Disclaimer: I told you, I don't own the ducks...

Mel sat in the kitchen, eating some eggs her brother cooked up for her with a small smile. Her conversation with Duke made her feel better. She had missed having long talks with him. They used to go on long walks under the stars, talking about meaningless things.

The ducks had left the kitchen, something about finding the raptor. Duke seemed to take a new interest in Dragaunus since their talk, and was at the front of the group of ducks. Mel put her dishes in the dishwasher, going out to look at Drake One.

"What's up, guys?" She asked, looking at the map and the blinking red dot.

"We found Dragaunus's hideout." Tanya said, pointing.

"Let's go," Wildwing said, beginning to move out. "Melinda, stay here and hold down the fort."

Mel shook her head. "I'm going with you, Wing." She said. "Dragaunus... Dragaunus has something of mine, and I'm determined to get it back."

Wildwing sighed. "Fine, Come on." They all loaded up in the Aerowing, soaring off to the Raptor.

"Wildwing," Duke said, standing from his seat. "I don't care if you go after Dragaunus, but I have to go after Melena. I can't leave her there."

"Duke," Wildwing replied, "We don't even know if we can get into the Raptor, let alone find Melena. I want to help her as much as you, but..."

"She's your own sister, Wildwing! Your own flesh and feather, and you're just gonna leave her their when we have a chance to save her?"

"I'm not going to risk the team for—″ He stopped. "If you can get in..."

"I'll go," Mel said, standing next to Duke. "Dragaunus wants me back. I can take Duke in and pretend he's a prisoner. If, of course, that's okay with Duke. We can get Melena out of there." Mel looked over at Duke. "What'ta say? We gonna go save her?"

Duke nodded. "Right." He slipped her cold human hand in his large feathered one. "Drop us off, we'll be fine."

"What if it's a trap?" Mallory asked. "What if she's with them?"

"Yeah!" Tanya agreed. "She could be taking ad-adva-ad—Leading you on."

"I have to go." Duke said. "Come on, Melinda."

Mel nodded as the Dive lowered the Aerowing close to the ground, and duke opened the hatch. He jumped out, pulling Mel with him.

Mel pulled a pair of handcuffs out of her back pocket. "Gotta make this believable," she said, slapping one on Duke's wrist.

"Where'd you find those?"

"Dive's room. He's got quite a stash." She walked behind him, cuffing the other arm. "I know where they're keeping her. They'll lock you up. Then, once the saurians fall asleep, I'll come break you out."

"And how, may I ask, will you do that?"

"I've had a few breaking and entering lessons from a master." She smiled knowingly, remembering the lessons Duke had given her back on Puckworld. "Then we'll go to where she's being kept. Just, don't blow it."

"How do I know you're not going to leave me there? You've already cuffed me."

"I want to see her again just as bad as you."

"Why?"

"My own reasons. Don't worry about it, Duke. I won't leave you. Cross my heart."

"You've been hanging out with the kid too much."

Mel let out a fond smile. "I imagine you said that to Mel a lot, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess."

She bent down, putting some dirt on her hands and wiped in on his cheeks and on his clothes.

"What's that for?"

"Looks like a struggle. Dragaunus won't believe it if you didn't look like we had fought. Give me your saber."

"WHAT?!"

"Give me your saber. You will have been expected to fight back, and unless I disarmed you, I would never have caught you. Let's be reasonable here. I'm a poor, weak human, you're the big strong duck with a sword. I get the sword, you're not so strong anymore."

"You'll stab me in the back."

"Duke, please believe me." She turned him around, looking into his eyes. The look in her crystal blue eyes took his breath away, and showed him that she was trustworthy.

"Right, right, I believe you. Let's make this quick, it's getting late."

Mel nodded, a small smile forming as they approached the Raptor.