Julianne stands in the associate's kitchen staring into her empty coffee cup. Three weeks ago she stood in this exact spot and told Harvey it was over. The look on his face before he walked out has become a permanent fixture in her memory.
Thankfully a few days after his visit to her apartment, Jessica received a new case that she needed help on allowing her to fill her mind with Jessica's pressing matter and not Harvey. However, she can never avoid Harvey for long. Passing Harvey in the halls, pretending their relationship never happened, has been the hardest thing Julianne has had to do it in a long time.
She sits at her desk typing endlessly. Mike walks up and interrupts her train of thought.
"I'm heading out to lunch soon, want to join me?"
Julianne looks up at him, unsure if she should accept.
"Harvey isn't going to be there, if that's what you're wondering."
Mike can see the relief in her face.
"Okay. Give me 15 alright?"
Julianne takes the time she has left to finish up her report and to mentally prepare herself for this lunch. Staying friends with Mike has been harder than she thought. Mike has been her confidant throughout this whole ordeal; never pressing her for details when she doesn't want to talk about it. But what he fails to see is that every time he brings up Harvey's name, even if it isn't in relation to her, it kills her.
"What are your plans for Christmas?" Mike asks.
"Nothing spectacular, I plan on staying in my apartment eating junk food and catching up on my DVR'd shows, you?"
"I'll spend time with my grandmother. Like every year."
"That's really cool, Mike. I hate that I have to stay in New York this Christmas; just a lovely perk of being an associate."
"How many days do you get off?"
"Four, you?"
"Man, you're lucky. I only get one; Christmas."
"Yeah, well I'm on call all four days, so who knows. There may be some big Pearson Hardman crisis and I get called into the office on Christmas morning at 4 am."
They laugh at the absurdity of the situation.
"How you holding up, Juls?" Mike asks, bringing the tone of the conversation down.
"I'm good. I miss him though," Julianne says.
"He misses you, too."
"Yeah, well…," she trails off, "I should be heading back to the office."
"But you're not done with your food."
"I'm not hungry anymore."
Mike is left sitting alone.
"I combed through these bylaws, couldn't find a damn thing," Mike says sitting at the table in Harvey's office.
"I didn't think there would be anything in there anyway. How was lunch?"
Mike is taken aback.
"My lunch was fine… why?"
"Just asking."
As soon has a Harvey answers he sets his gaze outside the office. Mike turns and notices Julianne standing by Donna's desk.
"Oh, I get it. You found out I had lunch with Julianne."
Harvey continues to flip through the papers that lay scattered all across the table.
"Ask her to marry you, damn, just do whatever it takes to get her back."
"It doesn't work like that."
"Why not? She loves you and you obviously care a lot about her. Why not just tell her."
Harvey gets up and walks over to his vinyl collection.
Mike gets up out of the chair, "You finally found a girl who is willing to put up with you, don't let her go," and then heads out the door.
Another week has gone by and Julianne has found herself sitting alone in her apartment on Christmas Eve. She has just finished watching the movie Santa Clause with Tim Allen. For whatever reason, this movie has always been a sense of comfort to her whenever she is away from her family around Christmas time.
She gets up and pours herself a glass of wine in the kitchen.
Drinking alone on Christmas Eve, this is officially your new low.
She walks back out in her living and sits back down on her sofa. With her wine in one hand and remote in the other she tries to find something to watch on TV. After a few minutes of looking through the guide, she settles on 'Going the Distance,' on HBO.
Grabbing her phone, she sends a text to Mike.
I'm going insane over here. Can you come over? I am in dire need of company.
An hour goes by with a response.
"Well Chessie, looks like it's going to be just you and me tonight," Julianne says to her cat.
"Want to help me paint my nails?"
Great, now I have resorted to talking to my cat.
Julianne goes to her bathroom to get what she needs.
When she enters her living room, she's greeted by the sound of her phone going off.
Entertainment is on its way.
"Looks it won't just be us tonight, Chess."
As she sits waiting for Mike to show up she puts the base coat on her nails, followed by the first coat of the maroon nail polish she picked out.
An hour has gone by when finally there is a knock on her door.
"Harvey? What are you doing here?"
"Mike sent me, he said you needed company?"
She stands frozen, unsure of what to do next.
"Is it okay that I came? Mike sent me because he had to go be with his grandmother and he knew I didn't have anywhere to be."
I'm going to kill Mike.
"Yeah, come in."
"Painting your nails? I can smell the polish in the air."
"Yeah, I was bored so I thought 'why not?'"
Harvey grabs her hand; his touch sends chills down her spine.
"I like the color."
"Thanks," she says pulling her hand away.
The two sit on the couch, closer than Julianne would care for, in silence while they watch Drew Barrymore and Justin Long's characters break up in the movie.
Julianne can't help but sit there and compare those two to her current situation with Harvey. Without even trying to hide it, Julianne begins to cry.
"Annie, what's wrong?"
Instead of shielding her face from him, she looks him deep in the eyes.
"You called me Annie," she whispers.
Harvey didn't realize he called her that, all he was concerned with was that fact that she was crying.
"Is that a problem?"
"No, it's not. It just threw me off guard," she says shifting her position.
"I really hurt you bad, didn't I?"
She hangs her head and lets the tears fall from her eyes.
Harvey sits there, staring at her unsure of what action to take next.
"It wasn't just you who hurt me. It was me, too."
"How?"
"I got into my head. I started worrying about us. I know you care about me, I know you do. I can feel it when you kiss me. But, I don't know. I just started thinking what if you realize one day that you've had enough? You could easily just stop calling me… texting me. You don't really owe me an explanation," the tears are pouring out of her eyes more fluidly now.
Harvey tries convincing her that that would never happen.
"I know, but it's still a fear. No commitment from you leaves a lot of things open ended. It's not your fault though, you told me from the start and…," she just stops talking and starts to lean into Harvey; he welcomes her body in his embrace.
"Harvey, I'm miserable. I miss you so much."
"I'm miserable, too."
Once the credits start to roll, Harvey releases Julianne from his arms. She sits back and stares at his face, taking in everything she has missed in the last few weeks. His dark blonde hair is perfectly styled, the ridges in his forehead seems more prominent than before. His eyes, his eyes have even changed; they have a different light to them now.
"I really miss you," Harvey finally says, breaking their silence.
Julianne continues to study his face. His lips, they look the same, but she can't help but wonder if the feel the same, taste the same. His jaw has the most perfect structure. She fights the urge to reach out and trace it with her finger tips.
Harvey moves a little closer to Julianne. They sit facing each other on the couch, knees touching.
"I didn't fully understand how much you mean to me until you weren't there anymore," he says while reaching out and placing his hand on her knee.
His hands; they're big, yet gentle. She remembers the time they went to see the Statue of Liberty together and he wanted to take her to the "perfect spot to see it," so he grabbed her hand, lacing his fingers in between hers.
Harvey begins to lean in closer to her face. She doesn't pull back. He starts to run his open hand up her thigh and places it on her hip. His face is now centimeters away from hers.
"Harvey, I love you, I'm sor-," before she could finish her sentence Harvey presses his lips to hers.
"I should be the one who's sorry."
Julianne stands up and grabs his hand and leads him to the bedroom.
For once she's out of her head and in the moment. The last three weeks have been hell without Harvey and she fully intends to make up for that lost time right now.
Harvey begins to undo the buttons on his shirt while Julianne works on his belt buckle and zipper. Harvey then focuses his attention to her. He slips her pajama shorts and panties off while she throws her top across the room.
She slips back further onto the bed; Harvey crawls towards her. He finds his way on top of her, kissing her lips; she moans in acceptance. He enters her; their movements are slow and methodical. Their kisses are passionate.
"Oh, oh, God," escapes her mouth in panted breath. Harvey's moans fill her mouth.
He pulls his head back and stares into her eyes, "I love you. I always have."
They both reach climax at the same time. Harvey falls over to the side of the bed he always occupies. He stays there, holding Julianne in his arms.
"Let's start over, Harvey. Let's make this a new beginning for us."
"I want to do it right this time."
Julianne kisses his neck, "Me, too."
"Julianne Monroe, will you be my girlfriend?"
A smile takes over her face, "I'd be honored, Harvey Specter."
- The End -