Chapter 9: New LA Morning
Ever since the police station had gone through extensions, the old parking lot of ten years ago had become a wasteland. Recently, a funfair had occupied the empty space. As he'd gotten out of his car, Edgeworth had noticed a large placard with 'Merry-Go-Round' splashed across it in faded red letters. It had been abandoned on the ground, with a string of broken light bulbs lying next to it.
It was already May, but the evening winds were still violent and cold. Under the porch, Lana shivered in her thin dress, holding on to her purse and to her knees. As Edgeworth approached her on the steps, she let out a weak laugh: "It's chilly, isn't it?"
He nodded as he walked towards her: "Yes. It is."
"And here I have a cold."
"You shouldn't be out here in this weather like that."
"No, I shouldn't. But I wanted to go outside. I needed to go outside."
From where he was, he could only see her eyes gleaming in the shadows.
"I couldn't stay there anymore."
"You…you couldn't stay there anymore?
"No."
"By there, you mean Mr. Marshall's place?"
"Jake..."
"You left?"
"..."
"Why?"
"…"
"Then why did you tell Ema you were going to see her?"
"…"
Edgeworth understood court tactics were going to be useless. He sat on one of the steps, clasped his hands, and placed them on his knees. After a silence, he looked up: "They are concerned about you. They are looking for you."
"Yes, they probably are, aren't they?" She laughed the same weak laugh again. "Jake won't be able to find me. He will never think of me coming here."
"He…won't?"
"Oh, Jake…he knows so little about me." She paused. "Us, together…it was crazy. We were from two different worlds. It was absurd. I knew it, and yet I went along with it. Because I was so…"
"Because you were…?"
She sighed. He knew she wasn't going to respond to that.
"After his brother died, he had no one. He needed someone around him. Someone to comfort him. And I accepted that role. But in the end, it was cruel of me."
Her laugh was different this time. It sent chills down Edgeworth's spine. She was talking as if she were the only one there.
"Yes, cruel. I didn't notice it myself at the time. It's only later when I abandoned him. When the Chief took me under his wing. That's when Jake must have realized what a bitch I was."
Edgeworth stared at the figure hidden in the darkness. He could perceive tears in her eyes.
Lana's voice trembled: "He must have hated me."
"Ms. Skye…" Edgeworth softly said.
"I couldn't breathe there. In those rooms. It was suffocating. That's why I left." She looked away. "Suffocation. It's a horrible feeling, isn't it?" she said.
He closed his eyes. "Yes. It is a terrifying feeling."
"Have you experienced it before, Mr. Edgeworth?"
He could hear the echo of her words in the hazy obscurity. "…Yes. Yes, I have."
He opened his eyes again. He saw her shiver. He got up, and took off his black overcoat. As he slowly approached her, she became stiff. "No, no. I don't want it!" She got up, and backed away into the darkness. "I lost it. I already lost something of yours."
"Something of mine? What…what did you lose?"
"Your muffler. Your red muffler. It flew away with the wind. I tried to catch it, but I couldn't. I wanted to run after it, but I was too weak."
"My muff—? It doesn't matter. Please take this, you need to cover yourself." He held out his coat.
"No, no, I don't want it! I can't accept it! I can't-"
She tried to distance herself from him, but one of her heels slipped away. She tripped. She started to fall. Edgeworth ran up the steps to catch her, and she landed in his arms. He held her tight, but her frail body was slipping towards the ground. He bought her back to his chest, one hand around her waist, the other around her shoulders.
He could feel her freezing limbs against him. He wrapped his coat around her. She let him do so, her voice trailing off: "Mr. Edgeworth…" He could hear her holding back tears. She tried to push herself away with her fists, but, with no energy left in her, she stopped struggling. They stood still as the wind blew. They were protected under the porch.
"Let us go to the car."
Her chest tightened. Her fingers firmly held on to his arms. He felt her breathing become irregular again.
"Ms. Skye…"
"No…"
"Ms. Skye…"
"I can't…"
"There's nothing to be afraid of. Come, let us go to the car."
She let herself being held, his arm still around her waist, as he took her to his car. She whispered: "I can't go back there…"
"If you do not want to, I won't take you back. I won't take you back to him."
She did not respond while he helped her get into the passenger seat. During the whole trip, as he drove along the highway, she did not say a word.
Inside his apartment, Edgeworth led Lana to the living room. The lights were still turned off. She was numb from having tried to sleep. She sat on his red sofa while he went to the kitchen.
Edgeworth turned on the kettle and closed the door. He then dialed Ema's number, who picked up at the first ring. Before the young woman could say anything, he declared: "She's safe." He heard Ema on the other side sigh in relief. "Oh, Mr. Edgeworth. How is she?" He told her that her sister was resting: "She is still quite shaken. She will be staying here overnight. I think it is best for you to come over tomorrow." After a pause, Ema answered: "Yes, alright, I understand. I trust you, Mr. Edgeworth, to take good care of her." She hung up without waiting for his response. He stared at his phone, until he heard the kettle whistle. He took it and poured the boiling hot water into two cups.
He got out of the kitchen with the drinks. As he entered the living room, he saw Lana seated on the sofa. Her face was buried in a cushion. She was crying. He posed the cups on the dining table; he stood still.
He had seen women cry before: housewives in the street, witnesses in court, his sister in the Von Karma house when she didn't know he could hear her at night. But it had never been so personally agonizing for him as it was at that moment. The sobs that sprang from Lana's fragile breaking voice seemed to overcome him. He could feel her despair everywhere, in his limbs, in his bones, in his veins. Her pain felt part of his own.
"It's over. It's really over now. I've let everyone down. They will never want to see me again. After all I've done…and now I'm alone. I'm all alone. I've let everyone down…"
"M—Ms. Skye…"
"Even you, Mr. Edgeworth. How could you ever forgive me after what I've done?" She looked up, her face streamed with tears: "I even called you a monster." Her lips trembled: "You are not a monster…"
He looked into her eyes, full of red and of tears that didn't stop overflowing, and the only thought that went through his mind was for someone, anyone, to stop this horrible scene.
He sat next to her. "Ms. Skye…It does not matter…I am nothing—you didn't mean what you said…"
"…And that horrible day, when I heard you had left, leaving only a note behind saying you had chosen death. I thought I would never forgive myself." She bought her hands to her face, and curled herself up in a ball, her soft tragic voice muffled in the cushion.
"Oh, Ms. Skye…" He touched her arm. "It wasn't because of you…It was ridiculous…I hadn't understood certain things at the time, and…" He bought his hand to her shoulder, feeling powerless. "Ms. Skye. Ms. Skye…" If only he knew of a way to stop her from crying so much. "Ms. Skye, look at me. Look at me."
She lifted her head. With his other hand he took her shaking fingers. "Ms. Skye, look at me. I am still here. Nothing happened to me, see? I am still here."
Lana tightly squeezed the hand he'd given her. She burst into tears: "I'm lonely! I'm so lonely, Mr. Edgeworth! And I'm scared, I'm so scared! Please!
Please, Mr. Edgeworth! Plea-"
Lana's strangled words faded away as she felt his hand caress her cheek. He brought his lips to it, wiping off the tears from her humid face. He took her head to his chest. Her heart was beating fast.
Realizing what he'd just done, Edgeworth kept holding onto her. It was best to stay that way to avoid staring into those confusing eyes, which he didn't know whether they were grey or green anymore.
As the minutes passed, while she continued to cry gently, he felt her heartbeat decelerate, and, without noticing, he also fell asleep afterwards on the sofa, with her still in his arms.
The next morning, Edgeworth was surprised to wake up in his living room. He had slept longer than usual: the night hadn't been interrupted by recurring nightmares. His mind was still foggy, and his head felt heavy. He couldn't remember anything of what had happened the day before. It was only until he wondered why his body was so numb that he readjusted his glasses and looked down to find Ms. Skye lying on top of him.
His blood ran through his veins. He would have leapt out of the sofa if it weren't for his fear of waking her up. Slowly yet clumsily, touching her as little as possible, he wiggled his way out of the seat. When he was finally free, he turned around to observe her.
Lana's svelte pale body was lying sideways on the couch. Her expression was peaceful and her breathing regular, some strands of her long brown hair covering her cheek. Edgeworth noticed that one of her shoulders was naked. He swiftly took a throw blanket from a nearby chair to cover her. Having trouble to detach his eyes from her morning splendor, he grunted, and left the room to change clothes.
Lana opened her eyes an hour later, struck by the nine o'clock sunlight filtering through the windows, the warm rays falling on her face. She lifted herself up. She didn't recognize the place. She pulled the throw close to her chest. The blanket's smell of potpourri was what led her to understand where she was. She bought it to her face, and inhaled the sweet scent. She then looked around her. The two cups from Edgeworth's tea set caught her eye. She got up and limped towards the dining table. Though the tea had gotten cold, the mugs were still full. Lana smiled. She hadn't slept so well in months.
Edgeworth had washed up and dressed himself in his work clothes, before realizing that it was Saturday and that the Prosecutors' Office was closed, as it always was on weekends. Frustrated, he was about to throw himself on his bed. He heard a noise in the corridor. She had awoken.
What would they do now? Would she accept to stay? She was not fit to go out, yet all her belongings were still at Jake Marshall's place. Marshall…She certainly was not in the right mood to go see him. He thought of all those tears he had wiped off her face the night before...
The memory made him blush, and he grunted again, slamming his fist on his nightstand. He seized a remote control on the desk, and, as any common man does to avoid overthinking things, turned on his television. He sat on the edge of the bed, and flipped aimlessly through the various channels and the mindless high-pitched programs.
He suddenly recalled that it was Saturday morning. The period of the week when all schoolchildren stayed at home and ate their breakfasts in front of their screens. The lawyer sighed, and turned on the Anime channel. If it weren't for those Steel Samurai reruns, he would have never made it to become Chief Prosecutor, he thought…
A few minutes into the show that had started, Edgeworth thought he could hear a knock. He was about to turn off the program, but the door had already opened.
Lana stood there. She held the two cups from the living room in both her hands: she had re-heated the tea. He also noticed she had taken a shower. She looked slim in the bathrobe he had left for her on the bathroom sink. She had blow-dried her hair, but some of the ends were still wet. The water was dripping on her bust covered by the robe's white material. Her eyes were tired, but not weary. Her smile was faint, yet different. There was something both new and recognizable in her. A glow was reappearing. For a split second, Edgeworth thought he could catch a glimpse of his old mentor in the woman in front of him.
"I thought you would like something warm to drink", she softly said.
He got up. "Ms. Skye, how-" He cleared his throat: "Thank you". Headvanced to take the cup she offered him. There was a distinct smell of cleanness emanating from her. "I—I was just…"
"Yes. That's the episode when the Steel Samurai and the Evil Magistrate confront each other, isn't it? When they find out they are equals?"
"Wha-?! Ms. Skye, how did you know that?"
"I remember the days when Ema used to go on and on about this series. First thing she did on Saturday mornings." She approached him. "I've told you this already, haven't I?" Edgeworth didn't know whether to take well or not this second comparison of him to her teen sister.
Lana sat on the edge of the bed. He realized she was still quite weak. "Ms. Skye, how are you feeling? Are you sure you wouldn't want to eat something first?"
She looked into his eyes, and gently shook her head: "No, Mr. Edgeworth. I don't want to eat. Thank you. I will be fine with this cup of English Morning tea."
So he sat down next to her without asking her any more questions. The Steel Samurai episode was still rolling, the Evil Magistrate having been defeated after an epic battle.
"You see now, Warrior, we are equals", the Steel Samurai proclaimed on the top of a hill."A fight doesn't have to be a struggle between a winner and a loser. After all is said and done, both sides are scarred by the battle." He looked back at the panting Magistrate lying on the ground in the pouring rain. "Despite all the titles, money, status, reputation... We still remain two fragile beings. We are the same. We are human."
Edgeworth stared at Lana watching attentively the show.
"That is why I will let you live. You have learned your lesson, Warrior."
"Steel Samurai…"
Lana sipped her tea slowly, as the Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo helped his nemesis to pick himself up. She could sense Edgeworth glancing at her; she pretended not to notice. He tried to ignore the fresh smell of cleanness so near him it was almost part of his own scent.
The episode's credits appeared on the screen. Right at that moment, the doorbell rang. Lana jumped. Trying to hide her uneasiness, she quietly asked Edgeworth: "Were you expecting anyone?"
Edgeworth was taken aback by the sudden interruption. Was it the neighbor, who took care of Pesu during the week, bringing his dog back to him? Or was it Ema, coming to enquire about her sister's health?
"Let me go see." He gave his empty mug to Lana who offered to take it from him. He got up.
At the door, Edgeworth was surprised to find an individual in blue overalls he had never seen before. The small elderly man greeted him: "Good morning, sir. Is there a Lana Skye living here?"
Edgeworth heard Lana tiptoe behind him in the corridor. "Well, she is currently staying here, yes, but liv—"
"Ah, very well. You see, the address written on this box is indeed the one for this apartment, but the name 'Skye' isn't on your bell in the downstairs entrance." The man showed Edgeworth a package he was holding. "You might want to consider putting your partner's name alongside yours next time. Makes our job much easier."
"What, partner?! Sir, you are mistaken, this woman is not—it's not that type of situation!"
The deliveryman glanced at Lana, who was still dressed in only a bathrobe.
"Ah well, whatever you want to call yourselves. Youngsters, these days…Modern families and all that…"
Before Edgeworth could respond, the man had already given him the package and left, mumbling down the hallway. The prosecutor inspected the box: there was no name for a recipient.
Lana whispered: "Who sent it?"
"It's anonymous", he answered. There was no need to add anything: they both knew what the other was thinking. Edgeworth suddenly wished what he had never wished before, that this was another prank from that crummy old witch and not from whom he feared…
"Ms. Skye…this is yours. I shouldn't interfere."
"Please, Mr. Edgeworth. Could you open it for me on this occasion?"
The lawyer hesitatingly looked back at the package.
"Mr. Edgeworth, if you can't, it doesn't matter. You are right, this is my business, not yours."
Edgeworth turned around to face Lana. Her eyes were wide, her lips parted, and her left hand was squeezing her right one. She was trying, unsuccessfully, to conceal the fact that she was panicking.
Edgeworth stomped into the kitchen. He grabbed a sharp knife from a drawer, and tore open the seal with the blade. She approached him from behind.
"Mr. Edgeworth?"
"Ms. Skye, I wouldn't-"
"No, Mr. Edgeworth. Don't hide it from me. I need to see this."
He opened the box. In it was a plastic bag with a thin pile of black powder.
"Ashes…"
Without intending to, Lana had murmured the word out loud. Edgeworth didn't move, his hand frozen on the bag. "Of what, though?"
Lana got closer to him, and looked over his shoulder. She caught sight of a small detail, and took the bag from Edgeworth to examine it. She then let go of it, horrified. "That red!"
A tiny piece of half-burnt cloth fell on the ground. Edgeworth recognized it. Her muffler. The package contained the remains of her muffler that had been burnt to ashes.
Aaah, I was so looking forward to this chapter (especially Edgey's awkwardness in front of Lana in a bathrobe and her being completely oblivious to it). And I wrote something fluffy for once…even though there's more angst, complications, and problems to be solved to come. (whoop!)
I've also noticed I'm really mean to Jake in this story. I've got nothing against JakexLana…I probably would have shipped them if it weren't for our dear Chief Prosecutor getting in the way.
It's been a year since I've started this fic, and we're already halfway through! I didn't expect so much support from my readers, especially for a story with a rare pairing. Minna-san, arigatou!
