The small German cafe sitting on the street corner never seemed inviting to Ema Skye. She walked past it every day, since coming to study abroad, but never even gave it a second glance. She didn't bother to learn its name, nor did she notice how many people populated its tiny space in the mornings. It was apparently quite popular, and she could guess why, smelling the coffee aroma coming from inside. It was accompanied by the sweet chime of the bell that rung, every time someone entered or left the little shop.

She stood stiff and silent, sighing occasionally as she peered in through the window with her arms crossed; still wearing her prized lab coat, though she wasn't doing any work. Frowning bitterly, watching people receive their orders, listening to bits of German conversation that she didn't completely understand — she figured she must've seemed suspicious to the others, so she decided she had better go inside, maybe order something. She needed a place to hide for a while anyway, and the crowd developing inside was perfect for it.

Ema wasn't particularly a fan of coffee, but she at least didn't mind the smell. She pushed the door open, listening to the bell chime for the fifth time, and grabbed the nearest available table — which she suspected was the last one. Casually she picked up the menu, pretending to deliberate on her order as she hid her face from the waitresses that passed her by. They seemed busy, so at least for now, she had a safe place to think and just sit.

What was she going to do now? She still had a few more weeks left in Germany. Maybe she failed the test, maybe she couldn't get the job of her dreams...but she had to do something worthwhile before she had to leave and face her sister. What would she tell her? "Hi, Lana! Congratulations on getting out of jail — by the way, I failed the Forensics proficiency test, which was the whole reason I came here and basically wasted all that money. See you soon!"

A different job? An internship? Fellowship? Anything. Anything at all, she could do it. But how would anyone believe her now? She didn't pass the test. Other people did. Other people who had better lab coats, looked prettier, and on top of it all, spoke German. What was she thinking, studying abroad? Sure, it had been fun, but was she really cut out for this kind of thing?

Her head was getting heavier, she could feel it. Her eyes shut, and her face fell flat onto the table. Her lack of sleep last night seemed to be catching up to her. She couldn't even handle an all nighter without feeling tired. How was she going to handle solving a case? Criminals didn't exactly go easy on forensic scientists just because they needed a bit of sleep. "Oh, she looks tired today. Maybe I'll make it just a little easier for her to track me down."

She banged her head a couple of times, lightly, in an attempt to quiet the voices in her head. They just wouldn't shut up — and that's when she heard it.

"Well? How did the trial go? Don't leave me in suspense. ...One more day, huh? And the defense...?"

English? Ema perked up quickly, looking around. She definitely heard English amongst all the German chatter. A male voice, and it sounded distinctly familiar. If it was who she thought it was, however, she had all the more reason to hide.

"All right. Keep me updated, and I'll give you a call later tonight. I might just need you to do something for me."

No, no, no! Why him, why was he here? What was he doing here? In Germany? Shouldn't he have been back in Los Angeles? Did that case really compel him to come this far away? More importantly, did he have to be here today of all days? This couldn't be happening. No, absolutely not. Ema needed to get out of there immediately. Before —

"Miss Skye? Is...is that you behind that menu?"

She could still see the cell phone clutched in his hand, probably from the conversation he was having just moments before. His other hand held a folder, though she couldn't quite read its label from where she was. There was a smirk on his face that was very recognizable, and even beyond that, he wore his typical magenta suit, along with his white cravat which she would've probably spotted a mile away, had she been in her right mind. Miles Edgeworth continued to stare, demanding a response from her, and his eyes were paralyzing.

"O-oh, Mr. Edgeworth," Ema chuckled lightly. "Wow...Miss Skye? Don't tell me you're mistaking me for my sister now."

He placed his phone and the folder on the table, and Ema lowered her menu shield in defeat when she saw him sit down. She wasn't going anywhere now, and Mr. Edgeworth seemed comfortable as well. She was trapped.

"Simply being polite, Ema," he replied coldly, his smirk unwavering. "You ought to try it sometime. Inviting me to sit, for instance?"

"Huh?" She looked confused for a moment, but her eyes quickly widened in shock, and she covered her face briefly to hide her shame. "Oh, right! Er, sorry, I wasn't...I didn't realize...of course you can sit, i-if you want..."

Ema blushed furiously, looking down at the table now. He had already taken his seat, so she had no idea why she said what she did. She found herself unable to look at him in the eye at that point, and focused instead on something else. Anything else. His phone was the first thing that came into her view. Her hands gripped the sides of her seat tightly as she stared at it, and she could feel her composure melting away. His silence wasn't helping.

"So, um...h-how did you...I mean...you recognized me...so quickly..."

Edgeworth eyed her suspiciously, watching as Ema just barely managed to lift her head and make eye contact. He knew, of course he knew, that something was wrong. He wasn't stupid. His presence didn't merit this much anxiety, this much nervousness...just how hard was it to act casual anyway! Ema scolded herself mentally, as she awaited a response to her incoherence.

"Pink sunglasses; a white lab coat, with three pins on it...arranged like a water molecule, no less." Edgeworth stated his observations aloud, as he looked at her curiously. "It hasn't been that long, Ema. And I'm not blind."

"Right...right..." She shook her head, hitting it gently. "O-of course."

There was a brief silence in which neither said anything. Ema began to feel a little more comfortable, and finally shifted her gaze from the phone to its owner, now sitting across from her. The red was finally beginning to fade from her cheeks when Edgeworth spoke again.

"Well? Are you going to make me ask, or are you going to tell me what you're doing, all the way here in Germany?"

She was hesitant in answering. The whole point of disappearing into this crowd, after all, was that there was no one she knew here. But finding Mr. Edgeworth here was totally defeating the purpose. Not to mention, he would be able to tell, most likely, if she lied, so that wasn't an option either. She frowned. Perhaps if she was vague enough, she could leave the forensics test out of the story completely.

"After...after Lana's case...so much happened, and I...I kind of wanted to get away for a while," she murmured, finally. "I came abroad, hoping to study forensics here and learn how to help people, like Lana. I still send her letters and postcards, of course! We...we keep in touch, and I promised her I would be back to see her as soon as she got released..."

Ema's eyes began to avert again. As the words came out, she began to feel guilty. What kind of person goes abroad to study while her sister is in jail? Wasn't that a terrible thing to do? Maybe it was a waste of time coming after all. She should have been in Los Angeles, taking care of Lana. She should have been in Los Angeles...and not here, failing to achieve her dreams.

"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you when that happens," Edgeworth replied, interrupting her thoughts.

His words were reassuring, and Ema found it in her to smile genuinely for the first time since she had gotten those tests results — if only for a brief moment.

"T-thank you, Mr. Edgeworth. I hope so. I can't wait to see her free again."

"So, was Germany not quite what you expected, then?" he asked suddenly.

A surprised look overcame her face. Ema never saw Mr. Edgeworth as someone who changed conversation topics so readily; why he would suddenly throw such a question at her now was a mystery to her.

"Huh? W-what do you mean? I...I don't mind it here. Germany is —"

"Well, there must be some reason you look so..." Edgeworth paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Lost, and confused."

She frowned again. The ease with which he was figuring her out disturbed her, though she couldn't really say she was surprised. She made it easy, with her apparent inability to hide emotions. But she had to admit: even though she was upset about...well, everything, a part of her felt relieved that there was one familiar face in this foreign country that she could talk to. It was probably a good thing that they ran into each other, and she couldn't deny that anymore.

"Germany is... great," she finished, hesitantly. "But to be honest, things...haven't exactly been going as planned lately."

"...I see."

Edgeworth looked like he understood. She was expecting him to demand more; what plans, and why didn't they work? What had gone wrong, would she be able to fix it? But just as he had figured everything else out, he could apparently tell that she was not ready to talk about it. He took her statement for what it was, and decided instead to finally get the attention of a waitress. He still hadn't done what he had come here to do, after all, which was to get his morning tea.

He even managed to order a second drink for Ema, and she didn't even notice. Likewise, she didn't notice when the drinks were delivered.

The silence had given her a chance to reflect, and she was finally beginning to realize that perhaps the test wasn't everything. She had gained valuable experience, studying here, and she knew that one day she would be able to do good with what she had learned — whether she was in a lab or not. Her sister would be proud of her. She had enough money to last until the end of her trip, and she even found someone she knew. Most girls her age could kill to be in her shoes, and she needed to make the most of it.

"Your tea will get cold, if you don't drink it." A voice interrupted her thoughts. Edgeworth's voice.

"W-what?"

"It should make you feel a bit better."

She snapped back into reality and finally looked at the table, which had a small cup on it. It was like a coffee cup that you got at any standard cafe. There was still steam coming out the mouth piece, where one drank from it, so Ema handled it with care. She looked up, confused, to see Mr. Edgeworth, standing up and gathering his things.

"But...I didn't order..."

"I did," Edgeworth told her. "For you. But unfortunately, I've got work to do, so I'll need to be going now. I...probably shouldn't have stayed as long as I did. I apologize."

"Oh, no no! You—you don't have to apologize, not at all. Thank you so much. For everything. And the drink...er, I can —"

Ema's hands quickly reached into her purse, and she was moments away from pulling out her wallet to reimburse him. He grabbed her hand however, and she froze up immediately. Her cheeks heated up again, turning red as her face tilted up to meet his.

"Don't worry about it. Okay?" He let go, once he was sure that she wouldn't attempt to reach into her purse again. "I'll see you around."

Mr. Edgeworth was actually smiling, she realized. She had never seen him that way before...had she? She felt paralyzed, watching him turn away; she hadn't even said goodbye. Which must have seemed so very rude. Just when she was about to go after him however, he stopped himself and turned back around.

"I almost forgot," he said, rather decisively. He placed in front of Ema the folder, which she had forgotten ever existed. She had wondered about it for all of five seconds earlier, before it slipped her mind. Now that it was back, so was the curiosity that had come with it.

"Er...what is it, Mr. Edgeworth?"

"A case. The one I'm looking into currently," he replied matter-of-factly. "The real reason I'm here is to study German law, you know. But in my opinion, the more intruiging cases are actually a bit closer to home. You wouldn't happen to be...interested?"

Ema opened the folder, which she could now see was labeled The Berry Big Circus.

In it was all sorts of information about a famous ringmaster's death: Russel Berry. The newspaper article that had been printed about it, his autopsy report, various profiles of employees that worked at the circus...most of it, as far as she could tell, had been faxed or copied. The newspaper — and everything else, really — was in English, which meant the case wasn't based here. It was based back home, in America, and Edgeworth probably wasn't leading the investigation.

"It says here that Mr. Wright is leading the defense," she noted. "The defendant is one Max Galactica, famous flying magician accused of murder. And the prodigy Franziska von Karma is leading the prosecution."

"That's right."

"But this...this is all taking place back in America. Why would you be looking into this here?"

Edgeworth's famous smirk appeared once again. He should have known a curious personality like Ema Skye would ask questions.

"Personal reasons. And I could use a bit of your help with it...and other cases as well. If you're too busy though, of course I'll understand."

Ema stared at him in awe; she blinked a couple of times, waiting for the words to process so that her brain would allow her to reply.

"Oh, no. No, not at all!" she stammered. "Of course I'll help, if you think I can!"

She shook her head vigorously. This was an opportunity of a lifetime that just quite literally presented itself in front of her at the best time possible, and there was no way she would pass it up. It was perfect — a job, or close enough to it, working under Mr. Edgeworth, whom she had idolized for years. Something to do for her remaining weeks in Germany, not to mention something to make her trip completely worthwhile. And memorable — much more memorable than passing any test.

"Glad to hear it," Edgeworth finally said. He could see how happy it made her, which was admittedly heartwarming. He pulled out a pen from his pocket, and began to scribble on an abandoned napkin that had been left at their table. "I'll need you in my office tomorrow at nine AM sharp. That's the address — it's about a ten-minute walk from here."

Ema grabbed the napkin eagerly to make sure she could read Mr. Edgeworth's "professional" handwriting.

"Go ahead and read over that file tonight, and we'll talk about it. Don't be late."

She looked up to see the back of his head. He had already turned around, and completely ready to go about his day as if nothing happened. As if he hadn't just completely cheered her up. As if he hadn't single-handedly taken care of everything that was worrying her.

"I won't be! Oh, and — Mr. Edgeworth, wait!"

"What is it?"

Ema stood up hastily, as she attempted to unclip one of the pins from her lab coat. It had actually required a lot of effort; her hands were shaking, which made it considerably more difficult. Eventually though, she got it. And once she had it in her hands, she presented it to him with an eagerness he had never before seen.

"I — I want you to have it." She smiled, watching as he took it in his hands. "It's...it's one of my hydrogen atoms. One of the pins I keep on my lab coat. You mentioned them earlier — no one's ever noticed the water molecule shape before. I told myself that once someone did, I would give them one of my hydrogens as a prize...so, please. Keep it."

Edgeworth stared at the little blue pin. He didn't look terribly impressed, but he at least chuckled, as he put the pin in his pocket. He never was one to turn down a present, no matter how small it was.

"Thank you, Detective Skye. Coming from you, this probably means a lot."

Ema laughed, realizing how childish she must have seemed, but she didn't mind it at all. Being childish wasn't against the law. She needed to thank him, and at that moment, this was the only way she knew how.

She had completely lied about the pins, besides. She was never planning to give them away to anybody — not even him, until about five seconds ago. She was planning to keep them; she liked her water molecule pins. But as she was quickly finding out, the best-laid plans of attorneys and scientists often went awry.

---

A/N: Okay, I realize Ema probably wasn't in Germany. And if this had happened, she would not be nearly as bitter as she was in Apollo Justice. But I liked the idea and decided to see where it took me.

Also, Ema/Edgeworth is a lot more adorable than I thought...
Eat your heart out, Klavier!

Apollo had grown accustomed to staying at the Wright Anything Agency over the long work nights, when he had a case. It was convenient; he was able to consult with Trucy, who was admittedly more helpful than he liked at times, and her father, Phoenix Wright. The once-legendary defense attorney, who, despite his "retired" state, still gave him valuable insight.

Mr. Wright wasn't always helpful, of course. That he knew. Mentors often wanted their students to discover and learn things on their own. To make their own mistakes, fix them on their own, et cetera. They held back. Even Kristoph was that way, before...

Well, in any case, it didn't matter. As uncooperative as Phoenix Wright could be, Apollo still felt welcome with the Wrights. It hardly felt natural to do any case work, without Trucy doing a little magic on the side. Giving silly comments here and there, pulling out Mr. Hat for a trick or two. He felt like family, and Trucy made sure of it.

She wasn't awake, though. Not at the moment, and who would expect her to be? It was nearly three-AM, and they both needed to be at the court house the next morning. Why wasn't he asleep yet, anyways?

Apollo sighed, fumbling through his current case file for what felt like the millionth time that night. Actually, he knew why. And it didn't really have much to do with the actual case at hand.

Miles Edgeworth. A prosecutor who had generated about as much fame as Mr. Wright had, back in his day. A "demon prosecutor," raised by the legendary Manfred von Karma. They were all just rumors of course, but that didn't make him sound any less intimidating. And lucky, lucky Apollo got to be his next opponent.

He had heard only stories. He read a few old newspapers clippings, hoping to better understand just who he was up against, but they really didn't give much detail. He prodded Mr. Wright for information, who he noticed had a reaction to Edgeworth's name, but the best he had to offer was a nonchalant "Good luck." Any answers he did give were vague—a lot of "Maybe" and "I don't remember." It was all deliberate too; he had this smirk on his face as he answered.

"Good luck," Apollo muttered under his breath. "Prosecutor Gavin probably would've been more helpful. What is it with me and prosecutors from Germany, anyway?"

He let his head fall lightly on the desk in front of him. Not enough to make a loud sound—just enough to hopefully knock some sense into himself before the trial tomorrow.

That was right. Edgeworth was flying in from Germany for this case, wasn't he? Apollo had read that somewhere, he was sure. He couldn't really remember though. Newspaper articles, papers—everything was kind of fuzzy all of a sudden. He really did need to be asleep; there wasn't much more he could do before tomorrow, after all.

"Talking to yourself again, Polly?"

His head sprung up immediately in surprise at the cheerful voice. Normally such a voice would be piercing at that hour of night—but he was quickly able to see who it was. And the company didn't bother him in the slightest.

"God, Trucy," he murmured softly, putting a hand over his chest. "Way to give me a heart attack. What are you doing up?"

She giggled innocently, and he thought he heard something of an apology in there, but he wasn't really sure. She rubbed her eyes, and actually looked quite sleepy herself. She looked quite comfortable in those loose-fitting pajamas of hers.

"I could ask you the same question, silly," she replied briskly. "Don't you know you've got to be in court tomorrow morning?"

Apollo groaned slightly, laying back in the couch that was his bed for the night. "Ugh. Don't remind me. Of course I know." He sighed. "I'm going against a prosecutor with quite the reputation. Someone I've never met. And your dad won't even give me a clue what I'm up against."

But Trucy didn't look worried in the slightest. In fact, when had she ever? This was the girl, after all, who would rather keep her magician's secrets, even if revealing them would help solve a case. She never seemed worried. Always cheery and confident. Whatever she's on, I want some, Apollo always thought jokingly. And then, looking at her smiling, a thought popped into his head.

"Hey...your dad didn't happen to mention him at all, did he?" he asked. "Did he tell you anything? About Miles Edgeworth?"

He almost couldn't believe he hadn't asked before.

"Miles Edgeworth?" she repeated, a puzzled look on her face. "No. Not that I remember. Daddy doesn't talk about his past much. You know that by now."

Of course he did. Mr. Wright still kept secrets, even from his own daughter; that wasn't surprising. Apollo breathed heavily, shutting his eyes as he laid back in defeat. Not much to do now, he supposed. Just a good night's rest—though he supposed it was a little late for that—and maybe a cup of coffee in the morning or something. And then face him.

"Come on, Apollo," Trucy nudged him lightly. "Mr. Gavin couldn't be your opponent forever. There was bound to be a new face eventually."

"I know. I know...I'm just a bit nervous, that's all. For some reason, it's...it's like my first trial all over again."

He had to admit, he was going to miss seeing Klavier's familiar face across from him in the court room this time. Really—they could've at least given him Winston Payne again! He could handle him well enough. Anyone could, it seemed. He could've won.

"But don't you remember? You won your first trial," she reminded him gently, still smiling. "That means you're going to do fine!"

Apollo folded his arms.

"But I had your dad's help that time. And even you helped me. That was back when we first met. Don't you remember?" He poked her forehead playfully and gently, letting out a chuckle as he did so. Trucy chuckled too.

"Well, hello? It's not like I'm going anywhere," she said, waving a hand in front of his face. "I'm going to be right there with you, you know, when you meet him tomorrow. And I'll be there with you after the trial. Whether you win or lose."

"So I'm stuck with you either way, huh?" Apollo laughed.

"Pretty much!"

"Like an annoying little sister."

Trucy stuck her tongue out at him. You would've never guessed that she was the one, trying to get the both of them to sleep. She seemed so playful. A look of seriousness suddenly overtook her however, and she looked at him sternly. Apollo couldn't remember her looking so focused and determined. It kind of unnerved him.

"Seriously though. Stop worrying, and get some sleep, okay? You really look like you need it."

"I do?" he asked. Now that she had mentioned it though, he was sleepy. He had barely been able to keep his eyes open before; he had forgotten how late it was.

"Yeah, Apollo. Can't you feel it? Your eyelids drooping...your head getting heavier..."

"What's that?"

Trucy had pulled out something shiny from her pocket. Shiny and golden—it was like a little locket, and it dangled freely from her hand. By the light of the small lamp in the room, he could see some letters engraved on it, but he couldn't really make out what they were. She never told him what it was, and now she dangled it rhythmically, back and forth in front of him. It was like...like...

"Trucy, you're not trying to hypnotize me, are you?"

"Of course I am, silly." Her answer was frank and honest. "Is it working?"

Apollo shook his head, letting out a laugh. His eyes still followed her 'pendulum' as she swung it, and he decided he was finally ready to get some rest. If Mr. Edgeworth really was all that his reputation made him out to be, he would need it.

"Yeah. It's working," he replied, feigning a yawn as he laid back on the couch with a smile. He shut his eyes, trying to make himself comfortable.

"Good!" Trucy said, decisively. "So I'll see you bright and early tomorrow, then."

"Yeah, yeah. Good night, Trucy. Before I change my mind."

"G'night, Polly!"

Well—it was better than popping a sleep aid, at any rate. Apollo could feel her gently pat him on the head before exiting the room, but didn't open his eyes again. In fact, he didn't open them again until the next morning—when he saw Trucy and her father, hovering over him. Pulling covers off him, pillows from underneath him, trying to wake him up.

And even though he'd only gotten a few hours' sleep, he felt like he could face the world.

---

A/N: Okay, I honestly didn't intend for this to be Apollo/Trucy shippy-ness...for obvious reasons. If that's your cup of tea though, then I guess you could take it that way. Otherwise, I hope everyone enjoyed it for what it was—fluffy, sibling cuteness. :3 Thanks for reading!

"Yes...yes, I think I saw him. He had blonde hair," I muttered stiffly. "Twisted to one side. And he had glasses, just like you said."

"But he didn't approach you?"

"No. No, he didn't do anything. I don't even think he followed me here. But, who is he? Why have you been warning me so adamantly about him?"

I watched Mr. Wright as he shut the door to his 'office'—which, honestly was hardly my ideal picture of a law firm, or any kind of work place. I was focusing, trying to remind myself that this was the same Mr. Wright who defended me, even though I could barely recognize him. A part of me was happy that I no longer had to lie to him—about anything. Another part was just plain sad, because I could tell he was keeping something from me; though hopefully, not for long.

It was strange, thinking of him so formally. We were so close back then, but it just wasn't right to think of him as "my Feenie" anymore. I had grown accustomed to calling him Mr. Wright. Things had changed between us, after all. Maybe one day, things could go back to the way they were. I'd really like them to, in fact...but for now, we both just needed time. Me, to forgive myself for all I had done to him...and him, to deal with all of the lemons life was throwing at him.

Apparently, a lot had happened while I was in prison. I was an accomplice to murder, so I knew that I would have to be punished, and I would miss a lot while I was 'gone.' But there was no way I could have seen this coming. I stared at Mr. Wright, dumbfounded, as he recounted a magnificent tale: the death of a famous magician; the messy case that fell into his lap unexpectedly one fateful night.

The shady defense attorney who had handed him the case.

Forged evidence, of which he knew nothing.

All ending in the destruction of his career.

"And ever since that case...ever since you lost your badge, you think that this man...defense attorney Gavin, has been keeping an eye on you?"

"I don't think it's just me. But yes...he's trying to get close to me," he replied coldly, pacing a little. "He comes to the club where I work now, all the time. He buys me dinner, my favorite drink...and we chat. About nothing. Like those conversations teenage girls have over the phone. He acts like a friend, but I know something's not right. I...I don't trust him, Iris." He gave me a serious look as his feet suddenly stopped. "And you shouldn't either."

"Me?" I repeated, still trying to process all of this information.

"Yes," he replied in haste. "I'm sure he knows that I visited you a lot, when you were in prison. He knows that we were—are—close. That we have history. I suspected that he might try to use you to get to me. That's why I had to...well..."

"You stopped coming," I finished for him, lowering my head a little. "To see me. I was wondering what happened to you...I always looked forward to your visits."

"I'm sorry, Iris."

I shook my head, letting a chuckle escape as a tear rolled down my cheek. I felt so relieved, finally understanding why I hadn't seen him all those weeks. All that time, I thought it was me. How I looked like my sister; I thought maybe he couldn't just face me anymore. Not that I would blame him. I felt uneasy myself, looking in the mirror at times. Afraid, that one day I might turn out like her...and die the lonely death that she did.

"No, no, it's okay," I said. "I was beginning to think I had offended you somehow. Or that maybe the little one was finally starting to get to you..."

"Little one?" he repeated. He seemed surprised, but quickly regained his composure. "Oh, you mean Pearls." His head lowered a little, and though he let out a quick, forced chuckle, his expression was one of sorrow and regret. I could see him lightly touch his cheek where the little one always slapped him, when he stared at me for too long. "Yeah, she...she actually hasn't been around in a while."

His frown was contagious; suddenly the edge of my lips anchored down, as I saw him recite the words. He was so different from the man I had seen at Hazakura all those months ago. Lonely and empty. The passion I once saw in him was gone, replaced with a certain...desperation. Silence threatened to fill the air, but I quickly broke it.

"What about Mystic Maya?" I asked. "She...she stopped coming with you to see me. I haven't seen her in a while either."

"Well..." He tugged at the odd hat on his head that hid his spikes, which I had never seen him wear before. "She's been busy, you know. In Kurain and all, as the Master. I...I figured I shouldn't bother her with my problems."

"You mean you haven't told her?!" I could feel my voice raise in shock, and my eyes widened. "She doesn't know?"

"I guess she doesn't get much news in Kurain. We still keep in touch, but it...it hasn't exactly come up."

"Oh, Mr. Wright..."

In a way, this story explained so much. His sudden lack of visits and his drastic change in appearance and attitude; he was essentially a different man! I worried in the back of my mind that this would come between us—ruin any chance of our relationship ever recovering. But it would be selfish to bring it up now. I kept it on the bottom of my mental priority list, where it belonged, and tried my best to muster up words to try to comfort him.

"I never imagined I would miss so much, spending time in jail," I murmured finally. "How could all of this happen?"

"Shh. It's okay." He placed his hands on my shoulders, and somehow the tables turned: he was comforting me instead. "I'm going to get to the bottom of this and clear my name. The truth will come out. But for now, I just don't want you getting hurt while I'm looking into this whole mess. So just be careful. Promise?"

"Okay."

"Don't talk to him, and if he tries anything, just let me know."

"I understand, Mr. Wright. But..."

We looked at each other uneasily for a moment before I quickly averted my eyes. He grabbed me lightly by the cheek, turning my face so that I was facing him again.

"But what?"

"I just don't think it's fair," I murmured. "For you to go through all of this alone. Surely someone must be willing to help you, but it doesn't even seem like you'll let them."

He smiled, as if saying 'Oh, was that all?'--a smile of relief. How he could smile after all that happened was beyond me.

"Don't worry. I'm not alone. Maya constantly sends me letters, pictures, and even video tapes of Steel Samurai to keep me busy. And, even then...I know you haven't met her yet, but..." He paused for a moment, as if hesitating to say his next words. I hadn't noticed before, but he had a small golden locket, which he now clutched in his hands. "I have Trucy. My daughter..."

My eyes widened yet again, and the shock I felt was indescribable. My jaw hung open now, processing the words again and again. I tried to convince myself that I had just heard him wrong. It had been a while since I had been out in the real world, and one didn't exactly sleep well in prison. It must've been getting to me.

"I'm...I'm sorry, your what?"

"Adopted!" he added quickly in a light chuckle. "My adopted daughter..."

"Oh...!"

"I...er, probably shouldn't leave that word out so much."

I breathed a sigh, letting out all of the confusion I had been holding in. "Yes...yes, I highly recommend you use the word more often, Mr. Wright."

We both had a good laugh afterwards, once the awkwardness had passed. It was rather heartwarming to see him smiling and happy. Picturing that pink sweater on him, he looked almost like the Feenie I knew from college...

"Anyway...she was Zak Gramarye's daughter, and she needed someone to take care of her after everything that happened. She's spending the night at her friend's tonight," he continued. "And... I guess you need to get back to the temple soon, huh? Sister Bikini is probably anxious to see you."

"Well, I told her that I would be coming to see you...so...er, I think she would understand if...if I didn't come back right away..."

I didn't really understand. Was this his subtle way of kicking me out? Was this...it? I felt like I had just arrived, and now... he shook his head, frowning again.

"Sorry," he murmured. "As much as I'd love for you to stay here tonight and tell me all the horror stories about prison...I don't think it's a good idea for you to stay tonight. He might show up."

"He...he comes to your office?"

"He might."

I bit my lip to hide my disappointment. Not that I expected anything to come of this night, but it just hurt that I was finally free, and he barely seemed happy to see me. But again...I was being selfish, and he had so many other things to worry about.

"The safest place for me...is at Hazakura," I said, predicting his next words. "That's what you're going to tell me, right?"

"Exactly."

My eyes wandered to the window then, and I noticed that the sun was rapidly setting, leaving everything engulfed in shadow. I stood up then, and tossed some of my hair behind my shoulder. I was finally ready to trust him and do what he said.

"And you're also going to tell me that I had better head back, before it gets dark. Right?"

He grinned. "This is convenient. I don't have to say anything!" There was a pause, as I let out a laugh, and he continued: "I guess you still know me, even after all these years. So..."

My hand reached to open the door and leave, but he placed his hand there to keep it shut. I jumped back a little in surprise, and turned to him, secretly wondering if he changed his mind about me leaving.

"If anything happens...if Kristoph tries anything, you'll tell me, right?" he asked.

"Of course. Right away."

"And, when you get back to Hazakura, safe and sound..."

I blinked a couple times in anticipation, before finally realizing that he was expecting me to complete his sentence.

"Oh... I'll be sure to call you, Mr. Wright."

He nodded at me, smiling, and promptly released his hand so that the door would open. "See you soon, Iris. Take care."

I gave him a small bow out of respect, saying a quick goodbye, and began to walk. I expected to hear the door close behind me. He kept watching me, however, until he was out of my sight, and I was out of his. From there, all that was left to do was get to the station and take a train back to Hazakura. There was still at least an hour of daylight left, which would put me at there right around dinner time.

And my feet dragged.

It wasn't that I didn't want to go back to Hazakura Temple. Of course I did; and I looked forward to seeing Sister Bikini. But my reunion with Mr. Wright had been so fleeting that there was this hollow feeling inside me that I just couldn't shake off. A part of me wondered why I didn't put up more a fight to stay. Or even invite him to come to the temple with me. He would have surely made an argument, about Kristoph being able to follow him there...thus learning where I live, putting me in danger, et cetera... but...

Why had I been so passive? About everything?

Oh well. I supposed it didn't matter much now. I eventually did make it to the station and soon found myself sitting, waiting for my train at its platform. All I could do now was follow his instructions and take care of myself. And hope that he was right.

That I would see him again soon.

---

A/N: Sooo, confession time! This was actually supposed to be a part of a bigger story, based on a prompt from the kink meme that I saw there a looong time ago. I am not sure whether I'll actually write the rest of it...I might, with enough prodding, or perhaps write it later as second companion fic.

But for now, I just wanted to share what I had. It's at least a one shot's worth of fluffy material, and I figured it would be a nice treat for the P/I fans. I hope you enjoyed it. :)