The Protagonists

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Maya

"M-Maya?" The girl, Maya, spun around quickly-she was tired of watching Annalise and Joel's tight embrace-and stared at Oliver. "M-Maya," he repeated, tears evidently forming in his eyes, "I...I remember."

Maya squealed-she was not normally a squealer-and ran into Oliver's arms dramatically. It all felt like a dream; her Oliver, her Oliver, remembered all the moments they shared, all the happiness they felt, and all the love they endured. "I can't believe you actually remember," she said softly into his shoulder.

"I can't believe I forgot before," he replied back, grinning widely.

"Okay, guys!" Merten yelled, clapping her hands together. "I have a special present for you guys upstairs in the kitchen! Joel and Na-I mean Annalise, let's go ahead and leave these two lovebirds alone for a moment."

"Merten!" Maya groaned, laughing slightly. Despite her complaining, Maya still adored Merten, who-Joel had already said it-seemed like a loving grandmother to her. Merten gently pushed Annalise and Joel back through the door, leaving the two "lovebirds" alone. "You're pretty cool, Maya," Oliver laughed at his awkward start, "and I've missed you."

"It's been a year," Maya muttered, her voice muffled by his jacket. Oliver hummed in response, gently resting his chin on the top of her head. "So what happened?" She asked, lifting her head up to talk to him more clearly. "What did Iris do to you to make you lose your memory?"

"After she locked you up in the hut," Oliver explained, lifting his head up as well, "she visited my house late at night and I guess she did the spell then, because that's when I just...forgot. I can still remember the fake memory Iris gave me, but just knowing that it's all fake..."

"But is it fake, Oliver?" Maya asked, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder like she did with Sam earlier. "I mean, you remember Sam and all the 'memories' you had with him. Real or not, they're real to Sam. To Sam Lowe, you have been his best friend for such a long time. You can't just let that go because it's not real to you."

Oliver nodded understandingly, grinning at Maya. They stood in the position, their arms wrapped each other as they stared intensely into each other's eyes, for another moment before Maya finally broke it with, "We should go see what Merten was so excited about."

Nodding, Oliver grabbed Maya's wrist and pulled her somehow even closer to him. "Do you seriously think you're going to avoid kissing me after you have been gone for so long?" He asked, smirking knowingly. Maya rolled her eyes playfully, but felt elated inside-her Oliver was back and nothing could have ruined that glorious moment for her.

~o0o~

Five completely different, yet very similar in ways, people sat at the dinner table, scarfing down their slices of chocolate cake that was prepared by the dancing kitchen utensils. Joel sat beside Annalise as the two chatted quietly amongst themselves, Merten sat at the end of the table, leaving Maya and Oliver to eat their cake together. "It's so nice to be able to celebrate like this," Maya spoke up, gathering everyone's attention. "I mean, who would have thought that us five would be sitting together at Beast's dinner table after momentarily defeating Iris?"

"Momentarily?" Oliver, Joel, and Annalise cried in unison. Maya gave them all a perplexed look, not understanding what they were all so upset about-she wasn't about to infinitely transfigure her cousin into a sloth, now was she? "Why didn't you do it permanently?" Joel groaned, pushing his empty plate out of his way. "That was your chance, Maya."

"My chance for what?" Maya cried, standing up-the table rattled. "My chance to kill her, Joel? May I remind you that she is the murderer, the assassin, the Antagonist? And she's also, I don't know, my cousin? No matter how much it pains me to say it, Iris is my cousin, meaning I would much rather turn her into a sloth than for me to be the murderer!"