N: Hello there. I know it's been a while since a posted anything with these two, but hopefully you are still around and you will like this.
Don't forget to review and make my day 😊
Dream Team
Alicia was excited. She was also rather nervous. She kept crossing and uncrossing her legs underneath the table. Her meeting wasn't for another thirty minutes, yet she was already in the conference room. As she was re-arranging her notes, Carry walked by. She waved at him. He raised his eyebrows and walked inside the room.
"Aren't you a little early?" he asked. He had a certain smirk on his face that showed his very young age. She realized he always made fun of her for being early. Apparently showing up fifteen minutes early to meetings was no longer 'in style' these days.
Alicia smiled. "Yes, but this is Charles Ruston we're talking about here. He owns the Chicago Bulls and the White Pandas. They could bring in fifteen to twenty million a year in revenue. They are suing EnerGMax for selling them faulty gym equipment which lead to the injury of five of the players from the Bulls and three from the Pandas. Also, several other employees with access to their gym have been injured. They are asking for fifty million in damages. I think we can get at least thirty," Alicia explained. Her young partner's eyes opened wide. "Several of these players make an average of four hundred thousand to half a million per game," Carry frowned at her last statement. "Yes, I did the math, it comes to almost ten thousand per minute."
Carry let out a long whistle. "Damn! I was actually a pretty good soccer player as a kid. I should've stuck with that."
"Actually, basketball has the highest average pay. However the richest individual players in the world are soccer players."
The young man opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment Alicia's secretary walked in. "The pastries, fruits and drinks are here. You said you wanted to take a look before bringing them in," she said. Alicia nodded and rushed out. Cary followed her outside. He stole a croissant and left wishing her good luck. Everything looked mouthwatering. Satisfied, she returned inside the conference room. Ten minutes later Mr. Ruston walked in with a surprise.
"Will?" she asked in astonishment.
"Hello Mrs. Florrick," he said with a smirk. Her stomach quivered. Somehow, Will Gardner could make her last name sound like an insult. Which was ironic considering in the not so distant past, he could also make her first name sound like a metaphor for happiness. It was remarkable how quickly and drastically things could change. And Damnit, how long was it going to take before she no longer had butterflies in her stomach at the sight of him? Not to mention how much she missed him. Alicia had trouble believing she had actually gone almost fourteen years without Will Gardner in her life. Despite their animosity, if more than a few days passed without seeing him, she got restless and irritable. It. Was. Pathetic.
"I am sorry Mr. Ruston but I was under the impression that you are looking for representation," she said with a smile. She might be going through a little bit of a confused panic episode inside, but Alicia had learned long ago not to show her emotions. She couldn't let Will's presence throw her off her game. No matter how many giant butterflies were running wild in her belly, she had to stay focused. Her law firm was depending on it. People were depending on her.
"Please call me Charles," he said offering his hand.
"Alicia."
"Alicia," he repeated her name. For the tiniest of seconds Alicia wished to hear Will utter her name. She wished she could hear him whisper it in her ear the way he used to. The way that always send a shiver up her spine. "Yes, to answer your question, I am looking for representation. I am looking for a team. I have my quarterback for the offence." He said taking a quick glance in Will's direction. She unconsciously did the same. It felt as if someone had briefly electrocuted her heart. "Now I am looking for a pass rusher for the defense. Now, with your… reputation, I am guessing we won't have a problem throwing the opposition off the game," he explained. "I have done my homework. I know you two used to work together, so I thought you shouldn't have a problem doing so again."
"No sir," Will said.
Alicia clenched and unclenched her fists but smiled politely. "Of course not."
"Excellent," Mr. Ruston said enthusiastically. "Let's get started then!" he urged.
Will made his way around by passing behind her. He brushed her arm slightly with his. The familiar smell of his cologne reached her nostrils. Something like a lightning bold went through her entire body. It had been a while since she and Will had been close enough to touch. The fact that he still affected her this much angered her. She knew it wasn't fair of her to be angry at him because of how she felt about him, but it was her only defense.
After twenty short minutes, Charles Ruston stood up from the table and told Will and Alicia to go on without him.
"Did you know?" Alicia asked as soon as she and Will were left alone in the room.
"What, that it was you? No," he answered without looking up from his papers. "Not until we drove here. He never referred to you by name. He just said that now that he had someone aggressive and heartless like me, he needed someone a little softer," he looked up at her. Alicia wished he hadn't. There was so much dislike in his eyes. Even though she had yet to admit this to anyone else, she at least admitted it to herself. Having Will Gardner hating her, knowing that she had hurt him…it was killing her inside. And how did this guy dare to think of Will Gardner as heartless? Only people who had no idea who Will was could think of him that way. Alicia however knew better. "If he would've told me it was you, I would've told him that if heartless was what he is looking for, between the two of us, you would be the winner."
Alicia clenched her teeth, but her expression remained unchanged as always. His words had hurt. His words always managed to have an effect on her. Be that to make her feel better, feel calmer or hurt her.
"Oh please would you let it go. As I keep telling you, it had been a business decision."
"You should've told me Damnit! If you were unhappy and wanted to leave, you should've just come to me. I wouldn't have kept you by force or guilt-trip you into changing your mind. Not my style and you know it. That's more your husband_"
"How dare you?" she nearly yelled. Alicia was fuming inside. Not because the statement wasn't true, but because, in so many ways, it was. Peter had told her repeatedly how he needed her, how he will lose his career without her and her support. He had even used their children to get her to stick by him. Told her he had changed and deserved a chance.
"How dare I?" he asked with an ironic laugh. "Don't tell me you are still with the guy because you love him."
"How do you know I am not?"
Will stood up from the chair and leaned over, looking her straight in the eyes. Alicia swallowed with difficulties. "Please, look me in the eye and tell me you are still in love with Peter. Lie to me, I dare you. It's not as if you haven't done it before."
"I…" she started weakly. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her palms got sweaty. Hell, she couldn't. She couldn't lie to him. Not that she didn't love Peter. She did. He was her husband and the father of her children. But Alicia wasn't by Peter's side out of love. "I never lied to you. I just kept something from you."
"Hm, now I understand why you forgive him and stood by him. Because according to your theory, he never actually lied to you. After all, I bet he never came to you and said: I am not sleeping with prostitutes. Right? So he never actually lied, he just kept the fact that he was cheating on you_"
Slam.
Alicia kept herself together long enough to walk into her private bathroom. As soon as she locked the door behind her, tears started pouring from her eyes. "Damn you Will Gardner," she murmured to herself doing her best to wipe her tears without completely ruining her make-up.
***Dream Team***
Will really thought he had calmed down from his unexpected meeting with the first lady of Illinois. Turned out he hadn't. On his way to his office he had yelled at three people, making one of them cry. He made a quick mental note to send Muriel a fruit arrangement or something to make up for it.
He had only been in his office ten minutes when he heard a knock and the door opened. Will wondered briefly who was brave enough to look for him in his office. He didn't have to wonder for long. As he looked up, he saw Kalinda make her way inside. Her expression as aloof and nonchalant as always. Was there anything that threw this woman off?
"You're in a foul mood," she said as she closed the door behind her. Slowly, she made her way closer and took a seat in one of the chairs facing him. "Let me guess," she crossed her legs and got more comfortable in the leather chair. "Might that be because of a certain brunette we both know?"
"Do you need something?" he asked.
Kalinda smirked. "I'll take that as a yes. Want to talk about it?"
"We have to work together… it's a big case and I am pretty sure we are going to kill each other," he said in one breath. There was definitely something about Kalinda Sharma that made people want to spill their guts to her. Yet Will trusted her. There weren't many people he trusted and his star investigator was one of them. They had simply been through too much for him not to trust her. And he liked to think that she came to trust him as well. Or at least he hoped. Most of the time she was fine, but Will could catch glimpses of the sadness within. He knew that sadness well, because deep down he felt it too. It was loneliness.
"Looks like one of you already started," Kalinda said raising an eyebrow. Instinctively, Will caressed his right cheek. She slapped him good. "What did you say?"
He shrugged. "Nothing that wasn't the truth."
The young woman frowned. "It must've been bad for her to lose her temper. The woman has control and discipline cursing through her veins."
"It doesn't matter. What matters is that it's not going to work. What was he thinking?"
"By 'he,' I assume you mean Charles Ruston?"
Will looked once again away from his papers and straight into Kalinda's eyes. "How did you know, he only met with me this morning. You weren't even here."
Kalinda shrugged. "I just know things. Ruston operates this way every time. He hires from two rival law firms. Almost always he requests a named partner. It's like a test for him. Whoever he thinks did better he usually keeps as his legal representation for about two years."
"I suppose his strategy is as good as any," Will mumbled. "I want him," he proceeded after a minute of silence. "I want to win."
"I thought you might," she said with a smile. She pulled a yellow envelope from the inside packet of her jacket.
Will returned her smile. "You've got something on EnerGMax?"
Kalinda simply nodded and handed Will the envelope. She waited patiently for him to read it through.
"Do you know why they dropped the charges?" he asked.
"Not yet, but I will find out. So stop throwing tantrums, we've got this," she said standing up. Just as she was about to reach the door, Will spoke making her stop in her tracks.
"A part of me wants to send you to her with this information. How stupid does that make me?"
The young investigator smiled sadly to herself before turning around. "Will, I don't think this makes you stupid at all. Her on the other hand…"
"Thanks," he said softly.
She gave him one short nod and stormed out of his office. It was about time Kalinda had a chat with the first lady of Illinois.
***Dream Team***
As she entered the building and made her way towards Florrick Agos & Associates, Kalinda was pretty much enraged with her former best friend. As she reached Alicia's office, Kalinda got in without knocking. She slammed the door behind her so hard the glass shook.
Alicia looked up from her files before Kalinda reached her office because she had heard her secretary tell someone that Mrs. Florrick was not to be disturbed. She watched calmly as Kalinda disregarded the woman and practically stormed into the room. The young woman was fuming, that much Alicia could tell. She didn't think she had ever seen Kalinda so furious since she met her.
"Kalinda, is there something I can do for you?" she asked, doing her best to maintain her composure.
"I just…I don't understand you."
"Excuse me?"
"Why?" Kalinda asked as if Alicia didn't speak. "Why would you betray someone who helped you and supported you and cares for you? And why on Earth would you go back to your cheating, manipulative, power hungry husband?"
Alicia swallowed and put her hands together, letting her fingers intertwine. Now she was starting to understand. "I am guessing this is about Will?" Alicia asked.
"Yes. No. It's… I just don't understand. At first, I thought Will had this unrequited thing for you. But then I realized, it wasn't actually unrequited," Kalinda stopped for a few seconds and simply looked at Alicia. Her expression remained unchanged. "Was it?" she asked. Once again, Kalinda was paying attention to the woman in front of her. She was watching out for any signs, any micro expressions. She had learned from an early age how to read people. At times, her life had literally depended on this particular skill.
"What does it matter?" Alicia asked.
Avoidance tactic. Kalinda took note. "Humor me?"
Alicia looked down for a split second. Once again, avoidance. "No," she answered feebly. "Not entirely unrequited."
"I thought so," she whispered. Alicia gave a soft shrug. "And then I watch you struggle. Struggle with the fact that you liked him. You wanted him. It was starting to feel like more than a little crush you might've felt in college, wasn't it?" immediately, Kalinda noticed Alicia's jaw clench.
"Maybe," the older woman said through her teeth.
Kalinda smirked. "Yet you let yourself get pressured into going back to your cheating husband. I don't know if you did it out of duty, guilt or simply out of fear."
"Fear?" Alicia asked with a frown.
"It's one of the most common reason why people do the things they do. Very powerful. People stay in shitty relationships for years because of fear. Fear of being alone. Fear of hurting the children. Fear of the unknown. Fear of opening up with someone new of being hurt again. Fear."
Alicia licked her lips but remained quiet.
"Eventually you separated from Peter. I am guessing it was when you found out he slept with me," Kalinda went on. Alicia nodded subtly. "So, you finally allowed yourself to go after something you wanted. You allowed yourself to be with Will. Now, I don't think you actually let yourself think about it. About what it meant. About what your relationship with Will was. But to those around you that know you and could see you, it was obvious. You were like a different person. Stronger, more confident. Hell you were glowing. You were…happy."
Alicia pursed her lips. It was taking all the self-control she ever possessed not to lose it and burst into tears. Happy? She had been euphoric. The little time they had together had been the happiest she had ever been. He had given her everything she could ever dream. Things she hadn't known she wanted until Will gave them to her.
"And then," Kalinda went on. Her voice softened a little. "Then you not only gave it up, gave him up, but you pushed him away, you hurt him and betrayed him. He didn't deserve that Alicia."
"Hurting him had never been my intention," Alicia said in a whisper.
"What was your intention?"
Alicia smiled sadly. "To get away."
"Get away from what?" Kalinda pushed. Because Kalinda Sharma always had to push. Always pressing on just the right buttons until something happened.
"Get away from how I felt about him." Kalinda frowned. Alicia shrugged. "I never said it had been a good decision. Now if you don't mind, I have work to do," she said and put her glasses back on, pulling a pile of papers in front of her.
Resigned, Kalinda turned around. She took only three small steps towards the door before stopping and turning towards her former best friend once more. "I gave him something for the case. Something that could potentially help him win the case. You know what his first instinct had been?" she asked looking Alicia straight in the eyes. Just as the former opened her mouth to say something, the young woman went on. "His first instinct had been to send me to you with the information," Kalinda finished. Once again she noticed Alicia clench her jaw.
Alicia breathe deeply, licked her lips and clenched her left fist before speaking. "As he should. We are working the case together."
Kalinda let out a snort. "Right. Come on Alicia. You must know what that rich bastard wants to do. He wants some of the best lawyers fighting to prove who is better. Who wants it more? If you think it's not a competition, you are mistaken." With that, Kalinda left the office.
Alicia closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands. She massaged her temples for a minute. A quick peek at the watch on her wrist let her know it was only 3PM. Only three in the afternoon and she was already mentally exhausted.
***Dream Team***
Alicia was beside herself. It was already 9PM, they had court tomorrow and Will was an hour late. Just when she decided she had waited enough and reached for the phone to call Will, the elevator doors opened with a loud ding.
Will strolled in leisurely. He walked towards her office as if he owned the place. That arrogance, that male dominance and confidence… no matter how much she might try to deny it, Alicia was very much attracted to it. A particular 'lunch break' they enjoyed in the private bathroom of his office played in her mind.
"Get in here!" Will urged keeping the door to the bathroom open. Alicia bit her lip and made her way inside the room. Seconds later Will followed and closed the door, locking it, behind him. "Are you wearing red underwear like I asked Alicia?" he asked in a raspy voice that made her instantly wet.
"Yes sir," she whispered.
"Lift your skirt all the way to your waist love. Let me see it," he demanded and Alicia immediately followed his command. However, since she liked to tease him almost as much as he liked to tease her, she did so in slow-motion. Once the hem of the skirt was high enough, revealing the red lace of her boy shorts, Will let out a low growl. Alicia let out a soft gasp at the sound. "Teasing me was not part of my request Alicia. Only bad girls tease. Have you been a bad girl?" he asked through his teeth.
"Yes sir."
"And what do bad girls get?"
"They get disciplined," Alicia answered. She was looking down at her feet, head bowed.
"Yes they do," Will confirmed. "Turn around. Palms against the wall," he instructed. Once again Alicia did as told without hesitation. The wall felt hard and cold, yet soothing against her sweaty palms. "Ass up and spread your legs," Will went on, moving towards her for the first time since entering the bathroom. Alicia could feel him behind her and when his palm made contact with her right cheek, she gasped loudly. She felt a mixture of pain and pleasure. A combination she never thought could go together. A combination she only experienced with Will. "One more, to make sure you've learned your lesson. Keep your palms against the wall love," he went on before striking the other side of her ass. Alicia closed her eyes and bit her lip to keep from screaming. "As an extra measurement," he said as he proceeded to remove her panties. "I will keep these."
Alicia's eyes opened wide. "Please sir, I have court at 3:30 this after-noon," she pleaded.
Will smirked. He was a twisted man. He must be, because he absolutely loved hearing her beg.
"I am aware. This will teach you to think twice before teasing me Alicia," he said. He bend slightly over her and put his mouth right next to her ear. "You better keep your legs crossed today love," he whispered. Will brushed her hair aside and started kissing her neck, her jaw. His right hand slipped lower and started massaging her butt cheeks. Alicia closed her eyes once more and let the sensations take over. His touch felt so good. She wished his hands were always on her. The man was skilled with his hands. Guitar and piano lessons made him exceptionally good at using his fingers. Speaking of fingers…Alicia let out a long, throaty moan as Will's fingers slipped between her legs and into her hot opening.
Will growled loudly against her skin. "So wet. Always so wet for me."
"Yes," Alicia mumbled absently. Will just added a second finger and was brushing her upper walls making her head spin.
"I was going to wait until we got to my apartment, but I can't," he said. He retracted his fingers. Alicia let out a soft whimper of protest. A second later she heard the unmistakable sound of a belt-buckle being undone. She moved slightly.
"No, don't move," he ordered. She stopped immediately and resumed her position, pushing her butt even further back to give him better access. He filled her slowly. Inch by slow inch until he was all the way in. "Hold on love. I am about to fuck you though that wall," he said. His first thrust took Alicia by surprise, her hands slipped slightly against the tiles.
Will gave Alicia a few seconds to find her footing before resuming his thrusts. Within a few minutes he had her crying out his name and arching her back as she came.
Alicia jumped as the door to her office shut closed. "Sorry, I didn't mean to straddle you," Will said.
"I…" was that her voice? "It's fine," she mumbled. She felt hot and achy. Frowning slightly she wondered if Will noticed. Could he tell she had been day-dreaming about him fucking her into a wall just as he walked into her office? Could he tell that she was soaking wet between her legs right at this moment? Wet for him. Always for him.
"Have I interrupted something?"
'Fuck' she thought. He knew.
"You're an hour late," she pushed.
Will simply shrugged. "I figured, you're not going to share anything new with me. Not until our client heard about it first. So why bother."
"What are you talking about?" she asked. She felt at a disadvantage in the low chair behind the desk, so she stood up.
"Edward Fell ring any bells?"
"Oh please, you could've told me about GoldenAge. I know the owner, I could've talked to him."
"You mean your husband knows the owner?"
"Yes, Peter knows Giovani Pavellio, what difference does it make?"
"Unlike you, I don't like to use people," he said a little louder. Without realizing, they got closer and closer to each other. They were now nearly nose to nose. At the last statement however Alicia took a step back.
"When did I_" she started but Will interrupted her.
"You've used me."
"No I…" she hesitated for a few seconds. Will took advantage of her brief pause to continue talking.
"You took my help when you needed it. You used me to get even when your husband cheated on you," at this statement Alicia's jaw clenched. "And when you didn't need me anymore, you left. As soon as your husband regained power and started paying attention to you again you took your toys and left. I was of no use to you anymore I guess. So for good measure, you decided to twist the knife on your way out," Alicia took another step back. Will followed. "After all, what use could you have possibly have for me? You had the Governor of Illinois back in your bed," Will hissed the last words. Alicia opened her mouth once again to protest, but Will didn't let her. "Tell me," he went on getting even closer to her. "Does he know you like to be dominated in bed?" he asked. Alicia's heart was beating so fast, she was sure it will beat its way out of her chest. "That you get off on being told what to do. He should know. After all, you were always such an obedient little student," he said with a smirk. "Does he know that spot on your lower back that makes you instantly wet? Does he know you haven't had a clitoral orgasm until I touched you?"
"Please," Alicia let out her plea in a shaky breath. Her whole body was shaking with anger and God help her, with want.
"What's the matter love, truth too much for you?" he asked. Alicia closed her eyes for a second but said nothing. "I think you should know the truth. You should know that I had loved you from the moment I met you," Alicia let out a soft cry at his words. As if they hurt her physically. "And now. Hell, now I still love you, but I also hate you."
As she took yet another step back, Alicia felt her back collide with the wall. Nowhere else to go. She was trapped between a very solid wall and a very angry Will Gardner. Each and every one of his words were tearing at her heart. He had loved her. He had loved her and she fucked everything up.
"You know," Will went on. He pressed his palms against the wall, trapping Alicia within his arms. "Part of me wants to get out. Out of this office, out of this town. Get out and never see you again," he said and frowned as he noticed tears in her eyes. "Another part of me wants to wipe away that tear that's about to leave your eye and forgive you for all the hell you put me through," just as he predicted, as soon as she blinked, a large clear teardrop left her right eye. Will lowered his head, lips brushing against her ear shell, he said: "and another part of me. Mostly the part from my waist down," he added. "Well that part wants to tell you to drop to your knees and fuck that pretty mouth of yours until you beg for me."
That was one thing too many. Before thinking of the consequences. Hell, before thinking at all. Alicia stretched her left hand, looped it around Will's neck and pulled his mouth against hers.
She moaned softly into his mouth. To Alicia it felt as if she could finally breathe after months of having a heavy piece of furniture pressed against her chest. Alicia didn't have much experience with drugs. But she assumed they must feel similar to kissing Will Gardner. Every single cell in her body became alert. Every touch and every smell, she could feel it ten times more intense. His arms left the wall to go around her. Palm pressed at the small of her back, another tangled in her hair, pulling her closer.
Alicia was gone for the world. Peter could've been standing in the doorway right at this moment and she wouldn't have been able to stop.
"God I have missed you," she mumbled as she took off his tie. Too impatient to undo them, she pulled at his shirt until the buttons ripped. His belt and pants were next before lifting her skirt to her middle, allowing him to wrap her legs around his hips. Her hands slipped underneath the thin material of his shirt. She took a hold of his shoulders as he pulled her up. Will shoved into her in one deep thrust. Her nails dug into his back and she let out a cry of ecstasy. Once again she was experiencing that balance between intense pleasure and pain that only Will could give her.
It only took three more thrusts before Alicia came so hard her legs shook and her whole body jerked. Will gave her a minute before pulling out and placing her back on her feet. "Bend over the desk, I need to fuck you properly," he ordered through his teeth.
Alicia turned around and let her upper body fall against the wooden desk. Will took off her underwear before grabbing a hold of her hips and burring himself inside her once more. Alicia came two more times before Will followed her. Sweaty and panting, they started putting themselves back together.
"Will we_" Alicia started but Will interrupted her at once.
"Now that we got that out of our system we can get back to work," he said. Alicia stopped re-arranging her shirt and looked at him.
"Will, you can't possibly expect us to just go back to normal now."
"Why not? We've done it before. Going back, pretending nothing happened."
"Well, I can't do it anymore. I can't pretend anymore. I thought if I left…I thought they would go away," she murmured.
Tie in hand, Will looked straight at her. Once again he found tears in her eyes. Once again, they confused him. He had no idea what to do. Was he supposed to comfort her? "What would go away?" he asked with a frown.
"The way I feel about you," she said softly.
Will shook his head. "No, no, no…you…you're back with Peter, you… I can't do this again. You must love him," Will mumbled.
"I do," Alicia admitted softly. "But I love you more," she went on and noticed Will clench his fists. "I tried not to. I tried denying it, pretending it wasn't happening, but I can't…it's…I miss you all the time."
Will closed his eyes and prayed for a straight he knew he didn't have. "Alicia," he started but this time it was her who interrupted him.
"I am sorry. I've been stupid and stubborn and…I am sorry."
He took a few small steps towards the desk and grabbed her hand. "I meant what I said earlier Alicia. I love you but I hate you too. I…I need some time. Maybe a lot of time."
"I understand."
***Dream Team – A few months later***
Alicia was so nervous, she felt nauseous. Her palms were sweaty enough for the leather briefcase to slip from her hand. Any minute now, Will Gardner was going to walk through the door. They haven't seen each other in nearly three months. And they haven't been in the same room since that night four months ago in her office. The night she finally admitted her feelings. The night he told her he loved her…and hated her. Not that she could blame him. She placed the small briefcase on the desk. A lot has changed since then. Especially for her. For one, her name was no longer Florrick.
She was so excited to see him. She had missed him so much. Yes, they were texting and there had been a few calls too. Last week when he told her he was ready for a meeting in person Alicia nearly squealed.
"Hey."
Alicia jumped. When did he come in?
"Hi, I thought you won't be here for another…" she took a quick glance at her wrist. "Oh…fifteen minutes ago," she mumbled. "I guess I lost track of time."
"What's on your mind?" he asked taking a seat in the chair opposite of hers.
"You," she answered honestly. "I missed you."
Will smiled. Her stomach did a little flip. She had always liked his smile. A mischievous smirk more like, but it looked absolutely breath taking on him. It suited him somehow.
"Well, that's good, because I came here to ask you out," he said. Alicia raised an eyebrow. "On a date," Will went on.
"I…are you sure?"
"Yes, I am sure."