So, here it is. The climax of the story. Theres one more chapter left, but it's more of an epilogue than anything else. I realized that I actually am happy with the way this story's turned out... you can't write romance without a little fluff. That's why my next story will be much more humorous, with only small doses of romance. I am literally ITCHING to finish this story so that I can write it.

Recommended listening while reading this chapter: Here there and Everywhere by the Beatles, and We All Need Saving by Jon Mclaughlin. Such pretty songs!


"When one is at his lowest, there is nowhere to go but up."

Maybe I took that sentiment a little too literally.

Maya followed me reluctantly up the apartment complex stairs. I didn't tell her where we were going, but she had to have known-- there's only one place the stairs of a building will lead to, if one goes as far as he can. I'd only ever been on the roof once, but I was drawn to the idea of taking her there.

I held a book tightly to my chest-- the book I had put together for Maya, of course. That was what I wanted to show her in the first place.

One final attempt. It was desperate, but so was I.

I opened the door for her, and we stepped outside. The wind whirled around us, tousling her hair, but she wasn't fazed.

The roof was desolate-- a wide open space with absolutely nothing to block our view of the sky. We walked silently, somberly, towards the edge of the building, and peered over the ledge.

It was beautifully quiet.

"It's so calm down there," she said curiously, looking down. Her shoulder brushed against mine as she leaned forward, getting a better view of the street.

I said nothing, only smiling a little at the way she lit up for a few seconds.

"It's so pretty... from far away," she mentioned quietly.

I laughed a little. "You couldn't be more right about that."

The sky was practically purple that night. Though many lights were still on throughout the city, I could clearly make out clusters of stars, and the moon that illuminated Maya's face as she gazed outward.

"See, it's really rare to get a sky this beautiful during this time of year," I clarified, somehow feeling like the view itself was not an adequate excuse for taking her up there. "Usually the sky is murky with clouds. And you practically never see stars in the city... all the lights are too bright."

"Well, good thing you switched off the lights in the apartment before we left, huh?" she joked.

"Yeah."

We made small talk for a few minutes until neither of us could find the right words. We stood in silence for some time.

"... Is that all you wanted me to see?" Maya said out of the blue.

"Only part of it," I cleared my throat nervously, accepting the fact that she was going to ask that question sooner or later. "I actually have something I want to give to you."

By now, Maya had noticed the monstrous book I held behind my back. I'm not sure why I tried to hide it in the first place. She pointed to it, and asked, "Is that it?"

I brought the scrapbook forward, handing it to her carefully. "It's for you."

She took it in her hands as if she were receiving a sacred scripture. "Thank you so much!" She gave the book one look, then glanced back up at me, puzzled. "I'm so sorry, but... what exactly is it?"

I gestured for her to open it. Opening the cover page, her eyes widened. She studied each picture on the first page carefully, the fingers of her free hand laying on top of each one-- trying to get her memories back by some sort of photographic osmosis. She turned the page slowly, focusing on the second page just as intently.

"For your birthday just a few weeks ago... I made it for you," I finally spoke. "It's a scrapbook of just some of the memories we've had together. We were going to finish it together as time went on."

"That is too sweet... you did all this for me? It looks so nice."

"Well, I was an art student in college," I remarked, then suddenly wished I hadn't said it. You idiot-- being able to paint has nothing to do with being able to scrapbook...

Maya smiled, then looked down again to study the pages before her. Her face became lost in the tangles of her hair. I tried to see if I could catch a glimpse of her face as she scanned the pages. She caught me off-guard when she exclaimed, "Oh, my gosh!"

"Huh!?" I snapped out of the daze I was lost in. "What is it?"

A little more softly; "Phoenix... "

Is it you, Maya?!

This was it. She knew who I was. She remembered me. My heart was pounding. I took a step closer to her. "Maya?! What is it?"

Her bottom lip quivered. Her eyes narrowed, "You did all this for me?"

My heart skipped a beat before I realized what she had actually said, and then my heart sank. She didn't have a revelation... she just saw the last page of the scrapbook. The page on which I awkwardly confessed my love via a note on a napkin.

"Yeah... I mean, we're best friends and all," I half-sighed.

Maya blinked a few times, her eyes glistening with tears.

Damn it, she's crying-- NOT what I had in mind!

I pleaded, "Don't cry! I just wanted to give the book to you... y'know, so you'd always remember me..."

"Remember me?" Couldn't have picked a worse time to use those words...

"Sorry," Maya whispered, taking a deep breath. "I really wish I could." She shut the book, clinging to it like a security blanket. The look in her eyes was distant, but warm.

"No, I'm sorry," I said, humiliated.

"No, I'm sorry about crying. I just hate that I'm ending something that should have been... perfect."

She realized what she had just said, and gave me half a smile as she finally looked into my eyes. "Sorry, that sounded so contrived."

"Don't worry about it," I smiled back. "But, you know, we can still spend time together, if you'd like. It doesn't have to 'end', necessarily. You can visit whenever you want to."

"I'd feel awful making you relive this stuff."

"It'd be... like a new chapter. Accept everything that happened, but move on. We can become friends again."

We probably can't be a couple.

Maya brushed the hair away from her eyes as she accepted my offer. "I'd like that."

Ready to end the uncomfortable situation, I held out my hand to her, ready to shake on it. "So... we're good, as friends?"

"Of course, Phoenix," she said, taking my hand.

"Hey, you can call me Nick."

"Oh!" Maya smiled, really smiled, for the first time that night. "All right, Nick."

We shook hands in agreement, our fingers lingering around each other's longer than they should have. It didn't feel right, but it was better than nothing.

"What a night, huh?" I asked rhetorically.

I couldn't believe it would be over, in a matter of minutes... the last time I would say goodnight, the last time I would turn out her light, the last time I would wander into my bedroom wondering how I would ever gather the courage to tell the girl I was in love with her.

"I'm glad we spent our last night together like this, though," I mentioned as an after thought.

She agreed, nodding silently. She looked down, and back at me. "Phoe-- er, Nick... it was so thoughtful of you to do all this for me. You're a good friend, you know that?"

"It's the least I could do," I insisted with a grin, though that word she uttered-- friend --did sting a little.

Maya's eyes met mine, and matched my expression of happiness. Her mouth curved upward, revealing the tiniest smile.

I took her hands in mine once again, this time with a little more affection.

Suddenly, her facial expression snapped from blissful to bewildered. I, oblivious to her feelings, finished my sentence: "I love you."

She looked away, blinking quickly to hide any signs of wetness in her eyes. I'd made a big mistake there. Unaware of that fact, I kept talking. "Don't be sad," I whispered, taking a step closer to her, "You have a whole new life ahead of you..."

I thought about this for a moment. A whole new life ahead of her... one that wouldn't include my daily presence. I bit my lip and blinked a few times, clearly trying to hide the moistness welling up in my eyes.

I mentioned softly, "You still don't have to leave, you know..."

Maya brought a hand to her face, rubbing wetness away from her eye. In a voice so quiet, I had to lean into her cheek to hear it, she whispered, "I couldn't do that to you."

Without a moment's pause, I took her in my arms, guarding her from the wind-- and, less obviously, guarding her from the tears that were bound to come. I stroked her hair instinctively. "Don't cry," I said.

As soon as I said it, she emitted a silent sob. Moments later, I felt a tear roll down my cheek. I told myself I wouldn't cry, and yet, there I was-- there we were... crying on each other's shoulders.

After a few minutes, Maya looked up at me, her eyes wide and red.

She sniffled sarcastically, "Don't cry, huh?"

We had both cried so much in the past few days, it was only expected. A grown man on the verge of tears for two weeks straight... through the few tears in my eyes, I actually laughed at the irony. She didn't.

"I should get ready for bed..." Maya finally explained, lifting her head from the crook of my shoulder. When I didn't respond, she asked, "Or do you want me to stay with you out here for awhile?"

I looked out at the view, then at Maya. Tangled strands of her hair whirled around her face as the wind blew through them. Her eyes, though dark with exhaustion, sparkled with concern for my well-being.

It only makes sense that it was that moment that I noticed just how achingly beautiful she was.

Of course I wanted her to stay. I told her, however, to go get her things ready-- I'd meet her back inside in a few minutes. Looking back out at the skyline, I heard the sound of her footsteps gradually cease to exist.

I wasn't crying anymore. I couldn't. If I ever had a chance of becoming close to Maya again, I had to stop crying over the past.

Perhaps she and I were never meant to be together. Maybe the timing wasn't right. Maybe she was too young. Maybe I was too immature. Maybe if she hadn't lost her memory, I would have proposed to her and she would have rejected me. Maybe we would have stopped being friends altogether.

But there would always be that thought lingering in the back of my mind that, maybe, she would have said yes.

Maybe I would never find someone else who could make me feel the way I did at that very moment-- willing to risk the world for her.

I really would.

I looked back out towards the city below where I stood. It looked so pretty from where I was... but Maya was right when she said the beauty fades once a person take a closer look. It isn't really a friendly place. Too many people are hurt, too many hearts are broken, and too many innocents are left estranged. Staring at the sidewalk down which she and I used to chase each other, I felt more than a little disenchanted.

The next day, she would be walking down that sidewalk on her way to the train station, and I wouldn't be able to chase after her.

I sighed, turning away from the disheartening scene below and making my way towards the stairs back down to our apartment.

Maybe I should kiss her goodnight. On the cheek, of course. I entertained the thought as I shuffled down the stairs, but rid it from my brain as soon as I stepped into my living room.

She was probably sleeping by then, anyway.

I'll just make myself a cup of coffee, and--

"Help!"

I thought I heard someone calling from my room. I called out, "What?!"

A little more desperately, "Help!"

That was Maya's voice.

I swiveled around, sliding through the hallway to my room, where I heard her calling...

Something had broken. Shards of glass covered the wood floor in front of my closet. It looked like the remains of an old lamp I forgot even existed. Or maybe it was the mirror that I had put in there after I got tired of seeing the reflection of a miserable middle-aged guy every time I looked into it. Either way, the pieces of glass were big enough to be used as blades.

The second thing I noticed about the scene: there was Maya, her knees on the ground, trying to pick up the pieces.

"What are you doing?!" I rushed into the room, dropping to the floor. For half a second, I was almost agitated.

"I'm sorry!" Maya pleaded, looking shamefully down at the broken fragment she held in her hands. "I was just trying to..."

She took a deep, slow breath. Silence.

"...Trying to what?" I asked, a little more gently.

She exhaled, "I'm feeling kind of dizzy."

She did look a little pale. I dropped whatever frustration I had, suddenly concerned. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine. I just need to..."

She didn't finish her sentence. I waited for a moment. She was shaking.

"Here, let me clean this up," I muttered absent-mindedly, grabbing glass out of her hands. "You need to what, now?"

From underneath her thick bangs, I saw something. Something I never wanted to see out of her again. Thick, deep red, and trailing down her face slowly... blood.

"I need to lie down," she finally finished, fear seeping through her lips. She picked up another piece of glass anyway.

"Maya, you're bleeding," I uttered loudly, half-panicking. "Put that thing down."

She put the piece of glass back with the others.

"Can you stand up?" I said, standing up myself. She looked up at me pathetically, and I had no other choice but to lift her from under her arms, bringing her upright. I led her around the glass, and sat her down on my bed. Before I could tell her to, she had reclined. "Alright, just stay there. Ah, damn it..."

The last thing I needed was another Maya tragedy.

I raced into the kitchen, taking the towel I had used for her bandage and running it under cold water. I took the rest of the kit back with me into my bedroom.

I rushed back in, sitting at the edge of the bed. Hurriedly, I combed my fingers through Maya's hair, trying to locate the actual wound. It was towards the front of her head, the hair surrounding it sticky and damp. I used the towel as a compress, and pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"How's that feel?" I said after a minute or so.

She was petrified, still shaking. And her half-hearted smile was distorted by the fact that her bottom lip trembled uncontrollably. Who could blame her? She almost died once by head injury...

"Hell, I'm not a doctor. I'm taking you to the hospital," I announced.

"Please don't," she insisted quietly. "I don't need to go back! I just need... to sit here for awhile..."

I wasn't so sure. I lifted the compress a little-- at the very least, the wound wasn't gushing anymore. Maybe she was right. I flipped the compress over to the clean side, and pressed down again firmly.

I didn't realize until then, when I sat still, how quickly my heart was pounding. I really became anxious, for that short frame of time...

I joked softly, "Maya, how many times are you going to scare me half to death like this? Because it's already happened twice; you'd think I'd be dead by now."

A tear rolled down her cheek. She was shaking so violently...

"Uh... I was joking. Don't get worked up over it. You're gonna be okay."

"It's not that," she whimpered.

"Is it the fact that you broke something? Don't worry about that, either. I don't have the slightest clue what it even is that you broke..."

"No..."

"What's wrong, then?"

Maya sniffled, "Now there's something else wrong..."

"What could possibly be wrong now?"

Maya glanced out her window, then back up at me. "Can I just compose myself first?"

"Sure," I replied, standing up. "I'll be right back. You need a little tea... or something."

Maya didn't need tea. I needed an excuse to leave the room before I fainted.

I dipped the teabag into the water, waiting by the stove. I poured one cup of cinnamon tea, which was a feat in itself, considering the fact that my hands were still shaking a little.

About five minutes had passed by, when I came back in the room. Maya held the compress against her wound herself, and had stopped crying at that point.

"... So, now what?" she asked as I sat down with her.

What are you talking about?

"What are you talking about?" I blurted, moving her hand away from the compress and applying pressure myself. "I mean... uh. Well, you're not going anywhere, that's for one thing. You can sleep in my bed right there and I'll see how you're feeling in the morning... if you're well enough to leave."

I sat on the bed, leaning against the backboard, my legs sprawled out by hers.

"Leave?" Maya asked, taking a sip of her tea.

"Huh?" I blurted again. Maybe she's NOT feeling okay... "You're supposed to go back to Kurain. Remember?"

She gave me a miniature smile, out of nowhere. I was completely perplexed.

"What's so funny? You still want to go, right? You remember that you're supposed to be leaving, right?"

She nodded. "But, now, I don't know..."

My heart skipped a beat.

"Now you don't know," I repeated her statement. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I pushed her bangs out of her eyes. I realized lately that her bangs had a bad habit of covering her eyes, just when you wanted to gaze into them most.

"I just mean that maybe we should pick up where we left off," she suggested, a playful grin tugging at her lips as she tried to speak. "Like you said on the roof, only... without me leaving."

Did you really just say that?

My eyes lit up. "You really want to? We can start over, as friends?"

I didn't even realize that her hand was on top of mine, until her fingers moved, grazing the top of my hand. She was smiling now, and I had no idea why.

"Maya?" I said, completely dumbfounded.

Practically giggling, she smiled, "Yes?"

"... What the hell is so funny?"

Her doe eyes met mine, blinking a few times. I smiled down at her, despite the fact that I had absolutely no clue what I should be smiling for. She had almost died... again. And now, from what I could tell, she was laughing because she didn't know if she wanted to leave.

If anything, you'd think that almost dying twice under my watch would ensure her wanting to get out of this place for good.

"I don't want to start over," she finally said.

"Okay..."

"Let's just pick up where we left off..."

"Okay..."

"... Nick."

I said nothing, sliding down the backboard until I was lying next to her. At least she finally got my name right...

"So where do you want to pick up from?" I asked curiously, wondering how 'picking up where we left off' could possibly work with a person who didn't even remember where we left off.

"How about..."

Maya turned to me. She had the biggest grin I'd ever seen strewn across her face...

"How about the time you left me out in the rain all night?"

"... What?" I was unaware there was such a time.

"Yeah, because I was furious with you. And I was trying to get back into the apartment complex, but I didn't have a key, so I was stuck waiting in my wet clothes and your old sweatshirt-- which was soaking wet because of the rain."

"Oh," I remembered instantly. I did mention that instance to her a few days ago.

"And I couldn't wait for you to get home so that I could slap you across the face. But I was crying, because I knew I just wanted to forgive you for what happened. And then you finally showed up, and I couldn't stay mad."

I didn't tell you all of THAT...

"And you held out your arms to hug me, and I tried so hard to turn the other cheek, but... I couldn't. Of course. Because it always made my heart flutter every time we did that sort of thing."

I sat up instantly, jerking my head to face her. "Really?"

"And then," Maya smiled in anticipation, as if this were the punch line of some sort of twisted joke, "And then you took my hand, and you said, 'Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend the rest of your life with someone'?"

"Yeah," I whispered, my own hands shaking now.

How could she know this entire story...?

The scene played out in my mind. There she was, her hair soaking wet and in tangles, but it was the most beautiful I'd seen her in a while, just because I longed to see her so badly. And when she accepted my peace offering-- the warm embrace --I knew I'd found it. That thing they always talk about in movies. The best friend that turns into your soul mate, of sorts... better known as The One.

I didn't remember telling her that part of the story...

She started, "And then you started to say something, but--"

"Gumshoe," I interrupted. "Of course."

She nodded.

"And you... you remember this?" I asked.

"... Yeah," she giggled, squeezing my hand suddenly. I nearly jumped out of my skin.

At first, the thought didn't register in my mind. She remembered an entire story. She remembered something from before the accident... for about a minute, I didn't know how to feel.

I've been waiting for this moment for weeks, now...

And finally, all I could do was grin. Grin, and tremble with happiness. My frail, puppy-dog heart pattered so quickly, I thought I might pass out...

"Nick?"

"What is it, Maya?"

Maya cooed, "Can we pick up from there?"

I laughed.

I laughed, maybe to keep myself from sobbing. It was the moment I had been waiting for ever since I learned that Maya might not ever remember my name again. The moment at which I would finally be ready to tell her that I loved her.

I laughed as I crawled down to her level, instinctively nestling my entire body into hers, whispering her name, ecstatic and relieved. My arm went around her waist, my cheek pressing into her chest as I listened to her heartbeat. For the first time, she ran her fingers through my hair, consoling me as if I were a child. She inhaled deeply, and sighed-- almost laughing herself. Our legs tangled as I squeezed even closer to her. I shut my eyes blissfully, enjoying the sensation of her fingers down my neck, and her heart pounding in my ear. It was a feeling I never wanted to forget-- complete elation. I exhaled happily.

Maya whispered, "See, when that thing fell on my head, I was petrified. Suddenly I had this nightmare vision of being hit in the back of the head with some sort of weapon. I fell against a wall, and then everything sort of turned black... I remembered Franziska. And then I realized that it was a memory... so I tried to remember what happened before that memory, which was exactly the story I just told you. A happy memory..."

I really didn't care how the memories came back (I was barely listening as Maya talked), but I couldn't complain about her practically whispering in my ear. As if it counted as a response, I nestled my cheek against her skin.

"And all these other memories are coming back to me, now..."

"Good," I whispered, pulling her waist closer.

Silence for a moment, as I beat myself up internally for saying something as useless as "good".

Then the thought entered my mind that she might not be ready for something so intimate.

Damn it. The self-consciousness creeped up again. The fear that kept me from acting in such an intimate way for the longest time in the first place-- until it was too late.

I couldn't really let the moment slip by, could I?

No, of course not.

I'd been waiting for that moment-- a moment in which the circumstances were right for a proposal --for far too long to sit back and watch it fly by.

"I'm just gonna throw this out there," I said, lifting my head a little so that I could see Maya's face. "And I don't want you to feel like I'm rushing anything, so--"

"Just say it," Maya smiled.

"Alright," I gulped. "I've kind of been in love with you for the past year or so."

She grinned. That was a good sign. I grinned back.

"I just want..." I started, but couldn't find any words to complete my sentence.

"I just want to tell you something, Nick," she finished for me.

"What?"

"The feeling is mutual."

I looked into her eyes, grinning. She smiled timidly.

I sprung up from where I was, sitting upright next to her. I was about to say something, but I gave up-- nothing felt right. I wanted to kiss her.

"Yeah, it was pretty obvious," she admitted, "at least, it should have been obvious. All those jokes about us being a couple?"

"I never thought of it that way." I scratched the back of my head awkwardly. "Well, I did, but I didn't think you were thinking the same thing."

"Well, I'm glad we cleared up that little misunderstanding!"

We both laughed. Our hands met again as she casually rest her head on my shoulder.

"So," I exhaled softly, "I have to tell Gumshoe if you're coming with us or not. To the city, I mean. We'll probably have to leave in a few weeks, and..."

"... And what?"

"Well, I was thinking... if you come with me... that maybe we shouldn't come back."

"... Really!?"

"Yeah. I mean, this is all hypothetical, here. Plus I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything you don't want to... especially with Pearl and all being so close to here. But we could get a fresh start, you'd be safe from whatever Von Karma's got pulled up her sleeve... and besides, I bet lawyers make great money out there."

"But we can't just leave now. How will we get an apartment?"

"We can figure things out. I'll start researching now, if you want. I've always been known as a spontaneous guy..."

"No, you haven't!" Maya nudged me, joking. "I mean, no offense, but you are a bit of a stickler for rules."

"Participating in illegal activities and participating in legal activities spontaneously are two entirely different things," I clarified. "Hey, if I could make it into law school with a degree in the fine arts, I think we'll be okay."

Maya didn't say anything for a moment, until she asked quietly, "You're not scared at all? To start over like that?"

"Nah. I've done scarier things."

Like, for example, trying to salvage a relationship with an amnesia victim.

Moving closer, she said, "Well, then, you know I'm coming with you. I wouldn't have it any other way."

It's time.

I breathed, "I guess now is a good time to ask, then."

"Ask what?"

She watched as I fumbled through my pockets. I pulled out a tiny box, shaking.

I knew it was a good idea to keep that engagement ring in my pocket.

"Nick," she gasped, "There's no way...!"

I wasn't quaking with fear, though... I was trembling with excitement.

I'm about to propose to Maya Fey. I'm proposing to Maya Fey--

The moment where I actually proposed to her is a bit of a blur. Somewhere in between her gasp of excitement, and her gawking in awe at the ring on her finger after I popped the question, I must have uttered the words, "Marry me."

Both of our hands were trembling, actually, as I slipped the ring through her finger. Though the lighting in the room was dim, the diamond sparkled on the wall, and in her eyes...

"I love you, dear," she said with a smile that overtook her entire face, our fingers intertwining.

My heart was pounding.

She closed her eyes, her face leaning into mine. She parted her lips, and I took my cue to close my eyes and follow suit...

Finally...

Our lips met, and time stopped.

I tried so hard not to smile as our lips parted and reconnected, with not so much ferocity as to ruin the sweetness and innocence of the moment. Her fingers traced my jawline gently, and as each kiss swelled with increasing intensity, her hand found its way down my neck, stopping at my chest-- at my heart. It was all I could do to pull her in closer to me, grabbing her waist as she fell flat on the mattress once again.

She finally caught her breath, as my lips journeyed slowly away from hers, kissing the corners of her mouth I hadn't yet touched, her cheek, and her neck.

As I nestled my cheek back into the crook of her shoulder, mumbling something about waking up in the morning to pack for Chicago, I took her left hand and kissed her fingers. I'd always wanted to do that. I whispered goodnight, closing my eyes without any intention of opening them again.

I felt Maya's chest rise and fall as she sighed contently.

My heart wasn't pounding anymore-- it melted under her touch. I melted into her arms, lovesick, exhausted, and entirely satisfied.