Despite the unbearably long shift earlier, Mike hadn't managed to get much sleep besides a few hours here and there. He'd gone to bed at 7PM, tossed and turned until midnight, fit in a nightmare between it all, and woke up at 4AM, unable to go back to sleep.
His mind had wandered back to the stricken nightclub. The images of so many dead bodies piled on top of each other were as disturbing as if they had come straight out of the war zone. As Lenny's warning about the aftereffects of the trauma associated with processing the scene resonated in his ears, Mike couldn't help but worry about his partner.
Part of him had expected the outcome, knowing that it was Steve's deep sense of caring that ironically caused a lot of the tension and anxiety he'd witnessed the previous day. The other part couldn't help but wonder just what else the young Inspector was hiding from him when it came to his friendship with Hank Flick, a man he'd secretly requested an R&I jacket from. Although it was their standard operating procedure regardless, it wasn't necessary to throw that tidbit in Steve's lap and get his gears working even harder.
With a renewed sense of hope that today would bring them closer to solving a case that had drawn international attention by now, Mike entered the busy Homicide bullpen, not at all surprised to see some of the detectives still there from the previous night, filling in for the staffing gaps when it was needed the most.
Smiling in gratitude as he walked past the desks manned with weary-faced officers digging through mountains of files or making phone calls to the other side of the country, Mike almost overlooked the slumped figure sitting in Steve's guest chair, the mere sight causing his stomach to cramp.
"Mister Flick? What are you doing here?"
As he kept the man in his peripheral vision, Mike hung up his overcoat and fedora, before helping himself to some coffee, adding cream and sugar while trying to ignore the stench of cigarettes and dire need for a shower coming from the delicate, and visibly hung-over man.
"I am sorry, Lieutenant, I don't mean to be a pest. I was just waiting for Stephen Jacob to come in."
There it was again.
That irritating used of his partner's first and middle name. And no matter how often Steve justified it, something struck him as awfully odd about it, too intimate for his liking.
"Well, to be perfectly honest, I am not sure when he'll be in. I told him to get some rest, he was pretty exhausted after yesterday's events.", Mike said truthfully and sipped on his coffee, as he glanced over at Hank beyond the rim of his cup, "Is there something I can help you with in the meantime?"
He knew the answer long before the other man shook his head insecurely.
"No, that's alright. I can wait a bit longer."
And herein laid the exact foundation for his worries.
There was something Hank wanted from his partner, something beyond the need to discuss the murder case involving his nightclub. Disconcertingly enough, Mike had a foreboding hunch when it came to that matter.
"Mister Flick, can I talk to you in private for a moment?"
"I…I guess so."
Following the gesture to enter his office, Mike waited until the other man sat down in his guest chair, then cleared his throat.
"Mister Flick, Stephen tells me you two go quite a ways back."
With an eager nod, Hank over crossed one knee, and twirled his foot back and forth in nervous agitation, the unusual red sequin shoes reflecting what little sunlight came through the shades of Mike's office windows.
"We do. I remember him arresting me at the Townsend Tavern like it was yesterday. I knew back then there was something special about him, the way he cares about people. And then he shows up at the hospital, expressing his regret for what happened. You see, in all this, he never condemned me for being homosexual. Not once. He treated me with the same courtesy and respect as everyone else. People like Stephen Jacob…they're rare."
Mike nodded as he sat down on the corner of his desk, intentionally getting closer into the other man's personal space, hoping some pressure would help pry the truth out of him.
"I am glad you realize that Mister Flick, because, you see, Steve cares greatly about his job here in homicide. He's a very well trained professional and has an outstanding connection to the people in this community and beyond. I am proud to call him my partner. And best friend."
Mike knew the trick had worked when he saw the other man's expression turn guarded, almost jealous, then insecure, as he fidgeted with the buttons on his brown corduroy jacket.
"Yeah, he's a…he's a hell of a guy, eh?"
Smiling, as he closed in the trap, Mike carefully reached over to tap the other man's shoulder, a move that caused him to flinch slightly.
"He sure is. But you know, here's my concern about this situation. Steve wants to solve this murder case as much as anybody else here in the department. But he can't put all his focus into this investigation, if he keeps getting distracted by the needs of others. You see, his biggest problem is that he cares too much sometimes, and he wants to save the whole world. And it tears him apart if he can't. Even worse, it puts a big monkey wrench in his head, distracting his thinking…and that's a very dangerous thing in our chosen line of work. As his partner, I rely on him to keep me safe, just as he relies on me to keep him safe. But how can he do that if his mind is all worked up worrying about everybody else who comes in here and wants a part of his attention? Worst case, all this frenzy could get him killed. Now, you don't want that, do you?"
Despite the vigorous headshake, Hank hadn't taken his eyes off the Lieutenant, searching for a crack in his wall of unreadable professionalism and emotional distance. When he didn't find it, he glanced back down at the delicate interwoven hands covering much of his trembling knee, falling quiet for many long moments.
"No, Lieutenant, I obviously don't want for anything to happen to Stephen Jacob. Or you for that matter. It's just that…a lot has happened with Barry being gone and…well…he's the only one I can trust. He gets it, you know?"
"I do, believe me.", Mike said too fast and exhaled slowly, as he danced around the 800-pound gorilla in the room, "How well did you and Barry get along? Steve tells me you two were together for a while."
The question did the job in throwing the other man off guard and he shrugged, then licked his lips as he pondered the answer.
"Well…we'd been together for about…oh I'd say six years. I met him shortly after I…I went to jail and all that mess happened. The bar kept us busy and ironically, sometimes I felt that it kept us together too. He'd be there at night, I did afternoons. We had a long-distance relationship of sorts and it worked out well. Because you see, Barry could be pretty overbearing at times, highly possessive, in-your-face about things. He could be rude, and careless, not worrying about other people's feelings. It caused tensions between us in the past but I guess…I guess every couple has those issues."
"Mhm hm."
Mike could sense the sadness radiating from the other man, regret even. It was a heartbreaking scenario regardless of how the cards were falling; leaving a lonely man looking for companionship amongst the burning ruins surrounding his entire existence.
And his partner right in the middle of this mess.
It was a situation he was about to change.
"Could I tell you something, Mister Flick?"
The polite request made the other man relax somewhat, his tense shoulders sagging just a bit as he nodded quietly.
"Now you see, I have been around the block a few times over the years, and I guess…I am worried that what you see in your friendship with Steve isn't what he sees in it. As you know very well yourself, Steve is extremely compassionate; he'll give anybody in need the shirt off his back."
Mike swallowed hard when he saw his partner enter the bullpen, woefully unaware of the guest in his office and the uncomfortable tension Hank's presence caused. Thankfully, halfway toward his desk, Tanner pulled the young Inspector aside, relaying some case information that felt much like a salvation considering the awkward discussion Mike was having about him next door.
"I am just afraid that his natural kindness may have unintentionally sent the wrong message, especially in a case where a lot of drama and emotions are involved. Unfortunately, situations like that can become very complicated and cause hurt feelings that nobody wants. I guess…what I am trying to say is…don't destroy the relationship you have with Stephen now by trying to turn it into something that isn't there, Mister Flick."