If anyone ever told Phoenix Wright back in his college days that being a lawyer would entail a lifetime's worth of paperwork per case, then maybe he would have considered a different career track. At least, that would have saved him from the raging headache that he was currently experiencing.

The stack of contracts and requests stared mockingly at him as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples in an attempt to alleviate the pain. Phoenix had been working on this particular case non stop for the past three days, during which he only got six hours of sleep and four meals. Exhausted as he was, though, he knew he could not stop working now. Tomorrow was the last day of trial, and his last chance to prove to the court that his client was innocent. And, as usual, the odds were not looking very bright for the defense at the moment.

Honestly, it was times like these that he really wondered how he managed to pull off all of his previous cases. True, he had been lucky many times, but he also couldn't have won half of his cases with just him alone.

Maya Fey emerged from the bathroom at that moment, her silky hair damp and a towel wrapped around her body. "The shower's free now, Nick," she said in her usual sing-song voice before withdrawing to her own room to change.

Phoenix ran a hand through his spikes. A shower sounds really good, actually, he decided as he stood up and walked away from his chaos of a work desk. Maybe it will even clear my mind a little.

He stepped inside the bathroom and started off his usual showering routine: wash the face first and then brush the teeth. The cool water splashing against his skin jolted him from his zombielike state, though the shock did not last long and in just three seconds, his eyelids began to droop back down to their former position. He grabbed his blue toothbrush from its holder, noting how it glistened under the bathroom lights. That's weird, Phoenix thought as his eyes shot open once again, his investigative side instinctively kicking in. I haven't used this toothbrush yet. Why is it already wet?

He looked back at the toothbrush holder. There was only one other toothbrush in there. A pink one. No surprise there. The real surprise came when he saw that it was perfectly dry, its bristles still pin straight and thoroughly unused.

"Maaayaa!"

Phoenix walked out of the room, toothbrush still in hand. A pajama-clad Maya was looking out the window and combing her hair. She appeared to be in deep thought, but was jolted by the sound of Phoenix calling her name. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Maya, my toothbrush is wet," he said, only to be met with an incredulous stare. "I mean, my toothbrush is worn out while yours still looks brand new." He waved his toothbrush in the air to emphasize his point for her.

Maya's face was still blank as she lifted a finger to point at it. "But, that's my toothbrush," she said.

Phoenix looked back at the toothbrush, checking whether it was really hers or not. He shook his head. "No, this is mine."

"Are you sure you aren't hallucinating or anything?" Maya asked worriedly. "I've been using that toothbrush since you bought it."

"What?" Phoenix raised his rands as realization finally dawned on him. "You mean to tell me that we've been using the same toothbrush for the past five months?!"

Maya clenched her fists at her sides. "You said blue!"

"I said not blue! Maya, gah!" He made another agitated sound and began pacing the room. "Damn it. Only an idiot would forget something as simple as that!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he instantly regretted them. He stopped his pacing and looked back at the small girl with tears welling up in her eyes. She had been taken aback by his sudden outburst. He gulped. He was tired and stressed and he took his anger out on this innocent girl who also happened to be his best friend. Well done, Phoenix. He wanted to punch himself for being so inconsiderate.

"No—ah, Maya, don't, please." He tried to apologize, but the words refused to come out accordingly. "Look, I'll just buy a new one, okay?"

Maya nodded silently and retreated to her room.

—

The next day, Phoenix opened the door to his office, holding a brand new toothbrush that he just bought from the store. He entered the room and was greeted by the sight of Maya sitting on the sofa and watching television. She was back to her usual perky self, last night's squabble already forgotten. She did not seem to notice him entering the room. Phoenix expected her to be watching reruns of the Steel Samurai, and was surprised to see that she was actually watching the news.

Puzzled, he stepped closer and tried to see what on earth the news could have that sparked her usually obscure interests.

"And, on recent events, legendary prosecutor Miles Edgeworth takes down an international smuggling ring,"

Maya squealed when Edgeworth's face appeared on the screen. Phoenix recalled having heard of his rival's recent adventures, but he did not think they were worthy enough to make it on national television. Edgeworth said a few curt words on the screen and Phoenix looked at Maya to see that a giddy expression took over her face.

"Maya, I bought a new toothbrush," he said, trying to get her attention away from the television. To his surprise, Maya jumped ten feet in the air at the sound of his voice. "Nick!" she said, blushing. "I-I didn't notice you come in!"

"Uh, yeah. So, remember: The blue one is mine because I always wear a blue suit, and the pink one is yours since you wear pink robes."

"Yeah, yeah. Not blue. Got it," she said in a hurry as she turned off the television. "Um, how long have you been standing there?"

"Four minutes, I think?" he shrugged.

"Oh." Her face was a bright red now. Phoenix noticed that she was avoiding his gaze, suddenly finding the floor very interesting.

Why is Maya blushing? It's not as if I caught her doing...

Oh.

In a split second, a smirk began to show up on his face. "Maya," he said, his tone teasing. "You have a crush on Edgeworth, don't you?" He poked her arm and started laughing.

Maya gasped, slapped his hand away, and frowned. "I-I..."

"Why would you have a crush on that jerk?" he prodded. She was averting his gaze once again.

"Niiick, he's not that much of a jerk," she defended.

She does have a point, Phoenix thought. Surprising as it may seem, Edgeworth has actually become a pretty good friend of his over the course of their needlessly overdramatic lives and was, just as she said, not that much of a jerk. At least, not anymore. Still, it has always been a wonder to him why Edgeworth is always the one to grab everyone's attention. "What does that guy have that I don't, anyway?"

"A bright red sports car, for starters," she replied instantly, making Phoenix feel like an idiot. Oh, but she didn't stop there. "You should really get a driver's license, Nick. Entering the courtroom looking like you'd just run a marathon isn't exactly good for your image."

"Hey! I look just fine!" Surely I don't look that bad, do I?

"Nick, the officers over at the Police Department call you 'Sweaty Jo' behind your back." She stood up, stretched her arms over her head and walked in the direction of the kitchen while Phoenix could only stare in shock.

"Wait, that was ME?"

—

A few weeks have passed since Edgeworth's grand television appearance. That jerk.

The case was won and another one came along. Phoenix won that one too—just ten minutes ago.

"Nick, you were amazing!" said Maya as the two walked out into the courtroom lobby with big smiles on their faces. She jumped up and down in excitement as she threw her arms around him in a strong hug. He laughed. "We should go out for burgers to celebrate," she said when she released him. Phoenix was about to say something in reply, but stopped when he noticed that Maya had suddenly gone still.

Turning to face another courtroom entrance, he saw Edgeworth walking out with Detective Gumshoe in tow. Gumshoe seemed to be in good spirits, which usually meant that Edgeworth has won yet another case. Edgeworth still had on his usual stoic expression when he walked over to the pair and nodded.

"Wow, Mr. Edgeworth, you're really on a roll right now!" Maya exclaimed happily. Edgeworth flashed her a small smile and thanked her curtly. "I appreciate the compliment, Maya, but I do believe that Wright also has his own victory to celebrate." He held out a hand for Phoenix to shake and who was he to decline, right?

"It was nothing." Phoenix said, trying to be humble. But no. Not really. He was reduced to sweats inside the courtroom. True to what Maya said, it happened a lot more than Phoenix wanted it to. "After all, the defendant really was innocent. It wasn't that hard to prove." He shrugged. He knew that Maya knew he was lying.

Edgeworth nodded. He probably knew he was lying too.

"We should celebrate Mr. Edgeworth's victory!" Gumshoe interjected. "I'm throwing a party at my house tonight and you two should come."

A victory party for Edgeworth? That didn't sound so bad. It's not like they had any other plans anyway. "Of course we'll go!" said the voice from beside him. Maya was clapping her hands in excitement.

Edgeworth tightened his grip on his suitcase and checked his watch. "I'd love to stay and chat," he started, "but I do have other matters to attend to. I will see you tonight, then. Wright. Maya." He nodded once again and left.

Maya let out a lengthy sigh. "He's like a dream!"

Okay, really? What did she see in that guy? He's colder than the freezing waterfalls I had to stand under when I accompanied Maya on her last training course!

Just then, Phoenix felt a hand on his arm and jumped instinctively. Amelia Shields, one of the key witnesses in his recent trial, stepped in front. She was tall and had a smile that reminded you of those cunning felines in kids' shows. Phoenix saw Larry hitting on her—what, twelve? Thirteen times? "Mr. Wright, a word in private, please?" she said, her white teeth contrasting starkly with her blood red lipstick. Puzzled, Phoenix nodded and followed her as they deviated from the crowd.

"I hope you won't think this weird," she began. "I just want to commend you on your performance in there, Mr. Wright. Quite impressive." Phoenix found himself distracted by the sly smile fixated on her face.

"Oh, um… Thank you. It really was nothing." He responded, trying his best to sound professional. He wasn't used to being around such high class company. You would think that being a lawyer, he would be used to it by now. But since his lovely assistant always brought out the mumbling goofball in him, that was not the case.

"Also, I came here to ask if you would like to have dinner with me tonight," she said, her voice never faltering and her demeanor strong.

Phoenix wasn't sure how to reply to that. Amelia Shields was posh, but she wasn't snobbish. And she wasn't a reluctant witness either, which made it easy for him to find out more information about the case, and after dealing with witnesses that used ridiculous vocabulary, faked memory loss, and threw seeds at him at every chance he got, he was very grateful for a willing cooperative for once.

"Oh, um, Miss Shields…" he started dumbly.

"Please, call me Amelia."

"Amelia, I—uh…" Talk, you stupid defense attorney, talk! "Yes. Uh—I mean… Yes."

Amelia pushed a strand of her sandy blonde hair behind her ear and smiled flirtatiously. "Very well," she said, holding her hand out before dropping it back down. "It is a date then, Mr Wright. I'll text you the details."

"Great." He said, still unable to comprehend what just happened.

She leaned in and placed a quick kiss on his cheek before turning around and walking out of the room.

Phoenix found himself stunned for a few moments and was shaken out of his stupor by someone nudging on his arm.

"Someone's got a hot date tonight!" said Maya, who had walked to his side when Amy left. Phoenix jumped slightly. "N-no! It's not like that—I mean, it is like that, but i-it's—"

He was cut off by Maya's hearty laughs. "Oh, Nick. You do deserve to enjoy yourself every once in a while," she said. There was something odd in her expression, though he couldn't put a finger on it. He laughed nervously. "Yeah."

"I guess that means I'm going to Mr. Edgeworth's party by myself tonight." Phoenix wasn't sure, but he thought he saw a glimmer of disappointment in her eyes before she turned away.

"Oh shit. Maya, I totally forgot!" Great. Now he was definitely looking more like a jerk.

"Don't be silly. I'll be fine!" She waved a dismissive hand in the air.

"Are you sure?" he asked worriedly. "I really don't want to leave you alone in a party with men and booze."

Maya pumped her fists and looked up at him, her eyes determined. "I'm a big girl, Phoenix Wright! I am perfectly capable of looking out for myself!"

Phoenix laughed in amusement. "Alright, if you say so. But I will be picking you up before going home. There's no way I'm letting you roam the streets alone at night."

A faint blush appeared on Maya's cheeks, which confused Phoenix. But before he could question her on it, she put on her determined expression once again. "Oh, fine! But you have to promise me you'll enjoy your date tonight, alright?" She was standing on her tiptoes now, and it was only then that he noticed how close their faces actually were. Her eyes were bright and her cheeks were puffed up in that semi-childish expression that she always had. She really is adorable.. Wait, what? Well, she is sort of… Scratch that. She's waiting for an answer. Nod, Phoenix, nod! He nodded.

Maya giggled and pinched his nose. "Good for you, then!" She laughed some more before stepping back.

She looked down at the floor briefly, then looked back up at him, beaming. Arms crossed. Eyes still bright. But this time, Phoenix could tell that her smile was fake, for what reason though, he did not know.

—

Amelia was a great girl. Really, she was. She was smart, beautiful, and very engaging. Being the daughter of the owner of Gatewater Hotel certainly earned her plus points too. Phoenix could not even believe that any one would be willing to go on a date with him, much less someone like her.

Still, there he was, sitting across from her in one of the fanciest restaurants in town, smiling as if he's having the time of his life. He glanced at his watch and sighed quietly. All of his friends were probably at Gumshoe's by now, having fun without him.

He took in a deep breath and willed himself to relax. Maya told you to have fun, remember? He thought to himself. I'm sure this evening will turn out great if you'd just give it a chance.

"So, Phoenix, how long have you been an attorney?" Amelia asked, breaking his pitiful soliloquy. "A man with your skills ought to have been doing it for a while. Although, you don't seem to be that old."

Phoenix shot her a grateful smile. "I've only been a lawyer for three years, actually," he said, picking up his menu so he could order. "Uh, thanks for the compliment, though." He added hastily.

Amelia nodded and took hold of her menu as well. There was a companionable silence for a few seconds while they decided what to eat. Phoenix thought all the food sounded delicious, and struggled to decide which one he would order. But when he saw how much they cost, his eyes nearly went out of their sockets.

He cleared his throat and loosened his collar with his index finger. Salad it is, then.

Amelia opened her mouth, as if to say something, but was cut off when the waiter showed up and asked if they were ready to order. Phoenix went with the caesar salad while Amelia ordered a linguine pasta. The waiter disappeared for a few moments, then went back to place a bottle of red wine on their table and began filling their glasses.

Phoenix resisted the urge to cringe as he took a sip. He was never a big fan of alcoholic beverages (he really was more of a caffeine type of guy—although certainly not to the extent Godot was). The dark liquid felt like icy needles piercing through his throat and he had to suck in a huge breath in order to adjust to the sensation. Meanwhile, the woman across from him was chatting away about the most mundane things.

This was gonna be a long night.

—

Miles Edgeworth was normally not a very celebratory man. He preferred quiet nights alone in his office, drinking tea and playing chess rather than going out and socializing. But with the way Gumshoe's party was going, he guessed there really wasn't much to complain about.

Speaking of the clumsy detective, Edgeworth looked around the room before spotting him leaning on the wall beside the door, chatting up with Maggey Byrde. Really, Detective. It's about time.

"This is a great party, Mr. Edgeworth!" His spunky assistant, Kay Faraday, appeared at his side and smiled gleefully at him. "You should smile more. You are the guest of honor, after all."

She was holding a paper cup in her hand. Edgeworth made sure that it was, in fact, just lemonade before drinking from his own cup. "I hardly think this matter is worth celebrating, Kay. You do realize the amount of unattended paperwork that's piling up in my office as we speak."

At his remark, she made a light snort and rubbed her nose with her gloved hand. "Okay, seriously. Will you relax? You've done so much work over the past few weeks. Heck, you'll probably get promoted to Chief Prosecutor in a jiffy!" she snapped her fingers for emphasis, her smile still intact.

Despite himself, a small smile made its way on his face. "Me? Chief Prosecutor? Kay, don't be ridiculous." He took another sip of his juice.

In the distance, he could hear Larry Butz's loud, booming laughs. Following the sound, he saw his childhood friend clumsily walking around the apartment, waving a bottle of liquor in his hand. His steps were shaky and uncoordinated. When he saw Edgeworth, he tried to wave but ended up knocking over a flower vase in the process. Edgeworth could only sigh at his distraught friend. Some things just never change.

But then he saw something else. Or rather, someone else following Larry all about the room, squealing and sounding just as drink as he was.

"Oh no."

Maya Fey was right behind Larry, matching his movements and trapped in her own hazy stupor. Her face was severely flushed and she was constantly shifting between giggling and humming out a song that Edgeworth had never heard of before.

"What's wrong?" He heard Kay ask.

"It's Maya." He answered. "Larry got her drunk. I have to get her back home before she does anything stupid." He noticed Kay's curious look and began to explain. "I could never show my face to Wright if something were to happen to her."

Kay nodded in understanding.

Edgeworth approached Maya and placed a hand on her shoulder so she would stop swaying. "Miss Fey, it's awfully late now, isn't it? I think I should take you back to Wright's office."

She stared at him for a few moments before crossing her arms and shaking her head. "You might have dreamy eyes and pretty hair, but Nii—" she hicupped, "—ck promised that he would pick me up." Her eyes looked dazed and Edgeworth had to keep his hand on her shoulder to keep her from falling.

"Well, um… Yes, of course." He had to be able to convince her or she'll pass out. "Wright just texted me and asked me to take you home on his behalf. How does that sound?" It took a few more seconds before she nodded enthusiastically.

Edgeworth led the stumbling spirit medium out to where his car was parked. The Wright & Co. Law Offices wasn't too far from here. He could just drop Maya off and be back at the party in no time. They probably wouldn't even notice he was gone.

He opened the door for her and she slipped inside, her hands fumbling with the seatbelt. She struggled for a while before finally buckling it in and shooting a huge beam at Edgeworth. The prosecutor resisted the urge to laugh and instead gave her a stiff smile before taking his place in the driver's seat.

Before he turned on the ignition, he brought out his phone and sent a quick message to Phoenix. When that was done, he carefully pulled out into the road and spent the rest of the ride listening to Maya's most ridiculous ramblings.

It was a few moments later when Maya suddenly leaned forward and turned on the radio. Some upbeat pop song was playing and she squealed in delight as she sung along to every word. She sung at the top of her lungs and bounced in her seat every time the chorus played. Then came an instrumental part where she started to air guitar and banged her head wildly. Edgeworth looked back at the road to see that the stoplight had gone red. He hit the brakes as gently as he could, but the head banging Maya still managed to bump her head quite harshly on the dashboard.

"OUCH!" Maya yelled, caressing her forehead.

"Maya! Are you alright?" Edgeworth asked, reaching over and putting a hand on her head to check for a bump. "You really shouldn't bounce around like that when you're drunk."

Maya swatted his hand away and hiccupped. "I'm not drunk! I want a burger."

The stoplight went green and they were moving once again. Edgeworth sighed and did not say anymore. Maya took this as a sign to keep talking.

"Nick would probably buy me burgers if he weren't on a date with that witch." She crossed her arms over her chest and squinted at nothing. This time, Edgeworth allowed himself to laugh a little.

"Why don't you like Amelia? She seems like a nice woman."

"Well if you think that then maybe you should date her, Mr. Edgeworth."

At that moment, Edgeworth was a bit embarrassed. It was intended to be an honest question. He didn't want to get dating advice from a drunk spirit medium.

"That's right," she continued, "You and Miss Shields would look good together! You're both very… posh." She crinkled her nose. "I don't like her hair, though. Why does Nick like her hair?"

At this, Maya turned to look at him with her big eyes. Edgeworth could detect a bit of sadness and betrayal in them. That was when he truly understood the implications of what she had been saying throughout the whole ride.

"Mr. Edgeworth, you have very pretty eyes," she said, then looked out the window. "But Nick's eyes are cute and big. Like a puppy!"

When they reached the office, Edgeworth opened the door for her and led her to the couch. He turned on the lights and the television, laughing internally at the absurdity of the situation. I am taking care of Wright's drunk assistant. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever done.

When she had settled down, Edgeworth was preparing to leave when suddenly, she grabbed his wrist.

"Mr. Edgeworth? Thank you, by the way," she said quietly.

Edgeworth nodded. "Just stay there in that seat and try to sleep if you can. Wright will be back soon."

Maya shook her head. "No, he's on a date. He probably won't be back for a while."

This time, Edgeworth couldn't resist placing his hand on the top of her head, ruffling her hair and smiling. "Maya, I have a feeling you won't be alone for long. Good night."

When Edgeworth stepped out of the office, he found himself unable to stop smiling. Those two, really. He thought to himself as he drove back to Gumshoe's house, still smiling all the way, eyes shining with amusement.

—

The waiter came back and brought with him their food. Phoenix looked at Amelia sticking her fork in her plate of pasta. Is that all she's eating? Is that even enough to make her full? Is she starving herself?

Amelia chewed her food with a closed mouth, hummed, and smiled when she saw Phoenix observing her. At least she seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Is that all you're gonna eat?" Phoenix didn't even realize that he had voiced out his thoughts. Amelia's smile turned into a frown.

"Ex-cuse me?"

"Oh god. I am so sorry." Phoenix kicked his own leg under the table. What the hell is wrong with you? She's been eating fine! You're just so used to Maya ordering half the menu items every single time you go out to that burger joint with her. "I-it's just… There's a friend of mine who—just, I'm so sorry."

Amelia nodded. "It's fine. Everyone slips up sometimes, right?" She took another bite of her pasta.

Oh god. I should really get out of here before I embarrass myself even further.

Just then, his phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and held out a finger to Amelia. "One moment please."

A text from Edgeworth? What on earth could he have to say to me?

Miles Edgeworth 9:57PM

I don't want to interrupt your date, but Larry got Maya drunk at the party. I am currently taking her back to your office where she'll surely be safe, but she could use some company.

Phoenix let the words sink in for a moment. Maya was drunk? He glared at the screen. The next time he sees Larry, he is so, so dead.

He then stared at the last part of the text. 'She could use some company'? Was Edgeworth not good company for her? She's probably jumping in joy just by riding in his car, he thought. That bastard.

Still, he didn't want her to be alone in such a vulnerable state—and certainly not with Edgeworth! It definitely isn't safe for her to be all alone in the office… Still, I don't want to just bail out on Amelia.

"Is something the matter?" Amelia asked, her eyes pondering. "I'm sorry. It just seems like something about that text bothered you."

Phoenix took a good look at the attractive woman across from him. Amelia was definitely a great and kind-hearted woman. She was intelligent and charming and she really seemed to actually like him (by some miracle). Was he really going to risk all of that for the sake of his drunk friend?

Amelia stared expectantly at him, her feline-like smile still intact.

Who the hell am I kidding? I crossed a burning bridge for her!

He shook his head. Amelia certainly deserved to be treated with more respect than what he's given her.

"Amelia, I'm really, really sorry," he began lamely, feeling his shoulders drooping in shame. "This has been really nice and you're a great girl, but…" he took in a deep breath and looked her in the eye. "Someone needs me right now, and I really have to go."

Amelia nodded politely, thought her eyes showed disappointment. "It's fine, Phoenix. I'll just call you." Phoenix nodded back, knowing full well that she wouldn't actually call. Not ever. Not after what he'd just done.

He left some cash on the table to pay for his own meal and walked out of the restaurant, all the while thinking, I must be crazy not to fall for someone like her… Or maybe just crazy for another girl.

—

Phoenix did not really know what he expected once he opened the door to his office, but it certainly wasn't this.

Paper. Paper everywhere—scattered on the couch, on the floor, in the kitchen… He closed the door behind him and further inspected the mess.

Wait a minute… This isn't just any paper. This is—

"MAYAAAAAAA!"

Said girl was currently perched on top of his desk, legs crossed and arms full of sheets of the paperwork that the attorney poured out many of his sleepless nights on. Upon seeing Nick, she tossed the papers into the air, jumped off the desk, and all but rammed herself into the man's body.

"Hiiii, Nick." She looked up at him and Phoenix saw the haze in her eyes.

"Maya!" he yelled, startling her. "Fuck! These papers haven't even been signed yet! Do you know how hard it is to acquire these copies?!" He walked across the room and bent down to try to salvage some of them, but to his dismay, they were all crumpled and torn to pieces, their contents made illegible. He stared at them in horror. "Oh god. These papers are due this week! What on earth am I gonna do?" He dug the heels of his hands in his eyes in an attempt to think straight and began pacing the room.

Then he noticed that Maya had gone quiet.

He whipped his head to look at her. His stomach dropped when he saw the pure and utter terror on her face. She was staring at him, tears rolling down her cheeks and mouth slightly agape.

"Maya?" He reached out a hand, but she recoiled away from it. Phoenix tried not to let the hurt he felt get to him. "I'm sorry. Look, I shouldn't have yelled at you."

She remained silent, eyes getting hazier by the second. "..Nick?" she asked, her voice deadly soft. "I'm so sorry." Sobs began to rack through her body and she hastily tried to wipe her tears with the back of her hand.

There was a throbbing pain in his chest as he continued to stare at her. No no no no! He didn't want to see her like this. He wasn't supposed to make her cry. He was supposed to be the one to make her smile. He would do anything to see her smile.

God, he loved her smile.

Phoenix gave a resigned sigh. Nothing she did could upset him for long. "It's fine, Maya. Really, it is." He picked up some of the paper once again and threw them in the trash. "Seriously, though. Why do I even put up with you sometimes?" he said, mostly to himself.

When he's done collecting all the spoiled paperwork, he stood back up to look at her. She had not moved, though she looked very sleepy. Most of all, though, she still looked afraid.

Phoenix tried to put her at ease by flashing a smile. He spread his arms wide. "Oh, come here, you." He added in a hearty laugh.

Maya smiled, and he swore it was the most beautiful thing he ever saw.

She squealed and ran towards him full force and tackled him down to the floor. Phoenix braced his arms around her body as he prepared to take the full force of the impact. His head rebounded on the hard wood twice and it was a few moments before his world stopped spinning. Maya had curled up in his chest, her ear pressed against his heart.

"Maya? Maya, are you okay?" At the sound of his voice, she scrambled back up, her face directly in front of his.

Phoenix gulped nervously. They were close enough that their noses were touching. She was smiling wide, her eyes hazier than ever. They were staring at him. Piercing through him…

"Maya…?"

She giggled, dropped her head, and pressed her lips against his. His eyes went wide and his heart stuttered. He was also sure his breathing had stopped and the world itself stopped. Swirls began to appear in his line of sight and his whole body heated up. When she pulled away, she giggled some more.

"Maya—what?"

Her eyelids were halfway down now, but she stared at him with as much certainty as she could muster. She smiled once again.

"Mmhhm…love you," she said, barely enough for him to hear.

"What did you just say to me?" He asked, his heart thumping wildly. Had he heard her right? Did she just tell him what he thought she did? How should he reply?

Maya spoke again, this time in a more muddled voice. "Mrrghh.. I said: not… blue…"

Her body relaxed against his and her breathing began to soften. In just a few seconds, she started snoring.

Meanwhile, Phoenix could only ponder on the night's recent events alone in his dimly lit office.

What the hell just happened?

—

The next day, Maya did not remember a single thing about what happened last night, but she did have a raging hangover. Phoenix expected this, of course, and, not wanting to be on the receiving end of her anger, woke up earlier than usual to cook some pancakes for her. He had to carry her to her room last night, and she woke up still in her casual robes. She looked at him, still a bit disoriented, frown already in place. Phoenix smiled at her and held up a bottle of aspirin.

"How are you feeling, sunshine?" he teased. He got way more fun in teasing Maya than he'd care to admit.

Maya grumbled at his tone. "Like ramming my head in the wall and splitting it in half. I am so gonna kill Larry."

"Hang on now. That's my job," he said, walking away to get her a glass of water. He tried not to think of how adorable she looked when she pouted.

A few minutes later, the pair were sitting on the dining table with a stack of pancakes in between them. Phoenix's cooking skills were mediocre at best, but at the moment, Maya gobbled everything up as if they were gourmet burgers.

"Slow down, will you? You're gonna kill yourself eating like that."

Maya paused and glared at him. "Death by food. What a great way to die." She stabbed her pancakes with a fork and shoved them in her mouth.

Phoenix shook his head, tutting. "Someone's not very cheerful today." He resisted the urge to laugh. Maya was not angry very often, but when she was, he always found it very cute.

"Oh my god, Nick! Will you stop that?" She slammed her hand on the table, her glare on full force now. Phoenix gulped. Angry Maya, he could handle, but hotheaded Maya was a different story. "I made a mistake last night, okay? I know! Now will you stop making fun of me for it?"

"Yeah," he said, trying to placate her anger, "Sorry."

Maya shoved the last piece of pancake in her mouth and stood up. "I'm gonna go see if watching TV will make me want to kill myself a little bit less." She walked away and Phoenix thought she was through, but she turned around and pointed at him. "And you are definitely taking me out for burgers later, Mister." He did not even dare to retort.

Phoenix let her rummage through her collection of the Steel Samurai DVDs while he washed the dishes. He hoped that whatever Maya was feeling, it won't last long. Still, he didn't understand the sudden anger. He didn't know she would be this mad. In fact, he thought she would be a bit nice to him, considering what happened last—

No, Wright. Stop thinking of that. She doesn't even remember anything. In fact, it was probably just an accident. You were face to face and gravity did its job. You're a nutcase for thinking more of it.

With a sigh, he headed towards the bathroom to take a shower, trying desperately to stop his mind from reeling the way it was.

—

After showering, he went into his room to change into his comfortable blue suit. He didn't really have much to do that day, considering that Maya had destroyed three months worth of his living, but a client could come bursting through the door at any moment, and it was best if he looked presentable.

His phone rang and Edgeworth's name appeared on the lit screen. Puzzled, he pressed the green button and began to speak. "Hello?"

"Good morning, Wright," Edgeworth's smooth voice came in. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. I am merely checking after Maya's state. She seemed a bit unstable last night."

"Ah, yes," he replied with a longing sigh. "I came home to find all my paperwork ruined and strewn all around the office and she tackled me to the ground before passing out. I don't think 'unstable' quite covers it."

"Yes, well, quirky assistants can be quite a handful."

"Tell me about it." He remembered briefly seeing Edgeworth with a dark-haired girl on some of his recent cases. Kay Faraday, was it? "I'm so glad someone understands."

He could almost see Edgeworth's knowing smile over the phone. "As much as I was thoroughly amused by Maya's… performance last night, I would never wish something like that on Kay. I don't think I can handle it."

The two attorneys laughed and Phoenix thought of how ridiculous it was to be laughing alongside his rival. In fact, he had never even heard the prosecutor laugh before. Was this it? Were they really becoming friends? Phoenix did not know what to make of the thought.

"Well, she has an awful headache right now and is really cranky. She kept complaining about how it's all my fault and demanded that I buy her burgers. I feel like I'm actually raising a daughter sometimes." He mused briefly at the thought. He'd never seen himself as a father. In fact, he reckoned he'd be pretty crap at it. He shuddered. That's not happening for a very very long time.

"Pardon me if I'm meddling into your personal affairs," Edgeworth said, "but I believe what she wants isn't burgers, but to have you all for herself."

Phoenix lost his footing and stumbled on a chair leg. He swore loudly, nearly dropping his phone. "Come again?"

"Last night, she refused to allow me to take her home because she said she only trusted you."

"Well that can't be true."

"And why not?"

"Edgeworth, she's crazy about you! I swear, when she sees just a picture of you she turns into this mad fangirl squealing all her might. She should be jumping for joy at being with you!" He began pacing the room, his free hand running through his hair.

To his surprise, Edgeworth laughed. "If you think even for a second that Maya would choose me over you, then you need to reconsider your life choices."

Phoenix thought of what he just said. Was that true? Did Maya really like him that way? Then does that mean that last night's events actually meant something?

"I don't know how to respond to that," he answered, trying to keep his speech devoid of any emotion.

"Wright, you've risked your life—and your career—plenty of times for that one girl. I've seen you change your entire persona just at the mere thought of her being in danger. Think about it."

"…Love you." Her voice kept repeating over and over in his head like a scratched record player. He could not get it out and he wasn't even sure he wanted to.

He stared at the blank wall, willing his mind to make sense of it all.

"As for your tattered paperwork," Edgeworth continued, "I'll go see what I can do to help. Good day, Wright." He hung up.

—

When Phoenix came out of his room, he was glad to see that Maya had reverted back to her old self again. Watching TV always did do wonders for her, he thought.

But at the moment, his mind had too many questions all revolving on the same central idea: Maya. Will she ever remember what happened last night? Was Maya really in love with him, like Edgeworth suggested? And what the hell, since when did he start taking dating advice from Miles Edgeworth?

He closed his eyes and tried to calm his raging thoughts, but they all kept coming back to last night's events—her body pressed against his, the touch of her soft lips while she had on that blissful expression. He wanted to forget it. Maya was drunk. He would be foolish to take advantage of her like that and she was in no way responsible for her actions.

"Oy, Nick! You're blushing!" Maya's voice broke him out of his reverie.

He suddenly became aware of the heat on his face and felt himself blush even more. "N-no, I'm not!" She laughed.

"It's alright! I know exactly why."

"You do?" Oh no. Does she remember now? What will she say? Will she think I'm a pervert and slap me?

"Yup! Your date ended really well last night, didn't it?"

Phoenix blinked twice, mouth agape. "Huh?"

"Oh, admit it!" she said, the usual teasing glint back in her eye, "I bet things got pret-ty steamy towards the end. That's why you're blushing!"

At this, Phoenix allowed himself to laugh. "Actually, the date ended terribly—thanks to a certain someone who decided to get drunk and drove me absolutely mad with worry that I had to leave in the middle of the main course."

The glint in her eye vanished. "Oh." He wasn't sure, but it looked like she was trying to hold back a smile—though he did not know of any reason why she would.

She bit her lip, and the mere action propelled his thoughts back to last night's events again. He cursed silently. Screw this. I don't care what happens. I have to find out how she feels about me.

Quickly, almost mechanically, he walked towards the front door, grabbing his wallet on the way. "Wait, where are you going?" Maya asked.

Phoenix twisted the door knob and pulled. He turned to her. "We are going out for burgers."

Maya giggled. "Well, I like the sound of that."

"Knew you would," he flashed her what he hoped was a flirtatious smile and he swore he saw her swoon a little bit. "Come along, then!" He winked. "I'll race you."

He then made a mad dash through the hall, laughing and hearing her small footsteps echoing from behind.

—

The rushing thoughts did not stop even while they were eating at Maya's favorite burger joint, during which he had long since given up on trying to stop them. He let them flow inside his head, consuming him until every single thing he thought was for her and every single emotion he felt was about her. He watched Maya, happily munching on a double cheeseburger. Her eyes were bright once again and he was grateful to see that instead of the haziness they had last night. Maya was already too much to handle when sober, he shuddered to think that she might get drunk once again in the future. Still, sitting here across from her in a place that always made her happy also made him happy. His cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling all the time, but he didn't care.

"Earth to Ni-ick! Hey!" She tapped her finger on his forehead. "Anybody in there? Helloooo!"

"Yes, I'm here, Maya. Stop that." He tapped her hand and she withdrew. "Why the puzzled face?"

"I was just wondering why you look so happy even though your date went badly last night."

Phoenix shrugged. "I guess it doesn't really matter. Amelia was too mature and posh for my taste." There was something that appeared in her eyes. He looked closely. Was it… relief?

"O-oh!" Maya bowed her head and took a sip of her drink, averting her eyes from his. "W-well, I never did like her from the start. I can't imagine what I'd do if you became a couple and she had to tag along with us all the time."

His hand came across the table, towards her, and grabbed three pieces of fries from her tray. Maya slapped his hand. "OY! Who said you could do that?" Phoenix laughed and gobbled them up. He chewed, swallowed, then stuck his tongue out to her. She pouted.

"Anyways, why don't you like Amelia? She seems nice." He asked, reverting back to their topic.

"You're kidding, right?" she said, slamming her hands on the table. "Nick! She was looking at you like you were a hunk of meat!"

"She did not! Maya, you're exaggerating."

"I'm not! I'm really not!" she settled back down in her seat, turning to face the window, eyes looking distant. "You're just amazingly oblivious to girls trying to get your attention."

He let that sink in for a while. Was he really that daft?

"Anyway, she's gone now." Maya said, her voice cheerful once again as she took another bite of her burger. "And good riddance!" She smiled at him, her cheeks full and blushing. Phoenix couldn't help but smile back. They were silent for the rest of their meal.

"Do you want to walk around in the park for a while?" he asked when they had finished eating. Maya nodded enthusiastically and they set off.

—

It was late into the afternoon and the weather was perfect for taking walks. The sweet scent of the fresh air invaded their senses as little kids ran around them, their laughs reaching to the heavens. Phoenix and Maya walked side by side on the pavement, enjoying it all.

They talked of the most mundane things, most of which made them laugh so hard that they would have to stop their walking in order to catch their breaths. The backs of their hands brushed often, though they both refused to acknowledge it, Maya especially, who would blush and turn away.

"Nick! There's an ice cream stand over there!" said Maya, pointing somewhere to the right.

"Well, what do you want me to do about it?" He teased.

Maya huffed and stepped right in front of him, crossed her arms over her chest and stood on her tiptoes. She looked at him, her gaze determined, their faces inches away from each other. Her eyes went big and rounded. A little crinkle appeared on her chin and Phoenix knew he was done for. "Please buy me ice cream, Nick. Please?"

"Alright, alright, you silly goose!" He said, pinching her cheeks. "Of course I'll buy you ice cream. I'll be right back."

Moments later, Maya was happily licking at her strawberry ice cream cone. Phoenix had his own chocolate cone, though it was of a smaller size than Maya's. He deliberately held his cone in his left hand so that he could keep brushing his hand with hers as they continued to walk. She was telling a story about one of Pearl's antics back at Kurain Village when he carefully extended his pinky finger to brush her palm. She stuttered slightly, but brought out her own. Smiling, he slowly wrapped his fingers around hers, keeping his grip loose just in case she wanted to let go. They were both smiling now, and her grip tightened around his. She stepped closer to him, their shoulders bumping with every step they took.

They were like that for a while until Phoenix suggested they sat down on a bench. They'd long since finished eating their ice cream and were just eager to rest their feet while waiting for the sunset.

After all this time, his mind was still reeling with thoughts of her—her scent, her words, her smile. She's been smiling a lot lately. He'd like to take comfort in the fact that he was the one who made that happen. Phoenix watched the colors of the sun melt in her chocolate brown eyes.

It was quick and strong and came barging into him all at once, but it was something that he always knew was there. There was no contest when it came to her. She was the most important person in his life and, although the thought scared him a little bit, he knew that he would die protecting her.

Their joined hands were on the space between the two of them and Phoenix tried not to think of how giddy it made him feel. He twined his fingers with hers and brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. He saw her release a breath and her shoulders become lax.

"Nick, you're looking at me all funny," she remarks with a questioning eye. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Maya." He rubbed his free hand over the back of his neck.

"Hmm…" her lower lip jutted out and his gaze dropped briefly to look at it. "Now that I think about it, you've been acting really weird all day. Something's definitely up."

"What makes you think that?"

She gasped in horror, withdrawing her hand to put it over her open mouth. "Last night when I was drunk. I probably said something really stupid, didn't I? I probably told you I had some weird kink and now you think I'm some kind of psycho!"

"Maya, calm down! It's nothing like that!" He said, his hand closing into a fist, missing the heat of her skin. "Although… you did say something."

Maya's eyes widened. "What? What did I say?"

"I'm not telling you,"

"Niiiick!" She slapped his arm repeatedly. "That's not fair! Tell me!"

"Can I kiss you?"

Before either of them even noticed, he had caught her hand and cradled it gently in his. He leaned in, his face only inches away, their breaths mingling. Her eyes were wide with shock once again, and he could see himself reflected in them. Time had stopped. Sound had stopped. They were the only two people in the park—No, the world. Nothing else seemed to matter as he waited for her answer.

"I—what?" she asked, dumbfounded.

He tightened his grip on her hand, bringing it to the side of his face. "I said," he pressed his lips lightly on the inside of her wrist. "Can I kiss you?"

Maya looked a little dazed, and if it wasn't for the seriousness of the situation, he would have laughed. If only he knew long ago the effect he had on her.

Shocked, mouth slightly agape, she nodded slowly.

When Phoenix closed the distance between them, time suddenly began to un-pause. In fact, it seemed to propel its way back full force. It's as if time was moving very fast, and the rushing of his thoughts increased tenfold. Maya took in a sharp intake of breath, then lightly pressed her fingers on his cheek, stroking lightly. He smiled against the kiss. It's official, he managed to think. This woman owns me in every way possible.

The sun had already set when they pulled away, and the kids were beginning to go back to their homes. For Phoenix and Maya, though, the sunset wasn't a signal of something ending, but of something being born.

Maya swooned slightly and looked up at him through half-hooded eyes. "Um, you see, I've dreamt about this many times before, so I kinda need to make sure that this time is real, so…" Before Phoenix could even understand what she said, he was met with a solid punch to his face.

"OW!" He groaned loudly. "Holy crap! Jeez, Maya! You have a mean right hook!" He rubbed his nose, checking for any broken bones. Nothing was broken, thankfully, but he was still hissing in pain. "Ah! Is that proof enough for you?" He asked in a deadpanned voice.

Maya giggled and nodded happily. She had on the biggest smile that Phoenix had ever seen on her. "Yes. That's enough. You're definitely real." She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

Despite the pain, she still managed to make him smile. After a while, he began laughing. "This was supposed to be cheesy and romantic. You weren't supposed to punch me in the face."

"Sorryyyy!" she said, holding up a peace sign with her left hand. "I—it's just. I dream about this and… Ugh! This is embarrassing!"

He took in her flushed face, her gleaming eyes, and her beautiful smile. He shook his head. "Not blue."

"What?" She asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Not blue. That's what you told me last night."

For a few seconds, he was still met by her blank stare, but he laughed even harder as he saw realization dawn on her face.

"Oh my god!" She covered her face in her hands, shaking her head wildly. "Oh god, I remember now! Oh god oh god oh god. What was I thinking?"

He pried her hands away from her face. "If it's any consolation, I feel the same way."

He was met by her shocked expression. Then a dazzling smile slowly began to make its way back on her face. Phoenix thought of that smile and how it's all he ever wanted to see in his life. And he swore, right at that moment, that he would do anything to keep her smiling like that.

Maya laid a hand on his chest, right over his heart. Her fingers curled and flexed on his shirt as she worried her lower lip between her teeth, thinking. "Not blue… Um, Nick, I think you have to buy a new toothbrush."

His dreamy expression quickly turned to shock.

"Maya, not again!"

~Fin~

To those who made it to the end, I congratulate you! Honestly, I wasn't expecting it to be THIS long. I apologize to those who found Edgeworth a bit OOC, but I'm a total sucker for the whole "Edgeworth ships Narumayo" bandwagon. Oh well. Thank you once again and oh god, I should really be getting some sleep now.

Kudos to those who caught the Doctor Who reference! ;)