One Step at a Time

by: Ginny

Pairing(s): Josh/Donna
Rating: TEEN
Disclaimer: The usual, not mine etc.
Summary: Josh and Donna take tentative steps towards a relationship. Sequel to "Jumping to Conclusions".
Feedback:Feedback is appreciated.

Part 4

After what seemed like a eternity Donna sat up and settled his head in her lap. They laced their fingers together on his chest.

"Donna?"

"Hmm?"

"What's next?" Josh asked, quoting the man who would have a fit if he could see the two of them at that moment.

"For starters, don't quote the President, I'd rather not think of the world out there right now" declared Donna as she motioned towards the door.

"Good idea" said Josh just as he was once again seized by a nasty coughing fit. Donna sat him up and held him tight when it became apparent that the pain in his chest had returned with a vengance.

"OK, that's enough, I'm getting the cough medicine. Don't move" ordered Donna. At that moment Josh could only nod. Donna returned quickly, gave Josh a dose of the syrup and a glass of water. He curled back up in Donna's lap facing away from her, in an effort to hide the pain he was in. She reached over, stroked his hair with her left hand and gently rubbed his chest with her right one. Her fingers could feel the tightness in his chest as well as the scar that ran it's length.

"Better?" she asked

"Yeah, a little" whispered Josh.

"Why don't you get some sleep, we can talk more later. I'm not going anywhere." Josh signalled his approval of that idea by snuggling deeper into the pillow and nodding.

True to his prediction he was asleep in a little over 10 minutes. Donna just sat there with his head in her lap thinking, wondering and dreaming. She looked at the bracelet on her right wrist, the one with the life preserver charm that Josh had given her for Christmas. She knew Josh needed her but wasn't sure if he knew how much she needed him. They were best friends on the verge of becoming something so much more. The mere idea both thrilled her and scared her to death. She closed her own eyes and drifted off with the thought of their kiss on her mind.

The ringing phone woke Donna an hour later, at 10:00. She wasn't about to let the world know she was at Josh's apartment so she let the machine pick it up. She heard Sam's voice.

"Uh, Josh, sorry to disturb you, hope I'm not calling at a bad..." stammered Sam into the answering machine. Donna giggled aloud and reached for the phone.

"Hey, Sam. Don't worry, you're not interrupting anything. What's up?" said Donna smiling at the thought of what Sam was worried about interrupting.

"Donna, uh, good. Can I talk to Josh" asked Sam, glad for the fact that Donna couldn't see him blushing.

"He's sleeping, is it important. This cough hit him hard and he took cough medicine with codeine about an hour ago. Been out every since." said Donna as she put her hand on Josh's forehead. He was very warm.

"Is he still in pain? He looked terrible in the Oval Office. Anyway I can't find my copy of the notes you did on the energy..thing. Tell me you have an idea what Josh did with his copy?" asked Sam hopefully. Toby had been on his case for the past hour about various issues and his inability to find his notes just added to their problems.

"His chest was bothering him before he took something but he seems to be resting fine now. Are you in his office?"

"Yeah"

"Look on the right hand corner of the desk" suggested Donna.

"Nope, try again." muttered Sam.

"OK, I had them in my hand when Josh came back from lunch. Let me think...try the top of the fridge, I had them when I got him some water."

"Got them, thanks. Uh, have a nice night" said Sam.

"Your welcome Sam, you know I can tell you're blushing from here" teased Donna. "Have a nice weekend."

"Thanks, you too. Take good care of him. Bye"

"I will, bye"

Donna hung up the phone and managed to slide off the couch without waking Josh. She searched the medicine cabinet until she found a thermometer. She went back to the living room and found he was awake. She knelt down next to the couch.

"Hey, how do you feel? You're pretty warm. Let me check your temperature."

"I feel like I could kill the person who gave me this miserable cold" he smirked as he sat up. He opened his mouth and let Donna put the thermometer under his tongue.

"How about some juice?"

Josh could only nod. Donna came back with some orange juice. She sat down next to him and took out the thermometer.

"So, how bad?"

"100.7. Here drink some juice."

"Did the phone ring?" asked Josh as he leaned back on the couch.

"Yeah, Sam needed some notes. I helped him find them. He was nervous about what he might have been interrupting. I think he was disappointed to find out he didn't interrupt anything" Donna laughed.

"I bet he was. I'm going to go to bed" said Josh as he threw off the afghan and stood up.

"Oh, OK. See you in the morning." said Donna, a little unsure of what to do next.

"Donna" Josh whispered as he held out his hand to her. "Come with me, please. There's no need to worry about anything. I am in no condition to make a move." he joked.

"You weren't the one I was worried about" she blushed. She took his hand and followed him down the hallway.

Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9

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