A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who left their reviews on this fic. Kath and I are really happy to know that there are people reading this and waiting for an update. Sorry, this new chapter took a little over 6 months to finish. Life has been very busy. Hopefully, this update is worth the wait. Let us know what you think in the reviews/comments!
"That's not a good look." Donna says as she enters her office, closing the door behind her. It's almost the end of her shift and, as expected, Harvey is there to pick her up. He is a little earlier than he normally is, but he is already seated on her couch, the right side which has somehow become his spot for all the times he has waited for her.
He looks up, smiling at her before going back to his phone. "Mike needs my opinion on something." He shifts in his seat and tucks away the little device. "You think I can borrow your laptop? I just need to change something in the document."
She drops her files on the table then hangs her coat on the rack before passing the laptop over to him. "I'll be quick, I promise. Then we can get going." She hears him say, making her chuckle. "It's fine, Harvey. My shift doesn't end for 30 more minutes. You got here early."
He checks his watch, "Oh, yeah. You're right." He jokes, "I'll take my time then."
"Fine," she replies, dropping next to him on the couch, tired after another fast-paced day in the hospital. She takes a pillow from her side and hugs it to herself. "I'll rest my eyes for a while." He just hums in response.
They are sitting close enough for her to be able to smell him. She asks, "Is that aftershave? If yes, thank Christ it's not Verbena."
He turns his head and sees her even closer to him now but with her eyes still closed. "I don't have a death wish, Donna. You hate that scent." He turns back to his document and whispers, "Except when you were pregnant with Avery."
"Exactly."
"Does this one bother you?"
"No, not at all. It smells," she opens her eyes and leans more into him, taking in his scent once more. "Nice."
He closes the small gap between them and offers his shoulder for her head to lean on. "We got a new favorite?"
"I wouldn't go that far." She chuckles, "But I like it."
"Good, me too."
A knock breaks their quiet moment, her office door slowly opening before a familiar face pops his head in. Donna straightens in her seat and so does Harvey.
"Dr. Marcel."
"Dr. Paulsen, is this a bad time?"
"No, no. Come in. We're just passing time." Donna stands up and smooths down her scrubs, meeting the other doctor by her office desk. She introduces the two men to each other.
"Harvey, this is Dr. Crockett Marcel. One of our surgeons." She points at Crockett then looks at Harvey who is still sitting on the couch. "And this is Harvey. He's, uhm…"
She pauses, and doesn't really know how to introduce him. From their ER encounter the other day, it may have been passed around in hush hush that he is her husband. Because technically, and legally, they are still married even if they have been separated for two years already. But with him staying in their house for the past weeks, driving her to and from the hospital, running errands together and looking after Avery, and sleeping next to each other every night, maybe she really doesn't know what they are right now.
Harvey senses her struggle and decides to finish the sentence for her. "Avery's dad," he gives the safest answer for them both. It's still the truth, just not the only title he'll use to describe their relationship to each other. But then again what would he have said? Her husband but not? That will entail an entire explanation that he believes this other man doesn't deserve to hear.
He gives Dr. Marcel a curt nod, not bothering to shake his hand and pretending to go back to his work to leave the two alone. He just met the man but he can already say he doesn't like his presence.
"I brought cookies." Dr. Marcel says, handing over a box to Donna.
"Oh." Donna is shocked but immediately hides her reaction by taking the cookies and putting them on her desk. "Thanks!"
"Hey, I just want to check if we're still on for the fundraising event?"
"Dr. Marcel." She calls out.
Harvey quietly listens to their conversation, no longer focusing on his work. He can't seem to place why the doctor's name sounds so familiar but it does. He is sure he hasn't met the man before so this thought doesn't really make sense.
"Just a second, Dr. Marcel."
But then he remembers. The doctor who interrupted his call with Donna back when she first called to tell him about Avery's condition. No wonder he doesn't like him already. And now he is asking her out in front of him. Who does he think he is?
Donna's mind is in a state of panic of having the two men in her office. Guilt creeps in for not mentioning the fundraising to Harvey. They've been each other's automatic plus ones when it comes to these types of events, ever since their Harvard days. She's been contemplating whether to invite him since she doesn't really know when he's leaving. Plus the fact that she doesn't know where their relationship stands at this point.
The last couple of years, Avery had accompanied her, but the teenager voiced out how boring the events are so Donna lets her sit out the upcoming one. She'd planned to go solo until Dr. Marcel casually offered a ride to the event, a sensible one since he lives close by and is also planning to attend alone. She was hesitant at first until her colleague made it clear that he had no other intentions.
"Actually." Caught off guard by Marcel's sudden follow-up about the fundraiser, she seeks the reaction of the man sitting on the couch but notices the door wide open and her closed laptop left on the couch, no Harvey in sight. "Can I get back to you on that in a couple of days? There's been a lot going on at home and I…"
"Yeah, sure." He looks at Donna, then at the open door, then back at her. "You should try it. I tried to recreate the cookies from Levain, you know the one from New York."
…
Donna is walking down the hall, keeping an eye out for Harvey who has suddenly disappeared from her office.
"Looking for your husband?" The old cleaning lady asks as she pushes the cart next to the doctor and walks beside her.
She nods, albeit quite curious how the other woman seems to know him.
"I think he went out on the balcony. Something about needing some air?"
Donna's head turns to the door at the end of the hall and then back to the other person she was talking to. She smiles and gives her a curt nod. "Thank you, Suzanne."
She makes her way to the balcony and slowly opens the door, revealing the man she was looking for. He is leaning against the glass, eyes gazing at the sun setting down for the day.
"Hey." She joins him by the ledge, "Everything okay? You left, I got worried."
"Yeah, just work stuff." He huffs out a breath and flashes a fake smile, "ready to go?"
She silently nods, knowing work is far from the reason he left abruptly. She doesn't pry further, letting him come clean to her on his will.
The radio fills the silence on their way home.
"This isn't about work is it?" She tried to keep it to herself, really tried to wait for him to open up on his own. But she just couldn't stand the tension sitting between them.
He steals a glance at her, then focuses his eyes back on the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel. "Okay." He sighs. "I know it's not fair but you and Marcel," he pauses. "It bothers me."
Seeing her interaction with Dr. Marcel reeled in his jealousy and insecurities. He rushed to the rooftop for a much needed air after feeling like an outsider in the office. Gripping the handrails ever so tightly as he does an internal debate whether his jealousy is even reasonable. Since he came to the city, they've gotten along pretty well amidst the technical separation. Until he was hit with the reality that there's two years of her life where he wasn't involved.
What if they're dating? They'd be perfect for each other, same cities and same workfields. And the fact that Dr. Marcel knows cookies are Donna's weakness, that means something. Maybe after all this time, he was just blinded by Donna's niceness and stupid enough to think he can instantly fix the chasm between them.
To add salt to the wound, he remembers that she doesn't wear their wedding ring anymore. He dreads the confirmation of his assumptions, hence the reason why he lied about it being work.
She instantly clarifies the real deal between her and her colleague, "Nothing's going on between us." She pauses, afraid her words may be taken the wrong way. She looks at him, waiting for him to take a glance at her. He does and their eyes meet. "I mean between me and Crockett," she clarifies. She sees how his jaw clenches before he gives her a curt nod and turns his head back on the road. Her stomach does a somersault at the thought of Harvey being jealous. She remembers how she felt back in the diner when she thought Harvey was texting someone and turned out it was only their daughter.
He felt so relieved like a pound of weight had been lifted off of his chest but at the same time still not satisfied about one thing. "But you're going together for a fundraiser?"
"I-I don't know." She sighs and adds in a whisper, "We were supposed to."
"But?"
"You're here. I wanted to ask if you'd like to come with me but I'm not sure until when you're staying." They've been caught up in the whirlwinds of living again together so she shied away from hard conversations – of asking until when he's staying, not wanting to burst the happy bubble just yet. She really missed him so much and it feels good to have her little family complete even temporarily.
Harvey nods. "When's the fundraiser?"
"Saturday, next week. Are you leaving soon?" She braces herself for his answer.
"I'm only on leave until next Friday." He didn't miss the dejected look on her face before she stared out the window for the rest of the ride. He lets her be while he thinks of a way to convince Jessica to extend his leave. He'll be Donna's date for that fundraiser, come hell or high water.
The silence continues inside the house. Both are thankful Avery retreated to her bedroom after dinner to do an impending school project but they didn't miss the questioning look from their daughter. She shrugs it off and her and Harvey do a silent little dance, moving around each other from cleaning up the kitchen to taking turns in using the washroom.
Both are now settled on their respective sides of the bed, but sleep hasn't visited either of them. He's on his phone when he notices she's been stuck on the same page of the book for a solid ten minutes. "Hey, what's on your mind?" He asks, finally breaking the awkward silence.
"Wow, that's usually my line!" She softly chuckles and adds, "Erm nothing, just thinking about the amount of work admin stuff I have to do tomorrow. "
While she may sound more convincing than him, he knows there's something else bothering her. "And I've already used the 'work' line earlier so maybe think of something more original?" He teases, making light of the situation.
She sighs in defeat, knowing he won't let it go. She places the book on her side table and lies down facing him.
"Harvey, are we okay?" She stares at his deep-set brown eyes, seeking some form of reassurance that will soothe her doubts.
He scoots closer and takes her hand, "Of course we are. What makes you think otherwise?" He brushes a thumb softly against her knuckles, giving her the confirmation she needs.
She smirks lightly and murmurs. "I mean you got jealous." She briefly pauses before adding, "and you left me in the office earlier," for a more dramatic flair.
"I didn't say I was jealous!" His flush-red face betrays him as he denies the allegation. "I just said I was bothered. Two different things."
"To-may-to, to-mah-to."
"Was it good?"
"Huh?" She's genuinely lost as to what he's talking about.
"The cookies, were they good?" It came out as a whisper, embarrassed he was actually asking the question, but it nags his mind.
Her eyes are wide in disbelief. Shortly after, she bursts into fits of laughter, tears pooling at the side of her eyes.
He rolls his eyes and pokes her side, "It's not funny."
Her laughter eventually dies down, "Why don't you try one and see for yourself? It's downstairs." She wiggles her brows, further teasing him.
"I- No!"
A beat passes and after recovering from the laughter, she faces him again, this time eyes filled with yearning. "Seriously, Harvey, I just–"
Wish you could stay. Her words falter at the selfishness of the sentiment, and she doesn't want to make him feel guilty, especially when things are going well between them, so she re-directs the conversation. "It's just that you're leaving soon, and I want us to be…on good terms."
He raises a brow inquisitively, "Meaning?"
She takes a deep breath, "Meaning I don't want to call you just because of Avery." Her voice trembles, uncertain on how he'll take it. "But if that's not–"
"Hey, I'd love that." He's glad they're on the same page. He adds, "and we're okay, Donna. More than okay."
"Good."
"Good. Now," He leans in and gives her a quick peck on the forehead before continuing, "go get some rest. You have some 'work admin' to do tomorrow."
"For the record, my work stuff is real." Panic rises as she remembers the back-to-back commitments she has, "Oh my god, Harvey, I have to assign the new interns and the quarterly board meeting –"
He interrupts her with a groan, "Oh, here we go." And he flops on his side of the bed, pretending to snore until he feels a pillow smacking his arm. They bask in their laughter, and with a smile, he gives her all his undivided attention as she continues to complain about work.
...
"You did what?" Avery exclaims, eyes wide in disbelief, both hands placed on her waist. Harvey had called her down when her package arrived but was welcomed instead by the baking supplies scattered on the kitchen counter, so she questioned her dad.
Harvey winces at Avery's overreaction, one she definitely inherited from her mom. With an eye roll he softly murmurs, "I was just being nice to the mailman so I gave him the box of cookies."
"Oh okaaay, nothing to do with who gave it to mom?" Avery teases with a smirk.
"No," he shrugs nonchalantly, hoping to mask his dislike towards Dr. Marcel. Just the name makes his blood boil, the memory of the man asking his wife out to the fundraising event in front of him is still fresh in his mind. He was planning to throw the cookies away when the mailman rang the doorbell. Either way, that box of cookies has no place in his household.
Levain cookies my ass. I can make better cookies. He thinks, for a man who hasn't baked in his entire life. He knows how to cook; baking shouldn't be that hard.
He sorts out the bunch of mail before getting his hands dirty in the kitchen and seeing the recipient's name puts a wide smile on his face and causes a flutter in his chest.
Donna Paulsen-Specter. Giving him the strong-willed determination to bake the best cookies Donna will ever have.
"Usually, people frown when they get the bills in the mail." Avery taunts her dad further and shakes her head as she opens her package. "Ohh my clothes, right on time!" She grabs the contents and runs back upstairs, "You planning on getting mom back? Better make sure they're good or else it's not gonna happen."
Harvey looks up in surprise and follows Avery disappear up the staircase with his gaze. He never said his motive for baking the cookies out loud and has forgotten that their daughter has also inherited Donna's intuition.
Half an hour has passed and he hasn't started the baking process yet, clueless as to where to start. He has scrolled through countless recipes online but nothing seems to be perfect for his liking.
"Avery!" He calls for backup and his daughter comes rushing down right away.
"What–"
Harvey cuts her off when he sees her outfit, a black laced bralette matched with a mini-skirt exposing a lot of skin he instantly disapproves of. "What are you wearing and where are you going, young lady?"
"I'm trying out my outfit for tonight. I have a birthday party and Josh is picking me up. Mom said yes a month ago already so you can't say no, dad." Avery makes a compelling case.
One that Harvey counteracts with his own, "And does your mom know that that," he swirls his index finger up and down her outfit and continues, "Is what you're wearing?"
"No, I-"
"Exactly! You're not going out like that Avery." His voice is stern.
"But daaad!" Avery whines.
Harvey hasn't fully accepted that Avery is growing up and goes to parties with a guy friend to top it all. It used to be just him, Donna, and Avery having tea parties with her stuffed toys when she was little. If only he could turn back the time he wouldn't mind wearing a tiara again at those parties. He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose as he realizes he'd rather have his grown daughter be honest than lie and learn to sneak out. He finds a compromise, "Fine, you can wear that only if you put a coat on so you won't get cold. I'm sure you can find one in your mom's closet."
Avery nods and her eyes twinkle as an idea pops in her head. "Oh, dad can I borrow your suit instead? Oversized blazers are a trend right now, please?"
"Deal." He extends a hand out to seal the deal with Avery. "And you're going to help me bake."
...
Harvey places a glass of water in front of Donna. They just got back from the hospital and are currently in the kitchen with Avery, passing time before their daughter leaves for the party.
"Okay, tell me again where you're going and who you'll be with," he says.
"What?! Dad, I already told you this earlier." Avery turns to her mother, "Mom, why is he like this? Help me, please."
Donna laughs. "Just tell him again. C'mon, it's his first time. We gotta help him get through it."
The younger redhead sighs. "Okay. The party is at Claire's. Meg and Kathy will be there and also George. I think Michael and Nicolas are also coming if their training finishes early. Bea and Ellie said they'll try to make it after dance practice. So Josh will pick me up here instead and we'll go there together."
Harvey turns to Donna, "And I already met all of them?"
She nods at him, "Yeah, remember when they came over? You played with them." She gives him a gentle slap on this arm, "You were teammates with some of them. Geez, Specter, your memory's getting old."
"Fine," he replies. He then pulls out a small piece of paper from his back pocket and hands it over to his daughter, "But I have conditions."
Avery is shocked when she reads the list her dad made. She is actually fine with most of them except for the last one.
No drinking.
No smoking.
No kissing.
Update me or your mom every hour.
Be back by 10.
"Be back by 10?!" Their daughter exclaims, looking at her dad with eyes wide open. She then turns to her mom, "10? I thought we agreed on 12?"
"That was before you had surgery. Right, Donna?" Harvey turns to Donna. Now all eyes are on her.
"Well I–" she feels uneasy in her seat, not knowing what to say. She refuses to take anyone's side. Until Avery interjects, "Ughhh fine, 11:30."
"10:30." Harvey bargains.
"11:00. That's a win for you both." Donna has the final say.
"Fine." The father daughter duo huffs in unison.
Donna finally closes the door behind as Avery leaves with Josh. She practically had to drag Harvey back inside the house as the latter refuses to come in until the two teenagers drive off and the car disappears into the corner. And not without giving a bunch of reminders again to Avery, basically repeating what he had written down.
"Wow, it took you an hour to let your daughter go."
"Are you sure she's okay to go out alone?" Harvey paces back and forth in the living room, "What if something happens and we're not there. What if—"
She cuts him off and soothes his worry. "Harvey, stop. Avery's gonna be fine. If there's something wrong, she knows to call." She says softly and sits him down on the couch. "Here, drink this. Think you need this more than I do." She chuckles and hands him the glass of water he gave her earlier.
Then both their phone chimes.
First update from Avery, a text that she has arrived at her friend's house, followed by a picture of the two of them.
[Avery] Made it here at Claire's house!
"See, she's fine." She hands him the remote, "Now, go pick a movie while I order some food for us."
He looks at the screen and goes through the list of movies they can watch. "I hope it's not from that shitty Thai place," he mutters as he presses play on Die Hard.
The movie finishes and the empty boxes of Thai are left on the table. The credits are rolling when Harvey picks up his phone again only to see two new messages from his daughter who seems to take his conditions seriously.
[Avery] I learned a new card game. Need to teach you this tomorrow, Dad!
[Avery] We're having burgers. Bet you're so jealous right now
He laughs as he reads them and catches Donna's attention. She asks, "What's so funny?"
He passes the phone to her, letting her read the texts. She shakes her head and types her own reply.
Don't make him cry. I ordered us Thai. x Mom
[Avery] Mom? Why do you have his phone
Just reading your messages, honey. Stop texting your dad and enjoy the party. xx
[Avery] Alright, I'll leave you two lovebirds with whatever you're doing.
Donna shakes her head and returns the phone to Harvey with a warning, "Stop bothering Avery."
The two are not yet tired nor sleepy and neither are down to watch another film. Harvey stands up from the couch and goes near the window, checking if by any chance Avery decided to go home early. His worry hasn't died down so he turns to Donna. "Hey, what do you say we drive around the block, maybe get some fresh air at the park."
Donna teases him, "You just want to drive by the party."
"What? No! Okay, maybe I do, but promise we'll just pass by and then we'll have our own night out."
Donna agrees to appease him. They change clothes and drive around, slowing down as they pass by Claire's house. They see the bunch of cars parked along the street and the house brightly lit up but neither can see what's going on inside. They go straight to the park nearby and sit on the hood of the car, stargazing just like old times.
They look at the night sky in silence, enjoying the breeze. Harvey can't remember the last time he did this, to just spend quiet time away from work, away from piles of cases and the glass walls of his office. It feels nice and calm, even better with the company he has tonight. Donna.
He looks at her sitting beside him, arms crossed in front of her chest. There's a ghost of a smile on her lips as her eyes remain closed, head turned up to the sky. He thinks she might feel the same, grateful to be out of the hospital, away from its hustle and bustle. She may not say it but he noticed how tired she has been lately, the amount of work she's been handling seemingly doubled since Avery got out of surgery. He can't even imagine how she managed all of this on her own the past two years.
"I can hear you thinking," she says, finally opening her eyes and looking at him.
Harvey shakes his head, saving all his thoughts for later. "Nothing," he replies. He stands up, hands in his pockets, "I made you something."
Donna's eyebrows furrow, "Made me something?"
He proudly nods and walks back to the car, grabbing a tupperware with a ribbon tied around it. He settles back on the hood next to her and hands his gift over. "Just a little snack."
It's Donna's turn now to shake her head, a chuckle escapes her mouth. "Really, Harvey?" she asks as she unties the ribbon and opens the container.
Cookies. A dozen of them.
She grabs one and passes the container to him. "Don't think I didn't know about what you did with the other box of cookies," she says before taking a bite of what Harvey baked.
Pistachios. Of course, he'd make her favorite. Damn, he got her.
"Avery told you?"
She nods, taking another bite of the cookie. It's actually so good. She dusts the crumbs off of her fingers and turns to him, lightly bumping his shoulder, "You're so dramatic, Harvey! Those were just cookies."
He meets her gaze with a frown, sulking as he murmurs, "You saying you like that better than what I made?"
She rolls her eyes, "This one has pistachios, it's clearly the winner."
And he grins proudly at her answer.
As they return their gaze up at the night sky, he notices her shivering. Neither is dressed properly as they failed to anticipate the chilly night breeze, naively assuming that they wouldn't be out for long. He silently curses himself for his lack of foresight knowing Donna gets cold easily. Without hesitating, he gently wraps both arms around her and pulls her back against his chest, which she easily accepts.
"Do you wanna head back?" he asks as he rubs her arms for warmth.
She shakes her head, and there's a soft smile on her lips as she replies, "No, I like it here." He feels her gradually relaxing in his embrace.
"Okay." He whispers holding her a little tighter, savoring the moment as he didn't think he'd get to hold her like this again under the starlit sky.
"She's really growing up, isn't she?" He asks as his mind wanders back to their daughter.
She nods in agreement and lets out a nostalgic sigh, "Yeah, she is. It feels like yesterday when she asked permission the first time she wanted to go to the mall with her friends."
"Oh yeah? How did that go?" He inquires.
She chuckles as she reminisces the memory she will never forget. "Pretty much how you were earlier."
.
.
(flashback)
"No, Avery." She instantly replies with a frown after Avery explains her plan for the weekend.
Avery mirrors her expression. "But moooom, all my friends are going. Please? I've been good at school, great even, I've gotten straight A's in all of my classes. We're just gonna watch a movie and then have dinner after. I'll update you on what we're up to."
"I-" Her daughter's explanation shuts her up. "You knew I was gonna say no didn't you?"
Avery smiles sheepishly, "Maybe?" She hugs her mom from the side and looks up with puppy eyes, Donna's weakness, one she can't say no to. "Please?"
Donna tilts her head and sighs, "Let me think about it." She's in conflict. While she fully trusts Avery, the maternal instinct to protect her takes precedence. The adult supervised school trips she let Avery join are already terrifying. The news about the surge in crimes lately doesn't help either nor does her mom being far away on a cruise trip. She didn't have anyone to talk to and the other person she wants to confide in is in another state.
But she can't keep her daughter at home forever and it's only a matter of time until she becomes independent. Eventually she caves in and says yes to Avery with a bunch of conditions.
Avery promises to keep her word of updating her and to call if there's an emergency. To not talk to strangers, and to be careful when crossing the street. The list was embarrassingly endless, Donna didn't care.
(end of flashback)
.
.
"I may or may not have driven by the mall." She admits to Harvey as she retells the story.
He snorts, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "No wonder you agreed to drive by Claire's house tonight."
She hums in response, feeling the way his arms squeeze her a little bit tighter. "You're enjoying this," she said quietly, pertaining to the physical closeness between them like no one can set them apart.
He raises a brow, "I don't hear you complaining." Her instant chuckle was like music to his ears.
She runs her hands along his arms before settling them on his hands, her fingers slipping between his. She meets his gaze and sighs in contentment, "It's just, this feels... natural."
His heart skips a beat and stammers against his chest and the rest of the world around them slowly fades away. The starlit sky, the freshly baked cookies he made, and the dark green Mustang they're currently sitting on didn't matter. It's just the two of them and the strong connection they hold with their gazes.
He agrees, "It does, doesn't it." Just like the old times indeed.
He feels her heartbeat quickening, mirroring his. He breaks their gaze and his eyes falter at her already-parted lips. Then his hand moves like it has a mind of its own, tilting her chin up.
She shuts her eyes as she anticipates his next move. She wants whatever this is.
Slowly, he leans in until his lips softly brush onto hers.
He feels her lips move and so does the vibration that came with the loud ringing from his phone. They quickly distance themselves from each other.
"Sweet baby Jesus," he mutters as he fishes his phone out of his jeans pocket. "It's Avery." He mouths to Donna and they rush back inside the car before answering the call.
Harvey puts the phone on speaker and hands it over to Donna as he starts driving. Their daughter's voice fills the car, "I'm home. Can you open the door please?"
"Hang on, Avery. We'll be there in 5 minutes," he replies.
"Be here? Wait, you're not home?"
It's now Donna who answers, "We went out for some fresh air, honey. We were just at the park."
"Oh, okay."
"Don't wait out in the cold. You know how to get in. We'll be there soon."
...
Avery hears the car pull up in front of their house and so she stands just behind the front door.
Harvey and Donna walk in and immediately see their daughter already dressed in her pajamas, her arms crossed in front of her and a disapproving look on her face.
"We agreed that the curfew is 11PM," Avery says in a serious tone.
Harvey's the one to greet their daughter first, "I know, I'm sorry we lost track of time." He pulls her in a hug and places a quick kiss on top of her head.
"You said I should come home by 11. And yet you guys weren't here?" Avery, still upset, keeps her arms crossed against her chest and continues, "And I almost couldn't get in because no one would open the door."
"You know where we hide the spare key," Donna reasons out as she gets her turn in greeting their daughter the same way Harvey had.
"Yeah, but I thought my parents would welcome me home." She acts out, pouting just like her dad would in every silly argument with her mom.
"We're sorry, okay. We'll make it up to you, I promise." Donna says with an apologetic smile which made Avery feel a bit better.
"Negotiations tomorrow, Mr. Specter." Avery flashes a big smile at her father and holds out a hand to him.
Harvey firmly shakes his daughter's hand, "Looking forward to it, Ms. Paulsen-Specter." He then pulls her into a tight hug, "Good night, kid. I love you."
"I love you too, Dad." Avery kisses him on the cheek then moves out of his arms to go to her mom and wish her a good night as well. Then she rushes off to her room to call it a night.
Harvey turns to Donna and whispers, "So dramatic."
She shakes her head and taps his chest, "She is your daughter after all." She wants to keep up with the banter but a yawn escapes her mouth.
He now laughs at her, pressing a hand down her back as he gently pushes him towards the direction of their room. "Okay, bedtime for you, too."
He sees her hesitate for a moment. He knows she is used to making sure everything is fine and settled before going to bed. "It's fine, I'll lock up."
"Okay," she replies but makes no attempt to move from where she's standing.
"Go on or do you want me to carry you there?" He teases her.
She just shakes her and smiles at him, "Good night, Harvey."
"Good night, Donna."
He watches her walk down the hall and thinks he can really get used to it now, looking after his family in their own home. Seeing her get in their room, he goes to lock the door and turn off the lights in the living room. He takes one last stop in the kitchen and gets himself a glass of water. He grabs his phone, dialing a number and waiting for the other person to pick up, "Jessica, I need a favor."