Hey everybody! I'll start off by apologizing for how late I've been (has it really been a year?!) Will do my best to avoid such long hiatuses in the future.

I hope I've been able to compensate for my lateness with an extra long chapter this time round. Unfortunately, I haven't been writing that much this past year, so I can't say my writing skills have progressed a lot since last time. In any case, I hope you'll enjoy!

I wanted to also thank all my kind readers who have been sending me advice, whether through reviews or through PMs. I wouldn't have gotten this far without your support!

Chapter 11: A Familiar Flavor

Lana wondered if it was already too late to leave as she walked up the long marble staircase. In her ears rang the echoing footsteps of the crowd marching towards the tall mahogany doors.

By her side, Officer Hammer gasped in excitement. "Wow! There are so many people here! Look, all the big reporters have already gathered up in front!"

Lana shifted her gaze in the direction the officer was pointing at. The number of people with cameras in the front-row seats was a clear indicator of the magnitude of the event. That, and the size of the place: the judge had chosen the room with the largest seating capacity. N°9.

Lana took a deep breath. With her eyes closed, she could hear even more acutely the surrounding noise.

"Officer Skye? Are you okay?"

Lana opened her eyes again.

"Yes, I'm fine. It has been a while since I've been back here. Much has changed."

"Oh yes, the courtroom has been renovated several times in the last five years."

Lana nodded absentmindedly. She tightly gripped onto her purse. Might as well face it all now that she was here. There was reason to believe this wouldn't be her last time stepping into a courtroom.

Officer Hammer led them to their seats. The corresponding numbers were written on the tickets they had received at the entrance. Having sat down on the wooden bench, Lana re-examined the little piece of paper in her hand. The three black digits on the white background stared back at her. She crumpled the ticket, and stuffed it back into her coat pocket.

It was a strange experience to see the courtroom from this new perspective. The times she had assisted a trial from the gallery had been in the first row seats kept free for the Chief of Police and his partner, and this had only been for major criminal cases where she did not prosecute. Well, there was the time when she had stood in the defendant's stand…

She examined the new layout of the courtroom. The place had a lighter, clearer quality to it, as if to reveal the long hidden truths behind the dark age of the law.

In the midst of the indistinct chatter of the crowd, surrounded by the faces plunged into the darkness of the back rows, Lana could not get rid of the unnerving feeling that she was being watched. Hoping to shake it off, she focused her attention on the front of the room.

That was when she caught sight of him. The lights, placed right above the prosecution bench, softly illuminated the vivid shade of his burgundy suit. Even from afar, she could see him, ceremoniously, lay down his briefcase on the table. He had arrived.

The noise grew louder, as, in turn, the defense lawyer appeared behind his desk. Lana didn't recognize the man, though she thought he looked vaguely familiar.

"Officer Hammer?"

"Hm?"

"The defense attorney…do you recognize him?"

"Oh, Mr. Ian Vyzebel? He isn't a very well known lawyer. But those who do know him say he tends to protect sleazebags. Guess that makes him one. Wouldn't surprise me. I don't like the look of his face."

Lana then remembered the front page of the newspaper she had found on Mr. Edgeworth's hallway table the day before.

"This case…I've never been given the details."

"Really? Mr. Edgeworth hasn't told you anything about it? Well, it's gotten a lot of attention from the public, mostly because it involves the defendant's children."

Officer Hammer pointed at one of the benches placed near the witness stand. A boy and a girl, who could not have been older than seven and eight, were seated, with a look of total absence in their eyes. Their state was undoubtedly caused by the shock of the experience of a criminal trial. Lana felt a shiver run down her spine. The sister had an eerie resemblance to Ema.

Next to the children was seated a neatly dressed man, with a seemingly calm demeanor on his face. His silence was different than his children's. Unlike them, it did not express fear but confidence that he would win.

"You see that man in the suit? He is being accused of having murdered the mother. And the kids are said to be witnesses."

Lana held her breath. Even the greatest experts in the legal profession couldn't help but have an instinctive feeling of empathy when dealing with infants in the courtroom. Well, there were exceptions. She could think of certain past acquaintances of hers who could just as easily treat children as an accessory to blackmail and murder as they could comb their beard in the morning.

Lana suddenly shuddered. The sensation of her limbs being violently grabbed overtook her. Someone was pulling at her arms and legs, and her throat was closing up. Her vision became blurry, as if she were about to faint…

But she quickly came back to her senses. No. She needed to stop thinking about him. That had all been in the past. She was not in that situation anymore.

"Officer Skye? Are you alright?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm alright." Lana turned to Officer Hammer, hoping her voice wasn't shaking. "Have the siblings already been cross-examined? This is the third day of the trial, after all."

"Yes, but from what I've heard in yesterday's news, they have remained completely silent. People have been protesting, saying the court should provide them with more psychological support. It might help them to speak up. Thing is, there is not sufficient material evidence against the defendant. No fingerprints, no DNA traces, and a strong alibi…But he's the only one who could have done it. He often physically and mentally abused his wife in the last years of their marriage. Plus, he has been diagnosed in the past with several minor mental disorders."

"Mr. Edgeworth wasn't the main prosecutor for this case, though?"

"No, there was a last-minute change. Several prosecutors have been on the case but all quit. So the Chief Prosecutor was called as the final replacement."

Lana remembered the day before, when Edgeworth left in a hurry straight after their meeting at the police station.

"Will the children be asked to testify again?"

The Officer shook her head. "I don't think so. Maybe it's for the best. I have this feeling that Mr. Edgeworth doesn't deal very well with child—"

The gavel of the judge interrupted Officer Hammer. The room immediately fell silent, without even a few whispers needing to be shushed.

"Silence in the courtroom! We are now at the third day of the trial of Mr. Nathan Nanymuss, on the suspicion of murder of his spouse Mrs. Anne Nanymuss. Chief Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth will be taking over Mr. Gaspen Payne as the prosecutor for the case. Mr. Edgeworth, may you please remind the court of the facts at hand?"

"I will indeed, Your Honor. On the morning of the 3rd of June 2026, the defendant Nathan Nanymuss had…"

As Edgeworth started to talk, Lana experienced another strange sensation. The Chief Prosecutor's speech, eloquent as per usual, was clearly audible to her. Yet, while the first sentences he uttered entered her ears, she couldn't process any of the content. And the more the prosecutor continued to talk in his deep voice, the harder it was for Lana to concentrate.

For a second time, goose bumps started to develop on Lana's arms, at the tips of her fingers. Her surroundings faded into a dreamlike haze, like a window drowning out noise coming from the exterior. But the blurriness was softer than the previous one she had experienced. It was as if only the man under the spotlight and her still existed.

She had seen him prosecute before, yet this had been years ago, during his beginnings. She could still remember the arrogance in his young face, the glint of pride in his piercing eyes, ready to point out every single flaw of the opposing team.

But faced with the current Miles Edgeworth behind the prosecution bench, the man appeared to Lana in a different light. The self-assurance that emanated from him was not the one of a defiant youth, but the kind that derived from experience and maturity, and a passion for justice and the truth. Everything in his demeanor, from his hand gestures to the inflections of his voice, had been carefully planned, and yet appeared to flow naturally. Like in a state of trance, Lana was mesmerized by his self-confidence. For some reason, watching him prosecute, she felt protected.

She observed his hands in movement. Even from afar they seemed large, carefully turning each white sheet of legal documentation, slamming the prosecution desk before presenting his counterargument to the defense.

She was reminded of the night when he had rescued her from the parking lot. She remembered him in his red sports car, in the driver's seat, and his strong hands at the wheel. The sensation of their two bodies on his sofa that same night came back to her. The memory, feeling as distant as a dream, saddened her. Had that moment only been an exceptional case? Would he ever touch her with such warmth and tenderness again?

"He's good, isn't he?"

Officer Hammer's interjection made Lana jump.

"Ah. Yes, he is indeed." Lana guiltily cleared her throat, her first understanding of 'good' having been quite different from what the Officer had meant.

"You must be proud of yourself, Officer Skye."

"Proud of myself?" Lana turned her head round, surprised by the remark. "Why would you say that, Officer?"

"Well, you used to be his mentor, right? You made what he is today!"

"I…made what he is today?"

Lana looked back at Edgeworth. The man in question was in the middle of an intense debate with the defense.

"You've led him to take the right path, Officer Skye. The reason he pursues the truth so passionately is because of you."

Lana didn't answer Officer Hammer. Was it worth disappointing her with the real story of her time as Edgeworth's mentor? Or did she already know about it, and had graciously omitted the fact that Lana had once tried to frame her own protégé?

Whatever the case, it would be wrong to agree with the policewoman. She did not want his career success to be seen as the compensation for her own failures. As if he were some kind of trophy, or consolation prize. For this Lana decided not to respond.

Yet she still could not concentrate on the trial, as the Officer's comment continued to bother her for some unclear reason.

Suddenly, the gallery became loud. All heads turned in the direction of the defense. The attorney had a triumphant air on his face.

Officer Hammer noticed Lana's confusion when faced with the commotion. "The defense seems to have given a very convincing argument concerning a piece of evidence. Or rather its insignificance."

The pounding gavel of the judge made the gallery quiet. "Order! Order in the courtroom! Mr. Edgeworth, do you have anything to add in regards to Mr. Vyzebel's statement?"

Lana quickly shifted her gaze in the direction of the Chief Prosecutor. A notable sense of calm emanated from Edgeworth. He seemed completely unaware of the disapproving noises and the malicious stares coming from the audience.

Lana knew the media was not in favor of him. They could not approve of the lawyer's attempt to break himself from his image of precursor of the dark age of the law, a title that reporters loved to impose on him.

Lana understood the difficulty of Edgeworth's present position. Convincing the court of the relevance of a piece of evidence for such a seemingly airtight case was extremely tricky. The young Edgeworth would have cracked under such pressure, in a scenario where loss was the most likely outcome.

Yet the man in front of her, in his absolute serenity despite his desperate situation, appeared to be fearless. "He must have learned a great deal from that attorney", thought Lana to herself. But unlike that particular lawyer, Edgeworth looked prepared because he had come prepared. He had his counterargument all ready. He was only waiting for the noise to die down before laying his cards on the table.

Lana closed her eyes. "Please save those children", she thought to herself. "No other prosecutor in this corrupt city will. No one else will do this but you."

As if he had heard her inner prayers, Edgeworth finally spoke up. Lana opened her eyes.

His countenance remained impressive. His hand gestures were effective, conveying his ideas and at the same time his relaxed attitude. He spoke to the judge, tapping a sheet of paper containing information about the piece of evidence.

At one point, he stopped talking. He put the sheet back on the table, and neatly placed it on the top of the pile of documents. His pause seemed to last longer than usual.

Lana realized what Edgeworth was doing. Silence meant power. By taking his time, the prosecutor had control over every person in the courtroom. Each one of them was on the edge of their seats, awaiting his next words.

Then the Chief Prosecutor turned towards the gallery. He made eye contact with the hostile reporters in the front row. He slowly moved his head to address all sides of the room. His eyes shifted from one face to another in the crowd. And at the same time, he carefully unfolded each step of his argument. It appeared as though nothing could make him uneasy.

Until he caught sight of Lana.

She knew he had noticed her. The second their eyes locked, she saw his mouth let out a small gasp. He lost his train of thought, and his voice with it. He had no idea she was going to be there. The courtroom turned silent for a second time.

Lana held her breath. As she stared into the dark intense eyes that gazed at her, she could not help but feel that, despite the physical distance between them, he could hear how fast her heart was beating.

"Mr. Edgeworth?" The judge's booming voice brought Lana back to reality.

The judge appeared to have the same effect on the Chief Prosecutor. Behind his glasses, Edgeworth blinked. He brought his lips together, and lowered his gaze. Lana lowered hers as well. The moment was over.

She heard him clear his throat. "Yes, as I was saying…"

Edgeworth faced the judge's seat again. But at the split second before he turned round, Lana wondered if the distance hadn't affected her vision, or if she had really seen a discreet smile draw itself on the prosecutor's face.

His breath still short, Edgeworth took a peek behind the curtains. With his other hand, he brought to his lips the cup of tea he had just made. With no name on the tag, he had assumed the drink would be a cheap American brand. Yet as the brew entered his palate, he recognized the familiar taste of a flavored tea, but for once could not put his finger on which one exactly.

The room belonged to the courts. On the highest level of the building, it was reserved for officials such as the Chief Prosecutor. Situated perpendicularly to the window, the office desk faced the door.

Although Edgeworth could sense the pearls of sweat running down his forehead, the hot drink made him feel at ease, slowly removing the tension from his body.

Outside, on the front steps of the courthouse, the reporters were still at work, shoving their cameras in people's faces, and brandishing their microphones like weapons to the crowd.

Edgeworth removed his hand from the curtains. He had been wise to ask the detective beforehand to meet him in the courthouse's underground parking lot, so as to avoid the media. LA's newspapers had being acting like voracious raptors in the last few months, ready to do anything to get their scoop and bring shame onto big names such as his. He could already imagine the headlines in the following days: "Unexpected Turnabout in Last Minutes of Murder Trial"; "Chief Prosecutor Suspiciously Wins Impossible Case"…

The phone rang. Edgeworth placed his cup on the desk. He took out his cell from his coat pocket. Looking at the screen, he saw it was Gumshoe.

"Detective?"

"Mr. Edgeworth! Just heard the news on the radio. Congratulations on the trial! Boy, this was a close one though! Even I was scared that evil dad would walk free. But in the end, you proved everyone you are still the best out there!"

"Yes well, it is my profession after all." As he listened to the babbling detective on the other side of the phone, Edgeworth wearily looked at the tea float in his cup.

"Hey, what's with that voice, Mr. Edgeworth? This was one of your best victories! This is a perfect start for your first years as Chief Prosecutor! Isn't this what you've always wanted, sir?"

"What I have always wanted?" Edgeworth stared at the brown fluid that had become still in the cup. As he talked, Edgeworth realized an unexpected feeling of dissatisfaction had appeared in him. As if, having surpassed the hurdle he had set himself, he was unsure whether his desires had remained the same as in past.

Edgeworth's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a knock at the door. "Detective, I must go now. Call me when you arrive at the parking lot."

"Alright, see ya then."

Edgeworth put his phone on silent before placing it back in the pocket of his coat. He quickly wiped his forehead with a handkerchief before going to open the door. He didn't need to look through the peephole to know who it was.

"Ms. Skye."

Lana stood at the entrance of the doorway. "Mr. Edgeworth. Officer Hammer said I might find you here."

"Indeed." Edgeworth stared at her, then blinked. "Oh, is the Officer here with you?" He checked to see if anyone was behind her. Apart from Lana, the hallway was empty.

"She's still downstairs. I left her in the ladies' room." Lana readjusted the strap of her purse onto her shoulder. "I hope I am not disturbing you."

"Of course not. You never disturb me, Ms. Skye. Please come in." Edgeworth hastily made way for her to enter.

Lana stepped into the office. "I won't stay long. You must be tired."

"Not at all." Having found a spare chair, Edgeworth quickly drew her a seat.

Lana hesitated. She then refused the chair with a hand gesture; yet the slowness of her speech expressed reluctance. "Thank you, Mr. Edgeworth, but I really shouldn't keep Officer Hammer waiting. I just wanted to…congratulate you…on your victory today."

"Oh." In a reckless fashion, Edgeworth placed the chair back next to the desk. He stood in front of the bureau, facing her. Uncertain as to what to do with his hands, he brought them together. Forgetting his earlier modesty, he responded: "Well, I have faced these kind of challenging cases before. This was nothing in comparison. More of a bothersome interruption than anything else. "

"I disagree. It was quite a victory. I was very…impressed by your performance today."

Faced with her praise, Edgeworth could not find a response. Instead, he let out a small laugh, and made a humble bow with his head. "It was nothing, really. But thank you, Ms. Skye."

Lana took a step forward. "You must not have expected to see us here."

"No." As Edgeworth noticed the glint that had suddenly appeared in Lana's eyes, he lowered his voice. "I did not."

"It was a spur of the moment idea. We were at the police station, and Officer Hammer proposed we take a break from the case."

"Any progress at all?" Having found an opportunity to change the subject, Edgeworth relaxed his shoulders.

Lana gave a slight nod. "I've been going through the letters that were sent to your address. I wanted to speak to you about the most recent one. Did you read it?"

"No, I did not." Although Edgeworth had opened the letters he had hid in his bureau, he had gradually stopped examining the contents of the latest ones, as most of them repeated the same vague threats.

"It told me to stay away from Jake."

Instantly, Edgeworth raised his head. "Mr. Marshall?"

"Well, more precisely, it told me to stay away from 'him'. As the letter was sent around the time Jake got out of jail, I assumed he was the man being referred to." Lana's expression was sober. "Whoever wrote the letter must have been following my movements. Either that, or they assumed that I was going to meet up with him."

Edgeworth crossed his arms. "That is certainly an important clue. It points to a motive for the threats. And thus to a possible suspect."

"Yet somehow it has to be connected to the Joe Darke case…" Lana's voice trailed off. She then opened her mouth again as if to add something, but was unable to. She turned her head towards the window. One of the curtains had been left slightly open.

A few seconds passed. Edgeworth broke the silence. "Ema told you about her findings then."

Lana didn't move her gaze from the window. "I just cannot get around it. It's like Ema says. It's impossible. Absolutely impossible." She shook her head in disbelief. "Joe Darke. I thought I would only have to hear that name in my nightmares again. But he's come back to haunt us."

Edgeworth saw the grip on the strap of her purse tighten. He cleared his throat. "Had you suspected that these threats were related to the Darke case in particular?"

Lana lowered her gaze. "It passed my mind, of course. Initially I thought these letters were condemning my corrupt behavior during my time as Chief Prosecutor. The threats were so vague and general in the beginning. So I ignored them at first. But the package with Ema's hat frightened me."

Lana could not detach herself from the window. Outside, the crowd on the courthouse steps could still be heard yelling.

"Was it when you received that package that you first turned to the police?"

Edgeworth asked his questions calmly. While he adopted the same tone he had used during the trial, his voice was tenderer, expressing concern rather than authority.

Lana stood motionless, her eyes fixing the window. "Yes. They did not take my case seriously. But that did not surprise me. For all I know, whoever is behind these threats might be someone in the force." Lana paused. "I didn't care if they weren't going to do anything about the threats against me. But I was afraid for Ema."

"You did not tell your sister at the time though."

"No. At that point in time, she had no idea about the letters, nor that I had contacted the police. I was the one who pushed her to join the forensics team on that investigation abroad."

Outside near the front steps of the courthouse, the cars could be heard driving away.

"And now, Ms. Skye? Are you afraid?"

Lana looked up at him. The question had surprised her. With a quick sigh, she tried to recompose herself. "I always fear for my sister, Mr. Edgeworth."

The prosecutor took a step in her direction. "We have made sure that Ema is under the protection of her fellow officers at the police station. Kay often accompanies her on her outings as well."

"So I was told. Thank you for having arranged that. I'm glad to know she's being watched."

"But I'm asking about you, Ms. Skye. Not about your sister."

Lana's eyes widened. The question seemed to catch her even more off guard than the previous one. She hesitated to answer him. "Officer Hammer has been of great support. She has been very loyally following her orders to stay by my side during my working hours."

Lana's face then softened. She let out a small laugh. "Even insisting to accompany me each time I need to use the ladies' room."

In turn, Edgeworth let out a reassured laugh. For a short while the shadow that had been cast over them with the mention of Joe Darke had disappeared.

"But I really do appreciate having her by my side," continued Lana. Her smile grew sincere. "Knowing that I have the support of others, I feel safe, Mr. Edgeworth."

The prosecutor drummed his fingers nervously. "Ms. Skye, you should also know that…if you feel any different from now…you can always…confide in me about it."

The glint in Lana's eyes returned. "I do know that, Mr. Edgeworth", she whispered.

Edgeworth shook his head. "I don't see how you can. I have made myself completely unavailable to you these last few days, what with this ridiculous last-minute trial. That is inexcusable. Believe me when I say we have and still are seriously conducting this investigation."

"Oh, of course, I didn't want to imply that—"

"You didn't imply anything, Ms. Skye. But I had to apologize to you. We willsolve this case. No matter how many ghosts of the past come back to haunt you, we will be able to fight them."

Lana's eyes shone like the trembling flame of a candle. She advanced towards him. "After observing you today, I think you are capable of anything, Mr. Edgeworth." She contemplated his face, trying to find in it the features of her young mentee. "But I always saw that potential in you, ever since your beginnings."

Edgeworth suddenly felt the adrenaline he had experienced during the trial rush through his veins again.

"Well…" He let out another short laugh. He lifted a hand in her direction. "I did learn from the best, after all."

Lana's eyes turned somber.

"I truly mean it, Ms. Skye."

Lana looked back at the window. "The best is a big title." Her words sounded more perturbed than modest.

"You know I have always thought so. And I have never doubted it."

Lana didn't respond. She walked towards the window.

Between the curtains, a single sunray was peeping inside the room. It illuminated her profile, bringing out the colors of her eyes. The greenness glimmered like sea waves under sunlight. Its grey tinges also shone with their discreet beauty, like dark marine depths hiding under the surface of the water.

"Can you really say that? Even though you admitted having lost your trust in me after what I did to you?" Lana's eyes resembled troubled waters as they fixed Edgeworth again.

The crowd outside the courthouse had gone away. The room fell silent.

Edgeworth looked down at his hands. He unclasped them, and placed them on his lap. He took a deep breath, before saying: "It is true that…my faith in you was…shaken at the time."

The prosecutor took a deep breath. "But everything changed as the case unfolded. I found out what the true motives were behind your actions. It was then that I realized…"

Edgeworth paused. He took off his glasses. He laid his eyes on her again. "…what a fool I had been."

Lana turned away from the window.

Edgeworth took another deep breath. He went on: "When I…yelled at you the other day…I was frustrated with my own behavior. I became aware of the mistake I had made in hiding your correspondence. I was ashamed of myself for having become unreliable in your eyes. And I was reminded of the Goodman trial. When I hadn't been able to place in you the same trust you had placed in me as my mentor." Edgeworth gravely raised his head. "On both occasions my behavior was unforgivable."

He could see that she was about to speak up. He didn't let her. "At the end of the Goodman trial, when I learned the truth, you became even nobler in my eyes than you already were before. You protected a loved one in a way that I'm incapable of."

Lana's figure glowed in the sunlight.

"Ms. Skye. I have never ceased to admire you."

Slowly, Lana lifted her gaze up. Her eyes widened, and her lips parted.

The office turned completely silent. Its surroundings were quiet to the point that the outside world didn't seem to exist anymore.

"Mr. Edgeworth."

A sudden sharp ring. The sound pierced the air like a distant echo from the past.

The music was a standard phone ringtone. It came from Lana's purse.

They both stood frozen. As if they could escape from reality in the other's eyes, their gazes remained locked.

But the familiar tune seemed to go on like an infinite loop.

Without looking down, Lana moved her hand to her purse. She took the cell out. Obliged to check the number, she glanced at the screen. She then quickly turned the phone off, and put it back.

"Officer Hammer," said Edgeworth, as if he were stating a fact as plain as the weather.

Lana's silence confirmed that he was correct.

"I will not keep you any longer then." Edgeworth was about to put his glasses back on, yet he did not move his hand. Instead, his eyes wandered around the room.

He then caught sight of the chair she had declined. It had been clumsily placed next to the desk. Reminded of its existence, Edgeworth felt a sudden need to return it to where it belonged. He lifted it up, and went towards the corner of the room where he had found it.

His back faced Lana. She observed his large shoulders in motion, recalling how strong they had seemed to her during the trial. But as he bent down to place the chair back in the corner, they didn't have the same effect on her as they did an hour ago. They appeared exposed, and, in their vulnerability, inviting. The sight of this awoke a profound desire within her to reach out to him.

"Mr. Edgeworth," she whispered.

Edgeworth did not move.

"You haven't been home in a while."

Edgeworth turned round. Lana held her breath. The words she had uttered were the first ones that had come through her mind. Slowly, she came closer to him. "I think Pesu has been missing you."

"Has she?" Edgeworth's own breathing became heavier. "Tell her I will be back tonight. My absence must have upset her."

"She's not upset." Lana gently shook her head. "She will happily greet you when you come back."

Edgeworth could feel the familiar sensation return to him. His blood was racing through his veins like a vehicle out of control.

But when he saw a serene smile appear on Lana's face, for once, he decided to accept it. "It is a nice sensation to have someone to come home to." He walked towards her. "I used to think I was a man who cherished his solitude. I have come to realize…the virtues of having company."

"Have you?"

"Without her, the place would feel emp-" Edgeworth paused. The image of his living room the night she had left him for Jake Marshall had come back to him. Yet the feeling he had experienced at the time seemed so distant at the present moment. Lana was so close to him he could almost smell the scent of her hair.

It was at this moment that Officer Hammer came upon them.

Edgeworth had not realized he had left the door slightly ajar. The policewoman had stepped into the room, yet they hadn't noticed her presence. She was about to speak up, but, at the sight of them, remained silent.

She observed them together, standing alone in the darkness of the office. Despite that they were only looking into each other's eyes, the intimacy that emanated from them had made the Officer pause. She did not dare disturb the peace they shared.

It was Edgeworth who saw her first. He detached his gaze from Lana. The latter also turned round.

The Officer guiltily jumped. "Mr. Edgeworth! It was already open! I knocked but I don't think you heard me, so I just peeped my head round the door. Police reflex!"

"Ah. Yes." Edgeworth appeared as if he had just awoken from a dream.

"I just came to pick you up, Officer Skye! I got worried when you didn't answer the phone. I'm sorry, I must have interrupted your conversation!"

Edgeworth, in a daze, did not respond. Lana answered instead. "I will be right with you, Officer Hammer."

"Ok, I will wait for you by the elevator then." Before leaving, with a thumbs-up gesture, the policewoman added: "Oh, and congratulations on the trial, Mr. Edgeworth!"

When the door closed, Lana looked back at the prosecutor. Her face was straight, yet showed traces of disappointment. "I need to go. But I will see you tonight."

Edgeworth stood silent.

"Mr. Edgeworth…what if we have dinner together?"

The prosecutor almost started. "Dinner?" Edgeworth had to repeat the word out loud to make sure he had heard correctly.

Lana nodded. Her voice turned gentle again. "I will cook. There is a coq au vin recipe I have been meaning to try."

Edgeworth didn't answer her. Of course dinner was a natural offer coming from someone living under the same roof as him. But before she had stayed at Jake Marshall's place, they had never properly shared a meal together.

Lana went on: "I finish my shift early today. What do you think?"

Drowning in her eyes, Edgeworth wasn't thinking anymore. His response came out instinctively. "That sounds perfect, Ms. Skye."

But as he came back to reality, he paused. "I…have a meeting elsewhere after this. I will be back home around eight o'clock."

"Alright. Dinner at eight o'clock then."

Edgeworth nodded slowly, as if he had just become aware of what he had agreed to. "Yes. Dinner. Eight o'clock."

At the sight of the naïve confusion the Chief Prosecutor was displaying, Lana couldn't resist her smile from growing larger. "Well. I will see you later then."

She was about to go for the door. Instead, just as she seemed about to turn round, she gently placed her hand on his upper arm, leaned in towards him, and kissed his left cheek.

Edgeworth didn't move. The surprise was such that he did not have time to react.

Lana quickly ended the kiss. For a few seconds, she also stood motionless. The captivating scent of his neck made her linger. She reached for his ear, and whispered: "I also have never ceased to admire you, Mr. Edgeworth."

The prosecutor took a deep breath. Lana moved her head away from his neck, and met his eyes.

His gaze was burning. Lana was so struck by its intensity she almost did not sense his hand reaching for her arm.

A cry came from the hallway. "Officer Skye? The elevator is here."

Lana detached herself away from Edgeworth. She readjusted the strap of her purse onto her shoulder, and, with a rapid head tilt, walked towards the exit.

As she reached for the door handle, she paused. "Please…" One last time, she laid her glinting eyes on him. "…Feel free to call me Lana."

Without awaiting his response, she left the room.

Edgeworth listened to the sound of her heels on the marble hallway. Then, for a long while, he stared at the closed door, incapable of moving.

Down in the parking lot, Detective Gumshoe paced around his car. As a way to pass the time, he whistled a tune he had heard on the radio a few minutes ago.

He took his phone out. No missed calls, no unread messages. He paced around the car again, going back to his tune.

Finally, he caught sight of a figure approaching him. The person was in a red outfit.

Gumshoe walked towards the man. "Mr. Edgeworth, sir! I tried to call you, but you didn't answer!"

"I'm sorry for having taken so much time. Quick, let's hurry," answered the prosecutor, his voice sounding oddly high-pitched to the detective.

Gumshoe walked Edgeworth to his car. "Well, sir, you sounded so mopey on the phone. But it looks like you've brightened up!"

Edgeworth frowned. "Excuse me?"

"It's just this weird grin you've got on your face, sir!"

Edgeworth gave a startled look. "What are you talking about, detective?"

"Oh, I'm not saying it's bad! It's good to see you smiling once in a while! It's just…unusual for you, sir." Gumshoe opened the door to the passenger's seat in the front.

Edgeworth swiftly entered the car. "It was nothing. My face must have gone red because of the heat in that damn elevator. The space is so small and stuffy you can barely breathe in there!"

"Hmm, I see," responded nonchalantly the detective, as he closed the door behind Edgeworth. Whistling his tune, he walked towards the other side of the vehicle. He then entered the car through the driver's seat.

Gumshoe was about to put the key into the ignition, when suddenly, he exclaimed: "Wait a sec!" Wide-eyed, he turned towards the prosecutor: "Mr. Edgeworth, did you just say you took the elevator? Alone?"

"Well, I..." As if in an uncomfortable position, Edgeworth straightened himself up in his seat. "I think it's time I get over my childish fears. I cannot act like a schoolboy forever."

"Oh." Gumshoe nodded, but still kept a perplexed look on his face. He did not know how to respond to such a remark. Putting his seatbelt on, he changed the topic. "So, why are we going to meet Ema and Kay at the old police station again?"

Edgeworth equally fastened his seatbelt. "I asked Kay and Ema if they could investigate the place today. The parking lot has become a wasteland, but the building itself has been practically abandoned. I doubt anyone would be there to prevent two young girls from freely running around. In any case Miss Skye is in possession of a detective's badge."

"Why ask them to do that?"

Noticing a dubious substance on the edge of his seat, Edgeworth took his handkerchief out. "On the day she left Mr. Marshall's place, Ms. Skye believed she lost her muffler (although we now know that it was stolen) around the time she arrived at the old police station's parking lot." Edgeworth started wiping off the sticky matter. "There may be a clue that the thief accidentally left behind which could reveal their identity."

"Wasn't there something else about Ema?"

Edgeworth put the handkerchief back in his pocket. "Yesterday, she received a report about the incident at her place from the fire department. That is, a more extensive one: it confirmed the model of the weapon the culprit used for the fire, a small-sized flame-throwing device. This morning, she called me to say that she had some interesting news to share with us about it. She prefers we talk it over before updating her sister and Officer Hammer."

"I see." Gumshoe nodded. He then exclaimed: "Oh, and I brought those old files you asked me to take! For the Joe Darke case."

"Perfect. I must confess that I am not particularly looking forward to have to go through them once more, but I fear we have no choice. Did you manage to get all the pieces of evidence?"

"Yep, the forged ones as well as the real ones," replied Gumshoe, cautiously lowering his voice at the word 'forged'. "But Mr. Edgeworth…Is Joe Darke really our man?"

Edgeworth readjusted his glasses. The glare on his frames made it difficult for Gumshoe to read the prosecutor's expression. "There is one thing we can be certain of, detective. Joe Darke is dead. Ms. Skye witnessed his death with her own eyes when it happened eleven years ago."

"So how do you explain the prints on the muffler then? There's no doubt it's his. Ema checked and re-checked."

"That is why I'm suggesting we look through those old pieces of evidence again. There has to be a clue hidden somewhere in those files. The facts before us appear so illogical I cannot think of any other way for us to proceed with this investigation."

"But sir…if Joe Darke is not our main suspect…then who is?"

"Yes, on the topic of suspects…" Edgeworth raised his finger. "…We will need to make a list. All the possible individuals that would want to avoid Ms. Skye from meeting up with Jake Marshall after his release from jail."

Gumshoe scratched his head. "Who wouldn't want her meeting up with Mr. Marshall? Hmmm…" The detective went on scratching his scalp, until he let out a chuckle. "Sir, we can't have you on the top of our list!"

As Edgeworth took off his glasses, Gumshoe realized the prosecutor did not appreciate the joke. Yet the prosecutor"s dark stare revealed a deeper anger than simple annoyance, which did not seem to be directed at the detective.

"Sir?"

Edgeworth looked away. "I saw Ms. Skye just now. I made a promise to her: I swore we would find the culprit. But at that moment I also made a promise to myself…" Edgeworth lowered his voice. "Whoever that person may be, the moment we catch them..." The slowness of his tone gave his words a threatening edge. "…I will do all in my power as Chief Prosecutor to personally make sure they pay dearly for their actions."

Edgeworth clenched his fists. In an almost growling voice, he added: "No one is allowed to touch even a single hair on her head. I will not allow anything else to happen to her again."

Gumshoe stood still. Unsettled by the prosecutor's sudden intensity, he hesitated to put the key into the ignition. "Mr. Edgeworth. The Skye sisters are under our protection. And we'll find who's behind all this for sure. But we don't want LA's Chief Prosecutor scaring everyone either. Lana wouldn't be taking all this so calmly if you weren't doing the same, sir."

Edgeworth unclenched his fists. In an effort to contain his rage, he took a deep breath. He put his glasses back on. "Let us go."

"Alright." The detective turned to the wheel. But as he was about to start the engine, he turned back towards the prosecutor. "Hey. You said you just talked to Lana." Gumshoe's expression lightened up. "Aaaah! So that's what the grinning was all about! Ahahaha! And the whole elevator speech too!"

Edgeworth grunted. He had to resist the urge to take a quick glance in the rear-view mirror to see if he really looked as transparent as the detective described him.

"Soooo, she came to see you at the trial, eh?" Gumshoe slapped a hand on Edgeworth's shoulder.

The prosecutor recoiled on the edge of his seat. "Detective, please! Yes, she was present, with Officer Hammer. After the trial we talked for a while alone."

"Alone, eh? What did she say then? From the look on your face, it couldn't have only been about the case!"

In order to avoid another slap on the shoulder, reluctantly, Edgeworth responded: "There was nothing out of the ordinary about the conversation. Yes, we talked about the case. My trial as well, obviously." The prosecutor turned his head to the window. "And we arranged…plans…for dinner tonight."

"Dinner tonight? That doesn't sound like 'nothing out of the ordinary'!"

The prosecutor shook his head. "Oh for goodness' sake detective, we live together! We may not have had the occasion to dine together before, it is true, but that doesn't change the fact that there is nothing exceptional about it," he let out.

The detective was quick to pick up on the lack of conviction in Edgeworth's tone. "Well, where is this unexceptional ordinary dinner going to be then? At your place, or at some fancy restaurant of yours? Remember, never let the woman pay!"

Between gritted teeth, Edgeworth muttered: "Firstly, I do not believe I need lessons concerning social etiquette, especially coming from you, detective. Secondly, I don't see why I am telling you this as I have no need to, but she was the one who proposed to cook at my apartment. It is thus not the kind of rendezvous you are suggesting, so you can immediately wipe that smirk off your face."

"Ahahaha! Say what you want sir, but I've seen that look on others before!"

Still turned to the window, Edgeworth shook his head another time. "I swear detective, sometimes your humor is so akin to a schoolgirl's I cannot help but worry about the amount of time you spend with Kay," he said, although in a manner that struck Gumshoe as surprisingly relaxed.

The detective let out a booming laugh. "Ahaha! Well well well! Mr. Edgeworth is human after all!"

But as Gumshoe turned back towards the prosecutor, his hilarity was cut short. In the reflection of the window, the dark vengeful eyes had softened, and the peaceful smile the detective had seen on his friend's face a moment ago had reappeared.

Gumshoe gave a sigh of satisfaction. With Mr. Edgeworth responding so lightly to mockery, even more so than if he were acting like his usual flustered self, the detective's suspicions had been confirmed.

They came out of the parking lot. The crowd that had been on the steps of the courthouse an hour ago had left, but there still remained traffic on the main road. They stopped at the red light, in front of the other cars.

Having calmed down, the detective spoke up: "You know something, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"Hmm?"

"There are moments when I don't always get you. You have all these complicated thoughts going on in your head, and I can't follow all the time. So I ask you to tell me what it's about. But then you get mad, asking me if I've been listening to you, threatening to cut my pay again…And even when you do explain, I still don't get it. So I feel a bit dumb, and even kinda left out sometimes. But…" The detective turned his head away from the windshield. "…In this world, there are things that any man can understand about another. 'Cause the truth is sir, we all want the same things."

"Detective?"

"There's still some things that make us all the same." Out of nowhere, Gumshoe started to click his fingers. "Everybody…needs somebody…"

"Detective?"

Under Edgeworth's incomprehensive eyes, Gumshoe turned on his radio, switching to his mp3 library. At full blast, the Blues Brothers song came on.

"Everybody! Needs somebody! Ahahaha! Come on, Mr. Edgeworth! Sing along!"

"And here I thought you had miraculously become philosophical, detective," said the prosecutor, rolling his eyes. "You can advance now. The light has turned green."

Gumshoe did not listen to Edgeworth, tapping his fingers on the wheel to the rhythm of the song.

Behind them, a driver honked his horn. Gumshoe lifted his arms up in the air, and turned towards the back of the car. "Aww, come on, pal! Why worry 'bout the traffic when you've got somebody to love? Sweetheart to miss! Sugar to kiss!"

"Detective, please stop this ridiculous behavior at once and move your vehicle before I decide to step out and walk to the station alone!" Edgeworth removed his glasses, bringing a desperate hand to his face.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm moving, I'm moving, sir!" Gumshoe lowered the volume. As he put his foot back on the pedal, he continued to sing the lyrics in a whispering voice: "Everybody needs somebody…"

"I'm really sorry Officer Skye, but I'm sure I lost my badge in one of the bathroom stalls."

"That's fine Officer Hammer. Do you need help searching for it?"

"No no, I'll be fine! Please wait for me here."

"Alright, call me if you're having trouble."

As Officer Hammer rushed to the stalls, Lana stayed in the powder room. She put down her purse next to one of the sinks. She looked in the mirror, praying that the bags that had been under her eyes for the past several weeks had started to go away.

She gasped. Instead of her reflection, Mia faced her.

The former defense attorney's eyebrow was raised. "Well well, Ms. Skye? Only a peck on the cheek? Really?"

Lana stood still for a few seconds. She then also raised her eyebrow. "We were in an office, Ms. Fey. And certainly not with Officer Hammer only a few steps away."

Mia sighed. "Aaah, so conservative! You haven't changed in that way."

"No, I guess I haven't," Lana gently responded, as memories of her teasing best friend flooded back to her.

"Although when it comes to getting what you want, you're still as headstrong as ever."

Lana laughed. "Oh Mia," she let out, as she felt a single tear stream down her cheek.

"Thought I'd check up on you." Mia tilted her head to the side, a reassuring gesture that Lana often missed.

The other woman quickly wiped off the tear from her face. Yet for a moment she left her hand on her cheek. "You know Mia, the day I called him a monster…it wasn't just about the letters. I thought I hadn't stopped being a mentor in his eyes. And I couldn't stand the idea."

Lana lowered her hand. "In that sense, the threats weren't what frightened me the most." She took a pause. "So how…" She shook her head. "…So how is it possible for him to have told me what he told me just now?" Despite the disbelief in Lana's tone, the tears in her eyes were hopeful. She reopened her mouth, as if she were about to add something. Instead a long blissful sigh escaped her lips. "Oh Mia."

Her best friend gazed at her, her head still tilted. "It's so good to see you smiling again, Lovely Lana."

Mia's face then turned straight. "But you'll need to be brave in the future. What's coming your way isn't pretty."

"I know. I didn't lie to him, Mia. I'm not as scared as I used to be. I've realized that I'm not alone anymore."

"You're never alone, Lana. Whatever happens, I'm always by your side. "

As Mia's figure started to fade away, the former defense attorney winked. "And so I'll be sure not to miss one single detail of whatever happens tonight."

The ghost of Mia disappeared, leaving the reflection of Lana's tearful smiling face in the mirror.

Because one of my headcanons is that Gumshoe is a huge fan of the Blues Brothers movie.

I had fun thinking up lame name puns à la Ace Attorney for my invented trial. The trial itself isn't really important for the plot. I just thought it would be interesting to see how Lana would react to being back in a courtroom, and seeing Edgey being awesome in his role of Chief Prosecutor.

Hmm, what would've happened if it weren't for Officer Hammer?

Next chapter will probably be more on the investigative-y side. Hope to see you then! As always, please don't hesitate to review!