'It's a four letter word, a place you go to heal your hurt, It's an alter, it's a shelter, One place you're always welcome...Home, The world tried to break me, I found a road to take me, Home...' Coming Home / Gwyneth Paltrow

October 2017, Chicago

Will Gardner sat in his office chair, leant back so that his feet rested comfortably on his desk, and on an angle so that his eyes were positioned to comfortably take in the view that his corner office provided. He held a baseball in his hand, but tonight he wasn't throwing it up and down, no, he was squeezing it almost like a stress ball.

The sun had long since set over Chicago, allowing the city to become illuminated by orange lights and look like the focus of an oil painting. Rain fell, hitting the window at a steady pace that proved the soundtrack to his thoughts. Will Gardner had spent his entire life working so that he could get to the office he was currently sitting in, the corner one which in reality had too much glass. That view, it was, to most, a prize worth working for. However tonight he wondered if he had gone about his entire life in the wrong way. Alicia had the view, the corner office, the name on the letterhead. Yet she also had the family, she had the children, the memories and a legacy that was more than being Chicago's 16th most eligible bachelor. It was strange, up until the brunette had reentered his life months ago, he had been comfortable, content in his life. Seeing her, and everything she had achieved, that made he reevaluate though. Made him wonder about things that could have been if he had let her help him with his mother instead of ending things. Made him wonder if her children would have his surname instead of that of a man who had broken his weddings vows.

Alicia had sent Will and Diane and email stating she would not be in the office for about a week, down to obvious reasons. However she would be accessible via email and anything regarding her current cases was to be scanned in and sent over. Will had replied saying that was perfectly fine, as had Diane. However now he was wishing he could make his way over to her apartment and just hug her, try to make things better, even if only for a mere moment in time. However Will was familiar enough with her life to know that would just make things worse, the pictures would be tomorrow's headline. That was the last thing she needed and he didn't even know if she would be at her apartment.

Ever since that kiss two weeks ago, Will had found Alicia on his mind even more often that before. The way she had looked at him at the end of that interview, he wasn't sure now that she had even realised what she had done. Wasn't sure if she had looked at him subconsciously or not.

"I'm going to call it a night." Diane said from the doorway, looking over at him. She stood there, dressed in a pencil skirt, purple silk blouse and a long black woollen coat. The nights air outside would have a chill to it now as November was on the doorstep. The woman looked effortlessly classy, but she looked happy as well. Since she had started seeing Kurt, Will found himself a little jealous of his long term partner. The way she had managed to give her life more meaning that just a firm. Will also realised that he had heard her laugh more, that laugh which made him smirk even when he was not a part of the conversation.

"Okay." He said, still staring out of the window, eyes fixated on the skyline blurred a little by rainfall. Diane nodded, and was about to leave until he spoke again. "Do you think she will be okay?" His eyes moved away from the window, and towards his partner. There was a hurt in them that Diane was not sure she had ever seen before. It struck her as a signal that there was something deep between her two partners, something unfinished and raw.

"Alicia?" Diane clarified, receiving a small nod. "Yes, I do. She is an awful lot stronger than people give her credit for being." It hit Diane, that the conversation they were currently having was very similar to the one that they had participated in back when the news of the scandal broke five months ago. It had the same vagueness, she was just as in the dark now as she had been then. Will didn't reply to her comment, and it made Diane wonder just where her partner's head was. "You should call her, I'm pretty sure Alicia could use a friend right now."

"Yeah." Was his response, as his eyes moved to his phone which sat untouched on his desk.

"Go home, you could use some sleep." With that she left, and Will listened to the muffled sound of high heels on the carpet of the partners floor.

Leaning forward he reached for his phone and picked it up, contemplating just what Diane had said. However when he tried to ring the woman who seemed to not leave his mind, he received only her answerphone and hung up. Voicemails were a strange thing, he wasn't sure he trusted them. He also had no idea what he would say if he did leave her one. So he left it with her simply having a missed call from him. That would surely at least signal to her that he was thinking about her. Or at least, Will hoped that it would.

October 2017, Chicago

Relief flooded Alicia Cavanaugh's body as soon as the sound of the key in the lock hit her ears. That relief was simply because the unlocking of the door meant that her mother was home, and was bringing her children to Alicia. It meant Zach and Grace were back in Chicago. That was enough to put a small smile on Alicia's face. The lawyer stood up and walked over to her children, hugging them both simultaneously. Finding comfort in their embrace.

Alicia felt the tears silently roll down her face at the feeling of her children. Veronica watched the exchange and decided to make herself scarce. It was late, but after Zach's delayed flight and Grace's long one, she expected both would be hungry. So went to go and put some frozen pizza into the oven for them. Alicia had not eaten since she left half her salad at the restaurant, so Veronica decided her daughter could definitely use some food.

"Why would he do it?" Grace asked. They were now sat on the sofa, all three of them. The younger girl looked towards her mum. "She was my age."

"It's disgusting." Zach commented, looking at his mother and sister. "The thought makes me physically sick."

"It creeps me out. She could have been in my class or-" Grace sobbed and Alicia placed an arm around her daughter. Pulling her in close. It was painful to see how upset Peter had made their children, it hurt her. That he had broken their trust, and no doubt, lost their respect.

"I don't want anything to do with him." Zach stated, his voice certain and decisive.

"Don't say that." Alicia said, attempting to defend their father. However she did it out of duty, because he was their father, not because she wanted to, not because she believed her children should still have to respect him.

"Seriously? You're defending him?!" Grace said. "A couple of months younger and it would have been illegal, you realise that right?"

"I know." Alicia said.

"You were right to divorce him." Zach said, looking at his mother. "He doesn't deserve you."

"Why did he say we would welcome them into our family? What right does he had to say that? He has lost the right to say that, to have that ability." Grace stated, Alicia could see that her children were angry. Both had been upset when she called, however it had taken a substantial amount of persuasion to get them to actually come back to Chicago. In the end both had agreed to visit their mother, but stated that they would only stay until Sunday, then they would fly back and carry on with their lives. The determination both had made Alicia proud the fact that they were refusing to let what their father had done ruin their studies.

"I come bearing pizza." Veronica said, and for the first time since she had seen her grandchildren that day, she saw them both smile. It was not a smile which reached their eyes, but it was a start. The older woman placed the pizza down, and both her grandchildren instantly dove in. "I didn't even burn it." She added, looking at her daughter. Alicia just smiled, but it didn't take a genius to realise that she was hurting. That in that moment she wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and hibernate for a year.

It was 3am when Veronica made her way downstairs to the kitchen to get a glass of water and found that the lights were still on. Alicia was sat in the kitchen, at the breakfast bar, with paper surrounding her laptop. There was an empty bottle of wine beside her and a generously filled glass next to it. Alicia was awake, but she wasn't working, or at least she didn't look like she was. Alicia was just staring out of the french windows. "You should get some sleep, work will still be there in the morning. You've had one hell of a day." Veronica stated, as she filled a tumbler with water.

"I can't sleep." Alicia said, turning to look at her mother.

"You want to talk about it?" She questioned, but Alicia just shook her head.

"I don't know what to say mum, I don't know what to do. They don't want anything to do with him, and I don't blame them. But he is their father, you know? They shouldn't have to be in the position they are in. I shouldn't have to be in this position." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she shook her head. "I just want to be able to move on, to start a fresh. Why is that so hard?"

"Oh darling."

"It's not fair, on them more than anything. They never asked for this, they never asked to be put in the public eye, never asked to have their lives splashed across the news-"

"-neither did you Alicia."

The younger woman just shook her head and looked at the paper in front of her. It was the Sweeney case, as she sat there looking at the files she finally had a break through. It wasn't about her life, though, no it was about the case. Alicia opened up her emails, and sent one to Kalinda, asking her to check on something. Veronica just shook her head as her daughter returned to her work. Alicia may well be hurting because her children were, but Veronica had to watch both her child and her grandchildren hurt. If she ever saw Peter Florrick again, then she might just need her daughter's help, because she was not sure that she would be able to resist the temptation of killing him. That was for certain.

November, 2017, Chicago

Will Gardner was stood in the coffee shop a block away from the Cavanaugh, Lockhart & Gardner offices. Waiting in line he ran a hand down his face, two days since Alicia's life had been blown to kingdom come and he was pretty sure he had not slept. He had also not spoken to her. Kalinda had, he knew that by the way that she had come strutting into his office yesterday with a breakthrough that had Alicia written all over it.

"...Two days since the news broke that the Vice President will be a father by his intern, and no word has yet to be heard from his ex-wife Alicia Cavanaugh. This causes us all to question whether his statement that she will welcome both the intern and child into her family is actually true. In addition to this, news had reached us that Eli Gold, Florrick's long term crisis manager, former chief of staff and right hand man has handed in his resignation. Rumour has it that he will be moving to Chicago where he will join the firm of Florrick's ex-wife..."

"Next!" Will walked up and ordered his coffee, all the while shaking his head at the tv. Eli Gold joining their firm was all Diane's doing, she had played that one perfectly, and for that Will had to commend her. However the lawyer was confused as to just how the addition of the crisis manager would affect the dynamics of the firm, especially with regard to Alicia.

Whilst he waited for his drink he decided to email her. Will did not know if he would get a reply, in truth he wasn't bothered, he was just worried about her. All anyone had heard from her was short emails accompanying legal documents, and whenever they replied, asking how she was, they would get no reply.

Alicia,

Just wanted to say I know you are going through hell right now but if you want to talk then I am here. Hope your kids are alright, if they are as strong as you then they will come out the other side. I'm here for you.

Will.

He hit send as his coffee was handed to him. Placing his phone in his pocket he left the coffeeshop and headed back to the office. Alicia would be okay, of that he was certain. She may not realise it but she would be okay, in fact she would come back to work, and all that pain would get taken out on whoever she was up against in court. Alicia would win all the cases, and completely terrify her opponent until she finally took a breath and moved forward. Of that he was certain. Will knew because back in law school.

God he missed those days.