Harvey wakes up in the middle of the night with an empty glass in his hand, sitting on the couch. All his body hurts due to the intoxication. He stands, heading to the bedroom when he sees something on the coffe table in front on him. It's a sand clock, a plastic one, one of those that comes with the table games. He grabs it, and remembers where is it from. Funny, that clock explain a lot of his current situation. Not the clock itself but the memory of the night it evokes.
It was about one month before she started dating Thomas. Her father was taken to the hospital due to a stroke. He almost passed away if it wasn't for his neighbor who saw water coming from his apartment. He also hit his head in the shower and had a serious injure right above the neck. He had a good recovery considering the damage. But Donna had to go to the hospital everyday right after work. The tiredness was very noticeable in her face and body every morning and Harvey tried to help to relieve the work pressure. He even went a couple times to the hospital to bring her dinner and be with her.
Thanksgiving was around the corner. Her favorite holiday. That Thursday right after lunch she went directly to the hospital to spend the holiday tradition with her father even though he wasn't conscious due to a sudden surgery. She knew that wasn't going to be as fun as the other years, but being there for the people she love was a Donna thing so she was getting ready to spend the night in the hospital until Harvey showed up.
- Hey - She greets him.
- Didn't see you leave the office today. Wanna make sure everything's ok.
- Sorry I got a call from the doctors telling me that the surgery went well and I wanted to see him. But I can't actually, he's gonna be connected for the next 24 hours - she stands and go trough the window where she sees her father.
- He's gonna be okay - He stands next to her and looks at her reassuring the answer with a hand on her back.
- I hope so. Thanks for being here Harvey. - She smiles, looking at his eyes.
- It's nothing. I'm actually here to pick you up - He grins.
- What??
- I'm not gonna let you spend thanksgiving alone in an hospital.
- Thanks Harvey but I'm here to spend the holiday with my dad like we always do.
- He's unconscious Donna. And he's not waking up in the next 24 hours.
- I know but I want to be here in case something happens.
- Nothing's gonna happen Donna.
- You don't know that. And I'd feel guilty if I'm out there celebrating when my dad is here suffering.
Harvey rolls his eyes. Her answer is tender but he knows her better to know that's exactly how her heart operates.
- Okay. I just wanna let you know that my mom, Marcus and the kids are coming here to spend thanksgiving with me and I would have to cancel them.
She looks at him with surprise. Not only he was offering spending the night with him but with his family like it was the most normal thing.
- No, you don't Harvey. You..
- It's a pitty cause It would be the first Thanksgiving that I spend with them after a long time - he's using his acting skills pretending to be sad to convince her and of course she's aware. He smiles and look at her
- You're bad at this - she smiles.
- So? How it's gonna be? You know I won't leave you alone here.
She shakes her head. - Okay... I'll go... only because it's gonna be a tragedy if I let you set everything for tonight alone.
He smiles. Very happy inside. He's happy she's gonna meet his family. And he thinks it's the most normal thing cause she's family to him too.
- I have to go change first. I'll be at your apartment at 5.
- Good.
She looks at her dad trough the window again.
- The last person who would like you to spend your favorite holiday in this hospital is him.
- I'm sure he's gonna thank you when he wakes up.
He smiles. - See you later.
Donna helped him cook and prepared everything to receive his family. They arrived a little bit late due to the traffic. Harvey introduced everyone to Donna, and told them why she was joining them. Marcus explained to Lily during the trip who Donna was to Harvey and why he wanted to invite her.
- Hi - Lily says with a big smile on her face, offering her hand to shake. - Nice to meet you Donna.
Donna grabs the hand and shake it in a very sweet way. - Hi, the pleasure it's mine. Thanks for letting me in in your family dinner.
- Oh nonsense. We're the intruders here. Marcus told me you have been Harvey's family for the last years.
Donna and Harvey smiles.
- Marcus - Donna says while receiving a warm hug from his brother.
- Hi Donna, nice to finally put a face to a voice on the phone - He jokes. - I'm really glad Harvey brought you.
- You must be Hailey and Joey - Donna says looking to the kids. They nod and offer her their hands.
- I've heard you love cinnamon cookies. Wanna come and grab some that I just baked? - The kids smile and follow her to the table. Lily doing the same thing while leaving her coat on the couch. Marcus on the other hand follows Harvey to the fridge watching him take two beers from inside. He stares at Harvey with an ironical look.
- What?
- Nothing. Just that she doesn't look like a girl Harvey Specter would wait more than five minutes before making a move.
If only he knew.
- Well, this is different - Harvey tried to avoid the interrogation playing with the bottles. Not looking at him.
- Seriously, Why? Is she married? Gay?
- No, Marcus. We work together. We're just friends.- Harvey says, uncomfortable with the question.
- Ha. Okay. What an excuse. So is she single then? - Marcus says raising a brow.
- Why would you ask?
- Well... you know I'm a single man now... - He jokes.
- Don't you dare! - Harvey warns him with a serious look even though he knew he was joking.
- Ookay - Marcus realize she isn't a topic to joke about.
They both join the rest in the table. The dinner goes as well as expected. Nothing but harmony floods around the air the whole night. Being Harvey the common factor, they all talk about him, old family memories and old office memories. They are the closest people to him and know the old version of him and the newest one pretty well. How much he had change. He could never imagine he would be able to spend another holiday with his mother and he looks at his right and there's the reason why it was possible. That's the day to be thankful and he thinks is very appropriate to feel his heart full on this special date. After dinner they all play Pictionary cause it's the kid's favorite game. Boys vs girls. Girls win of course. When the kids starts to yawn, Marcus decide it's time to go. Lily stays helping Harvey and Donna to clean. After they finish, she excuse herself to go outside and enjoy the view, Donna looks at Harvey encouraging him to join her. They share a deep conversation in the balcony talking about how perfect the night was. When they walk inside again, Lily goes to the bathroom and Harvey looks for Donna. She fell asleep in the couch. Her legs crossed on the floor and her upper body bend in the couch, head resting on the pillows. He can't blame her, she had been sleep deprived for the last weeks. He looks at her and thinks there's no better way to end the night than with that beautiful view. Because it certainly is a beautiful view. He spends seconds admiring her beauty and then thinks how uncomfortable must be for her to sleep in the hard couch. He wants to take her to the bed and it's about to do it but then he thinks how awkward that would be for both of them. He goes to the bedroom instead, and grabs a blanket, comes back and covers her in the most gentle way. His mother is leaving the bathroom when she sees him lightly caressing Donna's cheek. She smiles and thinks how obvious he is. She's proud that all the time she was absent from his life, he had such an amazing woman by his side who encouraged him to be better. She knew from the very begging of the night that Donna was the woman she really needed to be thanking for bringing her son back into her life, then Harvey confirmed that in the balcony. She was actually going to do it but didn't expect for her to fall asleep. They'll have other chances, she thought while making Harvey a gesture she was leaving. After she had gone, Harvey goes to check on Donna. When he sits in the opposite couch, her phone starts to ring. She wakes up suddenly and pick up her phone in a matter of seconds.
- It was the hospital - She says with her heavy breath, mix of tiredness and fear. - My dad woke up, he's fine and wants to see me.
- That's awesome. Do you want me to go with you?
- No. No, that's fine - She smiles - you've done enough.
- Don't say that - He says shyly
- What?
- Like if it was all a favor. I didn't think it that way, it was actually an opportunity for you to meet my family...
- I know... I know... I'm glad I did. You have a beautiful family Harvey. - She smiles.
- Now that we're in a thanksgiving mood, thank you Donna. I told you, today was my first Thanksgiving with them after so many years and it wouldn't have been possible without you... and I don't mean it for the cooking part - He smiles, looking at her with a tender gaze.
- You don't need to thank me for that Harvey. All I ever did with you was showing you all the options your lack of emotional intelligence wouldn't let you see - She jokes
- Are you calling me a dumb?
-Emotionally, yes - She smirks. - Seriously though, the fact that you forgave her, was all yours.
- You don't think I've grown? - Joking tone aside, he asks.
- Yes, of course, I think you have. I'm just joking Harvey. - pulling the pillows apart and standing up, getting ready to leave.
He stays sit. Eyes lost. Thinking. Elbows on the lap.
- What is it? - She approach and sits on the coach next to him.
- Nothing, I was just thinking...
- About?
He looks at her eyes and his gaze goes a little bit down to her mouth. She recognize that stare. Feels like a replica from the one they shared years ago on her couch the same night he confessed he loved her. The difference this time is that they both sit in separate couches. She made a simple question and can see he's struggling too much to come with an answer. This feels like a deja vu. He doesn't know what to say. A lot of things happened that night and as usual he's trying to order his feelings, fighting really hard to put them into words. He can't. He can't say he doesn't feel like the same man he was before. That his family making suggesting comments about the two of them made him think. That during the dinner he wanted to grab her hand and link fingers. That watching her getting along so well with his nephews made him wanting to spend together all the holidays. That he was planning on sitting in the couch and watch her sleep the whole night and was happy with the idea. It's too hard, he still doesn't feel emontially able to speak his mind this way. He doesn't feel ready to risk everything. He's stuck with the same old demons. A lot of seconds had passed since she made the question. This time she was really hoping he can say something, she thought this may be the time he opens up and they can both figure out the shit together. After waiting for what it felt like an eternity, he stares at the floor and put his head down his arms. She realize there's no way. He's Harvey. What was she expecting? But this time she's not ready to push him to get more answers. Not considering what happened the last time.
- I've gotta go - She stands, determined, grabs her purse and head to the door.
He stay still for a second realizing how this was another wasted chance and how he ruined the perfect night because he couldn't answer a simple question. He can sense she's angry. He stands up and follow her.
- Hope everything's ok with your dad - he says while opening the door.
She doesn't say anything. Just nods with a fake smile. After he closes the door, she walks the hallway while letting a tear run trough her cheek. She feels like a fool. Harvey turns around, falls back on the door and face the wall for moments hating himself for letting her down again.
He's afraid to go to work the Monday after, he thinks working after that night it's going to be complicated. But it's not. She acts like if nothing had happened. But something did happen. She made a decision that night. She promised herself to not letting Harvey goes into her mind like that again. She was actually not thinking about him that way since the kiss but then again, those moments when she thinks he's about to say something that may change everything for them, makes her heart falls into him like a fool. But not anymore. It's not his fault he's not able to give her what she wants. That's why she's not mad at him. They're friends and she knows
he's gonna be for her no matter what but she realize that if she really wants to find love in her life, she's going to have to look somewhere else. The fact that Thomas appeared just weeks after this turn, made her think how destiny has its funny ways to operate.
Harvey put the clock in the coffe table and goes to the bed. If only he would have say everything that night.