Thank you for your reviews and encouragement! You motivated me to keep going with this story :) This time it's Donna's turn for a dose of Dr. Lipschitz. This chapter is set during episode 8x14.

What do you say, you help me figure out a way to convince Stan to let me take his case.

She's pondering Louis' words back in her office when she realizes that the best way to make that happen is to do what she usually does, and use her powers of persuasion in person. So, an hour later, Donna finds herself talking her way past Dr. Lipschitz' helpless assistant, commandeering his next appointment, and knocking on his office door.

"Come in." She enters and sees the doctor sitting at his desk, looking surprised to see her. "You are not my next patient," he smiles.

"Well, you're right about that. I'm Donna Paulsen, from Zane Specter Litt. It's nice to meet you, Dr. Lipschitz." She walks over to him and offers her hand. "I've heard a lot of wonderful things about you from Louis and Harvey."

"Likewise," he says, giving her a warm handshake and another smile. She likes him already.

"Is that so," she teases. "Harvey too? I thought he came to you to talk about his relationship with Louis."

"I cannot discuss the topic of our conversations."

"Conversations? As in…more than one?"

He shakes his head but a hint of smile crosses his lips. "I cannot comment on that either."

"But you just did," she says, pleased with herself. "Well, I'm happy he's seeing you. He needed a new therapist. And between you and me, I'm really glad that you're a man," she says playfully. She's testing him, she knows, but she enjoys pushing up against the boundaries of confidentiality. After all, secrets can be revealed without any words at all. And by the way the doctor smiles and says nothing, seemingly unperturbed by her remark, she can tell he knows exactly what she meant. The thought that Harvey told him about Paula intrigues her. She pushes it out of her mind to focus on the reason she came. "I was wondering if you have a few minutes to discuss your case?"

"Of course, Donna. Please sit down."

She takes a seat in the chair opposite him. "I want to talk to you about Louis representing you."

"I suspected you were here for that reason," he says thoughtfully. "I have discussed my concerns on the matter with Louis. I'm afraid I don't think it's a good idea."

"I understand that, but I think I can change your mind."

He looks intrigued by her boldness. "You know Louis' character well. Would you let him represent you?"

"What?"

"I mean, if you were in a similar situation?"

"Five years ago, probably not," she answers honestly. "Today? Absolutely. Louis is one of the most caring, dependable people I know. And I think he probably has you to thank for that."

He looks touched. "That is very kind of you to say."

"Actually, I have been in a…somewhat similar situation." She hadn't planned on getting this personal, but for some reason she feels comfortable with him. Her admission seems to have captured his attention and he's regarding her intently. She struggles to find the right words to make her case. "The truth is…" She starts slowly. "Having a lawyer who cared about me, and was willing to go to the ends of the earth to protect me, was the only thing that got me through it. And when you…put your life in someone's hands, and you know that they value it as much as their own, that's all you can hope for in a circumstance like this," she says earnestly.

He looks at her with compassion. "Donna, I appreciate you sharing your experience with me," he says warmly. "It is very meaningful when advice comes from such a personal place. I will think about it."

"Thank you Dr. Lipschitz, I appreciate it. That's all I can ask." She hesitates, reluctant to end their conversation. "Do you think I could come back and see you sometime?"

"As a patient?"

"Yes."

"Donna, it would be my pleasure to work with you. However, we can do that only if Louis and Harvey are accepting of the situation."

"I have to ask Harvey?" She says hesitantly. She's suddenly regretting the idea.

"And Louis, yes. Or I can ask them, if you prefer. Just as you have conflicts of interest in legal matters, it is the same in my profession. A therapist treating three colleagues on an individual basis is quite unusual."

"But wouldn't it just make things easier, since you know so much about…our firm…already?"

"In some ways, yes, but it can also make it difficult to address your needs in a neutral and unbiased manner, while respecting the confidentiality of my other clients."

"I understand." Although she's frustrated by this development, she appreciates his dedication to the ethics of his practice. "I'll talk to them. Thank you, Dr Lipschitz."

He smiles. "Please, call me Stan."

Later that afternoon, she's back at the firm catching up on a mountain of paperwork when Louis comes into her office to tell her excitedly that Stan has agreed to let him take his case.

She smiles, satisfied that her visit worked as intended. "I'm happy for you, Louis. I think this will be good for both of you."

"Thank you, Donna. I know you helped Stan change his mind, and I really appreciate it."

"Don't mention it, Louis. I was just doing my job. By the way, while you're here…" She trails off.

"What is it, Donna? Anything you need."

"I was wondering about…making an appointment with Stan. He said to take me on as a patient, I'd need to get permission from you and Harvey to waive the conflict of interest."

"Donna, I think that's great," Louis says sincerely. "You know more than anyone how I wouldn't be the man I am today if it weren't for Stan. Whatever you need help with, he's your guy."

"Thanks, Louis." She smiles gratefully.

She doesn't see Harvey for the rest of the day and a part of her knows she's hoping to avoid having this conversation with him at all. But she's been feeling more and more unsettled recently despite things going so well with Thomas, and she thinks that talking to someone about it, someone who makes her feel at ease like Dr. Lipschitz did, could be exactly what she needs.

After finishing up her work for the evening she finally steels herself and walks over to his office, pausing at the door when she sees him deep in concentration with a stack of files.

He senses her presence and looks up. "Donna, what is it?"

"How are things going with Samantha and Scottie?" She stalls.

"I'll figure it out," he says ambiguously. "What do you need?"

She can tell he's not in the mood for a long chat. "Did you hear about Dr. Lipschitz' lawsuit?"

"Yeah, Louis told me. What about it?"

"I went to his office today…to talk about Louis representing him. He seems like…a really wonderful man."

Harvey looks up but says nothing, so she takes a deep breath and carries on. "If it's OK with you, I'd like to start seeing him. As a patient," she adds quickly, thinking how ridiculous it is that she feels the need to specify. The memory of Harvey in her office, saying the words "…and not as my therapist" haunts her to this day.

He stares at her. "What…why do you…" He stops himself. "I mean, why him?"

"I don't know exactly, I just felt...calm around him. I can see why Louis likes him so much."

"And why are you asking me?"

"He said I needed to get your permission to waive conflict of interest."

"Oh." He looks uncomfortable. "Well, apparently I don't exactly have the best judgement when it comes to appropriate therapist-patient relationships, so if you think it's a good idea then go ahead."

She stares at him, momentarily lost for words. Had he just admitted that dating Paula had been a mistake? Had Stan helped him realize that? He's looking right into her eyes and holding her gaze and she feels unnerved by his candour. "Right…well…thank you, Harvey. Have a good night."

"Good night, Donna."

"Donna, it's nice to see you again."

"You too, Stan." She settles into the grey couch and idly wonders how recently Harvey had sat in the exact same spot.

"So, Donna, to start, I'd like to get to know you a bit better. What are you looking to achieve from our sessions?"

"I guess I'm just…looking for a bit of help in figuring out what I want out of life. And maybe how to cope with the feeling that something's...missing."

"I see. And if I were to ask you this question – what is missing from your life? – right now, what would you say?"

She's silent for a few moments. "I'm not sure. I guess I thought it was a more rewarding career, but now I have that and I still feel…unsatisfied."

"Well, it is natural to search for a new objective, once we achieve something we have been working toward."

"I guess it's just a bit hard to adjust to that frame of mind when I spent so many years not thinking that way. I wasn't really driven by...personal goals."

"And why was that?"

"Well, for a long time I was just…working for Harvey and I didn't really…spend a lot of time thinking about myself." It sounds pathetic, even to her.

"Harvey was a very demanding boss?"

She thinks back to her years on Harvey's desk. How she'd given up on even having a semblance of a social life outside work after years of long evenings, urgent phone calls, and the pressure of constant expectations of perfection. But had those been Harvey's expectations for her, or her own? "It was more that I…demanded a lot of myself…for him. His happiness, his success – it was sort of how I judged my own life."

"And now you are wishing to focus more on your own goals?"

"I guess so. Yes."

He takes a moment to consider this, then says, "Was that the same reason you decided to stop working for him several years ago?"

She's caught off guard by the question. She wonders how much of this story he's already heard from Harvey. She's suddenly curious about how he would tell it. "Not really…that was more…personal."

"In what way?"

She sighs. "I…thought we were getting to the point of being…more than just boss and secretary. But then I just had to force myself to accept that...he's not capable of expressing those kinds of feelings. Or to me, anyway. I—" A flicker of surprise flashes across Stan's face and she stops abruptly. "What? Why do you look surprised?"

"No, please continue, Donna."

She's always been able to read people's faces and Stan is no exception. "He talked about this, didn't he?"

"I'm very sorry, but as you know I can't divulge information about other patients' sessions."

It's torturing her to know that the man in front of her holds the key to Harvey's thoughts, just out of reach. Unlike the key to his apartment, this was one that he'd never given her. "Fine. But you just did! I said he hadn't been able to express his feelings for me, and you looked surprised. So he can tell you how he feels, but not me? Well, that's helpful," she says sarcastically.

"I am so sorry, Donna, I think this may have been a mistake. Forgive me, I should have insisted on referring you to another therapist. I can see this has upset you."

"It's only upset me because you know things about him that you won't tell me—"

"Donna, it is not up to me to share Harvey's thoughts with you. You understood when we agreed to work together that I would not be able to do that. If you feel that the two of you are not being honest with each other, the best solution is to talk to him about it."

Her frustration grows. "Oh yeah, and how would that go? 'Hey Harvey, why don't you tell me how you feel about me? Nothing to say? Great, that went well'," she says sarcastically.

"You two have quite a complicated history. I understand it can be difficult to communicate effectively in these situations."

She scoffs. "Complicated doesn't begin to cover it. You need a degree in quantum theory to understand what goes on in that man's mind."

Stan looks thoughtful. "I think people's motivations are sometimes more simple than they appear."

"What does that mean?" She's not in the mood for a philosophical discussion.

"Well, Donna, I can tell you are a very perceptive and empathetic person. When Harvey does something that confuses you, do you try to interpret the underlying reasons that might cause him to act this way?"

"Why is it always my job to figure out what he really means and needs and wants? What about his responsibility to communicate like a normal human being?" She snaps. Feeling guilty, she exhales slowly and tries to calm the anxiety rushing through her.

"I did not mean to suggest that it was. I was only meaning to say that people are not wholly irrational and often have reasons for their actions that allow us to perceive their true feelings, even if they are not entirely open about them."

Donna feels like Stan is trying to cryptically tell her something but she's had enough of trying to decipher vague statements and half truths about how Harvey feels about her. "Well, maybe I'm tired of having to perceive people's feelings. Maybe it's nice to hear them out loud for a change, from someone who's not afraid to clearly say how he feels."

"I can understand how that would be comforting." He pauses. "Is there anyone in particular you are thinking of?"

"I'm…seeing someone. It hasn't been very long, but he tells me how he feels about me, and it's just so…easy. And uncomplicated."

"That can certainly be a sign of a very healthy relationship. It is wonderful that this man is so open about his feelings for you. And how do you feel about him?"

"Thomas is…caring, and mature, and kind." She knows the words sound bland and generic, and feels the need to try and express just how rare it is to have nothing to complain about. "He just…ticks every box, you know?"

"I am happy for you Donna. You deserve that. And can you picture yourself building a future with Thomas? Perhaps a family? Would that make you happy?"

She's never really gotten to the point of considering marriage and family with anyone, and the thought makes her uncomfortable for some reason. "I guess that's…the reason I'm here. To figure that out."

"And what do you think might be holding you back from knowing the answer to this question?"

"What do you mean?" She says slowly.

"I mean, if Thomas is everything you have been looking for, and you are ready to share your life with someone in that way, can you see any reasons that you might not be certain about whether he can make you happy?"

"Well…you're the expert, what do you think?" She's not sure where he's going with this, and after all, isn't he the one who's supposed to have the answers?

"Donna, if you really wish to know my opinion, my sense is that you are not entirely sure about committing to your new relationship. And maybe together we can uncover the reasons for that."

"But that's normal, isn't it? To be scared to commit. But I want to. More than anything, I want to be able to do that."

"And that is very admirable. But it is very difficult to force ourselves to feel something that does not come naturally."

She's hurt by Stan's insinuation. "Are you saying there's something wrong with me?" she says in a pained voice. "You don't think I'm capable of committing to someone?"

"I am not saying that at all. Rather, I was referring to the fact that in our session today, in which we have been having a conversation about what is missing from your life, and what happiness would mean to you, we spent a majority of it discussing Harvey, and not your relationship."

She feels blindsided by him turning this against her, just as she'd been at that fateful dinner with Mark so many years ago. I'm not talking about Harvey. I'm talking about my life! Was there really any difference then? And now? Why was it so hard to separate the two? "That's not fair, you're the one asking the questions! I didn't choose to—"

"Donna, it was not meant to be an accusation. You in fact asked me for my opinion, and I was merely seeking to respond truthfully in a way that would give you something to think about."

She stands up abruptly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…I think…I've had enough for today."

"That is quite all right, Donna. These are challenging discussions and it is understandable that they can be draining on our emotions. Before our next session, if you are willing to come back, I would like you to spend some time on your own thinking about the happiest moments in your life. What was the situation? Who were you with? What choices could you make today to experience that type of feeling again?"

She nods and picks up her bag, heading for the door. She's hit by a sudden wave of embarrassment. "Thank you, Stan. I'm sorry I…overreacted. I know you're probably thinking that for someone who acts like they have it all figured out, I'm actually pretty messed up."

"You are very welcome, Donna. There is no need to apologize. And please, do not be so hard on yourself. Keep in mind that sometimes, admitting to ourselves that we do not have everything figured out can be the hardest step of all."

Thank for you reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. My idea for the next one is to have Harvey come back after the elevator scene, and maybe talk about what Scottie said in that mysterious phone call. And then carry the story forward into the post-canon Darvey world with some couples counselling...stay tuned :)