Hi Folks! Well here we have a little more of the reunion of Mike, Harvey, Donna, and Rachel. I attempted at humor among them and hope you can see it or better yet chuckle. Let me know. Thank you to all - Carebearmaxi.

Loving Each Other Out Loud

Chapter 9 - Seattle and Back

Mike, Harvey, Donna, and Rachel all took a walk around the neighborhood. The warm clear weather from New York seemed to have followed Harvey and Donna. Wanting to stretch their legs and show them how quiet and wonderful suburbia was, the married couple and the going steady couple walked along the sidewalk and enjoyed the beautiful warm May day.

"Thought you said you and Harvey "didn't want to be together"?" Mike asked sarcastically. He could not help but notice that glowing look on Donna's face.

Donna laughed and punched Mike's arm playfully. "Well, I was wrong. We do want to be together...in all the ways!" Donna burst out in laughter and Mike smiled wide. He put his arm around her and gave her a kiss on her cheek in the old way he used to when they would have their heart-to-hearts back in New York.

Meanwhile Rachel and Harvey were talking about the case back in New York when Rachel wanted to abruptly change the subject.

"Well, I wish I was back there to help you, Harvey," Rachel said.

"Yes. We could use you. Some of our associates are..." Harvey trailed.

"So, how serious are you about Donna?"

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, Harvey. I don't mean to pry, but that woman has waited for you for so long and it seems you still might be a bit reserved to go farther?"

Harvey smirked and turned his head. I knew I couldn't hide anything from Rachel. She's as bad as Donna!"

"Look, Rachel, I don't have any reservations about anything. I have finally realized that Donna's the one. So, if it's not too long a wait for you, I may need your help with something in a few weeks."

Rachel's eyes lit up and she stopped in her tracks. She looked up at Harvey and said, "What is it? An engagement ring? A marriage proposal?"

Then totally turning the subject around, Rachel frowned and said, " Oh no, you don't want children?"

Harvey just stood there as he watched Donna walk on with Mike. They were animately talking .

He waited until Rachel stopped talking and resumed her more reserve posture by unfolding her hands and stopped jumping up and down.

"Are you done now?'

"Yes, Harvey, sorry," Rachel said. "What is it?"

"I'll tell you in a couple of weeks. When I text or call, you cannot breathe a word to Donna or and, perhaps, your husband. I know they talk," Harvey said with a smile pointing at the two people walking ahead of them.

"By the way, congratulations! Mike told me last night, but I don't think you knew that I knew," Harvey said.

"I'm sure if Mike hadn't mentioned it Donna would have," Rachel said tucking a lock of long dark hair behind her ear. Harvey gave Rachel a hug.

"I'm happy for you two. You are both going to make great parents," Harvey said releasing her. "Just don't tell you-know-who I said that." Harvey's smile was wide and genuine.

"Thank you, Harvey, but I will let you in on a little secret," Rachel said placing her hand behind her mouth pretending that she was telling a confidence. "He knows already."

Harvey looked upward and said, "Yes, he probaby does."

They resumed walking quietly for a few seconds as they watched Donna and Mike joke with one another.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Rachel abruptly asked. She knew he was probably going to enlist her help in picking out an engagement ring and a venue or a way to propose.

"I want to make sure the firm isn't falling down around us again before "it" happens, ok?"

Rachel could not help but give a little tiff.

"Truthfully, when isn't the firm falling down around you?"

Harvey smiled out the side of his mouth and held out his arm to the expectant mother.

"You have a point," Harvey said and laughed out loud with his wide Chesire Cat smile.

They all took a seat at a picnic table at the park down the street from where The Ross' lived. Harvey sat on the bench next to Donna and he put his arm around her. Mike and Rachel, who sat on the opposite side, could not help but notice the ease between them. Their constant touching. Their wide smiles and the stars in their eyes. This is the Harvey and Donna that Mike thought they would be if they had ever allowed themselves and their love for each other to be free and easy with no complications. Mike had thought that Harvey was all to blame; but from his own questions to Donna and not a few conversations with his own wife, Mike had realized that the delay had not been all onesided.

"Not too close now. I'm a lawyer in this town. I would have hard time explaining to the cops that my best friends hadn't had sex in 13 years and now they have to have it everywhere," Mike smiled and then took a swig of water from the bottle he had brought from home.

"How about we spread you're a fraud again, hot shot!" Harvey joked.

"Touche," Mike said.

In that moment all was right with the world, the sky was blue with puffy clouds. The temperature was a fair 75 degrees and Harvey sat there with his arm warm around the love of his life and he sat across from their two best friends in the world. Harvey was at peace as long as he did not think about New York and what was facing them back there, but even in that instance he knew as long as he had Donna they would weather the storm together.

Mike turned to Rachel and he sarcastically asked, "Hey honey, did I tell you why we were so late coming back from the airport?"

"Mike..." Harvey warned.

Donna tittered behind her hand. She had been embarrassed at first when Mike had figured out that she and Harvey had joined the Mile High Club in First Class across from two totally knocked out elder passengers and a flight attendant who pretended she did not see what she saw. Now, however, Donna found the whole incident hilarious, but it could only remain that way if only the four of them would keep the moment locked away in their individual memories.

"No, Mike, why were you so late coming back from the airport yesterday? I'm sure there's a good explanation," Rachel could not help but play along.

"Rachel..." Donna said. "Don't listen to him."

"He's my husband, Donna, and an officer of the court so I'm sure he will tell me the truth and nothing but the truth," Rachel said grinning broadly.

Mike stage whispered to Rachel, "They did the nasty in First Class with other passengers present, from my understanding."

"Harvey!" Donna exclaimed. "I really didn't think you would give Mike details!"

"You mean it's true!" Rachel interjected.

"Of course, it's true," Harvey said smugly. "I'm a lawyer and I cannot lie."

"Yeah, well we know what kind of lawyer you are..." Mike teased again. They were all giggling.

"Three of us are lawyers. Sorry, Donna," Rachel said.

"Hey, I'm perfectly fine being COO. It's bad enough I work around them and... in love with one of them," Donna said softly looking into Harvey's big brown eyes.

He quieted the giggling as he bent and kissed Donna's soft lips.

"Don't take this the wrong way, guys, but that was beautiful. Truly. Something I have been waiting to see since the first day I walked into Pearson Hardman," Mike said.

Donna rolled her eyes and then smiled at the both of them. She then looked up at Harvey and he enclosed her in both arms. Donna looked across at her best friends while she placed a hand on top of Harvey's crossed arms and said. "You two have always known, haven't you?"

Mike and Rachel joined hands and said in unison. "Yes."

The last night that the foursome were to be together was very special. They sat in front of Mike and Rachel's fireplace at a low coffeetable. All four sat on the floor. They had decided to play a little movie trivia to see who would win the battle. The Ross's or Harvey and Donna. The first game was a tie, so they switched partners: Harvey and Rachel and Mike and Donna. It was another tie. So for the rubber game of the match it became an old girls-against-the-boys match.

As it turned out the last movie multiple choice question had a Romance/Comedy as the answer which Donna and Rachel knew but left Mike and Harvey baffled.

"Are you serious? "The Proposal?" I gave up that movie after the first five minutes," Harvey complained.

"It doesn't matter. Girls rule!" Donna exclaimed as she started to put away the card game. Mike and Rachel had gone to bed, so they were alone in the sunken living room with a roaring fire. The chill that arose with the coming of night was swept away by the fire flickering in the grate.

"Hey," Harvey said reaching out for Donna and coercing her to stop what she was doing and come sit with him.

She smiled and eagerly complied with his request. I could never resist him. Harvey leaned against the couch and encircled her in his arms. She leaned her back against his side and faced the fire. Harvey sat with her against him. He bent one knee and Donna had placed her arm on his raised thigh and made light lazy circles on it with her polished fingernails.

"It's been a few months now, and I am still in awe at how wonderful this feels," Donna said.

"Me, too," Harvey agreed. kissing the top of her head, and placing both arms around her holding her tightly to him.

"Donna, I was not going to do this right now, here in this place, because I am not prepared. However, I want you to turn around and look at me," Harvey said seriously letting go of her and watching her turnaround to face him. She sat cross legged in front of him and she took his hands in hers.

"What is it, Harvey? We can still talk to one another even if we have those other benefits," Donna said with a small smile.

"Donna, I know we haven't discussed this, but will you marry me?" Harvey asked.

Donna smiled and her surprise shown in her eyes. She lowered her eyes and smirked in the endearing way when she is really shy and does not want anyone-especially Harvey-to see how really vulnerable she is.

She raised her head and looked him in the eyes. "Are you sure you want to jump into marriage? We've only been together like this for a few..."

Harvey placed his finger over her lips closing them.

"Let me just say, I haven't been more sure of anything since I became a lawyer. I don't want you to even attempt to leave me again," Harvey said taking her face in her hands and kissing her ever so softly but passionately leaving her in no doubt how serious he was.

When he pulled way and continued to hold her hand and massage her fingers with his, she said, "Harvey, it might just be that we're here with Mike and Rachel and Rachel's pregnant and we know they are happy. Maybe you're just swept up in it like at the wedding?"

Harvey was so sure she would answer in the positive that he let go of her hand and turned away. He felt bad. His one big question was Why was she hesitating?

"Harvey?" Donna asked placing her hands on his shoulders and leaning her head on his back.

He ran his hand through his disheveled hair in frustration and quietly asked, "I thought that's what you wanted. I thought you loved me and wanted to be mine. I want to be your husband, Donna. I am in love with you and the thought of anyone else being with you, loving you, tears me apart."

"Oh, Harvey," Donna said holding him tight in her arms. They rocked back and forth for a minute.

"Turn around and look at me, please?" Donna said.

Harvey shook his head. He just wanted to bolt and get away now that he knew she could not love him that way. How could he have been so mistaken?

After a minute, he decided to obey her and see what she wanted to tell him.

Donna got on her knees and stroked his face, kissing him deeply. I have to tell him that I want to be his wife, but I think we have to have more time.

"Harvey, listen to me and hear my words. I love you so very much and there's nothing I want more than to be your wife. However, I just want you to be sure that being here hasn't colored your true feelings. I know you love me, but do you really love me enough to do something that at one time you never believed in?"

When she had sank back down, Harvey sat there holding her hands and kissing them once in a while. He pressed her palms to his chest.

"Can you feel that?" Harvey asked.

Donna looked at her palms he held captured against his chest and then looked up into the big dark pools of his eyes seeing tears standing in them.

"I feel it. Your heart is racing," Donna noticed.

"Please, Donna, I won't beg you to marry me, but we belong together. We always have. I was just too stupid or scared to see that. Look if it's because I don't happen to have a ring we can go tomorrow..."

"Stop that, Harvey!" Donna said this time she was the one holding his lips shut with her finger.

"It's not that. You could give me a paper mache diamond and I would still marry you...if I thought you were sure. That you have finally realized that we are more together than the love we make, the deals we close, the firm we run." Donna's eyes now filled up and Harvey gently kissed her tears away as they fell down her cheeks.

"I do realize that. That's why I want to be your husband and I want more than anything to introduce you to everyone...everyone...as my wife."

Harvey suddenly rose to his feet looking around the living room for something. Donna wiped a last tear away and stood as well.

"What are you looking for?" Donna asked wondering at his impulsive move.

"You'll see."

Harvey pointed a finger in the air and, if he were a cartoon, there would have been a light bulb in the air on top of his head. He went into the The Ross' China cabinet where the wineglasses were kept.

Donna could not see him as the cabinet was around the corner from the living room, but she did hear him exclaim "Aha!"

"What in the world are you doing?"

"You'll see," Harvey called out to her.

Harvey opened the first drawer and did not find what he was looking for. He carefully closed the top drawer and then went to the second which held much more promise has he found the case of the little items he was seeking.

"I'm coming. You may need my help and I don't want you ruining any of Rachel's things," Donna said as she started forward.

Before she had even gone a second step, Harvey looked behind the wall and admonished, "Stay right there, Donna Roberta Paulsen."

"Oka-ay," Donna trailed doing as she was told. He never uses my middle name. Uh-oh, mischevious on-a-mission Harvey Specter is never usually a good thing.

A few minutes later, Harvey emerged from behind the wall obviously holding something behind his back. He had that "cat swallowed the canary" look in his eyes and he smiled lopsidedly.

"Ok, Donna, I want you to sit right there on that couch near the fire," Harvey commanded.

Donna took a look at him while she took a step backward and then turned around and made her way to the couch.

Intrigued, she looked up at Harvey and watched as he knelt on one knee.

"Now, I know you think I don't know my own mind because most of the time you know me better than I know myself, but I assure you in this I am quite sure of what I want. So, again, I ask you with a full heart, Ms. Donna Roberta Paulsen, would you do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Harvey Specter?"

Donna looked into his eyes and she finally did see what she sought. That he really was sure about wanting to be married to her. Her eyes flickered down to Harvey's palm as his eyes had signaled downward to her. In his large palm, he held a ring with a large fake white quartz stone on it. Donna was speechless.

"Harvey, did you just make that?"

"Yes, from the wineglass charms that I remember Rachel had used last night," Harvey said. "Now I tried to make this small enough to fit your beautiful finger, so if it falls off, don't be surprised. The real one will fit you much better."

"Harvey, I will marry you, but you know that I wasn't waiting for the presentation of a five carat diamond before I answered. I just wanted you to know that. I would marry you in a vat of chocolate and we had to eat our way out of it."

"I know you. You like beautiful things. You deserve beautiful things especially a ring that's uniquely you.."

"Us...Harvey. It has to come from your heart. That's why I'm glad you're not coercing me going to the jewelers all by myself and pick out my own ring."

"Sounds good to me..."

"Harvey!"

"Just kidding...now," Harvey stopped putting suspense and intensity back in the air. "For the third time tonight, Ms. Donna Paulsen will you please, please do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

He placed the ring on her finger where the large plastic stone rested on one side. The ring itself was bent very well and fit Donna's finger perfectly.

Donna looked down at the ring and then looked into the eyes of the man who had held her heart forever. She caressed his face.

"Yes, Mr. Harvey Reginald Specter, I would love to be your wife. So, yes...I...will...marry...you," Donna finally said with tears falling from her eyes. She threw her arms around Harvey's neck as she felt his arms envelop her and hold her so tightly that she thought he would suffocate her.

"You have made me so happy, Donna!" Harvey whispered lovingly into her ear and then followed his sentence with kisses to her neck and holding her head to his shoulder.

Suddenly there was applause from the staircase. There stood Mike and Rachel in their white matching bathrobes applauding.

"It's about damn time, Specter!" Mike teased.

Donna pulled back in Harvey's embrace and both of them acknowledged their audience and laughed.

The next morning Harvey and Donna had to catch their plane back to Manhattan. Rachel and Mike decided to drive them on the way to their office.

"It's too bad I couldn't have shown you the office, Harvey," Mike said as he drove on the way to the airport.

"Hey, by the way, when did you get your driver's license?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot you didn't know," Mike said smiling. It was a well known fact that Mike had put off learning how to drive because of how his parents were lost to him. They were killed by a drunk driver. The fact that Mike could not drive had not been revealed until one eventful roadtrip to McKernan Motors a few years ago with Harvey driving, a disgruntled Louis in the passenger side, and a disgusted Mike sitting in the back wondering why Harvey would give up his oldest client for them to share. Louis had figured out Mike's big secret of being a fraud only a few days before. So by Jessica's orders, she left it up to Harvey to bring peace between Louis and all of those who had been privy to Mike's secret.

"I found out that public transportation and employing private drivers could get pretty expensive at less than Manhattan pay. So, Rachel had a brand new car back in New York; and we paid for the train to bring it out here and I learned how to drive. I passed my road test a month after moving out here permanently."

"Well, I'm glad for you, Mike. It is something that you won't regret."

"I won't be driving when I come back to visit you guys. I will go back to getting a private driver or maybe you'll let me borrow Ray."

"Nope. He's mine...only kidding. Well, we'll see," Harvey said as Mike pulled up at the terminal where he and Donna's plane was taking off. All four friends got out of the car. Rachel and Donna let the men get the luggage and bring it to them as they stood outside in the early morning sunshine.

"Rache, I'm sorry about what Harvey did to your charm. He acted so impulsively."

Rachel shook her head and said, "No problem. Keep it even after you get your real ring. It'll be something you can tell your children about. How daddy asked you to marry him."

"I'm sure you will tell that little bun in the oven about his/her daddy's marriage proposal when he/she gets old enough," Donna agreed.

"I sure will. It's too beautiful not to pass on. Just like yours will be," Rachel said and hugged Donna.

"Love you. I'm so glad you came out here," Rachel said.

"Me, too. Please send me pictures of the sonograms or your bump progress. Auntie Donna needs to be kept in the loop," Donna admonished.

"As if you were ever out of the loop, Donna," Rachel said still hugging her best friend and patting her back.

Soon the men joined them and they all exchanged affectionate goodbyes one more time before Harvey and Donna walked into the building on their journey back to New York.