I originally had a different idea for this story, but then I started writing it and things got carried away. So, I hope you like it! This is my longest chapter yet!

"You're serious?"

Harvey shot Mike a glare from where he sat behind his desk. "For the last time, yes I'm serious. Why would I make something like this up?"

"Because it sounds ridiculous! You're telling me that once a year Jessica organizes a camping trip with you guys where you go into the actual woods and stay for the weekend?"

Harvey leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. "Are you having a stroke? That's what I said, so that's what's happening. And, for the record, we are not camping." He said the word like it left a bad taste in his mouth. "We're going to an expensive cabin up by Lake George, not pitching a flimsy tent in the middle of central park."

Mike laughed, the mental picture of Harvey pitching a tent now in the forefront of his mind, and sat on one of the chairs across from Harvey's desk.

"I'm just having a hard time picturing you in cargo pants and a vest, a bucket hat messing up your carefully gelled hair."

Harvey rolled his eyes. "You wouldn't catch me dead in an outfit like that. Just because I won't be wearing a suit doesn't mean I have to dress like an 80 year old man."

"Alright, fine. Ruin my fun. So, who'll be going on this trip?"

"Me, obviously, Jessica, Louis, Donna, Rachel, and you."

"Me?"

"Did you forget to take your brain pills today, kid? Yes, you. You're my associate and by default are invited on the trip."

Mike thought this over. He had never been invited to something like this before. The idea of taking a vacation, no matter what it was, was exciting, even if it was because he was Harvey's plus one.

"What about Rachel?"

"She's my plus one," Donna said as she strode into the office. "I couldn't have an imbalance, could I? Since you're coming this year, there would have been one more guy than girl, so I asked Jessica if Rachel could come along and she said yes."

Mike tilted his head and opened his mouth to respond, but realized that he didn't have a good argument against that and shut his mouth again.

"Exactly," Donna purred and walked back out the door.

Mike looked to Harvey who just smirked. "You learn to let the girls do what they want in these scenarios. If they're happy, then we can have a peaceful trip."

Mike shook his head and smiled. "Alright, when is the trip taking place?"

"Next weekend. It's tradition that the guys ride together in one car and the ladies in another, so I'll pick you up at 7am sharp after I get Louis and we can get on the way."

Mike groaned and gave Harvey a pleading look. "We have to ride with Louis? Harvey, it's almost a four hour drive."

"Kid, I have had to suffer through this drive, alone might I add, with him for the past 3 years we've done this. So I don't need your complaining on top of it."

"Oh boy, I can feel the fun already," Mike muttered as he stood to walk out of the office.

"7am!" Harvey called after him, "don't be late or I'll leave your ass behind."

"Not sure that's a bad thing," Mike said under his breath and he saw Donna smile as he turned and walked down the hall.

Time seemed to fly over the next week and whether he was ready or not, the big trip had finally arrived.

Through bleary eyes, Mike had stumbled around his apartment as he showered and got dressed at the early time of 6 so that he would be ready when Harvey arrived.

He had already received a threatening text from his boss telling him that he'd be out of a job on Monday if he wasn't waiting outside his apartment at 7 sharp, so he made sure to go through his routine quickly.

Mike had made sure to pack his things the night before, so all he had to do was shower, eat, and get dressed.

Ditching his usual suit attire, Mike had chosen to wear a pair of dark blue jeans and a white and blue button up t-shirt. It was going to be hot all weekend, being the middle of July and all, but he threw on a hoodie to fight the early morning chill before he pulled on a pair of sneakers. They were going to the woods after all, he wasn't going to wear his nice shoes just to get them caked in mud.

He had made sure to pack some shorts, other pairs of jeans, a couple more t-shirts, and his bathing suit as Harvey had told him the cabin was right on the lake. He threw in some bug spray, a bottle of sunscreen (what? He was pale and always tended to burn in the sun instead of tan) along with a pack of cards, although he figured they would already have some at the cabin.

Mike did one last sweep of his apartment, making sure all the lights were off, before he grabbed his bag and walked out the door. He checked his watch as he made his way to the lobby and smiled as he saw it was only 6:50. Harvey wouldn't be killing him after all.

As expected, exactly 10 minutes later, Harvey pulled up to the curb outside of his apartment and Mike piled into the back of the car, already knowing that Louis would have claimed the front.

"Morning Mike," Harvey said as Mike got settled in his seat, buckling his belt and placing his bag on the seat next to him.

"Morning Harvey," he paused before adding a begrudging, "morning Louis."

"Good Morning, Mike. Have you had all of your shots?"

Mike paused for a moment, jarred at the out of place question. Harvey chuckled, eyeing Mike in the rearview mirror as he pulled the car back onto the street.

"My shots…?" Mike asked, not understanding what Louis meant.

Louis rolled his eyes before turning around in his seat to face Mike.

"Yes, Mike, your shots. Vaccinations. Have you had them?"

Mike raised an eyebrow. "Uh, I think so? The last time I checked I was up to date on everything. Why?"

"Isn't it obvious? We're about to embark on a trip that's going to bring us to the disease-ridden woods. I do not want to be sharing a space with someone who is unvaccinated that could spread said diseases to me."

"Disease? Louis, we're taking a trip within New York, not traveling to the Amazon. What, are you afraid that I'm going to give you hepatitis or something? Cause that's not how that works."

"Of course not, Mike. I'm not an idiot. Bugs. Bugs carry diseases. I will not have you give me Malaria."

Mike rubbed his hands over his face. It was way too early to be having an idiotic discussion with Louis.

"First of all," Mike started, not even knowing why he was bothering to argue about this, "there is no vaccination against Malaria and second, even if there was one, if you had it, you would be protected."

Louis just shook his head and looked at Harvey. "Did you make sure your pet had all of his shots before you put me in a car with him? Or are we going to have to stop at the vet on the way there?"

Harvey rolled his eyes and turned onto the interstate. "Louis, I can't believe we're having this conversation, but Mike is vaccinated and he will not be giving you Malaria. Happy?"

Louis gave a curt nod. "Yes, thank you."

Oh boy, this was going to be a long trip.

The ride hadn't been any more peaceful after that. Louis talked non-stop about everything and by the time Harvey had pulled into the gravel driveway that led to the cabin, Mike practically jumped from the still moving car to escape the tangent Louis was still prattling on about.

The ladies, it seemed, had arrived early and were all standing on the wrap around porch, smirking at how frazzled Mike looked.

"Have fun with Louis?" Donna asked, as she walked down the steps towards where Harvey had parked the car and was now getting out.

"Longest drive of my life," Mike said as he pulled his bag higher over his shoulder.

Donna laughed and patted his shoulder before she left to go talk to Harvey, leaving Mike to take in his surroundings.

The property was beautiful. The cabin was isolated in its own cove, the next cabin a mile down the road, and was surrounded by huge trees, their canopy of green leaves casting cool shadows on the already too-warm earth. The sun was steadily rising in the sky and with its rays the temperature rose too. Mike had already tugged his sweater off, sweat beginning to form on the back of his neck.

He surveyed the cabin next. It was huge; two stories and probably 10 bedrooms, its walls were made of thick oak, decorated with large windows that let the sun shine brightly into each room. It looked homey and relaxing and Mike was beginning to feel that this trip was exactly what they all needed.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" A soft voice said and Mike turned to see Rachel standing beside him.

"Yeah, it sure is."

"Did you ever take trips like this when you were younger?"

Mike smiled sadly as he turned to stare out at the bright blue water of Lake George. "My parents and I used to take a camping trip each summer. Nothing like this, obviously, but it was the same idea. Leave the city and get away with nature for a weekend. Last time was when I was ten. We never got to make the trip the next year…"

Mike trailed off as he swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat.

Rachel squeezed his arm and he turned to face her. "Mike, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up knowing what happened to your parents. It was stupid of me."

Mike gently grabbed both arms, making sure she was looking into his face. "Hey, no, it's okay. Those were good memories. I'm glad to revisit them, to do something like this again. It's been too long."

She gave him a watery smile and opened her mouth to say something, but a shout from Harvey cut her off.

"You two love birds coming or what?"

Mike dropped Rachel's arms at the same moment that she turned. Harvey was standing in the cabin's doorway, a knowing smirk on his face as he stared at the two of them. While Mike had never mentioned it to Harvey, for many reasons, he also knew that it was obvious he liked Rachel and was also the reason for the smirk Harvey was sporting.

With the moment they were having over, the two of them walked down the path and into the cabin.

Mike almost didn't believe his eyes. The cabin was beautiful. The inside seemed like it was sculpted from one giant wood block, the ornate designs of the wood walls flowing with the wooden staircase and vast ceiling. Along with that, the cabin was furnished lavishly, each piece of furniture expensive looking, but also comfortable giving the cabin the perfect get-away feel without sacrificing any of the luxury.

Harvey led Mike up the stairs and down the hall, while Donna did the same with Rachel, to show each of them to their rooms. The upstairs alone had 5 bedrooms while the main floor held 4 bigger ones. They would each take a bedroom upstairs while Jessica would be the sole person on the main floor. Being the managing partner of the firm, it went unsaid that she would get the most privacy of all of them. So, Mike, Louis and Harvey were at one end of the hall and Donna and Rachel in the bedrooms on the other. Mike's room was the furthest on the left, with Harvey's connecting on the right at the very end of the hall and Louis on the opposite side. Mike was positive Harvey had placed himself in the middle of their two rooms on purpose, the car ride indication enough that Mike and Louis side by side would not end well.

Mike placed his bag in his room, only marveling at how big it was for a second, before Harvey was dragging him back down the hall and into the living room where everyone else was waiting, Donna and Rachel joining at the same time as they sat down.

Mike looked at the group around him and took a minute to let it sink in that this was really happening. He was sitting in a cabin with three casually dressed partners on a vacation. It was just so surreal. He hadn't even seen Harvey ever dressed so casually, let alone Jessica Pearson.

While Harvey was sporting a similar outfit to Mike, Louis in khaki pants and a button up long-sleeve, Jessica was wearing a dress. It was still lavish and expensive looking, just as put together as her work clothes, but it was in a more relaxed style, more free flowing and summery and her hair was pulled up in a loose ponytail.

"Mike. Mike!" Harvey called and Mike blinked as he noticed that the whole group was staring at him.

"We asked what you wanted to do today, kid."

"Oh, uh sorry," Mike stammered as he felt his cheeks heat, "I was just lost in thought. You, uh, you really want my input on that?"

Jessica gave him a warm smile. "It's tradition that each person gets to pick an activity. Since you and Rachel are our new guests, you both get to choose what we do today. Then me and Donna will pick tomorrow and Louis and Harvey on Sunday."

"Oh okay," Mike said, still feeling overwhelmed with how casual and inviting everything was. "Did you pick something Rachel?"

Rachel laughed. "While you were busy staring into space, I suggested that we go on a hike through the trails here. I've heard that the scenery is beautiful."

Mike nodded. Hiking, that was a normal nature activity. But what could he suggest? He didn't want to suggest anything stupid but he wasn't sure what someone like Jessica Pearson would want to do. He tried to think about the kinds of things that he did with his parents and suddenly found himself swept into the past.

"Mike you coming?" his dad called from where he stood packing their boat. It was a small boat, a cheap rental that had no motor, but it was the best thing in the world to 10 year old Mike. His father was taking him fishing!

"Coming dad!" He called back and he finished buckling up his life jacket before running down to where his dad was on the shore.

His mom was there too, lounging in one of the beach chairs they had brought, a book on her lap and a huge floppy hat on her head to keep her protected from the sun.

"You two be careful," she said as Mike ran up to her to give her a kiss before climbing into the boat, "and have fun! I don't want you back here until you've caught us some dinner, you hear?"

Mike laughed as his dad smiled and said, "yes honey," before he waded into the water and gave the boat a push before he and Mike were drifting into the lake, on a hunt for fish.

Mike blinked back into the present and flushed more deeply as he realized that not only had he zoned out again, but everyone was staring at him expectantly, waiting for him to answer.

"Fishing," he said softly, "I used to go fishing with my dad when I was a kid. We'd take this small boat out on the lake, just me and him, and spend the afternoon in the sun. We didn't even care about what we caught, although mom always said not to come back unless we were bringing dinner," he laughed, his memory allowing him to see her teasing face perfectly in his mind, "and I haven't been on the water since, so I guess I thought it would be nice to get out again."

He looked up and felt panic rise in his chest at the look on everyone's faces. "Or not!" He amended quickly, "it was just an idea, we can do something else."

"Oh honey," Donna breathed as she stood up and squeezed Mike in a tight hug. "That was a beautiful story. Of course we can go fishing. In fact, I'm going to go get us a rental boat right now."

She walked off, most likely to get her phone, and Mike understood that the looks on everyone else's faces weren't because they didn't like his idea, they were looks of sympathy and that happy kind of sadness he felt when he thought of his parents, because of the memory he had shared.

Harvey stood up and walked over to squeeze Mike's shoulder. "That was a nice memory, kid. Thanks for sharing. You even had Jessica shedding a tear," Mike looked over and saw that Jessica gave Harvey a mock-glare, but didn't refute the claim.

"It's an honour that you'd want that to be a part of our tradition. How about we go for a hike like Rachel wanted and then we can all cool off by taking a nice boat ride to the middle of the lake to fish and swim?"

Mike smiled and felt that hole in his chest, the one that had been there since the day his parents had died, filled a little with the support he was getting from the family, his new family, surrounding him.

"That sounds great Harvey."

The hike had been beautiful and honestly it had felt great to get some much needed exercise, walking through the outdoors a real breath of fresh air, no pun intended, from their constant busy schedule in the city.

It was approaching 1:30 by the time they got back to the cabin, all hot and sweaty from where the sun was now high in the sky, and ready to take a trip to the middle of the lake. The water seemed to call to them, teasing each of them with the cool breeze and the ripples of the waves that made Mike want to run and jump in right away.

They were all heading to the cabin to change into their swimwear when Mike spotted their boat docked at the shore.

"That is the boat you rented for us?" Mike asked, shooting an astonished look at Donna.

"Surely you didn't like that we'd be rowing out to the lake?"

"No, but that thing is huge! It's like a mini yacht."

Harvey chuckled and nudged his shoulder. "If you haven't noticed already, when we vacation, we do it in style."

So there Mike found himself, the cool lake breeze ruffling his hair as they sped through the water, Harvey in control while the rest of them sat at the front, taking in the landscape that flew by.

Once again, Mike had been shocked as everyone had emerged in their bathing suits. All the ladies were donning different styles of bikinis, although Jessica had paired hers with a sheer skirt that had a slit going up the legs all the way to her hip. And Harvey and Louis, just like Mike, were shirtless only wearing their swim shorts and flip flops.

Mike had hardly seen Harvey in only one layer of clothing, let alone fully shirt-free and in shorts and it took him a while to get used to the fact that everyone was being so casual.

The shock didn't last long as when they arrived in the middle of the lake, Harvey had dropped the anchor and immediately set to grilling the hotdogs and burgers they had packed, because of course the mini-yacht had a built in barbecue, and Donna had gone around handing everyone a cold beer from the ice-filled cooler.

They ate, drank, and genuinely had a good time. Once they had all had their fill, each of them quickly made their way to the water, except for Louis who was adamant that he would get a disease if he went in, to wash off the sweat they had acquired from their long, but satisfying hike, and enjoy the coolness that the lake offered.

The five of them swam for a while, Harvey and Mike even getting into a splashing fight that had ended with Mike sending a huge wave of water careening over Jessica's head. Luckily, she had just laughed and splashed Mike back. Mike had almost sunk to the bottom of the lake in relief. He was certain he was about to be fired.

With three o'clock approaching, they all decided to get out of the water, the girls taking up sunning themselves on the deck, a book in each of their hands, while Harvey set up two lines at the front of the boat for Mike and him to fish.

The pair spent the next hour catching and releasing fish, enjoying each other's company, before a shadow suddenly blocked the sun.

"What's the point of fishing if you're just going to throw them all back?" Louis asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

"The point," Harvey said, rebating his hook and casting his line into the water, "is to relax. Mike and I aren't here for sport, we're simply having fun. Although, that's probably a foreign concept to you, so I get your confusion."

Mike laughed, leaning back in his chair, but stopped at the look Louis shot his way.

"Very funny Harvey. I'll have you know that I indeed know how to have fun and that I can catch a fish way better and faster than you and your associate here."

Harvey reeled in his line and stood, facing Louis. "Alright, you want to bet? Me and you, head to head. Whoever catches a fish first wins. The loser has to make dinner tonight and clean all the dishes."

"Deal," Louis said as he shook Harvey's outstretched hand.

"Move over," Louis demanded as he snatched Mike's fishing rod out of his hand.

"Hey!" Mike complained as he got up, just missing being sat on by Louis as he planted himself into Mike's chair.

Mike stood off to the side, leaning against the railing of the boat, as he watched Harvey and Louis cast their lines into the water. 15 minutes went by and with nothing happening, Mike was about to excuse himself to join the ladies behind them, when Louis jumped up.

"I got one!" He exclaimed as he began reeling his line in.

Harvey's head whipped to Louis and then to his line in the water, the bobber most definitely being pulled underwater by a fish.

He and Mike could only watch as Louis reeled the fish in. It took a moment, the fish fighting hard, but with one final yank and frantic cranking of the line, the fish flew out of the water and right into Louis' chest. The fish was big, most likely 16 inches or so and was not going down without a fight. It flailed, its tail smacking Louis in the face as he tried to grab onto it and that ended up sending the next set of events into motion.

The second the fish hit Louis' face, the man screamed, "Disease! It got water in my mouth, get this thing off of me!" Unfortunately, neither Mike nor Harvey got the chance to help as the fish flailed again, smacking more water into Louis' face along with its slimy body, and Louis jerked backwards, losing his balance and crashing into Mike.

There was nothing Mike could do. As the full force of Louis slammed into him, he had nothing to support him but the rail that only came up to his hips. As Louis fell into him, the momentum sent Mike backwards, over the rail, where his head smacked into an outcropping of the boat before his body hit the water hard, and he was dragged under, knowing only the pain in his head before the darkness took over.

- - - - - - POV: Harvey- - - - - -

Harvey went through a series of emotions. At first, he was delighted at the show Louis was putting on, the fish slapping him in the face, but then Louis had tripped and slammed into Mike and where his associate had once stood, there was now only air.

"Mike!" Harvey yelled as he dashed to the railing where his associate had just taken a swan dive. Jessica, Donna, and Rachel had rushed over too, having watched the whole event take place from their position on their chairs.

"Oh my god, is that blood?" Rachel asked, covering his mouth with her hands. Sure enough, on a ridge of the boat's sleek design that stuck out from the rest of it, there was a smudge of red. Along with that, Mike was nowhere to be seen.

Harvey wasted no time. Mike was hurt and was currently underwater, there was no time to lose.

In one second, Harvey had stood on top of the railing before diving into the water below. His momentum allowed him to sink quickly, giving him depth to search for Mike. While the water was mostly clear, the current was kicking up sand from the bottom making it harder to see. Harvey swam, his arms sweeping in front of him, as he desperately searched for any sign of Mike.

He had made another circle, his lungs starting to burn, when he saw a flash of blonde hair below him, a halo of red circling above the associate's head.

Harvey put all of his energy into swimming to Mike, grabbing onto the kid's too skinny torso, before he vaulted off of the lake floor and soared to the surface. His lungs were just about to burst when his head broke the water, gasping as he sucked in much needed air. He only let himself recover for a minute before he was swimming as fast as he could back to the boat, a lifeless Mike in his right arm.

He swam to the back of the boat where there was a flat surface closer to the water, where diver's could launch off of, and pulled Mike up. Suddenly there were hands all over both of them, pulling them so they were both fully on board.

Harvey set into motion as soon as his legs were out of the water.

"He's not breathing. He hit his head on the boat before he fell, help me move him to the deck."

Harvey and the rest of the group hauled Mike's unconscious form so that he was on the dry deck. Harvey laid him flat on his back, his heart dropping into his stomach at the sight of Mike. Never mind the red that was flowing onto the deck from the wound on the back of the kid's head, his chest was still. Mike wasn't breathing.

His training took over, the mandatory first aid training that Jessica made them all take every few years kicking in, and Harvey started compressions. He blocked out the noises around him. Rachel's sobbing, Donna's quiet words to her, and Louis' mantra of "I'm sorry, I'm sorry" faded away until all Harvey could hear was the pounding of his own heart as he manually pumped Mike's.

He switched to rescue breaths and then resumed compressions, each pump that didn't have Mike gasping awake sending further coils of dread through him.

"Come on, come on!" He muttered, pumping harder on Mike's chest. "I will not have my associate dying on this boat. Mike, please."

He pumped again and was about to switch to more rescue breaths when Mike's body lurched and a flood of water poured out of his mouth. Relief like Harvey had never felt before flooded through him as he flipped Mike to his side in the recovery position, the kid's back practically in his lap as Mike convulsed again and more water shot out of him. Mike heaved and heaved, water and food from lunch coating the deck as he vomited, but Harvey didn't care. As soon as Mike was done, Harvey heard the best sound: a breath. It was hoarse and wet, but it was a breath and that was all that mattered.

As Mike gave a few more shuddering breaths, the kid was then swept away in a coughing fit that had Harvey wincing. More water spewed onto the deck as the kid coughed, but when he was done, his breathing, although still raspy and with a rattle that Harvey didn't like the sound of, was better than before.

Harvey knelt there for the next few minutes, clutching Mike to his chest as he let Mike breathe before he heard a faint, "H'rv'y?"

Harvey's grip tightened on Mike's arm. "I'm here. You're okay, Mike. You're okay."

Mike, drenched, confused, and hurt, began to shake. "What happn'd?"

Harvey gently pulled Mike up, helping him scoot across the deck so that his back was supported by a bin containing water floats on the deck. Without even having to ask, a blanket suddenly appeared next to him and Harvey quickly wrapped it around Mike's shoulders, pulling it tight around his front before rubbing his hands over Mike's now blanket arms to try and get the kid to stop shaking.

"You had an accident. Do you remember what happened?"

Mike looked at him through squinted eyes. "Fishing. Louis pushed me. Hit m'head." Mike frowned as if he just realized something. "That why m'head hurts?"

Harvey palmed the back of Mike's head to access the damage. Mike hissed in pain at the contact, but aside from a decent-sized bump and a thin cut that had opened from the blow, it seemed like Mike's head was intact. Head wounds always bled a lot and with the mix of the water, it made sense why there was blood everywhere on the deck where Mike had been laying.

"Yeah, buddy, that's why it hurts. Is there anything else that's hurting you?"

"Chest."

Harvey moved the blanket and felt Mike's ribs, relieved when he didn't find any of them broken.

"Mike, I had to give you CPR. That's why your chest hurts."

Mike's eyes widened and more clarity than Harvey had seen since his recovery flooded in. "You mean, when I fell in the water…?"

Harvey nodded. "You were unconscious; there was nothing you could do."

Mike took this in and then looked at Harvey. "You… saved me." Not a question, but a realization about what had just happened.

"Well, I couldn't have you dying on your first firm vacation, could I?" Harvey joked, trying to put Mike at ease.

Mike gave a faint smile. "Thank you."

Harvey squeezed Mike's hand. "Of course, Mike. You're family."

A voice, Jessica's, joined them as she knelt next to Harvey.

"We should get him to the hospital. An ambulance can't get through the woods, but they can meet us at the entrance to the forest if we drive Mike there."

"No," Mike groaned as he moved to stand up.

"Woah, woah, easy Mike. Don't get up," Harvey said as he gently pushed Mike back down.

"No hospital," Mike said firmly.

"Mike," Jessica started, her voice soft, "you just drowned. You need to go to a hospital to get checked out."

Mike turned pleading eyes onto Harvey. "Please. No hospital. I want to stay here."

Harvey searched Mike's face. While the kid looked better than he had ten minutes ago, Harvey knew the dangers of dry-drowning after a person had seemed to recover. But, the look Mike was giving him also showed how much he didn't want to go.

"Okay," he said slowly, making sure that Mike was listening intently, "no hospital, for now, but if you get worse, no matter how minor, I am rushing your ass to the hospital, got it?"

Mike nodded. "Thank you Harvey."

Harvey blew out a breath and clenched his hands when he noticed that they were shaking. Now that he knew Mike was okay, the adrenaline pumping through him was beginning to fade, bringing the panic to the forefront.

He willed himself to stay calm; Mike needed them to be calm and Harvey needed to get them back to the cabin.

"Okay, I have to go get us back to shore, I'm the only one here that can drive the boat, but I won't be long okay? As soon as I get us back I'll come and get you."

Mike, while he looked reluctant to see Harvey go, unclenched his hand from where it was gripping Harvey's wrist and nodded.

"I'll stay with him," Rachel said as she came forward and kneeled next to Mike. Her voice was watery and her eyes red and puffy from crying, but she too, it seemed, had composed herself for Mike's sake.

"Thanks Rachel."

Harvey stood up from his crouched position, his knees creaking in discomfort from kneeling for so long, and made his way up the small staircase to where the controls were for the boat. He had just started the engine back up and raised the anchor when two sets of footsteps came up the stairs.

"Is he really doing okay?" Jessica asked, standing next to Harvey.

Harvey pushed the throttle and got the boat moving, steering so that they were pointed back toward the cabin before he replied.

"I think so. He's a tough kid." Harvey ran an anxious hand through his hair and looked Jessica in the eyes. "The truth is though, I can't say anything for sure. I won't lie, I'm worried about the water he inhaled, but his breathing was already getting better just sitting down there, so I won't force him to go to the hospital just now. I'll keep you updated though."

Jessica nodded. "If anything changes, I want to know right away." And with that, she walked back down the stairs.

That left the other presence, the suspiciously quiet presence, still standing behind him.

"Louis, I'm not going to do anything. You can talk."

Harvey kept his eyes on the water, but saw out of the corner of his eye that Louis had come closer. The man, his face equally red and puffy as Rachel's, was wringing his hands, a clear sign that he was nervous.

"Harvey," he started, but his voice failed him and quiet fell between them once more.

Harvey sighed. "It's okay, Louis. It was an accident. I don't hold it against you and I know Mike won't either, but if you're worried, you can talk to him about it tomorrow after he's gotten some rest."

Louis sniffed. "I almost killed him, Harvey. I did kill him."

"He's back now and that's all that matters. It won't help Mike if we focus on what was. What we need to do now is focus on helping him recover and playing the blame game isn't going to do anything. It wasn't your fault. Trust me, I have no problem telling you when you've done something and I'm telling you that you are not to blame."

Harvey saw Louis wipe his hands over his face before he gave a few stiff nods. "Thank you Harvey, that means a lot."

He didn't give Harvey a chance to respond before he walked down the stairs and disappeared onto the deck below.

Harvey's shoulders fell as he was alone at last, a few tears sliding down his face as he let himself feel the emotions of what had happened. Seeing the blood, the fact that Mike was nowhere to be seen in the water, had scared Harvey more than he would ever admit. The feeling of Mike's lifeless body in his arms, his unresponsive form as Harvey did CPR, now haunted the back of his mind. But like he said to Louis, it would do them no good to focus on that. Mike was back with them, he was recovering, and Harvey was going to focus on that instead.

- - - - - POV: Mike - - - - -

Mike must have drifted off at some point on the ride back as the next thing he knew, Harvey was gently shaking his shoulder.

"We're back, kid. Time for you to go rest in an actual bed."

Harvey helped Mike to his feet and braced him as Mike groaned, wrapping an arm around his torso as a sharp pain shot through his chest.

His chest still burned from the water that had been there, it felt like when you accidentally swallowed water down the wrong pipe, only times 100, but there was a deep ache to his ribs, from Harvey's CPR, that reverberated around his torso whenever he moved.

He couldn't complain, though. He was alive. Harvey had saved his life and for that he would be forever grateful.

He saw the concern on Harvey's face and straightened out. "I'm okay. Just sore, I promise."

His boss looked skeptical, but didn't say anything as he led Mike into the cabin and up the stairs to his room. He sat Mike on the bed and went rummaging through his bags to find him something to wear.

Mike couldn't stop the shivers that trembled up his spine, causing him to shake slightly. He was still full of adrenaline from everything that had happened, but he was also still wet from the lake and the cabin's air conditioning was causing goosebumps to prick up all over his skin.

Harvey, clothes in hand, walked over to the bed and frowned at Mike's shivering form.

"Take these and go get changed in the bathroom. I don't want you getting sick on top of everything else."

Mike took the clothes and made his way to the connecting bathroom, his movements slow. When his head hit the boat, his body must have jammed and now all of his muscles were becoming stiff.

He shrugged off his wet swim trunks, placing them in the shower, before he pulled on the boxers and sweatpants Harvey had fetched from his bag before pulling on the t-shirt Harvey had selected.

He took a moment to stare at his complexion in the mirror before he pulled the shirt over his chest. His face was pale, his neck a bit bloody, even though Rachel had made an effort to wipe off all the blood from the wound on his head. His chest, however, was what stood out more. While he knew Harvey had made sure none of his ribs were broken, his chest was still littered with black and blue bruises, the darkest ones on the left side where Harvey had pumped his heart during CPR.

The thought of it all was unnerving, the fact that he had been technically dead something he could barely comprehend. But, Mike knew he had been given a second chance. His parents hadn't been so lucky. So, he was going to take this opportunity to live his life to the fullest, do what he wanted to do, and not focus on what could have happened if Harvey hadn't been able to save him.

Mike pulled the shirt the rest of the way down and walked back into the room, surprised to see Harvey sitting on the bed.

His boss had changed, wearing his own pair of sweatpants and t-shirt, and was waiting for Mike, the blankets pulled down from the head of the bed.

He motioned for Mike to sit on the empty space to his left. When Mike had settled, Harvey stood up and pulled the blankets over him before settling back down on top of the covers, back rested against the headboard.

"What are you doing?" Mike asked, genuinely confused at the behavior.

Harvey had shut his eyes and didn't reopen them to answer. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going to hang out with you while you get some sleep."

"Harvey, it's only 4:30. You don't need to be here while I sleep."

Harvey opened his eyes and looked at Mike with an expression that said enough. "Yes, I do."

Mike knew he had freaked Harvey out, hell he had freaked everyone out, including himself, with the accident. This was Harvey's way of making sure that Mike was still good, even while he slept.

Mike just smiled and moved to lay down, but Harvey stopped him. "I want you to sleep sitting up for tonight. Call me paranoid, but it'll make me feel better knowing you're not lying flat."

"Yeah, good call," Mike replied and moved to settle against the pillows Harvey had stacked behind his head. Growing up, whenever Mike had a cough, his mom would always make sure to have him sleep sitting propped up to help him breathe easier. Harvey was doing the same, making sure that there was no leftover water that pooled in his lungs.

Mike shut his eyes and felt the pull of sleep immediately. Warm in the bed and knowing that Harvey was looking out for him, he let the pull claim him and was asleep almost instantly.

When Mike woke up next, he found that it was dark outside. The only light coming from the lamp on the right side of the bed where Harvey was sitting, a file in his hands.

"What time is it?" He croaked, licking his dry lips. While his chest and body were still sore, the burning had faded and it felt easier to breathe.

"Hey, kid," Harvey said as he placed the file on the bedside table, "it's just after 9. You've been sleeping for a few hours."

Mike nodded and rubbed a hand over his still tired eyes. "You're doing work on vacation?"

Harvey smirked. "Never go anywhere without my files. A good lawyer is never really on vacation."

It was then that Mike noticed that Harvey had brought his bag into the room and that his boss was now also under the covers.

"Are we having a sleepover?" Mike asked with a smirk of his own on his face.

"I told you I'm not leaving you alone tonight, so unfortunately we're stuck sharing a bed. I'm warning you now, if things get too handsy I won't hesitate to kick you out of this bed."

"This is my bed."

Harvey shrugged. "Got any written documentation that backs up that claim?"

Mike just rolled his eyes as Harvey smiled, a real smile, one that Mike didn't get to see often.

"Seriously though, Mike, do you need anything? You hungry?"

Mike shook his head. "I'm good. I'm just really tired, even after sleeping."

"Your body needs rest after what it went through. Get some more sleep, I'm not going anywhere."

Mike settled back into the pillows. "Thanks Harvey," he said softly, already falling asleep.

He could have sworn he felt a hand on his head, brushing the hair off his forehead, with a soft "you're welcome kid," as he drifted off once more.

As Mike's eyes blinked open, he saw that the sun was shining brightly into the room. Looking to his right, he noticed that Harvey was gone, but on the table to his left there was a note positioned on a bottle of water, two tablets next to them.

Mike,

Take these as soon as you get up. I know your body is bound to be sore today. Meet us down in the living room when you're ready.

Harvey

Mike popped the pills into his mouth and washed them down with the water. Before he realized it, he had drunk the whole thing. His body, while sore, also felt better in a way. His head was clear, although tender where he had hit it, but he felt refreshed after so much sleep. His chest was sore but no longer burning and he was happy to note that he didn't waver when he stood.

He made his way to the washroom to do his business before he brushed his teeth, washed his face and neck, styled his hair, and pulled on a pair of shorts he had packed and his hoodie. He wanted to keep the top article of clothing loose to give his chest space, not wanting to press on the bruises.

As he walked down the hall and descended the stairs, he could hear the growing voices of the rest of the group laughing at some story Harvey was telling. The clock on the kitchen wall said that it was quarter after 9, so hopefully they hadn't been waiting too long for Mike to come down.

Harvey was the first one to spot him as he approached the group. "Mike! Hey, kid. You look good. How are you feeling?"

Mike felt himself blush as everyone turned around to look at him, faces eager. "Hey, Harvey, I'm good. Sore, but I feel a lot better than yesterday."

Harvey nodded and Mike could see that the group looked relieved, Louis most of all.

"Here, come sit at the table and I'll grab you some food. We haven't been up long, so I saved you a plate."

Harvey patted Mike's shoulder as he left to go grab the food and Mike was left sitting awkwardly at the large wooden table, everyone quiet as they watched his every move.

Finally, Louis broke the silence. "Mike… about what happened. I am so sorry. I didn't-"

Mike cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Louis, there's nothing to be sorry for. It was an accident. I don't blame you. If anyone should be sorry, it's me. I ruined our vacation."

Harvey had just walked back to the table in time to hear Mike say this.

"Why in the hell would you think that Mike?" he asked as he placed a plate of eggs, toast, and bacon in front of Mike.

Mike lowered his head, fidgeting with his hands in his lap. "I ruined the fun yesterday and I'm not going to be able to do anything else this weekend either."

"Mike," a voice said and Mike's head jerked up as he realized it was Jessica that was talking, "You didn't ruin anything. You almost died, we're not holding that against you. We're all just glad that you're okay. You're family and that means we protect our own."

Mike felt his chest warm, in a good way, at the words. He had a family, he belonged, and they were all here for each other.

"Exactly," Donna agreed, reaching across the table to squeeze Mike's hand that he had placed there as Jessica spoke. "We're all just happy you're okay. Plus, you didn't ruin anything. We can still have lots of fun! We've got card games, board games, and tons of movies to choose from. I think we could all benefit from a quiet weekend, don't you think?"

Mike looked around the table at everyone's faces and saw how much they all meant it. No one was angry or upset, they were all just happy that Mike was okay and content to do whatever activities they could find inside. Mike found that he was perfectly happy as well. Spending time with the people he was closest with was more than enough for him.

Mike picked up a piece of bacon and chewed thoughtfully before saying, "Okay, but just to warn you, I never lose at cards."

Harvey chuckled as he grabbed a stack of cards off of a shelf nearby and began shuffling. "Oh, we'll see about that."

And with that, Mike and the rest of the group spent the next two days playing games, watching movies, and just genuinely enjoying each other's company. And Mike found that he felt more complete than he had since the day his parents had died. As long as he had his firm family, nothing could get in their way.

I really enjoyed writing the characters in a more casual way. We rarely got to see them relaxed, so taking them out of the office and putting them on vacation was so fun! Even if Mike did kinda drown... Also, I didn't want to do a hospital scene, I wanted to focus more on the group and them spending time together, so even though Mike definitely should have gone to the hospital, that's why he didn't lmao. Feel free to leave any requests!