A/N: Thanks again for all the follows and reviews. I'm slowly getting into this story. This chapter follows on directly from the previous one as Will approached Alicia in the coffee shop…

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Chicago, Fall 2009

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"Hey."

Alicia looked up at Will and smiled at him in return, "Hi," she said, shuffling her papers and closing the file on the table, "sorry, just catching up on my brief for tomorrow," she apologised, even though the file was more window-dressing to avoid looking too needy, or too eager, "please, sit," she gesticulated as she cleared the table.

Will tapped the back of the chair in front of him with his palm, "I'll get us some drinks. What would you like?"

"Coffee, thanks," she replied.

"Cream, no sweetener?" he asked.

Alicia chuckled, "You remember?"

"Of course," Will gave a little head tilt as he turned to walk towards the counter.

Alicia bit her bottom lip as she smiled watching Will weave his way through the tables to the counter to order their drinks. It was only then that she realised that it was years since she'd seen Will in jeans! He suited jeans – they evoked the youthful sportsman in him and she found herself thinking back to Law School and running her hand up his thigh, feeling the soft, warn, denim fabric, and teasing him ever-so gently. They were a staple of his, and any other student's, college wardrobe, so she saw them as part of him. She hadn't seen him post-graduation, so wasn't used to seeing him in suits, although she knew she would soon become familiar with his smart shirts and court attire. Of course he'd worn suits on occasion at college - how could she forget the mock trial! – but she didn't associate Will with a closely tailored Brioni or Martin Greenfield number. She looked down ever-so briefly at the table before returning her gaze to Will's back.

Will returned to the table carrying a tray with their coffees on and a cake he had picked out for Alicia. Alicia laughed as she saw him approach, as with no free hand, he grasped the bag of chips he had bought for himself in his mouth like a momma dog would carry her puppy. He put the tray down on the table and released the bag from his teeth, catching it in his left hand; Alicia smiled and shook her head. He quickly emptied the tray and put the cake down in front of her, she looked up a little confused, but with a smile on her face. "I saw they had strawberry cheesecake and remembered how much you used to like it, so thought you might be peckish after court," he clarified as he slid the tray between the table and the wall. "Thank you," Alicia said. She was hungry and the cheesecake was exactly the pick-me-up she needed.

Will took off his jacket and put it across the back of the chair as he sat down. "How was court?" he asked. He thought it was better to begin with a little small talk rather than, 'Sorry I tried to kiss you last night.' He wasn't quite sure what he was going to say, but pretending to be interested in her work was better than that, plus he wasn't totally sorry.

Alicia took a sip of her coffee and, still holding the mug in front of her, tapped her right forefinger on the side of the porcelain, "Not bad," she mused, bobbing her head from side to side a little, "I just need to keep my client under control. He is a little," she paused as she searched for the right term to describe him, "unorthodox and has a habit of over-sharing," she grinned.

"Hmm," Will chuckled, "if you don't mind me asking, who's the client?"

Alicia put her mug down and picked up the fork in front of her. As she took a chunk of cheesecake on the fork she rolled her eyes and said, "Colin Sweeney," before placing the piece into her mouth.

Will was in the process of opening his bag of chips and stopped mid-pull, "Colin Sweeney?" he said quietly but with forceful surprise, "wife-murdering weirdo Colin Sweeney?"

"Ooooh, yeah!" Alicia nodded, "and he is an alleged wife-murderer," she smiled.

"Still a weirdo though," Will added and Alicia chuckled as she speared another piece of cake.

"OK, so he's not guilty of uxoricide," he said as he returned his attention to the chips. He carefully split the bag down the back seam, to open out the packet into a flat 'plate' on the table. Taking one in his fingers, he asked, "So why are you in court then?"

"Sexual harassment. An employee has accused him of sexual harassment. I don't think she is the first and I guarantee in a few years more women will bring charges against him, eeewww," she gave a mock shiver at the last statement, which brought a laugh from Will.

"I guess you can't wait to get started on Monday," she said, continuing to eat the cake.

Will nodded and a broad smile crossed his face, "After being away for so long, yeah, I can't wait!" he said excitedly. "I'm a little cautious, not nervous, but just wary of what Jonas and Diane will be like and then trying to fit in," he took a drink of his coffee, "and don't forget, I'm not Head of Litigation anymore, I'm starting way down the pecking order!" He made a beak shape with his right hand, bringing his fingers together over his thumb and moving them quickly back and forth to simulate pecking. Alicia smiled at the gesture, "Yeah, guess that will be hard. I can't imagine beginning at a new firm, in a new city, so long after graduation, don't think I'm cut out for all that change. I respect you for doing it, for doing what is right for your family."

Will gave a weak smile and nodded, "Yeah, my family, my kids, come first."

"I guess that means Jennifer is a close second?"

"A distant second," he replied sadly, taking another chip from the packet. Alicia bobbed her head and pulled her mouth into a warm smile, as she leant across the table to rub his arm in a reassuring manner. He felt a warm sense rush through him as he felt her touch through the cotton of his shirt. He smiled back at her and placed his hand on top of hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. She closed her eyes slowly and took a moment to savour his touch, before opening them and focussing on her cake once more. Even though it was less than twenty-four hours since he last touched her, sending a frisson of sparks through her body, she felt giddy like it was the first time. Of course, it was a long time since they had been 'cosy' with each other, but seeing and spending time with Will again over the past few days, felt like old times; Alicia felt like he had never been away. She wondered how Will felt and, crucially, if he felt the same – the near kiss last night certainly sent the right kind of signals her way.

They talked happily about work, the office for a little while, with Alicia questioning why he wasn't worried about David Lee, but apparently Will had worked with him in the past and reassured her that David was a pussycat! Alicia found that hard to believe, but maybe there was more to the Head of Family Law.

After ordering more drinks and extra chips for Will, the conversation began to lull. Alicia felt it was her chance to talk about the previous night's events.

"Will," Alicia said quietly, putting down her mug, "about last night," she began, pausing as he raised his gaze from his coffee to meet her eyes, "what happened outside the bar," before she could finish the sentence, Will blurted out, "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," as an apology. He expected she wanted an apology, or at least an explanation as to why he had appeared to want to kiss her then ran away. He was sorry if he gave her mixed signals and he was sorry for almost breaking a promise he made to himself about not breaking up his family. But, significantly, he wasn't sorry about wanting to kiss her. He'd wanted to kiss her many times over the years, but he'd not had the opportunity. He hated himself for letting her go at Georgetown, for falling in love with a young med student and leaving the nubile lawyer to the safe hands of Peter Florrick. He didn't resent Peter sweeping in like Flynn and wooing Alicia; he liked Peter and he had made Alicia happy, for a while. He was pleased that even though the Florricks had parted they had stayed friends – he wouldn't like to think of Alicia being unhappy.

"Oh," Alicia said, a little dejectedly. "Don't worry," she reassured him, "I wasn't upset, just a little confused."

Will nodded, "Yeah, I, I," he stumbled over his words, "I don't know what to say," he said honestly. "I was drawn to you and," he paused to make his point, "it wasn't the drink, in that moment I wanted to kiss you, but, I realised it was foolish and stopped myself," he said, looking down at his mug and swirling the remaining liquid round, so it splashed up the side of the porcelain.

Alicia smiled, "I would have been happy to be kissed by you. It's been a long time since I was decently kissed," she said, only half jokingly.

"Sorry," Will said, focussing on the chips again. They had been his distraction, his get out of jail card, something to look at when he didn't think he could bear to look at Alicia anymore without wanting to reach across the table, pull her close to him and touch her lips with his own. He missed the closeness of their college friendship and he missed the intimacy of his marriage. He needed one or the other; both together would cause him problems.

"Arghh, you got me all tied up in knots, Alicia," he smirked as he picked up another chip, "nothing kinky though," he winked at her, "I'm a married man!"

She laughed with him, pleased that he had broken the tension with a little humour, as was his way. She leant forward to pick a chip from his packet, "Cheeky!" he cautioned as she popped it into her mouth.

Alicia looked across the coffee shop and saw a familiar figure, "Ugh," she said, "don't look now, but Colin Sweeney just walked in." Will struggled not to look round and grinned at Alicia, "Want me to hide you?" he joked. She shook her head and narrowed her eyes at him. "Too late, he's seen me."

"Mrs Florrick," Sweeney purred, "how nice to see you here. I thought our paths wouldn't cross until tomorrow at noon, when we stand before the big bad judge again, but thankfully the stars have aligned and given us a few more moments of pleasure," he smiled at Alicia and then looked over at Will.

"Yes," Alicia began, "how truly wonderful," she said sarcastically as she shook her head.

"And who is this charming man?" Sweeney asked, as he looked Will up and down.

"Will Gardner," Will said, proffering his hand to Alicia's client.

"Hope I haven't interrupted une liaison dangereuse," Sweeney added, his eyes widening and the corner of his mouth turning up as he looked at Alicia.

"Will is soon to join the ranks at Stern, Lockhart and Lee. We will be working together," Alicia clarified.

"Hmmm," Sweeney added, a little suggestively. "So you belong to my lawyers, and, I see you belong to somebody else too," he said, noticing Will's wedding ring, "maybe we can work together too," he winked at the couple.

"Maybe," Alicia nodded. "I will see you tomorrow, Mr Sweeney," she said firmly, hoping he would leave them alone.

"Yes, I will bid you adieu, Mrs Florrick, until tomorrow," he smiled as he turned to walk away.

"Sorry about that," Alicia offered, "he's a nightmare!"

Will laughed and dropped another chip into his mouth.

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A/N: So, let me know what you think. They didn't have a complete heart-to-heart, but have begun to establish some feelings, some confused feelings on Will's part. Do you want them to develop their friendship further before exploring what could happen?