Authors note: I chose to ignore some of the official AA timeline, taking some "artistic" liberties. Nick passed his bar exam in May, and state vs. Butz happened in August, but I found it natural for State vs. Butz to happen right after Nick passing his bar.

This is a Miles Edgeworth/Phoenix Wright fic. It's just going to take me ages to get there. I like Mia and Phoenix' relationship. I hope I manages to express it in the right way.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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She is everything I need

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24 year old Phoenix Wright busted out of the grand doors of the Bar Association building with a huge grin placed on his face. It was the last day in July and the sun was shining. It was late in the afternoon and after being inside the building for so many hours it was good to go back outside and feel the warmth of the sun and the wind blowing in his hair. Consider it being the last day in July; it was a surprisingly good temperature outside. Phoenix could walk without sweating to death and the heat hadn't hit him in the face when he opened the doors of the building. He quickly scanned his surroundings and noticed Mia standing beside a kiosk, nipping an ice-cream she just had bought. Phoenix walked towards her, grinning his goofy smile. Mia noticed him coming and smiled back at him.

"I passed Chief!" The happiness in his voice was obvious to everyone around.

Mia laughed and hugged him.

"Wonderful Wright!"

Phoenix flashed his new attorney badge which was fastened on his suit. The sun shone on the badge and made it sparkle.

"Look Wright," Mia said. "It's as if the sun wants to welcome you in your new profession as a defence attorney."

Phoenix smiled even bigger. The wind blew through the leaves of the big trees around them, ruffling them, creating a sound of peace and comfort. Phoenix walked over to the kiosk, buying an ice-cream to cool himself a bit. Nipping to the ice-creams Mia and Phoenix walked towards Fey and Co. Law office.

"Aw, man," Phoenix smiled. "It's so great to finally be a lawyer! I hope it doesn't take too long before I get a case though."

"Don't worry," Mia said lightly. "You work at my office after all. I won't let it go too long before I hand a case to you. We just need to find something easy, so you won't blunder your first case totally."

"Gee, thanks Chief," Phoenix snorted. "Thanks for having so much faith in me."

Mia laughed out loud. "Come on Wright. Let's get drunk. To celebrate."

She grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him after her. Phoenix softly recalled that he had been angry of her treating him almost like a dog in the beginning. She had done it the first time he met her in court, and quite frequently after he started to train at her law office 1 year ago. He had learned that, that was just the way she was and accepted it. She pulled everyone after her: Clients, friends, colleges. No one was safe. Surprisingly no one reacted to the way she treated them. Phoenix suspected it was because everyone had so much respect for her. She was loved by everybody. Wherever she went, people turned after her, just to catch a glimpse. And why shouldn't they? She was pretty, attractive and she always looked so perfectly content and happy with life. Wherever she went, the world shone. Phoenix knew that she wasn't as happy and content with life as she appeared to be. Deep down inside she was crying, but she hided it from everybody. Even him. But when one work and almost live together for 1 year, it's difficult to hide ones true emotions.

They went to their usual spot right beside the law office. This was where Mia brought her clients to celebrate after a victory, where they went to get drunk after losing a case, where they went to talk with witnesses, where they went to discuss evidence and strategies in court. The bar had been a witness to many dirty deals, deals that almost could qualify as illegal. That was just how Mia operated. She had an almost psychic ability to know if clients were innocent or guilty, and she would to everything in her power to give them the right judgement, even if that required deals and investigations that the law did not approve of.

Mia dumped down at her usual seat and Phoenix went to order.

"Lord, Wright," Mia said when he returned. "You could have ordered something else than beer to celebrate with."

Phoenix smiled and handed her one of the cups.

"Cheers."

Although Phoenix only drank beer and Mia started drinking some heavier stuff, he ended up (as usual) completely wasted, tie knotted around his head, claiming wild, silly stuff while Mia was just in a good mood, laughing at his bad jokes. When they decided to go home, Phoenix had to be supported by her back to the office.

Phoenix had almost fallen asleep when they ended up in the Fey and Co. Law offices a little while later. He fell on the couch, mumbling in his half sleep, while Mia sat down in one of the comfy chairs, wiping her forehead.

"You should stay here tonight Wright. It's a long walk home for you when you're so drunk. Seriously, you are the person with the lowest tolerance for alcohol I've ever met," she laughed.

"I drank a lot," Phoenix protested and opened a sleepy eye to look at her. "And I'm not that drunk."

"That's what they all say." Mia floated beside him and into the bathroom. He could hear her turn on the sink and water started flowing. She returned a few seconds later with a water can in her hand, ready to water Charlie.

"Charlie doesn't need that much water," Phoenix mumbled. "You'll drown him."

"When it's so hot, he needs a lot of water. He might convince himself that he is a strong plant, but I know better."

Referring to Mia's plant as Charlie had always bugged Phoenix a little. Especially since Mia insisted on referring to Charlie as "him" not "it". Anyways, Charlie the Potted Plant was a family member and was very much loved by Mia. Phoenix loved him a lot as well. He had many times used him as a psychologist, mostly when he was drunk, confessing many embarrassing facts. Nevertheless, Charlie was a good friend when he needed to talk to someone who would only listen.

Phoenix spent the night at the office while Mia went home to her apartment. The office had a kitchen, bathroom and a sort of living room with a couch and some chairs where Phoenix was sleeping. Both of them often stayed at the office all day and night when they were working on difficult cases. Having decorated the office like that was very smart. It was actually better than Phoenix' own apartment.

--

August 1 came and passed with Phoenix having a hang-over and Mia and a good mood, archiving old case files. After Phoenix being in a bad mood for some hours, walking around in his now messy suit, with a cup of black coffee in his hand, Mia suggested that he should go home and get changed so they could throw off a real party for him with their acquaintances. Phoenix went home, changed and fell asleep in his bed. When Mia came to see if he were ready to go, she let him sleep, brushing his hair out of his eyes before she left, locking his apartment door behind her.

--

"You should have waked me up!"

Mia looked up from her papers.

"Why?" she asked. "You were sleeping so peacefully. It would have killed my heart to wake you up."

"It costs you nothing on regular working days," Phoenix mumbled and Mia laughed.

"But, what about all our "acquaintances"? Didn't they become very disappointed when you had to cancel?" Phoenix voice had become a little high pitched which it often did when he was nervous or scared.

"Don't worry, Wright," Mia said. "They understand. And don't worry about me either. I was hanging out with my sister. She's looking for an apartment here in town."

Phoenix sighed. Mia had obviously it all covered.

"You know, Wright. I think I might have a case for you."

Phoenix turned 360o and looked disbelieving at her. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. You might find it boring, since it's real estate and stuff, but it's good practice for you. I've talked to the client and they don't mind using a fresh one." Mia glanced sideways at him. "Just read through the case file and say what you think."

Phoenix grabbed the papers with shaky hands. His first case. He hadn't thought the day would come so soon. Sitting down it the chair, he couldn't do anything but stare at the papers for a few minutes. Then he slowly started to read. As Mia had said, it was pretty boring stuff. He couldn't see why the case was to be taken up in the court in the first place. It was pretty obvious that the client was right. He looked up to state this to Mia, but stopped with his mouth half open.

Mia was standing in front of the window, looking outside, with a hand placed on Charlie's pot. The position was so familiar that he was thrown back into a memory that happened one year ago.

--

It had happened the same day as he got his exam results. He had passed law school. High on happiness he had found Fey and Co. Law offices in the phone catalogue and rushed over there to tell the good news to Mia. He hadn't seen her in a year but he remembered his promise to her.

"I'll study hard. So one day I'll become a lawyer too."

And now it had happened. He still needed to take his bar exam, but he was on a good way in becoming a lawyer. Not bothering to call first, Phoenix ran all the way to Mia's law office, up the stairs and in the door without bothering to knock. When he rushed inside she was standing exactly like now. Except for one thing. That day one year ago she had been crying. That was the first and last time he had seen her cry. Taken back of the tears on her face Phoenix tried to sneak outside again, but Mia just wiped her tears and smiled. "You took your time."

After that he had worked as an apprentice at the law office, studying for his bar exam.

--

Phoenix was shocked back to reality when the phone called. Mia went to answer it, while Phoenix tried to bury himself into the documents one more time.

"Hello," Mia's voice was as pleasant as ever.

"NICK?!" a voice screamed from the other end of the line.

Phoenix froze in his chair and stared stupidly at the phone.

"No, sorry. This is Mia," Mia said. "We have no Nick's here."

"LEMME TALK TO NICK!" The voice screamed.

"Excuse me," Mia was annoyed now. "We have no Nick's here. If you're going to have fun, do it somewhere else."

She was about to hang up the phone.

"Wait Chief!" Phoenix stood up. "Give the phone to me. I think I know him."

Slowly Phoenix lifted to phone and put it against his ear and whispered afraid

"Larry?"

"NICK!" The voice screamed. "I KNEW YOU STILL WERE AROUND."

"Yeah, Larry. That's good." Phoenix held the phone away from his ear. "You don't have to scream."

"Ops. Sorry," Larry's goofy laughter was heard. "You're a lawyer and stuff now, right? Well, I'm in some really bad trouble. Come and see me at the detention centre."

And before Phoenix had the chance to say more, Larry had hang up.

"You know him?" Mia looked sourly at him.

"Yeah," Phoenix looked confused at the phone. "I think he's in trouble. I have to go."

He threw on his jacket and started sprinting down the stairs.

"Wait, Phoenix!" Mia called. "What did he want?"

Phoenix didn't hear her. He was out on the street, running before she had finished calling his name.