Thank you again for favoriting me and being my followers of this story as well others I've written. I get so happy that people enjoy these because I, as many of these authors, love writing them! Here's Chapter 9! R&R Thank you - Carebearmaxi
Together Forever (Sequel to You Know I Love You)
Chapter 9 - Arrested Developments
Harvey sat at his desk in his office quietly. It was late and he had to insist Gretchen go home at 8:00 p.m. She stated she did not go home until he went home, but he had insisted that as long as she felt her work was complete for the day he did not need her for anything else. Their relationship was not like he and Donna's had been where he welcomed her presence and knew that she was there for him if he had wanted to share his feelings or just share a drink at the end of the day. Gretchen although just as great a secretary was not Donna. He liked Gretchen very, very much and admired her for her hard work ethic and dedication to his practice. However, he did not want Gretchen to feel obligated every night to serve him. It was not necessary. Tonight, he had just wanted to sit in his office and listen to one of his records while he finished his own work.
"Ok, no problem. I will see you in the morning, Mr. Specter," Gretchen said as she left.
"By the way, Gretchen, you can call me Harvey. It's perfectly fine," Harvey said kindly.
"I will at some point, Mr. Specter. I'm old school. You shouldn't call your boss by his first name."
"Did you not tell me one time that your husband was a lawyer?"
"Yes, but I wasn't his secretary. I was his partner's. That's how we met."
Harvey took a minute and reflected on that.
"Thank you, Gretchen. See you in the morning," he recovered and said to the smaller and older black woman as he left.
He now sat in his office. He had felt the beginnings of a panic attack when Gretchen left, but he was calm now having done some breathing exercises to calm his chaotic mind. He looked out at the Manhattan skyline and listened to another one of his Miles Davis albums-not the one that Donna scratched-and thought about Donna and how he very much missed her.
Harvey turned the page of the file he was reading. He sat with his feet propped on his windowsill, the file lying on his thighs, and his drink chilling his hand as he swigged it. So that's how Gretchen met her deceased husband. She had been his partner's secretary. Harvey's mind did not wander down the road thinking that many companies had, in the past, and still due have rules about spouses working with one another. Pearson, Specter, Litt had such a rule, but there were still secret hookups and marriages. Unfortunately, Harvey and Donna's relationship had never been secret. Because of Donna's rule, Harvey against everything he felt inside for her, respected it and maintained it burying those feelings that had so recently become significant again. Likewise Donna had done the same and acted circumspectly in their daily meetings.
Harvey who had few regrets especially where one night stands were concerned regretted succumbing to Esther's invitation to take her home knowing exactly where that would lead. Harvey's first step of thanking Donna for her service of 12 years was fading fast and he wanted Donna back for more than just a secretary. Maybe he would have to learn to accept that she was now Louis' secretary but she could still be his woman.
He only hoped it was not too late.
"I had very nice time tonight. It's been a long time since I saw a one-woman show. I was not a big Star Wars fan, but I loved Carrie Fisher's one woman show. This one was very good as well," Donna told Mitchell as they stood outside her apartment door. She prayed he would not want to come in although Donna did not want to be impolite.
Mitchell kissed her. Donna tried not to respond but his kiss was so warm and tender. His lips were soft and pliant. However, when Mitchell tried to deepen the kiss, Donna pulled back and out.
"It's him again, isn't it?"
"No, it's not. It's just it's late and I have to go to work in the morning..."
Mitchell suddenly did not take "no" for an answer and kissed Donna deeply again.
Oh what the hell! Harvey slept with Esther. Equal time for equal behavior. I'll do it just this once, so I don't miss Harvey. This isn't fair to Mitchell, but he started it.
"Well, Louis will understand if I come in late..."
So for many months this is how Donna and Harvey's relationship remained. Harvey had turned away from his one night stands having lost the taste for them and being immersed in trying to maintain his own standing in the firm with Louis' almost getting him suspended for punching him out. Notwithstanding Jack Soloff and Daniel Hardman's efforts to undermine Jessica and overtake the firm. Harvey had no time to play footsie with any one not even to attempt a personal reconciliation with his ex-secretary/lover.
One of the few times they had spoken since their amicable reconciliation was when Harvey asked for her help in changing Louis' mind about calling for Harvey's suspension.
Again he encountered her in the file room and said to her, "Hey".
"Don't 'hey' me, Harvey. You're going to ask me something and I'm not sure I will want to do it."
"I just wanted you to support me and tell Louis to drop this whole suspension vote."
"Well, what did you do, besides hit him, that he called for your suspension? How do I know that what said doesn't warrant it?'
"Donna, you worked for me twelve years. If you don't know me by now then I guess you never did," Harvey said feeling bad that now Donna seemed to not even care that they had been employees together let alone lovers recently.
Donna watched him walk away. Oh Harvey what kind of shit did you get yourself into now? I can see how you're hurting. I want to be there for you, truly. I still love you and am in love with you. I only hurt him with my not believing in him. I am only mad at myself because I slipped and slept with Mitchell. It had been nice to wake up with someone but this morning I almost slipped and called him Harvey. That has to stop. I can't keep using a good man like Mitchell just because Harvey and I are on a break. I know Harvey hasn't been sleeping with anybody else. He's not been himself since this whole debacle happened with the endangerment of Jessica's position.
As Harvey walked away disconsolate and worried, Donna regretted what she had said to him. Truth was she had been a little miffed indirectly at him because she had realized she had slept with Mitchell the previous night not because she had real feelings for him but to satisfy her apetite for Harvey. The act itself had not been much different than what she had experienced before but it lacked the true connection and passion that lay between her and Harvey. It lacked that trust and love that Donna always associated with what sex between people should be. Donna had not feel the difference too deeply until she saw Harvey's face and looked into those deep brown soulful eyes. She knew Harvey was dealing with a lot of shit. She wondered what prompted Louis to betray Harvey and call for a suspension vote.
Louis entered his office and was surprised to see Donna sitting in his large chair with a furious look on her face and his dictaphone in her hand. He immediately panicked.
"How could you?" Donna ventured in furious lowered tones to Louis. "To want to play this before the partners and use his weaknesses against him..."
"He hit me, Donna! He humiliated me."
"I thought these types of things were beneath you, Louis, I guess I was wrong. If you use this, I'm done with you."
Louis fearing Donna would was immediately leave him and return to Harvey hurriedly promised he would not play it before the partners and that he would change his vote.
Donna, rising angrily from Louis' high backed chair, watched Louis as she had insisted he hit the erase button. She had not moved until Louis' finger had not lifted from the erase button and she retrieved the dictaphone to ascertain that the incriminating and self serving evidence was truly gone from Louis' evil machine.
Another month passed wherein Harvey and Donna had had the office encounter. Being that they were not in each other's presence constantly, the easy rhythm of their conversations and banter in teasing had not returned. They had not been physically together for many months now and both felt that, perhaps, this was truly what their destiny had been. It did not matter that Harvey wanted Donna back in all ways with every beat of his heart and Donna had felt the same although she had not had the heart to tell Mitchell she did not really want him either. Donna had not returned Mitchell's advances after that night, but she did continue to date him on the odd day here and there. Mitchell knew he was probably fighting a losing battle, but he had fallen in love with Donna and he hoped against all hope that she would fall in love with him and know that her ex-boss/lover was not worth her heartache.
Then Mike got arrested for the fraud he was. All hell broke loose at PSL, as their brightest, youngest, and newest junior partner was taken away in handcuffs by a couple of federal officers.
Donna was home dozing after having just fought with Mitchell and how much she really had not wanted to go out that night. Mitchell and she had parted on good terms and he said he would call her the next day. Donna came to her door with her head aching and was surprised to see her current boss push his way into her apartment.
"Louis. It's late. What do you want?" Donna asked.
"You haven't heard then," Louis responded.
"What happened to Harvey?" Donna asked. The question that was foremost in her thoughts knowing that Louis would not come see her personally unless Harvey was involved.
"It's about Mike. He's been arrested."
"Oh my God. I've got to go," Donna said hurriedly turning toward her bedroom to change.
Louis grabbed her arm. "You can't go down there. If you show up there you could be implicated as well."
Donna sat down nodding her head knowing what Louis said was true but Mike was her friend and this must have effected Harvey horribly. He must have gone down there to be with him. He could not have left Mike alone to face his consequences. Therefore, Donna wanted to be there for Harvey feeling just as badly as he did for what Mike would face now that he had been caught.
"Well, I'm going to see Rachel. If you think you're going to stop me from seeing her, you've got another thing coming."
While Donna went to see Rachel, Harvey had finally been allowed to see his client.
"Robert Zane, really, Mike? I'm hurt," Harvey tried to lighten the air with ill-timed humor.
Mike was pacing back and forth. "Harvey this is real. Very real," Mike said as he eyed his mentor and friend.
Harvey said, "I know." He then took a seat and calmly reminded Mike that the burden of proof was on the prosecution not them. They had to see what kind of evidence could be brought forth to convince a jury he was guilty.
"I did this, Harvey."
"Mike, they know what we know. You're a practicing attorney; you are part of the bar and you are in the Harvard database."
Harvey soon left with his mind filled with what kind of method could be used to pull off a innocent verdict for a crime that had been consciously committed by the both of them.
The next morning, Harvey opened his condo door to see an immaculately dressed but pissed Donna at his door.
"Donna! What are you doing here?" Harvey exclaimed surprised and very happy to see her. She is so beautiful. Even when she is pissed how I wish she were beside me when I went to sleep last night and here when I woke.
"I asked Gretchen where you were and she said you called in sick. That's bullshit! Harvey Specter does not get sick," she continued to talk as she walked through the door and stomped her way to his living room. She stopped at the kitchen counter.
"I can't be in the office right now," Harvey said as he took a water bottle from the refrigerator.
"Why not? You mean your abandoning Mike when he needs you?'
"No, I mean I can't. I had to resign so that Charles Forstman would stop supporting Daniel Hardman in his efforts to take over the firm."
"Mike needs you, though."
"I've seen Mike. I know."
"You've seen Mike?"
"Yes, but I need you to get something for me for his arraignment and bail hearing."
Donna with no pretense immediately turned around and left Harvey's apartment with her assignment fulfilling her mind so completely that she had not been prepared by Harvey's kiss before she totally left his place. She had come to put one arm around his neck and other around his shoulder meanwhile his arms snaked around her waist. They then both opened their arms and smiled. Then turning more slowly away from him, Donna left smiling at Harvey and he at her knowing that together they stood strong against the charges that were being brought against their mutual friend.
