A/N: I hope nobody minds the quick update, and that it will make up for how the last chapi ended!

Chapter Thirteen

Diane startled in the middle of the night. The alarm on the nightstand read 3 am, but the other side of the bed was empty and it didn't seem like Will had slept there that night at all. It was strange, because she clearly remembered waking up to him kissing her forehead when he'd arrived home earlier. Or maybe it had only been a dream, she wasn't certain anymore. The light in the adjourning bathroom wasn't on either. A slight panic took over her at the possibility that he still wasn't at home, so she got out of bed to look around in the house, hoping to find him somewhere.

She let out a relieved sigh when she found him sleeping on the couch in the living room. The thought that the kiss might not have been a dream after all made her smile. There were papers scattered on the rug next to him, he must have fallen asleep accidentally. She approached him cautiously, not to wake him up and began to gather the papers in a pile. She placed them all on the coffee table, then fetched a blanket to put on him and carefully kissed him the way he had kissed her. He didn't move, so she guessed he wouldn't remember it in the morning. After a last smile at her peacefully sleeping husband she turned off the light and left the room to go back to bed.

o-o-o

When she went back downstairs in the morning, Will was still lying where he had been a few hours ago. She tiptoed to the kitchen and filled the coffee machine. She stepped outside to get the newspaper from the mailbox, and when she was heading back to the kitchen again she heard the ringing of a cell phone from that direction. She rushed inside and noticed that Will's phone was lying on the table. First she thought it was the alarm, but when she got closer she saw an incoming call flashing on the screen, it was Gillian.

Seeing her name brought back the memories of the previous evening, when she'd seen them sharing a pizza in Will's office. She wasn't really sure what to do, if she should accept or decline the call, but fortunately Gillian hang up before she could decide.

She went to check on Will, to make sure the call hadn't woken him, but when she noticed that he was moving, she got closer to him. He opened his eyes and she was the first thing he saw. He stared at her confused before he glanced around.

"Did I sleep here?" he asked in a sleepy voice.

"Yeah, you must have fallen asleep while working, I picked up the papers that were lying on the rug," she motioned towards the pile on the coffee table.

"Thank you. Something woke me up. Was it my cell?" he inquired as he began to search the room for the device.

"Yes, you left it in the kitchen," she pointed out, concealing who had called. He'd find out soon enough

"I didn't mean to fall asleep here, I'm sorry," he apologized and she appreciated it a lot, since sleeping next to each other was equally important to both of them. "Not sure you remember when I arrived home, I went to check on you, but you were already asleep," he confirmed that it hadn't only been her imagination playing with her.

"I remember," she replied with a smile. "Would you like to sleep some more?" she asked, given how tired he looked. She would have understood if he needed more sleep.

"I would, but I can't," he got up slowly, visibly fighting the needs of his body.

"Well then the coffee is ready," she offered, smelling the brew in the air.

"Wait, come here," he reached out his hand and pulled her close. "Good morning," he whispered with a smile she returned.

"Good morning," she said softly and let him kiss her.

o-o-o

Emma's bags were all packed and unlike other times she'd finished with them fast, without being goaded and on her own. She'd done everything so she would be able to leave for the weekend and even seemed excited about starting on the campaign next week.

"I don't think your father will be back before you leave," Diane noted after checking the time. They still had a half an hour until Emma's friends would pick her up and she wanted to use it for some mother daughter time.

"I've barely seen him this week," Em stated with slight concern.

"I know, he's been really busy with a case," Diane explained, she hadn't seen much more of Will during the week than the kids. She hoped it would at least be different during the weekend.

"That woman the article mentioned, the one working with dad. I chumhummed her. She is pretty."

Emma's observation caught Diane slightly off-guard, but she wasn't really surprised the topic was still on the girl's mind. She had explained the whole situation to the kids and they seemed to understand it, but obviously Em wasn't done with the issue yet.

"You really shouldn't worry about her," she reassured Emma, the same way she tried to convince herself she had nothing to worry about.

"Dad once told me how jealous he used to be when you were working with your ex."

"He did?" Diane asked with disbelief. She wondered how long ago had Will told Emma about Chris that their daughter still remembered.

"Yeah, are you jealous too?" Emma asked.

"No," she replied without hesitation.

She really wasn't jealous of Gillian. It was more about missing the firm they'd built with Will, and the time they had spent there together every day.

"Good," Emma smiled and Diane hoped she was able to make the girl's worries about Gillian disappear.

"So, about the weekend. You know the rules, right?" Diane switched to mother-mode, which made Emma roll her eyes.

"Yeah, I need to call you when we get there and then twice a day," she repeated her orders.

"And?"

"No smoking or drugs," Em continued obediently. "Mom, you know I wouldn't do drugs anyway, right?" she protested.

"I'd rather remind you once in a while," Diane insisted, aware that reminding her often probably wasn't even enough. "Also in case there's alcohol..."

"I won't get drunk, I promise," Emma finished her sentence. It seemed like she was really prepared for all of Diane's warnings.

"Good. There's one more thing," Diane decided to mention a sensitive topic she considered the most important of all. "In case you and Eric are planning to..."

"Mom, please, you don't have to worry about that," Em cut her off way too fast.

"Are you sure?" she eyed her daughter suspiciously.

"I'm sure. He's my first real boyfriend and we haven't even been together for long," she replied exactly what Diane wished to hear and she could only hope Emma meant it.

"I just want you to be careful. I know you are a smart girl, but it's not always enough," she reminded her, hoping Emma would continue to be smart about this. Unless she was simply lying to her face to get what she wanted.

"I'll be careful, I promise," the girl reassured her and Diane wanted to trust her daughter's judgment. There wasn't much else she could do.

o-o-o

Will had missed his daughter's departure, but he was home in time for dinner, even brought it with him. Mother, father and son finally shared a meal together that week and it was spent with pleasant conversation.

After dinner Nat disappeared in his room, while Diane and Will decided to watch a movie together. Will was determined not to work anymore that night and Diane appreciated the gesture. She playfully reminded him not to fall asleep on the couch this time, but he jokingly didn't make any promises.

When the ringing of his cell phone interrupted their peaceful evening Diane almost said something very inappropriate, while he reached for the device apologetically. Fortunately he finished with the call quickly and she was relieved he didn't have to leave.

"It was Gill, she's still in the office. I sent her home," he filled her in on the short conversation she only heard his half of.

"She's proven to be valuable," Diane stated, trying to sound more positive than she felt about Gillian.

"She has," Will agreed, "but she isn't you," he added and for long minutes Diane was unable to wipe the smile away from her face.