The hint of a smirk quirks Mike's lips as he watches Donna's mother disappears down the hall leaving him alone with Harvey. So far he's managed to refrain from commenting on the 'dynamic' relationship the pair have developed but a chuckle slips out and he coughs trying to disguise the amusement. "So... you gonna tell me why Donna's mother is picking out wedding dates?"

Harvey barely holds in a groan as he steps away from the young lawyer. "I don't know Mike, maybe she has her eye on someone."

Mike watches him move to the window, clearly searching for a distraction, and follows suit not deterred by the dismissal. "Wait-" he stalls, feigning seriousness as he sidles up to the man, "did you propose and not tell me?"

"Of course not." Harvey snaps drawing out his phone to check the time. It took him far too long to realise this was a set-up and he bites the inside of his mouth wondering if there's any plausible excuse he can come up with to bail.

"Then it's just a random coincidence?" Mike tilts his head expectantly, not in the least surprised when sarcasm spills from Harvey's mouth breaking the silence.

"You've met the women Mike, what do you think?"

"I think there's something you're not telling me." The amusement in his tone wavers and his voice takes a directer edge as he stuffs his hands into his jean pockets. He's never been one to shy away from bluntness, especially around his former mentor, and Diane's absence creates an escape for his tunneling concern. "You know it wasn't just Donna I was worried about."

"Mike, don't." Harvey issues the warning sliding his thumb over the lock-screen in his hand. Officially he's on leave but goes straight to his emails hoping it will signal an end to the conversion.

It doesn't.

Instead Mike steals a deep breath diving straight in with the truth. "I was on the other end of that call and I have never heard you scared like that." He stills, recalling his own fear but quickly shaking off the memory. It isn't something he wants to carry but he needs it to fuel the point he's making, "Harvey... you're in love with Donna."

The statement lands boldly between them resonating in Harvey's chest and the discomfort propels a sharp sigh from his lips. He has nothing to gain by lying. Mike knows him better than anybody and his hand twitches as he gives up on work and slides the phone away.

"I know."

The admission throws Mike and his mouth gapes before closing on a stuttered response, "well good, that's... that's great." Or at least it should be but the heaviness in the room doesn't subside and he covers his surprise with a curious shrug. "So what's the problem?"

Harvey shifts his gaze to the skyline the question tearing a hole through his usually cocky demure. Maybe he waited too long to tell her or maybe it's because deep down they both know she's too good for him. There are a hundred different reasons for the doubt rolling through him but he settles on the easiest and simplest explanation. "In case you haven't noticed I don't exactly have a great track record with relationships."

"Bullshit." Mike calls him out, angling his body with a more forward stance. The Harvey Specter he knows is arrogant, determined and goes after what he wants. The only time he's ever seen the man act differently was when Donna almost went to prison and it doesn't take a photographic memory to recognise the same fear is taking hold.

"Look. I get it..." Mike offers the softer response bringing himself back inline with the view of the city. He's always been the sensitive one, wearing his heart on his sleeve and it was bound to rub off. He just has to find a way to tap into the emotion. "The thought of losing her rattled you," he makes with observation with a slow exhale, "but Donna's going to be fine and I know you don't scare that easily, so what are you really afraid of?"

The assumption chips away at the unspoken truth and from where Harvey's standing it's jump or be pushed. "What if she doesn't want this?" He asks, the vulnerability tasting foreign on his lips. He expects an empathetic response in return but instead is met by a sharp intake that bolsters its way through the silence.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

Harvey's gaze snaps to Mike but before he can protest the man jumps back in with an indignant huff, "this is about pride? You're going to give up the one thing that could actually make you happy because of your ego?" There's no apology in his expression, not even when Harvey's gaze narrows at his reflection in the window.

"Watch it-" he warns, squaring his shoulders but there's no real fight to the stance. If anything it just proves how ridiculous the words sound outside his head and he gives up any further argument with a begrudging sigh, "leaving made you a real arsehole."

"No it didn't... being your friend made me an arsehole." Mike quips, standing by the defense because he's earned the mutual respect. He's not about to throw it away over a little bit of distance and he raises an eyebrow smirking, "you want someone to hold your hand go to Louis or a therapist... preferably a male one."

"You're are a son of a bitch, you know that?" He throws out the insult hardheartedly, a tight smile already replacing the tension locking his jaw. Under different circumstances he might even admit to missing the banter but the sudden sound of keys jingling prevents the thought from going any further. Instead his attention draws to the door, heart skipping as Donna pushes through with Rachel trailing close behind. Mike is the first to react his tall legs crossing the distance to greet them.

"They told me you were in hospital not at beauty retreat?" It's a blatant lie. She looks like hell but he follows up with a wink knowing better than to admit the truth out loud.

"You kiss your wife with that philandering mouth?" Donna's quick to retaliate, a wide smile forming on her lips as he moves in closer.

"Only when she lets me." He's careful as he wraps his arms around her catching his wife's gaze over Donna's shoulder. Even though she's putting on a brave face he can still read the concern in her expression and he keeps his voice low squeezing a little tighter. "How about you stop trying to give the old man over there a heart attack?"

Her eyes wander to Harvey and a faint blush catches her cheeks. There's still uncertainty washing between them but baiting him is natural and the words rolls of her tongue with ease, "it's a backup plan, in case Seattle doesn't work out for you."

Mike chuckles at the comment releasing her with a quick shake of his head, "you know he'd only come back from the grave to haunt the shit out of me."

"You bet your arse I would." Harvey interjects standing closer but still keeping a respectful distance. He doesn't want to intrude on the moment or more accurately introduce any awkwardness but his mouth softens in a smile as he motions down the hall. "Your mother's getting her things together then Ray will take her to the airport."

"Thanks Harvey." Her gaze lingers trying to convey her genuine gratitude until -as if on cue- her mother appears behind him trudging her way through the small apartment. Harvey moves quickly to help with the suitcase and a tug of emotion catches her by surprise, the feeling lodging in her chest as the older women embraces her tightly.

"You'll call if you need anything?" Diane asks forcing down the insistence that she stay longer. As much as she would like to the show of support in the room is a clear indication her presence isn't necessary and a few more days would only be prolonging the inevitable.

"I promise." Donna lets her go with a smile, hands retracting around herself as Diane pulls Rachel and Mike in for a quick hug. Harvey is next, his eyes shining with amusement as her mother whispers something in his ear and she resolves never to ask, her face flushing as he reaches down to retrieve the suitcase again.

"I've got it..." Mike jumps in snatching it up first, "Rachel and I will come down with you."

Harvey shoots the kid a glare, fists pooling in his pockets as the door shuts amidst another round of goodbyes. It sends the apartment hurtling into silence and he turns ready to face the awkwardness but Donna's attention is still fixed on a point behind him, her eyes glassy with tears and his legs cross the distance between them.

The movement snaps her out of the trance and she forces a watery smile as his fingers settle over her shoulders. "Sorry it's stupid. I mean you've met her, she's impossible and she drives me crazy but-"

"Hey..." he interrupts the ramble with a soft and genuine expression,"my family isn't exactly the Brady Bunch either."

The quip earns him a relaxed laugh and he lifts his arm thumbing the stray moisture from her cheek. He wants to tell her she doesn't have to apologise, not to herself and never to him but the words lodge in his throat when she suddenly edges away. He doesn't want to let go, can't, and encircles her wrist pulling her back to him.

She instinctively palms his chest unsure what to make of the proximity or the silence filling the space between them.

"I love you."

He doesn't know who's more surprised by the outburst but neither of them move, absorbing the weight of the confession. The last time he admitted it the shit storm that followed nearly destroyed their friendship but the words means more now and the clarity rolls out easier than expected, "I'm in love with you Donna."

A look of panic crosses her features and he drops her wrist with a hesitant breath, "I'm not expecting you to say anything back, I just... I needed you to know."

The selflessness eases the fear tightening her chest and she relaxes, a sense of ease replacing the doubt swirling in her stomach. Neither of them are running. They're both here and both finally ready to face what they been denying themselves. "Thank you Harvey."

He stalls on the note of placation but she moves for him, pressing her mouth to his lips and ensuring there isn't any uncertainty. His arms wind out in response clutching at her hips and drawing them closer until a sudden vibration pulls a groan from his throat and he swears at the intrusion. He feels her laugh rumble against his chest as he fishes for the phone. It has to be Mike. No one else has worse timing and pulls the device out from his pocket skimming the message.

'You guys doing it yet?'

Amusement gleams over his frustration as he angles the screen at Donna. "What do you think?" He asks, a deliberate hum to the question. When she nods her approval he thumbs the keypad composing a response, 'would be, if you'd leave us alone for five minutes'.

It takes all of thirty seconds for the phone to vibrate again.

'Be safe, use protection.'

Harvey types a quick 'no shit' shoving the phone back in his pocket and winding the hand back around Donna's waist burying his head in the curve of her neck. He doesn't want to face the possibility of an interruption but counts down anyway, a knock sounding at three, two, one-

"You guys actually doing it in there or what?"

The muffled voice cuts through the apartment and Harvey rolls his eyes picking his head up but making no move to disentangle himself. Donna eyes him curiously, an unspoken question of whether he's sure, but the only doubt running through his mind is whether or not to thank Mike or to kill him. "Just open the goddamn door Mike."

He does, his eyes widening in shock at the sight of his two best friends. "Holy shi-" he stops as Rachel smacks him hard, amending the curse to a forced cough. He's still at a loss for words when Rachel grabs his arm covering the awkwardness with a beaming smile.

"Why don't we give you guys some privacy. Dinner later?" She asks innocently, watching Donna's face turn red as she responds to the request.

"Much later." She affirms, watching the pair scuttle from the doorway like two giggling teenagers. It's a momentary distraction and she's ready to pick up where she and Harvey left off, pouting slightly when he unwinds from her body. It leaves her with a sudden chill and she rubs her arms with a confused frown.

"You're still sick." He reminds her gently, his gaze softening with concern as she tries to warm herself. "As much as I want to... and believe me I do, you need to get some rest."

She wants to protest but the pull of exhaustion has being weighing on her and she nods with a tired sigh, "feel like keeping me company?"

"Always." He mummers, hands moving to gently encircle and guide her down the hall. He can't help wanting the contact, needing to be as close to her as possible. They have time for the rest, uninterrupted days to figure the ins and outs of it all and he smiles as the darkness of her room swallows them.

He may be immune to illness but he proved susceptible to her and the only cure that's worked so far is staying blissfully entwined.

A small price he's more than happy to pay.


AN: Hi friends! So... I don't have any more chapters written so I'm taking a little break from this one. I may update again if my muse hits but I'm currently working on a new vid that will be up soon and a few other one-shots. Thanks again for all the reviews and continued support! :) If you want to check out any of my other work you can find me cassether on Tumblr or Cassie_Ether on Twitter.

Lots of love! :)