I am not a lawyer nor am I studying law (although I do want to) so please forgive me if the procedure isn't correct. Google was as much help as a glass hammer in this aspect. Big thank you to my 'sister' who helped me out of a confusing situation!

Elsie quickly clambered into the car and took a few shaky breaths to calm herself. It was lovely seeing Beryl again but she wished Jack's death had not come up in front of Charles. Even 15 years later it was still to hard to talk or even think about. Charles had now caught up to her and slid into the car

"What the hell was that about?" He demanded to know after he had slammed the door shut and Branson had pulled away from the curb

"What was what about?" She asked while staring out of the window

"Oh please Elsie you know exactly what I'm talking about. You just shot out of that coffee shop as if a thousand wolves were behind you" he snapped

"Why do you even care Charles? You've never cared about my personal life before!" She snapped back at him

"Of course I care Elsie, I care a great deal" he said, looking extremely hurt

"Can't you just leave it?" She sighed turning to look at him with tears in her eyes

"No I can't" he said in a softer tone than before and reached over to take her hand. Never in all his years of knowing her had he ever seen her cry and it was breaking his heart "you can trust me Elsie"

"I didn't mean that I don't trust you Charles, I just don't want to talk about it. Especially not just before court" She said softly and squeezed his hand gently

"I understand." He said softly and she smiled gratefully. They spent the rest of the journey in relative silence, which suited Charles just fine as she had never removed her hand from his.

"Good morning Mr Bates, how are you this morning?" Elsie asked brightly as she sat down next to him

"As well as can be expected thank you Mrs Hughes" he replied with a small smile

"Just don't let Carlise bully you into saying anything" Charles advised "keep your answers short and to the point"

"Will do Mr Carson" he assured him

"Ah look Tracy, our competition has arrived" a smooth voice came from behind them. Elsie turned to look and found herself face to face with Richard Carlise. She nodded in greeting and turned back to her paper work hoping he would get the message and leave them alone

"I was hoping Robert himself would be coming down, although I suppose he doesn't want to lose himself so he sent two people from further down the ladder" the obnoxious man continued. Elsie felt Charles bristle next to her, if there was thing he hated it was when people assumed he wasn't good at his job, so she kicked him under the table before he could retort. Carlise, clearly disappointed in the lack of response sauntered over to his table where he then struck up conversation with his meek looking secretary.

"Don't let him get to you either" she advised Charles quietly and glared at him until he nodded meekly and Mr Bates chuckled.

"Where on earth is Anna? She was supposed to have been here by now" she groused as she glanced towards the doors

"We'll have to start with out her" Charles whispered quickly

"All rise for the honorable Griggs" the office said loudly and they all scrambled to their feet.

"Blast" she heard Charles mutter "you'll have to take this"

"What? Why?" She squeaked

"I'll explain later"

"You may be seated" the man muttered sullenly "Crawley and sons may I hear your opening statement?"

"Yes your honor" said Elsie and quickly shot to her feet and began to speak only the judge interrupted her

"What are you wearing?" He asked

"Excuse me?"

"I asked what you were wearing Mrs Hughes" he repeated

"Um...I believe its called a slack suit sir" she said, a little confused. She was wearing a lilac slack suit that was fitted round her tiny waist and made seem slightly taller than she actually was

"In my court room, Mrs Hughes and this goes for all you woman, you will wear a skirt please" the judge said matter of factly. Carlise's secretary smirked and crossed her long stocking clad legs in front of her.

"Of course sir, my apologies" Elsie quickly said glancing towards Charles who had gone bright red. 'Embarrassment or anger?' She wondered

"Let's continue" the judge said and the case resumed.

"You have some explaining to do" she told him as they left

"What do you mean?" He asked and she snorted

"There's an atmosphere between you and that judge if ever I saw one Charles and you know I hate them".

He sighed and began to explain

"We went to law school together and we got drunk one night and he woke up in front of the whole class"

"That's recoverable" she mused

"He also stole my girlfriend and I might have broken his nose"

"Might have?"

"Ok, did"

"We're screwed" she muttered

"Not necessarily, I'm sure you have better legs than Tracy" He teased and she rolled her eyes

"I cannot believe a judge would dare make a comment of what everyone else is wearing" she ground out angrily

"Not everyone. Just you." He reasoned and she whipped round to glare at him

"Charles Carson would you like me to break YOUR nose for you?" She demanded with her hands on her hips

"You wouldn't dare" he grinned and she narrowed her eyes at him

"I grew up on a farm in Scotland. I think you'll be rather surprised to see just what I would dare to do."

"Point taken" he laughed, raising his hands in surrender.

"Good" she said, smiling again and began trying to flag a cab down

"Elsie? Branson is here with the car" he told her. "I know that Charles, but I need to go shopping and I doubt you or Branson want to be dragged around the nearest shopping center looking for skirts" she told him as she opened the cab door

"Ah Elsie you wound me, I thought by now you'd know that I'd follow you anywhere" he said in a light tone before closing the cab door after her and tapping the roof. This arrangement suited him rather well actually. He had a call to make without Elsie.

'You'd follow me anywhere would you?' Elsie wondered as she was driven off. Was he only teasing? Or was there more to the story? She hoped so but she also didn't want to get her hopes up too high. She flicked a small fleck of dust off her sleeve and grimaced. She wasn't fond of wearing skirts in the middle of winter and didn't appreciate being forced to wear one. There was nothing wrong with her slack suit! It was fitted and it was in a girly colour, what more did the man want? On the other she knew she had good legs and she knew she could use them to her advantage..both with the case and with Charles.

I admit I did steal a scene from both 'The Good Wife' and 'Suits'. Don't hate me for it!