Hello everyone and Happy Holidays; thanks everyone for the lovely reviews on the last chapter. They mean the world to me. Now this isn't anywhere close to where I wanted this chapter to end (cause there are just too many ideas to work around when I delve into an AU) but I just couldn't let this day go by without at least posting a little update. I can't believe I've already been working on this for two years (once again, just so many little ideas that make a life on its own and since I don't really want to do multiple AUs in the same setting, the story just becomes longer). SO THANK YOU for sticking around, I promise we will get there in the end. For now, I hope you enjoy this small update and all the best wishes to you! Let me know what you think.
X - M
MISTLETOE MYSTERY
CHAPTER XI
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 16
She shifts ever so slightly, the light peeking through the curtains just about hitting her face. She doesn't blink, and she won't even open her eyes; instead, she revels in the memory of the night before. The bar, the music, the laughter, the touches. She remembers the sounds, the conversations turned into whispered breathes and panting moans.
She chuckles at that thought, cause it can't be a memory. Surely it can't be. It shouldn't be.
She pushes the thought away and tries to turn around, tries to ignore the warmth the early morning sun gives her and return to the one surrounding her, but she stills when she notices something obstructs her movements. It's only then that she becomes vaguely aware of her surroundings.
The sheets are soft; they smell familiar but not like hers. The fabric covering her arms doesn't feel like her pyjamas and the weight that's pressing down on her body can't be that of just a pillow. Her nose scrunches as her face contorts into a frown, giving herself a second to find her composure before she peers through one eye.
The first thing she sees is that she isn't home, but the bed she's in is one she slept in more than once. Her heartbeat quickens at the thought. She slowly lets her gaze drift from the desk near the dresser to her hand, then the dress shirt she's wearing and at last the body covering hers. Brown hair sticking against her skin and the memories of the night before rush back again.
Her breath hitches in her throat and the sound that leaves her lips sounds somewhat like a moan. It makes her flinch, and she finds herself peering into the dark brown eyes gazing up at her now.
"Hey."
She feels her chest tighten and she pushes herself into a sitting position, willing herself to find anything to say. Anything at all – if only she could find the words.
"I can't," she whispers then, looking away, and pulling apart and she hates the look the brunette gives her in return but she just can't. "I'm sorry."
"What?" Dana shakes her head ever so slightly, eyes drawing together as she too scrambles to her feet. Clutching onto the sheets, to cover her exposed body, she almost follows the blonde through her room but she doesn't.
"I just - "she buttons up a shirt that isn't hers and slips on her jeans as quickly as she can.
"Samantha," Dana's plea is barely above a whisper.
Samantha makes the mistake of looking at her ex, eyes meeting one another, and she swallows. "We shouldn't have done this."
.
.
Harvey turns over a page from his notes, hits enter and then clicks save on his file. He suppresses a yawn and runs his hand over his face as he glances to the time displayed in the corner of his laptop. It's only 07:16 am, and he's already considering giving up, but then again he'd gotten up at five this morning to get some work in before Donna's birthday party later that day.
He gets up to make himself his fourth cup of coffee for the day, back hitting the fridge as he patiently waits for the hot water to tickle through the filter. The drips sound almost like a lullaby willing him back to bed, but he forces himself to stay awake by reaching for his phone, checking the news app and then he opens up his messages. It's hers he opens up first, a habit, but there isn't the now standard good night nor good morning one. Not yet.
His fingers hover above the keys, urging to type a message. He doesn't. Switching out of their messages and opens another chat instead.
Could you get Donna out of there for a moment and let me know when you do?
He stuffs his phone back in the pocket of his sweatpants, turning around to face the coffee machine now it has stopped making noises. He reaches for the pot and fills his cup to the brim.
"That for me?"
Harvey glances over his shoulder at Tanner, but instead of answering, he just picks up another mug from the dish rack and pours his roommate a coffee too. Sliding the horrifying fish mug to the other end of the counter, he takes hold of his own once more and lets the hot beverage do its magic.
"Thanks," Tanner's groggy voice echoes through the room. "It's not even eight on a Sunday morning, why are you awake? Did red kick you out of her bed?"
Harvey rolls his eyes and fakes annoyance. "She didn't," he counters nonetheless before giving a more truthful answer. "Just trying to get this essay done for Gerard's class before we go out tonight."
Rachel's reply comes half an hour later, first with a good morning message he's sure is sarcastic. It's directly followed by a second text, inquiring the reason for his request in the first place.
Just let me know, please - he hits send, almost closes the application, but he sends another quick text after that. And don't tell her, I asked.
.
.
Phone pressed between his ear and his shoulder he rushes down the stairs, two steps at a time until he reaches the landing between the third and the second floor. He balances the box on the railing as he catches his breath. "You sure she'll be away long enough?"
Instead of an answer, he hears the door fling open on the second floor. The brunette steps up to the opening, and Rachel flashes him a pointed look. "Just get your ass down here," she yells to him, signalling for her fellow student to come over and she watches him do as told.
She ends the call and fishes the phone between his shoulder and head and does the same on his phone, handing it back as he switches the box between his hands. She eyes the wrapped box in his arms then. "You bought Donna a present?"
It's a rhetorical question, one he doesn't even answer. Instead, he goes ahead and walks inside, and despite Rachel having assured not once but twice that the redhead isn't present at the moment, he still looks around the living room to make sure before he makes his way over to Donna's bedroom.
"All by yourself?" Rachel asks teasingly after Harvey hides the box under Donna's bed.
Harvey merely hums, but a hint of a proud smirk tugging on his lips as he follows Rachel back to the front door.
"Did Mike help you, or?"
He turns around in the doorway, bobs his head to the side. "You do know the meaning of all by myself, don't you?"
Rachel rolls her eyes, pretends to be annoyed. "Should I be worried?"
"Why?"
"You're a terrible gift-giver."
"Who said that?" he counters in a beat, but he realises who Rachel must have heard it from right after. And it's usually correct, and he doesn't care, but he does now. He chuckles then, pressing his lips into a thin line in defeat. "She's gonna eat those words."
"I hope so. For your sake."
He nods in agreement. "Thanks," he says then, signalling the door. "See you tonight."
.
.
"Donna."
Donna stalls as she hears her name being called, clutching the package under her arm she closes the mailbox and looks over her shoulder in the direction of the voice. She peers out of the window next to the door, then quickly opens the steel frame as she sees Sean motion for her attention.
"What are you doing here?" she inquires as soon as she's out on the landing, the cold air greeting her and she brings her free arm to wrap around her other. Clutching the cardboard box against her frame, she makes her way down to the curb. "And what's this," she motions the tree with her foot.
"Turns out Eric is allergic."
"No," Donna frowns and shakes her head in disbelief, but then again there was always something amiss about Sean's new roommate, and her friend confirms it with a simple nod.
"So," Sean starts, pursing his lips as he rocks back and forth on his feet. He drags the tree a little bit closer, holding it upright. "I was wondering if you wanted to have it?"
"Me?" she asks. "Sean, we're - "
"I know, I know," he reasons. "You and Rachel are both leaving over the holidays, and you said you didn't want to do a tree, but I figured with the Christmas Eve's Eve tradition…" He takes a breath and flashes her a pleading smile. "I'll personally make sure it will be gone again before you leave."
Donna bites down on her lip and stares at the curb for a second. It wasn't a decision she nor Rachel liked making; they did think it for the better to forgo on one this year. "Fine," she whispers then. "But you're carrying it up, and you're in charge of getting rid of it on the 24th."
"Deal." Sean grins then, extends his hand and quickly shakes Donna's. "Come on, let's get this thing inside before you change your mind."
She chuckles lightly and walks ahead, opening the heavy door again and keeping it open as she waits for Sean to carry it inside. She does end up helping him take it up the stairs, right from the getgo, but that doesn't stop Sean from complaining about the elevator still being out on maintenance.
Rachel pretty much has the same reaction as Donna had when the two of them enter the apartment, mere minutes after Harvey had left giving her no opportunity whatsoever to snoop around and see what their friend bought the birthday girl.
"I thought we - "
"I know," Donna reasons, motioning to the corner of the room. "But without one, does it really feel like Christmas at all?"
"Don't pull Coldplay on me, ma'am," Rachel calls back, but she walks ahead and pulls the ottoman out of the corner anyway as Donna and Sean drag the tree to it's designated spot.
The redhead simply shrugs with a smirk, asks Sean to wait for a minute as she scurries off to retrieve the standard from the hallway closet.
"I promised I'll get rid of it after the party," Sean says, taking away Rachel's worry and he gives her a grin when the brunette agrees at last. The three of them set up three in the corner of the living room, and Sean stays to help clean up the fallen needles before he excuses himself and bids them farewell, for now, promising to be at the bar with the rest of her theatre group later tonight.
Donna shows her friend the door and returns to retrieve the package she'd dropped on the couch. The cardboard box at last catching Rachel's eye and she drops down near the armrest. She recognises the scrawl on the label, but the stamp in the corner gives it away too. "Alice got you that?"
Donna bobs her head up and down, curls her leg up under her and sits down on the other end. Pulling the package upon her lap, she lets out a sigh. "She called, said she wouldn't be able to meet me for lunch tomorrow and then said she'd sent me my gift."
Pressing her lips into a thin line, Rachel hums. She knows the relationship between Donna and her sister isn't one you'd expect. Especially given how caring her roommate is to all of their friends, but she's come to realise that may exactly be the origin of Donna's fierce loyalty to her friends. "I'm sorry." It's all she says, placing a hand on Donna's. She gives it a gentle squeeze before tapping against the box. "Shall we see if this," she pauses and drums her fingers on it once more. "At least makes up for it?"
There's no answer from Donna, merely a ripping sound as the strip holding the box together is pulled apart. Donna reaches inside and pulls a plastic cover out. The piece unfolds on her lap as she does so, and Rachel is quick to move the packaging aside.
"What?" Rachel asks when Donna snickers, almost scoffs.
"It's green," she whispers, glancing down at the fabric.
"But you love green."
"I do," Donna confirms but her smile stays timid and she reaches for the bottom of the plastic cover, pulling that apart too. "Ali always said it made me look like a Christmas ad."
Rachel scoffs and blows a loose strand of hair out of her face as she does so. "Well, what does she know about fashion," the words come quickly, and she means to cheer her friend up, but they both know the dress in question immediately proves that statement wrong.
"We both know I haven't been her favourite Donna for over a decade now." The reference to Alice's first job out of Parson's is meant as a joke, and deep down she knows it is, but in moments like these, it feels like there's a truth to it anyway.
She picks up the note then, it's short and does what Alice's messages always do best. Apart from wishing her a happy birthday, it still mostly focuses on the success she's booked in the last couple of years, sample dress just for you; with a hint of I'll always know better, in your favourite colour.
Rachel pulls the note from Donna's hand, glosses it over and tosses it aside. "Show me," she says.
Donna does just that. Removing the green dress from its wrapper, she lets the knitted fabric roll out, and she gets onto her feet to hold it out in front of her. Pressing the long-sleeved dress against her frame, she peers down and up at Rachel. She hates to admit it, and she bites down on her lip, but she can't help but smile and whisper. "I think I kind of love it."
"Kind of," Rachel counters, looking at her friend up and down. She reaches forward and touches the fabric resting on Donna's thigh. "You'll look smoking hot in it. You'll have to wear it tonight."
.
.
"Yeah, I guess," Harvey hums in response to Mike and Louis's discussion, but if he's honest he hasn't been paying attention to whatever it was they were arguing about for the last five minutes now. His gaze once again landing on the redhead walking in front of him; trailing over her over-the-knee-high heeled boots, the exposed skin peeking out from under her coat. The sight nothing more than what he got to see when they picked her up at her apartment minutes ago, but it captivates him all the same. Taking to quicker strides, he catches up with the girls walking in front of him, and he softly nudges Donna's shoulder with his own. "Hey."
"Hey," she smiles in return.
He feels her cold fingers brush along the back of his hand as she turns to face him, and instead of returning her smile, his gaze drops down to the limited space between them. He watches her flex her fingers, and that's all it takes before he turns his hand and envelopes hers with his own.
Her heart skips a beat at his touch, feeling his thumb run over her knuckles.
"Should have just gotten you a pair of mittens."
His comments ease her nerves, and she laughs, letting her shoulder bump against his this time around but she doesn't pull her hand back. "Don't you dare."
He simply grins, lets his digits slip between hers and gives her hand a gentle squeeze. "I can't talk you out of the Karaoke thing, can I."
"No, you better think of a song you want to sing," she says, eyes closing as she pictures him standing on stage. She chuckles, a realisation hitting her. "I never heard you sing."
"For good reason," he counters and a moment of silence follows as they turn to the right. Lost in memory, he decides to share it with her. "I bet my dad told you this once already but… When I was six, I once jumped on the piano during a dinner party to sing."
He feels her hazel eyes peer at him in surprise, and he nods. "It was horrible, though," he adds, a low laugh rolling off his tongue. "My mom pushed dad to join in with his sax. Make sure it wasn't a total bust."
Donna stays silent, picturing his description and then as the words sink in, she realises it's the first time he mentions his mother in a happy memory. She smiles then, doesn't comment on it but keeps the knowledge to herself. "I wish I could have seen that."
Harvey rolls his eyes at his best friend. He thinks about that night, and while his mother was an avid photographer, he's pretty confident there isn't any physical evidence of his memory. "One song," he mumbles then.
"What?"
"One song," he repeats, "I'll do one song tonight. That's it."
Donna's face breaks out in a smile, fingers squeezing his hand in excitement. Deep down, she knows she could get him to do more if she asked, batted her eyelashes or played the birthday girlfriend card - no matter how firm he delivered his offer. "Deal," she says, offering him her right hand to shake, a laugh follows when she remembers she's holding on to his right hand, he chuckles too but shakes it with his left regardless.
"Donna!"
Jessica's voice breaks their moment, and the redhead looks ahead again. She smiles brightly as she notices Jessica, Dana, Alex and Rosalie just reaching the karaoke bar. Her step increases, pulling slightly on Harvey's hand as she does so, but he only lets go of her when they get to the others, his hand falling on the small of her back after they exchange greetings and enter the club.
Donna looks over her shoulder as Harvey follows her suit. She smiles at him and then at the rest of the group walking behind them, guiding them all through the crowd to the large booth in the corner. "Sean," she exclaims the second she sees him. Stepping forward, she reaches forward and hugs her friend tightly.
Harvey watches the exchange, and while he knows he has nothing to be jealous of he still swallows. Undoing the buttons on his coat, he removes his scarf and deposits the items on the pile in the corner. He greets Sean then, waving at the rest of Donna's theatre group already present; Edward, Stu, Sheila, Benjamin, Bertha, Nick and Peggy. "Drinks?" he suggests, looking around the group and he excuses himself to make his way to the bar.
"Damn, girl," Peggy purrs when Donna shreds her coat. "Look at you." She hugs her friend and motions for her to turn around. "Alice?" she asks with a knowing smile, and the redhead simply rolls her eyes.
"You look beautiful," Katrina chimes in, as she and Rachel admire Donna's outfit once more.
She sure does.
It's what Harvey thinks when he returns with a tray of tequila shots, but it isn't his voice that echoes those exact words through the room.
"Ho, ho, ho," Tanner bellows as he steps closer. "Merry Donna-mas," he adds as he wraps Donna in a bearhug, lifting her from the ground as he does so.
"Tra - vis," Donna squeals, tapping his shoulders. Silently begging for him to place her back down on the ground, something he does a few seconds later. She lets her hands rest on his shoulders, taking a step back to take him in. Dressed hat to toe as Santa Claus, she laughs and shakes her head. "Thank you," she adds, pressing a kiss to his cheek as she fixes the pompon on the end of it.
"Shots," Harvey asks as he holds two up, handing one to Donna, the other to Tanner who he greets with a slap on his back. "Good you could make it, man."
"Please," Tanner scoffs, throwing the shot back in one go. He lets out a breath. "Your girlfriend would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't."
"I heard that," Donna fires back, playfully slapping Tanner's shoulder. She winks at Harvey and turns around again, to take in the rest of the group. Noticing Rosalie is still without a drink; she offers her own.
"No, thanks." Rosalie shakes her head.
"You sure?"
The law student peeks to her boyfriend, but Alex is deep into a conversation with Mike and Louis. She presses her lips into a smile and shakes her head once more. "I am, thanks," she says, placing her hand on Donna's arm to reassure her. "I'll get a coke later."
"Okay," Donna whispers, deciding not to read too much into it. She raises her glass, toasts it against Rachel's and Harvey's and then downs it too. Her enthusiastic, "Karaoke time!" received far better by her fellow students, but she also knows the rest will follow eventually, especially after a couple of drinks. It's only the beginning of the evening after all.
.
.
A bunch of pizzas for dinner, and thus alcohol, later, Tanner is the first one of the law students to make his way to the stage. Flinging his hat's pompom over his shoulder, he grabs the microphone from the DJ's hand and commands the audience's attention by tapping against it.
"What is he doing?" Donna whispers, leaning a bit to the right. Her hand landing on Harvey's knee as she does so. But Tanner's next words come faster - already answering her question himself.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," he starts, "we're a day early, but please join me in wishing Donna Paulsen a happy birthday."
Donna gasps and laughs. His name on the tip of her tongue when he begins to sing, her friends and other people in the bar soon joining in. "Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday Dear Donna, Happy Birthday to You."
She smiles widely, glance at Harvey next to her. Who sings along and nods, a silent conversation that this does not count as the one song he'd perform tonight. He envelops the hand on his knee with his own then, clasping her fingers in a gentle squeeze.
Donna pushes herself to stand, climbing on the seat of the booth. She uses Harvey's shoulder for support, who quickly reaches for her hand again until she stands. The bar too crowded to pass through; she just yells a thank you to Tanner on the stage and waves at him.
He bows dramatically and then, just as he's about to jump off the stage again a female voice hollers through the crowd.
"I thought this was a birthday celebration, not a sexy Santa competition."
Tanner's head jerks to the left, eyeing the entrance he laughs and rolls his eyes the second he spots the blonde. Covering up the mic, he leans towards the DJ and inquires about a song. Upon confirmation, he brings the mic back in front of his face. "Wheeler, this one is for you," he calls out, nodding at the DJ and the background music starts, making the crowd go wild at the familiar tune of the old hit song.
"I'm too sexy for my shirt," Tanner's low voice starts, and the group of friends laugh and cheer him on as he slips open the first button of his costume. "Too sexy for my shirt. So sexy it hurts."
"Yeah, you are!" Sean yells over the music, whistling along with it.
"Not so sure about that!" Samantha adds loudly enough for the party to hear, and she extends her arms to welcome Donna and wishing her a happy birthday in return.
Dana gulps, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth, eyes darting to the ground for a second before she eyes the blonde again. She watches her ex amicably chat with Donna, greeting her younger sister with a hug too. She doesn't miss how Samantha addresses Mike, Harvey and Katrina, the rest of the group getting a wave, but she doesn't even get a look. She swallows then, thickly and redirects her attention to the drink in front of her. If Samantha can ignore her, then so can she - returning to her conversation with Rosalie, Alex and Harold.
Tanner ends his song not long after that, making way for Sean and Donna who perform a duet to Dancing Queen that gets most people dancing. Most, but not Harvey and Donna shoots him a look across the room. One he just smirks at and simply shakes his head. He grabs his beer and raises it in a silent toast, nodding at her to continue.
"Thank you," the DJ says, taking the mic from Sean again at the end of the song, not yet reaching for the one Donna is holding. "Now this song has been requested many many times tonight," he continues, "but also by what I understand this birthday girl." He pauses signalling Donna still on stage. "So the honour is yours, ma'am."
Donna whispers a thank you to the man, signalling he can go ahead with the break ground music with a simple nod of her head. She walks back to the middle of the stage, mic held in both hands. "Harvey," Donna says, grin tugging on her lips as the intro to 'All I want for Christmas' starts and she can already see the dread on his face, the way he shakes his head. She swears he can even see him whisper something. "This one is for you."
"Iiiiiiii, don't want a lot for Christmas."
Dana returns from the bathroom at the beginning of the song. A chuckle escaping her because much like anyone else in their group of friends; she knows how much Harvey hates the song, and how that made Donna love it even more.
"I just want you for my own."
She glances back and forth between the stage and the group in the back of the room, her gaze landing on Samantha for only a second.
"More than you could ever know."
Dana sighs, an hour into the evening and they still haven't exchanged more than a single look, and even that was anything but pleasant. She continues her way through the dancing people, nearing the party again she notices Samantha move about, sitting near Rachel and Katrina, she looks once over and catches the blonde's eye for a moment, but her ex directs her gaze soon after again.
Donna rocks back and forth over the stage, bringing the mic closer as she sings. She catches the brunette sitting down next to Harvey. Her next line comes a beat too late. "All I want for Christmas is you, yeah."
Dana whispers a hello. Glancing to her right, she watches Harvey; watches the way his gaze remains on the stage. Even while muttering his greeting in return. She follows his gaze back to Donna and smiles softly, happy for her friends, but today more than ever, it reminds her of what she doesn't have. "Must feel good," she says, bumping her elbow against Harvey's.
Harvey frowns, breaks his gaze away from the redhead at last and eyes the woman sitting next to him. "What?" he asks, not sure he fully registered what she said in the first place.
Dana bobs her head to the side, didn't expect him to still not get it. After all these years. "Finally being able to admit what you two feel for each other."
His mouth parts and he catches his breath. "Well …"
"Ooh come on. This proud boyfriend smile," Dana pauses, teasingly poking his cheek. "Looks good on you."
"Thanks, Scottie."
"Though it's not really different from any other smile I've seen you have around her these last couple of years," she smirks in triumph. "But I suppose it's better this way."
"What do you mean?" Harvey asks.
"Before, it might have worked out," she muses. "But now, with the history you two have. This is going to last."
This is going to last; he repeats the words in his head as he peers at the redhead on stage again. A lump forming in his throat as he does so because he knows better. He tries his might to hold back a sigh and covers it by taking a sip of his drink. He turns to look at Dana again, now seeing what he feels inside written all over her face - wishing it was real.
Donna swings over the stage just like she would have done for any production. Looking left and right at the crowd that sings at the top of its lungs along with her, but she still peers over the dancing people to Harvey sitting in the booth in the back.
Harvey puts on his best poker face, smiling at her, and he bumps his shoulder against the brunette's to regain her attention. "You'll find that too."
Donna swings her hips from left to right, singing the song she knows by heart just a tad louder when she catches the little exchange happening. "I just want you for my own."
Dana scoffs and shakes her head, but Harvey doesn't miss how she peers just over his shoulder, and he turns to look to his right too. He spots Samantha sitting there, talking to Rachel and Sean. "Have you tried talking to Samantha at all since she came back, heard she went out with all of you last night?"
Dana inhales deeply, memories of the night before flashing before her eyes and she sighs once more."There wasn't much talking involved, to be honest."
Harvey looks at her in surprise, he's always known the relationship between his ex and Samantha was complicated, but he hadn't expected her to hook up with Samantha right away. But what takes him off guard, even more, are the words that follow next.
"I woke up with my head between her fucking legs, and she ran out on me."
Dana sees his eyebrows shoot up and she shakes her head. "Don't you dare picture that."
"I'm not."
She cocks her head to the side, challenging his answer.
"I'm not," he repeats, eyes ahead on the redhead on stage again. He's telling her the truth even if she won't believe him, and thus he decides to change the subject. Give her the advice Donna would give her if she were here, talking with them. "Look, maybe you should try to actually talk to her."
"Ooh," she huffs, she knows he's right, but she doesn't give in that easily. "Like you did when I told you to do so with Donna way back."
They both roll their eyes, turning to look at Donna perform once more.
"Oh, I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow…"
"How did you two even end up together, anyway?" Dana breaks the silence between them.
"And I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe…"
Harvey keeps looking straight ahead to the stage, following her every move and every line. The last one is hitting closer to home than he ever realised. "Dancing," he answers after a beat, sticking to the story they came up with.
"Dancing," Dana repeats slowly, trying to wrap her mind around his answer. Trying to picture him dancing back in high school, her mind comes up blank. "You don't dance."
"Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight …"
"I didn't."
Donna sings all the way through the conversation she knows is taking place, and she has no reason to be jealous. He's told her more than once that he'll never be more than friends with Dana, but it's also all he truly is with her. All they'll probably ever be. It irks her.
"Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just wanna see my baby
Standing right outside my door."
The thought is soon forgotten when she catches his eye from the other side of the room, his smile brighter now. Probably because the song is coming to an end, but she doesn't care. Twirling around between verses, she goes all out for the last one, holding his gaze for every word she sings.
"Oh, I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby, all I want for Christmas... is you."
She points across the room now, straight at him.
"You, Harvey."
He catches her point at him, the way she winks and turns her hand over. Now signalling with her index finger for him to get up and come over. He laughs, genuinely, shaking his head. But she keeps doing it, singing the last couple of lines.
"All I want for Christmas is you, Harvey
All I want for Christmas is you, Harvey."
Mike shoots Harvey a look, Dana bumps his arm, and the rest of the group spurs him on. He's pretty sure his face is close to the shade of Donna's hair, but all he can do is play along, he would have gotten up regardless of their act.
"All I want for Christmas is you, Harvey.."
He shoots Donna a look, shaking his head as he makes his way through the crowd. Getting slapped on his shoulder left and right, the entire crowd cheers on his name by now. He stops just before the stage, eyeing up at her, and he has to bite his tongue at the bright smile plastered on her face.
She doesn't sing the last two lines. Instead, she extends her hand and pulls her best friend on stage. The motion a little rocky because of the crowd and he almost loses his balance as he climbs on top. Both of his hands landing on her waist as he does so, she laughs and simply wraps her arms around his neck.
His automatically slide around her middle, pulling her tight against his frame. He buries his face in the crook of her neck as they share a hug—both smiling and laughing as they rock back and forth on stage.