Trachea.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN , TRACHEA

a/n : *CONTENT WARNING* this chapter shows depictions of grooming and sexual assault

please skip if you're uncomfortable! Your comfort is much more important than a story 🫶

━━━━━━━━━━

Flashback.

Never in all of Athena's life did she think she would miss. John fucking Winchester. Victor let Athena keep her journal where she wrote everything in. She only had a certain amount of time with the pencil though. The last time Victor let her have a pencil over night, she stabbed him in his leg. He grabbed her hair and slammed her head against the wall.

Next time she'll go for the neck.

Victor opens the basement door and switches the light on. The lights flicker for a moment before staying on. He limps down the stairs with a tray of food in his hands. He lands on the cement floor and looks at the girl, writing in her journal, ignoring him.

"Guess what I made?" He limps over to her.

Athena continues to write.

"Your favorite!"

Victor sets the tray on the nightstand and sits on the edge of the bed. He stares at the young girl. It's been two weeks since she's been trapped in this basement. The only time she does speak to Victor is when she screams bloody murder to leave, or sobs for him to get off of her.

Victor reaches for her face, "Athy—"

"Don't call me that." Athena pulls her face away from him. "Only my f-friends get to call me that."

Her red rimmed eyes meet his. "My family calls me that."

"We are family—"

"No, you're a pedophile."

Victor tenses, "No, I'm not."

"Oh, I'm sorry...do you prefer rapist?" Athena looks back at her journal when Victor stays silent.

"I know you're mad—"

"I have a question for you..." Athena looks back at him. "When you said you had kids...was that a lie too?"

Victor stays silent and Athena raises her brows.

"You didn't have kids like biologically or adopting wise...you had kids—kidnapping wise."

"Athena—"

"What'd you do with them?" Athena asks.

Victor stays silence once again, causing Athena's anger to grow. "You killed them didn't you? Because they got too old and they wouldn't stay silent?"

"Only because they wouldn't stay silent." Victor says. "That's all they had to do."

Athena slowly nods her head, her eyes burning with tears once again. "Well...guess you're gonna have to add another child to your kill list." She tilts her head.

Victor looks away, "No...you're—you're different Athena. I could never hurt you—"

"YOU ALREADY HAVE!"

Athena goes to stab Victor, but he grabs her wrist and twists her arm, forcing her to drop the pencil.

"Your dad would've abandoned you by now!" Victor snaps. "But I saved you! Me!"

A small whimper leaves her lips as his grip on her wrist becomes tighter. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." she rapidly whispers, her breathing becoming quick.

Victor shakes his head, "No, you're not." He lets out a sigh of disappointment. "And honestly...I don't know what I'm gonna have to do to make you sorry."

Athena's blood runs cold when Victor's eyes travel across her body. "P-Please don't..."

"Sh, Sh, Sh..." Victor lightly touches her face. A small whimper leaves Athena's lips. "You really are special, you know that?"

Athena turns her face away from Victor. The girl couldn't help but feel stupid in this whole situation. She thought that she could find a friend like Zach, but now she was stuck in this situation. Athena wished she never ran away.

☆

"You are my sunshine..."

A tear slips out of Athena's eye.

"My only sunshine."

The girl flinches as Victor runs a hand through her hair. Her eyes slowly look around the basement, the lights blinding her. Everything was distorted. She knew where she was, but she was too weak to even move.

"I wanna go home..." Athena sobs.

Victor quietly shushes the girl, he runs a hand down her back, and she sobs.

"I thought you were my friend." Athena whimpers.

"Do you think we should get a cat?" Victor asks, not acknowledging Athena's misery.

Athena's lower lips quiver.

"No—"

"But, you told me you like cats." Victor looks down at the girl.

Athena lets out a choked sob, not wanting to answer. She slowly starts to force her heavy-feeling body off of Victor's lap. His grip in the girl's hair, tighten and she yelps.

"Are you not a cat person anymore, Athy—"

"S-stop calling me that..." Athena sobs. "Please, I can't..."

"What about a dog?"

Athena silently sobs and Victor's frustration grows. "Athena."

Her blood runs cold from his cold tone.

"I need an answer." Victor says. "We need to start that family soon."

Athena inhales a shaky breath and shakes her head. "A cat." She whimpers out. "I never had a cat before."

Victor lets out a soft chuckle, he leans down and kisses Athena's head. He stands up and hops off the bed. Victor runs toward the stairs. "I'll get you one now. Just for you."

Athena goes to open her mouth, but small incoherent mumbles leaves her lips, her vision darkening.

"Anything for you, Athy."

Victor runs up the basement stairs. As soon as the basement door closes, Athena forces her head to hang to the left. Athena slowly lifts her hand up, but she feels her wrist stop. Her eyes land on the chain on her wrist that was connected to the pole on the wall. A small cry leaves her lips, defeat slowly settles into her body and she blacks out.

A part of Athena wished that her mother never left her with John. After everything she has been through, Athena still loves Sam and Dean. But she always imagined her life so much better if she stayed with her mom. Maybe her mom would've grown to love her.

☆

Athena looks down at the food on her tray and she pulls her brows together, thinking. After a few moments, she grabs her sandwich and stuffs it in her mouth. She grabs the glass of strawberry milk and chugs it. Athena eats all of her food, shoving it down her throat. Not caring about her full stomach. She finishes chewing and inhales a deep breath. She lets out a soft cry and starts to cry even harder.

Then she hears her father's voice in her head. You know how to manipulate people.

As much as you hate doing it. This is for your survival.

Athena hears the basement door open and hurried steps. "Athy?!"

Athena runs over to the edge of the bed and throws up all the food she just ate.

"Oh, Christ!" Victor runs over to the girl. He sits on the bed next to Athena and touches her back. He rubs her back and runs a hand through her hair. "It's okay, I'm here..."

Athena stops puking her guts out. Just like the Motel Bathrooms. She jumps over the bed and runs out of the cell. The girl forces her small legs to carry herself over to the stairs.

She feels a hand grab a fistful of her hair. Victor yanks her hair back and she screams. He throws her to the floor, her head banging against the cement floor. Black dots form in the girls vision and she inhales a deep breath, keeping her breath steady.

Victor pinches the bridge of his nose. "I...didn't want to hurt you." He says, turning back to the girl who was slowly crawling away from him. "Why couldn't you stay—"

"I have a family!"

"A family that hates you!" Victor walks over to her and she scurries away.

"No, get away from me!" Athena cries. Victor reached for the girl, she kicks her feet toward him; making it difficult for him to grab her.

"Stop fighting me!" Victor growls.

Athena squints her eyes and kicks the heel of her foot into his nose. He stumbles back, his hand over his bleeding nose.

Athena crawls between his legs and shoots for the stairs. Victor lets out a frustrated scream. He grabs Athena by the back of her shirt, he pulls her back and her back slams into the ground. Athena gasps for air, her migraine getting worse. but she still continues to move.

Don't stop moving, Athy.

Athena forces her self to move, ignoring her pain. Victor looks at the ceiling and scoffs. "Why do you keep moving? STOP MOVING!"

Athena flinches and crawls toward the stairs. Victor grabs Athena by her ankle and a sob escapes her lips.

"LET ME GO!"

Victor pulls her down the stairs, she tries her best to claw at the stairs. Her finger nails chipping because of it.

Her stomach slams into the floor. Victor forces Athena onto her back, her eyes meeting his.

"Athy—"

"GET OFF OF ME!"

"BE QUIET!" He slaps a hand over her mouth.

"PLEASE STOP!" Athena sobs through his hand.

Athena claws at his arms, blood leaving them. But he didn't stop. Athena starts to hyperventilate as he unbuckles his belt. The black dots in her vision start to grow and Athena feels nauseous.

The auburn haired girl shoots her eyes around the cellar, she catches sight of the spoon still jammed into his shoulder. Athena pulls her brows together and soon everything feels like around her slowed down.

Trachea.

Athena thinks back to her lessons with her dad. She never actually thought she would use them. She was a child. She shouldn't have to.

Trachea.

The lights start to flicker, catching Victor's attention. Everything starts to shake almost like an earthquake. An electric feeling fills Athena's chest. Victor stops pulling off Athena's clothes and looks at the ceiling.

"What—"

Athena grabs the spoon jammed into his shoulder and pulls it out. Victor screams, but quickly becomes quiet when Athena rams the spoon into his trachea.

Athena pulls the spoon out of his neck, not caring about the blood spilling on her. She then starts to stab repeatedly.

Athena feels her mind start to go fuzzy and it's almost like she was back in the snow with Peter and her dad.

"KEEP KICKING HIM!"

"KEEP KICKING HIM!"

"KICK HIM HARDER!"

The lights in the cellar explode, causing Athena to scream. She stops before stabbing Victor again. Her eyes look up at the ceiling, then at all the broken glass around her. She switches her gaze to Victor. Her mind snaps back into reality and her stomach turns.

His body falls on top of her and her mouth hangs open, not a sound leaving it.

Athena crawls out from under the lifeless body. She looks down at the blood all over her body, her clothes were ripped and it hurt to breathe. Athena looks down at the spoon in her hand that was soaked in blood same as her entire body. She looks back at Victor and she scoots away from his body until her back hits the corner of the cellar.

Athena pulls her knees towards her chest and starts to sob. The girl tangles her hands into her hair.

"Why did you make me do that?" Athena whimpers. "You were my friend—YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MY FRIEND!!!"

☆

When Dean told John about Athena running away, Dean could've sworn for a second he saw worry run through his father's eyes. But John then scoffed and walked over to his bed before muttering

"It's about time."

Obvious rage was felt in Dean. He searched every paper, and looked across every town; hoping for anything. But it was like his little sister disappeared off the face of the planet.

And Dean couldn't help but think it was his fault.

As Dean was drinking his second bottle of beer, his phone rang. He sets his beer down and answers the phone.

"Yeah?"

Silence.

Dean scratches the side of brow and exhales a frustrated breath. "Hello?"

A shaky breath is heard over the line and Dean pulls his brows together. The voice was hesitant, but soft; they wanted to speak. But they were scared about what the response would be.

"Athy?"

The girl flinches from the name. Dean shoots up from his seat, the chair flying back. "Athena, are you okay? Where are you?"

"I don't..." her voice cracks.

Dean could tell she had been screaming. Tears form in his eyes. "Athena, please..."

Athena wipes her nose and inhales a breath, trying to stay strong. She looks around the road. As soon as everything happened in the basement, Athena immediately ran. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, she just wanted to disappear.

Athena lets out a soft cry, she falls to the ground, sobbing. Dean's chest tightens and he swallows the lump in his throat.

"Do you see anything around you? Anything significant?" Dean asks, his voice gentle.

Athena wipes her tears. She lifts her head up, looking around. "Uh...Willow tree..." she manages to let out.

"A Willow Tree? Okay, great, great." Dean nods his head. "Is there anything else?"

Athena continues to look around, her eyes land on the street sign.

"Th-there's a street sign." Athena inhales. She squints her eyes from her blurry vision. "Uh...I can't read it..."

Athena squints her eyes, she rubs her eyes and whimpers. "I don't wanna...I can't think. I can't see it."

"Hey, that's fine." Dean reassures her. "I'll find you. I'll search for every fucking Willow Tree here. I don't care. I will find you, Athy."

Athena didn't move an inch from that spot. She just sat in the grass with her back against the Willow Tree. For the first time in forever, the voice in Athena's head was silent. But that means she was left alone with everything that happened to her.

Everything she did.

Everything he did.

She looks down at her blood stained hands and they start to shake. Athena slowly opens and closes her hands, hoping to keep them from shaking.

Athena's whole body was throbbing, a splitting headache was felt in her head, she still could barely see, and she honestly just felt like she wasn't in her own body. Her eyelids start to grow heavy. She inhales a short breath, not able to breathe steadily. As Athena closes her eyes, she hears a low rumbling.

Anytime that familiar rumbling would send fear down her spine. But for her this time was different. The girl's eyes fly open and she sees the Impala.

"Athy?! Athena?!" Athena sees Dean look around the empty freeway. A small breath leaves her lips. She forces herself to stand up. Dean hears small shuffling. He turns and sees the bloodied girl and his heart drops into his stomach.

"ATHENA?!" Dean runs over to her.

Athena's eyes start to water once again, her mind plagued with the repeated torture. He quickly takes his jacket off and crouches in front of her.

"Oh, My God..." he shakes his head, terror in his eyes. "Athy, what—"

She slams into Dean and wraps her arms around his neck. Dean slightly stumbles. He touches the back of her head and her back. Her whole body was trembling, she was freezing, and soaked in blood.

"I'm sorry." Athena sobs. "I shouldn't have left, I'm sorry—"

"You have nothing to apologize for." Dean says. "I should be the one apologizing."

"I shouldn't have said that to any of you." Dean quietly scoffs. "I'm an idiot and I don't think about what I say..."

Dean looks at Athena, "Is this your blood?"

Athena looks away from him, her eyes telling a horrifying story that she would never whisper a word to.

"I just wanna go home." Athena whimpers.

Dean's jaw goes slack. Just from Athena avoiding the question, he knew whatever happened was tough, and she couldn't talk about it. And Dean didn't know if she was ever going to be able to.

Dean slowly nods his head, "Yeah, okay—lets go home." He places his jacket over Athena's shoulders. He then picks Athena up in his arms and carries her to the car. He gently lays her in the passenger seat and gets in the driver seat.

Athena lays her head against the window and her breathing shallows. Dean looks at Athena for a second. He was relieved that she was alive, but her eyes looked glazed over; like she wasn't in her mind.

The entire car ride was silent. And when they got to the Motel room, everything was still quiet. Dean didn't tell John that he was leaving, so he knew that as soon as he saw his father, John was going to explode.

The bathroom door flies open, causing both siblings to jump.

"You take my car without asking?!" John bellows. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

John stops, he looks at the little girl and his jaw clenches. For a second, he felt relieved that she was there.

"You're back, huh?"

Athena keeps her eyes on the floor, staying silent.

"How did you like your taste a freedom? Was it everything you dreamed of?—"

"Dad—"

"Quiet, boy!"

Dean slams his mouth shut. John keeps his strong glare on the traumatized girl. He walks over to her and the girl physically tenses up. A small cry leaves her lips, and she flinches.

John grips her chin, forcing her to look at him. The last time he looked into Athena's bright blue eyes, he saw an indescribable rage and confidence to her. She wasn't afraid of him. This time, her dull gray blue eyes were clouded with fear, Athena was in a daze she couldn't get out of.

"You ever talk back to me again, and I won't be so lenient." John growls. "I raised you! Not Zach! Or any other friends you have out there!"

"Got it?"

A tear slips out of the girl's eye and she inhales.

"Yes, sir."

John shoves Athena's face out of his grip. The girl's back hits the bed. She curls up into a ball and hugs herself.

"Do you want me to draw you a bath?"

Athena's skin crawls and she shakes her head. "No, I'm fine." She manages to speak. Athena knows Dean was just trying to be helpful, but that nickname wasn't just hers anymore. It would always make her think of Victor.

"Athy—"

"I don't...want to be called that. Please don't call me that anymore." Athena says.

Dean pulls his brows together. "What happened to you?"

Athena opens her eyes, but her heart drops into her stomach. She didn't want to relive what happened. And anytime she did come to Dean about anything she wanted to get off her chest, he brushed her off. And lets not get started on John.

"I just...couldn't survive on my own." Athena nods her head. "You were right."

Dean lets out a breath and sits next to her. "I shouldn't have said all of that to you." He says. "I just wanted you to stay. I didn't want to be alone with dad."

"I wish that things were different." Dean admits. "And I wish I was different. I never meant to hurt your feelings, Athena—"

"I'm gonna take a shower."

The girl stands up, the jacket falling off her shoulders. For the first time ever, Dean was opening up to Athena. Sadly, the girl already had so much going through her head. And she wasn't paying attention.

"Don't you want to clean your cuts first?" Dean asks, following her.

Athena's right eye twitches. "No."

"Athena, let me help—" Dean touches her shoulder.

Athena's heart jumps into her throat and she pulls away from him.

"I don't want your help!" Athena snaps.

Silence settles into the room. The girl rubs her bruised arms.

"I can do it on my own, please." She begs, not wanting to be touched.

Dean stops, noticing the girl on the verge of tears. Athena inhales a breath seeing the hurt across Dean's face.. She wanted to apologize for snapping. But she was tired.

She was so tired.

━━━━━━━━━━

Author's Note:

That's the end of the flashback chapters. This broke my heart writing this.