Whoo-hoo! Another chapter! Go me! YEA! Get your popcorn ready guys! Cause this chapter is gonna be a looonnngg one! Enjoy!

Moana was sitting at the counter with her laptop the next morning. Moving the cursor of her mouse to scroll through the semi-blank document of her work that sat in front of her. Her mind unable to produce any more words than she had come up with last night. Still sitting at two pages, with four or five more pages to go. She had tried to find any more interesting ideas that her brain could come up and eventually maneuver through her fingers to the keyboard. But nothing. No a single sentence. Not even a single word.

She hefts a deep sigh. A case of writer's block puncturing through her skull. The article was due on Friday of next week, along with her two other articles that just so happened to have the same deadline that needed to be met. How she was going to find the motivation and that inner fire within her to push through? She wouldn't know. And at this point, it wasn't like she could just turn her back and walk away from this forever. No. Unfortunately not. Looks like her week was definitely going to consist of participating in numerous all-nighters. Something that she couldn't put her body through. But she's done it before, and it looks like she was going to have to do it again.

That was the story of her life.

She had been so preoccupied with staring at the taunting screen in front of her, that even her list of emails that were marked urgent didn't seem faze her. Even if they were emails from her work, or invoices from her doctor, none of that seemed to be a big priority for her right now. All that was consuming her thoughts right this moment, was getting all three of those articles finished, published, and complete. Done. Nothing else.

Easier said than done though. Moana only wished it could be that easy. She hefts a loud sigh, her chin rested in the palm of her hand, wondering to why on earth she was even putting herself through all of this. Heck, she couldn't even believe that at the time she had even considered submitting her resume to this company in the first place. Or why she had decided to immediately accept this job without a second thought. Had she done so three years ago, maybe her life would be different right now. Maybe even less stressful.

But then again, maybe she was here for a reason. Or so she had tried numerous times to convince herself.

Another sigh, this one longer and louder than the one before. She chances a look out the window, noting how the sun's golden yellowy rays spilled through the cracks of her shutters over the kitchen sink. It was a Saturday morning. Bright and sunny as the weather forecast had promised. And the melodious sounds of the bird's chirping and singing in the background signified that the forecast had indeed kept its word for a much nicer and refreshing day.

And right now, all Moana had tried to convince herself at this point was that a nice leisurely walk on this beautiful morning was the only thing she should be worrying about. Her mind had been right. The article could wait a bit. Right now, her body was craving a good dose of Vitamin D. Without a second thought, she grabs hold of the elastic hairband on her wrist and throws her hair into a loose bun. As she was just about to close the screen to her laptop shut, it wasn't long until a pair of hands (massively large hands) landed roughly on her shoulders and had made her jump at least a foot off the chair, and a sharp yelp to add to the mix.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed in shock. "W-what the….?!"

And the sound of the bassy, deep laugh had confirmed her suspicions of the instigator. She whirled around in her seat and shot a glare at the burly culprit that was standing behind her, holding his stomach with laughter as tears pooled from his eyes. Of course her roommate had to be such a goof in the mornings.

"Gotcha Curly!" He cackles. "Oh – oh man! That was priceless!"

"Ugh! Goddamn it Maui!" She exclaims, resting her hand on her chest as it rapidly rose and fell. "You nearly almost made shit my pants!" She throws up her hands. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Man!" He roars with more laughter. "You should've seen the look on your face!"

She narrows her eyes, lips pursed. "I hate you…."

He puts his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay!" He says through guffaws, laughter gradually beginning to subside. "I'm sorry! Didn't mean to scare ya there, Curly."

"Oh bullshit!" She snorts. "You totally did so!"

He ponders over this a quick moment, then shrugs with a wide grin. "Yea, you're right!" His chest shakes with chuckles. "I totally did."

She sticks her tongue out of him. "You're horrible! Y'know that?"

"I know!" He grins in triumphant. "It's one of my many talents!"

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Yea! I'll say…." Then she can't stop the chuckles that come out of her.

Maui just shrugs. Another chuckle as he doesn't hesitate to claim the seat on the barstool next to her. The smile instantly vanishes from his face, his eyes narrows at the sight of her open laptop. He nods his head towards it.

"More work?"

She hefts another sigh, turning her head lazily toward the device that was still visible in her wake. She rolls her eyes and closes it shut.

"I was trying to." She mumbles in monotone. "But I wasn't getting anywhere."

"Writer's block?"

"Uh-huh. One hundred percent."

"Ah, I see."

She chances one last glance over her shoulder to stare out the window. Without a second thought, she eagerly hops off the stool. Her gaze still settled on Maui's, and she's quick to field the questioning brow that's raised on his face.

"So….are you doing anything right now?" Her voice is meek, though she's quick to lace it with a smile.

He blinks because her question had caught him off guard. "Uh….." Then he shakes his head. "No, not really."

"Oh, well great!"

He furrows his brow. "Why?"

"Oh, I was actually gonna go for a walk." She reaches for the water bottle that she laid next to her laptop. "Since it's so nice out."

"Oh….alright." His gaze briefly meets the bright rays hitting his face through the window. "It does look nice out actually."

She nods, then hesitates. "Actually, I was wondering if, I dunno, maybe…." She pauses, searching his gaze. "…wanted to come and join me?"

"You want me to come with you?"

She shrugs with a meek smile. "If you want to, then of course!"

He stares at her. Her invitation had definitely caught him off guard. It had caught him off guard so much that even he couldn't seem to find the words to respond. Though Maui would admit, the invitation did indeed sound tempting.

Very tempting.

"…That is…." Her voice brings him back to planet earth. "If you're…not busy…"

He scratches the back of his neck. "Actually, I um….I was actually gonna go for a jog later on in the afternoon…."

"Oh…." Even he had to scold himself for allowing the disappointment in her tone to surface. "…Well um….that's alright." She looks at him, a small smile. "If you want to go on your jog, then-"

"But I don't mind going for a walk." He cuts in quickly. A little too quickly. "…With you….that is….."

"Oh!" Her ears instantly perk up at this. Her smile growing wider. "Well, sure! That would be…awesome!"

He grants her a small smile in return. Finally able to relax at the eagerness that her tone portrayed. Because really and truly, who the hell was he to turn down an offer such as that? After all, he could use a nice leisurely walk on a beautiful Saturday morning. Especially since he would be in the company of his roommate. His beautiful roommate that is. His gaze didn't leave hers. Nor was hers quick to disperse from his anytime soon. And the question still remained, how crazy was he to have turned down an offer like this? Especially being completely mindful of the fact that this beautiful ray of sunshine standing in front of him had gone out of her way to actually invite him to come along with her?

These were the things that Maui himself still had yet to learn.

"I um…." He slides off the barstool. "I'm just gonna get changed quickly, and then we can go."

She nods. "Okay! Great!"

Because who in the right mind would he be if he actually had the guts to walk out of the house in only his boxer shorts and raggedy tank top? Sure, he could definitely have gotten away with it considering that most women would drool at the sight of his large, defined muscles. But considering the fact that here his roommate was standing in front of him wearing her black lulu lemon yoga pants that fitted well enough to outline the curves of her thick legs, all the way up to where it was hugging those delicious hips so snuggly, noting the way how her red V-neck tank top clung desperately to her toned and slim figure, and the way how her locks were now wrapped in a bun on her head, allowing him to get a full view of the beautiful coco and supple skin of her shoulders that looked so small and frail.

It certainly didn't long for Maui to admit that the attraction he had for her was beginning to grow rapidly. Swelling in the depths on his organs and piercing its way to the core of his soul. And even without make-up, he felt as though he was finally able to comprehend the beauty that this young woman had. There was a type of natural beauty to her that made even Victoria Secret models seem ordinary. And he couldn't stop the beating heart in his chest at the smile she gave him. He always knew that the smile she gave off was one that signified warmth and kindness. But Maui never knew just how beautiful her smile was. So beautiful it was like the stars themselves had decided to rest behind the soft cushion of her lips.

Those lips. Full, soft. What he would give to meld his own with hers and just be able to taste them….

"Maui?" He shakes his head as her voice rips him from his thoughts. She's still smiling at him. "You okay?"

"Huh? Oh…..y-yea!" He mutters and scratches the back of his neck. "I'm a…..I'm gonna go get changed quickly."

She nods. "Okay! I'll wait for you outside?"

"Sure. That's fine."

"Great!"

And as Maui's is climbing up the stairs to his bedroom, he finds himself pausing in the doorway. Unable to shake those thoughts that had now consumed his brain. Wondering how things would've turned out last night had his damn phone hadn't had interrupted the moment that had been mere seconds from happening.

Wondering what it would've been like had his lips had gotten the opportunity to have meshed together with hers…..

As it turned out, having good company seemed to have made the walk more enjoyable. And to Moana, it felt amazingly peaceful to have someone walking alongside her. Considering that her usual morning walks were always either depressing or lonesome, it was a nice change to have Maui by her side. His company becoming more and more delightful that it always left a positive effect on her well-being. Even if it was technically only the third day that were just getting to know each other. That thought didn't seem to faze her. Nor did it seem to faze him that much either.

It merely felt like two old friend reuniting after having been apart from one another since their preschool days when they were once in diapers and could barely produce an audible word that sounded nothing close to the traditional English language. At this point, she was glad that she had decided not to hold a grudge against him when he had delivered his sincere apology. Who knows how things would've turned out?

"So, tell me something." He looks down at her as they're walking down a path. The sun warm against their flesh and the large pine trees providing them with shade they would need. "When did you realize that you wanted to become a writer?"

She giggles at this. "From the time I started high school." She looks up at him. "Ever since I was little, I always loved to write. Poems. Stories, you name it!"

"Ah." He smiles. "That sounds interesting."

"Mhm! And essays too."

"Essays?" He scrunches up his nose. "Really?"

"Yup!"

He quirks a brow. "You're telling me that you actually liked writing essays?"

"Totally!" She smirks up at him, careful to keep stride with his. "Why, you never liked having to write essays when you were in school?"

He snorts. "Are you kidding? Writing essays was my sworn enemy back in school."

"Oh please! I'm sure you're just being dramatic!"

He huffs in disgust. "U-uh. Those things will be the death of me." He shivers at the memory.

She laughs at this. "Oh come on! Essays aren't that bad you know!" And she jokingly bumps her shoulder against his (well, his forearm since she's so much shorter than him). "They can be fun to write!"

"Huh, easy for you to say."

Another giggle from her. "Oh Maui," She shakes her head. "You are so ruthless."

He shrugs. "At least I'm not a nerd like some people…."

"Hey!" She smacks him in his arm. "Take that back!"

He's laughing now. "You didn't even me let me finish!" He smirks down at her. "I meant so say, at least I'm not a cute nerd like some people."

She sticks her tongue at him, though at this point, it's nearly impossible for her to hide the blush that's beginning to rise to her cheeks. Which in turn has him throwing his head back and roaring with laughter. And that's how it ends up being for the ten minutes that pass by. One teasing the other, while the other retaliates and spits something cheeky back. Laughter is exchanged along with funny faces and goofy voices trying to imitate one another.

Yup. Moana could definitely get used to this.

"So, you say you like to write stories?" He asks genuinely. Their laughing session has died down. She nods eagerly at this. "And poems too?" She nods again. "Ah, I see."

"Yup! I've always love writing stories!" She sighs happily at thought. "It's always been a passion of mine." She looks at him. "And it's always been something that I want to pursue as a full-time career."

"So you want to be an author then?"

"Mhm!"

"Huh" He's pondering over this, while enjoying the feel of the warm breeze kissing his sun tanned skin. "So, if you love writing stories so much, then how come you haven't started selling any novels?"

She considers his question. His words. Feeling the disappointment resurfacing in her system. Chancing a look at the beautiful, luscious trees that stood tall and proud around them. Her smile vanishing off her face. She lets out a sigh.

"It's…..complicated….I guess."

"How so?"

"It's just….it's hard to explain."

Maui shrugs at this. "I don't how that could be so hard."

She furrows her brow. "What do you mean?"

"Simple. You like writing stories, right?"

"Yes."

"And it's something that you love to do, right?"

"Well, yea…..but-"

"So, it shouldn't be that hard." He shrugs again. "I mean, you do have the knack for it. All you just gotta do is write some stories, bring it to an editor, send it in to the publisher and then release it into a novel. Shouldn't be that complicated like you say it is."

(Yea, that's what you think)

A frown forms on her brow as she gazes ahead. "I…." She hesitates. "I don't think you really understand how the process goes."

"What do you mean?"

"….It's really not as easy as you make it out to be."

He frowns at this. "All you really need is an editor and a publisher, Moana. It sounds a lot simpler than you make it out to be."

She sighs. "I know that Maui, but I…." She pauses. "…I just don't think that you're getting it."

"And how am I not seeming to get it?"

"It's more than just 'sending it in to an editor' and then 'giving it to a publisher!" She hadn't mean to grow annoyed, especially with the how he was frowning at the irritation that her tone was conveying. "What, did you think that it only takes a day or two to get a novel edited and published?"

He pursed his lips and then shrugs. "I was thinking more like a week or two…."

"Trust me, if it was that easy, I would've already had sold over ten million books and I'd be a millionaire right now." She sighs and shakes her head. "…Only….it's really not as easy as you think."

"Hm. Maybe I should've just kept my mouth shut then."

Moana winces at the tone in his voice. Mindful of the error in which her tone had portrayed towards him. (Not again….) Noting how she was now the epitome of 'The World's Biggest Bitch'. She had done it again. And she had to mentally scold herself for once again, allowing the stress and frustration to just spill out and punch him in the face without a single warning. It was quiet between them for a bit, as they both walked, and with the exception of the birds chirping around them, echoing in the air.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Maui."

He lifts his shoulders. "Well, I guess it's just my fault that I don't always seem to know the right things to say."

She looks up at him. "I'm sorry." She confesses softly. "I didn't mean to get frustrated with you."

"Mm, it is what it is, Curly."

She chews on her lower lip. "I shouldn't have blown up at you like that." Her voice still soft. "I just….lately, I've just been feeling…." She hesitates. "….so unhappy and all that…."

He furrows a brow. "With what?"

She hefts a sigh. "With….everything." She whispers, staring down as she watched her feet taking one stride after the next. "….My job. My family. Everything."

He gives a curt nod. "So in other words, you hate your job then."

"Yea."

"Can I ask why?"

She shrugs. "Because….it's not where I want to be." Then another sigh. "It's not exactly….where I'd envisioned myself I'd be."

(That makes two of us….)

He casts his eyes downward in her direction. "It doesn't make you happy." His gaze is sympathetic. "Does it."

She shakes her head. "No. It doesn't." Her tone is laced with longing. "Working at a magazine company," She sighs again. "It….just isn't for me."

She looks up at him, and is instantly comforted with the warm and apologetic gaze he's giving her. His eyes signifying that he knows exactly how she feels.

"Yea?"

"Yea." She nods. "I mean, my boss hates me. I can't even stand her myself. The other employees there are just….snobby and very competitive. And I just…." She pauses and takes in a deep breath. "I just feel like…..nothing I do there….is ever good enough." Her voice is wavering in pitch as she's speaking. "It just….doesn't define who I am, y'know?"

Maui had to consider her words. Digesting every single syllable tumbling out through her lips. Every word spoken a mirror of his own thoughts he constantly deals with on a regular basis. The inferiority. The lack of self-discovery. His longing to pursue something that means so much more to him as opposed to being meaningful to his parents. His entire family.

(Déjà vu much?)

"I see." Because he understands. Really and truly, he does. "So then, why are you still working there if you hate it so much?"

"Money." She frowns at this. "I still need a stable income."

(Duh!)

Of course. Money always seemed to play an important factor in decision making. Not to mention, it was also known to be the biggest culprit in life. But then again, money did guarantee a much longer and stable life.

Or so his parents always said to him.

"What about your family?"

His question had caught her off guard. "…My family?"

"Sure." He nods. "Your mom, your dad? Have you ever told your parents how you feel about your job?"

"Uh…oh…." She blinks rapidly. "I uh…." And she switches her vision to focus on the precipitous path ahead of her. "I actually haven't….spoken to my parents in….such a long time."

"Really?"

She nods.

He furrows his brow. "How come? If you…don't mind me asking…"

She chews on her bottom lip. "It's um…it's complicated….that's all."

"Are they still around?"

And the sharp look she sends him has him realizing the glitch his question conveyed.

"I mean…." He gulps. "…Are they still around? In Vancouver that is?"

Though his question still didn't seem to calm her down, she blinks, tears her gaze away from his and shakes her head.

"No."

"Oh….so they're no longer living here anymore?"

She shakes her head.

"Well, where are they living then?"

Moana has to do everything in her power to bite back the sob that was now wedged in the base of her throat. Swallowing past the lump, her teeth sinking into the flesh of her lip. Her vision beginning to blur, though she did not dare let the tears escape. Maui was not going to see her like this. Not now. Maybe not ever.

"Moana?"

"They're back home." She blurts without realizing. Though it proved to be a safer route for the time being. "In Kohala, that is…"

"Oh, really?" He stares at her. "I didn't know that."

She swallows. "Y-yea…." She clutches her water bottle tighter in her grasp. "They um, they moved back home when I was…eighteen."

"And they haven't been back since?"

"No."

"I see."

And for some reason, an uncomfortable silence falls amongst them. Well, to Moana, it was rather uncomfortable. They were nearing what looked like a woodland floor that was a million hues of brown, a sight that was calming to their visions. The view laid in front of them magnified by the moisture, variation on variation. Mingled in are some stones, adding their greys to the mosaic beneath their feet. And up ahead, the trees are khaki over the bark, kissed with moss; on their shaded sides grows lichen as if thrown there like powdered paint, so softly green as to be close to white.

A sight that Moana knew all too well. A sight that had caused memories upon memories to pool in her brain. And if she was being honest with herself, the sight left her feeling a tad emotional. And she had to do everything in her power to calm her beating heart, a deep pain aching in the contents of her stomach and travelling all the way up to her chest. Her head bowed, chewing her lip.

"Wow."

She doesn't look up as Maui had breathed in amazement. His pace coming to a gradual stop as he was taking the breath-taking scenery around him. Much to Moana's chagrin.

"This place…."

Maui lets his eyes rest on the trees, their bark scarred by forest animals seeking insects. Each of them is soft brown, their injuries mahogany and deep even where the light reaches them. Periodically there is a raised ring under the bark going right around the girth, regular and chaotic all at once.

Moana stands, a few feet ahead of him, head tilted as her lips are pursed, growing impatient and desperate to get out of here as fast as possible.

"It's just….wow." He sighs. "Amazing."

Moana swallows. "It is."

"Do you come to this place a lot?"

She nods.

"What is this place?"

She hesitates. "C-Calmlake." Even the name leaves a painful taste on her tongue.

Maui places his hands on his hips. In utter amazement at the scenery surrounding him. Then he locks his gaze with hers. "I bet you and your family always used to come here, huh."

(A lot actually….)

"Mhm."

"Do you ever think of going back to Kohala to visit them?"

It didn't long for Moana to suddenly begin to discover that her breathing was growing rapid. Heavy. Shallow breaths here and there. Her lungs clamping together tightly, as if someone was squeezing the air out of her mouth.

"N-no…."

"Why not?"

She shakes her head. "B-because I…..I c-can't…"

He smirks at this. "Sure you can!"

Her face felt tight. Hot. Everything becoming too much for her mind and body to handle all at once. Already her heart rate was accelerating and her mind replayed the trips to the hospital, the paramedics, the waiting room, the caskets being lowered deep into the ground on a depressing rainy day, the continuous flow of tears, the days spent locked and sobbing in her room until her throat become raw and dry, the fainting spells, the anxiety attacks, everything repeating and circling on a continuous loop.

She was unable to make out the rest of his words. His mouth was moving, but the words didn't seem to be audible to her ears.

"M-Maui…..I-I need….w-we…."

(Oh god…it was happening again…..)

"…na?...you…ay?"

His words were muffled. Her sight growing blurry. Her hearing cutting in and out. Everything around her transforming into colors. Different colors. Blotches of red, splatters of white and yellow was all she could see. None of it making the slightest bit of sense. Sweat trickled down her face, her breathing heavy. All of sudden, her legs felt shaky, no longer able to support her body. Her hand instinctively goes to clutch her chest, and her water bottle tumbles from the grasp of her hand and lands at the base of her feet, he pain was rushing through her body and sitting in the depths of her chest like an igniting fire.

"…M-Maui…c-can't…..s-see….."

"Moana!"

Maui's voice boomed and echoed through her skull. Moana lost the colour from her face. It was as if her heart had suddenly stopped beating and all the blood had run down into her shoes. She swayed for just a moment before Maui was barreling towards her, and caught her, lowering her to the ground.

"Moana….."

A soft moan escapes from her mouth. Her eyes flickering open, and her vision was clear again. She wasn't sure if she had been dreaming or not, but feeling her body being cradled in a pair of large arms was beginning to feel more realistic than it was a fantasy. And she sighs softly as his fingers were stroking her face with such tenderness that it almost lulled her to sleep.

"Hey, Moana?"

His tone was soft, though there was urgency there. Her eyes meet his, his head peering down at her, his locks a curtain around his face. And Moana couldn't remember the last time she had ever seen something that was so beautiful.

"Moana, are you okay?"

She breathes deeply. Satisfied that her breathing had returned back to normal. Her hand goes to rest upon his, as she blinks and rapidly.

"M-Maui…?"

"It's okay." He whispers. "I'm right here."

"I….w-what….happened….?"

He swallows. "You fainted."

She gapes. "I-I did?"

"Yea."

"Oh!" She tries to jolt out of his arms, but is instantly tugged backwards. Body resting against his chest. "I-I'm fine! Really, I-"

"You're not fine."

"Yes!" She nods, shifting out of his grip so that when she's kneeling, their faces are inches apart. "I-I'm fine!"

"Moana, you fainted."

She shakes her head. "Maui, it's…it's nothing, really." A small laugh. "I'm fine."

He studies her. Brows furrowed. "Moana, you're not fine."

"But I am-"

"No, you're not." Then his brows are creased. "Couple days ago after breakfast, you almost fainted." His tone is low, stern. "The night before, I find in the kitchen coughing up blood."

"Maui, I-"

"And then now," He cuts in. "This time, you did faint."

She blinks. Opens her mouth and then closes it a few times. He's got her pegged. She knows that. So in reality, did it really make sense to try and convince him that what he's seen so far wasn't real? So instead, she just chews on her bottom lip and averts her gaze downward.

"Moana, if there's something going on with you-"

"Nothing's wrong with me."

"I don't believe that."

She swallows. "Well, believe it." Then she looks at him, gaze determined as his tone.

"Moana-"

"I'm fine, Maui." And there it was. That same smile that always seemed to stretch wider on her face. "Really, I am."

She rises from the ground before he could manage to get another word. Watching as she's dusting the dirt from her pants and grabbing her water bottle from the ground. And Maui isn't sure whether or not trust to his instinct and just dial 9-1-1 right here, right now. But he knew something that was certain.

Moana was not okay. Something was wrong with her.

"You coming?" She smiles. "We can explore more of Calmlake and-"

"Actually, how about we call it a day and just, head back home?"

"Oh…." A troublesome look. "…You sure?"

"Yea." He rises from the ground, his gaze still on hers. "I think it's better if we get you back home to rest for a bit."

"Maui….I'm fine. I don't need-"

"You need to rest, Moana."

"No, I don't-"

"Yes." He moves toward her, his large form towering over her tiny one. "Yes, you do."

She wants to challenge him. Tell him that there was absolutely nothing wrong her. She wants to tell him how silly he's being. Not to mention, overly protective. But for some reason, the way how his massive form seemed to be looming over hers had left her feeling small. So small that she had no choice but to reluctantly oblige to his request.

She swallows. "O-okay…"

"Good." He nods. "And I'm carrying you home."

"What? Maui, you don't-"

And he doesn't give her a chance to object before a squeal slips past her lips. He swung her up from the ground and into his strong arms as if she were nothing more than a ragdoll, plucking the water bottle from her grasp and pocketing it in the pockets of his jogging shorts. Her gaze never left his, as his were on hers. Her hands finding purchase on his shoulders so that her arms were literally wrapped around his neck.

"Ready?"

She gulped. Blinking rapidly as she slowly nodded. "Um…y-yea…."

A grin from him. "Good."

As he walked back up the hill (though it didn't seem like it had been a hill since they had been walking downward), he walked with such ease. Her weight didn't bother him. But then again, with the size of his muscle, not to mention how wide his form was, he didn't seem to have a problem lifting twenty car tires all at once. And as he was walking, Moana couldn't seem to take her eyes off him. Studying his features so intently. Rather enjoying the feel of being in his arms. And given his size, he was so gentle. As if he was nervous at the mere thought of breaking her.

He looks down at her. "You okay?"

Her eyelids flutter. "Yes."

A small smile from him leaves her heart pulsing a thousand beats second.

And as he was walking with his arms still full of her, Moana couldn't resist the urge that was ebbing inside her. Chewing on her lower lip, gaze raking one last time over his sculpted features, she does the last thing that she ever expected herself to do.

Her hands reaches up to touch his face, fingers caressing his cheek with such warmth. And without a second thought, Moana leans up and her lips alight on his cheek like a dew freckled petal caught in a breeze, so soft and with the smallest hint of coolness. And because he was so shocked at the unexpected contact, his strides gradually come to stop, his heart beating so hard that he feared she'll hear it. And if she did, then his secret would definitely be no longer a secret.

His gaze is searching hers. He couldn't hold back the small smile that spread across his lips at the adorable way her cheeks were suddenly kissed pink like a spring rose, the blooming color so cute against her supple skin. She averts her gaze from his.

"I uh….wow…." He gulps, smile still spread across his face. "What….what was that-?"

"I'm sorry!" She blurts, blinking rapidly. "I-I….I just….."

"You don't have to be sorry."

She chews on her lower lip. "I…." Her eyes rake over his. "I just….wanted to thank you…."

He lifts a brow. "For what?"

A small smile. "For just….for everything….." She says softly. "For…..being you."

For being you….

Her words trigger him. He swallows at this. The most kind and endearing words he's ever heard in his entire life. Leaving a rather peaceful melody in his ears.

And as his own instincts came in, he leans and presses his lips to her forehead. She closes her eyes at feel of his soft lips amongst her head, breathing in his scent heavily and looks into his eyes. Her grip tightened around the expanse of his shoulders.

"Y-you're welcome."

And without a second thought, Moana gently leans upward and presses her lips to Maui's, kissing his warm lips. And Maui, of course, has no objection, his lips moving just as eager amongst hers. They pull apart and take shaky, shallow breaths. Unable to contain themselves any longer, Moana holds Maui's face and brings him into another kiss. Their lips moving together with one another in one continuous unit. He returned the kiss just as urgent. He kissed her, and the world immediately fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. He pressed his tongue to the seam of her lips, granting him full access to delve his tongue into her mouth as he lifted her body slightly higher into his arms. His fingers caressing her back so lovingly, Moana had completely lost herself and had let out a few, small urgent moans.

It was everything that had both been waiting for.

"Mm….Moana….."

His groan was husky. And though neither of them seemed eager to end this moment, their lips separate from one another. Her hand pressed against his cheek, their breaths mingling with one another, gazes full of longing and craving more of that delicious friction.

He swallows. "We should…." He breathes. "….We should probably head back."

She blinks, feeling a dizzy and high off that kiss. "O-oh….." Though there was disappointment in her tone, she suddenly became mindful at the fact that here they were, standing on a path with him carrying her in his arms like a mother carrying her babe. "….o-okay."

A small smile spreads across her lips as his lips place another soft kiss amongst her forehead. And he's back to heading in the direction that they had previously come from. On the way home, there was two things.

One, Moana couldn't resist the urge to bury her face in the crook of his neck as she rests her head against his shoulder. Unable to wipe the goofy smile from her features.

And two, Maui was beginning to believe that there was a reason as to why his cell-phone had interrupted them yesterday.

And one thing was for sure.

There was definitely no denying the fact that the two had both discovered a mutual attraction to one another.

Maybe it was a good thing that things between Nani hadn't worked out after all.

Maui is at work that morning, shuffling through more papers that were scribbled with tax payments, banking account information, and the rest goes on, bored just by the sight of them. A lot of the times, he wondered why on earth he even considered listening to his parents' demand of wanting their youngest son to pursue a career in banking and finances. Well, not just him per say. They had wanted all four of their children to become the world's greatest accountants and financial advisors out there.

(Yay! Whoopy!...)

He rolls his eyes at the thought. Thanking the Gods that he had decided to make the decision to travel the globe and leave his darling (toxic) family behind. Though sometimes (okay….a lot of the times) he did feel lonely when he travels by his lonesome, it wasn't like there was really anything going for him had he decided to reside back in his home town of Chicago.

But then again, there did seem to be a plus side to everything.

Had he decided to stay in Chicago while pursuing his career there, who knows where he could've ended up? He wouldn't have had the opportunity to live in the classic places such as Munich, Rome, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and the list goes on. He definitely would not have had the opportunity to reside in Vancouver, only to wind up living at an affordable price with a certain, gorgeous Polynesian Curly haired klutz.

As the saying says, 'things happen for a reason'.

And it seemed as if that walk to Calmlake on that beautiful Saturday morning was proof of that saying.

He had dropped Moana off to work, arriving at exactly 7:45am sharp. Thankfully, the traffic hadn't been bad. Fifteen minutes to spare had given her just enough time to have punched in, organized everything she needed, and would start typing at her computer once the big hand on that clock reached 8:00am. But Maui had remembered everything that had taken place that morning.

It seemed as if that kiss (Yes! KISS!) that they had unexpectedly shared with one another had opened to a whole new level within their newly found relationship.

(Or….was it a friendship?)

It was a little difficult for Maui to decipher what exactly the title to their relationship entailed. Were they friends? Or would they potentially become more than that? He didn't seem to know. Well, if you think about it, did friends exchange plentiful kisses that morning in the kitchen? Did friends usually swap spit almost every chance they got whenever they were stopped at a stop light? Did friends even spend at least five minutes (okay, so she had ended up receiving only ten minutes to get herself prepared earlier on) exchange warm, soft kisses with one another while they were pulled up at a curb?

All these questions littered amongst Maui's skull. And truth be told, he absolutely could not find a single answer to any of them.

Absolutely nothing.

None. Nada.

But if Maui was being completely honest with himself, he would be lying if he said that he hadn't not enjoyed their cute little exchanges. Everything playing out in his mind so vividly. He had found her in the kitchen earlier, preparing their mugs of tea and coffee. They greeted each other with a warm "good morning". And it had happened so quickly before Maui had a chance to blink, that she was in front of him, standing on her tip toes, reaching upward to cup his wide face between her small hands, where she had planted a fiery kiss amongst his lips. And of course, Maui being Maui (Maui 'fucking' Deeming), had no objections. He had kissed her back, his mouth moving with hers just eager as she was.

Two minutes of that. And then ten minutes later, he noted how she had been leaning towards him as they sat together at the counter, places a soft kiss amongst his cheek, only to brush against the corners of his lips until his own mouth had found hers once again. That one had lasted much longer than he (they) had anticipated.

Maui couldn't seem to shake the images from his head. He experienced it all.

A quick kiss as they were stepping out the door. Another kissing exchange before they had even pulled out of the driveway. Followed by not one, but three sessions of spit swapping after having stopped at three intersections. On the highway they had settled for just holding hands, fingers laced together like puzzle pieces. Neither of them seemed to have shown any interest in unlocking their grasp from one another's any time soon. The last had been when they had pulled up at the curb beside her work. Their lips meshing together with so much passion, with so much hunger, it nearly took all of Maui's willpower to notice that the dashboard had read 7:49am. And with one last longing look at one another, it was Moana who had granted one last kiss to his cheek before she bolted out of the car disappeared behind those revolving glass doors.

It was all absurd, Maui had thought.

But absurd in a good way.

(If there was ever such a thing….)

But then again, what had happened this morning, plus what had happened on the Saturday morning wasn't entirely only the first or the last time they had exchanged more kisses. Maui couldn't help but replay the events that had taken place upon their arrival from their walk that Saturday morning. They had spent a great deal of time sharing more kisses with each other. On the couch. In the kitchen. When they bid each other goodnight. And then yesterday, the same thing. More sessions of necking took place. The laundry room. While they washed dishes. And again, when they went their separate ways for bed. Though they had also made sure to incorporate a great deal of communication and interesting conversations.

But it was no doubt that their attraction for each other was still a secret.

The numerous kissing sessions that they shared over the span of three days had been the confirmation that they needed.

Maui had lost count of how many times they actually had kissed those says. And frankly, with the amount of kisses that they shared, it was almost impossible for him to have kept count. Especially when he had enjoyed every minute of it.

"Hey Maui."

The sound of Nani's voice drew him from his thoughts. Shaking his head, he looked up to find her standing in the doorway with folders tucked away in the crook of her arm.

"Hey Nani." He gives her a smile. "What's up?"

"Ah, nothing much." She smiles, then chances a quick look at her arms that were slightly full. "Just about to take these files to photocopier room."

He looks at her arms. "Ah, I see." He smirks. "Well, you better get crackin' on those."

"Ugh!" She rolls her eyes and grins. "I know, don't remind me!"

A low chuckle from him. "Don't worry, you'll get through it."

"I can only hope."

"Well," He looks down at the papers in his hands. "That makes two of us."

She chuckles. "I'll bet." Then she studies him before she asks, "So, how've you been so far?"

"Ah, I've been alright." He shrugs. "Can't really complain."

"Well that's good to hear." She nods. "Anything new?"

"Nah, not really. Just the same old routine." He's still shuffling through the piles of papers he's holding. "Work. Home. Eat. Sleep. Sleep. Home. Eat. Work." Another shrug. "Not much really has changed."

"I see." She tilts her head. "How are things going at home by the way?"

He lifts a brow. "At home?"

"Yea. Y'know…..at home."

"….Yea….?"

"…So…how are things going at home?"

He blinked. "Home is….home. Simple."

She lifts a brow. "That's it?"

"Yea…."

She leans against the doorway, crossing a leg over the other. "So….nothing really new then?"

"Uh…no?"

"Huh." And then her hand finds purchase on her hip. "So, what about things with Moana then?" Her lips forming into a smirk. "Nothing really new about that?"

(Ah! Now that was it!)

"How are things with that going?"

He blinked again. "…With what?"

"…With Moana…." And then a chuckle. "How's she been? I haven't seen her since she and Lilo graduated from high school together."

(Of course! Of all things to ask about, she would ask about that!)

Why the hell are women so damn nosey?!

But Maui would be lying right now if she said that just hearing the sound of her name didn't leave such a gorgeous sounding melody ringing in his ears. Or hadn't have provoked the belly flips fluttering about in his stomach.

"...So…."

He had completely forgotten that Nani was still present. "Sorry, what?"

"So how is she?"

"Who?"

"Uh….Moana!" She chuckles and rolls her eyes. "That's who!"

"Oh…." He looked a little dumfounded. "Uh….she's um…" He scratches the back of his neck with a small chuckle. "She's been good."

Nani gives him a knowing look. "Really?" And then another smirk. "Just…good?"

Yes! He wanted to say. But Maui knew that even the way how she was standing, the look on her face and even the sound portrayed in her tone, told him that even she wasn't all that convinced that things between him and Moana were just….good. Heck! Even he knew that things between him and Moana were not just 'good'.

It was more than….good. That he would admit.

(Damn it! She's got me pegged again!)

He stares at her. "Well," He scratches the back of his neck. "Actually, she's been….great."

"Yea?"

A small smile from him. "Yea." And he feels confident with his answer. "Yea, really great."

"Ah, well that's great to hear." She gives him an encouraging smile. "So, you guys have been getting along with each other really well then?"

Then the thought of the kissing comes back to play.

If only you knew. "Yup." If getting to make out with your friend is considered 'getting along'? Then hell yes! "Yea, we have been."

Nani smiles. "That's great to hear, Maui." A nod. "I'm glad to hear that things between you guys are going well." She smiles. "Looks like my advice came in handy."

He lifts a brow. "Your advice?"

"Yup." A smirk. "The one where I was the one that told you to 'get to know her'?"

"Oh….right…." Of course. How could he have forgotten that? Then he studies her. "I'm guessing that this is the part where you say 'I told you so'". And then a smirk. "Right?"

She chuckles. "Ah, you already said it for me." And then an innocent shrug of her shoulders. "So…I'm good."

A snort. "I thought so."

She laughs at this. "But seriously though, I'm glad to hear that things between you guys are going well."

"Yea, I am too."

She smiles. "Sounds like you two are starting to feel comfortable around with each other."

Maui ponders about this for a bit, and then nods. "Yea, we are, actually." And then he can't stop the smile that spreads his features. His eyes then meet Nani's. "Thanks for convincing me to um….to taking that next step."

A smile from her as she nods. "You're welcome." Then she chances a look down at the papers in her arms. "Well, I better go get these to the photocopier." A nod to him. "See you, Maui."

As she leaves, Maui couldn't seem to erase the smile that felt warm amongst his cheek bones. And for once in his life, for some reason, he couldn't remember the last time he had felt his heart beat with so much excitement.

And as crazy as it sounds to think that it was still only 10:30am, for some reason, he couldn't wait for the clock to hit 4:30. He couldn't wait to get home to see Moana again.

Granted, his wish had been answered. The minute that clock hit 4:30pm, Maui couldn't seem to remember the time where he had practically ran out of work so quickly. He had arrived at Moana's workplace in the span of five minutes, sent her a quick text to let her know that he was here, and it seemed as if his message barely had enough to time to go through until she literally came barging through the doors and plopped herself into his car. A big smile on her face that she couldn't seem to wipe off, which told him that she was just as eager to be with him as he was with her. And then of course and just as he had hoped, she greeted him with a kiss.

They held hands for the entire ride home. Just like this morning, neither of them seemed to be in a rush to part ways. They talked though. They talked a lot for the duration of the ride. Laughing at one another's jokes. Laughing together. Some flirtatious phrases sent back and forth every now and then. Their attraction for one another increasing, growing fonder of each other with each minute that passed.

So to say, the ride home was a treat.

And it was an even bigger treat to have received another kiss the minute they pulled in the driveway. And it went from an ever bigger to a sweeter treat when the kiss had lasted for about four minutes. But after all, it wasn't like Maui could find a single complaint. Absolutely not. In fact, what the hell kind of man would he be to deny the affections that this beautiful, spit fire of a young woman was willing to share with him?

He would've been incredibly stupid to have done such a thing.

So, why not claim it when it was given him to right there on a silver platter?

So to say, granted. His wish had been answered.

Yes. His wish had been answered. Triple times the amount that he had been expecting. But it wasn't the thought of that that seemed to be troubling him. When he's climbing the stairs and heads to his room later that evening, it's the scene in his line of vision that troubles him.

"…Moana?" Her head instantly snaps up in his direction. Blinking rapidly, eyes suddenly looking wild around the edges. Hair thrown up in a messy bun. She tilted her head gently.

"Y-yea?"

"Uh….what are you doing?"

The young woman chanced a quick look at the two objects clutched in her hands. A dingy duster that even proved that it was well passed its expiry date and a bottle of orange flavored pledge that had a rather distinct smell to one's nose. She was standing crouched over his bedside dresser, eyes wide, feeling as though she was in the middle of a crime scene and she had been caught red handed.

"Oh….I um….I needed to clean."

"…Clean? …Now?" He raises an eyebrow. "At this time of the night?"

"Yea!" She nods. "It's only 7:30!"

He flicks his wrist to check his watch. "It's….9:30, actually…"

"Oh….is it that late?"

"Uh…yea…"

Then she blinks, brow furrowing as if she had been a child deprived of sweets before bed time. "I-I'm sorry….I didn't know…"

He studies her, then presses his lips into a thin line. Unsure of how he was supposed to have proceeded with all of this. At this point, the last thing he needed was to have to convince her that cleaning at this time of the night seemed absolutely ridiculous. Especially since for some reason had found herself cleaning up his room that is.

"Don't worry!" She sprays some more pledge on her duster and wipes it against his dresser. "I'm almost done!"

He sighs. "Moana, it's late."

"I'll be quick! I promise!"

"Really, you don't need to-"

"I have to get this done, Maui!"

"Why? Why now?"

She's too busy dusting. Dusting so vigorously that little snowflakes of dust begins to arise. Ignoring his question. She was on a mission. She needed to get this done.

"Moana," He sets his briefcase down and frowns. "Why-"

"Maui I just need to get this done! Okay?!"

He takes a tiny step toward her, slightly taken aback at the fact that she snapped at him. "Moana, why do you need-"

"Ugh! Because….because I just do!"

She throws her hands up. The pledge and the duster fly out of the palms of her hands, flying in the air and grateful to have been released after having been captured and worked to the bone. Landing on the carpeted floor with a soft plop, leaving a stunned Maui with creased brows to stand watching her. Her breathing became rapid, eyes bloodshot and her body was shaking, she was seething.

"Moana," He swallows, lifting his hands up. "Just….calm down-"

"How do you expect me to remain calm Maui?!" She spat through grit teeth. "I can't just calm down! Okay?! I just can't!"

"Moana-"

"Do you not understand?! I have to finish cleaning! I just have to!"

"Moana, listen-"

"Ugh! I can't calm down!" Her voice is raised well over two octaves from its original tonic key. "I can't!" Then her fingers claw their way into her scalp, tempted to rip the strands of hair from her head. "I just can't!"

"Moana!" He takes a large step forward, and grasps her shoulders in his large hands. "Relax."

She looks at him, helpless. "But I-"

"Shh, shh." He shushes her softly, then places finger to her mouth to silence her. "Relax."

And surprisingly, she complies. Slowly but surely. The rage in her eyes beginning to slip out of her, she took a couple of much needed deep breaths, before her breathing eventually came back down to normal. And whatever anxiety she was feeling was gradually beginning to exit the contents of her body slowly but surely. It was the look in Maui's eyes that was allowing her to find the inner peace that she desperately needed. So comforting, so reassuring, and so honest.

She looks at him, blinking. "I-I'm…..I'm sorry…." Her bottom lip quivers. "I didn't-"

"Don't be sorry."

"But…I wasn't thinking and-"

"It's okay, Moana." His thumb goes to stroke her cheek. "You did nothing wrong."

She bites her lower lip. His gaze boring into hers with so much intensity that she suddenly couldn't stand the thought of him looking at her. Not like this. Especially when she didn't seem to be in her right state of mind.

"Moana, is everything okay?"

"Y-yea….why?"

He frowns, not buying a single word that came out of her mouth. "Moana, if there's something that's bothering you," He leans in close, so close. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Her body tenses up in his grasp. And she takes a deep breath. "There's nothing wrong, Maui."

He lifts a brow. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." A small smile. "Positive."

(Liar)

"Forget the cleaning for tonight."

"But-"

"No buts." He says. "You've had a long day. You need to give yourself some rest."

"But Maui, if….if I don't finish-"

"You can finish cleaning tomorrow, Moana." His tone is stern, but gentle. "It won't be the end of the world."

And something about his words seemed comforting. She looks helplessly into his eyes. He always seemed to know the right word to say at the right moment. She knew he was right. Her body was crying out to her that she needed sleep. Preferably between six to eight hours. And if she had that opportunity, maybe even more than eight.

"You should go get some sleep." He strokes her cheek, his hot breath warm and tickling her skin. "You've been on your feet all day. You need rest."

For some reason, Maui himself wasn't even sure what had come over him. Here he was, telling a grown woman to go to her bed. And suddenly, he felt like the parent. The one that was always telling their kid to go to bed when it was necessary. And if Maui knew himself well enough, he was never one to really give a damn about other people's feelings, or show any signs of concern when needed. But with Moana, things were different. So different. And he suddenly had to wonder maybe he had not have shared the amount of kisses that he did with her, would he be standing here and basically ordering her to go to her bed?

Maybe it was the fact that he had kissed her that he suddenly felt like he was entitled to being her protector? Or maybe he was entitled to her in every way possible? (Hand, mind, lips, and possibly…body…)

She sighs, a pleasure sigh as she feels his lips pressing amongst her forehead. And then his lips find hers and they exchange a soft kiss. Her hands find purchase on his chest. Her eyes searching his, feeling somewhat desperate for more of this delicious friction. Then without a second thought, he places another kiss on her lips.

"Go get some sleep." He whispers. "Okay?"

And she finds herself hesitating at first, swallowing as she reluctantly nods. "O-okay."

And after they bid each other a silent good night and Maui is watching as she retreats to her room, the more he's beginning to believe that the feeling in his gut had been right all along. That something was definitely wrong with her.

"Hey, Nani?"

The woman looked up from the fine print that her eyes had ben glued to. Pen still in hand as she paused from her writing. She cocked her head gently.

"Yea?"

He takes a deep breath, his head poked in the door to her office. "You got a second?"

"Sure!" She puts her pen down and removes the glasses from her face. "Come on in."

He makes sure to chance a quick look over his shoulder, relieved to find that the hallway remained clear and that there was no one else present. And when he finally enters into her office, for some strange reason, he isn't able to prevent the moisture from erupting in the palms of his hands. His heart beat gradually beginning to race in his chest.

"What's up?"

He scratches the back of his neck. "Uh...I um….I need to ask you about something."

She furrows a brow and crosses her leg over the other. "Is everything okay?"

"Um…well…." He shoves his hands into his pockets, and takes a deep breath. "Not really."

"What's going on?"

It's an odd thing, coming to the woman whom he once had a crush on for advice. But he decided that if anyone would know the right words to say, it was Nani. After all, she was a woman. And who else would understand a woman than well….a woman?

Maui hesitates. "It's…." A deep breath. "….It's about….Moana, actually."

Nani's brows raise in concern. "Is she okay?"

"Well, that's the thing." He swallows. "…I don't know."

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

He sighs. "Well…." He hesitates again. "I don't….know exactly." Nani's brows crease with worry and confusion. "…I think she may be hiding something."

She blinks, and then lifts a brow. "Well, why would you think that?"

Because of the fact that she was coughing up blood like a rapid dog and the fact that she's fainted in front of me more than once! He wanted to say. Gods, he so desperately wanted to say that. To just get if off his chest and be done with everything.

"Well," He says instead and then makes a face. "A couple nights ago…." He hesitates. "….I um….I found her in the kitchen…"

Nani immediately straightens up in her seat. Nodding as he continues.

"I um….I kinda found her in a….." He takes a deep breath. "….A bad condition…."

"Okay…." She nods. "So….how bad was the condition exactly?"

Another deep breath. "….She was…coughing…"

"….Just coughing? Well, Maui that's not exactly-"

"Blood."

"…What?"

"Blood." He mumbles. "She was coughing up blood, Nani."

"Oh…."

He lifts his shoulders. "Yea…" Another deep breath. "…And then a few days ago, we went on a walk…" He closes his eyes as he speaks. "…And then, I don't know how it happened but….she fainted."

Nani clasps her hands together, nodding and listening.

"I just…I don't know…." He opens his eyes and sighs. "I mean, her fainting in front of me, it's not the first time she's done that."

"Oh?"

"Yea. She's uh…..she's fainted in front of me a couple of times."

She nods. "I see."

He sighs again. "I don't know….lately I've been just…getting kinda worried about her and stuff so…"

"Have you talked to her about it?"

"I've tried that already." He frowns at this. "I keep asking her if she's okay and if there's anything wrong." A pause. "And…she keeps telling me that's fine but…."

"You don't believe her."

He hated to admit the fact that she was right. The words spoken out loud confirming his thoughts as hesitates and nods numbly.

"I mean….I don't want to force her to tell me or anything, but…"

Nani nods, understanding. "I get it." Then she sighs.

He nods again.

"Well, Maui," Another sigh. "All I can really say to you, is to just…give her some time."

He doesn't like the sound of that. Giving a small roll of his eyes in the process and hefting another loud sigh.

"I mean, I don't know." Nani shrugs her shoulders. "She probably might be going through something that maybe, she just might not feel comfortable telling you just yet."

He furrows his brow. Raked a hand through his mane of curls.

"It's probably just a matter of time."

"But I don't get it." He begins pacing slowly, hands shoved in his pockets. "Things were going great between us. Things are great between us." He pauses, frowns, and then paces again. "I don't get how she wouldn't feel comfortable around me."

"Well, like I said, Maui," She watches him, giving him a sympathetic look. "Maybe she just needs time. I mean, really and truly, you both just started getting along like…what? Three days ago?"

A snort. And then another roll of his eyes.

"Just give her some space. Maybe she might just need some time to think a bit more. That's all."

"So what am I supposed to do in the meantime then?" He stops, shakes his head. "Just look the other way and let her keep fainting and coughing up blood in front of me? I don't think I can back off any longer, Nani."

"But Maui, you don't want to keep pushing her either."

(Aha! There it was! The voice of reasoning! Again!)

"Believe me when I say this, but, Moana can be a very private person." She says. "I mean, when she's going through things, she's not really one to drag people into her problems."

"Well then, do you know what's going on with her?" He grimaces. "Because, it seems as if she'll tell everyone else but me."

Nani sighs. "Maui, look, I know you're worried, I get it." He huffs and goes back to pacing. "But, believe me when I say that people like Moana, maybe they just want to explain the situation that they might be going through."

(Were women always this complicated to deal with? For Christ's Sakes!)

"And to answer your question, I haven't seen Moana since the time when her and Lilo graduated from high school together. So, no. I don't know, so I can't tell you what's going on with her."

(Yes. Yes they were.)

"As friendly and loving as she was, I mean, everything that she's had to go through with her parents and-"

He stops. "Her parents?"

She nods. "Yea….didn't she tell you?"

He scratches the back of his neck. "Well, sure." Then he scrunches up his nose. "I mean, yea, she was pretty broken up about it when she told me. Y'know, about her parents moving back to Hawaii and everything-"

"Moving back to Hawaii?" And the look of her face tells him otherwise. "…That's what she told you?"

"Well….yea…" He furrows his brow. "Why? Isn't that true?"

But it's too late. He sees the way how she reacted. She winced slightly, eye twitching a bit as she blinked rapidly. The way how her jaw was hanging open in shock, and then she quickly presses her lips into a thin line and completely disregards whatever words were just mere inches from slipping off her tongue.

"….Isn't that what happened?"

She immediately tears her gaze away from his and is back to picking up her pen and scribbling down any more data she could come up with.

"Nani?"

She slowly raises her gaze to meet his. She swallows.

"Do you know something I don't?"

He couldn't decipher if it was nod or a shake of the head she gave him. Her lips sealed shut and she looked almost nervous to say any more than she had intended to.

"Nani," He furrows his brow. "If you know something, then you should tell me. Please."

Her mouth opens and closes a few times. But she was silent. Not another word dared to make its way out of her mouth. For his sake, it was probably better if her mouth just stayed shut. Throw away the key, somewhere far, far away where no one else could find it. After all, he did seem to be putting himself in somewhat of an unpleasant situation. And for a woman who had the smarts like Nani, she knew that.

"Nani-"

"It's…." She hesitates. "It's not really my place to say anything, Maui."

A frown. "What do you mean?"

She takes a deep breath. "Like I said before," And completely disregards his question. "Just give her some time." She looks at him. "Once she feels ready enough to tell you, then she will. Trust me."

There's something about her answer that seems a bit off. And judging by the way how her body language all of sudden was screaming 'do not enter!' was telling him that she was hiding something. If Maui was being honest with himself, his gut was telling him that Nani knew a lot more than she said she did. And just like Moana, it didn't seem like Nani was going to fess up any time soon. She said what she had needed to say. And that was it.

And once again, he was on his own. The lone wolf left with no answers whatsoever.

He chews his lip, before he hefts a sigh. "Alright." Because there's really no point in pushing any further than he had done before.

She nods. "Good."

He's hesitating for a second, rakes a hand through his hair again. "Alright, well…." He pauses. "….Thanks."

A small smile from her. "No problem."

And he turns to leave without another word.

"Punzie!" Moana is literally banging on the door to Rapunzel's office. Her eyes wild and her locks were slightly tangled and all over the place. Usually she'd be one to freak out over if her appearance had somehow turned in to be a tornado. But at this point, she didn't seem to give a damn. Her appearance was not the one making her about to shit her pants any time soon.

The blonde looked up from her desk. Her own eyes were wild around the edges as well. Even her golden hair that was always combed neat, silky and straight also had its own strands poking up in different directions. Almost as if Gothel had set off of a nuclear bomb on Rapunzel's head. She instantly rushes to the door and lets her in.

"Thank God!" Moana exclaims as she literally tumbles in. "I need to talk to you!"

"Good! Cause I need to talk to you too!"

"Yea, okay, listen!" Moana is quick to dismiss her with a wave of a hand. "Maui is-"

"Can you believe the nerve of that woman?!"

"Wait, who?"

"Gothel! That's who! Ugh!" The blonde nearly shrieks as she throws up her hands. "I cannot believe me that she is making me rewrite my entire article on the hair dyes!"

"Oh! Right, that." Moana suddenly remembered that her article was mere seconds from needing to be submitted. "Ugh, I know, but that's not what-"

"Do you know how many hours I spent writing that stupid thing?!" Rapunzel is seething. Face transitioning from a beautiful pale to a raging red. "And she has the nerve to tell me that my writing was not good enough for this?! Ugh! I absolutely cannot stand that….that….stupid bitch!"

"Yea yea, okay, I know, we hate her," She groans and pinches the bridge of her nose. "But that's not-"

"And she expects me to finish writing this damn article by Friday!" Rapunzel's hands grasp onto the strands of hair from her scalp. "Friday, Mo! Friday!"

"Okay, Punzie, that's-"

"I have two other articles that need to be finished by Friday!" Her voice is raised three octaves higher than its usual key. "Two! And you wanna know what she said to me?! She just laughed and-!"

"Rapunzel will you just be quiet!" Moana throws her hands up, nearly shouting. "Just…..just stop talking!" She's seething. "Just...stop talking for one second!"

The way how Rapunzel flinched as the words left her mouth with furrowed brows, even Moana had realized the error in that sentence. Her mouth snapped shut, breathing deeply in an attempt at stanching at least some of the frustration. She lets out a breathy sigh, squeezes her eyes shut and goes to pinch the bridge of her nose.

"Punzie….I-I'm sorry-"

"Jeez, Mo." The blonde frowns, crossing her arms over her chest. "If you wanted me to stop talking, you could've just asked nicely."

A heavy sigh. "I….I know, I'm sorry, I just-"

"What's wrong with you?"

Moana blinks, swallows and rakes a hand through her hair. "Look, I…" She takes a deep breath, and then says, "It's….Maui…"

Rapunzel lifts a brow. "You guys are fighting again? I thought that things between you guys were-"

"No, no. I mean….things are fine between us." She bites her lip. "It's not that….it's just…."

"Then what it is?"

"I….I think he….suspects something…."

The blonde furrows her brow. "What do you mean?"

Another sigh. "I mean….." A deep breath. "….I just think he's becoming suspicious…."

"About what?"

"About my illness!" She raises her voice, takes a sharp look over her shoulder, and then hisses, "That's what!"

Rapunzel blinks at this. "You mean, you still haven't told him yet?"

"Ugh! No! I haven't!"

"Well, why?"

"Because, I can't!"

"Well, Mo, I don't think-"

"He cannot find out that I'm sick, Punzie!" The whine was out before she could stop it. "He just….he just can't! Okay?! He can't!"

"Mo, just calm down!"

To her surprise, she does. She takes a deep breath, mentally counting to ten. Then to fifteen. Her fingers go to massage her temples as she slowly begins to pace about the office. Rapunzel keeps her gaze trained on her friend, her brows are creased with confusion and worry. Silence looming amongst them like the deadly plague.

"Look, Mo, what's the big deal if Maui were to find out?"

She heaves a shaky sigh. "…Because, I just…." Another deep breath. "….This is personal, Punzie. And….I'm…..I'm just scared…and…"

"Mo," Rapunzel gently places a hand on her friend's shoulder to block her from pacing any further. "Why are you scared?"

She swallows. "…Because, I….me and Maui….it's just that things between us are going so great…" She pauses. "…And I'm scared that…." Then she sighs and turns away. "…That he wouldn't understand…"

"Why would you think that he wouldn't understand?"

"Because he won't!" She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose. The topic was too embarrassing to even talk about. "I know he won't!"

"But you don't know that."

"And you don't know that he won't!" She turns to face the only friend she cared about. "Punzie, he won't understand! They never understand! Okay? They just don't!"

Rapunzel was still for a moment, swallowing down whatever grief she had in the presence of her best friend who clearly needed her help. "Mo-"

"He won't understand if told him, Punzie. I….I just know that he won't."

"Mo, when you say….they…." She pauses, then takes a deep breath and says, "….do you mean….K-Kristoff?"

And the way how her body immediately stiffens at the mention of his name is all the confirmation that Rapunzel needed. Moana's back was turned to her friend, unable to face her. Refusing to face her. Just hearing his name left that same miserable melody reverberating in her eardrums. His name that had caused her throat to tighten. And it was his name that nearly made the tears begin to pool in her eyes. But she did not dare let one escape.

She wouldn't cry over her no good ex-boyfriend. She couldn't. She wouldn't.

"Mo, Kristoff wasn't-"

"I don't want to talk about him." Moana manages to push past the lump in her throat. "He's…he's no longer in my life anymore. And…I'm glad that he isn't."

Rapunzel presses her lips into a thin line. "He hurt, Mo." And she realizes the error in her words. "He wasn't good enough for you."

"I wasn't good enough for him."

"That's not true."

"I wasn't good enough for him, Punzie."

"Mo-"

"It was my illness that drove him away." Her voice breaks at this as she slowly turns back to face her friend with glossy eyes. "…That's why he left."

"No, Moana, it wasn't your illness that drove him away." Rapunzel's tone is stern, but gentle. "He chose to leave. He wasn't man enough to understand."

Moana is quiet, refusing to speak. Bottom lip quivering at this.

"It takes a real man to accept you for who you are and to love you no matter what." She says. "Kristoff was not that man for you."

You're so much better than that.

You deserve better. He's not the one for you.

Part of her wants to argue that sentence. Truth be told, she had grown so used to hearing words and phrases like that that it no longer fazed her anymore. However, the other part of her wanted to consider her friend's words. After all, Rapunzel was right. Any single one of her family members would've hopped ship on Rapunzel's any time soon. And she tried so hard not to let the tears fall any time soon. The memory of that familiar blonde haired young man with that irresistible smile left her beginning to feel nostalgic.

The very last thing she wanted was to be reminded of her ex-boyfriend. The same young man who had left her for another woman the minute he had discovered her illness. And truth be told, Moana didn't want to have to recall those unpleasant memories she had spent crying, wondering why every person she's ever loved always had the tendency to leave her without a single warning.

"Mo?"

She looks up. Her vision becoming slightly blurry.

Rapunzel bites her lower lip. "You think that Maui will do the same thing." She says softly. "That's why you're afraid that he'll find out."

That was exactly it.

She was afraid. And truth be told, Moana didn't want to relive that fear again.

"Mo," Moana's breath hitches in her throat as Rapunzel takes a step closer towards her. "Maui is not Kristoff."

She swallows. "What makes you think he's….any different?"

"What makes you think he's not?"

(She had a point)

It wasn't fair for her to underestimate Maui's loyalty. After all, they were still just getting to know each other. Maybe Rapunzel was right. Maybe he was different.

He wasn't a Kristoff, that's for sure. At least he didn't seem like he was a Kristoff.

(Was he?)

"Maybe….you should just tell him, Mo."

She shakes her head. "No-" She gulps, tears starting to roll down her chin. "I can't. I-"

She's cut off as Rapunzel throws her arms around her friend and pulls her into a tight hug. And Moana can't help but to return the embrace back. Immediately feeling all of the puzzle pieces begin to reassemble themselves back together. She's holding back the sob that wants to erupt.

"You can." She whispers.

"B-but….what if he-"

"You'll never know if you don't give him a chance."

A shaky sigh as she sniffs and buries her face into her best friend's shoulder. "But….." She mumbles against the pink, lacy fabric of her shirt. "But-"

"Everything will be okay, Mo." She instantly begins to relax as Rapunzel's soothing voice takes over. "I promise."

And Moana hoped to the Gods that her best friend would be right.

'Just tell him' The sound of Rapunzel's voice plays ring around the rosy in her head, like a deadly plague. 'He's not Kristoff' There it was again. 'You won't know unless you give him a chance' (Negative) 'Just tell him, he'll understand'.

"Hey, Moana?"

She jumped with a sharp gasp, startled at the feel of Maui's large hand finding a place on her shoulder. She put a hand to her head, massaging her temple. Once again, unaware of just how much her thoughts had been consuming her.

He furrowed his brow. "Are you okay?"

She lets out a shaky sigh. "Y-yea…." Realizing her tight grip around the plate she had just dried as there was almost no pigment left in her knuckles. "W-why?"

"Nothing, it's just…" He pauses, brows furrowing as his gaze didn't leave hers. "You've been quiet all this time."

She blinks. "O-oh…." She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's nothing. I-I'm just….tired that's all…."

"You seem to be tired a lot lately."

Her head snaps up. "What?"

"You just seem more tired than usual." He reaches for a paper towel to drive off his hands. "And, you also seem a bit…jumpy too."

He knows. Fuck! He knows!

"I…I well….I just-"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Yes. She so desperately wanted to say. But something else had been nagging her. A soft, "No…"

He cocks a brow. "..No?"

(Say it!)

Her eyes are glossy. Her vision becoming blurry. "….No…."

His gaze rakes over her profile. "Then, what's wrong?"

'Just tell him' There it is again. 'He'll understand'

(I can't take this anymore! Just tell him!)

Moana wasn't fully able to process what it was that was happening. Setting the plate aside, her gaze meets his. Her breathing becoming heavy, her bottom lip quivered. She refused to look away, even as her lips trembled and her shoulders started heaving with so much emotion bottled up inside, unwilling to back down. Her dark lashes brimmed heavy with the sudden tears that had somehow made their grand entrance; her hands clenched into shaking fists in a desperate battle against the grief.

Maui swallows, unsure of what to expect next. "Moana…."

A lone tear traced down her cheek, and just like that, the floodgates opened. Brick by brick, her walls instantly came tumbling down. She wept tears streaming down from her deep brown eyes, loud heaving sobs from her throat and she still did not look away. Not until the sobs eventually tried to drive her to her knees did her determined gaze fall. Before her knees could reach the ground, she felt as a pair of hands immediately gripped her shoulders and pulled her back upwards. Maui gathered her into his arms as she let out all the sorrow and grief she has kept hidden and bottled up in her system for God knows how long. She sobbed into his chest as he held her.

"Hey, hey, Moana," He gently pulled her away to better inspect her tear stained face. He rubs his thumb against her cheek, stroking her tears away. "What's wrong?"

She takes a couple of heavy breaths. "I…." Her voice shaky, raw. "…I'm sick…."

"What?"

Her voice is trembling as she says, "….I'm sick..."

He studies her. "Do you have a fever?" And he uses his hand to push the loose strands of hair behind her ear. "O-or a stomach ache? I can get you some tea or-"

"No!" She blurts through a choked sob. "No, Maui! That's not it!"

He blinks once, and then another. "Then, what-"

"I'm sick, Maui!"

He swallows. "Moana, I-" He pauses then shakes his head. "I don't understand."

Just tell him….

She chews on her quivering lip, staring helplessly into his eyes. Her heart beat thudding so violently against her chest, her entire body shaking with anticipation. Her breathing shaky and heavy. Another sob rips from her throat. And for what seemed like eternity, the last thing that she ever expected to come out of her mouth was,

"I'm….sick, Maui…"

"…Moana,"

She takes a breath, before she whispers, "…..I….I have breast cancer…"

Cliffhanger! What do you guys think is gonna happen next?! Leave your reviews below! Love you guys so much! Mwah!*