Chapter Eleven

Harvey made his way to Donna's apartment, carrying a box of muffins this time. He thought that maybe she was getting tired of all the cake already. He got in easily enough, ringing the bell for her elderly neighbour; that woman would let anyone into the building. He made a mental note to actually tell Donna to move out of this building, just for her safety and that of her unborn child.

He went through his usual routine, knocking on her door several times with some desperate pleas for her to open the door. About fifteen minutes in, the same elderly woman that let Harvey in opened her apartment door, "Young man, Donna left earlier with some bags. I think she said something about a vacation."

Harvey looked at the woman incredulously, "A vacation? Did she say where?" Just then, his phone rang and he saw Jessica's name flash across the screen. He excused himself from the elderly woman.

"Jessica…" he answered.

She was all business, "Harvey, I've assigned you another temp for when Donna's away. She suggested Cameron again but I think you both scared the poor boy so badly that he won't come back."

"Wait, wait," Harvey tried to process what she had just said, "Did you approve Donna's vacation?"

Jessica looked around her office, confused, as she heard Harvey's response over the speaker phone. "Yes," she said, "she called me early this morning and said she needed some time off. Frankly, I think she deserves it. I think we all do. She also said she told you about it."

Harvey let out a long sigh exasperatedly, "Do I sound like I know about it?"

Jessica frowned on her end of the line, "Should I be worried again, Harvey?"

"No, no," he said, "we've just had a slight misunderstanding. She did tell you it was only a vacation, right?"

"Yes," Jessica answered apprehensively, "two weeks, she said."

"Then we'll both see her in two weeks," he replied, ending the call.

This day could not get any worse. After thanking the older woman and giving her what would've been Donna's muffins, he made his way back to his apartment and moped. The day had already started terribly; he had the worse back ache from sleeping on his couch after he let Zoe have the bed. He made a bad decision to go out with her the night before.

They had ended up in a seedy bar in a dark part of town, at Harvey's insistence. It was really just to get away from the pup, who was for some reason following him all of yesterday. They drank, a lot; ended up at his place but nothing happened. Harvey actually wasn't sure why nothing happened but from what Zoe told him this morning, with an all-knowing smirk, it was because he couldn't shut his mouth long enough to stop talking about Donna and George. A mood killer, definitely.

Harvey was glad that nothing had happened, though. He has finally accepted that what he thought he could have with Zoe was not what he wanted, at all. Sure, he's pissed off that the realization came about twelve years too late and it was impossible for him to have a relationship with a woman while she was with another man and about to have his child, but damn it, Harvey would still fight for at least their friendship.

Because he needed her; and he might have lost the war but he was going to win at least one battle. Well, two really, if you count him doing everything he can to make sure he's her-would-be-kid's favourite person.

..::..

Harvey was desperate, it's been a week and he still hadn't found Donna. He had half a mind to call her parents and sister, but he didn't want to worry them and he wasn't even sure if Donna has told them what has happened yet. He's been taking out a lot of his anger on the new temp though, but that hasn't helped.

He has no way of calling her because her phone was always off. He didn't have George's number and for some reason, Mike couldn't find a 'George O'Keefe, architect', living in the city. He had asked Rachel numerous times and Harvey is pretty sure he scared her; a fact later confirmed when Mike burst into his office later asking why he made Rachel cry. He had snapped at Louis twice today and made that associate, Harold, hyperventilate and almost pass out.

Now, he was sitting in Jessica's office with her glaring at him from her desk. "Harvey, I need you out of this office."

Harvey looked at her, anger clear on his face, "Why? What did I do?

"You're terrorizing everyone here!" she exclaimed. "Since you have to go to that conference in Chicago next week anyways, you might as well start making your way there now."

"What?" he asked, "Are you giving me a week to walk to Chicago?"

Jessica rolled her eyes, "Don't be ridiculous. Go and take this time to do whatever you need to do to get back to yourself."

Harvey huffed but nodded. Before he got to exit her office, Jessica said, "Remind me never to approve Donna's vacations again."

Harvey smiled briefly at Jessica's words. Then, he made his way to his office, calling Ray along the way to pick him up. He could only think of one place to go right now.

..::..

Donna walked through the path she knew very well, making her way carefully through the many different tombstones until she reached his: Gordon Specter.

She had just been renting a hotel room not far away from her own place for the whole week until she went a little stir crazy and decided she needed to actually go outside. So, she called up Sammy and they drove in, arriving just this morning. Of course, he would never bring Sammy here so he's currently been ordered to drive around the block a couple of times.

She placed one had on his tombstone and the other on her belly, which was actually starting to grow quite a bit. You can definitely see the bump now.

"Hey Pops," she said. "I've got some news; you're going to be a Gramps. I wish you were here to meet this little one, don't worry though; I'll tell plenty of stories about you. Everything is kind of a mess right now. I really miss you…and I wish you could be here to tell me what to do, or better yet, tell him what to do to make it all better. I keep trying to tell him but everything just keeps getting in the way, it almost seems unnatural. But the biggest thing is that I don't know what to do after I tell him, I'm so scared of what will happen after. I just I don't know what to do. I'm so terrified…"

"You're never scared." she heard a voice declare confidently behind her.

Donna spun around, "I am now. What the hell is the matter with you, Harvey? Do not ever sneak up on me."

He looked at her sheepishly, "Sorry, I didn't mean to sneak up on you. I didn't even know you would be here."

"How much did you hear?" she asked, worriedly.

He shrugged, "Not much. Just the part about you being scared and not knowing what to do. Look, Donna…"

She stared him, and when he didn't continue, she shook her head. "I just needed more time, Harvey."

He nodded, "I understand." He sighed, "Donna, I am so sorry for what I said. I was out of line. I just, I don't even know why I acted like that. I guess, maybe…I was just…I thought maybe, the cakes I bought…I—"

"Oh, wow," Donna suddenly interrupted, her hand on the bump on her belly.

Harvey nodded quickly. "I know," he said, "how I could possibly think that cake was enough of an apology, but Donna…"

She was shaking her head at him, "No, no, Harvey…" she took his hand into her own and placed it on the bump on her stomach. Then she looked at him to see his reaction.

"Oh my God," Harvey said, "is that kicking?" He couldn't contain the smile the lit his face, mirrored in Donna's face, as well.

"I think so," she said. "It's the first time it's happened." Suddenly the kicking stopped.

"Why did it stop?" Harvey said.

"Keep talking," Donna told him. "I think this little one likes it when you apologize to me."

Harvey gave her a look, and added, "Or maybe when I talk about cake." A kick. "Ah, see?"

They were looking at each other, unable to believe what was actually happening right at that moment. Donna's hand came so close to caressing Harvey's face, as he said, "Donna—" RRRIIINNNGGG. RRRIIINNNGGG.

Donna's phone began to violently make noise; she dug it out of her pockets and answered, "Yah?" Pause. "Okay, I'll meet you at the gate." Pause. "Great." She then slipped the phone back.

Harvey looked at her, "Was that your ride? Don't worry, I won't cause trouble. Let me walk you back out so I can congratulate George."

As they made their way back to the gate, Harvey asked, "What does your parents and your sister think of the news? Is Glenda excited to have a new cousin?"

Donna shook her head, "I haven't told them. Not until I get some things sorted out."

He looked at her, puzzled. "What do you need to sort out?"

She let out a breath, "Oh god, I don't know how to say this…"

"Just spit it out, Donna," Harvey said.

But she couldn't. She was looking at Harvey and all she could see was the phone call the morning after they slept together, Harvey and Zoe walking down the hallways together, and that morning at his apartment, with Zoe leaving his place. Zoe. Zoe. Zoe. She was everywhere.

She sighed, "I'm still going to continue my vacation."

Harvey sighed, too. "Is that it? Well, I'm sure everyone will be glad for when you finally return. They are eagerly waiting your arrival."

She looked at him quizzically, "Why? What did you do?"

"You might hear stories," he said. "Don't believe any of them. I'll see you in like three weeks then. I'll be at the conference…"

"…in Chicago," she finished for him, remembering he had a seminar there. "I'll see you then, then."

They had reached the gate where Sammy was leaning against the car. He was surprised to see that Harvey was with Donna. He wondered if Donna had finally told Harvey when the man approached him and said, "Congratulations, by the way."

Sammy could only nod, shooting Donna a disapproving look to which she merely shrugged.

"Have safe trip, Harv," she said. "I'll see you."

Harvey nodded to the both of them then headed to the cemetery, making a beeline for the custodian's office, no doubt to share a drink with the caretaker.

..::..

Donna sat in the car with Sammy and gave him a look when he didn't make a move to start the ignition right away. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Donna," he said, "he's right there. This is the best place for you guys to talk without being disturbed."

"I can't tell him now," Donna replied.

"The man just congratulated me for his own baby," Sammy countered, "Donna, there is something so wrong about that!"

"I know, I know," she cried, "this whole thing is a big mess." Her voice softened, "The baby kicked while we were in there. Heard his voice and kicked." She turned to Sammy. "I wanted so badly to tell him, but I just can't stop seeing Zoe every time I look at him." She buried her face in her hands.

"Then it all come's rushing back to me," Donna continued. "The fact that while he may want everything that I can give him now, he doesn't want it with me. And that hu—." She stopped and stared at Sammy. "Now, please…can we just go?"

Sammy took one look at his best friend and nodded, turning on the engine and letting them be on their way.