AN: This started after I saw a thread on twitter by the lovely lpaulsenspecter where she posted some aesthetic pictures that included what would be Darvey's second wedding. Thus... this fic was born. It was supposed to be short but you know me. Sorry about that! Hope everyone enjoys it. Let me know your thoughts and go check out that thread on twitter because it's the cutest thing!
ANNIVERSARIES
Harvey promised Donna, on their impromptu wedding day, that they'd have another wedding for their families. It was all done in a whim, anyway — the vows and the short ceremony and even shorter celebration, because people had been there for hours since Louis and Sheila said their vows anyway. It wasn't ideal or even remotely planned, least of all by him, but it was perfect because it was her.
There is nothing different when they get home that night, even; Ray drives them home straight from the hospital after meeting baby Lucy and they walk into the elevator with grins on their faces and brand new rings on their hands. He feels his grandmother's ring on Donna's finger as he held her hand and it feels right. So right.
He meets her eyes and she lets out a laugh. It's the most beautiful sound he's ever heard — to be fair, Harvey doesn't think he had ever seen Donna smile so much.
"I can't believe we did this," she says in disbelief as the elevator signaled its arrival to the final floor.
He arches his eyebrows towards her. "You better believe it, because I'm about to carry you over the threshold."
She lets out a yelp as he does exactly what he said he would, her hands encircling his neck while one of his hands settles on her waist and the other under her knees, her dress feeling a little heavy at the moment. She laughs at his momentarily pained expression, but as soon as he gets used to her in his arms and starts walking into his penthouse — their penthouse — he realizes some traditions should be followed, even if it's just for her sake.
It's only much later, with his head buzzing with alcohol and sleep and happiness, with their clothes thrown around the bedroom and the only thing they wear are their wedding rings, that she tells him she doesn't care about a second wedding.
"I've never dreamed of us doing this," she reveals. They lie each on their side, facing each other, legs entangled and faces close together. He can smell her hair and count the freckles on her shoulders for the thousandth time. Today, he only looks at her and the way she looked at him.
"I've dreamed of this countless times," Harvey jokes.
"You're an idiot," Donna laughs.
His thumb traces the skin of her neck, moving to her jaw. The sheets are crumpled together around them and it feels a little hot but he doesn't want to move. She laces their free hands together — left hand with left hand. His wedding ring still feels weird, if he's honest with himself. He isn't used to it yet. The weight of it. He's waiting for it to dawn on him much like the reality of what they did should in a few days. They are married. He and Donna. Actually married.
"I meant getting married," Donna continues. "It might come as a surprise for you but it was never something I dreamed about."
"Not even as a child?" Harvey asks.
It's funny really, how they could know everything about each other but still be interested to know more. These details, these tiny little things about her life — he's sure he'll never get tired of knowing them. Of getting to know her. Of seeing her change with him this time around because life was changing and so was he.
Donna shakes her head. "I mean, I thought I'd have a husband but as I grew up I just stopped thinking about it. And then we met," she continues with a pointed look, "and I never let myself think of marriage because I was never with someone I could see a future with."
He looks down guiltily. They have been over this — their decade long dance with each other, filled with more frustration and sadness than happiness. It's especially bittersweet because he thinks they could have had this for so long, this feeling of contentment and pure happiness that he feels only with her. He was such an idiot.
"And then you showed me this ring," Donna goes on. "It just made sense."
He meets her eyes again, lets himself get lost in the deep hazel he's so used to see so closely nowadays. It makes him think of honey on sunny days, and of the river on cloudy days. Up close, Donna's eyes are a rainbow of feelings and emotions he had been too scared to look at for so many years. Now he never wants to look away.
"I love you so much," he blurts out, a little out of nowhere, but it doesn't surprise her. "I kept waiting for the perfect time to ask you. But then I realized any time with you is perfect."
He arches his eyebrows suggestively and she chuckles at the cheesiness of his words, moving a little to kiss him. He lets that go on for a bit, because he will never grow tired of her kisses, no matter how they were. He savors her taste and the feeling of her tongue against his; he can feel her smile into the kiss and that feels even more heavenly. Somehow, he's shifted to lie on his back with her half draped over him, the red hair cascading over one side of her head.
"I don't need another wedding," she tells him softly. "So much is happening. We need to settle things at the firm, organize the move. I don't want to worry about a wedding on top of it all. Not now, anyway."
"Okay," Harvey agrees. "You do know your parents will want to kill me."
Donna smirks. "As if Marcus won't give you an earful."
He chuckles, thinking his brother will definitely like the news but won't like it that he wasn't there. It makes him sad, in a way, because Hailey and Joshua would have had fun too, or at least he thought so. At different times, his parents would have killed him too, if he got married without them present. Jessica wasn't there either, and even Rachel couldn't make it. It makes no great difference because their promises are to each other and not a ceremony or a piece of paper will change that. He agrees with Donna — none of that mattered.
But he would have wanted his parents there.
"We should do it," he says as an afterthought. "Not now. After we're settled. Our family should be there."
Donna frowns slightly. "You really think that?"
Harvey nods, tracing the back of his fingers on the warm skin of her side. He feels her shiver against his touch. "Yeah. I don't care about my brother or your sister missing it but your parents should see you get married if you want to," he shrugs. "I'd want to see my kid getting married."
Her eyes narrow, and he watches her closely as she fights a smile, bites her lower lip and looks at him with mirth in her eyes. After a second or two, the smile can't be fought anymore, and she's grinning at him, one eyebrow raised.
"What?" He asks, smiling as well.
"Your kid?" Donna repeats. "Are we going down that road now?"
He widens his eyes, not even realizing the slip of his tongue until she pointed it out. "Well, I… I mean…"
"Keep stumbling," she teases him, shifting so she can straddle him properly, sheets now slipping from her body. He definitely can't form a coherent sentence now. "I'm just messing with you, Harvey."
She leans down and kisses him again, and he lets his hands cup her breasts as she moves closer. Donna intoxicates him — she makes him feel like he's the weakest and strongest man in the world at the same time. It's scary and thrilling, all at once.
He's done running, though. He had been done with it for months, and now it's more certain than ever.
"I'm not," he interrupts their kiss, "not messing with you."
She pulls away, enough to look at him closely. "What are you saying?"
"You're my family," Harvey tells her seriously. "The two of us, we are family. If you ever wish to expand it, I mean… I wouldn't be opposed to it."
"Oh," Donna says softly. His hands settle on her hips. "Well, I wouldn't be opposed to it either."
He doesn't fight the slow smile on his lips this time. "Good."
She blinks, laughing a little. "Good."
They stay like that for a few seconds, just taking each other in. He watches that look of pure happiness on her face and wonders if he could keep it there forever. It isn't how life works, he knew, but he'd try. He would definitely try.
"But not now," Donna interrupts his thoughts. "Definitely not now. And definitely after the actual wedding. And after our honeymoon."
"We're gonna have a honeymoon?" Harvey asks, bewildered. It's not as if they've had time to talk about all this.
"The wedding may have been impromptu, but I will have a honeymoon, Harvey," she tells him fiercely. It's a very hot look on her. "We're going on vacation before moving to Seattle. It's a sure thing."
"Can I help to choose the destination, at least?" he jokes.
She moves her head to the side, pondering his question. "You might."
"Hey. You realize we never planned for anything, right?" Harvey teased her. "We might not get to plan for kids. Life finds a way."
"Are you quoting Jurassic Park on our wedding night, Harvey?" she narrows her eyes.
He looks away. "Uh… maybe."
"Okay. I'll want to plan and prepare for our future, Harvey Specter," Donna explains. "For kids, specifically. They're not impromptu weddings. Just… we're not… I'll need more time."
His eyes glint with mischief. "You're so hot when you stumble with your words like that."
She gives him a look. "Well, I'm hot all the time— Harvey!"
He takes advantage of her distraction and rolled them over — laughs at the way she's smiling at him and how he never wants this night to end. He feels her legs around his hips and can't resist leaning down to kiss her, and then her jaw and her cheeks and her neck. Her skin is rosy and her eyes turned dark with desire and damn, he can never get enough of her.
"We have time," Harvey tells her softly. "We have all the time in the world now."
Donna smiles. "Yeah, we do."
Between moving from one coast to another, getting used to a new job and going away on their honeymoon, time went by way fast.
So fast that eight months passed in the blink of an eye and no mention of a date for the wedding was set. Harvey's pretty sure Marcus has given up hope on attending their wedding, but Hailey asked Donna sometimes, keen on being a part of it. Harvey sometimes thought she'd outgrow the idea of being a flower girl soon.
Still, he knows Donna's parents — especially her mother — ask often, and he's already preparing to dodge those questions when they come over for a visit next weekend because he really can't make Donna do anything she doesn't want to and he can't fault her because — well, it felt like they have just gotten here.
Here being their house in Seattle. They spent their first month out of the firm on vacation, and came to the West Coast without a permanent residence just yet; their first five months were spent in a rented penthouse that he had quite liked but felt weird — weird because the skyline wasn't New York, and because he spent more time looking at Donna than wondering about life while facing windows.
Life is just different now and it called for a different setting within a different city. They eventually found that setting in a house rather than a condo — an actual house with parking space for both their cars, four bedrooms, one shared office, and a very large deck that viewed the lake. It's huge and has a lot of windows but an insane amount of privacy because that's what you get when you live in the suburbs near a lake, apparently. They traded New York and city lights for green and blue and gray, and he gets to have his morning coffee on Sunday on the deck while Donna practices yoga.
Sometimes he doesn't finish his coffee and she doesn't get to finish yoga because, well, it's hard to resist her when she wore those leggings and met his eyes while stretching. He knows she likes being watched too.
Still, Seattle's truly a new chapter in their lives, one that includes quiet weekends in, one night a week where they'll try to find a new restaurant and see which one would be their favorite, sushi night with Rachel for Donna and game night for him and Mike. Sometimes the two happen together, in the same place — those are his favorites. Saturday mornings no longer mean work and usually mean going out for groceries or looking for new pieces for their new house, because they're still finding out their style together. He's always been into minimalism, while Donna likes colors and he likes Donna. She's just really glad he didn't bring some of his art from New York.
It's currently a Thursday night and they're having wine out in the deck; dinner was pizza because neither of them was in the mood to cook after a long day and the wine came from a recent weekend trip to Napa Valley. Donna's legs are draped over his lap and she stares out at the lake while balancing the wine glass on a hand. Harvey mostly watches her. He slips a palm over her ankle and squeezed it softly; she turns her attention from a small boat that's crossing the lake to him and smiles.
It's their fourteenth anniversary, and the first they're spending like this. No restaurant, no fancy food, no one around them. Just the two of them, enjoying each other's company. They did contemplate going to a restaurant Rachel recommended a few days ago, but it feels weird that it's not Del Posto. They're not ready to replace Del Posto just yet.
Or maybe they just want this to be their new tradition. Harvey doesn't care much as long as he's with her. It's not any less special because they're at home; it's all the more so because it's a home they share, a home they're building together.
"What's on your mind?" Harvey asks.
"A lot of things, actually," Donna smiles softly. "I'm just thinking how much I like it here."
"Me too," he nods.
They don't have a lot of furniture out here yet — some plants, a set of sofas. He thinks a big table would be nice for when they have guests. The stairs lead straight to the shore and now that it's warmer he's been thinking of getting their own boat for some fun. He does miss a lot of New York, but he likes here better than what they used to have there.
He has her here, after all. And because she did tell him she'd follow him anywhere, he'd have her anywhere too.
The thing is, he would follow her too.
"I was thinking we could have the wedding here," Donna says after a moment.
His eyebrows shoot up. "No destination wedding then?"
That had been the last idea they talked about, although not very deeply. A trip to somewhere tropical, where they could renew their vows, this time in front of their families and closest friends, at a beach, maybe. Neither of them wants something big, and neither of them wants to have to organize details neither of them cares about.
"Well, no," Donna tells him, "but I mean doing it right here. On the deck."
"Right here?" Harvey repeats, looking around. "Okay. Yeah, I can see that."
"So?" She asks again. "What do you think?"
"If anyone can make that work it's you," he replies. "I like it. But you said you didn't want to obsess about it."
"And I won't," Donna assures him. "Do you forget I made Rachel's wedding happen in just a few days?"
Harvey laughs. "Never," he takes a sip of his wine and watches her closely. She looks pensive and content. "You thought of a date yet?"
She tilts her head back and forth while tasting the wine. "Yes and no. Sometime next year. I'm thinking of either our first anniversary or our second anniversary?"
They've had this discussion before — the first anniversary being their work anniversary, the one they're celebrating now and the one they celebrated exactly thirteen times in New York. The second anniversary was celebrated for the first time a couple of months ago, marking it one year since he almost lost his license and ran to Donna's apartment that night and stayed. They have a third anniversary too, their wedding day, and it's ridiculous because he's never been a guy to celebrate that stuff and yet he's sure he'll never forget any of them — ever.
One anniversary doesn't erase the other, and even with the many years between them, they remain just as important. They all are part of their life and part of their history and he would never erase any of that because all of those got them to where they were now.
Harvey chuckles. "Well, both our first and second anniversary started with sex, so there will be no arguing from me."
"You're so single-minded," she rolls her eyes.
"You say that if if you're not the one who bought the whipped cream that's on the fridge right now," Harvey retorts. "I saw it on the grocery list yesterday."
Donna laughs. "God, what happened to us? We have a grocery list."
Harvey shrugs. "We happened."
Her eyes soften. "Yeah, we did," she puts her now empty glass on the table in front of them. "Okay, I got it. We get married here, next year, on our fifteenth anniversary."
Harvey nods approvingly. "Fifteen. Big year."
"It sounds big, huh?" Donna agrees, widening her eyes comically. "I miss being twenty-five."
"I don't," he says easily. "I didn't know you when I was twenty-five."
She snorts, and he laughs at the noise, and she rolls her eyes and he keeps laughing because it's that easy and that simple.
"Okay, Romeo," Donna says, leaning forward and grabbing his face rather roughly to press her lips quickly against his. "I'm waiting for you to fill my glass again."
Harvey sighs dramatically. "Fifteen years and I'm a waiter now."
He caresses her feet softly before standing up.
"Fourteen," she corrects. "The big fifteen is next year."
He grins at her. "Looking forward to it already."
Donna smiles brightly at him. "Now hurry up and let's finish that bottle so we can move to the whipped cream part of the evening."
"Your wish is my command, ma'am."
Her laughter follows him into the house as he gets the wine bottle. He's happy notice there's not much of it left.
The big fifteen ends up being quite big because it's only February and they're planning a wedding and he's got big plans for their second anniversary — it's been two years he finally got into his senses and knocked on Donna's door with the purpose of simply not leaving that time around — when they get some news.
It starts with Donna coming to his office after lunch and telling him she can't face Asian food tonight. He's had reservations at this very exclusive, very good restaurant for three weeks already.
So Harvey frowns. "Why not?"
She makes a face. "I'm just not into Asian food right now."
"Okay," Harvey says, a little bewildered but understanding. "Not even Thai food?"
He has to ask because her obsession with shitty Thai food didn't die in New York. In fact, the Thai place she likes in Seattle may be even shittier than the one they'd order from in Manhattan.
Donna, however, shudders at the thought. "No Thai food. Would it be too bad if we postponed our dinner? Let's just stay in tonight."
"Okay, no problem," Harvey agrees. "Are you okay?"
She smiles softly at him. "I'm alright. It's been a stressful week, that's all."
He takes it because he knows just how stressful it's been, with a big lawsuit making them all work extra for the past ten days or so. He was looking forward to the new restaurant, but he doesn't give it a second thought — it's just a calendar date, after all. They still go out on their weekly dates every week. They're not as scheduled as they used to be in New York, but they're part of their routine. Exchanging a restaurant for a night in on their anniversary is not a big deal.
It turns out to be a big deal to Donna, but he only finds that out when they get home that evening and he takes off his jacket and watches as she puts her bag on the kitchen counter and takes off her heels right there, instead of going to their bedroom.
A clear sign that something's not right.
"I bought something today," she announces a little shakily.
Harvey frowns. "I thought we didn't do gifts," he says slowly.
They don't, as a matter of fact. Not for this anniversary, or even their work anniversary. The only significant day they've shared presents on is their wedding day, besides Christmas and birthdays and apparently COO day in Donna's case. They celebrate their anniversaries but gifts aren't mandatory. It's not as if they don't surprise each other several times a year with something here or there.
Is this one of those traps husbands say their wives make? He and Donna have never had issues before. It helps that she has free reign of his credit cards.
"It's not a present," Donna replies, fidgeting her hands a little nervously. "It's just… something."
Harvey crosses his arms, waiting for some elaboration. With a sigh, Donna opens her bag — a brand new one, he notices. He's never seen it before.
"Now, this isn't for sure, okay?" she tells him before taking whatever it is that she bought. The bag isn't big enough to fit a puppy, he thinks. That would be surprising. "This is just… a possibility."
"Okay," Harvey says, uncrossing his arms and stepping a little closer.
She takes the item out of the bag. It's a box.
A box that has a pregnancy test in it.
His eyes move from the box to meet hers.
"Donna?"
"It's just a feeling I have," she tells him. "That, and some nausea, and… I'm late."
Her hands are trembling a little. He instinctively reaches for her, hands clutching together tightly.
"How late?"
"A little," Donna bites her lip, eyes roaming around the kitchen aimlessly. He gives her a look. She sighs. "Okay, fine, more than a little. Like a month late."
He can't help it but smile at how fluttered she looks. There's something bubbling in his chest that he's not sure what it is yet — hope, or happiness, or fear? He can't be sure. Probably a mix of the three.
"Okay. Alright," he says, trying his best to stay calm. His voice is a little too high for his own taste. "Do you want to do it now?"
Donna nods. "Yeah."
"I'll go with you."
She gives him a look. "You're gonna be there while I pee on a stick?"
Harvey lets out a deep breath. "I'll be on the other side of the door if you're more comfortable."
They stare at each other. Then Donna rolls her eyes. "No, it's okay, come with me. We've all seen and smelled worse, right?"
"Intimacy is very romantic when you put it like that," he notes as she starts walking away, her hand still holding his. She snorts while he grabs the box from the counter.
Minutes later, they're both standing in their ensuite bathroom, their backs against the wall and the plastic stick near the sink. It's too short a distance for such a life-changing thing.
"It's gonna be fine," Donna tells him.
He's not sure what she means by it — that it'll be fine if it's positive, or if it's negative? He can't even fathom the possibilities.
He nods anyway. "No matter what happens, we're in this together."
"Right," she agrees. "If it's negative, then it's all the same. And if it's positive, then…"
Their eyes meet. There's a pause.
"If it's negative, it's not the same," Harvey says quietly.
Donna lets out a shuddering breath. "No."
"We can start trying," he says. She meets his eyes and there's something there — some uncertainty that he's not used to seeing in her. He reaches for her hand and laces their fingers together. "I mean, we weren't trying."
Donna nods. "We weren't."
"If it's negative, we could start," he offers. They've never really talked it over past their wedding night. Some comments are made here and there, but it's all been distant to him; he's always felt that when she wanted it to happen she'd tell him. It's not as if he's been in a rush too. They have time; they're both healthy and they got married a little over a year ago. They've been in a relationship for two years and things come so easily with them that he's always thought this would be the same.
Maybe it is, after all.
Donna nods, her gaze unwavering, and then his phone beeps. The test is ready.
"You look," she tells him. "Okay?"
Harvey nods, and they both walk the short distance to the sink. He takes the plastic stick in his hand while his heart is beating fast against his chest and his hand is clutching Donna's tightly. He lets out a breath and then realizes the bubbling feeling in his chest is anticipation and happiness. So much happiness.
His face breaks into a smile and Donna opens her eyes and then looks at him and at the stick.
"Oh, my God," she's the first to say anything.
They are having a baby.
She meets his eyes again and then she's taking the stick from him and really looking at it; he lets go of her hand and wraps his arm around her waist, feeling the tears pick at his eyes while Donna clutches at the stick and he presses his lips against her temple.
Then she laughs.
She laughs and turns in his arms and he laughs too because he might be in shock but part of him is awakening in a way that he's never really felt before, and he clutches her tighter and breathes her in because damn, she's the love of his life and now she's the mother of his child too.
"I can't believe this," Donna mumbles. There are tears around her eyes and she looks breathtaking like this, in this lilac dress she wore to work and drove him crazy all day when he didn't even know she had bought a pregnancy test yet.
"I can," he says against her lips.
She laughs and cries and it's the happiest he's felt since their wedding day, he thinks — the kind of happiness that could only compare to waking up with her for the first time that morning nearly two years ago, to spending days and days with her in bliss in another country for their honeymoon, to drink his coffee while watching her do yoga, to fill her glass of wine again and again on a quiet evening in. This just makes sense, this is their next step.
"This is just… wow," Donna continues, absolutely in awe.
Harvey caresses her cheeks softly, in awe of this and of her. "I know."
"We weren't even trying," she says, shaking her head a little, much like they've just spoken two minutes ago.
"I don't think we were not trying either."
She purses her lips, unable to stop smiling. It's infectious. Maybe he'd have been scared to death if it was a different situation, but with Donna it just makes sense. He's scared, yes, but he's so damn happy too. He can't wait for this.
"Oh, God, I'm not canceling that wedding," she says as an afterthought. "If we don't do this now we'll never do it."
Harvey chuckles. "Let's do it anyway, and next year too," he jokes. "So the baby can be a part of it."
"They'll be a part of it already," she makes a face. "We're having a baby, Harvey!"
"Yeah, we are."
"A baby!"
"I know."
"How come you're not freaking out?" Donna asks.
Harvey tries very hard not to laugh.
"I am a little," he confesses. "But I'm not the one who's giving birth, so…"
"Oh, very good point," she relents, pulling slightly away so she could look down on herself. Her belly remains as flat as it was five minutes ago. "This totally happened after that gala we went to in November."
He grins, remembering the revealing gown she wore very well. The slit on her leg drove him crazy.
"Might have," he acquiesces. "There was that day in the tub, though."
"Which one?" Donna frowns, then nodded. "Oh, right, that one. You have a point. That was a good day."
"You wanna reenact it?" He arches his eyebrows, pointing to the bathtub on the corner.
Donna laughs and steps closer again, kissing him soundly.
"I think I'm ready for an original act tonight."
When the day comes, Harvey isn't sure he was ready.
Not because he doesn't want to get married again — he would marry Donna every day if she wanted to — but it's the day that gets him. Year after year, they spent today together, just the two of them. May 24th is their day, and their day alone, and to have the ceremony today, a year and a half after their actual wedding, on their first anniversary…
It feels, at first, that it is a moment stolen from him somehow.
But he endures; it's a vow renewal anyway, just for the sake of their families, and he knows Donna will make sure it will be perfect, but when he steps outside to the deck that day, his breath is stolen.
It looks amazing. Right from the big table already set to the lights to the flowers. He isn't nervous, not really, but he's anxious to share today with Donna because they have been apart since this morning and he just… he isn't used to it anymore.
Everyone is there already — it's a small affair, with just her parents and his brother, his niece and nephew, Mike and Rachel, Jessica. Louis managed to come from New York with Sheila and Lucy, and those are all the people that truly matter right now. He shares a few words with his father-in-law and takes a deep breath before Jim makes his way down the stairs, where the ceremony will take place. Today is more casual than their actual wedding day — he's just wearing a dress shirt and light gray pants. No tie necessary.
As most people make their way downstairs, Harvey approaches Jessica, still on the deck.
"You made it this time around," he says softly, hugging her.
Maybe in the past, he would have refrained from doing so, but it has been two years since they saw each other. Jessica looks mostly the same — stunning as always, but different. They both changed in the past two years.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world," she tells him. "It's not every day that Harvey Specter gets married."
"This is just the second day," Harvey jokes.
"About goddamn time, kid," Jessica says. "I've always wondered if you'd ever have the balls to do it. I know it's not new, but it's about time anyway."
He sighs. "Well, I did have the balls to do it. Happy?"
Jessica smiles. "I am. You?"
"Very," he confesses. "Shall we?"
He offers his arm and they go downstairs like this. The setting by the lake is as pretty as the deck but more subdued. There's a simple arc with flowers and chairs — not too many because there aren't that many guests after all. Lucky for them it's a sunny day. He couldn't help but feel a little nervous — the kind of feeling he never felt the first time around.
The first time they got married, he knew she was there. She had been right there, after all; there was no waiting on the altar, no worrying about her because she was right at his arm. Now he feels anxious, anxious because he hasn't seen her since this morning and he's curious about what she's wearing and because he misses her. He misses her like crazy. It's always been like that.
There's no grand entrance on his part, not really. He merely smiles as he takes his place, stopping only to pick Lucy, who yells 'Unk!' him as soon as she sees him. He can't resist the little girl, not really, because she's charming and stubborn and she adores both him and Donna, even all the way from the East Coast, and she looks precious in the party dress. Louis orders him to move soon though, obviously more worried about Donna than himself, and he does so.
He does so, and then Mike and Rachel are making their entrance, and then Hailey happily makes her way down the corridor with a happy smile and a really pretty white dress, and then…
And then there's Donna.
His heart skips a beat as soon as he sets his eyes on her.
She's wearing white this time around, walking towards him on her own — of course, it doesn't surprise him. Donna has always been, most of all, herself's, and he never imagined her father would give her away. And she walks to him as a vision in white, a long-sleeved gown filled with delicate lace and a beautiful smile on her face. He always loved it when she pulled her hair up and she does today in a loose bun, and he can't look anywhere else because he's hers.
He's hers and today is theirs.
He laughs and she smiles when little Lucy yells for her too, and her eyes get teary when they see her parents, and she's radiant and happy and so, so incredibly beautiful that he can't believe she's his, too.
As soon as she stands in front of him and clasps his hand, he doesn't resist sliding his palm on the swell of her belly, the baby bump prominent under the dress. Their baby does have their own part in this celebration, after all. They share a smile. Any doubts he had about today are over.
It's different this time around — just the two of them. Their hands remain clasped together as they say their vows, fingers intertwined and eyes only on each other. He loves the way she blushes under his gaze and how she looks and her words and her smile. It feels like falling in love for Donna all over again. And when they kiss with her baby bump between their bodies and her perfume filling his nostrils, he's sure this is what today was always meant to be.
"I love you," he whispers in her ear, just for her to listen, in front of the most important people in their lives.
She smiles openly as everyone cheered, but turns her head to kiss him again. "I love you too."
He doesn't feel sad that his parents aren't there to see this; in a way, he feels content in knowing they'd have been happy for him no matter what, and in their own way, they had known Donna was his present as well as his future. That never changed.
The rest of the day goes by on a haze, right from toasting to dinner at the party. It's a small affair and he's mesmerized by his wife constantly, from the way she accepts Mike's teasing in his speech and clapped at Jessica's kind words, to how she handled Louis's over the top emotions. Now he smiles, watching her holding little Lucy on her lap while the baby traces the lace on her dress with interest.
"Aren't you the prettiest girl here? Yes, you are," Donna says, tickling the toddler. Lucy laughs wholeheartedly, throwing herself on Donna's collarbone. Harvey is a little alarmed but likes the way the blonde hair of the toddler mixes with Donna's red hair. "It's fine."
They are still sitting down, enjoying some downtime. His arm is draped over her chair and he watches the table with little interest — people talking and drinking and laughing. Lucy grows bored with Donna and quickly demands to be on the floor to walk back towards her father. He watches as she wobbles away with far too much confidence for such a tiny little person.
He takes the chance and rests his free hand on her bump, waiting to see if he can feel something there. Donna rests her hand on top of his.
"You good?" He asks.
Donna's smile reaches her eyes easily. "Yeah. I'm good."
"Up for a dance?" His eyes shine with mischief.
"With you?" Donna laughs. "You know I am."
It's on their deck in a very informal setting that they have their first dance as a (re) married couple, without much pretense besides the fact that they want to be with each other. The song is slow and just right and he loves the way she feels in his arms. It might as well have been just the two of them tonight.
"Fifteen years ago I asked you to be in my life in the only way I knew how to keep you," he speaks softly to her ears only. "I'm glad you stayed. I'm glad you worked your way through it."
She turns her head and presses her lips against his neck. "We both did, Harvey."
Next year they'll have a little baby, someone they made together, and this year they are surrounded by the people who care about them the most, and none of that erases the fact that this is it for the two of them. Fifteen years are nothing compared to what they still have to live together.
She told him on their first wedding that no amount of time would be enough with him and he wholeheartedly agreed.
Time with her is too precious to be wasted.
So he accepts her love and her kindness and throws her a grin — she knows right away what he means with it and raises her head to meet his defiant stare with her own. He spins her around, and she laughs and returns to his arms, the dress flowing around her frame and making him love her more with each move.
They have been in tune for fifteen years, and that certainly isn't changing anytime soon.
Harvey opens the door from the garage and quietly steps into the kitchen. The house is silent from what he gathers, and he carefully puts the bags he's been carrying on the counter, trying not to make any noise. The living room seems empty from where he's standing, but upon a closer look, he can see some red hair on the corner of the couch. With a smile, he makes his way over.
Sure enough, as he rounds the couch, he sees Donna lying down, eyes closed, sleeping peacefully. She's wearing different clothes from when he had left, meaning she did manage to take the shower she was moaning about. The baby on her chest seems to be peaceful too, eyes closed and tiny little lips pouting slightly. It's an adorable sight.
Unable to stop himself, he reaches for his phone in his pocket and takes a quick picture — only the noise is enough to stir Donna — damn, he really needs to know more about these things.
He crouches down in front of her as she blinks, and her lips form into a smile as her eyes sleepily meet his. The baby remains asleep, however, which is exactly what they want.
"Hey," he whispers.
"Hey, you," Donna whispers back, thumb caressing the baby's back softly. "Have you been here for long?"
"Just got back," he tells her. "How was the afternoon?"
It's his first day back at work after five weeks of paternity leave and he has to admit he felt powerless through most of the day, even if he called home three times and Donna kept texting him with information and pictures of how the day is going. He feels as if being away for a few hours will make him lose too much time from Theo and Donna, and as well as being there for her while they adapt.
It hasn't been easy, parenthood — there are a lot of late nights and early mornings, very messy diapers and puking he had never even dreamed about. But there are gummy smiles and those looks of adoration in his son's little face. He's taken after him mostly, or so Donna says, but Harvey sees her in their son all the time as well. The most prominent feature is, however, his eyes. Deep hazel, just like Donna's.
There isn't much hair to be accounted for yet, but what is there seems to be on the blonde side. It's not this time that they've made a redhead baby.
Maybe in the future. You never know.
"It was fine," Donna says, sitting up very slowly. Theo barely stirred as she moved, his little chubby hands clutching Donna's tank top as she kept him in place. "Did you see the pictures from his bath?"
Harvey smiles, remembering how the baby looked with what little hair he has made into a tuft on top of his head, mixed with bubbles from the bath. Donna was very amused and said Theo looked just like him. "Yeah."
"He was so into it," she laughs slightly, nuzzling her nose against the baby's little hair then pressing her lips softly against him.
"Can I take him?" Harvey asks before he can stop himself.
He's just spent half a day away from Donna and Theo. He wants to say hi to them properly.
Donna nods, and they quickly manage to move the baby. They've been getting better and better at this sort of thing. Theo crunches up his face in annoyance at first, but then Harvey secures him better in his arms and the baby is fast asleep once more. He sits next to Donna with a sigh, and then she's pressing her lips against his too.
"I've missed you," she says softly. "Especially when I changed his diaper."
Harvey chuckles. "Of course," he shakes his head slightly. "You think he's gonna be down for a while?"
Donna hums her assent. "Yeah, I fed him like twenty minutes ago. Did you bring dinner?"
He nods. "Yep. Thai."
She groans her approval. He knows she's been craving it — it's funny because for her entire pregnancy she couldn't stand it, but now she's back to loving it. "I love you, you know that, right?"
"I think I knew that," he jokes. "Never hurts to hear it, though."
She presses her lips against his neck twice. "Well, it's true," she stands up with a sigh, then offers him her hand; he takes it.
"I'll just put him on the bouncer and then we can eat," he tells her.
He does so, and he grins when Theo grips his little finger unconsciously in his sleep. Harvey presses a kiss against the baby's forehead and turns around, just in time to catch Donna opening the bags he's brought. Her face breaks into a smile and she throws a pointed look over at him as she takes the flowers from the paper bag.
"I thought this was food," she jokes.
He walks slowly towards her. "That's in the other bag."
Donna chuckles, smelling the yellow roses and reaching for him at the same time. They've already shared presents this morning — she gave him a watch and he gave her a new ring to match her engagement and wedding rings. It's the one anniversary they share gifts, but he thought one more wouldn't hurt, even ones as simple as flowers.
"Happy anniversary," he whispers against her lips, and she puts the flowers on the counter to loop her arms around his neck and bring him closer.
He breathes her in as they kiss — lilac and vanilla and a hint of baby powder. It's perfect.
"These are beautiful," she says as they embrace. "Two years. Wow."
"Can you believe that?" he laughs, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I know, right?" she shakes her head in disbelief.
"You can consider the food an anniversary present as well," he offers.
Donna snorts. "You're an idiot."
She lets go to get a vase for the flowers while he gets the plates and opens the bag containing their food. They start dinner like that, with Theo on the bouncer close to the dining table and he and Donna side by side, eating shitty Thai food. He remembers sharing so many late hour dinners with her at the office, sharing looks and stealing glances when the other wasn't looking.
As their eyes meet and she smirks his way, he thinks not so much has changed after all.
At some point, Theo wakes up and Harvey gets him, happy to relieve Donna of baby duty after an entire day. The baby is happy and remains quiet in his father's arms, little arms flailing and eyes following their every move. He's mostly transfixed by his mother who, predictably, is his favorite person in the world. Harvey won't judge. She's his favorite person too.
"By the way, my parents confirmed they're coming over next weekend," she says slowly as Harvey makes faces at Theo, trying to keep him entertained. "I asked my mom if they could have Theo on their own for an afternoon."
Harvey frowns. "Oh?"
"She agreed."
"That's good."
"It's been over a month, Harvey," Donna says pointedly as she eats.
"I am well aware of that fact, Donna," he answers in the same tone. "Shall I buy some whipped cream?"
Maybe it's because he's saying this with a baby in his arms and she's got chopsticks in her hands while eating Pad Thai, but they both have the same glint in their eyes.
"You do know we'll probably nap, right?" Harvey chuckles.
She laughs. "Probably," she relents. "But hey, he's feeling good and I napped for two hours this afternoon. The night is still young."
Harvey grins at her. "I like the way you think, Paulsen."
"There's whipped cream in the fridge, Specter."
He laughs then, a full belly laugh, and Theo lets out a squeal that both he and Donna are transfixed about. Nothing different about a night like this for them — and he cherishes it just as much as all the others they've shared.
He's looking forward to the weekend, though. Nap or no nap.