Don't Let The Name Fool You
Will was standing at the front of the conference room, his suit pinstripe pristine and tailored to hug his every muscle. It was dark grey today, a complete contrast to the bright blaring sun outside, seeping through the glass walls of the building. She sat with a genuine interest in her bones, her back straight, hair cascading down her back like a dark chocolate dessert. His eyes met hers in a quick glance. He adverted his eyes away within the second; there were too many people in the room.
"Lets do this," He said confidently after his hour long prep of a new murder case.
Like sheep, everyone followed out the door in a heap, scattering around the office in a hectic and dazed way. Alicia stood and made a beeline for the door, her black leather pumps clicking softly with every step.
"Alicia,"
She turned around, her hair swinging in unison with her head motion. She offered him a smile and walked away from the door, letting the newbies pass through before walking straight up to Will.
"Yes?"
"How are you," His hand resisted the urge to caress her familiar cheek
"I'm fine Will. Really, you need to stop asking me that." She paused, "I don't regret it."
It wasn't the first time she'd said that to him. It wasn't anywhere near the first time. He gave her a nod as if to say 'okay' and let her go on with her day. She smiled at him before walking through the door and down to her office, collecting folders of cases and books along the way.
It had been a week since their- shall we say, adult encounter at the hotel. A week since she disregarded all posts of responsibility, a mother and an employee. She wouldn't admit to anyone out loud, but there was a day- the day after, that she felt a pang of regret. She had locked herself in her room, allowing the guilt to eat away at the core of her brain. She had weighed her options, her desires and want against responsibility. She was ready to make rash decisions, to call Will, to call Peter, to admit her wrongs and give into her self guilt. But almost as if their timing finally aligned, like it was finally right- he sent her a simple, one worded, three lettered message. It reassured her. It helped remind her that she wasn't in this alone. That he was there. She let out a sigh of relief and grasped the mobile with a screen saying 'Hey.' If that was all he had to say to make her feel better, then she truly was in an infatuation. With her boss none the less.
However, that weekend, she couldn't look her kids in the eyes for longer than 10 seconds, because she felt the longer she looked into their eyes, the more they knew what was happening. They had asked her several times 'are you okay?' The good wife she was and is, she replied 'completely.' She drove them to their friends' house and spent the rest of the day alone with a glass of wine and a bundle of paperwork. She figured that sleeping with the boss didn't mean you would stop doing work.
The glass of wine that day was refilled three times before the paperwork was finished.
She felt a pang of restlessness tickle her toes as she felt more fidgety. Her fingers would click her pen constantly, in a broken rhythm of clicks and taps. Under the table her heels were stripped off, forgotten and her toes were mimicking her tapping. She looked outside the glass cube that was her office, looking at the rushing of interns and secretaries. The building was emptier, but not a complete ghost town. She looked down to her watch. They were at lunch.
She stifled a yawn with effort and slipped her feet back into the pumps. She reached over to check her mobile. Three missed calls from 'unknown' and a message from Grace. 'At a friend's, will be home later' it read. Alicia was more lenient than normal, but it was for the better anyways. Her children had friends, and she wanted them to be happy.
"Hey," It was that voice again, the voice that groaned her name in pure ecstasy-
"Hi,"
"Lunch?" He offered, holding a bag of takeout from the café downstairs
She smiled and nodded, making space for the food and Will.
They talked over lunch like it was the old Georgetown days, bantering, joking and talking about cases. Not a care in the world. Disregarding all sense of any other person. Their eyes never left each other, stealing small glances of one another, playing a game of cat and mouse through their eyes. Will's hand reached out and caressed the back of Alicia's in a chaste motion. She looked down at their hands, entwining her fingers with his before looking up to his eyes. He smiled at her through his eyes. She smiled back. He reluctantly let go of her hand as he leaned down closely.
"My place, 8?" His voice in a whisper,
She gave him a sly smile.
"I'll see you after witness prep,"
He gave her a questioning look.
"For a taste."
He nodded with a smirk plastered on his face.
The witness, Carol Strider walked through the glass doors and into the prep room. Alicia sat with a straight posture across the oak table. She gave her a small smile and motioned her to sit down on the chair opposite.
"We're just going to run through some questions the prosecutor may ask, this is to prepare you Carol." Alicia said
She nodded reluctantly, before, "You're Alicia Florrick aren't you?"
Alicia replied with a soft "Yes."
"I like what you do,"
"Being a lawyer?" Alicia questioned
"No, I like that you're staying by Peter. Playing the role of the Good Wife."
Alicia looked up at her, their eyes meeting in a less than friendly manner.
"Don't let the name fool you,"
Inspired by the season 3 promotion posters - 'Don't Let The Name Fool You' - Enjoy
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