*James*

Julia is a smart woman. It's almost scary. She managed to use Jeremy's obsession with her to her own advantage. The guy will do anything for her. Even ignore the law. In a way, I don't blame Julia. Just like I don't think I belong in jail for a car accident, I don't believe Mike Maloney should be in prison for an addiction problem. Like Julia said, violent people should be there, not people like me or Mike. Instead of writing the guy up which would have his parole officer contacted and result in him in the slammer, Jeremy is letting it slide, all to make Julia happy.  He's trying to redeem himself and she's playing the game.

The fact that it was Nate's little sister...AND his own mother... who provided the illegal substances, well that's a whole different fucked up story.

"Nate needs to know what's going on." I say as we sit in Jeremy's office. Julia helps me eat a little more and also steals a few bites from my toast, making me smile. "He pays for his sister to be here. If she's not taking this seriously...."

"This explains why she has been so moody lately. She's back to using." Julia adds.

"I'll text Nate now to set up a meeting face to face before I confront Cara. But we need to remove the drugs from her room." Jeremy puts his hand out, wanting his phone back and Julia hands it over. We all watch him text Nate

"You need to let him know the meeting isn't about me. He's gonna think-"

"I know." Jeremy nods and sends the message. "Shit. What a mess. Take Michael back to your apartment to sober him up. If anyone sees him high I'm going to have to answer questions."

We all nod in agreement.

"Jeremy." Julia looks up at the doctor. "Thank you for not calling his parole officer."

"Yeah.... whatever." He waves her off but then Jeremy reads whatever Nate texted him and all the color drains from his face.

"FUCK."

"What did he say??" I ask.

"Julia, why don't you take Michael to your room now. We can talk later."

"Bullshit. What did Nate say??" Julia needs to know.

"His personal assistant responded." Jeremy holds his breath before continuing. "It's already on the news. Rescue took Nate to the ER."

Christ.

"Is it his heart?" Julia's voice waivers now thinking of the worst-case scenario.

"No. They are testing him for the flu but I guess he was pretty dehydrated and blacked out at home. But it doesn't sound like anything serious. At all." Jeremy's eyes are on his phone. He turns around and grabs the remote on his desk and turns on the small tv in the corner of his office.

"Jesus, how do they know about this stuff so fast?" Jeremy mutters to himself as we watch reporters already drawing a crowd in front of the hospital because of Nate.

"It's just what the do." Julia responds with one of Nate's explanations.

"You are handling this news really well." Jeremy notices Julia is fairly calm, all things considered.  She tucks my hair up off my forehead and gives me a little smile.I can definitely notice a difference. Like her medications and stuff are actually starting to work. It helps she is no longer going through detox. It's been a long time since I've seen "healthy Julia." She's making it really hard to not fall in love with her all over again.

The door swings open and that other doctor, Trevor Tremont, walks in. Even though the man takes over the room and sends off these arrogant vibes with his good looks and expensive clothes, we know he isn't like that now.

"I just got your text." His eyes dart from Jeremy to Mike and when he sees the man's eyes he knows. He shoulders fall drastically and he gives Mike a little nod.

"We'll get you back on your feet, ok? You're in the right place. But we need to take a walk." Trevor explains.

"Take a walk?" Mike asks and both Jeremy and Trevor nod. 

"You need to take us to where the drugs are. Are they in your room? Cara's?" Jeremy begins. "We need to confiscate everything. The substance, the supplies, any needles you have..."

Shit just got real for Mike Maloney. He swallows hard. "No. She's gonna freak."

"Doesn't matter. She can't have this shit in her room. We're going to have to go through your room as well." Jeremy continues but Mike shakes his head. 

"I have nothing. I did it in her room. But listen, she's going to-"

"I'll go with you, ok?" Julia volunteers which means looks like I'm going as well. "But we need to do this now while everyone is in session."

Everyone agrees and Julia gives me one last sip of my orange juice before we head out into the hall. While walking to Cara's room we pass the Rec Room that shows Nate's face on TV. Everyone remains silent when we get to her bedroom. Me and Julia watch the two doctors and Mike enter Cara's room. Mike is no longer high and now very nervous. He's ratting out another patient. A bipolar one at that. 

 Mike opens up Cara's top drawer and pulls out a bunch of T-shirts. He has to turn away, unable to physically look at his addiction. He knows he fucked up and becomes emotional. He walks out and attempts to pass us but Julia being Julia- wraps her arms around him. He buries his face in her neck and cries. He's sobering up and coming down from him high.

 Jeremy shakes his head and pulls out a ziplock sandwich bag with a good amount of white powder.

"Fuck." He mutters and pulls out three syringes, a metal spoon and a lighter.  Trevor holds a plastic grocery bag open while Jeremy puts the contents in. I've never actually seen this stuff in real life before and can tell Julia hasn't either.

"Walk him down to your apartment, please." Jeremy says solemnly, quickly walking out of the room with the bag.

"You did the right thing, Mike." Trevor nods.

Julia leads us back to her apartment and Mike hangs his head low in silence the entire time. Once we finally reach my apartment Julia knocks on the door. Paul answers right away and lets us in. He scrambles to shut off the news thinking Julia doesn't know but furrows his brows when Mike and Trevor walk in. Mike sits down on the recliner and buries his face in his hands. Maggie gets up and lays at the man's feet. My little therapy dog.

"What's going on?" Paul asks.

Trevor is the one to tell Paul everything. This is too much for him. The Hollans are family to him. He stares at the doctor with a blank face before removing himself. He goes to the bathroom and closes the door for privacy.

"I'm going to get you back on your feet, ok?" Julia leans over and rub Mike's back. Because that's what she does. It's just Julia being Julia. She's going to take care of Mike just like she takes care of me, of Nate, maybe even Paul after hearing this news.

She's just....

Julia.

*******

*Trisha*

Of course the hospital is a zoo and Nate's face is plastered on every channel. I cried when he passed out and cried again when I held his hand in the rescue. on the way here. I got myself so worked up a nurse gave me an anxiety medication. I try to be strong and get everything done that needs to be done but when it comes to Nate's health I crumble.

"How you holding up?" Casey sits next to me in the Presidential Suite. They sent us right up here while Nate went down for an x-ray and EKG.

"I'm ok now. I'm just not good with medical stuff." I admit as Nate gets wheeled into the room by Nurse Melanie. She gets Nate in bed and hooked up to an IV and machines, then begins to take his vitals.

"Plan to be admitted for one to two days minimum. We want to make sure, if this is viral, we have a handle on it before sending you home." She says while taking his temp. "102." She sighs and writes it down in his chart. "There's so much going around right now. The flu. Covid. RSV. You name it. I suggest you all wear medical masks."

"Doesn't matter now. We've all been together in his apartment. If he has it, we all have it." Jonah reminds the nurse how we all live together.

"Suit yourselves." Melanie leaves the room so Nate can rest.

Nate looks up at the news and takes a deep breath.

"Julia's going to find out from tv. Trish, can you text her?"

"Already did. Well..." I stop shot and share a look with Jonah but Nate can tell something is up.

"Spill it." Nate demands.

"Now's not really a great time. Let's focus on getting you back on your feet, ok?" Jonah tries but it's no use.

"If there's something wrong with Jules I want to know." 

"No, nothing. She's completely fine. It's that Michael Maloney guy." I answer.

"Oh." Nate lets out a sigh of relief. 

"He relapsed." I continue with caution, knowing the whole story.

"Ahh. That stinks. Been there done that. Wait. IN the AVALON? How the hell did he manage that one? Steal some pills off the cart or something?"

I notice Evan looks away. "I'm going to make sure all security is where they need to be." Evan dismisses himself out of the room.

"Sketchy kid." Nate laughs. "Donovan must be loving this. He can't stand Maloney."

Everyone remains quiet.

"Nate..." I look into his blue eyes and feel my heart sink for him.

"Not the time." Jonah gives me a death look.

"He needs to know."

"I need to know what?! That the kid will probably go to jail now? Yeah. Whatever. It's sad and all. He was a phenomenal bodyguard, that much I remember. But Julia will get over it."

Jonah shares another slight look to both me AND Casey who takes a bite of her apple and looks away. Is she crying already? God she is a mini-Julia.

"Nate. Listen. The doctor wanted to have a meeting with you in person but that's obviously not going to happen-" Jonah begins.

"If Julia is fine, what the hell does Mike Maloney falling off the wagon have to do with me?"

"He shot up heroin."

"Again... he's a heroin addict. I'm not surprised. How the hell did he gets THAT into the facility?" Nate scoff a little.

But the air in the room becomes thick.

 "That motherfucker better not have given anything to Julia or my sister. I swear to God I will kill the bastard."

It's my turn to wipe a tear from my eye.

"Mike got the drugs from Cara." I croak out and Nate's blood pressure monitor begins to beep.

"That's not possible." 

"It is possible." I frown. "When you have Rita as your mother."

"WHAT?!" Just like I thought, Nate bolts out of the bed, which results in ripping his IV out. But the sudden movement while being so dehydrated takes effect. He sways and begins to fall. We all jump to him and thankfully Jonah grabs Nate before he hits the floor.

"Easy..." He whispers and lowers weak Nate to the ground until it passes. "You need more electrolytes, Nate."

I kneel down in front of Nate and stroke his cheek until he comes to. When he does, he leans forward and drops his head down on my shoulder. I hold and console him knowing this news about his little sister breaks his heart. Cara is everything to Nate. She's all the family he has left.

Rita Hollan is anything but family to Nate.