(A/N) Ello, Everyone!
Forgive me for the wait. I take full responsibility. I also take full responsibility for the editing...I still have no grammar check so I had to do it by myself. I apologize for any mistakes I didn't catch.
I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday!
Also, to ohmycas , literally seven minutes before you reviewed I had just finished planning out part of the story. Chapter 20 takes us to New Year's Eve(yes, we will be having some holiday chapters). I wanted this story to last til May or so...It'll probably be very long lol.
I have a few things that need to be said. I'd save it for the end but...well, I don't think you'll be interested with the ending I have given you here so...Listen up! One of the reasons this came so late was because I started writing another story of mine that I had stopped. I stopped because I'm planning on rewriting it and trying to get it published. Because I want to work on the book asap, I'm gonna have to put back some Marvey ideas...I will finish Barely Legal without pause but after it's done, I'll be taking a hopefully short break to work on the book.
Um...I believe that's it. I love you guys! I hope you enjoy ;D
Chapter Eleven: Jealously
Hospital.
Donna looked down at her phone, her heart skipping a few times before completely stopping. Before her mind could completely catch up, her feet took off, her heart jump starting as she excused herself from Jessica and ran towards where her car was parked. People were watching, laughing at her as she ran faster then she knew was safe in her heels through the building, and for once she didn't stop to glare at them. She didn't have time. This was more important than her reputation there. She could repair whatever damage was done later, she had to get to the hospital now.
She wasn't entirely sure what was going on. Harvey had only sent the one word. Instantly Donna knew it had to do with Mike's grandmother. That, or Mike managed to break something while walking from the Auditorium to Harvey's car. She cut off a teacher as she pulled out of her usual parking space and ignored his glare and shouts in order to take off. She raced out of the parking lot and down the road, not caring if she got picked up by one of the traffic cameras. She glanced up at her self at a red light, and, upon seeing her reflection, she leaned back and sighed, feeling a chuckle bubbling up.
The redhead made fun of Harvey for growing so attached to Mike, for loving him as much as he did. Honestly, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. Harvey had never been in love before, and Donna was certain that, for whatever the reason Mike and Harvey didn't work out, Harvey would never love again. She teased, but she did want them both to be happy. She was certain that they were meant for one another, and Donna had never been wrong before in her life when it came to her hunches about people.
Neither Harvey or Mike were answering their phones, both going straight to voice mail. She tossed her phone angrily to the seat next to her before looking up in the rear view mirror once again. As she glanced up at herself, she noticed the panicked look and nearly starting laughing at herself. She just couldn't believe it, but at the same time she could. She was an emotionally controlled girl. Not so much as Harvey was, because one of them had to be more in tuned with their emotions. The fact that she was the girl had nothing to do with the matter. Harvey's past made him who he was, and hers made her who she was. She learned never to let anyone get too close, never let anyone break down the walls she carefully built so many years ago.
Harvey had been the first she really let in, and their relationship wasn't something she had really expected. He knew more about her than anyone, her parents and sister included. After she realized that Harvey had found his way in her heart - and her into his as well - she vowed that he would be the first and last person. It had been dangerous, and Donna considered himself lucky that Harvey hadn't dropped her four years ago when he realized just how attached they both had become. For the first time, Donna saw that she had failed. Her racing heartbeat, panicked look, and desire to get to the hospital as fast as she could proved as much.
Her walls were constructed carefully, all strong and heavily guarded. They were likes bones, once broken, they healed stronger. Donna put her front up in front of everyone except Harvey and she only let him in when they were alone. She was sure that no one would ever be able to get in again. But somehow, Mike managed to climb over and sneak his way until he reached her heart. Harvey wasn't the only one who had grown attached to the kid, she realized, and nearly laughed again. If she wasn't so scared, she would have. She looked down at her nails, chipped and worn. She missed her manicure the past week so she could do Mike's laundry. The gleam from the chipped red polish taunted her.
She pressed on the gas a little harder than usual, and sped off towards the hospital. When she reached the parking garage, she parked in the first spot available and ran through the lot and in the front doors. A few people stared at her, but no one payed much mind to her actions. She walked straight up to the receptionist, who smiled brightly at her. Donna wanted to snatch it off her face more than she normally would, but smiled politely back. "Hi, I'm here to see Karen Ross. I was just wondering if she was in the same room."
The woman typed in the name, and then drew her lips in tight, "Hmm...No, actually. It appears that Miss. Ross has been moved."
"Where?"
"Down one floor to the cardiac intensive care unit," The woman explained, "She was just moved an hour ago." She wrote the number to her room on a pink slip and handed it to her. Donna was gone before the woman could wish her a good day. It took her a few minutes to find the right room when she got to the floor. Harvey saw her, and placed his hand on Mike's shoulder before coming out to greet her. The look on his face made Donna wanna cry. She felt so bad, she couldn't even be mad at herself for letting her emotions slip away from her.
"Is she okay?"
Harvey placed his hands on her shoulders, gently pushing her towards the waiting room. Donna only resisted for a second, her eyes trying to peer into the room. She could see Mike and the machines, but not Karen. It wasn't until they were both sitting that he spoke. "She had a heart attack. They said it was a mix of medications that she turned out to be allergic to plus the stress of being weaned off the machine."
Donna's eyes filled with tears, "Is she going to be okay?"
Harvey sighed, "Most likely, yes. The next few days are crucial. They said that she was breathing harshly for a couple minutes, but was doing okay that they were going to hook her up to a regular oxygen machine and then she went into cardiac arrest. They had to perform CPR and it cracked three of her ribs." He paused for a moment, feeling more vulnerable then he had five minutes before. "She's breathing on her own. They wanted to put her back under but had to limit the amount of medication she could take. She needs a lot of rest, and they have to monitor her just in case."
The secretary nodded slowly, "How is Mike?"
"Holding up," He responded, "He's trying not to cry so he won't scare his grandmother." His heart broke. He couldn't do anything to help Karen and he couldn't make it any easier on Mike. Part of him wanted to run. It was easier that way, but he loved Mike too much to leave him to deal with it on his own. And that scared him the most. He didn't think he'd ever been so scared in his life. He wasn't just scared for Karen or Mike, but for himself and Donna as well. Both had obviously been pulled into the cyclone that was Mike Ross, and for the first time, they were both completely vulnerable. The two always leaned on each other when they need to. He wasn't sure what to do now.
Donna grabbed his hand, "We should go in there. I don't want Mike to be alone."
As they made their way down the hall, Harvey suddenly remembered their case. He glanced at Mike through the giant window and then back at Donna, "Did you...?"
"I already called the coach, she'll be ready tomorrow and the cupcake cake is off for analysis."
"Did you call Bernice's parents?"
She nodded.
"Donna, you're amazing," Harvey told her, breathing a sigh of relief. The last thing Mike needed to be worrying about was the case.
Donna tried to smile at the compliment, but when she looked at a restless and sleeping Karen, and then at Mike, who's blue eyes shined with hidden tears, she felt anything but amazing.
…
The three stayed at the hospital together, each taking shifts in keeping Karen company and going off to stretch their legs. Donna and Harvey used their free time to make sure everything was in order for the trial, while Mike spent his time crying. He hid in the very back of the waiting room, away from any others who were there and hung his head in his hands. His vision was so blurry, blue eyes so glazed over that, if it had not been for Donna's unique hair color, he wouldn't have known who was hugging him.
He hugged her back as if his life depended on it, and in many ways it did. Donna and Harvey were his lifelines, the only thing keeping him from going completely over the deep end. Mike was in no way stupid, and while naive, he knew that eventually his grandmother would die. Still, that hadn't stopped him from thinking that she never would. That somehow, his grandmother would live forever and be the one to bury him when he was old and no longer able to hold on. The reality of it all was hitting him even harder than before because it was becoming clearer as time went on. Even if his grandmother survived, she would lose the rest of her freedoms. She wouldn't live much longer, and Mike didn't think she'd even want to. He thought that broke his heart the most.
One of the nurses came to talk to him, her voice low so no one could overhear them. Mike was barely listening, but he made out the words "do not resuscitate" as clear as he could hear his booming heart. Unable to stop himself, he started crying harder, his voice hiccuping slightly as his vision blurred even more. Donna stood, a stance that Mike knew was dangerous. She shooed the nurse away without having to say a word, the young woman scurrying out the door and back to the nurse's station. As she left, she whispered something that sounded suspiciously like, "rumors were right," and "crazy bitch,".
Donna pulled him back to her, his head tucked under her chin. Mike wiped his eyes and stared at the clock for a moment. He rubbed his eyes to rid himself of anymore tears and stood up slowly. It was his turn to be with his grandmother. He moved slowly down the hall, his heart beating louder and louder as he went. As he passed the nurses station, they all looked at him but didn't ask him anymore questions. Harvey saw him coming, but didn't move from his spot next to Karen until Mike was standing next to him.
"Hey," He said quietly, "How are you?"
Mike just nodded, the lump in his throat making it hard for him to speak. "I, uh, Donna scared away a nurse, but, they want me to..."
"I know," Harvey told him, "they came in here looking for you." He was silent for a moment, "I know it's hard kid, but..."
Mike shook his head no, silencing Harvey instantly, "I know," He admitted, "I just...couldn't say it then. "I'll tell them...after I sit here for a while."
The teacher nodded slowly and then grabbed the bag he'd left on the table and handed it to Mike. The genius instantly recognized the symbol on the bag as the bookstore from the mall not far away. He pulled the object out and stared down at the cover for a moment. The Great Gatsby stared back at him, fresh and new.
"You said it was one of your grandmother's favorites," Harvey explained, "They said she can hear us still even with her new medications. I thought you might wanna read it to her."
Mike sighed, a strange mix of despair and happiness. He wrapped his arms around Harvey and rested his head against his shoulder. The older hesitated, but wrapped his arms around his student, holding him closely to his chest. For a moment, both ignored the screaming voices telling them that they were crossing a line, and listened solely to the beat of their synchronizing hearts and the radiating warmth that surrounded them.
Mike smiled at Harvey as they pulled apart, and Harvey's hands rested on Mike longer than necessary before he moved around so Mike could take a seat. He waited until Mike was settled before leaving the room. He noticed how all the nurses fell silent as he walked by, their chatter picking up when he made it a little down the hall. He all but collapsed in the chair next to Donna. He could hear his suit wrinkling under the pressure but didn't move to a better position. He stared up at the TV, though completely uninterested in the show. The nurses had put on America's Funniest Home Videos in an attempt to cheer everyone up. It wasn't working. Donna was flipping causally through an issue of Cat Fancy, but Harvey could tell she wasn't really looking at anything. Her flipping sped up before she flung the magazine on the table in front of them.
"When my mother died," She said suddenly, pulling Harvey's attention to her. Her eyes were rimmed with red and any eyeliner she had once been wearing was smeared off. Harvey pretended not to notice, "I was in college. Dad was never there, my sister and I weren't talking, and my grandparents had long since passed away. I was alone, and I promised myself that I would never allow anyone to make me feel so depressed ever again."
"Yea," Harvey said, nodding, because there was nothing else he could say, "I felt the same way when he went to jail."
There was a pause, "Have you talked to Mike about it?"
"I will," He told her. He hadn't thought much about it until now, but Mike shared his past with him, it was only fair he did the same.
They stayed in silence for nearly an hour, Harvey pretending to be interested in the show and Donna flipping through every magazine they had before the receptionist stood up and stretched. She pulled a few coins out of her purse and then looked at Harvey, "You want something," She pointed to the vending machines when he looked up at her, shrugging as he shook his head no. She ate her blueberry muffin at the door and left without saying a word.
A couple minutes later, Mike sat down in Donna's seat. "Donna said she had a muffin and said for us to go get something to eat."
Harvey checked his watch. It was already almost nine, and they hadn't eaten since lunch. He stood and nodded for Mike to follow him. The cafeteria would be closed soon, and though Harvey had moved past the point of being hungry, he knew Mike wouldn't eat unless he did. The two slowly made their way to the cafeteria, both ignoring the other sick people as they went. They grabbed themselves a couple of subs and some coffee before heading to check out. Mike grabbed a small container of fruit as they walked, and Harvey nodded at him. Both knew how much Donna loved fruit. Harvey paid and the two went to sit at the closest open table.
They both sat in relative silence while they ate, the only noise being Mike scarfing down his food. Harvey picked at his, his stomach turning slightly. He ate what he could but ultimately shoved it over to Mike, who was licking his fingers clean. The younger raised an eyebrow, but didn't verbally question it. He just picked up the sub and ate it, this one slower. It took less than ten minutes, but neither one moved when they were done. The cafeteria was closing so they were completely alone except for a few remaining workers cleaning up.
"I, uh, I told them," Mike said suddenly before taking a sip of his coffee. He didn't need to say anything else, Harvey would know. He pushed the tears back and forced himself to smile. It was the right thing to do. "If it happens again...they won't..." He sighed before mumbling, "I just don't want her to suffer anymore."
"I'm sure she'll be fine, Mike," Harvey offered, unsure of what else to say.
"I'm not sure I want that," He responded, "I mean, yea, I want her alive. I love her. But, more importantly, I want what's best for her, not for me. I just wish I knew what the best was."
Harvey wanted to say something, but nothing came out as he opened his mouth. Most people couldn't grasp something like that. They always wanted what was best for themselves and not their loved ones. The fact that Mike was mature enough to make the decision and allow himself to let go a little spoke worlds to Harvey.
Mike stood, and Harvey followed. They walked back up to the room in order to get Donna and say good bye. Mike promised to be back tomorrow, and both Harvey and Donna squeezed Karen's hand before leaving. The walk was agonizing for Mike. He wanted to cry, but didn't want to appear anymore weak in front of Donna and Harvey. It amazed him. He never really cared for Trevor's opinion of him and Jenny's was nice to hear but never needed. His Gram was the person he didn't want to let down, and now, he didn't want to let down Donna or Harvey either. As they reached Mike and Harvey's car, Donna hugged Mike tightly and kissed his cheek before walking up the platform to where she had parked. It wasn't until they were in the car and headed home that Mike jumped and screamed, "The trial!"
"It's taken care of," Harvey told him without taking his eyes off the road, "so don't worry about it."
Mike hesitated for a moment but then relaxed. The ride back to the apartment was silent and Mike wanted nothing more than fall into bed and sleep for the rest of the year. There was a stiffness in the air that Mike didn't remember being there before. He leaned against Harvey slightly as they rode up the elevator, just to make sure he was really there. As they entered the apartment, they exchanged good nights without looking at one another. Mike was just about to walk to his room when Harvey pressed the button to check his messages and heard Rachel's voice through the speaker. He stopped in his tracks before turning to look at Harvey.
"Hi, Mr. Specter, it's me, Rachel Zane...you know, the girl you hit in the face with the door. Um, I hope you don't mind but I got your number from a file at school...Um, I'm having problems with this law assignment and I would love if we could get together. I mean, I really need help and you're the best so...give me a call from this number...or find me in school. Um, bye."
"...I didn't know Rachel was in your law class."
"...She's not," Harvey said slowly, his mind trying to wrap around what had happened, "She's in Louis'."
"Then why doesn't she ask him for help," Mike questioned, jealously settling in his stomach, "Or Gregory. Or me."
"How the hell am I suppose to know?" The older questioned back as he threw his jacket off. He had a bad feeling about this.
"There isn't anything going on between you and her, is there?" The blonde couldn't stop himself from asking. He had to know. Was Rachel just using him to get closer to Harvey? Could Harvey really be involved with her? The thought alone broke his heart a little.
"Are you an idiot," The teacher asked, and then rolled his eyes, "This is ridiculous. You should get some sleep."
"I'm not a child, Harvey, you can't tell me what to do."
Harvey almost pulled the 'you live under my roof' thing, but stopped himself at the last minute. Mike was not a child and did not deserve to be treated as such. He had not meant it to sound like he was ordering him around. He was merely worried about his well being. "I'm not. But you do need sleep. I can tell you're tired."
"I wanna know what that message is about," Mike insisted, stepping closer to him.
"Nothing," Harvey reassured, though he was getting more and more agitated. "I have absolutely no idea why she called me. Or even how she got my number!"
"Are you sleeping with her?" Mike regretted the words as soon as they left his lips. He was letting his jealously get in the way of his judgement. He was sounding like a jealous boyfriend and he didn't want that. He trusted Harvey, he did. Harvey was almost always with him. Still, the phone call didn't make any sense. Rachel was a very smart girl and did well in everything she did. And if she did need help on a law assignment, she could always ask Louis or her boyfriend. Mike considered the possibility that she was trying to get closer to Harvey to get closer to him, but pushed it out of his mind. Harvey didn't help students and he certainty wasn't about to help Rachel get back with him. It just wasn't something he would ever do.
"Okay, if you seriously think that, then you're an idiot," Harvey practically yelled, letting his anger get the best of him. It was bad enough that Mike had went and saw her during the night but then to accuse him of doing something with her was something entirely different. He had done some low things in his life, but he never did anything with anyone who was already committed to someone else. And no matter how much it killed him, he wouldn't try and ruin whatever Mike may have with her.
"That's not a no," Mike screamed back, unable to help himself. He couldn't understand why Harvey was dodging.
"No, okay, you happy now?"
"No," The blonde screamed back, his temper rising, "because I want to know why she's calling you!"
"I don't know, Mike, why not go ask your girlfriend?"
"Girlfriend?"
"Yea," Harvey said, practically pushing past Mike, "I saw you guys."
Mike looked honestly confused, and it almost made Harvey laugh, "What are you talking about?"
Harvey didn't want to bring it up, didn't want it have that argument then and there. He didn't want to fight with him, but it was all driving him so crazy, "About two weeks ago. I saw you guys walking away from this building together."
Mike was speechless.
"Your stupid girlfriend called me, not the other way around. So if you're worried, you should go talk to her about it. Not me!"
And that's when it clicked for Mike. Harvey must have thought he had taken her back or that something had happened between them. He thought that Mike was jealous of Harvey. Mike suddenly felt stupid. He should have never thought he could get away with anything. Not with Harvey. He was almost as all knowing as Donna. And Harvey would never have Rachel call him when Mike could overhear the message and Rachel didn't know he was there. If Rachel wasn't trying to use Harvey to get closer to him, then she was trying to get closer to Harvey.
"Harvey," Mike called out to him but it was too late. The older man had already gone into his room and closed the door behind him. Mike felt even more tired now, and the burning jealousy was replaced by a gut wrenching sorrow. He should have believed Harvey. He knocked on his bedroom door, counting the seconds in his head. He knocked again, starting the count over until Harvey opened the door. He wasn't wearing anything but a pair of sweat pants and it instantly drew his attention to his chest.
"I'm going to bed," Harvey told him, "Get some sleep for the trial. Or don't. I don't care. Though, if you're gonna sneak out to see your girlfriend again, try not to be so loud this time." And with that, he slammed the door in his face.
Mike lifted his fist to knock again. He even considered just walking in so they could talk, but, Mike didn't have anything to say other than he was sorry. He had a feeling that it wasn't going to be good enough. He sighed, and walked to his room. He dragged himself into bed without taking his suit off. For a while, he just laid there, unable to sleep. His body had shut down but his mind was going a million miles a minute. Finally, he closed his eyes and managed to fall asleep, completely unaware that Harvey laid awake down the hall.
…
School the next day was hell. He had fucked up, that much was obvious. He didn't know how he could fix it but he knew he had to and soon. The car ride was completely silent on the way to school that morning. Harvey slammed doors and refused to look him in the eye when he talked. At first Mike got angry over it, thinking Harvey was being a child. It wasn't until Donna threw him a look that morning that told him Harvey was just upset. It broke his heart. He had done that to him.
Harvey thanked Donna for getting him a coffee but didn't acknowledge that Mike was even still in the room as he left. Mike counted the steps as he walked away, begging that Harvey would just turn around and look at him or slow down from his just faster than usual pace. Harvey did stop for a moment, just before he was out of sight, and Mike felt his heart flutter for a moment. It dropped in his stomach as Harvey continued on. "I fucked up," He told Donna.
"No kidding," She said back as she sat down in her seat, looking prime and proper, "What the hell did you do, anyway?"
"He didn't tell you?"
"Didn't get the chance," Donna responded as she leaned back in her chair, "but I don't need him to tell me to know that he's upset about something."
Mike just sighed, "I'll tell you later, all right? I gotta figure this out before it gets any bigger."
Donna gave him a look, but nodded her head anyway.
Mike didn't get a chance to think about it. People all over the school were talking about the trial, asking him questions and getting on his case over it. Mrs. Chex kept staring at him. He knew she wanted to ask about the trial, as Mrs. Melvin was her best friend. He ignored her looks as best he could. He wasn't allowed to discuss the case with anyone other than Harvey and Donna. It wasn't just Harvey's rule, it was Jessica's. Mrs. Chex held him back after class and Mike put on his best innocent face and told her that Harvey controlled everything. It was close enough to the truth that Mike didn't feel like an ass for dodging.
Everyone stared at him as he entered second hour. Louis gave everyone tons of work, saying he and Gregory had work to do because of the trial and he didn't have time to lecture. He then left the room, leaving Mike alone and completely vulnerable. Not that Louis was much protection. He was pretty much public enemy number one, but people were usually pretty tame when he was there. Louis would eventually have to put a stop to the torment, or he risked Jessica skinning his ass.
Mike counted twenty crumpled pieces of paper and forty - two spit balls had hit him in the last ten minutes - most of which had come from Trevor -, and two of the spit balls had gone into his ear. He ignored it the best he could - though the spit in his ear seriously pushed his last nerve - and finished all his work in just over twenty minutes. He pretended to keep working, though, knowing that the others would be even more angry if they knew he wouldn't have any homework for the night and they would.
He continued to scribble down useless information from the textbook while he thought about what to do with Harvey. Just saying "I'm sorry," wasn't going to be enough to make Harvey forgive him. The fight might not have seemed big, but it was. At least to them it was. Harvey wasn't someone who was easily hurt, and Mike had managed to do it in a matter of five minutes with words that didn't even make any sense if you stood back and looked.
Mike wanted to do something for him to show him how sorry he was, but anything he came up with just came out looking creepy. The best thing he could come up with was leaving him an apple and teacher cliches was just something he wanted to avoid considering everything that was going on. Mike knew that Harvey would eventually get over it, but Mike couldn't wait. There was the trial to finish and his Gram was in the hospital. After his talk with Donna and the hug Harvey returned, he felt like there was something there between them. He couldn't risk ruining that.
When the bell rang, Mike quickly packed up and headed to law. Harvey was on hallway duty and Mike wanted to say something, anything to make it better before class started, but all that came out was, "Is everything set for the trial?"
"Yes," Harvey responded as if nothing was wrong, "but you'll need to stay in here with me for lunch to go over somethings."
Mike waited another second before going in, kicking himself as he sat down in his assigned seat. He had a feeling it was going to be a long day. When Harvey finally entered the room after the bell rang, he immediately went into the lecture of crime in America and the introduction of criminal law. Mike did his best to pay attention but went on auto pilot for most of the lecture. The lecture took most of the first hour and once he was done, Harvey was firing off questions before the students could finish the notes.
"Mike," He called, "what is the difference between a felony and misdemeanor?"
Mike paused for a moment, having not expected Harvey to call on him. He cleared his throat as Seth made a snide comment about eating bugs if he kept his mouth open and said, "A felony is usually a more serious crime. It's a crime that carries a potential prison sentence of more than a year. A misdemeanor is any crime that can result in a prison sentence of one year or less."
"What is a crime of omission? And give one example," Harvey said, "Mike," He called again like he hadn't just called on him a second ago.
"A crime of omission is when someone fails to do something that they had a legal duty to do. Like, being summonsed to appear in court and then not going."
Harvey nodded his head and wrote the homework on the board. Most of the students finished but a couple of students started goofing off. Harvey sent them to Jessica's office without even giving them a warning. Mike then had a feeling it was going to be a very long day.
When the bell rang, the students packed up and cleared out as fast as they could for lunch. Mike brought his desk forward so he and Harvey could talk, but the teacher just handed him the paperwork to look over and left.
Yup, Mike thought, long day.
…
Harvey was upset. Not that he'd tell anyone that, but he was. He walked around the next day feeling like a zombie. It felt like the moment he was finally able to fall asleep, his alarm had woken him right up. Despite that, he got up, showered, shaved, and got dressed just like any other day. He and Mike avoided each other until it was time to leave. For a moment it almost felt like he was living alone again. The ride was silent and neither would look at each other. Harvey had sped all the way to school, just wanting to get out of the car and get away as soon as possible. He wasn't used to this.
Harvey felt his stomach rumble, but he went straight to Donna in order to talk. The redhead gave him a look as she put her hands on her hips and said, "What happened?"
"Mike didn't tell you?"
"Nope," Donna told him, "Funny, really, because both of you come to me but you never tell me what's going on."
Harvey explained what had been said and Donna didn't need to ask to know just how upset he was. There was nothing she could say that Harvey didn't already know. She offered him a sympathetic smile as he left, his mind reeling.
It was strange, honestly. Harvey had never been so effected by someone, not since his father went to prison. Harvey hadn't felt so vulnerable since he was younger than Mike. He hated it; suddenly remembering why he'd blocked out all his emotions so many years ago. He wanted to lock them away again, but found that it was much harder now then it was before. Donna smiled sadly at that, and Harvey translated it without so much as a second thought. You fell for him bad.
He did. For once, Harvey wanted to apologize, wanted to tell Mike all that he was feeling and make everything right. But he was Harvey Specter. He was too stubborn for that, too proud. He wasn't sure he could swallow his pride. It wasn't that he couldn't say he was sorry. Harvey knew when he had crossed a line. What he wasn't sure he could do was tell Mike that he was hurt. He already felt vulnerable enough as it was. He felt scared, no; terrified that Mike would crush his heart.
He almost laughed. He felt like he was in one of the cheesy romance novels Donna pretended not to like. He almost wanted to ask her how the novels ended, but stopped himself before he could finish the thought. It wasn't a novel, or a movie, it was real. The reality of it all crushed him until he felt two inches tall. He avoided Louis the entire day, knowing that the man would use it against him if he found out. He went on autopilot the entire day, lecturing his classes and giving out the homework from memory. People asked about the competition and he just glared at them until they backed off.
When Mike questioned him about it, he realized for the first time that the kid didn't know what was going on. They were in front of teachers and students and Harvey wanted to glare at him to make him leave, but he couldn't. No one else could know what was going on, and he couldn't let their fight get in the way of the competition. So he pretended like nothing had happened when he answered. He went on autopilot again when class began, doing his best not to look at Mike during. He wasn't sure he succeed. When he was finished, he started asking them questions. He turned his attention to Mike, and was both frustrated and proud that he got both questions right. When the bell rang, he handed Mike the papers and left. He couldn't be with him alone. Not yet.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. He didn't eat. He would go and talk to Donna again, though he knew what she would say. "Talk to him," and "God damn Harvey, swallow your pride already," was all he would hear. He didn't like hearing it but at the same time he knew it was exactly what he wanted to hear. He could always count on Donna to kick him in the ass if he needed it and he knew he was going to need it. He left to go back to class before the bell even rang, wanting some time to gather himself. As he was passing the boys bathroom, he saw the door open out of the corner of his eye. He didn't think much of it until he was being pulled in by the back of his suit.
Harvey was frozen in place as he stood in the middle of the bathroom, watching as Mike turned and locked the door behind him. The teacher looked around. The two were completely alone in the locked bathroom. Harvey suddenly had an image of Mike getting down on his knees in front of him and felt his blood run south. He pushed the thoughts out of his mind. Mike was standing a few feet away, staring at him, and most obviously not on his knees preparing to suck him off.
"What are you doing," Harvey asked, finally finding his voice.
"We need to talk," Mike said back, looking both strong and nervous at the same time. Harvey thought it was cute.
"We need to get to class," Harvey said, trying to step around him. Mike just got in the way, pressing himself almost completely up against him. His hands rested on Harvey's chest. The older stared down at them for a moment before bringing his eyes up to meet Mike's blue ones. He stared at his lips for a moment but then pulled away from him. "Mike," He said, his voice edging towards annoyance.
"If we don't fix this we could lose the trial," Mike said, moving closer to him, "And everything else."
"Everything else," Harvey questioned, raising his eyebrow.
"I'm sorry," The blonde said, ignoring the question. He wanted to tell but didn't want to bring it up in the boy's bathroom at the school. He imagined something a little more romantic than that. His eyes were downcast and Harvey could see him blushing. "I should have believed you. I do believe you."
Silence.
"...I am," Harvey started slowly, "too."
There was so much more Mike wanted to say, but it could wait. He was sure that Harvey at least understood and that they could move past it. "I know what to do at the trial," He said instead, smiling slightly.
"You better."
The bell rang, signaling the start of fifth hour.
"...You're not gonna give me a pass, are you?"
"Not a chance," Harvey said, but he was smirking as he walked past Mike and out the door. Mike chuckled a little, but sprinted to class as fast as he could.
…
Mike still wasn't feeling as confident as he'd like to be as he entered the Auditorium. Donna had given him his Snickers and he ate it slowly, his stomach churning. Harvey didn't look fazed at all and Mike did his best to follow his example. The room was still set up as it was the day before. Bernice was sitting with Gregory and Louis, her hair greasy but combed and styled neatly in place. Mike's eyes lingered on her roots longer than necessary, his mind going over everything again.
Donna was seated right behind their table, a glint in her eye that told Mike she knew everything that had happened. He tried to ignore it as much as possible and focus on the trial but his mind was racing even more than usual. The trial had turned into the one thing that he hadn't wanted. When Jessica entered the room, he stood without even thinking about it. He pulled himself back to reality as Mr. Hardman told everyone to be seated. He glanced at Harvey, and wanted to laugh at how bored he looked. He was suddenly staring at brown eyes, and it took him a moment to realize Harvey was now staring at him. "Ready to be a better prosecutor?"
"I already am, kid. Are you," Harvey responded back, dragging his eyes from Mike to Jessica. He should have known she'd do something like this. She had been studying at Harvard before deciding to become a teacher and she knew enough about his past to make this challenge harder for him. She knew the stories and she knew him. He smiled as she looked at him. She had done it purposefully; he could tell. The fact that she had made the trial harder for him than Louis told him everything he wanted to hear. It wasn't that she had tried to make him lose, but to make it a more fair fight. Harvey would have wiped the floor with Louis already if it hadn't been for this set back. He wasn't mad about it, he liked a challenge and if Louis needed a little help to get up to his level, then he'd deal. It wouldn't have been fun otherwise.
"Mr. Ross, Mr. Specter," Jessica said then, smiling, "Which one of you is giving your opening?"
Harvey stood up as he buttoned his suit jacket. He walked around the table and up to Jessica and the jury. The African - American woman gave him a knowing grin but covered it nicely as she turned back to the audience. "Yesterday, my associate Mike Ross said that we all want justice for Bobby Huff's murder. Everyone except Bernice McGraw. Mr. Boone had argued that it wasn't the case and she did, in fact, want justice as well. Both were correct in some way. We do all want justice for his murder. Most of us, at least. McGraw also wants justice for his murder. It was her boyfriend who was killed, after all. However, at the same time, she doesn't. Why, you ask? Because she's protecting someone. She's protecting the wrong person. Today, we'll prove that not only did Bernice not kill her boyfriend, but we will find the real killer. Your honor, I call Mrs. Crabgrass to the stand." Everyone in the room turned their eyes and followed as the woman stood and walked up to the stand. Harvey took the opportunity to check out Gregory and Louis. Both looked still and angry, nervously glancing at each other. "Mrs. Crabgrass, you are the girl's basketball coach here, is that correct?" Harvey asked as soon as she was ready.
"Yes, I am," Mrs. Crabgrass said.
Harvey walked over to the table and picked up a few pictures from his files before bringing them to Mrs. Crabgrass. "Do you recognize the object in these pictures?"
"Yes, it's a shower in the girl's locker room. It's Bernice's shower."
"How do you know if it's Bernice's shower?"
"Bernice has a condition where her body temperature is lower than the rest of us, making her more vulnerable to the cold. That shower keeps hotter water running longer. You can tell by the shower head. It's different than the others. I assigned it to her so there wouldn't be any problems," The coach explained, shrugging her shoulders.
"Let the record show that not only is this the shower assigned to Bernice, but the only one she can use and the one she said she did the day of the murder," Harvey told Jessica, who nodded back to him. "I am done with this witness. Thank you, Mrs. Crabgrass."
"Would you like to cross examine, Mr. Litt, Mr. Boone," Jessica asked as she looked at them.
"No, we would not, Your Honor."
"All right, Mr. Specter, you may call your next witness."
"I leave this in the hands of my associate, Mr. Ross," Harvey told everyone before sitting down.
Mike stood up, "I call Rachel Zane to the stand."
"Objection," Gregory yelled as he stood up, "She's my girlfriend!"
"Yes," Mike said back, "and also a key factor to this case. And my ex. There is no one in the world she hates more than me."
Jessica seemed to consider this for a moment, amusement shining in her eyes, "I will allow it."
Rachel walked up the stand, never taking her eyes off Gregory as she was sworn in. When she sat down, she turned to Mike and frowned, resisting the urge to cross her arms over her chest. "Miss Zane, you are an AP Biology student, are you not?"
"Yes."
"You are also Mr. Becker's partner for the science competition. You were there when the forensics were done, correct?"
"Yes," Rachel said, getting annoyed, "I was here until eight last night analyzing some cake."
"And what did you find out?"
Rachel sighed, "That the cupcake cakes were a match to the cake residue on the knife."
"Rachel, can you look at these photos," He asked as he handed them to her, "What do you see?"
"Um, a shower," She said uncertainly, "shampoo, conditioner..."
"What kind of shampoo and conditioner?"
"The new biodegradable formula."
"If I were to use that tomorrow morning for the first time, what would happen to my hair by tomorrow afternoon?"
Rachel thought about it for a moment, "It would be greasy."
"Why?"
She rolled her eyes, "Because they leave out the dyes and the silicone that makes hair look shiny and clean and actually makes it shiny and clean."
"What's the only down side of that formula?"
"Your hair goes through detox, like a withdraw. It produces more oils than it usually does until it cleans your hair completely," She chuckled a little, "It's tenth grade biology."
"How new is this product," Mike asked, shrugging his shoulders.
"Very," She said back, "Came out...just a couple days before the murder."
"So Bernice has only been using it for what, a couple of weeks now?"
"Yes."
"And that explains her greasy hair? She showered this morning and now it looks greasy, but look, combed and styled in place."
It was then Rachel started to pick up on what Mike was doing. She was turning her against her boyfriend. She gritted her teeth, "Yes."
"And that would also explain her greasy hair the night of the murder, wouldn't it? She showered in the afternoon and by night her hair turned greasy."
Mike smiled at her, "Run with me on this, okay," He paused, "Bernice and Bobby are having their six month together with the cake that Bobby brought. Bernice leaves to shower so she can be ready for their date right after school. She used her assigned shower with the shampoo and conditioner she brought in and is most likely in her house. It is, Donna checked. When she comes back, he's dead."
She looked at Gregory and then back at Mike, "I suppose she could have been."
"Thank you, Miss Zane, that will be all."
Rachel waited a moment before standing up and walking back to her seat. Gregory glared at her as she went but she ignored it.
"I know call Bernice McGraw to the stand," Mike said, watching as Bernice stood slowly and made her way up to the seat.
"I didn't kill him," She said before anything else was said.
"I know," Mike told her, "you've been protecting your brother."
"Objection," Louis roared over the murmuring of the crowd.
"Overruled," Jessica said firmly, but then, "Mr. Ross..." Her voice trailed off as a warning.
"I'm sorry, Your Honor," He apologized, "You don't need to protect him, Bernice. He didn't do it."
The crowd erupted into another roar of murmurs.
"I do not know to what you are referring," Bernice said sternly, refusing to look at him.
"Of course you do," The blonde told her, "You knew the one person who had a reason to kill him was your brother. And you don't want to go down for what he did, but you don't want him to go down, either."
"Shut up."
"Bobby caught your brother cheating last year. He told the teacher and your brother wasn't allowed to play in the championship game. The championship game that had an agent from your brother's favorite school waiting to watch him play," Mike explained, "And it didn't happen."
"Stop."
"It's okay, Bernice. Because like I said, he didn't do it. But you thought he did, didn't you? Because you saw the cupcake cake in your class afterward. The one Bobby got you."
"Yes," Bernice screamed, crying out, "Are you happy now? Yes, the person who killed Bobby is in my fifth hour!"
"Do you know who?"
"No!"
"That's okay," Mike told her honestly, "because I do."
There was silence as she collected herself, "Can I go back down now?"
"Yes."
Gregory denied the offer to cross examine and Bernice went back to sit in between them, her head lowered.
"I now call Harold Lisp to the stand."
Everyone turned to Harold, who's face lit up with red. He walked slowly up to the stand, looking from Bernice to Mike over and over.
"Why don't you just admit it," Mike asked him as he sat down.
"Excuse me?"
"It's not like we all don't know," Mike tried another way, "The evidence is right in front of us." He started putting the pictures and reports in front of him. "The pictures of her shower, proving pretty well she didn't do it. The fact that the cake you brought into fifth hour is an exact match to the cake residue on the knife, your missing knife that day along with a part of the cake missing."
He shoved the reports away, "You're an idiot."
"And you were blinded by love," He said back, "Come on, Harold. Everyone in this room knows you asked Bernice out three times and she shot you down all three times."
"I was looking out for my best friend's sister," He insisted.
"I don't think so...Three years ago, when Trevor and I were friends, I kissed his cousin. You know what he did when he found out?"
"No."
"Punched me straight in the face," Mike told him, "Broke my nose. We were friends for eight years and he broke my nose," He paused, "I think you went to go talk to Bernice and you saw them together. And you got so angry that when Bernice left, you confronted Bobby. You killed him out of jealousy and then you took the cupcake cake so Bernice couldn't have the token of his love for her."
"No way," He screamed, but Mike could tell he was growing nervous.
"Why are you letting her go down for this, Harold," Mike asked, "Don't you love her?"
The room fell silent. "Yes," He finally whispered, and then screamed out, "I love her! And I killed him! I killed Bobby!"
The crowd erupted again.
"Order, order," Jessica screamed.
"Bernice had no part! I killed him!"
"Mr. Hardman," Jessica called to her vice principal, "please take Harold into custody. I hear by drop all charges to Bernice McGraw, you are free to go."
Mike wanted to do a back flip. They did it. They did it!
"We should get the point!"
Everyone turned to Gregory, who was now standing from his spot. "Their job was to prove Bernice committed the murder. Ours was to get her off. It was proven she didn't do it, therefore it should be our point."
"There job was to put away whoever murdered Bobby. They did. Your job was to prove Bernice didn't, and they did," Jessica told him, "Point goes to Team Specter for Social Studies, Team Randall for English, and Team Becker for science!"
Bernice came to the front of the room, along with her brother and Harold. They were joined by the teachers and even Bobby, who pulled his hat and sunglasses off as he laughed. "Please give a hand to the drama department and the teachers who participated in this event," Jessica said to the room. There was a round of applause. "Especially to Bobby, who drew the short end of the stick and had to play the murder victim."
"Don't forget to give a round of applause to Jessica, who orchestrated this whole thing," Harvey spoke up, leading the crowd in an even bigger round of applause and a glare from Louis.
After a few moments of chatting, everyone began to pile out of the Auditorium. Harvey, Mike, and Donna waited until everyone was gone before they left. Mike looked like a kid out of a candy store, jumping up and down. Harvey wanted to tell him he was proud of him for what he did, but stopped himself from saying anything. He didn't want to get too serious yet. Mike was having fun and it was cute to see him acting the way he was. He was rambling on and on and didn't stop when Donna got a phone call. Harvey hadn't paid any attention to it but waved his good bye when she started walking in the other direction in search of Jessica.
"Oh, my God, Harvey! I thought we were gonna lose for sure," Mike gushed, "but we didn't because we're awesome!" He wrapped his arms around Harvey like he was going to hug him again, but crashed their lips together instead. When Mike realized his mistake, he tried to pull back, but Harvey wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him even closer to him. Mike moaned, allowing Harvey entrance into his mouth. Mike's back was suddenly against the wall and Harvey's hands were everywhere, leaving a hot trail behind. They heard a door open and close from the next hallway and pulled away from each other.
Mike panted heavily, eyes locked with Harvey's. For a moment they just stared at each other, and it was Mike who found his voice to speak, "Harvey...?"
(A/N) DUN, DUN, DUN...!
What will happen?
Tune in next chapter and see!
Lol, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Tell me your thoughts, you know I'd love to hear them!
With Love,
Kitty!