I don't want to come back.

Chapter 8.

Harvey decided he had to head back toward the bathroom. He had to see for himself the damage Louis had done. He kept his head low, and slipped into the bathroom unnoticed. He looked in the mirror and was surprised to see bruises already forming on either side of his jaw. He poked around his jaw until he was satisfied that there was no damage beyond the bruising, and was turning to leave when he heard someone outside the door. He was overcome by an irrational fear of being seen how he was and ran into one of the stalls.

One of the associates was laughing as the other one kept talking. "I mean, we all figured there was something a little more personal going on between wonder boy and Harvey, but I would have never guessed, in a million years, it would be wonder boy and Louis with the special relationship." Harvey could practically hear the air quotes. He was about to scoff at it when the words hit him full force.

He knew people had their theories about Mike and him, but why were there theories about Mike and Louis? Was it just because Mike had decided to be Louis's associate? His hope was dashed as the laughing associate spoke for the first time. "I thought I was going to fall over from shock when I walked in here and saw them hugging in a corner. I mean they were on the floor, and I don't know of any innocent floor hugs that don't involve three year olds." They both laughed before he continued. "I still did have my doubts though, so I kept an eye out for them, and only minutes later Louis comes and grabs Mike's things from the pen, only to leave with Mike." This time Harvey could practically hear the suggestive raised eyebrow, "Neither have come back yet."

Harvey's rational mind told him this was just a story, that there was nothing going on between Mike and Louis, but his rational mind decided it didn't need to be in control, and gave the reins to his emotional mind. Before Harvey realized what he was doing he was bursting out of the stall, scaring both associates enough that they yelled in fright, before running at full speed out of the bathroom, and toward his office; toward Donna.

Donna saw Harvey coming and headed his way. Harvey didn't run inside, he strode with cool, confident purpose, so she knew there was some new development. She just hoped it wasn't what she thought it was; she had heard the rumors spreading over the last hour or so. Donna was almost to Harvey, right outside the elevators, when she heard the ding of a new arrival. She prayed to god it wasn't who she thought it was. Unfortunately, her prayer was not answered as Louis stepped out, looking down at his phone. If she hadn't known before what had caused Harvey to apparently snap she knew now, as she saw Harvey come to a stop only feet from her and turn to look at Louis. Donna saw rage in Harvey's eyes as he looked at the other man.

Louis only looked up in time to see Harvey rushing him. He let out a startled squeak as Harvey knocked him to the ground. Donna just watched in horror; hand over her mouth, as she saw her boss break from reality. She didn't know what to do, so she just yelled for someone's help.

Harvey had Louis pinned, and had his fist pulled back, poised to punch him in the face. Between gritted teeth, Harvey ground out, "Are you sleeping with Mike?" Louis didn't have time to deny it before Harvey let a fierce blow connect with his jaw. Luckily for Louis Harvey was distracted for a brief moment by the pain in his hand, and Louis managed to flip him and jump up.

Harvey was back on his feet just as quickly and Louis was backing up slowly, holding his hands out in front of him for the second time that day. Louis tried to speak in a reassuring and calm tone, "I'm not sleeping with Mike, Harvey. I don't even know where you would get such an idea."

Harvey wasn't convinced. His rational mind was still taking a back seat to his emotional one. With venom in his voice he accused Louis, "Then why where you hugging him in the bathroom, and why did you leave with him, only to return over an hour later?" Harvey made sure to emphasis every syllable, "Why did he chose you over me?"

Louis could tell he wasn't dealing with a Harvey that could be reasoned with, but he didn't see what else he could do, so he responded. "I'm not sleeping with Mike. I was just trying to comfort him after his break down, and I wanted to make sure he made it home." Louis couldn't help a little of his anger boiling over as he looked at Harvey. "As for why he chose me, maybe it's because he trusts me not to hurt him or abandon him. Maybe, like any other human being, he just wanted some support Harvey, and he definitely hasn't been getting that from you for a long time."

Louis saw his words running through Harvey's head, and thought for a moment he had gotten lucky, but then the storm of rage came back to Harvey's face and he made a lunge at Louis. However, luckily for Louis, a small crowd had gathered because of Donna's yells for help, and two of the associates and a mail room guy where able to grab Harvey and keep him back.

Donna found herself doing something she thought she'd never do. She rushed forward to make sure Louis was alright. Even she couldn't deny that Louis had not deserved that. Even if he had been sleeping with Mike, which she never even considered to be true, he would not have deserved that. When Louis started swatting away her hand as she poked where there was already a sign of bruising she turned around to look at Harvey.

Stomping angrily up to him and stopping just inches from his face she demanded, "What in the hell was that Harvey?"

Harvey glared at Donna. "He deserved it Donna." Apparently he said the wrong thing because Donna was now looking at him with her most potent death stair. She started to wave her finger in his face, which meant she was more than just pissed off; she was furious, and if there is one thing in the world that should be avoided, it was a furious Donna.

Donna didn't stop her voice from rising as she half yell, "Bullshit Harvey. Even if they were sleeping together you would have had no right to do this. You have no claim over Mike anymore, and he can do what, and who, he wants, and it is none of you damn business!" Donna let out a growl of frustration as she saw no change to Harvey's face. She grabbed his face, ignoring the three men still holding him back, and brought her face within two inches of his. "Harvey. You are just making things worse, and behaving this way won't fix anything. You are acting like a crazy person, not Harvey Specter, the best goddamn closer in the city." She hoped using his unofficial title might snap him back to reality, and it did.

Suddenly Harvey was limp in the hands of all the people holding him and he went down on his knees. He was looking between Donna, who was looking down at him with a sad smile, and Louis, who was holding his jaw and looking at Harvey like he might attack again at any moment, which Harvey understood, now that his rational mind was back behind the wheel. Harvey was aware that there were more people around, but couldn't bear to look at them, so instead he focused on Louis with an apologetic smile and quietly apologized, "I'm sorry Louis. I don't know what came over me. I just couldn't rein myself in." Harvey looked down at his hands resting on his knees. "I know it doesn't fix what I did, but I truly am sorry."

Louis didn't know what to do. He was mad that Harvey randomly jumped him as he was getting off the elevator, but he also knew how rare a Specter apology was. He decided, since he could sympathies with Harvey a little over what had made him snap, that he would forgive him. Clearing his throat Louis simply said, "I get it Harvey and I forgive you, and there really is nothing of that nature going on between Mike and me." Harvey nodded his head in understanding. There was a moment of silence, and people started wandering away again, no doubt to spread what had just happened, and soon it was just Donna, Harvey, and Louis, alone by the elevators. Louis let out an awkward cough and headed for his office.

Donna helped Harvey back to his feet and led him to his own. This time he collapsed onto his couch face first, landing on his stomach. Donna picked his feet up so she could sit down, and rested them in her lap. Even though she had only seen it a couple of times, Donna knew what it meant when Harvey did this. It meant he was grateful for a comforting presence, but didn't want to talk; he just wanted silence. Neither knew what to do and Donna didn't know what was right anymore, so she welcomes the quiet.