Title: Chance Meetings

Author: Razorbackgal0225

Rating: PG-13-A little language, but that's all.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, laws or situations from Suits, but I sure wish I did. Anything you don't recognize is mine.

Author's Note: So updating rather quickly. This feels a little rushed, but honestly, I'm excited about the last chapter (which is next) and I'm ready to get to it. But however I feel about it, please let me know what you think; I love reviews!

The Fourteenth Time

I left the office that afternoon and headed to what had become Becca and mine's favorite bar. Unfortunately, it was the same place that I saw Harvey the first time, but that couldn't be helped. While I was upset, I wasn't so far gone that I was going to change my habits to avoid thinking about him. Besides, if I was going to have as many drinks as I planned, I wanted to be somewhere relatively near my apartment.

I arrived second; Becca was already perched on the opposite side of the bar with a double vodka and tonic and nachos waiting on me. I downed half of the drink before I even sat down and Becca gave me a sympathetic look. "That bad?" she asked. I glared at her in response, as I plopped down on the seat next to her. "That bad," she repeated, this time as a statement. "Okay, tell me what happened."

I had called her the minute I had time after the hideous Morning After incident, so she was up-to-date except for more recent events. I quickly recapped my visit to Pearson Hardman as I finished my first drink and ordered a second. Upon hearing everything I could remember, even the part about Donna appearing to scold Harvey as I left, she considered what I had told her in silence, absently munching on a chip. "Hmm," she finally said.

"Hmm? I make possibly the worst mistake I've ever made and now I'm suffering the consequences and all I get is hmm?" I was surprised by her lack of response. Normally by this time, she would be threatening to cut off protruding parts of a guy who had hurt me.

"Well, first off, take the drama down a notch." I rolled my eyes, not wanting to admit she was right. "That was by no means the worst mistake you've ever made. I seem to recall an unfortunate dating incident with an out-of-work actor that ended in $200 missing from your place. I'm not judging," she quickly added, seeing I was about to defend my former choice. "I'm just saying having a fling with a highly successful, incredibly handsome lawyer is not anywhere near the worst mistake ever. Probably not even in the top ten." I flipped hair off my shoulder, again not wanting to admit there was any truth in her statement. "Second, are you sure you're not overanalyzing a bit?"

At this, I almost slammed my glass on the bar. "Becca, he practically escorted me out of his apartment. Today, he looked me in the eye for six seconds maybe. That doesn't exactly scream 'I want to see you again,' now does it?"

She waited a moment, something I was used to. When I was upset, she would always carefully form her opinions before saying them out loud; I did have a tendency to fly off the handle quickly. "But he kissed you before you left that morning. That's not normal 'please-get-out-of-here' behavior."

"He didn't call me. And he didn't say anything when I saw him today." This was a weak protest.

"What did you expect him to say?" she asked as she signaled for another drink. "'Hey, great sex the other night, let's do it again soon?' C'mon Mads, you're both professionals, him extremely so. There's no way he's going to bring up a personal matter when you said you were called over for a specific project. And…" she said, and I could tell she was hesitant to finish. "You didn't ask him what was going on before you started any of this. You knew there was a good chance this was just a one-time thing. Plus, you didn't call him either."

My lowered my head to rest on my hands folded on the bar. I didn't like at all that she was punching holes in every argument I had to still be upset. This wasn't the way I wanted this bitch-session to turn out. "Why can't I just have a sex thing with someone? Isn't that what other people do?"

She patted my shoulder. "Yes, most people. We're not most people, Mads, you know that. And besides, you shouldn't have shacked up with some guy that you were falling into serious like with. That was your actual mistake."

I lifted my head. "I know. I'm an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," she consoled. "You're a girl. You're a pretty girl who caught the eye of a pretty man and did what pretty people do. It just so happens this pretty man has a pretty personality and you ended up liking him." I laughed for the first time since entering Pearson Hardman earlier in the day. That ended two seconds later. "Oh shit."

"What?"

"Um," she drawled, "Speak of the devil?" she gestured almost imperceptibly to the opposite side of the bar. I couldn't believe my eyes. Harvey was sitting directly across from us, with another woman. She was elegant and beautiful, but also noticeably older than Harvey. I clenched my teeth in frustration. I had gone to this bar to drink, talk to Becca and get away from the whole situation and the 'situation' had followed me there. I quickly averted my gaze, hoping that he wouldn't see me and I could erase this night from my memory. Of course that didn't happen. "Oops, he spotted us. Oh, he's smiling at me," Becca provided play-by-play, barely moving her lips. "I hate to say this, but you probably ought to acknowledge him somehow or it's just going to get more awkward." I saw her give a half-hearted wave in his direction. So I decided to be a grown-up.

I looked up and was immediately met with those brown eyes staring at me. I smiled as friendly as I could while my heart took up residence in my throat. He smirked at me, the same one that he had given me that first night. I wanted to cry; it was like nothing had ever happened between us. After I had made the sufficient eye contact to be polite, I turned back to Becca. We chatted about anything but the object of the prior conversation and I was so thankful that she understood. I knew I probably looked like I had a twitch or something, as often as I glanced in his direction, but I couldn't stop myself. The minute I saw him leave his position next to the woman, I said to her,

"Becca." I didn't even have to finish my sentence.

"Go, go, I'll take care of the tab, just get out of here," she shooed me away with her hand.

"I love you," I said as I hopped off the stool. I quickly made my way to the door and escaped what had become a confining bar. I breathed the cooler night air deeply, trying to calm down. I was absolutely determined to not cry until I was home. I started hailing a cab, desperate to get away. Unfortunately, every cab that drove by was occupied. I raised my hand at least three times and nothing doing. I was about to give up and hike the fifteen blocks home when a familiar voice interrupted my decision.

"So that's how it's going to be? One night and now we don't even get to stay in the same public place? That seems to be a bit of an overreaction," I spun around to see Harvey exiting the bar, looking as calm as I was agitated. It wasn't fair that I was a bundle of nerves and he seemed as collected as ever.

"I have work to do, Harvey," I decided to lie about my reason for leaving. "I'm going to get an early start tomorrow on the analysis you asked for."

"Really? Because from this view, it looks like you're running away. From me. Again.

My nerves were stretched thin enough that they momentarily snapped. "Maybe I just wanted to get some sleep. I have a new analysis to start working on tomorrow. Besides, don't you have a date to worry about?" Oh hell, I thought, I sounded like a woman scorned with the sarcasm I put into that last comment. That was going to impress him for sure.

He smirked and I bit back a sigh. "You mean my client? Mrs. Kaplin of Kaplin Fashions?" I blinked. I recognized the name from the report Mike had given me that afternoon. "The client to whom I had every intention of introducing you as you'll be completing the analysis for her company's IPO."

This time when I blinked, my eyes stayed shut. I had no right to be acting the way I was. "I'm sorry," I finally said. "I should be handling this in a more mature, sophisticated way and I'm obviously failing. It won't happen again." I took two steps in the direction of my apartment when he continued.

"I would think if you only wanted a one-night stand you would be a little better prepared to see me again. We do work together, you know."

My jaw dropped open as I spun back around. "Me want a one-night stand? You're the one that had an armed escort waiting for me when I woke up."

"You mean when you came into my living room the next morning, wearing my favorite t-shirt and then proceeded to ask me about coffee." Although what he was saying should have been a question, he was stating facts. "When you acted extremely nervous and hardly said anything to me." By this time, he had closed the gap between us and we were standing practically toe to toe on the sidewalk. "I offered you a ride home; that didn't mean you had to take it immediately. I thought maybe you were worried about getting to work on time. And if you'll recall, I did kiss you before you left."

I quickly ran through the events of the Morning After, looking at things from Harvey's perspective. I frowned as I realized that he might have a point. I was unsettled upon seeing him that morning and my silence could have translated into haste to leave. But I wasn't ready to give up yet. "You didn't call me," I accused.

"Why would I call someone who rushed out of my bed?" Before I could protest, he cupped my cheek and ran his thumb across my lips. "And my phone didn't ring either."

"I thought you thought it was just a fling," I whispered. "That's why I left your office today."

"I know," he answered. "After talking to Mike and getting chewed out by Donna, I put two and two together."

"I don't really do one-night stands," I admitted.

"I know that too. How about from now on, we communicate our intentions so that you don't make any more wrong assumptions." I narrowed my eyes at him, not pleased that this had somehow become my fault. "Okay, so that we don't make wrong assumptions."

I studied his face and saw something in his eyes that made me nod my agreement. It wasn't anything serious, but his expression was borderline affectionate. Then his head bent towards me and his lips descended on mine. I quickly lost all train of thought as Harvey kissed me. As we were on the street and in full view of anyone that walked by, the kiss was short, but sweet. "In keeping with this new agreement," he said as he hailed a cab, on the first time, I might add, "I happen to have two tickets to the Giants game Sunday. Would you be interested?"

I grinned in response and was nodding my head before he finished his question. "Of course! I would love to go. If you're sure."

He brushed a strand of hair from my cheek and rolled his eyes at the same time. "And might I suggest bringing a change of clothes with you for work. That way we won't have a repeat of the other morning."

"Yes sir," I agreed before he opened the cab door for me. "Anything else, Mr. Specter?"

He gave me another quick kiss. "Yeah, don't think this means you get a pass on that analysis. I'll expect it on my desk by the end of the day tomorrow, Cinderella."

It was my turn to roll my eyes as I got into the cab. I didn't know where this was going, but I knew I was going to enjoy the ride.

TBC—Epilogue