Chapter 7 - Without A Trace

After that day, Monica and her husband had taken Miles to their own house and turned the guest room into Miles' bedroom. Each day, Monica had hugged him with all the love she had when she found the little boy crying in his bed. Her brother's death had hurt her tremendously, but seeing Miles like this just broke her heart.

'W-will I stay with you, aunt Monica?' Miles asked her and sat up straight in bed, folding his arms around his knees.

'I will make sure you will stay with me,' Monica answered. Miles gave a nod in response, bent forward and hid his face.

'It is alright to cry, Miles.'

'Father… I want him back,' he murmured. She did not know what to reply to that and decided to just stroke his back.

Miles had not seen his friends Phoenix and Larry after that horrible day. He had not been to school and his aunt lived in a totally different neighborhood of Los Angeles than he and his father had lived. Raymond sometimes visited Miles, but both did not speak much. It seemed like the death of his father had changed Raymond's character.

The funeral took place a week after that unfortunate day. It was rainy when they stood at the graveyard. Miles saw how the coffin of his father was lowered in the same grave as his mother. He felt his aunt's hands on his shoulders at that moment and heard her crying quietly. Miles just looked at the scene in unbelief. They were supposed to go home that day after the trial, eating cake together and he would tell his father how he much he wanted to be like him.

It was after the funeral, that he was told the truth. His father was actually shot when they found the three of them in the elevator. Both he and Mr. Yogi were unconscious and brought to the hospital. Miles knew he was only told a superficial story of what happened, details were left out. He thought that it was because they simply did not want to tell him the truth because he was a child.

The case was directly investigated. The police had arrested the other man that was found in the elevator, as he was the only one who could have committed the murder. Furthermore, they had asked a spirit medium for the first time in the judicial history to channel the victim. Gregory Edgeworth had indeed said that Mr. Yogi was his killer.

The nightmares started the day after he was told that his father was actually shot and did not die a natural death. The elevator. The earthquake. The blackout. This man and his father fighting. The gun. Wait? The gun? He picked up the gun? Did he or did he not? Did he throw it or not? There was this scream. This terrible scream.

Miles' eyes flew open as she sat straight in his bed. The sweat was running over his whole body. Was that what happened that day? Miles could not remember well. But was he the one that picked up the gun and threw it? Did it go like that? Miles could simply not remember. Or was it just a terrible nightmare?

The nightmares came more often and after screaming many nights, aunt Monica had arranged more sessions than usual with his therapist. Miles did not speak a word about what happened in the nightmare and kept everything to himself, much to exasperation of the therapist. He did not want to speak about it with anyone, he did not wanted to be reminded of that horrible day.

Then this unwanted letter came in the mail a month later. Someone had demanded the adoption of Miles. It shocked Monica, even more when she saw who was requesting the adoption.

'I will never let anyone else have him,' she had said with anger. Monica had already filled in the custody papers much earlier, but was still waiting for a reply. Now, this man wanted to take Miles. She had heard stories about that prosecutor, from Gregory but also from the news. She would not allow it, she was his family! Monica had often taken care and babysat Miles when Gregory had a case or meeting. Monica and her husband Daniel did not have any children, although they had tried. Miles almost felt as her own son. She was the one that knew him best and could tell what he needed! Not him!

Miles sensed all the tensions around him, even though he did not know someone else too had requested custody of him. To avoid these uncomfortable tension, he sat in his room all day. He read some books he had gotten from his father for his birthday, which was just days before his life had become most miserable.

Monica did what she could to keep Miles, showing all evidence that she could provide for him. Even Raymond had helped her to present all the documents which were necessary. He even demanded that Miles should give his own opinion as well, but to no avail. The judge had decided that Miles was too young to make this decision.

Monica knew that somehow the evil prosecutor had influenced or paid the judge and demanded another judge and trial. It was no use, a month later she got the official later in the mailbox. Manfred von Karma was the appointed guardian who had successfully adopted Miles Edgeworth, he had the best means to take care of the little boy. She had cried and gotten terrible angry, throwing her glass with water on the floor. Her husband was in shock when he looked at the letter they received from the court. Their nephew was taken away from them and they were out of options to keep him or get him back.

They had no idea how to explain it to poor little Miles. When she told him, Monica had been crying and pulled him close while she kept apologizing. 'I am so sorry, Miles. I want you with me and I tried everything I could… I am so sorry, my darling.'

Miles just looked straight forward, still progressing all the information he just heard. He had never expected that he would leave his aunt and would be living with someone else he did not know. Wasn't it logical that he would stay with aunt Monica and his uncle?

Then, on the day he would leave, Miles saw who would take care of him. He had stood at the front door in shock, when he saw the intimidating man approaching him. It was him, that mean prosecutor from the courtroom. He and his father stood right opposite of each other on that afternoon.

Miles looked at his aunt with a scared and confused face. 'But…,' he began, but was interrupted by the prosecutor in blue.

'I am sorry for your loss, Miles. I was in shock when I heard the news,' the man spoke and looked at the boy. 'But I will take care of you well, do not worry,' he continued.

Miles said nothing, looking down. His aunt crouched down and hold on to him tightly.

'I love you, Miles.' He hugged her back. 'I will always be there for you if you need me. Please…call me when you arrived at Mr. Von Karma's house.' She ran a hand through his hair and cried. She wanted to keep him with her, but it was no use. This terrible man in front of them had won.

Miles nodded, not letting her go. Manfred said nothing, only glancing at the two people sharing an embrace. He did not say anything and just waited.

'I will come back and visit soon, aunt Monica and Uncle Daniel,' Miles spoke softly and finally let go. He hugged his uncle, who also stood with tears in his eyes.

'We will leave now,' Manfred von Karma spoke after a while. Miles looked up at the tall, intimidating man. He went silent for a while, but then replied.

'Yes, sir.'

Miles took his bag and the chauffeur followed Manfred von Karma and the little boy with a few boxes to the car. He looked back at his aunt and uncle. She cried as her husband held her in his arms.

With sorrow, they saw how Miles stepped into the car, crying as he hold his backpack.

Then, the car drove away, leaving the devastated and heartbroken couple behind.

Manfred von Karma never told Monica or Miles that he would go back to Germany the following week. Monica did not receive a call. Miles never visited. She did not know where her beloved nephew was taken. Nor did the prosecutor tell them about the plans he had with the little Edgeworth. In the years that followed, Miles changed. His appearance, his character. The boy who wanted to be like his father, had disappeared.

His aunt, uncle and his friends had not seen him or heard anything from Miles again, until that day fifteen years later.

The newspaper fell onto the front door mat. Monica walked into the hallway to pick it up. At the same time, Phoenix Wright was doing his drawing assignment for university and shouted to his mom: 'I'll get it!'

Both their eyes widened in shock when they saw the photo and headline on the front page. THE YOUNG UNBEATABLE DEMON PROSECUTOR TO PROSECUTE IN CALIFORNIA.

- END -

A/N

Thank you guys for reading this story! Although it was sad, I hoped you enjoyed it! Tell me what you think about it! Thank you ^^