A/N: Thanks for all the reviews; I am glad you are enjoying it!

Hey There Delilah (Plain White Tees)

Chicago, July 2015

A/N: With Diane's guidance and support Alicia and Angela are slowly getting to know each other. In this chapter the three women meet for a drink. Sorry it is short – more to come very soon .

Alicia took a sip of her wine and turned to Angela, "OK, I now have a little understanding of your friendship with Will, still not sure I approve," she smirked, "but there are so many other things I want to know." She paused, "You were with him for a long time, through some important events and, well, to me at least you, are the only person who really seemed to know him."

Angela sighed, "Yes, I, I see that," struggling to find the right words. "Will was a complex character and didn't always allow people into his inner sanctum. He struggled with closeness, with his emotions and often felt like he was acting or doing what was expected of him, particularly in personal relationships. As I've said, the person people saw in the courtroom was not the complete Will Gardner."

Alicia looked pained, she closed her eyes and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. Her mind was drawn to Will. Will in bed with her. Will naked. Will running his warm hands over her soft skin, tracing the contours of her body and thrilling her with his touch. She bit her lip and felt a tear run down her face. Angela reached out to put her hand on Alicia's arm, "Don't think Will wasn't committed to you. He was," she said trying to reassure her. Alicia opened her eyes and looked at the redhead. Angela continued, "He may not have been the most emotionally honest person, but one thing he was certain of was his love for you."

Alicia furrowed her brow, taking a moment to consider what Angela had just said. "You believe he still loved me, even after what I did, all the hurt I caused him?"

Before Angela could respond, Diane added, "He did love you," nodding in reassurance.

"Yes, he did. And yes, he was hurt," she paused, "deeply hurt and that caused him to do some stupid things, but it also gave him a renewed vigor to prove himself in the courtroom and ensure Lockhart Gardner succeeded. His feelings for you were real. You were one of the few people he was honest with, even if he wasn't always honest with himself. When you and Cary left the firm he didn't initially accept what Diane was telling him – he couldn't believe that you of all people would go behind his back and plot to leave. That was what hurt him the most, what caused him pain. His anger really betrayed his love. He didn't want to let you go."

Alicia turned away from Angela, took a deep breath before wiping the tears from her eyes.

Diane took a drink of her scotch before saying, "He was fiercely protective of the firm and his friends and, at times, a little too passionate, which caused him and others grief," she said, adding, "but let's not go into that," quietly and raising her hands in a mock surrender.

Angela added "If you really want to know about Will around the time you left Lockhart Gardner, that is best left for another time," she paused before continuing quietly, "it really isn't something that puts anybody in a good light."

Alicia took a breath, "I understand. I don't think I'm necessarily ready to hear it anyway. I regret so much. We all did and said things in haste: hateful, angry words that we didn't mean."

"Expect Kurt and I. We were the good guys, like Woody and Buzz Lightyear," Angela quipped, laughing to herself. The statement made Alicia smile and she sniffed, trying to stop her nose from running alongside the tears. Diane handed her a Kleenex, recognising the pain Alicia felt.

Angela stood up, "Want another drink?" The two women chorused, "Yes, please," and Angela headed to the bar. She ordered a scotch, a red wine, and bourbon for herself and returned to the table.

…...

Alicia turned to Angela and said, "He told me once that he needed friends, like a buddy he could talk to and get drunk with, so forgive me, but why did he need that if he had you? Was it just a ruse so that I was kept in the dark about your relationship?"

Angela chuckled, "Yeah, he told me. That was when I was living in Madison and we couldn't randomly hook up or spill our hearts over a drink. It was a hard time for both of us, we were both lonely and work often got in the way when we tried to get away from it." Diane nodded knowingly. "I didn't have anyone either, I went to work, went back to my apartment and pretty much that was it." She paused to take a drink of her bourbon, before adding, "Don't get me wrong, I wanted to be there, it was a great opportunity and helped me get the position here, but I missed home, I missed my friends," she leaned across the table and grabbed Diane's hand, squeezing her fingers in hers, "and most of all I missed Will."

She continued, "He did need friends. New friends. Good friends. Yes, he had friends and they were fine for his pickup game or a quick beer, but they weren't good enough for a real, meaningful relationship. I liked Matthew Wade, but that friendship didn't survive the Grand Jury and Henry turned out to be, oh God, I don't know what," she paused, "a fool, a blinkered idiot," she added shaking her head. "So, yes, when he said that he was telling the truth. We told each other practically everything, but sometimes I thought he just needed a guy to talk to."

Diane nodded in agreement, "I sometimes wonder about Kurt, he has a lot of female friends, much younger female friends," she rolled her eyes as she said the last part, "but he does have hunting buddies and guys he talks to, but I'm never sure who he would spill his heart to, if it wasn't for me."

"OK," Alicia said, bobbing her head, turning to Angela, she asked, "So do you have a female friend to talk to?"

Smiling across the table, Angela said simply, "I have Diane." Diane smiled broadly and nodded in confirmation.

...…

Angela's phone buzzed, she glanced at the screen, "I should take this, you never know what's going to be happening at the other end," she smiled. She got up and left the table, answering her phone, "Hi Elsbeth."

When Angela returned, Alicia asked, "Sorry if I sound nosey, but who was that? I thought you said Elsbeth and I can only think of one Elsbeth." Alicia's mind had gone to the quirky lawyer who had become somebody she could rely on and wondered if it was the same person. Her suspicion was soon confirmed.

"Ah, that's OK," Angela began. "It was Elsbeth. Elsbeth Tascioni, you know her, right?"

"Yeah," she shook her head and laughed, "how do you know her?"

"Through Will. She came round to his apartment after the Grand Jury hearing, I was there and he introduced us. Well, what he actually did was give us coffee, sit us down then walk away – laughing to himself!" Angela smiled as she recalled the meeting. "He thought the two of us would either hit it off or become sworn enemies. Two redheads could be a dangerous thing, although I must say, I am the only natural one – Elsbeth is really a blonde in Jessica Rabbit's clothing," the comment made the three women laugh.

A/N: The next chapter will involve more Alicia/Angela and some flashbacks with Will and his women…