Author's note: Sorry I haven't written in so long. I've been meaning to get back into writing, but somehow, I just couldn't find the time. Anyways, here's a story that's been in my mind since I first played Dual Destinies.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Ace Attorney series or any of the characters mentioned within. If I did, I wouldn't really be writing fanfiction, now would I? :3

Also, I may or may not have gotten this completely medically correctly.

December 18, 2027
Defendant Lobby No. 5

The two attorneys triumphantly exited the courtroom... well, the younger one of them exited triumphantly, anyways. The older, blue-clad attorney just walked regularly, followed by their somewhat shaky client. They had not only managed to acquit their client of the courtroom bombing, but they had managed to nail down the actual culprit to boot. All in all, a good day's work.

"Well, I'm glad that's over", Athena said while flashing a peace sign.
"Whew", Widget chipped in.

Juniper Woods, the client, didn't speak. She was sitting on the couch, slightly pale, and taking deep whiffs of a sunflower in her hat. Phoenix understood that it was some sort of calming ritual for her.

Legendary defense attorney Phoenix Wright wasn't speaking much either, but for different reasons entirely. During the trial, he had been too preoccupied with keeping Juniper off the hook to worry about his hospitalized subordinate, but now his concerns were back with baggage.

I know the doctor said Apollo's injuries weren't that bad... but what if? What if he had some history we didn't know about? Why did I let him go in there alone with a crazed bomber on the loose?! What if he's been badly injured and it's all my fault?!

"Boss... BOSS!" It wasn't until Athena had shouted that Phoenix realized that he had zoned out. "Are you okay? You've been staring at the wall for a while now."

"Oh... sorry, Athena", he said, quickly putting on his best poker face. "Just thinking about Apollo, that's all."

"Oh, right!" Athena seemed shocked. Apparently, she had also put aside that situation for Juniper's sake.

"Apollo..." came a slight whimper from the couch. Apparently, Juniper had also remembered what had happened to the young attorney, and she looked as if she was going to cry any second. "He got in there because of me. This is all my fault! He's so strong and kind and all I repaid him with was injury! How can I ever look him in the eye again?!"

"Don't worry, Juniper", Phoenix said with a kind smile at the young woman. The worst of times is when a lawyer must force his biggest smiles. "Before you know it, he'll bounce right back. Right, Athena?"

"..." The younger attorney was now staring into the wall, seemingly unresponsive.

"Athena?"

"Oh... sorry, Boss", she said, then put on a brave smile. "Of course he will. You just have faith, Junie!"

Phoenix's phone rang. As he picked up and listened to the person on the other end, all color began to drain from his face...

December 18, 2027
Hickfield Clinic, room 724

Apollo Justice had seen better days, that was for sure. His stomach was burning inside him. His vision was swimming. His head felt like an elephant had been stomping on it. And his ears were still ringing from the scolding he had gotten from the hospital security guard.

"Young'uns like you never care about your health one bit! You've just been through a bombing incident and now you get yourself conked on the head?! Honestly! Why do all young people think they're immortal? When I was your age, I knew I was a delicate flower and I never put myself in harm's way like you! Hey! Are you even listening to me, whippersnapper?!" There had been more, but Apollo couldn't remember it. In fairness to him, the agitated elderly lady probably wouldn't have made any sense even if he hadn't been injured.

He had spent the day simply lying in his hospital bed, feeling like his head was being split with an axe. There wasn't really much to do, and he didn't even have the energy to object to his situation.

The first sign he had gotten that something was wrong was that his vision was getting funny. Nothing was clear and he couldn't seem to focus. It could have been because of getting hit in the head with a rock, of course, but something felt off. Next came the nausea. He felt like he couldn't even move for fear of vomiting. And of course, the fatigue. He shouldn't be feeling this weak, not this long after the assault. Something was definitely off, and somehow, the medical staff wouldn't even look him in the eye when talking to him. Unbeknownst to him, they had to keep his true condition from him to avoid agitating him, causing it to accelerate.

So when the nurse came in to administer a fresh IV, he decided to ask her directly. "Nurse... what's wrong with me?"

"What do you mean, Mr. Justice?" the nurse said.

Still not looking me in the eye... "I'm feeling really sick, I can't focus, and I'm really tired. Too tired. I know there's something going on, so why don't you just tell me about it?"

"Uh... there's nothing really wrong with you, Mr. Justice", the nurse tried. With such a transparent lie, Apollo wouldn't have needed his bracelet to know that she was lying, but he felt it tighten anyway. Not that I'm in any condition to do any perceiving...

"Nurse, I know you're lying to make me feel better. Please, I need to know what I'm up against."

"Don't worry, Mr. Justice", the nurse said soothingly, "it's nothing that can't be attributed to the assault you had. Don't worry, you'll be completely fine."

"Alright", Apollo said. He hoped that the second pinch he felt from the bracelet was simply a sign of residual nervousness from the nurse.

Then a fireball of pain bore down on the back of his head. If he screamed, he couldn't hear it, because at that moment, the world went black.

December 18, 2027
Defendant Lobby No. 5

"Yes, this is Phoenix Wright... What?! Yes... I understand... Thank you, we'll be right there."

When Phoenix hung up, he was pale as a ghost. It didn't take a degree in analytical psychology to see that something was seriously troubling the attorney. "What's wrong, Boss?" Athena asked, with a hint of concern.

Phoenix had to take several deep breaths to calm down. "It's... Apollo", he said. "He lost consciousness completely and became unresponsive. They wouldn't give me any details over the phone, but they want us over there right now. Apparently, he's in really bad shape."

"What?!" Athena was in complete shock. How could this happen? He was fine when she saw him right after he had gotten attacked. So why did his health just plummet? She took a look over at the couch where Juniper was sitting. She was now in tears. Poor thing... she must be blaming herself for everything. Athena felt her own tears building up, but resolutely fought them down. She needed to be strong, for Juniper and for Apollo. "Alright then, let's go! Rapido!"

Time: Unknown

Location: Unknown

Apollo was feeling unusually light. It was like he was floating in a completely black void. His whole body felt ethereal. It was a strange feeling, not entirely unpleasant.

Not entirely unpleasant...? That's when Apollo realized he wasn't feeling any pain at all. He looked at his arms. They were unbandaged, smooth and completely unscathed. With a twinge of confusion, he noticed that he wasn't wearing his bracelet. What's happening to me...?

He heard voices, but only dimly. Most seemed to be talking about some medical mumbojumbo that he couldn't make any sense of, but there were some that stood out. Three female voices. One male.

"Daddy, is Polly going to be okay?"

"I don't know, sweetie. Come back to us, Apollo..."

"Please *cough* come back... *cough* *cough*"

"Please, Apollo, mon ami, come back..."

Apollo gritted teeth that he may or may not have had. Move towards the voices... move towards the voices... A sudden, strange, warm feeling on his cheek made it easier for him, seemingly guiding him.

December 18, 2027
Hickfield Clinic

After swinging by the agency to pick up Trucy, Phoenix found himself all but sprinting towards Apollo's room at the clinic. Paying no heed to the security, who looked like she was just about to blow a fuse over his rudeness, the four of them ran into a nurse who was just about to exit his room.

"Is Apollo okay?!" Phoenix asked, paying no heed to pleasantries. The nurse looked a bit hurt. He might have to repair this later on, but right now, she wasn't his primary concern.

"Mr. Justice is in critical condition", the nurse said. "After the assault, he got a trauma-induced aneurysm in his brain and it ruptured. We've performed emergency surgery. That's pretty much all we can do right now."

She gave them a minute to let them digest the news. "So how is it looking?" Trucy asked quietly.

The nurse's annoyed slightly annoyed frown changed to a look of genuine compassion. "I'm sorry", she said, "but it's not looking very good for Mr. Justice. With his injuries from the bombing, he had already suffered substantial blood loss. We're looking at a five percent survival chance, maximum." She gestured towards the room. "If you want to see him, you may."

December 18, 2027
Hickfield Clinic, room 724

It's funny how a hospital room can seem so grave. Phoenix had seen a fair share of hospital rooms in his tenure as a lawyer, but he had never dreaded entering one more than he had now. Because now he was likely to stare death in the face once again.

He swallowed his fear and entered. What greeted him was a heartbreaking sight. Apollo lay in his bed, hooked up to all kinds of devices, with a ventilation tube supplying oxygen to his nostrils. On his bedside were some "Get well soon" cards and balloons, courtesy of Trucy and Athena, which seemed inappropriately happy for the situation. All was quiet, except for the occasional soft "beep" emitted by the heartrate monitor. He heard a sharp intake of breath behind him followed by a sniffle, and he knew that he had to swallow his own feelings and be strong for the girls.

"Daddy", Trucy said, tears spilling from her eyes, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Is Polly going to be okay?"

"I don't know, sweetie", Phoenix answered, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him. "Come back to us, Apollo..." he whispered, almost praying.

The events were obviously taking their toll on Juniper. "Please *cough* come back... *cough* *cough*"

Athena knelt down close to Apollo, her eyes overflowing, whispered in his ear: "Please, Apollo, mon ami, come back to us..." and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Suddenly, Apollo stirred slightly. He shuddered, and slowly opened his eyes.

When Apollo came to, he saw four faces hovering just a few inches above his own. He managed to force a smile. "Hi, guys."

Even the normally composed Phoenix couldn't help but smile in relief. "Welcome back, Apollo."

"Polly..." Trucy could only smile tearfully at him.

"We were so *cough* scared..." Juniper said, blinking away a few tears.

Athena just smiled at Apollo. "A-A-Apollo..." And then, unable to contain her happiness any longer, she bent down and kissed him, on the lips this time. Apollo was surprised at first, but gradually relaxed and kissed her back, earning a "D'aaawwww!" from Trucy, a gentle smile from Phoenix, and (after an initial shock) a smile of genuine happiness from Juniper.

But something was wrong. Apollo felt his vision fading and his strength waning. "What's... what's happening?" he wanted to say, but couldn't get the words out. His breathing became labored and shallow. And before he knew it, he fell under again, and the alarmed cries of the others fell upon deaf ears.

Time: Unknown

Location: Unknown

He was floating again. Time passed, he couldn't tell how long. He heard voices again. More of them this time. Apparently some other friends had joined the party. He could hear Ema, Klavier, Simon Blackquill, Solomon Starbuck and if he hadn't known better, he could have sworn he heard a voice that sounded like Lamiroir's, crying for "my baby". Now where did that come from?

He felt lighter. He didn't know why. The voices were growing fainter. The void seemed brighter somehow.

Then a figure emerged in front of him. A figure with unkempt black hair, wearing a militaristic blue jacket and a sports visor. The figure extended its hand towards him.

You came sooner than I expected. Sorry about that.

With a curious difficulty, Apollo reached his hand out and took Clay Terran's offered hand. He smiled as he felt a sensation of being pulled upwards. And then, transcendence.

December 18, 2027
Hickfield Clinic, room 724

Beep.

With the emergency at hand, most of the assembled crowd had been expelled from the room. The only ones allowed to remain while the doctor and nurses scrambled to try and save Apollo's life were Phoenix, Trucy and Athena.

Beep.

Trucy noticed it first, then Phoenix. It seemed like Apollo was reaching out his hand. The doctor and nurses paused, perplexed.

Beep.

Slowly, with some difficulty, Apollo reached his hand up, seemingly towards Athena. Athena took it. It was tense, like that simple action required a tremendous effort.

Beep.

A smile grew on Apollo's face. A serene smile, the smile of a man at peace. The hand in Athena's grew limp, and as she let it go, it fell onto the bed with a soft thud.

...Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep...

"I'm sorry", said the doctor. "We did all we could." He nodded to one of the nurses. "Call it."

"Wait!" Athena screamed, horrified. "It can't end like this! It just can't! There must be something more you can do!"

"Time of death..."

"No! NO! He's not dead! Apollo! Please! HE CAN'T BE DEAD! Come back! APOLLO!" Athena was livid. How could they not do anything?

"P-Polly..." Trucy couldn't believe what she was hearing. This couldn't be happening. Not Polly. Not the man she had come to regard as good as a brother.

"...19:57, December 18, 2027." And with that, another nurse shut off the heart monitor. The abrupt cessation of sound gave the room an air of finality.

"NO! APOLLO! PLEASE! DON'T!" Athena's cries were muffled by a pair of arms laid around her. All her energy spent, she cried onto Trucy's shoulder. She could hear Trucy's own quiet weeping. Phoenix hugged them both in a fatherly manner, his own tears falling freely.

He had to be strong for them both, his daughter and the girl whom he regarded as an additional daughter of sorts. He took one last look at his protegé and gently nudged them towards the door.

Because the last thing he could stand right now was to take one more look at Apollo Justice's body.

January 18, 2028

Solace Cemetery

A month had passed. Life was returning to a semblance of normalcy. Phoenix, Athena and Trucy had finally accepted that Apollo was gone, and they had learned to live with their much quieter office. But the pain was still there.

Both the phantom and Ted Tonate had been tried for their crimes and found guilty. They were now both on death row. The thought gave no satisfaction to Phoenix, however. Revenge would not bring Apollo back.

How ironic that the sun would be shining so brightly on this day. That Apollo's funeral had to be on one of the most beautiful days Phoenix could remember. The casket was mahogany, with wreaths of red roses decorating it.

Through most of the ceremony, Phoenix sat holding Trucy's hand, with Athena sitting on Trucy's other side. Phoenix's other arm was around Iris, who had attended the funeral to lend him her support. But the moment he had been dreading approached quickly.

He stepped up to the podium. He took a deep breath to steel himself. He took a brief look out over the crowd. He saw Iris and Trucy, now holding each other's hands. He saw Athena and Juniper. He saw Robin Newman and Hugh O'Conner. He saw Miles, Larry, and Franziska. He saw Maya and Pearl. He saw Simon Blackquill and Aura Blackquill. He saw Solomon Starbuck. Edgeworth had clearly pulled some serious strings for Aura to be able to attend the funeral. He saw Klavier Gavin and Ema Skye, simply looking down on the ground while weeping. He saw Lamiroir, whose grief was beyond description, being supported by Machi. He saw Wocky and Vera, both seeming uncharacteristically sad. Even Winston Payne and the judge had come to pay their respects.

He cleared his throat. "I would like to thank all of you for coming here today. We're here today to pay our respects to Apollo Justice. It's not a stretch to say that Apollo's maybe most obvious feature was his extremely loud voice..." He heard a few sad chuckles from the audience. "...but Apollo was so much more than that. He was a determined lawyer, he was a hard and honest worker, and above all, he was a great friend." He felt himself tear up again. "As you all know, Apollo helped me get back to lawyering. Without his assistance, I never would have been able to clear my good name. I owe very much to him." Phoenix felt his voice starting to break, but he knew he had to get this out. "I can say without hesitation that Apollo was as good as my son. On this day, a part of my family was stolen from me. But as long as we remember him, he will live on. So I will not say goodbye, Apollo Justice, my son. I will meet you again some day. Thank you."

Phoenix returned to his seat as Apollo Justice's coffin was lowered into the ground. And with that, the ceremony was over. Guests expressed their sympathies for Phoenix, Trucy and Athena. Iris held his hand and offered words of sympathy when she felt that he needed it. Many hugs were exchanged. As heartwrenching as it was, the funeral had been a beautiful time and he was sure Apollo would have loved it.

As the guests were scattering, Phoenix looked up toward the sky. He noticed that if he squinted a bit, one of the clouds looked like it could have had Apollo's spiky hair. He put his arms around Trucy and Athena. "Let's go home, kids." And with one last look towards the spiky-haired cloud, he smiled through his tears. A small smile with a hint of happiness.

Thank you, Apollo Justice.

Author's note: Now I'm sad.

Basically, I've had this story in my mind for a long time. Because as far as I know, you don't USUALLY live to tell the tale after you've gotten brained with a rock. The aneurysm thing came as I wrote. I pretty much took this story and ran with it, letting it turn out as it wanted.

As stated in the disclaimer, I'm not familiar with how aneurysms work. I am a musician, not a doctor. :3 I'm not very knowledgeable about American (or Japanese) funeral customs either, but I did what I could.

I could have delved more into romance, but nah.

Yay for random Wendy Oldbag references. ^w^

Now, you see that text field and button down there? You know you want to review. :3