Killing Me

Gently, silently, i'm dying inside
Gently, silently, i'm dying inside

I'm down and out (down and out)
I'm drowning out (drowning out)
I'm falling down (falling down)
I'm upside down (upside down)

This time now
I'm falling down
AND ITS KILLING ME

Gently, silently, i'm dying inside
Gently, silently, i'm dying inside
Gently, silently, i'm dying inside

- Sugarcult

XXX

Athena paused just inside the threshold, remembering a time when everything seemed so much easier. Remembering when everything changed.

The raven haired beauty smiled maliciously at the door that dared to bar her way. Two bullets later the door opened. She peered inside, no one there. Someone must have heard the noise she had made, but she was too excited to think about it. This was to be her first kill.

Athena shook her head and very carefully looked around her. She was no longer the wide-eyed little girl who thought herself invisible and believed she was helping mankind. She knew better now.

She had shot the guard turning the corner before she even realized that the gun was in her hand. She was slipping. Moving mechanically, without thought to what her actions might do. It was as though she wasn't really living anymore. Dark eyes looked at the gun in her hand.

She had killed him. X marked the spot over the man's heart, only one bullet had pierced his skull. She couldn't bring herself to do it. He had looked so surprised when the first bullet hit his forehead. She didn't know if he was surprised that someone resembling his daughter had killed him, or that anyone at all had killed him. She didn't want to know. Her phone rang.

"Hello?" She asked in a quivering voice.

"Are you finished?" Came the sickly sweet voice of her Boss, Dr. S.

"Yes,"

"Send the picture and come back," The line went dead. Athena took the picture before running to the bathroom and retching into the toilet. She had killed someone. Did that make her a monster?

"I am not a monster, the people that made me are monsters," Athena whispered to herself, not bothering to wipe off the tears running down her face. She was tired. So very tired of dealing with the things she had done.

"Status?" Artemis demanded over the earpieces.

"Single currently," Hera retorted.

"Cute," Artemis said dryly.

"Proceeding as scheduled," Athena said, gaining control of her voice even if the tears continued to stream sadly down her cheeks.

"Same," Hera added.

"Good," Artemis went silent again and the three women continued.

XXX

Quatre felt his heart contract as he watched Athena.

"I am not a monster, the people that made me are monsters," She whispered quietly, tears streaming down her face.

"What these girls have gone through is wrong," Quatre told Wufei, who he was partnered with for the mission.

"I think I agree," Wufei said, watching the dark haired girl as well.

XXX

Damia – short I know, but I just want to keep updating, no matter how short the chapter, so that I don't hit another dry spell anytime soon.