November 2017, Chicago

Just how one of her old Georgetown hoodies had found it's way to her mothers house Alicia was not certain, however that was not to say that she was complaining; it had proved to be a life saver since she had decided to hide away from society. Just as her mother had proved to be a lifesaver. It was now Friday afternoon, Alicia had not turned her phone on since her children arrived at the house, and she would be more than happy to leave it in it's current state of being off. However, with her mother and children out shopping for food Alicia decided she should most likely face the music and turn it on. God only knew that if she didn't then she would never hear the end of it from one person or another.

There were nearing fifty missed calls in total, from Owen, Peter, Eli, Diane and Will. A small smile fell across her lips at the sight of his name; Will, his was the only email she had replied to. Even if she had simply told him she needed time. The fact she replied was something in it's self. Eli's name popped up on her screen, and she answered the call, deciding sooner or later she would have to return to the real world anyway. "What Eli?" Her voice was week, tired and Alicia was not sure when she had last slept. Her evenings had been filed with work, spending hours on cases she was probably even not meant to be working on.

"Alicia, we need you to make a statement-"

"Forget it." The lawyer just hung up. There was no chance in hell that she would be making a statement. The press could take from that what they wanted the truth was that she didn't care. Peter did not deserve her support, yet she was also not going to waste her time on saying she did not support him either. The phone rang again, groaning at Eli's name, she answered, if only to tell him where he could shove his statement.

"I've resigned." His words silenced her, Alicia's eyebrows rose in surprise. Now she was willing to have a conversation, if only because she was intrigued by the revelation. "What he did was wrong, even I have my limits. Look, Alicia, I don't know if you know but Diane asked me to join your firm.-"

"I read the email, Eli."

"Then I want you to know that I did not know he was going to say that you support him. That was not what I told him to say. I may not do things by the book, but I never tell people to completely lie." Alicia wasn't entirely sure if that last bit was true, Eli had boundaries, that she knew, they were also a lot more lenient than most people's, however she wasn't sure where they lay. The lawyer did, however, believe that he had not told Peter to state that he had Alicia's support. Eli had grown to respect her, as a wife, a mother, and as a lawyer; that she was certain of. Telling Peter to say that was not his style.

"Eli, we will not have a problem working together. I'm hurting, but I don't place the blame for that hurt on you."

"Well … good." Eli stated, nodding his head, not even considering that she could not see him.

"We done?"

"Yes." The line went dead as Alicia hung up and she sighed. Monday morning her children would be gone, and she would have to crawl out of the cave she had allowed herself to hide in and face the world. She would have to return to work, see people, deal with the media. There was no doubt in her mind that her life was about to change. She also knew at some point she would have to make a decision about Peter, the intern and the child. What that decision would be, however, Alicia did not know.

Padding into the kitchen she grabbed a glass and poured herself some orange juice, before leaning against the breakfast bar and looking out of the large glass windows. It was nearing 1600 and her mother would be back soon with the children. Alicia wondered how bad it had been. There was no doubt in her mind that people would have stared at her children, would have whispered as they walked past and that Zach and Grace would have felt self conscious, even in baseball hats and sunglasses.

"We're home!" Veronica's voice shattered the silence and Alicia made her way into the hall way. She smiled at her children who gave her a weak smile. At least there was a smile, Alicia thought, that was better than tears or a glare.

"So what are we having for tea?" It was a strange question for Alicia to ask her mother; Veronica was not known for her culinary talents, she never had been. Owen and Alicia had always joked that it was a miracle both had actually survived their childhood without a serious case of food poisoning. However it was Grace who answered, after all living alone she had managed to learn how to make a few things and seemed to enjoy cooking.

"Lasagne, with garlic bread and salad. I'm cooking, Grandma and Zach are helping." Alicia smiled, watching as her children made their way into the kitchen. Veronica walked over to her daughter and took her hand, squeezing it softly. Peter had caused a lot of heartbreak in Alicia's life, he had caused her to loose a lot of people whom she had thought that she was close to, who she thought would be forever a part of her life. Yet, in a twisted kind of way, this latest scandal had a silver lining to it. Peter had caused her to grow closer to her mother, a woman who she had never spent particularly much time with. Alicia guessed that just proved that not everything in her life was falling apart, and that was definitely something she needed to be reminded of.

"You have two wonderful children." Veronica said, before joining Zach and Grace in the kitchen, a smile on her lips. Alicia just stood there, listening as Grace took charge and informed her older brother and grandmother just what she wanted them to do.

It was probably down to the number of arguments which had taken place in the kitchen since Alicia's banishment which caused the lasagne to only be going in the oven an hour after the preparation had started. Sat with her laptop on her knee, going over the notes Diane had sent her from the class action depositions earlier in the week she smirked. There was yet another argument stemming from the kitchen. This time with regard to what was to go in the salad. Whilst part of Alicia knew she should go into the kitchen and step in, she decided not to. Hearing her children bicker, well it reminded her of better times, times without the fear of the press or humiliation of their fathers latest scandal. It sounded like normality, and that was something Alicia would give anything to experience again. So she left them, after all, it was harmless enough.

Alicia heard the doorbell ring and waited a moment to see whether her mother would make a move to answer it. When the bell rang a second time, and no on had even seemed to acknowledge there had been a noise, the brunette stood up and made her way over to the door. Much to her disappointment there was no peephole in the door like there was back at her apartment, which meant that when she opened it and saw Will stood on the doorstop she was more than a little surprised. "Hey." He said, that boyish grin passing over his features. Yet there was a look in his eyes that suggested he was nervous, apprehensive about what her reaction would be.

"How did you know I was-" Alicia began, about to ask him just how he had found out about the country house. Why he was on the doorstep would be her next question. Will interrupted her though, and gave her the answer that she had been anticipating.

"Kalinda." He said, watching as Alicia gave a knowing nod. It had not taken her long to realise that Kalinda was not only the eyes and ears of the firm, but that she was also practically the eyes and ears of the whole city. "I wanted to let you know that Sweeney is in the clear. For once I actually believe he is innocent."

"Good." Alicia said, nodding as she leant against the doorframe. Will took the moment to admire her appearance, despite her arms being crossed, he could tell that she was wearing a georgetown hoodie, the one that was about three sizes too big for her. Alicia also had on a pair of well faded jeans. Her hair was messily tied up, with tendrils falling down around her face. Subconsciously she moved them behind her ears. The Alicia Cavanaugh who stood in front of him, on her mother's doorstep wearing a hoodie that was nearing twenty five years old was not the same one who turned up to work everyday looking immaculate and ran Chicago's top law firm. The Alicia who was stood in front of him was the same Alicia Cavanaugh that he had spent hours in the library with, that he had spent late nights that turned into mornings studying and eating pizza with. "You could just have called." She pointed out, making him blush. Will was well aware of that fact, however he had been worried about her. She may not have been at the firm long, but I was strange, working in his office and not being able to wander into hers when he wanted to hash out some ideas. Going to make coffee and not pausing to see if she wanted some. It was strange – or maybe it wasn't – how fast he had gotten so used to having her back in his life.

"I wanted to see how you were doing." He said, shrugging his shoulders and putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans. She wasn't the only one dressed casually. Will was wearing dark washed jeans and royal blue Chicago Cubs hoodie on. Alicia hadn't seen his dressed casually in twenty odd years, and she had forgotten how much it suited him.

"I'm okay, i'm getting there." She answered honestly.

"Zach and Grace?"

"They're hurting." She stated, looking at him with sad eyes. "However they are fighters, they'll get through this." Will just nodded, smiling thankfully. There was an almighty clatter in the kitchen, and Alicia rolled her eyes as the sound hit her ears. Will just laughed. "I should probably go and find out what that was."

"Yeah." He said, smiling at her. "Good luck!" Alicia turned around and was back inside the house when she decided that in actual fact she really did not want him to leave. That she wanted him to stay, wanted him to meet her children and her mother – okay, maybe just her children. So she turned back around.

"Will..." She said, watching as he turned around and looked at her inquisitively. "Grace is making lasagne, and to be honest I could use some back up. They haven't stopped arguing since they got home from the store. Do you want to stay? For tea I mean?"

"Yeah." He said, a smile once more taking over his features. "Yeah I'd like that." Alicia just smiled and opened the door wider, welcoming him into her escapism. She wan't sure what the night had in store, but she was grateful that he was there, even if it was just as a friend, to support her. Support her not just with her bickering and slightly dysfunctional family, but just support her in general.