Hey Everyone!

Another quick update! Just because I got so many hits yesterday, I'm updating. But I've noticed that people are not reviewing as often as they are. You guys are like my babies, and I want to hear from all of you! I want to hear that this story is getting good. I want to hear your input, your reaction, what you liked, what you didn't like... I want to hear from you. So don't be afraid to hit the review box before you leave!

Without further ado, Enjoy!

P.S. Suits is-ah, not mine to own, by the way...

Moments earlier...

Max leaned back in her seat as she sat in her office, with her staring out through the window as she twirled the pen in her hand. Her mind was completely elsewhere, nowhere near the building, nor the streets around it. Max's thoughts were in the area of Harvey's apartment, wondering what he was doing right now. Was he sleeping? Was he getting ready for work? Was he sulking in his sleepwear as he was watching re-runs of Star Trek? She suppressed a sigh as she continued to stare out in the sky. Oddly, it was a sunny day, contradicting whatever Max was feeling. Miss Harris was feeling gloomy and under-the-weather, more like a cloudy, gray day. She felt tired and emotionally drained. She just wanted everything to go back to the way they were; uncomplicated, not stressful, and perfect… She bit her lip, it was better that Harvey knew how she felt, so maybe it was a good idea to tell him.

"Miss Harris?" The voice of Fredrick van Greten snapped her out of daydream.

She looked to him, "Oh! I'm sorry Mister van Greten."

"Freddy, please, you make me sound like my father," the slightly graying man said as he leaned back in his seat. Dirty blonde hair flipped effortlessly in a messy array on top of his head as his green eyes looked at her hazels. He had the million-dollar smile, and she knew for a fact this man knew ever inch of the female anatomy. Which is why he was good at his job in the celebrity gossip world. He could pull it off.

"Freddy," she corrected herself, "I was just-"

He cut her off, "Forgetting about my will and future endeavours, and dreaming of me?"

She gave him a tight smile, "Dreaming of someone."

Recognition came across his face, as if he knew what was going on, "I should have known. A woman as beautiful as you must be spoken for."

"I am," she said, remembering Harvey.

"But enough about me," she changed the subject, "let's get professional again."

"It can wait," the man said as he placed the file back onto her desk, "now tell me: why is someone as beautiful as you in such a gloomy state?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "It's complicated."

"He hasn't told you he loves you, has he?" Freddy flashed a knowing smile.

Her eyebrows furrowed, "How did you-"

"Every woman shares that same look," he said cutting her off, "Every damn one. I've seen it on countless women I've been with, and they all have that look," he pointed to her face, "You all have that waiting look."

Max rolled her eyes, "Mister van Greten-"

"Freddy, Miss Harris."

She suppressed a glare, "Mister van Greten, I appreciate your input, but we really have to work at the task at hand-"

"Is it Harvey?" The man asked suddenly.

Max's head shot back, "Excuse me?"

"Harvey Specter. Is it true? That you and him are-"

She cut him off, "I'm sorry sir, but that is none of your concern-"

"So it is true," Fredrick realized, "The rumours are true."

That caught Max's attention.

"Rumours?" She speculated as she fixed her posture.

"Rumours," he started, "That an almighty power-couple of lawyers existed."

She couldn't help but laugh, "Really? Who says this?"

"Other firms. Also, word gets around pretty fast in the corporate world when two of Manhattan's top lawyers are together. It's rather good for their business if they are kept in the loop."

The realization hit Max like a lightening bolt, "Because if you hire one of us, you're bound to get both of us."

Freddy smiled, "And if you're paying for one lawyer, but getting two of them instead? Now that makes your clients feel secure knowing they have two brilliant minds on their case defending them."

The multimillionaire got up, "Plus, it's like watching the Royal Wedding. Everyone wants to see a powerful couple."

Max shook her head, "How though? We're not gossip worthy-"

"Au contraire, mon cheri," the man wagged his finger, "Everyone, and when I say everyone, I mean everyone. Everyone wants to hear how the great Harvey Specter, who is the best closer in Manhattan, and all around bad-ass when it comes to a courtroom, fell in love with the sweet, gorgeous, and powerful Maxine Harris, who is possibly one of the greatest up-and-coming civil attorneys that all of New York has ever had."

"What corporation cares about the love life of two lawyers?" Max laughed.

Van Greten stopped to look out the window, "I never said it was a corporation. I said everyone."

Max's mind worked pretty fast, "Which means-"

"New York Times, Good Morning America... basically every media output that is out there," Freddy said as he shoved his hands in his suit pants pocket, "Hell, I'm pretty sure even TMZ wants a piece of you and Harvey."

The brunette had to be sure that he was just telling the truth, and not just trying to get a reaction from her. She flipped open her laptop with force, typing in the internet search bar her name, along with Harvey's name. Almost instantly, websites upon websites had conspiracy theories surrounding the two. Were they together? Were they not together? Were they living together? Did they have a pet? Was Max pregnant? All of these speculations were backed-up with a photo implicating the article beside it.

"This is ridiculous," Max said shaking her head as she closed her computer, "Absolutely ridiculous."

"Well, you can't do anything about it, I suppose," Freddy said as he checked his phone. As soon as he did, he began walking out of the office, "Excuse my abrupt leaving, but I have other matters to attend to."

"Excuse me, Mister van Greten, but I thought we had business to attend to."

"Oh, we did," the man said, sounding oddly professional.

Wait a minute...

Max's eyebrows rose, "This wasn't a business meeting, was it?"

The man smiled as he walked out of the office.

"It was for me," he shouted over his shoulder.

That mother-

She crumpled up a paper, throwing it at the door. The audacity of the man! Setting up a false meeting to get information out of her. She was going to sue, oh holy hell she was going to sue. Max got up to pace around her office. She was going to sue his stupid ass, and his entire company, and every genius that thought it was a good idea to involve themselves in Harvey's life as well as her own.

She stopped pacing, in order for her mind to work properly.

"Oh, those smart asses."

That's what they wanted. They wanted her to sue, because if she did, Harvey would know, and if Harvey knew, the over-protective side of him would come out and therefore confirming their story even more. She laughed as she sat down on one of the sofas. Maybe she could just forget about it. Or possibly just get Jessica to represent her. Her thoughts came to a halt when her phone began to ring. She pushed herself off of the couch, making her way towards her desk. As Max picked up her phone, she gave a frazzled look as she saw the caller ID. Harvey never calls at this time.

"Hello?" she slowly said, wondering why he was calling.

"Max!" Harvey yelled into the receiver. Max had never heard Harvey use that tone of voice. Almost anxious, "Where are you?"

"I'm at the office..." she heard the elevator music from his condo playing. She quickly checked the time, noticing that it was a little late for Harvey's normal time. He didn't usually call at this time, let alone be late to being late. He also sounded different. Not as calm and collected as he usually was. Something was off.

"Is everything okay, Harvey? You sound odd."

She heard him sigh and laugh into the microphone, "Oh Max, everything... everything's just perfect."

Now he's lost it, "What's going on?"

She heard his firm voice, as if the normal Harvey was coming back.

"What's going on is I'm doing something I should have done a long ass time."

Max almost dropped the phone at that moment.

It all makes sense, she told herself, how he's been acting differently.

"Harvey," she couldn't trust her own voice, "you don't mean-"

She never finished her sentence as he cut her off, "Don't leave the office. I'm coming to you, okay?"

Max smiled, barely hiding her tears, "Okay. I'll wait for you, babe."

She placed the phone on the desk, her heart racing in anticipation. She had to sit down, otherwise she would burn a hole in the carpet. He was going to do it. He was going to tell her he loves her. Max could barely keep her fingers from tapping the desk. She'd never been this excited for anything. She grabbed a pen and began drawing random circles in order to calm herself down.

"Was that Harvey?"

She looked up from her desk.

"Oliver Klades?"

The man looked haggard, as if he hadn't slept for weeks. Red-rimmed eyes, a full grown beard in effect, and his clothes wrinkled and dirty. He had a different look to him. Self-assured, and head-strong. Yet it had a scary element to his looks. Max got up from her seat, walking towards him.

"Mister Klades, we've been looking everywhere for you..."

Her mind flashed towards the night her mother died. She hadn't seen it, but she had pictured it many times. She pictured her mother, standing there, unaware of what was going to happen. She pictured the man who shot her, who had the gun pointed at her mother. Her mother would have been fierce. In Max's mind, her mother fought back, talking the shooter out of what they were doing. Her mother grabbed the gun, but it just went off. Max's mother died fighting for her life. Was her mother scared? Did time slow down? Did her mother see the bullet enter her? Did it hurt? These questions were filling her mind. Max had never thought so quickly. It hurt to think this fast, but Max knew she didn't have any time to think slowly.

Time was of the essence now.

10:18

Oliver Klades' 9mm was pointed directly at her with no hesitation.

"Gun!" Someone in the hallway shouted, causing everyone to drop what they were doing and began to run out of the firm. It was quiet for a few minutes, Max counted six minutes.

10:24.

The only thing that was heard in the room was Max's shallow breaths.

"Mister Klades," she said slowly, "What's wrong?"

"Was that Harvey?" Oliver asked again in a harsh tone.

Max nodded.

"Is he well? Is his life so perfect right now?" Oliver was waving the gun around, "He didn't try to fix what happened."

"Oliver, please," she asked with her hands out in front of her, "Calm down."

"Do not tell me to calm down," the man said in a low tone, "Harvey is the best lawyer I know, so why didn't he fix what happened to my Karly? He is supposed to be the best right? So why couldn't he win a small sexual harassment lawsuit?" Oliver began to pace around, "Why couldn't he get my little girl justice?"

Max exhaled heavily, "Mister Klades-"

"And why is it that you weren't there to help? Aren't you and Harvey some super team? The power couple?"

The brunette didn't know how to respond.

"Answer me!" The old man yelled, causing Max to jump, and fall to her side.

"Yes! Yes," Max said quickly, "We're together."

"You're important to him," Oliver confirmed, "you love him."

Her mind flashed to Harvey. Oh God, Harvey. Her love. Her babe. Her everything. What would happen to him if something went wrong? She couldn't bear to think of that horrible thought. That Harvey would go on with his life without holding her one more time. How if something went wrong, Max would never see his face, or hear his laugh, or run her fingers through his hair, or smell his scent that made her feel like home.

Max could hear the faint sound of sirens.

"I love him, yes," Max said, holding her tears back.

"He would do anything for you, then," Oliver persuaded.

Max shook her head, "What do you want, Oliver?"

"Justice!" The man screeched, "I want my daughter to be happy! I want my daughter to have what is due to her!"

Oliver stopped for a moment, his ears turning to a sound coming from outside. As he made his way towards the window, Max took a chance to grab her phone. She dialled Harvey's number, placing the phone back on the table as she hit the 'call' button. As soon as she turned around, Oliver turned around as well, focused on the situation at hand. From the corner of her eye, she could see that Harvey had accepted the call.

"Please, Oliver... Mister Klades," Max said this slowly, and loud enough for the phone to pick up the sound, "this isn't a smart decision. You can still get out of this."

"No," Oliver said as he paced back to the office, "There is no going back. I want Harvey to suffer like I did. I want Harvey to lose everything."

"I don't understand-"

"I lost my job, my wife, my home, everything! Just for this damn case," Oliver was almost in tears as he held the gun firmly, "I even lost Karly. Tell me that wasn't Harvey's fault! Tell me that he tried his hardest, because I know that if he did try his hardest, we would have won that case. I just want him to know what it's like to lose everything."

"But you didn't. You still have Karly. She's still here."

"No," the old man shook his head, "Karly never would have given up. She would have never accepted that shitty settlement. The only reason she did was because of that lazy-ass Harvey."

"It wasn't Harvey's fault-"

"Yes it was!"

"No!" She didn't think that pissing him off at that moment was a good idea, but she had to get through to him somehow, "Harvey did not lose the settlement because he didn't work hard enough. He lost because he was blindsided by not having all the information that was withheld from him."

Recognition came over Oliver's face.

It seemed for a moment, that the old Klades was coming back. His features became soft as his eyes didn't hold the anger it once did.

"So please Oliver, put the gun down, and we can both walk out of here."

Suddenly, the anger came back onto Oliver's face, as he pointed the gun towards her.

"I made a promise to myself, and I plan to keep it."

Max let a tear fall, "Oliver, don't-"

A gunshot rang out in the office.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

WHY DID IT END THERE?

ON THE NEXT TAOP: Did Harvey hear everything that was going on? Where was everyone else when this went all down? And more importantly, is Max (and Harvey) alright?

Don't forget to hit that review button!

xoxo N.