Maya examined herself in the mirror. She was no seductress. Why did she even bother taking her pill every night? It had been months since she had finally confessed to Nick the feelings she had for him or more correctly he had confessed his feelings to her after she had planted a big smooch on his lips. She had thought that maybe now that they were officially "an item" he'd make a move, but Nick was ever the gentleman, sleeping by her side night after night merely kissing her goodnight and good morning as if he had no physical desires whatsoever.

Surely he had those thoughts and feelings.

"I mean I have them all the time and I'm a woman. He's a guy. He's supposed to be obsessed or something." Maya worried maybe he didn't really love her. Maybe he was still confused and he was just saying he loved her so as not to hurt her feelings. Or maybe she just wasn't attractive enough. Maya knew she lacked grace and poise. She was goofy and she lacked the sophistication of many other women. Imagining her trying to entice Nick to make love to her was laughable. He probably would laugh at her, not in a mean way, but with that chuckle he used when he thought Maya was proposing they do something silly.

She sighed. Why did things have to change? Her and Nick were best friends, partners in everything, and, finally officially boyfriend and girlfriend, but it seemed to Maya that this one last hurdle remained for them. She wished life could be more like TV. In the Steel Samurai the lovers embraced, kissed passionately, the princess melted and then the world faded to black until the lovers were revisited the next morning happy and satisfied.

"Too bad it never fades to black in the real world," Maya pouted to herself. Nick and her had the perfect relationship, why oh, why did sex have to come and mess it up? But still it crept into her thoughts constantly, much worse than ever before. She was convinced that Nick would never complain if things stayed the way they were. He either loved her in spite of the lack of "action" or he really didn't feel the way he said he did. It was so confusing. After years of flirting why hadn't they done more after they confessed their love for one another?

Maya thought maybe they should talk about it, but that seemed like it would be painfully embarrassing for both of them and definitely not a turn on.

"It's going to have to be me," thought Maya. "Nick's had to wait so long for me he'll never make the first move." It was true. Phoenix appeared to have totally shut that portion of his brain off as a defense mechanism to being attracted to his much younger assistant.

Maya squared her shoulders.

"Maya, next time you feel the urge go for it…ah, who am I kidding I want him all the time…" She thought about how often during the day she could just succumb if only he'd make the move. She even dreamt about it at night now.

"I could just tell him, but then he's not going to believe me," She could imagine his voice gently telling her that she didn't need to do this for him.

"He always thinks I'm worried about him. Like it's all about me worrying I'm not pleasing him. Poo! Doesn't he realize I have needs too."? Maya felt confident that needing to make love to her boyfriend was a perfectly normal and healthy desire. It wasn't like they'd just met each other or something. Their devotion to one another had been proved many times over during their years of friendship. Maya had liked Nick from the moment they met. He proved himself such a faithful friend to the memory of her sister, Mia, and to the truth. She trusted him wholeheartedly, in a way she trusted no one else in the whole world. She blushed thinking of how she had basically invited herself to move in with him after her sister's death. Anyone else would have thought she was insane, but after a short debate Nick had welcomed her into his world with open arms.

Together they seemed capable of overcoming anything. In the courtroom, Maya gave Phoenix the confidence to push harder against all kinds of crazy circumstances and at home they gave each other companionship and support. She wasn't sure when their mutual crush had really started, but one day she couldn't contain all the passion in her heart any longer and she'd kissed him. She wished this could be like that but this was a little more challenging…

"So, I can't tell him. I've just got to show him I'm ready. I've got to do this, not him." But Maya feared that never having made love before she would be awkward at initiating it. She was beginning to envy those people who did just jump in the sack on the first date. It almost seemed less awkward that way. This whole business of ignoring desires for so long made it really hard to actually do something later on down the road. Not that she would have changed anything. She and Nick were happy and a part of her worried that any change would make things worse. Yet she knew change was coming. She would have to leave him soon and she didn't know how to tell him.

"We're in love. We're ready, both of us. Finally. When you feel the impulse, just go with it and see what happens."

That afternoon Nick came in from running some paperwork over to the courthouse with a bag of burgers and a DVD.

"Maya? I got burgers."

"Hey, Nick! How'd it go?"

"OK, but I could have been here hours ago if they had more than one clerk working… I hate these stupid budget cuts."

Maya leaned over the bag to inhale the scent of her favorite food. Nick really did spoil her something rotten.

"Of course, the prosecutors don't have to wait. They just get to stroll on up to the desk. I'm thinking of filing an official grievance- I mean they stole hours away from me I could have spent here with you." Maya smiled. He was so perfect, so dreamy. Maybe after her burger…

"And how was your day?"

Maya shrugged. She didn't want to talk about all the calls from Kurain that she got daily asking her when she would be returning to complete her training and when she was going to break off her disgraceful relationship with "that spiky-haired lawyer".

Nick opened the fridge to get ketchup and she came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. She pressed herself into him and felt herself arching her back due to the aching between her legs.

"Definitely, after the burger." She told herself. "Today is the day."

Phoenix turned around with the bottle of ketchup in his hand.

"Maya, is something wrong?" He said studying her. She shook her head, but he seemed unconvinced. "We could go out tonight if you want. I rented a movie, but that doesn't matter. If you want to go out we can."

Going out was the last thing on Maya's mind. She was picturing undressing him and feeling his naked body pressing against hers, his flesh rubbing against hers. She saw herself whispering in his ear how much she loved him and the words sending shivers down him. No, she didn't want to go out. She just wanted to be home with Nick and for the rest of the world to go away.

"You sure you're ok?" Nick's eyebrows were pinched together in a look of pondering. Then he seemed to think he had struck upon the problem. "I should have brought you with me. I'm sorry. I never thought it would take so long. You probably haven't even had lunch."

Maya sighed. This was hopeless. She didn't know how to make a "come on" look and Nick was right she was starving.

"Yeah, I'm just really hungry. Thanks for the burgers," she said and settled on the couch. He came and snuggled up next to her and she reminded herself that spending a quiet evening at home watching TV with Nick was one of her favorite things to do. So, what was happening to her? Didn't she value this anymore?

That night Maya couldn't sleep. She was ashamed of herself. She had told herself that today would be the day and she'd blown it. Again. And what's more she hadn't really gotten to enjoy the evening because she had been disappointed in herself. So, here she was lying next to Nick in bed as he slept like a log.

"Maybe he actually doesn't want to? Surely he does. I mean he loves me and he's a guy, right? I must just be going about this wrong."

Maya considered getting him drunk. Nick drunk was pretty funny. She'd only seen it a couple times, but alcohol definitely loosened him up, but somehow the thought seemed to her to cheapen the special relationship they had.

"He shouldn't have to be drunk to be with me. Even if it would be hilarious to see him really sloshed."

Maya decided she just needed to be patient a little longer. It would happen.

A couple of days later, Phoenix and Maya had an exhilarating day in the courtroom and by the time they got home after celebratory hamburgers it was already dark. Nick flopped on the couch and Maya threw herself next to him.

"What a day! I'm exhausted!" Nick lamented.

"Did you see the look on Payne's face when you pulled out the fingerprint analysis? That was priceless!"

"I know, what was he thinking that I wouldn't figure out those were the victim's print's?" Nick chuckled. "Really how incompetent do they think we are?"

"More like how incompetent is our police department?"

"No kidding! Poor Gumshoe, he might get put back on the beat for this one."

"I hope not. It really wasn't his fault. You don't really think they'll demote him do you?"

"Aw, Maya, don't worry. I was just kidding. With all the things he's gotten away with over the years they won't can him over this."

"Oh, good." Said Maya with relief.

Maya lay there thinking about the day and the courtroom antics and how Phoenix had managed to win yet another impossibly twisted case. "You were great."

"Thanks," said Nick dismissively.

"No, I really mean it. Ace Attorney Phoenix Wright at his best! I thought the judge was going to fall off his bench when you got Ms. Yakkle to admit she faked the whole thing!"

"Well, if you hadn't gotten me that hair sample…"

"You know I almost didn't make it in time. The elevator wasn't working. So I had to run up the stairs."

"No wonder you were out of breath."

"Yeah, well I knew you really needed it".

"We're a great team," Nick said wrapping his arm around her.

Maya crawled over to him and kissed him and as they kissed she felt that all too familiar desire welling in her and Nick pulled back like he always did. Normally at this point Maya would have continued talking about the day's antics or suggested that they tune in to the Steel Samurai rerun, but instead Maya got a dreamy expression on her face and before Phoenix knew what hit him she had climbed in his lap and was wildly kissing him and untucking his shirt.

Nick was trying to say something, but Maya was keeping his mouth busy kissing him. She unbuttoned his shirt and then her hands started roaming around all over his chest and settled on undoing his belt.

"Maya? What are you doing? I would swear you're trying to get me naked."

"You love me right?"

Phoenix tipped his head slightly and nodded. What was she going to do?

Maya just smiled. "Good."

She pulled her blouse off over her head and unclipped her bra and threw it to the floor and pressed her chest against his as she kissed him.

Nick wasn't protesting, but he wasn't helping either. Maya started kissing his neck and kissing his chest and he closed his eyes. Nick wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. She pulled his pants and underpants off and she sat there kissing him, being held by him and she knew he was starting to give in. She pulled off the rest of her clothes and went to sit on him pulling him into her as she went.

His eyes got big, but he didn't say anything just took a deep breath. Maya raised and lowered herself on him and he moaned. It felt really good. She leaned her head back and she felt his lips on her chest ever so gently kissing her.

"I love you, Maya."

She looked at him and smiled and then kissed him again. He picked her up and laid her on the couch and got on top of her kissing her neck and breasts. He slid into her again and she sighed.

She had expected making love to be short and sweet like a tasty dessert, but instead she found, at least for them it stretched on and on like a 7 course meal with each different position bringing new found delights. She couldn't believe some of the sounds that were coming out of her. She just couldn't stop herself and she was SO glad she didn't have to. Not anymore. They would never have to restrain themselves again.

She realized she had been foolish to think that Nick might not want this as much as she did. He gazed into her eyes as she drifted between levels of consciousness. Her body was tingling and waves of sensations were radiating up her. Every time she thought she couldn't possibly feel any better he'd press on another spot that made her quiver.

When she'd open her eyes she'd see him alternating between looking serious as he worked at making her feel good to grinning at her with a look of adoration on his face.

Afterwards she drifted off to sleep. She woke up sometime later sprawled out on top of him and for the briefest moment thought she must still be dreaming. She turned her head to look at him as he slept. She couldn't imagine life without him. He was all she wanted.

"Nick? Nick, you awake?"

Phoenix's eyes opened drowsily. "Mmmmhhhmm."

Resting her chin on his bare chest she asked, "Are you still my friend?"

He looked down at her big eyes and laughed, "The best."

"Still want to be my boyfriend?"

"Most definitely," he said kissing her on the top of her head.

"Good."

Nick pulled her up so their faces were just inches apart. "Maya, I love you."

"I love you, too, Nick."

They were both smiling sleepily, but Maya's eyes lingered on his body and she said, "We have some ramen right?"

Nick nodded his head. "Yeah, why?"

"Good. We're eating in tonight" And she shimmied her way down his body kissing him as she went.

"Maya!" he said as she placed her lips on his most intimate area.

"You've been driving me crazy!" she giggled.

"I find that very difficult to believe," he said squirming as she kissed and licked at him.

"Oh, it's been just awful."

"I'm so sure…"

Maya looked at him and saw that he was as red as a tomato.

"Nick, don't be embarrassed. I love you," she said sweetly.

He shook his head. "I was just thinking that I'm not sure this is what Mia meant when she said we should take care of each other." Maya hugged him and rested her head under his chin.

"Well, maybe it's not exactly what she had in mind, but she knows we love each other. I know she does."

Maya and Nick spent the next day at home hanging out like they always had, but with several bouts of passionate naughtiness thrown in. Phoenix didn't bother answering the phone and just spent the day attending to Maya.

Lying in bed together. Maya started crying.

Nick was startled and sat up and put his arms around her.

"Maya, what's wrong sweetie?"

"I have to go back to Kurain."

"I know."

They lay there quietly holding one another.

"Promise me you'll come visit."

"I will."

"Nick, I promise as long as you want me I'm yours and as soon as Pearls can take over leadership at Kurain I'll be back here with you."

They both knew that wouldn't be for years, but all Phoenix said was, "I'm yours."

"I'm sorry," she said. It didn't seem very fair that as soon as they were really together the world should pull them apart.

"I'm not." Nick said.

It seemed it no longer mattered where she went or how long they were parted they were devoted to one another and for better or for worse would be for their whole lives.

She snuggled her head into his chest and for the briefest moments a sorrow passed over her a mourning for this wonderful weekend that she wished could have lasted forever, but then she decided it was better to simply make the most of the time they had together.

She reached her hand down between his legs and started to stroke him. "Maya! Really?! Don't you want to watch TV or something?"

"You can't be telling me you're tired." She giggled.

"No, I can't tell you, because you wouldn't listen to me if I did."

"That's right! I don't listen to what you say. I know better. I know you're much to shy to admit what you want."

Nick smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Maya, I have exactly what I want."