His True Family

By: Adazula

Story description: An investigation goes wrong when a witness brutally attacks Apollo during an interview. Now hospitalized and not able to talk or hear. He never felt so vulnerable in his life, but he finds that he does have someone to turn to. FAMILY FIC.

Takes place after Dual Destinies. Before Spirit of Justice.

Chapter 1: What No One Saw Coming.

Apollo's POV

Today should have been a fine day. It should have. But of all things that could have happened, why did have to be this?

I was investigating for evidence for an upcoming trial of this one guy named Kenny accused of murdering his friend over a money dispute. Apparently he had this one guy that was a witness the crime that could be of help. However, he was forcibly checked into a mental hospital over strange circumstances.

I have had a feeling that the culprit was behind the man's forced commitment and decided to interview the witness in the hospital. Strangely enough, the hospital administration had let me be able to interview him in a private room without raising objections. Which I thought was strange for someone that was recently admitted. But I was more focused on interviewing the guy and had no idea that it would ever lead to this.

I open one of my eye as much as I can and make out a tunnel blurry image of seeing the crack under a door. I see shadows of footsteps but I can't hear thing. All I hear is ringing in my ears and me whimpering in pain.

I have never been in this much pain before. In pain and unable to move. All I can do is slightly shake. I can't even move my mouth to say something or call for help. It seems locked in a position. Which is even more frightening.

I don't know how long I was here. I glance over to see the witness…... No… my attacker. Lying on the floor unconscious.

He's a big guy. Much bigger than me, but I was told by Kenny that he never really has ever hurt anyone. That he was gentle giant and it was shocking that he placed in a mental institution in the first place. I trusted his word and decided to get his account over what happened. Big mistake.

He's been on the floor like that since he finally collapsed and suddenly stop attacking me. He was suddenly calm as soon as he was suddenly violent.

I think as I lie on my stomach about why. Why did he suddenly become violent and targeted me. What did I do to him?! I only asked him a couple of questions. Stupid ones really.

I try to move again and start to feel shots of pain throughout my body. Which causes me whimper in pain even louder. I realize I can't feel my left arm and shoulder. My torso is on fire. My jaw hurts and my right eye is swollen shut. I also have trouble breathing.

Is this what it's come to? Am I really going to die here?

Suddenly the door open and I am nearly blinded by the sudden light before my eye finally refocuses.

Someone touches my injured shoulder which causes me whimper more in pain and the hand is pulled away. The person kneels down by me and looks at me straight in the face. When I finally am able to see who it was, I start crying. It's my boss. Phoenix. Looking frantic and scared. Which makes me frantic and scared.

Why him? I don't want him to see me like like this. I don't want my friends to know about this.

I think my hearing might also be impaired because I can't make out the words that he is saying to me and to some frightened unfamiliar nurse at the door. She runs off looking like she is doing what Phoenix is saying.

Phoenix turns his attention back to me and gently puts a hand on back of my head and is saying something to me. Again. I can't hear him and I can't say anything back to him because of my locked jaw.

But I can somewhat make out the words.

"Everything's going to be ok." He says.

I glance over to the door see a bunch of people in blue uniforms storm into the room. Bringing in a gurney and other medical supplies.

One of them pulls my boss away while others are surrounding me which surges my heart out of anxiety. I feel hands being placed on my around my face, particularly where my jaw is, I hyperventilate from the sharp pain as a result. The hand move away from my jaw but still remain around my head in a way to keep my head as still as possible when a neck brace is secured around my neck and an oxygen mask is placed over my mouth and nose to help me breathe.

I then feel more hands being place on my left side. I wonder why until they pull me onto my back and onto a backboard which causes excruciating pain. All I can do grunt and whine in pain as they do more things to me such as putting something around my left arm to immobilize it and strapping me to the backboard before I am lifted onto the gurney and rushed out of that room.

Phoenix forces through some of the medics and stays by me as I am being taken out of the institution. I glance away from him for one second as I see a familiar face.

The doctor who allowed me to see the witness. Acting very calm. Even smirking as he looks straight me. I realized that he expected that this would happen.

"You…...bastard." I think before I lose sight of him.

I use my free hand and tug my boss's sleeve to get his attention. I point in the direction where that guy is. He doesn't get it. I can't let this guy get away.

I try to talk. My injured jaw is making it so hard right now. One medic touches my shoulder and shakes her head.

Nevertheless I persisted to Phoenix.

"Oc…" I try my best through my clenched teeth. "D…...oc… Doc…...tor…. Meh….n...dez...…."

His eyes widen and looks in the direction of where I saw the doctor. He looks back at me and I try in way to nod if it weren't for the brace. Hopefully he got the message.

A blanket is thrown on top of me as I am wheeled out of the institution. It's raining hard, but I am only outside for one second before pulled into the back of an ambulance.

Phoenix climbs in and sits next to me along with one of the paramedics. The doors of the ambulance close and I start to feel the motion of ambulance moving.

The ambulance must have hit a rock or something because the ambulance suddenly shakes violently causing me to yelp in pain once more.

I feel a comforting hand touch the back of my head again and look over to see Phoenix. Still looking concerned.

I feel a prick in my non injured wrist and see the medic sets an IV in my right wrist before I watch her inject something into the IV.

My breathing steadies and I feel a bit drowsy. I try my best to not fall asleep but my body says otherwise. I blink several more times before I let darkness overcome me.

Phoenix POV

It's been several hours since I found Apollo and I still can't get the horrible sight out of my mind. He's always been such a strong and upbeat young man. I never thought I would find him lying on the floor injured and so vulnerable. Especially crying in pain. The worst one is not knowing how long he was on the floor like that before I found him. Before anyone could find him.

It doesn't make sense. The witness didn't have any form of a violent history. He was committed to a mental institution for bouts of depression not violence. I thought nothing would happen to Apollo. Why did he suddenly have a violent episode that was enough to brutally assault him without any explanation. That's what I can't understand.

Then I think back to what Apollo was trying desperately to me say as the paramedics were wheeling him out. Dr. Mendez. I believe.

Before I could think about more, I hear a couple of pairs of rushing of feet. I look in the direction to see Athena and my daughter Trucy. Both looking understandably distraught.

"Daddy!" Trucy cries as she thrusts her arms around me. "Where's Polly!? Is he going to be ok?!"

"He's in surgery." Is all I can tell them. "He got hurt really badly."

"You said a mental patient did this. How could this have happened?!" Athena angrily demands. "They shouldn't have left them alone."

"The patient had no violent history until now. No one saw it coming." I explain though my feelings are starting to say otherwise. Something is off about what had happened.

"Where's the patient now?" Athena asks.

"Restrained and right now in isolation." I explain. "I'm afraid we won't be able to interview him until after seventy-two hours."

"What do we do now?" Trucy asks.

"We wait." I say sitting down in the waiting chairs. "And hope that he pulls through."

Trucy sits next to me, but Athena doesn't.

"Boss. Let me take Apollo's case." She says.

"But…." I try to say before she interrupts me, " He would want someone to finish the case that he started. Especially right now and you know it. He will never forgive himself if this case goes downhill from here because of what happened."

I think about it for a few seconds before nodding. She's right. Apollo would want this case to be solved.

"The case file and court materials are at the office." I tell her. She nods before turning to leave.

I suddenly remember something, "Wait!" I stop her. "Look into Dr. Mendez. That name was the last thing Apollo had said. I think he was trying to tell me something that could break the case."

"Dr. Mendez…. Got it! Thanks Boss. That will take priority. I won't let Apollo down!" She says before she heads out.

"Mr. Wright." I hear a man's voice. I turn to see a doctor. Dr. Gerald. The one that was first on call when Apollo was brought in.

"Yes." I ask him. Hoping that nothing worse has happened.

"Mr. Justice is fine. He'll need a lot of time to recuperate, but he'll pull through." He says.

Trucy cries in happiness and I feel tempted to do that myself. I never felt so relieved since I saw what happened.

The doctor continues, "I should let you know the full extent of the injuries. He has a concussion and some facial damage. He definitely has a fractured jaw that will need to be set properly later on. He also has a dislocated left shoulder and a broken arm that we set during his emergency surgery. His ribs are also broken and they were strapped into place during his surgery. Upon the examination we discovered that the blows to his head has damaged his ear drums. He won't be able to hear out of them for a while, but the good new is that it is temporary. He was lucky to have not ruptured any of his organs. Though he has bruised his spleen and one of his lungs."

"Aw. Man." I said taking this all in. Trucy is crying hard. I should not have let her hear all of that.

The doctor clears his threat, " Look. I know it all sounds overwhelming and pretty bad, but you should know he will make a full recovery. People in his situation are not as lucky."

"I know. Believe me. I'm a lawyer who has to defend people accused of murder." I tell him.

"I can take you up to ICU if you like. He's resting though. So I advise some peace and quiet when you're around him." He says.

I nod and get from the chair along with Trucy.

"I'm sorry young lady." The doctor shakes his head. "I would ask you to wait here. Reason is that your father is the only one on his emergency contact and we only allow family or emergency contact members during the time in the ICU."

Trucy sighs but reluctantly agrees as she drops back into her seat. In my opinion, it's best that she waits here anyway. I don't know how she would handle seeing Apollo and things have been hard on her already.

"I won't be long Trucy." I promise her. She nods before gesturing that I should go.

I follow the doctor into the ICU. He then directs me into one of the rooms on the ward and I go into the room to find a hard sight to see but not as bad as when I found him.

His black eye is pretty swollen and has a tube going up into his nose. A bandage that goes under his chin and secure on the top of his head seems to be the one thing that's holding his jaw into place. He has a cast on his left arm and is prompted up by a pillow. The only thing I am glad about seeing him now is that he's asleep.

The doctor whispers, "We'll need to set his jaw properly and he'll need wires in his teeth, but we're giving him some time to recover from the surgery on his arm and ribs before we do so. The bandage should hold his jaw in place in the meantime. We just need to make sure he doesn't move his jaw for a while. I'm afraid that includes talking or eating. Which is why he has a feeding tube." He points to the tube in his nose.

"I see." I say frowning at the tube.

" The hearing impairment will go away. Not exactly sure when, but it shouldn't be more than a few weeks. I thought you should know." He says.

"All I care about is that he's going to be alright." Is what I tell him and I meant every word of it.

Another thing comes to mind.

"Doctor. You said I was the only one on his emergency contact list? Are you sure?" I ask. He nods in response.

"I'm sure. I found it shocking myself that he doesn't have any family to contact. I find it sad really. The idea of having no one to turn to. Luckily he has you. How are you related to the boy?" He asks.

"I'm his employer." I answer. Though it's not entirely true. His half sister is my adopted daughter. Which does make him technically family but I found him to be family before I knew of the circumstances. Unfortunately, he doesn't know and that's because of the insisting of his and Trucy's mother. Thalassa Gramarye. Despite my feelings, I feel like I have to honor her wishes.

"We'll keep him here in the ICU for a couple of days before moving him to a regular room. By then he can have other visitors." The doctor explains. "Now. I have to attend to other patient. Use the call if you need me." He says before walking out of the room.

I walk over to the only chair in the room and sit by his bed. Having no idea how to feel at this point. All I can do is just watch him sleep and hope for the best.

This was something I started writing cause I needed a comforting story. I have been playing the Ace Attorney Games lately and really have developed a liking for the character Apollo. This story takes place after Dual Destinies and before Spirit of Justice. There will be a few more chapter, but I am keeping this to be short story. The relationships in this story are really family. Nothing on romance I'm afraid and I don't want to overdo it. Anyway. Hope you like it.

Tell me what you think.