ii. Madame Attorney, Mr. Prosecutor

"Hey, Sis!"

Mia looked up from her case file as Maya stuck her head around her office door. "Nick, Pearly and I are going on that burger run now."

Mia blinked a couple of times. "Okay." Maya didn't move, and Mia added, "…See you later?"

"You – you said you'd pay," Maya explained, her expression sobering. "Don't you remember?"

Mia frowned. She didn't remember, but then that wasn't unusual.

"Oh, okay." She leaned down for her purse. "Just let me get my…" She caught Maya's sly look just in time. "Very funny."

"Sorry, Sis," Maya giggled. "I couldn't resist!"

Mia shook her head and sat up again.

"Taking advantage of the boss's handicap," she tutted in mock-disapproval. She raised her voice. "I feel like someone's wages should be docked."

"I had nothing to do with it!" Phoenix called from the lobby.

"Oh, come on, Sis," Maya wheedled. "I'll bring you back your favourite." Mia picked up her pen and pretended she wasn't listening. "Three tower burgers… extra cheese… no pickles…" Mia didn't look up. "…Onion rings… diet soda?"

Mia relented and picked up her purse.

"Oh, all right," she replied. "But only because I'm hungry." She handed over the money and smiled as Maya skipped out the door.

She worked on in peaceful silence, carefully arranging her notes, fine-tuning her arguments. After about ten minutes, she heard the door open and footsteps in the lobby.

"Back already?" Mia called out teasingly. She wondered who had left something behind. "I thought I was the forgetful one…"

She trailed off as she looked up and saw a familiar figure standing in her doorway.

"…Diego."

He nodded once. "Mia."

Mia stared at him, at a loss for words. It had been over a year since he'd pushed her away, and since then she'd only caught glimpses of him around the courthouse. Phoenix, on the other hand, had been seeing a lot of him… and the encounters weren't exactly positive.

Diego didn't move from the doorway, or make any attempt to sit down. So she picked up her cane and stood.

"You're speaking to me," she remarked.

He didn't reply. The silence stretched, and Mia wracked her brain for something nice and neutral to say, just to break it.

"You look well," she murmured, and regretted it immediately. He barely looked like Diego any more, not with the big metal visor dominating his face, the shock of pure white hair, and the shit-eating grin she'd loved so much completely absent. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and Mia wondered if he'd had the same thought as her.

"Morgan Fey's planning to kill Maya," he said suddenly.

Mia stared at him, stunned. He stepped forward before she could ask a question, pulling an envelope from his pocket.

"She hatched a plot with her demon daughter in prison," Diego explained. "They're planning to use Pearl as the murder weapon." He handed Mia the envelope. "It's all in there. Luckily I got to it before Pearl did."

Mia opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside. Her eyes widened in horror as she read through it. Morgan was instructing Pearl to channel Dahlia Hawthorne. And there was no doubt in Mia's mind what Hawthorne would do once she was back among the living. Mia set the letter on her desk before it fell from her shaking fingers.

"Thought you should know," Diego said shortly.

"Th-thank you," Mia replied. She took a deep breath and let it out, trying to get her heart to stop racing. They would have to talk to Pearl. She was devoted to her mother, and Mia had always hoped that they could let Pearl keep that relationship, at least for now. It was going to be a difficult conversation.

Diego turned to leave.

"Wait."

He looked at her over his shoulder.

"Would you…like to go get a cup of coffee?" Mia asked with a shrug. "For old times' sake?"

Diego smirked at her, his expression twisted and bitter.

"Never mix business with pleasure, kitten," he answered. "Or with pity. That's one of my rules."

There were a dozen things Mia could have said; things that were reassuring, understanding, and apologetic. But after a year of giving him space, making excuses for him, and seeing Phoenix coming back from court with coffee all over him case after case, it was the last straw.

"Diego, when are you going to grow up?"

He stared at her like she'd slapped him.

"Look, I am so sorry that my feelings for you changed," Mia continued angrily. "But if you wanna be mad at someone, be mad at me. Face me in court. Stop taking it out on Phoenix. He hasn't done anything to you."

Diego scowled at her.

"He hid that necklace," he bit out. "He was Hawthorne's accomplice, Mia, and you defended him and hired him, like –"

"Like what?" Mia snapped. "Like I didn't care about you?"

He looked away, clenching his jaw, and it was enough to tell her that he was still hurting. Mia took a deep breath and let it out.

"I always cared about you, Diego," she said gently. "I still care about you. Becoming a prosecutor, this stupid grudge against Phoenix – none of it's you, and I don't think it's making you happy." She moved closer to him, and tentatively laid a hand on his arm. "Let me help you, Diego. Please."

Diego looked back at her.

"The man you knew is dead, kitten," he snapped. His lip curled into a sneer. "But don't worry. I'm sure you'll get over it."

He pulled his arm out of her grasp and stalked out of her office, towards the main door. Angrily, Mia hobbled after him.

"You'll never beat Phoenix in court, you know," she called out.

Diego paused, his hand on the doorknob.

"Not because he's a better lawyer than you," Mia continued. "But because deep down inside you still care about the truth. You can't bring yourself to send someone to prison if there's even the slightest chance she's innocent."

Diego glared at her.

"Don't waste the court's time with conjecture, Madame Attorney," he remarked.

"Come see me when you're tired of hiding, Mr. Prosecutor," Mia countered. "There'll be a place for you right here. Until then, get the hell out of my office and leave my protégé alone."

Diego held her gaze for a few moments, then stepped outside and slammed the door behind him.