Disclaimer: The Good Wife is not mine

A/N: This is a story that had grown from the small idea i originally had. It is very AU, basically don't assume much. Also with regard to American politics, my knowledge stems from House of Cards and that is it, so if the facts are not accurate then i apologise.

May, 2017, Washington DC

'It seems like a lifetime ago that Peter Florrick, the then Governor of Illinois was on every news channel from here to England when the news of his sex scandal broke. Four years on and he is now the Vice President of the United States. Many believed he was a reformed man, achieving an incredible rise within the ranks of the party and managing to maintain his marriage. However it seems like a leopard doesn't change his spots, and just a year after he was sworn in, the news has broken once more of another sex scandal for Florrick. The question this time is- will his ever loyal wife Alicia Florrick, stand by him a second time-?'

The sound of the news broadcaster's voice was abruptly ended as she stood up, grabbed the remote control and pressed the off button before throwing it down on the sofa and heading into the modern kitchen of their townhouse. "Is it really necessary to have that thing blazing out at all times?" She questioned her voice hard, and raw. Eli turned to look at her with a sympathetic look on his face. Back when he had joined Peter in the aftermath of the first scandal back in 2012, he had never been witness to Alicia when it all broke. He had arrived when she had accepted it, and was trying to move on. This time he was seeing her reaction first hand. That almost made his job harder. Whilst he respected Peter as a politician, and wanted to clear this mess up, seeing Alicia so hurt by everything mad him want to make the other man suffer. When he had first met Alicia back in 2012 he hadn't thought much of her, thought that she was just another wife of a politician. Five years later, however, he realised he had never met a woman quite like Alicia. She had changed a lot, formed her own law firm and worked her backside off to get it to the top – without the aid of her husband. That was something that Eli respected.

"No, we don't need that on." Eli commented.

"But sir-" one of his assistants began, only to receive a glare that said what Eli was thinking.

Alicia walked into the kitchen and opened the cupboard, grabbing a wine glass and a bottle from the wine rack. The scandal had broken a day ago, and within an hour her living room had become a command centre. Grace who had just finished high school had not left her room since and Zack who was in his first year at MIT had informed his mum her would not be screwing up his education just because his father had screwed up again. Meaning he would not be joining his mother and sister in DC.

Alicia had yet to see Peter. Eli said he was staying at the White House, that the mass of press outside was too much of a security risk. Personally she thought that him seeing her would be a bigger security rick because she was not entirely sure she wouldn't kill him. Once had been bad enough, but twice just made her look like the fool for taking him back, for forgiving him. This time around she had her own reputation to worry about, not just his, she also had the reputation of her firm Florrick & Associates to worry about. "Where the hell is the cork screw?!" Alicia questioned, annoyed as she rifled through the draws.

"We removed it Ma'am, along with the knives and other sharp instruments." Said one of the security detail who hovered around her house like flies. Never saying much but just being generally irritating with their constant presence.

"You honestly think I'm going to kill him?" Alicia just laughed. "Eli!" The man came through from the other room. The stress of the situation was engraved across his face, and part of her felt sorry for him. "Will you please instruct them to give me my corkscrew back."

"Alicia maybe wine isn't-"

"-He can have affairs and sleep with hookers but I can't drink wine at 11am?!" Eli turned to look at the security detail and nodded. The man in a black suit exited the room only briefly before he reentered with a plastic corkscrew. "Jesus!" Alicia commented before removing the cork from the bottle and filling the extra large glass with the red liquid.

"I'm going to need to do a press conference." Eli stated, once she had drunk some of the wine. "I will need you to stand by his side, like last time. Only I need you to talk as well. The press love you, if you say you knew or that you forgive him, it could-"

"-I'm not discussing this right now." Alicia just grabbed her glass and the bottle and left the room before heading upstairs. She didn't know what she would do. Wasn't sure whether she had it in her to defend his infidelity once more. This time not only with a bunch of prostitutes but also with his secretary. A person he knew, a person that she knew. Then again Alicia wasn't sure if she would divorce him either, whether her children could withstand that.

The sound of her bedroom door slamming echoed through the townhouse. But none of them really judged her. How could then when no one could even imagine the pain she was feeling. Eli just stood there at the counter in the kitchen, not knowing what to think, not knowing what to do. This time around he didn't have the benefit of a little bit of time having passed, he didn't have the benefit of it only being prostitutes. The first time people have sympathy, by the time the second time comes around they have heard it all before. They no longer have trust.

May, 2017, Chicago

"A statement has yet to be released by the Vice President on the latest sex scandal, and no word has yet been heard from his wife, top lawyer, Alicia Florrick. Rumour has it that the Vice President has yet to return home since news of the scandal broke – leaving us wondering whose choice that was. Eli Gold, the crisis manager who dealt with the Vice President's last sex scandal back in 2012 has yet to release a statement, yet we will give you the news as soon as it breaks-"

"Jesus." Will Gardner said as he turned off the tv in the conference room. It was dark outside, the sun had long since set, leaving room for the moon and stars to takeover the darkness. They were the only two people left in the office now, everyone else having called it a night hours ago. Both sat there, paper covering the tabletop as they tried to make sense of their latest class action suit. Only to have been detracted by the news story which had been circling the channels for the past day.

"Poor woman." Diane said as she took a sip of the neat bourbon. Her eyes wandered over to her partner, and she saw a look she couldn't quite read in his eye. It looked almost like he was about to break something, then again she wasn't sure if he was actually about to cry. "Will, are you okay?" she enquired.

"You think she will leave him?" He questioned. Diane didn't know about his history with the wife of the Vice President. How did you explain that after over twenty years of not seeing someone you were still in love with them?

"I don't know. She stayed with him once, maybe she will do it again." Diane speculated.

"Would you?" Will didn't know what he wanted her to say, wasn't sure whether he wanted her to say that she would leave him. Why did it matter anyway? It wasn't like Alicia would hunt him down and come find him even if she left Peter. They hadn't spoken in over twenty years, for all she knew he could be married with children and a picket fence life.

"Once; fool you, twice; fool me." Diane said, looking over at Will. He just nodded and took a drink of his own bourbon. "Why are you so interested?"

"Just curiosity." The lawyer replied before picking up another piece of paper and reading over the facts, trying to look as though he was taking in what he was reading when in truth his mind was in memories which were twenty years old. Diane watched him, wondering just what he was thinking, just what his interest was. Shaking her head slightly she picked up another piece of paper and copied him, deciding to focus her own curiosity on the case. If Will wanted to talk, then he would. But there was no point in rushing him. Anyway, she had clients to be worrying about.

Reviews are greatly appreciated.

Abby