A/N: Hey guys! I know it's been a while, but bear with me. I took the week off to get my life back in order and now I'm ready to go! Hope you enjoy this chapter, not fully edited yet, but it'll do for now.

Reviewers: Feyfangirl, Shizuka Ayasato, bak602

Favoriters: Phoenixgirl521

Also thanks to ivyclan moonblossom for her funny reviews on my first story, Turnabout Beginnings.

Thank you all for your support. I couldn't live without you!

~Diana

Edgeworth woke up early. He hadn't slept well and was hoping that he'd wake up back in his own "time", but no such luck. He got dressed, then slid open his door, taking a deep breath and admiring the sunlit gardens. He caught sight of a figure strolling down the Winding Way, a coffee mug in his hand. Edgeworth made his way toward him. "Good morning, Mr. Armando," he said, inclining his head, uncertain of how the other man would react. Diego Armando nodded in return, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Mr. Edgeworth," he responded, his Spanish lilt prominent. "Mia told me your story. Frankly, I'm not sure I believe you."

"I assure you, I am telling the truth," Edgeworth replied uneasily.

"Then where's your proof? Where's your evidence? Who's to say you weren't the one who landed Madeline Brent in that jail cell?" he fired back. Edgeworth was a little taken aback at the ferocity of his response. "She's like my little sister," Armando muttered, turning away to face the garden.

"Which is why I know what I'm about to ask will be difficult," Edgeworth plowed on, knowing that if he didn't ask now, he never would. "I need to defend her." Armando turned to him, eyes glowing with anger, hand clenching his mug so hard it looked like it would shatter.

"Never," he hissed. "Weren't you saying just yesterday that she's guilty?" Edgeworth grimaced.

"That wasn't me."

Diego Armando laughed. "There's no way I'm handing over the case to you."

"Mr. Armando," came a sharp call from the direction of the Meditation Room. An irritated Misty Fey stood there. "Please come with me." With one last glare at Edgeworth, Armando followed Misty Fey away. Edgeworth retreated to his room and waited, not knowing what to expect when Armando returned. He didn't have to wait long to find out. A few minutes later, fierce knocking sounded on his door. He opened it to reveal a furious Diego Armando.

"By order of the Master," he said, putting a great deal of sarcastic emphasis on the last word, "I have to give the case to you. But mark my words," he whispered, leaning closer to Edgeworth, "if you sabotage this case in any way, you'll be answering to me, got it?" Edgeworth nodded, managing to hide his grin of triumph. "You're going to have to talk to her though," Armando said, backing up. "She wouldn't tell me anything too useful."

Edgeworth felt faint surprise. "So you didn't know anything that would help you in court?" he asked.

Armando smirked. "No," he replied, looking smug. "I said she didn't tell me anything. I was able to piece some things together on my own." And with that, Diego Armando walked off. Edgeworth watched him go before seeing Misty Fey standing in the same place she'd been before. He moved over to her.

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

She nodded. "I know it's essential to getting you back to where you're meant to be, so I had to give Mr. Armando a nudge in the right direction."

"But how will I defend her? I don't know anything about the case!" he said.

"You'll have to go talk to her then," Misty replied, gesturing toward Madeline's room. He could faintly see the shadow of a figure moving around inside. He nodded and headed toward her door, seeing Misty disappear back into the house out of the corner of his eye. Knocking on her door, he briefly wondered how she would receive him. Would last night have made a difference? There was a flurry of activity behind the door as his knock echoed down the hallway. About a minute later, the door slid aside. Madeline was wearing sweatpants and a jacket. Her long black hair flowed down her back and over her shoulders and she ducked her head, hair covering her face.

"What do you want?" she asked. Her voice wasn't as hostile as the day before, but it wasn't as friendly as the night before either.

"I need to talk to you," he said. She was silent for a second. He could practically see her mind going full speed.

"Would you like to come in?" she replied, opening the door a little wider. He stepped past her into the room, noticing as he did that she turned her head away from him, obscuring his view of her face. His gaze took in the room. It was small but neat, the only furniture a bed and a low table. On it was a bowl of strawberries and a steaming pot of green tea.

"I asked Morgan to bring me breakfast in my room. I'm not feeling…up to it this morning," he heard from behind him. He felt her move past him, head bowed, hand brushing the spot on her side where Markus had kicked her the night before. She sat on the bed, facing away from him. "What do you want?" she asked again. He could see her fiddling with something, something that looked suspiciously like a Magatama. He pulled out his own almost without thinking about it.

"I need to ask you some questions," he said. "I'm taking over your case." She stiffened.

"What?" she whispered.

"Is there a reason you don't want me to defend you?" he asked curiously. Locks and chains clattered around her turned back.

"N-no," she murmured as the world brightened. "Ask away." He was confused, but pressed on.

"I need you to tell me what happened. First of all, last night. Who was that man?" There was a faint gasp.

"Wh-what man? The only person I met last night was you." Edgeworth bristled. Why was she hiding information? Suddenly his Magatama sparked. He held it up, puzzled. As far as he knew, this wasn't supposed to happen.

"I know you met someone besides me," he said aloud.

"I didn't!" Madeline insisted. The Magatama flashed again. He looked at it in surprise. What if the Magatama had become-

"Madeline," he said urgently, "who's the Master here in Kurain?"

Madeline snorted. "Misty Fey, of course. What kind of question is that?"

"And did you see anyone besides me last night?" There was a short pause.

"No." The Magatama glowed once more. Edgeworth examined the gem in his hand. So it had turned into some sort of lie detector?

"I know you're lying," he said quietly. She stiffened again.

"I'm not lying," she said angrily, standing. "Get out of my room!" She pushed against him, head still lowered, trying to force him away. Without warning, he grabbed her shoulders, gently forcing her face up. He brushed away the hair covering her eyes and gasped. As her eyes met his, the ugly bruise around her eye was thrown into the light.

"What happened?" he asked. She closed her eyes and looked away.

"Well, I guess there's no use in hiding any longer," she said, sighing. "Give me a second." She grabbed a pair of shorts from her suitcase and went into the adjoining bathroom. He waited in silence, wondering what she was about to show him. Finally the door opened and Madeline stepped out in a shorts and a tank top. He blinked in shock.

"Madeline," he breathed, "what happened?" Almost every inch of her body was covered in bruises in varying colors and in various stages of healing.

"It's to keep me quiet," she said, finger circling a bruise on her arm.

"About what?" he asked. She shook her head.

"You shouldn't get involved," she warned him, sitting down on the floor and pulling the bowl of strawberries toward her.

"I have to," he said, sitting also. She offered the bowl to him and he took a berry, holding it up and examining it. "It's the only way for me to get back to where I belong." She nodded and drew her legs to her chest, the bruises becoming more prominent.

"Alright," she said. "I'll tell you what happened." She coughed and began. "It was Thursday night. Markus came home drunk again-"

"Why are you living with your uncle?" Edgeworth interjected curiously. She looked sideways at him.

"I don't think I said he was my uncle…" she said slowly.

"Sorry," he said. "He's your uncle in my time." She nodded.

"My parents died when I was little. Ivy and I were taken care of by Markus, a family friend, of no relation to me whatsoever," she said, adding emphasis on the last phrase. "He fell apart when his wife died a few years ago. Anyway, he was drunk that night. I heard him come in, but I stayed in my room until I heard noises. I went out to the kitchen and saw-" She broke off abruptly, stifling a sob. "I saw Ivy with a knife in her chest. Markus was standing over her. He saw me and this horrible grin appeared on his face. He beckoned me over and…he forced me to take the knife out of her body. That's how my fingerprints got on the murder weapon. I was too scared to think. As I was…taking it out, her blood got on my shoe. Those were the two pieces of evidence you used against me," she said, blinking away tears.

"What happened after that?" he asked.

Madeline closed her eyes, trying to remember. "He took the knife from me. I think he was wearing gloves, now that I think about it. I ran after that. I hid in my room until he came back. Then he…did this…and ordered me not to tell anyone. Later, I heard that Marco diLourdes was arrested, but I just couldn't come forward. I was too afraid of Markus. I feel like a coward now," she said ruefully, running her hand through her hair.

"Don't," he said sternly. "Markus would've killed you if you'd talked." She nodded, but her gray eyes still looked troubled. "So your trial is tomorrow morning?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll head back to the city today to investigate."

"I'm coming."

"I have the feeling the police force won't like that."

"Please. If you really have no idea what's happening, you'll need all the help you can get."

"You are a murder suspect. If you don't stay here, you'll get thrown back in jail."

"I understand. Fine." He could feel annoyance radiating off her.

"Are you coming out for breakfast?" he asked. She looked away, her hand flying up to her eye. "You could easily make an excuse for that."

"Alright, let me get dressed." She stood, shooing him out of the room and closing the door with a grin.

Meanwhile…

"So, what do you propose we do?"

"Get her out of the way for a little while, at least until I get her a guilty verdict. Then you can bring her in and be a hero."

"And you're promising a guilty?"

"Have I ever failed?"

"No. But what about Edgeworth? I overheard them talking and he seems different. Like he's on her side. What if he defends her?"

"Mr. Sandes. Everything will be fine. You do your job and I'll take care of things once they get to the courtroom, understand?"

"Yeah. No problem."