Chapter 1
All Alone
Mike frowned as he glanced at his calendar on his computer; it was 2 days to his birthday and he was not looking forward to it. He was not big on birthday's especially his own, and he absolutely DID NOT celebrate it. No cards, no presents, no cake. He just treated it like any other day, well except last year he got a bit drunk; ok a lot drunk and got on his motorcycle and well he crashed and ended up getting a lecture from an old family friend who happens to be a doctor; he was instructed by his Grammy to keep an eye on Mike. Now with Grammy gone he had no one left and well Tom had been calling him more and more to check up on him. Mike had promised Tom he wouldn't ride his motorcycle again; (well his dad's, but now his) but he lied and had been riding it more and more as the nightmares kept recurring; about that night.
Mike rubbed a hand over his face as he leant back in his chair and stared at the calendar. He was pulled from his thoughts as his phone starting ringing, he picked it up; of course it was Tom. Mike glared at the phone, why couldn't Tom just back off. He wasn't his father.
"You know people usually answer their phones when they ring" Mike glanced over the phone to see Harvey standing there smirking at him and holding a folder at his side. He turned back to the phone frowned at it as he hit ignore and threw it on his desk.
"What do you want Harvey?" Mike tried to avoid sounding bitter but it came out that way and Harvey frowned as he raised an eyebrow
"Touchy today are we? Who was that?"
Before Mike could come up with witty comeback his phone started ringing again; vibrating on the desk. Mike closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, he was tired; he hadn't slept very well last night, on account on the nightmares. The phone stopped ringing and Mike glanced at Harvey and held out his hand for the file in Harvey's hand;
"Alright what do you need me to look at?"
Harvey narrowed his eyes at Mike and Mike would have shifted uncomfortably if he wasn't so tired and irritated.
"When was the last time you slept?" Mike blinked he had not expected to hear that
"Last night" Mike sighed
"How long?"
"Why does it matter Harvey?" Mike snapped and Harvey leant over his cubicle analysing him closely
"Mike" Mike knew that tone, it was one that meant Harvey was serious and not to be joked with
"I dunno a couple of hours" Mike shrugged and waved his hand like it was nothing
"Why? I sent you home at 9. What were you doing?"
"I couldn't sleep alright. Now give me the file"
"Why not Mike?" Harvey raised his eyebrows challengingly and Mike snapped
"Oh my god Harvey what are you my therapist! It's none of your business" Mike jumped up and snatched the file, then he snapped his mouth shut and groaned realising what he said, Harvey looked shocked at Mike, and Mike wasn't sure if it was because he yelled or because he said 'therapist'.
"Go home Mike" Harvey barked and Mike didn't hesitate as he slammed the file on his desk, grabbed his stuff and marched out not even looking back.
Mike let out a big breathe as he walked outside, it was dark and Mike looked at his phone it was only 7:30. He debated whether to get a cab or bike, he walked over to his bike and stared at it. He shook his head as he turned from his bike and went to get a cab.
He dumped his stuff on his couch and slumped down next to it and lent his head back. Thoughts of sleep filled his head and he closed his eyes and went to sleep.
~~SUITS~~
Sure enough Mike had the nightmare again; the police sirens, the lights and Grammy crying. Mike running out the house to find his parents and seeing the car on fire, then being pulled into a police car and driven away.
Then it switched to the funeral and Mike couldn't take it anymore. he yelled out and bolted upright;
"NO!"
Mike was panting as he stood up and got to the sink and filled up a glass of water. He raised it to his lips with a shaky hand and leant against the sink as he stared at the keys on his coffee table. He downed the rest of the glass and he thought screw it. Mike slammed the glass on the counter and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. Then he grabbed his keys, phone, his big black helmet and leather jacket (also his father's) and slammed the front door shut behind him as he left. He put on his jacket and the helmet as he got onto his dad's black Harley Davidson motorcycle and started up the engine. Mike pushed down the visor as he swerved in and out of the traffic increasing in speed.
Mike loved being on his dad's bike, it was the only thing in his life he could control. He could decide where he went, how fast he would go and it made him feel close to his father. He thoughts wandered to that night as he thought about what he said to his father;
"Don't turn your back on me when I'm talking to you!"
"I'm going to bed"
"No you're not we're going to talk about what just happened. You want to explain what the hell you were thinking! You just cost us our client; what do you have to say to your mother and I!" Mike turned a corner hard as he kept going, he looked at the lights of the building as he blinked a tear out of his eyes and remembering the look of his father's face
"You're welcome"
"Excuse me"
"I said you're welcome. I was right, and I just saved him millions of dollars"
"You're too smart for you own good" Mike winced at the bitterness that dripped from his father's voice, it still hurt even now and Mike shivered in his dad's leather jacket.
"I'm smarter than you!" Mike raced past a black sedan and didn't notice whose car it was as he sped down the road.
"How dare you talk to me like that! I am your father!"
"Why don't you just admit it, you hate that I'm not normal. Just admit you hate having a freak as a son!" Mike closed his eyes for a second trying to block out the memory and when he opened his eyes it was still there and he realised he'd come up to a red light and had to brake hard. He never fell off the bike but quickly recovered and tried to get his breathing under control and stop his hands shaking.
"Yeah that's it leave, your good at that!"
"Alright fine what do you want me to say. Yes. I wish you were normal!"
"I hate you!"
Mike yanked his helmet off and felt his head get soaked, he only just realised it was raining. It was raining that night too. Mike felt his head get pounded with rain that he didn't hear his name being called. Then he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket and he pulled it out, it was Tom. He clicked accept;
"Mike finally"
"Tom what do you want?" Mike had to yell over the rain
"Where are you?"
"Out. I needed some air"
"No. Mike please don't tell me your on the bike again. You promised me!"
"I know I promised but I can't help it, it's just something I have to do. You don't understand!"
"Mike I know you still blame yourself but-"
"I'm not going to listen to this anymore!"
"Mike wait please, think about what you're doing. You're going to get yourself killed. This isn't what your parents would want Mike."
"Who the hell do you think you are? You're not my father"
Mike hit the end cal button and instantly the screen lit up again, this time with Harvey. Mike hesitated as he stared at the screen. Then he hit ignore, slipped his helmet back on and started the bike up again, he blazed through the junction while the light was still red and only just avoided a car crossing from the other side, which honked at him as he swerved to avoid it. Then the light changed the green and the person in the black sedan sighed as they watched Mike turn the corner and disappear.