Disclaimer: If I had owned Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, every murder mystery in the series would have been butchered by my writing skills.

A/N: I don't think I've exactly gotten the hang of writing Phoenix and Mia (even though Mia was pretty fun), so if there's any OOCness, please inform me so I could correct it. Also, this contains very little dialogue.

I think that ought to cover everything, so read on!

Unfading Memories

He shouldn't be so torn up over it. He shouldn't. And yet he couldn't help it.

Even as he raised a cup of hot chocolate to take a sip, he imagined a brunette opposite him doing the same in comfortable silence.

All it took was a blink to dispel that illusion.

He leaned back on the couch, his head down as he stared into the warm brown liquid. Closing his eyes, he breathed in the steam, letting the scent remind him of better days. He shouldn't be so torn up over this. And yet he could feel tears building up.

"An attorney should always smile in desperate times."

He gasped as he heard the familiar voice, and his drink was close to spilling from the cup due to his badly trembling hands. To hear her voice again, even if it was just his imagination…

One loss was painful enough, even with the many years that had passed by. The second one only tore at healing scars viciously.

Damn it. He should be smiling now, staying strong for Maya's sake, but it was impossible. He was just too weak today to follow Chief's timeless advice.

Before the trial in which he had been a defendant, this day was one of joy – an anniversary to be celebrated. But ever since Dol- Dahlia had been convicted, he regretted the day he fell into her trap, the day from which he put heart and soul into their relationship, only to realize that it was all just a lie and his efforts had never been reciprocated (after all, it wasn't Dahlia, was it?).

The first time after the trial that the day of his and Dahlia's first date came up, he broke. Alternating between anger and sorrow the whole day and thinking of 'what-ifs' and 'perhapses', it only came to a halt when Mia confronted him.

That night, he fell asleep on the couch after confessing everything to a silent Mia, feeling far better than he could remember (feeling empathy and support), and embarrassingly waking up the next day to the sight of Chief diligently working on her paperwork. She didn't scold him or in any way talk about the night before, but he felt embarrassed for disturbing her with his own problems. Even though she clearly stated it wasn't a disturbance at all.

Every anniversary from that day onwards, Mia was there for him, a cup of hot chocolate and a listening ear always available to him, no matter how much he protested against it. She had told him she would always be there, that she may not understand but she would try her best.

She wasn't here now.

While he remembered past events, his hot chocolate was turning cold, only a sip having been taken. He placed it back on the table, not feeling like drinking it.

"Why?" He muttered aloud, not expecting an answer. The question applied to everything that had happened, everything which by a turn of fate always ended up for the worse.

He had been able to ease raging feelings when he had Mia's company, but now it was painful. He knew Maya could channel her elder sister, but that couldn't change the permanence of death. The world of the living and that of the dead were separated by a large margin, and channeling was only a temporary meeting.

He was supposed to keep smiling, but it didn't seem so easy now. As he blinked quickly, trying to erase the blurriness in his eyes, a tear trailed down his cheek.

Maybe he would regret this tomorrow, being so weak when there were people who needed him, but right now he needed this.

Burying his face in his hands, he gave in to his emotions and let himself break like he had all those years ago. Muffled sobs filled the room, and Phoenix was glad Maya wasn't there to see him like this. He wanted to appear strong for her, and it seemed like Maya was doing the same, for the girl always had a smile on her face, even if her gaze was distant and far away.

So far, he had always managed to remember Mia with a smile rather than tears. But with all of this combined, he couldn't help it; there was a lot wrong with this day that he couldn't explain. It was almost cruel of the world; just when he thought he was healing from the events of Dahlia's trial, he was shown he was wrong, having to go through all of the heartbreak again.

For one of the rare times in his life, Phoenix Wright cried himself to exhaustion and sleep.

She took soft steps as she walked across the room to her sleeping protégé – not that it mattered, her being unable to affect the physical world, but it was impossible to keep her habits at bay. In the past, when Phoenix slept here after a tiring day, she would take care not to wake him up as he worked; Phoenix only fell asleep at the office when he was mentally and physically exhausted.

And now he was both.

Those who passed on were not supposed to interact with the living unless channeled, but Mia Fey had never been one to break her promises.

When she came close enough to the spiky-haired lawyer, she reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. It may not have been much, but it was all she could do. She swore she felt a tension in the room ebb away, and Phoenix's breathing even out.

She couldn't stay here for too long; her time had finished long ago. "Phoenix, I will always be here," she murmured, hoping he could hear her.

As the moonlight grew brighter and chased away the darkness of the room, Mia vanished, leaving nothing but the scent of lavender in the air.

That night, Phoenix dreamed of bright colors and a familiar fragrance. He saw sunflower fields all around him in bright day, and turning around, he saw Chief who had smiled and nodded at him, somehow freeing a huge weight from his heart.

When he woke up, he would forget all of those, only remembering a sense of peace from his dream that carried over to the next day. Maybe his painful memories would never fade away, but deep inside, he knew Mia would always be there to help him through it all.

*FIN*

A/N: The sunflower thing is a reference to the second opening of the Phoenix Wright anime (Jinsei wa Subarashii by Johnny's West). I think the fandom needs a lot more of stuff centered on Mia and Phoenix, and like it's said – if you can't find it, then write it. Hope you enjoyed!