Lost and Found (a Suits fanfiction)

Rated: T

Pairings: Mike/Harvey

Summary: After Jessica found out the truth about Mike, she fired him. No one heard from or saw him at all after that. But recently there have been Mike sightings, and Harvey goes on an expedition to witness this rare sight, and maybe make it more common. Slash.

Chapter 1 - The Return (Posted 30 December 2011)

As Mike entered the city limits, he couldn't help but feel both excited and dejected as he drove through the familiar streets, past the buildings he still had memorized inside and out. Even after being away for a year, he could have driven through this city with his eyes closed. It had nothing to do with his eidetic memory. It was because this place was his home, and even the streets he didn't know were filled with a calming aura that seemed to guide him right where he needed to go.

That's why he came back here. Because memorizing the layout and geography of his new home had been easy. But actually considering it his home and letting himself feel the area? That was the hard part, the part that never happened, not even a little bit. So he came back here, because even though he'd wanted to escape his old life, he missed it.

He moved his things from the moving van to his new apartment. After everything was inside, he called someone to come take the truck back. He unpacked a few of his things, like his air mattress, sheets, and pajamas. He was so tired from the drive here and just wanted to sleep.

As he laid down and began to drift off to sleep, he couldn't help but think about the last time he'd been in New York.

X

He was in Jessica's office, having been called in just a few moments ago. He could immediately sense the seriousness of the situation when he walked in, seeing Jessica's lips pressed into an indignant line in place of her usual professional smile.

Harvey walked in not two seconds later, and Mike could see that he sensed it too. His normal confident attitude struck down to an obvious look of worry as he recognized Jessica's demeanor and locked eyes with Mike.

In that moment, they had the same thought. She knew.

"Gentlemen," Jessica greeted. She didn't offer them a seat, instead standing in front of her desk and crossing her arms. "It's been brought to my attention that someone in the firm has lied to me, and has been lying to me ever since. Now I've brought both of you here so you can help me figure out who it might be."

Harvey, gaining back his natural cockiness, rolled his eyes. "Jessica, whatever 'lie' you're talking about, we have nothing to do with it. How do you expect us to find this person?"

"That's the thing, Harvey." Jessica pointed to him. "I'm not sure if it was one person... or two."

"Well, maybe if you told us what it was, we could help you figure it out," Harvey offered smoothly.

She squinted faintly at them. "Oh, I think you know what it was."

Harvey just put on a semi-thoughtful face and shook his head. Then she looked at Mike, as if waiting for the secret of life to come falling from between his lips. He glanced over at Harvey, but the man wasn't looking back at him. Mike knew why, of course, because it would look suspicious. But still, he'd been hoping for a little encouragement, some kind of hint as to what he should do or say.

And time stood still for what felt like hours as Mike considered his decision. The possible consequences of sticking to his lie played out in his mind like a b-movie, followed by the outcome of coming clean. Neither seemed attractive to him, but he knew if he kept lying, there was a greater chance for Harvey's career to be in danger. At least if he told some of the truth now, he might be able to spare his boss.

So he closed his eyes for a second before telling Jessica, "It was just one."

She widened her eyes slightly as if that was what she expected, nodding for him to continue. And out of the corner of his eye, Mike could see Harvey leering at him.

"What are you talking about?" Harvey asked him.

"I'm talking about me. I lied." Mike said. "I don't know how you found out, but I could tell as soon as I walked in here that this was it."

"Mike-" Harvey started, but stopped when he saw Mike send him a piercing glare.

"I'm sorry. I lied to both of you."

Harvey's face became one of genuine surprise. Mike hoped Jessica saw it as him being surprised by Mike's lie. But he knew Harvey was surprised that he was just lying again.

Mike continued. "Harvey, I never went to Harvard." was what he said. But he hoped Harvey could hear the underlying message. I never should have taken this job. "I never went to any law school, in fact." But I'm glad I met you. "I saw your interview," And thought it was a great way to escape the police, "and saw it as a way to escape my lie of a life." I used you. "But I just fell into another one," and risked your career. "I'm sorry. To both of you," he finally looked back at Jessica, "I fucked up, and I disrespected you, and I'm sorry."

"Don't do this, Mike..." Harvey said quietly.

"Harvey, I know you don't want to believe it, but it's true." I won't take you down with me. "Your associate's a fraud. I tricked you, and Jessica, and the rest of the firm. And whatever punishment you see fit, I won't fight it."

"I'll be honest," Jessica started again, "you did a lot of good work for the firm. But that doesn't excuse you from what you've done."

"I know," Mike answered.

"Also, we don't really want word of this spreading around, so we're not going to drag this out. If you're really as sorry as you say you are, you'll quietly and discreetly pack up your things, and never step foot inside this building again."

Mike nodded. "That's it?"

Jessica nodded. "That's it. If we press charges, it'll be all over the media. I'd rather keep it all under wraps so it doesn't damage our image."

"I understand. If there's anything else...?"

"No," she said simply, "you have the rest of the day to tie up any loose ends, and then I want you out, Mr. Ross."

Mike just nodded shallowly again and left the office. He prayed to every god he could think of that Harvey didn't tell her the truth. Or that she didn't believe him if he did. As he made his way back to his cubicle, he wondered how Jessica found out. His story checked, so she must have gotten a tip. And there were only a handful of people in the whole world who knew his secret.

As he ran down the list in his head, he had his answer in less than a second. Trevor. He had no doubt it was him, his oldest friend, who he abandoned and pissed off. Considering this, it was a wonder that Jessica hadn't found out sooner.

But even now that he'd discovered his prime suspect, there was nothing he could do about it. So while he walked through the sea of associates back to his cubicle, he considered himself lucky at having had the chance to live his dream, even if only for a short while.

He sat at his tiny desk, catching himself once in a while as he actually thought about how much he'll miss it. How hard it was going to be not to constantly be walking back and forth between here and Harvey's office.

There was only a small amount of work to be done, as they had just closed a few cases and Harvey was still in the process of prepping for new ones. Mike finished whatever tasks he had on his desk, wondering if he should leave them here or deliver them to Harvey.

As much as he would have liked to slip out without talking to anyone, he knew he had to take Harvey's files back to him. So he took his time as he walked to his boss's office one last time.

He walked up to Donna, who gave him an odd look but waved him in without a word.

"Here," he said, holding out the stacks of papers and files he hand in his hands.

Harvey took them and set them in the middle of his desk before looking into Mike's eyes, as if trying to find the reason behind all of this. He mustn't have found it, because he still had to ask, "Why?"

"Because you don't deserve to have your career ruined over me."

Harvey stood. "It was my decision to hire you. I knew what I was getting into."

"And you think I didn't? In the beginning, I was willing to threaten to tell in order to keep this job. But that changed when I realized that if I tell, not only will I be right back where I started, but I'll also be ruining another person's life. And I just can't do that. You went out on a limb for me, why should you be punished for trying to help someone?"

"Why should you be punished for trying to have a better life?"

"Because I lied."

"We both lied."

Mike shook his head out of frustration. "What would have happened if you had told her you were in on it? You would have lost everything, Harvey. Not just your job, but your life. Your reputation. Everything. Over me. Do you really care about me that much?"

Harvey didn't say anything.

"See?" Mike asked. "Whether it's right or wrong, telling her the truth would mean that you don't want to let me go down alone. And even though to this day you're still trying to make me think you don't care, I know you do. I'm not asking you to admit it to me. I'm not even asking you to admit it to yourself. But I'm telling whatever part of you that does care about me, to show me. And you can do that by not telling Jessica you had anything to do with this. I don't want to see you in that kind of position. I want you to keep your job, and continue to be the best damn closer in the city, because otherwise I will always regret my decision to take this job."

"And you don't regret it now?"

Mike shook his head. "No."

"What are you going to do?"

"What I've always planned on doing if I got caught. I'm gonna leave."

"And go where?"

"Does it matter? It's not like anyone here is going to want to come visit me."

Again, Harvey stayed silent.

"So I guess I'm going to get going," Mike said, making his way to the door.

"You're not even going to say 'goodbye'?" Harvey surprised him by saying.

"I didn't think you'd want me to."

"I don't. Because that would mean that you're really leaving, and that I don't have an associate anymore."

Mike nodded, figuring it to be a very Harvey-like thing to say. But he knew what he meant. "If it helps you understand that this is how it is, goodbye, Harvey." He didn't wait to see if Harvey replied. And he didn't stop to talk to Donna. He knew she knew what had happened, so he didn't need to explain himself. And he really had nothing to say to her. He didn't even go by Rachel's office.

He left the building, immediately heading back to his apartment and packing his things.

X

But now he was back. He had to admit, underneath the fear and nervousness of returning, he was glad to be back. He briefly wondered if anyone had looked for him, if even one person noticed he was missing and wondered what happened. But all thoughts were gone as he was enveloped in a deep sleep.