Two days after their 'thank-you dinner,' Harvey and Donna haven't reached out to each other. No text, no call, no 'it was a great evening' nothing. For both, it signals the other's disinterest after that disastrous evening. Little do they know, they actually found each other quite impressive.
Mike tries to gather more information, but Harvey remains his usual guarded self. Meanwhile, Donna confides in Rachel about what she considers her foolish behavior.
"She found he was great, but he clearly doesn't feel the same. Maybe his expectations were too high," Rachel tells Mike.
"I didn't get that impression when I asked him," Mike responds.
"I thought he didn't say anything," Rachel counters.
"He didn't," Mike confirms, "but if he didn't like her, he would've said something like: she's annoying, she's beautiful but shallow, she talks too much, and so on. But his comment about Donna was, 'she's nice.'"
"That doesn't sound promising, Mike."
He chuckles. "No, but it wasn't the usual tone when he said 'nice.' Right after that, he smiled. He probably thought I didn't see it, but I did. I guess he knows I know his descriptions about his other dates and wanted to convince me"
"yeah, maybe" Rachel says, still unconvinced.
"I'll tell him she liked him," Mike decides.
"Don't you dare! She'll kill me," Rachel warns.
… … …
"Don't!" Harvey warns as Mike enters his office.
"Don't what?" the younger lawyer asks, confused.
"Don't start with her again."
"How do you—?"
"You think you're the only one who can read people? Well, I can do it better," Harvey asserts.
"Why didn't you text her?"
"How do you know I haven't?"
"I didn't. You just told me."
"It was a question, Mike, not a statement."
"God, seriously? Do you want to keep this up?"
"Mike, it's not work-related and I'd really appreciate it if you left. Unlike you, I have things to do," Harvey says, refocusing on the file in front of him.
"She liked you and was hoping for your call," Mike informs him.
Harvey looks up and meets Mike's gaze. "Don't overrate it, Mike."
"She told Rachel... She'll kill me. Probably both of them when they find out I told you. But I thought you should know," Mike says, heading to the door.
"Mike," Harvey calls out, causing Mike to turn back.
"Thank you," Harvey says, smiling gratefully.
Before Mike leaves his office, Harvey picks up his phone to text her. Fortunately, she had left her number along with her address the other day.
He writes and deletes the message multiple times, unsure how to start.
H: Hey, it's Harvey. I really enjoyed our dinner the other day. Thank you for the lovely evening. He reads aloud, hovering his finger over the screen to click send. "That's stupid," he mutters, about to delete it again when he accidentally hits send.
"No!" he exclaims, a little too loudly, quickly reassuring himself that no one heard.
Donna, sitting on the sofa lost in thought, hears a short ring from her phone and swiftly grabs it.
"Unknown number," she wonders, her face lighting up as she reads his name. Ten minutes later, after debating what to say and still unsure about it, she encourages herself and clicks send.
D: Hey Harvey, nice to hear from you. I enjoyed the evening too, a lot. Donna. she sends, immediately regretting it.
"A lot? Damn it, am I stupid? I thought I deleted it again," she mutters to herself, slapping her forehead.
A minute later, he replies.
H: Then what do you think? Shall we repeat it?
D: Sounds great. What about Wednesday at 7 PM?
H: Wednesday is perfect. This time, the choice is yours. Where would you like to go?
D: I liked Del Porto very much.
H: Good, then I'll take care of it.
He leans back in his chair, a huge smile spreading across his face. Mike enters his office again.
"Oh my God, that's creepy," Mike comments. Harvey looks at him in shock, his smile momentarily fading as he hadn't heard him come in.
"What?" Harvey asks.
"You are smiling too brightly. Who are you and what did you do to Harvey?"
"Get out," Harvey says firmly, trying to hold back his smile.
"You texted her" Mike says unbelieving "when's your next da- sorry 'thank-you-dinner'?" he teases "although, there's no thank-you necessary anymore"
"Why the hell are you back in here? You left five minutes ago?" he asks playfully annoyed.
"Okay, okay," Mike raises his arms in mock surrender. "I'm leaving. I just wanted to give you these," he throws a few files on his desk. "Jessica asked me to tell you to look over them." He then turns to leave. Harvey hesitates for a second but then speaks up.
"Oh, and Mike," he adds, grabbing a stack of files, "these need to be done by tomorrow," he says gleefully.
"What? That's impossible! I had plans for tonight," Mike protests.
"Well, they'll have to wait," Harvey replies, still smiling. "Louis is waiting for them."
"Louis!?" Mike exclaims aloud. "He's a monster. He notices every single mistake, even if there's just an extra space or a wrong comma."
"Then take good care," Harvey tells him, sitting back down. "Now you finally have something to do and will know what it's like"
"This is my punishment, isn't it?"
"Yup," Harvey admits, still smiling.
"For what? For this or for the hero-comment in front of Donna the other day?"
"You can choose."
"Yeah, here you are again," Mike says, getting a glare from Harvey.
"What about the fact that I told you she liked you, don't I deserve a gift?" earning a 'get the hell out now' look from Harvey.
"I'm leaving" he states leaving with a resigned sigh. "You're in love anyway," he adds, raising the files as he exits, assuming he's already being punished.
Harvey shakes his head and chuckles "maybe I really am"
Wednesday after the date
Harvey and Donna are in front of Donna's place after their perfect date. Both are more relaxed and careful with their words this time.
"I really enjoyed this evening," she tells him, a soft smile on her face as she looks him in the eye.
"Yeah, me too. I'm glad we had that second… uh…"
"Date," Donna finishes with a smile.
"Yeah, date," he chuckles.
"I insisted to Mike when we first met that it was a…
'thank-you dinner,'" they say at the same time, then burst out laughing.
"This time there was no way out."
"I didn't think I would hear from you again after my dumb behavior," Donna states.
"Your dumb behavior? Were we on the same date?" he asks laughing.
"I acted like a complete idiot the whole evening."
She chuckles. "I thought that about me and was sure you'd never want to see me again."
"You were wrong," he tells her softly.
"Yeah, you too." A silence appears for a few moments, Donna making sure her keys stay in her bag this time in hopes he attempts to kiss her again.
He then slowly leans in, both closing their eyes as their lips touch. As they part, they keep looking at each other, wordless about the overwhelming feeling. A feeling they never had before, with anyone.
But reality returns the second Harvey asks her about her Saturday plans.
"Uh- I… I really like you, Harvey, and I really do enjoy spending time with you-"
"But you're not interested in more," he says sadly.
She shakes her head. "It's not that," she assures quickly. "It's just, I'll go back to Seattle in a few weeks and- I am scared we could get hurt when I have to leave"
Harvey nods understandingly. "Yeah, probably you're right," he smiles sadly. "See you at Mike and Rachel's on Friday," he says as he walks towards his car. Looking forward to their friends birthday party, as their daughter turns 6.
But then he turns back to her. "Let's meet and see what happens. I mean, you're here now and maybe we don't match anyway," he suggests, knowing full well that there's no chance he'll change his mind, and so does she but agrees anyway.
"Yeah, okay," she smiles.
10 days later
"Would you stop it now?" she giggles, playfully nudging him with her feet as he keeps touching her leg under the dining table. They sit with Mike and Rachel in their apartment, who watch the two with amused expressions.
"I can't help it," he murmurs in her ear, "You look absolutely stunning in that dress. Even more than usual."
"Get a room!" Lucy blurts out, causing Rachel to choke on her drink.
"Lucy, what?" Rachel asks, coughing, as the four friends turn to her in surprise.
"Yeah, it's what Uncle Harvey says when you two act like that," Mike laughs, high-fiving his daughter. The group bursts into laughter.
"Did you hear her?" Mike asks grinning.
"You just want to get rid of us so you can have some alone time with your wife," Harvey teases, earning a slap from Donna. Rachel slaps Mike too as he responds, "You're goddamn right."
"You two are such idiots," Rachel mutters, shaking her head.
"Uncle Harvey, when are you picking me up tomorrow?" Lucy asks, changing the subject.
"Why would I pick you up?" Harvey replies, puzzled.
"We're going to the zoo. Did you forget?" she asks softly.
'Fuck!' he thinks, realizing he completely forgot. This had never happened before.
"I-uh, I'm so sorry, cupcake. I really did forget. How about we go next week?" he asks, his tone tender.
"But you promised," she says sadly.
"I know, honey." He kneels in front of her. "Donna and I already bought tickets for something else, and we can't return them." He looks into her teary eyes. "Look, next week we'll go to the zoo no matter what, I promise. And to make it up to you, you can have as much ice cream as you want, even for breakfast." He smiles reassuringly.
"They'd never allow that" she says looking at her parents "you're lying. You also didn't want to play baseball last week with me because of her" she sniffs.
"First, I'd never lie to your face. And second, it's our day, just you and me. We'll decide what we do and what we eat, and if it is ice cream for breakfast, then we'll have ice cream for breakfast" he promises.
"Really?" she asks, hope returning to her eyes.
"Yeah, really," he confirms, pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry, cupcake. I love you."
"I love you too, Uncle Harvey."
When Donna and Harvey return to his condo, they keep teasing each other, just like the whole drive"
"I think Ray thought we'd be teenager in love for the first time" Donna laughs
"Yeah, I guess so. He asked me yesterday if you have already moved with me. I told him we already married in L.A. last weekend, he still thinks it" he laughs, throwing his jacket on the floor turning to kiss her, again.
"You're impossible," she tells him between kisses, a huge smile on her face.
"Why? Because I want everyone to know I have the most wonderful woman by my side?"
"That grandma thought we'd been married for years," she laughs.
"Yeah, we get each other better than most couples," he agrees "and everybody can see that" he says more serious tone.
"Yeah, that's true," Donna confirms as they share a meaningful look, feeling the bond between them. They lean in for a kiss as Harvey slowly starts to unzip her dress, and they move toward the bedroom, shedding clothes along the way.
As he falls backward onto the bed with her on top, he pauses. "Are you sure you want this?"
She had told him to take it easy, to wait and look how this works and he doesn't want to push her with anything.
"Never been surer in my life," she assures him, continuing to kiss him as they remove the rest of their clothes…
Two Weeks Later
Donna has decided to extend her stay in New York for a few more weeks. She's not ready to go back to Seattle and face reality there, and she wants to see where it leads with Harvey. She's enjoying every single second with him. She feels so safe and at home with him that it scares her sometimes. They haven't known each other for that long.
But that huge secret is nagging at her. She has to tell him. She doesn't know how. She tried it multiple times but wasn't able to, and now she has missed the right time. They promised each other to be honest from the beginning because they knew they might not have that much time together. And she lied.
"Harvey, we need to talk," she enters the living room one afternoon.
"Yeah, sure, what is it, Donna?"
"I- I don't know how to say it, I- the reason why I am here," but in that second, his phone rings. He looks at her, ignoring it.
"Pick up," she tells him, forcing a smile.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, it can wait."
"Okay," he agrees, places a kiss on her cheek, and leaves.
"Coward!" she scolds herself madly.
The next day she prepares herself for a new attempt to tell him.
"Hey are you alright? You don't look that good?" he tells her worried "are you still feeling sick?"
"No, I'm good thank you" she assures her. "I just ate something wrong I guess"
"Again?"
"Yeah, I guess my stomach isn't a big fan of crossaints like I am" she smiles "I thought it was the filling but maybe it's the whole thing"
"then stop eating them" he suggests lovely, his eyebrows raised.
"But they're so tasty" she protests.
"I have to go now, you lie down and rest, okay?"
"Yeah I-" she presses her hands on her mouth and rushes towards the bathroom. She makes it just in time to the toilette emptying her stomach.
"Donna?" he calls for her concerned as he brings her a glass of water.
"Thank you" she smiles, gulping the water down.
"Go and rest" he kisses her forehead; I'll bring you something during the noon.
"You don't have to."
"I want to"
Later she texts him, she's feeling much better and he didn't have to come over. She's leaving and will pass by in his office at some point.
Four days later
Harvey has been really wrapped up in work those days and they have had barely time for each other.
"Harvey, do you-?" she aspeaks up just as his phone rings.
"I'm sorry, I'll make up I promise" he picks up and leaves.
"Damn it, Donna, stop finding always an excuse not to tell him," She curses madly at herself. She never insists to it. Always half relief she didn't have to tell him. Always scared to destroy everything.
Yesterday evening was the perfect possibility. They were at home as Harvey took a few moments for them. He even asked her, what she wanted to talk to him about but then she was just a coward again.
As he finishes the phone call, he hurries to leave.
"Is everything alright?"
"No, there's this damn lawyer. First, he defended a monster who made so many kids sick, then he accused me of forging memos and I almost lost my license, and now he's back with whatever bullshit!" he snaps.
"I'm pretty sure you'll beat him," she puts her hand on his chest, looking at him.
He takes a deep breath, calming down. "How do you do that?" he asks, smiling. "Just a look at your face and I forget everything… I love you"
"I- uh…" Donna stutters
I've never seen you speechless," he chuckles.
"I think you were tipsy at our first date," they laugh.
"I love you," he blurts out and leans in for a kiss as he realizes what he just said. He pulls back and looks in shock at her, and so does she.
"I- uh, I'm s-sorry," he stutters. "I, uh, didn't mean to say that," he looks at her, waiting for her reaction. Not that he didn't mean it, he did, but it's just too early to say it out loud.
"It's okay, let's just… uh… forget it," she smiles. "You should hurry," she tells him, as neither of them knows what to say.
"Y- yeah," he agrees and leaves quickly.
"I love you, too," she says, looking at the door after he closes it behind him.
"Harvey, what's going on, why are you so mad?"
Tanner!, he just pisses me off!
"Yeah, I know, me too." Mike takes the seat in front of him, placing his coffee cup on the desk.
"And what's really going on?" Harvey doesn't answer. "Donna? Did you have an argument?"
"No, worse."
"She'll go back," Mike states, and Harvey looks shocked at him.
"Did she say that?"
"What? No, uh—just your behavior," Mike explains while Harvey looks down, playing with his fingers.
"Yeah, okay," Mike accepts his friend not being willing to share. "I'll go prepare everything for that asshole," Mike tells his friend.
Mike takes a sip of his coffee as Harvey speaks up. "I told her I loved her," he shoots out, and Mike chokes on his coffee.
"You what?" his voice is shocked by surprise.
"I know it was stupid," he snaps angrily. "It's just… after your call—I got so upset and then, I don't know, I calmed down because of her, and then… it just slipped out of my mouth." He leans back in his chair, hiding his face with his palms.
"oh my god, that's soon" Mike chuckles but it fades within a second as he sees Harvey's expression "I'm sorry I- what did she say?" Mike sits back on the chair.
"We should forget it, and then I left." A few moments of silence pass between them. "I ruined everything," he says quietly. "She for sure wants to go back ASAP now."
"No, Harvey, she likes you, too. That's pretty obvious"
"We agreed to take it easy and to wait to see where this whole thing leads, and I have nothing better to do than tell her I love her."
"Do you?"
"Do I what?"
"Love her?" Mike asks hesitantly, but there is no answer; his quietness is answer enough.
"Then it's better you told her."
"How is this any better, Mike?" he snaps.
"She knows, because even though you try to ignore it, you said it. And it's better she knows. You should talk about it. If she doesn't feel the same, it's better to end it now before you get hurt." Harvey's muscles soften at his friend's words.
"I won't be hurt. I knew from the beginning that it was futureless. I just decided to ignore it," he tells him gently, trying to reassure Mike.
"I mean we've known each other for what three weeks yet? I don't know why I said that I really don't know"
"Talk to her, Harvey," Mike tells him and leaves "maybe she doesn't find it as worse as you think" he smiles reassuringly.
'It's the first time in my life I told a woman I love her. And I ruined everything with it. Why the hell did I say that? Do I really love her?'
Donna on the other side is pretty mad at herself, for not telling him the truth sooner, for not being honest with him. He's so sweet with her, with everything he does. Maybe if she'd had been honest, he would've been okay with it and she could've said it back today. Sh wish she just could say it back. She's hurting him and he's feeling bad, because she's a coward.
"Hey," he greets her as she opens the door.
"Hey," she smiles at him and steps aside to let him in.
For a few moments, an awkward silence hangs between them, and then they both start speaking at once.
"I'm so—"
"I have to—"
They smile. "Let me go first," Harvey requests.
"No, please, I need to," and he nods in agreement.
"When you said this today, I—"
"I'm sorry, I know it was too soon, I didn't mean—" he interrupts.
"No, stop," she cuts him off too. "No need to apologize. I- um, yeah, it is too soon to say that... for most couples. And I can't say them now either. You need to know somehting first. It's just... I didn't want you to think I wouldn't care about you and what you said. I care about you deeply, and I really, really like you. I've never felt this way before with someone. But I need to tell you something first, before I say those words. I want them to be honest and without lies between us; otherwise, it would feel like a betrayal." Harvey looks at her "what do you mean by lies?" he asks unsure, his voice quiet.
"I uh- the reason why I needed the break, why I am here—"
She is interrupted by the sound of keys in the door as her brother opens it and enters the living room.
"Goddamn it," she mutters quietly.
"oh, uh—Hey." He greets them.
"Donna, we need to talk," he says urgently.
"Ian, not now. Give us a moment, please."
"Donna, it can't wait. It's really important."
"This here, too" she shoots back.
"It's okay, I'll leave," Harvey says "We'll talk tomorrow."
"I'm so sorry."
"No need." He smiles and kisses her.
"What is that urgent?" she asks.
"He's here," he tells her.
"What?!"
"Yeah, where the hell is your phone? I called you a hundred times. He wanted to come over with me. I barely convinced him not to because I didn't know if Harvey would be here."
"He didn't say a word he was coming."
"Because you don't pick up when he calls."
"I have a good reason for that." Goddamn it!"
"Donna, you need to tell Harvey before he finds out another way."
"I was just about to do it!" she snaps.
"I'm sorry," she apologizes. "It's just... every time I want to tell him lately either I lose my nerve, or something gets in the way. And if he has something to do with Harvey's firm, or worse directly with Harvey, then it'll get a thousand times worse.
/ / /
So that's it. I hope you enjoyed. What do you think is Donna hiding?
Let me know how you liked this chapter, love to read your thoughts.
I know a more erotic scene would've fit pretty well in the storyline but I just can't manage to write those… I already struggle with fluff hahah. But, if someone feels like writing it, let me know and I can include it in one of the other chapters as a flashback.
Have a nice time