Well, having read your reviews I think I can safely say that we all LOVE protective Harvey! And on that note, I hope you enjoy this chapter ;)

Donna awoke to a cold bed as the alarm clock struck 5am on Harvey's bedside table, rolling over onto her left side and expecting to see Harvey, but he wasn't there. Because she hadn't slept especially well the night before, she found it harder to get out of bed than usual, when she was typically much more of a morning person and had often had to force Harvey out of bed when they spent the night together. Frowning slightly, she padded into the kitchen to see him sat at the island, an empty espresso cup next to him amidst his laptop and the papers that were strewn across it. He didn't look up when she entered, too engrossed in whatever it was he was reading, but even from twenty feet away, Donna could see the dark circles under his eyes and the exhaustion on his face and she conceded she hadn't been the only one who had had a bad night.

'Harvey?'

His head shot up, his eyes wide as he looked at Donna, mentally making sure she was ok before he said anything.

'Are you ok?' he asked, getting out of his chair and giving her a hug. 'I've emailed Jessica to tell her we're taking the day. I said I'd explain tomorrow.'

Donna nodded, still half asleep, and returned the hug, breathing in Harvey's scent- traces of cologne, alcohol and coffee. It gave her a sense of familiarity and comfort, relaxing her and reminding her that she was safe without a word. She pulled away and poured herself a cup of coffee to which she added a hint of vanilla from the bottle they always kept in the cupboard. She made it stronger than usual that morning and added an extra sugar, feeling as though she needed it to make it through the day after such a poor night of sleep.

Pulling a face at the sweetness of it, she glanced at Harvey, who was alternately looking down at his work and checking on her every few moments as though to make sure she was still there. She sensed the anxiety radiating off of him in the tenseness of his shoulders and the way he drummed his fingers against the marble. Mentally, Donna kicked herself for not considering how Harvey would have taken last night, especially after his reaction to what had happened after she'd fired Stephen.

'Harvey.' He didn't reply. 'Harvey,' she said a little louder, 'what are you working on?'

Despite the progress he'd made since first asking her out on a date, the best way to get Harvey to talk was still through work since he hadn't lost his habit of compartmentalising his feelings.

'Huntley,' he said with his eyes still fixed on his laptop.

'What about Huntley?' She crossed over to his side of the island, placing her hand on his shoulder and looking at what he was reading.

'We didn't go to the police last night, and we should've, but I didn't want to while you were upset and besides they won't find anything that they wouldn't have last night. They might've been working for Huntley, but that doesn't mean they were stupid. There won't be anything tying them to last night, Donna, and that means they won't catch him and you'll still be in danger.'

His dejected tone confirmed Donna's suspicions and she tried to think of a way to help him, but this was Harvey's area, not hers, and he knew what he was doing far more than she did. Even though she'd been at the DA's office slightly longer than he had, he had the experience of prosecuting firsthand, so she trusted what he was saying.

Donna put her coffee cup down and massaged both of his shoulders, forcing him to stop working for a few minutes. 'Why don't you come back to bed?'

He sighed. 'I can't sleep knowing he's out there and that he wants to hurt you.'

'I'm ok, Harvey. I know I freaked out last night, but I am ok and I'm safe here. He can't get in, they won't let him, and besides he doesn't know where you live. We're safe; you don't have to protect me while we're here.'

'Damn it, Donna!' Harvey slammed his hand on the table, making Donna flinch slightly. He watched as she tried to hide it, but he immediately felt bad for scaring her. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just can't rest knowing you aren't safe. You can't stay in here until they arrest him, especially now we know he's definitely after you.'

For the first time that morning, he properly looked at Donna and saw how tired she was. He realised that, though he'd been up all night, she hadn't slept much better than he had and it crossed his mind that she was trying to be strong for him. Shutting his laptop, Harvey took Donna's hand and led her back to the bedroom, taking her in his arms and laying there with her. He traced shapes and patterns on the bare skin of her arms, trying to focus on the weight of her against his chest as a reminder that she was safe. Truthfully, he was terrified for her but he knew she wouldn't want too much of a fuss.

Donna relaxed against him and pulled the duvet across both of them, smiling as she felt him begin to pepper soft kisses against her shoulder and the back of her neck. It was impossible not to notice the irony of the situation, that just a few months ago she would've traded anything to have been in bed with Harvey as her boyfriend, just holding her and loving her, something their busy lives at the firm would never allow. But she wished it was under different circumstances. For a moment, she allowed herself to close her eyes and pretend that she was just a normal woman in bed with her boyfriend, but just as quickly, her eyes shot open as she heard a loud bang in the distance.

Instantly, Harvey was whispering in her ear, grabbing her wrist and rubbing it gently with his thumb, telling her that she safe and that it was just a car backfiring. She settled back into him after a minute, but he could still feel her shaking slightly as he told her to try and get some more sleep before they went to the police.

'I'll keep you safe, Donna. You're ok, I promise.'