For sweetjamielee's The "Plan B" 2013 Summer Ficathon
TITLE: Because Alicia/Kalinda 'Reunion' is 'Just Not Going to Happen.'
PROMPT: First day back shooting Season 5.
A/N: I bear a gift, schwarmerei1. And for your baby – welcome to the world of fantasy, words, metaphors and inspiration!
Yes, I am pretty pissed off by the interview. I will write more RPFs because of this.
Somehow, I am unsure whether to apologize (or not) for putting them through this.
Read-throughs are always fun, Julianna thinks. It's a time for her to get into the groove of her character, and a chance to mess around with her cast mates. After the season hiatus, she was ready to get back into Alicia Florrick's shoes, however painful the four to five-inch heels are. Most of her wishes for the last season have been granted, and now, she is enjoying the story and her character even more. Occasional encounters with Archie's character is realistic, yet at the same time, it remains true to her character – she reminds herself that really, no woman in her right mind, would continue friendship with a girl who has slept with her husband. And lied to her in the process. And hurt her beyond belief. Her mind was buzzing with excitement that everything that was said to her slipped through the glassy gyri of her brain.
"Jules, Robert and I agreed that something wasn't quite right in Alicia and Kalinda's dialogue during the read-through. Mind if we add something?" Michelle asks hopefully.
"Sure." The adrenaline still buzzes. "I thought it was abrupt ending it with 'we will always have drinking,'" she adds nonchalantly.
"Great! We will have the revised script on the first day of shooting. It will just be a couple of lines here and there. I am sure you will do wonderfully."
Julianna's buzz will not die down. She nods and struts out of her character, and into the light of day.
There are a lot of things that Julianna misses during season break, but the one that she misses most is the character she has defended so much, fought tooth and nail for. Because really, the star of the show was Alicia Florrick and the main story is her journey through life.
She waves at everyone she passes by, her mind spinning with the excitement of the season. She isn't exactly sure what the season will bring, but she is confident she is almost sure. After her interview, she has just made sure that people will just tune in to her adventures.
She enters her dressing room, and greets the costume designers and make-up artists. She even (uncharacteristically) pecks at Archie's cheeks, a gesture that surprises the woman who was obviously still struggling with wakefulness.
"How was London?"
"Great. I miss it. Now."
Julianna nods and hugs Archie one more time. She approaches the station assigned to her and she plops to her seat, ready to be transformed into Alicia.
Her assistant approaches her with her latte, and a tired-looking booklet that houses the lines she is going to deliver for the day. Post-its are sticking from some pages, but she accepts everything good-naturedly. She even takes a huge, carefree gulp from her almost-scalding latte without as much as grimacing.
Everything was good.
"The page marked with green post-it is the scene that the writers revised, and have been given a go by the producers and directors. You will be shooting it tonight."
Julianna nods and leafs through the page. She takes occasional sips from her drink as she moves her body side-to-side, chair-dancing to an unknown music.
INT. PUB – NIGHT
EVERYONE is minding their own business, drinking and flirting except Kalinda. She's drinking alone. When suddenly –
The chair beside her is pulled away, and on sits Alicia. She nods at the bartender and points at Kalinda's drink.
ALICIA
Will it always be this way?
Kalinda stares forward, not looking at Alicia.
KALINDA
What will always be what way?
ALICIA
It was strange seeing you in the court house without really working with you.
Kalinda shrugs and continues drinking.
KALINDA
We will always have drinking.
ALICIA
I saw you're friends with Agent Delaney. Again.
KALINDA
She's dependable.
ALICIA
What does that mean?
KALINDA
Exactly what it means. She's always…available.
Alicia nods.
ALICIA
And I am just your drinking buddy.
(bitterly)
We'll always have drinking.
KALINDA
(matter-of-factly)
We no longer work in the same firm.
ALICIA
(angrily)
You don't work with Agent Delaney too!
SILENCE.
(whispers)
You don't even miss me? Miss us?
KALINDA
Don't do this.
ALICIA
Do what? What exactly am I doing?
Kalinda stares at her for A FEW SECONDS. And then she kisses her.
Julianna's eyes bulges, threatening to separate from the sockets, the buzz replaced by a drone so loud she just cannot ignor.
"What is this?"
She storms to the woman she has greeted no more than an hour ago.
"Have you seen this?" Julianna waves the script for emphasis. Archie looks at her blankly, half of her face made up to assume her alter-ego.
"What?" the eyeliner almost makes a detour. She looks at the other woman and wonders what has reduced the ever-so-poised Ms. Margulies to this flaming ball of fury. What more, she burrows deep in her brain, what made the woman speak to her again.
"Have you read the script?" she drops the script on Archie's lap. The sting that Archie didn't feel from the fifty-or-so pages was felt from the other woman's tone.
"Not yet. What's the matter?"
"We are going to kiss."
Archie almost laughed. The droplets of snot that is going to accompany her snort made a beeline at her nostrils. The (break)dancing in her eyes were at a standstill, afraid of being caught by the scorn of the shrew.
"Oh-kay…" Archie waves the make-up artist away and looks at the man apologetically. "Give us five minutes." She turns to Julianna, "Do you want to talk to Robert and Michelle?"
Julianna storms out, answering Archie's question. She follows the older woman to the offices, her unmade face leaving a trail of giggles.
"Robert. Michelle. How did this happen?" Julianna's calm freezes Archie.
"What happened?"
"Kalinda. Kissing Alicia."
The two writers exchanged looks.
"Well, Alicia and Kalinda never reunited – as what you have predicted. This isn't friendship anymore, so… it's all according to your… wish. "