Emma was late. Not terribly late, not yet, but any late was too much for the first day on the job. It wasn't her fault - the train got stuck for almost twenty minutes on the way to Penn Station -, but maybe, just maybe, she shouldn't have stopped for a coffee.

She pulled the café's door and her shoulder ached when it didn't open. She frowned and tried pushing it, but the sticker on the glass instructed her to pull. Great, now she would make a fool of herself trying to get out of a goddamn café.

"It gets stucked sometimes," A waiter told her, passing by. "Just pull it harder."

"Thanks," Emma nodded to him and reached for the door again, this time yanking it open with a lot more vehemence.

Of course, the door wasn't jammed anymore. It slammed open easily and all the force Emma used to pull it made her bounce on her feet. She swang her arm in the air, trying to regain balance and not let the coffee on her other hand drop. Then she felt her hand accidentally hitting someone behind her.

There was a gasp, a splash, a muffled swearing, and then:

"You have got to be kidding me!"

Emma turned around, already saying, "I'm sorry…"

"Look at what you did!"

Actually, Emma was already looking, almost inescapably. And what she saw was a light blue silk shirt - now with a big brown stain over it - and tanned collarbone with drops of coffee that slid down the only way possible, to the valley between the breasts.

"I'm so sorry, the door was jammed and I…"

"And you thought you should yank it open like a savage?!"

Emma's eyes went up to the clouded face. Dark eyes stared back at her, raging.

"I'm really sorry, maybe some cold water…?"

"Yes, sure, let's play the wet shirt contest! You're clearly brilliant."

"Look, I'm trying to apologize. I'm just late for my job, so I was trying to get out. It was an accident. I'm sorry."

"Funny thing, I was on time, and now I'm certainly going to be late."

The woman reached for the door, which had closed again when Emma let it go.

Sure thing, it was jammed. The woman took a deep breath, pushed it a little then pulled again, making it slide open.

"How hard," She hissed to Emma on her way out. Then slammed the door shut behind her.

"Damn, that was intense," The waiter had approached her again, a wet cloth on his hand.

"Tell me about it," Emma sighed. "Here, let me help you with that. I'm really sorry…"

"No, chill out, you go. Aren't you late?"

"Shit," Emma glanced at her clock. "Shit, I'm so late."

The waiter waved her goodbye.

~SQ~

"Good morning, can I help you?" The secretary gave Emma a sweet smile, taking off her glasses.

"Yes. I'm Emma Swan, the new Junior Investigator. I suppose Ms. Lucas is waiting for me?"

"Oh, right! I'll call her."

"Thank you," Emma backed away and sat on one of the comfortable chairs of the reception area. The place was high class, pastel walls and expensive art work on display. Even if Emma didn't know the kind of clientele that law firm attended, she'd have guessed for that waiting room.

The secretary whispered a few words on the phone then hung up.

"She's coming to get you."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Literally," She smiled again and Emma smiled back. "I'm Belle. If you need anything on those first days, don't mind asking."

"I appreciate it."

"Emma," Ruby Lucas showed up by the threshold and Emma got up in a hurry.

"Ms. Lucas," She extended a hand. "I'm so sorry I'm late. The train got stuck..."

"Oh, please, you're only ten minutes late," She waved Emma off. "Hey, Belle," She nodded to the secretary and made a gesture for Emma to follow her.

She also nodded one last time to the sympathetic receptionist before going after Ruby through the hallways.

"It's a big floor, but you'll learn to navigate through the corridors soon enough. In the meantime, don't be ashamed to ask. I'll give you the tour later and introduce you to some people, ok?"

"Sounds good to me."

"I'm sitting around here today, some searching work, so unfortunately you shouldn't expect much action on your first day," She glanced at Emma, a smile on her eyes.

"Oh, damn, I was hoping for an adventure," Emma replied and the woman chuckled.

"Yeah, hold your horses, Bilbo Baggins," She opened a door and got in. "Well, this is our office. That is my desk, this is yours. It should have everything you need. I scribbled your login on that post-it."

"Thanks, " Emma walked around and looked at the table. It was all settled, papers, pens, pencils, post-its, notebooks, clips and all, in perfect order. It wouldn't remain like that much longer.

"No problem," She sat on her own chair and smiled at Emma. "And call me Ruby, for God's sake, because I won't stick to 'Ms. Swan' either."

Emma smiled.

"So, Ruby," She sat down too and appreciated for a moment the comfortable chair, "where should I start?"

~SQ~

"Really, Ruby followed the guy for, what, three weeks? The wife swore he was banging the nanny," Phillip Prince said, sipping his coffee.

"And you never found anything?" Emma asked, arching an eyebrow at Ruby.

"I wouldn't, because he was not banging the nanny."

"She was," Prince emended, chuckling. "So, Ms. Swan, lesson number one: never trust the client."

Emma shrugged.

"It shouldn't be a problem, I never trust anyone."

"What a cynic," He teased her, shaking his head.

"Lucky you," Ruby said. "There's no better quality on an investigator."

"That's true," Phillip smiled at them, that charming smile Emma could swear sent girls sighing for miles. "Well, I gotta go back to work, but it was a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Swan."

"You too, Mr. Prince."

They shook hands and he smiled again.

"Look at us, being formals. It never lasts two minutes around here."

"So I've been told."

"Ruby," Phillip saluted her and winked. "I see you around."

"He looks nice," Emma said when he walked away.

"Oh, he is. Particularly nice with the newly divorced women that come to his office."

"Occupational hazard, I guess?"

Ruby looked at her, narrowing her eyes.

"That's how he calls it."

Emma shrugged again.

"What a cynic?"

Ruby laughed.

"You'll fit right in in here, you know."

"I hope so."

"Come on, I'll introduce you to the rest of the team."

The blonde nodded and followed Ruby again. They were passing by the lobby near to the entrance when the woman appeared. Emma saw her first. The dark eyes, the serious expression, the fitted suit. And then the shirt - the yellow immaculate shirt.

Then the woman saw her too. They both stopped midway, frowning.

"What are you doing here?" The woman asked first, her voice as sharp as it was an hour ago, when they bumped at the café.

Before Emma could open her mouth though, Ruby looked over her shoulder and took a step back.

"Regina," She said, standing by Emma's side. "This is our new Junior Investigator, Emma Swan. Remember she was starting today? Emma, this is Regina Mills, one of our partners."

Emma cursed mentally. Regina Mills? Like in Mills & Blanchard Law Firm? No fucking way.

"You are the new Investigator?" Regina looked at Emma like she was surprised that the blonde managed to get out of that café at all.

"I am," Emma replied, raising her chin just a bit. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Mills."

"And who availed her hiring?" Regina demanded, all but ignoring Emma's line and turning back to Ruby.

"Mary Margareth, as usual," Now Ruby was frowning. "Do you know each other?" She looked from Regina to Emma and back. "Am I missing something here?"

"You're certainly missing your better judgement, Ms. Lucas," Regina vented, lips pursed. "Please, come to my office later."

Then she walked away, leaving only a trace of fancy perfume on her trail.

"What the fuck was that?"

"Remember that coffee incident I told you about?" Emma said, scratching her forehead.

"Oh, no way."

"Yeah."

"Good lucky, my friend," Ruby mumbled, resuming walking.

"Oh, come on, she won't really hold a grudge, right? It was a freaking accident!"

"I'm sure she won't," Ruby replied, looking at Emma over her shoulder. "We're just teasing around when we call her Evil Queen of Castle Hell behind her back."

Emma sighed.

"For fucker's fuck."

Ruby laughed.

"Enjoy your first day, Ms. Swan."

She better. Cause it might as well be the last one.

"So," Ruby started when they got back to their office. "I guess that is pretty much it. The only one who is not here yet is Mary Margaret. She's in court now, but will probably be back after lunch."

"She is nice, too," Emma commented.

"Yeah… one of the name partners should be," Ruby winked at her with mischievous eyes.

The blonde felt her stomach drop. It was so like her to piss off the boss in the first day of work.

"You graduated in Information Technology, right?"

"So I said in my interview," Emma smirked, trying to throw some jokes to forget about the staining-blouses-more-expansive-than-her-paycheck incident. Should she offer to pay for the dry cleaning?

Ruby laughed loudly.

"I am lying-résumés proof."

"Figures, Senior Investigator."

Ruby made a dismissive gesture and started rummaging through the cabinet in the corner.

"Anyway, I was going to say I'm doing this search online, but you probably know it better than me."

Emma shrugged. Finding things online was her expertise. If it was at any dark corner of the web, she would discover it.

Ruby closed the cabinet and dropped some files on Emma's desk.

"So you don't bore yourself to death today, I was instructed to show you our current cases. Then you can get acquainted to our clients and modus operandi. "

"Thanks," Emma said, promptly grabbing the one on top.

"Sure."

The blonde didn't even get to the other file. Something about that first one picked her interest. The last trial day was scheduled to happen in the next day, so it was pretty recent. On the heading, the case was marked as Regina Mills'. It should probably be a clear sign to stay away, but she found herself reading through it carefully.

Mr. Preston was accused of killing in cold blood a woman he allegedly dated six months ago. He had sent several incriminating messages to the victim, but he had an alibi to the time she was killed.

When Emma got to the client's deposition and read where he had gone that night she sensed something was off.

Might as well find out.

"I am starving!" Ruby burst out, stretching out on her chair.

Emma glanced at her watch. Her eyes popped out when she saw it was already one in the afternoon. She was so focused she didn't notice the time passing.

"Wanna grab a bite to eat?"

Emma hesitantly eyed her computer. She was one hour or so to finish her research, but eating alone today probably wasn't the best idea.

"Yeah, let's go," She answered, reaching out for her purse.

"How do you like tacos?"

~SQ~

Emma was just finishing saving all the relevant information she collected when a small brunette with a pixie haircut entered their office.

"Hey, MM!" Ruby greeted from her table, not bothering to stand up.

"Ruby!" The brunette smiled at the woman. "Hey, Emma!"

Emma got up and extended her hand, but Mary Margaret just ignored it and gave her a quick hug, catching her by surprise. In the interview the brunette was all handshakes, but now that Emma was hired the salutation ways had apparently evolved; which didn't change how odd was seeing the successful lawyer being so effusive.

"How is your first day so far?" Mary Margaret asked with a smile.

"Great. Ruby showed me around. Great space."

"I am glad."

The woman peeked at Emma's computer.

"Can I ask you what are you working on?"

"Well, just looking through some files. One, actually; the Preston case."

"Oh! The one accused of first degree murder, right?"

"Yeah…" Emma scratched the back of her head. "That is the one."

"He is Regina's client. Have you met her already?"

"Oh yes, you can bet I have," Emma deadpanned.

Mary Margaret looked at her like she had caught on what Emma meant behind her words, but instead of commenting on it, she just continued talking about the case.

"Regina is pretty confident with this one. He has a lot on his back, but thankfully also has a good alibi, so will probably be cleaned of all charges."

"But you know the guy is guilty, right?" Emma blurted before she could restrain herself.

Mary Margaret stared at her like Emma had just grown a second head.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Yeah… I mean… I just finished checking his story and…"

"Hold that thought!" Mary Margaret raised a finger.

The brunette stepped out of the office, and was clearly leaving when she spotted someone and made a 'come here' gesture.

"Mary Margaret," Emma listened to Regina's voice, but couldn't quite see her yet. There went her stomach doing strange flips again. "What is it? I need to prepare myself for court tomorrow."

"As a matter of fact, Regina, that's precisely why I called you here. Emma seems to have a relevant input to the case."

"Oh, does she?" Regina drawled, walking into the office like she owned the place. Well, the blonde had to remind herself, technically she did.

"Yes, she was telling me that is guilty."

Dark charcoal eyes bored into green ones and Regina scowled.

"That's quite impossible. He has an alibi. If Ms. Swan had bothered to read until the end of the…"

"I read it," Emma interjected. She had a handful of flaws, yes, but being lazy on her job was not one of them. "The alibi is inconsistent."

Regina raised an eyebrow at her. There stood a woman that clearly wasn't used to be interrupted. Emma raised her chin just in case.

"Pray tell, how is that likely?" The woman said every word deliberatively, her stare burning into Emma, challenging her.

Mary Margaret was already sitting on the chair in front of Emma's desk, looking at her expectantly. Regina, on the other hand, seemed rooted to the ground.

The blonde cleared her throat, turning the display of her computer so everybody could see it.

"Both him and his alibi, Ms. Manning, alleged they were at the Pasta Gialo by the time the murder took place. Now, I don't know if you guys have ever been there, but the place is like… crazy crowded."

"Eloquently put, Ms. Swan."

Emma ignored and continued.

"You just can't get inside if you don't make reservation weeks before. And according to the notes, he didn't have one. Now–" She raised her voice just a little when it was obvious Regina was going to interrupt again. "Yes, he could have just given someone money to get in, but that doesn't actually make so much sense, because yes, the guy is loaded, but so is everybody there; he is not famous or anything. And in fact, the restaurant has a policy against bribery. So what is the next assumption? He knows someone on the inside. But according to the internet, and the internet knows everything about social circles, Mr. Preston doesn't know a single employee there."

Emma took a breath and assessed her audience. Mary Margaret seemed a bit interested, but Regina just looked plain skeptical.

"He could have skipped the line," Mary Margaret offered with an apologetic smile and Regina scoffed at Emma.

"Yes, but with the security there? Not probable. Plus, he doesn't have a receipt for the dinner."

"He paid in cash," Regina answered like Emma was stupid.

The blonde had to take another breath to avoid snapping at her boss. That would be the cherry on top of the cake after spilling hot coffee on her.

"It's an expensive place. Who carry that much money on their pocket nowadays?"

"Are you working for the prosecution, Ms. Swan?" Of course Regina wouldn't mind snapping at her.

"I'm working for you, and that's why I am raising those questions." Emma answered calmly, her eyes defiant against dark ones.

"Those questions have been raised already. If you work for us, do try using your time with relevant issues."

Oh boy, now Emma couldn't be more satisfied with the coffee accident.

"Let her speak…" Mary Margaret said gently, but firmly. "It's that all, Emma? It's good info, but as Regina said, it has already been taken into account-"

"It's not all, no. I am just starting," She actually smiled, because if they didn't know, what was to follow would just be the best part. "So a full investigation has been conducted on Mr. Preston, but had the same attention been spared on Ms. Manning? I looked for her online, and it's like she doesn't exist. Not in any social media, not even an email account. What are the odds? Turns out, she does exist. Just not as Barbra Manning."

Emma paused for effect before clicking on a link that opened on a porno website. Mary Margaret could be as red as Ruby's hair locks and Regina was appalled.

"Ms. Swan, that is highly inappropriate-"

Emma coolly scrolled down the page until she found the video she was looking for and clicked on it. She paused in the first three seconds.

"I present you Barbra Manning, or Melody Bomb, as she is known around there."

Emma was quite pleased with herself at the looks on the women face. Even Ruby was now subtly watching.

"She is an American citizen but used to shoot several adult movies in Peru. This was her last one, and has been uploaded just weeks before, but obviously was produced about two months ago, by the time Mr. Preston and her were supposedly already 'dating'," Emma air-quoted. "So I checked with the airlines that have flights from Peru, and what was my surprise," She said sarcastically, "when I figured out that she had just landed in the States last month. Ms. Bomb and Mr. Preston couldn't possibly have met each other in a sunny day at Central Park four months ago, as claimed by them."

Mary Margaret was gaping at her, and Regina was so pale she thought if the woman would take offence if Emma offered her a chocolate.

"Anyway, in this site there is a way you can contact the girls. I… huh… did some digging, and found out that Mr. Preston contacted her three months ago," She finished, letting the conclusion hanging in the air.

"Did you hack their system?" Regina exclaimed, pointing accusingly at the computer.

"That is what you choose to focus on? Your client hired a prostitute to fake his alibi!" Mary Margaret squealed in a high-pitched voice.

"We don't know that yet!"

"We don't- Regina!"

"Mary Margaret, a word." The woman said suddenly through gritted teeth. And then she breezed away, but not before throwing Emma a death glare.

"Good job," Mary Margaret said before quickly following her partner.

Regina stomped her way to her office, trying to calm her nerves as she went.

That woman started the day staining one of her favorite shirts, and now she was pretty much letting her case slide through the sink. And interrupting her! Looking at her like she could ever truly defy her!

She sat on her big president chair and thankfully didn't have to wait long before Mary Margaret walked in, carefully closing the door behind her. She scoffed to herself. Always the princess, Mary Margaret.

"About Ms. Swan… She can't possibly be the profile of employees we want in our firm."

Mary Margaret looked at her disbelievingly.

"Are you serious? Were you not in the same room as I was just a minute ago? She is great. And that is the profile of employees we want."

"Even so, why was I not involved in her hiring?"

"Because you said, and I quote, that you can't lose your precious time with wannabes that tell you sappy stories about how law fulfill their lives, or with pretentious fools that can't take their noses out of their behinds!"

Regina scowled.

"What is wrong? You hate all of the recruiting process. All you ever wanted was to see the curriculum of the chosen one and be done with it. And just so you forgot, you validated Emma's!"

"But her attitude!" Regina insisted.

"It's perfectly fine. You just didn't like she found out new grounds on your case."

"It changes nothing!" She said forcefully, narrowing her eyes.

"It changes everything!" Mary Margaret retorted. "You were preparing his defense assuming he was truly innocent!"

"I am very much aware of how I prepared my defense, thank you."

"So you see the flaws in it, right?"

"There is no flaw," Regina drawled. "The defense is perfect. The jury is in our hands, and the prosecution is running after his own tail."

"Your defense would be flawless if he were innocent," The woman pointed out. "As for the prosecution… I spoke to David yesterday and he seemed somewhat smug about this case. I didn't understand then but I sure understand now."

"David Nolan again," Regina rolled her eyes. "Did I terribly miss the target when I asked if Ms. Swan worked for the prosecution?"

"Don't start on this again…" Mary Margaret started, "Don't try to turn this back on me."

"What do you expect me to say? He is guilty, what then? There is a reason I am the Head of Criminal, Mary Margaret. You must live in a fairytale world where we never stand by guilty clients."

"I am not the fool you paint me for, Regina. Though I always hope for innocent clients, I know very well the kind of people we welcome in our firm. I was just a child, and so were you, when our parents joined to found it. And even a criminal deserves a fair defense."

"As attorneys we must fight for their best interests," Regina said, ignoring the sentimental part of the speech. Really, she could as well be one of those idiots who told sappy stories about how law changed their lives in interviews.

"And the best interest of a man guilty of first degree murder is to accept the settlement the persecution is offering for a sentence of second degree murder. Even less with good behavior."

"The best is to be cleared of the charges."

"You are playing a risking game, Regina. If a Junior Investigator found in three hours the alibi is fake, don't you think it's just as easy for someone else to find it? All they have to do is look at the case through a different angle. And you know as much as I do they are thirsty for Mr. Preston's blood."

"We have just one more day to go. If I am playing a risking game, odds are that I am going to win."

"Well, I obviously cannot say how you should deal with your jeopardized case," Mary Margaret sighed and stood up. "But I am telling you that your client killed an innocent woman who did nothing but breaking up with him, and now her two kids are going to the foster system because she has no family left to mourn her," She completed by the door and then left Regina to her thoughts.

Regina closed her hands in fists and contained herself from grabbing the vase of flowers standing on her desk and smashing it against the nearest wall.

She hated when Mary Margaret managed to push her buttons like that. She hated it. The foster system card? Such a low blow. But again, she shouldn't be surprised. It was Mary Margaret.

After several calming breaths, she called her client and the prosecutor Nolan, and by the end of the afternoon, the settlement was signed.

Later, Nolan called her to tell that, if she had waited one more hour, she would have kissed the settlement goodbye, because they were now prosecuting Ms. Manning for perjury.

Her first thought was she would freeze hell over before she told any of this to Emma Swan.

~SQ~

Hey guys!

First, about this fanfic: I know nearly to nothing about Law and stuff. What I do know come from The Good Wife, so… you may or may not expect to find something in here that you can relate to that at some point. But mainly minor details like when they are working on cases and stuff.

Oh! Also, I am not a native speaker, so if you find any mistake (and you probably will), feel free to talk to me, I appreciate it!

Anyway! I really hope you enjoy it, because I am super excited with this :D

If you could let me know, that would be lovely ;)

I hope to see you soon!