#and i don't think mike would ever do anything to harvey because HE knows how much baggage harvey has

[katierosefun]

actually as much as i love mike and harvey together. i feel so sad for rachel zane because imagine falling in love with your coworker and then you learn that your coworker is a fake lawyer but not only that, your coworker is a fake lawyer who would literally do anything for his boss. he'll literally leave you at the altar to go to prison for his boss. he'll try to quit his job multiple times but keep coming back because his boss asked him to come back. he'll move to seattle with you, and you'll breathe a sigh of relief because it means that it can finally just be the two of you, but then you learn that he's inviting his stupid former boss to join them. and his stupid former boss agrees. you smile because your husband is so stupid happy at the idea of working with his former boss again, but you've seen this film one too many times before, and you are going to be subject to watching your husband choose his stupid former boss-slash-friend over you again and again and again and again and again and ag

[harveysweakness]

Pressing Charges

WARNING: TALK OF BEING MUGGED

A/N: This has been sitting in my drafts for so long!!!!

"And she's been saying that Y/N has been yelling at her left and right and on top of that she, I think, might not pass the-"

"What did you say?" Harvey interrupted, listening just barely enough for that snippet to catch his attention.

"Y/N has been yelling at her?" Mike questioned.

"Y/N has been yelling?"

"Yeah, at her first year associate. Anyway," Mike kept rambling and Harvey didn't listen one bit. You never yelled. The only time you ever raised your voice was when someone attacked somebody you cared about. And the fact that you were yelling did not sit right with Harvey at all.

-----

The day seem to drag on as Harvey stared at the clock. The office wouldn't get empty enough for him until 7pm and he knew you'd still be in your cozy corner office a hall down from him way past 7.

He couldn't risk seeing you during the day. The only person who knew him and you were growing closer was Donna, and Harvey knew she could keep a secret. Donna always knew what was going on in the office-

Harvey shook his head, frustrated that he didn't think of it earlier. Pressing the button on the intercom, he waited for her familiar voice. "Donna, can you come in here please?"

"What's up?" Donna asked as she plopped a seat in the chair across from Harvey's.

"Have you heard anything about Y/N?"

Donna looked a little nervous.

"Donna," he pushed, giving her a pointed look that meant he would not ask again.

"Someone heard her on the phone with someone talking about pressing charges."

Harvey's face turned more serious than it had been. "Did someone hurt her?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know, I wish I did."

"Thanks, Donna."

--------

As soon as enough people had left for the day, Harvey made his way down the hall, pausing in the doorway to your office, his heart breaking just a bit at the site. Your head was in your hands, one of your cream-colored blankets draped around your shoulders, and Harvey could only assume that the soft sniffle you gave was from crying.

You picked your head up a moment later, seemingly finally sensing a presence.

"What do you wa- Harvey," your tone softened at his name, eyes going from steely to tired.

"Hey," he greeted softly, finally stepping into your office and shutting the door behind him. He paused for a moment, not quite sure on the best course of action before you burst into tears. The man moved swiftly around your desk towards you. You waisted no time in wrapping your arms around him, burying your face into the jacket of his suit.

"Talk to me, sweetheart."

You pulled away enough to be able to speak, him moving to rest against the edge of your desk.

“Last night, I decided to walk instead of take a car.”

Harvey bit his tongue. You were at least a fifteen to twenty minute walk from the office and he knew for a fact that you hadn’t left while it was still light outside.

“I had made it almost halfway home when some guy came up behind me and hit me and tried to get my bag. I turned to fight,” -Harvey let out a small sigh, which you ignored- “and he pulled out a gun.”

“Y/N.”

You brushed away a stray tear and continued. “I must be the luckiest woman in the world, because there was a cop nearby, who pulled out his gun. The man was shot, he’s in the hospital currently.”

“My god,” Harvey said quietly. You hummed.

“I’m pressing charges, but I can’t get it out of my head.”

“Did you talk to your therapist about it?���

“How do you know I have a therapist?” You questioned, a small smile toying at your lips.

He shrugged. “I know everything.”

“You are not Donna,” you giggled.

“Nor would I ever dream to be.” You both laughed before it got quiet.

“I’m seeing my therapist tomorrow to talk about it.”

“Good. I hope it helps. If you need anything-“

“You’ll be the first one I go to,” you admitted softly. Harvey felt his chest tighten.

“The first?”

“Is that okay?”

“I’d be honored… It’s late, Y/N.”

You glanced at your computer screen, which read 9:24pm.

“I should get going, and so should you.”

Harvey stood and walked to where you had thrown your coat over the couch in the corner. You blushed when he held it open for you, cheeks reddening further when he gently pulled your hair out from under the warm material, his fingers brushing ever so lightly against the back of your neck.

“Let me walk you out. Did you call Frank?”

You nodded. “He should be pulling up any second.”

You followed Harvey to his office, watching him throw his coat on and pack up his bag. You felt a sadness inside, and you weren’t quite sure why. Maybe you didn’t want to say goodnight to him just yet.

“Ready?” He asked.

“Definitely.”

The two of you walked side by side towards the elevators, riding down in silence, both exhausted by the day. After you exited the elevator and made your way through the revolving door to the building, you felt Harvey’s hand on your back, providing the security you needed to feel safe. He walked you to your car, Frank standing at the driver’s side, watching the pedestrians walk by with narrowed eyes. Harvey felt better knowing your driver was someone who cared about you too.

“Ms. Y/L/N,” Frank greeted.

“Hi, Frank, thank you.”

Harvey moved to open the backseat door for you, offering his hand to help you into the car. You took it, but didn’t get in, instead choosing to look at him.

“Thank you,” you whispered, hoping your depth of your gratitude was evident.

“Of course, sweetheart. Get home safe.”

You bit your lower lip, not missing the way his eyes flickered to it. He looked like he wanted to lean in, so did you, but you just gave a small smile and leaned up and around to press a kiss to his cheek.

“Goodnight, Harvey,” you murmured, before stepping into the car and taking a graceful seat.

“Goodnight.” He shut the door once he made sure you were clear and you didn’t miss his smile as you pulled into the streets of the city.

[statusquoergo]

do you think, when mike left the firm and stopped being a lawyer (that handshake gif you reblogged. sidebar: your tags 🥺), if mike had been single...do you think harvey would have tried to progress something romantic in this situation? he asks him out to dinner as it is...bc he just wants to be with him. he loves this man. their work arrangement was the obvious reason nothing could progress, and mike's developing relationship with rachel the obvious other. if, say, there was no rachel in the picture...I just wonder...

I could see the argument of harvey not wanting to risk their friendship and losing mike fully; he's one to take mike however much he's able to have him, and he'd take friendship over nothing any day. but, honestly...the way harvey just oozes love for mike (particularly in later seasons)...it might not even be an active choice; it might just be something that happens because he loves mike: he can't help being doe-eyed on dinner dates, and their flirty banter, and if mike is receptive then, well...full romance it'd become

(also, I don't buy harvey being too emotionally stunted or whatever to go after him. I don't think donna's all-knowing about him at all in this regard. he's a man who knows how he feels and what he wants.)

oh, and to add on to that. I haven't rewatched in a while, but a scene that sticks with me through EVERYTHING is harvey going to mike's office, "Flowers die. I thought I'd bring something better. Me" mike LOOKS UP like HELLO "...across the table from you." Like that was So charged and Mike was So receptive. he's been attracted to harvey from the beginning, too. obviously had no thought that that would ever be a reality lol and concurrently fell for rachel. but if there is no rachel, and no work relationship...mike is So down. he seriously would be. they flirt as it is...with no obstacles how could it not become something

Every time those two have to go their separate ways, no matter how long, they always have to do it in the most heartbreaking way they can come up with 😢

The thing about this is, I don't think Harvey's biggest obstacle is that he's not in touch with his own feelings. Or Mike's, for that matter. He knows he wants Mike, he knows he loves Mike, he knows he would give up everything he has and everything he is for Mike, and at the very least, he knows Mike is into him, too, although I imagine it would take some time once the barriers are all down for him to fully comprehend just how much.

As you said, the argument for him not wanting to lose his friendship with Mike isn't a hard one to make. For all his bluster and bravado, Harvey doesn't have a lot of friends; he has Donna, who's his nearest and dearest confidant but also kind of really controlling and a little manipulative, and he has Louis, who he treats like shit the vast majority of the time and prefers to toy with rather than bond with, and he has Jessica, who's mainly a mother figure and role model. And then he has Mike. Mike, who he fights with probably more often than he should because they both have absolutely godawful communication skills, but who he would (and does) tell literally anything and everything, no matter how personal; who he trusts to have his back in any given situation; who he tried to go to prison for; and who gives him all that back tenfold. Or at least in kind. This is in all likelihood the first and only relationship he's ever had of that caliber, and he'd be a fool to give it up, so why risk it seeking something more? ("More" as in "additional," not "more" as in "romance is more valuable than friendship." Just...clearing that up.)

The argument against that, however, is also an easy one: Since when has Harvey ever been afraid to take a risk? It's not even a big one, honestly. If Rachel is out of the picture, he's aware enough to realize that this thing between him and Mike has a shot, and it would be awfully foolish of him not to pursue it. He could go for it full tilt, running down the darkened city streets at the dead of night to show up at Mike's doorstep and make a full-on declaration of his intent, or he could soft-pedal it and leave himself room to back out if things start going south, but I don't think not wanting to risk their friendship would stop him completely from making a move if Mike is "in play," as it were. Even if it took him a minute to realize how much it hurt him to be apart from Mike for that long. Or at all.

Now, I hate to say this (I mean I really hate to say it), but I do think Harvey might be tripped up by (I really hate to say it) his own sense of misogyny.

I should break that down a little.

Harvey grew up in a very broken household. He and his brother don't seem to have had the best relationship (their camaraderie and fondness for one another is fairly superficial; they seem pretty friendly in low- or no-stakes situations, but Marcus only reconnected with Harvey to ask him for money, and he didn't even tell Harvey his cancer had come back because it wasn't worth the trouble); he childishly idolized his nearly-absent father to the point of hero worship; and his mother, well, let's not bother rehashing that for the hundredth time. His image of the "perfect family," however, isn't an unconventional one; it's a loving mother and father doting on one another, and taking care of their child, or children. He didn't have that, but it's what he always wanted, and what he's spent his life telling himself is what he should want. That is, he isn't interested in crafting himself a new ideal so much as recovering the one he missed out on.

On top of all that, he's chosen to wholeheartedly throw himself into the world of corporate law, which is an extremely male-dominated field (Jessica notwithstanding; even she has to play by the men's rules, and she knows full well that she was promoted to her position at least in part for the optics of the firm having a Black woman in such an elite role). If he's going to ride his life's mine cart rails along to a happy family, it's going to be with a woman in as traditional a household as he can scrape together.

What I mean by that is that he'd have to actively, consciously, purposefully choose to pursue any life that's not that one. He's not a misogynist by trade, I don't think, like I don't think he thinks men are inherently superior to women or any of that shit, but the overall model has been instilled in him so strongly and from so many directions that someone would have to sit him down and shove it in his face and teach him how to unlearn it, and unless Mike is the one to do that by way of making the first move, I don't really see it occurring to anyone that it's even necessary. Harvey might have his flings (Ted Phillips, anyone?), and he may be aware that a life with Mike is what he wants, but left to his own devices, I'm not convinced he'd realize it's one he can have.

This is where the "not wanting to lose the best friendship he's ever had" part comes into play. He and Mike flirt like a couple of hormonal teenagers, they're clearly both interested in going further, and if Rachel is out of the picture, there's nothing (external) stopping them, but Harvey has something deep down in his subconscious telling him that he's not allowed to have that, so the friendship alone has to be enough.

But you'd better believe they're going to push those boundaries as far as they'll go.

All that said, if someone, anyone, thought to give Harvey a nudge in that direction... I think he'd be all for it.

[atlantaelizabeth]

Ayayayyyy you taking request again??? So, I have two request; one for Marvey, where Harvey is being insecure because he's getting some grey hair but Mike convince him that he still hot AF (maybe some love making, if you don't mind) and one for Malec, where Alec being sad because he thought Magnus forgot his birthday when actually Magnus was planning a romantic surprise for him. I'm a sucker for fluffy Marvey and Malec ^_^

Here is your Malec. Warning, I kind of let it get away from me a little but still very very fluffy

*** 

Alec never really enjoyed birthdays. That’s a lie, heenjoyed birthdays, just if they weren’t his own. He liked celebrating the factthat another year of life had passed with very little difficulty, becauseshadowhunters weren’t exactly known for their ability to live long and genteellives. He liked spending time and effort on thinking about the perfect gift. Heliked to witness the happiness fill the face of the person when they opened hisgift. If asked though, he’d strongly deny it. he had a reputation to live up toafter all.

Alec thought birthdays were fun. His own was a completelydifferent matter. He despised how everyone would spend hours fussing over him. Hedisliked how everyone would pretend that Alec didn’t know that they were allplanning a surprise birthday party. He only pretends because he doesn’t wantIzzy to feel disappointed. And the whole greeting thing? Another element ofbirthdays that Alec didn’t like. He didn’t want to smile and pretend that hewas happy to have these strangers in his personal space for a whole evening. ButAlec had always been very good at adapting to situations. So, he’d smileeffortlessly as each person wished him a happy birthday before asking orblatantly snooping into his personal life, or lack thereof.

But that was all before Magnus.

Magnus, who made every single night an extravagant party.Magnus, who was a party animal but also had a heart of gold. Magnus, who was sogentle and patient with Alec and who made sure everything was perfect for hispartner. Alec would be lying if he said that he didn’t that Magnus hadsomething planned.

***

Alec wakes up with Magnus’ arm wrapped around him. He canhear Magnus’ gentle breaths on the back of his neck. He wants to move but thatwould mean moving away from Magnus, and that was something Alec wasn’tcompletely ready to do just yet. He thinks about how perfect this little sceneis, Magnus nuzzling into Alec’s neck with his arm wrapped possessively aroundhim. Alec feels like he’s finally found the place where he belongs.

“I know you’re awake.”

Alec laughs. “How long have you been awake?”

“Oh, about an hour or so. I didn’t really want to wake youup. You looked so cute.” He begins to sit up but Alec grabs his arm before hecan get very far. “We can only stay in bed for so long darling.” He wiggles outof Alec’s grip. “You” – his finger prods at Alec’s chest- “shower. And I’llmake breakfast.” Alec whines before attempting to grab at Magnus again, but he isn’tquite quick enough. “I know what you’re thinking Alexander and no, we’re notshowering together.”

Alec huffs before he does as he’s told. He watches Magnus’retreating figure before shutting the bathroom door.

***

Alec had planned to stay in the shower until Magnus hadrealised that the whole not showering together thing, wasn’t a good idea. But thesmell of breakfast forces him to abandon that plan quickly.

When he does walk into the kitchen, Magnus is humming to apop song that is playing on the radio, makeup perfected and hair in place. Alecis slightly envious of how put together Magnus is and how quickly he can readyand prepare himself for the day ahead.

“Pancakes for my favourite person.” Magnus smiles and Aleccan’t help but smile back. “Do you have any plans for today?”

“I thought that maybe we could spend the day together. Watcha movie. Bake a cake. Maybe spend a few hours in bed.”

The smile disappears from Magnus’ face. “Oh darling, I wouldlove to do all of that today but I have a client that needs something importantdone today, and I offered up my services.” He grabs Alec’s hand, thumbcaressing his wrist. “We could do all of that tomorrow yes? It doesn’t have tobe today?” Alec is quick to hide the disappointment that crosses his features. Henods and smiles weakly. “Good. I’ll see you tonight?” Another nod. “Okay then.I better get going.” He leans up and kisses Alec’s cheek. “Be good.”

***

He hadn’t planned on going to the Institute, but ChairmanMeow could only amuse him for so long. Besides, without Magnus, the loftsuddenly seemed far too big for Alec.

“Happy Birthday Alec!” Izzy shoves a card in his face. “Goon. Open it.” he does. In the blue envelope, she has handed to him is a giftcard. He offers her a confused look. She rolls her eyes. “It’s a gift card forthat new tailors that’s just opened. I thought you might appreciate it.”

“When am I ever going to use this?”

Izzy smiles. “I’m sure you’ll use it for something.” The handthat was behind her back is now in front of her, a wrapped gift in hand. “I didn’tjust buy you that.” Open it!” He opens it. it’s a photo of Alec, Jace, Izzy andMax. A photo taken at Alec’s birthday last year. He’s smiling, a genuine smilethat he reserves only for those he loves. “You’ve been spending so much time atthe loft that I was scared that you might forget what we all looked like.”

Alec smiles. “Thanks Izzy.”

She hugs him. “Don’t mention it.” She smiles. “While we’reon the subject of Magnus, what did that lover-boy of yours get you?”

Alec frowns. “Nothing.”

“Nothing? That doesn’t sound like Magnus Bane.”

“Yeah well. It is.”

“Are you sure you told him that today is your birthday?”

Alec gives her a raised eyebrow. “You don’t have to tell himanything. He’s Magnus Bane. He just knows.” He rolls his eyes. “But to answeryour question, yes, I told him.”

Izzy shrugs. “Don’t let it get to you Alec. He’s immortal.Maybe he just doesn’t see birthdays as important anymore.” Alec gives a non-committalsound. “Now c’mon, I made cake!”

***

After attempting to keep down the cake Izzy had baked andshrugging off any recommendations of seconds, Alec makes his way back to theloft. He thinks about Magnus, he isn’t mad or angry, he just thought thisbirthday would be a little different.

When he enters the loft, its dark. He calls out for Magnus. Themoment the name leaves his mouth, the loft comes to life. It takes a second forAlec to get used to the sudden brightness, but when his eyes do focus, he is inawe at the image before him.

Magnus is standing there, fresh faced and immaculatelydressed. Behind him the table is decorated with pink and white paper hearts,candles alit and two plates on either end.

“Happy Birthday Alexander,” Magnus’ hand is in his, guidinghim towards the table. Alec lets him, he’s too focused on trying not to cry atwhat Magnus has done for him.

“I thought you had forgotten.”

Magnus pulls the chair out, waits until Alec sits. “Howcould I forget? I was just making sure everything was perfect.”

Alec smiles. “You didn’t have to go to so much trouble.”

“Oh darling, no trouble is too much when it’s for you.” Alecdoesn’t know how to reply to that. “I thought sushi would be good.” Alec laughsat the memory of the ‘fatty tuna’ conversation. He watches as Magnus brings outtwo plates of sushi and sets them down, before pouring out two glasses of wine.

They eat in a comfortable silence, filled occasionally byAlec’s moans of appreciation. After they’ve finished, Magnus brings out twodesserts. “Raspberry soufflé and then time to give you my gift.” Alec opens hismouth to argue but Magnus cuts him off. “You didn’t think I wouldn’t get you agift? You didn’t think that this, was it? I’m offended.” He smiles. “I thinkyou’re going to love my present.”

They eat the soufflé and Alec can say with one hundredpercent certainty, that it is the best dessert he has ever tasted. It isn’t tooheavy or rich, but its sweet enough that Alec wishes that he could have anotherserving. Alec finishes his dessert and watches Magnus suddenly becomenervous.  He clicks his fingers and theplates are gone. He takes Alec’s hand in his own.

“I never thought I could feel anything close to what I feelfor you.” He isn’t looking at Alec, eyes focused on their joined hands. “I’velived for so long, in so many different places but the idea of leaving you isunthinkable.” One of his hands go to his pocket, pulling out a small box. “I don’twant you to think that this is a cop-out for a proper birthday present but I couldn’twait another day.” He looks at Alec, a sparkle in his eyes. “Will you do me thepleasure of becoming my husband?”

Alec wants to say so many things. He wants to tell Magnushow much he loves him but all he can say is yes.

Magnus slides the ring onto Alec’s finger, the silver bandhas the inscription of two letters; A and M. it fits his finger perfectly.

“I can’t wait until you become Mr. Bane Lightwood.”

Alec laughs.

“And I can’t wait until you become Mr. Lightwood Bane.”  

so yeah. Here you are. 

sidenote: your marvey request will be filled but I warn you that my speciality is fluff but I’m gonna fill it as best as I can 

[jeysuso]

I've seen phrasings like "now Harvey's sorted his issues with his mother he's finally ready for a relationship with Donna" and I just find that perspective so bizarre. Like Harvey needed to be fixed and now his grand prize is getting to date Donna. Like Donna's been waiting out on him and he's now deemed good enough and /of course/ he'll run into her arms no question. I don't really get how any of this sounds healthy or good or, hell, something Harvey would want.

HEY FAM

yesssssssssss, this entire thing.

the reason you find it bizarre (and trust me, fam, same) is because it is bizarre. it’s bizarre to think that a man who has been that angry, that hurt, that damaged, for twenty-plus years is suddenly ready to dive into a deep, and meaningful relationship, and it’s even more bizarre that people think if he did, it’d last. 

harvey’s issues shouldn’t be automatically resolved because he’s hugged his mother, and has--i guess--forgiven her. that’s not the end of it. you find closure on something but you don’t simply get over it. he’s so angry, he said, and he doesn’t want to be angry anymore but he doesn’t know how to stop. forgiving his mum isn’t going to stop him being angry. it’s not going to stop his abandonment issues, it’s not going to stop his emotional unavailability, because these are all things that harvey needs to learn to do.

and he can’t learn them in a relationship. harvey can’t enter a healthy relationship whilst still dealing with all of this shit, and to be honest, i’m not sure if these things are things he’ll ever be able to truly deal with? they’re so deep rooted, so ingrained in who he is, that there’s every chance he won’t ever be fully ready. 

but the fact that people would want harvey to get into a relationship with someone while he’s still mentally unable to deal with an actual relationship that might (apparently) mean something, is complete nonsense to me.

if anything, it’d destroy the both of them. harvey because he’s not ready, and donna because he’s not going to be able to give her everything she wants/needs in a relationship, and in the end, she’ll end up getting hurt, just like scottie, just like zoe, (who, arguably, harvey desperately tried with, and look where it ended, still) 

i mean can we talk about the fact that harvey’s scared of people leaving him, for a second, okay. the reason that he and scottie broke up was because he couldn’t commit to their relationship fully (and the mike stuff, but for once, this isn’t about mike ross lmao), but the reason he broke up with zoe was because she had to move to look after her brother. he told donna that she left him, and he didn’t want to replace the kid’s dad.

fair enough. but it’s the she left him part that’s interesting to me. so, does harvey expect donna to be his secretary forever? if they enter a relationship, donna can’t do anything for herself, she has to be his beck and call girl? that’s the way it seems. harvey can’t deal with people moving on without him, beginning a life that might not include him, sees it as them leaving him, and gets hurt about it.

so if donna finds a new job, say she becomes an actress, needs to travel around the country, is he going to see it as her leaving him? is he going to let her go, but let it destroy their relationship? because that’s what harvey does. so tell me, why the fuck wouldn’t he do it now just because he’s hugged his mother????

/sigh.

[statusquoergo]

S09E04 - Your recaps continue to be amazing and appreciated, thank you! I have yet to see the latest episode, but going by your recap, it seems like Donna and Lily were rather chummy (?). What are your thoughts on that? I have no eloquent reasoning here, but I feel like anyone who cares about Harvey would (should?) be more… not that. And I don't know why that of all things bugs me so much. Please analyse?

Oh,thank you! I’m so glad you like them! Yes, Lily and Donnahad quite an abbreviated interaction in the show proper, but theysure seemed to get along like a house on fire; “Lily, you have noidea how long I have been wanting to meet you.” “Probably just aslong as I’ve been wanting to meet you.” I’ll admit that myinitial reaction to that exchange was confusion at the whole “meetyou” part, since they were just…talking on the telephone, which,especially in the era of Skype and FaceTime, seems about asimpersonal as you can get (maybe not as bad as email, but you get mydrift), but you raise an interesting point. I apologize, this isgoing to get a little long, but… It’s all for a purpose, Ipromise.

Let’s start with “The Painting” (s06e12). In a flashback to,presumably, 2007, Donna tries to convince Harvey to attend hisfather’s funeral against Harvey’s objections that he doesn’twant to run into Lily: “She’s gonna be there, Donna.” “I knowshe is. But this funeral isn’t about her. And it’s not aboutyou.” So Donna knows very well the nature of Harvey’s relationship with hismother, despite never having met her; Harvey must have spoken abouther, so it’s a safe bet that Donna’s only (or at least primarily)heard bad things.

Yet the trigger for this episode is that on the heels of Jessica’sdeparture for Chicago, Mike has rejected Harvey’s offer to rejointhe firm as a consultant; Harvey expresses his fears to Donna that“they’re all leaving,” and she beseeches him to make up withhis mother so he’ll stop trying to use the firm to “fill thatvoid” in his life.

Minor aside, but it just occurs to me that this flies right in theface of the “found family” message this show keeps pushing, fromprior seasons (Mike and Harvey, e.g., “Harvey, you didn’t justgive me my dream. You gave me a family” [s05e10]) all the way up tothe current one (Samantha and Alex, e.g., “Well, maybe you should spendthe evening with your family.” “Who’s to say we wouldn’t be?”[s09e04]).

Anyway, back to the matter at hand. Harvey is on the verge of ameltdown because his family (found family, to be specific) isbeginning to break up. We know Harvey is prone to panic attacks,triggered by, among, other things, perceived abandonment; I wouldn’thave been shocked if he’d had one right then, but I also wouldn’tbe shocked to learn that the writers forgot that that’s part of hischaracter, and in any event, Donna’s solution to this fracturing isfor Harvey to make amends with Lily.

Question: Why? Harvey has,to the best of my knowledge, good relations with Marcus at thispoint, so he’s not completely bereft of blood relatives toturn to for support, andMarcus is married with two kids, so he even has an extended family tofall back on. Harvey and Lily haven’t had a good relationship sincehe was, at most, 16 years old, and Donna thinks that the perfectmoment for them to starttalking again is right whenHarvey is, arguably, the most vulnerable? Thatis a bad, bad idea; if things gopoorly with Lily, Harvey willend up even worse off than before, and who knows what might happenthen. (I’m not even saying it didn’tend up badly, but this essay isn’t about Harvey’s willfulobstinacy or his submissiveness during stressful situations, so let’sjust skip over that.)

Now,why is this important? As you mentioned, it’s a bit odd thatanyone who cares about Harvey asmuch as Donna claims to woulddefect to his mother’s side during… Well, anything. Nevertheless,well before they ever meet, when all Donna knows about Lily is whatshe’s heard from Harvey, meaning that she has no reason to thinkLily is anything more than a toxic stain on Harvey’s past thathaunts his psyche to this very day, she goes out of her way topressure him to reconnect with her.

Somehow, at some point, Donnagot it in her head that Harvey can’t be estranged from any of hisfamily members, no matter the reason for that estrangement and itspotential benefit to him. Maybe she doesn’t think anyone should ever be at odds with their family and she’s just been waiting all this time for an opportunity to push Harvey and Lily back together? Who knows, that’s as plausible a theory as anything else.

So Donna’s decided Harvey needsto make up with his mother. He attempts to do soand, according to me, theendeavor is an abject failure, but according to canon, he’s quitesuccessful, so let’s go with that.Harvey returns triumphant, informs Donna that “It went well,” andpresumably embarks on an amicable relationship with Lily, or maybeeven a downright friendly one. Vindication for Donna!

And yet by the middle of Season9, Lily and Donna still haven’t met. Donna has done all thiswork—from forcing Harvey to attend his father’s funeral despiteknowledge that Lily will be there (s02e08) to forcing Harvey to meetup with her again and try to patch things up (s06e12)—andreaped none of the rewards. Very rude.

Although it’s possible that all this meddling somehow circles back to Donna’s relationship with her own parents, I think the more likely explanation is that as Harvey’s become increasingly broken by themounting losses in his life, culminating with the departure of Mike, Donna hasmolded him into an ideal (i.e.,compliant)partner for herself, part of that being his reconciliation with Lily,and she wants to settle in to harvest the fruits of her labor. She doesn’t carethat Harvey and Lily had such a terrible relationship for so longbecause they’re (supposedly) thick as thieves now,and from Donna’s perspective, that’s all that matters.

In essence, Donna doesn’t seem to be willing, orperhaps able, to take the past into consideration when conceiving ofthis oncoming relationship. She’s been hearing about Lily as longas she’s known Harvey; it doesn’t matter that it’s been mostlybad, because things are good right now,so all of that garbage is just something to look amiably back on asthey move into a brighter future masquerading as a storybook romance.Harvey, having lost most of his personality over the past two orthree seasons, isn’t really in a position to object, so I’mafraid this is what we’re stuck with.

I hope I addressed your question alright; thanks very much for asking!

[statusquoergo]

After Harvey had to apply to practice law in C, I look into Washington State. Don't M and R know they have to apply to the be admitted into the Bar there? And, judging by Mike's past and the way he was admitted in the NY one, didn't they think that Mike might not get into the W one ? Because he needs to have been admitted into one and have practice law for a least 3 years in the 5 previous years : most of them he was a fraud. So the we have to decide quickly doesn't work. They have to know.. 1/2

2/2..They have to know if they'll be allowed to be lawyers there first. Also, when they talked about moving up the date for the W. M said : "I don't know if I wanna take this job or not." so what ? He decided in days ? An add the fact that he wasn't really enthusiastic and that he thought it wasn't real, scream to me that he didn't want the job or at least he didn't want to go to Seattle for it. It's like R didn't want to work for her dad : she brought it up AFTER Mike got the idea to save SL.

Of all the things that bother me about Mike and Rachel’s departure from the show, this is...one of them. First of all, that 48 hour deadline is total bullshit, for the reasons you mention and others; I know Rachel eventually “did some checking,” but the fact of the matter is that Forsyth accosted Mike out of nowhere, telling him to take it on faith that he’s establishing this completely self-sufficient firm that’s going to specialize in very expensive cases against corporations with very deep pockets, and now he wants Mike to uproot his entire life to move away from the firm he initially has no intention of leaving and reestablish himself on the other side of the country. You don’t give someone a hard 48 hours to make that decision, it’s completely unfair; dare I say, he’s being put under economic duress? It might be a hard sell, but I bet a good lawyer like Mike, or Harvey, could take that case to court; if nothing else, it sure does call into question how legitimately enthusiastic Mike is about the job. Is he taking it because he wants to, or because he’s under pressure to make a snap decision and the vague details he’s been given make it sound like an ideal situation?

Oh! I can’t believe I forgot about this, but what about giving notice? Mike was given 48 hours to get his shit together and go (as evidenced by the immediate need to move up the wedding), meaning he gave his notice at SL on the fly. As a junior partner who’s been working there approximately seven years (assuming each season matches up to roughly a year), he needs to give two weeks minimum, or more likely a full month, but no, he just drops the bombshell on Harvey (unfair for emotional friendship reasons, but let’s not get into that one again) that he’s bailing, and right in the middle of Gordon’s lawsuit on behalf of the former partners trying to instigate a buyout. What the hell is Harvey supposed to do with that? He’s losing his number two guy right when he needs him most! Yeah, he still has Louis to help cover the spread, but you know no one is ever going to be as good as Mike in his eyes, he’s never going to work with someone as well as he works with him.

As to the proposition itself, that Forsyth wants Mike to run this firm that he’s apparently spent a year opening (yet he still doesn’t have a managing partner for, evidently, or managing partners, plural), I’m calling bullshit on that one, too. Even assuming Mike does get admission to the Bar in Washington (which, as you point out, is far from a sure thing), what managerial experience does he have? He’s a junior partner, he’s been practicing law for seven years at best (ignoring the part where most of that time was spent practicing without a license), and he’s demonstrated multiple times over that his loyalty is, let’s call it fickle, if he finds a case that he thinks is more deserving than the one he’s supposed to be working on; not that Harvey had him assigned to anything major when Nathan approached him to work the Discharge Power case, but he was presumably working on something, and rather than, you know, continue to do the work for which he’s being paid, he requested special dispensation to shirk all of his duties at his actual job to devote himself, completely, to unrelated business elsewhere.

And yeah, I know one of the conditions of his return to the firm after Danbury was that he could take cases at the clinic on the side, but that doesn’t mean “throw himself into clinic cases to the detriment of Specter Litt while SL is in the midst of a major upheaval and need all hands on deck at all times.” The clinic is his side gig, not his primary focus, and if his work there is creating an unfair situation for SL, he shouldn’t be doing it.

Speaking of unfairness to SL, he didn’t even seek permission from Harvey, the managing partner, to take the Discharge Power case; he sought it from Donna, the COO, because he didn’t want to strain his relationship with Harvey! So he knew Harvey wouldn’t like it, but he did it anyway because he wanted to, even though Harvey would invariably find out about it and have probably the exact same negative response, if not worse because he had to learn it secondhand. I don’t know about you, but none of that sounds like the kind of guy I want to be in charge of my presumably multi-million dollar firm, no matter how pure his heart seems to be and how good his overall intentions.

In sum: Mike decided, under duress, to move clear across the country to a city to which he has no connection, to take a job he may or may not want, which he may or may not ultimately have legal dispensation to take, for which he is most definitely unqualified.

What an awesome season finale.