Chapter Text
Phoenix almost melted at the kiss he got over dinner. “Thankfully” Larry was there to break the mood.
“A-hah-ha! I keep forgetting you two are dating! Wait, wait, let me get my camera, this is a special moment after all!”
“Let me congratulate Phoenix in peace, you idiot!” Miles hissed.
Phoenix laughed, giving Miles a quick kiss to settle down his boyfriend, which Larry got his camera out in time to catch a photo of. It had been a good day. He’d proven Larry innocent, won his first case, Mia’s sister was going to be in town soon, and he had it from a reliable source she was a bigger fan of a certain kid’s show than Miles was. He was sure to get mileage from that.
“Chief, where are you going?” Phoenix asked as Mia stood up.
“I’ll got to pick up Maya. You stay and celebrate; I’ll handle the case files,” Mia said. “After all, Phoenix, you just won your first ever case. Worth a good night, wouldn’t you say?”
She and Miles exchanged rueful smiles with Miles shrugging. He’d almost taken her first win, but in the end it had been Fawles that made her lose. While his first trial had been against Payne and he’d done well, von Karma had flown back to California when he noticed Miles was doing a good job in his new vocation. Whenever Miles did managed to defend more than two clients in a row within a short time von Karma stepped in to snap the streak over his knee.
“Bye, Chief,” Miles said as Mia walked out.
“So, you guys got any other cases lined up?” Larry asked.
“No, we’re taking a couple days off to relax with Chief’s sister Maya,” Phoenix said. “And get my name on the door too. And figure out where in hell we’re putting a third desk. Abd from where we can afford a third desk.”
.o.o.o.
Maya had leaped into Mia’s arms when she arrived at the office and they quickly started gossiping about Mia’s employees and Kurain.
“And I don’t care what Miles says,” Mia snickered as they entered the office. “He’s a bigger Steal Samurai fan than you are, Maya!”
“H-he can try to be!” Maya said, clenching her fist in indignation.
“How are things holding back home?” Mia asked.
“Aunt Morgan’s still…Aunt Morgan,” Maya said, shrugging. “Pearly wants to know if you’ve met a guy, but I think I’ve gotten her to where she knows not to ask you that out of the blue anymore…but now that I’m going to be here for a while, she’s asking if I’ll meet a guy.”
“She just wants us to be happy,” Mia said gently. “Though frankly you are much too young to be seeing anyone if I have any say.”
“You weren’t that much older than me when you started dating!”
“And thus I am the benevolent voice of experience and I say no way,” Mia laughed. “Anyway, there’s-”
She paused as the elevator dinged.
“Huh, maybe your employees came back early?” Maya asked.
“Maya…my employees don’t like elevators,” Mia said. “And we’re the only ones renting on this floor…Maya get in the back room.”
“What?”
“Now! And don’t come out until I say or you know they’re gone. Not a sound, Maya!”
“What was with that or?” Maya asked as she was backed into the room and Mia shut the door before quickly going to the lock the front door.
Redd White opened it before she could. “Well hello there, Ms. Fey.”
“Ah, hello there sir,” Mia said, playing dumb. “I’m very sorry, but we are now closed. If it’s an emergency I’ll meet my client at the detention center.”
“Not an emergency, miss,” Redd said, blocking her exit. “Just…important in a non-emergenical way.”
“I see. Well, please, come sit,” Mia said, looking around for something to defend herself with. Charley was too heavy. Her computer monitor had no real weight. Maybe one of the heavier picture frames? The one Miles had gotten for her picture of Diego for her birthday was solid metal…”What seems to be the problem?”
“Ms. Fey, you know the problem,” Redd said. “I’ll need my file.”
“Your file?” Mia asked. He couldn’t know about-
“The file you have on me, miss. Now,” Redd said, his eyes narrowing.
He knew. Mia could have kicked herself for not having a copy stashed away somewhere. She’d been investigating this for months!
“All right then,” she said, reaching for the file. It was in a binder, she might be able to blindside him with it and get her letter opener for a proper weapon-
She was struck over the head and fell flat on the floor, the binder slipping from her fingers. She rolled away from the next attack, but her arm struck the corner of the shelves painfully.
Mia bit her lip and pulled herself out from behind the desk, barely managing to get up when she was knocked back down again when the Thinker statuette was slammed into her shoulder corner first, tearing right through e skin.
She noted that she should have definitely grabbed that for herself. Butz had made it out of solid iron.
Redd pinned her when a small squeak came from the closet.
Mia instantly tried everything to get the man off her, he’d go for Maya next now, she knew it-
Redd simply smirked and dipped his fingers in her bleeding shoulder. Mia watched in horror as her sister’s name was slowly spelled out in her own blood.
Samurai, Steel Steel Samurai!
Redd jolted as the ringtone echoed through the office. Mia tried to raise an elbow to wipe away the blood, but he caught her arm and regained control.
The song ended and went to voicemail. Chief, it’s Edgeworth. Butz…found another girl, I guess? Anyway, Wright left his briefcase so we’re going to come get it. We just got to the building. Seen you soon.”
Redd stared at the phone on the desk for a moment before glaring at Mia. The statuette was raised and with a burst of pain, everything went black.
.o.o.o.
“Chief?” Phoenix called. “It’s me and Miles!”
“Miles and me,” Miles corrected. “Whya re the lights off?”
“You guys!”
Phoenix started as the storage room door burst open and a girl in Fey clan robes rushed out sobbing.
“…Maya, I’ll assume?” he asked.
“You’ve got to call for help!” she cried. “Someone…someone hurt Mia and….and…”
“Oh god,” Miles said, catching sight of Mia’s body on the floor with the blood. “Shit…”
“Miles, take her out in the hall, I’ll call the cops,” Phoenix said quickly.
“No need, pal!”
“Detective Gumshoe?” Miles asked. He hadn’t seen the man this closely since his prosecuting days.
“A witness from across the street called it in already,” Gumshoe said. “Miss, you’re going to have to come with us.”
“M-me?” Maya asked. “But, it wasn’t me! It was that man at the door!”
“Man at the door?” Miles asked.
“The witness saw the whole thing, Miss. Name and occupation?” Gumshoe asked, wilting slightly at Miles’ glare.
“Maya Fey. Um…unemployed, I guess, I was just visiting?”
“Maya…Fey?” Gumshoe asked and Mile’s stomach dropped when he realized the blood spelled her name.
“Guys…is Mia…still breathing?” Phoenix asked, squinting at the prone form.
“Get an ambulance!” Gumshoe roared down the hall. “All right, clear the scene, it’s not the just a crime scene, the paramedics are gonna be here and you do not want to be in their way, pal.”
“Maya, go with the detective,” Miles said. “I promise we’ll fix this, okay?”
“Yeah, don’t worry, he may be arresting you, but he won’t hurt you or anything,” Phoenix added. “Promise.”
“Of course not! You’re my prime suspect, why would I?” Gumshoe asked.
Phoenix resisted the urge to smack the policeman.
.o.o.o.
“Do you know if Mia’s going to be okay?” Maya asked.
“We hope so,” Phoenix said. “Miles is the one at the hospital. I’m sure he’ll come by as soon as he knows something.”
“I hope she’s okay,” Maya said.
Phoenix smiled and nodded. “So, what happened?”
“We were hanging out and Mia heard the elevator. She got nervous since she said you guys don’t use it and no one else is on the floor and told me to go in the storage room. I heard her and this guy talking. He said he wanted his file? And I heard fighting. But then Mia’s phone rang and he bolted because Mr. Edgeworth said you guys were almost there.”
“Well, that sounds pretty solid. Miles and I can both testify that you did come right out of the closet when you heard us come in,” Phoenix said. “Do you know who the man was?”
“No, but I think Mia did,” Maya said. “She never said his name though. I think she was pretending she didn’t know him.”
“Huh. Wonder why…” Phoenix mused.
“Why what?” Miles huffed as he walked in with some Chinese take-out. “Miss Fey, I sent some around for you too. They’re just making sure I didn’t put a file in it.”
“Maya says she thinks Mia knew who her attacker was but acted like she didn’t,” Phoenix said, grabbing a box of rice.
“I see,” Miles said.
“Do you know if Mia was investigating anyone? Maya said the guy asked for a file…”
“A file…no, I don’t,” Miles said. “This just seems so surreal…”
“I don’t know, pal, it looks kind of cut and dry from our end—no offense miss,” Gumshoe added as he handed Maya a bag of food and a water bottle. “Look, guys, the victim wrote her name out. We can’t ignore that.”
“But if there was an attacker, as Maya indicated, then they could easily have written the name as well,” Phoenix pointed out.
“Besides, it’s not like Mia’s going to die.”
Gumshoe and Maya stared blankly at miles while Phoenix asked, “What?”
“She’s in a coma and they don’t know if there’s going to be any lasting damage yet, but they say she’ll live,” Miles said. “They assume she’ll be awake within a couple weeks at most.”
“Ah…is that assume or know, pal?” Gumshoe asked. “you know how it goes on my side of thing, Mr. Edgeworth…”
“Well, at the very least you’ll have to downgrade it to attempted murder,” Miles said icily.
“H-hey! Don’t take it out on me!” Gumshoe sighed as he left the cell.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Maya said. “If Mia’s going to be okay, why can’t they just wait for her to wake up and get it right from her?”
“I think you’ve forgotten that the trial is tomorrow,” Miles said, folding his arms and shaking his head. “And the doctors could confirm she wouldn’t be awake by then.”
“But the doctors say she is going to wake up!” Phoenix protested. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to just wait for that to happen?”
“Sensible, yes. Legal, no,” Miles said. “I think you forget how the millennium reform acts affected trial times. The latest they can occur after a crime is three days, and that’s only if specific tests are still being run. Admittedly, it follows the whole right to a speedy trial bit quite literally…though if Mia wakes up after she can pretty much force an appeal that day but still, I’d rather not have Maya here sent to jail for however long that might take…”
“Well, if I have to be tried, I guess it’s a good thing I’m with Mia’s top employees,” Maya said, clasping her hand together.
“…We’re her only employees,” Phoenix noted.
“Which doesn’t stop you from being good ones!” Maya said.
“You don’t need to put on a brave face for us, Miss Fey,” Miles said gently.
“I’ll be fine, I know it. Mia’s always so proud of you guys in the letters she writes home,” Maya said.
Miles smiled slightly but Phoenix frowned, “Hey, maybe I should wait at the hospital and you take the case. In case whoever it is comes back?”
“I’m sure they could simply post a competent police member,” Miles said. “do we know who the prosecutor is?”
“I think I heard their name…Frank? No, no, Fran! Fran…something…” Maya mused.
“…Franziska?” Miles groaned.
“Yeah!” Maya said. “That was it!”
“Phoenix, you’re taking the case.”
“What?” Phoenix asked Miles. “Against your crazy sister? Hell no!” He’d had enough experience with Franziska the few times he’d picked up the phone when she called Miles over something or other, her and her overuse of the word fool and its oh-so-few variations.
“Phoenix, please,” Miles said. “I’ve gone out of my way to avoid facing her in court until now and I’d rather keep it that way. I’m a bit...nervous…as to what Manfred might be driven to if I did hand her a loss. Not to mention how she’d take it.”
“But…me doing it is fine?” Phoenix asked, glaring at his boyfriend.
“Exactly!” Miles said, looking relieved. “I’m glad you caught on.”
“Mr. Edgeworth, something tells me you’re going to owe Mr. Wright dinner for that,” Maya said.
Phoenix huffed. For that kind of willful idiocy out of his boyfriend, he was expecting dinner and a non-Samurai movie, at the very least! “Call me Nick, Maya. All my friends do.”
“Miles is fine,” Miles added.
“Okay,” Maya said. “So, now what?”
“Gumshoe said they had a witness…” Miles muttered. “It would have had to be through the window…what’s on the other side of the road?”
“A hotel,” Phoenix said. “Maybe someone there called it in?”
“But how would they think I did it?” Maya asked.
“As well as the fact that given the timeframe you suggested, that call probably occurred right when the struggle started,” Miles said. “Phoenix, you look at the hotel. I’ll watch the boss and see if I can preempt some of Franziska’s arguments.”
“Hang tight, Maya. You’ll be out of here soon!” Phoenix promised.
He hoped he could keep it.
.o.o.o.
“That woman was terrifying,” Phoenix shuddered as he recounted his snooping to Miles.
Miles looked a bit concerned, “Really?”
“Yes!” Phoenix asked. “She was almost as twofaced as…someone I don’t like thinking about. That was terrifying!”
“Ah,” Miles said, shifting in the plastic hospital chair. “So, nothing?”
“Well…no. I managed to get a look in this drawer she was protective of,” Phoenix said. “She had a wiretap.”
“…Odd,” Miles mused. “Well, you’re in luck. Even though my sister is prosecuting, Gumshoe is the first witness. He let it slip when we both got the doctor’s injury report.”
“Okay, that much I can probably work with. What does the report say?” Phoenix asked.
“Two attacks to the back of the head with heavy blunt object, object itself is unknown, likely the same object gashed her should open. They’re guessing by the wounds she had some time to fight back but not much, they admitted you’d need to know the scene to tell.”
“Okay…any insights?” Phoenix asked.
“This is your case, you know,” Miles grumbled.
“And you’re my boyfriend,” Phoenix pointed out dryly. Miles had to remember he was already in hot water for putting him against Franziska von Karma of all people.
“…Well, I did notice one thing, it’s not much but…May could have known the time of the attack from the wiretap you mentioned and made a fake call. Otherwise she’d have known about Maya in the closet and probably worked that into her story. Also to my knowledge she never mentioned the weapon. If we can find the real weapon, we might have a chance.”
“Thanks, Miles,” Phoenix said, kissing him. “You need anything?”
“Coffee. Lots of coffee,” Miles sighed.
“…You’re allowed to get some rest, Miles, really. I’ve seen people fall asleep in these chairs before.”
“I can’t sleep. Maybe after the case,” Miles said tightly.
Oh. Shit. The nightmares. Again.
Phoenix kissed him, “Okay, but you’re going to bed as soon as I get Maya off.”
.o.o.o.
Phoenix had May on wiretapping, but no leads. This was bad. May being a wiretapper didn’t stop her from being a “witness” to the crime. He needed something else.
“Look, hun, I saw what I saw and you won’t convince me otherwise,” May said, her sweet tone drenched in fury. “got it?”
Phoenix sighed. What would Mia do? Or Miles…well, actually, he knew what Miles would do. Miles would play dirty.
“…You know I could tell the press the star witness in this ‘open and shut’ case is tapped the victim’s phone,” Phoenix said. “The press would probably put that all over…”
“What?” May squawked. “You slimy little…I can’t tell you, okay? I literally can’t!”
“Then I can tell the press, huh?”
“You…if you can figure it out, I’ll cooperate,” May huffed. “But that’s it.”
.o.o.o.
“Give her to the wolves,” Miles said. “do it.”
“Miles!” Phoenix said.
“What? Oh don’t tell me you bought her ‘I can’t’ Phoenix!” Miles huffed.
“Maybe we should switch…at least for the investigating…” Phoenix said. “You’re better at that.”
“Wright, all you’re doing is making me want to force you to do this without any help,” Miles drawled. “You’re doing fine...didn’t you say Grossberg got nervous when you called him to help?”
“Yes?” Phoenix asked.
“Press him. Hard,” Miles said. “See what you can get.”
.o.o.o.
“You…got…arrested?!?”
Phoenix winced at Miles’ voice over the phone. “Um…yes? I got the info form the bellboy and Grossberg and then I went to investigate the guy who was in the room with May, some guy called Redd White-”
“Oh god, you went after the CEO of Bluecorp too? And blatantly asked him about it, no doubt? You idiot…”
“Well how was I supposed to know this would happen?” Phoenix asked.
“Because you did something that completely stupid!” Miles snapped. “…Where’s Maya?”
“Released. She’s headed to meet you at the hospital.”
“Great. I’ll have her keep an eye on Mia and I’ll come in.”
“What? I thought you weren’t going to-”
“Phoenix, you are far more important than my urge to not face Franziska in court.”
Phoenix frowned, “What if she wants that, though?”
“Damn it, Phoenix, what are you talking about?”
“…Miles, stay where you are. I’ve got this,” Phoenix said. “I can defend myself perfectly well.”
“Are you out of your mind? No!”
“Yes. What if White did this to get you away from Mia and Maya? Stay with them okay?”
“…Are you scared?”
“Not really. I think I’ve got a way to get this guy.”
“What do you mean?” Miles asked.
“Maya’s not the suspect anymore…she’s a witness,” Phoenix said. “She was in that office, even Gumshoe knows it. And she heard whoever attacked Mia. Send her over in the morning, okay?”
“Phoenix…don’t get yourself thrown in jail. You’re far too soft for it, even if I’s only until Mia wakes up,” Miles said.
“I won’t,” Phoenix promised. “I’ve got a plan.”
.o.o.o.
“That’s him,” Maya said as White started his testimony. “That’s him, Phoenix!”
“Got it,” Phoenix said. “Objection! The witness is lying!”
“Objection!” Franziska snapped, her whip flying across the room, its tip smacking into Phoenix’s outstretched hand.
“Ow,” Phoenix hissed. “You’re forgetting, Miss Fey is also a witness! And she heard the whole crime!”
“Until yesterday, Wright, she was the suspect!” Franziska snapped.
“Whatever she was, she was on the scene!” Phoenix declared. “And that makes her a witness! I ask that Maya Fey give testimony so we see how it fits with Redd White’s!”
“what?” White asked sternly. “Your honor, this is most unusuable. There is simply no reason to ask the formerly accused about my veracitableness, is there?”
“What Wright says makes sense. It also matches Miss Fey’s prior testimony of a man attacking her sister,” the Judge declared. “Miss Fey, your statement?”
Maya took the stand. “Mia knew something was wrong when the elevator came up. Her office is the only thing on the floor and her employees don’t use the elevator-”
“Objection!” Franziska declared. “The elevator goes unused due to Miles Edgeworth’s phobia of them. Wright could have used the elevator alone!”
Phoenix shuddered. Miles usually went out of his way to hide his issues with elevators. For ti to come out like that…he was going to have a very pissed-off boyfriend to deal with. And he’d be hearing a lot of yelling in German over the phone…
“Well Mr. Nick was with Mr. Miles,” Maya said. “They came in together up the stairs. And besides, the man who attacked my sister did quite a bit of talking, and he sounded just like Redd White!”
The courtroom buzzed as the audience began making comments about the statement.
“And for what reason would Mr. White attack your sister had he even been there?” Franziska asked.
“He wanted a file she had. And I heard him hit her with something after she agreed to hand it over. I guess it was that clock statue thing that was in the room? It know it was discussed in court two days ago…”
“Plus even Detective Gumshoe can testify that I had no blood on me when he came in when we know the attempted killer had to have written Maya’s name,” Phoenix added.
“This is nonsense!” Franziska snapped. “While that may be included as evidence towards your own unlikely innocence, it does not prove that Mr. White was the killer! Miss Fey could have been in the closet before he heard the commotion!”
Phoenix grimaced. That was true… “Mr. White?”
“Yes?” the CEO asked, retaking the stand.
“What did the victim do when trying to escape her assailant?”
“What do you mean?” White asked.
“Did she run? Roll away? What did you see?”
“She went to the…right, yes, the right.”
“Objection! From the vantage point you claimed to have, she’d have run left, Mr. White.”
“…I mean to her right, of course,” White recovered.
Phoenix groaned.
.o.o.o.
“Objection! This lamp was bought only a day before the attack, not a week ago when the wiretap was placed!” Phoenix said. “Whit couldn’t have seen it a week ago, it wasn’t there a week ago!”
“This is absurd!” Franziska snapped. “Redd White, correct your faulty memory this instant!”
Phoenix’s eyes widened as she whipped her own witness.
“Miss von Karma, please!” Redd White said. “it was an event most traumatical to witness! Can you blame my brain from struggling?”
“Yes. I. Can,” Franziska growled.
“Does the prosecution have a satisfactory response for White knowing about a lamp he could not have seen from the hotel windo-ow-ow!” Phoenix hissed as the whip caught his shoulder.
“Be silent, Wright!” Franziska snapped. “You still have no motive!”
“Yes I do!” Phoenix said, slamming his hands down on the desk. “Mia was investigating her assailant for something, Mr. White. And form what I got out of Mr. Grossberg, I think I know what. You’re a blackmailer who didn’t want his operation uncovered!”
The court erupted into chaos.
.o.o.o.
“Phoenix!”
Phoenix relaxed into the hug, “Hey Miles. Guess who won?”
“I think it would be more than a bit obvious,” Miles muttered.
“Yea, nick did great! How’s Mia?” Maya asked.
“The doctors said she’ll be up in a week, definitely. Most of them are betting on Tuesday,” Miles said.
“Thank goodness,” Phoenix sighed. “Man, can you imagine her waking up and having to get Maya or me out of jail?”
“You’d be cleaning the office bathroom for decades,” Miles chuckled. “I missed you Phoenix…”
“He sure did!” Maya chirped. “He even-”
“Not. A. Word. About. That,” Miles said.
Phoenix raised an eyebrow. This sounded interesting…
“Oh, let me tell him!” Maya said.
“No.”
“Come on, Miles!” she pleaded
“What happened?” Phoenix asked, holding miles back so he couldn’t stop Maya form talking.
“Well, since I was out I went to watch Mia and told Miles he should go home and get some sleep since we might need him to help today!” Maya said. “And he said he couldn’t sleep because he knew when he got home it’d be empty without you there! It’s so romantic…oh my god, I sound like Pearl…”
“That was really sweet of you,” Phoenix told Miles.
“Yes. Well…” Miles said, rubbing his arm.
Phoenix smiled. Typical Miles. “Thanks for worrying about me.”
“How could I not?” Miles asked.
“I hope you do not overly mind my attempts to jail your foolish paramour, little brother.”
“That’s the kind of thing someone will mind even if the person doing it was just doing their job,” Miles said, turning to greet Franziska. “Still, it sounds like you did an admirable job overall. Especially with the bellboy. If only you’d been prosecuting someone who was guilty.”
Franziska huffed, “Prosecutors must assume guilt and you know it, Miles Edgeworth.”
He gave her a sharp look, “And I also know it wasn’t just business to you. You hoped if Wright was in enough jeopardy I’d enter the case, did you not?”
“Why would I ever want to do that?” Franziska asked. “After all, I now must regain my honor from the foolish fool who was somehow able to blunder into victory against me. I doubt I shall face you in court soon, brother. I must prove myself against Wright first.”
As she walked off Phoenix groaned, “Oh hell no…”
“Here, Phoenix,” Miles said. “The hospital chairs are actually quite comfy.”
With that said, Phoenix only felt slightly embarrassed that he collapsed into one. A rivalry with Franziska. He was doomed.
.o.o.o.
Mia Fey awoke to florescent lights and an argument about what the Evil Magistrate’s plan was this season. “Tell me I did not just hear the phrase ‘bionic monkey army…’”
“Mia!” Maya cheered, jumping up and down. “Wow, the doctors were right, you did wake up today!”
“What happened? Did they catch White?” Mia asked as everything flooded back.
“Yes. After arresting you sister. And then Phoenix,” Miles said.
“WHAT?” Mia yelled.
“Well when you were facing White you never said his name so Maya didn’t know who it was so people thought she’d fabricated him,” Phoenix said.
“And guess who got them both off in his second ever case?” Miles asked proudly. “…Also I said ‘cyborg monkey army’, not bionic. That’s completely different.”
“Save me,” Phoenix told Mia.
“All right, Maya, Miles, nerd time is over,” Mia said. “What’s my diagnosis, anyway?”
“You might be unsteady for a few weeks due to the swelling of that part of your brain affecting your nerves,” Miles said calmly. “the doctors will see if you need just a walking stick or a wheelchair before you’re discharged. Maya is to keep a close eye on you for any other motor skill issues. They think language and recall should be fine. Your shoulder had its stitches out last night but should stay bandaged for another week. And nothing mentally or emotionally taxing for at least a month.”
“So no cases,” Mia surmised. “And probably no visiting Diego, that always takes it out of me…”
“Yes,” Miles agreed quietly.
“Great…” Mia sighed. “Miles, you’re in charge until then. Phoenix, good job. Maya, take notes, you’re going to go rent some movies other than Steel Samurai…”