A/N Sorry this took so long to update. I was sad and wifi-less this week. Phoenix may continue to seem like a little bitch this chapter when it comes to Edgeworth, but I think we all remember how he was in the second game when he thought Miles was dead.

-District Court 3rd Floor Hallway-

No. This is not happening. I will not allow this to happen.

Try as he might, Edgeworth couldn't shake Gumshoe's hold. It certainly was not due to lack of effort on his part, though he had allowed Gumshoe to march him-more or less-down the hall as soon as the Detective had forced him out the door in attempt to avoid a scene. If he was going to be manhandled, he would be so elegantly. Detective Gumshoe was making that quite difficult. Even his verbal threats seemed to have no effect on the determined Detective. For once, Edgeworth understood why Franziska carried a whip.

He briefly considered latching onto one of the vending machines.

"Detective, this is your last warning!"

"For your own good, sir..."

And with that they had reached the door. The door to the Defendant Lobby. The Defendant Lobby where the defense team would be waiting. His defense team.

It wasn't too late to make a break for it. Edgeworth had planned to go into the courtroom, get the trial over with, and never speak of anything that would transpire that day again. Ever. If he could just escape, he might have another shot at avoiding Wright completely. Was it too late to file for sick leave? His stomach was certainly turning. Unfortunately, Detective Gumshoe had other plans. The Detective reached a hand around Edgeworth's shoulder and turned the handle. Miles fought the urge to close his eyes.

Something blue and spiky came tumbling through the doorway.

Straight for Edgeworth.

The Detective backed out of the way.

"GAAAAH!"

"NNNNNNNGH!"

The man collided full-force with Edgeworth, knocking both the air from his lungs and his glasses askew. Before he could fully register the situation, his instincts kicked in and the prosecutor began maneuvering to avoid the both of them crashing to the floor. He hooked his arms around the stranger's shoulders and pulled the man toward himself to take the momentum of his fall. It was awkward, yes, but much less awkward than lying on top of one another in a heap on the floor would have been.

It was only after he was practically hugging the poor man that he could get a look at his face.

Oh. Oh! OH!

His face was more matured and he definetely looked... older, but there was no denying it: Miles Edgeworth was standing here embracing him.

"...Miles?"

Phoenix Wright was looking up at him from where Edgeworth had basically crushed him against his chest. He... he had called him 'Miles'! But what was that supposed to mean? Did Phoenix hate him or not? He didn't look like he hated him. His eyes were, well, bright. And beautiful. No, just bright. And his mouth was still parted from his question, an observation that in no way affected Edgeworth's heart rate. To think otherwise would be absolutely ludicrous. And what was with that curl on his forehead? Who did he think he was, Clark Kent or something? And older wasn't really a bad thing… In fact, Wright took to maturity in all the right places. And... and Miles was staring. Edgeworth dropped his hands immediately.

"W-Wright!" The tremor in his voice was logically from the force of the impact he had experienced. His face was heating up from the exertion.

Phoenix hesitated a moment before bringing his hands up to Edgeworth's shoulders so he could right himself. His movements were cautious, as if he expected Miles to snap at him. In any other situation Miles might have been offended; he really wasn't like his sister. Most of the time, anyways.

"Hey, pal! You'd better watch yourself. You could have killed somebody, coming out of there like that!" Gumshoe, who had been completely unhelpful thus far, reprimanded.

You opened the door in the first place you great, bumbling dolt, Edgeworth thought poisonously.

"Detective Gumshoe! Long time no see. Ah..."

As soon as Phoenix was supporting himself on his own two feet again he released Miles' shoulders and took a few steps back into the open doorway. Now able to view him properly, Edgeworth noticed that he had a new, clean, obnoxiously blue suit and waistcoat that had a gold chain dangling from one of the pockets and a sparkling new attorney's badge pinned to the lapel that gleamed so brightly it hinted at over-polishing. Some things never changed, Edgeworth supposed. Like the way Wright was smiling nervously at him now, the same way he used to from across the courtroom when he was waiting for the prosecutor to back him up on one of his wild conjectures. Miles realized Phoenix was waiting for him to say something.

Dammit, Wright. What do you want from me?

Wright knew he wasn't good with words when it came to this sort of... thing. What did one even begin to label something like this?

...Closure?

But it didn't feel like an ending. Edgeworth's chest felt like it might explode from the pressure that was building there. Pressure from responses he thought that he'd ago long suppressed. Perhaps in lying dormant they had only strengthened. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder or some illogical nonsense like that.

Wright, Wright, Wright, Wright, Wright...

Fortunately for him, it appeared that the silence had dragged on too long for the rest of the present company.

"Mr. Nick, that was your chance!"

"You were supposed to kiss him!"

Who- wait, k-kiss?

-District Court Lobby No.2 Doorway-

"Girls, please!"

Both Trucy and Pearls were now peeking out from behind him in the doorway. Pearl was giving him her best Fey glare - which was surprisingly intimidating coming from a 16 year old - sleeve already rolled back and ready to punish him for whatever true love mission he had failed this time, while Trucy had her attention directed curiously towards Miles. Speaking of Miles and glares...

Upon turning back, Phoenix found himself being pinned by one of Edgeworth's most scathing glares. His face was even turning red.

Oh no, Trucy said something about kissing... He's probably furious.

Though Phoenix had to admit, Miles did look pretty ridiculous. His glasses were still crooked and his clothes were more than a little rumpled. Miles still had his arms up, a Phoenix-sized gap between them. He looked like the judge had just overruled his von-Karma-perfect objection. In all, he looked stuck.

Feelings did that to Miles.

Feelings. Phoenix didn't really want to acknowledge it, but literally crashing into Miles Edgeworth was bringing a lot of them back; not all of them pleasant. Miles had disappeared. Phoenix had been angry and bitter and hurt. So. Many. Times. But it had been so long. Now, here Miles was. New Miles. Older Miles. A Miles Phoenix didn't know, but who felt exactly the same.

For the first time since he'd gotten this case, Phoenix's nervous smile cracked into a genuine smirk. Frozen, stuck, stiff Miles was just as lost with what to do next as he was. Maybe Phoenix should make the first move. After all, it wasn't like they were enemies or anything. They never even had that much of a closure. If he played this right he just might be able to fix whatever scraps were left of their friendship. And boy, he'd better hurry up before whatever urge that was screaming at him to just touch Miles won out.

But where to even begin?

"What's so funny, Wright?"

Phoenix shook his head, still grinning. Miles probably thought he had gone insane in the last few years, but really Phoenix was just happy that Miles was standing here in front of him, still emotionally constipated and unhealthily obsessed with off shades of the color red. And was it just him or was that cravat actually defying gravity now to maintain its flutter?

Maybe he was just panicking.

"It's just that..." Should he go for it? "Here, hold on." He was going for it.

Phoenix reached up and grabbed Miles' glasses before he could think any more about it. Miles visibly stiffened under the almost-contact as Phoenix pushed the spectacles back into place. His fingers may have brushed over the prosecutor's nose, but Phoenix couldn't really tell. Yeah, he was probably panicking. Though judging by the color Edgeworth was now turning...

If he wasn't furious before he sure is now. Good going, Phoenix.

"Ah... Better?" Phoenix tried.

Miles recovered some and quickly fumbled to straighten out his clothing the best he could before crossing his arms. "Yes, thank you, Wright," he muttered frozenly.

"Mr. Edgeworth, you don't need to be thanking him," Detective Gumshoe stepped behind Edgeworth, chest heaving like a panting dog. "He's the one who came flying at you! Where's you're apology, pal? You could have broken Mr. Edgeworth's neck if he hadn't caught you!"

"Oh yeah, sorry about that, Miles. I was, um, leaning against the door," Phoenix shot a glare at Trucy and Pearl, "when it opened all of the sudden." He just hoped the investigative duo would buy his testimony.

"Yeah, sure. A likely story, pal. Be more careful next time. If Mr. Edgeworth had been hurt I would have arrested you on the spot." Gumshoe was really getting riled up now.

Detective, this probably isn't the place to joke about murder...

"It's quite all right, Detective," Edgeworth cut in, much to Phoenix's relief. He'd forgotten how... tenacious Gumshoe could be. Miles was tapping his finger against his arm in annoyance. Phoenix smirked again. Same old Edgeworth. And on that note, same old scatterbrained Gumshoe. "No one was harmed. Please calm down."

Gumshoe sagged a little under Edgeworth's order, though he kept his mouth shut after muttering a "Yes, sir."

It was then that Phoenix caught the whispered conversation behind him.

"I can't really see from here..."

"Let's give Mr. Nick another push."

"Okay!"

Phoenix quickly stepped back into the hall as soon as he felt hands on his backside. "Whoa, no, no, no, no, no."

The group was now a loose circle, starting with Phoenix, then Edgeworth and Gumshoe, and ending back with Pearl and Trucy crowded in the doorway. The girls appeared a little shocked at being the sudden center of attention, both looking down and shuffling shyly.

Oh, right, didn't Pearl's mother drill something into her head about never talking to "strange-looking men"? Well, Gumshoe fit that description, at least. Time for introductions... Sort of.

"Ah, Pearl, you remember Mr. Edgeworth and Detective Gumshoe, don't you?"

Be professional, Phoenix. He's been calling you 'Wright'. It's not like I have any excuse to be calling him 'Miles', anyways.

"Hello..."

It was a start. Besides, Phoenix doubted that Miles even knew about Trucy. Oh jeez. This was going to get tricky.

"Pearl Fey?" Edgeworth asked, some of his frigidness relaxing. Pearl glanced up and nodded at him. "It is good to see you again. You are quite a bit taller since the last time we met."

Phoenix sighed. This was good. Edgeworth was good as long as he wasn't talking to Phoenix. Phoenix didn't particularly want to analyze that fact.

"Speaking of Feys," Edgeworth continued, "whatever happened to that old assistant of yours, Wright?"

Phoenix jumped a little when Miles turned to him pointedly. Edgeworth had actually directed a question towards him! He was attempting small-talk. Maybe salvaging something of their relationship wouldn't be such a colossal mess after all.

As if we ever had anything great in the first place.

Yet there was still a nagging feeling that yes, he did still want Miles. Very badly.

Resist the urge. I have other things to worry about. Trucy. Remember Trucy. I can't risk throwing my life away again.

"Mystic Maya is the best!" Pearl clapped her hands together loudly, eyes lighting up. All her previous shyness was completely evaporated. Nothing opened Pearls up like mentioning Maya. "She's the greatest Master of all time!"

Okay, that has got to be an exaggeration.

Judging by the concerned face Edgeworth was making, he was probably thinking the same.

Edgeworth smiled at Pearl none the less. "I'm sure she is." He turned to Trucy.

No, no, no. I am not ready for this!

"I don't believe we've met before."

"..." Trucy had the brim of her hat tipped over her face.

"I'm Miles Edgeworth, the prosecutor for this case," Edgeworth tried again.

"..." She didn't look up.

"This is Detective Gumshoe, my, ah, partner."

"Sir, you shouldn't frown when you say that..."

"..."

Miles shot Phoenix a helpless look. Phoenix shrugged in what he hoped was an encouraging gesture.

"...!" Trucy's head perked up suddenly, an intense look on her face. Phoenix violently recalled the first time he'd met her.

Oh no, I hope she doesn't blurt anything out!

"...When you say 'partner' do you mean like partner or like partner? Because if Mr. Scruffy Detective is your partner partner than that would upset my Daddy because, see, Pearly told me that you and my Daddy used to be rivals but were secretly, madly-"

"TRUCY!"

"D-Daddy? Wright is your-!"

"…Scruffy?"

A/N Dear Capcom, please pick an eye color for Phoenix. Please. That is all I ask. Seriously though, ALL of his sprites, including the new, fancy 3D ones have BLUE eyes. Then in all the animation and SOME of the official art he has BROWN eyes. And THEN in the REST of the official art he has GRAY/BLACK eyes. PLEASE STOP AND PICK A COLOR! So I have a question for anyone who reviews for this chapter: what color would you prefer his eyes to be? The wiki says brown, so if no one reviews that is what I'll be using. (Hint hint: there will probably be deep, meaningful gazes in the next chapter so I need an eye color.)