Chapter 1
People usually rang the bell when at his place. Fancy new apartment, so he hadn't got so used to the familiar feeling you have when you're at home and somebody is outside the door. So when he heard a gentle knock, he just thought it was somebody who had never been there before.
And he was… just partially right. She had never been there, on her own that is. They had been there together, he had opened the door, and he had closed it. End of the door story. But now she was there. She had a knack for doing the most improbable things in the moment you least expected it. He had yet to figure out whether he liked that quality or not.
'Hey!' she had a sad smile. And she looked exhausted. Had the hall been lighter, he would surely have noticed the residues of tears around the corner of her eyes. But it wasn't. However something inside, told him that she had been crying.
'Alicia…' even though he tried to mask it, the hint of surprise in his voice was imminent. And that confused her.
She was standing on his doorstep, unsure of the reasons that had brought her there, but pretty sure of the ones that made her want to leave. However, his pleading look, the way he spelled her name, the smell of his house, his home, his kingdom, were too appealing to pass. She did not need a reason to stay. The fact that she had many reasons to leave made her want to do the opposite. That was her. Irony of fate. Master of contradiction. Everything. but a good girl. And she hated herself for that.
She took a step forward and words started coming out of her mouth without control.
'I am so sorry, Will.' the mere mentioning of his name made tears well up in her eyes. 'I am sorry I kissed you, I am sorry I led you on all this time, I am sorry I broke you and Laura up, I am sorry I …' she was going to say 'I am sorry I am leaving you, but she couldn't make herself say it. He was looking at her apprehensively. Wearing a plain blue T-shirt and simple sweatpants, standing on the doorway, waiting for her to finish. He always did that. Wait for her. Always.
'Alicia, it's …' he grabbed her hand not sure of whether he should do that or not. 'It's fine.' He finally managed to say.
She took another step. He pulled her toward him and so she was in his apartment now. He separated his hands from hers in order to close the door. She was standing there staring at the floor. After an instant of hesitation, he took her bag and put it on the floor and grabbed her hand again. Her eyes came to his. Seeing tears in her eyes made his whole soul hurt.
'Please come in.' he said simply. Just to make it more convincing, he squeezed her hand. Her look moved to his hand intertwined in hers. She was at a loss.
He wanted to hug her and cuddle her and dandle her to sleep. She was hurt and all he wanted to do was to fix her. He wanted to make her smile, he wanted to hear her laugh. Gosh he loved her laughter.
She walked by his side and sat on the couch with her jacket still on and her gaze fixed on the black screen of the iMac on the table. He didn't know what to do. He usually did. In court, it was easy. You have facts, you interrogate the witness, and you find stuff out. Whereas now…
'Do you want a drink or something?' the lamest icebreaker in the world. He felt a loser just uttering it.
Her gaze wavered.
'Will, I…' she stood up. 'I shouldn't be here.' She rushed out of the living room, but this time he was fast. Thinking fast was something he excelled at.
'This is exactly where you're supposed to be.'
He leaned in and gave her lips a soft and quick kiss. He wanted to wipe the bewilderment away, but all he did was make her weep again.
'God, I am… sorry. I …' he said when he saw her tears. For one moment he felt like a college kid again dealing with a weird girlfriend.
'No, it's not that.' Alicia's tone seemed more human now. It was like she was coming back to earth. 'I just… oh Will…' she looked at him apologetically. 'Damn it!' she pulled away from him, but she did not leave. She leaned on the wall staring at him.
'I did something tonight, something you are gonna hate me for.' Hers tears had left trails on her cheeks and lips and finally fell off the fine angle of her jaws.
He approached her and kissed her again. He felt her eyelids close. Then he took a deep breath and fondled her cheeks with both his hands getting a chance to wipe her tears away with his thumbs.
'No matter what happens, I could never hate you.' And he drew her face closer with his hands and kissed her again. But this time it surpassed the border from gentle to passionate. She responded fearfully making him feel back in college again.
His first kiss with her had been like that. And never before had a kiss tasted that… alike. He had wanted to feel that same wave ever since then.

Their lips parted as he looked at her.
'I can take care of you.' he stopped and then completed. 'I wanna take care of you.'
For the first time that night, she eyed him directly. 'I would like you to.' Her voice trembled but no other words could make him happier.