First Impressions
Summary: My take on what was going through Eli's head during his first meeting with both Peter, and later, Alicia. Follow me as we take a look at the Florrick's through the Campaign Manager's eyes.
Two-shot.
Fandom: The Good Wife
Characters: Eli Gold, Peter Florrick, Alicia Florrick
A/N: This story will be told completely from Eli's POV and takes place during episode 1x15 "Bang"
It's late afternoon by the time I pull my Lexus up to a curb in front of the high-rise apartment building that my assistant Nora gave me the address of earlier today. I toyed with the notion of not agreeing to take this meeting at all but what can I say, my curiosity got the better of me and I couldn't help but want to meet the disgraced former State's Attorney so I could size him up myself in person. Besides, I've always loved a challenge and there's a reason I'm the best image consultant and campaign strategist in the business. However, I have been laying low the last year or so since my divorce and I know if I don't keep my skills sharp I'm probably going to find myself a year from now grooming some desperate housewife in a campaign to head up the district school board PTA or something equally atrocious. I let out a short sigh before finally killing the ignition to my car and step out into the cool February air.
Stepping inside the building I give it a quick once over as I make my way towards the elevator. It's a nice enough building; large potted plants lining the hallways, stone grey marble flooring throughout the lobby, and not a speck of dust to be found. Clearly the tenants here are of a slightly higher class than your average apartment dwellers and I let out my first sigh of relief; having no idea earlier what I'd be getting myself into when my assistant told me I'd be heading to a meeting in an apartment complex in downtown Chicago. Could have been worse I suppose, I could have met him a week earlier in a prison visitors lounge sitting across from him and pretending like neither of us notice or feel awkward when he reaches his hand out to shake mine and the sound of the steel handcuff chains clang against the cold metal table we're forced to sit at.
Still, as nice as the decor is, one has to wonder how a family of four have managed to stuff themselves into an apartment this size. Given the size of the building and the number of units inside, I know it can't be very large and going from what in comparison would be considered a mansion in Highland Park to this, well, it can't be easy.
"So this is how the mighty have fallen", I quietly mumble to myself as I step into the elevator and hit my desired floor number.
When I reach the front door and knock I'm quickly greeted, however not so pleasantly, by a sour looking Kya Poole who is currently staring daggers at me. I'd say technically Kya is my competition, but that would only be an insult to myself and everything I've worked to achieve. She's the K-Mart, if you will, to my Fifth Avenue and I almost instantly find myself regretting ever taking this meeting in the first place. We don't belong in the same league, let alone the same room with each other.
"Kya" I greet her with the fakest smile I can manage and a curt nod.
"Save it Eli" she huffs in response and I can't help but smirk that I've got her annoyed with me already. "I've got this, the only reason you're here is-"
"I'm going to stop you there Kya" I quickly interrupt her as I brush by her and push myself inside. "If you had this, your boss wouldn't be calling me, would he?" I sneer at her in a low tone and she lets out a huff before slamming the door shut and pushing past me to make her way to another room.
I give myself a second to wipe the grin off my face before putting my ever-so-professional mask back on and eventually follow after her until I find myself standing in a small but elegant kitchen surrounded by Kya, a man in a suit; likely the lawyer that Nora said had called for this appointment earlier, and the one and only Peter Florrick. The lawyer is standing a little off to the side while Kya stands closest to her employer, as if trying to protect him from me. Or rather protect him from me stealing him from her. It's sad really, she's like a spider that's about to be stomped on with my $600 Italian leather shoe. With the death stare she's giving me right now though I feel like she may in fact be one of those Black Widow's who eat their mates after having their way with them. What Peter is doing with her is beyond me. It's career suicide. I mean, you want to make the press forget about you running around hotel rooms with doe-eyed busty blondes by hiring one to clean up your image? I shake my head at the thought. She's got to go, and the sooner the better if this guy is serious about wanting to salvage whatever remains of his political reputation.
They all stare at me as I slowly make my way inside, hands stuffed in my coat pockets as I take in my surroundings and walk around the kitchen island until I get to the other side where a glossy black and white photo is laying in wait for me to observe and analyze.
"So, this is the kitchen cabinet" I let out in a long breath in an attempt to make light of the whole awkward situation of a meeting like this taking place in someone's home. They all stare at me, seemingly un-amused so I decide to skip the jokes and get straight down to business.
"And this," I continue a moment later, "must be the fake photo. Do you have the original?"
"No" Mr. Florrick answers easily from where he stands a few feet from me, leaning on the island with both palms flat on the granite surface. His tone is low, serious, and very distinct. I can see now why he once made, and could potentially make again, such a good politician. His voice is clear and concise and commanding of attention no matter how loud or quietly he talks. When he speaks, people listen.
"The envelope it came in?" I try but unfortunately don't get the answer I was hoping for.
"Thrown away" Mr. Florrick states with a small shrug.
"Thrown away, or destroyed?" I ask just to clarify.
"Thrown away" he answers again without hesitation and I actually have to force myself to stop my eyes from involuntarily rolling at the carelessness this situation has been handled with so far.
"Well, that was clumsy" I point out, my gaze intentionally falling on Kya who's eyes go wide at me for the not-so-subtle accusation.
"Yeah" Florrick replies rather grimly and I can see he already knows what a mistake that was and decide not to grill him anymore on the subject since it's nothing that can be changed now anyway.
"So look, Eli" he begins, casually using my first name and I can tell already that he hasn't lost that sense of power that comes with being a man of his once political stature and I'm pleased; perhaps he's not a lost cause after all.
"Given what I've heard about your reputation, I think we better lay out a few ground rules" he continues and my head cocks slightly to the side, my brow furrowed and my eyes narrow in on him as I can only begin to imagine the things Kya was likely nagging about every moment leading up to when I stepped through the front door.
"And what have you heard about my reputation?" I ask curiously and again, he doesn't hesitate to answer.
"That you speak your mind," he begins and I nod.
With ya so far pal.
"Your mind tends towards expletives" I can only offer a half shrug in response, he's not wrong.
"You're a classically trained pianist, and you require Saturday's off" he finishes and looks back towards me to gauge my reaction.
"Who told you about Saturday's? Shiksa Bambi over there?" I sneer in Kya's direction and she scoffs at me, glaring in my direction like she's about to hop across this island at any given moment and strangle me with my tie. The lawyer seems amused with my comment, holding back his laughter while Florrick just continues on, un-phased by our seemingly childish bickering.
"I'm also told that in a street fight, you're the man" he finishes and I simply stare at him as I absorb the compliment.
There's an increasingly irritating beeping noise that continues to sound every few seconds and my brow furrows slightly as it distracts me momentarily from our conversation.
"You want me to watch my swearing?" I finally say and Florrick nods slightly.
"Look, considering my circumstances," he begins, lifting his right leg in the air and pulling up the hem of his jeans slightly to show me the small black electronic device strapped around his ankle. "My home will remain our base and my wife and children live here" he continues.
Just great, I muse inwardly. Who does this guy think he is? The Brady Bunch? Your children have a collection of faked photos of you with prostitutes smoking crack but I can't drop an F bomb?
I'm about to respond when that God awful annoying noise sounds again and I raise my eyebrows and let out a short sigh before wandering over to the dishwasher, pulling open the door and reaching up inside to pull out the sensor wire and the shrill noise is silenced.
"You need to replace the strainer" I reply casually and Florrick's brow lifts in surprise at me before he turns towards his two colleagues; seemingly impressed. The lawyer nods his approval and I think I can actually see the steam coming from Kya's ears now.
I don't bother to mention that we had a similar unit in the home I once shared with my ex-wife and daughter and that Vanessa had nagged me for a week once to get that damned thing repaired when the same thing happened to ours. I'll let him go on believing I'm some kind of 'Appliance Whisperer' if it helps him believe in me and my abilities to assist him in nearly any situation that may arise.
"Okay, first of all, Peter?" I ask for permission to use the same informality he already established with me and he nods.
"Yes"
"The only reason I'm here," I continue, walking back towards them with purposeful stride before coming to stand once again in the same spot as before. "Is what I've heard about your reputation"
"Which is?" He asks and I waste no time in doing exactly what I do best, speaking my mind.
"You're a son of a-" I somehow manage to stop myself and I look at Peter with a disgruntled gaze before squaring my shoulders once again as I continue.
"Can I say son of a bitch? Or is that too salty?" I ask bitterly and the corner of his mouth twitches up into a smirk as he lets out a small laugh.
"That's fine"
"You, sir, are a son of a bitch. But a son of a bitch who likes to change things for the better. I've also heard that you're toxic and if I join your merry little band of political lobbyists here," I pause for a brief moment to glare at Kya once more before continuing and focusing my gaze back on Peter; "that I'm going to end up regretting it"
"That sounds about right" Peter shrugs and I give him a small smile in return. For whatever reason, I think I actually like this guy. He's a straight forward, to the point, no BS kind of guy and it'll be nice to have a client who doesn't need their damn hand held 24 hours a day and who will let me do my job without questioning everything I do and say.
I've got to admit, I'm impressed with the man before me. He's smooth talking, but also seemingly down to earth, certainly easy to talk to and all the while commanding of respect. It's no secret that I don't like many people. They get on my nerves easily and I prefer my own company to that of others. I can probably count all of the people I would consider 'friends' on one hand, yet here I am, the wheels in my head already spinning. I think I have a real shot with this guy. I was sceptical in the beginning of course, but if after only a few minutes of meeting him he's got me to like him, how hard could it be to get the rest of the county to as well?
I let out a sigh, my mind made up as I pick up the large brown envelope from the countertop.
"Okay, here's my first piece of advice, fire Bambi!" I instruct, pointing a finger at my less than qualified counterpart.
"Hey!" she snaps at me in return but I don't bother giving her time to continue.
"and hire your son" I go on, pulling a photo from the envelop and holding it up in front of them. "This, is the best piece of operation research this team has done"
"Yes but we're still trying to figure out who it is so," The lawyer mentions with a shrug.
"Oh I know who it is" I proclaim without missing a beat and the lawyer squares his shoulders at me.
"Who?"
"It's a federal investigator doing scout work for possible indictment" I explain and the room falls silent as the three of them exchange very worried and surprised glances.
"How do you know that? You can't know that" Kya challenges after a moment and her ignorance continues to astound me.
"Oh I know a lot of things lady. The question is why don't you know it?" I practically bark at her and her face falls slightly as she, hopefully, realizes I'm right. I turn and focus my attention towards Peter to make sure he understands the severity of the situation.
"Look, you're under federal investigation. What you need to find out, is why" I explain and he slowly nods before extending his hand out towards me and looking at me expectantly.
"Whatever you need" he assures me and I reach in and take his hand in mine and offer a firm handshake, accepting his offer.
With his hand in mine I can't help but look to my right to smirk at Kya, who currently looks like her head is about to explode with anger that I've managed to swoop in and in a matter of minutes win her boss out from under her.
So long, Bambi.
Well, I hope you all liked part one. Next up, if you're still interested, will be Eli's first encounter with Alicia and I what I feel was going through his head when he first laid eyes on her. Drop me a line and let me know your thoughts! It's my first time writing from Eli's POV so new territory for me...
