A Friend In Need

by: Kerry

Disclaimer: Apparently some guy called Sorkin owns ‘em.  My bank manager says I’m worth nothing (or did he say I was worthless?) so there’s no point in suing me!
Category: Josh/Donna Romance/humour
Rating: CHILD
Spoilers: None that I know of
Summary: Josh's idiocy results in pain for Donna - and a change in both their living arrangements
Author's Note: Big thank you’s to Abby and Jillian for beta reading and providing encouragement (and telling me to hurry up and finish!!).  I should warn you – the fic is long but please stick with it!
FEEDBACK: Pretty please, but be nice, it’s my first ever fic! J

Early Tuesday Morning

"Josh Lyman." A sleepy Josh answered the phone on the 3^rd ring.

"Josh, it’s Donna."  Donna’s voice was very quiet and Josh immediately became worried.  Glancing at the clock on his nightstand he saw it was only 3:04am.

"Donna, what’s wrong?  Are you ok?"  His voice betrayed his concern and on the other end of the line Donna briefly smiled.

"Actually, I’m not ok.  Do you...do you still have a set of keys to my apartment?"  A shaky voice asked.

"Yeah, of course I have them.  They’re on my keychain with the keys to my own apartment.  Why?"  Josh was growing more confused, and more worried, by the second.

"Could you come over?  I got up to go to the bathroom and I fell...I can’t get up, my ankle hurts too much."  Josh could hear tears in Donna’s voice and a lump formed in his throat.

"Donna, where’s your roommate, why is she not helping you?"  He asked, almost fearing the answer.

"She’s in California at a technology conference for the next two weeks.  I told you that when she left on Friday, Josh."

"No, you certainly didn’t tell me that, Donna, ‘cos if you had I would have never left you on your own tonight when you’re injured."

"I did tell you Josh but that’s beside the point.  She isn’t here and I’m stuck and need your help.  Can you please come over?"  Anger was beginning to appear in Donna’s voice, a sure sign that she was in pain.

"Yeah, of course I can come over but if it’s that bad shouldn’t you call the paramedics and go to hospital?"

"And how do you suggest they get into my apartment Josh?  Break the door down?  And before you say it, I am not calling the Super at 3 in the morning – I couldn’t even if I wanted to.  It was all I could manage to grab the phone cord and pull the phone onto the floor – there’s no way I could make it to the living room to get the Super’s number."  The anger was growing.  Josh scrambled around trying to find some clothes.

"Calm down Donna.  I’m on my way.  I’ll be there in about twenty minutes.  Don’t go anywhere."  Josh grimaced as he awaited Donna’s response to his feeble attempt to lighten the atmosphere.

"Thanks Josh."  Donna choked out a response, and Josh knew the tears were finally falling.  She hung up and Josh quickly pulled on a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, sweater and boots before grabbing his keys and jacket and racing out the door.

Donna sat on the floor, trying to stop her tears.  A few minutes later the phone rang, giving her a shock.

"Hello?"  Donna’s voice was very quiet as she answered the phone.

"Hey, it’s me."  Came Josh’s reply, calming Donna immediately.

"Josh, where are you?  You are coming over, aren’t you?"  The panic started to rise again.

"Yeah, I’m in the car now.  I just thought I’d call and keep you company while I drive over." 

"Thanks."  Josh realized Donna was more fragile at this moment than he’d thought and he once again tried to lighten the mood through banter.

"Hey Donna, you said you got up to go to the bathroom and then fell.  Did you fall before you made it to the bathroom?"  Josh questioned and Donna immediately knew where he was going with it.

"Before, but don’t worry Josh, I can hold it, you won’t have to clean anything up when you get here."

"Well, that’s a relief."  Josh smiled, glad that he could hear Donna’s voice returning to normal.

They chatted for a few more minutes as Josh made his way through the streets of D.C. towards Donna’s apartment.  Suddenly, he heard her take a large intake of breath.

"Donna, you ok?"

"Josh, I gotta go" and she hung up the phone.  Josh pressed his foot to the accelerator and broke the speed limit for the final few minutes of his journey.

"Donna?"  Josh shouted as soon as he opened the door to her apartment.  He quickly shut it behind him and ran towards Donna’s bedroom, calling out to her again.

"I’m ok Josh.  I just..."  Donna didn’t say anymore as Josh arrived in her room and saw her.  She was half-lying, half-sitting, on a rug on the floor, in a pool of vomit.  She started to cry.  Josh was shocked by the sight before him; he wasn’t used to seeing Donna so helpless, she was one on the strongest people he knew.  Feeling a lump forming in his throat, he dipped his head to try and regain control of his emotions.

"I’m sorry Josh, I couldn’t help it.  I couldn’t make it to the bathroom."  Donna said tearfully.  Josh immediately moved to her and knelt down beside her, never taking his eyes from her face.

"Shh, it’s ok.  It’s probably shock from the fall, combined with the earlier one.  Anyway, you shouldn’t be apologizing to me, this is my fault."  He reached out to place his hand on her arm but she moved back, not wanting him to get any of her vomit on his hand.  "Ok, let’s get you to the hospital."  He again reached out and Donna shook her head.

"Josh, I can’t go like this.  I need to change."  Josh quickly realized he wouldn’t win the argument.

"Ok, what clothes do you want to change into and where do you keep them?"  Donna told him where he would find a shirt and pants and then lowered her voice as she told him she’d also need underwear.  Josh retrieved the clothes, grabbing the first bra and panties he could find from her underwear drawer and placing them all on the bed.

"Can you get me a towel?  I can wrap it around me so that you don’t get covered in this stuff while you help me to stand."  Donna pointed out her bedroom door towards the bathroom opposite.  Josh nodded, left the room and returned moments later with two large bath towels.  He opened one out and handed it to Donna, who wrapped it around herself while Josh laid the other one out on the bed.  He had also brought a damp cloth and proceeded to wipe her face and hands to get rid of the mess on them.

Josh bent down and placed his arms around Donna’s waist, gently pulling her up.  She let out a yell of pain but managed to hold onto his upper arms while he guided her towards the bed. 

"Will you manage?"  Josh asked, nodding towards the clothes on the bed.  Donna nodded in reply and Josh left the room, carefully lifting the destroyed rug from the floor along the way.  He partially closed the door behind him, leaving a slight opening so he could hear her calling.

A few minutes later Josh returned to the room to find Donna sitting on the bed, dressed, with her nightclothes and the washcloth wrapped in one of the towels.  He took them from her and placed them in her laundry bin before helping her to stand up again.  They slowly made their way towards the living room and Josh helped her on with her jacket before opening the door and then locking it behind them.

Donna found getting down the stairs slightly easier than it had been getting up them but was still extremely tired when she reached the bottom and Josh had to half-carry her to his car.  Hardly a word was spoken between them as they drove to George Washington hospital, Josh stealing glances at Donna, who was resting her head against the window and had her eyes closed.

They arrived at the hospital a little after 4am.  Josh alternated between pacing around the waiting room and sitting in a chair beside Donna, who had been placed in a wheelchair upon arrival, while she filled in the insurance forms.  She was finally called to be taken to a curtain area and Josh gave her a questioning look.  She nodded and he followed her behind the curtain with the nurse.

Chapter 03

| << back | send feedback | The National Library |