Title: Dark Depths

Author: Lucy Mars

Disclaimer: Wishin' and Hopin' BUT they still aren't mine. ;]

*Feedback makes me do a happy dance AND write faster! ;)

Chapter #8

"Eat it."

Pouting, Donna shook her head and pushed the tray away.

"You need to eat." Josh sighed pushing the tray back. "You haven't eaten anything all day."

"I'm not hungry."

"Yes you are."

"You eat."

"As soon as you do." Josh shot back, "You need to eat."

"I really don't."

"Donna," Josh sighed picking up the cherry jello, "please try and eat? Weren't you the one who told me that if you don't eat you'll never get better?"

Frowning, Donna took the jello from Josh. Never did she think he would have an opportunity to throw her words back at him. "Fine."

"Thank you." Josh grinned.

"I don't like you."

Smiling, Josh spread some jam on Donna's toast. "You'll like me when you realize that I'm right."

"Shut up."

"Okay," Josh laughed biting the toast, "okay."

Taking a bite of her jello, Donna couldn't help but smile at Josh and his inability to behave like a grown man. "You are such a slob."

"What?" Josh asked looking up.

Shaking her head, Donna grabbed her napkin and gently wiped Josh's chin. "Should I run down to the maternity ward and see if they have a spare bib?"

Catching her hand, Josh seriously studied Donna's surprised expression. "I really don't think that you're in any condition to be running anywhere."

Putting on a reassuring smile, Donna squeezed Josh's fingers. "I'm okay. Really."

"Are you?" Josh asked skeptically.

"Really." Donna lied looking down.

"Donna," Josh whispered catching her off guard with his tenderness, "it's me."

"It is." Donna replied smiling nervously.

"You can talk to me about anything."

"I know."

Putting down his toast, Josh scooted over so that he was sitting right beside Donna on the bed. "Do you?"

Looking everywhere but Josh, Donna pushed her jello around the little bowl. This

wasn't something that she wanted to talk about. Not to CJ. Not to some psychology student who seemed more interested in finding an interesting problem to analyze. And especially not to Josh. She would be fine. She'd go on with her life and forget that it had ever happen. She would forget. Wouldn't she?

"Donna?" Josh asked taking the jello away from her suddenly trembling hands and putting it down.

"Yeah?" Donna asked clasping her shaking hands together and watching them sit in her lap.

"Talk to me." Josh pleaded gently stroking her cheek.

Blinking away her sudden tears with embarrassment, Donna tried to form the words. She tried to bring herself to tell him how afraid she was and how much she wanted him to hold her until she was strong enough to deal with it all, but no matter how hard she tried the words wouldn't come. It all caught in her throat and threatened to suffocate her.

"Oh Donna." Josh whispered wrapping his arms around her and pulling her right against him. He really didn't know if it was for her comfort, or for his. Mindful of her angry purple bruises, Josh held Donna as she cried softly on his shoulder. "It's going to be okay Donnatella. It's going to be okay."

Burying her face in his shoulder, Donna shed silent tears as Josh shared his strength with her. "This is silly." Donna whispered trying to pull away from Josh.

"What?" Josh asked capturing Donna's red face between his gentle hands.

"I'm crying for nothing." Donna blushed as Josh tenderly caught her tears with his thumbs and wiped them away, "It's over and I'm okay. I shouldn't be crying."

"You went through a lot last night Donna. There's nothing wrong with crying." Josh said seriously.

Looking down, Donna was surprised to feel Josh pull her face back up to look at his.

Taking a deep breath, Josh tried to make sense of the jumble of emotions running through him and all the words that were piling up in his chest. There was so much that he wanted to say. Where did he start? How did he start? What exactly was he trying to start?

"Josh?" Donna asked concerned as she watched Josh zone out. Did she start it? Was he remembering everything that she didn't want him to remember? Did she trigger flashbacks? Did she do exactly what it was that she didn't want to do? Grasping Josh's arms, Donna shook him. "Josh?"

"Yeah?" Josh asked snapping out of his little reverie to find Donna watching him with panic etched across her face. Her beautiful flushed face fit perfectly in his hands. He could sit here and happily hold her forever. Even after a horrific night and sleep deprived night, his Donnatella still looked beautiful. His? When exactly did she become his Donnatella? More importantly, was she his? Was he hers?

"Are you okay?" Donna asked still gripping his strong arms. Arms that she'd spent a lot of time thinking about.

"I'm fine." Josh stuttered feeling his face go red. Did she see right through him? If she knew what he was thinking about right that second she'd probably smack him and send CJ to finish him off.

"Okay." Donna said warily.

"Donna…I…you see…the thing is…" Josh stammered as he stroked her cheek slowly with his thumb, "I…"

"Yes?" Donna prompted looking up at Josh with clear blue eyes.

Before Josh could stumble around some more with his pile of words and emotions, a light knock came at the door. Letting out a frustrated breath, Josh turned around to find Officer Lewis standing awkwardly at the door.

"Good Afternoon."

Sighing, Josh pulled away from Donna and nodded at Officer Lewis. "Officer."

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting." Dylan said offering Josh's frustrated face a sympathetic smile, "I can come back later."

Before Donna could shoo the grinning Officer away and ask Josh what it was he wanted to tell her, Josh got off of her bed and waved the officer in.

"No, no." Josh mumbled getting up and reluctantly putting some space between him and Donna, "Come in."

"Good morning Ms. Moss." Dylan said slipping into the room.

"Morning, Officer Lewis. And it's Donna. Remember?" Donna replied as she shot Josh a confused look. What had he been trying to tell her?

"I'm sorry to come by so early," Dylan said standing at the foot of Donna's bed, "but there are still a few things that I need to ask you."

"I told you everything that I knew in the ER." Donna said shaking her head in confusion, "I don't have anything else to tell you."

"I understand Donna, but I'm just following procedure. This will only take a few minutes. I promise."

"Okay." Donna sighed catching Josh's suddenly wide eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I'm vibrating." Josh sighed pulling his beeper off of his belt.

"Take it."

"No," Josh said stubbornly, "I'm gonna stay here with you."

"It could be Leo."

"I want to stay here with you." Josh said moving back to her side.

Smiling at Josh, Donna patted his hand. "Go. I'll be fine."

"I'll be gentle," Dylan laughed, "I promise."

"I'll be right back." Josh said squeezing Donna's hand.

"Go." Donna laughed.

"I'll be right back." Josh repeated before slipping out of the door.

Smiling at the door, Donna didn't notice the amused smile on Dylan's face.

"You've got a great boyfriend."

Looking up at Officer Lewis in surprise, Donna could feel her face heat up. "He's not my boyfriend. We're just friends."

Pulling out his notebook, Dylan smiled slyly. "Really?"

"Really." Donna squeaked.

"Huh." Dylan grinned, "You could have fooled me."

Donna knew that she should brush his comment aside and proceed with the questioning, but something in her wanted to know. Something in her was desperate to know and she was too tired to play the denial game with herself right now. "Why?"

"Why what?"

Picking at her blanket, Donna shrugged. "Why did you think that he was my boyfriend?"

Settling down in Josh's chair, Dylan told Donna seriously. "Over the years I've had to tell a lot of people bad news, and I saw him last night while he was waiting for you. That's how I know."

"He was worried." Donna mumbled, "So were CJ, Sam and Toby."

"True." Dylan replied, "But he wasn't just worried Donna."

"No?"

"No. He was devastated."

Laughing bitterly, Donna shook her head. "He was probably worried that there wouldn't be anyone to organize his files. You're reading too much into his reaction. Josh is excitable that way."

"Or maybe you're not reading enough into it." Dylan countered watching Donna digest that little bit of information. "Maybe you don't realize how much you mean to Josh."

Letting silence fall over the room, Donna shifted uncomfortably under Dylan's knowing smile. He was wrong…wasn't he? "So…"

"So?"

Taking a deep breath, Donna sat up. "You had some questions?"

---------

Operating on automatic, Josh quickly dialed his number as he thought about Donna. Why couldn't he just spit the words out? Why couldn't he just say what he was thinking? Because he was an idiot, that's why. Resisting the urge to bang his head against the wall, Josh listen as the dull ringing filled his ear.

"Hello?"

"It's Josh. You paged me?"

"Yeah," Sam said as he juggled his phone and the files that Cathy had just thrust into his arms, "Leo needs you to come back."

"Now?" Josh sighed.

"Sorry." Sam said sympathetically, "I know that you would rather stay there with Donna, but we need you. Four hours top Josh."

"It's okay. I just don't want to leave her alone yet, Sam. She's putting on a brave front but she'll still pretty shaken."

"She won't be alone." Sam assured. "CJ already left. She should be there soon. Toby will run by to stay with Donna so that CJ can make it back for her briefing and I'll try to get there as quickly as I can to save Donna."

Laughing, Josh had to remind himself that he was in a hospital. A hospital that he knew had an abundance of disapproving nurses. "I appreciate it. Even if Donna probably won't."

"Yeah." Sam agreed, "So see you soon?"

"Yeah." Josh laughed, "I'll be there soon."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye." Josh said hanging up. Shaking his head, Josh made his way back to Donna's room. She probably wouldn't be too happy with the revolving door of baby-sitters, but Josh wasn't going to leave if she was going to be alone.

"Hey." Donna said looking up from her jello.

"You guys finished already?" Josh asked taking a seat on the bed.

"He wasn't joking when he said that he only had a few questions." Donna said taking a bite of her jello. "Work?"

"Yeah. I need to go in for a couple of hours."

"You're going to go home and shower."

Grinning, Josh took a bite of his discarded toast. "Why did that sound more like an order than a question?"

"Because it was an order smart." Donna deadpanned. "You need a shower and some sleep."

Laughing, Josh swallowed hastily. "Okay."

"I'm going to be okay Josh." Donna smiled.

"I know." Josh lied.

"You probably won't be without me there to make sense out of your office, but you'll have to make do without me."

"I suppose." Josh said sighing dramatically.

"You could try and help me break out of this joint." Donna teased.

"You are going to take advantage of this day off and sleep." Josh ordered. "You are going to rest up, right?"

"I am going to make sure that she does just that."

Looking up at their sudden guest, Donna glared at Josh. "You organized a baby sitter for me?"

"Josh didn't." CJ assured, "We did that all by ourselves, but because we knew that he would refuse to leave if we left you all alone."

"Thanks CJ." Josh sighed, "Way to help my case there."

"I try." CJ laughed. "Hey, you look better."

"I look like a mummy." Donna sighed still frowning at Josh.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Josh asked trying not to smile. She looked so cute when she was pissed. "I didn't do anything."

"Go to work." Donna grumbled.

"Okay." Josh laughed, "I'll see you later."

"Go home and shower." Donna ordered, "Try and get something to eat."

"You too." Josh said grinning like a fool. "Do you want me to bring you anything?"

"Real food?" Donna asked.

"Chinese?"

"Yum, that sounds good."

"The usual?" Josh asked.

"Yeah, and extra…"

"Fortune cookies." Josh finished, "I know."

"Thanks." Donna laughed. "Now go."

"Okay, okay. Bye." Josh said grabbing his jacket. "Take care of her CJ."

"I'll do my best." CJ laughed, mock saluting Josh.

Shaking his head, Josh gave Donna's hand a quick squeeze. "I'll be back later Donna."

"I know." Donna assured, "Don't mess my up files too bad Joshua."

"Don't ask the impossible Donnatella." Josh laughed, "Bye."

"Bye." Donna said watching him slip out of the room. Maybe Dylan wasn't too far off.

"You can stop grinning now. He's gone." CJ said settling herself on Donna's bed.

Blushing, Donna picked at her jello. "Claudia Jean, leave the sick girl alone."

"You don't look sick to me. You look rosy and happier than I've see you in a long time."

Raising an amused eyebrow, Donna took the last bite of her jello. "I look happy? After the night that I had, I wouldn't think that I look happy."

"You look like a woman who has figured out something." CJ said cryptically, "Something that had been bothering her for a long time."

"You're talking in code now?" Donna laughed.

"You understand."

"Do I now?" Donna asked.

"You do." CJ said confidently, "You do."

"Okay." Donna laughed, "Okay."

"Are you trying to pacify me?" CJ asked with mock anger.

"Yup." Donna laughed.

`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

*ahem* I know that I said that Amy would be in this chapter......but as you probably noticed [don't think I can't hear all the Haremites doing their own little happy dance!] she wasn't. Yeah, I can hear you all sigh with disappointment. ;] She will be in the next chapter though. DON'T RUN AWAY! As I promised...you will like it!! *snicker* Unless of course you are the one person who actually likes Amy. Well than, I've only got one question for you........ What are you doing reading this story?!?!? Have I converted someone away from the dark side?!?! * What? A girl can dream...can't she? Fun as always! Review and I'll write!! FYI, the reviews SO FAR have been amazing! You guys rule! *sniff*

-Lucy [Ha! If I spent as much time on the fic as I do on these Author Note thingy's this story would be moving along!]