Harley Spectre looked out of her office at her associate, Mike Ross, with his girlfriend Rachel Zhane. She smirked at the sight of Mike grinning like a loon at what she said. Rachel was pregnant. Mike skipped into Harley's office and stopped at the sight of his boss with her arms folded and smirking. "Some good news, I take it?" She said, Mike went bright red again.
"Rachel's pregnant, I'm gonna be a dad!" He exclaimed, Harley laughed kindly and walked round her desk to give him a hug "well done" she said, pulling away and smiling at him "girl or boy?" Mike shrugged. Over the next nine months, Harley noticed Mike was still gleeful at the chance to be a better parent than his own father had been to him. Rachel had also asked Harley to be her baby's godmother "why would I say no? I love kids" Harley said.
That was true, Harley loved her nieces and nephews when her siblings visited New York to see her. But her twin Harvey had came back to New York as well, Harley and Harvey were like Chalk and Cheese. Harley was a kind, caring and compassionate girl with a few bad traits she got off her mother, Harvey was the opposite. Cold, mean, sarcastic and a criminal.
Most thought Harley was cold when she was in the courtroom, but they hadn't seen her testify against her own brother when he'd been caught with Mike smuggling drugs. Harley noticed Michael James Ross was fidgeting a lot and giving his lawyer nervous glances at Harvey.
When the judge called for a break, Harley walked up to Mike and asked him what was wrong. Then she got the full story, Mike was innocent and Harvey had pinned the blame on him so he could get out of Jail time for free. Harley was good at reading people, her brother? Not so much. Harley called for Mike to take the stand and asked him, kindly, for his side to the story, he spilled everything on the whole drug operation.
Harley was shocked when she heard it was Trevor and Harvey who'd caused Mike to abandon his dreams and was coerced into drugs. When the jury found Mike innocent and jailed her brother, she looked at him and made him a good offer. He would be an intern for her at the law firm she worked at, Pearson Hardman, while getting his degree. That had been over three years ago and Mike was happier than ever.
And it was thanks to Harley Rose Spectre.
Mike and Harley were as close as they could be, Harley was overprotective of Mike while he always cared about her wellbeing. Harley had changed from a cold bitch at times to a nicer girl. But she was still cold to those who threatened Mike, Katrina was one. She was jealous of the fact that Harley gave Mike a lot of cases instead of her and she had been hired before him. Katrina once framed Mike for failing a case which he had been working on with Harley, when Harley found out she was livid with rage at Katrina.
She ensured that Katrina's future at the firm was over, she'd never be more than just an associate "I don't know how things are at the DA's office now, but if I'd done what you did to someone with me in the trenches, I'd be done like you are now" she said, walking into Katrina's office "you don't know the story between me and Mike!" Katrina snapped at her boss, Harley raised an eyebrow at her and her face said 'do tell, not that I'll care'
"you don't give me your word, you don't give me cases, what am I suppose to do?"
"we both know how you got here, you expect more from me? That's not my problem"
"I know how I got here, that's how I know you won't fire me"
Harley walked towards her, her temper was coming to it's boiling point "when I said 'you're done' I meant your future at this firm is over because you'll be nothing more than what you are now" then she began to walk away from Katrina "and if you do anything like that to Mike Ross again? I don't give a shit what our deal was, you'll be gone!" Then she stormed off to find her associate "hey, you alright?" She asked, Mike jumped a little as he sat at his cubicle in the bullpen "yeah" Harley smiled "Katrina's not gonna bother you again" then walked back up to her office. That was when she saw Rachel tell Mike she was pregnant and Mike seeing Harley's smirking face watching the two.
Harley worked close with Mike over the years, she defended him when Hardman tried to kick him out of the firm and when he was tried for supposedly committing fraud, when Mike was offered a job at SIG as an investment banker, Harley was sad to see her best friend go, but often saw him back in Pearson Spectre. She'd been made Name Partner after Mike had left and Mike's new boss tried to convince Mike to hire Harley to his firm. Harley told him to 'go to hell' Mike glanced at him and said "told you so" with Harley's signature smirk on his face, with Harley smirking back at him.
When Mike was framed for embezzlement, Harley took on his case to get him his job back, but Mike was fired even though he was proven innocent of the matter. Mike looked crestfallen "now what? Rachel's due any day now and I'm redundant" he said as they waited for Ray to pull up to the curb "how about working for me again as a lawyer? You've got the degree" she offered, Mike grinned and said "thanks Harley" "Not a problem kid, get in" she said, dragging him by the collar into the car and back to the firm.
Mike had been made Junior Partner and Harley gave him her old office when they returned to work at the firm, but then Rachel had been rushed to the hospital after she went into labour early "Rachel's been taken to the hospital" Jenny Griffths had informed Mike, she'd been hired by Mike as his intern associate. Mike looked shocked and dashed through the offices and to his bike, cycling like mad to make it to the hospital as Rachel was rushed into surgery.
Five hours later and Harley had came down "how is she?" She asked him as soon as she came in "no idea, I just hope she's alive" Mike prayed, then a nurse appeared again "Michael Ross?"
"That's me"
"I'm afraid Ms Zhane died whilst giving birth to a healthy baby girl, I'm so sorry for your loss"
Mike crumpled against the wall in despair while Harley tried to comfort him, he was now a father, but a single parent to raise his daughter without a mother. What would Robert say about his daughter's untimely death? He'd kill Mike! "Hey, he's here, he knows you loved Rachel and she loved you" Harley held him close and cried for her dead best friend. She called Donna and Jessica "cancel Mike's meetings, he needs time to grieve" Donna nearly dropped the phone in shock and Jessica looked like she was about to be sick, Rachel was loved in the entire firm! Everyone was going to be devastated that she'd died giving birth to Mike's daughter.
Mike could barely speak and just cried during her funeral, Harley was holding his baby girl and standing beside him "thought of a name for her" she told Mike when they were back at the office after the wake, Mike looked up at her. His face was stained with tears "Rachel" she told him, Mike broke into a small, but sad, smile. He wasn't alone in this.
Harley gave him paternity leave and that allowed him to get to be close with his daughter, Robert would go to see him so he could be with his son-in-law and his granddaughter named after his daughter. but Mike could barely sleep anymore! Not that he hated his daughter, no he loved her, but he was always up at god knows what time of the night because of Rachel's screaming. One evening, Harley came round and talked through some of the work she's gotten done for Mike when Rachel began crying again and Mike groaned into his hands. Harley looked at him, then saw the bottle on the bench. She got up and grabbed the bottle, then went and fed Rachel, gently rocking her until she fell asleep in her arms. Mike looked stunned "I saw her and I couldn't help it" Harley said, smiling down at Rachel.
Mike grinned for the first time in months "I get it, she brings that out in people" Harley looked up at him "ready to go back to work?" Mike nodded, Harley put Rachel back into her crib and left the apartment after making sure Mike would be alright alone during the evening "be on time, please?" She practically begged him, Mike shrugged with a wry smile "I'll try" he said as Harley left in her vintage car that Mike didn't even know the make of.
Mike got up early the next morning and dressed in his suit, he fed and changed Rachel before packing her back to take to work, then sorting his own bag out with work files. He got a text from Harley Picking you up myself, you're not going to risk yours or Rachel's lives on that death trap you call transportation Mike smirked, he knew she wouldn't admit it, okay very rarely would she, but Harley cared about him. No matter how much she denied it.
Harley pulled up in her car and made sure Rachel was fastened into her car seat properly, not that she didn't trust Mike, but she wasn't sure if he'd done it right, the drove to work with the two "you sleep alright?" She asked, Mike shrugged "sorta, Rachel woke up around eleven to be fed, but she soon went back to sleep when I mentioned her 'Aunt Harley' would see her in the morning" Harley smiled as she pulled into the garage and they walked up to their offices. The female associates gawked and cooed over Rachel when Mike walked in, they also gave their condolences to Mike about his girlfriend's death, Mike gave a pained smile and thanked them as Harley dragged him away.
Mike asked "Rachel will be alright with you?" Harley laughed "sure, Jessica needs to see her, as does Donna" she said as they turned the corner and saw the Name Partner and Harley's secretary standing there "ooh, Mike, she looks just like you" Donna gushed as she held the small child "thanks Donna, she's got Rachel's eyes" he told her, Jessica smiled. Mike had found out months before Rachel had been pregnant with their child that Jessica had been his biological mother, and she loved her grandchild "she's beautiful" she told her son, Mike blushed "thanks mom" he said, Harley smirked at him "shut up Harley" then she just laughed again.
Things had changed in Harley's relationship with her associate, she wouldn't usually let him use her office unless he cleared it with herself, but if he let Donna know, she was fine with it. She and Mike had began to grow closer and when they had a long case, she told him "you're not going back to your apartment. You're staying with me until this is over" Mike looked like he wanted to protest "think about Rachel, does she always want to be stuck in the office with all the associates gawking at her?" Mike nodded "fair point, but wouldn't I be okay with my mom?" He asked. Harley looked at him like he was an idiot "I cleared it with Jessica, haven't you noticed Rachel seems calmer around me?"