Author's Note: Previously on "The Road Not Taken"... Alan Connor died of overwork (official version)/massive cocaine overdose (universally believed version) before he could expose Jeff's fake degree, allowing Jeff the opportunity to properly cover his tracks and go on from success to success in the legal field, ending TRNT as a partner with Mark in their own firm. The rest of the study group navigate their Greendale years without him to some degree - Pierce leaves/is expelled earlier than in the Prime Timeline and Annie goes to Delaware with Vaughn, but returns after a year with a revised master plan. By the start of this story it's just over four years later and Greendale is being sued for incompetent education standards after a bridge collapsed upstate. The college has engaged Jeff's firm to defend it, and a sharply dressed lawyer with extremely good hair has just met a hyperactive type-A student (also with extremely good hair) for the very first time...

XXXXXX

Jeff Winger was appalled.

He'd arrived at Greendale that morning expecting a pretty straightforward case and nothing he'd heard from the dean had led him to believe otherwise, for all that he'd enjoyed horrifying the man with visions of an apocalyptic outcome.

But then he'd listened to the girl - Annie, her name was - talk him through the records she was organising (he pretended not to hear the bit where she talked about the dean "joking" about shredding them) with increasing disbelief.

("This is a degree thesis?" Jeff said at one point, holding up a flimsy model of a bridge made out of lego bricks.

Annie's bouncy optimism faded somewhat. "You have to understand Greendale isn't a rich school," she said, not quite meeting his eyes. "Sometimes we just have to make do.")

It all led Jeff to one conclusion. There's no way I can allow this to go before a jury. If the other side turn this into a trial of this school's academic standards we're screwed - I have to kill it before it gets that far.

"Sorry?" he said instead, Annie had said something while he was ruminating.

"I asked what you thought our chances were."

He winked at her. "You're safe with me Annie, that's the Winger guarantee." The smile that lit up her face was worth the small lie. "What do you say we get out of here and -"

"What the hell are you doing here?" A surprised voice called out.

Jeff and Annie both turned towards the door at the same time to see who had spoken.

"Britta?"

"Britta?"

They turned to face each other, a moment of realisation dawning on each of them.

"You're that Annie?"

"You're Booty Call Guy?" Annie looked at him with new eyes, blushing slightly as she remembered some of the - frankly lurid - stories Britta had told (usually while extremely drunk) about their hook-ups. She never went into detail about how good looking he was though -

"Booty Call Guy? Objectification much, Britta?" Jeff said, fortunately for Annie he'd turned to face Britta and missed her moment of confusion.

"Ooh, plot twist," this from a Middle-Eastern looking young man standing next to an African-American man and woman.

"And these must be the rest of your friends." Jeff said, looking at Britta who glared back at him.

When the noise finally died down and everybody had sat down, Jeff asked (with somewhat frosty politeness) just what they were doing there.

"We're the Staff-Student Liaison Committee," Britta said, a grin on her face that suggested she knew exactly why Jeff was irritated at being interrupted. "Annie, Abed and I are the students, Shirley runs the snack bar and represents the franchise holders and Troy keeps the air conditioning from dying on us and represents the maintenance staff."

"Shirley and I graduated last summer!" Troy said with a grin on his face as though he could barely believe it - Jeff had heard enough stories from Britta of her cute-but-dim, on/off boyfriend that he barely believed it either.

"Wasn't there anybody from the teaching staff available?" Jeff thought he kept the sarcasm in his voice restrained in the circumstances.

"That would be me," a cheery, British accented voice announced the latest arrival.

"Duncan?" Jeff cried out in disbelief. "As if this day couldn't get any better…"

"You know him, too?" Annie said.

XXXXXX

That evening Jeff Winger had a lot to think about. He was supposed to be thinking about the case - he'd brought a couple of boxes full of the most important papers home with him to read after all, but other than fire off a few text messages to his Associates asking them to do some research for him he'd barely looked at them.

Instead, as he stood on the balcony of his apartment looking out over the fashionable Central Business District with a glass of Scotch in his hand he cast his mind back to the strange assortment of people he'd met that day. Britta of course he was familiar with, as he was with Duncan, for all that he hadn't seen him for some years (and the way Duncan looked at Britta at times explained why the drunken slacker had volunteered for the committee).

The housewife (who was another one who invoked a nagging sense of familiarity in Jeff for reasons he couldn't identify) couldn't seem to decide whether he was the hottest thing she'd seen since Denzel Washington last went shirtless or a shameless sinner who should be kept well away from her friends. Jeff was confident enough he'd be able to handle her without too much difficulty.

The guys - Troy and Abed - had barely been a problem at all, and seemed to have been fully won over when Jeff 'allowed' them to carry the boxes of papers to his car. The awe they'd shown at being allowed to touch a real, live Ferrari had been very gratifying - unlike Annie, who'd walked with them and didn't seem to know enough about cars to know she was supposed to be impressed.

Ah yes, Annie. Annie, Annie, Annie. Annie with her severe blouse, pastel cardigan, knee-length skirt and sensible heels. Annie who, despite only being a student had, through sheer force of personality and work ethic managed to seize control of the school archives and cow the dean into doing her bidding to the extent that the "staff-student liaison committee" consisted entirely of her friends/underlings (and Ian Duncan). Annie, who Jeff had pegged within minutes as being the one person he absolutely had to have on his side if he was to have maximum freedom to run the case the way he wanted to. Normally Jeff's opinion of hard work, discipline and organisation was similar to his opinion of virginity, sobriety and off-the-rack fashion - much overrated qualities best found in others. Annie however brought an undeniable charm to her particular brand of control freakery.

The were other reasons to like the small-but-perfectly-formed brunette with huge blue eyes and a sunny smile of course and it flummoxed Jeff slightly to think that she hadn't so much as turned down his initial overtures to move things onto a more… informal basis as not even noticed them. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, he thought and smiled suddenly at the memory of his mother's needlework, one of the few things from his childhood he didn't loathe. He had no idea where Doreen Fitzgerald had got the line from.

XXXXXX

(Apartment 303, same evening)

"Annie, you have to seduce Jeff."

"Abed!" Annie was shocked. Oh, she couldn't deny (to herself at least) that the ridiculously good looking and expensively dressed lawyer had intruded on her thoughts in ways that weren't… entirely linked to the case, but still! "Why on earth would you say that?"

"His car would be perfect for the film I'm making for my degree project," Abed said as though it was obvious. "And he won't lend it to me without an incentive."

"Abed!" Annie was starting to hyperventilate.

"I don't see what the problem is," Abed said blandly. "Your genetic markers are optimised to appeal to a man like Jeff-"

"Dude?" Troy looked thoroughly confused.

"Annie's hot." Abed explained.

"Ahhh," Troy nodded understandingly.

"-and his genetic markers are optimised to appeal to a woman like you." Abed continued talking to Annie as though the distraction hadn't happened. "And according to Britta his sexual technique is perfectly satisfactory if somewhat emotionally disengaged so it's not as if-"

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!" Annie pivoted on a heel and stormed off, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

"What did I say?" Abed looked baffled.

"Oh, buddy…" Troy said.

XXXXXX

"So, how's the case looking?" Mark said. It was the next day and as they tried to do at least once a week the senior partners of Petrocelli & Winger were meeting for lunch to informally discuss their week and ensure there were no surprises lurking.

"It should be straightforward…" Jeff sighed.

"But?" Mark replied.

"It seems to be a good place, and the people who go there are incredibly loyal -" Jeff found himself thinking of Annie and her friends again "- but the academic standards are terrible!"

"A bit of a drawback in a school," Mark said dryly.

Jeff nodded. "If this goes to trial we run the risk of a jury looking at the bridge made out of construction bricks that Humphries submitted for his degree thesis and ignoring the law to say of course he couldn't have learned what he needed to know."

Mark paused for a moment, sighing happily as he chewed oh a generous helping of Linguine Carbonara before speaking further. "So what are you going to do?"

"Kill it before it gets that far of course," Jeff said grimly. "Chloe and Michaela-" naming the Associates he'd texted the night before "-have come up with a couple of promising avenues I'll be looking into further. I'm heading back to the school this afternoon to meet up with my main contact there and develop some options." Japanese or French, maybe a bar afterwards….

"The dean?"

"Good grief, no - he's part of the problem. He's so pathetically eager to be liked that he's never taken a hard decision in his life. No, it's the student chair of the staff-student committee, who's basically taken control of the committee and the school's response. The dean's too disorganised to recognise a power play when he sees one and is only too happy to let her get on with it."

"Her? Oh Tango…" Mark shook his head in mock disapproval. "Is she cute?"

"I can't say I noticed," Jeff replied primly.

XXXXXX

"Hi Jeff!" Annie greeted him with a sunny smile. It was four o'clock in the afternoon and the campus was almost empty.

"Sorry I'm late Annie-" their appointment had been for half an hour previously "-I got delayed by the dean." Jeff had popped into the dean's office as a courtesy when he had arrived only to be detained for half an hour of increasingly dubious innuendo.

Annie rolled her eyes in sympathy. "Try to be flattered, it means he probably likes you…"

"I'll try," Jeff replied dryly. "Fun though this is-" he winked at Annie, who blushed slightly "-I'm here on business. Do you have anything for me?"

Annie nodded, dipped below the table and came up again holding a dozen files in her hands. "As you asked for, I've compiled a dossier on each of Humphries' teachers -" she slid the pile over to Jeff -"including a summary of their courses."

Jeff pulled one out of the pile at random. "Professor Donald Crewitt?"

Annie's smile turned forced. "He worked on the Hoover Dam as an apprentice - we're really lucky to have him!"

"That's g- wait, Hoover Dam? That would make him-" Jeff opened the file, checked Crewitt's personal details and did a quick mental calculation "-ninety-seven years old!"

Annie desperately tried to stay positive, but couldn't quite look Jeff in the eye. "He has a couple of pensions so doesn't ask for much in the way of salary and teaching keeps his brain active. He really is surprisingly spry for - are you alright?" Jeff's head was in his hands while he massaged a spot between his eyes.

The more I hear about this place… he thought to himself. "Stress headache," he said.

Annie waved dismissively. "Oh I've had those since I was four. I've gotten used to it."

"I wish I could say I was surprised," Jeff's smile turned sympathetic before he put Crewitt's file back on the pile and shifted back to business mode. "I'll read these over the weekend, in the meantime-" he pulled out his tablet and started working through a list of observations.

(An hour and a half later)

"I think that's enough for today," Jeff said as he hit the off switch on his tablet, vaguely wishing for the days when he could dramatically slam a notebook shut - No! I'm too young to reminisce about the good old days! Especially - he shut down that line of thought as Annie nodded and stretched distractingly. "Do you want to head out for something to eat? My treat."

Annie briefly looked tempted, then her expression went sombre. "CBA rule 1.8.j. Jeff," she said as she shook her head.

Jeff looked baffled for a moment, then a broad grin spread across his face. "Have you been looking up the rules for when it's appropriate for a lawyer and client to sleep together, Annie?"

"It's not like that!" Annie went bright red with embarrassment. "The dean asked me to look it up! 'For a friend' he said!"

Jeff's smirk faded. He really wanted to believe Annie was deflecting, but on the other hand he'd met the dean...

"And anyway," Annie continued. "I promised to spare some time for Abed and Troy tonight - Abed owes me an apology for something and with those two that usually involves a multimedia presentation and costumes." She rolled her eyes again and finished packing. "See you on Monday, Jeff?" she said, slightly wistfully.

"Yes you will," Jeff smiled in a way that made her blush slightly as she smiled back. "Before you go -" he reached into his pocket, took out a small metal case and extracted a card. "Take this, in case you think of anything."

Annie looked down at the business card and turned it over - it felt like silk in her hands. I wonder how much this cost? "I will Jeff," she said. "Thanks - see you Monday," she repeated before grabbing her case and skipping past Jeff. He watched her go, his mouth slightly open with surprise. Well, that was… something.

XXXXXX

Annie almost ran out of the library and across the campus to her parked car, determined to get away before she gave in to temptation. Oh, the part of Annie that remembered she'd had a bad year-long relationship and thought she deserved a break was seriously tempted by the cocky, well-dressed lawyer's offer. But the part of Annie that was sensible and always tried to be in control - don't let him get under your skin Annie, she thought to herself as she kept her head down and concentrated on not turning around. His world is one of expensive cars, expensive clothes and expensive women. There's no way you could fit into that world with your thrift store clothes and community college education - he'll use you until he gets bored or embarrassed and then abandon you. No, keep this friendly and constructive and strictly business focussed and you'll be safe. You need to be the one in control, not him. Thus resolved, she took out her phone and the business card Jeff had given her.

XXXXXX

Jeff was feeling slightly out of sorts - he was sure Annie had been about to accept his invitation before she changed her mind and basically fled the scene. He was starting to wonder what exactly he was doing wrong, so he replayed the conversation in his head as he packed his briefcase and started walking back to the Ferrari. He was just over halfway there when his phone vibrated with an incoming text message, he saw it was an unknown number, shrugged, swiped and opened it.

Just testing - now you've got my number too! Annie

Jeff clicked on the icon to create a new contact. He didn't notice the soft smile on his face as he did so.

XXXXXX

Greendale Community College, September 2nd 2013

"Three hundred dollars an hour!" Annie yelled. "How can you possibly justify gouging a not-for-profit public college for that sort of money?"

Did she just jump out of a bush? - lt was Jeff's third day on the case and he hadn't seen her approach as she ambushed him as he walked into Greendale. The dean must have showed her our rates, he thought. The devious little weasel is probably hoping those baby blues will get him a discount. Although -

"Annie, has anybody ever told you you're spectacularly hot when you're angry?"

"What, oh…" Annie's rage had suddenly been replaced by a blush and an embarrassed smile.

"And that's how I justify my fees," he said with a smirk. "By being the best in the state at what I do. In this case, by distracting you for long enough that you don't even notice me walking away with the win."

Despite having just had it explained to her, Annie allowed herself to be distracted. "And what is the win here, Jeff?"

Jeff's smirk got even wider. "You, in a hot dress, having dinner with me tonight."

Annie snorted, though she couldn't quite keep the blush and the smile off her face. "Not going to happen, counsellor. We have a case to prepare for."

Jeff didn't look the slightest bit put out by being shot down. Instead he shifted back to professional mode. "And that's the other way I justify my fees. There isn't going to be a case."

"What?"

"Do you have a suit, Annie?"

Annie looked thoroughly knocked off balance at Jeff's continual changes in direction. He smiled as though he knew what effect he was having.

"What do you mean?" She said.

"You know - knee length black skirt, fitted jacket, white blouse, medium heels…"

"I know what a women's suit is Jeff - and yes, I have one." Annie's voice was acquiring a sharp, get-to-the-point edge.

"I've arranged a meeting with Humphries' attorney at two this afternoon - change into your suit and you can sit in on it." Annie's eyes opened wide with surprise. "I'm willing to make a bet with you that by ten minutes after we sit down this case will be dead."

Annie's competitive instincts woke up. "You're on. What's the stake?"

Jeff smirked cockily as he sprung his trap. Too late, Annie realised what was coming. "You, in a hot dress, having dinner with me tonight." He repeated.

Annie rolled her eyes, but she didn't bother to suppress a smile. "And if you lose?"

Jeff's grin didn't budge. "Then you buy me dinner."

"Har, har counsellor." Annie met his gaze head on. "Troy and Abed get to borrow that Ferrari of yours for a day."

Jeff was speechless for a moment. This girl is even sharper than I've been giving her credit for, he thought. He visibly swallowed his sudden nerves. "Deal," he said.

Annie tilted her head sideways and smiled - despite her promise to herself not to be taken in by his charm and self-confidence, she was impressed he hadn't backed down after her counter-offer. She turned on a heel and skipped out the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to dig out my interview suit and get changed. See you at two, Jeff."

XXXXXX

Jeff Winger's office, 1:54PM

"Shouldn't the dean be here?" Annie said. "Oh thanks," she added with a smile - Jeff had spotted her nerves and handed her a Scotch from his minibar.

He gave her a small grin. "I convinced him that client representation at his level would send the wrong message - they would think we were scared. Instead, a more junior level of representation - a student councillor, for example-" Jeff raised his own glass in mock salute "-would send the appropriate message of disdain."

Jeff's secretary popped her head round the door. "Mr Humphries and his attorney are waiting in Meeting Room G, Mr Winger."

"Thank you Maria," he said.

"We're up," he added, turning to Annie. He moved to hold open the door, as she walked past him his hand dropped into place in the small of her back to ease her through ahead of him. She fought to suppress the slight tingling sensation.

(Meeting Room G)

Jeff ushered Annie in ahead of him, they took their seats and Jeff put his folder on the table in front of him with his phone next to it, discreetly activating the timer on it. Introductions were made - Humphries' attorney was a small, balding man who was sweating even in the air conditioned room - for the first time in years, Jeff thought of Alan Connor. He shook his head slightly to rid himself of the memory.

"Shall we get down to business?" the sweating man said. "My client is willing to be reasonable and would be prepared to entertain a settlement offer along the lines of a cash sum-" he passed a piece of paper across the table, Jeff didn't pick it up "- and an admission of liability on the part of Greendale for providing a substandard education."

"We have a counter offer," Jeff opened his folder and slid something over.

"What is this?"

"Colorado Revised Statute Title 12, Article 25 Part 1. I draw your attention in particular to clause 114-" Jeff paused while the sweating man leafed through the document.

"As you will see, obtaining a licence to practice as a professional engineer in this state is a lengthy process consisting of several stages, of which attaining a recognised degree such as the one Greendale offers is only the first. Mr Humphries has been representing himself as an engineer based solely on his degree, hence this suit."

Sweating man had gone deathly pale. Jeff bared his teeth in a way that could not be mistaken for a smile. "You have one chance to apologise and leave, and if you don't I will pass everything I have to the State Board of Licensure to commence criminal action for practising engineering without a license."

"But I only-" Humphries spoke for the first time.

"Shut up." Sweating man hissed. "I apologise for the misunderstanding Mr Winger, Ms Edison - we'll take up no more of your time and I will write to the court formally withdrawing the action as soon as I return to-"

"That won't be necessary," Jeff passed another piece of paper over. "Sign here-" he pointed at the bottom of the page. Sweating man looked like he wanted to murder Jeff, but he signed and grabbed his client's elbow and hurried him out of the room. Jeff waved them goodbye, reached for his phone and stopped the timer then turned and showed it to Annie.

"Six minutes, forty two seconds," he said. "I hope you like French food, I've booked the restaurant for seven." His smile was huge, Annie for once was speechless as he handed over a card with the restaurant's address on it.