Secret Moment

Set in 9.01, inspired by a painting by darveypainted

He finds her sitting on a park bench, precisely where her message said she was waiting. Green leafy trees surround her, the sunlight filtering softly between the branches, her golden hair glittering in the light.

She smiles at him as he approaches, and she's glowing with happiness and it's all he's ever wanted, for her to be happy and him to be responsible for it.

"I thought we'd do lunch," she says with a smile, her hand waving over the brown bag resting next to her on the bench, the name of his favourite burger place stamped on the side.

"You really are the perfect girlfriend," he says and the word just slips off his tongue effortlessly, without hesitation, without thought as though he's been calling her that for years. Probably because he should have been calling her it for years.

He catches the slight widening of her eyes, the brief catch of her breath, the faint blush on her cheeks caused by his words. Less than 24 hours in and they were already more official than almost every other relationship they'd either had.

"I'm more than perfect," she responds, with a smirk, always quick to recover, "I'm Donna."

"Yes, you are," he breathes low, his hands fall into place on her waist, tugging her a step closer against him.

And maybe it should feel strange or awkward. But it doesn't. It feels exactly, perfectly, wonderfully right. Because she's Donna and he's Harvey and deep down they've always known this is where they were meant to be.

He bends his face to hers as she tilts up to him and their lips meet in the middle. The kiss is soft and slow, the give and take of their lips and tongues as natural and instinctive as every other aspect of their relationship.

Her hands curve around his neck as he sighs into her mouth and it still feels like a dream that he's finally free to do this.

Eventually a need for air forces them apart and she traces her fingertips along his jaw as they seperate, like she too doesn't quite believe this is real and needs to touch to prove it.

They spend a stolen 20 minutes together in a day that has been full of chaos. They eat and chat and it feels like it always has. Except now he sits with his leg pressed against hers and she rests her hand on his thigh and when she gets ketchup on the corner of her mouth he kisses it off.

Except now he lets his love for her show, open and freely.

Except now they are finally exactly where they are supposed to be.