Title: Gravitation is Not Responsible (23/?)
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: Linking my website in my profile, because this won't show it.

"Do you think I'll get to go home tomorrow?"

Olivia sighed. "Not to tomorrow—"

"Monday?"

"Probably Tuesday—"

"Tuesday?!"

"Yup."

"Why!?"

"Because—"

"My fever was gone two days ago!"

"But you have to finish your course of antibiotics."

"Can't you just send me home with a bottle of pills?"

"Oh, you'll be going home with several bottles of pills, but—"

"You're not funny."

"Your antibiotic is intravenous."

"Can't I take a normal one?"

"You've gotta finish the one you started."

"And there's no way—"

"Sorry."

"But I'm getting around pretty well now. I've been walking all over the unit."

"And you're doing great, but you're not quite ready yet."

"I was supposed to be going home this weekend originally!"

"That was an estimate—"

"A lousy one."

"Josh, we hoped you'd be ready to go this weekend, but then you had a set back."

"Godamnit!"

"Three more days."

"For sure."

"I can't guarantee that."

"Why not?"

"Hound your doctor. He makes that call."

"So three days is your newest crappy guess."

"My best professional estimate."

"So it could be less than three days?"

Olivia shook her head. "Your course of antibiotics is one week. So Tuesday is the earliest."

"Fuck."

"That's how it is."

"And there's nothing I can do to speed that up?"

"You can't speed up your antibiotics, but you can start to eat a little better."

"Now you're hounding me about it too?"

"Where is your girlfriend?"

"Sick of me?"

"Your charming personality is too much for me."

"She's at work."

"On Saturday?"

"We usually work seven days a week."

"Now you two work together?"

"Yeah."

"Cool."

"She should be back in 8 minutes or so now."

"Keeping count?"

"So?"

"All right, Josh. I'll leave you alone. Eat your lunch."

"I'm not touching that tray. You can take it now."

"You need—"

"Donna's bringing me something edible."

"You baited me on that response."

"Donna'll make me eat whatever she brings."

"Good."

"Hmph."

Josh sat back against his pillow, and clicked on the TV, tossing down the remote angrily. He was so sick of being stuck in bed. He frowned and picked up the phone. After staring at it for a few moments, and not dialing, he slammed it back down on the table.

"Don't break that."

"You're early."

Donna stood in the doorway bearing a brown paper bag.

"I finished up early," she crossed in, and put down the bag. "What's got you?"

"I don't get to leave till—"

"Tuesday."

"You knew!?"

"Olivia just warned me. Said you weren't particularly happy about it."

"I wanted to get out this weekend!"

"I know—"

"You don't!"

"Josh, we've played this game before, and no good comes from it."

He glared up at her, then looked down into his lap.

"You don't know."

"Fine, I don't."

"You're not the one sitting here!—"

"Josh—"

"I'm going crazy here. Don't just say I know!"

"When you get like this, no answer works. I'm not going to be your punching bag all afternoon."

"I want to go home!"

"Well, you'll get to see Dr. Melvin later—"

"But he can't do anything about the fucking antibiotic!"

"No, but he can clear you to go home as soon as it's done."

"Tuesday!"

"Right."

"I want to go home now!"

"Calm down!"

"No! Don't tell me!—"

"Fine, Josh," Donna snapped, pulling a bowl of soup out of the bag, and slamming it down on the table.

"I'll calm down when I want to calm down!"

"Here's your lunch. Eat it. I told you I wasn't going to be your punching bag, and I meant it!"

Donna stormed toward the door. Josh looked up, startled.

"Donna!"

She left the room, but didn't go far. She stood outside the door, catching her breath, a little surprised that she'd had the guts to stand up for herself like that.

"Donna! Donna!" Quickly, or a quickly as he could, Josh sat up and slid his legs over the edge of the bed, landing unsteadily on his feet. "Donna!" He'd never catch her. Slowly he plod toward the door.

Donna resisted the urge to come right back in, instead waiting for him to reach the hallway. He was breathing hard, and grabbed the rail on the side of the wall, relaxing visibly when he saw she hadn't really left. Donna watched, but didn't jump towards him, allowing him to catch his breath on his own. She was right there if he really needed it.

Finally, Josh's breathing calmed, and he grabbed Donna's hand, pulling her back into his room and kicking the door closed. He flung his arms around her, pulling close, and burying his head in her hair. She rubbed her hand up his shuddering back.

"I'm sorry. I'm…sorry…" he sobbed.

"Shh…shh…it's okay. It's okay, sweetie."

"I just…I'm just…frustrated. So…frustrated…but, I…shouldn't have…snapped at you…"

"Shhh….it's all right. I know you're frustrated. But I wasn't going to let you talk to me like that, and it wasn't getting through."

"I'm sorry…"

Josh yanked her tightly against him, taking deep breaths . Donna nuzzled against his neck, kissing it. Josh pulled back a little, and Donna looked into his eyes, taken back a little by their teary, glassy quality. Tenderly, he reached up and cupped her cheek, pulling her lips to his in a soft, sweet kiss. Donna ran her fingers into his hair, pulling him in. Finally, they broke apart, out of breath. Donna pulled away, holding onto Josh's hand.

"Do you want to take a walk?"

"Could you grab me a tissue?"

Donna pulled a tissue from the box on the side table, and handed it to Josh, who wiped his eyes and blew his nose.

"Walk?"

"I kind of just want to curl up on the bed."

"We'll take a short walk first, then you'll eat your soup, then…then we can curl up on the bed."

"You're all authoritative today."

"You can't compromise your recovery to wallow in self pity."

Josh sighed.

"Come on. You're up. Let's walk."

She extended her hand, and Josh took it. They slowly meandered down the hall.

"People are going to come by later. CJ said she'd be by and Leo might stop in."

"Then this really needs to be a quick walk."

Donna laughed.

"What?"

"You really want to get in that cuddle, huh?"

"When you put it like that—"

"What would you call it?"

"I think I've phrased it curl up."

"And that's different, how?"

"It is."

"Uh huh."

"I just don't…like…that term."

"All right…let's go curl up on the bed."

"Much better."

"Semantics."

"Whatever."