A/N: I channeled my frustration over the ending of the season 6 finale into this piece of writing. I hadn't really cared about who's at Alicia's door until 5 minutes before the end of the episode, when I began to wish for it to be Diane.
So this is an alternate ending to the episode (that makes more sense in my head than the real ending did) and I might as well turn it into a multichap, if I can juggle another that is.
Which reminds me, I'm really sorry I haven't updated in a while, as many of you know I have my reasons, sadly. So it felt even better to write something again. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it.
Special thanks to Ale for the help and Sab for the betaing. Dedicated to Chrissie, because she and I had the same wish that never came true.
The Promise of the Future
As the elevator opened on the ninth floor, she hesitated to step out. She still remembered the last time she had been there. It had been on her wedding day; a day that quickly turned into a nightmare, but it felt like a lifetime ago now. So much had changed since then and she didn't like most of the things life had thrown at her during this time.
She had lost her law partner in a court shooting, then lost their firm to the devil himself. She also lost her best ally, who'd basically saved her from jail and who she could always rely on in the past. She couldn't believe it had taken her this long to say it was enough. But the time finally arrived to voice those words, so she exited the elevator and approached the door with hurried steps; she was eager to knock on it, though for a completely different reason than the time before.
Back then they had just turned into enemies and she had only been here to negotiate. Meanwhile now the woman inside was someone she still had the chance to reconnect with, so she was facing her door, ready to take matters into her own hands again.
"Diane?" The surprise on Alicia's face was not at all unexpected.
"Hi, I hope I'm not disturbing," Diane uttered hesitantly, and peeked inside, trying to guess if Alicia was alone.
"Of course not, would you like to come in?" She opened the door wider, and her warm, welcoming smile rose Diane's confidence. She had a feeling Alicia was actually happy to see her.
"I would, thank you." Diane returned the smile and entered, then followed Alicia to a small room that looked like an office.
"It's my temporary office," Alicia explained, gesturing for Diane to take a seat.
When both of them were sitting, Diane was still distracted by the sight of Alicia's simply decorated home office, with the family photos making it even more intimate. She had felt guilty for disappointing Alicia in order to keep the firm's biggest client, but right now the other woman didn't seem like she needed her pity. She was at home, in every sense of the word, this little office suited her and she actually looked like she belonged here.
"It's really nice," Diane noted with a smile, and gazed into the other woman's eyes.
"How can I help you?" Alicia's question sounded a little too professional, but the reason for Diane's visit wasn't personal either, so she finally felt ready to spill it out.
"I was wondering if you need someone to start all over with … and by someone I mean me."
Alicia's eyes were even wider now than a few minutes earlier when she'd opened the door. Diane didn't blame her though, she wouldn't have believed her own words either.
"What? Are you serious?" She seemed surprised, but definitely in a good way. From the twinkle in her eyes Diane could tell that she was both flattered and excited by the suggestion.
"I am. We wanted to do it once already, it didn't work out, but maybe we deserve a second chance."
It all sounded so logical, but of course that didn't mean she had no doubts. She had many of them, but the reasons for her visit to make this offer to her former partner were stronger. She'd had enough of people telling her what to do. She didn't want to choose the rich client over her partner. She didn't want to fight against two men to make decisions at her firm. She deserved better than that. She hadn't worked so hard her whole life to put up with all of this now.
She didn't need rich clients to make her life better. She already had a pretty good one, the financial security and a steady marriage to rely on. She deserved to have professional satisfaction too, and that's why she'd thought of joining Alicia, who may have needed someone on this new road she was forced to take.
"I'm all for second chances these days," Alicia replied with a smile that made all of Diane's worries disappear. She didn't even need time to think or any more convincing and that was definitely a good sign.
"I'm so glad to hear that," Diane smiled back at her former and future partner, and her gut was clearly telling her that this was right.
It wasn't the first time she made an offer like this to her, and back then it hadn't been Alicia who opposed the idea either. In fact they had meant to build the biggest firm in Chicago run by women. This time their goals were completely different though. They both wanted to build something meaningful instead.
"Your timing is really good, because someone just turned down the offer to join me," Alicia revealed and Diane thought she knew who she was talking about. Hopefully they would be a better fit than Alicia and Finn could have been.
"Actually Canning is to thank for that," she admitted, now that she and Alicia were on the same page, she could talk to her honestly about this.
It had been Canning's outrage that opened Diane's eyes, that made her realize she kept making compromises she shouldn't have. Canning's bull's eyes on her firm was the last thing she needed, especially considering how they had parted the last time. She wouldn't let the devil take what was hers ever again, she'd rather give it up willingly for something better.
"Really? You need to tell me everything," Alicia urged her with a teasing smile. "I have wine," she added to tempt Diane even more.
"How could I say no to that?" she gave in with a chuckle, even though she could have used something stronger at the moment.
A little later Alicia came back with a bottle of white wine and two glasses. She was about to open the wine when they heard a knock on the front door.
"Maybe someone else also wants to make an offer to you," Diane noted jokingly.
"I already have a new partner," Alicia lifted her drink with a wide smile and they clinked their glasses to taste the wine that held the promise of their future together.