67 Miles Away On New Year’s Day  

 A/N: I am so excited about this chapter when you see who all the interacting characters are! I hope you enjoy it! As always guys, thanks for reading! 😊

“Technology is sometimes the only way to be together, but it sure can make your day when you get that call and see them, bringing you that familiar love and comfort … as though they were right there by your side.”

Miles Edgeworth and Franziska Von Karma
Von Karma Estate, Germany
January 2, 2025, 8:00 AM

While relations between Miles and Franziska had been strained yet civil throughout the holidays, up until the first week of January, they’d at least had Anneliese and Katharina as houseguests to provide a sort of buffer. The vivacious blondes had greatly filled in the uncomfortable gaps of silence and pained glances between the couple with their cheery conversation and laughter, and he dreaded the day they would leave, as having them afoot had transformed that gloomy house into an actual home.

But alas, much like most things in life, all good things had to come to an end, and it was with a slightly heavy heart that the prosecutor bid his future sister-in-law and niece adieu at the train station for their trip back home to Switzerland.  The girl hastily pecked him goodbye on the cheek, then scurried off ahead with their baggage, a tail-wagging Phoenix happily trailing by her side. Katharina placed her slender fingers on the door handle, but then, at the last minute, leaned over to brush her lips against his cheek before stepping out of the car.

“Take good care of my Little One, Brüderchen,” she whispered, her grey eyes, identical to her younger sibling’s, displaying a sympathetic, knowing look in their depths. “I know not the intricate details of what troubles stir betwixt you two, which neither of you is a skilled enough thespian to conceal from me. I also know you will not reveal them to me any more than my sister would have, had I been foolish enough to ask. Franziska can be just as stubborn and close-mouthed as you can be, yet you two are alike in so many other ways, that I know your love will see you through in the end. You are truly perfect for one another. I pray you can remedy this rift between you in good time.”

At the sight of the good doctor’s kind, loving face, Miles could barely swallow the lump in his throat as he met her saddened gaze, which he knew mirrored his own.

Of course, despite her diplomatic silence on the matter during the duration of her stay, Katharina was still painfully aware something was amiss with them; how could you hide the fact that they slept in separate chambers, even in an estate as large as theirs? While it had been easy enough to dupe Anneliese with the lame excuse that his snores disrupted his fiancée’s slumber, and it wasn’t good to have Franziska lose sleep this close to her due date, surely a family psychologist was harder to fool!

“I will do everything in my power to make those prayers come true, Schwester,” he mumbled back, dropping his eyes guiltily.

“Just remember two things, always. One, my sister has loved you since she was a young girl and still does, despite what she may say or do to the contrary. And two, she suffers from that obstinate Von Karma pride, which she, unfortunately, inherited from our Papa.  But underneath it all, the good heart of our mother also beats within her, and as sure as I am of my own name, I know that it will only beat for you until her last breath.”

“I love her, too,” Miles regarded her helplessly. “You have to know that.”

“I do know that, dear one. Which is why these past few weeks, seeing the two of you act like polite strangers towards one another, these silences, they have nearly broken my heart.” Katharina sighed, then gave him a maternal pat on the cheek. “But I know you’re a good man, and that things will work themselves in due time.”

He nodded solemnly, on tenterhooks that this benevolent positivity wasn’t misplaced.

“Always remember that I am merely a phone call and train ride away if you need me, either of you,” she reminded him. “I hope the next time I see you both, you will be the happy family of three that you deserve to be. Never forget that I love you both.”

Miles nodded mutely and forced a smile for her benefit as he drove away, the older woman’s words echoing in his mind as he headed back home, all the while contemplating just how he could possibly go about fulfilling the promise he’d made. He hoped with all his heart Katharina knew of what she spoke. He needed to believe that things would work themselves out more than anything in the world.

His fiancée had opted to stay home instead of accompanying him on the ride over and had still been resting when they’d left the house. At seven months along now, she was constantly exhausted, and he could tell she was uncomfortable being on her feet for more than a few moments at a time, due to her aching back and swollen body, which put her often in a state of discomfiture.

Even though Miles knew Franziska would never admit it, it was a blessing in disguise that their sting operation was on hiatus. He honestly didn’t think, in her chronic state of discomfort and pain, which she wasn’t quite skilled at hiding, that the expectant mother-to-be was in any condition to resume work once Ku came back to Europe. He fervently prayed that she would have already had the baby by the time the drug lord returned. Things were undoubtedly going to take an even more risky turn if the kingpin was going to be true to his word and lead them to the contact for the big cheese – the Borginian cocoons.

The logic genius had no desire for the mother of his child and baby daughter to get caught in any dangerous crossfire.

The month before, the couple had found out they were expecting a little girl, whom they’d decided to name Carol Wilhelmine, after Miles’s and Franziska’s late mothers.  The prosecutor had been relieved she hadn’t been too insistent on making her mother’s given name be the baby’s as well, and had hesitantly suggested they refer to the child as the slightly softer-sounding “Minna” should that have been the future mama’s true heart’s desire. However,  she’d just offhandedly shrugged and said that fair was fair after all, and when he’d protested, she’d coolly reminded him that  ‘the last one had been named after her father after all,’ then just as nonchalantly informed him that it was due to circumstances beyond her control how she’d become privy to the baby’s gender.

Apparently, that afternoon he’d gone to the gentleman’s club in December, Franziska had gone with her sister to her last appointment at the general practitioner’s before he went on holidays, and the excited ‘foolish fool of a receptionist’ had blurted out the news, thinking they’d already known!

Luckily Katharina had been there to restrain her fuming younger sibling from unleashing her wrath – and her whip! – upon the poor, clueless young lady who’d unwittingly ruined the surprise.

When Miles returned to the house, he found Franziska on the computer in the library, scrolling through a site of natural remedies for prenatal bloating and swelling. She quickly minimized the window when she saw him enter.

“You’re back,” she remarked stiffly, a slight blush coloring her cheeks as she saw him enter.

“Indeed, I am,” he replied, arching a brow and crossing his arms. “I had no inkling that you were a believer in the homeopathic ways of healing, meine Dame. I thought you’d always dismissed that sort of thing as ‘foolish nonsense’ and preferred the western medical route as a trusted science.”

Franziska averted her gaze from his.

“Well … Maya had video-messaged me to wish me Happy New Year just now, and you know how that village of hers preaches the ancient, natural ways of the land over traditional medicine…” Miles nodded, and her blush deepened. “So she was mentioning how I can treat some of my unpleasant, persistently ill-health symptoms with things such as Cyprus or lavender oil, which are helpful. As can, ahem, allium sativum…”

Miles didn’t need to inquire which ailment would require the use of garlic; he already knew. Hence, he wisely didn’t mention that along with looking up relief for edema, he’d also noticed Franziska had had an open window detailing relieving suggestions for thrush in the nether regions, presumably to help ease … feminine itching.

“And how is Miss Fey doing?” He inquired. “I hope she and Wright got their Christmas presents sent to them in time.”

“Maya appears to still  be online.” The German woman gestured to the Skype window. “I was just chatting with her a few moments ago. She and Phoenix are over at our place right now, should you want to wish them a Happy New Year. It’s still the first of the month over in California right now.”

Miles felt a slight smile tugging at his lips. While he’d emailed and called his best friend many times over the years, and had sporadic written correspondence with the Gumshoes and Maya as well, he hadn’t set his actual eyes on any of them in six years and was suddenly bursting with a desire to do so.  He would blame the sentiment of the holiday season still being within him for his uncharacteristic reaction.

How else to explain the barely concealed delight spreading within him as Franziska set up the video call feature, as he waited with excited anticipation for his friends to pick up on the other end?

Fredgeworth/ Phaya
Von Karma Estate, Germany/Edgeworth’s Penthouse, Los Angeles
January 2, 2025/January 1, 2025

The psychic was on her laptop, seated on the couch. Miles and Franziska could clearly make out their still holiday-decorated living room in the background. A sleepy-looking Phoenix was only partially visible as he appeared to be resting his head on his girlfriend’s shoulder. Miles could only make out his friend’s forehead and spikes at this particular angle of the camera.

“Holy cow! I can’t believe we’re finally getting to see you guys!” The Kurain Master chirped happily, her eyes sparkling at the sight of her friends after so long. “Happy New Year!”

The spirit medium’s customary bubbly expression faded slightly as she then turned to look at her dozing boyfriend. She poked the top of his skull with her finger, as though trying to push his head off of her.

“Hey! Old Man, wake up! You’ll never guess who’s on camera right now!”

Phoenix emitted a loud snore in response, much to the couple’s amusement and the diviner’s visible annoyance.

“Happy New Year, Miss Fey,” Miles gave a mock bow, noting that even with her face scrubbed free of makeup, and her hair pulled up in a messy semi-topknot, his friend was the same fresh-faced, ageless beauty she’d been when he’d seen her last, even though she now had to be in her late 20’s.

“Happy New Year, Maya,” Franziska smiled graciously, then raised a sardonic brow. “It is early morning here in Germany, on January 2nd… how late it is over there now, seeing as your ah,  lively companion seems to be in want of his bed?”

“It’s only 11:00 at night right now,” the Master told them. “So it’s still the first day of the year for us! We were just watching my favorite TV series when you called me, Franziska. This dork here was pretending to be awake watching The Pink Princess/Steel Samurai DVD series I got him for Christmas when he’s been asleep the whole time, the ungrateful bum!”

She glared at her lover,  then shifted abruptly so that his unsuspecting, slumbering form first slumped, and then fell over to the side … and off the screen.

“Take that, you big bluffer!”

The prosecutors snorted as they heard a heavy thud on the floor, followed by an irate cry from the rudely awakened pianist.

“Whaaa?! Dammit, Maya! What the hell?!”

“That’s what you get for falling asleep watching the Christmas gift I so lovingly gave you, Buster! How are you ever going to do those reports you promised me when you’re not even awake to see the episodes!” The Burger Queen snapped unapologetically. “Besides, Nick…yeesh! What are you, like, a 100?! How can you be falling asleep when it’s only 11:00 PM!?”

There was a shuffling sound as the hobo struggled to get up off the carpet. Miles and Franziska could hear but still not yet see him as he continued to grumble.

“Maybe because before turning on this ridiculously boring drivel, a certain someone completely wore me out earlier all afternoon and evening with her repeated voracious need to –”

“Oh, my gucking fod!” Maya clapped a hand over her mouth and turned bright red. “Shut up already, Nick!”

“Why? What’s with the innocent denial act, all of a sudden, Little Miss Insatiable?  It wasn’t even an hour ago that you jumped me – right here on this very sofa…”

“Phoenix Wright, you foolish fool!” Franziska lifted a hand over her mouth to smother her snickering and affected the normal stern tone she’d reserved for her courtroom rival in the past. “I will thank you to cease wagging your tongue and not to finish that unseemly, oversharing sentence within my presence, lest it arises this morning’s breakfast within me!”

“Seconded! I also implore you to please spare us the recapped gory details of the exertion which caused your state of exhaustion, Wright,” Miles added laconically.

The wry smile on his face grew as he saw Phoenix’s spikes first emerge on the camera, then his forehead … and next came one startled navy eyeball, followed by the other.

“Franziska?” The anterior lawyer gasped, his cheeks flaming as he flopped back onto the couch next to his swain. “Edgeworth? What the? How? When…?”

“Season’s Greetings, Wright,” the cravat-wearer smirked. While his voice held its typical droll tone, he was biting back a huge ear-to-ear grin at the sight of his best friend. The other man was now fully alert, staring back at the screen, his eyes wide with surprise, embarrassment, and completely unconcealed happiness at seeing Miles after all this time. “And a Happy New Year to you, too.”

“H – Happy New Year, Edgeworth and Franziska!” A beam of genuine pleasure lit up the DILF’s face, as he took in the sight of the two at last. “Long time, no see!”

“Well, if you’d just learned how to use Skype instead of always making Larry be the one to set up that webcam for you all those times past, you could have been video-chatting with your best friend ages ago, Nick!” Maya scolded playfully, rumpling her other half’s spikes. “Why must you insist on remaining on Amish levels of technical knowledge, you old fart?!”

“Give me a break, Maya, you know how I’m not a techie guy! Hell, I don’t even know how to change the ringtone on my Dumb Phone!” The spiky-haired man groused, grabbing her hand to cease the tousling and smoothing his hair back into place. “To this very day, it plays the Steel Samurai theme whenever I get a call!”

“Yup!” She stuck out her tongue at him. “And I’m not about to change it, either!”

“I see some things never change and that you’re still your technologically clueless self, Wright.” Miles’s cadence was smug. “Although I see you’re at last free of that atrocious beanie! Miss Fey, did you take my advice and finally kill it with fire?”

“Nope, he’s still got it,” the necromancer tittered, ignoring the indignant look her lover shot her. “He just doesn’t wear it here when we’re together because he knows I hate that blasted thing!”

“Humph! I have gotten wiser over the years, I’ll have you all know! Therefore, I’m fully aware of the way your mind works!” Phoenix informed his inamorata loftily, before turning his head to speak into the camera, the happy grin on his face belying his words entirely. “Luckily she’s not been able to take that advice of yours, as there’s no doubt if I do bring it here, Edgeworth, she will undoubtedly not only make off with it in my sleep but then burn it as you’ve repeatedly directed her to, posthaste! Also, she has utterly disregarded your oh-so-hilarious suggestion to gift me with piano lessons for Christmas!”

“I apologize if I offended your artistic sensibilities, Wright!” The barrister chuckled. “It seemed like a good idea, based on my memories of your pianist skills!”

“That coincides with my recollections as well, at his impromptu debut performance that night,” Franziska chimed in, smirking. “I also seem to recall he was a better singer than a pianist.”

“And we are back to the whole Gang Up and Make Fun of Phoenix routine!” The pianist quipped, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. “I guess some things truly never do change!”

“Oh, Nick’s a great singer! And really, his playing isn’t that bad anymore at all!” Maya defended loyally, turning her head to press a kiss on her beau’s temple. “It’s certainly evolved to the point where it was convincingly moving enough to make me accept his Christmas present.”

She beamed as she waved her promise ring at the camera.

“Isn’t it pretty?”

“I am suitably impressed,” Miles admitted. “It’s quite exquisite indeed. It appears your boyfriend has better taste in jewelry than his own accessories, at any rate.”

“You’re hysterical, Edgeworth, you know that?” Phoenix scowled at his best friend. “A real pip!”

“Cut it out, you two, you’re not in court right now!” Maya admonished. “Have neither of you evolved past this senseless bickering you seem to regress to whenever you’re together?”

“He started it!” The poker champ cried petulantly.

“Wright, what are you, a five-year-old?!” Miles exclaimed. “It’s most amusing how you’ve regressed to our elementary school days of maturity over the years!”

“So, are the two of you officially betrothed now?” Franziska broke in, anxious to cease the childlike bickering the two men seemed to forever favor. “Are congratulations in order here?”

“It’s only a promise ring for now,” the card shark said quickly. “But I’m going to give her the real thing soon enough! Thanks to my investigations and some leads I’ve gotten from you guys, I’m on the path to clearing my name and hopefully, regaining my badge!”

“Let’s hope that day comes soon, Phoenix Wright!” The German woman flashed a wicked grin. “I sorely miss sparring with you in the courtroom.”

“And I thank you, Franziska, for at least being one of the two of you to contain said spars to the courtroom,” the ex-defense lawyer quipped, before looking back at Miles. “Anyway, I’m liking the Iron Man hairdo, Edgeworth. I see you followed my advice on cribbing the Tony Stark look.”

“That facial hair is … something else!” Maya noted. “It makes you look mega sharp, Mr. Edgeworth.”

“If by sharp, she means that you perfectly resemble a greasy billionaire playboy,” Phoenix derided. “Then I’m going to have to agree with her!”

“Thank you both. That was just the look I was going for!” Miles stroked his soul patch. “I also wanted to ask if you two received your holiday presents in time, and found them to be pleasing?”

“Pleasing? Are you kidding, Mr. Edgeworth? We loved our gifts!” Maya enthused. “I’d wish we could have sent you guys something more than just the treat basket to your German residence, but we never knew where in the world you two were and didn’t want to risk sending anything perishable … but you better believe Nick loves his new Corinthian Series Luxury Ebony Chess Pieces chess set!”

“Well, chess is probably more stimulating than the DVD set we were watching … Maya, I’m only kidding!” Phoenix ducked as his girlfriend hit him over the head with a sofa pillow. He grinned mischievously at the camera. “What I should have done was down a few cups of that awesome Brazilian roast that was sent to me anonymously for Christmas …”

The cravat-wearer smirked. He had a pretty good idea about the identity of the mysterious Arabica-bean gifter. Not at all coincidentally, a certain coffee connoisseur, whose early prison release Phoenix had requested years ago, had been recently paroled. It seemed his childhood chum had forgotten the appeal had been the penultimate motion he’d put into play before losing his badge, which over the years, amongst other things, Miles had discreetly ensured came to fruition on his best friend’s behalf. But now was not the time to remind him.

His best friend was still jabbering about the chess set.

“…no doubt that java will come in handy for keeping me alert in finally learning how to play that beloved game of yours…” Phoenix went on, smirking. “So when you come back, we can have the match of the century, Edgeworth!”

“Bring it, Wright!” Miles replied, his face hurting from suppressing the enormous smile that only bantering with his best friend could evoke from him. “And Miss Fey, I hope you know what you have now is a limited edition, original film print from the actual reel of the Steel Samurai/Pink Princess/Iron Infant movie. Ergo…”

He gave her a meaningful look.

“…I imagine this will cease your desire to want to ‘borrow’ the Steel Samurai movie print of mine, henceforth?”

The village leader at least had the decency to blush as she realized the big-mouthed Hendricks had blabbed about her sticky finger attempts.

“Um, yeah,” she mumbled. “Thanks so much for that, Mr. Edgeworth!”

All of a sudden, Phoenix and Maya heard a bark in the background. The next thing they knew, a beautiful golden retriever emerged on screen, pawing at first her daddy’s, then mommy’s laps, startling Franziska as Miles quickly grabbed the dog’s collar.

“Pess! You are sopping wet! Down girl!” The silver-haired Frau shot out of her seat … affording the other couple their first view of her protruding abdomen. “Hans!” She called, turning her head away from the camera as she walked a few steps away, hands to her mouth like a megaphone. “Helga! Dry the dog’s paws immediately! She is trailing the wet snow into the house!”

Phoenix and Maya were gobsmacked at the sight of the formerly svelte legist’s expanded waistline – they’d had no inkling that Franziska was pregnant!  The psychic had simply assumed the former prosecutor’s slightly rounder cheeks had been from indulging in too much holiday food consumption – although, unlike her daft boyfriend, she certainly wasn’t idiotic enough to actually voice these thoughts out loud…

“Um, are those packed on pounds of hers, er, cause for congratulations on our behalf, Edgy?” The former defense attorney asked awkwardly before his lover could shush him. “Or should we play just  dumb?”

“Play?  You could manage the team, Phoenix Wright, you foolish fool!” Franziska barked, returning to the camera and putting her hands on her hips. “Do you mean to tell me your foolish self can’t the difference between when a woman has gained weight or is with child?!” 

“S- Sorry!” Phoenix flushed deeply and scratched the back of his neck, grateful he wouldn’t be able to feel the crack of her whip over the connection. “Maya always said you are never to ask a woman if she’s pregnant unless you see a baby’s crowning head  coming out of her…”

“Jeez, Nick, of all the times of you to finally start listening to me, that’s where you decided to start?” His lover demanded crossly. “Thanks a bunch!”

“That’s enough, you two!” Miles was beyond exasperated. “I can’t believe that neither of you has outgrown your senseless squabbling! Wright, you bloody imbecile! Yes, Franziska is pregnant, not fat!  And before you put your foot in your mouth again, she’s due in two months, with our baby girl, Carol.”

Mr. Edgeworth’s parents were named Greg and Carol – seriously? The spirit medium smothered back a giggle at the unwitting deference to The Brady Bunch TV show. Well, at least his father’s name wasn’t Mike! But since we’ve nonetheless got the name of one of the stepsons and stepmom here already … If they were having a boy, would they have named him Bobby or Peter…?

“Really?” Phoenix seemed skeptical. He scratched his head. “She’s only seven months then? I’d have thought she was further along…”

“Congratulations, both of you!” Maya trilled, elbowing her paramour sharply in the side to shut him up. Ignoring his grunt, she clasped her hands in delight and beamed. “This is wonderful news! Franziska, please ignore my perma-foot-in-mouth boyfriend …you look absolutely beautiful and radiant! Please, contact us when your little one is born so we know where to send a newborn basket!”

The four chatted a little bit longer, before finally signing off, with the last words they heard being Maya chastising Phoenix on being such a “clueless, insensitive jerk-face!”

Both Miles and Franziska were still chortling as they rang off.