CANT FIND MY WAY BACK HOME
4x9

Athena sat with Violet in the kitchen, eating her massive bowl of cereal—which was almost gone by now.

She sat across from the brunette at the small table to the left when you entered.

The two didn't talk much, but don't get Athena wrong, she enjoyed her company.

Athena's blue eyes look up when she sees her sister, and the woman whom she was still trying to earn backs trust, enter the small kitchen space.

"You are not a neurosurgeon," Amelia huffs as she follows the redhead into the kitchen.

"You we're promising her a cure," Addison glared at the raven haired surgeon.

Athena shakes her head slightly, her and Violet have yet to be noticed. She tilts her head down as she takes another bite of her brunch—she hadn't gotten to eat at all yet this morning since she was busy after she spent the night with Amelia at Addison's.

They still weren't a thing, and she wasn't sure that Amelia had fully forgiven her.

"Because I can give her one because I am a neurosurgeon," Amelia puts her purse on the kitchen island, standing beside it as Addison opens the fridge. "Look, I don't tell you how to handle vaginas."

Athena and Violet's eyebrows raise as they snap their heads up, Athena's spoon halfway up to her mouth, and Violet's pen halfway through a word.

"Okay," Addison turns around with a half gallon of milk out of the fridge. "If you cut and it goes bad, what happens to Julie?"

"If I don't cut, what happens to the mother?" Amelia turns as Addison goes to get a mug out of the cabinet.

"Right now, nothing they can't handle," Addison raised her voice, walking back over to the island.

"Well, how risky is the procedure?" Violet asks as Athena carries her empty bowl to the sink and rinses it out.

"Well, it's risky enough that the mother could wind up paralyzed or blind," Addison looks from Violet—who was still sitting at the small table—to Athena, who was leaning against the counter by the sink. "Which means that her fifteen year old daughter would wind up taking care of her instead of the other way around."

Athena's posture changes, and it doesn't go unnoticed by Violet or Addison.

"I mean, look, better that they have five or ten good years together than none at all," Addison barely finishes her statement when Amelia opens her mouth to speak again.

"I am offering them a lifetime together," Amelia shook her head, her raven locks moving along with her. "Not just a few years."

"Does the daughter even want the surgery?" Athena scoffs, coming off a bit harsh.

"No," Addison gave a single nod in her sisters direction.

"Because she's taking the lead from her mom," Amelia insisted in Athena's direction.

Athena walks anxiously from the sink to sit down in her chair. Anytime there's a case with a young daughter and mother who is in need of a surgery, she always gets anxious. It hits too close to home. But she always pushes through. Because that's who she was.

"No, Amelia. She heard you. She heard both of us and she made a decision," Addison's eyes go round and she furrows her brows angrily.

"You stacked the deck," Amelia said with a serious face.

"Stacked the deck?" Addison said with a pinched expression. "I gave them my professional decision—"

"Like I said," Amelia's voice lowers. "You are not a neurosurgeon."

Amelia grabs her purse and leaves the room angrily.

Athena doesn't even say goodbye to the woman. As her gaze was still locked on the floor because she was slowly redeeming herself.

Her sister opens her mouth to say sorry for getting so personal, and that she didn't realize when Charlotte comes into the kitchen, closing the door.

"Did any of you tell Cooper?" Charlotte asks, and it takes a second for Athena to process what she was even talking about.

"What?" Violet shakes her head. "No."

"Absolutely not," Addison narrows her eyes.

"Mm-mm," Athena lifts her head to look at her best friend.

"I didn't tell Cooper," Sheldon walks through the other door on the other side of the small kitchen, and Sheldon closed the door. This was a private conversation that only certain people had the knowledge of. "But I— I told the cops."

Everyone looks at the man with disbelief.

"The police brought me in to interview a guy on the night of your.." Sheldon trails off with an uncomfortable expression. "He admitted to having attacked a woman. He was— he was arrested not far from the hospital."

The four—two surgeons and two shrinks—look at the blonde, and her voice cracks, "Sheldon knows. Is there anyone you people haven't told?"

Athena hadn't told anyone, and she would stand by that. She wouldn't dare tell anyone about Charlotte's privacy, especially anyone in the practice. Not even Amelia. And she'd hoped Charlotte would do the same for her.

"I sent the police pelvic washings that I took," Addison admits. "I know you said no rape kit, but—"

"Please tell me you did not do that," Charlotte angrily glares at the fetal surgeon.

"You we're in shock, Charlotte. I wanted to preserve all of your options—"

"Shut up," Charlotte snapped. "Just shut up."

"Charlotte," Athena stood up as the woman made her way to the door.

"You too," Charlotte opens the door near Sheldon and walks right past him. "All of you."

"They can't just arrest the guy?" Violet asked.

"We can't get him off the streets without Charlotte's help," Sheldon shook his head.

Athena let's out an aggravated sigh, and leaves the room just as fast as Charlotte had.

🪷

It had been a rough couple of days for everyone.

Mostly Charlotte, Cooper and Athena. Charlotte for obvious reasons. Athena because she tried to convince Charlotte to pick the man who assaulted her out of the lineup. And Cooper because he's in the middle of it all.

Athena was just ready to go home.

Shes rubbing her eyes with her pointer finger and thumb when she hears Amelia's voice.

"Oh," Amelia stops the door from closing. "Hey, Athena. How are you? Can I tell you, I had the most amazing day."

Athena bounced her leg. Could the elevator go any slower?

She was trying her hardest not to snap. And she really had no reason to be stressed because it wasn't her who went through the trauma. But it was her best friend, and she was here every step of the way. Even if it cut into her sleep schedule.

"I kicked some serious nuero ass," Amelia beams, a wide smile on her face. And in any other situation, she would smile with Amelia. But this wasn't any other situation. "I— I want to celebrate. Hey, let's go for a drink. Well, I can't drink, but you can. What do you think?"

What Amelia didn't know was the woman hadn't drank since before the night of Charlotte's assault. And although she hadn't drank that night, she still hadn't drank since.

"You know what I was about to do that night? When that man hurt Charlotte?" Athena narrows her eyes and nods accusingly. "I was about to go drinking with you. I was going to flirt with you. I was really hoping you'd forgiven me. Because I left Charlotte's office with intentions of taking you home. So, no, I don't want to have a drink with you right now.."

The elevator door finally opens, and Athena lets out a relieved sigh.

"Just," Athena looks at Amelia one last time. "Leave me alone, okay?"

i am realizing how mean
i am. i'm a fucking asshole.

honestly they get together
very soon. and when they
do they stay together until
the second book.

you have my word.

also this was very boring tbh..
i'm gonna try and update some
more this weekend.

hopefully an i do update??