Note: Set in Season 2, after Harvey has been demoted from his office by Daniel Hardman. Mild cursing. I own nothing.
-x-x-x-
"Donna."
His voice is weary. Still commanding, but less so. Less boss-like. The type no one else but me has ever heard or will ever hear. Not Puppy Mike, not Jessica Pearson, and never-in-hell Louis Litt or Daniel Hardman.
I turn in my seat, the swirling chair creaking disruptively. Goddammit! Are there no decent, working chairs or intercom or coffeemaker or printer on this bloody floor?! I'm reminded again, for the 46th time how much I hate this floor.
I stomp into Harvey's "new" office, elegance intact. But I see his face and think better of cursing inanimate objects. From the corner of my eye, I realise that night has fallen a long time ago. No moon tonight, let alone stars. Only solitary office lights dotting the skyline. This is depressing.
"How can I help?" I say, trying to be gentle.
He doesn't look up at me for five seconds. He doesn't say anything for five seconds. My stomach somersaults. I haven't felt this way in a long time. I haven't seen him like this in a long time. He's like a lost child, kicked out onto the streets, starving but too proud to beg for bread.
"Harvey?" I call.
No response.
"Maybe you should head on home. It's late. You have a court case tomorrow." I chide.
"Just.." he starts.
Oh, he speaks. I question him with my gaze, then realise that he's not looking at me. "What?"
"...Stay here with me. Please."
My heart breaks. I nod, whisper "sure", then quickly gather some files I've been working on from my desk and sit myself opposite him.
We work methodically, silently. I steal glances often to make sure he's okay. He doesn't swear, doesn't mutter under his breath, doesn't do all the classic Harvey things he usually does. He just reads and write and reads and writes and occasionally taps his pen on the paper, occasionally nips the pen, occasionally sips on water that has turned cold.
I try to decide if I should make him some hot coffee, but something about the way he asked me to stay stops me. I don't dare. Not because he's my boss, but because I'm afraid he might fall apart if I do. So I stay. And we work together, silently, through the night.
We finish late. Later than usual. 3.15 in the morning. He has a court case at 9. I worry if he'd be able to wake up. He would, I'm sure. But he'd skip the gym. We pack up, turn off the lights, nod courteously to the night guards. He walks me to my car, waits for me to turn on the ignition and lock the doors. Then he turns away.
I wind down the window. "Harvey."
"Yes?"
I have a million things I want to say but I cannot find the words. So I simply utter, "Goodnight."
He smiles faintly. "Goodnight, Donna."
I know that's his way of saying "thank you".
-x-x-x-
End