The Decision

Chapter 1

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After the plane touched down, Lexa quickly retrieved her luggage, picked up her car and drove into the city. It was funny to see these streets again. Memories and ghosts of the past lurked around every corner. Finally reaching her destination, Lexa dropped her car off with the valet and walked towards the front doors of the restaurant.

"Game on," she thought and pushed open the doors.

Charles Pike and Dante Wallace were standing at the bar, each holding a glass of brandy and a cigar. They were two of the most pretentious, condescending bastards that Lexa had ever met and not once, had she ever enjoyed being in their company.

"Alexandria, how good to see you again." Dante said as he stepped forward and extended his hand. Lexa didn't take it.
"Welcome Alexandria, how was Bangkok?" Charles questioned.
"Ms. Woods," Lexa quickly corrected them. "I would hardly say that we are on good enough terms for much more than that, and would you put the cigars out, gentlemen? I find them quite offensive."
Both men looked like they had just been slapped. "Yes, of course, of course," Dante said and quickly put out his cigar.
After a second of hesitation and a hard glare from Lexa, Charles followed in suit. "We have lots to go over..."
"I'm not here to go over anything with you. I'm merely here to pick up the paperwork," Lexa interrupted him. "I will read over it all tonight and contact you in the morning."
"Alexandria, I don't think..." Dante began, but froze when Lexa glared at him. He cleared his throat. "Ms. Woods, I don't think you understand how much there is to go over."
"And I don't think that you understand that I am quite capable of reading it myself," Lexa snapped quickly. "I'm sure that both of you are aware that I too, have a law degree."
Both men looked completely affronted, but after a moment, handed over their files and left the bar without another word.

As soon as they were gone Lexa felt her muscles relax a little, but only a little. Scooping up the paperwork, she made her way back to her car. It was time to finally go home.

"Nice to see you again, Ms. Woods," Gustus greeted her as he stood up behind his desk.
"Gus," Lexa replied politely and extended her hand, "you're still here?"
"Yes ma'am," he replied with a kind smile as he shook her hand. "I'll be here as long as they'll have me. Miss Anya has been by several times. I think that you'll find everything in order."
"Thank you, Gustus." Lexa nodded and made her way to the elevator.

She could have sold the space when she left for Bangkok, after all, it was hers. Her parents had bought it for her when she turned eighteen. But, she couldn't part with it, she didn't want to. To her, it was more than just an apartment, it was her home and maintaining it in her absence had been easy enough. The building supplied its own cleaning services and with no one there on a regular basis, the utilities had barely cost her a thing.

After making her preparations to return to the states, Lexa had contacted Anya, asking her if she could restock some of the basic supplies and also to put away any of her personal photographs. She didn't want to look at them.
Finally reaching the door, Lexa took a deep breath and carefully unlocked it. Stepping inside was like stepping back in time. She set her suitcase and briefcase by the door and dropped her coat over the back of one of the large, white sofas as she began to explore. It was the most surreal experience ever. Nearly everything was exactly the way she had left it – even the book she had been reading was still sitting on the coffee table. She shook her head with a grin as she stared at it. Though it had been a very good read, she had never been able to bring herself to finish it. Maybe someday?

As she moved through the apartment, Lexa cautiously glanced into her old music room, her eyes falling on her piano as she rubbed the scar on her hand. She hadn't played in years and her fingers almost itched to finally do so again. Shaking her head quickly, she moved on to the kitchen where she could hear a light hum coming from the refrigerator and opening it she found that Anya had gone above and beyond just picking up the basics. Grabbing a beer, Lexa closed the door and went to peek inside of the cabinets, finding basically the same thing, they were practically stocked full. Minus the personal touch of life, no one would have ever been able to tell that this apartment had been lying empty for the past six years.