Then: Harvard Law School, 1996

"Objection! Leading! Your honor, Ms. Harkness is simply trying to antagonize my client, not get to the truth of this case. Due respect, she can ask the questions or answer them, but not both."

"Overruled. Continue, Ms. Harkness."

Annalise carefully contained her expression, not allowing her face to betray her exhilaration with a smile.

"Charming, Ms. Rothlo." She turned back to the stand and felt the world fall away as she focused on her task, on getting her verdict in this mock trial and keeping her place at the head of the class.

"She's charming," Annalise continued, gesturing towards but not looking at Eve, keeping her eyes locked with those of the "defendant" she was "prosecuting".

"Charming and very...feminine. Is that why you chose her to represent you? So we would all think that you couldn't possibly be guilty of rape and murder. This pretty little white woman wouldn't represent a black man who is a rapist and a murderer. Is that right?"

"What was the question?" he asked cooly, shifting on the stand and glancing at the defense table.

"Objection! " Eve said yet again, this time incredulous. "Your honor, she's..."

Their professor, and judge for this exercise, stared at Eve a moment, looking amused.

"Indeed, she is," he agreed, watching Eve's cheeks flame.

"Ms. Harkness."

Annalise locked her nerves down just as she had done with the smirk that threatened her earlier.

"Yes, your honor?"

"You can compliment or insult or flirt with Ms. Rothlo later, on your own time. There is no jury here and I am sure you didn't mean to imply that I would let race affect my decision in this case. Let's get back to trying the defendant, shall we?"

Annalise's mouth was hanging open.

"I wasn't...Your honor, she-" Annalise turned to see Eve blushing behind her, studying her expensive shoes.

"Ms. Harkness. Please continue with your cross and keep the questions relevant to the defendant, not his attorney, no matter how pretty she may be."

Annalise heard her classmates snicker and instinctively held her head higher. She couldn't believe what was happening. And Rothlo still wasn't looking at her. She directed her gaze back to the defendant and trained her shark eyes on him.

"Let's discuss your alibi for the night of April 14, the night Ms. Brandt was brutally raped and murdered. Where do you claim you were on April 14?"

Annalise took deep breaths and regained her composure as she listened to her classmate on the stand, relating the alibi used in this case. She almost felt bad for him as she leveled her iciest glare directly at him, ready to go in for the kill and get the hell out of here.

"Annalise! Wait!"

Annalise sighed. She had hoped to get out of here and to the bar without speaking to anyone. Let alone her.

She had noticed Eve Rothlo on the first day of class at Harvard law. She was quiet but seemed very confident, intelligent, always paying attention and always ready with an answer in class. Annalise knew that the tall young woman held the #2 spot in their year but didn't know how closely she trailed by, so she had been especially nervous about going up against her in this mock trial. It turned out the two were quite close to evenly matched. It had been fun, playing with her. Wait, what?

She didn't have time to think further on the matter because the woman herself had caught up with her.

"What is it, Rothlo?"

"Are you kidding me?" Eve stepped into her space, making Annalise take a step back at both her advance and her tone.

"You humiliated me in front of everyone. And you won. Happy?"

"I'm not apologizing for beating you, if that's what you're asking me for. And thanks for the congratulations. You're a class act, Rothlo. I need a drink. Excuse me."

Annalise turned and began to walk away, her eyes closing as she heard the heels clicking behind her.

"Okay. You're right. Congratulations. I'm sorry, I'm not used to-"

"Losing?" Annalise turned and supplied the word with a small smile, relieved when the corners of Eve's mouth quirked up as well.

"Well, yes, now that you mention it. Again."

"I'm not going to-"

"Apologize," Eve finished. "I know. I'm not asking you to. Jesus."

"Okay, Rothlo, as much fun as this was-"

"Eve," the slender brunette interrupted.

Annalise raised an eyebrow.

"Call me 'Eve'. Please."

"Eve." Annalise liked making the sound, liked watching the young woman's smile upon hearing it fall from her lips.

Now: Law office of Annalise Keating, 2016

"Eve."

Bonnie had walked into her office without knocking. Annalise struggled to contain her temper.

"Tell her I'll call her back."

"No..."

Annalise looked up and took in the blonde's face, following her wide eyes down to the iPad in her hands as she marched over and placed it in Annalise's lap. Annalise looked at the email Bonnie had opened for her. It was from Phillip. Apparently he had gotten her personal email address. She pressed play on the video, swallowing hard as she saw herself kissing Eve goodbye on her front porch. She stood instinctively and watched the rest before she shuddered and dropped the iPad.

"I have to go. I have to go. Bonnie. Get Connor in here and have him call Oliver in, too."

"He won't like that. He doesn't like Oliver working here."

"Do I look like I give a damn what that boy likes? What? What. Is. It? Are you jealous of her?"

"No!" Bonnie protested, just a little too loudly.

Annalise shook her head as she shrugged her coat onto her shoulders and grabbed her purse.

"I'm leaving. Call me when Oliver is here. And tell him I'm paying him for this one. It's personal."

"Okay, I'll-"

Bonnie watched as her boss and mentor strode to the front door and left without another word.

"...tell him." Bonnie finished with a sigh.

Annalise got in her car and tried to stop her shallow breathing, forcing air into her lungs. She clicked her seatbelt and connected her phone to the car's console.

"Call Nate," she commanded. The phone obeyed and she had a quick conversation with her other lover. She told him what she needed.

"You need two."

"Just one, Nate."

"No, Annalise. Two or nothing. Promise me."

"Fine. Fine, two. I'll see you in ten minutes."

She hung up.

"Call Eve."

The phone rang and rang, her anxiety increasing as she realized Eve wasn't answering.

"Call Eve at work."

"Law offices of-"

"Eve Rothlo, now."

"May I ask what this is in reference to?"

"This is Annalise Keating and I need to-"

"Oh! Just a minute, Ms. Keating. I'll find her for you."

"Thank you."

Several minutes went by. Annalise drove towards the police precinct and cursed colorfully while she waited

"Ms. Keating?"

"Yes! Yes? Do you have her?"

"No, ma'am. It looks like she is in court right now. She isn't answering her cell phone but that makes sense if she's at trial."

"Dammit," Annalise sighed, banging her hands on the steering wheel.

"Is there a message if she calls?"

"Yeah. Yes. Tell her I...tell her to stay put. Don't leave the courthouse. Not for a second. And tell her I'm on my way. If anyone else calls, tell them she's gone on vacation for the week. Clear her schedule. Got it?"

"Yes, Ms. Keating, but-."

Click.

Annalise hung up. Fuck. Where are you, Eve?