DAY 2


The chances of losing the case were below zero as a result of the hearing. Alicia considered celebrating the sure success by inviting Kalinda for a drink. Unable to reach her on the phone, she opted for a solitary celebration.

Her throat craved the strong, savory burn of tequila as she approached the counter. But it all drained when she saw a very familiar figure sitting at the counter. Will seemed lost in thought as he nursed a beer by himself. She stood there, unsure if she should join him or just leave. After all there wasn't much conversation between them lately. Not to mention, Will was crystal clear in showing his discomfort and annoyance whenever she was around. The hell with it! I need my fully deserved shot of tequila!

She sat right beside him. "Hey Will," she tried to sound surprised but her slightly squeaky voice gave away the jitters.

Will turned, looking surprised, but didn't say anything. Great. He is probably going to walk out any minute now.

"Hey." He finally met her eyes for the first time in months. "Bad day?" he asked, looking down at his beer.

"No, actually the hearing went pretty good. I wanted to celebrate." She felt her hands getting sweaty, as the bartender started to fill an empty glass with the so much craved liquid. This was the stupidest idea ever!

"Great. Cheers to the good hearings," he said raising his bottle in a toast, a faint smile forming and rapidly disappearing from his face.

"What about you?" she asked tentatively. Things were so awkward between them lately, that she wasn't even sure if there was something they could actually talk about.

"Good. Thinking. Pondering some choices. Taking major decisions. The sort of things that need some alcohol running through the veins," he said finally looking up at her. He remained vague. Still, she could tell it was something of sure importance. Major decisions.

Was she allowed to ask for more? And most important, was he willing to share more?

"Things that might also require some advice?" she went on, curious and eager to know what was bothering him lately.

"I think I just found the answer I was looking for," he said, his gaze fixed on the bottle. "I'm gonna ask Callie to marry me," he said matter-of-factly.

"Oh." It was all she could say to accompany the sudden, unpleasant, painful grip at her stomach. So that was it? Were things that serious? Was she really about to lose him forever? No, she wasn't losing him. She had already lost him! He was sitting there, talking about marriage. Will, of every person she knew, was talking about marriage. Mr. Bachelor #16, Mr. Women-like-me-until-they-discover-the-real-me was taking marriage in serious consideration. No. Her common sense and that bit of rationality still in control of her mind told her to stop thinking and drink!

Left there, mouth open, it took her a while to keep herself together.

"I… It's beautiful… I… I'm happy for you," she said, trying to hide the pain with a forced smile.

"Thank you," Will said, keeping a straight face.

Happy. But was she really? And even worse, was she even entitled to feel such pain? Was there something she could do about it? No, of course there wasn't. The mere thought of doing something was pure insanity. What would she do anyway? Tell him not to get married? Try to convince him that she was the wrong one? With a single sip, she drank all the tequila in her glass and gestured to the bartender to keep it coming. She came to celebrate, not get upset. But, oh well, tequila always had some weird effects on her libido. With two shots of tequila already running down her veins, she just needed a couple more to be ready for a different kind of celebrations. After all she still had a waiting husband at home.

"I should go," Will said, eying her calmly as he stood up. "Thanks for the company, Alicia."

"You're welcome," she said, trying to decipher if he meant their relationship or just tonight. Her own voice quivered but the noise around them probably hid it from Will.

She drank up her second shot of tequila, cursing the moment she decided to celebrate. Her mind went to the last time they celebrated a case together, leaving her with a taste of bitterness and regret at the thought of how the outcome wasn't exactly the same.

Her glorious night totally ruined, she felt the need to go back home, hoping that her kids and Peter's presence would help her get rid of this…whatever this feeling was.