Meaghan stirred in her sleep. Rommie, who had been keeping watch, became instantly alert.

"Eros?" Meaghan murmured. Her eyelids flickered, but did not open.

The avatar considered trying to wake her fully, but not knowing whether or not it would do more harm than good, refrained.

Meaghan's lips moved, as if in conversation, but no more sound emerged from them. After a few minutes of this, the movements subsided, and she slipped once more back into sleep.

Eros was feeling very frustrated. He had been shocked and angered to learn that the damage Eos and Selene had done to Charlemagne had also carried over to his mother. Gods of love or not, he hoped she had something exceedingly painful planned by way of retribution. He also hoped that she would let him help. While he was now coherent, his mother was simply too worn out for him to guide her any closer to his present location. He also wished he dared go to Charlemagne's room and tell him the news. In the short time they had been acquainted, Eros had developed a certain affection for his Nietzschean step-father. But since he was still supposed to be under compulsion, he couldn't go anywhere or do anything unbidden, or the goddesses would know that the compulsion was broken, and like as not, they'd simply do it again. He didn't think he cared for the idea of being compelled by the two of them and having Mother and whoever her friend was breaking it, in an endless cycle. He glanced over at his wife. Psyche sat, immobile, patiently waiting for the next summons. He could have broken her compulsion as well, but much as he wanted to, he felt it was wiser and safer to wait until his mother arrived.

Seamus went into Charlemagne's office a little nervously. He felt like he was trespassing, even though he had been summoned there.

The viewer was blinking with an incoming message. Still feeling like a thief or vandal, about to be caught in the act at any moment, he switched the device on.

"Hello, Seamus." It was Meaghan, but a Meaghan like he had never seen her, she looked so tired and drawn..,

"What happened to you?" Harper blurted out.

"It's a long story," Meaghan said tiredly. "Part of the other long story I owe you. And I don't really have time to fill you in. I just wanted to see how you and the children are doing."

"We're all great," Harper assured her. "But they miss you and Charlemagne. You know, I always thought he was a kind of stand-offish so-and-so, but he must be one hell of a father. The only person the kids talk about more is you."

Meaghan smiled at him. "He's a wonderful father. And husband. It's just getting past a lot of the Nietzschean upbringing. Tamara seemed a little grumpy when I visited you, and that's not like her. Is she all right now?"

"Oh yeah," Seamus grinned. "Turns out that she was just cutting a tooth. It's past the painful stage now, and she's her usual sunny self. Hey, why didn't you come here like you did last time?"

"I haven't got the energy to spare right now," she explained. "I just had to expend a great deal of it. Believe me, that's the only thing that's keeping me from my babies." She suddenly giggled. "Listen to you talking about children like that, Seamus. I'm beginning to think you might make a good father yourself someday."

"Well," Harper mumbled, blushing. "I haven't been around kids too much, but I'm kind of enjoying it. And I've even been thinking I wouldn't mind raising a few of the little knee-biters myself. Someday."

"I have to go now, Seamus." Meaghan started getting a distant look on her face. "With luck, I'll be back shortly. With Charlemagne."

Harper was going to wish her good luck and tell her good-bye, but the connection winked out before he could.

Charlemagne stretched luxuriously, feeling remarkably well and alive. He hadn't a mark on him, he had slept well, and had had dreams so vivid that he could almost have believed that he had spent the night in Meg's arms. He was so comfortable, that he really didn't want to move just yet, but then it occurred to him that he had been sleeping in the bed. He had studiously avoided the bed, for obvious reasons, since his arrival here, wherever here was. He was about to get up, when suddenly, he was weighted down. He opened his eyes, and saw Selene straddling him.

"Hello, pretty, you're looking awfully fit and healthy," she purred. "Have you come to your senses yet?"

"I don't recall having lost them," he remarked glibly. "I would think it more to the point to ask if you had come to yours. Or haven't you ever seen Meg in a temper?"

He could have sworn he saw the moon goddess' fair skin grow even paler. "More than you, I daresay," she answered. "But some risks are worth taking."

"There are plenty of men who would be happy to be the consort of a goddess," he suggested. "Why not go find one of them?"

"Because I want one that is immortal," Selene wailed, tears shining on her stricken face. She rolled off of Charlemagne and sat on the bed beside him. "I don't want someone that is going to age and die before I've had time to turn around."

Charlemagne felt a pang of pity for her. "Is that what you asked Zeus for?" he questioned softly, sitting up himself. "An immortal lover? Because Meg didn't. She offered to give up her immortality, even her godhood, to be with me."

"She wanted to get.., old?" She said the last word as if it were profane.

"She wanted to be with me." The grin was manifesting itself again, but Charlemagne just couldn't seem to fight it off. "Truth to tell, I was a little in awe myself. But Meaghan said that she thought it was an 'equitable trade'."

"Charlemagne?" the goddess said in a small, pitiful little voice. "Will you please hold me? Just for a moment?"

Charlemagne could easily think of a dozen reasons why he shouldn't honor her request, and only one why he should, but that one reason seemed to outweigh all the rest. He suspected that Meaghan was rubbing off on him. He took Selene in his arms.

At first she just rested in his arms, her damp face resting against his shoulder. Then she snuggled up a little closer, her arms going around him. Her face tipped up toward his with her lips parted invitingly.

The Nietzschean was disgusted with himself, falling for such an obvious gambit. Using his pity to try to inveigle him into her arms, and more. And the worst part of it was that it had nearly worked. Firmly, but still gently, he took her by the shoulders and put her away from him.

"Nice try," he congratulated her. "You almost had me fooled." He got out of the bed, and went to the other side of the room.

Selene pouted. "Why do you have to ruin everything? Even if she does eventually find you, Aphrodite need never know."

"I would know," Charlemagne said. "Treachery and intrigue are part of a Nietzschean's make-up, but I couldn't betray Meg. I couldn't live with myself if I did."

The moon goddess bounced off the bed and stamped her foot. "What could Aphrodite have possibly done to inspire such loyalty from you? Conceited creature that she is. Goddess of love and beauty indeed! Goddess of vanity, more likely."

Charlemagne quirked an eyebrow at her. "Doesn't sound like Meg at all. Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"

Selene merely glared at him and disappeared.

"You're still awfully weak, Meaghan," Trance said worriedly. "Are you sure you ought to try it? Maybe you should rest a little longer."

"I'll rest after I have my family safe," Meaghan muttered. "Stop fretting, Trance. It's not like I'm going to die. I can't."

Trance held out her hand. "At least let me help." When Meaghan didn't respond, she added, "As drained as you are, you may not be able to accomplish anything useful by yourself. I can give you an extra boost, I've done it before."

"And I shouldn't have used you like that." Meaghan looked guilty. "It could have been dangerous for you. But all I could think about was Charlemagne."

The alien shrugged. "I've done dangerous things before," she admitted. "And often without nearly so worthwhile a reason. Let me help you get your family back, Meaghan. We all owe you."

Meaghan hugged her. "Everything I did for mortal kind, I did willingly. There is no debt." She paused to reflect a moment. "But you're part of my family too, and if you wish to assist me, I wouldn't feel right about denying you."

They clasped hands.

Eros sat up with a jolt. "Mother?" he whispered out loud, then confined his remarks to his thoughts.

Meaghan strode onto the bridge with a brisk and purposeful air. "Are you ready to leave, Bekka? I know where they are now."

Meaghan walked over to the star chart that the AI obligingly put on the screen. "Here," she said, touching a spot on the screen.

"Are you sure, Meaghan?" Bekka squinted at the chart, sure her friend was making a mistake. "There's nothing but empty space there."

"Isn't there?" Meaghan murmured mysteriously. "Please just get us there, Bekka. I think you may be in for a little surprise."

The pilot shrugged. "You're the navigator on this little jaunt. I'm just driving." She strapped herself in. "Ready to slip-stream."

Eros popped into Charlemagne's room unexpectedly.

"Aren't you taking a terrible risk doing this?" the Nietzschean asked his step-son. "I thought you weren't supposed to come here unless summoned."

"I just thought you might like to know," Eros whispered conspiratorially. "If you can manage to hold them off for a few more days, it will all be over. Mother is on her way." He winked out of sight.