A/N: New story! One shots for any pairing in Phoenix Wright really. I love them all... mostly. I've got a few chapters planned so far but I'd be happy to eventually start doing requests, as I've done with my other massive story full of one shots (Office Hours – Mentalist... ok, so I recycled this title... but most of these one shots will take place in an office, so I'm allowed). Just to point out, in that one I've done over 30 one shots with only two pairings, imagine how many I can do with this! I will be here for years!

I'll also be doing some friendship ones, family, anything really. Nothing mature though, it ends up embarrassingly crap.

Same rules apply to this story from that one. Take a pairing, write a short fic less than 1000 words, upload. Boom.

K, so pairing: Nick/ Maya.

Disclaimer: I don't own Phoenix Wright, or any Phoenix Wright stuff yet, 'cause the darn delivery service sucks here. I'm getting an 'OBJECTION!' shirt! :D

That Old Spark

Phoenix Wright had been staring at a woman in the shop for five minutes. He didn't know why he was still stood there, hand hovering over the grape juice he was going to pick up, six minutes ago. He should just go up to her and talk to her, he knew that. He knew he had to. He wanted to, Christ, how much he wanted to. But...

Too late. He'd already tapped her on the shoulder. No 'buts', he'd done it before thinking and now had to suffer through this.

"Excuse me." He said softly as she turned around in surprise.

"Yes? ...N-Nick! Oh my god! I- I..."

"I know." He said to her, smiling. He took in the slight change to her outfit, even though she stood out in any crowd wearing it, it seemed more sophisticated, though it still felt 'Maya-ish'. He could only imagine what she must be thinking about his attire, about his general stature actually. He knew she hadn't been expecting this.

"I hear you have a daughter now, adopted."

He nodded once. "I hear you have a village, inherited."

Both knew what they wanted to do but neither could move. Neither could commit themselves to taking that step first.

"You- you didn't visit."

"Neither did you."

"And you didn't call, not once."

He stared at her, he would've have smiled if his heart hadn't been breaking. Call her and tell her what? Tell her that he was a disappointment; tell her that he had a new family when she used to be his? Tell her everything he couldn't tell anyone else? No, he couldn't have done any of that. If he'd opened his mouth, dared to share his pain with anyone else, he didn't think he would have survived as he did. Especially not with her.

"Neither did you."

They gazed wordlessly now. Taking in the differences that eight years had done to the other. He looked old, she thought, and tired. She looked tired as well, like she had forgotten how she used to act, like every weight she had ever endured she still carried, and now she carried more.

Though slowly, slowly, each burden began to lift as they stared into familiar, longed for eyes. Their eyes were the gateway, they told each other everything they needed to know, they showed what could have been, but more importantly, what still can be.

For the first time in a long time they both felt that old spark that they'd held onto for so long but eventually learned to forget.

She smiled now, more sure of herself and it reached her eyes; an old familiar twinkle was resurrecting itself, as a single tear fell silently down his cheek.

This was supposed to seem happier than it does... but it says they have promise and what not! :D

Reviews are awesome! Be part of that awesome today!

Some Maggey/ Gumshoe action next time (Y)