Heroin and Vodka
Author's note: Hey guys. What's up? I know it's been some time since I last updated. But I did warn you guys that my semesters were coming up. So updates will be less frequent for the next few weeks. On the bright side, what did you all feel about the mid-finale? Frankly, I believe Miller was innocent the whole time. Man, did Nate beat him to a pulp! That was gruesome to watch. The Gabriel reveal was also shocking. That ending scene where his face changes into Sam's was creepy as hell. Anyways, that's enough of me blabbering. Let's get on with the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own How To Get Away With Murder. Its plot and characters are the sole property of Pete Nowalk and Shonda Rhimes.
Chapter 24
Annalise pulled up to the street and stopped. She shut the engine off. All was silent except for the sounds of her breathing.
She pulled down her windows and was immediately blasted by a draft of cold November air. It was almost December after all, and the weather was shifting.
She was half-afraid to look up and meet the object of her gaze. But she had been putting this off for quite some time and now she had to get this over with. Taking a deep breath, she looked up. The charred remains of the house stood in the pale morning light like a skeleton. It had been so alive, so vibrant. Inside, she had pictured a lifetime of love and security, a place with memories and warmth. Now, the wind whistled through and the steady rain fell right into the twisted plastic and metal that had been furniture and electronics. The last time she had seen it, it had been an inferno—black smoke billowed into the heated air, sending its distinctive aroma over the neighborhood. Orange flames blew out of the windows and sent horizontal jets of flame out, ten feet or more.
As she watched the burnt ramparts from the distance, her mind flashed back to the beginning of her life with Sam, back in 2000…
Begin Flashback
They were both lying in bed. Annalise was cuddled up to Sam, both of them under the sheets.
"Everyone is going to hate us." Sam replied, with a smile. "Two Professor Keatings on the same campus. A new power couple…" he trailed off.
Annalise chuckled.
"They're only hiring me as an assistant professor."
"Well, for now." Sam replied. "You'll get tenure in record time. Maybe before me."
Annalise laughed at that.
"Like that was ever a question." she replied mockingly.
"Oh. Someone's getting cocky pretty fast." Sam replied, with a chuckle.
"Yeah. But you love that about me." Annalise replied.
They both leant into the other and their lips touched.
End Flashback
Annalise's hands trembled over the steering wheel as tears ran down her eyes. She began to sob quietly.
But no sooner had she begun to cry, did a pair of warm hands enfold her and pull her in. She looked up at the person. It was Isaac.
He had insisted on coming with her, refusing to accept any reasoning, despite it being well into the night. He had refused to let her do this alone.
Now he was here. Holding her—a sobbing mess as she watched her life fall apart in front of her eyes.
"Annalise." his voice rumbled. "Look at me."
Annalise was hesitant before she looked up. Her gaze met his. They were still a bit murky due to the effects of the opioid he had taken earlier that evening. But despite their murkiness, there was a certain warmth to them that Annalise had never noticed till now.
"If this is too much, we can do it another time." he tried, stroking her head softly. Annalise leant into his touch. She resumed sobbing into his chest.
"I-I'm a mess." she stuttered. "My husband's dead. One of my students is dead. The D.A's office is trying me for his murder. And arson. And then you." Here, she paused. "The D.A's office is even investigating you. If only—"
But Isaac cut her off.
"We'll deal with it all, Annalise. Trust me. One step at a time." he replied, his voice soothing and calm. "We'll find out who really killed Wes. I promise." Saying this, Annalise buried her head in his chest. Isaac held her in his arms and continued to stroke her head softly.
Isaac steeled himself. He would have to be strong—for both of them. But Isaac promised himself, that he would be there for her, no matter what.
"Thank you all for coming." Annalise replied, addressing the Keating 4 who had gathered there at Bonnie's house. It was 9 AM in the morning and Annalise had just returned from Isaac's. She had spent the night there.
The awkward conversation that the two had shared soon after was still fresh in her mind. It brought a small smile to her face.
Begin Flashback
As their lips parted, Annalise immediately looked down and began to blush—which was awkward as hell, seeing as she never blushed after kissing. She had never felt anything like this in her entire life. Not even after kissing Eve for the first time had she felt such a tingly warmth in her chest. Even though that had been her first true kiss—and that too at a time when she herself had been unsure of her sexuality.
She heard a soft chuckle which brought her out of her musings. Looking up, she spotted Isaac with a wide smile on his face.
"Is this your first?" Isaac asked, chuckling softly.
The redness in her cheeks intensified further upon that comment.
"No!" she replied, defiantly. But she didn't elaborate further.
"So…" Isaac replied, deciding to tease her further. "Who was your first?" he asked with genuine interest.
Annalise looked away, blushing furiously. This wasn't atopic she was exactly comfortable relating to anyone. She had never told anyone of her first dalliance with Eve. Not even Sam.
Isaac spotted the rather uncomfortable look on her face and immediately backtracked.
"I mean, if you're OK with it?" he added hesitantly. The last thing he wanted was to screw this up completely.
"It was Eve." Annalise blurted out immediately. "It was during our second year at law school. It was at night and I was half-drunk off my ass after we had both spent hours slogging it in the library."
Isaac nodded with interest.
"So…" she asked, rounding on him immediately. "Care to tell me your's? I mean it's only fair. I did tell you mine."
"That's true." Isaac replied with a nod. "I've only ever kissed one woman before in my life." Here, he paused. "I thought she was the one I was meant to be with. It was Jacqueline." he added, spotting Annalise's confused look.
"So…you've ever been only with one woman?" Annalise asked, perplexed.
"What can I say?" Isaac replied, softly. "I'm very old fashioned that way. Sorry if that's disappointing." he replied, with a chuckle.
"Oh no." Annalise replied, shaking her head softly. "Old- fashioned is what I prefer anyway after what I've been through."
Both of them chuckled at that. A silence followed soon after. But it was a comfortable silence that always pervaded the two of them.
Isaac coughed, breaking the silence.
"So…" he replied, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "What does this mean? I know I'm your therapist and I can understand if this is dredging up any uncomfortable memories. We can keep this professional if you want to. All I want to say is—"
But he was cut off by Annalise pressing her lips against his. Isaac silenced himself, kissing him back gently.
Annalise didn't know either. This was probably the most complex situation that she had ever been in. Probably even more complex than what it had been with Eve. She had figured her previous elopement with Sam would have provided her the requisite experience needed to deal with this.
But she found none. And that was what excited her. It was unfamiliar territory that she was walking into. But it was the good kind of unfamiliar. The kind that made her heart beat faster and made her hands wrap around the man passionately.
They would figure it out. But right now, as things were, she couldn't care less where they were. What mattered was that he was there with her.
End Flashback
"So, what exactly are we doing here?" Connor asked, bringing Annalise back into the present.
Annalise sighed before continuing.
"I know you didn't have to come here. You could all have…just run off to Brazil already."
"Is that really an option?" Connor replied, sarcastically.
Annalise was quiet for a few moments before she spoke up.
"I failed. I promised to protect you all, and I didn't. I tried but…the D.A tried to offer Wes immunity. It would make sense if they come to you next."
"AK. Come on." Asher spoke up. "You know we all have your back."
"We don't know that." Annalise replied, shaking her head. "The D.A really wants to take me down for this. And I would imagine that anything that they offered would be hard to turn down."
"Oh my God." Laurel replied, with a sigh. "I'm sorry. Did you really call us here to beg us not to tattle on you?"
"No." Annalise replied. " And I'm sorry if it's coming off that way."
"Yeah. Yeah it is." Laurel replied offhandedly.
"Laurel. Lease, just sit down." Micheala offered.
"Why aren't we talking about going after the people who killed Wes?" Laurel asked, frustrated.
"We don't know who killed him." Bonnie replied, placatingly.
"He testified against Charles Mahoney a week before he died." Laurel replied.
"Its not that simple." Annalise replied.
"It is. And we should do something about it." Laurel replied, advancing on her.
"These people are dangerous." Annalise replied, attempting to calm her down.
"So what? We just sit here and do nothing and act all weak and victim-y?" Laurel shot back.
"No one's acting like a victim." Annalise replied.
"You are." Laurel replied. "Have you said your piece? Can I go?" she asked. Saying so, she strode forward, pulling the door open and slamming it shut behind her.
Annalise sighed. Things were just spiraling downwards and downwards.
Annalise was back at Isaac's. They were both attempting to brainstorming ideas as to how to get her out of this mess.
"How about a mistrial?" Isaac suggested. "You could complain that the D.A is acting on bias. That would suffice in my opinion. Not to mention the juror misconduct."
Annalise shook her head.
"While under deliberating circumstances, a mistrial would have been the perfect option, but I don't think the judge will go for it even once. The D.A's out for my blood here. And they're all in on it together."
Isaac nodded with a sigh.
Suddenly, he leapt off his seat, an excited twinkle in his eye.
"Here's an idea. What about a grand-jury investigation into the D.A's office. You have more than enough evidence to go for it. What with Atwood's prosecutorial misconduct and her holding you without any basis." he replied.
A small smile formed on Annalise's face.
"Beats anything I've got." she replied, walking over to Isaac's desk and opening up his laptop.
She had just about had enough of sitting back and doing nothing. Now it was time to take matters into her own hands.
"Attention, Ingrid Peters, Esquire." She typed hurriedly. "Pennsylvania Office of the Deputy Attorney General. My name is Annalise Keating and this is a demand letter seeking a grand-jury investigation into a conspiracy launched against me by the Philadelphia District Attorney's office. This letter serves as a formal complaint in petition for investigation into prosecutorial misconduct committed by A.D.A Renee Atwood. The following is a list of her unlawful actions—
on personal bias and false information, Ms. Atwood arrested and held me without probable cause just by the confession by a career criminal, Frank Delfino.
. Atwood and her detectives then tried to manipulate and scare me into confessing to a murder I did not commit.
her complete lack of evidence on the matter at hand, Ms. Atwood continued to deny my rights by questioning me without my attorney present in violation of Mirada v. Arizona.
4 Most importantly, A.D.A Atwood orchestrated the disappearance of the victim's body thereby tampering with evidence and obstructing a fair and impartial trial.
"What do you think?" Annalise asked Isaac, who was reading the draft over her shoulders.
Isaac nodded grimly.
"It's war." he replied.
Author's note: There you go. Lots of cute Annalise-Isaac moments in there to keep you guys satisfied. The story will diverge slightly from canon at this point as I have something special planned for Isaac in Season 4. Unfortunately, this will be the last chapter that I can push out in the weeks to come as my exams are literally knocking at the door! Next chapter will be out by mid-December.
Anyways, read and review guys. And leave your thoughts about the mid-fianle. Would love to know your thoughts and opinions.