Signed, Sealed and Delivered.

Category: Angst/Romance

Pairing: Darvey

Summary: Donna once again proves her worth as COO urging Harvey to swallow his pride and give her the apology she deserves after their altercation with David Fox.

Spoilers: Contains spoilers for S08E08: Sour Grapes.

AN: Based on a prompt by Darvey4ever1 on twitter :) I've used a lot of creative licence when it comes to the Lawyer speak, hopefully it makes sense and doesn't distract. Thanks for reading! xx

Harvey's stomach rolls for the fifteenth time as he exits the meeting room. His head swims from the movement and without going far he stops to steal a deep breath trying to keep spots from clouding his vision. It's only a few seconds reprieve while the asshole trying to roll his client makes a personal call but he needs it all the same.

'Of all the days to suffer from food poisoning,' he thinks screwing his eyes shut, 'it had to be fucking today.'

"Harvey?"

Donna's approach startles him and he meets her concerned gaze with a tight frown. Now isn't the time to appear weak in front of anyone and he palms the sweat from his brow breathing out roughly, "I'm fine... I just need a minute."

"You need is to go home," she counters, the tone firm but her expression sympathetic as she gives him the once over. He looks like shit, sounds twice as bad as Louis did over the phone, and she has half a mind to call the restaurant they dined in and threaten legal action. Unfortunately that won't help Harvey's current predicament and she peers around him to the room full of people anxiously awaiting his return. The opposing lawyer, Richard Sellass, seems particularly irritated and she rights herself taking in Harvey's sickly green-tinged skin with a sigh, "this is ridiculous Harvey, you need to reschedule."

He shakes his head causing the walls swim which in-turn sends his stomach into a spiral. If he could leave he would. He isn't a masochist but Sellass is a conniving son-of-a-bitch who's just waiting for an opportunity to screw him over. "Clause in the... fine print," he breathes out sharply trying to dispel the waves of nausea, "if we don't settle today-"

"There's a chance Sellass will capitalise on the two percent lease gains," she finishes for him, aware of the impending increase due to happen at midnight.

She doesn't just bug the conference room for fun. It's her job to know everything, utilize the information, and judging from where Harvey's up to in the draft report they still have a way to go before pulling out his trump card. He needs to play the game first but in his current condition she doubts he's even capable of giving it the hard sell. "What about Katrina?" She suggests, watching his face fall further at the suggestion. He isn't wrong to dismiss it. Without being thoroughly briefed it would be like sending a lamb to the slaughter but with Samantha and Alex at a conference in Chicago and Robert on personal leave in Seattle she's out of ideas.

Except for one.

"I can do it." She catches the look of obstinance in his expression and responds fanning her arm toward the meeting room, "I'm serious Harvey. I've been through the draft proposal at least a dozen times helping Louis balance the figures. Let me do this."

A knot of apprehension forms in his throat, the potential implications adding to the heat building uncomfortably beneath his collar. It's not that he doesn't appreciate the offer but it's a multi-million dollar deal and he'd have a hard time entrusting it solely to Louis let-a-lone someone who isn't even a lawyer. "I can handle it." The words bubble through a burn of re-flux and he swallows sharply, bracing the wall to keep from losing the contents of his stomach.

"Bullshit." The curse blankets her concern but her fingers reach out of their own accord landing in the crease of his elbow. Of course she's worried but she also knows he won't stop until he has a viable out so if challenging him is the only way to help she'll wear the consequences. "As much fun as it would be to watch you hurl all over Sellass I don't think that's what it's going to take to get this thing signed so either postpone the negotiation or hand it over."

His insides jerk in repose to the demand uncertainly flashing in his gaze as he leans into the cool polished wall floating behind him. He doesn't like being given ultimatums but he's already been absent far too long and can't even remember where he was up to in the proposal. His head is a mess, radiating heat and he scrubs the clinging dampness trying to realign his focus.

"You were going through the salary expectation for redundancies if they won't agree to the clause for overtime." She clarifies for him, her jaw set tightly as he works the knot of his tie loosening it slightly.

He can't say he isn't impressed but her having all the facts doesn't instantly qualify her to negotiate with ruthless adversaries. Even Mike had to learn that lesson the hard way and he pinches the bridge of his nose pushing through another wave of nausea with a rough exhale, "you might be a mind reader Donna but you're not a lawyer."

"And I don't need to be." She throws back bluntly, her gaze narrowing at his hesitancy. They both know the legalities have been taken care of. All she needs to do is get Sellass and his client to sign. Still a challenge but one she's entirely capable of meeting head on. "Like I said, postpone if that's what you want to do but going back in there would be a mistake."

He flinches at her tone but anger won't stop the relentless assault on his stomach or the chills raking up his spine. She's right, they don't have a choice and he reluctantly gives in praying the decision doesn't tank the whole deal. "Okay, go." She nods her affirmation and he watches her leave, heels clicking toward the meeting room. It's not that he doesn't trust her -he does- but the stakes have never been higher particularly so soon after the firms merger. If she's wrong and it costs them their reputation he's not sure how either of them will come back from it, personally or professionally.

The thought resonates lingering as he removes his tie completely and digs out his phone calling on Ray to come pick him up.

The trip back to his apartment is mostly a blur of flashing buildings and passing cars. He barely makes it inside before losing the contents of his stomach and entering into a gruelling ritual of drinking water and repeatedly vomiting until there's nothing left but bile burning through his insides.

If this is hell, he fucking wants out.

At some point he thinks about calling Donna but the urge dissolves under a flanking wave of exhaustion. Right now the firm could go under and he could care less. All he wants to do is sleep and with the lasts remnants of strength he drags himself to the sofa closing his eyes and sinking into oblivion.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Hours later he startles awakes to his darkened apartment, the sound of knocking drilling through his conscious like a jackhammer. He still feels like shit but his stomach has settled and the dizziness abated. A relief as he pushes himself up and trudges to the door catching the lights on his way passed. As soon as his gaze lands on Donna he remembers the negation with Sellass but aside from showing concern her expression is unreadable and his fingers twitch nervously as he waves her inside.

"Louis called about an hour ago," she says over her shoulder ignoring the air of tension between them, "he's still feeling terrible so I wanted to check in, make sure you're okay." She doesn't bring up the meeting, stopping by the island in the middle of his kitchen and is surprised when it isn't the first question out of his mouth.

"I've been better." He admits gingerly lowering himself to the bar-stool opposite her. She looks about as tired as he feels and guilt nestles in his chest working its way through his body. Regardless of the outcome today, he knows his behaviour of late has been childish and completely unfair. He was pissed because she bonded with Samantha over the whole David Fox fiasco instead of working it out with him directly and the need to make things right without an audience burns on the tip of his tongue.

"Listen, before you say anything-"

"They signed," she interrupts biting the inside of her cheek to keep her amusement from showing. She's coasting off adrenaline but despite the win she's also still pissed and isn't quite ready to let him off the hook. "Do you think you can mange some tea and dry toast?"

"Sure I... guess," he stammers awkwardly, perplexed by her cavalier attitude. For a second he isn't even sure he heard right and tilts his head in confusion, "wait.. you actually got them to sign? How in gods name-"

"Because I followed your draft proposal to the letter." She says matter-of-factly, finding two mugs and sitting them on the counter-top with a raised eyebrow, "and because I'm Donna." She pretends not to notice as he grapples with the outcome not sure whether to be amused by his astonishment or frustrated she needed the upper-hand in the first place. They're supposed to be a team and her fingers glide over tea-box removing the bags and flicking on the kettle with a smirk, "Louis isn't the only one good with percentages."

"So the clause-"

"Didn't need it," she cuts him off, palms pressing over the edge of the island as the water boils. She won't lie and pretend it was easy. She had to pull just about every trick in the book to get them to sign on Harvey's terms but with his proposal and her knack for reading people she managed to out-Donna Sellass and his client. "I kept them distracted with the figures. Sellass was so busy trying to keep up he skipped right over the lease gains and went straight onto the ledger. So either you're not as great a closer as you think or you are and I'm just better."

He opens his mouth but there's no sharp retort on his tongue, not even the faintest hint of banter as pride swells in his chest. She didn't just kill it she excelled where he would have been 'slightly' disadvantaged without Louis by his side and his guilt returns ten-fold blanketing his surprise. At no point should it have come as a shock and the fact it did just proves how much of an ass he's been lately. "Donna, I'm sorry."

It's her turn to be surprised but she plays her cards close to her chest as she pours water into their mugs. "So you do know how to use that word?"

A brief flair of frustration touches his expression but he quickly shakes if off refusing to fall victim to his ego again. She fought to become his secretary, she fought to get where she is now and her integrity is one the reasons he hired her in the first place. She did fucking earn it and he was stupid for not to acknowledging it at the time. "You were right... I should have trusted your instincts with David Fox and even if I didn't, I should never have belittled how you handled it. You're amazing Donna and I'm an idiot for not saying it more often."

"Wow." She slides his tea over, a faint blush covering her cheeks at the sincerity burning through his gaze. She wasn't expecting an apology, much less a genuinely thoughtful compliment and the ghost of a smile stirs on her lips as she picks up her own drink. "Thank you Harvey."

"You don't need to thank me," his mouth mirrors hers, turning up at the corners as he fiddles with the handle of his mug, "just... keep being you."

She can feel her frustration melting, her resolve vanishing under the weight of his tired puffy eyes. This thing that they're doing, whatever it is, has been tested at every turn but despite the occasional disagreement and stumbling block they're miraculously finding a way through. Sometimes she thinks they're too good at hiding the shift in their relationship but in ungraded moments, when they're outside of the office and the masks slip off, she remembers just how easy it is to be them and she smiles leaving her mug and slipping around the island.

"How are you really feeling?" She asks, fingers skirting out across his shoulders. She can feel the tension start to disperse, the weight of them dropping as she slowly starts to knead his muscles.

"Like hell." It escapes under a heavy sigh but he instantly relaxes as she continues to work the knots in his back. He had no idea just how much their fight had been playing on his mind and catches her hand, thumb grazing over the top of her knuckles. "I really am sorry."

She smiles warmly, her lips pressing to nape of his neck with a light kiss, "I know." She hears him expel a relieved breath and squeezes his hand gently, "why don't you take a bath, get cleaned up and then I can tell you all about the look on Sellass' face when I brought up the bridging claim."

A laugh bubbles in his throat at the image and part of him wishes he could have been there to see it for himself. Lawyer or not she wiped the floor today and he can't help but appreciate the fierceness she wields when going after something she wants. "Have I mentioned what a turn-on you being a badass is?"

She snorts at the blatant line resisting the urge to roll her eyes at his newly found eagerness. He really is like a child at times and she swipes her hand ruffling his hair as she breaks away. "Bath first mister."

He feigns disappointment but it doesn't last, a smile replacing his frown as she moves back into the kitchen. He never thought they'd get here but he's damn glad they did because it's the more he never dared entertain and the more he didn't even know he was looking for.

Donna was right; meeting her really was the luckiest day of his life.