A/N: Welcome to my new followers and favoriters! I so appreciate that. As all of us Darvey fans are cringing along the season with Harvey and his lost mind I still need to finish this story. I'm working on a Mr. and Mrs. Specter story which resembles Donna wanting more only after she's been with Harvey for a while, so I will be publishing that soon. Meantime, enjoy! Love you - Carebearmaxi
Donna Meets Lily -
Chapter 34 -
Stress (If It Don't Kill You, It Will Make You Stronger)
After Donna had arrived in Boston, they stayed at their Boston house only a couple of more days. The firm it seemed was falling around everyone's ears and they needed the firm's resident power couple back in their respective roles. The Managing Partner and his Firm Operations Manager. However, when they returned the crisis was not that big and bad and a few well written documents by Harvey Specter coupled with a few machinations from the firm manager settled the crisis with their client.
The first thing Donna did upon her arrival back at the firm was congratulate Nick on the great performance he had accomplished while she was away. She authorized a raise for him and Nick was happy to resume his assistant position.
The second thing she did was hide her pregnancy as best she could. Donna started to wear loose-fitting blouses with showing her cleavage which was becoming quite pronounced with the swelling of breasts from the pregnancy.
"You are going to keep them underwraps, right?" Harvey asked as they were getting dressed for the office one day in early August.
Donna lowered her arms from fixing her hair and said, "Why? I never did before. It never rattled you this much previously."
"Donna, you're my wife...well, ok, no one knows that except you and me. However, you're going to be my wife and mother of my child. I don't want every creep at the firm looking down your blouse."
Donna turned around and just stared. "You hypocrite! That's all you did for 13 years before you decided you wanted me again."
"You didn't seem to mind."
"No, I didn't. However, I'm trying to conceal my little bump here..." Donna said as put one had on top of her protruding belly and one hand under. "If I can keep the focus on my tits no one will be asking about my weight gain."
"Why are you hiding our baby?" Harvey wanted to know.
"One because I'm just not ready for the whole world to know that I'm actually having my husband's baby and not my boss's baby. Two...well, I don't want people to think I failed. I have a reputation to protect."
"Don't tell me. You're Donna and you're awesome." Harvey said. Then he saw Donna begin to pout as if she were going to cry. He felt badly after that insensitive remark.
He stopped doing his tie and came over to her and took her into his arms. He placed his head on top of hers.
"Hey, I know you're awesome. Who cares what anyone else thinks? You are not only Donna, but you are Mrs. Harvey Goddamn Specter. That alone can make people intimidated besides your reputation of being awesome."
"I'm sorry. This pouting is just hormones."
Donna then laughed and put her arms around him.
"I am so glad I came home."
"Me, too," Harvey murmured into Donna's hair as he held her.
So, life at Pearson, Specter, Litt rambled along. Harvey and Donna's wedding celebration became more real. Although life was happening for them, they still waited with bated breath for the lawsuit to come. In the meantime all was booked for the December 24th Christmas Eve Wedding. Donna's due date was late December, so she was cutting it close with the wedding.
In early September, Donna could keep her pregnancy a secret no longer. She and Harvey breezed in the office one early morning as they had for many months now, but as Donna passed Gretchen's desk on the way to her office, Gretchen had remarked.
"Red, it's about time you gave that baby some breathing room. Who did you think you were fooling? You've been glowing ever since you came back."
"Gretchen? What are you talking about?" Donna said barely containing her smile at finally being caught.
"Uh-huh. Congratulations to Harvey and you. When are you due? If I guess right around your wedding?"
"Man I thought I was good. You're good, too," Donna remarked.
"Damn, skippy," quipped Gretchen taking a sip of her coffee.
Suddenly Amy came running down the hall to them both. "Call 911. Harvey's collapsed!"
After that there was nothing left but chaos and confusion.
Harvey was just regaining consciousness when the paramedics started to work on him. Donna sat on the floor with Harvey's head in her lap. He awoke fully when he heard Donna's voice desperately calling his name.
He struggled against the IV that the paramedic started to insert.
"I don't need that!" Harvey shouted as he kicked away the intravenous line and practically kicked the paramedic who was inserting it.
"Mr. Specter, you need to go to the hospital. The IV line is saline. You have to have this in the event you need medicine."
"I'm not going to any hospital. I'm fine! My wife is pregnant and I'm having sympathy pains that is all it is," Harvey said through gritted teeth and managed to stand up and straighten his suit and tie.
"Now this has all been a huge mistake..." Harvey said and then started to fade. Luckily the paramedic was there to catch him so he did not take Donna down with him.
The other paramedic looked at Donna and asked because she obviously was pregnant, "Are you Mrs. Specter?"
Donna said, "Yes, I am."
She did not see in all her worry for Harvey the curious looks of those who stood gaping.
"Good you can ride in the back of the ambulance with him," the paramedic said as Donna held Harvey's hand as they rolled him out on the stretcher. Louis breezed by, and Donna with a pursed expression on her lips waved her hand in a "not now" gesture.
Louis was shocked. He had been gone for a couple of days visiting his parents. He always talked about Harvey and Donna and what great friends they were to him when Louis visited his parents. Louis and Donna genuinely loved each other because they were such good friends. However, Louis and Harvey's relationship had been prickly at best; however, all the trouble that Harvey had experienced this year was not something Louis would have wished on his greatest enemy. I hope Harvey is not suffering from bleeding in the brain again. Donna's looks pregnant?! Louis thought horrified. Sweet Jesus, we need our prayers answered now!
Considering that Louis was a practicing Jew, his last thoughts were a tad ironic.
Louis traveled back the way he had walked and found Gretchen by the doorway to the elevator.
"Gretchen, what the hell just happened? Is Donna pregnant?"
Gretchen said emphatically, "I don't know. Harvey collapsed. In answer to your second question, yes, Louis. Donna is pregnant. She and Harvey are having a baby. So what?"
Louis did not know what to say after that. He just said, "As soon as you hear from Donna give me a call." He walked hurriedly to his office. One did not know whether he was upset about the circumstances or just shocked.
Donna sat by Harvey's bedside. The baby must have known its daddy was in trouble because he or she had not relented in kicking her mother black and blue from the inside. Donna placed a hand on her belly and the baby seemed to calm although it turned out that when the baby got rambunctious it was Harvey who would calm him or her. He would place his hand on her belly and whisper "you're wearing mommy out" and the baby would immediately calm.
"Calm down, sweet pea, daddy's going to be ok," Donna whispered.
The doctor came in accompanied by Lily and Bobby.
"How long have I been here?" Donna asked seeing Lily and Bobby.
"We came as soon as Rachel called," Lily said hugging Donna. Bobby placed a comforting hand on Donna's shoulder.
The doctor cleared his throat and said," Please come out here. Mr. Specter needs his rest."
The doctor accompanied them down to the small waiting area.
"Please all sit down," the doctor said.
"Mrs. Specter and parents," Dr. Julian started. He was a different doctor than previously treated Harvey but he was just as good.
"Mr. Specter is in no danger. We ran the tests thinking, perhaps, bleeding had resumed someplace. However, the MRI shows none of that. We thought then his heart may have played a part, so I called in my cardiology colleague Dr. Watson. He assured me that Mr. Specter has a strong heart and he is in great shape considering his profession. He is just dehydrated. His body has had a little too much stress on it right now. His blood pressure is a tad elevated to which we immediately gave him medicine to help reduce. We have also sedated him and he is on a saline drip so he can get some fluid back in his body. However, if he should wake up tomorrow rested and relaxed, he can go home."
"So I guess he should take some time off?" Donna asked thinking sarcastically to herself how happy that would make Harvey. He was finally seeing rewards from his new position and the firm was growing again. Harvey had never had so much time off since when he was fooling around at Harvard Law. The only black cloud that awaited him and Donna was the anticipation of the arrival of the dreaded suit to come from California. Donna figured the producers were too busy shooting the movie with another actress to worry about her. The real test is when the movie premieres. If Donna could judge these people correctly, they would say that the movie profits would have been higher if Donna Paulsen had remained in the lead role.
"He doesn't necessarily need to take time off. He just needs to be reminded to take things a little bit easier."
"Doctor, Harvey's father died of a sudden heart attack when he was just a few years older than Harvey. Do you think this could be a genetic symptom?" Lily asked worriedly.
"Perhaps, but I would have to know what kind of lifestyle Mr. Specter's father led."
"He was a musician and a sometimes car mechanic. So, he spent most nights in bars with smoke and he drank somewhat but not to excess," Lily said trying not to feel like she was to blame for the additional stress Gordon Specter experienced.
"It's hard to know at this point," Dr. Julian comforted. "Right now. I think it'll be safe for you all to go home and get some rest. Especially you, ." Dr. Julian said looking at her swollen pregnant belly.
"Sure. I would like to stay with him if there's room," Donna asked.
"I can check with the nurse and let them get back to you shortly. In the meantime, if you'll excuse me, I do have another patient on this floor to see."
"Of course, thank you, Dr. Julian," Donna said shaking the doctor's hand.
Donna turned to her in-laws.
"I'm going to see if I can't stay with him. There's no one in the bed next to him," said Donna fishing in her purse for the key to their condo.
"Here," Donna said handing the key to Lily. "Are you planning to go back to Boston?"
Lily and Bobby shook their heads.
"No, we thought we would stay at a hotel."
"Nonsense. Here is the key to our condo. The guest bedroom still has a twin bed in it or take our bed. I know Harvey won't mind. I changed the sheets this morning before we went to work."
"Donna, I know you want to stay. However, in your condition..."Lily began
"What? If I should go into premature labor, I'm in the best place. I just want to be near him. We've been separated so much this past year that I want to make sure he wakes up and he knows I'm here. Do you understand?"
"Yes, we do."
Donna wiped a stray tear from her cheek.
"Donna, we'll go over to the condo and bring you back some clothes, ok?"
"No need. I called Ray and he already accommodated me. I can call him.."
"I'm here, Donna," Ray said. "Rachel called me and told me to stay around. I don't mind."
"Ray?" Donna asked turning around and seeing the man whom Harvey trusted more than sometimes he trusted her. "Your wife is either very understanding or hates our guts."
"She's very understanding. After all the boss accommodates us very well, too."
"I know. He's very generous," Donna said nodding.
"Mrs. Specter, this envelope came while you were in with Mr. Specter," Ray said handing her an official looking packet of papers. Donna could guess what it was. I guess they weren't waiting until the movie premieres after all.
"Thank you, Ray. I will look at the contents when I return to Harvey's room."
After kissing her in-laws goodbye and Ray left having discovered that the attendants had made up the bed next to Harvey's, Donna returned to the hospital room. She walked over to the bed where Harvey lie, and sat down on the chair next to him. She took his hand in hers and kissed it and brought it to her face. She knew he was heavily sedated so he would not wake. Donna's tears of relief ran down her cheeks wetting Harvey's hand. Simultaneously this must have stirred the baby within because he/she moved.
"Hey, Sweet Pea, I don't know whether you heard. But daddy's fine. He's just a little tired and stressed out," Donna soothed while rubbing her belly back and forth. Then she did something that anybody else would have thought rather silly considering the man was passed out cold and not feeling or hearing anything. Standing up, Donna placed Harvey's hand on her belly. She remained like that for a few minutes until the baby calmed. Donna then kissed Harvey's hand and placed it back next to him where she found it and taking her night things went into the bathroom and changed.
Coming out of the bathroom a few minutes later, Donna decided to open the packet that Ray had handed her earlier. There was a lamp on the nightstand next to the bed in which she anticipated sleeping. She turned it on. It was very dim. She lie down on the bed and moved the bed into an upright position and removed the voluminous stapled stack of legal papers something she knew of all too well. Then she began to read for what those producers were actually suing her.