@xsergeant
warm, brown liquor stares at her from
the bottom of a clean glass. she’d been here a while–
not long enough to become familiar with
the regulars, but long enough that her
bar tab was now the furthest thing from her mind.
“counselor– you’ve become misguided.
you lack objectivity, and you will get your
head screwed back on straight before you
appear in my courtroom again.”
judge petrovsky’s words were only a faint echo
now that alex was nursing her second glass of
bourbon. it wasn’t her fault she’d lashed out
at a suspect, at her unreliable character witness,
at the defending lawyer who was all
too pleased with himself for getting under her skin.
“i know exactly where my head is at,
your honor.” unlike the defendant’s counsel–
it’s not shoved up my own ass.
maybe she was losing it, but there was never
a moment where she didn’t feel absolutely
justified. undoubtedly that was her issue–
stubborn and determined and set in her ways
were all how she’d clawed her way to the top
in the first place.
a rush of cold air breezes into the bar
and alex never looks up from her drink as
warmth and perfume come to occupy the bar
stool next to hers.
“if you’ve come to berate me too–”
she pauses, only long enough to take a sip
from her glass and gather her composure.
“i’m really, really, not in the mood.”
fingers twitch, her foot taps and annoyance grows… she needs
a drink. darkness falls outside the walls of the squad room, and all
she wants is out. papers are disregarded as she packs up, rising
from her chair and turning to retire the day behind her. she’s done,
she’s tired, and she’s leaving.
her mind wanders to alex as the elevator descends to the ground floor.
they’ve all gotten their fair share of a beating today, but none as bad as
the other woman. when she reaches the ground floor, olivia can’t help
but worry how far down the watering hole alex has got herself into.
she exits the building, a rush of cool air bringing her back to reality.
it’s cold, so she wraps her coat tighter around her frame and turns
to the left, opposite the direction from home. her night’s not over, not
until she gets herself a drink and finds the blonde.
can’t help the inner detective.
she enters the first bar that comes to mind, and to her surprise sees
alex at the counter. they don’t exchange greetings, not even glances.
olivia just sits, finger up to catch the attention of the bartender.
❛ you and i both know i don’t have the energy for that.
i’m here to get a drink. ❜