I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm very late with the next update! Good news, I have Chapter 13 and the Epilogue ready to go! Bad news, I have to completely rewrite Chapter 12, so I can't post anything else until I get that done. If my family actually lets me concentrate, I can have the rest of the story to you guys tomorrow! Happy Reading :)

Maui jumped out of the water, abandoning his hook by the pool's edge. Moana stretched out her arm through the bars and Maui hurried to her, almost slipping on the slick floor in his hurry to reach his wayfinder. He ignored Hina's chuckles at his almost-fall and reached through the bars to cup Moana's face in his large hand. He kissed her softly and placed his forehead on hers, breathing deeply in relief at finally finding her.

"Are you ok? What happened to your hands? Did he hurt you?" Maui took Moana's hands and studied them in the cavern light. He rubbed his thumbs gently over the red, angry marks slashed across her palms, many of which looked like they had only recently begun to heal.

"If that eel did anything to you I swear I'll-"

"No, it's nothing, Maui. I was trying to escape, wouldn't you know that coral is actually quite rough on your hands." She smiled softly and breathed a laugh, a single tear slipping down her cheek. Maui brushed it away and lowered his head to kiss his brave warrior.

"Yes, yes, we all know that coral is very strong." Hina patted her spear lovingly and walked towards them. "And we are all happy that Moana is safe, but I think it's time that we should be leaving. Before the owner comes home?"

Maui glared at his sister for ruining the moment, but he understood her urgency.

"Everyone step back."

Once Moana was safely in the back of her prison, Maui took his hook and with a yell swung at the bars holding his woman captive. The coral crumbled under the force of his swing. Moana jumped over the large pieces scattered along the floor and rushed into his arms.

"You're safe now, Curly. I got you."

Maui held her tightly as she cried, her hot tears scalding his chest.

"You can always rush into my arms like that too, you know. I won't mind."

"Sure, next time I've been imprisoned for almost two weeks by a ruthless eel I will make sure to do that."

"I'm available now!"

"Taianui!"

Maui chuckled at the confused look Moana gave to the pair.

"I'll explain later," Maui whispered with a kiss to her temple.

He looked around the cave, trying to spot any openings that might lead to the surface. The water from the geyser was obviously strong enough to reach the hole in the ceiling, but he doubted that it could lift all of them to the top. Climbing the pillars was out of the question, but the coral walls held promise. Fashioned in the same way a natural coral reef would develop, the walls were riddled with holes and crevices. Evidence of the smaller animals that lived inside. Surely one of those holes was a tunnel leading to the outside.

"So, what's your plan for getting us out of here, Big Guy?" Taianui furrowed his brows and stared in the same direction as Maui.

With a final kiss to Moana's forehead, Maui finally released his hold and turned to his friend. Moana gripped his arm tightly, her fingers shaking where they rested on his bicep.

"I'm not sure, but one of those holes is probably a tunnel leading somewhere. And anywhere is better than here."

Maui studied Moana from the corner of his eye. His anger and sense of urgency grew as he studied her face. Her cheeks were sunken and dark circles hung under her eyes. And he could easily see the bones of her shoulders. She clearly was starving and Maui was determined to get her onto the canoe and back home as quickly as possible.

"I think there's a tunnel somewhere to the left."

Maui turned his head fully to look down at Moana. She glanced at him before pointing in the direction she was referring.

"Sometimes I would feel a breeze that was too weak for the hole above, but I could never pinpoint exactly where it was coming from."

Maui watched her sway on her feet. Knowing that she was too weak to protest, Maui bent and picked her up.

"Ok, let's split up and find that tunnel." He nodded to Taianui with a smirk. "I'd like to keep the girls away from the fight as much as possible, since we don't know how Tuna will react with his hostage being taken back."

Maui smiled at the angry feminine voices raising complaint and was relieved to see that Moana had regained the fire in her eyes.

"So, we're still going to fight?"

Maui could barely hear Taianui's question over the loud protests coming from the woman in his arms.

"Of course. Tuna has been threatening my family too many times. He needs to know that it will never happen again." Maui's shoulders grew tense and he started walking around the pool, almost wishing that Tuna would show his ugly head so that he could pound it. But Moana was too weak for a fight; he needed to get her out. Now. Before Tuna returned.

Maui's long strides quickly carried him around the pool and to the cave wall, away from the angry voice scolding Taianui. He shifted Moana to a more comfortable position in his arms, studying the coral and hoping to find some clue as to where they should go.

"So," Moana looked over his shoulder, "who is she?"

Maui grinned, "She's my sister."

"You're what!?"

The waters in the pool erupted, its loud splash echoing throughout the cavern. Maui quickly set Moana on her feet and hunched over her, shielding her as best as he could against the spray.

"Ahh, Maui. I am so glad you have decided to visit me. And I see you've brought friends."

I guess it wasn't just the geyser then.

Maui turned and moved Moana behind his back. Tuna-roa rose above the waters, his mouth curled into a gleaming smile. Making sure Moana was safely out of the eels sight, Maui frantically looked around for his weapon. He saw his hook resting at the edge of the pool where he dropped it in his hurry to reach Moana. Calling himself a fool, he turned his eyes back to the eel and prayed that he had not just made a fatal mistake.