*This fic does contain violence so please be careful*
I am extremely nervous and excited to share this fic. This idea has been sitting my vault for a long time and I finally got around to planning it all out. I hope you enjoy!
It was an ordinary day at the office, but for whatever reason she felt different. Something about that Friday was unlike the others. She wasn't sure if it was just her urge for the weekend or the Webster case that had been going on for nearly a month now which was finally being brought to court tomorrow, but something felt strange to her.
Donna had been feeling off her game for months now, though. Ever since she found out about Harvey and Paula, she's had a wrench in her stomach. She liked Paula and she was happy for Harvey, but she couldn't shake the feeling it gave her. It almost felt as if she was forgetting something every time, she left the house or the office. Maybe that missing piece was him, but she would never know. Telling him that, however, was not an option. That was the price she paid for knowing him better than anyone. After the Other Time, she knew he wasn't ready for them, so instead she continued their platonic relationship. But now seeing him with her, she couldn't understand why he grew up for Paula, but couldn't when she needed him to way back when.
The pain of that thought alone was worse than any other she had ever endured before, but she was Donna and she wasn't allowed to let herself falter because of him. Not now, not when they have come this far. While they didn't have everything, deep down she still had hope that maybe one day they would.
She would always have faith.
…
Donna decided to stay late that night even though Harvey had told her they didn't need any more help. Knowing him, she knew he did. Even though he hadn't given her anything new to look over, she stayed to go through some of the stuff she already had. She didn't mind staying late and she was well aware he wasn't leaving his office anytime soon so, she stayed in hers too. Maybe he would realize he needed her help with something and call for her, unaware that she didn't follow his order to go home.
Late night calls were their thing. If he ever needed something, she would be there in a heartbeat and she knew if roles were reversed, he would be too. That was the kind of relationship they had. Over the years they had gotten as close as two people could get, without being more.
They were always there for each other and because she knew how important this case was to him, she would stay as long she needed until he knew everything was okay.
…
The day had passed by quicker than he had anticipated. The Webster case was working him harder than any other case prior to it. He wasn't sure what it was about the client, but he was deeply invested in making sure Henry got every penny that he deserved for his company.
He knew how good of a person he was and having Mike as a protégé had clearly influenced him heavily. Harvey never used to get emotionally invested in his clients. The winning was what it was all about, for him, at least what it used to be about. He used to think it was Donna's influence, but he quickly realized it was Mike's too. He was the kind of lawyer Harvey wished he could be. Even though he would never admit it, that's why he loved working with him. He was the Robin to his Batman and having him around made him a better man. There was a need to be better now, though he still couldn't pinpoint why.
As him and Mike continued to hammer out some more work on the case, Harvey noticed his friend hiding the yawn growing. They had been at it since nine in the morning and now it was almost midnight. Without hesitation, Harvey threw the file down on the coffee table and sat back to relax. "Go home, Mike. We've done all we can, and we need to be on our A game tomorrow."
Mike was clearly not ready to throw in the towel quite yet as he picked up a highlighter to finish marking up the paper near him. "It's fine. I'm fine. I can't leave before you. You can't stay later than me, you're not even presenting this case tomorrow."
"I'm going home too. I promise you, there's nothing more we can do," he explains as he pulls the rest of the paperwork away from Mike. "Just make sure you get a good night's sleep and kiss your fiancé good night."
He nodded in agreement and gathered his belongings. In a swift motion, he packed everything into his bag and was quickly heading home for the night.
The two of them had been having nights like this for almost a week now. He was fueled by his fellow lawyer's dedication to the case. They were down to the final day and they needed as much prep as they could get, but he knew Mike would be of no use if he didn't get his rest.
He contemplated staying a little longer to finish going over the discovery he was already working on when he heard a knock at his door. The visitor was definitely a surprise. "You're here late," she teased.
He was unsure why Donna had still been at the office. Harvey had told her to go home earlier when she asked if there was anything else, she could do to help with the case. "I could say the same to you. Why didn't you go home earlier when I told you to?"
Her eyebrows raised. "Since when do I do what I'm told?"
He let out a soft chuckle that consumed the quiet space. "Fair point."
She walked over and sat on the edge of the couch, one of her favorite places to sit in his office besides behind his desk. "How do you feel about tomorrow?"
There she went. Always knowing exactly what he needed to talk about. She always had a way of saying exactly the right thing at the right time. "Honestly, I'm nervous."
Donna was visibly surprised by his response. "You're nervous? I don't even remember the last time I saw the great Harvey Specter nervous for a trial."
"I don't know why, but this case is different. I can tell how important it is to Mike and I don't want to let him down. I also know what a good man Henry is, and he deserves my best. I'm scared I won't be good enough," he mumbled.
She placed her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "If there is one thing I know, it's that no one stands a chance against Harvey Specter. You are the best goddamn closer this city has ever seen, and tomorrow's trial will be no exception to that." She gently caressed his back with her palm. "Go get some rest. We have a big day tomorrow and even Batman needs his sleep."
He loved the sound of "we". They were a duo, one of the best. Hearing her call, them that almost made him forget about Paula, until he felt the buzz on his leg and read the name on his screen. Paula was also working late and texted him to inform him of that. He hadn't even realized that he never checked in with her earlier up until that moment.
Ever since Donna told him about how him being with Paula bothered her, he felt different towards her. It had always been him who was feeling jealous of her relationships and now the roles were finally reversed. He's not sure why but knowing that comforted him for some strange reason. She was the one who had made the rule way back when and although he wasn't ready then, he was now. But he respected her enough to not break the rule, so he entered a relationship with someone else.
"We do and I will. Do you need a ride to the courthouse tomorrow? I can have Ray pick you up."
She smiled at the gesture. "That'd be nice, Harvey. I'll be ready by seven, if that's okay?"
"Perfect. See you then and get home safe." He watched as she got up and turned on her heels towards the door.
She turned her head and looked back at him. "I'll bring the can opener," she whispered as she continued around again towards the door.
He watched as she walked out of his sight, his smile disappearing the second she did.
…
About twenty minutes later, he finally finished his readings. He could barely keep his eyes open anymore, even though he was three coffees deep. Although he was exhausted, he was glad he stayed to finish up. Tomorrow was going to be a good day for them in court, he could feel it.
He knew he should take Donna's advice and head home. Although he wanted to do something else to prepare, there was no more work to be done. He had to trust that, him and Mike know what they're doing for tomorrow. There was no way they were going to lose this case.
As he continued to organize the files before heading out, he felt his phone buzz. Then again. And again.
He wasn't sure what was so important at half past twelve that he needed to receive three texts in a row. Once he opened his messages, the words on the screen nearly made him drop to his knees.
MIKE: Harvey, you need to see this. It's all over the news. "Convict Escapes Prison"
As he clicked on the link, the image of the escapee rocked him to his core. It was Frank Gallo.
HARVEY: Holy shit. Be careful. Have you spoken to Donna or Louis?
MIKE: I texted them both the same link. Louis just replied.
His heart sank as he realized her name was missing from that message.
HARVEY: She hasn't answered?
MIKE: I'll let you know when she does. She's probably just getting ready for bed. Be careful.
The words on his screen didn't help settle his stomach. He would not be okay until she let him know that she was fine. His fingers were dialing her number before his brain even realized. He needed to hear her voice, but there was no answer. The voicemail he left her was definitely "interesting" enough to deserve a call back.
He could feel his patience running low as he waited for her to call back. No matter the time, she always answered the phone and knowing this didn't help his nerves. Of course, he could only imagine the worst now that he had that running through his head.
Although the panic had set in, he managed to calm himself down. There was no way he would try to hurt Donna. He would want to hurt him, so he wouldn't target her, right? Thinking about Gallo laying a hand on her made his blood boil.
Maybe Frank had ran off and got away to start a new life. He wasn't even positive he would try anything. Did he really hate him that much that he would waste an opportunity like this on revenge? He could be halfway across the country right now.
As he was getting lost in his thoughts, his phone started to ring. The number on the screen was unknown to him, which nearly caused his heart to stop beating.
He answered the phone. "Who is this?"
"You mean to tell me you don't remember me, Harv? I don't think it's been that long." The voice on the other end sent a shockwave throughout his body. Gallo. As soon as he recognized the voice, all of the awful thoughts he was thinking before flooded his mind again. The worst was actually happening.
"Hard to forget a man you convicted, Gallo. I heard you escaped. How'd you manage that?"
The man laughed on the other end. "I have my ways. I'm sure you know that. I had to get out of there, though. There's something I gotta do," he paused as he caught his breath. "Are you afraid yet?"
"I'm not afraid of a coward," Harvey fired back.
"You should be. You should be VERY afraid of the man you took EVERYTHING from," Gallo yelled into the phone. He was clearly angry, and all of his rage was directed at him.
Harvey swallowed as he pulled the phone away from his ear on impact. "You had to pay for your crimes, Gallo. The only person to blame for that is you." He had no idea why he was still entertaining this man, but something told him he didn't call to say hi.
"You act all high and mighty, Specter. I got news for you, you're not untouchable. And now you're going to pay for what you did to me," he spat into the phone.
Harvey shook his head, unsure of what the criminal meant. "What the hell does that mean?" There it came again. Panic.
"I want two million dollars within the next three hours."
Harvey laughed into the phone. "And why the hell do you think I'm going to give you a dime?"
"Because like I said, you're not untouchable. You took everything from me, now I'm going to take away your everything. If you don't get me the money, I'm going to kill her. This is why you don't care for people, Harv. Caring makes you weak."
He shot up from the couch and quickly gathered his things as he began to run out the door. "I swear to god, if you lay a hand on her-"
"What? You'll kill me. Get me the fucking money and bring it to her apartment. Oh, and if you call the cops, she will be dead as soon as I hear a siren." Before Harvey could say another word, the line went dead.
He could feel his heart pounding through his chest. This was why she hadn't answered his call. He knew something was wrong the second Donna let her phone go to voicemail. She always answered his calls whether it was six in the morning or ten at night. Suddenly he felt his chest began to tighten. The feeling was all too familiar and then went his breathing. It was becoming rapid and irregular and that's when he knew. A panic attack.
The sweat began to drip down his body as his eyes widened. The realization that Donna was in trouble was seemingly too much for him. He began gasping for air as he thought about it more and more. Frank Gallo had escaped from prison just to get his revenge on him. But Gallo wasn't going to hurt him, he was going after the one person in this world that mattered more than his own life.
It was as if his tie had started wrapping tighter and tighter around his neck. His balance was no longer stable as he wobbled all over, falling left and right. There was no longer a feeling of being in control of his own actions, his body was disobeying everything his mind was telling it to do. He felt as though he was now watching himself from the outside, no longer connected to his body.
This couldn't be happening to him, not now. Donna needed him more than ever and he could succumb to the fear. He made his way over to the water, fumbling over his furniture on the way there. He twisted off the cap and chugged as his free hand loosened his tie.
He closed his eyes and pictured her. She was his happy place and he needed to picture it now more than ever. The image of her red hair and doe eyes appeared in his head. It started to calm him down and he was able to finally catch a breath. It was as if she was there with him, he could hear her calling his name. On instinct he called back for her, needing to get to her, to save her. His eyes fluttered at the visual and all at once they opened, reminding him that it was only his imagination. As the attack subsided, his now open eyes were now filled with determination.
Grabbing his belongings, he raced out of his office and through the halls to get to the front. He repeatedly pressed the elevator button until it finally arrived at his floor. His breathing had become erratic and he felt like he was no longer in his own body. He had Donna. The one thing he fought to protect in this world, was in harm's way because of him once again. How could he let this happen?
The last time she was in trouble, he got her out of it. The charges dropped and everything was okay. But this time it wasn't prison she was facing, it was death. All because he loved to piss people off and Frank Gallo was no exception to that. He couldn't believe it was happening again. She was at risk because of him.
His mind was flooded with emotions as he waited impatiently for the elevator doors to open. All of their memories flashed before his eyes as he stared at his reflection in the elevator doors. He fought back the tears as he felt them forming in his eyes. This was not the time for him to break down, not when she needed him most.
As the elevator doors began to open, he rushed through them before they could fully widen. He had never run faster in his life. Ray had been waiting for him right outside the lobby door. The car seemed as though it was a mile away. Not hesitating for a second, he whipped open the building door and hurried to the car. He opened the car door and sat down as fast as he could.
"Well you're in a hurry to get to miss Agard's tonight," Ray mumbled as he started the car's engine.
The comment smacked him in the face. Paula...his girlfriend. He hadn't even thought about the fact that Gallo might have known he was dating her. How could he be so dumb? She was his girlfriend, not Donna. Why the hell did he not think of that? If he didn't think of Paula, would Gallo not think of her too?
This was a life or death situation. Two people he cared about were in harm's way and the next decision he made could change all of that. Why did he have to make everything so complicated? He was with Paula and yet something was telling him that she was probably fine. Maybe this was what Gallo wanted, for him to have to choose between the two women in his life.
He had no idea what to do, so he called Paula. It went straight to voicemail. "Ray drive as fast as you can to Paula's apartment now."
There was no telling what Gallo knew, but he was fully aware of how much he cared for Donna. What if he was going to the wrong place? His anxiety was starting to eat away at him. Why hadn't either of them answered?
…
Only five minutes had passed, but it felt like an hour to him. He had texted Donna again, but there was still no reply. Maybe she had fallen asleep. They did have a big day coming up. He couldn't even think about the case, when someone's life was on the line. The fact that he didn't know whose, pissed him off even more. His phone buzzed and as he read the name, his heart sank into his chest. "Shit," he yelled. "Stop the car." Ray pulled over per his request.
The last thing he wanted to see on his phone, had appeared. Paula had texted him back, replying that her phone had died, and she had just gotten home. Still unsure of the situation, he wasn't entirely convinced. There was no way to know if it was actually her texting him, so he got out of the car and called her.
"Harvey," she answered.
Relief and guilt all flushed him at once upon hearing her voice, seemingly okay. "You said you're home?"
"Uh yes, I just got home. Is everything alright?" Her confusion was apparent even through the phone.
Harvey was in disbelief and already sprinting back to the car. "I have to go. I'll call you when I can."
He hung up before he could hear her reply. He was infuriated with himself. How could he waste valuable time like that when Donna's life was on the line? He should've trusted his gut, the part of him that told him when Gallo said "everything" he meant Donna. His anger was evident with every step he took. He was back in the car within seconds.
"Is everything okay, Mr. Specter?" Ray questioned as he looked at him through the rearview mirror.
"Go to Donna's now," he demanded, the fear present behind every word fumbling out of his mouth.
Ray nodded in response, aware that Harvey had lost all patience. Something was clearly wrong. He had never been short with Ray, but suddenly nothing else mattered. She was in danger. Because of him. He made the wrong decision once, and it wasn't going to happen again. It took all of him not to get choked up in front of Ray. He wasn't allowed to breakdown, not now. His emotions were all over the place, thinking only of the worst, but she needed him to have faith that everything would be okay. They were Harvey and Donna. Nothing and no one could ever come between them.
He was pissed at himself. How could he make a mistake like that? It wasn't crazy that he thought Gallo would go after his girlfriend, but he should've stuck with his gut. Maybe Gallo knew something that Harvey hadn't come to realize… the person he cared about most in this world was Donna and now Frank Gallo had her.
I hope you guys liked this chapter. If you did let me know in the reviews! Xx