Hi guys! I got a few comments saying the story was moving too slow, and looking at it, I think I agree. (So thanks for letting me know what you think!) I tend to get lost in writing emotions and feelings and that can make stories take too long. So, I rewrote the upcoming few chapters, mashed some things together and left a few storylines out to try and pick up the pace. Let met know if it's better now!
x Laura
When Mike and Rachel arrive at the hospital the next morning, they find Donna and Harvey still fast asleep with their beds pushed together and their bodies entangled. They are both lying as close to the edge as possible, Donna with one hand on Harvey's chest, her other hand gripped in his. He is lying on his side, one of his legs over on her bed, resting against hers. Rachel looks at them, more peaceful than they've been in days, and wonders whether they have to wake up.
Before Rachel can suggest just letting them rest, Harvey wakes up with a sleepy groan. After checking that Donna is still next to him and sleeping calmly, he disentangles himself from her and takes the suit Mike brought him. He changes into it in the bathroom adjoined to Donna's room, actively avoiding his reflection in the mirror – he still looks like hell.
While Harvey is changing, Donna slowly wakes up, almost as if she sensed he wasn't next to her anymore. When she sees the empty bed, her eyes widen and her eyebrows knit together in a worried frown. Only then she notices Rachel and Mike next to her bed, but just as she opens her mouth to ask them about Harvey, he steps back into the room. She releases a soft breath, relief flooding her. Seeing Harvey in a hospital gown last night shook her more than she thought it did, she realizes now.
"Hey," Harvey looks tired and unsteady, but a smile breaks open his face when he sees her awake, "how are you?" He asks, approaching her. She thinks for a second, hazel eyes flashing to Mike and Rachel as well. "I'm better," she eventually answers, and the relieved smile on her face – that is mirrored on her friends' faces – makes Harvey believe her. Their eyes meet, and he sees a silent question in hers. He perches himself on the edge of the bed, "I'm okay too." He forces a smile, but she gives him a look that lets him know she sees right through him.
Harvey shakes his head at Donna, almost imperceptibly. He doesn't want to get into the minefield of how he is feeling right now. "Harvey, we have to go soon," Rachel says, "we'll give you two a minutes," she adds with a look that tells him she noticed his headshake, "Donna," she turns to her friend, "we'll be by this afternoon, if you're up for it." Donna looks at her, notices the uncertainty and worry, and forces a – somehow natural looking – smile, "I'll see you later. Good luck today."
As soon as Mike and Rachel leave the room, Donna motions for Harvey to move closer. "Your tie says you're not fine," she comments, while straightening it and pulling the know a little tighter. He wants to protest, but she silences him with just a look, "you had a panic attack again, Harvey," her voice wavers a little, "you were admitted to the hospital… And I get that court is important, but," she bites her lip, "you're more important."
Harvey smiles softly, "I love you," he tells her, "and I'm okay. Really." He leans into her and kisses her gently. He lingers close, his fingers brushing hair behind her ears and stroking over her skin. She smiles faintly, leaning in for another kiss before sinking back into the pillows, "then you better get out of here now. You know how nervous Mike gets when he's running late." She chuckles lightly. He smiles at her, but stays on the edge of the bed for another second, "are you sure?" He asks her, "I can stay here. That's not a problem, Mike doesn't need me to hold his hand anymore…" He looks back up, meeting her eyes. "Harvey," she softly squeezes his arm again, "I don't think I'm much fun today, I'm still so tired... I think I'll just sleep. And I'm okay. It's not good yet, but it's not like yesterday. And I know how hard you worked on this case and how valuable your input is."
Harvey sighs, "will you call me if anything happens?" He quietly asks, the fear behind his words breaking Donna's heart. "I promise," she assures him, "but don't worry… I'm feeling better. I will be okay." The words have been spoken so often the last few days, but now she truly believes them. Harvey seems a little more unsure and she reaches for his arm, softly squeezes it, "maybe not today… But I will be. Trust me, I know." He nods and then leans in, softly kissing her.
Throughout the day, in every single break Harvey gets, he calls Donna. And she always answers. Most of the time his calls wake her up, but she reassures him that she doesn't mind. That she loves hearing his voice. He tells her he loves hearing her voice too, and that's as close as he can come to expressing the relief and the intense gratitude and the love that rush through him every time she picks up.
It's late that afternoon when Harvey, Mike and Rachel get back to the hospital, wearing grins that tell Donna they had a good day without her having to ask. It makes her smile; they need something good. She asks them all about it, and they gleefully tell her about every last detail. Then – when they ask – she tells them how she slept all day, the medication in her system leaving her almost free of pain and making her succumb to the exhaustion that's settled in her bones. "But," she adds, a small smile on her pale face, "my fever is going down. Everything is heading in the right direction."
Donna's words ignite another spark of happiness, and her friends start chatting again. She makes the occasional remark, but honestly she is still so tired that even just focusing on the conversation takes up a lot of energy. Mike notices after a while, and after sweet goodbyes and gentle hugs, him and Rachel head home. Harvey stays with Donna, having no place in the world he would rather be than right at her side. She's tired and keeps dozing off, giving him time to observe her. She barely looks any different than last night, but something feels different. She seems a little more relaxed and a little more like herself. She's still so fragile and she hasn't regained much of her usual power and confidence, but he can see the first signs of it coming back.
Donna and Harvey don't need many words that night. They are both so tired that being together is enough. Harvey gets in bed with her again, nestling close against her. His head is buried in the crook of her neck while she leans against his chest. Both of them fall asleep not long after that, safely wrapped up in each other's arms again.
When Donna wakes up the next morning, Harvey is gone. There's a note on her nightstand explaining a nurse forced him to leave, no matter how much he begged her to stay. Disappointment twinges through Donna, she misses waking up in his arms. She feels a little lonely here, something that hadn't come up before with all the fear and medication but now it's bubbling towards the surface. Her fingers itch to text Harvey, but she doesn't want to seem too desperate and she doesn't want to make him feel guilty; she knows he would be with her if he could.
That day – and the few days after that – follows a similar pattern as the one before. Donna is tired and on quite a bit of medication, which makes her sleep for most of the day, only waking when Harveys calls in his breaks. She likes the little chats, but likes it even more when he visits - with Mike and Rachel - when their day in court is wrapped up. They talk and laugh and even though the visits take more energy from Donna than she'd like to admit, these are the moments she longs for all day.
However, no matter how much Donna loves seeing Mike and Rachel, the hours after they leave – the time she gets to spend with Harvey – is the only thing getting her through the time in the hospital. When Mike and Rachel are headed home, he climbs in bed with her. He holds her close, sometimes talking with her, or simply to her, other times just running his fingers over her skin as she drifts off to sleep. One night she admits she hates waking up without him, and the next morning he rushes in. He gets there just after she has woken up, but it's the sentiment that counts.
Harvey comes to the hospital early the next morning as well, and the morning after that. But the day after, Donna's phone rings early, his name flashing across the screen. "Hey," Harvey can't help but smile when he hears Donna's husky, sleepy voice. "Did I wake you?" He asks. She doesn't verbally respond, but he hears her yawn and he knows he did, "I… I have to do something before court, I can't come in this morning… I'm sorry." he apologizes. "It's okay," she mumbles, her voice still a little low, "but I miss you." He can almost envision the slight pout of her lips. "I miss you too," he tells her, "I'll come by as soon as I'm done here, I promise."
After a few minutes – way too short minutes for Donna's liking – Harvey has to end the call. She sinks back into the pillows, disappointed that she won't see him until later today and this phone call has been limited to mere minutes. Suddenly the door flies open, and Donna looks up expectantly. Disappointment crosses her features when it's not Harvey walking in. She knew it wouldn't be, but her heart still missed a beat. She tries to straighten out her face, but Mike laughs at her, "I'm sorry I'm not Harvey," he grins. She smiles a soft and honest smile at him, "it's okay, Mike. I'm happy to see you. I know how busy you are."
"I know, Donna," Mike smiles back and takes a seat next to her bed, "I know you wanted to see Harvey. And he wants to see you too. But he found the next witness and had all contact with him and-" "I know," Donna interrupts him, "he just called. And he'll be by tonight." She curiously looks at Mike, who looks tired, "how are you holding up?"
Mike is about to tell Donna he is fine when she catches his eye and he knows he can't lie to her. She has that look in her eyes, that look that tells him that she knows the answer before he gives it. He doesn't always like that, it makes him feel vulnerable. But now he is so happy to see it. The hazy eyes and pain and fear from the last few days seem to be pushed back by her characteristic sharpness and Mike smiles brightly at her, "I'm so glad to see you're doing better."