Until Death Do Us Part

11

*Darian's POV*

Athena wrote her statement and I read it over for her, living the words she wrote. It was like I could feel what she did, and see those events taking place in front of me. 

"It's good, and I think they're stupid if they don't see that you're innocent. Honestly, don't worry, babe."

Athena had tears in her eyes again, but she brushed them away and smiled at me, with a deep sadness in her eyes. Gone was the girl I met just a few weeks ago, so full of life and happy, never without a smile. 

This wasn't Athena. This was some sort of clone, a broken and beaten down version of a beautiful soul. It was painful to see, and all I wanted to do was fix her. But that was out of my control. It all depended on this meeting. 

Secretly, I was terrified for her. I didn't know how this meeting would go, and I feared it might crush her if they say she is found guilty still. 

But I had to keep the thoughts to myself and be strong for her. I planned to make her my girlfriend soon, but I had to get her through this first. That was the priority here. 

~~~

I had broken the rules just this once and phoned ahead to the bosses to tell them what was happening. They knew Athena was coming to do her appeal tomorrow, and they hadn't been to pleased with me. I was guaranteed to get into a whole load of trouble with them. 

I drove Athena the eight hours from hers to the head quarters with her quiet beside me. I just didn't have the words for her. I still felt awful. If I didn't come here, this wouldn't have happened. 

Well, I guess it would have, but it wouldn't have been me doing the job. Which didn't make me feel any better. 

I held her hand walking in, and felt it shaking in mine. If I was this nervous, I couldn't imagine how she must be feeling. But this was going to be okay.

They'll see she's innocent, I'll get fired, and then we can live our lives together happily. 

~~~

We left the room in silence. There were no words. 

Of course the main guy in charge was her dad. That's why he put Athena on the hit list. He was angry at her, and grieving, and needed someone to blame for his daughters' death. And Athena was just unlucky to have been at the forefront of that anger and need for blame. 

Athena had lost her appeal, and she was still on his hit list. 

But my punishment for betraying them was almost worse. I was ordered to kill her again. It was my job to do, they said, and so do my job I had to do. That was the worst thing I could ever imagine. 

I couldn't and wouldn't do it. 

I loved her. I couldn't do that to her. She was my girl, and nothing could make me hurt her, and I would never let anyone else hurt her either. 

~~~

The cold air outside hit us like a tonne of bricks. My eyes filled with tears as it really began to sink in. Athena grabbed my arm.

"Please, Darian, please tell me you won't do it! Please," she sobbed. I held on to her more tightly than I ever had before. This time, it was my tears making her hair damp as I poured tears of pity and sorrow. 

"Athena, I need you to know I would never ever do that to you. I can't and wouldn't do that to you. I'll help you escape. We'll escape together. I promise."

My head was swirling with thoughts. I had just promised I would keep her safe, and I would, but I knew it wasn't that simple. These people were dangerous, and if we decided to leave, we would have to look over our. shoulders for the rest of our lives.

Or we could work together to take these people down. But that was almost as difficult and dangerous. It would cause a whole world of trouble, and we could both end up dead. 

I took Athena home and started making some food for her. She was in shock, understandably, so the best thing for her was to get some food and a good nights' sleep. I cooked up her favourite Mac and cheese and got her a blanket to keep her warm.

I was worried about her. She had cried herself out of tears now, and was just sat with hollow eyes, staring blankly at the TV, not taking anything in. She took her bowl of pasta and ate it slowly. 

"Thank you, Dazzi, this is really good." She perked up a bit after some food, and began to talk again. It cheered me to see her slightly better, but I was still worried. 

Athena yawned and her eyes closed. 

This situation could wait until tomorrow. Athena needed to sleep so we could talk about what we were going to do, and she'd had a long day, she deserved a good rest. 

Her breathing slowed, and her face softened, and she looked at peace again.

Maybe I could just...

No.

Or maybe...

Maybe it was best if I do kill her? She looked so at peace, maybe I could just put her out of her sympathy now? She would never even know. She would die in peace and being in love. She would never know it was me, and she wouldn't feel any pain. 

I grabbed the pillow from behind my head still holding hers in the crook of my arm like a mother holds her baby. I didn't want her to be disturbed. This would all be over in a second. 

My resolve wavered for a second. Should I be doing this?

Then it was over, and her still warm body was in my arms. There had been no struggle, no final fight from her, just one minute she was alive, the next she was asleep. 

I cried. I had just killed the love of my life. But Athena was in a better place. She was out of reach of those men that wanted to hurt her. This was the easiest way for her to go, the least painful. 

I had to go, before her parents woke up and found her. I gathered my things from around the living room, and made sure Athena looked like she was sleeping. 

I gave her one last look as I left, and just saw a girl in a bed, nothing unusual. 

I left before I could make any more decisions, and I drove home through the night, and collapsed into my bed. 

But just as I shut my eyes, my phone flashed again.

Good work, Darian, your job is complete, please come back to the head quarters for your leave period. 

In the morning, I would go back to my flat, back to my life, and this would just be another job in the stack of others I had done. I needed to get Athena out of my mind. She wasn't the love of my life, it was a lie, and I was just doing my job, what I had done my whole life. 

I didn't get much sleep that night.