A/N So will Kalinda save the day? Will Alicia take another hit on Peter's behalf?
Kalinda rang the doorbell. She didn't care it was almost midnight and they were probably sleeping. A few moments later a rather alert Grace answered the door.
"Hello, Grace. Do you remember me?" she asked nicely.
"Sure Kalinda, hi."
"Sorry about the hour. Hope I didn't wake you up. May I come in?"
"Grace who is it?" Alicia yelled and then she saw Kalinda.
"Oh hi."
"Alicia hi. Is Peter here?"
"Yes. You want Peter?"
"Yes"
"Well, we are all here. Jackie and my mom and Owen. Family dinner. I am sure you can tell me or maybe tomorrow. It can be so serious." Please Kalinda don't destroy my happy bubble, Alicia prayed silently. I don't want to know what he has done this time. I don't. I have to believe I did the right thing choosing him. I have to keep my faith in him. I have to believe he has really changed.
Kalinda understood what Alicia was really saying and she was sorry she really was. But she had made her choice and she would have to live with it and deal with the consequences. Will needed her help more.
"I am sorry but it is urgent." Kalinda was resolute.
"Look, maybe I wasn't clear. This isn't the time for any kind of business." Alicia would keep her family intact no matter what. She wouldn't allow Kalinda, anyone to destroy her hard preserved family. Otherwise it was all for nothing. She broke her heart for nothing.
"Alicia look I understand what you mean, I do. I am sorry to cause any disturbance at all, but I really have no other choice. So you either let me talk to Peter now, or you see the headlines tomorrow."
Alicia was silent.
"OK."
Alicia returned seconds later with Peter.
"Kalinda. Will sent you to do his dirty work?" Peter scowled
"No I came alone. He has no idea I am here. Is there a more private place?"
They went into the spare bedroom. Alicia followed them.
"You don't have to be here, Alicia." Kalinda said, trying to protect her friend."Peter and I are big kids."
"No I am staying." Alicia said. Ignorance is bliss but she didn't want to be blindsided ever again. Since she couldn't talk Kalinda out of confronting Peter with whatever dirt she had, she would stay and face it.
"You back off Will. Blame God, Jim Moody, stupid campaign workers , I don't care. But leave Will out of it."
"Why should I? He did it."
"Don't be a hypocrite. He did it to protect Alicia and Diane,as you knew he would. Plus the fact remains you knew the votes were fraudulent and you didn't have the balls to make a decision. You played Pontius Pilates."
Alicia's sharp intake of breath was the only sign she was affected by the news.
"Where is your evidence?" she asked Kalinda
"A video."
"A video you found and showed it to Will, who showed it to Peter." Alicia clarified.
"Yes."
"And you said?" she asked turning to her husband
"I never actually saw the video. Will described it to me. I told him I wouldn't own that decision."
"OK. Why are we having this conversation now?"
"Because someone from Mike Kresteva's campaign found the video. Peter wants to blame Will and come out clean." Kalinda explained.
"No, I merely intend to tell the truth." Peter corrected.
Alicia closed her eyes. She felt nauseated. Yes Peter was technically right. Will was responsible for the fraud. And yet, as Kalinda put it the hypocrisy of the situtation was disgusting. She remembered what Will always said. "You must defend the interest of you client." and then Diane's motto. There is no point going nuclear if you keep missiles in your silo.
She took a deep breath and feeling like a total scumbag she said.
"Peter didn't do anything wrong. He never actively tried to cover up any fraud, and therefore is not to blame. He never signed any contract with Lockhart/Gardner, so Will wasn't covered by attorney/client privilege." she finished. She felt utterly ruined. I have finally become Louis Canning. She was tearing apart in two, but her face was impassive.
Kalinda looked at her stunned. She liked Alicia, but this woman in front of her wasn't her former friend.
"What happened to you?"she asked with contempt. "You are everything you ever criticized, everything you ever hated. Is he worth it? Is this pretense of a marriage really worth throwing Will under the bus to get disbarred?"
"Kalinda you don't get to judge my wife in my own house." Peter growled.
"OK. Well, since we are all having a nice honest chat, let me be very clear. You throw Will under the bus, I will testify with proof that you slept with Amber Madison on 19 different occasions not 18 as you swore in court, and one of them was in your house. You will be found guilty of perjury for starters. Then, I am going to testify about your dealings with Kozko, like that 20 store building in an area where more than 10 floors are forbidden. After I have done all that, I am going to expose every little backroom hiring you did when you were State's Attorney, focusing on Shanon. If that's not enough I will testify you slept with me as well after you changed my name. Think about it. If I see Will's name mentioned you end up in jail. I will make sure of it. Goodnight."
A/N. I am a bit sad. Only guategal took time to review. I can see that you are reading it, I need your feedback on this.