A/N: Hey guys sorry for the delay! Had an unusually busy week. I managed to watch the season finale though and loved every bit of it. Those who haven't watched it yet please sit with a box of tissues whenever you do. Happy reading and please drop a review if you like the chapter :)
Chapter 3
A week had gone by since Harvey had met Mike at the bar and it had been a terrific week on all fronts. He had won the case against Mr. Carter Senior and was thus one up on Travis Taner. Joe was so elated with his win that he had given a long interview to a leading business magazine on why he thought Harvey Specter to be an angel of an attorney sent to help people in distress, a statement that had everyone who knew Harvey rolling with laughter. The business community, well aware of Joe's emotional spurts, did not buy that Harvey was a social savior but could read between the lines to know that he was the best lawyer New York had seen in recent years and probably the future of Pearson-Hardman.
People at the firm had a lot to say about his win too. While Louis was convinced that it had been a fluke and would go on about it to anyone who cared to listen, Donna believed that it was her pre-trial secret ritual with Harvey that had ensured his win and liked to remind him of her indispensability in his life several times in a day. Jessica gloated on the publicity her firm had garnered but continued to dodge the topic of making him name partner on the pretext that he still hadn't shown her a different side to him, a side that cared about greater things than winning cases and making money.
"I cared a lot about the school and the children…" drawled Harvey. By now he had accepted that he had a lot of proving-himself-to-Jessica to do before making name partner. Least they could do now was have a good laugh about it.
"Oh shut up Harvey!" She laughed, "All you cared about was beating Taner."
"And look where it got us!" he smirked.
They both laughed and then a moment passed when they looked at each other, their gaze acknowledging what was unsaid between them. She knew that he cared, that there was a softer side to his larger-than-life persona but Harvey had to demolish his self-constructed image and show this side to the world before she could make him name partner. Harvey, on the other hand had no intention of doing that. "You let them know you care, and they walk all over you," he had once told Jessica and still abided by that philosophy. That was one childhood lesson that he was never going to forget.
"You know I wanted to ask you how you knew that Taner had something on Joe?" asked Jessica changing the subject in their minds.
"I just assumed he did. He wouldn't have been so eager to take this thing to trial if he wasn't confident he could win. That got me thinking if he had something to prove Joe incapable of doing business. When I asked Joe he told me all about the time he got emotionally blackmailed into making a bad decision which he later rectified."
"And then all you had to do was render their argument void by proving how that was a completely different scenario and how the school was degenerating under his Dad's care," finished Jessica.
"Yes." said Harvey well aware of the fact that he had a certain Mike Ross to thank for the latter part of his winning strategy. He could have figured out something on his own but Mike's evidence had made his work a lot easier and faster. In fact he wondered if the boy could turn out to be of greater help to him in future. He was definitely a resource worth tapping into and now that the excitement over the case had died down it was probably a good time to meet him again.
"Did you hear what Louis is doing?" asked Jessica.
"Telling people that I rigged the Jury?"
"Haha he's doing more than that Harvey. He thinks it absurd that you should be advocating the importance of infrastructure in effective teaching when you haven't taught or guided a single soul in your career. He claims that you don't even know the name of any associate in the firm. He has been betting on it and has already made quite a lot of money."
"Is that why random strangers have been coming up to me and engaging me in stupid conversations, to see if I remember their names?" The whole thing amused him greatly. Louis was so possessive of his associates that he never allowed them to run to Harvey for anything unless it was crucial. So this time he really had to come out of his comfort zone to bug Harvey.
"Laugh all you want Harvey but this little joke of his spoils your image in the eyes of the other partners. Believe it or not, mentoring someone, passing on knowledge and experience is seen as a trait of good leadership. Do not let them think that you don't have it in you to be a mentor to someone."
He rolled his eyes at Jessica. "Fine I will have Donna see to it that Louis stops whatever he is doing. And now if you don't mind, I have to go see a friend," he said smiling at the prospect.
Mike Ross loved wearing suits, especially the very fine ones that made him look like hot property, actually hot and rich property, and he loved it because of the false impression that it created on people. He was used to faking charm and confidence right since his teenage years, when he had awakened to the feeling that he was a natural at neither. What he really had was a genius brain, one that helped him look the parts that he needed to play to get his way in life. So what if that required renting suits once in a while? He was midway through counting the number of years it would take him to afford a wardrobe of branded suits when a voice from behind made him jump.
"Is this another strategy of yours?" asked Harvey, his voice laden with obvious amusement, "To dress like a clown on purpose so that Taner loses his clients?"
"Why are you still following me around?" asked Mike quickly covering the little the distance between them. He was offended and annoyed by the sudden appearance. If Harvey kept on following him like that he would soon have enough information on him to have him fired, sued, thrown out of the country or burned alive by goons. "We cannot be seen together. Travis will fire me. And for your information this is the best suit I have ever re.. had," he finished still frowning.
"Relax," said Harvey enjoying Mike's plight, "I am just here to thank you. And if you had been more welcoming I might have gotten you a better suit as a thank you gift. And talking of risks you think it isn't risky for me to be seen at a bus stop? Do you have any idea what this could do to my reputation?"
"Was this really worth taking the risk? What difference does your thank you make anyway?" Mike looked determined not to smile.
"Not much. But I also wanted to tell you that I solved your riddle!" Harvey smiled proudly while Mike looked confused. "You don't remember? The hen.. the egg.. what came first?"
Mike rolled his eyes. "You really came here to brag about that."
"No I came here to tell you that you were both right and wrong," said Harvey. "You were right in implying that it doesn't matter what came first, the egg or the hen, because that knowledge will not change the way the world works. But I knowing why you work for Taner will make a difference. So that was a horrible analogy."
"Why don't you just tell me what you really want from me and get the hell out of here?" said Mike looking over his shoulder.
"Can you relax?" laughed Harvey "There's no way Taner is going to turn up at a bus stop."
"How do you know that?"
"Just like I know that you usually ride a bike to your office but today you want to take a bus because you hurt your leg chasing a car last night."
Mike's eyes grew wide and he flushed with anger. "Look Harvey this is getting too much. We parted on good terms last week. Why are you still having me spied on?"
"I am not. Kate wants to make up to me so bad that she's doing it on her own. I told her that she should retire from her service after you fooled her and now she wants to get me something on you that will make me take back my words."
"Well then take back your words!" shouted Mike stressing on each word.
"Why? What's the fun in that?!"
When Mike didn't laugh Harvey sighed. "Okay I do want something from you. And I am teasing you only because it is taking my mind off the fact that you can and probably will say no."
He frowned when Mike's face broke into a smile. "Seriously? Out of everything you chose to smile at my honest confession?"
"Since you are not used to being honest about your feelings," said Mike sitting down on the bench, "you don't know the kind of effect that it can have on people." He smiled "So what can I do for you?"
"How about we discuss it over dinner tonight?" proposed Harvey.
"What? NO!" Mike jumped up and looked horrified for a second. "Promise me you are not going to track down my whereabouts tonight. Please.. I.. I have a date tonight. His name is Trevor. We grew up together and it's a complicated friendship right now. So.. so it is an important date. Please don't ruin it for us.."
"Okay okay.. some other day then." said Harvey.
Mike seemed relieved when the bus arrived. "I guess you have my number already. Drop me a text and then we can decide where to meet." He jumped into the bus before Harvey could say anything.
Harvey frowned as the bus sped away. Mike really did not have to tell him so much about his date to convince him to stay away. He definitely overdid it, which meant that he was lying.
"How am I supposed to leave him alone if he keeps getting me curious about his stupid life!" he thought heading back to his office.
He cringed as Ray parked in front of a shady club-house eight hours later. This was not where he would have expected Mike to be that night, or on any night for that matter. But his source was sure that this would be the place.
"Why would any sane person let alone a lawyer come to a club like this Ray?" he asked.
"Not everyone can afford the better places I guess," said Ray. He thought of all the five-star hotels and classy clubs that he drove Harvey to and wondered what part of the city's population could actually afford frequenting those places.
"You don't need to be rich to have a better choice of a hang-out place. You just need to not be an idiot. And from what I know Mike Ross is not an idiot."
"They are all idiots in love.." said Ray laughing.
"What?" Harvey followed Ray's gaze and saw two men at a distance. They seemed to be in an intense conversation. One of them as Mike. The other was just as tall and had jet black hair.
He waited for the men to enter the club before getting out of his car entering behind them. They had occupied the farthest table in the room. He contemplated for a moment and then walked up to their table.
"You have a funny choice of place for your dates, Mike." He took a seat and looked around with distaste. "Does he bring you here every time?" he asked the person he thought to be Trevor. Trevor stared at him blankly before looking at Mike in annoyance. He was clearly not in the mood for surprise visitors.
"What are you doing here Harvey? I told you not to follow me." Mike said through gritted teeth.
Trevor raised his eyebrows at the word 'follow' and Mike pretended not to notice. He didn't want Harvey to suspect any funny business. Why did he have to be here anyway? Like they weren't in enough trouble already!
"You know it would have been good manners to introduce me to your friend first."
"Harvey just leave us alone." "Please" he added sensing that Harvey wasn't likely to budge.
"I will if you tell me what's going on." said Harvey looking at him calmly.
"Nothing is going on," snapped Trevor, "Who do you think you are? Imposing your presence on us... whatever business you have with Mike.. you can settle that later.. we really came here for a little bit of privacy, you.. you interfering.. you.."
But Harvey only looked at Mike ignoring Trevor's rant.
After a minute or two Mike sighed and ran his hand through his hair. He gestured Trevor to stop talking and said in a mechanical voice, "Trevor was forced to drop a briefcase full of shady stuff to a shady dealer and he messed up. So now they want our heads on a spike and we are here to convince them that it is a bad idea." he finished and shrugged at Harvey who looked at him with an amused expression.
"You mean I am actually interrupting your date, sorry double date," he said glancing at Trevor, "with drug mafias?"
"Yes." replied Mike. He gulped and looked away.
Harvey started laughing at the absurdity of the situation and Trevor looked at him like he suspected him to be insane. Suddenly there was a funny rackety noise accompanying Harvey's laughter. It sounded like someone was tap-dancing.
"Mike, is that your feet shaking under the table again?"
But Mike wasn't paying attention. He was looking over Harvey's shoulder at the two men who had just entered the club.
