Not expecting this to be hugely successful, but I finally had another vaguely not overdone idea for a Phoenix/Maya fic. I've really missed writing these, but have been dry out of ideas for about a year now. Not 100% sure where I'm going with this so watch this space for next chapter if you actually take the time to read the first one. Any reviews or feedback are hugely appreciated!

The visit

Chapter one

I step off the bus, luggage in hand and run my fingers through my sweat covered hair. It's surprisingly warm for the mountains. My back is also covered in sweat from the plastic bus chair it's been pressed again for the last half an hour and I have a horrible feeling there are patches on my underarms. I make a note not to raise my arms when I see her. I'll maybe smile...and wave? Keep it casual and calm. Perhaps a hug is in order after all this time? It has been four years since I last saw her. I will not kiss her on the cheek. That is far too easily misconstrued as I-still-think-about-you-all-the-time which I definitely don't...

My bag's heavy and the strap chafes my fingers as I grip it. It's only a short two minute walk from the bus station to the village, but that gives me plenty more time to develop more obvious sweat patches and wonder why the hell I'm here.

The letter came about a week ago. Maya Fey hadn't spoken to me in four years and out of the blue she writes to me, invites me up to Kurain and is seriously sketchy about her motives for having me here. But I come anyway. For all she knows I'm married now, or I could have kids.

Wait, scratch that, she knows I have kids...well, a kid. She met Trucy before we broke up. Heck, Trucy's the reason we broke up.

I hate that. It sounds so accusatory, like I resent Trucy for it. I don't remotely and I fully understand why Maya had to leave, but I'm utterly baffled as to why after all this time she'd randomly request that I come up and see her.

Reaching the village I turn a corner and I see a familiar site I haven't seen in a long while. In the distance two figures are approaching me. I recognise them almost instantly as Maya and Pearl as they get a little closer. Pearl runs ahead, looking far taller than when I last saw her and hugs me. A little way behind her, Maya makes my decision for me and goes in for the hug too. I blush slightly, taken aback for some reason and wait for one of us to say something. Pearl rises to the occasion.

"Mr. Nick, you're here. It's been ages!"

It feels strange hearing her call me "Mr. Nick" at the age of thirteen – like I'm her teacher or something.

"It has. You're so tall now. It's so weird to see you both." I make a short glance at Maya who's hanging back a little, clearly okay to let Pearl do most of the talking. Pearl smiles, possibly unaware of the tension and pulls on my arm.

"Come on, come inside, you must be boiling and you probably want a shower." she says, glancing at my underarms.

I narrow roll my eyes. Pearl clearly did not learn tact in the last four years.

It is thoroughly bizarre as we make our way through the main hall and towards some kind of sitting area. Pearl does her best to keep chatting happily, but Maya's silence is so distracting that it's difficult to focus on what I'm supposed to be saying. It's wonderful to see them both, but why invite me here if you're going to basically ignore me and have your cousin do all the work?

Suddenly it occurs to me that perhaps Pearl is the reason I am here. Perhaps she missed me and bothered Maya so constantly about it that she gave up and invited me...the question still remains – why not mention this in the letter?

It's not as though that would have been difficult – in fact, it would have seemed far less suspicious.

"Dear Nick, Pearly really misses you and after all this time she still wants to see you. I'm indifferent, but as I said, come up and we'll make a weekend out of it. Thanks, Maya."

See. It would have been simple and far less likely to fill me with false hope, which I'm whole-heartedly ignoring.

I'm oddly relieved as we reach some floor cushions and there are two or three people sitting around. Two male acolytes are reading and a frail, elderly lady who I assume is one of the Kurain Elders is staring into the distance, possible meditating. I smile slightly at them and Maya finally speaks.

"This is Elder Helen, Nick. Helen, meet Nick."

I go to shake her hand, but think better of it and bow. She nods curtly and goes back to staring forward. Maya turns to the two male acolytes and introduces them.

"This is mystic Walter." he's the acolyte on the left. He has a pale, pleasant face equipped with brown eyes and a chin dimple. "And here on the right we have Mystic Gerald." his face was far more pointed and unfriendly, but that may be down to his expression. I am not greeted with the same smile that Walter graced me with and I raise my eyebrows before nodding and offering them my hand.

"This is Nick...who I used to work with." She says, sounding a little on edge.

'Used to work with'? ouch. How about 'This is Nick who I used to work with, love and be in a relationship with. He's great."

"Hi, nice to meet you." Walter says.

"Yeah, same." mutters Gerald insincerely, not taking his eyes of the book he's reading.

Clearly Gerald isn't a fan of mine, but I'm not about to get het up wondering why when I have so many other, more pressing questions.

I look around and realise with some relief there's no room for us to sit down. Maya nudges my arm and looks toward the door – the first piece of direct, none obligatory contact she's given me since I've arrived. "Should show you to your room I suppose. You can drop off your bags then. They look heavy."

I nod, "They are." there's relief in my voice. Perhaps if we're alone she'll stop acting so strangely?

"Pearl, why don't you show...Nick to his room? Didn't you want a chat with Maya anyway, Walter?" Gerald says, now choosing to look up from his book.

"I...err." is Maya's ineloquent response.

Walter shrugs, "It's nothing pressing."

"It's fine." pipes up Pearl, I'll take Mr. Nick to his room and you can talk to Maya. Come on." she grabs my arms and pulls me away before I have a chance to protest, almost missing the unfriendly look Gerald throws my way as we leave.