Hi! Thank you for reviewing and following. Shout out to D1huluvsDarvey : Yes, it is OOC for Donna not to be involved with the firm. However, I am explaining this that Donna is working to separate her role as just secretary and be Harvey's girl. She also feels a little hurt for Harvey to become immersed with Scottie. Face it: when we love someone even though on the outside we think they think we are fabulous there is sometimes a little insecurity. Just wanted to clear that up! Don't worry bright skies ahead! - Carebearmaxi

Donna Meets Lilly -

Chapter 15

Trading Up Or Hiding Out

Donna took a cab into the office the next day. She had checked her phone again but noticed it was out of juice. She would have to recharge it at the office.

I hope Scottie and Harvey had a wonderful time last night. She probably woke up I Harvey's arms and he caressed her head and whispered how much he had missed her in her ear. It was supposed to be me. It was me only yesterday.

The first person she ran into when she alighted from the elevator on the 50th floor was Louis. He was the last person she really wanted to encounter.

"Louis, whatever it is, I do not have the time," Donna said giving Louis a look which Louis knew from experience that Donna was not in the mood for anything trivial.

"Well, Donna, dear, I am looking for your boyfriend, boss, husband, master in command... I need him to talk with Katrina on this Child Endangerment Case," Louis said trying to be imperious and pull rank on Donna.

Mike then appeared and said, "I was looking for Harvey. Did you tie him to the bedpost before you left?"

"Not funny, Mike. What's your problem?" Donna said rubbing the temples of her head with her fingers. Her head was pounding. She had not eaten yet and she had not had her standard three cups of fragrant French roast before she ventured in.

"Look. I don't know where Harvey is. I didn't spend the night with him last night," Donna said aloud to two people who were familiar with her newfound intimacy with the new managing partner.

Louis looked at Mike and said, "I'm outta here. Feel better, Donna. If you see Harvey tell him I'm looking for him."

"I will, Louis," Donna said sighing heavily.

"Donna, what happened?" Mike said with concern in his voice. "You two have a fight?"

Eyeing Mike and then looking down at her hands, "No. Scottie came over."

"Scottie as in 'Dana Scott'?" Mike inquired.

"Yes," Donna said. "I didn't stick around to see if Harvey remembered me or not. He was absolutely immersed in Scottie because apparently she is Katrina's opposing council on her chemical case."

"So, what did you do?"

"I saw how the land lie, so I went home to my place in the hope that Harvey would remember our so recent love affair and call me to apologize for forgetting that I existed for two minutes." Donna said with an air of sarcasm. As she spoke, she was planning her escape before Harvey landed his handsome smug grin in her face.

"I'm sure nothing happened between them. Harvey is so in love with you and has been for a very long time," Mike said watching Donna's bowed head and fast hands as she prepared to write on Harvey's calendar.

Donna suddenly looked up at Mike. She had tears glistening in her eyes.

"Once I would have believed that."

Harvey woke and looked around him. He knew he was not in his own bed. He looked around at the sterile environment and felt the narrow hospital bed on which he lay. He was not sure why he was there. A young blonde nurse entered his room. She was dressed in green scrubs and a bit on the chunky side. Yet she had a very cute face with a smile, Harvey noticed, that lit up the whole room.

"Ah, Mr. Specter, you're awake! That's wonderful. I will call the doctor so they can check you out."

"Loretta? Is that your name?" Harvey asked as he tried swiftly to read the I.D. which hung from the pocket on her scrub shirt.

"Yes, Loretta's my name. Do you know who you are?" Loretta asked. Loretta knew that Mr. Specter had suffered head trauma as his head had hit the dashboard upon impact a couple of days ago when he was hit by a car speeding in traffic. Apparently, the other driver walked away because no other victim was brought in from the accident scene, Loretta knew. Unfortunately, the age and classicism of Mr. Specter's car precluded and provision of airbags.

"Yes. I'm Harvey Specter. I need to get out of here," Harvey said as he quickly began to get out of bed hurriedly ripping out the IV's that had been sticking in his arm.

"Mr. Specter, please, wait until the doctor gets here. You've suffered a concussion and been unconscious the last two days. You need to lie down," Loretta said taking Harvey's arm and helping him back to the bed as Harvey began to collapse as he had stood up way too fast after lying prone for two days.

"Here drink this. Dr. Leiam should be here soon," Loretta said as she carefully handed Harvey a cup of cold water and then changed the used needles for new ones to reconnect the IV's which had been placed in Harvey's arm. Harvey tried to command but he was feeling rather weak.

"Now don't worry about your office, Mr. Specter. I'm sure your secretary has everything under control"

"You don't understand..."

"Yes, now, rest and wait for the doctor."

Harvey needed to find Donna. She must have misunderstood how he had been engrossed with Scottie. He had to tell her that Scottie was no longer anything more to him than a colleague. Not the woman he really wanted in his life.

By the time the doctor came into Harvey's room, he had fallen back to sleep.

Donna, in the meantime, tried to contact Harvey but received no answer. It just kept going to voicemail. Donna wanted to panic but thought this was Harvey just being Harvey. He was probably off with Scottie some place having delectable sex and had forgotten all about those words he had said to her when they were in Boston. When his hands helped themselves deliciously to her body and her hands had been completely enveloped in savoring his body as well.

Don't think about him, just pack. You're going to LA and see your friend Brenda whom you haven't seen in about 10 years. She's said there were some good roles out there for women who were in Donna's age bracket. There were sitcoms and some little bits in movies, but Donna was not letting that stop her from finally letting go of Harvey Specter and all the bullshit complications that went with him.

Suddenly, Donna was startled by her phone ringing. She was at home and had not ventured into the office now for three days. She had ignored any calls from everyone connected with Pearson, Specter, Litt fearing it was someone that Harvey had coerced into calling her so she could resume her secretarial duties with or without the fringe benefits.

The phone continued to ring.

"What the hell is wrong with that thing? It should have gone to voicemail by now."

Donna looked at the phone as it rang on her coffee table. It was Rachel. Donna's best friend. She would have told Rachel first but Rachel would not lie to Mike about Donna's swift departure and then, of course, the news would get to Harvey. So she had to avoid anyone connected to the firm and to Harvey as a matter of course if she were to make her departure secretive and swift.

She probably read the letter I left on her desk yesterday when I was able to sneak back into the office without anyone's knowledge. I know that must be why she is calling me.

Donna's letter to Rachel was the only one she left for any one at her firm family.

Dear Rachel:

Please understand why I have not spoken to you before my decision to leave. You knew that this was where I would be heading if Harvey had rejected me back in Boston. It now seems that Boston was just a fairy tale place with Harvey masquerading as Prince Charming and I was his helpless and sublime Snow White. Not a role a strong woman like me likes to play.

I do not know where Harvey is but it seems he has not realized that he is the managing partner of the firm. His blatant shirking of his duty says too much that, perhaps, we were all wrong about him. In the meantime, I am, not again going to cover for him. I am leaving. He humiliated me for the last time. I hope he and Scottie are happy.

Please do not tell Mike of this letter until tomorrow. By then I will be long gone in California and ensconced with old friend from theater class, Brenda. She is a casting director and says there may be a couple of roles that I may be good enough to fill. I like theater better, but I would be a fool not to jump at this chance.

I am sorry I will not be able to be your Maid Of Honor at your wedding. Tell Mike he's like my baby brother and I love him. I love you, like my other little sister. Tell Louis I will send him something from Hollywood just right for him.

If you see Harvey, tell him nothing of where I am, in case he has the tiniest inkling to come look for me. Maybe I'll be able to talk about his betrayal, but not right now.

Well, so long, here's seeing you on the silver screen.

Love,

Donna

Rachel broke into tears and ran to see her fiance. She realized halfway to his office that Donna had sworn her to secrecy until tomorrow. Upon reading this letter, Rachel tried to call Donna but it did eventually go to voicemail or Donna decided to ignore her call.

"Hi, honey," Mike said as he saw his fiancee coming through the door of his office which used to belong to Harvey. "What's wrong?"

Mike rose and took Rachel into his arms and held her.

"Oh, nothing. I was just missing you. You left before me today and I was afraid something was really wrong." Rachel fibbed.

"Nothing's wrong. I had to stop at the clinic first and put a couple of the associates on high alert with this Child Endangerment Case. Louis came to me to help Katrina in Harvey's absence."

Mike held Rachel tightly and felt her trembling. He knew something was amiss but he would not pressure her to tell him. He instinctively knew it was to do with Harvey and Donna, so he would not pressure his girl into giving secrets before it was time.

Rachel leaned back in his embrace and peered into his baby blue eyes.

"I am so glad you love me," Rachel said and hugged him one more time.

Mike, bewildered, said, "Yeah, I'm glad I do, too."

He held her tightly before smiling and releasing her back to her office.

Harvey was released from the hospital two days after waking up in the hospital bed. He was still unable to reach Donna and no one seemed to know where she was or what had happened to her. It was very unnerving because he felt information was being intentionally withheld from him.

He had Ray drive him to Donna's apartment first thing after being released from the hospital. He walked slowly up the two flights because he was still having some residual effects from his concussion. Harvey approached the door marked 206 in gold numbers and banged as hard has he could.

"Donna! Donna!" Harvey shouted. He did not care what or who heard him.

No feeling of the air movement coming from her light footfalls or hear her shouting for Harvey to stop banging on her door. Nothing but silence. He remembered he had gotten a key a long time ago in case of emergencies but he no longer carried it on his key ring since the short time Donna had gone to work for Louis. Harvey felt that he needed complete closure from her and discarded the key. He wished had not done that now because obviously now there was no one home. If he had the key now, he could enter her apartment and maybe get a clue as to what was happening.

"Miss Donna's gone, Mr. Harvey," the little neighbor boy said to Harvey as the little boy looked up at Harvey's tall figure.

"Hey, Carl, do you know where Miss Donna might have gone?" Harvey asked crouching down to the little boy. Harvey frequently waved hello and goodbye to the little 8-year-old when he would come visit Donna.

"No, I don't. My momma didn't know either. She just said she was gone."

"Ok. Thank you, Carl. Tell your mom thanks, too."

Harvey turned away and with great concentration and care descended the stairway to the waiting car.

"Take me to the office, Ray," Harvey said barely containing his fury.

"Sure, Harvey," Ray said as he pulled away from the curb.

Ray really thought Harvey should rest and go home. He wondered where Donna was. It was unlike her to leave Harvey without protection or care. Well, it really was not any of his business. He got paid to take Harvey where he wanted to go not ask questions. At the present state of things, Harvey was in no mood to answer them anyway.

The current managing partner was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater when he alighted from the elevator. He was half hoping to see his errant secretary in her cubicle with a good explanation why she was avoiding him. However, he was disappointed not to see her there and in her place, once again, was Gretchen who was probably doing double time between him and Louis in Donna's absence.

"Gretchen," Harvey said.

"Mr. Specter, where have you been? We were all so worried," Gretchen said with relief etched in her dark face.

"I had an accident, but I'm fine. Where's Donna?" Harvey hurriedly asked.

"I don't know, sir. I haven't seen her for at least three days," Gretchen told Harvey honestly.

"Ok, thanks, Gretchen. If you can, please catch me up on Katrina Bennett's Child Endangerment Class Action Suit and if there is anything I need to do on that." Harvey said and walked toward Rachel's office.

"Sure, Mr. Specter," Gretchen said as she sat down at Donna's desk. Harvey told Gretchen he would be right back he had to go see Rachel first.

"Rachel," Harvey said as he ventured into his new third year associates' office.

"Harvey!" Rachel squealed as she saw her boss and her best friend's love stand in the doorway. She noted he looked a little pale and his eyes were a tad red.

"Are you feeling ok, Harvey?" Rachel asked concerned and rose from her chair.

Harvey took a seat in front of Rachel's desk.

"I'm fine," Harvey insisted. "Where's Donna?"

"I don't know where Donna is, Harvey," Rachel fibbed not looking Harvey in the eye.

"That's bullshit. If she were to tell anyone, she would tell you. Did she tell you not to tell me?"

"She did. However, that was two days ago, so I guess it is ok to show you this," Rachel said and she was glad when she saw Mike come into her doorway.

"Harvey, it's not Rachel's fault. Don't…." Mike said.

"I know it's not her fault, Mike. I wasn't about to take it out on her," Harvey said fondling the letter but not opening it. He noticed when he did open it there was only the one letter addressed to Rachel and nothing to him.

"She doesn't answer her cell phone. I suppose she had the number changed. Do you know what it is?"

"No, I don't. She hasn't contacted any of us," Rachel said sad for Harvey because he and Donna really truly loved one another and belonged together. Rachel and Mike knew this in their heart of hearts.

"She wouldn't tell Louis, would she?" Mike asked thinking out of the box as was his nature.

"No, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't tell Louis, Mike," Harvey said.

"She didn't tell anyone," Louis said as he also joined the entourage in Rachel's small office. Louis was also notably sad at the loss of his special female friend. He loved Donna and admired her and he had been afraid that Harvey would hurt her. She deserved so much better than him Louis had always thought.

Louis stomped from Rachel's office with a gigantic scowl on his face. Harvey followed on the way to his own office. Harvey figured he should talk with Katrina first about the progress of discovery. He had not known anything since he had spoken with Scottie before his accident.

"What did you do to her? You malevolent womanizing piece of shit!" Louis said raising his voice as he went attacking Harvey who was keeping pace with him.

"It's none of your goddamn business, Louis. However, this Class Action Suit against our client is. How far has Katrina gotten?" Harvey asked as he stopped before Louis' office doorway.

"I don't know. Talk to Katrina. I know the opposing council is Dana Scott, do you?"

"Yes, I do. She came to see me at my condo before Donna left, then I had a car accident wherein I've been in the hospital with a concussion the last five days. I was just released today and I went first to see Donna who was not home and then I came here. So I need a little help catching up," Harvey implored hoping that Louis would please calm down so they do a little work while he was here. If Donna was nowhere near him, he still needed to do his job. Work was Harvey's only solace at the moment.

Louis invited Harvey to sit down. Harvey was glad that Louis was mature enough to see how badly Harvey needed to work. They could talk about Donna later if Louis really pushed.

Right now, all Harvey wanted to do was to make sure that his firm would not implode with the pending Class Action Suit.