Chapter Four: Goodbye For Now

《I just want to get it over with
Tears form behind my eyes
but I do not cry》

Athena sat as instructed and wrapped the towel around her body a little more tightly, for good measure. She didn't really want these people to see all her bits, she barely knew them. She sat next to Klaus, Elijah taking the other end of the couch. Her breathing started to slow down from her shifting and she noticed Elena was staring at her, her brows furrowed and her forehead getting a little crease in it. "Haven't seen that before, have you?" Athena asked with a small half smile. Elena shook her head, her mouth agape, "I'm just trying to process.."

Stefan tilted his head curiously at Athena and then her eyes drifted towards Damon who leaned up against the wall, downing his drink and glaring at her. Athena merely smirked at him and he only made his sour look grow. Klaus draped his arm lazily on the back of the couch and for comfort, Athena leaned into it. "She's a beauty, isn't she?" Damon rolled his eyes, "I've seen better."

Athena's eyes lit up with a newfound rage, but she had to remind herself that this dark haired vampire was only pissy because she had caught him unawares. Klaus frowned, but looked back towards Stefan and Elena, "This shouldn't come as a shock, really. I mean, after all, your lot have dealt with just about every species of supernatural by now.."

Stefan gave Klaus a pointed look and Elena leaned on her elbows looking at Athena, raking her eyes over the towel that covered her naked body. "I guess it shouldn't come as so much of a surprise.." Stefan muttered before Klaus took a swig of his drink and then proceeded to get to the point, "Her kind have been around for a very, very long time. However, the wolves took it upon themselves to enslave them many decades ago."

Damon scoffed, "What is this? A bad remake of Underworld?" Stefan gave Damon a look before Elena asked, "Enslave them? But, why would they do?" Klaus looked to Athena and she nodded silently at him. She could take it from here. "My kind, we are different from werewolves. The wolves were bound to the full moon, but we weren't." Damon furrowed his eyes, "You could shift at will." Athena nodded silently before continuing, "In all reality, we were superior to them." She gave Klaus a rueful look and he shrugged absentmindedly as if it didn't bother him.

"We could shift at will, communicate while in our true form and each lineage of Werecat, depending on the family, would shift into a different kind of cat. We had advantages that we never really knew we had, until they ended up enslaving my people. By the time we realized our worth, it was too late."

"Yourbite..is it lethal to a vampire?" Damon asled, glaring daggers at her from across the room. Athena hesitated and Klaus nodded at her to answer truthfully, "No, it isn't. It is a disadvantage for us..hence why we were hunted." Damon stared still and muttered, "Good to know." He now smiled a rather cheeky forced grin. There was nothing polite about his smile and Athena bristled, narrowing her eyes at him challengingly.

"Wait, back up. Enslaved though? What do you mean enslaved?" Stefan asked, leaning on his elbows, much like Elena and somehow she found the sight slightly endearing, but she kept it to herself. "How does a whole race get enslaved?" Damon asked, screwing his face up into one that resembled someone that was disbelieving of what was being said.

"There never were many of our kind to begin with. The werewolves had us outnumbered from the get go. We lived in peace for many years, tolerating one another. Something happened though..two of the leaders children were found executed. Now, my people never liked them, but we would never kill children." Damon was watching her like a hawk and spoke out now, "You'd be surprised the things your own kin will do.." Stefan eyed Damon and he already knew Damon was speaking about their father and the betrayal they had gone through with him.

"Not us." She said adamantly and continued, "Of course we got blamed. The leaders of all the surrounding packs came to confront our leader, Ares. From the stories that got passed down to my kin was that Ares did not back down. The wolves came looking for a fight, wanting to blame someone and of course that had to be us. They wanted to "blend" our kind and merge so that we could an all powerful group of shifters."

She shook her head, the audacity of the wolves to even try and play this angle was ridiculous. Ares could see through their nasty dog-like lies. "In reality, they wanted us to submit to them, to bend to their will and make it so that they would rule over us since we were not to be trusted. Ares, being the smart leader that he was, refused. He was executed right on the spot. Pandemonium broke out and what were we without our leader? Powerless. Confused. Scared. Without a leader, everyone lost hope."

Athena looked away as the story always choke up. She was emotional when it came to her people and the horrors they had endured that followed Ares' death. "The wolves rounded up as many as they could, which was almost everyone. In the years that followed, we were enslaved by them. Some tortured, some forced to be soldiers and others for God knows what."

She stopped momentarily and Elijah placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and she breathed in deeply, feeling his comfort and letting it give her enough strength to continue on. "With all enslavement, comes rebellion. I think my people realized just how strong we really were and that we were more powerful than them, despite our numbers and no leader. So, we rebelled. Skirmishes were fought, much like most human wars." She paused thinking of the rebellion and how it might have played out. Of course she was not even born yet when all this took place.

"When things were looking bad for us, we fanned out across the globe. We went into hiding. The wolves made it their mission to destroy us all. They hunted us down one by one over the decades and they have not stopped since. Vampire just hunted us for sport, which didn't help our numbers either."

"But, there have to be more of you out there, right? I mean, you can't be the only one left.." Elena chimed in now, her face showing some sort of emotion Athena was not used to seeing on a vampire's face. Compassion. Athena nodded, a little dumbfounded by her kindness, "I suppose their are more of us. My parents, they left me with a human caretaker when I was younger. They thought I would be safe with her."

"Thought?" Stefan asked and Athena sighed, pushing some strands of unruly blonde hair out of the way of her eyes, "When I was sixteen, they found me. They killed my caretaker, Nadia. And I fled. And I have been running ever since then. It has been six very, very long years since then."

"Until I was found by a warlock, Sampson. I was in Florida at the time and I was almost done for, until he showed up. He knew my parents. He also told me they had died many years ago." There was silence in the room and something in Damon's expression shifted and she saw the shadows pass over his face, and his pissy look was replaced with something different. Not compassion. Maybe understanding, she couldn't put her finger on it.

"He took me to New Orleans, where he thought the most powerful family in the world could protect me. I was there six months until they found us." She looked at Klaus, who gave her a half smile. He understood her nostalgia on losing family and being alone.

"Some protection, huh?" Damon chimed out and she could hear Elijah groan while Klaus merely smirked, "I'm glad you find it so funny. Now, your lot can have at go at it." Stefan shook his head while Damon started to cross the room, setting his drink down, "No, no, no and hell no. We are not babysitting her!" He threw his hand out at Athena and she hissed at him, her teeth pulling back, much like an animal.

Klaus, still looking relaxed as ever, stared at Stefan...their eyes locked in battle, "Elijah and I need to do some recon. We need to figure out what exactly the wolves are after and why they want her. They had a shot at killing her and they didn't take it. This is where you come in, Stefan."

Elena frowned, "What makes you think she'll be safe here? I mean, they found her in New Orleans.." Damon interrupted, "We are not a refugee camp!" Athena felt her heart sink a little bit. She needed to lay low and this town was bumping with supernatural vibrations, so she didn't think this would be the first spot that they would come looking. She hoped.

Athena was finding it less and less likely that she would be staying in Mystic Falls with all the protest about her being here. "You owe me, Rippah." Klaus mentioned this and Stefan looked up from his hands and to Klaus, his eyes narrowing. "Ripper?" Athena asked aloud and Elena sighed, shaking her head, "It's a long story."

Athena quieted now as Stefan and Klaus locked eyes again, "If I were to agree, then how long would this be for?" Klaus smiled widely, he already knew he had Stefan. Stefan owed him, he knew that to be true. He could no longer make hybrids due to Elena becoming a vampire and wanting to stay that way. The cure would have to wait until another day.

Athena watched as Stefan started to cave, but before he could say anything, Damon interrupted, "What exactly do you get out of all of this, Klaus? I mean, you surely aren't doing it out of the goodness of your heart. Harboring an endangered species?"

Damon's words stung and Athena flared her nostrils at him. She was sick of him calling her shit like that and he knew it too because he smirked at her. "It is very rare that I get something as unique as a Werecat on my doorstep. And where there is an evil plan to be had in regards to the wolves, I knew I wanted in. Truth be told, I am all for ptoecting endangered species."

He grinned devilishly and Athena smirked, while Elijah merely shook his head with a small smile. "Elena, Stefan." Elijah started to speak, "We know this is unannounced, but she came to us with no family. I know you of all people Elena understand that." There was silence in the room and Athena noticed that Elena looked away silently, a pained look on her face.

"It's a lot to ask, we understand, but I beg of you, don't do this to her. We just need some time to figure out what it is they want and then we can come back and get her up. It's not permanent." Elena stared at Elijah now as he held her gaze. "She has no where else to go.." He let this linger before continuing on. "I give you my word, this will be a brief stay." Elijah added and Klaus nodded in agreement, while Athena shifted under the weight of everyone's scrutiny.

"Stefan.." Elena started, but Stefan was already nodding, though he didn't seem excited about it, "Alright, we'll help you. But, this means my debt is clear, understood?" Klaus merely smirked and Athena let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "You've always been a man of your word, Elijah." Elena sighed heavily and he smiled at her. She didn't know what history they had with the Mikaelson family, but it seemed they knew Elijah was a man of honor.

"You keep Athena safe, then we will talk about your debt being cleared." Klaus answered. In Klaus-like fashion, he never agreed to Stefan's end of the bargain and that merely made both Stefan and Elena exchange nervous looks.

"Rewind. You're agreeing to this?" Damon sputtered out while Elena gave him a look that meant to shut up, "She's all yours, brother. I want nothing to do with this." He threw his hands up and stalked off, grabbing his leather jacket and snatching his keys. She heard him mutter something akin to 'Unbelievable', but she wasn't exactly sure. "Be sure to burn that towel when you're through with it." He called out without even glancing back at any of them. He slammed the door and Athena sneered.

Good riddance.

It was quiet for a moment before Klaus got up and so did Elijah. "I take it Tyler isn't in town?" Klaus asked his now, even though he knew the answer. A sharp no escaped Stefan's lips and Athena looked around, "Who's Tyler?" Klaus smirked, "An old buddy of mine, but you mustn't worry, Athena." Elena and Stefan exchanged looks and it seemed that this Tyler guy was not necessarily a buddy, as Klaus made him out to be. Elijah excused himself to go and grab her bags and Elena offered to help.

It left Stefan, Klaus and Athena in the room by themselves. "How do you know they won't find her here? We are risking everyone's safety just by her staying here.." Stefan looked to Athena, but in way that meant he was unapologetic. It wasn't until Athena actually thought about it that she realized she was putting innocent people at risk.

Her eyes widened and Klaus composed himself, placing his drink down on the end table and staring at Stefan, "I understand the burdens you are taking on, Stefan. But, your lot has taken on greater danger before, hm?" Athena looked between them as Elena and Elijah came back in with her bags. She didn't like goodbyes and she was starting to feel homesick already from New Orleans. From Rebekah.

From Klaus and Elijah.

"Someone will be here with her at all times. I promise." Elena now spoke and Athena looked from Klaus to Elijah and back to Elena. It was the first time Elena genuinely smiled at her and she hadn't a clue what Elijah had said to her out there, but she seemed more open minded about her being in Mystic Falls.

"I owe you all, thank you." Athena spoke softly and Stefan merely nodded, still tight lipped about the whole ordeal. "Can I trust you'll get that brother of yours under control?" Klaus asked, but not politely. Stefan nodded, but then shrugged, "I make no promises though." Elena pulled Stefan off the side as Klaus and Elijah came over to Athena.

To say goodbye.

She could hear Stefan and Elena whispering from the other room, and though she couldn't hear everything, it sounded as they were going over the pros and cons to this..as well as how they were going to get Klaus off their backs about the cure after this was over.

Athena wondered if somehow, she lived through this ordeal, maybe she could get Klaus to call off his need for a hybrid family. She had a lot of pull when it came to Klaus and he seemed to take her ideas and thoughts into consideration, something he rarely did for many others.

"Dearest, Athena." Klaus said, standing before her and pushing her hair out of the towel that was wrapped around her still naked form. Elijah hugged Athena from the side, "Athena, we will not be long. We will get to the bottom of this, I promise."

She nodded sadly at Elijah before Klaus smirked, "Come now, love, don't look so sad. This isn't goodbye." In an uncharacterstic show of affection, he placed a hand upon her cheek and she let his fingertips linger there for longer than she should have, she breathed in his scent, taking it in. This family had taken her in when she lost all trust and hope in others. And now they were leaving her, though not forever, but still. She was comfortable with them. These new people were strangers.

"I know..it's just.." Klaus nodded at her words, understanding her feelings without her even having to continue. "We will be back before you know it. If you need anything at all, you call. Also remember, you can call Rebekah." She nodded, his hand dropping to her shoulder and he squeezed it lightly.

"Don't fret, love." It was the last thing he said before walking off. She hesitated and called his name, "Klaus.." She walked to him, pullimg the blanket around her tighter. "I was wrong, when I called you a monster last night..you're not a monster." Her voice dropped to a whisper and she looked down before looking back up at him.

He looked a little shocked at her admission. He recovered quickly and offered her a small, chaste kiss to the top of her head, "Love, I am a monster." Athena smiled lightly and shook her head, "You wear a mask, Klaus. But, if you prefer to keep to a monster for reputation purposes.." She smirked up at him and he gave her a small smirk in return.

She saw past to the goodness in him. The goodness he sometimes couldn't see himself. "Oh, and do try and behave." He stared pointedly at her and Athena let a chuckle escape her lips, "I guess I can try." He walked out the door and she heard the SUV take off...and with, it her family. Her heart ached and she stood rigid for a moment. Elena and Stefan came up behind her and she turned awkwardly, wiping away any stray tears before saying with a smirk, "As much as I love to be in the nude, where can I go change at?"