Sorry this chapter has taken a little longer to post. I had some serious writers block and it took me a couple of weeks (and rewatching some suits episodes!) to get me back on track. This has ended up feeling like a little bit of a filler chapter but I have started working on chapter 8 and I'm really excited about it! I hope you enjoy and as always thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. They mean so much to me. Xxx

Harvey swore as he slammed the phone down. He grabbed the nearest object (a stapler) and hurled it as hard as he could. It ricocheted off the wall, leaving a dent in the plaster, and clattered onto the floor, surrounded be a sea of staples. He thumped his hands onto the desk.

'FUUUUUUCK!'

The noice of flying office equipment hitting the wall, combined with his turning the air blue, had drawn the attention of his temporary assistant, whose head appeared tentatively around the door. He must have been in his mid 20's and reminded Harvey of Harold Gunderson in both looks and temperament. Faux Harold looked at the broken stapler, then to Harvey and then back to the stapler, his face filled with confusion and fear. He had obviously heard of Louis's sudden bursts of rage but hadn't been prepared to deal with it from the managing partner!

'Would you like me to pick that up Mr Specter?' He entered the room, heading for the discriminating object but then suddenly thought the better of it. And there he remained, like he was playing some strange game of musical statues; completely still, partially bent down, arm out and hand open, looking intently at Harvey. Harvey looked back at him with a bemused expression on his face.

'Don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure that its never going to work again.'

Faux Harold stood back up and started to retreat towards the door

'Would you like me to get you another stapler Mr Specter? I think there will be another in the stationary cupboard… or you could just have mine if you'd like…'

'...It's fine Harold, I don't need another stapler…

'….My names Chris, Mr Specter.'

Of course it bloody was! Harvey rolled his eyes as a smirk formed on his lips. For a brief moment, this slightly bizarre comedy sketch involving him, Chris/Harold and the stapler, had almost made him forget why he had thrown it in the first place. It had been light relief from the fury that had threatened to overcome him moments before. He shook his head at the scared temp.

'Sorry I meant Chris. Look don't worry about that,' he motioned to the mess on the floor 'but if you could go and see if Donna is back from her meeting, then that would be great. Tell her I need to speak to her urgently.'

Faux Harold cocked his head, the expression of confusion growing on his face.

'Who?'

'Donna'

Harvey noticed the slightest movement of faux Harolds shoulders, confirming what his face was already betraying. Fucking hell, Harvey thought to himself. How on gods earth had he ended up with an assistant who didn't have a clue who Donna was! He took a deep breath trying to regulate the words that came out of his mouth next. It was lucky there weren't any other heavy objects in close proximity to his throwing arm. Not knowing who Donna was, was like a personal insult to him. How could you work here and not know her; not know how important she was to this firm and to him?

'Donna is Ms Paulsen. She is COO of this firm and her office is right next door...'

He watched as understanding registered on the poor guys face

'…so if you could just pop next door and tell her to get her arse in here then that would be great!'

Faux Harold nodded as he backed towards the door, clearly desperate to end this exchange. As he got within spitting distance of his escape, Harvey spoke again.

'Oh and Chris.…..If you could tell Donna that I seemed a little pissed then that would be great. Feel free to mention the state of my stapler. I'd like her to know what kind of mood I'm in!'

He didn't quiet catch the words of the temp as he stumbled out the door and towards Donnas office. He turned in his chair to face the window, closing his eyes and taking long slow breaths. God he needed a permanent secretary! It had been suggested to him on multiple occasions over the last month, but he had refused. He had thought he was capable of doing all of this with just the help of some temporary assistants. How wrong had he been. He regretted not taking up Louis's offer of sharing Gretchen. Ahhhhh Gretchen. Those were the good old days when the person outside his office wasn't a complete and utter fool. Maybe if he asked Louis really nicely then he would agree to give her back to him. He shook his head. Nope, Louis would want something in return and Harvey couldn't think they would ever be able to agree on terms that would make them both happy. Images of the opera, cats and mud flittered across his mind. Sorry Gretchen… you were great at your job but even your secretarial skills were not worth that kind of sacrifice!

He swung back round in his chair as he heard the knock on his door. Faux Harold was back, red faced and refusing to make eye contact. He was staring intently out the window somewhere approximately a foot above Harvey's head.

'I'm sorry Mr Specter, but Ms Paulsen is still out with Ms Bennett. Should I call them and see how long they will be?'

Harvey tapped his fingers on the edge of the desk. He needed answers but he knew what Donna was out doing was important. As much as he wanted to summon her back to the office so he could give her a piece of his mind, he knew that his personal anger had to come second to the firm. Right now she needed to be out there with Katrina, rather than in here on her hands and knees apologising and begging for forgiveness. His mind started to wander into the dangerous territory of Donna on all fours in his office. He blinked away the thought and the sudden feeling of arousal that came with it. He realised though, that there was more than one way to skin a cat. Donna wasn't the only one that he could interrogate….

He shook his head. 'Don't worry about it, if she is still out then its fine. But you could go and see if Rachel is free….'

Here he paused, staring intently at the temp '...You do know who Rachel is, or do I need to explain that as well?'

Relief flooded the faux Harolds face ' God no! I know who Ms Zane is. She is the really hot one who….'

'….. who is engaged to a partner as this firm!'

The blood drained from his face and he looked as though he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. If only there was a rock to hide under….

'Of course sir. I didn't mean to offend anyone… I mean Rachel… err Ms Zane…. Is very attractive but I didn't…. errr.. I mean…'

Harvey took pity on the poor guy and despite enjoying the display, and being called sir, he put him out of misery.

'It was an honest mistake but one that I suggest you don't repeat in front of Mike Ross. He might be less forgiving about you perving on his future wife! Now if you could go a get Ms Zane that would be great. I presume you know where her office is?'

He mumbled that he did and practically run for the door.

Harvey smiled to himself. Perhaps he had been too quick to dismiss the idea of having someone like Harold on his desk, as there was something slightly satisfying about watching the young man squirm. Shit was he turning into Louis? Wasn't this the kind of crap he pulled with the associates?

He returned to drumming his fingers on the desk as he waited for his prey; a steady rhythm that matched the beat of his heart beneath his shirt. He felt a little bad for Rachel as he realised she was going to get the brunt of his wrath. It would be the second occasion is as many weeks that Donnas actions would lead to him taking it out on her. But they were friends and he knew that she was up to her eyeballs in all of this as well. Someone had told Donna about Paula's late night visit to Mike's office and he had a pretty good idea who it had been. The call he had just gotten off of had been from Paula. She had been pissed as hell about Donna's trip to her office three days before. Harvey was only finding out about it now because, if truth be told, he had been ignoring her. She had called three nights ago asking to meet him for dinner, saying they had to talk. He had used the age old excuse of work as a reason not to go. In actual fact he had sat in the dark, drunk expensive scotch with Mike and then had taken a little late night stroll to Donna's. At the time the choice not to see her had been fuelled by his desire to get some breathing space. It had been her suggestion to take some time to work out what they both wanted and frankly he had thought that her suggestion of dinner was a little premature. She knew him; so why the hell she thought he would only need a few days to work out all of his shit was beyond him! But she had messaged the next day about lunch and then again last evening about dinner. He knew something wasn't right, when she had left 5 missed calls on his phone, that he saw when he had arrived back from a meeting, a little after lunch time. In fear of her showing up here and there being an awkward confrontation between her and Donna (ironic considering that had already taken place without him knowing!) he had promised that he would call her straight away. But then Katrina had walked in with a potential way to screw over Malik and Harvey had been drawn in to a sequence of meetings with her, Donna, Louis and Mike. Rachel and Alex had insisted on taking over some of their caseloads, whilst they had focused on bringing that son of a bitch down. It had only been at 6pm, when he had finally left Louis's office, that he had realised he still hadn't called her. So he did, ready to apologise in full for ignoring her for the last 72 hours. What he hadn't been prepared to apologise for was Donna's seemingly unprovoked attack on Paula in her own office. Paula had painted quiet a picture of how Donna had gone after her, throwing round some pretty shitty comments as to the morality of their relationship and stating outright that she wanted nothing to do with him and that Paula could have him! He wasn't sure if she had emphasised the last point in the hopes it would be enough of a motivation for him to stop trying to work out what he wanted and just to choose her!

The whole conversation had left him angry and frustrated. The now abandoned, and broken, stapler had been a culmination of both of these feelings. He had spent practically all afternoon with Donna and she hadn't given the slightest inclination that there was anything wrong, aside from the obvious of course. He also couldn't understand why she had sought out Paula, when she hadn't been bothered enough to talk to him. He was right next door for Christ sakes! If she wanted to tell him she felt nothing then she didn't need to drive halfway across the city to tell his estranged girlfriend. He had been right here the whole time!

'Hi Harvey, I was on the way to see you when I bumped into Chris. He is a little, how do I put this nicely…..'

Rachel's sentence petered out as she noticed the stapler on the floor. Thinking the better of mentioning it, she stepped over the carnage, threw some files on the desk and sat down on the chair opposite from him. She crossed her legs and ran her fingers through her hair as she continued to speak.

' so that's the file on the Dresden merger. All seems pretty standard. I'm happy to get Mike to have a quick scan over it this evening if you want to get a second opinion…'

Harvey shook his head ' ….I trust you…'

'…well in which case I will get the paperwork sorted. Alex and I had a conversation about Mikes pro bono and we both think the whilst the Malik thing is going on it might be best to push it over to the clinic. I made contact with Oliver there and can drop off all the info tonight on my way home….. oh and I booked in the deposition of Carl Morley for next Tuesday. His secretary was being a pain in the arse and wanted to reschedule but I told her that Harvey Specter didn't just change his diary and if her boss wanted you to represent him then the deposition would be Tuesday at 10!

'Thank you Rachel. That's great work'

' No problems boss.' She smiled at him. She had no clue of the shit storm she was about to walk into 'So how is everything going with our Malik problem?'

'Slowly. But we have only just started to pull at the thread. You just need to tug it once, hard enough, and it will all unravel. And at that point Malik will have no where to hide. That son of a bitch will be spending the next 15-20 behind bars.'

'Only if we are right'

'We're right. We've got him.'

'So now its down to Katrina and Donna, trying to convince Holly Cromwell to help. Do you know how Donna's doing?'

Harvey smirked 'That was actually what I wanted to ask you?'

'Well I haven't spoken to her since this morning so I don't….'

'… after her conversation with Paula'

The colour drained from Rachel's face but she managed to stay composed. It's what makes her a great lawyer Harvey thought to himself.

'Look Harvey I don't really know what's going on with you guys, but I would rather stay out of it?'

'Like you did when you told Donna that Paula had visited Mike?'

Rachel shrugged 'She's my friend. What was I supposed to do?'

'Follow your own advise and stay out of it?'

'Like you did when you showed up at my home nearly two weeks ago?'

Guilty as charged!

'That was different….'

'How?'

'Because I had to see her.'

'To shout at her or to tell her you feel the same way?'

'That's none of your god damn business!'

'No its not! And I didn't want to be caught in the middle of it. But here I am. Mike didn't want to be caught up in it either but Paula dragged him in. Mike, Louis and I didn't want to be a part of this Harvey, but you and Donna have pulled us into this mess because neither of you are brave enough to say how you actually feel!'

He found himself actually laughing at this. He shook his head at her as he spoke.

'She's made her feelings pretty clear!'

'When?'

'Every day since she walked out on me!'

'She didn't walk out on you. She left because she…'

Rachels sentence petered out. She took a long slow breath before continuing. She had realised that Harvey was looking for a fight. Clearly he was angry and she wasn't prepared to be his human punch bag. '…. You know what Harvey it really doesn't matter what I think. So unless you want to talk about work then I think we are done.'

She went to stand but Harvey was quicker. He stood, his hands smashing onto the desk as he did. Rage bubbled up inside of him. Donna had walked away that night and he wasn't going to let Rachel walk away now. There was no way in hell she was going to leave this office without giving him some answers.

'We are done when I tell you we are done!'

The tone and volume of his voice made Rachel sit straight back in her chair her eyes wide. Out of the corner of his eye Harvey saw faux Harold physically shudder at his desk just outside of the office.

'You asked for a seat at the table Rachel…. You wanted to play with the grown ups so it's time to god damn step up. It's time you grew a pair and started to say what you mean. Stop hiding behind Mike or some shit about not wanting to be involved…. because you are. Whether you wanted to be or not you are. And I have questions that you are as sure as hell are going to answers before you leave this office…. So I suggest that if you have something to say then just say it, because if you want to be taken seriously you are going to have to learn to give as good as you get!'

'I did want a seat at the table and I will speak my mind when it's about work but this isn't. This is ….'

'Personal? You think this is just personal shit between the two of us? Of course it's about work too. It's Donna for Christ sake! We are work. The two of us are this fucking firm. And if you can't see that then you are a fool.'

'I'm not a …..'

'Fool?' He sneered at her 'Maybe you're not a fool but you are naive. You walk around with Mike thinking that relationships are easy. You two have skirted the rules of office relationships ever since he got here. There is a reason why office romances are frowned upon. Because shit doesn't work out the way it's supposed to. Not everyone gets to fall in love and live happily ever after. We don't all get what we want Rachel! Not everyone gets to fuck around with their work colleagues and come out smelling like roses!

The mention of Mike got to her. He watched as her expression changed. Her eyes looked dewy as if she was about to cry. Her voice had risen slightly in indignation.

'Skirted the rules! Mike only works here because you broke every rule in the book Harvey. And if you think that our relationship has been easy…..' her breath was ragged from the force of the emotions that came with her words '…. He was willing to give up on us. He went to prison for you. He left me to save you….'

'Yeah. How about when you nearly gave up on him Rachel? How about when you cheated on him with Logan Sanders.'

It was a sucker punch. It was below the belt and he knew it. He saw her physically crumble under his words. It was a cruel and nasty thing to have dragged up. Mike and Rachel were happy and he had no right, but in that moment, with all of these unsaid feelings for Donna, he didn't even care.

'It was just a….' Her words came out as barely a whisper.

'Kiss…'

He finished her sentence. He looked at her but she was staring and the floor, towards the stapler. She looked as broken as it was. And yet he carried on regardless.

'I don't believe for one second that is was just a kiss. That might have been the physical act but I'm guessing that in that moment you wanted more….'

'And what if I did? I didn't act on it. I didn't because I love Mike. It was a momentary lapse.'

'And maybe it's the same with Donna!' He realised that he had shouted at her again. He realised that bringing up Logan was a dick move. He crumpled back into his chair and placed his thumb and forefinger on the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. Next time he spoke his words were quieter.

'Isn't there a chance she walked away because she regretted what happened that night?'

When Rachel didn't respond he opened his eyes. He half expected to find her gone. But she was still there. She was looking at him like he was some rare caged animal; part afraid and part in shock. Her face was tear stained and he felt a knot of guilt forming in his stomach.

'You can't really believe that?'

Harvey shrugged 'what other reason is there?'

'Because she did feel something when she kissed you and she is terrified that you don't feel the same way.'

'Donna's always known everything. She knows what she means to me. And it doesn't explain why she went to Paula's and gave her a verbal beating. It doesn't explain why she said that she wanted nothing to do with me!'

Rachel looked visibly shocked. 'Who told you that?'

'Paula'

'Well Paula is a lying bitch who…..'

'Rachel' Harvey warned 'I suggest treading very carefully when it comes to Paula'

'After you were so caring of my feeling throwing Logan in my face?'

He made no move to apologise, despite knowing that he should. He just sat there staring at her. His anger was currently under control but one false step, one misplaced comment about Paula might be enough to release it again.

'I don't know what you have been told happened between the two of them, but I spoke to Donna afterwards and it wasn't her that had given the beating. From all accounts she was the one that took it. I was worried because I hadn't seen her since she stormed out. When she answered her phone she was a mess. She was devastated. I haven't heard her that broken before.'

'Why?'

'Because you said you hated her!'

' I never said …'

'…..Said that?' Rachel gave him a sad smile and shrugged her shoulders 'Well Paula told Donna you did! So she is walking around thinking that you do. You haven't told her any different Harvey. What the hell was she supposed to think?'

'She was supposed to come talk to me!'

'Well she didn't because Paula also told her that the only relationship you wanted with her is a work one. That you want nothing else to do with her. And she believed it Harvey. For the first time she believes that you don't need or want her!'

'Well that's bullshit!'

'Maybe so but she believes it none the less'

'If she would choose to believe Paula rather than believe what 12 years of knowing me should tell her, then I guess she knows shit. I don't see how she can think that? I've made my feelings pretty clear. I have actually said the words to her. If that's not enough to convince her I care then there is nothing I can do!'

Rachel stood. She retrieved the broken stapler and placed it on the desk in front of him.

'Sometimes Harvey, actions speak louder than words. I don't think that you are angry. I think you are frustrated that you and Donna can't find the words to tell each other how you feel. That's why I am going to walkout of this office and forget what you said to me tonight. I'm going to believe that you didn't mean it and you only said those things because you are hurting. And hurt people lash out. You have one damaged stapler and one damaged employee, not to mention one terrified assistant, from how you acted this evening. Please don't make Donna the next casualty.'

She turned to leave. On hearing his voice she turned back to him.

'Rachel. I'm sorry for what I said.'

'It's ok Harvey'

'It really wasn't ok'

She shook her head 'no it really wasn't.'

'Thank you'

'For what?'

'For being there for Donna. I'm glad that she has you.'

'She doesn't need me. She just needs you.' She smiled at him as she left.

Harvey picked up the stapler and turned in around in his hand. He had ruined it. He thought about what Rachel had said about Paula. It made him sick to think that she would have told Donna he hated her. It made him feel sicker that she could ever believe it. The thought of Donna hurt and sad made him want to collapse to the floor. He hated himself. But he didn't know what else he could do. He had thought that he had made his feelings pretty clear. He had tried to speak with her but she had avoided him.

Actions speak louder than words.

He looked at the stapler again and then closed his eyes. This had all started because Donna had chosen to act. He realised that he needed to be alone with her. He needed to be able to clear his mind of all the shit circling there and just act. He didn't know what that meant but currently everything was just white noise. Rachel, Mike, Paula, Louis. All of them were filling his head with their own opinions that he could no longer recognise his own feelings amongst them. If he could just be alone with her then maybe all of the noise would just fall away and he would be able to think clearly.

The knock on the door made him open his eyes. He focused on Louis as he entered the room. He threw the stapler in the bin and looked up at his friend.

'What can I do for you?'

Louis smiled and sat down in the same chair that not to long ago Rachel had sat crying in.

'We've got him!'

'Malik?'

For the first time since getting off the phone from Paula, Harvey was able to think about something other than Donna.

'Yep! Holly is on board. She is willing to testify. Supposedly Donna and Katrina made quite a team. Bad cop and bad cop!'

'When did you find out?'

'Just now. Katrina called from the lobby. They are on their way up now…..'

'…. Katrina and Donna?'

'Of course Katrina and Donna! Who else would…'

Harvey was standing before he even realised it. He rounded the desk and headed for the door.

'Harvey where are you going?'

He turned to face his friend who was just a couple of paces behind him.

'I'm going to speak with Donna. And I swear to god Louis if you even think about following me and doing some of your bodyguard shit you have been pulling for the last two weeks I will beat the crap out of you!'

Louis raised his arms up and smiled the broadest of smiles.

'At last! I've been waiting all week for you to get off your arse and go talk to her.' He patted him on the back 'go get your girl Harvey…. it's been a long time coming!'

Harvey strode into the elevator bank as he heard the doors of the furthest one ping and start to open. He saw her standing there. She was laughing at something that Katrina had just said. She turned and saw him staring at her. A flurry of emotions passed across her beautiful face as she did.

'Katrina…..'

He didn't need to say anymore. The blonde had already alighted the elevator and was hurrying towards Louis's office. She nodded as she did, quietly saying his name as a hello as she passed.

Donna was trapped. She had nowhere to go. He watched her as she weighed up her options. Her face betrayed the fact that she knew that this time there was no escaping being alone with him. She took a step forward as if preparing to leave the elevator but then at the last second leant out and jabbed at the buttons instead. Harvey realised that the doors were beginning to close. She was planning to run from him. Not this time he smiled to himself. He was getting in that elevator with her. If she didn't want to be alone with him then she was going to be sorely disappointed, because for the next 50 floors there was going to be nowhere to hide.

He made it across the open space and into the elevator without breaking eye contact with her. If he looked away she might vanish again and it wasn't a risk he was willing to take. The doors shut behind him and he felt them start to descend.

It was time to act!