Hi Again! I know this chapter may seem kind of short, but we are coming to the end soon. Thank you for sticking with this and this one should be done before the start of S8B. I am at the end of my other fic soon as well. Please read and review if so moved. Thank you - Carebearmaxi

Paula, Donna, and Harvey - Take Two

Chapter 11 - A Light Shines

Paula answered her doorbell.

"Donna! What the hell are you doing here?" Paula answered impolitely when she saw the tall redhead standing on her doorstep.

"Look, I don't want to be here any more than you want me here, but I'm here for Harvey's protection," Donna said stepping over the threshold and rudely bypassing the smaller pregnant woman.

"You can't just barge in here! Penny!"

"Oh yeah, well better me than Harvey because you don't want to be on the receiving end of his wrath," Donna laughily said.

"Pen..." Paula started to call out.

"Oh and don't call for big sister for defense. I know, for a fact, she's in on it as well."

"I don't know what you think I know, but I'm sorry you're going to have to leave," Paula protested reopening the front door.

"No, Paula, I think you need to what what Ms. Paulsen has to say," Penny had said straightly when she came into the room and saw who was standing there.

Donna turned around at Penny's voice.

"By the way, Ms. Paulsen, I am Penelope Agard, Paula's sister," Penny said stretching out her hand for the polite way of introducing herself. Oh, she knows. Well, Paula dear, I told you this was a dangerous game you were playing.

"Let's go into the living room and talk like civilized adults," Penny said glaring at her sister and Paula silently protesting.

"Ok, now let's sit down and you can tell us the nature of your visit," Penny said as she calmly took a seat on the couch and Paula sat next to her.

"If you don't mind, I prefer to stand," Donna said feeling empowered by her evidence of knowledge she carried.

"Let's just say that I know that baby you're carrying is definitely not Harvey's," Donna started.

Paula looked at Donna and vehemently protested, "You can't possibly know that. That is confidential information. I can have you served for harrassment."

"I don't think you will bother because as soon as Harvey finds out he could do worse things that would really expose you for the fraud you are and prevent you from raising your child at all."

"Harvey would never do that!" Paula rising said and slammed her fist on her coffee table as she did so. "You're jealous because you probably can't give Harvey a baby or you just think that I am too much woman...for...you..." Paula stomped over to the window.

Penny sat on the couch looking between them. "Paula! Stop. You're getting manic again."

"Oh yes, it seems you forgot the fact that I saved your life," Donna could not help throwing in Paula's face.

"Ms. Paulsen, I am grateful you saved my sister's life but how do you know that Paula isn't carrying Harvey's baby," Penny said trying to maintain a civil calm between the two women. The tension in the air was so thick one could have cut it with a knife.

Penny's head swiveled between her sister hiding at the large window by pretending to be distracted by something outside and Donna immaculately dressed standing tall and erect with an attiude.

"Please tell us what you came to say, " Penny said.

Donna took a seat. She was so boiling and brimming with anger, hostility, and exasperation after Eddie's visit that now she started to have nausea thinking about the confrontation When Eddie had presented the evidence to her, Donna had just sat in shock. She had the hardest time believing that a woman, a professional woman, yet with a condition that caused her to act out of normal character could be that vindictive or vengeful or even obsessive.

"Certainly."

Penny nodded and Paula remained at her window panicking. She started to chew her fingernail and wring her hands. Once in a while in her manic ministrations she would pat her baby bump.

Donna eyed the sisters. She then fished in her bag for the paperwork Eddie had presented to her. Donna was not a lawyer but at the moment she felt much like one presenting evidence to a jury. A secret jury that if her boyfriend finds out she courted, he may break their engagement with her. However, Donna had to do this because Paula would never tell him the truth without coercion of some type. Now would be better for Harvey to know than after the baby came and he became attached.

Paula turned around at the sound of shuffling papers.

"Donna, what's that? Some legal paper you had drawn up by another lawyer for me to swear that I must stay away from Harvey!"

"No, actually, these are your discharge papers from your suicide attempt. I must say they are rather informative."

"That's illegal. I'm a doctor. It's against all medical and legal ethics. How did you get them?"

"Is that important? I guess it is since Eddie made it explicitly clear that you know that he gave them to me. He was going to go straight to Harvey, but Eddie is a little in awe of him. His words not mine, but I do agree."

Paula's jaw dropped. She came at Donna with all the markings of a lioness protecting her cub but Penny was able to catch her before Donna could respond. Donna would never have resorted to fisticuffs with anyone let alone a pregnant woman.

"Would you like to reminsice about what your discharge results and paperwork included?"

Paula kept trying to wrangle herself out of Penny's arms, but Penny having had to deal with aggressive mental patients her whole career knew how to hold her sister back without hurting her.

Penny said, "Can I please see those? I know Paula's carrying Eddie's baby and not Harvey's but I really did not know the whole story.

Donna reluctantly handed the papers over to her. Even if they were to destroy these papers there were notarized copies. The originals were tucked away in her locked drawer in Donna's desk at the office. Donna had renewed her notary status year after year and it really came into play when she became a COO. How convenient that Donna was a notary.

Penny showed Paula the papers as she started to sob. "I just wanted him back in my life," Paula said as she took the papers and sat down with them. "Eddie came back to me, and I was grateful but I couldn't really bear to be with him anymore. I really loved Harvey..."

"Harvey told you he couldn't love you, right?" Penny asked going over to her sister and trying to comfort her in some way.

Donna said, "Now, here's the thing. I don't think I should be the one to tell Harvey; however, if Paula won't I will. You see Harvey has voiced his suspicions that the child is not his."

"Well, why, would he do that? He knows I wouldn't lie to him?" Paula asked. "I must see him to reassure him that the child is his. I don't care what those papers state."

Penny showed the papers to Paula. She pushed her hand away.

"So, I assume that the next time you call Harvey you will let him know that he is under no obligation to you or to that child. How he reacts after you tell him is his choice. Make no mistake, though, Paula. This little ploy of yours failed to break us up. If Harvey chooses to continue feel an obligation to you then there's nothing I can do about that. So do we have a deal?" Donna asked trepidatiously.

Penny folded the papers and gave them back to Donna.

"No, these are notarized copies. Eddie gave me the originals"

"What right does Eddie have over me? He tried to take my practice away twice."

"He is the father of your baby, Paula," Donna stated. "You know that as well as I do."

Paula just turned away from both Donna and her sister huddling in the corner of the soft couch and sobbing quietly.

Donna took that as her sign to leave.

When Donna arrived back in her office, Harvey was sitting there.

"Hey," he said as he twisted to see her coming in the office. "Where were you?"

"Hey, I had an errand," Donna said trying not to show how keyed up she was after serving Paula with her discharge papers.

"Oh, okay..." Harvey drawled. He could see something was eating at her by the tense way she removed her coat and took her seat behind her desk.

Donna swiped a piece of hair away from her face and smiled nervously little twitches in the corners of her mouth.

"So did you win?"

Harvey beamed. "Yes, Pond's going to be well compensated for the slander suit. So what did I miss?"

"Nothing," Donna said in too short and cheerful way. "Harvey, I hate to do this, but I really have to make a phone call and it may..."

"Bullshit, Donna!" Harvey ejaculated. "Come clean right now! There's something bothering you."

"Well, I didn't want to discuss it here. I wanted to wait until we got home."

Harvey thought it over. He sighed heavily because he knew she was right.

He asked, "Is this a private matter between us?"

Donna nodded.

"Ok, then you're right. It should be discussed at home."

He rose and then wagging a finger at her, Harvey emphatically said, "Ok, but the minute we're home I want to know what is happening. Especially since it seems to be bothering you so noticeably."

Then softening his temper realizing that Donna would not keep anything important from him without a good reason, he stepped forward and leaned over the desk and kissed Donna on the lips.

"See ya later."

Donna nodded again and watched him as he strode out her door and turned to go back to his office.

Several hours later about around eight in the evening, Harvey finally made it back to Donna's office door and asked her if she was ready to call it a night. He had called Ray himself and he would be waiting at the curb in a few minutes.

"Sure. Just need to sign another voucher and then we're off," Donna said signing the form and then closed her tablet.

"Are you hungry?" Donna asked liking the familiarity of Harvey taking her hand now as they walked to the elevator.

"Not particularly. Are you?" Harvey asked still holding her hand as they arrived at the bank of elevators. He pushed the "down" button.

"No. However, I think I should eat something. I didn't really stop all day. Not even when I was out on my errand."

"Well, I think we have some leftovers at home if you want to warm them up?"

Donna made a face. "You know how I feel about leftovers, Harvey."

The elevator doors opened and they stepped into the box that would shoot them down 50 floors in a few minutes. The trip between them was silent. Each lost in their own thoughts, but Harvey maintained a firm clasp on Donna's hand. Donna thought it was due to their impending talk. She hoped Harvey felt a little more reassured once she imparted her knowledge to him.

When they arrived at the bottom, Harvey's ringtone beeped. As they stepped out onto the floor and approached the revolving door of the building, Harvey had said a few words and then hung up. They arrived at the car and Harvey opened the door for his fiancee wherein she looked up at him waiting for him to tell her who had called him.

He got into the car shutting the door firmly.

"Ray, drive Donna home to her apartment. I have to go to Paula's house. She says it's important," Harvey finished. He said the last sentence looking at Donna apologetically.

"Yes, boss," Ray said.

Harvey clasped Donna's hand in his again. They linked their fingers and Harvey said, "You know I wouldn't go. I don't want to go, but she said it is very important."

Donna trying to maintain a poker face the best way she knew how said simply, "No, it's fine Harvey. If you want to come over to my place to spend the night just use your key."

"I will," Harvey said knowing that even Paula was not going to prevent him from spending the night with Donna. The more they were together they more he found he did not want to be parted from her even for a single night.

They arrived at Donna's apartment house first. Harvey got out of the car and opened the door for Donna. He took her hand and kissed it."

"I'm sorry, honey, but I will be back before you even have changed out of your clothes."

"Well, keep that thought for later hot shot," Donna said wagging her eyebrows. She only hoped the night ended how he anticipated. Donna was sure Harvey would be at her place later, but she was not sure what he would be feeling or if he would be upset with her or not.

He stood on the doorstep of Paula's house. He glanced at his watch and noticed it was a little before 9 pm. I hope this isn't a false alarm. I have spent way too much time with Paula and not enough with my fiancee. This is really getting difficult with divided loyalties...

"Come in, Harvey. Paula will be down in a minute."

"Thanks, Penny? I'm surprised to still find you here."

"Well, I cancelled my trip to back to the UK. Paula needs me more than my patients do these days. Come take a seat."

Penny and Harvey took seats on the plush couch in the same room that earlier that day Paula's scam had been acknowledged by Donna. This was the time that Penny coerced Paula into just getting the whole subterfuge out in the open. Paula tearfully agreed to it and then called Harvey after she and Penny had discussed the whole situation at length.

"Hi Harvey."

"Paula," Harvey said standing and then waiting for Paula to take a seat before he resumed his.

He sat forward with his hands clasped in front of his split knees.

"Is everything ok with the baby?" Harvey said seeing that Paula was still pregnant and that Penny had not volunteered any information.

Paula cleared her throat and said, "Yes, everything is fine. The baby is just fine."

"Ok, then why am I here?"

"Have you spoken with Donna?"

"Not for any length of time. We were heading home together when you called. Did Donna do something?"

Penny chimed in before Paula could say something derogatory.

"Well, she was here earlier today. She had an interesting bit of information that she felt was on Paula to tell you. That is why you're here."

Harvey shook his head not thinking what it could be. I knew something had keyed her up.

Paula cleared her throat again.

Softly, she said, "I lied to you, Harvey. It's as simple as that. I lied to you."

Harvey's face fell. "You don't mean..."

"Yes, I do," Paula rose and smoothed her maternity sweater down over her bump. She was calm right now although earlier Penny and she had entertained quite an animated argument about whether Paula should or should not continue to lead Harvey on about the child that was not his.

"What did you lie about, Paula?" Harvey said menacingly. He rose also and started toward Paula who had taken shelter at the window again.

Paula turned to look at him.

"The baby I'm carrying is not yours...it's Eddie's."

"Oh Paula," was all Harvey could say. He had had his suspicions and he was determined to find out one way or another if the child she was carrying had been his. Now he realized Donna was right and he was right as well having suspicions when Paula was in the hospital so recently.

"I just wanted to have you in my life again. I knew that if I pretended the child was yours then I knew you would always be around me in some capacity. You would make a hell of a better father than Eddie will. That's for sure."

"Paula, you don't know that. Eddie dropped the case I heard. I know he has his faults, but so do I. Eddie still loves you and he must love that baby as well. Does he know?"

"Yes, he's known all along that I'm carrying his child not yours. I just never thought he would tell anyone else."

Harvey looked over at Penny because Paula's reasoning was way off. Penny just hunched her shoulders and gave Harvey a quizzical look.

"What do you mean tell anyone else?"

"Oh nothing. You'll find out soon enough." Paula said sighing and returning to the couch and taking a seat. She sighed heavily realizing that Harvey would be out of her life real fast and for good this time. She had no reason to hold him to her now.

"What do you mean tell anyone else?" Harvey said a little more ominously.

"It means.."

"Shut up, Penny, " Paula snapped nastily.

"Harvey," Penny said venturing toward Harvey who had come back from the window and stood in front of the couch.

"What?"

"It means go home and talk to Donna," Penny said sympathetically.

"By all means. See you Paula, Penny. I wish you luck with the baby," Harvey said and then he quickly rushed out the door.

Paula started crying again, so Penny sat next to her younger sister, took her in arms, and let her cry on her shoulder.