She wakes in the morning to find him staring at her. She blinks several times, her eyes adjusting to the morning sunshine streaming in through the window of their bedroom as she smiles at him.

"What are you doing?" she asks him.

"Just appreciating the view," he replies, leaning in to kiss her soundly on the lips.

"What are you thinking about?" she asks, snuggling into him.

"I was just wondering how I'm ever going to get your parents, especially your father, to accept me after all this. He told you to get rid of me, Rachel. How is he ever going to approve of our marriage? I don't want to be the reason that you don't have a relationship with your parents," Mike explains.

"He'll come around," she says assuredly, but he can hear the hint of doubt in her voice.

"How can you be sure?" Mike questions. "I mean if it were my daughter, and I found this out about her husband-to-be, I don't know how I'd react. Probably with anger and a 'no one is good enough for my daughter' speech. I can't even blame him for hating me. I hate me for doing this too."

"So what is the alternative?" Rachel fires back. "Are we supposed to break up, not get married? Because that isn't an option. I gave you my whole heart, Mike. I can't just walk away. And if my father can't accept that and forgive you, then maybe he isn't the man I thought he was."

"I gave you my whole heart too," Mike tells her fondly, "And I love you so much, especially for staying with me through all this. You know I just want to be able to give you the life you always dreamed of, without complications."

"I know," she answers, "And you will. I know it for sure. Whatever uncertainty there is now, we'll figure it out together." She slides her hands down his bare chest before slinging her leg over his hips, straddling his waist. She grinds her body into his.

"You are insatiable," he grins mischievously, running his hands down her back.

"Well, you were in prison for a while. I'm making up for lost time," she smiles back, kissing him passionately. And soon there is no more talking.

She eventually leaves for work an hour late, muttering something about how Jessica is going to kill her, and Mike remains in bed unable to get the smile off his face. Things with Rachel have never been better now that they don't have his secret constantly overshadowing everything about their relationship. He only wishes he could repair things with her parents, but he isn't sure how to do that. He knows her mother will probably be more forgiving, but that Robert Zane is another story.

He decides to visit Laura. He figures Rachel will be angry with him, but he also knows he won't marry Rachel without the approval of her parents. He wants to show them that no matter what, they are her parents and that he respects them. He acknowledges that this is probably the only card he has to play in this situation. He cleans himself up, shaves, and dresses in a nice shirt and khakis before heading over to the Zane's house. He hopes Robert is at work, only wanting to see Laura. He knocks on the door, and feels his heart begin to pound as he hears approaching footsteps. The door swings open to reveal Rachel's mother Laura.

"Mike," she states, her expression even. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I'm sorry," he answers, "I was afraid if I called you wouldn't talk to me. And I just wanted to a chance to talk face to face."

"Ok," she replies, gesturing inside the house. She leads him to the living room and sits in a chair, motioning for him to sit on the sofa. "Can I get you anything?" she asks, but he shakes his head.

"No, thank you," he replies, trying to deduce her state of mind before beginning. "Look, I know you must hate me. And I also assume you think I'm ruining her life and that I should leave her. And believe me, it's crossed my mind more times than I can count."

Mrs. Zane sits there, apparently unmoved by his speech so far.

"I love Rachel, more than I can possibly express. I've loved her from the moment we met. And all along, all I've wanted was to be the man worthy of her, a man that she deserves, a man that you as her parents would be proud to have as a son-in-law. Before I worked for Harvey, I was nothing. I was a pothead bike messenger who was pining after his best friend's girlfriend. I had no direction, because my dream of being a lawyer was cut short. Did Rachel tell you that I actually got into Harvard?"

"No, she didn't," Laura replies, breaking her silence.

"Yes, I did. But I couldn't afford it along with caring for my grandmother, and so a friend told me I could make money if I memorized tests for others and had them pay me for the answers, so I did it, and one of my customers turned out to be the dean's daughter. Well, you can see how that turned out. I don't want you to feel sorry for me, Mrs. Zane. Yes, I lost my parents and I've never had enough money to make it in life, but I knew I had what it takes up here," he points at his head. "And in here," he adds, pointing to his heart.

"And then Rachel came into the picture, and she changed everything," he continues, not wanting to look at Laura's expression. "And as we got closer, I tried to back off to protect her. I told her I couldn't be with her, but she was her tenacious, persistent self, and she wouldn't give up on me." He moves to look out the window. "And when I told her the truth, she didn't run like she probably should have, she loved me instead. She accepts me for exactly the person that I am. We are completely honest with each other. We're true partners. And no matter what I do, we will always be drawn to each other. She is my everything, my whole life, my family."

Laura takes a deep breath, but Mike continues before she can say anything.

"I get it, no one is good enough for Rachel. I'll be the first person to tell you that. I think we can all agree that her happiness is the most important thing. So what I'm asking for you is to give me the opportunity to earn your respect and trust again, and I will do everything in my power to make Rachel happy. Let me prove to you that I am the best man for your daughter." He pauses and finally looks at Laura.

"Mike, it isn't about forgiveness anymore," Laura begins, "And I know you love Rachel. What I'm the most concerned about is her future. I don't want anything to get in her way, and that includes you."

"It sure as hell does," a male voice says, and Mike turns to see Robert Zane standing in the doorway.

"How much of that did you hear?" Mike asks tentatively.

"All of it," Robert states flatly. Mike and Laura wait to hear what he has to say next. "And you're right, no one is good enough for my baby girl. Especially not some convicted fraud who's been in prison for the last few months. Do you have any idea what they are going to do to Rachel when she goes before the Character and Fitness Committee of the Bar? Does she honestly expect anyone to believe that she didn't know the truth about you all along?"

Mike looks down at his shoes, ashamed. "Sir, Rachel and I have discussed everything you're saying. We know the risks. I need you to know that the last thing I want to do is jeopardize her future. I'm committed to her to see things through, and to support her no matter what happens so that we can build a life together."

Robert shakes his head. He paces the room before finally settling down in a chair opposite his wife. "Mike, before all this happened you were someone I respected. And then I found out you'd been lying to everyone all this time. And my baby girl…" he trails off.

Mike stands up to face Robert. "Sir, I've always been honest with Rachel since we started a relationship."

"Honest?" Robert bellows, "You call being a liar and a fraud honest?"

"Alright," Laura interrupts, holding her hands up, "Why doesn't everyone take a moment to calm down and regain their senses."

Robert sighs heavily and storms out of the room, leaving Mike alone with Laura. She looks at him sympathetically before taking a breath, "I know that you love Rachel. I've never questioned that. But you need to give us a chance and try to see things from our perspective."

"That's the problem," Mike interrupts, "I already do."

Laura turns and disappears into the kitchen, leaving him alone in the room. He isn't sure whether he should stay or leave, and just as he begins his trek towards the door, it swings open to reveal a frantic Rachel.

"What are you doing here?" they say simultaneously.

"I came to make amends with your parents," Mike explains.

"Mike!" she exclaims, "That wasn't a good idea. They need more time. Why didn't you wait for me to help you with this?"

"Because I need them to forgive me," he answers. "Rachel we've been over this a thousand times. I can't marry you without their approval. It isn't right. I lost my parents and I didn't have any choice in the matter. You do."

"So what if I choose you?" she replies firmly, a determined look on her face.

"And what if that's the wrong choice?" he counters, and she looks up at him, her eyes filling with tears.

"Why do you keep doing this?" she asks. "You know all my life I dreamed of loving someone the way I love you. There was a point that I didn't know if love like that could even exist, but it does. And you know the best part of it? You love me exactly the same way. I'm not willing to throw that away, even for a career. I know my parents, and they will get past this."

He crosses the room so that he is standing in front of her. He places his hands on her shoulders, brushing her hair from her face. "You are the most amazing woman I have ever met," he tells her. "I love you so much. Thank you for loving me back," he kisses her soundly on the lips, their arms wrapping around each other. For a moment he forgets that he's standing in the middle of her parents' living room, and he only feels her.

"And you," she tells him, "Are the best god damn lawyer I've ever seen." They laugh together as he goes in for another kiss. "I love you too," she adds before kissing him again. He pulls her into a hug, and they move to the couch to sit down.

He takes her hand in his, "Do you think our children will be ashamed of me one day? I mean when they find out their old man is a felon? I thought a lot about that in prison too. All I've ever wanted to be was the kind of man who could make Grammy proud. And then I wanted to make you proud, and your parents. But our kids? I don't think I could handle their disappointment. I'm a failure, Rachel."

"No you're not. And our kids will love you because of the man that you are," she squeezes his hand. "I know that you're ashamed, but it was the only way you could follow your dream. You started working with Harvey because you had to, and then you kept doing it because you loved it, and you were really helping people."

Mike sighs, "It's starting to sound like a convenient excuse. Poor lonely orphan Mike..." he trails off.

"No, it's not an excuse. How many people can say that they legitimately got into Harvard Law? You did. And what happened to you sucked, Mike. All of it. You need to stop beating yourself up about all this and move on from it. Let's start looking toward the future instead," she rests her head against his shoulder.

He turns to face her, leaning forward until their foreheads touch, "You, Rachel Elizabeth Zane, are perfect," he tells her and she laughs.

"Yeah right," she smiles at him, her eyes sparkling as she pecks his lips.

"You are for me," he assures her, kissing her again before wrapping his arms around her as she leans back into his chest. They are interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Mike and Rachel turn to see both Robert and Laura in the doorway behind them. They enter the room and stand opposite Mike and Rachel.

"Honey," Robert begins, looking at his daughter, "Your mother and I just want you to be happy, and we can see that Mike makes you happy." Rachel stands, but Robert holds his hand up, stopping her. "We are only trying to protect you. We would never want to stand in the way of your happiness, or worse, lose you because of our, I mean my, stubbornness."

Rachel's eyes fill with tears as her mother opens her mouth to speak, "It's going to take a little time to heal," she says looking at Mike, "But we are willing to try if you can promise us that you'll always have Rachel's best interests at heart."

"I promise," Mike smiles as he stands, reaching for Rachel's hand. He extends his other hand to Robert, who pauses for a brief moment before shaking it. Rachel beams as she looks between the two men, and she hugs her father tightly.

"Thank you Dad," she whispers. They part cordially, and with relief Mike and Rachel make their way back to the city.

"Thank you," she says to Mike as the cab navigates through the city streets.

"For what?" he asks.

"For going to them, for trying to make things right. I know you're doing it all for me," she replies.

"No," he answers, "I'm doing it for us."