Hi everyone! It's been a while, but THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the reviews. I'm glad you all liked the flashbacks.. I really love thinking about all the possible moments they could have had over the past 12 years... I hope you're all just as excited as I am for 6B! THREE MORE DAYS!
Anyway, here's the next LONG chapter (but you waited long for it too.. ).. I hope you like it and would love to know what you thought. x - M
Chapter 38: Mother's Day
Her mouth parted slightly, a gasp escaping her lips and her hands started to tremble. "What?" she mumbled, her eyes searched for his. Her head now slightly shaking, she wondered if she heard this correctly.
Placing the cup of coffee back on the counter, he let his hand trace over the counter top of the kitchen island as he made his way towards her. "Marry me," he repeated softly this time, his eyes locking with hers, he reached for her hand. A small smile forming on his lips while he waited for her to answer.
"What…" she whispered once more, her head still slowly shaking from left to right. "No… Not… not like.." she paused her sentence, gasping for air herself when she heard her own words resonating in her ears and she could feel his fingers slipping away again. A tear slipping down her cheek, her gaze dropped to the now empty spot between them. Biting the inside of her cheek, she saw his feet retreating, making her look at him again but he didn't speak. A look of shock written all over his face. "You …" she cried now. "You can't ask me like this," she added now, her head crooking she tried to look at him again. "Not again."
He swallowed, feeling his vision starting to blur and his chest tightening. His hand landed back on the counter, his feet taking another step away from her. No clue what to say now, all he could hear over and over again was that two-letter word as response to the question he had wanted to ask her for a while now.
"Not like you did all those years ago. So out of the blue," she cried, lifting her arms in the air. She signalled the kitchen around them, her emotions taking over. "This isn't the romantic proposal every girl has dreamt about." She stood there crying, in no control of the words she was actually saying. A hysterical laugh escaped her lips when she noticed his empty hands, she brought her hand to her head. "You don't even have a ring," she laughed now.
"Don..." he mumbled, burying his hands in the pockets of his trousers. Swallowing in the rest of his sentence when she shook her head again.
Her right hand still fisted in her hair, she turned herself away. "I can't even look at you right now," she hissed. Her hand reached for a cloth, frantically starting to move it over the counter. Trying to remove a stain that wasn't even there anymore, pushing the newspaper aside. She continued with her task. "How can you ask me like this?"
He let out a soft sigh. Her additional reasoning making him overcome the original 'no.' He knew she had experienced some mood swings the past few week, but he hadn't expected one to happen by him asking this question. That was what he kept telling himself. That her hormones caused her reaction, otherwise she would have just said no. Nevertheless, her reaction threw him off his game more than he wanted to admit.
She had told him she loved him not even fifteen minutes prior to him asking her if she wanted to marry him. "Donna," he tried again, taking place between two of the barstools, but she just shook her head. Her finger tapping against the counter, she mumbled something about a stain again. "I uhm... " he whispered, his fingers tapping against his leg when she still didn't acknowledge him. He also knew it was best to let her calm down on her own. "I'll be at the firm for a while. Need to pick something up."
"Yeah. Ok," she answered. Her right hand reaching for the soap once more, she added another dot on the already shiny counter. Cleaning it again.
He swallowed, biting his bottom lip. He wanted to tell her the counter was already clean or that the housekeeper would do it, but he also knew that whatever he would say now wasn't going to register. Not now. Instead, he took a step back, walking past the kitchen counter he looked in her direction once more before he put on his coat. "I'll be back soon," he spoke whether she was listening or not, his right hand turning the doorknob. He quietly walked out when there was no response, closing the door behind him again.
Her head popped up at the sound of a door closing then. Her eyes widening she took in the empty living room and he hands with the yellow cloth in them came to a halt. "Harvey?" she called for him. Her breath faltering when her question was countered with dead silence. She looked to her left then, scanning the room as she called for him again. Her feet started to move and she made her way to their bedroom, followed by the baby room, but both of them are empty.
She turned around, her gaze now landing back on the kitchen and the entire scene plays out in front of her again. "Marry me?" She gasped for air, bringing her hand to cover her mouth. Her other hand falling on the backrest of the couch for support when she remembers her own reaction. "Ooh... god... ooh god, no."
.
The brunette's hand fell against the door. "Donna please," she whispered to herself, knocking on the door twice more. A relieved sigh escaping her lips when she heard the muffled sound of footsteps coming from the other side of the door. "Donna, it's me. Rachel," she announced her presence. Her lips turning into a small smile when she finally faced her friend.
Donna swallowed, taking in the worried look in her friend's eyes. She didn't say hello, letting her hands drop instead, she made her way back to the living room. "Why are you here?" she asked, pacing around again. Cleaning the room in the process, her mind still going over what happened that morning.
"Donna?" Rachel tried again, waiting for her friend to look at her. She stepped closer when the redhead didn't, her hands carefully reaching for Donna's arms, she guided both of them over to the couch. Holding the redhead's hand when she sat down next to her. "Mike got called into to the firm on a Saturday," Rachel started. "That hasn't happened since..." she paused, her gaze dropping to Donna's stomach. "Well months. What happened?"
Donna bit her lip again. She was fighting the tears, but there was no point. "He... he asked me to marry him," she explained, another tear slipping down her cheek. "And I said no," she adds, another gasp escaping her lips. Saying it aloud making it sound so much worse. "Ooh god, Rach," Donna looked at her friend. "I said no… He... he asked and... And I... I said no," she repeated in between sobs. "I told him that wasn't the proposal a girl dreamt of… Why... why did I?"
"Hey," Rachel whispered, bringing herself closer to her friend. She wrapped her arms around the redhead, letting her cry on her shoulder. "It will be alright. Everything will be alright."
"But what if –"
"Donna," Rachel interrupted her friend's negative thoughts, letting her right hand move over Donna's back. "He loves you," she reassured her friend. "He loves you and you love him and that's all that matters. You're having a baby together. Everything is going to be fine."
Donna nodded twice, swallowing once as she repeated Rachel's words in her mind. "I never dreamt of a particular proposal, why did I say that?" she mumbled now, sitting back up. The confusion still there.
Rachel crooked her head. Wiping a tear from the other woman's cheek. "This little one here," Rachel added then, gently placing her hand on Donna's baby bump.
"What?" the redhead frowned now.
Rachel chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Don," she reached for her friends hand again. "You're pregnant. It are the hormones. Last week you snapped at Louis for drinking a prunie near you, you've been buying every single one of us sushi because you want to smell it and when you saw that article in the newspaper you ran off to your parents on your own," Rachel recalled giving Donna a small smile.
"How?" Donna whispered now, running the back of her hand along her nose. Sighing once more.
"You're seven months pregnant, Donna," Rachel answered with a smile. "You're going through a lot and sometimes the way you react isn't entirely rational, but we all know that. Harvey knows that too. It will be okay."
Donna smiled softly now, wiping the remainder of tears away. "I meant how do you know all this," she countered, nudging her friend's arm with her shoulder.
"Because Harvey told us how you didn't like the idea of going on maternity leave," Rachel answered. "So he asked all of us to take it easy with you when you're at the firm," the young associate added. Smiling at the redhead when she repeated the lawyer's name. "Come on," Rachel got back up. "Let's get you dressed and we will go out and get something to eat and when you get back here tonight, you're going to tell him you love him and everything will be okay, okay?"
.
Mike tapped his foot against the elevator floor. Counting the floors, he patiently waited for the elevator to reach the fiftieth floor. Looking back ahead when the doors opened, he stepped outside. His head automatically turning to the left, Mike came to a halt when he spotted the other lawyer waiting in front of the reception desk. "Ok, you're waiting here," Mike started. "What's the crisis? Which client?"
"There's no client," Harvey answered with a little frown. He signalled for Mike to follow him.
"No client," Mike repeated, his pace slowing down again. "You called me in to the firm on a Saturday and there is no client with a crisis?" He asked now. "What am I doing here then?" He added.
Harvey sighed, looking over his shoulder. "I said there's no client," he answered. "Not that there was no crisis," he explained, signalling with his hand for the pup to follow him again as he continued his way down the fiftieth floor. "It's not really a crisis either," Harvey mumbled then, letting out another sigh.
"Are you going to tell me what is going on?"
"I asked Donna to marry me," Harvey answered, turning around on the spot once more when he noticed his associate had stopped walking yet again.
"You..." Mike stuttered, trying to wrap his head around his boss' words. "Wow. Congratulations."
"Don't –"
"What?" Mike shot back, shaking his head. "She didn't… Wait," he paused then. "Isn't the ring still in my office?"
"It is," Harvey answered, thinking back to her words from earlier that day. "That's why you're here."
Mike nodded in understanding, but frowned again. "I thought you were planning something special and you wanted me to hide the ring in my office, because otherwise she would find it?"
"I was," Harvey agreed, remembering the conversation he'd had with his friend a few weeks ago. "I just… I looked at her this morning and I couldn't wait anymore."
Mike smiled at Harvey's answer. "And Donna send you here to get the ring?" he teased Harvey, pushing the door to his office open. Both of them walked inside. Harvey sat himself down, while Mike opened the drawer of his desk. In search for the box, Harvey had asked him to hide.
"Not exactly."
.
Mike handed the little box over to his boss. Reaching for his phone soon after when it buzzed. He looked at the message Rachel had send him. "Rachel took Donna out for dinner," he reads aloud. Looking back up at the older lawyer. "Want to go and grab a bite too? Celebrate your upcoming engagement."
Harvey smiled, but shook his head. Not going to celebrate anything before he actually heard her say yes. Burying the little box in the pocket of his pant, he got up again. "I'm going home," he answered instead. "Want to be there when she gets home."
.
She wrapped her coat around her stomach, waiting for the red sliding doors to open, she made her way into the lobby. Her head turning to the right, she nodded at the security guy behind the desk. "He's home," Ed spoke, guiding the redhead on her way to the elevators. She pressed her lips into a thin line, smiling at the man that has helped her numerous times before.
Her hand tapping against her leg, she waited for the small metal box to take her to their penthouse. Her gaze resting on the sign next to the door for a moment, she smiled reading both their names and her hand moved over her stomach. "Harvey, Donna and Gordon Specter," she muttered under her breath, reaching for her key, she finally opened the door to their apartment.
"Harvey," she called for him the moment she stepped inside. She frowned for a moment when there wasn't a response and she now also noticed how there weren't any lights turned on. Quickly closing the door behind her, she removed her coat and kicked off her Manolo Blahnik ballerina's Harvey bought her the moment she couldn't wear her heels anymore.
Her fingers traced a line over the wall, she tiptoed her way to the empty living room. She spotted it in an instant, next to the cactus on the coffee table. The little Tiffany blue bow with a white ribbon around it. There could only be one thing inside; the ring she claimed he didn't have.
Bringing her hand to cover her mouth, she looked to her right. She had expected him to stand there, smug smile plastered on his face, but instead she spotted the burning light on the nightstand and him asleep in the midst of paper work. She let out a relieved sigh, biting her lip to stop herself from smiling she walked herself over to their bedroom.
His regular breathing giving away he'd actually fallen asleep. She watched him for a moment, the way he was almost sleeping on her pillow and it made her smile again. Quietly walking towards him, she reached for the papers. Placing them back in order, she made a stack on his nightstand. Looking to her right she smiled softly at the sleeping lawyer. It was only eight o'clock.
Changing into one of his old Harvard shirts, she turned the light off and made her way around the bed. Lifting the covers, she slid onto the matrass next to him. Her baby bump making the movement more difficult, he stirred in his sleep beside her before she finally managed to rest right beside him. Her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered then closing her eyes. "I don't know what happened. I didn't mean to say all that," she added, her hand caressing his chest. "Of course I want to marry you."
He hummed in his sleep, stirring around a bit more. Instinctively moving his arm over her waist to hold her close, his head now leaning against hers. "I love you," she whispered. Smiling at his movement, she brought herself even closer to him.
"I love you too," he mumbled, pressing a kiss against the top of her head. His fingers moving over her arm, he kept holding her close while both of them drifted off to sleep again.
.
He let out a yawn and his right arm moved over the matrass. His eyes flickering open when he realised that movement went uninterrupted. "Don..." he mumbled, letting his hand run over his face as he took in the empty spot beside him. Turning over his back, he sat back up. His eyes slowly scanning the rest of their bedroom until his gaze landed on a strange formation in the living room. He blinked twice then, wondering if he was still asleep, but his vision remained unchanged.
Pushing the sheets aside, he called for her once more. Making his way over to the living room, he stared at the improvised tent in front of the fireplace. His brows turning into a frown he now looked at her. The way she smiled softly at him, her hands behind her back as she rocked back and forth on her feet. "Donna?" he mumbled again, stepping closer. His hand briefly signalling to the structure on his right.
"Are we good?" she asked then, stepping towards him.
He noticed the concerned look on her face, crooking his head, his mouth dropping a little and he wondered how she could ever doubt that. Stretching his arms, he took her inside his embrace. "We're more than good, Donna," he whispered, hugging her tightly, making her baby bump press against his stomach. His lips pressing a kiss against her temple. Her hands moved over his chest, clinging onto his shirt in response.
"You're the love of my life," he said pulling back a little to look at her again. He could feel their baby kicking against his stomach then and he smiled. Taking another step back, his hand slipped from her back to the baby bump. His gaze lowering to the sight of her hand covering his on her bump. "I love you," he looked up at her again. "And I love our little pumpkin," he smiled, his thumb drawing circles on the spot their baby had just been kicking. "And I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you two. We're more than good, Donna."
She smiled, her eyes welling up from happiness this time. Harvey moved his right hand to her cheek. Wiping away a single tear, he cupped her face and kissed her once. "I do have a ring for you," he whispered afterwards, letting his forehead rest against hers.
"I saw," she smiled. Her hand caressing his cheek, she briefly looked to her left and back to him.
He smiled at her again, letting his left arm slide over her shoulders he moved to stand behind her. "I just went to the firm to pick it up. It's not like I can hide anything from you here," he whispered, resulting in a soft chuckle from her. "I'm sorry I asked you like that," he told her kissing the crook of her neck. His hands moving to hold her baby bump again.
"Don't be," she whispered. "I'm sorry I snapped at you."
He let out a small breath, placing another kiss on her neck before he let his chin rest on her shoulder. His gaze moving to the structure in the living room again. "What's this?" he asked then.
She let her hands slide over his, her digits slipping between his. "I uhm... " she started. "I was afraid I messed things up between us and I remembered your dad telling me how he used to build pillow forts for you guys," she paused for a moment. "So I wanted to surprise you, thought maybe we could go camping in the living room."
He smiled at the memory of his father, squeezing her hand he took in the collection of pillows and throw blankets. The string of lights that hung in front of the opening and he laughed when he spotted the marshmallows, crackers and chocolate on the table in front of the fireplace. He decided not to comment on her climbing on chairs to arrange this whole thing, but hugged her tightly instead. "Let's make s'mores."
"No," she whispered, turning around in his embrace. Her hands moving over his arms, her fingers slipping under the short sleeves of his shirt. Her nails softly digging into his skin as she pushed herself to stand on her toes. Her lips brushing over his. "Let's make love," she suggested instead. Her words making him smirk, he kissed her again. Holding her in his arms as he guided both of them inside the tent.
.
He shook his head, smiling at the woman in his arms. Sometimes it still feeling unreal how everything he ever wanted she had given him. Her hand moved over his face, a finger trailing along the bridge of his nose. He smirked at the way she was observing him. Her thumb moving over his lips down to his chin and finally rounded around his neck to play with his hair. He leaned forward, her "I love you," answered by his lips against hers again.
He pulled back the second the doorbell rang. His eyes widening for a moment, he frowned looking at the redhead, who gave him the same questioning look. "Stay here," he whispered kissing her again before he rolled off her. Quickly reaching for his sweat pants, he put them back on, struggling with his white t-shirt on the way over to the door. He brushed his hand through his hair, letting out another breath before he opened the door.
"Jessica?" Harvey mumbled in surprise. Opening the door further, he took a step back.
"Good afternoon to you too," Jessica countered, taking in his outfit as she followed him inside. Her pace slowing down when she spotted the tent in the middle of his living room. The managing partner turned to face her fellow name partner, a questioning look spread out over her face.
"We're camping," Harvey answered, trying to sound as serious as possible. "She's still asleep," he added, guiding the older woman over to the kitchen. Jessica gave him another questioning look, but restrained herself from commenting. "Why are you here? I already have someone to eat breakfast with."
The managing partner rolled her eyes and shook her head. Looking down at her bag instead, she pulled out some files. "Came here to get you to sign these," she answered dropping the papers on the kitchen counter. "And I need you to go to Boston to finalize our new recruitment deal in two weeks," she added with an apologetic smile when his face turned into an immediate frown.
Harvey opened the folder, taking the pen from Jessica's hand. His eyes quickly roaming over the papers. "Cameron is dropping the case?" he remarked, briefly looking back up at Jessica who nodded in return. Her reaction enough for him to sign the papers. Closing the file, he handed both the pen and the folder back to Jessica. "Isn't Louis the one in charge of recruitment?"
"He would be," she agreed. "But you know how his emotions take over from time to time and placing him in the same room as Sheila Sazs ..." she paused her sentence when Harvey started chuckling. "Goddamn it Specter," Jessica sighed, rolling her eyes again. She stuck the files back in her purse, making her way out of the kitchen again.
"But... "
"You're having a kid. Grow up, already," Jessica countered, looking over her shoulder as she walked back towards the front door.
"Yes mom," Harvey mumbled now, biting his tongue when he noticed Jessica's disapproval. "Anything else?" He asked, his own question contradicted by him opening the door again. He looked back up at the managing partner. "I'd like to get back to my tent."
"The one in your pants or the living room?" Jessica shot back, her hand moving from signalling him to the apartment again, stepping outside before she could even see his reaction. His mouth dropped and his gaze lowered for just a second. "You looked," Jessica teased him, her hand instantly reaching for the button of the elevator. She turned around on her heels again. Giving the lawyer a knowing look.
"Goodbye Jessica," Harvey countered, closing the door behind him again. Letting out a deep sigh, his gaze lowering one more second. Muttering how he shouldn't have let Jessica trick him, he walked his way over to the actual tent. His white t-shirt dropping on the floor soon after. Smiling again when he saw his redhead push herself up a little to look at him. Her left arm holding the blanket in place.
"Are you sure this is the tent you were looking for?"
He sighed, rolling his eyes. "You heard that," he countered, crooking his head as he looked at the grin forming on Donna's lips. The soft laugh that followed only confirming it.
"Of course I did," she smiled, moving the blanket aside she showed herself to him again. Her grin turning seductive when she noticed his eyes darken and his breath faltering for a moment. "Now get your ass back in here," she ordered patting the pillows next to her. He smirked, eagerly stepping forward to crawl back in the tent beside her, but she raised her hand in the air. Stopping him again. "Lose the pants first, mister."
"Bossy," he countered, undoing the tie of his sweat pants, pushing them down soon after. He kneeled down again and crawled back into the improvised tent. His hand sliding over her leg and stomach, he hovered above her again. His eyes locking with hers, both of them smiled. "I like it."
"You love it."
"I do," he gave in, kissing her again. His left hand moving over her face, twirling a strand of her auburn locks around his fingers. He looked at her again. "I do," he whispered again.
"About that," she smiled, biting her lip as she looked away for a moment. Her free hand tracing the muscles of his arm. "You said something about a ring," she whispered, repeating the words he said to her earlier that day. She'd seen the little box last night, but she didn't want to ask for it.
He grinned, nodding and pressing his lips against hers again. He moved aside, laying himself beside her on the pillow. He stretched his arm towards the table and reached for the little blue box from between the marshmallows and crackers. Holding it in his hand he leaned on his elbow, smiling he took a moment to just look at her. "Marry me?"
She beamed. Nodding with her head as she kept looking at him. "Yes," she answered then. "Yes," she whispered, pulling him back into a hug as she kept whispering how she loved him. Her hand moving over his jaw, down his neck and to his chest. She smiled again, now looking down at the box he held up in front of her once more.
She pushed herself up a little and Harvey followed her motion. Pushing a pillow against the couch, he moved to sit behind her. Leaning against the couch, he pulled her to sit between his legs. His arms wrapping around her, kissing her shoulder he watched her remove the white bow from the Tiffany blue box. The lid soon following, she lifted the smaller black jewellery box from it.
Taking a deep breath, she looked at him over her shoulder but all he did was smile. Nodding at the box in her hand as his hands trailed over her arms. He took the lead, guiding her hands to open the box. His gaze remained directed on her the entire time, wanting to remember every single aspect of this moment. He looked at the way her mouth dropped the second she saw the ring he picked out, the tears starting to well in her eyes and the way she mumbled a wow a couple of times.
He kissed her cheek, smiling at her when she looked at him in awe. He took the cushion cut diamond set ring from the little box with his right hand. His hand shaking a little from the overwhelming feeling of happiness he experienced in that moment. His left hand lifted hers up again and he slowly moved the ring to her hand. Telling her he loved her again, he slid the ring over her finger.
Both of them letting out a nervous laugh when it got stuck on the middle phalanx. He opened his mouth to speak, she merely used her free hand to cover her left hand with his. Looking at him again, she smiled brightly before stating the obvious. "It got stuck."
"I... Uhm," he mumbled, looking at the ring halfway her finger as he held up her hand. Another laugh escaping her lips, she placed his right hand on top of her baby bump. Tapping on the back of his hand twice, to indicate that was the reason it didn't fit. He grinned now too, his eyes closing for a moment he wondered how he didn't think about that. "In my defence," he whispered in her ear. "I bought it a few months ago."
She let her head lean against his chest, briefly looking at him before her gaze drifted off to her hand in his again. "I can wear it on a necklace if you want," she whispered, but he shook his head telling her he would be okay with whatever she decided as long as her answer remained yes. She twisted a little in his embrace then, trying to reach for the purse she dropped on the couch before.
He reached for it instead, handing it to her. He watched her search for a necklace she had been wearing a few days ago but took it off when they were at a pregnancy class. He studied her motions, watching her open the clasp and move the ring over the chain until it dangled in the middle. He took the necklace from her hands, bringing his own hands behind her neck and closing the clasp again. Smiling at her when her hand covered the ring resting on her chest.
He reached for her bag again. One handle slipped from his grasp, the bag opened and he spotted the pencil he'd seen her use for her eyes from time to time. Tossing the bag on the couch again, he took out the pencil and removed the cap. The popping sound made her look over her shoulder, a slight frown creeping on her face she questioned his actions. He reached for her left hand instead and lifted it up again, drawing a ring on her ring finger with her eyeliner. "There," he whispered, kissing her again.
.
She turned around in her desk chair. Her right hand playing with the ring on her necklace, she stared at the sonogram they had taken that morning. Now more than ever, clearly being able to see the features of the little human being she was carrying inside her. Their baby boy looked perfect. The sound of her phone buzzing broke her thoughts again. She placed the sonogram back on her desk, hid the ring under her dress again as they had decided to keep it their little secret for a while and reached for her phone.
A chuckle escaped her lips when she saw how his message was nothing more than an eggplant emoji. Rolling her eyes at her phone, she quickly texted him back. "Seriously?"
"What?"
She frowned looking at the screen again. Wondering if he was clueless to his message or if something else was going on. "We just ..." She accidentally hit enter before finishing her sentence.
"No. Yeah. Wait. Didn't you get my other message?"
She scrolled back through the conversation, her screen moving back down when another message from him arrived.
"I meant our pumpkin is the size of an eggplant."
She smiled now at his words. He'd been making these comparisons every time they went to get a sonogram, she suddenly also remembered his enthusiasm in telling other's exactly that. "Harvey, please tell me you only send that – "
"Donna!" Her head popped up, her phone dropping from her hands. She stared into the eyes of the other name partner. "I think Harvey wants me," Louis announced then, his hands resting on the edge of the cubicle. She muttered an 'ooh shit' to herself regarding the last message she'd been writing. Letting out a breath, she looked down at her baby bump and back up at the lawyer.
"Louis."
"Donna, I'm serious," the lawyer continued. Pulling his phone from the pocket of his jacket. He showed her the message she received too. "Look at what he sent me. You and I both know what that means."
She opened her mouth to protest, but let out a sigh instead. "Ooh," she answered then, moving forward she leaned on her desk. Deciding that, if the lawyer in front of her could come to such an insane conclusion, she might as well play along. "Maybe he heard you ate cock for breakfast, lunch and dinner?"
"No," Louis exclaimed, pushing himself back on his feet. His hand tapping against the edge of her cubicle. "Nope," he added, shaking his head, now trying to make his way back to his office.
"Ooh Louis," she called after him, waiting for the lawyer to turn to face her again. "Harvey wanted to know if you could join him to that meeting upstate in two weeks?" she lied. Harvey had already asked her to join him. One last weekend away for the two of them. She watched the colour drain from her friend's face, chuckling when she now watched him walk away. She let her hand run over her stomach. "Your dad needs to learn how to text… and Uncle Louis," she paused, letting out a sigh. "Well you'll grow to love him."
.
His foot tapping against the floor he patiently waited for the elevator to reach the fiftieth floor. His head turning into the direction of the doors every time they opened, it happening more often than he liked on this particular day. They had been to the doctor's office that morning for another check-up and he'd gotten to see and hear his baby boy again. Something he still found magical.
He looked at the door again when the elevator reached the forty-sixth floor. A small smile growing on his face when the familiar face of his fellow name partner stepped into the elevator. "Hi Louis," Harvey greeted him, his hand reaching for the 'close doors' button again. "You look dashing today," he observed, the elevator starting to move again.
"Dashing?" Louis repeated, turning on his spot to question his friend's words.
"Yes. New suit?" Harvey signalled the other man's outfit.
A frown now grew on Louis face, briefly looking down at his own garment. He suddenly remembered the text message he'd gotten from the other lawyer earlier that day. "Ok. Stop it," he exclaimed then. "No."
"What?" Harvey shot back now, confused at the sudden outburst of Louis. He knew they didn't always seem eye to eye, but the man had no reason for lashing out at him now.
"I don't want you!" Louis yelled back, taking a step aside. "This is weird. Please stop," Louis added, getting out of the small metal box the second it reached the fiftieth floor.
Harvey just stood there. A frown forming on his face, wondering what the hell just happened. The ding of the elevator doors closing again waking him back up. He quickly stopped the door, stepping outside himself. "Donna," he muttered to himself then. Shaking his head when realised the redhead must have had a hand in this.
His head still shaking from left to right. He gave her a stern look as he walked up to her cubicle. She looked up the second she sensed his presence, a smirk smile on her face she watched him coming closer. Biting her lip then when he sighed in return. A quiet moment, with words left unspoken, she merely looked at him and he subconsciously licked his lower lip. "I hope you had your fun," he said, letting his hands rest on the edge of her cubicle. Looking at her until their eyes locked.
She let out a laugh. Her head thrown back in the process, breaking their eye contact. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she brushed it off as if it is nothing. Turning to face her computer again instead.
He bit his lip again, pushing himself back on his feet. He walked his way around her cubicle and leaned against the desk behind her. His hands resting on her shoulders, he pulled her chair closer. Bringing his lips to her ear. "I know you know exactly what I'm talking about."
"Do I?" she countered, not giving in and not looking at him either. She stretched her arms to reach for her desk instead. Trying to pull her chair back in its original position. "I believe this one was entirely your own fault. You should work on your communication skills."
"My communication skills are just fine," he answered, standing back up. His hands starting to massage her shoulders, she closed her eyes giving in to his touch. It still makes her knees week after seven months. "You're making it up to me though. Tonight."
"Or," she countered, turning her chair around to face him again. A devious smile on her lips. She reached for his tie, pushing herself back up on her feet. Her hands sliding over the blue piece of fabric. Fixing the dimple, her lips almost brushing against his. "I could make it up to you right now."
He swallowed. Biting his tongue, he tried not to smirk because he wondered if she was joking or not. But she had made these kind of promised more often lately. The way his hands fell to her waist, holding her close already giving his answer away. "I'm listening," he added, when she remained quiet.
She smiled now. Moving closer. Her lips brushing over his cheek. Her breath warm against his skin. "Louis' desk," she whispered in his ear.
He let out a sigh and his hands dropped to side again, he took a step back. "Okay, now you ruined it."
.
He let out a laugh, turning on his side to look at her. Moving closer, he wrapped his arm around her stomach and leaned on his left arm. "Six layers. You can't possibly be serious," he laughed, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
She turned her head to look at him. Biting her lip to stop herself from smiling. "Well," she placed her hand on his chest. Tapping against his collarbone. "You did ask me to marry you, so –"
He smiled, pressing his lips against hers. "I did," he whispered, letting his thumb run over her cheek, down her neck to the necklace with the ring. "And you said yes," he added enthusiastically, playing with the ring. His eyes locking with hers again when she nodded, mouthing an 'I did' in return. "Six layers it is," he agreed.
"Ooh."
"What?" Harvey frowned now, pushing himself up further to look at her. "Everything…" he swallowed in the rest of his sentence when she grabbed his hand and placed it on top of her baby bump. A smile forming on his lips in an instant again when he felt the strong ongoing kick. "Wow," he smiled looking at the redhead again. He pushed the covers away and lifted her shirt, seeing the bump move with every kick. He placed his hand on her stomach again, feeling their little boy kick against his hand. "Do you think it's his foot?" he asked then, moving his hand over her stomach. Feeling the baby now kick against his hand again.
"For all we know it could be his butt," she countered looking at him, hearing another laugh escape his lips. She watched Harvey move his hand over her stomach as she felt their baby boy bump against the different spots he placed his hand. "He's playing with you."
He moved his hand, turning to face her again. A huge grin spread across his lips. "He sure is," he smiled, letting his fingers walk over her stomach. She giggled feeling the tapping sensation from both sides against her skin. "Right buddy," he added, placing a kiss on her stomach. Donna smiled, letting her hand slip through his hair, she reached for her phone from the nightstand. Taking a picture of this moment, a flash lighting the room around them.
"What's your mom doing?" he spoke to her stomach then. His eyebrows raised he looked at her from the corner of his eye again. His lips pressed into a thin line, he waited for her to answer.
"Capturing this father and son moment."
.
Louis let out a sigh, closing the monitor of his laptop and looking up when Gretchen stepped into his office. The handle of the glass door still in her hand, the lawyer walked in beside her. "Mr. Litt, I have a Miss –"
"Aren't you in the wrong office?" Louis barked, pushing himself on his feet. His hands landing on the table, the brunette walked further inside, while Gretchen backed out.
"Excuse me?" Dana shot back, dropping her bag on the chair in front of Louis's desk.
"Harvey's office is down the hall," Louis answered, raising his right arm to point in said direction. "Don't you need to go there to get him to win this case for you."
She let out a laugh at his words, her head thrown back in the process. "I'm perfectly aware where Harvey's office is," she countered, stepping closer. "And I," she paused to emphasize the word. "Have never had Harvey win a case for me ever and I'm not going to start now," she added, dropping a file on the desk.
Louis swallowed, looking down at the blue Manila folder. "Okay," he agreed, looking back up at his former colleague. "Good. Cause a lot has changed around here, you know."
"You mean you're now Flipper instead of Moby Goddamn Dick, because that would make winning this case a hell of a lot easier," she teased him.
Louis chuckled in a sigh, remembering the description he'd once given the woman himself. "I meant –"
"That Harvey and Donna are together," Dana interrupted him, finishing his sentence. "I know," she admitted, pulling the other chair back, she sat down. "That's not why I'm here, Louis," she continued. "Or to win this case, which I would by the way," Dana added with a laugh. "But my client wants to settle and I'm here to talk over a deal."
Louis nodded, sitting back down as he reached for the file the other lawyer had brought along with her. "Do you still have that creepy pillow?"
"Of course not."
.
Donna turned around in her chair, searching through the stack of files on her desk for some notes she took earlier that day. Bringing the pencil from her right hand to her lips, she held it in her mouth as she filled her other hand with files. "Dammit where is –"
"Are you looking for this?"
Donna watched the female hand lift a paper from her desk, the voice it came with making drop the files from her own hands. Quickly placing the pencil back, she looked up at the light brown eyes of the brunette. "Dana," she mumbled. "Hi," she added, her head shaking from left to right for a moment as she tried to clear her mind. Her gaze landing on the notes the female lawyer was holding, she took them from her hand. Thanking her in the process. "He isn't here," she spoke then.
"Ooh, I..." Dana started, looking to the empty office on her right. "I just came by to say hi. I have a case against Louis."
Donna nodded, pressing her lips into a soft smile. She pushed herself back on her feet to greet the woman. Her hand automatically resting on her stomach, she knew she had some explaining to do. Her motion didn't go unnoticed to Dana, who looked shocked for a moment even though she already knew. "Ooh, it's true," Dana observed.
Donna nodded. "You didn't see the articles?" she asked then, walking around her cubicle. Her hand falling on the door of Harvey's office. She held it open, waiting for the female lawyer to follow her inside.
"I did," Dana confirmed, holding onto her purse as she made her way to the couch. "You look great," she stated, sitting down when Donna sat down on the chair next to her. Offering her a drink. "Congratulations. I'm sure he's excited about becoming a father."
"He really is," Donna confirmed with a smile, running her hand over her stomach again.
"Probably enrolled the baby at Harvard already."
Donna laughed, looking to her left. "Almost, yes," Donna answered Dana's statement. "And Yale," she added rolling her eyes. "But I stopped him after taking care of kindergarten." Her statement making both women laugh for a moment.
"I'm really happy for you two, Donna," the female lawyer spoke truthfully. "I could have never given that to him."
Donna nodded in understanding, falling silent for a moment after. She wondered how she was going to bring this up. It's not that she had to, but she wanted to explain that even though they had technically been married by the time Dana worked here, they had never actually been together. "About the marriage –"
"He explained."
"I know," Donna nodded, "I just wanted to make sure."
"I understand," Dana smiled softly. "But on another note, shouldn't you be on maternity leave?" the female lawyer asked nodding at the redhead's baby bump. Donna chuckled, letting her hand run over her stomach again. Not even bothering to comment on that statement, both of them knowing a reason why she's still here. "Idiot," Dana mumbled shaking her head, making Donna twitch her lips a little.
"I wouldn't exactly describe me like that."
Both women looked up in the direction of the door, watching the lawyer walk towards them. Harvey removed his hands from the pocket of his pants, extending his hand to Dana. "Scottie," he greeted her, shaking her hand. His left hand resting on Donna's shoulder, placing a kiss on top of her auburn manes as he sat down on the arm rest of the chair she was sitting in. "And for the record, I told her to stay home more than once."
Donna crooked her head, looking at him. A soft smile forming on her lips, when his eyes locked with hers. "But you wouldn't even last a day without me here," she teased him and at the same time vocalising her reason for staying.
"I would," he opposed, the words leaving his lips more hesitatingly than intended.
"I think we all know you wouldn't," Dana stated.
.
Donna stirred around, stretching her aching back for a moment, she let out a sigh. Her hand running over her face, she yawned once more, but she couldn't fall asleep with the way Gordon was moving around. Bringing her hand to her stomach, she moved over the spot Gordon was kicking her. Closing her eyes, she waited for a few more minutes, but the movement didn't decrease.
Opening one eye again, she stared at the small clock on the nightstand. Yawning again when she saw it was four in the morning, she moved her hand to cover Harvey's. Slowly lifting it, she tried not to wake him as she moved to the side of the bed. Her hand pressing against the top of her baby bump again, she moved on her feet and walked herself through their bedroom.
Lifting her silk night robe from lounge chair in the corner. She put it on, pulling the fabric over her shoulders, she tiptoed into the baby room. Her right hand sliding over the crib, she smiled placing her other hand on her stomach again. "Hey pumpkin," she whispered, her hand tapping against the crib for a moment. "I know you're not here yet, but it is Mother's Day today."
She paused for a moment, staring at the stuffed animals in the crib. "And I get that you love to spend that with me, but you know what would be great first gift," she spoke letting her hand run over her stomach again. Still feeling him kick and bounce around. "If you'd let me sleep for a few hours."
She chuckled at her own words, shaking her head, she moved further down the room towards the window. Staring into the night sky, she let her head lean against the cold window. "You know what my mother used to do when I was little and couldn't sleep," she whispered thinking back to her own childhood. "She'd pick me up in her arms and walk me over to the window. Softly swaying me in her arms and she'd tell me to look at the stars," Donna paused for a moment, lifting her gaze at the sky again. "And she'd talk to me, till I fell asleep again."
"It always worked," she smiled. "Can we make that deal too, Gordon?" she asked, looking down at her stomach. "You know pumpkin, that you are… or will be named after your grandfather. You're dad's dad," Donna spoke looking out of the window again. "Gordon Specter. He was a musician, played the saxophone. It's the music your dad secretly put on instead when I made you listen to Hamlet," she laughed for a moment.
"Your grandpa was such an amazing man and I'm sure he would have loved to meet you," she whispered. Letting out a soft sigh, she closed her eyes for a moment. Her other hand resting on her stomach now too. "You know who would love to meet you too. Your grandmother from daddy's side," she paused, taking a deep breath. "I'm not sure when or if that will happen. I haven't seen her in over four years. Your dad maybe even longer than that, because they have been at odds for a long time, but I am sure she would love you, pumpkin. Just like your cousins, she'll love you."
"But you know who will love you even more," she whispered, her hand moving to the spot she last felt the baby bounce around. "Your dad," Donna smiled. "You're so lucky to have him as your father, he's the most amazing man I've ever met. He's incredible loyal, will always protect you and he might look tough, but on the inside he's a cuddly teddy bear with a huge heart."
Harvey smiled at her words, lifting his shoulder from the doorframe. He pushed himself on his feet and stepped inside the baby room. "You forgot someone," he said, walking towards her. His right hand sliding over the small of her back, she turned to face him. His left hand resting next to hers on the bump. "Your mom," he spoke, looking a Donna, a soft smile on his lips he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. Letting his head rest against hers after.
"Harvey," she whispered his name a half apology as she wondered how long he'd been standing there.
"I love you two," he said, turning the redhead around. He wrapped his arms around her. Hugging her as closely as possible, his hand running over her head, he played with her auburn locks. "Donna," he whispered then, pausing for a moment. "About work. You don't have to stay because of me. I'll be fine. I'll manage."
She pulled back a little, her hand moving over his cheek. She crooked her head, looking him in the eye.
"I would," he reassured her, nodding. "And I could always ask Gretchen to help with some things."
"Harvey, Louis is already a handful. You can't make the woman work for both of you."
"You're calling me a handful," he teased her and she pressed her lips together in a small smile. "I'll get a temp."
"You hate working with temps."
"I do," he agreed. "But I'll make it work. I just want you to be okay." She smiled softly at him, looking him in the eye again. He cupped her face, placing a kiss on top of her head. "I'll support whatever you decide, but you don't have to stay because of me."
"I know," she answered, closing her eyes. She let her head rest against his chest. "I'm staying because of me. I don't want to go. Not yet."
"Okay," he gave in, continuing to hold her close. "But maybe you can cut back on the hours."
.
"Donna," he called her name when he sensed her presence. Not even turning around, he continued making her breakfast. She smiled, walking into the living room, crooking her head as she watched him move around in the kitchen. Placing a cup of tea on the tray with the plate of pancakes.
"What's all this?" she questioned, signalling the tray on the kitchen counter.
He crooked his head looking at her. "What? I can't make my fiancée breakfast," he teased her, sliding the tray towards her. She let out a soft laugh, looking down as she repeated the word he hadn't used to describe her before. "Yeah, fiancée," he smiled, reaching for her hand. "But I also learned it is Mother's day today."
"Learned?" she repeated.
He stepped closer, taking her other hand in his too. "Marcus used to remind me every single year and I used to hate him for it," he took a deep breath looking up at her again. "I used to hate this day," he added shaking his head. "But I don't want to anymore, because you're going to be a mother soon."
"Harv."
He reached for the wrapped box next to the tray. "This is from Gordon and me," he told her handing her the small box. "Happy Mother-to-be day."
.
Harvey moved through his office, his gaze lifting to the cubicle outside his office. Spotting Mike linger around the redhead's desk. "Mike, do you have the William Palmer files?" he called him inside, turning around to search for another file on his desk again.
Mike looked to his left, nodding at the redhead. He tapped the files against her desk before he continued his path down to Harvey's office. "I do," he answered, handing the files over to the older lawyer, "and I found out what they want."
"Good," Harvey smiled, quickly scanning over the pages. "Then I need you to go over these," he reached for another folder from his desk.
"It would have to wait, though," Mike objected.
"Why?"
"Because I'm having lunch with Donna," Mike answered looking back at the redhead.
Harvey frowned for a moment, looking up now too. His gaze drifting from Mike to Donna and back to Mike. "Right," he mumbled, dropping the files on his desk. "Please explain why my associate is having lunch with my fiancée?"
"Because," Mike countered instantly, swallowing in the rest of his sentence when he realised what the older man had actually said. "Woah. Wait. Fiancée?" he repeated, now looking at the huge grin on his boss' face. "This is big! This is –"
"Mike."
"Harvey Specter. The former perpetual bachelor, father to be and engaged to be married," Mike summed up, looking at his friend. He suddenly remembered they already were. "Which you already are," he stated then, frowning. "How does that work exactly?"
"Are you done now?" Harvey shot back. "You could just congratulate me that would do."
"Congratulations," Mike answered.
"Thank you."
Both men turned to look at the redhead standing in the door opening, a big grin on her lips too. "What?" she mumbled, when both men frowned for a moment. "I'm getting married too," she added, pointing at herself.
"You bet your ass you are," Harvey smiled.
Donna grinned, crooking her head to look at him for a moment. "I thought you wanted to keep it quiet," she asked then, bobbing her head in Mike's direction.
"Couldn't help myself," Harvey admitted. "It slipped out."
Donna rolled her eyes. "You need to keep it together," she told him with one more look, before she signalled Mike to follow her.
"So emotional," Mike stated, teasing his boss as he walked after Donna.
"I know," she answered the younger man with a smile. "You'd think he was the one that's pregnant."
Harvey let out a sigh. "I heard that," he called after them, reaching for the files again, he walked around his desk again.
Donna grinned. Lifting her purse from her desk. "You were meant to," she shot back, with one last wink in his direction before Mike and Donna made their way over to the elevators.
.
"Jessica," Harvey greeted his fellow name partner when she walked into his office.
"Harvey," she smiled, noticing his good mood, but she wasn't going to comment on it. Not yet.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Jessica shook her head, taking another two steps to his desk. "I was expecting something to be on my desk this morning, but it's not. So I came to see why it isn't."
"I know Mike gave Donna a card for Mother's Day," he started, pushing his chair back as he got up. "But you weren't expecting one from me now, would you? That's something Louis would do."
Jessica laughed, shaking her head. "Now that you mention it," she started. "But no. I was looking for the Birkson briefs."
Harvey frowned for a moment, looking down at his own desk before he remembered. "I gave them to Donna," he mumbled, dropping the papers back on his desk again. Walking his way over to her cubicle. "She must have them here somewhere," he spoke to Jessica as he looked over her desk. Opening the top left desk drawer in the process, his gaze dropped again and his lips curled up.
"What?" Jessica inquired, letting her hands rest on the edge of the cubicle. Waiting for the other lawyer to look back up again.
"Nothing," he answered with a smile, closing the drawer again. His gaze meeting Jessica's he noticed she wasn't going to accept that as answer. "Did you know she always had this drawer filled with memorabilia?" he commented then, continuing his search for the files. Grabbing the blue folder, he handed it to Jessica who merely frowned and waited for him to elaborate.
"I think it was almost a decade ago," he started his explanation. "I was working late. She'd already gone home and I needed a file she had on her desk," he paused for a moment, thinking back to the moment. "I opened the wrong drawer, but inside there was this picture of all of us at New Year's. Some tickets for a play she did and the can opener. I know I wasn't, or am not supposed to look," he spoke looking back up at his mentor. A smile spreading across his face. "She has the sonogram in there now."
.
Donna laughed at Mike's comment. Taking a sip from her tea, she let her gaze drift off for a moment. Another chuckle escaping her lips when she stared out of the window. "What's wrong?" Mike asked, looking at his friend.
Donna smiled, placing her cup back down. "Do you see that bar there," she pointed at the building across the street. Mike turned to look over his shoulder, nodding twice he looked at the redhead again. "That's where I met him."
"Wait what?" Mike mumbled, looking over his shoulder one more time before he faced Donna again. "I thought you two worked together, but you met in a bar?"
Donna nodded. "Well, I'd seen him before at the D.A.'s office and I knew who he was," she smiled. "But yeah. That's where we met."
Mike looked in awe, suddenly realising there was very little he actually knew about the two people he gotten so close to over the past few years. "I didn't know."
Donna smiled softly. "Then you probably also didn't know that I was the one who asked if I could work for him," she spoke.
"Really?" Mike mumbled and Donna nodded. "And Harvey?"
"Harvey," Donna grinned, closing her eyes for a moment she thought back to that night years ago. "Harvey was the one who asked to have sex with me within five minutes," she confessed shaking her head. A soft laugh escaping her lips, reminiscing the moment.
"He said that?"
"Sure did," Donna confirmed with a nod. "Said it saved time," she repeated his words, another laugh escaping her lips. "Took us twelve years instead."
"But now you two have everything," Mike countered.
"We do," she whispered, looking down at her stomach when the baby started to move again. Her left hand falling on the bump, she reached for Mike's hand with her right. "He's kicking. Want to feel it?"
Mike's mouth dropped in surprise. "I can?" he mumbled, but her hand already fell around his wrist. "You sure?" he asked again, but she answered by placing her friend's hand on her baby bump. Smiling when he felt the baby kicking against his hand.
"Of course," she answered with a smile. "You're going to be his godfather after all."
"I … I am?" Mike looked up at Donna. Pulling his hand back, he sat back up in his chair again.
"If you want to be, yes," Donna said. "Harvey and I talked about it and we wanted you to be part of all this, because you're family too."
.
She dropped her purse back on desk. Her head turning to the right, her gaze searching for him, she walked her way over as she didn't see him sitting behind his desk. She found him standing in front of his record player, his hands resting on the table and his gaze stoically directed on the painting above it. She swallowed, quietly walking towards him.
"You okay?"
He nodded once. Swallowing deeply he tore his gaze from the canvas and turned to face her, taking the redhead in his arms without saying a word. Just holding her close for a moment, his chin resting on her shoulder he took in the scent of her hair.
"It's my mom's," he said softly after a minute. "The painting."
"I know."
He frowned for a second, moving back to look at her.
"Your dad told me."
His lips twitched the slightest at the mentioning of his father. "Why didn't you tell me you knew?"
"Because I figured that if you wanted me to know, you'd tell me."
He nodded in understanding, suddenly realising that in all the years she was the only one who'd never questioned why he had the weird painting in the first place and now he knew why. "I was seven when she made that," he spoke, looking at the painting from the corner of his eye again. Taking a deep breath before he continued. "Dad had taken us to a fair and there was this alligator themed roller coaster, the carts looked like that," he pointed at the painting again.
"And I loved it," he spoke a small smile forming on his lips. "First real rollercoaster they let me on. First family holiday we had in a long time, but it was also the last with us as a real family." He paused for a moment, his jaw clenching again as he tried to fight the memories.
"I thought you were –"
"Older?" he guessed, shaking his head. "Yeah, that's when I knew what it was that I saw happening," he spoke. "But I was eight when I saw it for the first time."
Donna swallowed. It pained her to see how much he was struggling with this specific topic, but she also felt incredibly proud for him taking this step and opening up to her about it. She wrapped her arms back around his neck, her fingers slipping through his hair. "I'm so sorry, Harvey."