Disclaimer - The Good Wife is not mine

Author's note - i don't know if some of you will be disappointed by this chapter. IT is the final one as it was always only meant to be a short fic. That you for the support though. Hope it isn't too bad!

Cavanaugh, Argos & Associates' Christmas party, Chicago Illinois, 2015

Music was playing, the soft sort that was audible enough so that it would fill a silence yet wouldn't overwhelm a conversation. People were chatting, a mixture of clients, colleges, friends, family and acquaintances, all gathered in the same room. The mulled wine was flowing, and the seasonal cheer was filling the room more and more as the quantity of drink remaining was reduced.

Alicia was stood over to the side of the party, leaning against the wall as she watched the room. Her hair was curled and tied up into a messy bun. That had not been her intention, but when the curling of her hair went wrong and time was not on her side it was the style which she had ended up with. Her dress was a beautiful shade of plum, it was a bodycon one with black panels that were supposed to make you look like you had the perfect hourglass figure. She wasn't sure if it did that or not but Grace had approved so she had chosen it. Her shoes were an expensive pair which she had purchased after the last cheep pair she bought cut her feet so badly that could barely walk for the week which followed.

The brunette took a sip of her wine and watched Cary as he made his way around the guests, smiling and greeting them all just as she had done when they arrived. He was back in town for the holidays. The office in New York was doing well, business was booming and it was practically at the stage where it didn't need hand holding all the time. That had allowed him to retreat back to Chicago to spend the holiday with his friends.

He caught her eye and made his way over. She was stood under the grey Cavanaugh, Argos & Associates sign. It was strange that even after all these years, even after the success that they had achieved, he never ceased to be a little amazed that it really was his name on the wall. "Hey." He said, smiling as he leant against the wall next to her. The smile on his face was real, things were finally getting easier, all their hard work was finally beginning to pay off, and at least twice in the last week Alicia had managed to get home at a decent hour. Which was saying something.

"Hey." She replied. Both stood there for a moment and watched over the room. Everyone from Colin Sweeney to Bishop was there, with Eli Gold right in the middle. Peter had been invited, but declined to attend, she didn't know why, but she wasn't too bothered. They weren't married anymore so neither had any obligation to attend the other's events. Grace and Zac were somewhere in the crowd, probably sneaking wine if they were anything like their grandmother, but for the night she would leave them be. It was Christmas after all.

"It still amazes me that this is ours, that we built it." Cary commented and Alicia turned to look at him.

"We did. We even managed to beat Lockhart & Gardner in the tables this year. We officially have more profit than they do." It was a significant win, and she had been a little nervous when she saw it, because she feared what it would do to her relationship with Will.

"It's all down to Clark."

"Maybe we should give him a pay rise." Cary just laughed, nodding.

Since the ABA convention Alicia and Will had stuck to what they had agreed, and begun to date. She had spent the month after in New York, completing her year. Something which had not exactly given them an easy start. Yet they had phoned one another, and he had even managed to fly up and visit her. Since then she had returned to Chicago and things had gone well. That wasn't saying it had been easy however, it had been far from it. There had been multiple arguments, and tears, but at the end of the day both knew that they were all part of their journey. Because if they didn't let those things out then they would be unable to move forward.

"I think someone is looking for you." Cary's words broke through her thoughts, and as she looked in the direction he was walking, she saw Will and Diane stood at the door. When the press article had shown that economically her firm was ahead of his, he had simply congratulated her – sincerely.

She stood up and straightened her dress before following her partner, Will caught her eye and smiled. Alicia and Will had not explicitly told everyone about their relationship. Alicia had told her children, Eli, Peter and Cary, whilst Will had told Diane. "Hey." She said to them both.

"Hello Alicia." Diane replied, with a warm smile.

"Hey." Will replied, grabbing her hand. The brunette turned to him and smiled, squeezing his hand. Diane watched pair, as did Cary, just looking into one another's eyes. It was strange to think that a year ago they weren't speaking, and a year before that they didn't even particularly like one another.

"Whilst you two make soppy eyes at one another, Diane would you like some wine?" Diane and Cary walked off, laughing whilst Alicia blushed furiously. Will just smirked. It had been hard, there had been times when he resented her success, resented the fact that her firm was doing so well when his was struggling. However he had never let that get in between their personal relationship. Keeping the work and pleasure separate had been their hardest task. Especially when they were on opposing sides in court. At first it had caused some friction, awkward silences even, but eventually they had talked about it like adults, and learnt to deal with the situation.

"You look amazing." He complemented, and stood in a room lit by fairy lights she did. The whole decoration was tastefully done, just as he had expected it to be when he heard that she was the one in charge. There were snowflakes hung from the windows and ceiling, mistletoe was dotted around and a perfectly decorated tree stood in the corner.

"Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself." She replied with a smile, admiring his black suit and pale blue shirt which was open necked. "Let's get you a drink." She stated, before leading him across the room.

Later that night Alicia had resumed her post under the sign, watching a crowd that was now slightly drunker. Only friends and family remained, the rest had returned home to their loved ones. Eli was in conversation with Diane, Cary was talking with Kalinda, and her children were sat bickering over something and nothing in the corner. The others were dotted around the room in their own groups, each enjoying the remaining wine and the whisky which had been brought out of hiding.

She watched as Will walked towards her, handing her a glass of the amber liquid. She smiled in thanks and he stood next to her. Both remained quiet, surveying the scene in front of them. Content smiles rested on their faces. He placed his arm around Alicia's shoulders and pulled her into him so that her head rested on his shoulder. The comfort of the position only emphasised how content she felt. The fact that she could stand there, with the man she loved, whilst her family and friends laughed and enjoyed one another's company, it just made everything seem so right.

"What are you thinking?" he questioned, placing a kiss on her head. Alicia was silent for a moment, contemplating her response.

"How good this year had been. Zack has settled into university, Grace is doing well, the firm is at it's peak, and we are finally heading in the right direction."

"Seems too good?" Will questioned, after all, he was used to things going wrong. Working as a lawyer had made him see how easily a person world could be turned on it's head.

"No." She replied, looking up at him through her mascara coated lashes with a look of pure happiness on her face. "It seems deserved."

The End