Author's Note: I apologise for not updating sooner but assignments got in the way. Enjoy!
Chapter 4
The rush of excitement he feels is almost on par with the euphoria he experienced on his very first day. Mike pedals his bike faster than his legs would normally allow, his body running on a rush of endorphins. It's wet and raining outside and he's getting thrashed around on the road but he doesn't care.
When he reaches the fiftieth floor of Pearson Darby with his hair wet and his suit damp, he wears a stupid grin on his face and practically skips to Donna's cubicle.
"You're late," she says.
Mike panics, checking his watch. "No I'm not."
"I know. I've just missed saying that."
Mike nearly beams at Donna and drops a chaste kiss on her cheek. The woman actually blushes and Mike can't help but swell with pride. Donna schools her expression, stands and straightens Mike's tie. He appreciates the fuss.
She smiles. "Good to have you back."
"Good to be back." He's still sporting the same goofy grin from earlier.
From his desk Harvey has an unobstructed view of his assistant and newly-reinstated associate. He observes them carefully, or more accurately, he observes her.
Donna's laughing and joking and playfully teasing Mike, and it twists something inside of him that he can't fully describe. She hasn't been this light for a while now and Harvey is smart enough to know that he's mostly to blame for that.
He sees her reach for Mike's horrendously skinny tie and straighten it, not dissimilar to how she does for him on occasion. It was something she used to do a lot in the early years of their working relationship, usually before a trial. They'd set the can opener down and she'd flatten his hair, fix his tie and jokingly wish him good luck. Even back then, she had known he wouldn't need it.
She's smiling brightly up at Mike and Harvey can't supress the rush of envy that springs in his chest. Donna hasn't looked at him like that in weeks. Maybe months.
He can't watch this scene anymore so he retreats from his desk and strides to the door.
"If you two are done flirting…" he deadpans.
Mike looks at him slightly horrified while Donna emits a low chuckle.
"Didn't know you had a taste for older women," Harvey teases as both he and Mike take a seat in his office.
"Just all fiery redheads who are out of my league."
Harvey smirks, strangely satisfied with his answer. Mike bites his lip, as if debating whether or not to speak, but Harvey interjects first, briefing him on their latest case.
"I'm not sure what Louis had you doing for the past month, but don't kid yourself that this is going to be smooth sailing."
They're both aware that Harvey isn't referring to the case. Mike clears his throat, "Working for Louis isn't exactly a vacation."
"That I can empathise with, but just know that I'm not going to put up with any of your shit," he says, not unkindly.
Mike offers him a curt, oddly professional nod. "Am I on some kind of probation?"
"Of sorts."
"I won't this screw up again," he says.
Harvey can hear the truth to his words and feels compelled to believe him. "Good, don't. And for god's sake change your suit," he adds for good measure.
Mike gives him a look of mock-offense and it's pleasantly familiar.
When Rachel goes to meet Donna at her desk for lunch she collides head first into Mike.
It's jarring for them both, made even worse by the hands that Mike uses on Rachel's waist to steady her, coupled with the hands she uses to grasp his shoulders. They haven't been this close to one another since they slept together and Rachel has been doing everything in her power to avoid a confrontation like this one.
Moments pass and neither say a word, because Rachel thinks for a second that he might just kiss her in the hallway in front of everybody they work with.
But his hands fall limp from her waist and she removes hers from his shoulders.
He mumbles an apology and she tries to look annoyed but she's too thrown by his proximity to be even remotely mad. Rachel tears her eyes away from Mike and they awkwardly sidestep one another.
Donna is smirking at her with both eyebrows raised. "Well that was painful to watch."
"What is he even doing up here?" Rachel asks in a hushed voice.
"Harvey brought him back."
"Seriously?"
Donna scoffs. "I'm surprised it took this long. I think I'm losing my touch."
"I'm surprised they lasted this long apart," Rachel jokes.
"Jeez Rach you make it seem like they're co-dependent."
Rachel laughs, "No you and Harvey are co-dependent."
She means it flippantly but a look of hurt flashes briefly across Donna's eyes.
"Donna, no, I was kidding."
Donna waves her hand dismissively but Rachel can see plainly that the comment has impact. She quickly steers the conversation, "So how are you anyway? After yesterday?"
Donna gives her an unreadable expression. "What do you mean?"
Rachel shoots her friend a knowing look. "Donna I've seen you cry a total of two times, both instances being a direct result of the actions of a certain senior partner…"
"Hey, I'd just been fired," she defends.
"And yesterday?"
"Was nothing," she says with finality.
"Did he at least apologise?"
Donna huffs, "This morning."
Rachel seems satisfied by this answer. "I hope there was grovelling involved."
"Oh I'm expecting a very large bonus this year."
They're both silent for a moment and Rachel can't help but notice the way Donna looks at her pensively. "You know, you could talk to him," Donna prods.
"You're not really taking his side are you?"
Donna shrugs non-committedly. "I can't help but feel for the guy."
Rachel leans over Donna's desk, her voice breaking and barely audible when she says, "You mean the guy who has everything I've ever wanted and never even earned it?"
Donna glares at her, "No, the guy who has no family outside the walls of this firm and loves his job more than anything."
Rachel is taken aback by the edge to Donna's voice. "And FYI, he earns it every day."
And to that, Rachel does not know what to say.
"That was a little harsh."
Donna, about to leave a file on Harvey's desk halts her movements. She holds out a hand to him, "Hi, I'm kettle, you must be pot."
Harvey bats her hand away. "I'm just saying."
"Well don't just say. How did you even hear what I said?"
Harvey gives her a look that speaks volumes. "What? You think I don't listen to your private conversations? That line goes both ways."
Donna mock-gasps, "This really doesn't seem right."
"I'd say it seems fair."
"How much did you hear?"
"Mostly just the end. Are you going to keep deflecting?"
"For as long as you let me."
Harvey leans back in his chair and studies her. Donna's smile is tight, it's the same one she's been giving him the past few weeks and he knows it well. Her hands are clasped in front of her, but he can detect the slight tremor to them that she's currently working so hard to hide. "Why are you doing this?"
She looks him directly in the eye but doesn't offer an answer. "Why do you keep defending him?" Harvey continues.
Donna sighs, shaking her head. "Are you really this clueless?"
"I hate it when you answer a question with another one."
Donna resigns herself to the edge of Harvey's desk and makes the conscious effort to avert her eyes. "The way Mike's been feeling, about what he did…well multiply that by a thousand and then you'll understand how I felt after the memo."
She tries to say it matter-of-factly but the shake of her voice belies the confidence she usually portrays. Harvey is brought back to last night and the impact of his cruel words hits him full force and he feels ashamed and utterly stupid that he couldn't figure it out sooner.
"Donna, it's not even close to the same thing."
"What I did was worse. Mike's hands were tied."
"And yours weren't?" Harvey asks incredulously. "I thought we put this behind us."
"How would I know? It's not as if we ever talk about these things," she says sadly, and he is absently reminded of her words months ago; you keep things from me all the time.
Because she is guilty of it too. She puts up a wall or draws a line and sometimes her poker face is better than his. Except he thinks that this isn't about the memo and it's not even really about Mike.
He doesn't let her in.
These past few weeks have reinforced that. But she's infiltrated almost every aspect his life and he had meant it when he said he needed her.
She still doesn't get that that's why he can't let her in completely.
"I should go apologise to Rachel," she sighs. Their habits of avoidance and deflection come all too easy for the both of them and Harvey wonders if they'll ever finish a conversation all the way through.
His own body betrays him when he places a firm hand on the soft skin of her thigh. There's a boundary being crossed and he can see it by the curious look on her face.
He's not entirely sure why he does it, or why he's had the need all day to feel any part of her under his hands. Or maybe he does understand why, maybe because words keep failing them and he doesn't know how else to communicate. He tries to blame his traitorous hands but perhaps his brain is just finally catching up.
Donna's brow is furrowed, but she wears a small, amused grin. He thinks about running his hand further along her thigh, in fact his brain is screaming at him to do it, but he can't. Not here in the middle of the day in his office, mere hours after she was furious with him.
His hand remains sprawled on her thigh for a lot longer than can be deemed appropriate. She doesn't yell at him or break his hand in half, but she grins at him like she used to and it breathes a quiet kind of promise.