Author: Willow
Summary: A trip to Australia, the budget and the midterms, all in one chapter, phew!
Spoilers/Episode: Set in an a/u that leaves the show's timeline after season 5, Memorial Day. This chapter takes place a month after chapter 6.
Characters: Ensemble
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I do realize that they're not mine, but I hope no one minds if I borrow them for a while.
PART III
Sunday
"Hello?" Josh answered the phone.
"What are you doing?"
"Well good morning, Donna, how are you?"
"Wet," Donna replied. "You have to come over and help me."
"Help you do what?" Josh asked suspiciously.
"Please."
"Donna, it's pouring down, I've only just got dry from my enforced Sunday run with CJ."
"Why enforced?" Donna asked curiously.
"It's raining, I told her I wasn't going so she came round and got me," Josh complained. "What's happened?"
"If you don't come round and help me, I'm dead," Donna replied.
"Are you drowning?" Josh asked.
"What?"
"You said you were wet and...... never mind." Josh sighed, "I'm on my way."
"Thank you," Donna hung up the phone and walked back down the street.
.......................................................
"Well I'm here, but you're not," Josh said into his cell phone. "Where are you?"
"Walking up the street behind you."
Josh hung up and turned around. "Hey," he smiled at a very wet Donna. "What's up?"
"I can't find Jaz."
"That's it? You've lost Candi's cat?"
"Yes."
"Well she's a cat, they go out and then they come back."
"She went out last night. Normally they go out for ten minutes and then come back, but Spike came back without her."
"Donna, it's raining, she's probably sheltering someplace," Josh pointed out.
"We have to find her, come on."
Josh followed Donna down the street. "Where exactly do we start looking?"
"Under the cars, in people's yards, on the stoops. Use your imagination, Josh. Check the other side of the street."
Ten minutes later a very wet Josh found an equally wet Jaz sat next to an old car in an alley. He crouched down and held out his hand to her. "Hey Jaz," he said in his best 'I can talk to the animals' voice. Jaz looked up at him and hissed. "Well if that's your attitude," he said, starting to stand up, then he noticed the blood on her back leg. He crouched back down and stroked her, risking loosing his fingers in the process. She hissed again, but didn't resist anymore. He picked her up and held her against his chest, underneath his coat. He crossed the road and walked back up the street, trying to spot Donna. She was nowhere to be seen, so he walked up her front steps and fumbled in his pocket for his keys, trying not to drop Jaz. Eventually he found the right key and let himself into the building, he walked up to the second floor and Donna's apartment.
.......................................................
"We should take her to the vets," Josh said, looking at the wound on Jaz's leg.
"The bleeding's stopped," Donna pointed out.
"It could be infected, especially if it's a bite."
"Yeah, okay, wait there and I'll get the carrier."
Ten minutes later, they were still trying to get a reluctant Jaz into the carrier. "You know I don't think there's much wrong with her," Josh decided.
"We're taking her."
"She keeps grabbing the sides of the carrier and now she's using my hand as an anchor," Josh squealed as he dropped Jaz and nursed his scratched hand.
"Okay, wait there," Donna instructed and went to get a towel from the bathroom. "We'll put this over her."
"How will that help?"
"It just does, I saw it on the TV. Get hold of her." As josh picked the cat back up, Donna wrapped the blanket round her and they both placed the cat in the basket. "See, it worked."
"I'm impressed," Josh smiled as he absently brushed a damp piece of hair from Donna's face. "Come on then."
.........................................................
They sat in the waiting room while the vet checked Jaz over. Donna asked, "Mrs Bartlet asked how I was yesterday."
"She has a thing about hospital appointments," Josh replied.
"I keep mine," Donna told him.
"So do I."
"Tomorrow, 4.30."
"I know."
"Have you been talking to her?"
"About my appointments?"
"About me?" Donna asked.
"No, why what did she say?"
"She was just concerned I think, but she said I should still use the crutches if my leg hurts, which is exactly what you said."
"See, I do know what I'm talking about."
"I'm fine," Donna insisted. "My leg aches sometimes, that's all. The physical therapist said it would for a while, but as long as there's no pain then it's fine."
"Okay," Josh nodded.
"Abbey did say I should be doing less work though," Donna smiled.
"Something else I've been telling you."
"Except you didn't mean it," Donna teased.
"Yes I did," Josh replied seriously.
Donna took his hand, "I'm not doing too much. Doing nothing drives me nuts. Stop worrying about me," she said, although she knew that was a likely as her not worrying about him.
"I can't," Josh admitted and squeezed her hand.
"Miss Moss?" The vet interrupted them. "Jasmine will be fine."
.................................................................
Monday
"What have you done?" Leo indicated Josh's hand.
"He had a fight," CJ helpfully replied.
"You had a what?" Leo asked.
"Thanks," Josh told CJ. "It was a cat, it wouldn't go in the carrier."
"Who's..... Donna's?" Leo guessed.
"She's violent," Josh told him.
"Donna or the cat?" Ed smiled.
"Can we get on with this meeting?" Toby asked.
"We're waiting for the president," CJ pointed out.
"What were you doing to Donna's cat?" Larry asked.
"It's her roommate's, it'd been in a fight. We were taking it to the vet."
"Is it okay?" Ed asked.
"Yeah, she's got anti-biotics but she's fine," Josh replied.
"What about you?" CJ smiled.
"I'm in pain," Josh replied.
"Why are you in pain?" Jed asked as he joined the group.
"Donna's cat...." Josh began.
"For God's sake," Toby sighed.
"Having a bad day, Toby?" Jed asked.
"No, Sir. I just thought the midterms were maybe more important than Donna's cat and Josh's hand."
"Thanks," Josh smiled.
Part 4 ...................