Chapter: Partner

Mondays were considered the worst day of the week by most. The beginning of the workweek, the school week and the usual starting point of long work projects. For Maleficent DaFey, head attorney of the Moors Criminal Defense Center, it meant the continued interviews and search for her new personal assistant and paralegal.

For the past five years, she never needed one. Her small law firm was headed up by herself and then she brought in a partner a year after liftoff as she needed more help. Although he was not a partner in a legal sense, he was her equal in the fact that she ran everything by him before taking the next step in cases. Stefan Barnhand did have a cooler head out of the two of them and he did most of the face to face interactions with other firms and hiring. He didn't have the spine to stand in the middle of the courtroom and grill the witnesses like she did, but she didn't mind. He had told her that they were meant to be, that they had 'true love'. She was so in love that she was sure that the dinner that had occurred last month would have had ended in a proposal.

It did end in just that, but not for marriage.

Stefan told her that he was going to leave Moors for Perceforest Law Offices headed up by Henry King. He had been headhunted and he wanted the chance to be a partner in a large and well-known office one day. Henry was offering him all he wanted and the chance to date his young daughter if he gave him something worthwhile. Stefan took the biggest case that they were working on with him. It was one of the largest and well-known cases in the area and would have skyrocketed her small law office into the arena with the big dogs. Now, she would have to wait for another chance. He was an idiot in hindsight, she was sure. She started the law firm from nothing and she got far before his interference. She would soar once again.

"DaFey," the barista called from the counter and placed the hot cup at the edge.

Maleficent broke out of her thoughts, grabbed the cup and tipped the team before she walked out the door. Her dark roast blend, scalding hot with three pumps of hazelnut sweetener and a touch of blueberry juice was not the weirdest thing that the baristas at the Rowen Tree had made, but they surely knew to make it a certain way for the powerful woman who came in every morning- and occasional afternoons. The taste was worth the strange looks she received from the baristas. What wasn't worth it, was the wait she had to go through when a new trainee was behind the coffee maker.

There were three blocks to her office from the favored coffee spot. She told Robin to go ahead with the car, it was coming to Fall season and she wanted to enjoy the season's colors on her walk. For the rest of the day, she would be surrounded by the white walls of her office as she screened multiple new people for the position. If today was to be like anything like her interviews from the week before, it was going to be a very long, exhausting day with not much room for breaks to go outside. All applicants so far shivered in their chair in front of her and failed to impress. Yes, she wanted a healthy amount of fear, but she was to see this assistant every day. Could they at least stand the sight of her without shaking in their boots?

"There must be someone out there that is suitable," she huffed and sipped at her coffee.

She stopped at an intersection and waited for the cross signal. Taking small sips from her coffee, she thought over the preferred competencies she had initially chosen and those that she refused to relinquish on.

She looked up to check on the light to see a young man walked briskly along the side of the building opposite. Not much younger than she was, but definitely seemed a bit more naive if she judged him correctly.

He checked his watch and frowned down at his wrist. Right after his frown, he looked up just in time to hit face-first into the sign for Farmer Ave.

"Oh dear," Maleficent said nonchalantly and looked both ways before she crossed the street. Farmer Ave was known to have had inconsiderate and even dangerous drivers rush down the street. It wouldn't do to have him stay sprawled out half in the roadway. She stepped directly to him and stood over him, "Are you injured?"

He held his head from where it hit the pavement and squeezed his eyes before he opened them, "Yeah, I mean- no. I'm in one piece. That's all anyone could ask for, right?"

"I suppose so," Maleficent raised a brow.

"Thank you for checking. I-" he looked up at her and his voice seemed to fail him.

"You sure you are quite all right?" she asked and knelt down next to him. She sat her cup of coffee in the roadway at their side as she checked on him.

He definitely wasn't bad to look at. Lithe frame, a bit pale in complexion, but she had to admit she was as well. His dark hair swept back from dark eyes that were almost inhuman at how dark they were. He reminded her of a raven, dark and light at the same time. She noticed his hair was even soft like feathers as she checked his head and despite the large bump at the back of it and what would soon turn into an impressive bruise on his cheek, he seemed to be fine.

She leaned back on her heels to tell him of what injures she did see when a large truck came around the corner with no hint of slowing. She gripped at his jacket and pushed them both to the sidewalk as the truck barreled over were they just were. She groaned in annoyance and looked at where the truck turned and then looked back at the man she had saved, "Did you catch their plates? I swear I would slap him with every kind of case I could think of."

"Sorry, didn't quite get it," he said in a small voice before he coughed and rubbed at his head. He looked back at where they were and noticed that the coffee was hit and now flowed over the blacktop, "It looks like your coffee was the only casualty."

"Shame," she huffed, "I only had half of it and I will need more than that to make it through today."

"Thank you again," he stood up and held a hand down to her. He pulled her up as her hand landed in his, "I will be sure to get my head examined."

"As you should. Not many people run into street signs," she raised her brows to evaluate him. She pulled at her shoulder bag and nodded to him, "Be careful. There are quite of few of them along the walkway."

"I will try," he nodded, "Is there anything I can do for you? I mean, you possibly just saved my life."

"Possibly?" her mouth quirked up in a slight half smile, "Would you rather I had let him hit you?"

"No, I'm grateful for what had occurred," he shook his head, "Have a good day. I hope it doesn't end up as bad as you think it will."

"That is my hope as well," she nodded and then promptly turned to continue her walk. She looked over her shoulder halfway up the block and saw him still in the same place she left him. He waved at her once more and then dug out his phone to see something on the screen and then he turned back the way he had come. She shook her head to dismiss it and continued to her office.

Diaval turned from the corner as he scanned the ground for the front cover of his cell phone case. There, next to his savior's crushed cup was his equally crushed phone case cover.

"Well, make that two causalities," he huffed and picked at his cover. He picked up the cup that she had sacrificed for him and turned it over, "The Rowen Tree. Huh."

He stood up and looked down the block he was just on and saw a large sign not too far from him for the same coffee spot, "Well, if I am to face more shoddy interviews, might as well get some fuel."


Maleficent sat at her desk as the morning interviews wrapped up. The last one was the worst by far. A bubbly blonde who didn't even have enough brainpower to understand that Maleficent was degrading her through most of the interview. By the end of it, Maleficent was sure that the poor idiot thought she had bagged the position.

"I really should stop using sarcasm," she muttered to herself and took a deep breath. She looked at the clock at her sidewall and it was going on two in the afternoon. Of course, it was the afternoon slump, made that much worse when she didn't get to finish her morning coffee. She needed her caffeine. Maybe she would be able to finish out the last of those waiting at the front of the office and go home just a bit early. She steadied herself and walked to her office door. She peeked out and saw no one left.

"Where is everyone else?" she asked at the desk closest to her.

Balthazar looked up at her with a stern smile on his face, "The last one told them that they may as well leave because she was offered the position."

"Fat chance," Maleficent frowned, "Make sure that she never comes back into this office. I fear that her idiocy may spread."

"Consider it done."

"Excuse me, I am looking for DaFey?" a voice called from the front of the open office space.

Maleficent walked out from her office completely to the front where the man she had saved earlier in the day stood at the front of the office with a coffee cup in each hand.

He smiled as he caught her eyes, "Ah! Miss DaFey, I assume?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked and walked to him.

"To pay you back. It's not as much as it should be, but I should at least replace your coffee," he offered and pushed the cup in his left hand toward her.

She looked at the cup, gave the blend a sniff and then took a sip. Her eyes widened as it was perfect. She looked from the cup back to him, "How did you know?"

"You left your cup, remember? Seems like you are a regular at the Rowen Tree?" he asked as he took a sip of his own coffee, "They seem to remember you well."

"I won't ask in what light," she muttered and paused, "Thank you. The coffee is much appreciated. You're very clever to figure it out. Not many people know of my particularities."

"That's true," Robin said as he shuffled files behind her. It earned him a small glare which he refused to acknowledge.

"Well, that's me, clever," he shrugged his shoulders.

"What is it you do, Mister...?" she asked and hesitated as she didn't know his name.

"Call me Diaval," he offered with a tip of his head, "I am actually looking for a position at the moment. Have experience in paralegal work, but apparently not enough to impress."

"There are more things to impress with other than experience," she said and bit at the inside of her cheek in thought, "Follow me."

He stood a little shocked as she quickly turned on her heel and headed back toward her office. He looked at her and then at his own shoes.

"She isn't the type you keep waiting," Robin said from his desk.

Diaval nodded and walked briskly after the woman.

"Please take a seat," Maleficent offered as she rounded her small desk.

"You are hiring?"

"Conveniently, it would seem," she nodded and looked at him, "You hesitated when we first met. Cut yourself short when you first saw me."

"Oh that?" he chuckled and rubbed at the back of his head at the small lump that formed, "Yeah, was not really expecting to hit face-first into a street sign in front of a beautiful lady."

"Flattery does nothing for me."

"Obviously, but I'm a bit of a charmer. Follows my cleverness. Can't do anything for it," he let out a breath as if it were a burden and pulled at his bag to produce his paperwork. He handed her the resume and everything else that other law offices had asked of him.

"So... you aren't afraid of me?" she asked and glanced over his paperwork.

"Terrified if I ever were on the opposing team in the courtroom. You've torn through the toughest cases with ease. I had watched quite a few of them," he offered and waited until she looked back at him, "But personally and professionally?"

She only nodded.

"I can't very well fear someone who would come to help a perfect stranger from their own idiocy and a truck. You're more than many people take you for. I respect you, but I don't know if I can come to fear you."

"As I said, would you have rather that I had left you in the roadway?"

"Others may have. I know Stefan Barnhand would have."

She sat straighter, "What do you know of Stefan?"

"Poor presence in the courts, but has an eye for large or profitable cases," Diaval nodded at his short assessment, "Also has an eye for hiring to a point. I didn't make the cut for a paralegal in the offices, but I am sure that I dodged a bullet. If he makes partner, I feel like the offices may be a bit done for. He has offered me work here and there if he needs a runner on cases, but I know my worth and it is more than that."

"Indeed you are," she nodded and leaned back in her chair as she looked him over again, "You're hired."

"For what exactly did I sign myself up for?" he asked as he shook her hand.

"Paralegal if needed, but my personal assistant on cases prep, or anything that I may need," she offered.

"You saved my life," he smirked and leaned back to sit into his chair again, "I am here for whatever you may need."


Months went by like clockwork. In a short amount of time, it seemed like the two of them had worked side by side for years. Maleficent would wake up, head to the coffee shop, where Diaval would already be waiting with both their coffees in hand. Hers would always still be pipping hot no matter if she was running early, late or right on time. She didn't know how he did it, but she let it lay.

He was the best paralegal she had ever had. He was able to dive into details never sought out before and tear through the law books to find what was needed in their favor. His tenacity was almost as equal as her own and she was thankful for it. He also pushed her views further than before. Where others would let her do what she wanted, he actually made her question herself. In many ways it was exasperating, but it did make her better at her job. She needed it as it was never provided before, she was never challenged in such a way. Not even by Stefan. It became refreshing. There she realized that it wasn't that she wanted to be feared, she wanted to be respected and built up instead of constantly torn down.

Cases that did not run smoothly made her a little more than irritable and others knew to stay out of her way. She would have scared off any other assistant by the numerous tantrums that she threw, but he stayed by her side despite her tirades. When she offered to toss him through her window one day after a particularly bad day in court, he offered to do it himself with a smile.

"That... won't be necessary," she muttered and cooled down by the time they left the office that night.

"As you command, Mistress."

"Mistress? Really?" she frowned at the nickname, but it was too late. It stuck.

"I feel like it fits you quite well," he offered.

"I'm sorry for my temper. I can't lose you," she said softer than she meant to. She saw his face soften just slightly and she turned from him, "Who else would be able to pull your workload and keep that vexing positive attitude?"

"Don't pretend you don't like it. I'm the highlight of your day. Admit it."

"Only because you bring me my coffee."

"I will take it!" he smiled with a cheer.


A year into Diaval's involvement, a high profile case was dropped into their lap. A low wage worker at a top box store was injured along with a few half a dozen others because of their boss and company's low standards of safety. Maleficent almost waved the case away, until Diaval pointed out that the court system isn't just about criminals. It's about the innocents too. Maleficent, though reluctantly, took the case.

She readied her materials and Diaval carried along beside her on the way to the courthouse. They would be with their clients and face the accused for the first time. Maleficent looked at the news trucks at the side of the building. Another first for her. The case would be televised.

"You better be right about this," she warned him.

"I know you better than you know yourself now. You can handle this and I will be right there with you," he reminded her and bumped her shoulder with his own to remind her of his proximity, "Always will be."

They walked into the courtroom, their clients already set in their place. Maleficent then turned to the other team and nearly doubled over. None other than Perceforest Law were at the table and their new partner at the front.

Diaval caught her arm discretely and pulled her up next to him as if she had tripped, "Don't let them see you waiver, remember?"

She took a breath and with a subtle nod she walked to her table to talk over the primary notes on the case before they began. Before everyone was settled none other than Stefan walked to the table and smiled down at Maleficent.

"I see that you've been making strides, Mal," he offered and leaned on her table.

"I saw that you got partner, congratulations," she answered back and looked up at him with a calm mask, "It only took a year, a marriage and a stolen case to do so."

"Don't be angry that I outmaneuvered you," he smirked even though she knew she hit a soft spot by the twitch of his right eye. A tell that he never fully got rid of.

"No Stefan, you slipped it out from under me during the same time you said you loved me," she said evenly. Diaval looked from her to their counter council and then back again, things shifted into place. She always had told him that she had a past with Stefan, but would never elaborate and he knew better not to ask. Now as he saw them face to face for the first time, he knew more than she could have ever told him. She cleared her throat and shook her head, "The past is the past. Let's not make this personal. I am here for my clients who are injured and in need of reparations. You are our counter council. That is the extent of our relationship, Mr. Barnhand. Let's leave it at that, please."

Stefan gritted his teeth, his jaw tightening. He had hoped to spook her somehow. It didn't work and he knew it. He pushed back from the table and looked at Diaval, "And who is this?"

"I can speak for myself, thank you," Diaval stood from his chair and blocked Stefan from Maleficent, "I am the paralegal and assistant on this case. I would have introduced myself earlier, but you were too focused on trying to intimidate my boss. You will have to try better than that. She's stronger than you think."

Stefan scoffed at him, took a slight look at Maleficent and then turned to his desk, "Let's see about that."

The case was a tough one to fight. The big box company had a lot of ground covered, had a few tricks that Maleficent and Diaval didn't see coming. It beat them down, but they weren't out yet. With the case almost lost, they hit a breakthrough at the end of the third day. Maleficent turned on her desk lamp and yawned before she ran through the case log again. She knew it would be a long night if she were to pull this off.

She looked up at Diaval for a fleeting moment and sighed, "You may go home, Diaval. I am sure I can finish it from here in time for court tomorrow."

He looked at her for a long moment before he shuffled on his jacket and headed toward the door. A part of her chest constricted as she heard the door close at the front. It wasn't like him to just walk away from a challenge like the current one, but it looked like even he had enough of her. She wasn't to her best with Stefan at the other desk. The last time that they were in a courtroom together, they were at the same table. It shook her more than what she wanted to admit. Diaval probably saw it more than anyone and was tired of it. With a shake of her head, she focused on the files underhand. She had to finish this case strong.

Fifteen minutes later the door opened again with Diaval and two large cups of coffee. He put one by her hand and the other he immediately sipped from. Without another word, he plopped down into the chair next to her, put his cup down and grabbed the file under the one she had at hand. She stared at him for a moment or two more before she took a deep breath.

"I thought that you went home."

"And miss the fun?" he asked and flipped open to the page he needed, "I'll stay."

"You know I am not at my best," she stared at him long and hard, "Haven't been this whole case."

"Which is why you have me," he countered as he flicked his eyes up to hers, "For whatever you may need."

Her lips quirked up into a hint of a smile before she took her first sip of coffee, "As you wish."

"Can I ask you something that may cross a line?"

"When has that stopped you before?" she asked with a sigh and put down her coffee. She turned to him and nodded, "Go ahead."

"What about him makes you so shaky?" he asked and leaned toward her just slightly.

"History mostly," she looked down at her hands and she thought over her relationship failure, "He was bright, a people person- of which I am not- and he didn't fear me. I seem to overwhelm people when they first meet me."

"Only those who are too weak-willed," Diaval waved off her negative comments.

"He didn't seem like others. He charmed me and the way that he could handle prep work and people, and me- I thought we were a match. And he let me believe it. Then he took what he wanted from our case files and left after five years for the best opportunity he could. He told me that it was love," she paused and looked back to the files as if to end the conversation, "If that is what love is, it is only for fools."

"It wasn't."

She looked back at him to find him staring straight at her. His eyes unwavering and willing her to hear him, "What?"

"That wasn't love," Diaval said in a certain tone.

"And you would know how?"

"I may be a charmer and a bit of a flirt when it comes to the opposite sex, but I know something as serious as love," he explained and tilted his head in thought of how to approach it, "Love is something grand and amazing. It can overwhelm you into not seeing things that are there and for seeing things that aren't. It's something that can skew your thoughts and feelings. It's also something that can clear your mind and see a person for who they truly are and not for what they paint themselves to be. Beauty that is missed by all others can be spotted by those in love. It opens yourself to hurt, yeah, but it also opens yourself to be loved and accepted for who you are."

Maleficent took a moment for his words to encompass her and then she breathed out a small laugh, "She's very lucky."

"Who?" Diaval leaned back a little.

"The one you love," she said with a small smile, "Does she know?"

"Not a clue," he huffed out a chuckle and turned from her back to the files, "Not to worry, doesn't interfere with work. I don't think it ever will."

"It may. Not all women want to share their partners," Maleficent took her coffee to sip at the hot substance to warm the sudden cold feeling in her chest.

"She doesn't see me as such, so it's a moot point."

"Then she is the fool."

"A beautiful one at that," he nodded as he took a look at her for a moment longer than he should have. She felt her cheeks begin to flush as he turned away once more to the file in his hand. He took a deep breath, "So, how are we going to serve defeat to the braggart that is Stefan Barnhand?"

"With that which he doesn't wield well... the truth."

The next evening was spent at the local bar with the rest of the team from Moors. The case was finally won, with nothing but a statement that was falsified and documented. They had found it and presented it in a way that made it perfectly clear that not only was the company liable, they were also found to be at fault for multiple other reckless acts.

"To a flawless win!" Robin cheered and lifted his bottle with the rest of the group.

"I would not say it was flawless," Maleficent admitted, but still tapped her glass with the others. She smiled genuinely at the table and at Diaval who sat right next to her. He had his arm over the back of her chair as he laughed and cheered with the rest of them, "But very well deserved."

"Deserved is not the word I would choose," a voice said from behind her.

The whole table went silent as she turned to find Stefan behind her, a small shot of whiskey in hand.

"Then you weren't watching the same case," Robin chimed in, "They beat you."

"Just wait for my appeal."

"On what grounds?" Diaval was the one to answer that time.

"Diaval, don't mind him," Maleficent sighed and pulled at his jacket, "He isn't worth it."

"Be that as it may, I have had enough," Diaval stood from his chair to be eye to eye with the man, "I am not a violent individual, but your capacity to feel like you are deserved a victory just on the grounds of being you astounds me to the point of wanting to be."

"What, you are her guard dog now?"

"She doesn't need one," he shook his head, "She can do that all on her own. I wouldn't dare step in on that. This is for me and what I think. You lost your case, you lost fairly. She beat you. Everyone who worked on the case did. And I think what is really bothering you is not so much the defeat in court, but she defeated you personally. She thrived on her own when you needed to lean on the marriage to the other partner's daughter. You needed to resort to trickery to grab a case that she originally caught, where she worked diligently and hard to be who she is in the courtroom- of which you cannot compare. She is her own strong, honest, beautiful person. You, on the other hand, will always look for the easy way to your goals- no matter how underhanded that may be."

"How dare you!" Stefan poked him in the chest as his whiskey sloshed in his glass, "What are you a glorified messenger boy!?"

"No, that is what you wanted him to be," Maleficent said calmly as she stood from her chair and next to Diaval. She didn't raise her voice, didn't start one of her famous tantrums. She only stood next to Diaval and faced Stefan together with him, "I know you don't remember him. He came to you for a job over a year ago. A job that he fulfilled at my office in spectacular fashion. He is the real reason that you lost, for I could not have done it without him."

"Maleficent-"

"It's true, you opened so many doors and avenues I would not have suspected. Thank you."

"So you have replaced me," Stefan toss back his whiskey and put the glass on the nearest table, "Tell me, how many times did you have to say that you loved her?"

"Not a one," Maleficent said strongly fighting back the urge to punch the man, "He has earned my trust without flattery or deception."

"Well, I wouldn't say I haven't said it," Diaval let out a breath and took her hand in his, "I may have been holding something back. Remember the one we talked about last night over the case files?"

"I remember," Maleficent narrowed her eyes in thought.

"It was you," Diaval shrugged a bit helpless at that point, "It was always you from the moment that you peeled me off the pavement that morning. I have said that I loved you in every way that I could since then."

"The coffee?" she asked as a guess.

"Every morning and sometimes afternoons," he nodded.

"The overnights working on cases where you wouldn't leave my side?"

"You may have been an incentive to stay."

She finally smiled and looked down in embarrassment, "The time you offered to toss yourself out the window so I wouldn't toss you myself?"

He chuckled at her smile and squeezed her hand to get her to look at him, "I knew you would regret it in the morning."

She looked up at him, her smile still on her face. She looked deep into his dark, black eyes and without knowing at what point she had fallen, she simply realized that she had. With a huff of resignation, she bit her lip and said, "It's not as much of a moot point as you may think. What a fool I am."

"So you have replaced me," Stefan said again.

"No, what we had was never love, Stefan. I can see that now. And I can see you for what you were and what you are," Maleficent paused as she looked at her past, "I haven't replaced you. I just fell in love. File your appeal. We will be waiting."

Stefan looked back and forth between her and Diaval for a moment before he finally turned and left the bar. As he left, their small table erupted with cheer and laughter once more.

"So, what's next then? Do I hear wedding bells?" Robin asked and nudged at Balthazar who rolled his eyes as he drank his drink.

"I don't know, I haven't asked yet," Diaval smiled and looked at Maleficent who had yet to drop his hand. He pulled her closer to him by the hand and wrapped her in a close embrace around her waist, "Let me say it this time. I love you."

She smiled brightly and pushed some of his hair from his face, "Let me mean it this time. I love you, too."