Hey guys!

So I hope part II satisifies your Darvey needs.. This one kept running away on me, hence the length. Thanks so much for all the lovely feedback, it's so helpful when writing!
Also, a chapter this size is a b*tch to proofread..but I did my best haha.

(*slight spoiler* I have marked "..." where the M-rated trash begins, for those of you who want to end it there!)

Enjoy!

The Sitters

(Part II)

The redhead rises from her sleep as the morning light teases its way through the translucent cream curtains in his bedroom. Her eyes still closed, she half-consciously slides her hand over the mattress, waking up further when she finds it empty and cold. Just like she would back home.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

She turns her head towards his welcome voice coming from the foot of the bed. With a simultaneous stretch and yawn she's sitting up, rubbing her eyes in a lazy attempt to come alive faster. She feels strange waking in front of him. Less self-conscious than she thought she would feel. But strange nonetheless. The last time they had shared a bed - her bed - she had woken first, giving herself time to look fresh-faced. Now, her hair was untamed, her eyes puffy and face without any of the makeup she uses as a shield. The vibrant morning light not feeling as generous with age as the night had been.

He didn't notice. Nor did he care. With or without her mask, she was the most alluring thing he'd ever seen. But he always saw her beauty under her mascara and eyeshadow anyway. Almost as if she wasn't wearing any of it, ever. He sometimes found himself resenting her foundation for lightly coating her freckles. So this was a rare treat for him. One he could only hope someday soon, would no longer be rare.

"Or should I say bedhead?" His eyes land on her frizzed layers of golden-orange.

"Good morning.." She locks warning-eyes on him. His sleepy form sat on the end of the mattress, still in his bed clothes, feeding Edie her bottle with a light-yellow baby bib draped over his left shoulder.

"Sleep well?" he asks, glancing at her before concentrating on the baby again.

A night full of cuddling and spooning plays on her memory then. She smiles at him the way she always does when he's not looking.

"I did." She massages the side of her neck, probably knotted from the way she was lying on him all night. "I didn't hear her wake up."

"I was awake when she started stirring, so I got up before she could wake her aunt Donna." he informs, projecting his words to Edie in a baby-friendly voice that knots aunt Donna's stomach.

The thought of him being awake before her, just lying with her as she sleeps, is enough to have her resorting to her ever-reliable humorously deflecting ways at seven in the morning.

"Morning feeds, huh? How paternal of you." she mocks, her eyes smirking at him before she throws the duvet off her legs and scooches down to sit herself beside him, thighs grazing. "Didn't think you'd be able to make a bottle all by yourself.."

He sends her a faux frown, dropping his lip before he speaks. "I'll have you know, not only was I able to make it..but I did so with ease." Donna simply glares at him until he reluctantly retracts. "Mike and Rachel left very detailed instructions..I would have failed miserably otherwise."

"Probably in case their genius plan backfired and you didn't ask me to help you babysit." Her soft giggles feel as though they're housed in his own heart once he hears them. He knows he doesn't get to hear them enough anymore. He's reminded of their early days. When things between them were so light and fun -and promising. Then he realises that's where they were at now, once again chancing fate and daring themselves - and one another - to fall completely.

Harvey looks at her then as she peers over him, her drowsy eyes smiling down on Edith, her left shoulder kissing his without any tentativeness whatsoever.

"Yeah, their plan was never gonna backfire." he states, whispering as he lightly shakes his head, looking at her instead of the baby he was feeding.

Donna's grin reflects in his distended pupils, smirking widely before she removes the bib from his shoulder, still holding his stare, then looking down to wipe up the traces of milk that were dribbling down the baby's face.

"Good to know."

.

Thanks to a messy morning feed, and a failed, but commendable attempt at a solo diaper change from Harvey, Donna decides they should give Edith a bath before handing her back to her parents in a few hours.

She more than happily takes advantage of him being the one holding Edie and sends him a few playful splashes of the shower head, drenching his t-shirt in the process.

"Donna!" he growls, squinting as he shakes the water from his face, giving in to his own amusement when her hearty chuckle captures his heart for the second time that morning. "Oh, don't think I won't get you back when my hands are free." he says all too suggestively, his tone of voice taking immediate effect on her current state of arousal.

"Oh yeah?" Donna plays along, glancing up at him as she gently cleans the baby. "And what are you gonna do with those free hands?"

"Oh you'll see."

His seductive tone catches her attention even more so now and she's soon trapped under his transfixing gaze. Both smirking like idiots, eyes switching back and forth between one another's lascivious lips and darkening stares.

She scoffs at their shared ridiculousness then, splashing him once more to break the tension.

"Donna!" he laughs. "You're supposed to be wetting the baby, not me!" They both engage in a knowing glance next, biting their tongues in a bid to hold back any carnal comments.

Donna switches off the shower then, wrapping the baby in a towel as she takes her from Harvey. He immediately tugs at the end of his cotton shirt, pulling the material up to his face as he dabs his forehead and cheeks, ridding his skin of the droplets resting there because of her. Her eyes catch his chiseled abs and toned torso for the first time in twelve years. But it feels more like twenty now as the cruel glimpse reminds her just how long it's been since her fingers raked over that very flesh. Since her tongue tasted the cream she marked his body with.

He removes the fabric from his face. Too quickly it seems, when he catches her looking away, focusing her attention back to their goddaughter as she clears her throat.

"You'll catch pneumonia in that." she nods towards his dampened clothing in an overly nonchalant manner.

"If you want me to take it off, just say."

She tilts her head at him. The left side of her mouth bending into an unimpressed - but not unamused - smirk. "We both know I wouldn't need to ask you to strip for me."

"Are you referring to the past, or the future?" He catches her off guard. She was just speaking in a general sense, but now he has her thinking of the other time and their next time, all at the one time. It all becomes too much for her brain and once he steps closer it becomes too much for other parts too. "Because both would be correct."

She swallows as her eyes flicker to his downcast pair. Engulfing her entire body even though he only has eyes on her pupils -which were overly telling. She hesitates in speech and action. Wondering what his intentions were, standing this close to her, speaking in a sultry tone. He can tell she's becoming more inwardly flustered the longer it goes on so he nods to the door behind her, reminding her she was blocking it.

"Oh," She steps out of his way, and jumps out of her aroused daze.

When she turns to utter something witty - feeling as though she let him get the better of her too easily - her stare falls on his bare back as he tosses his soiled shirt into the laundry basket before stepping towards the chest of drawers to his left. She looks away before he has the chance to catch her this time.

"So, what do you wanna do this morning?" she calls out from the bathroom, eyes uncontrollably flickering to the mirror before her as she peeks at him through that instead. Her body swaying while she continues drying off the newborn.

You, his mind answers.

"Uhh, I was thinking we could just go for coffee and then see what happens." Her eyes rake over the muscles stretching and bulging out of his back and shoulders as he stretches to pull the fresh shirt over himself. He turns back to her to finish, leaning in the doorway as she faces him again. "Not much places to take a month-old baby around here."

"Go with the flow it is then." She pops her eyes at him, wordlessly handing him the infant before she turns to clean up the mess she made inside the bathroom.

.

When the redhead returns to the living room, she finds Harvey swaying with the baby, having dressed her in an eye-catching shade of pink that has her tilting her head as she pads towards them, barefoot and dressed in yesterday's clothes again.

He turns to face her when he hears her soft footsteps against the wood flooring. Donna's eyes land on the onesie, sending her lips curling upwards, her cheeks rising with pure adoration.

'I know I'm awesome. I take after my Godmother.'

"Please tell me you didn't have that custom-made?" she giggles, her left brow arching with intrigue.

"Noo.." he grumbles back before smiling, "I got it in that baby boutique we were at a couple months back."

Donna raises her chin, her lip lowering as she makes the connection. "Ohhh, you mean the one you followed me into?"

"I didn't follow you in…"

"Oh yeah, sorry Pink Panther, you crept.."

"..I just happened to see you there." he continues, ignoring her signature mocking ways.

"When you were stalking me through the window?"

"I'm starting to think I should have bought a onesie with a different adjective on it.."

She can't help but snicker at his self-pitying ways, and his stiffening frown now that she wasn't immediately singing his praises. "And what word do you have in mind?"

"Ungrateful." he jokes, even though he partially meant it.

Donna steps closer, biting her lip as she smiles, trying her best not to laugh at his sulky behaviour. She naturally rests her left hand on his bicep, her other hand clasping Edith's tiny digits. Both looking down at their goddaughter sporting her best 'my godfather desperately wants to impress my godmother' outfit. As her thumb strokes his arm, she looks up at him with kind eyes. "It's adorable, Harvey. I love it."

He's like a child then, face lighting up like a Christmas Tree after receiving the attention he desired, from the only person he ever wants - and perhaps needs - it from.

.

Donna pushes the stroller back inside as he holds his door open, before parking it beside the kitchen island. She was going to head straight home after their diner visit, but with Ray on his day-off they had walked there, and she knew he would feel somewhat uncomfortable steering a baby back through the busy streets alone.

Harvey gently plucks his goddaughter out of her stroller when he catches her wakening. He had already started a habit of giving in to her winging before she could even have the chance to bawl.

"Okay, you should be fine on your own. Mike and Rachel will be back in a couple of hours. Remember, if you need me, just call." She points while looking back at him as she walks, knowing he would follow her, ceasing movements with her hand on the door handle once she reaches it.

"You sure you can't stay?" he all but pleads, hoping Donna would ditch her morning plans for them. For him.

"Harvey, stop panicking. You're more than capable of minding her on your own for the rest of the morning." she reassures in her calmest tone, eager to get home, shower and change into fresh clothes.

He sighs, not liking how much of his dignity he was losing standing there begging her like this. "Fine. But please, have your phone on you at all times."

"Of course."

Donna slings her Dior handbag over her shoulder. She gives Edith a kiss on the forehead, her hand resting on his forearm for support as she leans in, looking up at him afterwards. A sudden awkwardness blanketing over them as neither know how they should appropriately say goodbye.

A kiss on the cheek? A hug? Neither?

She finds herself choosing the latter when he takes too long to make the move. Pressing her lips into a semi-awkward smile as both hands clench around the straps of her bag.

"See you at work tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you." he nods back, knitting his brows into confusion as he watches her walk out the door, more perplexed than ever about the progression of their relationship.

Harvey looks down at Edie after he shuts the door, as if in hope of some advice.

"Don't look at me like that.." he mumbles, displeased with himself for letting her leave without so much as a hug, "things are complicated."

.

An hour passes by and Donna's just about to run herself a long, much deserved bath when the very thought is interrupted by knuckles wrapping against her front door.

His knuckles. His knock. His neediness.

She checks the time, thinking it was still a bit too early for Mike and Rachel to have already arrived back in the city and collected Edith too. It wasn't even noon yet.

"I'm coming, I'm coming.." she mutters when his second set of knocks carry through her hallway in a more desperate manner.

The redhead frowns, having opened the door to not one, but two people. The very two people she left at Harvey's apartment only an hour ago.

Edith is strapped in her car-seat, wrapped snugly in her favourite blanket. Harvey's awkwardly holding the handles of her wicker bassinet and baby carrier in his other hand, with the baby bag hanging over that shoulder. For a man who never even carried so much as a briefcase in all his years as a lawyer, this was a truly unexpected sight, to say the least.

She tilts her head, the subtle movement asking her question for her.

"Mike and Rachel called an hour after you left. Their flight got canceled. They won't be back until this evening."

Donna lets out a breath, smirking at the sheer panic in his eyes. "Come in." she gestures in a calm voice designed to put him at ease, stepping aside to let them pass her before she closes over the door with an amused grin.

.

"Edie missed you." he informs her while sitting himself and Edith down on the couch moments later, breathing out a sigh of relief as he does so.

"Edie, huh?" Donna challenges without hesitation as she eyes him on her way over.

"Yes." His answer convinces neither of them.

"It's been just over an hour, Harvey. I'm pretty certain she hasn't even noticed that I left."

"I'm serious. She's been crankier." He looks down at her resting on his lap as he caresses her feet. "I've done everything. Changed her, fed her..I played dad's record. I even tried some of your god awful nursery rhymes. But she still won't stop making noises."

"Noises?" she quizzes, trying not to laugh at him.

"Listen."

The pair fall silent as Donna sits herself down beside him and the baby. She bites her tongue next, holding back a cackle when she hears what he's referring to.

"Harvey!" she chuckles when she can no longer suppress it, his bewildered frown becoming too much to ignore any longer. "She's just cooing!"

"Cooing? What is she..a pigeon or something?"

"It's what babies do! Seeing as they can't talk.." Donna educates him.

"Is it not a bit early for that?"

"A little.. but she's our godchild.. of course she's gonna be a genius!" She inches closer on the couch as she peers over the baby, beaming with pride.

Harvey glances down at the chatty newborn once more, suddenly looking more amazed than ever. "Can you say Donn-ah? Donnn-ahh."

The name in question stares at him in bemusement, wondering had he just lost every one of his marbles.

He senses her gaze then, returning the eye contact. "What?" he glowers lightly, feeling somewhat embarrassed. "I read online that they pick up 'd' sounds the quickest."

Donna chooses to ignore the 'I read' part of his admission, knowing she wouldn't make it to her tub anytime soon if she start teasing him over that. "She's one month old, Harvey."

"And…a genius. Like her godfather." One raised brow and the cock of her head in his direction has him adding, "And godmother."

She hums with a narrow-eyed smile then, taking another moment to stare at the baby before she stands up again. "Well, I'm going to take a long bath. You will be alright without me for thirty minutes, won't you?" she teases, eliciting an eye-roll from him in response. "Try not to burn my apartment down while I'm gone."

"If you can remember to get out of the tub before your fingers start to wrinkle." he bites back with a smirk, boyishly challenging her maturity now too.

When she glances back, her deathly stare has him wondering if she could see right through his skull as images of her naked body flood his brain.

"How I bathe is none of your concern."

Harvey almost chokes on her words before watching her saunter off to her bedroom with a satisfied stride.

"Doesn't stop me from thinking about it." he mutters to himself when she has completely disappeared, sinking back into the couch before a mumbling Edith has his attention again. "Don't tell her I said that."

.

The relaxing redhead finds herself wondering if he had actually gone and burned her place down when she's no more than twenty minutes into her bath and her name is being frantically called from the living room.

"Donna!" she hears. "Come here, quick!"

With a sudden state of panic she propels herself out of the warm tub. Water and bubbles spilling out and smacking onto the tiles as she wraps the first towel in sight around her wet, naked frame. She almost slips on the marble amid her frenzy, before running through the hallway and into her living room.

"What happened!? Is she okay?" she breathes out, pulling to a sudden stop right in front of a standing Harvey. Her wide eyes full of fear which gradually turn to confusion as she examines Edith, happily resting against his chest. When she finally looks at him, that confusion turns to awkwardness. Finding his deep eyes trained on her dripping skin, incredibly exposed in the skimpy towel that would have been more suitable to wrap her hair in -not her body.

Harvey swallows back a timely lump in his throat, biting his lip so hard he thinks it might bleed. He finds it physically impossible to drag his eyes away from her freckles, glistening with a moist layer of water, some droplets forming over the ones on her shoulders, chest and arms. He hasn't seen this much of her since the other time. He feels a tightening in his groin the more he looks at her. But he's at a loss for words, unable to even remember why he called her out in the first place. Especially when his eyes fall on her hair, pinned back in a messy bun, moistened strands of red curls loosely resting on her shoulder and back, having fallen out of place.

A picture-perfect image of imperfection, he reckons. A timeless beauty. As if age were afraid of her. Yet kindly spoiling her all the same.

"Earth to Harvey?" she murmurs, eyes bulging with unease still.

"What..?" Is all he can muster when he finally drags his eyes up to hers, face as blank as his mind.

"What did you call me out here for? I thought something had happened!"

"Uhm…yeah, it did," he stutters, focusing all of his energy on not staring at her breasts. "She said 'Donn'!"

"What..?" she bemuses, letting out a confused laugh, baffled at the absurdity of it all. "Harvey, she's a newborn! She did not say my name."

"Well she said something.." Harvey glances back down at the baby in his arms when he realises how much he was staring.

Donna shakes her head, grinning at the lovable idiot before her. He mirrors her expression when he looks back up, both of them lost in each other's eyes before his pair slip up and ever so briefly drop to the upper valley of her breasts.

She notices straight away, her left hand rising to secure the towel around her, inwardly smirking at the hunger in his eyes.

"I better go get dressed." she whispers after a moment longer, her hand leaving Edie's dangling feet, fingers briefly lingering against his sweater before she drops her arm back to her side.

He reluctantly nods, waiting until she's pacing back through the living room before he mutters to himself. "I'm not complaining."

"What was that?" She turns to face him, eyes blinking, her tongue teasing her lips as she wonders if she heard him right.

"Nothing," Harvey responds after she catches him this time, a foreign innocence about him, "I was just talking to Edie."

"Hmm, I'll bet." she mumbles, gliding back into her bathroom as he takes in the view from behind. Her long silky legs showing more thigh than he's seen since his mouth was in between them over a decade ago, in this very apartment.

.

After Harvey taking his 'two favourite girls' out for a late lunch, and an impromptu stroll around the block to get Edith back to sleep, the trio are back at no. 206, now more fatigued than ever.

Donna removes the carrier from her frame, with the help of Harvey, and carefully sets the snoozing baby down in the bassinet now sitting in the middle of her living room, before she collapses onto her couch with a dramatic sigh. "How do people do this everyday?"

"Do what?" he asks, passing her by and making way to the kitchen to brew them some coffee.

"Parenting." she clarifies. "Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with her. But I'm exhausted."

Harvey chuckles to himself when he's out of sight. "That's because you're not used to it." he calls back to her as he boils the water.

"I don't know how anyone gets used to it.."

Harvey glances around for their secret ingredient. "Where do you keep the-"

"Left cabinet, top shelf." she calls out, lightly enough not to wake the baby.

He returns minutes later, two cups of steaming coffee in hand. Offering one to an overly grateful redhead.

"Thank you." she sighs with relief, rolling her eyes to heaven while she swallows her first mouthful, that famous hint of vanilla consuming her taste buds afterwards. "I needed this."

She finds him oddly quiet next. Perched beside her as he sips his own cup, staring into space. She just watches him, waiting for him to speak, knowing he was going to say what was on his mind any second now.

"I imagine you'd get used to it if it was your own kid." he murmurs softly, dragging his eyes to meet hers once he says it.

She's not sure how to respond, having never discussed something like this with him - or anyone for that matter - so she chooses humour, unsurprisingly.

"Because you'd have no choice!" she laughs, desperate to keep the air light and breezy between them.

"So you're saying you wouldn't want kids some day then?"

Donna mildly frowns, swearing she could detect an ounce of disappointment in his tone as the wind takes a turn.

"No…" she smiles with heightened brows, "I'm just saying it's exhausting is all."

He sends her a half-smirk then, the expression not fully reaching his eyes.

"Do you?" Her voice takes a sweeter tone now as she can't help but let herself get swept away. "Want kids?"

They were both in completely unfamiliar territory now. Only fully realising the conversation they were having, after they had landed themselves in it. They weren't even technically dating anymore, and yet both of them find themselves sitting down together, discussing kids.

"Yeah, of course.." He doesn't miss the opportunity to look into her doe-like eyes as he continues, "With the right person." She hears him finish in that voice designed for her ears only.

Donna lets his stare linger awhile longer before responding. Eager to keep the kid conversation about them as individuals. Afraid of what might become of them if they didn't.

"I guess I never really thought about it much.." she begins, speaking more softly now as she muses, "I've never been with anybody that I wanted kids with, and work has always been so demanding. Now more so than ever.." she shrugs before trailing off in quiet reflection.

"I understand." Harvey sighs before taking another drink, then setting his cup down on the coffee table and relaxing into the light grey cushions behind him. Only a foot left between them even though they had the entire length of the couch to occupy with their bodies. "A bit too well."

She sits up next, her frame facing his, softening into the side of the couch as she mirrors him. She wears a concentrated look on her face, watching him attentively, readying herself for a discussion that was more than likely going to be about them. Running away from it any longer felt like fighting a losing battle.

"Donna, what are we doing?" he blurts out after another moment of contemplation, brows furrowed, turning his head towards her afterwards.

"What?" Her awkwardly timid smile isn't enough to convince him that she doesn't know exactly what he means.

"Us. Here. Talking about kids." he explains anyway.

"I thought we were just having a conversation?"

"Are we ever just having a conversation?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" she frowns defensively.

"It means.. We both know there's something going on here, but I don't know what the hell to call it because we don't discuss it enough." he breathes out rather frantically, knowing it was slightly out of the blue. But only somewhat, because the 'relationship status' conversation has been silently bubbling for awhile now. Especially since they had moved past ex-therapists and post-kiss brawls.

"Harvey, what's brought all of this on?"

"We shared a bed last night, Donna. And today, we've hardly even touched." Harvey sits up, adamant on coming across as serious as he feels about her. "I don't want this to keep slipping away from us…going back to the way it always does."

"Harvey," she shuts her eyes briefly before he interrupts her attempt to reassure him otherwise.

"Life is short, Donna!" His hands raise mid-air before smacking back against his thighs, voice raising a few notes higher. "Look at Rachel's aunt.."

"She was ninety-three..Harvey." Donna bites her lip, her nerves finding comfort in making light of things.

Her facetiously teasing brow and smirking eyes only ravel him up further. "That's not the point!"

"Well what is the point then?" she laughs mirthlessly, heart pounding out of her chest.

"A hundred years isn't long enough when you've found the person you wanna spend the rest of your life with!"

She lets the silence engulf them, pretty certain he would be able to hear her worrying pulse rate at this stage. She generously fills her lungs. "What are you saying?" she exhales. Again, she knows, deep down anyway. But her almost invisible insecurities won't allow her to be certain without asking.

Because Donna Paulsen knows everything. Except how much Harvey Specter truly loves her.

"That I've found her. And I'm looking right at her, and somehow she still doesn't quite know it!" Harvey exclaims, overwrought with emotion, more than she's seen from him in awhile. Maybe ever.

"Just.. tell me what you want, Harvey?" she whispers hoarsely, desperate to hear it once and for all. So she could finally experience her own reaction to him telling her he wanted to be with her. And what it would make her feel after everything they've been through together. And for once in her life, she has no doubt that he's going to answer a question like that truthfully. She won't be able to be mad at him for not responding - or responding vaguely - anymore. Nor will she have an excuse not to tap into her own wants, her own feelings, when it comes to them. And it petrifies her.

"I want you, Donna! I want this, with you!" he cries out, waving his hand towards the baby as he sits closer to the edge of the couch, still facing her. "A future, together."

And just like that it was out there. No take backs. She was the one for him. The only one. And although his actions of late may have been showing just that, his words now proved it. She had no way of escape. No telling herself that this might not be what she has imagined in her head over the last couple of months. Or what he has imagined in his. He wanted her. Just her. For the rest of his life, apparently.

But his honesty has her mind going blank. Mouth agape and dilated eyes shaking at him. Her chest rising heavily, in sync with her breathing, now more rapid, with her pulse beating out of her skin and ringing in her ear drum. Their entire conversation was catching up with her now, leaving her frozen. Taking her out of the present and placing her in limbo between both their formidable past, and potential future.

Suddenly Edith lets out a small cry, having been woken from the emotional outburst, pulling the redhead back to reality somewhat.

"Are you still in love with me, Donna?" Harvey croaks out, flooring her once more, the tension in the room rising with each cry the infant expels. He was desperate for her to answer him before she could use the baby as an escape exit. He moves closer, his knee hitting hers. "Because you were right about what you said about me up on that rooftop.. I love you as way more than just a best friend. Because I'm in love with you. And the more I think about it, the more I realise that I have never not been in love with you."

Edie starts crying again, louder this time, completely awake and not about to be silenced until someone picks her up.

Donna shakes herself from her state of shock. Moving towards the bassinet with autopilot mode switched on, she takes the baby in her arms, gently shushing and cradling her.

"Donna-" Harvey pleads as he stands, his heart aching when she doesn't even look at him.

"I need to put her down to bed."

"Can you at least ans-"

"Harvey. I just need a minute." she exhales, finally glancing at him, hoping her eyes weren't as fearful as she felt but she wasn't optimistic about her chances. "Let me put her down. Please."

She hates herself for how distant she sounds despite her efforts. Shutting him down now that he was finally refusing to shut up. But it's the abruptness of it all that has sent her into a state of panic. Fight or flight. They were just discussing kids, and now all of a sudden their kids? Their future?

Harvey shakes his head before giving in and moving out of the way, hopelessly watching as she catches the handles of woven bassinet and strolls towards her bedroom.

She only lets the tears fall when she's out of sight. Tears of frustration more than anything. Becoming increasingly mad at herself for the way she dealt with his declaration.

Her minute turns to almost an hour. The first fifteen spent getting Edith back to sleep. And the rest spent sat on her bed, going over what she should say to him, how she should approach him, and whether or not she should just respond by kissing him. Her heart was more than its fair share of heavy now, weighed down with over twelve years of suppressed and denied feelings. The bottom line was, she found that way of dealing with their precarious relationship easier than talking about it, easier than telling him that she too wanted a life with him.

But she was determined to change. Tonight. If he could do it, then she was more than capable of doing so too. They couldn't run from each other anymore now, it was just them. Literally and figuratively. No firm drama to conveniently insert its way in between them this time.

With a courageous breath, she takes herself back out through the hallway and into the living room, her arms neatly wrapped around her waist for security. She stops in her tracks when she lays eyes on him, horizontal across her couch. Eyes closed and face completely peaceful. The exhaustion after getting the better of him during his wait. She decides that neither of the options she relayed in her head would be of use to her in his slumberous state.

Instead of thinking anymore, she simply carries on towards him. Taking a moment to smile over his sleeping form before she's joining him. Nestling into the crook of his neck and pulling her body into his, her right leg poking in between his as her arm wraps around his ribs. She lets out the breath she was holding when she feels his arms tighten around her. Planting a kiss to her forehead once he's fully awake.

"I'm sorry." he whispers against her.

"I am." she exhales in response to his earlier question.

"You've nothing to be-"

"Still in love with you."

She darts her gaze up at him, watching his face contort into the happiest she's ever seen in their thirteen years together. His hardened frown relaxing, eyes opening up to her as a smile teases the edges of his lips.

"I've only ever been in love with you, Harvey. I don't want you to doubt that anymore." She runs her hand up his neck, caressing his jawline with her thumb. "So..just know that I am, okay?" she whispers, eyes brewing with fresh tears when she blinks at him, pearly whites poking out as she sends him a wide, watery grin.

"Okay." he whispers, his face bursting with joy while his hand finds her ribcage.

He pulls her in for a bruising kiss with his next breath. Both chuckling with teary eyes and elated sighs when their lips meet for the third time in six months. As the embrace heats up, his hand lingers down her spine, pulling her body flush to his before he raises himself off the couch to hover over her. His kisses soon end up trailing down her neck, nipping and soothing the freckled flesh along the way.

"Harveyy-" she moans.

"What.." he breathes, his voice hot against her exposed cleavage.

"We can't.."

Harvey looks back up at her then, pulling himself upwards so he's face to face with her again.

"Why not?" he quizzes, his voice raspy with a hint of fear, even though he knows he shouldn't hold onto it anymore -but one's oldest habits really are hardest to kill.

"Edie?" she chuckles, hands running up his chest and over his shoulders.

"She's too young to know." He presses his lips to hers once he feels secure enough to do so again, the sight of the red-raw and deliciously plumped pair, along with her hazel-green eyes - almost morphing completely black now - proving too irresistible. "Or to catch us."

"Harv-ey.." Her half-hearted scolding goes unfinished when he sucks on her pulse point and his fingers press into her waist with a firm grip, his thumb running smooth circles on her lower abdomen, disrupting the muscles beneath as she feels them jolting under his sensual movements.

"You were saying?" he teases, his blackened eyes staring into half-hooded ones.

He watches her measure up their options. Staring back at him when she's made up her mind. Choosing to give in to lust. Because, how could she not?

"Screw it." Her sigh meets his lips, pulling him down for another passionate embrace. Her bottom lip numbs as his teeth tug at the flesh, his tongue soon sweeping out in soothing strokes to accompany his kisses, angling his head to the left as he parts her lips further, encouraging her own tongue to meet his.

Her fingers rake down his sides next, helping remove his navy sweater before pulling his shirt from his pants, quickly starting on his buttons from the bottom up. He lets out a deep groan when her hands touch his flesh, the mere feeling alone lighting his groin on fire as a thick tension builds in his crotch. A tension made abundantly clear as he grinds against her. Purposely.

Their lips pull apart then. Both frowning at each other over the sudden set of knocks against the front door.

"Just ignore it," he pants, "whoever it is will leave." He buries his face against her neck again, feeling her throaty chuckle under his mouth and tongue.

"Harvey," she demands his attention back up to her eyes, "Mike and Rachel?"

"Shit.." he whispers once she jogs his memory, bowing his head in defeat before looking at her again. "Is that the time already?"

"Must be.." Donna groans, patting his shoulder to encourage him to sit up, pulling her to a stand with him next.

He leans in to kiss her again, his left hand smoothing through her copper waves. Both sharing giggles, knowing they should be in more of a rush than they were.

"Wow," Mike nods in thought as the pair wait outside, "I guess they're really going at it in there."

Rachel lightly whacks his chest with the back of her palm, but can't tamper down her amusement - or excitement - at the thought. "You think?"

"I know." he smirks confidently, wrapping on the door again to panic them further.

The pair pull apart - or try to - their lips still teasing one another as she buttons up his shirt and he stuffs it back into his pants.

"Where's my sweater?" he asks quietly.

"There." She points behind the couch, hurrying him to the door with her as he redresses himself.

"Wait," Harvey whispers just as she's about to put her palm on the handle. His serious tone making her turn back before he presses her against the wall, consuming her once more as he cups her face in his hands. She hears their lips part before her lashes flutter open and he breathes against her. "Just in case they don't leave for another while."

Both of them were bubbling over with arousal and giddiness at this stage. The reality of them kissing with their friends on the other side of the door, completely oblivious, - or so they thought - only adding to their shared adrenaline rush.

Donna bites her lip before they release themselves from one other. Physically, at least.

"Hi!" she greets as she pulls the door wide open, subconsciously smoothing down her hair.

She meets Rachel for a hug of condolences after saying hellos. Her eyes doing all the talking as she smiles at her with her signature empathetic stare. Rachel smiling back to let her know she was okay.

"Took you long enough to answer." Mike states in a pondering tone as he kisses Donna on the cheek.

She freezes for a second before Harvey answers from behind. "We were checking on Edie."

"Both of you?" he challenges, feigning confusion.

Donna winces at her acting partner's lame attempt at a cover up. He should have left her in the spotlight. But to be fair, she was off her game too. Still feeling his hands, his lips, his budding erection, all over her body. As if each and every cell and crevice were consumed by Harvey Specter. Just the way she craved most.

"Hmm." Mike hums, side-eyeing Rachel when he doesn't get an answer. Neither of them missing her red-raw lips or the rosy marks on her neck. Or his uncharacteristically disheveled strands and messy collar.

"You guys want tea? Coffee?" Donna calls out as they seat themselves onto her couch. "She's not due to wake for another half hour at least."

They both answer with coffee, in desperate need of a caffeine boost after their travels no doubt.

"I'll give you a hand." Harvey mutters, earning a questionable glance from all three as he follows her past the couch and into the kitchen.

"Could they be anymore obvious?" Rachel whispers in amusement, lips pressing together with glee.

"They may as well be holding up a sign." Mike adds, glancing in the direction of the kitchen where he no longer had eyes on the conspicuous pair.

Harvey stops behind her, hands around her waist while he plants his lips up and down the crook of her neck, feeling her head bow back in response to his teasing ministrations.

"Harvey-" He twists her around before pressing her into the counter, and himself into her. "I hope you didn't come in here with wicked intentions. Because we both know I don't need a hand with two coff-" Her low whisper trails off as he sucks on her pulse point, her eyes hooded once more.

"I can make our coffees." he mutters his excuse to be there, kissing his way up her long neck until he was tugging at her bottom lip, giving him good reason to use tongue so quickly as he soothes it over with a wet kiss. "Still like yours whipped?"

"Always." she purrs, a cat-like excitement in her eye.

"We would have been to Starbucks and back by now.." Mike projects from inside the living room. For someone who was so eager to play St. Valentine all these years, he was definitely taking enjoyment in toying with them.

The pair return a few minutes later, visibly oozing with an amorous emanation for one another.

"Here you go..milk no sugar." Donna hands Mike his coffee.

"And black, one sugar." Harvey hands Rachel hers.

"I'm sure Donna would have failed miserably at remembering our orders without you, Harvey, thank you." Mike teases sarcastically.

Donna chuckles, sitting on the smaller, adjacent couch. "What can I say, he's whipped." The sneakiness of the entire situation was enticing her inner performer out to play as she mocks him no more than she normally would, as if they were just friends. Not that they were ever just friends.

"What was that?" Harvey asks, pretending as if he didn't hear them right, nostrils flared and lips smirking. "You want more whipped cream with that?"

Donna coughs while she takes a sip. "I'm good. For now."

Both of them shamelessly ogle the other as Mike and Rachel sit in the middle trying to hold back their laughter.

"So, how was everything with Edith?" Rachel asks.

"Perfect," Donna smiles.

"She didn't even know her parents had been replaced." Harvey interrupts jokingly, once again eyeing Donna as they both smirk into their cups.

"Okay," Mike finally caves after hearing Harvey refer to him and the redhead as parents in a roundabout way, "so are you two a thing now? Or is it normal to have eye sex with friends over coffee nowadays?"

"Mike!" Rachel scolds, sending Donna an apologetic, yet curious glance. The redhead's eyes widen in sync with her smirk, telling her she would fill her in on the 'most important emotional question' later.

"Actually," Harvey butts in unexpectedly, gaze on Donna as he stands on the other side of Mike and Rachel, "it would have been more than just our eyes had you not knocked."

"Harvey!" Donna's mouth drops as she glares over at him, never thinking he would come out and say it like that.

"What?" he shrugs. "This is practically their early Christmas present."

"That's true. I really wanted a new bike, but I took one for the team and put you two finally getting together at the top of my list instead." Mike nods mockingly while Harvey shakes his head at the younger man's antics. "Come on you guys," He looks back and forth between the smitten pair, "it was pretty obvious."

"What Mike means.." Rachel adds, her palm on her fiance's thigh as she looks at Harvey and then Donna, "is that we are incredibly happy for you both."

"That too." Mike nods, beaming at his friends.

Donna isn't entirely sure how to respond. Especially seeing as her and Harvey had only got around to kissing - and some stripping - before they arrived. So the congratulations felt somewhat premature. But at the same time, they were finally together now, that much was obvious without needing to be said, so maybe they weren't so premature.

"Why don't we check on Edie?" she suggests, aware Rachel would be itching to see her daughter, but also wanting time away from the men -to be women.

"Excellent idea." Rachel smirks, knowing she's about to get all the information she's craving. "Be right back, you two."

"Hmm, I wonder what they could be discussing.." Mike bemuses with exaggeration, back hitting the couch as he watches them disappear before glancing to Harvey. "I hope you measured up well."

Harvey tuts at his proteges distasteful humour, - even though it was a mirror of his own - sitting himself down in Donna's seat. "We haven't even gotten there yet."

"But you have before?" he quizzes, even though he knows, thanks to Rachel.

"What?"

"Years ago?"

"How do you know that?" Harvey frowns.

"Women talk, Harvey. Just like they're doing in there right now." He points over the older man's shoulder in the direction of Donna's bedroom.

Harvey rolls his eyes, sinking back into the couch. "Well I'm not worried."

"Cocky."

Mike's deliberate use of the word doesn't go unnoticed by his friend. "With good reason." Harvey responds with a confident smirk.

.

Donna and Rachel peer over the sleeping baby, her mother's fingers caressing her cheek, feeling as though she hadn't seen her all week.

"I won't judge if you wanna poke her." Donna jokes, her left brow raised as she nudges Rachel's arm.

"No, I'll let her sleep through," she smiles, "she'll be awake soon enough."

"She seems to only wake up at the most inconvenient of times." Donna muses.

"Meaning?" Rachel's voice is full of intrigue now.

"Exactly what you think it means." Donna confirms.

The younger woman squeals in delight, a wave of relief hitting her. "I'm so happy for you, Donna."

"Thanks, Rach."

"So…" Her eyes bore through the redhead's, shamelessly asking 'how big?' Donna chuckles as Rachel separates her index fingers slowly but steadily. "Okay, you're gonna have to stop me at some stage. Now I'm getting worried for you."

Donna shows off the whites of her eyes as she gives the confirming nod, laughing at Rachel's wide-eyed expression.

"Impressive."

"And that's just going off memory."

"Wait, so you two actually haven't..?" Rachel frowns, thinking they had surely found some time all weekend.

"Not in twelve years, no." Donna remarks, pressing her lips into a crooked smile, the fact annoying her somewhat.

"Well," the brunette exhales with a grin, "we'd better get out of your hair then."

"Don't be silly."

"No," Rachel insists, "I don't wanna get in the way of my best friend getting..well, you know." She adorably wiggles her brows.

Donna sighs, face contorting into dramatised appreciation as she chuckles. "You really are a true friend, Rachel."

"I learn from the best."

.

Harvey and Donna stand at the front door again as they see the three of them off. Butterflies burgeoning at the mere thought of what's to come once the door closes again.

"Thanks again, you guys. I don't know how we would have gotten through this weekend without your help." Rachel smiles appreciatively, as Mike nods to her side with Edith in her kangaroo pouch.

"Don't mention it, Rach." Donna grins.

"I guess we should be thanking you two, and your parent trapping asses." Harvey jokes, right hand on her lower back.

"Godparent trapping." Mike corrects.

"Punny." Harvey rolls his eyes, pretending to be unamused as he scoffs.

"Okay you two, try not to have too much fun without us." Rachel grins, eyeing them one last time before she turns to leave.

"Oh trust me, we're gonna have all the fun without you guys." Harvey responds, his hand pressing into her waist after he speaks, earning an elbow jab from his partner.

They share final glances and goodbyes then before Donna's closing the door and Harvey's pinning her up against it without any tentativeness or hesitation whatsoever.

"Finally." he grumbles hoarsely against her flushed skin.

She wraps her limbs around his neck and waist as his fingers press into her upper thighs, his hands wandering over her ass and lower back as her legs tighten around him, calves pulling him into her with a fervid force. The door behind her providing perfect support.

As his bulge digs into her clothed centre she releases a low whine, nails scraping his scalp as lips part.

"Harvey." she pants. "Unless you wanna do it here, I suggest you walk us in there." Her hazy eyes glance over him and towards her bedroom.

"Why.." he jokes, kissing her again. "I think your door would be poetic."

"And how is that?"

"Well, I mean, we've had a lot of moments here."

She knows exactly what he means. The midnight calls. The unexpected - and sometimes unwelcome - visits. The other time.

"And sex isn't going to be one of them!" she scolds with laughter nonetheless.

"It isn't?" he pouts, purposefully child-like.

"Not tonight, no."

"That sounds promising."

"Harvey, can you stop talking now?"

She feels his Cheshire Cat grin on her lips next, tasting his arousal as her lower half feels it. "Mmph," she mumbles. "Bedroom. Now."

"Still as dominant as ever." he mutters, stepping backwards as he turns them around, his feet finding her bedroom with ease. That direction of her hallway seared in his memory for eternity.

...

Most of their clothes are soon a forgotten feeling on their flesh as he lays on top of her, both sporting only their undergarments now. Her black lace testing how far the circumference of his pupils could stretch. His undeniable desire grinding against her nerves, now more exposed with such thin layers between them. Her neck already feels numb from his kisses, lips plump from his tugs, her nipples erect as he rids her of her bra. He takes in the new view for a second before lowering himself back down. Lips meeting collarbone, then chest, then nipple. Tongue teasing its way out as his left hand lingers down her side, his right linked with hers, pressing into the pillow as their intertwined fingers begin to sweat. While his other fingers get to work where she needs them most, sliding under the wet lace.

"Harv-" she whines, wriggling under him and his thumb with an unruly yearning born out of twelve years of repression.

His digits meet warm, swollen lips, nerves already throbbing under his touch. He rests his forehead in the crook of her neck, needing to steady himself lest the sensual contact leave him prematurely peaking. He kisses her skin before he's up again, eyes meeting her cloudy pair. Her thumb caresses his jawline as his own grazes her clit. His two fingers eventually sliding inside. He watches her mouth fall agape as she adjusts, her lower half arching towards him. Once her lids flutter open, he curves his fingers inside, teasing her walls as her heat intensifies. Flicking his fingerprint over her centre, they share another open-mouthed kiss, both panting with lust. Her crimson nails digging into his back and shoulders, making salmon-pink trails over his sallow skin.

"I'm gonna need the real deal soon, Harvey." she demands breathlessly.

"Be patient." he smirks hot against her ear, nipping her lobe before kissing her jawline as his fingers rock into her with even more fervour than his younger self had possessed.

"We have the rest of our lives to be patient," she moans, "now stop making me wait."

"But it will be worth the wait."

"Harvey."

He tilts his head, smirking as he waits a second before caving. If only to save some dignity. He releases his fingers from her warm hold. Placing them both in his mouth without breaking eye contact once. Looking like the cat - more like lion - who got the cream - of the whipped kind - as his pupils prey upon her. He tastes his thumb then, carefully observing her roused expression as a peachy blush rises under her cheeks. Mostly out of sexual stimulation, with just a hint of demure.

"Forgot how good you taste."

"No you didn't."

"No," he grins, licking his lips, "I didn't." he finishes, kissing hers so she can taste.

She glides her hands down his shoulder and onto his chest, pushing him downwards with a devilish flame flickering in her eye.

He does as he's wordlessly told next, scooting down, his fingers delicately ripping the lace from her hips, tossing it behind him as he absorbs the sublime sight that raises his erection an inch or two, before he rids himself of his own briefs.

He kisses his way up her long, silky legs as he crawls, mouth lingering over her the apex of her thigh before lightly sucking her clit, just enough to leave her wanting more.

She finally feels all of him as he settles above her once again. His stiff shaft teasing her tender nerves. Gazing at each other one last time before their next time.

"I love you, Donna." He delicately brushes some stray auburn strands behind her ear.

"I love you too, Harvey." she whispers, her eyes more somber now as she takes him in, thumb affectionately smoothing his temple, down to his jawline and over his lower lip until her hand falls to the crook of his neck.

"I know." he teases, all too satisfied with being able to say that with confidence now.

He leaves an emotive kiss on her lips as he shifts above her. Her legs spreading and gripping around him as she leads him in. Breathing together as she accommodates him. Giving her time to adjust, he locks eyes on her lips, distilling a breath, his eyes floating back up to hers.

Donna sighs as she slowly moves beneath him, her arms under his, palms pressing into his shoulder blades, urging him on. Her room soon filling with a reverberating array of resonance as he rocks into her. Bed creaking, breaths mingling, breasts ricocheting. Grinding and groaning. Pounding and panting. Relaxing and relenting.

She, was the only one to ever satisfy his insatiable desire for sex. For she was the one to set his standards sky-high in the first place. Unknowingly leaving him in constant search - albeit subconsciously - of another her for over a decade. Being with her, loving her, was organic. Even more of an inclination to him than being a lawyer was. As she surrenders to her climax under him, he fully recognises that he is never going to find another her as long as he lives.

His thumb presses into her core once more, driving out her orgasm. Her legs turning to jello from the inside out as her nerves ignite in some sort of domino-effect, her core being the epicentre of the quake about to erupt.

She pulls him closer as she doubles over, jerking beneath him without any control as he thrusts and teases, still pleasurably taunting her down south as she releases a higher-pitched moan, his name a praise and a curse tumbling from her lips all at once.

He kisses her hot flesh as she descends from her ultimate high, his thumb slowing down its avid actions in favour of more relaxing motions. His lips ascend her neck then, finding her mouth as he kisses her more gently.

She looks at him coyly, almost as if she hadn't just come undone for him. She tightens her grip around his neck, easing him in for a deeper kiss as he picks up drive again. Her fingers denting his back, venturing as far as they could reach, coaxing him on as he approaches his own pinnacle experience. Eyes filling with euphoric endorphins as he engages in one final thrust, ethereally gazing into her own misty pair before the slow whine she elicits has him emptying inside her, inevitably.

He lays against her breasts, spent and sweaty, regaining his energy with her limp fingers soothingly stroking through his short strands.

"Wow," she breathes, his head rising and falling with her chest as he listens to her heartbeat, "that was even quicker than our first time."

He chuckles, the vibrations piercing through her skin. That woman's wicked tongue is undoubtedly one of his favourite things about her.

He props himself up next, mindfully sliding out of her before he nestles in beside her. "We both know my longevity increases with each round."

"We do." she hums fairly, wrapping her leg over his, already feeling the ache settling in between her thighs as the tingling sensation slowly starts to wear off, her right arm lazily swinging over him too.

"Twelve years, Donna." he defends when her eyes still taunt him. "And I didn't seen you lasting very long either."

"I know, I know.." she yields, "Geesh, since when did you get so sensitive?"

He grips her waist, gluing her body to his as he lies back, smiling against their kisses before speaking. "I've been seeing someone for the last few months, actually." he informs her, only slightly more solemn.

She props herself up against his chest, tormenting eyes cast down at him with a faux frown. "You're already two-timing me?"

Harvey responds with an unimpressed glare, brows creased at such a suggestion, albeit humorous.

"Wait.." she ponders before popping her eyes at him, "that would make me the mistress."

"Not funny…"

"Harvey," she lowers her tone, her left brow quirked, "you really think I didn't already know?"

"How-" His face relaxes once her stare cuts him off and answers for her.

She's Donna.

"I'm proud of you." she whispers sweetly, pulling herself in for a chaste kiss, sighing when she can still taste herself off the tip of his tongue.

"Good, because I don't think I'll be seeing her anymore."

"Oh yeah?" She fails to hide her exuberant expression, watching his own grin widen with nothing short of irrepressible jubilation. She's inwardly stunned that the happiest she's ever seen him, is when he is with her.

"You're the only healer I need." he jokes, laughing along with her when her chuckles course through his chest. He takes in her fiery flames, her ivory flesh and her golden freckles. Each feature fairing flawlessly in the soft, orange light emitted by both bedside lamps.

"That sucks for you cause the only healing I know is of the sexual kind." Donna pouts, right hand tracing his ribs, fingers tip-toeing their way down his waist and beyond. "And let me tell you..I didn't have to go to Harvard for my degree." She grips his length with a torturous thumb, teasing his head on various upward strokes.

He chooses not to get into her sexual qualifications. "That's too bad," he grunts under her contact, "but if it's all you're offering, then I suppose I won't say no."

"One session..coming right up." Her voice becomes dangerously low as she straddles him, onyx eyes fixated upon him.

He feels her hand accompany her lascivious language, sliding up and down his shaft once more, almost effortlessly having him standing to full attention in no time at all. When he's ready, she sits herself up and slowly sinks on top of him. Feeling his firm fingers press into her rocking hips as her walls surround him.

"Do I have to pay?" he chances.

"Only with more sex." she pants, eyes half-hooded with a sensual smirk. "A lot more."

"Well, you did say you wanted something more once." His heated palms run over her ass and waist, eyeing her intensely, smugly too.

Donna lowers herself down as she grinds above him, hands smoothing up his chest until they rest on either side of his neck while she kisses him. She opens her eyes and smiles as their lips part.

"And now I have it."

.

.

.

If you made it to the end, congratulations, that was a long-ass chapter, I'm sorry (to those of you with lesser attention spans/time/interest) :P It was originally much shorter, but I had Machel hang around for longer near the end because well, we'll never get them finding out about Darvey in the show anymore.. (still bitter)

Anyway, would especially love to hear your feedback on this one, it has drained my writer's soul.
This will probably be the last chapter before the epilogue, but if anyone has things they would like to see written, let me know in the comments and I'll see what I can do (if only Korsh listened to us like this).

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed here and on twitter over the last couple of months. It means the world. I love you all. X