Prompt #34 by thenebean9: "While Donna and Harvey are at the DA, one night while working late, Donna tells him about a pendant she had gotten from her grandmother, but the chain had broken and the pendant was lost. It was a very distinct piece, and Harvey spends years trying to find it. Fast forward to maybe about season 7 timeframe, where Harvey gives Donna the pendant that he continued to search for, as a Christmas gift."
"So what'd you do?" Harvey could hardly contain his eagerness to learn how Donna handled a disrespectful, misogynistic customer back when she was waitressing.
They had taken a break from work and got carried away swapping stories and indulging one another in clever back-and-forth. The conversation flowed so well and naturally, they had quickly lost track of time and awareness of their surroundings. It was late and they were the only two people left in the offices, yet the way they bounced off each other, they felt like they were the only ones left in the whole city. It was as though they had both finally met their equal of the mind.
"He was such a loser; I could read him from a mile away. So, I told him what I saw." Donna went on to describe how she used her people reading skills to hold a mirror up to that pathetic man and put him back in his place.
"Whoa." Words failed him from being in such awe of her power and confidence. "You must've been one hell of a waitress." He admired her so much more than she would ever know.
"I sure was, have you met me?"
"I sure have," he mused, holding her gaze with a look on his face she hadn't seen before that held such tenderness and what could only be interpreted as affection that Donna felt herself blush and had to clear her throat before changing the subject.
"Did I mention he ended up double tipping?"
"I don't doubt that for a second. I bet you were the best tipped waitress at that restaurant. Hell, of any restaurant." At that point he was just thinking out loud. And maybe flirting a little too, he would admit.
"Well, I'm good at what I do. There was also the occasional gift from regular customers."
"You received gifts? Like what?"
"Jewelry, mostly."
"I didn't think you were much of a jewelry person." Harvey's eyes inadvertently dropped to her bare neck and cleavage, which Donna caught, amused.
"I like subtle pieces. Especially meaningful ones. I used to wear my grandmother's necklace all the time."
"Why don't you anymore?"
"The chain broke a while ago and I lost the pendant." She looked down briefly, clearly affected by the loss. Harvey felt a twinge of sadness at witnessing her dejected.
"Can't you replace it?"
"It was a distinct piece. She had gotten it in Paris on a trip she took with my mom. It was a really special trip for her, getting to live that with her daughter. I actually carry a picture of her wearing it in my wallet."
"Can I see?" Donna was caught slightly off guard by the question, but touched nonetheless by his interest which she could tell was genuine.
She got her bag and shuffled through it until she produced a small photo weathered by time, but still in good condition. She held it out to Harvey who considered it with the utmost care and attention, like he was holding onto something valuable that he was afraid to damage somehow. It showed a mature red-haired woman alongside a younger one. The former wore an elegant chain around her neck that supported a delicately beautiful pendant which was indeed quite unique. Tiny, incrusted diamonds formed some sort of flower. It seemed just like something Donna would wear, subtle, but tasteful.
Harvey then turned his attention to who it belonged to. The woman exuded such grace and confidence, there was no doubt she was related to his secretary. He looked more closely, curious to see any other resemblance and found Donna's features etched into the woman's face. "That's your grandmother?" She nodded before he continued. "She was beautiful. She looked just like you." Those last words escaped his mouth before he realized what they implied.
Donna couldn't help her growing smile, but quickly recovered. "If I focus, I can still smell her perfume. She was elegant, always put together. I would watch her do her makeup in the mornings, sat in the most well-lit spot in the house," she remembered, taken over by that never-ending grief that fills one up and sometimes spills over and pours out in the recollection of the smallest details about someone.
By then, Harvey was no longer staring at the photo, but was gazing at Donna, though she was too engrossed in reminiscing to notice. He could tell she was nostalgic by the distant look in her eyes beneath her bangs. He suddenly felt overcome by this overwhelming need to make it better for her. So, he made the decision right then and there that he was going to find her that pendant. Whatever or however long it took.
"You feeling okay, Harvey?" She pulled him from his thoughts. "I'm just surprised you haven't made any inappropriate comments about my mother, yet."
He'd been so focused on the necklace that he hadn't paid attention to the younger woman in the picture.
"Holy shit."
"There it is."
"She was-"
"Gorgeous, I know."
"Well, I was actually gonna say-"
"I know what you were gonna say, Harvey. I was trying to stop you from putting your foot in your mouth, but if you insist on finishing that sentence, go ahead." She had to control herself not to laugh at how he maintained eye contact in an effort to hold his own.
"Never mind."
"That's what I thought." She put the picture away. "But you're right." She turned back to him. "She was smoking hot."
Harvey smirked, because not only was that exactly what he was about to say, but because Donna didn't just inherit her grandmother's good looks. She definitely took after her mother too.
The city lights were the only ones illuminating the dark offices at this hour. As Harvey made his way through the dimly lit hallways, his footsteps beneath him were the only sounds that could be heard without all the noises of the rushing crowd of the day. It was the night of the firm's Christmas party, and everyone was already gone celebrating, probably already boozed up, too, where the event was being held.
Harvey nervously reached for his jacket pocket to pat it down and make sure the item was still in there even if he'd just checked for it and knew he'd keep on checking. It was a gift that had been years in the making. He'd just received it a few short weeks ago and figured Christmas would be the perfect occasion to give it.
Tracking down that pendant had proven to be a harder task than he'd expected. He had spent years looking for it, going through antique stores and websites, asking favours from clients affiliated with any jewelry businesses and making fruitless phone calls with his limited French that didn't expand much beyond "ménage à trois." At least he knew how to say the important stuff.
Not to mention the fact that he couldn't go to the one person he usually would've gone to in that situation who had the skills to find out anything about anyone that could've been helpful.
The search had also put him in delicate positions. He had to be discreet, he couldn't very well tell any woman he was seeing how he'd been trying to track down a special and meaningful pendant for years for his secretary. It would've looked…well, the way he and Donna's relationship looked to the outside world. Earlier this year he had to bullshit to Paula who had found a tab on his computer open on some antique jewelry website and thought he was planning a surprise for her.
So, when he finally got the call from a jeweller who confirmed they had the pendant, he jumped on it. It wasn't even for sale, but Harvey knew everyone had a price and Donna's happiness didn't.
And now, after all this time, he was finally going to be able to give it to her. He'd planned to do so at tonight's event. But when he passed by her office, he was surprised to find her still there. She was standing, all dressed up for the evening and he stopped briefly to take her in before making himself noticed. Her beauty never ceased to amaze him, and tonight was no exception.
"I thought everyone had already left."
"Harvey, hey." She was startled at first, but her voice came out as soft as it could be the second she noticed it was him.
"I figured you'd be at the party by now."
"I had some things to finish up."
"No rest for the wicked."
"Something like that." She smiled. "What can I do for you, Harvey?"
"You got a minute?"
"Of course."
He walked further into her office, adjusting his cuffs out of habit. He hadn't planned on giving it to her here, but it seemed rather fitting given they were in a similar environment when she had first told him about the pendant. He was grateful for them being the only ones left in the firm, once again, which made for the heightened intimacy of the moment.
"I, uh… I have something. For you."
"Uh-oh."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I mean this with love, Harvey, but this is the time of year I feel a kinship with parents everywhere who are gifted an art project by their kids. It's the thought that counts and you have other abilities."
"Okay, are you done?"
"Do I have to be?"
"Look, I know I don't have a great track record as a gift-giver and I know it's been a while now, but…well, here" He fished out a small box from his jacket and handed it to her, before retreating with his hands in his pockets. "Merry Christmas."
"Thank you, Harvey." She took the box from him with a teasing smile to convey her playfulness and assure him she was just giving him shit.
As he watched her open it, he felt a flutter in his chest and a tightening in the pit of his stomach. He'd been imagining this moment for years, yet he didn't know how she'd actually respond to it, and he suddenly felt apprehensive about her reaction.
Donna carefully removed the lid of the box and looked inside eagerly. Her brows furrowed in disbelief. In it, she found a piece of jewelry that she instantly recognized. There, in the most unassuming of packages was her grandmother's pendant that she thought she'd never see or wear ever again. Her eyes widened and her mouth hung agape, unable to articulate anything coherent.
"Harvey? How did you..." she couldn't even finish her sentence as she picked up the necklace in her hand to see it more closely.
"I learned from the best," he shrugged.
"I… I can't believe this; I can't believe you found it." Donna's eyes welled up with tears. "I mean, I told you about that years ago."
"Yeah, it took some digging and some time, but it was no big deal, Donna."
And he wasn't lying. He might be downplaying the difficulty and the length of the search, but doing anything for her was second nature to him. More than that, it was a given, a no brainer and he would do it again without thinking twice about it.
"Harvey." She tilted her head to the side, staring right into his eyes with a tearful look and a grateful smile. She needed him to see how big of a deal it was for her.
"I just…you know I can't stand to see you of all people…unhappy in any way."
He held her gaze as their features softened under their shared unspoken understanding. Donna eventually nodded and focused her attention back to the necklace in her palm.
"Need help?" He motioned to it.
"Please." She held the chain up to him before turning around.
Harvey stepped closer until he was right behind her. He took the chain from her and brought both of his arms around her. Donna gathered her hair in one hand and lifted it up to expose the back of her neck to him. He caught a whiff of her sweet floral perfume and instinctively moved closer until his nose touched the back of her head. He hadn't had the opportunity to be this close to her in a long time.
Then, with one end of the strap in each hand, he put the necklace on her and brushed against her collar bone and neck until his hands met behind her. He could see the trail of goosebumps that followed his movements.
Donna brought her free hand to the pendant to keep it in place, facing the right side. Harvey opened the lobster clasp and closed it around the hook with an ease that surprised them both. He then proceeded to run his fingers on the chain around her neck to even it out, an unnecessary touch to prolong the moment. He could see Donna shiver. After that, Harvey took her hair from her, brushing against her hand in doing so, and let it down, placing it back.
Intoxicated by her sweet smell and her fiery locks, her warmth and the curve of her neck, he felt emboldened by the proximity and the knowledge that they were alone. So, right before she could turn around, he tossed her hair to the side to expose the back of her neck again and leaned in to brush his lips to her bare skin for a moment longer than he should've.
"Sorry." He backed away, embarrassed and unsure of what had taken over him just then.
Donna didn't seem to have minded, because she turned around and rushed into his arms to pull him into an embrace. As she hugged him, she let her head rest against his shoulder. He was caught off guard at first, but he quickly recovered and buried his face in the crook of her neck.
"Thank you, Harvey." She was still under the emotion of the gift.
"Always." It came out slightly muffled, but she understood.
They held each other for a while until she pulled back.
"Shall we?" He held out his arm, referring to the Christmas party.
"I don't mind if I do." She took it with both hands as they made their way out.