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"All I want is nothing more, than
to hear you knocking at my door
'Cause if I could see your face once
more, I could die a happy man
I'm sure.

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I look to Sprite as we board Kingo's private jet. Everyone's walking on egg shells around me. Ever since that blow up I had.

They had it coming. I don't know him and I don't owe them an apology.

We make our way to the Peru Amazonas and once we land Karun says "This place is beautiful."

My hands skim over the red flowers on the bushes. My smile widens and Sprite walks forward. I pick the flower from the bush and push it into Sprite's hair. She smiles to me and I nod and say "Beautiful." She branches off from us looking for Druig.

This place is so beautiful.

Karun looked around and continued complimenting the place "It is very nice here, sir." He holds the camera out getting the flowers and greenery.

Kingo scoffs and says "Don't be fooled. Ignorance is bliss around here."

That spiked my anger and I'm not sure why.

A villager approached the group, more specifically Sprite. "Druig? Do you know a Druig?"

He looks at Sprite confused saying "We're his friends... from college." I look around taking in the surroundings. The eyes of the man go golden and he says in an oddly familiar tone "Sprite."

I see a butterfly float by and I wander after it. I need a picture. It's so prettyyyy

"Hello Sprite. Nice to see you." The man spoke to Sprite smiling. Sprite says "I don't want to play games. Come out. It'd be in your best interest. We have something or someone we thought you'd want to see. But we need your help."

"Now, who would you bring to see me?"

"Why don't you come out here so we can speak face to face?" Sprite says, her patience growing thin.

The entire village surrounded the group as Druig stepped out of the house. Holy fuck. The butterfly on my finger flies away as my mouth drapes open.

Okay.... I have... really good taste in men.

The villagers that were standing with their arms at their sides as their eyes glowed are now raising their arms with weapons pointing at the group. Ikaris says "Are you serious?"

Druig smiles and says "Just a precaution."

The villagers click the safety's off the guns, the click echoing throughout the large group. Ikaris grabs ahold of my arm yanking me in front of the whole group.

I look to him confused. As I'm placed between the villagers weapons and the other Eternals.

The weapons in the villagers hands drop immediately with no hesitation and Druig looks to me. The villagers stand down. His heart aches and tightens.

My Gaia...

She came home..

"Gaia." His heartrate quickens. The anger within him dissipates immediately. "It's been so long." sadness showing on his face as his expression falters.

His voice warbles slightly annoyed but shocked as he looks to the group now "Why... Why is she here?"

I scoff and say "She has a name." He looks back to my gaze his eyes rolling. He gives me an amused smirk and says "I know that Gaia."

I look to him, my eyes scanning over him and I say "My name is Maya."

His eyebrows knit together and he says "What?"

Sersi says "She doesn't remember any of us.."

He scoffs and says "You went through with Ajak's offer.. You went through with the erasure. You had Ajak erase your memories. Our memories we created- Our lives we created! God you're so stupid! So incredibly stupid!"

Sprite awkwardly rocks back and forth on her heels as she witnesses this heartbreaking and odd exchange.

He looks down sighing heavily, frustration settling in as he reads her empty thoughts. No trace of Gaia to exist.

She's never going to be back is she?

In the way he needs her? Probably not

I follow after Druig as he walks away. The guns raise again as I walk away, after Druig. Turning the barrels towards the group of eternals. Ikaris says "Maya! Get-"

I yank Druig's arm as he walks away. His body jerks around at my yank of his arm and he slowly scans my body and face. I say confidently "I don't know who you think you are but you don't get to speak about me that way. I am not stupid. You have no right-"

His face changes to amusement and he shakes his head scoffing. "I don't know you?" He shakes his head as I nod. "I know everything there is to know about you. Every single curve and intricacy on your body, I know. I know that you hiccup when your nervous. I know that you have a birthmark on your hip. I know that you talk in your sleep.."

My eyebrows knit together at all the things he knows about me and he says emotionally drained "And I know that Ajak gave you the false identity of Maya. Told you that Sarah and her family were long time friends of yours."

I push him away from him saying "How do you know that?"

He taps the side of my head and says "I read your thoughts. Not much up there. Definitely not as much as my Gaia used to have."

Is he calling me stupid?

I sigh frustratedly and he says "So every 20 years Ajak erased you?"

"I don't know." I say honestly.

He shakes his head emotions settling in, "You were a coward."

I shake my head tears rolling in "No I wasn't."

"You don't even know what I'm talking about!"

"I'm still going to defend myself from your attacks against my character!" I huff out through the tears.

Why does his opinion of me mean so much?

"So you gave up everything to what?! Have a human life!?"

I throw my hands up in the air frustratedly screaming "I don't know! Alright?! I don't know! I don't know who I'm supposed to be now! I don't fit into the category of Gaia or Maya. I am stuck between two different people and I feel like I'm being suffocated. I... I don't know who I have to be."

His expression softens at my saddened composure as I sit on the tree stump. I wipe the tears with the cloth of my shirt. He says "I'm sorry for lashing out... you just... meant a lot to me before she left. She'll always mean so much to me. I realize you aren't her."

I look to my feet and he swipes the tears from under my eye with his thumb.

She looks as beautiful as the day I met her on the ship

He says "I missed you so much."

I look to him and say "Who was I to you?"

He sighs and says "You were everything.. Why are you and the others here? Where did this scratch on your arm come from?"

His thumb runs over the nearly fully healed scratch and I say "The world is ending and you're their only hope."

His eyes widen as he makes eye contact with me and he laughs. I shake my head and say "I'm being serious."

He nods and says "You sound nuts. Now where did this scratch come from?"

This guy needs to get his priorities straight.

"Your friends found me while I was being mauled by a deviant. This is from the attack."

"What??"

I nod and he grabs my elbows holding me at a distance away looking for other wounds. "Are you injured? Did the deviant hurt you anywhere else?"

"I'm okay. A few scratches. That's all. Ikaris did more damage."

He looks up angrily saying "What do you mean?"

"He knocked me out. Hit me with his laser beam eyes a few times. He then took my unconscious body to find Thena and Gilgamesh."

He grits his teeth and begins to walk past me. I extend my hand and press it to his chest stopping him. He halts at my touch and I say "It's okay."

He sighs and I look behind me as Ikaris says "Druig!"

I see the weapons pointed at him and smile slightly.

Sprite says "I don't think she's going to stop him!"

Sersi says "Maya!"

Druig says "Leave them be. Come on, let's get you some tea. I'll explain everything I can and answer your questions."

He presses a hand to the small of my back and leads me past the group. Kingo says "Maya! What are you doing?"

I look to everyone standing at a stand still as the weapons are raised to them

I smile and Ikaris says "Seems like she's back to her ole self now Sersi!"

I look to Druig and he says barely above a murmur "I'll release them in a minute."

We step into the chapel and I sit down on one of the benches. He rests a cup into my hand and I say "How old are we really?"

"Too old to remember."

"I dislike Ikaris, right?"

He nods and says "Definitely."

I sigh and ask him "Who are you to me if your whole thing about my memories being erased is true?"

"That's complicated." He sighs as he stares down into his tea cup

"Make it less complicated then." I say calmly

He sighs and says "You loved me."

"And?"

He turns his back to me and heads over to the small countertop of items pouring sugar into his tea "You loved me more than anyone's ever loved me. You were my wife."

God I hate having to use past tense to speak of my wife

My face falls and the door opens abruptly the group entering angrily. Druig sets his cup down turning to the group smiling and saying "I've missed you all. Please, make yourselves at home."

I finish my cup of tea as Sersi fills Druig in on everything there is to know about the emergence and that we are robots basically. That our lives are basically meaningless?

Does that about sum it up?

He sighs and says "You've given me a lot of bad news in one go, m'lady."

Sersi and Sprite sat on the first bench staring at Druig who stands in the front of the chapel.

Thena and Gilgamesh sat in the 2nd from the front bench not fully engaged in the conversation as much as the others are. Ikaris stood against the wall crossing his arms nearly glaring daggers at Druig.

While Kingo and Karun sat in the 3rd row from the back beside each other.

Sersi says "Druig, will you help us?"

"I am glad you visited–" Druig began before Sersi's phone began to rang.

Druig cleared just throat as Sersi silenced her phone, that was playing truth hurts by lizzo "Do you all remember this forest? Beautiful right? I'm sure you remember it,"

Druig paused and his eyes wandered to me, the one who doesn't remember this forest, also the one who was intently in a daydream staring at his face.

God I have such good taste.

He bites the side of his lip attempting to hide his grin from catching me drooling, he continues on with what he was saying "It was the last place we all lived together. I've protected these people for 20 generations now, from the outside world and from themselves. We built and developed a home for everyone here... Gaia, Makkari, and I did. When they left, I started to lose hope for humans. Control seemed better than teaching."

My gaze drops to the ground. He clears his throat and walks towards Karun engaging his intimidating smoldering glare towards the older human.

"Your kind, my friend." He pauses, gathering tension in the room before continuing "Your kind will be responsible for their own destruction. Don't you think?"

Karun nervously says "I- I think we will and must learn from our mistakes and do better, s-sir."

Druig's eyes meet mine as they nearly beg for my comfort, and reassurances. He pushes down the emotions tied to seeing his long lost lover. He looks to Karun and his eyes grew gold along with Karun's

Karun hurled the camera at the cement wall shattering it into pieces. I cover my mouth attempting to hold in my ill timed laughter.

Kingo stood up angrily saying "Ohhh. No you didn't."

He gets in Druig's face saying "New rule, no possessing people's valets."

I mutter "oh yes he did.."

Sprite scrunches her face and shakes her head at her friend still falling for Druig's party tricks.

Druig raised his chin gaining height on Kingo as they go face to face "Where is your sense of humor, Kingo?"

Druig's control of Karun slips away and he says "I'm sorry, sir."

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault." Kingo shook his head and looked at Druig again anger growing "You are not a God, you know that, right?"

Druig smirks saying "How ironic. Kingooo the movie star."

"I've directed some things too."

"...Really? Like what?"

"Some internet content." Kingo's confidence is shaking, he looks down briefly as Druig holds the stare.

"How many views?"

Kingo says quietly "I don't do it for the views."

Ikaris pushes off the wall and says "Let's go, he's wasting our time." Grabbing ahold of my elbow he pulls me up. Sersi says "We need him."

Druig walks in front of him saying "Ikaris!"

He smiles slightly saying sarcastically "I've missed you... Are you gonna charm me? Or threaten me?"

Ikaris says spitefully "There's a third option, if you'd prefer that."

Druig nods and says "Now, I actually wouldn't mind that third option. If I remember correctly we have some unfinished business from when you originally insulted my girlfriend. I wouldn't mind hashing that out."

Ikaris scoffs and Druig teases him "It must be real heartbreaking to find out your not mother's favorite."

Ikaris nods "Oh yeah, I'm sure she would be real proud of you and your mind controlled community you have."

Sersi pleads "Druig, this is serious." Sersi stood up.

Druig interrupts, now resting his hand on my back pushing me away from Ikaris lightly "I'll tell you what's serious," Druig turned to Sersi before continuing "I've just been told I've been sent on a suicide mission for the last 7000 years. That my entire existence is a lie. So excuse for not giving a shit about your plan right now. Now, leave Gaia. And go."

I look to Thena whose eyes beg for me to do something. I gulp and step away from Druig. Sersi and the others wait for my next move.

"I'm not going to stay here, Druig...I have to do something to help."

And just like that, I leave Druig behind again, breaking his heart all over again.

I step out of the chapel, Thena and a few others following me.

Sersi stays in attempts to convince Druig. "Druig, we need you. We need you to control the mind of the celestial."

He laughs and says "Who do ya think I am?" She defends her proposition "An eternal and as one you have to do something. We can't let Titamus kill billions of people."

He shakes his head and says "I told you I don't have the power to do that." She nods and says "If we could heighten your powers you could." He shakes his head and says "I'm not fighting with Gaia there either. You're putting her at risk. She knows nothing about her powers. She would be killed and I can't see that happen."

She nods and says "We don't have to keep her with us.. With everyone back together, including Phastos, I think if we put our heads together we could restore Gaia's memories."

He sighs and says "I can't believe she followed through with the erasure. We discussed this option with Ajak. Ajak thought it was the only way to go about things. Gaia and I were staying here for thousands of years... we were having a happy life. We got married and she was enjoying life here." He swallows hard, finding it hard to retell the story.

He sighs and continues "But this one time, god I hate talking about it.. this one time I woke up to Gaia awake in the middle of the night on the bathroom floor trying to contain herself in the bathroom. She was burning her skin. Her eyes were white. She had slipped into mad wr'ry. She was sobbing. Screaming! Begged me to leave her, to live and not die again. She burned our village down before she was back to being our Gaia again."

He nods as Sersi listens intently. He continues on "She wanted me to leave but I wouldn't leave her side. We were in this together. My mind control against Gaia was unsuccessful. I couldn't bring her back from her slip. It was one of the worsts she's ever had. Luckily there were no casualties, as soon as I found her I made sure the village was evacuated. The next day she kept her distance from me. She wouldn't even look at me.. She was shaking and trembling."

He leans his back against the wall crossing his arms and continuing "When she did talk I couldn't even understand her. She told me that she had loved me for billions and billions of years before we were alive. That we found each other every time. But, she had to feel the pain of watching me die in every lifetime all over again. The next day she was gone. Right then, when you brought her back...that was the first time I've seen her since she left. Ajak hid her from me well."

I falter back as something jumps from the forest. I scream as a deviant plunges it's tentacle towards my chest.

I'm gonna die.

Sersi shakes her head and says "Druig.. I'm so sorry."

He hears my scream and says "Deviants are here. Gaia!"

Oh my god. I so shouldn't have wandered into the forest

God I'm so stupid

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a/n: guys I just came to a devastating realization and it physically hurts me to put it into the book but I have to. Some of you are going to hate me, but it would be too convienent and unrealistic if I didn't add it in, you'll find out what I'm referring to once Maya meets Makkari. :( anyway, anyone else get teary eyed with "Gaia" and Druig's reunion? So you now know why Gaia left. I'll go into a flashback scene for it most likely. A more emotional chapter if I do the flashback, still debating. Anyway, thoughts? Opinions? Also let's not talk about how long it took to make those gifs, it's embarrassing lmao

Q&A: Any guesses what the devastating moment is going to be between Makkari and Maya?

Writing it fucking sucks that's all I know.