Rise from the ashes
Author's Note: Even though the chapters do take place in the cases, they are ultimately from Gabrielle's point of view. Therefore, there are times when she is not really involved and the chapter is more about the relationship with her and Edgeworth instead of the actual case. The reason that I mention this is because this chapter actually is not, at any stage, set at the court. This is because Gabrielle never attended it.
It was two months after the trial and Gabrielle felt that everything was slowly resuming the way that it was. True to his promise, Edgeworth took her to France and he was clearly recovering from what happened. She was sure that he was much better now that he was finally free of what had happened fifteen years ago.
However, she was to discover that she had been very idealistic after they returned from their holiday and both resumed their work. Despite having been proven completely innocent without any doubt, many seemed to use what happened at the end of last year as a sign.
"Won't you talk to me about it?" she asked when he came home after what was clearly a very hard day.
"It is nothing – " he began, but then shook his head. "It is not completely nothing but it is nothing for you to worry about. People talk all the time, Gabby, that is normal.
"Are they giving you a hard time at the office? You are not being bullied, are you?" this was not an unreasonable question because he had not been a popular kid at school. He did not have a very endearing attitude and the fact that he was smart and received many awards made it all the more worse. That was probably why he would actually admit Larry as a friend to her, although he warned her that he would never forgive her if she said it to anyone else.
"No one would dare to bully me." he said with a slight snort. "My position is pretty high. However, that is why there are all sorts of rumours- as that is the only thing that they can do. What happened last year merely gave them some new things to talk about."
"But you are clearly irritated." She pointed out as she returned carrying the tea set.
"Because I did not do what they accused me of. It is true that I would do everything that I could in order to get a guilty verdict, but I would never falsify any evidence." He said without any hesitation. "I don't care how people think of me, but I dislike being accused for something that I did not do. Especially something that is against my principles. It is almost an insult."
"Maybe we should have stayed in France longer." She said. "You were much happier. I really thought that you were getting better."
"You make me sound as if I have some terminal illness. It is not France, Gabby, but the fact that I was away from all this. However, you do no need to worry so much about this. As I said, this is something that has happened since I got this job." He said simply before he changed the subject to one that he knew would distract her. That of their wedding.
As he has discovered, there was always something that she wanted to discuss with him- from the amount of guests or just the fact that she saw a design that she quite like in the magazine. She might only talk about it for a short time, but that was often enough to distract her from pushing the matter.
He was true to his promise of being more open with her, but this was a procedure that took time. He was not going to tell her about every single thing that happened in both the past and present!
Edgeworth did not like being unreasonable, but he really felt that things have not gone well ever since he met Wright, and he suspected that Larry's influence might have rubbed off on Wright. However, he met Wright and suffered his first loss, and then his second. As if losing as not bad enough, he ended up being arrested for murder.
And now…a corpse was discovered in his car.
It seemed that he had been a bit naïve in thinking that this year was going to be better then last.
"How can you remain so calm about it?" Gabrielle muttered as she arrived in his office. Even though it was true that she did not expect him to panic, he was still a bit too calm. This actually made her even more alarmed because this reminded her of what he had been like when he confessed that he killed his father.
He accepted it with a certain fatalism that was quite frightening.
"But why are you here, Gabby?" he asked her curiously.
"Because most people would be with their partner after they found a corpse in their car!" Gabrielle said in frustration. "I know that you probably have seen bodies now and then but I thought that it would still be a shock."
Last night, he told her that he was unable to pick her up and she merely thought that this was because he was working on a case. However, it turned out that the reason was a bit more unusual then that.
"If you had told me about it when you called me at work last night then I would have come to the office instead."
"And how did you get home? Did…your co-worker gave you a lift?"
"Oh my manager did." Due to being a bit irritated at how he did not explain until this morning, she added the following on purpose: "He also said that he would be more then happy to give me a lift this week."
"I should be able to get my car back soon. It would be clean." He promised. He did not like the manager at her work because it was clear that the man had a slight crush on his fiancée.
"You might want to go back first, Gabby." He told her. "I am not sure when I will be going back."
"Let me sleep a while first." She protested as she lay down on the sofa. "I took the first bus here."
"The prosecutor's sofa is not for you to sleep on, Gabrielle." He said with a slight frown. However, he actually took his jacket from his chair and placed it over her.
"I can wait for you if you want." she said. "But Miles, you do know how to take the public transport, right?"
"…are you serious?" he muttered. He reasoned that it was easier for him to adjust the jacket if he sat down beside her instead of standing. His fiancée was curled up on the sofa and she had a smile on her face- he wished that he himself could actually be happy here.
"When is the last time that you did then?"
"…go to sleep, Gabby."
"Was it when you lived beside me? Or was it not that far by being a year later?"
"Of course I know how! I'll prove it to you."
She really did fall asleep, although she did wake up briefly due to hearing the phone ring, followed by her fiancé's conversation. However, she was able to go back to sleep.
Upon waking up, she immediately realised that the phone call had been some sort of bad news as Edgeworth was not in a very good mood.
"It is nothing. It is just that I would be in charge of a case tomorrow." He explained. "I can't disclose information, but it is just that the people involved are known to me."
"Do you want me to go?"
Much to her surprise, he shook his head.
"I will prefer you staying here."
Having her there actually made him feel a bit better.
She picked up one of the non-law related book and pretended to read it in order to peer at her fiancé. He was now flicking through his files and papers with a very grim expression.
She must have dozed off again before she suddenly woke up and discovered that the office was empty. However, she was lying on the couch again with the jacket placed over her. In addition, the book was placed by the sofa with the brief note 'be back soon' on it.
Someone was knocking on the door and she decided that instead of answering it, she would go back to sleep again as that seemed the easier task.
However…it seemed that the knocker did not mind entering without permission.
Either her presence was not very obvious, or these two had no scruples in entering another's office.
"Look at this office and all this stuff. The owner must be a real stuck-up jerk." A girl was saying while her more sensible companion was trying to get her to not be so loud.
Gabrielle was quite tempted to open her eyes as the man sounded a bit familiar.
"…wait, Ema, I think there is someone here." At this, the voice became even closer. "I think I know her…"
"Mr Wright?"
"Miss Revien!" in addition to yelling this out, Wright actually took a few stumble backward, almost causing him to crash into Edgeworth's desks.
"You are lucky that you didn't break Mile's tea set." Gabrielle murmured as she sat up. "Then he would get really mad."
At that moment, she then noticed the girl. Even though Gabrielle would not describe what the other girl wore as being normal, it was not as strange as Maya's clothes.
"This is?"
"This is Ema Skye." Wright quickly introduced. "Miss Revien…is this office…"
"Some stuck-up jerk's, I believe." Edgeworth said dryly. "What are you doing here, Wright?"
"So this is your office." Wright muttered. "Wait a second…that car wouldn't be yours, would it?"
"That nasty bright red sport car." Ema began, only to quickly blush as she fervently tires to correct herself. "I mean…"
"Yes, it is my car. You are going to say that I did it, aren't you? Go ahead, Wright, say it. I know you want to."
"Miles…" Gabrielle began gently as she stood up to be right beside him.
"It is what he wants to say, you can just tell by his expression." Her fiancé said unapologetically.
"It is not that. Don't glare at the little girl like that, you are scaring her." She whispered as Ema was clearly quite downcast.
"I was not – "
"Yes you were, you still are. Do you know what the other girls at the restaurant say about you? They would say: 'Gabby, your boyfriend would look so much better if he is not glaring at everyone else'." she said. (1)
"Eh…can I just ask you a question." Ema began. "Are you his girlfriend?"
"Miss Revien is his fiancée." Wright explained before he introduced Ema again.
This fact seemed to make the girl rather downhearted.
"Why was she upset?" Edgeworth asked his fiancée, whose laughter indicated that she clearly know the answer.
"We need to get married soon, Miles." Gabrielle teased as she placed an arm around him. "Because I have another rival."
"Rival?"
"And you are jealous just because my manager would offer me a ride home. Should I make a list of all your admirers?"
"Gabrielle, I do not attract such frothing desire from the female masses!" (2)
She knew that he was stressed and a bit tired at all that has happened but she never realised how bad it was. Perhaps she had foolishly thought that she had helped him to feel better.
"Don't worry, I won't be a unreasonable wife when we marry." She continued, relieved at seeing him like this. "I won't check for lipstick prints every night."
Perhaps being so happy like that was often a sign of something bad happening.
On the first day of the case, Edgeworth stayed in his office and if he did so on the first day, then he would probably do so on the next two days- if the case would last that long.
On the second day of the case, Gabrielle was to return home quite late due to her work. Even though she ought to go to bed immediately, she decided to turn on the news and see if there was anything there.
As she did not switch the light on, she was trying to feel her way to the couch in front of the television.
…she felt her hand coming into contact with something soft.
Burglars? Thieves? Should she start screaming?
"Gabby, it's me."
Edgeworth's voice sounded extremely tired and upon switching on the light, she almost yelled. However, this would be due to a completely different reason.
Her fiancé actually appeared as a mess.
"Miles, are you alright?" she asked cautiously as she sat beside him and took his hand. "Do you want me to get you something?"
She had a very bad feeling that any careless word would set him off.
"…Gabby."
"What is it?"
"Don't ask me anything." He muttered and then did a very unusual thing. He actually leant back and laid his head on her legs.
"Just…let me stay like this for a while, Gabby."
"Do you want some tea or – "
"Just let me remain like this for a while." He repeated. "And don't switch the television on. I can't take it. While you are at it, switch the light off. It hurts my eyes."
"Or is it because you don't want me to look at you now?" she said softly as she did so.
It took a very long time before he spoke. Even though she was not able to see his face, she realised that his body was not completely still. Something has obviously happened.
"Gabby, do you remember the case that made me famous? The SL9 case? That was shortly after we started dating."
"I remember."
"In that case…that case is what made people first have accusations about me." he continued. "As I said, the accusations irritated me because it was not true. It is against my principles to do something like that, as that prevents the law from being just. However…
"I discovered that the associations were true. The evidences that I used on that day…they were false evidences."
"But it wasn't you fault! You didn't know that they were false so how was that your fault?" she immediately said.
"It doesn't matter. Because of me, someone was unjustly condemned. He was probably guilty, but what I did was still wrong. Don't make excuses for me, Gabby. I deserve to be punished."
"Miles! Pull yourself together!" she said sharply as she was really afraid at what might happen if she let him continue like this. "Look, I know that you are upset but you can't let this affect you. You have to go to court tomorrow and do your job! You always talked about how important it is for one to make sure that they will do their job no matter what as they own a duty to the people they are responsible."
"Yes, you are right, but that was before I…" at this he sighed again. "Gabby, I don't think I am fit to prosecute. I came home because I feel as if the office is going to suffocate me."
"Don't be silly! Of course you are fit to prosecute! Don't you always say that you will dedicate your entire life to fight them?" she was saying all the stuff that she could think of in order to change his mood.
"I will finish this case, don't worry." He assured her. "That is my job. However…afterward…"
"Well, I will support you no matter what you do." even though they were not able to see one another's face, she still leant down. "But Miles, promise me that you will tell me about what you plan to do before you do it. After all, I am your fiancée and we will be married."
"…I promise."
When Edgeworth made the promise to her, he really did intend to keep it. However, he discovered that he was unable to do so.
Gabrielle was waiting for him at home, asleep on the sofa with the television still on. Despite the amount of times that he had told her to go to sleep on the bed when she was tired instead of waiting for him, she would still do this.
Very gently, he picked her up and carried her to their bedroom.
"…too much has happened, Gabby. I need to be alone for a while." He whispered softly.
He needed to think about who he was, who he want to be.
"Gabby…I am sorry." He said again as he pulled the blanket over her. "But I will be back. Just give me some time."
The fiancée that he cared and loved naturally deserved more then the brief note of 'Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth chooses death'. However, all that he wrote for her was this.
'Gabby: forgive me but I need to be alone for a while in order to understand what it means to be a prosecutor and why I stand in a courtroom. I am sorry to leave like this but I must do so now.
I will be back, Gabby, I promise. I just need some time to think'.
To the rest of the world, all that Edgeworth has given them was that brief note 'Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth chooses death'. Naturally, some thought of asking his fiancée and Gumshoe was the one who was sent to do this task.
"Pal, I don't really understand what Miss Revien was saying as it was a mixture of English and another language." Gumshoe said to Wright. "However…I did pick out a few English words and I think she was saying 'How the hell do I know?' at some stage. I can't understand everything else that she was saying, but it did not sound flattering."
Therefore, that was why Wright ended up being there. He did not believe, as some did, that Egdeworth has committed suicide as there would surely be reports. However, he did not think that he was able to forgive this sudden departure.
Luckily, he was able to go to the apartment on time. Had he been a few minutes later, then Gabrielle would have been gone.
"Miss Revien, are you going somewhere?" he began tactfully, as she was clearly in a very foul mood. In addition, she was holding two fairly large suitcases in her hand.
"What does it look like?" She said. She has calmed down considerably by now, so she did not speak between mixture of English and French along with some additional curses. "I am moving out."
"Because of…Edgeworth?"
"Don't mention that name!" Gabrielle snapped before she quickly apologised. "I am sorry for snapping at you like that, Mr Wright."
"Don't worry, I think I can understand." Wright said truthfully. "However…do you know what has happened to him?"
"He went on a self discovering journey." Gabrielle said and Wright could tell that she was barely controlling herself. "It is not as if I won't have support him…so why did he just leave like that? All he left was a few sentences!"
"Did he say why he left?"
"Did I not say that it was a self discovery journey!" she snapped again. "I am sorry, Mr Wright, but this is not a good time to talk to me. Here, this is my phone number. I should be calmer a few days later."
"But why are you leaving?"
"This isn't my house. This is Miles'." She said honestly. "If we are already married then it would be different. But we are only engaged. In addition, I can't stand staying here when he just…disappeared!"
"But where are you going?"
"I found a waitressing job that provides lodging. It is…quite a bad restaurant but this will do for now." she said.
Then she walked away. She had to walk away because she was crying again.
She woke up only to find her fiancé gone and all that he offered was that note. She must have spent the first day crying before she realised that she could not just stay like this.
She managed to solve the problem of a new job and a new lodging at the same time, as her old job was a painful reminder as well. The only reason that she lived in this fancy apartment was because of Edgeworth, so why would she be here if he was not here?
"Miles…I really won't forgive you now." she said softly.
She took what she regarded as hers completely and it was not hard, as they were mainly clothes. However, there was one possession of hers that she did not take.
Her engagement ring.
She placed it on the table of his study.
(1) Apparently Edgeworth does have a habit at glaring people.
(2) This is actually something that Edgeworth said in the game (third one)
Author's Note: as mentioned, this chapter is more focused on the relationship between Gabrielle and Edgeworth, and how the case affected them. I admit, I might have got carried away with the romantic aspect of the story.
When I played the game, I did not feel that Edgeworth's note would be seen as suicidal. Therefore, I never once felt that Wright actually truly thought that he died. In addition, I feel that if Edgeworth did die, Wright would have reacted in a different way.
I think in the original game, Edgeworth actually lives in a mansion, but when I started the story, I did not realise that, so that is why I had him live in an apartment. Nor did I take account of the fact that he owned a dog and that became something that I omit, as I did not know how I could fit it in when i found out about it. Although that would have been something nice to include in. Maybe as an omake story?
PS: I used quite a lot of quote from the game