A/N: This is the first chapter that includes Kalinda, I can promise that you'll see more of her in the story. Will makes his first appearance in the next chapter. I also want to share that I've already finished 14 chapters, so it's safe to say the story is shaping up and I may have figured out how it will end as well, so all you have to do is keep reading. Please let me know how you like it and thank you so much for the amazing reviews!


Chapter Three

"Diane has time for you now."

"Thank you," Gabrielle replies and puts down the phone.

She quickly closes her laptop and gets up from her seat. She adjusts her skirt and puts on her jacket. Even though the reason she wants to see Diane for isn't work related, she prefers to show respect in this way as well. Before she leaves the office she takes a short look in the mirror on the wall and adjusts her hair. It's probably time for a haircut, now that she's finally moved in and arranged everything in her new home, she should focus on smaller thing as well.

At the door she almost bumps into Kalinda, who's just about to enter.

"Sorry," Gabrielle apologizes with a smile, since she was the one focusing on herself in the mirror therefore didn't see the other woman coming.

"Are you going somewhere?" Kalinda looks Gabrielle up and down, not for the first time, but she still hasn't gotten used to it. She's heard rumors that the short, black haired, Hindu woman has had more girlfriends than boyfriends and she's just never sure what those looks mean.

"I need to speak with Diane, she's waiting for me."

"Will it take long?"

"No, just a few minutes."

"Okay," Kalinda says and takes Gabrielle's seat at her desk.

Gabrielle sends a questioning look in her direction and sees that Kalinda takes out her cell phone from her pocket.

"Didn't you say Diane's waiting for you?" Kalinda asks without looking up from her phone and Gabrielle realizes that she really doesn't have more time to wonder about the mysterious Kalinda right now, apparently she'll still be in her office when she gets back anyway.

She quickens her steps on the corridor and only slows down near Diane's office. The door is open as usual, so she knocks twice on the doorframe to announce her presence.

"Come on in," Diane says with an encouraging smile and Gabrielle is glad her boss is apparently in a good mood that day, certainly makes a little less difficult for her to come up with what she's planned for a while now.

"Hey," she says a little shyly, considering the nature of her visit.

It's very much personal, and yet they are in the office where they usually only talk about work related things. In fact the last time they talked about personal stuff was in that bar a few weeks ago and she's actually grateful for Diane that she hasn't brought it up ever since. She's been trying to cope with the breakup. Work and finding then moving in her new apartment has certainly helped to achieve that. And that's exactly why she's here now.

"I've come to ask something," she starts after taking a seat and somehow she's missing the right words. Maybe it's not such a good idea after all what she's planning to do in a few seconds.

"What is it?" Diane replies with the same encouraging smile and Gabrielle just wishes that it would still be there after she pops her question.

"I've finally finished the last touches on my new place and since I don't have too many friends in town, I was thinking of inviting a few people from the office to a kind of house warming party. And I'd like you to be there."

Suddenly she feels like hiding from Diane's observing eyes. What is she thinking inviting her boss to her home? They went to a bar together once and now she thinks they are suddenly best friends? She feels embarrassed already and she could swear her cheeks are visibly burning. She couldn't have done all this without Diane, but she may be crossing a line here between employer and employee that she shouldn't.

"Sure, why not?" Diane says casually, with the same smile as before, "I'd love to see the apartment."

She didn't even need too much time to consider her offer, which means she probably hasn't noticed Gabrielle's inner battle. It was almost too easy.

"Great," Gabrielle replies with a slightly nervous smile, "I'm thinking next Friday, but it's not set in stone yet."

"I'll be there."

"Thank you," Gabrielle's smile gets brighter and calmer as she stands up from her seat.

"Don't forget our one o'clock client meeting," Diane gets back to her usual professional tone.

"I'll be here," Gabrielle replies before she turns around, the smile seems to be stuck on her face as she walks out the office and to her own.

When she spots Kalinda, she tries to hide the smile from her. She wouldn't understand why she's gotten back from their boss's office like that, not that she seems to care, she's still typing on her phone as Gabrielle enters.

"You're back," she says after a few seconds and looks up to Gabrielle.

"Yes. Do you need something?" she asks, because she's already curious about why Kalinda waited so long to talk to her.

"I heard you're giving a party, I just wanted to know if I'm invited," she shrugs and gets up from Gabrielle's seat.

"Sure you are."

She obviously can't say no to such a straight question, but she also likes the idea of having the investigator over at her place.

"Thanks," Kalinda smiles shortly and steps towards the door, but turns back before she leaves, "You should password protect your laptop, you can never know who walks in here while you're away from your desk."