Still in denial and heartbreak over Will so the fanfiction writing in continuing. This is a multi-chapter fic mostly focusing on Diane's memory of one weekend. Italics are current day, normal text is Diane's memory. Hope you enjoy it.
There is a faint hazy sound… a familiar melody…
Diane Lockhart is slowly waking up as her hearing adjusts to a distant sound coming from somewhere inside her house.
In that odd place between dreams and reality, the sound triggers a distant memory; a fond memory of a wonderful moment, a wonderful time.
It was a rough week with a good ending. The firm was celebrating late on a Friday evening. Will was off course life and sole of the party as usual. Diane smiled at him, as he poured out more champagne to staff.
She was delighted the case was done, dusted and won. It was a long week and she felt exhausted. She'd done the necessary drinks and mingling, and had just decided enough was enough. She placed her glass on a desk and went down to her office to gather her things.
She just needed some down time. The weekend previously she found out a guy she had been seeing, a rather intelligent good looking doctor, had being seeing another woman at the same. Not that she was only upset about that. Her mind, she thought just needed some space, some down time from her normal life. She filed some papers away in a carrier, and lifted her coat and bag and quietly edged around the door towards the lift.
She thought as she stepped into the lift that perhaps she'd go to a spa for the weekend , or drive out of the city and book in to a hotel for a couple of nights. Suddenly a hand appeared around the elevator door.
Will stood with a questioning look on his face. "Hey, where are you going? There is champagne to be drank!"
She smiles "I just want to sleep Will. I'm exhausted."
Suddenly his gaze alters, he's looking at her more closely, analysing her. There are grey circles under her eyes, her skin is paler than normal, and she is indeed exhausted.
He feels partly responsible, pushing away all week with this case, late nights in the office, endless meetings, calls and hearings.
"Come back to my office"
She is almost ready to argue. "Will I am in no mood to party"
"Not to party, just wait for a second. At least step out of the elevator."
She steps out, with a sigh, as her shoulders slump.
"I'll be back in two seconds"
He rushes off to his office.
Diane restrains herself from counting the seconds.
"Ok let's go"
He appears beside her, only holding his coat, phone and keys.
"What? Where are we going?" Her voice is growing slower and quieter by the second, as her energy levels decrease, and Will is guiding her back into the elevator.
"How would you like a weekend in the country?"
"What?"
"My cousins holiday home"
"Will, I can't"
"Why not? I can use it whenever I want, and you need a rest. It's an order Diane not a request." He grins.
She smiles, exhausted and beaten. "Thank you"
"You know I'm going right? So I wouldn't thank me. You may want to kill me by tomorrow morning"
She laughs and weakly slaps his arm.
They make their way down to the car park, and down to Wills car.
They make a detour past their own home to get some clothes, before setting of onto the freeway.
"Maybe have a nap?"
"I'm not a 3 year old Will" She laughs.
He laughs and rolls his eyes. Always has to be Miss Independent he thinks.
15 minutes later, Will pulls the car over so that he can place a blanket over a peacefully sleeping Miss Independent.
He pulls down a country lane, lined by trees, rounding a corner, to a small white wooden house with a little porch, and a baby blue door, that looks like it could have been cut straight out of a country living magazine.
If there was a perfect family home he thinks this would be it.
He imagines it snow covered, gold light shimmering through the windows from log burning stoves, a dog jumping to look out a window, followed by a little girl in pink pyjamas smiling and pointing.
Someday he thinks. Someday.
He turns to look at Diane sleeping soundly, wrapped in cashmere; a rare sight to behold.
Gently he touches her arm. "Diane, Diane. We're here. We're home for the weekend". He smiles as she begins to stir, and smiles herself. Sleepily she looks down at the blanket and lets out a little laugh and looks at Will. He raises an eyebrow to her.
Damn that man she thinks.
He gets out and lifts their bags. Diane lifts her head to look at her escape. A perfect home, she thinks. She can imagine it in the sunlight on a spring afternoon, perhaps with a little girl laughing and playing with a boisterous overly affectionate dog.
Someday she thinks. Someday.
She opens the car door. Will has his hands full with their bags but he's waiting for her and smiling at the foot of the porch steps. He lets her walk up ahead.
"The keys are in my coat pocket." Which is slung over his arm. She lifts it and pulls out the key and unlocks the door. They stand a second looking into dim light. Diane looks around for a light switch.
Suddenly the house is basked in a warm glow, uncovering a cream country kitchen, with light cotton curtains, a sitting room, painted white with an open fire and a sofa draped with a check woollen throw. The whole house is like a breath of fresh air, breathed into the two current inhabitant's lives.
So different from their real lives, an escape, to a life, in which they can hardly imagine for fear of it never existing.
As Will looks at Diane he swears that she already looks better.
"Want something to eat?"
Diane is pulled out of her trance. "Sure"
"I'll leave these upstairs first", he says as he disappears up to the second level.
Diane walks into the kitchen. She strokes the sturdy pine table, and looks at the armchairs by the window. Perfect for nursing a baby she thinks.
She walks towards the living room. There is a small study at the back she notices; plain white, functional, tidy and comfortable.
"Grilled cheese sandwiches ok?" She hears Will shout. She smirks and picks up pace back to the kitchen.
He's on his hands and knees scrambling around for a grill pan in every available cupboard.
"I hope your culinary skills extend further than that Mr Gardner?"
He turns looking slightly concerned. "Yeah, It's just I thought I'd make something quick and simple"
"I'm joking." She laughs. "A grilled sandwich sounds like food of the Gods right now"
He grins "Well that is what you shall have. Why don't you put your feet up"
Diane goes to sit at the table.
"That won't be comfortable. Sit on the armchair" She looks at it a bit unsure. As if she won't belong there. He's looking at her.
Under his questioning gaze she slips her coat off and sits down into the armchair.
"As if it was made for you Diane"
She laughs a little and ponders the comment with her own previous image of the chair.
In no time, Will serves up the sandwiches and joins her on the armchair opposite. Basked now in only a side light, the pair sits and eats their simple homemade supper.
"I hope you like it, I mean the house and everything"
"Will it's beautiful, just what I need"
"Good, I put your things in the front bedroom, it has a bigger wardrobe"
"Ha are you insinuating I brought too many clothes!"
"No just that maybe for one weekend you didn't need an entire suitcase"
Diane laughs. "You made me speed pack; you should never make a woman speed pack"
Diane loved times like this with Will. Alone time. They got on well together off course, but unlike with others, Diane always noticed, that when it was just her and Will, it was always good times. It was other people that complicated it. Outsiders who made them argue or annoyed. When it was just them, it was simple. Differences of opinions were laughed off. Sadness was comforted. Jokes were shared, and happiness embraced.
As an only child she supposed that it was perhaps like having a brother.
Will loved time alone with Diane. It was the only time he could focus entirely on her. See her fully. Evenings in the office, just the two of them, discussing cases, politics, life anything and everything was a joy. Early on, he reckoned it to be like his relationship with his sisters. But over time he knew it was different. It was more. He wasn't sure what, but he knew it was special.
"You better go to bed"
Diane not even realising that she was close to falling asleep stirs.
"I think I better had"
She gets to her feet sleepily. He looks at her and wonders how anyone can look like a graceful woman and an adorable little girl all at the same time.
"I'll come up with you".
She waits for him and pulls the blanket she had found in the kitchen around her. She barely can lift her foot on to the first step, as Will puts his arm around her waist.
Her head falls onto his shoulder.
"Now come on, I'm not carrying you"
"Why not?" She laughs
He walks her up the stairs, to her room and right to her bed.
"Thank you Will"
"It's ok"
"I mean it. It means a lot for someone to help me." She looks down. "And to know you're here for me"
"I'm right here. I'll always be right here"
They look at each other as if words were not needed.
Will without knowing why cups Diane's face with his right hand and kisses her cheek. In that moment all Will Gardner wanted to do was to protect her. As if that kiss was some sort of shield of any bad thing that could come her way, and a promise that someday. Someday everything would work out.
Diane felt as if she was a young girl again; full of dreams, hopes and wishes. Optimistic and light hearted with the protection of a knight in shining armour who would someday give her all she desired. Someday.
"Goodnight"
"Night Diane"