Thanks loads to Blaze Ice who was kind enough to suggest this idea to me. I have my writing spirit back! Yay!
England was a truly wonderful place. Aside from the fact half the year it was raining, the other half snowing. Ema woke in her classy studio apartment to the sound of her alarm going off. Today's the day! She smiled to herself as she shuffled out from under her sheets.
"Well. Good morning baby." Someone wrapped their arms around her, licking her neck and whispering.
"S-Sam!" She squealed as he lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bathroom. "Put me down!" She laughed as she punched him lightly in the chest. He lowered her into the shower stall, closing the door and joining her under the warm spray. "I don't have time baby. I have to go to the university for my exam!"
"I know." He pushed against her, his lean muscular body pressing against her petite frame. "I just wanted to wish my baby girl the best of luck." She wrapped her arms around his neck and ground her lips against his.
She had gone back to Europe to study. This time though, she had chosen England. She had been accepted in one of the best scientific universities in the country – The University of Nottingham – which was among the top 20 universities anyway. She had been there for three years, she had spent the first one travelling – exploring and seeing the new sites. She then enrolled in the university.
"Come on Sam! I can't be late!" She pushed him against the door of the cubicle.
"Aww!" He whined.
"You can get some later, ok baby." She kissed him once more.
She had met Sam in Oxford – where'd he'd been playing a gig in a small bar. He was a member of an unsigned band who believed they were going places. It turned out – conveniently – he was from Nottingham as well. He had been dating her for the last year.
"Wish me luck!" She bounced excitedly.
"I know you're going to pass baby." He grabbed his car keys. "Want a ride?"
"Sure!"
Today was the day of her final exam – the one she had initially failed years earlier – this time though, she was determined to pass.
-x-x-
A nine hour trans-Atlantic flight from the small country of England would land you in America. Home of plenty of things the world loves. Amongst which was the famous attorney Apollo Justice.
His career had taken off after his first year, now he was in charge of his own private law office. Klavier was still his trusted friend within the court system – between them it was impossible for the truth to escape. He'd supported Wright with his bar exam and Trucy in her pursuit to be a world-class magician. Although that was him all over – little Apollo Justice, the man who cares for everyone.
"Objection your honour!" Apollo pulled the autopsy report from his pocket.
"Yes Mr Justice?"
"The witness just stated that the victim was shot. This is a clear contradiction to the facts! It states here the victim was killed with the bread knife! There were no bullet holes in the body!" Apollo declared valiantly. Klavier nodded in agreement.
"No! I heard gunshots!" The victim declared. "I heard gunshots! I am as sure of this as I am that my name is Mr Ted E. Bear!"
"Uh…sir…that's your son's name." Apollo pointed out. "What you heard was the recording!"
"W-what!?"
"This should clear up all the suspicion surrounding my client." Apollo bowed.
"Yo thanks G-dawg." Wocky declared happily.
"No problem Wocky…just don't call me that again." Apollo laughed. "How's your heart holding up by the way?"
"Perfect." He looked to his young, pregnant girlfriend Pearl Fey. "Pearly!"
"Mr Justice. Thank you…for saving Wocky." She smiled.
"No problem. I wish you both luck with the baby." Apollo looked at the now-matured Wocky and the young blonde beside him. He noticed Klavier waving to him. "I have to go somewhere now. See you around."
"Bye!" Pearl cheered him off.
"Want to go for a drink?" Klavier asked.
"Of course." Apollo replied matter-of-factly.
"My round, ja?"
"Thanks man."
"You we're supposed to say 'no I'll get them'"
"Like that's gonna happen!" Apollo laughed.
"When was the last time you got laid by the way?" Klavier asked curiously.
"What's that to do with you?" Apollo asked as he tipped more of the beer into his glass.
"Just curious." Klavier shrugged.
"I don't know…last time I had a girlfriend…maybe three, four years ago." Klavier spat his drink back into his cup.
"No kidding?"
"We're not all like you, you know, not all of us are gonna take it from any girl willing to roll on her back." Apollo laughed.
"Nein! That's not true."
"It so is!" Apollo teased.
"Ja, ja ok. No man can go without sex for so long though – I mean mien Gott!"
"Some of us aren't as horny as bunnies though. Unlike a certain blond prosecutor I know." Apollo replied.
"My girl likes that stuff!"
"How you getting on with her?...uh…Charlene or something like that?"
"She's a sex monkey!" Klavier declared. "Thick as hell though, she doesn't know how to make toast."
"You do have good taste in women then!" Apollo shouted sarcastically.
"We so have to get you laid!" Klavier declared.
"I'm not interested man." Apollo whined.
"You're still not over her, are you?" Klavier whispered.
-x-x-
There…all finished…Ema quickly re-read through her paper. Yeah…finished…
"There she is!" Sam hoisted her into the air. "How'd it go…?"
"I think I did ok."
"That's my girl!" He let her down to the floor. "I'm gonna take you to the fanciest dinner you can eat tonight!"
"Aww, thank you!" Ema took his hand as they left the university campus.
-x-x-
"That was the best food ever!" Ema and Sam stumbled through the door, entwined in a hug.
"Isn't it?" He whispered.
"You know…" She whispered as she leant up to kiss him. "I think I need to release some stress relief…"
Sam had dozed off, Ema must have given him a good workout. In the cool darkness of her apartment she allowed her mind to wonder back to her real home – to America. Her first thought was of Lana, her sister, not that she really needed to worry – Jake took real good care of her and their kids. Her second thought was to her friends…then to him.
She wouldn't be in England studying if it wasn't for him. She wouldn't have even bothered retaking the exam…a stray tear rolled down her cheek. She forced the past from her mind as she curled up in Sam's arms.
-x-x-
Three months soon past, Ema finding it impossible to get employed – despite impeccable references and exceptionally high predictions for her exam.
"Baby! I think your results are here!" Sam called as he lifted the toast to his mouth.
"What?" She ran straight in and clung to his back.
"It's a good job we don't have visitors." Sam commented as her naked form pressed against him.
"Open it! Open it! Open it!" He dropped the toast back onto the plate and undid the seal.
"You did it girl! You passed, with your predicted grades!" Ema exploded with delight. Yet, she still had that nagging feeling she wouldn't be able to get a career anytime soon – she had applied for ever fifty jobs already – throughout England and had been rejected.
"Is something bothering you?" Sam asked as they swayed through the streets.
"No matter how hard I try I can't get a job…" Ema whispered.
"Well, you need to broaden the horizon a bit, look all across Britain if you have to!" He smiled.
"A-actually…about that…" Ema mumbled. She had been mulling over an idea for a while, now seemed like a good time to bring it up.
"What's up?" Sam asked suspiciously.
"Well…I was thinking about searching up jobs back home in America…I'm sure Lana could get me work…"
"But…that means…"
"I know it means I'll be leaving and I know you've grown up here all your life and all…"
"I…" Sam fell silent.
"Sam…please don't be mad."
-x-x-
"Of course I could." Lana glanced at the folder beside her before looking back to the webcam. "You've spoke to Sam about this…haven't you?"
"I don't think he took it too well…" Ema whispered.
"Well…I can see why Em. Still, I think there's a placement here and I'm sure all your old friends would be happy to see you after so long."
"Will you look into it for me?" Ema asked.
"Of course hon. I'll call you tomorrow."
Ever since Ema's suggestion, more than a week ago she and Sam barely spoke over fear of an argument. She knew Sam was born in Nottingham and he had so much here – his friends and his family for a start, not to mention his band.
"Listen…Em…" It was a shock to feel Sam's arms around her. "I've been thinking…if you get this interview I'll be happy to go with you to it. If you take the job…I'll still come and see you, then gradually build up the time until I'm there with you…"
"Really!? Oh…Sam!" She cried joyfully.
-x-x-
"It was so nice of the force to pay for our tickets and accommodation, not to mention inviting us to that gala tomorrow night so I can see all my old friends again…" Ema whispered to Sam as they waited in the airport.
-x-x-
"Y-you're kidding!" Apollo smiled.
"No." Lana assured.
"Will she…even remember me? She stopped writing and all…"
"There's still something wrong with that…Ema seemed certain she was still contacting you just after you stopped receiving them." Lana twirled a stray lock of hair around her finger. "Just remember Apollo…she has a new boyfriend now."
"I'm glad she kept my promise and moved on, I wanted to see her smile…"
"Out of interest, when did you stop getting letters?"
"About a year ago, why?"
"No reason…" interesting….
-x-x-
"Lana!" Ema declared, running straight into her arms.
"Welcome back honey! I hope you enjoy tonight!" Ema looked ever her sister's elegant ball gown. "Jake!"
"Howdy bambina, haven't you grown up?" Jake was dressed in a black tuxedo – much different to the cowboy suit Ema always remembered him wearing. "You going to introduce me to your boyfriend there?"
"Oh right, Sam – this is my sister Lana and her husband Jake, Jake and Lana this is Sam."
"How do you do?" He shook both their hands.
Ema scanned the room for three other people – Trucy, Apollo and Klavier. But she wanted to speak to Apollo in particular.
"Ow! Be careful!" Someone scolded as Ema stepped back and hit them.
"Oh…s-sorry…" Ema looked up to see a brunette.
"Hang on…E-Ema!" Apollo smiled.
"Apollo!" She declared. She was about to ask why he stopped writing to her but bit her tongue.
"My god…you look so beautiful." Apollo smiled. "It's so nice to see you happy."
"The same for you! Wow, you look like quite the hot shot." Apollo took a sip of the champagne in his glass.
"I heard about the exam, congrats."
"Here you go baby." Sam handed Ema her drink.
"Who's this?" Apollo asked curiously, although he already knew.
"Oh…uh…Apollo…this is Sam…my boyfriend."
"Pleased to meet you." Apollo shook his hand politely.
"Polly!" Trucy called, now nineteen years old and dressed in a blue dress.
"Trucy!" Apollo pulled her over to him. "Say hi to our old friend Ema."
"Oh. My. God. You look amazing!" She squealed.
"You do too!" Ema hugged her. "You sure have grown."
"Excuse me…I need to help Klavier dump his girlfriend." Apollo excused himself.
"Ema…can I speak to you…alone for a moment."
"Sam, could you get me something to eat baby." Ema urged.
"I know this really isn't my place to say but…you broke Apollo's heart when you stopped writing to him…I know you probably had your reasons and all…" Wait…I stopped writing to him? He stopped writing to me!
"Ah man, I can't do it." Klavier whined, he had already seen Ema and Sam.
"Why not?"
"She's probably too stupid to understand ja?"
"Yeah I guess…"
"Man…" Klavier sighed.
"She thinks geometry is something you say when you turn into a tree and pistachio is Pinocchio's father for Gods sake!"
"Help me…"
-x-x-
They didn't speak until days later when she appeared at Apollo's office. Sam had gone shopping which meant she had free time to visit her ex-lover and see why he had stopped writing.
"I hear you got that job." Apollo waved to the seat in front of her.
"Yeah…"
"A drink?"
"A tea would be nice." Apollo ordered a tea from his secretary.
"You really have changed you know." He looked away from her. "Although you kept your promise to me, to move on if it meant you would smile."
"I missed you…" She whispered. "More than anyone, even my sister. That's why it hurt when you stopped writing…"
"Wait? When I stopped writing!? I was still sending you letters up to six months ago!" Apollo declared. "You can even check with Lana! She has the last letters I ever wrote! You stopped writing to me!"
"No I didn't!" Ema bit back. "I never stopped writing! The last letter I ever got from you was over a year ago!" She took the tea from Apollo's secretary. "I-I'm sorry, we really shouldn't be screaming at each other…"
"Yeah…" Apollo simmered down a little. "So how was England?"
"Fine I guess…"
Well this conversation hit a wall quick. Apollo thought.
"Excuse me Mr Justice, a client is here to see you."
"I'm sorry Miss Skye but you'll have to leave." Apollo tried to smile.
"Of course…" She was to visit her sister next.
-x-x-
"I'll see you in two weeks." Lana hugged her sister goodbye.
"Yeah, say bye to everyone for us!" Ema waved as she joined the queue for her flight.
In her hand luggage lay the very last letters Apollo had written, it appeared his story checked out – he had still been sending her letters. Why hadn't she received them then? Were they lost in transit?
Sam had fallen asleep, hardly a surprise since as soon as it got dark this guy was in bed. She opened the first envelope she picked out of her bag. She missed seeing Apollo's neat italic writing on the front of the purple envelopes.
Ema,
You haven't spoken to me in a while. I can only assume this is a sign you've moved on. I spoke to Lana today, she said you'd been on a date with another man. That doesn't matter to me though, you'll always be the girl I love and I wish you happiness in the future. Lana's had another baby, although I'm sure you already know – if she keeps popping them out the way she is then she's going to need an entire apartment building to house them! Please don't tell her I said that though x.
It was your birthday last week was it not? So I put a birthday card in this envelope, along with a couple of English £20 notes. Do you remember Wocky Kitaki? Well, he came to see me at the office today – to tell me his girlfriend is pregnant and to tell me that his heart was getting better. Heck, he sure was lucky. Trucy asked me about doing a tour with her, to help with her magic shows. I'm not sure how her daddy will take it though.
I know your exam is soon so I wish you the best of luck. Please write back to me and let me know how it goes.
Missing you loads and love you always: Apollo xxx
Ema could feel her cold tears, she'd written to him, why hadn't he received any of them? She held the letter to her chest as she realised how much her ex-boyfriend still loved her, and how she felt she broke his heart.
-x-x-
"Sam! Where are you going?"
"To Shane's house. We have a gig tonight!"
"You were supposed to help me clean up!" Ema scolded.
"Aww I'm sorry, I'll help tomorrow."
"No it's ok, I'll do it myself." Ema sighed, his parents were coming over for dinner the day after and he was supposed to help her clean.
She'd been cleaning for over an hour when she came across the sealed cardboard box beneath the bed. 'Sam's private stuff' was scrawled across the top. Being as nosey as she was she chose to carefully pull open the box.
Inside lay letters. Not just any letters, letters addressed to her in Apollo's unmistakable handwriting, and ones addressed to him in her scientific scrawl.
"What the…?" She rooted through the box, there were enough letters here to explain why Apollo's letters had gone from being weekly to being nothing at all. She noticed several were open.
Ema,
Lana told me about the fact you've past your first year! Congratulations! I always knew you could do it! See, a little faith in yourself goes a very long way. Mr Wright has finally decided to retake his bar exam and Trucy managed to score a shoew at that big stadium that the Gavineers play at. Klavier kept asking me about making a new band with him, I yelled at him and said I was tone deaf. He told me I the music business you don't need to be able to sing – just scream a few times and lip sync, says a lot about him really XD xx
Anyway…you didn't reply to my last letter so I'm going to write this news down now. I'm finally going to be getting my own office! I can finally afford it. Wright says I should call it the 'Justice and Co. Law Offices' I want to call it something better, but until I can think of a name I guess that one will have to do. Maybe you could help me think of a name?
Love you forever, Apollo xxx
The date on the letter was a couple of weeks before her first date with Sam, just after the letters first began disappearing. Did Sam steal them? She thought back to the times Sam had taken the pile of letters they needed to send, every time there was a letter from her to Apollo amongst them. Had he been removing the letters and stuffing them in this box?
"The bastard read them…" Ema sobbed. "…And Apollo never stopped writing…my god what have I done? All this time Apollo never stopped caring…" She glanced at her backpack – still full of her hand luggage. She lifted all the envelopes out the box and pushed them all into the bag. She just managed to zip it up after removing a few to show to Sam.
There weren't just letters from Apollo in the box, there were ones from Trucy, Klavier, Wright and all her other friends. Even ones from Edgeworth and Gumshoe.
-x-x-
"Hey there sexy, you didn't have to wait up for me." Sam stared her straight in the eyes, her cold, dark expression made him cautious. "I-Is something wrong?"
"What are these?" She dropped the envelopes onto the counter.
"I don't know. What are they?"
"These are letters from all my friends in America and from my ex-lover. These are private letters from me to him."
"What's the problem?"
"The problem is I found these in a box with your writing on hidden under the bed. Some of them have even been opened."
"So what? I wanted to see who was sending you so many letters?" Sam shrugged, his tone becoming more serious.
"This is my mail! From a person I loved! What gives you the right to open it?"
"I wanted to see why you always eagerly tore those letters open! Why you rushed off to write a response!" Sam snapped.
"How could you!?"
"I read those letters, read those kind soothing words, even read some of yours to him…" He sighed before screaming. "Do you know what it's like playing second best!?"
"You fucking sidewinder!" She slapped him. "You never were second best! I loved him and he loved me. Yet if you read those letters carefully enough you would soon see that my promise to him was to be happy, even if with another man. I love you, I thought you loved me too and clearly you don't!" Somewhere amidst her screaming at him she had begun to cry. "I'm glad I found out about this, it's helped me see how jealous you are!" Ema got up from the chair. "You know what, I'm going home."
"You are home!"
"No. Home. To my family, friends and to the only man who ever really did love me!" Ema cried as she stormed off and began to furiously shove clothing into her suitcase.
"Ema wait!" Sam calmed a little. "P-please."
"No. I hope you can be happy with someone else because you clearly don't trust me! Never have, never will." She grabbed her backpack (which she had pre-packed with all the letters, her ipod, cellphone and other various articles of hand luggage).
"Ema!" He cried as he tried to grab her shoulder and stop her leaving.
"You don't get it! I truly loved you, just like I loved Apollo. You betrayed my trust – you had me believing he didn't care! Is this why you didn't want me applying for a job back home!?" She grabbed her handbag and car keys.
She never looked back at her apartment, or Sam. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't be in this state – for over a year she had believed Apollo didn't care about her and made him believe that she no longer loved him.
-x-x-
"When's the next flight to California leaving?" Ema asked the lady at the airport.
"Tomorrow, nine a.m."
"Can you book me on?" Ema handed the lady her credit card and passport.
"Are you ok ma'am. You look most upset." The lady began entering Ema's details.
"I need to make some urgent apologies. Can you make this one-way?"
"Of course. So…do your family live in the US or something?"
"Everyone I care about and who care about me does…"
"Oh! Guy trouble…" The woman declared all-knowingly.
"Nothing like finding out your boyfriend's jealous of the only man who ever truly loved you…"
"You still hold a torch for this guy who truly loved ya?"
"I think he hate's me thanks to my boyfriend…"
-x-x-
She hadn't slept – despite checking into a hotel. When she boarded that plane she felt a great sense of relief. She had read through several of the opened letters, each one bringing new tears to her eyes – letters about how lonely Apollo was without her and about the life of him and their friends. She pulled another out, one which featured a rather unnatural lump. She tipped the envelope's content onto her lap.
Ema,
This one's really short I know…I found this when I was cleaning up my space in preparation for moving from the talent agency to my new office. This holds too many memories for me, so I want you to have it – after all it was my gift to you.
Will speak again soon, Apollo xxx
On her lap lay her love-heart pendant. A simple silver heart inlaid with rubies on one side. When Apollo had given it to her he had told her it was a symbol of his passion for making her happy.
She fell into a slumber and her mind drifted to her goodbye to Apollo three years ago…
"I'm going to miss you!" She sobbed.
"I know baby and I'm going to miss you too."
"Promise me you'll write, e-mail or whatever." Ema clung to Apollo.
"I promise." He clung tight to her. "I need you to make a promise to me…a promise you might not like but I'd very happy if you did it."
"Anything Apollo."
"I've spent my whole life looking for someone who I love unconditionally and how feels the same about me, it's because I love you so much that I ask you this: if you find another man in England, one who loves you as much as I do then please don't hesitate to get with him."
"I could never do that!" Ema cried, Apollo hushed her by pulling her into a kiss.
"My only goal is to see you smile, if you come back in the arms of another man with a ring on your finger then that goal will be fulfilled. Just remember, I'll always love you."
"And I you…"
Ema woke in fright. A man who loves me unconditionally…there's only one man and that's you. It was in that moment Ema realised how unselfish Apollo was. He was happy to see her in another relationship – as long as it made her smile.
-x-x-
It was evening when Ema finally landed. Her only trouble was how to locate Apollo without any of her friends or family knowing she had returned. A good start would be the address of his apartment, if he no longer lived there she was sure the new occupants might have a forwarding address for him.
"Hello?"
"Uh…hi." Ema blushed as she looked at the small girl. "Is your mommy home?"
"Mommy!"
"Yes sweetie?" A young woman, looking around Ema's age looked from her child to Ema.
"Um hi…I was looking for Mr Apollo Justice but I guess he doesn't live here anymore…" Ema let her voice trail.
"Mr Justice? Ah, yes I know him."
"You do? Do you know where he lives now?"
"He left this with me, in case anyone needed a forwarding address." The woman took a card from a nearby shelf.
"C-can I ask how long ago he moved?"
"About six months ago now."
"Thank you. You've been a great help." Ema took the card from her.
"No problem."
"I'm sorry for disturbing you." Ema smiled before heading down the hallway.
"Taxi!" She flagged a taxi down. "Take me to this address."
-x-x-
The apartment was across the city in a modern-new build. The doorman had directed her to his apartment. She knocked – nothing. Tried again – nothing. She tried as many times as she could yet still no reply came.
"This was a stupid idea." Ema cursed as she slumped down beside her suitcase. "Maybe I should just find Lana and be done with it…"
"Ice! Wait up boy!" Someone called. That sounded like…Apollo! A long snout was prodding her cheek. It was a husky. "Ice! Ice…?"
"A-Apollo!" Ema cried out.
"W-what are you doing here?" Apollo asked shocked.
"I…May I come in, I'll explain."
Her story was detailed, he read the letters as she continued to dictate what had happened to him.
"So Sam's been making us both believe we didn't care huh?"
"I'm so, so sorry Apollo!" Ema cried. "I was blind!"
"No, you kept your promise." Apollo smiled softly. "You did exactly what I asked of you."
"But I was wrong…"
"We all make mistakes." Apollo looked to her case. "I guess you need a place to stay?"
"Y-yeah…"
"Sleep in the spare room. I'll take you for dinner if you like…"
"Just like the old days?" Ema asked curiously.
"More as friends ok?" Apollo smiled the same dazzling smile that Ema remembered.
"That's how you asked me out, a dinner date as friends." Ema shrugged.
"Yeah…"
-x-x-
"You're the last person I need to speak to Gavin." Ema took a seat before him. "Apollo said he'd meet me here as well…"
"Ja Fraulien? Will you tell me what has happened?" So she told him as briefly as she could.
"Fraulien, I probably should not say this but Apollo has never been with another woman since you."
"Really?"
"Ja, really."
"We don't all have sex with anything with a pulse that's breathing." Apollo yelled from the doorway.
-x-x-
As she lay in his arms that night she realised all that she'd missed and all the memories of her and him together flooded back:
The cold winter evenings snuggled up to each other drinking cocoa, the endless hours of their lives whispering sweet nothings to each other, hot summer nights lying together naked and even the time Apollo and her squeezed onto Phoenix's balcony to watch the stars on a rainy night. She even remembered that stupid little verse Apollo had told her:
We were always bound together
To be with each other forever
We will fight for each other
That's how much I care for you – my lover.
"I'm surprised you still remember that." Apollo whispered.
"I'm surprised I do too." She waited. "So…new beginnings right?"
"New beginnings." Apollo kissed her cheek.
As the held each other longer, both realised that their achievements in the last three years were meaningless without each other. Ema would have never re-taken her exam and Apollo wouldn't have found his motivation to be the best he was today.
Apollo,
…not a day goes by where I do not dream of you, even now I have Sam. No matter what he does he never quite compares and often at night, when I know he's asleep I think of all you and I did…