A/N: Sooooooooo, I dusted off this story after 3 years. Are you still with me? This story is now written and will be finished this Halloween. Glad to tick that box finally!
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Chapter 3
It's an unusually quiet Friday night in the office. The date, of course, has been circled on Donna's calendar for weeks: Friday the 13th. Harvey, never one for superstition, has been rolling his eyes at every black cat meme and 'spooky' post-it note Donna has stuck to his desk all week.
He's staying late to finish up a case, his office dimly lit by the desk lamp and the soft glow from the city outside. Papers are scattered everywhere, and the silence is only broken by the occasional rustling of the wind. Donna's already home—at least, he assumes she is.
Suddenly, the lights flicker.
Harvey glances up from his work, frowning. "Really?" he mutters to himself, knowing the building's wiring isn't exactly top of the line. He stretches, glancing at the clock, it's just after 8 PM. Time to call it a day.
He grabs his jacket and heads for the door when, for the second time, the lights flicker. This time, they cut out completely, plunging the entire floor into darkness, save for the faint moonlight streaming through the windows. Harvey freezes, his senses sharpening.
He fishes for his phone, flipping on the flashlight as he steps into the hallway. "Donna?" he calls out instinctively, even though he knows she's home.
The only answer is the low hum of the emergency generator kicking on, dim emergency lights flicker to life.
"Great," Harvey grumbles, starting to walk toward the elevators. Just as he's about to press the call button, there's a creak. Not the usual building-settling kind of creak, but something… off.
He freezes.
The sound comes again, closer this time, like someone is walking toward him from the opposite end of the hall.
His grip on his phone tightens, the flashlight beam bouncing around. "Mike, if this is you, I swear to god…" His voice echoes in the empty hall.
No answer.
Another creak. Then a faint scraping sound. Harvey's heart races. He tells himself it's just the pipes or maybe some late-night maintenance crew, but every instinct tells him otherwise.
He takes a deep breath and steps forward, scanning the hallway with his flashlight. The emergency lights cast long shadows across the floor, and for a split second, he swears he sees movement out of the corner of his eye.
His phone vibrates in his hand, startling him. He glances down at the screen. It's a text from Donna.
You still at the office?
Harvey quickly types back, his fingers moving faster than usual. Yeah. Lights went out. You home?
A few seconds later, her response pings: Yeah, you should leave. Strange things happen on Friday the 13th…
He's about to roll his eyes when the scraping sound returns, much louder this time and unmistakably close.
Harvey's pulse pounds in his ears. He lifts the flashlight beam toward the source of the sound—only to catch a glimpse of something moving in the shadows.
His phone vibrates again. Another text from Donna.
I mean it, Harvey. You should go.
He frowns. Go where? he types back, glancing around as the hallway grows impossibly silent.
Before Donna can respond, there's a loud bang behind him. Harvey spins around, his heart pounding. The flashlight trembles in his hand as he shines it down the hallway. There, at the far end, is a figure—tall, dark, standing completely still.
Harvey's throat goes dry.
The figure takes a step forward.
With adrenaline surging through him, Harvey doesn't wait to find out what happens next. He bolts toward the stairs, heart racing, his footsteps echoing as he barrels down the stairwell. He doesn't stop until he bursts through the exit and into the cold night air.
Panting, he glances back at the building, expecting to see the figure looming behind him, but there's nothing.
His phone buzzes again. It's a photo from Donna. Her dressed in a vintage witch costume, smiling wide and surrounded by Halloween decorations. But next to her, standing in the shadows, is a figure in a creepy ghost costume, face obscured and arms outstretched, looking like something out of a horror movie.
Another text pops up: Don't forget, we're having a spooky movie night! Gotcha. See you at home.
Harvey stares at the screen, confusion morphing into disbelief. He glares at his phone, his heart still racing as realization dawns on him. This is a joke? he types, a mix of irritation and incredulity creeping into his words.
Just as he processes this, he hears laughter echoing from the entrance of the building. He turns to see Rachel and Mike sauntering toward him, both struggling to suppress their amusement.
"Gotcha, Harvey!" Rachel cackles, a ghostly white mask dangling in her hand and a black cloak billowing behind her. "Did you really think there was a ghost in the office?"
Harvey narrows his eyes, folding his arms across his chest, refusing to let the laughter deflate him. "You two are unbelievable. You think scaring me half to death is funny?"
Rachel grins wider, clearly relishing the moment. "Oh, it was worth it! Did you see your face? Classic horror movie material!"
Harvey takes a deep breath, trying to shake off the adrenaline. "I'm not scared of ghosts, Rachel. I'm scared of you and Mike pulling stupid pranks."
Mike steps forward, still chuckling. "Admit it, you thought it was real for a second there."
"Yeah, okay, maybe for a second," Harvey concedes, his bravado still intact. "But you know what? I was going to handle it. I'm a senior partner; I don't get scared by shadows."
Rachel rolls her eyes playfully. "Oh, please! You sprinted down the stairs like a kid running from a monster."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Harvey retorts, fighting back a grin. "Next time, I'll be ready for you. And don't think I won't get you back."
"Promises, promises," Mike says, waving him off as they all head toward the parking lot.
As they walk, Harvey glances back at the office building, shaking his head with an amused smirk. "I swear, if you guys pull any more pranks, I'll make sure you're both on the Halloween party planning committee."
"Oh no, not that!" Rachel gasps in mock horror. "Anything but the committee!"
Exactly! Just think of all the terrible decorations and themes Mike would come up with," Harvey mocks his friend. "Like a haunted mashed potato bar or something."
Mike grins. "You say that like it's a bad thing. Throw in some creepy toppings, and I'm all for it."
"Ugh, don't remind me of the time you tried to top mashed potatoes with crushed potato chips. That was a disaster!" Rachel shudders dramatically.
Harvey raises an eyebrow. "Double potatoes? Bold move."
Mike shrugs. "I thought it would be a textural masterpiece!"
Rachel grimaces. "I'd rather eat cold pizza from last year's party than go through that again."
Harvey chuckles, shaking his head. "Cold pizza? You have no idea what's on the menu at Casa Specter tonight. Donna might whip up something that'll make your potato disaster seem like haute cuisine."
"Yeah you are on your own buddy," Mike laughs as they reach the car. "We're not sticking around for whatever culinary horror show you've got waiting for you."
"Definitely not!" Rachel agrees, pretending to clutch her stomach. "My foodie taste buds can't handle Donna's cooking."
"Just make sure to text us Harvey if you survive dinner," Mike says, smirking as he opens the passenger door.
"I'll send a rescue team if necessary," Rachel adds with a wink.
Harvey leans against his car, arms crossed, and gives them a mock-serious look. "You two are the worst. But I'll survive. Just remember, if I don't make it through dinner, I expect you to come up with a great eulogy—preferably with a side of whatever Donna decides to burn."
"Deal! We'll make sure to mention how you bravely faced your last meal," Mike replies, grinning.
As Harvey opens the driver's door and slides in, he calls over his shoulder, "And if you dare to prank me again, I'll get you back twice as hard."
"Looking forward to it!" Rachel laughs as Mike starts the engine.
"Good luck, Harvey!" Mike shouts as they pull out of the parking space.
…
As Harvey walks through the front door, he holds up the creepy mask Rachel wore earlier, a bemused expression on his face. "Look what I brought back from the office," he says, tossing the mask onto the couch.
Donna, having just been in the kitchen, leans against the doorframe. "A mask? Really? I was hoping for something a little more terrifying." A mischievous smirk forms on her lips. "Like a ghost to scare you."
"Yeah yeah, tease all you want, when you see a shadow move that shouldn't be there, it tends to freak you out a bit," he replies, rolling his eyes but unable to hide a smile.
"At least you'll have a good story for the next office party. 'I saw a ghost in the office, and it looked like my shadow!'"
He looks at his wife, ribbing him unmercifully with a glint in her eyes and he still just wants to kiss her senseless. "Time to unwind," he sighs blissfully.
Donna raises an eyebrow, a touch of excitement in her voice. "You know what would help you unwind? A movie night. I was thinking we could watch some scary movies. It's Friday the 13th, after all."
"Movie night?" Harvey groans. "That's your definition of unwind? I was sorta hoping for a whole different kind you know," he winks at his wife.
"I made popcorn and everything," Donna says, gesturing toward the kitchen.
"Edible popcorn?"
"Hey! My popcorn is gourmet—once it gets past the smoke detector," Donna retorts, her eyes dancing with laughter.
"If I end up in the ER from your 'gourmet' popcorn, I'm suing."
"Just sign a waiver before you start eating, okay?" Donna shoots back, her tone playful.
"Last time you made popcorn, I ended up with half of it on me and the other half burned to a crisp," Harvey reminds her, crossing his arms. "I'm still finding kernels in our couch cushions."
She steps closer, a determined glint in her eye. "This time, I double-checked the microwave settings. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? You'll get to relax, enjoy some snacks, and maybe even let out a scream or two if the movie gets too scary."
Harvey laughs, feeling the tension from the office scare begin to lift. "Alright, I'll bite. But if you make me regret this decision, I'll make sure the next office party features a terrifying slideshow of all the times you set off our smoke detector."
As she settles on a movie, Harvey's heart warms at how easily she can shift his mood. They snuggle up under a blanket and he becomes increasingly engrossed in the story unfolding on the screen.
"Why would she go into the basement? That's just asking for trouble!" he exclaims, half-laughing, half-serious.
Donna smirks. "It's a horror movie, Harvey. They never make the smart choices."
"Exactly," he replies. "And I'd like to think that if I ever found myself in a horror film, I'd be the smart one—like, say, staying home instead of going to check on strange noises."
Donna raises an eyebrow. "Oh really? Is that why you bolted down the stairwell earlier?"
Just then, a loud noise comes from the kitchen—a crash that sends them both jumping.
"What is that?" Harvey exclaims, eyes wide.
"I don't know!" Donna chuckles, clearly enjoying his reaction. "Maybe it's the spirit of my Halloween cooking coming back to haunt us!"
"Let me check it out," Harvey says, unable to resist. He stands up and walks toward the kitchen, already preparing to assure her it is nothing. As he steps inside, he sees a mixing bowl that has tipped over on the counter. "Looks like your cooking is turning against you," he quips, bending down to set it back up.
"Hey! I'm a great cook!" Donna shoots back, laughter in her voice.
"Sure you are," he replies, smirking. "Just yesterday, I could've sworn I heard your Halloween casserole whispering for mercy."
"Very funny," she scowls, crossing her arms. "If I hadn't offered to make popcorn, you'd be eating my Halloween dinner instead."
"Right, because burnt popcorn is totally a step up from that," he teases, straightening up and grabbing the popcorn maker.
"I'll have you know my microwave popcorn is top-notch!" she protests, feigning indignation.
He raises an eyebrow, shaking his head. "How about I handle the popcorn? I wouldn't want to risk a kitchen disaster on top of everything else tonight."
"Fine, but only if you make it the way I like it," Donna pouts.
"Deal," he laughs, grabbing the ingredients.
Once the popcorn is made, Harvey walks back into the living room, bowl in hand, and plops down beside her.
"Alright, ready for round two?" he asks, a teasing grin on his face.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Donna replies, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"Just remember, if you scream, you owe me popcorn," he teases, holding the bowl close.
"Fine, but if you scream first, you owe me a foot rub," she counters.
"Alright," he laughs, shaking his head. "But if I scream, it's only because your movie choices are so terrifying."
"Terrifying? This is a classic!" she protests, rolling her eyes. "I thought you liked a little suspense in your life."
"Suspense, yes. This movie? I think it qualifies as psychological torture," he replies with a grin.
"Aw, come on! It's not that bad!" she nudges him, and he grabs a handful of popcorn, throwing it her way.
"Tell that to my heart rate," he quips, narrowly dodging a piece she tosses back at him.
"Alright, let's just agree that I have superior taste in movies and snacks," Donna says, fluffing the blanket around them.
"Superior taste? If you think popcorn mixed with gummy worms counts as superior, we have a problem," he laughs.
"Hey, that was one time! And it was a Halloween special!" she defends, her laughter mixing with his.
"Sure, let's blame Halloween for that one," he teases, reaching for more popcorn.
As the movie reaches a particularly tense scene, Harvey leans forward, eyes glued to the screen. Suddenly, the sound of thunder booms outside, rattling the windows.
"Whoa! That was loud," Harvey jumps, nearly spilling the popcorn everywhere.
Donna bursts into laughter, "Didn't expect a little thunder to scare you, huh?"
"Very funny! I just wasn't ready for that!" he shoots back, still trying to steady his heart.
As the tension builds in the movie, Donna suddenly shifts closer, whispering, "You know, if I had a dollar for every time you jumped at something…," but before she can finish, the power flickers and goes out.
"Not again" Harvey growles, fumbling for his phone. "Can't believe I didn't bring a flashlight!"
"Relax, it's just a power outage," she reassures him, though her voice carries a hint of mischief. "I bet I could scare you more without the lights!"
"Very funny, Donna," he replies, attempting to keep his cool, but his heart races.
Just then, as he tries to get the flashlight app working, a loud crash comes from outside, making him jump again.
"Okay, that's it! I'm done! I can't handle this!" he exclaims, tossing the popcorn everywhere in his panic.
Donna bursts out laughing, "See? I told you you'd scream first!"
"Not funny! Next year, I'm locking the doors and keeping my distance from you," he replies, a mock seriousness in his tone.
As the power flickers back on, Harvey shakes his head, assessing the mess he created. "You know what? I'm getting a pizza for our next movie night, just to be safe."
Donna grins, snuggling closer. "Only if you let me pick the toppings!"
"Okay, but no gummy worms," he says, rolling his eyes.
"Deal," she laughs.