Chapter 10
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"Mike, good to see you." Jeff greats as he walks into the living room.
"You too." Mike responds, "Is something wrong?" he asks concerned, "Has something happened to Jessica?" he asks worried.
"Jessica's fine." Jeff assures him, being a little surprised that that is the first thing Mike said, and that he asked that with clear concern, "I'm going to meet her for dinner later." Jeff explains as Harvey gestures for Jeff to sit down on one of the chairs while he sits back down next to Mike.
"I take it you have an answer." Harvey says to Jeff.
"I do." Jeff confirms.
"What are you talking about?" Mike asks, looking between Jeff and Harvey.
"My brother is the Dean of Admissions at NYU Law School." Jeff reveals, and Mike's eyes widen at that, not wanting to think that what he is thinking is even a possibility as he doesn't want to be let down, "Donna gave me a list of people to go to and for the last week I've been collecting letters of recommendations and explanations from different people, about you." Jeff reveals, causing Mike to look amazed, "Yesterday I told Harvey, Jessica and Louis what I was doing and they wrote letters too." He explains, "Today I had a meeting with my brother." He explains.
"And?" Harvey asks, as Mike is frozen in shock feeling like this must be some kind of dream.
"He's willing to meet with Mike, Tuesday at ten am." Jeff explains, "It's no guarantee of anything, but he is impressed with what he's read, and he wants to talk to Mike before making his decision." Jeff reveals as he is pretty confident that his brother is going to give Mike a chance, he just doesn't want to tell Harvey or Mike that, just in case he is wrong.
"But I didn't finish college. I couldn't go straight to Law School even if your brother did decide to give me a chance." Mike reminds Jeff, not wanting to let himself hope.
"I've looked at your real transcripts, and so has my brother. By doing a few extra course you could complete all your academic requirements within the next two semesters and then start law school in the fall." Jeff explains and Mike just looks amazed.
"Mike?" Harvey asks concerned as Mike is just sitting with a look of complete shock on his face.
"Is this really happening?" Mike asks, his voice quiet.
"Yeah, it is." Harvey says, putting his arm around Mike.
"Is there really a chance?" Mike asks, looking at Jeff, "Would your brother really consider admitting me to NYU?" He asks, needing to know what his expectations should be.
"He wouldn't have asked for the meeting if he wasn't considering it." Jeff reveals, "I told him everything. Everything about you and what you've done, and he's read over a dozen letters from people supporting you, but he wants to talk to you. He wants to see who you are and see if you should get this chance." Jeff explains, "My brother's going into this with an open mind, but if he's going to fight for you then he needs to know the person that he's fighting for. I may have sent things in motion but it's up to you to bring it home."
"I will, this is what I've wanted for so long." Mike says as right now everything feels like it's all some kind of amazing dream, he's with the person he been in love with for a long time, the person he never thought would love him back, and he might be going to law school, he might be able to be a real lawyer.
"Good. Remember, Tuesday, ten am." Jeff tells Mike.
"I will." Mike says with a nod, "Thank you, Jeff, you have no idea what this means to me."
"I think I do." Jeff says, "I better get going. I don't want to leave Jessica waiting at the restaurant."
"No, you really don't." Harvey says, "I'll show you out." He says and both he and Jeff head to the front door. Harvey thanking Jeff before he goes.
"Mike?" Harvey asks when he walks back over to the living area where Mike is still sitting, seemingly in his state of amazement.
"I can't believe this." Mike says, having no idea what to think or feel.
"Well believe it. You've got a chance." Harvey tells Mike as he sits down.
"Why didn't you tell me what Jeff was doing?" Mike asks curious.
"I only found out yesterday and I didn't want you to know until Jeff talked to his brother, just in case there wasn't even a chance." Harvey explains to Mike, "I also wanted to give you this." Harvey says, pulling a letter out of his pocket and handing it to Mike.
"An offer letter?" Mike asks, looking at it in surprise, once he's read it, "Harvey…"
"Your title will be consultant, and you'll be that whether you go to Law School or not." Harvey reveals, "If you get into law school you can work part time and then once you graduate you'll once more be a Junior Partner." Harvey reveals.
"Harvey, that's too much." Mike says, feeling amazed by the offer.
"It's what you deserve." Harvey tells him, "Mike you're the best Junior Partner there is and if you have to have the title of consultant to do what you should be doing then that's what you're going to be." Harvey says, "But if Jeff's brother lets you go to law school then it will be legitimate, and you shouldn't start from the bottom again, you should get to continue from where you left off."
"Harvey, everyone left the firm because of me. I can't do that to you again." Mike tells Harvey, not wanting to make things worse for him.
"You're not doing anything to me, you'll be doing it for me. I want to work with you again Mike, I miss working with you." Harvey tells him.
"I miss working with you too." Mike says with a smile, "But what makes you think Jessica and Louis will sign off?" he asks.
"They already have." Harvey assures him, "We talked about it today. They agree with both the consultant role and you automatically being Junior Partner if you go to law school." Harvey reveals.
"Really?" Mike asks, sounding surprised.
"Really, they both like working with you almost as much as I do." Harvey explains, being pretty sure that no one likes working with Mike as he does, "Just think about it."
"I will." Mike assures him and the two of them drift into silence, "Do you know who wrote letters for me?" he asks curious, breaking the silence.
"I glanced at some of them, there was a lot, but I know your IT friend, the former associate that talked at your trial, and the one that Louis used to bully. Lola Jensen, Scottie, Robert Zane and a lot of other people wrote them." Harvey explains to Mike.
"Really?" Mike asks surprised, some of those names surprising him.
"Yeah." Harvey says with a nod, "According to Jeff out of all the people he went to he only had to explain what was going on to some of the people, most people he just had to say that he was helping you and they happily wrote letters."
"Really?" Mike asks shocked.
"You've helped a lot of people Mike, made impressions, and there are a lot of people who would happily help you." Harvey explains.
"I can't believe Robert Zane and Scottie would write letters." Mike admits.
"Honestly, neither could I." Harvey says, and then he remembers something, "Rachel talked to Donna yesterday she's currently staying with her parents and said to sell the apartment and keep the money for yourself." He reveals.
"Okay." Mike says with a nod, "I guess I should head by there tomorrow, get the stuff I need. Can you still come with me?" Mike asks, really not wanting to go alone.
"Of course." Harvey answers, without hesitation.
"And do you happen to know a realtor?" Mike asks curious, figuring that he would.
"Yep, I can set you up." Harvey reveals.
"Thanks." Mike says gratefully, "So, what do I do in this meeting? How do I get him to give me a chance?" Mike asks curious, figuring that the best closer in New York will have some tips for him.
"Just be yourself, be honest, let him see how important this is to you." Harvey tells Mike who gives a nod, "How would you feel about going out to dinner instead of getting take out?" he asks curious.
"I like that idea." Mike says, "Just give me ten minutes to get changed." He says, standing up then realising something Mike turns back around, and kisses Harvey, "I love you."
"Love you too." Harvey responds and Mike heads into the bedroom while Harvey starts to clean up the paper.
An hour later Harvey and Mike are being shown to their table at a pretty fancy restaurant, that people clearly need to book tables at in advance.
"You really do have connections everywhere, don't you?" Mike asks Harvey with an amused look.
"You should know that by now." Harvey says as he and Mike sit down.
"I really should." Mike realises as he picks up the menu and as he does he can't help but smile.
"What's with the smile?" Harvey asks, though he is glad to see it.
"The food's the simple but expensive versions, not the fancy." Mike explains simply as while he would eat it because Rachel really liked it, Mike has never been comfortable with the kind of food that Rachel likes.
"I figured you'd like this place." Harvey says with a smile, having watched Mike enough to know that he has never been completely comfortable with the kind of food Rachel liked, so he figured that for their first date he'd go with something simple, but expensive.
"I do, just a pity that I can't try the scotch." Mike comments.
"Once you can drink again we'll go out and you can drink every scotch on the menu." Harvey informs him.
"I like the sound of that." Mike responds, as they both start to read the menus and enjoy their first official date.
Even though they didn't get back to the condo too late, and were up even later, both Harvey and Mike managed to get up relatively early to head over to Mike and Rachel's apartment, that Mike knows he could never consider that to be again, to get Mike's stuff.
"If you don't think you can do this we don't have to; you can keep borrowing my clothes." Harvey tells Mike, who has stopped outside the door and hasn't opened it.
"No, I can do this." Mike tells him, "I need my own suit for Tuesday." Mike realises and he pulls out his key, which was in the stuff Donna and Cahill collected from the prison, and opens the door.
"Okay, I'm right here." Harvey says, reaching out and putting his hand on Mike's shoulder, squeezing it in comfort.
"I know." Mike says, feeling grateful for that, before he uses his key and enters the apartment, Harvey right behind him.
"If there's any of the furniture you want to keep I can get a truck here." Harvey says as Mike looks around the room, Harvey knowing he is imagining what Rachel must have been doing in the apartment, something which he knows isn't good for Mike.
"There's nothing I want, Rachel picked out most of it." Mike reveals, "Let's just get my stuff." Mike says as he heads towards the bedroom, Harvey right behind him, offering silent support.
As soon as Harvey and Mike walk into the bedroom Harvey notices that Mike isn't looking at the bed, in fact he is looking everywhere else.
"There are boxes and bags in the cupboard with where my bike is, we'll use those." Mike tells Harvey.
"Okay." Harvey says and he heads over to collects the bags and boxes while Mike starts to look around for the things he wants to take with him, while once more purposely avoiding looking at the bed.
Over an hour later Harvey and Mike have filled several boxes and bags with things and have started to take everything that Mike wants, including his bike, to the large car that they drove in.
"Is this the last of it?" Harvey asks as he returns to the apartment, having taken a box down.
"Um, yeah." Mike says, looking around at the single bag and box that are left, "Wait." He says before hurrying over and picking up the panda needle point, "I can't leave this."
"No, you can't." Harvey says, knowing how much that panda means to Mike, "You ready to go home?" he asks.
"Home, I like the sound of that." Mike admits before he and Harvey pick up the last of Mike's stuff and head out of the apartment, the apartment that Mike never intends to be in again.
A while later Mike and Harvey are back at the condo and have put all Mike's stuff away.
"You know I could just keep the stuff in bags, it wouldn't be the first time." Mike tells Harvey as they walk into the living area.
"I have plenty of room, it's better for you to unpack." Harvey tells him, as he wants Mike to be completely comfortable.
"You sure?" Mike says.
"Positive." Harvey assures him, "I didn't just say home out of habit, I said home because I want you to think of this as home." Harvey says and Mike gets an amused look on his face, "What?" he asks.
"We just got together and we're already living together, not exactly normal." Mike comments with an amused look on his face.
"We've never been normal." Harvey says as he walks closer to Mike, being pretty sure that his and Mike's relationship has never been normal.
"Normals overrated." Mike says as he wraps his arms around Harvey and kisses him. As they kiss Mike and Harvey make their way over to the couch which they fall onto.
For a few minutes Mike and Harvey kiss, and start to remove clothes, they are so focused on what they are doing that they don't notice the front door open or hear the footsteps.
"HEY!" A voice yells, and because they are surprised Harvey falls off of Mike and onto the ground.
"Donna." Mike says, completely embarrassed as he searches for his shirt, while trying to cover his scar as he doesn't want Donna to see, something which Harvey notices.
"You've really got to start knocking." Harvey says from his position on the floor, looking annoyed at his assistant.
"I'll consider it." Donna say, making it clear that she really won't, as Mike passes Harvey his shirt.
"What are you doing here?" Harvey asks as he stands up.
"I brought champagne, and sparkling cider." Donna explains, "And food." She adds, "I thought we could celebrate the fact that you're now officially living together."
"I would prefer the celebration Mike and I were doing." Harvey comments, telling the complete truth.
"We have time for that later." Mike says as he gets up and walks over to Donna, "I'll get glasses." He says.
"Your flies undone." Donna tells Harvey.
"No, it's not." Harvey responds and Donna just gives him a look, causing him to check and discover that Donna was right.
"I'm so glad I didn't get here a few minutes later." Donna says as she and Harvey both head to the kitchen together so that the two of them, and Mike celebrate together.
After having drinks and food with Donna Harvey and Mike didn't leave the condo for the rest of the weekend and on Monday morning Harvey didn't really want to leave, but he did as he had to work and Mike spent the rest of the day preparing, as much as he could, for the interview that he knows is coming.
It's Tuesday morning and because Harvey arranged his schedule so that he didn't have to be at the office until after he drops Mike off at his interview.
As he has been ready for a while Harvey is sitting in the living room waiting for Mike. Looking at his watch Harvey knows that they have to get going so and so he gets up and heads into the bedroom where Mike is seemingly having trouble tying his tie.
"Need a hand?" Harvey asks curious.
"Yeah, that would be good." Mike admits, "I don't know why I'm having such a trouble, this should be easy, I've done it hundreds of time."
"You're nervous." Harvey says, walking over to Mike, "This means a lot to you, it's important." He explains, "But you've got this, you'll do great."
"How can you be so sure?" Mike asks, sounding worried.
"Because I know you, you've got to do great, Mike." Harvey says as he does Mike's tie, "But seriously, skinny tie?" he asks, giving Mike a look.
"You said to be myself." Mike points out.
"Yeah, I did. Which is why you've got to stop being nervous." Harvey tells Mike, "There." He says as he finishes Mikes tie, "We should get going." Harvey tells Mike.
"Yeah, we should." Mike says as he picks up his jacket, puts it on and the two of them head out of the condo.
Half an hour later Ray stops the car outside of NYU.
"We're here." Ray says from the front.
"Thanks Ray." Harvey and Mike say together.
"You're going to do great, Mike. You're going to amaze Jeff's brother and convince him to give you a chance." Harvey tells him.
"Yeah." Mike says, taking a deep breath, "I've got this." He says.
"You've got this." Harvey assures him, and Mike leans forward and kisses Harvey.
"I love you." Mike says when they break apart.
"I Love you too." Harvey responds and then after taking a deep breath Mike opens the door and heads out of the car.
After Mike gets out Harvey watches him until he disappears within a sea of people.
"To the office Ray." Harvey says, once he can no longer see Mike.
"Of course." Ray responds and he starts to drive Harvey's mind on Mike the entire time.
A while after leaving Mike Harvey arrives at the office, and as he makes his way towards his office Harvey is pretty sure that he isn't going to be able to focus on much of anything.
"So, how'd it go?" Donna ask as she sees Harvey walking up to her.
"He's at NYU, he's nervous." Harvey reveals, "But I think he'll go okay."
"I didn't think Mike got nervous anymore." Donna notes.
"This is everything he wanted. I'm not surprise that he's nervous." Harvey admits, "I just…." Harvey starts to say, but then trails off.
"Just?" Donna gently prods.
"If Malone's brother doesn't give him a chance I worried about what it will do to him." Harvey admits, looking worried as he knows that will devastate Mike and he doesn't want him to be in that much pain.
"You offered him the consultant job though, right?" Donna asks.
"Yeah, but I don't know if he will take it if he doesn't get a chance to go to law school." Harvey admits.
"He'll be okay, either way, even if it takes some time." Donna says, needing to believe that, "You better get to work."
"Yeah." Harvey says with a nod, "If he calls or visits put Mike straight through." Harvey requests.
"Of course." Donna responds and Harvey heads into the office, his mind on the man he loves the entire time.
At NYU Mike is sitting in an uncomfortable seat, outside ant office, just waiting, waiting for what may turn out to be the second most important meeting of his life, the first having been his interview with Harvey. As he waits Mike counts ever second, doing so to distract himself from his waiting.
"Mr Ross." A voice says after exactly fourteen minutes and twenty-three seconds of waiting, causing Mike to look up to see a woman, who is clearly an assistant.
"Dean Malone will see you now."
"Thank you." Mike responds and he takes a deep breath and walks into the office, into the meeting that will decide his future.