"Hey Mike, change of plans for tonight, I need to get wasted. You down?"
"Hell yeah; where should we go?"
"Let's stop at the liquor store on the way to my place and buy stuff. I mean, I'll still make you dinner if you want to eat. But I plan on drinking on an empty stomach."
"Tough first day back?"
"You don't even know the half of it," Julianne pushes papers aside and sits on top of Mike's desk.
Leaning back in his chair he asks, "Well, I can just pick up something to eat at the liquor store and we can get you plenty to drink."
"Thanks Mike. I am anxious to get out of here."
"Is Harvey going to be joining us?"
"Yeah, not going to happen. Who knows what he'll be up to tonight."
"Whoa, now I understand the need to drink."
"I have to go to Harvey's office and I don't want to go alone, please come with me?"
"Of course," Mike answers while standing up and buttoning his suit jacket.
Julianne walks over to her desk to grab her files for Harvey.
As they approach Harvey's office Mike can see Julianne tense up.
"Here are the financials for Plex Media, and I am just waiting on their client list."
Harvey grabs the files from her hands, "Thank you. Is there something you needed Mike?"
Mike is caught off guard.
"No. I was-"
"He was just walking with me over here, we'll be going now."
They start to walk out his office door when he shouts to Julianne.
"Can I see you tonight?"
She angles her body slightly and responds, "I'm sorry, but I have plans with Mike tonight."
Without waiting for a reply she continues out the door.
"Pass me the Malibu. I can taste too much Coke in this drink," Julianne tells Mike.
"So, tell me Mike. Rachel… why couldn't that work out? She's so sweet, I love her. I love the thought of you two together."
"Who the hell knows? Shit happens. We're not meant to be together. We're not as invincible as the mighty Harvey Specter and his misuses."
"HA! You have no clue what you're talking about."
She gets up and grabs the remote for her television.
"I need to laugh. Want to watch Pineapple Express?"
"You watch Pineapple Express?"
"Hell yeah I do! That shit is so funny," she walks over to her book shelf and grabs the DVD.
As the movie plays, Julianne makes sure her glass stays full. Mike on the other hand, is taking it easy on the alcohol.
"Fuck. I'm out of Malibu."
"It's probably a good thing, Juls."
"Yeah… you're right. But still. Fuck."
Mike sinks further down on Julianne's sofa; he's amused by her drunkenness.
"Mikey. Tell me. Tell me you'll end up with Rachel. I love you two. You NEED to be together. Like, right now."
"Not going to happen, Juls. Not for a while. Not ever, I don't think."
"Want me to talk to her Mikey? Come on!"
"Why don't you tell me what's going on with Harvey, that seems to be the pressing issue tonight."
"I love him, he doesn't love me. That's all."
"What?" he says completely shocked, "He told you he didn't love you?"
"Not exactly, but still. Whatever, C'est la vie!"
Julianne gets up and staggers to the kitchen. Mike hears nothing but clinking glasses. As he starts to worry, she emerges with scotch in hand.
"I knew I had some somewhere."
She plops back down on the sofa and pours herself a glass.
"Maybe you should stop drinking. It's already midnight and we have to be at the office in 6 hours."
"Maybe you should quit being my parent."
Mike shakes his head.
"You know what? I wasn't going to even tell Harvey how I felt. Then, I did. Now look where it got me."
"Give him time, he'll come around."
"Fuck that. Fuck him."
"Maybe you should go to bed, you might feel better tomorrow," he grabs the glass form her hand. "C'mon, let me help you into the room."
Julianne doesn't fight him this time.
Julianne wakes with a start.
My head, oh my god.
She looks at the clock on her night stand.
4:44am already? Coffee, where is my coffee.
Summoning all her strength, she gets out of bed and attempts to make her way out to the kitchen. She opens her bedroom door and finds Mike asleep on her sofa.
"Mike… Mike… wake up," she says while shaking him lightly.
"Hm? I'm awake. What time is it?"
"Too goddamn early; coffee?"
Mike nods and follows her into the kitchen.
"How do you feel?"
Julianne rubs her face with hands.
"Like complete shit. I can't believe I drank that much. What was I thinking?"
She gets the coffee pot started and heads back out into the living room.
"Okay, I think I am going to take a quick shower. Help yourself to the coffee when it's ready. Cups are in the cupboard above the coffee maker, the sweet 'n low is in the container to its left, and the creamer is in the fridge."
She emerges from her shower feeling refreshed, hung over, but still refreshed. When she walks back out into the living room, she finds Mike sipping his coffee while watching the 5 o'clock news.
After she pours herself a cup of coffee she sits on the sofa next to Mike.
"Would you mind if I grabbed a quick shower? I won't have time to go to my apartment this morning."
"Help yourself, and thank you, thanks for staying last night. I really needed to blow off some steam. I appreciate you listening."
Julianne and Mike are in the Pearson Hardman library doing research for the case when Harvey walks in.
"How's it coming along?"
Mike looks up and removes the highlighter from his mouth, "So far so good. I think we've made some progress, but nothing significant enough to bring to your attention."
Harvey nods his head and places his hands into his pocket.
"Julianne can you see me in my office in about 10 minutes?"
"What about?"
"Stuff."
Julianne gets up and grabs the book she just closed, "Harvey, I'm really busy right now. I can't." She walks away.
Harvey takes a seat in the chair that Julianne just got up from.
"Okay. What did she tell you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mike replies without looking up from the text.
"Cut the crap. I know you two had girl time last night. What did she say to you?"
"Harvey, that's something you should be asking her. Not me."
"Well, I can't really do that now can I?"
"Give her time. She'll come around."
Harvey walks in and finds Julianne making a pot of coffee in the associate's kitchen.
"Here you are."
"I wasn't exactly hiding, Harvey."
Harvey walks up to her, moves her body so she's facing him and kisses her.
She pushes him away.
"You can't do that. You can't."
"I'm sorry. I know I was an ass yesterday, I just…," Harvey looks down, "I just didn't know what to do. What you said took me by complete surprise."
Julianne's expression hasn't changed.
"I don't want to lose you, Juls. I don't. But-"
"But you can't give me a commitment. Harvey, I can't do this anymore. I want to be with you more than anything, but I've reach a point where just being with you isn't enough. I need a commitment. I thought I'd be okay with this, and I guess at one point I was. But now," her eyes begin to fill with tears, "now, I can't. I spent too many years with Greg with no happy outcome. I promised myself I wouldn't waste my time with someone who can't give me what I need."
"What are you saying?"
"You're free to sleep with other people, Harvey."
Julianne rushes out of the kitchen before he can say anything.