Author's Note: Here it is, the last chapter of this little fic that grew into something bigger than I ever imagined when I had the initial idea on a plane back from a work trip! Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed, I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing.

I'll be back soon with more stories!

Harvey staggered backward into his apartment, ears still ringing and heart still racing from Donna's words. Coming into his kitchen, he rested his palms on the counter and leaned forward, his breath slow and labored. He closed his eyes and focused; focused on breathing in and breathing out and working to return both his breath and heartbeat to a regular cadence to ward off the beginnings of a panic attack that he could feel rumbling in his abdomen.

He wanted to chase after Donna, wanted to run to her and tell her that he wanted more, wanted everything with her. All this time, he'd thought that keeping his distance, swallowing his feelings, and letting her pursue a relationship with someone that wasn't him was what he needed to do to make her happy. He'd resigned himself to loving her from a distance because when it came down to it, he'd choose her happiness over his own any day. But as he watched her come undone in front of him, heard her tell him how unhappy and confused she was in her current relationship, he realized how wrong he'd been.

Downing two glasses of water in a row, his breathing and heart rate now returned to normal, Harvey realized that despite his burning desire to see Donna right then and continue the conversation they'd been having, he still wasn't sure what he wanted to say to her, what she wanted him to say.

He sat down on his couch, his mind still playing and replaying everything Donna had said to him, when suddenly he remembered his conversation with Scottie from a couple weeks before. It hit him that the current situation was exactly the opportunity she had told him he needed to take. Obviously, she was right - it was what Donna deserved. He knew that emotions were heightened right now, and despite how much he wanted to do it that night, and in person, he couldn't risk either of their feelings getting the best of them and pushing them farther in the wrong direction, so he did what he thought was the next best thing.

Moving into his office, he pulled out paper and pen from his desk drawer, he sat down and started writing. He still wasn't sure if he'd ever give her what he was about to write or just use it as a script to guide a future conversation. All that mattered in the moment was putting pen to paper and putting everything he was feeling into words.

Donna had never been more thankful to wake and realize it was a Sunday morning in her entire life. After everything that had happened in the past 24 hours, the mere thought of going to work and facing Harvey made her want to burrow deep under her covers and never leave. She stretched her arms over her head and opened her eyes, sunlight streaming into her bedroom through the crack in her curtains. Sitting up and leaning against the headboard she rubbed her eyes, dry and crusty from the tears she'd shed as she fell asleep the night before. She sighed and bit her lip, holding back more tears as the memories of the night before - especially her near breakdown in Harvey's apartment - came flooding back to her.

What she really wanted was to spend the day in bed with her sisters, eating tubs of ice cream, watching awful reality TV, and ignoring her problems. But she knew that her sisters would take one look and her and be able to tell that something was off, that something had happened. They'd press her and she wouldn't be able to lie to them. And right now, the last thing she wanted was to rehash everything she'd just been through, especially since the conversation was likely to end in a 'we told you so' in one form or another.

Instead, she hoisted herself out of bed and headed to her kitchen. She put on a large pot of coffee and while she waited for it to brew she located her phone. Without allowing herself to check for any messages she turned it off and shoved it deep into her desk drawer, convincing herself that if she ignored her problems and the people causing them, they'd go away.

Several episodes of Real Housewives of New York and an entire tub of chunky monkey later, Donna was startled by a knocking on her door. As she moved to answer it, she prayed to whatever God would listen that she wouldn't find Harvey or James on the other side. She wanted to be fully armored up when she spoke with both of them, and she hadn't yet had the mental capacity to think through how she wanted those conversations to go.

The universe must have a sick sense of humor, she thought, as she opened her door and saw James on the other side. What she really wanted to do was close the door in his face, pretend she'd never seen him and return to her Bravo marathon on the couch. But, she realized with a sigh, she'd been awful to him the night before and the least she could do now was show the man some decency and let him in.

"Donna," he said as he closed the door and took a couple steps toward her. "Are you ok? I called and texted you but you didn't answer. I was worried."

They walked into her kitchen and Donna moved to the far side of the counter, using it to put some physical distance between them. She had no idea why he was here or what he wanted, but she knew she owed it to him to hear him out.

"I turned my phone off," she said simply in answer to his question.

He leaned forward on the other side of the counter and took a moment to study her appearance. Donna saw what he was doing and for a second, almost felt embarrassed at her current state; fuzzy socks pulled up over her leggings, an old, oversized Johns Hopkins School of Medicine sweatshirt Claire had worn while pregnant that Donna eventually stole, hair flopped messily on top of her head, and glasses on. James had seen her dressed casually plenty of times before, but this was a step beyond. If he was surprised by her appearance, he did a good job of hiding it.

"You're upset," he said plainly. It wasn't a question.

Donna took a deep breath and closed her eyes. He certainly wasn't wasting any time continuing their conversation from the previous night. The obvious answer was yes but she really didn't want to go over the details with him. Yes, his questions the night before had upset her, but if she was being honest with herself, which, she figured it was time to finally start, she was mostly upset with herself for letting things get this bad, this messy. Before she could come up with an adequate response though, he spoke again.

"I'm sorry, Donna, I really am, and I wish this wasn't happening, especially because you're already upset, but I think -" he paused, suddenly tripping over his words, unsure how to say what he wanted, needed to say without upsetting her further.

"You're breaking up with me," she said, finishing his thought for him. Again, it wasn't a question.

He sighed, wanting to reach for her hands resting on her side of the counter, but he didn't. He didn't want to further complicate a situation that was already hard for him to navigate.

"I'm sorry, Donna, but yes. I can see that you're trying, really trying to make things work between us, but you're not happy. I love you, Donna, and the fact that I can see you so plainly fighting with yourself to make this work makes me love you even more. But," he paused looking up at her to see her eyes watering, a couple tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. "I can't be selfish. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I kept stringing you along."

"James," she breathed. Daring to look up at him, knowing the second she did the tears would fall. It wasn't so much that she was sad about the breakup, she knew that after everything that had happened the night before it was more or less inevitable, but it was just another punch to the gut. A small smile spread across her face as she wiped the tears away. Even in ending a relationship, he was perfect; putting her happiness before his own, and choosing his words carefully so he wouldn't upset her. It broke her heart a little bit that she wasn't able to give him what he deserved.

"You deserve a great love Donna; a love so deep that makes you feel every emotion so strongly, so passionately that, when you're with that person, you can't imagine how you could have ever considered loving someone else."

This time, it was Donna who reached across the counter and grabbed his hands. Even though things were ending between them, she felt an urge to be close to him, to let him know that despite it all, she did care about him.

"I can tell that's not me, Donna, and that's ok. We can't help who we love so please, don't beat yourself up over this. Choose to be happy."

"James," she began, taking a breath and lifting her hand from his for a second to wipe away more tears that had fallen before placing it back on top of his. She looked into his eyes and could see that they were moist. She hated herself a little bit for causing such a good person such pain. "I do love you, you know. You're incredibly kind, you're thoughtful, you're ambitious, and you have such a good heart. You don't know how much it kills me that I can't love you in the way that you love me, in the way that you deserve to be loved."

Neither spoke for several seconds, James soaking up the words that Donna had just said while they stood with their hands resting together on the counter. Finally, Donna moved to his side and stood in front of him. As far as breakups go, this was by far the calmest one she'd ever had, there was no yelling, no fighting, just two adults making a mature decision to end their time together. She was sad, of course, because James really was a good man, and in another world, he very possibly could have been the one, but part of her was also relieved. Yes, she was back to being single, but she no longer had to hate herself for lying to someone who never deserved that.

She looked up at him, a tentative smile spreading across her face, an identical one eventually forming on his. He dropped his hand from hers and reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm always going to think the world of you, Donna."

She smiled a bit wider as she brought her hands to rest on his shoulders. "Me too, James. I hope you find someone who loves you as fully as you love them."

And then, after a kiss to her forehead and a quick hug, he was gone.

Donna arrived at the office the next morning late by her standards, but still before most people would be in. She'd spent the entire night tossing and turning, the anxiety about seeing Harvey building up inside of her as her mind went through scenario after scenario of how their conversation could turn out - each iteration more awful than the next. Despite the fact that she'd gotten forty-five minutes of sleep, if that, she was absolutely wired. While getting ready that morning, she'd downed three cups of coffee and picked up another one on the way into the office. She knew that the coffee was doing nothing to lessen the anxiety coursing through her veins, but she needed the caffeine get through the morning.

On her way to her office, she passed Katrina's and was surprised to find it empty. No matter how early she got in, it was rare for her to get there before Katrina. It was then that she remembered she and Harvey started trial that morning and they'd likely be out of the office for the entire week. The trial had been pushed back from its initial start date a few weeks before because of a technicality the other side used to delay, which annoyed Harvey to no end, but the court date was finally set for this week. Donna let out a huge sigh and was so relieved she almost started crying. She entered her office with a renewed spirit; she'd be able to bury her feelings from the weekend in the back of her brain and distract herself with work, without Harvey's looming presence serving as a constant reminder.

As she sat down, though, the promise of a Harvey-free day was short lived as her eyes came to rest on an envelope in the center of her desk, her name scrawled across the front in his distinctive handwriting. She knew just by looking at it that it wasn't firm business, it was personal. Harvey would never use his own stationary if it was related to a client. Grabbing the envelope, she shoved it into her bag to deal with later. She didn't know what was inside, but if she had to guess it was probably tickets to a show, or something like that - another one of his attempts to buy her forgiveness.

It wasn't until later that night, after a couple glasses of wine, that Donna remembered the envelope from Harvey buried in her purse. She figured she should open it and deal with whatever feeble attempt of an apology was stashed inside before she had to see him face to face.

She opened the envelope and instead of tickets or something similar, she pulled out what looked like a handwritten letter. She put the letter down on the coffee table and moved into the kitchen and grabbed the bottle of wine she'd already made a dent in that evening. Pouring herself another glass, she grabbed Harvey's letter and curled up in the corner of her couch.

Donna,

You've just left, and honestly, I'm at a loss for words. I've seen you upset and scared before, but I've never seen you so distraught, so down on yourself. Seeing you like that, and knowing that I was somehow responsible broke my heart. Donna, all I want is for you to be happy, hell, I'd do anything, be anything you need to make you happy.

I wasn't honest with you because I thought you didn't want to hear what I had to say, thought you were better off not knowing because you didn't feel the same way. I've spent too long using you as my emotional crutch that I didn't want to burden you with my tangled web of feelings, so I kept them to myself and did my best to process them on my own. But now that I know you lied about the kiss, I want you to know the truth. It's what you deserve.

Donna, I think you're the most remarkable woman I've ever met. I know I've told you that before but now I know how I mean it, how I've always meant it, really. You're my best friend Donna and you know me better than anyone else ever could; you make me laugh, you challenge me, and you push me to become a better man - inside and outside the office. And you've done this every single day since the day we met. I can't imagine any part of the last fifteen years of my life without you by my side - and I really don't mean just in the office. You've made every part of my life better, and you've done it just by being you.

I also need to be honest and tell you that I lied too, when I said I didn't want more. I do want more - I want everything, and I want it with you. A whole life with you, loving you in all the ways I haven't let myself over the past fifteen years. Because I do, Donna, I do love you. I've loved you for longer than I knew, but when you kissed me, I realized that you and me, we fit. I know this now, and I'm finally in a place where it doesn't completely scare me. Where I feel like I can be the person that you deserve to be with.

I know you're with someone else, and I know this letter might not change that, but I want you to have the whole story. I want you to know how much I love you; I love everything about you - even the things that I find annoying. How you change out the full bottle of scotch in my office for the slightly less full one in yours and think I won't notice, your ridiculous organization systems that make sense to no one but you. But most of all, I love you because of who you are; to me and everyone else. You make the world a better place simply by being you, and I can't tell you how lucky I am to be able to know and love you.

I found this picture last year when I moved back into my office, and I've been waiting for the right time to share it with you, and this feels like the time. Every time I look at this picture, I smile, because I love who we were back then. We've always been a team, you and I, but here, the stakes were lower - we were just a senior associate and his girl Friday and we enjoyed each other's company so freely. I want that to be us again, free to laugh and drink and flirt with one another - free to lean into and pursue our feelings.

I hope my words are helpful to you, Donna, and I'm so sorry I didn't have the courage to say them sooner.

Donna reached into the envelope again and pulled out the photo, a smile spreading across her face and tears prickling in her eyes as she looked at it. It was taken years ago at their first Christmas party at the firm. It was a complete candid, neither looking nor aware that their photo was being taken. They were standing facing one another, deep in conversation - probably joking about something given the wide smiles stretched across both of their faces. Her hand was resting on his elbow and he was leaning into her slightly. Looking at them, she understood what Harvey was saying - they fit, they always have, and she knew that. But seeing her younger self so clearly relaxed and enjoying his company made her fully understand what people had been saying for years. Why, when they travelled together for work people assumed they were a couple. She'd spent so long brushing it off, joking that people see what they want to see, because she was too scared to admit it was there, too hesitant to open herself to those feelings she'd kept guarded because she thought he didn't feel the same. But, she smiled as she looked down at the picture again, now that she knew how he felt, it was time to let herself feel everything.

Tears in her eyes, she read his letter again and again, needing to be sure the words she'd seen were actually there and she didn't just imagine them. The longer she sat with the letter, the more her emotions bounced all over the place. One read, her heart was bursting with love for this man who, infuriating as he was, had finally said all the things she'd been waiting to hear. The next read, though, she found herself frustrated; frustrated that he'd written it all down, rather than telling it to her in person. She knew why he did it, though. This was what he did when he needed to organize and articulate his thoughts - he'd done it before difficult opening and closing statements, before he went to make things right with his mom - times when what he said was more important than how he said it. She wanted to give him a hard time for taking the easy way out, but deep down, she knew she couldn't.

She was lifted from her thoughts by a soft knocking on her door. As she got up from the couch and moved to answer it, she thought about how, if it was Harvey on the other side, it'd be a scene straight out of a Hallmark Movie; him coming to her door minutes after she'd finished reading his letter. When she opened the door though, she was a bit disappointed to find that it wasn't Harvey, but both of her sisters.

"Grace, Claire," she said, stepping to the side as they entered her apartment. "What are you doing here?"

The trio moved into the kitchen and Donna couldn't help but smile as she noticed Grace was carrying a take out bag from her favorite Thai restaurant. Placing the bag on the counter as Claire rummaged through the cabinets for plates, Grace looked at her sister and smiled.

"Elaine called, she said you could use the company."

That made Donna smile. She couldn't be older than 25, but Donna saw so much of herself in her young assistant. She must have seen Harvey enter her office and place the letter on her desk that morning and that, coupled with the fact that Donna hadn't hid her exaustion from her, made her call her sisters. It was exactly the kind of thing Donna would do, and it made her smile knowing that Elaine was always looking out for her.

"So," Claire began as she unpacked the takeout and scooped some Pad Thai onto her plate, "what's happening, Dee?"

Donna sighed as opened another bottle of wine and filled her sister's glasses, she figured it was better to rip the band-aid off. She knew she had to tell them what happened over the weekend, better to just cut to the chase, she thought.

"James broke up with me," she said simply, ripping off a piece of bread, dunking it in the curry in front of her, and popping it into her mouth.

Hearing Donna's confession, Grace and Claire exchanged glances not quite sure what to say, especially given how camly she'd said it.

"Dee-," Claire began delicately, "are you alright?"

"Oh, yeah," Donna said, doing her best to sound calm and nonchalant about it. Because, all things considered, she really wasn't that upset about it. "I'm sad, of course, but also relieved to not have been the one to do the breaking up. Does that make sense?"

Grace sighed and thought back to all the conversations they'd had about James in recent weeks. "Yeah, I guess so," she admitted, "but are you sure you're ok?"

Donna smiled and looked up at both her sisters sitting across from her. She thought, not for the first time in recent weeks, how lucky she was to have both of them. They truly were her bridge over troubled water, and she could not imagine navigating this situation, or anything really, without them by her side.

"I will be," she said, "it's for the best really."

"But," Claire started, "what about Harvey?"

"Oh that," Donna said, rolling her eyes slightly but unable to hide the small smile that spread across her face, "hold on."

Her sisters both noticed her little smile and looked at one another as she hopped off her stool in the kitchen and quickly went into the living room. In a second, she was back and placed the letter from Harvey infront of them.

"Read it," she said, gesturing to the piece of paper on the counter.

When they finished, Donna gave them a rundown of everything that had happened in the past 48 hours; the party at the firm, James' questions, and her breakdown in Harvey's apartment. She told them how, when James had come over the day before to end things, she realized it really was for the best. It wasn't at all fair to him to trap him in a relationship where he was giving much more than he was receiving. How, if she really thought about it, the situation with her and James wasn't all too different than her and Harvey; one person loving the other more than they ever could expect to be loved in return. At least that was what she'd thought until she'd read Harvey's letter that evening. How, despite her residual frustration at his delivery, she had to admit that reading those words made her happier than she'd been in awhile.

As she finished, Claire reached across the counter and grabbed Donna's hand, a smile spreading across her face, so relieved to see her sister beginning to lift out of the cloud of misery that had surrounded her for the past couple months. "So," she said, "what's next?"

"I want to see him. I want to tell him I love him too. I want to kiss him, and hold him, and honestly I never want to let go. But -"

As she paused, both of her sisters groaned and rolled their eyes, sure she was about to talk herself out of what she'd just said she wanted to do.

"He has a big trial this week," Donna said, finishing her thought. "He has his whole trial routine, and I don't want to disrupt that or throw him off his game. I figured I'd go see him on Friday?"

Claire sighed and smiled, always impressed by her sister's ability to put other people's needs above her own, regardless of how much she may want to act immediately. "That's fine, Donna, but you should at least let him know you read the letter and want to see him when the trial is over."

"You think?" she asked.

"Dee, of course!" Grace said, jumping in. "Imagine how much he probably had to talk himself into leaving that letter on your desk this morning. The poor man is probably pacing his apartment as we speak trying to figure out how you're reacting to it, wondering if you've even read it at all."

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Neither of her sisters said anything, both glancing expectantly down to her phone sitting beside her on the counter and back up to her.

"You want me to do it now? With both of you listening?"

Still not saying anything, Claire reached for Donna's phone and handed it to her, giving her big sister a "cut the bullshit" look as she did.

Rolling her eyes, Donna grabbed the phone and dialed Harvey's all too familiar number.

She strummed her fingers on the counter as she waited for him to pick up. As the phone continued to ring though, a part of her hoped he wouldn't answer, since she wasn't entirely sure what she wanted to say to him. But in the back of her mind, she knew he would, he'd never not answered her call and she knew he wasn't going to start that now.

"Donna - hi."

"Harvey, hi," she paused, taking a quick breath, "how was court today?"

"Donna, did you really call me to ask about court?" his slightly exasperated tone matching her sisters' facial expression.

"No," she admitted, "I didn't. I wanted to tell you -" she paused, suddenly feeling anxious for some reason, she looked across to her sisters, who urged her to keep talking, "um, I got your letter, and I read it. Thank you."

Harvey paused for a minute before continuing, without being able to see Donna's expression he wasn't able to tell for sure how she was feeling. "Is that a good kind of thank you?" he asked.

"Yes, it's a good kind of thank you," she laughed, a huge grin spreading across her face.

"Good," he replied, and she could practically hear the grin she was sure was on his face.

"Harvey? Can I see you later this week, when your trial is over?"

"Are you still -"

She interrupted him, knowing what he as asking, and why he was asking it, she cut in before he could finish, not wanting to focus on the obstacles that had once stood in their way. "No, that's done," she said simply, not giving any detail, and knowing he wouldn't ask.

"Friday," he said, "come over and I'll make you dinner."

"You cook?" she asked, jokingly, never one to pass up an opportunity to poke fun at him.

"Always the tone of surprise," he said, and this time, she was sure she could hear the eye roll that accompanied his statement.

"Friday's perfect," she said as she felt a slight blush rise on her cheeks. She looked down and started fiddling with the stem of her wine glass.

He stayed silent for a few seconds, giving her space to keep talking if she wanted to. Right now, he really didn't need to hear anything else from her, he was just so relieved that she'd read what he'd written and wasn't calling him to yell at or confront him about it. He knew that all that needed to be said would be said on Friday, and for that, he couldn't wait.

"Harvey?" she asked, breaking their couple seconds of comfortable silence.

"Mhmmm?"

"Thank you," she said sincerely, before ending the call. What she really wanted to tell him was that she loved him too, of course she loved him. But, she wanted to say it in person, wanted to see how he reacted when she said it for the first time. She couldn't wait to see him on Friday, but for now, she could relax in the knowledge that they were finally headed in the same direction.

Looking up again, she couldn't help but laugh at her sisters' expressions, both of them were resting their elbows on the counter and leaning forward, almost begging her to rehash the conversation she'd just had.

Rolling her eyes, she took a sip of wine before responding, "oh come on. It's not like you didn't just hear every word of that."

Ignoring her, Claire topped off her glass of wine and turned back to Donna, an all too familiar smirk spreading across her face. "So," she started, eyes laser focused on her sister, "what are you going to wear on Friday?"

"Oh that doesn't matter," Grace said, dismissing Claire's comment with a flick of her hand, "what's really important here is what she's wearing underneath."

"Gigi!" Donna gasped in mock horror as Claire choked on the sip of wine she'd just taken.

Looking back at her sister, Claire smiled, "you know, she does have a point."

Standing up and dumping the remnants of their takeout in the trash, Donna smiled back at her two sisters. "I have an idea," she said, pausing for dramatic effect, "for both. Let me show you."

With that, Claire and Grace hopped off their bar stools, glasses of wine in hand, and followed Donna to her closet.

Later that night, as the trio stood in front of Donna's door saying goodnight, she pulled both of them into a tight hug. When they fell apart, Claire looked up at her, a smile on her face and head tilted slightly to one side.

"What was that for?"

"Just," Donna paused, looking back and forth between them, "thank you. For everything these last several weeks. I really wouldn't have made it without you."

"Oh Dee," Grace said, reaching out to stroke her arm, "we're always here for you, you know that."

"I do" she said, giving both of their hands a squeeze. "One more thing?"

"Anything," Grace said.

"Please don't let me talk myself out of going to Harvey's on Friday."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Claire replied, as she reached up and gave Donna a kiss on the cheek.

The rest of the week passed excruciating slowly, as Donna often found was the case when she was looking forward to weekend plans. She tried her best to distract herself with work, but all it took was a glance at Harvey's empty office and her thoughts would wander to their Friday night plans. She was nervous, no getting around that, and in moments of doubt, her anxiety would remind her of the thousand and one ways things could go wrong, but she brushed all that aside, instead choosing to focus on all the ways it could go right. She'd spent years training herself not to get her hopes up when it came to Harvey, to take everything at face value and not overthink, but because of the bold declarations in his letter, she was finally allowing herself to do just that, to be hopeful about a life and future with Harvey.

She'd spoken to him here and there throughout the week, but their conversations had been strictly business. Whether or not it was a conscious decision on both their parts, she wasn't sure, but she also didn't mind, knowing that personal conversations would only distract her further. She also found herself missing him more than she'd remembered. He'd travelled without her and been away at trial before, but she never remembered a time when she longed for his physical presence in the office quite like this. It was a welcome surprise and that, coupled with the anticipation of Friday night, made her practically giddy and it was something people in the office took note of.

"Donna," Elaine said, smiling at her and passing her a cup of coffee as she arrived at the office one morning. "You look ravishing today."

Donna smiled back at her as she took the coffee and rested her elbows on the top of the cubicle. "Oh come on now," she said in between sips, "you know I've told you that flattery will get you - everywhere," she finished with a wink.

"So," Elaine said, leaning forward slightly, "what's the cause for the good mood? It wouldn't have anything to do with that letter Mr. Specter left you, would it?" she finished, cocking her head to the side as a small smirk spread across her face.

Donna didn't reply right away, looking down at her assistant with a slightly surprised look on her face. "How do you -"

"Oh come on Donna," she started, rolling her eyes, "I've sat outside your office for almost three years, I pay attention."

"You know what," Donna said, "it just might," smiling and turning into her office.

As she walked away, Elaine smiled to herself. When she started outside Donna's office, she'd heard all sorts of rumors from the associates and other secretaries about what was going on between Donna and Harvey. But, she quickly learned, as she watched the pair interact, those nasty rumors couldn't be farther from the truth. She didn't know the specifics, and would never ask, but she hoped that the letter Harvey left her would lead to the happiness Donna always told her to chase after for herself.

Finally Friday evening arrived, and as Donna climbed out of her cab in front of Harvey's apartment, she let out a long exhale. Grace and Claire had come over as she was getting ready and, despite her half hearted argument against it, she was glad they did. As they sat on the floor of her closet while she did her makeup, she couldn't help but remember countless times years ago when they found themselves in similar positions, one getting ready for a date or event and the other two providing distraction and mindless conversation. As the trio discussed potential summer travel plans, Donna felt herself relax. Despite the excitement and anticipation she'd been feeling all week, as the evening ticked closer she found herself growing anxious. What they were about to do was a big deal, and she wanted it, needed it to go well. She didn't know how she'd recover if it didn't.

As she approached his door, she reminded herself that she couldn't kiss him right away, despite the teenage-like hormones bubbling inside of her. There were still things they needed to discuss; things she needed to say, and things she needed to hear. She knocked twice and within seconds, the door swung open.

"Donna," he said, gesturing for her to come inside, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Harvey," she replied as she took a couple steps toward him, a matching smile spreading across her own.

They stood silently in the entryway for several seconds, eyes locked on one another and hands dancing at their sides, both longing to touch the other, but both still a little scared to completely break down that wall and make the first move.

Finally, Donna laughed and broke the silence, she looked up at Harvey, eyes almost begging him to say something.

"Are you -," he paused, taking a small step towards her.

"Nervous?" she replied, and he nodded, moving his gaze downward slightly.

"Me too," she said, taking another step towards him as he looked back up at her, breathing out a laugh.

"Harvey," she started, taking a deep breath. She knew that what she was about to ask him would set the tone for the rest of the evening - their whole lives, maybe - and that made her anxious, but she knew that before things could go any father, she needed to hear it. "I know you said it in your letter, but I need to hear it. Because if you can't say it out loud, then -"

Interrupting her, he finally closed the distance between them. They were standing so close that their toes where practically touching, and she could feel his breath on her lips, which sent a shiver down her arms. He lifted his hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek before moving to trace her jawline and chin. Her breath hitched as his eyes met her own.

"Donna, I love you," he said simply, "I'm in love with you, Donna, and if you'll let me, I'd like to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much I love you."

Donna felt a smile stretch across her face as tears pricked her eyes. Reading those words was one thing, but hearing him say them to her, while standing close enough to kiss her, was something else entirely. It overwhelmed her; the fact that she could feel so much for one person.

"Well," she started, as she moved her arms from her sides to rest on his shoulders, "that's really great to hear because I love you too. Of course, I love you, Harvey."

She knew hearing her say that would bring a smile to his face, but she underestimated just how broad it'd be. The grin that spread across his face stretched all the way up to his eyes, making the corners crinkle slightly. Seeing him smile like that almost made everything they'd been through to get to this moment worth it. As she looked into his eyes, an equally large grin no doubt spread across her own face, she couldn't help the couple of tears that escaped.

Almost immediately, his thumb was on her cheek wiping them away as his other hand snaked around her waist and pulled her closer. Her hands moved to the back of his neck and she ran her fingers through his short hairs.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, his eyes never breaking their gaze.

"I'm just - I can't believe this is happening," she replied as his forehead came to rest on hers.

"What took us so long?" he asked, tracing circles on her sides with his thumbs.

"For two smart people, we can be pretty stubborn," she said, rising on her toes slightly so her lips were level with his.

"I couldn't agree more."

And before she could even think of a response, his lips were on hers, his arms holding her close to him - one hand tightly around her waist and the other moving across the back of her neck and into her hair. She leaned into him, pressing her body against his and opening her mouth to him as he bit her bottom lip. The kiss felt familiar but at the same time entirely new. Their kisses years ago had been driven by lust and a means to an end, their kiss in her office months ago was hesitant and tense. This kiss though, this kiss felt like freedom. It was fueled by an emotional need just as much as a physical one and, as his hands explored her body and his tongue explored her mouth, she felt whole; for the first time in a long time, she knew that this was where she was meant to be.

They were still in the entryway of his apartment and she felt him move, backing her up against his door. His hands moved from her body and his palms came to rest against the door on either side of her face. Her hands moved from the back of his neck, one in the middle of his back and the other around his waist, pulling him even closer to him. As the kiss continued, the rest of the world fell away and all that existed was Harvey; the feeling of his mouth on her own, his body pressing against where she needed him most.

Breaking apart only because their lungs demanded oxygen, they locked eyes and smiled at each other. Donna's hands returned to the back of his neck and his found her waist. She brought her forehead to rest against his and let out a breathy laugh.

"Well that was -," he started, letting out a small laugh that mirrored her own.

"Wow," she finished.

"We really are idiots," he said, which made her laugh again.

She didn't respond, instead smiling at him again and moving her hand to trace his hairline on his forehead. He really is annoyingly handsome, she thought, as she studied his facial expression. He looked more relaxed than he had in awhile and it made her heart swell that she, this, was the cause of that.

"What do you say we skip dinner and continue this in the bedroom?" he asked, leaning closer to whisper in her ear, his five-o'clock shadow brushing her cheek.

"Oh Mr. Specter," she said, moving her hands to his shoulders and down his chest, "you should know I don't put out on a first date. At least," she paused, smirking at him, "not until after a couple glasses of wine."

"Oh, so this is a date?" he asked, feigning surprise.

"Unless you mean to tell me you kiss everyone who comes to your apartment like that," she shot back, without missing a beat.

She watched with amusement as his expression became more serious, his hand finding hers as he led her farther into the apartment. "Only you," he replied, his voice soft and affectionate.

As they ate, they fell into easy conversation. Gone was the need for awkward first date conversations about families, hometowns, and careers because they knew each other. They knew each other better than anyone in the world, that trust and affection was already there. Instead of focusing on getting to know one another, they could focus on enjoying each other's company, finally allowing themselves to be happy now that the one thing they've always wanted was sitting right across from them.

While they were finishing, though, Donna fell silent. Harvey could tell from her facial expression that she was thinking about something, and working to find the right words to articulate what she was feeling. He reached across the counter and rested his hand on top of hers, which pulled her out of her thoughts.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" he asked

She looked up at him, a reluctant smile spreading across her face, "I'm scared, Harvey," she said, her voice quiet and tentative.

"Of what?"

"This, us," she said "what if this doesn't work out? I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

He couldn't help but smile at her response, knowing full well what it felt like to feel what she was feeling.

"You don't think I'm scared too, Donna? Losing you or you leaving me has been my biggest fear since the day I met you," he admitted, looking down at his hands. "That's why it took me so long to tell you I love you, because I was afraid it'd drive you away, or that it wouldn't and we'd get together for a bit only for me to ruin it and end up losing you forever."

As he finished, he moved to her side of the counter and sat next to her, turning her stool to face him. He wiped away a stray tear that had fallen down her cheek and lifted her chin so that her eyes meet his. He pressed a quick kiss against her lips, hoping that his actions would help her understand how much he wanted, needed, her to know that he was in this.

"Promise me something?" she asked, her hands coming to rest on his knees.

"Anything."

"Promise me that you'll never leave," she said, her tone both serious and insecure.

"Only if you promise the same," he said, focusing his gaze on her.

"And," she continued, looking up at him again, "that you'll love me even when you're annoyed at me."

That made him smile, and he moved closer to kiss her on the forehead, "I'll love you no matter what," he said, "how does that sound?"

"Perfect," she breathed, a smile spreading across her face.

They sat in silence for a couple seconds, already feeling more secure in their new situation. Donna was impressed with his response, since when had he been the one to navigate them through an emotional challenge, she thought, and it made her smile. They were ready for this, they could make it work, she was sure of that.

She stood in front of him, his legs on either side of her as her hands came to rest on his shoulders. "If you're not careful Mr. Specter, you might just become the perfect boyfriend," she said.

"Boyfriend?" he asked, smirking and turning his head to the side slightly.

"Boyfriend," she confirmed, before bringing her lips to his.

After dessert and another glass of wine he took hold of her and led her to his bedroom. She couldn't help the anticipation that bubbled up inside of her - for all the times she'd been to his apartment, this was one place she'd never been. He kissed her with purpose as he sat her down on the edge of his bed, hands moving to undo the tie of her wrap dress. Her hands loosened his tie and undid the top buttons of his dress shirt as he shifted them into the center of the bed. They continued to undress one another and Donna could feel her heart beating harder and harder in her chest as her hands ran up and down his body.

He moved on top of her, knees resting on the bed between her spread legs and hands on the pillow on either side of her face, her own running up and down his arms. They broke their kiss and looked into each other's eyes, both swimming with so much love it was overwhelming. Despite the fact that they'd known each other for years, they'd never known each other like this - save for one lust-filled night a lifetime ago. This type of intimacy was new, it was delicate, and as much as Donna wanted him hard and fast and hot, she knew there'd be time for that later. Right now, she wanted him slowly and tenderly. As he finally pushed into her, her body responded, putting more love and adoration into each movement than she'd ever be able to put into words.

The next morning, Donna woke with a smile on her face, warmth flooding over her as she remembered the events of the previous evening. Harvey's hand was draped across her stomach, and as she rolled over to face him she felt him shift slightly. He was still asleep and she took the opportunity to study his features. She smiled at how peaceful and relaxed he looked in his sleep, free of his usual furrowed brow and clenched jaw. She ran her fingers across his brow bone, down his cheek, and along his jaw line. As she traced his lips with her thumb, she felt him respond with a soft kiss.

"Good morning," she mumbled as his eyes flutter open.

"It sure is," he responded, as he moved the hand that wasn't resting on her waist over her head to smooth her hair. She brought her lips to his and smiled against his skin when she broke the kiss, feeling warm, and happy, and so lucky to be waking up in his arms.

He kissed her again, more intently this time, pulling her closer and hooking one leg over hers. She ran her hands over his bare chest and down his arms as he rolled them over so she was on top of him. He groaned against her lips as the phone on the nightstand started to ring. Blindly, he reached for the offending object, figuring that it was Katrina calling with an update on the trial.

"Hello," he said, extremely unenthusiastically.

Donna smiled at him as his eyes grew wide when he was greeted by a female voice on the other end that definitely wasn't Katrina's.

"Harvey," Claire said, feigning shock, "what a surprise."

Donna rolled her eyes, hearing her sister's voice and realizing that Harvey had picked up her phone. She motioned for him to give it to her as she rolled off his lap and landed by his side.

"Claire," she said, slightly exasperated, "what can I do for you?"

"Well," her sister answered smartly, "you can start by telling me why Harvey answered your phone."

Before Donna could think of an equally witty response, she heard rustling in the background and could only assume it was Grace.

"Oh," her older sister replied, "Did Harvey answer? You owe me twenty bucks," she finished gleefully.

"You placed a bet?" Donna asked, breathing out a laugh at how ridiculous her sisters could be.

"It was Claire's idea," Craig said, joining the conversation and throwing his wife under the bus. Donna couldn't help but smile as she pictured them gathered around the island in Claire's kitchen.

"Don't lie," Claire shot back, "you bet they wouldn't answer the phone at all!"

"I hate you all," Donna replied as Harvey, growing impatient, started planting kisses down her neck and across her clavicle. "I'm hanging up now."

"Use protection!" Grace and Claire screamed in unison seconds before Donna hung up, the phone falling to the carpet next to the bed.

Harvey looked down at her and smiled as his hands moved up and down the side of her body. "Why am I not surprised that they knew you'd be here?" he asked, joining her hands with his.

"You know we're close," she said, returning his smile as she cuddled her back against his chest, finding her place as his little spoon.

"I do," he replied, "three redheads for the price of one," he joked as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him.

"Is that ok?" she asked, turning her head slightly to look at him as her hands moved up and down his arms.

"As long as they stay out of the bedroom," he said as he turned her towards him, planting kisses down her neck and across her chest before eventually finding her lips as she nodding in reply.

They'd moved into his living room and Donna came to join him on the couch, passing him a cup of coffee while taking a sip of her own. She sat down next to him, legs draped over his lap.

"So, she started, placing her mug on the coffee table, "how is this going to work?" She asked, gesturing between them.

"Pretty sure we covered that last night and this morning," he said smirking at her as he ran his hands higher on his legs, "but I can show you again if you need some further clarification."

Rolling her eyes, she playfully swatted his hand away. "That is not what I meant," she said, laughing. "I mean you and I, together - at work."

Harvey paushed, realizing that she was asking a serious question, one that she, no doubt, had already given some thought to. He grabbed her hands and pulled her towards him, settling her against his side and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, drawing her closer to him.

"How do you want it to work?" he asked.

"I don't want to hide it," she decided, looking up at him to see if he agreed. "I mean, we don't need to send out a firm-wide email about it," she joked, "but if we're together, I want us to be together at work too."

"Really?" he asked, unable to hide his excitement at her answer as a grin spread across his face.

"Really," she replied, "I've spent too long hiding from it myself, I don't want to keep it from our friends now that we're happy. As long as you can keep things PG," she smirked at him, "I don't see why it should be an issue."

"I make no promises," he whispered into his ear as he turned her face towards his, intent on placing a kiss on her lips.

"But -," she interrupted, "I want to be the one to handle it if people have problems, it has to be me," she finished.

Harvey looked at her and ran a hand down her arm, "what kind of problems?"

"Oh, come on Harvey," she said, sitting straight up and folding her legs in front of her like a pretzel, still facing him, "you know it's not just Hardman and Malik that have insinuated the worst about us, we've always been front page news to the secretaries and associates," she explained.

Harvey sighed, wanting to interject, but also not knowing exactly what to say. He knew she was right, but that didn't mean it didn't bother him; all the gossip, rumors, nasty comments - they pissed him off, but he knew how he felt about them was just the tip of the iceberg compared to how they made Donna feel.

"I hate that I'm the only one negatively affected by this crap, and I know you get that. But because of that, I need to be the one to shut it down because if you step in and try and defend me, it just furthers their point. Can you let me do that?" She asked, looking up at him expectantly.

He smiled at her in return, placing a kiss to her forehead. "Gladly," he said, understanding how important this was to her, "I'll gladly stand back and watch you chop the balls off some poor, unsuspecting associate who dared question your power."

"Like I said," she started, smiling and planting a quick kiss to his lips, "perfect boyfriend."

He smiled back at her but didn't respond, content to just sit together in comfortable silence. He felt her shift beside him on the couch, her back coming to rest against his chest, her head falling in the crook of his neck. He planted a kiss to her head and wrapped his arms around her as she moved to hold his hands.

As they sat, Donna's mind wandered to everything that had happened over the past 24 hours that led them to this moment. She had anticipated some sort of transition period from where they used to where they were now, but there wasn't. There was no awkwardness or discomfort, just the two of them navigating something new and exciting together and the immediate comfort they found in one another made her happier than she could ever put into words. Sitting on his couch with his arms around her she knew, unequivocally, that Harvey had been right, they just fit. And they were damn fools for taking so long to realize it.

Because now, she was finally able to admit, it's always been him.

Harvey.

Years ago when they'd been planning Grace's wedding, she'd suggested they do what Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe had done in Friends - rotating so each of them got to be a maid of honor once. Claire agreed, but Donna, nervous that she'd never marry and would deny one of her sisters the chance to be maid of honor, suggested an alternative. They'd each choose someone else, with the understanding that the other two would deliver the wedding day speech typically reserved for the maid of honor.

And that's what they did, Grace chose a childhood friend and Claire chose her college roommate, and at each reception, Donna and her sister had delivered a maid of honor speech that was equal parts heartfelt and hilarious.

When Donna and Harvey got married, Rachel was her obvious choice for maid of honor, which she'd eagerly accepted. Grace's twins, now seven, served as flower girl and ring bearer with Grace's younger son and Claire's daughter Hannah helping them both.

Their wedding was a small, but extravagant affair at the New York Public Library, and every detail was the perfect blend of Donna and Harvey - from the monochrome decor with pops of jewel tones to the scotch cocktails inspired by Shakespeare's sonnets. Everyone in attendance knew how long the couple had been building to the moment, not just in the last two years they'd spent together - but every day since the day they'd met. The happiness at the reception was infectious as people watched Harvey and Donna move around the room, joyfully interacting with their guests but never losing hold of one another.

When the time came, Grace and Claire delivered on their promise to give a speech that was both fun and heartfelt.

"For those of you who've been lucky enough to spend time with my sisters and I together," Grace began, "I'm sure you know we're a force to be reckoned with."

"Something Harvey learned early the morning after he and our sister got together, Claire added with a laugh - both Donna and Harvey smiling at the memory.

"Don't worry, Harvey," Claire continued, "we know our husbands are both excited to welcome you to the family, and give you some pointers on how to handle the Paulsen women."

"Actually," Grace interjected," Harvey and Donna have known each other longer than we've both been married, so maybe he can give you some pointers," she finished, gesturing to their husbands.

"In all seriousness, though," Claire said, "this day has been a long time coming, and Harvey - we are so excited to have you officially join the family. You've made Dee happier than we've ever seen her and for that alone, we'll always love you."

"Watching Harvey and Donna over the years," Grace added, "I've learned a lot about love; how to love someone unconditionally, how to love someone even when you don't like them, how to put someone else's needs above your own. They're two halves of a whole and it's so lovely to see how deeply they care about one another."

"Theirs is a love that grows stronger every day," Claire said, smiling as she watched Donna wipe a tear from her eye, "and I think I speak for both Gigi and I when I say I feel so lucky to be able to witness it continue to grow; even bigger, I'm sure, when they become parents," Claire joked, which made Donna smile and roll her eyes. "You know, you're not getting any younger and Hannah's getting tired of being the baby," Claire ended with a smirk.

"So here's to our sister Dee, and her new husband Harvey," Grace said. "Harvey, may you continue to love her - and tolerate us - even when all of our red hair starts turning grey."

"Will you really still love me when my red hair turns grey?" Donna whispered to him as her sisters raised their glasses to toast the couple.

"I'll love you even more than I do now," he confirmed with a kiss to the top of her head.

A/N: As always, please leave a review and let me know what you think. Thanks for taking this little journey with Harvey, Donna, Grace, and Claire. I've gotta admit, I'll miss writing those Paulsen sisters - who knows, we may see them again ;)