Title: Gravitation is Not Responsible (8?)
Author: Aerial312
Rating: PG-13
Category: Humor/Fluff/Angst/Romance (a little of everything)
Spoiler Info: Post Rosslyn.
Disclaimer: I own nothing…I just borrow.
Feedback: Greatly appreciated. Sure. Just let me know where its going.

A/N: You all benefit from my boredom at work (I spent 6 hours following the script, prompting, during a stop/start rehearsal today)

"What the hell are those?"

"Mr. Lyman, these are your new compression stockings." Kendra adjusted the new garments.

"What…what do they do?"

"The rings blow up, in various orders, to stimulate your blood flow."

"Why do I need—"

"Your physical therapist ordered them."

"I did his leg exercises!"

"I know, honey, and he thought you put in a really great effort, but was unhappy with your circulation. You can't control that."

"Does this mean I don't get to stand today?"

"Now we're looking forward to it?"

"Yes."

"Let's talk expectations for a minute."

"Okay."

"Now, you've got a number of tubes: IV, chest tube, Foley. Your goal is to stand. You aren't walking anywhere."

Josh looked around as his tubes. "How…how does this work, with all of these?"

Kendra smiled. "We disconnect the EKG, and take off the O2 finger cuff. That's easy. Then we scoot your IV pole to the left side of the bed. The bags for your chest tube and Foley will stay where they are, clipped to the bed. Their tubes are long enough."

Josh nodded. "When can I try?"

"You've got PT again at 5."

"And its…?"

"Four. I'd like you to have dinner first."

"I just ate lunch—"

"Two hours ago. You did a good job. Let's try for more."

"Yeah, yeah."

"How long's Donna been asleep?"

"I don't know. She was awake when I fell asleep. She's exhausted."

"She's really good to you," Kendra smiled as she left.

"She's incredible."

Josh turned to watch Donna sleep in the visitor's chair. She had her legs curled beneath her, and her head tucked onto an awkwardly held pillow. He kind of wished that she's stayed perched on the bed beside him. She'd been reading the paper to him. He probably drifted off mid-sentence.

He was going to let her rest, he decided. She'd been so good to him all afternoon, and he was feeling so much better. He try the exercises on his own again.

Josh pushed the button to raise the head of his bed, and pulled his tray table closer. He grabbed the spirometer and the basin. Methodically, he did his breathing exercises ten times. He didn't even need the basin, his lungs were so clean.

Josh looked down at his feet. Those stockings were silly looking. Slowly, like the doctor had shown him, he concentrated on pointing and flexing his feet. Just like driving a car, had been the analogy.

"Easier this time?"

"Hey…" Josh turned to face her. "Sleep well?"

"Enh…" Donna shrugged.

"That chair can't be comfortable."

"It isn't." She stood, and moved to his side. "How's this going?"

"Better. You see these things?"

Donna smiled. "Hot."

Josh grinned, and swatted at her.

"That was a nice smile."

"Yeah?"

"First time I've seen your dimples since…"

"Yeah." He took her hand in his. "It's been a good afternoon."

"I'm glad you're feeling better now."

"You wanna help me with the other leg exercises?"

Donna nodded, and crossed to the end of the bed. "The slide your foot, lift the leg?"

"Yeah, the one that hurt."

"They're all gonna hurt at first. Your muscles are all confused."

"Confused?"

"You know what I mean."

"I do."

"Slide your foot back…good…is that as far as you can bend your knee?...good…now I'm gonna lift your foot up a few inches now…deep breath…up, slow, show…now point…flex…point…flex… good…exhale…and down, two, three, four…excellent. Other leg."

"It's not as bad with the deep breath," Josh commented as he began the process again.

"You're ready for it. The breath makes you think about it. Breathe…lifting…point and flex and point and flex…exhale, and down. Good."

"You're probably getting quite a show when you lift my leg up."

"Josh!"

"You are."

"We talked about this."

"Oh…"

"We acknowledged that it was going to happen, and—"

"We weren't really gonna talk about it."

"Right."

"Okay, then." Josh was grinning again.

"I suppose I should find it good that your arrogance is coming back."

"You love it."

"I do."

"Come here. Sit, and we'll watch TV until my dinner comes."

"Dinner and then standing?"

"Kendra's orders. Dinner first."

"I see," Donna smiled, as she climbed onto the bed on his right side. Josh held his tethered arm back, and she scooted into the place between his arm and his chest.

"There. Now TV."

"Not CNN—"

"Come on."

"Let's start with something else, so you don't get agitated—"

"I—"

"You will. And your concentration will be shot for the standing…"

"Fine." Josh tightened his grasp on Donna's shoulder. "How 'bout a baseball game?"

"I think that'll do…" Donna lay her head against his chest, and clicked the TV on.

"That was harder than I thought it would be," Josh grumbled, through his heavy breathing, as he settled on the bed.

"It's gonna be hard, Mr. Lyman. But you did it," the therapist congratulated. "Now, I'm gonna leave instructions that say you're okay to try this again before I come back tomorrow, but only with your nurse—"

"What about Donna?"

"Uh…usually—"

"Can I try it with just Donna?"

The therapist looked to Kendra, who shrugged and nodded.

"Okay, then. We'll give that a try. Just like we did today…standing only. Right beside the bed."

"Don't worry Dr. Campbell. She doesn't let him get away with anything."

"Good," he chuckled, and left the room.

"You two gonna try again now?"

"In a minute," Josh answered. "I need to catch my breath."

"Well, Donna, wou come get me when you're done, and I'll hook him back up."

Donna nodded, and stroked Josh's back as Kendra left the room.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just give me a second."

"Took more effort than you thought?"

"Yeah."

"You did a good job."

"I was on my feet for like 5 seconds!" He looked down at his feet.

"It was a start. It was a start, Josh. You can't expect to be able to do it right away. The breathing was hard at first….you got it. The leg exercises were hard, those are getting better. It'll get easier." She took Josh's hands. "You know that."

He continued to stare at the ground.

"You know that." She lifted his chin so he was looking at her. "Don't get frustrated. It'll be harder if you get frustrated…you're doing great."

Josh took a deep breath. "Ready to try this again."

"Okay. Push with your arms. Slow…you've got it…feet down…good…I'm right here…okay, let go of the bed…"

And Josh was standing, unsteadily.

"You're doing it, you're doing it."

Suddenly, he clasped her close to him and held on tight.

"Are you light headed--?"

"No."

"Do you need me to get—?"

"No."

"Josh…"

"Just hold me. For a minute, just hold me."

Donna's eyes welled with tears as she buried her head against his neck. She hadn't been expecting that. He was clinging to her, but she wasn't holding him up. It was all his own strength. She wasn't sure, but it felt like he was crying too. She raked the heel of her hand up and down his back, and he sobbed softly into her hair. They stayed like this for several minutes. Finally, with her own eyes now dry, Donna could feel that Josh had calmed down, and she began to pull back.

"Don't…"

"I'm not…just pulling back to look at you."

"You want me to stand alone."

"I—I want you to do what you…need to do."

"It's nice to be able to stand up—get a proper hug. It's calming."

"Yeah."

Josh pressed his lips to Donna's forehead.

"You're doing well standing this time."

"I wanted…yeah…"

"A hug is good motivation?"

Josh smiled softly. "It is."

"Well, as long as you want."

"I'm not going to be able to do this much longer."

"You've stood for over 10 minutes now."

"Has it been that long?"

Donna nodded, and found him staring into her eyes. Very slowly, he leaned in and kissed her on the lips. It was a soft, tender kiss that neither of them wanted to break.

Finally, Josh pulled back and sighed. "I need to sit."

Donna smiled, and helped him scoot back onto the bad, and against his pillow.

"Do you want some tea?"

Josh nodded. "When is mom coming back?"

"Should be anytime now. She's bringing me nime chow, and hot and sour soup."

"Mmmm…"

"That's a good sign. Appetite."

"I love hot and sour soup."

"Maybe you can have a little."

"Mmmm…."

"Now, I have to get Kendra to hook you up."

"Then you sit here," he patted the bed to his right. "And we watch the Mets."

"Oh yeah?"

"Game starts at 7. TV said so before."

"It's 6:15."

"Pre-game."

"Uh huh."

"Mom likes the Mets too."

"Well, good. That's a good activity for the two of you."

"You're not leaving, are--?"

"No, no. I'm just saying, she'll see you in a good mood."

"Yeah, I'm in a good mood," he sighed, grinning broadly. "You?"

Donna laughed and squeezed his hand. "Yeah…"