Julian learned two things before nine a.m.
First, Pearson Specter ran on caffeine and ego.
Second, Harvey Specter hated being beaten to the office.
"You sleep here now?"
Harvey stood in the doorway of Julian's office, coffee in hand, irritation barely disguised as curiosity.
Julian didn't look up from the file he was reading. "I woke up early."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you're getting."
Harvey stepped inside, scanning the office like he expected hidden cameras. "You always do this?"
"Work?" Julian asked. "Yes."
Harvey scoffed. "Figures."
Jessica's assistant appeared almost immediately. "Conference room. Now."
Harvey smiled. "Finally. A real day."
The case was simple. Emergency injunction. Corporate client. Time-sensitive, low risk, supposedly routine. Harvey leaned back in his chair like he'd already won.
Jessica looked at Julian. "You're arguing."
Harvey choked on his coffee. "I'm sorry—he's what?"
Julian closed his folder. "I'll need ten minutes."
"You're not lead counsel," Harvey said.
Jessica raised an eyebrow. "You are now."
Harvey stared at her. "Since when?"
"Since I said so."
Donna, seated quietly in the corner, mouthed good luck to Harvey and smiled far too brightly.
Prep was chaos.
Harvey talked. A lot.
Mike took notes like his life depended on it.
Louis hovered in the doorway pretending he wasn't listening.
Julian listened.
"That argument's weak," Julian said eventually.
Harvey stopped mid-rant. "Excuse me?"
"You'll lose on standing," Julian continued calmly. "They'll pivot to irreparable harm. Don't follow them."
Harvey narrowed his eyes. "And your plan is?"
Julian stood. "Let them overplay."
Donna checked her watch. "Court's in fifteen."
Julian nodded. "Plenty of time."
"See, this is what I don't like," Harvey said. "You're too calm."
Julian picked up his jacket. "You're too loud."
The courtroom was quiet. The judge was impatient. Opposing counsel was confident.
Julian spoke for exactly four minutes and forty seconds.
No theatrics. No raised voice. One statute. One precedent. One pause long enough for the judge to realize where the argument collapsed.
"Motion denied," the judge said. "Next."
Harvey blinked.
Back at the firm, Donna clapped once. "Well. That was anticlimactic."
Harvey followed Julian into the hallway. "You planned that."
"Yes."
"You didn't tell me."
"No."
Harvey stared at him. Then laughed. "I hate that it worked."
Julian paused. "You're welcome."
Mike exhaled like he'd been holding his breath all morning. "That was—wow."
Julian handed him the file. "You did fine."
Mike froze. "I did?"
"You listened," Julian said. "Most people don't."
That was when Dana stepped out of her office.
She'd heard. Of course she had.
"Nice work," she said.
Julian met her eyes. "Thank you."
She hesitated. Just a fraction. "Coffee?"
Now Harvey froze.
Julian nodded. "Sure."
They didn't go far. Just downstairs. Quiet corner. Two cups, untouched for a moment.
"You didn't answer my question yesterday," Dana said.
"I answered part of it."
"And the rest?"
Julian exhaled. "I didn't come back to reopen old wounds."
She waited.
"I came back because I still choose you."
Dana blinked. Then laughed softly. "You always were bad at easing into things."
"You asked."
She studied him carefully. "You left."
"Yes."
"You didn't explain."
"No."
"And you thought I'd just—what—pick up where we left off?"
Julian shook his head. "I thought we'd talk. Like adults."
A beat.
Dana nodded. "Okay."
He frowned slightly. "Okay?"
"We were good," she said. "We didn't break because we were wrong. We broke because we were early."
That landed harder than any argument.
"So," she continued, "we try again. Slowly. Honestly."
Julian smiled, small but real. "Dinner?"
"Tonight," Dana said. "No postponing."
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Back upstairs, Donna caught one look at their faces and grinned. "Called it."
Harvey stared between them. "Wait. What just happened?"
Julian picked up his coat. "We're getting coffee."
"You already did!"
Dana smiled sweetly. "We're getting dinner."
Harvey opened his mouth. Closed it. "I hate both of you."
Jessica watched from her office as the floor settled into a new rhythm.
Julian Cross wasn't disrupting the firm.
He was fitting into it.
And that worried her far more.
END OF CHAPTER
Author's Comment:
Romance pace adjusted—Dana and Julian are adults, not a misunderstanding factory. Expect early dating, low drama, and lots of slice-of-life moments alongside legal chaos. Marriage is endgame, not rushed. Thanks for reading—Chapter 4 brings the first "they're obviously together" workplace fallout.