When Lily and Mark left, Luke had picked up a knife and began to cut up Mike's skin. Most injures were grazes, barely breaking skin. A few were deep, those caused concern.

Luke had left after one final stab to Mike's leg. Mike waited for him or someone to come back. When no one did, he tried to break the bindings once more. A useless attempt but Mike had to try something.

Breath heavy, Mike let his eyes slide shut. He tried to numb his body to the pain he was in. It didn't work. Mike tried to think of something besides the pain. Every thought then going to Ryan.

Ryan...

It had been the day they figured out Lily was behind the subway murders. Actually, Ryan had figured.

But she had gotten away.

Mike had taken Ryan back to his apartment after. He followed Ryan up so that they could. "You know I trust you," Mike started.

Ryan turned to stare at Mike. He had a look of apprehension.

"Do you trust me?"

It had been the question bugging Mike ever since he met Ryan Hardy. He knew he wasn't going to earn the man's trust within the first few days of the case. He thought he might have earned Ryan's trust when he saved his life from Maggie. Mike thought for sure, almost dying at the hands of Joe's followers to protect Claire's location would have definitely earned him Ryan's trust.

But the way Ryan had done his best to avoid Mike made him wonder.

"I trust you, Mike." Ryan moved towards Mike. Standing in front of him, only to turn away. "More than I thought I would actually."

"Then, why push me? Why-"

"Because I can't lose you," Ryan shouted. Quietly, he repeated, "I can't lose you."

It was that moment Mike saw the broken man Ryan was. Ryan had been keeping his fears, emotions, and thoughts buried within for months. And for a moment, his facade was gone. His pain, fear, anger all showed.

"You won't." Mike had taken a step forward, only to be thrown backwards into the wall. Ryan's hands wrapped around his wrists, pinning him there.

"I can't drag you down with me, Mike."

"I'm staying here right here." Mike smirked when Ryan actually looked him in the eye. Then, Ryan did something Mike hadn't expected. Ryan kissed him. At first, Mike thought he was dreaming. Then he let himself get drawn into the kiss. Mike parted his lips, letting Ryan take control of the kiss.

Mike must have drifted off into the memory because soon he realized he was no longer alone. Someone was wrapping his arm in gauze. Opening his eyes, Mike found the face of his tormentor. Though, this time, it was soft and held no sign of amusement as Luke's often does. This must be Mark then.

"What were you thinking about, Agent Weston?" Mark asked as he wiped away a tear from Mike's cheek. "What made you cry?" Mark had always had a fascination with other people's emotions. They were always different. What made one person cry, would make another one laugh. Mark found he could figure people out this way.

"Nothing that concerns you." Mike spoke words with venom but they didn't affect Mark.

"I'm sure you'll share soon enough." Mark trailed his thumb down Mike's cheek. His mother had asked Mark to tend to the agent's wounds but had also revealed her plan to Mark.

She had told him of how she saw Agent Weston as a possibly good addiction to the family. If Weston couldn't become one of the family, he would continue to serve his purpose as a means to get to Ryan Hardy. So, Lily had asked Mark to see Weston as not some who has tried to kill them but as someone who could possibly be one of them.

So now, here Mark was, trying to get a read on the agent. "You see," Mark said, "in this family, we love to share." Finished with Mike's wounds, Mark stood and left the room. It was too soon to tell if Mike Weston would make a good addiction to their family. But since, Mark was the one more open to new people, he would give him a chance.

For mother, Mark told himself. And not for the strange feeling of power he had over the tied and vulnerable agent. No, it wasn't that at all.