Laws of Attraction

Summary: Following Grant's death, Ariel struggles with her loss as she recalls some poignant memories of their relationship. SPOILER: The final episode of The Lyon's Den and other episodes that weren't aired in the United States.

Disclaimer: The Lyon's Den characters belong to their creators. No copyright infringement intended. No profit is being made.

Rated: PG-13

Author: Tracy Diane Miller

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Laws of Attraction

Chapter One

It was a familiar scene that had been performed within the hallowed halls of the firm before, like some encore demanded by a perverted audience. Then, Daniel Barrington had died. Today, the structure rocked by the tremor from the scores of uniformed police officers and the bevy of salivating reporters who had descended upon the firm like a swarm of unrepentant vultures savoring the meal of its newest prey. The standard-issue, yellow police tape stood in stark contrast to the imposing chandeliers that adorned the Crystal Palace. The Oriental rug that blanketed the floor of the managing partner's office was stained with the blood of his colleague. The victim, Grant Rashton, was the young junior partner with so much promise whose life had ended so abruptly.

Ariel watched in reverent and eerie silence as a staff member from the coroner's office removed Grant's lifeless body. She had been drinking heavily only an hour earlier, but fate had cursed her now, for the affects of the alcohol had worn off leaving her alert and very much sober. A drunken stupor would have been preferable to the aching pain that she now felt in her heart as full awareness of her loss griped her. Drunkenness was a mirage and an illusion that had provided her much comfort in the past. Soberness was so much crueler: it whispered no message of hope. Soberness only left the residue of realization and regret.

She loved him, and now she knew, in his final words to her and his desire to protect her, that he had loved her, too.

The fragile house of cards had fallen and there had been more than a few bodies left in its wake.

Grant had suffered a fatal stab wound administered by, what police believed, to be an unknown assailant. The murder weapon hadn't been recovered from the scene.

But Ariel knew the truth of how Grant died. It was she who had found his body and had witnessed the dying declaration that had poured weakly from his lips.

Now, she wrestled with telling the police all that she knew. She wrestled with the image of Grant's final moments burned into her brain.