Title: A Friend In Need

Disclaimers, etc. - As in Part 1

Part 9 of 9

**

Donna looked up from her desk and caught Josh's guilty expression as he stood in her doorway.

"Let me guess, you have to cancel dinner?" she asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"Yeah." Josh ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Donna, something's come up and I'm going to have to work late."

Donna looked back down at her desk. "It's okay."

"No, it's not. I really am sorry."

She knew from his tone that he meant it and she let out a long sigh. "What time do you think we will be able to get out of here?"

"I dunno when I'll be able to, but you can still leave early." She looked up at him questioningly. "I shouldn't need you for anything, I just have to meet with Leo and Toby. Why don't you use the dinner reservations anyway, take Bonnie or someone; you can charge the meal to me," he offered.

"No, that's okay."

"Donna, I --"

"Josh, it's fine, really. Look, do you think we'll be able to leave early tomorrow?" she asked.

"Hopefully, why?"

"Well, I was going to spend tomorrow night packing up my stuff, but I could do that tonight. I could then make us something to eat tomorrow night and we can have a quiet night in before I leave on Saturday."

Josh smiled. "That sounds good. You don't have to cook though, we can get take-out."

"You're turning down the chance to eat my specialty?" she smirked.

"What, you're gonna make the chicken thing?" Josh replied excitedly.

"If by the chicken thing you mean my wonderful chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce, served on a bed of rice, then yes, I'm going to make the chicken thing!"

Josh's eyes lit up. "Okay, it's a date."

Donna raised her eyebrows at his words and expected Josh to turn away, instead he just smiled broadly at her. After a few seconds he finally turned and headed into his office.

*

They got home around 6pm on the Friday night. Everyone was glad to see Josh leave early as he had been yelling at people all day. He knew he was in a bad mood because of Donna leaving the next day, but he couldn't help it. The only person that didn't bear the brunt of his mood, for once, was Donna herself.

"Do you need any help?" Josh asked as he wandered into the kitchen and found Donna chopping mushrooms.

"No, I'm fine," she replied, turning around and giving him a small smile.

"Have you been crying?" he asked, noticing that her eyes were red and blotchy.

"No, I was chopping onions." She indicated the chopped onions on the board on the counter.

"Oh, okay. You're sure there's nothing I can do?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Go watch TV or something, I want to do this as a thank you." Josh nodded and left the room. Donna smiled to herself, glad that he'd bought the story about the onions making her cry. It was partly true, they did make a few tears fall, but she'd been crying before that anyway, knowing that this would be her last night like this with Josh.

*

"Dinner's ready," called Donna from the kitchen about a half-hour later. Josh jumped out of his chair and headed to the kitchen. Donna had already set the table and motioned for him to sit down.

"This looks great," he said, waving in the direction of the food on the table.

"Thanks."

"It needs something though."

"What?" Donna sounded a little hurt.

"Candles!" Josh disappeared into the living room and returned a few moments later with the silver candlesticks, complete with candles, that he usually kept on top of his bookcase. He set them down on the table and lit them.

"What are you doing?" asked a chuckling Donna.

"It's nicer this way, don't you think?" he asked, worried that she didn't agree. She nodded and he dimmed the kitchen lights so that, between the lights and the candles, there was just enough light for them to see each other and the food. He then sat down opposite Donna and tucked into his food.

"So, are you all packed?" he asked a few minutes later, taking a break from stuffing food into his mouth. She took a sip from her glass of wine before replying.

"Yeah, I guess so. Just got the last-minute things to pack now."

"Yeah? Good." They both looked down at their plates, neither of them knowing what to say next. "If you have any problems, you know, with your ankle or whatever, just say the word and you can come back here."

Donna looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks Josh, but I'm sure you'll be glad to have your apartment back to yourself again."

"Not really," he muttered.

"What did you say, Josh?" asked Donna, not having heard his comment.

"I said, not really. I've liked having you here, Donna. I mean it; it's been good. We didn't even fight," he grinned.

"Thanks. I've liked being here. I thought it would be weird, but it hasn't been."

"No, but it's gonna be weird when you've moved out." He looked at her intently. "I'm gonna miss you."

"Josh, you'll still see me every day at the office and, with the hours we work, we spend more time there than at home anyway," Donna replied with a grin, trying to lighten the atmosphere a little.

"I know, but it's not the same," he said pensively. Donna looked at him, trying to gain an understanding of his true meaning, but she couldn't read him. She felt it was safer to return to eating and remained silent.

*

Josh helped Donna put the dishes into the dishwasher and then refilled their wine glasses and carried them into the living room. He set the glasses on the table and crossed to the cd player, putting on the compilation cd that included 'Lady In Red'. Donna sat down at one end of the couch and Josh joined her, sitting right next to her. Neither said anything, they just sipped from their wine glasses and both appeared to be in deep thought.

"I'm going to miss you too, Josh," Donna said quietly as she placed her wine glass back on the table.

He turned to look at her. "Huh?" He silently cursed himself for giving such a dumb reply.

"You said earlier that you'd miss me, I just want you to know that I'll miss you too, I'll miss this," she said, waving her arms around the room for emphasis.

"Yeah?" He placed his own glass on the table and gave her his full attention.

"Yeah, the late night cups of cocoa and talking about non-work related things. I'll…I'll miss us," she said softly. Josh knew she was trying to tell him something, but he didn't know how to respond; he didn't want to push her into anything, so he remained silent.

Suddenly, Donna gave him a kiss on the cheek. Josh turned to face her, smiling warmly.

"What was that for?"

"To say thank you."

"There's no need. Like I said, I love having you here."

Donna put her arms around him and gave him a big hug. "I know you do," she said very quietly in his ear.

Josh wrapped his arms around her waist and gave her a kiss on her cheek. Donna pulled back a little and looked directly into his eyes. He looked back at her, not daring to avert his eyes. An unspoken signal passed between them and they both leaned in to a gentle, sweet kiss. They broke apart quickly, both breathing heavily.

Trepidation was evident in both their eyes as they looked at each other.

"What are we doing?" Donna asked very quietly.

Josh smiled warmly and took her right hand in his own. "You know that phrase 'life is an empty book where you write the pages'?"

"Yes," she replied warily.

Josh put his left index finger under her chin, lifting her head so that he was looking directly into her eyes. "Well, I think we just started a new chapter."

She smiled, transmitting an unspoken acknowledgement, and he pulled her into a warm, loving hug.

**

THE END

There is a sequel to this fic; entitled 'As Time Goes By'…stay tuned for its appearance.