"Thomas… say something. Please."

"What do you want me to say, Donna? What is there to say after you've just told me a part of you won't ever be mine? That it belongs to another man." He shakes his head dejectedly, defeated and it breaks her heart.

"That is not what I said," Donna protests. "I told you, I'm trying. I just need you to be a little patient with me. I want this to work, Thomas. Please, you make me so happy and you are such a wonderful man." She has to swallow around the lump in her throat, the pit in her stomach at the turn in this conversation. "You are everything that I have wanted for so long."

He shakes his head, "I'm not sure that's enough, Donna. What does that even mean, that you can't cut him out? What does that mean for us?"

Donna squeezes her eyes shut, inhaling deeply into her chest, letting her lungs expand, before letting out a long exhale through her mouth, doing her best to center herself. Calling on the relaxing techniques all those years of yoga have taught her. How can she possibly explain it to him? That Harvey is her best friend, that he understands her more than anyone else and vice versa, that she doesn't ever have to pretend to be anyone but who she is deep down when she is with him? That they have each other's backs no matter what, that either one of them would cross any line necessary to protect the other? That kind of depth, that kind of intimacy doesn't just disappear because she's met someone new. It's not something she's sure will ever go away.

Lifting her gaze to meet those of the man she's been seeing again, Donna sighs, closing the few strides between them until she can take both of his hands in hers, bringing them to her heart and looking directly into his eyes. "You are the one that I want. The way you make me feel, what you do for me, how you support me… that is what I want, Thomas. Harvey is… what he is. But you're the one that I'm choosing to be with. I want what we can have."

"I want to believe that, Donna. But how can I know that's even possible? That we aren't just paddling upstream here in a losing battle?"

"We've known each other, what? Two weeks? You can't expect me to unravel fifteen years of history with someone in under fourteen days. It isn't fair." Donna watches that realization flicker over his face, that he's fighting against years of history and intimate knowledge of each other, that overcoming this might indeed be more of a trek up a mountain than either one of them had realized when they'd started this relationship. But she is willing to do the work if he is.

"And just how much of your heart belongs to Harvey? How big of a piece of yourself are you trying to carve out, Donna?" He sounds defeated, dejected in a way that doesn't reconcile with the confident man she's come to know, could perhaps even love one day. "How much is even left for me?"

Guilt arrows through her, turning her veins to ice and Donna shakes her head, unsure of how to answer that question either, because the truth is she doesn't know how big a piece Harvey's stolen from her, but she knows she's been trying to rid herself of it for years and nothing seems to be working. But she's desperate to not have another romantic entanglement fall by the wayside because of her relationship to Harvey.

Tears well in the redhead's eyes, though she gallantly keeps them from spilling over. Her hold on his hands releases, dropping her own to her sides as her gaze pleads with his. "Please, Thomas. Don't ruin this before we've even really gotten started for something that isn't even real."

As much as it butchers her, as much as deep down, Donna wishes she and Harvey could have worked out, it isn't in the cards for them and she can not keep putting her life on hold for maybes. It's killing her inside.

It doesn't seem to be enough, however.

Thomas lets out a defeated huff, his expression pained as he looks at her and says, "I need some time."

And then he's gone, turning on his heel and exiting her apartment without another word. The click of her front door closing ricocheting through her mind like a final nail in the coffin.

-:-

"What are you doing here?"

The shock is plain as day on Donna's face as she stares stunned at the man across the threshold from her, the very last she would have expected to see this morning. They hadn't exactly left things well between them yesterday and Thomas showing up on her doorstep at seven in the morning is startling.

Guilt at the sight of his haggard expression, brows drawn together, barrels into her chest as well. Fuck. She hadn't thought about him once from the moment Harvey had shown up at her door last night. Completely swept away by the years of yearning between them, by sheer carnal desire. She's a horrible person. What is wrong with her? How could she have done that to him?

"Can I come in?" Thomas requests, that soft, understanding tone of his too much for her.

Oh god. Harvey is currently naked in her bed and Thomas is here. Donna prays the panic doesn't show on her face as she nods, mutely gesturing for him to come in and shutting the door behind them. They hover there in the foyer, staring uncomfortably at each other.

Finally, Thomas sighs, "I'm sorry to show up so early. But I couldn't sleep. I kept replaying our conversation over and over again in my head, and, Donna, I know I said I needed time, but—" He trails off as a thud from the bedroom resounds through the tiny space and the redhead grimaces.

Shit.

Thomas's eyes whip toward the room at the sound, narrowing in puzzlement, turning slowly to study her again. "What was that?"

Opening her mouth to respond, Donna's throat constricts, air getting trapped in her windpipe as she hesitates, grabbing the lapel of her robe and wrapping her other arm around her waist, trying to ground herself in order to find a way out of this situation right now.

Too late, as Harvey appears from her bedroom, stepping into the hallway. At least he's had the courtesy to pull on his slacks and button up his dress shirt, if a bit haphazardly and missing several of the top buttons.

And, well, they are fucked. Literally.

There is no way, looking at the two of them, that Thomas could possibly misconstrue this for being anything other than what it is. Donna squeezes her eyes shut, a dull throbbing beginning to form just behind her temples as lack of sleep and reality set in. This is bad. Really, really bad.

"Thomas…" Harvey draws, tucking his hands into his pockets, and Donna's gaze darts down to his bare feet and she doesn't know why that little detail, that small lack of clothing feels so damning, but it does. Her ability to absorb oxygen abandons her at that moment and she has to focus on her breathing, expanding her lungs and releasing only to fill them again, to remain calm.

For his part, Thomas doesn't display any overt reaction, remaining as cool and collected as the mature man she's come to know him as. His gaze merely studies Harvey, taking him in from head to toe, before his eyes land on Donna once more and he comments, "Well, I guess you two figured out what you are to each other after all."

The wince in response is impossible to mask and Donna steps forward, before halting a few steps away from him and dropping her eyes to the floor, shaking her head. She lifts her head to meet his gaze before she speaks. "Thomas, I'm sorry." It's an inadequate apology, but Donna has nothing else to offer him.

To her surprise, Thomas doesn't show any true signs of anger. Instead, he merely levels that sturdy stare on her, the one that feels like he can see right down to her soul. There's nothing but promise in his tone as he tells her in a straightforward declaration, "I came here this morning to tell you that I wanted to fight for us. That I believe in you and me." The other man's shoulders straighten, lifting and settling as he pulls them back and emphasizes his full height and command, towering over both of them. "I want you, Donna. And I'm not going to just bow out gracefully. Whatever happened between the two of you," his gaze darts back to where Harvey stands in between her bedroom and foyer and back to hers, "I don't care. You belong with me."

Donna can see the way Harvey bristles at the statement, immediately going on the defensive, but before he can protest against what Thomas has just said, she holds up a hand, silencing him as he levels her with a glare. The last thing that they need is Harvey pouring gasoline on the fire, which is exactly what he would do given the chance. This insane scenario she's found herself in suddenly settles into her bones and Donna just needs a minute to process.

God, this is an absolute disaster.

Still, whatever she told Thomas yesterday, Harvey has shown up at her door and given himself a part of her that he's held back for years, and she doesn't know how to turn that down. It would be a lie to say it isn't everything she's ever wanted. Yesterday, she'd wanted to fight for the future she and Thomas could have had, but today…

But then Thomas could be that man too, given the opportunity. And after everything Harvey has put her through over the years, is she ready to throw away something that could truly be phenomenal to take a chance on him? How is she supposed to know which one is the right one? What cruel twist of fate has landed her in this scenario?

Donna opens her mouth to comment, but Thomas lifts a hand of his own, stopping the words in their tracks as he tells her, "Whatever you were about to say, I want you to think about it. About what is going to make you happy, Donna." He's so certain, so self-assured, that a small part of her melts, reaching out to this man that makes her feel secure. "I'm not going anywhere, but I think you two need to talk."

Thomas closes the distance between them, bending his neck so he can place a gentle kiss to her temple, cupping her neck in his palm. He lingers over her skin, his warm breath ghosting over her flesh and causing goosebumps to erupt over her skin. Reminding her of all they could be, how safe he's made her feel up to this point. "I'll see you soon." And then he's gone, stepping around her to exit her apartment without another word on the matter.

She stares at her front door, the definitive click of Thomas's exit echoing through her brain on repeat, just as it had yesterday morning. Time seems to stop, if only for a second. Then Harvey's voice cuts through the silence.

"Asshole."

Donna whirls on him, anger etched over her features as she spits, "Thomas is not an asshole, Harvey. We are the ones that are in the wrong here." She lets that settle over him, the implications of what exactly they've done here glaringly obvious, despite how she knows that knowledge will hurt him. Because that's what's going on, they've cheated together, however much she'd thought she and Thomas' future was over, clearly she'd been wrong and now they must face the consequences.

For his part, Harvey appears horrified. "You don't mean that. You can not tell me that you regret what happened, Donna, what we did last night." There's such finality in his tone, she can't help but scoff. She may love him, but he's the most arrogant man she's ever met in her entire life.

"That is besides the point, Harvey."

She swears she hears him growl, deep in the back of this throat before he responds. "No, that is exactly the point. Because I am in love with you, Donna. And I know you are in love with me too. I may not have been able to admit it until now, but nothing that's happened this morning changes that fact and I am tired of pretending that it does. We've been playing this back and forth game for years. Aren't you sick of it? You're mine. And I am yours. That is the way it is. You can't tell me Thomas makes you feel what I do."

The real tragedy of life is that he's right. That sudden declaration, hearing the words she's spent years hoping might cross his lips finally come out has her heart swelling painfully in her chest, her nerve endings tingling. She loves Harvey, he's all she's ever really wanted and nothing is going to change it. She's only a fool if she thinks she can talk herself into something else. Surrendering, Donna crosses the distance between them in three strides and brings their mouths together in a passionate and blazing kiss, their bodies wrapping around each other, clinging tightly to one another.

"I love you," she mutters against his lips.

"I love you, too," he answers.

Their world may be in tatters, but that truth remains and nothing else compares to the contentment felt by both Donna and Harvey at the knowledge.

But what are they going to do?

Donna's teeth dig into her bottom lip, a frown marring her features as she tells him softly, "I'm sorry for putting you in this position, Harvey. I never meant to do that to you."

Harvey sighs, barely more than a gentle rise and fall of his chest that she feels more than hears. Despite his history, his feelings toward infidelity, he's come so far, has forgiven his mother, learned to deal with the negative emotions associated with that and while under normal circumstances, he's still staunchly against even coming close to adultery, these aren't normal circumstances. He brushes back a loose lock of hair, tucking it behind her ear as he tells her, "It's not all on you, Donna. I knew you were seeing Thomas and I didn't ask if it was over. Didn't care. Once I realized I wanted to be with you I didn't even think about anything else."

It's not something he's necessarily proud of, but he's meant every word that he's said to her and no matter the sticky situation they find themselves in, they were made for each other. Nothing changes that fundamental fact. He's known it from the moment they met, that this woman would transform his life and she's proven him right.

"What are we going to do now?" Donna questions, running her palms up and down his biceps absently.

His hands lock together at the base of her spine and Harvey offers her a reassuring smile. "Right now, we are going to make some coffee and I might just take you back to that bed of yours to ravish you again, and then we're going to go from there. Together."

Donna's face lights up, she can't help it, and she grins at him. "Together."

-:-

Following through on his plans takes longer than Harvey had considered and he'd had to run home for a shower and fresh suit once he'd finally torn himself from Donna's arms, calling Ray to pick him up, ignoring the knowing look the other man had given him. So it's nearly mid-morning by the time he actually makes it into the office, a bit off his game from the cosmic shift in the universe that had occurred yesterday.

And then there's Robert to consider, the fallout from the hearing and him being disbarred (all because he'd fallen on his sword for him). They need to lock down his clients as soon as possible, minimize the damage that is sure to come from the news breaking. It's his firm and he's not going to let it go down because of this. Last night had been wonderful, beyond his wildest hopes and dreams, but it's time to get down to business.

So the fact that Thomas is waiting in his office as he strolls in really throws a wrench in Harvey's stride. He recovers quickly, masking any emotion that might have flickered over his face, hiding his surprise and commenting casually, "Thomas. What can I do for you?"

There's a bit of a bite in his tone, a coolness that Harvey reserves for the opposition. Which, he supposes, Thomas is now. A sad fact as he's always respected the man and he doesn't deserve the hand fate has dealt him, but he won't be backing down when it comes to this. To Donna. This is one battle that he's absolutely unwilling to lose.

"Harvey," Thomas greets, his tone casual, calm. It grates on him and Harvey has to take a steadying breath as he settles himself behind his desk, as if this were any normal conversation. "I thought you and I should talk, man to man, after… this morning." He spreads his hands, clasping them together as he stands with a wide stance and studies the other man.

"I'm not sure there's much we have to say to each other, Thomas," Harvey tells him, shuffling a few files around his desk as if he's completely unbothered by this confrontation. Though that's not quite true. At the very least he probably owes the man an apology, but just the thought of letting those words cross his lips leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. Harvey is not used to being in the wrong this way. So he does what he does best and goes on the defensive. "Whatever vow you made to fight for Donna, it's not really up to you. It's her decision. I know you care about her and that she cares about you, but she and I are together now. Nothing's going to change that." He takes a breath, gathering his thoughts and reeling in the unexpected emotions swirling through him. "I'm sorry that things have played out like this, but I'm not going to apologize for being with Donna."

To his credit, Thomas isn't deterred, merely striding over to seat himself in a chair across from Harvey at his desk, crossing one leg over the other and settling back, as if preparing himself for a casual debate. The familiarity in the move grates on Harvey's nerves. "Well, that's your opinion, but I meant what I said earlier. I'm not going anywhere. I'm prepared to do whatever it takes to make our relationship work." He pauses, scrutinizing, before he drops a hammer. "I'm the better man for her, whether you want to admit that to yourself or not. And eventually, she's going to realize it."

Harvey bristles at the statement, the gauntlet thrown and it takes everything in him not to let his competitive instincts get the better of him. Thomas is only trying to rile him up and he knows that the last thing Donna wants is for him to make this situation worse. Still, he can't just let that barb go unanswered. Not when he's come into his office and is threatening him, his relationship. "Is that so?" Leaning forward onto his forearms, Harvey gestures toward the man across from him. "Tell me, what makes you so certain you're better for her than I am?"

"Because I can be there for her in a way you never can. I can give her everything she wants. Openness, stability, someone that cares for her unconditionally. A real partnership." He pauses, studying Harvey in a way he hates to admit makes him a little uncomfortable. "If you could give her that you would have years ago."

Anger lances through Harvey. How dare he judge their relationship, everything that they've been through? This man barely even knows Donna and he has the audacity to tell him that he's more knowledgeable about what she needs than him. That he can make her happy in a way that he can't. Harvey is the one that knows her better than anyone in the entire world, right down to her very core, and loves every bit of her. He's been the one to watch her grow and blossom, to wield her brilliant wit and intelligence on the world, has encouraged her every step of the way. Hell, he's the one who promoted her to the position she loves so much.

"You have no idea what I can or can not give her, Thomas. You've barely stepped up to bat. I am the one that has been here for fifteen years. That has watched her at her highest and lowest, that picks her up when she needs a boost. I'm the one that she comes to when she's in trouble, that she knows has her back come hell or high water. I'm the one that she loves, so you can either accept that or not, but it isn't going to change the outcome. I always win and I sure as hell am not going to lose Donna to you."

To his credit, Thomas doesn't visibly show any emotion, playing his cards close to his chest as he leans back in his chair, contemplating him. "I don't want to wrestle with you, Harvey. I think we're both better than that. But you've got a reputation. Maybe it's true, maybe it isn't, I wouldn't know. What I do know is that I care about Donna. I only want what is best for her. I believe that's me and the future we could have together. I'm sorry if that hurts, but maybe you should look in the mirror if you disagree."

He has to give it to him… the man doesn't back away from a fight. Still, Harvey hates the doubts that creep in at his words. Is he right? Does he deserve to be with Donna? Is he good enough?

Thomas lets out a weary sigh, rising to his feet and drawing the lapels of his suit together, buttoning them together as he levels the other man with a serious expression. "You aren't enough for her, Harvey. That's just the truth." And with that, he strides out of his office, leaving the best closer in the city feeling like shit because he's afraid that he might be right.