"Mr. Specter it´s time for you to leave this office and go home." Harvey looked up to see Gretchen standing in the doorway to his office, hands on her hips as she looked at him like a child that needs admonishment. Time had treated her kindly. She still looked like she did five years ago when he´d hired her on a whim. And now she was one of his closest confidantes.

Harvey let his gaze wander through his 'new' office. Even after all those years he couldn't think of it without that particular prefix. He had taken the records, the base- and basketballs and the desk from his old office from Pearson Specter Litt (now just Pearson Litt) and set them all up in here, even though the room was smaller than his old office.

"I have still work to do," he replied to Gretchen, holding up some of the papers that lied on his table. Gretchen just gave him a long-suffering look.

"That can wait until tomorrow," Gretchen said. "Or give it to one of the associates." Sometimes Harvey had to consciously remind himself that he had associates now. It had always been Mi- Louis had always overseen them, but Louis was not here any longer. Harvey was Managing Partner of Specter & Co. and he had control over everything. It still was a strange feeling for him.

"What would I do without you?" Harvey teased her with a smile. He knew that he was still attractive, even though his crinkles had deepened and the laughing lines wouldn't vanish anymore when he wasn't laughing. Women still loved to flirt with him. But Harvey never flirted back – never wanted to.

"We both know where you´d be without me," Gretchen said. She didn't need to remark further. They both remembered how it was shortly after Harvey had resigned from PSL. The drinking, the unkempt appearance, the bouts of anger and sadness and the pills that had had a full grip on Harvey until one day Gretchen appeared and forced him out of his stupor with some very colourful choice words. She may had some help from Donna, though.

"Just go home, Mr Specter," Gretchen said and patted his arm. She´d never taken Harvey on his offer to call him by his first name. Harvey had never asked why and accepted it as part of her character.

"I will, Gretchen, I will," he assuages her and she gives him one sceptical look before she walks out of his office. He could hear her rummaging through her desk before she switched out the lights and leaves for the elevator.

Harvey grudgingly accepted that there wasn´t any more work done today and headed for the elevator as well. Gretchen, seeing him coming, held open the door for him and Harvey gave her a short nod of thanks as the elevator doors closed in front of them.

"Ms. Pearson will call again tomorrow," Gretchen broke the silence with the reminder. "Should I turn her away like always?" There was no judgment in her voice and for that Harvey was grateful. Gretchen never judged. She just stood there and asked him what to do and if it was something particularly stupid she would just lift her eyebrow at him and Harvey would change his course. But she never judged him.

"No," Harvey said and the only indication that Gretchen is surprised by that answer is how she glances at him over the edge of her glasses. "I think it´s time that I talk to Jessica." The things between them had to be made right again. Both of them had hurt each other so much during the short time of Harvey´s breakdown, said things that they could never take back, but now Harvey´s life was stable again and it was time to bury those old grudges. No use to let the past drag him down.

There´s no sign of what Gretchen thought of his decision. She just nodded at him and when the elevator doors open, she left straight for the building exit. Harvey took a moment and let his gaze wander over the lobby. It wasn't as glamorous as PL but his clients didn't care about glamour. Most of them where glad that there was a law firm that took their cases. Harvey could have his office in a dumpster and they would still come.

"Harvey?" Harvey heard the voice and yet he didn't react. Because it was just imagination, wasn't it? The owner of the voice couldn't be here. He just – just couldn't. He couldn't come here and crash in on Harvey´s new life. He had left his ghosts behind. There was no room for them anymore.

Yet Harvey slowly turned around only to look into a face that he thought he´d never see again. Mike hadn't changed that much. His hair was shorter than the last time and his eyes were older – had seen things – but they were still the same eyes that Harvey had lost himself in so many times years ago. He wore a dark blue Henley and a black jeans. Mike had always looked the best in casual clothes.

"Mike?" Harvey croaked, his voice suddenly dry and his palms sweaty.

"Yeah, it´s me," Mike confirmed and took a step forward. Harvey took a step back – he couldn't, not right now, he needed space – and tried to ignore the short look of hurt that flashed over Mike´s face before it was replaced again by his cheery façade.

"Can we…can we talk?" Mike asked tentatively. That were the words that broke the dam.

"'Can we talk?'" Harvey repeated incredulously. "'Can we talk?' We could have talked when you were arrested, or when you were on trial or even when you were in prison! But remember? You refused to see me every single time!" At the end Harvey shouted, not caring that everyone that entered the lobby would be able to hear him. All the anger, the hurt and the desperation that he had thought he´d left behind years ago were suddenly back again in full force and this time Harvey would not hold back. Mike wanted to say something, but Harvey didn't care.

"I was there, you know?" he continued. "I was in my condo, waiting for you to call, so that we could fix this, like we always did, but you never called. I was there on the day of your trial only to be told by Louis that you didn't want to see me. I was there – at prison – seventeen times only to be told that you refused to see me. And now you want to talk?!"

"Please, Harvey," Mike begged and Harvey could see the tears beginning to form in his eyes. "I just got out. You were the first person I went to."

"Not Rachel?" Harvey shot back. Mike just shook his head.

"We haven't talked to each other for over five years," he confessed quietly and Harvey feels a dark kind of satisfaction at that. "Please just hear me out." Harvey didn't know why he didn't just turn around and walked away. Maybe he wanted to finally be finished with that chapter of his life and this was his last chance at closure. Maybe because he thought that he owed Mike at least that, after all they had been through. Harvey didn't know why – his emotion were a complete mess – but he slowly turned towards Mike.

"What is there left to say?" he asked tiredly. All the anger had left him and now there was just a bone-deep tiredness that seemed to drown him.

"I want to explain myself to you," Mike says and the way he looks at Harvey reminds him of all the times Mike had come to Harvey for advice. How he´d looked at Harvey like he´d hung the moon.

"Then let´s hear," Harvey replied, stretching out his arms in a mocking gesture. "Let´s hear why you cut me off like that!"

"Because I was afraid!" Mike screams back at him. "I was afraid that if I met you they would get you as well. I was afraid that you´d look at me like I was a disappointment. I was afraid that you´d leave me like everyone else. But most of all I was afraid that my secret would destroy your life as well and Harvey – I just couldn't do that to you." He takes a deep breath. "And maybe you hate me for it, but at least you are free and you can hate me from the office of your own law firm instead of a prison cell."

"It was not your decision to make," Harvey whispered, but he knows that Mike can hear him.

"It was the best I could do," Mike replied. "And I´d do it again – for you!"

"Why are you here, Mike?" Harvey asked wearily.

"Because I realized something," Mike said. "I realized that it was you who gave me the chance to live my dream at least for a short while. It was you who backed me up when I needed it. It was you who took care of my when Grammy died. It was you who believed in me even when I couldn't – even when Rachel didn't. It was you, Harvey, it has always been you, even though it took me so long to realize it. And my time in prison made it clear to me, that life´s too short to waste it like I did."

Years ago Harvey would have given everything to hear these words out of Mike´s mouth. He would have left everything behind just to walk a short while with Mike by his side, but now he just feels empty.

"Mike," his voice broke. The Harvey Specter of today allowed himself to be weak sometimes. "I…I don't know."

"Please, Harvey," Mike implores with hope and desperation waring behind those ocean-blue eyes. "Just give me – give us – this chance!"

A moment of silence. No words, no noises, nothing but two men who had been broken and pieced together so many times that they lost count.

"Yes."