'Right, when exactly were you thinking of goddamn telling me about Scottie's visit the other day? And how the hell she knew about Donna and me?' Harvey asked as he let himself into Louis' office. Louis was mid conversation to Dr Lieberwicz.

'I'll call you back,' he put the phone straight down.

'She forced it out of me, you know what that woman's like Harvey!'

'I didn't want her to find out like that,' Harvey softened his voice a little, 'to be honest, I didn't even know she was back in the city.'

'Does it matter?' Louis asked sensing Harvey's upset at what had just happened.

'It's not going to change the way I feel for Donna, no. It was just the look on Scottie's face Louis, I should have been the one to tell her.'

'Harvey, I'm so sorry, I panicked, I just wanted to make sure I sorted her client's non-compete without having to call you, again, because I messed up.'

'You didn't mess up Louis, you just felt passionate about a situation that was out of your depth. I shouldn't have wound you up either about me and Donna, I know how much she means to you. Believe me, you have nothing to worry about, I love her, I'll never hurt her and please, just tell me if I'm being a douche. You're my friend Louis, and we should be able to tell each other when one of us has pissed the other off.'

'Hmm, you seem to have really got the hang of that to be fair!' Louis laughed nervously as he smiled, 'does this mean we're ok?'

'Yes, but, we don't need to...'

Louis went straight in for a hug, as usual Harvey patted his back without fully committing to Louis' embrace.

'See you later Louis,' and with that Harvey, had turned out of Louis' office and down the corridor.

Chapter 13

The next few months continued as they always did. Specter Litt's merger with Robert Zane had seemed to slow down in proceedings, giving Harvey and Louis time to rethink the negotiations.

'It's not too late you know? I'm sure we can find another option,' Louis said as they sat in Harvey's office late in the evening.

They had spent the majority of the day looking for alternative solutions to help Specter Litt stay afloat financially. Papers and folders were scattered around his office, phone calls had been made and meetings had been had, but still, there seemed to be no way out. Little did they know, that Mike had been instigating and making calls and meetings himself.

A few weeks ago, Mike had been approached by a young finance hedge fund CEO, much alike in age to that of Mike, in the foyer of Specter Litt's building. At first, Mike was dubious to his intentions, but after what he had suggested to Mike checked out legitimately, it was going to be the only way out of the inevitable, and unwanted, merger with Zane.

Mike knew it would be a massive change, a huge sacrifice, but he knew the sacrifices and losses the firm and Harvey, Donna and Louis had already made in their lives for him. He was ready and willing to repay the favour. He and Rachel were ready to move on too. Rachel didn't want to work at Specter Litt with her farther. This was the only way to make things right. For everyone. It was time.

Louis and Harvey were still sat in Harvey's office, it was dark now and the lights of Manhattan were glaring through the glass. Harvey sat looking downwards at a file, his head perched tiredly in his palms, he knew if he lifted his head Louis would see a look of defeat on his face, which he was far from showing just yet.

'Maybe we should call Jessica?' Louis mentioned, leaning back in his seat and rubbing his hands across the top of his head.

'Look Louis, I'd hate to see Robert Zane as managing partner in here as much as you would, but I really don't want to go running to Jessica at the first sign of something not going to plan.'

'Guys, you need to hear me out. And I mean all of it. I think I have an answer to all of our problems and if this works, which I'm positive it will, the firm will be safe and more prosperous than we could have imagined before any of this shit storm that I created.'

Harvey and Louis looked up eagerly but tried not to get their hopes up, as they both looked up in sync at the younger junior partner who had walked into Harvey's office.

'Whilst working on the pro-bono case from the clinic on the case against Longsfield Medical, I encountered a financial hedge fund manager, Nick Lazby, who specialises in funding and running large corporations. He wants to set up a law firm to solely tackle and fight against big companies on pro-bonos.'

'What's this got to do with Robert Zane?' Louis interrupted sharply.

'God dammit Louis, hear him out.' Harvey nodded for Mike to continue. 'Go on.'

'Well, after following my cases and reading about my past he wants me to be managing partner of his new law firm...' Harvey's face dropped slightly. 'I've checked him out, he's completely genuine and the whole proposal is 100% above board and a major financial money maker.'

'Congratulations! At least someone around here is managing partner!' Louis snapped.

Mike cut him a look but continued, ignoring his outburst.

'Anyway. He wants two offices. He knows Specter Litt need helping out at the moment and he also knows how good you two are.' Mike looked from Harvey to Louis to see which one clicked first. It was Harvey.

'So he'd take over Specter Litt?' Harvey asked concerned but intrigued.

'Yes and no. He would finance them by being their, our, beneficiary and take a 5% cut of billings from new clients only, from both firms, but as he has no law degree or legal practice experience... '

Louis snarked, 'That sounds familiar.' 'Louis...' Harvey growled under his breath.

Mike carried on, 'Well, Spencer Litt, New York would still specialise in corporate law, much like now, but with a side subsidy of pro-bono cases against large, health and government organisations.' Mike paused to let the men catch up.

'So, let me get this straight, he wants to start another law firm in New York to work alongside Spencer Litt - how would that even work?' Louis asked, whilst Harvey kept quiet, he knew what Mike was about to say.

'It wouldn't be in New York Louis. I'd be named managing partner at the sister firm, Specter Litt Ross, in Seattle...' he let his voice trail off as Louis' stunned face began to realise the enormity of what Mike was saying. In the pit of his stomach he knew this was the only way out, but knew the repercussions and implications of loosing one of their team, one of their family.

Harvey knew different.

'Is this what you want Mike?' Harvey asked, knowing the answer. He knew his friend was born for this, not high profile, business law. He knew from the start Mike's real passion for law lay in helping of those who really needed it and not just for money. He needed to let him go, he had nurtured him and he was ready to let him free. Harvey was in a good place now, he was engaged to the love of his life, the woman who grounded him and who he feels will be there for him through everything - he could do this without Mike by his side now. A wide smile grew across Harvey's face.

'You're smiling? Why are you smiling? Have you gone mad?' Louis stammered.

'No Louis, it's what he wants. He needs this. It's our only option. Hey, we'd still be working together, but on opposite sides of the country!' Harvey smiled as he stood up. 'Right let's get this checked out. Louis get Jessica on the phone, this is when we do need her.' Harvey demanded, getting his jacket from the chair.

'Mike, call him now, we need to set this in motion.'

'As quick as that?' Louis looked baffled, 'Are you kidding me?'

'Hey Louis, I'm not stupid, I'm not going to jump into anything that isn't legitimate, I will scour every loophole, every bit of fine print and by-laws of their contract. I need you to do the same with the finances, it's what you do and you do it bad ass!'

Louis smiled and nodded, flattered that Harvey complimented him and also in agreement as he marched purposely from Harvey's office back down the corridor.

'Hmm, Specter Litt Ross? Kinda has a ring to it doesn't it?' Mike smirked as they walked past the old name sign by the elevators. 'And there'll be two of them! We ARE bad ass!'

'You are Mike. Hey, as my name is now going to be on two walls, on either side of the country, I take it I get two offices?' Harvey laughed as they walked into the elevator.

'I suppose you do need more space for your balls...' Mike replied, deadpan as the elevator doors closed shut.

Chapter 14

'I know the answer to this, but, are you sure this is what you both want?' Donna asked holding on to her best friend's hand tightly as they sat next to each on her couch.

Rachel turned to her and held both her hands in Donna lap.

'Apart from knowing I wanted to marry Mike, this is the most sure I have been in my life,' she smiled so genuine and so full of excitement; that was enough for Donna. She decided not to press anymore, she asked for her own selfishness, she didn't want to lose someone else she needed her friend at the moment. First Jessica, now Rachel and Mike. She loved her friends, to her, the word 'colleagues' was not even a word; this was family. She knew this was the way forward for everyone. They were a plane ride, a phone call and WhatsApp or FaceTime away, she could live with that. She hugged her so tight, Rachel sensed Donna's pain.

'Hey, make sure you keep me updated with those wedding plans, ok?' Rachel smiled, reaching up to wipe a tear from her face.

'I will, you know it. That's if we ever make any,' Donna smiled as she waved her hand flippantly in the air.

'What do you mean?'

'Well, with all this new merger and new firm subsidiary, we just haven't had time to even think about us or anything beyond this at the moment.' Donna explained, but Rachel could sense her tone. 'It just makes me think, I know he loves me, but will we ever be that couple who go home at night and put the office to one side, to try, now and again, to put our wants and needs first. It's kinda hit me recently, over the past few weeks, with all what's been happening, this is it, isn't it? Will we have a normal life?'

'Oh Donna, I know it's tough at the moment, it's like a tornado has stripped through the house and you're all picking up the pieces. But that house is your work, your passion and most importantly, it's also your home. Everything will turn out as it should. You and Harvey are meant to be together, you know that, and look at everything you've been through, has he ever let you down?'

Donna knew the answer to this, a tear fell silently down her cheek and she wiped it out of the way.

'Donna, are you really ok? You can tell me, I'm always here, even when I'm 3000 miles away in Seattle, I'm your best friend.'

'I'm scared Rachel. I don't think I can watch Harvey fall apart again, it's taken him so long to get over Jessica leaving now you and Mike. He seems fine on the outside, but I'm waiting for the fallout, the time when he realises someone else he loves has left.'

'He's got you Donna, he loves you and you're not leaving him, he knows that. You haven't left him in the thirteen years you've been here for him in one sense or another. He's so much stronger now, with you.'

'But what if something happens which he hasn't planned or we haven't even thought about...' Donna's tears began to fall again. Rachel, knew there was more.

'Donna, whats going on?' Rachel held Donna's hand as Donna tried to regain self control, she didn't want to make this about her, it was Rachel who was leaving tomorrow, not her. She didn't want to take the focus from her friends' emotional departure.

'Donna, I swear to God, I am not leaving this room until you tell me what the hell is going on. I'm leaving tomorrow, if you don't let me know, I'm not going anywhere and then you'll have to explain to everyone why I'm still here!' She smiled and let out a small laugh to try to calm Donna and lighten the mood.

Donna tried to straighten herself up and Rachel could tell she was preparing to tell her something. Donna wiped the tears which still trickled from her glistening green eyes. She looked around the room to check they were still alone.

'I... I'm pregnant,' Donna sniffed, as she looked up to meet Rachel's shocked gaze.

'Oh wow, Donna that's amazing!' Rachel quietly smiled back holding Donna's hand. 'I take it you haven't told him yet?'

'How can I Rach? I barely have five minutes with him at the moment and I totally understand why, he's saving not just his firm, but you, Mike, Louis and everyone at Specter Litt. He's got enough on his plate at the moment, I really can't tell him yet, it's just not the right time.'

'Well, you can't really never tell him. When will be the right time? It's life. No one knows what happens from one day to the next.'

'But we've never even discussed this before, it's been such a whirlwind. A culmination of catching up on thirteen missed years, not of friendship, as we've always had that, probably more, but this is more of a relationship we should have had.'

'Well, in that case maybe, this is meant to be. As you said, you've been together thirteen years,' Rachel smiled. 'Do you know how far along you are?'

'I'm thinking about eight weeks. I've got a doctor's appointment next week, but I really don't think I can tell him before then'

'Donna he'll be furious if you don't tell him before. You know Harvey, and you know the one thing above anything what is more important to him, and that's family.'

'But at the moment his family is here. He's fixing this family, I can't take his mind from that, it would effect a lot more people, more than just me.' Donna replied selflessly as she twiddled with her diamond ring.

In that moment, Harvey and Mike walked back into his office, where Donna and Rachel were sat. Donna quickly wiped the tears away, they were easy to disguise and explain away, saying goodbye to her friend, wasn't an easy job.

'Well, I hope you're going to look after Batman while I'm gone?' Mike directed to Donna, who was getting up off the couch and straightening the creases out of her Marc Jacob's dress.

'I thought Batman could handle himself?' she joked and threw a jovial look towards Harvey.

'Naa, Batman can't be a proper Batman without his Robin.' Mike teased, ' The Bat Cave is gonna be a lonely place now.'

'I'm doing good thanks, I have a new, hotter Robin to keep me company in my Bat Cave,' Harvey smiled wrapping his arm around Donna's waist and dropping a light kiss to the side of her head. She closed her eyes appreciatively.

'Hmm, I wouldn't call an Upper East Side penthouse a Bat Cave to be fair. However, I'd happily keep you warm, I'd make a bad ass Robin... as long as I haven't got to wear green tights?' she laughed back and placed her hand across his suit jacket. Rachel smiled at Donna, with a little nod - only the two of them knew what it meant.

'What time's your flight in the morning?' Harvey asked.

'Ten,' Mike responded, flicking one last time through Harvey's records on the shelf.

'Well, how about we go for drinks tonight? Make it a farewell celebration, we could even invite Louis?' Harvey grinned, as at that moment he appeared, with great timing, at the door to hear his ad-lib invitation as he Harvey noticed he'd heard his idea.

Donna kicked off her heels and dropped herself down onto the end of the bed with an exhausted sigh. Her eyes tinged with tiredness or tears, she couldn't tell. She reached round to unbutton her dress, she just needed her bed. The emotion of the last few days had caught up with her, she just didn't want to think or talk about it anymore. She wiped her make up off and slid into the soft, white sheets. Harvey wasn't too far behind her, after making a call in the lounge he followed her into the bedroom.

'Are you feeling ok now?' He asked as he sat on the bed next to her. He leaned in and placed his finger under her chin to lift her head and kissed her gently. She closed her eyes and for that moment forgot her tired eyes and aching head. She hadn't drank any alcohol, the pain had developed from her own thoughts throughout that day. Harvey pulled back and looked at her again with concern and love in his eyes.

'Are you sure you're alright?' he asked again.

'I'll be fine after a good night's sleep, it's been such an emotional day Harvey, I'm going to miss them so much.'

'We all are,' he lay down next to her, held her in his arms and kissed the top of her head tenderly, he felt tears prickle in his eyes, but refused to let them fall.

The sun streamed through the crack in the blinds as Harvey opened his eyes and realised today was the first day without Mike. He turned over and she was still sleeping, peacefully. Her hair rolled across to his side of the bed, he teased it in his fingers momentarily before brushing his hand gently across her head. He moved his body close to the side of her, he needed to feel close to someone he loved this morning, to give him the strength to get through the day. Donna was the only person he'd ever truly let in to his life. She always radiated strength, but he knew she had taken losing Rachel and Mike hard. She turned her face towards his.

'Hey,' she smiled as he softly brushed his lips against hers, rising his hands up over her body and cupped the side of her face. His kisses were playful which woke her properly from her sleep. She smiled in response, lightly combing her hand through his hair as he moved to be on top of her. He leant upon his arms his nose resting by hers. He slipped off her t shirt top which she slipped on before collapsing in to bed the night before. His playful kisses continued to glide across her chest and neck as she opened her legs for him and wrapped them around his body. She let out a rasp of indulgence as he generously filled her and began to slowly move inside her, making love to the woman he was meant to be with. The thoughts of handling the day ahead flitted out of his mind, he didn't want this moment to end, as he knew he felt safe here with Donna. Her back began to arch towards him as he tentatively and slowly brought her to finish, he felt her legs tighten around him giving him the cue to reach his end. As they both regained their breath, they held on to each other that moment longer than usual. 'I love you Donna,' he whispered.

She thought in that moment, when neither of them had anything else on their minds but the two of them, she was going to tell him. However, as quick as she had even thought it, there was a bang on the door.

'What the hell Louis, it's 7am?' Harvey had swung the door open to reveal his freshly suited and eager faced joint Senior Partner smiling back at him, briefcase in hand. Without an invitation, Louis swept past him and through into the lounge area.

'Come in why don't you?' Harvey mouthed as he gestured to come in after Louis had already past him by.

'Who is it?' Donna asked as she appeared in the doorway of the bedroom with her t shirt back on. Louis didn't know where to look.

'Sorry, did I interrupt something?'

'No, no you're fine,' Donna laughed.

'Yes!' Harvey grumbled, 'What do you think we could have been doing?'

Louis fidgeted for a moment, 'Whatever you two Lovebirds we're up to, isn't going to prepare us for today is it?'

Harvey smirked his wide grin, 'I'd pretty much say it did...' he winked over at Donna, who smirked and looked down at the floor.

'Really? Is it just me who's knows the importance of today? We need to meet with Nick Lazby and negotiate the final contracts of the new firms and start hiring new staff to fill the positions in the subsidiary.'

Harvey could sense Louis' panic and frustration all at once.

'I know Louis, and I'm on my way now. Why are you here though?'

'Well, I thought as Mike's officially gone, we're now the new 'Specter Litt' partners in crime.' he smiled awaiting Harvey's response.

He didn't respond, just smiled and walked off towards the shower.

'Oh Louis, it's Specter Litt Ross. Batman and Robin are still together by name, but now we have a Joker in the pack.'

Louis' eyes lit up and his eyebrows hit the roof, 'does that mean what I think it means Harvey? Harvey?' He called after him.

'Yes it does, and don't you dare follow me into the bathroom.'

Donna laughed and walked across the room, 'I'm making tea or coffee Louis?'

'No I'm ok, I'm detoxing today, no caffeine for me, I need to be 'on the ball, playing the game, scoring that touchdown.'

'I'm glad to see you're ok with all of this Louis,' Donna smiled happily as she prepped the coffee machine for when Harvey had got out of the shower.

'It's going to be a tough few months of restructuring and streamlining the two firms, I just want to make sure Harvey and I are on the same page, I really want this to work. I really want to work with him as a team.'

'I know you do Louis, and to be honest, I know he would never say this, but he needs you too right now. You need each other, there's only so much I can do for him, so we need to stick together yeah?'

'Of course Donna, I love you guys, even his highness in there,' he gestured towards the shower, 'but don't ever tell him that!'

Donna smiled, 'I won't, but I think he knows.'

'Thanks Donna,' Louis smiled.

'Right, are we ready? Let's get this show on the road.' Harvey came walking out of the bedroom fifteen minutes later dressed in a dark Tom Ford suit with dark grey tie, his hair perfectly styled, so it didn't look like Donna's hands had been through it half an hour before.

'I'll send Ray back for you later,' Harvey said to Donna as he gently kissed her goodbye.

'Come on Cat Woman, Batman needs a wingman.'

I thought I was the Joker?' Louis asked eagerly, trotting after him out of the door.

'Yeah you are, but then I was thinking in the shower, you're also a cat loving girl.'

'Urgh! You think of me in the shower?'

'Play nice, you two!' Donna called as the door closed behind them.

'Daddy's going to kick some ass today.' she said quietly and smiled as she smoothed her hand slowly across the bottom of her stomach.