Author's Note:

Well, you guys wanted a quick update and I heard you ;)

This might be my fastest update of all time. There's another couple of chapters coming before I wrap things up. Happy reading!

Working with his colleagues as long as he has, Harvey is able to distinguish their footsteps before they announce their presence. He'd know the cadence of Donna's heels anywhere, would recognise Jessica's purposeful strut even now. Mike so often ran into his office that he'd hear his heavy breathing first.

Louis' gait is more of a frantic shuffle, one he hears coming a mile away on Tuesday morning. Louis bursts into Harvey's office, shoving the door so hard that it rattles in the frame. He slams a piece of paper on Harvey's desk.

"What the fuck is this?"

"Morning Louis."

He points to the paper. "Again, what the fuck is this?"

Harvey sighs, looking from the paper to Louis. "You know what it is, Louis."

At that, Louis deflates, but just as quickly, his sadness is replaced by anger. "Harvey, we've practically been here since the beginning. You and me, Ralph and Sam."

Harvey narrows his eyes, missing the reference entirely.

"More than that, I thought we're partners, friends."

"We are."

"Then how could you tell me like this? In a letter?"

He scrunches the paper, making a dramatic show of throwing it towards the trashcan. It misses by several inches.

"Some things are hard to say in person."

"Not for Harvey Specter," Louis scoffs.

Harvey rises from his desk, collecting the letter from where it fell. He takes it back to his desk, sits down and flattens out the paper.

"I want to do this quietly Louis. Just us, I don't want to involve Samantha and Alex."

"Or Donna," Louis points out.

"Or Donna."

Louis drops into the chair opposite Harvey's. "Harvey, your name is on the wall. You and I fought tooth and nail so that we could both be up there," he says. "This is our home and you just want to leave?"

"Louis, I've been doing this for so many years and it's time for a change."

"But we're in the big leagues, Harvey. Why would you want to downsize to a legal clinic in Seattle?"

"I've conquered the big leagues," he says. "There's nothing left here for me now."

Louis slumps in his chair, processing. He unbuttons his suit jacket – a rarity for Louis – and loosens his tie. He leans forward, placing his elbows on the desk.

"Even if I could get my head around that, and that's a big if, this is sudden, even for you Harvey."

"Why wait?" he deflects. "I'm hoping you won't hold me to my contract."

Louis snatches the paper from the desk and screws it up into a ball again. He throws it behind his head without looking and this time, it lands straight in the trash.

"I don't give a shit about notice or your contract! We sure as hell didn't get notice when our last two partners left. But as your friend, I would have liked a heads up that you've been thinking about fleeing the state."

Harvey rolls his eyes. "Nobody's fleeing the state."

"Oh really? Because you left this bullshit letter on my desk last night, during Donna's personal week no less, and you're flying to Seattle weeks before her wedding, so tell me that's not fleeing."

Harvey frowns, noticing the turning heads outside his office.

"Louis, calm down."

"God, Harvey, I thought you were going to tell her how you feel."

"I did."

This time Louis rolls his eyes. "Or you let her infer how you feel without actually saying it."

That stops him short.

"I was going to," Harvey starts, "but after that dinner party–"

Louis winces.

"Thomas came to see me."

Louis nods. "And let me guess, he told you to back off?"

"More or less."

"And you actually listened? You're going to let some other guy tell you what's best for Donna, instead of, oh, I don't know… Donna?"

"Louis, that's enough," he snaps. Louis clamps his mouth shut. "I'm not going to be the other guy."

Louis shifts anxiously in his seat. "How do you want to tell the partners?"

"I'm giving you notice, Louis. I don't have any open cases, no secretary, no associate," he explains. "You're the managing partner, you're the only person that needs to know until I've left."

Louis studies him carefully. "You're not going to tell her until you're gone, are you?"

Harvey says nothing, which of course says everything. Louis rises from his seat, nodding in that disapproving way that Harvey detests.

"That's fine, Harvey. Go to Seattle, don't go to Seattle, I wouldn't care if you were doing it for the right reasons."

"Louis," he grits through his teeth, "I think you should leave."

Louis purses his lips, backing away from Harvey's desk. He lingers in the doorway.

"I'm disappointed in you, Harvey."

He watches Louis leave, his words slicing him to the bone.

On Saturday night Donna makes up an excuse for why she can't see her fiancé. The ever-trusty headache. When Harvey leaves her on the street, completely dumbfounded, she realises she can't bear seeing Thomas, can hardly get out the words I'm not feeling great, I'll call you tomorrow without choking back a sob.

She wants to call Harvey, wants to show up at his door and demand they finish what they started, that she's tired of half-hearted revelations and no follow-through, because after all these years she thinks he might actually love her.

But the only time he ever said it, he took it back. She's got years of evidence to show her that he needs her and simply can't handle the thought of someone else having her. It's an ugly thought, and it lingers in her mind all night, staving off sleep.

Donna wakes from a fitful night of tossing and turning to find her head no clearer. She shoots Thomas a text message – Still feeling crappy, I'll call you tonight – and it buys her some time. She wants to call Rachel, but Rachel and Mike are a unit and she wants to talk to someone who doesn't have a link to Harvey. There's so few people left in her life without one.

So, Donna Paulsen does something impulsive: she hires a car and drives the three and a half hours to Cortland.

Her mother is more than surprised to see her, particularly with an overnight bag in tow, but she welcomes her into the house, puts on a fresh pot of coffee and doesn't ask questions.

She unpacks in the guest room and takes a nap in the late afternoon, only to wake up at sunrise the following morning. She could get up, drive back to Manhattan and make it to the office before midday, but she's so exhausted by the idea that she texts Louis to tell him she's taking a personal day that could turn into a few. His response is a ludicrous number of question marks but Donna promises she'll call later and explain.

Thomas' text messages are left unanswered.

Donna takes her time leisurely crawling out of bed, savouring the slow pace that she doesn't usually allow herself on a weekday. She showers, washes her hair and scrounges up some breakfast for herself and her mom.

It's as simple as granola and fruit but her mom appreciates it all the same. Visits, even the spontaneous kind, are sporadic at best. The last time they even had a meal together was around the time of her engagement party.

Donna washes up while her mother fixes two fresh coffees.

"So honey, it's almost been a full day," she says, settling onto the sofa. "Are you ready to talk about it?"

Donna sips her coffee in a poor attempt to stall the conversation.

"You know this is a safe space Donna, what you say doesn't leave this room."

Donna can't help but laugh at her mother's dramatic flair. "Jeez, mom, I didn't kill anybody."

"I know that's leap but you've been guilt-ridden since you got here."

Her shoulders sag, the humour zapped out of her. "I want to talk, I do, but there's a few people I should call first – let them know I'm here."

Her mother nods in understanding. "Whenever you're ready." She squeezes her hand. "Stay as many days as you need."

Louis doesn't answer when she calls, but she leaves a somewhat vague message with Gretchen about her mother needing her in Cortland for the week and cashing in some of her long-overdue leave. Gretchen asks no further questions and assures her that she'll reign Louis in.

Thomas answers on the first ring.

"Donna, where have you been? I haven't seen you in days. You haven't been picking up your phone."

His frantic words make her tense up, so she blurts out, "I'm in Cortland."

"You're what?"

"I drove to my mom's."

"Is she okay? Are you okay?"

"Mom's fine," she says delicately, "I just needed a few days out of the city."

"You're missing work? That's not like you."

"I've been feeling burnt out the last couple of weeks so it felt like the right time."

He's silent for a few seconds. "Donna, should I be worried?"

She doesn't know how to answer that.

"I'm just decompressing," she says honestly.

"I could come and meet you? Make a few days out of it?"

"It's okay, I'm just going to spend some quality time with mom."

"Alright," he relents, "let me know when you're heading back to the city."

Her mother knocks on the door a few minutes later, a sweater in hand. "Come on," she says, "we're going for a walk and it's chilly out there."

They stroll through the peaceful streets where Donna used to play as a child. Their neighbourhood remains mostly unchanged, but the bright, autumnal colours are just like Donna remembers. She'll probably never slow down enough to move out of a major city, but it's a welcome change of scenery.

"I told Thomas I was here," she eventually says.

"How did he take it?"

"He didn't really know how to take it. I don't even know why I'm here."

Her mother gives her a look.

"I'm not running away," Donna insists.

"What would you call it?"

The bluntness of the question surprises her.

"Taking a breather."

"What is it that you're taking a breather from?"

"You've planned a wedding," she says. "You know how stressful it is."

That earns her another look.

"Honey, you're more organised than anybody I know, you could plan a wedding with your eyes closed."

"Okay, it's not the wedding," she admits. "It's…the marriage, I guess."

She doesn't elaborate further, so after a moment her mother says, "let's get the obvious out of the way. We both know some people get cold feet, but I know my daughter and she's fearless."

Donna blushes, feeling anything but.

"Now, stop me if I'm wrong, but if you were one hundred percent sure about this, you wouldn't be here. Am I right?"

Donna releases a heavy sigh. "Unfortunately, yes."

"I meant what I said, Donna. This is a safe space and nobody's feelings are getting hurt by you talking to your mother."

They walk in silence for a few minutes, Donna enjoying the crunch of leaves under her feet. Finally, she says, "it's Harvey."

The weight of the admission sits heavy on her chest. Her mother calmly looks down at her watch, then back up at Donna.

"It's noon. I think we're going to need a proper drink for this."

A lot of wine is consumed on Monday and Donna sheds more than a few tears. Her mother heeds her fears, her concerns and tries to decipher the mixed bag of feelings that she unloads on her. But mostly, she just listens without judgment.

Her mother is working over the next few days, so Donna digs up her old collection of literary classics and reads for the pure pleasure of it. She shuts off her phone, goes for walks, busies herself in the kitchen with low-maintenance recipes. In the evenings, she and her mother talk, and Donna promises that they will go to Paris next spring.

By Friday morning, she feels recharged. Her problems are by no means solved, but she feels a little braver to face them head on.

Then Thomas arrives.

"Everyone is really excited to meet you," Mike tells him over the phone. "So, naturally I set them straight."

Harvey smirks, overlooking the view of the city from his balcony. He takes in the cityscape that he's lived with for years. He will miss New York, but just like the people he's leaving behind, the city will continue on without him.

"Listen, I know I'm not needed for a few weeks, but I thought I'd fly out sooner than planned."

He hears rustling on the end of the phone.

"Makes sense, you need to find a place, and we can only handle you for so long."

He chuckles. "Nice to know I'm wanted."

"Offered you a job, didn't I?" He hears Mike crack a beer. "So when were you thinking?"

"This weekend."

Mike almost chokes on his beer.

"Too soon?"

"Can you move your entire life over here in a matter of days?"

He glances around his apartment, feeling only a shred of sentimentality. Everything that really means anything to him is inside his office. Or next to it.

"I'm keeping the apartment for now, but I'll probably sell it at some point."

"How about that outrageous Tom Ford collection?"

"Couriers exist for a reason, Mike."

Mike scoffs. "Like you know how to use a courier."

"Gretchen might be taking care of that part," he admits. He had some reservations about asking Gretchen for help, but he knew she wouldn't betray his confidence, even though she couldn't resist calling him a damn fool.

"Well, Harvey, you're obviously welcome. I just figured you'd be flying back with us after Donna's wedding."

"Why wait?" he says, regurgitating his earlier words to Louis. Before Mike can say anything else, he adds, "I gotta go, but I'll send you my flight information."

"See you soon, Harvey."

Donna is packing the hire car with the few belongings she brought with her when she sees her fiancé pull up to the house. Thomas owns a car and knows her mother's address, so it's perfectly feasible that he would drive here, but it still shocks her to see him emerge from the vehicle.

"Thomas, hi."

"Hey Donna."

He briefly touches her waist and kisses her cheek.

"I was actually just leaving."

He gestures to the hire car. "Yeah, I can see. I just… I couldn't wait to see you and–"

"And I didn't call, I'm sorry," she interrupts.

He gives her a half smile.

"Donna, I've gotta be honest," he starts, "I went a little crazy at the idea of you taking off without so much as a phone call."

"I know, I know."

"And I was getting restless at home, I was completely useless at work."

She runs a hand down his arm and squeezes his hand.

"Do you want to come inside?" He looks over her shoulder at the house. "My mom is out, she left me to lock up. We said our goodbyes this morning."

He nods and follows her up the driveway and into the house. Donna heads straight to the kitchen to make tea, using anything to occupy her hands and keep from pacing the room. Thomas takes a seat at the kitchen island, throwing casual glances around the room. She doesn't ask if he wants a cup of tea but she slides a mug in front of him anyway.

He doesn't say anything at first, but finally cracks after a few minutes of silence.

"I know it's weird, me showing up here. I talked myself in and out of it about four times on the way here," he tells her. "Part of me wanted to just wait until you got back to New York, to eek out these last few days of…"

He pauses, tearing his eyes away from her.

"Of what?"

"Of being your fiancé."

She sucks in a breath. He smiles sadly.

"Up until now, I could ignore the signs, but my future wife escaping upstate less than a month before our wedding is hard to overlook."

"Thomas–"

"Just be honest with me, Donna."

She cradles her tea in her hands, feeling completely exposed.

"What do you want to know?"

"Do you even love me?"

The question makes her heart break, because she does, but not nearly enough. Not the way she should.

"I do love you, I never lied about that."

He nods, seeming to take her words at face value.

"But you're in love with Harvey?"

She nods, tears spilling down her cheeks. She places her mug back on the counter and wipes her cheeks. "I thought I'd moved on, I wanted to move on. And you're–"

He holds a hand up. "You don't have to, Donna."

"You're a wonderful guy," she says.

"But I'm not him."

And really, isn't that the crux of it? Donna and Thomas were planning to build a life together, but when she pictures her future all she can see is Harvey. He's a part of me, she'd told Rachel.

"Do you really think he can give you everything you need?"

His words tug at her heartstrings, but when she speaks, her voice is steady and clear. "I don't know, but I can't marry you if I'm still holding out hope that he can."

He lets out a shaky, frustrated sigh. "I really wished you figured this out sooner," he says. "I wish you hadn't said yes."

She'd do anything to get rid of the pained expression on his face.

"I do too."

They share a sad smile.

"I mean, I'm not completely blameless… you wanted to talk that day I turned up at your apartment, but I wasn't ready to hear it. I was in denial." He pauses, deliberating his next words. "I guess I thought if we could just get married nothing else would matter."

"Honestly, I thought the same thing."

She wants to thank him for finally forcing the conversation, for driving all this way just so she could end their engagement. It's what she should have done after her last conversation with Harvey instead of driving to Cortland to postpone the inevitable for a mere few days.

"I'm not going to lie and tell you it's fine, because this is tearing me up inside… but I still want you to be happy."

"I want the same for you."

They both know there's nothing left to say, both keenly aware that this will be the last time they ever see each other. Donna walks Thomas to the door and watches him get in his car and drive away.