CHAPTER 2

A week had passed and Harvey was restless. He managed not to get a glimpse of Mike around the office and he didn't know if he should be thankful for whichever senior partner kept him busy ("Not me") or be miserable. He missed him… He missed him with everything he got but he vowed to himself not to let anyone that close ever again because at the end of the day, work issues aside, Mike hadn't trusted him to take care of him and protect him. He chose himself instead of them while he knew what this would do to their relationship. And yes, in his mind Harvey always referred to it as a relationship even when most of the time he treated Mike like he was something slightly more than a convenient and comfortable and no-strings-attached fuck. He kept doing that even after it became clear that the younger man knew better. But he didn't care. Why talk about it when they were both aware of what was going on?

Now Donna was angry at him, Jessica would look at him with a mixture of worry and disappointment and Louis wouldn't stop annoying him. Speaking of the devil…

"Harvey, I need your help."

"Tell you what Louis. Get out, knock, and if I say come in then come in."

"Wait a minute. You are not busy which means you've gone introspective. And Donna still let me in without a word which means…Trouble in paradise Harvey?"

"What do you want?" Harvey let out a tired sigh and rubbed his eyes.

"I'll let that slide because I'm too busy being important with this huge case."

"For which you need my help", the closer smirked. "Why don't you go get Mike? Or is he not so appealing now that you don't have to pry him away from me?"

"Harvey, what are you talking about? Mike left."

The amused expression dropped from Harvey's face like a lightning. "What? When?"

"Last week. Wait, are you telling me that you are only hearing about this now? What the hell happened between you two?"

"Donna, get you gorgeous ass in here" the lawyer spoke through the always open intercom and a few seconds later the fiery redhead entered the office.

"What?" She crossed her arms in front of her and stared at her boss vehemently.

"You knew about this?" She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "And you didn't think to tell me?"

"I didn't think you'd care. You were the one who wanted him out of your life."

Louis was looking between them with his mouth hanging open. "Are we still talking about work?"

"Shut up Louis!" Senior partner and secretary yelled at the same time.

"Did Jessica do this?"Donna's faced softened. "No Harvey. You did this…" Harvey got up, buttoned his jacket out of habit and made for the door. "You are lying and I'm going to fix this. He wouldn't just leave he didn't even have any remorse about what happened. Besides, this job meant the world to him."

Donna stopped him with a hand on his arm and shook her head, sad. "You meant the world to him," she reasoned but Harvey shook her off and headed to Jessica's.

"What the hell did you do?"

"Lower your voice! You can't just barge in here like that in the middle of the workday." Jessica stood up and closed her office door. "What can I do for you Harvey?" she asked with false politeness.

"Mike." One word was enough for the both of them to tense even more and assume battle positions.

"Mister Ross handed me his resignation Monday morning."

"Bullshit! Like you didn't force him to!"

"You are forgetting who you are talking to!" the black woman stood tall and imposing in front of Harvey but he wouldn't budge. This was Mike's life. He had nothing outside work and no one to take care of him apart from a sick old grandmother. And it always worked the other way around nowadays, with Mike having to pay for medical bills and whatnot. That was another reason he wouldn't willingly leave, he needed this job.

"You got what you wanted Jessica. Why can't you just leave him alone?"

The stare contest started for what seemed like ages until Jessica let out a slow breath. "I don't know how we got to this, you not trusting me. I had no reason to see this kid destroyed after everything that happened." She sat herself on her plush sofa and left the lawyer thinking to himself.

"He wouldn't just leave like that," he murmured.

Jessica's mouth dropped in surprise. "Oh my god! You are in love with him!"

"What?" Harvey started.

"I thought you were just sleeping with him."

"You knew?"

"Oh please, I now you better than I know myself. But from that to love him? I didn't see that coming... And to get this over with, I didn't do anything Harvey, he quit."

Harvey shook his head and turned to leave, still contemplating his boss's words. Was he in love with Mike? What prompt him to defend him after such betrayal? Jessica watched him leave with curiosity and decided to give him something. He was mad at him, sure, but after everything they've been through together he deserved the truth from her.

"You know, when I told Mike to do my bidding or else he would find himself to prison he said no."

"But he sold me out anyway."

"True... After I told him that if he didn't care for himself, he should care what would happen to you if I was to have you disbarred."

Harvey froze with his hand on the doorknob.

"He did it to protect you Harvey. It is always about you with that kid. So much so that he didn't realize it was an empty threat."

"You manipulated his feelings for me." Harvey turned around to face her but he was so tired to shout. The burden of what he did to Mike just came down crashing him. Donna was right and he didn't even give his lover a chance to explain. Even if it was an empty threat, even if Mike still should have gone to him first and talk it out, he always acted out of the goodness of his heart. He really loved him, didn't he? He had told him so the other night but the only thing that he could think about at the time was how to throw him out of his life for good. Shit!

"To be honest, at the moment I thought I was going through his hero-worshipping you."

"You have no idea what you've done to me..." Harvey left with a pit in his stomach. He had to get Mike back and he had to do it yesterday.

R&R if you like! Thanks for reading!