Title: A Little Help From my Friend

Fandoms: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Rating: T, for murder has occurred!

Word Count: 711

Timeline: Unimportant for PWAA, but for CSI it follows the episode Happenstance in Season 7.

Summary: For running down Demitrius James in self-defense, the court found Greg Sanders' actions "excusable." But it doesn't end there, when Demitrius' parents file a civil suit. Ties in with chapter 2.

Disclaimer: I don't own CSI or the Ace Attorney franchise…if I did I'd be a rich S.O.B! But no. This fic is profit-free. I makes no moneys.

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Greg sat in the break room of the Las Vegas crime lab, his head in his hands, fingers interweaved into his blonde hair. Well, one trial was out of the way...at least the state had decided he was in the right.

He remembered the night too clearly--it had only been a few weeks, a month maybe, since he lay bruised on the streets of Las Vegas, a vicious gang-beating in exchange for saving an innocent life. And taking Demetrius James' in the process...but it was necessary, and while the whole night blurred together, Greg remembered James picking up the rock, remembered him charging at Greg's Denali...

Grissom sat a few seats away, a newspaper in one hand, a mug of coffee in the other. The older, graying man had asked Greg how the trial went--congratulated him on the victory--but Greg hadn't told him about the civil suit, not yet, he was still trying to find the words...so it shocked him when Grissom brought the subject up first, his voice even.

"So what are your plans about the civil suit?"

The way Grissom asked--it hadn't been judgemental, nor did it sound like he was making casual conversation. Greg's head lifted a bit, his eyes searching Grissom's for any sign of disappointment--but his boss kept his eyes firmly on the paper, combing it for interesting tidbits.

"Uh, what?" Was all Greg could manage. He felt dumb--and Grissom, while a man of such intellect, didn't usually leave that impression whenever the two spoke one-on-one about anything outside their job.

"His parents did file, didn't they?" Grissom set the paper down to turn the page. "I'd be surprised if they didn't. Humans are creatures of habit: they'd want further justice where the court system initially failed."

"Y...yeah. They filed." The younger CSI's mouth went dry. "I don't know what to do from here, Griss. I feel like I'm way in over my head, y'know? It's like a roller coaster that just won't stop."

A tiny grin tugged at the corner of Grissom's mouth. "There's something I know about. Listen, Greg...I know a really good lawyer, a defense attorney. He's cracked some incredibly tough cases and I have every confidence that he'd be able to clear you against Demetrius James' parents."

Greg sat up a little straighter. "Yeah? What's his name, have I heard about him?"

"Probably not--but the man's good." Grissom's half-grin turned into a full, warm smile, and he finally met Greg's eyes. "He'd be a great CSI if he ever wanted to change careers."

"Well--that's great!" Relief flooded over the young CSI, and for the first time all day he allowed a grin to break out over his face. "When can we get him here?"

"He should arrive any moment, actually." Grissom gave Greg a sage, almost fatherly nod. "I called him and told him all about the incident and he arranged the flight this morning."

As if on cue, the doors to the break room swung open; in stepped a man in his late twenties or early thirties, with black, windswept hair, strong, brown eyes and broad shoulders. He wore a blue business suit with a red neck tie, and carried in one hand a briefcase--probably full of all sorts of legal documentation.

"Greg Sanders, this is an old friend of mine from California." Grissom stood up and walked over to the man. Greg took his cue and followed suit, and both CSIs exchanged handshakes with him.

The man in the blue suit met Greg's eyes and put on a confident smile. "Hi--Gil's told me everything. My name is Phoenix Wright, and I've come to take your case."

"Haha...thanks. Greg Sanders, Crime Lab." Greg grinned. He liked this Phoenix Wright guy--something about him was so...charismatic. All of a sudden the civil suit didn't seem like that big of a deal anymore; simply being around Phoenix was enough to convince Greg that he'd pull through okay. The junior CSI had to wonder if the lawyer gave that kind of bolstering confidence to all of his clients.

"Sometimes," Phoenix said, as the three men sat down, "All anyone needs is a little help to get through a hard time. Trust me, I know."