A/N: Cece mentioned the wedding day morning, Caroline wanted a fic and Emily brought the fic idea I've had in my head back then to the forefront of my mind again. So here we are.
What started out as a quick oneshot of the wedding morning turned into... something more. Kinda.
Any recognizable dialogue is property of USA Network, I just borrowed the words for this little story.
Have fun and enjoy!
What Better Time Is There
~OO~
A deep groan breaks through the quietness of the early morning, mixing with a throaty giggle only seconds later. The sheets rustle, as the couple hiding beneath them seek out each other's embrace in an attempt to prolong their bliss just a tiny little bit longer.
"Do we really have to go?" Harvey laments, burying himself deeper into his pillows while pulling Donna closer into his side.
"Harvey, you're the best man. If there's anyone who can't be missing, apart from Louis and Sheila obviously, it's you," Donna reminds him with an amused tone in her voice.
"But I'd much rather stay in bed with you," he murmurs, his voice dropping that an octave.
"Harvey, stop it," Donna giggles again, wriggling around in his embrace to free herself from his arms, that only tighten around her that much more in response. "Come on, let's get up and get ready or we'll be late," she warns, but her eyes are flickering teasingly.
"Just a few more minutes?" Harvey almost begs, pressing himself against her length.
"You're incorrigible," Donna laughs, shaking her head before she slides out of his hug and bed, sauntering off towards the bathroom. "You can either stay in bed for a few more minutes or you can join me in the shower and use those few more minutes more reasonably," Donna suggests.
With an additional sway to her hips, that elicits another groan from Harvey, she disappears from his view way too quickly for his liking.
~OO~
Donna presses her lips between his naked shoulder blades, and a shiver runs down his entire body. The trembling only intensifies when Donna's hands roam over his front, gently spreading the soap on his chest and stomach.
"Do we really have to go?" Harvey half sighs, half moans, as her hands slide further south to the outside of his thighs.
It still astonishes him, the way his body always reacts to her; every nerve ending instantly on excited alert as blood rushes beneath his skin. He closes his eyes and gives himself over to the sensations that her body evokes in his.
They don't have much time because he knows they need to leave soon, and yet they aren't willing to let that deter them from taking this sacred time to be with each other in this moment. Fingers slide as easily and effortlessly as the water, and kisses are as heated as the stream raining down on them, when they come together in a cloud of steam and fever and frenzy.
Afterward, a satisfied hum echoes through them while they both get ready for the wedding of their weirdest but dearest friends. Harvey brushes his teeth while Donna dries her hair and after slipping into a clean pair of boxer briefs and a quick kiss to Donna's shoulder, he leaves her in the bathroom to give her some space while she is doing her magic.
Back in their bedroom, Harvey gets his tuxedo from the closet before he spreads it on the bed. One piece at a time, he transforms into the best man he wants to be for Louis today; on one of the last days they would all get to be together like this.
For just a second, the gravity of what he and Donna are going to do very soon is threatening to weigh him down – not because he regrets their decision but because he knows it will undoubtedly shock and hurt their friends – but he pushes those thoughts aside and instead focuses on the celebrations that would soon begin.
He is about to finish dressing when Donna walks in, a dream of burgundy lace covering her most private parts. Instantaneously, his whole focus shifts towards her and his fingers that had been busy with knotting his bow tie cease its movements as he watches her, totally enamored and enraptured by her presence.
The way she walks, the way her hips sway, the way her red waves dance along her shoulders while she heads over to their walk-in closet to retrieve her dress, is tantalizing and mesmerizing, to say the least, and a new wave of desire begins to prickle on Harvey's skin. Their gazes lock in the full-length mirror, and soft smiles spread on their lips for a second.
She disappears from his view once more, only to return a couple of moments later with her black dress wrapped loosely around her; her arms holding it up in front of her chest.
"Would you mind?" She asks, stepping between him and the mirror where he is still rooted in his place.
"Of course not," Harvey smiles, reaching for the zipper on her back. Slowly but gradually he pulls it up, their eyes meeting over their reflection again. She'd applied discreet make-up and had straightened hair except for a slight curl at the ends. Just like she always does, with lots or no effort at all put into her styling, Donna so very easily and utterly takes his breath away, and the thought that he would get to take her to a wedding as his date is filling him up with a deep sense of pride and happiness.
Careful not to hurt her, he pulls the zipper all the way up until it goes no further. Then his hands slide to her waist, holding her to him as he leans down to place a soft kiss to her bared neck. The hint of a perfume tickles his nostrils and he breathes her in for a moment or two. Freckles and goosebumps dance on her porcelain skin and he kisses her again before he retreats.
"Absolutely breathtaking," Harvey murmurs, awestruck. Instead of saying anything, Donna twists around, his hands instinctively sliding to the small of her back.
"You don't look so bad yourself either, Mr. Specter," she replies and triggers a sheepish smile from him.
"So you'll take me with you dressed like this?" Harvey grins.
"You bet I will," Donna laughs, standing up on her tiptoes to peck his lips. "I'm gonna go make some coffee. Ray should be here soon," she reminds him.
"I know. I just need a couple more minutes," Harvey assures her before he loosens his hold on her.
She nods with a smile. "See you out there in a few."
Harvey quickly finishes knotting the bow tie now, before he heads for the bathroom again. In front of the still enlightened mirror, he takes care of his hair; bringing it in style with his usual routine of powder, gel and spray.
When he is finished, he puts on his jacket and it is just then that Donna's voice echoes through the condo.
"Harvey, do you have the rings?"
"Getting them now," Harvey returns, checking himself over in the mirror one last time before he walks to his bedside table. There, in the upper drawer, right on top of a stack of news magazines rests the velvet box that inhabits the two silver rings Louis and Sheila had picked out for themselves and that Harvey had been guarding over since the day Louis had dropped them off at his desk. Letting the small casket slide into the inner pocket of his jacket, he gently pats against it from the outside to ensure that it is safely stored.
Then, almost automatically, Harvey's hand reaches for the pair of socks he has also hidden in the drawer, conjuring up another, even more valuable ring from in-between. Holding it with his thumb and his index finger, the white golden jewelry sparkles in the late morning sun; its diamonds and blue sapphire spreading the light through the bedroom.
The socks in the drawer is where he hides that important treasure every night before going to bed and it is where he retrieves it from every morning before he leaves the house, letting it slide back into the pocket of his pants. There, he could sense its momentous weight all day long, serving as a reminder to not waste another moment.
Harvey has no idea when he will ask her. Or how he ill ask her. All he knows is that he doesn't want to wait much longer to make official what had been his reality all along. He doesn't really stress himself about the 'how' anymore because just as he had told Donna not too long ago, he knows that it wouldn't really matter anyway. Though at this point, it is less the fact that it wouldn't be how Donna might have instructed him to ask, just as it hadn't really been a question back then either, but more the fact that he knows she would be happy in whichever way he would ask as long as he will just find the words to do so.
If those last few weeks and months and years, all the incredible highs and all the knee-jerking lows, had taught him anything, it's that they are meant to be together and that there is no way that they would not end up in front of an altar sooner rather than later.
Harvey almost startles when her voice pulls him back to reality.
"Harvey? Where are you? Ray is here!"
"I'm coming!"
With a content smile on his face, Harvey lets the ring slide into his pants, where its weight feels all too familiar and somehow extra thrilling today.
~OO~
"Remember the last time we attended a wedding?" Harvey muses, dragging Donna's attention from the by-passing Manhattan skyline to him.
"As if I could ever forget about it," Donna replies, grinning while she squeezes his hand. Her skin is warm to his touch and he had not been able to let go of it since the second they had taken their seats in the back of Ray's car.
"It was without a doubt a very memorable evening, that's for sure," Harvey agrees, the images and emotions of that night rushing back full-force. The way it had felt to hold her. The way they so effortlessly had found their rhythm. The way she had reacted to all of his touches. Touches, that more than once had been a true test to his resolve while they swayed. "I think that was the first time I truly realized that things between us had to change soon or else I'd lose my mind."
Donna turns slightly in her seat to get a better look at him. "Why's that?" She asks curiously, her eyes solely resting on him.
"Because nothing had ever felt more right than getting to hold you while we danced. Because letting you go at the end of the night had felt like someone was crushing my heart. And I knew then that things between us weren't back to normal. Or maybe they were… you know… to our normal. Which has always been anything but normal," Harvey explains, his gaze open and inviting. "I think I realized then it was no longer what I wanted. That I wanted more." His heart fluttering as he feels the ring pressing against his thigh. "And…," he begins, thinking for a second about how to voice his next words. "And the way you held on to me… and the way you've looked at me…. It stirred a flicker of hope that maybe… you… that maybe you might have lied when you said you didn't feel anything when we kissed."
At that, Donna looks at him surprised. The memories of that time in their lives still haunt him sometimes, and even though they've talked a lot about everything that had happened in their past, about many of the wrong turns they had taken over time, this topic in particular still left a painful ache in his heart at the thought that it had almost cost him everything.
"But surely… you must have known that that was a lie? I mean… it was some of the worst acting I've ever performed," Donna replies, her tone caught somewhere between teasing and telling, while her thumb begins to draw small circles on the sensitive skin of his palm.
"Well… I think we already agreed that I wasn't really thinking clearly back then. For which I'm still incredibly sorry."
Donna inhales deeply. "Harvey, you really don't have to be. You know I wasn't really thinking clearly either. Communication just hasn't always been our strongest suit, has it?"
Harvey chuckles. "We can definitely both agree on that one. Thank God, we're so much better at it now," Harvey says, bringing their hands up to his face to place a quick peck on Donna's knuckles.
"We sure are," she nods, a content smile spreading on her lips.
They both fall silent for a moment, reminiscing the past that makes them even more grateful for the present.
"Will you save the first dance for me later?" Harvey asks after a short while, looking at her again.
"The first one. And the last one. And all the ones in between," Donna promises with a smile and they both lean in simultaneously to seal their vow with a kiss.
~OO~
As Harvey makes his way over the grass towards Louis, even he has to agree that the venue is every dream come true straight from the magazines. His gaze drifts over the wedding party, finding that all of the guests had already taken their seats on the decorated, wooden chairs in the garden. The rows are lined up in front of a big, white chuppah that has pastel-colored flowers wrapped all around it and in the distance, the huge estate towers majestically over all of them.
In true Louis-fashion, he instantaneously flips out on Harvey as he reaches his side, and Harvey has to bite his lips to not burst out laughing, while he takes great joy in executing Donna's and Sheila's orders, which takes even less effort than he could have ever anticipated.
Louis just keeps jabbering on and on, while Harvey so very effortlessly counters all of the groom's nervous and impulsive antics.
"Truth be told, I don't look nearly as good as you," Harvey smiles sweetly, trying to calm Louis for just a second, to make the next blow hit even harder.
"You really mean that?" Louis asks sincerely, a flicker of hope in his voice.
Harvey eyes him over for a second. "Of course not. You look like Mr. Peanut."
Just as expected, the comment riles Louis up all over again, sending him right into another fit of rage, which makes it all that much harder for Harvey to keep the smile from his face. "God damn it, Harvey, I'm about to get married. The last thing I need is for you to make me feel less than."
"Less than? Less than what?" Harvey asks, feeling a weird mix of pleasure and regret for having to put Louis through this little charade. But he knows Donna and Sheila are right and who would he be to object these two powerful and knowing women on an important day like this.
"It's an expression, asshole. You're gonna make me feel shitty about that too?"
Harvey can sense her seconds before she arrives and he is glad that it is in this moment that Donna had decided to finally jump in for he doesn't know how much more teasing Louis would have been able to take.
"You make it happen?" Donna asks, her eyes drifting between him and Louis.
"Mission accomplished," Harvey replies, squaring his shoulders proudly.
"What are you talking about?" Louis wants to know, confusion now written all over his face.
"Sheila asked me to ask Harvey to get you to freak out about something," Donna explains.
"What? Why would she do that?"
"Because if you're freaking out on Harvey, you're not freaking out about the fact that Sheila's sister is stuck on the L.I.E., and I'm gonna fill in," Donna continues, finally clearing up the situation.
"Wait, so this was just to get me distracted?" Louis asks incredulously, catching up with what's been going on.
"That's what a best man does, Louis. Today, I'm here for you. Whatever you need," Harvey states, warmth and sincerity now dominating his voice.
"I think I might cry," Louis whispers, and Harvey has no doubts that Louis is serious about that.
"Well, you better hold it together another five minutes because it's time we walk down that aisle," Harvey says, amicably and encouragingly patting Louis' shoulder.
Seconds later, the groom disappears and Harvey's focus rests on Donna again as they get ready to walk down the aisle together.
He remembers the last time they did this. Remembers the nervous flutter from back then just as it begins to spread in his stomach right now.
The ring in his pocket is once more sliding teasingly against his thigh, momentarily distracting him from the nervousness he's feeling. To play it cool, Harvey says the first thing that comes to his mind; full well knowing that it would be a blatant lie.
"Don't get any ideas about us doing this any time soon."
"Now's not the time, Harvey," Donna chuckles, and the amusement in her voice is stoking his own.
"What better time is there?" Harvey asks but he doesn't get a reply as Donna already takes the first step, Harvey gladly letting her lead the way.
He can feel all eyes on them; friends and family and strangers watching Donna and him as they stroll down the little path. Harvey is aware that he has never been overly susceptive to other people's emotions, at least not in the way Donna always is, but right then and there, the joy and excitement all around is palpable and so very contagious.
Soon, something else sneaks into that feeling of excitement as well. An even more intense and overpowering feeling, coming from a place deep inside. A sense of foreboding. A sense of knowing.
That next time, it would finally be them.
~OO~
The ceremony starts out weirdly sweet enough, Harvey and Donna exchanging amused smirks every now and then, before it all gets cut way too short when Sheila's water breaks mere minutes in.
Thinking back on it later, Harvey is surprised that he hadn't been more surprised about the unexpected turn of events, but then he remembers that it's Louis and Sheila and that things had never gone normal for and with them either.
He also isn't more surprised that Louis would have had an ambulance waiting and with the knowledge that they'd be in good hands, Harvey watches them rush off with Donna in his arms.
~OO~
"You really don't want another piece of cake?" Donna asks for the third time in as many minutes, her restlessness almost making Harvey nervous as well, if it wasn't for that unfamiliar sense of peace and calmness that had taken ahold of him in the last half an hour, despite his skin prickling with a mysterious anticipation; for what exactly, he has no idea.
"Thanks, Donna, but no. Or do you want me to be a hundred pounds heavier when we leave this party?"
Donna chuckles at the image his words are conjuring up and gently shakes her head. "All of this just feels so wrong. I need… I need something to do." Her gaze is wandering over the area, where the guests had spread at the tables and in the garden, talking quietly or taking walks to pass the time.
Harvey laughs and his eyes crinkle, and the sound is pulling Donna's attention back to him. "Please don't leave me?" Harvey says, shifting on his chair to face her more fully.
Just then, Mike is returning with a glass of champagne, taking his seat at their table again.
"Any word?" He wants to know, as if he could have possibly missed anything in the couple of minutes he had been gone.
"What do you mean "word"? You want me to call Louis while his wife is in labor? I rather call anybody else about anything else," Harvey scoffs, the thought of calling Louis sending an internal shiver through his body.
"Harvey," Donna admonishes him with a chuckle.
"No, Donna, he's right. It's a stupid question," Mike agrees.
"It's not a stupid question. We all just don't know what to do. I mean, the only time I've been to a wedding that got cut short, you went to prison." And awkward pause fills the space. "Nothing? Come on, that is some A+ material right there." Donna teases, visibly pleased with her own joke. "Is this thing on?" She asks, tapping against her own glass while looking at Harvey. Her words and her expression trigger a smile to tug at his lips, as warmth spreads inside of him at the goofiness of the woman he is allowed to call his.
"Oh, it's not that. It's just… look at this. Nobody's dancing," Mike states, his eyes scanning the area.
"Of course, they're not dancing. It's weird. It's like they have nothing to celebrate," Donna replies, with a hint of a shrug.
Harvey moves ever so slightly in his seat as he watches the exchange, the ring prodding his thigh.
And then it's a spur of the moment kind of thing.
The second the thought enters his mind, it's there and not going away. And why should it? Harvey thinks, as his body begins to tingle. Why shouldn't this moment be as good as any other? He knows what he wants. It's sitting right there in front of him, finally within reach.
Figuratively. Literally.
His hand finds hers on the table, and a bolt of electricity surges through his system.
Tilting his head, he looks at her softly; their gazes locking in a moment of uncertainty that is soon put to an end by Harvey's overpowering zest of action.
"What do you say we give them something to celebrate?" Harvey asks gently, his hold on her tightening.
"Wait," she says, uncertainty blurring into realization as she places her glass on the table. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying I love you," Harvey begins, squeezing her hand. "And whether I knew it or not, I wanted to marry you from the second I met you." Without another thought or heartbeat of hesitation, Harvey slides down from his chair and onto one knee. His heart his almost leaping out of his chest as he focuses on her.
"Oh, my God!" Donna exclaims, her hand turning hot and sweaty in an instant.
This is it. The moment. The one he had known they would end up in from the moment she had walked into his life. "Donna Roberta Paulsen, will you marry me right here, right now?" The softness in his voice is surprising even him, but he can't hold back the love that is pouring out and because they are finally where they are, he also doesn't have to.
His heart skips a beat when Donna barely needs a second to reply, the happiest of smiles on her face. "Harvey, of course I'll marry you," she says so matter-of-factly that it almost knocks the wind right out of him, as it sinks in that she is as ready for this as he is. "But right now, our families aren't here. And I don't have a dress and-,"
He interrupts her before she can continue any further. "Wait, stop. You look beautiful. We can do it again for our families."
"But-," Donna begins again, immediately stopped by Harvey once more.
"If there's one thing I learned from my mom, it's that I wasted too much time," Harvey explains, ready to out-reason her for once in their lives. "First, not forgiving her. And then not admitting how I feel about you. Well, I don't want to waste another second." Harvey takes another breath. "Please, will you marry me tonight?"
He knows it is going to happen by the way the flicker in her eyes changes.
Tears are welling, as their new reality is unfolding.
"What about rings? We don't have any rings."
Good. A technicality. That he could deal with, despite his thundering heartbeat in his chest making it hard to concentrate.
"We can find one for me. But I have one for you," Harvey smiles, letting go of her hand to reach into his pocket, from where he pulls out the sparkling piece of jewelry. "That's what was in the envelope," he confesses, his own tears threatening to spill. "What do you say?"
It is just a second. A heartbeat. Before the silence implodes.
"I say yes, Harvey. Yes."
Her words barely have time to truly sink in, when Donna is already leaning in to seal her acceptance with a kiss. The world stops spinning, as the energy between them accelerates; growing, expanding, consuming. Blinding happiness fills the space, as they pull apart and stare at each other. He reassures himself that Donna is on board; her happy tears all the conviction he needs. Then he gets up from the ground, gently pulling her along.
"Everyone, I have an announcement to make. As soon as we can write our vows, Donna and I are getting married," Harvey expels proudly, his chest swelling even more than it already had, as the people around them share in their joy.
Harvey can feel a hand on his shoulder, as Mike's face appears between their heads. "I'd offer to officiate but I'm not licensed, and I just don't think we want to open up that can of worms again."
While the people keep applauding and Donna keeps squeezing his hand, Harvey feels like the luckiest man on earth.
~OO~
"Well, that was unexpected," Mike grins, standing by the window of the spacious guest room the two men had retreated to.
"Was it?" Harvey asks with a raised brow, absentmindedly fidgeting the sheet of paper on the table in front of him.
"Wasn't it for you?" Mike wants to know, eyeing him curiously.
"No," Harvey shoots back without hesitation. "I mean… yeah. Maybe unexpected that it would happen today. But not unexpected that it would happen so soon."
"Harvey, we all know it should have happened like a decade ago really, so I'd say 'soon' isn't the word I'd use, you know?"
"Shut up, Mike," Harvey huffs as he grabs the pen.
"You do realize that Rachel is gonna kill you for doing that once you get to Seattle, right?"
"Aren't you supposed to be helping me instead of making me feel bad and keeping me from writing my vows?" Harvey growls with a glare in his eyes that makes Mike laugh.
"Jeez, so serious," he mutters under his breath with an amused shake of his head.
"What was that?" Harvey asks, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he watches him.
"Nothing, nothing," Mike replies sheepishly. "Alright. Since you've been a picture-perfect best man at two weddings in the past, I guess it's time to return the favor. What do you need? How can I help you?"
The contemplation lasts for all but a second. "I need a ring. Any ideas about how we can get one on a short notice?"
Mike nods quickly. "Actually, I do have an idea," he says, pulling out his cellphone. "I once helped an Irish couple, back when I was working at the clinic. They own a jewelry store and Mr. O'Conner told me he owed me one after we won his trial."
"How convenient," Harvey says, his expression softening. "Could you maybe give them a call?"
"Already on it." Mike murmurs, scrolling through his contacts. "What should it look like? Do you know your ring size?"
Harvey holds up both of his hands. "Have you ever seen me wear a ring?"
"Right. Good point," Mike muses, pulling his wedding band from his finger. "Try this one." He walks over to where Harvey is sitting and hands him his ring.
Harvey slides it on, the feeling strange and unfamiliar. The golden piece goes as far as the knuckle before it gets stuck.
"Okay. That limits the possibilities at least in one direction. What style should it be?"
"White gold. Or silver. Polished. I'd love for it to fit Donna's, if you can pull that off?" Harvey replies, pulling out Donna's ring and handing it to Mike.
The younger one eyes it for a second before his gaze finds Harvey again. "How long have you been carrying it around?"
Harvey shrugs. "A couple of days." A small smile tugs at his lips. "I was just waiting for the right moment."
"And now it's here," Mike replies, suddenly all teasing gone from his voice.
"And now it's here," Harvey agrees with a nod.
"Finally," Mike grins. "And I'm thankful that I get to be around for it."
"I am, too," Harvey replies, while gratefulness softens his features.
After a short moment of silence, Harvey asks, "You really think Rachel's gonna be mad?"
"A little bit, probably," Mike chuckles. "But she'll understand. She wants nothing more than to see you both happy. And I can see how very happy you are right now." Mike states, reaching for his phone again. "And I'll take pics and videos. It'll be okay, don't worry."
"Okay, good. Thanks, Mike," Harvey sighs relieved.
"Alright. I'm gonna call Mr. O'Conner now. Be right back."
With that, Mike disappears from the room and leaves Harvey alone with his momentous task.
He takes a deep breath, leaning forward over the table in concentration and preparation, while he focuses his mind on getting in the right headspace.
Apart from the soft hum of the air conditioner, total silence engulfs him, as he gets lost in memories and emotions, that are both intense and fiery as they blaze through him.
And yet, for the longest time, he stares at the blank page. Because how does one put down on paper what can't possibly be explained in words, Harvey wonders, trying to figure out how and where to begin. How does one summarize a journey that has lasted for so long already, that its saga could easily fill three volumes? And how does one list the reasons why you love the other, when there are more reasons than you can actually count?
For the first sixty minutes, the challenge seems almost unmanageable; Harvey having been able to only scribble down a few lines that he had immediately crossed out mere seconds later.
His mind drifts in a desperate attempt to find the starting point. Donna walking up towards him in that bar. Sheepish smile. Plaid cardigan. Way too short black skirt. Her first day working at his desk. The second day working at his desk. The third and fourth and fifth. Rearranged schedules. Coffees with a splash of vanilla. Anticipating needs. Fulfilling needs. All but the one. Until they both caved. Instilling an even deeper need that never quite left. The hole, filled with ridiculous flirting and late-night drinks in the office and later replaced with tension and ridiculous flirting blurring into ridiculous arguments. Watching her turn from an aspiring actress into a resourceful secretary into an irreplaceable COO, and the way she did it with determination and confidence and grace fills Harvey with pride and love and want.
Through all the ups and downs, the professional ones but even more so the personal ones, Donna has been by his side. She had carried him, when he's had no idea how to go on and she has been there, to celebrate all of his victories with him.
Except for that one time when he'd turned anound and she hadn't been there. That one moment that had finally torn down all of the walls they had built on lies and rules and pretense, that have only ever been able to weather as many storms, due to the shaky ground they had always been standing on.
Harvey crumbles the sheet of paper he'd been scribbling on and throws it to the side. With his heart accelerating excitedly in his chest, he puts his pen to the white slip again.
Love is a terrifying thing.
It's not safe.
Because when you love someone, you have to face the fact that you could lose them.
Sometimes life throws an unexpected wrench in your way. It might be that you're in jeopardy of losing your career, your freedom, or worst of all, you might even find out that a loved one has died. These things make you realize how precious life is, how important every second we have on this earth is, and how important the people we care about are to us.
The dam seems to be broken, as the words begin to flow freely. His fingers are tingling; every sentence bringing him closer to what he wants.
Donna.
I kept my feelings inside for so long because I was afraid. But when I finally got good news, that's when I knew you were my everything. I knew I could always count on you when the chips were down. I just hadn't realized I couldn't do without you when they were up.
The emptiness he had felt back then, not even that long ago, is now all but a dark memory that has been replaced by a sense of closeness and intimacy he has never experienced before. And it is an experience he is convinced will only get that much more intense, the further they venture into this new chapter of their lives.
Harvey knows he'll never want or need anything else but her because for as long as he can remember, she is all he has ever wanted or needed.
I'm a gambler. I always have been and I always will be. When you're with me, my chips are always up.
Harvey leans back in his chair, after putting his pen on the table. Confidence and anticipation rush through him.
He knows he is no Shakespeare. Knows, that maybe if he'd had more time, he could have come up with a cheesier version of what he wanted to say. But these words, they feel like him. And in any case, Donna would understand him, even if he weren't able to say a single thing.
Staring at the piece of paper again, reading and rereading, he decides after another ten minutes that this would be the final draft. Placing it back on the table, Harvey gets up and stretches, before he walks over to the window front to look outside.
People are still scattered all around; sitting, standing, talking or walking. Some wear serious expressions, most however smiles and excited ones, that Harvey is pretty sure mirrorhis own. His attention shifts to a group of people fumbling at a gazebo-like construction right in front of the building, when he hears the door click open.
Spinning around, his eyes fall on Mike, who strides in purposefully. "Well, look who's back. I was just about to send a search party for you," Harvey says teasingly, leaning back against the window sill.
"Hey, some of us are trying to organize a last-minute wedding while you're sitting around here doing nothing," Mike replies accusingly, walking towards Harvey with a pleased smile on his face.
Eyeing him curiously, Harvey asks, "Did you find a ring?"
"You will find one yourself. Mr. O'Conner will be here in about an hour with a small selection from his shop," Mike explains, before he continues, "I also called Rachel. She sends her warm regards and told me to tell you to not screw this up. And she still expects an apology." A chuckle reverberates through the room. "Just before I got back, Samantha and I spoke to the caterers and they are working on getting another cake for the party later. Oh, and in-between I also helped Stan with his speech. And what have you been up to these past two hours?" Mike watches him expectantly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Believe it or not, I finished writing my vows," Harvey challenges with a serious expression, though he can hardly contain his excitement.
There is a quip remark that is sparkling in Mike's eyes but for whatever reason, he doesn't let it out. Instead, he gently pats Harvey's shoulder. "Well, good. I'm glad," Mike smiles. "Then there is no stopping it now."
"There never was," Harvey replies, standing up straight and looking back outside. "Have you seen Donna? Is she still okay with all of this?"
"Samantha said that she and Katrina have had a hard time to slow her down. She was immediately in her usual Donna-mode, you know… wanting to organize this and that. But they managed to tie her to a desk to write her vows, while we were taking care of the rest."
"Thanks, Mike, really! Donna and I appreciate your help," Harvey says with a deep sense of gratefulness in his tone.
"Of course. That's what friends are for," Mike returns, bumping his shoulder against his.
The two men fall silent for a moment, both staring out of the windows to watch the crowd.
"Hey, Harvey?"
"Yes?" Harvey asks, twisting his head slightly to look at Mike.
"Take a few more weeks before you come to Seattle, okay? I want you and Donna to have a proper honeymoon. Enjoy the togetherness for a little while and recharge your batteries."
Harvey stares at him questioningly. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I am. There are no pressing cases right now, so there is no need to rush anything."
"I think that would be really nice," Harvey agrees with a slight nod. "I haven't been on a real vacation in… I don't know how long. Probably just as long as Donna."
"It'll do you both good to unwind a bit after everything that's been going on lately. I heard the Caribbean is supposed to be really nice this time of year."
"You know what? That sounds like a great idea actually. I might just look for some inspiration right now," he says, pulling out his cellphone from the inside of his jacket.
"You do that. Is there anything else I can help you with?" Mike wants to know.
"No, I think I'm good for now. Thanks so much, Mike."
"Anytime, my friend," Mike responds, bumping into his shoulder again. "Okay, if you don't need me, I'll head over to the girls and see if they need help with anything. If not, I'm gonna wait for Mr. O'Conner outside and come back with him as soon as he arrives."
"Alright. That sounds like a plan."
The two smile at each other confidently, before Mike turns around and heads for the door. He is just about to step through it when Harvey stops him after all.
"Hey, if Donna is done with her vows, can you send her over? Then we could talk about the honeymoon together."
"Why don't you surprise her?" Mike counters. "Honoring tradition, you really shouldn't be seeing your future wife until the ceremony."
Before Harvey can protest, Mike just winks and leaves him standing alone once more.
~OO~
Darkness has settled around the estate by the time everything is ready for the second wedding of the day.
In the dimly lit entrance hall, Harvey is waiting nervously but patiently for Donna to finally come down the stairs.
His future wife.
In less than half an hour, she would be his wife. And he would be a husband.
What had seemed so unfathomable to him years ago, would finally become reality.
They would be husband and wife. A new chapter. A new life. And while the thought of moving to a new city and the beginning of a new job should probably be more daunting, the knowledge that Donna would be by his side as his wife is all the reassurance he could ever need.
Straightening his bow tie, Harvey stands tall in anticipation of everything that the future holds.
Just then, there is a commotion at the top of the stairs and seconds later, Donna appears in his field of vision. It's not like he's seeing her for the first time that day, but it sure feels like it judging by the butterflies that erupt in his stomach. She had refreshed her hairstyle and make-up and just like this morning, she takes his breath away all over again.
The grandest of smiles spread on their faces and though his heart has already been on high-speed since the moment she'd said yes, it accelerates even more when she closes the distance. Has he ever been happier? Has he ever been more in love? It's hard to tell with the endorphins rushing through him, Harvey realizes, but the way she is looking at him, he knows that Donna is feeling the same.
"I know I've already told you, but you do look absolutely breathtaking today," Harvey compliments her before he leans in to kiss her lips. It doesn't deepen, because Mike and Samantha and Katrina are trailing close behind, but the touch is enough to settle his nerves and to multiply his joy.
"You ready?" He whispers, holding out the crook of his arm for her.
"Since the moment we've met," Donna replies, sneaking her hand in and squeezing his bicep gently.
The pair walk down the aisle together, their arms linked as they cross the bridge over the pond, where Stan is already waiting for them under the warmly illuminated gazebo. It's fitting, somehow, that they would take this walk together, when it has been him and her all along. Harvey doesn't need the 'standing at the altar and waiting for her' part because he's waited long enough and Donna doesn't need to be given away because she's only ever belonged to him anyway.
So really, it is fitting, them walking down the aisle together, side by side. Because after everything they've been through and after everything they've shared, normal and traditional is the last thing they could ever want.
The crowd has thinned out, Harvey registers subconsciously as they take their stand in front of Dr. Lipschitz, all eyes now resting solely on the two of them. For a few moments, Harvey can feel every single pair of them boring into his back, but then Donna catches all of his attention, and with his focus purely on her, everything else fades slowly away.
"Beyond doubt, on this earth, there do not exist two love stories that equal one another. And then you come across two people who share such a unique bond… that you just instantly know that only very few are ever lucky enough to find that kind of magic. It's in the way these two people move; as magnetically and in-synch as only two halves of a whole can move. It's in the way they talk. Not with words, no, but with their eyes and gestures and actions. It's in the way they are what they are, when they are together. It is magic. Fate. Predetermination," Stan says, his eyes drifting between the couple in front of him. "They are soulmates. And when you are blessed enough to bear witness to such a special love, you know that the word isn't just a word but reality."
Stan takes a deep breath, and in that momentary silence, Donna's and Harvey's eyes meet. Fire and magic are flickering inside of them and with it proving to everyone around what Stan was talking about.
"They say all good things come in threes," Stan continues then, a soft smile spreading on his face as he draws the attention to him again. "Before Louis and Sheila, I've only officiated one other wedding not too long ago. And now there is you two, and I couldn't be more thrilled about the fact."
A quick pause follows his words before he goes on.
"Unfortunately, I've only known you two personally for a very short time, even though thanks to Louis, it feels like I've known you forever," Stan explains and earns a couple of chuckles from the people standing around. "But I feel like that doesn't matter because being in your proximity for even just a few minutes has told me everything I need to know. What you have, is special. What you share, so very unique." Lipschitz' focus shifts to Harvey for a moment. "We have talked about your relationship with your wonderful bride here very briefly, back when we first met and your friend Mike has been kind enough to share some further insights into your long history."
Memories flash through Harvey's mind for a heartbeat or two but he gets immediately pulled back again by the officiant's gentle voice.
"You have weathered many storms and celebrated many wins over the course of the time and you have done it together, which oftentimes makes all the difference in the significance of such moments. And it's moments like these that strengthen that bond between two people until it becomes so unshakable that nothing and no one could ever possibly break it." Stan's eyes drift to Donna then. "That is the kind of bond you two share. That you have already shared, long before most of the people in attendance tonight have even met you. It's lasted for over a decade and it will last for many more to come because you are two halves of a whole that once united can never be separated again."
An overwhelming surge of love spreads through Harvey, as Stan's words are sinking in and with it the assurance that they have finally made it to the point where they had always been meant to end up.
Stan focuses on the crowd, as he is coming to the end of his speech. "From the day we are born, we look for love. Because it is love that nourishes our soul. And when we are lucky enough to find it, our lives are changed forever."
With an encouraging nod in Harvey's direction, Lipschitz heralds the next part of the ceremony and both Donna and Harvey exchange their vows with stupid grins on their faces that transpire so much more than their words ever could. It's like they're having their own private moment, sharing words for their guests to hear while silently exchanging glances that only the two of them could ever interpret for what they really mean.
Before they know it, Lipschitz signals them to get their rings.
Harvey goes first; retrieving hers from his pocket before he reaches for Donna's left hand. The touch sends a blazing heat through his body as the gravity of the moment hits him. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he looks at their hands.
"Without you, I'm empty," he says, sliding his grandmother's ring onto her finger as if it's been made for her all along.
Their eyes meet and her eyes glimmer and he knows that only she knows the meaning of his words.
With a tentative smile, she reaches for his hand next, her skin warm against his. "I can never go back to the way I was before," she replies, sliding the white gold jewelry onto his finger effortlessly before both of their hands intertwine.
Gazes find each other again, and he knows that she knows that only he knows the true meaning of her words, from when she had whispered them against his ear after that second night they'd ever spent together; that had shifted them from what they've been to what they'll forever be. And he'd agreed. In the early morning hours with the sun barely peeking inside, he'd agreed that there had never been any going back ever since the moment they'd first been like this. Maybe since even before then.
"You've changed me. And you've changed my life forever," Harvey expels softly, squeezing her hand.
"I love you, Harvey Specter."
And after a thundering heartbeat.
"I love you, Donna Paulsen."
For all but a second, a devotional silence lingers between them, before Lipschitz asks the all-important questions of the night.
"Do you, Harvey Specter, take Donna Paulsen to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
His 'I do' is instantaneous and all-consuming; her eyes sparkling with love and affection in which he instantly easily drowns.
"Do you, Donna Paulsen, take Harvey Specter to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do," Donna replies equally as quick, an emphasizing nod leaving no doubt of her happiness.
"Then I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."
They don't have to be asked twice, stepping towards each other simultaneously to come together in the kiss of all kisses. The first one as husband and wife. The first one of their forever. It's thrilling and intoxicating and new, vibrating through every inch of his being and filling even the darkest of corners with light. It's sparks and fireworks, and familiar and calming all the same. It doesn't nearly last long enough but they both know there will be more time for all of that later. When they'd seal with their bodies what their words had just promised.
As they step in front of the cheering crowd, all Harvey feels is love and pride and joy, and he holds on to her hand like he never wants to let her go. Robert says something about Louis being a father to a girl and Donna something about wanting to go and see them, but all he can focus on is holding her close.
"And we will," he promises. "But right now, I wanna dance with my wife."
~OO~
And they do. To a song Harvey distinctly remembers from the radio a few years back but couldn't care less about in this moment.
Because the two of them? They don't need a song at all. It's a different rhythm that they follow. One that can't be heard by anyone but them for it is as unique as they have always been.
The only music they need is their heartbeats, which are synchronizing with the other with every second they sink further into their swaying embrace.
This kind of music, they both find, only truly ever unfolds in these types of intense moments between people in perfect harmony. When minds and hearts and arms are open; melody and cadence swinging in tune with the core of its recipients. That's when it unfolds its power. Its strength. Its unrivaled magic. It's life in its simplest and purest form. Amplifying and balancing the frequencies of two into one.
He leads and she follows, here on the dance floor, unquestioningly and trustingly, just as they always do in all other aspects of their lives. It's a balance all in itself, the way they sense and know when to take the conductor's baton; guiding or re-directing, whichever is needed at any given moment in time; an ability perfected through being a member of this two men orchestra for over a decade.
New chords are being written by the way they move; gently, softly, each sway and swing and spin a further addition to the haunting ballad that is their love.
Their love.
A music without volume. Every vibrant beat a never-ending source of hope and devotion and possibilities.
~OO~
The newlyweds stay for another half an hour after that, dancing to another song before ceremoniously cutting their strawberry cake. A knowing glint flickers in their eyes as they do the latter, and when they each feed the other a piece of it, they both can hardly wait to get home.
And while Harvey would have been perfectly happy and eager to do so right away, Donna keeps insisting on a quick stop at the hospital this very night – considering it being on the way and everything, she says - and because Harvey can hardly ever say no to her, they find each other in the back of a limo on the way into the city soon after.
It's the first time since this morning that they are in the peaceful security of their togetherness and it feels like only now, that the reality of what they've done is truly sinking in.
Harvey's heart speeds up almost on its own accord, as he looks down at their interlaced hands in his lap. A grin spreads on his lips, that he seconds later presses against the crown of Donna's head, who has been resting against his shoulder in silence. A soft 'mhmm' escapes her and even though he can't see her face, he can hear her smile just as clearly.
Bringing up their hands, Harvey gently kisses her fingers, just beneath the sparkling wedding band.
Wedding band.
Because Donna is finally his wife.
Something swells in his heart. A feeling so intense that the mere word 'love' doesn't even begin to suffice.
Everything is changing. Again.
And he can't believe that no matter what happens next, he will actually get to call her his wife.
Will get to introduce her as his wife.
His wife.
The words echo through Harvey's head and as if she's reading his mind - which she probably is for all he knows - Donna breaks the silence with a whisper.
"I can't believe we're really married now."
"We sure are," Harvey breathes, his thumb stroking over her ring. His own feels already oddly familiar, pressing into his skin as she squeezes their hands.
"Thank you for agreeing to it… under the circumstances," Harvey says sheepishly.
"As if I could have ever refused," Donna replies, twisting her head slightly to look at him. "And it was perfect, Harvey. In every way."
Their lips find each other in a promising kiss, that for once they don't have to cut short because they are finally on their own. Harvey's hand cups her cheek to hold her close and Donna's in return slides from his shoulder to the back of his head. Her tongue is teasingly tracing his upper lip, a silent question for a permission he all too eagerly grants.
He tilts his head slightly as the kiss deepens and shudders, when her fingers travel from his head to his neck, trailing along the collar of his dress shirt. Only seconds later, the confinement around his throat gives way, when Donna pulls the bow tie away.
Heat and energy expand between them, the never-ending draw of their bodies almost too much to bear. Blood is rushing through their veins; thick, hot and dizzying. Every nerve ending is vibrating in need and anticipation of the passion that is about to erupt. It's a fire they haven't figured out yet how to extinguish and one that they hope never will.
A deep groan courses through his form, when Donna's other hand finds his thigh, gently but firmly caressing up and down. He can already feel the first waves of blood pooling between his legs, as desire urges him to move.
His hand leaves a blazing trail of goosebumps on her naked shoulder and arm, as his fingers dance along her freckled skin. Quiet moans fill the space and soon Donna is trembling beside him, while both of their touches quickly grow in desperation.
And even more so in frustration, when they realize that the inconvenient amount of fabric of her dress would, unfortunately, prevent them from taking this any further than they otherwise might have done.
The awareness sinks in almost simultaneously and after another few moments of hungry kisses, Harvey finally breaks away.
"Harvey," Donna sighs breathlessly, still holding on to his thigh and his shoulder.
"I really can't wait to get you home and out of that dress," Harvey groans, half in arousal, half in exasperation.
The tone in his voice elicits a low and throaty chuckle from Donna, that is only barely covering her own disappointment.
"We'll just stay a few minutes, I promise," Donna replies almost hoarsely.
They sink back in their seats then. Heavy breaths are expanding their chests, as their hands between them find each other once more.
"We need to tell Louis soon," Donna murmurs shortly after, while trying to calm her nerves and her body.
She doesn't need to elaborate any further for Harvey to know what she means.
"We could tell him later? With the endorphins coursing through him right now, he might take it better than he would otherwise," Harvey suggests.
"Hmm… that's actually not a bad idea," Donna agrees. "If we're leaving soon, we probably shouldn't postpone it that much longer."
"Yeah. And I'd rather he heard it from us than from anyone else. Who knows what Faye might do if we don't get this ball rolling soon."
Just mentioning that woman's name would normally have been enough to kill his good mood. Not today though. And never again.
"You're absolutely right. If the opportunity should present itself, let's tell him tonight, okay? Otherwise, we should definitely do it over the weekend."
"Agreed," Harvey replies with a gentle smile.
The pair falls silent then, both getting lost in thought. Some kind of gentle piano music is quietly playing in the background; the melodic piece for a little while being the only source of sound.
It's Harvey who breaks it a little while later, and even before he could say the first word, Donna is already twisting her head to look at him.
"By the way," he begins, a mischievous glint lightening up his face. "We are going to leave soon. But not for Seattle," he explains secretively.
Donna eyes him curiously, instantly caught in one of those very rare moments where she couldn't follow him. "What are you talking about?"
"We're going to the Caribbean in a couple of days."
"Cari… what?" Her eyes are widening as she's trying to comprehend what Harvey is saying.
"Antigua, to be precise," Harvey adds, an amused chuckle escaping his lips as he sees Donna's dumbfounded expression.
"We're going to Antigua? How? When? Why?"
"Yes, we are. By plane. We leave in five days. Because we just got married. Because it's tradition. Because we both haven't been on a real vacation for as long as I can remember. Because we deserve it. And I'd just really love to spend some time with my wife before we start our new jobs." Harvey puts some extra emphasis on the word, enjoying the way it feels on his lips.
Donna is still speechless, so Harvey pulls out his cellphone to show her some of the pictures he'd saved that afternoon. He didn't want to tell her about all the planned details just yet – some of them would be a surprise until they got there anyway – but some of the images he'd found are uncompromising enough.
"Oh my gosh. That looks like paradise!" Donna gushes, her eyes sparkling with excited anticipation.
"That's what I've been told, yeah," Harvey replies, all at once infected by Donna's joy.
"When the hell did you have time to organize that?" Donna wants to know, astonishment audible in her voice.
"After I finished writing my vows," Harvey grins. "It was actually Mike's idea to go on a honeymoon… said we should take some time for ourselves before we moved. And then it all just fell into place somehow."
"Wow… I… The surprises just won't end today, it seems," Donna rejoices.
"So you're on board?" Harvey asks, with a mysterious flicker in his eyes that elicits a curious one in Donna's in return.
She doesn't comment on it though, and Harvey hopes that it means that she's finally trusting his surprise abilities at last. She nods enthusiastically then, another smile spreading on her face.
"I'm definitely on board."
~OO~
True to their words, the visit at the hospital is quick but not any less moving, with the shared emotions and feelings compressed into such a short amount of time like that.
Louis is beside himself with love and happiness, flashing a grin brighter than Harvey has ever seen it before.
Watching Donna holding a baby opens a whole new book of possibilities and Harvey makes a mental note to talk to her about it soon because even though he'd never dared to hope for having a family of his own, having one with her is just like that now all he can think about.
They share their news with Louis, and it had been as hard and painful as expected - especially with Donna for a moment having seemed like she'd fall apart - but in the end, the bliss and endorphins rooted deep inside of all of them had prevented anything worse.
They say their goodbyes – not their final ones, thankfully – and are in and out of the maternity ward in less than half an hour, giving the new family time to adjust.
~OO~
Their home looks exactly the way they had left it earlier. An empty cup of coffee is sitting on the kitchen island where Harvey had placed it, after Donna had shared the remainder with him. One of Donna's fashion magazines lies face down on the dinner table and the blanket they had cuddled beneath the night before is draped half crumpled over the far end of the couch.
Everything looks exactly the way they had left it. And yet it is different all the same.
With intertwined hands, they move straight to the bedroom, wordlessly agreeing that being with each other is all they need now.
That night, their lovemaking feels different as well. It might be the fact they are finally husband and wife. Or the fact that finally, everything is falling into place. It might be the fact that the pressure is finally falling away, now that the truth and all of their plans are out in the open.
Or it might be the fact that finally, they are what they were always meant to be.
Either way, it feels different. Not in a bad way. Not at all. But in all the best ways they had never even dared to dream of.
Her dress is the first thing to go, with Harvey taking great pleasure in pulling her zipper down while leaving trails of hot kisses along her shoulder that have her trembling in pleasure; closely followed by his tuxedo, with Donna ceremoniously opening one button after the next; her lips covering each exposed inch of burning skin as she went on, and when they were both only left in their underwear, they shed of those as well before they had found their way onto the bed, lying down next to each other in longing anticipation.
And they take their time. Both sinking into an even and easy cadence, as their bodies take over the talking.
It's slow, the way they touch, caring and attentive. There is no urgency whatsoever - at least not until much later – instead every caress, every kiss is gently but surely heightening their desire and arousal.
It's fingers dancing and tracing, palms exploring and teasing, lips trailing and nibbling and tongues sliding and circling, that push them closer with every minute that passes.
Their eyes lock in the darkness, gazing and reassuring, before they continue their chase for release; that they both desperately long for but are in no particular hurry to achieve.
With tender determination, Harvey's lips blanket almost every single freckle on her upper body; soon leaving her skin over-sensitized to his every kiss, long before he finds and kisses and teases even more sensitive spots on his relentless journey to give her his all.
The way she responds to it all is spiking his own arousal to heights unknown, and her sensual touches and sounds stoke the fire inside of him only that much more.
When Harvey is satisfied - and Donna even more so - he gently rolls her over, onto her stomach and begins his tantalizing exploration anew. Freckle after freckle and inch after inch of her slender back, not a single spot of her body remains uncared for; until the heat flaring between them finally becomes too much.
Energy is crackling in the fraction of space between them, a gentle current that is electrifying their cores all the same. He holds himself above her, hovering so close that he could feel her warmth on his skin and then even closer when he grinds against her back, proving to her how much she is wanted by him.
Air and space evaporate even more, when Harvey wordlessly nudges her legs apart with his knee, the scorching nearness having Donna shaking and moaning with lust and Harvey pulsating and groaning with need. The pressure is almost unbearable and that is when they both know that it is time to unite their bodies and souls at last.
Hot and wet and trembling, her center is adjusting to his length, as he pushes his way inside with one, deliberate thrust. The angle and the heat and her tightness are enough to make his arms buckle, and only the thought of not wanting to crush her is keeping him from crashing down.
Harvey begins to move and the rhythm they find is as calm and even as everything leading up to this moment, that still all too soon has their bodies strained like chords on a violin.
The intensity they are experiencing, albeit not stemming from desperate touches or frenzied thrusts but from seconds and minutes and hours of tender kisses and lazy caresses, is every bit as arousing and overpowering as vigor and strength could ever be.
He moves over her and with her; moves deep within her while he kisses her shoulder or the back of her head; nose burying in her hair to breathe her in.
She's engulfing him in every sense of the word; her scent and her taste and her sounds triggering his senses and urging him on. Every slide brings them closer, her heat clenching tightly with each stroke against the front of her walls.
He kisses her shoulder again, and then her neck, and when Donna slightly twists her head, he kisses her lips as well. Too soon though, he has to break away, because the intensity of their union is gradually making it harder to breathe.
His mouth finds her ear instead, hot breath cascading over hot skin, as he tells her in hushed whispers how beautiful she is, how amazing she feels and how deeply he's in love.
Her body announces the pending climax first; her moans intensifying as Harvey's thrusts gain momentum. Only now, with the waves of ecstasy finally rolling in, gentle at first but then powerful and all-consuming all at once, that a certain kind of urgency takes over at last.
Cadence gives way to instinct as they rush to the brink, and with two final strokes into her shuddering core, a blinding light explodes around them and within them with overwhelming strength.
Harvey collapses on top of her, sweaty chest to sticky back, and with his lips against her ear, he shakily expels words of love all over again.
Afterward, when they have calmed down from their high and settled in under the covers -with Donna almost instantly having fallen asleep in his embrace - Harvey looks down to his evenly moving chest, where his and Donna's intertwined hands are exhaustedly resting on that spot above his beating heart. Strands of red are spread all over his skin, that on a normal day would have easily caught his attention and held it way longer than he'd ever care to admit. Tonight though, it's something else entirely that catches his attention.
There, faintly glowing and sparkling under the moonlight shining in, are the signs of the commitment they've made that very day.
The one that said: "I belong with her and she belongs with me." And the one that said that they'd be with each other forever.
Harvey's heart is so full of love that he barely knows how to deal with it. Where to put it. How to share it. Up until now, he has had no idea that a person could ever even feel so much and so deeply. And yet, here he is, letting life teach him another lesson in the amazingness it has to offer.
Leaning down to press a kiss to the crown of Donna's head, Harvey's gaze drops to their hands again.
That morning, when they'd left the apartment, he would have never even dared to dream that this is how the day would end and he couldn't be happier about the unexpected turn of events.
He sinks further back into his pillow, more relaxed than he might have ever been. While concentrating on Donna's even breathing, he soon can feel his eyes turning heavy.
The last thing he sees before blackness pulls him under is forever in his arms.
~OO~
A/N: This story wouldn't be what it is without my amazing betas, Nanna, Emily and Aimee. Your ideas, comments and corrections have been invaluable in the creation of this fic and I will be forever grateful! Love you girls XO! Special thanks to Nanna for the title, that couldn't be more perfect. I love your brain ;) XO
I hope you guys enjoyed the journey through this special day in Darvey's life. Can you believe it? They are actually married. Husband and wife. Okay, gotta go and freak out some more :D I'd love to hear your thoughts if you have a minute or two to spare. Thank your for your continued support, it really does mean the world! XO Nat