Prompt #40 by wellymeen: "Set in S7. A sudden zombie outbreak grips NYC on Christmas Eve. Harvey and Donna, who were still working at the firm due to a challenging case, and Paula, who came to the firm in search of Harvey, must flee for their lives in the only vehicle available. Santa can feel free to change things in the prompt! For example, it doesn't have to be Zombie. And instead of leaving by car, they can also choose to stay at the firm in defense mode (but there might not be enough food and water…)."
Warnings: This story contains scenes of violence, blood and gore, and the use of firearms.
Harvey entered his office, tensing as he spotted Donna hovering over his desk, and his heart weighed with heavy indecision as he approached her. He shouldn't have expected her to fight his battle with Paula, and when he hadn't heard from either woman, he suspected he was still in the dog-house, which left an unsettling yearning pitted in his chest. Paula had invited him to share Christmas with her family, and for the first time in his life, he thought he was ready to take a chance on a long-term relationship.
Yet Donna's presence calmed the churn in his stomach, proving he was already in a lifelong commitment. However things played out with Paula, Donna would be there in the end, and that notion was enough to relax him.
"Hey." He breathed out his nervousness, sliding his hands into his pockets as he stopped behind her. "Everything okay?"
Donna winced. The softness in Harvey's acknowledgement didn't hide what he was really asking.
Are we okay?
She froze, needing a moment to compose herself before she answered him. He wasn't due back for another hour, and she'd hoped to leave her resignation and avoid a confrontation. Louis had already approved her request to break for the holidays a week early, and she planned to be on the first train to Connecticut in the morning. Maybe this was what she and Harvey needed — a fresh start. And this way, eggnog and gifts, family and friends, would help swallow their grief. Once she exited his life, Harvey would have a chance at the stability he's always craved, and she would discover who she could be without him.
Drawing on her inner strength, she pivoted on her heels, forcing a small smile as she handed him an envelope. "Merry Christmas, Harvey."
He fingered the crisp white edges, reading his name scrawled in her cursive handwriting. Then he looked up, struck by the sorrow in her gaze. He instantly figured out the contents in his hands. She was leaving, putting his needs first, again.
Well, to hell with that.
He was growing tired of pretending their needs veered in different directions, and he ripped the paper in half, extending both pieces.
Donna's eyes widened at the resistance in his expression, encased by fluttering panic. A few hours ago, he was pushing her out the door, and she'd prepared herself
for the inevitable. What she hadn't planned for was the irritation that crawled beneath her skin. "What are you doing?"
When she dismissed the letter, he let the pieces float down to his desk, and he started toward his decanter. "I'm pouring myself a whiskey. Want one? Honestly, he had no clue where his actions were leading. He wanted to fix things with Paula, but every fiber in his body refused to accept Donna as collateral.
Glancing out the window, he sighed at the festive decorations that adorned the streets. On the corner, a minor collision grabbed his attention. No doubt someone on the way home from a boozy Christmas celebration. He thought he glimpsed the injured party, but Donna's voice pulled his concern back into the room.
"What about Paula?" Donna asked. The ramifications of running or confronting him melded into a Hail Mary of frustration as he poured her a glass. His smug assumption she'd stay angered her, but the way his shoulders slumped in defeat made her give in and close the distance between them.
"You don't owe me anything, Donna." He spoke softly as he handed her a drink, offloading the weight in his palm as a silent apology. "Everything you've worked for, you deserve, and one mistake doesn't undo all the times you've put me first. I couldn't have done any of this without you, and I mean that."
Heat swept across cheeks as she took the Whiskey, and she sipped the amber liquid trying to dilute her surprise. She didn't truly know if she would have been able to walk away, but that fact she'd been ready to try kicked her with sharp remorse. God knew their relationship wasn't perfect, but she'd always had faith in Harvey, and her lips teased him with a light smirk. "Was that an apology? Jesus. The world must be ending."
He deserved the loosely veiled sarcasm. He'd treated her like an asshole. But instead of voicing reasons, he picked up the decanter and motioned towards his couch. A discussion with Paula would have to happen tonight, and the outcome of their future would depend on his girlfriend's acceptance of Donna in his life. Those were his non-negotiable terms, and his silent invitation to Donna wasn't an excuse to stall the awkward conversation.
The torn-up letter on his desk served as proof that he had messed up, coming too close to losing her. Which is why he needed to make sure they were really okay before he spoke to Paula.
If the world had been ending, he would want assurance that he had succeeded in at least one relationship in his life.
…
The fleeting thought that Harvey should check the time vanished as Donna erupted in giggles, his eyes already damp from laughing at the story she'd told about how Louis had made his cat the executor of his will. "I don't care how much your grandmother's Maine Coon meant to you. You agree that's goddamn fucking ridiculous."
She smothered her hitching amusement with more whiskey, reminding Harvey they'd had their own fair share of unique encounters over the years. No more absurd than Joy McAfee and her tea parties with dolls.
He chuckled, remembering how pissed he'd been when Mike almost sent Joy into early retirement. "Or hiring a fraud."
"Or — "
The door to his office flew open, cutting Donna off mid-speech, and his stomach wrenched with guilt as Paula locked eyes with him. After loosening up with a few drinks, he'd been on borrowed time, and the bold move was now set to have consequences. Standing up, he wanted to avoid Donna being caught in Paula's angry crossfire, and he buttoned his jacket, subconsciously preparing for a battle as he moved toward his girlfriend. "Paula — "
"Thank God you're okay!"
Surprised by her desperate hug, he stiffened. Then, on instinct, he squeezed her waist, his brows furrowing with confusion when she pulled back. "I'm fine, Paula." He assured her he wasn't in any trouble, wondering why she'd jumped to the conclusion. "Are you okay? What happened?"
"Am I?…. Are you kidding?!" Paula gaped. Then movement flickered in her peripheral, and her shock morphed into frustration as she registered Donna. The woman was placing an empty glass down on Harvey's low-lying table, the alcohol on his breath now apparent, and she was appalled by the possibility that they hadn't noticed what was going on outside.
Digging her fingers into Harvey's elbow, she dragged him to the window, where the carnage had erupted below.
Harvey's lungs constricted as his gaze fell on the muted devastation. The roads were filled with crashed and abandoned cars, spot fires lighting up the streets, and people ruthlessly attacking each other. Donna's sharp gasp beside him confirmed his ability to trust his eyes — what they were seeing was real.
Paula stepped back, her heart pounding in her chest. She worried herself sick, almost died getting here, and the whole time her boyfriend had been oblivious to everything except Donna fucking Paulsen. "How selfish is a relationship that blinds a couple to an entire city burning?!"
Harvey flinched, tearing his eyes away from the chaotic havoc to look at Donna. Her pale features were pinched with fear and guilt, and he experienced the same awkwardness twist inside of him. But Paula's accusation was irrelevant to the situation. All their lives were potentially in danger, and he turned to his girlfriend, searching her penetrating stare for answers. "What do you know about this?" Her expression flared with indigent fury, and he snapped at her. "Paula! People out there are dying!"
She tensed, his angry plea forcing her to set her jealousy aside. Donna's presence held little significance, and she was pleased they'd ultimately found something to agree on. "The news is saying there's a highly infectious virus spreading through the city. The disease inhibits the frontal lobe, making people go crazy." She wrapped her hands around her waist, navigating a tumultuous range of emotions. Even though finding Harvey with Donna hurt, she still craved his comfort. "The phone lines have been jammed for about an hour. That's all I know."
He glanced at Donna, whose worry mirrored his own. She had to be thinking about their friends like he was, and he voiced their collective fear. "I'll call Mike. Hopefully Rachel's with him."
"I'll try Louis," she agreed, rushing to her handbag.
Harvey stalked across to his desk, cursing the odds that both he and Donna had left their phones on silent. As soon as he swiped the screen, the device was flooded with missed calls and notifications. His last text was from Mike, an hour ago, which suggested Paula was right about the network being down.
[MIKE ROSS: 9:45 PM]
Not screwing around.
This shit is a ZOMBIE outbreak.
WHERE ARE YOU?
His eyes widened as scanned back up the thread of at least twenty messages detailing Mike and Rachel's version of events. They'd been dining out, but had made it home, thank God, and he dialed Mike's number, putting the phone to his ear and calling across to Donna. "Mike and Rachel were both okay an hour ago."
"So was Louis, but I can't get through." She bit her lip nervously when he nodded, indicating he had the same problem. However, it was the context of Louis' texts that made her doubt if she should speak up. The man had a tendency to overreact, but given current circumstances…
Shit.
She had to say something. "Harvey…"
Straight away, he recognized the hesitation in her tone, and waved his screen in her direction. "Let me guess. Zombies?"
"That's ridiculous. Zombies aren't real," Paula objected, suppressing images of the mangled corpses she'd encountered on her way here. "People are sick and the rest is mass hysteria. That's all this nightmare is. If we stay here and inside, we'll be safe."
As soon as Paula uttered the words, the wall around Harvey's office rattled with a loud thud, and he turned, jumping back as a bloodied hand squelched down the glass, the shadowy figure letting out a low guttural moan.
Harvey called out, needing confirmation he wasn't crazy. "Donna!"
Donna's throat swelled as she nodded. She was the closest, and could see what Harvey's eyes couldn't believe. A bruised and limp form, wailing loudly as it crashed against the barrier separating them.
"Oh god," Paula gasped, her body trembling violently. "It's real. Everything I saw is happening."
Her breathing hitched into small, sharp gasps, and Harvey gently grasped her shoulders. "Paula, you need to calm down. Breathe." He glanced over his shoulder to where Donna was frozen in place, staring at the fucking… thing, trying to get in. "Donna, get away from there!"
Donna barely heard Harvey's shout, recognizing the maimed associate and transfixed by the horrifying state of the disfigured man. His pupils were clouded white, half of his jaw looked like it had been ripped off, and his knee was twisted at an unnatural angle. Even if there was a cure for the disease, his body would never recover.
"Donna!"
Harvey jolted her out of her stupor, and she acted, moving across and toeing the break on the bottom of the door, locking it shut. The associate set off stumbling toward her, and she doubted the lock would be enough to protect them if more of the infected came. They were too exposed and needed a plan. "We can't stay here. It's not secure.
Paula clutched her boyfriend's arm, pulling him close as she argued with Donna. "It's not safe out there!"
Annoyance fluttered in Donna's chest. Paula had somehow navigated half the city in pursuit of Harvey, yet it didn't surprise her the woman was conveniently acting like a damsel to garner his attention. Still, they had bigger problems than petty vexation, and she came up with an idea. "The roof. There's one access point, and from there we can signal for help."
"And who do you think is coming to help, Donna?" Paula sniped. "We should barricade ourselves in and stay here until the phones are working. Harvey?"
Both women looked to him for advice, but his eyes were trained on the groaning corpse that was clawing at the glass, desperately trying to get at Donna. "I… We should… "
For fuck's sake.
He couldn't think with that thing looming ominously behind her, and he snapped. "Damnit, Donna, would you move away from the damn door?!"
Relief flooded through him when Donna placed herself at the other end of his desk, but she was still the target of the loud howls, and he realized she was right. So long as they were visible, they were vulnerable. "The partner's kitchen is on the way to the roof. We should stop and get supplies."
Donna fought a smirk as Paula glared daggers at her. It was clear from the manner in which the woman was glued to Harvey's hip that she'd follow his every instruction, but she didn't trust the woman's intuition to keep Harvey safe. "Louis keeps a pistol in the safe in his office. We should get that, too."
"Louis?" Harvey knew the man liked to let off steam at the firing range, but he didn't think Louis actually took firing a weapon seriously. "The same man who made his cat executor of his will?"
"He's not exactly a James Bond villain." She stood up for Louis, defending the man.
He scoffed under his breath. "Hardly. He's more like Dr. Evil."
Donna's lips twitched with a smile and Paula couldn't believe that the pair were joking around when there was a good chance they were on the verge of getting themselves killed. "Are we leaving or not?"
The brief flicker of normality was snuffed out by Paula's sharp demand, and Harvey turned to his desk, searching for anything they could use as weapons. His gaze flew across his useless tape dispenser to where his letter opener sat, and he picked it up. Then he handed Paula his heavy, round paper weight. As he turned around, it was no surprise to find Donna already prepared, his corner lamp grasped in her hands. "Both of you get behind me. I'll handle Bill Murray. You get to Louis' office."
"You've seen Zombieland?" Donna quipped as she fell in line.
"In my defense — "
"Harvey." Paula derailed the start of another ridiculous conversation, sliding her palm down to the small of his back. "Be careful."
He took a deep, controlled breath, and he approached the glass, banging his fist along the window to draw the harrowing growling away from the door. After a few slow stumbling steps, the disembodied corpse was lured far enough away, and motioned for them to hurry. "Go."
Paula pulled the handle, which clattered and didn't budge, drawing the attention of the infected associate, and Donna pressed her heel down, unlocking the break as Harvey banged on the glass again.
He watched as Donna peeled the door back, quietly this time, and ushered Paula through the narrow escape. The two women slipped out, running in the direction of Louis' office, and his heart pounded as he moved to do the same. With nervous anticipation, he titled his head at the slow-moving body shuffling toward him. He wasn't in immediate danger, but he couldn't let the infected man roam free, so he lured the limping figure inside his office, easily out maneuvering its snapping teeth, and locking the door behind him.
Piece of goddamn fucking cake.
Wiping the sweat from his brow, he clutched the letter opened in his hand, and rushed after Paula and Donna. As soon as he walked in Paula threw her arms around his neck.
He loosely hugged back, glancing at Donna. "We good here?"
Donna slid the magazine she'd loaded into the semi-automatic. Then she took the extra bullets, stuffing the box in her bra. "We're good."
Harvey checked out the weapon, feeling slightly uneasy. "You sure you know how to use that thing?"
She dismissed his hesitant concern, rolling her eyes. "Connecticut junior pistol championship finalist three years in a row. You tell me."
He stared in disbelief, wondering how she'd managed to compete as he calculated the math. "You said you were younger than — "
"I dare you to finish that sentence." She threatened him, smiling when he held up his hands in surrender.
Paula was skeptical Donna was telling the truth, but either way, she didn't care. She was just eager to avoid another foray into pointless banter. "Donna should go first."
For once, Donna agreed.
Harvey tensed as she took point, but a slight jab from Paula's elbow stopped him from voicing his concern. Instead, he pushed down his apprehension, sticking closely behind Donna as they navigated their way to the partner's kitchen.
They arrived without incident and once they were inside, they spread out.
Donna grabbed a large tub from under the sink, and they quickly filled it with water bottles and all the food they could scrape together. She also located the med-kit, and the supplies they had on hand in case of blackouts, and gave the emergency backpack to Harvey, who shrugged the straps over his shoulders.
He picked up the tub, adjusting the —
A gurgling gowl made him spin on his heel and he clenched the hard plastic in his fists. Unlike the infected man in his office, the snarling corpse in the doorway moved faster, trundling into the kitchen. "Donna!"
The urgency in his voice echoed through the cramped space and Donna grabbed the pistol, flicking off the safety. Then she steadied her aim, exhaled, and fired two shots, each one finding its mark in the associate's kneecaps.
The body collapsed with a heavy thud, writhing as it tried to drag itself across the floor.
"Holy shit!" Harvey stared at Donna. "Should I be impressed or terrified?"
Straining her ears, Donna was sure she heard a collective rumble of moans getting closer. There must have been associates working late in the bullpen who were now infected, and it sounded like they'd just found their way out. "I'd suggest being both." She answered Harvey's dumbfounded look as she reloaded the gun.
Leaving Paula to carry the med-kit, Donna carefully stepped around the paralyzed, struggling corpse on the floor. Poking her head out the door, she could see shadows moving up ahead.
Lots of them.
"There's more coming. We have to go."
She waited until she felt the tub Harvey was carrying press into her back, then she dashed out, worried the mass would cut them off from the stairwell if they didn't hurry.
Harvey stayed hot on her heels, bumping into her when she jolted to a stop at the junction connecting to the lobby. "Shit." He cursed under his breath. They had a clear path to the fire escape, but there was a group of infected roaring toward them.
"Go!" Donna remained in position to cover Harvey and Paula, backing up as the bloodied associates staggered closer. Glancing over her shoulder, her eyes widened when she saw Paula was about to yank open the door without checking the other side was clear.
"Wait — "
Paula's scream cut her warning short as a corpse lurched out, and she watched in horror as the woman flew back, tripping over her feet and slamming into Harvey. The three bodies crashed to the ground, Harvey pinned by Paula, who shrieked hysterically at the growling security guard on top of her.
Donna aimed, frustration mounting at the lack of a clear shot. There was no time left to wait. If she didn't do something, Paula would get bitten, and then so would Harvey. Lunging forward, she relied on gravity, leveraging her momentum to roll the decaying body off Paula and Harvey.
The guard's weight landed on top of her, crushing her chest as she fought to keep his rabid teeth away from her.
"Donna!"
Harvey's panicked shout cry rang out as she found the gun beside her, and she jammed the pistol up, shooting the decaying remains through its moldering jaw. Blood splattered across her face before the mass of flesh was ripped off her, Harvey's frantic gaze forcing her air back into her lungs. "I'm okay," she gasped, turning her head to check on the other infected who were almost on top of them. "Get the supplies. Hurry!"
Too petrified to move or help, Paula trembled against the doorway, gripping the med-kit with white knuckles. Every shot Donna fired made her flinch until the weapon stalled with empty clicks.
With no room to reload, Donna pushed Paula into the stairwell, sealing the entrance shut behind Harvey a mere second before the hoard swarmed them.
Panting, Donna collapsed against the cement wall, jumping when a loud smack echoed as Harvey dropped the tub of supplies.
"What the hell were you thinking?! "
Paula's eyes welled up with tears, ready to defend herself, but Harvey pushed straight past her, and she retreated, wrapping her arms around her waist.
Harvey braced his palm next to where Donna was leaning, his pulse roaring between his ears as his eyes washed over her. He was furious she'd dived in to rescue him, but his anger crashed into worry as he lifted his hand, pushing her hair aside to make sure she wasn't bleeding.
Relief washed over him when he realized the splattered blood had dried and wasn't hers.
Donna inhaled sharply, aware of Paula's intense judgment as his fingers lingered against her skin. "Harvey." She whispered his name in warning.
Her flickering gaze jolted his awareness, and he sensed Paula's disapproval ruminating in the tense silence. His attention reluctantly shifted away from Donna, and he tried to save face as he turned to his girlfriend. "Are you okay?"
Paula met his belated concern with a despondent glare, saying nothing as she started storming up the stairs.
Donna slipped out from beneath him, and Harvey felt utterly defeated as he picked up the tub of their supplies, trudging behind the two women.
There was no defending himself. He'd behaved like a complete jerk. Paula had endangered her life to be with him. Donna had put her life at risk to save him, and the faint echo of Donna's warning lingered, a somber reminder that his feeble attempt to salvage the two relationships had been in vain. The best he could hope for was at this stage was amicable survival.
As they climbed the stairs, Donna reloaded the magazine in her pistol, and when they reached the door, she knocked, waiting for any sign someone was on the other side. Hearing nothing, she carefully crept out, finding they were alone. But she felt no relief as her gaze fell on the destroyed city burning around them. Thick plumes of smoke hung in the air, and the devastation was unimaginable. Her heart sank as tears swelled in her eyes, but then the distant sounds of an apocalypse were drowned out by Harvey's cheerful ringtone.
In a blind panic, Harvey scrambled to find his phone, his heart pounding when he saw Mike's caller ID. His hand shook as he swiped the screen, shouting into the speaker. "Mike! Where are you?!"
The line garbled with static.
"... Rachel, safe. Where…"
"Donna and I are at the firm. We're trapped on the roof."
"... That's the … Jessica … St — "
The call cut out, and he tried to reconnect, cursing when all he received was the busy dial tone again and again. "Damnit!" He growled in frustration, ready to throw the useless fucking thing when Donna caught his wrist, thwarting the tantrum. "Mike and Rachel are okay. That's all I got." The relief on her face was enough to soften his expression, but when he spotted Paula scowling, he tensed again.
"You and Donna are on the roof." She paraphrased his words to Mike, the last straw of her restraint snapping. "Do you even care that I almost died, too?!"
"Of course I care, Paula." He felt Donna flinch beside him, and he handed her his phone, attempting to shield her from his crumbling relationship."You should keep trying Rachel." Fortunately, she seemed to understand his intent behind the suggestion, because she took the device with a small nod.
Once she'd crossed the roof and was out of hearing distance, his expression fell. "I know this situation is fucked up, all right? You're scared, we all are, but — "
"Don't you dare patronize me," Paula snapped. "Your relationship with Donna has always been narcissistic and selfish. I told you we wouldn't survive if the two of you kept working together. Look around, Harvey. I was right!"
"So all this shit is my fault?" He threw his arm at the apocalypse on their doorstep. He was prepared to reason with his girlfriend, but he'd be damned if he was going to put up with snarky, immature comments just because she was jealous. "In case you forgot, Donna just saved both of us."
"If you'd listened to me instead of siding with her, we wouldn't have needed saving!" She reminded him that her idea was to stay put, but of course, the reminder turned into another opportunity for him to defend Donna.
"And what would have happened when those associates found us in my office?!" His voice grew louder and more hostile. "Donna made the right call. We're safe. And if we want to stay that way, we have to work together. So what do you want me to do, Paula?"
"I want you to stop treating me like an afterthought! I want you to have faith in me the way you trust Donna and show me that you want the future we've been trying to build." Bitter tears clouded her vision as she hugged herself. "Start looking at me the way you look at her, and I'll try to find a way to accept Donna in your life."
His jaw went slack. This morning he'd wracked his brain searching for the compromise she was offering him, but now his skin itched uncomfortably as he faced what were supposed reasonable demands. Donna's resignation had opened his eyes, and the sheer terror he'd felt watching her struggle beneath the infected security guard had knocked him into a different life.
A life where every second had to count for more.
He didn't know if he could do what Paula was asking of him, and he didn't know where that left them.
…
On the farthest side of the roof, Donna squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out Harvey and Paula's muffled fight and the moans of the infected, which were drowning out Manhattan's dying cry for help.
She didn't know if it was the weight of the outbreak or a crash of adrenaline that resulted in her exhausted. But she couldn't muster the energy to try calling Rachel. Jesus. She didn't even care that she was likely the focus of the argument taking place behind her.
So the situation was tense and uncomfortable. It was the goddamn apocalypse. What did Harvey and Paula expect, that they'd all sit down with a nice aged whiskey and wait for things to blow over?
She reached up, massaging her temples.
God, her head was killing her.
Her eyes slipped shut, and time seemed to vanish into non-existence as she floated in a dark, empty space. Until a pressure at the base of her spine disturbed her peace. Unsure how long she'd been drifting, she fluttered her eyelashes open, the smell of smoke and decaying remains clogging her lungs. She coughed, shivering.
Had the temperature suddenly dropped?
It felt like a blanket of ice had been draped over her skin, and she rubbed her arms, trying to generate some warmth.
"Donna." Harvey called her name again, worried that she seemed indifferent to his presence. Swiping his phone off the wall, he pocketed the device, turning Donna around to face him. "Hey. You okay?"
She registered Harvey in front of her and shook her head. Something felt off, and her breath hitched when her fingers brushed over unnatural indents on the back of her elbow. "I…" She swallowed, twisting her arm so she could see the truth for herself.
"Shit." Harvey's heart rate sped up as he inspected the bite, his gaze flashing up to Donna's wide eyes. "It's fine. You'll be fine." He rushed out the assurance, then stole a moment to breathe and ground himself with facts.
And the fact was; they knew nothing.
There was no reason to assume she was infected. They didn't know how the virus was being transmitted or if they were even dealing with a disease. Every fear he felt was rooted in movie propaganda, and he wouldn't be NYC's best closer if he had gone to trial based on hearsay.
Using reason as his anchor, he shrugged out of his jacket, wrapping the fabric around her quivering frame.
Donna immediately stepped back. "You shouldn't —
"Listen to me." He pinched her shoulders with a soft squeeze. "Until I hear from the CDC or FBI, I'm not assuming anything, and you're not going to either."
She wavered under his touch, wishing she could believe him, but she wasn't succumbing to paranoia or mass hysteria. She was infected, and his blind faith was going to get him killed. "Harvey…"
Her hand smothered a cough, but he didn't shy away from her. If whatever was making her ill was airborne, then he and Paula were already infected. And until they understood why she was sick, he had no intention of leaving her. "Donna, if I have to go down there and get bitten to prove a point, I will."
Dropping her chin to her chest, she wanted to argue, tell him he was being stubborn and reckless. But she recognized he wasn't going to listen to her, and Paula would fight to keep him safe if she couldn't.
With a small nod she agreed, but her legs seemed weighed down by lead, and she avoided his gaze as she teetered against the wall. "I just need a minute."
Her eyes fell shut, but before she could slip into the darkness again, Harvey's hands spread beneath her, his strong arms hoisting her up.
Her fingers grasped his collar, a protest forming on her lips, but all she managed was a faint mumble as she rested her head against his chest. "You're an idiot."
"And you're too damn stubborn," he grumbled, the whisper of her breath against his neck reinforcing his bravado. Maybe he was an idiot. But he and Donna were veterans when it came to having the odds stacked against them. If he believed in anything, it's that the end of the world was just another hurdle for them to overcome.
….
Twilight broke across the sky as Paula's gaze landed on Harvey carrying Donna in his arms, and she stood up, concerned but wary of his grim expression.
"What happened?" she asked, skeptical of Donna's flair for theatrics. She'd told Harvey that if he could prioritize her needs, she would try to make room for Donna in his life, and it struck Paula as oddly convenient that her boyfriend was now fawning all over the drama queen extraordinaire.
Harvey swept past Paula and placed Donna down, ensuring her back was supported by the well next to their supplies. She was still shivering, but his shirt was damp with her sweat, and he ignored Paula's question, directing her to the med-kit as he laid his hand across Donna's burning forehead. "Get me some Tylenol."
"I was bitten," Donna croaked. Paula wobbled in her blurry vision, gasping, and the reaction made Harvey stiffen, but she couldn't save him from the hard truth. Paula had to be the one to protect him, and she forced her swimming gaze up at the scared woman. "You have to…"
Hit by a wave of queasiness, Donna twitched her fingers at Louis' pistol. She was afraid, but couldn't bear the thought of ending up an empty, groaning husk. Or infecting anyone else. "Please."
Bile rose in Paula's throat and she fought the urge to throw up. She disliked Donna, but that didn't mean she could stomach the desperate plea. There had to be another way, but her racing thoughts couldn't think of one, and when she looked to Harvey for support, there was no acknowledgement from him. He was too engrossed in Donna, his tenderness as he cradled her head void of any urgency, and it dawned on Paula why the impossible choice had fallen to her.
Harvey would never accept death as Donna's fate. He would remain in denial until Donna turned, getting himself killed, and she couldn't let that happen. Wobbling steps led her to the pistol, and she picked it up, tears stinging her eyes as the movement drew Harvey's intense focus.
"Paula." His tone carried a serious warning. "What are you doing?" He felt Donna squeeze his wrist, and he glanced down at her bittersweet smile.
"Harvey…. It's okay."
A cold jolt mixed with unease set him on edge.
The fuck anything was okay.
He pushed himself up and Paula lifted the pistol, but her trembling prevented her from taking aim, and she took a step back as Harvey wedged himself between the gun and Donna.
"Put that thing down, now!" he growled. He had half a mind to rip the pistol from her grasp, but he didn't dare risk a reckless move that might accidentally discharge the weapon.
"Harvey," she rasped. "Please. Get out of the way."
Every muscle in his body was locked with rage, but he kept dangerously calm and still, his voice a low, unwavering threat. "Nothing on this fucking planet is moving me. So you can put the gun down or you can leave."
The gravity of his words hung heavily in the charged atmosphere, and moisture clung to Paula's cheeks as she stared at the harsh resolve in his eyes. "You don't mean that." Her heart desperately wanted to believe he'd protect her over Donna, and there was a flicker in his expression that gave her hope he'd come to his senses.
Harvey unclenched his anger, swallowing thickly. He knew Paula was scared, and that's why she'd convinced herself Donna was a danger to them. There was nothing malicious behind her actions, and he wanted her to stay, but there was also no room for negation. If the cost of protecting her meant sacrificing Donna, then Paula would have to find her way on her own. "I mean every word, Paula. You'll hurt Donna over my dead body. The rest is up to you."
"Then I'm done trying to save you from yourself." She choked out devastated disappointment, lowering the pistol and keeping the weapon clutched tightly at her side. If he'd rather be dead than alive without Donna, there was nothing she could do. Yet, she refused to stay and suffer the same fate.
Paula turned away and Harvey watched silently as she stuffed all the supplies she needed into the emergency backpack. She'd made her choice, and he wouldn't try to stop her, even if he truly regretted how things had turned out. "Be careful."
Standing up, Paula flung the pack onto her shoulders, swiping away her tears of humiliation. If his concern was genuine, she no longer cared. The time had ultimately come to start prioritizing herself instead of a man blinded by self-destructive behavior.
The door to the roof opened and closed with a finality that didn't rattle Harvey. He had no regrets, other than failing to keep Donna safe, but he would make up for the failure by taking care of her.
Finding the tylenol, he grabbed a bottle of water and knelt next to her fluttering lashes. She murmured as he fed her the pills and only managed a few reluctant sips of water, so he recapped the container.
Sinking down, he guided her shallow breathing into the safe harbor of his chest, where he only just caught her faint whisper.
"I'm sorry."
He stroked her hair, the strands catching the first few rays of sunlight, and he smiled. "Don't be."
After all, he wasn't sorry. He had the perfect view of the world ending, and there was nowhere else he'd rather be.
ONE YEAR LATER
"Fuck!" Mike cursed under his breath as the doors to the supply house burst open, hoards of zombies staggering in with deafening, ominous moans. The intel they'd been given had obviously been bullshit, and he shouted at Harvey. "Eleven o'clock!"
"I see them!" Harvey unloaded his machine gun into the husks of corpses, but the weapon barely made a dent in the first wave. "I told you we couldn't goddamn trust Shaun."
Mike shot three zombies right between the eyes, then tripped over a broken floorboard, stumbling back. As he reloaded, he glanced behind them. They were being forced into a deadend with no escape, and any minute now they'd have to face the inevitable fact; they weren't getting out of the warehouse alive. "There's too many of them."
"There's always too many of them!" The machine gun jammed in Harvey's hand, and he gave up on the piece of shit, tossing the useless weight aside. "I'd prefer a cigar — " he reached into his vest pulling out an M67 grenade " — but this will have to do."
"Holy shit!" Mike's eyes widened at the weapon that would instantly kill them in the confined area. "Forget the cigar. You couldn't have sprung for a joint when you bought that thing?"
Harvey wished he had as he scanned the undead who were flanking them from every side. "Any last words?" he said, pulling the pin.
"I'm… afraid, Dave."
Mike garbled the quote from A Space Odyssey, causing Harvey to express his annoyance. "HAL? That's who you're going with?"
"My money was on robots taking over, not zombies."
Harvey shook his head, nearly jumping out of his skin when a pair of hands gripped his shoulders.
"I can't believe that after everything we went through, you two still enjoy playing this shit."
Donna reached over, taking the controller out of Harvey's hands, and he recovered from his shock, smirking as his wife tossed the grenade, blowing up the warehouse and ending the game. "I can't believe it's taken Louis five hours to cook a goddamn turkey."
"It's about time. I'm starving." Mike chimed, lifting himself out of the armchair. "Come on, old man." He patted Harvey's back, grinning at Donna on his way out. "Wonder Woman."
She fluttered her eyes at the compliment. "Somebody had to save the world." She threw the comment over her shoulder, a soft blush warming her cheeks when she met Harvey's affectionate gaze.
"You are, you know." He stood up and circled the couch. "Wonder Woman, I mean." Coming to a stop in front of her, he rested his palms at her waist, in awe of everything she'd accomplished. "Even the president thinks so."
She laughed at his exaggeration, quirking an eyebrow. "I don't think being a natural redhead is going to get us an invitation to the Oval Office."
"Maybe not," he chuckled. Even though she hadn't single handedly saved the world, she was part of the 0.2% of the population immune to the Apexa virus and she was a living miracle.
The rare MC1R-RID gene mutation she had didn't guarantee survival. For two harrowing nights, he'd sat on the roof of the firm with her as she'd weakly drifted in and out of a delirious fever. He'd never felt so powerless or terrified, too afraid to sleep in case she stopped breathing and he couldn't wake her again.
When the help Mike had sent arrived, he thought he was suffering from delirium himself. There were moments he still couldn't believe his wife had held on as long as she did.
"Hey." Donna touched her fingertips to Harvey's chest. She couldn't recall much from the first few days of the outbreak, but every so often her husband's soft expression would shimmer with a haunted glaze, and she knew he was remembering too much. "You're pretty special yourself, you know." She pushed her hands up over his shoulders, locking her fingers behind his neck. "You never gave up on me. Everything we have now is because you fought for us."
When she'd woken up in a facility off the coast of Quebec, he'd been there on the other side of the quarantine glass, battle-weary and exhausted, but he'd resolutely refused to abandon his post, much to the doctors' annoyance. She'd married an idiot with more stubbornness than sense. A man whose unwavering faith had kept them both alive. "I love you."
She leaned up on her toes, kissing him softly, and drawing Harvey out of his memories and back into the present. Where the thought of sitting down to a six-course meal with a hellish mix of shitty Christmas cracker jokes and too raw emotions was suddenly unappealing. "Love me enough to skip dinner and get out of here?" He murmured the hopeful escape as his wife sunk back down on her heels.
Donna could tell by his soft sigh he was feeling apprehensive, but he'd always had an aversion to festive gatherings, even before the outbreak of the Apex virus. Some things would never change. But being surrounded by family was exactly what he needed, and she took his hand, squeezing his fingers with the silent promise he'd enjoy himself. "I love you enough to make you suffer through dry turkey that you're going to pretend to like."
That much was undeniably true, and he got the feeling that by the end of the night, he'd inevitably be glad he'd stayed, and would wind up telling Donna she was right. Which is what he loved about her.
Driven by a surge of affection, he cupped her jaw, catching her surprised gasp with a deep and breathless kiss. Feathering his fingers through her hair, he couldn't help feeling smug as she nipped on his lower lip, letting her restraint slip, and he didn't care who would take charge once they were home.
Home.
Nobody knew when or if Manhattan would ever be reopened. The authorities had acted quickly to contain the spread of the Apex virus. A little too fast, according to all the conspiracy theorists out there. But the firm had opened its new doors in Seattle, where most of their clients had relocated, and his home would always be with Donna, no matter where they lived.
Breaking the kiss, he left her panting, smirking at how easily he could disarm her now they were married.
"Don't look so smug." She smoothed down her hair, admonishing his boyish grin. "Otherwise, I'll make you sit next to Louis."
"Fine by me." He shrugged, daring his wife to follow through with the threat. For reasons that eluded all of them, Louis' three-month-old daughter was infatuated with him, and he'd happily talk to Lucy. "You're forgetting our goddaughter loves me."
Sure enough, as soon as they entered the dining room, Lucy gurgled and smiled in Sheila's arms when she spotted him, and he whispered in Donna's ear. "See."
The rest of the party, even Louis, didn't notice the baby's fumbled clap or his wife's gentle slap warning him to behave. Everyone was too busily engaged in conversations, the buzz of noise filling him with a warmth that crept up slowly and settled in deeply as he and Donna took their seats opposite Mike, Jessica and Rachel.
The outbreak had taken something from each of them, and not everyone had made it. Family and friends had been lost, and the mourning would continue for a long time to come. But the tragedy they'd all faced had sparked resilience in the face of defeat.
Mike and Rachel were branching out to run a new clinic, Jessica had gained the recognition she'd deserved by leading a political movement and was now running for the Senate in Chicago, and Sheila had realized that Louis was the man she was supposed to be with.
Harvey had even heard through the grapevine that Paula had survived and was now living on a small island off the coast of Australia. Light had funneled in through the darkness, and when he felt Donna's hand casually rest against his thigh, her beaming smile including him in the conversation she was having, he knew the apocalypse had given him more than he deserved.
He was here but for the grace of God, and one of the lucky ones.