Chapter Twenty-Three

Martini glass in hand, Diane is looking around in the dim lighted bar. She hasn't been in such a place for a long time and maybe she shouldn't be here tonight either, but she needed to get away. From home, from her husband, the other woman and the son that she has only seen in photos.

Those damn photos. She has always known it was a bad idea to have Kurt followed, but she simply needed to do it. She never meant for him to find out, but she wasn't careful enough. Kurt saw the pictures, he knows that she's been spying on him and he was furious with a very good reason.

She never really saw him angry before, he is a guy who can keep his cool in every situation, but she obviously crossed a line here. He even threw her past affair at her head, one she already regrets telling him about. As if her sleeping with her significantly older mentor, who happened to be her boss as well, when she was close to Miranda's age would have anything to do with their current situation.

"Diane?"

She turns to the direction of a voice that doesn't belong to the person she's waiting for, but it still sounds familiar.

"Jack," she recognizes the man she used to date and remembers how he always tried to impress her with words. That is exactly what she needs tonight, maybe even more than a conversation about what happened, so she flashes her ex-suitor a smile.

"What a small world," he smiles back at her and places a kiss on her cheek that comes so naturally she doesn't even have the chance to protest, "Are you here on your own?"

"I'm waiting for a friend. How about you?"

"Just came for a drink and some company. Mind if I join you while you're waiting?"

"Please," she motions towards the empty stool next to her.

"A Corona, please," he orders and Diane flinches as the name of the drink reminds her of someone she'd love to forget about at this moment.

"So, are you still handing out subpoenas?" she leans a little closer to him.

"Yes. You, on the other hand, made a big career move, so I've heard."

"It was time I try something new," Diane smiles shyly, not hiding the fact that she likes that he's been following the news on her.

"I never had a chance to congratulate, so I'm doing it now."

"Thank you."

"Can I buy your next drink?"

"Why not?" she keeps smiling, while it crosses her mind that if Jack knows about the Supreme Court seat, he might know about the marriage too. But since he doesn't bring it up, she'd be a fool to do it herself, especially now.

o-o-o

By the time Will arrives, Jack and her are in deep conversation, but she ignores her ex-partner's questioning look.

"Will Gardner," Jack recognizes the man he has served with a subpoena twice, but Will seems to have no clue who he is.

"Remember Jack Copeland? The process server," Diane tries to refresh Will's memory.

"Hope you aren't here to serve any of us," he jokes.

"No," Jack replies, clearly not appreciating the joke and looks at Diane then stands up, "I guess I should be going, it was nice talking to you again."

"Thank you for the company," she lets him go with a last smile and she doesn't deny that she really enjoyed their little chat.

When Jack leaves, Will takes a seat on the barstool next to Diane.

"What did he want?"

"We were just catching up," she explains, grabbing her drink again. She's aware that Will has no idea what happened between her and Jack in the past and it should probably stay that way.

"Scotch, please," Will turns to the bartender, "And another Martini for the lady?" she sends Diane a questioning look.

"I'm good, for now," she declines, because she wants to take her time finishing her second drink.

After Will gets his Scotch there's a few seconds of silence between them and Diane considers whether or not to tell him what happened with Kurt or just try to enjoy his company, like she did with Jack's.

She isn't sure why, but Will was the first person she thought of calling after she was able to calm down a little, but she feels a little guilty for using him this way.

"Do you want to talk about what happened? You sounded upset on the phone," he offers a listening ear and she is tempted to grab this chance. If she doesn't want to go back home in the same state she left, she needs to pour her heart out to someone.

"I did something I shouldn't have, had someone follow Kurt when he was meeting his son and he found out."

"Was he angry?"

"He protected her and blamed me for everything, we had an ugly fight," she admits, her husband's words still painfully echoing in her head.

"There are fights in every marriage," he reminds her of something she knows just as well, but their marriage has been different so far.

"There are four of us in this marriage and it seems like I can only come third now. He enjoys spending time with his son and that woman."

"I'm sure he doesn't want anything from her, he loves you. Having a baby with another woman won't change that."

"I'm not so sure about that anymore," she sighs. Kurt has been telling her that ever since they found out about his son, but his reaction today actually frightened her.

"The stalking is on you, you cannot blame him for taking it badly," he points out and she knows he is right, "Did you hire…?"

"Kalinda," she affirms his unvoiced guess.

"How is she?" he changes the focus of their conversation, but she doesn't mind it at all.

"You should ask her yourself. When was the last time you two talked?" she is aware it's none of her business, but she thinks a little interference wouldn't hurt there.

"She didn't take it well that I wasn't able to stand up for her," he remembers the past, unable to hide the sadness on his face.

"I'm sure it's water under the bridge. You should call her."

Seeing how well they are doing now, after months of silence, she is sure Kalinda and Will could resolve their problems too and try to start all over again.

"See how much wiser we can be in the matter of others?"

"Yeah."

They share a smile, that reminds Diane of old times and she observes how he finishes his drink, while she is holding the already empty glass.

"Ready for the next round?" he asks and she doesn't take long to reply.

"Sure, but do you promise to make sure I get home in one piece?"

"What are friends for?"

A/N: Thank you for those who are still following this story. I always like hearing what you think of the chapters. ;)
In the next one we're back to Kurt's pov.