A Moment With My Missing Piece

[truthsnomiracle]

Who: Edgeworth and Diarmuid
Where: Diarmuid's hotel room (607), at least at first
When: January 23rd, afternoon
What: Edgeworth requests a few things of his new "father".
Rating: PG for possible weapons training.
Status: Closed

To be fair, Edgeworth had a practical reason to come see Diarmuid anyway. If not for that, he might have hesitated to bring mere emotional concerns to his father, however heavy they might be. As things currently stood, however, as long as he was coming for an extra lesson anyway, he might as well ask for some help clearing his head so he could actually concentrate on it.

Edgeworth knocked on the door.

Comments

[croibhristeoir]

Do you not think you are atoning in your own way for what's transpired? If one was to ask me, I would say you are accomplishing a great deal of things that might well be left unfinished if not for you.

[truthsnomiracle]

While it is true that my current path is far more just and that I've accomplished much since correcting my ways, I... fear that my reasons for continuing upon it may not be so noble. A-after all... to continue to walk upon the prosecutor's path at all, at least at home, requires that I be a hypocrite.

(Father... do you forgive me?)

[croibhristeoir]

But you're doing something wonderful, Miles. You should take pride in your accomplishments for what they are, rather than worry endlessly over details and reasoning.

[truthsnomiracle]

Have you forgotten that the very essence of my job involves details and reasoning?

[THAT DOESN'T HELP, DAD.]

[croibhristeoir]

No, I have not. But you apply the same mechanics where they need not be applied.

Do you really not believe that you have helped countless people through all that you've done?

[truthsnomiracle]

Of course I have, Father. That fact simply doesn't place me above the law. There is a difference between flaunting a law due to having no other recourse and doing so for selfish reasons.

[croibhristeoir]

If it should be a matter of facing justice, then...I think you have been prosecuting yourself ten times more harshly than you ever have any other.

[truthsnomiracle]

I beg your pardon?

[croibhristeoir]

I'm saying you're always much too hard on yourself, Miles.

[truthsnomiracle]

Than explain your logic, Father. Innocents were undoubtedly wrongfully convicted due to the man I once was; there is even the possibility that I'm responsible for at least one wrongful execution. How is it that avoiding punishment for crimes with such severe consequences is justified? Merely because I cannot envision finding satisfaction elsewhere?

[croibhristeoir]

Everyone does things they later wish they hadn't, Miles. Myself included. But listen to me now; you're not a terrible person. You're wonderful, and all that you've done was with genuinely good intentions at heart.

We can't change the past. But what we can do is keep moving forward and atone for whatever damage we've caused the best that we can.

[truthsnomiracle]

My time here has forced me to think about my past more than I would prefer -- as you say, the past cannot be changed. Normally, I wouldn't allow myself to ask these questions; it's a distraction from that which lies ahead.

The past can, however, be answered for. What is justice if not that? That is why I question whether I deserved the chance to proceed with my life to begin with. It isn't as though I knew that one day, I would save more lives than I could possibly have ended.

[croibhristeoir]

Whether you deserved the chance or not is irrelevant. You received a chance regardless, and it is what you've done with it since that matters.

[truthsnomiracle]

...

(It is true that if not for Wright, I would be unable to even consider whether I ought to have turned myself in to begin with. And yet...)

It isn't Wright's actions that I speak of, Father, but my own inaction. No one has reexamined my old cases. I ought to face justice for what I did, and yet I've merely continued as though I did nothing that ought to cost me my place in the Prosecutor's Office.

[croibhristeoir]

Would it put your mind at ease if perhaps you reexamined them yourself?

[truthsnomiracle]

I would feel obligated to report my findings. [...oh wait, right, this father doesn't know the problem with that.] ...The results of such would be a foregone conclusion.

[croibhristeoir]

Tell me, then, what you believe the right course of action would be.

[truthsnomiracle]

[Edgeworth is silent with thought for the better part of a minute before finally sighing.]

...It is entirely possible that in this case, there is no right course of action. To face justice, I must abandon any further pursuit of it, while to pursue it, I must turn a blind eye to the fact that I haven't the right to continue to do so.

[croibhristeoir]

....I think you should continue on as you have been. Whether you think you have the right to or not, no one can deny that you are helping people by doing so.

[truthsnomiracle]

...Er... um...

[Misty eyes, trembling lips, HOW DO I SAY THANK YOU DADDYYY~]

[croibhristeoir]

...what's wrong, Miles?

[Shut up and hug him, you stuffy thing you.]

[truthsnomiracle]

[Edgeworth pulls his handkerchief out from an inner pocket of his suit and dabs at his eyes with it.]

(I suppose that Father would see through any attempt to write it off as an allergic reaction.)

...M-my apologies for losing my c-composure, Father.

[WHAT IS THIS "HUG" THING YOU SPEAK OF.]

[croibhristeoir]

You don't need to apologize, it's fine.

[GEEZ FINE. Have a hug, Edgeworth you fancy little twerp.]

[truthsnomiracle]

[Blink. Blink.

For a long beat, Edgeworth is totally lost.

Ultimately, though, the prosecutor brings his arms up to Diarmuid's back and at least attempts to complete the embrace.]

[croibhristeoir]

[Awww, you awkward turtle.]

Are you alright?