A Thousand Years, Stefan Salvatore

059. IT TURNS OUT FREEDOM AIN'T NOTHING BUT MISSING YOU

Chapter fifty nine

"It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you."

The next day, Athena was walking into school and as she did, someone put their arm around her, as Athena jumped, Jermey laughed "easy, it's just me." he told her, as Athena huffed "Jermey, what are you doing?" she asked him "well, seeing as you and I have classes together and that a hunter is out to get you, looks like I'm the only person who can keep you safe." Jermey shared, making Athena laugh "keep me safe? Jermey he's not gonna hurt me." she informed him "yeah, but you also have the means of shooting to impress so I'm here to make sure you don't anymore." Jermey shared.

"Yes, because your drug phase and knowledge of vampires trained you to be my bodyguard." Athena told him "hey! I killed one of Klaus's hybrids and I know how to actually use a crossbow now unlike the last time you saw me hold one." Jermey shared, spinning her around and stopping at his locker "wow, I feel so much safer!" Athena voiced, not noticing the hunter in question standing and talking to a women, but Elena did "that's the hunter." she told Stefan, as Stefan turned around "what the hell is he doing here?" he asked.

And as the women walked away from them, the two then saw him look at two specific people "Athena and Jermey." Elena shared, as she stepped forward, the hunter began walking toward's them, as Stefan turned to her "no, no, no, hey. You get this, okay?" he asked her, reminding her about the blood on her hand "I got that." he told her, as he turned around, but as he did Athena and Jermey were gone and so was the hunter as he headed down the hallway in search of them.

Athena and Jermey were then sitting in an empty classroom with Connor "you mind telling me what else it is that you want from me? You already know everything about me. And my friend Jermey here has become insistent on protecting me from you." Athena shared "well, I'm happy to miss bio." Jermey shared, as Athena looked to him "so not helping." she told him "I'm actually glad he's here because I looked into both your family's history." Connor shared, as he threw the folders down in front of them "or at least what I could find on you seeing as his parents kept out a lot of it and nothing resurfaced till you were fourteen, but your friend here from what I've gathered along with his sister have been through a lot." he shared.

"Why do you care about me?" Jermey asked him "because you saw this." Connor shared, rolling up his sleeve and showing them the tattoo "it's a tattoo. Big deal." Jermey told him "I call this a hunters mark as in vampire hunter. But seeing as your blonde friend here is one and your insistent on protecting her, I'm sure she's already told you that." Connor shared, as Athena sensed something familiar, she looked to the door and saw Stefan standing outside of it, as he disappeared "so why the show and tell?" Jermey asked him.

"Because it's invisible to anyone but another hunter or a potential hunter or in her case, the slayer. Find me a vampire. I'll train you, teach you how to do what we do. I'm on Hudson, off route 13. Don't show up unless you find one." Connor shared, as he turned to walk out the door "how are we supposed to do that?" Jermey asked him "Athena knows." Connor told him, as he walked out the door.

Athena listened and waited until she heard his footsteps go away, as she then stood up to walk out herself "Athena.." Jermey told her, as Athena turned to him "no, Jermey. This doesn't involve you. Let me handle it." she told him, turning around and walking out, Jermey furrowed his brows and followed after her "let you handle it? Athena anytime you handle something on your own, you either get hurt, wind up dead, or end up in bloodlust wanting to kill any vampire in sight." he shared, as Athena spun toward's him "what are we supposed to do, Jermey? This guy is clearly not giving up! And now he wants to bring you in on this! Elena will kill me!" she voiced, turning around and walking away.