Disclaimer: I don't own Suits.
A/N: Hi all! I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am writing this. This chapter in particular was a lot of fun to write. We finally get some Ava and Harvey interaction.
Change in Circumstances-Chapter 3
Harvey's eyes pop open when he hears a giggle. What the hell. Then he hears the sound again. This time louder. A giggle that is way too high pitched to be an adult's, one that can only come from a child. Shit. Where is he? And who's kid is it? He looks around and sighs in relief when he recognizes the familiar furnishings of his own bedroom.
But, there's a kid there. A young kid from the sound if it.
Oh that's right. The night before Mike accepted his invitation to stay at his place with Ava for the night. It was late when they arrived at Harvey's. Mike promptly put Ava to bed in one of the guest rooms before making his way to the couch for the night. Part of Harvey wanted to continue the conversation that was started in the car, but the haunted, tried look in his former associate's eyes stopped him. That was enough for the night. So, reluctantly Harvey said good night as he went to bed, leaving Mike on his couch phone in hand. Despite the exhaustion that radiated off the younger man, Harvey doubts Mike got much sleep. Harvey didn't. The last time he checked the clock on his night stand it was 2:43.
Harvey rubs his faced tiredly. Time for him to get up. The kid is probably hungry. Mike could barely make ramen before he and Rachel got together and he doubts that Mike's culinary skills has improved over the five years he's been away. Harvey gets up and slips on a shirt as he makes his way down to the kitchen. As he gets closer, Ava lets out a particular loud giggle and Mike shushes her.
"Good morning," Harvey greets as he takes in the smell of freshly brewed coffee.
"Morning, Harvey." Mike says from his seat at the kitchen island. He turns to the toddler who has taken residence on his couch. "Ave, come here."
Harvey bites his lip as the little girl rushes over with the grace of a bull in a china shop, a raggedy looking stuff animal in her arms.
"Hi!" The little girl beams.
He's not good with kids. That's not entirely accurate, he just hasn't had a lot of experience interacting with them, so it should come to no surprise that he stands there awkwardly. It' not just because he doesn't know exactly what to say but also because this is the first time he has actually seen the little girl. Last night she was burrowed into Mike's shoulder, leaving only the top of her head to be seen. Now, Harvey sees just how gorgeous the little girl is. Her hair is a little darker than Mike's, but her complexion and eye color are all Rachel. Boys all going to be falling all over themselves to go with her when she's older.
"Ave, this is Daddy's friend Harvey." Mike introduces. "This is his home."
"Hi, Harvey." Ava says as she climbs onto Mike's lap. "I like your house. Your tv is bigger than the one in my house."
Harvey smiles at the kid's openness. He holds out his hand, "Nice to meet you."
Ava shakes his hand esthetically. She holds up her stuffed animal that's in her lap. "This is Ha Ha."
"Ha ha?" Harvey asks looking at Mike for clarification.
"Short for Harvey. She couldn't say your name as a baby. All that came out was Ha Ha," Mike says with a sly smile.
"Harvey?"
"Well, you are the one that got it for her when she was a baby."
Harvey's gut clenches at the sucker punch. He was not expecting that. Damn! Now he feels like an ass. Note to self, ask Donna about what other gifts he got Ava.
From the look on Mike's face he seems to be taking pleasure in Harvey's embarrassment. Hey, if his embarrassment allows Mike a shred of happiness during this tough time, so be it.
"What is that thing? A gremlin?" Harvey asks as he looks at the sad looking animal with its' matted fur, no doubt had better days.
"No! It's not a gremlin!" Ava screeches. "It's a sloth!"
A sloth? Really, Donna. She couldn't get the kid a teddy bear or a rabbit?
"Sloths pee and poop only once a week," Ava says gleefully with a familiar mischievous glint in her eyes.
Harvey puts his head in his hand. "And I see you clearly inherited your father's propensity to remember ridiculous and obscene facts."
Mike ignores Harvey's comment as he turns to look at Ava. "Hey, what did mommy and I tell you about talking like that?"
Ava looks down in her lap for a second before replying. "No talking about pee, poop, and puke at the kitchen table."
"That's right," Mike says as he pushes a piece of Ava's hair behind her ear.
"But, this not a table. This is an island." Ava replies.
Harvey lets out another laugh. "And she's a smart ass. This is great!"
"Smart ass," Ava repeats. "Mommy calls Daddy that a lot."
"I bet she does," Harvey says. He stops himself from adding 'among other things.'
"So have you fed the kid?" Harvey asks as he looks over his immaculately clean kitchen.
"Noooo," Ava answers. "I'm starving."
"Starving? Well, we can't have that." Harvey makes his way over to the fridge. "Well, I probably don't have turkey bacon and stuff to make flaxseed pancakes that you have probably been brought up on."
"Pop tarts!" Ava yells.
"Pop tarts?" Harvey says as he peaks his head out behind the refrigerator door. "That's all you. No way is that Rachel."
"It's not all the time," Mike defends himself.
"Okay, sorry Aves. But, I don't have pop tarts. But I do have stuff to make a pretty decent omelet. How does that sound?"
Ava sighs sadly and Harvey feels his stomach drop a bit. Jesus. He's getting soft. He just met the kid and he's already feeling awful when he had to tell her that he didn't have Pop tarts. How does Mike say no to this kid about much bigger stuff?
"I have lots of stuff you can put in it," Harvey tries to placate the girl.
"I can put whatever I want in it?" Ava asks hopefully.
"No candy," Mike quickly cuts in. "We're not having a repeat of the Skittles and pancake incident."
Skittles and pancakes? Harvey looks at Mike in confusion. The blonde shakes his head, signaling 'don't even ask.'
"Cheese, bacon, and tomato?" Ava asks hopefully.
Harvey smiles. "Sounds like the perfect omelet to me."
"Extra cheese," Ava presses.
"Now, we're talking." Harvey replies as he cracks a couple of eggs into a bowl.
XXXXX
"How did it go?" Donna asks as Harvey walks by her desk later that morning. After making the three of them breakfast, he hung out with Mike and Ava for a bit before heading into the office.
"It was fine," Harvey answers as Donna follows him into his office. "Aves and Mike are at my place before they head over to the Zanes."
Donna quirks her eyebrow.
"What?" Harvey asks as he takes his seat behind his desk.
"Aves? You just met her this morning and you already have a nickname for her?"
Harvey shrugs his shoulders. "So what if I do. The kid is hysterical. A real smart ass. She's going to be keeping Mike and Rachel on their toes in the years to come."
Donna's eyes get teary-eyed for the countless time this week. Shit. Ava won't be keeping Rachel on her toes because Rachel is no longer here.
"Donna, I'm sorry. It just slipped out."
Donna wipes her eyes. "It's okay. It's just so hard. Referring to her in the past tense. It's just not right."
Harvey doesn't say anything because Donna is right. It's not right. Mike shouldn't be a widower before 40 and Ava shouldn't be without a mother before she's out of preschool.
"Anyway," Donna says clearing her throat. "How about Ava? Isn't she a pistol?"
"She's great," Harvey replies fondly. "I love how they obviously had to have a talk about not using the Big 3 Letter P words at the table?"
"Letter P words?"
"Pee, poop, and puke," Harvey says with a smirk.
Donna lets out a loud snicker. "I'm not surprised. Ava has already started reading. She's probably reading things she shouldn't be."
"Reading? She's three." Harvey says.
Donna laughs. "She's going to be four un five month. Besides, she's a smart kid. It's just basic letter combinations. But she already recognizes them. And pee and poop are pretty basic."
"Do they think she has Mike's eidetic memory?"
"They don't know for sure, but they think she might. You don't want to watch a movie with her if she has seen it before. She'll tell you everything that will happen before it does."
"So she should come with a Spoiler Alert?"
"Pretty much. Have you met Ha Ha?" Donna asks with a smile.
Harvey rolls his eyes. "Speaking of did I 'get' her any strange ass toys?"
Donna makes it look like she's thinking hard, but then shakes her head. "Nah, I think that's the only one that I would consider strange."
"Good. And why did it have to be a sloth? What's wrong with a teddy bear or a damn rabbit?"
Donna rolls her eyes, "Please they're so boring. Ava is a special kid. I had to get her something outside of the box."
"Fair enough," Harvey agrees. "But, why did she name it after me?"
Donna shakes her head, clearly flabbergasted. "Let me ask you something. Even with Mike in Seattle did you forget about him?"
"Of course not, Donna."
"Exactly, just because you weren't around didn't mean that Mike forgot about you. Or didn't talk about you. From Rachel said, Mike told Ava all about you. How you took a chance on him. And like I said, Ava is a smart kid so some of what Mike said must have stuck. Hence how Ha Ha came to be."
Donna takes a seat by Harvey's desk. She's not done with her interrogation yet.
"Yes? Is there anything else I can help you with?" Harvey asks.
Donna takes a breath before she asks. "Did you two talk?"
"About? You got to be a little bit more specific there, Donna."
"Don't get smart with me. It's been awhile. You guys have a lot to talk about."
Harvey slowly nods. "We talked a little. He mentioned that he hasn't seen Robert since right after Ava was born. That things got rough when we were forcing Robert out of here. Did you know that Robert was trying to get them all to move back out here when he was on his way out?"
"Not quite," Donna said with a shake of her head.
"What?" Harvey asked.
"Robert was not trying to get them all to move back out here. He was trying to get Rachel to move out here with Ava. Leave Mike in Seattle."
"Fuck. What a douche. No wonder why Mike was so quick to take up my offer to let him and Ava stay with me."
Donna nods. "You probably love that."
"Donna-"
"Harvey-"
"Fine, a piece of me is happy that Mike and the kid is staying at my place."
"Just don't make this about you and Robert. This is about Rachel. Mike. Ava."
"I know that, Donna. That's why I didn't go out to Seattle for the services, even though I wanted to. It all but killed me not to go out there. Especially after heating how Mike was on the phone. And as much as I want to punch Robert, especially after learning about that little stunt he tried a couple of years ago, I'm not going to do that. I won't do that to Mike. Besides, believe it or not I know how to be civil."
"Good. I just hope Robert is on the same wavelength."
"He better be," Harvey replies.
Chapter 4 Preview: Ava has a meltdown and Harvey steps up to the plate in a big way.
