Alicia and Grace were busy cleaning the kitchen when they heard the doorbell ring. They exchanged looks wondering who could be, until a thought crossed Alicia's mind "Zach must have forgotten his keys home". "Probably" Grace let out a smile, "you go, I can finish here". Alicia gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead, "Ok, thank you."
She went to open the door, expecting it to be Zach. While still opening she started "You are back ear….ly." Her mouth was open in surprise. "Will…" There he was, in front of her door. "I-I…" she gave a quick glance back to check on Grace then looked at him again. "What are you doing here?" she shook her head slightly. "I got your message." She gave him a questioning look, she had no idea what he was talking about. "What message? I didn't…" "You asked me to come, said we needed to talk." They both stood there for a moment, trying to understand what was going on. Then Alicia remembered the earlier conversation with Grace. She looked towards the kitchen, a smile of disbelief of her face, then looked back at Will. "I'm sorry, you had to come here for nothing. Grace sent it. I didn't." They both looked down, neither strong enough to meet the other's eyes. Will was hurt, again, she was turning him down. Things hadn't changed. He had just deluded himself for the millionth time. "So, that's all…" he said looking away. "That's all." she confirmed looking down. He couldn't even say goodbye, nothing came to his mind worth being said. He just tapped slightly on the wall, slightly nodded, more to himself, than turned around. She stood there, door still open, watching him leave. He could feel her gaze on him as he was there waiting for the elevator, but couldn't look back. It was too painful. She felt bad. After their break-up, things were so awkward; in spite of their attempts to keep things natural, they had basically spent the last weeks trying to avoid each other. She wasn't sure she could stand anymore of that. She missed their intimacy, their closeness, how they had always been so at ease with each other. Their relationship was crumbling away, their close friendship seemed a long lost memory. She woke up from her own thoughts, when she heard the elevator bell.
"Will!" she stepped out and closed the door behind her. Will stood there, not watching back, staring at the elevator doors closing in front of him, waiting for her to say something. "I don't want this... I don't like this...". He was still facing the elevator. "You don't like what, Alicia?". She was having a hard time finding the right words. "I… I don't like this coldness, I don't like avoiding each other, I don't like not talking anymore like we used to, I don't like having you out of my life, but I had to do it, Will. It was wrong, it was the wrong moment, and I…". Will didn't gave her the time to say more, he turned around and faced her, getting closer. "It's always the wrong moment, Alicia, it has always been the wrong moment with you, not because it is, but because you are just afraid of making it the right moment." He had just made a hit. "I'm not afraid, Will, I 'm just trying to understand what I want, something I haven't had the time to do in the last years." She paused, trying to find the words, again. Grace was right after all, they really needed to talk. "I liked what we had, I liked it… being with you… it's something that made me feel good… you made me feel good, like I hadn't in a long time… but I can't do that. I always feel this sense of guilt for taking time away from the kids. They had been through a lot, Will… these last three years were devastating for them. They need me… I can't keep on living two lives and pretend it's ok, because it's not." Will was staring at her. One of the main reasons why he loved her so much was one of the main reasons why things were so difficult between them. She was always trying to do the right thing, as a woman, as a mother, as a wife. He got closer, he was just a step from her. "Then stop it…" it was all he could say. Alicia looked at him, questioningly. She couldn't get what he meant. "Stop what?". He was swearing to himself that this was his last attempt. It was now or it was never. "Stop pretending. Stop leaving two lives. Just try and let them fade into each other." His voice was sweet, almost pleading. She couldn't say anything. She simply stood there, waiting for him to finish. He was right. She was afraid, but she felt that if she stopped him now, it would probably be the last time. "Give us a chance, let me into your life, let me into their life. They already know about us, what do you fear?". What did she fear? She didn't know herself for sure. "I don't know… so many things scare me, Will… being hurt again, losing you, losing our friendship, losing control of my life again, seeing the kids suffer again, because every mistake I do, has repercussions on them too…" Will was so close to her, their foreheads nearly touching. "Then I'll make sure that this won't be a mistake. Don't say no, Alicia." He closed his eyes, getting ready for another brush-off. Instead, he felt her lips on his. He opened his eyes to see a single tear falling from her eyes. He wiped it away with a finger while slightly brushing her cheek. "Don't let this be a mistake, please…". "I promise." He held her close, missing feeling her body wrapped in his arms. It was the right thing. And it was finally the right moment.