A Moment of Almost

(Set in episode 2x5)

"You keep things from me all the time."

"That's because I'm your boss."

"Yeah well, maybe you shouldn't be my boss anymore."

She shouted the words, the anger and frustration and embarrassment taking over, making Donna set free the secret thought she occasionally had, but had never before dared voice out loud.

She didn't think it often, but sometimes, when the weight of all the unspoken thoughts between them, felt like it might crush her, Donna wondered if she'd made the right choice. If saying yes in the diner that day had been the right decision or a terrible mistake.

Harvey took three long strides towards her and her breath caught in her throat. Because for a moment she thought he wasn't going to stop until they were sharing the same breath. There was anger and disappointment on his face. But also something else. Fear, she realised, the word feeling lodged in her throat, because she felt it too.

Fear over the possible consequences of her actions with the memo, fear at the words she had just thrown at him and perhaps more than anything, fear as to what they were feeling in this moment, of the precipice they suddenly found themselves on.

Donna stared him down, not sure if she was daring him to act or speak or just because she didn't know what else to do herself. She waited, the air turning thick and heavy between them, electricity crackling around the edges.

Harvey turned. Walked away. Stopped.

Took another step forward, stopped again.

Still facing away from her she watched him run his hands through his hair, near tugging at the strands, as he emitted a low groan. It bordered on a growl almost, punching heat through her veins . Then Harvey spun around on his heel and came at her, virtually stormed his way across the small space of the bathroom.

This time he didn't stop before he reached her, instead closing the final step between them as his hands reached for her face and his body drove her back against the wall. Harvey's lips closed over hers hungrily, tongue greedily exploring her mouth and Donna sighed into the kiss, overwhelmed at the sudden touch and taste of him again.

She nipped at his lower lip and raked her fingernails up his back, hands trailing up into his hair, pressing him closer to her. Harvey dragged his lips across her cheek, down her throat, sucking along her skin. He hiked her leg up, rolling his hips against her. Donna whimpered at the feel of him, heavy and hard, judging against her centre.

Their movements became hurried, rushed, as unfettered desire took over control. His palm curled around her breast, fingers working her nipple through the fabric of her dress while his tongue slid along her collarbone. Donna stroked him through his pants, feeling him twitch under her touch.

Need pushed them further, lips and hands tangling in a haze of desperation. Donna snapped the buckle of Harvey's pants, reaching into his boxers to free him. He was like silken heat in her hand as she stroked her palm up his length.

Harvey hitched her body up higher against the wall and she wrapped her legs around his hips. Reaching between them he ran a finger under the lace of her panties, tugging them aside as Donna guided him towards her centre.

His solid length bumped over her clit as it slid down through her folds and Donna gasped his name, the first word spoken out loud since she had shouted her threat, since he had driven her against the wall.

And just like that the bubble burst.

The sound of his name on hers lips caused Harvey's eyes to flick back up to meet hers. They locked together, wide and wild, cloudy with desire. Donna thought hers probably looked the same. But then they cleared.

And fuck.

They couldn't do this. The realisation was right there on both their faces, the spell they had briefly been under broken, their unbridled need halted. They couldn't do this here, now, under these circumstances. It would destroy them forever and in that moment they both knew it.

Donna slipped her legs back to the ground, moved her underwear back in place. Harvey tucked himself back into his pants.

"Donna.."

"Harvey.."

They spoke at the same time, before both stopping, silence lingering in the sudden void between them. She reached out, smoothing down the lapels of his jacket, straightening his tie. Harvey brushed a lock of her hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Carefully helping to put each other back together.

Donna lifted her hand up, and let her fingers tracing softly down his cheek, a final touch.

"It's all going to be ok Harvey," she whispered and she honestly didn't know if she meant the trouble with coastal motors, her destruction of the memo, or them. Maybe all of it.

Donna turned and walked away, needing to remove herself from both temptation and Harvey's eyes penetrating her with overflowing emotion she couldn't explain.

A few days later Jessica fired her and Harvey stood by wordlessly as she walked into the elevator. Then Louis blindsided her at the mock trial, his unanswered questions and insinuations added to all the other unsaid things between them. Harvey brought her back eventually, but by then too much time had passed and they never discussed what almost happened in the bathroom that day.

They swept it aside, buried it deep away, just like they always did every single time they blurred the lines between them. They simply pretended it never happened. Added it to their ever growing list of almost, nearly, maybe one day, and they tried to move forward.