Author's Notes:

Okay, I'm scrounging together my time in these last two days before going back to school so that I can update.

This chapter's a considerable amount shorter, and though you may hate me for it, Diego's not here yet. (He's still backstage, getting ready). But I promise, next chapter, you'll see him for sure!

Now for some character development on Maya's part, and setting the stage for the coming chapters... :)

Chapter 2

"Bee-"

The alarm clock's first beep was interrupted by its owner smacking the off button instantaneously. She had already been up for half an hour before the alarm and had been sitting in bed with a thick book on law. At her clock's six o'clock reminder, she slammed the book shut and swung her feet off the bed and into her slippers.

Padding down the hall to the washroom, she passed her sister's room and knocked on the open door.

"Maya, you sleepyhead, wake up!" Taking a second glance, she realized that Maya's bed was already made.

"Boo!"

Mia shrieked and spun around to face a giggling Maya.

"Ma-ya!" she said, her tone a mock reproachful, but a giggle burst out of her too.

"Sis! It's your big day! First day at the law firm! So I had to wake up early and make you a special breakfast!"

Somehow, Mia wasn't surprised that Maya was so excited this early in the morning.

Mia playfully wrinkled her nose. "What is it…soggy burgers?"

"Hey!" Maya laughingly smacked her sister with her wooden spatula. "Don't make fun of my burgers! And for your information, I made pancakes. Specially shaped ones, too!"

Mia looked amused. "This, I have to see."

Shuffling over to their kitchen, Mia glanced at the plates piled high with pancakes.

"Uh…Maya…all I see are circles."

"They're not circles!" Maya protested. "They're attorney-badge shaped!"

"Right," Mia said slowly, nodding skeptically, and then, both girls burst out laughing.

"Maybe I should send you to pancake-making class," Mia laughed.

"Maybe you should send yourself to true art appreciation class," Maya retorted laughingly.

Mia patted her sister's head. "But anyways, thanks. I bet circle-attorney-badge pancakes taste better than anything else. Good for getting me into the law mood for my first day at work," she smiled.

In half an hour, they were both ready to go, with lots of time to spare. Mia made two creamy cups of hot chocolate, and they sat down at the cozy little kitchen table.

"Hey, sis, why do you always wear that scarf?"

Mia looked surprised for a moment, almost forgetting that she had it on.

"Oh. Well…it brings back a special memory from when I was younger." Mia smiled as she remembered.

"Ooh," Maya grinned mischievously. "Was it from a guy?"

Mia laughed. "Well, I guess you could say so. But at the time, he was just a little boy." She paused, thoughtful. "I can't remember very much about him, though. It was so long ago. I think his name was…Daniel? Something like that."

Maya looked confused. "But if you barely remember him, why is that scarf so special?"

"I met him about a year after our dad died." Maya was silent, listening attentively.

"At that time, I still wasn't fully accepting the truth. I was upset at mom for not letting us see dad again. I was being bratty and selfish with her, thinking that no one had it worse than me.

But then, I met him. He seemed so alone – he had just lost his sister, and his mom didn't seem to understand him at all. And then I started to realize how lucky I was, that I still had you and mom, who was so strong and understanding. When I began to comfort him, telling him all the things that mom had told me, I finally began to understand. And because I knew he was trusting and believing in what I said, I started to believe in mom.

I could tell he was really sad, but when I mentioned dad, he was instantly concerned about me. He was selfless in that way, and he even gave me this scarf later. It was his sister's."

Maya sat there, awestruck at Mia's story.

"Wow…I had no idea. Maybe I owe having such a great sis partly to him," Maya grinned.

Mia smiled back, a little wistfully. "I wish I remember him better, though. I feel like I'm on the brink of remembering, but my memory's fuzzy. No matter how hard I try, I can't quite put together what he looked like."

Maya patted Mia's hand from across the table.

"Don't worry, sis. If you guys are meant to be, you're sure to meet him again!"

Mia snorted. "How did we get on the topic of my soulmate? I'm just talking about a boy I met when I was really little."

Maya winked playfully. "You never know, sis. Who knows…maybe Mr. Mystery Boy will end up as my brother-in-law!"

Mia rolled her eyes. "Oh! Would you look at the time? Time to go! I guess that conversation will just have to end there."

Maya stuck her tongue out. "I'll get you next time! We'll find a perfect soulmate for you. In the meantime, I hope you have an awesome first day!"

"With my stomach full of attorney badge pancakes, I'm sure to do fine," Mia laughed. "Aunt Morgan's coming on the train to pick you up now, right?"

Promptly, the doorbell rang.

"Okay, sis," Maya gave her sister a big hug. "Good luck! And call me soon!"

"Good luck with your training too! Work hard! And don't eat too many burgers!"

Both girls were laughing as they said goodbye.

End Notes:

Okay, I'm sorry. I bet that was terribly boring, and a complete downplay from everything happening in the first chapter :(

Buuut, things will kick up once they meet again :)

And I might need Maya in future chapters, so I musn't neglect her character development. And now you know Mia's side of their conversation from all those years ago :)

Anyways, review?