Note: My first fic ever. Constructive criticism is very much welcomed.

You know I love you, Donna.

She was stunned. There was no other way for her to react to those words. It had been about five minutes since the door closed behind Harvey Specter before Donna was able to shut her mouth and lift her feet off the spot they were planted on.

He loved her? He loved her? What kind of love was her referring to?

Was it the friendly kind that they've never really made a point to hide from each other? She knew that Harvey cared about her the same way that she cared about him. After all the years they spent working side-by-side, memorizing each other's movements, moods and quirks, confiding in each other; how could they not grow to care for one another? It was just the type of thing where Donna knew in the depths of her soul that she would stand by Harvey no matter what.

Or was it that love that they've circled around for more than a decade? The one that seemed to loom over them and hide in the background without ever really making its presence felt? There used to be a time when Donna thought she loved him that way, when she thought she was in love with him. They were both young then, and as bold as ever, living life without a care in the world. There didn't used to be so much baggage then; so many things dependent on the way they lived their lives. In the diner that morning after the other time, he broke her heart.

She found a way to mend it of course, she was Donna after all.

He became a constant in her life, someone she relied on and trusted. But those feelings that she once had never resurfaced.

Now, a little over a decade later, she was content. She was proud of the relationship they've built over the years. They were untouchable, both in the professional world and in their own personal bubble (excluding that one little memo mishap of course.) He was her best friend and he proved that no matter what happened between them, he would always have her back.

She doubted him, but he came through for her anyway.

But now he says he loves her? When was the last time he ever said he loved anybody? Sure, he often showed it in his actions, the man is loyal to a fault. But to actually say the words 'I love you?' That's different for him. That was the most vulnerable she had ever seen him, fully exposed and at her mercy.

Donna was tired and she didn't want to overthink whatever the hell it was that went down in her apartment a couple of minutes earlier. She decided to clean up the dishes, shower and head to bed. Everything else could be dealt with in the morning.

You know I love you, Donna.

The moment he stepped outside of her apartment he knew he had messed up. Big time. How could he just go and say something like that?

Harvey trusted Donna, probably more than her trusted anybody else. She had always been loyal to him which was why he worked extra hard (even for him) to make sure she came safely out of this stupid debacle. This whole situation pushed him into the gray area, a field he didn't like to play in, all so that he could return the favour and prove his loyalty to her. At least that's what he told himself. He needed to protect her. Donna, in prison? She was an amazing, confident and headstrong woman but even Donna would have been out of her depth in prison. She wouldn't have made it out the same.

Did he even mean what he said? At the time he did. Of course he loved her, she was his best friend. But was he in love with her? Everything in him knew that the answer to that question should have been a cold, hard 'no' but for some stupid, unknowable reason, he couldn't bring himself to think it. Shit.

He hadn't thought of Donna in that way in years, not since they had moved to the firm together. The two of them together was something he knew could never happen, what with her 'I don't date people I work with' rule and all. And up until this whole thing the two of them was something he thought he didn't want to happen. They were friends. That's that.

The moment he realised that there was a very real chance that Donna might just be headed to prison, he freaked out. He knew he was being irrational, to Mike, to the DA, and even to Donna; but he didn't know what else to do. He wasn't lying when he said he wanted to drop to his knees at the thought of her going to prison. His chest was heavy, and most of the time he couldn't think about anything but Donna being ripped from him and shoved in prison. And that thought made him want to drop to the ground and curl up in a ball. He was a grown ass man but for the life of him he had no idea what he would do without that pain-in-his-ass redhead.

So he fought tooth and nail to keep her safe, keep her with him. He knew he did wrong by the victims of the crash, but he got to save Donna. There was no guilt, no anger. The only thing he managed to feel was relief.

That night in her apartment was the first time they hung out outside of the office in months. Both of them were still riding on the high of their victory, letting loose, unguarded and free to reminisce. When Donna thanked him for not bringing up the whole situation through the night, his heart dropped. He remember the pure helplessness he felt when he saw tears streaming down her face, and the guilt when he realised that he couldn't make her feel safe. The one person he cared about the most didn't trust him to protect her. She was scared, petrified even; and he hated that she had to feel that. All the heaviness he felt started to weigh down on his heart.

Taking a sip of his wine, he looked into her eyes and was mesmerised. A wave of emotion struck him then and he poured his heart out to her.

"But with you it's different." His voice cracked and he almost shook his head at the vulnerable position he was in. But he couldn't look away from her. She did something to him then, made him honest, and soft. His chest tightened as took in her face, she was glowing. He wanted to touch her, to stroke her cheek or hold her hand. But he knew that he couldn't. That would only complicate things. With the way he felt, he couldn't handle complicated right at this very moment, especially with Donna. Not when they've just gotten their groove back.

"Why?" She said.

He was sure he could detect a hint of a smile in her tone. He was sure she was baiting him. She knew why, she wanted to hear him say it, knowing how difficult things like this were for him. Agonising him was something she just loved to, the damn woman. He wouldn't give into it.

"You know why." He said as he started to put his coat on.

She did know. She knew her cared for her. A lot. Hell, she usually knew everything he was thinking so it shouldn't have been to difficult to know why.

She shared her head though. It was subtle, almost unnoticeable. But to Harvey it meant everything. This wasn't some game she was playing. She wasn't trying to rile him up or make him uncomfortable. She was genuinely asking why. This hurt. She should know how he felt. She's been with him through everything, his good times, his bad times, his shit times. She was always there. She was the only constant in his life, How could she not know?

Then it hit him that of course she wouldn't. He never treated her in such a way that she would. She wouldn't think that she meant more to him than Mike or Jessica did. Definitely more than Scottie. He felt like a dick. The fact that Donna didn't know why he went to such great lengths for her, that she didn't know just how much she meant to him, made him feel like a dick.

"You know I love you, Donna." He never wanted her to doubt that ever again.