OMG,, I'm so excited to finally be posting this fanfic. I've been working on it since 7x10 was released, and just kept putting off posting it. Now I'm finally getting around to posting it. This will be a multi-chapter fanfic focused on Donna and Harvey. I thought now would be the perfect time to post it because season 7B is premiering tonight (which I'm unbelievably excited for). Anyway, I worked really hard on this fanfic and I hope you guys enjoy it! Stay tunned for more chapter!
Three years in the making. Mike and Rachel's wedding was finally just around the corner. In one week Rachel Zane would walk down the aisle to marry Mike Ross. They'd saved the date. Ever since there wedding was all anyone at the firm could talk about. Everyone wanted to go, but only a select few had been invited. Still, that didn't prevent everyone from gossiping about it. Ever since setting the date Mike, Rachel And Donna who was the maid of honour had been working night and day to make sure everything was in order. This wedding had to be perfect.
The wedding was being held on Valentine's Day per Rachel's request. Rachel was traditional. Though she knew having a wedding on Valentine's day was tacky. She wanted he wedding day to be a day filled with love. After pulling some strings Donna had managed to book the place of Rachel's dreams. Neither Rachel or Donna were willing to settle for anything less than perfection. Even Mike had been involved heavily in the wedding planning. Oftentimes Louis and Mike would accompany the girls for cake tasting. The only one who hadn't been involved in the wedding planning was Harvey.
Mike hadn't expected Harvey to be extremely involved in the wedding planning. Though he was surprised at how anti-wedding Harvey had become. In the beginning, he was dare-I-say excited. He'd even offered to have the wedding at his condo. Ever since after the Malick trial though Harvey had completely disengaged himself from the from the wedding. Come to think of it he had completely disengaged himself from everything and everyone. He rarely talked to Mike anymore, he only talked to Louis about things that were business related and didn't even so much as look at Donna. All he did now was come to work, eat lunch with Paula, then leave. That was how his days went. When Rachel and Mike's had sent out their wedding invitation he didn't even comment on it. He just RSVP. Checking the box for "plus one".
Harvey was Mike's best man, and he refused to acknowledge that the wedding was even happening. Mike wasn't sure what was going on with him. He was sure it had something to do with Donna though. It always did, why can't those two just work it out. When this all started Mike had asked him if anything was wrong. Harvey being Harvey though just ignored his questions telling him to mind his own business. However, this was now affecting his wedding. His wedding that was supposed to be perfect. His best man was barely speaking to him, and he wasn't even sure he knew when the wedding was. Since he had still neglected to hire a new secretary, and Harvey wasn't one for planners. Enough was enough. Mike had to step in.
[Earlier that day]
"Can you believe it's only a week away", Mike said enthusiastically. Bringing the wedding up to Harvey for the first time in weeks. He thought that since they were finally working on a case together for the first time in months per Mike's request. That it was the perfect time to get a feel for what was going on with Harvey.
"What's only a week away"? Harvey asked. Not even bothering to look up from his computer. He almost never did nowadays. It was his way of signalling to other people that he didn't want to be bothered. He could really care less about what Mike was talking about, but he knew that if he didn't Mike would think something was wrong. Then start questioning him, and Harvey really wasn't in the mood to be questioned.
"My wedding. It's next Saturday".
"What", Havey exclaimed. Suddenly stopping what he was doing to look up at Mike. He had remembered receiving a wedding invitation about a month ago with the date on it, but he could've sworn that it was at least a month ago. Not that he really had given it much thought he'd just told the temp to put it on his calendar.
"Please don't tell me my best man forgot", Mike joked. He knew that Harvey had in fact forgotten, but he didn't want to come across like he was accusing him. If he did that Harvey would get defensive, and he didn't want that. He was just trying to help him out after all. "You didn't forget did you"?
"Mike I may not spend my time looking at 'brides weekly', but that doesn't mean I'd forgot your wedding", he lied. Even though he knew Mike would see right through it. He cursed his new secretary for not reminding him. Donna certainly would have, but she was no Donna.
"Well good. Mike hesitated. "Have you finished your toast yet"?
"My toast", he stuttered. He knew it was customary for the best man to give a speech. Since this wasn't your typical wedding though, and Harvey wasn't your typical best man. He had hoped that he didn't have to give a speech. It's not like Mike had mentioned it before today. "I was going to just wing that".
"Okay", Mike said hesitantly. "What are you going to say"?
"Love is eternal, and I've never met two people more meant for each other. The usual bullshit ".
"This is going to be a disaster. You better not quote any movies". Mike warned.
"I won't. Now that I'm in a serious relationship this should be a piece of cake", he defended. Even though he knew that was bullshit. He may have been quite fond of Paula, but he knew he was nowhere close to feeling for her what Mike felt for Rachel. He'd only have that feeling once before.
"Harvey".
"Mike".
"You need to write a speech", Mike instructed. He knew Harvey didn't like being bossed around. He much preferred bossing others around. Both of them new thought that Harvey couldn't just wing it, so Harvey didn't put up a fight at the request.
"Fine", Harvey concluded. "Can we get back to work now? Or do you want to talk about the flowers arrangements"?
"Actually Donna's in charge of the flower arrangement. But if you'd like to know more about them you can talk to her", Mike joked. He knew just the way to get under Harvey's skin. It had been obvious to him and everyone else at the firm that something was going on between Harvey and Donna. Ever since the Malick trial, they'd been avoiding each other like the plague. He'd asked Harvey before what was going on, and Harvey had just shrugged it off as usual. He'd even been so desperate that he asked Donna, and he told him they were fine. In reality, they were anything but fine, and everyone could see that.
"I think I'll pass", he replied. Obviously annoyed by the mention of her name. Nowadays the mention of her made his teeth clench and his fist clench. Ever since the kiss, he was on high alert all the time. He'd see her walking down the halls, and run the other way. That kiss had knocked him off his game, and it was killing him not being able to talk to anyone about it. Usually, Donna would've been the person he'd go to when he was going through any type of "emotional crisis", but that was out of the question. He'd thought about talking to Paula about it, she was, in fact, his former therapist. That, however, was also out of the question for obvious reasons. The only viable candidate was Mike, but he knew if he told him he'd never hear the end of it. Therefore, he decided the best option was to keep it to himself.
"Okay, so what are we going to do about this case"? Mike asked. Regretting bringing Donna up. It always did seems to put him in a sour mood, and Mike had to spend the rest of the day with him. As much as he wanted to get answers about him, and Donna. He could tell Harvey wasn't in a sharing mood, and he'd be wise to shut up, and to just continue working on the case.
•••
"I have to write a toast", he blurted. He was on a date with Paula. They were at some fancy restaurant that he was sure was going to cost him a fortune. Paula was going on about a patient who was erratically terrified of something. He wasn't sure what he'd hadn't been listening. He hadn't been able to concentrate on anything ever since Mike had mentioned that he had to prepare a toast. All he could think about was what he was going to say, and he was coming up short.
"A toast. You have to give a toast. What for"? Paula asked.
"Apparently one of my duties of Best Man is giving a speech", Harvey explained.
"Have you started brainstorming ideas"?
"No. I didn't even know I had to give one until this afternoon".
"Have you never been a best man before? You mentioned your brother was married. What about at his wedding"?
"That was different", he testified.
"Okay, well Harvey you do give speeches for a living", she reasoned. "Writing a toast shouldn't be that hard".
"I have no clue how to start it", he admitted. Taking a sip of his wine. He drank wine now because Paula didn't like the smell of scotch. It was one of the many things he'd given up since they'd started dating. "What do I even write about"?
"Love", she simply said. As if it were the most obvious thing in the world. It's not like the thought hadn't come into Harvey's mind. There was only one problem. He didn't know anything about love. He'd only really been in love once, and we all know how that ended up. Him writing a speech about love. Was like getting Louis to write a speech about dogs. They both wouldn't end well.
•••
Harvey's dinner with Paula dragged on, as they often did. Even after discussing it with her the speech was still all he could think about. Once he got home he immediately changed into his running clothes and went out for a jog. He needed to clear his head, and jogging always did that. On top of that he oftentimes came up with ideas when he jogged, and he was hoping that maybe jogging would help him figure out what to say in his speech.
He was doubtful though. He'd been thinking about his speech all day and had come up short. Sure he knew Mike, Mike was like a brother to him. Rachel, on the other hand, he didn't really know personally, but he knew a lot about her thanks to Donna and Mike. If this were fo work he could've come up with a speech about these two with no problem, but this wasn't for work it wasn't even about work. This speech was about love, and he might have known Mike and Rachel, but he didn't know anything about love. How was he expected to write this speech? Maybe I can just look one up online, he thought to himself. Then he remembered he'd tried to do that before, and it hadn't worked.
[10 years ago, a week before Marcus's wedding]
"What are you so focused on"? Donna asked curiously. Gliding into Harvey's office. She'd been watching him stare at his computer screen for ten minutes. Looking so focused that vein in the middle of his forehead was popping out. She knew for a fact that he'd finished all his work for the day, and it wasn't like him to stay in late, and do nothing.
"Nothing", he lied. He knew it was no use she could read him like a book, but he had to try. He knew if she saw what he was really doing she wouldn't be impressed. He stood his ground for a few seconds, but then she gave him that face. That face he knew all too well. It was her no bullshit face. He decided to let her in on his secret. "I'm looking up best man toasts online".
"For Marcus's wedding"? she asked. She knew that his wedding was less than a week away. She had received her invitation a month ago and blocked it off on her and Harvey's calendar. She already had her dress picked out. This, however, was the first she was hearing about a speech. She knew that Harvey was the best man, but she also thought his brother knew him well enough to not have him give a toast. That just sounded like a disaster waiting to happen to her.
"Yeah", he confirmed.
"Well I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure those are supposed to come from the heart".
"Yeah, go figures".
"What do you have so far"?
"Nothing".
"You have to have something", she pushed.
"Congratulations to my brother Marcus and Katie". He read from his computer. "That's all I have written down and it's been two goddamn hours."
"That's something", she boasted. She felt bad for Harvey. She really did. She knew better than anybody that when it came to love he was hopeless, and now here he was having to write a speech about love. "It's a start".
"Donna I spent two hours on that, and there no way I'm wasting another two hours on this".
"Harvey it's your brother", she paused. "He's getting married, and..."
"He'll understand". He interrupted before she could say anything else.
"What if I help", she suggested. "I am after all awesome at everything"
"Donna", he warned. It has been two years since the "other time", so it was still pretty fresh in their brains. Harvey especially avoiding talking about anything to do with love when Donna was around. He didn't want her to get the wrong message.
"If you don't want my help that fine", she laughed. Amused by his reaction. She could almost see the alms go off in his head. She too was cautious about keeping their relationship completely platonic. He was just more wary of this stuff then she was. To make a point she began to walk out of his office.
"Fine", he conceded. A little annoyed by her mocking him. He was still a little wary that she may get the wrong message, but he was desperate. Also, he was sure that without her he wouldn't be able to complete his speech.
"Okay". She walked back into his office and snatched the pen and paper that were in front of him. Then she went to sit on the couch. Guttering for him to sit on the one across. "Let's get started".
[Present Time]
Halfway through the run, Harvey felt like he had finally got his mind off of the wedding. To his displeasure through. His mind had gone from non-stop thinking about his wedding speech to non-stop thinking about Donna. More specifically the time she'd helped him write his best man toast. It made him realize how much had changed. Back then Donna had cared enough to stay in all night to help him write a toast. Now they barely talked to each other. They barely even acknowledge each other's existence. He missed her more than he cared to admit.
Before he even knew what he was doing his legs changed directions. His mind had not yet caught up with her body, but his body knew exactly where it was going. He came to a halt outside an apartment. An apartment on the opposite side of town from his condo. He'd know this place anywhere. Taking his time he made his way up the stairs. He glided down the hallway cautiously. He knew he wasn't supposed to be there especially not this late at night. When he got to the door he lingered there for a while. Staring at the cream coloured door that always made old memories resurface. Good and bad ones that he'd tried to forget a long time ago. He repeatedly read the room number '206'. Making sure he was at the right door. Even though he knew he was. He could sense her presence. Smell her scent through the crack in the door. He kept repeating that in his head though. Stalling. Till he finally conjured up enough courage to knock.
Knock, Knock, Knock.