So here we are gang. The very last chapter.

Also, it was mentioned to me that Harvey was never told what Mike had been given - good catch. I did put it in at one point but hated how it made the rhythm of the sentence (how pretentious do I sound?!) so took it out and never put it in anywhere else. I was also working on the assumption that Harvey just knew from life experience. Or it's probably more likely that Donna knew (we know she knows everything) and told him. But yeah. My bad. I should have made that clearer.

As ever, enjoy.

Chapter Nine.

The first thing Harvey saw as he opened his door was Donna standing in the hallway in front of him; her figure illuminated by the light from the windows and a handbag hung across the crook of her elbow. In the silence he frowned at her, not sure what to say although in the end he went with humour,

"Visiting hours over already?"

"Mike's in the shower," Donna offered succinctly, "I had his clothes dry cleaned because, well, they were icky. I think he sat in something,"

Harvey blinked,

"He was on the sidewalk when I got to him," he sounded absent; probably because it was how he felt, "Wait a second, you took his clothes? What's he been wearing?"

He knew the answer before she gave it,

"I found some old sweats at the back of your closet,"

"You raided my closet?"

Donna stared back at him unflinching,

"Oh, I'm sorry," she sang in sarcastic tones, "But at the time I thought it was preferable to having him wandering around your gigantic, glass box of an apartment naked."

Harvey pulled a face then shrugged grudgingly,

"Fine, you made the right call."

"I know I did. Besides, you don't have to worry, I dropped them off at the cleaners afterwards. I'll collect them on my way to the office tomorrow. I told them you would pick up the bill."

As the sound of the shower cut off abruptly, Harvey stole a glance in the direction of the bathroom; when he spoke again his voice was hushed and his expression was unusually tense,

"How is he?"

"He's Mike. He's going to be fine."

Harvey stared back at her, not buying the platitudes,

"Donna – ,"

She sighed,

"He's embarrassed, okay? He feels like Stemmings made a fool out of him."

Harvey grimaced,

"He did but it could have been worse."

No one said anything and for a second the pair of them stood in silence; each one thinking their own private thoughts. The ramifications of what could have happened had been rattling around their heads all day made worse by the fact that the details were murky. What had Tucker wanted from Mike? What had been the eventual plan? As a thousand possibilities presented themselves Donna shook free an uneasy shudder,

"Harvey, please tell me you kicked that guy's ass already?"

"I promised you I would and I did," he offered before smirking; clearly he was proud of something, "First me, then Jessica."

"Jessica knows?"

Heading for the kitchen Harvey shrugged off his jacket, dropping it across an empty bar stool and scooping his mail up from out of the dish. In his absence it had been sorted and ordered so that the most important letters sat on the top. You could take the Secretary out of the office…

"Not at first. The clue was when I punched him in the face."

Suddenly it was Donna smirking,

"You hit him hard?"

"Right into Louis. He's going to have a nice black eye tomorrow."

"Louis or Stemmings?"

"Both I hope."

By the time the bathroom door clicked open Harvey was already onto the junk mail; having browsed through his general outgoings as he'd updated Donna on the Intratek deal. She had been grateful to hear that Tucker was going to lose more than just his inflated sense of dignity but deep down he suspected the punch pleased her most. He wasn't surprised; he felt the same and as Mike padded into view from the hallway – rubbing at his damp blonde hair with towel – he realised precisely why that was.

"You look better,"

"Harvey?" he blinked, turning briefly to glance out of the window and noting the brightness of the daylight beyond, "Uh, how long exactly was I in the shower?"

Donna smiled and watched Harvey raise a brow,

"Long enough to put up my hot water bill. Why do you ask?"

Mike shrugged,

"Isn't it a little early for you to be home for the day? What are you doing back here?"

"I live here, remember? My name's on the paperwork."

"No, what I meant is – ," Mike paused uncertainly, "Did something happen?"

"Something like what?"

"You know like what," he frowned, "Did something happen with Tucker Stemmings?"

Harvey stared back at him; his face a blank canvas. The fact Mike had come out and asked was more of a relief than he was willing to say. The fact that Mike could say the name – and the sharp flash of anger when he did it – was the reassurance that Harvey had needed. Donna was right; Mike would be fine and as the silence started to stretch out between them it was the redhead who smiled and threw him a wink,

"Other than Harvey using him as a punching bag?"

Mike turned to stare,

"You hit him?"

"I did," an expression of wistfulness crossed Harvey's features, "I should have done it a whole lot more – given him a matching set."

Mike dropped onto a stool beside Donna,

"You went to see him?"

"Actually no, he came to me,"

"Came to you as in came to the office?" Mike barked in astonishment, "Okay, wow, I mean I get that he has no regard for the law but I thought he would care a little more for his health,"

Harvey smiled; warmed by the subtext. Mike had expected Harvey to come through for him. Harvey had come through for him, twice. Suddenly he could have been looking at Marcus; the feelings were uniquely similar.

"I set up a bailout for Intratek," he offered instead, watching as Mike's eyes narrowed his way; the kid was back on the ball again, no more glassiness or drug-fuelled addlement, "Elliott Letts is going to pay off their creditors."

"Elliott Letts? How did you manage to get him on board? You've been trying to sign him as a client since before I started working for you."

Harvey smiled smugly, pouring a scotch. He had decided it would be his last for the day; he'd started early after all.

"Turns out I was just never offering the right incentive,"

"So what did you offer this time that was different?"

"The chance to screw over Tucker Stemmings – turns out he has fans every which way you look."

Watching him take a sip of his liquor Mike blinked and then suddenly snorted amusement,

"Which means," he continued, taking over, "That Intratek are going to be able to put out their prototype before Stemmings' version is due for release. So either Stemmings is forced to rush his into production and put out an inferior product or he hangs back and risks losing the market. Whatever he chooses he's going to lose millions."

"What can I say?" Harvey shrugged passively, "The technology industry is notoriously difficult. Some days you're up, some days you're finished."

Mike smiled softly,

"Thanks Harvey – you know – for last night and for ruining a man's business for me."

Harvey glanced back at him; it lasted a second.

"Hey, that man ruined my Thursday night. If you feel avenged that's purely coincidence,"

"Right," Mike nodded, "Sure it is."

As a contented silence fell between them Donna sighed cheerfully and edged from her perch; her bright green heels struck the floor loudly and taking a moment to smooth out her dress she turned to the pair of them with a far-too-bright smile,

"Well, if the two of you are done with my services for the day there's a flash sale at a boutique on Orchard that I was going to leave early to hit up anyway," she turned to Harvey with a wave of her hand, "You would have said yes, you know what discount means to me."

Her employer snorted,

"You've made it clear."

"So," she continued, barely breaking her stride as she turned and strutted out of the kitchen, "Unless you end up in any more trouble I will see you at the office for a regular, unspoilt day of work."

"Donna,"

As Harvey called her she stopped on the threshold. When she turned back her eyes were teary. Nobody mentioned it; nobody had to.

"Here," he smiled, passing across a small roll of notes, "How about you buy something not on offer."

She took it silently; smile still wobbling.

"Oh and hey, thanks for today," Mike tacked on softly; meaning every single word, "If being a legal secretary doesn't work out, I think you'd make a pretty good caregiver."

The redhead took a steadying breath and flashed sharp eyes in his direction,

"Please," she snorted, "I could never wear flats."

A second later she was gone and the apartment fell instantly back into silence. For a moment it was oddly contented then just as suddenly it went it on for too long. Clearing his throat Mike slapped at the countertop,

"So, I guess I should be going home – I mean, now that I can physically get there."

Harvey snorted,

"You realise you were like Bambi last night?"

"Hey," Mike responded, holding a hand up, "Do I have to remind you again that I was rendered unconscious with illicit drugs?"

"I take it that means you remember what happened?"

"Yeah," Mike nodded, patting his skull, "It's all in there. Why? Do we need it?"

He didn't say it but they both knew what he was asking. Do I need to make a statement? Harvey shook his head,

"Not right now,"

"What about Stemmings? What happens to him?"

"Other than dropping back down the rich list? That depends on him. My investigator's going to keep an eye on him and Jessica's pulling some strings – letting other firms know he's not to be trusted."

"Jessica?" Mike blinked, wide-eyed with horror, "Oh god, please tell me that she doesn't know."

Donna's words rang between Harvey's eardrums. He's embarrassed.

"Relax," he countered, "She knows because she's Jessica and she guessed something was wrong the moment Donna didn't show up for work. Besides, this time she's on our side and when it comes to something like this there's no one better to have in your corner. Trust me."

"Does anyone else know?"

"No,"

"What about Rachel? Oh god, or Louis? Does Louis know?"

"Mike," Harvey cut in, his tone growing sharper; he needed the harshness to break through the panic, "No one else knows, not Rachel, not Louis and no one is going to find out either."

"What about Andre? The bartender," Mike added as Harvey looked set to repeat giant or seal. His boss' smirk of amusement made him snort; the wash of anxiety steadying itself.

"He offered me a full confession,"

"Offered?"

Harvey pulled a face; his usual go-to no big deal with an offhand shrug for added indifference,

"Offered, wrote under threat. Is the important thing how I got it or that I got it? Either way, it's ours and if Stemmings steps out of line again it's the first thing we'll use when we go after him. Andre can sweat it out until then."

As Harvey threw back the rest of his drink and slammed the glass down onto the counter, Mike watched him do it, holding back a grin. He still felt exhausted and unusually dopey but something about Harvey's bluster was easing it; just knowing that someone was fighting for him. It felt nice. It felt safe. It felt like family. Of course he would never admit that to Harvey. His boss would simply bat it back. Instead he kept things decidedly on-topic,

"So I was right about him spiking my drink? Stemmings paid him?"

"A couple of thousand,"

"What? A couple of thousand? I'm in the wrong business,"

Harvey threw him a look of distaste but there was a spark of amusement mixed in with the frown,

"Nice to know you haven't lost your compulsion to say the wrong thing at precisely the wrong time,"

"Come on, you love my gallows humour."

"I love my gallows humour," Harvey countered, "Yours I tolerate, barely."

As he spoke he collected his jacket but rather than hanging it up as expected he slipped back into it and did up the buttons. Mike blinked at him,

"Uh, Harvey?"

"What?" He replied; his tone was casual and before Mike could answer the older man turned and disappeared into the bathroom emerging again with a neatly wrapped parcel. In it was Mike's suit jacket still bagged from the cleaners. He ripped it open and took it out, flapping it once before handing it across to him. Mike stood awkwardly,

"Are you throwing me out? Because, if this is how you treat everyone that spends the night here I think we might have figured out why you're still single."

Harvey cocked his head; unimpressed,

"No, I'm taking you out for lunch. Or I was before you chose to insult me."

"You?" Mike blinked, too shocked for a come-back, "You're taking me out for lunch?"

Harvey shrugged,

"Isn't that what I said?"

"Yes but see, nobody mentioned you'd had a personality transplant today – and also, I'm still recovering from having recently been drugged – so I'm not sure I'm the best person to watch over you until it takes."

"Again with the insults?" Harvey frowned, "Really?"

Despite the fact that neither man said it they had both been striding towards the door. They would go out for a meal; Harvey would pay and both would have a very nice time without for a second daring to admit it. In the meantime however they would bitch and tease because that was the basis of their very unique friendship. Other people didn't get it; other people weren't supposed to. It was what it was and whatever it was worked. Harvey swung the door open briskly, letting Mike out into the hallway,

"We're having steak."

"Don't I get a say?"

"Why the hell should you?" Harvey shot back, turning the lock with a definite click, "I'm paying."

"Yes but you invited me and see, in the real world where people interact, the decision lies at least partly with the invitee – which is me – and not the inviter – in this case you. I mean, what if I wanted pizza?"

"Pizza? What are you, five years old? Real men eat steak."

"Oh so you never eat pizza?"

"I sure as hell don't go out for it, no."

"You never eat pizza?"

The elevator pinged and as the doors slid open the banter tailed off into companionable silence. Staring at the back of his blonde spikey head Harvey for the first time contemplated his associate. He still looked weary – all tired and red-eyed – but evidently Donna was right. It didn't stop Harvey wanting to kill Stemmings – or using Andre's severed head to do it – but the important thing was that Mike would be fine.

"Hey Harvey, how about steak pizza?"

"Are you crazy? Who the hell puts steak on a pizza?"

Yep. Both of them were going to be fine.

So there we have it. Done. I hope I succeeded in keeping it in canon/character etc. or that at the very least you all enjoyed the ride. Thank you so very much to all the lovely reviewers who have spurred me on and kept me smiling. I'm sorry for the mistakes or inaccuracies I missed and I'm sure when I read this back in a few years I will cringe at spelling errors etc. Oh well.

Now, as I mentioned earlier I am working on another story which is very different (to say the least) but once again I hope, stays true to the characters and over-all feeling of the show. In truth I don't really know why I'm writing it but it's been sitting in my head niggling at me for weeks so I just decided to commit it to paper. I'm just going to come right out and say it now...it's set in the Wild West. Harvey is the sheriff, Mike is well...basically everybody's in there and it's actually not as totally random as it sounds. It's going to be a lot longer than this one was and I'm only about a quarter of the way through, so I'll hang back on posting it properly until more is done. Look for it maybe mid-late October time. Anyway, if people are at all interested I can tack the first chapter onto the end of this as a taster, if not I won't.

But for now, thank you again.