Back from the Dead

Aftermath

(A\N: I LIIIVEEE! Sorry that this fic had been in hiatus for so long but I was in my last year of highschool, which was a nightmare, and barely had time to BREATHE. But now I'm back so I can start updating my fics again, yay! Anyways here's the latest chapter, enjoy!)

Gregory sighed as he drank from his cup of decaf. It's been a week since the nightmarish trial of State v. Iris and Gregory could still barely wrap his head around it. The entire case had been complex and with so many variables that even now he has no idea how Phoenix managed to win. He jokingly asked Maya if this was how their cases usually went and the grimace on her face was all the answers he needed.

But, in the end, none of it really mattered. His family was safe (and he doesn't mean just Miles) and at the end that was what was really important. Right now the older man was sitting on the couch, studying for his bar exam with Sebastian. While the young boy already was a prosecutor, he still took law classes on the side to make up for his lost years. Gregory was more than happy to explain to him the complicated law terminology that he did not understand. Curled up next to Gregory was Pearl, who despite not wishing to become a lawyer, was curious to learn more. She would also softly correct Sebastian when he confused 2 words.

In front of them, Maya and Kay were losing terribly at a game of poker against Phoenix. The two girls having teamed up against him after losing too many times. The spiky haired man smirked behind his cards as he watched the two strategize. In the kitchen, Miles and Ray suffered abuse at the hands of Franziska, while they tried to make dinner. More than once Gregory wanted to check on them to make sure everything was ok, but everytime Franziska and Miles would usher him back out while Ray looked at him in sadness.

"Mr. Gregory, what is an Article III Judge?" asked Sebastian, a little embarrassed.

"An Article III Judge is a federal judge that is a lifetime appointee, during "good behavior," under Article III of the Constitution. They govern the appointment, tenure, and payment of Supreme Court justices, and federal circuit and district judges. Article III judges are nominated by the President. You probably won't encounter one in Los Angeles." said Gregory.

"Why not?" asked Pearl.

"The Supreme Court is located in the capital, so I doubt one would preside here." answered Gregory.

"Knowing Nick's luck we might just encounter one." said Maya.

"Hilarious." said Phoenix flatly before revealing his hand. "Royal Flush by the way."

Kay groaned. "Again?"

Gregory chuckled and shook his head before returning to his law book.

...

Once everyone ate dinner, they all gathered in the living room to watch some movies. They moved the armchairs and coffee table to the side while bringing a lot of pillows and blankets that Kay and Maya used to make something similar to a bird's nest. Gregory, Miles, Phoenix and Franziska remained on the couch while Ray joined all the kiddies in the nest. They put on a courtroom drama that they proceeded to judge very thoroughly.

"You cannot object to the detective bringing the autopsy report just because it might incriminate your client." said Franziska.

"Pretty sure whoever made this only knows court proceedings from playing detective games." said Kay before popping some popcorn in her mouth.

"Or they only watched Nick's trials." said Maya.

"Haha..." said Phoenix before adding. "But even I wouldn't do that, this movie is really bad."

"If you did, I would have whipped you until you fainted again." said Franziska.

"And look, now the defendant is proclaiming his love to the judge, how shallow." said Miles.

"Well that's one way to win a trial." said Kay.

"Mr. Greg is that allowed?" asked Pearl.

"It is most certainly not, Pearl. This behaviour could get the judge in trouble for bias." said Gregory. "That is, if the allegations are proven true."

"What does allegations mean?" asked Sebastian.

"It means accusations against someone, usually without proof." said Ray.

"Oh...Thank you."

Raymond ruffled the young prosecutor's hair. "You're welcome little Seb."

"Did the judge just propose to the defendant...in the middle of the trial?!" asked Phoenix.

"I think I'm at my limit with this horrible movie..." said Franziska.

"Everyone who says we switch to Disney movies say aye." said Maya.

"Aye." said all of them.

...

After their impromptu Disney movie marathon everyone made their way to bed. Ray left to his own apartment and drove Kay and Sebastian to theirs, Maya and Pearl went back to their guest room aswell as Franziska. This left Gregory with Miles and Phoenix, he talked to the two of them for a bit before deciding to give them some alone time and returning to his own room. Gregory was glad that after everything that went down his family could still smile and laugh together. State v. Iris was a tough trial that both created and reopened many wounds but his family came out stronger from it. A few days ago was Misty Fey's funeral that they all attended.

Phoenix held tightly onto Maya before Pearl channeled Mia so she could look at her mother for one last time. The two sisters held onto each other as they grieved. As Kurain tradition states, the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique is to channel the dead so that they may give one last word to the living before their soul is put to rest. As such Maya channeled her mother before the people present. Misty Fey appeared before the crowd and gave a few short words before speaking to Mia in private and asking her to pass a few words to her sister.

Then upon seeing Gregory she pulled him to the side and talked to him for the first time in 18 years. The veteran defense attorney apologized about the things she had suffered as a result to the DL-6 but the woman shut that down quickly and claimed it was all "water under the bridge". They spoke for a while before Misty asked him to look after his girls which he promised he shall do. After that the channeling was over and so was the funeral. Pearl and Maya returned with them to the city, claiming they can't handle being alone in Kurain for now. 

They planned to remain there for the next 2 weeks before ultimately returning home.