Disclaimer: I don't own.

Warning: T for now, will change to M later.

Chapter 2: The Welcome Wagon

"Now where did I put those desk supplies?" Zenobia stood in the middle of her new office scratching her head. She was surrounded by boxes and bags of things to decorate it with. The phone on her desk rang but she was too surrounded by things to run over and answer it. "Hopefully they'll think it's important enough to leave a message. Wait… did I even set up the voicemail?" She thought of her mental checklist and decided that she hadn't. It was on the list of things to do so she could check on it later.

She finally was able to clear a path to her desk and decided to group the boxes and bags together so things would be easier to find. Zenobia appreciated the help of the young men who brought the items into her office; she just wished she could have told them where to put things before they left. However, they were headed off to class. A knock at her open door drew her attention away from organizing but not enough to look in that direction.

"Hello," said the voice that followed the knock.

"If you're looking for Dean Block's office he's down the hall and to the left." She heard a shuffle at the door.

"I know what Dean Block looks like. However, it was your lovely face and figure I saw in Lockhart-Gardner yesterday so I'm pretty sure you're the one I'm looking for." Zenobia turned her head towards the door so quickly that the curls framing her face gently smacked her cheek. She saw a middle-aged man in an expensive suit with slicked back salt and pepper hair, leaning against the doorjamb. His eyes followed her hands as they came to rest on her jean-clad hips.

"I beg your pardon? How did you see me in Lockhart-Gardner yesterday? And how did you know I would be here, today?"

"My sweet lady, you don't have to beg. A smile from you and I'll tell you everything you want to know." He looked at her, hoping for a smile from her full slightly tinted red lips. Zenobia gave him an annoyed look instead.

"You have one minute to tell me who you are and why you're here before I yell for security." The man threw his hands up in surrender.

"OK, ok. Maybe I'll get a smile another day. My name is Eli Gold." He said stepping into the office and offering his hand to shake. "I own a PR firm located inside the offices of Lockhart-Gardner. I saw you in Alicia's office when I was walking with Will to a meeting." She shook the offered hand. "Welcome to the University."

"Um, thanks. I wasn't aware that you were a part of the welcoming committee; I thought I'd met everyone already."

"Oh, I'm not associated with the University in any way. Just being friendly." Zenobia was wary of this man.

"So you work in the office but you're not lawyer."

"Correct, but I did buy into the partnership so I have some input in what the firm does, on a grand scale anyway. Sometimes our clients need assistance from both sides."

"Ah, I see." She looked him up and down, trying to place where she had seen him. Or at least heard his name. Then she figured it out. "So you being Peter's campaign manager had nothing to do with you acquiring office space in Alicia's firm?"

"None what so ever. At least, none that I know of."

"Yeah right. You are aware that lawyers are pretty perceptive aren't you Mr. Gold?"

"Please call me Eli."

"Mr. Gold, why are you here?"

"To welcome you." Zenobia gave him another annoyed look.

"You have done your job. Now if you don't mind, I have an office to organize before I begin meeting with students and professors in a few days."

"Oh, of course." He turned towards the door, making as if he was ready to leave, and then pulled a Colombo move on her. "Uh, one other thing."

"Yes?"

"What night are you free for dinner?"

"Dinner?"

"Yes. I'd like to take you out to dinner, get to know you on a personal level."

"Personal?"

"Yes. It is unlikely that our paths will cross professionally, unless you are in need of my services, which I doubt you will. I think getting to know you personally would be a great honor and pleasure."

"I don't know what's coming up in the next few weeks for me just yet."

"Oh, it's fine. I know how that can be. May I give you my card? It has all my contact information on it so you can call me whenever you are available." Eli handed Zenobia the card. She reluctantly took it.

"Thanks. I'll keep you in mind."

"Please do. I'm looking forward to having dinner with you."

A few hours later Zenobia had pretty much cleared her office of the boxes. The building engineers had come and thrown the boxes away. She made a mental note to use reusable totes the next time she was moving office items. It seemed to work better for home stuff and she didn't have to make a mad dash trying to find boxes when she needed to move. She hoped that wouldn't be anytime soon. She was in Chicago to stay.

She had finally navigated the voicemail system and set it up. She had logged into the university email system, setting that up as well as her student access page. Now she was taking a technology break by organizing her law books. The soothing sounds of Ella Fitzgerald, the only thing filling the air. Zenobia took a few minutes to pause and really recognize where she was standing. She was in her own office, not a law office but the office as the dean of a law school. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think she would be here. A lifetime lawyer was all she had hoped to be. A familiar voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"Never thought you'd be here did you?" Zenobia turned around to see her old friend Peter Florrick standing in her doorway. "I know how you feel. I never thought I'd be the States Attorney."

"Peter!" She ran to her friend and gave him a huge bear hug. "Oh my god!"

"Hey Zenobia." Peter swung her around in a circle. "How are you?" He asked as he set her down.

"I'm awesome. And to answer your question, no I never thought I'd be here. Come in, come in. Let me show you around." Peter walked into the office, admiring her handiwork.

"This is an office worthy of a Dean. I like it. Nothing like trying to make it feel comfortable."

"I can't think of it as just an office or a space to talk with students anymore. To be honest, I'm not sure I'm ready for all this."

"Oh, of course you are. You wouldn't be here if they didn't think you were."

"What they think and what I think are two different things. It's not so much the students but the other professors. I'm not just a teacher and advisor anymore. I'm in charge of the teachers. These people have tenure and loyalty to the current dean. Some aren't too happy with the University's choice."

"That's normal Zen. Nobody's ever completely happy with change. But it's necessary and unavoidable. I hear Dean Block is sick, right? Nothing anybody can do about that. You'll be fine. And those who can't handle it, will seek employment elsewhere. I know you can do it."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Zenobia replied.

"It's your name on the door that says 'Dean', not theirs. And speaking of name…"

"Yeah, I'm back to my maiden name." Peter sat down in the chair across from her.

"What happened? I always thought you and Deon were a sure thing."

"So did I. But when I had my accident he found solace in my cousin Franklin."

"I'm sorry…did you say Franklin? Franklin?" Zenobia nodded in agreement. "Wow."

"I know."

"I can't even imagine…"

"I couldn't either until it was happening. But they are happily married in Boston with their three kids, so I guess all is good."

"You're ok being single?" She shrugged.

"Sure. It's not as if I've been alone. I've had relationships since then, even been engaged again. But when it was proven that I really couldn't have kids after my accident, we couldn't stay together."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. I found some other ways to channel my passion."

"Teaching. It's obviously paid off for you." Peter said looking around her office.

"It has." She nodded in agreement. "And you, State's Attorney huh? Twice."

"Yeah, it was a huge battle the second time around though. I never could have done it without Alicia."

"Speaking of your lovely wife and my friend…what exactly is going on between you two?" Peter stretched his legs out and then crossed them.

"Well, how much do you know?"

"I know about as much as the public knows I guess. I saw the scandal. Then I heard you were back together. Then I heard you were separated."

"You're filled in. How did you hear it anyway?"

"I was in Charlotte attending a conference and people were talking about it then. Now you know if the tongues were wagging outside of Chicago, then they're wagging here in the city."

"Well, we're trying to keep it out of the news. It's our personal life you know? Not everything we do should be front page news."

"Peter, you know people like to see their elected officials live proper lives."

"You mean pedestal lives."

"I guess you can call it that. People just want honest politicians and lawyers. You're both so we expect it twice as much from you."

"I know."

"So what are you guys gonna do?"

"Right now it's just a separation. We haven't decided on what to do. We make sure we're on one accord for Zach and Grace. They're innocents in all this."

"Yea they are. I want you back together; you two belong together. Deon and I didn't make it. I didn't have a chance after he said he had feelings for Franklin. I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. But you and Alicia, you guys have a chance. I think you should explore your options. You do want it to work, don't you?"

"Of course I do. I love her and I want my family back together. It's gonna take some time, but I think we can do it."

"Are you going to run for any other political offices?" Peter sighed.

"I'm bouncing around the idea of running for State's Attorney again. But my campaign manager thinks I should have my sights set on higher positions."

"Such as?"

"Governor of Illinois." Zenobia's eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Governor of Illinois? Are you ready for that?"

"I don't know. I've asked a lot of Alicia and the kids these past two elections. Pursuing the Governorship would be the biggest yet. I'd like to wait until the kids are out of school though. I don't want to interrupt their education anymore than I already have."

"How long would you have to wait?"

"Well, Zach just turned sixteen; he's a sophomore, Grace is fourteen. So at least five years. The election is every four years like the Presidential but I'd have to wait two years because I'd be in the middle of a term. And you know the Governor lives in the state capital. I don't know if Alicia will want to give up practicing. She was out of it for so long and now it's a part of her like you wouldn't believe."

"Speaking of your campaign manager…"

"Eli? What about him?"

"He found out who I was, came here and asked me out to dinner."

"He did what?"

"He asked me out to dinner. He saw me in the office the other day and found out where I was. What do I make of that?" Peter shook his head.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Eli doesn't usually do things without a reason. Now he may be attracted to you; I don't know. I've never asked him what kind of woman he likes. Although I can tell you, you're nothing like his ex-wives."

"More than one?"

"Two actually. Children from both, I think. "

"Maybe he thinks I know something."

"You're not one for politicking or sharing, but he doesn't know that. I'm not sure what he's up to. I can talk to him, tell him to back off." Zenobia thought for a moment.

"Nah, let it roll. It won't take me long to find out what he's after."

Alicia was more than happy to leave her office with what she hoped was for the rest of the weekend, but she worked for Lockhart-Gardner; it wasn't a guarantee. She was able to spend a little time with Zach and Grace before Peter came to pick them up.

"So what are you doing this weekend?" Zach asked his mother, as he sat next to her on the couch.

"Well, I have an old friend from college who has moved back into the city so I'm going to have dinner with her tonight and catch up. Maybe some laundry tomorrow."

"Is this her?" Grace asked, as she picked up the photo album on the table.

"Yep, that's Zenobia. I thought I'd find some pictures from our college days."

"Wow, that's such a pretty name." Grace replied.

"It matches. She's pretty."

"Zach!" Grace exclaimed as she hit his arm. "She's like mom's age." She whispered. Alicia laughed.

"No, Zach is right. Zen has always been a pretty girl. And she would be flattered."

"She's a lawyer, so I don't think she's into breaking the law. We won't be going out." Grace shook her head as she laughed. "So what are you guys gonna do tonight?"

"She's gonna make dinner and we're gonna catch up. Just simple." Alicia said.

"Look at the picture of dad." Zach said laughing. "He looks so….I don't know." Grace laughed as well.

"How old were you guys in this picture?" Alicia looked at the picture Grace was referring to.

"Oh, I don't know. Twenty-three maybe? We were young; probably goofing around on campus one day."

"You don't look so different…" Grace said.

"Yeah right. Zenobia said the same thing the other day. She was my roommate for a long time. Best roommate ever. She would get into these cooking moods where she would cook and make enough food to freeze and last for weeks. She'd also cook for us during exams. She was a stickler for making sure we ate so we had energy to study."

"So Zenobia was friends with you and dad back then?" Zach asked.

"Zenobia actually introduced the two of us. But there were nine of us hanging out, trying to make it through school together. We had a lot of fun times." The doorbell rang. "Well, that's probably your dad." Alicia got up to answer the door.

"Hey." Peter said when the door opened.

"Hey yourself." Alicia replied as she stepped back to let him in. "They're grabbing their stuff." Peter glanced at the coffee table, seeing the photo albums Alicia had found.

"Are those what I think they are?" He asked. Alicia nodded as she laughed.

"Yeah, I thought I find some old pictures to take to Zenobia's. I can't believe how young and different we look. Zach even said Zen was pretty."

"Well, she did look good. Hasn't changed much at all."

"You've seen her?"

"I stopped by her office to welcome her back. She says she's nervous, but I think she will do an exceptional job as their Dean."

"I agree. She'll make her mark in no time."

"You didn't talk with Eli this week did you?" Alicia frowned at the name but shook her head.

"No. Why? Do I need to?"

"I don't know yet. He showed up at Zen's office to ask her out on a date. For dinner."

"Eli?"

"Eli."

"I didn't think she was his type of woman."

"I told her the same thing." Alicia gave her husband a serious look.

"What is he up to?"

"I've been trying to figure that out and I'm coming up empty. I offered to talk to him but she said she could handle it."

"Yeah, it won't take her long to figure out his agenda."

"Hey dad." Grace said greeting her father with a hug.

"Hey Grace. How are you?"

"I'm good. Ready for movie night. I get to pick this time, right?"

"Aw, not again." Zach groaned as he came in on the last part of the conversation. "That last movie you picked was awful."

"It was a good movie. You just didn't understand it."

"No one understood it."

"Yes, it is your turn. We'll pick an alternative just in case we have to bail on it, agreed?"

"Agreed." They both replied.

"Ok," Alicia said. "Give me hugs." She hugged her children. "Have fun, not too much pizza. And try to eat some fruit and veggies this weekend ok?"

"Yea ma'am" They said.

"And you have fun catching up with Zen." Peter said.

"I will."