HI! I hope you are enjoying this little sequel which I was so flattered that I was requested to write. Please R & R as always...Thank you - Carebearmaxi

You Know I Love You (Chapter 3)

Impact

Norma died. How terrible. Poor Louis doesn't let on but he is devastated. Although he bashed her and said to everyone she was a horrible secretary, he secretly thought the world of her. I hope Harvey understands if I do a little double time. Louis needs me right now more than Harvey. Well, that's saying something...

"Donna! Donna? Donna!" Where is she? I haven't seen her since she left the condo before me this time. She said it was because Norma died. Poor guy! He must have loved her although you would never know from the way he talked about her. Personally she gave me the creeps.

"Donna," Harvey said as he saw her walk through his office door.

"I'm sorry, Harvey. Louis needs me right now. However, I managed to change your last appointment to tomorrow at 3. Oh, that's when Norma's memorial is. I'll have to change it to five. Is that ok?"

Harvey looked up at her as she stood before his desk. She's so beautiful, but she is looking a little tired. Doing double duty between Louis and me can't be easy even for her.

"Whatever. Look, I know this is going to sound mean, but Louis has to know you're my secretary. Can't he do with a temp?" Harvey said and then knew immediately that it was a mistake because Donna's beautifully glossed lips turned into a grim line and her dark green eyes became hard as dark emeralds.

"Are you that insensitive or just that selfish?" Donna snapped back at him. "Louis needs help right now. Look, I came in here to tell you that I will have to move your 3:00 to 4:30 because 3:00 tomorrow is Norma's memorial service."

"And I have to come. Of course, I'll be there," Harvey said but he did not apologize for his previous remark. She turned on her heel and made a pit stop at her cubicle and then she was practically sprinting on her four inch Jimmy Choo heels back to Louis' office.

Harvey ventured into Louis' office later that day looking for Donna. He wanted her for personal reasons at that moment not professional reasons. Before he walked into the other name partner's office, he heard Louis crying. Harvey was not one to show emotion although he felt a lot more than what people gave him credit for. He felt bad for Louis. As he crept a little further into Louis' office, he heard talking as if Norma was still in front of him; however, he never heard Louis speak that nicely to anyone except Donna.

"Louis?"

"Harvey! Donna's not here. She's running an errand for me. I hope you don't mind. I know she's been gone from you a lot today," Louis said startled but not yelling at Harvey which was unlike him when he was caught doing something unusual.

"That's okay, Louis. I understand."

"Do you?"

"What do you mean? Of course, I do," Harvey said with an incredulous look.

"No. Do you know how special that woman is? What I wouldn't give for her to be my secretary."

"That's not going to happen. You do know that, right? She's mine," Harvey said fearing that if Louis played on Donna's sympathy she would leave his desk mistakingly preserving her rule. I know I'm selfish. I want her on my desk and I want her in my bed. She is mine.

"Look, Louis, it's okay. I don't mind for a short time. Can I do anything for you?"

Louis gave him Harvey a pleading look.

"No. I will do anything for you right now, but you can't have Donna."

"Who says he can't have me? You don't own me, Harvey," Donna said as she tried prevent a confrontation between the two partners.

"Donna!" Louis exclaimed.

"Donna," Harvey said giving Donna surprised look. "We'll talk later." With that he turned and walked out of Louis' office.

"What the hell was all that about?" Donna demanded "Oh, nevermind. I'll talk to him later."

Louis looked off toward Harvey's office and then he looked at Donna.

"I want you to answer a question honestly," Louis said examining Donna.

"Sure, Louis. Something you want to know about Norma?" Donna inquired sounding innocent although she knew exactly what was coming.

"Are you sleeping with Harvey...again?"

They had deliberately suspended their open office displays of affection because it, first, it was unprofessional and it really seemed to agitate Louis. To Harvey, of course, he loved irritating Louis, but Donna knew how uncomfortable Louis was with that. Especially since he no longer was engaged to Sheila.

"Why is that any of your business? Besides what I told you I thought you would never mention again. It only happened once."

"Come on, Donna. When I asked him about you coming to work for me, he gave me a very possessive look. He normally has that look when he's working on a case and someone steals it, but I noticed it now when it came to you. So, are you sleeping with him?"

Donna found she could no longer keep it inside. Secretly she wanted to tell the whole world they were together, but she surmised that most people thought that anyway. Finally and quietly, she answered, "Yes. I'm not just sleeping with him. We're together, Louis."

"How can you be with that selfish narcissist? Work for him here and work for him at home? He doesn't even recognize how special you are," Louis expressed vehemently.

"Louis, it's not like that. We love each other. We always loved each other. I can't help it," Donna said placing a comforting hand on Louis' arm. "Harvey does finally know; otherwise, I wouldn't still be with him. It took him twelve years, but he does know. I love him. What can I say?"

Louis hung his head in defeat which only added to his sorrow.

He then looked up ruefully.

"Well, if he ever does anything to hurt you. He will have me to answer to," Louis said as Donna hugged him.

When they broke the brief embrace, Donna thought it safe to turn the conversation back to Norma's memorial,"So I brought these items from the..."

It was a silent trip back to Donna's apartment.

"Harvey, I thought I was coming to stay at your place tonight," Donna asked as Ray took the turn she knew led right to her place.

"I don't think that's a good idea tonight," Harvey said quietly looking deliberately out the window and not at Donna.

Donna blew out a breath.

"It's Louis' needs right now, isn't it? You said you understood. Harvey, look at me," Donna said. She wanted to grab his clenched jaw and jerk his head in her direction but she did not. Harvey always resulted to scrunching his emotions into a corner when he did not want to face something. Usually Donna had the technique which would allow him to openly discuss his feelings. However, she was tired tonight. She did not want to discuss anything with him. Maybe they should spend a night apart.

"Well, just for the record, I would like you to know that if I want to go work for Louis then I will. It is my decision, after all, and right now, he needs me more than you need me."

"Donna..." Harvey started and then he changed tactics and said, "You know what if you want to work for Louis go ahead! See if he treats you one iota better than I have. He's a cheap, overweening...shithead!"

"Harvey!"

As usual he can't or doesn't want to say what I think he wants to say so he resorting to being angry with me. I never said I would work for Louis, but how dare Harvey think he can hold me to a decision which is mine. I should go work for Louis. Not only to help him but it would separate Harvey and me and, perhaps, keep us from going under. Because this fight is just an example of what can happen when two people work and love and are under each other's feet for 24 hours straight.

They had arrived at her place and Ray had come around to the door and opened it and helped her out of the car. Ray waited until Harvey told him to close the door.

The door of the Lexus shut leaving a shocked Donna standing on the curb as she watched Ray drive the love of her life away from her.

"Don't let the time pass. Don't let a day go by without telling people how you feel about them," Louis said near tears as he stood near Norma's urn.

It's so sad to see Louis like this. I really need to find a replacement for him soon. I can't keep doing double duty for both he and Harvey. Last night we had such an argument over my professional commitment to Harvey as well as my personal investment in our relationship. Last night was the first night that neither of us spent in one or the other's bed.

Donna's eye caught Harvey's as Louis spoke those words.

This is ridiculous. I'm not letting that buffoon come between us.

Harvey came over to where Donna stood and without looking slid her hand in his. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

He's growing up...my Harvey. Mine. I love standing here with my hand in his just like Mike and Rachel. He's smiling at me. I know he's sorry about the fight last night and I am, too. We love each other, so does it matter who I work for during the day?