Author's note: I hope I didn't lose all of you guys. Your reviews have been amazing! But so has been the show. And it appears; when the show is that good, I find it hard to write any 'additional' material. I'm really impressed with this fifth season. However, now we're on break and I'm back in the game. Hope you guys are still with me on this one!
Summary: force ma·jeure noun \ˌfȯrs-mä-ˈzhər, -mə-\ 1: superior or irresistible force. 2: an event or effect that cannot be reasonably anticipated or controlled. Alicia & Will, seven months after she left L/G: "I don't know whatever happened between you and Will," Cary starts. "I do know it isn't just business."
Thanks: Once more, my amazing beta RomanticSoutherner who, after all this time, was still willing to beta and came up with the most amazing suggestions that make my writing so much better.
Force Majeure
Chapter 10 – Concussion
"I know the dark clouds won't stay, tomorrow is gonna be better."
- Joshua Radin (Tomorrow Is Gonna Be Better)
Friday, 7:50 AM
At one point, I simply stopped crying. There were no tears left. So, I closed my eyes and just sat there. I don't remember for how long.I finally pushed myself up from off the floor and filled up the bath.
The hot water has calmed the muscles in my body. My phone is on the edge next to me. Chips are broken off from each side. The battery cap is missing. It looks ragged. Unlike me. The materialistic result of what happened last night.
I should call Cary.
He'll want to come over. I don't want him to. Frankly, I don't want to see anyone in this condition, even though I know I can't hide forever.
I gasped when I looked in the mirror. The left side of my face is blue and swollen. Underneath my eye, it seems black. I don't remember him hitting me there.
It makes me shiver just letting my thoughts go back to that parking garage. My left eye is about twice as small as the other. And all the crying didn't make it much better. But the most disturbing are the streaks on my wrists. My eyes catch the red streaks all the time. He grabbed me so tight. I tried to fight. I honestly tried…
I'm tearing up again.
I should stop that. It's not going to change anything. Nothing will.
Friday, 08:49 AM
A face full of sorrow stares at me as I open the door.
"Alicia…" His voice is hoarse.
"I know," is all I manage to say in return. I should get used to this response.
For a moment, we simply stand there. He's probably taking in how disastrous I look, while I prepare myself that I'll need to tell him what happened. I need to man up.
The way we stand there takes me back to that night when I told him "I'm in." I remember thinking my life couldn't get any more complicated.
Now look at me.
Friday, 08:54 AM
"Where did this spin out of control?" Cary is leaning against the kitchen counter.
"He waited for me at my car."
"Why?"
I shrug. "I guess, he got annoyed about the proceedings with Sandra."
"Annoyeddoesn't do…that." He points at my face.
"It got bad. He closed me in. It spun out of control. I–" I realize I can't and don't want to talk about it. I simply gesture to my face.
There's a deep frown on his face as he looks at me.
"You can't work like that."
"I'll work from home. It's not like we havent't done it before."
"Alicia…" He shakes his head in disbelief. "You need to rest. Just look at yourself."
"Believe me, I have."
"I'm sorry." He observes me for a moment. "What did the doctor say?"
"Concussion."
"So, you really need to rest."
"I know," I sigh as I sit down on one of the bar stools.
He observes me for a moment and then asks, "You didn't drive home yourself, did you?"
I shake my head. Here we go. "Will did," I decide to just drop the bomb.
"Will….? Wait…what?"
"He was about to go home. Then found me."
Cary lets out some sort of laugh. "Really?"
"Really,"I sigh.
"Then, what happened?"
"He called an ambulance."
"He came along?" He asks stunned.
"Well, I didn't exactly ask him to."
"No, no, it's good that he did. I mean, he couldn't have left you alone. I'm just…"
"I know, it's ridiculous."
"How long were you there?"
"I'm not sure. Hours? He gave me a ride home."
He frowns at me. "Did you guys talk?"
"Don't worry." I close my eyes for a second. "We didn't," I simply answer.
"That's not what I meant."
I fall silent, and so does he. I decide to refill my glass of water.
"I don't know whatever happened between you and Will," Cary starts. "I do know it isn't just business."
I smile sarcastically. "Well, it passed." I notice my voice cracks. That wasn't supposed to happen. Cary and I rarely talk about this, and I think, it's best if we keep it that way.
"Look, Alicia, the situation we're in isn't going to change. With them."
"I know." Let's change the subject. "So, get me up to speed with the firm."
Friday, 11:33 AM
"Oh, dear God," is all Owen said when I opened the door.
I collapsed in his arms. It was only when he held me when I realized everything was going to be okay.
He ordered me to lie down in bed, then got me tea and crawled up next to me.
He got himself a bottle of red wine, stating that 'that face of yours definitely justifies me drinking'. I laughed at the first joke made about the whole situation.
I told him everything and just now dropped the bomb that Will drove me home and stayed here. If Owen's eyes could have popped out of his head, they would have done so by now.
"I mean, he stayed here?" Owen repeats what I just told him.
"Look, I don't know. I slept. He was still here when I woke up."
"That's the definition of staying, Alicia," he smirks at me.
I roll my eyes. "I mean, I didn't ask him to. He fell asleep at the table. I don't think he planned to stay either. It was…weird."
"Oh my, it worked," he then randomly exclaims.
I raise my brow at that. "What worked?"
He shakes his head in disbelief. "I can't believe that it did." Now I'm getting suspicious.
"Owen?" I prop myself up on my elbows and turn to face him. "What worked?"
"Oh, it's months ago. Remember back when he, note, not you, broke the news you left the firm when he visited me at the campus? Later I suggested…"
"You suggested?" This sounds concerning.
"That there was still room," he mentions in a matter of a fact way. "Opportunities."
"You sound like mom."
"Well, wasn't I right? Look at you now. Divorced…"
"...Beat up," I add in cynically, I brush my bangs away with my hand, exposing the bruises.
"He was there for you."
"By coincidence."
"Doesn't change the fact that he stayed Alicia." His fingers tap on my shoulder. "All night." He grins.
I sigh and lay back in the cushions.
"You should invite him over," Owen winks at me. "Thank him."
"He doesn't want to be invited," I reply. "Or thanked."
"Then, why did he stay?"
I shrug. "Does it matter?"
"Well, he obviously still cares for you."
"I don't know," I mumble and heave a sigh. This is all too complicated.
"How can you not know? He stayed all night."
I shake my head. He doesn't. He just felt obliged. And I don't even want him to.
"I don't want him to care about me," I decide to reply.
"That's a lie."
I sigh. "Can we sleep now?"
"You can. I'll drink."
"Sure," I grin and prop myself up against his chest.
He wraps his arm around me. "I'm so sorry this happened. You don't deserve this."
A tear escapes my eye as I listen to his words. I doze off in some sort of sleep, but my mind is spinning. And it's not just the concussion. It's much more than that.
Thank you for reading!
All of you that kept asking me for updates, thank you for doing so! It was great to realize how many people are enjoying this story.
Preview for next chapter: Will is back in his office after a terrible night sleep, overthinking last night events, until Kalinda walks in and takes him to a bar.