Title: The Path Which Has Led to the Present (2?)
Author: Aerial312
Rating: PG
Category: Humor/Fluff/Angst/Romance (a little of everything)
Spoiler Info: Pre-Series.
Disclaimer: I own nothing…I just borrow.
Feedback: Greatly appreciated. Sure. Just let me know where its going.
A/N: A short little installment.

Josh stared at a folder as the bus moved along. The first day of the trip, through Vermont, was uneventful and long. Stump, then grip and grin. Over and over and over. Tonight, they were driving from Northern Vermont to Boston. They'd finished u p in Burlington at 1 AM, and had an 8 AM breakfast in Boston, so drive through the night it was. They'd get in around 5 or 6 AM. It was now about 3 AM, and they were somewhere in Southern Vermont or Western Massachusetts. Josh wasn't sure. Next to him, Donna was dozing. She had no problem sleeping on the bus. So far he had managed to successfully fight the urge to poke her awake. Mostly because he feared her wrath at hearing that it was just because he was bored.

He reached down to put the folder back into his backpack. It was making him nauseous to read in the moving vehicle. As he fumbled through his bag for anything else that he could possibly do, Donna stirred.

"You should get some sleep."

"You don't think I've tried?"

"Were you trying to read?"

"Yeah, and now I feel really sick."

"Aww…" She reached over and rubbed his back.

That felt nice.

"Anything, I can do for you, Josh?"

He shrugged, and remained bent over, giving her full access to his back. "I don't know." Keep doing that for a while?

In silence, she continued to massage his back with the heel of her hand. He started to drift off.

"Josh," Donna called gently. "You can't sleep with your head between your knees. All your blood will rush to your head and you'll get a headache."

Josh began to sit up slowly. She was right. All of his blood was already beginning to rush to his head.

"Do you want me to move so you can lay down?"

"All the seats are full."

"I can sit on the floor."

"Donna…"

"I could."

"No." He sat back, and looked over at him. She had this very earnest expression on her face. "Thank you for offering, but no. I won't do that to you."

She smiled. "Offer stands."

Josh nodded.

"Why don't you lean back the chair?"

"It won't help."

"Do you want me to rub your back some more?"

Yes. "That's okay."

"You sure?"

Josh shrugged, and tried to block the idea of laying on her lap out of his head. He wasn't quite sure where that one had come from, and he knew it wasn't a good idea.

"I've got an idea."

"Oh?" This was going to be quite sad if she'd had the same idea and he had to strike it down.

"Put your knapsack on your lap."

He was confused, but he did as she instructed. Donna pulled her coat out from under her seat, rolled it into a ball, and put it on top of Josh's bag.

"Pillow"

Josh put his head on her makeshift pillow. "Not bad."

"This is kind of the position you were sleeping in before. Without the whole blood rushing to your head thing."

"Mmmhmm." Donna's hands were on his back again and it was depriving him of all coherent thought.

"Close your eyes."

Josh did as he was told. She continued to rub his back, and he drifted quickly off to sleep.