Author's Note: It took me a second viewing (two years after I first watched it) to realize just how lovely a film "Last Chance Harvey" really is, and now I couldn't resist writing this little tag to the final scene. Kate and Harvey are such touchingly real people, and I love the happiness they start to find together; this is just a quick little snapshot of more of that. I think I wrote this mostly because Emma Thompson plays such a lovely Kate, a Kate who deserves to be thoroughly romanced.

Of course, I do not own the film or the characters.

One Foot After the Other

They wandered the South Bank for an hour, chatting and laughing, Kate's hand secure in the crook of his arm. As the minutes passed, her eyes dried. It was only when Harvey threatened to pick her up and carry her, for the sake of her bare feet, that she agreed to put her heels back on. They also agreed to have dinner together – somewhere of Kate's choosing, this time – as soon as she'd dashed home to change.

"This is it," the woman nodded, shrugging off her coat and dropping her handbag on the floor. Harvey followed her almost shyly, gazing around the terraced house that looked so very...English...to him, anyway. "It's lovely."
"The kitchen's just in there. I'll get you a cup of tea, or coffee? And then I'll just get changed quickly."
"Sure, no rush. Just point me in the right direction."

Kate fetched him a mug, set the kettle boiling, and got out the coffee jar.
"There you are. I won't be long," she promised, halfway to the door.
"Hey, I'm in no hurry. I've spotted your bookshelf...maybe I'll make a start on E. M Forster."
That earned Harvey one of her laughing smiles, and he grinned to himself as she made her way upstairs.

Reminding herself that she was in her mid-forties and ought to be past such girlishness, Kate took deep breaths as she headed back downstairs, trying not to fidget nervously. They were only going to a very casual restaurant (nothing like the glamorous wedding of the night before), but she still wanted to look nice on what a childish part of her brain kept insisting was a 'first date'. Having combed out her hair and touched up her lipstick (another rebellious part of her wondering whether it might get kissed off before the night was over...Oh, stop it!) she straightened her outfit one last time and made her way down the stairs.

Harvey was sitting at her table, the now-empty coffee mug still in hand, browsing the newspaper. She cleared her throat gently and he turned around. Kate blushed almost immediately at the way he smiled, looking her up and down; she hadn't been on the receiving end of that kind of look for the longest time.

"I, uh...I see you gave up on Forster," she managed, with a grin.
"Well, first things first," the man winked, getting to his feet, "I thought I should start looking for an apartment." Before this reminder of his intentions could settle too heavily into a silence, Harvey continued, "So, where are we going for dinner?"
"Oh, just a little Italian place, a favourite of mine. It does excellent pizza."
Harvey grinned as he shrugged on his coat. "I knew you were my kind of girl."

"You really do have excellent taste," the man took a sip of his wine.
"Thank you," Kate smiled, "I do like this place a lot. It's cosy, the staff are nice, and they do excellent pasta sauce."

"Speaking of the staff, they're watching us," Harvey nodded towards the desk, where a young Italian woman was giggling to her mother.
"They probably recognise me", she shrugged, unable to quite check her smile – Kate knew they were pleased to see her out with a man, and she was pleased too. Very pleased.|
"Either that," agreed Harvey, "or they don't trust an American."
"Wise of them" replied the woman, grinning at him teasingly over the table.

Having eaten their dinners and shared a small dessert, the pair were surprised to notice the time, and stood up to leave. Kate knew she ought to feel tired, after the roller-coaster ride of the last few days, but she could quite easily have sat in that restaurant for another hour or so, sipping wine and discussing books and jazz and work with Harvey. He helped her into her coat at the door, and she glowed at the unfamiliar gentlemanly attention. Between the cold air and the wine and the fact that Harvey reached for her hand as they set off down the street, Kate was feeling pleasantly giddy.

"May I walk you home, and call a taxi from your place?"
"Certainly, sir," she smiled across as him, enjoying the way their shoulders touched as they walked.

"So, I'm going to start looking for more permanent accommodation tomorrow, and I figure I should give you at least one day without interruption from some brash American," he teased, "but...Actually, I don't have your number..."
"Oh, no, you don't..." Kate realized, quickly recovering from the slight disappointment of not seeing him tomorrow when she realized that he was asking for her number. She fumbled in her handbag for her cell phone, he pulled out his, and they paused on the footpath to exchange details.

"Great, well, now that's cleared up I can give you a call. I guess you'll be pretty busy with work and everything, but if we could meet for coffee sometime, or tea..."
Kate was beaming. "That sounds lovely, Mr. Shine."
He had intended to wait until they were home, and if the moment was right then he'd kiss her on the doorstep...but Kate just looked too beautiful, smiling at him so openly with the street-light shining on her hair. She realized his intention, and drew a breath, inching closer. She was willing.

At first it was just a brush of lips, like their early-morning goodbye before; but there was more between them now than on that morning by the fountain. Harvey didn't let go of her hand, but kissed her so slowly and tenderly, not at all demanding, and Kate couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so...well, felt so much. Just as sweetly, unhurried, she kissed him back.
It was Harvey who pulled away, albeit reluctantly. She blushed as he met her eyes, and he gave her a steady smile. "C'mon, I don't want you getting cold."

As they walked on, Kate couldn't help thinking that there wasn't much chance of that; she felt warm from head to toe.

They said goodnight on her doorstep, after he'd phoned for a taxi to the hotel.
"Well, thank you for a lovely evening, Kate Walker."
"And thank you, Harvey Shine," the woman replied, with a laughing smile. "Good luck with your flat-hunting tomorrow."
"Thanks," he nodded. "I hope you have a good day at work. I'll call you?"
"Sure."

Harvey looked up as the taxi's headlights came down the street; an unwelcome interruption. He turned back to her quickly. "And, Kate...I know this whole thing is...well, unusual. But I...I had a great time tonight and I love your company, and I really want to be with you. So, just...please don't change your mind overnight, okay? Give me a chance to prove there's more to me than all of this irresistible charm?"
She snorted at that, trying to hide how overwhelmed and flattered she really was. All she could think to say was, "I'll see you soon, then."
Harvey nodded with a smile. "Yes. Ah, I'd better go, the taxi's waiting."
Looking from the taxi to the man on her doorstep, Kate spontaneously leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Goodnight, Harvey."
"Goodnight, Kate."

He wanted to kiss her again, properly, but he also had no intention of scaring her away, so Harvey just took her hand and kissed it with exaggerated gentility.
"Oh, stop it, Harvey," she laughed, swatting him playfully as he dashed down the steps to the taxi. Just before climbing into the vehicle, he shot her one more smile, and Kate waved, turning to head inside.

Kate Walker was humming to herself as she undressed, and she did not seem to be able to stop smiling. She should be cautious, she knew, and take care not to fall too fast...but perhaps just to see where this thing with Harvey took her might not be such a mistake. Kate glanced across the room to where her cell phone sat on her bedside table, and she gave smug little smile, knowing that Harvey's number was saved in the contacts. She shook her head, then.
What a teenager I'm being!

Nevertheless, as Kate fell asleep, a little smile graced her lips. It was a new feeling, and a good one, to know that somewhere close by in London, there was a man who wanted her.