Ok, so here's the thing. I really never planned on updating this. I marked it as complete and thought I was done and done. That's it. No ands, ifs, or buts. And then, over the course of this past year, I have received an incredible, heartwarming, outrageous amount of support and praise for this story. Seriously, some of you followed it while it was marked as complete. So, as a thank you, I decided to give you guys a late holiday gift. Here is chapter four, which I like to think of as more of an epilogue. I don't expect you'll need tissues, but I can never be sure with you lovelies. So here we go! Enjoy!

Chloe was sure she was wearing a hole into the floor, but with no Mike, and nothing good on T.V., it was all she could do to keep from spiraling. Her mind was a whirlwind of activity and doubts, each one slamming against each other in a clamour for attention. There were so many things that could go wrong, most of them frivolous worries, but still issues to her regardless. What if Harvey hadn't been able to get him out of the office? Or they'd taken him to the diner instead of to Rachel? Or what if Mike had just gone home when he didn't see her? She wanted him to be happy. To enjoy himself for once, and he couldn't do that if-

"Shit." She sighed. Try as she might, once panic had begun to set in, there really wasn't very much she could do to stop it. And it had been such a good day, too. Reacting quickly before she lost too much oxygen, she lept for her phone and found the one number that could help her right now.

"Harvey Specter's office." Donna's calming voice greeted her.

"Donna, I... need Harvey... now." Chloe rasped out.

"Chloe, sweetie, are you alright?" Donna asked, the sounds of her moving into a different location being heard.

"N-no." Chloe responded.

"What's going on? Talk to me, hon." Donna said, instantly serious.

"I... I don't... panic. I need Harvey-"

"Chloe." Harvey's cool voice cut through the fog in her mind and she closed her eyes in relief. Of course he went back to work. "Chloe listen to me. Whatever you're worried about is going to be fine. Everything will work itself out. You don't have to tell me what's wrong, but you need to know it will never be wrong. You've got me, Donna, Rachel, your Dad, hell, I'm sure Louis would even be willing to help you if you needed it. And Jessica. She told me she liked the way you carried yourself when she met you. We're all here for you, and we all care for you. So much, kid. Especially Mike. He adores you. You really are his pride and joy, Chloe, everyone can tell."

"But what if-"

"No." Harvey cut her off mid-worry. "Chloe, don't go there. What ifs just make it all worse. Focus on what could go right. Everything will work out."

Chloe sighed, opening her eyes as her breathing became slower and even. "Okay."

"We love you, sweetie. Everything's fine when you've got us." Donna chirped, adding on to Harvey's calming reassurances.

"O-okay." Chloe agreed, still somewhat shakey.

"Do... do you need us to come over, kid?" Harvey asked softly.

"No, I- Mike will be home soon. There's things I promised myself I'd tell him." Chloe smirked in spite of herself. "And there's no way Papa Bear will let me tell him with you two hanging around."

"Okay." Harvey conceeded.

"You can always call us again if you need us." Donna added.

"I know." Chloe said. "Thanks."

Chloe lit the last candle just as keys could be heard in the door. Mrs. Charleston's son on the first floor could not have timed his text better. He'd let her know Mike was home just in time. Mike opened the door to a cupcake ablaze with way too many candles to be safe, and an overly excited daughter grinning at him.

"Happy birthday, Dad." She said.

Mike's only response was a slight laugh in surprise as he set his messenger bag down.

"Go on, blow them out before I get burnt." Chloe grinned as she watched him quickly snuff out all 33 little candles.

"Thanks, squirt." Mike said softly.

"You're welcome." Chloe responded, setting the still smoking confection aside as Mike pulled her in for a long hug. This night had been a big one, for the both of them.

"I can't believe you went to all that trouble for me." Mike muttered, resting his chin on top of her head.

"You deserved it." Chloe answered, letting out a slight sigh of relief; the date had gone well. She let herself have a few more moments to savour the embrace before pulling away.

"There's one other thing." She found herself pacing again as she rushed to get the words out. "I looked everywhere for the perfect gift, but couldn't find anything."

"I don't need-"

"So I decided on this." Chloe forced herself to face him. "I know it bothers you that you don't know what happened... before. So I'm going to let you ask me anything you want until sunrise."

To say that Mike was surprised would be the understatement of the year. "What, really?"

"Y-yeah." Chloe stammered, but she knew she was certain. This silence had gone on too long. "But as soon as the sun hits the horizon, that's it."

"Wow." Mike breathed, running a hand through his hair. His brain was running a mile a minute with questions. What should he ask while not pushing her too far? What could he ask? "A-are you sure?"

"If I wasn't ready, I wouldn't have offered." Chloe retorted. "You know that."

"Yeah, but..." Mike reached out, running soothing hands down her arms. "All those sleepless nights. Your nightmares. That's not just something you get over."

Chloe forced her breath to stay even as, Mike assumed, a distant memory of her younger self running out on to the roof in fear flashed before her eyes. "You don't 'get over it'. You just learn to accept it. You're the one who taught me that."

"Alright." Mike agreed, pride swelling in his heart at how far she'd come. "But only if you're sure. You can stop at any time if it gets too much."

Chloe just nodded. "So." She made her way over to the couch before flopping down, gesturing for him to join her. "Ask away."

It had been a long night, to say the least. Various cans, bottles, and cups lay strewn about on the coffee table and, on occasion, the floor, tissues mixed in among them. Right from the start Mike had known this was going to be emotional, but he'd expected his role to be simply the shoulder to cry on, not the crier himself a few times. They'd both broken down more than once. They'd both admitted more than a few things they never expected to. And they both felt a hell of a lot better because of it. A new understanding flowed between them, and it put Mike at ease.

The sky was just starting to glow a light blue when Mike tipped his head toward Chloe's dozing form. Nudging her with his foot, he cleared his dry throat.

"Hey, Chlo, I've got one more question." He murmured, afraid to break the early morning quiet.

"Sun's up, Dad. No more questions. I need at least an hour of sleep before school." Chloe groaned in response.

"The sun hasn't fully risen yet. It's not all pinkish everywhere." Mike argued.

Chloe grumbled and pushed herself up on the couch a bit before slumping against the arm opposite the one Mike had been using. "Fine. What is it?"

"Have you..." Mike looked at his hands, suddenly finding them very interesting. "... have you ever been afraid of me?"

He heard her breath hitch and his heart began to plummet before her simple whispered response stopped it.

"No." She said. "No, of course not. Dad, you- you saved me. Without you, I'd probably be a complete nervous wreck by now. Yes, I've still got a ways to go yet, but without you... without you, Mike, I don't think I'd be here right now."

Mike, for once, was at a loss for words.

"I may have been a timid child, and with good reason, but I would never be afraid of the one person who got me out. The first person to treat me as more than a burden. The first one to- to love me. And not because they had to."

"Oh, sweetheart." Mike sighed, pulling her in close. That familiar prickling sensation was beginning to form behind his closed eyes, and for once, he didn't ignore it. "You've come so far, and I could not be more proud of you."

"But you'll always be here, right?" The question was barely more than a whisper, and so was the response.

"Yes. And here I'll stay."

Aaaaand there you go. Done and done. For good this time. Unless the response is just as overwhelming as last time. I really do appreciate all of you for taking the time to read, review, fav and follow both me, and the fic. You guys have made me feel so great as a nerdy writer. I cannot thank you enough for everything you've done! Leave a review and let me know if it measured up to your expectations, I haven't toughed this in just under a year. Geez, it's been a crazy year.