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No one could've foreseen the events that would take place that day.
Kay had promised Miles she would bring evidence to his office by 1:00pm for the case he was working on. What he wasn't expecting, however, was her continuing absence by the time 3:00pm had rolled around. Four missed calls and three unread texts later only added to his increasing anxiety. The chief prosecutor had been sifting through case files and reorganizing them when he noticed she hadn't stopped by. Miles had attempted to contact her multiple times, each one failing miserably.
"This is ridiculous, she's never this late. What on earth could be keeping her?" He wondered aloud, reaching over for his phone and dialing his assistant's number once more. The same voicemail he had heard several times now played back at him.
Hiya there, Kay Faraday speaking! Professional spy and best assistant in the world! Oh, maybe I shouldn't say that...
Anyways, can't come to the phone right now! Just leave a message or call back later, 'kay?
Faraday, out!
BEEP
Miles sighed, the knot of concern residing in his chest growing ever so slightly. Sure, she was occasionally behind on meeting times, but that was because she "had needed to make her grand entrance," as he recalled her stating. He would normally be annoyed and frustrated having to wait for his own assistant to show up, but this time felt off. If Kay were late, she would normally let him know. Why hadn't she done so this time?
The prosecutor finally picked up his phone once more, dialing a new number and bringing the phone to his ear.
"Wright & Co Law Office, this is Maya Fey!"
"Ms. Fey, I need to speak to Wright."
"Ah, Mr. Edgeworth! Just a second."
Some shuffling, then a new voice spoke.
"Edgeworth? What's up?" Phoenix.
"Wright. Have you seen Kay at all today?" he questioned, a hint of worry leaking into his voice.
"Kay? Isn't she supposed to be with you?"
Miles rolled his eyes. "Yes, but apparently it isn't clear to you that she's not, even when I am specifically asking for her, Wright." how often did he need to spell things out for this man?
"Sorry, sorry. No, I haven't seen her at all today."
"I see. I'll be going now."
"Good luck, Edgeworth. Let me know if I can do anything to help!"
The chief prosecutor hung up the phone, disappointed by the lack of information. The same knot in his chest continued to grow; it was both unsettling and quite sickening. He didn't know what to do. Of course he could go looking for her, but how would he be able to locate her in such a large city? He stared at the scattered case files on his desk, his mind racing as he tried to think of ways to get into contact with his assistant. Making a decision, he once again reached for his phone and called the remaining number that he knew could help. This time, he didn't wait for a greeting before he was already speaking.
"Detective Gumshoe, I need your assistance."
There was a beat of silence before he received a reply.
"Mr. Edgeworth! What can I help you with, sir?!" came the detective's voluminous voice.
"Have you seen Kay today?"
"Sorry, pal. Can't say I've seen that girl anywhere."
"Is there any way you could find her?" he asked. If there was any chance of locating Kay, he'd take it; especially if she were in any sort of danger.
"We could track her phone location if she's got it on her, but we tend to use that only for emergencies, sir."
Miles could feel the agitation rising in him. As if this wasn't an emergency? His assistant was missing, for god's sake! He could feel the anger flood into his voice as he spoke next.
"I do not care if this is a damn emergency or not, Kay is missing and it is imperative we find her. Now, are you willing to assist me or do I need to find someone else whose pay I won't cut?" He hissed out.
An audible squeak was heard, then Gumshoe cleared his throat, "Of course not, sir! I'll get right on it, sir!"
The prosecutor hung up instead of replying, slamming the phone on his desk. How could this not be considered an emergency? Despite his anger, he knew that it would be useless to let his frustration get the better of him. He would simply wait until he heard news from Detective Gumshoe, but not before spending the rest of his day going through files with a growing pit of anxiety in his stomach. He normally wasn't this concerned over someone's well being, but something about Kay stuck with him. In spite of his many agitated comments, she never seemed put down by them. If anything, Kay always seemed to bring his mood up whenever she visited his office, even if he was in the middle of something serious or important. Maybe that was why he couldn't let this go, or why this feeling in his chest wouldn't lift. He left his office feeling anxious and afraid for the young girl's safety. Needless to say, he didn't get much sleep that night either.
A day passed before Miles finally got a response from Gumshoe. He had been at his office, unfocused and staring off into the distance for what felt like hours, but his phone ringing snapped him back into reality. He picked it up, hoping for a positive update on the girl he was so worried about.
"Gumshoe. I trust you have information on Kay's whereabouts?"
"Sure do, pal! Looks like her phone's location is in some sort of warehouse. It's pretty far away too; maybe a half hour drive."
"Send me the address and meet me there as soon as possible." he didn't give the detective a chance to reply before hanging up once more and nearly rushing out of the prosecutor's office and towards his car. His thoughts were all over the place. How did she get in a warehouse? Why was she in there? Was she hurt at all? How the hell did she manage to get so far away? Miles hoped that these questions would be answered when they found her, but the anxiety he felt was a bit overwhelming. He had to focus even harder just to drive properly and get there as fast as possible without speeding.
It felt like no time had passed before he was pulling up to the address Detective Gumshoe had sent him. The building looked abandoned; covered in rusted metal borders with loose wood boards nailed into what looked like windows. There was broken glass and other debris littered around the floor, much of it he had to weave around to avoid stepping on anything. Gumshoe was already waiting by the front, and seemed to be examining it.
"Looks like its locked, sir." the detective stated. It was, indeed, locked. The door was rusted as well, and it looked like it hadn't been touched in years.
"I'm positive if Wright were here, he'd kick the door down." He huffed to himself as he recalled their previous case. Phoenix had kicked down too many doors to count; Miles always wondered how the defense attorney hadn't broken his foot yet.
The prosecutor hadn't planned on Gumshoe acknowledging his words, but the next thing he knew the tall detective had lifted his leg and promptly launched it at the gigantic door in front of them. Upon impact, the large door fell inwards, emitting a loud bang after landing on the ground. Miles supposed it would be that easy considering how old the building probably was, but the noise still managed to make him jump. The inside of the building was incredibly dusty, but the sight that lay before them would be stained in Miles' memory for a long time.
There, on the wall opposite of them, laid Kay Faraday. She was slumped against the wall, her long hair cascading down her shoulders instead of in her usual ponytail. Her clothes were tattered and her arms and legs were littered in cuts and bruises. Kay was staring at them, relief flooding her eyes as she took in who was truly in front of her.
"Kay! Oh thank god, Kay!" Miles broke into a run and collapsed in front of the injured girl, all while Gumshoe stayed near the entrance. "I'm so glad you're safe, please tell me you aren't too terribly hurt. Please, Kay." he pleaded while placing his hands gently on her shoulders.
Kay let out a quivering sob and launched herself into Miles, collapsing against his chest. It startled him; he hadn't been hugged ever since his father died years ago. It felt odd, yet warmed him at the same time. As if on instinct, he immediately wrapped his arms around the shaking girl and turned his head towards the door, "Gumshoe, call an ambulance! Now!" he shouted. The detective immediately pulled out his phone and called for an ambulance as well as backup from the police. The prosecutor turned back towards Kay, who was still wrapped tightly around him. He began whispering comforting things to her in an attempt to calm her down, all while clutching her as close to him as they both could manage without further injury.
"M..Mr. Edgeworth-" Kay began, but Miles quickly cut her off. "Shh, it's ok. I have you now, you're safe. An ambulance is coming for you, all will be well soon. You were very brave, thank you for hanging on for us, my dear." he murmured to her. She was still trembling, but her breathing had evened out a noticeable amount. Miles slowly lifted them both off the ground, supporting most of Kay's weight so she wouldn't be hurt any more than she already was. Tear tracks stained the girl's face, and her quivering form was taken in by the man in front of her. "You're shivering, is something wrong?" Miles questioned.
"No.. I'm ok, honest. I'm just.. really cold," she answered, her voice a bit raspy from a lack of water. Miles immediately stepped back to take off his maroon jacket before throwing it around Kay's shoulders.
"Hopefully the ambulance will have something warmer for you." He said softly, as he could hear the sirens wailing in the distance.
"This is your nice fancy jacket, isn't it? What if I ruin it?" Kay joked, a small smile evident on her face. He hadn't realized how much he missed seeing that smile until now.
"Hasn't stopped you before." he retorted, and couldn't help but give a small smile of his own. Miles pulled Kay closer again, enveloping her in a tight embrace. "I'm very glad you're safe, Kay." he stated in a quiet voice. He leaned back slightly and pressed a feather-light kiss to the girl's forehead before resting his chin atop her head. Kay was finally found, and Miles could not be happier.
Miles sat in the chair by Kay's hospital bed, unfolding and refolding hands as he recounted the events that took place earlier that day. Miles had went with Kay in the ambulance while Gumshoe and a team of policemen searched the building. They soon caught the culprit who had kidnapped Kay as he was returning to the building. It turns out Kay had been taken as she was making her way to the prosecutor's office, and was kept in the warehouse before the guy planned on moving them further away. Miles could not be more thankful that they found her when they did, and he just couldn't bear to imagine what would have happened if they hadn't. The guy who had taken Kay had gone to court and was given 20 years for first degree kidnapping. Miles knew he couldn't be the prosecutor for the case; he would let his anger get the best of him in court and would end up causing a scene. He would have continued to worry himself further, but was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of the nurse speaking.
"Luckily her injuries aren't too severe, just a couple bruised ribs and dehydration. She should be good to go home in a couple of days." the nurse said with a smile, flipping through the charts in her hands.
"That's good." said a new voice beside Miles. He turned to see Kay staring at the nurse, her usual blinding smile returning to her face. She had been asleep previously, but he assumed she must've awoken to the nurse's words.
"It's great! You've made quite a quick recovery as well. However, you gave your father quite a scare, I will say that." She chuckled before explaining how long she'd have to stay in the hospital. The nurse soon left the room, leaving Miles and Kay alone. The girl wore a mixed expression, both confusion and shock clear on her face. It was silent before Miles eventually cleared his throat and began to speak.
"I.. told them I was your father so they would let me see you." he began to explain, "I didn't want you to have to wake up alone, because I know how terrible that experience can be. If I've overstepped your boundaries, I apologize. I simply-"
"I kind of forgot what it was like," Kay interjected.
Miles turned to stare at the girl, concern painted across his face.
"Being worried about, I mean." she explained, "After my dad died, it was just kinda... me against the world, ya know?"
"Kay, I-" Miles began, but was once again interrupted.
"Listen.. I know you're like, the big bad prosecutor and you probably won't ever want to mention this again, but," she paused.
"I wouldn't mind it at all if you thought of me like that."
Miles sat there, staring at the girl. He would deny it until his dying breath, but he swore he felt tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He then gave Kay a gentle smile, reaching over and raising the blankets to cover his assistant properly.
"Get some rest, my dear. I shall be here when you wake." he whispered. Kay smiled, staring at him with hopeful eyes as she rested her head back on the pillow. It wasn't long before sleep overtook the girl, and she was soon out and already snoring softly. Miles laughed quietly to himself before reaching over and wrapping his left hand around her smaller right one. He was overflowing with unfiltered warmth as he watched her, a soft smile growing on his face. He knew Kay was strong, and that she would recover quickly, but he made sure to be there with her every moment he was able.
And if the adoption papers that mysteriously appeared in his desk were anything to go by, then that was a concern he could handle himself.