Chapter 11

Miles awoke with a start, looking up to meet his sister's gaze. "...Franziska..." he half-groaned. So that was what had woken him up.

"Miles Edgeworth. You had fallen asleep and did not come home, so I came to check on you." Franziska said, removing her hand from his shoulder now that he had woken.

Miles sighed and shook his head, standing up. "Perhaps it's time to go home. Thank you."

"Yes, let's go." Franziska said, stepping back to allow Miles to stand up from the chair he'd fallen asleep in, and then she led the way to her car.

With one last glance to the unconscious body of his lover, Miles followed Franziska home, preparing himself for another night of being stared at until he fell asleep.

Larry knocked lightly on Miles' door, feeling so awkward but so worried about his friend. He'd never thought things to be so bad with Miles, wondering if there was anything he could have done to help. He really thought that Nick always took good care of the prosecutor, but with him now in the hospital, he figured he should at least visit and see how he was holding up.

Franziska had run out for a few minutes while she believed Miles was napping. The aforementioned, half asleep, was woken fully by the sound of a knock on the door. Making a somewhat minimal effort to make himself look presentable, he opened the door. He gave the person on the other side a confused look. "Larry...?"

"Hey, Edgey..." Larry said, sounding very unsure, "How you doing? I heard that Nick's still in the hospital and stuff..."

Miles nodded, stepping to the side to let Larry in. "He's unconscious."

Larry didn't really meet eyes with Miles as he walked inside and made himself comfortable in the living room.

Finally he said slowly and a tad hesitantly, "So, are you...feeling okay, Edgey?"

Miles blushed, not yet coming to sit down. "I'm fine. Would you like something to drink?"

At any other time, Larry wouldn't have refused, but even he could tell when Miles was evading his questions. "No, man, it's alright." He said, staying silent for a long moment before continuing, "...I didn't find out about stuff right away because my girlfriend suddenly moved to Canada! I guess I should have figured she'd moved when that old lady kept picking up when I called her old place..." Larry trailed off at the end of his sentence, scratching his chin thoughtfully and looking off in the distance. Then he shook his head and said, "So you and Nick...are doing okay?"

"I.. think so. I'm not really certain, Larry," he sat down across from the other, shaking his head. "What... Did you hear?"

At this Larry looked really downtrodden, and he softly answered, "Ummm...after you were taken to the hospital, Nick'd left me a message about what happened, and then when I'd gone to the hospital to find out where everyone was, I'd found out Nick passed out and you already had left with Franzy!

"They discharged me quickly on the assumption that it was something of an accident," Miles replied, trying to imply that it was.

Larry did have his moments of not exactly being the brightest crayon in the box, but he could easily tell that everything wasn't right here. And there was the fact that Nick had seemed mostly worried and sad these past few weeks every time Miles was mentioned in conversation. "Edgey...you know...Nick was pretty worried about you and all..."

"I'm aware of that. Unfortunately, I was busy with a case that I couldn't share with anyone outside of the police department."

"Y'know, Nick's always cared about you a lot. He seemed...so happy to just be around you, Edgey." Larry said, trying to say something nice to his obviously hurting friend.

Miles frowned, knowing that what the other was saying shouldn't have made him feel guilty... but it did. "I suppose... his loyalty has been a constant surprise for me. Even in gradeschool..."

Larry chuckled and said, "You know, even if you never wanted to play with us outside much, or get dirty or anything, Nick always liked you the best."

"You were always instigating things," Miles crossed his arms, smirking slightly.

"Hey, don't hold the fact that I just wanted to have a little fun against me now." Larry said, laughing a little.

Miles nodded. "I think both Phoenix and I admired your audacity, at least a little bit."

Larry smirked back, but then he was silent a moment as he thought about another question that was weighing on his mind, "So...how's Nick doing? What's happened to him anyway?"

Miles sighed, looking down to the floor. "I don't... really know, Larry. When I awoke, both he and his friend Derek, a surgeon at Cadeceus, were unconscious. They've been transferred to Derek's hospital, and in Derek's case, it is supposedly just exhaustion. For Phoenix... they're not entirely certain."

Larry shook his head in disbelief and he said, "Nick's always told me that I'm the one that always gets in trouble, but he's one to say that since I'm not the one that fell off a burning bridge."

"It really would be less stressful for everyone if he stopped ending up in the hospital," Miles sighed, shaking his head.

"Dude." Larry replied in an agreeable tone. He was silent for a moment, but then he reached out a little awkwardly to squeeze Miles' shoulder. "You know, Edgey...I know that I annoy you a lot, but I really consider you as one of my best buds..."

"You can tell me whatever you want, you know? Like if Nick does something really dumb and makes you mad, you know I'd use some of my foolproof relationship know how to fix it, you get me?" Larry said, trying to be as understanding as he could.

Miles even chuckled shortly, shaking his head. "I appreciate your help. He's... very loyal, and well-intentioned. I've always been in awe of him."

"Nick's a great guy, and I think he tries to take real good care of all his friends. And I mean that in the straightest way possible, man!" Larry said, not wanting Miles confuse his meaning at all.

"Yes, I know," Miles shook his head. "I've never understood it, but I admired it."

"He just...wants everyone to be good. He sees the best in everyone he meets." Larry said thoughtfully, then adding, "Especially in you. Man, he talks about you all the time. He thinks you're like the best person ever."

Miles' cheeks flushed, and he looked down into his lap. "Really? ... He's always been a bit foolish, as well"

Larry laughed at Miles' blush and he said, "Nick is funny sometimes...but, dude, he's got it real bad for you. Real bad."

Barely able to look at the other because of his embarrassment, Miles just nodded slightly. "Thank you, I know you are trying to cheer me up."

Larry gave Miles a small smile and said, "What are friends for, man?"

The sound of the door interrupted their conversation, then the clack of heels in the entryway before Franziska appeared, raising an eyebrow at Larry. "And what, exactly, are you doing here, Larry Butz?"

Larry ignored the question and instead raised a flirtatious eyebrow at her and said, "Hey, Franzy...waiting for me to come over, were you?"

Of course, that was when the whip came out. It certainly hadn't taken long. With a hit right across the male, she rested her hands on her hips. "Clearly not, as I didn't know you would be here. You are bothering my little brother while he is trying to recover!"

"Ouch!" Larry said, trying to shield his face from further blows, "Fiesty, I like it!"

"Out, you fool! Come back another day!" she glared at him like an overprotective mother bear.

Larry shivered a little at the look and then he said to Miles, "Okay, Edgey, I'd better go." As he made his way out the door, he gave Franziska a wink and said, "And you know I'll be back to see you, Franzy." Then he quickly made his way out before he got whipped some more.

Miles sighed, shaking his head. With Larry being his usual self, and Franziska in protector-mode, this would prove to be an interesting few days.