A Knife to the Heart
Another one-shot that popped up! Hope you like it :) btw: how many are excited for tonight's episode?
Disclaimer: Don't own Suits :(
"You gotta be kidding me; really?" Mike grumbled as Harvey got out of the town car and took Mike's coffee. "That's like the hundredth time you've done that."
"Coffee's not good for puppies, Mike, which is why I'm saving you from having it."
"Okay…thanks," Mike said sarcastically as he followed Harvey to the Pearson-Hardman building.
"No problem, kid," Harvey chuckled as he and Mike stepped into the building, flashed their ID's and headed to the elevators.
"You know if I didn't know any better, I'd think you actually care about me if you're so worried about my health."
Harvey scoffed. "Actually I just said that so you'd stop complaining; I really just wanted to annoy you and steal your coffee."
Before Mike could retaliate, Harvey stepped into the elevator and began talking about their latest case. Mike rolled his eyes in frustration, but brushed it off to pay more attention the information he was about to receive.
5 Hours Later
Mike ran a hand through his hair tiredly as he highlighted something on the Washington v. Willard case files along with some other ones Harvey hadn't really talked about yet. The man was pressing him with these papers and if Mike didn't get them done by tomorrow morning he was gonna be working for Louis for a month. He definitely could not let that happen. Another all-nighter no doubt. And, now, to make things worse, the devious and very hated Louis Litt was headed his way with a huge stack of papers in his hands.
"Dammit," Mike muttered.
"Hello Michael," Louis gave the young associate a Cheshire grin. "Can you do me a huge favor and finish these by tonight?" He dropped the papers on Mike's desk with a loud thunk and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I-"
"I realize that I posed that as a question, but I expect them done by my deadline or you'll be working in the mailroom the rest of your life; okay? Thanks a bunch." With that, the junior lawyer left, leaving a speechless Mike staring after him in disbelief.
"What a dick," he mumbled. Well, since Harvey's files weren't needed until tomorrow, he figured he could start on Louis' first. Huffing in annoyance, he began proofing the never-ending pile of briefs.
~~~0o0~~~
"What do you think you're doing?"
Mike looked up in surprise and found himself face to face with Harvey.
"Oh…um-"
"Why are my files over there instead of under your highlighter?"
"Uh… Louis wanted these files by tonight and-"
"Whatever, I don't give a shit what Louis wanted you to do, you work for me, understand?"
"Yes, but-"
"Shut up and follow me. Grab the files you were supposed to be working on, too."
Without another word, Mike stood up quickly, grabbed the papers, and followed Harvey until they were outside.
"You want to tell me where we're going?"
"Lunch with a new and very important client: the mayor."
Mike's eyes widened as he struggled to keep up with Harvey's long strides.
"The mayor? She's your client?"
"She will be as soon as you move your ass and get in the car."
Mike rolled his eyes and joined the older man in the vehicle. As they were driving, Mike settled in and organized the papers. Too bad some of them were for the wrong case.
2 Hours Later
"Harvey it's not my fault!"
"Yes it is, Mike. You got Louis' goddamn files mixed with mine and now it almost cost us a very high paying client. Luckily I had my charm or you'd be in more deep shit than you already are," Harvey growled, stepping out of the car and not bothering to see if Mike was following.
"It's Louis' fault!" Mike shouted, trotting behind the older man.
"Right, because he, once again, had a gun to your head."
"Yes!" Mike said stopping in his tracks for a moment before trying to catch up to Harvey. They were both so distracted that they didn't even see the man with a knife coming up to them. "Yes, he threatened to put me in the mailroom if I didn't have his briefs done by tonight!"
Harvey turned on his heels sharply, causing Mike to almost crash into his chest.
"Then you come to me," Harvey growled darkly, "You let me deal with him."
"Har-"
"No Mike, do not interrupt me. Now, when we get inside I want you to…" but the rest of Harvey's sentence faded out as Mike looked over the man's shoulder and saw a hooded guy sneaking up behind them with something silver in his hand. A knife. Shit! Mike barely thought twice before the man raised his weapon. He could've shouted, he could've told Harvey to move, but instead he thought of a dangerous and stupid idea. He didn't know why, it was just the first thing that came to mind.
"Are you even listening to me?" Harvey questioned irritably.
And as the mysterious man brought down the knife towards his boss, Mike roughly shoved Harvey to the side, causing him to stumble to the ground. The instant pain was almost unbearable; the knife meant for Harvey's back plunged into Mike's chest. From there, things began to happen in slow motion; distorted screams flowed through Mike's clouded brain and his breath seemed to catch in his throat as he looked down at the weapon sticking out of his chest. He glanced over to Harvey who had gathered his bearings and looked back at him in sheer horror. His body soon became numb and he could only feel the sensation of sinking; darkness started to overcome him, his vision tunneling and he was unconscious before he hit the ground.
~~~0o0~~~
Harvey barely had time to register what had happened before he landed roughly on the ground. Just as he was about to yell at the kid, he looked up and all the color from his face drained while his eyes went wide in panic. There was a fucking knife in Mike's chest! The kid looked at him with big blue puppy dog eyes before he started falling backwards towards the concrete.
"Mike!" Without hesitating, Harvey leapt up and caught Mike, wrapping his arms around the kid's back and carefully lowering him to the ground.
"Oh my god!" a woman shouted fearfully. "Someone call an ambulance!"
Harvey was vaguely aware of what was going on around him; all he could really pay attention to was Mike and his extremely pale face along with his pink lips standing out vividly against the pastiness. His eyes were closed-which really worried Harvey- and his breathing was choked and raspy.
"Mike come on, wake up kid," he said, trying to be calm while he gently slapped the man's face…his too cold face.
No response.
"Come on kid." He ran a shaky hand over Mike's suddenly sweaty forehead and up through his blonde hair. After receiving nothing from his associate, he looked past the crowd just in time to see a man running off into the sea of people.
"Fuck." Looking down, he nearly became sick when he noticed the sharp weapon sticking out from Mike's body, blood soaking up the younger man's white shirt. There was so much goddamn blood.
"What the hell were you thinking, kid?" Harvey whispered, hoping Mike would hear him. But he didn't. He looked at the knife again, knowing that he wasn't supposed to take it out, but it was nauseating to see that thing plunged into someone's body, more or less Mike's skinny body. He circled his hands around the knife, hoping to staunch the bleeding at least a little until help came.
"God, what the fuck were you thinking!?"
When help finally did come, they secured the knife so it wouldn't cause more damage, placed an oxygen mask on the abnormal pale face and loaded him on a stretcher; all the while, Harvey was no more than three inches away from the kid. He wasn't going to leave Mike alone just in case things started to go south. But hadn't they already?
~~~0o0~~~
The ambulance ride was silent and nerve-racking. Harvey couldn't decide where to look; Mike's horribly pale face or the goddamn knife protruding from his body. He didn't want to look at Mike's face, because it never should've had to look that way. So pale and motionless; usually Mike's mouth was always moving, because he was babbling…now it was only moving for air, opening and closing like a fish out of water. The knife was even worse to look at, so he just settled on looking at Mike's curled hand in his. He swallowed nervously and squeezed it tightly, hoping to get a response from the kid. Harvey closed his eyes and took a deep breath; and that's when he felt it. Movement in his hand…like a twitch.
Harvey's eyes flew open and instantly brought his gaze to Mike's face.
"Mike?"
The kid suddenly groaned weakly and his head rolled on the gurney pillow while his eyes slowly flickered open.
"Ha-Harvey?" Mike whispered, his voice muffled by the mask.
"Right here, kid. You're gonna be okay, just hold on."
"Where am I? What happened?"
"You're in an ambulance, because you got yourself stabbed, idiot."
"Why are you calling me an idiot?" Mike groaned, blinking sluggishly.
"Because you pushed me out of the way. Yeah you saved my life, but at what cost?"
"C-Couldn't let you die, Harvey," Mike voice getting softer.
"You could've gotten yourself killed, Mike. Son of a bitch, don't ever do something so stupid ever again, you hear? I never want you risking your own life for me. I can handle things for myself."
"But you were going to b-be killed, Harvey. Couldn't…couldn't," Mike's breathing intensified and for two reasons. One, he was becoming agitated and two, he just noticed the knife in his chest.
"…the hell? Har-Harvey, there's a knife in my chest! Fuck, get it out!"
"Mike! Mike, calm the hell down. We take it out you bleed to death, so just take it easy."
"I can't just 'take it easy,' there's a fucking knife in my body!" Mike gasped, but quickly became exhausted. "It h-hurts," Mike whimpered as clutched Harvey's hand weakly.
Harvey pursed his lips and squeezed Mike's hand back. "I know, kid, just ride it out."
Suddenly, Mike looked up at him with panic in his eyes, but Harvey noticed that it was slowly decreasing to a more defeated look.
"Mike, don't you dare give up on me or I swear to god I'll kick your ass."
Mike chuckled weakly. "N-Nice t-to know you care, Harvey."
The older lawyer remained silent, but rolled his eyes. "Shut up and focus on breathing."
Mike closed his eyes and coughed harshly. When he did, Harvey's heart beat faster; Mike was coughing up blood. "Shit."
"S-S'ry Har...jus' wanted to…to…" Mike trailed off and his body began to shudder.
"He's seizing! Sir," the paramedic turned to Harvey, "you're gonna have to move back so we can stable him."
Harvey nodded, still in complete shock at what just happened. He moved to the back of the ambulance and watched silently as the paramedics tried to get Mike's seizure to end. He wiped a trembling hand down his face and closed his eyes not wanting to see any more of what was happening. Mike was dying, because of him; because he was too caught up in reprimanding the kid. And now he felt awfully guilty for doing so; it hadn't been Mike's fault, it was that goddamn Louis'. He was going to kill that bastard…and Donna was gonna kill him.
~~~0o0~~~
"How the hell did this happen?"
"I don't know, Donna. He just pushed me out of the way."
"But how could you let this happen? How come you didn't see a guy coming at you with a knife?"
Harvey looked over at Donna who was sitting next to him in a hospital chair, grilling him with questions.
"I was pissed, because he screwed up, so I was yelling at him. I didn't even see the guy, because I turned around. The next thing I know, I'm on the ground and Mike has a goddamn knife in his chest; it's my fault."
Donna pursed her lips and looked away from the man. "What did he do to piss you off? What could he possibly do to piss you off that much? Did it ever occur to you that the reason why he took the knife was, because he wanted to redeem himself to you?"
He never thought of it that way. God! He hated himself more and more. "He brought the wrong files to our client; they were Louis' files and I caught him doing them before we left."
"Harvey you should know the bastard better than anyone! No doubt Louis forced him into doing the briefs; maybe threatened him?"
Harvey nodded, looking down at his blood covered hands and taking a deep breath.
"Do you want me to talk to Louis?" Donna asked eagerly.
"No…leave him to me," Harvey said darkly.
"Family of Mr. Michael Ross?" A voice called out.
Harvey looked quickly and stood up anxiously. "Yes?"
"Are you the family?" Asked the doctor suspiciously.
"I'm his boss, Harvey Specter; both his parents have passed and his grandmother is unable to come."
"Okay, then. You may want to sit down."
"I'm fine standing, thank you."
"Harvey," Donna warned, grabbing his bicep tightly.
The doctor sighed but nodded anyways. "Alright; Mr. Ross had a puncture wound to the right side of his chest. Because of that, his lung was penetrated and initiating him to go into respiratory arrest. We've gotten him stable and repaired the lung, but we have him on a ventilator until he's strong enough to breathe on his own. Mike is very lucky to be alive; I just want to keep here for a night or two so he can heal and he may also have to see a respiratory therapist a couple times. Other than that he should be fine."
"Can we see him?" Donna asked.
"Once we get him into a private room in the ICU, I'll have a nurse come and get you."
The two nodded and watched the doctor disappear back behind the double doors.
"He's gonna be okay," Donna whispered. But she knew Harvey wasn't; he was guilt-ridden, angry, and possibly scared.
"Harvey-"
"You stay here for Mike, I'll be back in an hour," Harvey grumbled as he started walking towards the exit.
"Where are you going?"
"To kick Louis' ass to hell."
Donna smirked and rolled her eyes as she sat down to wait to be brought to the kid. But she also wished she could see Harvey rip Louis to pieces, because whatever the junior lawyer got, he deserved it…and more.
~~~0o0~~~
"Stay the hell away from my associate," Harvey growled as he stepped into Louis office with folders in his hands.
"What are you talking about," Louis said innocently, taking a bite from an energy bar.
"Don't you dare play dumb; you know exactly what the fuck I'm talking about." Harvey slammed the files on the desk angrily; he really wanted to smack Louis' arrogant grin right off his goddamn face.
"Mike Ross works for me, not for your pathetic ass. And I get that you hate me for getting an associate in the first place, but that doesn't mean you can use him as a personal butler."
"Mike Ross is an associate and I, Louis Litt, oversees all of the associates," Louis sneered.
"I don't give a shit who you oversee," Harvey snarled, getting up into Louis' face. "Mike isn't the only person that can proof briefs in this firm, so get one of your other goddamn kiss-ups to do it for you. And if I see one file that Mike's doing that isn't mine, I will personally come in here and shove my foot up your ass, understand?"
Without waiting for a response, Harvey poked Louis in the chest brutally before storming out of the room, leaving the junior lawyer speechless. As soon as Harvey left the building, he took a deep breath and began walking back to where Ray was waiting. He passed the spot on ground where Mike had been laying…dying, and began to feel sick. There was dried blood on the concrete; Mike's blood. He moved faster so he didn't think about any longer and got into the car. Back to the hospital.
~~~0o0~~~
Donna carded her fingers through Mike's hair, hating how silent the kid was. His bandaged chest bobbed up and down lightly, but only because the goddamn ventilator was doing it for him.
"How is he?"
Donna looked up from Mike towards the door to find Harvey leaning against the entryway.
"No worse than he already is," Donna whispered. "I just hate seeing him so quiet and motionless. It's not normal."
"Yeah," Harvey said, moving into the room and taking a seat by the other side of Mike's bed. He looked down at Mike's chest and was elated that he didn't have to see a knife there anymore. He smiled weakly and took Mike's hand in his like he did in the ambulance.
"Did you beat up Louis?" Donna smirked.
Harvey chuckled humorlessly and shook his head. "I was pretty close, but if I was arrested then I wouldn't be here for the kid. Maybe another time."
Donna nodded and watched Harvey keep his gaze on Mike's peaceful face.
"I'm…gonna go for coffee, do you want some?"
"No, I'm fine," Harvey smirked up at Donna.
The secretary squeezed Harvey's shoulder before silently leaving the room. Harvey waited until the red-head disappeared before looking back at Mike and rubbing his thumb over the kid's knuckles.
"What is wrong with you kid? Why would you sacrifice yourself for me, I'm an ass remember?" He didn't expect a response, but he just wanted to know why Mike let himself almost die instead of letting Harvey get stabbed. Was Donna right? Did Mike want to compensate himself for the screw-up? God, he hoped not, because this thing would be more his fault than it already was. If he never would've chastised Mike so badly, if they just made it into the building, then Mike wouldn't be in this goddamn hospital bed.
"Get through this kid, and I'll buy you that crap pizza, you always talk about, for a month." Harvey placed a hand on Mike's forehead before leaning back in the chair and closing his eyes to rest.
~~~0o0~~~
"Come on kid, wake up already."
A voice broke through his cloudy mind, startling him. That was the first sound he's heard in like…well, he didn't know the last time he heard a noise. And it sounded familiar…strong with a touch of…concern?
"Mike it's time to wake up. Just open your eyes."
Uh, I would if I could, but I think they're glued shut. He was beginning to get his senses back and now he felt something down his throat. Was he being choked? What the hell was going on? Somebody please help me! For gods sakes help me!
~~~0o0~~~
Harvey watched Mike with a frown on his face. Something wasn't right?
"What's wrong?" Donna asked, strolling into the quiet room.
"I don't know yet."
"Is…is he waking up?"
Harvey shrugged and was about to sit back when the monitors went haywire.
"Mike?"
Nothing.
"Donna, get the doctor!"
The secretary nodded frantically and ran out of the room, leaving an uncertain Harvey alone with Mike. All of a sudden, the kid's eyes flew open and he shot up, choking and gagging.
"Mike, calm down," Harvey said quietly, placing his hands on Mike's shoulders and tried pushing him back onto the pillows.
The kid looked at him in bewilderment, his breathing uneven and raspy. He could tell Mike was trying to take it easy, but he was still thrashing around. His small hand reached for the tube in his mouth and Harvey moved quickly, catching Mike's wrist and restraining it.
"That's helping you breath kid, just-"
But before Harvey could finish, Mike's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell limp onto the pillows.
"Mike? Dammit; where are you Donna?"
As if she heard him, Donna came rushing in with the doctor behind her along with a couple nurses.
"I need you two out of here so we can remove the tube."
A nurse shoved Harvey and Donna out of the room and shut the door in their faces.
"Fuck."
"What happened?"
"He woke up, but he was confused."
"No duh, he's been unconscious for a pretty long time."
Harvey rolled his eyes and watched the nurses get ready to pull the disgusting tube out of Mike's throat.
"God dammit, kid, what am I gonna do with you?"
~~~0o0~~~
The next time Mike woke up, both Harvey and Donna had been sleeping in the uncomfortable hospital chairs. Harvey's fingers were inches away from Mike's curled ones and Donna's hand was on the kid's arm, frozen in a mid-stroke.
Where the hell am I and why is it so bright? Mike's eyes blinked open slowly to a half mast as he looked around the white, pristine room. A hospital? No, not a hospital! His breathing quickened to short gasps and he struggled to get up, but the sharp pain in his chest prevented him from doing so and instead, making him whimper.
"Mike? Jesus, kid, calm down."
Mike looked to where the voice was coming from and he found himself looking right at Harvey Specter.
"H-Harvey? I need to get out of here; I don't want to be here, please."
"Mike honey, it's okay. We're here," Donna said, getting Mike's attention.
"Donna? Wha-"
"Just take deep breaths alright? You're not alone."
Finally, when Mike calmed down, Donna kissed him on the head and went out to look for the doctor. Mike took a deep breath and closed his eye, relishing the silence…until Harvey spoke.
"Why'd you do it kid?"
Mike opened his eyes and looked Harvey in the eye. He was a bit shocked to see fear and concern shining in the brown orbs. He frowned in confusion at the question. "What are you talking about; what did I do?"
"You pushed me out of the way just so I wouldn't get stabbed."
"Oh..."
"Yeah…'oh' is right."
There was a moment of awkward silence before Harvey began speaking again.
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
Harvey raised his eye brow in doubt and Mike sighed heavily. "My chest is killing me."
Harvey nodded, keeping his eyes on Mike. "Really, why did you push me out of the way?"
"I don't know I just…reacted I guess. I didn't want you to get killed."
"So, instead, you wanted to die? Seriously, you wanted to be killed?"
"No but-"
"You stopped breathing, you had a goddamn seizure, and you bled a fucking river, because you took the knife. How could you do such a stupid thing?"
Mike looked down at his hands before looking back at his boss. "I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to get hurt I guess."
"And taking the hit makes things better? Mike, listen to me, if you did that to make up for the file mistake, that was wrong."
Mike gave Harvey a sheepish look and the older lawyer closed his eyes. "Jesus, Mike. You should never feel that you'd have to do that. Everyone makes mistakes."
"You didn't seem to think that when you were yelling at me."
"I'm an ass, Mike, and I was just pissed. It doesn't give you a reason to put yourself in a life or death situation, understand?"
Mike hesitated for a moment before nodding, giving Harvey a small smile. He shifted in the bed to get more comfortable, but winced when he pulled the stitches.
"Ow…being stabbed really hurts; it's definitely nothing like it is in the movies."
"You're kidding right?" Harvey scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Nothing is like it is in the movies."
"What about sex?" Mike yawned, lying back in the pillows. All this talking was exhausting him
"Oh my god; shut up and get some sleep."
Mike chuckled and closed his eyes.
"What about beer…or drugs."
"Don't even go there."
"Sorry."
"And Mike?"
"Hmm?"
"No more files from Louis or I'll kick your ass."
"My ass? He's the one who gives them to me."
"Then you bring them to me and I'll make one of those Harvard douches do it. I'm sure they want to kiss-up to the Great Harvey Specter."
Mike scoffed weakly, drifting off into darkness.
"What?"
Mike smirked, but before he could say anything, the drugs took him under and he was out like a light.
Harvey grinned and ran a hand through Mike's hair before patting him gently on the chest. He almost lost Mike, because of a mistake he made, from an accident Mike made, all because of Louis Litt. He was going to make sure the son of bitch left Mike alone for good…and he was eager for the moment where he'd be able to rip the junior partner to shreds. God, the things he did for his associate.
"What the hell am I gonna do with you, kid?"
The End.
Hope you liked it and hope it wasn't to OOC with Harvey.
