Author's note : Sorry, had to re-upload chapter 25. Still working on the last one! I loved writing this one, because these scenes have been in my head for years and I could finally turn them into a chapter. Truly hope you enjoy. The next chapter will be the final one, but do know that I've started to work on a new multi-chapter story as well. Will let you know once it's up!
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've said a lot of things about the way you left," I explain. "And I stand by them. But I never said that I understand you didn't want to be in the hierarchical relationship we were in. You were right, to not accept that." / I contemplate what to say, because suddenly it hits me that she did right. Leaving the firm, changing our dynamics. Being here, I now see how complicated our situation had become. And I still might not like it, but she did right.
Thanks: All of you for your continued support and interest in this story
Force Majeure
Chapter 25 - Enemies Soil
Come to my world, after midnight
We're getting lost in another time
- Lianne La Havas (Midnight)
Friday, 22:07
We made our way back to my office and now I'm sitting on the couch, with Alicia laying on her back next to me, her head resting in my lap. My heart rate has finally slowed back down after some of the most intense sex I've had in a very long time. The release of months of built-up tension is still flowing in waves through my body.
"I can't believe we just did that," she chuckles and looks up to me.
"Have sex?"
"That I saw coming. But I mean… in there..."
"You're saying you would have preferred to just go for it at the reception desk when you arrived?"
She laughs. "We might as well have."
"Wait, are you complaining?"
"I wouldn't dare to."
I look down on her and gently trail the neckline of her dress with my fingers. It's surreal to me that she's here with me like this. She looks peaceful, although her flushed cheeks give away what the two of us were doing just minutes ago.
"My original plan was to take you out for dinner and invite you over to my place afterwards," I mumble while I play with her hair.
"That would have been classy," she nods.
"Are you saying this wasn't?"
She lets out a laugh, then looks back up to me.
"You could still take me to your place."
"Good thinking. I was about to propose that."
Friday, 22:25
Once in the elevator, my hand automatically reaches for the button that will take us straight to the parking garage, but I hesitate to press it when it hits me that Alicia hasn't been back here since the attack, and I vividly remember that she confessed to me that she hasn't been in any garages ever since. Let alone this one.
"Don't worry about it," she interferes quickly as she sees my hesitation. "I'm fine." It sounds anything but convincing.
"Are you sure?"
She gives me a look and presses the button for me. "Can't avoid them forever."
I'm not convinced if this is a good idea but decide not to say anything. Let's not make it any bigger than it already is, I tell myself.
So I say nothing and watch the digital numbers count down as the elevator brings us closer to the garage. Alicia just stands there, next to me.
I'm starting to doubt whether this is a good idea or not. I'm not sure if she really is OK with what's about to happen. It's always hard to tell with Alicia. She doesn't easily show her emotions. I know she's been forced to learn how to hide them, to put up a straight face no matter how embarrassing or compromising the situation turns out to be. I can only hope that the carefully constructed barriers will come down one day, because I've been standing on the other side for years now, patiently waiting with an outstretched hand.
I notice the numbers dip under 3, and I know the doors will slide open to the garage any minute now. I look at Alicia. Tight lips, her gaze straight forward. Withdrawn. Nothing like the sparkling Alicia who was flirtatiously laying on my lap only a few minutes ago.
I worry for her. Instinctively, my hand reaches out to hers. She lets me, and our fingers intertwine immediately.
As the elevator drops down, the thought of Dilaney waiting for her in that garage brings back the anger I felt both times when I saw him in court. It upsets me greatly, that he felt like he could that to her. As if it was his right. As if he owned her. I wish, I wish I could have protected her from all of it. That I could make the memory disappear and carry her away from it all.
But I can't. So we just stand here, the two of us. Holding hands, not talking, just waiting for the elevator to hit the last floor of the building.
Then the doors slide open. The smell of gasoline hits me harder than usual. It's dead silent. There's no one here at this hour except for us. She doesn't move immediately.
"Nothing's going to happen," is all I can think of to say. "I'm right here with you."
Without looking at me, she gently squeezes my hand in response and we step out together. I don't say anything else, simply because I don't know what would make all of this any better.
So we just walk in silence, our steps echoing on the concrete.
Once we arrive at my car, I walk over to the passenger's side to hold the door for her, but she doesn't move away from where's she's standing. She seems rooted to the spot.
Her back is turned towards me, so I can't see her face. "Are you OK?" I ask, but get not response.
I know what she's looking at, because it happened right there, behind the column in the corner. Of course I remember. Every time I walk to my car, I remember that woman calling my name for help. I remember thinking how I'm not the type that does well in emergency situations, feeling uncomfortable and annoyed that I had to get involved, hoping to handle it quickly so I could watch the game as I had planned. But it was her. And she was just laying there, bleeding and in so much pain. So hurt and humiliated that I barely recognized her. The image has stayed with me ever since and has been difficult to shake off.
"Alicia…," I try softly.
But it stays silent. I imagine that her eyes are scanning every square inch of the area where it happened, trying to analyze and process what happened that day.
I don't walk up to her and decide to give her the space she needs. I stay there, holding the door for when she's ready to get in.
I observe her as she stands there. This woman, with her strong posture, beautiful dress and high heels looks nothing like the victim I found in this very garage months ago. She's been handling it all with such grace and strength, and I admire her for it.
I don't know how long we stand there, but at one point, Alicia turns back around towards me. She offers me a weak smile when she sees me, but it's all I get from her. Without saying a word, she walks back to me and gets in the car.
"Hey, are you OK?" I ask when she sits down and I'm about to close the door behind her.
She sighs, nods and looks up to me with soft brown eyes. "I think so."
My whole heart tells me to lean in, kiss her forehead and tell her that I love her. But I'm not sure if we're there yet, or if we'll ever be.
So I just offer her a smile, mumble a soft "good," and close the door behind her.
Friday, 22:40
"Did I tell you Owen came up to me that night after the verdict?" I ask in an attempt to lighten the mood while we drive through Chicago on our way to my place.
"Oh God. Yes, he told me you two talked," Alicia replies with a laugh. She'd been quiet ever since we left the garage. I'm relieved to hear her laugh again.
"Felt like an inquisition," I grin.
"I know. He can be very… persistent."
"Runs in the family. Did your mom ever get back inside after her call?"
"She did. We had dinner together."
"That's nice."
"Yeah," she sighs. "Until she started giving me unsolicited interior advice."
"For your apartment?"
"No, she gave up on that. The office this time. Something about the color scheme and how it would affect the mood of clients… I don't know," she sighs and leans back in her chair. "Anyway…"
"Show me," I say as soon as I come up with the idea that we should go and visit her office, now that we've been to mine.
"Our office? What? You have."
I shake my head. "I've seen the plastic tables in the middle of your empty work space. But I assume you've upgraded since then."
"You've never been back since?" She asks surprised.
"Nope, I haven't. Decided to back off."
She turns in her chair. "Wait, are you finally admitting that you were intentionally taking on cases to go up against me?"
"I'm not admitting to anything. I was doing my job."
"Oh, ok," she laughing now.
I turn my gaze away from the road for a second and grin at her.
"We still have a lot to talk about," she chuckles.
"Yup," I nod, my eyes back on the road. "So, give me a tour."
"You mean, right now?"
"You showed up at mine, don't I get to see yours?"
"Will, it's almost midnight."
"All the more fun," I say and decisively turn the car around.
Friday, 23:05
We're standing in the street of her building. "Still can't believe you opted for an office right in the ghetto," I tease her.
Alicia just smiles, shaking her head. "It's a neighborhood with a lot of… potential," she gives me a look and gets out her keys to let us inside.
"I see."
"Start humble, you know."
"What's that?" I joke and she gives me a laugh in return. She opens the door and I follow her inside.
It makes me smile to see her get back in a more light hearted mood. I love it when she's like this. I look at her, fiddling with her keys, and I realize I don't want this night to end. It's part of the reason I proposed this little detour, even though I can't wait to have sex with her again, to see her fully naked and have her lay next to me in my bed. I happily postpone all of that so I can enjoy these little moments with her, out here in the real world.
"Well, amongst other things, it means being willing to step in this elevator on a daily basis."
"I always hoped it would break down with me in it," I tell her and get in next to her.
"What, why?"
"So I could sue the hell out of you and Cary," I say dryly.
She laughs. "You're awful."
I grin at her laugh and realize how much I enjoy making her laugh like that. I've been so absorbed by anger, pain and this intense competitive drive over the past year that I simply forgot how good we are together, how I enjoy spending time with her and how everything always seems to make sense when she's around.
Once we arrive at the office space, Alicia disappears in the dark to turn on some lights. I look around the dark reception area. It's been a long time since I set foot in this place.
Suddenly, the floor lights up and I stare straight into the "Florrick, Agos and Associates" sign. It's still a strange view to me, but I have to say, it is impressive to see it in all its glory. The competitor in me wants to ridicule everything it stands for, but I've also reached a point where I can put all this into perspective and laugh at the absurdity of all.
I walk around the office for a bit, and end up in the meeting room in the center of the floor. The once plastic tables have now been replaced by proper conference tables. Glass walls have been placed throughout the floor and the whole aesthetic of it all looks surprisingly professional and fresh at the same time. It's in that very moment that I realize it might be time to start reconsidering my own firms style and branding in order to stay relevant.
"How does it feel to set feet on enemies soil again?" I hear Alicia behind me.
I turn around to where her voice is coming from. "Surprisingly entertaining."
She smiles and walks away to her desk. I'm not sure how to describe it, but despite all the tension, the anger and the way things went down, I do feel a sense of pride. A sense of respect for what she did. She built this and she owns it.
Alicia comes back with a bottle of red wine and two glasses.
"You keep that in your office?" I sit down on top of the conference table.
"At all times." She puts the bottle down on the table and pours us two glasses. "So, what do you think?"
"I'm not sure."
"What?"
I look up to her. "I… have to say I'm impressed."
"Who would have thought," she responds with a chuckle and hands me my glass. "Cheers to that."
I raise my glass at her, drink from my wine and look at her as she does the same.
I watch her stand there, right in front of me. In the middle of her own firm. It's a strange realization that I'm now a guest in her office space, rather than she in mine. It's oddly refreshing to me. Not just being here right now, but to see Alicia like this. Owning all of it. Her own firm, the decisions she has made. I've always found her incredibly attractive, but the strength and confidence she now displays has made me like her even more. She's nothing like the woman I bumped into in the elevator five years ago. Everything is different, in such a good way.
"What are you thinking?" Alicia snaps me out of my own thoughts. I look at her, she looks back at me, asking for a response by raising her eyebrows. "Well?"
"You're a different person than five years ago."
I can tell it catches her off guard and that she takes a moment to respond. I've always admired her silence, not always wanting to be the one to speak first or to answer straight away.
"I know," she then nods. "I had to be."
"It looks good on you," I say with a smile.
She smiles back and drinks her wine. A brief silence falls.
I contemplate what to say, because suddenly it hits me that she did right. Leaving the firm, changing our dynamics. Being here, I now see how complicated our situation had become. And I still might not like it, but she did right.
"I think you made the right decision," I then say, without her looking at me.
I can tell she didn't expect me to say that. I see, what I think is, a mix of surprise and relief in her dark eyes.
"I've said a lot of things about the way you left," I explain. "And I stand by them. But I never said that I understand you didn't want to be in the hierarchical relationship we were in. You were right, to not accept that."
"Thank you for saying that."
"It's only fair."
"Maybe," she sighs. "But sometimes, I wonder why I jumped ship at that point in time…"
"You were given a chance and you took it," I shrug.
"…And if it has made my life any easier…," she ponders.
"Running your own firm?"
She nods. "Does it get easier?"
"You know the answer to that."
"Yeah," she replies. A brief silence falls while she looks at me.
"And will this…" she gestures at me and herself. "…get easier?"
"I can't imagine it getting any more complicated."
She smiles at that and moves closer towards me so that she's standing right in front of me. "At least it's legal," she says with a wink. Her voice turned more seductive.
"God," I laugh. "I missed this."
I pull her closer towards me, my arms wrapped around the small of her back. She willingly moves along and slides her hands around my neck. She offers me another smile, more loving this time, and then kisses me. It's a soft, warm kiss. She opens her lips and gently sucks on my bottom lip before she looks up to me, her face close to mine, asking me to kiss her back. Within seconds, our kisses grow more passionate and we're all over each other once again. I feel her body push against mine, eager for more and my hands find their way on her breasts. It's instantly arousing me and makes my mind go back to the hot sex we had just two hours ago. You'd think that we just had the opportunity to get rid of all that built up tension, but it's only making me crave for more.
Alicia notices that too, because I feel her hand curiously sliding over my pants, and I get a triumphant raised eyebrow in response.
"Alicia," I moan and place my hand over hers, gently pushing her away. "I can't take this much longer."
She chuckles in response.
"Why is it that the sex we just had only makes me wanting more?" I ask, and move my hands away from her breasts and back to her hips, in an attempt to control the urge to just go at it again.
"We have a lot of catching up to do," she says.
I want to take my time with her, I realize. Not another office escapade, even though I can already imagine lifting her up on the table. Now that we have the luxury of time, I want to enjoy it. Savor all of it.
"Can I take you home?" I ask.
"You can," she confirms with a playful nod.
00:03
I'm waiting for Alicia at the reception while she closes everything off again. I glance at my watch. It's just past midnight. It's difficult to grasp that this time around, there is no time limit to any of this. I can't help but fantasize about the idea of her falling asleep in my bed tonight. Or waking up tomorrow morning and making us a cup of coffee, without having to rush things.
Alicia appears out of the dark. "Ready," she tells me.
I look at the Florida, Agos and Associates sign once again. "Do you realize you built this?" I ask her.
She gives me a puzzled stare.
"You should." I walk up to her, place my hands on her hips and gently turn her around so that's we're both facing the dark office floor. "Look around," I say. "This is yours. That's an achievement. No matter how long it lasts, you should be proud."
She gives me an amused, but thankful look. "We've come a long way, you and I," she says.
"Yeah well, you know what they say about enemies," I answer and open up the elevator. "Keep them closer."
Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think :)
(Preview for next chapter: the final one...)