EPISODE 16

Part X

The City Club benefit dinner was the big society ball of the year and even as teenagers Miles and Franziska had attended as it was virtually a requirement to do so if you were part of the upper tier of German society. In fact, the pair had attended together so many times that no one found it odd when in recent years the siblings had begun to dance exclusively with one another or seemed to steal away to darker corners as lovers would. Miles and Franziska knew that the rich were allowed more eccentricities than "normal" people and therefore while at the gala they had never working too hard to hide their obvious affection for one another.

Last year, Miles hadn't gone because Franziska was away working with Interpol and he hadn't had the desire to attend without her companionship, but this year he was making himself uphold the time honored von Karma tradition even though he would no longer be escorting Ms von Karma. Instead, it would be Joshua Walker on his arm washing away any remaining doubt in the eyes of society watcher's about Prosecutor Edgeworth's orientation and the nature of his relationship with that American defense attorney no one seemed to remember the name of.

The hotel that hosted the annual event was always luxurious, but it was done up even more lavishly than usual so much so that even Miles' flashy sports car blended right in when he pulled up to the red carpet. Edgeworth handed the car keys to the valet as Joshua accidentally bashed one of the attendants with the car door. Josh wasn't used to having people open the door for him and even after six months as the boyfriend of a rich debutante he still found some things novel about the lifestyle. Miles laughed as Josh apologized over and over again to the hotel employee he had hit, asking him if he was ok and was he sure he wasn't going to have a nasty bruise. Finally, Miles walked over and ordered Josh to be quiet and to give him his hand.

Josh smiled at this handsome man offering him his hand. Miles Edgeworth was like a prince in a fairy tale and Josh was confident that his sister would use Miles as yet another example that all the really good guys were gay.

"Sorry. I'm not used to this. You sure that guy's ok?" Miles nodded. "He's fine, Josh. Don't worry."

Joshua was still frazzled. "Do I look ok?" He asked while attempting to smooth his uncontrollable curls.

"You look amazing, Joshua," Miles whispered to him and Josh blushed. He knew Miles was not a man who said something he didn't mean.

As they entered the ballroom Miles half wished it were an even more formal affair so their names would be announced as they walked in. Miles thought that when their named were said together they had a cadence and rhythm like a song or a poem. "Joshua Walker and Miles Edgeworth," the names echoed pleasantly in his mind.

Joshua crinkled his nose as he looked over the ballroom. Most of the attendees were older society men and their trophy wives and the band sounded like their previous gig had been recording music for elevators. It wasn't quite the fairy tale ball he had envisioned. "You come to this lame thing every year?"

"Unfortunately," Miles said.

"Why exactly?"

"The money goes to a good cause and the police chief's wife is on the board. If you work in criminal justice in Germany you come every year, assuming you know what's good for you."

"You ever heard of just writing a check, Ometers? Why do you rich folks always have to make everything an event?"

Miles raised his eyebrows. "Would you rather I left you at home?"

"Am I complaining too much?" Joshua asked innocently.

"Yes. Franziska and I have survived this affair every year we've been in Germany. You can, too."

Joshua did not appreciate this apparent comparison to Miles' former lover, but said nothing. It seemed that Franziska was so much a part of Edgeworth's life it was impossible for them to make it through a day without the mention of her and every time Miles said her name Josh had an odd sense of foreboding. Edgeworth really needed to get over her. Miles' relationship with his sister continued to hang over them despite the fact they had been together for six months now.

"Besides, networking is good for your career."

"Miles, the only thing that would help my career is for you and Franziska to move back to America." Edgeworth caught a hint of bitterness in Joshua's tone.

"Joshua, don't blame us. We aren't the only prosecutors in the district."

Josh continued to grumble. "All I know is the more I go up against you two the more I wonder if Phoenix Wright really did forge evidence."

"He didn't."

"You say that, but are you sure?"

"Yes, and you would be too if you met him. He's just damned lucky. There's a guardian angel watching out for him, I swear." Josh's eyes met Miles, his mouth opening to say something, but Miles beat him to it. "Straight as an arrow. I told you before."

Josh grinned. "Then maybe I'm the lucky one. I know how much you love defense attorneys."

"Why did I ever admit to you…?" but Miles knew why he'd confessed his affection for the world famous now-disgraced lawyer. It was because he loved Josh and he made Miles feel very safe and comfortable even while admitting such embarrassing things as his one-sided affection for his former best friend.

Edgeworth sometimes wondered what Phoenix would think if he found out that his old friend and courtroom rival was with a man now, a man who admittedly had some obvious similarities to Wright. But Miles knew that really the two weren't much alike. Phoenix was so insecure. Miles was confident he still hadn't come to terms with his feelings for Maya, but Josh, Josh was a man who knew what he wanted. Miles felt a thrill overtake him knowing that he was the object of this man's affection and that undoubtedly by night's end Josh would once again be telling him so.

"Oh, Lord! Jude and Fredric are here." Joshua groaned. The two were a gay couple that fancied themselves as activists, but were so obnoxious that both Miles and Joshua were sure they did more to harm the gay rights movement than to help it.

Miles scanned the room madly in search of the two and then he saw them. Jude was in a bright pink leisure suit and Frederic was in a green and orange monstrosity.

"And they say gay men have good taste," Miles commented.

Josh frowned. "Those two will do just about anything for attention. Quick. Over here. Maybe they won't see us. Otherwise they'll try to get us to go to one of their damned meetings. They love committee meetings almost as much as you rich people." Joshua said winking at Miles.

"For your information I serve on no committees and I can't stand meetings, but I think I'd rather gouge my eyes out than listen to them talk all night about their agenda." Miles had great respect for true activists, but he agreed with Joshua's assessment that these two men were nothing but self-important "yahoos."

Joshua temporarily left Miles in order to get them drinks from the bar giving Miles time to survey the scene. In addition to Jude and Fredric he spotted several society people he desperately wanted to avoid and he marveled that Joshua was right. Why exactly did he come to thing every year? Every person here he was acquainted with he didn't actually like, but then again he was not a people person. He sighed. Somehow this used to be more fun…

He was pondering what made it different this year when he saw his sister on the other side of the room. She appeared to be unaccompanied, but it was obvious she would have no trouble finding men willing to pay attention to her, as she looked dazzling. Her dress was made of a dark blue fabric embedded with some kind of shimmering material and it was cut in such a way that when she moved it reminded him of the night sky. There was no denying she was looking absolutely gorgeous.

"Here you go, Ometers. What's so interesting? Oh." Joshua realized the subject of his lover's gaze and frowned. "She looks nice, doesn't she?"

Miles shook himself out of the transfixed gaze he was in. "Yes, she does."

Joshua handed him a cocktail that had several cherries on the top and a slice of orange in the glass. Miles made a face. "What the hell is this, Joshua?"

"It's your drink."

"Just because I'm a fruit, doesn't mean I need fruity, girly drinks."

Joshua shrugged. "Quit complaining. Everybody likes sex on the beach. It's good."

Miles grumbled and took a sip of the drink through the bendy straw that had come with it and found that it was incredibly good, but he hid his smile. He couldn't let Joshua know he had picked well, at least not yet.

Joshua and Miles mingled with coworkers from the courthouse and drank more fruit drinks, this time without complaints from Edgeworth, but both men were careful not to cross to the other side of the room where Franziska seemed to be spending most of her time. As Miles and Joshua strode away from the bar with more cocktails a man approached them as though on a mission. Edgeworth looked behind him wondering what this man he barely knew would want with him and fearing ever so slightly that this man might have a problem with him and Joshua, a problem that Miles would be more than happy to take the man outside to straighten out.

"Prosecutor Edgeworth right?"

Miles nodded. "I'm sorry I don't recall your name." Miles recognized the man as a police officer of high rank, but he was someone he rarely dealt with directly and with his mind dulled from the mix of vodka, peach schnapps, and arousal he wasn't able to think of it.

"Holden Grant, Police Lieutenant upper west district. Three away from captain." The man barked out his credentials like he was in the army. "I was wondering is your sister seeing anyone?" Holden's eyes had found Franziska across the room and were following her as she made her way through the crowd.

Miles swallowed. "No. Not that I-"

Josh elbowed him. "Miles, did you forget? She's seeing that taekwon-do instructor."

Miles looked at Joshua incredulously and Josh shrugged and proceeded to speak directly to Lieutenant Holden. "Oh, maybe he didn't know. Sorry, Lieutenant Grant, but I think it's serious."

Holden grunted and walked off.

Miles turned to face his boyfriend. Why would Josh know something like that about Franziska that he didn't know? And why would she have come alone if she were seeing someone? Miles' instincts told him this warranted further questioning.

"What the hell was that?"

Joshua grinned. "A white lie."

"A white lie? Why? What exactly are you playing at?"

"She's still your sister and that guy is a douche bag."

Miles found this an extremely flimsy excuse. He knew the man and while he was definitely far from one of Miles favorite people he wouldn't go so far as to call the man names.

Miles snorted in understanding. "You think I still have feelings for her."

"Hun, I know you still have feelings for her." Joshua said matter-of-factly.

Miles jaw opened to voice his confusion. "But-"

"I'm not saying you don't love me, but you're still hung up on her and I'm not sure one ever gets over the emotional trauma of breaking up with their own sister." Joshua paused. He hadn't wanted to start a fight. He tried to think of how to lighten the mood. He never liked to see Miles upset. "Fortunately, I have little experience in the matter of incest." Josh said jokingly.

"Oh, for the last time. She's not-"

"Really your sister biologically…yeah, yeah. I got it the first thousand times you made the excuse."

Miles was annoyed.

"Don't be mad. You'd be mad if that guy went home with Franziska. It's ok. We all would be. He's a dick. He thinks he's hot shit. He fancies himself on some police drama. Do you remember how he treated you and I during the Vanderberg case?"

With reluctance, the silver haired prosecutor nodded. He had sensed a distinctly homophobic vibe from him then. At the time he thought it was just his own awkwardness at being newly out-of-the-closet, but he had felt the same thing upon the man's approach tonight. Maybe Joshua was right. Franziska didn't belong with a man who had such a narrow-mind. Were it not for the deeply ingrained teachings of the von Karma family Franziska would have most certainly chosen to have a live and let live approach to life, especially when it came to people's bedroom antics.

Still, Miles wished Franziska had a date. She needed someone to dance with and order to get for her her favorite drink. Surely, she could have found someone to accompany her. Miles felt guilty seeing her alone and while it had been entirely her choice to some stag he felt like she would have been having more fun if she had a friend with her. Even from across the room Miles could tell that the smile on her face was a fake placed there more as an accessory to her stunning outfit than as an actual expression of her mood and Miles found himself with the strong desire to see her real smile once again even if he had to put it there himself.

He wondered if perhaps he should invite her to have a drink with him and Joshua, because even though they broke up they were family. She was his sister and he would never stop caring about her, but before Miles could make up his mind as to whether the idea of having Joshua and Franziska together as his drinking companions was a sweet altruistic compassionate move or a ridiculously stupid one he realized that Jude and Frederic had spotted him and Josh.

Miles abandoned his thoughts of his sister and groaned.

"We could make a run for it," Josh suggested, but Miles shook his head. He had been too well trained in the ways of polite society to be able to do that, much as it would have pleased him. "No. They've seen us. Here's the plan. We make polite conversation until they say "queer" for the fifth time. After that, I'll fake a migraine and we're done."

"Good idea."

"It's not mine. It's Franziska's except with her it's menstrual cramps."

"You can fake those? You're quite the thespian." Joshua teased his lover knowing full well what Miles had meant.

"Shut up, Loser Boy." Joshua beamed. He did so loved when Miles called him that.

"AAAWWW! Miles Edgeworth and Joshua Walker two of my favorite queers! How are you this fine evening?"

Miles saw Joshua mouth the word, "One" and he almost blew his drink out his nose. At this rate they'd be leaving the party in the next thirty seconds.

"Fine. We were just enjoying the quiet."

"Quiet! But this is a party! Don't let all these blasted conservatives bring you down. Josh, I just read some of Greg's latest works. They're amazing!"

Miles rolled his eyes. Since when was discussing someone's ex-boyfriend socially acceptable? Joshua was right. They should have run for the door. These guys had no class.

"Oh, Miles you are so good looking in that suit! You should wear it on New Year's Eve or come in your birthday suit. That's what Jude's going to do."

Miles normally didn't find the image of a man's body repulsive, but in this case he found it almost gag-inducing. He forced himself to swallow and then take a deep breath. He hoped that Joshua would signal him when his migraine was supposed to start, because Miles was determined to block out the rest of Jude and Fredric's inane banter. They were fools. Miles smirked realizing how much he sounded like Franziska.

He scanned around the room in an attempt to locate her. She was playing the part of a wallflower sipping a large glass of white wine and standing on the periphery of the dance floor. He felt the urge to ask her to dance. She shouldn't be alone. She spent far too much time alone these days and she was beautiful. Someone should be dancing with her.

Miles saw a gentleman approach; someone he didn't know and he felt relief that she would have a companion for the evening. He never liked to think of her alone. It seemed such an injustice for one who was robbed of their childhood to than have to spend their adulthood so isolated from companionship. He began to smile as he saw Franziska place her drink on one of the high tables so that she could take the man's hand. Miles was proud of her; she wasn't even clutching her whip tightly. The two walked together hand in hand to the dance floor, and Miles was about to turn his gaze back to the garishly dressed gay men in front of him when he saw the man's hand come to rest on Franziska's waist and he felt a rush of anger.

He took a deep breath and tried to reassure himself. He told himself that this man wasn't Klaus the man who had raped her when she was only sixteen. This was just some gentleman who like himself believed no lady should have the indignity of being without a dance partner, but he felt ashamed, because he couldn't deny that mixed within that wave of protective instinct had been something more, an emotion he could only describe as envy. He wasn't only concerned about the worthiness of his sister's dance partner. He was envious of the man. Miles found the logical and illogical portions of his brain fighting with one another. While a part of him tried desperately to pull him back into the here and now and remind him of the wonderful life he had created for himself with Joshua Walker, another part of him was being drawn into the memory of what it had been like to be with Franziska.

He was becoming absorbed by the grace of her movements and her smile, which while only a fake, was still lovelier than most people's real smiles. How could he still have these damned feelings for her? How could he continue to tell Josh he didn't when now he was sure that his boyfriend was correct? Logic was defying him yet again, because he was sure he had no good excuse to being feeling jealous after this long. It had been more than a year since they had truly been together making love and living in their own little fairy tale within the estate. Yet here he was beside his current lover seething with upset that another man had touched her. He wondered if Josh had noticed. Could he play it off as the protective instincts of an older brother? With anyone else he might be able to, but this was Joshua who seemed to be able to peel Miles open and gaze into his very soul. Miles shifted awkwardly. Perhaps bringing Josh to this event had not been the best idea.

"So you'll come?" Squealed Frederic excitedly.

Miles had been paying absolutely no attention to the conversation and had no idea specifically what the man in the pink leisure suit was talking about, but he was sure that any invitation from him was something he and Joshua wanted nothing to do with.

"I'm sorry we'll have to get back to you on that. I actually think Joshua and I are going to be forced to cut the evening short. I'm feeling as though I have a migraine coming on. You're going all blurry on me."

"Oh, you poor dear! My mother gets them something awful. Have them pour you a Coke for the road. The caffeine will do you good," Jude said helpfully and Miles managed a weak smile. His intention had been to fake the migraine, but it seemed that he had jinxed himself as he felt like one might actually be coming on. The stress of having feeling for both Franziska and Joshua was too much. He couldn't choose between them.

Josh grumbled as Miles and he walked away. "Hun, what were you doing back there? I quit counting after the ninth "queer"! Those two are something else, I tell ya."

"I'm sorry. I was distracted."

Josh made a pouty face. "Yeah, I'll bet. Let me guess you started feeling a little protective of Sister."

Miles did not appreciate Joshua's mocking tone. "I'm sorry. I can't help it. Like you said. She is my sister."

"Yes, but you could talk to her. You know, like you promised me you were going to do…let's see…" Joshua pulled out from his pocket his "smart" phone. "A month ago."

"Josh, please tell me you aren't inputting in there every time we fuck."

Joshua laughed. Miles voiced his dislike of Joshua's technological companion at every opportunity insisting it was much more meaningful to use pen and paper to write one's observations and that typing things into a machine failed to allow one to draw logical conclusions.

"No, I don't, but I may as well because I have all our dates on the calendar in here. I wouldn't want to mess up a time and leave you waiting." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as though their romantic evenings were nothing but booty calls. "And according to my calendar, it looks like it has been over a month since you promised me you would speak to your sister in an attempt to get some closure…and you still haven't done it." Joshua's eyes met Miles. He didn't know whether to be compassionate to Miles' confusion or yell at him in frustration.

"Yes…and I believe you threatened to cut me off if I didn't and I don't believe you did that either," Miles said eyebrow raised eyeing Joshua's body with a look of desire.

"Well…that is true." Joshua wasn't really sure what to say at this point. A part of him wished he could remain mad at Miles for his wandering eye, but the rest of him just wanted to hurry home and make love to him. Joshua found Miles difficult to stay mad at.

"I guess I'm weak-willed." He said kissing Miles and Miles found his irritation with his boyfriend fading.

"Whatever. Take me home, Joshua. I have a "migraine"."

Josh's face broke into a wide grin. "I thought you'd never ask." And he wrapped his arm around Miles' waist as they left the party. "You know I know a great form of headache relief. You lay down in a dark room and then I-"

"JOSHUA!"

~xxxx~

Franziska watched as Miles and Joshua kissed. They were trying to be discrete, but they were in love. Franziska knew it; she could see it. She saw it tonight and she saw it whenever they were together. She read it in Defense Attorney Walker's eyes and in the way the corners of Miles mouth would curl up ever so slightly when Josh's name came up in conversation at the courthouse. She could tell by the way Miles and Josh argued like they had always been together.

Franziska thought Miles looked cute trying to restrain his loving impulses because the two were in public. She could see that Joshua, the less inhibited of the pair, would occasionally manage to steal a kiss his lips grazing Miles earlobe as he whispered a secret to his lover.

Franziska was very happy for her brother, but all of this made her wildly jealous of Joshua: jealous of his hands on Miles waist, jealous that he could make Miles get that dreamy, happy look in his eye, and jealous that it was Joshua who now got to share secrets with her brother. She wanted to be Joshua so she could once again be in her brother's arms and be everything Miles needed and wanted in a lover.

Franziska knew she should give the couple their privacy, but she seemed incapable of it. Watching Miles Edgeworth in love was mesmerizing. In all the world, she was convinced that there was not a more perfect example of what a loving and devoted man looked like and when she saw his lips meet Joshua Walker's in a passionate kiss she had to close her eyes for fear she would begin to cry. She desperately hoped that Josh knew how very lucky he was, because Franziska did.

Miles had been entirely and completely hers and she had ruined it. He was more fragile than she had ever realized and she prayed that Walker discovered that before Miles once again had his boundless devotion carelessly trampled upon.

As the pair made their way to the exit she turned back to face the lonely evening at the dull party when she almost collided with a man in the process.

"Oh, excuse me," he said automatically. Then his eyes registered the sight of the alluring beauty before him. "Would you care to dance?" He offered with a bemused expression upon his face.

Franziska didn't feel like dancing or socializing at all, but her brother had moved on with his life. He was happy without her. She should try to make an effort to find someone else, too, though she felt that if she couldn't be with him she would rather be alone. She had been with other people before they had been together and she had found no relationship nearly as meaningful as what she had shared with her brother.

"Sure." She said attempting to hide her lack of enthusiasm. He took her hand and pulled her into an embrace for a slow dance. He introduced himself. He was the cousin of a police officer and he commented that he had not been looking forward to the night, but now dancing with her he felt all the fuss of getting a tuxedo had been worth it.

She wanted to smile. He was flattering her, but the words sounded too much like something Harold would say. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but all she could see in her mind were images of Joshua holding Miles in a loving embrace no doubt soon to make love. She pictured the two handsome men holding one another and she began to feel the need to clutch her whip more tightly. It was then that she felt her dance partner's hands slid down to her butt. He wasn't entirely grabbing, but his hands had clearly strayed more than was gentlemanly. He would probably have blamed alcohol for his behavior had she said something, but she merely opened her eyes and cleared her throat and the man obediently slid his hands upward to her waist.

She continued to dance with him reminding herself that some men were not used to dancing with ladies and were instead more accustomed to bumping and grinding in clubs where the etiquette was quite different. Not all men had been taught what was proper and perhaps the man's hands had slipped, but then she noticed him eyeing her cleavage.

She looked around and she could see many other men eyeing her body and she cursed herself for wearing a dress than revealed so much skin. What had she been thinking? She cursed all men, other than Miles and the other gay men she knew, for looking at her as nothing but a "hottie," a possible conquest. She remembered Harold's words, "I've been wanting to do this with you ever since I met you." How disgusting. Men were such pigs. Thinking only of their dicks and where they could stick them. She pulled away from her dance partner abruptly mid-song.

"But, I didn't catch your name!"

"Sorry, not interested," she barked as she crossed the dance floor toward the exit feeling as though she was a piece of meat and they were all starving coyotes. She wanted to whip every single one of them and chew them all out for their inappropriate behavior. All these men deserved a good scolding, because gentlemen wouldn't behave in such a way. However, Franziska didn't make a scene because she had been raised to understand that a lady shouldn't make a fuss even at a time like this when she felt like the only person she would ever truly love had gone home with someone else and left her alone for the rest of her days…and nights. No, ladies and gentlemen must always strive for perfection even when they are dying on the inside.