Author's Note:
This was written based on some speculation from the promo pics of 5x13. I have not attempted to write the exchange between Scottie and Rachel & Harvey as I feel that the writers would do that a million times better. This story is written from Scottie's POV. Personally, I found it quite daunting to write from her perspective; while she has been on the show every season, they haven't been enough for me to get a good grip on what her character truly is like. Thanks for reading!
Seeing the firm name Pearson Specter, and now, Litt feels very different from the first time she heard about the firm's name change yet again. When he had asked her to stay back then, after Darby, she had firmly believed that her name would be up there within months. She remains confident that if a certain Mike Ross had not gotten in their way, her career at this firm would not have ended so abruptly. She had pushed and pushed Harvey then, until she realized that she could never gain Harvey's trust based on how they had set their relationship up to be. So, she left. She had to leave because their relationship was not heading in the right direction at that time.
Since then, he had found her twice. Once about throwing a case, the next about Mike Ross yet again. She puts up the appearance that she's fine every time they talked when she really isn't. She has never fully understood the hurt when she put an end to their relationship. She wasn't really sure if she felt stupid to be one of those girls who truly loved Harvey-the-eternal-bachelor that much, or she was upset of what they could have had together, just as the idea of a relationship no longer scares him like it used to, or she was mourning the loss of the number of memories they shared together. Since Harvard Law is a very long time to let go of.
Dana Scott has never needed to "win a breakup". But she felt that need to when it came to Harvey Specter, especially when their break up didn't seemingly faze him; and she had to take a few months off just to find herself, personally and professionally, again.
Coming here after the firm has called her for help isn't easy for her. She has trekked down these halls many times; from when he first moved from the DA's office to when he asked her to stay at the firm. While familiar, this place has never felt too welcoming to her. Fitting into this environment has never been easy for her.
She pauses far before she reaches his office. She hadn't expected this. The recent rumor mill about the great Harvey Specter said that Donna was no longer his secretary. She had expected to see someone other than Donna manning his desk. Instead she sees the all too familiar scene, he's outside, in his vest, suit jacket probably in his office, standing by Donna's cubicle, wearing a smile that completely masks the idea that Mike Ross, and subsequently, the firm, are in trouble. They do not appear to be worried about the case at hand, the one for which Pearson Specter Litt has requested her assistance, to aid them by playing the role of Anita Gibbs in their trial run before the firm takes on the AUSA in two weeks.
Harvey Specter is nothing but in the past. Thus, she hadn't expected to be hurt by seeing Donna back outside his office. The Mike Ross crisis does not affect the Harvey-Donna two person bubble. Not in the same way her relationship with Harvey was affected when Woodall came after said associate. While everything between him and Donna appear normal, she detects a subtle shift in their dynamic, even from afar. They're still unaware of her presence, continuing to talk animatedly in their conversation. She notes two things from the way Harvey is looking at Donna: one, his expression is softer than usual, his eyes barely masking a spark struggling to break free; and two, he is genuinely happy. She has always believed that she knew Harvey Specter, but the Harvey she knew could never be so relaxed and happy when someone he cares about is in jeopardy. Seeing him with Donna this time, noticing that subtle happiness makes her question if she truly knew Harvey Specter at all.
She realizes then that wasn't wrong in saying that he had changed too much when she left him; she was wrong in thinking that he had changed too much for her.
She is going to put on the best show for this stupid case. She steels her expression and walks on ahead. She isn't surprised when Donna notices her first, the redhead always to sharp, always on point on her job. The secretary acknowledges her presence with a nod, and Harvey's line of sight naturally follows her attention. It has always been how he's worked; anything concerning Donna becomes the focus of his attention.
That spark she saw earlier is contained immediately, that sense of happiness disappears. Scottie has never been more acutely aware of how Harvey is feeling than in this moment. It would have been somewhat amusing to watch this Harvey and Donna's "Will they? Won't they?" if she hadn't been in the middle of it all.
She can hear that bitter laugh from her inner self. The one chiding her for being so smitten by Harvey Specter that she failed to see that those two have been in love with each other, probably from the very beginning of their partnership at the DA's office. She shuts down that voice and marches right up to Harvey.
Oddly enough, knowing that Harvey Specter is in love with Donna is the closure she didn't know she needed. She feels that she's on the very top of her game once again, and they're going to need her to be to win this case.