HI Again! Hoping you like this chapter. Things start to pick up. Let me know. I have also posted 10 and 11. Then I will have to start writing the rest. Thank you so much for your comments! Love- Carebearmaxi.

Mr. and Mrs. Specter: New Ventures

Chapter 9

The next day Amelia, Donna's assistant, allowed a green jumpsuit clad young man into the building for fire inspection. She questioned him and asked for his identification. The young man's answers were logical, and his ID was confirmed. Amelia allowed him access to extinguishers and the internal sprinkler system. Amelia did mention that the fire system had been brought to code just before the opening back in October.

"Amelia," Donna called from the kitchen area. Donna had been trying to up her appetite and provide additional nourishment for her and the baby by downing a couple of nutritious shakes her doctor approved for her. They were not bad tasting and Donna decided to add yogurt and fruit and make them a real "treat".

"Hey, Donna, what's up?" Amelia asked as she watched Donna lick her lips at the taste of the shake.

"What's that?" Amelia asked.

"Part of my lunch. It's vanilla protein shake with strawberries and plain vanilla yogurt whipped together to make a semi-good tasting smoothie."

"Have you been able not to vomit it back yet?" Amelia asked concerned for her boss. She eyed the tiny six month bump on her boss and then looked at Donna's truly pale face and became concerned. Donna was dressed in her yoga pants and bra and looked like she had just finished a class.

"No, that's the problem. I am hoping that the fruit helps," Donna said as she took another sip.

"By the way, who was that young man who was just examining the fire extinguisher and the sprinkler system? I don't remember calling anybody with a problem."

"He said it was time for the quarterly inspection. I thought they had come last week but he told me that was for the county this one was for the local," Amelia said and then walked away breezily saying, "Enjoy your smoothie."

Donna wrinkled her nose at the thought. She worked all her life in New York and never knew that there had to be two fire inspections. She was sure she had read all the papers when acquiring her new floor and had gone through the proper channels through the building management and owners to comply with all requirements. However, nowhere, she was sure, did she read that there had to be both a local fire inspection and a county fire inspection. Donna decided to get Amelia to help her in this matter.

Donna took a sip of the smoothie and frowned. "Ugh! This does not taste as good as I had thought it might. Ok, pumpkin, I'm only doing this for you," Donna said to her bump as she downed the last of the not-so-great tasting liquid.

Meanwhile, back at the firm, Harvey was having a vicious day. He had three clients drop them as their firm. Jessica called to see how he was doing and then tried to give him advice to which Harvey threw it back in her face. To top it all off, Mike came in with another client looking for answers why he was being pulled from the case. Mike could not stay but told Harvey he was rushing back to his office to work on another dicey case.

When Harvey slammed his phone down for the fifth time, Gloria came rushing in.

"Harvey, calm down. Let me help. What can I do for you?"

"What does the rest of my schedule look like?"

"You're free until 3:00 pm. You have an appointment with Entech, a prospective new client."

Harvey looked at his watch and saw it was only 11:30 am.

"Gloria, I'll be with Mike if anything happens here and you need to call me," Harvey said deciding that before he handed off another client to Mike that they decide on a work around for any client who might spark a background check. Harvey knew Mike was a great lawyer but he really did not need anything to allow Mike's secret to be shouted from the rooftops.

"I really miss Donna here," Harvey murmured as he walked to Mike's office which was located around the bend from the bullpen of associates. Mike was a junior partner, so Harvey thought offhandedly that Mike needed a new office. However the change in location of Mike's office would do little to help their dilemma.

"Harvey, what can I do for you. I only have a couple of minutes. I am meeting a pretty safe client, " Mike said as he spotted Harvey coming through his office and taking a seat. Mike noticed that Harvey started to loosen his tie and collapse into the chair across from Mike's desk.

Mike asked," Harvey, are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Harvey said harshly. Harvey tried to relax.

"Sorry. I have just had a horrible morning, so far. Look, we really need to have a foolproof plan. I have an idea but you may not like it."

Mike nodded and asked, "Why wouldn't I like it?"

"We could have Rachel shadow your cases, do the initial interview and then see if any strategy triggers a background check."

"Harvey, she's my wife and has a pretty big caseload herself if I recall."

"Yes, but she would only have to do the initial interview and then talk to you about strategy. We already know the clients that have government contracts and then if we recommend to our clients to go for government contracts we can have Rachel handle the whole account. She has fewer large clients than you and they are established so you and she could either plan strategies together or trade clients. I don't care how you decide to situate it. We just cannot run anymore risks of background checks and having clients drop us because they think something shady is happening."

Mike sat back and thought for a moment.

"Ok, but we both approach Rachel with this strategy. If she says no, she says no. Ok?" Mike said rising ready to venture to his wife's office which was around the bend. She still had the same office she had when she was a paralegal, so it was not a long trip.

Back at Donna's studio, Donna was in a middle of a position when she thought she smelled gas. She shook her head thinking she was imagining it. She led the class to another pose and then she definitely knew she smelled gas. While she called out for her class to slowly come out of their pose and cutting the class short, she hit Amelia's phone.

"Donna, what's up? Aren't you in the middle of class?"

"Yes, I am. However, I smell gas back here. What about up there?"

Donna heard Amelia sniff the air.

"Yes, I do. I'm calling the gas company right now. Get everybody out."

"As soon as you make that call, you get out."

Donna hung up the phone and then said quietly so as not to alarm.

"Ladies, please gather your belongings as quickly as you can. We have a building safety emergency so we need to evacuate."

Needless to say there were some that panicked and shoved other women out of the way. Donna was making her way back to her office and private dressing room when she heard an explosion which sounded like it came from the kitchen.

Suddenly, Amelia, ran into her office.

"Donna! Get out of here, now!"

Smoke started to invade her office which was a few feet away from where the small controlled explosion took place.

"Was that an explosion?" Donna asked hastily.

"I don't know but let's get the hell out of here!"

Grabbing Donna's arm, Amelia pulled Donna out of her office and out the fire exit at the back of the building. They hurried around the block and saw the huge hole in the wall where the kitchen had been built. The appliances were left standing and the main structure wall. Luckily most of the building was still vacant. The only other floor occupied was the three floors above and they had descended at the first sign of gas odor.

The gas company came as well as the fire department. Paramedics had arrived and checked all the people standing around. Amelia made sure she took care of Donna because of her condition. Donna said she was fine and then she fainted into the arms of a paramedic.

"Let's get her to the hospital. Can you call her family?" the Paramedic said as they immediately placed an oxygen mask on Donna's face and placed her on a gurney and pulled her into the ambulance.

"I will follow you to the hospital and call her husband at the same time."

"Ok."

The paramedic accompanied Donna into the back of the ambulance and worked on her taking note of her condition.

Amelia dialed Harvey's cell phone. He was sitting in Rachel's office discussing the different situations that could possible arise and how they had to protect Mike. Rachel would do anything for her husband, but she was wondering what the long term solution would be.

"Ok, I have no problem..." Rachel was saying when she heard Harvey's phone ring.

"It's Donna's assistant. I have to take this," Harvey said frowning at his phone.

"Hi Amelia, what's happening?" Harvey asked trying not to panic.

"There was an explosion at the studio in the kitchen. Donna fainted and she was taken to St. Vincent's hospital. I am following the ambulance in my car. I'll meet you there."

"Yes, I'm leaving now. Call my mother-in-law. She's with the kids. Tell her what happened but tell her I will update her as soon as I have information. She is not to leave and bring the kids. I don't want them anywhere near the hospital. They may get scared. Got it?"

"Already did that, Harvey. Roberta is staying with the children until further word."

"Good work. See you there..." Harvey hung up. He turned to his and Donna's best friends.

"Donna's been in an explosion at her studio. She's on her way to the hospital."

"We're going too..." Rachel started to rise.

Harvey turned back. "No!"

Harvey said hurriedly but a little less vehemently, "I need you two here to hold down the fort and tell Louis. I will keep you updated. Gotta run... " Harvey rushed out the door already on his way to Ray whom Harvey had summoned while speaking with The Rosses.

When Harvey jumped into the back of the Lexus, he was sweating and he felt a twinge in his chest. He gulped some water from a bottle in the back of the car. He had told Ray where to go, so Ray sped the car legally as best and safely as he could through the crowded streets of Manhattan.

In what seemed only a few minutes, Ray said, "We're here. Do you want me to wait?"

"Yes, please. I may need you. Thank you, Ray."

"No problem, boss. Hope everything gets better."

Harvey just nodded thoughtfully and tugged at his tie again although it was very loosely done.

As he walked into the emergency room, Harvey grabbed his left arm and collapsed onto the floor whereupon two aides hauled him onto a guerney and took him to a room and hooked him up to a heart monitor. Luckily Amelia was walking toward the lobby when she saw on whom the nurses and medics began to work.

"Harvey!"

While they hooked Harvey up to an IV and worked on him to stop the heart attack before it took his life, the head nurse turned around and asked Amelia if she knew this man.

"Yes, he is my boss' husband. She was the pregnant woman in the explosion a few blocks away. She is in OBGYN now resting. What happened to him?"

"He had a heart attack. Do you know if he has a heart condition?"

"Not offhand, but I can check with my boss. Is he going to be okay?"

The nurse glanced at the heart monitor and asked the doctor silently to confirm her answer to which he nodded.

"Yes, he's stabilized. We caught it in time before it got worse. We will need to admit him, so I will walk upstairs with you and speak with his wife."

Amelia and the ER nurse, Christina, walked to the elevator to break the relatively bad news to Donna.

Donna was resting and trying not to worry about her children and husband as she lie there. If she was honest with herself, Donna really did not want to do anything else. She was so tired and she instinctively knew that it was the pregnancy draining her of her energy. I don't care as long as my baby is healthy. I can worry about bouncing back when she is born.

As Donna closed her eyes for only a minute, Amelia and Christina walked into semi-private room. There was no other patient in the other bed fortunately.

"Donna," Amelia said softly seeing that Donna's eyes were closed and not wanting to startle her.

"Amelia."

Donna shook off her slight slumber and noticed the ER nurse with her. She pushed herself farther up the bed to a somewhat sitting position.

"Donna, this is Christina one of the ER nurses," Amelia began.

"Yes, I remember her. She checked me out before calling the doctor. What's wrong? Where is Harvey by the way? I know you must have called him. Is he with the children?" Donna began to panic when they were trying to calm her down and not answer her questions or placate her with 'everything's fine' platitudes.

"Mrs. Specter, your husband is in emergency. He's had a heart attack..."

"Oh, God, Harvey..." Donna said and clasped Amelia's arm in panic.

"We caught it in time. There should be no damage. He should be fine. I will check to get an update," Christina said comfortingly and then swiftly left the room.

Donna hung her head then it popped up.

"The kids? What about them?"

"I called them and told them about you. I haven't told them about Harvey yet. He gave me instructions for your mother to keep them at home and not attempt to bring them here."

"Yes, that's the right thing to do. I will call them in a few minutes as soon as I get an update on Harvey."

Just then, Christina returned.

"Well?" Donna asked anxiously.

Christina took her hand.

"Mr. Specter is in CCU. He's in good condition, but they want him there for observation and to not have to go far if something should happen for the worse."

"Can I see him?"

"Look, you need to rest. However, I will check with Dr. Simpson to see what he says."

"You don't know me, Christina, but I don't wait for permission when it comes to me I ask for forgiveness."

Amelia chimed in.

"Donna, I know you want to see Harvey, but think of the baby you're carrying. You fainted due to inhalation of gas odor. You still don't know the condition of the baby yet."

"She's kicking, Amelia. She's fine. Harvey isn't."

"Donna..."

"Ok," said Christina. "Let me get a wheelchair. No argument."

Donna smiled. "I can live with that."

In the meantime, Amelia phoned Roberta back at the Specters' Manhattan home.

"What!?" Roberta answered back disbelieving that both children's parents were in the hospital. It seemed from what Amelia stated that Donna was pretty good, but Harvey was still in a questionable state.

"Donna's what?"

"You know your daughter, Roberta. This is Harvey. They can't live without each other," Amelia said helping Roberta come to grips with the current situation.

"You know that, too, then," Roberta acknowledged. Ever since Donna had met Harvey their lives had always been entangled until it came to this present point of time: married with children, another one on the way, and both in the hospital simultaneously.

As Donna was being wheeled to where Harvey was in the CCU, she was not surprised that he was awake and protesting the oxygen tube up his nose and the meds feeding his system via IV.

"Mr. Specter! You've just had a heart attack! You need to calm down!"

The nurse who was currently wrestling with Harvey was not exactly a small woman and she managed to get the leads back onto his chest. Then as he relaxed, the nurse noticed Donna being wheeled in by Christina.

"I assume you're Mrs. Specter?" Hannah, Harvey's nurse, asked.

"Yes, I am. He's never the best patient."

"Well, you can have a few minutes. He needs rest for the meds to heal him a bit."

Donna smiled. "I think I can handle it."

Christina wheeled Donna up to the side of Harvey's bed as best she could. Donna stood up and greeted her misbehaving husband with a kiss on the forehead. She sat back down in the wheelchair and took Harvey's hand. She stood again and put his hand on her belly so he could feel their child kicking and squirming.

Harvey's large brown eyes began to tear as he realized the significance of Donna's gesture.

"She's fine. I'm fine. I just was overcome with a little smoke. The doctor hasn't said anything yet, but I believe I'll be released tomorrow. I have Amelia talking to mom. I will call them myself when I get back to my room."

Harvey wanted to say something.

"No way, mister. You get better. I'll call the firm. Don't you worry. I will take care of it."

"You always do," Harvey managed to croak from his dry throat.

After determining that Harvey was relaxed to breathe on his own, Hannah removed Harvey from the oxygen. This was still while Donna was in his room. So as the nurse turned away, Donna rose and gave Harvey a tender kiss on his lips and stroked his forehead. She then spotted Christina coming for her.

"Looks like I have to go back to my room," Donna whispered to him. "Behave, Specter, I don't want my children fatherless and me single again."

"Take more than this to see me off, Donna." Harvey smirked and held her hand tightly in his and kissed her back. Only she knows how really scared I am this time. That's why she's joking.

"Ok, Mrs. Specter, back in that chair and back up to OB. I hear Dr. Simpson is looking for you," Christina said as she helped Donna get comfortable and wheeled her from Harvey's room.

Donna hated seeing Harvey like that. She knew he felt embarrassed by all the fuss, but she knew that she was the only one that he would allow to see him like that. As soon as she was allowed her phone, she was talking to her kids, her mom, and her best friends. Mike and Rachel must be going crazy without anyone to give them any information.

While Christina was wheeling Donna back up to OB, she said, "You love each other very much, don't you?"

"Nah, I hate his guts...just kidding. Yes, we do."

Donna lowered her head so no one could spot the lone tear that escaped her eye.