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 #11:

"I'm gonna go and get some coffee." Josh said getting off of Donna's bed and stretching, "You guys want any?"

"How about you go home and get some sleep instead of digesting more coffee than you need too?" Donna suggested not too subtly.

"Do you want coffee?" Josh asked ignoring Donna's question.

"Are you going to go home and sleep?"

"I'm not sleepy." Josh replied.

"I don't believe you." Donna snorted.

"I'm offering to get you coffee." Josh laughed, "You sure you don't want to take me up on it?"

"I'll have some coffee." Sam said from his place beside a grinning Toby, reminding the two of the presence of others.

"I guess if you're going you can get me some." Donna sighed smiling at Josh.

"You want to come a help me Claudia?" Josh asked giving her a serious look.

"I'll help you." CJ agreed getting up and following Josh out.

"Would you like regular of decaf, Claudia?" Josh asked when they got to an ancient looking coffee machine. A machine that looked like it had seen better days.

"How about we go downstairs to the little café?" CJ suggested leading a reluctant Josh towards the elevator. "My treat. Also, less chance of digesting, god knows, how decayed and molded coffee beans."

"I don't want to go too far." Josh protested looking down the empty hall towards Donna's room.

"She's fine." CJ assured. "Toby and Sam are with her and we'll be right back."

"I guess." Josh said still hesitant, but following CJ into the elevator.

"Donna looks better."

"I suppose."

"You suppose?" CJ asked surprised. "She's laughing and eating."

"She's still all bruised." Josh sighed rubbing his tired eyes and trying to erase the image of Donna's purple and blue arms.

"It'll all heal." CJ told Josh gently. "Donna will heal."

"She's not telling me something Claudia." Josh said looking up at her with worried eyes. "There's something that she's not telling me."

"Why do you think that?" CJ asked looking everywhere but at Josh.

"Because I can see it, CJ. She's trying too hard to seem like everything is all right. Donna's hiding something. She's hiding something." Josh repeated watching the elevator doors slide open and CJ slip out too eagerly. "What is she hiding CJ?"

"How would I know?" CJ asked calmly leading the way to the empty café.

"Because you do."

"I only know what I need to know."

"What is she not telling me?" Josh asked catching up with CJ.

"Nothing."

"Liar." Josh accused.

"Hey, I've been called worse." CJ shrugged.

"So you admit that you know something that I don't." Josh accused.

"I know many many things Joshua." CJ answered in perfect Press Secretary manner.

"I'm not the press corps. CJ." Josh sighed looking genuinely worried and scared, "I'm Josh. I am a worried Josh. What isn't Donna telling me?"

"Josh," CJ sighed shaking her head, "I can't…"

"You can."

"Donna…she made me promise, but she's okay." CJ assured trying to ease Josh's racing mind, "She's going to be okay. She just doesn't want to…"

"Is she afraid to tell me because of…"

"Yeah." CJ said filling in the blank that Josh had left. She didn't want to think about it either, let alone say it out loud. Not now…and especially not here. Not in a café that she'd spent too much time in. Not in a hospital that held bad memories.

Running his hands through his already unruly hair, Josh shook his head. "That's crazy. I wouldn't….it wouldn't trigger…"

"Are you sure?" CJ asked paying the cashier and handing Josh two steaming cups of coffee and carrying three herself. "I mean, it's a valid point. This is Donna we're talking about…she knows you…"

"And I know me." Josh snapped shaking a sugar package. "I know that I can pull my damaged psyche together to be there for Donna."

"I know you can," CJ said placing a reassuring hand on Josh's arm, "but can you really say that you're surprised that Donna would worry about that?"

"No," Josh sighed stirring the coffee, "but I want to be there for her. I want her to know that she can come to me when she needs someone."

"She knows that Josh. She does."

"Okay." Josh mumbled not sounding sure.

"When are they letting her out of this joint?" CJ asked changing the subject.

"Tomorrow." Josh said putting down the coffee and looking up at CJ.

"What?" she asked catching his serious look.

"That's why I wanted you to come with me."

"Okay." CJ said not understanding. "What did you want to tell me?"

"They're letting her out tomorrow, and you've seen Donna. She can't even talk from her bed to the washroom without getting dizzy." Josh said seriously.

"Yeah." CJ said getting that knowing smile on her face.

"And she lives by herself…"

"Roommate?"

"Moved out." Josh pointed out, "A couple of months ago. Donna lives by herself now…"

"And she can't possibly be by herself right now." CJ said finishing Josh's sentence for him.

"She can't." Josh agreed smiling slightly, "So I was thinking that Donna would come and stay with me for a couple of days. You're my first call CJ. I'm letting you know."

"And if I said no dice?" CJ asked.

"I'd tell you to get over it cause you ain't changing my mind." Josh shrugged.
"Donna needs me and I'm going to be here for her."

"Okay." CJ said picking up the coffee and heading back towards the elevator.

"Okay?" Josh asked surprised. "You're not going to fight me?"

"No." CJ said simply.

"No?"

"Are you going to do anything stupid that will show up in my Press Room?" CJ asked.

"No." Josh said truthfully. Well admitting that he was liked with Donna wasn't stupid…was it? Come on, he even liked her liked her.

"Than why should I care if you're taking care of Donna?" CJ asked playfully.

"Okay." Josh said smiling at CJ.

"I'll even call before I come over to visit Donna." CJ laughed.

"You do that." Josh said seriously, "You make sure that everyone does that."

"I will." CJ agreed. "Josh, listen, I don't have a problem with Donna staying with you…but…"

"But what?" Josh asked feeling dread fill his stomach. Toby? Leo? Sam? Who had a problem with it?

"But Donna probably will."

---------

"No wheelchair." Donna said as she slowly got out of bed.

"Donna," Josh sighed grabbing her arm and trying to steady her swaying form, "get in the damn chair."

"No." Donna protested.

"It's hospital policy." Dr. Beaker pointed out smiling gently.

"But..."

"No buts." Josh said leading Donna into the wheelchair, "You made me ride out in one." he reminded her smugly.

"Is this pay back?" Donna asked incredulously.

"No." Josh laughed.

"Joshua." Donna warned.

"Okay," Josh amended, "maybe. Practically. Totally."

Crossing her arms, Donna frowned at Josh. "Dork."

Smiling down at Donna, Josh reached over and shook Dr. Beaker's hand. "Thanks so much Doctor."

"My pleasure. Now these are Ms. Moss's painkillers." Dr. Beaker said handing the bottle to Josh, "Make sure that she gets some rest this weekend."

"I will." Josh promised. "Ready to go Donna?"

"Yes." Donna said careful not to nod to quickly. "Bye Doctor."

"Bye." Dr. Beaker laughed watching Josh and Donna bicker like an old married couple as they made their way out of the hospital. Shaking his head in amusement, he smiled over at Nurse O'Neil. "They're like an old married couple."

"I think that it's sweet." Nurse O'Neil replied.

"You think that they whole denial thing is cute?"

"No," she said, "I think how two smart people are completely oblivious to how the other person feels is cute. In a demented sort of way."

"Well, maybe they aren't completely oblivious." Dr. Beaker offered, "Maybe just a little."

---------

"Oh," Donna sighed happily as Josh slowly led her to his car, "it's such a beautiful day."

Paying more attention to Donna, and the fact that her arm was wrapped around his, Josh grunted in agreement. "It sure is."

Smiling at Josh, Donna tightened her hold on his arm. "I missed the sun, the sounds and the fresh air."

Laughing, Josh shook his head in amusement. "You were in the hospital for a day Donna. You make it sound like you were in confinement for months. Besides, this is D.C. There is no fresh air."

"Don't spoil my mood Joshua." Donna said in mock anger.

"I'll try my best." Josh promised smirking.

"Good." Donna said slowing down their pace. "So what's on the schedule for today?"

"Rest." Josh said seriously.

"How can I rest…"

"Easy." Josh said pulling out his keys and unlocking all the doors. "Resting really isn't all the hard. It consists of lying in bed and watching television. CNN if you promise not to get too worked up."

"Josh," Donna whined, "I'm bored. Lets go to work. It's Saturday. It'll be light. I need to catch up on all the things that are piled up on both our desks anyway."

"No."

"Josh."

"No, Donna."

"Josh."

"You are going to take it easy for the next few days."

"Dr. Beaker said this weekend Josh." Donna reminded him as he helped her into the car. "As in two days."

"Are you comfortable?" Josh asked anxiously as he helped Donna settle in his car.

"I'm fine Josh." Donna laughed. "Two days Joshua. That's it. I'm going back to real life on Monday. Work. Coffee. Long hours. Annoying Congressmen."

"We'll see how you feel after two days and decide if you need some more time off." Josh said helping her buckle her seat belt. Looking at Donna's face, he couldn't help but frown at the bandage on her head and all the reminders of how close he had come to losing her. He couldn't lose her.

"Josh." Donna said seriously as she reached out and touched his arm, "I'm okay."

Gently tracing the white bandage, Josh mustered up a quick smile for Donna's sake. No need to burden her with his fears. "I know."

"I'll rest." Donna offered as a way to reassure Josh and ease the line of worry creasing his forehead.

"I know you will."

"How?" Donna asked as Josh closed her door and ran over to the drivers side.

Smirking, Josh slipped into his seat and started the engine. "Because, I'm enforcing rules."

"Rules?" Donna asked trying not to smile.

"Many many rules that you will need to follow to the letter. Strict rules that are for your own good."

"Really?"

"Really." Josh said grinning at Donna.

Leaning back in her seat, Donna watched as D.C. whipped by them. "Ah ha."

"Is that doubt?" Josh asked playfully. "You don't think that I can enforce rules?"

Laughing, Donna finally noticed where they were going. "Josh?"

"Yeah?"

"This isn't the way to my place." Donna pointed out.

"I know."

"This is the way to your place."

"I know." Josh repeated.

"Why are we going this way?" Donna asked studying Josh's face curiously.

"Because you're staying with me." Josh said casually. Like it was an everyday occurrence to take Donna home with him. To stay with him. Hey, that wasn't a bad thought.

"Josh," Donna said warily, "this isn't a good idea."

"Why not?" Josh asked slightly wounded. "You took care of me. Now I'm taking care of you."

"You were shot." Donna whispered.

"You were mugged." Josh shrugged.

"It's different."

"It's really not." Josh said stealing a quick look at Donna, "You took care of me when I needed you. I'm only returning the favor."

"What about Amy?" Donna asked wringing her hands.

Shrugging his shoulders, Josh watched as Donna twisted her hands. "What about Amy?"

"Josh." Donna sighed.

Laying a hand over Donna's hands, Josh smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about Amy. Don't worry about anything. Just concentrate on getting better."

Donna didn't know how he did it, but Josh always managed to reassure her with that smile. Squeezing his hand, Donna nodded. "Okay."

"Okay." Josh said holding Donna's hand tightly and navigating the roads to his home and her temporary one. He could do this. He could be there for his Donnatella Moss.

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

Chapter #12 will be out soon. Sorry for the delay. Playing catch up with other sites and trying to relocate my muse. Haha. Feedback makes me smile. Thanks for reading! ;]

-Lucy