Sorry about the delay in this you guys, but between work and school this past week has been a mess. Hopefully I should be back on schedule with writing and posting and we're getting into the plotty goodness! Enjoy!

It's nearly lunch time, two weeks later, when Mike pokes his head into Harvey's bedroom and peers at the lump in the middle of the mattress. "Don't sleep all day. I made lunch and put it in the fridge; please eat before you leave. See you when I get back."

He waits long enough for Harvey to make a non committal sound and roll over. "Alright then, be good, and don't do anything I would do."

Mike slips on his coat and walks out the door. The bike ride to the diner is a cold one, and his breath hangs in the air long after he zips past. It's a hell of a freezing winter and he has little doubt they're going to set a new record one way or another. Swinging around a corner, he eases to a stop outside a familiar diner. It's an old relic from when he and Trevor were in college together. It's where they met Jenny, and where Mike had taken Rachel after her first bad break up. Somehow, he never ends up here for a good reason, and it has since become the communal place to meet when something deep and heavy needs to be discussed.

Mike braces the kickstand and whips his helmet off. After fastening the bike lock, he muses down his hair and stares through the large front window. Rachel is already waiting and waves, and he raises his hand to wave back. His following sigh hangs heavy in the airs and twists around in the currents of people passing him by. Stepping through the throng, Mike opens the door and makes his way toward Rachel. A faint jangle from the bell above to door barely makes him flinch and normally, he would be proud. Today's not a good day for him though. The cracked red vinyl of the seat is uncomfortable but familiar as he slides into a booth. "Hey." They haven't even started talking yet and he's this close to cracking open and spilling everything out on the chipped Formica.

"Hey yourself." Rachel gives him a small, reassuring smile and grabs one of his hands on the table to give it a squeeze. The waitress comes over to take their drink orders, and floats off to another table, not lingering longer than she has to. Mike and Rachel make idle chatter over tea and coffee until light, barely perceptible, snow begins drifting down outside. "Mike… we both know you didn't ask to meet here just to hear my voice. What's wrong?"

"It's Harvey." Mike's voice is low and flaky, and he doesn't meet his friend's eyes. There's little doubt she already knew exactly who he was here because of.

"Of course it's Harvey; what's he done now?" Rachel's voice is sharp, displaying her anger at the man that has caused Mike so much grief.

"He hasn't done anything per se…" Mike looks up and clenches the warm coffee mug between his hands. "It's just… he's getting more distant, Rachel. And I don't know why."

"You mean he's being Harvey Asshole Extraordinaire." Rachel replies flatly.

Shaking his head, Mike closes his eyes and sighs. "No, it's different than that. He really was an asshole when I first moved in, but that was all just an act that he put up around me. Once I got through that, he was more… his normal self around me. But… that's changed. For the last few weeks he's walled me off. He won't really let me touch him, he doesn't smile, and he basically sleeps all day and gets up to go have paid sex with strangers. I miss him Rachel."

Mike knows he should probably be embarrassed at how needy and earnest he sounds. But he's kept these thoughts rolling around in his mind long enough, and he's about ready to split open and bleed out right here.

"Oh Mike," Rachel's tone is soft as she reaches over to pat his cheek gently. "You have it bad, don't you."

"I… I love him, and I can never have him." Mike's voice cracks. "But I can live with that, I just… I can't be without him, and I'm afraid he's going to leave me Rach. He's going to be right beside me, and I'm not going to know the man he's become." He shakes his head back and forth slowly, hypnotically. It's almost like he's trying to convince himself this reality isn't real.

"Then there's only one thing to do." Rachel kicks him sharply in the shins and stares at him with grim determination. "You have to fix this."

"And just how do you suppose I do that?" Mike snaps, rubbing his injured leg. "Suddenly not have feelings for him? Or better yet, walk up to him, spill my guts, and get the rejection out of the way and totally send it all down the toilet?"

"Not that kind of fixing it." She pauses to sip her tea. "You need to find out what's making him act the way he is, and then remind him just why you're so much better as a lover than just a plain old roommate."

Mike leans forward, across the table. His emotions are still a tangled mess, but he can see a light. If Rachel can come up with an idea, there may be hope yet. "How can I do either of those things? I don't know what's making him upset."

Rachel tries to kick him again. "Then talk it out with me, stupid. Obviously his behavior is setting off warning bells in that thick skull of yours. Why? When does he really act this way? What is exactly making you so scared for him?"

Mike blinks; talking about it with someone has never really occurred to him. His memory doesn't make his brain a cluttered mess, but when he remembers everything, picking out the important details can be a little tricky. "Well, it's really bad when he comes home in the mornings. After he's been with a client. Harvey is either tight lipped or overly affectionate. I used to chalk it up to left over hormones or something, but now I'm not so sure."

"Does it matter what day, or time, he comes home when he seems overly upset?" Rachel's now leaning forward, a thoughtful look settling on her face.

"Well it varies, but every Tuesday for sure. Oh and he's been showing up with these bruises. On his neck and arms, and they're not hickeys either." Mike's mind is kicking into overdrive as he pours over old memories.

"Are you sure they're not hickeys?" Rachel raises a brow.

"Yes, I know what a hickey is, and they usually look like they were made by fingers. I've always thought Harvey was coming home from spending the night with dudes, when I saw those. Come to think of it, that's when he's the most surely. He hate's not being in control and I bet they make him into a submissive. Guys that call for hookers usually are… not that women aren't control freaks… ow! Stop kicking me!" Mike jerks back and leans into the seat.

"There you go, you just need to find out who is hurting Harvey. It seems to me like he's trying to hide something from you. That's why he's pushing you away - if you're to close, you'll see what's wrong. Trust me, as a budding psychologist-slash-sociologist, he's showing signs of abuse." Rachel bites her lip and actually looks worried.

"So... what you're saying is Harvey is getting used by a client? Why wouldn't he just walk away? He's not stupid and I've seen him get himself out of awkward and impossible situations before." Mike shakes his head and switches his gaze to the window. It's snowing a little harder and he shivers involuntarily.

"What if he has a gun to his head? Not literally but figuratively." Rachel quickly amends at Mike's horrified look.

"What's something Harvey would want to protect? You know how heartless he acts. No one would be able to find his weakness by just looking at him." Mike rubs his face, the horror of what his roommate could be going through roaring in his ears.

"I don't know Harvey like you do, so I don't know. But is there someone else you can talk to? Someone that could get you a name?" Rachel shifts uneasily in her seat as she sees a light bulb go off in Mike's mind. "You're not going to do anything crazy are you? Mike, you need to be careful. No crazy schemes okay? They never work out."

"Who, me? Of course not. Careful is my middle name." Mike snorts and looks thoroughly unconvincing.

"Look, just don't go it alone. You should really talk to Harvey about all of this instead of going behind his back." Rachel gets Mike to look her in the eye.

He just snorts and looks away, sitting back and crossing his arms. "He'd just tell me to drop it and that it wasn't my problem. Worst of all, it'd make him wall me out completely. I can't do that Rach. I'll be careful though, alright? I'm just finding out some info; I'm not killing anybody." Hope blossoms in his chest for the first time in a long time, and he grins. Maybe everything is fixable, and all he has to do is get to the root of the problem and get rid of it. With Harvey, Mike doubts that it'll be easy, since the man is a walking enigma. That doesn't deter him though; Harvey is his friend, the closest thing he has to family anymore, and he's even willing to die for the older man.

Sliding out of the booth, Mike lays down more than enough to cover his drink. "Thanks Rach." He leans down to give her a kiss on the cheek. There's determination in his footsteps as he heads out into the freezing New York lunch rush.

Mike's always been a talented multi-tasker, and by the time he gets back to the apartment, he has three calls under his belt. A plan has started to form, and he's got a meeting with the key part of it tomorrow night. He knows Harvey's not going to like what he's doing, but that's perfectly fine. He's not going to find out as long as Mike has something to say about it.

There's a lopsided smile on his face as Mike charges up the steps and into their apartment. Harvey's leaning against the counter eating, and does little other than raise an eyebrow at his roommate's behavior. Mike drops his messenger bag and keys before swaggering up to his friend.

"Did you get hit by a car on your way home?" Harvey narrows his eyes warily as Mike gets a glint in his eye. "What're you…"

Mike crouches and wraps his arms around Harvey's torso so he can bury his face in the others chest. He does his best to ignore the way the man stiffens at the contact; Mike's determined to change all that, and he doesn't let go. "If you don't hug me back, you're going to wake up to a bucket of frogs in your bed." He growls lowly. It's an empty threat… mostly, but Harvey doesn't need to know that.

"If I wake up nose to nose with an amphibian, you'll be the one paying for it." Harvey growls, but he obediently brings his arms up around his roommate. "Okay, you got your touchy-feely moment. Now let go."

"Nope. Not until you start acting like the grumpy, but caring guy I know, and not this cold hearted bastard you've become." Mike turns his words into a somewhat hysteric wail, to make it into a joke, but he really means them.

Harvey's hands flex on his shoulders, and for a second, Mike believes he's going to forcefully pry him off. Instead, they still and the ribs Mike's clinging to heave in a sigh. "You're a goof." Harvey tries to sound truly irritated, but there's amusement there too and Mike considers that a win. More so when his friend's shoulders relax a little.

"That's why I'm here! You'd be leading a poor, lonely, and boring existence without my special brand of entertainment." Mike looks up at him with goofy smile.

"You're special alright." Harvey replies dryly, flicking the others forehead. "Special Ed."

"That hurts man." Mike lets go and steps back to pout. "I've got an IQ off the charts."

"The bottom of the charts." Harvey says, bemused.

The microwave beeps shrilly behind them, but neither pays attention. Mike is contemplating his next move when he sees the corner of Harvey's eyes twitch upward. He blinks and narrows his eyes in a thoughtful way. "I get to pick what we're watching!" Spinning on his heel, the young man makes a move for the living room.

Harvey hooks an ankle with his foot and sends Mike stumbling. "I'm not watching that educational crap you find so entertaining." As usual, the man moves with confidence and skill and has his plate out of the microwave and is passing Mike before he can do anything.

"It's not crap! Besides, you so love it when I spout of random facts I get from these shows. Don't think I don't see you smile when I do." Mike ignores Harvey's eye roll and opens the freezer for the tub of cookie dough ice cream inside. It's no use fighting the man over the remote; he'd just let Harvey win right now anyway. Mike flops down, eyeing the show his roommate's turned on with disdain.

"It's not even hot outside and you're eating that?" Harvey pauses, fork half way to his mouth, and glares at the heart attack inducing dairy treat.

"Don't even go there. I have to spend my nights cooking up the stuff you're eating. I'm sorry if I don't want to spend my days eating it too." Mike snorts, settles into the cushions, and crosses his ankles on the coffee table. Before he knows it, a forkful of rice and Asian vegetables are contaminating his treat. "What was that for?" He stares at it for a moment before glaring at his friend.

Harvey is totally unapologetic, and calmly chews and swallows before speaking. "It's actually very good and it's not fair if I don't share." He ends that statement with a meaningful look.

Mike hunches over his ice cream and all but growls. "This is mine. Get up off your lazy ass and get your own. Man... it's all contaminated now, you bastard." His face falls as he stares mournfully at it.

"Stop looking like a kicked puppy. I'm sure you'll be able to overcome this horrible tragedy." Harvey rolls his eyes, but he's grinning around his next forkful.

Mike settles back into the cushions again and chalks the smile up as a win. He's more determined than ever to fix whatever is wrong with Harvey - he owes him that much.

Your reviews are love! And trust me there's plenty of angst and plot to come so hang on! Oh and Donna's finally in the next chap. ;)