All Falls Down

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to these characters. They are owned by Robert and Michelle King and CBS.

Note: This story takes place during the second half of season 5.

Chapter 1: Putting the Puzzle Together

Kalinda was surprised that not only was she and Cary able to be civil with one another but they were having drinks together like old times for the past couple of weeks. Ever since both Alicia and Cary were escorted by security out of Lockhart/Gardner three months ago, it wasn't easy rekindling their friendship. She felt like she was betraying Will by talking to Cary but at least she wasn't talking to Alicia. She hadn't said a word to Alicia since she found out from Robyn that Alicia planned to leave with Cary. Their friendship had never been the same since Alicia found out about her one night stand with Peter, but for some odd reason she felt a little betrayed that Alicia didn't tell her that she planned to leave.

"Hey, sorry I'm late. Preparing briefs for tomorrow", Cary said as he scooted into the barstool next to her interrupting her thoughts. "No problem, I'm just on round 2" she responded holding up her shot glass of tequila. The drink she shared all too many times with Alicia before things went downhill.

"Great, well let me join in," Cary said motioning to the bartender to take his order. "I swear I feel like I'm at the firm 24 hours a day. Whenever there is a case we are fighting against you guys I feel like Alicia goes overboard to make sure everything is perfect."

The comment surprised Kalinda. If she expected anyone to be the overachiever against Gardner & Associates it would be Cary. He always enjoyed sticking it to Will. She kept her thoughts to herself as usual as Cary went on.

"I mean I appreciate that she is willing to give it her all and make sure our firm is the best but sometimes I…I just don't know" he said wistfully as he played with the shot glass. He took a swig and didn't say anything else. Kalinda felt like she needed to break the silence.

"Regrets?"

"No, ultimately I feel like it was the best thing for us to do. To leave. But everything just seems so different than what I expected it to be. We played the biggest card in our deck but we didn't win."

Kalinda knew exactly what he meant. The past 3 months had been like walking around in an alternate universe. All the people that were once loyal to one another, adversaries, friends and lovers were now turned completely upside down. Diane and Will managed to mend their relationship somewhat, but Will and Alicia were fierce enemies. Alicia and Cary were now closer than they had ever been. Kalinda wasn't talking to Alicia. Diane wasn't talking to Cary. Robyn and Kalinda were awkward around one other the few times they happened to cross paths. Eli was still an equity partner at Gardner & Associates and avoided Will as much as possible as he was smack in the middle of the Florrick family politically and personally.

Over the past 3 months Will and Kalinda had gone against Cary, Alicia and Robyn three times with Gardner & Associates winning twice. Each time more negative and undercutting than the last. The last trial was specifically tough as everyone sat back with mouths open as Will and Alicia used personal moments to undercut one another in the Matthew Ashbaugh civil trial. It was that trial that brought Cary and Kalinda together a couple of weeks ago. They saw how the trial completely changed their respective work environments and had no one to turn to but one another.

Kalinda laughed to herself thinking about it, which caught Cary's eye. "What's so funny?" he asked. "Who would have ever though that 3 months ago we would be here? I get why you did it but I have to admit, I'm shocked that Alicia left. She just became an equity partner a few months before you guys left and…." her voice trailed off. I never thought she would leave Will she thought to herself.

"She waivered for a bit but in the end I made a convincing argument to get her to leave," Cary said taking now finishing off his 3rd shot of tequila. "Oh yeah. What was the argument?"

"That she would always be under Will if she stayed. If she ever wanted to be serious about her career, she needed to get from under Will." She stayed while she mulled Cary's words and suddenly realization dawned on her. "That's why she left", Kalinda muttered under her breath.

"What?" Cary said half drunk. He was ordering another beer as Kalinda pulled out her phone, scrolled down to her frequently dialed numbers and landed on Will Gardner. She put her finger up to her ear to drown out the loud sounds around her as the phone rang. Of all times she desperately needed Will to pick up his phone right now. She grew frantic each time the phone rang that it would go to voicemail. Finally on the fourth ring he picked up.

"Hey K"

"Are you still at the office?"

"Yes, I was wrapping up the brief for tomorrow. What's up?"

Of course he was she thought. Kalinda started experiencing the same long nights as Cary was the night before courtroom showdowns with Florrick, Agos & Associates.

"I need to talk to you"

"About…"

"Are you headed home?"

"Yes" he sounded confused.

"Ok I'll meet you there in about 30 minutes"

She immediately hung up and turned her attention back to Cary who was almost done with the beer he just ordered and clearly had crossed the half drunk mark.

"Ok I hate to call this a night but…"

"Aww come on, we were just getting started" Cary whined.

She could tell that he was hoping they would rekindle the "other" part of their relationship. The part that they never talked about but was always unspoken between them. She knew they could never go there again after their one night together. Typically she can spend one night with someone and not care but there was something about Cary. Besides Will, he was the one man that seemed to always have her best interest at heart even when they were on opposite teams. But right now things were complicated enough without adding a drunken night of sex to it.

"Let me call you a cab Cary"

"Where are you going?"

"I have to handle something"

"Related to the case?"

"Would I tell you if it were?"

Cary smirked at her. Their verbal sparring was one of the things that she liked and missed about her time with him. But now she saw something different in Cary, a sort of sadness that as much as she didn't want to admit, got to her.

"Come on. Let me take you home."

She was a little surprised that she offered him a ride but sending him home drunk in a cab seemed like something she would do for a stranger. He stumbled to the car and was half asleep during the short ride to his place. Once she pulled up he got out of the car and immediately turned to her and said "Are you sure you don't want to come up?". He had the same side smirk that she had grown to like and his blue eyes were sparkling.

"No, I have to be somewhere"

"Ok" he said as he tapped the car door. She looked in the rearview mirror as she pulled off to make sure he got into the building ok.

Her next destination, Will's apartment building.