To everyone who is waiting for my next chapter of Hints of a Future Untold. I'm sorry. I've been sick with Bronchitis and it sucked. This bit me hard today, but I promise that I will have a new chapter up tomorrow. I hope you all enjoy

Dedicated to the fantastic hollowgirl15. Thanks for your help! Love you!

Katherine Ross had always been known in her neighborhood as a benefactor. She worked as a chef her entire life and knew exactly how far to stretch ingredients and still make a good meal. Taking care of the less fortunate was a trait that she passed down to her grandson. Mike could remember long Sundays spent in their small kitchen, him sitting on a stool stirring something that smelled amazing, while she taught him everything she knew. She had always stressed that when you helped someone that was down on their luck that at some point they would find a way to return the favor to another. It was her way of making the world a better place. She never neglected their own needs, planning carefully, but anything extra always went to others.

It was a fact that Mike grew up with. He lost count the number of times that people would knock on their door, asking to speak to his gram, explaining to her, why they needed help. That was another thing that she had taught her grandson, how to tell if someone truly needed the help or not. It was easy, to let your sympathy get the better of you, and she never helped anyone without hearing, or seeing why they needed it.

Mike embraced the idea, spending his free time learning her cooking skills, volunteering in soup kitchens on his weekends, when he had them. It was her legacy, and Mike was going to do everything in his power to fulfill it. It wasn't always easy, getting kicked out of school hadn't helped, but Mike was smart, and always found a way to make it work. His job at Pearson-Hardman, left him with enough to take care of his grandmother properly, pay all his bills and take care of the people in his neighborhood. He saved a bit, because his gram had also taught him the value of being prepared and an accident could always happen, but the rest always went toward food or supplies for those that needed it.

This wasn't something that Mike told people about. Not because he was ashamed, but because it was something that he did for himself. He didn't want praise or help, that wasn't the point. He didn't care what anyone else thought, because by now, it was an integrated part of him that couldn't be removed. Trevor hadn't understood it, he never commented on it, but he didn't know what drove Mike to do what he did. The only reason he had known was because he caught Mike giving away food several times and finally had forced the reason out of his friend.

This was the reason that Mike stayed in his overly ratty apartment. He felt that if he moved he wouldn't be able to help the people as well. His kindness was well known throughout his neighborhood, spread by word of mouth. It had it's benefits though. His next door neighbor was a seamstress, and had been immensely helpful in keeping him in clothes, patching and repairing his old ones, while the girl that lived below him, was a waitress at a cafe and supplied him with free coffee. It was the only reason that his bike was never stolen, despite always sitting in front of his apartment.

There was one drawback to Mike's good deeds, not that the man saw it that way. Mike tended to live off of little more than Ramen and toast, with rare occasions of sandwiches and canned soup. He was a simple person and didn't need the extravagant food that Harvey seemed to enjoy, or the overly rich food that Donna preferred. It was a habit that he got into after he was kicked out of college and had never remedied.

The first thing that people learn about Pearson-Hardman is that the people that work there are the best at what they do. Clients rarely care about anything other than that fact. The first thing that the people that word at the firm learn is that Donna knows everything. While it isn't possible for any one person to know absolutely everything, no one is willing to test Donna's knowledge. This is because the second thing that they learn is that she is not a woman to be crossed. Even Harvey, who knows for a fact that Donna is completely on his side, rarely questions just how the woman receives her information.

Donna has a lot of contacts. There is no other word for them than that. They are not her friends, but her sources of information. She makes a point of nearly everywhere she goes outside of the firm to be as friendly and likeable as possible. Because if people are relaxed around you then you will always learn the best information. That's how Donna knew about Kyle's disastrous date three weeks ago, something that the man has yet to live down, how she learned that Harold, secretly, had a very large crush on Gregory, and that was how she found out Mike's favorite pastime.

It was in a cafe. Not a fancy one, just a small mom and pop diner that the secretary was surprised hadn't closed already. The food was simple, but it was the type that reminded people of home-cooked meals with their family. Donna went there for the soup, a different type every day of the month and all of them delicious.

It was Saturday, the fifth, which meant the cafe had potato soup. The redhead had claimed her usual booth, one tucked away into a corner, but with a complete view of the entire cafe. At first, Donna was a bit put out that her usual server wasn't there, instead she received her meal from the owner. She was halfway through her bowl and considering another when the frazzled woman arrived. The waitress was younger than Donna, barely nineteen, but always smiled. Donna honestly liked her. She had a daughter and needed little urging to show the girl's picture. Her name was Christina, and Donna knew from snippets of conversation she had overheard, the woman was having a hard time.

"Chris! You're late." The owner muttered, not sounding too upset.

"I know, boss. Won't happen again." The blond tied her apron swiftly. "I had to leave Leila with my neighbor."

"Oh yeah? Which one?" He handed off several drinks and waited patiently while they were delivered.

Chris smiled at Donna when she passed, picking up the conversation when she returned. "My upstairs neighbor, Mike. You know, the one that gets the coffee."

"Right, the cook guy." The owner disappeared into the kitchen.

Chris rolled her eyes, and paused at Donna's table. "Hey, how is it? Need anything?"

"No, but I'm having another bowl anyway." Donna smirked. "So, how's your girl?"

"She's fine, staying with my neighbor. I tell you, I don't know what I'd do without him." Chris danced off, refilling coffee and fetching Donna's other bowl.

"Boyfriend?" She couldn't help but ask, Donna was by nature nosy and the woman was nice. It would be good for her to have one.

Chris chuckled. "No. Mike's special. He's a hero." There was nothing but sincere admiration in the waitress' voice. "He helps so many people."

"Oh? Like babysitting?" She sipped at her soup, sighing happily.

"Just this once." Chris smiled at the redhead. "No, Mike takes care of people that need extra help. He brings us meals and extra food. If he didn't, then I'd eat a lot less, especially since that jerk raised my rent. He's a godsend."

"Really? He just gives you food?" Donna believed her, but it sounded rather farfetched. "What does it get in return?" Working at a law firm taught Donna that nothing was free.

"Well, I give him free coffee when he comes in, but that's about it." Chris laughed again. "Funniest thing is, he's a lawyer. Who knew there was one with a heart." She turned away, moving to another table.

Donna frowned, thinking over what Christina had said. She shook her head, it wasn't possible that it was her little puppy. Although, it sounded like something that Mike would do. If there was even a slight chance that it was her Mike, then Donna was going to find out. She pulled out her phone, dialing his number. Luckily for him, he had memorized all of Donna's rules and answered on the third ring.

"Donna?"

"Puppy! What are you doing?" She smirked, it was always fun to tease the kid.

"Um... i'm helping out one of my neighbors. Is something wrong?" He sounded nervous.

"Not at all. I just wanted to know the current odds of our betting pool." It wasn't an important question, but it was something that she might call about.

"Which one? The one about Kyle or the one about Louis?" A giggle was heard on Mike's side of the phone, along with hushed whispering.

"Louis." She strained but couldn't make out what was being said.

"Oh, well, current odds are ten to one that Louis will go directly to Jessica when he finds the picture gone from his office and seven to one that he will go straight Harvey, and two to one that he will try and find the culprit himself." Mike sounded like he was only half paying attention, which Donna couldn't fault him for when she heard the giggle again mixed with a young sounding voice. "Where did you hide it anyway?"

"I glued it to the underside of his desk." She answered. "Thanks, puppy." She hung up on him and flagged down Chris.

"Yes? What do you need?"

"Chris, tell me more about your neighbor." Donna smiled sweetly at the girl.

"Why? Do you need help?" She glanced around the cafe, waving at a departing customer. "Because, you have to talk to him before he will. He won't just do it without a good reason."

"Oh? No, I'm fine. I was just wondering about this generous person..."

Donna didn't tell anyone, including Mike, her latest bit of information. She kept it to herself, but kept a close eye on Mike for several weeks afterward. While it amazed her what he did for the people in his neighborhood, it also touched her. Donna gave to charity, believed in it and supported several good causes, which meant, Harvey and several other people at the firm did too. While Donna wanted to help Mike, she had a feeling that he wouldn't accept it.

If she hadn't been watching Mike so closely, she would never have noticed the bruises that the younger man came to work with three weeks later. She had to give the puppy credit, he hid them well, but she was Donna and nothing got past her. She would just have to have a little talk with him.