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Off Limits - Ch 1"File room?""Off limits" she calls from the bathroom"My office?""Really?" she smirks, appearing in the bathroom door, still wearing his shirt, hair swept up into a messy ponytail. His eyes trail from her neck to her thighs, the sight of her in his shirt almost enough to drive him wild."What, you know you've thought about it" he winks, making his way over to her, letting his hand trail down her arm, settling in the small of her back and pulling her towards him."Thinking about it and doing it are two different things" she flirts"So, you admit you've thought about it?" he says, grin plastered across his face as he leans in for a kiss"You're an idiot" she laughs, stepping away and turning back into the bathroom"What about the elevator?" he calls, following her all the way into the shower"Harvey!" she exclaims before he stops her giggling with a kiss almost as earth shattering as the one the shared in her hallway the night before.Waking up next to Harvey she can't help but smile to herself at the sight of his arm wrapped around her waist. She can't believe she's waking up in the arms of the man she's loved for over a decade. Last night she was ready to drown her sorrows in a bottle of wine and head to bed, half-heartedly hoping he would show up after seeing his missed calls and hearing about what happened at the hearing from Alex. She wanted to be there for him, but she just couldn't watch him lose everything on account of her, the mere thought broke her heart. Next thing she knew he was at her door, and one look at him told her everything she needed to know, he was finally ready; and he wanted everything. She was hesitant at first, but when he followed her into the apartment she knew, this was finally it for them, they were finally in the same place at the same time."Good morning beautiful" he mumbles, pulling her in and placing a kiss in her hair"Hey" she smiles up at him, enjoying the sleepiness lingering in his voice, "Last night was""Long overdue" he finishes, eyes fixated on her stare in an effort to convey that he truly is ready for this, for them."I was going to say incredible but that works too" she smirks, allowing her fingers to trace small circles across his back"Donna" he says with a sincerity that causes her fingers to stop moving and her breathe to hitch in her throat. He slides his hand along her cheek and gazes into her eyes"I love you""I love you too Harvey"He lets out a breath he didn't even know he was holding as those three words leave her lips, a small wave of relief flooding his body. It shouldn't be a surprise to him after last night. He knew the moment she opened the door that she wanted this just a badly as he did. But hearing those words leave her lips, he's never felt such a high, not even in the courtroom."Show me, how you love me" she raises her eyebrow at him, images of the night before playing across her mind. His hands. On her back, in her hair. He way he effortlessly lifted her into that table. His breath hot against her ear."I'd be happy to show you" He grins, placing a kiss along her collar bone"Again and again and again" he mumbles, peppering her neck with kisses as he pulls her beneath him.Their morning is a blur of skin and hands, neither of them able to keep to themselves. It was as if the previous night had opened the flood gates to all the pent-up emotions of the past 13 years. When Donna's alarm goes off, indicating they need to get ready for work, both are exhausted after a night of minimal sleep, though neither are complaining."We should really get going" Donna pouts, finally giving in to the voice of reason inside her head"Or, we could just spend the day here" he counters"As much as I would love that, the firm needs us today more than ever"He rolls his eyes, knowing she's right; she's always right. The firm was facing it's second name partner to be disbarred within a few years and getting it back on it's feet was not going to be easy."Alright. But, I get to take you to dinner tonight""It's a date" she smiles, sliding his shirt back on and reluctantly getting out of bed to make them some coffee. He follows her to the kitchen in his boxers and takes a seat at the counter, eyes trained on her long legs peering out beneath his shirt."So, are we going to… tell people?" he asks, hoping he doesn't sound moronic in questioning how they wanted to handle their new relationship status. They hadn't quite discussed it themselves, but he wanted to know where they stood before heading into the firm."Hmm. I want to but I'm thinking maybe we should wait a while, let the dust settle first" she says, bringing him his mug and sitting next to him. His face falls at her statement and she's quick to add,"With everything going on at the firm right now I just don't want to add to the chaos. And besides, I think it could be fun to keep this a secret for now" she places a soft kiss on his lips. "Stay in our own little bubble" she adds before gently biting down on his bottom lipHe closes his eyes as she pulls on his bottom lip, rolling his head back before getting up and scooping her up in one swift motion, carrying her right back towards the bedroom."Were going to be late" she protests"It's worth it" he adds~
Once they make their way out of bed, for the second time that morning, and finish their now cold coffee, Harvey calls Ray to pick up one of his suits and drop it off while Donna begins to get ready. He sits on the end of her bed as she flits from the bathroom to the closet and back to the bathroom."We're going to need some office ground rules" she says"We need rules?" he mocks"You know what I mean! If we're going to keep this low key for a while we need to establish some rules. Like no fooling around at the office""Ever?" he exaggerates"No sex at the office" she restates on her way into the bathroom"File room?""Off limits" she calls from the bathroom"My office?""Really?" she smirks, appearing in the bathroom door, still wearing his shirt, hair swept up into a messy ponytail. His eyes trail from her neck to her thighs, the sight of her in his shirt almost enough to drive him wild."What, you know you've thought about it" he winks, making his way over to her, letting his hand trail down her arm, settling in the small of her back and pulling her towards him."Thinking about it and doing it are two different things" she flirts"So, you admit you've thought about it?" he says, grin plastered across his face as he leans in for a kiss"You're an idiot" she laughs, stepping away and turning back into the bathroom"What about the elevator?" he calls, following her all the way into the shower"Harvey!" she exclaims before he stops her giggling with a kiss almost as earth shattering as the one the shared in her hallway the night before.Once they're both dressed and ready to face the day they make their way down to where Ray has been patiently waiting since dropping off Harvey's suit."Good morning Ms. Paulsen" Ray greets as Harvey opens Donna's doorDonna climbs into the car and Harvey makes his way around to his side, "What?" he laughs, catching Ray staring at him"Nothing it's just, it was about time" Ray smirks, shutting the door behind Harvey who tries to laugh it off. Mike would have been thrilled to see that even Ray was rooting for him and Donna, go figure."We never finished our rules" Donna says"Oh, we finished" Harvey smirks"Harvey!" she playfully smacks him on the arm before he slides his fingers between hers and begins to trace circles on the back of her hand as they make their way through the city."Okay, what else" he gives in"I say we just lay low on the PDA. We don't exactly need to hide anything, but we don't need to broadcast it either" She's already starting to change her mind about wanting to keep the relationship to themselves because the thought of letting go of his hand once they arrive is eating away at her."Okay. But if you change your mind about the file room, I'm all ears" he flirts as they pull up outside the firmHe follows her into the building, bracing himself for the day to come. It's going to be grueling and long but at least he has their dinner to look forward to. He makes a note to call Del Posto and reserve their table as the elevator door clicks shut behind them.By some miracle they're alone in the elevator so Harvey takes advantage of the situation and turns to face her, tucking a strand of stray hair behind her ear and pulling her closer by the waist.A warning Harvey leaves her lips, but she doesn't stop him, only leans further into him as he kisses her. She sighs into the kiss, suddenly wishing they had never left her bed as she knows she'll be craving the feeling of his lips on hers for the rest of the day. How she managed to keep these feelings bottled up for so long she'll never know. The elevator dings on the 47th floor. The 48th floor and he breaks the kiss, stepping back but keeps his hands wrapped around her waist. 49th and he lets go of her reluctantly."You ready?" he asksShe nods in responses and follows him off the elevator into the lobby of the firm where Gretchen is waiting for them."There you two are! Louis has been looking for you all morning. The man is in crisis mood and wants everyone in the conference room, now" she lectures as they begin to move down the hall."Calm down Gretchen, I have a plan" Harvey states, leading Donna and Gretchen towards where everyone is waiting"I appreciate that, Mr. Specter, but before you go in their you should know, that shade of lipstick is really not your colour" she deadpans, watching the panic flash across his eyes as he uses the back of his hand to wipe Donna's lipstick from his lips"Now get in there before Louis explodes" she opens the door to the conference room and gestures him inside.Donna follows behind him, but Gretchen stops her before she enters and whispers, "About damn time, I'm happy for you Red""Thank you, Gretchen" she smiles"Don't worry, I'll keep it quiet" Gretchen adds"How did you know we wanted to...?""You're not the only one that can read people Red" she grins as they make their way into the conference room and take a seat."Where the hell have you two been?!" Louis yells towards where Harvey and Donna are seated across from each other."Don't you know we're in crisis mood! Harvey I've been calling you all night" he addsHarvey opens his mouth to say something, but Louis cuts him off, "Never mind your excuses, let's just get to work"The meeting drags on as Louis goes over what the firms recovery strategy will be. Harvey is hardly listening, instead he is focused on Donna, watching as she runs her fingers through her hair and wishing his hand could do the same. He studies her lips as she answers something Louis asked that he didn't hear, subconsciously licking his own. She catches him staring and blushes, flipping her hair back over her shoulder temporarily revealing subtle bruises along her neck line from the night before. She hadn't noticed the discoloration until she follows Harvey's stare and flusters to flip her hair back over her shoulder to cover it. He has to bite his cheek to keep from laughing at her fluster."Harvey, are you even listening to me?" Louis snaps, snapping Harvey back to the conversation"Sorry Louis I guess I'm just a little, distracted" he mumbles"I'll bet you are" Gretchen smirks"What's that Gretchen?" Louis asks"It's just Harvey was telling me he had a way out of this, maybe we should hear him out" she bluffs"Alright Harvey let's hear it" Louis motions for him to begin as Donna mouths a thank you to Gretchen for covering for them.After the meeting Harvey and Louis decide it would be best to spend the afternoon doing damage control with clients. Before heading to Louis' office Harvey knocks on Donna's door. She's so focused on the files in front of her she barely hears him knock. He knows how hard today must be for her. He saw the way people were staring at her, silently blaming her for Robert's disbarment and he wishes he could have done more to protect her from the backlash. When she finally turns her attention away from the papers on her desk she's greeted with a gentle smile."How's it going?""It's been better, but you know me, I'll get through it" she smiles back"We'll get through it" he corrects, making her heart flutter"I have to get going and meet Louis but I wanted to make sure we're still on for tonight?""Of course we are""Perfect. I'll come by around 8?""See you at 8" she responds, and as he walks over and places a post it on her desk before making his way down the hall, eyes fixed on her.She watches as he walks away and it's only once he's out of sight she reads the note he placed in her desk.You are beautiful. Can't wait for tonight. – HShe shakes her head, smiling like an idiot as she re -reads the note before tucking it into her desk drawer and going back to work.Across the hall Samantha and Katrina watch as Harvey pokes his head into Donna's office while they work on the task Louis has given them. Neither think anything of it until Harvey walks away and Donna is left with a smile wider than a mile."She seems awfully happy for someone who just royally screwed us over" Samantha observes"You don't think?" Katrina implies"With those two, I wouldn't be surprised" Samantha says"Isn't she still dating that Thomas guy?" Katrina asks"I thought so…""Alright Louis, let's do this" Harvey exclaims as he helps himself to a seat in Louis' office"You seem rather chipper for someone that almost just lost his job, everything okay?""Honestly, I've never been better Louis""Then let's get to saving this firm"
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Off Limits - Ch 2To say the firm was in crisis mode would be the understatement of the century. Harvey and Donna had been working non-stop for the past 48 hours, which unfortunately meant they'd had to cancel their first official date. Neither were too upset over it, but both were having a hard time putting the other out of their mind. Louis caught Harvey daydreaming several times in their first meeting, lost in a sea of thoughts about porcelain skin and freckles.Louis was also surprised to find Donna humming in the kitchen as she poured herself a coffee the next day. The senior partners and the COO had spent the entire night going over their strategy and most of the staff was exhausted come morning, yet here was Donna, humming."Everything okay?" he asks"Everything's fine. Why do you ask Louis?""It's just. There's something different about you and I can't put my finger on it" he turns to study her"How are things with Thomas?" he asks"Actually Louis, we broke up" she chimes, before brushing past him with her coffee and heading out of the kitchenShe seemed to be in rather good mood for someone who was going through a break up, Louis thinks. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, she'd been through a lot these past few days, he tells himself. He takes a seat at the table and sips his prunie. Wait a minute, Donna had that glow about her, one he hadn't seen in years. Something was going on here and he was going to get to the bottom of it.Harvey was disappointed they had to move their date, but not nearly as disappointed as he was that he hadn't gotten to spend any time alone with her since they stepped off that elevator the morning after. His desire to touch her, to kiss her, was eating him alive and he was sure that he wouldn't make it through the day.Even though they'd both spent all night at the office, he'd been stuck working alongside Louis and hadn't had a chance to see her. He makes his way down to the coffee cart and orders two coffees before taking them back to the kitchen to add a splash of vanilla before dropping hers off. It's not the first date he imagined, but at least it was something. Plus, the walk downstairs was a welcome distraction from the chaos that filled the firm and the visions of red and lace that filled his head. He smirks to himself as he fixes her coffee, closing his eyes to watch her close her eyes as trailed kisses down her neck, pulling her as close to his body as the layers of clothing between them would allow. Holding her against that wall because he couldn't wait to have her, to feel her lips on his."For someone who's ship is sinking you sure do look happy" Samantha chimes, walking past Harvey and taking a seat at the table behind him."That must be one hell of a coffee" she eyes the multiple beverages next to him, "Or coffees" she corrects raising an eyebrow in question"I thought Donna could use a coffee" he answers, focus remaining on the drinks in front of him"Right" Samantha remarks sarcastically"She seemed pretty happy too, for someone who accidentally screwed over her own firm""That's enough" Harvey warns"Is it? Because from where I stand Robert lost his job because of what she did. Don't get me wrong Harvey I love Donna as much as the next person but I have the right to be a pissed off here! He lost everything. Everything he worked his entire life for and you two show up this morning with smiles on your faces! How am I supposed to react to that!"Harvey turns to look at Samantha and tilts his head, waiting for it to click. He watches as she begins to piece the puzzle together, a puzzle that had been falling into place for a decade.Samantha, being Samantha decides to toy with Harvey. She knew there was more to his and Donna's relationship the moment she started working here and she was glad the two of them had finally figured their shit out, but she was still hurting and needed him to say it. To reassure her that they felt the pain of Robert's lose as she had. She could at least forgive them if they felt the lose but were too caught up in their own little relationship bubble to show it."Where did you run off too, last night?" she questions"I had somewhere to be. You reminded me how hard it was to come by that one person that would stick with you through anything. That would love me despite my flaws. I had to tell her what she meant to me before it was too late"Samantha's slightly shocked at his outright admission but impressed with how forward he was being. He didn't directly tell her they were together, and the broadness of his words make her think they want to lay low while the firm gets back on its feet, she admires that."And?"He raises his eyebrow once again, he knows she's just goading him into saying it and he plans on respecting Donna's wish of keeping things quiet for a while. He grabs his coffees and makes his way out of the kitchen, pausing in the doorway"Thank you, Samantha" he offers a tender smile"I'm happy for you Harvey. You know I admire that women, you're a lucky man""I am" he grins, heading to her office, coffee with a splash of vanilla in hand.When he gets back to his office, he finds her sitting in his chair, legs crossed and rested on his desk and his pulse starts racing."You know your office is next door, right?" he flirts"I brought you a coffee" she gestures to the cup in his deskHe holds up the two cups in his hands and laughs, "So did I""They say great minds think alike" she says, moving to get up"Leaving already? That desk has never looked so good" tone heavy with the flirty banter they'd used for years"I have a meeting with Samantha in 15, I just thought I'd stop by" she walks over to him and places both the coffees he's holding on his desk, reaching out to adjust his tie out of habit, as she leans back against the edge of his desk.He freezes when her finger grazes his chest, loosening and then re-tightening his tie to straighten it up. He'd much rather having her rushing to remove it. The blood rushes to his head as he tries to stay focused and not let himself drift back to the other night. He subconsciously leans into her, stepping between her legs, his lips falling just above her ear."I miss you" he whispers, causing every nerve in her body to come alive, skin tingling at the anticipation of his touch.She closes her eyes as the words leave his lips, visions of the last time he stood rooted between her legs, his hands roaming her body, getting tangled in her hair. She pulls back and her eyes find his, both momentarily forgetting where they're standing; in the middle of Harvey's office, in the middle of the day. She can feel his lips hover over her ear, trailing back to where her lips are, his hand planted on the desk behind her, trapping her between the desk and his body. She opens he eyes and finds his eyes soft and trained on hers. The desire in his eyes matches the desire pooling in the pit of her stomach and she lets out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.Samantha clears her throat, cause the pair to dart apart, both blushing."Sorry to interrupt" she smirks, "Just needed to borrow Donna for a meeting" Donna grabs a cup of coffee off the desk and wills her knees to stop shaking, desperately trying to pull herself together."Come find me after, we'll grab lunch" he whispers to her, motioning to Samantha to take one of the 3 remaining cups of coffee on his desk.She smiles in response, following Samantha towards the door"If you want to keep things quiet, I suggest cutting back on the eye banging in an office with glass walls" Samantha laughs"We weren't..." Donna tries to protest"It's okay Donna, she's already figured it out" Harvey interjects, offering her an apologetic smile"How?" Donna looks to Samantha"Oh please, I've never seen Harvey so happy in my life. And besides after he sprinted out of here the other night it wasn't hard to figure it out""Sprinted out of here?" she looks at Harvey, making a note to tease him for literally running to her apartment"Thanks for that Samantha" Harvey groans"Who is it that were meeting anyways?" Donna asks Samantha"Harvey didn't tell you? It was his plan""And every good plan starts with Mike Ross" Mike chimes in from behind Donna"Mike Ross" he says, sticking his hand out to shake Samantha's hand"Samantha Wheeler" she shakes his hand"I leave and all hell breaks lose. You really do need me" Mike mocks as he moves to hug Harvey and then Donna"How long are you here for?" Donna asks"Until we get whatever-firm-name-you-guys-go-by now back on it's feet""Rachel?" Donna asks hopeful that her best friend tagged along for the trip"She couldn't make the trip, but she sends her love""Shall we?" Samantha gestures towards the conference room"Let's do it" Mike follows, "Harvey, I'm taking you and Donna for drinks later" he calls as he trails after Samantha towards the conference room"So, is he still just as big of a pain-in-the-ass as when I left?" Mike asks Samantha"You have no idea" she chucklesDonna stares at Harvey wide-eyed, "The pup? Really? He's going to have a field day with this""Surprise" he shrugs"Have a good meeting. See you for lunch" he grins, taking a quick look around and noting there was no one around he places a quick kiss on her lips before strolling out of his office and leaving her swooning and wanting more.The meeting went surprisingly well, Mike and Samantha really hit it off and they had come up with a solid foundation for getting the firm back on track. Unfortunately, Donna was having a hard time focusing because all she could think about was Harvey. Mike had to call her attention back to the matters on hand several times and when he asked if she was okay Samantha helped out by saying Donna had had a long couple of days. Donna knew that Mike was well caught up on her situation thanks to Rachel, whom she'd called after her break up with Thomas, and she was grateful he didn't ask or bring it up.As the meeting concluded Mike walked down the hall with Donna, "Want to grab lunch?" he asks"I actually have lunch plans, but I'll see you tonight" she smiles watching Harvey check her out from the end of the hall."No worries, I'll just ask Harvey" Mike shrugs, gesturing towards the man that's already staring at them"He has a meeting!" she panics"Oh, alright" Mike gives her a weird look in response to her outburst, "Guess it's just me and Louis today""Donna" he nods, standing next to her as they wait for the elevator"Harvey" she nods back, shuffling her coat and purse in her handsThe elevator dings and they step inside, standing side by side facing the lobby of the firm as the doors slowly shut. As soon as the door clicks shut his hands are cupping her cheeks and he's backing her into the wall. She drops her stuff and runs her hands though his hair and down his back. Their kisses are desperate, sloppy and filled with longing. He lifts her and pins her once again between the wall and his body, hiking up her skirt as far as the material will allow him too as she wraps both legs around his waist.He intertwines his fingers with hers, holding her arms above her head as he once again places sloppy kisses down her neck, causing a moan to escape from her lips. She reaches for his belt as the elevator dings, indicating it's reached the building lobby and he sighs, gently placing her back on the floor and helping her pick up her stuff."Will anyone really notice if we take the afternoon off?" he poutsShe straights her skirt and runs her fingers through her hair as the elevator reaches the ground floor, opening to reveal a waiting Louis"Louis" Harvey nods, brushing past him and out of the elevator"Harvey, Donna" Louis acknowledges, picking up on the charged energy between them.They make their way out of the lobby and Louis watches Harvey open Donna's door before rounding the car and nodding to Ray before joining her in the back seat. Those two had the weirdest relationship he'd ever seen, one day the screaming at each other and the next they're going to lunch, he thinks to himself.Donna has some work to finish up after her extended lunch break, so she opts to meet Harvey and Mike at the bar. She also decided to go home and change into a form fitting black dress that nearly makes Harvey's eyes bulge out of his head when he sees her. She kisses Mike on the cheek as she slides into the seat next to him and sends Harvey a smile, watching as his eyes roam from her head to her chest. She should roll her eyes at his subtleness but the way he's looking at her across the table sends chills down her spine."You look amazing" Mike says"You do" Harvey mumbles in agreement, eyes staying locked on Donna's. He's so grateful Mike has stepped in to help but as much as he's missed having him around, all he wants to do right now is take Donna home and see how good that dress looks lying on his bedroom floor."I'll grab us some drinks" Mike excuses himself, leaving the pair alone at the table"You look, wow" is all Harvey manages to come up with, but it's enough to make her blush"Thank you" she smiles"So, I didn't exactly get to take you on that date, and I was, well I was wondering if I could take you tomorrow?""We don't have to do anything formal Harvey, really it's okay""No, it's not. You deserve everything Donna. It may have taken me a while to get here, but if we're going to do this, I want to do it right" he smiles, grabbing her hand and squeezing in beneath the table"You're it for me Donna"Her heart sores at the softness in his eyes and she squeezes his hand."Alright, what are we talking about" Mike asks, placing drinks down on the table"Just how much we miss you" Donna says"Not much changes around here, does it?" Mike jokes, oblivious to the fact that Harvey is still holding Donna's hand under the table..."So, you're telling me you actually tried to get Kevin Miller to help you?" Mike laughs"I would've loved to see you try that" he adds"Well it wasn't all me, Donna helped" he smiles at her across the table"We all know that plan never would've worked out if it wasn't for the city's best closer over here" she compliments"Good god why don't you two get a room already" Mike teases as Harvey mumbles 'I wish' under his breath. Mike had noticed a weird energy between his friends, glances lingering longer than usual, their flirty banter had a softness to it he'd never seen before and he could've sworn Donna was about to melt into a puddle over something Harvey had said when he returned to the table. He knew Thomas and Donna had broken up, and he had a feeling it had something to do with her unresolved feelings for Harvey, not just what happened with the firm. Likewise, he knew that despite his protests, Harvey as in love with Donna, and watching his two best friends at this table he was starting to wonder if maybe the two of them had finally got their shit together and sorted their feelings out."Harvey, what do you say we head back to your place for a night cap?" Mike suggests and watches as Harvey's eyes flick to Donna"You too Donna" he adds"Sure" Harvey answers"Oh, and Harvey, that's me you're playing footsie with, not Donna" Mike smirks, taking pleasure in how uncomfortable he's managed to make his former boss as Harvey nearly chokes on his drink..Mike drops the subject and the group quickly begins to talk about his new firm as they make their way to Harvey's. Donna, being Donna is pretty sure Mike knows something is going on, but she pushes the thought to the back of her mind, choosing to stay in their little honeymoon bubble just a little while longer.The night winds down and Mike decides to get going. They both walk him to the door and see him out. As soon as Harvey shuts the door behind him, Donna's lips are on his. It had been a long, exhausting day and both of them had been waiting for the moment they could just be with one another. It seemed ridiculous, that adults couldn't go a few days without taking their hands of each other, but after 13 years, they had a lot of time to make up for. He pulls her closer, arms wrapping around her waist, deepening the kiss as they become a blur or arms and limbs desperate to free the other of their clothes. Donna is undoing the third button on Harvey's shirt when the door opens - a sound they are both too preoccupied to hear."Sorry I forgot my jacket" Mike calls as he stumbles back into the apartment, stopping in his tracks when he realizes what he's just walked in on."You know what, never mind. It's not that cold out" he exclaims before walking right back out the door."Should we tell him to come get his jacket?" she grins"He can have it tomorrow" Harvey replies, taking her hand and pulling her towards the bedroom...Harvey checks his phone when he goes to get some coffee and can't help but laugh at what the kid had sent him.Glad you finally had the balls to tell her. Hope you were safe. (Really though, I'm so happy for you guys)-MHe climbs back into bed and pulls her into his side, showing her the message as he lets his fingers run through her hair."I guess Rachel probably already knows by now too" Donna sighs"Is that okay?""Ya, I'm just a little bit worried about what people at work will think""Babe" he lifts her chin so she's looking at him"It doesn't matter what anyone thinks. No one doubts that you are the best COO our firm could have hired, and if anyone does decide to doubt that, I'll fire them""You can't fire someone for that" she smiles"For doubting my girl, I can fire whoever I want" he says as he pulls her in for a kiss.Sitting in his office just past 2am, Louis flips through some final paperwork for the night. After the mess of the past few days he'd sent everyone home and was planning on retiring home the Shelia as soon as he finished signing the documents Donna left on his desk. For as much trouble as they were in, he was proud of his troops for coming together and working as hard as they had to come up with a way to fix this. He shakes his head as he signs the forms, how did they get here? Harvey had almost been disbarred for god's sake.He thinks back to the events of the past few days and his mind goes back to that night in Harvey's apartment. Harvey looked absolutely heart broken that Donna hadn't had faith in him and in the madness of the situation he'd almost overlooked a key detail. Harvey had compared what Shelia is to Louis to what Donna meant to him. Holy shit. It was so obvious, Harvey loved her far more than a friend. Poor guy was probably hurting so much, he should go over there and tell him he's there for him, he thinks.He pulls out his phone and dials Harvey's number, waiting as it rings.Harvey's phone blares through the apartment, startling a sleepy Donna who was curled up on Harvey's chest as he slept. She reaches for the phone, half asleep, in a desperate attempt to stop it from ringing she picks it up."Hello?""Hey, I know it's late I just wanted to tell you, if you ever needed to talk, I'm here for you" Louis says"Wait, Donna?" he exclaims, loud enough that the stirring Harvey below Donna can hear him, sending Donna a confused look."What is it Louis? Is everything okay? Why are you calling me so late?" she responds"Donna, I called Harvey" Louis clarifiesShe looks down and notices Harvey's phone in her hand and panicking, hands him the phone while suppressing a laugh."What is it Louis, I'm a little busy" he barks"I…I… I'm going to need a day" Louis stutters before hanging up"Well, he handled that better than I thought he would" she laughs"You do realize what telling him you're a little busy sounds like right?" she adds"Yeah. But I have full intentions of being a little busy" he smirks, pulling her down beneath him.The next morning finds Mike in his office, waiting patiently on his couch."Mike" he greets, tossing his jacket at him before sitting at his desk"Where's you're better half? I'm assuming you two came in together" Mike wags his eyebrows"Are you finished?'"Maybe" Mike pouts"Okay good, let's get to work then" Harvey tosses him a folder"Hey, you forgot your coffee" Donna says, failing to look up from her phone as she walks straight over to Harvey's desk and places a cup down with a small peck on the cheek; thinking they were alone – and having checked the hallway was empty before she came in."Would you look at that, mom and dad finally figured it out. But you scarred me enough last night so please, this time keep it PG" Mike grinsDonna looks up startled to see Mike seated in the corner of Harvey's office and can't help but laugh."We're trying to keep a low profile" Donna begins to explain"Say no more, my lips are sealed" Mike makes a zipping motion across his lips"Can't say the same for Harvey's though" he can't help himself from adding as he met with glares from both Harvey and Donna"I'll let you two get to work then" Donna says, turning to leave and rolling her eyes at MikeHarvey grabs a hold of her wrist and spins her back towards him, kissing her with more passion than she expected for being at work.She steps back and squeezes his hand, smiling to herself as she headed to her office in a daze."Not a word" Harvey warns Mike before he gets the chance to make any remarks about his former boss' sudden romantic side."Happy looks good on you" Mike adds, opening the folder"Honestly, I've never been happier" Harvey adds, joining Mike.
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Ch 3 - Off LimitsLouis strolls into the office the next morning in a daze. In the four hours since he'd called Harvey, he had managed to convince himself that it was possible he'd imagined Donna answering the phone due to his lack of sleep. But it was all starting to make sense; Harvey's lack of focus, Donna's sudden glow and positive attitude towards her breakup with Thomas. His mind almost couldn't process it, it was too big.He finds Donna at her desk, buried in a pile of paperwork. She senses him at the door and greets him without looking up from the form in front of her."Good morning Louis""Donna" he responses, taking a seat across from her at her desk"Something I can help you with?" she smirks, knowing what has brought him into her office this morning and enjoying the worked-up state she predicted he would be in."I had the weirdest dream last night" he begins"You and Harvey were… Well it's too weird I can't even say it" he stutters"Me and Harvey were what Louis?" she plays along, trying her hardest to hide the grin threatening to spill across her face"Hey babe, I was thinking we should stay at my place again tonight" Harvey calls as he struts into her office with a stack of papers"Louis, didn't see you there" he nods to Louis who is staring open-mouthed between the pair."You feeling okay buddy? You look like you've seen a ghost" Harvey remarks, letting his hand linger across Donna's wrist as she takes the stack of papers from his hand"Oh, I get it, you two are messing with me!" Louis exclaims, eyes fixated on where Harvey's hand touches Donna's."Messing with you?" Harvey asks"Ya, messing with me. Pulling a prank, yanking my chain, whatever you want to call it""Louis" Donna begins, motioning for Harvey to close her office door"It's okay Donna, it's all in good spirit. You two almost had me too. Especially with Harvey coming in here and calling you babe" he adds, watching Harvey's face redden as he sits against the edge of Donna's desk"Wait a minute. Harvey you didn't even know I was in here?" It suddenly dawns on Louis that Harvey didn't know he was in Donna's office when he came in, which would mean… OH MY GOD."I didn't" he admits, watching the realization wash over Louis' face as his features go from perplexed to calm, looking from Harvey to Donna and back to Harvey."So, you two are?""Yes" they respond at the same time"Well it's about god damn time!" he grins a toothy grin as he gets up to hug HarveyHarvey rolls his eyes at Donna over Louis' shoulder as she eggs on the hug."This is incredible, I'm so happy for you both" Louis beams"Thank you" Donna smiles"Well, I should get back to work but I'll leave you two to do, whatever it was you were doing" Louis says not hide the joy in his voice"Louis before you go" Donna calls"We wanted to keep this low key, at least for a little while so we would appreciate if you kept this to yourself" she smiles"Sure Donna, I won't say a word" Louis grins before leaving her officeHe stops in the doorway and adds, "But once it's all out in the open you two will have to join Shelia and I for dinner""Of course," she smiles as he turns and makes his way down the hall towards his office, a small spring in his step"We don't really have to do that, do we?" Harvey pouts"It won't be that bad" she tries to reason but is met with a doubting look"Harvey, you coming?" Mike calls into Donna's office"Hold your horses" he calls back, turning his attention back to Donna"I just wanted to make sure we were still on for tomorrow night?""What was tomorrow night again?" she teases"The best first date you've ever had""A little cocky, are we?" she laughs"It's one of the things you love about me" he flirts back before joining Mike in the hall, leaving Donna to her paperwork."Ready to kick some ass Batman?" Mike smiles"Batman. Really?""I figured now that you were all loved up that nicknames were a go" Mike reasons"You figured wrong""I say we get drinks to celebrate" Mike announces after the group had successfully implemented the first stage of their plan to get the firm back on track."Sounds good" Harvey answers, dialing Ray."Harvey are you sure you're free tonight?" Louis asks, purposely avoiding asking if he already had plans with Donna."It's okay Louis, Mike knows""How does he know?!" Louis exclaims, slightly jealous at the notation that his friends told Mike when they hadn't intentionally informed him of their new relationship status"Unfortunately, I caught the live show" Mike remarks, "How do you know?""Donna answered Harvey's phone last night" Louis explains"Classic" Mike chuckles..Once at the bar Harvey sends Donna a text telling her about his plans to spend the evening with Mike and Louis. They didn't have any plans, but it was the first night they hadn't spent together since getting together and he would use any excuse he could to message her. She answers him almost immediately, telling him she was also having drinks, but with Samantha and Katrina. He smiles as he tucks his phone back into his pocket, flagging the waiter over to order drinks for the table."Here's to… Here's to Harvey, for finally getting his head out of his ass and realizing what's been right in front of him all these years" Louis raises his glass"I'll drink to that" Mike laughs, clinking his glass off Louis' before swigging back the liquid filling the glassHarvey reluctantly raises his glass and joins them, supposing they had a right to mock him, after all it took him more than a decade to see what Donna really meant to him."Harvey, I have to ask. We sat in this bar nearly a year ago and you told me that Donna kissing you lead you to realize Paula wasn't the one and I asked you if it was because Donna was. Did you lie?""Honestly, I think I was lying to myself more than anyone. I wasn't willing to risk our friendship for feelings I was afraid of" he admits"And now?" Mike studies Harvey as he begins to explain. He's never seen his friend look so calm, so content and he's so happy that they finally figured out what had been so evident to everyone else for years."I realize what an idiot I was for waiting so long. She's the love of my life" he says, before bringing his glass to his lips, missing the look Louis and Mike exchange. Both are staring at each other in a state of shock at the words that have just left their friends mouth. Harvey Specter coining the term, love of my life, they never thought they would ever see the day when New York City's best closer fell in love."What?" he questions looking between Mike and Louis"I never thought I would here those words come out of your mouth" Mike admits"Glad I still have the power to surprise you" Harvey chuckles, god he missed having the kid around."What made you decide to finally man up and tell her anyways?" Mike asks"I guess I finally realized that if one day a time came and I really did lose everything, my job, the firm, none of it would matter as long as I never lost her. She's the first person I want to tell good news too, hell she's the first person I want to tell bad news to, and I'd be lost without her""Well, then to Harvey and Donna" Louis grinsSpending time with Mike and Louis was much needed, and as great as the debate over the worst potential baby names (as Mike and Rachel were now trying to have a child – as Mike had informed them) was, as the night wore on, he only missed her more. He knows it seemed ridiculous, he saw her at work 5 hours prior, and would see her at the office tomorrow, and again on their date, but he couldn't help himself. When the group decides to call it a night he decides to swing by the office and see if she's still their, hoping he can make up an excuse to at least give her a ride home."Donna do you have a minute?" Katrina asks shyly while awkwardly standing in the door of Donna's office"Sure Katrina" she gestures for her to take a seat"Everything okay?""Well, no actually. Brian left""He left?""He said it would be best for his family" she sighs"Did something happen between you two?" Donna asks cautiously"No, and I would never let anything happen between us anyways. At least not while he's… married"Donna sends her an apologetic tight-lipped smile, reaching across the desk to squeeze her palm gently. She wishes she knew a way to comfort her, she of all people understands how hard it is to love someone you aren't supposed to love, but at the moment she's drawing a blank."It's just, I know if he stayed, we could work together. I could forget about those feelings""I don't think those feelings ever really go away Katrina" Donna admits"But I thought? I mean, you and Harvey…" she beginsShe didn't know the intimate details of the complex relationship between the name partner and the COO, but a few weeks back Donna eluded to what she always assumed to be true, there were unresolved feelings between them, and they seemed to manage to work together just fine. Sure, they fought from time to time, but they were as close as two people could get without being that. And if they could do it, her and Brian could."Katrina" Donna interrupts"No Donna look, I know we're not you and Harvey, and to be honest I don't even really know if you guys are anything like me and Brian, I just know that it isn't fair that I have to lose my friend over something as silly as this" she says, tears starting to spill from her cheeks."Katrina" Donna begins again, forcing her to look up and focus on her"I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to listen until I'm done, okay?" she says as Katrina nods in responds, wiping her tears on the back of her sleeve"Harvey and I slept together""What, when?""Just, let me finish and this will make more sense""Harvey and I slept together, before we started working here, and at the time I would have given anything to have a relationship with him"Katrina is now staring at her, wide-eyed; never in a million years would she have expected those words to leave Donna's mouth, no matter how flirty the pair was at the office."But he wasn't ready, and I decided it would be best for both of us to forget it ever happened and just move on. And that's what we did. For a while at least. But what I've learned Katrina, is no matter how hard you try to shove these feelings aside, they are always going to be there, whether you like it or not. And if you force yourself to try and push those feelings aside, instead of dealing with them, things can get really messy""But, you and Harvey still work together?""Yes, we might not be the best example, but look at all of those times we almost lost everything because of those unresolved issues. It gets to the point where you start to wonder how many times you can put yourself through a heartbreak over something that isn't even yours. And I don't want that for you. I know you think you can push those feelings aside because you value your friendship with Brian, but if you really value it, you'll let him go, as hard as that may be. Because even if you think he's the one for you, timing is everything""Did you let him go? Harvey, I mean?""I tried to. I even tried to move on, to cut him out of me. Funny thing about fate, it has a way of working things out. Who knows maybe Brian leaving is all part of the plan, or maybe one day he'll walk through those doors and you two will just know that the timing is finally right. Harvey and I, it wasn't right all those years ago, neither of us was ready. But now…" she smiles to herself at the thought of everything they had overcome to get them to where they were."Now?" Katrina picks up on the sudden cheerful tone in her voice"Now the timing is finally right for us" Donna smiles"Wait a second, so you two are…?""Together, yes" Donna answers. She knows she told Harvey they weren't going to take the relationship public yet, but she can't help herself from sharing the news with Katrina."Donna that's amazing! I'm so happy for you guys!" she exclaims"We're trying to keep it quiet, at least for now so I would appreciate if you kept it to yourself""Of course""Are you going to be okay?" Donna asks, reaching for the bottle of scotch on her desk and pouring them each a glass"I will be" Katrina offers a small smile, reaching for the glass Donna placed in front of her, lifting it towards Donna's."To you and Harvey. I'm glad you finally got your happy ending" she toasts"A happy ending?" Samantha calls from the door of Donna's office."Oh umm…" Katrina stutters"It's okay, she already knows" Donna nods towards Samantha, sliding her a glass of scotch and motioning for her to join themKatrina looks at Sam quizzically, wondering why Donna would have told her seeing as they weren't exactly partners in crime."I figured it out" Samantha answers without being asked, "They weren't exactly subtle" she laughs"To happy endings" she raises her glass as all three women finish the amber liquid and place their glasses back on the desk with a giggle"Alright, spill" Samantha looks directly at Donna and shoots straight to the point."Spill what?!" Donna exclaims"We need details!" Katrina jumps in"Sorry ladies, I don't kiss and tell" she laughs, refilling their glasses because knowing with Samantha and Katrina this conversation wasn't getting dropped anytime soon."Oh, common Donna! Was it good? Worth the wait?" Samantha pries"Better than last time?" Katrina adds"Last time?! Woah, woah, woah, start with last time" Samantha laughs"That was 13 years ago" Donna replies"I knew I wasn't crazy for thinking you two had a crazy sexual tension!" Samantha cries"But, yes it was even better than I remembered, which is saying a lot" she winks"AHH!" Katrina giggles"Is New York's best closer, really the best closer?" Samantha raises an eyebrow, earning her a playful smack in the arm from Donna"Sorry ladies but that one is for only me to know""That's as good as a yes" Katrina saysThe girls continue to giggle and drink as the night wears on. Donna answers a few more questions about Harvey, trying to keep her answers as subjective as possible, they were Harvey's coworkers too after all. After their fourth drink she's feeling pretty tipsy and pulls out her phone to see a missed message from Harvey. She smiles before typing a quick reply telling him she was having drinks with the girls and putting her phone back down on her desk. The night begins to wind down and the giggles start to fade as exhaustion sets in and the alcohol takes full effect."Before we call it a night, you never told us how you two finally got together" Katrina says"I think that's a story for another night" Donna answers"What's a story for another night?" Harvey's voice echoes through her office and all three women turn to see him leaning against the door frame at the entrance to her office."The story of when you decided to smarten up and see how wonderful this women is" Samantha drunkenly gestures towards Donna Vanna White style."Oh, that story" he flashes a grin, thinking back to that night in her apartment. The way she backed away from her door, inviting him to take the next step; both physically and metaphorically. Her legs wrapped around his waist. His hands on her body. All. Over. Her. Body."I told them they'll have to wait until next time" Donna slurs"That's going to be a tough one ladies, it's a great story" he winks"What are you doing here?" Donna asks, finally putting two and two together and realizing she wasn't expecting to see Harvey tonight."What, I can't come check in on my girl?" he smiles as Katrina begins to gush over how cute him and Donna are."We were just leaving" Samantha links her arm through Katrina's and leads her to the door, "Have a nice night you two" she calls over her shoulder to Donna."Good for you Specter" Samantha chuckles as she brushes past Harvey, leaving him alone with Donna in her office.He rolls his eyes at Samantha's comment though he is slightly worried girls night involved more details about his love life than he'd hoped.Once they're alone Harvey walks over to where she's seated at her desk and leans over to her."I hope it's okay that I crashed girl's night""We were just wrapping up, so I suppose it's okay" she teases"What are you actually doing here so late?" she adds"Would you believe me if I said I just missed you and was hoping you'd still be here?" he blushes"I'd believe you more if you kissed me" she drunkenly demandsHe reaches across the desk and kisses her, slipping his tongue past her upper lip at the last second before pulling away and helping her up from her chair."What are you doing?" she pouts"Getting you home""Why don't we just do it here? No one is around" she reaches for his tie"As badly as I want to say yes to that, you're drunk. So why don't you remember that idea for another day, because I am definitely going to take you up on this offer, and we go back to my place and order a pizza?" he says helping her into her coat"With bacon?" she bats her eyelashes up at him in attempt to flirt but the alcohol has gotten to her head and she doubts it comes off as sexy as she hoped."Anything you want" he smiles, taking her hand as they make their way to the elevator"Did you really come all the way down here because you missed me?" she asks, leaning into his side as they get in the elevator"You have no idea what it feels like to be in love with you" he smiles before pressing a kiss into her hairAfter Donna showered and sobered up, the pair found themselves lying in Harvey's bed talking about their day while waiting for the pizza Donna insisted they order. She lay half on top of Harvey in his old Harvard t-shirt, bare leg intertwined with his as he runs his fingers through her hair lazily. She smiles as she breathes in his scent, grateful he showed up at the firm and decided to take her home. She was one lucky girl to have won the heart of such a caring, gentle man. Harvey had been surprising her with his sudden romantic side since they started dating, and this whole other side of him sent goosebumps crawling across her arms every time she thought about it."I've been meaning to ask you, if you would be my date to Louis' our-firm-is-still-standing gala" he says"You mean you want me to be your date to a firm event?""I figured enough people already know, and I don't want to waste another second I could be showing you off to the world" he smiles"Harvey" she says softly"What do you say?" he asks, praying his asking to put their relationship out there hadn't spooked her"I would love to be your date" she smiles into the kiss he's already pulled her into. They're mid-kiss when there is a swift knock at the door and Donna reluctantly pulls away."Do you want to get the door while I grab my wallet?" Harvey asks"I'm only wearing your t-shirt" she motions downward to prove her point and he takes the opportunity to admire her long lean legs pecking out from beneath the over sized shirt."Harvey!" she smacks his arm playfully"Just grab the door, I'll be right there" he says, placing a kiss on her temple before going to grab his wallet off of the kitchen counterDonna makes her way to the door, getting there as the person on the other side knocks again."Coming, coming" she calls, as if the person can hear herShe swings the door open, expecting a twenty-something pizza man but instead she comes face to face with a heel-clad Jessica Pearson."Donna?""Hey babe, what do we owe them?" Harvey calls as he makes his way down the hall towards the door"Jessica" he pauses stunned to see his former mentor standing at his door"Well I'll be damned, it's about time" Jessica grins.
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"Can I get you a drink?" Harvey asks, seated opposite Jessica on his couch"It's okay Harvey, I didn't mean to impose. Why don't we grab lunch tomorrow?""You're not imposing" Donna chimes in as she joins them, having changed into a pair of tights and a baggy sweater she takes a seat beside Harvey on the couch"Well, if you're sure" Jessica smiles, nodding to Harvey that she'll take that drinkHarvey moves to pour three glasses of scotch and hands Jessica hers before sliding his arm around Donna and moving back onto the couch next to her."Chicago get boring already?" Harvey teases"Not as exciting as here I suppose, you know, less disbarring" she turns her stare to Harvey"You heard" he tries to lighten the mood"Everyone's heard""We're fixing it""I'm sure you are" Jessica chuckles, taking a long sip of the amber liquid that fills her glass"Robert knew what he was doing" Harvey begins to justify"I know Harvey. Robert did what he did for the same reason I did, he saw the bigger picture. There is so much more to life than what happens within the walls of that firm. You'll see one day" she smiles, eyes focused on where Harvey's hand is playing with the curls falling over Donna's shoulder and resting on her back."Then again, I see maybe you already have" she raises her eyebrow as the pair follow her gaze to where Harvey's hand falls on Donna's back, causing Donna to blush."Happy looks good on you both" she adds"Thank you" Donna smiles at Jessica before turning to find Harvey staring at her wearing that Cheshire cat grin she adored, sending a chill through her body that she does her best to shake off. If Jessica wasn't seated on the opposite end of the couch, she would kiss him right here for being so charming, but Harvey's smitten looks would have to be overlooked for the time being; they had company."How long are you staying?" Donna asks, turning her attention back to their guest"Just a few days""We should all grab dinner before you go" Harvey says"Absolutely"..After hearing about Jessica's new life in Chicago, Donna begins to yawn and excuses herself, leaving Harvey and Jessica to catch up.As soon as Donna is out of earshot Jessica turns to Harvey, "It's about damn time!""Why does everyone keep saying that?" he laughs"Harvey, I've been waiting for you to realize you were in love with that women since the day you begged me to let her come work for you""That's a little bit dramatic, don't you think?" he smirks at his former mentorShe tilts her head at him, and he knows she has a point, this relationship had been a long time coming and it seems everyone except the pair had known it."Why now?" she asks"I guess I finally realized I can't imagine my life without her" he smiles softly "She's the person I want to share my successes with, that I want there for me when I fail. She's it for me""Well, well, Harvey Specter the romantic, who would've thought we'd ever see the day"Harvey blushes and fiddles with his fingers in his lap, which Jessica takes as a hint to change the subject."So, tell me about this plan of yours""We just passed the restaurant. Where are we going?" Donna asks, watching as the sign for Del Posto becomes a shrinking blur of lights"There's been a slight change of plans" he states, devilish grin growing across his face"What kind of a change?" she challenges"You'll see"They pull up outside of the stadium as she frantically looks out the window trying to place where they are, watching as the crowds of people in blue and white rush by."What are we doing here?""You said you'd never been to a baseball game, and I wanted to be your first" he adds with a wink"As sweet as that is, I'm not exactly dressed for a game" she gestures down at her knee length black dress and pumps"You look incredible" he remarks, using her gesture as an excuse to check her out, tongue involuntarily moving to moisten his lower lip"Easy tiger""You are incredible" he breathes cupping her cheek before placing an innocent kiss on her lips.He pulls back and smiles when he notices the blush in her cheeks from his compliment."Ready?""Ready" she smiles..He sprang for the most expensive seats he could find on such short notice but watching her eyes light up as she takes in the crowd surrounding them and the game playing out in front of them, he knew he'd made the right choice.He was supposed to take her to dinner at their restaurant, a sort of nod to old times while they take a step towards what's next for them, but he wanted to do something special for their first official date, he wanted to take her breath away.The idea came to him this morning while they were lying in bed, a comment she had made while he traced lazy circles across her bare back had stuck with him. He barely heard it at first, lost in a sea of freckles and porcelain as he watched his finger loop across the small of her back, but once the words hit him, he knew this was what he needed to do.She was describing spending Sunday afternoons with her father, reminiscing about the brunch they would share before she practiced the piano while he read the paper when she'd said it. That as much as she enjoyed their Sunday routine, she wished he'd taken her out and taught her more about sports. For gods sake she was a grown women who had never been to a baseball game, were her exact words.As soon as they got to the office Harvey pulled every string he had to get tickets to the Yankees game, and here they sat at the bottom of the 1st inning right behind third base. She had no idea what was going on and he found it adorable. She would cheer when the crowd got excited and then look to him for an explanation on why they were cheering. It was the first time he'd ever seen her not know something, and he'd be lying if he said he didn't find it endearing.He wasn't blind to the fact that nearly ever man that walked by stopped to stare at Donna, who was admittedly over dressed for a baseball game, even while wearing the baseball cap he bought for her. Feeling slightly possessive he slides his arm up over the back of her seat so she can lean further into him while asking questions about the game."So, how's this for a first date?" Harvey leans over and whispers in her ear at the end of the 7th inning"Harvey, we could have stayed in and watched a movie and it still would have been perfect" she smiles"I'll keep that in mind for next time" he smiles before pulling her closer for a kiss.."Harvey, that was incredible sweet you didn't have to go through all that trouble to get those tickets""You said you'd never been, and I wanted to be the one to take you" he smiles as she intertwines her fingers with his as they stroll towards where Ray is parked in front of the stadium"So, are you as good as those guys out there?" she smirks"Better" he winks"That I'd love to see" she laughs and playfully nudges into his side"You don't believe me?" he exclaims in mock horror, to which she shakes her head in response"I don't know, those balls move pretty fast" she justifies, squeezing his palm as they reach Ray's car"Harvey Specter!" someone calls from behind himHe turns around and spots the man strutting towards them wearing a Yankees cap that matches the one he bought for Donna. He pulls her closer to his side and greets him, "Cameron Dennis. I didn't know you were a baseball fan""How could I not be after a winning season like this one" he says, eyes falling on Harvey and Donna's interlocked fingers"Donna, good to see you" he nods towards the red head who offers him a small nod in return, smile mischievously growing across his face"Well, it was great seeing you Cameron, but we should be going" Harvey excuses them, opening the car door for Donna"Good to see you two are still...working... together" he smirks as he walks away"Ray!" Harvey calls to the driver"One more stop. There's something I have to show Donna" he adds before joining her in the back seat..She kicks off her heels as she sits perched on top of the bench outside of the fenced in cage, leaning back on her palms as she watches Harvey send another ball flying.He's removed his tie and has the sleeves of his shirt rolled up, his face a wall of concentration as he winds up and sends another ball flying in the opposite direction. She shakes her head and smiles to herself as she studies the focused look that graces his face. She can't believe that the man she met that night in the bar had somehow become the man she couldn't imagine her life without. Thinking back on it, she can't remember a time when Harvey wasn't the first person she wanted to tell something too. He had been her everything for as long as she could remember, even if she hadn't known it at times."You're good" she calls, cheering as he hits another ball"Flattery, will get you everywhere" he smirks putting the bat down and ripping his helmet off before appearing at the gate to the cage"Are you surprised?" he flirts"Maybe a little" she banters, eyes wandering down the row of people lined up sending baseballs flying back towards where they're coming from."Alright, your turn" he holds out a hand to help her down from the bench topShe studies him for a moment, trying to see if he's serious and only realizes he means business when he places a bat in her hand and is guiding her towards the plate, still barefoot."Harvey common, I'm not dressed for this and besides I'm not going to be able to hit one, I have no idea how to" she protests"Yes, you will, I'll show you" he smiles, guiding her into a proper stance and standing with a foot planted on either side of her"Alright" he says slightly above her ear"You want to hold the bat with your left hand here" he guides her fingers beneath his own towards the base of the bat, "and the right hand here" he wraps his fingers around hers letting his lips linger across the top of her ear, sending a chill through her body."Now, relax your shoulders" he breathes, removing his left hand from its place on top of hers to gently touch her shoulder, helping relieve her tense stance"Perfect. Now when the ball comes try not to think about swinging, just focus on making contact with it, okay?""Okay" she nods nervously"Ready?""Ready"She misses the first two dozen fastballs and is fed up when he convinces her to try one more time. He stays rooted in his spot behind her and lets his hand ghost across her back as he steps away to allow her to swing. She makes contact with the ball and it goes flying, causing her to drop the bat and shriek with excitement before leaping into his arms for a kiss.He catches her in his arms and secures both hands around her waist as he briefly deepens the kiss before returning her to her feet."Maybe baseball isn't so bad" she grins up at him.."Donnaaa" Mike sings as he breezes into her office the next morning"Mike" she plays back"How was the game last night?" he pry's"You were in on that? You could've warned me to dress for it" she teases"Of course I was, who do you think helped Harvey get the tickets""Seriously though, it went well?" Mike says, eyes beaming with excitement; he was always a big supporter of Harvey and Donna getting together and he made sure it was known"It did" her smile softens"I know this goes without saying Donna, but we haven't really had a chance to talk about it since I've been back. All jokes aside, I'm really happy for you guys. I've always been rooting for you two""Thanks Mike""We miss you guys around here" she adds"I know, it's probably so boring without me to keep the place on it's toes""I don't know if boring is the right word" Jessica comments from Donna's doorway"Figures he calls in the kid to help clean up the mess" she smiles at Mike"Jessica, good to see you" Mike moves to hug her before she steps aside and brushes it off"Some things never change" Mike laughs, "What brings you here all the way from Chicago?""I'm actually just here for lunch""That's a long way for lunch, I guess it's true what they say, nothing beats New York street meat" Mike mocks"Lunch with Donna, Harvey and Louis" she manages to say with a straight face, "You're welcome to join us?""Lunch on the firm, absolutely" he grins following behind Donna who is now headed out the door after Jessica, jacket in hand."You two going to be able to get through lunch without giving your new relationship status away?" Mike teases, whispering to Donna as they make their way down the hall"That ship has sailed" Jessica calls back, leaving a baffled Mike 3 steps behind the women who meet Harvey and Louis at the elevator.The elevator opens just as Donna realizes she forgot her purse in her office due to Mike's antics and tells everyone she'll meet them downstairs.When she gets back to the elevators, purse in hand, she finds Harvey wearing a massive grin, waiting for her."You didn't have to wait" she smiles"Yes I did" he replies and hits the button to call the elevator"By the way, you look beautiful" he comments, causing her to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and blush down at her shoes"Harvey""I mean it" he smiles stepping closer to her shylyThey'd decided that enough people at the office knew about their relationship that they didn't need to keep it a secret any longer, but they hadn't exactly had an opportunity for office PDA before now.She smiles up at Harvey and lets him pull her in for a kiss, hands lingering on his shoulders slightly longer than they should have before the elevator arrives and they step in to meet their co-workers for lunch.On the other side of the lobby in the conference room Alex pauses mid deposition with his mouth hung open as he watches Harvey and Donna embrace in the lobby. What the hell did he just witness?!
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He rolls over and finds her side of the bed still warm but there's no sign of her copper curls or porcelain skin. He wipes the sleep from his eyes as he hears the shower begin to run and smiles to himself as he thinks of joining her. He's just about to roll out of bed and hop in the shower with her when his phone rings on the bedside table and he reluctantly rolls over to pick it up."Hello?" he mumbles in his sleepy state"Harvey. I didn't wake you? Did I?" his mom chirps into the phone"You didn't" he smiles, sitting up on the edge of the bed and running his hands through his bed head"How are you mom?""I'm great sweetheart, I was just calling to tell you I'll be in town next weekend and I was hoping you had time to grab dinner?""Actually, that sounds great, because there's someone I want you to meet, someone special" he smiles to himself"Who's special?" Donna answers, walking out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel, not seeing the phone in Harvey's hand"You" Harvey mouths away from the receiver, pointing to the phone and mouthing to Donna that it was Lily"Sorry mom I've got to go, but I'll text you the reservation time for Saturday" he says as Donna takes a seat next to him on the edge of the bed in attempt to hear the other end of the call."Sounds good darling. Oh, and tell Donna I said hello""How did you know?""She's always been your someone special. I can't wait to meet her""She can't wait to meet you either" Harvey replies before hanging up the phone and tossing it back on the table."Someone special, huh?" she teases"So, we're having dinner with your mom" she adds, processing as she says the words out loud. She and Harvey may have been close over the years but meeting his mother brought a whole new level to their relationship. She was slightly terrified but in the best way. She was ready for this. They were ready for this."Is that alright?" he lets his hand brush the stray hairs plastered to her cheek, still damp from the shower, before allowing his hand to come to rest on her thigh."Absolutely" she smiles into the kiss he presses to her lips"You should get ready for work" she remarks as she gets up and moves towards his closet which was now home to several of her dresses."I should, but I feel like being late today" he smirks, wrapping his arms around her towel-clad waist and tossing her back onto the bed which causes her to giggle as he climbs on top of her. He moves to remove her towel, brushing his thumb against hip her which causes her to laugh even harder and he realizes- she's ticklish. He tickles her side causing her to squirm and shriek in fake horror before he stops and she falls silent trying to catch her breath beneath him. He props himself up on his elbow next to her and waits for her to recover from the tickling before he cups her jaw in his hand and softly kisses her."Hey" mumbles between kisses he places along her jaw, "I love you""I love you too".."Why did I get a meeting request from Louis asking me to meet him in your office?" Donna asks as she struts into Harvey's office on Thursday morning."I was just about to ask you the same thing""Good you're both here" Louis calls as he hustles past them and plops down on the couch"Everything okay Louis?" Harvey eyes him nervously"Yup, I just needed to talk to you both about something before the gala tomorrow night" he says while gesturing for them to sit."I get that you two are an item now, and we are all very very happy for you, but I was wondering if maybe you could keep things low key in front of the clients tomorrow?""It's not that I don't think people should know, it's just with the firm just getting back on its feet, I would like the focus to be on the firm, if you know what I mean" he rambles on"Louis" Donna stops him"It's not a problem, we completely understand" she smiles"We do?" Harvey sends her a puzzled look which is met with a playful smack on the leg"I mean, we do" he nods reluctantly"Perfect. Thank you two for understanding" Louis nods and excuses himself from Harvey's office, leaving Harvey and Donna seated opposite each other on the couch."You know, I have a trial today and could really use some good luck" he cocks his head and bites at the end of the pen he'd been fiddling with"I'll get the can opener" she grinsShe's headed towards the door when he reaches up and grabs her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. He stands so that he towers over her, even in her heels and raises his left eyebrow at her while tilting his head, "I was thinking we could go back to the original ritual""We're at work" she warns"Hasn't stopped us before" he all but whispers into her ear"That was different, and you know it. It was after hours and no one was here" she playfully objectsHe looks down the corridor leading to his office before answering, "I don't see anyone""You're an idiot" she rolls her eyes and walks out of his office, pausing in the doorway to call back, "You know where to find me and the can opener when you need us" before sauntering down the hallway all the way back to her office.He knew she'd never agree but he couldn't help but ask. He smirks to himself thinking about the other night when they fouled around in his office after hours. God, he was in deep, he thinks as he heads off to find his favourite redhead and the can opener – a can opener ritual was better than no ritual at all...Alex knocks on her office door just as Harvey was preparing to leave for his trial. She tosses the can opener into her desk drawer and rises from her chair as he places a kiss on her cheek and leaves her office with a nod of acknowledgment towards Alex.Alex stands there in the doorway with a dumbfound expression plastered across his face. What the hell was going on? He was here to ask Donna about what he witnessed outside the elevators the other day and here was Harvey, kissing her and walking out like it was a typical Thursday morning at the office."What can I do for you Alex?" Donna greets him, studying the perplexed look on his face"You can start by explaining to me why Harvey just kissed you and walked out of here like everything is normal between the two of you. No, scratch that. You can start with the kiss I saw outside the elevator yesterday!" Alex muses, rambling in attempt to gather his thoughts."Oh my god! Alex I am so sorry… we just assumed everyone knew, I didn't even think to tell you""Tell me what?" he asks, slightly angry at the vague answer she'd given"That you were right""That's great Donna, I was right… Right about what?!" he exclaims, unable to mask his frustration any longer"You were right about me being in love with Harvey" she responds calmly, though her fingers are fiddling with the hem of her dress"Turns out, he's in love with me too. We're together now Alex" she offers him a smile"Well it's about damn time!" he exclaims, voice changing from frustrated to overjoyed in a matter of seconds."I'm sorry we forgot to tell you, we sort've just assumed word had gotten around by now" she apologizes"I guess I'm just not one for the water cooler gossip" he remarks, "No need to apologize, I'm happy for you Donna, you deserve to be happy""Thanks Alex".."Hold the elevator!" Alex calls, sticking his arm between the doors and wedging himself through just before they shut and begin the descent from the 50th floor.He turns to see Mike leaning against the back wall and the two of them ride in silence for a few floors before he can't help but ask, "Did you know about Donna and Harvey?""Please, I've been waiting for those two to get together since the telephone was invented" he remarks sarcastically"It was bound to happen at some point. I mean after my incredible pep talk that made Donna kiss him the first time, it was only a matter of time. I'm not saying I can take all the credit, but I'd like to say I helped them realize what was right in front of them""You gave Donna a pep talk?""It was a while back, before Seattle""What'd you tell her?""Something about if she had feelings for Harvey, she should tell him""Hmm, funny" Alex sighs"Why is that funny?""It's just, I told Donna that she did what she did with Thomas because she loved Harvey""You also gave her a pep talk?!" Mike exclaims"I guess you could say I get some of that credit too. Someone had to fill your shoes while you were gone" Alex smirks, knowing how badly Mike prided himself on playing wingman for his best friends.The elevator dings, indicating the ground floor and Mike and Alex head their separate ways after a small nod and a smile are exchanged. Mike always thought he was the only one who liked to play cupid, it was nice to know he wasn't the only one..."This is going to be harder than I thought" Harvey whispers into Donna's ear as they climb out of the car and make their way towards the venue, followed by Mike and Jessica whom Ray had picked up along the way."Why's that?" she teases, pretending she doesn't know she's wearing one of his favourite dresses tonight."You know why" he whispers back, letting his lip linger above her ear a second too long"I thought we were done with the whole secret thing" he pouts"We are done with it" she reassures him, placing her palm over his forearm as they stand outside of the door and wait for the others to catch up."Louis asked us to keep this low key as a favour and you know as well as I do it's the least we can do after he worked so hard cleaning up the mess we created. Besides, it might be kind of fun to tease you tonight" she adds with a wink before sauntering into the room, leaving him to follow.They make the usual rounds, mingling with fellow partners and long-time clients. They work the room on their own, but Harvey keeps Donna in his sight the entire time, watching as her hips sway when she moves from person to person. The associates of the firm turn and whisper to one another at the site of the name partner and COO entering together, but all is soon forgotten as they mingle with the guests. She finally makes her way back to the bar where she's intercepted by Jessica, who had decided to stick around a few extra days to support the firm at tonight's event."Don't you miss coming to events like this" Donna laughs as she motions for a drink from the bartender."Not in the slightest" Jessica grins, eyes scanning the room that is filled with her former coworkers and clientsThe women clink their glasses together and turn to face the party in a comfortable silence. They'd never been best friends but had always respected one another immensely and found common ground for bonding over their respective relationships with Harvey."I don't mean to pry Donna, but I've got to know" Jessica begins"How it happened" Donna finishes her sentence, "Robert was leaving, and I think we both just came to the realization we've always needed each other. I can't speak for Harvey but when he showed up at my door after that hearing, I knew that this was it for me""He showed up at your door?""He did" she smiles softly recalling that night, the night that her entire universe snapped back into focus the moment Harvey kissed her"What did he say?" Jessica beamsIt was not often that Donna saw Jessica participate in office gossip and she figured since she no longer worked at the firm, what could be the harm in telling her what happened that night."He didn't have to say anything, I read it on his face""I'm happy for you Paulsen""Thanks Pearson"..Across the room Harvey watches as Donna mingles with the various clients, effortlessly working her way around the room, wearing a smile sweet enough to give him a cavity. He'd always admired how easily she got on with the clients, she was a true natural. He watches her for a while, moving to greet person after person while he leans against the bar and polishes off his drink. Louis seeks him out and introduces him to one of his clients and by time the conversation lulls and he is able to excuse himself he's lost sight of her. His eyes scan the room, looking for any sign of her copper curls or that silky material that hugs her hips just right. He hears her laugh off near the left side of the dance floor before he spots her, shaking hands with a tall blonde women who is standing next to a man he recognizes, Mark Meadows.He takes two deep breathes before making his way over to where she stands in attempt to derail the jealous feeling pooling in the pit of his stomach; something Dr. Lipschitz had taught him to do. He knows he has nothing to worry about, Mark hadn't been in Donna's life in a long time and he knew how much she loved him. But he couldn't help himself. Couldn't stop himself from wanting to march over to her and kiss her in a way that let everyone in this room know that her heart belonged to him, and his to her. He knows Louis would blow a gasket if he did, after specifically requesting that the two of them keep things low key tonight, but his blood was boiling at the thought of another man flirting with her.How he managed to keep his feelings in check for a decade prior – he'll never know. He supposes it was due to ignorance, they say ignorance is bliss and before knowing what it felt like to kiss her, to hold her in his arms, he supposes he just didn't know what he was missing. She had warned him years ago, back before the other time, that if he was ever lucky enough to have her, he wouldn't want to share. In this moment, he had never known truer words. He finally reaches where she is standing opposite Mark and the lanky blonde and lets his hand come up to linger over the small of her back."Harvey" Mark greets, a hint of sarcasm lingering in his voice"Mark" Harvey deadpans, watching as Mark's eyes fall on where his arm snakes around Donna's waist and he pulls her closer to his sideDonna turns to Harvey, a smirk playing at her lips as she recognizes the look on his face, he was jealous. She rarely saw him show his jealous side and surprisingly she found it endearing. In a weird way, it reminded her of how much he had grown in the past few years. It took him weeks to admit her relationship with Stephen Huntley bothered him, and when he did finally come to terms with it, he downplayed his jealousy by adding that famous "but it doesn't mean" to diffuse the intensity of the situation. Somehow, here they were years later, Harvey unafraid to show how jealous side. She hadn't meant to be trapped in a conversation with Mark, in actuality she was looking for Harvey when he found her and she'd been waiting for a reason to excuse herself when Harvey joined them."Harvey this is Marks girlfriend, Sierra" Donna introduces the blonde, adding "She's a client of Samantha's""Harvey Specter" he extends his free hand to shake her hand"Are you Donna's date?" she asks innocently, seemingly unaware of the awkwardness infiltrating the group as Marks' eyes remain trained on where Harvey holds Donna."Her boyfriend, actually" Harvey takes the opportunity to send an innocent smile towards Mark after placing a soft kiss into Donna's temple."You must be so proud of her firm" she smiles"Actually, I believe it's Harvey's firm honey, at least it was" Mark remarksHarvey can see Donna is about to interject and squeezes her waist reassuringly, "I'm incredibly proud of her. I've never met anyone who's worked harder, she's the greatest COO I've ever seen" he tells her, leaving out the fact that he even worked at the firm, let alone the fact his name was on the wall. He didn't want to take away from what she'd worked so hard to accomplish and he watches her jaw relax into a smile as he answers the woman."Now if you'll excuse us, I think I owe my girlfriend a dance" he nods, taking Donna's hand and leading her to the dance floor.He takes her in his arms before she has a chance to protest and she follows suit wrapping her hands around his neck as he begins to sway them to the music. She can't help but shake her head, smirk plastered across her face as she tries to contain her laugh."What?" he smiles"Nothing. Its just, has anyone ever told you you're cute when your jealous?" she says as she lets her left-hand dip and come to rest on his shoulder."Who says I was jealous?""I've never heard you describe yourself as my boyfriend before" she points out, raising her brow to emphasize her point"Well that guy was an asshole. Anyone who thinks you haven't earned everything you have is less than the kind of person I want to interact with""Maybe I'm just tired of not being able to show people how much I love you" he says barely above a whisper, but loud enough she stops moving to the music and lets her second hand fall so both hands are now resting gently on his shoulders. He mirrors her motions and the pair find themselves standing still, in the middle of the dance floor, his arms still wrapped around her waist.She looks up at him, studying his face as his features soften."I know Louis asked us to keep this low key tonight, but I've spent a decade pretending I didn't notice how you're the most beautiful women in every room. I've been restricting myself for years and I'm sick of it, god damn it! I want everyone to know that I, Harvey Specter, am head over heels in love with Donna Paulsen" he raises his voice, causing the people near them to turn and look. Donna blushes but she doesn't try and silence him, she wants the world to know that Harvey Specter is the love of her life and could care less about what people have to say about it."I want to kiss you so everyone in this room knows exactly what you mean to me, that you have my whole heart" he adds with force"Then kiss me" she demandsAnd his lips are slamming into hers the moment the words leave her lips, hand aggressively cupping her cheek as his fingers get tangled in her hair in a desperate attempt to pull her closer. His hands press firmly into the center of her back, pulling her closer to him as his lungs become desperate for air. They finally break for air, resting noses against each other when they realize where they are standing. He attempts to sway them to the music once more, almost dismissing what had just happened, until the sight of her swollen lips and flushed cheeks is too much and he can't take it anymore. Next thing he knows he's leading her off the dance floor and pulling her towards a corner of the room, fingers intertwined as they make their way through the crowd..."To Alex and Samantha" Louis nods to where the pair are standing just off to the left of the stage, "who's efforts have been unparalleled"Everyone applauds as they turn to spot the duo before Louis continues down his list of people to thank."Mike Ross, for coming back home to help us out when we needed it the most" Louis raises his glass towards where Mike is mingling with Katrina and Jessica at the back of the room.Harvey is hardly listening as Louis rambles on thanking the clients for their loyalty and the partners for there dedication to the firm. He is too distracted as his fingers tease at the edges of the fabric of Donna's open-backed gown. The pair had slunk off to a corner of the bar where he had trapped her between his body and the wall, taking advantage of everyone's eyes being on Louis. With one arm planted on the wall beside her head, he weaved the other into the back of her dress which elicited a soft Harvey from her lips between kisses.She felt like a horny teenager who knew she shouldn't risk getting caught making out with Harvey in the corner, but she couldn't help herself. 13 years of pent up sexual tension will do that to a person, she supposes. Between the gentle patterns he's tracing on her bare back and the way he's aggressively pressing her into the wall while kissing her she doesn't hear Louis call his name to thank him.Lucky for Harvey the back of the bar was pretty dark and this late in the speech people were applauding without looking for the name partner being applauded. This was not the case for the other name partners, however, who continued to look towards their co-workers as they were recognized for the duration of Louis' speech."Where is Harvey?" Katrina questions when they fail to spot him at Louis' acknowledgment."Come to think of it I haven't seen Donna in a while either. At least not since the two of them were practically going at it on the dance floor" Mike chuckles, unable to hide his amusement at the teenage antics of his friends.Jessica sends him a warning glance that tells him he should drop it, so he goes back to scanning the room for his mentor. Katrina spots the pair first, nudging Mike to look in their direction and trying not to burst out laughing at his reaction when his eyes finally fall on the two figures pressed up against each other in the dark corner."Oh common!" Mike exclaims, nearly bursting at the seams trying not to make a comment he knows Jessica will disapprove of.Jessica turns her attention to where her peers are looking and can't help but chuckle and shake her head, "Well well, that's what I'd call puppy love"As if on cue the group watches as Donna leads Harvey out of the room, hand trailing behind her to intertwine their fingers as he followed her lead, sporting true puppy dog eyes the entire way to the door."I'm guessing my plans to grab a drink with Harvey later just got canceled" Mike pouts"Any takers?" he asks hopefully, looking between the two women on either side of him who both smile and head in opposite directions"Common! Guys?!" Mike calls, trailing after Katrina into the crowd.
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Ch 6Donna Paulsen was the picture of elegance. With long red curls that hung loosely over her shoulder and a couture gown that was to die for, she knew she'd turned more than a few heads that evening. Usually, she'd go home after an event like this and smile to herself knowing she'd outdone herself yet again. She'd manage to work the room with grace and confidence, whilst women wanted nothing more to be her and men wanted nothing more than to be with her. Tonight, however, she didn't notice when men turned to stare at her, ravishing her bare back dress and the way her lips curled up as she laughed. She didn't notice the way they flirted with her; hardly heard them when they offered to buy her a drink. Instead, her eyes were drawn to the man in the gray suit with the slicked back hair, the only man she'd had eyes for. His smile, that crinkle as his grin widened as he laughed at something Mike said, the way he confidently makes his way across the room greeting clients and peers, the way his eyes light up when they spot hers from across the room.Donna Paulsen prided herself on being a well-put-together women, she never missed a step at events like this; never let her guard down. Which is why she has no idea what's gotten into her as she weaves her fingers between Harvey's and leads him into the hallway, Louis' speech becoming faint as the door shuts behind them and she pauses watching Harvey tilt his head and let his eyes roam her body. Then again, the moment his head tilts and that smirk appears on his face she knows exactly what's gotten into her and for once she isn't afraid to let her guard down. Much like that look he gave her earlier on the dance floor, this one sends her stomach fluttering and she forgets all about needing to be perfectly put together; instead, she lets herself act on impulse - an impulse that in this instance allows her to act like a teenager who is in love for the very first time.Something had changed between them the minute Harvey swept her away from Mark and onto that dance floor. The moment he decided he didn't want to hide his feelings for her any longer. It was like he could finally see the light at the end of a tunnel he never knew he was in. Watching her work the room, with her effortless charm, he beamed with pride. She never failed to amaze him, she truly was something else and he could hardly believe that a woman like that could be in love with someone like him.They'd always understood each other in ways no one quite understood, they communicated in a language unique to them and that moment on the dance floor and Donna's telling Harvey to kiss her told him she was ready to make this relationship public, they were both ready. Yes, their close friends knew, but it was time to stop hiding and to start living their lives. Which is exactly what Harvey found himself doing as he took in his girlfriend who had practically dragged him out of the event with a look in her eye that told him they needed to leave; and now."Like what you see?" she teases, holding his gaze as his eyes once again settle on her face"I've always admired this view" he says, stepping towards her and tilting her chin up for a brief kiss."Louis may claim to have the office with the best view, but we both know when you used to sit outside my office I did"She looks up at him with questioning eyes, his hand still holding her chin and asks slightly above a whisper, "How long have you thought that?""Honestly, as long as I can remember" he admits, dropping his hand and closing the distance between them even more, the smell of her perfume filling his nose and making him suddenly desperate to touch her again.She can hear applause from inside as the music starts up again and she assumes Louis must have wrapped up his thank you speech.He watches as her gaze shifts from him towards the door they'd just exited from and studies her face as he watches her fixate on the faint saxophone sounds, a lost look washing over her."Hey" he calls her attention back from where she's staring off into space, "What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?""It's nothing, we should grab our coats" she tries to brush it off as she turns to head towards where they checked their coats"Donna, it's not nothing. Talk to me" he pleads as he takes her hand in his"It's just, this, this entire event, having to prove our firm is still standing, it's all because of me and a mistake I made" she says, tears welling in her eyes, "And I'm just afraid that, what if I mess up and I lose you?" she chokes, letting a tear roll down her cheek as she finally says the words that have been threatening to spill out for days. She didn't want to admit it, but she couldn't stand the fact that tonight's event was needed because she almost put the firm under, and the fear that she would screw up again and lose Harvey had been eating away at her for days.He gently squeezes her palm and wipes the tear from her cheek before locking his eyes on hers."Donna, there's nothing you could ever do that would make me love you less" he says with a sincerity that sends a chill from her head to her toes."I am the luckiest man in the world to be in love with you" he adds, "I meant what I said in there, I want the whole world to know that you, Donna Roberta Paulsen, have my whole heart, and nothing is ever going to change that""I'm not going anywhere, okay?" he reassures her"Okay" she smiles into a kiss that quickly goes from sweet and romantic to lust filled and desperate, picking up where they left off moments before in the corner of the bar.The lobby of the building is empty as everyone is inside enjoying the band, who had begun to play a sultry jazz tune Harvey winds his hands through Donna's hair while allowing his tongue to run over her bottom lip when his phone rings in his pocket. With a sigh he pulls back and rests his forehead against hers, "That would be Ray, I should grab our coats""When did you have time to call Ray?" she asks"I may have told him we'd want to leave early tonight""Pretty presumptuous, don't you think Specter?""Would you rather go back inside?" he nods towards the door where a few party goers are now lingering"Let's grab those coats" she smirks, pushing past him and leading the way to the coat check deskAfter handing the man behind the counter their tickets they step off to the side while they wait for him to retrieve their jackets and Harvey takes the opportunity to tease Donna by placing kisses along her earlobe which earns him a whispered warning that they're in a public place."Fine I guess I'll just have to be patient" he pouts, allowing his hand to snake around her waist whilst whining"We both know patience is not one of your strengths" she giggles, raising an eyebrow at his inability to keep his hands to himself tonight"I didn't get to be this city's best closer without being able to be patient" he argues"Maybe you aren't the best closer this city's ever seen after all" she winks, and he responds by pulling her in for a kiss"What was that for?" she grins up at him"Just proving myself, after all I closed you didn't I" he beams"We both know, if anyone closed anyone, I closed you. In fact, I think I've earned that title. Donna Paulsen, best closer in the city. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" she flashes him a grinHe knows she's toying with him, but her confidence only spurs him on in his inability to keep his hands to himself and he can't help but agree, it does have a nice ring to it. He uses the arm wrapped around her waist to pull her in for a kiss that she sinks into; god what was taking the coat guy so long, he couldn't wait to get her out of this dress. He's focused on her fingers tampering with his tie when the sound of someone clearing their throat startles them, causing Donna to step back blushing. Harvey turns back towards the counter he previously had his back to, expecting the man to have returned with their coats only to find Scottie, starring between him and Donna wide-eyed, coat in hand."I see you two finally realized what you meant to each other" she laughs, looking between the guilty looking duo"Scottie, what brings you here" Harvey greets"Just here to show my support" she smiles, handing her jacket to the man who had returned with Harvey and Donna's in hand"We appreciate it" Donna offers her a small smile"Leaving so soon?" she gestures to the jackets"We have some work to do" Harvey replies, hand finding the small of Donna's back as they move towards the door"I'm sure you do" Scottie smirks, unable to help herself from looking between the pair again"Well. I'm glad I bumped into you before you left, good to see you took my advice Harvey" she adds before heading inside"What advice did Scottie give you?" Donna asks as they make their way to where Ray is parked and climb into the back seat"Remember that night you told me she called to thank you?" he asks and Donna nods"Well before Thomas showed up, I was going to ask you if Scottie said anything to you, about us" he flinches as Thomas' name but continues, "because she said something to me that really got me thinking""What did she say?""She told me that if I didn't open my eyes and realize what was right there in front of me, I was going to lose it for good, I was going to lose you for good" he corrects the initial statement"So that night at the elevator, you were going to say something to me?""I don't know" he admits, "She got me to thinking about what my life would be like without you and when Samantha pretty much said the same thing, I knew a life without you is not a life I want to live""She said something to me to you know" Donna states"She did?""She told me she hoped one day you'd see what everyone else sees""I'm sorry it took me so long" he answers with a kiss that makes her swoon.She doesn't care that it took them so long to get to where they are, because in this moment she swears she couldn't love Harvey more."Scottie, what are you doing here?" Mike greets as Scottie joins him, Katrina and Jessica at the bar"Just thought I would show my support" she answers, taking a seat next to Mike"How generous of you" Jessica sends her a smile"I see you two are here doing the same" she gestures towards Mike and Jessica, both also former firm employees"Has anyone seen Harvey?" Louis asks as he approaches the group"Not since he and Donna were practically going at it like a couple of horny teenagers" Mike mutters under his breath, still loud enough to earn him disapproving looks from Katrina and Jessica"He left actually" Scottie chimes in and all heads turn to face her"When?" Louis demands, "He said he would stick around and mingle with the clients""I ran into him and Donna leaving about 10 minutes ago" she answers"Damn it" Louis exclaims before storming away leaving the group to chuckle at his flair for the dramatic"Soooo, Harvey and Donna?" Scottie asks Mike who nods to confirm what she already knows; after all she did interrupt their moment in the hall"I'm glad he finally saw it" Scottie adds"It was about time" Mike states, passing her a drink"Doooonaaa, we have to get going if we're going to make our reservation" Harvey calls into the bathroom"Hold your horses mister" she scolds, joining him in the living room in a cream coloured high neck gown with matching nude pumps. Her hair is pulled back in a high, curly pony tail showing off the earrings he'd once purchased for her and he can't help but smile at the sentiment."We both know you'd look amazing in anything in that closet""But amazing and impressing your mother are to two different things" she points out as steps into the jacket he holds out for her"Donna she's going to love you, it's impossible not to" he grins, placing a kiss on her cheek"Ready?" he asks"Ready"
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Off Limits - Ch 7They pull up at the restaurant right on time and Harvey notices Donna fiddling with the hem of her dress as the car comes to a stop."Hey" he places his hand in hers to stop her from fiddling with the cream coloured fabric"She is going to love you" he reassures her before stepping out of the car and making his way around to the other side to open her door.She takes a deep breath and swings her legs out and onto the pavement. This was it; she was finally about to meet Harvey's mother. She rolls her shoulders back and takes another breath before following his lead, letting his arm guide her from it's spot on her back into the restaurant."Harvey!" Lily greets, pulling her son in for a quick hug while grinning at the red head who is a few steps behind him"And you must be Donna" she moves to pull Donna into a similar hug, catching her off guard"It's so nice to finally meet you" Donna greets as Lily releases her from the hug"Gordon spoke very highly of you, I can see why" Lily says, taking Donna's hand in her own"He was a wonderful man" Donna offers her a timid smile before they take their seats"I can't tell you how nice it is to finally meet the women who's managed to steal this one's heart…""Mom" Harvey interjects, cheeks reddening to a shade that nearly matches the maroon table cloth covering the table they're seated at"What?! I didn't say anything embarrassing. It's not like I was talking about that time at your little league game that you were so mad you struck out you tried to break your bat but ended up hitting yourself in the head" she chuckles, causing Donna to join in on the laughter as Harvey's embarrassment heightened"I think that's enough story telling for now, don't you?" he pleads"For now" Lily agrees, winking at Donna; a silent agreement to tell her more laterThey order dinner and the conversation flows freely between the group. Donna asks Lily about her paintings and listens intently as she tells stories about the art course she had volunteered to teach, asking questions every so often and laughing as Lily told the tale of one student spilling an entire jug of paint. She asks Donna about her job as COO and about her time spent doing plays in college.Harvey can't help but smile at the two most important women in his life hitting it off so well. He sits back for a moment and watches as Donna listens to his mother's story and can't help but feel thankful for that night in the bar 13 years ago. She changed his world that night. Without her there's no telling where he'd be now, and he certainly would not have given his mother a second chance. Donna had been the biggest part of his life for as long as he could remember, and he doesn't want to imagine a life without her; he can't imagine a life without her. Which is why he'd taken an extended lunch break and headed to Cartier earlier that afternoon. He knew it seemed sudden, they hadn't been dating for all that long, but if he was being honest with himself, he didn't want to wait a second longer. They may not have titled themselves as a couple, but his heart had belonged to Donna for years and he doesn't remember ever feeling this way about anyone else. Meeting his mother was the final step, the push he needed that sent him into the shop on 5th avenue to purchase a ring that can only be described as "Donna".He wasn't sure where or when he was going to do it, and he hadn't even begun to think of how he wanted to do it – all he knew was that red box that sat in the top of the closet was ready, and so was he. The sound of his mother's voice snaps him back to reality, where he realizes both his mother and Donna are staring at him, waiting for him to respond."I'm sorry what was that?" he asks"I just said that I don't think I've ever seen you so happy dear" Lily smiles, "You're sitting there wearing a grin the Cheshire cat would be jealous of. Happy looks good on you" she addsHis eyes find Donna's and he offers her a smile, "Thanks mom""So, about those little league stories…" Donna directs towards Lily..A while later Harvey's phone rings and he excuses himself to answer it, leaving Donna alone with his mom as they finish their wine."You know Donna, I don't think I can ever thank you enough" Lily states abruptlyDonna places her glass down and tilts her head, slightly confused, "Thank me? What for?""When Harvey came to see me, he told me he did it because somebody very special to him convinced him to. It's clear to me that you're that someone special" she says, placing her palm gently over Donna's forearm."I had no idea" Donna states her thought aloud"Look Donna, when Harvey was young I made the biggest mistake a mother could make and burdened him with something I shouldn't have. I know that he may have a hard time expressing himself because of what I did, but I have to tell you, the way that he looks at you, and talks about you, I've never seen him be more passionate about anything; not even going to law school. The way he looks at you, you'd think you'd think you were the one responsible for hanging the stars in the sky""Thank you, Lily. Hearing that means so much to me. If I had known he'd take my words to heart I would have tried to convince him to make amends years ago""It's alright dear, if I've learned anything in my life, it's that timing is everything""Don't I know that" Donna smiles and the two women clink their glasses and polish off the last of the wine as they spot Harvey making his way back to the table.Before he's in earshot Donna whispers to Lily, "For the record, I am terribly in love with your son""And he is lucky to have to" Lily gives her arm a gentle squeeze as Harvey joins them once again"So, what did I miss?" he asks"Oh nothing, just girl stuff" Lily answersTo making it through dinner" he lifts his wine glass to hers as they snuggle next to each other on his couch"I'll drink to that" she laughs, bringing her glass to her lips and taking a sip"Thank you, Donna" he leans his head on her shoulder as he speaks"For what?""For coming to dinner… for encouraging me to give her a second chance""Thank you" she whispers back"Why are you thanking me?" he says, allowing his finger to trace small patterns between her thigh and her knee"For letting me be your someone special" she whispers back as he places a delicate kiss on her foreheadThey lay in a comfortable silence for a while, Harvey running his fingers through Donna's hair as she closes her eyes and breathes him in; both just enjoying being in the company of the other. She doesn't know how long they lay there, entangled on the couch, but part of her just wants to live in this moment for a while; no firm talk, no clients, no awkward glances from coworkers who silently analyze the pairs relationship, just her and Harvey.After a while he stirs, lifting his head from her shoulder and reaching for the remote."I guess we should decide on a movie" he yawns"I thought we agreed on Pretty Woman" she tries"We did no such thing. I believe my exact words were 'We'll see' which by no terms means yes""Always such a lawyer" she smirks as she rolls her eyes"How about the Godfather?" he suggests"Vetoed" she chimes "Mamma Mia?""Why would we want to watch Meryl Streep singing for two whole hours?!""Why wouldn't you want to watch her for two hours" she fires back"What about Good Will Hunting?" he tries again, hoping to avoid anything with excessive singing"Vetoed, again""You can't veto all my options. What's wrong with that one?""I want something with romance Harvey" she smiles innocently, batting her eyelashes at him in a way she knows makes it impossible to say no to her."In that case, I think I have the perfect one in mind" he pauses before getting up off the couch walking across the room to where his record player is set up. After briefly rummaging through a box he places a record on top and walks over to where she's seated on the couch, holding a hand out to her."Dance with me"She giggles when she realizes what he's doing but sets her wine glass down and takes his hand, following him into the middle of the living room. He takes her in his arms as the music begins to play and the soft sounds of Hall and Oats Sara Smile echo through the apartment."I love this song" she whispers, bringing her head to rest on his shoulder as he sways them to the music"I remember" he smiles to himself, thinking back to the time she put this on in his office years prior and they sat and drank scotch in silence as the song filled the room and she hummed along.She closes her eyes, listening to the music and letting herself relax into his arms, she'd never felt safer than in his arms. He whispers the words along with the track, mouth resting just above her ear as he feels her hand move from his shoulder to the base of his neck.When I feel cold, you warm meAnd when I feel I can't go on, you come hold meShe smiles into the crook of his neck as his voice gets louder as the song goes on, until it reaches the chorus and her heart stops when he changes the word Sara to Donna and his voice goes soft again.It's you and me foreverDonna, smileWon't you smile a while for me, DonnaWhen she lifts her head and looks at him he swears he's never seen such adoration and longing in a persons eyes. He kisses her, slowly at first, a tenderness that is filled with love before the kiss gets greedier and he can no longer control the urge to feel her against him and he wraps his arms around her waist to pull her closer. They only break apart when they're desperate for air and Donna steps back and smiles at him."Can we listen to one of your dad's songs?"He doesn't respond with words but immediately walks over to the record player and changes the record, soft saxophone sounds immediately filling the air and he makes his way back over to her and takes her in his arms once again. Neither of them say anything, rather they stay in each other's arms until the song comes to an end. Harvey tucks a stray strand of hair behind Donna's ear and smiles down at her, "He always really liked you""I always liked him too" she squeezes his shoulder knowingly"If only he could how far we've come" he sighs, resting his chin on top of her head as she nestles into his neck.."I'm not saying I'm the best boyfriend, but if there was a prize, I'd make a good contender" he smirks proudly as he holds up a tub of funky monkey and two spoons before crawling into his bed next to her."Harvey, put that down" she demands"But you just said you would die for some ice cream" he stares at her confused, before realizing she's changed into a deep blue silk robe"I do, but after" she smirks in a seductive tone, climbing on top of him and letting the robe fall off her bare shoulders"You've been sitting there wearing nothing but that and you let me ramble on about ice cream?" he pouts, taking in her naked form which is now straddling him."Do you want to keep talking about ice cream, or?" she whispers, leaning forward and placing a sloppy trail of kisses down his jaw line"God no" he whimpers before her mouth is on hisA few weeks later Harvey finds himself walking towards Donna's office with two coffees in hand when he hears Mike in the conference room in what sounds like a deposition. Mike had agreed to stick around and help out for a while, taking on a few cases so what it should come as no surprise to him that Mike is deposing someone. What does shock him is the voice that follows, asking question after question in what sound like a deposition lead position; a voice that belonged to Donna. He stops dead in his tracks and back tracks until he has a clear view of the conference room where he finds Donna and Mike deposing a witness from a case Samantha had been working on.He watches as he slowly makes his way towards the glass wall as Donna continues to lead the deposition; a deposition that appeared to be going very well. He can't help but smile to himself, beaming with pride as he watches her own the room, firing question after question until the opposing lawyer tells her and Mike the deposition is over and ushers his client out of the room. He walks into the conference room as the pair exchange a high five."That was awesome" Donna beams at Mike"You killed it" he exclaims"You did" Harvey calls from the door causing them both to spin around"Harvey what are you doing here? I thought you had meetings all morning?" she asks"I did, I wanted to surprise you with this" he hands her the coffee"Turns out I'm the one being surprised" he adds"Oh well, Samantha was caught in court and Mike said I could give it a shot" she blushes, embarrassed to have been so excited to be doing a task Harvey does regularly, "It was no big deal" she adds in effort to downplay whatever he may have witnessed"No big deal?" he takes a step in her direction"Donna, you killed it in there" he grins, his pride emanating through his toothy smile"I mean I've always known you had it in you but you were incredible. In fact, if Mike wasn't in here, I'd tell you how hot it was to watch you destroy that guy.""But Mike is in here, so thank you for saying it anyways" Mike playfully rolls his eyes in the direction of his former boss and gathers his folders"Anytime buddy" Harvey says patting him on the back"Well if you'll excuse me, I'd love to watch you two shamelessly flirt with each other, but I'm supposed to be anywhere but here" Mike remarks on his way out the door."We should let you depose people more often""I wouldn't be opposed" she smirks back"I hate to steel your coffee and run but I'm supposed to be meeting Katrina in a few minutes, but I'll see you tonight?""Absolutely" he nods as she lets her hand linger across his arm and places a kiss on his cheek before strutting down the hallway towards Katrina's office.He takes a sip of his own coffee and shakes his head, of course she was good at this, she was good at everything. What he'd learned working with Donna over the course of the past decade was that what she tackled, she conquered and there was nothing Donna was afraid to tackle. It was the confidence she approached a new task with that amazed him the most. It was as thought she was fearless, ready to embrace all aspects of life, whether they be good or bad.She had a similar attitude when it came to their relationship, which is why he didn't think that ring that sat in the top of his closet seemed to rushed, he knew she looked at their relationship in the same way he did. Despite how aware both he and Donna were about their relationship and its progress, it seemed as though they were also the most oblivious to a lot of aspects involving it. Not only did every at the firm know about their growing feelings toward each other long before they did, but a week prior Mike had to be the one to tell them they were living together...It was in a meeting with Harvey that Mike made a comment about him and Donna living together, a comment that nearly went unnoticed. When Harvey clarified that they were not in fact living together Mike asked where Donna had spent the last few nights and asked how much of Harvey's closet contained Donna's wardrobe. Harvey protested but he couldn't erase the thought from the back of his mind for the rest of the day. The final nail in the coffin was that evening, as the pair headed to the lobby to meet Ray, Donna said something about being excited to go home; in reference to Harvey's. He decided to ask her if they had begun living together without even noticing it. After filling her in on Mike's observations she agreed- they had begun to live together without even noticing it; how typical of them. On the car ride back to his apartment he decided to ask if she wanted to officially move in with him and she said yes...Though she hadn't sold her apartment yet, his apartment was slowly becoming home to more and more of her stuff. When she first began to officially move in, he had to relocate that little red box from the closet and it soon found a home in his desk drawer.After watching her in that deposition he knew there was no other woman in the world like Donna and he couldn't wait a second longer to ask her to spend the rest of her life with him. So, before their partners meeting that afternoon, he removed the little red box from his desk drawer and slide it into his jacket pocket. It wasn't how he planned on doing this, it wasn't where he planned on doing this. But in this moment, he's never been more sure of anything in his life.
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Epilogue"Louis, before you begin do you mind if I say something, it will only take a second, I promise"Louis gestures to the front of the room and Harvey stands, unbuttoning his suit jacket and fidgeting rather nervously, he clears his throat."Before we start today's meeting, if you all don't mind there's something I'd like to say, to Donna"The eyes of Samantha, Alex, Louis and the rest of the partners all quickly turn to where the COO is busy jotting down notes at the opposite end up the table. She looks up when he says her name and sees him standing at the front of the room wearing a sheepish grin. She drops her pen and watches as he slowly begins to walk around the table towards where she's sitting, speaking as he goes."I didn't know how or when I wanted to do this, in fact I've been wracking my brain for days to try and come up with the perfect idea, and then it hit me. Watching you, kick ass in that deposition earlier, I just knew" he begins"Harvey, what are you...?" she begins to question, her mind processing at a hundred miles a minute, was he doing what she thinks he was?"Just, let me finish. I just knew, like I've always known when it comes to us in this office. Donna, I knew you were special the moment I met you, and all those years at the DA's office mean the world to me, but it was the move here when I realized, I can't be me without you. It was at that desk down the hall, when you sat outside my office that I feel in love with your smile and your laugh. It was every time you stole my bagel or brought me a coffee that was way to sweet that you stole my heart a little bit more and it's here that I want to do this"Louis stares at Harvey wide-eyed in disbelief at what he's witnessing while Samantha and Alex listen in with eager ears and Harvey continues now standing directly before a speechless Donna."It was next door, in your office that you kissed me for the first time in a decade and made me realize just how badly I wanted to be with you. It was here that you first used the words I love you. And I was standing next door in Samantha's office when I realized I couldn't lose you."Her breath hitches in her throat as she locks eyes with the him."So, Donna Paulsen, I know we've had our ups and downs and I know this may seem sudden, but I love you and I plan on loving you for as long as I live, would you make me the luckiest man alive and marry me?" he finishes, now fishing the small red box out of his jacket pocket and getting down on one knee as the room erupts in a series of awe's, and in Louis' case, tears."Yes" is all she can bring herself to say before he's up and kissing her in a way that's far to intimate for a board meeting, but no one seems to mind. She wraps her arms around his neck, and he lifts her off the ground spinning her in a circle before placing her back down on the ground and reaching for her hand to slide the ring on her finger. Through tear-filled eyes she smiles up at him and whispers, "I love you""I love you too" he places a kiss into her forehead and the room erupts into cheers as Louis goes to hug and congratulate his friends and the others follow suit."Hey Harvey, I know you guys are in a meeting I just need a quick signature on this…" Mike says as he strolls into the conference room, documents in hand before looking up and taking in the commotion in front of him."What the hell is going on?" he looks from a teary-eyed Louis to an even teary-er eyed Donna and is immediately confused because they're both smiling despite their tears and Harvey is beaming. His eyes then catch sight of the shiny stone on Donna's finger and he clues in."Did you just?" he asks and is answered by Donna's nod as she holds up her left hand to show off her ring."I'm… I… congratulations!" Mike exclaims, pulling Donna in for a hug followed by HarveyDonna moves off to the side of the room where she shows off her ring, that Harvey managed to somehow incorporate everything she wanted into, to Samantha and Louis."You finally had the balls to do it" Mike grins next to Harvey"Finally? You didn't even know I was going to propose" Harvey counters"Oh please, you've been staring at your desk drawer all week. There was either an engagement ring in there or a bomb and my money wasn't on the latter. Congrats old man, welcome to the husband club""Thanks Mike" Harvey smiles, patting his back as he watches his fiance staring at her ring, showing it off to Louis who hadn't stopped talking floral arrangements and Samantha who looked slightly less excited than Louis..."You know, it's not going anywhere, you don't have to keep an eye on it" he calls from her office door, where he had been standing watching her staring at her left hand for the past 5 minutes."I can't help it, it's just so beautiful""So are you" he grins, leaning against her office door as she blushes"I'll be ready in a few minutes, want me to meet you downstairs?""I'll wait" he smiles, taking a seat across from herIn all the chaos that accompanied his proposal, the partners meeting lasted most of the afternoon and Harvey had to run to court as soon as it ended, leaving no time for him and Donna to be alone so he'd called ahead and arranged a special surprise on his way back to the office."What do you want to do for dinner?" she asks, packing up her bag"I was thinking we should go to Del Posto and celebrate, but then I had a better idea" he grins"And what was that?""Ray is waiting downstairs with takeout from Del Posto, and before you ask, yes I made sure to order a slice of the chocolate cake. I thought we could celebrate at home""Aren't you full of surprises" she grins"It's not all that easy to surprise you I have to take advantage of the situations when I can""Well then let's go home and celebrate" she smiles, slipping her fingers between his as they make their way towards the elevators...A few hours later they're sprawled out on the living room floor, empty takeout containers and scotch glasses strewn about. Harvey gets up and refills there glasses and raises his proposing a toast, "To us" he grins and clinks his glass to hers before taking a sip."To us" she repeats, smiling at her fiancé. Her stomach flutters at the thought of Harvey being her fiancé. They place their glasses down and he smiles down at her, and she can't help but be reminded of all those nights they drank scotch in his office after hours. She never would have thought that she'd be sitting here, ring on her finger, with the man who had once proposed a pre-trail ritual that involved whip cream. Yet, here she was laying on the living room floor with the love of her life."What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?""Just reminiscing" she grins"About?""Me. You. The DA's office"She watches as the grin spreads across his face and he leans in closer to her."What?" she smirks"I was just picturing you with those bangs again, shamelessly flirting with me""I did not flirt with you" she protests"We're getting married Donna. It's okay, you can finally admit that you were into me""I was no such thing""Really?" he whispers, propping himself up on an elbow and using his free hand to push the straps of her tank top off her shoulder "Because I was into you" he smirks before placing a kiss on her bare shoulder."I know" she states, following his lead and scooting closer to him while propping herself up on her elbows"I was into you too" she leans up to kiss him, leaving her hands behind his head as she pulls back and rests her forehead against his; the pair lying side by side in the middle of the living room floor."We're getting married" she thinks aloud"We're getting married" he whispers before pulling her beneath him in a kiss..She'd always been the most beautiful woman in the room. He swore she stopped time at Mike and Rachel's wedding. But nothing compared to the way she looked striding down the isle in the most stunning white gown he'd ever seen..."13 years ago, I told you I didn't want to see what kind of lawyer I'd be without you; and I meant those words at the time. What I didn't realize was what I should have said is that I didn't want to see what kind of man I was without you. Because without you, Donna, I wouldn't be the man I am today. You push me to be better in every aspect of my life. With you, everything is different" he toasts to his soon-to-be-wife in front of the room of their family and friends that had gathered to celebrate their rehearsal dinner.She smiles at him as he squeezes her hand beneath the table, taking his seat next to her. The past 8 months had been a whirlwind of planning and she couldn't believe the day had finally come. Tomorrow she would get to marry the love of her life; and she couldn't believe they'd finally made it here.She gets up and clears her throat, gaining the attention of the room as she prepares to begin her speech. She looks to her left and smiles at where her parents are seated. She nods at Louis and Shelia and Jessica and Jeff who are seated next to them. On the other side of Harvey, Marcus is smiling up at her, as is Lily."I don't really know how to follow what Harvey said, which is saying a lot because for anyone who knows me well, you know that I almost always know what to say, so I've decided I'm just going to wing it" she begins, putting down the folded piece of paper she had jotted down some notes on to remind her of what she wanted to say."First, we wanted to thank you all for being a part of our special day, we couldn't have gotten here without your help. After we hear a few words from the best man you are all free to go home and get a good night's sleep before tomorrow" she chuckles as the group laughs along..He swears time has never moved slower, when all he can think about is taking her in his arms and kissing her. He hears his cue and answers with 'I Do" and the room becomes a humming white noise as soon as the same words leave her lips and he kisses the bride...She turns and faces Harvey, letting him take her hand in his, "And Harvey, you are the most caring, loyal, hard-working person I have ever met, and I can't wait to be able to call myself your wife. There's no hiding the fact that I have loved you for as long as I can remember and even though it took us a while to get here, I wouldn't have wanted to spend the past decade with anyone else by my side. You make me feel loved and protected and worthy and I can't wait to see what the next 13 years has in store for us""Just 13?" he teases, causing the room to laugh once again"For now" she winks at him before sitting back down at the sound of their friends applause."So as Donna said I'm the last speaker of the night, so I won't keep you too long, I know some of you have babysitters to get home to" Mike nods towards Louis"I just wanted to say that I have never met two people more perfect for each other, than Harvey and Donna. You two complete each other in ways that many of can only dream of and I am so happy that you finally took the chance on each other" he raises his glass and others follow suit"Now before we wrap things up, the maid of honour also wanted to say a few words" he grins at Donna who looks back in confusion"But Rachel isn't flying in until the morning? I thought she had to take the baby to an appointment?" Donna asks Mike"And miss my best friend's rehearsal dinner, I wouldn't dream of it" Rachel beams at Donna as she enters the restaurant right on time, letting Mike grab her suitcase before Donna pulls her into a hug."Ugh I missed you Rach""It's only been a month since you last saw us""A month too long""Rachel, did you want to say something?" Mike interrupts the girl's moment, eager to wrap things up"Rachel makes her way to where Mike is standing and glances at her friends, so happily engaged and she can't help but smile."Many of you know that Donna and I have been friends for many years, but Donna and Harvey have been friends for even longer. A few years ago, Donna told me about the first time she had ever been with Harvey" she begins, and both Donna and Harvey redden at her words, where was she going with this? – Donna thought"She told me that she would have been willing to try and have a relationship with him, but he wasn't ready" the room falls silent as all eyes fall on the couple sitting front and center"You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all of this, and I promise you I have a point. You see, I could never quite understand why she chose to work for Harvey when she wanted something else. And I never understood Harvey's reasoning behind asking her to come work for him. That is, until I see the way they look at each other, with such a deep love and adoration that I finally see that they did what they did because of how much they loved each other. A love so deep that they were willing to put the other's happiness before their own. I am so grateful that you two discovered what you mean to one another because a love like yours is truly rare. A love that includes sacrifice, compromise and honesty – it's hard to come by. So, let's raise our glasses to Harvey and Donna – may your lives be filled with happiness and may you continue to nurture the truest form of love I have ever seen""To Harvey and Donna" she raises her glass"To Harvey and Donna" the room echoes.."What now Mrs. Specter?" Harvey whispers in her ear pulling back from their kiss"I think this is the happily ever after part" she smiles at him, taking his out stretched hand and following him down the isle.
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Off Limits: The Epilogue to the Epilogue- The Domestic Darvey Chapters..Ch 1: Homecoming"How was the honeymoon?! Tell me everything" Louis gushes as he rushes into her office bright and early on Monday morning."Wait. No, I take that back, I don't want to know everything" he quickly adds, taking a seat across from her."How about, 'Hi Donna, good to see you'" she laughs, closing her laptop and smiling up at Louis."That's what I said" Louis grins a toothy grin and nods enthusiastically."What can I do for you Louis?""I just wanted to hear about your trip! How was Paris?""Honestly Louis, it was incredible" she sinks back into her chair, unable to hide her happiness."Well obviously, you're glowing. Married life suits you."She looks down at her left hand where her two rings sit gleaming in the sunlight streaming in from the window behind her. The last three weeks in Paris with Harvey had been pure bliss and it had been so nice to step back from their crazy busy lives and have some time to themselves."I see not much has changed around here" she looks past him to see Samantha and Alex bickering as they walk past her office."Nothing ever does" Louis sighs, "It's weird not having Mike around though. I know he was only here for a few weeks, but it just felt nice to have everyone back together, just like the good old days" Louis muses."The good old days" she repeats, letting herself get lost in a daydream as she reminisces about the day Mike Ross first stumbled into their lives. She had to remember to thank that kid one day, without him who knows if she and Harvey ever would've gotten to where they are now."So," he bursts, snapping her out of her thoughts, "Lay it on me, tell me about Paris" Louis gushes as Donna launches into a story about Harvey taking her to dinner on top of the Eiffel tower...The sun is already long gone when she makes her way to his office and knocks on his office door, coat in hand."Ready to go?" she raises her coat and flashes him a small smile."Just about" he grins, closing his laptop and tossing a handful of folders into his top drawer. She watches as he gathers his things into his briefcase, her eye catching a frame on his window ledge that wasn't previously there. She gets up to inspect the photo, lips rising into a wide grin as she turns it towards him, "This is new""Nothing gets past you, does it" he flirts, tossing his jacket over his shoulder and reaching for the framed photo in her hand; a photo of the two of them in Paris. He mulls over the memory, heart swelling as he recalls the picture being taken. He'd planned a romantic picnic beneath the Eiffel tower complete with the most expensive wine he could find and lavish cheeses. Everything was going perfect until a huge gust of wind knocked over the entire bottle of red wine onto both him and Donna, who had both unfortunately decided to wear white. Lucky for Harvey, the wind gust coincided with the exact moment they had asked someone to take their picture, and the stranger had captured the moment perfectly. Wine stained wardrobes and uncontrollable laughter.Placing a soft kiss on her lips he places the photo back on the ledge."Of all the nice pictures we took, this is the one you decided to put in your office?" she ribs."I couldn't think of a more fitting picture to describe our relationship" he grins, placing a hand on the small of her back and leading her towards the office door."Chaotic?" she chuckles."Natural" he responds, slipping his fingers between hers as they make their way towards the elevators."How was your first day back?" he asks as they wait for the elevator."Busy. But I wouldn't have it any other way. You?""The same. But I missed you today" he pouts, letting his head come to rest in the nape of her neck temporarily."Our offices are right next to each other and we had two meetings together today!""I know, but I got to thinking about that rainy day in the country side, where we spent all day in bed and I woke you by…" he whispers the rest of his sentence into her ear before adding, "I was thinking maybe we could revisit that, later tonight" before gently tugging on her ear lobe and stepping back as Samantha rounds the corner and calls out to them, "You guys are back?! How was the honeymoon?""Still trying to relive it" Harvey mumbles under his breath while Donna answers Samantha with a cheery "Great.""I'd love to hear more about it over drinks this week?" she asks Donna."That sounds great Samantha" she smiles."Perfect. Alright well I'll let you to get out of here" she says, leaving them alone in the lobby as the elevator finally arrives."Ready to go home Mrs. Specter?""Absolutely Mr. Paulsen"..Ch 2: The Visitors"I'm entering the room!""Mike, you don't have to announce it every time you come into the room…" Harvey sighs, hand thrown across Donna's shoulder as Mike makes his way back into the living room with snacks for the group."Yes, I do. Last time I entered a room in this apartment unannounced I caught the live Darvey show!""Okay two things. One, grow up" Harvey scoffs as he grabs a bag of popcorn from Mike and passes it over to Donna and Rachel."And two, what the hell is a Darvey?""It's your couple name, you know like Donna plus Harvey" Mike explains, plopping himself down on the couch on the other side of Rachel."Did you come up with that all on your own?" Harvey asks, tossing a handful of popcorn into his mouth."I did!" Mike boosts"You must be so proud" Harvey sarcastically turns towards Rachel who can't help but laugh."The proudest" she manages to say between laughs."Are you two ready to watch the movie?" Donna interrupts, leaning into Harvey's side."Why are we watching this one again? Wouldn't you guys rather watch something else?" Harvey asks."Miss Congeniality is a classic!" Rachel and Donna both shout in unison."Mike, back me up here" Harvey looks to his former associate for support."Sorry man, I'm with the girls on this one, it's a classic."Halfway through the movie, both Harvey and Donna had dozed off, leaving Mike and Rachel to let themselves out. Rachel pauses to look at their sleeping friends before joining Mike in the hall, Donna slumped into Harvey's side while Harvey's fingers were still threaded through hers. It was almost too sweet. She snaps a quick picture before tiptoeing out of the room to join Mike, holding out her phone to show him the picture."How sweet is that, late night for mom and dad" he jokes, forwarding himself the picture from Rachel's phone."You don't think we should wake them and say goodbye, do you?" Rachel asks Mike worriedly."Naaah, let them sleep, we should go pick up Edith from Louis', I'm sure he's play-dated out by now. Besides, they're going to be seeing a lot more of us now that we're moving back here" he smirks."We were supposed to tell them tonight.""There's always tomorrow."Harvey wakes up slightly past midnight, disoriented and stiff from the couch. He gently nudges Donna awake to no success as she mumbles something and curls back into his side to go back to sleep. Reaching for the remote he turns of the television and scoops his wife up in his arms, carrying her towards their bedroom. He places her on the edge of the bed while he roots around in the drawers for one of her night gowns before slipping her arms around his neck and helping her into it. Picking her back up he moves her to the other side of the bed and tucks her in with a kiss on the forehead."I love you" he whispers"I love you too" she mumbles back in her semi-asleep state.Rolling back to his side of the bed he grabs his phone and opens a new message from Mike. He opens it to find the picture of him and Donna fast asleep on the couch with a message that read:We can't wait for more movie nights with you. We should make it a weekly thing? – MHe types back,Does this mean?And goes to toss his phone on the bedside table, not expecting a response until morning when it beeps.Yes.He smiles to himself while typing out one final message and turning off the light and cuddling into Donna.Welcome home...Chapter 3: Morning Meetings"Oh god, I don't want to see that!" Louis complains as he strolls past Harvey kissing Donna goodbye before heading into a meeting with Alex and Samantha."Relax Louis, they are married for crying out loud" Samantha defends Harvey as he joins them at the table."Just because they're married now doesn't mean the office wide ban on PDA has suddenly been lifted" Louis elaborates, hands gesturing like crazy to prove some sort of point."There's an office ban on PDA? Since when?" Alex asks"Since always" Louis huffs, straightening up in his seat."I don't think you've been enforcing it very well, seeing as I first found out about Harvey and Donna when I saw them going at it by the elevator" Alex explains."Okay, we were not, 'going at it'" Harvey emphasizes the 'going at it' for dramatic effect, chuckling as he finishes his sentence."Oh please, you two could hardly keep your hands off each other" Samantha jumps in, "You would never know you were trying to keep your relationship low key.""We weren't that bad!" Harvey protests."Hate to agree with Samantha here Harvey, but you two were like a couple of horny teenagers" Alex snickers along with the blonde."Alright, that's enough" Harvey tries to defend himself, despite knowing they had a valid point. When he and Donna got together, they had thirteen years to make up for and they weren't about to waste anymore time."Wait, Samantha if they were keeping their relationship a secret, how did you find out?" Alex asks her."Please, I read it all over Harvey's face. I haven't seen him look that happy since that day one of the associates accidentally took Louis' last bran bar. And Donna was in an incredibly good mood, it was obvious. I can't believe you didn't see it" she giggles as Alex gets flustered trying to come up with an excuse as to why he didn't figure it out on his own."If you three are done, we have a case to discuss" Louis interrupts the group, tapping on the folders spread out in front of him on the table."Yes, let's discuss the case" Harvey exclaims, eager to move on from the current conversation."Louis, how did you find out?" Samantha asks him, enjoying the fact that the conversation topic was making Harvey uncomfortable."Donna" he mumbles, also wanting to divert the conversation back to the case files on the table before him."She told you?!" Alex and Samantha cry in unison."Not exactly… She answered Harvey's phone in the middle of the night.""Oh-hhh, ladies and gentlemen we have a winner" Samantha laughs."Yup. Louis, you definitely win this one!" Alex adds."A winner of what?" Louis stares between the two of them, having missed the obvious joke the pair was exchanging."The most awkward way to find out about these love birds over here" Alex clarifies while gesturing towards Harvey."Oh, I don't win that, Mike Ross takes that cake hands down.""Louis…" Harvey warns, trying his best to prevent him from sharing the story with his colleagues."How did Mike find out?!" Samantha pries."If I tell you, then can we get back to doing real work?""Absolutely""Alright, he walked in on them…" Louis says as fast as he possibly can before sheepishly turning to see Harvey's reaction."NO!" Samantha squeals."Alright, alright you've had your fun now let's get to business" Harvey says, distributing the folders on the table.'You guys weren't, you know? Were you?" Samantha asks Harvey who stares back at her with an un-amused expression."No" he answers coldly.As if on cue, Donna walks by the conference room and catches his eye, sending him a saucy wink and a smile before she turns towards her office. It's a simple gesture but it's enough to make him forget about his previous frustration and embarrassment and immediately brings a smile to his face for the rest of the meeting. God, he thinks to himself, that women is magical...Chapter 4: Kiss Cam"Harvey you didn't have to get me something it's not even our real anniversary!" she squeals as she tears open the envelope he hands her."But it's the anniversary of our first official date" he says proudly, pulling her closer into his side as she snuggles further beneath the covers, fishing tickets out of the card."I know the seats are horrible by my ticket guy messed up and that's all they had left. But I couldn't not take you to a baseball game.""This is incredibly sweet" she thanks him, pulling him down to her for a kiss."So, what do you say? Will you skip out on work this afternoon to go sit in the nosebleeds with me and watch a baseball game?""Can't think of any other way I'd want to spend my afternoon" she grins.Later that afternoon they find themselves seated in the nosebleed section beneath the blaring sun behind third base at the Yankees game. Unlike their first date, Donna is dressed more appropriately in a white t-shirt and jeans, while Harvey is sporting a black v-neck tee and a white baseball cap.Watching the game with Donna was just as fun as he'd remembered it being, only now she understood what was going on and he didn't have to give her the detailed play-by-play; something he assumed she'd picked up from watching with him on television. The seventh inning stretch rolled around and when everyone started singing, she turned towards him."Why does everyone know the words?" she asks."They play this at every game," he clarifies, placing a hand on her knee as he mouthed the words to the infamous Take Me out to the Ball Game."They don't play it when they show the game on tv" he adds, noticing her smile turn up upon realizing she hadn't missed anything when watching with him."It's kind of lame" she laughs as the song comes to an end."It's tradition" he protests in favour of the tune."The only sports tradition worse than an entire stadium singing the same song over and over would be the…"Ladies and gentleman it's time for the kiss cam! – booms over the stadium speakers."A kiss cam" she finishes with a sigh and leans back in her seat with Harvey's arm around her.They watch in silence for a moment as the camera falls on a few older couples who respond with a small peck as the crowd cheers."I thought you were a sucker for romance" he teases, the camera now finding a young couple a few sections to their left."A kiss cam is far from romantic. It's all for show and there is no romance involved" she explains, letting her hand come to rest on top of his thigh."I think it depends on the couple. There can be romance involved" he counters, turning his eyes back on the big screen and finding himself and Donna front and center; go figure.He watches as she turns towards the screen, eyes widening when she notices the camera focused on them."Happy one-year anniversary sweetheart" he whispers before cupping her cheek and pulling her in for a kiss that was far from innocent; earning them a few whistles from the crowd.Pulling back from the kiss, he lets his hand come to rest on her shoulder, nose resting next to hers."Thanks for loving me for an entire year" she whispers."I've been loving you for a lot longer than that" he whispers back before moving in for a kiss...Chapter 5: Roommates"Not again!" Mike shrieks, immediately backing out of the bathroom."What happened to knocking?" Harvey yells, taking in the sight Mike just walked in on. An assortment of clothes spread out across the floor and his and Donna's naked bodies pressed against the glass shower door."You made fun of me for knocking!" Mike whines from his place on the other side of the now semi-closed bathroom door."What are you doing wandering into our bathroom anyways? And why do you have a key to our apartment?" Harvey growls."Didn't Donna tell you? She said I could crash here while we get the apartment painted. And Donna gave us a spare a while back…""Where's Rachel staying?""With her parents, can we have this conversation when you have more clothes on?" Mike calls back from behind the door, causing Donna to giggle in Harvey's arms."Wait, just because you're staying here doesn't explain why you're in our bathroom." Harvey calls back,"I needed to borrow some soap…""Harvey" Donna purrs, calling his attention back to her naked body pressed against his.Reaching for a bar of soap Harvey hurls it at the door, causing the door to slam in Mike's face. After giggling about the small "ouch" that comes from the other side of the door, both Harvey and Donna forget Mike was ever there; at least temporarily forget, Mike gets an earful from Harvey for walking in on them over dinner when Mike can't stop teasing them about their adult shower time...Chapter 6: Breakfast at Tiffany'sHe gets home to find Donna on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, eyes so fixated on the tv screen she barely hears him come in.After tossing his shoes off and draping his suit jacket over a kitchen chair he joins her in the living room where he finds her mouthing along with the words of the movie she's watching.I'm in love with you- So whatSo what? So plenty. I'm in love with you. You belong to me.He stands at the door watching her for a few moments, admiring how taken she seems to be with the film and wondering how many times she must have seen it to be able to know the dialogue off the top of her head."You know most people just watch the movie" he smirks from his spot leaning against the door frame."I can't help it, it's the actress in me..."Life's a fact. People do fall in love. People do belong to each other because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness."I didn't know you liked this one" he gestures towards the screen and moves to join her on the couch."How could I not. It's art" she smiles and continues to mouth the words along with the scene.No matter where you run you just end up running into yourself."You know when I was a little girl, I always dreamed of putting on a long black dress and going down to Tiffany's on 5th avenue to have breakfast" she smiles at the memory."Why don't you?""Why don't I what?""Put on a black dress and go down to Tiffany's" he answers."Don't be ridiculous Harvey, that was a dream from ages ago. Besides, it takes months to get a reservation at their café.""Then we'll bring our own food.""Are you being serious right now?" she turns to face him and notices he isn't joking, he means every word he's saying.She doesn't know why she'd never thought of doing so in the past, but the childhood dream had snuck up on her tonight and she couldn't think of any reasons not to get changed and go down to 5th avenue."Alright, let's do it" she grinned, getting off the couch and walking towards the closet in pursuit of a black gown."Oh, I get to come, do I?" he teases as he follows, watching her hunt for the perfect dress."Well, it was your idea" she encourages, lifting a silky floor length gown from a hanger and holding it up to herself in the mirror."If I'm going to be Audrey in this situation, what does that make you?" she asks as she slips into the gown."I always thought I'd make an excellent George Peppard" he states matter-of-factly.She looks at him in slight shock but before she has a chance to comment he adds, "What, I've seen the movie.""You look incredible" he sighs into her neck as he reaches for the zipper on her dress, letting his fingers linger over her bare back before slowly pulling the zipper up. Pausing midway up her back, he lets his lips hover over her ear, "You. Are. Incredible." He breathes before nibbling down on her earlobe. Bringing the zipper to the top, he lets his hands roam around her waist, coming up to cup her breasts as his lips envelop hers in a kiss."Help me with my necklace?" she mumbles between kisses.He breaks the kiss and follows her to the dresser, taking the necklace from her hand and standing behind her once again to put her necklace into place."Perfect" she smiles, turning on her toes to place a delicate kiss on his lips."Yes, you are" he cups her cheeks with both hands and moves in for a kiss purposefully...Hand on the small of her back, he guides her through the revolving doors into the store front."Worth putting on that dress, wasn't it?" he grins at her, fingers weaving through hers."Absolutely! But we didn't bring any food...""About that… I was thinking we pick out some earrings to go with that necklace before we head upstairs for dinner" he smiles."Upstairs? Harvey, I told you, reservations in that café take months to get" she explains, pointing towards a pair of diamond studs in the glass case in front of them that the salesman retrieves for her."It's a good thing I called about an hour ago and rented out the entire place" he smirks as her eyes light up."Are you serious?!" she squeals, "How?""I know a guy, who knows a guy. And we'll take those" he gestures towards the earrings on the counter."You are just full of surprises tonight.""It's not often I get to surprise you and have it be an actual surprise."..Chapter 7: A Very Litt Date Night"Where's your other half tonight?""Looking to take me out on a date Louis?" Harvey snickers, strolling past them into the kitchen wearing only his boxers and a t-shirt."Please, you'd be lucky to get a real Louis Litt date""I'm sure I would be" he laughs and turns into the kitchen."What did he mean by that?" Louis turns to where Donna is putting on a final coat of lipstick."Nothing Louis, you know how Harvey is.""He doesn't think a date with me is a good time?! Because I'll show him that my dates always finish the evening fully satisfied!"Donna tries her hardest to withhold her laughter, and clearly Harvey isn't as successful as she is because she can hear him chuckling at Louis' words in the kitchen, which only makes Louis more determined to prove his point."Alright that's it! Harvey, go get dressed" he orders."Dressed for what?" he asks, returning from the kitchen holding a beer."I'm taking you out and showing you a good time. Sorry Donna, but I think Harvey needs this, don't you?" he holds up the pair of tickets for Wicked, the show he was supposed to be taking her to."I think I'll pass on this one Louis, I have a date with the Yankees game and the couch" he says, panicked eyes finding Donna's across the hall."Donna help me out here. Don't you think it would be a great idea for me and Harvey to spend some time together. Besides, we haven't bonded much since you got married and I've been preoccupied with the baby. This is my chance to show him a good time.""Look, I'd love to Louis, but I know Donna was really excited about this and I wouldn't want to take it away from her" he looks to her again, his eyes pleading for help."Actually, I am pretty exhausted. You two should go" she grins wickedly as the panic spreads across Harvey's face."Hurry up and get dressed! We don't want to miss Glenda's first solo!" Louis beams."We wouldn't want that, now would we…" Harvey sarcastically remarks before reluctantly handing Donna his beer and heading towards their bedroom. He knows there's no use in protesting because between Louis and his wife he didn't stand a chance, there was no getting out of this."Donna, I promise we'll go to the next one, okay?""Of course" she smiles, placing a reassuring hand over his forearm while they waited for Harvey to return.Harvey returns wearing a pair of gray dress pants and a white top and with a dramatic sigh he tucks his wallet in to his pocket and says, "Let's get this over with" as he follows Louis out the door."Have fun" Donna calls after him with a wink."Oh, I am so going to get you back for this" Harvey whispers back before placing a small kiss on her forehead and shutting the door behind him...Chapter 8: The IT Crisis of 2020Nearly a month after their honeymoon, Donna sat impatiently at her desk while she waited for someone from the IT department to come and reboot her laptop before her afternoon meeting. Tapping her multicoloured pen against the desk, her eyes roam the halls for anyone that looked like they could be on their way to provide IT support. Her phone chimes and she flips it over to reveal a message from Rachel; a photo of baby Edith in the jumper she and Harvey had sent them from Paris. She types back a quick message about missing her two favourite girls when a knock at her door startles her."Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!" she's met with apologetic eyes and a small smile."Benjamin! I didn't know you were back" she greets, rolling herself out of the way so he can access her laptop."First week back.""How was the exchange program?" she asks while he begins to type away on her laptop."Educational" he mumbles, caught up in whatever he was doing to her screen."It must be weird to be back?" she tries her best to make small talk, not wanting to be too annoying while he worked."It's kind of nice. Nothing ever really changes around here, you know?""Don't I ever" she chuckles, reaching for the phone beside him."I guess I spoke too soon, maybe some things do change" she notices his stare fixated on her wedding ring that had reflected the sunlight when she grabbed her cellphone."You got married" he adds, still furiously typing."I did" she smiles."I guess a congratulations are in order, who's the lucky man?"Before she can answer, Benjamin manages to get her blue screen to reset and her laptop opens to it's usual homepage, complete with a wallpaper photo of her and Harvey kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower on their honeymoon."I suppose that answers your question" she shrugs sheepishly."I want to say I saw this coming, but honestly I didn't" he mumbles in his own state of shock and disbelief."I should have known that, it's my job to know what goes on around here..." he adds."I don't think that job pertains to personal relationships" she tries to be supportive."How could I have not seen that coming? With the amount of emails you two send each other…I just assumed… I … What have I been doing… It was so obvious…" he continues to mumble to himself as he heads out of her office and back down the hall, passing Harvey on his way out."What was that all about?" Harvey looks back at a distraught IT guy, talking to himself as he walked down the hall."I think the news of our relationship just broke Benjamin" Donna giggles."Wouldn't be the first time the news of our relationship had that effect on someone."..Chapter 9: The Gift Giver (M+)"Donna have you see my…?"She passes him his wallet without looking up from the book she's dedicated this rainy Sunday morning to reading."What about my…?""On the hall table" she responds, flipping a page over."Do you mind grabbing it for me?" he calls from the kitchen."Can't you grab it on your way out?" she responds, nose still stuck in her novel."I'm just going to grab a coffee before I go, can you toss me the keys out of the left pocket at least" he calls.With a sigh she reluctantly closes her book and slides off the couch, trudging towards his jacket in the hall. She doesn't understand why he can't just grab his own keys, but she wasn't in the mood to argue. Fishing around in his coat pocket she grabs a small black box and turns it over in her palm to inspect it.She'd never seen this box before, matte black and definitely concealing some type of jewellery and she can't imagine why Harvey would be keeping it in his coat pocket. She debates opening it for a moment but then questions whether she was supposed to find it."Well, are you going to stare at it or open it?" his voice startles her as he comes up behind her in the hall, grin as wide as a mile.She raises an eyebrow at him, silently asking if the box was really for her and he nods back telling her it is.A small gasp escapes her lips when she opens the box to reveal a diamond ring in the shape of the sun, where each ray is a separate stone and the center is a yellow tinted diamond that sparkles beneath the hall lights."Harvey, what is this for?" she looks up at him with tear-filled eyes."Just because" he flashes her the dopey grin she loved so much."This seems like an awful lot for just because…""Really, because I didn't think it seemed like enough" he says while she slips the ring on her right hand."It's beautiful" she says before moving to kiss him, "I love it.""I had the guy model it after a sun because even on the darkest of days you are always a source of sunshine for me.""Now you're just trying to make me cry" she blubbers."I'm just getting started" he smirks before pulling her in by the waist for a kiss...A few weeks later she comes home to find a bouquet of roses on the counter with a card addressed to her. Harvey had been away on business in Chicago for the past three days and wasn't due to arrive back home until the following day, so the bushel of red on the kitchen counter caught her by surprise. Opening the card address to her, two tickets fall onto the counter. She picks them up revealing the title, Shakespeare in the Park, 8pm, with tonight's date. She turns to the card and reads the note inside.Donna, I was thinking it might be nice to have a date night under the stars. See you tonight beautiful.Love, Your HarveyShe closes the card and folds it against her chest, beaming with excitement. She had been complaining she hadn't gotten to Shakespeare in the park this year a while back when they spent a late night at the office, and she can't believe he remembered. Plus, even though he had only been away for a few days she missed him and was elated he was coming home a day earlier.The rest of her day fly's by as she rushes around trying to finish the bulk of her errands. She is just stepping out of the shower when she hears the key turn in the lock, indicating Harvey was finally home. Securing her towel around her body she saunters into the hall to find him, mischievous grin already plastered across her face. After his adorable surprise she was ready to show him just how much she'd missed him this past week."Hey handsome, I was thinking we could be a little bit late for the show" she flirts, stepping into the hall wearing nothing but the towel she's prepared to let fall to the floor."Oh my god!" she and Louis scream at the same time as she rounds the corner into the hall."Louis, what are you doing here? And why do you have a key?" she yelps, clutching her towel to her body."Harvey told us to be here at 7:30" Louis explains, looking to Shelia for back up."We tried knocking but no one answered so we used our spare key" Louis continues, holding up the key as evidence."How many spare keys do we have?" she wonders out loud."Sorry Donna, we didn't mean to intrude" Shelia apologies on behalf of her and her husband."Oh no, not an intrusion, just a pleasant surprise" Donna smiles, "I'm just going to toss something on, please make yourselves comfortable" she gestures them into the living room."Harvey didn't tell you he invited us, did he?" Louis asks."That man is just full of surprises lately" she chuckles, excusing herself to get ready.."Honeyyyy, I'm home" Harvey calls as he enters the apartment."Thank god, we were getting worried" Louis calls back, catching Harvey off guard.Harvey peers into the living room to find Louis, Shelia and Donna all laughing over a bottle of wine."You guys are early" he says to Louis, sending Donna an apologetic look."You said 7:30 and us Litt's are nothing if not punctual" Louis boosts proudly."Let me put these down" he raises his bags, "and we can get going."Dropping his bag on the bed he begins rummaging through the closet to find a new shirt when he hears her behind him. He turns to find her leaning against the closet door wearing a devilish grin."Surprise" he shrugs, "I'm sorry, I thought I would get here before them and we could have some alone time before I surprised you with the double date""The double date was really sweet Harvey, I know how much you've been trying to avoid double dates with Louis and Shelia.""Well, I figured you and Louis would both appreciate having someone to discuss the play with.""And I love you for that" she smiles, making his way to him and tugging on his tie until it falls to the floor between them.She sends him a pointed look that dares him to come closer, to put his hands on her. She leans forward on her toes and nibbles on his ear lobe while her left-hand ghosts over his bulge, cupping him as she releases his ear with a breathy moan."Donna" he warns as her fingers tease at his belt."Louis and Shelia are in the other room" he mumbles as she sucks on his neck."I sent them to fetch a cab, we should have a few minutes before they suspect anything" she explains as she frees him of his belt.Her words are the reassurance he needs before sliding his hand up her thigh and backing her against the closet door with impressive force, bunching her dress at the waist, fingers greedily moving past her lace panties and slipping between her folds."I missed you" he mumbles between kisses, desperate to have her closer, tongue slipping past hers as he continues to pump two fingers in and out. He brings his thumb to play with her clit and she whimpers under his touch, begging him not to stop. Using his other hand, he scoops her up by the ass and carries her back towards a shelf in the center of the closet, placing her down on top of it and momentarily sliding his fingers out of her. She pouts at the loss of contact, and pushes his shirt off his shoulders, pulling him towards her, desperate to feel him inside of her. He steps back breaking the contact all together and licks his lips in a way that drives her mad. She needed him and she needed him now. She whines his name again, a plea for him to reinstate the contact between them.Despite having limited time, Harvey took his time appreciating every moment of this, wanting to savor it all. He kneels in front of her and pushes her knees apart, watching as her eyes follow his every move, knowing his deliberate patience (which was nearly killing him) was driving her insane. He lets his hand slowly wander up her leg, teasing at her already soaked core before finally plunging back inside. She closes her eyes and moans his name at his touch, clutching his shoulders as he curled his finger and hit the right spot. Leaning back on her elbows she can feel her climax beginning to build as he slips a second finger inside of her. Next thing she knows his head is between her legs and his tongue glides over her clit, causing her to buck her hips forward. He feels her begin to tremble as he works his fingers and tongue in tandem, her fingers clawing down his back as she pushes him forward, begging him not to stop. One final flick of his tongue pushes her over the edge, and she cries out his name as he continues to work her folds with his tongue as she rides out her wave. With trembling legs, she pulls him up to her and frees him of his pants as she sucks on his lower lip. She strokes his already hard length a few times before guiding him to her entrance and adjusting to his size as he slowly thrusts into her. He teases her slightly, only sliding halfway in before pulling back out, but his teasing is cut short when she whispers Harvey I need you to fuck me right now, and he loses all will power. It doesn't take long for them to reach their peaks; Donna's clawing into Harvey's back and Harvey's sucking on Donna's neck bringing them both to finish quickly. He continues to pump into her as she comes down from her high, pulling her in to tender kiss when he finally pulls out of her.He grabs a towel and cleans them up before gathering their scattered pieces of clothing and getting dressed."Do we have to go?" he pouts while buttoning his shirt."They're waiting for us downstairs… But later, if you play your cards right, we can continue this conversation" she smirks as she fixes her hair."I guess" he pulls her in for a kiss after she fixes his tie, "Why did I think this was a good idea again?""Because you're working on your gift giving skills" she smirks.She leads the way out of the apartment with Harvey in toe and pauses on her way out the door."For the record, I've always considered you a good gift giver, I think you just proved that back there" she says with a wink...Chapter 10: Isn't She Lovely?On a cool summer evening in late July, the couple find themselves strolling through Central Park after a double date with Mike and Rachel. Having Mike and Rachel back in the city had been such a blessing, their nights were now filled with double dates. Donna had Rachel back in her life for girl's nights and Harvey had Mike; it brought the perfect meld of independence and romance into their lives, not to mention the new role as babysitters for Edith, who, to everyone's surprise, had really taken a liking to her uncle Harvey.Strolling through the park hand in hand Harvey is filling Donna in on the happenings of his latest case when they stumble upon a small jazz band set up in the square. The sign next to the stage reads, "Music Under the Stars" and the entire area is covered by overhead lights, twinkling in the moonlight. The band is playing a rendition of Stevie Wonder's Isn't She Lovely and without hesitation Harvey extends his hand to Donna who eyes him curiously before accepting it. He leads her towards where a group of people are dancing in front of the stage and twirls her into his arms.Wrapping her hands around the nape of his neck, she rests her head on his shoulder and lets him sway them in time with the music. This must be what serenity felt like. This pure state of euphoria she often felt when with Harvey, engulfed in the overwhelming sensations of love, comfort and happiness. He was her safe place, her guidepost, her home. It was there, in that moment under the stars as he held her that she decided that there was no greater feeling in the world than being loved by him. It was also their that she decided she wanted to have a family with him, to see him become a father and a role model, a position she knew he would surpass all expectations in.When the song comes to an end, she lifts her head and finds herself drowning in a see of hazel, his eyes pooling with a mixture of lust and adoration that makes her knees go weak."What do you think about starting a family?" she shyly suggested, unsure of how he will react."Yes" he answers nearly before she finishes her sentence."Are you serious?""Donna, you know how I feel about you. I would lasso the moon if you asked me too, of course I want to have a family with you.""And you're not just saying that because you think it's what I want? Because I want you to want this too.""I've been dreaming about the day we bring home our little red headed baby since the day we said I do.""So, what you're saying is, we're going to try and have a baby?" she beams back at him."We're going to try and have a baby" he echoes, scooping her up and twirling her around with a kiss, both blissfully unaware the band had long since stopped playing...Chapter 11: Knowing When to Hold Em'She finishes up her work for the day and tucks her laptop into her purse, preparing to head home for the evening. Harvey was staying late to play a poker game with a few of the guys and she was looking forward to having the apartment to herself for the evening. Heading out of her office she contemplates stopping by to see if they'd started playing yet and nearly decides against it in pursuit of the bubble bath and the bottle of merlot she knows is waiting for her at home.Poking her head into his office to say goodnight she finds Alex, Louis, Harvey and Mike all seated around a temporary poker table sipping whiskey."Don't mind me, just came to say goodnight" she smiles, walking over to where Harvey is sitting and leaning over him to place a kiss on his cheek."Going so soon? We're just getting started" Louis says."I don't want to intrude on boy's night" she squeezes Harvey's shoulder."Please, Donna you're never intruding" Louis counters."Ya, Donna you should join us" Mike chimes in with a smirk."I don't even know how to play" she protests."We'll teach you" Alex offers, dealing her into the game and gesturing for her to take a seat."Alright, I guess one game can't hurt" she shrugs and takes the vacant seat beside her husband.After the cards are dealt and Alex quickly briefs Donna on the rules, Harvey starts the betting by raising Donna to double the initial buy in."What?" he cocks an eyebrow at her, "You thought I was going to go easy on you?""I wouldn't want you holding back" she smirks back and tosses her chips into the pot, calling his bet."Oh shiiiiiit" Mike choruses.At the end of the round only Harvey and Donna remain, and he gives her one final out, "Are you sure you don't want to call it a night?""I'm good, thanks" she purses her lips."Alright, full house" Harvey says revealing his cards."I think this is good, right?" she plays dumb and reveals her four of a kind with a smirk as Mike and Alex stare back in disbelief."Holy shit" Louis mumbles as he watches Donna claim the chips in the pot.Nearly an hour later, Alex and Mike are out of money and only Louis, Harvey and Donna remain in the game. Donna and Harvey had each won about half of the games with Louis winning the odd game here and there. Down to the last card, Donna raises the stakes 4-fold with a saucy wink in Harvey's direction and Louis folds. Harvey calls her bet and they stay staring at one each other daring the other to reveal their hand first. Harvey caves first revealing three of a kind, while Donna drops her cards showing a straight."Oh man, I need a day" Louis mumbles as Donna claims her prize."On that note, I think it's time to call it a night. Want a ride home Mike?" Alex asks."Sure" Mike nods, grabbing his jacket."Thanks for sticking around to kick Harvey's ass, Donna. We should've known if anyone was going to give him a run for his money it would be you" Mike adds,"May I remind you she kicked your ass too" Harvey points out."You're just bitter your wife schooled you in poker" Mike ribs before following Alex out of the office.Donna plops herself down on one of Harvey's couches as she waits for him and Louis to pack everything away. Once Louis excuses himself, he joins her on the couch, her feet finding a place in his lap."So, do I have to sleep on the couch tonight since I showed you up at boy's night?" she teases."Nah, I think I'll let it slide this time, plus I didn't try to win that first game" he defends himself."We both know that's not true""Prove it" he winks."You're impossible" she rolls her eyes in response."Besides, it was pretty hot watching you win like that" his smirk widens as she slides towards him, straddling his lap."It was, was it?" her tongue grazes over her lower lip, hands coming to rest on the couch behind his head."You have… no idea" he mumbles into her breasts where his head is nuzzled."Harv" she warns softly before his lips steal the rest of her warning, pulling her down to him, hands wrapping around her waist.His fingers trail from her bare shoulder down her arm as he devours her neck, stopping only to suck on her pulse point. She grinds against him, widening her legs to increase the friction between them as he kisses down her neck hen Harvey's blaring cell phone interrupts them. Reluctantly climbing off of his lap, she passes him the cell phone ringing on the coffee table and plops down beside him."What?" he barks into the phone, annoyance an understatement for how he feels about being interrupted."Harvey, I thought you said Donna would be home tonight? You haven't forgotten about me staying with you guys for a few days, have you?" Jessica asks on the other end of the line."Shit" Harvey mumbles, "We'll be there in fifteen" he adds before hanging up and turning back towards Donna."Jessica is at our apartment" he tells her."Jessica? Why?""I forgot I told her she could stay in the guest room for the weekend" he tosses his head back, whining. There was nothing he wanted more than to have his way with Donna right here on this couch."She could wait a fewwww more minutes?" he suggests, reaching to pull her back into his lap."Common, we can't keep her waiting" she reasons, grabbing his hand and pulling him up from the couch. He sighs and concedes, following her all the way to where Ray is waiting downstairs..Once Jessica is settled into the guest room, Harvey finds himself in flipping through a book in bed wearing only his boxers and an old Harvard t-shirt while Donna gets ready for bed in the bathroom. He is so pre-occupied in his reading he doesn't hear her exit the bathroom until she clears her throat. Peering over his glasses he finds her leaning against the door in a silk robe, sporting a devilish grin."Donna""Harvey""What's happening?" he asks, slightly confused yet excited."I was just thinking about earlier…" she makes her way to the foot of the bed, "in your office." She pushes the robe off one shoulder."And I figured…" she drops the robe, revealing a black lace lingerie set that her showed off her nipples, "the night wasn't over yet" she purrs, climbing into his lap."If I'd have known what winning poker did to you I would've folded immediately" he says, taking her breasts in his hands before pushing the lace aside and taking one in his mouth."Maybe if you were better at poker you would've figured that out" she teases.Instead of responding he flips her over and allows his lips to crash into hers, desperate to free her of the lace after her little miniature strip tease out of the bathroom...Chapter 12: The Dog Days are Over (For the Pup, That is)It had been three months since they decided to start trying to have a family, six since Mike and Rachel moved back to the city and she'd never been happier. She watches from outside Harvey's office as he plays with Edith while Mike finishes up some paperwork. He was going to make such a great father. She was planning on telling him the good news that night when they got home from work, but the sight before her has her wanting to burst into his office and blurt out the news. They were going to have a baby.They were going to have a baby; she could hardly believe it. The two of them were going to become three and someday soon there would be a miniature version of Harvey or herself in the world. A little human that combined everything she loved about Harvey with everything he loved about her. They were going to bring new life into the world, and she was giddy with excitement.She'd found out she was expecting nearly a week ago but was waiting on the doctor's confirmation before she told Harvey; a confirmation call she received that morning. She had been brainstorming, trying to think of a creative way to tell him he was going to be a dad, but she was too elated to sit and focus. She decided she would tell him that night over dinner and headed into his office to join him, Mike and her god daughter before heading home."There's the most beautiful girl in the world" she coos at Edith as she steals her from Harvey's arms."And here I was thinking you were talking about me" Mike scoffs, moving to fill both his and Harvey's glasses with scotch."Donna?" he gestures towards an empty glass, asking if she wanted him to pour her one."I'll pass, thanks" she smiles between sticking out her tongue at the toddler in her arms."Just have one glass and we can head out? I was thinking we grab some takeout from that Thai place you love so much?" Harvey says."I'll just wait for you to finish yours and we can go. But we're getting extra spring rolls. Isn't that right little Miss Edith" she switches to baby talk mid-sentence."Donna passing up a drink after a long day, what are you, expecting or something" Mike teases and Donna freezes, the colour draining from her face."Oh my god, really?" Mike stares in disbelief."Really?" Harvey turns to her with hopeful eyes."Really" she nods back, happy tears beginning to well in her eyes. This was not what she had in mind when she pictured telling Harvey their exciting news, but she no longer cares about the moment being perfect; because it's their moment, all three of theirs."You're… you're sure?" Harvey mumbles, tears beginning to fall and he's at her feet, taking her hands in his."Yes" she beams, Mike taking Edith from her arms and watching as his friends celebrate, Harvey cupping Donna's tear-stained face in his hands and pulling her down for a kiss."We're going to have a baby" Harvey whispers, still cupping Donna's face, resting his forehead against hers."We're going to have a baby" she echoes, hugging him."I'm going to be a dad" he whispers into her ear."I'll just leave you two to ugh… celebrate" Mike excuses himself, "Congratulations guys, you're going to make amazing parents.""Thanks Mike" Harvey calls over Donna's shoulder, pulling his wife back in for a kiss once Mike leaves his office. He always thought his wedding day would be the happiest day of his life but boy was he wrong, nothing would ever come close to this day; the day Donna told him he was going to be a father. The day they started their own family...Chapter 13: The Show RunnerShe glanced over her clip board, scanning down the page and mentally checking off items as she goes. Lights, check. Woodland creatures, check."Alright, fairies I need you to line up over here" she gestures to her left and a swarm of little girls in fairy wings scramble to get into line."Mommmmm, my wing is dented" the small red head whines, rushing up to her in a panic."Let's see sweetheart" she smiles down at the girl, pulling the wing back in to place, "There we go, all fixed" she places a kiss on top of her daughter's head and shoos her into line with the other kids.Continuing down her list she furrows her brow when she realizes what she'd missed the first time through the pre-show checklist."Where is tree number three?" she calls out to everyone standing backstage."Right here" Harvey sighs, joining the line of fairy's and woodland creatures waiting for the curtain to rise."Dadddddy" the little fairy launches herself into Harvey's arms, "You look funny as a tree" she giggles when he bops her on the nose before placing her back on the ground.Donna can't help but swoon at the sight before her, her little family doing the thing she loved, it was almost surreal. When the theater had asked if she wanted to direct her daughters play, she was hesitant, but Harvey encouraged her to give it a try and it was exactly what she needed. She began to fall in love with theater all over again and had even signed up to audition for a play the following month. Somehow, Harvey had just known was she needed, lately he always just knew, and her heart swelled watching him tickle their daughter in his green leotard covered in giant plastic leaves.She claps her hands, gaining the attention of everyone gathered back stage, "Alright we're almost ready to start the show, does everyone know their places?"Everyone begins to shuffle into their places for the opening scene and she calls Elizabeth (Ellie for short) over to where she and Harvey are standing slightly off stage."Are you excited kiddo?" Harvey grins down at his daughter, who was growing up to look more and more like her mother, while still sporting his trade mark smile."I'm a little bit nervous" she mumbles down at her tutu."You have no need to be nervous, do you know why?" he asks."Why?" she looks up at him."Because you're a Specter""I'm a Paulsen-Specter" the girl proudly boasts."That's my girl" Donna grins, "You're going to do great sweetheart, now go break a leg."They watch as the little girl skips off toward the stage to join her friends."Remind me again what I'm supposed to be doing?" Harvey asks with the tilt of his head, placing a hand on Donna's waist."Stand there and be a tree" she smirks back at her husband, planting her hand on his chest and placing a soft kiss on his lips."How did you convince me to do this again?""It wasn't me who convinced you" she looks towards their daughter who is practicing her twirls on stage."You know what they say, like mother like daughter""Daddy, are you coming?" she calls over to them."I'll be right there princess" he answers."Wrapped around her little finger" Donna clucks, turning her attention back to her clip board for one final check before they started the show.Harvey peaks out through the curtain while Donna is busy getting the kids into place and notices Mike, Rachel, Shelia and Louis sitting front and center.She grabs his arm and leads him to his mark when he asks, "Why are Mike and Louis in the audience?""They didn't want to miss your big break?" she teases, motioning for him to stay in place on the mark at the back of the stage."Relax hot shot, they're here for your daughter"..Chapter 14: The Past 7 Years"The file room?"She nods her head and he continues guessing, "my office?"A smirk begins to creep across her face as she shakes her head at him from her seat across the table, "You're an idiot" she adds with a laugh."I remember there was once a time you told me having sex in all of those places was off limits… and yet" he winks, taking her hand in his own over the table.The waiter comes by and pours them each a glass of champagne leaving the bottle on the table for them before excusing himself. Harvey raises his glass to hers for a small toast."To a night of no kids" he jokes"You miss them, don't lie" she teases, knowing that between the two of them he was the one who was more protective of Ellie and Gordon."Of course, I do, those guys and you, you're my entire life" he smiles, raising his glass to hers once again, "To seven wonderful years of marriage. I can't believe I'm lucky enough to have such a charismatic, hard-working, passionate women by my side to keep me in line and help raise those monkey's we call our children. I love you, Donna.""I love you too Harvey" she smiles and clinks her glass against his before taking a small sip."Seven years already" she thinks out loud."Seven official years, it's nearly two decades if we go by how long you told me we'd been married when I hired Mike" he squeezes her hand over the table."Well in that case, here's to a few more decades."