Hi Folks! Here is my little tag for the end. I thought I left Ch 8 in an odd place, so here you go! Thank you for the great reviews! Love Carebearmaxi.

Bringing It Home

Epilogue

The car ride was loud and jubilant. Ray looked back at the four inhabitants riding in the car waiting to be dropped off at Harvey's place for some sort of celebration. Harvey was smiling from ear to ear as he sat next to Donna. He had suddenly put his arm around her and kissed the side of her head. Ray loved her response by stroking his chest with her hand and leaning into his side eventually placing her very happy face and head on his shoulder. For just a minute Ray noticed she turned her head into his neck as if to whisper something only in Harvey's ear.

The other two riders in the car were Mike whom Ray was very happy to see and Louis Litt who was another one smiling from ear to ear. Every now and then Louis' face dimmed because the others were relentlessly teasing him about something or other. What a contrast to a few weeks ago when the silence in the car between Harvey and Donna was so thick it could have been cut with a knife.

"Ray, you know where to take us. We're celebrating!" Harvey had called from the backseat among the laughter.

"Right away, boss!" Ray called back and pulled away from the curb taking his boss, his boss' girlfriend, and his two other best friends to his favorite celebratory restaurant.

As Ray pulled up at the curb, Harvey alighted and handed Donna out and then the other two seemingly spilled out into the street.

"Do you want me to wait?" Ray said. "It's ok if you do."

"No, go back to be with your family. We may be a while. We'll catch a cab or Uber. Have a good night, Ray. Thank you for everything."

Ray signed off and pulled away from the curb as he watched Harvey, Donna, Louis, and Mike venture into the restaurant.

Much later in the evening, Harvey and Donna lay in bed totally exhausted from the events of the day. Harvey turned on his side and pulled Donna next to him.

"It will be a pleasure to go to work tomorrow and know that Faye Richardson is no longer acting managing partner," Harvey said in hushed tones.

"Yes, it's nice that I can come back to work as COO," Donna sleepily responded she stroked Harvey's protective arm with her hand as she lie there next to him. He had pulled her very close to him and she inhaled his scent and just loved the feeling of him next to her in the dark sanctuary of their bedroom. She realized that soon they may have to come to a decision about whether they wanted to live together or not. The traveling back and forth was getting increasingly wearisome though neither Harvey nor Donna wanted to trade it for all the years of longing and loneliness and unfulfilling relationships.

"Harvey," Donna said nudging his arm a bit.

"Yes," Harvey said very sleepily. He was too old for partying that hard between the stress of the day, the jubilance of the victory party combined with the liquor he drank he almost passed out in the cab on the way home. Luckily the shower he had shared with Donna before heading to bed seemed to revive him a bit. However, now, that total feeling of peacefulness and security and warmth was sweeping over him causing him to just want to lie in the dark next to Donna and sleep.

"Harvey, I think we may have to decide where we want to live either singly or together," Donna said.

"Why, Donna?" Harvey asked still very sleepy.

"Because...just because," Donna said sleepily. She turned her head slightly and could see Harvey's eyes closed and his breathing becoming deeper and his arm about her enclosing her like he was holding a teddy bear.

"Nevermind. I love you, Harvey," Donna whispered and kissed his forehead. She carefully turned on her side as she held onto his arm so he would know she was not going anywhere.

Harvey and Donna slept their first peaceful night since Faye Richardson had reared her ugly head and their buddy, Mike, had returned to save the day.