There was a dead silence. The soft purr of the motor was the only sound made in Miles' car. Franziska was in the passenger seat, staring out of the clear window, watching the world pass her by. Miles concentrated on the road, towards Hope Hospital. However, if one were to listen to their minds, the noise of their thoughts was riotous. The two pseudo-siblings minds were racing faster then the car could ever reach, pondering the thousands of possibilities within the meeting of their dying father. But, they both knew hat no amount of preparation could ever prepare them for what would happen.

After driving for two hours, the car finally pulled into the parking lot of Hope Hospital. Miles put the car in park, and exited the vehicle. Franziska followed Miles to the reception counter, where Miles asked which room Manfred was staying in. The receptionist informed the two, and pointed to the elevator. They needed to reach the top floor of the building, ten stories up. Miles and Franziska entered the empty elevator. After the doors closed, Miles finally broke the long silence that felt like days.

"I am going to wait outside." He stated plainly, without looking at Franziska. He sharply turned her head, and cocked a frustrated eyebrow. "Excuse me? Wait outside?" Miles met her fiery eyes with his cold, yet sharp glare. "Yes. I refuse to be in the same room as THAT man." He uttered that as if Manfred's name was some form of expletive. Franziska turned her body towards he taller brother. "Well, THAT man is our father, and he needs…" she was cut off by Miles. "Correction; he's YOUR father. MY father was murdered by that man." Franziska became more frustrated. "Miles that was over 15 years ago. Why haven't you gotten over it?" Miles fully turned to his sister, using his height advantage to impose over her, to fully express his anger. "Why should I!?! Why should I forgive that murderous pig for killing my father in cold blood?! I'm glad he dying! Soon, I'll never have to hear from that slimy, monstrous son-of-a-

Ding.

Franziska marched out of the open elevator doors, fists clenched and to her sides. Miles rubbed the right side of his face, where his enraged sibling left a big red mark. Franziska did not have her whip on her, but she could still strike was a force just as painful. Miles staggered a bit out of the elevator, still feeling the burning that was left by Franziska's strike. He realized he should have known better then to make Franziska so upset, especially on such a touchy subject. In their collaborations about the book and her occasional visits to America, Manfred rarely came up. Franziska still loved her father like any daughter would, but Miles had too many painful memories involving him.

Miles shook it off, and he approached the room. He turned into the corridor of rooms, but was surprised to see Franziska, just standing still. He was biting his lower lip and playing with her fingernails as she just stared at the yellow door. Miles approached her. Franziska felt his unmistakable presence. Before Miles could utter a sound, Franziska raised a question.

"Do you know why I want you here, Miles?" she asked in a solid, yet shaky tone, not breaking her lock on the door. "Can't say I do." He responded. She turned to meet his eyes, which Miles could see traces of a tear in each one. "It is because I am scared. I don't know why I am scared of my own father. I don't know if I'll like who he has become. I have not seen him since my first trial. It's been years Miles. The only thing I know about him is the stories I heard in the news. That's all. There are so many questions I need answers to, but I don't know if I want the answers." The drops of tears became a small stream. "I don't care if you like my father or not. I just need you to be there for me." She turned back to the door, where she sniffled slightly as she wiped her tears off with an ungloved hand. Miles stood silent, and the pain the slap didn't burn so much. He wrapped his left arm around his sister, as he extended his right hand to the doorknob. "Even a wild mare gets scared sometimes…" he thought. The knob clicked, and lightly pushed the door open.

Manfred looked up from reading his Bible. He put the book to his side, and felt a slight relief upon seeing someone other then doctors in his room. That feeling was then swept away by the realization of seeing Franziska and Miles for the first time in years. Both feelings were hidden under Manfred's rough face, which he has learned to hide all emotion, for he felt that for the longest time that emotion beyond simple satisfaction or anger was a weakness. Franziska tried her best to resume her often tough exterior, but hints of her fear slowly crawled out through her damp eyes and fidgety right hand. Miles simply crossed his arms, and puffed up some. The two dared not to move any closer. Time felt frozen, the space became nothingness, and all senses were gone between the three. Their world had become a black nothingness with only themselves to occupy it. Franziska gathered her courage, and brought them all smashing into reality with two simple words.

"Hello Papa."

Manfred put on a small smile, and replied, "Hello, Franziska." All tension was finally torn, and Franziska dashed to her sick father. She wrapped her arms around him, avoiding the wires to fully embrace her father for what felt like the first time. Manfred embraced his baby girl, holding her dearly, with a torrent of memories invading the two. Happy childhood thoughts entered Franziska, the days of playing with him as a very young girl. Manfred remembered the days of how happy he felt with his wife was still with them, and the years of seeing Franziska grow from a little girl to a powerful young woman. Tears trickled from Franziska as she said, "It's been years, Papa." Manfred rubbed her back a little. "I know. I've missed you." Franziska released her grip, and stood up. She wiped her tears again, tears of shattered fear and unexpected joy. Manfred, despite being cold, distant, and a murderer, was still Franziska's father. She did not care about such trifling details.

"Manfred."

Those words broke the silent joy between the father and daughter, words uttered by Miles Edgeworth. He still had his arms crossed. Manfred turned to meet Miles' stare with his own. "Miles." He uttered this name flatly. It was not that the elder Von Karma did not consider Miles like his own son, but he knew Miles would still harbor dislike towards him. He knew he was just as stubborn father used to be. "I see you're finally paying for what you did to my father." Edgeworth spoke these words sharply. Franziska became a little worried and flustered as she interjected "Miles!" Manfred was unfazed and held up a finger to signify that Miles should still talk. Manfred flatly replied, "Still upset, I see." Miles put his arms down. "Upset over my fathers murder? Yes, very much so." He leaned a little forward a he raised the volume of his voice increasingly. "Why did you do it? Why did you kill my father? Was it because of your precious perfect record? Was it something he did to you? Why did you try to put me on death row?! Why did you try to get back at me?! Is it because you hate me!?! Is it because you…" Manfred tamed the practical roaring of Miles' voice by powerfully interjecting, "MILES EDGEWORTH!", like a father would to control his own son. "If I hated you as much as you think, why would I put you through high school, Harvard, graduate school, and, most importantly, raise you like my own son? Ever think of that?"

The silence returned. Miles had never been so angry, but he had to admit that Manfred was indeed correct. Miles straightened up, and calmly asked, "Why did you do it?" Manfred responded, "Kill your father? To understand that, you have to understand certain things, things that happened to me." Miles pulled two of the chairs, one for himself and Franziska. They both promptly sat, and Miles said, "We have all day. You don't." Manfred sighed, and took a deep breath. He looked right into his children's eyes. "It all began over 40 years ago, on my wedding day." He glanced at his photo, and turned back.

"It was the best and worst day of my entire life."