September 24th, 2030, 6:30 AM
Fey-Wright Residence

"Have I ever said how much I hate the time difference between Khura'in and L.A?" Maya mumbled as she shuffled into the small room that Phoenix called an office. Pearl was behind her, still in her pyjamas and smothering a yawn with her hand.

"Only every time I called you while you were there," Phoenix replied, turning in his chair to face the only computer they had in the house. Maya and Pearl stepped up behind him.

"You sure you know what you're doing, Mr. Nick?" Pearl asked.

Phoenix shot her a look. "Yes, I've called Trucy on this thing a bunch of times." Pearl looked at Maya, and Phoenix saw a smirk pass between them. "What?"

"When you call a computer 'this thing' it makes you sound… kinda old," Pearl said.

"Kinda? Nick is old, Pearly."

Pearl giggled, and Maya grinned as Phoenix turned back to the computer. "Why are you both so mean in the mornings?"

"Sorry Mr. Nick," Pearl said. "Trucy texted me a few minutes ago and said she'd be waiting, so you can go ahead and call now."

Phoenix opened up the chat program Trucy had installed on the computer before leaving to go to Khura'in after her graduation. The list of profiles consisted of Trucy, Apollo, and Edgeworth, though Phoenix never used it to talk to Edgeworth.

"She's online," Pearl stated, pointing at the screen where the green dot was showing over Trucy's profile picture.

Phoenix clicked the call button and waited while it rang. After a few seconds Trucy answered and appeared at the top left corner of the screen.

"Hey guys!" she said, smiling into the webcam. "How are you?"

"Tired," Phoenix said.

"Oh, right. I guess it's pretty early there, huh? We just finished dinner here."

"We haven't even eaten breakfast yet," Maya said, bending down a little beside Phoenix so Trucy could see her through the camera. "And I'm starving!"

Trucy giggled. "Sorry, Maya. Anyways, why did you call a family meeting, Daddy?"

Phoenix glanced at Maya. "We wanted to sort of catch you up on some stuff that's been happening around here while you've been gone."

Trucy nodded. "Okay, sure. What's up?"

"Well… we might as well jump right into it. So, for a while now me and Maya have been trying to have a baby…"

"Really?! Daddy, that's great!"

Phoenix glanced up at Maya, who nodded at him to continue. "Yeah. Unfortunately it's been a long time, and we haven't had any luck."

"Oh…"

"It's alright, Trucy," Maya said, putting a hand on Phoenix's shoulder. "It just doesn't seem like it's in the cards for us. So instead… Nick and I decided we wanted to adopt a baby. After all, we kind of already have some experience with adoption, right?"

Trucy grinned. "That sounds amazing! I mean… I wouldn't have a family if you hadn't adopted me, Daddy. I think it's great that you want to do that for another kid who has no one, like you did for me… Either way I get a little brother or sister out of it!"

"We've actually already started the process. It'll take a long time, there's tons of interviews and home checks and we have to have other people talk to the interviewers on our behalf. It could take months or even a year before we get a child placed with us, but it's a start."

"You've always been an amazing father to me, Daddy," Trucy said earnestly. "And Maya, I've always been really grateful to have had you in my life all these years. Those interviewers are going to be happy to have found two people as good as you guys are. And Pearl, I already know what an awesome big sister you are. Whoever this kid is, they're going to be so lucky! It'll be worth the wait."

"Yeah, we think so too."

"Was that all?" Trucy asked. "Nothing else interesting has been going on?"

"Not really," Phoenix said. "That was basically it, we just wanted to let you know."

"Well… I guess I should let you guys go get breakfast and start your day, then," she said. "Thanks for calling. Is it okay if I tell Polly about all this?"

Phoenix looked at Maya, who again nodded her consent. "Yeah, it's fine. He's as much a part of the family as anyone now."

"He'll be so happy for you guys."

"How is he doing?" Phoenix asked. "The law office is still doing well?"

"Oh yeah, Polly is doing great. He hired some of the lawyers who were released from prison before I came to visit, so he has quite a few people working under him now, and the cases aren't piling up on him so much. Plus he has Datz to help, and Nahyuta when he's not busy helping Rayfa with her duties. Even my mom is helping out around the office when she's not helping me with my shows."

"And your shows are still doing well? You still have lots of money left?"

"Daddy, I have tons of money. Trust me, if you knew how much I was making over here you'd lose your mind."

"I'm glad, then. But I miss you, you know."

"We all miss you, Trucy," Pearl put in, leaning down a bit to see the computer screen better. "When are you coming home for another visit?"

Trucy looked away from the screen. "I'm not sure. Soon, I hope. I'll definitely be back to meet my new sibling when they come along though, so don't worry! It won't be that long."

Phoenix sighed. "Okay. Well, we should get going. I have to head to work."

"Me too," Maya said. "I have some channelings booked for today and Pearly has a class to teach."

"Okay. I love you all!" Trucy said, blowing a kiss to the screen. Maya and Pearl did the same, but Phoenix simply waved.

"Love you, Truce."

"I love you too, Daddy… Okay… Bye!"

With that, Trucy pressed a button, and her camera went black. Phoenix sat back in his chair, his heart aching the way it always did when he had to say goodbye to her. Maya looked down at him, then turned to Pearl.

"Pearly, why don't you go get ready? I'll make us breakfast in a minute."

"Okay Mystic Maya." She turned on her heel and left the room, closing the door gently behind her.

Maya leaned down to wrap her arms around Phoenix's neck, hugging him tightly. "Nick… Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm good."

She stroked his hair. "Are you sure?"

"Mhm. I just… miss her."

"I know you do," Maya murmured.

"Do you think she even wants to come home?"

Maya let go of him and moved to sit in the only other chair in the room. She took his hand in hers, forcing him to swivel in his office chair to face her. "Of course she does. Why would you say that?"

"She seems so happy there, with Apollo and Thalassa. She didn't even know the next time she was coming back, like she didn't actually have any plans to. It's starting to feel… permanent. Do you realize she's been in Khura'in for over a year now? And she's only come home once, for our wedding. It was supposed to be a summer getaway. She was supposed to come home for college last September."

Maya squeezed his hand. "Why don't you talk to her about it?"

"I'm scared I won't like what she has to say… and she's an adult now, whether I like it or not. I can't make her come home if she doesn't want to."

Maya got up to hug him again, kissing his forehead like he was a child. "She'd understand if you told her you wanted her to visit more. She can clearly afford it."

"Yeah..."

"Remember when I was upset that Trucy wanted Thalassa to take her shopping for a prom dress, and you told me she probably didn't even realize how much I was looking forward to it? I'm sure this is the same, Nick. She's still a teenager, maybe not for much longer, but she is. She's just not thinking."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"I think you're already suffering from empty nester syndrome…"

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "We still have Pearls."

"She's not here that often anymore, Nick. You miss your kids. It's kind of funny actually, a month ago I was the one upset that we were all alone in this big house. Now it's you."

He smiled up at her. "Well, hopefully not for long. This adoption process is stressing me out, you know."

"It's only been a month. We waited over a year trying to have a baby. If adopting one is going to take a few months, we'll just have to be patient."

"I know," he sighed. "I just want one now."

Maya laughed. "Me too." She stood up straight, squeezing his shoulder. "I'm going to go start breakfast now. You should go take a shower," she said, running her finger over his jaw. "And you need to shave."

"Yeah, yeah, thanks."

They left the room together, Phoenix heading upstairs to the master bathroom, and Maya heading to the kitchen to start breakfast.

September 24th, 2030, 3:50 PM
Kurain Village, Channeling Chamber

Maya took a deep breath and opened her eyes as her consciousness came back to her body. Her eyes focused on the woman sitting in front of her. She was thanking Maya over and over again, tears slipping down her cheeks.

Maya took the woman's hands in hers to reassure her, as she always did when her clients got emotional, which was often. After all, she was channeling their lost loved one, giving them one last chance to speak to someone they thought was gone forever. By now she was used to it.

Maya didn't want to rush the lady, but as they got to their feet from their kneeling positions, Maya felt a strange bout of nausea overcome her. Suddenly it seemed very important that this woman leave quickly, so not to witness the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique hurl all over the tatami mats. Maya led her quickly out of the Channeling Chamber and passed her off to Pearl, who gave Maya a look. "Are you okay, Mystic Maya? You look pale."

"I'm fine, Pearly," Maya said, not wanting to discuss anything in front of the client. "Please take Mrs. Richmond back to the main hall and give her some of the calming tea."

Pearl nodded obediently and led the woman out of the room. Maya waited a few seconds while they left, then made her way out to the Winding Way. If she had to throw up, it would be better to do it outside than in, and it was closer than the bathroom. She breathed in the fresh air, standing with her hands on her hips as she willed the nausea to pass.

After a few minutes of breathing in the mountain air, it did pass, and Maya sighed in relief. That had never happened before. She'd heard that new spirit mediums often felt sick after the first few times they channeled, but Maya had been channeling for years, and she couldn't even remember the last time channeling a spirit made her feel sick. She wasn't sure if it ever had. Of course they were going through a lot lately with the adoption process, so she supposed it could just be stress combined with how tired she was, along with the channeling. They still took a lot out of her, and when she was already tired, coming out of a channeling made her feel even more exhausted than before.

She stood up straight again and looked up into the sky. It was a beautiful day, the sun was out and the few clouds she could see were fluffy and white as they floated gently overhead. She was glad the day was over with, she could head back home now to wait for Phoenix to get home from work.

"Mystic Maya!"

Maya jumped and turned to find Pearl standing in the doorway, looking harried. "What's wrong, Pearly? Is Mrs. Richmond alright?"

"Yes, it's Mystic Rei. She just called and told me Sierra's mother is being sent to the hospital again, right now. There's an ambulance at their house."

"Oh no. She just got back from the hospital a few weeks ago. I'll head over there right now. Take care of Mrs. Richmond for me."

Pearl nodded and headed back inside, with Maya following close behind. She made her way through the manor to the front door and out onto the streets of Kurain. The home Sierra and her mother lived in wasn't far, and Maya made her way quickly down the road.

Halfway there, an ambulance sped by her towards the gates of the village. They'd been quick and with the speed the ambulance was moving through the small village, it must have really been bad this time. Maya got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, but continued on to Sierra's home.

When she got there, Mystic Rei was waiting for her at the door.

"What happened?" Maya asked as she approached. "And where's Sierra?"

"She's inside, in her room," Rei said. "She was pretty upset. She rushed to my house and started banging on the door, crying about how her mommy fell down and wasn't getting back up. I came over here and her mother was on the floor in the kitchen. It didn't look like she'd hit her head or anything on the way down, but she wasn't responding at all, so I called 911."

"That poor girl," Maya said. "And her mother… she just got out of the hospital. She just came home."

Rei nodded. "Yes… it seems her sickness is getting worse. She's never fallen unconscious before, either. She's usually been able to call for help on her own. I'm worried about her."

"Me too," Maya said. "But right now I'm sure she'd want us to look after Sierra. I'll go talk to her."

Rei bowed her head and stepped aside to let Maya inside. She had only been in the house to visit a few times, but it was enough to know the general layout and the way to Sierra's room on the first floor.

She knocked lightly on the door before entering. Sierra was lying on her small bed, face down in her pillow. "Sierra?" Maya whispered.

The girl turned her head at Maya's voice, her face brightening up for just a second. "Master Maya!"

"Can I come in?"

Sierra nodded and pushed herself up to sit cross legged on her bed. Maya crossed the room and took a seat beside her on the edge of the bed. "Are you okay?"

Sierra nodded. "I'm okay. Not mommy though. Mommy fell."

"I know she did. But you were a very good girl by going to get Mystic Rei for help."

"They took her again in that truck..."

Maya wrapped an arm around her. "The ambulance. It's going to take her to get help, so she can get better."

"Okay... am I going to Mystic Rei's house?"

"No," Maya said, remembering the last time she'd spoken to Rei. "Would you rather come visit Pearly at the manor?"

Sierra's eyes lit up. She loved Pearl. "Yes! Please!"

Maya smiled and rubbed her back. "Okay. Do you want to grab some of your toys to bring over?"

Sierra got up off her bed and started gathering some things. She had a small pink backpack that she started to stuff dolls and books and crayons into. Maya felt a little sad as she watched her pick and choose her favourite toys. She wished Sierra wasn't so used to picking up and leaving home at the drop of a hat.

Maya stood up as well and began to gather the more important things, like clothes and some bathroom items to bring to the manor with them. She helped Sierra neatly pack everything away in her bag.

"Okay. Are you ready to go?"

"Yep!"

Maya took her hand and led her out of the room to the awaiting Mystic Rei. "Sierra's going to stay at the manor with me this time," Maya told her.

Rei nodded. "Let me know if you need anything." She looked down at Sierra and smiled. "Have fun with the Master."

"I will!" Sierra turned to look up at Maya. "Will Mr. Nick be there?"

Maya wasn't even surprised that Sierra asked about him. Phoenix always made some sort of impression on kids that made them love him. It was something that Maya was almost a little jealous of.

"He's not there right now, but I can call him and tell him you want to see him."

"Yes please!" Sierra yelled, her voice raising with her excitement. Maya had to stifle a laugh.

"Alright, I'll call him as soon as we get there."

"Yay!" Sierra pulled her hand from Maya's grip and began to skip ahead. Maya smiled, glad to have at least distracted her from her mother for the time being.

September 24th, 2030, 6:30 PM
Kurain Village, Fey Manor

Maya and Pearl were entertaining Sierra with a game of tea party when the bus was heard pulling up outside the manor. Sierra immediately jumped up from her spot on the floor to run to the window.

"Bus is here!"

Maya followed her to the window to look out. "You know who I think that is?"

Sierra looked up at her, her eyes wide. "Mr. Nick?"

"Yep."

"Yaaay!"

Pearl laughed at Sierra's cheer from where she was still sitting on the floor around the table across the room. Maya smiled too. She'd called Phoenix as soon as they got back to the manor and told him a short version of the events that had transpired that afternoon. He'd been in a pouty mood; apparently Athena got a case but decided she wanted to investigate and interview witnesses on her own for once, so Phoenix had been sitting around the office bored with nothing to do all afternoon. He was only more than happy to leave work early and head down to Kurain Village.

Sierra ran from her spot near the window to the front door to meet him. Maya could hear Phoenix saying hi, then loud giggling from Sierra. Phoenix walked into the room a few seconds later with Sierra thrown over a shoulder.

He set her back down near Pearl, and she sat back down on the floor to give her teddy bear another sip of 'tea'.

"Hey," he said, coming forward to kiss Maya.

"Thanks for coming, Nick."

"It's my pleasure," he said, glancing towards Pearl and Sierra and smiling. He turned back to Maya, lowering his voice. "So, is everything okay?"

Maya took him by the sleeve and pulled him into the kitchen, out of earshot of the two girls. She shook her head sadly. "I don't know, Nick. We still haven't heard anything from the hospital about Sierra's mom… but it didn't seem good."

"You said she collapsed?"

"I'm assuming so. Sierra went to Rei's house for help, just said her mommy fell down and wouldn't get up. She was unresponsive when Rei went over. I'm worried, Nick. She doesn't have anyone else."

He pulled her in for a hug. "What about her father?"

"He died when she was a baby. I remember him, he was a good guy, one of the only younger men here to stay with his wife and child. But of course that that just meant the universe would find another way to take him away from his family."

Phoenix sighed. Why did this village seem cursed when it came to its men? "She has no other relatives?"

"No. I told you before, Sierra and her mother aren't even distantly related Feys. As far as I know, it was her father who was born here. After he died Sierra and her mother stayed, but they have no other family."

"They have you, and Rei, and the rest of the village. That counts for something."

Maya squeezed him a little tighter. "I guess."

"Let's go back before she starts to wonder where we are. You guys looked like you were having fun."

"We were, but then she saw you coming. She loves you, Nick. How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Make kids like you so much."

He shrugged. "I don't know, they just do."

Maya smiled up at him. "I really can't wait until we get through all this adoption stuff," she said. "I want to raise a child with you so badly."

Phoenix laughed. "We'll get there eventually. Now let's go. That tea party is waiting."

They headed back into the other room where Pearl and Sierra were still sitting on the floor, pretending to have an important conversation. Phoenix took a seat on the floor and Sierra immediately grabbed him a cup and poured some 'tea' (what was really just water) from her plastic tea pot. Phoenix thanked her, and joined in the game seamlessly.

Maya stood in the doorway for a few seconds just watching. She didn't think she could ever get tired of watching Phoenix in dad mode. It was so sweet it almost made her ache for a child of their own. Eventually, she had to tell herself. They'd get there eventually, just like he'd said.

When Phoenix glanced up at her and smiled, Sierra looked her way as well. "Come sit, Master Maya!" she said. "We have tea!"

Maya laughed and entered the room to sit down on the floor and join the party.

September 25th, 2030, 3:54 AM
Kurain Village, Fey Manor

Maya was startled awake in the middle of the night by her cell phone ringing. In her confused, half asleep state she thought she'd accidentally set her alarm somehow, but when she grabbed the phone to hit the snooze button, she realized an unknown number was calling her.

It was almost four in the morning. Fear washed through her at that realization. Who would be calling her at four o'clock in the morning?

She pressed the accept button and lifted the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hello, am I speaking with Ms. Maya Fey?"

"Yes, speaking," she said, sitting up to lean against the headboard. Phoenix stirred beside her; the ringing of her phone hadn't woken him but her voice probably would.

"I was given your contact information by a patient we have here at the hospital. A Mrs. Aimi Sato. She said you'd be the best person to call in case of an emergency, as she has no other next of kin, is that correct?"

Maya rubbed at her eye with her hand, trying to comprehend what the woman on the other line was telling her. Aimi Sato. That was the name of Sierra's mother.

"Yes, that's correct," Maya said, much more awake now. "I'm the leader of the small village she's from; Kurain Village. She lives here with her daughter. Is she doing alright?"

"I'm afraid not," the woman said, Maya assumed she was a nurse. "Unfortunately, she didn't make it through the night."

Maya felt her stomach clench. "What?"

"She passed not even an hour ago."

"Why didn't someone call us sooner?!" Maya said, her voice rising. "She has a daughter! She didn't even get to say goodbye."

"It was very sudden. We thought she was doing a little better and would make it throughout the night, but she crashed suddenly and we couldn't revive her. I'm very sorry."

Maya pinched the bridge of her nose, trying not to cry. She felt sick again, too. All day she'd had a bad feeling down in the pit of her stomach, that Sierra's mother might not come home this time, but she didn't think it would happen this fast.

Phoenix had finally woken up and given her a strange look, until he realized she was on the phone. Listening into her side of the conversation, he knew there was something wrong.

"Alright," she finally said. "I'll take care of everything here, the funeral too."

Phoenix raised his eyebrows at the word 'funeral'. He knew right away what had happened. Maya hung up the phone and hung her head, finally letting her tears fall. Phoenix wrapped an arm around her and Maya turned to bury her face in his chest.

"Sierra's mother is gone, isn't she?" he murmured as he rubbed her back.

Maya nodded. "Sierra... how are we going to tell her? She didn't even get to say goodbye to her mom."

Phoenix thought for a moment. "Maybe she still can."

Maya raised her head. "Huh?"

"You are a spirit medium, after all."

Maya's eyes widened. "Yeah… you're right. But what do I do now? Should I go wake her up, or tell her in the morning?"

"Let her sleep," he said. "Let her have one more peaceful night before we have to explain to her what happened. Then I suppose we'll have to meet with a funeral director and everything."

Maya nodded. "There's one here in Kurain. We have our own cemetery after all, and I think she'd want to be buried close to her daughter."

"The same cemetery Mia and your mother are in?"

Maya nodded, clutching at his shirt. "You'll help me tell her, won't you?" she asked.

"Of course, Maya."

He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her on the forehead. "It'll be okay. She knows about spirit channeling, right? Even though she and her mom couldn't do it?"

Maya nodded. "As much as a four year old can understand, yes."

"If you have someone channel her mother for her, do you think that would help, or would it just confuse her?"

"I don't know… I'll have someone channel her so I can speak to her alone to see what she thinks before we let Sierra see her."

"That's probably a good idea," he said. "You should try getting some more sleep before morning. We have a lot to deal with tomorrow."

She nodded, thankful for his comfort. They both laid back down, and within a few minutes, Phoenix's breathing had evened out and she could tell he was asleep again. She closed her eyes and tried, but she couldn't seem to fall asleep as easily.

As she laid there with her eyes closed all she could think about was how much Sierra's plight reminded Maya of her own; how she'd lost both parents and her sister. At least she still had Pearl, as well as Phoenix and Trucy, but Sierra had no one now. She was officially an orphan with no family, and Maya knew that the State would take her from the village and put her in a foster home somewhere. She'd be lost to them, and if she was lucky she would be adopted someday, but that was never a guarantee.

Maya's eyes popped open at the thought of Sierra being adopted. Adopted. She looked towards Phoenix but he was fast asleep.

She was almost overcome with the urge to wake him up, but she didn't. She had to deal with everything else having to do with Sierra's mother first, but then she would talk to him.

Maybe Sierra wouldn't be lost to them after all.