Chapter Four: Burst Pipes

The fact that Harvey and Mike won their case and brought a new client to the firm did not mean that luck was on the young associate's side. The complete opposite was true. Firstly, Rachel seemed to be pissed at him for some obscure reason. Then Louis paid him back for Harvey's previous stunt by dumping a load of files on him. After that, when he tried to get on his bike he promptly fell to the floor; the chain had snapped. When he finally got home it was to a dark, cold, and very wet apartment. It seemed since he'd been at work one of the pipes in the bathroom had burst and completely flooded his home in cold water.

A glance told Mike that there wasn't much that was salvageable. Thankfully, the more valuable items (in terms of sentimental value anything of monetary value had long since been sold to pay for Grammy's care) were on higher shelves and thus had managed to escape somewhat unscathed. Mike waded through the water as quickly as he could and opened his desk draw. He gave out a sigh of relief when he saw that his Victorinox SwissChamp Swiss Army Knife was perfectly ok. It was the last thing that his father had given him before he died and while he could have sold it a while ago to help with Grammy's living costs, he could never bring himself to do that. He'd always felt a stab (no pun intended – seriously) of guilt for that. After placing the knife in his messenger bag, he went downstairs to inform Mr Jenkins the building's repairman. The irony that sod's law was coming after a lawyer was not lost on Mike.

Mr Jenkins hadn't been much help. He'd offered to fix the pipes which Mike supposed was better than nothing and he'd check the rest of the building for any similar problems. However, when it came to where he would stay and how he'd clean up the mess after he's shrugged his shoulders and suggested a hotel. Yeah. That was a great suggestion. So, after Mike had packed a bag with a few clothes and wash things he'd decided to give Harvey a call.

"If you're calling to ask me for tomorrow off the answer's no." Harvey greeted him.

"I'm calling to ask for a favour." Mike responded.

Harvey waited a few seconds but when Mike didn't elaborate he spoke.

"Well are you going to ask, or do I have to guess?"

"My apartment is flooded. One of the pipes burst."

"I'm coming to get you. You can sleep in my spare room."

Harvey hung up before Mike could utter a 'thank-you'. Well at least he was direct he'd give him that.

Mike headed downstairs and waited outside. He hoped that Ray wouldn't be too long. It was New York in November after all. The grass was frosty, and the wind was be beginning to pick up he wouldn't be surprised that if it started to snow soon. Luckily, Harvey's car pulled up by the pavement and the doors popped open. Mike entered the car and chucked his bag onto the floor of the car.

"Thank Ray." Mike thanked the driver. He was surprised to find Harvey sitting at the back of the car. He'd expected the older lawyer to stay in his penthouse where there was a tv and beer.

"You know you didn't have to come with him you know." Mike greeted.

"Yeah but then I wouldn't be able to gloat." Harvey replied.

Mike gave Harvey a hurt and confused look. Harvey decided to come all the way over here to gloat and his misfortune. Just as he thought Harvey was getting nice we undid it all with a comment like that.

"What?" He asked

"I told you to get a better place when I first hired you. Something like this was bound to happen at some point." Harvey explained.

Mike felt his cheeks flush red. He really wished that Harvey would quit talking about things related to this economic situation. He didn't grow up like Harvey did. Harvey always had money. He never had to worry about being warm or where his next meal was coming from. He'd never skipped going to the hospital because he couldn't afford the insurance. Mike however had experienced all those things. When his Grammy needed care, he didn't have the cash to spare. He'd worked three jobs just to afford it. Even then he'd eaten every other day, rationed the water and heating. He already knew how to treat illness and injuries so that helped him avoiding trips to the hospital.

"Well, I had Grammy to take care of. And if you say 'well she's dead now' I swear to God that I will…"

"Hey! Chill out! I wasn't going to say that. I wouldn't." Harvey responded.

"I'm sorry. It's just, you don't get it."

"Then explain it to me."

"You've always had money. Your parents were rich or at least well-off. When I was a kid, my parents would skip meals so that I could eat. They think that I didn't notice but as I am sure you are aware of by now, I notice everything. When I was older, and I had Grammy to take care of I had to take on three jobs just to keep my head above water. My apartment was cold and dark the majority of the time and I ate just enough to keep me alive."

"But you're being paid a decent wage now." Harvey pointed out. He made another mental note to check exactly how much. He was an associate once and though he didn't have to worry about money as Mike had since pointed out, he'd always had money.

"Yeah but old habits die hard. When you've spent a lifetime only spending the bare minimum you don't stop just because you have money now."

Harvey did not comment any further realising that the conversation was not one that either wanted to go into. At least not without the aid of some alcohol. Ray drove them up to Harvey's penthouse. The pair got out and the driver drew down the window to speak to his boss.

"Will there be anything else tonight Mr Specter?"

"No thank you, Ray. You head off home. And sorry for dragging you out this late. I'll pay you extra this month in recompense."

"No need to apologise Mr Specter. Never apologise for having a good heart. Good night Mr Specter. Mr Ross."

"You too Ray. And remember it's Harvey and Mike."

Harvey and Mike entered to lobby. Harvey greeted the man at the desk and lead Mike to the lift. Mike had been in Harvey's penthouse precisely twice before, but he was still surprised by just how large the place was. In fact, Mike was certain that his whole apartment would fit in Harvey's front room. Said front room was well furnished with a TV the size of a pool table and a fireplace that Harvey was currently stocking. It didn't take long for the fire to be cackle with warmth. It was a pleasant sight for Mike who was still feeling cold from New York's winter climate. Then there was that view. If the view from Harvey's office was spectacular, the view from his penthouse was even more so. The windows which Mike noticed had remote control blinds captured the New York skyline which now lit up, constated perfectly with the darkness of the evening sky.

"My father says there is only one perfect view, and that's the view of the sky over our heads" Mike quoted.

Harvey's response was immediate showing just why the pair worked so well together.

"I expect your father has been reading Dante."

Mike smiled. Harvey and he seemed to be on the same wavelength a majority of the time. That's why they worked so well together. He knew what Harvey wanted, he needed, where to find it and how to get it in time.

"I didn't take you to be A Room with a View fan."

"I had a girlfriend who forced me to watch it."

"Yeah. You keep telling yourself that." Mike joked.

"Let me guess you watched it all by yourself."

"I watched it with my Grammy. Listen, Harvey, thanks for this."

"Mike. You know you can always call me right? Whenever you need help."

"Thanks."

Harvey went to the kitchen and pulled out some leftover pizza from the fridge. After the brief debate about the way pizza should be served was resolved (they both agreed it should be warm) he set aside two plates. The pair ate in silence and Mike, eager to help raced to the kitchen and began washing up as soon as they were finished.

"Mike you don't have to tidy up for me." Harvey informed him slightly put off by the eagerness that Mike exhibited. Then again, Mike always seemed eager to please. He acted like disappointing Harvey was a fate worse than death for him. It was why he was nicknamed 'Puppy'.

"I learnt a lot in Foster Care. Never owe anyone a favour. No one does anything good for free."

"That's what you learnt? That everyone who helps you wants something?"

"You learnt that to Harvey."

"Yeah as a lawyer not as a child. And that's different. When it comes to cases, yeah everyone wants something. When it comes to life between friends you don't worry about that."

"That's how I survived."

"You don't need to survive anymore."

Mike shrugged as he finished cleaning and put the plates away.

"Like I said. Old habits die hard."

Harvey frowned. Mike's childhood was terrible but the way that Mike spoke about it made it seem that much worse. I learnt a lot in Foster Care. What did that mean? It seemed to Harvey that it meant Mike learnt not to trust anyone. The 'lessons' that Mike learnt were sad. They had given him a pretty skewed idea of how the world worked.

"I've made the spare room up. Get some sleep. If you are not ready by the time you leave you will have to make your own way to work. I still expect you at the firm on time."

Mike obeyed not wanting to risk Harvey kicking him out if he caused too much trouble for his boss. After a quick shower in the spare bedroom's en suite, he got dressed into his pyjamas. He spent some time analysing the room he was in. He noted the best hiding places and formed an escape plan. All of this was done in seconds. It was second nature for him now whenever he was in a new place. When you were used to blows coming left, right and centre you adapted quickly. You leant to watch your back and see a threat in every direction and how to counteract that threat.

It was about one clock in the morning when Harvey was awoken by someone wailing and shouting. After a few seconds, he managed to knock off the confusion caused by being awoken so abruptly. He then realised that the person shouting was Mike and he wasn't doing it for fun.

Harvey ran because he needed to ensure that there wasn't an intruder. If it meant that it got to him to Mike's room quicker then that was just a coincidence. He would also like it on the record that he called it 'Mike's room' because Mike was sleeping in there currently. No other reason.

Opening the door to Mike's – the spare room – Harvey noticed how much was squirming in his bed. He turned on the light then realised that he didn't know how to deal with the situation. The priority was waking Mike up. The question was: how should he do that? Should he grab him? If Harvey did that, albeit gently, he imagined it would make matters worse. Mike's fight or flight response had been triggered and would likely perceive Harvey's actions as a threat and lash out as a consequence.

Mike gave out a pained groan as he smacked his hands against a lamp. It smashed against the wall and he cuts his hands on the shards. Surprisingly he didn't wake up.

"No! Please sir! I'm sorry sir! Don't hit me! I'm sorry."

That was enough for Harvey. It didn't matter what Mike did to him. He was thrashing about violently now and had even hurt himself. He surged forward and grabbed hold of Mike in a firm but gentle grip just dodging the clumpy first that Mike sent his way.

"No!" Mike yelled sending another punch to the air which Harvey managed to duck.

"Mike! It's ok! You're safe!"

Mike still tried to escape Harvey's grip, but it was firm.

"Mike wake up! Please!" Harvey yelled.

Finally, Mike awoke. He blinked quickly, trying to work out what was happening. The brightness of the lit-up room made his eyes hurt and soon his eyes started to work, and Harvey's face came into view.

"Harvey?" Mike asked his voice soft and full of confusion "Wha' happen'?"

"You were having a nightmare."

Harvey sat next to Mike on the bed and took the young associate in his arms hugging and rocking him gently. He shushed him and whispered reassurances. He started a rhythm of rocking and whispering. "It's ok. You're all right. You're safe. It was just a nightmare."

They stayed like that for a while. Just the two of them. Suddenly everything didn't seem so scary anymore. In Harvey's arms, everything seemed all right. It was like nothing could hurt or harm him. It was only when Harvey was satisfied that Mike was calm did he speak.

"Are you all right now?" He asked Mike not letting go of the hold he had on the young man. The man seemed so young and vulnerable that he seemed like a child.

"I'm fine Ow. My hand." Mike was suddenly aware of the pain emanating from it. He didn't remember hurting it.

"You cut it on my lamp." Harvey explained.

Mike looked at the lamp, damaged beyond all repair and quickly put 2 and 2 together. He didn't get 5.

"Oh, I'm sorry Harvey! I'll pay for a replacement of course."

"It cost $2700." Harvey informed him.

"How much!? Mike asked him outraged at the thought of anyone spending that much on a lamp.

"Don't worry about the damn lamp. I didn't like that thing anyway."

Mike didn't ask why he spent that much on something he didn't like. If Harvey spent that much on a lamp he hated Mike dread to think how much he would be willing to spend on one he loved.

"Are you all right Mike?"

"I'm fine. I'm sorry for waking you up."

"No need to apologise."

Mike tried to move out of Harvey's hold and the older man let him. Neither of them commented on the fact that he had literally been cuddled and rocked by his boss. There was a silent and mutual agreement that, right now, they didn't have to talk about it.

Neither Harvey nor Mike talked both in the company of their own thoughts. Both allowed the silence. It wasn't an award silence but a comforting one.

"Now that we are awake why don't I make some hot cocoa?" Harvey asked

"Hot cocoa sounds brilliant right now." Mike agreed. While he hated having nightmares he loved that Harvey was taking care of him. He'd been having nightmares since he was 11 and this was the first time in his life that he had someone look after him after it. Usually, he was either ignored – or worse – awoken and smacked.

Not wanting to be left alone when Harvey left, Mike followed him to the kitchen and took a seat at the counter. He yawned and watched as Harvey set about making the hot chocolate, He noticed how he used milk rather than milk and even added some cream. He placed a coaster on the counter before placing the mug on top. Harvey then did the same for himself then stood behind the counter, facing Mike and took a sip.

Mike grasped the mug and let the steam hit his face. He took a few sips of the hot drink enjoying the taste and allowing it to comfort him.

"It tastes good." Mike complimented. It was more than good. It reminded him of his Grammy's hot cocoa. It was that good.

"Old family recipe." Harvey explained taking another sip.

He waited until Mike took a few more sips before he spoke.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Harvey asked.

"In a bit." Mike promised.

He polished off the rest of the hot cocoa and wiped his mouth with his hand. Harvey made a disgusted hand before he handed a packet of wipes. Mike accepted them and cleaned his face, his hands, and the countertop. Then he made knots in the wipe, playing with it.

Harvey stood slightly, waiting for Mike to talk. He'd wait all night if necessary. All he wanted was for Mike to feel comfortable and if that meant waiting a while until Mike said anything he would do just that.

Mike stopped playing with the wipe and took a deep breath before he opened his mouth. Here goes nothing he thought.

6