A/N: I have been getting so much kind feedback on this fic and I just want to say thank you again to everyone who has read and keeps reading! I know I said it before but writing and putting these emotions on paper has been such a nice exercise for me and has been so much fun. I am so appreciative of everyone – special should out to those who helped me with some fun ideas for this chapter.
…
*click*
Harvey's head snapped to his left as Donna quickly tried to hide her phone.
"Donna," Harvey groaned, "You are not sending that to anyone."
Donna laughed, as she took in the sight next to her. New York's best closer in a fluffy spa robe, his feet soaking in a little tub of bubbling water.
"I'm serious, Donna, Louis has been trying to get me to go mudding with him for 10 years, if he sees this," he motioned to the charcoal facemask covering his cheeks and forehead, "I'll never live it down."
…
Another day of relaxation, a few museums, and more poutine than either of them would like to admit, Donna and Harvey boarded their flight back to New York. Donna felt lighter; not physically of course, but like she was ready to return to the city and make the final preparations for the baby. Having chosen a name took a huge weight off, and taking a few days to focus on their relationship just the two of them, made her even more excited to return to the life they were building together.
After everything that Harvey had put together to celebrate her, she couldn't wait to do the same for him.
…
Despite being 7 months pregnant and entirely exhausted, Donna could hardly sleep the night before Father's Day. She had big plans for her little family, and couldn't wait to see the look on Harvey's face when it all came together.
Slipping out of bed, she hopped in the shower to get herself ready during the time she had before Rosie would wake up.
After finishing her hair and makeup, Donna snuck into Rosie's room where she had been hiding away their outfits for the day.
She finished placing the order for breakfast just as Rosie started to babble in her crib.
"Good morning sweet girl," Donna whispered, scooping Rosie up in a big hug. "We have a big day we have to get ready for." She placed Rosie down to change her and get her dressed. "Daddy thinks that we're just going out to brunch and hanging out because he thinks mommy is sooo tired from chasing you around all day, but there was no way we weren't going to give him the day he deserves, were we?" She sat Rosie up, placing a little bow in her hair bringing the outfit together.
…
An hour later, breakfast bagels delivered and displayed, and Rosie happily entertaining herself, Donna heard Harvey padding down the hall.
"Donna, why didn't you wake me up? We're going to be late for –" Harvey stopped dead in his tracks as he entered the kitchen.
In front of him was a scene he could have only dreamed up, despite it being almost an exact replay of just a few months prior.
Donna, walking towards him with their little girl on her hip and a cup of coffee in her hand, exactly like she had done the first morning she showed up at his door after Rosie had arrived.
Only this time, he wasn't watching his best friend with a little girl he had just met. He was watching his fiancée, the mother of his children, carrying one of their daughters in her arms and another safely inside her.
The same wave of warmth that he felt that first day rushed over him.
But it wasn't just the sight of his girls that was making it hard for him to breathe.
Donna, in addition to the smirk she wore on her face, was dressed in short denim shorts, and a tight navy top, perfectly hugging her bump. Those two things alone were enough to drive him crazy, but today they were paired with something he wasn't expecting – a perfectly tailored, pin-striped Yankees jersey, and a stiff baseball cap atop her flowing red hair.
Harvey swallowed hard, still unable to make sense of what was going on.
His eyes shifted to his daughter, and he felt the lump in his throat resurface.
Rosie was dressed in a tiny jersey of her own, over a little navy dress, kicking around a fresh pair of white baby sneakers.
There was nothing more that Harvey loved than being a dad, but the sight of his baby girl in his favorite team's jersey hit him in a way he never anticipated.
With tears in his eyes, he hesitantly took the mug from Donna's hand.
Rosie stretched her arms towards him and he welcomed her into his free arm, as she snuggled closely into his chest.
"Donna… what…" he trailed off.
The smirk on her face grew as she watched Harvey at a loss for words.
"We thought that Father's Day would be better spent at Yankee Stadium than at some stuffy restaurant," she pulled 3 tickets out of her back pocket. "Plus, this girl deserves to see a few games with her daddy before her sister gets here," she tickled Rosie, who let out a happy squeal.
"Bay-ball!" Rosie yelled, lifting her tiny arm in the air.
The waves of emotion that were hitting Harvey were unlike anything he had ever felt. Baseball was a huge part of his childhood; going into the city with his dad to see games in a huge stadium, fans yelling all around him. The joys and heartbreak of seeing your team win and lose. Baseball was a constant for him. No matter what was happening in his life, he knew that for at lease 6 months of the year, he had baseball.
He never anticipated having children of his own to share those joys with, and if he was being honest, the thought of having that connection with Rosie wasn't something that ever crossed his mind. Once he settled in to life with a little girl, he envisioned ballet, dance recitals, plays and theatre, most of which she would have more of a connection with Donna over him.
But seeing his girls dressed head to toe in his favorite team's gear washed all of that away.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" He questioned softly.
A smile beamed across Donna's face. "Ray is picking us up in an hour."
Harvey's brows furrowed. "Donna, you didn't ask him to drive us around today –"
Donna smiled, cutting him off. "He insisted; said it was easier with the car seat. But don't worry, after he drops us off, he is going straight home to pick up his boys, who just happen to have three seats in the section next to us." She gave him a look.
Harvey shook his head and let out a laugh. He was constantly in awe of her; how she took care of their family, took care of everyone.
Taking a sip of his coffee, Harvey placed his mug down, and pulled Donna in, her bump resting gently between them.
"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly, "I know you've been so worn out and –"
"Stop," she interjected, leaning up to place a soft kiss on his lips. "It's your first Father's Day, Harvey. First of many," she smiled. "I told you that when this one made her appearance," she rubbed her thumb gently over Rosie's cheek, "that it was the best thing that would ever happen to you. Seeing you with her that first day…" she trailed off. "You were made for this, Harvey. You may have not always had the easiest time expressing your feelings with others, but it comes so naturally with her. With us."
Harvey pulled Donna in closer as he tried to hold back his tears.
"You know I still have no idea what I'm doing most of the time," he sniffled into her hair.
"Like last week when you used the rubber band from our asparagus to put her hair in a ponytail instead of one of the thousand bows we have?"
Harvey smiled against her head, "Something like that."
Donna pulled away as Harvey held Rosie closer, his thoughts seemingly drifting elsewhere.
"Hey," Donna started softly, sensing his brain churning. "You had one hell of a role model," she said softly.
Harvey nodded, tears pooling in his eyes once again.
"I wish he could have met his granddaughters," a smile crept onto his face. "He would have given me so much shit for how soft the three of you have made me," he joked, but the sadness in his eyes lingered.
Donna stepped back towards him, "We'll make sure they know how special their Grandpa Gordon was, and how much he loved you," Donna squeezed his hand. "Starting with this."
Donna retrieved a small box wrapped in navy paper and placed it on the counter in front of Harvey. She took Rosie from his arms and placed her back with her toys, making eyes at Harvey to open what was in front of him.
Brows furrowed, he slowly, he tore open the wrapping and inhaled as he lifted the lid to the box.
Harvey was silent as he unfolded the jersey, taking a minute to register what he was holding.
When he did, he didn't even try to hold back his tears.
Despite Gordon traveling so much when Harvey was a child, there was one summer where he wasn't on tour, and was able to coach Harvey's little league team – the Riverside Yankees. It was Harvey's best season; being voted MVP, and pitching a no-hitter to win the State Championship.
But after that season, Gordon went back on the road; regularly unable to make it home for Harvey's games. He misdirected his anger about his father's absence onto his mother, who quietly accepted blame.
But that season playing with his dad, that was the best summer he had ever had.
So when he pulled out his dad's uniform, the same Yankee pinstripes, with SPECTER stitched across the back, he was transported back to one of the happiest times of his childhood.
"I hoped that since you couldn't be with him today, that a part of him could be with us." Donna said gently.
Harvey swallowed hard. "Donna, how did you… Where did you…" he trailed off, still in disbelief.
"Your mom found it," she started, a hint of caution in her voice.
When Harvey didn't react, she continued. "She was in the garage sorting through some of your old toys to pull out for the girls, and she found it tucked away with your old equipment and uniforms."
Harvey nodded as he tried to process. "I can't believe she kept any of that stuff."
Donna smiled, "Harvey, she's your mom. I can say with absolute certainty we'll have a whole attic full of Rosie and Crew's old toys, outfits, school art projects, because someone will be too sentimental to get rid of them," she gave him a look.
Her tease got a small smile from Harvey as he wiped away his remaining tears.
Placing the jersey on the counter, he pulled Donna into his arms, burying his head in her loose curls.
"Thank you," was all he could manage to get out.
Donna pulled back from his embrace and leaned up into a long kiss.
When their lips parted, she squeezed his arm, and without missing a beat, poked him on the chest and said sternly, "Now have a bagel and go get cleaned up; as Tom Hanks once put it 'there's no crying in baseball' ."
