Bones and Ghost

Warnings: contains spoilers for ep 8x14 Peas in a Pod.

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Harvey stands in front of Donna, pulse thrumming loudly in his ears as he takes her in. There's been a distance between them lately, like she's secretly pulling away and honestly he can't take much more of it- Scottie's insistence from the call they had ringing through.

You love her, it's time Harvey.

Of course he'd instantly denied it, reflex more than anything ese but here he is gazing into Donna's eyes and the space between them feels like a chasm so deep it physically hurts. He needs her, wants her, and Scottie was right- her words are living inside his head.

It's time.

"Ummm." He mumbles, dropping his head and brushing his nose trying to get the words passed the lump in his throat but he can't help glancing up again. "Did she say something..." his fear causes a pregnant pause but he forces himself to push passed it, "to you about-"

He holds onto the insinuation praying she can hear what he's trying to say in the uncertainty lacing his tone. Maybe he takes it for granted- the fact she can read him better than anyone else but she can and he knows her too; the slight intake of air, the subtle part of her lips and the way her eyes widen ever so slightly. They're both terrified but completely in sync and hope swells in his chest mixing with a rush of anxiety.

"About what?" She asks and he needs a. few seconds reprieve before he answers.They've waited Twelve years and it feels like something he shouldn't rush, the elevator arriving and going unnoticed until a deep voice encroaches on the moment.

Their moment.

"Oh, perfect timing."

He regonises Kessler immediately. What he doesn't understand is why Donna's attention instantly snaps to him like she's guilty of something.

"Thomas."

He can hear the suprise in her voice but what confuses him is how quickly it disappears with the hand that briefly touches her arm.

"I thought we were meeting downstairs?"

The way she turns into him makes Harvey's stomach, his first instinct to take a step back as the knife pierces right between his shoulder blades.

"Well I got here a little early, I thought I'd come meet you."

Kessler's voice is heavy with adoration, like this isn't the first time they've arranged an outing outside of work, and it takes all Harvey's strength not to flinch.

"Oh..."

In his opinion she cuts Kessler of a little too quickly.

"Harvey, this is Thomas-

"Kessler," he supplies, shoving his arm out to expell the anxiety racing through his body. "We've met." His brain is on autopilot trying to catch up with what's happening. A second ago he was ready to tell her everything and now…

Now he feels like his whole word just got pulled out from under him.

"Nice to see you again." Harvey fakes the pleasantly acting as naturally as possible, letting his ego take the wheel as Thomas edges back toward Donna dipping his head.

"You too."

Harvey nods with a smile, trying to control the rush of black hazing his vision as he struggles to focus on what the man is saying.

"Louis always spoke very highly of you."

Harvey's in freefall now and repeats the CEO's words back to him. "You too." He doesn't look at Donna because he can't but he can feel her gaze on him as Thomas breaks the air of silence.

"Shall we?"

Harvey tenses so much he thinks his jaw might shatter at her response.

"Of course."

She hesitates for a brief second and he knows, without a doubt, the pause is filled with regret because he waited too long. But he can't help himself. When she looks at him, her expression wavering between anger and disappointment, his walls immediately fall back into place and she quickly takes the out.

"Goodnight Harvey."

"Goodnight." He answers just as fast but holds her gaze as she steps into the elevator, waiting until the doors close before he lets the full extent of his emotions show.

It hurts, maybe more than anything he's ever experienced before and when Samantha's voice sounds behind him -saying he looks lost- he unfolds at the distraction. He cant fix anything tonight but he can write himself off, bottle up the desperation inside and find a way to keep breathing.

For now, it's all he can do.