Overwhelmed by the very lovely and personal reviews; it's you guys that keep me writing!
Sorry for a Delay, and for the slight curve ball on this one...hope you like it. It's a short one to level the flow. Hopefully I can get another chapter out this week. A ~
Chapter 4
Louis is having a very bad day.
With the mountains of paperwork and a gaggle of Associates that can't the count the puddy, juvenile fingers on their useless hands, he's thoroughly up to the hilt with 'inadequacy in the office'. Not to mention the fact that the 'never'-vescent Norma, has taken yet another personal day off because ofyet another bunion...
To say he's had enough is an over statement. He is literally one Mudding away from an impromptu Annual Leave.
His eyes widen, his chin jutting back as another pair of much smaller eyes rise above the level of the tabletop in his office.
He freezes, his eyes narrowing as a devilish smile peels slowly and a chin rests on the table, peachy cheeks covered in a dotting of seemingly deliberate freckles.
"Cassandra," Louis confirms, glaring somewhat.
The Specter Brood. Maddening, he thinks. Just...Maddening.
He thanks God that the girl is half Donna's. It's the only thing stopping him from sending out a memo banning children from the entire floor.
"Hey Louis," She say cheerfully, bouncing up to rest her arms on the front of the table. "What'cha doin'?" She asks.
"Work. That's what we adults do whilst you're off playing hop scotch, or tiddlywinks, or whatever it is that you little people do." He remarks, a half grimace forming on his face as his pen taps in his hand, his eyes unmoved on her form.
"What's 'tiddlywinks'?" She asks, scrunching her nose up at the how the sound of the word feels in her mouth.
"Nevermind." He rolls his eyes, returning to his paperwork.
"Is this Mom?" She asks, picking up a large silver frame in her smaller hands.
"It is. Back when she was a budding thespian." He says, softening slightly.
"A thespian? What's that?" She asks, staring at the photo.
"Really?" He accuses, an eyebrow raised. "Nevermind." He says tiredly, shaking his head.
"Can I have this?" Cassie asks, taking the photo.
"No," He says abruptly, reaching over to quickly yet carefully unwrap the little girl's hands from around the frame as he places it back on his desk, glaring at her marginally as he does so.
"Why are you so cranky?" She asks, leaning forward to observe his surly demeanour
"I'm not…" He rushes. "...'cranky'."
He is cranky. He knows he is. He's just not… ready to deal with the little Specter right now.
She pouts, leaning back from the table then, looking less like her father and especially like her Mother.
He feels the guilt trickle down like sweat on his brow.
"You can have this…" He says, pulling out an item from his desk draw.
He watches as she frowns.
"It's a...cup?" She says, picking it up to see if there's anything inside.
"It's not just a cup. It's a special cup. You're old enough to read, right?"
"Uh… 'Litt' up? What's that mean?"
"Nevermind." He grumbles, returning to his paperwork.
"Ahh… Louis. Working hard I see?"
They both look up to see Harvey, swaggering into the room. "I gather that everyone's playing nice?" He enquires, a humorous eye towards Louis who tries to hide the obvious secondary scowl on his face.
"Hey Dad!" Cassie says, spinning around to face him. "Look Dad. Louis gave me a cup!" She smiles.
"Wow." He says, feigning an impressed look. "Yeah...do me a favour and try and sneak that into Mike's office without him finding out? He loves cups."
"Want me to leave it there?" She asks.
"I sure do." He grins, his hands falling into his pockets as he enjoys the moment. "In fact, he just left the office and I think you're Mom is going on lunch. If you're stealthy, you can get in there before your Mom gets back?" He offers, as he watches his daughter weigh up the odds.
"Okay." She nods. "I accept your challenge." She says defiantly. "Bye Louis." She waves, creeping out the office like an energetic spider.
"Good girl." Harvey whispers, watching her bounce down the hall.
"Harvey…" His attention is brought back by the surely demeanour of a balding man glaring at him.
"Louis?" He asks, sliding into a chair opposite the man's desk as he waits for the inevitable shoe to drop.
"Hows the Winston Merger?" He asks.
"Good. Fine." He says, looking away. It's an uphill struggle. But nothing he can't handle...
"Mike tells me that they're sticking their heels in?"
"Yeah. It's a walk in the park." He says.
"Hmm." Louis muses, his hands sliding together as his elbows rest on his desk. "Why do I not believe you?"
"Because you're paranoid. It's not exactly new information..."
"On the contrary Harvey… I am like the grasshopper. Poised and omniscient." He says, sitting poker-rod straight in his chair as his hands make some kind of motion that Harvey can't quite make out.
He stands up immediately, his head tilting as he gives Louis an unimpressed look. "Do yourself a favour and stay away from the self-help aisle, Yoda" He offers sarcastically, before wandering off into the hall.
"Mmm, in need of coffee I am." He says to himself, making a face.
OXOXOXOXO
When she wanders towards his office, she's resolute that she's going to keep it brief, but honest. If she tries to lie, Cassie will only rat her out later - accidentally of course - and that will only create more tension than the situation is worth.
"Hey Winnie… he's free right?" Donna asks his assistant.
Winne has been a pretty good match, by her own standards. Not too fussy, to the point and not actually single or interested. Plus she has respect for her, an understanding of their tenuous situation of ten years worth of marital laden baggage.
"Of Course, Ms Paulsen." Winnie says, smiling.
"Winnie, It's Donna." She clarifies, smiling back.
"Go right in," The young woman says, gesturing.
Her eyes pinpoint his form immediately. Buried in his work as usual. The sharp grey lines on his side burns catching the light of the bright sky behind him.
"Nice touch…" She says, observing him with a sharpness.
He looks up, covering his expression. "Hey," He says, observing her presence in his office. The aqua coloured dress and red heels...
"The cup?" She offers, giving him a look. She knows exactly what he did...
"I don't know what you're referring to." He says, utterly poker faced.
"Cute." She says, folding her arms.
"What do you need?" He asks; the 'shoptalk' look about him, as his jaw twitches.
"I need you to...watch Cassie for me tomorrow night...? I've checked your schedule with Winnie...and you're wide open. I need you to cover." She says, a serious note to her voice.
"Right. You okay? Is everything…?" He frowns, a collection of reasons forming in his head.
She knew he'd press it. Press for the information. "It's fine, Harvey. Everything's fine, I just...I'm going on...a...a date." She says finally, reluctantly.
"A date?" His face is a picture.
"Yes, Harvey. A date. You know? Those things people who aren't you go on?" She says, popping a hip.
"Donna," His face falls, his shoulders following suit.
"Just...babysit our baby for me?" She asks, stifling the huff on her lips.
"She's not a baby anymore, Donna." He says seriously.
"Tell that to my uterus." She remarks, huffing. "Will you?" She asks.
"Sure. Who's the uh...guy?" He asks.
There's something far too subtextual in his asking, She thinks to herself.
"You don't know him." She says defiantly, straightening.
"Don't I?" He asks, a slight tone of indignation on his lips.
"He's a lecturer...at Columbia." She says then, rolling her eyes. "One of Rachel's old friends. Not that I need to explain to you," She huffs.
"Right. Whatever." He shakes his head slightly, looking back to his paperwork.
"So..I'll drop her off at seven...with her things?" She asks, trying to right the ship by herself.
"Sure." He nods, looking back to his paperwork.
She finds herself chewing on her lip, until she reads him, the stiffening in his posture, the focus back to the work in front of him.
"Right." She says under her breath as she stalks out of the room.
OXOXOXO
She shuffles in the elevator, the irony of the fact that she was spending most of each week either dropping Cassie off or picking her up from her old home. His Apartment. Irony certainly has it's moments...
She glances at herself in the mirrored walls, the red lipstick and sheer black dress highlighting her hazel eyes. That and the amount of eyeliner she's chalked on.
"You look pretty, Mom."
"Thanks sweetie." She says, playing with a curl on the girl's head. "So do you." She compliments, drawing in a breath as the elevator doors open.
OXOXOXOX
He's not happy about the fact. Not one bit.
But it was bound to happen eventually.
A Date…
The term has left a sear of bile to lash out against the top of his stomach.
The thought of her moving on ties him up in knots, even now. It's a sobering feeling, one he'd tried to dash with liquid and exercise since she'd first told him.
He hasn't brought a woman back since, though. And that in itself is a bad thing. Celibacy wasn't the best idea when you're ex wife was potentially about to get it on with someone who wasn't you.
But Donna was Donna.
Effervescent. Flirtatious. Fiercely Independant. Fiery, as the Redhead in her desired...
She would always do what she wanted. And this was what she wanted.
He sighs as a knock raps on the door, standing up slowly to wander down the hall in it's direction.
When he opens the door, Cassie runs past him.
"Hi Dad. Bye Dad." She calls behind her, running to her room.
"Hey kid." He says vacantly, his eyes connecting with Donna's.
He feels a rise in his stomach a flare up that has nothing to do with bile.
She looks like the best bad decision anyone could ever make...
"Hey…" Donna speaks first. "She knows I'll be out all night." She indicates to the running child, sprinting for her room.
"Right. You tell her?" He asks, trying to hold back the indignation.
"Just, that I'm seeing an old friend." She says, the words iced.
"Right." He says, nodding curtly, all the muscles in his back lining up one after the other as he stiffens, straightening to match her in her heels.
Her lips are red and violent and enticing in one fucked up little package. He hates himself a little bit and her all the more.
"I should go," She says, eyes wider as she clutches her purse in front of her.
"Yeah." He says. "Have a good night." He finds himself saying.
It's mechanical and filled with about as much sincerity as he can muster.
She smiles grimly, picking up on his lack of feeling. She looks briefly over his shoulder, thinking of Cassie.
"She'll be fine." He says half-heartedly. "Go or...you'll be late." He says.
She nods, quietly turning on her heel.
He watches her glossy form disappear all the way to the hall.
OXOXOXOXO
In the elevator, the guilt sets in when she's sees the time on her phone.
Seven Twenty Eight. She's late.
She presses her speed dial, waiting for it to connect. "Hey...David. Sorry, I'm gonna be a little bit late. The traffic's horrendous." She says, stalking out of the building. "I'll see you soon."
OXOXOXOXO
When she arrives at the Restaurant, she's immediately enveloped in low lighting, red candles on every table and a packed house. She slinks past the many tables until she spies the dark blonde hair and blue suit. She smiles to herself, relaxing a little.
She slides up to the table. "Well, Hello there stranger." She says, her hip popping and her lips sparkling red.
The man looks up, smiling warmly. "You are very late," He observes, his voice light and playful as he stands, his arm snaking naturally around her waist. She's taken aback for a second, the feeling warming back in at his touch.
"Mother." She reasons. "Occupational hazard." She adds, her arms sliding up to rest on his shoulders.
"I missed you. I missed this." He says, kissing her soundly.
"Me too." She smiles, melting into him. "Sorry...I know you wanted to see me earlier. Its been a...busy couple of weeks." She smiles honestly.
"I understand. You have to get settled here." He says, as they disconnect, his hand gesturing for her to take a seat in their corner booth.
"So. Hows your day been?" She asks, a hand sliding into his hair.
"Busy. With the new influx of students it's a bit of a rat race. But nothing I can't handle." He says, looking at the wine list. "What shall I get us?" He asks.
"Anything. As long as it's alcoholic." She smiles against the slight nerve in her stomach.
It's good to see him.
Given that they've only talked on the phone a few times in the Months since he moved to the city. It's nice to just get back into the routine of dating one person regularly.
She's enjoyed their time together; his no nonsense approach to life and ability to condense a feeling. She'd known from the moment that Rachel introduced them that they'd get along solely by their ability to banter against one another.
She missed that. The effortlessness of just bouncing off another person of the opposite sex.
"You know what?" He says after dinner, looking at her. "I feel like we should celebrate."
"And what should we...celebrate?" She asks, her eyebrows twitching.
"I don't know...to you finally getting settled and catching up with me?" He offers.
She smiles immediately, blushing. "Oh David...this is my city, remember? You're the out of town'er," She plays, her finger pressing lightly into the dimple on his chin.
"Of course. I forget." He says, playing a dumbfounded look on his handsome face. "I should really get you to show me around some time." He offers, playfully.
"Maybe I will…" She agrees, sliding up to him. The alcohol is milling through her system at a rate that's making her loose and flirtatious. She's missed this.
"I was thinking, actually," He starts.
"Oh, now that is dangerous," She jokes.
"Potentially,"
"What about? Pray, tell." She asks looking at him suggestively.
"Us." He says, plainly, searching her eyes.
She lessens the gulp in her throat. "What about us?" She asks.
"How we've been doing over the past few months."
"I know." She reflects. "Who knew I wouldn't get tired of you after six months?"
"I was sure that five would be your limit," He joins in, his arms stretching around the back of the booth.
"Especially with all the book reading you do." She adds, chiding him.
"And the talking in my sleep," He adds.
"And the correcting people's grammar." She says with a wicked smile.
"How do you put up with me?" He asks, smiling at her,
"It's a constant struggle." She says, her eyes lighting up.
"Have I told you how beautiful you look right now?"
"Not yet you haven't," She smiles, rolling her eyes.
He does that. Surprises her. It's a little much. Even in it's perfect delivery...
She's never been used to that kind of honesty. That kind of compliment.
"You, are beautiful." He says.
"You're not so bad yourself." She says with a shy covering smile, combing a hand through his hair.
"I'm serious." He says, his smile straightening.
"You think I'm not? I've seen you naked remember?" She says.
"Ah...I forget. We really should do something about that," He says, his hand running through her hair.
"Oh yeah...enlighten me, Professor."
"Well. Intimacy, on many levels is on achieved in conjunction with proximity." He starts, his face taking on a seriousness.
"Fascinating." She says, humouring him. "And how does one achieve the correct level of proximity?" She asks, playing along as she slides a little closer to him.
She notices his eyes dart out into the crowd suddenly, before flicking back to hers with a knowing smile. A knowing smile that he keeps all to himself.
"I ordered Champagne. I hope you don't mind?" He asks.
"Of course not. But you must know that you'll probably be carrying me home tonight, right?" She half-jokes, watching the waiter making his way over to them both.
"You say that like it's the first time." He jokes, looking up to the waiter. "Thank you." He says as the waiter hands over one glass, which he passes to Donna, before placing the other down along with the bottle on ice.
"Oh wait, I think this one is yours," He says, pushing the other glass towards her with an expectant smile.
She rolls her eyes, taking the glass, until she stops, her eyes frozen on the ring hanging from a red ribbon on the glass.
A Ring.
A Diamond Ring.
A Large Diamond Ring…
"Oh my God." She says, looking to the man next to her, who starts to move. "No. Don't get up."
"I was actually going to get...down? I believe it's fitting for such an occasion." He adds.
"What is this?" She asks, the pressure resident and cracking in her voice.
"Donna. I know that it's soon, and we've only been dating officially for eight months, and I haven't even met your Daughter yet but… you have left.. an impression, on me. I was waiting for you to finally get here, and I know it's early days. But I...I want to spend my life with you, Donna Paulsen."
"Oh my God." She repeats, looking between him and the rock in her hand.
"Please stop saying that." He winces.
"I'm sorry… I just. David. Everything is.. kind of a mess right now. I just... God, this a lot," She says, the panic escaping her as she clutches her sides, feeling a rise in her temperature.
"You're in shock. Okay… Just take a second. You don't have to decide right now. I just…"
"I know." She winces, seeing his disappointed face as she struggles to breathe. "I...need some air." She says, honesty overtaking her.
"Okay," He says, sliding out of the booth. "I'll take you outside." He says.
"No...no don't worry..." She says hurriedly. "I just...need the bathroom. I'll just be a moment, okay?" She says, sliding up to stand. "I'll be right back." She insists, all but streaking to the woman's restroom.
OXOXOXO
When she finally stares into the mirror, her heart is racing. She turns on the cold tap, splashing a little cold water in her face. Thank god for up market restaurants, with separate fully equipped toilets; for all emotional emergencies.
But her heart is still racing and the room is beginning to stifle her.
She does the worst thing she can possibly think of…
She darts out of the restaurant under the cover of almost darkness; a cab halting to a stop in front of her with dramatic timing.
OXOXOXOX
She doesn't go to Rachel and Mike's and she doesn't go home...
OXOXOXOX
She messages David a simple 'I'm sorry. I need time' and turns off her phone.
I really am getting sick of this elevator, she thinks, tapping the rail sharply as she waits for it to reach the correct floor.
Words aren't forming as she digs around in her bag for her keys, the ones that she shouldn't have but are still laced on her keyring with her new ones. She shoves the key into the lock with a practised precision, opening the door and shutting it quietly behind her.
Her heart is still pounding from the Restaurant as she kicks off her heels onto the carpet, sliding past Cassie's bedroom - their daughter's night-glow lit form still sleeping soundly in her bedroom.
She walks through the open door, shutting it carefully behind her as her heart beats heavily in her chest, turning back to see the whole of the Manhattan skyline surrounding them in his glass-walled bedroom. He's half naked, and stirring and then sitting up in his bed with a confused look on his face and hair sticking up at all angles.
"Donna, what the hell-" He says, squinting.
"Just shut up and kiss me," She drowns out his words with her lips, sliding onto the bed in her silk dress as her hands slide against his the planes of his face; rough and jagged from the five o'clock shadow on his angular features. He's taken aback for a fraction of a second, until her ingrained action has him relaxing against her and his tension shifting from his shoulders to his lower half, his hands sliding around her back and into her hair like he's being doing it for a decade
He's not too far off...
She moans when he pulls at her bottom lip like a quiet punishment for everything that's come after them. She rolls her head back as he kisses her neck, her settling on top of him in a pile as his hands thumb across her breasts, peaked and wanting to be touched. He sucks at the soft skin above her clavicle; pinching at her nipples as she inhales sharply, moaning at his touch. Her hands cup his shoulders, occasionally scratching at his back as he lowers her onto the bed, kissing her fully, before sliding down her stomach, a kiss for every inch of her body that he courses with a piqued remembrance.
They don't talk.
Not once, accept to react against one another.
It's messy and raw and filled with emotions that neither one can carry, riding towards the cliff of an orgasm to drop off the end like lemmings, one after the other in quick succession.
It's only when they are panting, breath slowing in irregular rhythms and laid next to one another that his brain allows him to wonder what the hell just happened.
When he looks over to her, she's asleep before he is, curled over on her side away from him.
He lays there, so satisfied and confused and angry all at once.
He feels like he's been dropped into the middle of the ocean.
OXOXOXOXO
The world was on fire
No one could save me but you
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do.
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you.
I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you.
And I don't want to fall in love,
With You.
OXOXOXXOXO
I wanted to play about with Donna and the differences between then and now. As always please feed the kitty! ~Atheniandream