A/N: Thanks for all the lovely comments and reviews. This combines a few little ideas I had so hope you like it.
Chicago, January 2013.
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I Gotta Feeling (Black Eyed Peas)
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Being offered partnership is a triumphal, monumental moment in a lawyer's career, a moment to remember and celebrate. Diane and Will were beginning to capture these moments with the five fourth years they decided to offer equity partnership to. Today, they would speak to Alicia.
As he showered, Will thought about how Alicia would react later that day when she was offered the opportunity. As named partners, he and Diane would speak to each associate and he hoped to avoid having to mention the capital contribution - he liked to be good cop, rather than bad cop. He hoped she would be happy, maybe so overjoyed, she would hug him. He smiled to himself at that thought, it had been a long time since he'd felt an emotional response from her or held her, but more likely, as Diane would be there, she wouldn't. Or she would hug Diane if she hugged anyone. He ran his hand through his hair, looking up towards the shower, arghh, he liked making women happy, and hopefully today he would make Alicia happy. He liked it when she smiled, her face lit up, and in turn, so did his. Today would be a good day.
…..
Alicia was overjoyed. Diane told her to celebrate, to do something she would never do. She said when Stern offered her partnership she went to the track! Will had forgotten that she'd mentioned that when she later offered him partnership.
Flashback
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Don't Stop Believin' (Journey)
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Diane called David's office, excited and a little scared about the future, she had just been offered partnership by Jonas Stern. Partnership. She had made it. She would be one of the first female partners of a top ten firm in Chicago. She smiled to herself as she waited for his secretary to transfer the call.
"Diane, hi, is everything OK?" he asked as he came on the line.
"Oh yes," she smiled, the happiness coming through in her voice, "everything is wonderful! What are you doing tomorrow?"
"Why?" he queried, wondering what she had in mind.
"Whatever is in your diary, clear it, we're going on an adventure!" she said, excitedly.
He laughed, "Well, it is Saturday, and Angie is at a sports camp with her friends, so, yes, I'm free!"
"Fabulous!"
"Dee, are you going to tell me what we're doing, or keep me in suspense?"
"Oh, I want it to be a surprise, but dress semi-smart, not court smart, just what you'd wear on a Saturday, and bring a coat, it could be chilly! I'll pick you up at eleven," she answered.
"OK," he chuckled, "Anything I should bring?"
"Cash. Hard cash," she answered.
"Are you taking me to a strip joint? Will I be needing small bills to tuck into your décolletage?" he joked.
Diane flung her head back and cackled with laughter, spinning on her chair, "That would be something we haven't done before!"
…..
Will had told Alicia he'd gone windsurfing. Unsuccessfully.
Flashback
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The One and Only (Chesney Hawkes)
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"Oh, come on! You can't be good at this too," he yelled at her, bobbing up and down in the water next to his board, as Angela managed to stay upright and sail into the surf.
When they were back on dry land, looking out towards Lake Michigan, he asked, "Sure you haven't done this before?"
"No, not windsurfing, but I have surfed a bit, when I was younger at Gran and Grandpa's place in Cornwall," she replied.
"Cheat!" he exclaimed.
She laughed, "It's different, but maybe I'm just better at it," teasing him and tracing her finger in circles on his bare chest. "Ha! But I'm the better lawyer," he chuckled.
"Now, what else can we do to celebrate," she asked coyly.
"I'm sure I'll think of something," he replied, tugging at the zip on her wetsuit.
…
Chicago, February 2013.
Will walked through Angela's apartment, following the music and sound of rapidly running water to her bedroom en-suite. "Hey," he said softly, opening the door and putting his head into the steamy bathroom. "Hi," she replied, "good day?"
He winced and sucked in air, "Not the best, we have to rescind, or postpone, the offer of equity partnership to the associates," he said, sighing and sitting down on top of her hamper.
"Including Alicia?" she asked, rubbing shampoo into her hair.
"Yeah," he confirms, "and Cary, so we won't be popular."
"Ouch! Is this coming from the trustee or David Lee?"
"Bingo, David Lee! He and Howard proposed it and it got voted on."
"They won't like it - five of them right?" Angela rinsed her hair and began to enjoy the hot water running down her body. She wondered if Will would join her, he wasn't happy, maybe she could cheer him up.
"Yeasssh, five. Five people's dreams we just killed. Five people we pissed off."
"Can't you get them to join this year, won't it bring capital?"
"We could, but the existing partners don't want to share and there was serious opposition. Diane didn't want to. She was the only hold out in the vote."
She sighed, "OK. Hope it isn't too hostile."
"I don't think I can bring myself to tell them, especially Alicia. It is business, but will seem personal. Arghhh," he screamed half mocking, "Anyway, how was your day?" as he ran his hand through his hair, trying to relieve some of his stress.
"Good, actually. Really good," she replied. "Do you remember Billy Kronk?"
Will pursed his lips in thought, shook his head, "No, don't think I do, have I met him? Why?"
"He's Diane Grad's husband. ER doc. Plays in a rock band," she proffered.
"Yeah, I remember now, he's pretty good on bass," he replied.
"He's a great physician and general surgeon, but yeah, rock n roll you remember," she teased.
He laughed, "Anyway, why is he important to tonight's bedtime story?"
"He's involved in a number of overseas projects with Doctors Without Borders and he's asked me go with him on his next trip, it's really exciting, something that will really make a difference," she explained.
"Ohh kaaay," he answered, "when, where?" he stammered looking up at her.
"Possibly Africa, but more likely Syria."
"SYRIA!" He exclaimed, crossing the room, "You're not going to Syria," he shouted, his breath condensing on the glass shower door as he looked her in the eyes.
"It won't be for at least six months, maybe a year."
"I don't care," his voice still raised, "I don't want you going to Syria. We had a case last year involving Syria. It is dangerous, there is conflict, foreigners, even aid workers are abducted and injured. You could be killed," she could sense the panic and concern in his voice.
"You know they take pretty good care of doctors out there, I'm not going to be in danger," she protested.
He sighed, opened the door and got in the shower with her, fully clothed. "Ange," he began, water dripping down him, soaking his white dress shirt so it stuck to his toned chest, "I love that you want to get involved and help, but please, please, think about it more. I don't want you to be in danger. In areas of conflict, you could be shot or blown up by a landmine," he explained his concern, taking hold of her arms, "I know you have trouble saying 'no', but take time and do the necessary research, don't just say yes to Billy." He was pleading with her now.
Recognising his worry and fear, she agreed, "Stop overreacting! Yes, of course I won't go blindly into anything. And don't worry, I'm not gonna get shot, people don't just shoot doctors," she countered.
"People who are terrified or fighting for their freedom will shoot anybody, even doctors, even when they have a red cross on their uniform," he said, closing the gap between them and holding her, the hot water soaking them. "Scared people are like bulls, and your red cross won't help you if a bull charges." He held her tight, standing there together for a moment, not saying anything. Eventually she said, "Promise I'll be safe," and in response, he moved his hands up her body until he was cupping her face, "Good, I couldn't cope if anything happened to you," he said softly before kissing her passionately.
Lying on her bed together, still damp from the shower, and tired from two rounds of enjoyable sex, Will asks for her help.
"We're planning a mock trial, Diane and I against Alicia and Cary, for the Thief drink case. We start tomorrow. I need a bit more about the effects of the stimulants in the drink. Kalinda has some information, but I have a few questions my tame doc might know the answers to," he asked.
"You only want me for my brain," she joked, running her fingers through his damp hair.
"Naturally," he chuckled, "well, that and the shower sex." She laughed with him as he turned to kiss her.
"You need to talk to Alicia about the partnership," she said, "explain, make it right."
He closed his eyes and sighed, "How? How do I shatter her dreams? She was struggling to get the capital contribution but had found a way. Being on the partner track is important to her," he paused, "and the other associates," he acquiesced, "but she feels she is behind because of her time away from the law and needs to catch up, this just adds to that" he replied.
"Could you not make her a partner, because of seniority?" she questioned.
"She's not senior though, just older," he pointed out.
"But she graduated when you did, she worked before she had kids, doesn't that count for something?" she continued to muzz his hair.
He let out a shallow breath, "Not really," he said sadly, "in terms of Lockhart Gardner, she is a fourth year, her previous experience - two years basically, so not that much - doesn't count."
"They'll know why you are removing partnership."
"Delaying, not removing," he corrected her.
"They won't see it like that. It will be a betrayal, going back on your word. If they thought they were being offered it just to dig the firm out of a hole, they definitely will know it now," she said.
"Yes," he sighed, "it won't matter to Alicia that I didn't vote, that I wasn't even in the room when the vote took place," his voice trailed off.
"You, by association, took it away."
"Postponed," he replied.
"Yeah, whatever," she laughed.
"Arghhhh, Ange," he moved to lie on his side, propping himself up on his elbow to look at her, "she's gonna hate me, they're all gonna hate us, but she's gonna hate me. I don't want her to hate me."
"I could say hate is too strong a word, but I think in this case, it is perhaps justified. You need to explain, especially to Alicia. You have history and she trusts you. Don't let that trust slip away."
"It's not as bad as sucking the toes of a prostitute though," he smirked.
"Thank God for that. If you were Peter Florrick I wouldn't be here," she replied, hitting him in the face with a throw pillow. He laughed, "Right, Janie, time to help me with my homework, I'll get my notes for court," as he leapt out of bed.
"You coming back here or shall I come out there?" she yelled after him.
"One thing at a time, first you help me prepare for mock trial, then we'll get to that," he laughed cheekily.
A/N: I think we all know what happened during the mock trial… I covered the aftermath in No. 27 (Chapter 26).
