Noah never needed someone by his side through every step. At the time of his school years, he realized really quickly that he preferred to work alone as relying on others never ended well. In the midst of group projects, he never seemed to be able to lead his group to a better grade for no one was willing to listen to him. He never considered himself as a good judge of character since he didn't know how to get them to warm up to him. 

That was until Evelyn showed up. He would have never crossed paths with her if it weren't for both of their parents but he was glad that he did. Both families thought they'd be perfect for each other but Noah didn't want to rush it. He would have been just as happy to have just remained friends.

But that was not the case.

The week was coming to an end and just when Noah thought things were turning up, it changed. Since their dinner, he had only seen a glimpse of her, and even then he couldn't grab a hold of her for a few minutes. So, he waited. Waited for her to walk through the door so he could demand an explanation he probably wouldn't get.

"Evelyn," he said in a whisper as she walked into the room with tired eyes. The look on her face and the weariness in her stature worried him but it was reassuring in a way. It gave him hope that she had been working this long after all.

"I didn't expect you to be up this late," she responded as she rubbed her eyes.

"I need to talk to you," Noah replied in his stoic tone that he reserved only for work.

"Maybe tomorrow. I could really use a good night's sleep right now," she said. Noah wanted to give in. He didn't want to be the reason for her tiredness but it couldn't wait. There was enough doubt on his mind already.

"It's important, Evelyn," he said.

"Okay but try to hurry up," she said.

"Where have you been?" he asked, cutting the tension that surrounded him.

"I've been working," Evelyn said, without any hesitation.

"You've been so closed off and haven't said a word to me after our date which you abandoned in the middle in the name of work," Noah said even though all he wanted was to trust Evelyn.

"Noah. What are you implying?" she asked, her tone unreadable. 

"Evelyn I just want the truth. I want to believe you but- I can't!" he exclaimed.

"Just because I have been coming home late?" Evelyn asked in disbelief. She wasn't going to lie and say they were the perfect couple but she'd always assumed they trusted each other.

"It's not just that. I called your office a couple of times since I couldn't reach you. I was hoping I could pick you up after work since I was free but you were never there. Your intern- Addy, told me that you had left hours ago. What do you expect me to think?" he asked.

"I had been working on a case with my client. I didn't want to tell you because it was too early and there was no legal case at the time. I just found out today." Noah heaved a sigh of relief. He respected Evelyn and had a little faith that she wouldn't betray him but he needed to know for sure.

After all, he never trusted himself to read a person.

"I know I have been distant but you of all people should know how hard it gets sometimes," Evelyn said, her voice shaking as the words left her mouth.

"You can't be serious. Can you even look me in the eye and tell me that you have ever been interested in this relationship? Or that you have ever put effort into it?" Noah asked, unable to hold it back any longer.

Evelyn stayed silent. She wanted to argue but there was nothing she could say. She had hurt Noah too many times even prior to her new case. She couldn't stand the feeling of guilt that had now engulfed her and she let her shell break.

Tears rolled down her cheek when she came to face Noah. She couldn't help but think that she had played with his feelings for two whole years. Noah shot up from the sofa and pulled her into his arms as he patted her back calmly.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," Noah said silently.

"I didn't either. I'm really sorry Noah," she said and buried her face in his chest. 

Noah hated confrontations but for once, it unfolded for the better. He got to say how he felt and he felt lighter than he had for the whole month. He pulled Evelyn closer and kissed her forehead to which she looked up at him and smiled. He wiped the tears off her face as he returned the smile, finally letting go of her.

"Let's change the topic," Noah said, his cheerful self back again, "I wanted to tell you that I might as well be the prosecutor for a new case."

"Really? That's amazing, which one?" Evelyn asked.

"It's not certain yet but it could be. You know the fire we discussed the other day?" Noah began but he didn't have to finish his statement.

"You're against Levi Coleman?" Evelyn asked in disbelief.

⋆ ★ ⋆

There is always a good and bad to a situation. It is often harder to find the good in a bad situation than the latter but it is there somewhere.

In Levi's case, he needed to meet Andrea but he wasn't allowed to leave the house. It took a while but his father had gone into a deep sleep, or so Levi would hope. He couldn't leave his house but Andrea could leave hers.

So here he was, waiting at the backdoor of his house as Andrea tiptoed her way in.

"Way to complicate the situation," Andrea huffed and took a seat on the kitchen's white countertop. He could only see the silhouette of her body but her boisterous voice was very distinguishable. 

"That's all your doing! Why were you here earlier?" he asked, trying to keep his calm but the arch in his eyebrows showed his silent rage.

"You bunked school and didn't keep me posted. I was afraid you would let it all out," Andrea said as she picked up a kitchen knife from its stand, "and I was right to do so."

"Put that back Andrea," Levi said, slightly raising his voice, "you've thrown me into such a mess!"

"It's nothing you and your genius lawyer can't handle," Andrea said, chuckling.

"You can't just walk away from this! Evelyn is starting to ask questions about you and I don't know how long I can keep my lies up," Levi said.

"You know damn well how easily I can walk away. Nothing ties me to the events except for your word to Evelyn and it doesn't seem like she trusts you," Andrea taunted.

"Not anymore. I gave her your e-mail ID so be ready for a conversation with her," Levi said. His lips curved into a smile as for once in the past week, he felt like he still had some control.

"Don't be too proud of yourself. She doesn't trust you so no matter what I say, she'll probably believe it," Andrea said. She looked and sounded confident but she knew better. Everything had escalated much beyond what she had expected.

Levi's smile dropped as he considered what she had just said. It was true that he gave no reason for Evelyn to believe him, she even said so earlier.

"Relax, I can't say anything yet anyway. Although, I would like to remind you that we are a team in this and you can't just try to outsmart me," Andrea said as she touched his shoulder from behind.

"This can't continue," Levi stated simply.

"I'm well aware. You need to sell a story that both Evelyn and the court would consider buying," Andrea said, "and for that, you're probably going to have to continue being the scared little boy."

"I was genuinely afraid," Levi replied as he remembered the moments in the police station with Evelyn.  Neither of them had said much but her presence brought him confidence which he wished he had right now.

"Not the point, Levi," Andrea said sternly.

"Evelyn will figure it out sooner or later," Levi said.

"You give her too much credit. She will only figure it out if you tell her and you wouldn't throw me under the bus like that, would you?" she said, cocking her eyebrows.

"I don't have a choice, do I?" he asked. He knew it would be a lot simpler to let his emotions take over again but he had already lost four days due to it. And if there was one thing he realized, it was that time was not on his side.

"If she asks to talk to you, will you go?" Levi asked. 

"How could I refuse to talk to the prodigy herself?" Andrea asked sarcastically, "Don't worry about me, I know how to save myself."

"I hope you're wrong," Levi said bitterly. 

Andrea looked at her watch, then back at Levi and flashed a smile at him.

"This has been incredibly useful but I'm going to have to leave," she said.

Andrea jumped down from the countertop as Levi held the door slightly open for her. The second her foot was out of his kitchen, he felt his body getting less tense. He mouthed a quick good night but she didn't move.

"What is it?" he asked, getting restless.

"I just wanted to apologize about the lighter," she said, "good night to you too."