Title:
The Path Which Has Led to the Present (3?)
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.
Josh shivered against the chilly April air. He'd thought he'd be fine running from the hotel to the bus without his jacket, but it was unseasonably cold. The bus was also much further across the parking lot than he'd anticipated. The door opened for him as he approached.
"Cold tonight, huh?" the driver asked.
"Yeah. You have to stay in here?"
"Well someone's got to be here to let you folks in in the middle of the night if you need something. Or, rather, when you need something. It's fine though. Better than the Motel 6. Usually there's a couple a interns sleeping in the back too."
"Really?" It occurred to Josh that he had no idea where Donna was staying.
"Yep. No one likes the roach motels."
"Is it always this cold in here?"
"Usually, its pretty warm. Got a call into maintenance. We'll get serviced tomorrow when we pull into Providence. This area here don't got what we need. I went into the hotel here, explained out situation, and they let me borrow some blankets for the kids in the back."
"That's nice."
"Anything you need, Mr. Lyman?"
"I'm just looking for a few folders."
"Working really late tonight, huh?"
"As always. I'll be out in a minute so you can get back to sleep. Hopefully I can find what I'm looking for quickly."
"Well your girl's back there. Donna'll know where it is."
"Yeah, she will."
Josh walked down the aisle toward the back, feeling kind of bad that Donna was sleeping on the bus. He went through the curtain partition and paused. Donna was the only one back there tonight. The other volunteers must have decided that on such cold night, it was worth the roach motels. She sat in one of the chairs sleeping uncomfortably, wrapped in a blanket. Josh leaned in, and gently lay hiss hand on her shoulder.
"Hey."
Donna stirred. "Hi."
"I…uh…came out here to find the folders for Providence tomorrow."
Donna looked at her watch groggily. "Its 3AM."
"Yeah, I can't sleep."
"Josh…"
"Do you know where they are?"
"Far back section. In the red file box. Alphabetical order."
"Thanks."
Josh trotted back to retrieve the folders, which were exactly where Donna said they would be. She was settling in again, when Josh came back.
"It's cold out here tonight."
"Where's your coat?"
"I was just running out quickly…you…Can you even sleep out here? You seem uncomfortable…you should—"
"I'm fine. I'm from Wisconsin. I can deal with the cold."
"You should come inside."
"And stay where? The bus is free—"
"Donna…"
"No really, Josh. I'm…I'm fine."
"Come stay with me." Damn that thinking out loud.
"Josh…"
"Come inside. Warm up. You're freezing, despite your attempt at bravado."
"I don't know."
"We can work a little while—"
"Josh, I'm tir—"
"And if you fall asleep, you fall asleep."
Donna looked at Josh for a moment. He took her hand and pulled her up.
"Fine. We can work for a little while."
Josh had no intention of making her work, but she seemed hesitant to join him without the pretense.
This was silly, Donna thought. Why did she feel so odd about going to sleep in Josh's room? She'd slept next to him on the bus plenty of times. And it was cold out. She currently lay on her stomach on the bed, several folders splayed in front of her. She had her left arm extended in front of her, and her head on it. Josh sat against the headboard on the other side.
"Why don't you get some sleep?"
"You sure you don't want some more help?"
"Nah. Rest."
"You should get some sleep too."
"Don't you have pajamas?" Josh asked , looking up as she tugged at covers and rolled in in her jeans and sweater.
"No actually. I planned on sleeping on the bus."
"Oh." Josh jumped off the bed and crossed to his suitcase, fishing around for something. He turned back to her holding up a faded Mets T-shirt and pair of boxers. "Here."
"That's okay—"
"Donna, just put on the damn—"
"Fine," she laughed, climbing up, and taking his offered pajamas to the bathroom.
Josh was reading again when she returned, but he was now sitting under the covers, in his undershirt and boxers. His pants and dress shirt had been thrown on the floor. Donna resisted the urge to pick them up, and instead crawled under the covers. A bed was nice.
"You should go to bed."
"I will…I just want to finish this article."
"Just that one?"
"Yeah…"
"Promise?"
"I promise. Does…uh…the light…bother you?"
She could lie, and tell him it did, and get him to come to sleep. "No, not really."
"Well, this won't be much longer."
"Okay, then. Good night." If you could call it night. It was now near 4AM, and they had to be up at 7 for a 8 o'clock breakfast thing with local leadership downstairs in the hotel's event room. Donna closed her eyes.
Josh looked over at her, just watching her fall asleep for a few seconds. Then he closed the folder, settled down into the covers, and clicked off the light.
