Where Am I?
Chapter One
Donna opened her eyes slowly, her head was throbbing and she had difficulty adjusting her eyes to the light. The more she tried to open her eyes and focus, the more the light hurt. She felt disorientated. Had she overslept. She felt strange. Her throat hurt, something felt like it was stuck in her throat, she tried to cough,she then started to gag ...an alarm beeped. She ached everywhere, was she sick?, was this a dream? She felt panicked, she tried to move her hand to her mouth to remove whatever was starting to choke her.
"Donna", "Donna!" a voice rang out close by.
She began to panic even more, what was happening? Harvey, was that Harvey's voice?
"Donna it's OK". "You're going to be OK." I'm going to get help". She heard him roar "Nurse", "Nurse, she's awake!"
Donna thought she heard running, a door opening and then footsteps approaching her. She felt scared, she tried to call out to Harvey but couldn't, what was happening. Then a gentle female voice came beside her," Donna, Donna, I need you to relax" ,"just giving you a little something dear, it will help you relax now."
Donna felt a sharp prod in her right hand and then quickly felt like she was slipping away ... was this it she thought, and then there was darkness ...
...
Donna opened her eyes, slowly again adjusting to the light, thank God she thought, what a nightmare; adjusting her eyes slowly to the light she saw white walls, with her peripheral vision a large window loomed to her left side. The curtains were closed, a large fluorescent light overhead. Her head throbbed, realizing now she was indeed in unfamiliar surroundings, perhaps it wasn't a dream after all...
She focused her eyes slowly and there in the corner of the room, was it? yes, Harvey, he was dressed casually in a navy trousers and top, seated in an armchair with his head in his hands. What was happening Donna thought. What was Harvey doing here. What was so wrong? "Harvey?!" Donna's voice croaked " Harvey,Where...Am...I?"
"Hey..." Harvey jumped up out of the armchair and came to her side immediately "Donna, you're awake ... you ..you had me scared there...".
"Everything..Everything is going be fine, do you hear me ... Donna you are going to be fine, I promise."
"Whaaat happened.. Harvey? Where.. Am.. I?, What are you doing here?" Donna spoke slowly through the pain, her throat ached.
Next thing Donna knew Harvey was beside her,holding her hand. She had never seen him look so disheveled; he looked like he hadn't shaved in days.
"Donna its OK, you are in hospital."
Donna knew something must be really wrong; Harvey and her had barely touched in years ... and now here he was by her bedside not letting go of her hand.
"I don't understand ... "What happened?"
"Donna .. its not important right now. What's important is that you get some rest." Harvey squeezed her hand tightly and smiled weakly.
"Harvey, please... what am I doing here?" she pleaded.
"How long have I been here?"
Harvey tightened his grip on Donna's hand.
"Harvey! tell me!" .. Donna looked at him pleadingly...
"Two weeks ... they had you sedated ... had to... intubate you .. help you breathe ... they were waiting for the swelling to go down".
"Oh!" ... was all that Donna could say, she was almost afraid to ask more, but she needed to know.
"What happened to me?" Instinctively she knew it must have been serious.
Harvey paused, choosing his words carefully "You ... You had an accident." Well technically that was mostly true he thought.
"You fell Donna, you took quite a fall ... had us all very worried there for a while." Harvey's voice shook, he looked like he was going to cry. "But now... now you're back with us."
He sniffled back the tears, but it didn't escape Donna's eagle eyes ... something was different... something felt different between them.
Suddenly Donna felt a press of cold metal where Harvey was holding her hand.
Donna looked to her hand which Harvey was holding, there on Harvey's index finger was ... no .. was it ... it couldn't be, could it?
Donna quipped "Since when did you start wearing jewellery Harvey Specter. So ... whose the lucky lady?" she joked.
Harvey smirked ... then his face slightly dropped, looking somewhat bewildered at her.
With that a nurse entered Donna's hospital room.
"Hi Donna, I'm Jean ... glad to see you are awake ... you had this one here worried to death." "I'm just going to do some checks and give you something to make you feel more comfortable. I'm sure you are still in a lot of discomfort, but that is normal dear, nothing to worry about."
Jean helped Donna to get more comfortable in her hospital bed and gave her a drink and some pain medication to take.
Jean spoke to Donna gently "There now, you'll feel more comfortable after taking those dear."
Donna thought Harvey looked tired, drawn, almost older over night. Wait, had he stopped dying his hair too? she noticed some grey strands.
Suddenly remembering their current work situation Donna asked worriedly "What about Mike?, did we get him out of prison yet?", "How is Rachel?"
Harvey looked surprised "Mike? ...out of where ... Out of Chicago you mean?"
Donna looked at Harvey and shook her head "Chicago?, what are you talking about Harvey? Mike is in Danbury"
Harvey was suddenly alarmed, suddenly realizing Donna wasn't joking.
Suddenly Harvey tapped Jean the nurse on the wrist, "May.. may I speak with you outside, now please!"
Donna looked perplexed at Harvey's sudden look of panic. Had she caused his panic attacks to return she wondered.
Jean responded calmly to Harvey "Sure thing, ... Donna we'll be back with you shortly dear, just some paperwork to sort out."
Harvey was worried about something and Donna knew it. The nurses calm demeanor didn't fool her. Something was wrong!
Harvey and Nurse Jean walked out of the room leaving Donna a little worried, she knew something was bothering Harvey, but what?
Donna heard muffled noises talking outside her room for at least twenty minutes. She could have sworn she heard Rachel and Mike at one point. But Mike was still in prison, wasn't he? What was going on?
The next thing Donna knew her hospital door swung open and a pretty little girl in a pink dress with light brown hair parted into pig tales, hugging a stuffed teddy bear ran in. Smiling she ran straight to Donna's bed.
"Mommy, Mommy, look what Auntie Rachel got me."
Donna gasped perplexed... "hunny, sorry you must have the wrong room"
Before Donna could say anything else a familiar face came flying into the hospital room ... "Rachel!" ...?
"Lily come here ...Mo ... I mean Donna needs to rest" . It was Rachel... wasn't it? ... except her hair was cut shorter into a bob ...since when she thought. She was dressed in a beautiful military style knee length coat. Forever stylish, Donna smiled. It was Rachel alright.
"Rachel!"
What is going on Donna thought ... the joke must be on her.
"Donna!" ... Rachel spoke out of breath.
"Rachel ... what is going on? ..."
Rachel took the little girl into her arms and smiled broadly and somewhat bewildered at Donna.
"So happy you are OK Don" she said as she bent over Donna to kiss her cheek; she had tears in her eyes which Donna felt against her face.
"Just going to get Mike to watch Lily here"
"Just a minute Don, I'll be back" ... Rachel swung around with the little girl in her arms leaving Donna more confused than ever. What was happening? ... was she losing her mind ... maybe she had a brain tumor ... she pinched her arm ... nope, unfortunately she was very much awake, she started to hyperventilate ... why was that little girl calling her Mommy ... what was going on ...?
Suddenly Harvey came into the room looking worried "Donna!" "Are You OK...Listen I am going to explain everything!"
"Harvey what. is. going. on .. if this is some bet? ... some joke with Mike or Louis? ... Donna waved her hands in the air... My God... you win ... you have me suitably fooled. "Why is Rachel sporting a bob haircut all of a sudden and do you have any idea... any idea what so ever why a three or four year old for that matter was calling me Mommy...?"
Harvey looked at Donna and opened his mouth as if he was about to speak but suddenly changed his mind.
"Harvey ... what is going on? ... Please ..."
"I'm just waiting on your Doctor, she would like to be here first and then we'll explain everything."
The next thing Donna knew a doctor was entering the room. A tall slim lady doctor with short red hair, around fifty or so.
"Donna, I'm Dr. Cassidy, welcome back .. you had us very worried there ... I just think we need to have a little chat together."
Donna looked from Harvey to the doctor and back again. What was happening ... she had so many questions ...
Would love to hear your views on the first chapter
What is happening with Donna, any ideas? find out more in the next chapter ...