Harvey internally debated if he should bring Mike to his condo or to the firm. He wasn't sure what Mike's reactions would be to either. He was trying his best to make Mike comfortable and surrounded by familiarity. Although, he didn't know what Mike remembered about the early years when Harvey had still been around. He winced at the thought, feeling the weight of his past choices.

In the end, Harvey decided to take Mike to his condo. It felt more personal, a place where they could reconnect without the pressure of the firm. He wasn't even sure if anyone in the firm aside from Jessica, Donna and maybe Louis knew about his son. Harvey wasn't in the mood to have to explain to everyone and their grandma who this 12 year old boy following him was. He figured Mike wouldn't want that either.

Harvey and Mike exchanged glances as they got into the taxi. The ride from the hospital to the condo was quiet, filled with unspoken thoughts and emotions. Harvey occasionally glanced over at Mike, who stared out the window, lost in his own world.

As they drove through the city, Harvey tried to think of something to say, but the words didn't come. He knew he should say something, he knew the boy was grieving but emotions had never been his strong suit. He could see the tension in Mike's shoulders and wanted to ease it, but he wasn't sure how. The city lights blurred past them, creating a soothing rhythm that eventually lulled Mike into a light doze. Mike rested his head on Harvey's shoulders, letting out soft sleepy breaths. He looked so small sleeping against Harvey.

When they finally arrived at the condo, Harvey gently shook Mike awake. "We're here," he said softly. Mike blinked, disoriented for a moment, before following Harvey inside.

Harvey anticipated Mike's reaction as they rode up the elevator to his condo. Harvey followed the motions he did everyday he rode the elevator up to his floor. He unlocked the door and pushed it in. He allowed Mike to push past him and take in his new home.

The sleek, modern design was unlike anything Mike had seen before. He watched as Mike wandered through the living room, touching the leather couch and the polished surfaces, trying to take it all in.

Harvey watched him with a smile, noting the curiosity and confusion in his son's expression. "What do you think?" he asked.

"It's... different," Mike replied, still looking around. He paused at the large window, taking in the cityscape below. "Nice view."

Harvey stepped closer. "I thought you might like it. This is your home now too. Take your time to get used to it."

Mike nodded, still feeling a bit out of place, but he could sense Harvey's genuine effort to make him feel welcome. It would take time.

Mike's whole life had been uprooted, in the worst way possible. He lost his mom; his mom who had taken care of him since we born, his mom who celebrated every birthday with him, who tried her best to show up to every school function, who cooked plenty of delicious meals for them, made him laugh and feel good about himself. He missed her so much, he wanted to reach out and hug her, he wanted to feel the warmth of her embrace. He supposed that he had Harvey, it would be much worse if he was thrown in some Children's Home, given to parents who were unfit to take care of him.

He plopped on the bed, slowly taking everything in. He thought about everything that happened today. It felt like the longest day ever. He didn't even know the last time he had eaten anything but he didn't have much of an appetite anyways. Lost in his body begging him to sleep the day off and his thoughts, he heard Harvey's soft footsteps approach. "We'll go back to the house first thing tomorrow to get your things, how are you settling in? Can I get you anything?"

Mike's eyes looked up at Harvey and then began to scan the room. He realized that this was Harvey's office, or at least, it had been before the addition of the bed. He saw the dust shadows of case files that had recently been picked up. He quickly voiced "sorry, I'm taking up all your space."

Harvey sat down next to him, the weight of the bed going down as he did. Mike scooted away to make room for the older man. Harvey turned to him, looking at his son. He began, "Mike, I know that coming here is hard for you, and I can't begin to imagine what you're going through. but you know it's what your mom wanted. She didn't want you to end up the system, you know that."

Mike just looked up at him, he nodded softly, unsure if he should say anything. He fought back the tears worried that Harvey would deem him as a baby if he cried anymore, that's the last thing he wanted. He did promise his mom that he would be strong.

Harvey's eye began to fill with tears, Mike wasn't sure he ever saw his dad cry or even get emotional. But Mike didn't know a lot about Harvey anyways. Harvey began again, this time trying to hold in his composure, "I loved your mom but I made a promise that I'd always take care of you if something ever happened to her. I love you."

Harvey blinked the tears away, waiting to see any kind of reaction from Mike, who ended up just barely whispering, "yeah, I know."

Harvey took a look at Mike, his eyes scanning Mike. He understood that Mike was a bit closed off. The kid didn't want to tell Harvey how much he was hurting. That much was obvious. Harvey felt a pang of empathy for the boy. He noticed how tired Mike looked, "Hey, Mike", he placed his hand on Mikes knee, "are you hungry? shall I order a pizza?"

Harvey was certain that Mike wouldn't say no, he had had a long day. He probably needed food, and a nice long sleep. He wouldn't even hound the kid to take a shower unless he wanted to. He knew that Mike's little body could only take on so much. Instead Mike responded, "no thanks, I'm really tired"

Harvey felt like he needed to back off, his mind telling them that he was clobbering the kid. Mike needed space but he couldn't help himself. He felt the words come out before he could even process what he was saying, "well do you at least want something to drink? You look like you could use it."

Mike nodded, grateful for the gesture. "Yeah, that'd be nice. Thanks."

Harvey walked over to the kitchen and opened the fridge. "We've got water, juice, and some soda. What do you feel like?"

"Water's fine," Mike replied, sitting up from the bed, attempting to get up and meet Harvey halfway. Mike didn't get very far, before Harvey appeared.

Harvey glanced up at Mike before grabbing a bottle of water and handed it to Mike. "Here you go. Take it easy, alright?"

Mike took a sip of the cold water, he felt the cold take over his body and dissolve some of the tired he was feeling, he felt a bit more at ease. "Thanks, Harvey."

"No problem," Harvey said, sitting down next to him. Harvey's mind began to drift. Mike had called him Harvey instead of dad. He figured it might have been because Mike had high nerves and emotions back at the hospital that "Dad" just seemed to spill then. The thought stayed with Harvey for several minutes, but he decided not to ask Mike about it.

Harvey noticed Mike shivering slightly, so he grabbed the cozy blanket and wrapped it around him, tucking it in snugly. "There you go, all nice and warm," Harvey said with a smile. "I'm going to make some phone calls, you can come find me when you wake up.", but before Harvey could finish, Mike had begun to stir in a quiet sleep.

Harvey felt himself at a crossroads; he didn't know what he was supposed to do. Should he kiss Mike on the forehead? Isn't that what dads were supposed to do? Doubt gnawed at him. He sighed deeply, feeling a lump form in his throat. He was out of practice. He wasn't even sure if he was ever "in practice." What if he messed this up? He figured that Mike wouldn't even know what Harvey did; the kid was very quickly out of it. With a heavy heart, he slowly got up and closed the door.

He walked quietly to the other side of the condo, and looked out the window at the cityscape, taking everything in. The view was one of the reasons he bought the condo. As he looked outside, he didn't feel the warm hug the city provided him before. He didn't feel the hustle and bustle of New York City and the sense of urgency he felt in everything. He felt the world slow down. He knew that his life was quickly going to change, he was going to have to figure out how to live with Mike, how to function with him. A part of him was terrified that he was going to fail, and he didn't have Nina to help him through this. Even though he felt the absence of his ex-wife, this was the first time he actually allowed himself to feel it, to be vulnerable.

A part of him had no idea how Mike was handling everything. Mike had just lost his mom, but Harvey had lost her a long time ago.

The memories of the awful fight that resulted in the divorce entered his mind. He quickly forced the memory out his mind, he couldn't live with it the memory resurfacing right now. He had spent years trying to forget the failure that had been his attempt as a family.

He debated for a long time if what he had been doing was the right thing, and was finally able to convince himself that living solo was what he deserved, what he wanted. But with the addition of Mike in his life, everything was different. The condo that once felt like his escape, now just felt like a battleground of emotions, uncertainty and tension. He was no longer just responsible for himself; he had to think about Mike too.

That thought alone was enough to make his heart race with anxiety. He turned away from the window, feeling the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him.

Letting out a sigh, he reached for his phone, flipped it open, and dialed the familiar number. "Hey Donna," he said, his voice steady but filled with a hint of regret. He knew that she knew everything but he still felt that he needed to tell her. "I brought Mike home, and I'm gonna need a few days off to sort things out. It's been a rough patch, and I want to make sure he's okay. Can you handle things while I'm away?" He paused, waiting for her response, though he knew what she was going to say.

"Of course," Donna replied warmly. "Take all the time you need, and don't worry about work. We've got it covered."

"Thanks, Donna," he said, feeling a bit of relief.

After saying thanks to Donna, he relayed the same message to Jessica. She had told him to take all the time he needed but he really wanted to get to work as soon as possible. He could still work cases but he had the funeral to arrange and a house in Brooklyn to clean up. He was in for a long couple of days. He poured himself some scotch to try to relieve his spirits.

As he took a sip, he stared out the window, contemplating the days ahead. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but he was determined to face it head-on.