Chapter 1: What can I say? This is the life!

Hello, Simpson maniacs! Well, this is my first Simpsons fanfic (Please don't be hateful…)

Just so You know, I was inspired to write this after watching the episode "Lisa's Wedding".

I hope you like it.

Bart Simpson: Attorney at Law

Chapter one: A Different Bart, and ghosts of the past.

In East Side of Springfield, in the law office of Kelly, Barnaby, and Greg, sitting at his desk looking out the big window that adjoined his room was a spiky haired man. Donning a five o'clock shadow, being fit, and wearing an expensive Armani suit; this man, who seventeen years ago was regarded as the most unlikely person to achieve as much as he had now.

Bart Simpson smiled at that thought. He remembered fondly of the time when he was in the fourth grade. A place that held tightly to his heart.

How did all this happen? He thought to himself. But he knew. It was a huge turn point in his life. Although, it was almost unclear why he had decided to go in the first place. It was probably his sister's fault. Seventeen years ago, Springfield Elementary was having another career day and Bart was being dragged to the office by Principal Skinner for writing above the banner and making it say "alternative career day for ugly teachers". Not one of his finer quotes, but he did it in order to get Milhouse out from under Nelson's fist. Anyway, upon being dragged, a strange guy at the convention whispered into Skinner's ear and Skinner let go of Bart and went another way.

"What the hell happened?" Bart asked the guy, "What did you tell him?"

The strange guy, who was dressed rather better than the others (all of whom were dressed as if they were on vacation) said, "Oh, I just told your principal that I might be able to give you some ideas on how to be rich."

Bart remembered his eyes being wide, "Really, how?"

The guy smiled, "Well, it's easy. That is if you get good at it. But there's a catch also. It means hard work, studying, and an eagerness to help others."

Bart rolled his eyes, "Studying? Working Hard? And helping others? Why don't you waste my sister's time with this, I have better things to do." Just then, his sister in question, ran up to the two of them.

"You're Frank Gelwood, aren't you! You're one of the most prestigious lawyers in Springfield!"

Frank smiled, "Who are you, little lady?"

Lisa beamed, "I'm Lisa Simpson, I've read all about you! Bart? Where are you going?" Lisa ran after him and grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Lis', let go of me!"

"But, Bart, this man could change your future!"

Bart removed his sister's grasp and stared at her defiantly. "What makes you think he could?"

Bart covered his ears as his sister ran off on how many ways.

"Lisa, shut up!"

Lisa smiled at her angry brother, "Bart, I'll make you a deal, you spend the rest of school talking with this guy and I wont tell Homer that you were the one who taped over his beloved "I Love Lucy" videos."

Bart mumbled in defeated anguish.

That was the turn point. Lisa's deal with Bart made him go back to Frank and hear what he had to say about being a lawyer, and Bart was hooked. He did better in his classes but still kept his reputation by asking Skinner and Miss Krabapple to keep his good grades in secret. The only person who knew was Lisa. At nineteen, Bart graduated from High School, much to the surprise to a lot of the faculty (even though he was doing good, didn't mean he was going to refrain from getting detention). He entered Law School and passed the bar at twenty-five. A year later Kelly, Barnaby, and Greg made him a colleague. Bart still looked at the mirror and shook his head, in amazement, at what he had become.

His cell phone interrupted his thoughts.

"Bart Simpson." He answered, professionally (another different thing of his).

"No, I'm sorry I can't." He said to the other person, "I'm having dinner with my family tonight, maybe some other time? Ok, great. Thank you, bye."

Bart shut his phone down and still gazed at his reflection and simply smiled again.

Leaving his office around seven, Bart got a cab and went back home. 742 Evergreen Terrace. Getting out of the cab, paying the driver, and looking up at his home he felt good.

"Bart! You're home! Welcome!" Marge, who had seen him arrive through the living room window, ran up and hugged her eldest son.

"Hi, mom." Bart said.

Marge stood back and gazed fondly at her son. "My goodness have you grown! How have you been, my special little guy?"

Bart smiled, "Mom, you say that every time I see you." Marge wiped a tear away from her eye, "I'm just so happy to see you, Bart."

Bart couldn't blame her for feeling this way. From being the kid she had to see on video shoplifting to being a well-successful lawyer in Springfield, she definitely had the right to be happy.

"Is everyone here?" Bart asked.

Marge composed herself back to her ways, "Lisa's flight is coming late, your father went to the airport to pick her up, Maggie's here. She's out on the back porch, uh, doing her thing…"

Bart grinned. His youngest sister who almost had the same reputation he did dropped out of high school and enrolled in a dance academy. Upon doing so, Marge kicked her out of the house and she went to live with her aunt Selma, upon which she became a heavy chain smoker. While Marge never commented on her sisters smoking, she was very uneasy about her daughter adopting the habit.

"I'll go and see what she's up to." Bart said. Leaving his mother, Bart went through the house and to the back porch and saw his younger sibling.

Maggie had grown up rather well. Her hair had grown long, her figure was very voluptuous and athletic, and (probably because of Bart's influence, he didn't know) had two very stylish tattoos on her shoulders. Her beloved pacifier, to whom she refused to throw away, held to her neck on a silver necklace.

Bart announced himself by clearing his throat.

Maggie turned and smiled, broadly. She then, in one quick motion, tossed her cigarette away, ran up and threw her arms around her brother's neck.

"I've missed you, dumb brother." She said, grinning.

"Jeez, don't have a cow, Mags'. I'm still living in Springfield, I'm not like Lisa, living in Washington." Bart returned with another grin.

"I know, but you've been at work so much, it seems like it's been forever." Maggie, kissed her brother on the cheek, and then slugged him on the shoulder.

"So, how did Gina's parole hearing go, is she staying out this time?" Maggie asked.

Bart sighed gloomily, shaking his head. "No, I'm afraid not. Her past continues to follow her, I'm afraid. Wrecking her boss's car after he fired her, seems to have finally nailed the coffin shut."

Gina, who Bart met in Juvie when he was ten, had been in contact with him ever since she got out and was adopted by a family. She and Bart had been dating all through High School but went separate ways afterwards. About a month ago she stepped into Bart's office and they tried the relationship again. Her latest problem was her temper to which she said she was getting counseling for. She wasn't very good at holding it in after Bart had called her to cancel a dinner due to a heavy workload. She then set fire to Bart's car and the police arrested her. Bart negotiated that she be on parole with counseling tied with it. She did fine for a few weeks but when her boss fired her for coming to work late twice, she threw a cylinder block through his windshield. The parole hearing didn't think she was taking her counseling seriously and Bart lost the case.

Maggie shook her head, "That's too bad. I have always liked her."

Bart merely shrugged, "It happens. So, anything big with you? How are you and Gerald doing?"

Gerald Thompson and Maggie had known each other since they were infants, but had never really got along. Not until junior high, where they found something attractive from one another, and had started dating.

"Not so good. After three years of him cheating on me, behind my back, I dropped him like third period Spanish."

Bart slugged her on the shoulder, "Good for you."

"Bart! Maggie! Homer just pulled in!" Called Marge from inside.

The two of them went back inside and as they did so did enter Homer and Lisa. Homer hasn't acquired his father's sagging facial features, but was well on his way. Bart smiled as his sister entered. Remembering when Lisa had entered a beauty pageant and Bart assured her that she was in fact beautiful, her adult appearance did not neglect that. Having grown short hair curled at the back, an athletic figure much like her sister's, and a small butterfly tattoo displayed tastefully on her naked left ankle.

Bart hugged her warmly, while just shaking Homer's hand.

"How are ya, boy?" Homer asked.

"I'm good, Homer." Bart replied.

Marge looked as though she were a kid at Christmas. "Well, dinner's ready, you four, let's eat."

Later, after dinner the Simpson family sat and talked in the living room.

"So, Lis', how's life in Washington?" Bart asked.

Lisa sighed, "Well, not exactly what I hoped, Karen seems to have her hands full with trying to get that increased budget for the "kids from other countries" plan." Lisa worked for the Secretary of Education and was helping with a funding for kids whose parents have come to the states on temporary visas, which was difficult due to a recent negative view on migration policies, which the current President is dealing with. Not to mention the negativity that some Senators were giving to Karen Howland's views on education.

"Basically, I'm exhausted, after working seventy to eighty hours a week, I've decided to take a few weeks off." Lisa continued. Lisa put down her wineglass and took Bart's hand. "But enough about me, how are you and Gina?"

Bart sighed, "Well, it could be better if it weren't for the fact that her temper gets the better of her. She violated her parole and she's back in prison."

Lisa shook her head, "Oh, Bart. I'm sorry."

Bart waived a dismissive hand, "Don't worry about it."

The truth was that Bart had given up on Gina, their relationship that is, when she torched his car. That's when they had finally broken up. Helping her with the parole was just to help her out when she needed it.

Lisa still looked saddened by the news. Bart patted her hand. "Believe me, sis, it's all for the better. She needs help and, unfortunately, I'm not the one who can give it to her. She'll be better down the long run."

Lisa looked up at him. "It's not so much her I'm worried about."

Bart looked at her curiously, "What do you mean?"

"Are you going to be okay? When you two left each other for different schools it tore you apart. You told me yourself, you felt that she was the biggest difference in your life. Not to mention what happened afterwards." Lisa said.

"Well, sure, but I was nineteen, Lisa. She was my first real relationship. There will be others. I'm not doomed. Believe me things are not going to repeat the way they did before. I'm not in that area, again."

Lisa sighed, "I'm just worried about you, you big idiot."

Bart grinned, "Glad to know I have my little sister to look out for me."

Lisa smiled. Maggie quickly sat down with them after getting bored of Homer going on about how he really thinks that Lenny and Carl are secret gay lovers.

"So, what do you have planned for tomorrow? Lisa and I were thinking that you and Milhouse could come join us for a trip to the movies." Maggie asked Bart.

Bart shook his head, "Sorry, can't do. I'm interviewing for my secretary tomorrow."

"What happened with Fran?" Asked Marge, leaving Homer's rambling on how he invented rhinestone guns.

"She had to go back to college, so I'm without a secretary."

"Wait a minute, why didn't you ask me?" Asked Maggie.

Bart rolled his eyes, "C'mon Mags', could you really see yourself getting your big brother coffee or photo copying documents?"

Maggie looked to the side, "I guess not."

"How many of these interns do you have lined up, boy?" Asked Homer, who realized no on was listening to him and decided to join the party.

"Not interns, Dad, secretaries." Corrected Lisa.

"Twelve. All of who have experience except for one. This one forgot to put her name and listed as one of her references a top modeling company in New York. She's my first appointment tomorrow." Bart answered.

Lisa looked at her brother, "Please don't tell me you're already considering hiring her based on that!"

Bart cocked his head to one side and grinned, "Well, the thought has crossed my mind…"

"That's my boy!" Said Homer.

"Homer, please." Said Marge.

"Bart, really…" Lisa groaned.

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding. No, I really need to see if they're capable of doing the job right. That time Fran had gotten sick and I Okayed it for her sister Nicole to sub for her was a disaster. Her space was a mess, she messed up the coffee orders four times, and she was using the phone for way too many times. No, I'm not going to have to be serious about this one. Sorry, Homer." Bart said to his father.

Maggie sighed, "Oh well, maybe the four of us can do something later on."

Bart nodded. "Milhouse should be done at the Power Plant at that time."

The rest of the hour was talked by Homer on how he was so glad to be promoted to the position that Mr. Smithers once held and that his boss, Mr. Clemens, was treating Homer like he was the best employee. Mr. Burns had retired after getting seven kinds of radiation poisoning and went back to living at his estate with Smithers staying there as his helper. Milhouse got hired at the plant and was employed under Homer. Homer liked to refer to him as 'wiener-boy'.

The night ended quick and Bart got back into a cab and headed back to his apartment in East Springfield. His mind right now was entirely devoted to Lisa's question: would he really be okay, now with Gina out of the picture?

The next day, Bart got up and went to his office. Carrying his briefcase and a cup of coffee, he said "hi" to his associates as he passed their rooms and just as he was getting to his door at the end of the hallway, he stopped. Sitting in a chair, next to his door, reading Cosmo, was a person he never dreamed of meeting again.

A woman of impeccable beauty, with long raven hair, tanned skin and cat-like eyes. She looked up from her magazine and smiled.

"Hi, Bart." She breathed.

Jessica Lovejoy, the Reverend's daughter.

Jessica, after admitting to stealing the church's collection out of a cry for attention from her father, seventeen years ago, was sent back to boarding school but had tried to contact Bart several times. Bart refused them. Half on pure angst the other on the fact he was with Gina and he knew that Jessica loved to screw with guy's emotions.

Bart hadn't noticed he's been standing there, still, for over a minute without responding.

"Hi, Jessica." He said. Bart then went to his door and unlocked it. He held the door open. "Won't you come in?"

Jessica nodded. When she got up, Bart was suddenly awe struck on how much more Jessica had become in adult figure. She was as almost tall as he was and had a body to die for. Wearing a short skirt and a small top, which lead hardly anything to the imagination, and the air about her smelling sweetly of lilac. Bart led her inside through a second door to his office and motioned to a seat in front of his desk. As Bart sat down in his chair, he couldn't help but to think that Jessica was watching his every movement.

"So, Jessica, what brings you here?" He asked.

Jessica smiled, "Well, I heard that Bart Simpson became a lawyer and I had to see it for myself. I heard you really made a name for yourself when you defended Lionel Hutz at that disbarment hearing back in January."

Lionel Hutz, a lawyer who once defended Bart when he was accused of killing Principal Skinner, had gotten in trouble when, over five martinis, announced at the bar that his client that he was defending was actually guilty. Since Lionel helped him before, even though he didn't do a very good job at it, Bart felt inclined to help the poor shmoe.

"Yeah. It was tough. I had two things up my sleeve: One, the judge was a good friend of mine and that he knew that Hutz was an idiot when he drinks. Two, the guy Hutz was defending, got shot during the verdict, so the outcome would have played out the same way."

Jessica nodded. Not saying anything else.

Bart watched her closely. Here, sitting in front of him was a woman, who at a younger age made him do whatever she wanted.

"Why are you here, Jessica?" He asked again.

Jessica batted those devilish eyelashes of hers, "Why, Bart Simpson. Didn't you get my application?"

Bart's mind raced to the application with no name.

"Were you the one who didn't put down their name?"

Jessica nodded.

"Why didn't you leave your name?" Bart asked.

Jessica smiled a seductively toothy grin, "To be honest, I wasn't sure whether or not you would like to see me."

Bart sat back in his chair and slowly rocked. "You could have called me."

Jessica got up and sat on his desk, brushing her hair away as she did. "Then I would have missed a chance to see what Bart Simpson has become. I wasn't really sure you wanted to see me. You'd been avoiding my calls several years ago and the thing that happened when we first met…I really wasn't sure."

Bart could not take his eyes of this woman. Lord help him, it was hard. But, he was older now and the past really was not withstanding. He could simply call security and have her removed from his office, since it was obvious that she wasn't here for a job.

"So, what now? Do you, maybe, want to get drinks later and catch up or what?"

Jessica gave him a shocked expression; "I'm here for a job interview. Whether we have drinks afterwards, I think, depends how the interview goes; don't you think?"

You've got to be kidding. Thought Bart.

"It says on your application, as a reference, that you were part of a top modeling agency. Why go from there to being a secretary?"

Jessica threw her head back, dramatically, and sighed, "I got tired of it. As you know of me, I'm a person who likes to be in control of things. Modeling really doesn't allow that. So, when I moved back to Springfield and had the most uncomfortable conversation with my dad, I decided to look for work in the Springfield Gazette and found your job listing."

This is too good to be true; she's full of it. Bart thought to himself.

"But, Jessica, why a secretary? I'm sure there are way better jobs for you out there that you would love better than this stupid job."

Jessica laughed, "That's what the Rev. said. He told me that being 'Bart Simpson's secretary' would 'condemn me straight to hell'. No, The reason is…" She then grabbed Bart's tie and pulled his face to her's, inch by inch, until their noses were almost touching. "I want a job and I think being Bart Simpson's secretary would be perfect."

The way she said the last sentence, to Bart, could have put him into a trance. It was totally hypnotizing.

Bart gulped. Her perfume was breathing its way down his spine and back up to his brain to where it was swirling, causing all kinds of euphoric colors and images.

"Well?" She asked.

Why am I letting her do this? …Because it is sooo damn good.

Bart found his conscience eating itself alive from both the intoxication, it was receiving from her perfume, and the hypnotic gaze she was giving him now.

"Well…" Bart stumbled.

Alex Whitney stepped off of the Springfield Express Bus and into the warm spring air, sighing deeply out of satisfaction from a four-hour trip. Her brown hair accompanied with blonde highlights swayed in the soft wind that accompanied the warm afternoon. Wearing everything from Prada to Gucci, she wasn't really looking like a normal local. That was far from the truth, though. She smiled to herself.

It's been a long time, hasn't it, Springfield.

She looked around at her scenery, Moe's Tavern being directly in front of her; she smiled. Waiting on a bench, reading a newspaper was her good friend, Lisa Simpson.

"Hey, girl!" She called out.

Lisa looked up from her paper, threw it down and ran up to Alex and embraced her warmly.

"Alex! It was so both weird and wonderful to get your call last night!" Lisa exclaimed, happily.

"Jeez, Lisa, get yourself together, won't you? How've you been?" Alex asked, smiling.

Lisa told her everything that has happened to her then inquired about Alex.

"Well, after Jeremy dropped me for a size one and a half slut, I got out of fashion designing and instead went into fashion critiquing for the Shelbyville Times. Two years of that and I really got bored and decided to leave; that and they were going to fire me for calling on them for their awful discrimination on minorities."

Lisa nodded. As long as she knew Alex, which was since she was eight years old. Alex had always been trying to be the next Edith Head. In Middle School, for the Christmas Concert, she insisted on selecting the fabrics needed for the production. Then in High School, she nearly had a fight with the cheerleading coach for how her cheerleading uniform looked since Alex decided to make it look better. When they both went off for different colleges they had lost track of each other through missed emails and phone calls. Now, here she was again.

"So, what do you plan to do now that you're back in Springfield?" Lisa asked.

Alex took off her sun glasses, "Well, I want to open a fashion store in Springfield. The money I saved from those two jobs is enough to secure it. All I need to do is find a building in a good district and then arrange the purchase from it."

Lisa smiled, "Sounds good. Say, would you care to come to our place for dinner tonight? I'm sure my parents can have you stay with us until you're able to find a place."

Alex smiled, "That'd be great."

Alex had been to the Simpson's house before, on the account of making friends with Lisa when they were in the second grade together. She never felt uneasy; this had always felt like a second home to her. In a way it was a better of two homes. Her mother had developed a dependency towards alcohol when she was twelve and she never really got to know her father, due to an ugly divorce between them. Marge always had cookies whenever she and Lisa would come over to play and Homer would make her laugh through his many antics. Her fondest memory was when he tried to make a prom dress for Lisa out of a shower curtain and a burlap sack. Coming back to the household was refreshing. Marge greeted her as soon as they reached the driveway.

"Alex! Hi! Won't you come in! I've managed to make two batches of cookies this time so you girls won't fight with Homer over them."

Alex grinned, another fond memory of hers.

After polishing off the cookies and laughing at Homer fighting over one with their new dog, Santa's Little helper 2, Alex sat with the rest of the family in the living room.

"So, Alex, how long are you going to be in Springfield for?" Asked Marge.

"Well, I'm planning on opening a dress shop, so probably for a long time."

Marge looked at the clock, "Hey you three, it's getting late. Alex, I'm sorry to say that you'll be sleeping in Bart's old room, because Homer's using Maggie's old room for his collective beer mugs he got at Duff Gardens." Marge then sighed, "I really wished Homer just paid the fifty cents for one instead of stealing a truck load of them and having us banned from Duff Gardens for life." Marge then yawned and went upstairs. Homer was snoring peacefully on the couch.

Five minutes later Lisa and Alex did likewise and headed upstairs. Opening up Bart's door, Alex turned to Lisa.

"So, what happened with your brother? Are he and Gina in prison? It really wouldn't surprise me."

Lisa thought about how to answer this, but shrugged and smiled. "I want it to be a surprise, I'll let you know tomorrow. Good night."

Lisa left to her room and Alex proceeded on into Bart's. Stepping into the room she was welcomed by the deep cleaning smell that came, probably, from Marge's hard work on desmelling the room. Inside the room were various mementos from Bart's childhood. Various Krusty the Clown paraphernalia lay everywhere from on the bed to the bedside table. Other things were there too, as signs of him growing up: band posters, swimsuit pin-ups, and a picture of his girlfriend Gina. Alex found herself staring at that picture. Her mind went back to High School where she was sitting in the cafeteria with Lisa and Janey. They were planning the HomeComing Dance when an apple came and pelted Alex in the back of the head. Alex remembered turning around and looking to the table four rows behind them and seeing Bart, Gina, Nelson, Milhouse, and the twins, Sherri and Terri, laughing their heads off.

"Sorry, Alex, I was aiming for my sister's face." Said Bart.

"You shouldn't feel sorry, Bart. It probably did Fashion Queen some good." Said Gina. Alex hated Gina with a passion. That girl made her life miserable in High School. The nickname Fashion Queen never lay off. What's worse was the others at the table were just as worse. Nelson was always sneaking up behind her and snapping her bra and the twins were always trying to sabotage her make-up when she was in the bathroom by stealing her purse. Milhouse was just bad for who he was. Always trying to gang up and try to ask out either Lisa or Alex and when either of them said no would start making rumors about them all over the school. What the weirdest thing was, was that Bart was always the one apologizing for his friends' behaviors. He never did anything against Alex out of mischief. But, why? Bart always did what his friends did, or some times more. Yet, he never did anything to her on purpose, which was weird because he always loved showing off for Gina. Gina loved it when Alex was humiliated or being picked on. Bart never did anything to her.

Well…except….

Sleep started intruding on Alex's thoughts and she collapsed on the bed.

The next morning Bart was sitting on his bed with his hands on the back of his neck staring at the wooden floor of his apartment.

Why did you do it? You told yourself you weren't going to be suckered in by her again and it happened. Again. Why?

Bart kept asking himself those questions as he went his way to work. Seeing the vacant seat she was sitting in previously, outside his door, Bart thought to himself.

She's probably not even going to show. Then she'll come in late and use her powers to bring me to letting her off the hook.

Bart walked through his door and proceeded to go unlock his office.

"Good morning, Mr. Simpson."

Bart spun around and saw Jessica right behind him, holding a steaming cup of coffee and a newspaper under her arm. Her face had such a grin that it should've been put on Mount Rushmore.

"Good morning, Jessica." Said Bart and took the coffee and the Newspaper she was holding and went inside his office.

As soon as Bart sat down, Jessica was standing in front of his desk with a little flipbook and a pink pen.

Bart started up his computer then turned to look at her.

"You have three messages: one from Nelson Muntz who was wondering if you'd be kind enough to be there at his hearing. The second from Milhouse, wondering if you'd like to go bowling later today; and the third from your sister Lisa, who was just saying that she was going to pop by for a visit." Jessica said it all in a singsong sort of manner.

Bart stared at her.

"Say, isn't Nelson that kid who bullied people back when we were kids?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah. Now he's a bouncer at Moe's and he's on trial for hitting a guy with a beer bottle." Bart replied, still staring at Jessica.

"Is he innocent?" Asked Jessica.

"There's a lot of evidence to prove it, yes." Bart said, still struggling with his mind on what he was hearing and seeing.

Was this really the same person?

"Cool. Well, I'll get the file, cause I think you'll need it." Jessica turned and walked away but stopped and looked over her shoulder, "Oh, and by the way, I'd love to have a drink with you some time soon, shall we say nine o'clock? That way you can still go bowling with Milhouse." She then winked and closed the door behind her.

Bart looked at the door for several minutes until his phone rang.

Bart answered it, "Yes?"

"I have your sister on the phone." Said Jessica.

"Put her through."

There was a pause then Lisa's voice came in.

"Hi Bart, how are you?"

Bart leaned back in his chair and sighed, "I've been better."

"Maggie and I waited for you to call and I called your office and home several times, is everything ok?" She asked.

Bart closed his eyes and put his hand to his face, "I'll let you be the judge of that when you come and see me today."

There was a pause.

"Bart, what's wrong?" Lisa asked.

"Oh, you'll see." Said Bart and started roughing up his hair.

After Lisa hung up the phone, she turned to Maggie who was sitting next to her at the kitchen table.

"I wonder what that's all about?" Maggie said.

Lisa started curling the phone cord with her finger, "Well, from the way Bart said it, it can't be good."

Both Maggie and Lisa turned as Alex came in the room yawning.

"Good morning, Alex. How did you survive a night in Bart's room?" Said Lisa, getting up so Alex could have her seat.

Alex smiled, "I hate to say this, but, your brother sure has a cozy bed. I'll bet him and Gina were very comfortable in there."

Maggie looked away.

"Maggie! Wow, I can't believe I didn't see you there, How've you been?" Asked Alex.

Maggie didn't answer; instead she got up and left the kitchen.

"What's wrong? Was it something I've said?" Asked Alex.

Lisa looked in the direction her sister went and sighed, "No, it wasn't anything you said. She's just a little worried about Bart right now. We both are."

Lisa got up and got out some vegetarian sausages and started frying them. One of the many things that made her and Alex good friends were that they both were vegetarians.

"So, what are we going to do today?" Asked Alex, still sensing the air and hoping to liven the conversation.

Lisa sat down and started passing out the dishes, her mind elsewhere.

Alex grabbed her hand, "Lisa, what's wrong?"

Lisa sat down and looked into her friend's eyes, "Alex, there's something I haven't told you, about Bart."

Alex leaned forward.

Lisa continued, "After Bart and Gina graduated they were going to separate schools. Gina told Bart that she didn't think they could make a long distance relationship work. Bart felt differently. They tried for a month, but after that Gina stopped answering Bart's calls and Bart was starting to worry. During the Spring Break, Bart flew to the city where she was at and visited her dorm. There he found her in bed with another guy."

Alex nodded, gravely.

Typical Gina. Alex thought, bitterly.

"Bart really went off the deep end. He started to call us and was crying and he said he was panicking; we started to think it was just a phase that he was going to get over it. Then, Mom went to his college to give him a care package and found him in his bedroom with a loaded gun and a picture of Gina clutched in his hand."

Alex stared at Lisa, open-mouthed.

"He had a loaded gun?" She breathed.

Lisa nodded, "Mom had him go see a psychiatrist. Bart has been better ever since. But later, Gina came back into his life. They've been dating until recently."

Alex groaned, "Please don't tell me the past repeated itself."

Lisa shook her head, "No, thank Buddha, it didn't. Gina got in trouble with the law and she's now back in jail."

Alex sighed in relief, "So, how's Bart been doing, since?"

Lisa shrugged, "He's ok, or so he tells us, the problem with Bart is, is that he never really lets on how he's really feeling most of the time."

Alex nodded. Her times when she was over at the Simpson's house, Bart never really talked about personal issues with his family at dinner, nor did he when he was talking with her and Lisa. He always changed the subject when Lisa asked him.

"Is that why Maggie reacted that way, when I mentioned Gina." Alex asked.

Lisa nodded, "Yeah, I think so. Although with her it's like Bart, they're both pretty private. In fact they're very much alike in some ways."

Alex sighed out of relief. "So, are we going to visit Bart

Today?"

Lisa smiled and nodded, "Let's eat first, then we'll go."

The two girls then gossiped over other things as they ate their breakfast.

Later, getting into Lisa's car, the two drove to the East Side of Springfield. They then parked in front of a two story building. Two plaques were screwed to the outside wall; both were golden plaques. One said "Marc Jacobs: Catering Company" the other said, "Law offices of Kelly, Barnaby, and Greg".

"So, is Bart a caterer, now?" Alex asked as they walked up the steps of the building.

Lisa grinned, "Wait and see."

They went to the elevator inside the very busy lobby and Lisa pressed the button for the third floor. When the doors opened, Alex saw that they were in the law offices.

"So, Bart's like an accountant, right?" Alex asked again.

Lisa didn't say anything, but continued to grin as they went down the stretch of offices to the last room at the end of the hall. Lisa pointed to a smaller golden plaque, which was also stenciled.

Alex bent her head slightly and read it, " 'Bart Simpson, Attorney.' Attorney? Bart Simpson became a lawyer!"

Lisa laughed. "Told ya you'd be surprised."

Alex was stunned. But when Lisa opened the door, it was her turn to be stunned.

"Hi Lisa, good to see you again. Mr. Simpson's in a meeting with a client right now, he'll be with you, shortly."

Lisa stared at Jessica then turned her head back to Alex, who didn't have a response to this, either. The two sat down on a love seat across from Jessica's desk, the door to Bart's room being the only thing between them.

Alex watched Lisa close her eyes and mouth 'How could he?'

Alex moved close to Lisa to whisper, even though Jessica was preoccupied with an issue of Vanity Fair.

"Who's she?" Alex whispered.

Lisa didn't answer, just continued on shaking her head.

Just then, the door to Bart's room opened and out walked another person that made Alex, especially, cringe.

Standing at five foot nine, wearing a sports-jacket, covered with scars all over on his left cheek and forehead, and being incredibly bald, was a person all too familiar to Alex.

The man looked at the pair of them and laughed, "Haw haw! The Brain and Fashion Queen return. I hope the sequel is better than the original. Where are my car keys?"

Nelson Muntz.

Jessica looked up from her magazine; "They're in your hand, Nelson."

Nelson stared at his hand and then seconds later said, "Oh, thanks, Jessica." Nelson then left the office.

Jessica shook her head, "That bar stool must've done more than just a 'scratch'. Nelson was always a show off."

Jessica then dialed on the phone, started filing her nails, then said, "Mr. Simpson? I have your sister Lisa and a friend waiting to see you; ok to send them in? Alright then."

She then put down the phone and looked at Lisa and Alex, "Mr. Simpson will see you now."

Alex still wasn't sure what to make of this 'Jessica' but the way Lisa reacted when they came in; it probably wasn't good. Lisa led the way into her brother's office, And Alex still couldn't get over the idea of what Bart had become. When they went inside, Bart had his back to them. When Alex closed the door behind her, he turned around. Alex was more surprised than ever. Here she was, expecting to see a tall but lanky boy-man, only to see something entirely else. Bart was fit, well dressed, well groomed, and his appearance reminded her of Hugh Jackman for some reason.

"Please sit." Bart said to both of them.

They did.

Bart sat down in his chair and shook his head wearily.

"Why does the past seem to follow me?" Bart put his head on his desk and groaned loudly.

Alex was sure he was talking to Lisa, cause Alex had no idea what he was talking about.

"She did it again, didn't she?" Lisa said.

Bart nodded, "And what's worse, she's actually serious about the damn job. Maybe it's all my imagination, she'll probably find some way to screw me over again."

Lisa in turn shook her head, "Oh, Bart. First Gina now Jessica?"

The secretary? Thought Alex.

"I called my doctor. She actually thought this was a good thing, can you believe it? She thinks that seeing old faces will help me cope and move on. But this is Jessica we're talking about, Jessica Lovejoy, my angel from hell." Bart rubbed his eyes with his hands. He then stopped and looked at Alex for the first time.

"Who's your friend?" He asked Lisa.

Alex smiled, "Why, Mr. Simpson, would you remember me better if you tried hitting your sister in the face with an apple and miss?"

Bart's eyes went wide and his mouth dropped, "Alex Whitney? Is that really you?"

"In the yellow flesh." Grinned Alex.

"I didn't recognize you without the blonde." Bart grinned back.

Alex smiled, "I dyed it when I moved to L.A. According to someone, there, blonde's are so nineties."

Bart was still staring at her, which made Alex blush, a little.

"Great job growing up, man." Bart said.

Lisa faked a cough, interrupting the whole thing, "So, Bart. What are you going to do about Jessica?"

Bart shifted his attention back to his sister, "What can I do, Lis'? As her employer I can't fire her without good cause and besides she really hasn't done anything yet and she's doing a great job."

"This is Jessica we're talking about Bart. Jessica! Don't you remember when she got the whole town to blame you for stealing the collection?"

Bart nodded, "Yes, I do, Lisa. But that was seventeen years ago, people can change, you know that."

Lisa sat back and crossed her arms, "Oh really? Why did you hire her then? Her good performance record? A creditable back history related to the job? Face it Bart, you hired her because she made you hire her."

Bart tilted back in his chair and groaned loudly, "Ay Carumba! Yes, I know that. I can't do anything about it, though. She's here to stay until she does something."

Just then a loud beep came from Bart's phone on his desk.

Bart pressed a button, "Yes?"

"I have Martin Prince on hold, Mr. Simpson. He says he needs some legal advice concerning another fake patent."

Martin Prince had gone to Yale and then came back to Springfield to be the understudy of the late Professor John Frink. After Frink had died from too much helium exposure, Martin had acquired the lab but was constantly in and out of courts due to various scientists claiming that Frink's inventions were mock ups of their own.

"Tell him to hold a little longer." Bart answered her and then released the button.

"Sorry, Lis', but I got some work to do. I'll talk to you tonight and we'll continue the conversation then, ok?" Bart said getting up.

Lisa sighed, "I guess so. Please, please be careful with Jessica. You know what she's capable of, Bart."

Bart came around his desk and hugged his sister, "I will. Promise."

He then turned and hugged Alex who blushed even harder, "Good to see you again, Alex. Welcome back."

After the two of them said 'goodbye' and then getting out quick to avoid anything from Jessica, Lisa turned to Alex as they were leaving the building.

"What was that all about?"

Alex shrugged, "I don't know. I think you know this whole 'Jessica thing' better than I do. I really don't have an opinion."

Lisa shook her head, "No, not that. Back there in Bart's office. You two were flirting with each other."

Alex laughed, "Me? Flirt with your brother? C'mon Lisa, even though he's cleaned up a lot, he's still Bart Simpson."

Lisa shrugged, "I don't know, I thought I saw something, that's all."

Alex shook her head, "You're imagining things."

Alex did not want to tell Lisa what she really was thinking. Getting back into Lisa's old beat-up Ford Taurus, Alex turned her head and gazed up the building to Bart's floor, secretly wondering what Bart thought of her after meeting again after all this time.

What Will Happen?

Will Bart be once again in the tangled web of Jessica Lovejoy?

Will Alex discover that she actually likes Bart Simpson?

Has Jessica Really changed?

Are Lenny and Carl really gay lovers?

Find out this and more on the next exciting episode of: Bart Simpson: Attorney at Law!