His strange little master was doing the laundry, and refusing to let him help. "My brother never talked about my parents. I don't remember anything about my mother, only my father, and I have almost no fond memories of him… But we had each other. We worked hard, together, to survive. I was content, but... as long as I can remember, I've wanted to see something a little different than the village we grew up in. I use to feel so guilty, and then later, after the deal, I found out that the grass really isn't any greener on the other side of the fence, and sometimes, there isn't any grass at all."

He leaned against a tree, and refrained from commenting, since she was the one with three wishes, and he was just her genie.

"I know it's crazy, but I'm so tired of the same thing, day in and day out. I spent half my life weaving cloth, and it's likely I'll spend the other half at Dows' beck and call."

So he'd have to point out the obvious again. "If only there were some way you could just, I don't know, wish your troubles away..."

She sighed dramatically, a twinkle in her eye. "If only." Then, more seriously, "I can't, you know. The contract was perfectly clear on that point. Since my brother couldn't deliver, Dows got me. I can't wish my way out of it, because it's a power play, you see. I'm stuck."

That was a new wrinkle. He scratched his jaw. "Well, sounds to me like you need to wish for more power then, or for someone to take an interest in your case and help out."

She smiled sadly. "Please, stop. There's magic involved, Genie. I can't escape. I don't even dare try, because it might bring harm to my family. Besides… all magic come with a price."

"Huh?"

"It's something my brother says. So I can just imagine what wishing for something as big as finding Bae would do."

Talk about a subject change. He wondered if that meant that this new wish was even more important to her than her freedom. "Finding who now?"

"My nephew. We've been looking for him few a very long time, and you have no idea how tempting it is not to just, wish they'd be reunited." She frowned, looking up at him quickly.

He smiled. "I'm not going to go all crazy genie on ya and grant something just because you said wish in the sentence. Careful, though, because the magic can and will force me to respond to something as direct as 'I wish'."

She nodded. "And I have no idea what else it could do if I were to wish for something involving other people like that. So now you know why I don't dare wish. All I really want, is..."

"Your freedom." His heart twisted, knowing the hopelessness all too well.

She nodded. "And someone to talk to. But I can only be selfish for a bit longer."

His pulse quickened in fear. "Why's that?"

She sighed. "If I get too used to having you around, I'm not going to be able to bear to see you go."

He shrugged. "Hey, that's fine with me. After all, passing me along could mean disaster for some future master's enemy, remember? You won't do them any favors by letting me go."

She turned as if she were unable to face him any longer. "I wouldn't worry about that..."

***Melina's POV***

"Genie?"

He chuckled as he came out. She smiled, proud of herself for finding a way to let him know she wanted him, without forcing him out of the lamp. It shouldn't have made a lick of difference, but somehow, it did.

He appeared next to her with a 'poof', grinning down at her. She couldn't imagine why. They were out in the middle of nowhere.

"Dows has me collect rocks and clay for him once a week." Which could be done much closer to her workshop, but she always used it as an escuse to get as far from there as she could.

"Hot out here."

She nodded. "Very desertish."

He laughed. "Sure you don't want that ice-cream? Or maybe an umbrella? Or a fan? Or a blizzard?"

The last one tempted her. "... but how could I find the rocks under snow?"

He rubbed his hands together. "We can cross that bridge later."

She stopped him with a light touch on the arm. "Thanks, but no magic, remember?"

He sighed. "But that's what I do! You're making it kind of hard for me, ya know. I mean, sure, you don't want to ask me to do anything, but what if I'd like to make a blizzard, huh?"

She shrugged. "You may go anywhere you'd like."

"Hey, I'm happy here, and even if I wasn't, I can only get so far from the lamp."

She frowned, taking it out. "Really?"

He nodded. "Part of the genie gig."

She stooped down to examine some rocks, then put a few in her bag, trying hard to ignore the guilt swirling in her gut. Up until now, she'd assumed he stayed close because he didn't mind her company. If he was forced to stick close to the lamp…

He held out a hand. "At least let me tote those for you. No magic in that."

She shook her head. "I can handle them."

He shrugged. "Sure you can, but then I'm just standing here doing nothing, while you cart around rocks. Chivalry ain't entirely dead, ya know." When she didn't respond, he pouted. "I mean, c'mon, what's the point of even having muscles if you're going to do all the work around here? Have some pity on a guy, would ya?"

She sighed, and handed over the bag. "Happy?"

He threw it over a shoulder with a grin. "Yep!"

That brought her smile back. After all, if he was unhappy, he certainly hid it well.