Mr. Grossberg stood quietly in the door frame of Mia and Diego's office; hoping to remain unnoticed but his large frame combined with his bright red suit would not allow that to happen.
Mia and Diego's heads shot up from the paperwork that they were looking at and stared at Grossberg. Even he felt intimidated by Diego's piercing stare.
"Um, we have a new case if you're interested Mr. Armando." He waddled over to the desk and slapped down the profile of Terry Fawles. Diego remained silent as he fingered through Terry Fawles's brief.
He leaned back in his chair and pushed the file away from him.
"I'm not doing it." He announced.
"What?" Mia shouted in disbelief.
"I'm not trying that case." He repeated.
"I didn't think you would…" Grossberg said. He lowered his head a little and scratched his grey hair.
"But, Mr. Armando, that man needs defending!" Mia protested.
"He's a convicted criminal who escaped from jail; I'm not taking that case." He insisted. After that he brought his coffee mug to his lips and took a quick sip.
"I'll take that case!" Mia shouted.
Diego spat out his coffee out of shock.
"What?" Grossberg and Diego simultaneously shouted.
"You've heard me; I've been here for two months now and this man needs defending." Mia shot up from her desk.
"No offence kitten, but there is no way that you'll be able to win this case." Diego sounded a little bit calmer but there was still a hint of tension in his voice. After two months of seeing him every day, Mia was able to detect these things.
"I still have to try..." Mia's voice trailed off.
"I'll leave you two to discuss this; just let me know in a few minutes so I can get a public defender if I have to…" Grossberg said as he vanished behind the doorframe.
Diego reached over and gulped a steaming hot cup of coffee which he swallowed in one gulp. He looked at Mia from over the brim of his cup of coffee and noted her serious expression. She was indeed planning on taking the case. During those two months, he got to know her quite well and he recognized that look of determination; those narrowed eyes, that grim smile, and the way she stared at him. He knew right off the bat that this was a loosing battle.
"Fine," Diego finally announced.
"What?" Mia's voice trialed off.
"You heard me; fine, you can take the case. Now hurry along kitten before I change my mind." Diego let out a sigh as he slammed his coffee cup on his desk.
"Thank you!" Her expression lightened and she clasped her hands together. He felt happy seeing her so happy, but he still couldn't shake the knot in his stomach that made him feel like he was making the wrong decision. The last thing that he wanted was for her to have a bad first case. Over the past two months, he learned to care about her very much and he didn't want to see her spirit crushed.
He watched her leap out of her chair and rush out the office and could hear her high heels quickly click against the wooden floors of the corridor. "Mr. Grossberg, yes, I'm taking the case." He herd her enthusiastic voice shout.
Even through the walls blocked most of the sound; he could still hear Mr. Grossberg sigh. "Ok, I trust that Mr. Armando knows what he's doing…" As soon as he said that, Diego felt his heart dropped. He really did hope that he was making the right decision; if Mia was hurt because of this, he would never forgive himself.
He heard the pitter-patter of her heals leading up to the doorway and he finally saw her curvy frame in the doorway.
"Thanks again." She took a seat next to Diego.
He just let out a sigh. "Just don't make me regret it."
"I won't. Besides, who saved your butt during our last trial?" Mia teased.
He let out a small chuckle. "You did, I'll admit." He remembered the events of the last case how Mia brought up the one, tiny detail of the footprints that ultimately placed Mint Medley at the scene of the crime.
Mia looked at her watch and leapt up from her chair. "What should I do about evidence? The trial is tomorrow and it's five o'clock right now!"
"Just sleep on it."
Mia paused for a moment, contemplating this idea. She finally let out a sigh. "I suppose I'll have to."
"Well, goodnight and get plenty of sleep." Diego said.
Mia waved as she walked out the door and took to the street. There was an extra spring in her step as she made her way to her apartment. She couldn't believe it; in less then one day, her trial would begin.
Little did she know, at the same time during this day, her feelings would completely change.
Mia stood behind the defense bench, trembling. Her palms were sweating and her mouth was dry. She looked over to the audience and stared at the demon hidden in a teenager's body—Dahlia Hawthorne was truly a demon. Even though her eyes were as soft as her flowing red hair and her smile seemed so trusting, that didn't change the fact that she was a demon clad in a white dress.
She wrung her hands and went through her files. "Just a little bit more and she'll be in jail and my client will be free." Mia thought to herself. She looked at her client who was standing behind the witness stand. His scarred face was twisted up into an expression of guilt and his innocent eyes reflected sadness. When she looked at this man, she felt the sense of duty envelop her; she must protect him.
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Terry Fawles. Even though she wished for his innocence, she wished that he wasn't covering for this demon.
Mia glanced over to the prosecution bench and saw Edgeworth looking as smug as ever. Even though this was his first trial, he was much calmer then she was. Also, there was something handsome about him; not like Diego though—a different sort of handsome. Edgeworth had more classical good looks, with his silver hair, elegant maroon suit, and well-sculpted ivory face that looked like it belonged more on a statue then a man. Then, there was Diego with his expressive, coal black eyes, his wild spiked hair, snazzy suits, and sensual facial features that would make any woman fall for him.
"Mr. Fawles, we know that it was Valerie Hawthorne who arrived first…" Mia continued.
There was something that interrupted all of the chaos in the courtroom; a cough, followed by another cough. "I know, it wasn't Dahlia." Fawles continued. "Dahlia and I made a promise a long time ago; if we ever lost faith in each other we would drink the contents of the pendant…" He couched a little more and blood started to trickle out of his mouth. "My faith in her started to wane…"
Edgeworth slammed his hand down on the table. "Stop the trail! He needs help! Someone call an ambulance!"
Mia watched in terror as the scene unfolded. "This can't be happening…NO!"
The entire courtroom erupted into chaos as Fawles slumped over on the witness stand. Mia's eyes widened in shock as she stared at his lifeless body; this couldn't be happening. She felt her legs start to buckle underneath her so she clutched onto the defense bench to keep herself upright. She couldn't peal her eyes off of his dead body; he was still dressed in his jail uniform and there was blood pouring out of his mouth.
Mia gasped and tears started to pool up in her eyes yet still, she couldn't take her eyes of the lifeless man. Only when she watched the smiling Dahlia stand up and leave the courtroom could she take her eyes off of Terry Fawles. There was something else in Mia's eyes besides tears; hatred. Amongst her tears and rage, she vowed to get revenge on her.
"Don't cry, Mia." These words brought her back from her own world. Diego never called her by her first name—ever. She turned around and looked at Diego, tears streaming down her face. "Perhaps you weren't fierce enough…"
"So this is my fault!?" Mia hiccoughed. Her voice quivered and she was still crying. Diego wasn't even looking at her when he said this.
"The only time a lawyer can cry…" His hands shook with rage and he gripped the coffee cup with all of his strength. Finally, the cup shattered under his grip. "…Is when it's all over." He turned to look Mia directly in the eye. His hand was still resting on the defense bench with blood pouring his arm and beginning to soak into his read shirt.
"Too much blood…" Mia thought to herself. There was too much bloodshed on that day. She wiped away her tears and tried to remain as composed as possible when she left the courthouse with Diego by her side. Her eyes were still red and bloodshot from tears. The two of them quietly descended down the courthouse stairs, not uttering a word until Diego piped up.
"Do you want me to drive you hom--" Diego started to ask.
"No!" Mia screamed. With that, Mia began to run towards her house leaving a bewildered Diego in her wake. The cold wind was hitting against her body, but she didn't even feel it. Her only thought was that she must run to the safety of her home; Diego couldn't see her cry.
He paused for a moment, wondering if he should run after her but then decided against it; she needed her privacy. He would go there in an hour when she was a bit calmer. Seeing Mia run off like that with tears in her eyes made Diego feel a pain unlike any other he had felt before. He felt pain for Mia. Even though she felt torn with guilt with being partially responsible for Fawles's death, he felt torn with guilt of having Fawles's blood on her hands—he couldn't save her. Diego slouched over and wandered over to his car and decided to take a drive before visiting Mia. She did forget to take her coat, so he had a valid excuse for visiting her.
On his drive, he decided to pick up some flowers and chocolate for her; that would cheer her up. After all, Valentines Day was two days ago so there were chocolate and flowers everywhere. He continued to drive around mindlessly until he felt that he could face her once again.
Mia was having a similar dilemma. When she entered her house, the first thing that she did was crawl over to her desk and write an angry diary entry, cursing everyone involved, even herself and Diego. She wondered how she would be able to set foot in court again. "Perhaps it would be best if I returned to being a spirit medium…" She thought to herself. She picked up a pen and paper and wrote a kind letter to Mr. Grossberg saying that it would be best if she quit. She stuffed it in an envelope and quickly wrote down his mailing address. She was still crying as she crawled into bed, not even bothering to change into her pajamas. Even though it as only four in the afternoon, she just wanted this day to end. Not being able to sleep, she just curled up into a ball and cried.
She heard a knock at the door. Angrily, she swung her legs off of the bed and leapt up, quickly wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. She swung the door open and saw Diego, standing there armed with chocolate, flowers, and her coat that she left and the courthouse. She angrily slammed the door in his face; he was the last person that she wanted to see. Much to her dismay, he jammed his foot in the door before she slammed it and walked into her small apartment.
"Mia, I you forgot your coat so I figured that I…" His voice trailed off. It was clear that she was angry and he had no idea how to face her.
She turned her back to him; he couldn't see her cry. "Just leave it on the table." Her voice sounded strangely detached.
"Will I see you tomorrow?" Diego asked. Even he was unsure if she would stay being an attorney. In their two months together, she told him of her peculiar past as a spirit medium. He wondered if she would return to that profession. He couldn't let her leave on such a negative note; it would be bad for her and would leave her with many scars that would take years to heal.
Mia paused for a moment and silence enveloped the two of them. "No," She looked down at the ground, and then pointed over to her desk behind her. "There is a letter of resignation on my desk for Mr. Grossberg. I was going to mail it tomorrow, but since you're here you can just deliver it by hand." Her voice still shook from crying.
She heard the sound of boots move over to her desk; she still couldn't turn around to face Diego though. Then, she heard the sound of paper ripping. "No, I'm not going to let you do this to yourself, Mia."
She let out a sigh, but still remained silent.
"Can you at least face me!?" Diego asked. His voice started to rise; he was growing more impatient by the moment.
"What? So you can see me cry!? Oh, I thought that I wasn't allowed to do that." She said. Her voice was as cold as ice. He expected her to sound a bit angrier, but this strange detachment sent knives through his heart.
"Mia, that's not what I meant and you know it!" Diego shouted.
"First you say that it was my fault that Terry Fawles died; now you won't let me cry? What kind of a sick bastard are you?" Her hands were clenched and tears began to flow all over again yet still she wouldn't face him.
"Mia…it isn't your fault. It would have happened to anyone who tried that case." Diego's voice softened.
"That wasn't what you were saying earlier!" Mia shouted.
"What? I never said that!" Diego raised his hands in a defensive gesture.
"You were right though; it's my fault, I failed to defend him." Mia's voice dropped an octave. She walked over to her desk and sat down, still not acknowledging Diego's presence. She pulled out a pen and paper and began to write once again.
"What are you writing?" Diego asked.
"My letter of resignation since you ripped up the last one."
Diego walked up to Mia and ripped the paper from right up under her hand and ripped it up. Instead of yelling, she just pulled out another piece of paper and began to write once again.
Diego was furious; he was determined not to let her go ruin herself. He slammed his fist down on the table and with one swoop, knocked all of the stationary materials off of the table. Papers, pens, diaries, books, and envelopes all came crashing to the ground. He pulled her swivel chair out from the desk and turned it to face him. This time Mia was scared, she looked down at her hands that were neatly folded on her lap.
"Will you listen to me!?"
Mia was silent. She kept her head low as tears began to fall onto her lap. Her shoulders were hunched over and she tried to have her bangs cover her eyes so he couldn't see her tears.
"I'm so sorry Mia." Diego knelt down to the chairs height.
"You can make it up to me by cleaning up the stationary materials and kindly leaving."
"You may feel like you failed to protect Fawles, but it was my fault; I failed to protect you and for that, I'm sorry." Diego took a deep breath and sighed. He stood up from the chairs height and moved over to the desk and began to pick up her stationary materials and arrange them neatly in her desk. "If you want me to stay away, then I'll stay away. Maybe then I can protect you."
Mia was still sitting in her chair with her hands neatly folded on her lap and not saying a word.
Finally, Diego finished cleaning up the desk. He walked over to the bed where he laid down his jacket. He slowly put on his jacket and grabbed his car keys.
"So I guess this is good by, huh kitten?" He let out a sigh and opened the door. Just when he was about to walk through, he heard a cry. He turned around and saw Mia sitting in her chair with her knees bent up to her chest weeping violently. This scene just broke his heart. He quickly ripped off his jacket and tossed that on the bed along with his keys and rushed over to Mia. He knelt down and looked at the young woman huddled over, sobbing on her knees with her long brown hair scattered everywhere. He reached out his hand and placed it under her chin and tilted it upward and looked into her tear-stained face. With his other hand, he reached over to wipe away her tears, which made her cry even harder.
Seeing her cry sparked some sort of foreign emotion in him. He felt tears start to form in his eyes, but he held them back; he must be strong for Mia. "I'm so sorry, Mia…" He reached over and pulled her in a tight embrace. Her bent knees were jamming into his muscular chest, but he didn't seem to mind. She gently lowered her head to his shoulder and began to sob; her entire body felt weak. Finally, she managed to wrap her arms around his back and return the hug.
"You don't need to be strong for me, Mia." He finally broke away from the hug and held her beautiful face in his hands. With one sudden movement, she jerked her head away and leapt up from the chair, causing Diego to leap backwards out of surprise. "What was that for?"
"Please, just leave; don't make this any harder for me." Mia instructed. She bowed her head down.
"No, I'm not leaving until I know that you're going to be ok." Diego said.
"Yes, I'll be ok. Life goes on. I'll have a tomorrow and a next day. Terry Fawles doesn't and it's my fault. Don't you see what I'm trying to do, Mr. Armando? I'm stepping down so I won't kill anybody ever again." Her voice sounded more confident and her tears finally ceased; Mia returned to being the icy self that she was a few minutes ago.
"What are you talking about? It's the job for a defense attorney to defend people! What happened today was a fluke accident that could have happened to anyone; you were just unlucky enough to get the case." Diego was back to shouting again.
"I really want to defend people; to help people."
"Then do it! Go back to work tomorrow! Return to Grossberg's and continue to defend people!"
"But…" Mia's voice lowered. "I'm scared…"
Diego walked up to her and wrapped her arms around Mia, whose legs gave out from underneath her. "I'll protect you; as long as I'm around nothing bad like that will ever happen again." He whispered in her ear. "Please, come back; we can collect information and then we'll put Dahlia behind bars once and for all."
Mia was silent.
"Come on; you know you want to. Please, my kitten…please, Mia." He still wouldn't let go of her limp body. "You know in your heart of hearts that what happened today wasn't your fault. You can still defend people."
Mia sighed. "Ok, I'll go back. I'll give it one last chance, but not now… I can't possibly take on a case now…"
"You don't have to. It will be like the old days; we'll work together but I'll try the case." Diego urged.
"I don't think it could ever go back to the way it was before…" Mia's voice trailed off.
"That's ok. I understand that it takes time and I'll be there for you every step of the way." Diego pulled her back a little bit and looked her directly in the eye. Oh how much he wanted to lean over and kiss her, but he wouldn't take advantage of her while she was so vulnerable. Little did he know how much she wanted him to lean over and plant a kiss on her.
He backed away, being unable to resist her for any longer. He walked over to her coat hanger and tossed her a black trench coat. Mia cocked her head to the side and gave him a strange look. "Where are we going?" She asked. She sounded more cheerful then before because of how curious she was.
"I'm taking you out for dinner."
"But I'm not hungry…"
"You haven't eaten all day and I did promise to take care of you." Diego linked arms with her. "And I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."
Mia was about to argue with him, but she figured that there would be no point to it. So instead, she followed him out of her apartment and into his car. Since she was too anxious this morning and to distraught this afternoon, she didn't realize how cold it was outside. She shivered and wrapped her coat closer to the body. Diego caught this and immediately turned on the heater for their five minute drive.
Eventually, they arrived at a small-yet-elegant restaurant. It was probably the most beautiful restaurant that Mia had ever scene; the walls were lined with beautiful paintings and there were several mahogany tables scattered all around the small room. There was a large dance floor where behind stood a small group of musicians played classical music. Various well-dressed couples swirled across the dance floor.
A waiter, dressed in a tux, approached the two of them. Mia felt a bit too under-dressed compared to some of the ladies dressed in there expensive gowns, but she then spotted another woman in a business suit and felt slightly calmer.
The two of them followed the waiter and sat at a small table for two. He pulled out the chair for Mia and she took her seat and he even put the napkins in their lap and the menus in their hands. "Would you like to purchase a bottle of wine?" He asked as he held out a bottle of red wine.
"Sure." Diego said. "I would like to have coffee with that too." The waiter pulled the cork out of the bottle and poured a glass for both Diego and Mia, but left the bottle on the table. He then turned around and left.
Mia flipped open the menu and looked at the entire selection. She peered over the top of her menu and watched Diego do the same. She blushed as she looked at his serious expression, and then buried her head in the menu when he looked up at her.
She had no idea what to order, so when the waiter asked for what they wanted, she just asked for what Diego was having.
After the waiter left, Diego stood up from his chair and walked over to Mia. "No one puts baby in the corner." He quoted as he outstretched his hand. Mia blushed as he pulled her off of her feet and brought her over to the dance floor. She felt his arms move around her waste and she placed her hands on his shoulders and the two of them moved to the sound of the music. The two of them made eye contact and Diego couldn't hold it any longer. He leaned over and gently placed a kiss on her lips. He half expected her to shrink back, but that wasn't what she did at all. Instead she pulled him closer to her. She felt a jolt of electricity run through her body and felt so safe in his strong arms.
"I'm sorry…" Diego muttered after the long, sweet kiss ended.
"For what?" Mia breathed.
"For taking advantage of you while you were vulnerable." Mia took one of her hands off of his shoulder and placed it against his cheek and the edge of his sideburns.
"Diego, are you kidding? I've been waiting for you to do that for two months." Mia whispered.
"Kitten…" He kissed her once again, this time with more passion pulling her closer to his body.
Eventually, the food was ready and the two of them ate as they talked about everything. Even though Mia was distraught about what happened today, Diego eventually cheered her up. After they finished dinner, he took her home and guided her inside of her apartment; the two of them were laughing and chattering away.
"Oh, and one more thing," Diego picked up the box of chocolates and flowers that he bought earlier for Mia but never bothered to give her. He handed them over to Mia. "I bought you these earlier, but…" His voice trailed off. "Never mind. I know that they're two days late, but happy Valentines day."
"Oh Diego," Mia's face was as red as the heart-shaped box the chocolates came in. "Thank you!"
"So I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Diego asked.
"Of course!" Mia smiled at him. As soon as he left the apartment, he danced out the door and hopped into his car.
Mia blushed and let out a dreamy sigh as soon as he left her apartment. She left a glowing diary entry in her wake and quickly dressed in her nightgown and leapt under the covers of her bed. Earlier, she was planning to go to bed tired and depressed, but now she was happy and exited.
"Diego…"
A/N: Ah, this chapter was nearly impossible to right. At first I tried to write all of case 4 out, but it was too long and dragged out. (Besides, we know how it went.) This isn't one of my favorite chapters; I think that I portrayed Mia as too whiney and depressed.