A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews. I am happy you are still enjoying it. Hopefully more updates will come soon; I have a long term plan for the story and lots of chapters in the works.
Who Loves You (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons)
Chicago, September 2015
Alicia, Diane and Angela are talking together after work. The conversation, as always, focuses on Will.
Angela began, "He had a lot of women in his life that he loved, his sisters, niece – who is crazy adorable, have you ever met her?" Alicia shook her head, Diane nodded, "I have."
Angela continued, "I think that growing up with so many females helped him with women, he was confident and understood them. He knew how to make a woman happy." With that comment, Alicia giggled to herself, thinking of how he made her happy, both at work and in the bedroom.
She nodded, starting to comprehend their relationship, before saying, "He did have a lot of women. Will and the women." She almost whispered the last statement.
"He was popular and very handsome," Diane chimed in, before quickly looking at her watch. "Sorry ladies, but I have to meet Kurt for dinner," she said, quickly finishing her drink.
"Have a lovely evening Diane," Alicia replied.
"Give him my love," Angela added, kissing Diane on the cheek as she lent forward to replace her glass on the bar.
…..
"Angela, what did you really think of Tammy?"
Angela laughed, rolling her eyes and leaning back in her chair. "That a loaded question Mrs Florrick?" she quipped.
Alicia shook her head and slowly curled her tongue up to her top lip, "Come on Doc, tell tales, spill, was he ever really serious about her?"
Angela took a drink of her bourbon, then began, "Tammy chased Will. I think she liked the idea of him more than actually having him," she paused, looking directly at Alicia. "I was never sure whether it was a relationship she wanted out of some kind of payback for Helena, maybe lead him on until he was committed then break his heart, leave him, see how he felt. She was difficult to judge, I always felt I never got the full story from her. She didn't like me and she made that clear, so perhaps that is why she was reticent around me."
Alicia pondered Angela's opening statements, "Yeah," she said slowly, "I got a similar feeling. She wanted him, but she wanted to be wanted, which is not something Will was very keen to do."
"Exactly. She said she would leave him if he fell in love with her. He told her that he wouldn't fall in love with her. Poor girl didn't believe him, thought he was joking. He had fun with her, but she wasn't Will Gardner's leading lady," Angela dipped her head at Alicia, "that was you."
"And you," Alicia responded, "you meant as much, if not more to him over the years."
"Well, maybe I can be the leading lady and you can be the love interest!" Both women chuckled and sipped their drinks, individually remembering Will in their arms.
"Will Gardner, matinee idol!" Alicia mocked.
"Oh yes," Angela giggled, "in that case, Diane deserves an Emmy for best supporting actress!"
Alicia chuckled and a broad smile crossed her face, "Definitely deserves an award for putting up with all his crap!"
Angela nodded, before continuing, "Getting back to Tamara, he found her clingy. She used to turn up at the office, bring him lunch then get all pissed that he had work. It was like she was marking her territory."
"Yes, I remember a very awkward moment when she tried to persuade me to eat lunch with her in Will's office. Said she was turning into her mother."
"Oh God, her poor Dad!" Angela mocked.
Alicia laughed, "I told her that I hoped I didn't turn into my mother!"
"Ha!"
…...
"I first met Tammy when Will brought her to a fundraising gala. I think she suspected that I was the girl that caused Will to break up with her sister, the look on Will's face certainly confirmed it to me. She was pretty and as a sports journalist had something in common with Will, so they were a good fit."
"Yeah, I guess, but it was never going to be a permanent relationship. He didn't like to go solo at big events, so resorted to his little black book; Tammy just stuck around longer than most. Diane was pleased Will took somebody his own age, as he usually dated younger women."
"When did you meet her?"
"It was after that. Feb '11 I think. I'd come to Chicago for a job interview and to visit Will and Diane – my Dad was in Cambridge at the time – so I was staying with Will. Tammy came by…" Angela's voice tailed off and she took another sip of her drink before explaining their meeting.
FLASHBACK: Chicago, February 2011
Will opened the door to his apartment, put his briefcase by the door and shouted out a cheerful, but tired, 'Hey' to Angela. She was sitting on the couch playing with her iPad and looked up and smiled at him. "Evening sweetheart, want a beer?" He nodded slowly, closed his eyes and walked towards the couch. Angela got up and moved towards the refrigerator, briefly running her hand up his arm as they passed each other. Will took off his jacket, threw it over the back of the couch and began to roll his sleeves up to his elbows. Oh how she loved the casual Will, even if rolling his sleeves had more of a 'work to be done' attitude than a nod to 'the working day is over'. She liked how the thin fabric of his shirt caressed his toned biceps and remembered the strong arms that she hoped would take her in their embrace later.
"I met Tammy today – she dropped by." She said as she handed him the cold beverage. "Ah, that explains it, I have eight missed calls and two 'Call Me' texts from her." I was too busy to answer, then wasn't in the mood to speak to her at the office, so figured when I got home I'd call her, maybe."
He took a long pull on the beer before setting it down on the coffee table and took out his cell. Angela went back to her iPad and Will phoned Tammy.
She heard snippets of opening greetings before he shouted, incredulous, to Angela: "You were naked?" as he jumped to his feet and spun round to face her, his right hand in the air.
She gave him a knowing smile and winked, "Yeah, I thought she'd bring that up" as she walked over to him and rubbed her hand in circles down his back. He ran his free hand through his hair.
Tammy was giving him a hard time on the phone, Angela could hear her raised voice.
"Why were you naked?" he whispered quickly at her, gently pulling at the knot of his tie to release it.
"I'd just got out of the shower and was literally walking past the door when she knocked. I thought it was you, so I opened it," she smiled at him and gave a half shrug as she moved her hand down and gently, but playfully smacked his bottom. She walked off towards the bedroom knowing that Will was watching her leave.
"No, no, no, Tam, listen to me," Will continued to protest to Tammy, but she wasn't in a listening mood.
He ended the call, let his left hand and cell fall to his side as he sighed heavily, resting his head on the top of the couch. Smiling to himself, he couldn't blame Tammy for being mad, after all she had found a naked woman in her boyfriend's home, but then, Angela knew exactly how to press his buttons and he felt in the mood to be pressed. Getting up, he grabbed the remains of his beer and walked towards his bedroom.
…...
"Now I know why she didn't like you. She was jealous!"
"Oh yes, she thought I was some kind of wicked witch! She didn't know much about our history, just that we were old friends. Had she known everything I doubt she would have let him visit me in Madison while they were dating."
Alicia shook her head, "Probably not. Excuse me while I go to the bathroom. Won't be long."
"OK."
While she waited for Alicia to return, Angela thought about Will's relationship with Tammy and recalled her trying to get Will to commit.
FLASHBACK: Chicago, April 2011
The following phone call between Will and Angela took place following Jonas Stern's death:
"Tammy came to see me, she's been offered a job in London, for the Olympics."
"Good," she paused, "for her.'
"She didn't know whether to go and wanted to sound me out about our relationship, where we are going, if we're going anywhere. I didn't know what to say, how to respond."
"Uh-huh, you hoping she'll make the decision for you?"
"She talked to Alicia today," he let the idea hang in the air.
"Dangerous!"
"Er, yeah, Leesh said it was fine, Tammy was fine, but did make me feel weird. I hate feeling weird. He took a sharp intake of breath, "After Jonas' death I felt alone. I don't have anybody to call when I win a case, I go home to an empty apartment. I asked her to stay. Told her not to go to London. Not sure where we go from here."
"Hey, sweetheart you can call me."
He stopped her, "I know and I do, but there is only so much you can take and often when I get outta court you're just starting a shift." He sighed, "There's no time, no," he paused, "space in our lives, for, oh, I don't know…' He lost his train of thought and wondered if he was going too far down a different route, so quickly changed the subject, "Anyway, how is work? When are you back?"
Angela ignored his questions, "Seriously Will, I know what you mean. I walk back to my apartment after a shift and there's nobody to unload on, nobody to just hold me when I'm upset or even cook my bloody dinner!"
He chuckled at that last part, before she continues. "Don't get me wrong, I love the hospital and the people are kind, but I've nothing here. I miss Chicago. I miss you," she began to sound tearful.
"When are you back in Chicago, for good, not just a visit? I miss you too. And its not just me being maudlin because Stern died and confused over Tammy, I want my friend back," he said, trying to comfort her, but also reassure himself.
"End of May probably, I officially finish here in June but have some vacation time. I need to check my sub-let, can't remember when they leave, so might have to find somewhere to stay as my Dad's place is also rented."
"You can always stay with me in the meantime."
Yeah, 'cos the last time I did that, it wasn't awkward for Little Miss Tammy."
"Maybe this time you can keep your clothes on."
"Oh, where's the fun in that!"
He snickered and sighed, "True, but don't tease me, especially now I've kinda committed to Tam."
"I don't think you have. Yes, I believe you have feelings for her, but you told her to stay as you were feeling down, I know you, you don't really want her, you just don't like being alone. And, in terms of love, you have that unrequited thing with Alicia."
He interrupted her, a little irritated, "Hey!"
"Hey what? You can't deny it. It's something that has been lurking in the background ever since Georgetown and now you are thrown together in the office, the heat of the courtroom and late night trials…"
"She's married, I'm her boss, nothing can happen. She made it clear."
"Sure, nothing can happen. From what I can gather she hasn't made it clear, she just ignored it. You kissed, it had to mean something."
"That was a long time ago. If you were there I'd have kissed you."
"You'd done more than just kiss me!" They both laughed.
"Yes. But, what I'm saying is, she chose Peter."
"No, you didn't fight for her."
"Ange, gotta go, that's my call waiting."
"You're stalling, Gardner," she replied.
"Night Ange," he sighed, "you see right through me, come home soon."
"Night Will, love you."
…..
Alicia's cell phone rang with the world's most obvious ringtone, 'Mom! Pick up the phone!' She smiled and answered, "Hello dearest daughter, I'll be home in twenty minutes," she paused as Grace spoke, then replied, "OK, see you soon, bye." "Sorry, Angela, I'd forgotten the time, better go," she said as she got out her wallet to leave some cash for her drink.
"No, I'll get these," Angela said, raising her palm to gesticulate a refusal of Alicia's twenty bucks.
"Thanks," she said, "it's been good to talk to you, we should go to dinner next time."
"Yes, I'd like that," Angela replied, smiling at Alicia as she stood to fasten her jacket. "I'm pleased we're becoming friends."
"Me too." With that, Alicia left the bar leaving the redhead alone.
Angela tapped the screen of her cell and smiled as a picture of herself and Will appeared. She was in his arms and they were dancing, laughing, happy. It was an old picture; it was taken by Diane on the day Will won his first court case as a partner at Stern, Lockhart & Gardner. She ran her thumb across the image of Will and sighed gently to herself. He had left a hole in her heart that she didn't think could ever be filled. Unlike Alicia and Diane she didn't have a husband and no real prospect of a boyfriend, perhaps she had invested too much in Will?
In an effort to stop tears forming in her eyes, she took a sip of her drink and scanned the bar. Through the crowd she could see a familiar face…
A/N: Please review – who do you think it is? Who do you want it to be?