Vera had been sitting on her hospital bed, doodling while the news played quietly in the background when the door suddenly bust open, startling her.

"Vera!" Trucy cried. She looked flushed. "Polly told me you were back in the hospital! Is everything okay?"

Vera smiled, resting her sketchpad on her lap. Her enthusiasm was always a little exhausting, but Trucy's company was never unwelcome. She had a way of keeping things interesting, she supposed. "Yes, everything's fine." She replied, her voice soft. "It's just a follow-up appointment to make sure the poison is completely gone, but they're keeping me overnight."

Trucy sighed in relief, letting herself in and shutting the door quietly behind her. "Whew! That's good. Polly had me so scared, I thought something happened!"

"I'm sorry if I worried you."

Trucy beamed, crossing the room and pulling up a chair beside Vera's bed. "You don't have to apologize," she laughed, "it's not your fault Polly's bad at leaving messages."

Vera smiled again, an unfamiliar sensation to both girls. Unfamiliar, but not unpleasant.

"Oooh, are you drawing something?! Can I see?" Trucy squealed, sitting up to look. She squealed again as Vera held up the sketchbook. "Omigosh, it's Polly! It's Polly and look, there I am! And Daddy!"

Vera laughed, soft and light. "I wanted to remember that day forever." She explained, running her fingers fondly over the spiral binding. "I wanted to draw the moment the judge declared me not guilty so I could always look back on it and remember what you and everyone else did for me."

Trucy smiled, reaching out to place her hand over Vera's. "It wasn't just us, you know," she assured her, "you played a huge part, too. You were so brave to testify, we couldn't have done anything without your help." Eyes aglow, she pointed back to the sketch. "So don't forget to put yourself in there, okay? You need to remember that part, too."

Vera was silent, but covered Trucy's hand with her own. The girls locked eyes and exchanged smiles. It was so nice seeing Vera smile, Trucy thought. She hoped Vera would keep smiling.

They broke apart and Trucy sat back down. Vera set her sketchbook aside. "So…I don't know if Polly told you, but they're announcing Kristoph Gavin's verdict today." Trucy said suddenly, her tone cautious. "It's gonna be on the news soon. Do you wanna watch?"

Vera chewed her bottom lip in thought, glancing up at the television. She felt the tip of her thumbnail against her teeth, unaware that her hand had even moved. Kristoph Gavin. How many times had that name struck fear into her heart? How many more times would it? He'd destroyed so many lives, including her own…could she ever escape his grasp? Even if he were behind bars?

She pulled her knees up to her chest and handed Trucy the remote, her face unreadable. "Yes." She answered quietly.

Nodding, Trucy changed the channel and turned the volume up, scooting closer to the bed. Again she reached out for Vera's hand, who accepted the gesture willingly. They turned to the screen; a newscaster was standing outside the courthouse, explaining the case.

"If you're just tuning it, we are standing outside the courthouse awaiting a verdict on the case against Kristoph Gavin, a locally famous defense attorney accused of evidence forgery, the murders of traveler Shadi Smith and famous artist Drew Misham, and the attempted murder of Vera Misham, Drew's daughter and the previous defendant of her father's murder. The Misham case gained public interest as it was the test run of the new Jurist System, where a selected group of the general public aid in the decision of finding a verdict. The system is still being tested, but plans to formally introduce the system into all courts in the city are being discussed…"

The newscaster continued, covering the details of Kristoph Gavin's case. Vera watched quietly, feeling the gentle, reassuring squeeze of Trucy's hand whenever her father's name was mentioned, or if a picture of Kristoph was shown on the screen. She seemed to notice every uncomfortable moment and knew exactly how and when to respond. It was as if Trucy could feel each pang in Vera's chest as they happened; maybe she could. Maybe she felt them, too.

"Ooh! They're talking about Polly, look!"

Trucy turned up the volume. "The defending attorney was Apollo Justice, an up-and-coming lawyer and former protégé of Gavin's, who also defended Vera previously. Justice admitted in an interview he was shocked when his former boss asked for his help, considering it was he who accused Gavin in the first place."

Vera 's eyes widened. She turned to Trucy. "I didn't know Apollo was defending Mr. Gavin."

Trucy met her eyes and nodded, her expression sympathetic. "He wasn't originally going to, but Prosecutor Gavin asked him to."

Vera felt her eyes could fall out of her head any moment if they got any wider. "Is Prosecutor Gavin…?"

Trucy nodded. "I think he asked Polly to defend him because…maybe it'd be a little less painful for him if he had a friend, you know?"

Vera studied Trucy quietly. She squeezed her hand and nodded. "I can understand that."

Trucy smiled. They turned back to the television. "Oh! I think they're announcing the verdict."

The view of the camera changed to the inside of the courtroom, the focus on the judge. Vera saw the familiar faces of Apollo and Prosecutor Gavin; she also noted Phoenix Wright, hidden in the gallery. The judge from her own case was front and center.

"I think there's no need to prolong this trial any further. If the prosecution and defense have no objects, I will declare my verdict."

It was Vera's turn to squeeze Trucy's hand this time. Trucy squeezed back, leaning in closer as they watched.

"The prosecution has no objections." Klavier Gavin stated, an undercurrent of tension in his voice. He looked calm.

Apollo, on the other hand, was having difficulty controlling his anxiety. He looked heartbroken and scared; Vera's heart ached for him.

She watched him swallow nervously and face the judge. "The defense has no objections." He croaked.

Trucy sighed, placing her other hand on top of Vera's. "Poor Polly." She lamented. "Come on, Your Honor. You know what to do!"

Vera remained silent.

The judge nodded. "Very well then. Mr. Gavin, if you'll please take the stand."

A chair off-camera scraped the floor, and Kristoph Gavin came onscreen, escorted by the bailiff. He was in handcuffs. He looked tired. Angry. Defeated. Vera wondered what the trial must have been like for him.

He faced the judge, who asked, "Do you have anything you'd like to say before I hand my verdict?"

"I have nothing to say to anyone in this miserable excuse of a court proceeding."

Vera couldn't see his face as he answered, but cringed at his hardened tone. Trucy patted her hand reassuringly, and she swallowed back the lump in her throat, determined to see the trial to its end.

The judge looked surprised. "Oh. W-well…very well, then. In that case, this court finds the defendant, Kristoph Gavin…"

Vera held her breath. She felt Trucy's body lean forward with her own, their anticipation in perfect sync with each other. The moment of truth. The fate of the man who ruined hers and so many other people's lives was to be decided. Vera wondered how the case had gone. Apollo looked so nervous…had he not done well? Had new evidence come up? She feared she might break Trucy's hands, or Trucy might break hers, it was hard to tell who was squeezing harder. It didn't matter; having Trucy here, when she had no one else in the world, meant everything. She completely understood why Klavier Gavin had asked Apollo to face him in court; being alone would have made this mess impossible to face.

The girls poised themselves for the judge's response. Her heart felt ready to burst from her chest.

"…Guilty, on all counts."

The courthouse was silent. Vera and Trucy were also silent. Vera had been prepared to celebrate, she wanted to laugh and cheer. She got the verdict she wanted. Kristoph Gavin was guilty on all counts. And yet somehow, upon hearing it, all the words, all the excitement flew out of her body. She felt light and heavy all at once. Kristoph Gavin was guilty on all counts. She had gotten the justice she deserved. Kristoph Gavin was guilty on all counts. Suddenly, she felt free. She was finally free. The man who murdered her father, and who tried to kill her too, the man she'd grown up trusting, who made her feel safe when no one else could, the man who gave her a good luck charm and laced it with poison was going to jail forever and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Kristoph Gavin was guilty on all counts.

She felt Trucy turn to her. "Vera?" She asked softly. "Are you okay?"

At that moment, Vera felt a tear slip down her cheek and realized it was not the first. She stared at shock at the television, but couldn't hear the judge's words anymore. Kristoph Gavin was guilty on all counts. Kristoph Gavin was guilty on all counts. Kristoph Gavin was guilty on all counts.

Slowly, she faced Trucy. And slowly, she smiled. She smiled from ear to ear, the crinkling of her eyes squeezing more and more tears out, and she laughed. She laughed and wiped away her tears, still keeping one hand in Trucy's, her grip firm. Relief. This, she realized, was what relief felt like.

"Yes." She told Trucy, her voice breaking. "I'm okay."

Trucy smiled. "I'm glad." She replied with a giggle. "Oh! You're crying…hold on."

Her tone suddenly firm, Trucy leaped to her feet and reached into the pouch on her hip. With a grand gesture she pulled out a pair of blue bloomers, decorated in pink hearts and ruffles. Vera cried out in surprise as Trucy held the panties up with triumph.

"There we go!" The little magician cried, then pulled the panties open at the waistband, reaching inside to root around. Vera watched with interest as Trucy screwed up her face in concentration, her arm sinking deeper and deeper into the panties with no sign of it coming out of the other side. Finally, with another cry of triumph, Trucy produced a packet of tissues.

"Here," She said kindly, handing them to Vera.

Vera stared at the tissues in shock, then burst into laughter again.