Title: For All Eternity

Author: Julia Laure

Chapter 4: Invasion of Privacy

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Disclaimer: see Chapter 1

Two minutes to spare Liz thought as Courtroom 1 came into sight. She had dropped Allie and Will off at Jess' office. Jess, of course, had been full of gossip from the last night's ball. Liz had felt bad she was in such a hurry she couldn't stop and listen, but to tell the truth she didn't want to hear her twin's incessant chattering this early. She had too much to think about, and much more to be mad at herself about.

She pushed through the doors of the courtroom to see her client, Callie Adderson, already sitting in her chair. Callie had supposedly beaten up another kid and spit on him before she left. She had been arrested because of a DNA sample collected from a public sidewalk. Today marked the start of Callie's motion to suppress the DNA evidence and Liz was defending her.

Just as Liz had finally situated herself in her chair and had all her papers organized the court bailiff called for the pre-trial conference with the judge. They had Judge Henson today, a good sign since he was, in her opinion, fair. She, of course, went back, even though there was not a whole lot to see to since it was only a motion to suppress. The prosecution's attorney was Ben Jacobs, which ruined her day. Ben had been trying to get her to go on a date for the last six months. He was cocky and egotistical and she hated men that thought they were God's gift to women.

She walked out and sat down next to her client. She pushed Laurent and his maddening kisses, and Ben and his ego, to the back of her mind. She was ready.

"All rise," the bailiff intoned. Liz automatically rose and blocked out his usual speech and the swearing in of witnesses. As Ben went through his opening statement she scanned the crowd behind her, checking for the last time that her witnesses were there. Her eyes landed on a familiar face, Laurent's! Dammit, he wasn't supposed to be here.

"Counselor Wakefield, are you ready to proceed with your opening statement?" Henson asked.

"Yes, Your Honor," she replied giving herself a mental shake. She walked to the podium putting Laurent in the back of her head. "May it please the court, opposing counsel, Your Honor. My name is Elizabeth Wakefield and I am here on behalf of the defendant, Callie Adderson. Today this honorable court is being asked…"

Laurent was focused on her. She was incredibly beautiful, and incredibly in charge. Her voice was crisp, animated, and to him amazingly alluring. She obviously knew what she was doing. She even glared at him on the way back to her seat. Then she seemed to forget him. Liz was almost like another person in court, she kept her focus and went in for the kill. When she didn't like an answer she turned around and hammered the witness until he or she admitted what she wanted him to admit. She was almost too good. He now knew he could forget about winning an argument with her

The court went into recess while the Henson made his ruling. Court was to reconvene in two hours. That gave her time to chew his hide out. What gave him the right to barge into her space? She had already given in to his kisses, but he had given her time to rebuild her defenses.

She walked out of the courtroom knowing he would follow. Ben caught her before Laurent did though.

"Elizabeth," he drawled out, "why don't you and me catch a quick lunch at my place, I'm sure you would leave satisfied."

"Ben, for God's sake you're an adult. Act like one for once, and get out of my damn way. I'm not in the mood for your bull today." It just figured that Ben would pick today to hit on her again. She was tired of his games and couldn't understand why he wouldn't just take no for an answer. She tried to sidestep him, but he moved back in her way with amazing speed.

"C'mon Lizzie, you know you want it, give it up already," Ben sneered. He had grabbed her arm and was dragging her to the side. Ben was tired of all her games and knew all she needed was a little pressure to get her into his bed.

"I believe she said no." A voice said calmly, but Ben did not miss the underlying hostility in its tone. He looked up to see a face that had a deadly look in it. He had never seen this guy before, and he could tell he was foreign by the accent, he would guess French.

"Look, this is between me and her…"

"No, this is now between you and me. I believe it would be a good thing to release by girlfriend now before I …"

Girlfriend? Ben and Liz thought simultaneously. The difference was that Ben was stunned and Liz recovered quickly. The funny thing was she felt a shot of warmth race up her spine when Laurent had referred to her as his girlfriend. Ben was still stunned the guy and Liz actually knew each other.

Liz's response to Laurent's comment was to speak in rapid fire French to him. Telling him what an ass he was and how she could handle herself. She kept her tone light in efforts to disguise the real meaning of the conversation to Ben. She told him that if he ever pulled a stunt like that again that he would really get it and that he better answer he in a civil tone unless he wanted to blow the cover he had just made up.

Ben was stunned again. Wakefield spoke French. Fluently. There was a surprise. She also had a perfect accent. He took French for a few years in high school and all he could make out of the conversation were the words…parler, ecouter, and tort. As he listened the guy, who he now, if he had understood right, knew was Laurent, spoke back to her in what obviously was his native language. At the end of the conversation Liz turned on her heel and walked out and motioned him to follow. Laurent followed after he told Ben in no uncertain terms to "Piss off."

"If you insist on following me I'm going over to my office," she told Laurent.

"I need to talk to you," Laurent replied.

"Well, it takes me two minutes to walk to the office so you can talk now."

Laurent seemed to hesitate. Then he collected himself and said, "You're good."

"At what?" she asked now curious.

"For one thing at being a lawyer, and at putting up walls around yourself. Why do you do that? I just wanted to surprise you, maybe take you out to lunch. Normal stuff guys to when they like somebody. Why did you just freeze up on me?" Laurent knew it was not the time to tell her he was still in love with her.

"I do it so I don't get hurt again." She walked up the steps and opened the doors to Hailman and Associates.

"Good Afternoon Miss Wakefield," the receptionist told her cautiously. Betty knew Elizabeth's moods and did not want to get on her bad side. She always said good morning or good afternoon and she always called her Miss Wakefield. Everyone but Ryan Hailman, her sister, and her brother-in-law called her Miss Wakefield. In her opinion that one was a block of ice. Like the guys said, "A real Ice Queen."

All she knew is that someone must have hurt her real bad at one point because Jessica, Miss Wakefield's twin, was someone she occasionally talked to. Betty had said "Good-bye Miss Wakefield," one time to Jessica and Jessica had asked if she meant her. She then explained that she was Liz's twin sister. When asked why she called Liz 'Miss Wakefield', Betty had explained back that it had seemed appropriate. Jessica had then shook her head and then muttered under her breath that she could, "kill that damn bastard for what he did to her Liz."

Betty watched as a young man followed Liz as she strode back to her office. He sighed and followed her with a stride that was just as determined. The man paused and smiled quickly at Betty. Betty smiled because she had a feeling Miss Wakefield had just met her match, if it was any indication that she kept looking back and glaring at him when she was giving orders to her secretary. The man just grinned at her and raised his eyebrows. Oh yes, Betty thought, this one's going to melt that ice, but she's going to put one hell of a fight. She heard that fight five minutes later.

A/N: I said that Liz was defended a boy who started a fight earlier. I changed it. I'm just telling you I know I did that. Sorry this took so long to get up. I'm just soo busy. I wanted to thank Phantom Goddess (THANK YOU CHICA!!!!) for giving me the push I needed to get this chapter up and start the next one. Please review (and after you review read the Phantom Goddess' story (it rox) it's Second Chances Only Come Once A Lifetime by Victoria Micheal)