A/N: Thanks again for all the follows and reviews. Sorry it has taken me so long to update – things got crazy and I didn't have any time.

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Chicago, Fall 2009

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Will couldn't disappoint Sam. The young boy was excited to spend some quality time with his Dad on Saturday. They would go to the park, play some ball before grabbing a burger together. Cathy had plans and was old enough to entertain herself, but as Will kept pointing out, not look after herself. Even though she was a teenager and in today's society, increasingly independent, she was still his little girl. Every time he looked at her he saw a three-year old stood on a chair baking cookies with her grandma, not the wise, soulful, but fiercely autonomous young woman she had become. He loved his children and they were his raison d'etre but work, the law, also got his juices flowing and he needed to get back into the legal world, and to converse on a daily basis with other rational adults. He stared at his cell before typing, "That would be great. I'm busy tomorrow, how about Sunday?"

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Sunday night

Rock music played quietly in the background as Will sat on the sofa in the family room reading through his trial notes for the following day. He had met Alicia that afternoon to discuss strategy and plan for the potential responses of the untameable Mr Sweeney. He smiled to himself as he recalled her relaxed attire and matching attitude. Yes, she was determined in pursuit of the truth, in defence of the law, but as a friend, she was soft and gentle, funny and charming. When they met it was like the intervening years had melted away and they were students again. Back in Law School they had been close and Will hoped that they could reignite the same level of friendship. It wasn't just that he was attracted to Alicia, he was, but he needed a real friend: somebody who he could talk to and who would have his back. His thoughts were soon interrupted.

Cathy came up behind the sofa and said softy, "Dad," before sitting down on the opposite end of the sofa. Will looked at her and smiled, "Yes, sweetheart?" Cathy had placed herself with her back to the armrest, legs crossed in front of her on the cushions. She looked directly at Will and asked, very seriously, "Dad, are you and Mom going to split up?"

Will was taken aback. He realised his mouth was agape and he took a short, sharp, intake of breath. He shook his head and gave a half-smile, "No, no we're not, Cath," he said trying to reassure his daughter. "What made you ask?"

Cathy sighed as she looked down at her hands in her lap, her gaze moving towards Will's papers spread on the sofa. "Sarah's mom went back to work – she's a nurse – and her parents split up," she clarified, "you're going back to work and you and Mom haven't been exactly great together recently," she said hesitantly.

Will sighed and let out a long breath, before he responded, "Are you talking about the Delaneys back home?" Cathy nodded.

"Cath, Sarah's mom went back to nursing because she had to. Her husband left her and the kids and never came back, which is not something your Mom or I will ever do, we love you kids too much." He made sure he emphasised the last clause so that Cathy knew her family would always be there. Liz Delaney is a good woman, a good nurse, and doesn't deserve what happened to her. Her husband left her before she went back to work, it wasn't her going back to work that caused the marriage split. Don't worry 'bout our family. We'll be fine. Me going back to work is a good thing," he smiled at her.

Cathy looked up and smiled at her Dad, "And you seem happier now you are going back to work. Sarah's mom was a lot better when her Dad left, like she was free of him, and, well, I just drew comparisons."

"Oh, honey," he began, reaching out his left hand to take hers in his, "don't assume that what happened in your friend's family will happen to ours. The situations are very different. Very different."

Will put his notes on the floor and held his arms open towards his daughter. Cathy moved along the sofa and snuggled into her father's arms.

As he embraced his daughter, he felt her rest her head against his shoulder and he smiled. After a few seconds, this contentment was broken when Cathy asked, "Do you and Mom still love each other?"

Will was surprised by his eldest for the second time that evening, but needed to choose his words carefully. Truthfully, he was unsure whether he still loved Jenny, and he didn't really know where she stood on the matter. He needed to be honest with his children but didn't want to unduly worry them, so his response to Cathy was a little guarded. He gave his daughter a gentle squeeze, holding her close, and said, "Your Mom and I have been through some problems lately, but don't let that worry you, we are both here, for you and Sam, and we love our family very much so don't want anything to break it up." He wasn't sure if that was the right response, but it seemed to appease her. "I love you too, Daddy," she said as she kissed him on the cheek and bounced up to go to her room. Will gave a little sigh of relief that he had dodged a bullet, but knew that he couldn't keep covering up the truth forever. The reality was his marriage was over in all but name. While he couldn't be certain where his romantic feelings currently lay, he couldn't say truthfully that he still loved Jennifer. But, he was fairly certain she didn't love him.

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Monday morning

Will let out a deep breath as he stretched his neck, turning his face upwards under the rainfall of water from the shower. His eyes were closed and he enjoyed the soft pounding of the warm liquid over his face and scalp for a minute as he contemplated the day to come. Shaking his head slightly as he returned to a more natural pose, he ran the flat palms of his hands across his face towards his nose, pushing the water from his eyes. A small smile crept across his face. Today he would begin work. Today would be the first time in over a year since he had been in a courtroom. Today he would sit beside Alicia and attempt to defend a psychotic pervert of a client. Today, he and Alicia would be a team.

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A/N: So this is a quick update to get back into the story... hope I can update sooner rather than later!