Chapter four: Falling for you
"Nick turn up the volume I can't hear," Maya whined grabbing for the remote.
Phoenix pulled it away and held it over his head, "How do I know you won't change the channel to old Steel Samurai episodes?"
When all she could do was just stared back at him with large puppy dog eyes Nick pointed his finger at her.
"See, you can't even answer that. I don't want to watch this stuff either but Detective Gumshoe wanted us to watch this channel to see the police departments new public service add that he helped to make."
Pearl clapped her hands together, "Scruffy is on T.V!"
Nick sighed loudly, "Yes Pearl he is going to be on T.V."
The three of them sat on the couch and watched the local station intently waiting for the commercial to come on. Already they had waited over and hour and had to watch part of 'The Price is Right' and one of the many T.V Judge shows that aired on weekday mornings.
"Mr. Nick why don't you become a Tele-vision Judge?" Pearl asked looking up at him.
Phoenix shook his head, "No thanks, I don't want to deal with people fighting over rent and cars dented in by an angry ex. I'll stick to murder thank you very much."
"That's a little morbid don't you think?" Maya asked.
"Yes, but it pays the bills," Nick continued happily.
The door burst open loudly, the doorknob slamming against the wall with a thump. Phoenix cringed slightly imagining a giant hole in the drywall.
"Sorry about that dude," Larry apologized. "But I just had to tell you about the love of my life."
Here we go again. Phoenix thought to himself. "Let me guess you met her yesterday?"
"Yes, but it feels like I've known her since the first time I took breath in this world," Larry said dreamily. "I'm going bird watching with her this afternoon in the park." He continued lifting up a pair of binoculars.
"How romantic," Pearl said starry eyed, no doubt imagining Maya and Nick running together in the park hand in hand.
"Bird watching? Larry you know nothing about bird watching. The closest thing to bird watching you did was when you got hit by that pigeon on your bike last summer." Phoenix replied, whirling the remote control in his hand, pulling it away when Maya made a grab for it.
"Well then I have some experience with pigeons already," Larry said in a cheery voice.
"Those are flying rats they don't count," Phoenix shot back.
Before Larry had a chance to defend himself Maya told them to be quiet.
"Look, Gumshoe is on the television," She squealed with excitement.
Gumshoe: Hello kids my name is Detective Gumshoe and I'm here to talk to you about drugs.
Maggey dressed like a teenager walked into the screens view: What do you mean Detective? Drugs are cool. That is what the other kids are…say (I can't read the card) umm…saying at school.
Gumshoe walked over to Maggey and stood beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder: It may seem like that at first. But soon enough using to much smack will cause your brain to crack!
Maggey placed a palm on each one of her cheeks while trying her best to make a shocked face: And what happens then Detective?
Gumshoe: You will end up living in a box and doing horrible, horrible things to get your next high.
Meekins walked into the view of the camera carrying a cardboard box behind him, his cloths tattered and dirty: I did drugs once and look at me now.
Gumshoe: So be smart kids and stay away from drugs!
All three looked at the camera and gave a thumbs up.
"Wow," Larry uttered, his face still focused on the screen that had now changed to a Chia-Pet commercial.
The rest just sat on the couch, Maya and Phoenix had their mouths hanging open while Pearl clapped happily.
"Detective Scruffy is a good actor!"
Phoenix shut off the T.V and got up stretching, "Well that was…informative."
"That was horrible," Maya said still looking at the now blank screen, "That was probably the worst public service add ever made."
"I don't know about that, but the show next door is defiantly better," Larry said his voice sounding detached and uninterested in the current conversation, his binoculars now over his eyes as he looked into the windows of the hotel that stood across from the Wright and Co. Law Office.
Phoenix pulled the blinds down forcefully earning him a disappointed groan from Larry, "Don't tell Gumshoe, I'm sure once the others in the police station see it he will get harassed enough. And I hate to see what Franziska will say when she sees that." Phoenix sighed.
Larry shuffled over to his friend, "And speaking of the German whirlwind how are things going." He kept his voice low so no one else heard.
"Nothing yet, but I'm hoping to find her today and at least talk with her or something. And if I get enough nerve ask her for coffee or something."
"Coffee? Yah right, I don't think she goes for coffee. Maybe volunteer to be a target for her whip," Larry laughed.
Phoenix laughed back sarcastically, "Go watch your birds."
"Don't mind if I do," Larry said walking towards the door, "If you need any tips about love don't hesitate to give me a ring."
"Oh I will," Nick muttered under his breath.
Sitting on the edge of his desk Nick thought about what Larry said. As much as he wanted to deny what his friend had said he was right. You don't just walk up to Franziska von Karma and ask her if she wanted to go to the corner coffee shop. Getting close to her was going to take more energy then beating her in the courtroom. Speaking of the courtroom he had lost his phone yesterday and had a suspicion he lost it yesterday after his trial.
"I'm going to go downstairs and see if I left my cell phone in the courtroom," Phoenix said walking towards the door. Looking back he noticed that the two Fey girls were busy watching the T.V again, not even noticing him leaving the room.
Goodbye Phoenix, he said to himself as he left the room, frowning at the dent Larry had left in the wall when he barged into the room.
Entering the empty courtroom Phoenix bent over and looked under the defenses bench and saw his huge brick of a phone under the desk.
"I was hoping I finally lost this old thing," Phoenix said looking at the large cell phone he held in his hand. "But you just won't die will you?" he uttered looking at the scratched up screen, and paint worn keys. Placing it in his jacket pocket he headed towards the large oak door.
Closing the smooth wooden door with a small click he noticed someone at the corner of his eye leaving the courtroom next to the one he had just been in. His stomach fluttered slightly when he saw who it was, whether out of excitement or fear he didn't know.
Franziska had an air of confidence about her, more then she normally had. Her heels clicked loudly on the floor as she walked towards the prosecution's lounge. Her whip held tightly in her gloved hand and papers in the other.
"How was your trial today," Phoenix asked loudly trying to get her attention.
She stopped dead in her tracks and turned to him, "What a foolishly foolish question. I won of course."
"Of course," Phoenix said back. She nodded in reply, turning her back to him she continued towards her intended destination.
"Ms. von Karma, wait!" Phoenix blurted out suddenly.
She turned to meet his gaze, her eyes holding his blue ones in an intense stare.
The pair stood in silence for a few moments, the air around them becoming heavy with awkwardness. Phoenix could feel his face becoming hot, and his hands slick with sweat. While Franziska just looked back, her expression bordering on annoyed having him just standing there gawking at her, looking as if he wanted to say something.
"Well congratulation." Shit! Ask her to go for coffee you big wuss!
She raised a slender brow at his unusual compliment, "Thank you Mr. Phoenix Wright," Her voice sounded hesitant and guarded, she knew something was going on but brushed it off as a simple compliment coming from a fellow colleague.
Phoenix turned to walk away, running his hands through his hair nervously. He had blown his chance and he knew it. Growling angrily at himself he headed towards the marble stairs that led to the elevators. Turning to see if Franziska was still standing outside the courtroom he spotted her bending over to fix her shoe. It was then that Phoenix realized how short her skirt really was. The curve of her hips, her surprisingly nice legs. Before Phoenix knew it he was blatantly staring at her. While busy looking over at her he didn't notice how close he was to the stairs. Suddenly when he stepped down expecting to meet solid ground his foot fell through open air and the next thing he knew he was at the bottom of the stairs sprawled out over a table that had snapped in half when it had painfully broken his fall and probably his back.
Groaning loudly Phoenix watched as papers that had been sitting on the table floated down from above him after being disturbed from their resting place, landing on him and the area around him.
Pain filled his head as he looked up at the buzzing florescent lights that pierced into his skull, causing the throbbing to increase in intensity. He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out his cell phone, he looked it over sighing in defeat when he saw no damage on it.
The sound of clicking heels making contact with cold marble filled his ears. Shutting his eyes tightly he wished he could just disappear right now. Why did he always have to look like an idiot! And why did it have to be her? He would have rather had Miles pointing and laughing at him then Franziska.
While trying to make himself look invisible he heard Franziska's voice call his name.
"Are you alright?" she asked her voice sounding slightly panicked.
Opening his eyes he squinted against the white blinding light, her face soon filling his entire view.
"I just got over excited about getting one of these pamphlets on…" he blindly reached over and grabbed a paper, "getting legal advise," he continued reading the somewhat blurred letters on the paper.
"You're bleeding," Franziska said bending down closer to him, her hand pushing aside his black hair. "Come with me there is a first aid kit in the prosecutors lounge."
Phoenix pulled himself off of the ground, pain suddenly shooting down his right side. Sucking in air through his teeth he managed to ignore the annoying throbbing in his head and the shooting pain down his side long enough to get up. As he went to step down he could feel his ankle about to give out on him. Before his face was about to be introduced to the floor yet again he felt a slender arm brace his weight.
Looking over he was shocked to see Franziska helping to support him as he staggered up the stairs he had just finished falling down. Gazing down at her he suddenly noticed how small she actually was. He stood at least five inches over her, not that he noticed when she was calling him a fool in court and whipping him into unconsciousness.
By the time they reached the lounge Phoenix could feel a small trickle of blood running down his forehead and running into his eye. He was in pain but knew he deserved it for checking her out like he did. God he felt like Larry!
"Sit," she ordered pointing at a chair next to the wall.
Nick sat down heavily, leaning his head back against the wall so he did not have to support it, but before he could relax and regain his bearings his head was suddenly pulled forwards and a cloth was being placed on his cut.
"Oww," Nick whined.
"Then you should have been more careful you fool," Franziska uttered, her voice slightly annoyed at his childness. "Hold that bandage there to stop the bleeding; I'm going to check to see if you cut yourself on another part of your head."
Phoenix reached up and held the white cloth against his skin, closing his eyes he tried to fight off the pain slowly filling his head and causing him to feel slightly ill. But he didn't have to try very hard when he suddenly felt her hands roaming through his thick hair. He could tell she had removed her gloves because her nails could be felt running along his scalp sending shivers down his spine.
Opening up his eyes his face instantly turned hot when he was met with her chest only mere inches away from his face as she examined his head for other wounds.
Calm down Phoenix, this is Franziska who has her chest in your face, that's like…Edgeworth shoving his chest in your face. AHHH! What am I talking about this is nothing like that!
"You should really be more careful Mr. Phoenix Wright," Franziska spoke suddenly her voice sounding nonchalant.
Breathing heavy Phoenix tried to gather words in his mouth, "Well I always do my own stunts."
She chuckled softly at his remark, "You are always able to find the bright side of anything Mr. Phoenix Wright."
"You can just call me Phoenix, or Nick. I don't mind," Phoenix replied his voice shaking slightly due to nervousness.
"Very well Phoenix," she stepped back and turned to gather something else out of the first aid kit. "The good news is you did not hit your head other then that small cut on your forehead."
All he could do was nod back in reply, his head still to numb to carry on an actual conversation and process the amount of words leaving her mouth.
"Thank you for helping me, you didn't have to."
Turning to face him again she held a large band-aid in her hand, "Nonsense, I may seem like a tyrant in the courtroom but I will not turn my back on someone who is hurt."
Phoenix winced in pain when he tried to move, "Ahh, I think I did something to my side."
"Let me see," she reached for his blue suit jacket and easily pulled it off him, throwing it aside carelessly. She easily undid the buttons of his dress shirt when she became fed up with his fumbling fingers trying to undo them. Once his shirt was removed she reached to pull his undershirt up but was stopped suddenly when Phoenix grabbed hold of her wrist.
His blue eyes caught hers and held them, she was so close now that he could smell her perfume and feel her soft breath against his skin. His breathing grew heavier the longer he looked back at her as if the air between them had become too thick. The clock in the room ticked loudly indicating the seconds that had passed, this was taking far to long for him to pull away or for her to lash out. Still the seconds ticket passed, both making no attempt to move apart.
Suddenly the door of the prosecutors lounge opened up to reveal a surprised looking Winston Payne. His eyes looking the pair over behind his two attached windshields he called glasses.
Phoenix and Franziska turned to look at him, both now wearing a bright red on their cheeks.
He stood there a moment, not entirely sure what to do, "Am I interrupting something?"
"Get out FOOL!" Franziska yelled, reaching for her whip and catching him in the backside before he managed to escape.
Hope you liked the small Phoenix/Franziska moments in there. Its hard to write something sorta funny while still throwing in romance.