In the comfort of 'us,' the world outside loses its chaos, and everything feels right
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Chapter 1
The lights of the city twinkle around her as Donna stands outside Harvey's apartment building, her heart pounding with a mixture of relief and apprehension. She has been on edge for weeks, constantly looking over her shoulder, until Harvey offered her a safe haven.
Donna enters the lobby and makes her way up to Harvey's floor. She knocks on the door, her nerves going through the roof.
The door swings open, Harvey's expression is serious but his eyes are soft.
"Come in." He reaches for the garment bag draped over her arm.
Donna wheels her suitcase inside, following Harvey to the living room, her eyes scanning the surroundings.
"Thank you for letting me stay, Harvey. I just couldn't handle being alone anymore."
"You don't need to thank me, Donna. You already thanked me."
The additional words "enough earlier today" are stuck in his throat. With the garment bag swinging over his shoulder, Harvey closes his eyes briefly as the exact phrase he used sinks in.
Donna halts momentarily as Harvey pronounces the sentence. He said these exact same words four months ago and life derailed after that.
"There is not enough space in the guest bedroom for a full-size closet so your dresses best go into mine." Harvey recovers, heading into his bedroom.
Donna traipses after him, through the sliding doors that separate his bedroom from the living room. Her eyes dart around the room. She hasn't been in here since she helped his interior designer decorate the place. Not all that much has changed. Harvey isn't a man of knicknacks.
Harvey is already unzipping the garment bag when Donna steps into his walk-in closet. Carefully he hangs her designer dresses on the rail in a free corner of his wardrobe.
Based on how crammed the rail with his suit jackets looks, he thought ahead and made space for her upfront. It is on her lips to thank him again but she swallows the words just in time. Opting for a, "Sorry for the inconvenience," instead.
Harvey gives a subtle shake of the head. "You're not. I invited you."
Donna nods at his words, stealing a glance around the room. His ties neatly rolled up on display in a tie organizer. His brogue and cap-toe shoes elegantly lined up, shining away. His perfectly ironed, monogrammed shirts grouped together, the H.S. clearly visible.
"The building has a dry cleaning service, should you want to use it."
Harvey strolls out of his closet, towards the guest bedroom this time. Again Donna quickly follows suit.
"I hope we can get this issue resolved quickly and I won't be needing it actually."
She can't see his face walking behind him but she does notice the ever-so-slight delay in his response.
"That would be the best outcome we can hope for."
Harvey pushes the door open while standing to the side so Donna can enter.
She peeks inside. Sitting prominently on the chest of drawers is a small cactus. A familiar cactus.
"It's still alive," she says, raising her eyebrows, sliding past him into the room.
"Did you think I would let it die?" He cocks his head to the side.
"No," she strokes the soft surface of the bed. No expenses spared on good bed linen. Nothing beats her own bed but this should be nice to snuggle into too. "But I thought you might give it away." She steals a glance over her shoulder.
"Well, I'm more sentimental than you think." His gaze bores into her and she has to avert her eyes.
They stand there in silence for a good twenty seconds before Harvey clears his throat and gestures around the room. "I'm sorry it is not the coziest place. I normally use it mainly for storage. Hence the boxes in the corner."
Donna shrugs, trying to mask her unease. "It has a bed and a drawer. What more do I need?" She hoists her suitcase onto the bed with a heavy sigh. "Oh wait, peace of mind maybe?" Her attempt at casual banter falls flat, her voice tinged with apprehension.
"You're safe here. Between the 24/7 concierge desk and the cameras everywhere, no one comes in unseen."
"I feel like I'm being watched all the time," Donna glances around nervously.
"Did you bring everything?" Harvey asks, attempting to redirect her thoughts.
Donna nods, reaching into her suitcase to extract a thick folder.
"Why don't you unpack?" Harvey suggests, taking the folder from her. "And I'll dig into this. Once we figure out who it is, we can file a restraining order."
Donna nods, grateful for Harvey's proactive approach. She begins to unpack her belongings, her hands trembling slightly as she tries to settle into this temporary sanctuary.
Meanwhile, Harvey flips open the folder and starts reviewing the contents, his brow furrowing as he absorbs the details of Donna's ordeal.
As minutes pass, the tension in the room eases slightly. Harvey's determination to protect Donna mingled with her relief at having someone on her side. The faint hum of the city outside seems to fade, replaced by the shared resolve to confront the shadowy figure haunting Donna's life.
…
It began with a bouquet of vibrant red roses left on her doorstep. It was accompanied by a card that just said, "Thinking of you".
Donna had dismissed it as a harmless gesture from a well-meaning admirer, appreciating the beauty of the flowers despite the absence of a sender's name.
Days passed and an anonymous gift showed up at work. A 1901 edition of the Songs from the Plays of Shakespeare. An attractively illustrated edition of Shakespeare's songs, produced for the Guild of Women Binders.
She marched herself straight into Louis' office but he vehemently denied it, getting into a hissy fit how it was a ploy by Harvey to win her back.
A few days later a small package in her mailbox revealed to be a necklace with a monogrammed locket. While the first two gifts left her flattered, by now her appreciation turned to unease.
Not much time had passed, when an envelope stuck between Louis' mail unveiled two front-row tickets to A Midsummer Night's Dream by the New York City Ballet. She gave the tickets to Rachel and pushed the envelope through the shredder because the sight of the methodical lines forming her name on it left her in a constant state of distress.
The real height of her tension was exposed when Harvey approached her in the file room not long after.
"I don't work for you anymore, I work for Louis."
"I know that but Louis screwed me over royally and we both know you knew what he did. I need to know if he has another dirty trick up his sleeve."
"Then tell me this. Are you trying to instill fear into me in hopes of me coming back to your desk?"
"Why are you asking me that?"
"Because someone is trying to rattle me with anonymous messages and I need to know it isn't you."
"Donna, if you don't know me well enough to know I would never do anything to make you feel unsafe, nothing I tell you is gonna matter."
…
It was a rainy evening when Donna returned home from work, her mind preoccupied with the looming deadline for a high-profile case. As she entered her hallway, she noticed an envelope placed conspicuously between the brass numbers on her front door. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized the familiar handwriting -- taut, deliberate strokes that spelled out her name.
Trembling slightly, Donna opened the envelope, revealing a single sheet of paper filled with ominous words. The message was succinct yet chilling. "Watch your back," followed by a crude drawing of an eye peering through a keyhole. There was no signature, no indication of who had penned the unsettling note.
Donna's breath caught in her throat as a wave of fear washed over her. The innocuous phrase held a sinister undertone, leaving her paralyzed with uncertainty. Was someone watching her every move? How did they know where she lived?
As the weeks stretched on, the unsettling notes continued to arrive -- scattered fragments of cryptic warnings and veiled threats. Each one a chilling whisper of imminent danger. One note was left on the public notice board of the lobby of her building, blending in with other announcements and flyers, containing the haunting phrase, "The shadows are watching," accompanied by a sketch of a figure lurking in shadows. Another taped to the front door of her yoga class building, fluttering in the breeze as she approached, contained an eerie phrase, "I'm always watching."
Every message was carefully crafted to unsettle Donna, playing on her deepest fears and insecurities. The words gnawed at her psyche, eroding her sense of safety and leaving her constantly on edge. Sleepless nights became the norm as Donna grappled with the relentless onslaught of threats.
With each message growing more explicit and menacing, Donna's sense of isolation deepened. She didn't confide in her close circle of family and friends. She feared to cause unnecessary alarm and induce more upheaval after recently going to work for Louis. But the fear of her stalker's omnipresence lingered like a dark cloud over her life. Every unfamiliar face in the crowd, every anonymous phone call, became a potential threat.
It was an early morning in the office when she found a helium balloon drifting next to her office chair. A package tied to its string. Inside was a framed photographâ"a candid snapshot of Donna at a recent social gathering. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized the photo had been taken without her knowledge. No note accompanied the gift, leaving her feeling exposed and vulnerable.
With wobbly legs, she sat down at her desk, the fluorescent lights above casting a harsh glow on her strained expression. Her fingers trembled as she clutched the framed photograph close to her chest.
"Donna, can we talk?" Harvey's familiar voice penetrated her racing thoughts.
Donna's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't anticipated Harvey seeking her out at work, especially not for something like this. "Uh, sure, Harvey," she replied, her voice tight with tension.
Harvey stepped closer to her desk, his usually confident demeanor subdued as he took in Donna's tense posture and the cluttered workspace. "What's going on? You seemed off when I saw you earlier, you saying someone wanted to rattle you," he said, his tone more probing than friendly.
Donna shifted uncomfortably in her chair, the photograph still in her hand. "It's nothing, just...a weird delivery," she muttered, avoiding eye contact.
Harvey's gaze sharpened. "Donna, don't give me that. What's really going on?" he pressed, his voice low but insistent.
Reluctantly, Donna held out the framed photograph for Harvey to see. His brow furrowed as he took it from her, his eyes narrowing as he studied the image.
"Is this you?" Harvey asked, his tone betraying a mix of concern and disbelief.
Donna nodded silently, unable to meet his gaze, her throat tight with unspoken fear. The weight of the situation felt heavier with Harvey's direct scrutiny. Yet she couldn't bring herself to explain it all, not after everything that had changed between them.
Harvey's expression softened slightly, but his voice remained firm. "Donna, someone sent this to you. We can't just ignore it," he said, his gaze searching hers.
Tears welled up in Donna's eyes as she finally spoke, her voice barely a whisper. "I don't want to admit it, Harvey. It's... too much," she confessed, her vulnerability showing through.
Harvey leaned closer, his voice lowering to a quiet intensity. "Donna, I want to help. You know I'm here for you," he said, his words carrying an undercurrent of unresolved tension.
Donna glanced up at him, her eyes searching his face for reassurance. She knew he was right, but she couldn't shake the lingering sense of distance between them.
Taking a deep breath, Donna nodded slowly. "Okay, let's figure this out," she said, her voice steadier now with Harvey's support, despite their complicated history.
Harvey nodded, a determined look in his eyes. "I'll discreetly look into this. We'll get to the bottom of it," he assured her, offering a small, reassuring smile.
Feeling a mix of gratitude and apprehension, Donna managed a small smile. With Harvey by her side, she knew she had someone she could trust to help unravel the mystery, even amidst their strained dynamic.
"Thank you, Harvey. I appreciate your help," Donna said gratefully, her voice stronger now despite the lingering tension between them.
Harvey nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Of course, Donna. We'll get through this," he replied, his tone sincere.
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation hanging heavily in the air. Finally, Harvey stood up, ready to take action. "I'll be in touch," he said, his tone decisive yet tinged with unresolved emotion.
Donna watched him go, feeling a complex mix of emotions swirling within her. With Harvey's support, she was certain they would uncover the truth behind the mysterious messages and at the same time, hoping to mend not only their professional relationship but also their personal understanding of each other.
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A/N: Gosh, I missed writing these two in a setting akin to Feels Like Home. I owe my deepest gratitude to my beta Stefanie, coming up with this scenario, to put Donna once more through the wringer so that I can write protective Harvey. Please let me know if you like the premise of this story by leaving a review. I also hereby promise to finish my Christmas fic, scouts honor. (And all other WIP's of these two)