Author's Note - this little fic has been marinating in the back of my brain since last August, and is inspired in part by Sarah's trip to Ireland with her family. I've held off on writing this though, because for some reason, I didn't want to write or share this one until Darvey became canon. So now that that's happened, please enjoy Part 1 of this little fic that is equal parts love letter to my favorite city in the world, and pure, fluffy domestic Darvey.
"What do you think the weather will be like?" Donna asked Rachel, who was on FaceTime, the phone currently propped up on Donna's dresser while she stood in her closet, a near empty suitcase open on the floor. "How many raincoats do you think I should bring? Two?"
"No Donna," Rachel laughed, the tone of her voice slightly sarcastic, "I don't know what the weather will be like in Ireland, but I could Google that for you," she joked.
Donna laughed in response, and then let out a frustrated sigh. "Rach, why is this so hard?" she asked, grabbing her phone and slumping down on the floor of the closet, her back resting against the dresser.
"Okay," Rachel rationalized, attempting to help her friend, "what do you have packed so far?" she asked.
Donna glanced over the top of the phone and into the suitcase in front of her, sighing again before answering Rachel's question. "My toiletries and makeup bag, charging cables, and like seven sets of lingerie," she said, laughing as she finished her sentence.
"Alright, so we've got the essentials covered," Rachel joked, "now you just need everything else."
Donna didn't respond, but gave her friend a half hearted smile. Despite the physical distance between them and the digital connection, Rachel could tell she had something on her mind. "Donna, what's up?," she pried carefully.
"It's so stupid," she started, shifting her gaze away from her phone and running a hand over the top of her head and down her ponytail, "but I'm kind of nervous for this," she explained.
"Donna," Rachel breathed, "this is Harvey we're talking about," she reasoned.
"I know, I know, which is why I feel so stupid about this," said with sigh, "but it's just -," she paused, glancing back at Rachel before continuing, "I've never gone away for this long with anyone," she admitted.
"You've been together nearly two years, you live together, you've taken about a million weekend trips," Rachel listed as she sought to make her friend understand how trivial her concerns were, "you have nothing to be nervous about. Just focus on having a fun trip with your hot boyfriend," she finished with a laugh, which made Donna crack a smile.
"You're right, you're right," Donna conceded with deep breath, standing up ready to tackle packing with a renewed sense of conviction. Just as she was about to set Rachel back on her perch on the dresser, she spoke again.
"Wait," she said as a wide smile spread across her face, "you don't think -," she paused, hoping Donna would catch her drift.
"Rachel, No!" she insisted, her eyes wide, "we've barely talked about that," she explained.
"I'm just saying," Rachel continued, " that he surprised you with this trip, I wouldn't put it past him to surprise you with a ring," she teased.
"Rachel," Donna began, "I know Harvey, and I know that he has absolutely no clue when it comes to jewelry, so I know he would call you for help. And, if that were the case, you wouldn't be bringing this up right now because you'd be scared of spoiling the surprise with all your excitement," she finished with a smirk and a tilt of her head.
"You know, sometimes this Donna shit is really annoying," Rachel pouted, which made Donna laugh out loud.
Rachel stayed on FaceTime as Donna finished packing, the pair laughing and catching up on the mundane details in one another's lives. An hour and a half and two overstuffed suitcases later, they finally said goodbye with the promise of another call as soon as Donna got back from her trip.
When Harvey got home later that night, the first thing he pointed out was that her suitcases would surely exceed the weight requirement, which triggered a lengthy negotiation about which items she could pack in his suitcase and which she'd be leaving behind. When he seemed unwilling to move on a small stack of sweaters, she reached into the bottom of her suitcase for the collection of lingerie she'd purchased specifically for the trip, suggesting she leave those behind to make room for the sweaters. Unsurprisingly, he relented and all of her extra items were spread between his suitcase and carry on.
As Donna drifted to sleep, she thought about what Rachel had said earlier, about the possibility of Harvey planning another surprise on the trip. If she was honest, the thought of it excited her, but she pushed it to the back of her mind, because she didn't want to be disappointed if it didn't happen. Instead, she focused on how excited she was for the trip, smiling at the memory of the day he'd surprised her. She'd turned 40 that April and she'd been absolutely adamant about not wanting a big party to mark the occasion - especially since Rachel had been days away from her due date and wouldn't have been able to make the trip. Harvey had surprised her with the tickets after dinner at one of their new favorite restaurants in the city. And she really was surprised, which she knew made the occasion all the more special for him - he prided himself on the moments, few that they were, where he was genuinely able to catch her off guard. He told her he knew how much her Irish heritage had meant to her growing up, and he knew she'd never been but had always wanted to go. He told her it would mean the world to him if she'd let him be the one to take her.
One seven hour flight later, the pair landed in Shannon and stumbled off the plane in dire need of caffeine. After breakfast at the airport and three cups of coffee, four for Donna, Harvey checked out the rental car and they set off on the hour drive to Galway City, where they'd be staying for the week.
They arrived in Galway around noon and grabbed a quick lunch before checking into the house they'd rented. When they were planning the trip, Harvey had offered one of the city's historic, luxury hotels, but Donna preferred renting a house - saying she wanted them to have privacy, and the chance to enjoy doing things like cooking dinner and breakfasts together, which they rarely got to do at home with their busy schedules. The house she'd chosen was a quaint one bedroom across from the Claddagh, the big windows providing sunlight and views of Galway Bay, which began just on the other side of the road.
After quick showers to freshen up from the flight, Donna dragged him out of the house just as he was settling onto the couch, saying they needed to keep moving to fight off the jet lag. They wandered toward the center of town in search of a grocery store to stock up on some essentials. As they entered the store, Donna quickly pointed out all of the customers who, like her, had also brought their own reusable bags, something that Harvey insisted she'd be fine without. He rolled his eyes, but smiled at her - long ago resigned to the fact that, regardless how trivial the situation, she was usually right.
They grabbed coffee grounds to go with the vanilla Donna had also insisted on bringing with her. She grabbed some pancake mix, butter, and jam for breakfast the next morning. Harvey came back with bacon and a carton of eggs, slightly freaked out by the fact that they weren't kept in a cooler. He picked up a couple bottles of wine while she found fruit, adding apples, bananas, and strawberries to the cart. Upon seeing the strawberries, Harvey searched the length of the store for a can of whipped cream but came up empty, whispering to her that they'd just have to get creative in its absence.
The long day's travel finally catching up with them, they flopped done on the couch for a nap after unloading the groceries. Donna set an alarm on her phone to ensure they wouldn't sleep straight through the night. On their walk back from the store, they'd passed a pub advertising live music that night that they wanted to stop in for.
Several hours later, Donna woke to bright light streaming into the living room. Harvey was still asleep beside her and his arm was draped over her stomach, she moved it carefully so not to wake him and rolled off the couch and walked to the window. The sight that met her was probably the most gorgeous sunset she'd ever seen. Brilliant hues of red, orange, and pink filled the sky and were reflected in the waters below, casting a romantic glow over the whole city. She was so enthralled by the view she hadn't realized Harvey had woken until she felt him behind her, his hands wrapping loosely around her waist.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked, bringing her hands to rest on top of his.
"Stunning," he breathed, moving his lips to press a soft kiss to the pulse point on her neck.
"I meant the sunset," she said with a laugh, turning in his arms to face him, moving her hands to wrap loosely around his neck.
"Yeah, that's nice too," he said, moving in to kiss her before she even had a chance to form a sarcastic response.
They found their way back to the pub they'd discovered earlier in the day and it was a charming, hole in the wall place. It was already getting crowded and the band was warming up, but they managed to find two seats at the end of the bar. The bartender came over to take their orders as Harvey scanned the whiskey selection on the top shelf, but before her could make a choice, Donna spoke.
"Two pints of Galway Hooker, please," she said with a smile as the bartender began pouring their drinks from the taps beside them.
As the bartender placed the drinks in front of them and left to start their tab, Harvey turned to her, astonished by her choice. He'd known the woman for fifteen years and couldn't recall a single time he'd seen her order a beer.
"What is this, Donna?" he said jokingly, gesturing to the drinks.
"When in Rome, Harvey," she said with a smirk, winking at him over the the top of the glass that was raised to her lips.
Several rounds of drinks later and the band was in full swing . As she finished the last few sips of her drink, he grabbed her hand and led her into the crowd that had begun to form in front of the musicians. Some people had started to dance, while some were standing around, simply tapping their feet or clapping their hands in time with the music. He pulled her closer to him, and then spun her around, which caught her by surprise and made her laugh out loud. She wrapped both of her hands loosely around his neck as his found her waist and the pair swayed to the tune of the upbeat violin music filling the pub.
"So, Ms. Paulsen," he said, after a few minutes, "is Ireland living up to your expectations so far?" he asked.
"And more," she answered, a genuine smile spreading across her face, "thank you," she finished before giving him a quick kiss.
"Well, I figured it was now or never," he explained, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "you know, since you're old now who know how much time you have left," he finished with a wink.
"Harvey!," she laughed, her voice feigning anger as she moved her hand to playfully swat his chest. "If I'm old, then you've got one foot in the grave," she retorted. He didn't respond, just flashed her that smile he knew she couldn't resist. "You're an idiot," she said with a smile of her own and a shake of her head, moving her arms back to his neck, pulling him closer to her.
After a late morning made even later by his creative usage of strawberries in the bedroom, they set off to visit the Cliffs of Moher. Donna found it hilarious that Harvey, a member of one of New York's most elite car clubs, was not only apprehensive about driving on the other side of the road, but tensed up every time they went around a narrow turn or a car came the other direction.
"One word about this to Ray," he threatened, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye, "and you're walking to work for the rest of your life."
"Yeah, that's an empty threat," she laughed. And before he could ask her how she knew that, she continued, "just think of how quickly I'd go through shoes walking all of those city blocks," she explained, smirking at him. He shook his head and laughed as she reached her hand over, giving his thigh an affectionate and reassuring squeeze.
Donna had always heard that early September weather in Ireland was gorgeous, and that day was proving no exception. As they arrived at the Cliffs, the sun was shining brightly overhead and there was barely a cloud in the sky. They set off hand in hand, walking slowly and taking in the magnitude of the cliffs. They followed the lead of those in front of them, stepping over the small, haphazard stone barrier to walk along the dirt path just on the edge of the cliffs. As they walked, they stopped periodically to take pictures, both of the views and of each other, Harvey even indulging Donna in a couple selfies. He complained whenever she insisted on them, but she knew he actually enjoyed them - one of their funnier ones from a previous weekend trip being her contact photo in his phone.
Continuing on, Donna suggested they play one of their favorite games for when they were surrounded by people. One of them would identify a group of people or an individual in the crowd and the other would narrate what had brought them to that particular place, as assumed by their appearance or demeanor. Harvey pointed out a pair of girls, likely in their early twenties, and Donna explained that they were best friends who had just graduated from college, and they were taking a trip across Europe together before they moved to different cities to start their first jobs. Donna identified an older couple sitting hand in and looking out over the cliffs. Harvey told her that they'd been married a long time and had either gotten engaged at the cliffs, or visited them while on their honeymoon. They came back as often as they could because they loved the view almost as much as they loved each other.
They were nearing the end of the path when out of nowhere, the sky grew darker and rain began to pour down. Almost immediately, Harvey lifted her up and tossed her on his back in a piggy-back and set off at a run for a couple hundred yards.
"Harvey!," she shrieked, in between bursts of laughter, "put me down before we both tumble to our deaths!"
After a few more steps he came to a stop and set her down. Still giggling, she turned to face him, bringing her hands up to his shoulders, running them down his arms so they came to rest on his biceps, just above his elbows.
"You're just full of surprises aren't you, mister," she said, a wide smile spreading across her face.
"I could say the same about you, miss 'I'll just down five pints of beer in one night, thanks,'" he joked, his hands taking residence on her hips.
They stood in that loose embrace as the rain continued to fall around them. Eventually, he pulled her closer to him. Without her heels, she was the perfect height to rest her head against the center of his chest, which she did while he pressed a kiss to her hair.
The rain stopped as quickly as it started and they made their way back down the path. They stopped a couple more times to take pictures of the views before deciding to take a rest. The grass now wet from the rain, Harvey took off his jacket and covered the ground before they sat. Her head dropped to his shoulder as his arm moved around her back, his hand coming to rest on the ground behind her. The rain had caused the crowds to clear a bit and they sat in relative calm, staring out across the cliffs, listening to the waves crashing against the rocks below.
They were so enthralled by the view before them and the comfort of one another's presence that they hadn't even noticed the older man approach them. He cleared his throat gently, which got both of their attention, and they looked up at him.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," he started, smiling warmly at the couple, "but I wanted to show you some pictures I took of you," he explained, crouching down so he was level with them and turning on the display screen of his digital camera.
"I'm a landscape photographer," he continued as he flipped quickly through his camera roll until he found the photos he was looking for, "and I come here a lot, and every so often I see something that distracts me from the views," he paused, finding the pictures of the two of them and slowly flicking through them so they could look.
As she saw the photos, Donna couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. The man was an exquisite photographer and he'd managed to capture nearly every second of her on Harvey's back and the embrace that followed. Her hair was blowing every direction as he ran with her and her open mouthed smile was so wide it stretched to the corners. He had a smile to match, that Cheshire cat grin that only appeared when he was with her as she clung to him for dear life.
Looking up at the man, Donna spoke, "Sir, these are stunning," she said, her voice full of gratitude.
"I see a lot of people here," he said, '"but it's not often I see a couple as clearly in love as the two of you are," he smiled, gesturing between the two of them, which made Donna's smile grow wider.
The man took Harvey's email address and after another round of thank yous and a promise to send them the photos, he turned to go. "I'm glad I caught you," he said, "last week I saw a couple get engaged, but they disappeared before I could show them the photos I'd taken," he explained.
Harvey and Donna watched him walk away, wide smiles still plastered on both of their faces. "What do you think his story is?," he asked, turning to face her and sparking another round of their game. After a moment's contemplation, she answered his question. "I think he likes being a landscape photographer well enough," she explained, "but he'd much rather take pictures of people enjoying one another's company in beautiful places," she finished, gesturing to the man, who now seemed to be taking photos of a pair of young children splashing excitedly through puddles.
As they began their trip back to Galway, Donna insisted they stop at a small coffee shop near the Cliffs she'd discovered in her meticulous research for the trip. It boasted Ireland's best cup of coffee and she argued it'd be disrespectful to both the country of Ireland and caffeine itself if they didn't stop in.
They decided they were too tired from the day's adventure to go out that night, instead opting for a quiet night in. As Harvey prepared the pasta they'd picked up at the store the day before, Donna poured them each a glass of wine. They ate at the kitchen table, which was in front of a large window overlooking the bay. When they finished eating, Donna found a couple board games at the top of the hall closet. Topping off their wine glasses, they started a game of Scrabble as a light rain began to fall outside just as the sun disappeared beneath the horizon.
Late the next morning, they set off for Kylemore Abbey, which was an hour or so north from Galway and situated in the heart of the Connemara Valley. Everyone she'd crowdsourced for recommendations while planning the trip told Donna that it was a must see.
As Harvey and Donna wandered the grounds of the gardens and large estate, every view was more breathtaking than the last. The Abbey itself sat on the banks of a lake, which was completely surrounded by lush green mountains. The small chapel next to the house was exquisite in its details and the nature that surrounded it was serene.
During the tour of the house, they'd learned that the original owner of the estate built the house and the accompanying chapel as an elaborate declaration of love for his wife, wanting to give her an idyllic place to raise their family. Taking in the beauty of the house and the gardens, Harvey couldn't help but think that, despite the grandness of their surroundings, such a gesture seemed pithy in comparison to all he felt for the woman beside him.
They arrived back in Galway in the early evening and decided to explore the city a bit before their dinner reservation. Since Galway was on the coast, it was known for its seafood, particularly oysters, and Donna had found an upscale restaurant on the water they were both excited to try. As they killed time, they wandered in and out of the shops that filled the pedestrian area of the city. In a used book store, Harvey found sheet music of traditional Irish songs, which he purchased for his brother. They spent time exploring the Aran Sweater Market, which boasted fine wool products handmade on the islands just off the coast. After much deliberation, they decided on an adorable baby pink sweater and matching hat for Mike and Rachel's daughter. Donna took the items up to the register to purchase and as she did, Harvey saw her also grab a pair of booties and another hat. Harvey didn't know much about children's clothing, but he was sure the set Donna picked up would be too small for a six-month-old, and the thought that she might be planning for their future made him smile.
Late the next afternoon, they sat on the beach at Salthill eating fish and chips they'd picked up from a vendor on the boardwalk. Earlier that day they'd visited the Galway Cathedral, the National University of Ireland Galway, and a couple of small art galleries that peppered the city. As they sat, they watched kids and young families playing in the sand and waves, enjoying the final days of summer before the school year began again. Harvey's eyes were drawn to two kids, probably eight and ten, playing fetch with a very excited golden retriever.
"We should get a dog," he suggested, gesturing to the kids.
Caught off guard, the randomness of his suggestion made her laugh out loud, "Harvey," she joked, "laying down, that dog is the size of our front lawn," she said, thinking of the tiny patch of grass in front of the steps of their townhouse.
"I'm not saying right now," he elaborated, "but in the future?"
Their eyes met as she laughed and shook her head. Before she could respond though, the ball the kids had been playing with rolled towards them and came to rest by his feet. Instead of simply passing it back to them, he picked it up and stood to join them in their game.
Donna sat back on her elbows, a wide smile spread across her face while she watched Harvey play with the kids. Such a site wasn't unfamiliar to her, as Harvey was always first to join his niece and nephew in their games when they visited Boston. As she continued to watch though, she couldn't help but picture a similar scene in the future; Harvey running barefoot across the grass in a yard larger than they had now, but ideally accompanied by a smaller dog, small strawberry blonde humans at his heels.
On their last night, they picked up takeout burger and a couple bottles of cheap wine for a picnic in the park overlooking the bay. It was a gorgeous, early fall night with clear skies and a warm breeze coming in off the water. They sat shoulder to shoulder sipping wine straight out of the bottle as they watched the sky turn various shades of red as the sun began to set.
"When I was little," Donna said, breaking a couple minutes of comfortable silence, "and I spent the night at my grandma's house she would sing to me as I fell asleep. My favorite song was the one called Galway Bay and it was about sitting here and watching this sunset," she paused, gesturing to the sky. "And when I got a little older, she told me the song was her favorite too, because it reminded her that even when bad things were happening around us, there were still beautiful sunsets to watch, and that made the world a little bit better," she explained, a smile spreading across her face at the memory.
"Every time I heard the song," she continued, "I conjured up images of the most gorgeous sunsets my little mind could imagine, and made plans to sing the song to my kids, and maybe even bring them here to see the sunsets for themselves," she finished with a content sigh, turning to face him as a wide grin spread across his face.
"What's got you so smiley?," she joked.
"I've just never heard you talk about your kids, that's all," he said simply. She smiled back at him and met his gaze, those seconds of eye contact saying more in that moment than words ever could.
Her head dropped to his shoulder as they sat in comfortable silence for a couple more minutes, watching the sunset spread across the sky. After awhile, Harvey repositioned them and moved to sit behind her, pulling her between his outstretched legs so that her back could rest against his chest.
"Harvey?," she asked, turning her head slightly so she could look up at him.
"Mmhmm?"
"Thank you," she said tilted his head down to plant a kiss to her hair, "this week was more than I could have ever asked for. Being here, with you was -," she paused, searching for the right words to convey all that she was feeling, "- so perfect," she concluded.
"I'm glad," he said simply, "because it was perfect for me too, Donna."
"Promise me something?," she asked.
"Anything."
"That we'll do this again," she said, "maybe once a year? Just you and me, and somewhere as beautiful as this," she breathed.
The sincerity of her statement overwhelmed him because there was nothing more in the world that he wanted than to spend time with her, just the way they were now, just the two of them, completely relaxed and removed from the stress and pressure of their everyday lives. He ran a hand down her arm and rested his chin on the top of her head so she could feel him nodding in agreement.
"But who will watch the kids?" he joked.
"Oh, Mike and Rachel would love that," she decided, without missing a beat, "especially now that they've had one of their own to practice on."
"Then you've got yourself a deal," he agreed.
"Good," she replied, turning her head fully to face him, reaching up slightly to plant a soft kiss to his lips.
Breaking the kiss, they sank back into each other with content smiles across their faces. As they sat, they were both thinking the same thing. They'd skirted around the idea of starting a family every once and awhile, but never had it been so out in the open - discussing potential babysitting arrangements, imagining children running
through yards, and babies dressed in delicate knitwear. The thought of a future filled with all that and more overwhelmed both of them in the best way imaginable.
As they met Ray's waiting car at JFK the next day, they were both feeling a bit melancholy, not wanting to leave the bubble of intimacy and togetherness that had surrounded them the entire trip. Harvey sat in the back of the car with his hand resting on her knee as she drifted to sleep with her head on his shoulder, his mind began to formulate a plan to bring that future they'd imagined together the night before one step closer. The grin on his face growing wider as he thought of what, or more accurately who, was waiting for them back at their townhouse - completely unbeknownst to Donna.
A/N - as always, thanks for reading! Part 2 to come soon, but in the meantime leave a review and let me know your thoughts! :)