Maeve heard a quiet knock on the door and assumed it was Sean. "Come in," she called, just barely loud enough for him to hear.
Sean entered to find a still distraught Maeve sitting thoughtfully on the bed. He sat next to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulders. Not knowing what to say, they both simply sat in silence for several minutes.
"I can't believe it's actually over," Maeve finally said.
"You can't believe what's over?" Sean asked, having enough insight to realize this conversation would reveal more about this red-haired beauty than perhaps he wanted to know.
"My quest."
*Great, she's being elusive, too,* Sean thought. "What quest, my love?"
"It's a long story, and pretty unbelievable."
Sean turned Maeve to face him, looked her straight in her chocolate eyes, and said, "We have all the time in the world, and you know that I'll believe anything you tell me."
And so began the conversation that Maeve had never really had with anyone before, save Dim Dim. Sean knew enough to sit in silence while Maeve told her entire story, fearful that if he interrupted her she would not want to finish the tale. She told of how her brother had spurned Rumina's love (or should we say, lust) after she had informed him of her true intentions. Rumina had been angered by Maeve's warnings to her sibling and had attempted to harm Maeve. Her faithful brother, however, had jumped in the way, risking his own life, and had been turned into a magnificent hawk for his efforts. Since then, it had been Maeve's quest, and reason for living, to someday kill Rumina and reverse the curse that had been placed on her brother.
"That's quite a tale," Sean said when Maeve had finished.
"It's been my life for the past several years. And it's finally over. I still can't believe it. Somewhere out there on the Nomad, my brother stands in his rightful form. And I'm not even there to see him, to embrace him, to tell him how thrilled I am…"
"Maeve, I swear on my life that I will reunite you with your brother, no matter what it takes."
"Thank you, Sean. I know you will."
A single tear worked it's way down Maeve's cheek as she remembered the last time a promise as precious as this one had been made to her, Sinbad's promise. Why did this man always have to trigger memories of that handsome Captain in her mind? Why, when she felt closest to Sean, did that man always have to intrude upon her thoughts? Maeve's lack of answers to these, among many other, questions only served to help open up the flood gates. She cried even more as Sean gathered her into his arms and gently rocked her back and forth, wanting desperately to be able to fix whatever managed to upset her so.
Sean pulled Maeve just far enough away so that he could look her in the face. She lowered her head and averted her eyes, but he reached and pulled her chin up so that she was forced to look at him, too. He had no words of wisdom for her, nothing to dull whatever this pain was that haunted her so. So instead of speaking, he slowly closed the gap between their mouths. Her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned toward him and raised her arms to go up around his neck. He kissed her only briefly, not wanting to push her into anything she did not want, but even before he had a chance to back away she was responding passionately.
They stayed that way for a long time, both wanting more and yet afraid to make a move in that direction. Finally Sean began to lay her, willingly, back on the bed. He loved this woman and wanted to show her that. He needed to show her that, and yet there was this nagging thought in the back of his head. What if her heart already belonged to this Sinbad she spoke of? He loved her with all of his heart and soul and knew that she returned at least part of these feelings. But he, for one, believed in soul mates, and he knew that Maeve loved another before even meeting him that fateful day. If he had been a different kind of man right now, he would have kept this going. But as it was, he could not bear to take advantage of one whom he cared so much about.
Sean slowly broke their kiss without breaking their embrace. He looked at Maeve with all the love in his heart and said, "Maeve, my love, we can't do this." Before she had a chance to respond, he continued. "I love you so much that it hurts, but I know that you hold feelings for someone else. I can't betray your trust in me."
"Oh, Sean…" He silenced her with one last, passionate kiss.
"Love, it's late and you need your rest. Go to sleep. I'll be nearby," Sean said as he began to leave.
"Wait!" Maeve called. Frightening memories of what had almost happened the last time she was alone in this room came flooding back unbidden.
Sean saw that unmistakable, and yet uncharacteristic, look of fear cross Maeve's face. He knew what that meant. Sleeping in this room, in this bed, tonight would mean nothing for Maeve other than a restless night, plagued by nightmares of past horrors. He looked into her beautiful face and knew what he had to do, and that if he did so he would have to work even harder to keep his raging emotions in check. "Maeve, would you like to stay in my room tonight?"
"Could I?"
"Of course, love. You know that I would never deny you anything."
"Could you stay with me?" Maeve had to keep from flinching when she realized how weak and childish that sounded.
Sean had been hoping she wouldn't ask that and maybe he could have retreated to the Captain's cabin… Those hopes were gone now, and he'd just said that he wouldn't deny her anything, so… "Aye, Maeve, I will."
A look of pure relief and thankfulness showed her gratitude. Sean led Maeve to his own cabin and helped her into bed. He was perfectly ready to sleep on the floor, but she insisted that the bed was big enough for the both of them. Cautiously, he accepted her offer and settled into the cozy bed with the person he loved most in the world.
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