The Life of a Demon Attorney

A/N: And here we are, onto Chapter 7! I want to take this time to thank all you reviewers once again; I'm so glad people are reading this! By the way—I e-mailed and had them add Kay as one of the characters! They got to me a couple of days ago and told me they added her so I made the changes in my story accordingly. :3 Sorry for the late upload, I had an exam yesterday. Augh!

The usual disclaimer applies


Chapter 7: Firsts

The wedding had been a huge success.

Those who attended had a great time, and by five o'clock the next day, the new Gumshoes were on their way to Riu, courtesy of Edgeworth. Originally they had only had enough money to afford going to Las Vegas – by car – but Edgeworth had showed up with two gifts: a pay raise and plane tickets. Hotel paid for too, of course. All in all, he had thought his gifts generous, and the good deeds fed his ego – until the Detective started howling like a dog and gave him a hug so strong Edgeworth was almost certain he had been close to passing out. Usually such nice deeds were uncharacteristic of Edgeworth, but he had known Gumshoe since before his debut as a Prosecutor, and it was about time the big lug settled down.

The next day, Kay, Phoenix, and Edgeworth all gathered together for lunch. They went out to Denny's (much to Edgeworth's dismay), that same fifties dessert diner that Kay loved so much, and then they tried to take him rollerblading on the boulevard. Edgeworth had been tolerant of their poor choices so far, but he had absolutely refused to rollerblade, claiming he would ruin his newest suit – which looked just like all the others.

As the days passed, Kay and Edgeworth grew close again, just like they had been before the spiral of events that led to him moving to New York. But it was all simply a count down to Saturday morning, the day that Edgeworth was scheduled to return. They grew close, but no intimate memories were shared. Kay didn't tell Edgeworth how painful it had been to try and recover, and Edgeworth didn't tell her how miserable he was in New York. With him leaving so soon, neither of them wanted to sully the good mood. He would do work during the day in his hotel room, then meet up with Kay after her shift ended at Immaculate Conception. Phoenix stopped by once in a while to visit, and Edgeworth had the odd inkling that the ex-attorney turned terrible pianist/phenomenal poker player was a lot lonelier than he let on.

Finally, the night came when Edgeworth had to repack his belongings. His flight was scheduled for the next morning. He had done a fantastic job of avoiding Kay's flat the entire week, which only had a lift leading directly to her room with no stairs (just a fire escape outside the balcony.) Unfortunately, she had requested that he come over for one last chat before leaving for the airport, so against his will, he found himself pulling into her parking lot. She was waiting for him out front, and waved merrily as he approached. Edgeworth waved mildly, that usual steely glare overcoming his features as he braced himself.

His eye twitched slightly as he walked into the elevator beside Kay. Kay noticed his hesitation and his awkward silence; he had acted this way the first time he entered her apartment too, all that time ago. He had only done it once, and he had hoped never to do it again.

"Something wrong?" she asked. Edgeworth shook his head.

"Nothing," he lied.

He swallowed as the lift slowly began to rise, dinging with each floor they passed. Why was Kay's floor so high up? And why didn't her building have stairs? He cursed the architect who had designed this building. What happened if there was a fire? Did they expect the elevator to be fire-proof? He supposed there was the fire escape outside the balconies, but he couldn't climb up those every time!

Edgeworth's heart stopped when he felt the elevator stop moving. What? No! His fear was supposed to be in vain! He wasn't actually supposed to get stuck in the elevators – just be afraid that he was going to! Wasn't that how irrational fears worked?

"What's happening?" he asked, his voice just a tad frightened. No need to panic…

"Oh," said Kay, frowning. "The elevator gets stuck sometimes."

"Stuck?" he repeated warily.

"Yeah. It's used so often it's bound to get stuck once in a while. I've been living in this building for four years now, and I usually get stuck every few months or so. It should get going in about twenty minutes."

"E- every few…"

"Edgeworth?"

Kay's eyes widened as he backed into the wall of the elevator, sinking to the floor. He had gone obscenely pale.

"Edgeworth, are you okay?"

"Twenty- twenty minutes…?!"

Edgeworth closed his eyes and grit his teeth. Kay crouched down on the floor beside him, her arm sliding around his broad shoulders.

"Hey. Hey! Are you okay?" She furrowed her eyebrows as he moved into a ball on the floor. Kay pulled out her cellphone and pushed a button on the phone.

"Hey. Phoenix? It's Kay. Edgeworth's freaking out."

"Oh yeah? Why?"

"We're stuck in my elevator, and-"

"Oh, shit."

Kay stumbled slightly as the elevator jerked, and Phoenix could hear Edgeworth grunt slightly in the background.

"He's afraid of elevators, Kay. And earthquakes, for that matter."

"He is?" Kay asked, glancing at the shaking thirty-one year old on the ground. "Why?"

"He was stuck in one as a kid, because of an earthquake. They were in there for a while. A lot of things happened. You better call emergency."

"Right."

Kay hung up her cell phone and pushed the red button on the panel of the elevator.

"Emergency," a woman answered.

"This is Kay Faraday from the eighth floor," she said. "My friend and I are stuck in the elevator. Could you send someone to fix it for us?"

"Sure. You'll be out of there in about fifteen minutes or so."

"Great," she said. "Thanks."

She looked down to Edgeworth. Now, she realized, their roles were reversed. When had Kay become the calm one?

"Hey," she said quietly, trying to bring him back up into a sitting position. Her arm slid around him again, and his eyes closed tightly.

"Hey, come on, you heard them. We'll be out soon."

Edgeworth drew in a deep breath, refusing to open his eyes. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Kay watched him with a slight frown.

"We'll be up in my apartment within the hour," she said, trying to comfort him. "We'll have a drink, we'll chat – it'll be good."

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

"Edge-"

"Ah!"

The elevator shook heavily again, and Edgeworth fell back against the elevator wall once more, hitting his head on the hand rail and wincing. Kay fell against him, and he caught her, but she could feel his arms were shaking. How would he get down after this? Perhaps the fire escape sounded like a better idea than originally intended.

"Tell me," he said very calmly through closed eyes. "That the wire is not going to snap and that we aren't going to fall."

Kay raised her eyebrows.

"The wire's not going to snap," she said slowly, as though she were speaking to a child. "And we are not going to fall."

"Don't patronize me," he added sternly, and Kay sighed.

"Sorry, Edgeworth – this is just such a weird fear. Elevators? I don't think I've ever-"

"My father was shot in a stuck elevator when I was in Grade 4. I was with him."

Kay raised her hands to her mouth as she gasped in shock, releasing his arms. Edgeworth grit his teeth as it shook; the mechanics must be working the levy to try and get the elevator unstuck.

"Oh- Edgeworth…"

"Stop it."

He didn't want to talk about it.

So they both shared the painful past of murdered fathers. Kay took one good look at the frightened-looking Edgeworth and wrapped her arms tightly around him. He hesitated, trying to calm his racing heart, before returning the gesture.

"Don't think," she told him. "Just hold on and it will all be over soon."

Edgeworth pursed his lips together, nodding curtly.

Kay was right, of course. After one last, solid jerk several minutes of silence later, the elevator was moving.

"This is Emergency," came a voice through the speaker of the panel. "Are you moving?"

Kay pushed the button, and Edgeworth felt a wave of relief hit him.

"We're moving," Kay replied.

"Great."

There was a slight fuzzy noise as emergency disconnected, and the elevator doors opened. Kay's flat, like a haven, was brightly lit and in view. Kay took Edgeworth's hands and helped him out, leading him to her sofa and guiding him to lie down. He was drenched in sweat.

Kay poured a glass of scotch and grabbed a damp towel, both of which she brought to Edgeworth. To her surprise, the usually picky Prosecutor downed the alcohol in one gulp before placing the damp cloth over his forehead. He wasn't sure this was entirely the right remedy to calm him down, but he would do it nonetheless.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. Edgeworth shrugged.

"Do you… want to talk about it?" she asked.

"No." Kay bit back her curiosity and just nodded.

"Okay. Well… if you ever want to. I can actually say I know how you feel."

Edgeworth glanced at her a moment before looking away again.

"Thanks, Kay."

"Hey," Kay said quietly. "I um, I have a spare cot in my closet, if you don't – ah – if you don't want to take the elevator again tonight and just want to rest before your flight in the morning."

"Thanks," Edgeworth said again. Kay tried not to look surprised; he was probably not too willing to go back down after that. She was just happy he didn't go off on a tangent about improper manners and things like that.

"Want more scotch?" she asked as he removed the cloth from his head and set it neatly aside.

"If you don't mind."

Kay grabbed the bottle and poured another glass for Edgeworth as he sat up on the couch, wiping his brow. He took the glass and drank it more slowly this time, looking more calmed down.

"You okay now?" she asked him. He adapted that distant, almost pained look on his face as he looked away.

"Fine."

Kay took a seat on the edge of her coffee table so she was sitting across from Edgeworth. Their knees were touching.

"Do you have to leave for New York tomorrow?" she asked. It was Edgeworth's turn to glance at her in surprise, and she looked away.

"Well, I do live there now."

"Yes, well… I know. It was just…" she struggled to get out her words, but quickly gave up and shook her head. "It was nice to see you, that's all."

There was tension in the air, and Kay didn't like it. She tried to think of a way to lighten the mood.

"Have any New York women tried to take you home?" she asked. Edgeworth arched an eyebrow.

"A few," he said uncomfortably.

"Funny," Kay said. "You went home with me tonight. Should I feel honoured?"

"I think so," Edgeworth said, slowly seeping back into his usual cool demeanor. Kay watched as he finished his scotch and poured another glass.

"What?" he asked, noticing her glance. Kay shook her head.

"Nothing."

"Well," he said, raising the glass to his lips. "For what it's worth, I missed you while I was in New York."

Kay glanced at him. He wasn't looking at her. In fact, he was looking everywhere but at her, and she noticed a slight pink to his cheeks.

"You did?"

"Sure."

"Edgeworth, are you… are you being nice?"

Edgeworth said nothing, sipping at his drink. Kay was grinning like an idiot. She stood from her seat and walked behind the couch, wrapping her arms around Edgeworth from behind.

"I missed you, too," she said. He nodded as though she had told him something as simple as the time, but he could feel a slight lurch in his stomach. He said nothing as she hopped over the couch to sit beside him.

"How do you manage to smile so much?" he asked her, arching a brow. Kay blinked.

"What?"

"I was there the day your father was murdered in the Courtroom. I saw you when you found out. You were so calm – especially for a ten year-old. You managed to get over it and be so happy. I lost my father, and I…" he trailed off. He turned into the mess she saw now.

"You what?" she asked. "Became exceedingly wealthy and successful?"

"You know what I mean." Edgeworth found it difficult to smile. Kay shrugged, resting her head on his shoulder as she thought about it.

"I guess because I have people like Gummy. People that care about me. People like you, when you're not being an asshole."

Edgeworth managed a smirk. He leaned close, whispering teasingly in her ear.

"Are you saying, Miss Faraday, that you have people who care for you while I do not?"

"No," Kay answered, turning her head slightly so she could see his face. "I care." Edgeworth was looking right into her eyes. For several seconds they sat there, just looking, and before she knew it, he was leaning. She leaned closer to him, her heartbeat suddenly picking up in speed. Finally they met, lips touching ever so softly. She hummed quietly against his lips – but then, in horror, she realized what she was doing and quickly pulled back. Edgeworth was expressionless, per usual, and after a moment's hesitation, he spoke.

"Kay," he began, and she dreaded the worst. "I know that - hmm - Do you think – perhaps – we could just…"

She closed her eyes, waiting for the fresh wave of rejection to hit.

"… try that one more time?"

Kay's eyes widened as she looked at him. Edgeworth's face was nothing short of serious. Fighting back a grin, Kay threw her arms around his neck, pushing him back into the couch. He was actually kissing her back! His lips were soft, warm, his movements fluid but gentle. Kay tried to inspire some heavier reactions from him, but something suddenly struck her. She pulled away, very slightly, and looked Edgeworth in the eye.

"Have you… have you ever had sex before?"

The Prosecutor assumed another passive look.

"No."

Kay exhaled in disbelief.

"How is that possible?"

Edgeworth's lips pressed together in a thin line, and he didn't bother to humour her with a response. Instead, he leaned forward and captured her lips in another kiss. He kept things calm, enjoying the moment more than he let on. However, he felt Kay push his jacket off of his shoulders and move to undo the buttons of his shirt. He quickly pulled back.

"Wait," he breathed. "Just- just wait."

Kay blinked, leaning back slightly from where she sat on his lap. Edgeworth swallowed as he looked at her. Did the age difference really not bother her? It didn't bother him – his parents had been eleven years apart, and they were only nine and a month – but she was just this… this young, beautiful woman with her whole life ahead of her. He was an old soul who grew up too fast. Then again, looking at her, with her long hair and her pink dress, sitting on his lap, no less, it was actually very hard for stoic Edgeworth to stay no. Mustering up the last of his will power, trying to ignore his excited heart, he said took her hands in his and moved them away from his shirt.

"So… so soon?" he asked. She sent him an incredulous look.

"I only just got back from New York last week," he explained, "and we- you know- we haven't really..." He trailed off and almost felt insulted when he saw Kay, bored, glance at her nails.

"Edgeworth, I've known you since I was ten. I'm twenty-two now. Don't mind me saying this, but this isn't exactly the fastest-paced relationship out there."

Touché.

"Kay," he tried one last time. "I don't know if this is such a good idea. My plane leaves in a few hours, and I don't know when I'll be back next." He watched her carefully for a reaction, surprised not to see hurt on her face. In fact, she smirked instead and leaned forward, whispering in his ear.

"We better make this worth it then."


A/N: R&R for the next chapter!