These Times

Ten.

His first active session left him in a bad mood. Although it was a bright new morning he could still feel the grips of yesterday's humiliation tugging at his sleeves. He felt the doctor was mocking him. The old man was definitely mocking him. How dare he think the best course of action was frightening him to death? The whole event felt so real, he smelt the fowl stench of decay for breath. Everything from the little cracks in the ceiling appeared before him…reminding him of the time he spent under the vampire's power. The powerless feeling he felt, the vulnerability, he felt trapped…less of a man.

He clenched his fists while he waited for the limo to stop at the oncoming red light. No one understood his situation… he was a joke now…he was hopeless…why go to therapy if he was hopeless. He gasped suddenly unable to catch his breath…his mind replayed the event constantly. There were only a few times in his day where he was at rest but then nightfall plunged him into darkness every time. It was always harder than he ever experienced before. Those were times when it hurt the most. Those were the times when he felt alone.

Pearson-Hardman loomed above him and he felt tempted to go back home. His condition was affecting his performance at work and he knew the associates were getting full wind of it. Sometimes he wondered why he came into work. But he knew asking the male to turn around would be out of the question. His new driver Sheldon was a little less tolerant of his shenanigans, which he couldn't blame. Who wanted to drive Mr. Crazy around all day?

He winced at the sight of the busy sidewalk with all the people and the terribly ominous crevices between buildings…perfect places for vampires to hide…vampires like Lance. Lance the vampire that took everything away from him. Lance the vampire that still tormented him without being in his presence. He wheezed at the memory, his headache pounded as his heart beat wildly in his chest. A knock on the door set him reeling with anxiety.

From the outside Harvey tapped upon the window of the limo before him. He noticed the limo stop but never release a passenger. He knew from the start that it had to be Louis or at least it was what Mike told him. Surprise, surprise Mike was on time today. Just in time to help Louis out of his limo.

"Tap again," Mike suggested worriedly.

Harvey rolled his eyes. "We all arrive at the same time and Louis doesn't want to leave his limo."

He looked to Mike. "Can't you do something?"

"It isn't good to cover the anxiety…it is false treatment."

" Dr. Earlstein should do his job then."

A man stepped out from the driver's side. It was Sheldon the limo driver. He was a young man but not vibrant and filled with youth as Mike expected. He grunted a greeting when he arrived next to them.

"He won't leave the limo. I haven't had breakfast yet so I was hoping to stop by some place but he won't leave."

Harvey snorted. "That is the least of your worries."

The male eyed him curiously.

"You don't know much of your employer do you?" Harvey questioned carefully.

He shook his head but before he could give the other the full details Mike interrupted with a look. Harvey understood. Mike sighed realizing he was going to have to implement his secondary abilities.

"Sheldon."

Sheldon looked to Mike who smiled. "Why don't you go back to your seat? We can handle Louis."

He nodded softly before obeying. Harvey shook his head.

"Can't have the whole world knowing what I am," Mike replied.

Mike wrapped his fingers around the handle before gently pulling back. Soon he exposed Louis to the outside world. There was a sharp intake of breath as the other male's eyes filled with moisture.

"No," he remarked voice wavering as he scooted back into the limo seat. "Please don't. Please just leave me alone."

Mike bit his lip knowing full well that Louis was seeing him for what he was. He turned to Harvey and profusely apologized.

"I have to go," he whispered. "Get him up to his office."

Harvey eyes widened. "What the heck are…MIKE?"

Mike sped off leaving Harvey with a grown man looking like a six year old lost in the grocery store. Sheldon began commenting on the situation and that was when Harvey pulled Louis out of the limo by unreasonable force. Louis latched on for dear life. The senior partner slowly began to remember what Mike told him about breathing.

"Breathe Louis."

Louis whimpered.

"No, no whimpering…breath now."

Louis took a deep breath and let it out quickly.

"Breath slowly."

The breaths became more normal sounding. Harvey sighed relieved that the mumbo jumbo breathing exercise worked. He slowly guided Louis toward the building ignoring the stares of security on the first floor. Louis's grip tightened on Harvey. Finally they arrived on their floor.

"Louis we are at work. You can't be seen hugging me."

Louis grumbled. "I don't care."

Harvey snickered. "Wow, one more time…I think you sounded like a child then."

The shorter male unlatched from his colleague instantly. He gave him a look.

"This may seem funny to you, but I freaking can't take this anymore. What I am going through…I don't expect you to understand anyway," he glared. "I'm not going to stand here and let you mock me…because…I have better ways to spend my time. I have work to do. Oh and make sure your little helper monkey stays away from me."

After a few seconds Louis seemed anxious again but it was instantly smothered but obnoxious anger. He stepped before Harvey blocking his path and continued on. Harvey shook his head. Louis was too much these days. On his way to his office he waltzed up to Mike's section. The youth looked up at him curiously.

"Tell me why I had to lead a stuttering and crying Louis up here?"

Mike frowned. "I will give Louis a heart attack."

"And how?"

"Let me just say that the session revolved around him and my participation."

Harvey couldn't quite decipher the full meaning but he nodded anyway. He headed toward his office. An hour after Harold stood before Mike with a file in hand. Mike looked over the file and then Harold.

"Louis wants you to have this," he commented. "He said…he wants it on his desk."

"When does he need it?" he questioned looking over it casually.

"I asked but he didn't give me a straight answer," Harold frowned a little confused. "First he said 'whenever you feel like it'…and then I asked when that is? He stated…'no wait…tell him…that it would be best to have it…but when you are ready'."

Mike raised a brow. "What? Are you serious?"

Harold shrugged. "He was kind of shaking…and…he was breathing really loud."

"Hyperventilating?"

"What?" Harold frowned the youth. "It could be possible. What is going on, Mike?"

Mike arose. "I should go and ask him."

Harold frowned. "I don't know what is going on…but Louis is acting strangely. Is he okay?"

Mike smiled softly. "Don't worry, Harold."

When Mike arrived before Louis's office Norma didn't bother to acknowledge him. Harvey was making his way over to him but Mike just told him to hold on a minute.

"I don't have a minute, we need to discuss this. My new client is this vampire who insists they were unjustly…"

Mike entered Louis's office quickly as he ignored Harvey. He spotted the lawyer sitting at his desk gazing blankly at his work. The younger male didn't see anything out of the ordinary but he could tell the other's breathing was unstable. Louis finally looked up.

Louis had only been able to complete one assignment before everything else blurred together. At the sight of Mike his heart began to race which was strange. Mike never worried him before. Slowly dots connected in his mind. He remembered those fangs in the office and the stake. Mike was angry. The vampire would have destroyed the Dr. He could destroy Louis. Mike was here for Louis and was going to hand him over to Lance. Lance and Mike knew each other. Mike wanted to give Louis back to Lance. The younger was smiling because he knew that he could do it easy.
The older lawyer wasn't naïve he knew Mike never liked him. It was obvious Mike would give Louis away. It became hard to catch his breath. The ceiling of his office began to form little cracks above his head. His heart thumped painfully in his chest and his senses were on fire. Mike was blocking his exit. He couldn't escape…he was trapped. The elder male's sense of reality melted away as his anxiety sky rocketed. When a cackle ripped the through the office space he knew that it was over.
Lance was back.

A helpless whimper left from between his lips. The smell of decay wafted throughout his office. Suddenly he was on the floor and the weight of Lance was holding him to the ground. Sharp fangs were easing in now, deeper, deeper, deeper, and deeper. He let out a strangled cry from the excruciating pain.

"Louis," Lance called out as he held him. "Did you actually think you were free in your own office…with…your "friends". They aren't your friends you know. Mike and I are one in the same. Whatever help he has given was all a scam…a way to manipulate your feelings…keep you off your guard. Mike would never consider you an equal. You are beneath him and you always will be. Vampires are superior and soon Mike will be above you. And Harvey…you and I both know he'd sell your blood to save his own. Really you were never safe here."

Louis moved back only to feel solid wall behind him. Lance grinned fondly which confused Louis.

"Aren't you just so terribly pathetic," he stated with mock sadness. "But so sweet. I'm going to keep you here until I've gotten every last drop. No one will find you. You are mine, Louis…you are mine and you can't save yourself because you are pathetic. But that isn't new is it? You've always been pathetic. Everyone here knows it…they think it all the time as you walk by. There goes pathetic Louis Litt. You have nothing to offer them anymore. That is why I'm here…they gave up on you."

"Leave me alone," Louis growled at the vampire.

Lance cackled flipping dead strands of stringy hair from his pale visage.

"Leave you alone, but Louis," he grinned evilly. "I'm so hungry."

The youth suddenly restrained his wrists and slammed them to the wall behind him. Louis tried thrashing about but the constraint on his wrists increased.

"No," Louis shrieked.

"Louis," Lance shouted. "It is no use!"

Without warning he went in and tore at his throat. Arteries in his neck split allowing the easy release of his blood. He moaned and fought but he could no longer move. He ceased his struggling. He just stared ahead as Lance's grip tightened on his shoulders. There was no use. He was hopeless. Lance had him and was keeping him. Two figures began to appear behind the preoccupied vampire. Louis squinted and found out it was Mike and soon Harvey appeared. He wondered where they went. Why did they leave him with the blood thirsty monster? Didn't he matter?

Lance pulled back and glanced at the two figures. A thick layer of red liquid matted the lower half of his face.

"Welcome," he stated. "Mike…Harvey. It is wonderful you decided to stop by. I just want to tell you this delivery means a lot to me."

Harvey smirked arms crossed. "My pleasure. Louis was becoming intolerable and the firm couldn't suffer because of his problems. We came to a unanimous decision. You can have him. Jessica was quite pleased with my idea. After all…we can't have a mistake out in the open…can't have Louis's behavior tying back to Pearson and Hardman. Our firm is growing too much to suffer any kind of bad image. Consider him a gift from me…after all you kind of helped win the case with your information."

Mike grinned fangs protruding. "Let me have a sample. I want his blood too…I've been restraining myself for too long."

Lance nodded as he slowly moved aside. "Of course."

Mike was before him now scanning his form softly. A large evil smile came to his face.

"Louis," Mike smirked as he called out his name.

"Please," Louis whimpered as he watched the other gazing at his open wound.

Mike reached out and he flinched away trying his best to press against the wall.

"Louis, listen to me," Mike growled angrily.

Louis shook his head. "Please…leave me alone…please just leave me alone."

Mike slammed his fist to the ground from frustration. He knew as soon as he entered the office that Louis wasn't currently with them. The elder lawyer shivered and whimpered loudly. Louis's eyes averted side to side but his mind registered nothing from reality. The younger vampire attempted one last time to retrieve him from his hallucination.

"Louis, wherever you are…you aren't," the other stated softly.

"No," he closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Mike this isn't going to work," Harvey shouted at him while Lance shadowed them in the background. "I told you that whack job of a Dr. will not cut it. Put him under hypnosis already. The associates are starting to talk and wonder. Today I heard some asking when Pearson and Hardman became so…questionable. They are wondering if employment here is a good thing…with Louis being this way can't say I blame them. Just put him under hypnosis so we can move on."

"Stop it Harvey," Mike shouted back while holding Louis down. " is right about hypnosis. It is wrong to pretend he isn't suffering. Louis, hey…it is me Mike…please breathe…deep breaths okay."

Louis squirmed but felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Gentle? He was confused, vampires were supposed to be cold, vicious, and unrelenting. He began to see Lance coming toward them but soon he disappeared into thin air leaving Louis sitting on the floor. He glanced around anxiously taking in every crevice and cranny in his office. He shot his eyes to the ceiling and recognized the flawless finish. Mike and Harvey were looking at him. He winced. The stench of copper filled his nostrils. The warm stickiness of his own blood felt like a thin blanket upon his chest. When he went to examine the damage there was no blood, no torn clothing, just a nicely pressed suit.

The elder lawyer noticed their looks but instead he focused on Mike. He fidgeted slightly as he thought up what to say to avoid oncoming abuse.

"Do not worry about those files," Louis stated seriously. "You do not have to do them. I am sure you have plenty to do. I'll work on my own from now on. Mike, I have no authority. I should know my petty work is beneath you. I won't ask you for anything again. I won't fight you anymore. Just…please don't hurt me…I can't. Spare me."

Mike sighed. "Louis…I can complete the work…and ask for your place. Your place is my boss. And no one is here to hurt you."

Louis bit his lip as he felt a new wave of panic fall upon him. The vampire had to be lying. After all Lance had stated Mike was a great actor. There was no way he meant what he said. Vampires were gaining control now…it was up to Louis to appease them to survive.

"I will not fight you, Mike. I can't fight you. You know I can't…please I'll do anything...you can do whatever you want…I won't interfere."

Harvey groaned. "Listen Louis, Mike is trying to get you to calm the heck down. And you need to forget whatever crap that stupid vampire put in your head. This is Pearson-Hardman a place of work not some psych ward where you can pace the floors."

Mike shot a look at Harvey. "Harvey…do you know how offensive that is?"

Harvey smirked clearly unaware of this.

Louis sighed as he fought off dizziness. "Lance told me you'd sell me out when the vampires over throw the city. I didn't believe him. I told him Harvey hated me but…he would never turn me over like that. All along he was right though. Jessica won't miss me when I leave…if I disappear. No one will miss me."

Harvey frowned. "Now wait just a minute. You aren't talking about quitting again are you? No one here is quitting. I don't have time for this, Mike. I have a new client that I can't understand. This potential client is speaking some old vampire language. I need you to translate. Now…I'm calling Harold in here and he is going to keep you company, Louis, while I grab Mike."

Mike shook his head. "Harold is too nervous Harvey. He is going to make Louis extra anxious."

"I don't particularly care at this moment," Harvey stated. "I'll care after this client."

"I'm sorry Louis…I have to go," Mike called out to the male as he tried to help him off the ground.

The elder whimpered as the younger's hand reached out to him. "I didn't mean to offend you…please don't hurt me. See…I'll do my own work, I know my place. I won't ask again…just please…please leave me alone. Please."

Louis scrambled from Mike's reach and then softly placed himself back into his seat. He looked nervously at Mike as if he was awaiting further instructions. Mike frowned realizing Louis was frightened beyond belief. He gave the elder an assuring smile before he turned to follow Harvey out into the hall. As they headed over to Harvey's office Mike glared at the elder for his lack of concern.

"You might as well just move in with him," Harvey commented off handily. "He practically can't live without you."

Mike frowned. "You are jealous."

"No, I'm concerned. He was on a whole another plane just now Mike. I don't know if you understand what just happened here. Being around you sends him into a panic attack. The Dr…is nothing but a witch doctor with hocus pocus magic. I don't see any results…if anything Louis is worse."

"Dr. Earlstein said he'd be afraid of me."

"That wasn't fear Mike. That was…hard to describe," Harvey paused as he pondered. "You do realize Litt told you that you could do whatever you want? He didn't mean just the files. He very clearly meant his life. You and I both know that he was submitting to you and you ignored it. I mean you can do whatever you like? 'I won't fight you anymore'. 'Please don't hurt me'. How could you not see he was beyond fear? He was in hysterics. If you asked him for blood...he would be fearful but I know for a fact he would be quick to obey. He already thinks vampires are in charge around here. I wouldn't be surprised if that was what that ridiculous vampire told him."

Mike winced. "Lance told him to just give up over the time he had him. I've picked out traces of his memories and…it is awful Harvey…the thoughts in his head. He told him "His life is no longer his own" and a bunch of other crap. Lance just put all this terrible rot in Louis's head…so on top of PTSD he is suffering from some strange delusions. He thinks you are planning to hand him over and that I'm no better than Lance."

Harvey sighed heavily.

"On the bright side," Mike stated quietly. "Mr. Augustine called and wanted to thank us again."

Harvey nodded quietly.

"Greg was worried you know that they would send him back to his real family," Mike continued. "Who would have known that the dad and mom were not as nice as we thought? People surprise you."

When they arrived in his office he dialed a number quietly and handed off the phone to Mike.

"Talk to him."

Mike nodded as he began discussing with the vampire in a language Harvey never heard of. A few times Mike clicked his tongue as a response which intrigued him. He would have to ask the male what that meant later. He placed the cordless phone back in its base.

"Well we have a new client now. How did you understand him before?" Mike asked curiously.

"He was speaking perfect English and then I asked him about the problem and he began speaking another language."

Mike nodded understanding. "He must have been angry…so since we are a firm that accepts vampire clients…does that mean I no longer need to keep this a secret?"

"Which secret? The secret about you not being a Harvard graduate? Or that you are a vampire?"

Mike eyed Harvey who smirked.

"Mike, we just started accepting vampire clients. Jessica doesn't know about you. I put you on the case last time because I do know about you. I don't know what they'll think but…it is up to you I guess. I can't possibly receive grief about it now…with all the vampire love in the air."

"Vampire love," Mike chuckled.

Harvey gave him a look. "Do not repeat my words. What is going on with this client?"

"First of all this client is young, very young," he commented. "I can tell because the language is broken…there is slang in there."

"Younger than you?" Harvey asked a single brow raised in question.

Harvey was still uncertain of Mike's real age.

Mike smiled all fangs. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

The elder shook his head at the vampire before asking him to continue. One day he would find out how old Mike was. It was one of the many things he still needed to figure out about him. Abruptly Harold appeared in the doorway looking around curiously with his arms clamped by his side. His eyes were wide as if he had seen something he didn't wish to see.

"Uh…Mike."

Mike looked to the male and frowned. "Harold? What are you doing here? You are supposed to be with Louis."

He frowned as he scratched the back of his head. "Louis told me to get out and then he started sobbing. I asked him what was wrong…and then he threw his chair at me. What is going on?"

"A chair? How did Louis lift a chair?" Harvey asked incredulously.

Mike glared at Harvey before arising. "Coming."

Mike followed closely after Harold while Harvey shook his head. The client's case was an interesting one. Apparently he was denied a job he qualified for due to being a vampire. It was a song as old as time except for the vampire wanted to become a professor at this prestigious university. He sighed heavily. Jessica was right soon it would be just 'us…no vampires versus humans'…well not out of court that is.

He leant back in his chair softly as he spun a pencil between his fingers. Despite all the change happening in Pearson and Hardman there was still the matter of Louis. How the lawyer hit rock bottom was such an astonishing situation. At times he wondered if an institute could better serve the elder male's needs. It wasn't to say they would drop him in an asylum and throw away the key. Mike promised up and down Pearson and Hardman that the man would recover. But what if he didn't? What if this Louis was the new Louis? What then? Would they adapt as usual? Or would sacrifices for the good of the firm have to be made? The entire concept was stressing to him. He had enough on his plate as a lawyer.

Casually he glanced at his cellular device. Curiosity got the better of him. He typed in the word "Short-Term Mental Institutions" and was surprised to find so many options. After looking into two he closed out of the pages. For a few minutes he felt guilty for even considering this for his colleague but he squashed the feeling. It wasn't in his authority to be checking out mental institutions anyway. He focused on his work. It was a thought he would consider later.

HEY INTERNET READERS! Long time no read… (I know terrible joke). Anyway hope I haven't kept you all waiting too much. Now you have it the tenth chapter and I know, I know Harvey's musings are a bit upsetting but you'll have to wait to see about his line of thinking…if he ever thinks like that again…who knows? Anyway I want to thank Anonymous Reviewer again for the review. I appreciate it a lot. Also want to thank all the followers/favorites/viewers! Thank you all for continuing on with this story! Have a nice day/night! Thanks again.

Until Next Chapter,
Bye