Disclaimer - i don't own The Good Wife

Author's note - I'm really pleased that you are all enjoying this story, thank you for the reviews, they are greatly appreciated. This chapter is set a lot later on. With regard to the actual storyline of the show, this fix almost runs parallel, Alicia still left LG to start her own firm with Cary, and Will is still hurt by her. However will be a part of this story for the whole of it, so the dreaded episode did not take place.

Enjoy!

The Chicago Bar Association Charity Dinner, 2013

It didn't seem to matter how many days passed or how many clients they managed to win back, the fact that she had gone behind their backs, behind his back, after everything hurt like a bitch. She had always been ambitious, and part of him had always known that she would always leave if a better opportunity arose. She had a family to look after at the end of the day. Yet the fact that she did so despite him offering her named partnership. That stung. Florrick, Argos & Associates, they may have the city at their fingertips, but the things that Florrick & Gardner could have done, the empire that they could have had...

He forced himself to pay attention to the conversation that was currently underway. Diane, dressed in a flattering black dress with a string of pearls around her neck was currently talking to the Governor of Illinois – Peter Florrick – about the issues with the current judiciary in the state. Peter listened as Diane recalled all the issues he was well aware of, and as the pair of them debated the current methods which were being used to resolve the issue. It wasn't simply a light hearted debate, however. After all it wasn't long ago Diane had all but been made a supreme court judge only for the very man she was currently debating with to pull that title away from her.

There was also tension due to the fact that the table Will Gardner was currently sat on, not only seated his partner Diane Lockhart, and the Governor himself, but also the Governor's wife; Alicia Florrick and her partner Cary Argos. The two people who had gone behind his back mere months ago. Then there was Eli Gold, sat there watching the table feeling as though he were watching some reality television show.

Will Gardner and Alicia Florrick, the inseparable duo from Georgetown law had dealt with their fair share of issues in their friendship. They had barely spoken for fifteen years, had that oh so awkward period that followed the kiss, had the voicemail that could have changed everything go missing, momentarily had the most wonderful time when they just gave in, and then lost it all. Bad timing, that was how he had described it on the night they got that suite. Now though, that seemed like the understatement of the century.

Alicia took a sip of the wine in front of her, wishing that it was tequila, at least that way she would have a happy buzz from the effect of the alcohol. She turned to look at Cary who was in the middle of typing an email to Clark on his phone. A stray piece of her lightly curled hair fell onto her face and she pushed it behind her ear. Picking up her glass again she looked at the purple lipstick stain. Apparently you were meant to discretely lick your glass to avoid them. How did that work though? Surely you would look like you were not getting any and had resorted to making out with your wine glass?

"Alicia." Cary said, nudging her on his third attempt at calling her name. She turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow. "We just won the civil cases for the State's Attorney's Office, we sign the papers tomorrow."

"You're kidding?!"

"No, Clark just came off the phone with the State's Attorney himself." Alicia learnt back in her chair, a massive smile taking over her face, and a sigh escaping her lips. Getting that contract meant that they would likely avoid the bankruptcy which had been so imminent of late. She watched as Cary signalled to the waiter to get them two shots of tequila and the brunette just laughed. "You know what this means right?"

"That we don't have to let half of our staff go?"

"That we can finally renovate the floor above us. Take that as our floor, and put a proper conference room on it-"

"-let's sign the contract first." Alicia said, stopping Cary before he spent the money that they had yet to even earn. He just laughed as the waiter placed the two shots down on the table.

"Good news?" Will questioned, noting the two shots which had just been placed down on the table, however his voice did not hold any happiness, it was just bitter and hurt. Even in that state, though, he couldn't deny how amazing Alicia looked. Dressed in a dark purple silk evening gown with thick ribbon like straps. Even now, years after he had first met Peter, Will believed more than ever that Peter Florrick did not deserve her. The affairs, the scandal, Will had been right all those years ago when he thought that he could treat Alicia better, because never would he have cheated on her like that.

Yet after watching them all night, Will Gardner wondered just how secure their marriage was. Not once had he seen them share a kiss or a loving look. They had entered together and were sat next to one another, but they weren't speaking. Despite all the hurt and hatred he felt towards Alicia, his heart went out to her, because he knew that all she wanted was for her children to have a simple and happy life. That wasn't the life they had experienced in the last few years.

"Yes, actually, we just signed a new client." Alicia replied. The dark eyeshadow she wore would have ordinarily made her eyes appear almost mythical, only tonight it emphasised the tiredness that was engraved in her face. He wondered if maybe owning her own firm was taking it's toll on her, or whether having Peter Florrick for a husband was taking it out of her. Will's suit was new, she noted, it was black, and had been made to measure, his shirt was a different style as well. White with a grey collar and black buttons. It suited him.

Alicia drank her shot of tequila, deciding that if she was going to have this bitter conversation then she definitely needed the alcohol's buzz. "Another one of ours?" Will questioned, his eyes on Alicia, never once looking at Cary who sat there watching, signalling to the waiter for another shot.

"No, I don't think you ever managed to get this one." Alicia replied with a smirk on her lips, and downed the second shot before excusing herself from the table. The brunette walked out of the room, smiling at a few political figured she recognised. The walk to the fire exit which was situated at the rear of the building seemed to take an eternity when it truth it only took her a minute or two.

The cool evening air hit her as soon as she stepped outside, and she half wished that she had brought a jacket. Alicia walked away from the door before leaning against the wall, her head touching the rough bricks behind her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The sound of the city acting almost as a lullaby. The sound of cars, horns, and the faint chatter of the room that she had left behind. The sound of feet on the pavement made her turn to look to see just who was intruding on her brief moment of solace. Her eyebrows rose when she saw him.

"I didn't realise you were out here. I'll go back in-"

"Will." She surprised herself when she said his name, because her voice wasn't harsh or bitter, it was soft and filled with emotion. "We are going to see one another, in court if not out of it. We should at least be able to be in the presence of one another. Even if we don't talk."

So he stayed. He would be lying if he said that he didn't miss the old days. The days when they would sit in his office – or hers – with a pizza sat in between them and a beer in hand, just talking about a case or reliving memories from Georgetown. She would be lying if she said she didn't miss the days back when their relationship was so much more simpler. Things had changed though, what seemed irrevocably. Alicia had lost his trust, and she knew that.

"I bet they are setting the world to rights in there." She said, standing up straight, away from the wall. Will smirked, that smirk that had once meant that he had a plan, one that would either win a case or win her some alone time with him.

"They were getting onto guns when I left." Alicia just smirked, and the other lawyer gave her a confused look.

"Eli will be having a heart attack, panicking about who might overhear the conversation." Will just nodded, he wasn't sure he would ever fully understand that part of her life. The part that required everything she was about to say to go through a mental censoring process, not even because of her own reputation but because of that of the man who had cheated on her. "I should go and save him." With that Alicia began to make her way back through the fire exit.

"Alicia." She turned to look at him, noticing something different in his eyes. The hurt and betrayal was still there, but there was the smallest touch of something else, maybe it was hope, or compassion. Whatever it was it had caused the tone of his voice to change, to loose the bitterness. "You're right, we should be able to be in the same room as one another."

The brunette just nodded, gave a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and walked back into the ballroom.

It wasn't a big deal to most, the fact that they had managed to have a conversation that wasn't bitter or hurtful. But that conversation, well it had almost meant more than them getting the contract with the State's Attorney's Office, because it was a step towards somewhere she had only dreamt would ever even be a possibility.

I know their attitudes changed a bit near the end - blame alcohol, Will's suit or Alicia's dress. :)

Reviews are greatly appreciated.

Abby x