A Future Threatened - Chapter 1
There is a beautiful mesh of pain, hurt and a mutual suppression of love that ties them together like two roses blossoming on one stem - acting as a seal of fate. Seemingly they are two bodies, but one heart and it's always been just him and her.
They've grown up, him more so than anyone and he's got her to thank for it. It takes him almost losing everything for him to find his way back to her. Doesn't feel the need to wallow in the darkness alone and throw himself head first into the tumbler of scotch that resides in the corner of his office like he's done on so many occasions in the past. Instead he's crawling back up for air and its as if he's acting on autopilot when he finds himself outside her apartment.
She fights of the darkness thats been threatening to consume him when she swings the door open and presents him with a future brighter than he's ever known. His lips fuse to hers in a silent acceptance of the forever she promises him and he's slamming the door shut, effectively closing out the darkness. Her eyes are welling up with regret and guilt and he realises she's oblivious but he promises her his own forever of making sure she knows exactly what she means to him. She's his light in the dark.
They get married that same year and whilst some people would call it soon, they are thirteen years in the making. The ceremony bleeds elegance and its Donna so he expects nothing less. He's waiting at the alter gazing at the Church which is adorned with a perfect mix of roses and lilies and it looks like nothing short of something out of a dream. But she's walking down the aisle and all he sees is her.
— FEW MONTHS LATER —
He's buried head down in a shitload of paperwork and containers of Thai takeout that he swears tastes shittier without her here to share it with him. She had planned an overdue night out with Rachel. Mike had unexpectedly cancelled at the last minute and so Harvey had decided upon having a late night at the office whilst Donna was out. So when he hears the distinct sound of her heels tapping against the cold hardwood floor of the firm, he's pleasantly surprised and his mouths morphs, out of its own accord, into a Cheshire cat grin thats so uniquely him. She greets him with a gentle, chaste kiss and whispers a silent 'hey" against the welcoming warmth of his lips as she discards her heels.
"What happened to your girls night out with Michelle Ross?" He smirks looking up at her from his paperwork and watches with amusement as her face fall with a sheer look of disbelief.
"You knew about that?" Donna all but gasps out.
His grin increases threefold and he responds by wrapping his hands around the small of her waist. Donna traces her fingers through the soft hairs at the back of his neck as she settles within the comfort of his arms. There's a pleasant shiver coursing through her that makes the hairs on her arms stand as he leans forward and whispers teasingly, in the low voice that he reserves just for her, 'you're Donna, I thought you were meant to know everything?"
"You're incorrigible" Donna states and lets out a chuckle. She leans into him, resting her head in the crook of his neck as she closes her eyes. Harvey follows suit, breathing out in peaceful content as he gently sways her against the undisturbed silence of the night.
She has this somewhat magical ability to shut everything out, shelter him from whatever dangers lurk outside, and he feels safe here where it's just him and her. It's them against the rest of the world. He finds that nothing exists - nothing beyond him and her - and time seems to stand still when she's beside him. So when trouble does come, he doesn't see it until it's too late.
He hears it before he sees it. The harsh click of the gun forces his eyes open and his body turns cold. He tenses and his arms tighten around her small frame as he spins them around so she's safe behind him. His first instinct has always been to protect Donna. It's been thirteen years of a subconscious need to protect her. But now he's publicly vowed to keep her safe - spoken it into existence - he'd be damned if he ever let anything happen to her.
She's unnerved by his strong grip and she doesn't need to open her eyes to know something isn't right. Her hand grips the tight-fitting shirt against his back as she acknowledges his overprotective nature. She'd find it endearing and she'd tease him relentlessly for caring too much if he wasn't putting himself in danger too. Its like she told Scottie she's always been protecting him too and she'd be damned if she let anything happen to him either. She's scared too but she lets her fingers run small circles against his tensed back in an attempt to calm him down as she finds herself stepping forward and aligning herself next to Harvey, albeit never letting go of her hold on him.
They'd find out soon enough that trying to protect someone whose trying just as hard to protect you can be futile.
TBC & reviews are greatly appreciated!