A/N: Thank you for all your wonderful feedback on the last chapter. Darvey finally made it. It only took 22 chapters - sorry about that ;-)

Once again, I tortured myself over this chapter. This one meant a lot to me, and I fretted about doing it justice. Thankfully, I had the most amazing support and encouragement from my two most fabulous beta's - Blue and Aimee. They knew how much I was stressed and worried over this kind of thing, but they kept me sane, they made me laugh and they wouldn't let me give up, even when I wailed and hollered.. Thank you ladies.

Please keep the reviews coming, I'm so grateful for them, they mean the world.

Stay safe and much love to everyone.

Rated: T/M

Battling Fate

Chapter 23

"I love you, Donna."

The knot wasn't first formed when Donna had kissed Harvey in her office, on that fateful night, all those months ago. She'd originally thought that it had, but on reflection, it'd been much earlier.

She wondered if it had started the moment Harvey came to her and told her he was seeing Paula, and not as his therapist. That was probably the time that she first became conscious of it - the tightly coiled, sickening knot of heartache, loneliness, and longing that had festered inside of her. However, if she was really honest with herself, the knot had actually first been forged much, much earlier than that.

Its growth was gradual at first, with certain moments in their chequered past, causing a surge in its evolution. The other time, Coastal Motors, Scottie, Zoe, 'love me how?'. On each of these occasions, that knot had expanded, morphed, became ever stronger and present.

The kiss though, and more pointedly, its aftermath, had been the catalyst for its intensification. From that point forward, Donna had felt it keenly. She felt its constant presence, and the more it grew and consumed her, the more she tried to ignore it. Pushing it down, smothering it with scotch or wine, fake smiles and copious amounts of work.

Then her father was attacked. Samuel happened, and everything that followed resulted in that twisted knot of pain being conjoined with a thick layer of tension. It was this ball of tension and pain that had worn away at her, more so than the physical assaults and the lack of sleep. She'd kept it tightly bound inside, while she ran almost on autopilot, to make it through each day.

When Harvey kissed her on that beach, she felt that knot splinter and crack.

Then, he uttered those words.

"I love you, Donna."

That's when it happened. Finally. After months and years, it finally gave way. Because she knew this time, when she saw the sincerity in Harvey's eyes, the intensity in his stare. She knew this was it, this was real, and this time, she didn't have to ask him, how?

The moment that knot gave way, and the floodgates containing all that pent up tension, fear, heartache, longing and desire were opened, Donna simply broke down. She wept and wept. Uncontrollably. She was almost hysterical, but she couldn't stop. She clung to Harvey, every limb trembling as she gasped and sobbed.

Harvey just held her tightly. It was as though he sensed that it was what she needed from him in that moment. She didn't have to explain, not that she could have if she'd tried. He just seemed to get it, to understand, and he wrapped her in his embrace, his nose buried in her hair, as she literally, just let it all out.

Eventually, her sobs subsided, and as the last of the tension left her body, so did the last of her energy and she sunk further into him. Exhausted.

Harvey immediately picked up on the change in her, and without any hesitation, he released his left arm from around her waist and scooped it under her, to lift her up into his arms.

He carried her back to the beach house, much like he had carried her when they had escaped from The Beaufort club, only this time instead of her arms falling limply at her side, she tightened her hands around the back of his head, as she buried her forehead in his neck, the scent of him washing over her like a soothing balm.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be," he replied just as softly, as he pressed his lips against her forehead, before climbing the steps back up to the patio of the beach house.

Harvey placed her down onto the couch, gently, and he carefully removed her coat and scarf, replacing it with a blanket that had been folded nearby. He knelt beside her as he draped the blanket over her knees and she caught his hand in hers, halting his movements.

"Harvey?" she questioned. "What about Paula?" The fear was evident in her tone, as she scanned his eyes, nervously awaiting his response.

"It's over," he answered without any hesitation.

Donna's lip trembled, and she blinked a few times. "Are you okay?"

"That depends. Do you love me too?"

Donna took a shaky breath, but she nodded quickly. "I do," she answered.

"Then I'm okay," he said, his eyes now a deep molten brown, filled with warmth and affection.

Donna gave a little gasp as she digested his words and absorbed the way he was looking at her. A lump formed in her throat, and her heart thundered. The enormity of the moment, momentarily taking her breath away.

He leant forward then, capturing her lips once more in another tender kiss. This time the kiss was much softer, less urgent, and he cradled her face as his tongue gently probed her mouth. Her eyes closed as she savoured the taste of him, and she felt the heat of desire course through her veins. She moaned slightly and she reached forward, her hands looping around his torso as she coaxed his body towards hers.

But then she felt him stiffen slightly, and no sooner had their kiss began to intensify, he pulled away from her with a faint sigh. A slight pang of fear shot through her core, and her eyes flashed open. Her old fears and insecurities flaring up unwillingly, but she quickly dismissed them, determined not to let doubt ruin the moment.

Harvey took her hands and wrapped his own around them, bringing them up to his lips and kissing them gently.

"Your hands are freezing, Donna," he said softly. "How long were you out there?"

Donna shrugged. "I've no idea," she answered truthfully.

"Have you eaten?" he asked, as he rubbed her fingers between his palms in an effort to warm them up.

Donna shook her head. "No, but I'm not hungry. I'm just tired."

Harvey tilted his head and he frowned as he studied her intently. "Donna, Rachel said that you've hardly eaten anything for a few days now."

"I wasn't with her the whole time," Donna retorted.

"Oh, I know," Harvey said, his tone a little brusk. Donna immediately tensed. It was the first time that any reference to everything that still remained unspoken between them had been made.

Harvey closed his eyes, a look of regret flashed briefly across his face. He recovered quickly though and he tilted his head as he looked up at her.

"Are you telling me you managed to eat both times you left your apartment?" Harvey pressed, clearly not willing to address the reasons why she had escaped from Rachel's care.

Donna swallowed and looked away from his intense stare.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," he said, with a wry smile. "It's a good thing I brought some food with me then."

Donna opened her mouth to protest, but Harvey had already released her now warmed hands, and he stood up, making his way over to the kitchen counter, where a small take out bag was situated.

"Don't worry, it's not a three course gourmet meal, it's just soup. There's a place Louis recommended not far from here," he said as he unpacked two containers, and began rummaging around the kitchen looking for utensils.

"Harvey—"

"Donna!" he mimicked her in warning. He lifted one eyebrow, and although a slight smirk played at the corner of his mouth, Donna recognised that tone of voice and that look in his eye. He wasn't going to take no for an answer.

She watched him move around the kitchen as she fiddled with the corners of the blanket. She felt apprehensive. Her emotions had once again been on a chaotic journey. Stress, despair, worry, relief, sadness, shock, fear, then joy and desire. These were just a few, and all in only the last hour. Right now though, she was nervous and slightly uneasy.

She didn't doubt that Harvey wanted to be here. That he was ready. That he loved her. But there was tension, still, between them. It hung heavily in the room.

It wasn't surprising really, after everything that had happened. There was so much to say, to confess, to admit to each other, not to mention the trauma they had both suffered in this last week. But even if they spent days doing so, Donna surmised they would barely scratch the surface, and sitting down and talking deeply about their feelings, just wasn't something they did. Not easily, anyway.

She knew that they would have to address some of their issues. It was inevitable. But with so much to say, where, how, and when they would tackle that minefield was something Donna wasn't ready to face yet.

Harvey approached with a tray and she sighed. "I can eat at the table, you know."

Harvey placed the tray on her lap, and the immediate aroma of hot chicken broth wafted up her nostrils. She thought her stomach would churn, as it had done, so frequently of late. However, surprisingly, she felt a pang of hunger and her mouth even watered a little. Harvey was holding a spoon out to her and he gave her a challenging look, as though daring her to refuse him.

"I had to carry you in, Donna. You can sit and eat here," he said firmly, but once again his tone was full of warmth and affection.

They ate in relative silence, Harvey ever watchful of Donna. She would normally have been slightly irritated by his surreptitious glances, which did little to hide how intent he was on ensuring she was definitely eating. However, with each mouthful, Donna realised just how hungry she had been, and it wasn't long before her bowl was empty.

"Good?" Harvey asked.

Donna nodded and she gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you," she said.

Harvey cleared the dishes and as Donna watched him once again, move about the kitchen, the nervousness she felt earlier intensified. He finished cleaning up, before making his way back into the open plan living room. She held her breath as he sat himself down next to her. He took her hand in his, and gently rubbed his thumb across the back of her palm as an awkward silence fell between them.

"How are you feeling?" Harvey asked finally.

Donna looked across at him, her head resting on the back of the couch. His thumb was still lazily drawing circles across her hand, each motion sending an electric current through her skin.

"Honestly? I ache. From head to toe. I think I was so tense for so long, that my muscles have now seized up," she chuckled lightly, but Harvey winced, concern etched into his features.

"Why don't I run you a bath?" he suggested, his eyes flicking up to meet her stare. "It might ease some of the stress and will probably help you sleep."

Donna swallowed down her nerves and she nodded. "That would be nice, Harvey. I was originally planning on having a bath before going to bed."

"Okay, then," he smiled, lifting her hand to his lips, turning it over and placing a kiss on her palm. They held each other's gaze for a moment. A moment that felt like an eternity to Donna, before he eventually broke their eye contact and he got up and made his way to the ensuite bathroom.

As soon as Harvey had left the room, Donna expelled a heavy breath that she hadn't realised she'd been holding. The tension between them was killing her.

Harvey was being attentive, gentle, and affectionate. But she was also sure he was holding back. He seemed apprehensive, almost guarded, and that didn't help the anxiety Donna was feeling. For every warm smile, for every loving gaze there was something else there, lurking behind his eyes. She couldn't place what it was, but she could tell that he was trying to keep whatever it was in check. Trying to keep it hidden from her. It was this hidden emotion that was causing the tension between them, she was sure of it.

She heard the sound of running water, and soon the sweet scent of bubble bath drifted through into the living room.

She lifted the blanket from her knees and slowly got up from the couch. God, she really did ache. It was as though her body had finally said, enough is enough, her muscles protesting as she stiffly made her way towards the bathroom.

She pushed the door open, and stepped into a cloud of steam. The scent already began to sooth her, as well as the anticipation of the hot soapy bubbles that awaited her aching bones. The bathroom was dotted with several candles that gave the room a warm and relaxing glow. Harvey was seated on the edge of the bath as he swirled the water with his hand, the tub already three-quarters full.

"Oh my God, it's like an olympic size swimming pool," she giggled and her hand flew up to her mouth. It was a sunken bath, with steps leading up to it. It had gilded taps and a jacuzzi feature and it was about the size of Wisconsin.

Harvey turned and looked over his shoulder at the sound of her voice. His eyebrows shot up but then he grinned.

"Of course it is. It's Louis, remember," he chuckled. He leant over and turned the water off, giving it a final swirl before stepping away and towards her.

"Okay, I've not made it too hot, so it should be okay. I did use almost a whole bottle of bubble bath, because like you say, you could fit all of the New York Yankees in this tub. Fresh towels are on the side there. Is there anything else you need?" he asked as he lifted his hand, and ran his fingers through her hair, before letting them linger on her cheek.

Donna swallowed. "Just you," she breathed.

Harvey froze and Donna noticed his breath hitch. She stepped towards him, closing the distance between them, and placed her own hand over his fingers that were still frozen in place, as they rested on her cheek.

"Donna." He whispered her name as though it was a warning. Once again she saw the veiled look behind his gaze. Frustration flared up in her throat, alongside a slight but stinging sense of rejection. She dropped her hand and turned away from him, her eyes cast down to the floor.

"Looks like I have everything, thanks, Harvey," she said a little too sharply.

"Hey," Harvey reached out and grabbed her elbow, turning her back toward him. "Don't do that," he said with a shake of his head.

"Don't do what?" she all but yelled, her arms outstretched.

"Shut yourself off from me," he said in earnest.

Donna stepped back, with a look of incredulous disbelief. "Me? I'm not the one shutting myself off, Harvey."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked with a frown, but Donna could already sense that he knew exactly what she meant.

Donna let out a sigh and closed her eyes. "Nothing, Harvey. It means nothing," she said resignedly. She moved across the room to the bathroom cabinet and wiped the steam from the mirror. She began to gather her hair up, twisting it up and fixing it in place. "How about some tea?" she managed to muster, a wobble to her voice.

Harvey appeared behind her then, and his eyes caught her sorrowful gaze in the reflection of the glass. He placed his hands gently on her waist, and pressed his lips to the back of her neck, sending an instant shiver down her spine.

"Do you think I don't want you?" he whispered against her skin.

Donna's breath caught in her throat, and she felt her heart rate increase at his words and his touch. She didn't answer him, but her eyes widened as they once again met his, which were now unmistakably dark with desire. He slid his hands from her waist and wrapped them around her front, pulling her gently back against him, as he continued to pepper her neck with soft kisses, his eyes never leaving hers.

Her skin was on fire, heat and desire pooling at the pit of her stomach, but as much as she wanted to surrender to his ministrations, she needed to know.

"Then why?" she murmured. "Why are you holding back from me, Harvey?"

He paused and sighed, resting his forehead momentarily on her shoulder before slowly turning her around.

He tilted his head and he just looked at her. She stared back into his deep brown eyes, studying him, trying to get a read on where his resistance and hesitation were coming from.

She saw it then, hidden behind the unmistakable desire. She saw the fear, and the worry, and she understood. His eyes always communicated more than his mouth ever could, and this time they were screaming his inner turmoil. He was struggling to come to terms with what had happened. He was battling with the reality of what she might have suffered. He was just simply petrified of hurting her.

She rested her hand on his chest and she looked up at him, answering his anxious stare with an intense gaze of her own.

"You could never hurt me, Harvey," she said.

"I think we both know that's not true," Harvey said bitterly.

"Not like that you couldn't," she reassured.

Harvey shook his head slowly. "We need to talk, Donna. You need to rest, properly!" he said firmly. "And then we need to talk."

"I know," Donna said with a weak smile. "But right now, I just need you, Harvey. I'm tired, and I'm sore and I'm…" she sighed as she tried to find the right words. "I just... need you. With me...here."

Harvey eyed her intently then, and he swallowed heavily before nodding. "Okay," he whispered. He tugged her hand, pulling her closer to him and he kissed her gently, his tongue coaxing her mouth open and she instantly responded. Her eyes closed and she savoured the taste of him, their noses brushing as he changed the angle of their kiss, her fingers scraped the hair at the back of his neck and she moaned softly into his mouth.

This time Donna pulled away, and her eyes lingered on his lips before she stepped back from him. He watched her intently as she hooked her fingers underneath the hem of her sweater, and lifted it up over her head, before dropping it by her side. She met his eyes again as her fingers moved to the buttons of her jeans, gradually popping each one open, before slowly sliding them down to her ankles, and carefully stepping out of them.

Harvey was breathing heavily, his eyes still locked with hers. Donna faltered slightly, hesitating as she met his intense gaze. She'd never been shy around men, never self-conscious about her body or how she looked, always owning her beauty with confidence. However, this was Harvey, and the way he was staring at her now, with a look that spoke of both desire and tenderness, she suddenly felt her skin flush. It was a heady combination, this mix of lust and need but also love.

Harvey seemed to sense her sudden nervousness and he responded by lifting his hands and unbuttoning his shirt, their held gaze still unbroken.

They continued to undress in silence, the only sound being the occasional drip of water into the bath and the soft fizzing from the abundance of foamy bubbles that floated on the surface.

As Donna placed her underwear on the chair behind her and turned back to face Harvey, they stood for a moment, just a few feet apart, naked and hesitant. Harvey slowly lowered his eyes from Donna's apprehensive gaze, and a fleeting look of anguish flashed across his face as he took in some of the mottled bruises and marks that still punctuated her skin. He swallowed and took a steadying breath and Donna closed the distance between them, once again resting her hand gently on his chest.

"They'll heal," she whispered. "I'll heal… now that I have you," she said sincerely as she searched his eyes, eager to find evidence there, that he believed what she was telling him.

He nodded, covering her hand with his own and he placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "Come on," he said in that low tone of his that always stoked the fire within her belly. "Let's get in before the water gets cold. I drained half the Hudson river filling this thing," he said with a smirk.

She giggled then, her laughter breaking some of the tension in the room and Harvey's smirk broke into a wide grin that lit up his face.

He took her hand and led her to the bath, climbing in first, before turning around and helping her step in front of him.

They lowered themselves into the tub, the water deliciously warm and soothing. There really was room enough for them both to swim from one end to the other, but instead, Harvey rested against the back of the tub, facing the window, and he pulled Donna towards him so that she sat with her back leaning into him, and she was fully enveloped in his embrace.

"You okay?" he whispered into her ear.

"M-hm," she mumbled, her eyes closed as she savoured not only the feeling of the warm, soapy water as it began to soothe her weary muscles, but also the feeling of Harvey wrapped around her. His strong arms circled her waist, whilst his legs hooked over hers at the ankles, essentially pinning her in place, but she'd never felt safer. Never felt so secure.

They lay like that for a considerable amount of time. Harvey would run his fingers across her arm, or across her stomach, each touch causing a spark of pleasure to ripple over Donna's skin. She kept her eyes closed, as she laid her head back onto his chest, luxuriating in the all encompassing feel of him, the scent of him, his warmth and his tender touch. Despite the knowledge that there was still so much unsaid between them, that there would undoubtedly be difficult conversations ahead, Donna had never felt so much at peace.

Harvey reached over the side of the bath and retrieved a honeycomb bath sponge, dipping it into the water and allowing it to soak up the bubbles before tenderly smoothing it over her skin in slow, deliberate circles. He started at her collar bone, sweeping it across and up under her chin, before moving down across her breasts, applying just enough pressure to cleanse and soothe her. Donna felt like she was floating on air rather than in water. She not only physically enjoyed his attentive caresses but the awareness alone that it was Harvey that was administering those sensual touches made her heart swell.

He moved to her shoulder, gently smoothing the sponge down her arm as he simultaneously placed his lips against the side of her neck, kissing the damp hairs there that were stuck to her skin. She exhaled a heavenly sigh, and gently squeezed his thigh with her hand in appreciation. She felt him smile against her skin, and she returned his smile with a soft chuckle. He continued to work down her arm, his movements deliberate but fluid, but then he reached her wrist and not only did he pause, but Donna felt his body tense up, and her eyes flashed open.

He must have realised that she had become aware of the sudden change, for he immediately resumed his gentle strokes as though nothing had happened, switching to her other arm as he placed another kiss to her forehead.

Donna wasn't fooled though, and she lifted the arm he had not long abandoned, out of the water and reached behind her to gently touch his face. "Harvey?" she questioned softly.

He paused again, and she heard him take a shuddering breath. He said nothing, but Donna could feel the tension rolling off of him and his movements were still frozen, the sponge hovering over her other wrist. Donna cast her eyes to where his hand was suspended, and a memory of him running his finger over the scars that adorned her skin there, flashed across her mind.

"Harvey," she uttered his name again, trying to ground him and jolt him out of his frozen state. "Talk to me."

Harvey dropped the sponge in the water and picked up her hand in his, once again tracing the still ugly scars that ran across the underside of her wrist. "You never answered me before, Donna. When I asked what they did to you...what else he did to you." Harvey's voice was thick with emotion and laced with fear. There was also an unmistakable undercurrent of anger in his tone.

"I'm okay, Harvey," she whispered, fear striking at her heart. She wasn't ready to revisit those dark days in captivity, but she was also afraid of Harvey's reaction to anything she might say. She knew how protective he had always been of those he loved, but combined with the guilt that she knew still burned inside him, the two made for a volatile cocktail of emotions.

"You're not. You are pretty fucking far from okay, and you still haven't answered my question," Harvey said, his tone low and full of tension.

Donna felt a sudden tightness in her chest as his questioning doused her in a swathe of dread.

"What's the matter, Harvey? Are you worried I might be damaged goods?" Donna snapped, and she immediately sat forward away from him. She turned slightly and looked back at Harvey and the anger instantly drained from her face, to be replaced with remorse, when she saw the look of horror and then pain that had flooded his features. He stared at her open mouthed.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, shocked at her own words, at her retaliation to his probing. She took his hand and squeezed it, her eyes shimmering with tears. The shame of her reaction burning inside of her.

"Why would you say that?" Harvey asked with a distinct croak to his voice.

She knew why she had lashed out. Fear.

She hated what Samuel had done to her, how weak he had made her feel, and although she was well aware she would have to face what had happened to her at some point, she wasn't ready to do so now.

However, her ordeal wasn't the primary factor feeding her fear.

What she was most frightened of, and cripplingly so, was that Harvey would see her differently. Not in the way she had just cruelly indicated with her rash words. She knew Harvey would never consider her as damaged goods. No, she was frightened that her experience had changed her, Samuel had changed her. He had robbed her of who she had been, and now that she was fundamentally different, Harvey might not love this version of her as much.

She shook her head and she opened her mouth to answer him, but all she could muster was another apology. "I'm sorry, Harvey. I shouldn't have said that."

He tilted his head and he frowned. "Donna...I know that you don't want to talk about it, but it's eating me up. You wanted to know why I was holding back, this is why. I've spent nearly every waking moment sick to the stomach, wondering what he might have done to you." He grabbed her hand and laced his fingers through hers, before taking a steadying breath and meeting her fearful eyes. "I want you, Donna. I love you, and I want you with every fibre of my being, but if I thought for one minute, that my touching you might—"

"He didn't, Harvey." She shook her head but she stared at him squarely in the eye, desperate that he understand. "He hurt me, in more ways than one, but he didn't do that," she assured.

Harvey visibly relaxed and he shut his eyes, expelling a deep breath that he had been holding on to. He lifted her hand, their fingers still intertwined and he turned it over, gently placing several kisses to her wrist, as though he were attempting to heal her scars with his lips. He looked up at her then and even though the tension he'd been clinging on to had dissipated, she still saw concern behind his eyes. She knew that he was still worried about what had happened to her, what she had suffered. She was well aware that he might fixate on the fact that she had inferred that Samuel had hurt her in numerous ways.

"I'm afraid," she said, deciding that it would be better to be honest with him, regardless of the outcome.

Harvey furrowed his brow and he lifted his other hand from the water and cupped her cheek. "You have nothing to be frightened of anymore, Donna. I promise you. No-one can hurt you now," he said confidently.

Donna shook her head. "That's not what I'm afraid of." She lowered her eyes and took a deep breath.

Harvey squeezed her hand gently, waiting for her to elaborate.

"I'm afraid that I've changed. That I'm not the same person anymore because he changed me." She paused as she grappled with her words and Harvey's eyes filled with tenderness. She swallowed before continuing. "It's like I've lost myself. I'm all hollowed out. Donna's gone and I'm just an empty shell in her place, and it terrifies me. I'm petrified that I'll never get 'me' back." Her bottom lip quivered as she fought back the tears.

"Donna," he said, the timbre of his voice, low and gentle. "I may be a lawyer, not a psychiatrist, but I'm pretty sure what you are feeling is normal considering all that you've been through. You're still you. You could never lose that. You've just suffered something extremely traumatic and it's going to take time before you start to feel better. But I'm here. I will be here, with you, every step of the way."

She nodded at him and gave him a watery smile, his words allaying some of the fear that she felt.

Harvey studied her face and then tugged her hand gently, but with enough force that she was drawn into his lap, her legs straddling him, the momentum causing some of the water to splash over the sides of the tub.

Donna gasped at the sudden movement and they stared at one another, caught in the moment, the warm light from the flickering candles dancing in each other's eyes. As it had always been between them, they didn't need any more words, a look of understanding passed between them, and as both their breathing accelerated, Harvey's hands circled around her back and he coaxed her head down to meet his, so that he could capture her lips.

The kiss was slow, soft and reassuring, and as their tongues met, Donna savoured the moment. The feel of his bare chest against her breasts, the fire on her skin as he traced his fingers down her back, the softness of his hair as she ran her fingers across his scalp, the slight stubble on his cheek as she cradled his jaw, and the proof of his want as she felt his stiffening desire between her thighs.

She lifted herself slightly before grinding back down on his lap, and he groaned into her mouth, his arms tightening around her as he thrust against her in response. She whispered his name, almost in prayer when his lips left hers, only for them to reconnect with her cheek and then her neck as he peppered her skin with open mouthed kisses.

Her head fell back and she arched into him, biting her lip while his tongue did a sensual dance across her now highly sensitised skin. She drew her hands from his head and neck, letting them linger down his chest as Harvey turned his attention to her breasts. He ran his hand slowly down the valley between them, before gently massaging one as his mouth worshipped the other, his tongue caressing then flicking her nipple, causing goosebumps to flare up all over her body.

Her head fell forward then and she took his face in her hands, drawing his mouth back towards her own, desperate to feel his lips on hers once more. This time the kiss was more urgent, need and desire overwhelming them both as Donna rocked back and forth on his lap, seeking friction. Harvey groaned and he tugged her bottom lip between his teeth as his hands now ghosted along her thighs, his fingers spread out as though he were desperate to feel every inch of her.

Their mouths were open as they kissed, their breaths hot and frantic as the passion between them intensified. The water lapped repeatedly over the bath as their movements became more frenetic. They were all hands, teeth, lips, and tongues. Both of them desperate to quench the thirst of more than twelve years of longing and need. Wanting but never able to touch. Never allowed to caress each other's skin, or to feel the pounding of each other's heartbeat.

Donna was now burning with desire and want, heat pooled at her core and as Harvey traced his hand across her stomach and dipped his fingers down between her legs, she gasped into his mouth, halting her rocking motion momentarily. She locked eyes with him, his usual brown orbs now jet black with lust, yet still dripping with devotion and tenderness. He held her gaze as he began gently circling his thumb across her clit, her breaths now coming in short bursts as waves of pleasure coursed through her. He teased her entrance before slipping first one, and then two fingers inside of her, gently curling them just so, causing her to shudder and tremble at the sheer intensity of pleasure his ministrations were creating. She gripped his shoulders, clawing at his skin as she slowly rode his hand. She felt the heat building inside of her, the first tinglings as the familiar coil tightened in her abdomen.

Her head sunk into his neck and her muffled moans blended with the sounds of the water lapping against their bodies, as Harvey coaxed her closer to the edge.

"I've got you, Donna," Harvey whispered into her ear, and that was all it took for her to come undone, his deep soft velvety voice igniting the spark, and she cried out his name, her arms wrapped around his neck. He held her tightly as she rode out her orgasm, her breathing rapid and her limbs trembling. As she slowly came down from her high, she leant back slightly and they caught each other's gaze. Harvey brushed his nose against hers and smiled at her and the sweet action caused her to immediately crush her lips against his, her heart bursting with love for him.

He chuckled against her lips, and he brushed the hair from her damp and dewy skin. "You okay?" he asked, searching her eyes.

She answered him by peppering his face with kisses, and she shifted her body slightly, once again causing friction between them. "I most definitely am," she murmured into his mouth and she lifted her hips slightly, dropping her hand between them and then wrapping her fingers around him.

Harvey groaned, his breath stuttering as she pumped him slowly, all the while their tongues did a merry dance.

"Donna," he panted, his voice thick with desire as she stroked him up and down.

"Donna, I need you. I need you now."

She released her hold on him, and they paused for a moment, catching their breaths, before Harvey ran his hands down from her waist to her thighs, gently squeezing them as he nodded to her, and she maneuvered above him.

They stared deeply into each other's eyes, a thousand words of love and pure devotion silently spoken as Donna slowly sunk down onto him.

They both gasped, holding on to each other, savouring the moment. Donna's eyes glistened with tears as the feeling of them finally uniting, threatened to overwhelm her. They both stilled, and Harvey reached his hand up to caress her cheek, his questioning gaze searching her eyes, checking that she was okay.

She nodded and then slowly began to move, her hips rocking back and forth as waves of delicious pleasure washed over her with every motion.

Harvey sat forward, his arms circling around her body tightly, his hands stroking down her back and in her hair, cradling her neck so that he could change the angle of their kiss, deepening it with every sigh and moan. They were as close to each other as they could possibly be, skin on skin, their breaths mingled, their touches lighting fires in their wake.

Their rhythm increased, and then became more erratic as Harvey lifted his hips lightly, thrusting deeper inside her and he groaned, the sound smothered against her skin as her head tilted back and his lips rested against her throat.

Donna felt the delicious build of pure carnal pleasure once again and she sensed Harvey was close too as he slowed his thrusts. He took one of her hands, pinning it behind her back as they interlaced their fingers, before picking up the pace again.

She looked down at the man she was desperately in love with, as he filled her, surrounded her, worshipped her. It was in that moment that realisation hit. He was hers, and she was his, and her breath caught as she reached her peak. She cried out his name as the most intense wave of pleasure crashed over her. Her walls contracted around him, and Harvey soon followed suit, a loud guttural groan erupted from his throat as he spilled inside of her.

Their movements slowed, their chests rising and falling rapidly as they were both barely able to catch their breath. They clung to each other with every last ounce of energy that had left, limbs trembling.

Harvey lifted his head from her collar bone where it had been resting and as he met her post coital gaze, he cradled her face once more and placed the softest kiss against her swollen lips.

He then rested his forehead against hers as they continued to pant, their heartbeats steadily slowing as they came down from their high.

"The water's gone cold," he whispered.

Donna burst out laughing and she nodded in agreement. "Hardly surprising, we've been in here a while."

"Hmm," he mumbled. He tilted his head, gesturing to the room. "We might have made a bit of a mess too."

Donna looked over the side of the bath, and she bit her lip at the sight of the soaked floor, pools of water and soapy bubbles, everywhere. "Ooops,"she said with a coy smile.

Harvey waggled his eyebrows at her and he chuckled before pulling her closer and brushing her nose with his own. "Clean up can wait until the morning. I think that it might be time for bed."

Donna closed her eyes and she sighed. "I think this might be the most tired I have ever been in my life."

Harvey quirked an eyebrow and he flashed her a smug grin. Donna slapped his chest. "You are unbelievable." She giggled.

His eyes twinkled and he leant forward and kissed her once more, before immediately standing up, more water sloshing out of the tub. He stepped out of the bath and reached for the towels, passing her one and then helping her out too.

They both took the opportunity to dry each other off, not seeming to want to stop touching each other for more than a few seconds. Every now and then, Harvey would lean down and steal a kiss, or brush his lips against her back, or her arms and Donna felt the electric shock of his touches every time. If she hadn't been so bone wearily tired, she might have coerced him into round two.

As Harvey finished drying off her shoulders, she suddenly let out a stifling yawn and he paused his movements.

"Sorry," she said, her hand across her mouth.

Harvey smirked, and then with a devilish grin, he suddenly lifted her off her feet and into his arms. She let out a tiny squeal, not expecting the sudden action.

"Bed!" he announced as he strode towards the bedroom, but he faltered when he reached the king-sized bed that resided there.

He let out a deep groan and his face screwed up in disgust.

"What's the matter?"

"Do we really have to spend our first night together in Louis's bed?" he moaned.

Donna snorted out a laugh and she planted a kiss on his lips as she continued to giggle. "Harvey Reginald Specter, stop being ridiculous. Just goddamn take me to bed now, or lose me forever."