A/N: I have skipped over some of the post-finale Alicia/Diane issues. I will put snippets in here and there, but basically, I want Alicia and Diane to have an amicable relationship again. I want them to be friends. If they weren't, it would put Angela in a difficult position and I really don't want that for her, especially given my reasoning for writing her character in the first place.

Chicago, September 2016

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I Can See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash)

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Alicia and Angela meet for a drink after work. They have gradually worked through the issues surrounding Peter's trial and Angela understands Alicia's reasons for attacking Diane and Kurt's marriage, although she does not agree with them. Diane has met with Alicia, but the two have not yet resumed their drink and dinner schedule with Angela. The latter had found herself in a difficult position, but her loyalty lay with Diane so she was cautious with Alicia. As a result, their flourishing relationship had stumbled over recent months. Angela found herself drawn to the impression of Alicia she had gained from Will. He loved Alicia and saw the good in her, so she would adopt that view of the former First Lady of Illinois. Yes, Will and Alicia had their problems and there were times when their relationship skirted the boundaries of hate, but it didn't come to that and Will would not want Angela to ever hate the other love of his life.

Alicia knew she had work to do to reinstate her friendship with Angela. She had worked hard to ensure Angela did not base her impression of her on her actions surrounding the formation of Florrick/Agos. Although she was proud of what she and Cary had achieved, she was ashamed of how she handled the situation and the pain she caused Will and Diane.

To provide a buffer between Angela and herself, Alicia had invited Cary to join them this evening. His life had also changed dramatically in past few months and Alicia hoped she could give Cary a new friend just as Diane had done for her.

….

Alicia looked across the bar and waved at Cary, summoning him to their table.

"Hey Alicia," Cary opened, resting his briefcase beside the table.

"Hi Cary," Alicia said warmly, "this is Angela Austen," she added turning to the redhead.

"Hi," Cary smiled as he offered his hand to Angela, adding, "again," as she brought her hand up to meet his. "Hello Cary," Angela replied meeting his gaze. Cary let go of Angela's hand and asked if either of the ladies wanted a drink. Orders placed, he set course for the bar.

"You've met before?" Alicia asked. She wasn't aware that Angela had ever met Cary, particularly as he had started at the firm at the same time as she had and Angela had stated that she avoid SLG after that. Alicia nodded her head gently to herself wondering if Angela had met Cary when he worked in the SA's office.

"Yeah," Angela replied as she finished her drink, "we officially met last year," she chuckled as she said 'officially' before explaining, "I'd gone to the office to meet Diane and ran into Cary in reception."

"Ooh-kay," Alicia said slowly as Cary returned to the table.

Cary distributed the drinks and running his hand behind his tie, sat down between Alicia and Angela. "Angela was just telling me when you first met," Alicia said to Cary.

Cary smiled and nodded, "You are an old friend of Diane and Will?" he clarified.

"Yes," she replied and, turning to Cary, added quietly, "I also knew Kalinda," with a little nod and sideways glance. Cary took a deep breath and gave a welcoming smile to Angela as he picked up his glass.

"You know I actually met Cary right at the start of your time at Stern, Lockhart & Gardner," Angela said; she looked over at Cary as she said it. Cary looked confused, as he couldn't remember meeting Angela before October.

"Well," Angela began, taking a drink of her bourbon, "it was late one night, really late, the office was deserted, or so I thought!" she laughed a little at her comment, "I was on my way home from seeing The Rocky Horror Show at the theatre and was dressed in costume," she smiled at Alicia.

Alicia smiled back and leant forward, "Which character were you?"

"Columbia," Angela winked at Alicia, "I didn't want to be the cliché Magenta and I'm not boring enough to be Janet." Cary laughed loudly at Angela's comment and thought back to the night he thought he met a hooker in Diane's office.

"Just to clarify," Angela began, "I'd gone to the office to collect something for Diane. Justice had been sick and she'd taken him home but forgotten the medication the vet gave her. I said I'd collect it on my way home. It was late at night and I thought the coast would be clear to slip in and out, both in terms of the way I looked and Will's reticence about me meeting you," she said pointing gently with her glass in Alicia's direction. "However, Cary appeared and asked if I was OK, so I said 'yes' and left, giggling a little to myself!"

Cary was laughing and bobbing his head, 'Yeaaah," he said, "I, I, didn't know what to do or say. I had just started and was trying to make headway, then I encounter this strange character in my boss' office. I didn't know whether I should mention it to Diane or anyone so I just kept quiet. You could have been anyone, a relative or some kind of fancy prostitute!" he laughed.

"Oh, Cary," Alicia smirked, "that is fabulous!"

The three of them laughed.

Alicia thought back to her first year at Stern, Lockhart & Gardner and in the early days Cary did stay late. He was often first in, last out. She smiled at the memory and the fact it galled her a bit at the time as she couldn't compete on that level with him as she had a family to raise, but in the end it didn't matter as she got the permanent position with SLG. Hell, a few years later they formed their own firm together, so it really didn't matter.

….

Flashback:

"I met your new young associate this evening, Cary," Angela proffered as she stood in Will's kitchen later that night.

"Dressed like that?" Will said suddenly, gesticulating at Angela's attire.

"Yeeeah," Angela replied, a little mocking of his reaction, "it was when I popped in to collect Justice's medication for Diane. He didn't mind," she smiled.

"Oh, Ange, of course he didn't mind, you probably made his day!" he laughed pulling her towards him and into an embrace, "you look incredible, so, so hot," he added as he kissed her on the cheek, "leave the costume here when you go to Madison!" She slapped him playfully on the bottom, "Cheeky!"

"Truth be told I actually saw you before then, don't think you can call it meeting as such because we didn't speak," Angela began.

Cary tilted his head and looked at Angela, "What do you mean?"

"I think it was your first day at Stern, Lockhart & Gardner, you started a few days before Alicia. I'd given Will a ride to work and we were saying goodbye in the parking structure, you walked past and said good morning to Will."

Cary rested the tip of his tongue on the roof of his mouth and gave a confused smile, as he was unable to place her. "I, I, can't remember," he stuttered as he narrowed his eyes and thought back to his first day, after a few seconds, he recalled a memory of seeing his new boss embracing a woman, "oh God! That was you," he chuckled.

"What?" Alicia asked insistently.

Cary cleared his throat and thought of how he could diplomatically explain the scene involving his late boss to Alicia, "Let's just say that Will and Angela were quite affectionate towards each other," he smiled, pausing a little before he added, "Will didn't even notice me!"

Flashback:

Angela looked at Will, "Who's the kid in the Brioni?"

"New junior associate. He's gonna be Alicia's competition," he bowed his head as he said it.

"Ohhhh," Angela exhaled, "Diane's new protégé."

Will smiled, "Yeah, something like that. I'm grateful for David siding with me to even get Alicia in the door." Angela smiled and nodded, recognising the presence of David Lee.

"So, you should go," she said as she gazed up at him, moving her hands back up to his neck, "can't have the new junior associate making the boss look tardy."

"Mm-hmm," Will mumbled as he kissed Angela again. As they broke away from each other, he added, "I don't think you should have broken it off with Frank, go see him, it could work."

"I dunno," she sighed, "long distance mate, might not."

"Well it won't if you don't give it a chance," he laughed. Angela smiled at him, and, placing her hands on his waist slid off the bonnet of her car. "Maybe," she added as she reached inside his suit jacket, her hands meeting in the small of his back, "I don't want to hurt him if it doesn't work further down the line, my track record isn't great, he deserves great."

"You're great," he smiled and kissed her cheek.

…..

Alicia checked her watch, it was later than she had thought. She should go as she had an early start the following day; she said goodnight and left.

Cary took a deep breath and turned to Angela, "So you know Kalinda?"

"Yeah," Angela confirmed, "we didn't exactly hit it off to begin with, but we knew where each other was coming from and would both protect Will at all costs, so became friends."

"She never mentioned you," Cary replied.

"She didn't mention her husband until she had to. Kalinda plays things close to the chest and I respect that. We all need to have secrets."

Cary nodded, "Yeah," as he took a long pull of his whisky. "I miss her, been a long time. When did you last see her?" he asked, unprepared for Angela's response.

"November," Angela replied. Cary's face went pale and he looked directly into her eyes, "What?" he asked hesitantly .

A/N: So this was a modern-day update to get the main story back on track. What do you think should happen now?