Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Athena can’t cry. Not after her cheeks have finally dried up. Even as she feels more tears well up in her eyes, she cannot let them fall. Forcing them back transforms her pounding headache, which was already spinning in disbelief from what happened in the trial, into a full-blown migraine. The iron grip the security guard has on her arm as he drags her to the holding cells feels like needles stabbing her skin. The lights are too piercing. Their footsteps are too harsh. Every sensation is too much. It's all too much.

She wants nothing more than to go home, crawl under her blankets and let the comforting darkness overtake her, never again to see the light of day.

Screeching and squealing, a jail cell opens. With little regard, Athena is thrown inside like a sack of potatoes. She nearly trips and falls over, but luckily, she catches herself. The door slams shut behind her.

As soon as the guard who tossed her away leaves, Athena swings her leg at the metal bars with all the force she normally restrains herself from using. She flinches when her foot makes contact and a loud clang! echoes through the hallway.

All it accomplishes is more ringing in her ears and a bruise on her toe.

Not like this…it CAN'T happen like this!

It all crashes down.

A waterfall of tears running down her cheeks, she kicks the cell wall with more force.

“Stupid lighter with my stupid fingerprints on it—!” Athena hisses. It was wistful thinking that things would go right for once.

Without warning, her legs become weak like jelly. She falls to the cold concrete floor. All her energy, the adrenaline, has dissipated.

She digs her hands into her face. With nothing in her left to control her emotions, she weeps. The pathetic sobs escaping her lungs feel like a twist of the knife to every little thing out to destroy her and her only purpose. 

Is she even crying for herself at this point? For the murder she reasonably could have done thanks to her scattered memories of that night? Was it for the distrust, the anger and despair in Apollo's voice? Was it years of pushing those thoughts down, only forcing itself out at her lowest? Or is it for some of the only family that cares for's hourglass? Its sand, trickling down for 7 years. It has to be almost empty.

At the thought of Simon’s doom, her sobbing intensifies.

“I'm sorry, Simon,” she chokes out.

It’s not too late, she tries to assure herself. She can’t be breaking down like this when all hope isn’t lost. There’s still time. There has to be. Even without Apollo…Boss has done so much for her already…At the very least, he should be able to get Athena the not guilty verdict. She can figure it out from there.

The boss…he’ll likely try to visit her as soon as he has the chance. He won’t want to see her like this.

As she forces the tears back into her soul, the only sound that remains in that dreary cell is her own hiccups. Even the window, open to the outside world, has nary a chirp of a bird or wind in the tree branches.

Near silence…except…

Hold on.

Is that…footsteps?

The guard must be coming back to take her into questioning already. Or maybe Mr. Wright is here! A singular drop of ease ripples in her heart at the thought.

She sniffles one more time before standing up and dusting herself off.

However, the person who walks up isn’t a security guard arriving to collect her. This man wears a well-kempt bluish gray suit with a western-style tie. His hair is just as neat as his suit, perfectly tied up in a twisted side ponytail. The only part of his attire he couldn't control—his eyes—were a cool gray, only a tint lighter than her own eye color. Athena cannot recall meeting him before, in the police or otherwise, yet…something about him is familiar in a way she can't quite place.

He ever-so-slightly tilts his head as he gazes at her.

A shiver crawls down her spine, though she’s unsure if it's the cold atmosphere of the jail or his watchful eyes.

“Greetings,” he says in a composed tone. A warm smile briefly graces his lips. “Your name is Athena Cykes, is it not?”

Something’s wrong with his voice—his very heart. What is supposed to be the emotion she's used to hearing is replaced by a thick fog shrouding every corner. It's impossible for her to hear anything. How is that possible? It's not as if it's a lack of emotion. She’s pretty sure she’d know if that’s what it was. More accurately, it's as if her hearing has stopped working entirely.

…What is going on?

Hesitance in her steps, Athena inches forward. “Yes,” she says after a moment, surprising herself with how her voice doesn’t waver or crack, considering she had been crying mere minutes ago. “Who are you?” The question of how she cannot hear him burns in her mind.

“I am but a simple passerby who has taken notice of the cruel twist of fate you have found yourself in,” he deflects.

Still unable to make out anything in the dense air surrounding his heart, Athena simply watches him.

Pushing his glasses up his nose, he continues. “Athena Cykes, a wretched girl who desires more than anything to save the one throwing his life away.”

“What?! How do you know that?” Not a soul—sans Simon himself, and maybe Phoenix, if he’s put it together—is aware of her true goal.

He continues on as if Athena had not spoken. “A fool’s errand is what anyone else would call it. Saving someone so desperate to die for reasons you cannot understand is what most people would be too despairing to try. Unfortunately, the only foolish truth about your pursuit is the impossibility to achieve it.”

The last statement throws Athena off guard. “What?!” She steps close enough to the bars that she could reach out and touch the man. Impossible? He thinks it’s impossible?! “You don’t know that!” she argues. “Once I’m out of here, I’ll have the chance to prove what really happened!” She nearly slams her fist against the metal bars, only stopping herself from creating such a harsh sound again at the very last second. Her fist remains in the air.

Not even pity from her outburst comes out of his even tone. All the man does is shake his head before stating matter-of-factly, “There is nothing you can do after tomorrow. Have you not heard when Mr. Blackquill’s execution is?”

Athena involuntarily takes a step back. No. NO. The implication in his words—it can’t be! Her frazzled mind tries reaching for the date…God, when was it? 

“The bell tolls on the 21st of December, Ms. Cykes.”

Her heart skips a beat.

Today is the 20th.

But….but her trial is tomorrow. Even if she were released that day—

“I see you have realized the conundrum you find yourself in.”

Not like this. It can’t end like this. She won’t LET IT end like this. But…what can she do? Trapped in jail, awaiting trial, while the noose tightens around Simon’s neck. The scope of the disaster upon him slams into her like a tidal wave of despair.

“Why are you telling me this?” she croaks.

“I can help you.” He smiles again, more gentler than the quick flash from before.

Athena stares at him incredulously. “What, are you gonna break me out of here?” She scoffs. She has to laugh, because if she doesn’t, she’ll cry.

A soft exhale, like an allusion to a chuckle. “My, there's no need for such a garish solution,” he says. His eyes break away from the girl as he watches the back of his fingertips graze the black bars. “Fate's string pulls your door into your bad ending. There's nothing you, Ms. Cykes, can do to change it. That door is what I can break open. I can give you that chance to prevent the ringing of the tolling bell for your Simon Blackquill.”

He thinks he can do that? How? Who is this man? And…what reason could he have to want to help her? Athena's head spins with all the information she's been hit with—it's as if she stands in the middle of a storm with nothing to protect her from the rain.

The blizzard raging in his eyes hardens as he looks back down at Athena. His smile, however, remains unchanging. “Will you accept my offer?”

Athena takes a second to untangle her thoughts. The man seems more than fine with waiting. Eventually, she asks, “Why…why help me?”

“A reasonable question to ask. I applaud your intelligence for not agreeing to a proposition without the full story.”

“Oh, uh—thank you?” She hadn't expected the sudden compliment.

He turns his back to her. “The truth of the matter is that I need something in return from you.”

Even without him facing Athena, she can see his arms move to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose again. “I had been in a similar situation to you and your Simon Blackquill. Through no fault of my own, through fabricated evidence,” he spits out the word fabricated as if it’s acid on his tongue, “I fell victim to the courts for the crime of murder.” He turns slightly to look back at Athena. “Without that evidence and the manipulation of the people involved in the case, I would still be a free man.”

“I'm so sorry you went through that…” Athena says, “no one deserves to go to prison for a crime they didn't do.” As soon as she says that, a realization dawns on her. “Wait, if you got sentenced, then how are you here right now?”

“My own bell’s toll has already rung, my last breath taken too soon.”

“You—” Athena pauses. “You're dead? Like, a ghost dead???” Is she having a weird dream? How can she talk to someone who supposedly died? Sure, Pearly claims that she can channel spirits, but it isn't as if Athena has ever actually seen her do that before, and he doesn’t look as if he’s being “channeled” or whatever. It should be impossible, right?

The man confirms it for her. “It's only in the most unfortunate of circumstances that we are able to talk here today.” He gives a singular nod and turns back to fully face Athena once again. “That is why I need you—I need someone to right the wrongs that have befallen unto me.”

“But, if you're dead, how can you help me?”

“In any number of ways. You won't have to worry about that part. All you need is to be prepared to save Mr. Blackquill here and today.”

He extends an open palm into Athena's cage. “It will be our little secret. Do we have a deal?”

Athena looks uncertainly at his hand. The man—this ghost—appears genuine and straightforward, even if the idea of communing with the dead was not on her bucket list.

Should she agree to it? Then again…what choice does she have? Simon will be executed while she is behind bars. If she says no, he will die. Nothing she has done would have mattered. She is willing to do anything to prevent that, and this man is giving her that opportunity! 

And, hey, if this is a dream, none of this matters.

…

There is only one answer Athena can give.

Steeling herself with a deep breath, Athena shakes the man's hand. It's cold. “Okay.”

As soon as the word leaves her lips, electricity, or what feels as such, surges through her body. It starts with her hand but quickly zips through her arm, then her chest. From there, it fills her entire being. She is left paralyzed by the sensation for a moment, but it disappears just as quickly, leaving her heart pounding against her chest and her lungs short of breath. Otherwise, nothing appeared to have happened.

He smiles a little wider. “I thank you deeply for your cooperation, Ms. Cykes. Shall we make this more official?”

From thin air, the man pulls out a document of some kind and a red pen. “We're lawyers, after all. It's imperative to keep business deals written on paper. You never know what can go wrong with a verbal agreement.”

Athena absolutely hates dealing with paperwork, but she doesn't want to leave him with a bad impression by saying that out loud. Instead, she accepts the document. Wait, the security officer could come back to her cell at any point. She could get in a lot of trouble if she’s caught making some sort of shady deal. With more urgency than before, Athena skims the paper.

On her quick read through, everything appeared in order, nothing weird at all, outside of the spirit jargon that doesn’t make sense. It was as straightforward as a contract could be, she thinks, so she scribbles down her signature on that dotted line.

With the contract signed, the paper disappears, as if it never were.

Satisfied, the man steps back. “Good luck.”

A new voice, one she can actually hear, and it's filled with annoyance, replaces the ghost’s soft and calm one. “Hey,” he snaps. “I said you have a visitor, do you wish to speak with him?”

“H-huh?” Athena looks around. The security officer was waiting to unlock the jail door. His keys make an annoying clinking sound as he swings the key ring around. The supposed ghost is nowhere to be found.

Athena quickly nods at the guard. “Oh, yes, I'd like to see him, please.”

The guard mutters something under his breath that Athena does not care to listen to and opens the door. He grabs ahold of her once more. As he drags her to the detention center, questions scratch at the back of her mind.

What exactly happened? Was that only an unnervingly realistic dream? Why did that strange man believe Athena of all people could help him? Why does she feel so unsettled?

…

She can't focus on that right now.

There's someone she still needs to save.

…

A few hours later, she is given that chance. It was just as the ghost man said: she had to be ready that day. It’s a miraculous series of events, it feels like. A stressful series of events. It’s probably the most stressful day of her entire life—it definitely beats out taking the bar or even when Junie was on trial.

Being accused of murdering her own mother instead of Simon being the culprit after Ms. Blackquill takes hostages, clearly just as desperate as Athena feels, is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to everything that follows.

Retraumatizing herself by having her own memories of 7 years ago be forced open from what Simon actually saw that day, Apollo joining in to accuse her only to eventually switch once given proper evidence of her innocence of Terran’s murder is only the tip of the iceberg.

The Phantom. Detective Fulbright. The hole kept getting deeper and deeper.

The truth, though, finally shines on everyone. Just barely making.

And Simon…Poor, stupid Simon, after 7 long years, is finally free. Athena didn’t know whether to punch him or hug him. She let herself freely cry instead.

Everyone decided to celebrate by going to get noodles, Athena included. Though, truth be told, after all that chaos, she wanted nothing more than to collapse in bed. Making up all the sleep she lost studying her heart out to make it this far would be ideal. Or sleep for an entire week straight. Either’s fine.

Noodles first, though. Her first dinner with Simon after all this time, with her new family…she could wait a little bit longer to sleep.

The weird dream she had in the holding cell had all been forgotten.

Chapter Text

CONTRACT FOR SERVICES RENDERED

This Service Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of December 21st, 2027 (hereinafter referred to as the “Effective Date”) between Athena Cykes (hereinafter referred to as “Provider”) and Kristoph Gavin (hereinafter referred to as the “Client”) (collectively, the “Parties”). Additional terms are set forth in “Services.” It is incorporated here by reference and cannot be amended regardless upon the written consent of both parties.

TERM AND TERMINATION:

1.1: This Agreement takes place effective immediately as of the Effective Date. It remains in full force and effect until the Provider has completed the Services (the “Term”).

1.2 This Contract is soul-binding and the Parties may not terminate this Agreement with or without cause. Failure to comply will result in fees as detailed under 2.3

SERVICES:

2.1 During the Term, the Provider will provide the following services as needed (hereinafter referred to as “Services”), or other such services as mutually agreed upon orally.

2.2 The Provider or the Client shall use whatever necessary means to perform the following Services:

A: Fulfill the last wishes of the Client as described.

B: Correcting the series of events leading up to the Client’s end of life

C: Enacting justice as described by the Client.

2.3 Delays resulting from action or inaction of the Provider will result in the Client revoking payment.

PAYMENT DETAILS:

3.1 The Client will pay the Provider in full prior to start of Services with the following:

Prevent the legal execution of Simon Blackquill on December 21st, 2027 through whatever means viable. Ensure Simon Blackquill and the Provider are both able to walk free following the transpired events.

3.2 Failure to uphold compensation will result in this Contract becoming Null and Void.

SOUL-BINDING:

4.1 During the Term, the following will apply:

A: The Parties souls will be tethered together.

B: The Client will be a spirit on the physical realm until the Provider has completed the services agreed upon. The Client will remain bound to the Provider until whereupon the Services are completed.

C: The Provider will be able to commune with the Client at any time until the Services are completed. The Client will be able to commune with the Provider at any time until the Services are completed.

This Contract shall be signed by _Athena Cykes_ and by _Kristoph Gavin_. 

SERVICE PROVIDER:

Authorized Signature: x_____

Printed Name: Athena Cykes

Date: 20-12-2027

SERVICE RECIPIENT:

Authorized Signature: x_____

Printed Name: Kristoph Gavin

Date: 20-12-2027