This is the A/U story I've promised to write. I should be working on other writing assignments for a class I am taking, but the lure of fan fiction prevails! Sorry for the typos in my last entry. I will try to do better when it comes to editing. Thanks all reviewers….
Alicia pulled into the Wawa for gas on her way to picking her kids up from school. She went into the store, and on impulse, grabbed a box of peanut butter candy cakes. She was violating her own No Junk Food rule, but it was Friday night, and the kids deserved something.
She got in line to pay for her gas, and Tasty Cakes. She knew the girl working the cash register. Melissa Reeves. Her daughter was in school with Alicia's youngest.
There was something sad about Melissa. She was young, about twenty-three or twenty-four. She just seemed so…. beaten down by life.
"How is Chloe doing Melissa? Torie would love it if they could get together for a play date sometime," Alicia said.
"Yeah, okay," the girl said with little enthusiasm. Alicia could see where might have been somewhat pretty at one time. But now, she wore no makeup, and her lank brown hair hung about her face.
Alicia went outside, got in the car, and drove on. She pulled up in front of the elementary school, looking out for all three of her children. Zach was first one in the car, diving into the back seat, and slinging his backpack on the floor.
"Hi Mom. Can I go over to Brandon's for a sleepover tonight?"
"We'll see. I thought everyone could stay home tonight, and we could hang out together as a family," Alicia said.
Zach groaned. He was eleven, and "hanging out" with his parents was less and less appealing to him.
Grace was next, climbing into the car and babbling about her how she'd gotten an "A" on her English essay, and could she go shopping and to the movies with Brianna and Jasmine tonight?
So much for family togetherness, Alicia thought. Five-year-old Torie finally came outside with her kindergarten class, clasping hands with Chloe Reeves.
They had moved to this quiet, rural section of Bucks County just after Zach started school. Taylorton was only twenty miles from metro Philadelphia, but worlds away in every other aspect.
She had been married to Peter Florrick for less than two years and was six months pregnant with Grace when she discovered he was banging his blonde twenty-year old secretary. She decided to cut her losses then and there. Peter was never going to change, and she was foolish to believe that he would.
It was incredibly hard, being a single mother to two tiny children. She needed to get out of Chicago, and away from Peter. Her college roommate invited her and the kids to visit her in Philadelphia, and Alicia ended up getting a job there and staying permanently.
A year after she'd move to Philly, a group of co-workers invited her for drinks after work. Alicia almost always turned down such invitations, but her brother Owen was visiting, and was more than happy to baby-sit.
Her life changed irrevocably that afternoon when she walked in Tir Na Nog, an Irish pub in Center City, and saw him sitting at the bar. Will.
Apparently, he had left Baltimore, and was working in Philly as well. The two of them spent the entire night catching up, and ignoring the people they'd come with.
She'd explained to him from the beginning that she was not looking to get involved with anyone.
She was a divorced woman with two small kids, and a demanding job. But Will was nothing if not persistent.
A year after that reunion, they were married. Eventually they'd decided the city was no place for a growing family, and they'd started a practice together out here
Financially, it might not have been the best decision. It was hard to make money when your practice consisted if drafting wills, and DUIS. That was one drawback of living in a low crime area.
Yet, when Alicia looked at her children and saw how happy they were, she didn't regret anything.
"Zach and Grace. I need to talk to you two privately," Alicia said when they walked into the house.
Torie had already run off, searching for her father.
"What is it Mom?" Zach asked.
The three of them sat down at the kitchen table. "What would you think about Will formally adopting you two? I mean he's always been you dad in every way that matters…"
Grace was vehemently opposed. "No! We have a dad. I mean we don't see him much, but he is our dad."
On occasion, Peter would visit, and try to ingrate himself into his children's lives. He would show up unannounced, and offer to take Zach to an Eagles game, and Grace to New York for a Broadway show. Then, they wouldn't see him again for another year. Alicia had never fought with him about custody. He was free to see his children when he wanted. He simply wasn't that interested.
"I'll leave up to you guys. Just think about it okay?"
"So Torie comes into the kitchen while I'm talking to Zach and Grace, hears the conversation, and asks me why she can't be adopted too. I explained to her that she can't be adopted because she's already our child. I think it was confusing for her. "
They were lying in bed together. Will was beginning to reach for her. "Zach and Grace are both at sleepovers tonight. We have one kid in the house, and she's already sleeping like a lamb."
Alicia smiled at her husband. "Your chances of getting laid tonight are excellent, Mr. Gardner."
Then the phone rang. Will told her to ignore it, but she refused. It might be an emergency with one of the kids.
"Alicia, this is Ken Laslow. Can you or Will come down to the police station? We have a situation here."
Ken Laslow was s detective with the county police department. He had also moved from Philadelphia, and was a good friend of Alicia and Will
"Sure, Ken. One of us will be there as soon as we can."
"What's going on?" Will asked when she hung up.
Alicia looked at him in shock and horror. "Melissa Reeves just shot her husband."
To be continued…. In the next chapter, Peter reemerges in the children's lives, and Alicia becomes deeply involved in a murder case. Enjoy, read and review please!
r. Will.