Slowly, Moana felt herself come back to earth, the feeling of floating replaced by one of stiffness. Her body felt so heavy, so weighted down that she could not even summon the strength to open her eyes. Still so cold, so very cold. Was she back on Motunui? Was it still snowing? Little by little, she became aware of the feeling of stone beneath her. The smell of woodsmoke and fresh earth was around her. She felt a gentle breeze on her skin. She figured she must be outside. As her consciousness slowly returned, she became aware of voices.

"Poli'ahu isn't going to be happy with me when she finds out I thawed your girlfriend," a woman's voice spoke beside her. The voice was deep and smooth, oddly calming.

"She can't do anything to you. What, you two will throw some fire and snowballs at each other for a few millennia and then get over it? I've got bigger problems. I have to figure out how to get her to de-ice Motunui, or all those people will freeze to death," Maui's voice this time. Wait, Maui? "And she's not my girlfriend!"

"That's another thing," the woman said. "What's going on between you and this human? Ever since you met her, you've been different. Dare I say . . . noble? Quite the look on you, Maui."

"Shut up," Maui grunted. Moana heard heavy footsteps, as if Maui had begun to pace.

"I mean it!" the woman cried. "You're known for being a trickster, fooling people . . . kind of looking out only for yourself. But after the heart of Te Fiti was restored, it was all about the adventures with this girl . . . why? Every time you showed up on my shore, it was all 'Moana and I did this, Moana and I saw that.'"

"I haven't seen her in two years, before yesterday!"

"And why is that?" The woman was exasperated now. "Maui, come on. How long have you known me? Just spill, okay?"

There was a heavy sigh, the footsteps came closer. When she heard his voice again, it was much closer, as if he was speaking only a few inches from her face. She felt a gentle touch on her head, and despite herself, Moana's heart fluttered. "She's different, Pele." Pele?! More silence, but then Maui continued. "Moana showed me that I didn't have to be this all-powerful being to be worth something. She didn't care about my powers, what I could do for her. She cared about me . . . as a man, not a demigod. She made me feel human again, if that makes any sense." He sighed again heavily, the breath ruffling Moana's hair. "I think she was what, sixteen when I met her? I didn't think of her as more than a kid. Man, she surprised me. Braver than anyone I know, human or otherwise. Do you know that the first thing she did when she met me was grab me by the ear? Me, like two feet taller than her, able to crush her with one hand, and she admonishes me like I'm a little kid." Maui chuckled warmly, continuing to run his fingers through her hair. "After the whole Te Fiti thing, I was just drawn to her, you know? After so many years alone, the company was fun. It was great to be on adventures again, and having her with me for so many of them made it thrilling. You wouldn't believe how many times she saved my skin." Maui fell silent again, his hand stopped moving. "And she was getting older. Time passes kind of strangely for us immortals, but seeing her made me painfully aware of it. Every time I visited, she was more mature, more sure of herself, just a little bit older every time." Silence again.

Pele spoke again, gently this time. "When did you fall in love?"

"I don't know," Maui responded softly. "I think it happened little by little. I'd be at a feast on Motunui and a suitor would approach, and I would feel my blood boil. She'd be leading a group of dancers in a ceremony, and I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes away from her. I'd lay awake at night and think of her, just . . . wanting her." Maui coughed awkwardly, however Moana's heart was pounding. Could he sense her pulse quickening?

The moment was broken by a peal of laughter. "Oh Maui," Pele giggled. "You're more human than you realize."

"And then Chief Tui died. She became chieftess at twenty-three, and it all came to an end." Maui removed his hand from Moana's hair, his voice was farther away when he spoke again. "Seeing her dressed as the chief was a reminder that what I was doing was foolish. She has a duty, she can't run off on adventures anymore. She has to marry and provide an heir and do all the things humans are supposed to do."

"And does the all-powerful Maui have something against marriage?" Pele asked with just the slightest tinge of sarcasm.

"No, but I do have something against watching my spouse grow old and die, then watching my kids grow old and die, and then their kids . . ." Maui's voice cracked slightly. "I thought I could leave. I thought I'd stop feeling this way. I thought I could give her a normal life by leaving. I knew she was falling in love with me too, I saw it in the way she looked at me. I thought I could stop all this before it began, but it was too late. I see that now. The deal was sealed the moment I met her."

Just then, a spasm of pain shot through Moana's limbs. Despite her best efforts, Moana let out a soft cry of pain, prompting Maui to stop his reflections. "Moana!" his voice was beside her again, wrought with worry. "Moana, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

With what felt like a monumental effort, Moana opened her eyes. "Maui?" she croaked. She tried to move her arms to push herself into a sitting position.

"Don't move too much yet, take it easy. Your body is still thawing out somewhat," Pele appeared before her as well. Moana could feel the heat radiating off her flaming skin in this close proximity. Moana was struck by the beauty of her fair features, so very different from the likenesses on the tapestries in Motunui.

Moana lifted quivering hands to her face, the memory of being frozen slowly flowing back to her. "What h-happened to me? I'm so c-cold . . ." she shivered.

"I've got you," Maui lifted her gently from the stone, holding her close in his lap. Moana was taken aback by this closeness; apart from hugs, the two of them had never held each other with such intimacy. Part of her wanted to sock him for leaving her for two years, but given his recent confession, and the irresistible warmth of his skin, she couldn't help but lean into his strong embrace.

"I'll leave you two alone," Pele retreated toward her mountain top. "Maui, let me know if you need me."

As Pele walked away, Maui sighed into Moana's hair. "I'm sorry all this happened, Mo. It's all my fault."

"I'm not sure I know what happened." Moana tried to move again, her limbs still as heavy as lead. She brushed her hair behind her shoulders, suddenly aware of the cool night air. "What the . . .? She glanced down. "Oh my GOD!"

"Yes?" Maui said with innocent sweetness, a smirk gracing his face.

"Shut up!" Moana snapped, covering herself with her arms. "What the heck happened to my clothes?"

"They burned when Pele thawed you from the ice. But hey, I don't hear you thanking me for this fashionable skirt I made you . . ."

"Wouldn't have killed you to make me a blouse, too."

"I was too busy trying to make sure you weren't dead, sorry."

"Gee, thanks." Moana grumbled. She pulled her hair forward again to cover her chest, twisting in Maui's lap so that her back was to him.

"You're welcome!" Maui said cheerfully. Moana then felt a gentle touch on her skin. They were both silent as Maui's hand travelled down her bare back; Moana realized that he was tracing her tattoo.

"It's me?" he whispered at last.

"Yes," Moana replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was too late by the time you left me two years ago." She twisted her hair in her hands. "I heard what you said to Pele."

"All of it?"

"Yeah . . . listen, Maui, I understand. I never did stop and think about how your immortality made all of this difficult for you. I was just so angry, so hurt . . . I thought that I meant nothing for you to leave like that. But now I understand how it must have been painful for you." She turned and faced him now, her large brown eyes looking deep into his own. "But I need you to know that the whole 'normal life' thing . . . it all means nothing if you're not in it. You're all I ever really wanted. If I could, I'd spend the rest of my life by your side, sailing the sea. I don't need anything else."

Maui stared, his expression fixed into dumbfounded amazement. Moana shifted uneasily in his arms, his silence after her confession was rather disconcerting. "Wow, did I manage to make the great Maui speechless? That must be a first-"

Cutting her off, Maui closed what little gap there was between them. One hand on her cheek, the other firmly on her waist, he caught her in a passionate kiss, silencing the gasp that had rose to her lips.