Author's Note: Again, this too was posted on a compromised so here it is, re-posted and slightly tweaked. Please review if you still enjoy it.

I'm currently not very active in the Maleficent fandom at the given moment, however when the dvd is released I may write a sequel to this if inspiration strikes as a huge sorry for those fans who lost track of my story when my old account was axed. I'm not making any promises though, because in this fandom I prefer fluff and pure fluff is escaping me as of late. I blame A Song of Ice and Fire. Anyway, in short; there may be a sequel, we'll see.

"Do you not wish for more?" the question resounded in her mind ever since the blasted Beastie had spoken them to her some days ago.

"What more is there to life, my Queen?" Maleficent had asked in return, at the time truly vexed as to what the Queen of the Moors could be getting at. A faint blush had painted Aurora's doll like face as she muttered,

"Do you not wish for a family?"

"Family?"

Aurora had then turned her curious gaze onto her. The blonde's cornflower blue eyes unblinking as if they were searching Maleficent's own green eyes for some giveaway or tell. When she apparently saw none Aurora turned her attention back to the water sprites that danced on top of the still river. "I know you have me, Fairy Godmother," Aurora explained. "And I know you have Diaval. And I suppose we are like a family to you?" It was more of a question than a statement. An question Aurora didn't wait to be answered. "But do you not wish for a family of your own?"

Finally catching what she meant Maleficent asked incredulously, "Children? You wish to know if I want children born from me?"

The blush that had disappeared only moments ago seemed to reappear on the queen's face as she nodded.

Skillfully avoiding the question, Maleficent asked did Aurora wish to have children of her own. This seemed to cause the young woman to blush even more furiously as she shook her head, blonde tousled locks going everywhere. One day she had told her Fairy Godmother, but certainly not anytime soon.

After that firm declaration that she was not ready to be a mother (of which Maleficent was happy - the girl was still a teenager!) Aurora began to prattle on about the going-abouts in the human kingdom until her eyes grew weary. Reluctantly the fairy and the Queen called it a day and retired to their abodes. One to a gnarled, old tree and one to a iron-free castle.

That had been a few days ago and Aurora's duties as sovereign had kept her away from the Moors since then. Yet, her words still rang in Maleficent's mind.

"Do you not wish for a family?" Aurora's bell like sweet voice had asked.

"I have a family," Maleficent found herself saying to no one in particular as she healed a damaged tree with her magic. "As you said, Beastie," Maleficent continued to talk to her imaginary Aurora, "I have you and I have Dia-"

She heard the slightest flutter of wings somewhere to her left.

"Into a man," Maleficent didn't wait for the hovering bird to glide closer to the earth before her magic wrapped around it's inky black feathers and pushed and pulled and transformed him into the form of a man.

Tumbling to the ground Diaval sat up with an annoyed look on his face, "Why must you always do that?" he asked as he rubbed the back of his injured head.

Fighting the smile that was threatening to spill onto her face, she continued with her work. "Why must you always spy on me?"

"I don't spy on you, Mis-Maleficent," Diaval corrected himself as he gained his footing. "I've merely noticed you've been acting off. And, being the caring soul that I am, I wanted to keep a close eye on you."

Finished with her task Maleficent turned to Diaval, "Observant as ever, I see," she commented dryly before proceeding through the Moorlands, Diaval only a few strides behind her.

"So I take it you aren't going to tell me what's been bothering you?" He muttered, annoyance in his voice.

Maleficent made no comment.

"I've figured it out!" Diaval said suddenly later that night as the two sat by the river's edge. Maleficent could tell his little brain had been working overtime the entire day, and it seemed now he had finally reached a theory. She couldn't wait to hear it.

"Oh?" Maleficent lips quirked in a slight smile/smirk as she waited for him to say something positively Diaval-like and as such, completely stupid. Diaval wasn't a stupid man-bird, but he had his moments of stupidity, of that she was certain.

"You've been so moody because you miss the Queen!"

"I have not been moody!" Maleficent defended with a snap, before calming herself down and adding, "And though I have missed the little Beastie, that is not the reason I've been so deep in thought." Adding with narrowed green eyes, "Deep in thought. Not moody."

Never moody. She added mentally.

"Dammit!" Diaval swore as he hit the ground he sat on. "I was sure I was on to something too!" Muttering too himself, "Well if it isn't the fledgling then what could it be..." he drifted off into thought.

Fledgling? Maleficent mimicked in her mind. Is that how he saw Aurora, as a young bird? His young bird?

Without truly thinking the question through, she asked, "Do you think of her as your daughter then? You called her a fledgling."

Diaval looked over to her, his onyx black eyes betraying him as he spoke so casually with a shrug of his shoulders, "I suppose I do." When in reality Maleficent knew he meant 'I do more than you could possibly know and need be I'd die for the girl'. And somewhere, deep down in Maleficent's heart that had for so long laid dormant something stirred.

It was of equal parts affection and trepidation.

She had to ask.

Frowning, "Did you have a family before I saved you, Diaval?"

"I had several sisters and one runt of a brother. Bothersome bunch they were. And, well, a mother and father, if that is what you mean."

"No, I mean did you have children?" Maleficent clarified.

"Hatchlings?" Diaval seemed taken aback by the question for a moment. "No, Misstr-Maleficent. I didn't even have a mate."

"Oh," Maleficent's ruby red lips turned down into a small pout but she couldn't shake the feeling that a part of her was slightly satisfied Diaval was and had been for some time unattached. She told herself it was because she couldn't bare the thought of her having wrenched him away from his family for so long, but she was no fool to truly believe such words. She knew these feelings had been slowly building within her, slowly but surely. As was only natural, she told herself. Spending so much time with someone lends to a substantial growth in sentiment.

The sun was setting now, and Maleficent felt content to wade the remaining hours of sunlight away in silence as the pair awaited the water sprites arrival.

Diaval and silence rarely went hand in hand though.

"What about you, Maleficent?" He looked very much like a bird from this angle. Sitting just below her, closer to the river's edge (the spot Aurora usually reserved) he was leaning back on his elbows, with his head thrown back looking upon her from an upside down perspective. His head slightly turned to the right curiously.

Smiling at his childish charm, "What about me?"

"What about your family?" he queried.

Had this question been posed to her some time ago and by someone different she would have grown very forlorn at even the mentioning of her family, but as it was now she had long come to accept such things.

Smoothing out the ruffles of her brown dress she spoke simply, "My mother died long before I can even remember, and my father disappeared when I was but a young fairy. He is very likely dead as well, I'm afraid."

His grin disappeared, "I'm sorry," Diaval said with so much sincerity, but she waived off his sympathy.

"It was a long time ago." She responded a matter-of-factly.

"It doesn't matter!" Diaval was quick to respond. Scooting up closer to where she sat, "They were your flesh and blood. Nothing is more important in this world than family!" Maleficent stared at him oddly, his sudden conviction rather odd but not in an off putting way. "We birds know such things. We stick together through everything. Something I can't say the same for humans or the like. Bird of a feather - "

"...flock together. Yes, Diaval I am aware of that idiom." Maleficent finished tersely though a small smile was on her lips.

"Yes, well, it's true!" he stated proudly.

"Is that why you would so willingly give your life for the Beastie?" It was Maleficent's turn to ask. Though he had never said it aloud these words, his eyes showed his true affections for the girl and there was more than a few times she could recall in which he had willingly put himself in danger for Aurora's well being.

"Of course," he did not deny. "She's as good as my chick, after all."

Maleficent felt and affection rising in her chest for Diaval that she had long learned to keep under lock and key.

"And you are as good as my mate, I suppose. We raised her together after all." Thinking briefly, "Though we had slight, and I mean very slight help from the pixie trio. So I suppose that would make them extended family? An unkindess we are, perhaps? Or maybe - " And Diaval was lost within his own world of reasoning as he continued to chatter on.

He did not notice, and if he had he may not have understood the look gracing his once Mistress' eyes. Her eyes told of many emotions.

Confusion. Fear. Realization. Admiration. Love?

She loved Diaval.

The words seemed to run in her mind over and over again never-ending as she stared at him. The sun had long since set, and the water sprites had begun to play their games on the water's surface. Their illuminating light reaching them on the banks and reflecting Diaval's every pale scar. And it felt like for the first time, for the first time in forever, Maleficent saw Diaval. Truly saw him.

This was not the bird she had saved so many years ago. If anything he was many things, and just as much a man as a bird now. This was the man who had followed her into hell and back and even after dismissal had stayed by her side. The man who even when she was wrong and wicked still believed in her and supported her like no one else had ever done before.

And...

She she loved him. She loved Diaval. Idiotic imperfections and all.

"Mistress?" Diaval's voice called to her out of concern. Mentally shaking her thoughts from her head she arrived back to the land of the living with a pair of ink black eyes on her, brows furrowed in concern. She hadn't realized but he had taken her hand and was gently squeezing it, trying to draw her back to him. "Are you alright Mistress?"

Normally she would have playfully scolded him for calling her mistress, but this time she did not. She also thanked the water sprites for being far off enough that their light didn't show her slight blush as she slowly removed her hand from his grasp and rested it on the cool night grass. The sensation was a welcoming one, as her hand now felt as if it were on fire from were they had touched.

"I am fine, Diaval." He looked unconvinced, which was odd, because she really was fine. More than fine. Trying to soothe his fears, "All your prattling has gotten me rather tired I'm afraid, that is all," she lied knowing full well tonight she would not be able to sleep a bit, not with so many thoughts racing through her head.

He didn't seem to catch her bluff, however. "Ah. Well then, would you like to turn me into a raven so I can nest up in the tree," he pointed behind them to Maleficent's childhood home.

She raised her hand to comply with his request before stopping mid-motion. With a curious gleam in her eyes she asked, "Would you like to sleep as a man for tonight, Diaval?"

The dark haired man looked at her strangely. "I never have before." He stated.

"I know, perhaps that's why you should. A new experience and all."

"Where will I sleep, exactly?"

Maleficent rose from her spot on the grass and stretched her her wings. Holding her hand out to help Diaval to his feet. "Into a raven," she said swiftly and together the two of them soared up to a very high branch on the old mystical tree. Once Diaval had perched himself beside her on the branch she turned him back into a human.

He looked around oddly at where he was at. "This is where you sleep?" he stated dumbly.

"Yes." Maleficent nodded.

"I usually sleep several feet above you." He felt the need to add. "And as a raven."

Tilting her head to the side, "Would you like to sleep as a raven tonight above me Diaval, or would you like to sleep as a man beside me?" And though her words were meant innocently the promiscuity of them did not escape her and apparently it did not escape Diaval either who suddenly turned a fierce shade of red that only her keen eyes could see in such low light.

After a moment, "With you, Mistress," he cleared his throat awkwardly.

Tutting, "Diaval..."

"Maleficent," he corrected himself swiftly.

That night as the pair laid together in the tree she had for so long shared with only herself, Maleficent learned something interesting. Diaval snored. Rather loudly at that. She could have easily got irriated with the incessiant noise, but the thrilling thrumming of butterflies in her stomach insured her that she would get no sleep anyway, so a little snoring from her companion did not set her in a foul mood.

When she wasn't looking up at the stars above she turned to look at Diaval. He looked so peaceful and innocent. Maleficent wondered more about his life as a young bird. She tried to imagine him as a little ball of black downy feathers, squawking to his parents for a worm, battling with his siblings for space in their nest...but couldn't. He was too human for her to imagine him as what he once was. Instead all she could see was a small boy with dark black locks and nightshade eyes. Perhaps donning a goofy, lopsided grin as he talked about something that mattered very little to anyone but himself.

She found herself smiling at the image.

Acting on her feelings Maleficent closed the respectable distance between the two of them until she was resting against him. Her heart pummeled at her rib cage as if trying to escape just as she laid her head gently on his slowly rising chest, almost afraid she would wake him. When he did not stir in the least she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, not out of tiredness - no, in fact she was more awake now than she had ever been; but in an act of proving to herself that this serene moment was real.

She heard him grumble in-between snores and felt his hand twitch before it instinctively reached out for the new found warmth against him and clasped gently at her waist. She smiled against the fabric of his shirt and planted a small kiss just were his heart lie underneath his skin.

Though she stayed awake for some time longer the calmness and serenity of everything eventually wore her down and began to ease her into a trance. The smell of firewood - had he always smelled of firewood? permeated every sense she had as she drifted off into a beautiful, dreamed filled sleep. There were no night terrors that night.

But before she did slip into sweet dreams, she heard in her mind, very clearly Aurora's innocent voice asking her.

"Do you not wish for a family?"

And though Maleficent had already formed a family years ago, one involving a precocious, but troublesome blonde Queen of the lands that she viewed very much like a daughter, and an equally worrisome but charming and ever loyal man, Maleficent began to wonder...

"Do you not wish for more?"

"What more is there to life, my Queen?"

Maybe alot more, was Maleficent's final thought before the scent of firewood lulled her into a deep sleep full of promising dreams.