Alicia could feel the warmth of the morning light enter the room and a raylight enlighten the bed. She stretched an arm, searching for that familiar body she got used waking up close to during the week-ends. It had become an habit. Will would come over usually on Friday night after dinner, after Peter had come and taken the kids with him, so that they could spend two whole days together, no work, no pressure, just the two of them. Although she didn't want to tell it, she liked this more than she would ever admit. But that morning, her hand found an empty pillow. She turned around and Will wasn't there. Still half asleep, she heard a voice coming from the living room, Will was talking on the phone, his voice very low, trying not to wake her up. She put on his pink shirt and got up to reach him. He was talking about work, or so it seemed, since the tone of his voice was serious, something between worried and pissed. Until he saw her coming close to him and cut the phone call off. "Hey" he said with a slight smile. "Hey you. Is everything alright?" She could see that something was eating him. "Yeah, just… work." He didn't gave her the chance of asking more questions, he covered her mouth with a passionate kiss to banish the bad thoughts and the worries. He noticed his shirt and smiled "It definitely looks better on you." "And even better off" Alicia teased him. She didn't need to add other words, the shirt was already on the floor and Will was pushing her back to the bedroom.
§§§The situation at the firm was very tense. Diane still wouldn't confront directly Alicia or Will but kept on sending strong signals of disapproval in both directions. Will just got another call from Cary, this was getting serious and there was nothing he could do to convince the SA office to step back. In all of this, Alicia kept on asking now and then what was going on, and the answer was always the same: "Nothing." Everybody at L&G was sensing that there was something big going on but nobody could really tell what, but one thing was sure: it was a bomb about to explode.
§§§Will was sitting in his office lost in tought, he was supposed to meet Cary for a deposition in two weeks and still hadn't chosen a trustworthy lawyer. For one reason or another, no one was right for that. He didn't hear the knock on the door. "Will" Alicia's voice brought him back to reality. "What?" "I said that Mr. Powell will be here for the deposition at 3. Caitlin's already working on that." "Ok." But there was nothing ok and they both knew it. She stood there for a moment, not sure if it was the right moment. Then she started, "When are you going to tell me?" "Tell you what?" For a poker player, that was a lame attempt at hiding his concern. "Come on, stop this, I know that there is something worrying you, why won't you tell me what's going on?" He could feel she was frustrated but didn't want to put her in. "I told you it's nothing". She wasn't buying it anymore. Not this time. She paused, searching for the right words. "You talk about love... you talk about meeting the kids officially, then you don't trust me... What do you want Will? What?" He looked at her, hurt, not saying anything. He could see she was hurt, too. She stood there, waiting for an answer which wasn't coming, so she turned around and started to leave the office. "This is not about trust Alicia!" She stopped, turned around to face him. He stood up and got near her. "This has nothing to do with trust! It's just something... something I don't want you to get involved in! And by the way, look who's talking about trust... you keep on refusing to let me into your life, into everything that's not just work or sex. Talk about trust here!" He didn't realize that he raised the voice until he noticed the sudden and unusual silence around him. The firm had stopped. For a moment nobody dared breathing. Untill Will turned to close the door and in a second everyone was pretending to be back on their duties. Now they had crossed the line. There was no turning back. Alicia was angry now. "You know the reasons Will, you just refuse to accept them. What am I supposed to do? You want to meet the kids? You want them to tell Peter about us? You want him to know? You wanna screw the divorce?". She was angry, like he had never seen her before. "Peter already knows about us! He doesn't need any confirmation! Whatever you say, or do, is not going to change things! It's not going to change or stop what he's doing!" So that's what it was about. He said a word too much but it was too late. "What is Peter doing?" her voice was now soft. Will looked defeated. "You have to promise that you're staying out of this, that you are not trying, in any possible way, to intervene in this." She didn't say anything, just slightly nodded. "The SA office is investigating me, officially over Lemond Bishop's drug traffic." It didn't taker her long to realize what was happening. First the firm audit, now the investigation. It was about her. She could barely look in his eyes. "So Diane's right. I've become a liabily for the firm, a sort of danger you're soon going to get rid of, ain't I?" "Nobody's going to get rid of you, Alicia. Not until I'm here." She couldn't find the words. She just turned around and left. This was the beginning of the end. Will left out a sigh as he watched her go.
§§§Alicia went back to her office, she sat down thinking of what she could do. She kept on staring at her phone, Will's request of her not to step in still in her ears. Then she started to scroll the address book to the letter P. She paused, stared at the name before pressing the green button. "Don't do it Alicia." Kalinda was there, she was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear her coming in. Her voice was soft. "Don't call Peter, this is just making things worse." She stared at her for a moment, then the voice on the other side of the line brought her back to the point. "I... sorry Peter, I dialed the wrong number." and she hung down, not waiting for a reply. Kalinda was looking at her with a hint of a smile. "It's my fault, it's all my fault." That was all she could think about. "It's not your fault and you know it. Peter's the one who's going around blaming everyone except himself for what he did." "What do I do?" she was really worried for Will, she had never thought Peter could go that far. "Nothing. That's what Will asked you and that's what you're going to do... Just stand by him, whatever happens, 'cause he would do the same for you." She didn't wait for a reply, she turned and started to leave. "I miss a friend" Alicia said in a hurry. "I miss a friend I can talk to, a friend I can confide into". "Yes. Me too" Kalinda said as a matter of fact before leaving. Then she stopped halfway through the door, slightly tapped with the fingers on the wall and added "I heard there's a new pub downtown where they have a great tequila. Should you be in need of a drink." Alicia left out a smile. Maybe she still had a friend after all.