Chapter One: In Which Harvey Specter is Surprised
Harvey Specter was a man on a mission. A mission to find his associate. He had checked Mike's desk and the break room, but he had not yet had any success. He was supposed to come up to his office so they could run through a few final things before their deposition later but now they wouldn't have time. They had a really important client and this deposition was crucial to the case's success. Now was certainly not the time to go missing.
Finally, he located Mike. He was in the file room working at one of the desks. No. Not working. He was staring into space.
Harvey grunted to himself when calling out Mike's name didn't help. Deciding that he didn't have the time to wait for Mike to return to planet Earth he walked up to his associate and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder.
"Michael!"
Mike was suddenly aware of a voice calling his full name. That was weird. The irritated voice sounded. That was weird too. Seconds later he felt a hand reached to touch his shoulder. It pulled Mike from his musings and rather rudely brought him back to reality.
"Huh?" He grunted. When he looked over his shoulder to see Harvey standing there he jumped out of his seat so quickly he almost gave himself whiplash.
"Excellent impression of a Jack in the Box," Harvey commented amusingly. "Now that I have your attention do you think we could get back to work? You know the thing I'm paying you for?"
"Technically A. Fisher is paying me." Mike pointed out.
"Who the hell is A. Fisher?"
"Andrew Fisher. He signs the pay-checks of all of us associates."
"And I send him those pay-checks." Harvey reminded him though he made a mental note to check about that. He wasn't sure he wanted some random guy to be signing Mike's checks. He wanted to do it. For purely business reasons of course.
Mike shrugged his shoulders at that, and Harvey took it as an opportunity to bring to conversation back to work-related matters.
"The deposition is at three. Please tell me you have the MacDavid files."
Mike patted the blue file on his desk.
"Signed, Sealed and Delivered." He replied.
"Good." Harvey took the files. A few months ago, he would have checked it to look for any mistakes, but he trusted Mike's work. "That means we've got just enough time for you to tell me why the hell it took me 10 minutes to get your attention." It was an exaggeration sure, but the point still stood.
Mike didn't answer but gave a bashful look. Harvey ignored it. He needed to ensure his associate had his head on straight. They wouldn't have much time to go over the plan for the deposition, but they had at least formulated one and talked about it briefly. This was more important.
"Really Mike today of all days I need you firing on all cylinders. You know how important this client is and what the cost to the firm will be if we lose him."
"I'm sorry sir." Mike responded regretfully. It was out before he realised. The nightmares started again. After so many years he'd assumed -he hoped- they'd stopped permanently. But, as the saying goes, to assume is to make an ass out of you and me. He was just thankful he hadn't flinched. That would have definitely brought up some unwanted questions.
Mike would have found Harvey's startled face hilarious any other time. As it was it was just unnerving. The older man gapped before finally morphing his face into a more neutral expression.
To say Harvey was surprised at Mike's response would have been an understatement.
' Since when did Mike call him 'sir'?'
He searched his associate's face for any sign of mockery, but it wasn't there. Mike had meant it. He was completely and utterly serious.
Harvey was not one for formality. When he first hired Mike, he made sure the young man knew to call him by 'Harvey' and not 'Mr Specter'.
'I'm not your teacher and you're not my student'
Harvey remembered the conversation well. Mike had quipped that he considered himself god damn lucky Harvey had never been his teacher. Harvey had quipped back that he felt like calling all of Mike's teachers and asking if they needed representation for when they sued Mike for emotional damages. They'd both laughed and smiled. There was none of that joviality right now though.
Mike's face conveyed neither the fear nor awkwardness he felt. It did show his hopeful pleading that Harvey would ignore the slip-up. Thankfully Harvey interpreted his facial expressions correctly and did just that. He just made a mental note to talk it with his associate first. Besides they had a deposition go to.
Surprisingly, the deposition went without any hitches. It seemed like nothing ever went according to plan but this one did just that. It meant that by tomorrow they would have a settlement arranged and that they wouldn't have to spend any more time with the client than necessary. It also meant that when they were finished, Jessica was waiting for them in Harvey's office.
"In all the offices in all the firm she had to walk into mine." Harvey grunted before opening the door.
"Harvey." Jessica greeted "I hear the deposition went well."
"I have just come from there what can you possibly have to say about it?"
"Oh, you know me Harvey. Nothing goes on in my firm without me knowing about it. Especially when it involves high-flying clients like Mr MacDavid. You had better win this god damn case."
"Please Mike could take on this case by himself and win." Harvey retorted.
Mike looked up in surprise and a hopeful glint in his eye. Jessica also looked surprised and hopeful but not for the same reasons.
"You're letting me go solo?"
"You're letting him fly solo?" Jessica asked incredulously at the same time.
"I said he could win this case by himself not that I was going to let him. Mike go and type up the proposal."
"But Harvey..." Mike tried to inform Harvey that he hadn't had lunch yet and since Louis had a stack load of files he needed to get done too, the agreement could wait a while. Harvey was having none of it.
"Just do it will you?!" Harvey exploded fed up with both the, frankly unnecessary, pressure from Jessica and the underlying worry he was feeling surrounding his associate's behaviour. Not that he'd ever admit that.
Mike took an involuntary step backwards. Harvey would have apologised but Jessica was there, and he didn't want to seem like he cared in public.
"I'm sorry sir. I'll get right on it." Mike apologised and practically ran out of the office. It was only once he passed Donna's desk (ignoring her calls checking to see if he was ok) that he realised he'd slipped up again. Oh hell...
Jessica stared at the door in a mixture of confusion and surprise. She turned to Harvey.
"Did he just call you 'sir'?" She asked.
"I believe he did." Harvey confirmed.
"I thought you hated formality. Why's Mike calling you sir? Have you two fought? I thought you made up after that whole Hardman business?"
"You mean after you blackmailed my associate into betraying me?" Harvey clarified. Their relationship had improved since then, but the subject was still a sore spot between them.
"What can I say? Business is business. Seriously though, Harvey, is everything ok with him?"
"I don't know." Harvey admitted "I'm sure he's fine. Maybe being around all these British people has helped him finally develop some manners."
Jessica hummed thoughtfully but didn't comment. Harvey wasn't fooling anybody. After reminding Harvey a final time about the importance of the case, she left to actually do some work.
No sooner had Jessica leave did Donna enter.
"What happened with Mike? What the hell did you do?"
"What makes you think I did something?" Harvey demanded.
"Because when it comes to everyone else Mike has a pretty thick skin. But when it comes to you it's completely different. He cares what you think."
Harvey sighed and tossed the pen he had in his hand down.
"I may have snapped at him. But no more than usual."
"Right. And the reason why he looked so scared and you look so grave?"
"Why are you asking anyway? I'm sure you listened in?"
"As it happens I didn't. Stop deflecting and tell me what's going on with you and puppy." Donna could be very scary when she wanted to be. Even Jessica knew that there were certain things you didn't cross her on. Looking after people she considered familiar was one of those things.
"He called me sir." Harvey explained "Twice now."
Donna waiting for Harvey to say elaborate further. When he didn't she chuckled.
"Really Harvey is that it? In that case I don't think there's anything to worry about. Last week he saluted you."
"Yes, but he was being a smart-arse then. He was completely serious when he called me sir though I have never asked him to. Even Jessica asked what was going on with him."
"What is going on with him?" Donna asked. If Harvey was telling the truth, and all the signs pointed to the fact that he was, then something was up with their puppy and Donna wanted to know what.
"I don't know. But I intend to find out."