Peter knocked on the all too familiar door. He had been replaying everything in his head. He couldn't believe all that was happening. His own son lying to him. Will Gardner helping him lie. And a pregnancy? It was all too much.
Alicia opened the door. "Peter?"
"Do you have a minute?" "Yeah, I was just packing some boxes."
"Spring cleaning?" Alicia smiled. "Moving." "Oh, where to?" Peter was genuinely interested.
"A house in Glenview."
Peter was taken aback, he never expected she would leave Cook County. "Glenview, that's really far from your office."
"About thirty minutes. It's closer to Grace's school actually, with the freeway. With Zach out of school soon, it's a great move."
"I just figured you'd always stay here."
At this point, Alicia was in and out of the other room, Peter hadn't really been talking to her face to face.
Alicia put a few shirts in a box, she was now standing front face to Peter.
"Peter, you're terrible at small talk and I know my relationship with Will doesn't interest you in any way, so why are you here?" "It's about Zach."
"What about him?"
Peter couldn't ignore it. He noticed she looked different.
"Alicia, I have no right to ask. Are pregnant?" "You're right…you have no right to ask." Alicia glared at him when walking passed him. "And yes, I am pregnant, not that it's any business of yours."
Peter's stomach was about to fall to his feet. How could he do this to her now? But she had to know, she was becoming a mother again just as she was about to become a grandmother.
"I"m here bout Zach…" "You said that, what is it?"
Peter took the photos out of the folder and handed them to Alicia.
"Zach and Will are going into a building, alert the media." Alicia took a sip of water. "It's an adoption clinic."
Alicia's head was filled with scrambled thoughts. "What?"
"Photographs were taken of Zach, his girlfriend Nisa and Will going into an adoption clinic. They signed papers…"
"Peter do you realize how crazy this is? If Zach and Nisa were having sex, I would notice."
"Alicia, the photos are there." "Photos can be obscured, you know that just as well as I do, probably even better."
"Alicia I wish I could prove that a guy doctored these, but they're real. The day before Zach came into my office asking for money. He said it was for as school trip to Europe and I gave him a check for two grand…"
Alicia stopped him. "You gave a teenage kid, our teenage boy a check for two grand? Are you really that dumb Peter, after everything you've done, are you that naive?"
"I decided to trust my son."
"Again, are you that dumb. Did you even ask where he was going, what he was going to do to get there?" "Yes, I did, but he gave me meek answers, so again, I thought it was his business."
Alicia put the pictures on the table trying to figure out a solution.
"Zach is supposed to be at Mark's house tonight, studying for a midterm." "There is another component." He saw Alicia turn around slowly. "Will." "So you think Will put him up to this? Really Peter, you have to get more into the parenting game." "How else would he be able to legally sign adoption papers." "He can't he needs parental consent since he's under eighteen."
"Not in Indiana, where those were taken."
Alicia remembered Will saying he was taking Zach out of the house to give her some rest after moving. Why do all the men in her life lie to her?
She was rubbing her belly, that was somehow comforting her right now. Her baby…Will's baby inside of her. "Thank, you Peter." She was walking towards the door.
"We need to talk to Zach." "No, I need to figure out how to handle this. You're not around, you're not here everyday. I need to talk to Zach." "And Will." "Yes, and Will. I need to get my facts straight before throwing out accusations."
"Like a true lawyer." "Yeah, so let me do that. I'll call you if I find out anything." "Be careful. Will Gardner is not the man he claims to be."
Alicia held the door before Peter had a chance to close it. "Considering the asshole of my first marriage humiliated me and sleep with half the hookers in Cook County, I think your judge of character is a bit shaded."
"Alicia." Peter was cut off when Alicia slammed the door in his face.
All the facts started welling up in her mind and she was starting to feel tired. Why?
Will was reading documents for Pete Garrison's deposition against Alicia and Logan tomorrow. He had to admit, he did enjoy being on the opposite site Alicia. Having a good fight for a good cause. He hasn't anticipated court as being this fun in a long time.
Alicia threw the pictures of him and Zach on Will's desk, atop everything else. "What is this?" Will looked at them, closing his eyes to absorb the tension in front of him. He stood up, eye to eye with Alicia. "I know saying it's not what you think it's completely irrelevant here. Yes, it is Zach, Nisa and I coming out of an adoption clinic. Yes, it is what it looks like. But that is not the entire store."
"Please, fill me in."
"The other night when Zach said he was staying at a friends, he was taking Nisa to Pennsylvania to get an abortion. He said he got money from Peter and they were going that route. But when they got there, they had a change of heart and thought of all the couples that cannot have children and decided to go the adoption route." "And you were just there waiting to help out your future stepson?" "I wanted to tell you, I did. But Zach was confident in saying he just needed to buy some time and to process everything." "Will, this is my son. I have a right to know no matter what happens in his life. I want you to have a relationship with him, to bond with him. But not like this."
"I know, I was against it. But I believed in Zach, he just needed time."
"First, never believe a teenager. Second, he is my son. How could you even do this, legally?" Will hesitated before telling Alicia, he knew what was about to happen. "I was his legal representative."
"So that's why you drove to Indiana?"
"Yeah…and I'm sorry that you found out this way." "How could you do this?" Alicia couldn't control her emotions and sat down, her hormones clouded all her judgement.
"I figured Zach would've told you by now and everything would be settled."
"You didn't have the right to do this. I don't care if you went as a legal representative. I don't care what the law says. I'm his mother and you took that right away when you drove him to Indiana. Zach is a child. He may have gotten his girlfriend pregnant, but he is a child! He is my child, he is Peter's child. He is not your child." Those words almost broke Will, Alicia could see it. "Will…"
"Alicia, I'm new at this. I don't have seventeen years experience with Zach or with Grace. I want to be there for them. I'm not trying to be the hero, I'm not trying to be their father. I know Peter always going to be to their father, I respect that. You weren't there. In that moment. You can argue that you weren't never allowed to be or whatever." Will took a minute, hoping to not let Alicia see his tears. "Never in my life would I ever imagine hurting you in any way. It was never my intention."
Alicia walked over to him, hugged him. When they parted, she could see he was still upset. "Will…"
"I know you have a lot to talk to Zach about. I'm going to go back to my apartment and pack up some more stuff, probably stay there tonight."
"Will…" "I can't be here. You made it clear, he is your son, he is not my son. You and Peter have to work this out, I can't be apart of this."
Walking out the office was like putting a knife in Will's heart and having Alicia turn it backwards to hurt that much more. Was he right? Was Zach not his family, was there a part of Alicia's world that Will couldn't touch.
Back at the apartment, Alicia was setting everything up for when Peter came over. Zach was in his room studying. She was having a hard time finding the words to explain the situation. She was pregnant with Will's baby, her seventeen year old son's girlfriend is pregnant, planning to give the baby up for adoption.
"Zach, your father's here."
He came out of his room, meeting Peter's gaze. "Zach." Peter looked around. "Where's Nisa?" "At her parents house, she wasn't feeling well." "I can't imagine why." The whole ordeal is making Peter's stomach turn.
They all sat down and stared around the room, everyone scared to say something to make this situation more real.
"What happened to the money I gave you Zach." Peter interrupted the tension in the room.
"Oh, in my savings account. I thought I'd use the money so I decided to put it in the bank, be responsible." "Nice considering what got you here wasn't responsible."
"Tomorrow morning you will get the money out and pay your father back every penny you borrowed from him." Alicia said softly.
"Yes ma'am." "So, adoption." Peter leaned back on the couch.
"Yeah, Nisa changed her mind when we got to the clinic." "Was that before or after you told Will?"
"Before."
"How did Will get involved in all of this?" Alicia starred at Zach, really wanting to know the truth.
"We got back here, Nisa slept over." He saw his parent's eyes widen. "I slept on the couch in the living room, she slept in my room, innocent." "And why do I have a hard time believing you, Zach?" Alicia's voice was setting a different tone.
"You don't have to and you have every right not to. But that's the truth."
"How can we ever believe you? You lied to us. You never told your mother until a paparazzi had pictures. You lied to me about needing money. You took advantage of us Zach, how do you plan to earn back that trust?" "Whatever way possible. I know I've broken every value you've set for this for this family. I will earn back your trust. I promise." "What agency did you go through?"
"Kids First Adoption in Indianapolis." "And what did you like about them?"
Zach shrugged. "They were the first option that popped up on Google when I started looking for adoption places after we got home."
"Oh it gets better and better." Peter was starting to walk around the apartment, pacing in a few places…making sense of all of this.
"Will looked into them, they have a lot of good reviews."
"Zach, you're treating this like a restaurant. You can't pick an agency out like it's a new entree. You research, ask around, ask for references."
"That's why I asked Will, to make sure I was going the right thing."
"Why not come to me, or your father with the truth?"
Zach looked at both of them. "Because I know how disappointed you would be and I wanted to show both of you that I can still be responsible I can be, in stressful situations."
"What's the next step?" Peter looked down at Zach. "What did you do at the agency, what is the next step they told you." "They're going to set Nisa up with some couples that she will decide who gets the baby." "You mean you and Nisa?" Alicia looked for some answers with Zach's face. "So what exactly going to happen? Nisa picks a good family and off goes the baby and you don't get a say." "I'm going to meet them." "Your mother is concerned that Nisa maybe not pick a good family. You have a say in this too, Zach."
"I don't know what to say." "Zach do you know what any of this means?" Peter leaned down on the back of the couch. "You are a father now, an expecting father. Life isn't about you anymore. Life isn't about Nisa, it's about that baby." "Don't you think I know that." Zach raised his voice to Peter. "You and mom are sitting here like I haven't thought this over a million times. I'm sorry I didn't come to either of you first or I didn't tell you why I needed the money, dad. But the fact is, there is a baby. I wish I was older, I wish I was able to make these decisions, but I can't! I can't do it and it's killing me. It's killing me that not only will I have to give up my child to total strangers, I have to earn back the trust that I know I've lost. Stop treating me like a child!" Peter didn't hesitate. "You are a child! You have tests, you have classes, you are still in high school. You are not an adult, Zach! I know life is different from the time I was in school, but some things don't change. You still have responsibilities that have nothing to do with raising a child." "Responsibilities! You're one to talk. How old was Amber Madison? Seventeen. Where we you? We had homework, mom was working. Talk about responsibilities when you were out screwing a hooker!"
Those words seem to shake the room and everyone stood still. Some things you can't take back, Zach is now finding that out.
"Zach, I admit I've made mistakes. I know first hand what it's like to earn back trust and it's a hard road to toll, son."
"So I've seen. I made one mistake, I didn't hurt anyone."
"No, you didn't." Alicia finally spoke up.
They all stood there, realizing nothing has been accomplished.
"How was Will able to help you?" Alicia is still trying to figure out Will's role in all of this.
"Support and to help me understand all the contracts and references that involve adoption, to make sure everything was illegal."
"And?"
"I"m supposed to meet with Will in a few days to go over the contracts. Nisa and her parents are going to be there too."
"So Nisa's parents are involved." Peter saw Zach nod. "When did they find out?" "Last night…the reason why she's not here. They don't trust her over here anymore." "I can't say as I blame her." Alicia muttered softly.
Peter sighed. "Is Will helping you through this entire process?" "For the start of it. Then Lauren Greer is going to take over, family law."
"She's a good lawyer." "That's what Will said."
Grace came into the house after her movie night with her friends. She stood, starring at everyone.
"Did someone die?"
Alicia dried her eyes, she felt as though she had been crying. "No, honey. No, just me and your father talking to Zach." "About Nisa?"
Alicia was surprised. "You know about Nisa?" "Yeah, the whole school does. That's why she hasn't been in class for weeks, it's everywhere. I just figured she cheated on Zach since he wouldn't…" Grace saw Zach's face. "Wow."
Peter finished the water he had. "Grace, can you give us a few minutes?" "Sure. I'm going to bed."
Peter checked his watch, it was nearing eleven. "I should get going."
"Yeah, it's been quite a night."
Alicia gave a weak smile, Peter noticed this. "Zach, why don't you pack up a few things and give your mom a break."
"Yeah, sure."
Alicia looked up at Peter. "Thank you and thank you for helping me with Zach."
"He's my son, I'm always going to be here."
"I know. It's nice to be reminded."
Zach packed a bag and left with Peter. The house was now silent again.
The next morning Kalinda arrived at the track where the Chicago Mud Run has been held the previous ten years. She had the shirt in hand when walking up to the main office.
"Yes, ma'am?" A average height man greeted her, not looking very friendly.
"Hi, I'm Annie and I'm helping my boyfriend put this collage together for a birthday gift. I'm so bad at names, I forgot who he said this shirt belonged to." Kalinda held up the Chicago Mud Run shirt to show him. "I was wondering if you could tell me the guys in this running group from three or so years ago?" "Oh, yeah, it's the Running Wahoos. They came up with that name twenty years ago. It's a thing that a few of the fraternities at Roosevelt University. It's team bonding. It's the only time that they get together, putting all other stuff aside. They raise money and donate to local charities."
"Do you have a list of the men who participated in this? I'm just trying to be diligent."
"I'm sure I probably do, give me a minute."
"Thanks."
While the man was gathering the list together, Kalinda decided to look around. But there wasn't much to see. A big track with a couple of buildings, mostly deserted. "Deserted enough to have a random hookup." Kalinda was talking to herself. She could see how people could get to know each other better at the track field and no one would ever know…or be too scared to say anything given any part of this field could be a killing ground.
Kalinda saw two guys running passed her, she got their attention.
"Hey, I'm Lucy. I was wondering if I could ask you guys some questions." They nodded. "So a friend of mine runs this Chicago Mud Run every year and I've been wanting to do it. Do you have any advice?"
One man stepped closer, wiping the sweat off…Kalinda was not impressed. "That's kind of the group you don't just join."
"Oh, and why's that?"
"It's run by a local frat house on campus, Phi Beta something. It's kind of a thing they do. They say it builds a brotherhood. They qualify certain guys from different houses to participate. You're initiated, you can't just join."
"And you're sure of this."
"Nah, it's just you hear things, you know."
"What things?" The man nodded to someone behind Kalinda, went back to his running.
The man took the papers back from Kalinda's grasp. "What do you really need this for?" "I told you, a project my boyfriend is working on."
"Who is your boyfriend?" "Oh….Pete Garrison." Kalinda almost bit her tongue on that one.
"Pete Garrison. Why didn't you say so? Pete is a great friend around here, does a lot of the school. I'll be really sad when he graduates."
"Yeah, me too." Kalinda noticed the man's confused face. "Yeah, he's such a great leader around here and loves Roosevelt."
"Let me know if you or Pete need anything else."
"Sure will, thank you."
Kalinda walked steadily into Alicia's office. She dropped the list on Alicia's desk, walking out.
"What is this?"
"The list you wanted."
"This…" Alicia looked at the paper thickness. "This is just three years?" Kalinda decided to take a seat. "Apparently the fraternity does this noble gesture and makes this Chicago Mud Run a huge charity thing. They qualify certain men from each house and they dedicate everything to charity."
"Okay, so how do we determine any of these men are connected to Dean or Richard." "With the list that Will gets to you this afternoon, you can compare notes."
Alicia almost did forget about the deposition she had with will. She checked the clock, she had two hours. Enough time to meet with Logan who was waiting for her in the lobby. "Thank you Kalinda." "Sure and if Pete asks about Annie, it's nothing."
Alicia shrugged. "Okay."
She got up to go and meet Logan at the elevator. She noticed Will in his office, hard at work. She couldn't disturb him when he had a client. They haven't spoken since she reminded him he didn't have any kind of parental relationship with Grace or Zach. Alicia knows she hurt him and it's killing her that she hasn't made it right.
"Ms. Cavanaugh." Logan walked towards her.
"Logan, I was going to meet you at the elevator."
"Nah, it's okay. I was excited when you called, having information on Dean."
"I think I do."
Alicia sat slowly in the chair, she hasn't been feeling well that day.
"Was Dean ever a runner?"
Logan smiled. "Yeah, he was actually. He tried to get me to join all these marathons and 5K races. I just wasn't into it. Probably the only thing we didn't have in common. Why?"
"Do you know if Richard Matthews and Dean ever had any contact?"
"They hung out, one time he came out with us to a movie night."
"Logan, do you know of a group called the Running Wahoos?" Alicia read the name three times making sure to be correct.
"There was a sign up sheet in Dean's welcome packet." "You didn't get one?"
"No, they said it was probably an error or something. I don't mind, I'm not a runner anyway, obviously." Logan reflected on his body.
"Did Dean join this group." "Yeah, he went running with a lot of the guys."
"Did it seem weird or anything seem strange about the group?" "No, just a bunch of guys running. The only weird thing was that they never talked about it. I would ask Dean how the run was, did he pass by any strange things. He didn't talk about it. And I would casually talk to a couple of the other guys and it was the same thing. We made a joke about it saying it was Fight Club and it's something you do but never talk about." "And you just shrugged it off?" "Yeah, what could I do? Make them tell me what was going on. I wanted Dean to have friends and be able to do stuff without me be the clinging boyfriend."
Alicia was writing notes down, and watching Logan out the corner of her eye. "Logan, did Dean's behavior change after he joined this running group?" "Yeah, he became more confident, wanting to go out to parties, kind of be the life of the party I wish I was." "So you hung out at the parties too?" "Yeah, usually talked to a couple of guys, but mostly hung out with Dean and he'd tell me who everyone was."
"So he introduced you to his housemates." "Yeah, he was good about that."
"Who did he introduce you to?"
"Pete Garrison, the president. Then to another guy, they were inseparable. Parker Donnelly."
"And what was so special about him." "They just jelled really well together. Parker helped Dean with running, getting shape."
"So Dean wasn't in shape?"
"No, not at all. I mean he looked good, obviously, but he was more of a sit around type of guy." "Then why did the house decide to put him on the team?"
"They said they pick a guy they can get into shape."
"Okay."
Logan watched Alicia write down a lot of things.
"So, what's the update on the case."
"Well, Logan, it's getting a lot more complicated than we originally thought it was."
"What does that mean?"
Alicia could see the fear in Logan's face that she wasn't going to continue. "It means that we're just going to work harder. I have a meeting with Mr. Gardner in a few minutes."
"Am I allowed to be there."
Alicia was all too familiar with how their first deposition went down.
"No, Logan it's just a formality to get information from. It's not going to last more than thirty minutes."
"So, what its here to do now?"
Alicia had to remember that Logan has been trying to get his voice heard for years. "You know Logan, come along, I might need you."
"Okay."
Alicia was more nervous than Logan was. She hasn't spoken to Will since the other night. She walked in, Will was conferring with Pete Garrison, he didn't show any notice of her walking in the room.
"Mr. Garrison." Alicia shook his hand. "Will." "Alicia." He acknowledged her presence and shook Logan's hand. "And to you sir."
Will turned on the camera, Alicia had her objections.
"Will is that really necessary. It's just a deposition, no one's on trial, yet."
"Just keep things honest." He said to her with a stone cold face.
"Alright." Alicia opened her book to ask Mr. Garrison questions.
"Mr. Garrison, are you aware of why you are here today?"
"Yes, I am." "And why is that?" "You want a ridiculous…"
"Mr. Gardner control your client." Alicia interrupted.
Will whispered something to Pete and then he continued. "You asked for a list of the fraternity house members." "I did and do you have that list?"
"I do, but Mr. Gardner said you need a court order." "Oh, and yes, I have one." Alicia lid the document over to Will. "And in case you need copies for later references, I had one sent to your office, Will. Then one sent to your apartment."
"Thank you, Alicia, that was very thorough of you."
"You're very welcome, Will." Alicia finished writing in her book. "The list, please."
Pete slid the list over to Alicia,she scoffed at it. "This can't be the list of five years, this is two years, at best."
"I should've had more time." Mr. Garrison pointed out.
"You had a week, you and your fancy school run out of paper." Logan had the three others starring at him.
"And Ms. Cavanaugh, please control your client. Outburst regarding my client's financials aren't permitted."
"Yes, sir." Alicia whispered something into Logan's ear.
"I can email it to you, but I'd have to be at my school computer."
"Isn't it simply just signing into your account from anywhere?"
"Yes, but…"
"Well I have a computer here, Mr. Gardner has a few computers he could use. Why not log in and give us that information." Alicia leaned back in her chair. "We have time."
Will took Pete to his office to get those documents.
"Are you sleeping with Ms. Cavanaugh?"
Will almost choked at that question. "Why do you ask?" "Seeing her then and seeing her now, it's really awkward."
Alicia was walking by Will's office when she happened to hear Pete's comments. She stood out of sight to hear what Will had to say.
"Like you spent one night with her and all of a sudden she's not what you expected. I mean, truth, she does look like she could drop a few pounds."
Will slammed his laptop down, starring Pete straight in the eyes. "My relationship with Ms. Cavanaugh is none of your business." He now had Pete's total attention. "You talk about her that way again, you're finding another lawyer. Whether you know it or not, I took this case because I was asked to by a friend. If I didn't, I'd be making sure you went to jail whether you're guilty or not. Got it?"
"Yeah, got it. I was just making…" "I don't care Pete. I'm not your family, I"m not your friend, I'm you're lawyer who gets paid whether you win or not. So best keep quiet and let me do the talking."
Alicia rushed back to the meeting room before Will and Pete walked out of his office.
Will walked into the room to see Alicia talking with Logan. Not being able to talk to her outside of this meeting was killing him.
"The list?" She looked at Pete and at Will, who handed the printed document to her. "Thank you, I think we're done."
Will shook hands with Pete and Logan, they walked out, leaving Will and Alicia alone.
Will reached out to touch her hand, making Alicia stop what she was doing. "I miss you."
"I'm sorry, Will." She felt Will move his hand up her arm. "No, I'm sorry, Will, I can't do this, not here."
Alicia walked out of the office, leaving him standing alone.
Will was in the kitchen of their new home, when heard the familiar voice.
"Hey."
He looked over at her, she was still wearing the same outfit from the office. She hadn't gone home yet. "Hey."
"Will, I'm really sorry."
He turned around, still wearing the same clothes he had on at the office, only shirt untucked. "I don't know Alicia. I feel like we took a million steps back yesterday." "I'm sorry for the way I reacted."
"So am I."
"I'm not used to having someone, again, take care of things. I'm used to taking it on myself. And then the whole thing with Zach. I mean I'm having a baby at my age and my teenage son is doing the same. I felt like the world went into this alternative universe that sucked me into it."
"I think that's why Zach waited. He wanted to make sense of it himself." "Yeah, It think that's why he wanted to wait, absorb the news himself." Will moved closer to her.
"Yeah, that's what he told me and Peter."
"Alicia, I really didn't mean what I said earlier."
"Neither did I. I want you to be apart of Zach's life and Grace's life. You took charge of Grace at school and you made her year. I've been trying to get inside her head for months."
"Like you said, it's only a matter of time before that fades away."
"Yeah, true."
Alicia was rubbing her belly, thinking about all those experiences of raising a child together they're going to have.
"This is going to be amazing." Alicia looked up at him. "You're going to be an amazing father."
Will looked at her, eyes glowing when pulling away her her jacket, feeling her belly. "This is amazing…our baby."
"Our baby." She had a smile across her face.
"Pete Garrison said that I was going too hard on you today, thought there was something going on between us."
Alicia pretended to never know about the conversation. "Oh did he? What what did you say."
Will laid Alicia on the couch that was just delivered earlier that day.
"That it was none of his business." Will placed a kiss on her lips. "People think I'm going too hard on you."
Alicia gasped as Will entered her. "Maybe that's….a good thing."
"Yeah, I think so too." He laid kisses on her neck, making his way to her belly. He placed a small kiss on the top of her belly. "Hi baby."
Kurt picked up the envelope that was slid under the door. "Hey, honey, you got a delivery."
Diane walked into the living room, drying her hair. "What is it?" "I don't know, addressed to the honorable Diane Lockhart."
"Oh."
Diane opened up the envelope and the read the documents.
"Oh crap!"
Kurt looked at her for an answer. "What is it?"
"I have a new case on my docket. Alicia Cavanaugh is suing Phi Beta Sigma, a fraternity, for wrongful death of two housemates. Will is representing the fraternity."
"What does that have to do with you."
Diane made a tired face. "I'm the judge on this case, affective next week."
