iJosh and Donna: Post Gaza
Summary: A two-part story, the first part about Donna's recovery in Gaza, and the second about her recovery at home.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Just borrowing them :)
Part 2:
A/N: for the sake of my story, Donna's injuries are as follows: collapsed lung (later the pulmonary embolism, though in my timeline, there was no worry of neurological damage), concussion, cracked and broken ribs, internal bleeding, bruised shoulder and collar bone, minor cuts and bruises. Also Colin was just a journalist showing her around, they didn't have a "fling" and didn't come to see her in Germany.
A/N 2: When I say "med-air" I'm talking about those planes they use to transfer ill or injured patients (not helicopters), idk what they are really called :P. Also, I'm not a doctor, so please forgive any medical inaccuracies, there is sure to be many :P.
A/N: 3, I didn't note this in my timeline I posted in my last story, but Sam never went to CA, he married Ainsley instead :). Toby never committed treason, and Will started when Russell became the new VP.
"Josh. I can walk." Hissed Donna
"Donna you've got a lot of stiches and broken ribs. Don't push it honey."
"Joshua. The doctor said I was fine. And besides, Mrs. Bartlett is waiting so if I do hurt myself I won't have far to go to find a good doctor."
Josh sighed in defeat, too tired to argue with her anymore. "Ok. Fine. You win."
Donna grinned at him and then stood from the bed to give him a kiss. Holding on to his arm for support (and to make him feel useful), they started towards the exit for the plane. To their surprise, they weren't at the gate.
"Why aren't we at the gate?" Josh asked one of the flight attendants.
"The med-air is unloaded on the tarmac." She answered. Josh turned to Donna and started to say something bout how it was too many stairs, but the look he was getting from her stopped him. Mrs. Moss couldn't help but giggle as she exited the plane behind her daughter and son in law. They were surprised to find not only Mrs. Bartlett, but also the President waiting.
"Donna, how are you feeling darling?" Abbey, embracing Donna gently
"Better. Thanks so much for coming." Said Donna
"Is Josh taking good care of you?" asked Jed and he too softly embraced Donna.
"Yes, yes he his." Laughed Donna.
"How'd you two manage to avoid the press?" asked Josh, noticing that only two black suburbans accompanied the President and the First Lady.
"We like to sneak out. It's how we have fun." Said Jed, with Agent Ron Butterfield shaking his head in the background.
"Come on let's get you two home." Said Abbey, leading them to the suburban.
At Josh and Donna's Condo…
Donna winced slightly as she lay back in the bed.
"You alright Donna?" asked a worried Josh
"Yes." Answered Donna as she yawned.
"Alright dear let's give you a once over then we'll let you sleep." Said Abbey. Josh and the President stepped out of the room while Abbey gave Donna a quick once over. Abbey stepped out of Josh and Donna's bedroom a few short minutes later.
"She's just fine Josh. She can get all her stiches out next week. But she's still going to be sore as all the bruising and her bones heal. That could take a couple of months." Said Abbey
"Thanks Ma'am." Said Josh
"No I don't want to see either one of you at the White House for the next week." Said Jed sternly.
"Yes sir." Said Josh with a soft chuckle.
"It's almost 1 in the morning. We'll let you guys get some sleep now. We'll talk tomorrow." Said Abbey. Josh nodded and then showed them out, before stumbling back into his and Donna's room.
"Did Mom go to bed?" asked Donna.
"Mhmm." Answered Josh "She made a beeline as soon as we got in the door."
Donna laughed softly "Her and Dad are always up with the sun, sometimes before. So they are ready for bed way early."
"Guess she doesn't like this crazy sleep schedule we live on." Said Josh as he crawled into bed next to her.
"Well we get to sleep in tomorrow." Said Donna, rolling over and resting her head on Josh's chest.
Later that night…
Though he was exhausted, Josh had been sleeping on eggshells the entire night. He rolled over on his back and looked over at Donna, who was sleeping peacefully. He glanced over at the clock, which showed an unholy 3:30am. He groaned and rubbed his eyes.
"First day in I don't even know how many years I don't have to be up in two hours and I can't even sleep." Josh thought to himself. He was all the sudden awake and alert when he heard Donna whimper.
"Josh…" she whimpered softly.
"I'm right here." Said Josh, rolling to his side and opening his arms to her. She molded herself to his side and buried her face in his chest.
"It hurts…" she mumbled, gripping his shirt in her hands to try and not cry, knowing that would make matters worse. Taking a deep breath to try and calm herself also was a bad idea "…to.,,to breath." She finished. Had this not happened a half a dozen times in Germany, Josh would have been totally freaking out. But the doctors had taught him what to do.
"Roll over on your back." Instructed Josh, rolling out of bed as she rolled on her back. He padded to the kitchen and returned a few moments later with a heating pad, her water glass, and her pain medicine. He sat down on the bed beside her; she winced as she sat up to quickly swallow the pills. When she lay back down, Josh pulled back the covers and wrapped the heating pad around her abdomen. With one hand holding the heating pad in place, and the other holding one of her hands, he softly talked her through her breathing exercises.
"I know it hurts but you've gotta try and breath normal, squeeze my hand if it hurts." Said Josh. He sat there with her whispering words of comfort every time she clamped down on his hand.
"You're getting stronger." Winced Josh, though he tried to cover it up with a soft laugh. "I think all that extra moving around when you went down all those steps on the plane is what got you."
"Josh?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry I was so mean to you when you didn't want to do your breathing exercises."
Josh laughed softly "You're a better patient that I am. Being mean was the only way I was gonna do them."
"I wish I could tape record that."
Josh laughed again "Sorry pumpkin" He said, leaning down to give her a soft kiss. Once her breathing had returned to normal and her medicine kicked in, Donna quickly fell back asleep. Josh removed the heating pad and pulled the covers back up, then slid back into bed himself.
The Next Day, at the Lyman Residence…
Donna sat nestled on the couch with CJ and Ainsley sitting across from her. Sam, who had brought CJ and Ainsley over, had wandered into the kitchen with Josh after saying hello to Donna.
"I must say Donna," said Ainsley "It's really wonderful to see this side of Josh. He doesn't seem like the man that's always bellowing about the office."
CJ and Donna laughed. "He may look and act all tough, be he's just a big teddy bear." Said Donna.
"Sam must be rubbing off on him after all these years" said CJ of the always a teddy bear deputy communications director. Once the three's laughter settled, CJ turned serious.
"We were all really worried about you Donna. I can't erase Josh's face from my mind when I had to tell him…" said CJ
Donna gave a comforting smile to the older woman, no words really fitting to be said. Josh and Sam walked back in the room just in time to break the silence.
"Leo just called me, we've got to go back to the office." Said Sam. CJ and Ainsley nodded understandingly, and after more hugs for Donna, the three left.
"Well I think that's everybody." Laughed Josh. The Bartletts and Leo had been by earlier that morning, Toby, Margaret, Ginger, and Kathy at lunch, and finally, Sam, CJ, and Ainsley.
"Dr. Bartlett said she'd be back after dinner to check on me. I must admit, it's nice having a doctor who make's house calls" Said Donna. Josh laughed softly as he sat down on the couch next to her.
"Your mom and dad should be back with dinner soon." Said Josh as Donna curled up in his lap and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I hate that they have to go home day after tomorrow." Said Donna
"I know. But Thanksgiving is only 6 weeks away. We'll see them then." Said Josh, softly rubbing her back.
"We're back!" called Mr. Moss
"In the living room, Bob." Called Josh
"Hey baby girl, how are you feeling?" asked Bob as he walked up behind the couch, resting his hand on Donna's head.
"I'm fiiiiiiiiiiiine. Why does no one believe me?" pouted Donna
"Because not two weeks ago you were blown up in a car." Said Josh
"You make an interesting point." Said Donna, letting her head fall back to Josh's shoulder.
"You hungry dear?" asked Ann
"A little bit." Said Donna
"We got you some soup. You want it now?"
"Sure." Said Donna
"Josh do you want anything dear?" asked Ann
"Sure." Said Josh, who was currently distracted by Donna's ragged breathing.
"You ok sweetheart?" he asked softly, having learned that her parents would freak out if they thought she couldn't breath right.
"It's like it was last night." She whispered. Josh nodded and as gently as he could, shifted her so she was lying with her head in his lap. He reached over and picked up the heating pad, and they went though the same motions as the night before and had many times in the hospital.
"Donna, you ok?" asked Bob as he walked back in the room with soup for Donna and a Sandwich for Josh.
"Yeah. Sometimes she moves the wrong way and it hurts her ribs bad. The heating pad and the breathing exercises help calm her breathing and keep her from crying. The exercises hurt some, but the crying and the ragged breathing both would hurt her worse." Answered Josh, knowing that Donna was concentrating too hard to answer.
"Oh…" said Bob, unsure of what to do or say.
"Can you bring me her pain medicine?" asked Josh. Bob nodded and hurried away, returning shortly with the pills and Donna's water bottle.
"You feel like eating?" asked Josh as Donna swallowed her pain pills.
"Sure." Said Donna. Josh carefully slipped out from underneath her so she could prop herself up against the arm of the couch. After handing her the soup, Josh sat back down on the couch with his sandwich with Donna's knees over his legs.
The four sat in the living room eating their dinner in silence, watching some old re-runs on the TV. Donna quickly fell asleep after eating her dinner.
"I think we're gonna turn in." said Bob as he an Ann stood "Do you need help moving her into you guy's room?"
"Nah, Mrs. Bartlett is going to be stopping by to give her a once over. I'll just stay here with her." Said Josh
"Alright son, goodnight." Said Bob. Josh returned the goodnight as his in-laws headed for the guest bedroom.
One Week Later…At the White House in the Operations Bullpen…
"DONNA!"
"I've almost missed your bellowing. Almost." Said Donna as Josh rushed into the bullpen and to her desk.
"Are you ok?" he asked. Donna looked at him like he grew a second head.
"Fine…why?"
"You sneezed."
"Josh!"
"What? You're telling me that didn't jar your ribs?"
"Yes. Sweetie they're healing. That's a good thing." She reached out for his hand and softly tugged on his arm "I'm fine. I promise. Now you have a meeting on the hill in twenty so get!" she said, playfully whacking him on the butt.
"Alright. Do you have the notes?" asked Josh.
"Yeah right here." Said Donna, handing him a file.
"Thanks babe. Call me if you need something." He said, kissing her on the top of her head before running out the door. Donna sighed and leaned back in her chair and sighed, thankful for the peace and quiet.
What seemed like only 30 seconds later…
"Donna?" came Sam's voice
"Yes Samuel?" said Donna
"How you feeling?"
"I'm just peachy."
"Josh driving you crazy?"
"He's been running out here to check on me about every five minutes."
"He feels bad." Said Sam softly.
Donna looked at him funny. "About what?"
"You getting blown up."
"That's not his fault, unless he was the one that planted the bomb."
"Yeah but he sent you over there."
"I asked him too."
"I know. He knows that too. But that isn't stopping his guilt trip. And not to mention, you had and almost died from what his dad died from." Said Sam
"Oh...I had forgotten about that…"
Sam rested his hand on her shoulder. "No one expected you to make that connection. You were too busy trying not to die." He deadpanned. Donna laughed softly.
"I'll take to him later. Thanks Sam."
"No problem. I've gotta run now. Toby's gonna have my head if I don't get him a state dinner speech draft in the next hour."
Not ten minutes later…
"Donna? How you feeling darling?" asked Abbey as she walked up to Donna's desk.
"I'm felling fine ma'am. Thanks"
"Jed told me Josh is stuck in a meeting on the hill, so I thought you might like some company for lunch." Said Abbey
"Sure. That would be lovely. Let me just leave Josh a note so if he comes back while we're gone he won't freak out."
Abbey laughed softly as Donna quickly scribbled a note and stuck it on Josh's door.
In the mess…
CJ and Ainsley soon joined Abbey and Donna. The four sat laughing when Josh wandered down to find them.
"Hello ladies." He said, coming up behind Donna's chair and resting his hands on her shoulders.
"Hello Joshua." Said Abbey
"How did the meeting go?" asked CJ
"As well as could be expected. Ainsley, can you do be a favor and write me a memo on laws dealing with the new environmental tax?"
"Sure Josh. I've got a meeting with Babbish in a few minutes then I'll try and have it to you by the end of the day." Said Ainsely.
"Thanks." Said Josh.
"Well I've got to be going too. Time to prepare for the 2 o'clock briefing." Said CJ.
The three bid Ainsley and CJ goodbye as they walked off to the respective office.
"Well Joshua you'll be happy to know that Donna ate all her lunch and even her green peas." Said Abbey
Josh laughed. "Good." He said, leaning down to kiss Donna on the cheek.
"Well I have to be going now. See you kids later." Said Abbey, standing and walking off as they bid each other goodbye.
"Ready to go back to work?" asked Donna. Josh nodded as she stood. The two held hands as they walked back to the operations bullpen. Though usually office PDA was a no go, they found themselves reconsidering that policy in light of recent events.
"Honey?" asked Donna
"Yeah?"
"Can I talk to you in your office for a few minutes?"
"Sure sweetheart." He said, leading her into his office, letting go of her hand as she shut the door.
"So what's up?" Josh asked. Wordlessly, Donna tugged on his tie so he stepped closer to her, and she pressed her lips against his. Though surprised at first, Josh let his arm softly slide around her waist as she leaned against him, still being mindful of her ribs. When the need for air took over, Donna pulled back and looked up at him.
"Joshua. What happened to me wasn't your fault. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people, and it's no ones fault. I asked you to send me to Gaza, I knew the risks." She said softly.
"I know…I guess I somehow thought they didn't apply to you, you know?"
"Yeah I do. It's the human condition. But seriously, stop beating yourself up. I'm here. I'm safe. You can't get rid of me that easily." She said, resting her hand on his cheek.
Josh sighed and rested his forehead against hers.
"You think Stanley does trauma counseling for couples?"
Donna laughed softly and gave him a quick peck.
"I don't know, but for us, I feel like he'll make an exception." She said resting her head on his shoulder as he held her.
"I love you." Josh whispered into her hair.
"I love you too." She answered softly, snuggling closer, feeling safe and secure in his arms, knowing whatever lie ahead, they had each other, and everything was gonna be ok.