Risenfromash: This was a tough chapter and I'm not really happy with it, but oh well. After this it's onto Wright's POV

CHAPTER 3

I consider going to visit Maya and Pearls in Kurain, but I know I'm not who they really want to see and I don't want to talk to them about Phoenix. Besides, Franziska is waiting and I am eager to be back with her. So I book the earliest flight I can to Germany and my new Phoenix-free life. He has chosen not to accept my help and he will have to live with the consequences, just as I will have to live with the knowledge that my aggression has nailed the lid on the coffin of our long-standing friendship.

I try to sleep on the plane, but my thoughts are even more troubled than they were on the flight to America. Now I have answers and they aren't the ones I wanted. I wanted to fix this mess. I wanted things to go back to how they should be. I wanted to get to tell Phoenix about me and my sister. I wanted him to be happy for us.

But instead I feel terrible. I try to analyze why. Is it because I've just hit my best friend? Is it because I once had strong romantic feelings for that man and he has never seen me as anything other than a trusted friend…a trusted friend who just betrayed his trust by punching him? Is it because in spite of my love and devotion for Franziska that I still feel something for him? Not like I do for her…but some strong connection, something that makes my heart feel broken thinking that I'll no longer be a part of his life. Or is it because I didn't tell him about Franziska? Am I disappointed in myself and what would Franziska have wanted me to do?

Damn. I suppose I should have told him. Then he might have understood why I was so upset. Maybe… but I couldn't. I wasn't ready to see the look of betrayal he would give me when I admitted that the person who has awaken me out of my asexual fog was my own sister and his archrival. A woman he has strong dislike for…and not without reason. Franziska has done some terrible things to him and really to me, too, but only because her values have been so misprioritized through years of Manfred's brainwashing. When I finally learned the truth and saw the man for what he was I did want to kill myself. And Franziska she isn't quite where I'm at in terms of accepting the truth, then again Manfred really was her father. It's harder for her. Sometimes I'm amazed she can even stand to have me around when my very presence in her life is evidence of her father's evil intentions.

Yet, Franziska loves me and I love her. Beyond any shadow of doubt…I'm just not ready to admit it to others… not to Wright anyways. Maybe if he were with Maya. Maybe then he would understand that love doesn't always follow the neatly set logical rules we set for ourselves. I needn't be embarrassed. Franziska hasn't told anyone either. The servants don't even know or at least we haven't told them. I'm sure they have their suspicions. Only me and Franziska know and we thought that was all that mattered that we know our true feelings deep down under our shells that formed out of years of trauma, pain, and competition. Truth is we don't have friends. Friends we would probably tell, but we don't have any, at least not in Germany.

That's what's sad. I'm headed back to a country where I've no friends other than the woman I love and she can't even bring herself to say the words "I love you." Not to me not to anyone. Then there's me a pathetic excuse for a human being who can't cry and doesn't know what to do when he sees his lifelong friend breakdown into tears before him. Why couldn't I give him a hug or something? It wasn't like I would put the moves on him…it's just I'm incapable of that kind of closeness with anyone but her. Trucy hugged me and I almost had a coronary.

What a pair Franziska and I are living in the house of the man who plotted and worked for years to have revenge on me. I cringe. My life is bizarre.

But I'm not the only one. I think about little Trucy and I realize just how cruel this world can be. Phoenix is doing the right thing by adopting her. Maybe together they can get through this. Everybody needs somebody. I didn't use to understand that.

I try to focus on what I'm going home to. The woman I love. The woman who awoke in me all kinds of feelings I never even knew I had. A woman who understands me better than I do myself and needs me as much as I need her, but things are far from perfect and no matter how Franziska and I work at it we seem to be haunted by the evils of her father.

And I have to face the truth that I was so distracted by competing with her and Wright that I never realized she needed my help. She needed to get away from Manfred, but I never saw it. All I saw was a girl determined to out do me. I was so blind I never even realized she fancied me as her knight in shining armor.

I snort. Who would have thought Franziska could be so fragile?

~xxxx~

As I navigate away from baggage claim in the crowded airport I am surprised to hear my name. I stop so suddenly that a woman runs into my back and mutters some very unladylike things as I profusely make apologies to her.

"Miles! Miles Edgeworth!!"

Franziska appears from somewhere in the crowd and throws her arms around me. I'm stunned.

"How'd you-"

"I had Shelby drive me here. He was headed into town anyways to pick up some fertilizer."

"You rode in the gardener's truck?" I look at her incredulously. My sister would typically consider such a mode of transportation far beneath her. Did she really miss me that much?

"Fool! It wasn't like I rode in the truck bed with manure or something. It was no big deal. It's not like I was being foolish or anything." I see her fingers dance upon her whip I'm embarrassing her by pointing out her eagerness to see me. I'm sure she considers such romantic tendencies to be an imperfection. I, however, do not. I lean into her and wrapping my arms around her waist, give her a kiss. I feel her body melting in my arms and I smile and breathe a sigh of relief. It's gotten to where I don't do so well when she's not around. It's embarrassing really, but wherever she is, is where I belong.

"Of course, you're absolutely right, darling. Logically waiting another hour or so to see me was unreasonable."

Her lips linger on mine and her eyes twinkle with desire, but then she swiftly pulls away as if suddenly snapped out of her romantic reverie. It's back to business now.

"How's Phoenix?"

I growl and she deeply exhales through her nose causing her nostrils to flare.

"We both knew he was a fool."

I nod.

"Come. Let's get a coffee and you can tell me all the foolery that fool has foolishly done."

"I think I need something stronger than coffee, dear sister."

She stops and looks deeply into my eyes. "It was that bad, was it?"

"I punched him."

Franziska smiles. "Good for you."

I'm not sure that the fact I hit my best friend is something to celebrate, though I know he deserved it. He's never talked about anyone the way he spoke of her and to have him say those things about Franziska, my darling Franziska. Well, let's just say she is not the person you should fling insults about in front of me, not anymore anyways.

We step into a bar at the airport and find a booth to sit at. I slump into it while Franziska orders two drinks from the bar. I wish I could blame my demeanor on jet lag, but Franziska knows I'm not usually like this even after traveling from one continent to another.

She brings over the drinks, but before handing mine to me she insists on asking how many I've had on the flight.
"Franziska, I know how to hold my liquor."

"Yes, but I was intending for you to drive us home."

She's right. I don't like other people driving my car. My cars are like stallions. They respond best to my touch.

"Fine, darling. I won't have any more after this."

She nods and hands me the drink.

I relay to her my experience at the Borscht Bowl Club leaving out only a few details…like the one about Phoenix calling her a bitch. He didn't mean it and I don't need to have her hating him as much as I do at this moment…actually, I still don't hate him. I'm just sad. I can't believe we can't be friends anymore. Not after everything.

"I'm sorry, little brother."

And I know she really is and not only because she cares about me. She will never admit it, but she also has a great affection for her favorite rival. For a while there I half expected them to start dating. I mean he had told me she was cute when she was angry, which was all the time he was around.

"So he isn't even trying to challenge the bar's decision?"

I shake my head. "As near as I can tell he is simply lying down and taking it." What a loser and I always thought he was such a fighter.

"I think he's very depressed. I suspect he'd be drinking, but Trucy's got him on grape juice instead of alcohol. He looks like hell. Honestly, I can't believe they would put him in charge of the welfare of a child but Trucy seems to be pulling the wool over the eyes of the Department of Child Safety. She very much wants to be with Wright. I wouldn't even be surprised if she knows where her real Dad is or at the very least helped him vanish."

"It's a sweet thing Phoenix is doing." Franziska comments and I nod. Phoenix may have his own self-serving reasons for adopting Trucy, but they aren't sinister like Manfred's real reason for adopting me. Thinking about the loss of my father makes me want to cry and I take a large gulp of whatever drink this is Franziska has provided me with.

I wonder if Franziska worried I might end up confessing my affection to Phoenix. Than I realize I forgot to mention he's broken up with Iris.

"Oh, yes and more news. Him and Iris are history. He claims to have dumped her. I can't say I'm surprised. I never understood what he saw in her. I mean she's sweet, but she seems…"

"Stupid, easily manipulated, and overly submissive." She stretches her whip. She seems to be seeing Iris' shortcomings as detracting from the strength of her entire gender.

"Well, not every woman has been blessed with your backbone, darling, or your talents with a whip." I smirk a little. She looks incredibly sexy.

Her eyes meet mine for a brief instant and I know she can read my desires in that quick glance, but she says nothing.

"So, is he trying to get back together with Maya?"

The phrasing amuses me. Everyone seems to have recognized that there was more than one kind of partnership going on between those two, except of course, for Wright himself.

"No. I did everything I could to tell him to call her or go visit her, but he's being stubborn. He says she's like a sister."

Again, my eyes meet with hers and we laugh.

"Come on." She says impatiently. "Hurry up and finish your drink so we can go home. This sister would like to have some alone time with her brother."

I smirk. Naughty, naughty, Franziska!

What will she have me do today? There are no limits to her powers over me, it seems. Half the time she has me act as a slave to her attending to her every whim and the other half of the time she drives me so crazy I can't stand it and absolutely overtake her. Who knew I could be so passionate? Certainly not me, but there is something about her…those lust filled looks she sends me at work when no one is around or those tender moments she shares only with me while her whip lays forgotten on the bedside table or floor.

Who could have guessed even last year that the woman who proclaimed her hatred for me at every possible opportunity would be enticing me into her bedroom every night?

I can hardly wait to get home, but I'm still not done with my drink. I fear that some of Wright's depression has rubbed off on me and I feel sorry for Maya. Phoenix must be the dumbest man alive. Does he really not realize Maya is in love with him? I could understand him not recognizing my affection for him…he obviously doesn't think about men that way, but Maya? She's a girl for God's sake and a very nice one and a far better match than Iris. Hell, I even took Maya out a couple times just to try to get Phoenix to wake up to the reality that she had grown into a young woman, but no. The man is an idiot.

I find myself staring at my glass as I reminisce about Wright and his moronic nature and Franziska stretches her whip in irritation with my slowness. She snaps her whip and grabs my glass and downs the rest of my beverage in one gulp.

"I said to come on, fool and I meant it! I refuse to allow Phoenix Wright to cause you any more pain. That's my job now," and a little thrill goes through me as she grabs my backside and pulls me to her a look of possessiveness in her eyes.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you can think of some ways in which to cheer me up." I say mischievously and the look of lust in her eyes is unmistakable.

She grabs my rolling suitcase and I grab my briefcase and we head for the exit. I'm surprised when her hand snakes into mine.

"Franziska, I love you."

"I know, fool."

"And even though I couldn't help him…I want to thank you for letting me go."

Franziska wags her finger at me. "I didn't let you. I ordered you to go. There is a distinct difference."

Why can't she ever just accept what I say? Why must she correct everything? But perhaps this is what she wanted…to know that I might still hold a flame for him, but it's nothing like us. It never was and it never will be.

I sigh. I want to say how much I appreciate her trust and that I'm sure it wasn't easy for her to send me to see him, but I don't. Somehow I believe she knows what I wish to say without me having to actually say it. If I verbalize it she'll only feel the need to deny it. That's how it is sometimes with Franziska. A von Karma can't just let certain comments slide by they have to be competitive and seemingly ungrateful because, of course, they are perfect. We understand one another so instead of saying what I feel I tease her.

"Well thanks for being bossy, big sister."

"Anytime, Miles. Anytime." She winks at me and she cracks her whip across me while a look of devilish delight dances on her face and I realize I feel happier in that moment than I have in a very, very long time.