Hej! This is a story that I have been working on for a while now. It takes place after the episode Derailed, starting out on the episode Intent of season four. From there the story line will change. This story will be pretty heartbreaking, so be prepared. I'll post the next chapter soon. I hope you will enjoy it! /Liosky
-SUITS-
Derailed
Chapter 1.
Mike couldn't help but hesitated as he looked up at the warehouse where Joe Henderson, the whistle blower for Liberty Rail, worked. He dreaded to have this conversation, but stepped inside anyway. He really thought that they were going to nail those bastards at Liberty Rail, but he had been wrong and now Donna was in trouble after he had used that document she had gotten him in some shady way.
He did care more about her than winning a case, and he knew he needed to do this. For Harvey Donna meant everything, probably more than anything else. Not that Harvey would admit it straight out, but everybody knew. Harvey would be pissed at him as well, he was pretty sure of that. But it was easy to fix this. Just drop the case and Donna would be in the clear. Maybe they would get a second chance at this at a later time. All hope wasn't gone, but he still felt like shit as he stepped inside to crush this man's dreams of a better life.
He couldn't help but wanting to walk out of there as soon as Joe saw him and smiled.
"Holy shit! You can't possibly have a check already." He exclaimed.
"I don't have a check, Joe. We have to drop the case." Mike said.
"What the hell are you talking about? We had drinks last night."
"Yeah, we also had proof last night, and now we don't."
"Why not?"
"It's complicated you know, it's a lot of legal rigmarole." It was the best he could come up with. Joe wouldn't have it though.
"Hey, don't talk down on me." The man was starting to get angry.
"I'm not talking down to you, but I'm also not going to stand here and explain civil procedure to you."
"Believe me I don't understand civil procedure, but I know enough to understand when something doesn't add up."
"We got the evidence the wrong way." Mike decided to say.
"Well, get it the right way. Supina it or something."
"I can't!" He exclaimed.
"What do you mean you can't? That money was going to change my life."
"And if you want to go to a different law firm I understand." He hoped that would help.
"You know as well as I do, nobody else is going to take this case. You told me you cared about this people. You gave me your word."
"Yeah, and I wish I could keep it!" Mike yelled and for a few seconds they stared at each other. "I want those bastards just as bad as you want this money, but I got no proof and you are not a credible witness."
"That's bullshit!"
"It's not bullshit. If you had been straight with me from day one, we wouldn't even be in this mess."
Joe straightened up a bit and a small smile appeared on his face. He nodded a little as he continued.
"How much did they give you to dump the case? It's got to be something, otherwise you wouldn't sell me out!" he yelled the last words.
Mike paused thinking over what to say next. He looked away before he looked back at Joe. The part about selling out hit him hard and he wanted to refuse it, but didn't.
"Sorry Joe, it's over." He said and turned around to walk away.
"You're sorry." He heard the other man mutter behind him as he made his way down along the machines. What he didn't realize was that he was being followed by the other man.
"You are sorry! Huh? Are you?" he heard Joe suddenly behind him. He was almost out the door, a few of Joe's colleges were close. They couldn't have this conversation here. Mike walked out the door, testing to see if the man would follow him or not. He hoped he wouldn't. He didn't want to have to lie to the other man, because he couldn't tell him the truth. That was out of the question.
Unfortunately for Mike Joe came out after him.
"Don't walk away from me!"
"I wasn't walking away from you. I just thought that you didn't want to do this in front of you colleagues." Mike tried.
"Damn right I don't, you little shit. You lying hypocrite in your damn fancy suit!"
"Look Joe, just calm down. I know you are disappointed about this but…"
"Disappointed! Disappointed, you don't know what you are talking about" The other man was screaming as he came closer and closer to Mike, who started to back away from him.
"Joe…" He held up his hands in a calming gesture, but it didn't work as Joe swatted them away, rather hard.
"You told me we had this! We had them!"
"I know what I told you!" Mike felt anger rush up in him again. Why couldn't he just see that it was nothing he could do? He tried to tell Joe that, but was interrupted.
"You shut up!" Joe yelled straight in his face. "Nothing you could do! They paid you and you took it! I'll give you exactly what you deserve!"
It was only then, when it was too late that Mike saw that Joe had a crowbar in his hand, and now he was lifting it up above his head ready to strike him.
"No! Joe!" Was all Mike had time to get out before the crowbar connected with the side of his face. Searing pain immediately travelled along his entire head and he tumbled around and back against the wall, arms outstretched to try and brace himself. It wasn't that successful as he felt how his forehead collided with the brick wall. His arm bent the wrong way. It was a miracle that he didn't fall to the ground.
"W-what…what are you…" he panted barely able to get the words out, he was stumbling, fighting to remain on his feet. But Joe had gone blind with rage, behind Mike he lifted the crowbar again, this time gripping it with both hands as he again slammed it into Mike's body. It hit his back and he did fall down onto the ground, or it was more like he crumpled down. He ended up in a half sitting position, his upper body leaning against the wall. On his way down he had scraped his face on the bricks. He was bleeding, he could feel the liquid run down and gather in his eyebrows.
Judging from the intense pain in his back he knew that something terrible just had happened inside him. He just knew it. This was so bad. He needed to get away, to stop it, it was all that flew through his mind. Joe was dangerous. He had never thought the other man would physically hurt him. He wouldn't have gone to him in that case. But Joe was still here. He still was standing behind him, and he still had the crowbar.
Oh god, he hurt. He tried to move sideways but couldn't. He couldn't move his right arm at all. He didn't know what had happened to it. The pain he was in stopped him from moving, period. He could hear Joe swear behind him. He muttered something Mike didn't make out.
He tried to move again, he was so damn scared right now. He knew that he was badly hurt and he needed help, medical attention, but Joe was still there moving around behind his back. Mike couldn't stop a pathetic whimper from getting out as he tried again in vain to move.
"Oh, shut up. Go to hell!" Joe screamed and this time he kicked Mike in the stomach. He fell down on his back from the force of it. He cried out when he landed on his injured back. His head was spinning as it connected with the ground. He thought for sure that he was going to pass out. He almost wished he would because maybe then Joe would stop hurting him.
His wish wasn't granted though because he was still awake, now with a terrible pain in his stomach as well. He could barely breathe from the force of the kick. He was slightly aware of some kind of moaning sound that he suspected came from himself. He tried to protect his stomach with his left arm since he still couldn't move the right one, something was terribly wrong with it. He didn't want to think about it. All he could think about if Joe was finished with him or not. He blinked and tried to look up at the other man, but had trouble seeing, he thought he had blood in his eyes. He wanted to cry.
Joe was mumbling to himself walking back and forth in front of Mike.
"Damn it!" He exclaimed and stopped. Mike whimpered and tried to move back but it hurt too much for him to get anywhere. Joe didn't do anything though. "Look what you made me do!" He roared instead and Mike wanted to tell him that he didn't do anything at all.
Joe seemed to consider what to do next because he looked up and down the street to see if anyone was there. He swore again before coming closer to Mike again. Mike tensed as the man leaned down over him, but the only thing he did was to grab Mike below the armpits and then he started to drag Mike towards an empty ally next to the entrance. Mike screamed again as Joe touched him, because it jarred all of his injuries, worst by far was his back. Something was definitely broken there. Oh god, he wanted to pass out. Joe dragged him up to a dumpster and Mike felt tears appearing as Joe stopped in front of it.
"No, no, no… please." He mumbled feverishly but Joe didn't hear him. He was trying to figure out how to get Mike into it the easiest way. Mike let out another scream as Joe tried to hoist him up, but he couldn't hold the lid open at the same time. Joe swore again, gave up his attempts and started to drag him to the side of the dumpster instead.
"This will have to do." He said as he dropped Mike down next to it. Mike could see how Joe nudged his legs further back, so that he wouldn't be in view from the street. He was really going to leave him like this. More tears dropped down his face and he felt pathetic being left here like broken trash unable to do anything about it.
"Sorry it had to come to this, but you got what you deserved." Joe muttered. "I'm sure someone will find you soon." And with that he left Mike alone lying there on the dirty ground, barely conscious.
-SUITS-
Donna was waiting for Harvey when he got into the office. He had just met Evan Smith to try and make a deal to get the whole accusation against Donna disappear. He had been prepared to drop the case against Liberty Rail just to get Donna out of it.
"How did it go?" She asked as soon as he stepped into the office.
"Never mind how it went. Where is Mike? Did he file those papers?"
"Eh..I don't know. He is not even in yet."
"Well you tell him not to file anything, and you tell him to do whatever he has to, to stick it to that woman."
"Why?"
Harvey shrugged a little. "Because it didn't work." He said.
"What didn't work?"
"I tried to make a deal with Evan to trade the case."
"You mean you offered to drop the case in exchange for me?"
"Yes."
Donna accepted that. "And now what are we going to do?"
"You are not going to do anything. I'm going to do whatever I have to, to get Terrence Wolf to back off." Harvey started to walk out of the room, but Donna followed him. She was hesitant, doubting that it would work but Harvey managed to convince her that he was going to get this done.
He went to the DA, and while there he got worse news. Donna had been committing felony fraud. This was bad. As soon as he got to the office he brought Donna into his office. She had been lying to him! He couldn't let that go, even though Donna said she was sorry.
Harvey needed to continue and he needed Mike's help. He called again, but there were still no answer from the kid. After an angry voicemail he felt so frustrated that he threw the phone down on the table. He then went to search for answers.
He didn't bother knocking when he stormed into Rachel's office, not that he did otherwise.
"Where is Mike?" He demanded to know.
Rachel looked up at him, surprise written on her face.
"What do you mean?" She started.
"Where is he? He has some shit to take care of."
Rachel stood up. "What do you mean, where is he? I thought he was here at work, or with you."
"Does it look like he is with me Rachel?" Harvey said with a fake sweetness in his voice.
"No it doesn't." She said, annoyed. "He left before me this morning."
"So where did he go? Where is he?"
"I don't know, Harvey. He just said that he had something he had to do. I looked for him earlier, but I couldn't find him. But I was sure he was with you..." Rachel looked right at him now, she looked worried, but Harvey was too railed up to care about that. Instead he felt annoyed since Mike clearly wasn't at the office.
"I've called him twice already, but he didn't pick up. When he gets here, send him straight to me, and he better have an explanation!" he warned before leaving.
Rachel sat down again and picked up her phone to call Mike herself, however she got the same response as Harvey. Nothing.
At first Rachel decided to give Mike an hour to turn up, then she would start to worry about him. But she couldn't let him out of her mind. Why didn't he pick up his phone? Harvey had said that he had called Mike twice, and now she had called as well. Surely he should have gotten back to them by now?
She wished she had been more alert this morning and asked him where he was going but she had been too engrossed in her latest paper for law school. He had just kissed her cheek and told her that he needed to take care of something and see you at work. She had barely said goodbye to him.
Two hours later she was officially worried. She had called Mike three more times, even called the landline to their apartment, because maybe he was there. He wasn't. She had gotten no replies.
It was time to go back to Harvey. Maybe he would have some news.
The door to Harvey's office was closed and Donna was in there. It looked like they were involved in an argument and she decided to wait until they were finished. Her worry took a different turn as it looked like Donna was crying. She had never seen them argue like that.
Now they were just standing there looking at each other and she decided to walk in. However she knocked on the door first. They both somehow seemed a bit relieved at her interruption.
"Is everything okay?" She carefully asked as she saw how Donna wiped her face with her hand.
"No it's not!" Harvey said harshly. "And where the hell is Mike?"
"That's why I'm here. He is still not here and I haven't heard from him..." She said.
"God damn it!" Harvey swore. "I'm going to kill him! He chooses now of all times to disappear!"
"What happened?" Rachel had to ask. "Is Donna still in trouble?"
"Yes she is. She is going to be charged with felony fraud if Mike and I don't come up with a way of making this go away."
"Oh god, Donna." Rachel said and offered out a hand towards the other woman. She sniffed a little but took it and squeezed it.
"Thank you Rachel." She said. "Why don't you help Harvey and I'll find Mike."
"Okay." Rachel agreed and watch her leave along with Harvey.
"You haven't heard from Mike, have you?" She asked.
"I can't be bothered with Mike's shit right now Rachel. We need to find something. This is what I want you to do." And he explained to her what he needed from her.
It turned out that the situation was worse than Harvey had thought, and for the first time in a long time he actually felt truly scared that he wasn't going to get them out of this, and now on top of this Mike chose to be absent. He couldn't help but feel resentment against the younger man. What was he doing? Now when Harvey really could use his help. He shook his head a bit to get his annoyance over Mike out of his head and instead focused on what he had in front of him.
Meanwhile Donna didn't know where to look for Mike. She had no idea about where he might have gone. This time she had chosen to just stay out of what the men was doing since she actually felt scared for her future. She had just thought that finding out where Mike was could distract her now, but she didn't know what he had been doing.
She felt a bit ashamed of it now, but she kind of blamed him for her being in this much trouble, she knew she only had herself to blame but Mike had been the one to use the files she had provided for him by pretending to be someone she wasn't. Although Mike had questioned where she had gotten the files and suspected that it wasn't the right way she got them, but he had still used them. Sure she had told him to, but now she was in trouble and he wasn't there and she felt angry at him.
She still sat down and started to try and locate him. She started calling his phone but no surprise there, didn't get an answer. Next she tried calling around to people that she thought might have a clue about Mike's whereabouts but turned up empty. She couldn't help but glance over at Harvey once in a while, worry tingled inside her as it looked like he wasn't happy. She also thought about the argument they had had. She had admitted things she didn't want to admit to Harvey. She admitted weakness, that she wasn't perfect and she had asked Harvey to comfort her and he had turned her down. He wouldn't have done the same with Mike, in fact earlier he hadn't done the same with Mike. He had fought so much harder for Mike. Mike who now was missing apparently.
Eventually after calling everywhere she could think of Donna tried calling Mike again, but when his voicemail went on she couldn't help but leaving message for him.
"I don't know what shit you are pulling right now Mike, but this is not the time. Just get back in here now, so we don't have to waste our energy on trying to figure out where you have gone. I just can't help but thinking that you are being selfish at the moment, you know I'm in trouble and you are pulling this disappearing act on us." She hang up and went over to Harvey's office to admit her defeat.
She knocked and stepped inside. "I haven't been able to locate Mike." She told him and watched as he rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Damn him. What is he playing at?" He mumbled.
"I don't know Harvey. Do you want me to go and look for him?"
"No we have better things to do here." He sighed and then told her what else she could spend her time with, and Mike disappeared from their mind for a couple of hours. That was until Harvey's phone rang.
-SUITS-
Mike watched Joe walk away from him from where he was laying. At the same time as he was relieved panic started to fill him. He needed to get himself help but that man had just hidden him out of view. He doubted that he would be able to make himself heard all the way to the road, so he dismissed shouting. But how would be then get help? He could barely move and he hurt everywhere. He tried to breathe slower, he was almost hyperventilating right now and that wasn't helping with anything. He needed to get control back over himself, besides it hurt too much to breath like this. He was pretty sure that he was going to pass out at any moment and he needed to get help before that happened, or he was screwed. Maybe if he could just turn around a little he would be able to get up onto his knees. He had to try.
It turned out to be a really bad idea. As soon as he tried to move pain seared through his entire upper body, causing everything to go black for a couple of seconds. He was sure that he was going to pass out, he might have screamed as well. He needed a full minute to get himself clear enough to be able to think any coherent thoughts.
Okay, so moving was out of the question. If he couldn't move to someplace where people could find him he needed another way. Where was his phone? He needed to call for help. He needed to call Harvey. Harvey would help him, he would fix it. Fix him. That was the only thought that came to his mind. But he didn't know where his phone was. He had had it when he left home this morning he was sure of it. It must be in his pocket. Even if it was just a tiny movement he made with his arm he thought that he was going to pass out. He had never been in this much pain before, it was raw and intense.
There! It was there! His phone. It was in his pocket! Of course it was, but it was just pure luck that it didn't flew out when he was hit. He could feel it in the pocket but to get it out of there was another matter, he was laying on it. He felt faint and lightheaded and knew he needed or hurry up. He took a deep breath and tried to turn over on his back. It didn't work and pain exploded and took over him. He knew nothing else.
When he came to again he didn't know where he was at first. All he could see was an ugly green wall that took up most of his vision. He was in so much pain. Something had woken him though something shrill and persistent. After a few moments he realized that it was his phone. Someone was calling him. He needed to answer it. That was very important because maybe if he did this pain would end. It radiated from his jaw, his arm, his back, and his head. He was so tired and he didn't dare to move because that was going to make everything so much worse. But he also wanted the sound to stop.
He wasn't strong enough to stay awake, he could feel it coming, himself slipping without being able to do a single thing to help himself.
Some time had passed when he woke up next because he felt stiff and he was aching from staying too long in the same position. He knew once he woke that this was it. This time he needed to call for help or he might just die here. No one was coming for him, no one was looking for him or they would have been here by now.
He had to get himself some help. He didn't want to die like this, laying behind some dumpster like he was nothing and no one. Why hadn't they come for him? Surely they must wonder where he was by now. Where was Rachel and Harvey?
The phone, he needed to get it. If he just moved a bit forward with his hip. It was going to hurt like hell but maybe he would be able to get it then. If he tried it slowly.
It was excruciating. He moaned as he grouped for the phone with his good hand. Tears sprang to his eyes when his fingers touched it. He let out a sob when he thought that he wouldn't be able to grab it. His fingers slipped against the phones surface but he couldn't get a grip of it, it was stuck in his pocket. He lay breathing there for a while before he tried again. This time he managed to get a grip around the corner of the phone and could wedge it out of his pocket. He moaned a bit in relief as he held it up to his face.
He blinked a bit and managed to get the phone to work. He had a few missed calls from Harvey, Rachel and Donna. He needed to call them. He needed them right now. He really needed help. He was starting to feel faint again and the light from the phone didn't help much. Harvey would help him. He needed to call Harvey.
It was difficult to hit the right place on the phone's screen with only one hand. It worked when he put his hand on the ground and painfully turned his head to be able to see it. He touched Harvey's name and brought the phone close to his ear and waited.
Harvey answered right away and he sounded angry. He almost yelled on the other line and Mike's heart sank in his chest. What had he done to warrant this anger? He said Harvey's name and surprised himself at the sound of his voice. He could barely speak.
Harvey sounded even angrier. Mike didn't know why. He tried to follow what the other man was saying. Oh, right! He said something about Donna. Mike had almost forgotten about that. How could he have done that?
But then Harvey asked him where he was and he tried to figure that out. It was really hard to get out what he wanted to say and that worried him a lot. He feared that he was going to pass out again before he got Harvey to understand that he needed help. But where was he? He didn't know the address. He couldn't remember it! Joe had been there though. He had been to see Joe. Joe had done this to him. And he could come back! He needed Harvey to come and get him. He needed to tell Harvey what had happened. But he was just so tired. He couldn't hold his eyes opened anymore. His back really hurt too. And his face. It hurt to talk.
He could hear Harvey's voice as he was talking but Mike couldn't make out the words that he was saying anymore. A fleeting thought told him that he probably should be worried about that and that he should do something. It was getting harder to maintain his grip on the phone and it slid down on the ground. He fumbled for it a bit but soon gave up.
He didn't hear Harvey anymore. He needed to pick the phone up again because he wasn't sure if Harvey was coming for him or not. He tried a little but found it too exhausting. Was he going to get help or was he just laying here? Was Harvey coming for him? That was his last coherent thoughts before everything went dark and he fainted again.
-SUITS-
Relief mixed with anger as Harvey saw that it was Mike that was calling him. He was still pissed at Mike. He was pissed about a lot of things regarding Mike, for the part he had in Donna being in this mess, for risking her, and now for being absent for this long without a word to any of them. But still, he had wondered where he had been. He had even been slightly worried. But now Mike was calling!
"Mike! Where the hell are you? Do you know how many times we have called you? You better have a good reason for not being here."
"Ha-Har... Har…Har -vey…" He heard Mike on the other line. He was stuttering and Harvey's anger rose even more.
"What the hell Mike! Are you drunk?"
There was a pause while Harvey thought of what to scream next. He couldn't believe Mike! He really counted on the kid with this. He needed Mike's help, even though he was pissed at him for letting Donna do that for him.
"No…" Mike slurred next.
"Are you kidding me? Have you listened to yourself? I need you to get in here right now. Donna is still in a lot of trouble Mike."
"What?" Mike whispered.
Harvey sighed. "Look, Mike. I don't know what you are doing, but nothing is more important to me than getting this shit with Donna taken care of. So will you just get you shit together and get to the office."
"D-Donna…" Mike said.
"Yes…" Harvey paused. Something was different. "Mike?" Harvey was suddenly starting to suspect that something wasn't right. Mike was still slurring, maybe a bit too much. And why the hell would he go out drinking this early? He knew what had been at stake.
"Mike? Where are you?" he asked, a bit friendlier this time.
"I…I don't know." Mike mumbled. "Joe…he…I was…." Harvey could hear him grunt a little.
"Mike are you okay?" Something was wrong, he knew that now. Mike was in trouble.
"He…he…" Mike panted. "Harvey…"
"Yeah, I'm here. Are you in trouble Mike?"
"Yeah…" Mike breathed. "Please." He sounded faint now and Harvey felt something cold run down his spine at that whisper.
"Mike you need to tell me where you are, or I can't help you." He waited but Mike didn't answer him.
"Mike!" He yelled in the phone.
"Harvey?" Donna was standing in the door way with a worried expression on her face.
"Mike, answer me!" Still nothing, but then he heard a little rustle in the background and then a small thud and the call was disconnected.
"Damn it!"
"Harvey what is it?" Donna asked. "Was that Mike?"
Harvey nodded at Donna as he tried to dial the kid again and listened as the signals rang. Mike didn't answer.
"Something is wrong. He didn't make any sense. He was slurring and didn't know where he was. Damn it!"
"Oh god, you have to find him!"
"I know." Harvey stood up. "I intend to."
"Where are you going? What do you want me to tell Rachel?"
"He mentioned Joe Henderson, so I'm going to start there. And tell her that he called and that I'm getting him."
"Harvey, she is going to be worried."
"Well, so am I. You tell her what you want." Harvey said shortly.
Donna looked after him as he strode away. She bit her lip as she hoped that this was nothing serious. They couldn't deal with that right now, maybe Mike had just been drinking and that had caused him to slur? But she knew that wasn't the case because Harvey had said that he was worried. But she really hoped that this was nothing, because she was facing charges and she would need both Harvey and Mike's full attention to get out of this. She also hoped that it was nothing because of the angry voicemail she had left him earlier.
Somehow she couldn't help but feeling a bit annoyed with Mike that he chose this moment to get himself into trouble. He was interfering with Harvey's work and for once she just wished that the kid would not do that.
She had thought it for some time now that sometimes Harvey was almost obsessed with Mike. But Mike had grown at the firm and was handling his own cases and she had wanted to help him. It had backfired on her and she thought that the least Mike could do was to not do something stupid that got him in trouble. However she couldn't tell Rachel any of this.
The younger woman became just as worried as Donna had suspected she would.
"But what did he say? And what do you mean slurring?"
"I don't know Rachel that was all that Harvey said. I'm sure he is fine."
"But if he is fine, how come he didn't know where he was? He isn't fine. Oh god, I want to go with Harvey, did he leave already?"
"Yes Rachel, he did. And he will find Mike and bring him back here. It's probably nothing." She really hoped that she was right. Guilt had started to seep into her mind and she tried to push it out again. What if something really had happened and here she was, annoyed because they weren't focused entirely on her.
She told Rachel that she would keep her company until they got news from Harvey, and why didn't she continue to work to distract herself? Rachel looked like she wanted to do anything else but work, though she still nodded and bent her head back down over her files.
-SUITS-
Harvey swore as he closed to door to the factory behind him. He had been right and Mike had been there, but that had been hours ago this morning. Mike had been seen there talking to Joe which meant that Joe was the last person he talked to before going missing. Now that damn whistle blower was nowhere to be found. They said that he had left shortly after Mike did, telling people that he was sick.
Afterwards Harvey couldn't be sure what had made him decide to try and call Mike again, but it was a good thing he did.
"You better pick up kid." He mumbled as he heard the first dial tone. Nothing. But what was that? Was that Mike's ringtone? He hang up, and it stopped. Had it been in his imagination or did he just hear Mike's phone ring? He redialed, and yes! There it was. Mike's phone was here somewhere!
The excitement he felt about that died almost instantly as he realized that this couldn't be the good news he was hoping for. It was not like Mike was hanging out in a shabby ally next to a damn factory the whole day. Harvey stepped into the ally and could hear the sound from the phone better. He looked around.
"Mike? Mike are you here?" He called out. As nobody answered he hurried his steps. He was starting to hope that the only thing he would find here was Mike's phone, that the kid just had dropped it here after confronting Joe. But that didn't explain the phone call Mike had made to him.
The sound from the phone was now coming from the dumpster standing next to the wall.
"Please don't let him be in it. Please." Harvey whispered to himself. It would be absolutely awful if the kid had been shoved in a dumpster. Harvey thought back on the call Mike had made to him earlier. Mike hadn't known where he was. That alone had been a really bad sign and Harvey braced himself as he stepped forward, closer to the dumpster. But the sound wasn't coming from in there, and Harvey breathed out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding. His heart was beating hard as he turned to the side of the dumpster steeling himself as he hang up his phone and stuffed it in his pocket.
Because there he was. Mike was laying on the ground with his eyes closed. His phone was laying next to his face and Harvey caught the glance of the screen going dark after showing a missed call. Harvey's eyes wandered along the kid's body and he was frozen in place at what he saw.
Mike looked awful. The whole left side of his face was painted in different shades of black and blue and he was bleeding quite heavily from a scrape on his forehead. The blood had run down his face and had smeared along the terrible bruise. Harvey had to swallow hard when he realized that it looked like Mike's face had been sort of misshaped along the damaged area. He was laying pressed against the wall on his left side with his right arm uselessly hanging in front of his body. It looked sort of like he had been stuffed in there to be out of sight from the road.
"Oh god, please Mike…" Harvey mumbled and compulsively swallowed as he crouched over Mike to carefully check his pulse. It was there and he was alive and breathing! But Mike needed help right now, this instant. Harvey's hands were shaking as he dialed 911 for an ambulance.
His words stumbled out of his mouth sounding all shaky and weak, like it wasn't his voice at all. He was told that help would come in the matter of minutes and that he shouldn't touch Mike unless it was necessary. He didn't want to ask what those necessary circumstances would be. As he hang up he fell down on his knees as close to Mike as he could. What had happened to the kid? He needed to try and rise him. He just needed to know if it really was as bad as it looked. He prayed it wasn't.
"Mike, kid? Can you hear me?" He carefully placed a hand on Mike's face making sure to avoid the blood. Someone had done this to him! To his associate.
"Mike? Please wake up." He jerked a little in surprised and removed the hand when Mike actually stirred and groaned weakly. Harvey's heart was beating so hard in his chest that it almost felt painful. His stomach felt tight.
"Take it easy. It's okay. You are going to be okay. Can you open your eyes?" He kept talking barely aware what he was saying. He fought to keep his voice calm.
Mike's eyes fluttered open and he stared unseeingly in front of him.
"Good job kid. Can you hear me?"
Mike blinked slowly and let out a whimper that caused Harvey to shudder. He hated this, seeing Mike in pain like this. He had to fight to suppress the anger that rose in him at the thought of the abuse Mike had experienced, but anger was for later.
"Mike? It's me, Harvey. Can you talk to me?" He asked again. He lightly put his hand back on the small undamaged area of Mike's face. He watched as Mike's eyes blinked heavily again and tried to look up at him.
He whimpered again and mumbled something that Harvey had trouble making out.
"What was that?" he asked.
"D-don't… don't…" Mike repeated. He heard it now. Mike was begging him. Probably not to hurt him, he didn't know who he was. Harvey shuddered.
"I won't. Hey, I'm not going to hurt you. You'll be okay. I've called for help Mike."
"H-help?"
"Yes, I'm here now. I'll help you."
"Har-Harvey?" Mike's voice had risen a bit in volume. He seemed to be a bit more aware.
"Yes, it's me kid. It's me, Harvey."
"You…you're here. You came." Mike stated as he tried to move a little to be able to look at Harvey. It turned out that that was a bad idea since he let out a pained sound and closed his eyes as he shook where he was.
"Try not to move." Harvey hushed him. "Stay still Mike. Please. I don't know how hurt you are."
"He hit me." Mike weakly told him. "He…he…I"
"Shh…I know." He wanted to touch Mike, but didn't know if he dared to. His hand hovered over the kid's shoulder, just lightly touching it. Where was the ambulance? Would they be able to see them from here? What if they just drove by them? He leaned away to look towards the road. However Mike noticed this.
"No…Harvey, no. Pl-please. Harvey please." He said and the idiot tried to move again and groaned.
"Mike, don't move!" Harvey exclaimed.
"But, please… I just…please?"
"Please what?"
"Help me?" Mike blinked rapidly and bit his lip. Otherwise he kept still.
"Oh kid, of course. Mike…" Harvey carefully placed his hand on Mike's shoulder. "It's going to be okay. Help is on its way. I'm here. I'll help you."
Mike blinked at him and moved his head a tiny bit to show that he understood.
"They should be here soon." Harvey told him.
Mike didn't answer now. His breathing came out quick and hard. Harvey swallowed. For a moment they stayed like that, Harvey keeping his hand on Mike's shoulder.
"Har-harvey…" Mike suddenly said and grunted a bit. Harvey took a deep breath before speaking again. He needed to remain calm for the kid.
"Mike. I'm here. Do you think you can tell me where it hurts?"
"My head…and my back. And…" Mike got out through clenched teeth before stopping. He moaned a little.
Harvey nodded. "Okay. Okay." The knot in Harvey's stomach tightened. His back? That sounded bad. He couldn't see much of Mike's back, and he couldn't turn him to look either. He willed the ambulance to just get there faster. "Try and stay still for now, just try and breathe through it."
They stayed like that for a minute or so, Harvey wasn't sure how much time passed. Mike mumbled something that he couldn't make out so he leaned closer and asked what he had said. Mike had his eyes closed and didn't open them now either.
"Sorry…" he whispered and Harvey thought he could see wetness along Mike's eyelashes.
"No, Mike. Don't be sorry. You don't have to be sorry. Never. Not for this. It'll be okay, I promise."
Mike didn't answer him and didn't open his eyes as Harvey's worry increased. A few more tears escaped and trailed down Mike's cheek. Harvey found himself shushing the younger man and lightly stroking them away with his other hand, the one that wasn't placed on Mike's shoulder. He could feel the man shaking beneath him.
He felt like he was shaking himself but for other reasons than Mike was. He was so filled with emotions that he thought he would burst open, because he couldn't let any of them out. He was so worried about Mike and what injuries he might have and he was angry at the person who did this to his Mike. And he was furious about the fact that ambulance wasn't here yet when Mike needed help now!
He shoved all of that down though and focused all his energy on talking to Mike, trying to reassure him. Silently begging for Mike to just stop shaking like that. What if something was seriously wrong?
He was just about to call 911 again when he heard the sirens.
"Finally! They are here Mike, help is coming. Just hold on a little longer."
Mike still didn't answer or made any signs that he heard Harvey. It was very worrisome. This wasn't Mike, this still and broken person laying disposed like garbage wasn't his Mike. Somehow Harvey had an urge to shake him and scream at him to stop, stop being like this. He didn't do that though, instead he stood up and waved with both hands as he saw the ambulance pulling up. When he saw the doors open and two paramedics starting to run towards him he sank back down towards Mike.
"Help is here now Mike. They will fix you up."
Mike didn't react and Harvey screamed at the paramedics to hurry. He was shoved out of the way in a fashion he never would have put up with otherwise. Now he just stood there and watched as they worked on Mike. They tried to speak with him but didn't get a reply.
"What happened to him?" they asked Harvey but he shook his head.
"I'm not sure. He said he was hit and that his head and back was hurting." It was all Harvey could tell them. They ignored him after that.
They didn't move Mike at all at first but the female paramedic's fingers lightly traced over Mike's body while the other were setting up their equipment. They were speaking quickly to each other. As the after a couple of minutes moved Mike over to a gurney being very careful with his back.
During all this time Mike didn't stir. They had placed an oxygen mask over his face.
Harvey wanted to ask questions. He wanted to know why Mike wasn't waking up, what was wrong with him? Was he going to be okay? But he didn't ask, instead he followed behind the gurney and helped lifting it in the back of the ambulance. They let him ride along inside the ambulance, sitting on a bench along the wall, if he stayed out of the way. Harvey told them he would. He wrenched his hands and didn't take his eyes away from Mike.
Time just passed. Harvey wasn't aware of much that was going on around him except for that he was there in the ambulance with Mike in front of him. Thoughts swirled around in his mind but he couldn't catch them long enough to finish them. Different emotions fought for a place in his chest, worry, anger and guilt rose and sank within him.
When they arrived at the hospital he was shown to a waiting area and told that they would come and speak to him later. Harvey had to settle with that. He went to a bathroom and splashed cold water on his face before he took action. He called Donna and also Rachel, she deserved her own phone call. He also called Jessica. Donna didn't say much on the phone except that she was on her way. More guilt swelled inside of Harvey at the thought of her. She had enough to worry about and now Mike was hurt. Rachel had sounded terrified. The two women arrived together thirty minutes later. After that they all waited.
Rachel sat close to Donna and wouldn't really look at the other two, Harvey wasn't sure if it was on purpose or not.
"But what happened to him? How bad was it? What did he say?" She wanted to know, even though Harvey already had told them.
"He was hurt pretty bad Rachel, but I don't know how badly. He was awake and talking though." Harvey didn't know if that was supposed to be a good thing or not. He didn't tell Rachel what Mike had said. Or how Mike had begged him when he thought that Harvey was leaving him there. He also didn't tell her that he had found Mike stuffed behind a dumpster. She didn't need to hear that. He didn't want to bring her to tears.
A while later the police arrived as well and Harvey dealt with them as fast as he could. He wanted to be able to hear if there was any news of Mike. He could feel both Rachel's and Donna's eyes on him when he talked to the two police officers in the other end of the room. He told them as much as he could think of, and they would be back later.
It took three hours until someone came to talk to them. It was a small women with a pony tail and a serious expression on her face that introduced herself as Mike's doctor.
She looked at them all in turn before speaking.
"Mike is stable at the moment, his injuries are not life threatening." She began. Harvey didn't dare to relax. There was something else. "However we are not sure how serious he has been hurt at the moment."
Rachel let out a low moan and the doctor smiled sadly at her. "I know this is hard to hear." She said.
"Mike was unconscious when he came in and hasn't regain consciousness yet. We have taken him for x-rays and they have revealed a broken cheekbone and a small skull fracture. We are monitoring it closely for further swelling. He also have a broken arm. What is more concerning at the moment is the injury Mike sustain to his back and right shoulder. We are fearing that there has been some nerve damage due to the severe hit he took against his back and shoulder blade. Bone fragments might have damaged the nerves."
She paused here, watching them with a sad expression, waiting for their reactions. Rachel was staring at her seemingly unaware of the tear streaming down her face. Donna was holding her hand, looking pale.
"What kind of nerve damage? What does it mean?" Harvey asked.
"We can't be sure until Mike wakes up. I just wanted to prepare you."
"Prepare us for what? What's wrong?" Rachel asked.
"Nerve damages are complicated and it is too early to tell, but spine damage might be a possibility. But it is too early to tell at this moment."
"Oh god." Donna whispered and Rachel shuddered.
The doctor couldn't tell them much more than that about the supposed nerve damage except that nothing was for sure yet. They could be mistaken and Mike might be lucky, they would know when he woke up. Harvey felt sick. He had a lump in his throat and an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach. They were told that they could see Mike in an hour or so when he was settled into a room.
They waited a bit more, mostly in silence. Donna and Harvey let Rachel go into Mike's room first when they finally were allowed to see him. They followed her inside when Harvey couldn't wait any longer. At least she got four minutes.
Mike wasn't a pretty sight. He looked better than before though, now when the blood had been cleaned off his face. The wound from where the blood had come from were stitched up and he had a bandage around most of his head. His face was swollen around the area he must have been hit. He was pale and had a nasal cannula and IV:s sticking out from both of his arms. He looked sick and small and just wrong on the hospital bed propped up against multiple pillows. He also had a cast around his right arm.
Donna sank down in a chair next to the bed, leaving Harvey standing since Rachel had the only other chair. For a moment he wished the women wasn't there, he wanted to talk to Mike, but not with them there. "Oh kid." He whispered now, clenching his teeth together.
Rachel had one of Mike's hands in hers and was talking quietly to him. Harvey couldn't really make out what she was saying and he didn't try so much either. It was almost like it hurt in him as well to see Mike like this. He almost wanted to leave but couldn't move an inch.
It wasn't until the next day that Mike showed signs of waking up. They had all been there from early morning and didn't stay the night since the hospital hadn't permitted them to do so. Maybe when Mike was better, for now they wanted to be prepared if something were to happen they had said. It wasn't comforting at all for any of them. But they eventually left. Donna took Rachel with her back to her place and Harvey went home by himself. It was good that Rachel and Donna had each other, but Harvey couldn't help but feeling alone. Even though it had been late he had went to the gym for an hour. And after that he went home and tried to get some work done. He tried to figure something out that would help with the case involving Donna. It took some persuading but he managed to get a delay on things due to the circumstances. That was a good thing since it was hard focus right now. Mike had chosen the worst possible time to have this happening to him. Not that he blamed Mike.
He had a hard time falling asleep. Every time he closed his eyes he was back in that alley, finding Mike's broken body, or he pictured the way Mike had looked on the hospital when they left him. Hurt and vulnerable. He had looked so young as well, like a damaged child.
He couldn't help but feel guilty for what happened either. Mike must have been in that deserted alley most of the day. Maybe he had been passed out until he managed to call Harvey. And what had Harvey done? He had spent the day with being angry at the kid, met him with anger when he finally called for help. When Mike had needed him he hadn't been there for him. That hurt. He couldn't stop thinking about Mike laying there. What if he had been awake and not passed out the entire time? He must have been in terrible pain.
That damn Joe Henderson was going to get what was coming to him, Harvey would make sure of it. Mike had done his best in trying to help him, but Harvey had forced him to drop the case. Mike had gone there because of what Harvey had told him. He had practically sent Mike there himself.
He had nightmares when he finally fell asleep.
There hadn't been any change the next morning when he got back to the hospital. Rachel was already there then. Mike looked about the same, only slightly worse since the bruise on his face had changed color.
Donna was there too when Mike started showing signs of waking. He let out a moan and twisted a little on his bed. Rachel carefully squeezed his hand and called his name. Harvey couldn't help but smiling when Mike's eyes opened. However his eyes were unfocused and he blinked rapidly against the light.
"Shh…Mike, you are okay." Rachel said. He barely reacted.
"I'll get his doctor." Donna said and disappeared.
Mike moaned a little again and squeezed his eyes shut, his body tense. He was in pain. A nurse was there the next moment and Mike was looked over. She promised to get the doctor there as soon as possible.
A few minutes later Mike was doing a bit better and seemed to be more alert. Harvey took a seat close to him.
"Hi kid." He said when Mike looked at him. His eyes were only half open and he seemed to struggle with keeping them that way.
"Hi…" he said.
"How are you feeling?"
Mike answered by coughing a little, his face contorted in pain. "It…it…it hurts…a little." He whispered.
"It'll get better." Harvey said.
"What-what's with…why…what." Mike coughed a little. "What happened?"
"You tell me kid." Harvey said, but then changed his mind at Mike's lost look. "You were attacked."
"What? By…by who?"
"I was hoping that you would be able to tell me that. But I think it was Joe, you mentioned him on the phone when you called me."
Mike just looked at him. His mouth opened and closed. "I…I don't know." He then whispered. "It hurts Harvey."
"Okay, okay." Harvey patted his arm a little. "How about we try and do something about that then." He pushed a button for the nurse's station and a young man soon walked in. Mike had his eyes closed but the nurse shook him carefully and asked him a few question. Mike only shook his head or nodded.
"Unfortunately we have you on the highest doses, but I will page your doctor again." The nurse said apologetic before he left.
If Mike hadn't been looking the way he did right now, Harvey would probably have screamed a little at the damn doctor. Why weren't they helping Mike?
As for now they waited as Rachel stroke Mike's arm. The kid had his eyes closed. Harvey didn't know if he was sleeping or not. Most likely he wasn't since he was so tense and his body was trembling.
To Mike the whole situation was just confusing and painful. What he wanted the most was just to pass out again. Being awake was stressful. He wasn't sure where he was or why he was there. He should know those answer and knew they were in the back of his mind somewhere, but right now he couldn't reach them.
He was gently being awoken by a doctor that wanted to test a few things. That wasn't a pleasant experience and it didn't help that he held Rachel's hand. He hurt all over. His face and back was the worst. He still couldn't think clearly and that scared him. Was his arm in a cast?
He had been attacked. By who? Harvey said it was Joe, but he couldn't remember that. He was glad though that Rachel, Harvey and Donna were all there with him. He didn't feel good. His body felt strange. Something was wrong. He noticed the worried look his doctor had where she stood next to Mike. She knew that something was wrong as well. No one told him anything though. He soon fell asleep again.
Harvey watched Mike sleeping for a while. His heart ached for the younger man, but at the same time it felt like he was boiling with rage. Joe Henderson had done this to Mike, he was sure it was him even though Mike hadn't been able to confirm or deny it. He had caused Mike so much pain and they still didn't know all of the damage. Mike wasn't well enough yet to go through the necessary test, they had been told.
Harvey got a phone call shortly after that and he needed to head to the office. The case against Donna was starting to move forward again. Rachel and Donna stayed behind though. Harvey thought he would be able to come back in a few hours.
-SUITS-