Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

AN1: Thank you so much for the support. DOUBLE UPDATE TODAY. I'll update another chapter in an hour.


The next day Harvey has found what he needed, which also lead him to realise that an old friend of his isn't the same person he used to be.

While Harvey is learning about his friend Jessica is sitting in her office when Darby walks in.

"You wanted to see me?" Darby asks curious.

"I know why you care so much about Ava Hessington." Jessica reveals.

"Well, it's no secret. Her father was my first client." Darby comments.

"I think he was a little bit more than that." Jessica comments and right away Darby knows what she knows.

"It was a different time." Darby reveals.

"Does she know?" Jessica asks curious.

"She knows that I care about her." Darby answers, "I'm sorry, was there something else you wanted?" Darby asks.

"Just to let you know that if I could figure that out, Harvey can figure that out." Jessica reveals, being pretty sure that Harvey may have an easier time figuring it out considering his relationship with her son.

"And why would that be a problem?" Darby asks curious, not seeing why.

"Because it's one thing for Harvey to know that this case is important to you, another to know how important." Jessica reveals as she stands up.

"Are you telling me you don't trust him?" Darby asks, sounding surprised.

"I told you, he's having a difficult time digesting this merger…."

"And difficult time after breaking up with your son." Darby says.

"How'd you know about that?" Jessica asks surprised as she is pretty sure that the only people who know about Harvey and Mike breaking up at Donna, Katrina and maybe Scottie.

"As you just pointed out, I have experience in these matters." Darby reveals, "I realises what was going on as soon as I saw them together." Darby reveals.

"I didn't realise, for two months." Jessica says, sounding surprised.

"It's an easy thing to overlook." Darby explains, "I take it that what happened is part of the reason why Mike quit."

"Yes, though officially I've put Mike on unpaid leave." Jessica reveals, "I know my son, he just needs some time and I will make sure there is still a job for him here once he's had that time."

"Of course, I understand." Darby says with a nod.

"Like I said, Harvey isn't in a good place right now, which is why I don't want him to use this as leverage to leave." Jessica explains to Darby.

"At the end of the day, I don't believe Harvey really wants to leave." Darby reveals to Jessica.


Hours later Harvey has found out that Cameron Dennis is now the special prosecutor on Ava's case which has lead Harvey to realise who he is, a realisation that has lead him to the conference room that Darby uses as his office.

"Harvey, you're looking determined." Darby says as Harvey walks in.

"I am." Harvey confirms.

"What can I do for you?" Darby asks curious.

"Look, I know we had an arrangement, but I came here to change it." Harvey reveals.

"Change it? But you might not even win?" Darby comments, "I've just heard about this new special prosecutor." He reveals.

"Relax, the case was always gonna be hard. It just got a little harder." Harvey responds.

"Because you made it that way."

"That's my problem." Harvey says.

"And now you're using that increased difficulty to renegotiate our deal." Darby says.

"That's your problem. We both know how important Ava is to you." Harvey says, giving Darby a look.

"What do you want?" Darby asks curious.

"I don't wanna run from a fight." Harvey reveals, meaning that.

"Meaning?"

"I win, you don't fire me, you back me for managing partner." Harvey reveals.

"You want to take down Jessica." Darby says, sounding shocked.

"I do." Harvey reveals, wanting to do so as it is the only way he can see to make things better, for everyone, including Mike.


While Harvey is talking to Darby Jessica is once more knocking on her son's apartment door, and she isn't at all surprised when he doesn't answer, so once more Jessica pulls out her key and enters.

"What do you want, Mom?" Mike asks as she enters, sounding annoyed, from his position on the couch where he is once more drinking.

"I want you to come back to work." Jessica informs her son.

"Well, that's not going to happen, so you can go." Mike responds.

"Mike, you love your job." Jessica tells her son, "I don't want you to quit because of this, I don't want you to quit because of what happened between you, me and Harvey." Jessica tells her son.

"Too late, I've already quit."' Mike reveals, "I can't work with you and Harvey right now. Not after what you did." Mike explains to his mother, "I'm not going back to the firm."

"Mike, please, just consider it." Jessica tells her son.

"I have, and I can't work with you or Harvey." Mike reveals, "And honestly right now I don't want to even see either of you." Mike says, standing up, "I love you both, Mom, and you both hurt me, you both betrayed me, my Mom and the man I could see myself being with for the rest of my life." Mike revels, and honestly Jessica thinks it is a good sign that he said love and not loved, though she is a little shocked about how he described Harvey, "You both betrayed me, the two people I trusted most, and the fact that I loved my job can't make up for that." Mike says, "I'm not coming back." before heading out of the room and as Jessica watches her son walk away she can't help but wonder if things between them will ever be okay again.


A while after his mother left Mike is once more sitting on his couch and as he does he picks up his phone and dials a number, probably the safest of the numbers he wants to call.

"Hello." The person on the other end picks up.

"Hey Aunt Leah." Mike greats.

"Mike, what's wrong?" Leah asks concerned.

"Nothing…." Mike starts to say.

"Yes, there is, I know you, Mike, and you wouldn't have called if something wasn't wrong." Leah says as while she and Mike don't talk often, they text a lot, at least several times a week, depending on how busy they are.

"Everything's gotten so screwed up Aunt Leah, and just don't know what to do." Mike admits, his voice breaking.

"That's simple, what you're going to do is talk to me, and tell me everything." Leah tells her nephew, and even though he really doesn't want to talk to other people Mike finds himself explaining everything to his aunt, and as hard everything is to talk about it Mike manages to explain everything to Leah.


It has been three days since Mike called his aunt, something which resulted in Leah coming to spend some time with her nephew and honestly when she saw the state of him she would have liked to have spent more time with him but she had to go out of town on important business, that is going to take a while, so instead she settled for getting him to eat some real food and drink some water rather than alcohol.

It has also been three days since Harvey decided to take over the firm from Jessica and he has just finished inform Donna about that.

"Holy shit." Donna says shocked.

"Was that a good holy shit? Or a bad holy shit?" Harvey asks.

"Harvey, you just told me that you're planning a coup. Give me a second to figure that out." Donna requests.

"Not a coup, it's a move." Harvey reveals, "And when you're done with your lecture…." Harvey starts to say.

"No, no lecture." Donna reveals, "I just have one question. Do I get my own office?" Donna asks curious and Harvey doesn't answer, "Harvey, if you want to be managing partner and Darby agreed to back you, then I'll follow you to the ends of the earth, but before we start, I want to make sure you're ready to do this to Jessica."

"I am." Harvey confirms.

"And Have you thought about what it will do to Mike? About what it will do to your chances of being able to make things right with him?" Donna asks, wanting to make sure that Harvey has thought this through completely as right now she isn't sure that he has.

"I have. I know what I'm doing." Harvey assures Donna, telling the truth.

"Then let's go beat the shit out of Cameron Dennis." Donna says with a grin, one that Harvey returns.


It has been a couple of hours since Harvey told her what he was planning and Donna is working at her cubical when Louis walks up.

"Good morning, Miss Paulsen." Louis greats.

"Spit it out." Donna says, not even looking up from what she is doing.

"Is that any way to start the day?" Louis ask.

"You want something." Donna realises, knowing that.

"I want the 411 on Mike." Louis reveals.

"What?" Donna asks, turning to look at Louis in surprise, hoping that Harvey can't hear.

"Has he really quit? Or does he just need some time away? Or is something else going on?" Louis asks, "Is he going to come back?" Louis asks.

"Yes, Mike quit." Donna confirms, "But officially Jessica's put him on unpaid leave to give him some time to change his mind." She reveals.

"Do you think he will? Do you think he'll come back?" Louis asks curious.

"I don't know." Donna admits, telling the complete truth.

"Do you think someone should go talk to him, try and see if there's anything that can be done to get him to come back?" Louis asks curious.

"From what I know Mike's not even answering his door." Donna explains, "And I'm honestly not sure what can get him to come back." Donna admits, though she suspects it would have to be both Jessica and Harvey making up for what they did as well as both of them agreeing not to put Mike in the middle of them again.

"Oh." Louis answers, "Thanks Donna." He says before walking away, an idea already forming in his mind.


Not long after his conversation with Donna Louis is walking up to Mike's apartment where he knocks on the door, and he gets no response and so he knocks again, but as he does Louis remembers what Donna said about Mike not answering his door.

"Mike, it's Louis, I just want to talk." Louis calls out, and he waits for a little while and there is no response, "Please Mike, I just want to talk." Louis once more says as he continues to knock, and to his surprise, and relief, the door opens a few minutes later to reveal Mike.

"What do you want, Louis?" Mike asks, opening the door, Louis seeing that his eyes are bloodshot and he looks like he hasn't shaved in days.

"To talk, like I said." Louis reveals.

"Who sent you, Mom or Harvey?" Mike asks, not opening the door to let him in, honestly if Louis had ever meet Leah he'd ask if she sent him, but because he hasn't he doesn't.

"Neither, I came on my own." Louis answers and watching him carefully and realising that he is telling the truth Mike opens the door and lets Louis into his apartment.

"What do you want, Louis?" Mike asks as he walks back over to his couch. A Louis walks in he can't help but frown as there are takeout boxes an empty alcohol bottles everyway, and as he looks at Mike Louis realises that he is far from okay.

"I want you to come back to work." Louis reveals and Mike snorts.

"That's not happening." Mike reveals.

"Look, I don't know what happened between you, Jessica and Harvey, but I know it must have been bad." Louis explains, "I'm not asking you to come back for them, if fact you won't even have to even see them. I'm asking you to come back and work with me."

"I appreciate the office, Louis, but I can't." Mike tells him, "I'll still see them and that's something I can't handle right now." Mike reveals.

"What happened?" Louis asks, walking over and sitting on a chair near Mike's couch.

"I told Harvey, and Mom, that I didn't want to be put in the middle of their fight about the merger, they both put me in the middle anyway." Mike reveals, "They both ignored what I wanted, and put me in a position that I didn't want to be in, had me do something I didn't want to do."

"I'm sorry." Louis says meaning that, "I get why it would hurt that your Mom had you do that, but Harvey's, well Harvey, it can't have surprised you that he would put you in that position." Louis comments as that is who Harvey is, and Mike better than practically anyone should know that.

At Louis's words Mike can't help but look down at the picture of him and Harvey together, that is on the coffee table, something which Louis notices.

"Harvey's not just your boss." Louis realises, looking at the picture and the second he does it's like everything falls in place, everything makes sense, "You're together." He says, thinking that he should have seen that coming.

"Were." Mike corrects, "You know what…. He did to me, and after that I didn't think I could ever be with someone again." Mike reveals, doing so because Louis knows everything, "But Harvey, Harvey was different." Mike says, his voice full of pain and betrayal.

"And now he betrayed you, broke the trust in him you managed to have, despite what happened." Louis realises.

"Yeah." Mike confirms, "Like I said, I appreciate the offer, but I can't be around either of them, not right now." Mike says as he picks up a bottle of scotch that still has something in it and takes a drink.

"Don't you think it's a bit early for that?" Louis asks, honestly a little concerned.

"Nope." Mike answers, looking around, "I need to go shopping." He realises as he's almost out of the supplies Leah brought him.

"Maybe you should think about getting some actual food." Louis suggests, feeling his concern for Mike grow.

"Maybe." Mike mutters, not really planning on doing that, "Did you need something else, Louis?" he asks curious.

"No." Louis answers, not sure if there is anything he could say to get through to Mike, "I should go." He says, standing up.

"It was good talking to you." Mike says, not overly sure he believes that.

"Yeah, it was." Louis says before leaving.


After leaving Mike's place Louis goes straight back to the firm, but instead of going to his office Louis heads to Katrina's as he figures that, as Mike's best friend, she is the best person to go to with his concern.

Getting to Katrina's office Louis walks in and closes the door behind him.

"What do you need, Louis?" Katrina asks curious.

"I went to see Mike." Louis reveals.

"Don't take it personally. He's not opening the door for anyone these days." Katrina reveals.

"That's the thing, he did let me in." Louis reveals.

"Really?" Katrina asks surprised, looking up at him.

"Yes." Louis confirms, "We talked, and I don't think he's okay." Louis admits, Katrina being able to hear the concern in his voice.

"He's not." Katrina confirms, knowing that because of what she knows and the conversation she had with Leah.

"He told me what happened, and I know about him and Harvey. Is there anything I can do to help?" Louis asks curious, being sincere in his office.

"I don't know." Katrina admits, "I'm still trying to figure out if there is anything I can do." She admits, "I've been trying, but I don't even know if what I've been doing helps, it may just be making everything worse."

"I'm sure that's not true." Louis comments, "From what I saw he's hurting and having someone be there for him is bound to help."

"Hopefully." Katrina mutters, "That's for the offer, Louis. I'll let you know if there is anything you can do." She informs him.

"Good. I saw enough today to be worried about him, I'd like to help, If I can." Louis informs Katrina before leaving her office, leaving Katrina to sit and worry about her best friend.


It has been hours since Louis and Katrina talked, and unaware of that Harvey, who has spent all day fighting Cameron, with Jessica's help is sitting in his office, at his laptop.

As he works Harvey looks down at his cell which is sitting on his desk and after a few moments of hesitation Harvey reaches out and picks it up, and goes to his recent calls where most of the numbers are still Mike. Staring at the name Harvey reaches out to call but then he re-thinks and locks his phone before he can call.

After doing so Harvey closes his laptop, probably a little harder than he has to, gets up, and heads out of his office, planning on having a large drink when he gets home.


The following morning, while Harvey is off meeting with Cameron Dennis, Donna is at the office and having just gotten a phone call that has filled her with concern she is making her way to Katrina's office.

A few minutes after she left her cubical Donna arrives at Katrina's office.

"I need your spare key to Mike's place." Donna informs Katrina, without even saying hello.

"Okay." Katrina says, reaching over to her handbag to get it, "Why?"

"I just got a call, Mike's not going to his appointments with Doctor Jenkins, so I'm going to drag his ass there and sit in the waiting room while he talks to her." Donna says as she is pretty sure that, considering everything, the worst thing Mike can do is stop going to his therapist appointments.

"Good." Katrina says, finding the key, "He can't skip those, not now." She says, handing it to Donna.

"That's exactly why I have no intention of letting him." Donna reveals, "Thanks for the key." She says gratefully, having assumed that Mike wouldn't let her in if she tried to get him to.

"No problem." Katrina responds, "Though you might as well make your own."

"I will." Donna tells her, "I'll let you know how things turn out." Donna says.

"I'd appreciate that." Katrina says as Donna leaves.


Not long after getting the key from Katrina Donna is letting herself into Mike's apartment where she finds her friend sitting on the couch, looking pretty horrible, while watching TV.

"Donna, I don't remember giving you a key." Mike says, a little surprised to see her.

"You didn't. Katrina gave me hers." Donna reveals, as she closes the door behind her.

"Right." Mike says, realising that he should have guessed that, "What you doing here?"

"I got a call from Doctor Jenkins office." Donna reveals, "Why aren't you going to your appointment's Mike?" she asks concerned.

"I don't see the point." Mike says, with a shrug, meaning that completely as while he did talk to Leah he doesn't want to, or feel the need to, to talk to anyone else.

"The point is that Doctor Jenkins has been helping you, I know that for a fact." Donna says, "So you've got two choices, either you can go get changed and I'll take you the appointment I've organized for you, or I'll drag you there how you are. Either way you're going to your appointment today." Donna informs him.

"Donna…."

"Don't Donna me, Mike. You need to go to the appointments, and If I have to drag you today, and to every appointment in the future, that's what I'm going to do." Donna reveals.

"Why? Why do you even care? Harvey and I aren't together anymore." Mike tells Donna, pain in his voice.

"I don't care about you because you were dating Harvey, or because your Jessica's son, I care about you Mike." Donna reveals, "Your family to me, Mike." Donna says, completely meaning that, "but if you tell anyone that I will kick your ass, got it?" she asks, her voice teasing and not overly serious.

"Got it." Mike says, feeling the first amount of joy he has felt in over a week, "Guess I better get changed."

"Yeah, you should." Donna says and Mike gets up and heads to his bedroom, while he does Donna looks around the room and as she does she can't help but frown, a frown that only increases when she counts the number of empty bottles that are around the room.


Well over an hour later Mike is walking out of his appointment that he just had with Doctor Jenkins, and as he walks out he is a little surprised to see Donna waiting in the waiting room.

"You didn't have to wait." Mike says as Donna walks over.

"Yeah, I did." Donna tells him.

"Don't you have work though?" Mike asks, feeling a little bit bad about Donna missing work because of him.

"The firm can survive without me for a little while." Donna says with a shrug.

"I'm not so sure about that." Mike comments, and Donna gives him an amused smile, both of them knowing that it isn't the firm he is talking about but rather Harvey, though neither of them are going to confirm that point.

"I am, and because I've got a little bit of time before I thought we could go to the dinner down the road." Donna tells Mike, "Maybe you could eat something other than take out."

"Are you giving me a choice?" Mike asks curious, though he is pretty sure that he could guess the answer.

"No." Donna says, putting her arm around Mike's shoulder as they head out of the waiting room.


Hours later, after a long day, mainly courtesy of Cameron Dennis Harvey is standing on the roof to Pearson Darby with a glass of scotch, having no idea that his assistant was gone for several hours to help his ex-boyfriend, that he is still refusing to think of Mike as that.

As he stares out at the city and drinks Harvey hears footsteps and he doesn't even have to turn around to know exactly who I tis.

"Whatever it is, I'm really not in the mood right now." Harvey comments as Jessica stands beside him.

"Harvey, I know how Cameron works. He's setting something up." Jessica informs Harvey.

"You think I don't know that? He's setting Ava up to bribe Nick." Harvey reveals.

"Isn't that what you just did?" Jessica asks.

"No. I went to him and told him he'd regret being disloyal to her. Something I know a little about." Harvey reveals.

"Harvey, do you know what started it between the Hatfields and the McCoys?" Jessica asks.

"I didn't catch the miniseries, but I heard Costner killed it." Harvey says, turning to look at Jessica, trying not to think about the fact that it was Mike who told him that.

"Doesn't matter, because whoever they stay started it, I guarantee you, the other side says bullshit." Jessica reveals.

"You went to Darby for this merger behind my back." Harvey says angrily.

"And then you picked a fight with him behind my back." Jessica says, angrily.

"And we both used Mike, behind each other's back." Harvey says.

"And you two had a fling behind my back." Jessica says angrily.

"It wasn't a fling." Harvey says angrily, "I love Mike, Jessica. Things were so good between us, and I'd call it the most serious relationship I've ever been in, and I screwed it up." Harvey says, pain in his voice, "And if I could figure out a way to fix things between us, a way to get me and Mike back to where we were that's what I'd be doing right now." Harvey reveals.

"That's what I've been trying to do with you and me." Jessica informs Harvey a little surprised to hear that things we so serious between her son and Harvey, "I regret where we are, and I've been trying to get us back to where we were." Jessica informs him.

"And what would the evidence of that be?" Harvey asks.

"What evidence would you like?" Jessica asks curious.

"Why don't you tell me the truth about why the hell I'm on this case?" Harvey requests.

"All right, Harvey. I lied to you. When I told you I fought to get you on this case, I didn't. Darby made the call, and I used it as an opportunity to reach out to you." Jessica explains to Harvey.

"Used." Harvey says angrily.

"To reach out to you." Jessica corrects, "Which I am now here doing without using anything. So do you want to let it go or no?" Jessica asks curious.

"I want to know one thing. If you had it to do over, would you do it again?" Harvey asks and Jessica doesn't answer, giving Harvey the exact answer he wanted.

"Deposition's on the books with Cameron tomorrow. You want me there or not?" Jessica asks and Harvey waits a moment before answering.


The following evening, having spent most of the day fighting with Cameron while working with Jessica on Ava's deposition, Harvey has walked into Jessica's office to talk to her about the deal that Cameron just offered.

"This deal is bullshit." Harvey informs Jessica who is sitting on her desk.

"Harvey. Cameron can say what he wants. Darby asked you to take the case. No way he doesn't consider this a win." Jessica explains to Harvey.

"I don't consider this a win." Harvey argues.

"Do you really want to gamble five years of her life, so you can prove you're better than Cameron?" Jessica asks.

"You know as well as I do, he's only offering this 'cause he knows he's got a loser." Harvey tells Jessica.

"Do you know how they enter a technical knockout in the record books?" Harvey asks, "As a knockout."

"I would." Jessica reveals.

"What?" Harvey asks.

"You asked me before if I'd do it again. Even though I regret that Mike was hurt, and that things aren't okay between us, if you put me in that position again, and I'll do whatever I have to do to win." Jessica says, standing up, "Because we win." Jessica reveals.

"Are you saying screw this deal, let's kick his ass?" Harvey asks, surprised that Jessica would do the same thing, because he wouldn't.

"No. I'm saying take the deal. We already did." Jessica reveals to Harvey.


While his mother and Harvey are talking about what they would do differently Mike is in his apartment, doing what he has been doing every day since he quit, staring at his picture wall.

"No, no more." Mike says angrily, standing up and walking over to his picture wall. Once he is there Mike takes off any pictures that have his mom or Harvey in them.

Once he has them all Mike takes the pictures over to his desk where he opens the draw, puts them all inside, and closes the draw, before heading back over to his couch where he sits down and once more starts to drink.


It has been a little while since his conversation with Jessica and Harvey is sitting in his office listening to music and drinking.

"Harvey." Donna says, from the door to Harvey's office.

"This is Mike's favourite record." Harvey reveals, "He told me so." Harvey reveals.

"Go see him, Harvey." Donna tells her friend, "Talk to him." She says, stressing the words.

"I can't." Harvey responds, pain in his voice.

"Yes, you can, and you should." Donna tells him.

"No, I can't." Harvey says, putting down his glass and heading out of the room, leaving the record playing.


For the next day Jessica and Harvey work together with Ava and Harvey gets her to take the deal, and he asked Donna to send the paperwork to Darby because of Jessica, because she would do the exact same thing, but he wouldn't.

Having just arrived home Harvey takes off his jacket, and loosens his tie before sitting down on the couch, as he sits down Harvey pulls out his phone, unlocks it and just stares at his inside wall paper, the wall paper that you can only see if you unlock the phone, a picture of him and Mike.

Honestly, Harvey isn't even sure what made them take the picture, all he knows is that Mike convinced him and once the photo was taken Harvey was glad, as it is a picture of the two of them, with arms around each other, looking completely in love, and Harvey can't help but stare at it, and that's all he does for a very long time.


While Harvey is at his apartment staring at pictures of him and Mike, Mike is in his apartment, watching TV. As he watches Mike hears the door open and so he looks up and sees his mother walk in.

"What do you want, Mom?" Mike asks, not even caring about the annoyance in his voice.

"To say something that I haven't said yet, I'm sorry." Jessica tells her son, having been reminded, after a pretty anger phone call from her sister that that should have been the first thing she said to Mike, after everything happened, and she regrets that it wasn't.

"Really?" Mike asks, sounding slightly disbelieving.

"Really." Jessica confirms, "You being hurt is always the last thing I wanted, and I am sorry for that." She says, telling the complete truth.

"But you're not sorry for what you did." Mike realises, not overly sure how he feels about that.

"No, I'm not, but if a situation like that comes up again, I'll never put you in the middle again." Jessica informs her son, "That I promise you."

"it means a lot to hear that." Mike tells his mother, "But I still can't go back to the firm." Mike says as it's one thing for his mother to promise that, for him to even consider coming back he needs both his mother and Harvey to promise that.

"I'm not here to ask you to, I'm here to make things right with us." Jessica tells her son.

"That's not going to be easy." Mike says, and honestly Jessica is glad that he didn't say impossible.

"I'm willing to do the hard work." Jessica tells her son and not trusting his voice Mike just gives a nod and wonders whether things between him and his mother will ever be the way they used to be again.