chapter warnings
no spoilers, safe for work

Harvey and Donna kept in touch by messaging each other through AIM, writing letters, and sending postcards whenever they saw a new, tacky postcard in their university's gift shop. However, a gap grew between them and the distance increased every day. It was only during Thanksgivings, when Harvey and Donna's family would eat together, that they would talk face to face. Once they graduated, their interactions became sparse. It was only the occasional IM which kept them in contact.

Donna focused on her dream to be a star in the theater; she was in dozens of off-Broadway productions. For the most part, Donna was able to get roles easily. However, her roles did not pay the bills as easily as she would have liked. She was forced to be a temporary worker at offices, filing papers and doing other secretarial work to keep the lights on. Even though being a secretary was steadier compared to her theater gig, she never wanted to be a full-time office worker. Theater was her passion and she wanted to hit it big.

On the other hand, Harvey focused on his newly found passion: corporate law. Unfortunately, Harvey had no way of paying for law school. His debts from college needed to be paid off before any student loan company would give him money.

Although Mr. Specter offered to pay off Harvey's debts and pay for law school, Harvey would rather work for it instead of take handouts. He also knew that, despite his father's offering, Gordon needed money. Whenever Harvey was in Riverside, he would quietly place a check on his father's desk. His mother didn't bring anything to the table; she was too busy spending her money on her affair.

The desire to go to law school led him to work for a top-notch law firm: Gordon, Schmidt, Van Dyke. Although he did not practice law, he got to experience the work environment from the mailroom. He acquainted himself with the partners and associates, hoping that one day he would join their ranks. Strangely enough, through working in the mailroom, he was able to go to Harvard Law.

After pointing out a mistake to Jessica Pearson, a senior partner who had grown on Harvey, she decided that Harvey deserved to be a part of the law firm as more than just a mail boy. She promised that if he continued to maintain his high morals and apply to Harvard Law, she would guarantee a spot for him at Gordon, Schmit, Van Dyke. Not only that, she would pay for Harvey's schooling if he got into Harvard Law. Despite his protests, that he was completely capable of handling himself and paying for it, Jessica's charms led him straight to Harvard on a prepaid plan.

Before leaving, he broke the news to his father, who was brought to tears. His father was usually an overdramatic, sentimental man, but even Harvey shed a few tears when he realized he was making his father proud. His father had a son who was going to be a lawyer at one of the best firms in New York- hell, one of the best law firms in the entire country.

Even more, although he was hesitant, he had to share the good news with his best friend. At first, she was unreachable. He called at different hours in the day throughout the week and she did not answer. Harvey was afraid that he had done something wrong- though the last thing that he had done wrong (and arguably, she had done wrong too) was in high school. He had figured that they moved past that. What else could there be?

The night before he was to leave for Harvard, with his apartment all packed up and boxes strewn around the room, Harvey tried to call Donna's cellphone one last time.

"Hello?" she said as she picked up the phone.

"Donna!"

"Yes Harvey, it's me, Donna."

"I'm going to law school."

"Congratulations, Harvey. I knew you could do it."

"Jessica Pearson is paying for it."

"She is? That's amazing. You're going to law school and you're debt free."
"We should celebrate."

"We should. There's a bar on 9th."

"I'll be there. See you soon, Donna."

"Looking forward to it."

Harvey entered the bar and immediately spotted Donna. Her red hair was hard to miss in a sea of blondes and brunettes. She was talking to a guy, a guy he did not know, and drinking a martini. He stared at her drink for a moment, noticing the graham cracker topping which laced the glass.

A key lime-tini? Harvey said to himself, trying not to laugh, C'mon Donna...I thought you were better than that.

Not trying to interrupt her immediately, Harvey ordered a beer and then came over.

"Donna," he said while smiling and looking at the man. He wasn't half the looker that Harvey was, and he wasn't about to become a future lawyer.

"This your boyfriend you been waitin' for?" the stranger said, with a bit of annoyance in his voice. It was clear that he was hitting on Donna.

She laughed, "Yeah. This is Harvey. So could you back off now?"

Although it was not something that Harvey would admit, his face turned flush. Luckily, in the dark lighting of the bar, it wasn't visible. He flashed the stranger a smile and gestured with beer in hand for the guy to politely "f off."

Once the guy left, Harvey leaned in and whispered, "So, I'm your boyfriend now, huh?"

"In your dreams."

He winked as she took a large sip of her drink.

"Are you really drinking a-"

"A key lime-tini? Yes, Harvey, I have taste," she interrupted.

"Let me guess, you like apple-tinis too?"

"You bet your ass I do."

He laughed, "I leave you alone for a few years and this is what you become."

"I'll have you know that a martini is a very respectable drink!"

"Yeah, and Miller Lite is more than just water."

She snorted, "Okay, you got me there. Congratulations, by the way." She lifted her glass.

Harvey smiled as he tapped her glass with his bottle and said, "I can't believe I'm going to Harvard."

"I know, right? Just the other day we were playing baseball and dancing."

He chuckled, for his past with Donna was long and, for the most part, happy. He would kill to be an elementary schooler again, just so they could spend more time together.

"You have any acting gigs?"

"No, not right now. I've been busy. Secretarial duties at Bratton Gould."

"Bratton Gould? A law firm? Why don't you work at GSVD?"

"Harvey, that would make this," she sighed while waving her hand back and forth in reference to themselves, "less of a friendship and more of a business relationship. I don't date coworkers."

Harvey scoffed, "We're not dating."

"Aren't we? I just told that guy that I knew you were planning on marrying me, " she laughed.

"As much as I'd like to," he smirked, "we wouldn't even be on the same floor."

"I didn't plan on working permanently for Bratton Gould. I was just a temp until god damn Lisa fell and broke her ankle. She used it as an excuse to quit, so I filled in for her. I'll be out of it eventually."

"Good."

"What do you mean?"

"Will you be here when I come back?"

Confused, she said, "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Make a promise to me, Donna."

"Well, I need to hear it first."

"Be my secretary when I come back."

"Harvey, you know I can't."

"Why can't you?"

"I'm serious about my acting career. I don't want to be weighed down by a job if I'm getting roles left and right."

Harvey frowned, "I never said you had to be anchored to me. You can take evenings off early to do auditions if you needed to."

She raised her eyebrows, "Really? You'd let me do that?"

"Of course. I want front row seats for when you make it."

Donna put her hand out, satisfied with the deal, and Harvey shook it.

"It's settled then. I look forward to working with you, Ms. Paulsen."

"And I to you, Mr. Specter."

AUTHOR NOTES
Guess who is finally (somewhat) caught up with Suits?! I powered through S7, and as expected, I hated it.
Maybe I can skip writing that season altogether?
You'd all like missing Paula anyways. I'm on episode two of S8, and it's alright. Definitely funnier than S7.
Glad we have more Donna and Harvey moments because I have been DEPRIVED...DEPRIVED I TELL YOU.

Sorry this chapter was a bit short. This was a transitional chapter before the next chapter which is heavy fanon but much longer,
according to my "accessibility"/read time calculator, it takes about 20 minutes to read it...so this will clean y'alls palette.

Leave a review if you liked this chapter! Any and all comments are appreciated! They motivate me to work faster and harder!

This fanfiction updates around twice a month.
Follow my Twitter ( nidavellir_) to hear more about my Suitsventure.
This story is also cross-posted onto AO3 under the username "wrightworth."

TITLE INSPIRATION
See You Again by Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth

CREDITS
Editor: Claire
The Samantha to my Zane: Sarah
+ my motivators?: Michele & Veronica & Flavia!