"Qilin's husband?" Miles asked aghast," For goodness' sakes Agent Lang, she was too young to marry even when she died!"

"That's right, She was 16 when she died, is this some sort of twisted joke you Zhengfans enjoy?" Franziska demanded.

"In Zhengfa, it does not matter what age you marry, but whether it is arranged or not and whether the bride is younger or older than the groom," Lang said. He folded his hands together as a gesture that meant that the matter shall not be discussed any further.

Miles grabbed Lang's collar. "You bas-"

"Stop it." Liuxang grabbed Miles's hands and made him let go of Lang. "He had nothing to do with this, if you want to blame it on anyone blame it on Qilin."

"Liuxang, you're sticking up for him? He married your sister!" Franziska argued.

Liuxang stared at the two prosecutors quizzically. "For people my sister lived with for 8 years, you still don't seem to know her that much." He casted a lingering look at the window and looked at them again, adding," Qilin was a strong-willed girl, if she didn't want to be married to Lang she would have divorced him in ten seconds flat if she could."

Lang stared hard at Liuxang, indeed he looked like Qilin as he looked at him properly, save for the white hair, both of them used to have raven black hair. He remembered how he first met them, both of them looked androgynous when they wanted to, which was quite often, they were hyperactive bundles of joy to their parents, a German lady and a detective who he respected. The memories opened up an old wound that never healed properly in him. He had indirectly led Qilin to her death and this realization had left him with a hole so deep, not even Shih-na, or should he say Cinn Esther could have filled, that he was trapped in that dark deep hole with no one to help him.

"Agent Lang!" Franziska's voice broke away his thoughts and he was brought back to the real world. He looked at her wondering what else she would say other than disapproving his marriage to her cousin. He waited for more rebuke from her.

"Where is she buried?" Franziska asked with her voice shaking, she asked it so humbly that Miles and Lang were both surprised by how helpless she looked. "Papa, he never told me where exactly Qilin was buried; he never wanted to bring Qilin back here because he never liked her."

It broke Miles's heart to learn how she had suffered quietly, silently, for eight years, he too had suffered but he was more hardened than she was, perhaps that was why she never cried when her Papa was given the death sentence, or when she attended his burial. Miles's been there for her but she was too proud to admit anything and so she carried all that emotional baggage with her until now.

"Qilin is buried in a private plot," Lang explained, he looked older now, much older and much more tired than the last time they met. "I'll take you there sometime."

Liuxang gave a loose laugh. "It's funny really how we can be connected to each other and not know about it except me."

All three snapped their heads to Liuxang as he made that remark.

"You knew this?" Franziska asked bending her whip.

"Opps, I think I said too much."

"What did you mean by that comment?" Lang demanded.

"Liuxang what you told us, was it a bunch of lies?" Miles questioned him.

Liuxang grinned. "As I said, I said too much so I better keep my trap shut now." With that Liuxang started becoming translucent.

"Miles Edgeworth, what is happening to Liuxang?" Franziska asked uneasily.

"I am a ghost of the past, forever cursed to roam until the wrong has become right," Liuxang continued, he was fading fast and from translucent, he became transparent. Lang recovered from his shock and tried to tackle him to the ground. He passed through Liuxang and landed face first on the ground. With a final Cheshire cat grin, Liuxang disappeared.

"Miles Edgeworth," Franziska said to Miles shakily," Liuxang is not a ghost, is he?"

Miles shook his head; he too had become confused by this sudden turn of events. "I don't know Franziska, I really don't know."

Lang groaned, nursing the bump on his head after nose-diving to the floor.

Liuxang looked back at the hospital as the car he was in sped away. He grinned; he had escaped those three just under their noses. That holographic image of him had contributed to their success. In his hand was the Little Thief, he had borrowed it from Kay. He gave it back to Kay.

"To think I would use this, I never expected it until now," Liuxang remarked amused by his own invention.

"I heard a lot about you from Daddy," Kay said," he always said something about a man who created this and that he was around 16 years of age that time."

"Of course," Luna smirked smugly behind the steering wheel," Shifu can do make anything."

Liuxang smiled at the compliment. "Oh dear, I regret to inform you that I can't make everything, it's impossible."

Luna smiled but as for Sola, she was frowning as she stared at the window. "Is this your plan, hurting them because of revenge?" she asked, her face full of silent fury.

"Sola, can you ever be grateful that Shifu took us in when we were abandoned?"

"I'm sorry Luna, but I don't think I want to stick with this –"

"Sola." Kay looked at Sola pleading, Sola and Luna were like the sisters she never had and she didn't like them to fight.

Sola looked at Kay and sighed. "Anything for you, Kay." Without further ado, Sola stared out the window again sizzling with silent fury, if it weren't for Kay she would have blown it. She sucked in air and counted until ten before exhaling. It helped, a bit.

"So, back to HQ?" Luna asked as she glanced at Liuxang through the rear view mirror.

Liuxang nodded silently. Indeed, there was no place like home. His injuries were not as bad as the hospital diagnosed but he was tired. He closed his eyes as Luna drove.

"Shi-Long, where's the library?" Qilin asked, her jade green eyes blinking at him.

Shi-Long smiled. "You already forgot already?"

Qilin smirked at his comment. "It's been a year since I came back Shi-Long, you already know my head isn't good with memory."

"Admit it Qilin, you can fool your cousins like you told me but I know you just want me to take you there."

Qilin smiled. "You read me like a book."

"Ever since I met you."

Laughing he took Qilin by the hand and escorted her to his car. He couldn't have it any other way, though they were still young, they knew they were meant for each other. Although they loved each other, they agreed that they should do nothing to each other until Qilin reached the age of eighteen. Lang couldn't ask for anything better, life was truly a bliss for him.

"Okay, I'll pick you up after work," Lang said as he dropped of Qilin.

"Fine by me," Qilin said.

Lang rolled up the window of his car but Qilin knocked on it again, she seemed determined about something. "Yes Qilin?" he asked. She kissed him on the cheek.

"Be careful in work."

Lang blushed and rolled up the window and speed off. Qilin sighed and plodded to the library like a tortoise. She had expected a much more positive reaction but that will have to do. Her cellphone rang and she looked at the text.

You too

It was a text from Lang.

"Pfft." Qilin suppressed her giggle and smiled at the sky. Shi-Long was quite shy about his feelings.

2 p.m.

Lang finally handcuffed the criminal.

"And that is for resisting arrest." He pushed the criminal into the police car.

He smirked, he could pat himself on the back for a job well done. And then an explosion was heard. Lang looked for the source of the explosion. He gasped the smoke was coming from the direction of the library. He got into the car and stepped on the gas pedal.

Police were everywhere so were the firefighters. Terrorists had blown up the library, he examined the carnage, people were brought to ambulances for burns and other injuries, and he looked for Qilin hoping she made it out alive and well. The police had barricaded the building, Shi Long couldn't find Qilin outside the building, so he was sure she was still somewhere inside the burning library. He shoved his way through the police barrier.

"Hold on there son, it's dangerous to get in there." Lang pushed his badge at his face, it distracted the police enough to make Lang get past him. He entered the still burning library.

"Qilin!" Lang shouted out her name. There was no answer. He searched for her braving the ever hungry flames. He called out to her, but still there was no answer. Finally he saw a figure lying against a bookshelf. Qilin!

He ran to her but the ceiling had become weak with the raging fire and a piece of plaster pinned him to the ground.

He tried to reach for her, but she was still too far from him. The burns and the smoke inhalation had taken a toll on him. "Qi ... lin ... ," he whispered before he passed out.

"QILIN!" Lang shouted awakened by his nightmare. He was in the hostel, he rubbed his head. A faded picture of Qilin was on the bedside table and he looked at it, filled with remorse. If only he had been there with her, she could have lived. Lang closed his eyes again, hoping at least for a dreamless sleep.