A/N: Thank you to everyone who is still reading and reviewing. Much love.
Maya stirred, roused from her fitful sleep by the feeling of someone sitting down on the edge of her bed. Opening her eyes slowly, she was greeted by the sight of her older sister, staring down at her intently.
"Oh good, you're awake." Mia said.
"Well I am now," Maya scowled, trying to burrow back under her blankets.
"No you don't," Mia warned, snatching the blankets swiftly and pulling them back, exposing her sister to the morning chill.
"Argh, its cold!" Maya complained. "Give a pregnant woman a break."
Finally giving up, Maya propped herself up on her elbows, continuing to scowl at her sister. Under different circumstances, Mia's appearance would have had her in fits of laughter. Pearls tiny pajamas were stretched to the limit over her sisters larger frame. The printed pink pajama top emblazoned with a sleepy yellow duck and the slogan "Quackers About Sleep" looked set to burst at the seams. But sadly, this morning was no laughing matter.
"What time is it?" Maya asked with a yawn, rubbing her eyes.
"Almost nine," Mia replied. "Why didn't Pearl channel me when you got back last night?" she added flatly, cutting to the chase.
Maya sighed, sitting up in bed and rubbing her hand over the back of her neck.
"Maya..." Mia warned, her tone somewhat terse when she realised her sister was avoiding her gaze. "Did you see him?"
Finally meeting Mia's fierce glare, Maya spoke.
"I did."
"And?"
"And... and he broke up with me, okay?"
Maya placed her head in her hands, a headache already starting to take hold. She knew that Mia was about to flip her lid and she really didn't want to deal with that right now on top of everything else.
Mia watched her sister as she cradled her head in her hands and sighed softly. Although what she wanted to do right now was jump up and down and scream all sorts of colourful profanities about her former protege, that wasn't going to help Maya at all, and she was hurting. It was time to be a big sister.
Maya looked up in surprise when Mia laid a gentle hand on her leg.
"What happened?" she asked softly, genuine concern marring her features.
Even just starting to verbalise the events of the night prior to someone else had tears welling up in Maya's eyes. She looked down, avoiding Mia's face again, watching as the first of what was going to be many tears to come rolled down her nose.
"I... I went to the office," she croaked. "He'd just got home from work... He... he wasn't happy to see me."
Mia took her sisters hand and gave it a squeeze, willing her to continue.
"We fought. I told him he wasn't being fair to me and he just kept going on and on about keeping me safe."
"Safe from what?" Mia asked, puzzled.
"I have no idea, sis." Maya shrugged. "He refuses to tell me anything."
Pausing before she continued, Maya sighed.
"I asked him if there was someone else and he completely denied it. He told me that he loved me and he'd only ever love me..." she trailed off, starting to cry. "But how can that be true, sis? How? He broke up with me! Why would he do that if he really loved me?"
Mia put her arms around her sister, enveloping her in a tight hug.
"Maya... I don't know. It doesn't make sense to me either. I feel like we're missing some crucial information here." Mia said with a frown. Phoenix had risked life and limb for her sister over and over. He loved her more than anything. This did not make sense at all.
"It doesn't matter." Maya sniffed into Mia's shoulder. "He doesn't want me."
"What did he say?" Mia asked, trying to piece the puzzle together.
Maya wiped her nose with the back of her hand.
"He thought I had been trying to get in contact with him so I could end things. He agreed with me that it was a good idea."
Mia frowned as Maya continued.
"I hope whoever she is, she's happy with herself!" Maya spat, still fixated on the idea that someone else had stolen Phoenix from her. "She'll never love him as much as I did!"
Mia squeezed Maya's shoulder as she began to cry openly again. None of this added up at all. She knew Phoenix... well, she thought she did anyway.
The pair were startled when Maya's phone began to vibrate on the nightstand.
Her hands shaking, Maya picked up the device. The caller ID blinked back at her.
'NICK'
With a sigh, she rejected the call. Immediately it began to ring again. Picking up the phone, she switched it off and hurled it across the room.
"I don't want to speak to him," she sad icily, responding to Mia's shocked expression. Mia gulped. Maya's pregnancy hormones certainly weren't helping with this situation. She was shifting between heartbroken and devastated and complete and utter fury at breakneck speeds.
"Did anything else happen?" Mia asked. "I don't get how you could go from 'I love you more than anything' to 'we should break up' in such a short amount of time."
"You don't get it..." Maya scoffed incredulously. "Try living it."
Rubbing her hand over her puffy face, Maya answered her sisters question.
"Nothing else happened. We fought, we had sex. He broke up with me."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a minute," Mia said, holding up her hands. "You missed out that middle part before. He had sex with you and then he dumped you?"
Maya hung her head. Her silence gave Mia all the answers she needed.
Mia clenched her fists to calm the rage bubbling up inside her. Closing her eyes, she took deep breaths in through her nose. She'd held it together for Maya's sake so far, even willing to give Phoenix the benefit of the doubt. But this... this was inexcusable. With a practiced calm that only an attorney of her caliber could muster, she opened her eyes again and smiled softly at Maya.
"C'mon Maya. Get some rest," she said, guiding her sister back down to her pillow. "I'll bring Pearl back for you and get her to bring you some breakfast."
Maya sniffed, nodding obediently.
Pulling the covers back over her, Mia smiled again.
"Don't you worry about a thing. We'll sort everything out one way or another," she finished, patting the covers.
"Sis..." Maya croaked as Mia stood and turned to leave the room. Mia turned around, heartbroken at the sight of her sisters grief.
"I... I can't do this alone..." Maya admitted, a tear rolling down her cheek.
"You won't," Mia soothed. "Pearl or I will always be here if you need us. If you ever need me Maya, for anything... I'll be here."
Maya nodded gratefully as she sank back into her pillow. Mia closed the door gently behind her as she headed back to Pearls room.
Sitting down on the single bed, Mia covered her face with her hands. She was beyond furious and felt utterly helpless. If she were still alive, she could fix this. At the very least, she could knock some sense into that spiky haired fool.
She sighed to herself, shaking her head. If she were still alive, Phoenix and Maya probably wouldn't have even got together in the first place.
But there had to be something she could do.
Scanning the room, she located a pen and some paper on Pearls desk. She'd better explain the situation gently to Pearl and leave further instructions.
Phoenix wasn't going to get away with this. He had some explaining to do.
Phoenix shivered against the cold as he stood before the grand main gate at Hazakura Temple. It didn't matter what time of year it was up in the mountains, it always seemed to be freezing. He hadn't been back here in years. Not since Andre had tried to kill Maya.
Maya.
He sighed sadly before gathering his resolve, bunching his fists at his sides. He was going to get her back and keep her safe from Kristoph. There had to be a way to do both.
He was snapped from his thoughts as a man bumped into him from behind. He turned to find an apologetic looking tourist with his hands raised.
"Sorry friend, I didn't see you there," the man said. "Too busy looking at my camera, he added with a chuckle, pointing to the expensive looking contraption hanging around his neck.
"No, really it's my fault." Phoenix assured him. "I shouldn't have stopped in the middle of the path."
The man nodded and continued on his way, his brightly coloured shirt still visible to Phoenix as he disappeared into the distance.
Looking around, Phoenix took in his surroundings. To his surprise, the place looked really busy. Loud shirt guy wasn't the only one here today. Tourists milled about, taking photos by the landmarks and reading brochures. This place had really done a complete one-eighty.
Making his way towards the main building, he hoped that all the mediums weren't booked out today so he'd be able to contact Mia as soon as possible.
The doors to the main hall were wide open, allowing tourists to come inside, the walls lined with artifacts and plaques and information about channeling.
Glancing at the exhibits as he made his way through the hall, he couldn't help but be drawn to the extra large photograph of the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique, displayed with a replica of her ceremonial headdress and a few scrolls. The photo had been taken at her induction on her twentieth birthday. He remembered the day well.
He wasn't sure how long he stood there, staring at her visage, but it was then that his truth became concrete. He'd thought he could live without her if it meant keeping her safe, but he was a fool. He needed Maya like he needed air. Even when they were apart, just knowing that she was thinking about him and that she missed him as much as he missed her made their distance bearable. But now, knowing that she wanted nothing to do with him, he felt empty. A piece of his heart was missing. He couldn't stop Kristoph without her support. She built him up. She made him strong, confident. He needed her to feel whole again.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" the voice beside him spoke.
"Yeah..." he breathed, still lost in his thoughts.
Turning to look at the source of the voice, he broke out in a wide grin when he recognized the pretty acolyte standing beside him.
"Iris!" he cried, wrapping the small woman up in a tight hug.
"Phoenix," she smiled, patting him on the back. "It's been so long."
"Years," he agreed, pulling back to look at her. He gave her shoulders a squeeze and dropped his hands to his sides. "You haven't changed a bit."
"You... have?" Iris noted with a small laugh. "You're a bit rougher around the edges than I remember, Phoenix. But I'd know those spikes anywhere."
At her mention of his signature hairstyle he laughed, ruffling the back of his spikes. He'd left his beanie at the office this morning, rushing out the door to get Trucy to the train on time.
"So what brings you to Hazakurain today?" Iris asked.
Looking back to Maya's portrait, he sighed. He was silent for a few moments loner before speaking.
"I need a medium."
Iris raised an eyebrow.
"I would have thought you already had one of those at your disposal."
Phoenix rubbed the back of his neck, grimacing slightly.
"Yeah... about that..." he trailed off. "Maya and I... we..."
Iris frowned compassionately.
"I need to speak to Mia," Phoenix finished.
Sensing that there were troubles she wasn't yet aware of, Iris turned Phoenix around and maneuvered him towards the channeling chambers.
"I think Jess is available," she said quickly as they crossed the hall. Being in charge of scheduling, Iris knew that Jess wasn't available at all, in fact, all of the mediums at the temple were fully booked this weekend. But she was about to cancel a few appointments and make an opening. If not for Phoenix and Maya, Hazakurain would not be as prosperous as it now was. She would do whatever it took to help.
"Wait in here," Iris instructed as she opened the door of one of the small channeling chambers. "I'll be back in a minute."
She closed the door behind her, leaving Phoenix alone in the dimly lit room. Candles lined the rear wall and the smell of incense filled his nostrils. Having witnessed many channelings before, he knew all this pageantry was nothing but pretense. A skilled medium could channel a spirit in a truck stop bathroom if she wanted to but no doubt the many tourists who visited Hazakura Temple enjoyed the ambience as part of the overall experience.
He sat down on one of the floor cushions and waited for Iris to return. Only a few minutes passed before she returned to the room with Mystic Jess in her wake.
"Mr Wright, it's a pleasure to see you again," Jess said politely as she settled herself across from him. Phoenix nodded in response. Iris offered Phoenix a mug of green tea, which he accepted with a small thanks. As she turned to leave, he called out to her.
"Iris... uh... you can stay, if you're not busy. In fact... you could probably help."
"Are you sure?" Iris asked, not wanting to intrude. Channelings were usually performed for very personal reasons.
Phoenix patted the cushion next to his, urging Iris to sit. She sat down as Phoenix turned his attention back to Mystic Jess, who had settled into her meditative stance.
"Who do you wish to contact today, Mr Wright?" Jess asked, eyes closed.
"Mia Fey," Phoenix said nervously, hoping to the gods that his plan was going to work.
As Jess meditated and sought out Mia's spirit, Phoenix leaned over to talk to Iris.
"Where's Sister Bikini today?" he whispered, still watching Jess for any sign of changes toher appearance.
"Sister Bikini and Mystic Althea are running Special Course meditation group today." Iris whispered in reply. "I'll tell Sister Bikini you were here."
"How's Althea?" Phoenix asked, unable to keep a small trace of contempt from his voice.
"She's a different person, Phoenix." Iris reassured him. "She has a great relationship with Sister Bikini now. They've really come a long way."
"I'm glad to hear that." Phoenix replied honestly. Sister Bikini deserved to be happy after everything she'd been through.
"Um, Mr Wright?" Jess questioned, placing her hands in her lap.
"What is it?" Phoenix asked. Jess frowned.
"For some reason, I can't seem to reach Mystic Mia."
"Has she been blocked?" Phoenix asked, slightly panicked, remembering the last time Maya had been unable to contact her sister. A spirit block had been placed on her, rendering her spirit unable to be channeled. But that seemed ludicrous. Who would do that now? And why?
"No, it's not that..." Jess said, concentrating again. "I think she's being channeled elsewhere."
"Oh, of course!" Phoenix sighed, berating himself for being so stupid. Pearl had likely channeled Mia to console Maya. Which also meant Mia probably thought he was lower than pond scum right now and would most likely not be willing to help him.
"Argh!" Phoenix groaned, racking his brain for ideas.
"Phoenix... What's going on?" Iris asked, concerned. He had said she may be able to help, after all.
Making the decision to leave out the part where he had stupidly broken up with Maya, he told Iris part of the truth.
"I'm trying to unravel the truth behind the case that took my badge," he began. "And it has me mixed up with some dangerous people. Even though I tried my absolute hardest to keep her a secret, one of these very dangerous people knows about Maya. I'm worried they'll try to hurt her to get to me."
Phoenix continued to explain the situation to Iris, recounting the conversations with Kristoph and the photographs being delivered to his office. Iris listened on intently, biting down on her lip with worry.
"But now I can't reach Mia, and I don't know what to do." Phoenix finished with an anxious sigh.
An idea began to form in Iris's mind. Phoenix probably wasn't going to like it, but it was worth a shot, especially if Mia wasn't an option.
"What about Misty?" Iris asked, watching Phoenix intently to gauge his reaction.
Phoenix frowned. So not a good idea, Iris.
"I don't see how she could help."
"Stay with me here," Iris began, willing Phoenix to listen as she elaborated. "I know that Misty used to perform a lot of political duties when she was Master. Surely she would have had bodyguards or police contacts or something like that - people who looked after her when she had to perform high profile channeling jobs. Maybe she can help you find someone to keep an eye on Maya while you sort out this Kristoph Gavin."
Phoenix blinked as he processed her idea.
"That's..." he started. "That's actually not a bad idea, Iris."
Iris smiled, pleased that she had been able to help.
Maybe that was the best plan for now. If someone could shadow Maya to ensure her safety he wouldn't have to worry so much about keeping his distance. They could work through their problems and he could still work on the Gramarye case knowing she would be looked after.
"Okay, lets do this. Jess, please channel Misty Fey for me." Phoenix affirmed with a nod.
He swallowed nervously as Jess's features began to shift, desperately hoping that mothers intuition was just a myth and not actually a real thing. Because if it was real, he was about to get an earful.
