Title: Gravitation is Not Responsible (18?)
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: Visit my site: http/aerial312. stood beside Josh's bed, stroking his warm forehead gently with her fingers. As predicted, he was asleep when Donna arrived. He'd turned down her offer to stay on her cell phone talking to him for her whole ride over, in favor of her getting to the hospital safely. She had gone directly to Leo's office, and explained the situation. He'd sent her off to do whatever she needed to do as quickly as she'd come, promising to inform the rest of the staff. On the ride to the hospital, she'd called in for someone to cover her desk for rest of the morning she was planning to work, and phoned Rita Lyman to apprise her of the change in Josh's condition. She'd rushed to get there, and arrived to find him out cold.

"You must be Donna."

Donna spun to face the petite nurse standing in the doorway. "Yes, I am."

"He's been talking about you all morning. I'm Olivia."

Donna walked over and shook the young woman's hand. "I haven't seen you before."

"I'm new to the unit. I used to work over in nephrology. Lynne retired this week."

"Lynne was the older…mea--…strict one?"

"Mean one? Yes. Though I must say your boyfriend was as difficult as she noted he'd be?"

Donna laughed. "It's in his chart that he's difficult?"

"Starting back in the ICU, it was documented that he's difficult unless you were around."

Donna smiled. "How is he doing?"

"Did he scare you on the phone?"

"A little."

"Your boyfriend's running a fever, it was 101.2 the last time we checked. We drew blood…he didn't react well to that—"

"No, he generally doesn't. He's a little squeamish."

"We're running tests on it now, but Dr. Whitlock is nearly positive is Stapholococcus aureus--

"Who is Dr. Whitlock? His Dr. is—"

"Dr. Whitlock is the resident on call for this unit. Dr. Melvin has been in surgery all morning."

"Okay, when will he be out."

"They were beginning to close up about 5 minutes ago."

Donna took a notebook out of her bag and began to write down some of the information that Olivia was telling her.

"Now, this staph…"

"A staph infection with Stapholococcus aureus is the most common nosocomial SSI—"

"Okay, slow down—"

"If you want me to call Dr. Whitlock—"

"Just explain the terms you're using. Nosocomial SSI…?"

"An SSI is a surgical site infection. Nosocomial means hospital acquired—"

"He got it here?"

"It's fairly common."

"Anything specifically that may have caused it?"

"It could have been many things, but physical over-exertion seems to be part of it. His wound is showing signs of slight dehiscence—the stitches are pulling out at the ends of the incision—"

"What does that mean now?"

"When Dr. Melvin gets here, he'll be able to answer the 'what next' questions. Dr. Whitlock has started Josh on a course of Cefazolin, the standard treatment for post-op infections. If the lab results show a resistant strain, then we'll re-evaluate, and change the antibiotic."

Donna took a deep breath. "How serious is this?"

"Like I said, infection after surgery is not uncommon. We treat any fever seriously—meaning that we're aggressive in finding the cause, and beginning treatment," she amended when she saw Donna blanche at her terminology. "The wound is purulent—that means—"

"He told me. Oozing. And it shows erythema, which is redness, right?"

"Right. Those are the terms that Dr. Whitlock used when I was making notes in the chart. I didn't explain them to Josh—"

"He likes to pride himself on his 760 verbal on the SAT."

"That high?"

"Don't ask him about it. He'll go on and on."

Olivia laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

She took a reading off her thermometer.

"What is it?"

"101.1"

"Down a little."

"Just a bit. He seems to be breathing better now."

"He was short of breath on the phone—"

"We noticed when we spoke to him earlier too. That's what the tube is for: getting him more oxygen."

"Okay."

"I have to go check on the next two rooms. As soon as we hear from Dr. Melvin, I'll let you know. He'll be up as soon as he gets out of surgery."

"Thank you."

Olivia left the room, and Donna leaned down to feel Josh's forehead again. It was kind of silly, she thought, the nurse had just taken his temperature, but it was vaguely comforting to her. She pressed her lips to his warm skim, and held them there for a moment, taking his left hand in hers.

"Hey…"

"Oh, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay. I've been in and out of sleep…all morning."

"How are you feeling?"

"Lousy."

"Hopefully the antibiotics will help with that."

"My wound is disgusting."

"Your stitches are pulling out."

"I saw. Is that what dehiscence is?"

"You don't know a word?"

"Medical terminology."

"Excuses."

"Imagine how much my vocabulary…is growing during my stay."

"Great…"

"Don't' sound so thrilled."

"At least my vocabulary is gaining the same terminology."

"Sad."

"You should sleep some more."

"No physical therapy for me today?"

Donna shook her head. "Your nurse said that over exertion may have contributed—"

"My walk?"

"Possibly. Maybe it pulled at your stitches."

"And I did grab the wall rail an awful lot."

"Yeah…"

"Can you sit with me?"

"Is that a good idea?"

"Donna…" he whined.

"Josh, wait until Dr. Melvin comes."

"Come on!"

"He's finishing up, and should be here—"

"Just sit with me. Please."

Donna looked up at him, and immediately down at the floor. If she looked into his pleading eyes, she'd cave quickly. As much as she wanted to just curl up beside him, she knew that probably wasn't a good idea with his condition the way it was.

"Please…"

"Dr. Melvin is going to be here any minute. After that, who knows?"

Josh turned his head sharply away from her.

"Let's not do this again…Josh…" she bit her lips, blinking rapidly.

He didn't respond, not even turning his head toward her.

"Josh, you can't give me the silent treatment every time you don't like what I have to say."

Silence. Donna crossed around the foot of his bed. He snapped his head back to the left.

"Josh! Don't do this. Don't…" she took a deep breath, wiping the tears that were running down her cheeks. "I rushed down here when you called me. Josh, you wanted me to be here. I'd still be at work. Don't do this…I want to help you, but Josh…Josh! We don't know what this is, and what precautions…I don't want to hurt you more…So, no…I won't climb up there with you…even though that's what I want to do most…"

Josh turned to look at her. She wiped her eyes again.

"I do. That's what I want to do, Josh…But making sure you get better is…it's…" Donna choked back a sob, and Josh grabbed her hand.

"It's okay. Calm down, sweetie, calm down."

"I…"

"Please don't cry. Please don't cry…I don't know what to do when you cry…I'm sorry I made you cry…please stop…" Josh stroked her hand with his thumb. "I don't want to see you cry…" he pursed his lips together. "I'm sorry."

She took a deep breath and blinked back the rest of her tears. "I know you're upset, Josh. You don't feel well…I'm not going anywhere, but—"

"It's okay."

Josh kissed her hand.

"What do we have in here?" Dr. Melvin asked, striding into the room followed by Olivia and Dr. Whitlock. "I hear my beautiful incision isn't doing well."

"Hurts like hell."

"And I do hope Olivia here has given you something for that."

"She has."

"Open up. Let's see."

Josh opened his pajama shirt, and Dr. Melvin peeled back the bandage. Donna scooted in closer to the bed, to look.

"Not so bad. Not so bad. Redness, pus, the stitches have pulled out a bit—"

"How come you explain it in layman's terms?" Donna asked.

"Dr. Whitlock didn't explain his terminology?" he asked, turning to the younger doctor.

"Mr. Lyman made it clear he knew what the terms meant."

"I did!"

"And has your girlfriend gotten an explanation?"

"I have."

"Good. I like to use terms I know everyone will understand."

"Not everyone has my vocabulary."

The doctor chuckled. "No, I suppose not, Mr. Lyman. Olivia, could you get a new temperature reading for me?"

The nurse readied the thermometer. "101.0, sir."

"Getting better, but slowly. Your body is just starting to respond to the Cefazolin. The blood test confirmed Stapholoccus aureus, like we assumed. It's a normal strain, no sign of resistance at this point. Olivia, if you could cover his wound back up for now, I'm going to fix it up in about an hour after I check on a few other patients. Have you eaten lunch, Mr. Lyman?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Well, I hope that changes by dinnertime."

"I doubt it."

"Give it a chance, Josh."

"Listen to your lady, like you usually do."

Josh scoffed.

"Doctor, are there any special precautions…?" Donna began.

"Well, Mr. Lyman is to stay in bed today. You will use the bedpan today—"

"But nothing. The bedpan. It's right here. Use it as needed."

"I hate that thing."

"You don't know if you hate that thing because you've refused to use it."

"It's gross."

"You need to stay in bed today—"

"And he will," Donna chimed in quickly.

"Can she sit with me?"

"You're going to be tender, especially after I fix you back up later on, but I don't see why not. Keep the wound covered, and the bandage is going to be changed frequently today. But if he's grouchy, you can certainly comfort him."

"See?"

"Thank you, Donna, for waiting to ask first--"

"Yeah, yeah," Josh grumbled.

"Well, I will be back to see you in about an hour. Get some rest. Stay in bed. And if the girl wants to take care of you, by all means let her," Dr. Melvin laughed, as he walked out the door, followed by the rest of the team.

"Get up here."

Donna smiled.

"Come on, get up here."

"Wasting no time?"

"No, I'm not."

Donna did as requested, crawling in, and sitting beside Josh. Gingerly, he shifted and lay his head on her shoulder. She wrapped her left arm around his back, rubbing it rhythmically up and down, and into his hair.

"I'm so tired."

"Sleep."

"You're not going anywhere?"

"Nope," she kissed the top of his head. "I'll be right here. Now close your eyes…"