A New Direction

Chapter 1

It was a late night at Pearson Specter Litt, the entire floor was empty, save for one managing partner and an associate. Mike was finishing up some briefs due Monday, but he really didn't want to be working over the weekend, so there he was finishing up his work late into a Friday night.

He had about an hour more of work to do. Rolling his chair back with a sigh, he decided to take a walk around the floor, so that he could get his eyes to focus on the pages in front of him.

Mike was a little surprised to find the lamp in Jessica's office still on, he walked in, intending to switch it off. To his surprise, the found the woman herself, sitting at her desk, with a glass half full of an amber liquid. She seemed so lost in thought that she didn't even notice him standing right in front of her

Mike thought about walking out for a whole ten seconds before he heard sniffing. Unable to contain himself any longer, he stepped forward towards her and touched her shoulder. Jessica startled and jumped up. Mike took two steps backwards and put his hands up in surrender.

"What are you doing here at this time of the night Mike?" Jessica asked, her eyes rimmed red, no other sign of her distress was visible. She was as poised as always, graceful even in adversity. With a sigh, he realised that he was the adversity.

"I would ask you the same thing, but seeing as it is your firm…" Mike trailed off.

To his surprise, Jessica laughed out "Is it really my firm? With Louis being the emotionally stunted rat that he is, and Harvey Specter the best damn pain in the ass New York has ever seen, and last but certainly not the least – you – Mike goddam Ross." She abruptly stopped talking, swirling the contents of her glass instead.

Mike sat down on the guest chair. "Ask me to leave and I will have a resignation letter on your desk, first thing Monday morning" Mike shot back and continued "But don't give me this shit about having ruined your life. You could have fired me the second you found out, but instead you used it as leverage against Harvey. Now you are mad because Louis is using it as leverage against you."

Jessica glared at Mike "I wouldn't have hesitated for half a second in firing you, but I have invested a lot of time and energy in Harvey and I don't want him to leave."

"Please, you and I both know that you could get Harvey to stay. In fact if you want, I'll convince him to stay." Mike retorted.

"Why are you doing this Mike?"

Suddenly feeling drained Mike quietly replied "I am sick of people blaming me for their decisions. I am sick of waiting for the other foot to drop. I haven't had a full night of sleep since this mess started."

Jessica laughed, really laughed "You were a drug dealer before, I would think this is a step up?"

Mike's miffed expression only made Jessica laugh harder "I know why Harvey calls you a puppy now"

Maybe it was the lightened atmosphere, maybe it was the slight sparkle that had returned in Mike's eyes, but something made Jessica reiterate her initial question back to Mike "So why are you here so late?"

With a sigh, the puppy like lawyer pouted "I wanted to have a free weekend, so I need to finish all the work tonight."

"Hot date Mr. Ross?"

Now it was Mike's turn to laugh out loud "Yes, a threesome with my bed and my pillow."

Amusement sparkled Jessica's eyes "Come on, I'll help you finish."

Mike was left a little confused as he tried to track the direction of the conversation, but then gave up and followed Jessica to his desk in the bullpen.

"I don't really have much left, only an hour more and I should be done"

"Between the two of us, I hope we can be done in less than that" Jessica responded.

Twenty minutes later, they were finished.

"When was the last time you ate?" Jessica asked Mike.

"Err, I don't – "

He was cut off by Jessica "Mr Eidetic Memory, do you really expect me to believe that you forgot?"