*Trisha*

"Trisha."

It's been a long time since Paul has called me which means only one thing. Something's wrong.

"Pull over." I demand and Evan knew to do it right away by the sound of my voice. He quickly maneuvered the SUV to the side of the road.

"What is it?  Is it Nate?"  My heart begins to pound heavily, consumed by the daily worry that Nate's has stopped.

"No. Trish." 

I should feel relieved, but the way Paul paused, makes it clear something is still wrong.

"Paul???"I keep my gaze fixed ahead as the cars speed past us, while Evan's eyes remain locked on my face.

"James. It's James. You need to get to the hospital. Now." Paul's voice cracks and my heart shatters.

"Oh God." I drop the phone.

I don't remember much of what happened next. I think maybe I went into some type of emotional shock. I'm not sure. I do remember telling Evan to "Drive as fucking fast as you can right fucking now."

I also remember calling Jonah. Not having any information other than to get to the hospital  right away. I imagine Jonah called James's sisters as well as Lindsay. I don't remember the rest of the car ride. We just....appeared at the front entrance of the building. I don't even remember unbuckling or getting out of the car. But I do remember running. Through the halls of the hospital. Bumping into patients, nurses and doctors on my way to where James was. Evan keeping up with my pace.

And now- 

Here I am.

I skid to a stop, my breath hitching at the sight of Jonah and Casey hunched on the bench, their faces hollow with grief. It's in their eyes when they look up at me. The weight of what waits beyond that door they are sitting across from. James is in there.

"What happened??" I bend over, putting my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath. Up ahead I see Nate and Paul talking to Dr. Giovanni. Dr. Giovanni? James's Neurologist?

"Seizure. A bad one." Jonah answers with a shaky voice.  "Nate is talking to the doctor right now. Trish, this.... this doesn't look good." He manages to choke out.  I suddenly feel lightheaded and grab on to the bench they are sitting on.

"Here. Sit." Casey slides into Jonah providing enough room for one more person. I feel Evan grab my forearm and guide me  to sit on the bench. That's when I see him. Straight across from where we are sitting. The door is open. Julia is by his side, holding his hand, sobbing. My hand covers my mouth as I take in the sight. James, laying in the hospital bed- unconscious. He's hooked up to monitors but I can't read the numbers from this far away. 

"Oh God!" I cry out and then hear Julia begin to wail.

"Where are you, James?" Julia 's voice carries out into the hallway. "You need to come back. James, I need you to come back to me, ok? I know you can do this. You've done it before. Please, James, don't do this to me. I can't lose you. I can't do this again!"

A raw, agonized sob tore from Julia's throat. A sound so visceral, so wretched, that Nate and Dr. Giovanni jerked toward the room in alarm. The crowd approaching hesitated for just a breath, then turned to each other in a ripple of panic before breaking into a frantic sprint.

Lindsay, Trevor, and three of James's sisters come in together wearing the same pain-stricken expressions on their faces.  All of them turn and stare into the room in shock. Five minutes later Jeremy jogs down the hall.

I don't know how long we all gathered there in the middle of the hall but it seemed like forever. I can't hear what Dr. Giovanni is saying to Nate but a nurse joins them and she nods, taking orders from the doctor. She rushes away and the next thing you know, more doctors, nurses and interns follow her back. Nate walks away while they crowd the neurologist. I watch Nate slowly head towards us, dragging his hands down his face.

"What'd they say?" Jonah bolts upright from the bench and puts a hand on Nate's shoulder. But Nate doesn't react. It's like he doesn't even seem to hear him. He walks past everyone, then crashes into me, his body shaking, his sobs raw and unguarded. I throw my arms around his neck and bury my face into his neck.

The next hour is another blur. One by one we are allowed to take turns to see James for just a few minutes. Julia doesn't leave his side or let go of his hand and no one asks her to. Then that group of doctors, nurses and interns approach us.

"We are going to bring Mr. Gallo downstairs to run some tests. A CT scan, MRI, and bloodwork." 

We all nod but the group of staff stop at the door, all observing Julia. She's not gonna let go of James's hand.

"Give me a minute with her first." Jeremy squeezes by them and goes in the room. Paul immediately stiffens up and attempts to follow, still somewhat in bodyguard mode, but Nate pulls him back and shakes his head.

We're not sure what Jeremy is saying to Julia but he squats down to her level and she listens. I can feel Paul standing right behind me, watching Donovan's every move and become rigid again when Jeremy pushes Julia's hair away from her face. Whatever he is saying is working though. Julia nods her head in agreement and Jeremy carefully removes her hand away from James. He turns toward the door where we are gathered and gestures for the nurses to go in.

The staff works quickly and within minutes, the bed is rolled out of the room. The second James is gone; Julia starts going into shock begins to shake uncontrollably. I turn away, needing to sit back down on the bench and Lindsay follows me. Gwen also joins us

"I'm sure he'll be ok. You know James- he's strong." Lindsay tries to comfort us both but I can see it in her sad eyes. James is not ok and she doesn't believe one fucking word she just said.

*****

Paul and Evan have their work cut out for them. Hospital security guards mesh in with Nate's personal bodyguard team and I silently watch Paul go to work. Taking charge, telling people where to go, what halls to block off, what entrances and exits to stand at like he knows the layout of the hospital like the back of his hand.

Nate sits down next to me now and leans into me a little, looking exhausted and heartbroken.

"They will set up that Presidential Suite for James. We can all go up there and wait for them to transport him back." His British accent so thick I almost couldn't understand what he said. This is how he gets when he shows raw, unfiltered self.

"Ok." My word barely comes out. I'm used to me being the one to step up and take charge but I can't seem to snap out of it this time. It's James. God, hasn't he been through enough?!

**** 

More time passes. Some of us stay out in the hallway and wait or pace, while the rest of us stand around in James room waiting for either him to come back or the suite to open. Julia's a mess for good reason this time. I stand in the corner against the wall with  Lindsay and Jennie while Jeremy  tries to calm Julia down. A nurse has  come into the room to put some supplies in drawers and gives us all a look of sympathy.

"No. I'm not taking shit. No Ativan. No nothing. I need to be here, alert and aware for James." I hear Julia say to Jeremy. "He's gonna wake up. I need to be here."

"Alright." Jeremy sighs, nods his head. He straightens his posture and takes a deep, much-needed breath. He studies Julia for a moment  and then looks over his shoulder at the nurse who catches on to whatever he is saying without him actually saying it.

"Completely normal, Julia." Jeremy says, making me look past him to see what the hell he is talking about. I furrow my brows when I see Julia looking down. The poor thing wet herself at some point and just noticed it now, with as shitload of people in the room. My heart actually saddens for Julia, seeing her this way, knowing she's struggling internally. We all are but James is Julia's best friend. He's part of her and she's part of him.

"I'll get her some scrubs to change into and clean her up." The nurse hurries out of the room, brushing past Nate who stands in the doorway. He looks at me with confusion and then sees Julia's wet pants. His shoulders sag and he frowns.

"I fucking hate that you're such a good doctor." Nate scowls, knowing Jeremy handled the situation in a very discreet, professional manner and didn't make Julia feel embarrassed in any way.

"I know..." Jeremy sighs heavily with a sad look to his face. "I'll go grab some coffees for everyone."

*****

It's not long before we are all escorted up to the Presidential Suite. Everyone is inside the room except for Julia. She is standing out in the hallway with Nate and Paul. I sit down 

"Moretti, let's go." Paul says in a softer tone, noticing Julia falling behind. I turn around to see her still standing on the other side of the hall. She nervously twists her hair that is swept over one shoulder. She stares at the doorway to the suite and shakes her head no.

"Julia?" I give her a confused look. Then it hits me like a freight train. This is where it all began. This is the room where Julia's life changed forever. The room where her trusted doctor became a rapist and traumatized her, leaving emotional scars that will remain with her for rest of her. The same doctor who just talked Julia out of her panic attack and shock, helped the nurse care for her and change her into clean scrubs. The only doctor who has somehow figured out how to treat Julia.

"Paul. It's the room." I hear Nate say. Shit. This is the fucking room! No wonder she can't fucking walk in here. Who could? 

"My God." I mutter. Evan looks down at me in confusion as we watch it all play out in the hallway.

"What? I don't get it?" The bodyguard knows the story but doesn't know this is the room.

"This room... Fuck." I shake my head and meet his eyes before I lean up to whisper my next words close to Evan's ear. He leans down a little to  meet me halfway and listens. "This is the room she was raped in."

Evan stands up straight, wide eyed with his eyes fixated on Julia out in the hall.

"Holy shit." It's all he can say, nearly speechless. So not only is Julia dealing with all the fucked up crap she already has in her head, she's nervous for her best friend and now reminded of a very major traumatic event. All at the same time. 

"I.. I need air." I announce, suddenly feeling claustrophobic. Casey nods and takes my hand. Jennie , Gwen and Evan follow behind us out of the room.

"Take them down the hall and to the right. There's another private waiting room." Paul turns and tells Evan who nods.

He takes us to the small waiting room where I've spent many hours in while Nate recovered from the accident. My phone notifications have been unreal, making it known this has already leaked out to the press. I quickly grab the remote and tun on the small TV hanging on the wall.

"Jesus Christ!" I throw the remote in classic Nate style and turn to Evan. "You need to tell Paul the news is already out. Start adding the extra security."

Evan nods and steps out. Jennie and Gwen stand up and stare at their brother's smiling face that is displayed and Casey sits down, shaking her head. The breaking news is on every channel.

"Wh-why are they telling everyone? We don't even know what's going on?" Jennie stammers. I huff, as the anchorman speculates why James is here and then begins rehashing his life on the news.

"Because he's friends with Nate Hollan." I murmur, more to myself. Nothing is private. Not one fucking thing.

******

Two more hours pass us by, and James has not yet returned to the room. Ashley, Kendall, Gwen, Katie, Jennie and James's mother take up one half of the spacious suite.  Casey, Jonah, Julia, Lindsay, Trevor, Nate and myself take up the remainder half. Paul and Evan keep busy with their job. Jeremy pops in and out to check on Julia but he's a mess. Like either under the weather or something because he looks like total shit right now.

My phone, as well as Nate's, has been nonstop with notifications. Shit hit the news. I had to call Richard and Leslie to explain what is happening here. Then I called Elliott so he will be ready to provide statements to the press. After I did those things, I stopped answering my phone.

Dr. Giovanni goes through security and is allowed into the room, and all eyes are on him. The doctor addresses the entire room as a whole.

"They are just finishing up the tests and will then bring him up. Good news, it does not look like this episode was caused by a stroke. Blood work came back normal. As a matter of fact, it came back great. Whatever vitamin concoction James is currently taking is proving to be very beneficial." He smiles and nods his head at Carol.

I'm not surprised. James has always taken very good care of his body. We all breathe out the anxiety we were holding.

"This is his body's way of protecting itself —by shutting down. The duration remains unknown, and we cannot determine the extent of, if any, brain damage until he regains consciousness. Just.... hang in there, everyone. He's alive. He's strong. He's a fighter."

That's all we get. The doctor hugs James's mom, shakes hands with Nate and quietly leaves the room.

*****