As she sat with her head in her hands contemplating the mess that her life had become, she couldn't help but think that she had been living a lie for the past 5 years. She would never regret her marriage to Peter. After all, he had given her two beautiful children; but sometimes she couldn't help but think that her life would be a lot less complicated right now if she had never met him.

Georgetown was her escape. It was a way to free herself from the constant battles with her family; her mom and dad's feuds; Owens rebelling ... it was too much. She kept her head down in school. She was always on time, always up to date with reading assignments and always prepared. She didn't allow herself to get distracted by anything or anyone. That was until she met Peter Florrick.

She was interning in a firm in Chicago over the summer and happened to bump into him at the courthouse. He was charming, good looking and smart. He had an aura about him that made her find him intriguing. His obvious intelligence and confidence entrapped her. He was her first love and there was a time when she thought he would be her last. After meeting him, time seemed to fly and her life came together in a way she never would have expected. She finished school, graduated top of her class and had law firms falling all over her. It's not until she thinks about it now, that she realises if it hadn't been for Peter, she wouldn't have chosen to work at Crozier, Abrams & Abbott. The main reason she went there was to be close to him and now all she can think about is how foolish and naive she must have been.

However, no matter the reasons for making the choices she did, she loved working. For a while she felt like her work was that defined her ... that was until she found herself pregnant. Soon after this everything changed. She was married and living in a big house in an area she hated surrounded by people who thought they were better than everyone else. Life slowed down for a while, but she still worked hard and she still hard Peter supporting her every step of the way. In the next few years, she climbed the working ladder at an extremely quick pace. She was on the partner track in record time; winning big cases, signing huge clients – all in her stride. Peter was working hard as an ASA and planning to run for states attorney and although she fell pregnant again only a year after having Zach, neither let their own ambitions die. She was caught in a whirlwind. Everything felt like it was moving at 100mph. Peter and his mother begged her to quit work using excuses such as "children need their mother" or "you would be happier at home" but she refused. She hadn't worked so hard for all these years to give it up at the snap of a finger.

3 years later, Grace was 3 years old and Zach was 5. She was still happy at her firm, although she had noticed a slight decline in the amount of clients willing to sign with them. Peter had been elected as States Attorney, and had made history as the youngest one Chicago had ever had. He worked hard. He was absent a lot of the time, and she tried hard not to resent him. He had always been a hard worker. He committed 100% to anything he faced. So his dedication to his office did not come as a surprise to her. Although sometimes she felt like they were two ships passing in the night, she knew he loved her and she knew she would do anything for him; that is until the scandal dropped.

Her arm stretched out to her left and hit cold material. He was already gone. She was used to this by now; waking up alone. It wouldn't have been so bad if she wasn't also falling asleep alone. She knew her husband had a demanding job, but sometimes, she just wished he would be there more.

Her days were nearly always the same. Get ready, go to work, get home in time for dinner with the kids, go to bed; all without Peter. Today was no exception. Although she didn't spend as much time with her kids or husband as she would like, she was blissfully happy; and unaware.

She had an insanely busy day ahead of her at work as well as menial chores that she would have to do as she made her way through the day. Work, depositions, dry cleaners, grocery shopping, cook for the kids ... life was hectic. It wasn't at all what she had imagined it would be but it was perfect. So, placing a kiss on both of her children's heads and waving goodbye to her mother, she set out to start her day.

Standing in line at the dry cleaners she watched the people around her. She watched their body language, she watched the way they interacted with the people they were with and she watched two women point at her whilst talking in hushed tones. Did she know them? She turned back around and tried to distract herself from the two unknown women by watching the TV screen. That's when she saw it. She ran to her car without looking back at all the people watching her.

It was the same as any other day; until it wasn't.

She sat in her car and wrapped her arms around her waist trying to hold herself together. Today was the day her life would change indefinitely.

Sex.

Scandal.

Prostitutes.

Misuse of office.

The few words played on a loop in her mind ... all would change her life; all would complicate her life; all would ruin her marriage. When she got home and put on the news, images of her husband being ushered from his office, trying to hide his face with his hand were shown on every station. Her mother was keeping the children occupied, trying not to be her usual over bearing self and Alicia felt herself falling to pieces. She felt like everyone and everything was moving fast while she crawled in slow motion. Peter had arrived home, begging for forgiveness; not denying a thing. She doesn't think; she can't think. She was vaguely aware that she was crying but wasn't really feeling anything. She supposed she was in shock. Who wouldn't be?

After 6 long months, Peter was in jail.

That's how she got where she is today 6 months later, sat at her kitchen table trying to piece together her life after a 6 month leave of absence so she could be with her children which seemed – at the time – like the best thing she could have done. However, when it came time for her to return to work, she never expected what was waiting for her. The firm was failing. Clients were leaving left right and centre and she knew if she wanted to keep climbing the ladder, she would have to leave. She had started applying for jobs as soon as she could. She officially left her firm a week ago, all her clients still with her, just waiting for her to find her new "home". She knew she was good. She knew she would eventually land somewhere but she couldn't deny the detrimental effect being married to Peter was going to have on her career. What successful law firm would want to be associated with the wife of the shamed States Attorney?

As pathetic as it may sound, she didn't really know who she was without the law. She had only stopped working a week ago and it was already driving her crazy. She couldn't understand how people could give it up. Standing in a courtroom and questioning a witness gave her a high like no drug ever could. She always felt confident there. She knew she was good. She knew how to form her questions to make it so the opposition couldn't object. She knew how to make the witness feel intimidated when she needed to but she also knew how to make them feel as though she was their friend. She'd only been at this for 5 years, but time didn't mean anything when you were good. It occurred to her that she'd always been better at her job than at being a wife. She could delude herself in to thinking she was "the good wife"; but it just wasn't true.

So as she sat now, thinking through the mess that her life had become, she was at a loss for words. She watched her children playing in their over sized garden, completely unaware of the mess transpiring around them. They looked so happy and care free and she wished she could feel like that. She would give anything to feel truly happy again. To feel as though there would be a light at the end of the tunnel.

The phone ringing pulled her out of her daze as she ran to get it.

"Hello, I'm looking for a Mrs Florrick?"

"Yes, that's me. What can I do for you?"

"I'm calling from Lockhart/Gardner. Ms Lockhart would like a meeting with you. Are you free tomorrow at 1pm?"

"Yes that's fine, I'll be there. Can I ask what it's regarding?"

"I believe it is for a job interview Mrs Florrick. See you tomorrow."

Diane Lockhart was formidable. She had paved the way for women in law; smashing the glass ceiling as she went. She was undoubtedly a fierce opponent in the courtroom and co-ran one of the most successful firms in Chicago. She had faced her a few times and they had both had wins and losses. She had sent them her résumé thinking that they would be sure to brush her off her and now she could only hope that they were considering her for a hire; although she wasn't going to let herself get too hopeful. She had to admit that Lockhart/Gardner was at the top of the list of firms she had wanted to work at when she was shopping for her new "home". She had only ever faced Mr Gardner once. She smirked to herself thinking about their time in court; he was passionate, smug and sort of intriguing.

"Objection! Your honour, Mr Gardner is clearly trying to cloud the juries' judgement and make them bias against my client."

"I am doing nothing of the sort Your Honour. I am simply pointing out the facts of the case."

"Over-ruled."

She sighed inwardly as he turned to her and grinned boyishly before carrying on with his interrogation. His arrogance wound her up like no one ever had. It wasn't often that she let her opponent get to her. Her head was always clear. But there was something about this guy that made her adamant that she would not lose; not to him. She couldn't let that happen.

And she didn't.

She rolled her eyes at him more than once. His plan was transparent. He didn't play all his cards at once and he objected as much as possible to try to throw her off her game; but of course, she was smarter than that. As she got in hit after hit, he handed her a piece of paper with a settlement on it. She looked at it, turned to him, smiled and crumpled up in to a ball. In the end, she had won. It was unlike her, but when exiting the court, she couldn't stop herself from smirking at him.

As she fell from her day dream and thought about the day to follow, she felt nervous. As she watched her kids play outside, she knew this was probably going to be her only chance. This meeting with Ms Lockhart would be make it or break it. No one else had contacted her since the scandal - probably due to not wanting their firm associated with the Florrick name. She thought she probably hated Peter more for ruining her profession than their marriage.

/

As he sat opposite his partner, wading through the multiple résumés that had found their way to his office he felt proud. In 5 years he had gone from junior associate to name partner. He knew it was mainly because Stern and Diane had wanted his multimillion dollar yearly billing sport clients, but he was okay with that and when Stern left it just made everything better for him. He was on top of his game and he was looking at résumés from top Chicago lawyers who all wanted a piece of his firm. He couldn't deny that it was a major boost for his ego. As he happened upon the name of a lawyer he recognised, he couldn't help but push her name forward to Diane. He had seen her in court a lot. She was good, but the playboy in him had other reasons for wanting her at his firm.

"What about Nancy Crozier?"

Diane looked at him with sceptical eyes.

"Are you kidding me Will? The deer in headlights act she does in court infuriates me. She's not someone I want our firm associated with. Her tactics go against everything I believe in".

He knew she was going to knock her down, but thought it was worth a try.

"Fine. But that's your last veto Diane. This is ridiculous. Every one i've picked hasn't met your impossibly high standards". He raised an eyebrow at her and she looked serious.

"I'm not going to hire duds Will. We're on a good run right now. We need good people with us. Not young girls who bat their eyelashes and hope to flirt their way to a win or into your pants".

He couldn't help laughing as he took a sip of his brandy.

"Fine. But can we hurry this up. I've got a date tonight".

They continued through the pile, getting closer to the bottom when he noticed Diane spending an awful long time on one.

"Good one?"

"Alicia Florrick".

"As in cheated wife of Peter Florrick? You're really considering that?"

"Have you faced her in court? She's out standing".

"Yeah. Once"

"And I take it from your lack of expansion that she beat you too?"

"Yeah. I thought I had her. I thought the objections that she actually allowed me to get in would faze her but they never did. And then right at the end I thought I had her and she pulled out this surprise evidence and that was it. She had it".

Diane looked lost in thought. He knew she was considering hiring her. Her husband would of course be a cause for concern, but her connections would probably outweigh this.

"I think we should ask her in Will. Maybe make it informal. She has some serious baggage but she also had a big bag of clients and an outstanding win record". He watched her as she glanced back through Mrs Florricks list of achievements.

"She was in Georgetown? The same year as you?"

Will sighed and rolled his eyes, making Diane laugh. "yeah she was. Although I didn't realise it was her until she beat me in court and I researched her. She was top of our class. Beat me in mock trails plenty of times. She wasn't social though. I never really saw her other than in class. Over-achiever".

"Do i detect a bit of jealousy?"

"Yes. She beat me in school. And then she had the audacity to beat me again in real court. You know how I hate to lose. Ask her in. We'll see how it goes".

He pushed his chair back from Diane's table and made his way into his own office. He sat down and closed his eyes, feeling tired from the long day. His mind was immediately filled by a pale face; half hidden by a mass of long black curls.

He had seen her all over campus, but never really taken notice; too busy fawning over the more obvious girls. As she sat in class talking to the girl next to her, he couldn't take his eyes away. Her beauty was different. It was understated. She didn't need to try to enhance it; it stood on its own. He heard her laugh. It wasn't a dainty laugh like most girls. It was loud and boisterous and he thought it was the most charming thing he had ever heard. He didn't see her much. He'd catch glimpses of her in a corridor; see the back of her head in class. He thought she was attractive; but he thought a lot of girls were attractive. She wasn't consequential enough for him to waste his time worrying about her too much. However the first time he'd faced her at school he had been completely slaughtered. After her win was announced, she'd turned, looking smug and smirked at him. Alicia Cavanaugh.

Years later, he arrived at court prepared to trample on his opponent. As he took his seat, he looked over at the opposing council. As soon as he saw her, he noticed something familiar about her but he couldn't put two and two together. It wasn't until she had won, and turned to smirk at him, that he had put it all together. Of course he had noticed her beauty as soon as he saw her and had watched without shame as she slowly crossed her legs, or ran her fingers along her pen or walked back and forth between her table and the witness. Of course he had found her familiar but so many people in the Chicago law world were familiar to him. Her hair was different; it wasn't a mass of curls anymore. And she had grown up; her jeans and hoodies replaced by what were clearly expensive outfits. The name "Alicia Florrick" was on his mind the whole drive home. Alicia Florrick; the States Attorneys wife. He got home, pulled out his laptop, and typed her name into the search engine. Everything became clear. Alicia Florrick, the States Attorneys wife, is Alicia Cavanaugh.

As he leaned back in his chair, he couldn't deny a sense of excitement he felt as he thought about her working under him. He was looking forward to being able to work with her and learn how her mind worked. He couldn't wait to get to know her like he never had at school. He opened his eyes and shook his head trying to pull himself from his thoughts. This was unlike him. But he couldn't deny that she fascinated him in school and she clearly, still fascinated him now.

His date was long forgotten.