A/N: This is just a little fluff piece I've written for Mai for her birthday. Love and thanks to Stef & Aimee for giving it a read through and a thumbs up. Love you ladies.

Happy Birthday Mai xx

A Deal is a Deal

"So, what exactly are you trying to tell me, Donna?"

His wife looks up from her book, nudging her sunglasses down her nose, and gives him a sweet smile.

"You should go on ahead without me. I don't want to delay you any further, especially as you're all ready."

Harvey narrows his eyes. "The idea was that we would go together."

"I know, but I just think it's prudent for me to stay out of the sun today. I think I caught a little too much on our stroll yesterday."

"That stroll was in the evening after the sun went down and lasted all of twenty minutes."

Donna gives an apologetic shrug. "When you have skin like mine, that's all it takes, believe me." She gives a little chuckle.

Harvey drops his rolled up towel by her feet and sits on the sun lounger next to her.

"Okay, enough! The first day, you didn't feel like going because of jet lag. The second day, you said your limbs were aching too much from all the sex—"

"I could barely walk, Harvey!"

Harvey grins for a moment before continuing. "Yesterday, you suddenly realized you had 'accidentally' forgotten to pack your swimsuit." His eyebrow is cocked as he mimes quotation marks.

"I honestly don't know how that happened. I'm normally so well organized."

"I know, weird huh?" Harvey tilts his head, his tongue poking in his cheek. "Fortunately, the island has a La Perla store with a great range of swimwear, otherwise our plans might have been scuppered for the whole vacation."

"Very fortunate!" Donna replies with a fixed smile.

"So what's the excuse going to be tomorrow? Migraine? A sudden desire to go hiking for the day instead? No swimming on the sabbath?"

Donna closes her book and removes her glasses. She lifts her eyes to meet her husband's arresting gaze. "What are you implying, Harvey?"

He leans over her, placing his hands on either side of her torso, and dips his head beneath the wide brim of her sunhat so he can place a kiss on her lips. She instinctively opens her mouth and groans as his tongue circles hers. He kisses her slowly and deeply, and she can feel herself melt at his touch, her mind, and body awash with nothing but desire. Somewhere in the back of her brain, she acknowledges that this is his intent. This is how he disarms her when she is being evasive, stubborn, or difficult.

She's looped her hands around his neck and is pulling him into her body, craving the contact, like a drug addict craves their next fix.

Harvey breaks the kiss but rests his forehead against hers. She's panting and his mouth curls into a smug smile.

"Donna Roberta Specter, are you reneging on our deal?" he asks softly as he gently brushes her nose with his own. Another surefire way to break through her defenses.

"Full naming-me. You're not messing about, are you?" she answers huskily as she tries to capture his lips again, but he denies her attempts, brushing his lips across her jaw and down the soft skin of her neck instead, causing her to tremble helplessly.

"You should know by now, that when I make a deal, I take it very seriously," he murmurs between kisses across her collarbone, her skin now covered in goosebumps, despite the stifling heat of the day. "I already fulfilled my part, I do believe it's now your turn, and you seem to be trying to weasel your way out of it."

"Harvey…" she sighs.

"Donna…" he replies, before gently nipping above her breast, causing her to gasp.

"Okay, okay, okay," she says, clearly flustered. "You're right. I really don't want to go swimming."

Harvey pulls back slightly and dips his head to read her expression, as she tries to avert her eyes.

"Donna… We talked about this. I know you're nervous, but I'll be with you the whole time."

"I'm not nervous," she answers too quickly.

His lips twitch, as he brushes the backs of his fingers down her side. "Then why don't you want to?"

She rolls her lips, her cheeks flushing and her gaze still fixed over his shoulder. "I'm just not designed for being outdoors in a pool, or in the sea. I mean, one glimpse at the sun and my skin blisters and burns, and no matter what Cosmo might tell you, sunblock and swimming caps are just not a great look."

"Donna, it's late in the day. The sun is setting, you're not going to need any sunblock."

"... and chlorine is just a killer for my hair."

"It's a freshwater pool."

"I'm just not in the mood, Harvey. I'd rather we went and showered and got ready for dinner."

Harvey nods slowly, trying to suppress a grin. "I see. So, it's nothing to do with the fact that you can't swim."

She scowls at him but doesn't answer.

"Donna?"

She lifts her arms and slaps them back down again. "It's not a big deal, Harvey."

"It kinda is, Donna," he says carefully, well aware that she's sensitive about this.

Donna excels at everything. This is a fact, universally known.

Everything, except cooking, which he discovered several years ago at the god-awful dinner party, and more recently, the surprising revelation that she's never learned to swim. After establishing that it's not as a result of any traumatic near-drowning experience, but merely because at her first attempt she struggled and floundered when her sister excelled from the off, Harvey decided it's time she learned.

They have plans to travel, and with traveling, comes the likelihood of water. Harvey does not want to entertain the idea of them being anywhere near water, and then finding themselves in a situation where she's in danger because of a lack of what he believes to be a basic life skill.

Donna was quick to shut him down, seemingly embarrassed and not willing to expose her insecurities, so Harvey knew he needed a different approach.

Fortunately, an opportunity presented itself. Donna loves to ski. Jim and Clara have spent many evenings over dinner regaling him with tales of her skills on the slopes, the many competitions she won, and proudly showing him all the trophies they have on display. Just as the seeds of an idea began to form, Mike and Rachel helped him out by suggesting a thanksgiving ski trip to Beaver Creek in Colorado.

Donna was beyond excited at the idea until Harvey regretfully informed them that sadly he'd never skied in his life, he had no interest in doing so, and they would regretfully have to decline.

He laid it on thick. Telling his wife and closest friends that ski-ing not only didn't appeal, but he hates the snow, dislikes winter sports in general, and once had a tobogganing accident with Marcus that's left him with an aversion to sliding on snow by any form or means.

It was all bullshit of course. He's never skied, that part was true, but only because he's never had the time or the opportunity. Normally, Donna might have seen through his lies with ease. But she and Rachel were heavily into their third bottle of wine and alcohol usually tempers her Donna skills. Instead, he watched, with a slight tingling of guilt, her face drop and her initial excitement give way to dismay.

He left it a few minutes, as the three of them rued a missed opportunity, before reaching over and taking her hand, his head tilted, his eyes apologetic and full of sympathy. He sighed heavily, before seemingly offering a possible compromise, with much reluctance of course. He would agree to the Beaver Creek trip, Donna would teach him to ski, and he'd give it his best effort, but only if she would allow him to teach her to swim.

Donna, still in mourning, thinking there was no chance of ever being able to ski again, let alone take a trip with their best friends, jumped at the chance. Of course, she would agree.

Harvey made her shake on it, wanting assurance that they would both stick to their ends of the deal. He is a lawyer, after all, and he felt quite smug about the fact his plan had played out perfectly.

Mike wasn't fooled at all. As their friends bade their goodbyes, Mike paused at the door, clasping Harvey's shoulder and leaning in, he whispered "Aversion to ski-ing, my ass!"

Harvey looks at her now. He sees the worry in her expression. There is fear there. He doesn't think it's necessarily a fear of the water, but more a fear of failing. Failing in front of him. Her vulnerability squeezes his heart. Harvey has always known that she is the most incredible person he has ever met, and somehow, the fact that she has her own doubts and insecurities only enhances the love and admiration he has for her.

"Donna. You are the most precious thing to me. The thought of anything happening to you, that you could be in danger, just fills me with dread. You need to learn how to swim. Come with me to the pool and let me teach you."

Donna pouts.

"We made a deal, remember?" he says with a half-smile. "It's not like you to break your word."

"I'm well aware of the deal we made. I'm also more than acutely aware that the tale you spun, the night we made that deal was mostly a crock of shit. There was no aversion to snow, Harvey!"

"I swear, I'd never skied before," he says, holding his hand up in Scout's honor.

"Maybe, but you had to go and be a natural, didn't you. I showed you the basics and you were off, gracing the slopes like a goddamn pro. That is not how it's going to go down when I get in that pool!"

Harvey intertwines his fingers with hers and gives them a squeeze. "Do you trust me?"

Donna sighs. "You know I do."

"Then trust me when I say that I know that you can do this. Have faith in me when I tell you that I'll keep you safe. And believe me when I say, that if you never try to overcome this, I am going to constantly worry about you, anytime we are near water. To the point, where I'm damn certain I will drive you insane."

Donna's shoulders drop, and one look at his deep brown, puppy dog eyes and she knows he's won this battle.

"Fine! But if I drown… or even worse, if I make a fool of myself in that pool, I promise I will kill you painfully and slowly!"

Harvey breaks out into a wide grin, and before she can say another word, he throws her beach bag over his shoulder, picks up his towel, and then promptly scoops her up into his arms. He kisses her fervently and then carries her in the direction of the resort's pool.

The fact that it is early evening and the sun is dipping means that fortunately, they are the only ones there.

Donna stands nervously at the shallow steps as Harvey helps her untie her sarong. He holds out his hand, which she takes, and he gently leads her down into the water.

They wade further into the pool until the water reaches the tops of their shoulders and Donna is balancing on her toes.

"Okay, I'm going to keep hold of your hands, but I want you to kick your legs off the bottom. I promise I won't let go of you, okay?"

Donna is frowning, her nerves kicking in, but she nods her acquiescence. Harvey takes a step back, Donna kicks her toes off the bottom of the pool and instantly wraps them around Harvey's waist. She lets go of his hands, and throws her arms around his neck instead, clinging to him for dear life.

"Donna... that's not what I meant."

"I don't care," she immediately replies.

"Sweetheart, you're not going to learn how to swim, if you're clinging to me like a limpet."

"I don't care," she repeats.

"Donna!"

"I'm good here," she whispers into his neck. "This is nice, isn't it? I like wrapping myself around you."

She tightens her hold on him and simultaneously grinds against his stomach, causing him to groan.

"Donna, that's not fair, and you know it. You promised me, remember?"

She's kissing him now all over his neck, and along his jaw. She reaches his lips, but he's rigid and tense. She pulls back to catch his expression, and he's staring at her, left eyebrow raised, unamused.

She rests her forehead against his, as they softly bob in the water. "I am a little scared," she whispers against his lips.

"I know," he replies gently. "But I'm right here and I won't let anything happen to you."

They rest in the water in silence for a little longer, then Donna swallows, kisses him tenderly, and then gives him a nervous smile. "Okay, let's do this!"

They spend the next hour in the water. Harvey, showing her how to float on her back, then getting her to move across the width of the pool, his hand resting underneath her as she moves her arms and legs as instructed. Eventually, as she is halfway across the pool, he ever so slowly and gently lets go, so that she is swimming without any physical contact from him. She doesn't realize, and he doesn't tell her until she is just one meter away from the edge of the pool.

"Donna… look!" He shows her his hands and grins at her. Her eyes widen in shock and she splutters and flails in the water desperately grasping for the edge of the pool.

He helps her reach it, and she immediately slaps him on the chest.

"Harvey! You asshole. You promised you wouldn't let go."

Harvey is chuckling despite his wife's indignation. "You were doing it, Donna. For more than half the width of this pool. You were swimming!"

"That's not the point!"

"It's totally the point. I have to let go of you at some point, and I only did so, when I knew you didn't need me anymore."

Donna pouts as Harvey continues to smile at her with a smug expression.

"You're still an asshole."

He sidles up to her and pins her to the side of the pool, lifting her thighs and tugging them around his waist.

"It's true, I am." He smirks as he captures her lips and probes her mouth with his tongue. "But, I'm your asshole… and now that we're done here, I think we should revisit your earlier move. You know, the one where you wrapped yourself around me. Only we should do so back in our room, in our bed, naked."

"Hmm. Does that mean my lesson is over? But I've only learned the breaststroke."

"Yes, but I've got a different kind of breaststroke in mind."

"I'm sure you have, Mr. Specter." She giggles as she runs her hand down his chest and across his abdomen. "Well then, you'd better take me to bed, or lose me forever."

"Did you just quote Top Gun?"

"I sure as hell did. Show me the way home, Honey!"

Harvey growls. "Just when I thought I couldn't possibly love you any more!"