Disclaimer: First it was a book, then a movie, now a musical, and in each one the spelling of almost everyone's name changes. So who owns these characters anyway? Not me, I can tell you that.

No Other Way

A Legally Blonde Fan Fiction

By: DaggerQuill

~*~*~*~

Warner's hand was still resting on the small of her back as Elle Woods pushed open the doors to leave the courthouse where she, still a Harvard Law student, had just won her first major trial. Back at UCLA if Warner had put his hand on Elle's lower back it would quickly sneak its way down in some kind of public display of affection.

Warner's proposal could have gone so many ways; she could have said yes, this one the one moment she had been waiting for after all. But she had known for months now that there was no way it would be the same if he were in that part of her life. She could have been rude to him; there was no denying that he would have deserved a snide comment and her just leaving him standing there dumbfounded. He could have gotten angry, or upset, and stormed off on her. But they had talked through the situation and both acted extraordinarily classily and now as they stepped out into the cool evening air with his hand tactfully guiding her out the door she knew they had reached an understanding.

"Ms. Woods, how did you know Miss. Wyndham was lying?"

Warner also understood that all of the cameras and reporters waiting on the stairs of the courthouse could care less about him, so he gently pushed her forward, "Good luck" He whispered in her ear. He rolled his eyes as heard her answer while trying to dodged through the crowd.

"The rules of hair care are simple and finite. Any Cosmo girl would have known."

At least he knew some things about Elle would never change.

~*~*~*~

"Mr. Forest, what made you think that a law student could do this?"

Emmett had his own group of reporters huddled around him. He, however, was not so used to the attention.

"What? Oh, Elle? She can do anything, I swear, she's amazing."

And suddenly there she was, and Warner was whispering something in her hear and gliding his hand off of her back. Emmett felt his stomach drop, he was sure his mouth was hanging open, but at the same time he didn't know why he felt such disbelief, Warner was the reason she had come to Harvard in the first place.

"Would you have taken Mrs. Wyndham's trial on your own, with out Ms. Woods on your legal team?"

"What? Um… no it probably never would have crossed my mind."

"Mr. Forest, without an alibi, what made you believe that Mrs. Wyndham was innocent?"

But Emmett never had to answer that question because at that moment, Brooke Wyndham, the fitness queen herself, walked out of the court house and all of the reporters flocked in her direction.

He couldn't see Elle and Warner she had been swept off by her own reporters the second she walked out of the building. Emmett was alone. He had never really been a 'people person' but never before had felt this lonely. He should be happy, he had just helped win one of the biggest murder cases or the decade, his best friend just got everything she has ever wanted. He should go find Elle, congratulate her. He should go receive the praise of his colleges for sticking to his gut, working the system, and believing in the client. He thought he had it all figured out, there was only one way this could end, he hadn't done this Brooke, to impress other lawyer, or for justice in general. He had done this for Elle, so she would stay and be with him. There was no other way as far has he was concerned and if she wanted to be with Warner than he just wanted to go was go home. He headed off on foot, he figured he'd run into a taxi or a bus sooner or later.

He only made it a block when heard a voice behind him, "I thought you weren't going to let me get away."

"What? Elle what are you doing here?"

"Why did you just leave me there with Warner?" She demanded, he couldn't understand why seemed so angry with him. Then he realized, he had told her he wasn't going to let her get away, only a few hours ago. Emmett could remember very few times that he had succeeded in impressing a girl, but he remembered the look on her face when he'd said it, he knew that it definitely qualified. And now she was here, standing in front of him.

"I figured you would want to talk to him." He said cautiously. "If anything would prove that you were 'serious' I'd think winning a high profile murder case would do the trick."

"That's what Warner thought too. He proposed."

Emmett kept his eyes on the sidewalk but nodded slowly, maybe his hope had been misguided.

"That's great, Elle, congratulations." He said in an expressionless voice.

After a moment he chanced to look up. For one of the fist times since he had known her she was silent. Her bright smile had disappeared, she standing in front of him blinking with a bewildered expression.

"You thought I said yes?" She asked, but there was another question in her eyes. "If I want to be valedictorian I'm going to need a boyfriend who isn't completely clueless."

Emmett experienced something like an explosion of understanding and excitement. He was stunned by how vulnerable Elle looked at that moment. She was beautiful and smart, but somehow she was resting all of her usually abundant confidence on his next move. He took a step toward her, and she look positively terrified, then he smiled at her. For a moment she smiled back at him, a look of relief and joy crossing her features then disappearing as quickly as they appeared. He laughed at his reaction and looked straight in her eyes, and gave her a small nod. Her smile returned, more beautiful than ever.

"He isn't completely clueless." Emmett said "He knows all right parties to go to and the right clothes to wear; I thought that was what you wanted."

"Maybe that was what I wanted, but any guy smart enough to be with me would know to go to the parties that I want to go to, and would let me dress him." She reached up and smoothed down his blue silk tie, "at least when the occasion requires my expertise. Plus, I deserve someone who will treat me way better than Warner ever could."

"How so?" Emmett asked moving closer again, leaving very little space between them.

"I need someone who understands me," Elle explained, "who can respect me, and see me as more than some pretty blonde."

"In a bunny outfit." Emmett added with a smirk.

"Exactly." She agreed. "I need someone who believes me even when I'm wearing a bunny outfit."

"That sounds hard; you look pretty good in a bunny outfit." She slapped him lightly on the arm. He ignored this and slowly leaned toward her. "But I might know one guy who-"

"Omigod, there you are Elle!" The Delta Nus were suddenly surrounding them, talking all at once and very fast.

"That was so amazing, Elle!"

"I love those shoes! You were the best dressed lawyer I've ever seen!"

"I never knew you were that smart!"

"Your parents rented out a ball room in the Hilton!"

"It's going to be awesome, there's going to be food, and dancing, and a bar!"

"Come on! Get your lawyer friends and let's PARTY!"

"Sounds great," Elle said "I'll be right over, just give me a second."

"Oooh!" Said Serena, just now noticing how close Elle and Emmett were standing. "Right, sorry. Girls, Let's go try and talk to Brooke!"

Elle smiled as they flounced away. "Oh, I missed those girls. So…" she said smiling at Emmett, "I heard about this party…"

"Would you be my date tonight, little miss Woods comma Elle?"

She reached out and grabbed his hand, entwining their fingers. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

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