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Raymond breathes shallowly, staring down at the floor. His heart races, but he barely notices. To be honest, he doesn’t notice anything. He just stares into space, totally spaced out and shut off from what is happening.
“Mr Shields? Mr Shields?”
When he gets no reply from Raymond, Miles looks up from the suspicious bloodstains Detective Gumshoe just found underneath the couch. But Raymond is nowhere to be seen. Was Raymond not just stood beside him?
Confused (and slightly irritated), Miles turns around, scanning the crime scene; this small room, the living room of an apartment, is covered in broken glass and blood. He locates Raymond stood over by the door, arms dangling at his sides, gaze focused on the floor, and his hat slipped forwards to obscure his eyes.
“Mr Shields?” he calls in an attempt to get his attention. But Raymond doesn’t look up. He sighs; maybe using his first name, a rarity when they are in public, might jolt Raymond out of his daydream. “Raymond?”
That gets the attention of Kay and Gumshoe, but not Raymond.
“Huh, you never call Uncle Ray his first name, Mr Edgeworth,” Kay says with an irritatingly knowing smile.
“I know that. I was simply attempting to get his attention. He appears to be daydreaming,” Miles says.
“Um, you think he’s okay, sir?” Gumshoe says.
Miles sighs. “Of course. get back to work, Detective.”
As Gumshoe looks hurt (for some reason), Miles crosses the room and stops right next to Raymond. Up close, it is more obvious just how spaced out his partner is; Raymond is totally still except when he breathes, and he doesn’t even flinch when Miles says, “Raymond!”
Now… this is concerning. He has never seen someone this spaced out, outside of complete dissociation. But he was unaware that Raymond dissociates. So what is it?
“Raymond?” Miles says, ignoring Kay and Gumshoe’s eyes on him as he puts a hand on Raymond’s shoulder. With still no reaction, Miles gives Raymond’s shoulder a shake. “Raymond!”
With that, Raymond finally stops dissociating, his eyes widening and letting out a small gasp. Panic flashes across his face, and soon Miles has been spun around and his arm yanked into an arm lock.
Miles gasps, pain flaring up his arm. “Raymond… You're hurting me. Get off!”
“What’re you doing to Mr Edgeworth, pal?!” Gumshoe yells, racing across the crime scene and prising Raymond off of Miles.
Raymond stumbles backwards, breathing rapidly, and stares at Miles.
“What the hell was that?!” Gumshoe says, glaring at Raymond.
Miles rubs his elbow, his eyes flickering between the furious Gumshoe, confused Kay and Raymond. Raymond has stopped backing away, but can’t seem to catch his breath, hunching forwards as though anticipating a kick to the stomach. What on Earth is going on?
“Uncle Ray?” Kay says.
“Are you okay, sir?” Gumshoe says.
Miles nods. “I, I’m fine, Detective.”
Raymond… he looked terrified. Well, Miles did just snap him out of dissociating, and he supposes that can be a massive shock. But for someone like Raymond to react so violently… just what is wrong?
Raymond walks over, wringing his hands together. “Miles… Miles… I…” His voice is weak, his usual smile gone from his face. “I… I didn’t mean… I just came around when something shook me and… and I panicked. Uh… where are we?”
“Uncle Ray, what do you last remember?” Kay asks.
“Uh…” Raymond frowns, before flinching even though no one made a sound. “Um…” His eyes flicker to something in the middle distance, but Miles cannot see it. “Driving to the crime scene. So… that’s where we are?”
Miles frowns, totally puzzled. He tries to think this out with logic, whilst Kay and Gumshoe offer unhelpful comments.
“Sorry, I… I was dissociating, wasn’t I?” Raymond says. “God, I knew today was a bad day. S-Sorry.”
“A bad day? Uncle Ray, are you sick?”
Raymond shakes his head, smiling awkwardly.
But Miles continues to stare at Raymond, determined to puzzle this out. Raymond was dissociating severely and just flinched at a nonexistent sound. Wait a minute…
Is Raymond experiencing psychosis?
“I’m sorry, Miles,” Raymond says.
He reaches out slowly, not wanting to make Raymond jump. “I understand.”
“But, Mr Edgeworth, Mr Shields hurt you,” Gumshoe says, his overprotective streak sticking out again.
“He didn’t mean to and I’m fine,” Miles insists, and Raymond smiles weakly. “Kay, can you and Mr Shields go and sit outside for a while whilst the detective and I look over things in here?”
He expects Raymond to argue and Kay to ask questions, but Kay nods and Raymond smiles weakly, and they trail out of the room.
“What was that about, sir?” Gumshoe asks, confused.
“I’m not sure,” Miles says, despite having a fairly good idea.
But one thing is for certain: his partner clearly deals with psychosis, and Miles need do some research on how best to help him.