Athena is floating.

The water is cloudy and warm and fills the air with tall, thin pillars of steam.

Closing her eyes she lets her mind drift, touching her face with pruned fingers, tracing the shape of her chapped lips, her jaw, the soft skin beneath her eyes.

With her eyes closed she can imagine that this is a different bath from the one she tried to kill herself in. With her eyes closed she can imagine the touch of another.

Athena floats and drifts.

Until it shatters.

The water is cold and the room is dark.

She is alone. No matter how much she wants her fantasy to be real, the tender touch on her cheek only ever belonged to her. And the frustration builds and builds until she wants to scream, but she doesn't.

After rubbing herself dry, she puts her sleep clothes on and slips outside to her new home. And even with the blankets pulled up all the way to her chin she is shivering, and the bone deep ache dosen't go away.

She thinks about drinking. She thinks about crying or screaming or hurting herself, just to release that pressure, but that's not the way she broke, and she's trying to avoid self-destruction.

Wrapping the blankets snug around her body, Athena goes to sleep, hopes for vast nothingness.

"So are you and Stefan actually together, now?" Bonnie asks, practically inhaling her smoothie.

Elena shurgs her shoulders. "He came over after I met his brother...to talk, and explain I guess...It's just, he was kind of hesitant." The brunette drops her head. "I kept thinking he was going to ask but he just left after we talked."

Bonnie lifts her brows looking surprised. She was expecting Elena and Stefan to already be a thing, hell the entire school was. "Maybe he's just taking things slow. You did say he had ex-girlfriend issues."

"Yeah, I know," Elena mutters. "It's just, he makes me feel so much better. And I know initially I was afraid to start anything but the idea of not being with Stefan, hurts."

Bonnie sighs, as they watch Caroline link arms with Athena as they walk into the school. The two of them sharing a secret smile.

Elena growls out a sound from deep within her throat, her eyes going unusally dark. "And he asked me about Athena. A lot."

"You think he likes her?" Bonnie tilts her head considering, because it would honestly make sense. Athena had always been unfairly pretty.

"I'm not sure. I hope not." Elena whispers honestly. "I wouldn't wish the kind of baggage Athena brings behind her on anyone."

That causes Bonnie to come up short. "That isn't fair and you know it. She can't help that she hurts the way she does."

"That's not what I meant, Bonnie," Elena winces slightly. "I just meant that she's a lot, and she could do something like what she did again, at any time. It's by pure luck that she's alive right now and that's a lot of pressure for anyone."

Shaking her head, the Bennett girl stares at her best friend. "Look, I haven't even seen Stefan and Athena talk before. He's probably just curious to know what really happened."

"Yeah," Elena mutters even though something in her head is warning her otherwise.

Athena has always been alone. It's not what she wanted but she can't change it. She has suffered enough awkward attempts at intimacy to last her lifetime. It's better this way, she reasons.

There are days...

Days when she comes home to nothing, where there's a scream locked in her throat and she's stuck in a perpetual freefall. Days where she longs for the comforting bustle of another person, and more importantly, the touch of another. Skin to skin contact.

She has thick soft blankets that weigh her down, almost like another draped on top of her. On particularly bad days she has baths. So warm and sweet smelling.

Still these are all temporary reliefs.

There are times when Athena lies awake and she wants to go out and find someone to touch her. To make her feel real and not like a ghost. But she knows it wouldn't end well.

So she stays home.

She stays alone.

It's when Bonnie's walking to class that it happens. She hadn't meant to touch Stefan, to bump into him. But she had and no matter what she does, her shoulder feels cold.

Dread makes her head hurt.

And when she tells Elena the girl makes plans for a dinner...for her and Stefan to soothe out their differences.

Bonnie can't fight the feeling that it isn't just their differences making this whole thing difficult.

"Come on Stefan our football team could use someone like you," Elena whispers, except her voice is much to loud if it reaches all the way to Athena. The girl nearly rolls her eyes, she can't focus if all she can hear is their conversation.

And wasn't that just a dreadfully polite way of saying the football team was trash.

And football really?

She only watched a bunch of helmet-wearing meatheads smash their last two braincells out of existence because she was a cheerleader and therefore required to be there.

At least the cheer squad had talent- certainly more than that collection of neanderthals that they were ostensibly there to support.

"Can't," Stefan says with a smirk. "I'm a loner."

"Ms. Gilbert," Tanner interrupts looking rather excited at having caught her in the middle of a conversation. "When did pearl harbor start?"

"December 7th, 1941." Athena mutters under her breath, only loud enough for herself to really hear.

And she does this thing.

So subtle no one else would notice.

It starts with the slow tapping of fingers.

Stefan's hearing is impeccable, which is why he hears it. Fingers tapping on a tan thigh, a steady rhythm that lasts for exactly three minutes and fourteen seconds.

Like clockwork.

Without fail.

Then comes the eyes.

Athena's eyes shift from left to right every few minutes, as if she's trying her level best to stay seated; not to fidget or bolt.

To stay.

But, the biggest thing - at least to Stefan's eye - is the way Athena Medici looks at him. It's almost as if she's asking a question she can't voice, searching for an answer neither of them can handle. As much as it puts Stefan on edge, it intrigues him. Athena is almost pleading with him, her eyes begging for something her mouth won't say.

"December 7th, 1941," Stefan says loud enough for the whole class to hear. His eyes finding their way back to Athena. Per usual.

The girl has her hair in a high ponytail, and with her hand resting on her right chin, her hair falls over her right shoulder. Showing a tattoo of some sort, located directly on the back of her neck.

"Than you, Miss Gilbert," Tanner says rudely.

"Anytime," the Salvatore mutters back more than a little distracted. If she would only tilt her head to the right just a little more he would be able to see-

"The fall of the Berlin wall?"

"1989." Stefan looks up at the teacher, he hates authority figures like this. The one's who try and undermine their students to feel better about themselves. "I'm good with dates."

"Are you? Keep up then. Civil rights act?"

"1964."

"John F. Kennedy's assasination."

"1963."

"Martin luther king."

"68."

"Lincoln."

"1685."

"Roe v. Wade."

"1973."

"Brown v. Board."

"1954."

"The battle of Gettysburg."

"1863."

"Korean war?"

"1950 to 1953."

"Ha," Tanner lets out. Standing up straight so his body looms over the entire class. "It ended in 1952."

"Actually sir," Athena raises her head, and all of the class immediately tune into the girl. She taps her penicl against her desk, once. Twice. "It ended in '53."

"Somebody look it up," Tanner's eyes rolling over the class, his expression thunderous.

"It was 1953," some student in the back corner says.

The class erupts into laughter until Tanner glares them into silence.

After class Stefan can't help but follow after Athena, it's starting to become a habit.

Him chasing her down.

"Yes, Stefan," Athena says without turning around, sighing out his name.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing...after Damon. I never got to catch up with you-"

"Hey Stefan," Elena interrupts coming up behind him and touching his arm. "How did you know all of that."

"He likes to show off," Athena says unabashed in her sincerity. Looking the Salvatore up and down. She gestured ironically, a quirk to her brow and mouth. It was strange how she could flit from a feeling prowling on the edge of threatening, to light hearted, humored wit. Admirable, in fact.

"Actually," Stefan corrects with his own grin. "It was years and years of crossword puzzels. It's a loner thing."

Athena laughs at that.

"Likely excuse."

She's walking away again and Stefan wants to say more, but it feels dangerous; a teetering ledge where their friendship balances, swaying between intimacy and detachment.

"I don't like it."

Bonnie's gaze drifts away from the scene playing out in front of her to the girl who's spoken and, somewhat rudely, broken into her thoughts.

Elena Gilbert is scowling, her expression twisted into one of confusion and disdain.

"I don't like it one bit," she reiterates, and Bonnie sighs. She doesn't want to be having this conversation at all, but Elena seems determined. "I mean, look at them."

Bonnie has been looking.

It's the entire reason she initially chose this spot - it gives her a prime view of the two people she can't seem to stop looking at - and Elena just had to sit beside her. She's definitely less conspicuous than she is with her staring, and Bonnie doesn't want to have to explain her interest in getting to the bottom of why Caroline and Athena have decided to launch a school club together.

Of course, she panicked when she first heard the rumours, thinking the two of them were up to something nefarious.

It's much worse, in fact.

They're starting a classical music club and the very idea of it has just broken Bonnie's brain. Caroline Forbes, Head Cheerleader, National students honor society President and - as far as Bonnie knows - not at all interested in classical music.

This must be some joke.

"I don't like it," Elena says again, shaking her head. "She's up to something. Athena is always up to something."

Admittedly, Bonnie may be inclined to agree with her. It's unlike Athena to participate in anything.

Even other students seem wary of it, because Athena has really started their junior year with a bang. Really, shes in better shape than she's ever been and definetly not afraid to flaunt her new body.

The dresses she's always been known for wearing aren't exactly gone, but her wardrobe now includes some of the tightest jeans and signature long sleeves. She wears more vibrant colours, while carrying her patent elegance - how she manages that is beyond Bonnie, truly. Her hair is left longer than it's ever been, and it definitely suits her.

It makes her appear older, somewhat worldly.

But that's just her outward appearance. She's... softer now, almost reverent.

She smiles more, talks to everyone, and even signed up at the Tutor Centre. It's not surprising that that resulted in an influx of students who suddenly wanted to be tutored. Athena doesn't even look affected by all the attention she's receiving. It's almost as if she's immune to it somehow.

Or… she's just planning something.

"Somebody has to say something," Elena grumbles at Bonnie's side. "I mean, this is Athena we're talking about. She doesn't care about classical music."

Bonnie wonders if that's true. "She's taken piano lessons since she was a kid," she says, finding herself defending Athena almost automatically, even if she's just stating a fact. "And dance lessons, and vocal lessons, and basically all types of lessons her parents could put her in."

Everything in Athena's life was worked for. Her singing voice was the result of relentless vocal training, her dancing was perfected after attending five classes a week for the past ten years, her grades reflected the hours she spent studying.

She had earned every solo, every lead role, and every academic award she had ever achieved.

And now she was forever moving, tapping, running, gliding through life.

Actually living life however...that was what she struggled with.

Stefan slides up to the two girls, smiling that nice gentle smile. He doesn't interrupt the conversation, though his prescense does halt it, as him and Elena share that romantic movie stare.

"Oh, please," when Elena regains herself dismisses with a scoff. "As if she even cares about the piano. Athena doesn't care about anyone but herself."

That causes even Bonnie to flinch. And from the look on Stefan's face he doesn't appreciate that comment either.

Stefan bristles, turning his gaze on her. "That's not a very nice thing to say, Elena," he says, glaring heatedly. "She is your friend."

"Was." Elena corrects, frowning.

With the way Athena is talking animatedly and taking notes; it's clear she's the driving force behind the initiative, which just confuses Bonnie even further.

"I don't like it," Elena says again, folding her arms over her chest. "For all we know, this could be some elaborate ruse to humiliate Caroline."

"What?" Stefan says with an unbelieving laugh.

He just doesn't want people to be talking about Athena the way they are. It has nothing to do with his sudden and inexplicable desire to protect Athena. Anything the poor girl does just gets amplified and criticised, and it bothers Stefan that she can't just be.

Hasn't she been through enough? Doesn't she deserve some peace?

"You don't know the old Athena," Elena mutters. "She used to be so cold and ruthless."

And perhaps the old Athena could of been capable of that. She had been an ice queen back then. But, then again, this Athena is... different. More present; more involved. It's disarming and terrifying and still so very wonderful.

And then Athena lifts her head feeling their gazes, awkwardly she waves with a small smile before directing all of her attention back to Caroline.

Bonnie just doesn't get Elena reservations because as far as she can see, Athena is getting better.

Or maybe, she's getting better at convincing others she's okay.

But she does look happy.

Simling bright and freely.

Although Bonnie can't fight the sickly feeling that Athena's smile... It's a little disconcerting, but it makes the Bennett feel…odd. A bad odd. She can't shake the feeling that Athena's smiles carry more meaning.

The lunch period isn't over when Caroline and Athena leave.

Chatting to each other with bent heads and excited smiles on their faces. Stefan watches them go, feeling jealousy, though he can't figure out exactly why or even at whom it's directed.

"Oh come on, Bonnie. Be realistic here. I know a lot of things changed for Athena this summer...but she's still pretty manipulative when she wants to be."

Stefan looks completely upset with the way this conversation is heading. "When people want to hide something they have to learn how to twist the truth to their benefit. I don't think she was intentionally trying to be manipulative back then...I mean I didn't know her, but it seems to me that Athena was just trying to protect herself."

Elena's eyes go wide and a frown furrows her brow, she's used to being believed at face value.

"I agree," Bonnie mutters quietly. "Maybe she's just changing. She doesn't get as riled up when people insult her anymore. She's letting lower classmen borrow her old, rather detailed notes for past classes. She's stopped going to church, completely. She even joined the calligraphy club." Bonnie pauses at that. "Caligraphy."

"And the photography club," Elena adds. "And Red Cross, and the Model United Nations and the cultural diversity club and the fine reading book club and mathletes and cross country and the historical society club."

Stefan just shurgs his shoulders because that is a lot, even for him. But his mind can't help but wonder if it's all just...distraction. If Athena Medici can't not be doing something, because then she would have to stop and think. And maybe thinking for her is a nightmare.

That very idea makes his stomach hurt.

"Maybe we are making this more complicated then it has to be," Bonnie mutters. "Athena has always been academically focused, I wouldn't be surprised if all this wasn't preparation for college applications."

Maybe.

Stefan still feels as if he is missing something.

He's lived a long time and had always been able to get a good read on others...but it seems like as soon as he gets closer to understanding Athena she switches up and shows a completely different part of her personality.

Without even realizing it Stefan's opinion on Athena changes.

Everything he thinks he knows, he probably doesn't. In the beginning he thought he could see something he recognized in her eyes. Now he knows better.

Athena is different.

Elena doesn't know why she went out of her way to invite Athena over to the dinner with Bonnie and Stefan...but she just needs to see, see Stefan and her together.

See them interact.

"Shut the fuck up already, Tikina," she called out drawing snickers from the other girls, all while appearing somehow between murderous and disinterested.

"My name is Tiki," the girl scowled at Athena, adjusting her ponytail and stomping her foot, looking all the angry toddler she was.

And her sickeningly insincere smile in response made the other girl's vision narrow and blood boil. A predictable reaction.

"Where the hell is Caroline?" Athena growls out irritated. Her lips pressed into a line. "I'm tired of being the head bitch. Jesus, Bonnie you take over. I'm not diplomatic enough."

"You really aren't. All you do is glare people into submission and boss everyone around," swirling her head towards the other girl, Bonnie laughs. "You were the one who wanted to be co-captain, though."

"To hang out with Caroline," Athena insists.

"I'll try calling her again," Bonnie mutters loosely, pulling out her phone as Athena growls out some harsh words to the group of complaining girls.

"Sorry ladies," Caroline slides up, pompous smirk in full effect. Gliding past Elena and throwing out sharply, "I got the other brother. Hope you don't mind."

Athena rolls her eyes.

As Elena stares after her.

Really, ladies? A catfight.

Athena rolls her eyes again hoping they really would just roll right out of her head, walking towards the eldest Salvatore brother.

"Uhm," Caroline calls after the girl, "Where are you going?"

"He needs to know you aren't allowed to be late for practice." Athena shoots over her shoulder. "Since you two decided to make your lateness so apparent, afterall..." she trails off, with all the airness of a royal.

Damon takes in her slow stride towards him with a smirk.

He enjoys watching the girl.

There is an anxious sort of agression to her, reminding Damon of animals trapped in a zoo.

Fighting the urge to lick his lips as he takes her fully in. Athena Medici was not traditionally thin. She wasn't like Elena or Caroline or Bonnie who all were rather thin and petite all together, this girl had curves. Wide hips and legs that spoke of strength. Her body spoke of inherent care by the way her muscles moved beneath her skin.

And those shorts.

He can't help but he a little confused on how someone so short has such long legs. It doesn't make any sense, really. Aren't there physic lessons or something on all the ways that should be impossible?

She was...simply put a beautfiul woman.

"Damon," she drawled, stoping just in front of him with amused eyes.

"Athena," he replied in kind.

"Did you forget that Caroline was on my list?" The girl tilted her head with an uncharacteristicly sweet smile on her face.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," The eldest Salvatore said with a wink. "I didn't do anything she didn't absolutely...delight in."

"That's very generous of you," Athena replied. "Keep it that way."

Turning on her heel she bounces back to where she came from, the natural sway from every step she takes taking his attention.

"And Salvatore," she calls causing all the other cheerleaders to stare at her. "If Caroline is late again I will be blaming you."

He chuckles at that meancing tone she adds even though it was truly about as threatening as a butterfly.

He stays just to watch them begin, he sees Elena get sent to the back and...his jaw nearly drops, because nothing could of prepared him for the way Athena moves her body.

She was a natural born dancer.

Because really that's what cheerleading is. A mixture of dance and gymnastics.

Talent was talent, and Athena Medici must had been doing perfectly balanced cartwheels since she could walk, with back flips and the ability to fold herself into a pretzel following shortly after. She worked her ass off to stay in shape, and she commanded the other girls with the kind of natural charisma of someone who was born to take charge of a room.

She had the most ridiculous strength to weight ratio and therefore could alternate between flyer and base with ease.

No wonder Stefan was so distracted from Elena.

With no real reason as to why, after practice, Stefan goes to the auditorium.

He knows Elena wants to talk to him about something, and he has a feeling he knows what it is...he just doesn't necessarily have an answer for her yet. He had been so sure before and now...It's complicated.

He needs a place that's deserted to get a handle on his feelings towards Elena. Towards Athena.

What he doesn't expect is to find Athena casually playing a complicated Bach piece at the piano.

Stefan doesn't announce his presence immediately, choosing rather to hang back and listen. He even chuckles to himself when Athena makes a mistake and mutters 'Fudgesticks' instead of a curse word.

Her form is almost perfect, back straight and her wrists lifted. Athena's fingers practically float over the keys, dancing reverently, and it's suddenly obvious she's well-trained. Stefan can't help finding everything about Athena Medici in this moment simply endearing.

When she gets to what must be the end of the piece, she runs her hands through her long hair and sighs heavily, as if she isn't at all impressed with what she's just played.

"You're really good," Stefan says, breaking into the eerie silence.

Athena whips her head around, almost sliding off the piano bench in her surprise. "Salvatore," she squeaks, hand over her heart. "You scared me."

"Sorry," he says, even though there's a part of him that isn't really. He quite likes the deer-in-headlights look of Athena Medici. "But you are, you know? Good, I mean. I didn't know you were so well trained."

Athena shurgs, absently tapping a rhythm with her fingers on her denim-clad thigh. "It was a requirement of my family."

Stefan nods in understanding as he makes his way towards the stage. He has a vague idea about Athena's family life, but he can't actively recall the brunette actually talking about it or them or even other parts of her childhood.

"I learned only the basics," Stefan says, climbing the steps to be on the same level as Athena. "I suck at scales."

Her face spreads into a smile, and it's probably one of the most genuine smiles Stefan has ever seen her wear.

It's also a little heartbreaking that it's taken her seventeen years to allow herself just to just be.

"I hate scales," Athena says, a guilty smile on her lips. "I think most people do, to be honest. And, those who say they don't are just liars."

Stefan walks towards her, just wanting to be closer. There's something magnetic about Athena, attracting all sorts of people.

"Do you mind if I sit with you?" he asks.

Her smile slips for only a beat. It's as if she's psyching herself up for her response. "It's a free country."

Stefan tilts his head. "That's probably the one reason it's so cruel."

Athena looks thoughtful and maybe even pleasantly surprised. "Freedom of speech?"

"There's no stipulation against hate speech, particularly when it's so easy to remain anonymous."

Athena seems to mull over that. "No, I suppose there isn't," and then shes, shifting on the bench to make space for Stefan. "Maybe we can play something together," she offers.

Stefan absolutely loves the sound of that idea, and practically skips (though he would deny it) the last few steps before settling beside Athena. Only their knees touch, but Stefan can't shake the notion that he can feel the girl everywhere. She's very warm, radiating heat. "What should we play?"

Athena visibly thinks, the tip of her tongue absently poking out of her mouth in a way that he finds wonderfully adorable. "What about Emeli Sande's Next To Me?" she finally suggests.

Stefan takes a moment to recall the song, and then nods enthusiastically. Even as Athena begins to play, the Salvatore knows there's something inherently important about this moment.

It's as if it's a beginning.

For Athena, for Stefan; for them both.

He can't be sure why or how, but this girl, he's sure, is the real one.

And, she's beautiful.

Afterwards when he asks Athena if she had any plans and she says Elena invited her over for a dinner of some sort, he doesn't hesitate to ask if he could be her ride there.

Athena: As I'm sure you are aware, there are certain rules regarding your little relationship with Caroline. If you show up and I see bite marks, I'll burn you to the ground, Salvatore.

Damon: How did you even get my number? And what makes you think I'm even trying to go to their get together?

Athena: You're an instigator, you'll be there. And what can I say, I'm resourceful.

Damon: I don't doubt that. You don't like Elena and Elena doesn't like you. Why did she invite you?

Athena: I think I'm fairly neutral when it comes to Elena.

Damon: I know what that means.

Athena: My meaning was clearly stated. Don't read into it.

Damon: I'm reading into it.

Athena: Of course you are.

Athena doesn't talk much after Damon arrives. She merely sits in a chair in the far corner, looking down at her lap with her arms crossed over her chest. It looks almost like an attempt to hold herself together and every so often her fingers trail down her arm in a slow, absent caress.

It's habitual and practiced, self-soothing.

"Are you cold?" Damon asks, beating Stefan to it, feigning polite concern.

"I'm fine," she says, a touch too quickly. A look of uncertainty clouds her face.

"Caroline here tells me you two are starting a new club," Damon smirks. "How...good of you."

Athena's eyes sharpen, and in an instant the prey like behavior washes away. She's a predator now. "I'm glad you think so, because you know, I hold your opinion in such high esteem."

He couldn't tell if it was superiority in her voice or the backhanded comment that would be more infuriating.

"You know, Medici, you should be careful how you treat people. It would be a pity to waste that pretty little voice of yours on such a regrettable personality."

Athena's expression hardened, her hazel-gold eyes shining with a dangerous magnetism. "Your one to talk about a regrettable personality, especially considering your dating a high-schooler. What's the matter D, couldn't find someone your own age?"

And there is a bluntness to her, between the comfortable flow of regular conversation about Stefan joining the football team, and Elena quitting cheer, everyone seems to forget Athena is even here.

And Damon should be annoyed, hell he should be even a little angry. Instead hes amused.

"Upset I didn't choose you."

She scoffs," You wish you could even aim in my direction," she snarls back, all sharp eyes and edges.

And then Elena is coughing, and the eye-contact between Damon and Athena is broken, as if it never was.

Athena stands after that. "Thank you for the invite, Elena, you've been a lovely host," her voice is polite, customer-service like friendly, almost generic. "But I'm afraid I'm going to have to leave early."

Elena smiles warmly, "That's fine."

Stefan stands as well. And Elena's smile dims again.

"Where are you going?"

"I gave Athena a ride here."

And the dark look that reminds him of Katheirne is back in Elena's eyes.

"And I can walk home," Athena says absently. Already making her way towards the door.

Damon has another mask of false concern on. "But it's late and and anything could happen."

"How terrifying," Athena says shortly.

"I'll take you home," Damon offers.

"No," Stefan snaps. "Athena doesn't need to be bothered by you, Damon."

"Athena would rather have me take her where she needs to go than you, Stefan."

"Uh guys," Caroline says quietly, honestly too amused that her boyfriend or whatever Damon is to her wants Athena. Because she would gladly take a step back for that girl. "Athena already left."