Cloud: Kind of a short chapter,but I need some sleep. Enjoy.

Case 3: Turnabout Bride

Chapter 8: Cold Case

The cluttering of paper and ringing of phones did not cease since they had been in the homocide division an hour ago. Apollo walked with Trucy down the center isle between the cubicles, pausing at the desk on the end and to the right, "Detective Gumshoe."

His cubicle was decorated with all sorts of strange things, a paperweight the shape of a phoenix, a calander made out of crime scenes, and so on. One thing caught Apollo's eyes, in the back corner, by the computer, a picture hung Of Detective Gumshoe with a very pretty lady that had short brown hair and wore glasses, and was in the middle of kissing him on the cheek when the picture had been taken, "Hey pal! Did you find out anything new about the case?"

Apollo tore his eyes away from the picture and sighed, "Well, we did find out a little bit from Mr. Edgeworth," he said, pulling out Edgeworth's letter and handing it to the detective.

"Holy Shamoly! How did you convince him to give you this?!"

Apollo scratched the back of his head and grinned nervously, "I just mentioned it and he gave it to me without a fuss."

"Wow, he must like you a lot. Okay, I'll let you in there, but only to get the file that you need, okay pal?"

"Got it, you can count on us Detective!" shouted Trucy.

They walked around Gumshoe's desk and made their way towards the filing room, trying to ignore the police staring and muttering at them as they walked by. Apollo felt extremely uncomfortable. When he reached the steal door at the back of the room and pried it open, relief washed over him. He and Trucy quickly stepped into the room and closed the door, both breathing a sigh of relief, "Something tells me we don't really belong here Polly."

Apollo gritted his teeth, "Man, tell me about it, I felt like I was walking the green mile back there."

"I wonder if Daddy has to deal with this every time he has to come see Mr. Gumshoe."

"No wonder he has stress wrinkles at thirty three."

Trucy gasped, "Don't jynx it, Daddy will start to look like an old man!" she shouted, slapping him on the arm as hard as she could.

"Ow, easy, I'm sure Mr. Wright still has a few years left in him!" Trucy huffed and crossed her arms with a pout. "Anyways," continued Apollo, "We're here for that case file so we might as well look for it right?"

"But it was technically two cases."

"Yeah, but they'll both have the same evidence Trucy. Remember? Alice was charged with tampering with evidence in the first crime. I'm pretty sure both cases are stuffed into the same folder. Edgeworth told me the file number was YX7, so we better get cracking."

They both made their way to the back of them room, walking past old steel shelves full of filing folders, squeezing between filing cabinets, and stepping over case boxes that had been left on the floor, "You'd think police officers would be a bit more organized," muttered Trucy.

Apollo laughed, "This coming from the person who littered Mr. Wright's office with useless trinkets and magic accessories."

When Trucy didn't respond he began to think she had ignored his verbal jibe. He turned and noticed she was looking at a box on the ground. "I think this is it Polly."

He bent down and read the white paper taped to the side of it, indeed, it had the case number YX7 written across it in bold letters. He gently reached for the box and pulled it open. Inside was a folder and a bag full of evidence. The folder contained an autopsy report of the victim and all the people involved in the trial. The bag contained several things: an envelope, shattered pieces of metal, a handgun, and a picture of a police officer.

"Polly, what does all this mean?"

"I have no idea, but if we're going to win this case tomorrow, we have to piece it all together. I'm going to crack both of these cases wide open or my names not Apollo Justice!"

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Phoenix sat up in bed and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He rubbed his temples in an attempt to thwart the headache that pounded at his senses. The living quarters of the office was dark save for the moonlight that poured in from the window. He felt a soft and warm hand brush against his neck and massage his shoulder under his white shirt. "Nick... is something bothering you?"

He turned and gave a reassuring smile to Maya, "It's nothing, I just have a headache is all."

She smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder, "Somethings on your mind, you know you can always talk to me."

He brought his hand up and stroked her hair, "Kristoph is getting the lethal injection in a months time. It seems so soon, it feels like yesterday that Apollo and I exposed him, and already...Klavier also called yesterday."

"What about?"

Phoenix clicked the phone and put it to his ear, "Phoenix Wright, Attorny at Law, may I ask who's calling?"

"This is Klavier Gavin."

Phoenix gritted his teeth. The very same prosecutor that had stripped him of his badge, "What is it?" Was all he managed to grind out.

"Herr Wright, I was just calling to apologize, ja?"

"Apologize."

"Eight years, eight long years before you were allowed to step into a court room with that badge on your collar. I trusted him..."

"He was your brother Klavier, he was family."

"Ja, he was."

"I trailed him after I gained suspicion. It all started at that trial eight years ago, when you first stepped foot in a court room. I was distraught, my badge was gone and I went on a desperate search for the truth. It took me eight years to find it. If it wasn't for Apollo, Trucy, Ema, you... all of you, I would never have found it. You don't need to apologize Klavier, it's thanks to people like you, people like Apollo, that justice is found in the court room."

"Wright..."

"Klavier, you were only doing your job, you couldn't have possibly known I was innocent that day."

"Thank you. I have to get going now, Detective Skye gets kind of pissy when I'm laid back, ja?"

"Tell her I said hi."

"It's just hard to believe I guess, I got my badge back almost as quickly as I lost it, and my first case, it went so smoothly. Penny was in a tight spot, and next thing I know she's found not guilty and we have a major player of the Five Eyes in custody."

"That's a good thing Nick," whispered Maya.

"It is a very good thing, but..."

"But what?"

"It all seems so surreal. I keep expecting that I'll wake up one morning and the badge won't be on the night stand, and you won't be there."

Maya sat up fully and wrapped her arms around his waist, "You're such an idiot Nick. This isn't a dream, you have everything back now, and so much more. I'm real, I'm sitting right here next to you, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Neither is my sis, or Pearly, or Apollo, or Trucy, or Edgeworth, or..."

"Ok ok," he said with a laugh, "I get your point, you guys are all here for me, that's one of the reasons I do my best in court you know?"

"That's right. You're running the Wright and Justice Law Offices now, and I wouldn't expect anything less. Say, since we're awake, why don't we go get some burgers?"

"Maya, it's midnight, the trials tomorrow and Apollo will want us to be there. We'll all go out and get burgers when he's done with the whole thing, alright?"

Maya frowned, "You're no fun anymore Nick. What happened to the drifting piano player who played games of poker for a living, and had sexy stubble on his chin?

"I could grow the sexy stubble back if you want."

He pushed her down into the bed and she squeeled, giggling.