Maui burst through the surface of the water with so much force that he flew ten feet into the air. Moana was thrown an additional fifteen and landed with a wet slap a few feet from where they had emerged. Maui swam to her, barely keeping control of the panic threatening to choke him. Her lips were a deep blue, her skin ghastly pale, she wasn't breathing and he could feel no heartbeat. He jumped from the water, transformed into a huge hawk, dove down and snatched Moana from the water. His hawk eyes spied the boat floating not far from them and he pelted towards it.

He dropped Moana roughly on the deck, trying to shock her system into fighting for life. Shifting back to his human form, he turned her on her side, curled her legs into her abdomen and gave a firm squeeze. Water poured from her mouth and nose but she still did not take breath. Rolling her to her back, Maui took a deep breath and forced the air into her lungs. Scared to death that he was going to crush her, he started compressing her chest just above her heart. "C'mon princess." He grated through clenched teeth. The moments drug on, Maui alternated between chest compressions and filling her lungs with air.

With a cough and a sputter, Moana sucked in a heavy gasping breath. "Oh, thank the gods!" Maui nearly cried as he gathered her in his arms, relief flooding his system making him feel drained and weak. Helping her sit up, wanting so much just to hold her but knowing she had to get more oxygen into her system, Maui placed his hand between her shoulders and held her steady. Moana, eyes scrunched tightly shut, took deep shuddering breaths as coughs wracked her body. When her coughing had subsided, she leaned back. "Had me scared there for awhile." Maui said, with a small laugh. Moana slowly opened her eyes and stared into Maui's concerned face.

Slowly she focused on Maui; then her eyes opened wide, flitting around taking the big man in, his tattoos, his hulking form, his wild hair, his nearly naked body. Panic flooded her face. With a startled scream she shoved back away from him, scuttling backwards on her hands and heels. "Moana..." Maui felt his heart sink as he reached for her. She cowered away from him. Her eyes darted to his right, fearful and confused. Maui looked in that direction and saw Tala, her form blurred almost to the point of being unrecognized, her glow barely enough to give substance. "Moana." Tala said, her voice sounding like it came from across the world, so faint as to barely be a whisper.

Moana let loose a terrified high pitched shriek. She stood, turned and ran right off the boat into the water. She splashed crazily, coughing and sputtering. She can't even remember how swim! Maui thought, standing to help her. A giant crest lifted her from the water, moving to placer her back on the boat. Moana screamed with all her might, thrashing so wildly she knocked herself from the oceans grasp. Falling clumsily back on the boat, she skittered to the center mast, curling into a tight ball. Huge heartbreaking sobs of an innocent child echoed in the silence.

Maui's heart was breaking. He stood at the end of the boat, watching Moana, uncertain of what to do. He looked at Tala. Her head drooped, shoulders slumped and slowly dissipated into the air. He looked to the ocean, still a massive crest poking up out of the water, facing Moana in confusion.

"Are you better? Are you safe?" Maui asked the crest. It turned to him, glided closer, nodding enthusiastically, twisting in a quick dance of joy. Then it seemed to grow solemn again as it turned towards Moana. Turning back to Maui, the crest dropped one side signaling a question. "She's forgot. Memory potion, she doesn't remember anything." Maui sat down, leg in the water, and told the ocean everything of their journey, their plans, their hopes. When he was done, he felt like an empty shell. The crest flowed forward, pressed against his forehead, then slipped back to the depths, leaving him alone with Moana.

Maui sat in silence. Moanas sobs had quieted and she now was laying on her side still curled in a tight ball, eyes glassy and unseeing. With a sigh, Maui got up and mechanically got work. Soon they were on the way, sailing back to Motunui.

They reached Motunui early one morning. Although Moana had stopped shrinking from him in fear, her eyes followed him in confusion as he went about the tasks of sailing. She never spoke, and rarely uncurled from her fetal position. When he pulled up onto the shore, she made no move to get off the boat, staring around with wide eyes. A few villagers had spotted them, hailed them joyfully and were jogging towards them. Maui walked with slumped shoulders to meet them.

"I need to see Sina and Tui. Alone. They need to come here." With curious glances the villagers ran off to do his bidding. Maui turned to go back to the boat, lost his drive when he saw Moana sitting where he left her, dropped his hook and sat down disparagingly where he was.

Maui heard the joyful cry of Sina as they approached. He stood and turned, holding up his hand as Sina ran close, coming to embrace her daughter. "Something's happened. You need to understand before," he swallowed noisily "before you greet her."

"What has happened?" Tui asked, joining them. Maui brought them to the boat, but had them sit on the sand. Moana eyed them both warily, hiding behind the mast as she peered at them. Maui related a shortened version of what had happened, emphasizing Moana as a hero and the help that Tala had given; skipping the intimate parts but telling of Moana's decision to attain demigod status. There were tears, pride, awe and anger through the telling. They sat in silence when the story was over. Maui stared dejectedly at the ground. Sina placed a soft hand on his arm. "We'll take care of her. Thank you for returning her to us." She walked to the boat and started coaxing Moana to the beach. Tui hovered near Maui, obviously in emotional turmoil. Maui stooped, picked up his hook, and made to turn into a hawk to fly away. Nothing happened. He tried again, the hook remained devoid of glow. He looked, perplexed at the hook. Then lowered the tip to the sand. Tui looked at Maui a moment, cleared his throat and looked away. "You would honor us by staying awhile. If you wished to stay." Tui said gently. Maui closed his eyes and nodded.

A week had gone by. Maui mechanically went through the motions of everyday life, still unable to shift. Finding it near impossible to stay away from Moana, but his heart broke every time she looked at him with her unseeing glassy eyes. He now sat on the beach watching the sunset. Moana was sitting a few yards from him looking at a shell she had found. Suddenly the surf pulled back from the beach as if pushed by a strong wind, revealing a bright shell. Maui caught his breath as Moana giggled and ran to the shell. As she picked it up, the water pulled farther back revealing another bright shell. Moana followed the trail. The ocean crest popped up and looked at Maui, tossing its crest in a "come along" fashion.

Maui got up and jogged to catch up. Moana was a ways away, hands full of shells. As Maui came up to her, the ocean pulled back to reveal a very large conch filled with a rosy liquid. Making a noise of delight, Moana dropped her shells and picked up the conch with both hands. She sloshed the liquid a bit, watching the colorful patterns it made against the conch, then she drank. Her hands slowly lowered as she finished, a look of concentration furrowed her brow as she turned to look at Maui. She blinked, looked at Maui, focused on him and recognition flitting across her face. "M... Maui?" She asked tentatively.

Maui thought his heart was going to explode with joy. Sobbing he wrapped her up in his arms and kissed her. Moana threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back. The ocean whirled around them, lifting them both in a great watery dance.

The feast and festivities that night were extraordinary. Everyone chipped in. The music, food and laughter pounded through the night. There were many hugs and tears. After the fifth course the people began clamor in for a story, and Maui told them a polished up rendition of his fight with Pe'ape'a. Afterwards the children ran around crazily, some pretending to be the bat, others the great hawk.

"Hey!" Moana exclaimed as two raucous children ran into a torch holder, knocking the torch down. Moana lunged for it, trying to catch it before it fell on the child. She caught it, but by the flaming end. With a hiss, she threw it harmlessly into the fire pit. Maui was instantly by her side, turning her hand over to see how extensive the damages were. Moana and Maui watched in bewilderment as her burns healed before their eyes, leaving behind an unblemished hand. They looked at each other. "Things just got a whole lot more interesting." Maui said, a wide grin spreading across his face.