Prompt by nikka mae (nikkaq_): Harvey is celebrating Christmas in Boston, the first time after reconciling with his mom. He's nervous and thinks of asking Donna to join him on the trip.
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Cross Country Christmas
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A buzz from his phone woke Harvey.
Hey, can you come stay here this Christmas? The kids miss you! - Marcus
He sighed to himself. He hadn't been to Boston since he reconciled with his mom and he had no plans on going back for at least another year. Unwilling to admit that he was nervous, Harvey started typing.
I'm busy atm but I'll see what I can do. - Harvey
Now Marcus has got a reply and hopefully knew not to ask too many questions about it. He was just about to put down his phone when he got another text.
Your meeting for 7 was canceled - Donna
He had no intention of going to that meeting anyway. He had heard so much about the wood business that he could start his own.
Now that people knew he was awake he had to actually go to work.
...
Donna woke suddenly at four in the morning, feeling as if she had fallen from the sky and onto her bed. That had been happening recently, but she decided to ignore it. At five am, she received a frantic phone call from a client who apparently worked in the wood industry. All she knew is that they had to cancel some meeting about wood with Harvey but that was the only bit about the call that she would've cared about. After what felt like a year's worth of an explanation from the client, she texted Harvey to tell him. There was no way both of them were going to be in before 7.
She walked into the kitchen to grab a coffee, it was the only thing keeping her going in the mornings. Well, that and the fact that if she didn't show up she would have about forty missed calls from Harvey and she wasn't going to even think about Louis.
After doing her hair and makeup, she went and grabbed a burgundy dress with black heels from her closet and left for work. The cab ride was short, surprisingly there wasn't too much traffic so she got in early enough. Looking at her phone she realized that technically she wouldn't be too early since it was 7:15 and business at the firm started at 7:00 … Oops?
...
For Harvey, today was the same as every other day, a few client meetings and a chat with Mike in his office. Except, this time he had a very different topic for his chat. He knew at some point Marcus would ask him to go to Boston for Christmas, and the plan was to bring his last girlfriend but now that they weren't together anymore, he had no idea what to do. Maybe ask Mike? Probably not a good idea, Mike was probably celebrating with Rachel anyway. Louis? No, the car ride alone would be brutal. Who else could he bring? Donna? She normally went to her parents for Christmas, but she said something about not going this year so she wouldn't be busy, but is that overstepping? Especially because of what happened? He'd have to ask Mike. Donna was always the one person who was there for him when it came to his mom, so maybe it was time they meet each other.
"Harvey," Mike called him out of his thoughts.
"Yes?"
"You want Donna."
"Mhm." Harvey wasn't really paying attention to what Mike was saying.
"To go to Boston with you."
"That's the plan, Mike." He hated Mike for this.
"For Christmas."
"No Mike for my birthday why do you think I'd go up to Boston in December?"
"Why are you so stressed about asking her Harvey? Haven't you had like fifteen girlfriends?"
"You know she's different Mike," he admits.
"Well, I think it's a good idea. You two could make it up to each other and Donna can meet Lily."
This sparked Harvey's interest. "So what was the point in mocking me?"
"Just a bit of fun I guess. To be fair it's a Monday morning. When are you leaving?"
Harvey began to think. Christmas is on the 25th, so Marcus would want a few days with Harvey, and he could go home on the 26th. All he had to do was make sure Donna was free those days and that she owned casual clothes. The one thing that amazed him was that every day she would show up with some new designer dress, never repeating the same one. Surely she owned informal clothes? Obviously, she hardly walked around the house in her work clothes and 7-inch heels. "Umm, probably the 20th."
Mike instantly knew why Harvey was worried. He lowered his voice and leaned towards Harvey.
"If you plan to leave in 3 days you should probably ask Donna today."
Harvey immediately got up and left.
...
Work was the same as always for Donna, clients making appointments, people needing forms to be signed, people needing permission to start cases, but that was mainly the first-year associates. Her favorite bit of the day was when Rachel came in, or when they got drinks after. Anyways they were talking about the usual things when Harvey came in.
"Donna, I need you to clear my calendar between the 19th and the 27th."
"Done. Anything else?"
She noticed him getting nervous, like a child that broke something. She easily figured he wanted to ask for something, she just didn't know what.
"Harvey I'm not going to bite you, so spit it out."
Harvey could've sworn he just lost the ability to speak, so he just left her office looking stupid.
Rachel couldn't hide her smile. "What was that all about?"
"Trust me, Rachel, I have no idea."
...
Sitting in his office, Harvey knew what his problem was, he had no idea how to ask Donna to go with him. Does he just plainly ask? Or does he offer her something if she comes? Normally she just knew these things. No, every other damn time he needed something, she just knew. Well, he didn't really have time to figure out how, because when he looked up he saw a burgundy dress and knew it was Donna.
"Harvey, what were you trying to say in my office? Did you lose something or—?"
Now he didn't know what to say. Does he just aks? Why was he nervous? The worst that could happen is she says no and he goes alone. "Donna, I don't have anyone to come to Boston with me for Christmas and I agreed to go. Will you come?" Scratch that last thought, so much worse could definitely happen.
"Harvey, there are so many ways you could have worded that without telling me I was your last choice."
Damn, he messed up. What was he supposed to say? "I'm sorry I just don't know how to ask someone to go to my parent's house with me?"
Now she was laughing. That's a good sign.
"You also need to work on your excuses. They're awful."
"So, you'll come with me?"
"Fine," Donna agrees. "When do you leave?"
"Uhh, in three days."
"Three days? You really left this to the last minute."
With that, she walked off, now feeling better because she knew why he was so awkward at her office this morning. To be honest, Harvey was just happy he wasn't going alone.
Once Donna was sure Harvey couldn't see her, she excitedly ran to Rachels's office. Rachel was expecting news.
"Donna."
"Rachel."
"What did he want?"
"He asked me to go to Boston with him for Christmas," Donna tells her friend.
"Donna that's huge!"
"You also said the kiss was huge. Feel like elaborating?"
"Do I need to? Or have you read me already," Rachel replies.
"Okay, maybe I have but it feels better if you tell me."
"Alright, he broke up with Paula, after you kissed him. If he felt nothing, he could have easily moved on. Now, he's inviting you over for Christmas, with his family."
"No, Rachel there's no way," Donna argues.
"Well, I said that with Mike and I married the man."
"Somehow it's just not the same."
"Well, it's not like you're going to say no, are you?"
"Not the point, Rachel, we're leaving in three days so you and I are leaving early tonight ok?"
"Meet you at the elevator in thirty?"
"Deal."
With that, Donna went back to her office with twenty-five minutes to spare. All she had to do was sign two papers and pack up for the night. Then she could leave with Rachel.
Shopping was easy. They bought a few pieces and went back to Donnas to sort out outfits with stuff she already had. It took about forty minutes with about an hour and a half for drinks and then Rachel went home for the night.
...
The next morning was weird for Donna. She now had two days until she's leaving and she was already packed. As far as she knew, Rachel was the only one who knew where she would be going, well aside from Harvey of course. Mike probably knew. They'd be leaving for Seattle the same day. Weirdly both days went quickly. There wasn't any firm drama, which was a surprise to both of them, and there were no new cases. Next thing she knew, it was 9:30 and Harvey was knocking on her apartment door asking if she was ready to go.
Harvey laughed at the sight of her suitcase.
"We're staying for five days, you didn't need to bring your whole closet."
"Didn't you bring like seven suits when you were sent to Chicago for two days?"
"Fair enough."
He put her suitcase in the trunk while she sat in the front seat. He picked the Ford Mustang from his car club. For one reason or another, it was one of his favorites. She searched through her phone for something to look at when she got a text from Rachel.
R: How's the car ride going?
D: Rachel, it's 9:35 we haven't started driving yet.
R: What took you 35 minutes?
D: What? He only showed up at 9:30, Rachel I told you this.
R: My fault. I thought you said 9:00.
D: Did you even listen?
R: To be fair I was drunk 90% of the time.
D: Bye Rachel
R: Have fun ;)
Just as the conversation ended, Harvey got in the car. He handed her a bright blue box with a ribbon around it.
"Can you hold this for me?"
"Yeah, of course."
She placed the blue box gently on her lap. She read Tiffany & Co printed on top of the box. It had to be for his mom.
The car drive felt short, a lot shorter than it should feel. With the way things were going, the whole Christmas situation should be quick. She had her favorite Christmas playlist playing the whole time. She knew full well that Harvey wasn't a Christmas person but what bad could a few songs do?
"Harvey, there is no way we're already here," Donna exclaims.
"Almost. The house is about 20 minutes away."
...
Soon enough, they were welcomed into the Specter family home. Lily excitedly gave Donna a hug. She then almost awkwardly hugged Harvey. As if she didn't know if they were still on good terms.
"So Harvey, is this the one you were talking about?"
"Wait, you told her about me?" Donna asks.
"He only told me a small bit, I've heard your name before, and I know that someone very special to him convinced him to forgive me. I just want to thank whoever that was."
With that, she innocently walked into her house. Harvey motioned for Donna to go in first.
Donna raised her eyebrow in Harvey's direction. "So, I'm very special to you?"
"I never specified who was special to me."
Secretly Donna just wanted to hear that she was special to Harvey.
"Your room is upstairs," Lily explains. "It's the last door on the left."
Harvey got their bags from the car and carried them upstairs while Donna chatted to Lily in the kitchen. She was cooking dinner for that night.
"Harveys never brought a girl home before."
"Really?" Donna asked surprised.
"Well, he did once. She was nice, but he avoided her the whole time. You're also coming for pretty much a week." Her eyes widened and she turned to Donna. "You were the one to convince him to forgive me right? Because I said that to his last girlfriend and she admitted it wasn't her."
The two women chuckled to themselves. Harvey came in looking confused.
"What's so funny? Don't tell me you're already sharing childhood stories."
"Oh no, not yet anyway. I was just telling Donna about dinner with your last girlfriend." She smiled at Donna. "I prefer Donna though. I've been rooting for you two for years! And you have a brother that's an even bigger fan of you two!"
It was then when it really hit them that Lily thought they were together. They shared an awkward glance.
"Oh, umm we're not together," Donna explains.
Lily for some reason looked disappointed. She winked and leaned in Donna's direction. "I don't think you'd mind if you were." She sat up and walked over to the door. "You know, Donna, I think, no I know that when two people are meant to be together, they will always find their way back to each other." She turned and leaned against the door frame. "Take some advice from this old woman," Lily chuckled.
"Harvey is in love with you, but he has too much pride to admit it and you, Donna Paulsen, are head over heels yourself."
Donna's face turned red, she rarely blushed, but when she did, she blushed hard.
"Stop letting work get in the way of your happy ending," Lily pleaded, her eyes watered up a little, she understood how Donna was feeling, she experienced it herself.
Lily walked out the door leaving Donna by herself. She had a lot to think about, her mind was racing.
She never thought that Harvey might return her feelings, but she didn't know what to do with the advice Lily gave her. Should she confess her feelings to Harvey? Was it too much of a risk? If he didn't love her, could she continue working at the firm? How long would it take for her to get over him?
At that exact moment, Harvey waltzed into the room, clearly unbothered and unaware of the situation Donna was in.
"Hey, looking comfy there! What are you doing?" Harvey interrupted her, bringing Donna out of her thoughts.
"Nothing! Ya, um, just sitting here!" Donna responded, hoping that he wouldn't question her further.
"You are deep in your thoughts, thinking about me Donna?" Harvey teased.
Donna snorted, of course, Harvey the lawyer, it's his job to inquire. Still, he didn't have to say the last bit, completely unnecessary.
"As a matter of fact, yes. I was and I think we should talk," Donna retorted, she meant business, she just hoped Harvey understood that.
"Okay?" Harvey replied, he was clearly very confused, why is she so serious all of a sudden? She was fine today, nothing was off, well nothing he noticed anyway.
Harvey sat down beside Donna, he lied back on the couch.
Donna scoffed, "For god's sake Harvey, could you please sit up and take me seriously!"
Harvey was shocked that she snapped at him, he always sat like that. She of all people should know that at least. It was obvious to him that something was bothering her deeply.
"Well? What is it then?" Harvey demanded.
Donna stayed silent, was this the right time? Had she completely ruined it by snapping at him? She knew he always sits like that anyway.
"Donna! What is it?" Harvey repeated, raising his voice a little. Trying to get her attention back on the situation.
"I love you, Harvey Specter! There! Is that what you want?" Donna blurted.
Harvey stared at her, this was not what he expected.
At that very moment, Donna wanted nothing more than for the ground to open and swallow her up.
"Donna, I—" Harvey started, how do they have this conversation?
"Donna, I'm not sure about much at the moment, and we're going to have to talk about this at a greater length. But Donna Roberta Paulsen, I love you too." Harvey confessed, he smiled, glad to have finally told Donna how he felt.
Donna's eyes started watering, everything was coming together for her.
Harvey walked over to her, smiled, and kissed her softly on her lips.
Then, as if it were fate, the old grandfather clock rang. Twelve o'clock, midnight.
Harvey looked up at it and smiled. "Merry Christmas Donna"
Donna, with tears flowing freely, replied, "Merry Christmas Harvey".
Watching from the kitchen, Lily chuckled and took a sip of her tea. Her plan had worked! Her Cross Country Christmas plan.