Never Alone

Chapter 22

"Got your snacks?"

"Mhmm."

"Do you have money with you?"

"Got it."

"Do you know what to do when you want to go pee-pee?"

"Raise my hand and tell the teacher that I would need to go to the toilet."

"What do you do if you want to borrow something?"

"Ask nicely."

"What do you do when someone wants to borrow something from you?"

"If they ask nicely then I will let them but if they're rude then I won't."

"And?"

"And tell them nicely that they are being rude."

"Good. Do you know what to do if there's an emergency?"

"First, tell the teacher but if it's really important then I will call one of you. "

"Call us immediately, okay? Eat your snacks, don't talk to strangers and don't bully anyone."

Zen gave him an exasperated sigh. "Owen, just let the poor girl go."

The man couldn't help but hug Athena as she pat his back comfortingly.

"Be safe." He whispered and he felt Athena's head bob slightly on his shoulder.

"I will." She whispered softly.

"Promise?"

Athena couldn't help but snort. "No promises."

That earned a few snickers from the rest and a playful glare from Owen.

"Why can't you just promise me, m'lady?" Owen huffed as he playfully glare at her.

Athena gave him a charming beam of a smile. She caressed Owen's cheek and kissed his nose.

"I don't make promises that I don't intend to keep, Owen."

Owen looked at the little girl, feeling lost and sad as he stared at her. He feels like she's leaving forever.

"Don't fight, okay?" Xavier softly said, softly patting her head. "I don't want to have another call from one of your teachers saying that you bullied a boy."

Athena smiled innocently. "That was one time."

"Don't fight unless they're bullying you,  okay?" Zen grinned. "If someone's bullying you, you punch them in the face!"

He mocked a punch and the rest gave him a disapproving look.

Athena gave Zenny a scrutinizing gaze. "That's just not enough."

Charles raised an amused brow. "Then what will be enough for you?"

Athena smiled deviously at them. "It will be enough when I see them defeated!"

"Yeah! Whoo! You tell them, kiddo!" Zen shouted, dancing a little, earning a few scared and confused looks from parents who was close enough to hear them. "That's my tough looking warrior!"

Charles gave him an amused grin. "Did you seriously just quoted Mushu from Mulan?"

Xavier sighed in relief. "Well at least she's not punching faces."

"Yeah, too bad." Zen sighed, shaking his head. "Our little baby's not going off to destroy people."

Owen glared at him.

"Use your sarcasm, my little pumpkin pie." Charles winked and Athena nodded happily. She's great with that.

Or that's what her brothers have told her.

They said that her words were like a knife. It cuts through a person with ease and Athena thinks that....

That it's awesome.

Owen ignored Zen and Charles and just gave her a smile. "Just have a great time. No kissing Theodore."

"Yeah, stay away from him, kiddo." Zen hisses. "He's bad news."

"Who's bad here is Zenny telling me to punch faces." Athena deadpanned.

"No, no, that's not bad, that's good, really good but that's not the case here. You should definitely most absolutely not kiss. You're too young, do you understand me?"

All of them were surprised that Zen was being too cautious with the boy. No, that's not why they're surprised. They're surprised that he's talking like an adult to Athena!

Athena rolled her eyes. "I don't kiss someone who's not even my lover."

Woah, okay.

What?

"How... ?" Charles trailed off, feeling baffled and lost.

Athena shrugged and smiled. "Mama and papa do it and they told me that it's for your special someone. Someone who will be called a lover and will do those stuff and I'm too young for that."

Xavier disapprovingly bit his bottom lip at the thought of her parents telling her about those kinds of things. Really, they have no shame when it comes to explaining Athena things that she's not really ready to know it yet.

Charles narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure that you're not a descendant of some mature, smart, snarky, sarcastic little lady?"

"That's what I want to know." Zen chuckled.

Athena crossed her arms. "Silly Charlie! I'm me and excuse you but I have some originality in me!"

Owen smiled and kissed her forehead lovingly. "Yeah, you're you and don't let people tell you otherwise."

Owen gave her bag filled with school things and she took it.

"Kay." Athena said with a smile, hugging her bag closer to her.

Owen stood up and Athena hugged his waist. "See you, Wenny."

Owen's heart was aching and he just doesn't want to let go of the little bean. But he has too... He needs to!

Owen hugged her back. "See you later."

Athena nodded and went to hug the rest of her brothers.

They were sad to let Athena go. If they could, they would've probably homeschool Athena but truth be told, Athena needs to be around children around her age. She needs to be independent even though the brothers know that she'll be perfect when she grows up. She won't need anyone to guard her anymore because she's frightening enough to keep herself out of trouble.

When it was over, Athena waved them goodbye before running off towards the school.

Zen sniffled as he watches Athena greet her friends.

"They grow up so fast." He wiped the imaginary tear away.

"Yeah... Well I hope that she doesn't grow up too fast." Charles commented with a small proud smile on his lips.

"Yeah..." Owen said as he watches Athena wave at them one last time with a grin on her face before going inside of the school with her friends.

First day of school was always so hard for them. Especially when Athena strictly told them that she'll find her room on her own. She wanted to be independent and she doesn't want her brothers messing with that decision.

She'll be okay. She's Athena Eleanore Hale! Fearsome and sarcastic. She's smart enough to keep herself out of trouble and to keep herself from getting into trouble.

"Well... " Xavier clasped his hands together and smiled at them. "Let's get going, shall we?"

They'll get to see her later so everything will be okay.

______________________________________

Sweet and nice.

Sadly, Thea needs to go to school :(

Well! More adventures then!

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