Title: Dark Depths

Author: Lucy Mars

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em......but I promise to play nice. Well not with Amy...cause frankly I don't like her. ;] You're all shocked, I can tell. ;}

*JoshandDonna-ness. I'm a shipper at heart. You've been warned. ;]

Chapter #6

"Josh." CJ whispered gently tapping him on the shoulder. Careful not to wake Donna. "Josh."

"Hmm?" Josh mumbled.

"Joshua. Wake up!" CJ hissed.

"Gently pinch the spot below his left ear." Donna whispered giving CJ a sleepy smile.

"Oh Donna, I didn't mean to make you up."

"That's okay." Donna replied rubbing her fuzzy eyes. "Pinch lightly and he'll wake up."

"Okay." CJ laughed reaching over and pinching Josh.

"OW!" Josh howled jumping up and grabbing at his ear. "What the hell?!"

"Lightly CJ," Donna laughed, "lightly."

"Sorry." CJ laughed not sounding very sorry. "Morning Josh."

"CJ," Josh whined, "that hurt."

"Well if you weren't such a heavy sleeper I wouldn't have had to inflict bodily harm and wake Donna."

"How you feeling?" Josh asked turning to Donna and examining her pale face under the bright morning sunlight. Completely ignoring CJ.

"Fuzzy." Donna pouted looking down at her iv line.

"Yeah, you'll clear up in a while." Josh smiled. "But at least your head doesn't hurt."

"Dr. Beaker said that I didn't need stitches."

"Just some of his 'magic tape.'" Josh quoted.

"How do I look?" Donna asked suddenly feeling self conscious under Josh's watchful eye.

"Banged up." Josh quipped smirking.

"You look like a woman who's been through a rough night." CJ corrected smacking Josh on the arm. "Don't listen to him."

Lifting her arm to try and touch her bandage, Donna groaned in disgust when she realized that she didn't have the strength.

Catching Donna's falling arm, Josh gently laid it back at her side. "Really though. How do you feel? Do you want me to go and get the doctor?"

"No, I'm okay…I think."

Scrunching up his face, Josh shook his head. "No, I'm going to go and get the doctor. Have him check you out."

"Josh." Donna sighed even though both she and CJ knew that it was useless.

"I'll be right back." Josh assured running out of the room.

Smiling at Donna, CJ sat down on her bed. "So how you feeling?"

"A little banged up." Donna admitted. "You guys stayed all night? You really didn't have too."

"We did." CJ laughed. "If not to keep Josh from ripping out all his hair in frustration, than to keep him from yelling at all the doctors."

Blushing, Donna nervously licked her dry lips. "How do I look? Really CJ."

Frowning, CJ dug around in her bag for her compact. "You're still a little green around the edges and a little bruised, but you look fine."

Rolling her eyes, Donna didn't even bother to try and hold the compact herself. That would take too much effort. Catching her reflection, Donna blanched in surprise. "Oh my god…"

"I know that it looks bad now, but it'll all heal."

"I really do looked banged up. God CJ…" Donna whispered seeing the angry purple bruised on her cheek. She could still feel the sting of his heavy gun and cold hand striking her face. The throbbing and scorching sting was still so fresh in her mind.

"Donna?" CJ asked worriedly as she threw her compact down. Reaching out, CJ tried to lightly shake her. "Donna?"

Her forehead was covered with a large bandage, but Donna could still feel her warm blood trickling down her cheek and mingling with her hot tears. Streaking her face and soaking her hair. Shivering, Donna tried to get away from the persistent hands. The cold hands.

"Donna!" CJ yelled grabbing her arms and shaking her. "It's okay. It's me. It's CJ."

Squeezing her eyes shut, Donna could hear herself whimper in fear. Not again. No, not again.

"It's okay." CJ soothed wrapping her arms around a fighting Donna, "It's not happening again. You're safe. I promise."

Her breathing ragged, Donna opened her eyes and found herself sobbing fitfully on CJ's strong shoulder.

"You're safe, Donna." CJ whispered rubbing comforting circles on Donna's back and holding onto her shaking frame. "It's over. Nobody's going to hurt you."

"I was so scared." Donna gasped between her sobs. "I was so scared."

"I know, Donna. I know. You must have been scared. Anyone would have been scared."

"I couldn't let him rape me CJ."

"It's over." CJ said holding Donna's shivering frame against her solid one, "He can't hurt you anymore Donna. You're safe."

Nodding, Donna pulled away from CJ and rubbed furiously at her red face. "I'm sorry."

"Do you want to talk about it?" CJ asked handing Donna a few tissues.

"No." Donna replied wiping her face.

"Donna," CJ warned, "you need to talk about it. If not with me than with someone who can…"

"I don't want to talk about it CJ. Like you said it's over." Donna said quickly. "It's over."

"Maybe here," CJ said gesturing around the room, "but not here." she said putting her hand over her own heart. "You need to talk about it."

"I'm tired." Donna said not meeting CJ's worried eyes.

"You can't avoid this." CJ said stubbornly.

"I'm not." Donna countered.

"You are."

"No, I'm just tired." Donna denied closing her eyes.

"Donna," CJ sighed, "if you don't talk about this than you can't get better."

"CJ, I just can't get into it right now."

"Then when?" CJ asked.

"When I can handle it." Donna replied vaguely.

"Donna, if you won't talk to me about this, than how about Josh?"

"Don't tell Josh." Donna said opening her eyes in alarm, "You can't tell Josh."

"Why not?"

"Because he needs to focus on his job." Donna tried.

"Bull." CJ shot back.

"Because he doesn't need to worry about me."

"Too late." CJ said shaking her head.

"Because it'll bring back horrible memories." Donna whispered catching CJ's hand. "Don't tell Josh, CJ. I don't want him to think about Rossyln."

"He won't." CJ said lamely.

"He will." Donna said adamantly. "He will. I don't want to be the reason that he falls back into where he was."

"Donna, you need help."

"I'll talk to someone CJ." Donna promised. "But please, don't tell Josh."

"I don't know."

"Please CJ," Donna begged, "promise me."

Hesitating, CJ nodded. "I promise."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Donna let her tight hold on CJ loosen and fall away when Josh came back into the room with an amused doctor in tow.

"How is my patient feeling this morning?" Dr. Beaker asked smiling at Donna.

Casting a quick look at CJ's worried face and than to Josh's concerned one, Donna plastered a fake smile on her tired face. "The truth doctor?"

"The truth would be nice." Dr. Beaker laughed.

Smiling at Josh, Donna turned back to her doctor. "A little banged up."

---------

"She looks good." Dr. Beaker announced coming out of Donna's room and finding four very worried looking people.

"Yeah?" Josh asked standing up.

"Yeah." Dr. Beaker said smiling at the anxiously man, "She is going to make a full recovery in no time. I've prescribed some pain killers for her and some rest."

"Rest?" Toby snorted, "I don't think Josh knows the meaning of that word."

Laughing, Sam nudged Josh playfully. "It seems that you're going to have to get yourself a temp for a little while."

"I'll survive." Josh said positively.

"We'll see how long that lasts." Toby replied.

"So when can Donna go home?" Josh asked choosing to ignore Toby.

"I'm going to keep her for another night so that we can keep an eye on her. If all goes well than she can go home tomorrow." Dr. Beaker promised. "You can go in and see her if you like, but remember that she needs her rest."

"Okay." Josh said leading Sam and Toby into the bright room.

"Dr. Beaker?" CJ asked catching the man before he could leave, "Do you have second?"

"Of course. What can I help you with?"

"Well…" CJ began awkwardly, "I'm worried about Donna."

"How so?"

"She doesn't seem to want to talk about what happened."

"That's normal." Dr. Beaker assured. "She just needs to have a little bit of time to come to terms with what happened."

"But she'll get better?" CJ asked anxiously, "I mean, what can I do? What can we do to help?"

"Be there for her." Dr. Beaker said simply. "The police questioned Ms. Moss in the ER, but they will be back today to talk with her. After they see her, I'll send someone from psychology up to talk to her."

"Thank you."

"It's my job." Dr. Beaker assured, "Why don't you go and spend some time with Ms. Moss before the others wear her out."

"Okay." CJ laughed feeling considerably better. Not completely, but considerably.