She walked down the halls of her firm, how they had gotten here was difficult. Shortly after the final decision four months prior, Lockhart Gardner shipped into Alicia and Cary's new set of offices. They were luxurious at its best, partly the reason Will and Diane decided to move.
She now held the highest law firm in the state of Illinois, they were expanding shortly, right through the states and Will and Alicia were planning on moving to New York for several months as soon as Grace was settled in at Georgetown. She smiled at the thought of him. Her life had changed so dramatically in the last four months, when it came to home time, she lived in bliss, weekends spent out on the ranch, week nights spent with Will in her bed, afternoons consumed with Grace and Will battling it out on the PlayStation whilst she coherently tried to complete at least her work and half of his. He would always call her a 'killjoy' when she wanted to be an adult.
She had never pictured it being this great, when she had agreed to marry him –spontaneously – she was wary to the direction of the decision, would they make it? How would they cope through the hard times? Was he really aware of what the term marriage meant? And yet again, her suspicions were proved wrong, they had their times of barriers and disputes, but it always came back to the reality of it all, even at their age, they were both, madly, hopelessly in love with each other.
Currently, Will, Diane and Cary were camped out in her office, discussing Cary's case on the bulletin board, she encountered the sight of two bouquets of flowers settled on her office table. From a distance she could clearly see that one had her photo with Oprah Winfey nestled in between the flowers; she had recently done an interview with her, Alicia had only accepted it under the knowledge that once done, her life would return to normal, no more press, no more back talk, it had all vanished, Grace was happy, Zach was happy, Peter was also, and she was happy –with Will.
Grabbing the note, she settled her belongings on the desk and found a place for the photo to sit, Will's gaze absentmindedly followed hers and grasped the photo from a viewing point, he snickered and rolled his eyes light-heartedly.
She swatted his shoulder, silently directing him to return back to the far corner of the room where Diane and Cary sat discussing the case, and once he was out of her chair, she sat down, almost elegantly and flipped her reading glasses on. "You're staring," she said, noticed the way his gaze ran over her from her peripheral vision.
"You're sexy." he whispered only for her ears, he grasped the apple from her purse and sat on the edge of her desk, she sighed in defeat and stared up at him through her lashes.
Smiling smugly, she shook her head. "Honestly. You and Cary are like children. Do your work!"
"Why should I when you can do it for the rest of us?" he responded, to which she swatted him with a few papers. He descended himself from her desk, and she allowed her gaze to rest on Cary and them from a far, never in her wildest dreams had she pictured it being this way, especially from the drama that had taken place in the last year, nor had she imagined seven years ago that she would own the largest law firm in the city.
Her mind snapped back to reality as the phone rang and Eli's name flashed across the screen.
"Hello Eli."
"Guess how much the ratings were on your interview last night?!"
She sighed, "I can't be bothered guessing, so just tell me."
"13 million!" she could almost feel his smile through the phone.
"Wow. That's a lot."
"That's enormous! We weren't expecting it to be so large."
"If you weren't expecting it, why the hell did you give me Oprah?"
"I thought you liked her!"
She sighed, "I do. It's just a bit too much Eli."
"Well, it's over now, so you won't have to deal with any more of my evasive phone calls." She could almost feel him roll his eyes from the other end.
She laughed at his comment and turned around in her chair as she folded her right leg over her left and gazed towards the wall. "I expect to see you at the wedding?"
"Depends. Does it involve horses and manure?"
She laughed again, "You mean does it involve the downsides of my stepfather's ranch?"
He coughed, almost mockingly. "Yes."
"Unfortunately it does, but I expect to see you nonetheless."
"Can I bring a guest?"
"Now that depends. Who's the lucky lady?"
"Well, I was thinking the Governor but I think gentlemen is a better way to put it. Also, I'm sure a few reporters would love to attend the special event as well."
"Ha ha." She grinned, "Very funny."
She heard the phone beep against her ear and shook her head, "That's my call. I'll speak to you later."
She ended Eli's call and rolled her eyes as her mother's name flashed across the screen. "Yes mother."
"Hi darling. I was just wondering, what colour wine Will prefers for thanksgiving?"
"Both. And make sure to purchase as much as possible. We're going to need all of it."
Veronica had – inconveniently –invited everyone to Indiana for the thanksgiving weekend, Owen and his latest boyfriend, Bill's family, and half the populace of the members on the ranch, she wasn't sure how it would turn out, but if any of their previous gatherings had taught her anything, it was that her family was not one to dwell on. She was thankful that the man she loved accepted them for what they were, and that he actually wanted to be a part of their lives including the baggage that Alicia held, all including the horse she was madly in love with.
His patience was engaging, she had to admit. Since her little fall off Sapphire, Will had been wary of the animal from then, he would fidget in his seat as he watched her lead the horse with her own two hands, as if he were ready to leap up from his seat, risk his life for her safety. She found it endearing, and she couldn't blame him, if it were the other way around, allowing Will to possibly risk his life would kill her, she'd most likely kick him off before he took a step, so his patience and knowledge of how much having Sapphire in her life made her happy, outweighed her perspective towards him, and it only made her love Will so much more. He had the heart of a gentleman and the soul of a lover.
She only wished it hadn't taken her so long to recognise it.
She felt his hand entwine with hers as he led them out of the office, it was nights like this where she valued him above all else, where she desired him in her more than anything, and if he could read her mind, he would probably take her up against the wall now and make love to her right then and there.
She couldn't help but notice the broad smile that was printed on his face during the drive home, she caught his glances from a far and raised a brow each time. "What?"
"Nothing."
She rolled her eyes half-heartedly and returned her attention towards the buildings that passed by. Whatever he was holding back, she was determined to find out, even if it meant threatening him.
"We have to be fast," she said as they pulled out in the parking garage. "Grace has already packed her bags and I forgot to remind my assistant to grab my dry cleaning so will have to stop on the way to Indiana."
"Hold on tiger, we have plenty of time." He grinned, grasped her hand as they made their way to the elevator.
"We have less than three hours before the sun sets and I want to take Sapphire out before dusk."
"I'm sure the horse can wait till the morning. I, on the other hand, have a surprise for you in which I'm sure you'll be entirely pleased."
She stared at him in warning. "You know how much I hate surprises."
He brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to it. "Don't stress. You'll like this one."
She allowed her eyes to set on him for several seconds before laughing. She was so insatiable she wondered how he put up with her. She smiled as he laughed and snuggled into his embrace, pressed a soft kiss against his neck and felt his arms circle her in a loving embrace.
As soon she incounted the apartment, it seemed lifeless, she dropped her belongings on the counter and heard Will's voice behind her.
"Hun, will have to stop at my place on the way as well, all my clothes here are in the wash."
Before she could reply she felt two pair of hands cover her eyes from behind, she immediately pulled them down and turned around, gasping in surprise, she took in the broad smile that was spread across Zach's face.
She immediately wrapped her arms around her eldest and squealed in delight. "Surprise."
"What are you doing here!" she vaguely felt tears brim in her eyes, tried her best to resist them. Will came up from beside Grace and she couldn't ignore the smile that was printed on his lips.
"I lied about coming home thanksgiving weekend. I wanted to come a week earlier so I could surprise you."
She pulled him to her chest once more and sighed. "Oh I missed you."
She hadn't seen Zach in less than a year. Nor did she have the chance to visit him, so she embraced him firmer and heard him laugh. "Mom, you're squashing me."
"I'm sorry." She ruffled his hair, "I'm just so happy you're here."
"Me too."
"Can we go now?" Grace whined, glancing down at her watch. "Will said he would grab his iPad from his place and I want to beat all his high scores."
She often wondered if underneath the seventeen year old, there was still a kid at heart. She made her way into the bedroom, and dressed down into a much comfier attire, simple dark jeans, boots, coat and scarf before throwing in some spears and toiletries for the weekend. It had only been two weeks since her last visit, it was lonely, to say the least, mostly because Will couldn't go with her and she spent most of the agonizing weekend listening to her mother talk about her trip to Bali.
That was partly the reason she enjoyed having Will as her companion to the ranch each weekend, other than his keen manner and warm arms to snuggle into at night, he was a good ally with her mother, he enjoyed her company –genuinely – which Alicia found undeniably crazy. And he never failed to object on it, she was coming to the realisation that maybe he enjoyed it out there more than she did, the need to escape reality. She was aware his mind was not fully adjusted to the horses yet, in fact he was the complete obvious. Like Grace, he hated the smell of them, he disliked how staunch and outsized they were, he disliked how easily one of them could hurt her without a glance back.
The hairs on the back of her neck rose as she heard the voices of her son and her fiancé outside her bedroom. "So, have you and mom decided on a date yet?"
The sound of the dishwasher began to fumble, and she figured they must be toying with the dirty silverware.
"No, not yet anyway. I think your mom just wants to take things slow."
"We should go to Disney land." Says Grace. Several seconds of silence passed until Alicia heard the familiar sound of her son laughing.
"I'm serious! I read this article about this couple who married near the teacup ride. It's where they met when they were young."
"I don't think mom and Will met at Disney land though Grace."
"Does it matter?"
"Yes. It matters to mom and Will."
She heard Will laughing, visioned him placing his hands up in defence. "Honestly. I don't care, as long as I marry her."
"Well, it's a better idea than an old courtroom, or the ranch."
"What's wrong with the ranch?" she announced her presence. Rounding the corner, she made her way towards the coffee machine and grabbed an empty flask filling it.
"It stinks of cow and manure."
"I agree with Grace." Her fiancé said,
She rolled her eyes and raised a brow towards her son, Zach shrugged in response. "I don't care where it is as long as I don't have to do a speech."
"Two out of two, lost verdict and the trial is adjourned for today. We have to hit the road before your grandmother thinks that I'm deliberately keeping you away from her."
Grace picked her bag off the floor. "We can appeal right?" she asked Will.
He shrugged. "I don't know, your mom's a pretty good lawyer, and your brother would make a good ally and witness."
"Maybe we can ask Diane to help us out."
Alicia laughed, and shrugged them outside of the door. "Ha ha. Very funny you two."
The moment they entered the large house, the scent of food mingled her nostrils. Veronica came out with arms outstretched towards Zach, who hugged her in his most awkward position. Her mother hadn't failed to embrace Will as well, Alicia shook her head at her intolerableness.
She made her way up the staircase, through the hallway towards the end to her room and dumped their belongings on the bed. She rushed outside through the backway down the patio. "Where are you going?" She heard her mother ask.
She waved her off. "I won't be long."
She ran a hand through Sapphire's thin fur, and snuggled into her warmth. She smelt like strawberry soap, Michael must have washed her down. "Hey sweet girl." She looked up, grasping her attention. "I missed you."
She mostly rode Sapphire because she was aware more than anything that the animal was permitted to stay indoors most days, her heels were impacting her joints each time she ran, which was a vivid sign that she was growing almost to her turning point. The thought of losing her shattered Alicia to her very core. She was a grown woman, attached to a fifteen year old horse, and it was indeed irrational, but Sapphire was so much more than a horse.
She allowed Sapphire to run around the field for several minutes on her own, she pounced in the air, flicked her body around, and Alicia stood against the rail allowing the clock to tick by as she gave her enough time to escape from the stables. Alicia admired her with all her being, she was truly remarkable, just the simple sight of her walking was stunning.
She felt a pair of arms slip around her waist from behind and gasped in surprise, turning around, she took in the smug smile of her fiancé's lips and grasped the chance to wrap her arms around his neck as she stared up at him.
He kissed the tip of her nose… "Your mom told me to come and get you, dinner was ready a half an hour ago and she's pissed."
"I'm sure she's just being a drama queen."
"I wouldn't exaggerate it, she's as stubborn as you are."
"Hmm, funny." He grinned in response and allowed her to press her lips against his, it started out slow of course, until she felt his tongue press against hers. She pulled him to her chest with force. "Ow." He mumbled against her lips, she smiled and watched with distain as he pulled back slightly to look at her.
"I'm beginning to think those arms of yours hold a lot more force than what I had imagined."
She placed a hand above her chest in mock horror, "I'm highly offended Gardner, you should know by now what my strengths are."
"You are so insatiable, it's hilarious."
She chuckled quietly to herself, and began to lean in for yet another passionate kiss, until she felt a large force push Will causing him to stumble on his feet. She looked up to see Sapphire had her head against him, trying to push him out of the way. She tried to stifle a laugh at what was going on, she watched with heavy amusement as Will threw the animal a vast glare.
"Woah, hold on. She's mine! Get your own." Will said, wrapping an arm around her waist.
Sapphire puffed in annoyance, Alicia could only laugh in response. "That's enough." She pointed to both of them. She patted the stallions soft fur, and pressed her lips against it's head like she had done many times before. "There's really no need you know."
"I honestly I don't understand what you see in her. She's bossy, and arrogant, not to mention entitled to everything that comes her way." After a second, he began to laugh, throwing her slightly off guard, she raised a brow in his direction curiously.
"She's exactly like you."
That had been his last, she pushed his hard chest with her knuckles. She recognized he may have been visiting the gym repeatedly in the last month because she scrunch her fist as pain began to seep through. She wasn't afraid to admit that she had a fiancé who visited the gym daily, but then again, it had its downsides.
"Ow!. That's it. I can't take any more of this." He lifted her up onto his shoulder and spun hr around, she laughed in delight and hit his backside. It was a game of theirs, whenever they were alone, and either one got out of hand, she would usually tackle him to the ground with laughter, though, Will always won, and she couldn't deny it.
"Will!" she giggled. "Put me down! Put me down!"
He placed her carefully on the ground, above the soft green grass and stared into her eyes, grinning self-righteously. "Not until you say your mine." She felt his hand travel to her waist, and he began to tickle her with his fingers, she squirmed.
She usually lost to this sequence of their game, however, this time she wasn't going to let up. "No."
She covered her eyes, childishly, and laughed as he began to assault her with delight. He was more aware by now how tickling was her week spot, even more so when it came to his touch, she was doubled over in laughter.
"Okay! Okay!" she giggled, peaked up at him through her fingers. "I'm yours."
He smiled to himself, undeniably gorgeous and smug. "That's right."
She brought his lips down to hers, cradled his head in her hands as she closed her eyes and allowed him to kiss her softly. He pulled his lips from hers, and she stared into his dark chocolate brown eyes, whispered his favourite words. "I love you."
As the sun slowly turned over, and she and Will finally returned back to the house after watching it set below the hills, they ate dinner along the patio, she listened intently to Zach's stories from college, and Grace's ambitions once she was to move there in three months. The thought of watching another child leave, letting her youngest move out of the home for good, still made her feel queasy, but she was beginning to realize that it did not mean the end of the universe, it was the beginning of a new chapter, she had Will now.
She snuggled on the sofa next to Owen as he sat out reading a book, he immediately threw the book on the ground and allowed her to wrap an arm around his shoulder. "Edward Cullen." He whispered in her ear.
She laughed, "What?"
"That's what he is" he pointed towards Will, she followed his gaze only to be met by the sight of Will talking to Veronica. "The way he looks at you." Owen laughed to himself. "It's like he's ready to jump in front of a bullet for you."
She smiled to herself, and smacked him on the head. "What crack pipe have you gotten yourself into this time?"
He rolled his eyes, "I'm serious!" It was clear that he was highly upset, she found it adorable. "I want you to be happy sis."
"I am happy."
He smiled, "I know. That's what makes it so great."
She snuggled into him, her little brother, who wasn't so little anymore, was finally maturing. They had their many differences in the past, but he would always be her best friend through thick and thin. "Hey, future brother inlaw?" He said to Will, grabbing his attention.
"I could really use a bottle of bear right now."
Will rolled his eyes, grinning. "Really Owen? You just finished a whole bottle of wine."
Owen placed his finger up in defence, "And I still have yet to contemplate what we're doing for your bachelor party."
Will sighed, grinning, he shook his head. "I swear, this sibling rivalry thing you've alluded me into is going to come crashing down one day."
"Less chit chat, more alcohol." As he had descended off inside, she laughed loudly at Owen whose need to repeat how much here fiance's ass was catching all woman's attention in the area. She looked around just in time to see one of the ranch men's wives sneaking glances at Will's backside. Alicia couldn't deny the possessiveness that seeped through her in that moment.
Once everyone had disappeared into their rooms later on that night, she was the last to switch the tv off and made her way upstairs. Will sat on his side of the bed, books and papers surrounding him as he wore his reading glasses. She tried to grasp his attention by slowly discarding her cardigan off and leaving it on the floor. His head remained down as he flipped through a page.
She slipped out of her boots followed by her jeans, leaving her only in a bra, tank top and underwear. She walked over to his side, removed the papers from his lap and straddled him, his eyes surveyed her body in somewhat of astonishment before he made eye contact with her. She slowly removed his reading glasses and placed them above her own, she was aware that he enjoyed the sight of her wearing them. "Have I ever told you how sexy you are in these?"
"What? My glasses?" he chuckled
She nodded. "Yea, you look like woody alen."
"I do not!"
She laughed, and pressed her lips against his chastely, she shifted her lips behind his ear and kissed it sensitively.
"You know, you could have just asked for my attention dear." She heard him say, which brought a cheesy grin to her features.
"Bath?" she whispered.
She felt his hands travel under her top, they were cold, so when she felt his fingers graze her skin lightly, she shivered under his touch. The smug smile on his face was undeniable. They had been busy all week, with the new set of clients coming in, and another one of Colin Sweeney's large cases to deal with, they hadn't had enough time for intimacy in at least two weeks, so when she whispers. "Make love to me." After five minutes of passionate kissing, she means it.
He flips her onto her back, the intensity in his eyes is almost frightening, she's seen this look before, on many occasions and it always gets her going below zero. He knows it.
"I love it when you get all fanatical with your words." He says, presses his lips against the shell of her ear. "Makes my temperature drop."
"You make my temperature drop." She says, "And it's so unfair when you do it whilst we're in a deposition."
"I don't see you complaining in my private bathroom.." she placed her index finger above his lips and giggled, "Let's not talk about those experiences. I still blush at it."
His finger grazes down her abdomen, he toys with her underwear, and pushes it down, she whimpers whilst shrugging it off and pulls him down for another passionate kiss. Once again, the knowledge that their bedroom is the furthest from the others, eases her mind when he slips into her slowly, and she moans inside his mouth, grips his back tightly to the point where her sharp nails begin to leave marks. He pauses, and looks down at her, as if she's the only person in the world the he's ever loved, he's done this before, and she loves the way he stares at her when they're amongst the moment.
She wasn't expecting his rhythm to be so staunch - not that she was complaining. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, creating that perfect angle, held onto his broad shoulders as she allowed him to make slow, and graceful love to her. His pace was slow at first, until he started to pulsate through her, causing her own inner walls to build, she was close, he could tell, and just when she thought she was about to come, he removed himself from her before slamming into her hips. The sound of Owen and Grace's music downstairs outweighed the house. And Alicia couldn't deny that she was extremely grateful for their Friday night parties.
Her scream was muffled into the curve of his neck, and his own satisfaction was muffled inside her pillow. He rested his head on her chest for several seconds whilst she stroked his back softly. She smiled as he lifted his weight off her gently, before pressing a light kiss against her nose and laying against her side, spent in bliss and consumed in breathlessness.
"I'll never get tired of this." She said after several minutes passed by, flipping herself to cuddle next to him, resting the palm of her hand on his chest, she stared up at him as the moonlight from the window shined on his perfect, baby skin face. "I'm serious. We hardly sleep because of it, we don't have children to occupy, we can barely maintain ourselves at work, and once Grace leaves for college, will have the place to ourselves. I mean, how are we gunna stop?"
She figured by the way he laughed in retort, he assumed she was only kidding, which she wasn't, but she wasn't afraid to admit that she enjoyed amusing him. He brought his hand up to cup her face and pushed a strand of hair behind ear. "Diane said the other day, at some point, we would have to control ourselves, because she thinks our clients are beginning to notice the sexual tension."
"She said that?"
He only nodded in response.
She bursted into laughter, heavy and entertaining in all the possible comical ways one would laugh at a simple joke of Diane Lockharts, though, Alicia knew deep down that the older woman was most likely not joking at all.
She rested the side of her head against his chest, the grin on her face still visible as she regained herself from laughing. He played with her hair, and she entwined her hand with his, pressed a soft kiss against his wrist. They both allowed the silence to fill, his breathing became shallow, and just as she thought he was on the verge of closing his eyes, he whispered in the dead of night.
"Do you think.." he began, softly. "You and I will last forever?"
She lifted her head gently to glance up at him and rested her chin above his breast. "What do you mean?"
He sighed and gazed towards the ceiling, he shrugged. "I think some people are underestimating our fate."
"What?"
"People in the office, I heard some of our employees saying that we wouldn't last a year before divorcing."
"Who said that?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "I don't care who it was. The point is that it resonated through me. I don't want to wake up one morning and have regrets Alicia."
Slowly, by each aching second that passed, she felt her heart gradually rip. Was he suggesting what she thought he was? Was he saying that he didn't think they would work? She sat up, and acknowledge that he had no emotion in his face. She naively wondered if this had been a game plan right from the beginning. She felt tears pool in her eyes at the idea, and quickly pulled away from his embrace, rebuffing the need for him to see her vulnerable yet again.
Before she could remove herself completely from the bed, he sat up and shuffled the sheets off, grasped her arm and sat next to her on the edge of the bed. "Why would you say that?" She said, emotional. "Why do you have to listen to other people's opinions Will? Do you not understand how much I hate them?"
"I know, it's not…" he sighed, baffled. He stroked her cheek softly whilst she avoided his gaze, and she felt his lips press against her hair. "I'm sorry, I think we're drifting off the main topic here." He tried to throw in some humour by chuckling. It didn't faze her.
"If you don't want to marry me Will, just say so."
From the corner of her eye she could see his face drop, it eased her mind a little.
"I want to marry you so much it hurts."
Almost on instinct her heart softened, just in the way he said it, as if his throat couldn't contain enough oxygen. How could she ever deny him? She felt so stupid for underestimating his feelings.
"I'm just worried that one day will drift a part like last time.. You of all people know how hopeless I am at relationships, and I've never been married before, I don't know what to do." He said concurrently, she couldn't contain the hint of a smile that played behind her lips.
She ran her hand through his messy bedhead, almost blushed at the memory of her hands running through it moments before along the heat of their steamy orgasm.
"Just be yourself." She said simply, shrugging. "You don't have to achieve husband of the year in order to please me Will. You just have to love me."
"But that seems so easy." The fake pout on his lips made her giggle. He pulled her in his arms, she snuggled into the curve of his shoulder and allowed him to hold her in his warmth.
They weren't usually this neighboured, they weren't one of those couples that kissed each other every waking minute, they were both separate personalities, enjoyed their space. There was the occasional love making in his private bathroom, or the random moments where she took the time to admire his ass, but they loved each other simultaneously, when she moved, he moved in synch, when she desired quality time alone, he relished the opportunity to watch the game in his apartment alone, when she crossed the street, he was always there to hold her hand. When she moved. He moved. She couldn't imagine a life without Will Gardner.
She whispered quietly after their second round, her body was rested above his chest, head dug into it as she regained her breathing. "I am never going to let you go again."
He laughed, his eyes were closed, and his breathing seemed to have calmed down. She envied him for having such a large lack fatigue from a result of his fit body. She suddenly wished she had taken his advice in Georgetown and participated in the gym with him more often.
"Am I supposed to object?"
"I'm serious, If something as stupid as that ever happens again you'll be tied with a chain in my stepfather's basement and I'll make sure to feed your limbs to my horse."
"I should probably be worried now then right?" he said, smiling, eyes still closed. She pressed her lips against his. "Yes you should."
"That can only mean I'll have forever to convince you that you're everything I ever wanted."
She smiled to herself, she knew he was aware of how much his strong words had such an impact on her, and he often liked to use it at it's best advantage.
Her body covered his, legs entwined completely, with his arms wrapped around her waist, she found herself falling for him more than ever during moments like these, she loved to know that she was chief of his heart, that she was able to straddle him in the most uncomfortable position and he could fall asleep simultaneously without so much of an objection to their attire.
She brought her left hand up to her vision, and gazed at the white oval of diamonds displayed along her finger, on instinct he entwined his hand with hers and kissed the inside of her wrist. She pressed her lips against his heart in response, rested her chin on his chest and whispered softly. "I am soo happy."
A/N: Thats it guys! I did say 10 chapters didn't I? Its been a pleasure writing this, and i honestly can't thank you all enough for taking to it. I don't want to babble, but I do hope this has healed at least half the pain the kings have left us with for the past year. Willicia will always be endgame!