Chapter 43
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A little while after Mike and Harvey talked in the corridor Jessica is leaving the firm and Mike is running to catch up with her as he knows that he can't just let them go, he has to try and help his mother and Harvey make up.
"MOM." Mike calls, running up to her.
"You have something for me on Nick Howell?" Jessica asks, pausing to look at her son.
"Nick Howell didn't do this." Mike reminds his mother.
"Yeah, what the hell does that have to do with anything?" Jessica asks, anger still in her voice.
"Look, Harvey's problem with going after Nick is that it might backfire on Ava, but even if it doesn't, we're still putting an innocent man in the cross hairs." Mike comments.
"I thought you weren't going to get in the middle." Jessica comments.
"This isn't me getting in the middle, this is me trying to mend fences because I love both you and Harvey, and I know neither of you like fighting with each other." Mike explains, and Jessica is a little surprised, and amazed, at how easy It seems for Mike to admit that he loves Harvey, "I'm trying to make things better." Mike explains.
"You can't. This fight is between me and Harvey, and it's for us to work out." Jessica tells her son.
"Mom…" Mike starts to say.
"No Mike, you don't have to fix this, you can't fix this." Jessica tells him, "And if you don't want to work with Harvey and I while we're like this I can put Katrina back on the case."
"No, don't do that." Mike tells his mother.
"Then you need to accept that you can't do anything." Jessica tells her son, "And you also have to accept that we're backed up against a wall, we don't have I choice." Jessica reveals, "I don't give a shit about Ava's number two. He can rot in hell for all I care."
"Okay I'm going to say something and you're not going to like it, but as Aunt Leah is so fond of saying, in our family we don't hold back, we tell each other what we think because that's how we show support." Mike tells his mother, being pretty sure that she is really going to hate what he has to say, but he knows his mother well enough to know that someone has to say what he is thinking and he's pretty sure that he is the only person who will.
"Just say it Mike, whatever it is." Jessica tells her son, and at the mention of her sister Jessica remembers that the last time they talked Leah was very unhappy with her, and she isn't at all surprised that Mike is quoting his aunt.
"Are you going after Nick because he tried to sell Ava out or because Harvey tried to sell you out?" Mike asks curious.
"Michael James what did you just say to me?" Jessica asks angrily.
"I told you that you weren't going to like it." Mike admits, "But I want to make sure we're not potentially throwing a man's life away just because you're mad at someone else." Mike explains to his mother.
"Michael, instead of telling me who to be mad at, why don't you go do your job and find out what the hell Cameron has on Nick Howell that had him turn on Ava in the first place because if you think all it was was that tape, then you're not completely back." Jessica says before getting into the car.
Watching his mother Mike sighs, wondering everything is going to continue to go to hell, or whether they'll get better.
A while later Mike and Harvey are sitting across from each other in one of Mike's favourite restaurant, both very much enjoying their date, and despite everything that is going on the are both only thinking about each other.
After waking up in each other's arms for the second morning in a row, this time in Harvey's condo, Mike and Harvey go their separate ways after once more sharing a shower and breakfast. While Harvey had to head off to a client meeting Mike has gone to Cameron Dennis, having not informed Harvey of that detail.
"Cameron." Mike greats as he walks into the room.
"Junior." Cameron says, and Mike resists the urge to roll his eyes as Cameron uses the nickname he called Mike by when Mike was at the DA's office, "Harvey and Jessica want to talk settlement and they sent you?" Cameron ask surprised.
"No, they didn't." Mike informs him.
"So you're going rouge? Why doesn't that surprise me." Cameron comments.
"Because you know it's not the first time, and I'm my mother son." Mike comments, sounding proud bout that, as he may have gone rouge more than once when he was at the DA's office, "I'm here because the fact is that you, Harvey, and Mom are so busy trying to beat each other, you can't see your heads up your asses." Mike reveals.
"Cocky, that's new. I guess Harvey's been teaching you well." Cameron comments as the Mike he worked with at the DA's office wasn't cocky.
"No, what Harvey taught me is to help my client." Mike reveals, "Look, I can't guarantee you that we'll agree to anything, but Ava deserves an offer." Mike reveals.
"I spelled out my offer a week ago." Cameron reveals.
"From what I understand that offer was based on a bluff." Mike points out.
"It was, but now I've got a real deal." Cameron reveals, "it was nine, now it's twelve."
"You real deal is a confessed murderer and a vindictive ex-employee." Mike points out.
"I've got one saying that Ava paid for it, and another saying she knew what she was paying for." Cameron points out.
"Great, then get me a goddman offer under nine, and I'll get you a deal." Mike reveals.
"This negotiation is over, Junior take you ball and go home." Cameron informs Mike.
"You're such a dick." Mike comments.
"What did you say?" Cameron asks angrily as he stands up and walks over to Mike.
"I said you're a dick, something I've been wanting to say for years." Mike reveals, standing up too, "And you can take your offer and shove it up your ass." Mike says angrily, as he purposely knocks the folders Cameron is holding out of his hands, "I'm so sorry." Mike says, pretending to be sorry, but the truth is, everything just went according to his plan, as he starts to pick up Cameron's folders, reading them as he does.
"You little piss ant. I can't believe this shit. Who do you think you're dealing with?" Cameron asks, "You know I could have you locked up for assault right now?" Cameron says as Mike continues to pick up and reads the files.
"Yeah, I'm sorry." Mike says.
"Wait." Cameron says, realising what Mike is really doing, "Stop that now, get out of here." Cameron says, pushing Mike away from the files.
"I'm just trying to help." Mike lies, as Cameron quickly tries to cover up as many of the files as possible so that Mike can't read them.
"And now you can take your mediation and get the hell out of my office." Cameron informs Mike.
"Yes Sir." Mike says, heading out of Cameron's office, smirking as he goes.
As Mike leaves Cameron quickly starts to read the files to try and figure out exactly what Mike read, and now forever has.
A little while later Mike has finished typing up everything he read from the files he saw in Cameron's office, and has finished typing them up. Now, having them Mike collects everything he needs and then heads to the elevators to meet Harvey.
"Mom was right. There's dirt on Nick." Mike says the second Harvey steps out of the elevators as he hands the documents to Harvey.
"Where'd you get this?" Harvey asks curious.
"It's courtesy of Cameron Dennis." Mike explains, causing Harvey to stop walking and a look at Mike.
"There's no way Cameron would hand something like this over." Harvey says, looking at his boyfriend.
"Not knowingly anyway." Mike says with a grin, as Harvey reads.
"Holy shit." Harvey says shocked.
"I know, there's enough there to point the finger at him." Mike explains.
"There's enough here to make me think he really did it." Harvey admits.
"So, what do you wanna do?" Mike asks curious.
"Go tell your Mom she was right, and then get Nick Howell in here, and make sure he doesn't have an answer for this before we get to court." Harvey requests.
"On it." Mike says and he and Harvey go in separate directions.
It has been hours since Mike showed Harvey what he got from Cameron and since then Mike has meet Ava for the first time, and along with Jessica and Harvey the three of them have deposed Nick.
Having just ended things with Stephen, because he broke his promise and got a copy of Colonel Mariga's deposition, Donna is walking through the halls of Pearson Darby Specter, pretty distracted, as well as pissed and upset, when she walks into someone.
"Watch what you're doing." Donna says annoyed.
"I wasn't actually moving." Mike objects.
"Yeah, well, I don't actually care." Donna says annoyed, turning to look at Mike before walking away and the second she does Mike realises that something is wrong.
"Donna, are you okay?" Mike asks concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Donna lies.
"Hey, Donna." Mike calls, chasing to catch up with her.
"I don't wanna talk about it, okay?" Donna asks, turning to look at Mike, "You'll tell Harvey. He'll get furious…." Donna starts to say.
"I won't tell Harvey." Mike assures her as after everything Donna's done for him lately he owes it to her to do that for her.
"Yeah, another promise." Donna says, disbelieving as she continues to walk away.
"Donna." Mike says concerned, reaching out and grabbing Donna's arm.
"He just couldn't keep his nose out of it." Donna explains with a sigh, as she turns around and faces Mike.
"Who couldn't his nose out of what?" Mike asks concerned.
"Stephen got Mariga's deposition." Donna reveals, and Mike finds something odd about that, "You know what? It doesn't matter, I'm done with him anyway." Donna reveals, pain in his voice.
"I'm so sorry." Mike says before hugging his friend, the person who he completely considers his big sister.
"Thanks Mike." Donna says, placing a kiss on Mike's cheek before breaking the hug and walking away, after they break apart Mike watches Donna walk away and as he does he realises something odd about that and so he hurries off to check his suspicion.
While Mike is checking whether his theory is right and Donna is heading back to her cubical Jessica and Harvey are both up on the roof.
"You were right." Jessica says, walking up to Harvey, "No one's ever going to believe that Ava didn't know what her number two was up to." Jessica says.
"It was worth trying." Harvey tells Jessica as they both turn and sit down on the ledge.
"It was worth trying because she really didn't know, and no one's ever going to believe it because she should've known." Jessica says.
"Jessica, Ava and Nick are not the same as you and me." Harvey informs her.
"I know." Jessica confirms, "They're not. She didn't wanna know what was happening under her nose. I do." Jessica reveals, "And the only reason why I didn't see it this time is because I never thought you'd do that to me."
"I didn't do it to you." Harvey tells her.
"You put it in motion." Jessica reminds him.
"And then I stopped it, and then I told you about it." Harvey explains.
"What I wanna know is why. You coulda just let it go, never said a word." Jessica says, there being a part of her that wishes Harvey had done that.
"I told you because enough was enough and I didn't want anymore secrets between us." Harvey reveals, completely meaning that.
"No, when you cheat on someone and tell them about it, it's not to make them feel better. It's to make yourself feel better." Jessica tells Harvey.
"Yeah, unless you think there's a chance they're going to find out." Harvey comments.
"Or you think telling them is going to make them wanna get out of their merger." Jessica says, being done with the analogy they are using.
"I guess we've stopped with the cheating analogy." Harvey comments.
"Yes, we have. Now, did you come clean to heal our relationship or to make me want out of the merger?"
"Like I just told you, I didn't because I didn't want to keep anymore secrets, I've kept more than enough of them lately." Harvey reveals.
"Yes, you have." Jessica confirms, "I understand why my son didn't tell me about you two, but you should have." Jessica tells him, honestly she does feel betrayed about that too.
"Mike told me he loved me the night Hardman left, and I told him I loved him, but it wasn't the right time for us to try and make it work." Harvey explains, "I knew that Mike was going to struggle to get through that trial and that starting a relationship before then wouldn't have been good for him, so we waited until it was over." Harvey explains to Jessica, who is actually interested in this, "Neither of us knew if we'd work out. So, that's why we decided not to tell you, but before long I knew that I would never be with anyone else, and I'd do whatever it took to make sure we worked." Harvey reveals, causing Jessica to look amazed as she has never heard Harvey talk about someone like that, "And I when I realised that, I should have told you. I owed that to you, and I am sorry that I didn't." Harvey reveals.
"Don't hurt him again, Harvey." Jessica says in a warning tone of voice, something which Harvey realises.
"I will do everything I can to make sure I don't." Harvey promises, meaning that completely, "I may have kept a lot of secrets lately, but I have never kept it a secret that I want out of this merger." Harvey reveals.
"Which brings me back to the question you haven't answered." Jessica informs Harvey.
"Okay, if you're asking if I knew that coming clean about Darby would make you furious with him, I'd be lying if I didn't say it crossed my mind." Harvey reveals.
"So you set me up." Jessica realises.
"No, all I did is what you've taught me to do for a long time, and It didn't change your mind, it just put you in touch with what you already felt." Harvey explains to Jessica.
"You really could be managing partner." Jessica says, sounding slightly amused.
"But I'm not, and I don't wanna be." Harvey assures her.
"So, what are we going to do about this trial?" Jessica asks.
While Harvey and Jessica are up on the roof Mike has checked into his theory and as he realised he was right he has ran to his mother's office, and after finding that empty he is running towards Harvey's office.
"Donna." Mike calls, as he runs towards her cubical where she is sitting, "Where's Harvey?"
"With your Mom." Donna reveals.
"Where?" Mike asks as he heads to the door to Harvey's office, "They're not in her office."
"They're on the roof." Donna reveals.
"Okay. Get them down here right now." Mike requests.
"Mike, what's wrong?" Donna asks worried, being able to tell that something's wrong.
"I said now." Mike says, his voice forceful.
"Mike." Donna says, standing up, "What's wrong?" Donna asks concerned, walking over to him.
"I know why Stephen needed to know what Mariga said in his deposition." Mike explains.
"Why?" Donna asks confused.
"He was afraid that Mariga would tell the truth." Mike explains to Donna, then takes a deep breath, "Stephen was the one who ordered the killings." Mike explains and Donna looks completely horrified.
A few minutes later Donna has gotten Harvey and Jessica and all three of them are walking into Harvey's office where Mike is sitting at the table.
"What have you found?" Jessica asks her son.
"Emmanuel Mariga twenty years ago at the University of Cape Town as a Econ major." Mike reveals, putting a photo on the table, "Always had a head for business." Mike explains, "He was also on the rugby team. You know who else played rugby?"
"Stephen Huntley." Harvey realises.
"Stephen's record from Cambridge included a semester abroad at the University of Cape town." Mike says, putting another photo on the desk, a photo with Stephen and Mariga with their arms around one another, "That year's team. They had a hell of a season." Mike reveals.
"They're still a team." Harvey realises.
"Darby was clear. Whenever he has a problem, Stephen's the one he sends to fix it." Jessica comments.
"And Ava's problem was his problem. So when she came to him to get her pipeline built…"
"He went to Stephen." Jessica says.
"And you wanna know what it took to set up those murders?" Mike asks, "One phone call to Mariga, from the offices of Darby international, from Stephen Huntley's London office. From there. Mariga calls Nick, Nick calls Ava, and the whole thing is set in motion."
"They thought they were paying for a bribe, but they were actually paying for murder." Harvey realises.
"And they never knew the connection." Jessica realises.
"And when Ava's about to be charged for murder, Stephen shows up to make sure we'd never find out." Harvey says, sounding angry.
"I'm so sorry, Harvey." Donna says, sounding upset, hearing that Harvey looks between Donna and the others in the room and then walks out, clearly furious.
"Harvey." Jessica calls, "Harvey, what are you gonna do?" Jessica asks as Harvey walks out.
"HARVEY." Mike confirms but his boyfriend continues to walk, "This isn't going to end well." He says worried.
"No, It's not." Jessica confirms, feeling her son's worry as she is feeling it too.
A little while later Mike, who is completely worried about his boyfriend, is standing at his cubical with Katrina, who is sitting on his desk.
"So Stephen was behind everything?" Katrina asks shocked, as Mike has just finished explaining everything that's going on to her.
"Yeah." Mike confirms.
"God, poor Donna." Katrina says, her voice full of concern.
"That's the first thing you say?" Mike asks surprised.
"Well yeah, I mean I want to kick Stephen's ass, but Donna's my friend, of course I'm worried about her." Katrina admits, it being clear that she is telling the complete truth.
"Well you don't have to worry about the kicking Stephen's ass thing, I'm pretty sure that Harvey is doing that for you." Mike informs his best friend.
"Good." Katrina says, completely meaning that, but then she realises something, "Mike, how are we going to get Ava off when a member of this firm actually committed the crime?" she asks curious.
"I don't know." Mike says and once he does he sees Harvey walking into the bullpen, with a couple of cuts on his face. "Harvey." Mike says concerned.
"I don't want to talk about it." Harvey tells his boyfriend, "Donna's just leaving, she could use a friend right now." He says to Katrina.
"Okay." Katrina says, heading out of the bullpen while Harvey leans across Mike's cubical, and as he does Mike reaches out and touches his boyfriend's face.
"I'm okay." Harvey assures him, being able to see how worried Mike is, without him saying a word.
"What do you need me to do?" Mike asks curious.
"I need you to keep going with everything we have to impeach Mariga's testimony." Harvey explains.
"What about the stuff on Stephen?" Mike asks curious.
"Not yet." Harvey says.
"Why not?" Mike asks surprised.
"Because we don't have proof." Harvey comments.
"The trial's in two days. We should bring Ava in and tell her…." Mike starts to say.
"Not yet." Harvey informs him.
"Why not?"
"Because we don't have proof." Harvey explains.
"Harvey, we have to do something." Mike tells his boyfriend.
"And how would that conversation go? 'Hi, Ava, turns out one of the lawyers from our firm is trying to frame you for a crime he committed, but right now we're not say we can do anything about it." Harvey explains to Mike, making a pretty good point.
"What are you going to do?" Mike asks curious.
"I'm gonna go home, get a good night's sleep, and then tomorrow I'm going to find out what the whole story is." Harvey explains to his boyfriend.
"Harvey, Stephen isn't gonna tell you what the whole story is." Mike points out.
"No, but there is someone else who can." Harvey explains to his boyfriend, leaning across the cubical and kissing his boyfriend, doing so because basically everyone has gone home for the night, "I love you." He tells Mike.
"Love you too." Mike responds and once he does Harvey heads out of the bullpen while Mike gets to work on finding something to help.
First thing the following morning Jessica and Harvey are in Jessica's office, talking to Darby about everything.
"You knew this case was heading your way before you ever came after us. That's why you wanted to merge." Harvey comments.
"Yes, it is, and I regret this situation as much as you do, but what's done is done." Darby comments.
"Is that what you told Stephen when you found out what he did?" Jessica asks curious.
"Found out? How do we know he didn't order it?" Harvey asks.
"Because I'm giving you my word." Darby informs Harvey and Jessica.
"Why should we trust a man who sent Stephen over here to cover his ass?" Harvey asks.
"I sent Stephen over here because I care about Ava, which is why I sent him to the E.I.R. in the first place. I had no idea he would do what he did, and I have been trying to fix it ever since." Darby explains.
"Then fix it right now." Harvey says.
"And how exactly can I do that?' Darby asks.
"By stating in court Stephen acted alone without Ava's knowledge." Jessica instructs.
"I can't." Darby reveals.
"Why not?" Jessica asks.
"Because he never told me." Darby explains.
"And you never asked because you never asked because you never wanted to know." Jessica realises.
"You piece of shit, you carer about Ava so much. How could you do this to her?" Harvey asks angrily.
"I wasn't doing anything to her. I was trying to do something for her." Darby explains.
"Remind me never to ask you for any favours." Harvey requests.
"Well, I'm not asking for a favour, but you are going to agree to do something right now." Jessica informs Darby, completely meaning that.
"And what is that?" Darby asks and Jessica explains to Darby exactly what he is going to do.
An hour later Donna is standing in Stephens office when he discovers that both his phone and computer log in has been cut off.
"It's not gonna work. I cut you off to get your attention." Donna reveals.
"Well, you have it." Stephen says, meaning that.
"Good, cause I just have one question for you. How can you live with yourself?" Donna asks curious.
"What?" Stephen asks confused.
"You know what? I don't have any questions for you. I just came in here to let you know that you make me sick." Donna says, completely meaning that.
"Obviously I hurt you, Donna, and I never meant to do that." Stephen says, standing up.
"Oh, you didn't hurt me. You just made me somebody who slept with a murderer." Donna says, sounding angry.
"Murderer? I don't know what you think you know, but those people that were killed were terrorists." Stephen reveals, walking towards Donna.
"They were people." Donna stresses, "Who lived on top of something that you wanted." She says.
"People who had guns, murderers. Donna. Now, if you're so appalled by how business is done, may I suggest that you return all of your designer clothes that you look so ravishing in, because they're paid for by the dirty work this firm does." Stephen explains.
"We don't kill people." Donna objects.
"You mean chemical companies that Harvey represents or car companies that Harvey defends? How about insurance provides whose clams he helps deny?" Stephen asks.
"Don't bring him into this." Donna requests, her voice angry.
"He's always been in this." Stephen argues.
"You know what? I've had enough of this. I didn't really cut off your shit to get your attention. I cut it off because you don't need it anymore. You're fired." Donna reveals.
"Darby would never allow that." Stephen objects.
"Edward Darby signed your pink slip an hour ago." Donna says before leaving the office.
Once Donna leaves the office she walks down the corridor a little where she finds Katrina waiting.
"You okay?" Katrina asks concerned, putting an arm around her friend.
"No." Donna admits, feeling horrified that she didn't see who
"Come on, let's go get the biggest piece of chocolate cake we can find." Katrina suggests, "Or the biggest tub of chunky monkey."
"Both, definitely both." Donna requests and the two of them head out of the building together.
While Donna and Katrina are leaving the office Mike and Harvey are walking through the halls of Pearson Darby Specter.
"Goddamn Darby, unleashes his dog, leaves us to clean up the mess." Harvey says angrily.
"We can still go after Mariga in court." Mike points out, "I mean, he's an admitted murderer who cut a deal to save his life."
"Wait a second. The deal is only good if he's telling the truth." Harvey realises.
"We can't go after him with the truth on the stand." Mike points out.
"Maybe, but we can go after him with the truth not on the stand." Harvey explains.
"Cameron would have to be willing to listen, and we both know that chances of that aren't high." Mike points out.
"I can get him to listen." Harvey reveals.
"Then I better go after Mariga." Mike realises.
"And change your clothes." Harvey tells him.
"Why?" Mike asks confused.
"If they see a lawyer within twenty yards of that lobby, they'll lock the place down." Harvey says, Mike nods and the two of them go their separate directions.
Hours later Harvey and Mike have tried all day to put things in Ava's favour and they have both come up empty, though Harvey has found out that Cameron will listen if he can get him to see who is really guilty.
It's well after the end of business and Harvey, Mike, Donna and Katrina are sitting on the living room floor of Harvey's condo eating food and drinking.
"You know considering you two are in court tomorrow, with a case that's practically impossible to win, you might want to hold back on the drinking." Katrina comments.
"It's you and Donna who are doing shots of my very expensive scotch, Mike and I are just drinking beer." Harvey comments, once more wondering how they ended up in his condo rather than one of the other three apartments they could have gone too.
"After the last few days, can you blame me?" Donna asks, looking at Harvey.
"No." Mike answers, "Something tells me that the next few days are going to be just as bad."
"We'll figure something out." Harvey comments, "We'll win this."
"Since when are you optimistic?" Donna asks curious.
"I'm not, I'm a realist. We always win, we will this time too." Harvey says, needing to believe that.
"Well then." Katrina says, pouring shots for everyone, "To winning when the odds are impossible." She says and they all raise the glasses.
"And to things between the four of us being back to how they should be." Donna adds.
"Here here." Mike says and all four of them drink.
For a little while the four friends sit together and enjoy their time together, until Katrina and Donna leave, leaving Mike and Harvey to spend time together.
