*RE-BETA'D AS OF 06.02.16*

Epilogue

She wasn't sure how she felt about his new office. Too many walls, even with the expansive work to include a larger selection of vinyl and his increased collection of balls – he hadn't been lying about that – it almost seemed a little...too big. But this was the top of the vine, for sure. She never thought it would unnerve her as much as it did. Or maybe it was the notion that everything here she'd helped him in some way to acquire; their lives had been so interwoven that only now was she really able to take it all in because there was nowhere left to climb. She was so used to fighting to get there that being at the top was a very strange experience indeed.

They however, were not strange. They were professionals and they conducted themselves no differently to how they had before, only now she'd seen a change in Harvey, a little lighter, brighter, like the past was the past and there was no use dragging it backwards. He reminded her of when they were younger, before he'd hardened and still had fun, and before lines had closed around and in between them. Now, they took each day slowly and didn't rush into any part of who they were because in truth they'd only started on the path to discovering each other on this level. Things like the perfume he liked her to smell of; how to coerce him into coming to yoga with her – with promises of tight clothes and lots of inappropriate breathing – how he smelt after spending a day in bed with her, what his favourite cereal was; all small minded things that she couldn't believe she didn't already know about. Another six layers to add to their already complex relationship.

During the past month, he'd kept his word. He'd spent nearly every day with her, only occasionally taking a day when she kicked him out and told him to go get a life or when she insisted that she and Rachel had a 'girl's night' and that he was neglecting Mike. She was sure it would let up, but like every new relationship she cherished the honeymoon phase for what it was; a fleeting period in an otherwise long lasting new chapter on the horizon. And they had fire and maybe fire was what would keep them steady but moving forward.

For now she would deal with work, sex, work, sex, and Michael Ross…

"Does he have a minute?" Instead of seeing those blue eyes over her monitor, now that she'd acquired a bigger bullpen, it only meant he could now antagonise her from all angles as he leant on the edge of her desk, twiddling one of her pencils in between his long fingers.

"Not until three, Mike." She chimed, her eyes firmly concentrated on finishing the email she'd started instead of the irritating boy-man in front of her.

"Are you sure? He doesn't look that busy." He observed, gesturing boldly towards the office.

"And you don't look like you're working… but I'm sure that's not true." She remarked, her fingers continuing to tap away.

"I really need to-"

"No," She interrupted.

"But I,"

"No,"

"Can't I just,"

"Not. Until. Three." She ordered, her eyes turning on him making him quiver, just for a second, as he seemed to consider backing away. "Don't make me stick you in the timeout corner again…Michael." She warned, using his full name.

He leant in then, breathing in with effort. "God, I've missed you." He regarded. "Three it is," He sighed, returning the pencil back to its place in her stationary pot.

"Oh and Mike?" She called, waiting for him to turn back around.

"Yeah?" He asked, his face bright.

"Thank you." Her eyes weighed the real truth behind her thanks.

"...No Problem." He nodded.

She watched Mike walking away, but not before taking a second to turn around and smile at her. She knew that smile. She could spot a knowing smile on Mike Ross from a mile away.

"What did the kid want?" Harvey asked, tapping a file on her desk.

"I don't know, but he didn't push and I said you were busy until three." She answered, resuming at least half of her attention to the email at hand.

"Why'd you do that? I'm Free." He remarked, frowning.

"Because he has to learn that just because he's made the cut and a few runs on the ladder doesn't mean he can waltz in there," She gestured towards his office, "At any time. Plus, you haven't had lunch yet, and it's arriving in," She checked her watch. "4 minutes."

"Did the file from," Before he was able to finish she handed him the file, "And the" and the briefing, "And didn't someone leave a" and a message, which she neatly tucked into his front pocket with a flirty arch of her eyebrow as she smoothed down the lapel. "We still married?" He joked.

"Nine years and counting," She returned her attention once again to the computer.

"Hmm," Suddenly his eyebrows knitted together as he tried to get her full attention. "Wait, why do you sound like you're serious when you say that?"

"Because it's true…" She replied coolly. "How else do you think I schedule your life so efficiently? People are more likely to believe a wife over an Assistant." She explained.

"How was that even made possible without my involvement?" He asked her, his eyes widening in possible concern.

"It's possible." She told him, pausing for a fraction of a second, before resuming her typing.

Humour started to bubble up in her chest as she watched him out of the the corner of her eye, watching his mind reel, working out the information as it matured from his head to his mouth.

"When were you going tell me?" He asked, his voice sharpening.

"When you got engaged? Or...Supriiiise?"

"...You're an...evil genius." He regarded with a slight sneer.

"You love it," She goaded him as he wandered back to his office, numbly sitting at his chair.

She waited for the bait to be dropped in 1… 2… 3…

"Donna,"

She heard his voice over the intercom; not bothering to look his way as she continued to tap at her keyboard praying that this email would eventually end.

"Yes Harvey?" She said, her voice careful.

"So does this mean you're no-"

"I kept my name." She answered before he could ask.

"Wait, this note says 'I love you',"

"Well if that's what the note says..."

She heard a silent pause.

"I don't say it enough do I?" He offered, the pieces falling into place.

"Nope, but...there's not enough time. Your lunch is here." She said, waving the young messenger boy past her and into the office.

"Donna."

"Yes Harvey?"

"I do...you know,"

She tried not to let the little smile form around her words. She kept herself still, game face on.

"...do what?" She asked.

"Don't push it."