Risenfromash: I'm going to say this straight up. This story is going to end at a point many of you are not anticipating, because this is part of a much larger story arc narrated by Apollo Justice. I've chosen to continue the Vera/Polly and Maya/Nick story arc in little chunks as I have been doing. I could have continued this story straight through the nine months of Maya's pregnancy, etc. but each portion of the story carries with it a slightly different feel or theme so I consider this story complete. Think of a movie like Back to the Future and you'll understand what I mean. If you are confused by the order of the stories check my profile page or PM me. Also, check author notes at the end of this, the concluding chapter of The Things We Do For Love, and as always thank you for reading.

CHAPTER 7

It was almost two months later when an official letter arrived at the office. I held it in my hands and said a little prayer. It's not that I don't have faith in Phoenix, but the test doesn't in any way correlate with ones actual abilities.

Come on. You don't need a super high score; you just need to pass.

"Hey, Phoenix. I think this is it man." I said.

As if suddenly magnetized to me Trucy and Maya appeared from wherever they had been and I found myself surrounded.

"It's about time! How freakin' long does it take to run forms through a scantron machine?" Maya complained.

I nodded. I'd always wondered about that, too. I was convinced that the waiting was yet another part off the Bar Association's plot to torture greenhorn attorneys.

Phoenix walked over looking none to eager to get his results, but he held out his hand and I slapped the envelope in it like a nurse provides a surgeon an instrument. This was it. The reckoning day.

"Daddy, it'll be ok either way you know that, right?"

Phoenix nodded.

"But, he's going to pass." Maya stated whilst rubbing her belly. She was already starting to show a little. That tiny frame of hers made it impossible for her to hide that she had a bun…er two buns in the oven. "I can sense it."

I glanced at Maya. I wasn't really sure if being a spirit medium gave you powers of precognition or not but I've heard crazy shit about pregnant women having visions…but I thought they were usually about their future kids not their hobo husbands, but you know, whatever. I figured that her confidence was surely a good thing.

Phoenix stuck his finger under the flap of the envelope, ripped it open messily and unfolded the official document inside.

We all inhaled.

He shook his head. "Looks like you're in trouble Apollo."

I exhaled.

Crap! Shit! Double crap! How could he not pass? The guy's brilliant!

"Looks like you're going to have some competition in the defense attorney business." Phoenix said a broad grin appearing on his face.

"You bastard!" I formed a fist and whaled against him as he leaned against Maya laughing. It was so like Phoenix to use his pregnant wife as support.

"Did you see the look on his face? Too funny!" Phoenix was practically chortling with glee.

"Nick, you shouldn't tease poor Polly like that. You'll send him to an early grave and I've already got more than enough spirits wanting to be channeled to kick your butt."

"Oh, you do not!" He snickered leaning over to kiss her. "Mia's the only one and I've made an honest woman of ya. What more can she find to be mad at me about?"

Maya smiled and lifted an eyebrow flirtatiously. "Plenty." She stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Told you you'd pass you big doubter."

"Yeah, well…" Phoenix seemed embarrassed by the attention. Ace Attorneys get a lot of attention; disbarred attorneys who pretend to have musical talent do not. He was going to have some adjusting to do.

For a moment we all stood in a daze looking at one another's smiling faces. One of the injustices we had suffered at the hand of Kristoph had been righted. Unlike, most things he did this had been reversible and together we had managed to do it. It was something to celebrate and so Phoenix pointed his finger and extended his arm.

"To the Wonder Bar, everybody!"

It was party time.

~xxxx~

The Wonder Bar was a fun place decked out in bizarre purple and blue gaudy decorations befitting a performance space for Trucy's art. Trucy was so excited that she bounced up and down like she was on a trampoline the whole time we walked to there and I found myself having to hop or skip next to her so that I could keep up.

When we arrived Phoenix grinned at the barman.

"What is this? Mr. Wright? I did not approve you bringing a party here."

Phoenix seemed prepared for this and said, "As I recall it is in Trucy's contract that I and a guest receive free drinks. Well, Maya here is pregnant so she can't drink. Trucy's too young so that leaves just me and Mr. Apollo Justice here." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and grinned a toothy smile that insinuated that we were total innocents who would cause no trouble.

"No. I know you Wright. You will drink me dry."

Phoenix shook his head. "I'm sorry to hear you say that because I have here a copy of that contract and I believe that if you deny my friend here his fill of liquid refreshment you will be in arrears of our legally binding agreement and as of today I am once again a lawyer."

"God damn you, Wright." And then remembering that Trucy was present he turned to her and apologized. "Sorry, Trucy, dear, but your father is very irritating."

Trucy smiled and swayed happily back and forth on her feet. "I know. It's what we love about him. So hurry up and get Polly and him drinks or he'll sue the pants off you."

The bartender grumbled and provided each of us a drink in a large bowl-like glass and we waited for the girls to get something they could enjoy and then we held up our drinks. I started to toast Phoenix, but he shook his head. "To friends both here, abroad," he looked at me knowingly at that point "and passed." We all took sips of our drinks and then while the girls were distracted Phoenix mouthed to me, "And to Kristoph who can rout in jail or hell. We don't really care which," and he and I took massive glugs of our drinks.

After that Maya drug Phoenix over to a booth to sit and Trucy nudged me over to a table. I nodded. They didn't get a lot of time to themselves and Phoenix was in such a jovial mood it seemed like leaving them alone for a while would be a nice thing to do. So Trucy and I spent the night hanging out together. Legally she shouldn't have been there, but since she worked at the bar as an entertainer we could bend the rules and Truce was a good kid she had no interest in getting liquored up. Probably because she has seen what imbeciles her father and I are reduced to with the ingestion of alcohol.

That night the wonder bar had a swing band playing.

"Polly, come dance with me!" Trucy said bouncing and bobbing to the beat of the music. I grumbled. I don't dance. "Oh, come on, Polly. It's just me. It's not like you gotta impress me or something."

I nodded. Truce and I had danced before together and I had survived so I figured I could do it again even with a few drinks making me less coordinated than usual. Maya and Phoenix were tearing it up on the other side of the dance floor. They both looked like drunken fools.

"Truce, Maya hasn't been drinking has she?"

Trucy shook her head and smiled. "No, she's just happy to see Daddy happy. I think this is probably what they were like before."

"Before what?" I was confused. Maybe the alcohol was contributing.

"Before me."

I didn't even say anything I just leaned in and hugged her.

"Truce, you know it's not your fault and your mom and dad don't regret anything."

She sniffled a little. I looked at her with concern.

"Don't worry, Polly. It's happy tears."

"Promise?"

She nodded. It was rare for Trucy to let any of her grief show. She's like Maya in that way. I held her till she giggled and pointed over to Phoenix and Maya who were now doing some sort of dance move that looked like a cross between the funky chicken and the moonwalk. I grimaced.

"If anybody asks we don't know them, right, Truce?"

Trucy laughed and excused herself to go to the bathroom and I headed back to our table when a woman waved at me.

"Hi, Apollo!"

"Hello." I knew she worked there but was embarrassed that I didn't know her name.

"I'm Amelia. Trucy talks about you all the time. You're her brother, right?"

I shook my head. "I wish. Naw. We just say that so people won't think we're dating. People have a bad habit of jumping to conclusions because we spend so much time together."

"I can understand that. You two look like a couple out there dancing the night away in each other's arms."

I laughed. "I dunno about that. Trucy's fine, but I've got more problems than two left feet. I've got no rhythm."

"Well, she didn't seem to mind. She was clinging to you pretty tightly."

I raised my hand as though taking a solemn oath, "Strictly platonically I swear."

Amelia laughed. "I didn't mean to imply-"

"Yeah, I love Trucy. She's a pain in the butt, but I love her. Not, like a girlfriend. Not like Vera…" Amelia nodded and sighed.

"Yeah, Trucy told me about all that. She's in Europe, huh?"

"Yeah…" I said wistfully oblivious to the tone of disappointment present in her voice.

"Trucy's dad and his wife sure are cute!" Amelia said.

They were very cute or what I could see of them. They were making out in a booth in the corner. All I could see of Maya was her feet sticking out from between Phoenix's legs, a sandal dangling from each foot.

I'd never seen the two of them like this. They were usually pretty shy about showing signs of affection in public. I figured it was because of the way people tend to react to them due to Maya's childlike looks and behaviors, but honestly after living with both of them I knew the truth. Phoenix and Maya are perfect for each other. They're both big overgrown kids.

I was unintentionally staring and I knew it wasn't just cause they were cute. I was envious. I needed to get my passport as soon as possible or I felt like I might start crying the next time I saw a couple making out in the park or at the movies. I missed Vera something awful. I'm no tough guy. I couldn't shirk off her absence. It seemed like everything reminded me of her and how much I loved her and how long six to nine months really can be.

Trucy returned and smiled at Amelia.

"Oh, hey. You met my "brother," huh? Isn't he nice?"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't embarrass me, Truce."

"Amelia's our most talented waitress here at the Wonder Bar."

Amelia made a frumpy face. "Like that's something to be proud of."

"No, it totally is," I said without moving my eyes from Maya and Nick. Even all the way over where we were you could hear Maya's giggles of delight in response to whatever it was Nick was doing to her.

I don't wanna know. It'll just make me jealous.

I decided I either needed another drink or to kiss a hot chick as soon as possible. I pried my envious eyes from my mentor who would undoubtedly be getting lucky that night and continued my discussion with Amelia. "I think being a waitress is probably way harder than what I do. I couldn't last a day in your shoes. I'm too impatient. I'd tell all the picky customers to get their own damned food if they were going to be so particular."

Amelia grinned from ear to ear. "You're just being nice."

"No. I bet it totally sucks to have your job. I mean your boss doesn't exactly seem like a people person and you probably get people hitting on you all the time."

Amelia blushed. "Why would you say that?"

"Cause you're really cute." The alcohol was affecting me. I wasn't normally so forward. Trucy's jaw fell open. "What, Truce? She is." Then abruptly changing gears I said, "Amelia, I think I want another one of these green ones." I indicated some kind of lime flavored drink I had finished consuming.

"Ok. I'll get it." She hopped up, but I shook my head. "Naw. You. You sit. Take a load off. I'll get it myself. You want something?"

"Polly, she's on the clock."

"Oh, yeah, right. Ok. Maybe some other time."

I walked off to get my "green thing" and when I returned Trucy whispered to me. "Do you like Amelia, Polly?"

I nodded. Why wouldn't I like her? She was nice, easy to talk to, had a great smile and I was really lonely and drunk. I sat back down ignoring further inquisitive looks from Trucy and continued talking to Amelia.

Amelia was telling me about Trucy's magic show and how much the audience likes the magic panties.

"Yeah, Trucy's magic panties are awesome. At first I thought it was a little weird, but now I can say quite comfortably that nobody and I mean nobody has panties I'd rather see inside more than Trucy's."

Trucy was staring at me and Amelia and the table and in retrospect I realize she was probably attempting to calculate my blood alcohol level and decide if I would be doing half of the things I was doing if I wasn't under the influence of at least a half dozen umbrella drinks. But I would have. I wasn't doing anything other than talking.

Amelia and I started speculating how Trucy did her magic panty trick and were conspiring about how to trick her into revealing the secret when my phone rang.

"Oh, sorry hold on a second."

I pulled the phone from my pocket and glanced at it. It was Vera.

"Oh, Amelia. It's been nice talking to you, but I've gotta take this."

I got up without looking back and started walking toward the nearest exit. I only existed for Vera.

"Hi, Polly! What's all that noise?" Vera said when I answered.

"Just a sec. I'm at the Wonder Bar. We're celebrating. Phoenix passed!"

Vera squealed as I stepped into the cool evening air. I had entered an alley and I looked around for a quiet spot where I could sit and talk to her. The only place I found that was reasonably comfortable was sitting on a plastic crate next to the stinky dumpster. But I took a seat never considering for a moment telling her I'd call her when I got home. Instead, I sat chatting with her perfectly contented. About twenty minutes must have passed before Trucy popped her head out of the bar and found me.

"There you are! Is that Vera?"

I nodded and she held out her hand to indicate she wanted a turn to talk to her.

I relinquished the phone without an argument.

"Hi, Vera." She said and launched into a rather rambling description of the last thirty-six hours or so. I continued sitting on my blue crate enduring the alcohol-induced wooziness until I became aware that Trucy was talking about me.

"He totally blew her off to come out her to talk to you….No, he's been out here in the alley…He's going to stink like garbage!…I know… He's pathetic, right?"

My eyes got big. I didn't need Trucy reporting all my actions or in this case lack of action to Vera. I jumped up.

"Trucy, give me the phone!"

Trucy giggled and ran down the alleyway. She was far more agile than me since she was sober and she was smart enough to know it. "Yup. It's love. He's turning down other girls just to talk to you…Un-huh. I think so, too."

"Trucy give me the damn phone!"

Why does Trucy insist on spying on me and reporting to Vera? I'd like to sound like I might at least consider dating someone else. I don't want her to think I'm just pining for her… even though I totally am.

"Ok, I'll hand you back to Polly. Love you! I've got to go counsel Amelia that Apollo is so clueless he didn't realize she was about to ask him out. No, don't feel bad…Yeah, I'll apologize to her for you."

"Give me the phone!" I shouted.

God, it is like having a little sister. I swear!

I lurched forward and grabbed her.

I never imagined myself being able to get my legal assistant in a chokehold without losing my job, but then again nothing about Trucy is like any paralegal I could have ever imagined.

Trucy finally said, "Uncle," handed me the phone and with a little tip of her hat and a wink disappeared back into the Wonder Bar.

I took a deep breath before bringing the phone back to my ear.

"Uh, hi." I said trying not to sound too terribly embarrassed.

Vera's happy little laugh on the other end of the line made me feel a little more relaxed. "Why don't you call me back when you get home, Polly?"

I grinned.

"You sure it won't be too late?"

"It'll be fine. I'll be relieved to know you made it home safely with all those umbrella drinks under your belt."

I blushed. Vera knew I didn't drink much.

"Maybe I should just let you get some rest-"

"Polly, I miss you. When you get home call me back and I'll keep you company."

I wanted to cry. She knew how much I missed her. She probably knew even before Trucy started blabbing about the waitress.

"Vera, I love you."

"I love you, too and this won't be forever, Polly. I promise."

I nodded and looked down at my feet. I felt very alone in the alley, but a part of me felt very lucky that somewhere halfway around the world a special someone was missing me, too.

"Ok. I'll call you in a bit."

I headed inside and found Maya and Phoenix at their booth playing something like Quarters. Maya was wearing her husband's hat and beaming at his every goofy gesture. He waved at me.

"Apollo! Did you get to tell Vera the news?"

I nodded. I was surprised he hadn't called her right away, but from the mischievous grin on his face I think he had intentionally let me be the one to impart the good news. He never talked like Pearly and Trucy do about "special someones," but I knew him well enough to know that he thought we had both found the person we were supposed to be with.

"She's very happy for you." I commented.

Phoenix smiled. "You think this will make her quit apologizing all the time?"

I sighed. "Knowing Vera, not likely."

"It's just because she cares so much about you," Trucy said.

Maya and Phoenix grinned. "Tell her to focus some of that care on poor ole Polly here. I don't know how much longer I can take him moping about." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, don't worry, Daddy. Polly has a plan to get her back…officially. He's going to-"

I kicked Truce under the table. Hard. I wasn't ready to talk to Phoenix about my plan to fly off to Europe yet. Besides, this was his night to celebrate the beginning of a new era with a bright new shiny defense attorney badge and little people running around underfoot. Phoenix had been through a ton of shit, but he was coming out on top and he was ecstatic. I don't think he could have grinned any bigger and why not? He had the girl, the perfect kid, two little mini-mes on the way and he had bested his greatest rival by proving he still had it, no matter what nasty things might have been said about him since he had embraced the hobo lifestyle.

If Phoenix Wright can do it, I can do it.

~xxxx~

Life slipped into a pattern after that. Maya did everything she could to help around the office or toddle off to appointments while Nick grew more and more stressed about her health. Vera called me every night and sent me sketches by snail mail of some of the things she was getting to see and experience overseas and I plotted my triumphant return to boyfriend status as I made my top-secret travel arrangements.

It's gonna be great. I'm going to get to see Vera! Then she'll be back home and we'll all be together again by the time the babies arrive. Oh, yeah!

But I should have known by then that we Ace Attorneys rarely have lives that go as we plan them. If I had taken the time to consider the experiences of Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth I might have been smart enough to realize this, but it is only in hindsight that I can recognize how naïve I was to believe that I had everything all figured out. While in many ways my future turned out how I wished it would, I had no idea how bumpy a road I'd be taking to get to my happy ending or just how much road was still ahead of me.

Risenfromash: A couple more author's notes. The next story will be a one-shot of comedic nature titled The Death of Henry the Magnificent. I have at least one other story to write before Vera's return. Also, during the time of her absence is when Polly's Secret takes place. It is an interlocking story I wrote, but since it is not first-person Apollo Justice I don't consider it officially part of the arc. Also, it has more Trolly overtones than my first-person Polly stories.

You will notice that in the last chapter Apollo references Edgeworth. I have a couple half written stories about Nick's bachelor party and events at Nick and Maya's wedding in which Apollo gets to know Miles and Franziska, who yes are an item in my version of things. Hopefully, I'll get those posted soon, but suffice it to say that Apollo has met Edgeworth by this point and considers him a friend.