakdown, okay?" Athena gives him a warning look as she swings the door open, drawing three sets of eyes her way.

"Athena," Stefan rushes toward her, reaching for her hand. "Where have you been?"

She looks at him hopelessly. "I was talking to my dad, I'm sorry,"

"Who's this?" Alaric gestures to Josh, who flutters his fingers in a cocky wave.

"He's my half-brother. Don't worry, he knows about everything already," Athena offers no other explanation despite the obvious confusion on everyone's faces. "Why are we here? Do I finally get to kill him?"

She looks at Damon and Stefan, pointing at Alaric who steps further away from her at her words.

"No," Damon rolls his eyes, ignoring Josh as he props himself across three separate desks. "Apparently Isobel is in town."

Athena's eyes widen and she spins on her heel, facing Alaric who looks frustrated and hurt at the mention of his undead wife. "What does she want?"

"She wants to meet with Elena,"

The brunette narrows her eyes, looking at Damon over her shoulder before looking at the teacher again. "What's with the sudden interest in her kid? Just the other week she compelled a total stranger to kill himself just to tell her to stay away."

"I don't know, she just wanted me to pass a message on to Elena and set up a meeting,"

"Well, what did she say?"

Alaric scoffs at Damon's persistent questioning. "I don't know, I somehow forgot in between seeing my supposedly dead wife and the chokehold she put on me as she threatened my life."

The raven-haired vampire sighs slowly through his nose. "Sounds like Katherine,"

"They are related," Athena notes, earning a nod from Damon. "You think her interest in Elena is because of Katherine?"

"It's been almost eighteen years, she couldn't possibly want to mother that thing now," Josh inputs, drawing all eyes to his nonchalant figure. "I'm just saying, unless she was doing dirty work for someone who really didn't want to get caught– or couldn't– why else would she be trying to see Elena?"

The five of them fall into silence and Athena bites the inside of her cheek as she tries to process every bit of information she'd gotten today. It was barely even two in the afternoon but she felt as if she could sleep for hours with how exhausted she was.

Seemingly taking note of this, Stefan steps up behind her, letting her lean her weight on his chest as her eyes flutter shut momentarily. His hand caresses her arm, ribbing the soft fabric of her sleeves.

"I can put out some feelers, and see if Katherine has been nearby lately," Josh speaks up, making Athena give him a nod as she pries her eyes open again. "It's been a minute, but I still have a knack for tracking people down."

"What is he saying, Athena?"

She glances at Damon. "I'll tell you later. If we're assuming this is Katherine's doing, I am also assuming she's the one responsible for opening the tomb."

Damon curses under his breath. "Pearl,"

"What?" Stefan furrows his brows at his brother's sudden urgency.

"John is looking for the device Pearl stole from Jonathan Gilbert, which means he'll be looking for Pearl now that she's, presumably, out of the tomb. But she gave the device to me,"

"Which means she'll send John after you,"

Damon nods at Alaric, wiping a hand down his face. He heaves a sigh and looks at Stefan. "You think Lexi is free for some espionage?"

The vampire shifts slightly. "I'll call and ask her,"

"Tell her to make it fast. If Isobel is making her move on Elena, then Katherine isn't far behind."

Athena furrows her brows, sighing petulantly as she turns and faces Stefan. "But what does Katherine want with Elena?"

The vampire goes to speak, but he suddenly stops and Athena narrows her eyes at the hazy look that crosses his eyes for a moment. "Stefan?"

He shakes himself out of whatever stupor he'd fallen into and looks down at her worriedly.

"What was that?"

He shrugs. "Nothing, I'm– I'm just tired,"

Before she can question him further, Damon speaks. "We need to find Pearl, and the rest of the tomb vampires before they go on a town-wide killing spree,"

Athena huffs, looking at the men scattered across the room. "Alaric, you need to find Elena and tell her about Isobel. Josh, figure out if Katherine has been in town lately, or anywhere nearby. Damon, you find Pearl while Stefan and I try to find the rest of the tomb vampires and stop them from killing everybody in sight."

None of them move as they blink through their shock, and Athena grits her teeth before clapping her hands together loud enough it makes the three creatures with sensitive hearing flinch from the echo. "Let's go! Now, people! I need a nap before the day is over."

As they snap to attention, following her directions, Athena can't help but think her father was right in his claims that she'd been growing into her power more than she was aware of.

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author's note; another long ass chapter that only slightly explains Athena <3 

originally published; 12.10.20.

edited: 11.30.23.

- liz