Anybody who reads my stories probably realizes that I don't much like putting things before or after my chapters, but I'd like to thank all of you who have pushed me to start writing my fictions again :) I would most like to thank AnimeBoyADC for making me pick up my pen (or key board) and write more for this story now :)

The drive back to Harvey's was filled with an awkward silence; as was the rest of the evening. It was spent with Mike on the couch going over the files Jessica had given them and Harvey sitting in the kitchen pretending he wasn't watching Mike as he worked. Harvey loved watching Mike when he worked because the kid would zone out. When Mike turned his brain on to full he would be too distracted to notice anything short of a bomb going off, so his boss sitting off to the side watching him was far from his notice. It hurt Harvey to watch what he knew he could never have but he couldn't help himself. He had wasted so long, maybe the whole time he had known Mike, not watching him at every chance he got, he couldn't waste it now.

When Mike did take his eyes off the papers spread out on the coffee table in front of him he quickly became aware of Harvey's eyes on him. When he turned his head to look over at him though he felt a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth. Harvey looked away quickly but not quick enough. It was enough time for Mike to have the face he was making seared into his brain. Harvey looked tired and sad, but that's not what was pulling at Mike's heart strings most, no, it was the pain he saw that was doing the pulling, or rather tearing. Harvey looked like he was in so much pain he was only moments away from breaking down, and worst of all, he had no idea why, after all, they had closed the client.

After a moment of quietly trying to figure out what was bothering Harvey, Mike gave up and decided it would be best to just ask. However, the second he opened his mouth to speak Harvey was on his feet, lawyer face back on and headed out of the room, throwing a quiet, "Night, Mike", over his shoulder.

Mike sat stunned on the couch for a while before getting his thoughts back in order. Harvey had all but ran from the room and he didn't understand why, so he spent the next few hours trying to figure it out. By the time he passed out from sheer exhaustion he hadn't really gotten anywhere beyond making himself more worried. All he had concluded was that if he thought about it, Harvey had been acting strange for a while and he had actually seen a similarly pained look on his face a few times now. Mike scolded himself when he realized he had been too lost in his own shit to notice earlier.

That was where the nightmare came from no doubt. Mike hadn't had one this bad since his parent's deaths and woke up yelling.

SUITSTIUS

After getting caught staring at Mike, Harvey had tried to pretend he hadn't been, but the second he saw Mike open his mouth he ran. He had no idea what Mike was going to say but he did know he couldn't handle whatever it was.

Harvey felt tired, not physically, or at least not only physically, but mentally and emotionally. He felt too tired to do anything so he shucked off his pants and shirt and fell into bed. He didn't fall asleep though. Instead he lay there, staring blankly out into the darkness of his room, for hours.

It only took him seconds to react to Mike's first yell. Harvey was skidding to a stop in front of the couch, his heart beating out of his chest, as Mike seemed to be waking up. Bolting up, Mike was looking around the room as he seemed to be trying to get his breathing under control. He was panicking though, and Harvey knew he was having a panic attack. Grabbing onto Mike's shoulders Harvey tried to get his attention a few times, repeating his name louder each time and shaking his shoulders slightly. When that failed Harvey sat on the couch and moved his hands up, grabbing either side of Mike's face as he forced Mike to look at him. Speaking firmly but softly, he demanded, "Mike, look at me…Michael." That got Mike to look up but he was still panicking as he grabbed onto Harvey's wrists, not moving them, but seeming to be trying to anchor himself. Harvey's breath was taken away as he realized there were tears in Mike's eyes. Harvey felt his own heart clench at the pain, fear and sadness he saw in his pups eyes, so starting to gently stroke Mike's cheeks with his thumbs Harvey brought Mike's forehead to his own as he started to whisper, "It's okay Mike, it was just a dream. Whatever it was, whatever happened, it's not real. Everything's okay."

Mike's hands tightened around Harvey's wrists as he clenched his eyes shut, and whispering brokenly, asked, "But what if it's not, what if it's real?" Harvey felt a stab of pain go through his heart at the fear in Mike's voice and didn't think twice about wrapping his arms around Mike and when Mike buried his face in Harvey's neck he only hugged the younger man tighter as he started to slowly rub circles on his back. When he felt him start to shudder with suppressed sobs he buried his own face in Mike's soft hair and started mumbling comforts while Mike clung to him. At some point Harvey started to hum which seemed to calm Mike down.

When Mike had fallen back into a restless sleep Harvey decided the best thing to do would be to carry Mike into his bedroom. After he had placed Mike on one side of the bed he spent a few moments debating whether or not he should take the other side. Eventually his exhaustion won out and he crawled into bed, sinking down into the blankets. When he heard a soft whimper from Mike he didn't even pretend to think about pulling him closer and wrapping his arms around the younger man. He told himself for the second time that this would be the last time he let himself indulge in Mike, but unlike the last time, he didn't fight the tears he felt rising to his eyes. Instead he buried his face in the younger man's hair and tried to will himself to sleep.