Hello everyone! Days went by in a flash, right? Thank you soo much for supporting and showing interest in this fic! It means a lot to me! While I wanted to keep my two-week schedule, recent events in my life went against me.. don't worry, it's nothing serious.. I just started working, and I have no idea if I'm gonna be able to stick to this. So, if I don't, please know that I'm sorry, and I'll try to write it ASAP! Anyhow.. Here's the second chapter, which I hope you'll enjoy! ;)

-Jane

PS: Next up, Season 2! If you have any requests for this season, be it a scene from the show, or something that could've happened "BTS", please let me know in the reviews!


"Harvey…" Donna trailed off as Harvey's lips met the sweet spot right below her ear.

Harvey didn't stop, instead, he pulled her even closer to him and continued on his path, laying quick kisses on every inch of skin he could find as he pinned her to the stairwell railing.

"Harvey, stop it!"

Pausing his attack of kisses, Harvey moved his lips to her ear as he whispered, "That's not what you said this morning…"

"We're at work…"

"So?" Harvey asked with a raised eyebrow and a familiar glint in his eyes.

"People will see!"

"There's no one here, Donna!"

Donna rolled her eyes at him.

Without a word, Harvey leaned in to kiss her, but Donna stopped him.

"Oh, c'mon!" Harvey huffed, frustrated.

"Harvey!" Donna scolded him, but he could see the smirk that she was trying to hide.

"What? I can't help it when my girlfriend looks like this

." He pointed to her black skirt that hugged her curves in all the right places, a white silk blouse that made her skin look good enough to eat, and red heels that made him lose consciousness whenever he looked at her.

"Girlfriend?" Donna's eyes sparkled as her voice dropped a little.

Harvey nodded while he put his arms around her waist, and despite her protests, a small grin appeared on his face.

"Feels kind of strange, doesn't it?" Donna asked as she put her arms around his neck.

"Feels right." And with that Harvey leaned in and closed the remaining distance between them.


They say time flies when you're having fun, but for Harvey, it felt like it was only yesterday that he took the step that changed everything from him.

One single step in the right direction and his whole world spun on its axis.

Seven years ago, he made the decision to try and comfort something he refused to believe in — after years of denial, he finally listened to his heart and acted on his feelings for Donna.

If that young boy, scared by his mother's mistakes, saw him now, he would have laughed in his face. Even though those scars still lingered around, over the years, Harvey became aware of the fact that he couldn't go on like that.

He couldn't just speed through life dwelling on the past. The moment he realized that he took a leap of faith and crossed the threshold of Donna's doorstep.

He might still hold a grudge over his childhood, mourn his father's loss, but one thing was certain. Seven years ago, Harvey Specter stopped making excuses and made the best goddamn decision of his life. He thought about his future. Especially, who he wanted to spend it with…

As much as he loved reflecting on the last few years, Harvey knew that they had to get going soon. Finishing his coffee, he briefly checked his watch before casting one last glance at the city's skyline through his window, he turned around and walked to the bedroom.

As spacious as the place was, his eyes zeroed in on the figure before him — his favorite redhead surrounded by nothing but silky white sheets.

Definitely a sight he will never tire of.

She was beautiful. She always had been, but the years they've spent together had somehow added to her beauty.

As the sunlight seeped through the glass front making her skin glow, Harvey couldn't help himself but grin as he remembered that one time in the—

"What are you grinning about there, hotshot?"

"Just reminiscing."

Donna raised an eyebrow. "About?"

"You, me, and that one time in the stairwell at the firm."

"You remember that?" she asked, stunned.

Harvey nodded, proudly.

"Harvey, that was years ago!"

"Of course I do." He leaned down, their lips barely touching before he continued. "I remember everything, Donna." He kissed her before whispering, "Especially the first time I called you my girlfriend."

Without replying, Donna closed the distance between them again and captured his lips in a quick kiss that turned heated in a matter of seconds as she muttered how hopeless he is.

Breaking the kiss, Harvey stood up to go to his full-length mirror, leaving a flustered Donna behind. As he fiddled with his tie, he turned around and grinned as he saw Donna closing the distance between them.

Donna returned his grin, readjusted his tie, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Deeming him ready to go, she met his gaze and teasingly reminded him, "You have a meeting with Jessica before our dinner."

"What dinner?" Harvey furrowed his brows, fighting back a smirk.

Donna sighed and raised her eyebrow. Idiot. A few seconds passed and he didn't budge which prompted her to untangle herself from his arms, but Harvey tightened his hold on her, leaned down, and kisses her cheek. Then he bent closer to her ear and whispered, "Seven years, Donna."

"I still ask myself how I managed to last this long..." Donna trailed off.

Without replying, Harvey captured her lips in a long kiss. "Because you love me."

"And if you love me, then you better not be forgetting about our dinner today, Mister!"


They agreed to not do this.

From the moment they got together, they both had an unspoken rule of no PDA at work. Which also included leaving no marks on each other. At least not where someone could see them. After all, they worked at a law firm, where no one would take them seriously if their appearance was anything but professional.

So, they came up with a rule.

That way, they didn't have to suffer from endless teasing from their friends, and they didn't have to feel embarrassed in front of their clients. In their mind, it was a win-win situation.

Even if it made them feel kind of juvenile, the feeling of belonging to one another when a client made some flirty comments towards Donna made Harvey feel smug. Especially when she turned down every invite she was hit with and looked at him afterward with a smirk on her face. Yes, it made him feel self-satisfied every time he witnessed it. He was arrogant as hell about it, but it didn't matter. Because she was his.

He knew that she was as serious about them as he was and it made his insides combust with love every damn time.

Harvey wasn't usually a jealous person, but with Donna, some of his deep-rooted issues with infidelity resurfaced whenever someone approached her when they were out together.

He trusted her, but it was the other men he didn't trust. Donna was way too beautiful, and Harvey didn't deserve her, and if he wasn't careful enough, he'd lose her. Though, if he became a jealous prick, then she would leave him, too…

She always made fun of him for that. Giggled when his eyes turned from chocolate brown to almost black. But she didn't mind it. Especially when she got to reassure him later in the day — in the confines of their bedroom — that she was indeed his. And if that resulted in a small hickey somewhere no one could see, then so be it.

So yes, they didn't do this, but when they did, they were careful about it.

Until they weren't.

They went on their weekly date, which they instigated quite early on, where they teased each other endlessly. So when they came home, they didn't even make it to the bedroom. They didn't care about anything else other than to rid each other of every piece of clothing they had on.

They got lost in each other.

So much so, that the next day, Harvey was in front of his full-length mirror, getting ready for work when he noticed a little bruise right below his ear.

With a raised eyebrow, he turned around and looked at Donna, who was sitting on the bed, putting on her shoes. "Donna, didn't we have a rule about this?"

She looked up and frowned. "About what?"

Harvey motioned to his neck, which only made Donna grin as she stood up. She closed the space between them and said, "I have no idea how that got there."

"Oh really?" Harvey raised his eyebrow as he placed his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

She brought her arms up and looped them around his neck. "What can I say? Some rules are meant to be broken." His reply was muffled with a kiss.


"That son of a bi—"

A few hours later, Donna was in the bathroom of Pearson Hardman checking herself over in the mirror as she washed her hands when something caught her attention. It was a small purple bruise near her collarbone that was peeking from underneath her v-neck dress.

With wide eyes, she moved her dress to cover it up before hurrying back to her desk for a concealer.

Coming out of the bathroom and rounding the corner, Donna was about to reach her desk, when she stopped in her tracks.

There, in Harvey's office was Zoe Lawford.

A senior associate almost everyone turned to whenever they needed help with finances. Which, Donna was sure, she wasn't discussing in Harvey's office at the moment.

No, they definitely weren't discussing that she concluded.

Harvey was leaned back in his chair, looking uncomfortable as ever, but hiding it with one of his cocky smirks. He didn't worry her. In all the time they've been together, Donna knew that she could trust him. It was Zoe, though, that she didn't trust.

Not when all she could see was her back and her arm on Harvey's bicep as she stood next to him, almost perched on his desk.

It was the moment she heard the other woman laugh through the intercom that Donna decided to intervene.

Barging through the door, Donna cleared her throat. "His Majesty called. He's resche—" she stopped mid-sentence, looked at Zoe, and smiled. "Oh. Zoe."

"Donna."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence between them all that went on longer than comfortable for anyone until Harvey ended it as he looked at Donna. "Just tell me when and where and I'll be there." He then looked at Zoe. "If you don't mind, I'd like to get back to work…"

"Not at all." Zoe cleared her throat and made her way out of his office, but not before bidding both of them goodbye.

As they watched Zoe's retreating form, Harvey's gaze focused on Donna. More importantly, her demeanor changed ever since they were left alone. From the moment she stepped into his office, she was tense. Her eyes piercing, as if they were ready to cut through someone.

Leaning back even further into his seat, his cocky smile got wider as he took his girlfriend in. She was jealous and on top of that, she couldn't hide it. He enjoyed it more than he thought possible.

In all the time they were together, Donna was always composed, witty, and professional when they were at work, but when they were on a date, or somewhere else? That was a different story.

Not too long after they started dating, Harvey learned that when it came to relationships, Donna was vulnerable and nervous, but most of all, gentle, romantic and, possessive when it came to staking her claim — especially when there was a woman in his vicinity.

And Harvey appreciated that. A lot.

Just like he did whenever a woman appeared in his office and he got to see his girlfriend break through the redhead's secretary persona.

As much as he enjoyed seeing her squirm a little, he knew that the frown on her face wasn't a good sign.

He rose from his seat and closed the distance between them with her name on his lips.

She stayed silent, her eyes still focused on the desk before her.

"Donna?" Harvey tried again, which seemed to do the trick because she finally looked up at him.

"Yeah?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Donna shook her head.

"Donna…"

"Harvey…" Her voice becomes stern, her eyebrows raising slightly.

Harvey smiled and leaned in closer to her ear, whispering, "You know don't have to worry. You never have to worry, Donna. Not with me. I was yours from the moment we met." That elicited a smile from her which prompted Harvey to add, "I love you."

"I love you, too." Donna smiled, her eyes sparkling. If they weren't at work, this would be the time she would step closer, wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him. Just like she always did whenever this subject got brought up….

But they weren't at home either. Where they could just be them. Where they didn't have to worry about prying eyes or ears. They could act however they wanted to, and it'd be okay.

Most days, Donna didn't mind their agreement. Too preoccupied with work, there was barely time for affections, but some days, when things were going slow at work, like today, she just wanted to go into his office and plant a big, passionate kiss on Harvey. Especially when he was surrounded by women she didn't like.

Yes, she was jealous. And she would admit it without thinking. Because, even after seven years, she couldn't believe that Harvey was really hers.

But then he would go and leave a mark on her like this and she's right back where she always was — in love with her handsome man.

Yeah, staying mad at him was never an option…


"Donna, clear my schedule tomorrow. You and I are hiring a new associate."

Who would've thought that hiring a new associate would take this long? It might have only been less than a day, but Harvey was already getting annoyed. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want an associate. Some Harward screw up he'd have to look after every step of the way? That wasn't his cup of tea.

He'd rather work alone. Well, not alone because he had a secretary that was way better than any associate or a paralegal he could ever hire. But this was Jessica's order, and if he wanted to be a Senior Partner, he would have to comply.

That was how he found himself in a conference room at the Chilton Hotel, listening to yet another story from a young man that was supposed to impress him. Instead, Harvey was thoroughly bored. So much so, that he ended the interview early and walked the kid out with a promise of a call. Yeah, like he'd ever do that.

Not being able to endure this torture much longer, Harvey turned to look at Donna, who was acting as his gatekeeper as always, and sighed.

"Donna, we're going to need to streamline this." He begins as he sees her nod. "Give each guy a hard time before you send them back, give me a wink if they say something clever, cool?"

Seeing the look on Harvey's face Donna nodded. "Okay. What are you looking for?"

"Another me," Harvey responded with a smirk.

"Got it. Arrogant, self-absorbed, blowhard, thinks he's the smartest one in the room…"

Harvey rolled his eyes. "That's why I love you, you get me." With that, he turned around and started walking into the room, but stopped in his tracks when he heard Donna's response.

"That's why we've been married for the last 7 years."

Winking at her smile, he turned around yet again and they resumed the interviews. The sooner they get this done, the better.


"I just got reamed for lying to a client and if they find out that I lied about you going to Harvard, they'll take away my license."

"You what?"

"Not now, Donna."

After listening to the rest of the conversation through the intercom, Donna waited until Mike left Harvey's office. Once he had rounded the corner, she stormed in and almost shouted, "Really? A fraud? Have you lost your mind, Harvey?"

She saw Harvey swallow, roll his chair back and tense a little as he looked at her with a puzzled expression. "Donna..."

She only rolled her eyes. "Don't Donna me, Harvey!" Taking a step closer, she said, "How could you hire a fraud?" Even if he wanted to interrupt her, Harvey knew better. At least that's what Donna thought as she continued. "Do you not care about all the years you've spent climbing to the top? All the late nights spent at the office. The reputation you've built?"

After her little rant, Donna stayed silent for a moment. What felt like an eternity, was in fact only a few seconds when she asked in a quieter voice, "How could you?"

"Donna…" Seeing her demeanor change, Harvey stood up, walked to her, and pulled her to a corner of his office where no one could see them. All this time she didn't look him in the eyes. She couldn't. If she did, then that would be it — she'd break down.

"What's wrong, Donna? Because this isn't like you. And no matter how much you try to talk me out of it, we both know that you could care less that Mike doesn't have a degree…" Harvey's words brought her back and Donna shook her head.

"It's nothing." Donna trailed off.

"Donna…" Harvey raised his hands and cupped her face. "Look at me, babe."

After hesitating, she looked up and into his pretty brown eyes. The same eyes she fell in love with all those years ago, and she crumbled. "I… I should've known, Harvey."

"Should've known what?" he asked.

Donna sighed as she looked at him with an expression that says you know damn well what I'm talking about. "I should have known the moment I saw him. How could I have not known?"

"That's the thing though. Nobody could have known. I didn't even know. Not until his briefcase flew out of his hands and the weed spilled on the floor."

Donna tilted her head, which prompted him to continue. "You're not a mindreader, Donna. And this is not your fault. In fact, I'm more to blame, because I was the one who didn't throw him out. I was the one who hired him."

"Harvey…"


"There's a reason you let him in, Donna. You knew something I didn't. You just knew. Just like you always did…" Having heard Harvey say that, elicited a small smile on Donna's face.

Yeah, she knew. And yes, there was a reason she let Mike waltz into those doors — he reminded her of Harvey. And as much as she tried to deny it, he needed someone like Mike. It might have been a stupid decision, but maybe it was the right one. Or at least she hoped so.

"There's a reason you let him in, Donna. You knew something I didn't. You just knew. Just like you always did…"

Ever since she heard those words come out of Harvey's mouth, Donna's thoughts have been quite simply a mess. She knew that there was no reason to overthink it, that it wasn't her fault, but a small part of her thought what if?

Lying in their bed, with Harvey wrapped in her embrace, Donna wondered if letting Mike in was the right decision, yet again.

Letting him stay was career suicide for both of them. Not to mention that Harvey could get arrested for this. Maybe they all could…

Just the thought of Harvey behind bars brought a chill down her spine as she trailed her fingers through his hair. She'd rather die than go through that. But he could still get in trouble for hiring Mike, and in Donna's eyes, this was now hanging over them like the Sword of Damocles. She would move heaven and earth to make sure Harvey walked away scot-free.

It was her damn fault and she couldn't do anything about it. No matter how much she tried to come up with a solution, her mind flashed back to the way Harvey treated Mike. Anyone else could see the hard exterior he had put up at work, but not Donna.

From the moment Mike stepped into Pearson Hardman, Harvey's demeanor changed. He almost acted as if he gained a little brother. As much as he tried to show that he didn't care, Donna could see that he did.

And maybe that's why she was here, blaming herself. She knew that letting Mike stay was a bad idea, but the small protective twinkle in Harvey's eyes told her everything she needed to know. Mike was staying. Simple as that.

She could see it on his face. Just like she did when he came back from Gordon's funeral, or when she told him that her mother wanted to meet him. She knew. And she still doubted herself.

Thinking briefly about Harvey's encounter with his mom at the funeral, Donna let out a sigh.

Hearing that his father had passed shook Harvey in a way she never saw before. Which was understandable, but when she brought up the subject of him attending the burial, he dismissed it. After a lot of pleading, talking, and almost threatening, he went. But once he saw his mom and the man that caused everything he blamed himself for, he came back early.

At first, Donna didn't intervene. Instead, she let him deal with it in his own way. But now, she questioned that decision. Did she make a mistake then, too? She always prided herself in doing everything for Harvey's good but was she inadvertently damaging him with her silence?

But then again, if she had made a mistake, Harvey would tell her, right? Just like he told her after that god-awful dinner party she had organized a few months into their relationship. Or every other time he didn't like something.

It's how they survived seven years with each other. She didn't let him get away with anything and he didn't either. They trusted each other. Over the last seven years, they've formed a bond that no one around them could understand. A bond that was too strong. A bond that Donna didn't think she was worthy of anymore.

"I love you…" Her thoughts were interrupted by Harvey's mumbling. Looking down, she almost melted on the spot. His arm was around her, squeezing her to him, and his face looked so peaceful. But what caught her attention was the big grin he donned. "I love you so damn much, Donna." This time, Donna's heart almost shattered with love for her man.

Leaning closer to him, she pressed her lips to his temple and whispered, "You have no idea how in love I'm with you, Harvey."


"I gotta say, you were right. This is way better than going out." Harvey said as he stepped out of the bedroom and made his way towards the kitchen island, where he saw Donna arranging a charcuterie board.

"Thanks." She looked up and smiled. "I know you wanted to celebrate your promotion at Del Posto, but…" she trails off.

"This is way better, Donna." Harvey smiled, as he rounded the island and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "Thank you."

Donna grinned, turned around in his arms, and looped her arms around his neck. "Of course when I suggested it, I didn't mean that I would be the one to go to the grocery store, the cheese shop, and the wine place."

"To be fair I do buy toilet paper," Harvey quipped.

"Which we would have to use as napkins if I hadn't also picked up napkins," Donna deadpanned.

"Does this mean that you're gonna cook, too?" Harvey teased.

"I can also walk away." she joked as she tried to move from his grip, but he tightened it around her.

"You wouldn't."

"Wanna bet?" Donna smirked.

Kissing the smirk off her face, just because he can, Harvey told her, "Fine. But you're helping."


A while later, Harvey stood behind the stove, a colorful apron covering his black dress pants and white button-down, while Donna chopped the vegetables.

"Donna, could you pass me the—" Harvey couldn't even finish his sentence before Donna passed him the carrots. He put them into the pot and stirred them around. Looking at Donna, he trailed off. "Oh, I also need the—"

Like before, Donna was handing him the olive oil even before he had a chance to ask for it. Stopping for a second, Harvey froze. It was at that moment, on a Friday evening, as he was standing in the kitchen in a girly apron, that he suddenly realized just how in love he was.

Who would've thought that such a mundane moment would make him realize that this was it? That this is how he wants to spend every day for the rest of his life? Just this, in their home, with her, and so goddamn in sync.

"Marry me?" Harvey blurted out without thinking. At first, he didn't even realize he had said it out loud, but the bewildered look on Donna's face brought him back to reality. He did say it. And honestly? He didn't see anything wrong with it.

But what if she did?

She hadn't said a word since he asked. It had almost been too long before she finally broke the silence with a raised eyebrow and a teasing smile. "Now? It's past office hours, Harvey."

"So what?" Harvey wondered as he brushed his hands on the apron, and closed the distance between them. "I know people," he added, confidently.

"Oh yeah? That's interesting, 'cause I know people, too," Donna quipped back. Then, as she saw Harvey grin, she brought his face to her level and kissed him. Once they parted from the kiss, Donna looked up at him and smirked. "You think I'm gonna take you seriously when you're wearing an apron?" Without waiting for his response, she went back to cooking and when she next turned around, he was down on one knee, asking her with more sincerity than she had ever seen in him, "Marry me?"


Her favorite words of his were still ringing in her ears, setting her heart on fire. But she had been an actress long enough to know how to keep a straight face. So instead of grinning like an idiot in love, she looked up at his silly smile, coffee cup, and check in hand. "I took care of that too. We've been married for the last 7 years. Give or take a day."

His wink was followed by a question. "Is that you hinting at something?"

Without a beat, Donna smirked. "Maybe."

"Excellent." Harvey grinned and disappeared down the hallway, coffee cup in hand.

As soon as he was out of sight, Donna tried to compose herself, but all she could do was smile and roll her eyes at his antics. Seven years and he still used that damn line whenever they were in sync. He was an idiot. An idiot she had been madly in love with for seven years.


In the midst of trying to keep everything at bay, Donna was so swamped with work, that she barely had time for her friends. Her colleagues from the theater were barely friends at this point, but Donna still had Rachel.

Speaking of Rachel, whenever she had made plans to go out with her recently, something came up. Every damn time.

That's why, a few months after Harvey became Senior Partner, Donna made use of Harvey's meeting running late. Taking advantage of the situation, she quickly texted Rachel and retreated into her boss' office. As she waited for the brunette to arrive, Donna poured them drinks and turned on the record player.

A few minutes later, Rachel arrived and they soon caught each other up on what they've missed.

Encouraged by a drink or two, Rachel stood up and wandered through the office while she asked questions about every gift Harvey had received throughout his career. As Rachel approached a collection of basketballs, Donna's eyes widened when her friend reached for one.

"Don't touch that. Signed by Patrick Ewing. He'll know." Seeing Rachel's amused look, Donna rolled her eyes. "I'll never hear the end of it," she explained further.

That's when Rachel reached for Kobe's, with Donna's approving nod, and sat down on the windowsill. "You really know him."

Smiling, Donna took a sip of scotch before answering: "I really do."

Rachel raised her eyebrow questioningly, implicating something.

As much as she wanted to scream it from the rooftops, Donna shook her head and said, "No."

"Never?" Rachel slowly walked towards Donna.

Oh, God. She's not leaving this, is she? "No," she repeated.

"Ever?" Rachel leaned her hands on the desk.

Yeah, they've been married for seven years now, but she still has to deny everything? It was at that moment that Donna regretted her decision to hide the status of their relationship from the public. "No."

"Never ever?" Rachel teased.

"No"

"Why not?"

"Because you can never go back." And they didn't. "I have to pee." With that Donna slide off the chair and rushed to the bathroom.


"Marry me?" he had asked again a week after his promotion. They were in the elevator of their building, coming home after a day of work when Harvey turned to her with pleading eyes.

"Harvey, it's Friday…" Donna rolled her eyes.

"And? I already talked to judge Morrison…" Harvey reasoned.

"Harvey…" Donna trailed off.

"Everything's set up, Donna."

Donna was speechless. A moment later, she smirked. "What are we going to wear? Are you gonna be in an apron again?"

Harvey rolled his eyes as he leaned down to capture her lips.


Drying off her hands with a towel, Donna looked in the mirror under her blouse. Then, she pulled on it, pulling it over her clothes, revealing two silver rings attached to it.

Taking them into her palm and squeezing them, she thought about telling Rachel everything.

It might be the alcohol taking over her brain, but Donna was ready. Or so she thought.

Seven years. They've been married for seven years. And from day one she was the one, who insisted on keeping things just between them. Too scared of the outcome, she convinced Harvey to hide their relationship for seven years.

For almost a decade no one knew what went on between the Senior Partner and his secretary. No one except Jessica, who attended their wedding.

Almost a decade worth of memories filled with struggles, admiration, laughter, heartbreak, but most of all love…

Seven years in and she still couldn't believe that this was her life. That she was fortunate enough to have a great job, friends who she loved, and a husband that she couldn't imagine her life without. Who would have thought that being linked to Harvey Specter would make her this happy? She loved every second of it, even the parts where she just wanted to shelter him from all the heartbreak he had suffered.

Yeah, he was an idiot some days, but he was her idiot. Till death does them part.