Title: A push in the right direction OR Diane`s fanfic.
Author: justlovebt AKA Bepatientimadoc Fandom: The Good Wife Pairing: Alicia/Kalinda Word Count: ~1500 Genre: Romance Rating: T-ish
Summary: Diane is Kalicia`s biggest fan, can she give them a push in the right direction?
A/N:What a gift it is, this ficathon. . #comments
The inspiration bubbles rose when I saw this prompt (Diane`s fanfic), and this is what was the result. I hope you enjoy!
A push in the right direction OR Diane`s fanfic.
She quietly sat behind her laptop, letting her eyes wonder to the women who were, as was she, `burning the midnight oil`. She was trying very hard not to stare, which was a hard task, considering the temptation the glass walls and the subjects of her attention offered. She was also trying not to scream, a task even harder, considering the stupidity of those two. She had seen their ups and downs, their highs, their lows. She had tried to push, with little hints, telling them to `make it work`. But, even though they seemed to at least be able to work together these days, that had not been what Diane had meant when she had uttered those words. She sighed as she redirected her attention to her screen. At least there she seemed to have a little more influence on the events, although sometimes the story seemed to write itself.
Glancing at times nervously at her coworkers, she rapidly typed the last paragraphs of the story. It wasn`t her first, but, if she was allowed to say so herself, it was her best. It had it all, the angst, the tension, Kalinda`s devotion and Alicia`s lack of noticing her love and fear of her own feelings. When she had started to write in an alternating point of view, a plan had started to form itself in her head. And, right now, she felt she had to act. She pressed print and pulled 2 thick files closer to her, pushing her glasses higher up her nose. Her fingers trembled as she distributed the papers, still warm from the printer and closed the folders. She was surprised at how nervous she was.
There was something about them. Kalinda, the tough, gorgeous young woman who could get her all the information she requested -or not- and who could teach her to shoot a handgun. Alicia, the strong, righteous, experienced one, whose beauty was less high-boot-short-skirt-obvious but therefore not less present and whose ability to handhold the clients was only equaled by her ability to kill her opponent in court . The first time she had seen Kalinda`s dark eyes follow the associate around the office something had struck her to the core. She had, strange enough, RECOGNIZED, the look.
She, who had always chosen her work above anything else, friendship or love, had seen so clearly what the investigator was trying to hide. She envied and admired her for it, the ability to feel all those torrid emotions. Then she had noticed Alicia`s eyes, flickering, wandering, but always pulled to that one person. Kalinda was the moon to Alicia`s tide, the north of her compass. But the lawyer seemed too blind to see.
It had made Diane sad that two people, who so clearly loved each other, were so obviously lost. And it had helped her make some changes and take some chances in her own life. She smiled as she thought of Kurt, and almost laughed out loud at the thought of his face if he would know what she was up to now. He would shake his head and tell her she was getting herself into a terrible mess. And she probably was. But the way these women interacted, so politely, so correctly, was… well, she would say borderline, but honestly she just found it criminal. Maybe she could get Judge Abernathy to rule and sentence them to a life together. The thought made Diane`s smile broaden even more. The nerves were calming just enough to make her hands stop shaking.
Determent, she pushed herself up and grabbed the files. She still wasn't sure if this was a good idea, but they definitely needed a push, and if this wasn`t one, the older lawyer didn`t know what was. At the very least it would get them talking. As she made her way to the 2 women, who had preoccupied her thoughts for so long, she noticed the tense silence, the uncomfortable, forced interactions, the alternately stolen glances. And she knew, no matter how their reaction would be, all would be better than this.
Her heart wrenched and she sighed deeply, finding the courage to perform the act she hoped would help. As she gave them the files, she smiled encouragingly as she touched the hands of each of `her girls` as she secretly called them in her head. She wished she could go back to her office, but the glass walls would prevent the two to interact freely, she knew. That didn`t stop her however to wait by the elevator, shamelessly eavesdropping to hear the effect of her little scheme.
It was Kalinda who opened the file first. She knew because of the gasp the investigator uttered. The smile that lingered on Diane`s lips faltered for a moment when she heard the Indian woman`s semi-calmly spoken words.
`I think Diane made a mistake. Can I see yours?`
But she hadn`t counted on the eyes. The dark pools of emotions that showed so much more than their owner knew. Or maybe Alicia had heard the slight edge, the breathlessness in Kalinda`s voice as well.
`What is it?`
The sound of paper rustling, the sliding of a file.
`Oh come ON, Kalinda. What is it?`
Alicia continued to mutter something that they had sat there long enough, but somewhere along her complaint her voice halted, and Diane knew she was reading. The smile reappeared and she clenched her hands together in silent anticipation.
`Alicia…`
Kalinda`s voice, muffled, as if spoken from behind covering hands, broken… Begging. Begging, Diane knew, to stop reading the words that described how Kalinda felt about her.
A chair was pulled back, the sound cutting through the silence like a knife. And Diane could just see Alicia sitting there, devastated. Or had she gotten up?
' I… I don`t get it… Did you…?`
The question wasn't finished with words, but Diane imagined Alicia had made a gesture to the papers.
`No.`
Kalinda`s voice sounded so vulnerable, Diane had to suppress the urge to go and reach out to her. To shake, thoroughly, both women, and force them to face their feelings for each other. But she knew she had to wait.
She knew Alicia had gotten up when she heard the characteristic clicking if her heels as she paced up and down the conference room, a habit she usually fell to when she was thinking something over.
`So, Diane?`
`I guess.'
It sounded like all anergy was drained from the, always witty and strong, investigator. And Diane felt her heart stop. She didn`t mind that they identified her as the writer of the words she, once, hoped to become more than fiction, but she was afraid that Alicia was going to end the conversation there. The clicking of the heels continued, until it was interrupted once again by the sound of a chair. Pulled back? Or pulled closer? Diane found herself holding her breath. The rustle of papers again.
`Is it… True?`
Now it was Alicia who sounded vulnerable, more vulnerable than Diane had ever heard her sound. She could imagine Kalinda`s eyes flying over the words as Alicia showed her the part of the story that she had received. The one from Kalinda`s point of view.
The snort of disbelieve as Kalinda progressed in the story, cut through Diane`s soul, but not as much as the sound of the cold words that followed, as it was clear, by the sound of things, Kalinda now got up and away from Alicia.
`What difference does it make if it`s true?`
The raw edge in Kalinda`s voice, wouldn`t have been audible to anyone who wasn't listening. And Diane prayed, silently, that Alicia was tuned in. Slow footsteps.
`Kalinda…`
The name was spoken softly, with frustrated urging as well as exasperated begging. The footsteps stopped, Diane imagined, hoped, that Alicia was reaching out to the investigator.
`Alicia, please… Don`t…`
Their voices sounded muffled again, but more caused by their proximity than anything else Diane could imagine.
`Is it true?'
Maybe she imagined that she could hear the shiver that went through Kalinda, that she could even hear her defeat as she spoke that one word.
`Yes.`
The silence that followed was agonizing. Diane contemplated risking a glance just when Kalinda`s voice reached her, panicked, combined with the trippetytrap of scattering feet.
`Woaaa… What are you doing?`
Alicia`s frustrated snort almost made Diane snigger, but she caught herself before making any noise.
`Kalinda Sharma, I am going to kiss you, so, if you`d just please STAND STILL.`
The sound of those words, of Kalinda`s whimper, of their lips touching, of the soft moaning of finally finding one`s home, was like music to Diane`s heart. She considered again to risk a glance, but decided against it. Her work here was done. And she knew, it was good.
THE END