Why can't I sleep?

The question ran through Phoenix Wright's head, over and over again. It wasn't like this was the first time he'd slept in his office. Nor the first time he'd spent the night with Maya Fey. And it certainly wasn't the first time he'd spent the night with Pearl Fey, who seemed to regard him as a parent-figure after her mother's incarceration; an authority-figure, at the very least.

Why can't I sleep?

The light from the Gatewater Hotel filtered through the window of his office. He lay on the floor, wrapped in blankets, with the Fey girls sharing the sofa in the reception area of the office. That was the arrangement they always had when they spent the night together, if it wasn't at Phoenix's or Maya's apartment. How was she paying for her apartment anyway? It wasn't like he was paying her well… certainly not what her assistance warranted, that was for damn sure, but he couldn't afford to pay her much more and she didn't seem to mind.

Why can't I sleep?

The nightmare was over. Maya was safe and sound; after the trial, when Maya had been delivered to the courthouse, and Phoenix wrapped his arms around her, he didn't think he'd be able to bring himself to let go. Not then, not ever again. Somehow, he did, but he never let her out of his sight.

… is that why I can't sleep?

He knew that she was out there, sleeping soundly. If she so much as moved, Pearls would have alerted him. As much as Phoenix had been traumatized by his young assistant's abduction, his upset over it was peanuts compared to the young spirit medium's. The front door was locked; he'd have heard it open if Maya tried to leave, for any reason, and he'd certainly have heard it if someone broke in.

The thought of someone breaking in made Phoenix sit up. Maybe I should have them come in here, and I'll sleep out there… Maybe I should just move so that I'm blocking the door? Maybe…

The attorney sharply commanded himself to stop ruminating. Matt Engarde was due to stand trial again; this time, his crimes were kidnapping, criminal blackmail, terroristic threats, wrongful imprisonment, assault and battery… the list Edgeworth drew up was long, and the prosecution's star witnesses were none other than Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey. Of course they were. They were also listed as the victims in this new trial. It had shaken Phoenix when the prosecutor presented the document to him and the Judge, during the meeting in the Judge's chambers the man had demanded happen.

Fortunately, the Judge understood by that document that the defense attorney was under an extreme level of duress during the trial. Upon hearing that the recently-recovered Maya Fey had been starved for the last three days and was waiting for this meeting to finish, the Judge let Phoenix and Edgeworth go without the stern censure against the defense attorney that he had planned.

So it wasn't over. It wasn't over, but she was safe. Engarde would never hurt his best friend again. Engarde would never hurt him again. There was nothing more that psychopath could do to them. He was behind bars and would die there. Phoenix even planned on asking Edgeworth if he could swing an attempted murder charge, for allowing the assassin to starve his teenaged assistant. Phoenix had been subjected to a lot in his quarter-century of life, but he never wanted blood as badly as he did now. He wanted Engarde to suffer, and suffer thoroughly, for what he had done.

Sighing, Phoenix detangled himself from his blankets and walked to the window, staring out of it. It was past midnight, he could tell that much by the position of the moon in the sky. It might have even been early morning by then; it seemed that the darkened sky was beginning to lighten already. His initial police report would be disjointed and practically useless if he didn't get any sleep, and yet…

… and yet…

"Couldn't sleep either, Nick?"

Phoenix started, his breath catching in his throat; he managed to suppress a startled cry, but did whip around abruptly. "M-Maya. I-Is something wrong?" he asked with a weak grin, trying to play off that she'd startled him so badly.

Maya eyed him; Phoenix had to strain to focus on her words. The way the moonlight caught her brown eyes threatened to catch his breath away again. Her eyes were beautiful. He couldn't say that the girl was particularly physically attractive, but he loved her eyes. How dangerously close he came to never being able to look into them again… "De Killer drugged me a few times," she said, coming to stand beside him as she stared out the window. "I actually got a lot of sleep while I was… away."

The sound of her voice was soothing to him. He turned to the window as well. "You're not going to make a very good police witness if you're completely exhausted, you know," he said softly, absently.

"Look who's talking," Maya returned. "Pearly told me she didn't think you slept at all."

"That's a bit of projection on her part," Phoenix countered. "I slept. Not very well, but I did."

They were silent for a few more minutes, both staring out the window at the night sky. Phoenix stole a glance at her as the seconds ticked past, wondering if she'd fallen asleep standing, but no, the young woman beside him was still wide awake. Only moments after he looked back at the window, Maya broke the silence again. "Phoenix… I… I have a favor to ask, if it's not to much trouble."

She used my name, Phoenix thought in wonderment as he turned his gaze back to her. "Anything," he answered sincerely. He knew he'd eventually regret it, but he said what was on his tongue at the moment anyway. "Anything you need or want, just let me know. If it's in my power to do it, it's yours."

Maya didn't look at him; she simply smiled to herself. "You're lucky I'm not a sadist, Nick," she said slyly. This statement gave Phoenix pause, but not enough to want to take back his statement. Then, her voice softer, she said, "I just want… I just want you to hold me, Nick. I… I never thought I'd see you again. I was so terrified that I was going to be killed, and then what would happen to you and Pearly?" She took a deep breath, and then said quickly, "I know that you don't like it much when I hug you, but please-"

Phoenix cut her off, pulling her into his arms. His embrace was tight, even tighter than it had been when she had first been returned to him. She sighed, returning his embrace and burying her face in his chest. After only a few seconds, she tensed as she realized he was shaking. "Nick? Are- are you crying?"

"No, I'm just tired."

Maya ignored his blatant lie. His voice was shaking, barely audible, and his breath was coming in quick, barely-controlled gasps. The man was sobbing like an infant, and they both knew it. Instead of embarrassing him and ruining the moment, Maya simply tightened her own hold on the man, something inside her oddly reassured that he would cry over her.

Abruptly, Phoenix stiffened and raised his head. "What is it?" Maya asked, pulling away from him slightly.

Phoenix stared at the door to his office intensely for a moment, and then shook his head. "It's nothing," he said finally. "I'm hearing things, that's all."

"You should get that checked out, Nick," Maya teased. "Doesn't insanity run in your family?"

The attorney chuckled; instead of his usual return-fire, or flustered denial of what she teased him with he said, very softly, "God, I missed that."

"Missed what?"

"Your teasing. It just wasn't the same without someone reminding me that I'm a mere mortal every two minutes."

"I'm not that bad, am I?"

"You can be when you want to be." Phoenix looked down at the girl in his arms, suddenly uncomfortable. "We really should try to get some sleep. We're both expected down at the station first thing in the morning to give statements whether we're ready to or not."

"You're right." Maya looked up at him, biting her lip. "Can you come out to the other room and sleep in there? It might make it easier for both of us."

"Is that appropriate?" Phoenix asked, loosening his hold on her further. As the conversation continued, he was becoming more acutely aware of just how close he'd been holding her.

His assistant nodded. "There's nothing wrong with getting comfort from a friend after what the three of us have been through," she said absently. "I just… don't want to be away from you right now. Even if you are just ten feet away. It's too much."

"All right. Let me gather up my blankets. Would you grab my pillow for me?"

Pearl Fey lay absolutely still, facing the back of the couch, as she heard her cousin and part-time guardian come into the room, talking in whispers. Maya helped Phoenix rearrange his blankets on the floor next to the sofa, and hugged one more time before Maya crawled back onto the couch next to the child.

Pearl smiled to herself as her cousin fell into an easy sleep beside her; she somehow sensed that Mr. Nick was fast asleep in moments, as well. It was now a fact. No matter how much they tried to deny it, it was the truth. They loved each other, very much, whether they wanted to admit it or not.

With that final though, Pearl stopped resisting sleep, as she had been for the last three days.