Cadalways, Flightt94, Donnaspecter, Chrissi, Acuriousbeastie, Meeshmo & all the guests. .THANK YOU for the reviews and thanks for those that followed/fav'd.. Really made my day! And Shannon this chapter is for you, Happy Birthday! Hope you have an awesome day :)

Here's the second chapter of this fic, hope you all like it and as always I'd love to read your thoughts. x

A NIGHT OF MISCHIEF

Chapter 2 – Breakfast & Ball gowns

"That is, if you'd want to of course," he quickly adds, swallowing as his hand falls on the handle of his door. Already pushing it open in anticipating of her comeback. "Harvey," she whispers then and he turns around again. His eyes meeting hers again as she speaks. "I'd love to."

He smiles then, nodding at her before he turns back around to enter his office. She lets herself fall down in her desk chair. Both of them letting out a breath they didn't know they were holding. Because even though they went to numerous firm related events together over the past decade, this time it feels different.

xxx

Whirling the glass tumbler with two fingers of auburn liquid inside in his hand, he moves through his living room. His lips curling up when his father's saxophone solo, that's on the record that's playing in the background, begins. He makes his way over to the window. Staring outside into nowhere, his eyes closing for a second as he smiles.

Thoughts running through his mind a million miles an hour, but she's a constant in most of them. Taking a sip from his glass then, his right hand slips into the pocket of his pants. Falling around his phone. He sighs once, staring into the distance as he can't help but think about the little smile she had plastered on her face that very morning.

He pulls out his phone then, the touch ID already unlocking the device. Her name the first thing on the list of last called numbers. He hesitates for a second then, but eventually scrolls through the list until he reaches the letter S.

Specter, Marcus

"What's up, dickhead?" Harvey laughs, shaking his head at his brother's first words. "What's up, loser?" he counters, it always the same with them. He takes one last look at the Manhattan skyline then, downing his glass of scotch as he turns around on the spot. "Hey, Harvey," Marcus starts then again as his brother remains silent for longer than he probably intended. "What's going on? Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Harvey mumbles nodding as she sits himself down on his couch. "Everything's great. I was just thinking about you. We haven't talked in a while and I just wanted to see how you were doing," he speaks then, letting his feet rest on the coffee table.

"I'm great. Emily's good. Katie and Matt are probably having the time of their life on their mother and son vacation. Everything's good," Marcus explains. "Great," Harvey smiles as he thinks of his brother's family and how much he's missed them. "Hey," Marcus starts again then, "Are you in town this weekend?"

"When am I not?" the lawyer counters and he hears his brother laugh aloud. "I promised Ems we'd go to the zoo Thursday and I was thinking, maybe we could stay in the city for the weekend. Get a chance to hang out with my big brother, if he has the time?"

"Great," Harvey answers, his mind drifting off to the redhead yet again. "I think I'll be able to clear up an afternoon for you," he adds teasingly as he hears the younger man laugh once more. "That's so generous, Harvey," Marcus counters and Harvey rolls his eyes. "That sounds like me, yes," he fires back instantly, before he smiles himself, "see you two this weekend."

"Sounds like a plan."

xxx

She turns over another page. Letting out a sigh as she reads the first line, but can't remember the previous yet again. Turning back, she searches for the start of the paragraph she must have read three times already. The words just not sticking, she can't focus. Dropping the book on her legs then, her head falling back against the headboard of her bed, she lets out another sigh.

Not knowing it was possible one man could occupy her mind even more, but this time it's not just work. It are random thoughts, visions. His face, his smile and all of them mixed with feelings that make her feel warm and giddy. She lets herself slide down her bed then, pulling the sheets over her head as she groans once more.

Telling herself for the umpteenth time that week to get a grip, to keep it together. That thought alone sounding more like a mission impossible with every day that strikes by and she's still unsure on where this all is going. The prospect of the ball making it even harder, but it feels good and that's making her even more hopeful.

[October 26th 2016]

Wrapping the cashmere scarf around her neck, she pulls her coat around her body when she steps outside. The chilly autumn air meeting her legs making her shiver, but she will never wear tights. Not even in the middle of the winter. Her gaze slowly lifting she comes to a halt on the bottom step in front of her apartment building.

Seeing him standing there, slightly leaning against the familiar black Lexus. His hands buried in the pocket of his coat and a small smile growing on his face when hers eyes lock with his. "Harvey," she greets him, her bag swinging in her hand as she steps closer. "You know you don't have to do this, right?"

"Do what, Donna?" he counters, bringing himself back on his feet. His hands now in the air as he questions her way of greeting him. "This," she signals the car and him as she steps closer, but he frowns. "Last time you did this, I'd just broken up with Stephen, but I ended things with Mitchell over a month ago," she explains briefly raising her shoulders, but if she has to be honest things with her and Mitchell were long over before she officially ended them.

He swallows. "Well you only told me two days ago," he counters, mimicking her gesture with her shoulders as he takes a step forward. "I didn't know I was supposed to tell you," she fires back, her head held high as she looks at him and he swallows once more. Looking down he breaks her gaze, trying to formulate an answer. "No… Of course not," he mumbles looking back up at her. "I… I just thought you knew you could always tell me everything."

It's her time to swallow now, her eyes closing at the meaning of his words. She nods then, lifting her shoulders a little because she can't undo not telling him sooner. It's not that she didn't want to tell him, it's that there were more pressing matters at hand. Trying to get Mike out of prison, rebuilding the firm and Jessica's departure.

A verbal explanation on the tip of her tongue, he already notices the look in her eyes. "But that's not why I'm here," he offers then with a smile. She frowns then, her head crooked asking for an explanation. "Well not only," he answers biting his tongue to stop himself from smiling. Stepping aside as he opens the door for her.

She chuckles, closing her eyes for a second as she steps closer. "You also don't have to buy me a handbag, Harvey," she whispers as she holds onto the door on the other side. He laughs now, shaking his head. "I was thinking something more along the lines of a dress for the masquerade ball," he mumbles back as he nods his head in the direction of the car.

xxx

Pulling the curtain of the fitting room shut behind her, she laughs at his comment about the waiter from the diner earlier that morning. Not just any diner, but their diner. "I can't believe he actually said that," he counters pacing through the room and she laughs again as she pulls the zipper of her dress down. "Well, disappearing cutlery can't become a habit for them."

He laughs aloud now. "They can't possibly know that was me," he fires back, his foot kicking some invisible ball as he stares at his feet. "I just asked if I could borrow a can-opener," he adds in his own defence, burying his hands in the pocket of his pants as he paces down the waiting area in front of the fitting room.

"What were you even planning on doing with that thing?" she asks then, pulling the curtain open again, his head automatically turning in her direction. He swallows for a second as he takes her in. "I don't know," he admits. "I was thinking about the ritual," he adds, now crooking his head as she turns around in front of him. "I'm not sure I like it," she mumbles pulling on her skirt as she looks down, he just frowns wondering what can possibly be wrong with her dress, as she looks great in it, but he also knows she would look great in a trash bag. Or with nothing on at all.

"What about the ritual?" she mumbles then, as she signals she's going back to try on another dress. "It's not like you have any thumbtacks on you," she counters looking at him. "I…" he opens his mouth to object to her statement, "I don't. No, but…" he mumbles raising his shoulders as she shakes her head at him. Pulling the curtain shut behind her again.

"Do you ever wonder if … if we should have done the ritual with Mike's case," he mumbles then and his tone makes her freeze on the spot. She's thought about it a lot herself, but it just wasn't them anymore. Or not yet, they weren't in the right place to do so. "Harvey," she whispers turning around, but the curtain still separates them.

"I don't think it would have made a difference, it's just … " she pauses swallowing in her words, because it wasn't bullshit for them, it was tradition. Superstitious believe to the point that she once had to call the court and pretend he was sick, because they couldn't find the damn object. It was the very thing he brought with them, she took home after the memo debacle and the tiny olive branch he handed her when she moved to Louis' desk.

"You let Mike defend himself. He did his closing statement," she adds then. "And it's not like I'm going to do the ritual with Mike," she scoffs then. "Mike knows," he confesses then, pacing around again. "He what?" she fires back, poking her head out of the curtain she stares at him with the same confusion on her face as is visible on his. "Yeah, I'd pick this outfit," he smirks then nodding his head in her direction as she pulls her head back.

"I'm not even wearing anything." Her own eyes widening she covers her mouth with her hand as she realizes that she just said that out loud. "Even better," the words slipping off his tongue before his brain could register them. Cursing his big mouth, he could hit himself in the head, but right now, he's just glad she wasn't exactly looking at him as he starts pacing further through the room again. "Shut up," she mumbles out loud a few seconds later, in the same tone she's used a hundred times before when she made fun of him and his lips curl up just a little again.

"When did you tell him?" she asks then, removing the next dress from its hanger. "The night Mike and I were high and figured out Hardman made that damn memo in the first place," he recalls, rocking back and forth on his feet as he stares at some accessories on the display near the couch he'd been sitting. Their coats, her purse and shoes still lingering there as a reminder of how he started the morning patiently waiting. "Goddamn memo," she mumbles letting the dress slip over her head as she hears him move around again, her eyes falling on her watch again she notices it's almost been an hour since they set foot in this store.

"You don't have to stay, if you don't want to," she mumbles then, stepping out of the fitting room again. He turns around, his face falling into a frown before he shakes his head. "What?" she mouths, looking down at the dress. "No," he counters, signalling with his hand for her to go back again. "And let you on the loose with my corporate card? With the chance of you buying something like that? I don't think so, Paulsen."

She chuckles, rolling her eyes at him because there's no way that was his actual excuse for staying. He'd given her his credit card more times than she can count. In fact it was more like she held onto it and gave it back to him when he needed it. "I took the morning off," he answers then with a soft smile, seemingly coming to the conclusion himself that she wouldn't buy his previous statement.

She smiles then, disappearing in the fitting room again. Changing into yet another dress. He moves back to the couch. Staring at the bracelets on display this time, his shoe accidentally kicking over one of her heels. He bends down, reaching for her shoe. "I don't understand how you can walk in these ridiculously high things," he mumbles turning the object over in his hand as he studies it.

She chuckles softly, because he hasn't noticed she came out of the fitting room again yet. "Harvey," she whispers then and he places her shoe down again, before he turns to face her. His mouth dropping as he takes her in. Softly mumbling a wow and she feels a shiver running down her spine by his reaction.

In all the years, he'd never been so openly stunned by her, or complimented her on her appearance. She slowly turns around, showing the rest of the dress. He can't help but smile, completely in awe of her. "You like it?" she whispers looking up at him. He's suddenly closer than she realised he was, all he does is nod as their eyes lock. Both remaining silent for a while, he's still speechless.

"Perfect," he whispers when he finally finds his voice again, his gaze slipping from her eyes to her lips for a second. Their little moment getting interrupted by a sales man, who walks over to them. "Ooh you look absolutely fabulous, honey," the blonde guy chirps, his hand falling on the redheads arm. "Va-va-voom," he continues, her mouth dropping a bit as she's spun around in the middle of the store and guided over to one of the closest mirrors. "Just imagine your hair up like this," he moves up her auburn locks.

Harvey frowns, his jaw clenching as he's still trying to grasp what happened. His narrowed gaze following the man that stole his redhead away from him, but he can't exactly say anything about it. She's not his to begin with and his view is still too perfect to complain. He slightly lifts his head then, his eyes locking with hers through the mirror and she gives him this small apologetic smile. He nods once, grinning briefly as he sits himself back down on the couch. His hand falling against her purse and he chuckles softly when he notices it's the Birkin Bag he bought her last time.

Her gaze drifts back to the sales man next to her, who's talking about what kind of necklace he'd pick for the dress she's wearing. She gives him a small smile then and he nods in understanding. "You two look adorable together by the way," the blonde adds. She lets her gaze drift off to Harvey through the mirror again, a smile forming on her lips as she sees him sitting there. No doubt reading some emails on his phone, but she can feel his gaze burning her skin ever so often.

xxx

Hanging the latest dress over her arm she steps out of the fitting room again. Clad in her own clothes, she makes her way back him. His head automatically lifting up when he heard the curtain move again. Storing his phone away again he gets up again, a small smile on his lips as greeting. He extends his arms, reaching for the dress she was holding and he frowns then for a second. Noticing she's a significant amount shorter than he is without her heels on.

"You're short," he whispers as he takes the dress from her hands. She looks down then, feeling her cheeks creep up red, because he's never really commented on her appearance. Let alone this. "I'm not," she counters softly. Putting her heels back on, her eyes nearly levelling with his again and she finds it incredibly hard to look away from his gaze.

"Shall we?" he asks crooking his head in the direction of the registry. Smiling when he hands Donna her bag, she looks down then. "Harvey, wait," she whispers and he turns around a slight frown on his face. "Do you like another one better?" he asks then, suddenly realising he never heard her comments on the blue gown in his hands.

"No, it's gorgeous," she whispers. "But it costs a fortune, Harvey," she mumbles. She always appreciated the gifts he bought her, even if she always sort of protested, but knowing he was actually paying her salary from the very start and did all this time. She doesn't even know if he still does. "It's a present," he answers, signalling the registry once more as he gives her his signature smirk.

"Thank you," she whispers softly giving in.

xxx

The elevator ride back up to the fiftieth floor is silent, but comfortable. Her hands clinging onto both her Birkin bag as well as the paper bag holding her newly bought dress. She stares at her shoes then, his earlier comments coming to mind and she looks at him from the corner of her eye. Biting her lip as she sees him smirk, she looks down again.

He buries his hands in the pockets of his pants. Slowly rocking back and forth on his feet as he lets his gaze drift off to her one more time. His smirk turning into a small grin as he can see her blush, he looks up at the sign above the door then.

Both of them staying quiet, in all probability both mulling over the morning they spend together. She thinks about the waffles they ordered and how he didn't dare to look at her when the waiter asked if he wanted whipped cream on it. He thinks about the little moment they shared in the store, how beautiful she looked and if he had to be honest. How he'd wanted to kiss her.

He swallows then, glancing at her one more time and he sees her look away again. Both of them going back to business the second the doors open on the fiftieth floor. Him by engaging in a conversation with one of the investment bankers who was waiting for an elevator. Her by quickly making her way back to her cubicle.

Turning the first corner, she runs into Rachel then, who notices the redhead carrying the big paper bags. One eyebrow raised she walks next to her friend. Looking back over her shoulder, the law student sees Harvey talk to someone from the corner of her eye. "Donna," Rachel chirps then, hooking her arm around her friends as she guides both of them further down the fiftieth floor.

"Rachel," Donna answers in the same tone. Her voice not giving anything of her heightened feelings away, the younger woman holds the door to her office open. "Where were you this morning?" Rachel asks then, her gaze narrowing in on her friend, a sign that she's not letting the redhead get away without an answer. Donna sighs then, placing the paper bag on one of the chairs then. "I was out with Harvey. We had breakfast and went shopping for a ball gown."

"You had breakfast with Harvey?" the brunette repeats her friend's words, raising one perfectly sculptured eyebrow. "Not like that," Donna fires back, playfully slapping her friends arm. "He showed up this morning," she reasons, her hands waving through the air as if it wasn't a big deal, but on the inside she was still a mess.

Rachel frowns again, studying her friend. Knowing her well enough that even if she pretends it's nothing, it is a big deal. "So," she starts again then as she leans against her desk. "Why did he take you dress shopping then?"

"We uhm…" Donna mumbles, thinking over her answer. "We were talking about Halloween the other day and he asked if I had plans, but well I don't anymore since I ended things with Mitchell," she explains sitting herself down now too. "So I told him that and the next day he mentioned he had tickets to this charity masquerade the firm or he got invited to and I agreed to join and this morning he picked me up to get a dress. "

Rachel hums, letting the words of her friend sink in. "So he asked if you had plans, you told him you ended your relationship with Mitchell and then he asked if you wanted to join him to a ball? " she pauses for a second, seeing the dots being connected in the redhead's mind. "Did you agree to join him to a firm event or did you agree on a date?"

The redhead's mouth drops a little, as she remembers the tickets were originally send as an invitation for the firm and how the dress shopping wasn't an odd thing out when they went to firm events together in the past. "I … uhm.. " she stutters, "I don't know."