"You know, here in Boston, pedestrians have the right of way," Larry grinned at her, raising an eyebrow.

"I..I...I..L-L-L-La-" she shook her head to spit out his name, "Larry! Hi..hey..uhh...how are you?"

"Like road kill" Larry smiled at her and cocked his head, his finger making the familair route to the bridge of his glasses. "This..um..thing you're riding.."

"OH!" she jumped back, picking up her scooter by it's handles, 'You know...it's a scooter. Saves me a walk."

She began to tap her fingers along the side of her leg, smiling at him uncomfortably, trying hard not to make eye contact, which with him was very much impossible. "So you're here..I mean of course you're here. haha..*hmmhmm* you're standing in front of me.." She nervously squeezed the black foam on the handle of her scooter.

He nodded at her, and smiled taking her hand. "You've always had unbelievable cold hands Ally."

Ally jumped back at the touch of his hands, shaking her head. No, she had gone over this with the therapist. One year wasted Ally, one year!

"Boston's cold," she finally said.

Larry nodded and continued to rub her hands, his intent on warming them. But as soon as they warmed he remember the familiarity of her softness now, even stronger then when he was in Detroit and dreaming about her.

"Hmm..La-Larry.." she began to chew on her lip, beginning to see her knees weaken at his familiar touch. She had to be strong. Must be strong.

She opened her mouth to speak a few times, only to find it shutting back closed. Finally she got the nerve to finish speaking, "I gotta...go work, Larry.."

. "Hmmm...yeah me too." He released her hands and grabbed his briefcase, watching as she gave him a nervous laugh and hopped on her scooter. This was embarressing Ally sneered under her breath. "He probably thinks I'm a little kid." With a dignified smile she lifted a leg and pushed the scooter ahead, her head held high. Larry chuckled but his smile immediately fade as he watched her collide with an innocent pedestrian.

"Watch where you're going you big galloot! Can't you see that walking takes more then moving your legs." Ally screamed at him as she laid on the ground.

Larry ran over towards the scene, shaking his head at Ally's typical yellings to people who ran in her way.

"Well maybe if you were watching where you were going on the darn thing," the pedestrain yelled at Ally, sneering at her. The man looked down towards her leg, where a small cut had formed and was bleeding through his pants, "Look at me!"

"Oh.." ALly stood up in a huff, "You're just a big..baby!"

Larry had stopped a few feet away from the scene, behind Ally so she couldn't see him. The man was waving his arms frantically and soon Larry was able to make out the words "sue you!"

"SUE ME!" Ally's mouth dropped, 'OKay..you don't understand how bad of a day this has been for me.."

Larry stepped forwards, standing next to Ally, addressing the gentleman, "Excuse me? Is there soem problem here?"

"Yes there is! this ignorant old lady here ran me over. What kind of person over 40 rides a scooter for goodness sake. " When he looked down at Ally to see her face, and at what he thought were tears of embarressment, he immediately leapt to his own defense. "Oh cry me a river lady! You ran me over so don't try that act that woman do to win men over."

Larry's face was red, crimson was more like it. He was close to taking that guys neck and choking it, but Ally was sitting there on the floor and he quickly pulled her up with ease. "The nerve!l" She sputtered out. "I am *not* 40!" Ally bought back her fist and before she could do any damage Larry had his fingers around her wrist.

"Look," he said with a sigh, giving Ally a glare that told her not to say anything else. She narrowed her eyes at him, but complied, "If you have a problem...and I seriously think this is a tiny little matter that a band-aid won't fix...give me a call."

Larry pulled out his business card and handed it to the gentleman. Ally's eyes darted towards Larry, wondering what the heck he was doing.

"You're her lawyer?" he asked with a decadent sigh.

Ally's mouth dropped as Larry stood up to his full height, adjusting his coat, "Larry Paul, attorney-at-law, that would be me."

The guy shook his head and huffily accepted the card Larry held out to him. "You'll be hearing from me lady." He walked away oblivious to the fact that Ally had tried to make a grab for him, her hands inches from his neck. Luckily, even though she didn't think so at the time, Larry was there to hold her back.

"Ally..Ally..calm down, he's gone." Larry coaxed at her, but the only response he got was a glare and a feminine hand smacked at his arm. "How dare you! I had it all handled, and you just had to interfere."

"If screaming at him was having it all handled, well then, I apologize for being helpful," Larry said, pointing a finger towards her, which she simply put off and groaned a frustrated, UGHH!

"Look Larry," Ally said, fuming, "Wonderful of you to show up and try to save me again like a knight in shining armor, but you know what?"

He dropped his head, his voice softening as he looked her in the eyes, "What?"

Ally closed her eyes, clenching her fists as she tried to fight off the knee-jerk reaction to wrap her arms around him, "I don't need your help!"

Larry's hands went to his side as he tilted his head, attempting to comprehend what she was saying, "So..you don't want my help?"

Ally shrugged, "I..yeah..I..just, Larry...you just can't keep doing this whole thing..."

He raised that oh so familiar eyebrow again, "Thing? What thing?"

She threw her hands back and forth as she tried to explain what she meant, "You just..coming in and out whenever you feel like it!" Larry looked at her, his statement unreadable. He pushed up his glasses and folded his arms in front of his chest. "This *is* Boston Ally..a pretty big city..."

Ally shut her eyes in disbelief and bent down to gather her scattered papers together. Her hands worked quickly and after shoving it in an unlikely fashion she straighten up and gave him a sad smile. "Thanks Larry..it was nice meeting you again, perhaps you can drop me a note."

Her anger was gone, replaced with a feeling of sadness for him, even after a year, he had yet to have the ability to confront a problem as emotional as their relationship. And she couldn't take it anymore, it was to stressful..and god her life was stressful enough already.Her year had its ups and downs, and one of them was John leaving. She gave him a weak wave and walked off, her injured leg trying to walk as fast she could, leaving her scooter on the floor. Larry watched her fade off into the distance, his eyes full of melancholy. He shook his head, and looked down towards the ground, bending over to pick up her deserted scooter. Still kneeling, he pressed his head against the handles of the now right-side-up scooter, mentally cursing himself.

He stood up, brushing himself off and putting on his best coping face. He had a job to do. His client had left her scooter.

(offices of Cage and Fish)

It'd been forever since he'd stepped foot in these offices, the last time when he had dropped off the final note for Ally. That was a good year before, and change was always inevitable.

He grasped the folded up scooter, peering carefully out the elevator doors, fearing a sudden attack by someone. He took a deep sigh, and stepped out, waiting for what was sure to be inevitable. But nobody came. Larry looked around the brightly color office and frowned. "This is wierd," he muttered under his breath, even Elaine wasn't there to flirt with him. He took a step back and smiled as a secretary passed him to walk into the elevator. All he got was a glare in return. He shook his head and raised a hand up to his mouth, huffed out a breath, and sniffed it to see if was his breath. When that passed Larry lifted up his shirt and smelled his piece of clothing.

He shrugged his shoulders and dodged a person pushing a mail cart. Then he heard a scatter of loud voices coming from the conference room. Ahhhhh..he nodded and realized that they were probably in there for their early morning meeting. Larry walked towards Ally's office, his intent on surprising her. But what he saw when he opened the door surprise him even more. Ally was in the embrace of another man. He coughed and when he saw the two of them lift their heads he mouthed a sorry and carefully placed her scooter several feet into her office. Larry stood there, his feet implanted in her carpet. He was on a mission, and no matter what, he wasn't going to back down.

"Larry...I...I..had no idea..I mean." She cleared her throat and stepped away from Glen. "What brings you here?"

Larry pointed towards the scooter, "I don't think you meant it as a gift for me."

Ally breathed out an oh as a confused Glen peered at Larry, who simply stared back at him. Ally picked up the scooter and shifted uncomfortably.

"Ally..." Glen trailed off, "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Hmmm?" Ally said, turning her head back towards Glen, "Oh..OH! Umm...Glen, sweetie, this is Larry Paul...Larry..this is Glen..Glen..Glen..uhhhh..."

"Foy, Glenn Foy," he said, frowning as Ally seemingly forgot his last name, "But like Ally said..you can just call me Glen.

Larry's eyebrows raised in hearing the word sweetie come out of Ally's mouth, and *not* directed at him. "Glennnn..." He streched out that name and smiled. "I had an aunt name Glen, bless her soul, she died when she got ran over by a semi truck."

Ally chuckled unknowingly and caught herself with a cough. She patted her chest. "Piece of bagel from this morning.." She explained in Glen's direction.

"Huh," Larry said with a wink at Ally's direction, but his voice was directed towards Glen, "She never could digest those bagels too well." He smiled breifly at the other man, his pearly whites forming that characteristic grin, "Say Ally, is Richard in the conference room?"

Ally wondered whether it was a good idea to give him an answer to that question. She knew that smile. He was up to something, "Uhh...yeah? Why?"

Larry's eyes darted across the room, before he nodded, "Thanks...see you, Glen, soon..I hope." With that he turned and left Ally's office, leaving Glen dumbfounded but Ally highly suspicious. She set her jaw firmly and followed him out the door, watching as he breezed off ahead of her towards the conference room. Before she could stop the door, he had shut it behind him, forcing her to make her own dramatic enterence, opening the door and falling into a heap onto the floor.

Heads whirled towards her direction, among them Larry, who was in the middle of being smothered by Coretta, who was happy to see her old boss. Larry..surprisingly enough..seemed to boy wonder to everyone in the room. Richard seemed to be beaming some happy light that screamed money, and even Jenny, who didn't know Larry, was in a form of captive awe..most likely because the name Larry Paul was famous to Boston University law students.

Larry's eyes twinkled as he looked towards Ally and then back towards Richard, "So..Richard..I hear you are looking for a lawyer? Or is that just some darn rumour?"

"Lawyer..money, same thing, bygones." Richard smiled happily and walked over to Larry patting his shoulder in true egotistic male pride. "Welcome aboard Larry, do us proud." He clapped his hands in nodded at everybody in the room. "Since John's departure, I've decided to hire Larry..he's a rainmaker, sorry Glen you come second."

"wha...wha..What?! Richard! you hired him without telling any of us. Me?!" Ally spit out and walked over to him, a pencil in her hand, a glare in her eyes.

Larry chuckled and putting an arm around her shoulder steered her away from Richard, who was hovering behind Larry's back. "Richard I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to be borrowing Coretta for second chair on this case I've stumbled upon this morning. To make a long story short, Ally ran over a guy with her scooter and now he's suing her."

Without so much of another word, Larry dragged Ally out of the conference room and walked into her office. "This isn't funny, Larry.." Ally hissed as she finally managed to completely understand everything that was going on, "You...you...ahhhhhhhh!!!!"

Larry leaned backwards as Ally began to let out some of her steam, and braced himself for a sudden punch to possibly come the way of his forearm, but instead, he simply got Ally staring at him with confusion.

"How come?"

He leaned back on a chair, taking off his glasses, preparing to clean them on his tie, "How come what?"

Ally watched as he began to clean those glasses. Good lord, she couldn't even watch him clean his glasses without feeling totally confused, how was she supposed to share a unisex with the man? "How come Cage and Fish? And please tell me you didn't just..go in there now..and get ..get a job.."

Larry chuckled and shook his head, "No..Richard got wind that I was coming back to Boston and was shopping around for a firm...and he contacted me. It's a good firm...so I figured why not? Running into you on the street though..wasn't planned."

"But why?..." Ally stressed the question again. She shook her head and sat down in one of the clients chairs. "Why are you back here in Boston, why Cage and Fish when you know I work here, and why.."

Larry placed his glasses back on, walked over to her and lifted her chin so that she was looking at him. "You."

"What more reason then a man could have but to return for a woman." He smiled at her and lifted his hand up to finger a strand of her hair. "I like your haircut."

Ally put her hand over his to stop his movement, her voice barely about a whipser, "Larry..please...don't do this to me."

"Do what?' he asked innocently, gazing into her eyes. She looked towards the floor, unaware of the tears that were forming. She sniffled a little, "You just..I'm with Glen..and you come here and you tell me that because of me..because of me..."

She shook her head and pushed him away from her, looking towards the ceiling and then him, "You can't go and confuse me Larry...yes..okay..I had come to sort of rythym in my life...realizing you will always have some impact on me..come on, my lawyer is a therapist! No..it's the other way around...ughhhh.......see? Larry...you can't just come here..and what do you expect for me to say?"

Larry smiled sadly and took a step back from her. "I knew this would be a challenge, but I have to try Ally." He turned around his gaze now intently studying Ally's law degree that hanged on the wall. "If I don't go after something I want Ally, I'll always dream what if. And.." He turned around to look at Ally again and smiled brightly despite the situation. "I've a new determination: To never in my lifetime think the word "what if."

He paused, looking at her intently, "And...you're it Ally. I have to try."

"No Larry.." Ally's voice was edgy now, with the anger that stirred inside of her. "Do you have no shame? You left me. I moved on, I have somebody else." Her voice trembled with each word that came out of her mouth. Ally stood up, she needed to walk. To do *something*. Her shoulers remained stiff as she crossed the room and started to move past Larry.

Larry stopped her with the faintest brush of his hands, "Maybe you just need a reminder of what else there is out there."

Ally shook her head frantically as she gave him a sharp look. Did he not understand? She didn't need this...she didn't want this! She shoved him away from her and said in the calmest voice she could muster, "Fine, Larry. We can work together, you can be my lawyer for this little incident, but nothing else. We are business associates, Larry. And whatever we were a year ago, that's exaclty what it is. A year ago."

Larry's face fell slightly as Ally spoke, but he quickly recooperated, nodding at what she said, his voice suddenly taking a chilly tone, 'Yeah..you're the boss."

He stood up and walked towards the door, taking a path several feet from where she stood., 'I'll be in my office."

As soon as he left, Ally let out the breath she was holding and walked over to the wall. Laying both palms on the wall, she repeated the motion of banging her head on it. This…for her, was therapy.

Ally sat at her desk, her pencil repeatedly tapping against a file. She couldn't work, could hardly think for that matter. Just knowing the fact that he was 10 feet away from her made her heart pound and hand curl in anger. Fine Ally...go talk to him, release all your anger. With a gleam in her eyes she got up and angrily stomped over to her door, and opened it with a hard yank. Ally glared at Elaine and growled at her to get back to work. The whole time her foot stomping towards Larry's office.

Without so much as a knock, she twisted the knob on his door and rushed in, slamming the door after her. "I'm here to discuss my case!" She yelled loudly and sat down with a flourish in front of his desk.

Ally looked at him impatiently as his head was bent down and he was writing hurriedly on a notepad. He held up his index finger to say "just a second." and continued writing.

Her anger started boiling at this, how dare him! Ally yanked at his paper and tossed it over her head. "I want to talk to you!"

Larry finally looked up at her with exasperation and glanced at the clock on his wall. He opened up his palm pilot and after pushing a couple of buttons, looked at her regretfully. "I'm sorry Ms.McBeal … you're not scheduled for a meeting with me today, perhaps tomorrow? Around 2ish?

"I don't care," she said, pointing an accusing finger towards the palm pilot, "And since *when* do you follow…that…thing?"

Larry looked down towards it and lifted up the little pen, "I've always followed it for business Ms. McBeal. Now...would you like to make a meeting with my...HEY!"

He yelped as Ally snatched away the palm pilot in exasperation, "You just can't deal with a simply conversation can you?"

Larry looked up towards her confused as she continued, 'NO…you never could. You always had to put in some stupid little comment that of course would make me laugh but we could never have a decent conversation cause you had to try to be funny! Well, I'm not laughing now!"

Larry looked down towards his desk calendar before he spoke quietly, "I don't believe that pertains to your case Ms.."

"And will you stop that!?" Ally rambled on, feeling this close to snatching out her hair, "The whole Ms. McBeal thing...it's ALLY...and you're Larry...don't make me feel like…like...

"Business associates and nothing more?" he asked with a sigh, reclining back in his chair.

Ally lifted her arm in an angry defense and threw his palm pilot at him. With the skill of a major league baseball player, he skillfully caught it in his hands. "You've been working out." Larry chuckled and saluted her with his palm pilot.

"Look Larry, you bought this on yourself. *YOU* made me angry, and you..." Ally sat slammed her hand on his desk and twitched her eyes. "Stop smirking at me, you know how mad that makes me."

Larry leaned back and folded his hands in front, quickly cleared his throat and looked at her with inquiry. "Sit then Ally, you wanted to talk…so...let's talk."

Ally shuffled towards the seat, the immediate question that had been on her mind gone with the wind. Instead, she sat down; hand's clasped, looked at him with a sense of awe, realizing that he would always do that thing. When it was necessary to be serious, he found it out, and then he'd come forth in such a way that forgiveness of him was inevitable.

"I ummm...ummm...well I…I just wanted to tell you, that I...I think that you and I can handle this working together thing," Ally said with a firm nod, going over her previous experiences in her head, "This isn't the first time this has happened at this firm, and it's always worked out…and you and I...are adults right?"

"Are we?" he said quickly, smirking before his face grew serious again, "Okay Ally...I hope that we can be civil people. We've never had the best of starts. But uhhh..."

He tilted his head and smiled sadly at her. Larry was sort of at a loss for words, not sure the exact phrase he should put it. He didn't want her to go off running if he said either something to cold...or far too warm.

"I know what you mean," she said, lifting up her eyes so that they matched his, "I do...I just...god...I don't even remember what I came in here for..."

"I think..." Larry paused and taking off his glasses, cleaned them on his tie. "You wanted to tell me that you've moved on. Its okay Ally, I'm a big boy, I think I'm more then prepared to handle it."

Ally hastily took her eyes away from his and stared at her lap. "Larry..." Before she could finish he cleared his throat and placed his glasses back on his face. She sighed and rubbed her chin. "I guess I could never lie to you. Maybe, perhaps...I just want you to know so that their isn't anything uncomfortable between you and him."

"He's just a..." She waved her hand to find the right word but Larry her sentence for her, maybe not the right word, but he said it.

"He's just a boy?"

Ally looked at him, sighing, "God...you sound like my therapist."

This caught Larry's interest, and he placed adjusted his glasses, leaning towards her, "Therapist?"

Ally looked around, almost embarrassed. She drew her head down and then peered up before launching into an imitation of her therapist, "I'm not...comfortable..."

Larry let out a hearty chuckle, somewhat disbelieving, "He's your therapist? Ally…my god..." She shrunk down a little, before signaling that there was more. She held out her hand and said in imitation, 'Give me your hand.'

Larry wasn't sure if that was the best idea but he obliged, holding her hand lightly, "Yes…he'll look at me and go...Ally...in situations like these...you want the..."

She snatched her hand back, and Larry watched her puzzled, "In situations like these you want the boy. Yeah...he's just a boy."

"The boy? Being Glen?"

When Ally nodded her head Larry smiled widely his face lighting up. "I think I like him." He continued to chuckle and putting his elbow on the table, he put his chin in his right hand. "Why do you go to him Ally? I thought you didn't need therapy anymore."

She cleared her throat and looked up to the ceiling. "I didn't need him when you...when you were here. With me… but when you left, there were times...when I needed somebody to accept my insanity, and be able to tell me things that I couldn't interpret for myself."

Larry nodded his head bobbing up and down. "And what does he say about your relationship with the boy?"

Ally chewed on her lip before mumbling, "He says it's simply a trip down the road to true love. Somehow I have to allow myself to fall into, but something that obviously isn't going to last."

Larry had been listening intently, and couldn't help but flash a quick grin before covering it with his hands and nodding deftly, "He's smart this…guy...question though…is he certified? Does he have attorney-at-law and therapist on his door? We don't want you going around mistaking people again and then yelling at them for it."

Ally's ears began to turn red, "I did not yell. I simply said it was wrong for you to lead people on-"

"It was on the door," Larry interrupted, setting tilting his head.

"I know that now!" she exclaimed, chuckling slightly, "God Larry...you're more pathetic than Raymond."

Larry squinted at the mention of the unfamiliar name, "Raymond? Raymond...I don't remember any Raymond."

Ally shrugged, "He's just some guy from another firm who you just want to slap sometimes. I wouldn't be surprised if he hit on you...he might think you're a pretty boy."

"Pret-ty boy?" Larry peered at her over his glasses, amused but slightly concerned. "Has he been causing you trouble Ally?"

"No...no...NO." She shook her head to prove her point and nervously fingered her hair.

"Well...you know, he's a male, and has become a good friend… and...Okay." Ally fidget in her seat and finally surrendered. "He's Glen's friend, and they bicker like 5 year old boys."

Larry nodded and grinned. "And are you their rope for their tug-o-war games?"

Ally's mouth opened slightly, "How did…how did you know about the rope thing?"

"I was kidding," Larry intoned, shaking his head with disbelief, "I was just saying they bicker like five year olds, so they must play like five year olds...and I was proven right...they actually *play* tug of war?"

"No," Ally said, looking towards her hands in embarrassment over what she was going to tell him, "To hail a taxi, they stand out in the street and pretend to tug on a rope to make the taxi stop."

Larry held up his hand, 'Whatever happened to a good old fashioned taxi?!" He stopped her from speaking with a raised of his hand and twirled around in his chair. "I forgot we were talking about kids here, I guess I'm out of my league. But! I can beat them in court any day, and hail a taxi with a single finger held up."

Larry's statement changed, and he looked at her seriously and Ally knew that the little chitchat they had was coming to an end.

He looked at his clock and gave her an apologetic look. "I have to go in a few minutes, my things are arriving from Detroit by this moving company."

Ally tried to hold her disappointment in at the thought of leaving the comfortable chair, and the sound of his soothing voice. She smiled and in standing up had somehow manage to tangle one leg around the leg of the chair. With a scream she fell--flat on her face.

Larry leaped up from his chair and darted around the desk to help her up. He couldn't mask the look of amusement on his face as he took hold of the side of her arm, "Twice in one day, Ally."

Ally dusted off the bottom of her skirt as she stood up slowly, using him for support, "What can I say? I…have a natural tendency for falling...I guess…" She giggled nervously and looked towards him, humming to herself slightly.

Larry smiled slightly and for the first time, the hint of that genunie grin of his began to peak through, "Ally...you're still you." And it was really more like he was talking to himself.

"Or course, who would I be?" Ally snapped suddenly before she could stop herself. "Do you think that just because you left me heartbroken, that I would crack my shell and become somebody else? I've always been this way, Erratic...NUTS even." She added in the end remembering what he had asked her in the early stage of when they met.

The smile immediately wiped form Larry's face and he took a step back from her. Ally in a moment of guilt grabbed his arm before he could move any further and sorries poured from her eyes. He motioned for her to stop before she said anything else.

"No...I deserved that...I um, I have to go." Larry grabbed his briefcase, and headed towards the door. Before he crossed the threshold he turned around and looked at her with an apathetic face. "I'll see you tomorrow Ally, I'll notify Elaine when I need to talk to you about your case."

She wanted to ask him why he couldn't knock on her door himself, peek his head in, and ask her for a few minutes. Looking at his face though, she sort of had the feeling that what she had told her father was true. He too had been in pain, and probably still was. Her hands trembled slightly as she murmured a goodbye and collapsed into a chair as his back faded from sight towards the elevator.

She didn't understand exactly why it was she was feeling so stressed by his touch, or the fact that he seemed to be hiding himself from her. Wasn't it what she was doing also? She curled her hands around the arms on the chair and stood herself up, heading for the door of his office, shutting it behind her. She looked back and caught the name plate, caught in a reverie at how she had once missed that name, now so unmistakable to her, missing it...which had let her to him in the first place.

"No, no yeah I'm fine. Positive!" Ally winced at how she said it and whispered an "I'm just tired...work." She smiled at the voice over the phone and nodded her head. "Sweet dreams Glen."

After softly hanging up the phone, Ally snuggled in her cocoon of blankets and bit on her fingernails. He was worried, naturally. The sight of the formidable Larry, which he only heard in office rumors, sent his male jealousy to a peak.

His name could be solely implied, our brought up directly in a terse form of conversation, but someone would always muse about how great Larry had been, before hushing themselves at the sight of Ally sighing with frustration, their heads ducking in embarrassment, but still chattering among themselves in a way that made one curious, and for one not included in the notion of it, left with a wonderment of what exactly the man possessed.

Her hand reached over to the night table in a natural way and she clutched onto the framed picture. Ally tilt her head back and banged it against the bed's head frame. Billy...Renee...John...the people she loved were gone, and the one that hurt her the most had come back.

Why was it so difficult? Love was an impossible thing. Larry, the one she had considered *it* had dropped her from seemingly the highest tops of the mountain of love, flying off to find himself another perch, but yet, it was true you only hurt those that you love. She looked down towards the picture of Billy and scowled, "It all started with YOU!" She set the picture back down on the night table, and laid down, staring up at the ceiling in contemplation. She had a feeling that the next few months were going to be looong ones.

"So...what schemes are we in to make money today?" Richard said greedily from his position at the head of the table, clapping his hands once.

Heads lifted up from writing and looked around the table, going towards Glen, usually the source of new cases for most of the firm. But today, he stayed quiet, glaring towards Larry, who cleared his throat.

"I've got a couple," he said, flipping out two case files he'd made, "One...Older gentleman wants to sue his neighbor for waking him up early on Saturday mornings by mowing the lawn at 6 a.m. Doesn't care who handles that one. Second…road rage case. We simply have to make sure the insurance claims go through. Piece of cake. Sure Glen could handle that one...and finally...I've got Kimmy Bishop. She wants me to handle a case...well...she's suing for loss of her chastity belt."

He pushed the two case files for the first two towards Richard.

Richard shuddered at the mentioned of Kimmy's name. "Good luck my friend, that women's a beast. The ashes from an exploding volcano. Bygones. But she brings us money…can't complain." He picked up the two files in front of him and peered through it with hurried eyes. It was time to tell the rest of the associates his new plans for what was once Cage and Fish.

He stood up before his lawyers, his arms crossed. He was proud of his job, of what he had built from the ground up with John. But John was gone, and they had to move on. Richard cleared his throat for their attention and clapped his hands. "As you all know, John took a break… and I have received a call from him. John has decided to stay in California."

He waited for the surprise murmuring to end and after a few seconds raised his hands. "And following his request, and my judgment we both have decided to make Ally partner."

Ally's head snapped up as she heard her name called, still in shock from John's permanent move out West. Had he...had he just said she was partner? She could feel Glen's arms go around her, scooping her into a hug, kissing her face. She put a hand on his arm, and was at that moment happy, sad, confused, and very uncomfortable. Larry was staring out the window; most likely avoiding his eyes from what he probably knew was going on.

When he finally turned around, Ally was still wrapped up by Glen, but her eyes locked into his, and his weary half grin produced, mouthing congratulations towards her direction. She let out a shaky sigh and finally began to smile, first the corners of her mouth turning up like his, and finally the two were on their way to grinning at one another in their own little world before her view was blocked by Jenny squealing congratulations and giving her a huge hug. Ally gasped for a breath, and when Jenny finally left her, Larry was in conference with Richard, never looking up from his papers.

He finally managed to catch her as he stepped into the unisex and she was in the process of coming out of a stall to wash her hands. He stopped, shoving his hands into his coat pockets, "Hey..Ally..congratulations on being made partner."

She watched from the corner of her eye as he leaned against the sinks, and she opened the faucet, "Thanks, Larry. I really...I really..don't deserve it much."

Larry stood up straight and looked at her, confused, "Ally...what are you talking about?"

"I.." She bent her head down concentrating on her hands under the flowing water, her teeth biting her lips. "Ally.." Larry called to her again and she finally looked up.

She angrily grabbed a paper towel and wiped her hands. "He didn't have to leave you know, he left because of me..and now I'm partner and he's starting his life over when he had one here." Ally lifted her head up looking at the ceiling as tears pooled in her eyes.

"Ally.." Larry said softly. He walked towards her his hand on her arm. "Its not your fault. From what Richard told me, John wanted to start a new life."

She shook her head and aimed her wadded up paper in the trashcan. "Do you know what happened Larry? He asked me to love him, he threw out his dignity and confronted his love for me..and I..I..I threw it right back at him."

Larry rubbed his chin with his free hand and asked confusingly . "You didn't know that he loved you? Well hell Ally..anybody with eyes could see it."

Ally grasped at the top of her head with her free hand tears beginning to flow, "Am I that stupid? Am I really that stupid? Even you could see..it...I'm a horrible..."

"Shhh.." he murmurred, "You're not a horrible anything Ally...remember...when you and I...and you liked me, and I liked you..and I was clueless until you got pissy and told me to.."

"Declare her nelle and void," Ally whispered, looking away from Larry.

He smiled softly, lifting her chin so she'd look at him, "Exactly. We had no idea. But everyone else seemed to have known apparently. People are good at hiding things towards the people that their feeling usually are for. You're not stupid. You're just an object of his affection."

Ally sniffled, "But..he..loves me Larry...and I..I..love him...he's...he was..my best friend...but I just couldn't love him that way, and that's what makes me feel so...horrible!" She closed her eyes against the tears that were dropping down her cheeks, "I just..couldn't."

"Now who told you that made you a horrible person?" Larry asked in concern, "Ally..you can love somebody, but not *be* in love with them. You can't force it to happen."

"But it made him leave," Ally said, pounding her fist against his chest, "and everybody just leaves me...I..always..end up doing something to make people go away."

Larry grabbed each of her fists with each hand and gently massaged them, making them relax under his warmth. "Ally." He whispered. "I left..not because of you..but because of me. And I realized that." He smiled slightly at her and continued to rub skin against skin. "We have something in common you and I. We're both afraid...of love. Too caught up in the fact that the relationship can end up in hurt."

"But.." He took a step back from her and blew out a heavy breath. The proximity they were in just a few seconds ago was to dangerous. "I have to go Ally." He kissed her softly on the cheeks. "Congratulations again boss." Larry walked out leaving Ally in a state of despair and need.

"Oh god..." Ally rubbed her forehead and looked up into the mirror with heavy eyes. They landed on Jenny. She was standing right behind her, with a scrowl on her face. "Jenny.."

"Who was that?" Jenny said in her clipped voice, her hands on her hips.

"You know Larry," Ally said, avoiding a direct glance at her. She knew a full on interrogation was most likely coming in her direction in about five seconds.

"Yes..I know who he is," Jenny said with clear frustration, "But what was he doing! Allyy..."

"Jenny, I don't need you to be asking me questions right now," Ally said firmly, standing up a little taller.

Jenny crossed her arms acrossed her chest, and Ally could swear some of her freckles were going to explode, "Don't hurt Glen."

Ally exhaled deeply, clenching her fist, 'You know what Jenny, I don't need this right now..."

"He loves you you know that, and love depends on talking to one another," the other woman exclaimed in almost a whiny voice, the protective nature towards her best friend shining through.

"You know why I was talking to Larry instead of Glen," ALly's voice began to raise higher, frustrated with the worlld, "Because Glen wouldn't understand!"

"I wouldn't understand what?" came the terse voice from behind her.

Ally gasped and took a deep breath and then exhaled. She did that several times and when she finally had the grasp on the familiar routine that she had been doing since birth, Ally swirled to the face of her boyfriend. "Nothing..nothing..." she chuckled nervously and bought a hand to her heart. It was beating so fast that she felt it would burst out of her chest.

Glen's jaws clenched in silent anger and nodded his head. "Fine..when you're ready to talk and stop avoiding me like you've been doing since Larry arrived, I'll be in my office." He opened his mouth to say something but stopped and exhaled the angry words instead.

Ally and Jenny watched Glen leave the unisex, and the latter spoke up first. "If you don't love him Ally, you should tell him, it'll only break his ego and his heart to be lead on like a stupid idiot." With that advice, she walked out, her heels clicking on the bathroom floor.

Ally exhaled deeply as she settled back in the cushiony chair, waiting for her therapist to sit down across from her. She shifted around in the chair, wiggiling her shoulders back and forth. She felt like she was preparing for the biggest test of strength in her life, and all she was doing was talking to a guy she'd been seeing for about almost a year now. Longer than most of her relationships.

"Allyson," he said, stepping into the room and pattering over towards the chair across from her. Ally sat up, focusing her attention on him, ready to burst out with the events that had unfolded in her life.

"So, Larry's back," she said before he even had a chance to sit down. The shock from her her words was enough to have the poor man trip over his own two feet and plop down harshly into the chair, "Yeah..that was my reaction sort of too."

She patted her hands on her legs in a cadence, "I just..uhh.h..hmm...is it a bad thing when I find myself hating him and loving him and then wanting nothing to do with him and then wanting everything to do with him at the same time? You know what he'd say? It's natural..cause that's the way he's acting too. One minute he's touching me and then he runs away..and then...ugh Glen..."

She leaned over and banged her head against her knees.

"The boy..Ahhh.." he unfolded his arms and in a relaxing act unfolded his fingers. "Give me your hand Allyson."

She lifted her head and gave to him what he had requested. After a nearly a year with meeting with him, Ally was past the point in refusing to give him her hand.

"Perhaps the road is over Allyson, and you have reached the end of it. Its time to leave the hard pavement and step onto the grassy plains. In there lies the treasure."

Ally nodded following his words, yet at the same time shaking her head at him. "Larry you mean." she whispered.

"But." The change in his voice made her eye him curiously. "There's a fence and..the boy will be hurt."

Ally sigh and grabbed her hand back. "How are you so sure I'll go back to Larry? He's sudden unannounced arrival back into my life just startled me..that's all. I'll get over it." His face popped up in her mind and she shuddered. "I'll get over it." Ally repeated again.

"Circles Allyson, " he said, demonstrating with his hand, "You have love in circles. You are in love, fall out of love, and then in love again. Natural cycle of human relations."

Ally looked at him in disbelief, "Circles? Now love is a circle?"

He nodded firmly, "To fall back in love with someone you must fall out of love and then back in love. That is why the boy was so important. This Larry..he gets you. He can tell you exactly what you are thinking."

Ally sat up straight, trying to mentally disprove him "Isn't that bad for your business?"

He leaned towars her, "My job is to help keep you sane. And unfortunately I think he is our only hope..."

Ally titled her head as she realized what he said and frowned, biting on her nail as she leaned back in her chair. Was he right? Was Larry the only one that got her?

Deep down she knew the answer...he pretty much was.

In her mind though, there was a problem with the whole circle theory. She wasn't 100 percent sure that she'd fallen out of love with Larry. She was concentrating hard, thinking of all the possible ways to really hate Larry when she rammed someone in the chest as she stepped into the Cage and Fish elevator, "Watch it!! oh..he..he..Kimmy!"

"Ally! Its been so long!" Before she could prevent it, Kimmy had enveloped her into a hug. Ally coughed and gasped for air. "Uh..Kimmy..Kimmy..you're cutting off my circulation."

"Oh dear!" Letting her out of the embrace Kimmy took a step back and smiled baring all of her teeth. "I forgot how little you were." Before Ally could retaliate the elevator door open and she was greeted by Elaine who shoved phone messages in her hand and ushered her into her office.

"Elaine!" Ally hissed at her and lifted her briefcase off her shoulder. Elaine waved at her to hush and leaned in, her eyes gleaming letting Ally know that the latest gossip was about to be passed to her ears.

"Glen is in his office Ally, and he hasn't come out for three hours straight."

She looked at Elaine, her ears not believing what she heard. Her usually gossipy secretary wasn't passing juice around about so and so but was concerned about Glen. "I..I..um..I was just about to." Ally looked away from Elaine in shame and pointed towards the door. "I'm going to talk to him right now..hold all my calls."

She smiled and mouthed a thanks before walking out of her office, towards Glen's. All eyes were on her, people whispering, their eyes trying to not look directly at Ally. Damn..she was just made partner and there was already a scandal.

"You busy?" She knocked on his door before entering and walked in shyly. Ally looked at his hunched shoulders, his hands furiously writing on his notepad. "Glen..can we talk?"

"Three hours Ally..and from the office memo's that have been slipped under my door by a greedy Richard, and also..a case file...your boy wonder's made..according to Richard's calculations," Glen stabbed his pen onto the notepad, his eyes flickering, "Over 300 billing hours. 300...in one day...at big firms 2,000 is the norm..2,000...in a year...imagine..300..one day..."

"He's known for the impossible," Ally said softly, stepping towards him gently, "I...GLen...I just want to apologize for earlier. I...the thing that I was talking with Larry about, was something he was here for, and something that unfortunately..if I even began to explain the numverous complexities of it...I ...I couldn't...I.."

Glen's eyes clouded over and then turned to stone, "What, you couldn't even try?"

Ally shook her head, "God Glen..why do you have to assume that every single thing that has to do with Larry...it has to undermine you!"

Glen pounded his fist against the desk, "BECAUSE!"

Ally jumped back at the sound of his voice, eyes wandering frantically to all corners of the room as Glen kept on talking, "It'd be different..if he were dead...like that one guy...but...he's alive. He's living, he's breathing..and he's in the next room...probably hearing every single word of this goddamn conversation and laughing to himself! Larry this..Larry that..I never heard a single thing about him from you, Ally, not one...but the look on your face....and you wonder...I'm not stupid Ally!"

"I know you're not stupid, I never said you were." She rubbed her arm casually trying to focus on his dark, cold eyes. "Because he was gone, and this...THIS is how you would've reacted if I talked about him. Would you have smiled at me and say 'Okay sweetie, let's not worry about your past lover anymore'."

"God Ally!" He rubbed his face angrily and walked around the desk to stand to stand several feet away from her. "Fine...let's talk about him now. What was he? A friend? Somebody you love and will never stop loving? Or casual sex?"

Ally rolled her eyes. She really couldn't believe they were having this conversation. Her arms crossed over her chest and she looked at him, "You have to promise...you won't become angry with anything I tell you."

Glen set his jaw and shook his head, "I can't promise you that. BUt...I want to hear it. Just so I know what I'm up against."

"This isn't some sort of competition," she spat, pushing aside some hair from her eyes, "I met Larry..about a year before I met you. I thought he was a therapist...turns out he was a lawyer. We..uhhh..started to date. ..we dated up until May...he used to write me songs...and the sex wasn't casual in the slightest. He was a pretty big part of my life Glen. And that's why you have to understand that I've gone through a lot with him...there's a lot of issues between us...and I love him Glen...but I'm not in love with him," she bit her lip waiting for whatever reaction he was going to give her.

"What about me?"

"Hmmm?" Ally looked at him questioningly, confused. "What about me Ally...am I a big part of your life? Do you see a future for us or am I just a fancy pin that you take along during his laspe in your life."

She opened her mouth, not knowing what to answer him. "That's ridiculous Glen, I never thought for one minute that he was coming back..and I..I..."

"It never stopped you from hoping." Glen finished for her. mariamasav: "That's cr-crazy and you know it," she said softly, startled by the sudden revelatoin. The person...who she thought understood her least had just given her the biggest breakthrough. She had never thought that there wasn't the possibility he would show up again one day and sweep her away to never never land.

"Is it?" he said, the venom creeping int ohis voice again, "Ally..just..."

She pursed her lips together, "Have I not been understanding of you and Jenny? Can you not understand for me...that he is somebody that I...need to connect with?"

He ignored her comments on Jenny, keeping his face calm, "Can you just..tell me why?"

Her face lifted up and she licked her lips, the issue she'd been avoidin for ages flooding back to her, "Glen..you're just a boy..a very amazing boy...but...a boy. You eat..McDonald's for breakfast. You live off of pizza. Your idea of a nutritius meal involves anything not home made. You play tug of war to catch a taxi. You remember Punky Brewster. You're just a boy."

The door behind them sung open slowly and a tossled head of famliar brown hair snuck in, looking between the two sheepishly, "I really am sorry..but uhh..Ally..I need to borrow her for a few seconds."

Glen glared at the man that destroyed his love life with Ally in a mere two days. He said nothing, turned around and stared out at the window. His fingers clenched tightly, the urge to walk over to Larry and punch him in the face made him boil up inside.

Ally watched as he said nothing and turned around to look at Larry. She was torn to go lay a hand on the man that had given her laughter for the few weeks, and the man that would, could, give her love for the rest of her life.

"Larry.." she said softly, "What's the problem?" She titled her head rapidly to indicate she was having issues that he'd interuptted, and he smoothed the top of his hair.

"I uhh..sorry.." his eyes darted towards Glen, "I just..got interrupted myself. The man's lawyer called. Apparently...they're willing to settle this whole matter out of court..but they sort of..need an answer soon..."

She turned back towards Glen in desperation, his gaze telling her all she needed to know. If she walked out now, there was no chance she was going to be let back in. She turned over towards Larry, who was looking down towards the floor, clearly uncomfortable with the situation at hand. And in that moment she knew..

"I'm sorry.." she murmurred and stepped towards the door, brushing past Larry, hearing the door shut slowly behind her. She could swear there was a large smack as Glen most likely banged on the desk. Ally's lip trembled as the tears that had flowed earlier in the day began again, a faucet that seemed impossible to turn off.

"Ally," Larry said softly, his hand going up towards her shoulder, "I..I'm..sorry...I didn't mean to.."

She whirled around to face him, his figure blurry through her tears, "D-d-don't be..you didn't do anything."

Larry nodded and taking her by the shoulders shielded her from the questioning gazes of the people gazing at the two of them. He led her to his office and quietly closed the door.

"Ally.." He begin to only stop when she looked at him in such a pleading way that broke his heart into a million pieces. And they sat that way. Larry, his hands clutched on the arm of the chair, desperate to go to her but knew she needed time. Ally, her body wrecking with emotions, waves and waves of sobs coming out of her throat.

Her cries became less, and soon she sat in the chair, her body humped over, in a tired state. Then, did she reach out her hand for him, and he came. Larry kneeled in front of her holding her in a tight embrace, as she still sat on the chair leaning into him. "I never loved him, but I cared for him."

"I understand," Larry said softly, his voice soothing and compassionate. She looked so vulnerable in that state, that any logic..and sense that he shouldn't touch her so, or hold her so...it went away. Ally needed him.

Ally looked down. Hearing him say that wasn't what she had been expecting, 'Yeah.." She was about to continue talking when the grating voice of Kimmy came from behind them.

"Larry! There you are! OH..Ally..are you okay?"

Ally, startled by the voice looked up and slightly pushed Larry away. She got up slowly on unsteady legs and smiled wearily at Kimmy. "I'll um..I have to go." Ally whispered to the both of them, and left his office.

Larry swore under his breath and looked up sharply at Kimmy. Just when Ally needed him the most he had Kimmy to deal with. He looked out the door to see Ally walk into her office, and shut the door. There was nothing he could do now, she needed her solitary, and he respected that.

"So..Kimmy, please, take a seat." Larry gestered towards a chair and walking around his desk, sat in his.

"What happened?" Kimmy asked as she set her purse aside and crossed her legs in a ladylike fashion. "Nothing nothing.." Larry gestured and opened up the case file in front of her.

He linked his fingers together and looked at her seriously. "Now what's this all about losing your chasity Kimmy? I remember just a year ago, me and Ally having to sit in that conference room with you defending it."

"Snide." She glared at him and flicked a lint off the sleeves of her suit. "I was tricked into it. And it took alot out of me to come to you Mr. Paul. My mother heard of my filing this lawsuit and now she looks at me like a mere tramp."

"Kimmmmy.." Larry exhaled his name in the familiar warning tone of his that could only be solely addressed to her, "I'm sure your mother understands that as a thrity year old woman.....having had sex once...doesn't make you trampy."

Kimmy blinked at him, "It's easy for those of you who don't have the moral standards that I do to say that. You obviously have no qualms about," she glanced around, her voice lowering, "having sex before marriage."

"I can't say that I do Kimmy..but that doesn't mean I don't put thought into it before having a relationship," Larry felt his face becoming red, "Things...people doo...just.....okay..Kimmy..want to tell me the whole story from the start?"

Kimmy shifted umcomfortably in her seat, "What I tell you? I won't..have..to say this in court, will I?"

Larry gazed at her, walking towards the front and leaning on the desk, directly across from, "Kimmy..if we do go to court..you might have to tell people what happened. But I'll be there..and...you just think it's like...you're telling it to me..like right now."

"You and 20 other witnesses will know of my..'dirty deed'," Kimmy quoted herself with her two fingers. Larry sigh and leaned back in his chair. He threw a wadded piece of notebook paper into the nearby trashcan and rubbed his chin. This was going to be a long evening.

"You bastard." Kimmy hissed out at the two men across from her in Cage and McBeal's conference room. She was stopped from going any further when Larry laid a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Mr. Red, you do realize that your case does not have very strong legs to stand on." Larry drawled in his natural, calm, sure of himself voice. "Now-a-days, cases like these usually end up with the innocent winning."

"Not when the innocent was dressed in a hooker outfit and practically threw herself at me!" A man of about medium height, and in an impressive expensive suit yelled back at Larry's face.

"Tommy...be quiet and stay calm." His lawyer advised and glared at Larry for having purposely pushing his client into a rage.

"I'm just simply stating the reality of the situation," Larry said, glaring back at the lawyer, "Mr. Red...it is going to look like he took advantage of Kimmy when she was drunk. Now...what the jury is going to say...oh...she threw herself at him...gosh...he just *had* to have sex with her. Especially since Mr. Red knows my client and knows of her virtues."

Kimmy was biting her lip, trying to keep herself from screaming. How *dare* he call her a hooker? All she remembered was...the drinking… then waking up...and oh...finding a naked man next to her. She had told Larry all of these and he was seemingly understanding, saying that things like that happen, and that she shouldn't torture herself over it, but since it was so important to her, he was willing to fight it.

"Now...my client and I believe 10 grand is perfectly fine for the emotional distress Mr. Red inflicted," Larry said, shoving a settlement agreement across the table. The lawyer picked it up and looked it over, his eyes narrowing.

"Forget it! I'm not settling, not with her!" Mr. Red exclaimed, and his lawyer tossed the papers back at Larry.

"Forget it. You want him to apologize to her on top of it? For what? For something she clearly initiated?" He was matching Larry's calm exterior word for word.

"It would save us all a lot of trouble if the two of you would cooperate," Larry spat back at them, "Save us all a lot of embarrassment."

"Larry...if he doesn't want too settle, don't fight him," Kimmy said with a clipped voice, turning towards her source of anger, "We'll see you in court Tommy"

"Fine, see you then." He said in a cool voice and getting up looked her right in the eyes. "I thought we could've had something Kimmy, but I guess I'm just not dignified and up to your standards for you." With that he left, his lawyer trailing behind him.

Larry slowly turned to look at her with confusion and before he could say anything she got up and grabbed his hand to shake it. "Thanks so much Larry for taking this case, I know you'll win this case for me."

Larry eyed her curiously and stopped her. "Kimmy, even if I do win, its not going to make you a virgin again." He smiled warmly like a friend who truly care, and placed his other hand on top of hers. "Are you sure this is the way you want it done?"

"Thanks…I um, yes." She slowly nodded her head and smiled for the first time at Larry with genuine liking. "You know, I like you, you're the kind of guy who doesn't sit themselves in bars and drown themselves in beer and munch on peanuts while ogling at women. You have your respect and you give it out freely. I admire that." Kimmy moved to get her coat and grabbed her suitcase. "How about lunch? On me…kind of a thank you gesture."

"Sure...that'd be nice..." Larry said with a friendly smile, unaware that on the other side of the door he was being listened to by Elaine, "Any time with someone as nice as you is good."

Kimmy smiled back at him and Larry led her towards the door, opening it just as Elaine jumped back away from it. He looked at her with a puzzled statement, wanting to know what she was doing, but he simply told her to remind Ally that they had a meeting at four about her case.

"Is that everything?" Elaine asked, eyeing Kimmy up and down, who seemed oblivious to the gaze.

Larry sighed, "Yes…Elaine. Bye."

Elaine muttered a snappish under her breath and waltzed off to tell Ally what she had just heard. She opened the door quickly and Ally looked up, "Yes, do come in!"

Elaine ignored her frustrated tone and her eyes sparkled with her news. Ally looked at her expecting to here some form of news or gossip.

"Larry and Kimmy are going to lunch together!" Elaine let out, smiling. She wondered what Ally's reaction to that sort of news was going to be.

"Wonderful Elaine." She replied dryly. "People eat to maintain their nutrition." She looked at Elaine closely and asked suspiciously. "Why did you come in here to tell me that?"

Elaine frowned and studied Ally. "You're not the least bit jealous?"

She frowned deeper when Ally shook her head even harder and after a few seconds she smiled and gave a careless shrug. "Okay…by the way you and him have a meeting at four." With that Elaine left and closed the door softly behind her.

As soon as she heard the door click Ally dropped her head onto the table and the pain that it caused, caused her headache to ping harder in pain. Her fingers came back onto her keyboard and she sat there, nervously moving her fingers around, listening to the sound of the keeps being pushed down. She wasn't jealous...nope…not at....all....

She was bought out of her daydream when her door open and the second to last person she wanted to see walked in. "Jenny." Ally sigh and pushed the monitor of her laptop down.

"Now before you say anything Ally...I just wanted to say how I longer understand you. You're not this person that I used to look up to, I don't understand how you could break Glen's heart like that."

"Jenny," Ally looked up at her, realizing just how naive the girl was. She had once been like that, "Did you really look up at me? I...if you'd really have respected me, you would have realized that...that person you rain into on that scooter was pretty darned miserable."

"Glen made you happy," Jenny said icily, not understanding a single thing Ally was getting at.

Ally really didn't understand what she was about to say, but she knew that it was true, "Yeah...he made me happy. He never made me sad though Jenny...he never once made me...get so angry...that anger you can only have for someone you really love."

"I don't get it," Jenny said, shaking her head, "You stayed with Glen...let him fall in love with YOU! And you didn't love him...my god...Ally...what you said makes absolutely no sense...that man...that Larry...he broke your heart a million times over! Why? WHY!"

Ally looked at her in shock, surprised by her sudden outburst, "Jenny...this is not about Larry. It's about me. And apparently, it seems that its also about you Jenny." Ally added softly.

"Me?" Jenny asked her with shock and shook her head. "How is this about me? I'm not the one who broke up with my boyfriend when my ex came trekking back into town."

"This is about you Jenny." Ally said between gritted teeth, trying to ignore what Jenny had accused her of. Even if it was the truth. "This has always been about you and Glen...and me...the middle woman. You want Glen, but didn't want to go on that road again, so who was the next best person to go out with your best friend? Me! Who but your mentor."

"Ally...that's not..." Jenny tried to put in a word but Ally just shook her head. "No...no...I saw it, and I ignore it. It's my fault. But you can't blame me for wanting to fill a void in my loveless life. And I'm to blame for letting Glen fall in love with me. I shouldn't have."

She got up and stood in front of Jenny, her hands clasped together. "Jenny..." Ally whispered. "Now's your chance to comfort Glen, you still have time. I didn't have that second chance with Billy. Perhaps Larry coming back was for the best." Ally kissed Jenny softly on the cheek and smiled sadly at this young women that remind her so much of herself when she was young and inexperience.

Jenny stepped back away from her, eyes still full of confusion and guilt. Ally was right. She did still love Glen. But she had wanted it to work with Ally so she'd have to force herself not to love him. In the end, that didn't work.

"I've got...a meeting.." Jenny stammered and turned on her heel to leave Ally's office, her mind racing. Ally watched her go, the smile still etched on her face. It was time for that circle.

"What the?" Ally said as the door to her office swung open unannounced for what seemed the millionth time that day. However, this intruder was a nice sight. Larry looked at her sheepishly, dropping the box he was carrying, "Oh...I was...thought you were moved to your office already."

"No..." Ally held out her hands, 'Larry…this is my office."

He pulled on his tie and gave her a befuddled look, "Richard said...Ally's moving to John's old office, so if you don't want the cramped closet, grab it while it's free."

"Oh.." Ally said. It was going to be odd working in the place she had long associated as her best friends. She looked as Larry picked up the box, "Well...just go ahead and put the stuff down...I'll probably be told I'm moving in a few seconds. I'm just swamped with these memos...ohh..."

She looked down and realized that the memo she had in hand was from Richard, telling her exactly what Larry had just informed her of. She had been so busy day dreaming about him...Larry that is...that she had managed to only write a clients name down on a piece of paper.

"Actually Larry, why don't you go ahead and move into John's office...I...I…couldn't bare leaving this...window." Ally swept her hand in the direction towards the big window that displayed to her life. People walking in the streets-carefree...or so it looked like it was.

"Okay." He took her suggestion in stride and smiled knowingly. Knowing his Ally, he had already realized that, and had already moved most of his stuff in John's office after coming back from lunch with Kimmy. "I thought you would say that, and just used the excuse of letting you know so that I could see you."

She lost the words to say anything and started clicking her pencil; the continuous noise of the pen going up and down distracted her from the situation at hand.

"You...uh...I...uh...made a fool of myself yesterday, I wanted to apologize for wetting you suit like that."

"Its okay." He smiled not missing a beat. "It needed a wash anyways."

She put the pen down and shrugged, smiling at him nervously, 'Oh....I uhh....how's the Kimmy case going?"

"It's okay," he said, letting her know that he couldn't elaborate more than that. She nodded and rubbed her hands together, "So what...was it that you wanted to talk to me about?"

Larry tilted his head, confused before his eyes flickered in recognition, "Oh...oh! Yeah...the uhh...man...or his lawyer perhaps...apparently realizes that it's ridiculous to sue over a tiny little cut. So you are in the free and clear."

"Oh," Ally said, ducking her head, "It's sort of too bad…cause I...was looking forward to working with you again."

There. It was her flirtatious notion for the day. He raised an eyebrow at her and simply nodded, "Yeah, me too." She looked up, meeting his eyes, a soft smile forming on her face. This was another thing she had missed. With Larry, there was always some thing exciting, some tension, no matter how comfortable they became with one another.

"What...how...are you going to the bar later?" she said, the question seemingly innocent enough.

"I don't think so." Larry said a little bit to quickly for her liking and smiled reassuringly. "I still have to settle in my apartment a little bit more, rearrange a few things. You know, decorating."

Ally giggled and bought up a hand to her eyes. She peeked between fingers and gave another short laugh. "Sears...your sofa. Remember that?"

"Co-habitate, co-decorate…yeah I remember."

Ally smiled again, which sent his heart soaring. It had been too long since he saw that heartbreaking smile of hers. "I think I'm going to head home too...its been a long day." Ally interrupted his thoughts and closed her case files.

Larry nodded his head and picked up the box again and headed towards the door. "Tell me when your ready to leave, I'll go down the elevator with you, you and I are the only ones left." He grinned and walked out, leaving her door open.

And boy did Ally look. Maybe he did it on purpose, but he knew how much she liked his rear end.

After putting on her coat Ally turned off her lights and walked to what was once John's office, now Larry's. She knocked softly on the open door and watched as Larry rearrange his desk. She cleared her throat when he didn't look up. "I thought you would be ready..."

"I am...I'm just...fixing my pencils," Larry said with a grin, holding up the signal to give him a second. He finished stacking up his desk files and then went over to the coat rack, picking up his coat. He put it on, and walked towards her, shutting off the lights.

"You know..." Ally said, brushing away some of the misplaced strands of her hair, "I never did get to tell you welcome back."

He looked over his shoulder at her as he shut the door and smiled gratefully at her, 'Thanks. It means a lot." She nodded and snuggled into her coat, "It's cold out there."

Larry nodded, pulling out gloves from his coat, "You have some?" When she shook her head, he sighed like a concerned parent, "Here...you can have mine. I drove here."

She took them from him gratefully, but she couldn't help but wonder if he couldn't have offered her a ride home or something.

She pushed the thought aside as they stepped onto the elevator, both staring up as the lights told them the floors they were passing by. Ally hummed to herself, and Larry tapped his foot, mind conscious of how close proximities were not a great idea.

"I still have it," Ally said out of nowhere, causing Larry to turn towards her with a confused look, "Your sofa...it's still in my living room."

Larry chuckled and bowed his head to look at his feet. "Maybe I could come and visit it sometimes, I've missed It." He grinned at her then touched her arm in a natural move.

"Sam says hi."

"He...um...he does?" Ally asked confused, but then a warm smile replaced her frown. "The next time you talk to him, tell him I said hi back."

When the elevator door pinged to signal that they were on the ground floor, Larry quickly grabbed her arm and led her out. She was confused by his gesture, and charmed by it. But then disappointment replaced the warm feeling when she saw the janitor push his cleaning cart into the elevator.

When they walked out onto the chilly fall night, Ally gasped as she saw one true sign of winter--snow. It was coming down slowly, as if it was dancing before them, announcing its arrival. "Oh...I love snow." Ally sigh and lifted her head back, letting her tongue out and waited patiently for that snowflake to fall into her mouth.

Larry stuck his own tongue out, quickly catching a snowflake. He grinned at her like a child, relishing in the fact that he'd won, "Beat ya!"

Ally punched him playfully in the arm. Larry was always into competition. She twirled around, looking up at the falling snow, reminiscing about being younger and how snow was the magic of it all. Her heart almost leapt out of her chest when he grabbed her gloved hand.

"Careful there," he said, saving her from running into his car, "That things new."

She could tell by his smile though that his concern had been more for her safety and she giggled, subsiding as he dropped her hand and pulled the car keys out of his pocket. She tapped her arms against her side, not wanting to say goodbye for the day yet. Maybe Larry sensed that, or maybe he was just being a good Samaritan, but he opened the passenger door of his car, "Hop in."

"No…that's uh...okay." Ally gave in and smiled when he helped her into the 4x4 Lexus. She kept her eyes on him when he walked around onto the other side, and climbed in. He quickly turned on the engine, and fooled around with the heat.

"Nice car." Ally said while relishing in the feeling of sinking in new, soft leather.

"Thanks...its my pride and joy." Larry smiled proudly at her like a new father, at the same time keeping his eyes on the road. When they got in front of her apartment, which took a total of 3 minutes, Ally latched her finger onto the seatbelt, not yet wanting to go.

"Thanks for the ride."

"It was my pleasure."

He gave her his Cheshire smile and stared at her, making her blush under his gaze.

I um...I better get going, and you have that big case with Kimmy tomorrow." Ally opened the door and got out. She stood there and gave him a short wave before she headed up her steps. The circle was getting there she thought.

Did you hear about Kimmy and Larry?" Nelle said to Raymond, who was in his usual "let's hang out at Cage and Fish" mood and was doing just that, in an unusually loud voice as Ally stepped off of the elevator.

"Who the hell is Kimmy?" Raymond muttered under his breath as Nelle kept talking, "Well..last night I was out, walking home from the bar, and I saw them together in a coffee shop."

"And I care about this why?" Raymond added, munching on his hash brown. Nelle rolled her eyes, it was impossible. She missed talking to Ling.

Ally clenched on her cofee cup as she stared at Raymond and Nelle, the latter who turned to look at her innocently, "Oh..Ally...how are you?"

"Like you care," Ally snapped, tossing away her coffee. This was not happeneing. No...damn it all. Ughhh......could her day get worse?

"Ally." Raymond greeted her and stepped in front so as to prevent her from escaping him. "I heard that you dumped Glen like a fly."

"We..we..oooooooohhhhhh." Ally groaned and smacked his shoulders. "Don't you have a job? A office with a corner so that you can cower up in it and take a timeout?!" she stomped away from him and Nelle, grabbed her messages from Elaine angrily and slammed her office door.

As soon as she turned around she screamed when she saw Glen sitting in her chair. "Glen..Glen!" Ally placed a hand over her racing heart and tried to catch her breath. "What :::breath::: are :::breath::: you :::breath::: you doing here?"

"Well you've been busy so much lately that I decided to drop by to talk to you before the staff meeting." He shrug and got up from her seat. His hands were inside his pant pocket, a gesture of defense.

"Oh..you know..busy..that's me," Ally stammered, looking away from Glen, "Soo...what do you want to talk about?" She walked towards her seat in the opposite direction that he was standing, avoiding contact with him.

"I talked..I was talking to Larry today," he said, coughing, "He uhhh...he's one funny man."

Ally's heart skipped a beat as she realized what he had said, "What..you talked to? What...did you say?"

Glen held up a hand, "We didn't fight...or anyway...I found out a couple things Ally...why didn't you tell me that you two were close to getting married? You know maybe..I would have understood somewhat better if you had."

"I really don't know..what..to..WHAT?" Ally stumbled backwards, more out of breath than when she'd run into her office "Huh?"

Glen ran his hands through his hair, "Yeah..something about the two of you getting engaged and then ending up with ice cream in his hair..and then it was over.."

"wha..wha..what?..Ice cream? Oh..oh! yeah!" Surprise had taken over her entire ability to speak, let alone comprehend what he had just said. "You did say engage right?"

Glen looked at her confused and raised his eyebrow. "You don't know anything about it Ally? What happened? Were you in a coma when he asked you?"

Ally stared at him, in a daze and fought the urge to run out the door to bang down Larry's office and demand and explanation. "It's..damn." She lost that control and after muttering an excuse me to him, she bolted out the door.

When she opened his office, he was already busy at work, hunched over a law book. Her sudden extrance caused him to look up. "What's the matter?" He asked concernly when he saw the look of shock on her face. "Did something happened?"

"When did we become ex-engaged Larry?" Ally asked cooly when she found her voice again, and boy did she use it. "Usually its after being engaged. Because that's the order of things. Before you become ex something you become that thing. And so in order for us to become ex-engage we must have been engaged first." She exhaled sharply and with one flick of her wrist slam his office door.

Larry looked at her in shock before realizing how she must have gotten the information, "Oh, you talk to Glen?"

"Yes, I talked to Glen!" Ally shouted, her nostrils flaring. She was pissed. Beyond pissed, "I'd appreciate if you wouldn't go around telling him lies about you and me!"

Larry stood up angrily and marched towards her, "Ally, I never did any such thing! I told him, 'We pretty much were going to get engaged, but that never happened, she ended up dumping ice cream on my head and it was over!'"

"He must have misconstrued what I said," Larry said, his voice becoming softer, "Ally..."

Ally looked up at him, frustrated, "Why did you have to tell him anything in the first place?!"

"Because he asked..." Larry said, grabbing onto her arm. Ally shook her head and chewed on her lip, "What else did he ask?"

"He wanted to know if I loved you."

Ally could barely speak her voice became caught up in her throat, "And what did you say?"

"I said...that..that I've always been in love with you."

Her throat choked up and Ally pulled away from him. She needed to get back to the matter at hand. "We were going to get engage? Why didn't I know of this?"

Larry took off his glasses and threw them on his desk. "Because you dumped me..just like that. And it was no used in telling you after we broke up. It would have just hurt you more."

"I'll decide what I want to hurt me!" Ally nearly screamed and took another step away from him. "YOU had no right to decide for me Larry, you had no right to keep that information. It was a relationship, and whether we were together or not, that relationship was an effort, between two people. And god KNOWS I would have loved to learn about that little engagement part a day after we broke up. Not a year LATER!"

"If I had told you it's not like you would have LISTENED!" Larry growled, the voice he took on when he was angry not disconcerting you, "Would you? No....you'd just be pig-headed!"

"Do you remember? Do you not even remember when I tried to explain things about Helena to you, you wouldn't let me say a word and instead YOU broke up with me? I was talking to her about that...how the night before at the restraunt..the blue berry cobbler...with the ring went to the wrong table! 9 instead of 6...and she was telling me to ask you again because you were perfect for me.....and I was worried that it was a sign...and she told me that I needed to cheer up, and I do that..I put whipped cream on her nose to make her smile because.....once....I fell asleep after a long case and I had a piece of pumpkin pie with that whipped cream on it, and I sort of fell asleep on it...but...it made her laugh. And she didn't laugh much then Ally..but that's not my point. That's what you would have heard a year ago...if you would have listened!"

"Don't put the blame on it on me!" Ally spat out, "You yourself said....it.......damn you Larry!" She turned around, wanting to storm out of the office and never see his face again.

"Oh no you don't!" Larry made a grab for her before she could run out again. "Were going to have this discussion like adults and you're going to hear me out! And I'm going to hear you out! I'm tired of this game were playing. You want to get close, but then you're to afraid to. Grow up ALLY!"

He firmly, but carefully shoved her into the chair and took three long strides to his office door. Without even bothering to open it up, he screamed loudly. "Richard! if you don't tell your employees to find themselves some work to do, I'm going to stop making money for you!" And with that he turned around and fixed his face on Ally's while listening to Richard's voice frantically ordering people to get to work.

When the commotion ended he walked up to Ally and stared down at her. "Let's not scream okay?" Larry asked while rubbing the tiredness out of his eyes. All Ally could do was nod and look away while trying to fight the inner demon in her to shove Larry onto the floor. What she really wanted was a good fight, a wrestle.

"Okay..." Larry said weakly, "You probably want to know what the hell happened after I talked to Helena."

"Sort of knowing how you went from wanting to go "will you marry me" and sending a note would really be intriguing," Ally muttered, following him as he walked over towards the desk. He sat down in one of the chairs across from it and she followed suit, glaring menacingly at him.

"I realized..that if I was so caught up in these signs..if I was so caught up in believing that I had done something wrong to send the ring to the other table..it wasn't a problem with us..it was a problem with me..and you sounded so disappointed with me Ally...your voice was just...it hit me in the gut. I'd hurt you before, and you didn't trust me, and that wasn't your fault..it was mine. And I couldn't handle letting you be so hurt."

"Okay that's it." Ally muttered. She stood up and took off her suit jacket. Larry stared at her befuddled as she rolled up the sleeves of her blouse. "Get up?" he echo her command.

"Yes." Ally groaned, agitated now. "Were going to duke it out, right now right here. I'm tired of you, and all I want to do is hurt you physically. Seeing as how we hurt each other emotionally enough already, its time to handle the other abuse."

"Ally..I...uh..no." He shook his head not sure whether to be amused or scared. He was not about to fight Ally, let alone a woman for that matter.

"Why? You scared of me?" Ally tossed her head back and forth, bouncing on the balls of her feet, remembering her kick boxing lessons, "You think I could beat you up?"

"Ally," Larry groaned, standing up, "Please just...ooof.." He doubled over as Ally's leg shot out, hitting him where it hurt most. He fell towards the floor and Ally's brown eyes shot wide open, not believing what she had just done.

"Oh my god!!' she shouted falling to the floor next to him, "Larry..I..am so..sorry..I didn't...mean to...I just..."

The only meek response he could reply was a shake of his head. Larry was in a positon of a hurt man. His hands were cupped around his nether region, and his body balled up together. Overall it was a pretty amusing sight, but it wasn't the time to laugh---but nobody could have stop Ally from doing so.

It was at first a giggle, then it came out in a loud burst of laughter, she sat on the floor besides him..using his shoulder as a mean of support. Before she knew what was happening, Larry had her on her back on the floor. "God Ally, are you planning to prevent me from having children?"

She couldn't speak but kept on laughing. "You think its funny?" Larry squinted then blew to get some hair out of his eyes.

"Yeah.." she said, as he sat up on his elbows, watching her, "I beat you up!"

He shook his head and couldn't help chuckling himself, "Ally..you hit a man there and any woman can beat him up." Ally just laughed harder, leading him to roll his eyes, "You really think it's that funny? Well..find this funny?"

He reached over and began to tickle her, causing to laugh harder and harder, "St-st-St-oppp!!! Larrryyy! St-ooop it!"

She grabbed his hand, forcing him to stop. She breathed heavily and looked up towards, "Now that wasn't funny."

He laughed, "I thought it was..damn it, you kick hard." She puckered up her face and began to laugh again, using him for support to sit up. She turned her head to look at him and looked into his eyes, mere inches away from hers.

"Were you really going to propose?" Ally asked him softly.

She nodded when she saw Larry nodded and put a hand up to touch his cheeks. "What did the ring look like?"

Larry, caught off guard by the question chuckled. "Women..all they care about is the size of the ring."

Ally shrugged her shoulders and grinned at him. "Size matters Larry, trusts me. She blushed at her statement and didn't protest when he moved her in closer. His big hands wrapped gently around her waist. He leaned his forehead against hers and whispered. "I'm sorry I left you with a note, I didn't know any other way."

"What'd it say?" she said softly, rubbing her nose against his, inhaling his scent. God, it had been too long. How many times had she snuggled up against him, fitting perfectly into his shape?

He pulled his head away from her in surprise, "You never...read it?"

She shook her head as he stood up, rubbing his hands against the front of his pants. He titled his head, taking of his glasses, rubbing them furiously with his tie.

"Larry?" she questioned, standing up slowly, watching him. He always cleaned his glasses when he was nervous or uncomfortable, "What'd it say?"

"I--I love you..goodbye," he said, closing his eyes..remembering writing those words, barely able to look at them.

"Yeah, thats what I thought. That's why I never opened it Larry. At that moment, all I wanted to do was imagine you were still here."

"I..." He looked around and laughed trying to change the subject at hand. "Look at us, its nine in them morning and we were on the floor fooling around. We probably missed the staff meeting."

"I don't care." Ally replied shortly and sat in the chair again, indian style. "Is there something going on with you and Kimmy?" She said bluntly and a little bit to fast for his ears.

"What?" Larry said with confusion. "What did you say?"

"I asked..." Ally said with her jaw tight and teeth clamped together. "Are...you..guys..."

Larry peered at her. Why was she so darn curious about Kimmy of all people? Kimmy was nice and everything...but...she was definitely not Larry's type, "Are we dating?"

Ally blushed and looked down at her hands, as Larry continued talking, "I don't think that's any of your business really.."

The truth was, he was miffed that Ally would assume that he'd cross the professional lines, and somewhat miffed..if not ego boosted..by the fact that she was in here interogating him about his romantic life.

Larry shook his head, 'Ally..you're the boss, it doesn't look good if you are late. Which we are." He grabbed his files and walked towards the door, "well..are you coming or not?"

"Whatever." Ally muttered under her breath and stormed out before him. She didn't make the effort to avoid making contact with her shoulder harshly against his chest, and Larry made the effort not to take notice.

She stomped into the conference room and glared when all eyes came onto her. Ally heard Larry come up behind her and she looked around the table. Coretta was in her seat, well damn..where was she going to sit. Wasn't she partner?! Larry must've noticed her hestitation, so he grabbed her arm and plopped her down in John's seat at the end of the table, right across from a standing Richard.

When he seated himself next to her, but on the other end of the table she glared at him and muttered a thanks. "Move along Richard!" Ally yelped at him and tried to hid her grin when she suddenly remembered that John used to say that in every staff meeting.

"Okay," Richard stammered, "We..uhhh...resolutions to cases. Ally's case is done..got us no money, thank you very much.."

"HA!" Ally scoffed from her end of the table.

"Anyhow, we got that court settlement on the insurance case. Good job Glen..you're worthwhile. Jenny...new case for you. Annullment. I think you can handle that," Richard kept babbling on, causing Nelle to yawn, and Glen to pay more attention to his Big Mac.

"So Larry.." Richard cleared his throat, "Kimmy's going to court. Good job. Money money! Hear you are getting a little extra done on the side..I know it's a little illegal..even for a male..but do you think you could get more money for that?"

"Excuse me?" Larry peered at him over the top of his glasses, "Could you repeat that for me?"

"Well..you know..she's a woman who hasn't had sex ever in 30 years..and then she has sex..and your male..come on!"

"I'm not an idiot!" Larry spat out and sent daggers in Richard's eyes. God, he missed his own practice. He missed being his own boss. But it wasn't the time to dwell on that little matter at the moment because in the corner of his eyes he saw Ally get up and quietly leave the room without a word.

And so did everybody else...

"What? what? what did I say?" Richard exclaimed with confusion and looked around the room. "Bygones?"

"Oh get a life." Nelle spoke up dryly for the first time since she set foot in the conference room.

All eyes continued to look on Larry until he finally gave up and got out of the room. Instead of making the right for Ally's office he turned left and went into the unisex.

But when he opened the swinging door he didn't see her, or anybody. Larry took some careful steps and sigh. "Ally?" He called out. When nobody answered, he bent down and checked all of the stalls to see if anybody was in there...and he hit the jackpot when he saw a pair of fancy high heels in the last stall. He knocked softly on the door and waited for an answer.

"Go away." was the mumbled reply.

"I'm not going to do that," he said with a heavy sigh, pressing his hand against the door of the stall, "Now are you going to let me in, or not?"

"Alllyy.." he warned in his fatherly tone, "I'm going to count to three. And then this door better be open..one...two....."

On three the door slowly opened and Ally stared out at him, scowling, "So.."

"I am not sleeping with Kimmy..and I have no intentions," he said, stepping into the stall, "Do you understand me? Ally...look...I've been in Boston all of a week at most...Right now my intentions are most set on making sure my mail gets forwarded to me..not finding some woman to hook up with."

Ally crossed her arms and sighed, "Did you? In Detroit?"

"What?" Larry exclaimed grabbed Ally's arm. "Ally..I went there to be closer to Sam, I didn't go there to look for another relationship."

"Okay..great. As you said earlier, I have responsibilities as a partner. I better get going." She attempted to shake his grasp loose and move pass him, but the tight space in the stall prevented it.

"Can you move a little bit? No? fine." Her struggle to fight was loosing its energy and she settled herself on the top of the toilet.

They said nothing to one another, silence rang in their ears. Ally chuckled sarcasticly and got up again. "Larry...you're wasting my time. If you have nothing to say, then get out of my way."

"You're a poet and you didn't even know it." Larry grinned, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Actually Ally, I was just waiting to see if you had anything to say. It seems that you've done alot of talking and thinking lately, and I didn't feel the need to interrupt you."

"What are you talking about?" she snapped, rubbing her face with her hands, "Just..let me go!"

"Ally..we were having a conversation before about how we were feeling..what happened between us. But everything came from me. What's going on with you?" he asked, pointing a finger towards her.

"Shouldn't it be painfully obvious?" she rebutted, "Larry..you...you.."

He grabbed her wrists and looked at her, "Tell me.."

"You absoulutely wrecked me.." she let out, "You wrecked me."

Larry pushed her to him and pushed his face into her neck. "I love you Ally..I don't know much more I can express it than in those words."

She clung on tightly to him and let out the breath she had been holding. "I've missed you." Tears suddenly interrupted what she wanted to say and she quicky wiped them with the back of her hands. "And everything has changed so much. Have I told you Renee left? She took another job.."

"In Detroit..." Larry interrupted her. "We met, at this restaurant..and she told me how you were doing. Not to good was her exact words. And she was pretty icy about it also." Larry chuckled and inhaled in her scent.

"I'm sorry," she burst out, wrapping her arms around his neck and digging her head into his shoulder, "I am so sorry.."

"Shhhh...you have nothing to be sorry about," Larry's hands went down to her waist, rubbing it gently, "Nothing..ever."

Ally sniffled and looked at him, her eyes like two brown lakes. She tilted her head up and brought her lips towards his, letting out a small moan. His lips briefly touched hers, and Ally opened her eyes to see Larry smiling at her. She licked her lips slightly, and his finger went under her chin, lifting it up. His lips again touched hers, the kiss soft and passionate. There was over a year of longing put into it, a year of lonliness, and most of all a year of hope.

The way he caressed her bottom lip drove Ally crazy. He was teasing her, see how far she would go. She moaned and moved her face so that her lips captured his. Larry squeezed her hand and linked their fingers together, and moved away from her. "This is going to lead to something dangerous Ally." He warned her.

Ally's eyes gleamed and she nipped his chin. "Hmm..dangerous, now that sounds tempting."

Larry smiled and soflty kissed her lips again, lingering there for a few seconds. To Ally's disappointment he pulled away, and then pulled her up with him. With their fingers still linked, he pulled them out of the stall and wrapped his arms around her waist. Ally smiled as he pulled her in close and lowered his lips to her ears.

"Can I have this dance?"

Ally only nodded, wrapped her arms around his neck, and placed her cheek against his chest.

They began to sway back and forth slowly, their eyes closing as they relaxed into one another. His hands wrapped themselves around her waist, pulling her closer towards him. He placed his lips up close to her ear, his breath tickling her. He began to sing to her gently, "You're just too good to be true..can't take my eyes off of you..."

Ally pulled her face away from him, smiling brightly at him. Her mouth followed his, singing the words that followed, "You'd be like heaven to touch..I wanna hold you so much..." She leaned her head against his shoulder, humming gently. Soon, in their heads they were dancing to a different tune...a song that held so much meaning for them both.

For once in my life, I have someone who needs me.

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Megan and Maria