Titel: Without segrets

Autor: Ethereal Prey

Summary: Maeve kommt wieder an Bord nach zwei langen Jahren, doch ist sie noch die selbe?

The ship made it's way to another port with their cargo, another delivery, another payment, another day. The crew unloaded the cargo onto the docs, as their ever so weary captain looked on.

"Something wrong?" Bryn asked

"Nothing, just thinking" Sinbad replied

Dermott flew off from Bryn's arm, and into the marketplace.

"I'm going to go see what's here" Sinbad said as he walked off

Sinbad walked through the market place, and saw Dermott overhead.

"Move over!" a man yelled

Sinbad walked closer to see what the commotion was about.

"Shove off! Make way, slaves coming through!"

Sinbad looked and saw three figures walking through the marking carrying large, heavy cargo. He saw one of them fall over, from the heavy weight. The man in charge kicked her.

"Get up slave!"

The woman let out a slight cry of pain. And slowly she got up and picked up the heavy cargo. Sinbad's eyes widen in shock. Could it be? Could it truly be her?  She lifted up her head, her long red hair falling back, and he saw her face. Her beautiful face. It was her! She looked at him with those velvet eyes, and carried on.

"No! Wait!" Sinbad yelled as he went after them

The man stopped, and looked at him. He approached the woman slowly, as she looked at him wondering who he was.

"Maeve? Is that you?" Sinbad asked as he reached out to touch her

The man hit his hand with his whip, so he couldn't touch her.

"Hands off the property!"

"Property?" Sinbad asked

"She's a slave, property, so hands off!"

"Slave? No! Wait!" Sinbad grabbed his arm, "I'll buy her"

"She's not for sale"

"I'll give you 20 gold pieces"

"Not enough"

"30! 40!"

"Keep moving!" the man shoved Maeve

"Don't touch her!" Sinbad drew his sword out and held it against the man's neck.

"You have no idea who you're messing with" the man said

"I think I do, now let her go!" Sinbad yelled

"I can't do that" the man replied

"Why not?"

"Because only I can" a voice said from behind

Sinbad turned around and quickly blocked the sword that was heading towards him.

"You!" Sinbad yelled

"Who else did you expect?" Plunkett smiled

"Let her go"

"Why would I do that? I found her, and I get to keep her"

"Not if I have anything to say about that!"

Sinbad lunged at Plunkett, and the two started to fight. Maeve juststood there, wondering what was going on. Dermott flew down and perched nearby her.

*Sister! Sister!*

"Who said that?" Maeve turned around

Dermott chirped hoping that Maeve would realize who it was. Maeve looked around and approached the little brown hawk.
"Was that you?" she asked

Plunkett's men showed up a few minutes later, along with the rest of Sinbad's crew. Maeve stood back and watched the two groups as they fought. But soon it seemd that Sinbad and his crew managed to push Plunkett and his crew to the ground.

Sinbad held his saber to Plunkett's neck.  "I'm taking her with me" Sinbad stated

"Take her then, I already have what I want, the one thing you weren't man enough to handle" Plunkett said with an evil smirk
Sinbad wanted to kill him, he held onto the handle tightly, and was about to do it, when Maeve fell onto the ground and passed out.

"Maeve!" Sinbad dropped his sword and ran to her. He held her and saw that her skin had been battered and beatened. He saw the bruises on her neck and on her arms and legs. Damn that bastard for what he did to her. Damn him, he'd make him pay, but later. He picked her up, and carried her back to the Nomad.

"Who's that? Bryn asked

"Maeve" Doubar replied as he followed Sinbad back to the ship.

On the Nomad, Sinbad watched attentively as Firouz tended to Maeve'swounds. He pulled Maeve's brown tunic down to her waist, and with a wet cloth cleaned her wounds.

"Will she be ok?" Sinbad asked

"Yes, the herbs I had will heal her wounds"

"When will she wake?"

"I don't know"

Maeve stirred a bit.

"Maeve, I don't know how you and Dermott and Rumina are connected, but I swear that we'll defeat her, or die trying" Sinbad said to her

"I know Sinbad, I know" Maeve hugged him

She felt safe and warm in his arms, and then she let go, she felt as if she were getting too close. She suddenly got a chill.

"Something wrong?"

"Nothing, just got a chill. Cmon, let's go celebrate with the others. Rumina won't be bother us for a while now"

Maeve opened her eyes, and saw the white pillow she was laying on. She got up and realized her tunic was down to her waist. She saw Sinbad sitting there. She got scared, she pulled her tunic back up to cover herself, as she scrambled to the far corner of the bed she was laying on.

"Don't be afraid" Sinbad said as he tried to approach her

"What, what do you want from me?"

"Nothing, Maeve, it's me, don't you remember?"

"I don't know who you are talking about. My name isn't Maeve"

"It is, your name is Maeve"

"I don't know you. Where am I? Where have you taken me?"

"You're safe, you're home"

"This isn't home! Let me go!"

"You're free to go if you want, but you're hurt, let us tend to your wounds first"

"You tried to buy me in the market"

"Yes, I did"

"Why?"

"I wanted to help you, you should be free Maeve"

"Stop calling me that! That's not my name!"

"Then what is your name?"

"I don't know, or remember, they just call me Red"

"Red?"

"Yeah"

"Who's they?"

"Plunkett and his men, they found me two years ago on some island. I washed up on shore, and they found me"

"And they did this to you?" Sinbad moved her tunic to reveal her whip marks.

"I had no choice" she looked at him with eyes filled with anger.

"I don't blame you, I just want to help"

"Maybe I don't want your help!" she pushed him away

"Maeve..."

"Stop callling me that!"

"It's your NAME! Your name! It's not RED! It's Maeve! Your name is MAEVE!" Sinbad yelled as he started to shake some sense into her. She became scared. Her body stiffened, as if it was preparing itself for him to hit her. Sinbad stopped. He didn't want to scare her.

"I'm sorry" Sinbad let go

Maeve drew back and away from him.

"I'm sorry that I didn't find you, and that you went through all that, but I swear I'll make him pay for what he did to you" Sinbad said as he left the room.

Maeve stood there wondering why he had such this passionate attachment to her, why he cared so much. Why he cared at all.
Ever since Plunkett found her on that island it had been hell. She washed up on shore, with no memory, not even of what her name was.

Plunkett had found her, taken her, and enslaved her. He taken her, broken her, and twisted her into nothing, all because he knew that he would run into Sinbad one day, and he would be waiting to present 'Red' to him. Maeve had endured ever pain, every torture, and still lived on.

He kept chains on her at night so she couldn't escape, and beat her mercilessly if she tried to escape, or when he felt like it. She was at his mercy, and he had none.  Maeve looked around the room, there were some things there, that seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't quiet remember.

She saw books, dusty books, but she didn't know what they were for. She sighed.  Sinbad went up on deck, he was angry. Doubar approached him.

"Something wrong?" Doubar asked

"Did you see what he did to her?" Sinbad said gripping the railing of the ship, "I swear, I'm going to make him pay for it, all of it!"

Then there was a loud thud, and Sinbad and Doubar looked at where it came from. It was Firouz and Rongar, carrying that large brown tub.

"What are you doing?" Doubar asked

"I wanted to bring this down to her cabin, so she could soak in it, to heal her wounds. I know there are others on her body, but their in places that um, well-" Firouz said

"I get the idea" Doubar said

There was a knock on Maeve's door. She looked up and the door opened. Firouz, Rongar, Doubar and Sinbad came in carrying that brown tub. They placed it on the floor, and Bryn came in with two buckets filled with water.

"This is for you" Firouz said

"For me?" Maeve confused replied

"Yes, to soak in, your wounds and all. Just add the herbs in and sit in there for as long as you like" Firouz said

"Oh, ok thank you" Maeve said sincerely, since no one had shown her any kindness in the past 2 years.

"Bryn will help you" Sinbad said as he and the others left the room.

"I will?" Bryn said

The two women stood there, and Maeve turned around.

"I'll help you if you need it" Bryn said

"I think I will make it" Maeve said as she started to take off her brown tunic.

Bryn covered her mouth, when she saw her back. All those bruises, and whip marks, she couldn't believe it. Her pale flesh was covered in marks, some old, some healing, and some fresh ones, that seemed to be from early this morning. Bryn turned around as Maeve walked toward the tub and sat down. The water was a bit cold, but still relaxing. Bryn picked up the towel and placed it near her.

"Are you alright?" Bryn asked

"I feel better now. What's your name?"

"Bryn"

"Well Bryn, what are you doing on this ship anyways?"

"Actually, Sinbad found me, I wash up on some island, and he found me"

"Really?" Maeve sat up a bit

"Yes, he saved me from being some ugly monster's lunch. He took me in, and made me part of his crew"

"You're part of the crew?"

"Yes, what did you think?"

"Nothing" Maeve sank back down

"I don't remember anything about my past, only my name"

"At least you know your name, when Plunkett found me, I didn't even know that"

"Plunkett? Is he the man that did that to you?"

Maeve sank down deeper and looked away, she was ashamed, her marks and bruises were so visible, she couldn't hide them.
"Yes"

"Well, you don't have to worry about him anymore. You're safe here"

"No where is safe"

"Here is safe. You're surrounded by friends that care about you and love you a lot"

"I don't even know who you people are"

"Sinbad and the others know who you are. They want to help you remember"

"He's so bent on that isn't he? What am I to him?"

"You'll have to ask him that yourself"

Up on deck, Sinbad was looking out at the sky. He turned and saw Maeve. Bryn had found some clothes, her clothes actually, and put them on her. Maeve walked closer to Sinbad, who stood there in awe. She was so beautiful.

"You look beautiful" Sinbad managed to say

"Thank you" Maeve blushed

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine now, that soak did wonders for me"

"That's good to hear. Did you remember anything?"

"No, I mean the things in that room look kinda familar."

"It's your room. I left it the way it was"

"There are so many books in there, what was I?"

"A sorcerer's apprentice"

"Where's the sorcerer?"

"He was lost to us, he was sent into a far off realm we have yet to find"

"Really? Have you found him yet?"

"Not yet, but since you're back I'm sure we will"

"The only thing that felt familiar to me was this strange helmet"

"With horns?"

"Yes! Horns, um, hornheads, something about hornheads"

"You were carried off by them remember?"

"Eyolf!"

Sinbad frowned when she called out his name, he wanted her to call out someone else's.

"Eyolf! He wasn't like the others, he was kind, and sensitive. He gave me his helmet to remember him by! I remember that!" Maeve smiled she finally remember something.

She was so happy that she hugged him. Sinbad hugged her back, it had been so long that he had held her in his arms. He missed it, the way her body felt, her smell, the way her arms would rest on his shoulders,and the way his touch would just make him melt. But he was sad as well, she remember Eyolf, not him. She yelled out Eyolf's name and not his. She didn't remember anything about him.

"Do you remember anything else?" Sinbad asked as she withdrew from him

"There was a monster with flames?" Maeve thought hard

"Yes"

"Gilling?"

"Yes, the gilling"

"I was chained, trapped there, he came and broke the chains. He freed me, and then he started fighting with the monster. He came from behind it and held onto it, while the others were fighting it. He saved me" Sinbad couldn't even say anything. His heart was breaking, she didn't remember anything but Eyolf.

"Eyolf saved me" Maeve sighed.

Sinbad stood there, watching her face flush like a schoolgirl. She still had feelings for Eyolf. Sinbad felt like dying right then and
there. He held his head in his hands. His bracelet started to glow. He looked at it.

"What's that?" Maeve asked as she looked at the glowing bracelet

"It's something that I have. It was on me when I was lost at sea. It does this weird thing at times. I don't know why"

Maeve reached out to touch it, and it sent a surge of energy into her body. She fell back, and Sinbad caught her in his strong arms.  "Maeve? Are you alright?"

"It was you"

"What was me?"

"You were there, with the gilling, it was you, you threw your sword and killed it."

At last she remembered! Sinbad smiled, he was glad that she was starting to remember him, even if it was just a little. He helped her up.

"I don't remember anything else"

"It's ok, it will come back to you"

"But I sense that you are a good person Sinbad"

Sinbad placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled. He was getting somewhere, even if it was just a baby step, it was somewhere.  But then he heard a loud crash of swords, and turned around. He reached for his sword and pulled it out.

"Miss me?"

"Get off my ship!" Sinbad yelled

"Hmmm, it's such a nice ship, I think I'll stay a bit longer"

"Plunkett!" Sinbad lunged at him

The two started fighting, as Maeve stood back and watched. Plunkett's men had already taken the rest of his crew, they were clearly outnumbered. It was just Sinbad and Plunkett now.

"Surrender now Sinbad"

"Never! It's my ship!"

"I'm just here for a visit, I've seemed to have left something here" he looked at Maeve

"You can't have her!" Sinbad yelled, but then in his anger, Plunkett saw his weakness and knocked him to the ground.

His men came and held him down. Plunkett slowly walked up to Maeve. "My, you certainly cleaned up a bit" Plunkett said as he grabbed her

"Don't touch her!" Sinbad yelled

Plunkett laughed evily. He grabbed Maeve and threw her against the railing. He held her there, and pulled out his dagger. He held it against her face as he pulled her hair back.

"I'll KILL YOU Plunkett!" Sinbad yelled and struggled, and then was kicked by Plunkett's men

"I'll show you what I did to her last night!" Plunkett said

"DON'T YOU TOUCH HER PLUNKETT!" Sinbad yelled out

Plunkett traced her chin with his dagger, and smiled. He turned her around and made her face Sinbad, who was being held by his men. The dagger lowered itself and glided down her neck, and to the hollow between her breasts. Sinbad eyes burned with anger. Maeve was helpless, she didn't even fight back. He pulled her shirt, revealing her already bruised flesh.

"Fight him! Fight him!" Sinbad yelled

But Maeve merely looked at him, unable to do anything. Suddnely there was a loud blast, and the mast came crashing down along with the sails. Sinbad broke free, and Firouz, who had not been captured came out, swords blazing. The crew freed themselves.

"Get off our ship!" Doubar yelled as he threw Plunkett's men overboard.

"You heard the man! Get off!" Bryn said as she threw one man over

The crew managed to throw Plunkett's men overboard, leaving only Plunkett. Sinbad and him had started another sword fight. Their blades crashed together.

"You seem stressed captain" Plunkett said

"I'm gonna kill you!" Sinbad yelled

His bracelet glowed brightly, blinding Plunkett. Sinbad kicked him hard to the floor and held his saber to his neck.

"Go ahead, kill me" Plunkett said

"I will" Sinbad replied

"Though I have something to give to you" Plunkett pulled out a necklace of some sort. It was a ring on a black cord.

Maeve's eyes widen as she gasped.  "NO!" Maeve leaped forward and grabbed it from him, she looked him dead
in the eye, "Where is she?" Maeve demanded.

Plunkett merely laughed.  "You'll never find her, I sold her remember?" Plunkett replied

"You b**tard!" Maeve extended her hands to strangle him, when her eyes flashed red, and red beams shot out from her fingers. They burned Plunkett. She didn't know what she was doing, or cared. Plunkett just laughed. Maeve stopped, she was tired, and she hadn't used magic in a while, it was draining on her. She grabbed Sinbad's saber and rammed it into Plunkett herself. Everyone was shocked to see her do this.

"She has your firy hair, and eyes blue like the seas I sail upon"

Plunkett sputtered out with blood, "But you'll never find her"

"Damn you!" Maeve forced the sword in more, twisting it around. Sinbad had to pull her away, screaming.

"What's he talking about?" Sinbad asked her trying to calm her down

"Our child" Plunkett said

"What?" Sinbad said

But Plunkett had died, but not before seeing the look on Sinbad's face when he said it was 'our' child' That was enough. What a way to die. Sinbad would know that they shared a child, and there was nothing he could do about it. Maeve had taken the pleasure of killing him, and Sinbad would have to live with the burning truth. Maeve screamed, and demanded to be released.

"Calm down Maeve" Sinbad said

"He sold her! He sold my baby!" Maeve screamed out

Sinbad motioned for the crew to through Plunkett's body overboard. Sinbad held Maeve in his arms, she was still crying, and weak. Sinbad picked her up and carried her to her cabin.

"That b**tard! He sold her! He sold my baby!" Maeve cried as she clung onto him.

"Your baby?" Sinbad asked in disbelief

"She was only a baby the last time I saw her. He kept her away from me, because I wouldn't do what he wanted. He took her from me! And there was nothing I could do!"

"He's the father?" Sinbad was almost unable to say

"I don't know who the father is or care! She's my child! And I have to find her!"

"We'll find her" Sinbad said

"Where could she be now? I haven't seen her in such a long time. Will she even remember me?"

"She will," Sinbad said as he held her close to soothe her soul

"She was only half a year old when he took her from me. I haven't seen her in a year and a half"

"We'll find her Maeve, I swear it"

Though Sinbad inside felt like his world had crumpled. He had found Maeve, but she had a child, with him of all people in the world! How could this happen? Why? Why did this happen? Why? Sinbad knew there was no easy way for him around this. It was eating him up inside. He loved Maeve so much, and it killed him to learn that she had a child with Plunkett.

"What's the ring for?" Sinbad asked

"When Plunkett and his men found me, I was wearing strange clothes, and a ring. Those were the only things I had. When I gave birth to her, I placed that ring on her, it was the only thing I could give her. I thought I could find her if she still wore it"

"We'll find her, we will. I promise"

"I know Sinbad, I know" Maeve rested her head on his chest, and slowly fell asleep.

Sinbad held her in his arms, craddling her, knowing that somewhere out there was a little girl, waiting to be found, waiting to be reunited with her mother.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maeve awoke in the arms of a man, she pulled away, she remembered many nights like this, she would fall asleep, and wake up, not in her own bed, but in someone else's, with the smell of ale and sweat on her. She looked and saw that it was only Sinbad.

She noticed that she clutched tightly onto his shirt all night, it was crumpled rather well, where her hand rested. She pulled away and got off the bed. She went up on deck and leaned on the railing. She didn't know what to do, or what to feel.

She had that same dream again, the one where she's drowing almost, it's so dark, and cold, the rain, and waters, she couldn't stay afloat. She tried so hard, but the waves, were so strong. She screamed out for someone, someone, but no one came.  She heard someone yelled out Maeve, and she looked around, and saw no one, nothing, but the crashing waters.

She sighed. She looked down at the railing. She wanted to find her child more than anything. Doubar came around and saw the redhead would be sorceress. Sinbad came up on deck and watched her.

"Something bothering you little brother?" Doubar asked

"She has a child out there Doubar, a child who's never known her mother"

"A father that she will never meet" Doubar finished

"I can't believe that b**tard..."

Doubar placed his hand on Sinbad's shoulder to comfort him, but it would do him little good.  "I can't get it out of my mind, that Plunkett touched her!"

"Maeve has a child out there that needs her mother, that's all that should matter"

"I can't help it" Sinbad said

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

For the next few days, Maeve locked herself in her room, refusing to come out. Bryn came in to bring her, her meals, but she wouldn't talk. Maeve was devastated, her child was alive and well, but she didn't know where she was. There was little Sinbad could do to help her. The Nomad came to an island for repairs that had to be made to the ship, the mast mostly.

Sinbad knocked on her door.

"Come in" Maeve said

"We've stopped for repairs. We've landed on a wonderful island, you should come and see it" Sinbad said

"No thanks, I'll just stay here"

"You should come out, just for a little bit"

Maeve looked up into those sea blue eyes and felt lost in them. They were pleading with her, begging her. She felt herself falter, her will weakening, and she managed a fake smile.

"Alright, just a little while" Maeve said

Sinbad offered his arm to her, she took it and he lead her out on deck. Her eyes squinted, she hadn't seen the sun for a while now. The longboats were lowered and they sailed to the island. Dermott rested on Bryn's arm, and looked at Maeve, who seemd so sad. They reached the island, and the crew scattered. Dermott flew off, and Bryn scouted the area with Rongar.

Maeve stared out at the ocean. Sinbad walked up to her.  "This place reminds of where I washed up on" Maeve said

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was like this place almost. I was alone for a few days, and then they found me"

Sinbad placed his hands on her shoulders, as if he were helping her stand. He turned her to face him.  "It's not your fault, it's mine"

"Yours?" Maeve looked at him confused

"When you fell overboard, I jumped in to find you, but I couldn't, and the water was so cold, that I gave up, it's my fault!"

"What?"

"I'm sorry, this is all my fault!" Sinbad said, "But I swear I'll make it up to you"

"You already are, by helping me find my daughter"

Sinbad smiled a bit, he felt her drawing closer to him. She felt safe in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"I don't blame you for anything" Maeve said

Sinbad felt the pain is his heart, the burden that he carried, almost lift up and leave him. She didn't blame him, she didn't hate him, and he could almost forgive himself.  Maeve lifted her head up, and it brushed lightly against his face. She looked at him, and was immediately lost in his eyes again, they were so alluring and deep.

Sinbad moved a stray streak of hair away from her face, his hand was so gentle and warm. Maeve moved her head to brush into his hand. Her eyes clothes, she felt safe for the first time. Sinbad pulled her closer and leaned his head towards hers. He had waited almost an eternity for this.

His lips gently brushed against hers only for a second, it was enough to set off the sparks inside them. She pulled away, she was scared. He was the first man she'd known that showed her any kindness and didn't want anything in return for it. Most of all, she felt something for him, she felt this budding love for him inside her. It scarred her.  He pulled away as well. He didn't expect such a reaction.

"I have reading to do" Maeve said as she walked away.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Maeve spent the rest of the day reading her magic books, hoping to find something that would help her. Nothing did. The crew had been out fishing for their dinner. They brought back some fish and some clams as well. Firouz started up a fire, and starting cooking. Sinbad watched over Maeve as she kept reading. Bryn walked up to him with Dermott on her arm.

"Still worried?" Bryn asked

"Yes"

"Come on, Doubar made a great catch today" Bryn said

"I'll be there soon"

Dermott chirped and flew off and perched near Maeve.

*Sister, sister*

Maeve looked up at the bird.

*Sister, it's me*

"Why do you keep saying that?"

*Please try to remember*

Maeve reached out and petted his brown feathers.

*Remeber, we share the same blood.*

"I don't understand"

*Speak with your powers, speak in your mind*

*Huh? can you hear me?*

*Yes*

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sinbad sat near the roaring fire. He looked at it. He felt a warm hand press onto his shoulder and looked up. It was Maeve with Dermott on her arm. She smiled and sat down next to him. Dermott chirped.

"You seem to be in a better mood" Sinbad said

"I am" Maeve smiled
Dermott flapped his wings, as Maeve opened a clam for him. Dermott bent down and picked up the clam with his beak.

"It's good that you are" Sinbad said

"I remember a few more things"

"Like?"

"Like a certain black rose of oman that you seemed to be a bit taken with" Maeve smiled

"Oh Dermott! Why'd you tell her that for?" Sinbad glared at the bird

"Oh he didn't tell me, he just filled me in on what you've been doing this past year since I've been gone"

"I've been busy"

"So I've heard"

"It was all in the line of duty"

"Right"

"It was!"

"Sure" Maeve smiled, and got up and walked off with Dermott

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Nomad returned to the seas again, they had made their repairs but they were running low on supplies.

"Sinbad, we have to reach port soon, we're running low on supplies"

Doubar said from the tiller

"Alright, we stop at the next port then" Sinbad said

Bryn came up on deck.

"I think there's something wrong with Maeve" Bryn said

"What?" Sinbad asked

"She was saying something in her room" Bryn said

"A spell?" Sinbad said as he looked at Doubar

"NO!" they both said as he ran down below.

Sinbad ran down the hallway and to Maeve's room. He opened the door quietly, not to disturb her. He saw that she wasn't performing a spell, that she was having a dream, she was talking out loud.

Maeve tossed and turned in her bed.  "NO! No! The Vorgon, we have to get him. Dermott! No! He's not the only ones with powers!" Maeve yelled out in her sleep

Sinbad walked closer to her, he sat down and tried to wake her.

"Maeve, wake up" Sinbad said

"No! What have I done?!"

"Maeve!"

Maeve wouldn't wake up, rather her body wouldn't let her. Her mind had more images to show her, more things that she had to know. She was somewhere, with the other villagers, and then the wall around them disappeared. She set Dermott off, and was so relieved that Sinbad was alright. He did it! He defeated the Vorgon. She ran to him, and held him in her arms. Maeve had gotten quiet, and Sinbad got worried.

"Maeve?"

Maeve reached out and grabbed him, she pulled him closer to her, and kissed him. Sinbad was suprised, he didn't expect her to do this. She kept kissing him, he responded, he slid his arm around her and kissed her back. Her lips were like the way he remembered it. It was so long ago. Maeve tilted her head and Sinbad moved his as he gently lowered her back down onto the bed.

Maeve opened her eyes, and saw blue ones before her.  "OH!" Maeve said as she pulled away

Sinbad lifted himself up and off her.

"Sorry, you were yelling in your sleep, thought something was wrong"  Sinbad said

"Um, I'm ok, sorry if I was yelling too loud"

"I was just concerned"

"I think I remember something else, something about a Vorgon?"

"Yes, we went to find DimDim, but it was the Vorgon that lured us there" Sinbad said as he held her hand

"I remember how good it felt, when we thought we found DimDim"

"It was a good feeling, and I promised you that we would get that feeling again"

"I know you will Sinbad" Maeve squeezed his hand

"I'll make everything as it should be, I swear it" Sinbad said

"I know"

Maeve leaned closer and kissed him on his cheek and gave him a hug. She rested her head on his shoulder.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Sinbad was at the tiller, they would reach port soon. The crew seemd to be happy that they were going to reach land again. Maeve remained down below in her room still. She had dozed off again, her head resting inher books. She was dreaming again.
She was there with the rest of the crew, Sinbad was wearing different clothes, they all seemed happy.

They were singing and drinking ale in the galley. They were singing something, their words were slurred somewhat. But they were all happy, she felt that. She felt the warmth and joy they all felt. They raised their mugs up into the air.

"To the Nomad!" Sinbad said

"To science!" Firouz said

"To adventure!" Doubar said

"To white magic!" Maeve said

Rongar merely laughed and raised his mug, and Dermott chirped.  Their mugs clanked together and they all drank, and slammed their mugs down onto the table.

"Another round?" Sinbad said slightly drunk

"We've finished the barrel!" Firouz said

"Break open another one!" Doubar yelled

The crew laughed and drank, and laughed. Maeve smiled, this was a warm and loving memory.  The Nomad docked at the port, and the crew started into town to get supplies. Maeve came on deck, pulled her cloak onto her shoulders. She fastened it into place with a pin. Dermott swooped down and landed on her arm.

"We're here, just for a while ok?" Sinbad said

"Ok" Maeve looked around, she sensed something

"Something wrong?"

"I just remembered something, we were all there, in the gally? We were drinking a lot of ale"

"That happens a lot"

"We were singing, and happy about something"

Sinbad tried to remember, things weren't clear to him. And then he remembered.

"It was after we defeated Rumina at the Isle of Tears, Dermott dropped the Gryphon's egg into her lair, and destroyed it. We were celebrating, we had too much ale" Sinbad said

"We were happy, weren't we?"

"We were"

Dermott flew off. Maeve and Sinbad walked into the market place. They were strolling along, and getting along rather well. They linked arms as they walked through the marketplace. An old woman approached the two.

"A jewel for your wife?" the old lady asked

"Ah no thanks" Sinbad said

"Your wife is most beautiful"

"I'm not his wife" Maeve said

"You should be, you two make a lovely couple"

Dermott swooped down and squawked at them, telling them to follow.

"What is it?"  Maeve asked

Dermott squawked and Maeve and Sinbad followed him there. They followed them to a large building, where the rest of his crew were fighting the men inside.

"What's going on?" Sinbad asked as he joined in

"These men are cartin around children as slaves!" Doubar yelled

"Children?" Sinbad yelled out in disgust

The crew fought hard, and the men dispursed. They entered the large building. Inside was covered with dirt, and rats and soot. The crew looked around in horror at what they saw. Young, innocent children, covered in soot, nothing visible but their eyes, which seemed to fade.

"You're all free now, go back to your homes" Sinbad said

Some of the children ran off quickly out the door, while most of them remained.

"What's wrong?" Maeve asked

"We don't have homes to go to" a boy responded

"We were sold or taken when we were very young and we don't remember where we came from" another boy answered

"What kind of monsters could do such a thing?" Maeve said

"The same one that sold your daughter to me" a voice said

Maeve turned around and saw a huge man, the overseer of the slaves.

"I see why Plunkett was so taken by you. He sold me your child, he sold her to me"

"Where is she?!" Maeve pulled her sword out at him

"If you can find her you can keep her, though I don't know where she is. She could have died, or been sold again"

"You monster!" Maeve yelled as she swung her sword, but Sinbad's blade blocked it.

"There are children here Maeve" Sinbad stressed

Maeve lowered her sword, she didn't want to but she knew she should, being that there were young children there, children that had witnessed so many horrors in their young life and didn't deserve anymore. Maeve felt this intense heat form in her hand. She saw a fireball form, she flung it at the overseer, it slumped back and down onto the floor.  The children watched her. Maeve turned around and saw a sea of eyes, innocent eyes, but none were familiar to her.

"I'm looking for my daughter" Maeve said

The boys looked at each other and walked off. Only the girls were left.

"One of you is her daughter" Sinbad said

The girls all looked at her, hoping that it was her that would be carried off. Maeve looked at their soot covered faces, and their bright eyes. She could feel the tears forming. She didn't know which one was hers. She didn't know who her child was.

"Oh by the gods!" Maeve started to cry, Sinbad went to comfort her, "I don't know how she looks like, I don't even know my own daughter!"

"We'll find her" Sinbad said

"What kind of mother am I? I don't even know who my daughter is. She doesn't even remember me"

"Why don't we get you cleaned up?" Bryn knelt down to the children.

Doubar and Bryn and Firouz and Rongar lead the children outside, to the fountain, where they could wash the soot off.  Maeve cried uncontrollably in his arms. Sinbad stroked her red hair and tried to comfort her best as he could.

"We'll find her"

"Will she even want me? I left her when she was so young!"

"It wasn't your fault! Plunkett sold her, he took her away from you, the same way he took you away from me, but he'll never do that ever again. I swear it, I'll protect you both"

Outside, the children were laughing and playing in the water. The crew smiled as they watched the happy children, and then their smiles disappeared when they saw the bruises, the and whip marks on their tiny bodies.

"They're only children, what kind of mosnter would do that to them?" Doubar said

"A dead one" Bryn answered

A small girl saw the flash of Bryn's bracelet and went up to her and grabbed it. Bryn looked down at her.

"It's pretty" the littl girl said

"You like it?" Bryn asked

"Uh huh" The little girl with red hair smiled

"She's a pretty one" Doubar said

The litle girl looked at Doubar, who started to float up into the air.

"What in the name of Allah!" Doubar yelled

"What's happening?" Firouz yelled

Bryn looked at the little girl in amazement.  Inside Sinbad held Maeve close to him, caressing her arms. Suddenly he heard a loud crash and Doubar yelling. He looked up.

"I'm going to see what happened, I'll be right back ok?" Sinbad said

Maeve merely nodded.

Sinbad walked outside, to the fountain, and found Doubar suspended in the air.  "What's going on here?" Sinbad asked

The crew all looked at him, and the little girl as well, and Doubar came crashing down into the fountain. Rongar and Firouz tried to help him out of the water.

"Bryn?" Sinbad said

"Don't look at me" Bryn said

Sinbad looked down at the little girl, who smiled. Sinbad's bracelet glowed slightly, and the little girl touched it. She seemd curious with it. She grabbed onto. Sinbad bent down and looked into the little girl's blue eyes, much like his own. There was something familiar about them.

"Daddy!" the little girl hugged him

Sinbad looked up at his crew wondering what was happening here. He picked up the little girl and stood up.

"I'm not your father" Sinbad said

"Daddy" she hugged him again

Sinbad seemed confused. The little girl raised her head and touched his bracelet, it glowed slightly. Sinbad looked at her, she possesed magic, this much he knew. The little girl pulled the sash she used as a belt on her dress and pulled it over Sinbad's head and it rested on his neck. Sinbad turned around and carried her back to where Maeve was. Maeve looked up at the coming footsteps.

The little girl pulled the sash up and onto his forehead. Maeve looked up, she started to remember more. Maeve stood up, and the little girl touched Sinbad's bracelet and Maeve's hand.

~Flashes, and then a memory started to form.~

The crew were in the gally, celebrating their victory over Rumina. They laughed and drank and sang. The last barrel had been emptied, and the crew scattered all over the ship. Maeve and Sinbad were stumbling on their way to their cabins.

"I love it when you do magic" Sinbad drunkily said

"Oh yeah? Watch this then" Maeve opened the door to his cabin with a flick of her finger.

"Bet I can move you in there"

"You don't know magic!"

"Who said anything about magic?" Sinbad grabbed Maeve, picked her up and carried her into the room, where he dropped her onto the bed. They laughed.

"Watch this" Maeve flicked her finger and the door closed shut. Sinbad lay next to her, laughing still. Maeve rolled over onto her stomach and started giggling.

"Can you turn me into a toad?" Sinbad asked

"I can turn you into a newt"

"Can not!"

"Can too!"

Maeve pointed her finger and Sinbad's headband flew off. Sinbad grabbed for it, but slapped his forehead. Maeve laughed. They were too drunk and too happy.  Maeve waved her finger around and his vest and shirt started to come off as well.

"Hey! This isn't a free show!" Sinbad yelled

Maeve laughed again. Sinbad grinned, he didn't like being the only one naked and cold. He rolled ontop of Maeve and managed to get her vest off. She used her magic and his breeches came off. Sinbad pulled her skirt off leaving her in her white dress.

"No fair! I'm not wearing that!" Sinbad tugged at her blouse

"Too bad!" Maeve laughed

Sinbad started tickling her, and he started tickling her. Sinbad finally stopped her from squirming so much when his legs straddled her waist.

And then it happened. His head fell down, and his lips pressed onto hers. She pulled her arms around his neck and kissed him back, maybe it was the ale, but she wanted him either way. Sinbad deepened the kiss and felt her little fingers pressing on his bare back.

The two opened their eyes and looked at the child. Maeve looked at Sinbad, it was the way she remembered him, the headband. The child pulled their hands together so they were holding them.

"Daddy! Mommy!" the child said happily

Maeve hugged her daughter and Sinbad. Sinbad in return hugged Maeve back.

"My baby! I've found you!" Maeve said as she lifted her head up to look at her.

Plunkett was right, she had her hair, and eyes blue like the oceans, except they were the oceans that Sinbad sailed on. Her child had grown so much since she last saw her.

"You're all grown up now" Maeve said

"Mommy!" Maeve held her daughter close

"Told you we'd find her" Sinbad said

Maeve smiled, and she pulled him closer for a kiss.

"Hey!" the child yelled, she didn't like being ignored. The two broke their kiss and looked at their child, their daughter. Sinbad felt a wave of emotions wash over him. It was his child, not Plunkett's, it was his daughter, his and Maeve's. The ulimate proof of their love, the bond that could never be broken, a child they shared and loved.