Okay inspired by yesterdays episode (do I have to say how much I loved the final scene?)

set after the final scene in the bus:)

don't own The Good Wife you know the rest...

The Road to Home

Peter had started to read the speech he need to memories for the the next event a few days away, a little while ago. It had been terrible hard to actually pick it up again instead of continuing to look at Alicia. Enjoying the sight of her like this, smiling, laughing, relaxed and a little bit tired.

It had been years since she had last been this relaxed near him like she was now. And the look she had given him, so sweet and warm, full of emotions like tenderness and dared he say love.

It was something he would never have dared to believe: That she could love him ever again. That they could maybe have a real second chance at love.

He looked up from the speech again not able to really concentrate on it and wanting just one more look at Alicia. He didn't find her going over texts or resting her head against the window, like he had expected and neither was she looking at him like he might have secretly hoped for.

No, instead he found her asleep. She had pulled up her legs on the seat and laid down stretched out on the couch. Her head closest to him and her face turned towards him. She looked so incredible peaceful like this. Her long eyelashes resting against the top of her cheeks and hands curled under her head. Her hair having fallen forward so it was covering her face a little. He had missed seeing her in such a position, because truth be told in many ways, it was far more intimate than sex, as she was now her most vulnerable. It also seemed like forever, since he last saw her in some kind of peaceful sleep and not just tight up curled against the other side of the bed, scared to be to close to him. Here she was, her face and head turned towards him, she was so close he just needed to move a little and he would be sitting right next to her, and be able to feel her warm breath on his leg.

He let out a deep breath and took a look on his watch hoping they were back home soon. He might love having her like this, but he also knew that it would not be very good for her to sleep like this for long. He didn't like what he saw though: It would be way too long before they were home. He took one more look at her, before he stood up: the least he could do was to make sure she didn't get cold, which she had a tendency to when she was sleeping. He looked around hoping to find a blanket but couldn't see any, so instead he grabbed his jacket and tucked it around her, hoping that at least would help a little. He also grabbed a pillow, and carefully lifted her head, so he could slip it under, wanting to save her the headache she might otherwise get tomorrow.

He sat back down beside her again, picking up the speech once more, but not looking at it. Instead he kept looking at her. How had been that stupid to let her slip away, like sand slipping though his fingers. How could he have forgotten how much he loved and adored her, because he really did. Even more he loved the woman she had become over the last couple of years probably even more if it was possible, than the woman she was when he first met her. And god he had been smitten with her back then. The young law student that was way to smart and beautiful for her own goods, and who had most men (and some women) turn their head to look at her one more time. Even though she had been known for being an ice-queen and not easy to get close to, she still had everyone dreaming of her. He had no idea why she chose him back then but he had been honored she did.

She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever met and he really loved her more now than, he did before. It was ironic really, it took him loosing her to realize how important she was to him. And no he was not talking about his political career. Yes, she was the most important factor to that. But more than that she was important to him as a person. She was the one he trusted the most and needed the most to be truly happy, her and their children.

He really had been a fool letting her slip away and if she ever gave him another chance, he would do everything in his power to make it up to her. He had learned that his own wants, needs and desires meant nothing if she was not happy. He might want to be governor, but if it was her or that he would choose her over it any day. It had not been like that for such a long time, but he had changed and so had she.

She had changed so much, and he had never admired her more than he did now. She was so confident in herself, not needing anyone else. And that made him long to be with her again even more, to be worthy, that she would chose to be with him, because it was what she wanted and not because she couldn't be alone. She had proved many times, she did amazingly on her own, and really didn't need him in her life. Still he longed to be in it. He knew he was in no way worthy of her any more and had probably never been worthy. But he still wished she would give him a chance: If she did he would spend every day of the rest of his life trying to make her happy no matter what it took. He had realized that love was about wanting what the other wanted and what made them happy. That was also, why he could never again push her for a second chance, because he wasn't sure she wanted one. And what if he pushed and she only gave in, because he had pushed her to far once more. In the end that would hurt her, and make her sad, and he could never again be the cause of her tears.

He looked at her with soft eyes admiring her beauty. He lifted his hand and softly stoke her over the hair feeling the silky stands against the tips of his fingers. He brushed a lock of it that had fallen forward away from her face, letting his fingers linger for a second against her cheek. He almost pulled back in shock, when he saw her eyelids flutter softly, but she didn't wake up instead she turned her head a couple of inches, so his hand came to linger even more at her cheek. He kept completely still for a moment, not sure how he would explain himself if she did wake up. He held his breath, when he saw her eyelids flutter a few times again, already knowing he wouldn't be lucky enough to avoid her waking up a second time, and he wasn't. She did open her eyes slowly. He had had no idea what he would tell her now, why he was stoking her cheeking or even touching her. But to his surprise, she just looked at him with the same soft look she had given him earlier tonight. She gave him a light smile before closing her eyes and falling back asleep, not turning away or getting upset about what he had done. She had just given him that soft look and smile. He sat completely still for a minute, not sure if he should take his hand away or not however she kept sleeping peacefully once more. Peter let his fingers brush over her soft cheek a couple of times before he moved his hand to her hair, letting his fingers slip through the silky stands again.

He didn't take another look at the speech during the rest of the ride, instead he was looking at her adoringly while he stoked her hair softly.