Chapter 36
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
AN1: Thank you for the support. PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW.
The next morning, just like they always do when they stay at the same place, both Mike and Harvey get up early and both take turns showing and having breakfasts.
"You suits really are horrible." Harvey comments, looking though Mike's wardrobe.
"You say that every time you look at my suits." Mike says, with an amused look on his face as he walks over to Harvey, "Why do you always look when you know what you're going to find?" Mike asks curious.
"Because I'm holding out hope that something is going to change." Harvey explains to Mike.
"Maybe you should start to leave suits here so that we can stop having this conversation." Mike suggests, being pretty sure that that would be taking a pretty big step, but he doesn't mind.
"That's probably a good idea." Harvey realises, taking two suits from Mike's wardrobe.
"What are you doing with those?" Mike asks curious.
"If I'm going to leave suits at yours, then I'm going take some of yours to mine." Harvey explains to Mike, "I'll see you at the firm." He says, kissing Mike.
"See you there." Mike responds, once they break apart and Harvey heads out of the apartment, carrying Mike's suits, and his jacket and bow tie, with him.
Not long after he left Mike's place Harvey is getting out Ray's car at his condo, still carrying everything, where he is surprised to find Scottie waiting.
"Do you do your own laundry now?" Scottie asks surprised.
"No. These are my boyfriends; he's going to keep them here." Harvey explains to Scottie.
"Wow, things that serious between you?" Scottie asks curious, sounding surprised about that.
"Told you they were." Harvey explains, "What do you want?" he asks curious as he heads to the door.
"How can you even ask that?" Scottie asks angrily, "Last night was a personal attack on me." Scottie says angrily.
"Oh, that's funny because Jessica seemed to think it was a personal attack on her, yet both of you knew about the merger and choose not to tell me." Harvey says angrily as he and Scottie walk across the lobby of Harvey's apartment building, "You two should get lunch, seems like you have a lot in common."
"Harvey, Harvey." Scottie says, following him and putting her hand on Harvey's shoulder to stop him, "Can you stop being so defensive for one second?" Scottie asks curious.
"You put me on the defensive, and I'm not just going to stand here and listen to you because I went on the attack." Harvey says, starting to walk away once more.
"Harvey…."
"No, don't Harvey me, okay?" Harvey asks sound annoyed, "You made your bed, and now you're going to sleep in it, alone." Harvey informs Scottie.
"What did I do that was so terrible?" Scottie asks, sounding annoyed.
"For months I've been fending off attacks from Daniel Hardman, Allison Holt, and Robert Zane." Harvey explains, "I told you before. You want to get your name on the door, get it at your own goddamn firm." Harvey explains.
"Okay. Fine. If it's not personal, you're not going to hold it against me when we beat you." Scottie informs Harvey.
"0 and everything, Scottie. That's your record against me, 0 and everything." Harvey says, "I won't have to hold anything against you because there won't be anything to hold." Harvey says before heading upstairs, leaving Scottie in his lobby.
While Harvey is arriving back at his condo Mike is arriving at the office where he goes straight to Katrina's office.
"Hey." Mike greats as he walks in.
"Hey." Katrina responds and Mike walks over and gives her a cup of coffee.
"Thank you." Mike tells her, "For covering last night."
"You don't have to thank me for that." Katrina responds, "You seen your mom this morning?"
"Not yet." Mike answers, "And I'm not looking forward to it."
"I don't blame you for that." Katrina respond, "Harvey really fighting the merger?" he asks curious.
"Yep." Mike says, "I have a feeling that things are going to get bad." He admits, looking worried about that, "I don't want to be put in the middle." Mike admits, pain in his voice.
"Tell Harvey and your Mom that, they'll respect it." Katrina says believing that.
"Yeah." Mike mutters, "So, I have good news." Mike reveals.
"Oh?" Katrina asks curious.
"Harvey took some of my suits back to his place, and he's going to bring some of his suits to mine." Mike explains to Katrina.
"Wow, that's a big step." Katrina says, sounding amazed.
"Yeah, it is." Mike confirms, "But we're ready."
"That's great, Mike." Katrina says, smiling at her friend and the two of them drift into silence.
A little while after his conversation with Katrina Mike is heading towards Harvey's office, but when he gets to Harvey's office he sees Edward Darby waiting by Donna's cubical.
"Uh, can I help you?" Mike asks, Darby curious.
"No, no. I'm fine. Just had a mochaccino." Darby reveals, "Waiting to see Harvey."
"He's making you wait?" Mike asks, torn between surprise and amusement.
"Oh, I don't actually believe he's aware I'm here." Darby admits.
"Why don't you go in?" Mike asks curious.
"Well, his secretary isn't present to announce me. It wouldn't be proper." Darby explains to Mike.
"What year is it?" Mike asks amused.
"Hmm?" Darby asks.
"Huh."
"Mike?" Harvey asks, from his office.
"Yeah." Mike confirms.
"Mike, Mike Pearson-Ross?" Darby asks.
"Yeah." Mike once more confirms.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Darby says, sticking out his hand for Mike to shake.
"It's a pleasure to meet you too." Mike says, returning the handshake.
"Your mother speaks very highly of you." Darby reveals.
"Mike, what's going on out there?" Harvey's voice asks, from the office.
"Um, it's kind of hard to explain. You remember watching Downton Abbey?" Mike asks, as he got Harvey to watch that a couple of weeks ago.
"What?" Harvey asks confused.
"I haven't caught it, but I've heard great things." Darby comments.
"Yeah, it's terrific." Mike confirms.
"Really?" Darby asks curious.
"Yeah." Mike confirms as he and Darby walk towards Harvey's office, "May I present Mr. Edward Darby of…." Mike starts to say.
"Get the hell out of here." Harvey says, his voice is annoyed, though he has a fond look on her face, which causes Darby to look between Harvey and Mike, and as he does he recognizes the signs of two people who are trying to hide what they are too each other, something which he is able to tell because he has a lot of experience with doing the same thing, so he is pretty sure that not a lot of other people would be able to tell, and judging by her reaction the night before Jessica definitely doesn't know what he suspects.
"Okay." Mike says, grinning back at Harvey.
"Oh, I'll Netflix it." Darby says.
"You should." Mike says to Darby, "Harvey." He greats before leaving.
"I don't mean to pry, but is that how you treat all your underlings?" Darby asks curious.
"Just him, why?" Harvey asks, wondering what Darby is thinking.
"Well, just being curious, but how would you like to be spoken to that way?" Darby asks.
"Listen, Benny Hill, I'm a little busy preparing a motion to kick your ass." Harvey explains as he stands up and walks across the room, "You mind getting to the point?" he asks curious.
"Well, that is the point. You may have to expedite that motion a little faster than you think." Darby explains, "Tomorrow I'll be freezing your assets."
"What?" Harvey asks surprised.
"Hmm. It seems that one of the three companies you picked a Dickens with has a cousin who happens to be the president of a consortium of banks, whereby…. Well, you get the picture. I'd move as much money as possible forthwith." Darby explains.
"Let me get this straight, you're coming in here to warn me that you're going to freeze my client's assets?" Harvey asks, sounding surprised.
"Of course. This way, you'll have time to transfer a bit of currency to fund your legal battle." Darby explains, "It wouldn't be sporting, otherwise." Darby explains.
"Sporting?" Harvey asks surprised.
"Certainly. One doesn't hunt the fox while it's still in its den. One sounds the horn and allows the poor creature a head start before giving chase." Darby explains.
"You think I'm the fox?" Harvey ask surprised.
"Think it? The only one who doesn't know that is you." Darby explains before leaving, leaving Harvey to think about everything.
It has been a little while since Mike showed Darby into Harvey's office and Mike has just been called up to his mother's office, something which he has been expecting all day.
"You wanted to see me?" Mike asks his mother.
"Yes, close the door, Mike." Jessica requests and Mike walks into his mother's office, closing the door behind him, "Are you alright? You left the party early last night." Jessica comments.
"I'm okay." Mike says with a nod, "I just didn't really like being around so many people, all being so close." Mike explains, not actually lying as he didn't like being around so many people, he just left with Harvey before that became a problem.
"Okay." Jessica tells her son with a nod, as he sits down across from her, "So, I was reading through the lawsuits that Harvey gave Edward Darby last night and I recognized your work." Jessica tells her son, "Why'd are you helping Harvey end this merger?"
"Harvey asked me to do the paperwork, and as his associate I did my job." Mike tells his mother, "But now I'm going to tell you what I told Harvey." Mike tells his mother, "I'm not going to be in the middle of this, and I don't want you to use me against Harvey or Harvey to use me against you." He informs his mother.
"Harvey already put you in the middle when he asked you to do this paperwork." Jessica tells her son, "Which is why you need to tell him to stop, to stop fighting this now and embrace this merger, because it's happening." Jessica tells her son.
"And that's you putting me in the middle." Mike says, walking out, planning on shutting himself away somewhere because he is pretty sure that things between his mother and Harvey are just going to get worse.
It has been hours since Mike talked to his mother and ever since Mike has been in the file room working on the paperwork that Harvey needs, and having finished that the two of them are on their way to the conference room, aka Hardman's old office, where Darby is working out off.
"You're quiet." Harvey notes as they walk.
"Yeah." Mike confirms.
"You want to talk about it?" Harvey asks curious.
"Not right now, let's just get this over with." Mike says as they get closer to the conference room, and as they do Harvey realises exactly what is wrong with his boyfriend, but he also knows that he needs Mike's help to stop the merger so there is nothing he can do to help him.
"Okay." Harvey says as they walk into the conference room.
"Gentlemen, I'm glad you stopped by." Darby says, "I wanted to inform you I'm leaving town on the morrow." He says picking up his cup of tea, "I'll be having my number two handle the case for me. I'll expect you do the same."
"Why would I do that?" Harvey asks as he sits down.
"It's tradition. I'll leave it to you. Honour it or don't." Darby says.
"We'll probably have to honour it." Mike comments, not sounding happy, as he sits down as he knows Harvey and knows that he will want Mike to honour it so that Darby doesn't have anything to use against them.
"Oh, by the by, Downton Abbey, got it in my briefcase." Darby reveals, "Plan to watch it on the plane."
"Oh, my god. You are going to…." Mike starts to say.
"Please, please, I abhor spoilers." Darby says, as he hands Mike a cup of tea.
"Episode three, that's all I'll say." Mike comments.
"Oh." Darby says, looking excited.
"Why don't you two watch it together over a game of Tiddlywinks?" Harvey asks, sounding annoyed.
"You seem to be upset over my game of 'let's put the peacock in its place." Darby comments.
"I'm glad you mentioned that." Harvey admits, "I brought a little going away present for you." Harvey says, handing over a bag.
"This is a biscuit and a bottle of water." Darby notes.
"It's what I assume they serve in English prison, which is where your client's going for freezing our client's assets." Harvey reveals.
"It's a violation of international law to intimidate a litigant into settling by choking their funding." Mike reveals.
"You seem to think you've got me by the short hairs." Darby comments, "However, if you turn to page 693 in that tome, you'll find an exception to that very law."
"No, I won't." Mike says and Harvey can't help but smile proudly at his boyfriend, "I've memorized this book." Mike explains.
"Yes, I was told your prowess, which is why I chose a law not published in any book, but a long-standing provision honour in England for decades." Darby explains, "We can do what we like, as long as notice is given." Darby explains.
"You don't give a shit about being sporting." Harvey realises, "You just wanted to skirt the law."
'Nonsense. I wanted to do both, by filing this action, you have opened your clients up to a charge of malicious litigation." Darby explains.
"Which is why you froze the assets in the first place." Mike realises.
"You baited us." Harvey realises.
"In any case, you seem to be backed up against the wall." Darby reveals.
"I'm comfortable there." Harvey reveals, standing up, "Gives me back support for when I come out swinging." Harvey reveals.
"Well, you'd better do something quickly." Darby says, standing up.
"You clients don't have the funds to proceed beyond, I'd say, this week's end." Darby says, standing up, "Now, if you'll excuse me." Darby says, heading go the door.
"Hey." Mike says, standing up and causing Darby to turn around, "Episode three, lady Mary and the Turk do it, and then Turk dies." Mike says and Darby gives an amused look before he leaves and Mike turns back to Harvey who is looking less than happy.
"Sorry." Mike mutters.
"Now do you want to talk?" Harvey asks his boyfriend curious.
"Nope." Mike says, heading out of the room.
It has been a while since Mike left Harvey after their conversation with Darby and Mike has been home for a little while and is currently waiting for his dinner.
As he hears a knock on his door Mike heads to answer it and opening the door he is surprised to find not his Chinese food but Harvey holding a bag, a suit bag that clear has more than one shit in it, and a folder.
"Huh, Chinese delivery boys have gotten a hell of a lot hotter." Mike says to his boyfriend, as he lets him into the apartment.
"Take your food." Harvey says and Mike takes the bag, "You've really got eat better Mike, all that M.S.G is terrible for you." Harvey says as he heads to Mike's bedroom, to hang up the suits.
"Now you sound like Mom." Mike comments, taking his food over to the table.
"This is something I agree with her about." Harvey says from the bedroom, and once he hangs up the suits he walks back out and toward Mike, "I have something for you." He says, handing Mike the file he is holding.
"What's this?" Mike asks curious.
"it's what you're going to use against Scottie tomorrow morning, you're going in as number two." Harvey explains.
"Harvey…" Mike starts to say, not even opening the file.
"I know what I'm asking, but I'm still asking, because I need you to do this Mike." Harvey tells his boyfriend, feeling bad about it as Mike has made himself clear about not wanting to be put in the middle, "You're the only one I trust to do this, the only one who can." Harvey explains to him.
"Katrina could." Mike argues, not wanting to be in that room as it's the very thing he doesn't want, it's being put in the middle.
"Katrina's great, but she's not you." Harvey tells her, "Please Mike, please, I need you, I want you to do this." He begs.
"Well, I really don't want to." Mike admits.
"Please Mike." Harvey says, giving Mike a pleading look, "Everyone knows you're my number two, and I don't want to give Edward any excuses to say that we didn't fight fair, please do this." Harvey asks.
"Plus you don't want to deal with Scottie." Mike says, opening the file, really not liking the idea of this, really not wanting to do this, but it is clear to Harvey that he will, quiet reluctantly.
"That's just a side benefit." Harvey comments.
"But do you really think putting me and Scottie in a room alone together is a good idea?" Mike asks curious.
"Hard to say." Harvey admits, as logic tells him it's not a good idea, but like he just told Mike it's his only option, as Mike reads the file.
"Who, wait a second." Mike says shocked, looking up at his boyfriend, "This is confidential information from the merger." Mike says, sounding completely shocked as he can't believe that Harvey is going to cross this line.
"Which you're going to use to get us a reprieve." Harvey explains.
"You broke the Chinese wall?" Mike asks shocked, closing the file.
"That's why I'm here." Harvey explains to Mike.
"Harvey, this is inadmissible stuff, and it's in the ballpark of what Tanner accused you of with Costal Motors." Mike says, stepping towards his boyfriend.
"You think I don't know that?" Harvey asks.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mike asks as he knows he doesn't.
"No, I'm not." Harvey admits, making Mike feel a little better about things, "But it's the only way I see us getting a little breathing room, and I'd rather cross my own line than sigh their dotted one." Harvey explains to Mike.
"Fine." Mike says, honestly not wanting to do this, but Harvey isn't giving him another choice, "Then it looks like I have a date with your ex-girlfriend in the morning." Mike comments.
"Guess so, but tonight you have a date with me." Harvey informs his boyfriend, "We're going out and having something that can be considered a healthy dinner."
"What about my Chinese food?" Mike asks.
"You can eat it later, and knowing you, you will." Harvey says, taking the file from Mike and throwing it on the couch.
"True." Mike responds, "You really think you can get us a table?"
"Of course, I'm Harvey Specter." Harvey says with a proud smirk and he takes Mike's hand and the two of them head out of the apartment.
Hours later Mike and Harvey have gone out to dinner before returning to Mike's apartment. Having gone to bed a little while ago Harvey is fast asleep, but Mike is still awake in Harvey's arms.
Usually lying in Harvey's arms fills Mike with comfort and makes him feel completely safe, but right now all he can think is what Harvey is asking him to do. What Harvey is asking him to do is the one thing that Mike asked him not to make him do, he's put him in the middle of him and his mother, and both his mother and Harvey are trying to use him against the other, which Mike completely hates.
Honestly, Mike isn't sure he can handle much more off this, and he desperately wishes that his mother and boyfriend weren't putting him in the position that they are putting him in, but he doesn't know what to do, so for a while Mike just lays and thinks over every option he has.
"I can't keep doing this." Mike realises, after over an hour of running through everything, as he does he comes to a decision. He will take the meeting with Scottie in the morning, but after that he is going to tell Harvey, and his mother, that he is not having anything to do with the merger, or trying to stop it, as it's the only way he can see that won't force him to choose, the only thing he can do that won't tear him apart.
The next morning, Mike having not gotten much sleep, both Mike and Harvey get up and undertake their usual morning routine before they both get a ride to work with Ray, but when they get to the firm they take separate elevators up to try to make it seem like they didn't arrive together.
Once they arrive on the right floor Mike and Harvey go in separate directions Harvey heads to his office while Mike heads to the conference room, but when Mike walks into the conference room he is surprised to find his mother rather than Scottie waiting for him. Seeing his mother Mike becomes even more determine to have nothing to do with the merger after this meeting.
"Mom, you're not Scottie." Mike tells his mother.
"And you're not Jimmy Smits, but we make do." Jessica says, walking towards her son.
"Are you making an L.A. Law Reference?" Mike asks his mother curious.
"No, I'm saying I wish I had a date with Jimmy Smits." Jessica reveals.
"Really Mom?" Mike asks.
"Really." Jessica tells her son, "You're going to lose, you should give up." Jessica tells her son.
"I don't think Harvey's going to do that." Mike reveals to his mother.
"Harvey? What about you?" Jessica asks her son.
"I told you, I'm not getting in the middle." Mike tells his mother.
"And yet you're in this meeting?" Jessica asks her son.
"Because Harvey needed me to be, but I wouldn't be so sure that Harvey is going to lose, he has this." Mike says, handing his mother the file.
Taking the file from her son Jessica feels her anger grow as he reads it and then she leaves, without a word. Waiting a few seconds Mike leaves the room too, following behind his mother, both of them heading to Harvey's office.
As he watches his mother walk into the office Scottie walks out and over to Mike.
"I wouldn't go in there." Scottie informs him.
"I don't plan to." Mike tells her, as Scottie walks away, "At least not now." He mutters as he walks closer to the office stands in a spot that cannot be seen from the inside, but which he can hear everything going on.
"This isn't funny, Harvey." Jessica says, "You just broke the law."
"It's a civil law." Harvey responds, "No one's going to go to jail."
"Justify it all you want, but you cheated." Jessica informs him.
"Like you, subbing for Scottie?" Harvey asks.
"I see what you're doing." Jessica says, "You know damn well Darby plays by the rules. So if you win by cheating, you win, and if you lose, then they think you're dirty and they won't want to merge."
"You really want to merge with a man who's asking for your help to win?" Harvey asks curious.
"He didn't ask, I insisted." Jessica reveals.
"Oh being his number two. I guess that's a preview of things to come." Harvey says, sounding bitter.
"And is that little stunt you pulled a preview of things to come?" Jessica asks curious.
"Holt, Zane, Hardman, we just fought them off. We won. We're strong. We've got money." Harvey tells Jessica, Mike being able to hear his boyfriends voice rising.
"And if we do this, we go to the next level." Jessica says, raising her voice too, "We'll be the biggest, baddest fish in the sea." Jessica explains to Harvey, "Those three names you mentioned, fleas. Not only can't they bully us, they can't touch us." Jessica reveals.
"And what's going to happen after I beat Darby?" Harvey asks.
"You think I'm playing with you? That stunt you pulled, fruit from the poison tree. I will have it reversed on Tuesday." Jessica reveals.
"You think I'm not going to find anything between now and Tuesday?" Harvey asks.
"I know you won't."
"Is that a threat?" Harvey asks and as he does Mike tenses as a few things become perfectly clear to him.
"It's a prediction." Jessica says.
"I can go."
"Where you going to go? Hmm? Even if I let you out, it's the same out there, only worse, and you'll be a winner, but not a leader, and you won't have me." Jessica says and as she does things become even clearer to Mike, and he knows what he has to do.
"You don't know these people." Harvey tells Jessica.
"I know they said I couldn't control you." Jessica says, and as she does Mike walks towards the office door, "You're going to learn that I can." Jessica says, heading to the door.
"Not so fast, Mom." Mike says as he walks in, stopping her from leaving.
"Mike…" Harvey starts to say.
"No, I told you both that I will not be in the middle of this, and you've both put me there." Mike says, pain in his voice, "You're both using me!" Mike says angrily, though both Harvey and Jessica can hear the betrayal in his voice.
"That's not true." Jessica objects.
"It is, and you know it, Mom." Mike tells her, "You're both so concerned with beating each other that you're prepared to tear each other apart, and I'm not going to have any part of that." Mike tells his mother and Harvey.
"What are you saying?" Jessica asks her son, having a sinking suspicion that she knows exactly what Mike is saying.
"I'm saying I quit." Mike reveals, it being incredible hard for him to do so, but he knows he doesn't have many other options.
"Mike, don't do this." Harvey begs, walking towards his boyfriend, being beyond the point of caring that Jessica is in the room.
"I have to Harvey." Mike informs his boyfriend, "I can't stand by as the two people I love most tear each other apart." Mike reveals, pain in his voice, as Jessica gasps, "I won't, because no matter how this turns out you're both going to get hurt, which is going to hurt me." Mike explains.
"Mike." Harvey says, stepping towards his boyfriend, having a horrible feeling that he knows exactly what Mike is going to say next, though he desperately hopes he's wrong, "I love you." He says to the completely shock of Jessica who has never head Harvey say those words to someone and considering she knows how he feels about showing that you care she knows how big that is.
"And I love you, Harvey, so much." Mike says, meaning that completely, "But I can't be with someone who's going to war with My Mom. I can't be with someone who put me in a position that I asked you not to put me into, not again. I just can't do it to myself." Mike says, causing Harvey to fill with guilt as he realises what he was really doing, "We're done." Mike says, his voice breaking and then, it being one of the hardest things he has ever done, Mike turns and walks out of the room, walking away from both his mother and Harvey.
As Mike walks out of Harvey's office he finds Donna standing in her cubical, looking completely shocked.
"Mike…" Donna starts to say.
"Look after him for me, please." Mike asks, tears rolling down his face, before walking away.
In Harvey's office Harvey is just standing in shock as he watches the man he loves walk away, feeling like Mike is taking his heart with him as he goes.
"Harvey." Jessica says, breaking the silence after a few minutes and desperately needing answers.
"Not now, Jessica." Harvey says, walking over to his desk, needing something to distract himself, though he suspects that that might be impossible.
"Yes, now." Jessica says, her voice forceful, "How long?" she asks.
"Two months, eight days." Harvey answers, without hesitation, not even needing to think about it.
"Trevor's trial." Jessica, realises doing the math in his head.
"Yeah, you have your answer, now get the hell out of my office." Harvey says angrily, honestly not even giving a crap about how disrespectful he is being as he just lost the person in the world he loves most, and he is pretty sure that nothing else matters.
"Jessica, I think you should go." Donna says, from just outside Harvey's doorway.
"Fine." Jessica says, looking between Harvey and Donna, "But we will talk about this later." She says before leaving, wondering how she didn't see the signs, and once she leaves Donna closes the door to Harvey's office without a word, knowing that he needs privacy.
After leaving Harvey's office Mike just heads to the elevators, not caring that he is clearly crying, not even planning on going to his cubical as there is nothing he needs, instead he plans to head straight home and drink, because he is pretty sure that it is the only thing that has a chance at stopping the pain.