This is the first chapter of a multi-chapter fanfiction where Jessica Pearson and Harvey Specter adopt Mike Ross. However, these two are not in a relationship.
I am French Canadian and I did not beta'd read it. If there is any mistakes I should know about, let me know in a review.
This chapter contains death.
Disclaimer: I do not own Suits or the characters
"Don't worry about it, Nina" Jessica told her old friend over the phone in her office "Mike and I are going to have a blast tonight. Enjoy your date with James, we're going to be just fine."
"I know, I'm just worried, we haven't had a date night in forever and I don't know how Mike's going to react."
The two women were friends since high school and even the years passing by couldn't separate them. Their relation has been even stronger when Nina got pregnant of her son and named Jessica as a godmother.
"I love Mike and he loves me. You are going to go to see Hamilton on Broadway, then you are going to catch a dinner at this fancy restaurant I told you about. After that, you will have the house all to yourselves to do what you want, whether it is having sex or sleeping late because you won't have a 4 years old child jumping at 6 in the morning to watch cartoons." Jessica heard her friend laugh on the other side of the phone.
"Yeah, you're right. I must get back to work. I'll be dropping Mike off at 6 tonight." Nina told her.
"Of course. Can't wait to see you and my wonderful godson."
"Bye Jess see you later" Nina hung up the phone.
The managing partner at Pearson-Hardman returned to her work. She then saw a figure in the doorway of her office, watching her.
"Harvey, since when can you listen to my private conversation." She said, her eyes focus on the file on her desk.
"Since when do you have a private life?" the senior partner answered." Beside you never mentioned having a godson."
"Do you have a godson, Harvey?" Her employee looked at her awkwardly. "You don't want to tell me, and I don't really care."
"You know it's the same thing you told me when I learned you were married to Quentin." Harvey told her smugly.
"Well, I guess you never learn to keep your head out of my business. Now, what can I do for you?"
Harvey explained to her the latest details of the merger between two of his clients. It was a pretty big deal that the law firm would largely benefit. He then left her office leaving her alone.
She started packing her things at 5 when Harvey re-entered her office, bringing new information.
"Whoa! You're leaving at 5 tonight? What's the occasion?" He exclaimed, rather surprised.
"I have a date" Jessica said, matter-of-factly.
"Wouldn't be with your wonderful godson?" he asked, seeing right through her.
She just smiled as she continued to pack her stuff. "Unless Lincoln Industry is planning on beginning WW3, I don't want to hear it. I'm sure you can deal with this yourself or it can wait tomorrow." She put on her scarf and left without a glance to her senior partner.
"Enjoy your night!" She heard him shout behind her.
As soon as she arrived at her house, Jessica started to make her famous homemade pizza which Mike adored more than anything. She was sure half the pleasure he had coming at her house was eating everything she cooked for him. She then set up her guest room for Mike to sleep in.
At exactly 6 pm, there was a knock at the door, following by little giggles from outside. When Jessica opened the door, she saw little Mike grinning -like always- with his mother Nina. The 4 years old child was standing with his backpack full of clothes and toys for the night. He was holding colorful flowers in his small little hands.
"Aunt Jessica! These are for you" he said, handing the flowers to his godmother while jumping up and down.
"Mike, they are really beautiful"
"The florist said they were roses, orchids, daffodils and gerberas" Mike was incredibly curious about things and he was remarkably smart. He had begun preschool in the fall and his teacher never fell to tell his parents how good he was.
"Thank you so much, come and help me look for a vase." Jessica told him, making him and Nina enter her house.
"It is not much but I wanted to give you something to thank you for looking after Mike tonight." Nina told her.
"You didn't have to give me anything. I love spending the night with Mike." Jessica smiled at her friend. She then turned to her godson "Mike, come say goodbye to your mother, she is leaving"
Mike had found mugs in her cabinets and he was putting one flower in each mug and aligning them on the kitchen counter. When he heard his name being called, he came running and crashed into his mother's legs, hugging her. "Bye Mommy. See you tomorrow."
"Bye Mikey, I'll see you tomorrow. I love you and be good for Jessica." Nina told him, hugging him back.
"I love you too" he answered, letting go of her to let her leave. He then went back to his flowers.
Jessica walked Nina to the door. "Be careful tonight. I think there is a snowstorm coming our way tonight." She told her long-time friend.
"Of course, Jess we will. Call us if there's anything." The two women bid their goodbyes and Nina left Jessica's house.
The managing partner went back to the kitchen only to find out that Mike had run out of mugs to use for his flowers and he had found glasses to put his flowers.
"Mike, how about we put all of the flowers inside one big vase?" Jessica asked him.
"But aunt Jessica, the flowers need lots of water for the photosynthesis to happen!"
How Mike knew about this word, Jessica didn't know but she couldn't help but chuckle at him.
Jessica was in the middle of a magnificent dream where she was kicking Hardman's butt out of the firm. She had Harvey Specter and Louis Litt by her sides as the new partners of the firm.
She was giving a speech about how Hardman had stolen millions of dollars of the firm's money when she heard her cellphone ringtone. Slowly waking up, she searched on her nightstand the buzzing device till she found it.
"Hello" she answered with a sleepy voice.
"Miss Pearson, this is Dr. David from the Bellevue Hospital Center. Sorry to wake you but there has been an emergency concerning Nina Ross and her husband and you need to come soon seeing as you are their emergency contact."
It took a moment for Jessica to fully realized what the doctor was saying, but as soon as the words registered in her brain, she was up and putting clothes on.
"What happened?" she asked the doctor. She had a bad feeling about all of this.
"I would prefer not to tell you over the phone, but they were involved in a car crash and they require medical care."
"Of course, I'll be there soon with their son Mike." She then hung up the phone. She went to the guest room where Mike was sleeping. He was surrounded by the toys he had brought last night. He had thrown a fit the night before because he wanted his Mommy and Jessica had allowed him to sleep with his toys.
She went by his side and shook him awake. He stirred silently. "Mike, I need you to wake up now and get dressed. We have somewhere to be."
"Where?" he asked, sleepily.
Jessica didn't know how much she could tell him. She didn't know much herself. "There has been an accident. We need to go and see your parents."
Mike's baby blue eyes filled with tears. "Mommy? Daddy? What happened?"
"I don't know, sweetheart" Jessica answered honestly.
She got him to put on a shirt and pants. She then put on his coat and scarf and they were good to go.
Jessica was happy that she had already a car seat and she got Mike buckled up. She then went behind the wheels and got started.
They arrived at the hospital 30 minutes later when normally, it would have taken 15 minutes because of the terrible weather. Mike had spent the entire way asking question about what had happened and when he realized he wouldn't know, he started crying. He then fell asleep in his car seat. With a sleeping Mike in her arms, Jessica went to the first nurse station she saw.
"I came to see Nina and James Ross. I am Jessica Pearson, their emergency contact." The nurse looked at her and then did a search on her computer.
"They're both in ICU for the moment. They were in a severe car crash. If you wait right here, I'll send Dr. David to see you and tell you more."
Jessica followed her instruction with Mike still in her arms. He still had tears tracks on his cheeks. He looked so peacefully. She knew whatever the doctor would tell them, this peaceful look would disappear. She also knew that, whatever happened, she would be with him till his parents would get better and take care of him.
It wasn't long before a blond doctor walk through the waiting room and went straight to Jessica.
"Miss Pearson?" he asked.
"Yes, that would be me. And this Mike Ross, Nina's and James' son." She said, gesturing to the small boy still sleeping in her arms.
"Follow me this way." Dr. David gestured.
Jessica came behind him. "What happened to the Ross?" she asked the question that has been burning her tongue ever since she arrived.
"Their car was percussed by a truck. What we understood is that the road was icy, and the truck couldn't stop and crashed into Nina's and James' car." Dr. David told her before continuing. "They are both in ICU, I'm not going to lie to you, it's not looking too good. Right now, I am afraid that we are fearing for Mr. James Ross' life. As for Nina's, she's more stable but she's not out of the woods."
Jessica instinctively brought Mike closer to her and hugged him hard. She couldn't believe it. Her friends were in danger and she had to stay strong for the little boy in her arms.
"What now?" she asked the doctor.
"You can go and check on your friends. I can make sure a nurse look after young Mike. I think it's better for him not to see them for now."
"Of course," Jessica said. Just at the same time, Mike begun to stir.
"Mommy" he whined
Jessica tried to get him to go back to sleep, but soon enough, Mike was wide awake, and he was looking everywhere around him looking for his parents. The young boy soon realized where he was, and he became agitated. Jessica tried to sooth him. "Mike, calm down. You're going to go with a nurse, she's going to show you around."
"Mommy? Daddy?" Mike called, still not fully understanding what was happening. He wiggled to try and get out of Jessica's arms. She put him on the floor on his feet and looked in his eyes.
"Mike, I need you to stay calm. I'm going to see what happened with your parents and then I'll come and get you."
Dr. David took Mike's hand and led him to the nurse station before the boy could say something.
Jessica stood there watching through the glass doors of the ICU. She couldn't spot her friends. She thought about how her world was about to change if they died. It was a real possibility and she needed to face it.
Dr. David returned, without Mike. "I'll show Mr. Ross first and then we'll go and see Mrs. Ross" the doctor told Jessica pushing the doors open. They headed to the second bed on the right. There was a curtain around it and Dr. David went through. Jessica followed him.
She couldn't have possibly prepared for what she saw on the other side. James was lying there, looking lifeless. He was extremely pale, and he had tubes and machines everywhere around him. He had long cuts on his face. The doctor began talking to her. "The truck hit James' side of the car. He took most of the impact. He has broken vertebras, but we are most worried about the major hit he took to the head. His most recent scan showed minor brain activity. We are not able to determine when or if Mr. Ross will wake up. I'm so sorry Miss Pearson." While the doctor was talking, Jessica couldn't help but look at James. She realized how close to death he was. Her eyes filled with tears. She had known James for almost a decade and she always pictured him in her life along with Nina and Mike.
Jessica turned to the doctor. "I need to see Nina" she decided. Dr. David walked to the other bed right beside James'. He pulled the curtain open and Jessica followed him to her friend's bedside. She looked better than James, but she still was not out of the woods. Jessica took her friend's hand in hers. She was cold to the touch.
"Mrs. Ross suffered has a few broken ribs and one that punctured one of her lungs. Also, one piece of glass of the crash impaled her and it affected her heart. She had multiple internal bleedings and we could stop them, but we don't know for sure she has not more. We are hoping that she will wake up in a few hours." The doctor cited all of Nina's injuries. Jessica took a seat beside her friend, still holding her hand. "I know you want to stay close to your friends, but they will need to rest. I suggest that you get home maybe catch some sleep and find someone to look after Mike before coming back." The doctor instructed. Jessica could only nod her head, still looking at Nina's pale and cold skin. She was shocked to see her friend, usually always happy and full of life, on an hospital bed, close to death.
Dr. David put a hand on her shoulder as a sign of comfort. The lawyer got back on her feet and went to the nurse station without looking behind her. She had to stay strong for Nina and James but especially for Mike. With that in mind, she went to find the little boy. He was sitting in a chair in front of the nurse station, reading a medical magazine.
"Hey Mike, we need to go" Jessica told him. He looked up from his magazine.
"Where are Mommy and Daddy?" He asked, looking straight at Jessica.
The managing partner went to him and crouched down to his level. "The doctors are doing what they can to make them feel better. Right now, we need to go to my house, we'll pick some things and I'll drop you off at my special friend's home."
Mike began to whine at hearing the plans. "Nooooo, I wanna see Mommy." His eyes filled with tears.
Jessica didn't know how to handle the boy's emotions. She didn't know what would happen and she didn't want to upset him more than needed. Losing both of his parents at a young age would be the hardest thing to happen.
"Mike, I need you to listen to me. We can't do anything tonight. We are going to get some rest at home and then we will see what happens." She took the little boy's hand and lead him out of the hospital. He had tears rolling down his cheeks silently. Jessica's heart broke at the sight. She wanted to make everything better, but nothing she would say could make this better. She put him in his car seat drove carefully to her house. The snowstorm was still at full blast. Jessica checked a few times in her rear-view mirror to make sure Mike was still all right. By the time she arrived at her house, Mike had stopped crying and he was looking silently through the window. She got him out and lead him to her guest bedroom. His toys were still everywhere on the bed. The little boys must have been exhausted because he laid down on the bed and closed his eyes wordlessly.
Jessica picked up his backpack and started to put his scattered toys inside the bag. She then closed the door to the room and went to take a hot shower. She knew she needed the sleep, but she also knew she wouldn't be able to get any sleep till the morning. It was nearly 5 in the morning and she couldn't do head back to the hospital before 7 am. She might as well get some work done. After her shower she got dressed and headed to her home office. She tried for 30 minutes to work on her briefs, but her mind still wandered to her friends in the hospital. She couldn't sit with her arms crossed and do nothing. She got up and headed to the guest bedroom where Mike was sleeping. She approached the bed and saw that he had a frown on his face. His breath was more laboured. Probably a nightmare. Jessica ran a hand through his hair and got beside him on the queen-size bed. Instantly, his features softened, and his breathing became normal.
Jessica stayed there, lying next to him and running a hand through his hair. She made a vow to herself. Whatever would happen in the next few hours, she would always be by Mike's side. He was now her number one priority, even if it costed her career.
They laid in bed for an hour or two, Jessica dozing off from time to time. When Mike started to stir, it was 7 am. Jessica got up with him and she got started on breakfast. She made them toast with peanut butter and an orange juice for Mike, a coffee for herself.
"Are we going to see Mommy and Daddy?" Mike asked as he was eating.
Jessica swallowed her coffee before answering "I need you to stay with my friend for today and then we'll see later how they are doing. They need a lot of rest." She explained to the little boy.
Mike nodded his head, even though he did not agree with what Jessica was telling him. He finished his toast and went to get changed. Jessica put the dishes in the sink and went to get dressed herself.
They met at the front door 20 minutes later, Mike with his backpack full of toys.
"You're going to stay with Donna and Harvey while I go to the hospital" Jessica explained, and Mike nodded his head.
The managing partner got the boy in his car seat and they left for the Pearson Hardman law firm.
Jessica led him directly to Harvey's office. Donna was at her own office, and Jessica went to see her first. "Donna, I need you to show Mike around the office while I talk to Harvey."
"Of course, Jessica. It will be my pleasure." The secretary took Mike's little hand in hers and started to show him. "So, Mike, would you like to see the file room?" Jessica heard them chatter as she entered Harvey Specter's office.
"What do I owe the pleasure?" He asked when he saw Jessica entering his office.
"I need you to keep an eye on Mike for today. His parents were in a car crash last night and they're both wound up."
"Doesn't he have a nanny you can call? We are not babysitters, Donna and I." Harvey wasn't very found of kids. As a lawyer, he knew how to put children's interest first, but he never really has the desire to have some of his own.
"Mike doesn't have a nanny. And I don't want him in the hand of someone I can't trust right now. He needs someone who will entertain him for the day." Jessica answered him. "Besides, I think you do owe me one for all the times I got you out of trouble."
Harvey wasn't happy with the idea, but he had to admit Jessica was right. "Alright, but I need to get some work done too. So, I'm afraid he'll have to stay with Donna too."
"As long as you keep the kid happy, I'm good with that." Jessica left his office. Mike was just coming back from his grand tour of the place.
"Aunt Jessica! I saw the big library! And there was a room with a lot of files, and I met someone named Louis!" Mike was the happier Jessica had seen him since she had woken him up the night before.
"That's awesome kiddo! Listen, I got to go. You'll be good for Donna and Harvey, right?"
Mike nodded his head and went to fish something in his backpack. He got a teddy bear out and gave it to Jessica.
"Can you give this to Mommy and Daddy? Teddy will make them feel better, like he makes me feel better" he asked with big blue eyes.
Jessica could not refuse him. The boy had his heart on his sleeve. She took the bear with a sad smile. "Of course, Mikey. I'm sure your parents are going to be happy to see Teddy." She said.
Donna was looking at the interaction with a smile. She could tell it was a serious situation, or Jessica wouldn't have put the little boy in their care. She had known Mike or a little over 15 minutes, but she could already tell he was smart and curious. He liked to read and to learn things. Harvey and she wouldn't have any problem at keeping him entertain for the day. Even tough Harvey had seemed reluctant to take care of him, Donna knew the senior partner will appreciate Mike's company.
Jessica hugged the little child and bid her goodbyes to Mike. She glanced at Harvey through the glass doors, wordlessly telling him to take good care of the boy.
"I'll phone if there is anything." The managing partner said and left the building.
Mike watched her leave. Donna could tell the little boy had a heavy heart, but he kept it together despite his young age. "Come on, Mike. Let's do some puzzle" she had noticed there was a few in his backpack so the kid must like it. He nodded his and took out a 500 pieces-puzzle. "Wow, this is some grown up puzzle you got there little Mike" Donne couldn't help but be impressed by the boy. She led him inside Harvey's office and got him settled on the glass table under the watchful eyes of one Harvey Specter.
Donna introduced the two men. "Mike, this is Harvey. Harvey, this is Mike, Jessica's godson. Be good, boys" she then left Harvey's office to go back to work, but she made herself a mental note to check on Mike from time to time.
The senior partner looked up from his brief to look inspect the kid. He was short and kind of skinny but not in an unhealthy way. He had dirty blond hair and baby blue eyes that probably could get him anything. The kid was looking at him, probably waiting for some kind of instructions.
"You play there quietly and maybe I'll show you my baseball collection" the attorney didn't know why he made that promises. He never let anyone see let alone touch his collections. There was something about the child that made Harvey want to wrap him in a bubble.
The kid smiled and shyly got to work and his puzzle. Seeing that Mike was busy and silent, Harvey got back to work.
It was an hour later that Harvey realized that he had completely forgotten about the child in his office. He had been quiet all morning and had not bothered the attorney once.
Harvey looked up from his brief and saw that the kid was reading a law book. The closer got up to his feet and went to see him. "Hey, this is some grown-up book you're reading, it must be boring." The kid jumped at the voice. He looked up at Harvey from his spot on the couch.
"No, I love to read" Mike answered simply.
"Well, what does it say?" Mike was reading the BarBri Legal Handbook. Harvey knew it was a hard book to understand and while the child was reading the words, he probably was not understanding them.
"It says "Civil liability associated with agency is based on several factors, including the deviation of the agent from his path, the reasonable inferene of agency on behalf of the plaintiff, and the nature of the damages themselves."" Mike answered the lawyer.
Harvey had a hard time keeping his mouth from gaping at the kid. He just recited word by word the law book!
"Well, you have a good memory" the lawyer praised. Mike just shrugged his shoulders. "I think you were enough of a good boy to show you the basketball Michael Jordan signed for me last month" Harvey watched as Mike's eyes got bigger and were shining.
Donna looked up from her computer and saw the two men smiling and laughing with each other while looking at Harvey' sport collection. She couldn't help but smile at them. She knew deep down that Harvey was able to have feelings.
Jessica was sitting by Nina's bedside. The hospital had moved Nina from the ICU to a private chamber earlier. She had her friends' hand in hers. He other hand was clutching Mike's teddy bear. The managing partner was silently crying. They had pronounced James' death a little over an hour ago. Dr. David had come to her when she arrived at hospital telling her that the men was brain dead and he didn't have a chance to wake up. It destroyed Jessica. The car crash had destroyed Mike's chance to have a father and Nina's husband. Jessica couldn't believe it. She was feeling a lot of emotions and didn't know how to handle them.
Jessica also had the task to tell Mike. The little boy's life would be changed forever, and nothing would bring back his father. He would have to grown up fatherless. No one would be with him when he won his first baseball match, when he graduated school and when he got married. All of that had been robbed from him.
Jessica never believed in God or in any religions, but she couldn't help but pray for the first time in her life. She prayed for Mike's wellness, for Nina's recovery, for all of this to be a bad dream. She wouldn't be able to go through everything alone and she needed an exterior force. If God really existed, he would make everything better because Nina and Mike were good people and good people deserved the best.
She was in the middle of a prayer when she felt Nina's hand move under hers. Jessica immediately tightened her hold on the hand and called a nurse by pressing a button. Nina's eyes moved under her eyelids and it was clear she was about to wake up. A nurse came in and checked the patient's vital.
"Mrs. Ross, can you open your eyes for me?" the nurse called. Nina's eyes just moved faster.
"Come on, Nina, you can wake up" Jessica encouraged.
They heard a groan from the patient. A few moments later, Nina slowly opened her eyes and looked around her.
"Mike" she called, weakly.
"He's with a friend. He is all right" Jessica reassured her.
It was clear that Nina was in a lot of pain. She had difficulty to breath correctly.
"Take care of him" Nina said, looking straight at Jessica's eyes. She then started to close her eyes and Jessica saw on the heart monitor that her heartbeat was slowing.
"No no no no, you will get better and you will take care of Mike" Jessica's eyes filled with tears. She was feeling her friend was giving up. Beside her, the nurse was calling a doctor and trying everything she could to save Nina's life.
Nina took one last look at Jessica before falling unconscious.
The next moments were a blur in Jessica's mind. Doctors entered the room and gently but firmly pushed Jessica out of the room. She got to the waiting room.
Later in the day, you could see a doctor entering the waiting room looking for Jessica Pearson, Nina Ross' emergency contact. He would her tell her how there was complications in Nina's recovery and she unfortunately didn't make it. The women in front of the doctor would break down. The doctor would offer his sympathy, but nothing would comfort the women.
Jessica had just lost her friend and her husband. But more importantly, this couple had a young son and this little one would never have the same life again. Jessica felt sadness, but it would be nothing when Mike heard the news. His whole life, he had been with his parents and they adored him. Now, he was an orphan.
But Jessica wouldn't let Mike alone. Never in a thousand year. It was her duty to take him under her wing. From now on, nothing would happen to Mike Ross. She would make sure of that, over anything in her life, including her successful career.