Title: Gravitation is Not Responsible (9?)
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: Thank you to the ladies who have been helping me out with the medical stuff.

"What's wrong?"

No response. He was staring off into space.

"Josh? Josh…?"

She lay her hand on his left shoulder. He winced, and pulled back.

"What's wrong?"

"Hmmm?"

"You're quiet. And just then, you winced."

"It hurt!"

"What hurts?"

"Right there, the whole thing."

"Have you pressed your button?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I push it too much."

"You push it when you need it."

"I need it too much."

"Josh…"

"I don't like having to use it so much."

"Josh—"

"I want to be able to get through things without it."

"I know, honey, I know."

"You don't!"

Donna recoiled slightly at the harshness of his voice, took a deep breath, and turned back to him. "No, you're right. I don't."

Josh pursed his lips together in frustration, and took a few deep breaths through his nose. "I'm sorry…I just—"

"You don't have to apologize."

"Yes, I do. I shouldn't take it out on you."

"You can let your frustration out."

"I—I just was doing so well yesterday, and today it feels like I'm just…regressing, is all."

"It's early yet."

"Yeah, but it's a little of everything. Yesterday, I ate dinner twice, today I couldn't bear to eat breakfast. Kendra wants to give me that medicine she gave me the other day—"

"It'll settle your stomach."

"It'll knock me out for the rest of the morning!" Josh paused, and took a deep breath, then another. "Sorry."

"Josh, honey, if you won't take the phenergan will you—"

"You know the names now? His lips curled upward to the slightest hint of a smile.

Donna smiled back. "If you won't take the phenergan, could you at least press the button for the pain medic—"

"What's that one's name?"

"Morphine."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Press it?"

Josh picked up his clicker, and with an elaborate motion, pressed the button.

"Thank you."

"You're thanking me because now you won't have to listen to me whine?"

"No! I just don't like to see you in pain—"

"This tube hurts like hell."

"Yeah?"

"I guess I never noticed just how much because I've hit the button so much. This hurts more than the incision!"

"Kendra said it would."

"She did?"

Donna nodded.

"When?"

"Once when she was changing your bandage."

"Have you seen the tube?"

"What do you mean? It's right there—"

"Like actually sticking out of me?"

"Of course I have. I watch them change your bandage—"

"Is it gross?"

"It's really not."

He looked at her skeptically.

"It's not. A little weird to see a tube sticking out just above your nipple…but gross? No."

"I hate it."

Donna nodded. "It'll come out before you move to a regular room."

"Tonight?"

"Kendra said probably tomorr—"

Josh growled.

"But maybe…maybe, I stress maybe, tonight, after Dr. Melvin comes back."

"So I need to be a model patient today."

Donna laughed.

"Can we do standing now?"

"Nope, you haven't eaten. Kendra was really clear on that one."

"But—"

"No."

Josh glared at Donna. A knock on the door broke the tension. Rita Lyman entered the room with a large, brown grocery bag.

"How are we doing today?" she put the bag down on the tray table and crossed to her son's side.

"Josh is determined to be a model patient today."

"From this point on."

"What for?"

"I might get to go to a regular room, and get this damn thing out."

"Aww, does that hurt today, honey?"

"Yes."

"Oh…can't they give you any—"

"I pressed the button."

"It didn't help?"

"I just pressed it."

"Did you eat breakfast?"

"No."

"Not feeling well again? You ate so well last night."

Josh shrugged.

"Did you take the medicine for it again?"

"Am I asleep?" Josh snapped.

Rita stepped back, and looked to Donna, who sighed.

"Well, honey, I made Jello, if you feel up to eating it. Your favorite flavor."

"Strawberry banana?"

"Of course."

Josh eyed the bag.

Donna moved to it. "Josh, if you want to try it, I can—"

"I think I do."

"I'll find you a spoon." She left the room.

"I'm driving her crazy today."

"Has she left at all since yesterday?"

Josh shook his head. "I was a little rough on her this morning. I, uh…I've snapped at her. I use it too much, so I didn't want to take the pain medications—which is probably why I didn't feel up to eating...to much pain---anyways…I snapped. She didn't say anything, but—"

"Honey, I'm sure Donna's not taking it personally."

"She says she's not, but…Mom, she's been so good to me, and I'm a bastard."

"She cares a lot about you, Josh."

"Yeah…"

"She's not going to hate you just because you're angry one day."

"It's just…she means so much to me lately. Taking care of me. Staying with me. I get down, she's my cheerleader."

Rita smiled. "She knows you're trying, honey. And if you slip, apologize. She's not going anywhere."

Josh nodded. "I hope not."

Rita placed her hand on her son's shoulder as Donna came back in with a spoon.

"Kendra's pleased you want to eat."

"Pain's better."

"Good. Good."

"Come sit with me."

"Yeah?"

Josh nodded, and scooted over. Donna climbed into her usual side, as Mrs. Lyman pulled the Jello out of the bag.

"Donna, sweetie, I brought a treat for you too."

"Oh, yeah?"

"I made a fruit salad."

"Mmmm…"

"Her fruit salad is really good too."

Donna smiled.

"Can I stand again after I eat?'

"I think that'll be okay?"

"You're feeling up to it?" Rita asked.

"Yup."

"That, that was really great to see last night, honey."

"That wasn't my longest."

"Seemed good to me."

"I stood for almost 10 minutes with just Donna. Holding on though."

"Mostly on your own," Donna smiled. "The holding on was something—"

"My first try was really short—"

"You're exaggerating. It was over a minute."

"No…"

"Yes…it was!"

Rita added, "And you stood for five minutes for me."

"Was it that long?"

"See!" Donna laughed. "You're doing better than you thought."

"Honey, you are."

Josh smiled, and continued to work on his Jello.

"Sweetie, I'm going to go down to the gift shop to buy the newspaper before you stand." She kissed his cheek, grabbed her purse and left.

"She's in a better mood today," Donna smiled, putting down her empty fruit salad bowl.

"Yeah…" Josh finished his Jello, and sat back against his pillow, watching her.

"What?"

"I was just thinking."

"About?"

Josh shrugged.

"You weren't thinking about nothing."

"Don't worry about it." He pulled her close to him, and stroked her hair with his tethered right hand.

"Pain better now?"

"Mmmmm."

"Good. And now, you've eaten. Your breathing was great earlier. It's turning into a great day. Keep it up, and Kendra think we'll be able to move you today."

"You asked?"

Donna nodded.

"It's not that I care so much about moving. I just want this damn thing out. And this one too," he gestured, "But that one's just annoying. It doesn't hurt."

Donna laughed.

"My many tubes are funny?"

"Just that one."

"I see."

"Just the way you talk about it."

"How would you like a tube shoved…" Josh smiled, and looking down at Donna. She was grinning broadly. He tilted her head to look up at him. "Have—have you seen…that tube?"

"I thought we weren't discussing that."

"Okay…no…have you seen that tube?"

Donna blushed furiously.

"You obviously have. Otherwise you wouldn't be bright red."

Donna looked away, laughing, and buried her head against his neck.

"And now you're laughing at it?" he laughed.

"This is a dangerous conversation."

"I'm really looking forward to standing."

"Maybe we could start without your mom?"

"You want a hug?"

Donna shrugged.

"Sounds like a good idea to me."