I seemed to spend more and more time sitting at my desk as I got older. It was rather annoying, watching everyone else run about the firm while I get stuck doing paperwork. Always my least favorite part of the job. At least my office had gotten larger over the years. It was almost as big as my old apartment these days.

I reach for my pen and send it rolling off my desk. I swear silently. Now I have to get up and get it. God damn arthritis. It seems to get worse every year. Embarrassing at my age. The doctor even insists I use a cane to get around. A cane, for God's sake. Though I will admit, it does add a touch of class.

"I'll get it," she says before I can get out of my chair. She walks over, almost sashaying, though maybe that's just my imagination. The deep purple robes she wears flow and dance at her ankles. Her dark hair is still silky, but it needs to be dyed these days. Her face is a little wrinkled, but that's mostly from all the smiling she does. Her figure is a little fuller, but still an hourglass. But it's her eyes that are truly beautiful. I can see everything I love about her in them, her wisdom, intelligence, compassion, sense of humor. Especially her sense of humor.

Forty six years old and Maya still managed to look good.

She bends over to pick up the pen, presenting me with a rather enthralling view. At first I wonder if she's doing it on purpose, maybe flaunting the fact that she can actually bend over without throwing out her back, unlike a certain ace attorney. But she stands up straight and hands it to me and I don't see anything but kindness on her face. I decide to take advantage of it.

I thank her kindly, and she turns to leave. I throw the pen off to the side of my desk and swear not so quietly. She hears me and turns around. I put on a despondant expression. "Lousy arthritis."

"It's okay," she says, attempting to reassure me. She walks over and picks it up, once again presenting me with a highly entertaining view. She freezes on the way up, then straightens out and hands me the pen with a little smirk. She's found me out, I can tell. But that's no reason to stop now.

She turns to leave once again, and I throw the pen even further. Slowly, she turns and smirks at me, eyebrow raised. I rest my bearded chin in my hand, elbow on my desk, and grin cheekily at her. "Damn thing keeps getting away from me."

She sashays over to my desk, purposefully this time, and leans forward, resting her elbows on the hard wood and lowering herself to my eye level. The pen lays forgotten on the floor.

"You know this is sexual harrassment," she says with that grin and those half lidded eyes that drive me crazy. "I could sue."

I smile at her, leaning a little closer. "I think there's an exception to that law if the accused is your husband."

Her expression doesn't change. "Damn. I knew I shouldn't have married a lawyer."

"Doctor would have been a better choice," I say with a chuckle. "They make more anyways."

"Who says I cared about money?" She retorts.

"Your stomach. It's a veritable cash vacuum."

"One of these days I'm gonna kick that cane out from under you." She says with a laugh.

"Good thing you'll be there to catch me." I smile genuinely at her. Her eyes are so beautiful.

I hear the Chords of Steel clearing their throat and look up. Apollo's at the door of my office, brown antennae and all, case file in hand. "Am I interrupting anything?" He says in his gruff baritone, brow furrowed.

"Yes," I say flatly. "Come back in fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes?" Maya looks at me with her eyebrows raised. "That's being generous."

I raise a finger at her and feel a slight pain in my knuckle. God damn arthritis. "We'll continue this conversation later."

"I suppose we will," she says with a smirk, raising herself from my desk.

I wave Apollo over. "What fine mess have you caused this time, Justice?"

He walks over and sets the case file on my desk. He says something, but I don't hear it. I'm too busy watching Maya sashay out of my office, casting a furtive glance back before disappearing around the corner.

We would continue that conversation, most certainly.