Author's Note: This story is complete, with six parts, but it may take me a little bit to get them all uploaded, because life is crazy. It spans the time gap between Ace Investigations 2 and Apollo Justice, so expect spoilers through the end of Apollo Justice.

Lyricless Lament

1.

Sebastian testifies against his father in open court.

Prosecutor Edgeworth had told him that he didn't have to. There was enough evidence to see his father convicted even without Sebastian's testimony, and Prosecutor Edgeworth had no intention of allowing the elder DeBeste to get away with his crimes. Sebastian had even been tempted by the offer, not quite trusting himself to face his father again.

Which was why he agreed to do it, really. Sebastian cannot allow his father to have that much control over his life—over his duty. And it is Sebastian's duty to testify, because it is Sebastian's duty to protect and defend the law. If he wants to be the man—the prosecutor—that Edgeworth keeps saying he can be, then Sebastian will need to face his nightmares.

Face his failings.

Face his father.

He does well for the first part of his testimony. He keeps his eyes focused on Prosecutor Edgeworth. He uses the words and phrases that he and Edgeworth had spent hours going over yesterday. He doesn't stumble at all.

Everything is going fantastically until his father speaks up. "Sebastian, my boy, I don't think you really know what you're talking about."

A flick of his father's fingers, a familiar motion, and Sebastian flinches back before he can stop himself. His father doesn't have a lighter right now. There is no possible way that Edgeworth or Detective Gumshoe would have allowed his father to bring a weapon into the courtroom.

Years worth of instinct still tell him that he is in danger, that the tenor of his father's voice in concert with that motion is a recipe for pain, and Sebastian flinches back, his voice stuttering to a halt.

"DeBeste." Edgeworth practically glows with righteous fury. "I can and will have you removed for contempt of court if you continue to interrupt."

"I'm pretty sure that's not part of your job description, Mister Edgeworth." Blaize DeBeste turns tearful eyes to the judge. "And I do apologize, your honor, it's just that the boy's clearly misremembering a great many things. Including who has raised and taken care of him."

Sebastian can feel his arms and legs trembling, and he shoves his gloved hands into his armpits, hoping to keep the shivers from being too obvious. He knows exactly who has taken care of him, and it is not the man whose DNA he shares.

"Hmm." The judge blinks between the prosecutor's stand and where the defendant is currently restrained. "While Mr. DeBeste does have a point about whose job it is to hand out penalties and declare people in contempt of court..."

Edgeworth bows, calm and collected. "My apologies, Your Honor. I just saw no need to annoy you with the triviality involved in making what should be a very obvious call."

"In the future, annoy me." The judge turns back to Sebastian's father. "He does have a point though, Mr. DeBeste. It is not your place to interrupt the witness' testimony."

"If my defense attorney were good for anything, I wouldn't have had to." His father wipes at his eyes, but Sebastian can still hear the anger bubbling beneath the surface, feel his father's gaze like the first lick of fire against his skin. "But the boy's either been misinformed or is lying, and there's evidence to that fact. What color did you say the van was again?"

Had he mentioned a van color? Sebastian can't remember. He can't remember anything about what he's supposed to be saying, can't remember the order of his carefully-prepared testimony, and he turns to Edgeworth for assistance even as his mouth blurts out an answer. "Black? Yes, it was black, of course."

"Of course?" The way his father mimics the words sends a shiver up and down Sebastian's spine. "It wasn't. It was white, and if you can't remember a simple color how are we supposed to trust you about anything else?"

How are they, indeed? Given how much he's managed to be blind and deaf and dumb to already, why should anyone trust his testimony about anything? Tears blur his vision, and Sebastian blinks frantically, trying to clear them away. He will not break down. He will not disappoint Prosecutor Edgeworth.

His father continues, words coming fast and hard. "Really, boy, to think I wasted so much time on you—"

"Objection." Edgeworth's voice rings through the courtroom, his palm striking the prosecutor's bench with an audible smack. "The defendant is clearly trying to fluster and confuse the witness. Given the nature of their relationship, I request that the court demand the defendant remain quiet for the remainder of the testimony or find himself held in contempt and dismissed from court."

"Objection sustained." The judge's gavel slams down. "Restrain yourself for the duration of the testimony, Mr. DeBeste."

"Now, Prosecutor DeBeste." Edgeworth's tone is calm, his stance confident and relaxed as he turns to Sebastian. "Please continue your testimony."

"Right. So." Sebastian tries to remember where he had been in his testimony. "After you referenced me from the garage—"

Edgeworth frowns, and Sebastian stutters to a halt, face flaming red hot. He's done something wrong again. Edgeworth's finger taps against his arm. "I believe the word you were searching for is released, Prosecutor DeBeste. Possibly rescued."

"Ah... right... yes." Sebastian swallows, acutely aware of his father watching him.

Blaize DeBeste's hand moves, striking flame from a lighter that isn't there.

Sebastian stumbles through the rest of his testimony, then through a bitterly long cross-examination. He mixes up words and inverts the order of events. He is crying by the time he is halfway through the cross-examination, tears flowing freely down his face, his body flinching instinctively every time his father makes a small movement.

He doesn't stop, though. He humiliates himself, and he's not certain he's actually helped Prosecutor Edgeworth's case, but he doesn't quit. He continues doggedly on until the defense has no more questions, until the mutterings of the gallery are the only sound in the courtroom.

"Thank you, Prosecutor DeBeste. I think everyone here has found your testimony, both about the latest incident and about events you watched unfold as a child, most enlightening." Edgeworth graces Sebastian with the smallest smile before turning his full attention to the judge. "If you are satisfied, Your Honor, I request that Prosecutor DeBeste be allowed to retire for the day."

The judge nods gravely. "I think we've heard everything we need to. Go clean yourself up, son."

Sebastian doesn't wait to be dismissed a second time. He sets his sights on the door to the prosecution's lobby, not looking at either Prosecutor Edgeworth or his father, and tries to walk calmly towards it.

He makes it into the prosecutor's lobby before his tears start in earnest again, and it is more feel and memory that guide him into the bathroom, with a small detour to stub his toe on the courthouse replica and a longer stop when he winds himself around the drinking fountain slowing him down.

Idiot.

He is an absolute idiot, just like his father said, and he has just proven it in court. Prosecutor Edgeworth was right. He shouldn't ever have tried to testify. He shouldn't ever have tried to face down his father again. He should simply have stayed to the side, allowed Edgeworth to fight this fight.

Except it is his fight as much or more than it is Edgeworth's. He doesn't want to see his father free to continue running things as he has been. He doesn't want to be a tool in his father's arsenal.

He wants to help, but his stumbling tongue and his fear and his incompetence seem intent on keeping him from doing so.

The door to the bathroom swings open again half a minute after Sebastian has stumbled through, and Sebastian squints through aching eyes to see who it is. Not Edgeworth—Edgeworth will still be in court. One of his father's minions, come to tell Sebastian what he already knows? Justine or Kay, come to see that he's all right? Wait, no, that would be silly, he's in the men's room.

It turns out to be someone he doesn't know, a young man about his own age with gold-blond hair. The newcomer is wearing sunglasses, though he takes them off as Sebastian studies him, slipping them into a back pocket.

"H-hello." Sebastian sniffles, trying to collect himself. Who is this person? Sebastian has never seen them before, but they should be associated with the prosecutor's office in some way to have access to this area. "Can I help you?"

"Ach, that was supposed to be my line." The newcomer smiles sheepishly, blue eyes studying Sebastian intently. A light accent colors all of his words.

"I'm f-fatalistic." Sebastian swipes again at his still-tearing eyes.

One pale eyebrow arches. "I suspect you were searching for another word. Perhaps fantastic?"

"Probably. Possibly." Sebastian draws a shuddering breath... and expels it in another round of bitter sobbing that he can't seem to get to stop. "S-sorry. Just—I—"

"Have nothing to apologize for. Verzeihung, perhaps I should not have followed you. I just thought, perhaps, you would not want to be alone after having to go through that." The blond pulls a purple handkerchief with a stylized G embroidered in the corner from his back pocket and holds it out to Sebastian. "And that perhaps you would want something like this."

Sebastian takes the proffered handkerchief, wiping at his eyes and face tentatively. "Thank you. Though... um... if you don't mind my asking... who are you?"

"Gavin!" The blond beams, his thumbs hooking into belt loops on his tight pants as he leans against the wall without the sinks, across from Sebastian. "I am Klavier Gavin."

"Gavin..." Sebastian turns the name over in his mouth, certain that he's heard it before—certain he's heard his father say the name. "Isn't Gavin a defense attorney?"

"That would be my older brother." Klavier's right hand rises, fiddling with a lock of hair that seems to have been artfully arranged between his eyes. "Even with two careers of my own, it seems that I cannot escape his shadow."

Sebastian blinks. "Two careers?"

"Have you heard of the Gavinners?" Klavier leans forward, all eager energy; when Sebastian shakes his head, he returns to leaning against the wall. "Well, just wait. Give it time. We're doing fantastically well on the charts right now."

"So..." Sebastian finds himself reaching down to touch the baton at his side. "You're a musician, then?"

"Nein." Klavier shakes his head. "Well, actually, ja, but that is not why I'm here today. I passed the bar three weeks ago, and I have accepted employment here."

"Oh." Frowning, Sebastian tries to wrestle the pieces of the puzzle into a coherent whole. "Oh! You mean we're going to be coagments?"

Klavier's mouth turns down in a brief frown. "I believe the word you're looking for is colleagues."

"Right. That too." Sebastian sighs, Klavier's handkerchief balled into a fist in his left hand. "Sorry."

"It's all right." Klavier waves a hand. "I'm still getting used to using English all the time again. I'm certain you'll be able to correct me multiple times before the week is out."

"Yes, but that's reasonable, if you know another language." Sebastian sniffles before he can stop himself.

Klavier's head tilts slightly to the right. "You don't believe that your mistakes are reasonable?"

Sebastian shrugs, not able to meet the other prosecutor's gaze. "English is my one and only language."

"Hmm." Klavier crosses his arms in front of his chest. "They are large words that you use. Complicated words. Some that one does not hear very often."

Folding the handkerchief into neat squares, Sebastian sets it on the rim of the closest sink. "Yes, well, I'm used to people using a lot of complicated words around me. They have for most of my life. Only apparently at least one wasn't using them properly, but no one's really corrected me up until now. Likely because my father ordered them not to."

"A cruel thing to do. It isn't possible to learn to do things properly unless you know when you're doing them wrong." Klavier frowns, a sudden, fierce expression. "From what was said today, though, it seems that is one of the smaller cruelties he has visited upon others."

"It's just a silly thing." Sebastian's hands have pulled his baton out, are twisting the thin metal rod between them. "Compared to everything else he's done, it's nothing."

"Ach, zaubermaus, smaller does not mean nothing. It's possible to recognize that murder is a graver offense than kicking a puppy and still be quite distraught over the whimpering pup."

Sebastian's cheeks flare with heat again, and his eyes immediately begin tearing. "I'm not a puppy, whimpering or otherwise."

Klavier pulls back, blinking in puzzlement, and shakes his head. "I did not mean to imply that you were. I'm sorry if I caused offense."

"No, it's... it's all right." Closing his eyes, Sebastian draws a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I just... I hate that I let him get to me. That I humiliated myself and may have hurt Prosecutor Edgeworth's case."

"Let me put one of those fears to rest, then. You did not hurt Prosecutor Edgeworth's case." Klavier smiles again, his whole body seeming to perk up at the mention of Edgeworth. "For one thing, there isn't a force known to man that can stop the Demon Prosecutor when he is on the trail of corruption. For another, I was in the gallery, and everyone could see what your father was doing. It did not work. He only looked like a bully, attempting to hide the light of truth under a barrel of fear and misdirection. It will not succeed."

"I—you—" Sebastian chews on his bottom lip and forces himself to start with the most important part of Prosecutor Gavin's testimony. "You're certain? I didn't hurt the case?"

"You did not." Klavier shakes his head, blond hair accentuating the movement. "You would have to ask Prosecutor Edgeworth for his opinion, of course, but in mine, you were an exemplary witness."

"Yes, well—have you actually tried any cases yet?"

The sheepish smile on Klavier's face gives Sebastian his answer.

"Well, I suppose the blind leading the blind is better than stumbling along alone." Sebastian tosses his baton in the air, catching it with the ease of long practice. "Were you in the gallery studying?"

"I wanted to see Prosecutor Edgeworth in action. He is rather legendary. A young prodigy of a prosecutor, with experience in multiple countries." Klavier straightens, obvious pride in his voice. "I attended some of the same courses that he did, while I was studying in Germany. And since I have little to do while my paperwork is processed so that I may begin taking on cases, but can join the gallery at any time thanks to this..."

Klavier tosses his prosecutor's badge into the air and catches it before slipping it back into his pocket.

Sebastian touches his own badge, pinned to his lapel. "You thought it was a good time to see the legend in action."

"Ja." Klavier continues to grin. "I was not disappointed."

"But..." Sebastian frowns, pointing back towards the courtroom. "Why aren't you out there now? There must still be another hour or so left in the trial, based on the evidence that Prosecutor Edgeworth had submitted."

"I'm sure there is. And I will eagerly read the transcript, when it becomes available." Klavier shrugs, smile taking on that sheepish note again. "But I thought, perhaps... you would like someone to talk to, after going through that."

Groaning, Sebastian buries his face in his hands. This is what people are always going to think of him. He is always going to be the crybaby prosecutor, the boy who entered the law profession only due to the whims of his father.

The thought causes another sniffle to break free, and Sebastian presses his face deeper into his hands. He is just as pathetic as his father was say—

"It takes a great deal of bravery, to do what you did." Klavier pushes himself away from the wall, crossing the distance to Sebastian slowly. "To face down someone who has held power over you, someone you have respected—that takes courage and bravery."

Sebastian shakes his head. "I didn't see. It should have been so obvious, and it took me so long to understand what he was doing, what he was—"

"I think... there were likely many reasons you found it hard to see." Klavier's fingers brush gently against the white fabric of Sebastian's gloved hand, but he doesn't say anything further—doesn't speculate, as many of the journal articles have speculated, and Sebastian appreciates that. "He was family. He had the respect of a great many other people. One of those alone would be hard to overcome; both together? It is a testament to your dedication to truth and justice that you stood with Prosecutor Edgeworth today."

"Stood and forgot my words." Sebastian swallows, not sure what to make of Klavier's physical proximity, of the sharp, attentive way Klavier is watching him. "Stood and c-cried."

"Sometimes tears are a necessary reaction." Klavier shrugs, taking a step back. "Too many musicians have acquired too much money and fame writing songs to pull at the heartstrings for me to denounce tears. They are a lyricless lament, and we are lucky when we can find a fraction of that emotion with our words and our chords."

"It is a popular genre." Sebastian's hands are once more fiddling with his baton. "But I... he always said that it was all right to cry. That it didn't make you less of a man or a prosecutor. But he was also willing to kill me and he did kill other people and... well..."

"I believe the saying in English is that a stopped clock is right twice a day?" Klavier is fiddling with his hair again, expression pensive. "A corrupt man must know the language of the innocent, if he wants to blend in with them. Not everything that your father did or said will have been terrible. And perhaps that is the hardest thing of all, sorting out what is irredeemable from that which merely looks tainted by association."

Sebastian laughs, a strained, breathless sound. "Sometimes it seems that everything has been tainted by association. I know that isn't true, if nothing else Prosecutor Edgeworth means that's not true, but... ah, I don't know why I'm burdening you with this."

"Because you need to talk to someone, and I have made myself available." The smile that Klavier gives him now is warm, compassionate. "We are going to be working together, hopefully for a very long time. With what you have done today, you have already shown yourself to be a worthy and trustworthy colleague. At the moment I can offer nothing but my own assurances that I will be the same, but for what it's worth I do give you my word I won't talk of this with anyone else. And I can say I have already had some small experience with overly enthusiastic members of the press, so I do understand the need for discretion with these things."

"Thank you." Sebastian wipes once more at his eyes. "I mean... I suppose I can't trust you yet, but if you are what you appear to be... thank you."

"I can assure you, I am what I appear to be. Having two jobs is difficult enough; I see no need to complicate my life further by playing with masks." Klavier is once more toying with his hair, the fine blond strands sliding between his fingers. "Besides, justice is blind. She relies on her ears, listening for the truth in our words and our hearts. I think it thus more fitting to put my efforts towards crafting my own voice and finding the truth beneath other's masks, rather than building a mask of my own."

Sebastian isn't entirely sure he understands what Klavier just said, but he's fairly certain it was Klavier trying to reassure him, so he sniffles and nods.

Klavier nods his head toward the courtroom. "Did you want to see the end of the trial?"

Sebastian thinks about it for a moment and then shakes his head. "No. I'd rather not have to see him right now."

"A reasonable enough choice." Klavier tilts his head to the left, smiling again. The expression seems to come easily to him. "I don't suppose you know any good grub places in the vicinity?"

"I... uh... maybe?" Sebastian swallows as his voice squeaks. "I mean, yes. If you're hungry, I can show you some places. If you'd like."

"I would." Klavier's smile becomes a full-fledged grin.

And that's how Sebastian ends up going out to lunch with Klavier Gavin while his father's sentencing occurs, talking about Prosecutor Edgeworth and the looming bright future of the legal system.

All things considered, it ends up being a far better day than Sebastian had expected, even if he forgets to return Gavin's handkerchief and ends up crying into it again that evening, when Edgeworth tells him that his father will hang for the crimes that he has committed.