A/N: I am happy to hear that you all are enjoying this story so far. It is going to be very interesting to write, and I can't wait to see what you all think after this...PS- sorry if there are lots of typos, I was so excited when I finished it, that I couldn't wait to post it. If it's bad, I will revise it later!
"Kim," Alex calls from her office as she puts on her North Face jacket and grabs her bag.
"Yeah," Kim responds poking her head around the doorway.
"I am headed out now. Will you make sure the girls finish the closing checklist and lock up before leaving?" Alex says walking towards her office door.
Kim frowns at her boss and friend. "Yeah, I can no problem. Um, Alex when is your appointment?"
"In fifteen minutes why?"
"So, you are going to meet your new attorney in scrubs, a North Face jacket and Crocs? It didn't occur to you to maybe spruce up a little before hand?" Kim chides.
"Hey, you should remember who signs your paycheck." Alex jokes before seriously answering, "I know, I planned to leave earlier to go home and get cleaned up, but the Peterson surgery ran much longer than expected. That tumor was gnarly."
"Okay, well at least fix your makeup on the way and re-tie your ponytail." Kim replies with a frown.
"Oh my God, Kimberly you are such a girl." Alex says walking down the hall of her clinic to leave. "Okay, please make sure Melinda checks all the vitals of the treatment room patients before leaving."
"You got it Captain oh Captain."
Turning around to face her friend while she opens the door, Alex rolls her eyes, "You are such a smart ass."
"It's what makes you love me." Kim laughs. Watching her friend walk to her black Range Rover, Kim says a silent prayer for Alex to get some good news today. She knows her friend is taking this divorce a lot harder than she is letting on.
Pulling up to her new attorney's office, Alex quickly fixed her makeup. She knew she'd lucked out finding her new attorney. The woman came highly recommended and evidently use to be a Federal Prosecutor. Evidently, she'd decided to move to Vermont and start a family law practice after working a grisly drug cartel case.
Climbing out of the car, Alex didn't know exactly what to expect. Walking into the office, she told the receptionist who she was and sat down. Five minutes later the door to the office opened and out walked a very loud very southern brunette. Who on earth had Alex come to for help?
The woman walked straight over to Alex and held out her hand, "Dr. Cabot, I am Abbie Carmichael."
"Nice to meet you, Ms. Carmichael." Alex said shaking her attorney's hand.
"Please, call me Abbie. Why don't you come on into my office and we will go over my plan for your case." Abbie replied in her warm southern voice.
Alex stood and followed the woman into her office. Sitting in the chair opposite the woman's desk, Alex looked over all the diplomas and awards covering the walls along with other pieces of decoration. It was clear from the attorney's very loudly decorated office that she was Texan and proud of it.
"Standing in front of her chair, Abbie asks, "Would you like a drink or anything before we get started?"
Alex lets out a puff of air and leans her head back, with a sly laugh in her voice she asks, "I don't suppose you have bourbon do you?"
"Do you drink a lot Alex?" Abbie asks fiddling through her desk drawer.
Suddenly becoming a little defensive, Alex snaps her head forward and spits out, "Only since my whore of a wife drove off with our child."
Abbie gives the younger woman a stern look, as she pulls the bottle of Wild Turkey from her desk along with two solo cups. "Relax Cabot, I am just asking a question. Although, if a judge asks you that question I recommend saying, 'only once or twice a week and never when my child's awake.'"
"Oh, okay," Alex says softly accepting the cup of bourbon. "Thank you."
"No problem, after my day I needed a drink. Okay, so I have reviewed your case and the settlement in which you soon-to-be ex so nicely drew up for us, and to put it nice and sweet, she's bat shit crazy. You can fight this whole thing." Abbie assured leaning back in her chair.
"So, I can get sole custody?" Alex questioned.
"No, not a chance. She's George's biological mother and despite being a whorish bitch she has provided him with a stable home and he is in no way shape or form in harms way. So, no judge will take away her rights to parent. What you will get is generous visitation that has to be adhered to and she will have to provide the transportation since she is the one moving." Abbie relayed.
Alex nodded in understanding. The two women spoke for another thirty minutes and then Alex signed all the papers and paid the retainer. Step one was complete, now began the custody battle. Saying goodbye, Alex stepped back outside into the cool early evening air.
The sun was just starting to set. It was her favorite time in the fall because the light of the setting sun always lit up the mountains beautifully accenting all the colors of the turning leaves on the trees. Taking a deep breath of the fresh mountain air, Alex climbed into her SUV and unrolled the windows.
Turning on her favorite Tori Amos playlist, Alex headed home taking the scenic mountain route. Winding through the mountains, with the cool fall air rushing around her, and listening to her favorite artist, Alex finally felt a little less shattered. Looking at the trees as she drove, Alex noticed that they just didn't seem as colorful as they normally did at this time of the year.
Pulling into a scenic overview, Alex looked out over the mountains. She knew deep down they were as beautiful as ever, but life just didn't seem as enjoyable without her son. Normally, she would pick George up from daycare and drive this way home so they could enjoy the leaves, 'weefs' as he would say. Now, she was all alone. It just didn't seem fair.
Pulling out of the overview, she resumed her trek home. Reaching her final mile before her turn, she noticed a disheveled looking woman walking in the road. Slowing her approach Alex examined the mystery woman as she neared.
Alex knew instantly that she did not know this mystery woman. She would remember her red hair any day. The woman wore boots, jeans, a clearly bloody dirt covered gray shirt, and a leather jacket. Her red hair was messy and mixed with what Alex assumed to be dirt, blood, and leaves.
As Alex got close, she stopped her car and put it in park. The woman still walked forwards with her head down. She was clearly in shock or something, because their was a visible tremor in her hands. Opening the door, Alex stepped out into the cold and approached this mystery woman.
"Hi, my name is Alex. You look like you need help. Do you mind coming with me? I'd like to help you sit down for a moment so I can look you over." Alex said in her most calm and assuring voice.
At that moment, the woman looked up. Her face was covered in small cuts and scrapes. It too, was covered in blood and dirt, but through all that filth Alex could clearly make out the redhead's electrifying green eyes. She nodded and took Alex's hand, as Alex led her around to the back of the SUV.
Opening the tailgate, Alex had the woman sit down so she could quickly check her out. Pulling her emergency bag to her, Alex began cleaning the cuts and scrapes and looking for major wounds, as well as feeling the woman's stomach for any sign of internal bleeding.
"What's your name?" Alex asked trying to ease the redhead some while learning something about her.
"Casey," the woman answered.
"Hi, Casey. Casey, do you have a last name?" Alex replied.
"I don't know, I can't remember." Casey cried.
"That's okay Casey. Do you remember how you got this hurt?" Alex questioned.
"No," the redhead choked out as tears spilled down her cheeks.
Something about this woman tugged greatly at Alex's heart. Maybe it was because she was hurting too, or maybe it was that she needed someone to care for her right now and Alex needed someone to need her. Whatever it was, she couldn't quite out her finger on it.
Looking into the redhead's green eyes again, Alex said, "Casey, I need to get you to a hospital so you can get properly checked out. Okay?"
"No!" Casey cried out, "You can't. Please don't take me to the hospital. I don't know who I am, they'll start looking for me. Please."
Watching the begging redhead, Alex found herself oddly sympathetic to this strangers pleas. Before she knew what she was doing, she said, "Fine, climb in the passenger seat and I will take you to my clinic and check you out. But, I am warning you, one sign of internal bleeding or major injuries and I am calling 911, got it?"
Casey nodded and climbed into the car. Alex climbed into the drivers seat and continued on her way to her turn, but once there she headed back towards town and away from home.
The blonde doctor kept thinking, 'What am I doing with this woman? I should be taking her to the hospital.' Finally she asked, "Why are you worried about the hospital putting out a search for you?"
Casey trembled slightly at the question, "I don't know for sure, but I think I was in danger," she paused for a moment before looking directly at Alex and confessing, "I think I may have killed someone."