"Trucy Wright has been shot during one of her practice sessions."

Phoenix had a court case in the morning, so the terrible news about his daughter reached him during a recess. As much as he wanted to rush to the hospital, to Trucy's side, he couldn't just drop the trial. Without Athena by his side, there was nobody to take over. His cheerful assistant was out of the country for a few days, investigating something with Prosecutor Blackquill by themselves.

The rest of the trial was painful for Phoenix, but he managed to hold himself together until he heard the desired "The court is adjourned." As soon as he left the courtroom, he excused himself to his client, promising that they would talk later in the Detention Center. Now there was something much more important, a place he needed to be right then. Phoenix rushed out of the courthouse, and drove stright to the hospital. The accident happened five hours earlier. He should have been there. And yet he wasn't. Phoenix didn't want to burden himself with those thoughts, but in moments like these he questioned himself as a father. He shouldn't make mistakes like those.

When he arrived at the huge, white building, he immediately asked the nurse about his daughter. After confirming that he was indeed Trucy's father, the woman told him the number of the room in which the girl was resting. Apparently shortly after she was taken to the hospital she had to undergo a surgery, so she was supposed to be asleep at the moment. While he wished to talk to his poor daughter, Phoenix understood that his visit must be a quiet one. It was a hospital after all, not a courtroom, and silence was much appreciated.

The room no. 247 was on the second floor, so Phoenix took the stairs, not quite trusting the elevator. He walked up the steps, angry at himself but also angry with whoever dared to hurt his daughter. He would make sure that person would pay for this. Trucy was the most precious person in the world for him, and he didn't even want to imagine losing her. He quickly made his way to the second floor and started looking for the door with the right number. The corridor was quite long, since that was a large building. Phoenix was getting closer and closer to his goal, when he noticed a person walking the opposite way. They walked with ther eyes on the doors, looking for a specific room. They stopped in front one of them. When Phoenix got closer, he noticed just who that person was. The familiar red suit with a blue tie, rolled up sleeves, gelled up hair. That threw Phoenix off. He got close enough to see what room he was standing in front of, and the door was labeled "247". Exactly the room he was looking for himself.

- … Apollo…? - Phoenix asked quietly, studying the younger man's face.

At first he didn't seem to notice Phoenix. He was looked at the floor. He looked quite bothered. Phoenix decided to get his attention. He grabbed Apollo by his shoulder. The man in the red suit jumped away in a surprise.

- M-Mr. Wright! - he stuttered. - Ah, you've come here too… To visit… her…

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. That sounded a bit suspicious.

- Of course. So you've heard of the accident as well? - something didn't add up for him. How could Apollo get that information as fast as he did?

And those kind of thoughts gave Phoenix away. Apollo was listening to him carefully, and his eyes widened. The element of surprise disappeared completely, and all that was left was a cold, hard stare fixed on Phoenix. It was funny, really, how one simple thought could be projected into the body language, how it all could give away all his worries, all the hidden things. Apollo kept his eyes on the man in front of him, waiting for another sign.

- It's only natural for the family to be notified first, isn't it? - he said in a quiet voice. That was more than enough to make Phoenix's body betray him completely. That wasn't a simple lie, oh no. Apollo figured it all out. Years of truth hidden away from him, by a person he thought he could look up to. All his suspicion turned out to be correct. And now that liar wanted to get in the room, to see his daughter. The very thought of it made Apollo sick. How could he claim he was Trucy's father when there was no blood relation between them?!

When Phoenix reached for the door's handle, ignoring Apollo who seemed to be mumbling something to himself, his hand got instantly slapped away.

- W-wha-? Apollo?! - he glanced at the man next to him, but it was only a moment before he got completely pushed away.

A new feeling emerged in Apollo's eyes. Now it was anger. Not just any kind of anger. It was an agonizing fury, directed exactly - and only - at Phoenix. He didn't say anything as he forcefully rammed the man against a wall. Before Phoenix could react, Apollo opened the door himself and went inside the room. He made his way to Trucy's bed, standing by the girl's right side. Phoenix joined him shortly after, feeling confused, but also a bit agitated. He stood by the left side of Trucy's bed, looking at the asleep girl. Heavy silence hung between the two men, who were watching one person, each with their own kind of feelings. Phoenix was the first one to break the silence. While all he wanted to voice out was anger, he made sure the sound that escaped his lips was just a whisper.

- What's gotten into you, Apollo?

The younger man kept his eyes on Trucy, although he squinted them in an angered expression. He gritted his teeth visibly, the grimace on his face making him look like an injured wolf, who is preparing to jump his prey that dared to fight back.

- Don't think you can hide behind those lies, Wright, - his voice sounded like a vicious disgruntle, even while lowered to the approperiate volume.

Phoenix nearly took a step back, but only holding onto Trucy's bed stopped him from doing so.

- L-lies? What lies? - a surprise came over his voice.

Apollo didn't answer at first, still looking at the girl lying in front of him. For a brief moment his expression changed. His eyebrows raised, his lips closed, and his eyes showed a sign of fear. But that didn't last long. Feeling obliged to answer Phoenix's question with as much fury as possible, he raised his eyes to the man standing on the opposite side of the bed. Phoenix had seen many spiteful looks directed at him in his life before, but the one Apollo gave him just then was on a completely different level. Anger mixed with frustration, doubt flickering somewhere along them. The furious eyes locked on Phoenix were nearly inhuman. The thing that seemed the most unnatural was the fact that Apollo didn't show any signs of tears. It was as if his usual, sensitive and emotional self was gone. The younger man clenched his teeth again.

- Get out. You aren't even her family.

Phoenix liked this meeting less and less. Now it was turn for his face to become sour, although his expression was nowhere near Apollo's.

- What are you talking about? I'm her fa-

- And maybe I'm not her brother? - Apollo cut Phoenix off so that he couldn't even finish the word "father". He didn't want to hear him say it. - Is that what you're trying to say? - he asked the second question, raising the volume of his voice. For a split second the anger nearly took over him, completely making him forget about Trucy's presence.

Phoenix gasped. How did Apollo know? He thought Thalassa would tell them in an approperiate time, but after consulting him first. It looked like that wasn't necessary anymore.

- A-apollo… I… - Phoenix was trying to get his thoughts together, to explain himself. That wasn't a place to argue, and he needed him to calm down. But he wasn't given a chance to say anything else.

- I said. Get. Out.

Apollo's gaze was still locked on Phoenix. He was breathing slowly, through his nose, but the sound of the air escaping through his nostrils was loud enough to give away he wasn't going to calm down anytime soon. Phoenix gulped. He wished Apollo would stop looking at him like that, it was sending shivers down his spine. But he had his integrity. He squinted his eyes.

- I can't just leave her, - he thought his stern face would always work on Apollo, but he was about to find out just how wrong he was.

- I'm here with her. That's enough, - Apollo's eyes returned to Trucy, although his expression stayed the same.

Phoenix's grip on the girl's bed tightened, as he wanted to protest even further. But Apollo wasn't done with voicing his thoughts.

- I don't want her to see your disgusting face when she wakes up.

That was enough to silence Phoenix for good. He couldn't understand what had happened that made Apollo despise him so much. He gave his subordinate a pitiful look. He couldn't deny it, somehow, Apollo was a closer family to Trucy than him. Even if he was her adoptive father. His hand let go of his daughter's bed. He didn't want to argue anymore in case Trucy would wake up. Phoenix just turned around to face the door and decided he would come back later, when Apollo was gone. He took a few steps, but just before he exited the room, something came to his mind. He looked back at Apollo.

- This isn't like you, - he whispered.

Apollo raised his eyes at Phoenix again. For a moment there it seemed like his expression let up, but as soon as his gaze met Phoenix's, the same fury was back. He didn't answer with words this time. The only thing he was doing was just keeping his eyes on Phoenix, with a look more spiteful than that of a murderer. Or was it? That cold stare piercing through Phoenix made him realise. His eyes widened and he pointed accusingly at Apollo.

- Y-you… You're still visiting him… aren't you?

A moment of silence hung in the air between the two men. Phoenix lowered his finger, when he didn't hear any response. The answer was waiting for him in Apollo's expression. Slowly, a smile crept into the younger man's face. Unnatural and frightening, the grin on Apollo's face grew bigger and bigger. He chuckled, reserving his reply to just that.

Phoenix couldn't believe that. It was too surreal to be happening.

- Why… - he whispered at first, but then the confusion born in his head rushed into his voice, changing its volume into a shout - Why?!

Apollo pretended to think about his response by ignoring Phoenix at first. He looked back at Trucy, wiping the grin off his face. However, a faint smile still remained, this time it was kinder, with a hint of caring. He gently touched the girl's cheek, slowly caressing it. Finally, he opened his mouth, taking a quiet gasp before he said:

- At least he hasn't lied to me.

A/N: Lately all I can do is write angst about Apollo haha heck