I hear his voice as I sleep. He's calling out to me... saying my name. "Vanessa... V... come and help me..."

In my dream, I open my eyes. I'm in pitch black; I can't see a thing. But he's there, I feel it. I hear him again. "Vanessa! Help me!" His voice is more urgent, worried. I run through the pitch black, the eternal darkness, wondering where he is... where I am...

Then all of a sudden I see a light. I walk towards it, and standing there... it's him. "Miles..." I hear myself say. He looks at me. He looks so insecure, not at all like I knew him. He looks haunted. Miles Edgeworth stares at me, like he's burning through me. Then he stares me in the eyes. "Don't forget DL-6, Vanessa. Don't forget..."

And then it reels through my mind. The screaming, feeling claustrophobic, holding someone's hand, then that bang...

And I wake.

I woke up in a sweat, yet again. I slowly turned my head to stare at the clock and groaned loudly. 9am, and my friend's trial started in an hour! Shaking slightly after the events of the dream, I got out of bed and moved towards the bathroom.

I should be used to this by now, I thought to myself. Fifteen years... fifteen years it's been. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I looked horrible, like I'd just been in a fight. My heart was pounding loudly, even after I had woken up, but it was more out of nerves than fright. I'm going to see... him... today... I gulped. My throat was dry. I ran out of the bathroom, remembering I had about half an hour to get ready.

What should I wear? My closet was full of clothes, but none that seemed appealing today. I searched through, and decided on a white blouse and a tight black mini-skirt. Then I got to work on my hair and make-up.

I straightened my auburn hair, and put on a black hairband to add a bit of innocence. I slicked on some eyeliner, and a bit of mascara to make my green eyes pop. Clear lipgloss, and then I was ready to go. I grabbed the briefcase that I'd been looking after for Nick, and ran downstairs after slipping on some heels.


I got a cab to the courthouse and ran to the defendant lobby. This is it, I thought. Fifteen years of waiting to see him and it all comes down to a trial. For murder, none the less.

"Ah, Vanessa!" I turned around to see Phoenix and Maya heading towards me. I waved slightly, but I was too nervous for proper interaction.

"You okay?" Maya asked me. She understood how I must've been feeling, since I told her EVERYTHING. I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine," I whispered.

"Don't worry," Phoenix winked at me. "He looked as nervous as you when he found out you were helping today. Besides, it's weird seeing you like this. You're normally so..."

"Confident?" I suggested, smirking. "Yeah, I guess."

"That's the Vanessa I know!" Maya laughed. She looked over my shoulder and clapped her hands. "Oh! Here he comes!"

Oh, here we go again, I thought as my heart sped up. I turned and saw him. He looked so dejected, so... lonely. The sparkle that had once been in his gray eyes wasn't there anymore. It was just the ghost of a boy I once knew. "Hi," I waved. "Long time no see."

"Hello, Vanessa." Miles gave me a sort of half smile. "It's been a while." He looked at Phoenix and Maya and nodded in acknowledgement.

I smirked again. "Who would've thought we'd meet at a murder trial where I'd be helping to defend you?" I felt disappointed inside, when I'd found out he'd become a prosecutor. I thought he would follow in Dad's- no wait, Gregory's- footsteps.

I think it is time to explain myself. I'm Vanessa Gray. I'm the assistant to my childhood friend and colleague Phoenix Wright, the defence attorney. I'm to take the bar exam in a few months. My parents died when I was very young, and I was adopted by Gregory Edgeworth, and therefore Miles Edgeworth was my adoptive brother. But we always had something more... at least, that's what I thought. And then came that incident. The DL-6 incident. Only me and Miles knew about the true events that transpired there... well, that's what we thought.

Me and Miles had so much in common. We loved reading, we both wanted to be like Gregory. We were extremely close. But, that didn't last. After the events of DL-6, we both were taken our separate ways. He was adopted by Manfred von Karma, while I was left in an orphanage. We lost all contact with each-other, even though I kept attempting to write. I don't know why he didn't reply. Perhaps I will find out now.

Maybe, I thought as I felt his eyes burning into me, we can pick up where we left off. Finish what we started.

"Vanessa?" I bring myself back into reality to see Maya looking at me, smiling brightly. "We've just been called in. The trial is about to start."

"Okay, let's do this," I grin, looking at Phoenix and Miles. They both nodded at each-other, and then we all walked into the courtroom.


Me, Phoenix and Maya all chatted quietly as we waited for the Judge to arrive. I looked across to see Manfred von Karma; needless to say I was surprised. I whispered an "excuse me" to the others and then got up to go and talk to the prosecutor. I hopped over the divider separating the two sides of the courtroom. He seemed to be oblivious of me at first, looking through what seemed like his evidence. "Um, excuse me," I said. He looked up.

"And who might you be?" he said, raising an eyebrow. Wow, it's like he thinks I'm not worth speaking to.

"I'm Vanessa Gray, I'm part of the defence?" I held out my hand for him to shake. He looked at it and then looked at me again. Um, hello? Are you blind?

"Why are you talking to me, rookie? I believe your place is over there." Von Karma nodded at the defence's bench and then looked through his evidence once more. Oh, screw this.

I slammed my hand on his desk, causing him to look up. "In case you hadn't noticed, sir, I wish to speak with you." Wow, that was a bit forward.

He scowled at me. "What do you wish to know? The trial is about to start."

"Did you take on Miles Edgeworth fifteen years ago?"

"Yes."

I glared at him. "Why did you leave me behind?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I was Gregory Edgeworth's adoptive child. Why didn't you take me in, too?"

Von Karma seemed to be startled. "I-" Suddenly, the Judge entered. Ugh, you come at the worst times, don't you Udgey? I ran back to the defence's bench, where both Phoenix and Maya gave me strange looks.

"Court is now in session for the trial of Miles Edgeworth." The Judge hit down his gavel.

"The defence is ready, your Honour."

"..." What is up with that guy? He spent all that time looking through evidence and he's not ready? I thought to myself.

"Um, is the prosecution not ready?" The Judge seemed hesitant. Of course, Manfred von Karma is a 'prosecutor to be feared' and such...

"Fool." I looked up from the evidence, at von Karma. "Do you think I would be stood here if I were not completely prepared?"

"Ouch," Phoenix whispered to me. "He's even got the Judge scared." And indeed, the Judge seemed to be shaking. Even all the way from the defence's bench I could see that.

"Er, right. Well, your opening statement, please."

"Decisive evidence... a decisive witness... what more is there that I need?" von Karma stated, looking smug. Wow, someone's too big for their boots. I thought.

"Well, I guess that's what comes with having a perfect 40 year win record," Maya whispered to me.

"Jesus, Maya, it's like you read my mind sometimes. You have to teach me how to do that."

"All comes with being a spirit medium," she laughed quietly.

"In training."

The Judge hit down his gavel. "Would the defence please quieten down?" Me and Maya snickered.

"Sorry, your Honour, we were just discussing about how someone is a bit too full of himself." I nodded over to the prosecutors bench, I just couldn't help myself.

Von Karma, however, just smiled. "Ah, but I am only sure of myself because I never lose." He wagged his finger at me. "My case is perfect."

"Ah, but you haven't met us." I imitated his finger wagging. "We can break your perfect case, believe me."

We heard the gavel loudly hit down again, and we looked over at the Judge. "I would like to continue with the proceedings?"

"Sorry your Honour," I mumbled.

This was going to be a long trial.