Title: Gravitation is Not Responsible (10?)
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:

"Did I miss Leo?"

"Out like a light."

"Right here?"

"What, you think I magically moved you here?"

"Oh, shit!" Donna sat up quickly, and climbed off the bed.

"Don't worry."

"No, this is bad, Josh."

"It's not a big deal."

"Leo sat and talked to you while I was asleep sitting against—"

"Donna, its not a big deal."

"But—"

"It's not. Leo was more concerned that you had been getting enough sleep.

"Really?"

"Extraordinary circumstance.

"He didn't say anything?"

"He said its not an issue right now."

"Right now?"

"While I'm recovering…things…he's not going to let things concern him."

"Okay…"

"He'd let me know if there was a problem."

"Okay then."

"Mom's here too. She brought breakfast."

"Already?"

"Yup. It was good. Oatmeal and applesauce."

"Wow, I was really out."

"You really were," Josh smiled.

"How come you didn't wake me?"

"I didn't need to?"

"No?"

"I was hungry."

"Good. Where'd she go?"

"Back to my apartment to clean. She doesn't want to be here the first time I walk."

"No?"

"She'd rather see it after we determine that I can do it."

"Well, you should be able to show her tonight."

"I love you optimism."

"You disagree?"

"I…I don't know."

"You've been taking steps, Josh."

"Sort of."

"I'm glad you were hungry."

"There nurse this morning is nicer. She's gonna take this out."

"Told you that would be next."

"You brought me normal clothes—well, PJ's right."

"Yeah."

"I get to wear those to physical therapy today."

"You don't really have any pajama pants."

"I don't wear them—"

"I know. You sleep in t-shirts and boxers."

"Right."

"But you'll need pants to leave your room."

"The nurse said I could wear scrubs."

"That should do fine.

"I'm nervous."

"Josh…"

"We've swayed. That's hardly walking."

"But…"

"Joshie…"

"What did you just call me?"

Donna cracked up.

"You just called me Joshie, didn't you?"

Donna continued to laugh.

"You don't get to call me Joshie."

Donna smiled, and burst into laughter again.

"No one calls me Joshie."

"No ones…," Donna laughed. "ever called you Joshie?"

"You've called me Joshie before…when you're drunk."

"I'm not durnk."

"No kidding. So you don't get—"

"I can only call you Joshie when I'm drunk?"

"Right—"

"And I can't remember it?"

"It's not my fault that you can't hold—"

"Who can't hold their liquor?"

"Well, if you were sober, I wouldn't let you get away—"

"Uh huh."

"You can't call me that. No one does."

"No one--?"

"No."

Josh turned away from Donna, and looked out the door.

"I'm sorry if I struck a nerve."

Josh turned back to her. "Please don't call me that."

"I won't…I was teasing."

"Joanie used to call me that."

"Josh, I didn't know, I wouldn't have—"

"I know that."

"I tease, but I don't tease you about—"

"It's okay. You didn't know."

Josh looked toward the door. "You should eat something. Mom left you a bagel."

"Thanks." Donna took the bagel, while Josh continued to stare out the door.

The nurse entered the room. "Mr. Lyman. How are you feeling?"

"Great."

"No problems with the slightly more solid food?"

"Not my mom's."

"That'll be fine as long as she continues to bring in things that fit with your dietary restrictions."

"Trust me, she will."

"Ready to get rid of that catheter?"

"I was ready several days ago—"

"No, you weren't. And, quite frankly, it may have to go back in. I'm not going to lie. You're going to make friends with the bed pan—"

"I can stand."

"We'll see how you do walking today. At night the bed pan—"

"I have Donna to help me."

"She's going to help you every time you need—?'

"Yes."

The nurse looked to Donna, who shrugged with a smile.

"And you took a pain pill with your oatmeal, so you should be ready for this. It isn't going to hurt much, Mr. Lyman. Would you like Donna to leave or to stay with you?"

"Stay."

"Yeah?" Donna asked.

"Come up here and distract me."

"This isn't going to hurt much."

Donna stood beside Josh at the head of his bed, looking up at his face, and trying to avoid what the nurse was doing below his waist.

"Now, Mr. Lyman. I'm going to warn you. Urinating may be difficult at first."

"So I don't pee—"

"Mr. Lyman, I don't think you understand me. When I say urinating may be difficult, yes, you may have a hard time producing urine, but also, you may have a hard time controlling your bladder."

"I could pee my pants?"

"It's possible, sir."

"Great."

"All done."

"That's it?"

"Yes."

"It's out?"

"Yes. Your pain pill kept you from feeling most of the extraction."

"Oh."

"Dr. Campbell will be here in 10 minutes for your first session of the day. You'll be riding in a wheelchair down to our physical therapy room. Your IV will stay disconnected most of the day. Do not play with the port."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Do you need my help to get changed?"

Josh looked to Donna.

"Up to you."

"I'm fine, ma'am."

"Okay. In ten minutes, you need to be dressed and ready to go. I'll grab you a pair of scrubs."

Josh nodded, and watched her go. Donna crossed to the closet and retrieved a pair of boxers and a t-shirt from the bag she had packed. The nurse reappeared in the doorway, and handed Donna the scrub pants, then left.

"Alrighty. Let's pull your arms out of that hospital gown."

Donna helped Josh do as she instructed, and he was sitting there bare-chested.

"Now this might be a little hard, but we're going to put the t-shirt on your arms, and pull it over your head."

Josh grimaced as she pulled her left arm, but soon the t-shirt was on.

"Now…" Donna accessed the best plan to continue. "I'm going to scoot the boxers over your feet—"

"Can you take the stockings off---might be easier."

"Nice try."

Donna slipped the boxers over each of his compression stocking covered legs, and slid them up to mid thigh.

"Can you read them?"

"Barely."

Donna assisted as Josh pulled them up to where they belonged. He held his breath, until they were securely in place, fearful of gasping as her finger grazed the skin of his hip. That felt so good.

"That wasn't so difficult."

"No," Josh managed.

"Now for the scrubs."

Donna pulled away the hospital gown, and slid the scrub pants over his stockings, up to his thigh. She helped him pull them the rest of the way up.

"Can you tie them?"

"You can't—fine."

"Thank you."

"It's fine."

"I mean really…thank you. This is awkward."

"We did it. With minimal—"

"Right."

"You've got 5 minutes left—"

"Let me stand, and wait for the doctor."

"You're sure you want to use your energy?"

"This is getting easy. I just lean on you."

"Uh huh."

Donna helped Josh roll to his side, and scoot to the side of his bed, and then onto his feet. Once there, he pulled her close, and held her until the doctor came.