Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you Aisha for your review of the last chapter. You're still my one and only. I'm glad you like that I'm taking it slow. I feel like I have to, because as you said there are so many hurdles. It has to flow naturally with this one. Here's hoping you like this chapter as well.

We'll See

Chapter 4

She was in her office when the news hit. Despite her subtle distancing from Peter, things had been going well. He was ahead of both Childs and the new female candidate in the polls. It looked good for him. He wouldn't win by a landslide, it was hard to do with the votes being split three ways, but a win none the less was a distinct possibility. Alicia had decided that if Peter could keep himself on the straight and narrow until he was actually in office, then she would quietly separate from him, and then a number of months later they could divorce in an equally quiet way. It would be better for Peter and for the kids if things went that way. But the media had decided that they needed to stir the pot, and it was Peter's own fault, yet again. The headline that splashed across the screen of the small TV in her office was enough to have her clearing her schedule for the rest of the day, and leaving work. As soon as she was ready, she all but flew out the door and our of the office building.

Will Gardner had also had his screen going on the news. He groaned as the headline was announced by the reporter, the very woman he had been seeing, and had escorted to the office function not a week before.

"Peter Florrick, the object of scandal once before, has done it again. These photos were taken of him, with a known escort on his arm. They returned to her home, and he was seen exiting the premises a few hours later…"

Will flicked the screen off and stood to find Alicia. He knew that she would need a friend at that moment. As he opened his door to exit his office, he saw her fly past and into the elevators, on her way out of the building. He sighed and secretly hoped that she would leave the bastard this time.

Alicia knew she had to get her kids from school before the news hit them. They needed to hear it from her and not some news reporter. It would be even better if they heard it from their father, but that would have to wait until everyone was in the same room. She had done her best to protect them from the scandal before, but she wasn't sure she could do so again.

She made good time reaching the school, and asked the secretary at the desk to pull her kids out of class. The woman looked at her knowingly as the news played on the office screen. She scribbled out passes and gave them to an aide and told the kid that the passes took priority over everything else. Alicia nodded in thanks, but the older woman waved her off and went back to work. Alicia paced anxiously in the small space. It seemed to take an age for her children to appear in front of her. They both looked worried.

"Mom, what wrong? Is Dad ok?" Grace was the first to ask, always concerned. Alicia was reluctant to discuss things in front of the school office but knew she needed to assuage the fears of her children. Zach was the first to notice the screen, and everything that she was trying to prevent came crashing around her as she answered Grace's questions.

"Your father is fine, but I would like to discuss this in the car." She answered, hugging her daughter around the shoulders.

"It's about what's on TV, isn't it? He's done it again hasn't he?" Zach accused. Grace turned to look at the screen and had tears in her eyes when she turned back to her mother and brother.

"That's part of it, but we should discuss it privately. Come on, you two. I'm going to give a pass to skip for the rest of the day." Zach looked dejected, and Grace was struggling to control her tears admirably. She hugged them both, and nodded at the secretary who hadn't said a word the entire time. Alicia escorted the kids out to her car and loaded them in.

They were home moments later to an empty apartment. She sat the kids down on the couch and took a deep breath to bolster her courage. It was going to take a lot of courage to face what was coming next and to deal with their questions when she still had so many of her own.

"Remember when I said that we would be honest with each other, that we would talk about anything and everything you wanted to talk about. You asked some personal questions and I wasn't ready to answer them. I'm still not ready, but you both deserve to ask and have your questions answered and I will do my best to answer them. So I want you ask, to be angry with me, with your father. It's ok to be upset because we've both had a hand in turning your world upside down." The kids nodded. Where Grace was the first to be concerned, Zach was the first to ask the tough questions.

"I don't understand why everything has happened this way. Why did Dad go out with that woman? Was it because you won't share a bedroom with him?" Alicia was prepared for that question exactly. She'd asked it of herself enough times and wasn't surprised that her children would blame her for their father's indiscretions. Deep in her heart, it hurt, it was the worst pain she'd ever felt, but she knew they had always worshipped their father. He could do no wrong in their eyes.

"I don't know why he chose to go out with that woman. It could be because I won't share a bedroom with him. It could be that he wanted someone to be intimate with, and I will not be with him. Our marriage will never be the same as it was before. He can't take back being with other people, and I can't trust him to be with me alone. That is why I won't share a bedroom with him. And without your father here to tell his side of things, I can only guess at his motivations, which I will not do."

"Doesn't he love you, love us?" This was from Grace.

"Of course he loves us. He never stopped loving us. But you can love someone and still want to have sex with someone else."

"Did you have sex with Will Gardner? Is he the reason Dad thought it was ok to go out with that woman?" Zach was very angry, and she could tell he'd decided that she was the best target for his anger.

"I said I would never lie to you. So I want you to know that I am telling you the truth when I say that I never slept with Will Gardner. I don't care what the media says, what your father says, or your friends for that matter. I haven't, and I won't, with anyone, while I am still married to him."

"You're refusing to stoop to his level." Grace whispered, more tears pouring from her eyes. Alicia was heartbroken over such a thing coming from her daughter's mouth, but she had to agree, even if it was silently, and within her own mind.

"Don't say that Grace. There is no stooping and no levels to reach. Your father and I have problems and we are going to solve them. I will tell you now that I will not tolerate any more of your father's flings. I can't. It hurts too much and I'm very tired of acting like everything is ok, when we all know it isn't." She paused, wanting to say more, but couldn't put into words how she felt at that moment, so that her children would understand. As it was, she wouldn't have to. She heard the door open and close swiftly.

Peter came into the living room, followed closely by Jacqui. She sighed in defeat. Peter had called in the big guns by bringing his mother with him, and she was a lone target in the house. She suddenly felt very alone, and on the verge of an emotional breakdown. The kids looked between their parents. Zach was still angry and he didn't care who saw it. But Grace looked at her father's face and saw shame, and back to her mother's face, to see defeat, something she'd never seen there before. She got up and pulled Zach with her.

"Let's give them some space to talk; the rest of our questions can wait until later." Grace pulled him along with her, into her room and closed the door, leaving Peter and Alicia to face each other, with Jacqui in his corner. It was going to be a very long night.