A/N: Sorry, this one took a bit longer. I tried my hand at another integrated chapter. Let me know if you have a preference between alternating or combining the now and then. When I combine, I try to keep them at least a bit thematically related. Much love to the reviewers!

Then: Harvard

Annalise waited for Eve to pack up her things after class.

Eve smiled and they both nodded, silently agreeing to walk together.

"How are you feeling now?" Annalise asked as they reached the giant set of doors leading outside.

"Much better. Who knew you were so good at playing doctor?"

Annalise laughed and blushed.

"I'm just teasing," Eve put a hand on the other woman's arm. "Thank you again."

"My pleasure. I don't usually spend the whole weekend on a first date."

"Welcome to dating women!" Eve threw her head back and laughed loudly.

"I had fun," Annalise grinned. "You're a terrible patient, by the way."

"Good thing I have other talents," Eve mused slyly.

"Damn, you sure do. And I look forward to learning more about them. You didn't have to send me flowers, you know. Although, it was...sweet."

"You say that like its a bad thing?"

"No, not bad. Not at all. Just...new for me."

Eve looked serious for a moment and then nodded and tilted her head.

"So you'll still let me take you on a proper date?"

"I would like that."

"Tomorrow night?"

"All women move this fast, huh?"

"Not all. But I'm a Rothlo. We don't waste time. I think it's on the family crest."

Annalise laughed.

"Good to know."

"So is that a yes for tomorrow?"

"Yes."

Eve grinned and bit her lip.

"You want to kiss me," Annalise smirked

"Um yes," Eve glanced around the quad. "But don't worry, I won't here, I get that-"

Annalise leaned in and kissed Eve gently and slowly, if shyly, until the lithe brunette pulled back, breathless.

"You are full of surprises, Annalise Harkeness."

"You don't know the half of it," she winked. "I have to catch Professor Kagan during office hours. Call you later?"

"You'd better."

The two smiled at one another again before separating and heading to their respective destinations.

Now: Memphis

Annalise was reeling from her conversation with Phillip and worried it would show on her face. She had sent Frank to drive her car back with Phillip and meet her at home the next day. They pulled out barely twenty minutes before Eve and Nate returned.

Ophelia brought out cold drinks and they all settled on the porch. Annalise wondered, as she had several times in her life, if it was the last night she would ever spend in this house. She looked up and they were all staring at her. Eve took her hand and squeezed it.

"Annie?"

"It's okay. I'm okay."

Eve nodded, clearly unsatisfied, tracing a bead of condensation down her thick water glass.

"So. Uncle Dale, how did Eve do with your horses?"

"I never would have believed it if I didn't see it with my own two eyes. That little girl rode Bocephus."

Annalise's father set his glass down with a clatter.

"Nuh uh. She got him to walk on a lead? No way. He kicks anyone who even comes near him."

"Man, you not listening. She rode him. Ain't nobody got a saddle on that horse in maybe ten years and this little girl, she just sat and talked to him for musta been two hours before she even got him out of the stall. I thought she was gone crazy. Musta been another hour before she put a dang saddle on him. Next thing I know, I come out with some lemonade and them two are trotting around the pasture like nothin'. It was a sight to see, I'm telling ya. Not ashamed to admit it made me tear up watching 'em go."

The group was looking at Eve with respect.

"He's a lovely horse," Eve said almost reverently.

Annalise's uncle nodded.

"Something happened to him a long time ago. Don't know what but musta been cruel. Bought him for almost nothin' because he wouldn't let nobody touch him. Thought about putting him down a few times but he's healthy as can be and I just thought he had it in him. Look like he just needed the right person to help him get free of his past."

"That's Eve's specialty," Annalise said.

Ophelia inhaled and Eve looked at her lover sharply but relaxed when Annie took her hand again and kissed it.

"One of her many talents."

Eve smiled.

"It was pretty badass," Nate confirmed.

"Did you ride?" She asked him, eyebrow raised.

Both Dale and Eve laughed.

"He wouldn't even get on a pony," Dale thundered, slapping the table.

"That wouldn't have been fair to the pony," Nate smiled good-naturedly.

Annalise could feel Eve's tension, despite her smile, in the way only two people who have known each other for so long can.

Then: Harvard

Annalise got home at seven and began the difficult process of trying to distract herself. She tidied her bedroom and then settled down and studied for an hour before the phone interrupted her. She walked into the kitchen and picked it up off of the wall receiver.

"Hello?"

"I'm boooooored."

Annalise grinned.

"Hey Eve. I was going to call."

"Sure you were. What are you doing?"

"Trying to get through US v. Casey. You?"

"Same. I can barely keep my eyes on the text. It's so damn dry. I swear he is just torturing us with these cases. There are so many more interesting ones we could be looking at."

"It's just to sort the wheat from the chaff. Next year will be better."

"I'm sure you're right," Eve sighed.

"I'm always right."

"Oh boy," Eve laughed.

Annalise was quiet for a long moment.

"What is it?" Eve asked.

"Just looking forward to our date. Impatient, I guess."

"Patience is a virtue."

Annalise groaned and Eve laughed.

"I should probably hit the books and try to get some sleep."

"Okay, Annie. I'm looking forward to tomorrow, too. Sweet dreams."

Annalise could hear Eve smiling as she hung up.

Now: Memphis

"Just tell me what it is. It can't be worse than the things I'm already thinking."

Eve had waited until they were alone, changing into their pajamas.

Annalise took a deep breath.

"Things have changed. I need your help on my case."

"The Hapstalls?"

"Yes."

"You should drop that case. It's a hot mess. But of course I'll help. Tell me."

"I think Phillip is my new client."

"What?!"

Annalise took a deep breath and caught Eve up. She made her promise not to tell Nate, not to involve him in this.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You went and met him? BY YOURSELF?"

"Shhhhh. It was fine. Frank was there."

"Yes, but you didn't know he would be there!"

"I didn't," Annalise admitted.

"You really do have a death wish," Eve said coldly.

"Speaking of," Annalise folded her arms.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I feel fine."

"No effects from being off your chemo medication?"

Eve sat on the bed and looked up guiltily.

"It's okay. I do two weeks on and one week off."

"And this is supposed to be your second week on."

Eve glared at her.

"First of all, you didn't let me go back to my apartment before we left so I couldn't get them. Secondly, how do you know all this? I didn't tell Nate that."

"Nate wasn't the one who told me you were sick. Oliver, our computer guy, told me by accident."

"What?! That is such a violation of my privacy! So you have him hacking my prescription records? My doctor's office? What?"

"No."

Annalise reached into her purse and got a small bag, reaching into it and tossing a container to Eve.

"Phillip considerately picked these up for you before he left."

Eve looked at the medicine bottle and started to unscrew it.

"Are you crazy? Don't even touch them."

"I thought he was your client now."

"We'll see. He may not be a murderer but he's definitely creepy. He also thought you might be wanting these."

Annalise handed her a pack of cigarettes and

Eve smiled at them like a child on Christmas morning.

"So you got cancer and decided to start smoking again?"

"Oh, please, Annalise. Don't lecture me on vice."

"Maybe I just want to be your only vice."

"That was so corny," Eve said, rolling her eyes with a smile.

"Explains why you were so irritable on the drive down. Jonesing for your nicotine fix."

Eve was smelling the sealed pack of Parliaments now, giving Annalise puppy dog eyes.

"Oh, that's just pathetic," Annalise laughed. "Okay, come on. We have to go out back or Mama will smell it and kill us both."

"Yay!" Eve jumped out of bed.

They tried to contain their giggles as they snuck through the house quietly in their pajamas, gently closing the back screen door.

Then: Harvard

Eve had teased Annalise all day about the date she had planned for them but as the hour approached, she was getting nervous. Annalise was so interesting, different than anyone she had ever met. What if she thought it was lame? Too late now.

Annalise tugged on her black skirt and adjusted her tight red top as she appraised herself in the mirror. She looked good and she knew it. Her bell rang and she opened the door.

"Wow..." Eve trailed off, looking Annalise up and down, making her laugh nervously.

"You look pretty wow yourself."

Eve had on a very short gold skirt with a cream-colored blouse tucked into it. The kind of outfit only she could pull off, both classy and sexy.

"Do you want to come in?"

Eve shook her head.

"Oh no. Well, I do, but if I come in then we will miss our date and I went to a bit of trouble setting it up. So let's go, missy."

Annalise rolled her eyes but grinned and complied, accepting Eve's hand.

They walked for ten minutes before turning into campus and soon Eve stopped them.

"We're here."

Annalise wrinkled her brow.

"You are taking me on a date to the library? It's not even open."

Eve produced a key from her pocket.

Annalise's eyes widened.

"How the hell did you get that?"

"Called in a favor."

Annalise noticed the glint in Eve's eyes.

"A favor or blackmail?"

"To-mayto, To-mahto," Eve shrugged, unlocking the door.

"We need to make a copy of that key."

"Already done," Eve smirked.

"I like you more and more, Eve Rothlo. Even if your idea of romance is clandestine studying."

"Oh, we won't be studying. Follow me, please."

Annalise did, stopping short when they reached their usual study table.

It was set with a white tablecloth, candles, and dishes.

Eve glanced at Annalise nervously before lighting the candles.

"Eve," she breathed softly.

"You like it?" she asked a bit shyly.

Annalise nodded emphatically, afraid her voice would crack.

"Our food will be here any minute. This is only part one."

As if on cue, an elaborate knock came from the side door.

Eve opened it.

"About time."

"You're welcome, Evil."

Brandon handed her a large paper sack and leaned around her to wave to Annalise, letting out a wolf whistle.

"Thanks, B. Now stop looking at her and go away."

"You owe me," he pointed at her.

"Yeah, yeah," Eve smiled and shut the door in his face.

"I hope Chinese is okay? You mentioned you liked it."

"I did?"

"Last weekend."

"You are something else."

Eve smiled, pleased.

"I know. Sit down. I got it."

Annalise protested and Eve shoved her lightly into her chair before dishing out what looked to be the restaurant's entire menu.

Their faces glowed in the candlelight as they ate and basked in one another's company, the deserted library seeming both infinitely vast and yet filled with happiness.

Now: Memphis

"I'm sad we are leaving," Eve said, taking a deep drag off of her cigarette.

Annalise pushed her lover's hair off of her face to look at her.

"Me too."

"Can we fly, at least?" Eve whined.

"So spoiled. Yes, we'll fly. Frank took my car."

"So what are we- I mean, I'll go back to New York, right?"

Annalise's face dropped, she hadn't thought about that part.

"Do you have to?"

She hated the way she sounded, desperate.

"I mean, I thought you were going to help out on the Hapstall case..."

"Annie," Eve said, "What do you want to happen next? I have a life in New York. It isn't fair to keep doing this to me. Especially now. I'll come to Philly, but not just for the case. You need to be sure about what you want."

"I told you before. I'm sure," Annalise promised. "I was thinking we could fly home tomorrow and put the kids to work. Then go to New York the next morning and see your doctor, get some things for you?"

"That sounds good," Eve whispered.

"Besides," Annalise said, "If you don't come to Philly, your horse is going to be pretty upset."

"My horse?" Eve blinked. "Annalise! You didn't!" She laughed.

"I did. He's on a trailer as we speak. I tried to buy him from Uncle Dale but he wouldn't have it. He said it was a gift for you and for the horse and that he would hold me responsible for feeding both of you."

They laughed.

"You got me a horse!" Eve laughed again and kissed her and Annalise swelled with happiness.

Then: Harvard

"I am so full."

"Oh my god, me too," Eve pushed her plate away.

"This was so...I can't even...thank you," Annalise's last two words came out as a whisper.

Eve's eyes sparkled.

"I'm glad you are having fun. Ready for part two?"

"Definitely."

Eve stood and took her hand, leading her back through the stacks, pausing for a moment.

"This is where we kissed for the first-"

Annalise cut her off by pressing her lips against the taller woman's, her hands slowly moving under Eve's skirt. Eve groaned.

"Part two..." She murmured insistently, pulling back just slightly.

"This isn't it?" Annalise laughed.

"Don't worry. I won't make you wait too much longer. But first..."

Eve led them farther back to a dark corner of the library. She had set up big pillows on the floor and a projector screen. She motioned for Annalise to sit while she fiddled with the machine before joining her, tucking herself close to the other woman.

Annalise smiled at her and internally marveled that Eve had set all of this up. For her.

Her breath hitched as a familiar image filled the screen.

"In 1932 this was the world I knew. It wasn't a very big world, but neither was I. I was six years old."

Scout's voice was heard off screen and Annalise knew it almost as well as her own.

"Is this okay?" Eve whispered.

"It's my favorite movie in the entire world. It made me want to be a lawyer."

"Me too."

Eve saw the tears in Annalise's eyes and kissed her cheek softly, taking her hand and settling them back against the pillows, both of them enraptured by the film.

Now

Annalise was on her second vodka of the short plane ride home. She cast a bemused look at Nate. They were sitting in a row and Eve, in the middle, had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

"You can move her over here if you want."

Nate shook his head.

"She's fine. She weighs nothing."

There was an awkward silence.

"She's gonna be okay, Annalise. You know that, right? They caught it early. It's not like with Nia."

Annalise swallowed thickly and nodded.

"Don't feel guilty," he sighed. "I'm happy for you both. I promise. Okay, mostly. I'm still a man, after all."

They shared a smile.

After a smooth landing, they called separate cabs, as Nate planned to head directly to the hospital to see his wife. Upon pulling up to the Keating house, Eve squealed and pointed to the horse trailer in the driveway. Annalise rolled her eyes.

"Lord. What have I done?"

Eve kissed her soundly and paid the cab driver before hopping out and running ahead.

Frank and Bonnie came out of the house and down the steps.

"Welcome home, boss."

"Hey Frank. Bonnie. Where's Phillip?"

"I stashed him somewhere for a few hours until you are ready for him," Frank said.

"Not in the basement, I hope," she cut her eyes at Bonnie.

"No," Frank laughed but put an arm around the nervous blonde.

They all went inside but could still hear Eve arguing with the driver who had transported Bocephus. She was using her lawyer voice. Annalise grinned, almost feeling sorry for the man. Almost.

She glanced at the stack of personal mail on her hall table, ignoring it.

"You...bought a horse?"

"Yes, Bonnie. I got a horse. From my uncle. For Eve. Any other questions?"

"Uh, well, actually-"

"No? Good."

She swept into her living room, strewn with her students and their things.

"We have work to do, people."

The kids all chorused 'hellos' and 'welcome backs', falling quiet when Eve happily bounced into the house.

"Hey, everyone."

"You all know Eve," Annalise gestured with a hand. "She will be consulting on this case from here on out. If you can't get me for some reason, you trust her and do as she says."

They nodded respectfully and Eve nodded back at them with a small smile.

"I'm just going to go get Bocephus settled at the stables and then I'll be back. I'll even bring food for those of you who work hard."

"Chinese food?" Annalise said hopefully.

"Perhaps," Eve smirked.

Annalise grabbed Eve's hand and tugged her close, kissing her quickly on the lips right there in the living room in front of the students. Eve smiled and bit her lip, touched at the message being clearly sent.

Asher whooped and Connor shrugged, leaning over to Michaela

"You owe me ten bucks. Told you they were doing it. Unfortunately, I also owe Olly ten."

"You're disgusting. What did you bet Oliver?"

"That you and Laurel would be the first lesbian hookup in our incestuous little group."

"Ugh. Get away from me," Michaela shoved him as he laughed.

"Hey!" Laurel interjected, "You would be lucky to have me, Michaela."

"I'll second that," Frank grinned.

"ENOUGH!" Annalise boomed.

"We are all adults. Some of us more than others. Screw who you like. I certainly am. Now. Time to get to work. Eve, take someone with you, please."

Annalise watched Bonnie sit up straight and sighed to herself at the blonde's perpetual eagerness.

"Why? We're safe now, right?"

"I'd just prefer we not travel alone. Pick a student and catch them up on the case while you deal with the horse."

"Bocephus. He has a name."

"Right."

"Fine. I'll taaaaaake...that one," she assessed them openly and then pointed to Laurel.

"Ms. Castillo. With Eve. The rest of you, get coffee and sit down. We have a new development in the Hapstall case and you're going to need your strength."

Laurel grinned at the others and grabbed her bag, scrambling after Eve.

Then:

The girls were full and sleepy, cuddled together as they finished the movie. When the screen went white, Eve turned to Annalise, gasping at the tears running down her cheeks.

"Oh, Annie. What is it? Did I do something?"

Annalise shook her head and grabbed a napkin to wipe her face.

"You are perfect, Eve. Tonight was perfect. I am just...overwhelmed."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I just feel like I should tell you something."

Eve's stomach sank, bracing herself.

"I'm listening, take your time."

"Sunday? With you? It was my first time." Annalise's voice was barely audible.

"Annie, I know you haven't been with a woman before. You were amazing, if you're worrying about that."

Annalise shook her head.

"You don't understand."

"Tell me," Eve whispered gently.

"I mean, sure, in college, there were hookups with guys. But I always had to be really drunk. And it was like it wasn't me. I wasn't there. I was...empty."

Eve paused and they exchanged a significant look.

"Annalise. Did something...happen to you?"

She nodded, the tears flowing freely now. Eve wanted to kiss them away but was being careful not to touch her right now.

"When I was a kid. My Uncle Charlie. It went on for a couple of years. And those college boys, I had to force myself. Trying to be normal, I guess. With you, it's so different. When you kiss me, when you touch me, I want it. And I feel it. I'm there in the moment and all I think about is you. How good you are. How good you feel. It's new for me, all of this. And tonight? It's just so special and I don't know how to understand that someone like you would do something like that for me. And I guess I just wanted to tell you now. In case it's too much. I would understand-"

Eve looked so sad, her eyes shining with tears as she reached for Annalise, silently asking for permission and receiving a small nod.

"Come here, Annie. It wasn't your fault. You know that, right? We can talk about it more anytime you want. But I'm not going anywhere. Tonight was perfect. Because I'm with you. I don't do things like this. I did it because you're incredible to me and I wanted to show you. Do you understand that?"

Annalise nodded.

"I'm sorry. I'm ruining our date."

"No way. Best date ever. And I hope we will have many more."

Annalise nodded and smiled.

"Yes, please."

"Good. You won't believe the amount of shit Brendan gave me over putting this together. He's been making fun of me for days."

Annalise laughed and blew her nose.

"Sorry to just drop that on y-"

"Don't be. Thank you for telling me. I want to know everything about you, Annalise Harkness. You are amazing."

Annalise kissed her, hard and passionionately until Eve stopped her.

"Let's go home."

"But, I want-"

"Me too, Annie. But I want you in my bed tonight. I want to hold you after. Sleep next to you. Only If that's okay."

"More than okay," Annalise smiled, even more taken with the sensitive girl. It was one of the best nights of her life and she wanted nothing more than to end it tangled up with Eve.

Now: Philadelphia

So why did you pick me?" Laurel asked, buckling her seatbelt.

Eve stared straight ahead as she pulled Frank's SUV out into the road, the trailer newly attached.

"Don't seek validation like that. It's immature and pointless."

"I wasn't-"

"You were. First of all, I picked you. If there was a pat on the back then you already got it. And maybe there wasn't. Maybe it was because you look like a prep school girl, which means you have probably been around horses and won't be as useless as the rest. Maybe it was because of what you said to Michaela, it reminded me of myself. Maybe it wasn't any of those things. Could have been random. But you don't ask, like a puppy begging for scraps. Not in law and not in love. Trust me."

Laurel blushed.

"I wasn't begging-"

"I am saying this to help you, it's not personal," Eve said. "I'm not Annalise. You don't have to listen to me. But I'm a really good fucking attorney, considerably older than you are, and I know what I'm doing. Learn or don't, doesn't matter to me."

Laurel grinned.

"What?" Eve smiled back.

"You're hardly old. I can see why she likes you so much."

Eve rolled her eyes.

"Tell Frank nice try. If he wants details he can man up and ask me or his boss. Asking his girlfriend to do the job is beneath him."

Laurel inhaled.

"Damn, you're good."

"I know. So, was I right?"

"About?"

"Ride horses, princess?"

"Hey, I've worked hard to-"

"Oh, I didn't mean it like it sounded. I was one, too. Wore the uniform, went to the dances, got the grades, pretended it wasn't mortifying that my father donated so much money to my school they wanted to name a building after him. I get it. So, horses?"

"Dressage," Laurel confessed.

Eve snorted.

"Okay then. You're even more of a princess than I thought but at least you probably won't be dumb enough to get kicked in the face by my new main man."

Eve and Laurel returned after settling things at the stables, arms laden with Chinese takeout. The team worked through lunch and Eve was talking to Asher when she began laughing so hard she couldn't stop.

"Annaliiiiiiise!"

"Mmmhmm?" Annalise looked up from her file.

"Oh my god. You hired a Brendan! Remember him? My old roommate at Harvard?"

Annalise looked at Asher and then back at Eve and burst out laughing. Both women were soon giggling so hard they were crying at the similarities.

"Uh, should I be offended? Is this Brendan like some really handsome dude that banged a lot of ladies or..." Asher trailed off.

This only made them laugh harder.

"What is Brendan up to these days, anyway?" Annalise finally managed.

Eve's eyes lit up.

"I haven't told you! Annalise. He's a congressman. A Republican congressman!"

This led to more manic giggling.

"Yeah because being a congressman is, like, the worst thing in the world," Asher shrugged dramatically and walked away. The other students grinned at this peek into their boss's past, at her happiness. Annalise Keating was tough, demanding, and stubborn but she was also just a person and the group saw more of her than they had before, reflected in Eve's eyes.

Once they had contained themselves and gotten back to business, Annalise called Frank.

"Bring Phillip here. It's time."