Harvey tugged his coat on as he walked. "It's too cold out to be doing this," he said, moaning and groaning. He couldn't believe Donna had dragged him out of the comfort of his living room for this. He shivered a little. "I'd rather be home watching Jeeper's Creepers right now," he told her. She just rolled her eyes and nudged him with her arm. "You can watch scary movies any night, come on. This is fun."
Donna had called him up an hour earlier, asking if he'd wanted to go with her to take her niece around the neighborhood to collect candy. It was Halloween and it was an awfully chilly night. Everything about it was perfect. Harvey had said okay, of course. Though, he hadn't needed much of a fight to begin with. That had surprised Donna a lot but it was cute and he adored her niece, Stephanie. Watching them together always made her heart ache. He would be such a good father… He was absolutely great with kids. It was only a half hour drive to get out the city a little and make his way to Julie's house. Julie Paulsen was Donna's older sister. She had been married, yes. But while her husband, John was overseas he'd been shot. He was one of the many men who never made it home...
Harvey was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a dark colored hoodie. The denim jacket he wore over his hoodie sweatshirt was old from years of wear. It had holes in the elbows of it and it looked weak in the pockets. He looked nothing less than warm and comfortable.
"It's not the same when you watch scary movies the day after Halloween," Harvey said and added a sigh for effect. She nudged him again but he saw the smile. He couldn't not see it. "It's nippy out, huh?" Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. He took the hint and smiled. "Want my coat?" She looked up at him, feigning a gaping expression. "Harvey Specter… You're sounding more and more like a gentleman as time goes on. You best stop before it tarnishes your cold hearted and calm exterior image." He just laughed and slowed down, as his arms reached up to rubs hers. "How's that?" he asked, a little smile tugging at his lips. Ever since the kiss they shared, he'd been acting strangely human with her.
She looked up at him, eyes bright and full of emotion. Her hair was down and she wore a zippered sweatshirt to keep warm. "Thanks," she told him gently, her eyes trailing from his lips to his eyes. His eyes were calm and something passed through them. Whatever it was, it sure looked a lot like love.
Donna's niece went to the next house, a bounce in her little step. She was dressed as a little cowgirl, pink hat and all. Donna smiled and watched her walk up the steps and give a greeting. "Trick or treat," came her little voice and a big toothy smile. The old man at the door smiled back. "A cowgirl, huh? I love it, you look like a real rodeo gal." He gave her some candy and she thanked him, bounced down the steps again and over to Donna and Harvey. "Why aren't you dressed up, Uncle Harvey?" Harvey's cheeks flushed at her choice of words. He'd known Stephanie since she was born and he still couldn't get used to being called that. It was like she thought Donna and he were married. He had to admit, it was pretty adorable. And maybe, just maybe, the image of him being married to Donna wasn't all that bad but lord knows he'd never admit that, least of all to Donna.
He shrugged a shoulder and put an arm around Stephanie as they walked. "I didn't get a chance to buy a costume. I had almost forgotten about Halloween," he said, looking over at Donna. "Auntie Donna's not dressed up either, hunny. She has a really really bad memory." Donna frowned over at him, pocketing her hands. Stephanie looked up at Harvey before saying, "No, she is. She said she was going to go as herself because that's scary enough." Harvey laughed, throwing his head back as he did so. Donna sighed, patting Stephanie's shoulder. "I was only kidding when I said that, darling. Only kidding." Stephanie nodded her head, not really understanding what the joke was about or why Harvey was laughing until he turned blue. It didn't matter to her though, because they were at the next house and she got her see her best friend's mom. She ran up the sidewalk and tromped up the stairs cutely.
"You are pretty scary looking," Harvey whispered to Donna, his eyes teasing. She just groaned in frustration and turned away from him to look up the street. "And you are an infuriating man." He shrugged a shoulder and watched as his breath left his lips. "Tell me something I don't know…" The humor in his voice made her turn around to look at him. His eyes were bright, full of life. The air between them almost sizzled. It was if he was daring her to make a move. "Something you don't know?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow. He suddenly wished he hadn't asked that. "Um," he began. "I was joking. Please, shush." She took a step closer to him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Something you don't know…" she began, speaking as if she was tasting the words. "Well, how's this for starters. Ever since we kissed, I can't stop thinking about it, or you." She hadn't actually meant to say that bit and if it wasn't for her niece, she would have took off like a bat out of hell. Harvey just looked down at her, eyebrows raised. Her breath shot out of her lungs when he took a little step closer.
"That's funny," he said in a gentle voice. His eyes glided across her face. "Because it's all I've been thinking about for the past week…" He leaned down and as he did so, his nose brushed against hers. Just before their lips met a little hand tugged at his shirt sleeve. "Come on, no kissing, guys," Steph said. She pouted and they both laughed. "We, uh, we weren't kissing," Harvey said and cleared his throat. "Don't worry, baby girl." Donna raised her eyebrows at his little pet name for her. Now, that she was never able to get used to. Ever. "Sure looked like it," Steph said, fixing her little hat. The three began walking back to their house. A lot of people were out with their kids but Steph was tired and wanted to get back to watch Hocus Pocus. Harvey and Donna couldn't argue with that, it was getting pretty cold out.
Harvey looked over at Donna. Her eyes were already on him though, so just he raised a brow in her direction. She just laughed a little and took his hand in hers. Steph skipped along the sidewalk as they made their way back to the house. Donna was surprised when she felt him entwine their fingers, his long ones fitting perfectly between hers.
When they got back to the house, everyone was inside. A scary movie was on the telly and pumpkin pie was on the table. "You guys finally did it?" Donna's sister, Julie asked. She looked at both of them, raising her eyebrows. Harvey realized they were still holding hands and he cleared his throat, opening his hand so Donna could take hers back. However, to his surprise, she didn't let go. "Don't think anything of it, Jules," Donna said and lead Harvey into the living room. "He's not the marrying kind." Harvey just laughed and shook his head as he tried to keep up with Donna. "And how do you know that?" he whispered into her ear. His closeness startled her but she tried not to let it show. She shrugged a shoulder and looked back at him. "I don't know. Well, I mean, I know you." For a moment, they just looked at each other.
In the next room over, they could hear Stephanie laughing with her mother. Her husband had been in the military and they were talking about some guy in the service, probably Jerry, who was a good friend of the family.
Things were finally starting to be okay. Three years had passed since John had died and things were finally getting better. Julie could say his name without feeling the tear in her heart or becoming depressed. She wasn't just coping these days, she was moving on. Stephanie didn't really understand but when she was older, she would. Perhaps that's why Harvey liked her so much. She was innocent, knew nothing of the harshness of the world yet. In turn, he had taken her under his wind kind of. She needed a man figure in her life and Donna had decided it would be him. He liked it that way, though. He adored Stephanie and he would have done anything for her.
The man everyone saw, The Closer, was not all that Harvey Specter was. The Tanner case had finally knocked some sense into that thick skull of his. Caring only made you weak when it was with the wrong people. Vulnerability is what makes relationships last, it's what people together. And above all, it cannot be helped. The more you fight it, the more it cuts you up inside. Jessica had been right when she ventured to guess something horrible had happened to him in his life. He could easily name off the people who had turned him into the asshole he'd been.
Donna looked up at Harvey, her blue eyes meeting his dark ones. "What are you thinking about?" she asked, her eyebrows knitting. He just shook his head. "I'm thinking it's hot in here, so let's go out on the porch." She just smiled and together, they walked outside onto her sister's wrap around porch.
He pulled his coat closer to steel away from the crisp night air. His eyes were on the street and on all the children and friends who were out to collect candy and have fun. "You ever go out when you were younger?" Donna asked in wonder. He turned to look at her, his slicked back hair gleaming under the porch light. "I did, yeah. My brother and I used to like going out. I always used to go as the same thing, though." Donna quirked an eyebrow at him as she leaned her back against the porch railing, her arms crossing over her chest. "Oh yeah? And what was it? A little zombie baseball player or a ninja of some sort?"
Harvey laughed a little and rubbed his jaw, almost looking nervous. "Joe Montana." Donna tried her best to keep in a laugh. She decided no comment would be the way to go on that one.
"So, what was Mike doing tonight? I forgot to ask him…" Harvey stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned back against a pillar next to Donna. "I think he mentioned watching movies with Rachel or something…" Donna and he shared a knowing smile but they didn't say anything else about it.
"So," Donna said in her usual amused tone. Harvey looked over at her, his eyes showing he was lost in thought. He shook his head a little as if to shake off his thoughts. "What are you thinking about? Your mind's been all over the place tonight… What's wrong?" She just watched him as he shrugged. "I don't know," he told her. "I'm just tired, I guess. Been a long few days." She nodded, content that his answer was an honest one. "I heard about Louis," Harvey said after a while. "He said he has to take off a few weeks from work. Did you know about his tumor?" Donna nodded her head, feeling a little guilty at having not told him earlier. "He told me about it the day he found out."
He reached out for her, pulling her to him. "Well, nice to know I'm usually out of the loop. Thanks." His tone was teasing and she rolled her eyes. "He's gonna be okay," Donna told him. "He told me it wasn't cancerous or anything like that. Thank God…" Harvey nodded his head a little. When it came down to it, sure Harvey and Louis weren't friends, but they respected each other. One wouldn't want something serious to happen to the other. They didn't like each other. It wasn't that they hated each other. They weren't that cruel…
Donna touched a hand to Harvey's chest, only to find his heart was beating a mile a minute. "Nervous?" she asked, amusement in her blue eyes. She felt him sigh and he rolled his eyes. "No, but I can't help the way my body reacts to you." His voice was deep, the baritone-ness of it causing his chest to rumble beneath her fingers. She took a deep breath, his words echoing around in her mind. "Maybe, it's finally time we talk about this…" She looked up at him, determination in her eyes. "The Tanner case was such a long time ago… When I was on the stand, I said I couldn't say yes or no to complicated question. It was complicated, yes, but the answer was easy." She felt him snake his arms around her waist and his touch was gentle, like the flutter of a feather in the wind. "I know it was," he answered. His eyes held her gaze. Something was different about the way he looked at her and made her heart pick up speed, like a metronome picking up speed at the touch of its dial. "I know you do. You know I love you… I'm sorry I tried to make you think otherwise," she told him, a finality in her words.
There was no surprise on either of their faces. The words had been hanging on the tip of her tongue for years. They both knew it was true, it was just a matter of saying it out loud. Harvey pulled her even closer, his hands on the small of her back. She felt his lips touch hers and every thought that been running through her mind suddenly didn't matter. All that mattered was that Harvey Specter was kissing her, and after she'd told him she loved him, no less.
She let him hold her and she snaked her hands up and around his shoulders and neck, her lips soft and pliant against his. They kissed for what felt like forever, tangled in each other's arms. When things got too steamy, they had to pull away. She could feel Harvey's chest heaving against hers.
"We had, um," Donna began as she tried to catch her breath. "We better go back inside before my sister comes looking for us." Harvey laughed a little and nodded his head. "You're right, good idea."
When they went back inside, Stephanie was going to town on carving a pumpkin. She had already drawn out two eyes, a nose, and a smiley-face mouth. Harvey smiled a little and ruffled her hair. "Good job, Steph," he told her. She laughed as she fixed her hair, her big green eyes looking up at him. "You really think so?" she asked with genuine concern. Her eyebrows drew together as she watched him. He took a seat next to you, looking the pumpkin over. "No, no, look at this. You did the eyes perfect, hunny. It's gonna come out great." She smiled as wide as her little mouth would allow.
Donna just leaned against the counter and watched the two talk. Harvey helped her out by cutting the eyes, nose, and mouth out. He didn't want her to cut herself on anything. "Yeah," Steph began, looking up him. "It looks so good, Uncle Harvey. Thank you!" Julie came over to the table with a candle to put in it and she smiled over at Harvey. "Yes, I agree. Good job, Uncle Harvey." Her voice was teasing and she giggled a little. He just rolled his eyes, a little smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Julie picked up the Jack-O-Lantern and carried it off to the porch, Stephanie following close behind.
"You never cease to amaze me," Donna said, her eyes bright. She gave Harvey one of her best smiles as she walked over to him. He gave her an amused look and then asked, "What did I do?"
She crossed her arms over her chest, her sweatshirt sleeves falling a little. "Nothing, you're just great with Stephanie. I think it's adorable." She closed the distance between. "She loves you, you know. I can tell. She's just another woman you have wrapped around your finger." Harvey let out a little laugh at that and he shook his head. "Oh, I'm sure." Donna nodded her head some and laughed "Totally. I'm never wrong, you know that," she told him, looking up at him. Again, he rolled his eyes. "Not even gonna touch that one!" he exclaimed and reached up to run a hand through his hair, his long fingers raking through the softness of it.
"You'd be a great father," she said, her breathing easy and calm. She shrugged a shoulder and looked away, completely missing the look of surprise on Harvey's face. He just stared at her for a long moment, letting her words sink in. He didn't say anything in reply and she could tell he was lost in thought. The two slipped into a comfortable silence. They could hear Julie and Steph outside, giving candy to kids that came by. Harvey was leaning against the counter and he sighed a little.
"You really think so?" he finally asked, looking down at Donna. The redhead lifted her head, her hair tumbling back and down over her shoulders. Her eyebrows drew together as their gazes met. "Of course I do," she told him. "I wouldn't have said it, if I didn't mean it." She got up from her chair to stand at eye-level with him. He just nodded his head, not saying anything else.
She walked up to him and turned around to snuggle in his arms from behind. Her back touched his chest and he smiled, his arms wrapping around her little waist. They didn't say anything, it wasn't needed. They just enjoyed the closeness, his head on her shoulder, in they nook between her neck and her collarbone.
"Should we tell everyone?" Harvey finally asked. "That we're… A thing, I mean." His words caught her by surprise and her breath caught for a short moment. "Do you want to?" she asked, her hand reaching down so her fingers could entwine with his. "Are we a thing?" she added as an afterthought.
Harvey laid his lips on her throat, just under her jaw. "I certainly hope we are," he mumbled and she could feel a smile tug at his lips. She closed her eyes, biting her lip to keep in a moan. "I don't want to lie to everyone. I'd rather everyone know." Harvey hummed in reply, then nodded his head a little. He released her waist so he could reach into his pocket for something. With a surprised expression, she looked down at him. "What's that?" she asked him, her voice barely above a whisper. He handed her a little jewelry box, his fingers lightly brushing hers as she took it. "Just a little something I saw, reminded me of you."
Her eyebrows knitted with curiosity and surprise. "Wow, that was sweet of you." She took a deep breath and opened the little box. There was a necklace inside, with a little claddagh pendant hanging from it. She smiled a little, her eyes getting watery. "I… I love it, Harvey," she said after a while. He nuzzled her neck and smiled, unable to contain himself. "I'm so glad. I really am." He took the little silver chain from her fingers. "May I?" he asked, his voice soft. She just nodded and he reached up, brushing her hair to the side, before laying the chain down onto her neck and closing the clasp. He let his fingers linger on her skin, his smile still bright. He fixed her hair and leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek from behind. "I love you," he told her.
Donna just smiled, it was all she could do to keep the tears at bay. "I've been waiting forever just for you to say those words…" She turned around in his arms and pressed her lips to his. It was a gentle kiss and she knew then that wasn't anywhere in the world that she'd rather be then here, in her sister's house, in his arms and kissing him. He brushed his hand against her cheek as he kissed her, his lips fluttering against hers almost teasingly. "I love you, too," she said dreamily as she pulled away. He just smiled and watched her for a long moment. "I know you do."
(Author's note: Hope you enjoyed. Thought I did some good fluffiness here. This might seem a little OOC, but that's because it's a sequel to Thou Art A Pretty Lady. So therefor, it's really not. Just don't rag on me! LOL. I love these two, I hope I do them a little justice. Might make a series out of this, I like where this is going. Let me know what you guys think. But please, be nice. I'm really sick of the assholes who are commenting on my stuff just to tell me I suck, that I should just kill myself, and yada yada yada. Really hurts my feelings… What did I ever do to y'all? I'm a nice girl, so chill out and go bother someone else.)