DISCLAIMER: Phoenix is Capcom's.

Thanks to kururu for encouraging me to continue this series!

Each chapter is its own separate fic unrelated to the events occurring in other chapters.

It was the day of Matt Engarde's trial. Franziska von Karma was on her way to the courthouse. Miles Edgeworth was with her. She didn't know why he was there. Or, more accurately, she refused to acknowledge the reason.

Franziska had almost reached the steps outside the courthouse when she felt a sudden sharp pain in her shoulder, and the next thing she knew she had fallen to her hands and knees on the pavement. She felt something warm and wet running down her face and for a brief moment she entertained the notion that she may have started crying, but when she put her hand to her face it came away covered with blood.

She stared at it in horror, dimly recalling that in the short time between the time she had been shoved and the time she had hit the ground, there had been the sound of a gunshot... Since Miles had pushed her to the ground as the shot rang out, that must mean that the shooter had been aiming for her...

She looked up and saw Edgeworth dragging himself to his feet beside her. Blood poured from a gunshot wound in his left shoulder. He reached down with his good arm and hauled Franziska to her feet. "Go!" he shouted, pushing her toward the court building. "Hurry! Franziska, go! Get inside!" There was a note of panic in his voice, and somehow she forced her body to move.

Inside the courthouse, Miles leaned against the wall, clutching his wounded shoulder.

"Why would you do such a foolish thing?" Franziska asked him angrily.

"I couldn't... just stand there and let you get shot," Edgeworth replied. He drew in a shaky deep breath. "Don't worry about me. You'll be late... for the trial."

"Miles..."

"I'll get someone to take me to the hospital. Don't worry about me. Go!" Yet still, she hesitated. He took a shaky step toward her and reached out his hand... He half-expected her to flinch away from him, but she didn't. He managed a faint smile as he wiped the last traces of his blood from her face. "There. Now take your gloves off and you'll be fine," he said gently. She still seemed reluctant to leave his side. "Franziska, go!" he shouted, his tone harsh once more. "You don't have time! I swear, if I hear that this case was thrown out of court because you were late, I'll never forgive you!" He hated to do this to her, but his words spurred her into action; she turned away from him and sprinted toward the courtroom where the trial was being held.

She was a bit late getting there, but a few cracks of her whip convinced the judge otherwise... Both she and Phoenix were fighting harder than ever to win this case. She didn't know what had gotten into that man, but he was really it pushing it this time with his ridiculous theories. She was tired of wasting time having to shoot down each foolish idea he threw out. Finally, Phoenix stumbled onto a point which Franziska could not counter, and it was decided that more investigation was needed to resolve the matter. The trial would continue another day.

Franziska didn't hang around the courtroom afterward; she rushed immediately to the hospital to see Miles. As soon as she entered the room he said, "I'm sorry. What I said to you back there... I didn't mean it." The sorrowful expression on his face was heartbreaking to watch. He seemed to be silently begging for forgiveness.

"I know," she answered quietly. She walked over to stand by the side of his bed. "How is your wound?"

He motioned for her to come and sit beside him. "It wasn't that bad; it was a small caliber. They've already removed the bullet. I'll be released tomorrow, if no complications arise. How did the trial go?"

Franziska couldn't stop the anger from creeping into her voice as she answered. "I almost had it. I almost had it when that fool pulled a ridiculous theory out of his ass, that I found myself unable to refute. We had no evidence that could prove it either way, so the judge has called for another investigation before we continue."

Edgeworth couldn't help smiling as he saw the look of frustration on her face. She was cute when she got mad. "You're a good girl, Franziska," he said softly, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her close for a hug. Franziska didn't resist the affectionate gesture. She carefully wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his good shoulder.

They were still embracing when Phoenix Wright burst into Edgeworth's hospital room a few mintues later, looking positively panic-stricken. "I heard what happened." Edgeworth was surprised to see tears in the defense attorney's eyes. Phoenix rushed toward Edgeworth and Franziska and when he reached the bed, he wrapped his arms around them both. "Thank God you're alright, at least," he said, and broke down sobbing.

"Wright, what happened?" Edgeworth asked in alarm.

Thank God you're all right, he said. In that case, who isn't alright...?

And then he told them. Maya Fey was dead. Eventually Phoenix sobbed out the whole story about how he had been contacted by de Killer and how Maya had been taken hostage. He hadn't been able to finish the trial in one day, and it didn't look like he was even going to be able to win this anyway...

"Fool!" Franziska snapped, knocking Phoenix over the head with her fist. (He was too close for her to use her whip.) "Try thinking about it this way: he doesn't have leverage over you anymore. You know your client is the assassin's client! All you have left to do is prove it at the trial tomorrow."

"I can't," Phoenix protested. "He-"

"He's already done it! What are you afraid of?" Franziska snapped.

Phoenix looked up and saw the fire in her eyes. They had both had their loved ones hurt because of what Matt Engarde had done. Franziska was right: de Killer had already done the worst he could do. There was nothing stopping Phoenix from getting his client the verdict he deserved.

"You're right. Let's get this bastard." And with renewed determination, Phoenix Wright left to continue his investigation.

Franziska sighed and leaned against Miles for a moment more before standing. She had her own investigation to make. Miles didn't need her right now, and the wound in his shoulder wouldn't take nearly as long to heal as the one in Phoenix Wright's heart.