Chapter Text
All Phoenix wanted was to get over with it. To hear the loud 'BANG' of the accursed gavel as it hit the wood, promptly followed by the deep 'NOT GUILTY', his cue to turn on his heels and fling himself out of the room. Legal proceedings and burocracy afterwards be damned, for all he cared.
But no, the Judge was slowly pondering the situation at hand (in another, less stressful setting, Phoenix might have understood him, since this trial had been a royal mess, but he was quite in a hurry, couldn't Your Honor just have faith in him - for once - and have the bailiff take the Phantom away already to jail? Pretty please?) as if trying to inferthe deepest meaning of life from it, slowly and deliberatly twisting the gavel between his fingers, lost in thought.
As much as he was horribly used to the old man's uncertainties and easily-swayed judgment, he was starting to grow impatient, constantly fidgeting and shifting his weight between his feet - the brand new shoes definitely weren't helping, especially after eight years of intense usage of blissfully open sandals - and at some point he unconsciously raised a hand to his blazer's pocket, where his locket rested, just above his heart; he clenched his fingers against it until he felt the hard, round shape of the metallic item pressing sharply against his skin, not really caring if his lapel turned all ruffled and wrinkled in the process.
Just a little more. I'll be there soon.
He knew he was probably over reacting, that Trucy was a strong girl and that she could take care of herself no matter the trouble she was in, and that she was probably a lot calmer than him at the moment. He also was aware Aura Blackquill was just like her brother, threatening and cold and hardened by a cruel twist of fate, but never a criminal, like a huge dog that barks and bares its fangs but doesn't bite.
But knowing all of this did nothing to quell the anguish in his heart. He wanted to hold her in his arms, tighter than ever, and feel her there, safe and sound and breathing and laughing. He was sure he'd probably end up crying on her shoulder and she'd laugh at him, taking the chance to snap a picture of his swollen face with her phone as decisive proof that he was such a crybaby, silly Daddy. I love you too, Daddy.
So please, Judge, let me leave soon.
A nudge somewhere in his ribs - more like an actual elbowing - painfully awakened him from his reverie and, when he turned around to see who had just tried to smash his left kidney with an elbow, he was faced with a gleaming Athena (the owner of the guilty elbow) and an equally satisfied Apollo beaming at him from her other side. He made to protest to the rather brutal awakening, ready to argue that Athena's elbow had to be counted as an unconventional weapon, but Polly decided to be the mature one out of the three and cut him off before Phoenix - supposedly his employer - could do more than opening his mouth.
"Mr. Wright. If only you were able to actually listen to the outside world when you think, you would know we tried to verbally catch your attention at least twice before having to resort to drastic measures."
Phoenix closed his mouth and his shoulders slumped slightly. The junior lawyer had a point and no shameless bluffing was going to save him; he did get caught up in his thoughts and impatient huffs.
"But aside from that" Polly continued, the smile never wavering, and boy, Phoenix had really missed that smile, even if he wouldn't have admitted it under torture "the case is mostly closed. We" and here he glanced at Athena, who nodded happily "can take the lead now and handle all the bureaucratic proceedings from now on"
It felt like Polly just lifted the weight that had been hovering over Phoenix during the entire trial, pinning him still to the floor. He felt like he could finally breath again. And Athena must have known how he was feeling, both because of her ability and because she was most likely going through the exact same experience, if not much more intense. It was exhilarating.
He barely refrained from actually tearing up as he replied with the most breathless 'thank you' he ever uttered and was rewarded with another smile from his two, most beloved, employees.
Without further ado, he finally turned his back to the defense bench and hurried across the run down room, not-so-carefully avoiding the debris that still cluttered the floor and loudly kicking some rocks away in the process, making them skid across the irregular flooring. He almost missed the Judge asking something in a very bewildered voice, probably directed at him, but Polly was quick to step in and shut him up in a few curt words, redirecting the court's attention at the matter at hand.
He slammed the door open and let it fall shut behind him with a bang that echoed eerily throughout the empty defense lobby; the lone bailiff on duty turned abruptly towards him, caught off guard; the poor guy didn't have the time to even throw him a puzzled look before he was shoved away by a very hurried Phoenix with a brisk 'sorry, I am in a rush. Emergency' in his run to the courtroom entrance.
But as soon as he stepped outside the courthouse, even before he got completely out onto the first step of the supposedly-white marble staircase connecting the courthouse to the concrete of the sidewalk, a flash suddenly blinded him; before he knew it he was surrounded by a bubbling mass of elegantly dressed people calling loudly for "Mister Wright, an interview!", snapping pictures and thrusting mics towards him. He couldn't even make out what the lady journalist in the closest row was asking him, and they were almost pressed together.
Of course he hadn't taken the press in consideration when he had planned (not really) his escape. A huge case such as the Blackquill case, and to that add a tv-broadcast kidnap at the popular Space Center. There were all the elements for a stellar scoop; a stellar scoop that had him stuck against the door of the building, perfectly preventing him from moving in any direction, much to his despair. He was growing more and more restless, and he was busy pondering how far simply barging through the screaming crowd would bring him when he heard a louder "Wright!" coming from behind him, immediately followed by a hand clawing at his shoulder - painfully tight- and roughly pulling him back to the safety of the courthouse hall. The door closed with a satisfying 'SLAM' in the dismayed crowd's faces.
After he assessed they wouldn't try to sneak in, he finally turned towards his saviour and wasn't too surprised to see Edgeworth staring back at him, stiff and imposing and positively outraged. What a shocker.
"Just what were you thinking?" The prosecutor hissed, indignation seeping from every syllable. Phoenix almost flinched; the sheer power of that glare would never fail to amaze him.
He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and flashed his best lopsided smile, given the circumstances.
"I know, we're under siege by the press. But I have to get out of here"
He met Edgeworth's eyes and held his steely gaze, the one that made you feel like he was scanning you and the very same one that made dozens of witnesses crumble in a panicked mess on the stand, trying to convey the despair he was going through, hoping the other man would show some empathy and understand.
Something shifted in Edgeworth's expression, the fury gave way to something else, something akin to comprehension, though he couldn't exactly pinpoint what, and Phoenix was definitely surprised to see him abandoning his favorite patronizing stance (arms tightly crossed over his chest, head held high so that he could look at you from above and make you feel inadequate about everything). The feeling of incredulity increased ten fold when the aforementioned man abruptly turned on his heels and curtly gestured to follow him as he quickly lead Phoenix towards the Prosecution Lobby on the first floor, but then took a turn on the left, where it said 'emergency stairs'.
"Hey, wait! Running with a suit is a pain, you know?" Phoenix had to pick up his pace to catch up to the prosecutor, who in response scoffed and started descending the first few steps, ignoring Phoenix's pitiful whining about how impracticable following a proper dressing etiquette was.
They both basically ran down the unstable, narrow staircase (in hindsight, that had been a pretty terrifying experience, and Phoenix couldn't explain to himself how Edgeworth managed to go down stairs that shook violently with every step they took). When they finally hit the solid ground ("Never again" Phoenix muttered under his breath as soon as his feet made contact with the concrete, trying to force his queasy stomach to calm the hell down) Edgeworth briskly walked him to an area that was, miraculously enough, free of apparent scoop-hunters and that Phoenix was not familiar with, not until they reached the secondary entrance to the underground parking lot, all the while never sparing the disheveled lawyer trotting and in his trail a single glance. Without a word, Edgeworth then fished out a keyring (was that a Steel Samurai keychain? Phoenix made a mental note to ask for more details about this incriminating evidence once this mess was over) from his pocket with a smooth movement and pressed a button on the largest item hanging from the ring, to which what was by far the flashiest and most expensive car in the whole parking lot reacted by twitching its lights twice.
Phoenix, his brain finally clicking, stopped dead in his tracks.
"Hold it!" He burst out on instinct "I... I can take a cab"
Edgeworth simply opened the driver seat door and slipped in, not without throwing him a dirty look.
"I was under the impression you were in a hurry to arrive at the Space Center. Was I wrong, by any chance?"
So that was the feeling defense attorneys from all around the world went through whenever the widely acclaimed Prosecutor Edgeworth pulverized their arguments and, more often than not, their whole cases. He really could understand why he wasn't exactly in the grace of the majority of the lawyer offices of the whole city.
Shamefully unable to find a good counterargument, Phoenix decided to try to at least save some face by pleading the fifth, which Edgeworth, quick and sharp-minded as always, immediately interpreted as a sign of surrender. Phoenix couldn't decide if he wanted to punch or snap a picture of that damned beautiful, nerve-grating smug smirk that ever-so-slightly curled upwards the man's pale lips.
"Get in" the order was crystal clear, and didn't sound too willing to negotiate any further. Defeated, Phoenix let out a weary sigh.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming"
---
Edgeworth inserted the key and twisted it in the ignition; the engine immediately came to life with what would have probably sounded like a languid purr to anyone who wasn't Phoenix Wright.
All he heard was a threatening grumble, like a far away thunder, bringer of the upcoming storm.
"Seat belt" Edgeworth's stern voice commanded; not that he needed the reminder, he wouldn't have ever dreamed of riding in that death trap on wheels without any kind of protection. He fumbled a bit with the seat belt but after a couple of rather panicked seconds he finally managed to secure it in place. Two flimsy straps of - what material is this thing even made of - black fabric sure weren't enough to make him feel a lot safer, but hey, better than nothing at all.
Edgeworth hummed at his side, satisfied, and finally they moved, slowly and carefully maneuvering the super car out of the spot. Phoenix almost snapped out of his anxious state when his eyes caught sight of Edgeworth moving gracefully the steering wheel, twisting in his seat to have a better view of where he was going as they proceeded backwards, offering Phoenix a nice view indeed. But then, at some point, they were at the exit, the ceiling finished, the road began and Phoenix tensed, in anticipation, his eyes fixed on the street before him.
The engine roared all of a sudden and they were propelled onto the road so fast that a small yelp escaped his lips and he instinctively reached for the door handle, desperate to hold something to steady himself.
Edgeworth glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, but it only lasted a split second and Phoenix didn't have the courage to face him and reply to the implicit question, feeling his face grow warmer by the second. A grown ass man scared of fast cars? That was totally unheard of, he supposed.
They proceeded in the traffic at a reasonable speed after that first mishap, probably to let Phoenix calm down enough and avoid a full fledged heart attack. Phoenix was glad Edgeworth had been sensible enough not to press on that unsightly outburst of his, leaving him time to regain his composure. Nonetheless, Phoenix was still grasping the handle as if it was a life line when, after a minute that felt like an eon, Edgeworth spoke up again.
"Wright"
"Hmm?"
"I'm afraid we're forced to speed up"
Phoenix felt like somebody dropped a bag of bricks directly into his stomach; he barely suppressed the urge to actually wince. But the thought of Trucy alone at the Space Center came back at the front of his mind and he forced himself to nod and actually say "I'm fine with that. But how are you going to speed up in the traffic?"
Edgeworth shifted slightly to have a better grasp on the wheel; his eyes were fixed on the road, focused and alert as Phoenix probably never saw them before. His knuckles were turning white from the strength he was holding the wheel with.
"Under certain... 'circumstances'... as a prosecutor I'm allowed to break some limits common civilians aren't usually supposed to break. I do believe 'kidnapping' and 'ransom' fall under the 'certain circumstances' definition"
Another bag of bricks. Made of marble. He didn't know if anybody ever made marble bricks, but that was the feeling. He swallowed.
"So... you mean to say you can, for instance, surpass that car before us, on the right?"
"You catch up quickly"
"Okay then. I'm fine with it" he repeated lamely, doing his best to keep his tone light and an unwavering smile, even if Edgeworth's face, on the other hand, seemed to darken. "How are you going to explain it in the eventuality a patrol car intimates us to stop?"
"The police has been thoroughly informed about the situation, and my private car is recorded in the police archive. I'm sure even Gumshoe would be able to put two and two together"
"Gumshoe wouldn't ever dare to even think about giving you a ticket, just because it's you"
"Fair point"
A moment of silence in which Phoenix could have cut the tension with a knife.
"Ready?" Edgeworth asked, rather quietly and softly, considering the man's usual ability to be delicate when other people's feelings were involved. That was to say, none at all.
"Yeah. The earlier we arrive, the more relieved I'll be. I do want to see Trucy as soon as possible" he uttered back, twisting his clammy hands in his lap, forcing himself to calm the hell down, it was only a ride like any other, right?
Still, that minor accident he and Larry had when they were younger - and stupid, otherwise he couldn't explain to himself why the heck he had accepted to be given a ride from Larry Butz, of all people - wasn't willing to stop flashing before his eyes. There was a reason Phoenix Wright didn't have a driver license, after all.
"Wright" Edgeworth interrupted his unwanted trip down memory lane and forcefully brought him back to the present, where he was sitting on a leathery seat that probably was worth more than what his whole being would, and an engine beneath him that could easily go from 0 to 100mph in a breath. Sounded real great for someone who already quivered in fear at the thought of a mere rollercoaster at the local amusement park. "I'd appreciate if you believed me when I claim I'm not going to send the car crashing against a wall, especially when you're inside it"
Edgeworth still wasn't looking at him and his expression didn't give anything away, but Phoenix could have sworn the other man's cheeks were slightly flushed. That, and the fact that against all the odds Edgeworth had been respectful of his foolish phobia rather then tease him mercilessly like Phoenix would have expected him to do - although it was still a little too early to be saying that - seemed to win him over.
"Okay then, I trust you."
And, against his better judgment, he let his eyelids flutter close; not even a second later, the blinkers were turned on and the car steered violently on the right, effortlessly slaloming through the traffic with a screech of burning rubber over concrete, and almost literally took flight. The engine sang like a dragon whose rage was finally quelled as the number of revs kept growing on par with the speed. He felt the car adjusting with quick touches to the right or to the left beneath him, making Phoenix's stomach clench uncomfortably at each swerve. His grip on the handle tightened further as he scrunched his eyes closed. The only thing preventing him from screaming and begging Edgeworth to stop the car, to let him out, was the thought of Trucy waiting for him back at the Space Center.
A sudden steer to the left, followed by a hissed curse in a language he didn't recognize - but that tone left no space for doubts - coming from his left side had him barely choking back a yell. Edgeworth launched the car even faster and then steered back to the right.
"What happened?" Phoenix dared to inquiry, although he really wasn't too eager to be let in on the detailed dynamics of the accident they had just avoided.
"An idiot who suddenly decided to switch lanes without notifying it. Nothing to worry about"
Easy to say, slightly more complicated to actually do it. He did his best to get comfortable on the seat, but he kept sliding out of balance every time the car moved to the side ever so slightly.
"We're there"
Phoenix's heart leaped straight up in his throat at these words; he straightened up and opened his eyes, trying to make out where they were, and then he saw it, the tall building with the planet-like insignia, the building where his thoughts kept drifting to during the trial. He could see the flashing blue lights of at least five police cars stationed in the Center's front parking lot.
Edgeworth quickly turned off the emergency lights and pulled the car to the side, close to the curb, and Phoenix was tempted to just open the door and run towards the Center, but as soon as he unbuckled himself the car let out a deafening BEEEEP, earning him a glower from Edgeworth ("We're still too fast to come to a full stop, Wright, don't do it again"). So much for being impatient; since when were cars this smart anyway?
When finally Edgeworth had firmly, undoubtedly stopped the car and turned off the engine, Phoenix lunged outside. The feeling of relief when his feet touched the solid ground was just slightly beaten by the anxiety and the desire to see Trucy perfectly safe. A policeman right near the entrance noticed him stumbling his way towards him and held out his hand warningly.
"Halt!"
Oh, hell NO
"This is the site of the crime, the Center is not available to civilians at the present moment"
That was too much. Too. Much. He would not let the first random idiot of the day to further stall him from seeing his daughter.
Part of his less than flattering thoughts must have shown on his face, because he noticed the man paled slightly and took a small step back, but was apparently ready to fight to confirm his idiocy.
(Un)luckily enough, he wasn't quick enough to let the man know exactly what Phoenix thought of him, because, for the second time that day, a hand landed on his shoulder, a lot more delicately than the previous time.
"Don't worry, officer Smith. He's with me" Edgeworth calmly stated. The policeman didn't look too convinced but he apparently was smart enough not to question the man that could halve his salary at the slightest whim. He let them in, although Phoenix could feel the man's eyes stubbornly fixed on his back, suspicious, as they proceeded further into the Center, until they disappeared out of sight.
"I'm the father of the kidnapped girl and I still need recommendation. Bah" Phoenix blurted out as they finally entered the hall, still full of agents running here and there, busy calling families and consoling the hostages. He couldn't help feeling a painful stab of guilt at his stomach when he realized most of the hostages had been young couples and families with children.
And then -
"DADDY!!!"
That was it, that was the voice he had been waiting to hear so desperately all this time. He caught a glimpse of a caped silhouette charging towards him and opened his arms just in time to catch her, immediately locking them back around her lithe frame and thus effectively trapping each other in a tight hug.
"Silly, I told you a thousand times not to jump without warning. What if I'm not able to catch you? I'm a poor old man" But he smiled, the girl's stray hair tickling his lips as he pressed a quick kiss on her forehead.
"Nah. That never happened"
Trucy was there, she was fine, she was safe. That was all he needed to be content and one with the universe.
More or less.
"Say, are you alright? Aura Blackquill didn't hurt you, did she?" He asked as they slowly, reluctantly let go of each other, although his back was immensely relieved when he finally lowered her down on the ground. She was a teenager girl, after all, and he was growing old, too old to be put through this kind of stress. She shook her head.
"Nuh-hu Daddy, relax. I'm fine. Awesome, almost. Did I tell you I performed some tricks to make the others at ease?"
"Yeah. I'm still wondering how a person can be at ease when they've been taken hostage, but it's you, thus I'm not surprised in the least"
She giggled at that, and the mere sound immediately soothed his mind. He had grown so accustomed to her laugh filling his darkest days that the few hours he spent without her around felt like the longest of his life.
The longest hours after, of course, that one epic trial. But that was another story that belonged to the past, he guessed.
Except the main character of said past story was back once more in all his glory and quickly approaching the father-daughter oddball duo.
"I talked with Detective Skye" ("oh my god, Edgeworth, just call her Ema." "Not when she's on the job, Wright, that's a breach of professional relationship, not to mention it would be terribly disrespectful on my part") "and she accepted to let you go without further questioning"
"Oh thank god" Phoenix exclaimed, relieved to hear they wouldn't have to spend the rest of the day, if not the night, at the Police Department. "The only thing I want right now is a two hours long shower and a good sleep. What do you say, Truce?"
"Same here, Daddy. Good afternoon, Mr.Edgeworth!" She added with a bright smile directed at the prosecutor she had slowly, but steadily warmed up to over the past few years. Phoenix didn't exactly know if it was because Trucy was a naturally loving person, or if, in her precocious sharpness, she had learned to associate Edgeworth to an upcoming vacation. He decided he really didn't want to dig any further in the matter, after all.
"I understand. Good afternoon to you, Ms. Wright" Edgeworth's cold and practical facade cracked for a second, caught lightly off-guard, and he gave her one of his over-the-top bows, accompanied by a small smile. He then shifted his attention back to Phoenix, as serious as ever - Phoenix should probably claim the man was clearly biased and playing favorites towards the young girl - and nodded, turning on his heels and starting walking towards the door. Phoenix and Trucy promptly followed suit.
"I really have to thank you, Edgeworth" Phoenix began when he caught up, but the other man didn't even regard him.
"There's no reason to be thanking me, Wright. I'm just doing my job"
Wow, that sure was a small-talking killer line indeed.
They proceeded quietly across the tangle of identical halls and corridors the Center was and had already reached Edgeworth's car before Phoenix realized he didn't really care for another roller-coaster ride on the thing. Edgeworth seemed to immediately pick on his change of heart and had the gall to flash him a little smirk, not too different from the ones he used to reserve for their fiery battles in court.
"I promise I'll be courteous and won't go any faster than 40 mph"
Phoenix scowled, feeling his cheeks burn with badly hidden embarrassment. "Wow, sorry for being a coward then" Edgeworth's grin instantly faded and was immediately replaced by a grimace, but he didn't retort.
"Really, Edgeworth, thanks for the offer but I think we'll be fine with a simple cab now"
Edgeworth took a deep breath, looking rather displeased, which was fairly surprising, considering a trip back to their apartment would mean a significant detour for Edgeworth, and that monster of an engine most likely consumed a lot - he really didn't want to know exactly how much, he cared for his heart and wallet - in terms of gasoline.
"I suppose you won't allow me to insist?" Edgeworth prodded once more, only adding fuel to his surprise.
"Nah, you don't have to worry about us anymore. But, really, thank you from the bottom of my heart, for everything. And, well, I guess I also have to apologize for the trouble?" His lips quirked in a sheepish smile as a hand instinctively shot out to the nape of his neck, his usual gesture when he was embarrassed. Edgeworth simply stared at him, impassible and unreadable, for a good ten seconds before finally turning away and focusing his attention on the car once more.
"Again, you don't have to apologize. And I'm terribly sorry to crush your cab dreams, but apparently our gracious princess has picked her ride" he pointed at Trucy, just a few step ahead of them, who was currently busy fussing over the blazing scarlet metallic stallion, ogling at it from every angle. Phoenix groaned and picked up his pace, reaching her in a few, determined strides.
"Come on, young lady. Come over here and take the cab with me"
"What?" She protested, pursing her lips "Are you serious?"
Phoenix decided then to play his trump card immediately and save himself a lot of bickering he wasn't in any shape to face at the moment.
"You don't want to impose, right?"
Trucy's outrage wavered and her eyes widened, full of fear and an unspoken apology "What? O-of course not..."
Done. She wasn't really too hard to keep at bay, Trucy; being overall a nice girl did have its pros, but with the cons came the easy-to-convince aspect. Even if it largely depended on who she was facing.
That would have been done, sure, if a certain lawyer hadn't decided to step in right in that moment, with an almost devilish smirk on his ridiculously good looking face. Damn it, he wasn't supposed to think that.
"It would not be an imposition at all, young lady. Au contraire, I'd be honored to be the one escorting you both until you reach the safety of your home" another bow and both men knew Trucy was sold for all eternity. ("DAD, learn something about how you properly treat a lady! Hmpf!"). She didn't even hesitate to climb onto the right rear seat, as if she owned the thing.
Phoenix really didn't like that look of utter satisfaction on the other man's face.
"I'm starting to think you enjoy butting in and ruin my efforts at any chance given"
Edgeworth's grin disappeared, an almost-offended glare taking its place. It didn't escape Phoenix's notice the way he hurried to readjust his glasses on his nose, trying to recompose himself. "I might have gone a little overboard, and for that I apologize. But it worked. And if you would be so kind get in the car we could finally leave this accursed place."
"Are you trying to get to me through my daughter? How evil, prosecutor Edgeworth"
Edgeworth's lips curled into a small, tight smile that looked more like a chagrin than anything and left his eyes cold and focused on something Phoenix couldn't see. He mumbled something inaudible and then climbed into the waiting Porsche, gesturing him to follow suit unless he wished to walk back on his own. As he sank back into the plush leather-clad seat and reached once again for the seat belt, he thought it could have been a 'in this case, the end justifies the means', but he wasn't too sure.
---
After the crazy drive of the courthouse-Space Center trip, the route Space Center-Wright household was rather dull. No limit breaking, no insane surpassing to the right. It was perfect for him, and the relaxing hum of the car now felt like a lullaby, calming and soothing. He finally was able to fully take in the expensive, luxurious accessories or the delicious, enveloping scent of leather and cologne - Edgeworth's cologne - that filled the air. His eyelids started feeling terribly heavy.
Trucy (after the first ten minutes of absolute excitement) had already fallen asleep on the rear back seat, her regular breath being the only sound breaking the otherwise utter silence hanging between the two men.
"It's fine if you sleep, Wright. We still have a little while to go" Edgeworth's voice shook him back to reality at some point, reaching him from seemingly miles away.
"Uh? Oh! No, no, I'm not that tired." He all but grumbled tiredly, forcing himself to stay fully awake. He noticed Edgeworth arched an eyebrow, definitely not convinced. "I was just lost in thought"
"Do you usually close your eyes and yawn three times per minute when you're lost in thought? That might explain a lot of things"
Ouch, that hurt. That was the Edgeworth he knew and appreciated, sharp and biting like the thin edge of an actual sword, and able to infer more or less the same amount of pain in a few, curt words. Especially if you happened to be a defense lawyer named 'Phoenix Wright'
And Phoenix surely must have developed masochistic tendencies, because he had learned to love that stinging burn. It felt normal, like two old friends chilling together and picking on each other for every little thing. And, most of all, without an ocean in-between them. The idea of accidentally bumping into Edgeworth at the courthouse on a regular basis sounded almost too alien - too good - to be true on his ears.
"Ahah, I guess so"
They fell in a comfortable silence again. That was the secret. It was comfortable; no need for meaningless small talking with the sole purpose of filling the quietness stretching between them; both men had their space and were free to think without any obligation towards the other.
He didn't know exactly how long he had been staring out of the window, distractedly watching the buildings slide away in front of him, blurred and melting into each other as the car flew past them, when Edgeworth called out to him.
"Wright?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you still awake?"
"Yes" he straightened up to further prove his point, even if he had to admit those seats were terribly comfortable "I told you I'm not actually that tired, not like the I-m-so-excited-I-won't-sleep-tonight mademoiselle who is currently lost in dreamland back there"
"I'd argue that being held hostage for about six hours is a fairly exhausting activity"
"True. I also hope it will be a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience, because this is getting ridiculous"
Edgeworth's scowl deepened at the remark.
"Wright, I hate to say this, but--"
"--I have made enemies during my career and a young daughter looks like the perfect objective to aim at to deal a fatal strike at me? Yes, Edgeworth, I know, and I don't like it one bit, but still I don't want to seclude her at home and not allow her to live her life"
It seemed like he had nailed the correct answer. Edgeworth visibly relaxed at his words.
"I'm glad to hear it"
A pause followed in which Edgeworth turned on the right and there they were, just in front of the block he and Trucy had recently moved into. Edgeworth slowed down and the car came to a soft stop a few feet away from the entrance of the building. Phoenix made to unlock his seat belt and wake the sleeping beauty behind him when the prosecutor spoke again. Phoenix couldn't help to notice that, even if he looked as perfectly collected and imperturbable as ever, his eyes were darting around and landing on everything - the radio they never turned on, the road in front of him, the huge door of the building - but Phoenix.
"For... anything else you might need..." the words were hesitant and too careful and sounded like a script played for the first time by an inexperienced actor "don't hesitate to contact me"
They both knew that was not going to happen, for one reason or another. But Phoenix still made the show to appreciate the offer, and smiled.
"Thank you, I'll keep it in mind. Thanks again for everything, Edgeworth, good evening and take care"
He opened the door and slipped out on the sidewalk, reaching for the rear passenger seat and shaking Trucy awake ("huh? We're here already? Bummers"). When father and daughter arrived at the door, he took a moment to get his keys out of his pocket, which reminded him he never got to ask Edgeworth about the Steel Samurai key-chain. Actually, now that he thought about it, had they ever have a non-work related conversation to begin with?
But still Edgeworth had come to the rescue without anybody asking. Phoenix knew he would have never pulled off that trial so nicely if the prosecutor had been anybody but Edgeworth. Which left him pondering what exactly they were to each other. Professional partners? Friends? Hmm, that didn't seem too right. He barely knew the Miles Edgeworth hidden beneath the Prosecutor (now Chief. Damn), knew nothing about his personal life, if he was seeing anyone, or what he did when he wasn't busy prosecuting or making sure the local Prosecutor Office didn't fall in chaos. Probably reenacting legal proceedings and making a point that the defense was being idiotic. Yeah, that sounded about right.
Before he could think of an answer, a serious one, he felt the keys being forcefully snatched away from his hand.
"Hey!"
"Dad, I thought you knew you have to actually put the keys in the hole to open a door. Glaring at it isn't going to do much"
"Yeah but..."
He cast a glance over his shoulder to where the car had pulled over and dropped them off. It was gone, obviously.
"Never mind, you're right. How about a nice pizza for tonight?"