AN: I am so excited for you guys to read this chapter, I think it's my favorite one I've written so far. Buckle in because it's a long one!

"So- so she's my daughter? My- biological daughter?" Donna breathed staring blankly at the wall. Her head was spinning, of course she had always thought of Hannah as her daughter but to learn she was actually related to her. The similarities were pretty obvious, but Donna didn't read into it because that was impossible. Yeah until your future self comes back in a time machine and everything you thought you knew gets flipped on its head. She looked to Harvey and saw he wore a blank shocked expression. She mulled over the facts, the only thing that keeps her head above water in a time of uncertainty. In the future I have a baby with Harvey. Time travel is something that exists. My future self came back. She came back to- Donna's heart dropped. Her head snapped up, wide eyes and filled with panic. "You're not…" Donna trailed off, clutching onto Hannah for dear life. She didn't even want to verbalize the rest of her sentence.

"No! No Donna I'm not taking her." She quickly clarified. "She's yours, she's here to stay." Her future self tentatively walked over, running her fingers longingly through Hannah's hair as she spoke. "I have my own."

"What does that mean?" Harvey asked skeptically.

"That's part of the reason why I'm here." Future Donna sighed, taking a seat on the edge of the coffee table in front of them. "But first I have to tell you why I brought her here in the first place." They looked at her attentively, silently telling her to begin her story. "Well it all started when Harvey met someone." She said softly looking at her feet. Donna felt Harvey stiffen next to her.

"I can't believe you did that Donna!" Harvey yelled hastily buttoning his shirt and looking around the room for his tie.

"Me?!" she squawked. "Yeah well it's a little hard to talk with your tongue down my throat!" Donna grabbed her robe off the arm of the chair pulling it tight across her body and double knotting it. She knew this was a bad idea. She knew the minute he suggested going out for drinks it was a bad idea but she missed him. She wanted their 'normal' back, whatever the hell that was now.

"You made me out into the one thing I never wanted to be! Twice, so thanks for that." He smiled bitterly, tying his tie around his neck.

"I didn't make you do shit Harvey!" Donna spat. "Typical," she mumbled under her breath, "can never take responsibility for your own actions."

"What the hell am I supposed to tell Ashley, huh?" He shrugged his jacket over his shoulders, fiddling with the cufflinks.

"You don't have to tell her anything Harvey, we're drunk it was a mistake. We'll just sweep it under the rug and never talk about it, just like we do everything else!" Donna huffed.

"No Donna I'm not going to do that." He sighed shaking his head. He ran a hand through his hair, pulling on the short strands. "Why now?"

"What do you mean why now?" Donna asked taking a seat on the edge of her bed as Harvey paced the room.

"Why would you do this now? I'm finally happy with someone and that's when you decide to make a pass at me!" She tried not to flinch at his words.

"Are you serious right now?" She stared at him in disbelief.

"What I think it's a valid question." His hands slapped against his sides as he looked at her expectantly. She snorted and shook her head.
"You're one to talk!" She scoffed.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Hmm does 'you know I love you Donna' or I don't know Thomas Kessler ring a bell? See Harvey it sucks when you're on the other end of the stick! You've had what about 15 years to do something about it and the only time you ever show interest in me is when one of us is with someone else." Her volume increased as the sentence went on. She stood up from the bed crossing her arms defensively against her chest.

"Oh yeah Thomas Kessler, didn't take too long for him to get you into bed, did it? I thought you had a rule about that Donna or was that only for me? But I guess you'll just sleep with anyone who smiles at you and buys you a drink." He accused with a sarcastic tone.

"What I do and who I do it with is none of your damn business and I will not stand here and be called a whore in my own house, just get out Harvey!" she said sharply with no emotion in her voice.

"Donna-"

"I said get out!" she picked a throw pillow up off the ground and flung it across the room at him. Screaming 'get out' until she heard her front door close in a loud slam. The sound was deafening as she sunk down onto her plush rug tears streaming down her face.

…

The agony she felt two weeks ago was nothing compared to what she was feeling now as she sat on her bathroom floor staring at a positive pregnancy test. When the results popped up Donna felt like she had been punched in the throat. They hadn't said a single word to each other in two weeks, always sending some poor associate when they needed to get a message to each other. No way could she walk into his office and say 'I'm pregnant and oh by the way it's yours'. Flipping the test over in her hands a few times she picked up her phone and took a much needed sick day. She spent half the day crying on the phone to Rachel and the other half crying to her sister. In between phone calls she made various pros and cons lists to try and get her head on straight. She knew for certain she wanted to keep the baby, this was probably her last chance to have a child, even if the circumstances were less than ideal. She weighed the option of telling Harvey versus not telling Harvey. If she told him he would, hopefully, do the right thing and support her but he would be angry. But if she didn't tell him and he found out anyway he would be angry. Donna groaned sitting down on the couch with her head in her hands, this was impossible. The cat she adopted last year tried to worm his way under arm, clearly sensing her distress. She scratched him between the ears as he settled on her lap purring loudly.

"What should I do Puppy?" she sighed. "How is this my life now?"

…

She finally decided on telling him, it was the right thing to do. This baby was every much his as it is hers. Her hands shook as she walked towards his office. "I can do this." She whispered to herself. "Just rip off the band-aid." Rounding the corner Donna stopped when she saw Ashley and Harvey standing in the middle of his office, which wasn't an uncommon occurrence since they were together and Ashely was a new senior partner at the firm. Donna didn't want to intrude and she tried to turn away without being noticed. Just then Harvey dropped to a knee and Donna felt like she had the wind knocked out of her. She tried to look away but was frozen in her spot. She watched helplessly as the only man she's ever loved, the man whose child she's carrying, get engaged to someone else. She didn't realize she was crying until salt stung her lips. She definitely couldn't tell him now… She locked herself in her office for the rest of the day, snapping at anyone who dared to come within five feet of her glass. She left the office the second the clock struck five, ignoring all the dumbfounded looks from everyone else. Settling into a cab she took out her phone and dialed her sister.

"Hey, I changed my mind."

…

Pulling a roll of tape across the final box she looked around at her empty apartment. Puppy weaved in between the boxes and gave a confused meow. Donna sighed, rest a hand on her, thankfully still flat, stomach and bent down to give the cat a scratch on the head. "We're going to be just fine, San Francisco is going to be good for us." After a lengthy conversation with her sister, and then Louis and Robert, she decided she couldn't stay in New York anymore. That way she and Harvey could get a clean break. Harvey could marry Ashley and live his life without ever knowing about Donna and the baby. Donna could go to California and be with her sister and raise her baby surrounded by family. 'This is what is best' she kept telling herself. Her baby would be better off with just Donna, as opposed to being caught in the middle of two families. With two parents who couldn't even stand to be in the same room as each other and constantly were at each others throats, much like her own parents. She wouldn't wish that on her worst enemy, much less her own child. It was better this way.

She left abruptly, only telling the essential people. She didn't even tell Harvey she was leaving, just left a memo on his desk saying she took a job in San Francisco. Which technically wasn't a lie but wasn't the entire truth either. Mike and Rachel were able to hook her up with a decent job to help her get her life straight after the move. After running the firm in Seattle for a while they got a position giving legal counsel to the one and only Connor Mason at his newly restored company. Her new position wasn't anything like her COO position at the firm but she was incredibly grateful for it nonetheless. It allowed her to leave New York as quickly as possible. She was to be the new office manager at Mason Industries. It was a step down from being COO but still a step up from starting out again as a secretary. The job was fairly easy, she was able to work comfortably up until her eighth month and Connor Mason gave her an extended maternity leave because he had grown so attached to her, as everyone had. The minute little Hannah came into this world she instantly fell in love with her and she knew she made the right choice. Her heart clenched the first time she saw Harvey's big puppy dog eyes on her daughter's tiny face. She hadn't thought about Harvey in a long time. It was faint but she could see the little wisps of red hair on Hannah's tiny head and Donna melted, she was perfect.

The first time Donna brought Hannah into work everyone lost their mind. Her new friends at Mason Industries had really become her family. There was one part of the building they kept secret, she wasn't even allowed down the hallway. She was dying to know what it was, Mike and Rachel didn't know either but were just as curious as her. There was a woman from Homeland Security who had an office right by hers, it seemed odd for a someone from the government to have an office at the company but she didn't question it. One of her favorite part of the day was having coffee, or tea in her case, with Agent Denise Christopher. She was a middle aged woman and her presence calmed Donna, she reminded her a lot of her own mother. She was very soft spoken and gentle but also would lay down the law when need be, especially with 'the team' as she heard people call them, she didn't know much about them aside from meeting them a few times. Donna racked her brain but she couldn't figure out what kind of project would call for a team of a historian, soldier and scientist. She almost fainted the first time she met the historian, Lucy, she remembers her introducing herself. It was astounding she was nearly identical to Scottie. Her hair was a touch shorter and she wore more jeans and blazers than designer dresses and heels but other than that it was almost as if they were the same person. It took a full twenty minutes for her to convince Donna she wasn't Scottie and Donna felt terrible for having an attitude because Lucy was truly the sweetest person she had ever met. She and her husband Wyatt, who had the bluest eyes Donna had ever seen in her life, welcomed her with open arms. Wyatt was also the soldier on the team, a Master Sergeant in the Delta Force. They had the cutest little twin girls, Flynn and Amy, Donna loved seeing the two year olds toddle down the hallway being chased by one of their parents. Her heart ached a bit watching the little family. She wished so bad for Hannah that things could have worked out between her and Harvey. But she knew it was better this way, and who knows maybe one day she'll meet a man who will chase Hannah, and perhaps a sibling, down the hall.

…

"Donna!" a chill ran down her spin at a voice she never thought she'd hear again. She squeezed her eyes shut and when she opened them he was standing in her office, angrier than she had ever seen him in her entire life and that was saying something. "Are you fucking kidding me!" he yelled. "I honestly can't believe you!" his shouting had attracted the attention of a few tech running around the building. She also made eye contact with Wyatt through the window in her office, he gave her a look of concern hand inching towards his holster. Donna discretely shook him off. Harvey wasn't dangerous, worst he was going to do was yell Donna could handle him.

"Harvey…" she started, getting up to close the door to hopefully offer them some privacy which is probably pointless if he continues shouting like he does.

"No Donna I had to hear from Louis… Louis of all people, that when you left you were pregnant!" his jaw was clenched and his nostrils were flaring.

"I'm sorry Harvey, I'm so sorry I know I should have told you but I figured it would be better for Hannah if-"

"Better?! What part of this is better for her Donna! You moved across the country without even telling me you were pregnant, without giving me the option to make a choice! To even let me know my own child!" he yelled, hands moving around violently when he talked. There was a look of pure rage in his eyes and in all her life Donna never imagined being on the receiving end of it.

"You made your choice." Donna scoffed glaring at the ring on his left hand which he quickly shoved into his pocket, "you really want to tell me you would have chosen us? That Hannah wouldn't have been caught in the middle of every situation for the rest of her life? That she wouldn't have been sick with guilt every Christmas and Thanksgiving and birthday about having to choose who she spends it with. I went through that Harvey! And I was not about to do that to my child so yeah I left and I would do it again if I could!" Donna stood tall, she was proud of herself not letting Harvey come in and bulldoze her. She did what was best for Hannah and no one was going to tell her otherwise.

"Can I see her? Is she here?" He pleaded.

"She's with my sister." Donna informed leaning back against her desk.

"This was inexcusable Donna. In all my time knowing you I never knew you were capable of something so cruel and heartless. I'm filing for custody the second I get back to New York." He yelled before turning on his heel and slamming the door to her office so hard her blinds shook. All the tears she had been holding back had come tumbling out as she brought a hand to her mouth gasping for air. Within seconds her door opened again tentatively and in came Rachel followed by Lucy and Connor Mason. Rachel immediately pulled her into a hug and let her cry while Lucy gingerly rubbed her arm.

"He- he hates me. Harvey actually hates me. And he's- and he's," she hiccupped into Rachel's shoulder, "he's filing for custody and he's got so much pull with the courts in New York he's going to take Hannah away from me. Rach I can't lose her she's my entire world… I can't lose her I don't know what I'll do." Donna pulled away panting as she tried to wipe the tears and smeared make up off her cheeks. "I should have just been a big girl and told him from the start. I didn't want to lose her and now I'm probably going to anyway. God this is such a mess!" Donna exasperated digging her fists into her forehead. Lucy gave Connor a look and he responded with a small nod. Lucy wordlessly took her hand and led her to the area she had always been told was off limits.

"Have you ever heard of a closed time-like curve?"

"And that's when they told me all about time travel. They promised me a do-over. Even made a little car seat for Hannah in the lifeboat so she would be safe and I brought her back to you, one week before you even met Ashley." Future Donna sniffled as she finished the story. Donna had tears streaming down her face and Harvey's tight grip in her hand trembled. Donna felt like she was going to be sick, she was so close to being the Donna that sat in front of her. To hear how she and Harvey spoke to each other, the harsh words she never thought she'd ever say to him much less hear being shouted back at her. They were only one week away from losing the most important relationship of her life. Hannah wouldn't have had a father; she wouldn't have this baby right now. All of that pain and anger was just within reach. "I wanted to change things for her, give her the life she deserves. With two parents who love her and each other. Not ones fighting a lengthy, ugly custody battle."

"I can't believe it…" Harvey whispered next to her.

"I think I just interviewed Ashley last week." Donna mumbled to herself.

"Yeah well don't hire her!" Connor scoffed and they all chuckled a bit but a somber energy still filled the air. Just then Harvey shocked her by standing up and pulling future Donna into a crushing embrace.

"I am so sorry I said those things to you." Future Donna didn't answer but Donna could see fresh tears glistening her cheeks as she hugged him tight.

"Thank you Harvey." She breathed when they pulled away.

"You said you needed our help?" Donna asked with a sniffle. Hannah had fallen asleep on her chest and the weight was comforting as she ran a hand up and down her back.

"Oh yes but… can I… hold her? She's just so small." Future Donna asked shyly. Donna expertly passed the sleeping child to her future self. "I never got to see her at this age, she's a lot bigger where I come from." Future Donna smiled looking down at Hannah.

"What do you mean 'she's a lot bigger?'" Harvey questioned.

"Yes right here comes the confusing part." She looked to Connor who motioned for her to continue. "So I just told you my timeline, which is obviously different from the one you guys are living in now." Harvey and Donna cautiously nodding along, she understood what was happening so far. "Well you guys were on track for my timeline but the second I brought Hannah back that timeline shifted into the one you're in now. And since I was in the past when the timeline changed I was immune to the effects; however, everyone else that was in the present their reality changed instantly and they didn't even know it. Everything you do has a ripple effect when you time travel. Moments in history are not fixed points everything can be changed. Some of them are small changes like if you interacted with someone who originally wouldn't have interacted with you maybe that changed something about their day. Most of the time it's no big deal but other times the present changes drastically. I changed the present in a pretty big way so when I traveled back to my time I came home to Hannah and the baby and I was married to Harvey. Since they don't remember the original timeline they all thought I was just on a business trip to San Francisco. But I am the only one who remembers the mess with Ashley and me moving away. So when I came home Hannah is now almost four and the baby, I'm sorry I keep saying the baby because I don't know if you guys know if it's a boy or a girl or if you decided on a name yet and I don't want to ruin anything." She said sheepishly. Donna's ears perked up, it just occurred to her that she knew the baby's name and what they looked like. She was so curious but given what she said about how easily things could be changed she didn't want to risk anything so she just stayed quiet. If we came up with a name once I'm sure we'll come up with the same name again.

"We know it's a boy but we still haven't decided on a name yet." Donna informed her.

"Okay," she continued, "so I won't say his name but he just turned two I'm pretty sure. See I don't even know how old my son is! When I got home my life completely flipped upside down. And that's what I need you help with. I need you guys to help me fill in as many of the gaps as I can." She sounded so distraught and Donna's heart ached. All she was trying to do was give her daughter a better life and she got way more than she bargained for.

"Wait I'm not following." Harvey scrunched his eyebrows together.

"My Harvey, from 2020, doesn't remember a time when he had Ashley all he knows is some mystery lady handed him Hannah and the rest is well you know. But the problem is I do remember that timeline. I know absolutely nothing about the timeline I created. When I got home I didn't know where we lived or the kids nap schedule or even where the damn wine glasses were. And it was definitely a shock seeing this little guy run towards me." She snorted pointing at Donna's stomach. She then turned to Harvey. "I don't know anything about our relationship or when you proposed or got married and I think my Harvey is starting to notice. I forgot how to act around him, I had to learn how to watch my comments around him, how to keep my hands to myself, how to not be in love with him. I spent so long without him I jump when he touches me or even walks into the room, and seeing you two I know that's not how I am supposed to be acting and I'm getting worried that I'm going to destroy the life I tried so hard to create so I need you guys to just help me fill in any gaps you can. Teach me how to be you. Don't sugar coat anything I need hear it all the good, the bad, and the ugly and don't worry nothing you guys have been through can be as ugly as the timeline I came from." She gave a self-deprecating laugh but Donna could see the panic in her eyes.

"Of course Donna we'll help you! Do I- future me, think you're just on another business trip again?" Harvey asked and she nodded. "Hey wait a minute Denise. I think I met her at the park! And Donna met her at the train ride at the zoo!" Connor and Future Donna both burst out laughing. "What's so funny? She threatened me!" Harvey pouted only causing them to laugh harder.

"She's harmless! Denise is just very protective, she's like a mama bear. Denise and Connor came with me in the lifeboat to drop off Hannah because I needed people who would remember my timeline, I needed someone I could talk to. I also might have sent her and Connor back to check in on you guys a few times, just to make sure I didn't send my daughter away for nothing."

"Denise isn't very subtle is she?" Harvey deadpanned.

"Not so much." Connor chuckled. Donna watched as her future self rocked Hannah back and forth, she couldn't even imagine what it must have been like to give her daughter away and miss over two years of her life.

"Hey wait, Wyatt sounds familiar too I think he interviewed at the firm? Remember?" She asked looking to Harvey. "Because then he got a call from, well I guess now I know it was Lucy, but I saw her picture and the caller ID just said 'baby-doll' and I assumed from her picture that it was Scottie and it put me in such a bad mood for the rest of the day." Donna laughed looking over at her future self.

"Oh god I know they're so annoyingly adorable with that. Wyatt calls Lucy baby-doll and Lucy calls him sweetheart but the way she says it it's with like a 1930's reporter accent. It's the strangest thing but from what I've heard it's an inside joke from one of their…assignments." She said choosing her words carefully. Donna raised a skeptical eyebrow as future Donna looked to Connor. "They're just the cutest things, I've been meaning to look them up and see what they're up to in this timeline because Lucy is totally pregnant again and Jiya and Rufus have a pool going on when they're going to announce it because they really aren't as secretive as they think they are-" Connor Mason gave her a knowing smirk and her face lit up. "Noo!" she gaped.

"Guys!" Harvey cut them off.

"Right sorry," future Donna said focusing back on them. "I'm just sad they won't remember a timeline when we were friends I really liked everyone there. I know it's a big ask but I told my Harvey I would be gone a week, can I observe you guys to try and get a feel for how I'm supposed to interact with him? I'll get a hotel room so it won't be weird and I won't go anywhere so no one will think I'm this you. Absolutely no one can know about this or time travel under penalty of treason." Her face was serious and Donna was a bit scared, damn is this what I look like when I make that face.

"Yes of course Donna," Harvey nodded, "but if I'm understanding these timelines correctly wouldn't you being here now mean that I'll remember being told all of this when you get back?" Harvey looked back and forth between Connor and future Donna.

"That's what I'm hoping," she sighed gently handing Hannah back to Donna. "But just in case you don't I need to learn these things. Tell me what happened when I dropped her off."

"Okay then I'll go put Hannah to bed Harvey you make some coffee I have a feeling we're going to be here a while."

AN: Only two more chapters to go! How did you guys feel about the timeline explanation? I tried to make it as point A to point B as possible but I don't know if it was still confusing. I apologize if it was and I'd be happy to try to explain it further if you're still confused! Like I said this was my favorite chapter so I'm dying to know what you guys think!