*Trisha*

Nate just finished his concert and should be coming out of the dressing room soon to enjoy the afterparty. He's taking a while, though, and the Rec Room is already filled with people. This is the stuff he loves. He should be in there celebrating a job well done like everyone else. 

But when I walk into his dressing room, it's empty. Where the hell is he?

I leave the room and walk down the now empty all to look for Nate. That's when I hear his British voice in one of the rooms to the right of me. The door is closed, but I can hear him and Julia. Fighting per usual. But Nate is upset. Really upset.

"Wait, Jule- Please." I hear Nate burst.

"It's over, Nate. I'm only here because I have nowhere else to call home." Julia says.

Is she fucking kidding me right now? That little bitch! Why would she say something like that. Nate bends over backwards for her. Every. Single. Fucking. Day. She has no right to say she's only here because she has nowhere else to go. Go to the fucking Avalon then, my god!

Julia storms out of the room and I glare at her as she walks past me in a rush to get away.

"I knew this would happen." I say to myself watching Nate hold his chest while having a panic attack. I step into the vacant room and sit on the couch next to my best friend with his broken heart.

"She wants to go home." Nate cries. I take both of his hands into mine and hold them tightly.

"What do you want me to do, Nate?" I ask. I'll do whatever he wants me to do. I'll do whatever he needs to help him get through this. 

"I don't know Trisha!! Figure it out!" He snaps and storms out of the room.

Typical Nate style.

*****

*James*

It's after midnight but the afterparty is still going strong in the rec room. While that is going on, I'm outside at a nearby picnic table with a very distraught Julia.

"I'm not looking to hurt him. You know that's not what I'm trying to do." 

"He knows that." I lean forward and clasp my hands together. All I can do is listen and be here for Julia when she needs a friend. She doesn't have anyone to really talk to. Sure as hell isn't gonna be Jeremy.

  But while Julia tells me she wants to go home I have a pit in my stomach for myself and what will happen to me. I hate not being independent. Not being able to live on my own or take care of my own basic shit. So while she's worrying about her relationship with Nate and where she will go, while I'm worried about what my future is going to look like if we DO go home. I love my sisters but I certainly don't want them helping me hold the damn soap in the shower or have to dress me. Coming on Nate's tour was anything but a good idea.

"I don't know what to do! I feel so lost right now!" Julia bursts. She works herself up to the point she jumps up and turns away from me to throw up on the grass, crying at the same time.

"Shit." I hurry over to Julia and try to hold her hair back with one fumbling hand while rubbing her back as she gets sick with the other. Once she's done, she walks a few feet away from me with her back turned and drops to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

I don't know what to do or how to get her to calm down but I know who does. I run back into the building and almost bump into Nate who was coming out at the same time.

"What's up, James?" Nate says in an equally sad voice as Julia's. Their fight was a big one.

"She won't stop crying. To the point she threw up in the grass." I panic and Nate follows me outside to where Julia is.

I stay behind a little to give them their privacy as I watch Nate take care of Julia. He sits down behind her and Julia immediately curls up into his body and cries.  I feel a hard lump in my throat not only for Julia but because I know I can't take care of her the way Nate can. I'm aware of that. But it doesn't stop me from being in love with her. That's the hard part. In some areas I know we are a perfect match, if anything, better than her and Nate. But when it comes down to taking care of Julia in the mental health department...I just don't have what it takes. And that damn near kills me.

I watch as Julia eventually calms down and falls asleep on Nate like she always does when she exhausts herself. While still holding Julia in his arms, Nate gets up to his feet and looks over at me.

Please don't rub this in my face, pal. I'm already having a hard time with this realization.

"Thanks, James." Nate nods.

"I.. I didn't know what else to do." I stammer. "She cried so hard she made herself throw up."

"I did this. I'm gonna find a way to fix it, ok Gallo?" He says as we walk back to the tour bus. I watch Nate do all the things to care for Julia that I cannot currently do. Maybe someday, but not today when she needs it. I watch him untie her shoelaces, unbuckle her belt, take her jeans off and put her pajama pants on- all things I currently am not able to do for myself, never mind another person.

Once Julia is  safe in bed, Nate turns to me.

"C'mon. I'll help you get changed and ready for bed before everyone starts coming in."

*****

*Trisha*

"You're never this quiet." Jonah sits down next to me on the couch as I peoplewatch / sulk from what's happening with Nate. 

"Just tired, I guess."

"I know we don't talk often, you and me. But you can always talk to me if you need to." Jonah can read me like a book.

"We never should have brought Moretti on tour with us. Now look. she's consuming all of Nate's thoughts. His time. He should be in here enjoying the afterparty like he used to while on tour. She's not good for him." I blurt out and use the nurse as my therapist.  "There, I said it."

At first, Jonah doesn't respond, and I question if admitting that to him was a good idea.

"You're one hundred percent correct." Jonah begins and my eyes widen at from his words. "Julia should not have come on tour. She's not healthy enough. And yes, she consumes Nate. But Trish, it's because he is in love with her."

"They aren't even together now and he's miserable. She shouldn't be here." I huff and close my eyes while resting my head on the back of the couch, trying to ignore the strong scent of weed.

"Take it outside!" I yell with my eyes closed and hear the back door open and close. "Buncha damn kids I'm babysitting."

"You're very protective of Nate, aren't you? Have been forever."

"Someone needs to babysit him."

"Trish... if you have feelings for Nate, you should probably let him know because he's not gonna figure it out on his own." Jonah says and I sit up and glare at the man.

"What?! What the hell are you talking about, Jonah?" I snap.

"Hey. I'm just saying.... I'm always gonna be team Nate and Julia. But this will ruin your friendship with him if you are in love with the guy and watching him fall in love with someone else. You should either tell him or try to move on and just be there for him as his best friend. That's my advice."

"Your advice fucking sucks, you know that?" I tease the nurse but the reality is...

Jonah is right. 

I need to move on.

*****