Just some Edgey/Phoenix friendship fluff for your amusement. Personally, I don't find this to be an even remotely romantic fic, but you're welcome to interpret it as you see fit. Also, flashbacks are in italics.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Ace Attorney series or any of its characters.

It was the middle of the night when Miles Edgeworth's non-descript ringtone pierced the silence. Groggily, the prosecutor rolled over to answer it, wondering why on earth anyone would call him this late. Or early. Edgeworth didn't know or care what time it was. Assuming it was work related, Edgeworth put on his professional manner.

"…yes? Edgeworth speaking."

"Edgey! Get up! It's an emergency!"

The voice was unmistakable, and the prosecutor cringed. Of course – it had to be an utter fool to call him and wreck his beauty sleep.

"Huh…? Larry…? Do you know what time it is?" Edgeworth hissed, trying to make Larry seem as unwelcome as possible.

"It's not Larry! It's Laurice! Laurice Deauxnim!"

Edgeworth simply stared at the phone receiver. It was a classic "Larry" moment, complete with the utter nonsense that seemed to come from his mouth every time he spoke. Thinking this had to be some horrible nightmare, Edgeworth began to roll over when Larry said something that captured the sleepy prosecutor's attention.

"W-wait! Don't hang up! It's an emergency! It's Nick!"

At the mention of his friend and rival's name, Edgeworth focused and began to listen intently. Larry seemed hysterical – more hysterical than usual.

"He took a really nasty spill!"

"Well, it wouldn't be the first time, so…" Edgeworth said trailing off, still wondering why on earth Larry would sound this desperate. If Phoenix was in hot water at a trial, it wasn't his concern. He'd bluff his way out – as usual.

"I'm not joking! His life is in danger!"

Edgeworth was no longer smiling. All he could focus on was that something had happened to Phoenix – the person who understood him more than anyone in the world. Edgeworth's friends were limited – there was Larry, Franziska, maybe Gumshoe, and, of course, Wright.

"Wh-what! What happened! Tell me!" Edgeworth demanded, sounding almost as frantic as Larry, who barely had enough composure to make coherent sentences.

"Talk about a guy with bad luck! He may already be dead!"

Edgeworth couldn't even respond. At the word "dead," Edgeworth couldn't focus on anything except getting a charter flight back to the states as soon as he possibly could. After listening to Larry ramble about some iris, Edgeworth agreed to meet the pitiful excuse for a man at the detention center. He called in an emergency flight (which cost him quite a lot of money, even for him) and drove to the airport, his phone never leaving his ear.

His first call was to Gumshoe. He had to know something – he had a way of getting assigned to cases involving the defense attorney. When Gumshoe answered, Edgeworth practically shouted into the phone.

"Gumshoe! What the hell happened to Wright?"

"Mr. Edgeworth? Why are you…?"

"Do I sound like I want to explain? Details! Now!"

"We're looking for him now, sir."

"Looking for…where the heck is he?"

"He fell from Dusky Bridge...that Butz guy called it in 20 minutes ago. We've got a team down here looking for him."

"A team…?"

Edgeworth continued speeding down the highway, thinking the worst. If Wright had fallen from Dusky Bridge (a bridge he horribly remembered), he had to be in serious condition, or knocking on the pearly gates.

"Yeah, pal. I'm at the side of the river now and we…hold on."

"Detective?"

Edgeworth could hear Gumshoe talking on a radio with more urgency than ever, and Edgeworth listened closely.

"What's that? Officer, you found him? Is he…? Got it, pal."

"Gumshoe! What' going on?" Edgeworth asked frantically, unable to keep the panic out of his voice.

"He's alive…and incredibly lucky, pal."

"What's his condition?"

"We found him washed up alongside the river badly bruised, but no serious injuries. Talk about luck…"

"It's Wright. Luck is his middle name," chuckled Edgeworth, smiling broadly as the sweet feeling of relief washed over him.

"Well, he was unconscious with a really high fever, so the EMTs are transporting him to the Hotti Clinic."

"I see."

Edgeworth hung up the phone as he pulled into the airport parking lot. Wright was alive. That was all he needed to know for now. His jet was waiting for him, and the flight provided him a lot of time for self-reflection.

The prosecutor now understood why Wright was so angry with him for leaving that cryptic note over a year ago. The feeling of not knowing and assuming the worst – he'd have to apologize more than he'd already done. Wright was an unusual man – a lucky, charmingly goofy character ever since his childhood. And yet, Wright was smart. Even as children, Phoenix routinely matched Edgeworth grade for grade, and Edgeworth knew his best friend didn't have to study nearly as much as he did. Bluffing through every test and figuring things out on the fly seemed to work for him.

Edgeworth closed his eyes as the plane reached the air, hoping his friend wasn't in too bad a shape to see him. What could have possibly driven Wright to do something so stupid? Crossing a burning bridge? It was crazy. But Wright had to be crazy – it was his other middle name.

()()()

"Phoenix, what are you doing? It's not worth it!"

"Miles, I knocked it into the tree, so I'm getting it. Simple," a young boy said cockily with his hands on his hips, a confident grin on his face.

"I told you…it's okay! I have another ball at home!"

"But it's your favorite!"

Before the silver-haired child could object, his best friend was already climbing the tallest tree in the park. Miles couldn't help but stare as his spiky-haired friend scrambled up the tree, blindly ignoring the lack of safe climbing branches. Miles closed his eyes, hoping that he wouldn't see his friend fall to the ground. Instead, he felt something bounce off the top of his head.

"Take that, Miles!" Phoenix giggled as a red ball rolled off his friend's head and into the dirt. Miles took out a comb and fixed his hair.

"Phoenix, you dummy!" Miles snapped, clearly frustrated. Then, as he stared up at his friend, he started to laugh.

"Miles…why are you laughing?"

"Because…I'm going to have the last laugh!"

"Ha! Wait…what do you mean?" Phoenix asked apprehensively.

"As always, you don't think anything through. How do you plan on getting down from there?" Miles asked, cocking his head. Phoenix looked down and started to turn a pale shade of green. In his effort to retrieve the ball, he had temporarily forgotten his fear of heights.

"Edgey! HELP!"

"You threw a ball at my head!"

"I GOT YOUR BALL FOR YOU! YOU OWE ME!" Phoenix shrieked in a very high-pitched voice. Miles kept laughing with tears of hilarity coming to his eyes at the sight of his friend screaming like a girl.

"Fine. I owe you. But I'll pay back that debt later. This is too funny!"

"EDGEWORTH!"

"Serves you right, Wright," Miles chuckled as he left his friend hanging in the tree, knowing that Larry would find him eventually.

()()()

The prosecutor awoke with a jolt as the plane landed on the runway. Chuckling at the memory, Edgeworth began to gather his things as the plane stopped. He wasted no time calling a cab and making it to Hotti Clinic in record time.

After checking in with the reception desk, Edgeworth made his way to Wright's room and slowly opened the door. The attorney looked terrible. He was unconscious, sweating non-stop, and was hooked up to the various heart-monitors and IV drops that made scenes look worse than they actually were. Edgeworth pulled up a chair and instinctively reached over to touch the man's forehead. His head was burning, confirming that Wright was indeed ill.

"Wright, you dummy," Edgeworth whispered, slowly pulling his hand away. The attorney stirred.

"M-Mia…" Wright muttered, clearly out of it. Edgeworth was taken aback. Hoping it was just a dream, the prosecutor tried to whisper to his friend.

"What? Wright…Mia's…"

"Mia…I'm sorry…just tell her…Maya…" the attorney continued, not bothering to explain himself. Edgeworth just nodded despite a lack of understanding.

"I will."

Phoenix opened his eyes and fixed them on the prosecutor before him. His eyes widened with recognition.

"E-Edgeworth! What are you doing here?" Phoenix asked, more alert than before. He then proceeded to sneeze three times before Edgeworth handed him his handkerchief.

"Wright…you look terrible."

"Thanks, pal," Phoenix said sarcastically.

"Oh? Are you a certain scruffy detective now?"

Phoenix laughed before promptly entering another coughing fit.

"Wright…let me guess. You didn't think things through."

"I never think things through."

"Heh…no one will deny that," Edgeworth chuckled.

"Hey…I thought you were in Germany?" Phoenix asked, clearly confused.

"I was…but Larry called me. He said you may have died." Edgeworth looked away uncomfortably.

"Edgeworth…I…don't know what to say," Phoenix said quietly. Edgeworth smiled before Phoenix continued. "I can't believe you were stupid enough to believe Larry!"

Edgeworth promptly smacked Phoenix on the head.

"Grr…I shouldn't have bothered."

"No…thank you, Edgeworth. I even thought I was dead."

"Anyway, Larry said something about being at the detention center. I promised I'd meet him there. Is there anything I can do for you while I'm here?"

"Actually…yeah."

Phoenix reached for something on his bedside table.

"Gumshoe was here earlier to ask me questions. There was a murder. And the suspect…needs help. And I can't…" Phoenix trailed off before thrusting some items into Edgeworth's hands. Edgeworth looked down at the weird green, squash-shaped charm and a familiar gold badge.

"Wh…why are you giving me these?"

"Gumshoe's got details…" Phoenix panted, his voice beginning to struggle. "The magatama can see into people's hearts. Break the psyche-locks."

"What the bloody hell are you babbling?" Edgeworth said, glaring at his friend. "You know I don't believe in that…"

"Shut up and listen," Wright said weakly, beginning to cough again. "Just…help Iris. Please."

"I'll make sure she gets a good defense attorney. I'll get Kristoph Gavin to represent..."

"No…I only trust you to do it, Edgeworth. Use the badge."

"Phoenix, that's…!"

"Remember…you owe me. Consider your tree incident debt repaid."

Edgeworth stared as his friend passed out once again. Edgeworth looked at the attorney's badge in his hand and shook his head.

"You got me, Wright. I always wondered when you'd bring that up," Edgeworth muttered as he flicked the switch and closed the hospital room door behind him. He could have sworn Phoenix was smirking at him in his sleep.

"I guess you had the last laugh after all."

As always, read and review. I hope you enjoy.