HI Folks! I could not resist this prompt by cecealways. I hope I have done it justice. Please R & R. Everyone was always saying that there needed to be a conversation between Harvey and Donna about Paula and Mark. I hope this kind of settles it. If not, I would be happy to read someone else's take on it. Thank you so much. I look forward to your thoughts and insprirations. - Carebearmaxi.

Key to the Heart

Harvey stood in the pouring rain in front of Dr. Paula Agard's house. He was wearing his suit jacket only and no hat nor protective gear for his head. He stood for a few minutes with cold raindrops pouring down on him. The drops trickling down under his collar made him shiver. He stood there gathering the courage to see this woman he knew he had hurt. One, by not being honest with her; and, two, not being honest with himself. He had had no business encouraging a relationship that he should have known deep in his heart should never have continued as long as it had. Especially after Donna kissed him that night. One thing for sure was that he should never have given this woman Donna's key to his apartment. Harvey realized his mistake now that he and Donna were together forever. He did not have many regrets, but he did feel some for so many missteps along the way, that he had not realized because of his present happiness. He was happy and felt loved and complete. Lord only knows he wanted to be sure that Donna also felt that way: loved and complete. They were happy finally being together.

Hence, the reason he stood in front of Paula's house lacking the courage to ring the front doorbell and request the return of Donna's key.

"Harvey," Paula said as he was about to knock on Paula's door.

"Paula," Harvey said with a surprised look to his face and voice.

"What are you doing here?" Paula asked. She was dressed in her raincoat with an umbrella in her hand. "I was just venturing to the market but if you need something it can wait."

Harvey stepped into her home at her invitation. He still had not said anything and shivered as he felt the warmth of the house invading his chilled bones.

"Harvey come away from the door. How long were you out there? You're shivering," Paula said as she brought him to her living room. The house was only a block from Louis' and was laid out much like it. Large rooms with a large inviting fireplace in the front living room on one side and a large dining room on the other with a staircase up the middle where Harvey knew was where Paula's office and waiting room were.

Suddenly, Harvey found his voice, "Paula, I'm not staying very long. I just came over here to get my apartment key back."

Paula, in midstep, turned around. "I thought I mailed it back to you after we said goodbye all those months ago."

"No, I never received it if you did," Harvey said.

"Well, let me see. Maybe I only thought I mailed it back," Paula said as she removed her coat, dropped the umbrella back in the stand and moved out of the living room to other parts of the house.

Harvey knew where she was going to look. Paula kept her keys on a large keyholder in the kitchen. It was shaped like a house and it spouted some psychological message that Harvey barely had recognized when he was sleeping with her let alone now all the months he had been with Donna. Harvey had had no one between the time he had been with Paula and Donna. Now he could not fathom being with anyone but Donna. Like he told Donna that night: Once, I thought we should be together, it felt like we were always together.

Suddenly he heard Paula call from the other room. Her voice got closer as she returned to the living room.

"Guess what? I didn't put it in the mail. Here you are," Paula said handing golden object to him and walking toward the door.

Harvey was going to flee now that he got what he had wanted but decided that he owed her an explanation of why he needed the key back.

"Paula," Harvey said taking a seat on the plush couch.

Paula looked pensively at Harvey. She did not want to open old wounds that she felt might be scabbing over. Paula could not know for sure whether it was her doctor's heart wanting to heal or his former lover's heart wanting to know why he left her. Paula knew why. She had read in the paper that Donna and Harvey had unexpectedly wed two weeks ago. Just then she noticed the glint of his wedding band as his left hand lie on the sofa's arm.

Paula took a seat across from him on the opposite matching Victorian chair.

"What is it, Harvey? Something wrong?"

"No –" Harvey said.

"Oh, Congratulations on your marriage to Donna by the way," Paula said abruptly interrupting him.

"How did you know?" Harvey asked and then he smiled and nodded.

"The journal," they said together.

Harvey moved the side of his jacket more against his body as he sat forward holding the key tightly in his hand.

"So?" Paula asked. She had forgotten how silent he could be. When they were together they talked, but she allowed him most of the talking. Then, of course, there was the one day that he let her do all the talking about herself and how she wound up at Harvard Medical School and decided to stay in America and not return to England after her completing her education.

Harvey quickly rose with the key. He felt he had to get out of there because looking at her big pale eyes and listening to that accent he felt he had betrayed her trust in him.

"Thank you, Paula," Harvey said waving the key at her and heading toward the archway of Paula's living room.

"You know she came to me when I asked you to make a decision." Paula said to Harvey's back. She knew he would stop. Paula should not have asked for more from him because he gave to her what he could.

"What?" Harvey said as he turned around. "Who, Donna? When?"

"When I thought you were choosing me over her. I know you had done something to make Donna leave. Apparently…"

Harvey made a noise with his mouth and then came back to sit down.

"You gave me no choice. I tried to do what you wanted, and Donna figured it out. I had asked a business colleague of ours to offer her a job in his investment firm."

"Well, I know the ultimate decision came down to you. You did what I thought you would do. It hurt me, you know," Paula said walking over to her bar and fixing herself a gin and tonic.

"Would you like one?" Paula offered.

"No thank you," Harvey said.

He rose again. This time determined to leave. He stopped again at the mouth of the living room. Paula was at her bar which stood adjacent to the living room arch. He watched as she stood there with the drink in her hand. She looked as though she were challenging him to leave as though she was trying to guilt him into staying.

"You know I pride myself in not being vindictive even after I was dumped for a second time by a man who had a long-term relationship with a co worker that he did not know that he was involved."

"I couldn't blame you if you were, but Paula you said it yourself that I had feelings for Donna."

"Yes, and I had hoped that you would forget them. But when you told me she left and then you were going after her. You made me cry. I was very depressed."

"So, what are you saying?" Harvey hated dealing with feelings, but he had learned that openness was the best way even if those feelings took you to a place where you were uncomfortable.

"I'm saying that I believe I kept that key either in the hope that you would come back to me or that I knew that you would come sniffing back here to get it."

"Well, it's my key…no…it's Donna's key. I gave it to her when we started working at the firm. She was my assistant and sometimes she needed to drop things off or pick things up for me."

"Oh, this was Donna's key?" Paula asked amused. "I wonder how that conversation went." 'Excuse me Donna but can I have the key to give to another woman I'm sleeping with instead of you' No wonder…"

"Paula, Donna gave it back to me after I told her about us. I forgot she had it to tell you the truth."

"Now it's time to give it back to her since she's your wife now," Paula said taking a swig of her drink and turning her back harshly from him.

"Paula, I don't come here easily. I just thought I should have it back. I am sorry that things didn't work out the way you had wanted. It's my fault. I should have been honest with myself a long time ago."

"Yes, you should have been honest with yourself and every woman with whom you ever had a steady relationship."

"Goodbye Paula. I wish you the best," Harvey said, and this time successfully walked out the door.

After hearing the door shut, Paula then turned around with tears pouring down her cheeks.

When Harvey had arrived home, Donna sat on the couch with a drink in her hand. Her long legs were crossed, and her work dress's tight skirt encased her thighs sensuously. At the site of her in his apartment, their apartment, with the knowledge she was his wife and he could have her anytime, he grew uncomfortably hard. He wanted nothing more at that moment than to spread her thighs and drive himself deeply and fiercely into her. She must have noticed because she suddenly raised an eyebrow as she watched him come to her.

"I hope that's for me and not some other woman you once slept with," Donna said rising, placing the glass on the coffee table and kissing him deeply.

"What?" Harvey placed innocently.

"You know," Donna said placing a hasty swift kiss on his lips.

"Hungry?" Donna asked walking away from him and going to the kitchen part of the apartment.

Harvey cleared his throat and said at the same time, so it was muffled, "Not for food."

Donna then busted out laughing while she stirred some odd sauce in the pot. Her laughter loud and passionate like herself filled the room and brought a smile to Harvey's face.

"Well, I'm starving. I noticed you bugged out early from the office. I took a cab home."

"Why didn't you call Ray? He could have left me get a cab home from where I was."

Donna turned around turning down the fire from the pot with its simmering contents.

"Where were you?"

"I went somewhere to get something," Harvey said deliberately being vague.

"Oh my God! You went to see Paula Agard!" Donna said not excitedly but not calmly either. "Why?"

"Now I do not know how you Donna'd that from me, but, yes, I went to her house. I had to get something that belonged to me. Well, it belongs to you. Now more than ever," Harvey said softly retrieving the key from the inner pocket of his suit. He held out the key as he walked to the counter and held it out for her to take.

"The key to your apartment," Donna said softly. She came around the counter and put her arms around his neck as she held the key in one hand. "I don't know want to start a fight, but I have to ask you a question."

Harvey rolled his eyes and smirked as he rubbed his knuckles around on her hips. He then clasped her tighter in his arms joining his arms around her back fiercely. He was afraid of what she was going to ask.

"Why did you give it to her?"

Harvey kissed her and then shook his head.

"Looking back now, I suppose I was thinking that it would be nice to find someone here when I got home."

Donna bit her bottom lip in thought and released Harvey. She walked back to the saucepan on the stove.

Harvey swallowed hard and knew that something in the air had changed.

"Harvey," Donna said. "By the way, this is done. So, you can go over to the table."

Harvey looked over at his small dining table and noticed that it was set with candles and a bottle of wine. Perfectly and romantically set as Donna was beautiful and romantic in herself. It did not think to dawn on him that it was dinner time. Before he had arrived at Paula's house, he had forgotten he was hungry. Now, he realized he lost his appetite again. He hoped the words would come to let Donna know that he was so happy to be her husband…finally.

Donna handed Harvey a plate of piping hot Fettucine Primavera with Alfredo sauce which contained pieces of fresh chicken breast.

They both walked over to the table and took their usual places. Donna with her back to the door and Harvey facing the door.

"Okay, so what did you want to ask me?"

Donna shoveled a bit of their dinner in her mouth. She chewed thoughtfully and then took a sip of her Chardonnay. She swallowed and still did not say anything for a bit.

Harvey, in the meantime, shoveled a large bit of food into his mouth and chewed quickly. He then washed his bit of food down with a large gulp of wine.

"Harvey, would you have married her if things had continued?"

"Donna," Harvey said placing his fork down on the plate. "I can't answer that. I don't know."

"Well, why don't you know? You said when you proposed that whether you knew it or not you wanted to marry me since the second you met me. I just would like to know if you loved me so much why would you marry someone you didn't love or thought you loved?"

"Donna, why do we have to have this discussion? It doesn't matter now."

"It does to me."

Harvey decided he could ask the same question of her with at least one of her more serious relationships.

"Would you have married Mark if he hadn't made you choose?"

"That's different. He didn't ask me."

"What about Thomas? If things had not gone the way they had would you have married Thomas? Because you told me you really liked him and that's why I wanted to save his business because I was doing it indirectly for you."

"I might have. We didn't get that far, though," Donna said pausing a bit and looking heavenward for a bit of inspiration to say the right words. " I wanted a life, Harvey. A life that I had not had because I wanted and waited for you. I didn't think that would happen, so, yes, if we had gone that far and he asked me I guess I would have said yes. No matter how much I wanted you," Donna finished softly.

"So, I suppose that was what I felt about Paula," Harvey tried to stem the tide of impending doom.

"No, you don't get to use the same excuse. I was not going with anyone when you were with Paula. I know I may have screwed your relationship with her by kissing you, but that's what I had to know. Then when you chose me over her, and you made no additional proclamations… I was sorely in need of love. So, when Thomas showed interest in me I suppose I went with it," Donna said angrily wiping a tear away from her eye.

"Donna, do you not think I wanted you all this time. I knew for years it was only you, but I was afraid that I would screw it up and lose you. So, I suppose, if I took another woman to be with me on a permanent basis and I screwed it up it wouldn't hurt so bad."

"Because you would still see me in the office?" Donna asked.

Suddenly, Harvey reached out to hold her hand. "Donna, when I gave you back your key, I wanted it to be a happy occasion. I only went to her to retrieve the key not for any other reason. Look, I can't tell you what would have happened if you hadn't kissed me that night. That you had reawakened all my love and desire for you, but I can't say I would have asked Paula to marry me."

Leaning closer to her while holding her hand tightly and massaging her knuckles with his thumb.

"Harvey, do you know what I almost did while you were celebrating your two-month anniversary with her?" Donna asked. I swore I would never tell him, but I think I should.

"How did you know it was that night that I gave her your key?"

Donna pursed her lips and gave him a side glance.

"Never mind," Harvey said smiling. "What did you almost do?"

"I almost slept with Mark. We had had lunch the day before and I thought we might pick up where we left off. That's when he told me he was married. Unhappily, but he was still married, and I did not want to be the "other" woman."

Harvey released her hand and sat back. He moved his mouth trying to quell the urge to cry when he realized how guilty he felt at how the love of his life suffered.

"I was so depressed, Harvey. I had seen Paula earlier that day in your office leaving you a present for your anniversary. It took every bone in my body not to hurt her because I knew you were lost to me. I was glad that you and Paula were happy. That's all I ever wanted for you, but that only brought me lower."

"Donna, I'm so sorry you had to go through that."

"Look, I want to finish this. Mark had called me and told me he was going to be at the Excelsior hotel, and he gave me the room number. I had every intention of sleeping with him. I took a car to the hotel wearing my pink coat with the faux mink cuffs and collar. I wore nothing but a my pink satin slip underneath. If it weren't for Rachel's text, I would not have had a second thought."

"Rachel's text?"

"She texted me to have a good time and that I deserved it while I waited for Mark to answer the door."

Donna swallowed then took a sip of her wine. She could barely face her husband telling him this. She always knew of his feelings toward infidelity and abandonment.

"Mark then opened the door and I was sorely tempted and then a flash of confidence went through me and I told him that I couldn't do it and I ran out of that hotel and hailed a cab home. I came home and gave away my coat and slip and climbed into my flannel pajamas and proceeded to mix a hard glass of Scotch along with a whole bottle of wine."

"Donna, I am so sorry."

Harvey reached his hand out to her again. She gave it to him, and they rose from the table. He pulled Donna close and engulfed her precious and tear streaked face into both of his hands.

He said, "I am yours, Donna. Let me make it all up to you by spending our lives together. I love you and you will never know how deeply. What do you say? Will you marry me again in front of our families and friends in a dress of your choice?"

Donna smiled as his thumb wiped away another tear. She looked up at him and noticed the emotion standing in his eyes. She engulfed him in her arms.

"Yes, Harvey, I will marry you, again, in front of all our friend and families and in a dress of my choice."

She smiled before they kissed. Her arms went around his shoulders as her hands found their favorite spot holding his head and caressing it softly. His arms were around her small waist and he could not hold her close enough or tight enough.

When the kiss ended and they opened their eyes, Harvey said, "How about we celebrate your new key and let me start making everything up to you?"

"What did you have in mind, Sailor?" Donna said with a return of her sense of humor. She was so glad that night of weakness was now out in the open. She had not confessed it to make Harvey feel guilty but to let him know that she had always loved him as much as he apparently had always loved her.

Harvey released her from their embrace holding out his hand. Donna took his hand in hers and let him lead her, this time, to the bedroom.