Hi everyone, this is my first The Good Wife story ever so please be kind. Excuse my mistakes, I'm French so English isn't my first language and honestly it's past 1 AM in Paris so I'm quite tired.
Let me know whatever I should stop writing TGW stories because I'm really bad at it ^^.
Thanks to all the people who'll read my little story and/or message :)
I got the idea following watching again the episode when Will explained why he chose to hier Alicia and what he had to do in order to get David Lee to hire her. For me it showed how much he cared about her even before she came to work for him and began having a relation with him.
Alicia was walking like a woman with a plan towards David Lee's office, although at the moment he was the last person on earth she wanted to talk to. She knocked on his door and waited for him to allow her in.
"Alicia, what can I do for you?"
"I'd like for you to file for divorce on my behalf." she said in one breath.
"Really, last time we talked about it you didn't seem so sure about it if I'm not mistaken."
"David you are so used to dealing with divorces that you forgot that most people don't take the decision to divorce easily. I'm about to end almost twenty years of mariage and a family so forgive me for taking the time to think about it."
"Excuse me Alicia." he said in a voice that made it obvious he did not believe a word he had just uttered.
"Thank you, just hold onto doing the filling for a few days I need to talk about to Peter and the children."
"I'll do it as soon as you say it's okay for you and for what it's worth I'm sorry for you Alicia and I mean it." He said and this time meaning it. Alicia nodded before leaving his office for hers, she sat at desk and thought about her decision to divorce. She knew she had to do it, she could no longer keep playing the good wife role, the woman who stood by the side of her cheating husband in front of the world. Alicia let out a small sigh as she took her phone from her handbag.
Alicia took a deep breath before dialing Peter's number, hoping he would be able to pick up, she did not feel like talking to his answering machine.
"Hello?"
"Hi Peter, it's me."
"Alicia! How are you? What can I do for you?" he asked. She heard him whisper something to someone from his office asking them to leave a file on his desk.
"I'm fine, thank you for asking, how about you?"
"I'm doing great although I could use more Eli free time." He said with a laugh. Alicia knew that in the upcoming days, weeks and even months he would need Eli a lot more than now with the divorce news becoming public.
"Lucky you, unfortunately the same can't be said for me. I feel like everywhere I look he's present but that's now why I called you." She paused to lick her lips before continuing. "Listen I need to talk with you about something important, are you free tonight?"
"Yeah, what's going on Alicia?"
"I'll tell you tonight. The children will be home, do you think I can stop by your apartment, I'd rather talk to you privately?"
"Yeah, but what is it? You sound worried."
"I'll tell you tonight, bye." She said hanging up, not wanting to keep talking with him in case she spills the beans. When did it become so hard to be her? Alicia picked up her phone again and sent a message to Will cancelling their plans for tonight.
Alicia did not know what to do now that she had set her plan in motion; she could only pray things would go well although she was not what we can call a believer so praying was out. She grabbed a file from her bag and began working on it, writing notes in the margin in-between chewing her pen. She looks up and catches a glimpse of Will laughing with Diane as they were exiting the elevator. He was stunning in his dark blue suit, he was always dressed up no matter what, no wonder he is Chicago 16th sexiest bachelor although for her he is ranking first. They stop for a moment and Will looks up catching her eye, he nods to let her know he got her message before returning his attention to Diane.
Alicia returns her attention to work knowing that she could not anything else at the moment, she could not exactly leave work yet and it would not do her any good to go home. She knows she won't get anything done from her apartment except stress and obsess over her meeting with Peter. She is pulled from her thought by a soft knock on the door.
"Come on in." she said, closing the file she had in front of her. "Will."
"Hey, what's up." He said taking a seat in front of her desk. Alicia let out a chuckle when she heard his what's up.
"How old are you to say what's up? Are there other people still saying that, even my teenage kids rarely use it."
"I don't know, I feel young you know."
"Yeah, you used to say it all the time back in college." A silence fell between them, neither knowing where to go from there. Alicia finally broke the silence, not able to take more silence. "I went to see David about filling for divorce."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I think time has come for me to move on from what we had."
"Is it because of me, what we have going on between us."
"I'd love to say yes or no depending on what you want to hear but I think it is mostly due to me not loving him anymore, at least not like a wife is supposed to love her husband. I think the time has come us for us to move on and change things, I'm not happy and neither is he."
"Eli is going to blow a gasket." Will said to tone down the conversation, Alicia laughed knowing he could not be more right.
"I don't care about it, my happiness doesn't depend on how he feels. Peter can run for governorship if he wants and I will support him but not as his wife. I can't put his career ambitions before my happiness, I've always put him before my happiness or even my career. I put my career on hold so he could run for State Attorney even if the kids were at school and I could have taken a job practicing law even part time."
"What about your children?"
"I know they will support my decision, they know I haven't been happy the past two years although they realized I've been happier the past few weeks." She explained with a small smile. Will smirked as he leaned forward and lustfully whispered.
"If there was no desk between us and walls instead of windows you'd already be naked."
"Don't make promises you can't keep."
"Believe me I'll keep this one, come over tonight after your meeting."
"Believe me, I'd love to come but I'll need to go home after my meeting with Peter to talk to Grace and Zach and tell them about my decision to divorce."
"I understand by my offer stands anyway in case you change your mind. I should go before my presence in your office raises more eyebrows than necessary, especially now." He stood up and closed the two buttons of his suit jacket. Alicia nodded, knowing he is right about people becoming easily suspicious about them getting closer.
"I'll call you after my talk with Peter."
Alicia knocked on Peter's door at exactly 7:30 later that day, hoping the conversation she is about to have with him would be tensed, but then it is to be expected. The door opening pulled her out of her thinking, time to put on her big girl panties.
"Hey Alicia, come in." Peter said with a smile as he stepped out of the way to let her inside the apartment. "How are you?"
"Fine thank you, how about you, how's the DA's office treating you?"
"Fine and work is work, lot to do but not enough competent people to do it. If you ever feel like earning less and serving the Cook County give me a call." He said with a laugh.
"I'll think about it but right now Lockheart and Gardner is good enough for me and like you said the pay is better."
"Do you fancy a glass of red wine?"
"I'll get the drinks right now, make yourself comfortable. So how's work treating you?"
"I've been quite busy these last few weeks, lots of the cases to prepare as you probably know."
"Yeah, we lost some to your firm."
"I know, but what can I say, we're that good and it makes the money come in." she said before taking a sip of her drink, she knows her presence here is not to exchange pleasantries with Peter. "Peter I asked you if I could come here because I've taken a decision about us, our couple and I'm asking you not to interrupt me until I'm done." She put down her drink and looking at him straight in the eyes, Peter nodded and took a sip of his wine. Alicia played with the bottom of her glass, feeling nervous.
"This afternoon I went to see David Lee, I want to divorce. I'm not happy and I know the same can be said for you, we've had twenty good years and two beautiful and amazing children and it would be a shame to keep pretending this marriage is working when it's obviously not the case."
"Why now?"
"I just told you, I'm not happy, I can't keep pretending everything is perfect when it's obviously not the case."
"What about the children?"
"They support my decisi…"
"You already told them? How could you tell them before even saying anything to me before?"
"How about when you told Zach about sleeping with someone else during our marriage without even warning me about it before?" she asked angrily. She closed her and took a deep breath, but he did not work, she was still mad as hell. "You made your bed, now you lie in it, you're the one who broke his vows not me."
"What about Will Garner?"
"If I were you I'd stop right here."
"Oh you're the only who gets to judge the other, aren't you? Aren't you sleeping with your boss?"
"If I was sleeping with him it would be none of your business because I at least had the decency to wait until our separation. I didn't share two men's beds at the same time, unlike you."
"What about the governorship?"
"You can still do it, I just won't be standing by your side as the good little wife who stands by her husband, the one who cheated on her with hookers." She said. "I want this divorce to be as painless for both of us as possible, I will keep it low until it's official so it won't hurt your candidacy should you run for it."
"I'll hurt it no matter what, do you know what a divorce represents, no one's ever been divorced got elected!"
"Then be the first one, I'll even support you if that's what's important to you. I'll show up to some meeting with the children except that it won't be as your wife."
"What about the custody?"
"We'll continue as it is right now, they stay with me during the week and you get them the weekend as for the holidays we'll split. David Lee is ready for a meeting whenever you and your lawyer would like to meet him." She said before standing up and gathering her belongings. "I think there's nothing else to add. Peter nodded, but did not look at her, he kept drinking his wine.
"Are you seeing Will?"
"What good would it do to know if I'm seeing him or not?"
"So you're seeing him then, even in Georgetown I could see how in love with you he was. I guess he finally got you after twenty years, he's quite patient. He waited for you to be free so he could come and have you."
"He wouldn't have me if it weren't for you cheating on me." She said before leaving his apartment.
A year later
"Mom when is Will coming over?" Grace asked from the kitchen as she and her brother were doing their homework.
"He should be here in about an hour, he said he had to wrap up a case he was working on, but he didn't give me more than that, why?"
"Just wondering, I think you should check the roast, it's almost cooked."
"Just give me a minute." Alicia shouted from her bathroom. She was sitting on the edge of the bathtub with a pregnancy test in her hand, the third one. When she saw a smiling smiley appear in the small window, she could not help but shed a tear. She quickly wiped it away, trying to get herself to calm down but it was useless since more tears fell.
"Mom are you okay? You've been here for almost thirty minutes." Grace asked knocking on the door. Alicia cleared her throat before speaking and reassuring her daughter, but it was still obvious she had been crying. Worried about her mom, Grace walked in without asking before. "Mom what's these?" she asked picking up a pregnancy test. "Oh my God."
"Surprise!" Alicia said crying, "I'm obviously still able to get pregnant even at forty two."
"How is it possible, I mean isn't it dangerous?"
"I missed a pill about two months ago and I guess was waiting for me to do so since I'm now pregnant according to these tests. I need to confirm those tests, there's still a possibility I'm not pregnant you know."
"Mom three tests can't be wrong."
"I don't know! I can't have a baby, I'm too old and it's too soon anyway. Zach is about to go to college you're in junior year, we've never even talked about having a child and …"
"Stop! Are you happy about it?" Grace asked her, stopping her rant. "Yes, it's unexpected but I'm happy about it. I hope you and your brother will understand."
"Don't worry about it, I'm happy and I'm sure Zach will be. You should clean up before Will gets here otherwise he's going to suspect something, take your time I'll finish getting dinner ready."
"Thank you Grace, you're an amazing daughter." Alicia said, kissing the top of her head. Grace left her mother in the bathroom and joined Zach in the kitchen.
"Is everything alright with mom?"
"Yeah, why are you asking?"
"It's just that you were there for a while."
"Since when fifteen minutes are a while?"
"Just saying." He replied defending himself, Grace reassured him as she turned off the oven, pulling out the roast. Alicia came into the kitchen shortly after, interrupting the conversation between the two siblings. She checked the meal as well as her children's homework; her face bearing no visible signs of her tears.
"Have you done all your homework?"
"Yeah, I just have some calculus left but it's not for tomorrow."
"What about you Grace?"
"All done!" she said as Zach picked up his belongings and went into his bedroom. Grace walked closer to her mom to ask her how she was feeling.
"Better now, you shouldn't worry about it. It's my problem if I can call it like that; it's all going to be okay."
"Yeah and I'm sure Will is going to be happy about it, I mean he's cool with us but he's not our real dad you know what I mean. I'm sure he'll love to have his own kid."
"I hope so and even if he weren't I know I'll love to have this baby no matter what."
"Yes and you'll have us to help you. I'm offering my babysitting services for free."
"Thank you honey, it means a lot." Alicia hugged her daughter and laughed. "I think we'll manage just fine although we might take you on those babysitting services." The doorbell brought them out of their mother/daughter moment; with one last squeeze Alicia went to open the door.
"Hey stranger." She said opening the door. Will gave her a kiss before walking into the apartment. "Did you get all your work done?"
"Yeah, I thought it would never end, what about you, how was your day off away from work?"
"Interesting," she replied, "Yes, I think the word that would describe my day is interesting."
"Why was it so interesting?"
"I can't really tell you right now, but when I do you'll understand why it was interesting."
"When you say it like that I don't want to wait before I know what you did." He caught by her waist and locked her in an embrace, her face close to his, he brought her lips to his kissing her softly. "I know how I can get you to tell me your secret you know."
"No skill or any form of torture will get me to tell you, although you can still try." She said kissing him.
"My eyes, my eyes." They heard from the other side of the apartment, they broke apart laughing, "Mom, could you please refrain from making out in the living room from now on?"
"Hey Zach."
"Will, how are you, good since you were feeling up my mom."
"Zach." Warned Alicia.
"What did I say? I was simply stating a fact, I'm sure Will agrees with me, don't you?"
"Touché." Will said in low voices but unfortunately for him Alicia did not share their sense of humor. She pushed Will out of the way and said dinner would be ready in five minutes.
Alicia was waiting patiently for her doctor to come back with her blood results, the ones that would tell her whatever or not she is pregnant or not. If she thought the two minutes waiting time with home pregnancy test was long then waiting thirty minutes was pure hell, things have not changed in that regard since her last pregnancy. The doctor coming into the room pulled her from her thoughts.
"Hello Alicia."
"Doctor Adams."
"I'm sure you want to know the results, so I'm not making you wait more. Just one word, congratulations."
"Oh my God" she said, "Are you sure?" Doctor Adams laughed and nodded.
"We are one hundred percent sure you're pregnant, the technician will be here shortly to take you to the exam room for an ultra sound to determine how far along you are. From what you wrote on your form, your last periods were from two months ago."
"Yes, I forgot to take my pill once, how is it possible at my age? I mean I'm happy to be pregnant but I never forget to take it, always at the same time for the past sixteen years."
"I understand, some things can't be explained. Some women get easily pregnant like you after only forgetting their pill once, while others with no real reason take up to ten years to have a baby."
"Lucky me then, I never thought I would have a baby with Will."
"Yes, it's a happy news then."
"Very good news indeed."
The technician came to get Alicia for the ultra sound shortly after and confirmed she was indeed two months pregnant and everything was perfect. He printed several pictures of the baby while the doctor explained that while everything looked perfect she would have to be closely monitored to make sure it remained like that. Even though Alicia agreed she was too busy staring at the monitor, mesmerized by the image of her baby, Will's baby.
"It's amazing, isn't." the technician said scaring her.
"Sorry I was just… that's my baby."
"Yes, first one?"
"Oh no, I already have two teenagers at home, but first one with my boyfriend."
Alicia knocked on Will's office's door, she couldn't wait to tell him about the baby even if she knows there are better places to announce it than work. She just hopes he takes it well otherwise she's in an awkward situation. Will waves her in while continuing his phone conversation, she sat on a chair in front of him, and she pulls the pictures of her bag, keeping them away from his prying eyes. He quickly wraps up his conversation and hangs up.
"Hey where were you during lunch break, I came to your office to take you out but you weren't there, your assistant said you had already left."
"Yeah I had an appointment." She said not explaining which piqued his curiosity.
"New client?"
"Not really, I wouldn't call him a new client." She explained putting the picture on his desk. "What do you think, interested in working with me?"
Will picked up the pictures, examining them not understanding what they represented until his eyes caught the words Baby Gardner on the left bottom.
"Is that… it's a baby, I…"
"Wow I finally got you to silence."
"How can it be possible?" he asks finally looking at her.
"I'm not too old to have babies when I miss a single pill."
"When was it?"
"Remember that night, when Peter was elected and we emptied the mini bar along with all the champagne we drank during the ceremony?"
"Yeah that was quite a night." He said chuckling at their crazy night and the hangover that resulted.
"Indeed, baby Garner is a result of that wild night."
"Wow, so Peter wasn't the only winner then. How are you taking it?"
"I don't know, I don't think I'm quite over the news yet. I mean I didn't have any real symptoms unlike my other pregnancies, just the lack of periods. I thought it was stress; I've had quite a lot of work over the past weeks. How do you feel about becoming a father, I mean we never really talked about it?"
"I don't know, I'm shocked but not in the bad sense of the word. I think I'm happy, no, no think, I'm happy, I mean a baby." He threw his head back and laughed. "I'm going to have a baby, with me."
"Yeah, with me." Alicia replied crying.
"What did the doctor say about the pregnancy is everything alright, there's no problem with the baby or you?"
"Everything's perfect, the doctor said I needed to be closely monitored since I'm in my forties but there is no reason to worry."
"Have you told your children or someone else about it?"
"Not yet, Grace is the only one who knows about it but only because she caught me crying on the bathroom floor after taking my third pregnancy test."
"Third pregnancy test, how many tests did you need?"
"Three just in case the others were wrong. Are you happy about it?"
"Of course." He stood up and went to sit by her side, taking her hand in his. "I never imagined I would have a child, even less with you. I always said I never wanted children but now that I'm having one I realize how stupid I was. Thank you, I love you so much." He kissed her lovingly, trying to show her how much he loves her as well as how happy he is.
"Didn't we say no public display of affection at work?" Diane asked from the doorway.
"Here comes the kill joy."
"Thank you for the compliment Will but I stand by what I said."
"I think you can make an exception for this occasion Diane."
"What is that exception."
"We're pregnant." Said a beaming Will, "We're having a baby, can you imagine me as a father?"
"Congratulations!" said Diane, walking into the room. She hugged Alicia and then Will. "If I may say this, good luck raising a child fathered by Will, you're going to need it believe me." Alicia laughed but reassured her, Will was not as bad as everyone thought, and he just likes to pretend he is the bad guy when in fact he is a big softie.
"Could you please not say a word about it yet, it would be better to wait until I'm out of my first trimester before we make it official."
"Of course, don't worry; I'll be silent as the grave."
"Thank you."
"Now if you don't mind saying it and really being a killjoy, would you mind working now?"
"I think taking the day off would be an even better idea, what do you Alicia?"
"If I take some work home no problem." She answered with a smile.
"Perfect, meet me here in thirty minutes." He said smiling, he could not stop smiling, he was stupidly happy.
Alicia was sleeping when she felt something run down her legs, she woke up with a start and softly raises the sheet. Yep her water just broke; she silently leaves the bed and walks to the bathroom, taking a change of clothes with her.
Once she is ready she walks towards Will's side of the bed and tries to shake him in order to wake him, she needs to go to the hospital, and she is feeling the first contractions. Will continues sleeping despite Alicia shaking him strongly now, fed up by his lack of response, Alicia goes to the bathroom to get a glass of water which she empties on his head.
"What the fuck!" Will yelled when he woke up wet. He put his hand over his head and eyes. "Alicia?"
"Finally! Get your ass out of the bed and take me to the hospital, the baby is coming and unless you have a midwife diploma we should leave now."
"Are sure it's the real thing?" he asked her, they already had two false labors alerts before."
"Yes, my water broke about twenty minutes ago and the pain I'm feeling feels like the baby is ready to come any minute now so hurry now." That pulls Will out of his stupor, he quickly gets out of bed and changes while Alicia goes to her children's bedrooms to tell them she has to go to the hospital but they do not need to come yet. Grace insists on going with them even if she has to wait hours. Alicia smiles and agrees, Grace has taken quite well the pregnancy, even going to some of her appointments with Will and her, she decorated the nursery with Will as she was forced to bed rest in the last months of her pregnancy. Alicia had had a miscarriage scare during her sixth month and the doctor ordered bed rest until the end of the pregnancy.
As for Zach, it took him a few days to accept her pregnancy, he did like Will but for him his mom was too old to have a child and with another man and it put a strain on his relation with Grace. Alicia had asked her daughter to leave him alone and give him time to accept her pregnancy and not pressure him. It was a week later that he came to apologize to Will first about his behavior and then her, he was just surprised and instead of reacting like the adult he pretended to be he acted like a child.
"Are you ready to leave?" asked Will from the doorway, having already taken her hospital bag to the car. Alicia nodded and walked towards him, her hand on her stomach, she gave him a smile to reassure him that everything would be fine.
"Ready to welcome your child?"
"I think so but quite nervous."
"All first time father feel like that, but don't worry you'll be a great father I know it, look at how great you are with Zach and Grace."
"That's because they don't need meet to live, they take care of themselves. If I forget to feed them they can always tell me or even order food." He explained. Alicia reassured him that he would not be alone to take care of the baby and she would be with him every step of the way but they first needed to get through the birth. It took four hours to give birth, a surprise knowing it took twice as long with Grace and ten hours for Zach. The doctor explained that her labor had begun earlier than she thought, not that she complained about the lack of hours of pain.
"Hi mommy." Will said from the doorway where he was with their baby. "Want to hold the baby?"
"Yeah, where are the kids?"
"They went to the cafeteria to get some food with Peter, but they should be here by now. Do you want me to get them?" she nodded and took the baby from his arms. She softly kissed the top of the baby's head, she stroked the dark hair.
"Mom?" she heard Grace say. "Are you ok?" she asked worried.
"Tired but happy, do you want to meet the baby, you too Zach don't stand there like a scared child." Her children walked closer to her bed and took a look at their baby brother. "This is Matthew Charles Gardner."
"I love the names."
"Will found it, Matthew was his father's name and Charles for grandpa Charlie."
"It's beautiful Alicia, I never thought I would tell you that but congrats Will." Peter said.
"Thanks."
