The next morning, Phoenix wakes up in Miles Edgeworth's bed, which isn't the strangest turn his life has taken recently. Edgeworth himself is nowhere to be found, but that's not too surprising. According to the clock, it's still morning, but barely.

Phoenix takes it slow; swinging his legs around to the side of the bed and then grabbing his crutches from where they're leaning against the wall nearby. It's not easy pushing himself upright on one leg and steadying himself on the crutches, but he's starting to get the hang of it.

As he hobbles out into the hall, he catches the distant sound of muted conversation, like someone shouting over the phone in the other room. There's something familiar about the voice that somehow reminds him of Maya, but it couldn't be her. Dramatic music swells as he stops to rest against the doorway into the living room.

Edgeworth is sitting on the sofa, dressed for court minus the wine red jacket, watching Pink Princess on TV. He glances over his shoulder at Phoenix's not so quiet entrance and fumbles for the remote.

"W-Wright. You're awake. You should have called if you needed anything."

"I managed, didn't I?" Phoenix is quite proud of it, in fact.

He hobbles over to the sofa and Edgeworth jumps up to lend him a hand, not that there's really anything he can do to help.

"What is it with you and Maya and those samurai shows?"

"If I recall, it was you and Larry who introduced me to the franchise," Edgeworth says haughtily, "and the quality of the show has only increased since."

"Has it?"

"Any long-lived series has its ups and downs, but Steel Samurai and Pink Princess have revolutionized the genre." His sincerity reminds Phoenix of the boy he admired so much, but it only lasts so long against the intervening years of cynicism, and Edgeworth turns away to add, "And I admit there's something appealing about the facile idea of justice it presents."

"I didn't mean to interrupt," Phoenix insists.

"It's just a rerun. I should make lunch."

Phoenix follows Edgeworth back out of the living room, into the kitchen. With a little help, he sits down at the red marble-topped kitchen table, to watch Edgeworth while he works. After so long living on his own, it's a little strange not to be the one cooking, but there's nothing Phoenix can do with his arms occupied by crutches.

"Ramen?" he asks in surprise as Edgeworth brings the noodles to a boil.

"It's a convenient base," Edgeworth says, gathering some vegetables from the fridge.

Phoenix shrugs, admittedly intrigued. "After lunch, I want to meet with that professor, to hear his side of the story."

Edgeworth's knife falters, but he doesn't look away from the carrots he's busty chopping. "You shouldn't jeopardize your recovery for a man who's already confessed to murder."

"I'm not jeopardizing anything! The least I can do is go to the detention center to talk to him. I can take a taxi if I have to."

Edgeworth dumps the carrots and some peas into the boiling water. "I'll drive you."

After a quick lunch of noodle soup that isn't quite ramen, Phoenix retreats into the bathroom and doesn't emerge until he looks a little more like himself; his hair properly spiked, and wearing one of his royal blue suits.

They finally venture out of Edgeworth's apartment. Even taking the elevator, Phoenix is still worn out by the time they get to Edgeworth's bright red sports car, waiting for them down in the garage where they left it. Phoenix has to admit there are worse ways to get from place to place with an injured foot, and he's content to lean back in his seat while Edgeworth drives.

Phoenix isn't sure if it's the crutches or having Edgeworth with him, but when they get to the detention center, the guards let them through without question - it's probably Edgeworth, glaring at everything and everyone as they pass. They hastily set up a pair of chairs in the visitor's room while Phoenix's prospective client is brought out on the opposite side of the glass.

He turns out to be an old man with sandy gray hair who looks like a scientist, still wearing a lab coat even in detention. He sits down sheepishly in front of them, glancing between Phoenix and Edgeworth.

"You're the lawyer my grandson told me about? And aren't you that prosecutor that's been in the news?"

"Yes, I'm Phoenix Wright, the defense attorney," Phoenix says, distracting him from Edgeworth's ire. "I wanted to ask you a few questions. You work at the Kanto Regional Zoo, is that correct?"

"Y-yes, my name is Professor Samuel Oak, I'm the chief scientist. My work involves overseeing the research and care of all our animals, big and small."

"Could you tell me about the incident?"

"It's a terrible tragedy. Professor Ulysses Elm was one of my first students and one of the brightest up-and-coming scientists at the zoo. His in vitro work on the evolution of developmental processes is especially revolutionary. And he had a family too; a wife and a young daughter. I don't know what they'll do now that he's gone."

"Did you see him on the day of the incident?"

"Of course. I believe it was that afternoon that we met to talk about a project he was on, and then… well, I was the one who found him after closing, lying by the crocodile enclosure… Poor Ulysses…"

"What happened after that?"

"It was all a blur, really. The police came in and turned the scene upside down, brought everyone in for questioning, and then they said they had witnesses who saw me do it, but I swear, I didn't! I wouldn't!"

"What about the confession?" Edgeworth demands.

Phoenix glares at Edgeworth, but motions for Professor Oak to answer the question.

"I-I know, it looks bad, but at the time, it seemed like the only option. I tried to explain that I just found him there I don't know how many times, but the officers and the prosecutor didn't even seem to hear it. I don't know how long I was in questioning before one officer finally sat down with me and explained everything, went through their whole theory of the case, and explained that there was already so much evidence against me, fighting it would only make it worse, that signing their statement was the only way… I know I shouldn't have done it, but it felt like I didn't have any other choice."

"I understand," Phoenix says, a little pointedly. "Did you see anything that could give some clue about what really happened?"

"Wright, you don't seriously believe him," Edgeworth interrupts before Professor Oak has a chance to respond. "By the defendant's own admission, he lied once, how can you say he isn't lying now?"

They're just sitting in the detention center visitor's room, but Phoenix has the distinct feeling he might as well be standing across from Edgeworth in the courtroom.

"You heard what he said!" Phoenix exclaims. "He was pressured into signing that statement; it's not so different from what happened to Lana Skye. And you know that just because someone was seen at the scene of a crime doesn't mean they're the culprit!"

"All you have is his word, no proof, and he must not have a substantiated alibi for the case to have gotten this far."

Both Phoenix and Edgeworth turn to Professor Oak, and Phoenix asks, "What were you doing before you discovered the victim?"

"W-well, the zoo was already closed for the day. I was doing my usual rounds, checking on the animals after the visitors had left. I was just passing by the crocodile enclosure when I found him lying there on the ground…"

"And was there anyone else around?"

"The cleaning staff and the other scientists were still busy wrapping up for the day, and I saw a few of them on my rounds, but no there wasn't anyone else near the crocodile enclosure, until after I sounded the alarm."

Edgeworth ticks off his fingers. "That's more than enough of an opportunity, and means shouldn't have presented much difficulty, all we're left with is the question of motive. Your conversation with Professor Elm that afternoon, was it a conversation or an argument?"

"We're here to defend him, not prosecute him!" Phoenix objects.

Professor Oak answers anyway, "N-not an argument exactly, it's just that Ulysses has always been a little scatter-brained, and I was having some words with him about some data he'd lost track of, but it was nothing serious!"

Edgeworth looks pleased with himself.

Phoenix shoots him a glare. "Professor, that data, would you have been able to find it on your own, without Professor Elm's help?"

"No, only he knows- knew, I mean, what was going on in that office of his."

"See, Edgeworth, so much for your motive."

"Just eliminating one motive doesn't mean anything, there are countless reasons a man might kill his colleague."

"That doesn't mean that he did!"

"D-does this mean you'll take my case?" Professor Oak says, glancing between them.

"Of course," Phoenix declares. "I'll do everything I can to prove your innocence."

It's not quite the emphatic exit he has in mind, but Phoenix pushes himself up onto his crutches and hobbles from the room, Edgeworth close behind. Neither of them says anything as they get back into Edgeworth's car, even as Edgeworth helps Phoenix into the passenger side. Phoenix's head spins and heart is pounding between going head to head with Edgeworth and the effort of hurrying around on crutches.

To Phoenix's surprise, instead of going straight home, Edgeworth pulls up at the Police Department, by the Criminal Affairs Office. Despite Edgeworth's insistence that he rest his foot, Phoenix follows him in. Most of the detectives are out of the office, but Detective Gumshoe is conveniently sitting at his desk in the corner, staring at some dull-looking paperwork.

"Mr. Edgeworth! Mr. Wright!" he exclaims as he catches sight of them, jumping to his feet. "What are you doing here?" More quietly he asks, "How are you? Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine," Edgeworth insists, not meeting his eyes. "Wright is… recovering, but he's foolishly decided to take on the case you sent him. Do you have the report on the incident at the Kanto Regional Zoo?"

"It just happens I was there myself earlier." Detective Gumshoe waves them over to his desk. "I'm afraid you may need even more than your usual luck to win this one, Mr. Wright, but maybe if you've got Mr. Edgeworth working with you…"

Phoenix glances at Edgeworth, but he's as unreadable as ever. Maybe this is just his way of making up for pulling that trick with the updated autopsy report.

Gumshoe hands Edgeworth a manilla folder off his desk. "Anyway, this should tell you just about everything you could need to know from the crime lab. Professor Ulysses Elm, murdered around 8pm, strangled by a thin wire, left a nasty cut, and looks like he didn't have much of a chance to fight back. What we think is the murder weapon was found in the pond in the crocodile exhibit earlier today; one of those poles they use to handle crocodiles, or maybe feed them, I'm not sure. All the blood and prints were cleaned right off, of course."

"Thank you," Phoenix says.

"Just don't tell anyone you heard it from me, pal." Gumshoe glances surreptitiously around the quiet office. "Is there anything else you need? I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to drop by while you were in the hospital; things have been even busier here than usual since the Chief of Police was caught, well, you know. Got extra review on everything, not that I'm complaining. I just know I'll be glad to have you back, Mr. Edgeworth."

Edgeworth turns away to avoid Phoenix and Gumshoe's eyes. "We should be going. Wright has been on his feet too much already."

Phoenix can't really argue with that. There's a pounding ache building in his foot, and his shoulders aren't doing too well either.

"Oh, yeah, of course," Gumshoe says, following them to the door. "You can call if you need anything!"

Phoenix feels bad for the hasty exit, but it's a relief to sit back in the passenger seat of Edgeworth's car, the blood still rushing painfully in his foot.

"Has it gotten worse?" Edgeworth asks as they pull out of the parking lot.

Phoenix winces. "A little."

"How bad is the pain on a scale of one to ten?" Edgeworth presses.

"I don't know, five?"

Edgeworth nods grimly like that means something.

The drive is short but the walk up to the apartment feels long. Edgeworth hovers by Phoenix's side as he awkwardly hobbles to and from the elevator, even though there's really not much Edgeworth can do to help.

Back inside Edgeworth's apartment, Phoenix goes straight for the couch and Edgeworth follows close behind, bearing antibiotics and painkillers, and making sure Phoenix's leg is properly elevated. Only then does he disappear back into the kitchen, leaving Phoenix with the autopsy report.

Phoenix takes a moment to just close his eyes as he waits for the worst of the pounding to subside, and savors the relief of being off his feet. He's only gotten as far as tentatively flipping through the report to confirm what Gumshoe said when Edgeworth comes back, bearing two fine china cups of hot tea. One cup he leaves on the table, just within Phoenix's reach, though Phoenix isn't sure what he's supposed to do with it lying down. Edgeworth keeps the other cup and sits down in the chair by Phoenix's head.

Phoenix has returned to flipping through the autopsy report, when Edgeworth asks quietly, "How can you believe in people so easily?"

Phoenix cranes his neck around to see Edgeworth looking determinedly in the opposite direction. "Suspects are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, aren't they?" he says pointedly. "You should know, you're the one who taught me that."

"... You don't mean that ridiculous class trial? It was a mockery of justice." Even now, Edgeworth looks affronted.

"Or, do you remember when Larry and I first introduced you to Signal Samurai?" Phoenix smiles a little at the precious memory, distant and faded as it is.

"I was skeptical at first," Edgeworth acknowledges.

"I told you I wanted to be a hero of justice and punch the bad guys to save the day, and you replied that that kind of hero is even worse than the villains they're fighting because they ignore due process of the law."

Edgeworth winces. "Yet you somehow still believed in me even though I've become that worst kind of villain."

Phoenix tries to meet Edgeworth's eyes, which is hard enough to do lying on the couch craning his neck back, and Edgeworth doesn't make it any easier. "Is winning every trial still really all you care about?"

"No, you taught me that much."

"Then you're not a lost cause yet. And even Police Chief Gant deserved a fair trial for everything he did."

Edgeworth's knuckles are white from gripping his elbow, and very quietly, he says, "I wish I had your conviction, Wright."

The next day, Phoenix wakes up a little bit earlier, feeling a little bit better. Still, it's after lunch by the time they head out. The Kanto Regional Zoo is a little out of the way, and Phoenix is glad to have Edgeworth driving him around instead of having to catch, and wait for, a series of buses to the outskirts of the city. When they arrive, the zoo is quiet, but not completely empty of visitors even though it's still an active crime scene.

"This takes me back," Phoenix says as he hobbles under the colorful welcome arch; the pungent smells of animal life and sugar mingle in the air. "I haven't been here since I was a kid."

Edgeworth follows him. "Nor have I."

Brightly colored paths lead away from the entrance, branching off in all directions. Right by the gate is a meerkat colony on one side, and a fox den on the other, and the large, domed reptile house is straight ahead. Phoenix spots Gary and Ash lurking by the fox exhibit, in the midst of an argument that cuts off as they notice Phoenix and Edgeworth approaching.

"There you are!" Gary exclaims, sauntering over to them. "Didn't I tell you they'd be here?" To Phoenix, he says, "For a hot-shot lawyer, you sure are slow."

Phoenix just sputters, because the crutches and the whole meeting in the hospital should be pretty self-explanatory.

Edgeworth intervenes on his behalf, "I think my hot-shot colleague means to ask where the incident took place."

"If you can't even remember that, how are you supposed to help get my grandfather off the hook?"

"Professor Elm was found by the crocodile exhibit," Ash says. "I can show you!"

"Thank you," Phoenix says pointedly.

However, Gary interrupts, "Hey, Ash, stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong! Professor Oak is my grandfather, so this is my investigation."

"Who says? I'm worried about the professor too!" Ash says.

"Aren't you supposed to be cleaning cages anyway?" Gary turns to Phoenix and Edgeworth. "Follow me!"

Phoenix and Edgeworth exchange a skeptical glance, before following Ash and Gary down a bright blue path, leading around the reptile house. The boys move faster than Phoenix can keep up with, but with a lot of starts and stops, they make it to a police perimeter, blocking off the area around the crocodile enclosure. Guarding it is an intimidating young woman with bright blue hair, in a police uniform.

"I told you kids a crime scene isn't a playground!" she shouts at them.

Phoenix bites back a reflexive, "Yes, sir."

Instead, it's Gary who retorts, "Tell that to my grandfather's lawyer!"

The officer's gaze snaps up to Phoenix and Edgeworth.

"Phoenix Wright," he introduces himself awkwardly, wishing the boys could have snuck them in around the back of the crime scene, rather than barging in at the front.

"I know you," the officer says, and she's not looking at Phoenix. "Aren't you on probation from the prosecutor's office?"

"He's just here to help." Phoenix tries to wave one of his crutches by way of an explanation, but it catches on the ground and he nearly trips over his own foot.

Phoenix catches himself on his crutches just in time, but his good foot is shaky from the close call, and he's glad to have Edgeworth's arms there for extra support.

"I'm sorry about your leg, Mr. Wright," the officer says, "but I don't want his kind of help anywhere near my crime scene."

"He's not going to mess with anything!" Phoenix protests.

Edgeworth only looks away.

The officer rounds on Phoenix. "I don't want you poking around the crime scene either."

"You'd better be careful or he'll sue you," Gary says.

"Hold it!" Phoenix exclaims. "I'm not suing anyone! Thank you for your time, officer, we'll go look for evidence elsewhere." He awkwardly turns with his crutches to hobble away from the crime scene.

"How has a coward like you won any cases?" Gary demands, hurrying after Phoenix and Edgeworth with Ash in tow.

"By not picking a fight with the officers watching over the scene. Maybe we can find some evidence in Professor Elm's office instead."

"Or in Professor Oak's office," Edgeworth says pointedly.

Phoenix doesn't appreciate the insinuation about his client's innocence, but at this point, he'll take what evidence he can find.

They follow the two interns around back, to the maintenance door of the reptile house. Thankfully, it's quiet inside. They at least seem to be the only ones in the long, narrow, concrete hallway. There are at least half a dozen non-descript metal doors coming off of it, leading to who knows where.

Then Phoenix hears muffled voices echoing around the corner at the end of the hall, one female and one male, whispering urgently about something that's thoroughly garbled by the time it gets to Phoenix. Phoenix glances over at Edgeworth, who seems to share his suspicions, or is at least glaring in the general direction of the noise.

Phoenix thinks he hears the woman saying something that almost sounds like, "Shush, there's someone coming!"

"Hey! Who's there?" Ash shouts, cutting her off.

The whispers fall silent as Ash's voice echoes down the hall.

"Now look what you did, loser, they're going to get away!" Gary says.

However, before the teenagers can run after them, a man with bright blue hair and a woman with long red hair suddenly jump out from around the corner, both wearing the same khaki uniforms as the two boys, a few sizes too small on the lanky adults; the shorts are too short and the shirts cut off at their midriffs.

"Oh, it's just you!" the woman exclaims in exaggerated relief.

"With all the murder and everything going on, we were afraid someone was after us next!" the man says.

Gary scoffs. "Why would someone be after you newbies? This is what, your first day on the job?"

"Y-yeah, we just started a few days ago."

"No wonder I haven't seen you around. I've been doing more important things, but you'll learn quick enough that I'm the very best this zoo has ever seen."

"What are you doing back here?" Ash asks. "Are you looking for something?"

"Uh…" The man and woman exchange a frantic glance.

"Of course," the woman says with a remarkable amount of bluster, giving the man a sharp jab in the side.

"We were just looking for the way into the reptile house," he says, "but we must have gotten lost."

"Hold it!" Phoenix says before they manage to sneak past to get to the door. "Who are you really? And what are you doing sneaking around here?"

The woman gasps in fake anger. "Who are you sneaking around and asking questions like that? You'd better watch your step."

She pushes forcefully past Phoenix, and Edgeworth only just catches him in time to see the pair leaving by the maintenance door.

"Do you know who they are?" Phoenix asks the two interns.

"New interns, right?" Ash says.

"You can even smell the new uniforms," Gary taunts.

"Are you sure they're interns here?" Phoenix presses.

"You won't get anywhere without evidence," Edgeworth says, glancing down the hall, toward the scientists' offices. "If you can stay on your feet."

Edgeworth's tone is sharp, but his hand hasn't left Phoenix's back like he's worried Phoenix is going to tumble over. He isn't, but Phoenix can't entirely blame Edgeworth for thinking it; his good foot is getting sore and his bad one is starting to pound again.

"I'm okay," Phoenix insists, and together they follow Ash and Gary to Professor Elm's office.

The door is already unlocked. Inside is something between a lab and an office, one half dominated by a desk and cluttered with papers, and the other taken up by a lab bench scattered with beakers. Along the walls are rows of tanks holding all kinds of reptiles, including a bunch of miniature crocodiles in the back.

Phoenix barely has a chance to take it all in before Ash exclaims, "Toto is gone!"

With a little help from Edgeworth, Phoenix sits down in the professor's chair and then asks, "Toto?"

"One of Professor Elm's crocodiles!" Ash points to an empty tank against the far wall, wedged between others all housing small crocodiles. "She was special. She had some sort of mutation that made her scales blue-ish and it did other things too that the professor was studying. I helped him raise her from an egg, but now she's gone! Someone must have stolen her!"

"I don't know…" Phoenix says with a glance at Edgeworth. "Are you sure they didn't just move her to another tank? When did you last see her here?"

"They wouldn't do that! I came in to feed her and clean out her tank the day Professor Elm was killed!"

"A fancy crocodile isn't the weirdest motive for murder."

Phoenix glances at Edgeworth again, but he's just glaring at the empty tank in the far wall.

Their investigation doesn't get much farther than that before they return to Edgeworth's apartment. To Phoenix it's a relief to get off his feet and rest after a long day.

Phoenix wakes up with a jolt to his side. It's still dark, but the blankets and sheets thrash beside him. Edgeworth gives a strangled cry, tossing and turning, tangled up in the covers. Phoenix scrambles upright, jarring his injured foot, but he doesn't have time to worry about that.

"Edgeworth!" he calls out, not worrying about the hour or the neighbors.

He grabs Edgeworth by the shoulders, holding him tight, trying to wake him from the depths of what must be a nightmare.

"Miles! MILES!" Phoenix shouts.

Edgeworth freezes, and then, before Phoenix can pull away to give him some space and make sure he's okay, Edgeworth grabs onto him, his arms constricting around Phoenix's torso with unexpected strength. It's just like after the earthquake when Edgeworth was in the detention center; he's small and badly shaking, curled into Phoenix's chest. Phoenix takes a deep breath in an attempt to rearrange his ribs and tentatively wraps his arms around Edgeworth, holding him close.

Phoenix wishes he knew what he could do to help, but he's afraid to do more than hold Edgeworth gently, like something fragile, and murmur, "You're safe… It's okay…" over and over, until the shaking slowly stops, and Edgeworth's breathing steadies.

Just as Phoenix is beginning to wonder whether he's fallen asleep, Edgeworth pushes away and Phoenix immediately withdraws his arms to give Edgeworth space. They sit across from each other on the bed, the covers twisted around them.

"This is absurd," Edgeworth mutters, not meeting Phoenix's eyes, an arm defensively across his chest. "I'm only going to keep waking you up. There's no reason both of us should lose sleep."

Phoenix wants to reach out, but the last thing he wants is to scare Edgeworth away. "Hold it. It'll wake me up even if I'm in the other room, and I don't care; I've slept more than enough for a month this past week."

"The least I can do is make things easier for you, not impede your recovery. It's my fault you were shot. You should hate me, not…" Edgeworth's free hand is shaking, and Phoenix suspects the knuckles on the other hand are white from gripping his arm.

"It's not your fault!" Phoenix's voice echoes too loud and sharp in the still darkness. More quietly, he says, "I'm not staying with you so that you can make up for what happened. I appreciate the help, but I'm here for you."

"What if there's nothing you can do?"

"I don't care. I'm not leaving you alone." Phoenix reaches out to Edgeworth. "I don't want to lose you again." There's a pleading note in his voice.

Edgeworth shudders, and Phoenix almost withdraws his hand, but slowly Edgeworth lets go of his elbow and rests his hand on Phoenix's. Phoenix can feel it shaking. Phoenix carefully draws Edgeworth back into bed, afraid he'll slip away if Phoenix moves too fast.

"Your foot," Edgeworth protests before he gets as far as lying back down. "How's the pain, on a scale of one to ten?"

"Zero." It does hurt a little, but Phoenix had mostly forgotten it with everything.

Edgeworth glares at him and makes to get out of bed. Phoenix's grip unthinkingly tightens on his hand.

"This way, at least one of us will be able to rest," Edgeworth says, not looking at Phoenix again. "I'll be back with the pain medication."

"Fine."

As soon as Edgeworth's pink striped pajamas vanish through the bedroom door, Phoenix has second thoughts and is about to grab his crutches and follow after him, but before he has the chance, Edgeworth is back with a glass of water and a pill, which Phoenix reluctantly accepts. And for his part, Phoenix doesn't have to argue to get Edgeworth to join him in bed, half curled away from Phoenix.

Phoenix reaches across Edgeworth's side to offer him a tentative hand and he grabs onto Phoenix's arm with surprising strength. Phoenix carefully shifts so he can wrap both arms around Edgeworth, holding him tight, wishing there's anything more he could do.