Author's Note: So Phoenix Wright decided to take over my life for a while. You people are lucky I managed to get this chapter done before October 24, when the third game comes out. Best series of games about gay lawyers EVER!

"Do we have to leave tomorrow?" Anise whined, staring sadly at the plate of food before her. It was made of the finest ingredients, designed for noble tastes. And best of all, it had not cost her a thing.

Guy shook his head. "You're the one who was just talking about all the duties you have to get back to."

"Yeah, but if I go home I have to start paying for stuff again."

"Lorelei forbid," Guy muttered sarcastically under his breath.

"What was that?" Anise asked loudly, raising her arms to show that she was ready to pounce on him at any minute.

Guy flinched a little, but refused to show any other signs of being distressed. "I was just saying that we've probably overstayed our welcome. We've been here for five days already." He smiled a bit. "And you know what they say about fish and company."

Apparently the others did not know, as he found himself met with blank stares from everyone. Except Jade, who was quietly reading a book and seemed to be completely ignoring the pointless conversation.

Guy put a hand behind his head out of nervous habit. "Well anyway, I'm sure Luke and Tear would like to have some time alone." He winked in their direction.

Tear blushed slightly, but Luke simply muttered, "You have no idea," earning himself an elbow in the ribs.

"Ow!" he complained, rubbing his side while he frowned at his glaring wife. "What was that for?"

Tear gave him one of her most dangerous looks. "If you continue to be so tactless, you won't be experiencing any 'alone time' for a very long time."

For a moment Luke looked horrified, then he put on his best I'll-be-good expression. Tear smiled in triumph.

Natalia looked a bit confused by the conversation. She turned to whisper something to Noelle, who was standing beside her. Noelle giggled and whispered something back, causing the princess to blush and mutter, "Oh."

Luke did not notice the short exchange. He was too busy frowning at Anise. "Hurry up and finished eating so we can go to the coliseum. It was your idea, after all."

Anise looked indignant. "Hey, some of us don't get to eat like this everyday. Besides, just because you eat like a pig doesn't mean I have to."

"I can't help but notice you're the only one still eating."

"I have an appreciation for good food."

Luke sighed and gave up. He turned to Tear, noticing that she looked dazed, and slightly pale. "You alright?" he asked, trying to sound casual. No matter how many times he was told that occasional sickness was normal, he could not help fretting whenever Tear seemed ill.

The dazed expression left her and she smiled weakly at Luke. "Yes, I'm fine. I think I just ate something that didn't quite agree with me."

"You feeling sick?" As a reflex, Luke put an arm around her so she could lean on him if she needed to.

"A little," she admitted, taking Luke's invitation and allowed him to support some of her weight. "I think it would be best if I stayed here while the rest of you go to the coliseum."

"Do you want me to stay too?" he asked out of concern, though he already knew how she would answer.

"No, no," Tear insisted, "Go ahead with the others. I'll be fine, it's nothing that hasn't happened before."

Luke was going to argue, but saw the look in her eyes and realized she was serious; it was not just an act to save her pride. He reluctantly agreed to go with their friends while she stayed behind, making her promise for the hundredth time since they had met that she would take care of herself.

By the time the group returned from the coliseum it was rather late, so they all decided it was in their best interests to retire for the night. Luke slowly opened his bedroom door, not wanting to make too much noise as he figured Tear was likely asleep. He smiled at the sight before him when he got the door completely open. Tear was indeed asleep, but for whatever reason she was completely over on his side of the bed, and was practically cuddling his pillow. He carefully closed the door behind him, wincing a little at the "click" that sounded as it fell into place. He watched Tear carefully but she did not stir, so he breathed a sigh of relief and snuck further into the room.

After quietly changing his clothes Luke sat down on the free side of the bed, careful not to make it move too much as he did so. For a while he simply sat and watched the beauty beside him sleep, amused by her almost childlike position. He was struck by a sudden, powerful feeling of protectiveness; she looked so vulnerable, lying asleep with only the protection of a thin sheet and the watchful eyes of an overzealous husband. He knew that Tear was not weak, physically or mentally, but he still felt responsible for looking out for her, and protecting her if necessary. She had experienced more heartache than anyone should have to feel in a lifetime; he was determined to keep her from feeling anymore of it.

Luke finally lay down, never taking his eyes off the sleeping figure beside him. He had watched her sleep many times before, but he could never get over how fragile she looked. When she was awake her eyes burned with confidence and determination, reminding him constantly of what she was capable of. But when she slept and that gaze was hidden, she looked so... human. Just another lost soul making her way through life, wanting little more than to be loved and remembered.

Luke gently placed a hand over one of hers, wanting to be closer to her but afraid that any more contact would wake her. Loved she was definitely, and as for remembered, Luke could not imagine anyone forgetting the most wonderful woman in Auldrant.

"Don't be sad, Master! I'll come visit again soon!"

Luke had a snide remark on the tip of his tongue, but saw Tear's preemptive look of annoyance out of the corner of his eye and bit it back. Instead he waved to the cheagle, saying, "I can't wait," in the most sincere voice he could manage at the moment. He bade the rest of his friends one last goodbye before they headed up the ramp onto the Albiore.

Luke was surprised by the slight feeling of emptiness he experienced as he watched the familiar airship take off, carrying away many of his closest friends. But he still had Tear and Natalia standing nearby, which comforted him greatly.

After the Albiore had completely disappeared from sight Natalia returned to the castle, saying that her father had asked her to help him with something. Luke and Tear went home as well, both feeling a little drained from the long visit. Not long after they arrived back at the manor Tear said she was feeling a bit ill again, so she went to their room to rest.

It was a quiet day. Luke lay on one of the benches in the manor courtyard, lazily watching the wispy clouds that slid through the turquoise sky.

There was little noise, save for the plants being ruffled by the faint breeze and calls of the occasional birds passing overhead. Many of the servants were given the day off, and those who remained were spending most of their time in their quarters, since they had little work to do.

It was not just the departure of his friends and the lack of Tear's presence that made the manor feel so empty. Both of his parents were absent as well. They had gone on vacation, a very rare occurrence due to Susanne's poor health. This was the reason few servants were ordered to work at the moment, and those who were felt less pressure to be quick about their duties, since they did not have to worry about Duke Fabre catching them slacking.

All of these circumstances, some unusual and some not, left Luke very much alone in the courtyard. The silence felt strange to him. He felt that it should feel peaceful, but instead it filled him with unease. Something was badly out of place, and he had the sinking feeling he would soon find out what.

The answer came even sooner than he expected.

A maid scurried into the courtyard, looking rather distressed. She bowed quickly to Luke, who sat up to face her.

"Master Luke," the maid said nervously, "City guards have arrived at the door. They wish to speak with you."

Luke desperately tried to suppress the growing sense of panic that was developing inside him. Something was certainly wrong. "What do they want?"

The maid shrugged apologetically. "I do not know. They insisted on speaking to you personally."

Luke shakily rose from the bench and nodded to the maid. "Alright, lead me to them."

The maid bowed again before leading the way to the front room. The guards that the maid had spoken of were standing just inside the door. Their uniforms and posture suggested that they were no ordinary, low-ranking guards. They held status, and they were here on official business.

One of the guards saluted politely before addressing Luke. "Viscount Fabre?"

"Yes," Luke replied, making a concentrated effort to sound more confident than he felt.

"We have a few questions for you regarding the Viscountess."

Luke was filled with a sickening dread; they were after Tear. "What about her?" he asked testily, aware that he was losing control of the tone of his voice.

"Where was she last night?" the guard asked. He was probably trying to sound neutral, but Luke caught the accusatory hint in his voice and his panic increased.

"Last night?" Luke desperately tried to ignore his swirling thoughts and recall the events of the night before. "Well, we were spending time with our friends, who were visiting. That was pretty much the whole night, until we went to sleep."

"I see," replied the guard, not sounding particularly pleased by the response. "Were you with her the entire night?"

"I think so," Luke responded, now getting a headache on top of everything.

The guard, evidently, was not going to let him get away with that response. "It is imperative that you know for sure."

Luke strained to remember. "Let's see, there was one point when she said she wasn't feeling well and wanted to be alone, so I didn't see her for a couple hours. But other than that we were together the whole time."

The guard seemed satisfied with this response, which sickened Luke for reasons he could not explain. "Where is she now?"

"She's resting," Luke practically snapped, as if daring them to disturb her.

"Wake her," the guard ordered, "And bring her here."

"Why?" Luke demanded. He had completely given up on acting calm, and was now all but yelling at the guard, who was unfazed.

The guard stood up straighter and said in his most official tone of voice, "Viscountess Mysterica fon Fabre is hereby under arrest for the murder of Countess Veronica Kinsey."

Luke was absolutely dumbstruck. He had no idea how to begin digesting the momentousness declaration. "Tear would never, how could you... Veronica is dead?!"

Luke found himself experiencing a strange array of emotions, and none of them were pleasant. Sure, he had never liked Veronica; she had been a mean, spiteful woman. But... dead? And murdered, no less.

The guard's gruff voice brought Luke out of his momentary stupor. "Retrieve the Viscountess, or we will do so ourselves."

Luke's eyes narrowed, but before he had a chance to tell the guards where he thought they should stick their swords a voice came from behind him.

"What is going on?"

Naturally, it had to be Tear. Luke silently cursed; now they would have a chance to take her away, and Tear would not allow him to resort to violence to stop them. He just had to make that promise.

The guards turned to face her, and Luke instinctively moved to be between them and her, imagining for a moment that they were in battle and the guards were two ligers bent on devouring Tear.

It was easy for Tear to see that something was very wrong. She did not like the look the guards were giving her, so she looked to Luke for answers. "Luke, what's happening here?"

"They think you killed Veronica," Luke said with disdain, still carefully watching the movements of the guards.

"What?!" She seemed to be as shocked by the news as he had been. "You mean Veronica's...?"

"Her body was found this morning in the harbor," the guard said without emotion. "We have reason believe you were the one who killed her."

"Why?" It seemed to be the only word she was able to form at the moment.

"That does not matter at the moment," the guard replied, seeming a bit annoyed at how long the arrest was taking. "You are to be held at the cell in the castle until your fate is decided."

The guards moved forward, but Luke refused to budge. "Like hell I'm letting you stick her in that cell!"

"Luke," Tear said pleadingly, "Please don't get yourself in trouble. I'll go with them."

"But Tear," Luke said desperately, looking back at her.

She shook her head firmly. "It'll be alright. We'll figure out what happened. Until then, the best thing is to go along with it and not get ourselves into anymore trouble."

Luke clenched his jaw, unable to come up with a response. He knew she was right, but it still hurt him deeply to simply stand idly by and watch her allow the guards to chain her wrists. As they led her out the front door of the manor he found his voice enough to yell after them, "Please don't... don't hurt her..."

The door closed behind them with an ominous bang, leaving Luke to feel painfully and utterly alone.