A/N: Nanna, this one is for you. You are truly one of the special ones out there and I'm forever happy that we've met. Your friendship is one of the best things that came with Suits and it will remain even when the show leaves us soon.

Happy Birthday, my friend, I hope it will be filled with all the love and joy and happiness you deserve! I promised you a virtual cream cake with added sugar on top, that will leave you with the sugar rush of all sugar rushes. I hope I succeeded. Enjoy your day and this fic! Love ya!

Birthday Surprises

The sun is shining brightly over Manhattan, while a slight breeze rustles through the red and golden leaves of Central Park on this late October afternoon. Harvey pulls his black coat tighter around his body, as he makes his way through joggers, families and tourists, a content smile splaying his lips and crinkling his eyes.

He can't exactly pinpoint what it is that makes him so happy on this particular day, way happier than he has been in the past couple of months. It might be the fact that it's still daylight and he is already on his way home. It might be the fact that for a while now he hasn't taken any of the cases he's working on home with him, especially not mentally. It might be that feeling of finally having settled into their new life – the sensation of the silver ring on his left hand still unfamiliar but fulfilling and exciting all the same.

It's been three months since they had left the firm after the final showdown with Faye, and two and a half since Donna and Harvey had officially sworn to each other to be together forever, surrounded by their closest friends and family in an intimate ceremony, shortly after having realized how frail life can be. It's been one and a half since they've returned from their honeymoon on the Maldives and roughly the same amount of time since they had taken over the legal clinic from Nathan, as an interim solution until a better one could be found for the clinic and them. Only that after merely four weeks in, Harvey finds himself immensely enjoying teaching the 'kids' as he and Donna like to call them, and Donna finding herself immensely enjoying running the whole thing; organizing the first big charity event to raise money and just generally doing her thing to woo donors and fostering her powerful network. Their schedules now start one and a half hours later than they did back at SLWW and on a normal work day, they are able to leave the office while the sun is still up.

Yes, the feeling of happiness could definitely be linked to finally having the kind of work-life balance they never knew they needed until they finally got it.

Or, Harvey thinks, the happiness and content might also stem from the excitement that he would get to see Donna's face, in just a little while, when he would tell her to pack her bags because they would be going away for her birthday weekend. Tonight.

~O~O~O~

He can hear her keys rattling and the door falling closed, even with his head stuck in their closet where he had started gathering some of the things they would be needing in the upcoming days.

"Harvey?" Donna asks, her voice traveling through the quiet space of the apartment.

"In here," Harvey shouts, hustling back out of the walk-in closet and shoving it closed behind him, just in time with Donna entering the bedroom. Immediately her eyebrows raise, as she watches him questioningly.

"What's going on?" She wants to know, while depleting the distance between them. He takes her in; the tousled, damp mane from her hour of yoga, the flowy pants but even more so the fitted top that enticingly hugs her upper body, and the soft sway of her hips that drives him insane on any day but nearly makes him forget what he's meant to be doing in the first place on this particular one.

"Nothing's going on," Harvey replies with a shrug, but the lie is tugging at his lips, forming them into an involuntary but happy smile. "Why would you ask?"

"Twelve years, Harvey. Don't you think I can see it in your eyes when you're up to something?" Donna comes to a halt right in front of him, her hands connecting with his chest, before she lets them slide upwards to his neck. Harvey loves it when she does that, her touch filling him with warmth and love and desire.

"Twelve and a half years," he corrects her with a wink. "And you're right," Harvey nods in agreement, his gaze twinkling as he stares quietly at her.

"So?" Donna breaks the silence after only a second, too impatient to wear him down with just her eyes.

"So…," he repeats after her, dragging the moment out for just a second longer. He wonders if it's his anticipation to tell her or her curiosity to find out that's more distinctive but he doesn't get a chance to find out because before he can, the tapping of her fingers on his skin is urging him on – and that might just very well be his answer anyway. "So. You need to pack your bags."

"Wh-… what?" Curiosity morphs into confusion right in front of his face and his eyes flicker in amusement and satisfaction, realizing that he's caught her as off guard as seldomly before.

"You need to pack your bags. We're going away for an extended weekend," Harvey explains matter-of-factly, trying to keep his smile at bay.

"What do you mean, we're going away for an extended weekend? Where?"

"That is a surprise," Harvey chuckles, leaning down to peck her lips. When he pulls back, her eyes are still as wide and confused as before.

"But my birthday isn't before Saturday," Donna states.

"I know," Harvey laughs. "That is why we are going away. And why it's a surprise. And we don't have a lot of time. We have to catch our ride in-" Harvey checks his watch for effect, because he knows perfectly well how much time they had left, before finishing his sentence. "Four hours."

A million questions flash over her face and he can see her struggle to decide on the two or three questions that she knows she has to pick in order to save precious time while at the same time getting as much out of him as possible. Harvey relishes in the feeling of having her so overwhelmed because it doesn't happen quite as often as he'd like, just because she's Donna and usually knows everything. Which is one of the many qualities he loves so much about her.

"Are we going by car?" Is the first question she ends up choosing, definitely not the one Harvey had been expecting.

"No," Harvey shakes his head, "we're taking a plane."

His reply elicits another hundred questions that he can all see right there in her eyes. Most of those, he wouldn't be willing to answer but he can't wait to hear them anyway, if only to tease her.

"What do I need to pack?" She asks instead, and for a heartbeat he is disappointed that he wouldn't be able to do so because she's asking all the wrong questions by asking all the right questions.

"Whatever you'd pack for an extended weekend visiting New York. Covering all eventualities."

"That is not helping, Harvey," Donna smirks. And it really isn't and that fact is not easing her mind in the least. But ever since Harvey had dropped the bomb, another feeling finally starts to sneak its way in as well. Excitement.

Donna entangles herself from him, taking a step back to get a better look at her husband. "How long will we be gone?"

"We'll be back Tuesday night."

"So five days…" Donna mumbles, her head already making a list of things she wants to take with her.

"More or less, yes," Harvey replies mysteriously, which only raises even more questions.

"Alright. I guess I'll get started then," Donna states because she knows she wouldn't get any answer that would actually help to reduce the amount of clothes she would need to pack.

"Wait. That's all? You're not going to ask any more questions?" This time, it's Harvey who is surprised.

"Will you tell me where we are going?"

"No?"

"Then you are no longer of any help, Mr. Specter," Donna laughs and shakes her head, being just about ready to turn around when one burning question does pop up after all. Three months ago, it probably would have been the first one she'd have asked. But things have undoubtedly changed.

"What about work?"

"Oliver will take over during our absence. There aren't any big cases pending, so they'll be perfectly fine."

"Does he know that he will be in charge?" Donna asks incredulously.

"Of course. He's been in the loop right from the beginning," Harvey responds proudly.

"When the hell did he learn to improve his poker face like that?" Donna questions, still dumbfounded that she hadn't seen any of this coming.

"He's learning from the best," Harvey winks at her before placing another quick kiss to her lips. "Now go, pack your bag."

"And you really aren't going to tell me where we are going?" Donna tries again, already knowing that it's a vain attempt.

"No, Donna, I won't." Harvey repeats, before turning away from her so that she wouldn't see the ever-widening smile on his face.

"Well. It's not like I won't find out as soon as we'll arrive at the airport anyway," Donna mumbles, the sound of her voice dying down as she disappears in their closet.

For a second, Harvey turns back around to look after her with a toneless chuckle.

If only she knew.

~O~O~O~

"Harvey. Does Ray know that the main entrance of the terminal is on the opposite end of the road?" Donna whispers in Harvey's ear in an attempt to try and avoid insulting the driver.

They've been in the car for about forty minutes and a glance at her watch makes her even more nervous as they are nearing the four hours mark Harvey had mentioned earlier. And they are yet to arrive, yet to check in, yet to fight their way through security and to the gate. Already, Donna has no idea how they were supposed to make it in time but Harvey seems eerily relaxed and she tries to let his calmness ease her own worries as well.

Her question makes him smile again, as all the other ones had done countless of times in the past three and a half hours. Harvey had never seen her pack so quickly and had never seen her shower so quickly either, her initial hesitance having disappeared somewhere in between those two tasks and just the memories of her swirling through their bedroom hastily, seeming to have four legs and six arms, is enough to widen his grin even more.

"I'm sure he does," he chuckles under his breath.

Donna eyes him curiously for a moment, silence falling between them. Then she's looking for Ray's eyes in the rearview mirror, finding his gaze firmly fixed on the road ahead, the determination on his face enough to convince her that he knows exactly where he's going. And then she looks outside, as they speed along fences and buildings, big planes soon turning into smaller ones, the farther they get to the outskirts of the airport apron.

It dawns on her then, the realization of the only thing this could mean. "We aren't going to take an airliner, are we?"

Harvey turns his head towards her, eyes twinkling with mischief yet again. "No, we aren't," he confirms and reaches for her hand.

"Helicopter?" Is the first thing that comes to her mind, after having joked about flying in one a couple of months ago, while being stuck in the rush hour traffic of Manhattan's street canyons. The both of them had been ready to bribe Ray into becoming a pilot just to escape this dreadful routine every evening but Ray had respectfully declined, explaining how his wife was already worried sick about him while being on the ground that he wouldn't want to add to that by additionally joining air traffic as well. They had all laughed about it heartily and the rest of the drive home hadn't been so bad after all.

With a smile and a shake of his head, Harvey dispels her first suspicion.

"Private jet?" Donna asks then and as she looks at him, the way his eyes crinkle is all the answer she needs. And it's the only one she gets as well.

"Huh." Donna sighs, sinking into her seat defeatedly, eyes drifting outside.

"What's wrong?" Harvey immediately replies, squeezing her hand to make her look back at him. Concern is creasing his forehead, as their gazes lock once more.

"I really won't find out where we are going until we get there, won't I?"

Relief relaxes his features at once and it's Donna now who releases a breathy chuckle upon seeing his reaction.

"No. No, you won't," Harvey laughs, which sounds eerily like a giggle except that Harvey Specter doesn't giggle.

With another heavy, resigned sigh, that barely covers the excitement bubbling inside of her, Donna stares out of the window.

"I need to mark this day. We should even make a holiday out of it. The day Donna Paulsen-Specter has no idea what's going on."

~O~O~O~

"Harvey, what are you doing?"

"Making sure you get to join the Mile High Club?"

"Who says I'm not a member already?"

Harvey pulls back, eying her intently. "Are you?"

"Are you?"

"I'm not telling you before you tell me."

The hum of the turbines mixes with their heavy breathing.

"No," Donna admits. "I'm not."

"Good. Then lets do something about it."

Before she has any chance to get an answer out of him as well, his lips and tongue and fingers are already doing their magic on her again, wiping away any clear thoughts at all.

"Harvey," she half giggles, half moans under her husband's determined and passionate ministrations.

He leans down again, going straight back for her neck and letting his tongue and teeth continue the journey they had started moments before. The hand that's been resting against her waist starts moving again as well, his fingertips tickling along the gap of sensitive skin between navel and waistband, before moving further down. He can feel the heat between her legs, even through layers of panties and pants, and the knowledge that he still held that power over her, that he could turn her on like this in a matter of moments, lets a wave of blood rush into his length. It's already straining against the zipper of his jeans and the pressure is almost too much to bear. His hips grind against her waist on their own accord, trying to relieve some of the pressure but the moan that the contact elicits from Donna is enough to drive him even more insane.

He gets braver then, or more reckless - the desire clouding his head making it impossible to discern which one it really is - and lets his hand slide inside of her pants. Harvey finds her as wet and ready as he'd imagined she would be, a slight tremble cursing through him as the need to shed them of their clothes and unite their bodies becomes unbearable.

But this is about Donna. Everything he does will always be about her. Forever. So his fingers dance on, inch by inch, her little nub already engorged and pulsating as Harvey lets them circle around it.

Her hands reach for his head and arm, gripping him tightly to hold him against her, as if he would ever voluntarily leave the place against her side. Her moans are breathy and he knows how much she's trying to hold back, their pilot and stewardess only a feet meters and a door away. For Harvey, it only adds to the excitement even more, the sucking on her neck and the pressing of his fingers becoming relentless then. Her hips rise and fall with the rhythm of his hand and when he feels her movements become more jerky, he thrusts first one and then a second of his long fingers into her fluttering walls. Donna groans upon the intrusion, stretching and accommodating around him, while still holding onto his body with everything that she has.

Darkness closes in around her, with stars dancing in her field of vision. And with a gentle bite inches above her pulse point - that he seconds later soothes with a tender lick of his tongue - and the press of this thumb against her bundle of nerves, Donna explodes against him and with moans and shivers joins the Mile High Club held tightly by the love of her life.

And only minutes later, he makes her join the Mile High Club again. And again. And again.

~O~O~O~

"Bonjour," their stewardess whispers gently, and both Harvey and Donna open their eyes at the same time.

Donna needs a moment longer to orientate herself, while Harvey is already shuffling behind her on the narrow sofa, trying to get up. He twists his head to get a look outside of the window, seeing that they are already flying over mainland again.

"Mr. Specter. Mrs. Paulsen-Specter. We'll arrive at our destination in an hour. If you want to have breakfast, I'd need to serve it within the next fifteen minutes."

Harvey gently caresses Donna's shoulder, helping her to ease the transition from dreamland to their reality.

"I need coffee," Donna groans, the first words out of her mouth this morning not what Harvey had expected.

Julie smiles understandingly, shuffling off to the front of the plane and getting busy in the tiny kitchen.

Donna sits up now as well, trying to peek out of the window to get an idea where they could be.

"It's early in the morning," she assesses quietly, looking at Harvey. His hair is tousled and he looks tired, with their night having been cut short due to their celebration of joining the MHC. Memories rush into her mind and within seconds she can almost feel his lips on her skin, the burning trails his hands had left, the sensation of completeness when he had been moving inside of her. It's nearly enough to make her lose her initial train of thought, but she catches herself before she gets too lost. "It's early in the morning," she repeats her words with a cough to clear her throat. "Meaning Europe."

Harvey doesn't say anything, just nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders as he gets up from the sofa. "I'm gonna go and take a shower."

"Harvey," she growls after him, but he just saunters away in his black boxer shorts and white t-shirt.

Ten minutes later, he finds Donna sitting on one of the plushy chairs, two cups of coffee standing on the table between them.

"Are we going to Paris?"

Harvey falters in his steps for the fastest of seconds, but quickly catches his bearings again. "How do you figure that?" He wants to know, game face firmly in place as he takes the seat opposite of her, reaching for his cup.

"I'm pretty sure we're in Europe. And Julie woke us with the word bonjour. So…"

Harvey looks at her for a moment, contemplating his reply. "I'm not going to confirm or deny anything until we get there. You'll find out soon enough."

Deciding to let it go for now, because she knows she wouldn't be able to force him to say anything anyway, Donna takes another sip of her coffee before heading for the shower as well, wanting to be ready for whatever adventure Harvey has planned for them.

For the rest of the flight, they sit in their comfortable chairs, sipping coffee and eating a light breakfast.

"Thank you for last night, Harvey," Donna mumbles between bites of the fruit salad she's been eating, breaking the silence at last. "I feel like I can contently turn 45 tomorrow, now that I'm a member of the MHC."

"The pleasure was all mine," Harvey winks at her, his suggestive gaze letting her know that there are still many more ideas where those of last night came from.

Shaking her head at him with a grin, she goes for one of the extra-large strawberries in the bowl and slips it in her mouth. Harvey watches her mesmerized, the twinkling in his eyes intensifying.

"Speaking of…" Donna begins again, swallowing the last bits of the fruit. "You never ended up telling me if you've already been a member or not."

He contemplates his answer for a moment, not wanting to lie to her but also not sure how to formulate the truth. "I never made love on a plane before," Harvey tells her then with the truth and while Donna realizes what he means, the warmth spreading through her beats the pang of jealousy by a landslide.

Before Donna can even say anything more, Julie appears in the cabin, nodding wordlessly at Harvey.

Without another second of hesitation, he gets up from the chair and holds out his hand for Donna. She accepts it instantly, letting him pull her up and walking with her to the other side of the plane, gesturing for her to look outside.

Without having to look very hard, them already having started their descent a little while ago, their gazes land directly on the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of the city of love.

Donna's head whips around, almost crashing into Harvey's face who had been leaning over her and the sudden movement makes him smile. With teary and overwhelmed eyes, she's looking for reassurance in his expression, even though there isn't any reason anymore to doubt their destination.

"You're really taking me to Paris?"

"I'm really taking you to Paris."

~O~O~O~

"What are we going to do today?" Donna asks excitedly, as they speed down the highway, Paris-bound.

"We're going to do whatever it is you wanna do," Harvey returns with a smile that lights up his whole face and infects Donna's right along with it.

"So no fixed plans?"

"Not today, no. The only fixed plans we have are for tomorrow. The remaining time is up to you."

Donna knows the answer before she even asks the question but she thinks it still wouldn't hurt trying on the off chance of maybe catching him off-guard for once. "What are the plans for tomorrow?"

"You don't really expect an answer to that, right?" His eyes find hers for a quick second, before he focuses on the heavy traffic again.

"No," Donna laughs, "I guess, I don't." She takes it all in, relishes in the joy and anticipation of what lay ahead. "How will we ever decide what to do? There is so much to see! So much to experience."

Harvey chuckles, as her elation swaps over and into him. "What do you say we drop off the car and our bags at the hotel and then go find ourselves a nice, Parisian café, where we come up with an itinerary for the day?"

"That sounds amazing," Donna agrees with her husband, before closing her eyes and letting the sun warm her face.

Asphalt and cars and trees rush by, with them soon reaching the outskirts of the city. The traffic gets even heavier then, the stop and go delaying their arrival at the hotel, but they are so full of excitement that they couldn't care less about it. The sun is shining and the music is blasting; Donna now twisting and turning her head from left to right and back again, waiting for the moment she would get a glimpse at the Eiffel Tower up close for the first time, while her hand is holding on tight to Harvey's thigh. He's steering them through the narrow and filled up streets confidently, until they arrive at their hotel at last.

True to their words, Harvey and Donna park the car in the underground garage before quickly checking-in and dropping off their bags in their suite. The room alone would have taken and deserved a whole day to be properly appreciated but the urge to go out and discover the city beats the amazingness of the suite and any remnants of jetlag and sleep in a heartbeat.

Wrapped up in their coats and with their hands intertwined, they are out and about half an hour later, wandering along the Seine and enjoying the golden fall. They find a beautiful, little café directly at the river and since the weather is still this nice, they even get to take one of the tables outside on the patio. Harvey is sitting there with his eyes closed and facing the sun, while Donna starts flipping through the guidebook that Harvey had brought with him.

An hour later, they are on their way again, Donna having found them the perfect route for today. They keep walking along the Seine, the river rushing by to their right, while their stroll takes them through the Jardins des Champs-Élysees and a few minutes after leaving it behind, through the Tuileries Garden. The sun is sparkling in the pond at the western part of the park and after a quick stop to take some pictures of the amazingness around them, they follow the path east until they reach the Louvre. Donna tells him that a visit of the gallery is a must and that it has been on her bucket list for as long as she can remember. They decide to push it to Sunday or Monday, because today they wanted to utilize the perfect weather for walking around as much as they can. Continuing on, they soon cross the river at Ponte Neuf, reaching the Ilê de la cité, where they head straight on to Notre-Dame. The couple finds the cathedral surrounded by tourists and scaffoldings and they stand aside from the masses, taking it all in. The tragedy. The history. The rebuilding. And the hope. They can practically feel and see how impressive Notre-Dame must have looked like before the fire and can imagine even more how impressive it will be once more.

For the way back, they try something neither of them has ever tried before: being a real tourist and taking one of the many hop-on hop-off bus cruising the city. And while the stuffed vehicle is putting them off for the first minute of the ride, as soon as Donna wraps her arms around his waist to keep herself from falling, Harvey closes his eyes and nuzzles her hair, the familiar scent and her warmth enough to make this experience one of the best he's ever had.

They get off at the Arc de Triomphe, where they spend more time taking pictures and selfies and while sitting down at another café, they send those pictures and greetings out to their families and friends. Afterwards, Harvey and Donna continue their journey south and the closer they get to the Eiffel Tower, the more excited and giddier Donna gets by his side. Her steps speed up, even more so once they reach the green and vast space of Trocadéro Gardens. Donna's heart starts hammering in her chest, as the tower appears in their direct field of vision.

Without any hesitation, Donna steers them through the park, her determined walk making Harvey smile brightly once more. The sudden urge to surprise her with another one of her birthday presents becomes overwhelming, even though he hadn't planned on telling her before tomorrow. But her eyes are twinkling and her palm is sweating and he wants her to hold on to this feeling.

Harvey breaks the comfortable but pent-up silence between them. "Oh, and Donna?"

"Hmm?" She replies absentmindedly, her entire focus set on getting to their destination.

"You better start taking notes."

That finally does the intended trick and surprised, Donna looks at her husband. "What do you mean?"

"You're going to take your mother to Paris next spring. So you better start taking notes of all the places you wanna show her."

"I… what?"

Harvey chuckles, happy that he's caught her off-guard once again. "It's your first birthday present."

Donna is still at a loss of words. "What, you taking me to Paris on a private jet isn't present enough?"

"No, that was just the beginning." Harvey winks at her.

"Just the beginning…" Donna mumbles, repeating his words with a disbelieving shake of her head.

"I know it's bad luck to give presents before the actual birthday but I figure since we're already seeing so much today, you might want to store all these places and information in that pretty head of yours."

Her heart fills with even more love for this man, to a point where she thinks it might not be able to take any more than that. "Did… did you talk to my mom about this?"

An impish glint flickers in Harvey's eyes, that spreads over his face and splits his lips into a grin. "It might have come up… when I went to see your dad to ask for your hand, yes." Donna turns slightly, getting an even better look at Harvey. "She helped me set up this trip and we planned your trip for May right along with it. So…" Harvey says, squeezing her hand that had just turned even warmer and wetter. "… start taking mental notes, because coming next spring, you and your mom will return to Paris together."

She stops mid-step, the tug on Harvey's hand making him come to a halt as well. He turns around, looking at Donna surprised. "Is everything okay?"

"I love you, Harvey. I really and truly love you."

"I love you, too," Harvey replies with a warm smile, cupping both of her cheeks with his hands and kissing her tenderly under the Parisian sky, the Eiffel Tower looming over them in the distance.

~O~O~O~

A hard and loud knock stirs them awake late next morning and it takes a few moments to orientate themselves and figure out where they are. Harvey had set the alarm last night before they went to bed but due to the jetlag and the exhaustion from their walk yesterday, they both had slept right through the beeping sounds an hour earlier, until it had given up its job.

Harvey stumbles out of bed first, pulling his white t-shirt over his head as he quickly strides over to the door. A young man in uniform stands before him, pushing a tray with breakfast and the flowers Harvey had ordered in front of him. Handing the employee a ten Euro bill, Harvey takes over the trolley table and pushes it inside. On his way to the bedroom, he picks up the little velvet box as well as the envelope that he had hidden away and places both of them in the middle of the tray, before he enters the now sun-filled space. Donna had drawn back the curtains and is sitting up in bed, watching Harvey as he walks in and wheels the breakfast to her side of the bed. For a second, her eyes drop to the candle in the center of what looks to be a plum tart, before her gaze finds Harvey again.

"Good morning, birthday girl," he greets her with a bright smile, then leaning down to place a soft kiss on her lips. "May it be a happy one, filled with all the joy, love and fun you could wish for!"

"Thank you, Harvey," she sighs, letting her fingers slide over the stubble on his cheek. "I have a feeling that it's going to be just that."

Harvey smiles at her reply, before crawling into bed right next to her again. Slipping under the cover, he sneaks up to her, wrapping one arm around her waist before pressing himself against her. "Your presents are hidden between the croissants and the strawberries," he whispers, kissing her neck.

Caught between the desire for him to continue what he's doing and the curiosity to find out what he had gotten her, a few seconds pass before she can make up her mind. Already, after twelve years of buying her own birthday presents, this one turns out to be the one to beat them all.

"But you've already given me two trips to Paris…" Donna mumbles, trying to suppress the moan that's bubbling in her chest upon a breathy kiss to her earlobe.

"As I've said… I'm just getting started," Harvey replies, before letting his tongue trace her ear. And then, without another warning, he pulls back and it feels like clear thoughts can finally rush into her head again.

Donna groans in frustration and her reactions elicits a chuckle from Harvey. "Open your presents first."

"But I like this present as well," Donna shoots back suggestively, reaching for his hardening member between them. This time it's Harvey's groan that reverberates through the room and he wraps his fingers around her to stop her movements.

"And you'll get it… after you've opened the other presents," Harvey laughs, releasing his grip then and placing another promising kiss to her naked shoulder.

Donna reaches for the velvet box first, the tiny Cartier lettering accelerating her heartbeat. It pops open with a blop and immediately diamonds and two white pearls are twinkling in the morning light. The earrings are beautiful and Donna gasps happily as her fingers trace over the jewelry.

"They are beautiful, Harvey." Donna sighs in awe. "Did you pick them all by yourself?"

"Yeah. I saw them the other day and thought they would go well with one of the necklaces you bought yourself a couple of years ago," Harvey explains, as relief floods through him. He knows he's gotten better at it, but especially buying jewelry for her still left him nervous.

"If I had known you're so good at it, I really would have stopped buying my own presents for my birthday and for Secretary day way earlier."

Harvey has to laugh again, that carefree and relaxed laugh that for the most part of his life he didn't even know he had in him. He's still not used to the sound but he can't keep it in either. Not that he even wants to because it makes him feel incredible and Donna keeps telling him how much she loves it, which makes him want to do it even more often.

"Thank you, Harvey. They truly are perfect."

"I'm really happy that you like them." Harvey leans over her then, reaching for the envelope leaning against the vase with the roses in it. "I hope you'll like this one just as much."

Flipping the red, thin cover back and forth for a second, Donna finally peeks inside and withdraws two small slips. She takes a closer look at them, another gasp escaping her lips when she realizes they are tickets to the opera this very evening. "Harvey…"

"Happy birthday, love." He kisses her again, her happiness seeping into him with every second that passes.

Donna pulls away again, twisting around in his arms to face him more properly. His eyes shine with warmth and affection and it makes her fall in love with him all over again. "You are perfect. Thank you, Harvey. For everything."

Her lips find his, the kiss within seconds heating up now. Absentmindedly Donna lets the tickets drop to the trolley table, before focusing completely on her husband, kissing him hungrily. Harvey deepens the fusion of their lips immediately, them sinking deeper into the mattress simultaneously.

Donna is just about to lose herself in him, his mouth and hands working hard on making her forget who she is, when a flash of panic lights up in her mind and she pushes away from Harvey without thinking twice about it.

"Donna?"

"I don't have anything to wear. I didn't prepare for that eventuality."

"I guess it's a good thing then that we have an appointment at a tiny boutique around the corner from here at 1pm. It'll be open just for us and you can pick whatever you want."

"How…" Donna asks, jaw dropping.

"How what?"

"How did you do all that without me noticing anything?"

"Must be all the love that's blinding you."

"Yeah, must be that," Donna chuckles before she connects their lips once more.

They make use of the strawberries and whipped cream for an hour or two, memories of the other time being enriched by new memories of this time, before they finally crawl out of bed around lunch time.

~O~O~O~

They are on the fifth or sixth fitting, when Donna steps out of the dressing room and pulls the floor right out from under his feet.

Moss-green silk and chiffon wind endlessly around Donna's slender frame, elegantly hugging her womanly curves while revealing inches and inches of freckled skin on her shoulders and collarbone. Every single spot is a siren call to his eyes and Harvey gets up from the little sofa he had been seated on for the past hour to close the distance to his wife.

"You look beautiful," Harvey breathes, stepping towards her with awe in his eyes. "So incredibly beautiful."

Donna's heart starts beating loudly in her chest, as a slight blush graces her cheeks. She would probably never get used to hear Harvey saying those words to her.

Ever since she had told him about that one night a couple of years ago; that night where he should have told her she's always been the most beautiful woman to him, he has been adamant on telling her as often as he can now. Sometimes, it's when she is all dressed up for work or when she has put on one of her special dresses for date night. But most of the times it's when she wakes up early in the morning, with her eyes still sleepy and her hair splaying around her; that first smile that appears when she focuses on him. It's when they cuddle on their sofa on a rainy Sunday afternoon; her curled up under a blanket and nervously biting her lower lip while she reads one of her thrillers or romance novels; him not able to look away from her. It's when she comes home from yoga or Pilates class with a red and sweaty face, hair damp and in disarray, her whole body buzzing with fierce energy and strength. It's when she dances through their living room, softly swaying her hips and arms and head in rhythm to one of his father's songs. It's when he hovers on top of her, lips swollen from hungry kisses, eyes burning with her love for him, bliss and satisfaction softening her features.

He makes sure to tell her on all of these occasions. Sometimes with words. Sometimes with smiles. And sometimes with kisses that take her breath away.

Or on special occasions like this one - maybe because it's her birthday or maybe because she does look even more beautiful and radiant today - with all three combined at once.

Harvey leans down to kiss her, his hands sliding along her waist that's accentuated by a thin, light green band wrapping around her. He has to hold himself back to not devour her right in the middle of the cozy boutique; not that anyone would really care because they had been alone for the past thirty minutes. But this was neither the time nor the place and he still had tonight to peel her out of that dress. So he breaks the kiss, pulling slightly away to look her over once more.

He lets his finger trace along her neck and shoulder, eliciting goose bumps to rise on her fair skin. His finger slides down along the thin strap that disappears behind flowers of tulle. The tendril circles along the upper side of one of her breasts, before sneaking further down between the valley of her breasts. Tiny white pearls are attached to the tulle and sparkle in the warm light of the room, drawing his attention to her chest even more. His fingers gently reach for the little beams, the fabric surrounding them tickling the sensitive skin of the tips. Donna watches him looking at her, the expression of pure wonder and love on his handsome features almost making her knees buckle. Harvey continues on his exploration, his hands gliding, searching, experiencing, until they reach her waist and hips once more. The chiffon cascades down in tender waves from there, flowing loosely around her long legs. It's perfect.

It fits perfect and it looks perfect and Donna just is perfect.

"This is the one, isn't it?" Harvey asks, even though for him there is no doubt about it at all.

"It is," Donna replies enthusiastically, leaning up to kiss him once more.

~O~O~O~

They are having an amazing dinner at a gourmet restaurant that Harvey has a hard time pronouncing; his amateurish attempts at speaking French making Donna chuckle every single time – up to the point where Harvey keeps doing it just to see her smile. Her hazel eyes sparkle the entire way through their meal, and the only other time Harvey has every truly seen her this relaxed and happy and content had been on the evening of their wedding reception, the moment they had waltzed over the dance floor to their song, gazes locked for the longest of times until their lips had followed suit.

After dessert, Harvey pays for dinner and only a few minutes later they are on their way to the highlight of the evening. Harvey had never really cared for all the theater pieces and operas of this world but being with Donna has definitely made him more receptive to the experience of such an event. And it isn't necessarily the amazing talents of the actors or singers, the impressive stage designs, the touching storylines or moving songs – though sometimes they are undoubtedly an added cherry on top.

It's the moment when the lights go out and Donna wiggles on her seat for a short second, getting as comfortable as she could because once it started she'd be too immersed to even just move a finger. It's the moment she would gasp in surprise or awe, squeezing his hand tightly and it's the moment when he would watch her from the corner of his eyes, her gaze concentrated and focused, her lips slightly parted with even inhales and exhales escaping her mouth. It's the moment when she would be so overwhelmed with emotions that silent tears start rolling down her cheeks, her not even noticing them until he handed her his pocket handkerchief, that after their first night at the opera, he's been sure to guarantee that his suits always included them.

On this particular night, her tears fall extra heavily, right at the beginning, after the orchestra had barely even started playing the prelude of Pelléas et Mélisande by Debussy, and even heavier later that night, when Pelléas and Mélisande bid their farewells, shortly before Pelléas gets killed. Harvey holds Donna's hand, his thumb drawing soothing circles on the inside of her palm and his heart leaps a beat when she finds his eyes in the darkness – something she has never done before – with a small but grateful smile playing around her lips.

~O~O~O~

It's raining on Sunday and since they only made it back to the hotel at around 1 in the morning, they don't even care that they are still in bed by the time 11 rolls around. Donna had been awake for the first time shortly after sunrise but finding shelter in Harvey's warm embrace had been all it took for her to fall right back asleep.

The second time she wakes up, it's to Harvey's warm lips peppering soft kisses to her naked shoulder and his warm hands gently caressing her stomach. She sighs and leans against him, finding him hot and hard and strong. Even though her head is still foggy with sleep, under Harvey's attentive touches her whole body rouses awake. For those few seconds her brain is able to formulate conscious thoughts, she wonders if she will ever get used to the feelings he is able to evoke in her, if she will ever get used to being with him like this, but then his hot breath is at her ear and his hand seeks shelter between her legs and the way her heart starts tumbling and the way her body starts trembling lets her know that them making love will always feel like a first time, only complemented with the added intimacy and familiarity of fifteen years of knowing each other, that make the experience even more intense.

Harvey has her shaking and moaning in a matter of moments and her first wave of ecstasy hasn't even entirely subsided, when he gently lifts her leg and slides inside of her from behind. They find a slow and sensual rhythm of push and pull, lips kissing and hands roaming, setting each other on fire while keeping each other safe. Caught in the storm together while setting each other free.

It's Harvey who tumbles over the edge first, his jerky thrusts along with the pressure of his finger against the bundle of nerves enough to pull her with him only seconds later.

Once their breathing has slowed down and some strength returned to their bodies, they take a quick shower before jumping right back into bed. They don't bother leaving it at all that day; ordering room service for lunch and dinner, watching movies or just cuddling and talking. About their lives. About what they are doing right now. And about the next steps they want to take.

In between it all, under giggles and sighs and moans, they go for round two and three and four.

~O~O~O~

The weather still isn't all that much better on Monday morning, so they decide to spend it at the Louvre, finally crossing that part off of Donna's bucket list. Harvey surprises Donna with his vast knowledge of art, telling her about colors and techniques and everything else he remembers from his mother having taught him in the past.

"My mom would have loved it here…" Harvey says at one point during their tour, and Donna immediately squeezes his hand in reassurance that she is here for and with him.

"I wish we both could have taken our moms to Paris next year," Donna sighs, leaning her head against Harvey's shoulder as they stand in front of De La Tour's The Card Sharp with the Ace of Diamonds.

"That would have been nice," Harvey agrees, turning his head slightly to press his lips against her forehead. "But she's here with us now." Bringing up their entwined fingers, Harvey looks at his mother's engagement ring for a moment. Sadness threatens to overcome him but then he kisses the ring and lets his love for Donna sooth the grief inside of his soul. Yes, Lily is here with them. In Donna's ring and in his heart, where she would live on forever.

~O~O~O~

They enjoy the rest of their day to its fullest. In the afternoon, the sun even starts to fight its way back through the heavy clouds, bathing the city in its warm and golden light and luring the couple back outside on another stroll through the city. A stroll that soon enough leads them to the Champs-Élysees, where the intended stroll turns into an extensive shopping spree.

Two Louis Vuitton bags, one black Dior dress (and two dress shirts for Harvey) and three pairs of Louboutin pumps later, the pair goes on a hunt for one last perfect dinner. With Harvey carrying their bags, they soon find a small restaurant at the southern end of the Champs-Élysees, where they are seated by the window.

They clink glasses with the most amazing red wine they've ever drunk – Harvey making a mental note that he might need to stock up on their wine collection after all – and they laugh over the most delicious pot of Bouillabaisse, enjoying their meal, the evening and just being with each other, happy and content.

Harvey knows that it's her birthday weekend and that their trip has been meant as a present for her.

But as they sit there in that cozy little corner restaurant, the Eiffel Tower shining and sparkling in the darkened night sky, Donna's hand resting firmly on his and her eyes glowing with love and happiness, he can't help but think how she is the greatest gift of them all.

La Fin

A/N: I hope you and whoever else is reading this, made it to the end alive :D I swear I've never written so much fluff in one fic and I loved the new experience. I hope you enjoyed it, too!

This fic once again wouldn't have been possible without the help of Jules (thank you for beta-reading, for your encouragement, for your friendship and the rainbow shitting unicorn), Karina (for steering me in the right direction and for pushing me to write) and Lena and Kinga (for being willing to be my guinea pigs and for surviving, your love and support)! You are truly the best! xoxoxo