A/N: Ok, this chapter is finally complete! I had a severe bout of writer's block this chapter, but I think it turned out alright. Shout out to purplepjs, bak602, and Kumquat93 for encouraging me through this entire chapter. Read, review, enjoy!
~Diana
"Edgeworth," Phoenix said, resignedly looking up.
"Are you going to answer?" he asked coldly, eyes like chips of ice. "What happened?"
Phoenix got up, unconsciously straightening his blue beanie and Edgeworth took his place, getting his first good look at Madeline. Her face was pale and her hair was thrown around her face like a dark cloud. He wound his fingers through her limp ones. "Please," he whispered, "don't leave me yet." He turned to Phoenix.
"She was poisoned," Phoenix said quietly, not able to look at Edgeworth. Edgeworth just stared for a minute, not taking it in.
"Who would do this to her? Why?" he said, his eyes never leaving Madeline's face.
Phoenix thought for a minute, trying to decide how to put it. He knew that, if said the wrong way, this explanation could quickly turn into a death warrant. "She had…information," he said carefully. "Possibly about the case Apollo here was working on." Apollo rubbed his hand over his spikes nervously. Edgeworth's eyes rested on him for a second before returning to Madeline.
"And that was enough to get her…" he trailed off, frustrated.
Phoenix coughed, knowing he was treading on dangerous ground. "Actually, it could have been her other investigation…"
"Other investigation?" came from all sides. Apollo, Ema, Klavier, and Edgeworth all looked equally confused.
"I don't think she told anyone. She was looking into the case from seven years ago. The one that disbarred me."
Edgeworth raised an eyebrow. "She told me she was just coming to talk to you," he murmured, looking down at her. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"That would explain why she worked for me," Klavier mused, flipping his blond bangs. "She had all the information at her fingertips. Crafty, Fraulein Brent."
Edgeworth sighed. "So we might know why she was poisoned. But how?"
Apollo silently handed him the box of chocolates, still glowing blue from their dose of chemicals. Edgeworth examined them, then glanced over the note on top. His gray eyes hardened again and he turned toward Klavier. "What is this?" he asked coldly, hand crumpling the note. Edgeworth stood and began to advance on Klavier, eyes gleaming with fury.
"Herr Edgeworth, what possible reason would I have to poison Fraulein Brent? Don't let your feelings cloud your judgment," Klavier said quickly, backing up a bit under Edgeworth's stony glare. Phoenix put a hand on his friend's shoulder, but Edgeworth shrugged him off irritably.
"Why didn't you take care of her?" he asked angrily. Phoenix tried to push himself between the two men.
"Edgeworth," he said quietly. "It's not his fault."
"It's your fault as well, Wright," Edgeworth hissed, turning on his friend. "You knew. You knew what she was doing when no one else did. You knew the danger she was in. Why didn't you…" He trailed off, looking over at the bed.
Before anyone could say anything else, the door opened again and the nurse rushed into the room. "What are you doing? Can't you see she's upset?" she said sternly. And as silence filled the room for the first time, they heard the machines hooked up to Madeline beeping quickly. Even her heart rate had picked up speed and was that…a gleam of a tear near her eye? "I'm sorry, but you need to leave," said the nurse, shooing them out and firmly shutting the door.
Outside, Apollo and Ema began to walk toward the front of the hospital. Edgeworth turned to Phoenix and Klavier. "Wright, Gavin, I apologize. My behavior wasn't exactly-" Phoenix held up a hand.
"It's okay, Edgeworth. I'm pretty sure we would have done the same thing in your position." Klavier nodded in agreement.
"I just-if she-" Edgeworth muttered, looking back at the closed door.
"Herr Edgeworth," Klavier said. "Let's not think about that."
"Are you going to be okay?" Phoenix asked.
"Yes," Edgeworth said, beginning to walk toward the door. "I have a room at the Gatewater and am prepared to stay here as long as I need to."
"You have everything all planned out, Herr Edgeworth," Klavier said, opening the door for the threesome. "You must really care for Fraulein Brent."
Edgeworth stopped and stared out into the rain, hands in his burgundy pockets. Then he turned back to the two men. "She is my life," he murmured, before disappearing into the storm.
Phoenix and Klavier were left alone. "Do you think she could hear everything?" Phoenix asked.
"Ja, Fraulein Brent, she is very observant, no? It doesn't seem like everything would shut down for her," Klavier murmured, flipping his blonde bangs again. "One thing is for sure, she's going to have a lot of explaining to do when she wakes up." Phoenix chuckled and, calling Apollo, left for home, as did Klavier and Ema.