Weather Warning

Prompt 208: What if a hurricane (or some other huge weather-related event) is barreling towards NYC and Harvey isn't able to reach Donna to make sure she's ok.

...

The windows shudder violently at Specter Litt Wheeler Williams, rain pelting the glass as the wind howls and whistles, rattling the high-rise building.

As an adult, storms don't scare Samantha like they did when she was a child. Living in foster care or on the streets, she would find solace in small, cramped spaces, crying just as hard as the water wrenching down outside. But the fear would always pass, just like her turbulent childhood steered into calmer seas.

The severe weather rocking the foundations of the firm isn't troubling her, but she is worried—concern for her friends manifesting in the worn down path Harvey is treading back and forth across his office.

An emergency broadcast, citing extreme winds with flooding and hail hit all major social platforms around an hour ago, the tv anchor warning Manhattan to brace for the unprecedented storm. The Mayor called for people to lockdown and stay put rather than fleeing to be with loved ones. When the news broke, she, Harvey, and Alex were at the firm. But Louis had left a few minutes prior to be with Sheila, Katrina was already attending a client meeting downtown, and Donna's whereabouts are still unknown. They suspect she had an appointment somewhere, but no one saw Donna leave or knows how long she was gone before the red alert spread citywide.

The tension in the air is palpable, constricting further when Alex's cell buzzes on the glass coffee table in Harvey's office. Phone signals have been jammed across all major networks since the announcement to stay indoors went viral, and she can only hope the notification is good news from someone they know.

Alex thumbs open the text, reading it and sagging with relief. "Louis… Sheila and the baby are both fine." He scrolls to the message information. "Sent almost an hour ago."

Harvey's relieved, but also frustrated by the time it took for them to receive the confirmation. He's been frantically calling numbers, trying to get in touch with Donna, and he continues pacing, circling through the list again. When the fourth call connects, his heart hammers like a freight train as he grunts his name into the phone. "Harvey Specter." He attempts to calm himself with a deep breath. "One of my employees, Donna Paulsen, owns an apartment in your building… Yes, I'm aware—no, I don't care. Look, could you just do your goddamn job and go check?" He pinches the bridge of his nose as holding music fills the line, not caring if he sounds like an asshole. Usually, he doesn't mind that Donna comes and goes as she pleases. Her schedule is a lot more fluid since she became COO, but she's still always around when he needs something, and right now he needs to know that wherever she is, she's okay.

The music in his ear cuts out abruptly, and when the super of Donna's building confirms there was no answer at number 206, he grumbles his thanks, hanging up and airing his frustration with a growl. "Where the hell is she?" He slams his palm down his desk, taking his annoyance out on the piece or ornate furniture.

Alex hunches over, lowering his head as guilt gnaws away at him. He knows where Donna is supposed to be, because she was doing a favor for him in Queens. But Harvey's been a ticking time bomb since the emergency broadcast went live. If he told Harvey the truth, the man wouldn't have wasted a breath before rushing out into the erupting volatile weather to find her. If he let that happen, Donna would never have forgiven him, so he kept his mouth shut. But each desperate call Harvey makes is twisting a knot in his stomach that's becoming painful to suffer through. Revealing where Donna was headed won't bring any practical information to the table, but maybe it'll keep Harvey from terrorizing anyone else he can get a hold of. "Donna's at 3629 Bell Boulevard in Bayview," he admits, clutching his hands together. "She went there to research some real estate for one of my clients." The confession lands just as he thought it would, like a led balloon, and he lifts his gaze, facing his boss' furious glare.

"Excuse me?" Harvey dares Alex to repeat himself. He can't possibly have heard right, because if he did, that means Alex has known where Donna's been this whole time, and he refuses to believe that someone he trusts would hide the truth about something this important. But instead of defending himself, Alex pulls out a crumpled yellow post-it with an address, and he sees red.

"You knew this whole goddamn time—"

"Harvey!" Samantha jumps up, catching his chest with a firm hand. She's not taking sides, though she can easily guess why Alex didn't speak up sooner. Rumors have always swirled around the firm about Harvey and Donna, how they would do anything to protect each other. Usually, she wouldn't pay attention to office gossip. But she saw the pair willing to risk everything for each other during the fiasco that led to Robert's retirement. It's not her place to comment on their relationship, but she can surmise Alex was just trying to do the right thing, and she stays blocking Harvey's path. "Tell me you can think of anyone else more resourceful than Donna?" She challenges him to argue, trying to shift his focus back to what matters. "Knowing where Donna was going an hour ago doesn't change anything."

"The hell it doesn't." Despite his hostility, Harvey breathes in through his nose, Samantha's reassurance offering a fleeting respite from his anger. He knows Donna can take care of herself. She's probably talked her way into some five star penthouse suite and is bored out of her mind without cable. But an equally possible scenario is that she stopped to help someone and landed herself in trouble because she's twice the person he'll ever be. The only thing he knows for sure is that she's out there somewhere, and he's not taking any chances, pushing past Samantha to swipe the address of the table. "If anything happens to her…" He expels the unspoken threat at Alex with a harsh breath. If something happens to Donna, the man had better back up his bags and leave the goddamn country.

Alex catches Samantha's arm before she can go after Harvey's angry stride. This is his mistake to fix, and he squares his shoulders as he approaches the man wrestling into his coat. "You're right, I should have told you."

If there's one thing Alex knows, it's that Harvey values loyalty above all else, and he can empathize with the man's strong emotions. He'd be going out of his mind if he didn't have a text from Rosalie on his phone, telling him she was at home and safe with the girls. But he likes to think he'd know better than to do something stupid on a whim. As a husband and a father it's also his job to make it home in one piece. But Harvey isn't thinking like a man who has something to protect, he's acting like someone fuelled by fear. "I didn't because you know Donna wouldn't want you going out there."

Harvey balls his fist around the gloves in his pocket, anger hurtling through him at the obnoxious statement. It wasn't Alex's call to assume anything, and he takes a heated step forward when the room suddenly plunges into darkness.

The whirring hum of electricity dies around them, the sound of heavy rain mingling with Harvey's fast breaths, and he flexes his fingers, using the distraction to regulate the rise and fall of his chest. Without intending it, his mind flashes back to this morning in Donna's office. He said something stupid. She smiled, and then she called him an idiot, kicking him out. There wasn't anything particularly special about the exchange. Except he remembers thinking he could spend forever chasing the moment her lips curve and her eyes light up. For weeks now, ever since she broke up with Thomas, he's been daring himself to admit she's the most important person in his life, finally ready to see where a confession like that might take them. But instead of picturing closure he's overwhelmed by the past hour he's had to spend existing without her; no contact or any indication she's okay. After everything they've been through together, the images that have been plaguing him are a new kind of hellish torture. And when the room is suddenly engulfed by power again, illuminating Alex's face, he snaps on his gloves with fiery determination. "She wouldn't want me to give up."

Donna would, if it meant protecting him.

But Alex knows the words are only going to fall on deaf ears, and he stands helplessly as Harvey barrels from the office. The glass door swings and clatters, and he turns to Samantha, who seems surprisingly calm given the circumstances. "Don't tell me—"

"It's Donna." The argument speaks for itself, and she folds her arms with a sigh. If she's being honest, she expected Harvey to break sooner, and she's surprised he held out as long as did.

"That's exactly why we shouldn't let him go," Alex argues. The man obviously isn't thinking clearly, and Samantha should know better than to fold to Harvey's impulsive behavior.

"Why do you think I called security as soon as the alert went out?" She's not trying to flaunt her actions. Given the state of emergency and all the people affected, she doesn't want to sound smug. But she was smart, and she's not going to deny that. "I told them to use a taser on him if necessary."

"Shit" Alex swipes a hand down the back of his neck with a relieved sigh, even though he knows the reprieve is going to be short-lived. "This is seriously going to piss him off."

"I know." She turns back to the couch to make herself comfortable. If Harvey wants to take out his anger on her, fine. She can handle him. But Donna's just as protective of Harvey as he is of her, and she would rather be owed a favor by the redhead than endure the woman's wrath. What she can't see her way around is what will happen between the pair when Donna does eventually turn up.

She suspects something is going to give, and she hopes it will lead Harvey and Donna to their own calmer seas, not into another oncoming storm.

…

…

For once, Harvey is glad the floor is empty as he repeatedly jabs the call button outside the elevator. People who should be working are probably congregating in the bullpen or library—somewhere warm, and he glances hesitantly at the creaking windows being pounded with hail and rain.

The conditions outside are horrendous, but the thought of Donna being out there has panic wound so tightly in his chest he doesn't care about the danger. Ironically, he was calmer when he had no idea where she was, convinced she was at least somewhere in the city close by. Now he knows differently, his fingers shake with adrenaline as he hits the button another five times until the doors release with a ping, their slow opening jamming his heart into his throat.

"God, finally." Donna sighs with relief as she hurries out of the metal box, freezing from the dampness clinging to her clothes. "Do you know how long I've been stuck in that damn thing?"

Harvey stares at her, gaping as she rubs her arms, clearly frustrated.

She shivers, her eyes snapping to a bright flash of lightning, and she shifts a little closer to the windows, trying to warm herself through the movement, but also drawn in by the sheer power of the rain teeming down. The storm wasn't anywhere near this chaotic when she turned around at the subway station. Luckily, an information clerk had been advising people there was going to be a severe weather alert issued, and not wanting to get stuck halfway between Manhattan and Queens, she decided to come back, only to get trapped in the goddamn building, instead.

She's cold, cranky and tired, but aside from the rain and thunder, the silence around her is disarming, and her concern shifts to her friends as she faces Harvey. "Is everyone okay?"

He nods dumbly, overwhelmed by the relief flooding through him. She's here. Has been the whole time—perfectly safe—and can't get a purchase on his words, but he strides forward enveloping her in a fierce hug.

The reaction startles her, and she's wary something may be wrong, but she can't help relaxing as the warmth from his body seeps around her. They can afford a moment. One he clearly needs as well, because his grip doesn't loosen as her eyes fall closed against his chest, breathing in the way he feels and smells. They don't hug like this nearly enough, and it reminds her how much she misses being this close to him. But the notion itself is a warning not to get swept away, and she gently peels herself back, gazing up at him with a worried frown.

She shivers as cold air breezes between them, and rather than explain himself and all the worst-case scenarios that have been taking up residency in his head, he motions to her coat as he slips out of his own. "Here. Put this on."

She reluctantly holds her questions, her fingers numb and trembling as she tries to unbutton herself.

He drapes his coat over the nearest petition and slides off his gloves so he can take over the task, easily freeing her and pushing the damp, heavy fabric from her shoulders. He bundles it on the desk at reception and grabs his warm cashmere back down, cocooning her inside the thick material.

She hugs the edges as his touch lingers, his thumbs absently stroking the sleeves, and she lifts her head, searching his gaze for answers. "What happened, where is everyone?"

"They're fine," he says gently. He didn't mean for his silence to worry her. She just caught him off guard. But he's more than grateful she did, and he squeezes her arms, finally feeling like he can breathe again. "Alex and Samantha and here. Louis is at home with Sheila, and Katerina is at a meeting across town. You were the only person we couldn't find."

His pupils swirl slightly darker, and a shiver that has nothing to do with the cold travels down her spine. Without anything else to occupy her thoughts for an hour, she assumed he was probably wondering where she was—pictured him getting snappy and frustrated when he needed something and she wasn't there. But it didn't occur to her he might be worried. When she arrived back at the firm, the storm wasn't anywhere near as vicious as it is now. She couldn't hear much in the elevator shaft beyond the pattering of rain and a few ominous creaks, but she did feel a slight clutch of panic when the lights went out. Then the power came on and she was moving again, meeting Harvey, who was waiting for her. But his strong reaction to seeing her, and his clear relief, makes her suddenly question why he was standing there in his coat and gloves.

"Please tell me you weren't going out there." She swallows thickly, afraid he was—that she's the reason he was about to do something completely idiotic and reckless. And her fear is confirmed when he shrugs, not a trace of an apology in his expression.

More thunder booms, lost beneath a howl of wind, and her heart pounds against her ribcage as she pulls herself free, punching his arm, hard.

"Ow!" he protests, rubbing the bruises with a sharp exhale. "Okay, look… I know it wasn't the best plan—"

"You had a plan?" Her eyes widen incredulously as she cuts him off. He can't actually think he would have had any sort of chance against the harsh conditions. But he's Harvey Specter. So of course the rules don't apply to him. "Oh my God." She scrubs her face, sighing into her hands. "What is wrong with you?"

"I care about you, Donna. I didn't know that was a crime," he grumbles, annoyed he's getting a lecture when he expects at least a tiny bit of gratitude.

Her head snaps up at the offhanded confession, which feels anything but casual. Obviously they care about each other, that goes without saying. But risking his life isn't the same as handing her flowers or having drinks in his office. She can understand him being worried, but rushing out to go look for her in the worst storm Manhattan's seen in centuries is too much, especially when he'll never admit what was really going through his head. She's exhausted, tired of having the same argument with him, but she musters enough energy to keep hold of his gaze. "We're both fine. What does it matter, right?"

The dig is obviously intentional, but she's wrong. He didn't almost lose his mind with worry, just to take for granted the fact she's standing here in front of him. He doesn't just care. Everything about her is riddled into his being, from the way she rolls her eyes to her soft expel of air as she steps around him. He doesn't understand why she's angry, but he knows letting her walk away is a mistake, and he grips her elbow, swinging her around. "It matters. You matter to me, Donna. I couldn't stand the thought of you being out there alone, scared, and maybe hurt. I had to do something!"

"Then do something." Her frustration tumbles out, followed by the fearful regret she's leading them into weeks or months of awkward encounters. It wouldn't be the time, and she stumbles back, shaking her head. She can't, not again. But he moves with her, his hand sweeping under her chin, and she finds the courage to look at him, her heart hammering at the certainty in his gaze. Then he kisses her, fiercely tender lips breathing warmth into her body, and she clutches his lapels, showing the same desire to be touching him the way her heart has been craving. He deepens the kiss, and she moans her pleasure into his mouth, relishing the feel of him until she thinks her lungs might shatter from a lack of oxygen, and when he breaks first, she gasps a pant, dizzy and hot under his smug gaze.

"Something like that?" he teases, even though his nerves are humming with adrenaline. But she's still in his arms, not pulling away, and her smile is like a wave of calm washing over him.

"It's a start." She feathers her hand across the back of his neck, not wanting to break the spell they're under, but any doubts that she could, vanish when he bows his head into the crook of her neck. His palms slip around her with a gentle squeeze, and the intimacy is new, not driven by lust or deflected by careful boundaries. It's real, and she holds him a little more tightly as he murmurs against her skin.

"I was worried," he breathes out the confession, not ashamed to admit his fear to her.

"I know." She smiles softly. At some point they'll need to talk about how his fear shouldn't blanket his common sense, because she's not ready to lose him, either. But she is ready to be with him, in all the ways that really do matter, and when they've soaked up enough of each other to sustain themselves, she eases him back, resting her palms against his shirt. "Let's tell the others I'm here." His face falls a little, and she can imagine tensions were running high when he left to find her. But she slips her fingers down to clutch his hand and ease his worry. "Then we can go find somewhere to wait out the storm."

Somewhere private is implied, and his chest rises and expands with a tingle. He'd like nothing more than to skip ahead to the part where they're alone. But they have time. After the afternoon they've had, he's not about to let her out of his sight anytime soon.

If he's lucky, maybe not ever.