You are permanently paralyzed, Mr. Edgeworth. Your spine was broken when you get hit by the truck. Sorry, Mr. Edgeworth. There is nothing we can do. From now on, you have to sit in a wheelchair, forever, for the rest of your life, Mr. Edgeworth.
He can only put a straight face while listening to Dr. Gibbs' words when he asked why he can't feel anything on his legs. Permanently paralyzed ... You have to keep sitting in a wheelchair forever... So he officially became a disabled person now. A Chief Prosecutor who couldn't even walk, and will always need help from others...
Edgeworth tried to look undisturbed by his situation right now, even though in his heart, he was screaming and crying. The next days at the hospital, he spent with only daydreaming and staring blankly at the window. Almost no food came into his mouth, everything tasted so bitter. Sometimes, he was banging his knees and legs with both of his hands, hoping perhaps after he hit his legs, in the sudden his legs doesn't felt numb anymore. But, everything remains the same. He felt both of his legs have been removed from his limbs.
Visitors non-stop coming alternately, trying to cheer him up. Maya, Wright, Pearl, and Trucy brought a big piece of Steel Samurai's cake and a jacket with Steel Samurai pattern for him. Detective Gumshoe and Maggey bring a large portion of ramen, and greeting cards Get healthy fast, Mr. Edgeworth! Which was filled with Steel Samurai pictures. Kay and Sebastian provide a set of chess equipment for him. And his men send a banner with the inscription Keep the spirit, Mr. Edgeworth, our best boss! Edgeworth was touched, he felt deeply loved. And Lana, she canceled her intention to go and stay in the hospital for taking care of him shortly after hearing Dr. Gibbs' words. Edgeworth knew he should felt happy because finally able to spend more time with Lana, even with feeling awkward, and Lana was behaving like a professional nurse. Edgeworth felt Lana's guilt which made her want to continue to take care of him.
He didn't want that! He wants Lana back to him because of her love to him and not because of pity, or guilt!
But, he is a disabled man now. If Lana did not want to go back to him because she felt guilty that she had lied to him, even though he had forgiven her, will Lana willing to accept him again, a disabled man, as her life partner?
He doubts that.
"Just one piece of bread, Miles. Come on, you haven't eaten anything from morning. If you stay like this, your condition can get worse. Don't you miss the courtroom and the office?"
"I'm not hungry. Just eat that bread, if you want to," replied Edgeworth grimly as he stared blankly at the window. It was raining very heavy.
Lana took a deep breath. Indeed, she was once treated Edgeworth when he was sick, but at that time, it was a different Edgeworth, who always obeys her orders, in contrast to the stubborn Edgeworth and full of despair like now. Lana can't blame Edgeworth. If she was Edgeworth, she probably would have wept like Thalia in the telenovela Rosalinda she had seen. She felt salute and wonder to Edgeworth, whose his face still could without expression at all when Dr. Gibbs told him he would never be able to walk again. And again, Lana felt this is all her fault... She felt that she had made Edgeworth paralyzed indirectly…..
"You stared at the window for more than an hour, Miles. You're not bored?"
Edgeworth just shook his head slowly.
"You don't want to play chess? Or watch a Steel Samurai DVD?"
Again, Edgeworth just shook his head without saying a word. Lana took a single breathes once again, and then collect the piled food on Edgeworth's bedside. Bread, hamburger, hot dog, ramen... Nothing was touched by Edgeworth.
"Even you didn't eat the hot dogs were given by Ema and Nahyuta. Wasn't hot dog is your favorite food, Miles?"
"I just wasn't in the mood for eating that," Edgeworth replied without looking at Lana's face.
Lana smiled a little. "Gourdy Lake."
Edgeworth turned his head quickly. "What do you mean?"
"Nah, nothing," said Lana, "I was just remembered when we eat hot dogs in Gourdy Lake, you eat very greedily, your cheeks brim with the sauce, you're really funny at that time, you didn't like the cold Demon Prosecutor as the media usually shown—" Lana suddenly stopped talking. She shouldn't bring up memories when they're still dating.
Edgeworth grinned. He didn't think Lana was still remembering the moments when they started dating.
"Uh, sorry, you sure you don't want to eat all these foods, Miles? If you really don't want to eat it, I will give it to the young polishers that often walking around in front of the hospital. That poor child, her body is very small and seems like she is not eating much. If you don't mind, of course. Rather than all of this food wasted," Lana muttered softly.
"Please just." Even after evokes the memories when we're dating, she was still acted like a nurse…
"All right, Miles. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me. But I won't be long."
Edgeworth nodded.
Lana then wraps up all the food, and walks out. As she was about to close the door, suddenly Edgeworth call her.
"Lana?"
"Yes, Miles?"
"You have a very good heart. You're going to be a great mother."
And Lana felt her cheeks flush instantly.
One week later, Edgeworth was allowed to go home by Dr. Gibbs. He can do his activity and work as usual, only Dr. Gibbs forbids him to work more than seven hours. Detective Gumshoe rent a car in order to drive Edgeworth home. Edgeworth started thinking to buy a special car for disabled people, because it's impossible he will ask Detective Gumshoe to drive him every day if he wants to go to the office. Ah, it seems his life starts from zero again.
He felt awkward and very embarrassed when he was carried simultaneously and helped to sit on his wheelchair by Kay, Gumshoe, and Lana. Very embarrassing…. Just like a newborn baby ... Even for only sit, I must assisted by three people...
He then pushed into his home by Kay. Inside, Kay, Gumshoe, and Lana simultaneously hold him once again and laid him on the sofa in the living room.
"Well, done, Mr. Edgeworth! How? Already comfortable? If not comfortable, just say," said Kay.
"I have, Kay. Thank you very much. I'm really sorry I had trouble all of you."
"You never bothered us, Mr. Edgeworth, sir! Speedy recovery, okay! And never despair! Keep the spirit! Be Mr. Edgeworth who never gave up that we always know!" Gumshoe said cheerfully. Edgeworth just smiled a little.
"Well, we have to go home now! Bye, Mr. Edgeworth!" Kay and Gumshoe then go home. To Edgeworth's astonishment, Lana was still standing inside his home.
"You didn't go home with them?"
"No, Miles."
"Will Ema and Nahyuta pick you up? You want to wait for them here?"
"No, Miles. Actually.." Lana bit her lip, looking a bit frightened, she look at Edgeworth with sharp eyes, and continued. "I'll take care of you."
"Take care of me?" Edgeworth was dumbfounded. Yes, he wasn't a normal man again. But that doesn't mean he needs a babysitter who will keep an eye on him every time! He's already 36 years old, he can take care of himself, even though he can't move his legs again! Moreover, isn't Lana always avoided him for 10 years?
"I'm not a kid, Lana. I am 36 years old, not 3 years old. I can take care of myself, thank you." Edgeworth said coldly. Even though deep down in his heart, he felt happy if Lana stay with him and take care of him every day. But, let it be, let Lana felt a bit of his pain to be ignored for 10 long years.
"You live alone here, Miles. And you think you can eat, take a shower, and get ready to work by yourself with your situation now? Moreover... It's my entire fault. Think of it as a ransom because indirectly, I'm the one who had made you become like this."
Edgeworth stunned. He knew it. He had guessed. Lana wanted to take care of him only because of pity and guilt. Not because she still loves him or because she wanted to get their romance going to the back it was. It's hurt Edgeworth. If he wasn't hit by the truck and become paralyzed, he wasn't sure Lana will be care much like this way.. Although the situation may different, but at least he could see Lana's face again every day... And Lana had donated blood for him, Lana had saved his life. He must be a foolish if he let this opportunity go, isn't it? Who knows with this, he can get Lana's love back?
Lana looked at Edgeworth with a pleading look.
"All right, Chief Skye. I allow you to stay here and take care of me."
"Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth."
Edgeworth blinked.
"Why are you calling my last name? Didn't you usually call me by my first name?"
"I just want to maintain professionalism in take care of you duties, Mr. Edgeworth. You don't mind, right?"
"Whatever you say, then."
"OK…. You need something, Mr. Edgeworth? You want to eat? Or sleep? Or anything? Just say," Lana smiled sadly, "Nurse Lana Skye is at your service."
Edgeworth was felt half amused, half-aggrieved, but also half-sad. Lana treats him as her colleagues again, not as the man that she once loved. He stared blankly at the pretty blue-eyed face... He tried to read the pale face. Actually, how does Lana feel now towards him? If he still can walk, he will not hesitate to jump and attack that red lips with his lips. Why, Lana? Why are you so cold? You're beside me eventually now, but at the same time, you feel very far away...
Lana looking at him anxiously, waiting for an answer.
"Steel Samurai."
"You want to watch Steel Steel Samurai?"
Edgeworth nodded.
"You even still like the Steel Samurai although you had become the Chief Prosecutor," Lana giggled and shook her head. "OK. Where you put the Steel Samurai DVD?"
"In my workspace."
"All right, wait here, Mr. Edgeworth."
Lana fetch the Steel Samurai DVD belongs to Edgeworth and turn it on. When she was done, she stood up.
"Where is the kitchen, Mr. Edgeworth?"
"Simply turn to the right. You don't want to watch?"
"No. Steel Samurai is not my cup of tea. I…. I want to make tea. Happy watching, Mr. Edgeworth. "
When Lana was making the tea, suddenly she heard the sound of DUK. Lana frantically ran out of the kitchen. In the living room, Edgeworth lay face down on the floor. Looks like he fell off the couch.
"Gee, Mr. Edgeworth! Why did you fall like this?" Cried Lana as she approached Edgeworth and with great difficulty, helped him to climb up and lie back on the couch.
"I want to take the remote. The volume is too low."
"Why don't you call me, Mr. Edgeworth? I told you, if you need anything, just call me! Remember, you can't use your legs again, Mr. Edgeworth..."
"YES LANA, I KNOW I'M DISABLED NOW! AND CAN'T DO ANYTHING!" Edgeworth shouted suddenly. Lana was silent after heard Edgeworth's scream. Realizing that he had snapped Lana, Edgeworth hastily said,
"Sorry, Lana, I didn't mean to yell at you, I... I..." He could not continue. His lips quivered a bit, and tears streamed down his cheeks. Instinctively, Lana buried Edgeworth's head on her chest. She let Edgeworth's tears wetting her shirt. It's like the old days, when she was comforting and soothing him if Edgeworth's phobia recurred or if he remembered his late father.
"Thank you, Chief Skye." Edgeworth said when he had stopped crying. "36 years and still crying in the arms of a woman... Just because I couldn't walk... How embarrassing.. Dad must be disappointed with me now..."
"Just because can't walk? Mr. Edgeworth, that's humanity. Someone else may have committed suicide if they were you…"
"Y-yeah... Sorry I interrupted you for making the tea."
"It's okay, I will done soon."
Lana resumed making two cups of tea. When she finished, she sat on the couch, and handed a cup of tea to Edgeworth. They drink the tea while watching the Steel Samurai DVD in silence.
"I never understand why you really like this show. I can understand that if Ema, but you…." She chuckled once again.
"Indeed, this show was for children but there are a lot of moral messages that can be taken," said Edgeworth as he sipped his tea.
"I see?" Lana sniffed. "Hmm, it looks like the show is over now."
"Yep. Go on if you want to watch the TV show that you like."
"Do you have a Lion King DVD?"
"Yes. I have. Just take it in my room." Edgeworth grinned slyly. "Just now you tease me because I like to watch Steel Samurai. But you're just the same."
"Nostalgia," Lana replied. "I, Ema, and our deceased parents often watch the movie together, in our family room. Ah, good old times."
"And I just know it today... After more than 10 years I know you..."
Lana cleared her throat, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. With a rush she took the Lion King DVD from Edgeworth's room, and turns it on. They watch the movie while sipping a tea once again. When the movie reached to the scene where Nala and Simba are in the forest with Can You Feel the Love Tonight back sound, they unconsciously humming the song simultaneously, when they realized, they could feel their faces flushed.
"It's my parents and my favorite scene," muttered Lana, "Disney really a genius, able to make the scene of two lions chases each other in the woods to be very romantic."
"Yes, it's beautiful," Edgeworth said. "Somehow I felt this movie's story is the same with story of my life."
Lana wrinkled her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"Scar killed Mufasa due to grudges. Then he makes Simba felt guilty for the death of his father. Simba run away from his past, growing with the assumption that it was him who had killed his father. Similar to me, right? Von Karma killed my father. I'm living in a nightmare in many years, I thought that I had killed my own father ..." Edgeworth's voice choked up now.
Lana never had the heart to see Edgeworth cry. She really hates to see Edgeworth cry. Those beautiful gray eyes don't deserve to be wet. She must comfort him. She ventured to caress Edgeworth's hand, trying to make her caress more like a motherly caress, and said,
"Come on, Miles. Past is past. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it."
Edgeworth smiled weakly, then pinched Lana's cheek. "It was that Rafiki's character said. You copied it from the movie."
Uncomfortably, Lana lowered Edgeworth's hands from her cheeks. No, they should not touch each other too often. Remember, Lana Skye, you stay here, to take care of him, to help him, to atone your guilt because you had made Miles become disabled. Not to continue your love story with him. They both continue to watch in silence, when the film is almost over, Lana heard a loud snoring sound echoed in the room. It turns out, Edgeworth fell asleep on her lap.