The lean, balding man was brought to the witness stand.

Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth folded his arms. It was unusual for an officer to provide the initial testimony in lieu of a detective, but the Prosecutor's Office had spoken. He cleared his throat.

"Witness, please provide your name and occupation."

The man smiled, showing off a mouthful of coffee-stained teeth. "David Serter, police officer, 2nd precinct."

The Judge nodded. 'Please provide your testimony, Officer."

"Will do, Your Honor." Serter cleared his throat. In the gallery, Franziska tightened her grip on her whip as Maya's fingers began to twitch.

"The victim, Mia Fey, was struck on the head, sending her into a coma. The weapon was a clock modeled after 'The Thinker.' That lawyer there was the one who called 911, but he's unaccounted for where the rest of the night's concerned. We also found this note beside the victim. She must have written it before she fell unconscious!"

He held up something in his hand, a square of laminated plastic with a white note inside it. Upon it, scrawled in red letters, was one word: Phoenix.

Serter walked from Edgeworth, then to Phoenix, and then up to the Judge. The last of them ran a hand through his beard. "Am I understand that the note was made from blood?"

"Yes, Your Honor." The officer flashed another, even oilier smile at Phoenix. "The test results confirm that the blood is from Mia Fey. I contend that she managed to write it down before she fell unconscious!"

There was chatter in the gallery that the Judge had to silence with his gavel.

"Order!" He looked down at Phoenix. "This seems compelling enough!"

Phoenix's brain wracked itself as sweat began to drip off his forehead. By instinct, he slammed his hands on the stand.

"OBJECTION!"

"Your Honor, this evidence is a forgery!" He called. "That note was not present when I found Ms. Fey!"

Across from him, Edgeworth smirked and pointed with an extended finger. "So you say, Mr. Wright, so you say. Need I remind you that we can only account for the moment you called the ambulance?"

Franziska grit her teeth. That was the trap Phoenix's feet were firmly clamped in. He could offer his own story, but there would be no evidence to confirm it. He had left home that night. What was he going to do?

Phoenix swallowed hard, but glared at Serter. "I would like to cross-examine the witness."

"Mr. Wright," The Judge began. "Do you see any contradiction in Officer Serter's testimony?"

There was a pause.

"Yes, I do." Phoenix nodded, then looked back at Serter. "You say I'm the one who struck Ms. Fey once on the head with the Thinker?"

"Yes."

"You say I sent her into a coma with that blow?"

"You bet."

"Then it would have been impossible for her to write that note."

The courtroom was silent, and Serter's face went blank.

"Come again?"

Phoenix pointed at Serter, raising his voice. "You yourself said that Mia Fey was knocked unconscious by one hit!" He smiled. "I've heard of sleepwalking, but sleepwriting is something else altogether!"

It satisfied Phoenix to see Serter himself begin to sweat. "I...I...uh…"

"OBJECTION!"

This time it was Edgeworth who called out. The prosecutor slammed one fist on his own stand. "Who's to say Ms. Fey fell unconscious right away? She could have written the note just before passing out!"

"OBJECTION!"

Phoenix shook his head. "Do you have the medical records to prove that, Mr. Edgeworth?"

Edgeworth gnashed his teeth. In the gallery, Franziska's eyes widened and Maya grinned. Maybe Phoenix Wright wasn't half-bad after all...

"Hmmm…." The Judge closed his eyes. "We can neither prove nor disprove that Mia Fey could have stayed conscious long enough to write the note." He looked back down at Phoenix. "Is there anything else you would contest this handwritten note over?"

Franziska's eyes narrowed again. Of course it would not be that easy. She watched Phoenix drop his head in thought.

Handwritten note...handwritten...note…

Phoenix looked up again, resolute.

"Your Honor, the defense...well, I...request that an analysis be made on that note! There are documents at Fey & Co Law Offices with her signature! Let's see if they match! It can be done in less than an hour"

"OBJECTION!"

Edgeworth was scowling. "Mr. Wright, how much of the court's time are you willing to squander!?" Phoenix smirked back. "As much time as you need to prep your next witness."

As Edgeworth's face turned white, the Judge slammed his gavel. "What you ask for is reasonable, Mr. Wright. The court will send someone straight away. Is there anything else you would like to specify?"

"As a matter of fact, I do." Phoenix nodded. "If it pleases the court, I request that a call be made to the police station to double-check that the bloody letters are indeed from Ms. Fey!" He turned his gaze towards Serter, who as of now was trying to inch himself away from the witness stand.

"I repeat, I only want one phone call to the police station! There is no need to send anyone in for this matter!"

Serter's face was ashen as he looked from side to side. Then he turned around and bolted.

"Officer Serter!" The Judge's voice thundered.

The bailiff at the exit got into his stance a second too late. Serter was now only a few feet away from the door, and he looked more than quick enough to duck, kick down the doors, and run out….

And then Franziska jumped out from the gallery. As Maya stared after her open-mouthed, the young prosecutor swung her whip in an arc, the weighted tip wrapping itself tightly around Serter's ankle. A flick of the wrist, and the man fell flat on his face.

The bailiff moved, jumping down and swinging a pair of handcuffs from his belt. Serter was secured in no time.

Throughout the commotion, Phoenix and Franziska looked to one another, and shared a smile. The fight was just starting, but it struck both of them that there could yet be light at the end of this tunnel.

-A multi-chapter story; Chapter 7; story idea by CRed1988 and writing by Jerviss.