Harvey walked into his office at the exact time he would any other morning - as did Donna - to avoid any suspicion that they had been virtually inseparable since they'd left together to get drinks the night before. That didn't mean they both weren't feeling as though they were walking on eggshells - worried that the slightest tell would give their secret rendezvous away.

They both buried themselves in work in an attempt to put the previous night and the morning that had followed, the bliss-filled morning they'd just come straight to work from, out of their minds - but neither one of them could stop thinking about any of it. It took all of their effort not to replay every second of it back in their minds and when Donna could no longer stand pretending to read over a memo, when really she was back in Harvey's bed, taking in every detail of his face as he slept beside her, she had to get away. Dropping what she was doing, she scooped up her phone and shoved it in her purse before hastily heading for the door. She hadn't noticed that Louis was making a beeline for her office and walked straight into him just as she'd entered the hallway.

"Jeez, Donna, what's the rush?" There was clearly something else annoying Louis as he began brushing down his suit - she could hear it in his tone. After all, Donna knew everything.

"I just really need some caffeine, that's all." It came out a little more high-pitched than she'd intended it to. She really was on edge and the last person she could afford to be anything but her usual self around right now was Louis Litt.

"That's funny, I just went to see Harvey and he said the exact same thing. Next thing I know he's gone in a huff of smoke."

Oh god. Great minds really do think alike - but will Louis put two and two together? Was all she could think, before replying, "Well, it was a big night and we went for drinks without you. Guess we had a few too many." Why she'd told him they'd gone out for drinks she'll never know. It always was hard for her to lie, but that was one truth she could have kept to herself.

"Man, now I wish I'd been there. Seeing you and Harvey that wasted - would've been priceless. Just the thought of it is making me feel less traumatised by the phone call I just had with my parents."

So his parents were to blame for him wanting to unload his frustrations on her.

Donna was suddenly really glad Louis hadn't joined them. The whole night would have looked very different, but at least she wouldn't be trying desperately to stop it consuming her thoughts. She was also grateful he hadn't considered that they'd done anything more than end up in a drunken stupor together.

"For someone with a hangover, you really do look great this morning, Donna. I can't quite put my finger on it, but you've got some kind of... Hmmm... Like, a glow happening."

Crap. Crap. Crap. He's getting too close. Donna needed to get away - fast. "No idea what you mean, Louis. My head is pounding and I really do need that coffee. I'll see you at the partners meeting." And before he'd had a chance to reply she was already heading for the elevator lobby. After calling an elevator, she rummaged through her bag for her phone, frantically shooting Harvey the only text she could manage in her current state. "Louis is onto us. Meet me by your bagel guy. Now!"

Harvey's phone pinged right before she exited the elevator in the lobby to see him standing there like he'd been expecting her to show up at that very moment.

She'd never been more glad to see him and her stomach did a particular backflip it seldom did - and hadn't done in about twelve and a half years to be exact. "How'd you know I'd be here?" She tried not to grin from ear to ear but it was like she could no longer control certain reflexes and it just happened. They started to head for the glass revolving door, trying not to walk too close to each other. Harvey wished he could just grab her hand and whisk her away again but knew any kind of contact was a bad idea considering they were still within metres of the firm.

"Maybe you're not the only one who knows everything." He paused to let her gather herself. She was visibly flustered and he knew why as soon as he'd read her text. "I was actually about to text you to meet me in the same place."

"Was Louis getting suss with you too?"

"No. At least, I don't think so. I just wanted to see you." He went to take her hand but she pulled away before she could even feel his touch. She wasn't taking any chances that someone who knew them could walk past at the very moment they held hands.

"Harvey we have to be careful. Louis might not know but he's not the only person we need to worry about." She didn't want to sound too harsh but she did need him to know she was serious. About what she'd just said and about them working out how to navigate a burgeoning relationship.

"I know. You're right. I just couldn't help myself. I can't stop thinking about you. I was going crazy in my office and I had to get out of there." Harvey really did look conflicted. And he was. On the one hand, he wanted to put it out of his mind so they could convince everyone at ZSLWW it was business as usual between them, but on the other he wanted to shout it from the roof of the building that he was finally with the woman he now knew he should've been with since before she even became his secretary.

"I know the feeling. I can't stop thinking about you, either. Or about last night. Or this morning. My office was suffocating me too." She started staring at her feet, fearing that if she looked him in the eyes the feelings she was trying to ignore would come rushing at her, like waves in a violent storm, and she wasn't sure she could handle that right now. She could've really taken advantage of it always being ok for them to hug, at that moment, but she knew then that there were exceptions to that rule. Even if he didn't.

"Why did you think Louis was onto us?" Harvey could see the subject needed to be changed, even if it wasn't a complete one-eighty.

"He said I had a glow about me he couldn't put his finger on."

"He wasn't wrong." Said with a raised eyebrow and a classic Harvey smirk.

"Harvey! You're not helping!"

"Relax. Louis couldn't tell a glow from indigestion."

"I hope you're right because I had to get out of his face pretty fast after he said that. It's all a bit of a blur now."

Harvey gripped both of her shoulders before she could protest and escape his touch again. Looking her in the eyes, his hands providing the perfect amount of comfort and reassurance, he said "We can do this, Donna. We're gonna march back in there and walk down the hall together for the partners meeting, with our casual banter thing we do, and no one'll have a clue. Except us. Because what goes on between us - that's ours and nobody else's. Got it?"

"Got it. But we should probably actually get that coffee we said we were stepping out for..."

"You're right."

"When am I not?"

Moments later, the two of them were walking back down the street, extra strong coffees in hand, like they were simply a named partner and a COO who had stepped out for a caffeine hit to get them through the morning. Only they knew that they were so much more than that. Only Harvey and Donna knew that they were two people who'd been denying for thirteen, not twelve-and-a-half, years, that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together - and not merely as colleagues. And the rest of their lives - that was starting right now.

The pair were soon back at the firm getting into an elevator car. It seemed that they had managed to score a rare quiet moment in the lobby - with no one else waiting to ascend - and they had the elevator all to themselves. Not long after the doors closed and they were safe inside, Harvey hit the emergency stop button and the car ground to a holt. He took her face in both hands, just like he had back at his apartment the night before, and with their foreheads touching, said "Let's do this", before breaking away for a quick kiss (he couldn't mess up her make-up, after all!).

Donna was grateful it had only been a quick kiss as she was pretty sure if she hadn't been glowing earlier, she was positively sparkling after that. Anything more and she would've been hard-pressed at maintaining her composure. Harvey hit the button again to send the lift back on course for the impending meeting - even though both of them would've liked that private elevator ride to have got a little more steamy.

Stepping off the elevator, coffee-less and with a point to prove, it was time for the couple to break out the Harvey and Donna of old for all to see. The best friend routine that they'd become so in tune with.

"I had a nightmare that we made Louis managing partner." Harvey was a natural.

"That wasn't a nightmare. And you know it. We talked about it this morning. Over coffee. Remember?

"What, when we both agreed that we were going to keep this- " he gestured an index finger at himself and then at her as he said it - "to ourselves?"

Donna gave him a look that said both, 'I'm annoyed with you right now but you're also pretty,' before he had a chance to continue

"It was one hell of a dream, I'm telling you. You were there, and let's just say you were not wearing that." He pointed to her dark green dress as he said it.

"Yep, also not a dream, Harvey." Donna gave him a smirk before pushing him into his office, which they'd finally reached, and closing the door behind them.

"Harvey, I'm serious. It's Louis' first day as managing partner. We do not want him finding out right now."

Right on cue, Louis came strutting down the hallway like the world was his runway and as if a cinematic tune were accompanying his every step. It took all the restraint Harvey could muster to keep him from laughing out loud. Donna avoided making eye contact with him, because she knew the moment she did it would all become too much and they'd both be in hysterics. It was almost as bad as the time Louis asked her to 'feel his wood', except this time she didn't have the luxury of being able to run away from him. Instead, she pursed her lips and focused on Harvey's record collection, like she'd suddenly spotted something on the shelf that had peaked her interest.

"You can stop staring lovingly at my records. He's gone - thank God." Harvey's smile was half at the memory of what he'd just witnessed and half due to the fact he was still trying not to laugh.

"We'd better get to the parters meeting. Unless you need a minute to compose yourself?" Donna felt like she could use a minute, herself.

"I'm fine. Let's get this over with. It can't be any worse than that horrid meeting we had to have when he got his name up on the wall."

"Louis has come a long way since then - you know he has, Harvey."

"Still doesn't mean I'm ready to walk in there with a party hat." And, with that, the two of them headed towards the conference room.

The meeting was surprisingly bearable, just regular formalities that went with Louis being made managing partner. Being there wasn't hard at all. Donna was right - Louis had come a long way. Harvey almost ignored his phone when it flashed awake on the table in front of him, alerting him to an incoming call. And he would have, had he not noticed the caller ID which told him his mother was on the other end.

Harvey stood up and apologised - sincerely - for having to step out to take the call, telling the room it was important. It wasn't a lie. His mother hadn't called in a while and it very well could be important if she suddenly was.

Slightly nervous, but mostly curious, he hit the answer button. A minute later he was wishing he'd never left the meeting, that he'd never taken the call and would still be oblivious to what his mother had called to tell him. But he had answered it. And he didn't think he'd shake the words his mother had half-sobbed over the line to him from his memory. The news would haunt him forever.