Surprise, all you lovely people! Didn't expect this to turn up, did ya?

Enjoy!

Loving Miss Juniper Woods

Part 4

"I...don't know..."

A horn of an train is heard, and Apollo jumps, surprised at the train shooting past the station. Athena, with a displeased look and frown on her face, just watches the train past.

Phoenix, however, is talking on the phone to someone, perhaps Pearl? Apollo doesn't really know.

As for Trucy, she's sat down on one of the seats in the station.

It's been a few days since Apollo's birthday, and the incident and the plan that followed it.

When she was feeling better, Phoenix ask casually to her about inviting Juniper to see the Kurain flowers at well, Kurain Village. He told them that Kurain flowers are extremely rare, and thought Juniper might be interested to see them.

Athena grinned at this proposal and proceeded to call Juniper about the idea.

Thankfully, for fun sake, and unbeknownst to Athena, Apollo's sake, Juniper agreed to come along to Kurain.

Apollo was secretly pleased with this, and is now planning to see if he does have feelings or not for Miss Woods.

Currently now, the four members of the Wright & Co Law Offices at, as you could have guessed it, are now at the train station, waiting for the next train to Kurain, and waiting for Juniper.

There's just one thing though... Apollo has never ridden on a train before, and today is his first time of riding on one.

He keeps on jumping when the trains from other lines keep shooting pass rapidly, and Athena keeps on looking at him with a displeased expression on her face.

"You know... You can just come and sit down. The trains aren't that scary, du Feigling."

Apollo sighs, nervously. "Sorry. I never ridden a train before. I'm just nervous."

What Apollo has just was a half lie. Yes, he's nervous on riding a train but also nervous about Juniper's inevitable arrival at the station.

His heart keeps beating faster at this moment, and Apollo REALLY hopes that Athena isn't listening at this very moment.

"Sorry...for keeping you waiting everyone!"

Luckily, at that moment, Athena and Trucy turned to look at the arriving Juniper. If they hadn't, they would have seen Apollo jump almost a foot in the air, metaphorically speaking.

A nervous sweat appears on Apollo, as he turns to see Juniper arriving, with the two girls going towards her.

Juniper, today, is wearing her normal causal clothing for this trip. She is also carrying a small basket, probably filled with some fruit and vegetables for snacks.

Apollo smiles softly at this.

"I guess that makes her kinda cute...

…

Wait a second..."

"Junie!" Athena exclaims, happy to see her childhood friend, grinning. "It's been too long! We haven't seen each other in ages!"

Juniper giggles a little bit, smiling.

"But Thena, we only seen each other a few days ago!"

"But it's felt SOOOO looooonnnngg...!"

The three girls chat loudly to each other, while Apollo watches them from the corner of his eye.

It seems like Juniper hasn't seen him yet, and for now, if she did, Apollo thinks his heart can't get any faster, or if it does, he'll have a heart attack.

He looks towards the tracks to see where the train is.

And then, a horn suddenly goes off, and a train shoots pass RIGHT in front of Apollo.

"ARGH!"

The attorney in red jumps back in surprise, literally loses his balance and falling backwards to the ground, but not hitting his head.

There was a moment of silence, and then...

…

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Apollo sweats-drops, and turns to see Athena laughing her head off from his little fall, with Trucy laughing as well. Juniper, however, is giggling. Not in a mean way, but it was still a little funny to see a fully grown man be scared of something like that.

Apollo blushes with embarrassment, and sweats-drops.

"Fuck."

Apollo pulls himself off from the ground, dusts himself off, and then sighs.

"Well, that's one way to embarrass myself in front of a girl who has a crush on me...

Hope these rare flowers are enough to find out..."

Then, Apollo sees someone holding out a lavender-coloured napkin for him. He looks up and sees that Juniper is holding the napkin for him, looking away, if nervous. Athena and Trucy are watching afar in the background, grinning mischievously if they were trying to do some matchmaking.

"Um..." Juniper goes, nervously. She points to Apollo's hands.

"Y-your...hands are bleeding..."

Apollo is taken aback by this, and then looks at his hands. True to what Juniper has said, his hands are bleeding a little bit, quite possibly from the fall.

"T-these napkins are something my grandmother makes..." Juniper murmurs, softly while smiling.

"They're got hints of Yarrow in them. My grandmother says that they are able to heal wounds and prevent any infections...

I use them as disinfectant."

Apollo smiles faintly. He trusts Juniper with that information from her grandmother. Juniper has been nothing but helpful to the Wright & Co Law Offices since meeting her, and Apollo is still grateful for her help him cheer up just before Solomon's trial.

A flashback back to the party suddenly appears in Apollo's mind, when Apollo, Solomon and for some odd reason, Simon, were talking to each other, and Solomon had remarked that when Apollo was being very serious about the upcoming trial, Solomon has noticed that he had returned back to his old self temporally when Apollo was talking to Juniper.

Apollo frowns at this thought, thinking maybe this is one of the reasons he wants to find out if has any feelings for Juniper, but then smiles at her.

"...Thanks Juniper." Apollo goes, gratefully, extending his right hand to take the napkin. "I've should have been more careful...!"

What happened next surprised Apollo. Instead of giving the napkin to Apollo, Juniper takes his right hand, and begins to clean away the bloodied wounds. Apollo starts to blush, although it's not that noticeable.

Trucy and Athena walk over, and both of them sit down on the train bench, with Athena with a cheeky grin.

"You've got to be careful next time, Apollo!" Athena says, being mischievous. "We don't need you covered in cuts and bruises! Your hands look like they're been in a drunken fall!"

"Like you're one to say, Athena!" Apollo thinks, bitterly. Suddenly, a rush of pain goes through Apollo's hand, and he winces in pain.

"Ow ow ow...!"

"Hold still, please!" Juniper requests, seriously, cleaning the wounds on Apollo's hands. "I'm just finished on this hand!"

"My other hand is fine!" Apollo says, nervously, having Juniper close to him. "I'm fine! Honestly!"

Juniper looks up at Apollo, and then smiles kindly at him.

"Sorry...Apollo! I can't just stand around while someone is hurt!"

Juniper then nods towards Apollo's other hand. "Can you show me your other hand, please?"

Apollo sighs, figuring there's no point in arguing with a determined Juniper (Apollo is glad to see her act strong, besides, he doesn't want to upset her if he refuses), and gives Juniper his left hand, to clean.

While Trucy and Athena talk to each other, Apollo takes the time to watch Juniper clean his left hand.

He watches with slight curiosity as he watches the petite girl clean his hand. It's a bit strange, really, to Apollo.

Usually, people who are good friends (like currently, Apollo and Juniper) help when someone gets injured, but doesn't usually do something like this.

Apollo then ponders why Juniper is doing this. Maybe because she cares about him...?

When that thought ran through Apollo's head, he blushed slightly at it.

"What the heck was that thought?!"

"Um...Apollo?"

Apollo looks at Juniper, who has put plasters/band aids (Apollo can't really remember what they're called) on his injuries.

"Um..." Juniper goes, shyly. Then, to Apollo's utter surprise, she smiles. To anyone else, normally, but to him, Juniper smiles cutely.

"I...hope you feel better after that!"

Apollo blinks for a few seconds. He then...blushed.

Not the regular faint blush, but a deep red blush. Apollo quickly looks away from Juniper, AND from Athena, who suddenly looks at Apollo the moment he started blushing.

"Apollo?" Juniper asks, confused at what Apollo is doing, not seeing his blush. "What's wrong?"

"I-i'm fine..." Apollo stutters, looking away. "Damn it!"

This WASN'T suppose to happen yet! The plan was to get to Kurain then find out if he has any feelings...in that way! So, why is he feeling like this!

Apollo can feel his heart beating a little faster because of this. He looks out of the corner of his eye to see Athena is frowning at him, while Trucy is busily looking at her phone.

"SHIT!" Apollo thinks, quickly and in a panic. "Athena can hear my emotions! If she finds out...!"

"Apollo." Athena starts, seriously, as Trucy gets up from the seat, and is looking confused. "Is there something wrong?"

"Um...!"

"PLATFORM 1, FOR THE 11:28 TRAIN FOR WASHINGTON IS DUE TO ARRIVE." the announcement bursts from the speaking phones on the station, catching the attention of the group, as Phoenix, having finished his phone call, walks back over to the said group.

"CALLING AT MADERE, LYNWOOD, KURAIN, LINCOLN..."

As the announcement trails off, Phoenix stops walking, and grins.

"The trains about to arrive, guys. We need to get ready, and quick." he remarks, staring at the lot. Athena, having lost attention to what was happening, grins and then slams her hand with her fist.

"Fantastique!" Athena exclaims, happily. "I'm too excited! I can't wait to learn about the Spirit Mediums of Kurain!"

"Was it me, or did Athena say that in a rather cheesy way?" Apollo suddenly thinks to himself, wondering if that actually did happen. But then his mind wandered back to what was happening just before the announcement came on.

"Saved by the announcement, I guess. One second longer, and things may have gotten awkward..."

Due to the fact Apollo was thinking to himself at that moment, he didn't notice that Athena was watching him from the corner of her eye.

She frowns at Apollo, thinking why he was acting like that.

Athena didn't pay much attention, as the train they are due to go on comes into the station, slows down, and stops in front of them.

The doors slide open, and the group walk into the train compartment. Trucy looks at Phoenix with a excited expression on her face.

"Daddy, I can't wait to see Pearly again!" she says, jumping up and down a little. "It's been ages since I've seen her!"

Phoenix chuckles nervously. "But, Trucy. It's only been a few days since Apollo's birthday. It hasn't been long since you've seen her."

Trucy gains a determined expression. "But Daddy! For us teenage girls like me and Pearl, that a long time!"

Phoenix sighs, then smiles. "Heh. I thought so."

Sometime later...

It's been a good twenty minutes since the group stepped on the train, and found appropriate seating on the said train. Phoenix is looking at some messages on his phone, smiling occasionally at what's been sent.

The three girls are chatting away animatedly, talking about things that girls talk and gossip about, like celebrity gossip, what Trucy's doing at the Wonderbar, etc, etc. If a passenger were to look at them, they would admit that the friendship between the three of them is kinda cute.

Apollo would agree with them, if he was so FREAKING terrified at the moment.

Gripping the edge of his seat, and shaking a little because he is nervous, Apollo looks round.

As you know from earlier, Apollo has never ridden a train before, and this now is the first time. To say, he's very nervous at the moment, shaking a little.

The thing is, being on a train very much reminds of a training excise that Clay made him go on when they were younger.

The excise helps future astronauts be prepare for high velocity when the rocket blasts off at the speed of light, by putting them in a machine that goes round in a circle, increasing velocity as it gets faster and faster.

Both Clay and Apollo went on that machine, and by the time they both got out of the machine, Apollo was never the same again with speed.

The train itself is reminding him of that time on the machine, a quite traumatizing one.

"D-d-damn it!" Apollo thought to himself, very nervously, almost panicking in fact.

"W-w-why...I am feeling like this...? I...feel weak..."

Apollo sighs, taking a deep breath in. This is really pathetic of him. He's a 24 year old man who's afraid on going on the train. This is ridiculous of him.

He slightly glances over to the girls, who are sat next to him but are busy still chatting. He mainly looks at Juniper.

Ever since finding out she had feelings for him, Apollo has been feeling slightly nervous around her.

If he's acting like this on the train, how can he be brave for her? He's a nervous wreak, and that's a turn-off for girls, as far as he's aware of.

A sudden clap of hands rings in Apollo's ear, and sees that both Trucy and Athena are standing up, talking with Juniper, who's sat down.

"...so me and Trucy are going to find the Buffet Carriage, okay?" Athena says, grinning. "What do you want from there, Junie?"

"Um..." Juniper goes, thinking. "If there is tea there, can you get me that? If not, some juice would be nice!"

Athena nods, giving her trademark peace sign to Juniper, and then with Trucy, proceeds to go off deeper into the train.

Apollo watches the receding figures disappear, and then sighs, leaning backwards, looking to the ceiling of the train.

"Um..."

Apollo looks down, at Juniper, who's trying to make conversation.

"...Sorry about the hand cleaning earlier..." Juniper went, apologising sincerely. "...I realised it must of made me look strange in your eyes..."

Apollo blinks, and then a faint smile appears on his face. "Don't worry about it. I appreciated it."

Then, suddenly, Juniper smiles in a cute fashion, to Apollo. Although not showing it on his face, Apollo's heart is beating a little faster.

"Ignoring that..." Apollo thinks to himself. He then thinks of something to say to Juniper, then has got one.

"So, excited to see the Kurain flowers?"

Juniper nods, in an excited manner. "Kurain Flowers are very rare, according to my grandmother! They apparently grow in places that there is said to be high spiritual energy in the soil. Considering Kurain is a place Spirit Mediums live, no wonder!"

Juniper raises a basket, which happens to have some pots for plants in.

"My grandmother asked to get some bring back. I hope the Spirit Mediums don't mind..."

"Heh." Apollo goes, remembering what Phoenix had told him a few months ago about Spirit Mediums and Kurain. "Sounds quite exciting to me."

"Apollo..." Juniper starts, nervous. "I got some questions I want to ask..."

"Shoot." Apollo remarks, calm while talking to Juniper. It seems like talking to her has helped him calm down about the train.

"You seemed nervous on the train." she started, somewhat seriously. "Are you okay?"

Apollo thought for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on his face.

"I'm...all right. It's just I've never been on a train before, and it reminds me of something that happened in my childhood."

"What is it?"

So, Apollo explained the incident in the velocity machine to Juniper, from what led up to it, how it felt and the aftermath of it.

At first, Juniper seemed quite curious on what happened, but when Apollo described what happened during it and afterwards, she seemed horrified.

"Oh my!" she goes, covering her mouth in shock. "You must have felt terrible afterwards!"

Apollo nods, frowning. "Yeah. I was violently sick afterwards. I really chewed Clay out for that. I think that's the only time we argued about anything."

"So, that's why you don't like the speed of this train because of that incident?" Juniper asks, curiously.

Apollo nods. "Yes. Also, that incident caused my fear of heights for some reason..." He frowns at that last sentence.

Juniper thinks for a moment, then goes onto her next question. "Um...What I'm about to ask may upset you... Is okay I can ask?"

Apollo grins. "Go ahead! I don't mind!"

Suddenly, Juniper's expression turn to one of pure seriousness, like the expression she wore during the Themis Legal Academy Case.

"We're going to a place where Spirits can be channelled." Juniper starts off, very serious. "Have you considered about getting your friend channelled?"

Apollo is taken-aback, in shock.

"Y-you mean...?"

Juniper nods. "Yes. Are you going to ask about getting Clay Terran channelled?"

Apollo pales, in shock. He knew, to some extent, that the Mediums of Kurain do channel Spirits, but he learnt about this before Clay's untimely death. When it happened, and the mess that happened afterwards, Apollo just...forgot about it.

About the possibility of seeing Clay once more. But, Apollo wants to see if he does have feelings for Juniper.

Apollo looks out of the window, conflicted.

"I...don't know..."

Apollo is conflicted over two things. Should he have a proper goodbye to Clay, or find out about his feelings...?

Phoenix, watching their conversation and eavesdropping, frowns while sweats-dropping.

"Well, there goes the plan..."

End of Part 4

A/N: So, you're maybe wondering... 'WHERE THE HECK HAVE YOU'VE BEEN?!' or something around that line.

Well, I had a bit of a busy summer, and I start collage in about September time. Plus, I had to focus on some other fics, but I put one of them on hiatus for a while so I could focus on this! Sorry about the delay!

So, the Kurain Flowers Arc begins! And already, Apollo's ran into some problems. Poor him. I do plan to make the next chapter longer. It's just a bit difficult to keep people in character. I also have explained how Apollo is scared of heights, somehow.

Right, question time! Would you like to see some Turnabout Cases in this fic? I just thought a way to introduce Juniper's Grandmother in, and I thought it would be good as a mystery! So, tell me what you think.

So, in the meantime, I'm DragonNiro, and I'll see you guys and girls later!