So I sat down to write the next chapter of Off Limits and well, I'm not to sure what happened but this was the result. I've never really written anything in this style before but I figured I'd give it a try! Feel free to let me know what you think :)
"Okay wallet?"
"Check"
"Keys?"
"Yup"
"Lucky tie?"
"Donna I have everything, stop worrying" he smiles at her
"Alright I just wanted to make sure we don't forget anything, the last thing we need is to get there and realize we forgot something important. Louis will already be a mess, I can't imagine what he'll be like if I'm a mess too" she says
"It's his wedding, he's going to be a disaster whether we forget my lucky tie or not"
He moves the bags into the hall and pulls out his key to lock the door
"Are you sure we got everything?"
"Now that I think of it, I did forgot something" he grins
"Harvey! What did you forget?"
"A kiss" he smirks, pulling her in by the waist and tasting her vanilla chapstick
"Good thing you didn't forget that" she smiles, still wrapped in his arms
"Alright, let's get this wedding over with" Harvey moans as they make their way downstairs to where Ray is waiting.
He rests his hand on her thigh as they begin to move through the city, buildings becoming a blur as he fiddles with the hem of her skirt
"Harvey" she warns, but the playful look on her face tells him it's less of a warning than it is flirting
He scoots closer and kisses his way from her earlobe to her jaw, causing her to pull him closer by the tie and find his lips with hers.
"Mike were going to be late" Rachel calls into his office
"Just this oneeee last thing" he takes his time saying as he scribbles a few things down and tosses paper into a pile on his desk
He grabs his bag and tosses it over his shoulder before heading to the lobby to meet his wife.
He finds her staring at the silver lettering lining the wall as he comes up behind her.
"It doesn't get old, seeing that. Does it?" he grins as she turns away from the lettering to face him
"I don't think it ever will" she beams as the elevator arrives and she follows Mike inside taking one last looks at the letters overlooking the firms lobby
Litt Specter Zane Ross
"It had been nearly two years since Harvey decided to leave the firm formerly known as Zane Specter Litt Wheeler Williams; a firm now called Wheeler and Williams. After Roberts departure a change seemed inevitable and he and Donna decided after the dust settled and the firm was standing on its own two feet again, that they needed to move on.
The idea came to him a few months after Roberts departure. After a day packed full of client meetings, he started to ponder what it would be like to just pack up and start over. The firm was doing well again, his relationship with Donna was going strong but he felt restless, in desperate need of a change.
He pitched the idea to her late one night while they were lying tangled in the bed sheets, and she immediately agreed, it was time for change.
What followed suit was what he would call fate, if he believed in such a thing. Mike and Rachel decided to move back to the city to start a family, and Louis began to confide in Harvey about his own restlessness and the rest was as good as done.
He and Louis has started from the bottom once before, and they were more than prepared to do it again. Luckily, Samantha and Alex were thrilled to take on the challenge of running the firm on their own, and Litt Specter Zane Ross was born.
The naming process, however, was not near as easy as the idea to pack up and start over. They agreed that Louis should continue in his role as managing partner – once returning from paternity leave, and in doing so would finally get to have his name go first; something he'd wanted since he began law school. The initial plan was to have Rachel go next, but after the backlash of her father's disbarment they feared her last name may draw some negative attention to their firm and that Harvey should go before her. The last two were the easiest to sort out, because Mike was simply happy just having his name on the wall and wanted Rachel to go before him since she had come so far to get to where she was.
"It was smaller than their former empire, had less clients and offices on the 36th floor of a high rise a few blocks away from their former building, but it was exactly what they needed.
Donna filled in as ZSLWW's COO a few months after the new firm opened, helping find her own replacement for Wheeler Williams and making sure they weren't left stranded without a life vest. She had wondered if they were making the right decision in leaving, but after seeing how happy Harvey was to be working with Mike again, she didn't doubt they had. Not to mention, she got her best friend back. The Michelle Ross to her Harriet Specter. And her nights were soon filled with girls' nights, red wine and romantic comedy's, in addition to numerous double dates that Mike always stated, "he couldn't believe they finally got to go on".
On evenings Harvey and Mike worked late, Harvey would often come home to find Rachel and Donna fast asleep on the couch. She'd sold her apartment shortly after switching firms and moved in with Harvey, seeing no reason to wait any longer to live together, seeing as they spent every night together anyways. That was nearly a year ago, and their relationship had never been stronger. They had fallen into a simple domestic routine. She made morning coffee, he cooked dinner. They showed up to work hand-in-hand before parting ways at her office (his was next door – some things never change).
.
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After things settled down at the new firm, Harvey took Donna to Boston for the weekend to meet his family, who she immediately won over.
Marcus's kids absolutely adored her, and she spent most of her afternoon helping them put on a play in his mothers living room.
Lily pulled him aside afterwards to tell him she was right, Donna was special.
He smiled and told her, he knows. She was the most wonderful women he had ever met.
.
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Six months after the firm opened, the six of them went out to celebrate and Mike and Rachel broke the news that they were expecting their first child.
.
.
On the one-year anniversary of the new firm, the 4 name partners and the COO celebrated with a toast (a non-alcoholic toast for Rachel), they'd made it an entire year and were only gaining momentum.
Shelia joined the group with the baby later at dinner, where she and Louis announced they had finally set a wedding date in one year's time.
Harvey took Rachel aside that night and showed her the ring her bought for Donna, princess cut, white gold band, a timeless piece. She squealed with excitement upon seeing her best friend's ring and asked him how he planned on doing it. He said he hadn't decided yet, but he knew he would have to be smart about it if he wanted to keep it a secret from her. He also wanted it to capture everything she meant to him, and everything she had meant to him for the past decade.
.
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He proposed to her on a Tuesday afternoon when nothing was going right. His alarm didn't go off and he missed a meeting with a client. He split his coffee on his white shirt. He got stuck in traffic on the way home and was late for dinner. She forgot about the pasta she was making and it stuck to the pot. He sat across from her in the kitchen, watching as she cursed at the burnt mess that was formerly their dinner and he just knew. Even on the worst of days, coming home to her was everything. She was everything.
So, he got down on one knee right there in the kitchen and told her what she meant to him and that he would love her for the rest of time. She nodded yes through her tears and slipped the ring on her finger before dragging him off to the bedroom for the evening
The next day she couldn't help but smile when she glanced down at her left hand, diamond sparkling as it caught the sunlight beaming in through her office window. Rachel couldn't help but squeal when Donna showed her. Mike teared up, he had been rooting for his best friends to get together for as long as he could remember. Louis spent the afternoon freaking out about wedding planning in Donna's office.
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Mike and Rachel's daughter entered the world on a Sunday afternoon. They named her Edith Laura Ross.
Harvey watched as Donna fawned over the little bundle of pink and couldn't help but smile. When they got home, he asked her if she would want to start a family. She almost can't believe the words that come out of his mouth but doesn't try and hide the grin creeping across her face, she'd always loved the idea of mini Harvey's running around.
They decide to start trying.
.
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On the one-and-a-half-year anniversary of the firm, the group celebrated with dinner an early dinner, because Louis and Shelia had to get home and relieve the babysitter, and Mike and Rachel had a new born to get home too.
.
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The second anniversary of the firm is celebrated in the Hampton's, at Louis and Shelia's wedding. The group finds themselves excited to spend the weekend with some familiar faces, even if Mike and Rachel are running late and Harvey can't seem to keep his hands off of Donna in the back of Ray's car.
The ceremony is beautiful, in typical Louis Litt fashion not a thing is out of place. Their son is a perfect ring bearer and after Louis' vows to Shelia there isn't a dry eye in the house. Both Harvey and Mike are in the wedding party, so Donna finds herself seated next to Rachel. Half way through the ceremony Edith gets fussy and Aunt Donna takes her from Rachel to help calm her down. Rachel is incredibly grateful Donna is there, she was just so great with Edith; a natural with all babies really.
Mike catches Harvey's gaze trained on Donna with Edith as Louis kisses the bride and everyone cheers. He turns to Harvey and asks, "Ever think of having one of those?" Before Harvey can respond Jessica finds him and pulls him into a hug and begins asking all about the new firm and how things are with Donna.
He finds Donna at a table with Mike and Rachel at the reception and drags her onto the dance floor, pulling her close and letting her rest her head on his shoulder as he moves them to the music. As the song comes to an end he asks if she wants to get a drink. She grabs a hold of his hand and freezes in her tracks.
"What is it?" he stares at her quizzically
"I was going to wait, to tell you..."
"Tell me what?" he steps closer to her
She lets out the breath she didn't even know she was holding and decides she needs to rip the band-aid off and just go for it
"Harvey, I'm pregnant" she says, studying his face as he processes what she just told him
Before she can ask if he's heard her, he scoops her up in his arms and spins her around, causing her to giggle as he puts her back on her feet, both forgetting they're standing on the dance floor at Louis' wedding.
"Are you serious?" he beams at her
She nods her head in response and his lips are on hers in an instant. When he finally pulls back for air he rests his nose against hers, smiling he whispers, "We're going to have a baby"
"We're going to have a baby" she echoes, still swaying in his arms on the dance floor.
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The weekend in the Hampton's goes by in a flash. Harvey and Donna catch up with old friends before sneaking off the celebrate the new family they're about to begin. Donna is relieved Harvey took the news so well, in fact he's been smiling ever since she told him. She knew he would be happy, but his reaction made her heart soar and she couldn't wait to see what a great father he would be.
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They tell everyone the news at a staff meeting on a Monday morning. She's never seen Mike and Rachel quite so excited and Louis already begins planning play dates. Harvey surprises her with roses when he comes home, and they spend the entire weekend in bed.
.
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She'd only been off work for a week and was already going stir crazy. The nursery was painted (a lovely pale pink), the crib was ready, and she was due any day now. Harvey was out fetching her another tub of funky monkey. He had been so understanding through all of her mood swings and she doesn't think it would be possible to love him more.
.
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Avery Jessica Specter is born just before the firms third anniversary and Harvey falls in love for a second time. Sitting next to Donna in her hospital bed staring down into their daughters eyes, he's never known happiness like this. He places a kiss on Donna's forehead and looks down at their little girl. She has Donna's eyes and he knows he's a goner, they both have his whole heart.
.
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For the firms fourth anniversary, they celebrate together at Avery's first birthday party. Mike and Louis' kids are off playing with each other as Mike brings a very pregnant Rachel a slice of the cake. Louis joins a pregnant Shelia who's chatting with Harvey's mom as Harvey makes his way across the room to Donna, holding their daughter. Placing a kiss on her cheek he looks from Shelia to Rachel and lifts an eyebrow,
"What do you say we try for another one?"
She laughs it off and takes Avery from his arms, rolling her eyes playfully at him
"I'm being serious Donna" he smiles
"Really?" her face softens
"Really"
.
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They get married between the firms fourth and fifth anniversaries. Avery steals the show as the flower girl, but he swears Donna looks like an angel as her father guides her down the isle. He takes a moment to appreciate the site before him; Louis, Mike and Marcus standing next to him opposite Rachel and Donna's sisters, one of whom is holding his precious baby girl. In the audience Robert and Laura Zane sit with their granddaughter Edith and their new born grandson Ethan. Next to them sits Shelia and her two kids, followed by Jessica and Jeff and his mother, who meets his eye and sends him a smile. He even spots Samantha and Alex a few rows back, next to Katrina and her new husband. His eyes turn back to the red head gliding down the isle and he lets the tear threaten to escape his eye fall. How he ever got so lucky, he'll never know. All he knows is right here, in this moment, this is all he will ever need.
Their vows bring the room to tears as Harvey takes her hand and stares into her eyes, telling her, "Donna, I knew you were something special from the moment I saw you. And this ring, and these words are simply a way to show the rest of the world what has been in my heart for as long as I can remember. You changed my world that night at the bar, and I promise to spend the rest of my life reminding you of just how grateful I am for you. I promise to never stop wanting to know just how Donna you are and above all else, I promise to love you and to tell you how I love you, every day, for the rest of our lives"
She can't help her tears now, his words having rendered her a complete mess as she takes her turn, "Looking around, I can't believe how far we've come. We have been through so much together, but no matter what the situation was, I've always known that I can count on you, that I can have faith in you. You're the first person I want to run to with good news, and the person I want to be there when I have a bad day. You push me to be the best version of myself and every day with you is a new adventure. I love the man that you are and the father that you are to our daughter. I love that beneath that best closer exterior you have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever met. I love that you still have the can opener that we stole from that diner almost two decades ago. And I love that even though it took us a while to get things right, we finally did, because you're it for me, Harvey Reginald Specter"
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They spend their honey moon in Paris, site seeing, drinking wine and making love. She never wants to leave this bubble of happiness they find themselves in, but then again maybe they didn't have to. They'd been in it since the day they started the new firm, nearly five years ago. They decide to expand their family, hoping for this time, in Donna's words, a "mini Harvey"
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The firms 8th anniversary finds the six of them in a booth at Del Posto, a night supported by overpaid babysitters and the exhaustion that comes with being a working parent. Rachel is showing Donna and Harvey the pictures they took of Gordon and Avery with Edith and Ethan on their last play date, while Mike, Louis and Shelia laugh about some crazy case Mike took on the previous week. Harvey squeezes his wife's hand beneath the table and sends her a knowing smile as she and Rachel continue to finalize the details of their latest shopping trip. He's grateful for the night off, but truthfully, he can't wait to get home and tuck the kids in before taking his beautiful wife to bed. He looks around the table and raises his glass,
"To 8 successful years of Litt Specter Zane Ross" he toasts
"To Litt Specter Zane Ross" everyone echoes.
I hope you enjoyed these little Darvey snippets!