Risenfromash: This was one of the first stories I wrote about Franny and Edgey and I see it as fairly early in their relationship…I thought I had some stuff in here about how he felt so great about having her on his arm which is hilarious because they always did stuff like this together before they were "together together", but I actually don't think it's in here…weird…

~xxxx~

Franziska and Miles became encircled by a group of fellow concertgoers. Franziska's elegant fingers tickled Miles palm sending little tingles up his arm. Neither one of them was particularly comfortable in these social situations, but they had been trained in what were the acceptable ways to behave and they succumb to the standards with a sigh.

"Miles Edgeworth and Franziska von Karma so nice to see you two. It has been too long."

Miles smiled, but Franziska knew it wasn't his real smile. It was, in fact, more of a grimace, but Meredith Parker was either too daft to recognize it for what it really was or she received that kind of greeting so often she was used to it.

"Hello, Ms. Parker." Franziska said.

"You are both looking delightful this evening, but Franziska when are you going to give that Mr. Elliott Van Buren a call? I know he's quite taken with you."

Franziska rolled her eyes and gave her whip squeeze. "I have no interest."

"Well, you wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea about you and your brother."

"How kind of you, Meredith, but I don't think they'll get the wrong idea."

Miles smiled and wiggled his fingers in her hand in a way that reminded Franziska of the way his tongue twirled in her pussy when they made love. She had the sneaky suspicion that this was his intention. He despised Meredith Parker and her conservative views. Once when he and Franziska were ranting to one another about how irritating Ms. Parker was he had gone so far as to refer to her as a "redneck" in better clothes.

"Well, Christina Johnson has more sense than you. Did you see the gentleman she's here with? He's some kind of a botanist. Quite fetching really."

"That's nice for her. I'm sure she'll find it nice to get you off her back."

Miles smirked.

"Now if you would please be so kind as to allow Miles and me to take our seats we would appreciate it."

Meredith Parker was aghast at Miss von Karma's behavior. "Miles, what has gotten into your sister?"

"I'm so sorry. She is merely expressing the feelings I keep silent. I prefer not to listen to gossip. I'm here for the entertainment that is on stage only."

Franziska tipped her head and allowed Edgeworth to pull her toward the entrance to the theatre.

"I can't stand that woman." Miles muttered. "What was that crap about us?"

"Oh, she's just trying to get more juicy gossip or get you to come out of the closet or something. You know her. She's the worst kind of fool. She has nothing interesting ever happen to her so she always has to meddle in other people's personal affairs." Franziska stretched her whip and was about to raise it above her head, but Miles leaned in and whispered in his lover's ear, "If she weren't such an obnoxious person I'd suggest we give her something to talk about."

Franziska's hands lowered the whip and a hint of a smile graced her thin lips. Miles knew how to make everything better. She stood there for a brief moment reveling in the joy her lover brought her. He quickly glanced around and brought the opera's program near the side of her head as though he was once again going to whisper to her, but instead he ran his tongue up and down her ear. She smiled knowing the program was shielding his naughtiness from the prying eyes around them in the theater. Then she proceeded down the aisle to their row but suddenly froze.

"I…I…don't feel well. I need to go to the ladies' room." She whirled around almost colliding with him in her haste to leave the aisle way.

"…Alright. I'll meet you at our seats."

Miles found their seats and tried to get comfortable, but without his sister's companionship he found it difficult. An uneasy feeling was settling in his gut. Franziska had seemed fine earlier in the evening. Perhaps, she had suddenly fallen ill, but it wasn't like her to be so vague with him. He figured he ought to go check on her. They might need to skip the opera if she really was that sick.

Miles went and stood outside the ladies' lounge in hopes that Franziska would step out if she indeed needed to go home. Many finely dressed women walked out and he politely tipped his head at each of them. The opera house blinked their lights to signal the production would soon begin, but still he had not seen Miss von Karma step out.

A middle-aged woman in a black and white sequin top and a black skirt hustled out of the restroom and Miles stopped her.

"Pardon me, but I think my sister is in there still. Did you see her? I'm worried something might be wrong."

The woman blinked and thought for a moment. "I'm sorry. I didn't notice. I thought I was the last one out."

"Well, thank you. I must be mistaken. Sorry to have detained you."

Miles sighed. Where could she have gone? Maybe she went outside to get some fresh air? It wasn't like her to vanish. If anything she liked attention. Suddenly, he had a horrible vision of her being mugged. He shook his head. His Franziska was very capable of taking care of herself. She was no damsel in distress, besides she had a weapon with her, but she might have fainted or something. He could imagine that happening, but she'd eaten dinner…more than likely she had just gotten some crazy notion to ditch him. That Elliott Van Buren better not be flirting with her Miles thought and found himself stunned by his jealousy.

He paced around for a few more minutes wondering what to do and when no one else emerged from the restroom he walked up to the door and knocked. There was no response and so he said, "I'm coming in. I'm just looking for someone, don't worry." He stepped into the first chamber of the ladies' room. It was a lounge with big comfy chairs for ladies' to sit in while they chatted. Miles sighed. They had nothing so nice in the men's room and this answered for him the age-old question of why the women were always so slow when they came in here.

"Franziska? Franziska are you here?" He walked into the next room that was the actual toilet portion of the facility. He leaned his head down to look for occupants in the stalls, but this room also appeared empty. Damn! He started to think that perhaps Franziska had already returned to her seat while he'd been waiting outside the women's room. He'd feel like an idiot if she were sitting in the performance wondering where he was while he was in the ladies room wondering where she was. She was probably thinking what a fool he was right now!

The opera was beginning now and he turned in disappointment realizing he wouldn't be able to get seated until the next scene change and still wondering if perhaps he should conduct a more thorough search for her. What if she were outside?

Turning from the bathroom he began to head out when he heard a familiar sound or thought he did. With the opera being piped in over the sound system it was difficult, but he could have sworn he heard the sound of Franziska stretching her whip in between her hands. He blinked and wondered how he could have missed her. Surely it was his imagination. No one else was here…but then he heard it again. He was sure he heard it. He was very good at recognizing that sound. It was Franziska. It had to be.

"Franziska?"

The sound abruptly stopped and he charged over toward the corner it seemed to be coming from. One stall appeared empty but he had this feeling that he should examine it more closely and so he placed his hand on the door and instead of it falling open it hit something or someone.

Then the sound got louder.

"Leave me alone, fool. You don't belong in the ladies' room. You don't really belong in the mens' room, either." She sounded very distraught so Miles ignored her insult.

"Darling, what's wrong. Are you sick? I'll take you home."

"I'm fine. I just need to be alone for a while."

"Ok…." Miles stood on the outside of the bathroom stall trying to remember any other time Franziska had behaved this strangely. Most average people would consider her behavior odd any day with the way she choose to vent her frustrations with her whip, but Miles was very used to that. He had even grown to find it rather erotic, but this was definitely abnormal.

"Did I do something to upset you?"

"No, Miles." She said with exasperation. She was so tired of him thinking he was the only person who could affect her mood.

"Did that stupid woman say something?"

Franziska laughed. "Which stupid woman? There are a lot here."

Then Miles laughed.

"Of course, I'm the stupidest one of all…but you're stupider you've been looking forward to this show for weeks. Why are you in here?"

"Because I'm trying to use logic to figure out why you're in here hiding from me and it isn't working. So how about you just tell me what's bothering you so I don't feel like such a poor investigator."

Franziska sighed and Miles saw her shoes fall to the floor. She must have been sitting on the toilet rim barefoot so he wouldn't know she was there.

"I don't want you to see me like this."

"I could close my eyes, I guess." But he didn't. Instead, he watched as Franziska emerged from behind the door. Her whip was clutched so tightly in her hands that her knuckles were white. The makeup that she had worn to make her eyes the focal point of her face was now all streaked and her lipstick was smeared no longer giving her lips the luscious appeal they had earlier.

She walked over to the sink barefoot. Miles picked up her shoes for her and followed.

"What happened to you?"

"Miles, he's here."

"Who?"

"The man who raped me. He's the botanist Meredith was going on about."

Miles felt his body tense as anger began to course through him. He had never thought he would see the individual who had so vilely betrayed his sister's trust, but he was here! At the opera with them! And just the sight of him had reduced his sister to this. He couldn't bear to imagine how she must have been right after the "incident," as she chose to refer to it.

"I'll kill him!" Miles shouted.

"No, you can't do that." Franziska said gripping her brother's arm. "He's served his time. He's a free man now. I was just…surprised…to see him again. So, I came here to compose myself."

Franziska pulled her brother's arm around her and placed her head on the nape of his neck.

"And I heard several of the ladies talking about him. They were saying how handsome he is…and how smart he is…" Franziska's voice was cracking and the hand on her whip was tremoring as if she was having some kind of seizure. "And I mentioned that hadn't he been convicted of some kind of sex crime…and you know what they said?" She clamped her jaw together and gritted her teeth angrily.

Miles shook his head feeling like whatever they had to say he wasn't going to approve of it.

"They said that it was no big deal because it was just some stupid servant girl who was probably asking for it and I only care because I'm a prosecutor and, therefore, 'maniacally obsessed with passing judgment on others.'" Franziska was shaking with rage and Miles was trying to steady her, but he wasn't a lot more stable. He had never heard words so hurtful. They hurt the person he loved and they hurt him. They demeaned their values, their purpose, their profession and all these things Miles cared about a great deal.

They were both crying, but he kissed the top of her head and said, "Just because people come to the opera doesn't make them smart and what they said just goes to show how dumb they really are."

Franziska reached up and touched his face. "You're not going to try to be some hero are you?"

Miles took a deep breath. "Of course not. You're right. He has served his time and despite the fabrication of some of the details I suppose I must believe that he could have reformed himself."

"Good. I don't want a scene and I don't want anyone to know what Papa did."

Miles nodded. Franziska would do anything to keep the family name in good standing. He was shocked that she wasn't worried that his relationship with her would soil it.

Franziska looked at her messed up makeup and sighed. There'd be no fixing that. She snarled at her reflection.

"UURGH! I hate him. I hate him!" And she unfurled her whip and let it loose and it accidentally hit Miles hard.

"Oh my! Oh, little brother! I'm so sor-"

But her brother had already wrapped his arms around her again and was kissing her so passionately she forgot how horrible she looked or that the man who had stolen her virginity was inside the theatre enjoying the opera her and Miles were supposed to be watching. Instead, she just felt how much she loved him and how good they were together. Her hands tugged at the back of his suit jacket and her lips drug themselves across his face.

"I love you." She said and he found himself so wishing they were not in a public restroom because all he really wanted to do was make her pain go away. He wanted to make love to her slowly and gently till she grew tired of it and whipped him till he bled.

She reached down and rubbed at him through his pants.

"Oh, God, I want you." She said her hands untucking his shirt and sliding down his pants.

"Let's get out of here," he suggested.

"But you want to see the opera. You've been looking forward to it."

"We can come another night."

Franziska thought about this.

"Miles, I'll take a cab home and you watch the show and then when we get home we can have some fun."

Miles didn't want Franziska to be alone, but he wanted to do something so he nodded.

"Fine. As long as you promise me you'll not spend all night crying."

Franziska wiped her eyes.

"Fool! What are you talking about von Karma's never cry?"

"Alright, love, but please wait up for me. I'd be heartbroken to sleep alone tonight."

"What makes you think you'll be sleeping? We don't work tomorrow. You're going to be working me over all night long."

Miles smiled. "Alright, it's a deal, my darling. Come with me." He took Franziska's hand and they stepped out a side exit of the theatre and Miles found a waiting cab.

"Please, take my lady friend home and I wouldn't try to pad your fare if I were you. She has a whip and she'll use it if you don't take the quickest and most direct route."

The cabby's eyes got wide with fear and it delighted Franziska who kissed Miles goodbye and whispered in his ear, "I can hardly wait for that tongue to kiss me between my legs."

Miles felt little tingles shout through his body, but he told himself he needed to stay. They would be together again very soon. He helped her step into the cab and waved goodbye to her before returning to the opera house.

Shortly after Franziska left in the cab there was a scene change and an usher equipped with a flashlight was able to escort Edgeworth to his seat. The opera was fantastic, but he was too distracted to take pleasure in it. He was formulating a plan. He had some decisions to make. He had meant what he said to Franziska. The man had done time for his crime, but it disgusted him that the man was back here hobnobbing with the rich and famous as if taking advantage of a young girl was no big deal. What a pig! Miles tried to steady his careening thoughts. Perhaps the man had been young and impulsive…but it had been a premeditated act. You don't impulsively drug someone. He had known what he was doing. He had chosen his victim carefully and… Miles stomach turned. It was best not to think of exactly what this man had done to his sister.

By the time the lights came up for intermission Miles had decided what to do. He scanned the lobby for Meredith Parker and laughed to himself. This would surely be the only time in his life he would be looking for that horrible woman.

"Aw, Miles! Where is Franziska?"

"She fell ill and has gone home. I believe something she ate must not have agreed with her."

"Such a shame! I wanted to introduce her to Klaus Hildebrandt."

"Is that the man you were mentioning earlier, the botanist…did you say?"

"Yes, I figure if it doesn't work out with him and Kristine he would be great with your sister."

Miles growled and the anger filled stare he gave Meredith made her draw back.

"Or perhaps not."

"Not. My sister is seeing someone."

"Oh! I'm sorry I didn't know. You must tell me! Is it serious?"

"Yes, very serious." Edgeworth was surprised by the finality with which he spoke. Would this twit realize? Aw, what did it matter? "Where is this Mr. Hildebrandt? I'd like to meet him myself."

"Well, I saw Kristine and Klaus walking toward the restrooms, I think."

"Excellent."

And before Meredith could further question the prosecutor he was gone weaving through the crowd. And then he saw them. Kristine was a tall brunette with long sexy legs she was showing off in what Edgeworth felt was a dress unsuitably short for after dark. Klaus was dressed smartly in a tuxedo and held onto her arm as they too navigated the throng of audience members all trying to get to the restrooms or purchase a glass of wine before the intermission was over.

He saw the couple part ways by the restrooms and he walked in to the restroom in time to find Mr. Vanderbilt at the urinal. Miles walked up to him and invaded that space bubble all men have when using a urinal.

"Excuse me. Are you Mr. Klaus Vanderbilt?"

"Yeah, um. Can I do something for you?" The other man's eyebrows were raised at Miles' breach of men's room etiquette.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you would meet me outside."

Klaus grunted and shrugged. "What's this about?"

"A private matter."

Miles stood outside the restroom and when Klaus came out Miles led him to the stairwell.

"What is this about? Because I'm no queer if that's what you-"

Miles bristled at the man's choice of words, but he did not allow himself to become distracted from his mission.

"No, this is about Franziska von Karma."

Mr. Hildebrandt's eyes got large. So, he did remember her by name.

"I know what happened and I understand you served your time, but I also know that Emily was older, Franziska was just sixteen. If the judge had known the truth he would have locked you up for longer. I wish he had and thrown away the key."

"Wait! I know who you are you're that brother of hers."

"Yes, and I'm your new shadow. You take one step out of line and I'll ensure you go back to jail. Understood?"

"I'm not scared of you."

"Well, you should be." And Miles punched Klaus in the stomach so hard he gagged. "I'm also her lover."

Miles Edgeworth walked away leaving Mr. Vanderbilt clutching his stomach. Miles would have liked to do more, but he knew Franziska was right. There were laws and he had already wasted too much of his evening on the swine. Franziska was waiting for him and she was much more important and much more deserving of his attention.

~xxxx~

When Miles got home he went directly to Franziska's room but instead he found her in his bed drinking a massive cup of hot cocoa.

"You're home early."

"You're in my bed."

"Why are you home early?"

"The opera was horrible. The soprano screeched. I couldn't stand it."

"Fool! You lie."

"I'm sorry. Would you rather I say that I couldn't wait to come ravage you?"

"Yes." A little smile spread upon her lips that were resting on her mug of chocolate.

"Well, then there you go."

He started to undress and tossed his tuxedo on a chair.

Franziska sat her drink on his bed stand and the blankets feel from her body reveling that she was already undressed. She began to crawl like a cat in heat over to the end of the bed, her bottom suggestively lifted into the air. Miles smiled as she turned around presenting herself to him. He reached for her hips and standing at the foot of the bed rubbed himself against her. She threw her head back and spread her legs wider bringing her ass even closer to him. He slid into her and her feet tensed and twirled as he pushed in and out. She arced herself against him and he slid his hands up her body so as she moved her breasts brushed against his hands. She curved her spine causing him to rub her in one her most sensitive areas and she started thrashing, but Miles hugged her so that she couldn't slip off of him as her body lurched about. He kissed the back of her neck and lapped at her earlobe with his tongue. She yowled with pleasure.

"Miles, oh, Miles!"

"This is much better than the stupid opera any day," he whispered in her ear and the heat of his breath made her even more excited. Somehow feeling his speech made it so much more real. Miles hugged her to him and began thrusting into her more rapidly and he felt warm heat building inside of her. She was like some kind of oven down there and he was stoking the fire. She was so hot in every way he could think of.

Franziska moaned as his seed shot into her with such incredible force it made him think of the ferocity with which he had punched Klaus. Thinking of what that man had done to Franziska was so disturbing Miles found himself distracted from the passionate embrace he was currently engaged in. Visions of Franziska's teenage body limp from chemical intoxicants kept popping into his mind. He saw her helplessly being used as a plaything by Klaus who had tricked her into believing he loved her when all he wanted was to use her. Miles felt a tear run down his cheek so he quickly pulled one of his hands from his lover's breasts and wiped it away before it fell onto her and gave him away.

He mustn't let Franziska know he felt sorry for her. That would only upset her. She had focused her energy on moving past her victimization and being successful in spite of the trauma. Who was Miles to dredge up how awful what had happened to her truly was?

He felt tired. It had been a very emotionally trying evening. Franziska flopped down face first onto the bed and crawled forward and over giving Miles room to come lie next to her. He did so and as he panted he thought just how amazingly wonderful she was. He also thought that he felt about two hundred degrees and wondered how on earth Franziska could once again be sipping at hot cocoa.

But her hot cocoa wasn't the only thing she had grabbed off the nightstand. Resting on her bare thigh was her whip. Miles saw it and a wave of arousal ran through him. Franziska placed her mug back on the nightstand and turned to face her lover. She sat very erect. Her legs folded under her with her knees spread. Miles studied her body as she picked up the whip.

"Miles, darling. Sit up."

He obliged her by sitting up with his back to her. She leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "Good. Now you and I need to have a little talk." He could feel the leather of her rolled up whip brushing against his back and he knew that soon he'd be feeling its sting.

Franziska pulled back and held her whip above her head.

"Now, dear brother, tell me what you did to Klaus."

Edgeworth's twisted his torso so his eyes could meet his sister's.

"Eyes front little brother and I expect the truth. I know there is no way you sent me home alone simply to watch the opera. You did something and I want to know what. NOW!"

The snap of her whip bit into Miles skin and he jumped a little.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

CRACK across his back again came her whip.

"Miles Edgeworth, you are a terrible liar."

She snapped the whip in her hands preparing it for her next swing, and Miles sighed. He should have known that his sister would see through his lame excuses. She was brilliant, after all.

"I spoke with him and I allowed him to know the great distaste I have for him."

"And-"

"I punched him."

"Did you make a scene?"

"No. I met with him in private. No one else will know unless he says something."

"How'd you get him alone?"

"Would you believe me if I said I think he mistakenly thought I found him attractive?"

Franziska laughed.

"I know. Even if he wasn't a rapist he still wouldn't be my type."

"Oh?"

"Yes, he's not enough of a scoundrel. The whole fake gentleman routine doesn't do it for me. Besides which he's a narrow-minded cretin. He called me 'queer'." His face scrunched up and his nostrils flared recalling the comment. It was distasteful to Miles not because of the man's appraisal of his sexuality, but the way he had said it as though it was something to be ashamed of, something dirty and disgraceful when in reality it was people like Klaus who were the real disgrace on mankind.

"Oh, brother, I'm sorry. What a fool he is. You're obviously bisexual." She giggled.

"Well, he knows that now." Miles muttered.

There was a long moment of silence before Franziska spoke.

"And why, my dear brother, would he know that?" She asked through clenched teeth.

"Because I told him about us."

Three lashes came across his back like staccato music notes. He gritted his teeth. Surely, those would bleed.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I didn't want him to think you were still without love and I wanted him to know just how very lucky he was that I wasn't dismembering him. I'm sorry, Franziska. I know we must keep our faith in the courts, but I believe he got off too light and I will see that he goes back before the judge for any future transgression."

The only sound in the room was the gentle snapping and stretching of leather. It seemed that Franziska was digesting what he had told her.

"Franziska, I love you. I'm sorry your father made you carry this burden alone, but I hope…now…we can share it." Miles turned around and knocked her over with his passionate embrace and she found herself still clutching her whip under his body as he mashed his lips into hers.

She tried to say something, but the aggression of his lips silenced her as he probed at her with his cock and finally found his way in. Franziska had not expected any of this and lay there with her arms pinned under his muscular chest feeling him thrusting into her and his lips wildly tugging and playing with hers and she let out a little squawk of surprise that he found adorable and he plunged still deeper into her. She tried to slide out from under him, but she was pinned and so she was forced to receive his entire length and her eyes rolled back in their sockets as he rubbed against the walls of her furthest depths. Their lips broke as he felt the need to groan with pleasure and she managed to speak.

"You…mmm..are..supposed …to…be…being…punish..ed!"

He pulled partially out and whispered in her ear, "Sorry, my lady. I forgot," he said as he slammed into her.

Franziska growled and managed to free one of her pinned arms and threw it around him and rolled him onto his back never allowing herself to disconnect from him. Freedom was not what she was seeking. She wanted control. She seated herself on him and took charge of the rhythm of their lovemaking by guiding her pelvis up and down him and bending in ways that made them both feel incredible amounts of pleasure. The frequency of her movements quickened and she began panting and then the panting grew faster and faster still. She could hear Miles murmuring how good he felt inside her. And then she found even the slightest movement was giving her such intense pleasure she succumb to the overwhelming ecstasy and screamed his name and howled as she grinded herself up and down him a few more times before collapsing on top of him.

She fell asleep and woke with a start to find Miles asleep under her. She poked his shoulder with his finger and his eyes opened ever so slightly. Seeing her so close to him made him smile a drowsy, lazy smile and his hand reached up to get some of her hair out of her face. He looked at her with the eyes of one infected with lovesickness. She was everything he had ever dreamed of and they were here together with their entire bodies pressed against one another not a stitch of clothing or inch of air between them. It was heaven.

Franziska felt annoyed. While the sex they had just had was mind-boggling pleasurable Miles had weaseled his way out of finishing what was an important discussion. Franziska made a mental note that in future she would not have important conversations with him while naked. It gave him an unfair advantage.

"Miles Edgeworth, don't think we're done talking about what happened."

He sighed. "I don't see what more there is to say. I threatened him and I know that isn't what you said you wanted, but for once I had to do what I wanted. Besides, I think it is what you really wanted. In fact, deep down inside I think both you and I wish I would have killed him."

Franziska did wish this and she thought it was a horrible basal wish that made her no better than the criminals she prosecuted. Miles looked at her.

"You needn't be ashamed of your anger, darling and I'll take whatever punishment you feel I deserve- now that I've had my fun."

Franziska considered this, but she saw no point and simply kissed him and said, "I'm sleeping here, tonight." She closed her eyes. Miles spooned himself against her and kissing her shoulder told her good night and was asleep within minutes.