THE CAR RIDE TO AJAK'S WAS QUIET, besides the soft breaths of a sleeping Sprite in the backseat— who was leaning against Ikaris— as well as the slight melodies that managed to escape Althea's ear-pods.

The copper-haired woman had her head resting on the car window, watching the small raindrops fall onto it— a result from her own creation as she found herself lost in bittersweet memories.

Memories that put her emotions on haywire, causing the small storm that had followed them from London to South Dakota. Ikaris and Sersi had their suspicions about it, but they didn't say a word, allowing the girl to wallow.

Both knew it wasn't their place to say a word to her about it, deciding that it was best for Ajak to handle it once they reached her. Thunder rumbling outside the car, caused the ex-lovers to share a knowing look, the storm continuing as they pulled up to the small shack.

Ajak had three guest rooms and her own— she always said it was in case someone decided to visit, but still, looking at it from the outside, it looked small. As Ikaris woke up Sprite, Sersi turned to Althea— who had taken out her ear-pods.

"You okay?" Sersi asked and Althea nodded silently, quickly opening the door to escape the conversation. The brunette woman sighed, deciding to drop it as she got out of the car. Sprite and Ikaris followed in suite.

The four of them traveled up the small hill to Ajak's house silently, but at they reached the door, Althea felt her heart drop.

The door was open— the sight made Althea's skin crawl in sadness as she looked into the dark house. "Hello?" Sersi called as the wind began to pick up.

"Althea." Ikaris warned, but it fell on deaf ears. "Ajak?" Sersi called softly and Althea watched the brunette woman walk in. Quickly following behind her, the copper-haired woman moved swiftly to Ajak's room. The bed was made and untouched, making Althea's heart ache further as she turned to face the others— who had followed behind her.

"She's not here." Althea stated hectically as she ran through the house and out to the stables. She didn't know where she was heading, she just followed her heart... and when she saw the body lying there, her heart tore into two.

"Althea! Wait!" Sersi yelled as she ran out of the door, her eyes landing on Althea who stood over a body with tears in her eyes. Sersi ran over in disbelief and grief, watching the copper-haired woman cry silently.

The brunette woman's hands touched at Ajak's lifeless face in denial, not noticing as the storm began to pick up. Ikaris and Sprite ran out at the sound of lightening. Sprite fell to her knees as Althea shook her head, a stream of tears pooling down her flushed cheeks.

"It was a deviant." Ikaris stated emotionlessly as he tried his best to hold in his grief. Althea wanted to scream, she wanted to scream so bad. But if she screamed, if she let go of everything, she had no clue what "natural disaster" would take place. So she shook her head.

"No." She sobbed out and Sersi frowned. "Althea—" The brunette woman started but Althea cut her off. "I can't be here. Arishem only knows what kind of natural disaster would take place if I do." The copper-haired woman cried out as she turned and began walking back towards the house.

When her wrist was grabbed, she let out a sob. "Ikaris, let me go. Please." Althea whispered, but the man's grip didn't let up. Instead, he pulled the girl he thought of as a little sister into his arms and let her cry.

Tears of his own dropped down his face and into the girls hair as she sobbed, clinging to him the same way she had many years ago.  "Let it out, Thea." Ikaris encouraged the girl, but she shook her head.

"You can't hold it in. Not like last time. We both know it's more dangerous that way." The man stated and Althea cried out. "I can't!" She yelled and Ikaris sighed.

"You need to. I'm right here, I'll stop you if it becomes too much." He stated and Althea cried looking to her big brother who gave her a nod before she lifted her head up.

A painful, grieving scream tore from her heart, and into the air, rain beginning to fall heavily as the thunder and lightening screamed with her. She didn't stop as Ikaris held her tightly, the ground shaking violently beneath them as the wind pushed at them.

Ikaris cried as he held onto her, watching her feel so much pain that it all came flooding out before him. As her breath ran out, so did her scream, leaving the ground to still beneath their feet, the wind to soften and the rain to lighten as she let out heavy sobs.

"Come on. Let's get you inside." Ikaris stated finally, pulling the girl into the house after sharing a look with Sersi and Sprite, who stared in complete and utter horror at the sight of their broken friend.

Ikaris left Althea inside alone, as he walked out to look after the others. Althea made her way to Ajak's bedroom, and sat on the bed. Tears flooded her eyes again, as she cried out, taking a gasp of air as she found it hard to breath— her hand clutching her chest.

Memories pulled from her brain, clutching onto her and taking her back.

-_-_-_-

SOUTH DAKOTA
2020

Althea sighed as she walked into the older woman's bedroom. Ajak was reading peacefully on her bed, looking up at the sound of footsteps. "What's wrong?" The healer questioned and Althea shrugged.

Truth be told, she wasn't sure. She just felt drained and tired and sad— all of the emotions bottling up inside her. Tears began to form and Ajak frowned before pulling the younger girl over to the bed, letting Althea lay in her lap with her head resting in the crook of Ajak's neck.

The older woman wraped an arm around her as her other hand ran through her hair comfortingly while Althea cried. "It's okay to feel sad. And it's okay to not know why. You just sit here and let me love you until you feel better." Ajak whispered as the girl continued to cry in her arms.

Ajak began to sing softly as she cuddled the young woman, holding her close as she waited patiently for the girl to feel better. Eventually, Althea was pulled into sleep, her eyes red and puffy and tears stuck to her cheeks.

Ajak never let go of her though. And she didn't stop singing until she too, fell asleep.

-_-_-_-_-

SOUTH DAKOTA
2023

A gentle piano playing from the living room lured Althea as she heard the familiar voice singing. Standing in the hallway, a sad smile graced her lips at the sight of Ajak and Sprite dancing together as the older woman sung.

"Our love,

The two of them fell into golden embers as the real Sprite placed her hand down, tears falling from her eyes at the painful reminder that Ajak would never be there to dance and sing with her ever again.

A pang shot through Althea's chest at the same reminder as she walked over, sitting in the chair besides Sprite's while Ikaris walked over to them both.

"It was the last time I saw her." Sprite sniffled sadly, her voice breaking as she took a breath before continuing. "Ajak asked me to check on Sersi, so I went to London. Turned out, both of us were lonely and we needed each other. I guess, in her way, Ajak never stopped trying to take care of us." Sprite stated as tear fell from her eyes and Althea felt the warm liquid of her own tears run down her cheeks.

"I was traveling constantly until I visited her in 2020 during a really hard time for me. I needed her, so I stayed a few months. I told her I had a feeling she would need me as well, but she said Sersi and Sprite would need me more. Now she's gone." Althea whispered out and Ikaris sighed, as he watched Althea place her head on Sprite's shoulder. The smaller girl leaned her head on Althea's as Ikaris rubbed both their shoulders before taking a seat beside them.

"It's the first time in 7,000 years one of us has died." Sprite stated and Althea sighed. "I think the Deviant that attacked us in London killed Ajak and absorbed her power." The copper-haired woman admitted and Ikaris's eyebrows furrowed.

"Deviants have never done that in the past." The flying man objected and Althea shook her head as she sat up. "Well, they do now. I knew when it healed itself it had something to do with Ajak, and you know my intuition is never wrong." The copper-haired woman pointed out as Sprite nodded.

"It healed itself just like Ajak. I swear, I almost heard it speak." Sprite stated before Althea felt a pang in her chest again. It was different from her grief, almost as if something was wrong. Looking around, she realised who was missing.

"Where's Sersi?" Althea questioned hurriedly, but when the two other Eternals just blinked, she sprinted out the back door. "Sersi!" She yelled as she looked to the woman who was kneeling, her head thrown back with her eyes rolling towards the back of her head.

Sprite and Ikaris ran after the copper-haired girl, their eyes widening at the sight. Sprite knelt down beside Sersi, shaking the girl in order to get her to come back. "Sersi! Sersi! Are you okay?" Sprite questioned as the brunette woman gasped, blinking as she was brought back.

"What happened, Sersi?" Ikaris questioned and the brunette woman breathed as she tried to wrap her head around what had just happened. "The sphere that Ajak used to talk with Arishem, it came out of her body and went inside me." Sersi explained and Althea's eyebrows furrowed.

"Did you talk with Arishem?" The elemental questioned. "Yes. He said it's almost time." Sersi stated and Althea blinked. "Almost time for what? Dinner? Deviants? Death?" Althea guessed, but the brunette woman shook her head.

"I don't know." Sersi admitted. "Can you try talking to him again?" Sprite questioned gently. "I don't know how." The brunette woman pointed out.

"But she chose you to replace her. And she gave you the sphere." Sprite pointed out, before the flying man cut in. "Hold on, Sprite." Ikaris said, causing both the smaller girl and copper-haired woman to raise an eyebrow at him.

"Are you sure you talked with Arishem?" Ikaris questioned and Althea's eyebrows furrowed. "What else would it be?" She deadpanned and Ikaris sighed.

"Mahd Wy'ry." He pointed out and Althea's eyes widened as she looked to Sersi in concern.

-_-_-_-_-

authors note;

sorry this is shorter than usual! oops.

i did, however, sob while writing this.

anywho, thank y'all for reading!
love,
mia x