*Trisha*

Of course Nate's outburst is all over the news and online. A celebrity defending his friend. But it has turned into positive media attention which Richard and Elliott are both relieved about.  I don't know how being Nate's personal assistant made me their verbal punching bag over the years, but they know I'm the only one who seems to reel Nate in- so I get the brunt of it when he makes the news. Like I haven't done my job or something. Like I don't have enough going on in my head right now, I have to deal with Tweedledee and Tweedledum over there.

"You're luck it turned into a positive thing." Elliott sighs over the phone while I put my make up on. "That can't happen today, Trisha."

"You know what, Elliott? Not to be rude, but the last thing I'm thinking about is how my boss reacts in court right now. Consider me taking a day off, ok? I have more important shit to worry about than Nate's reaction."

I slam the off button on my phone and cry, now ruining my make up. I currently understand the need to throw a cell phone but refrain- because I'm not an idiot.

Nate comes out of the bathroom in only a towel and pats the top of my head like I'm a fucking puppy.

"You may want to touch up your make up." He pokes fun of me while walking by.

"Fuck you." I retort.

He drops his towel completely to get dressed not caring I'm in the room. We never do.  And he's doing it on purpose right now. But the last thing I want to see is this fucker's bare ass after getting reamed out by HIS bosses.

"You can't have any outbursts today, Nate. I fucking mean it." I wipe my face with a cloth and start over. "Both Elliott AND Richard are on me."

"They called you?" He turns around, snapping the waistband of his underwear against his abs once they are on.

"Both of them. I can't fucking worry about this shit on top of everything else."  My eyes tear up again. "Fuck!" I pull out more make up wipes and clean my face. I give up. No eye make-up today. 

Nate walks over to the vanity and puts both hands on my shoulders, looking at me through the mirror.

"Darlin', don't worry about those two dips, ok? I'm allowed to get mad in court. I can't help it they decided to televise it. I wouldn't be human if I didn't show emotion."

"You know that, and I know that, but they don't care. Those two only care about keeping you out of the newspapers."

"Newspapers, eh? You missing Paulie or something?"

"Fuck you." I repeat again and stand up to get dressed. Like Nate, I don't care who sees me naked. My clothes are hanging in Nate's wardrobe because I don't have much of a closet in the guest bedroom. I drop my robe and begin to get dressed. I catch Nate checking me out from his wardrobe mirror but he turns away when I walk out with my clothes. I still get to him. Good to know because the gym has not been on my to-do list lately.

We both hear Casey pleading with James to eat more of his breakfast from the other room.

"What if that's his last real meal?" I burst into tears just thinking about it and notice Nate must have been thinking the same thing with the way his eyes water.

"I'll go check on him." He tucks in his shirt and leaves the room.

*****

*James*

"Is there time for me to see Julia before we go to the courthouse this afternoon?" I ask Nate in hopes he'll understand and say yes. What if it's my last time seeing her?

"Yeah, I had a feeling you would want to. I already talked to Paul to ask what kind of condition Julia is in."

"What did he say?" I look down at the man while he ties my dress shoes.

"She's a mess but she'll be fine. Whatever they injected her with yesterday was strong. Really strong. It's still in her system. C'mon. We'll go now."

Withing ten minute, Me, Nate, Evan and the dog are in Julia's living room. All of us suited up and ready for court. I'm exhausted, and Julia can tell.

"He had a seizure after breakfast this morning so is a little more worn down today." Nate informs her as she walks up to me to tuck my hair up off my forehead and straighten my tie.

"You look nice." Her eyes fill with tears.

"Can we go somewhere private?"  I ask and Julia takes me to her room. I sit on her bed and drop my head into my hands to cry. She rubs my back to comfort me.

"I'm so scared." 

"I know. I love you, you know that? No matter what happens, I love you and I'm so proud of you." Julia says.

"Proud of me? Why?" I look up at her in confusion. I'm about to go to jail. What's there to be proud of here?

"Look at all the things you've overcome in your life, James. And you're going to overcome this too and come out even stronger. You're my inspiration. You're why I don't give up. You never give up on yourself."

"Do you think if they sentence me.... d-do I go right away? Will I be able to come back to see you?" I croak out.

"I'm not sure. But let's not assume you're going to jail, ok?"

"Imagine me not having sex for a year?" I laugh a little at that. I'm a fucking mess.

"I will break in and have sex with you. I don't care who sees." Julia jokes. "You know I don't."

"I don't think it works like that, babe."

"I love you. I wish I could go to the courthouse with you and be by your side. I haven't been a very good best friend to you, have I?"

"I'm glad you are staying here. I don't want you to deal with that. It's a zoo. I rather you stay here and be safe. It puts my mind at ease knowing your here and Paul is here w-with you."

Julia pulls my head so I'm resting on her lap like we would at Griffith Park. She plays with my hair to comfort me but while doing so, she suddenly bursts into tears. I sit up and hug her right away.

"I love you so much!" She wails and it breaks me to pieces. I cup her face and kiss her lips over and over again like it is our last kiss. Because it very well may be for a long time.

After about an hour, Evan lets us know we should head out. Ren is waiting in the back parking lot and the courthouse is going to be complete mayhem with reporters. I stand in the middle of Julia's living room hugging her, unable to pull away.

"We really should head out." Evan looks at his watch and Nate nods, needing to intervene.

"James. Time to go buddy." 

Julia squeezes me tighter and hides her face in the crook of my arm. "Not yet." She muffles between her cries. She's going to make this hard for me. I start crying, unable to let her go. 

"Julia, you gotta let him go." Paul says. "C'mon. You'll see him later, ok?" He doesn't sound very certain of this, though. I can hear it in his voice.

"Oh God, I don't think I can do this." I whimper. Nate swallows hard and has to look away now. "I can't do this." I bury my face in Julia's hair.

It's Paul and Evan who have to literally pry us away from each other and Julia lets out this gut-wrenching sob.

"WAIT!" She wails as Evan escorts me out and Nate grabs the dog's leash. I cover my mouth and try not to look back at Julia. But I do. I look back at her right as the door closes. The look on Julia's face tells me the same thing everyone else thinks. 

I'm going to prison.

"Fuck!" I push Evan off me once outside and shove my palms in my eyes. I feel Nate wrap an arm around my back and squeeze my shoulder.

"I know, man. Shit. I know." He walks me to Ren's SUV and helps buckle me in, pulling out tissues from the glove compartment and cleaning up my face for me before we head back to his house to grab everyone else.

*******

*Trisha*

"Trish, you sure you're ok?" Jonah knocks on the bathroom door as I throw up for a third time. "I'm coming in."

The sight of me must be pathetic as I kneel over the toilet, all dressed up and ready for court, now puking my brains out.

"I had a feeling one of us would be hugging a toilet at some point this morning. I thought it'd be Casey for sure, though." He wets a face cloth and lifts my hair to press it against the back of my neck.

"He can't go to jail, Jonah. I have this awful feeling the judge is still going to want him to serve time." I lean back against the wall as Jonah flushes the toilet. "Maybe not a full year but still, he can't survive one day in prison!"

"I know. If you believe in a God, now is the time to start praying." He lifts me up and helps me pull myself together. "Nate said they are on their way. C'mon."

Oh no. This is it. There's no more time to fucking cry over anything.  I need to pull it together.

But when I get into Ren's car and see the expression on James's face, when I see the tears flowing down as he looks out the window, I silently break down again and Casey lets me rest my head on her shoulder, handing me a tissue and swiping my hair out of my face. I've never had another woman console me before. Except for my mom. So I break down even harder.

I start thinking about some of my early encounters with James to torture myself more.

*****

"Hey stranger."

"We just keep bumping into each other, don't we? Trisha, right? Nate Hollan's assistant?" James smiles and I immediately melt.

"Yeah. Looks like you had a long night here, huh?"

"Sure did." James says but doesn't get into detail.

"How bout I buy you a coffee. Nate Hollan's treat." I smirk and get a laugh out of James.

"Well, if it's Nate Hollan that is paying, how can I say no? Tell me where you want to go, and I'll meet ya there."

He's actually agreeing to meet me for coffee??

*****

"Jesus Christ, James The Receptionist," I laugh loudly across from him in the booth Nate and I usually sit in. " Have you not eaten in a week?" I tease.

"I'm always hungry." He smirks and wipes his mouth. "Actually, I can't remember that last time I've had sugar and carbs like this...you know, the bad kind."

"You look like you work out like.... five times a day." I gain a laugh out of James. "I think you can afford a little sugar and carbs once in a while, James the Receptionist."

"Is that my new name now?"

"I think so. It just flows, doesn't it? "

 I sit back and sip my coffee when James's cell phone goes off. It says Paul and is Paul's number. Paul as in Nate's bodyguard.

"You know Paul??" I ask and watch James's big blue eyes widen.

"I know everyone around here. I've lived here all my life. I work with Paul."

*****

"Hey there, Trisha, The Personal Assistant....who makes out with her boss, now." James smirks and teases me.

"Ha. Ha." I squint at him. "Very funny, James the Receptionist. That was a rumor." I roll my eyes and grab the garment bag out of my car.

"Mmmhmmm." James doesn't believe me. "Picture looked pretty real to me... Miss....Banks."

"Well... Mr....." I don't know his fucking last name, but he chimes in right away while leaning over his window looking sexy as hell.

"Gallo."

"Mr. Gallo. Don't believe everything you see on the internet. There's nothing between me and Hollan."

"So come have coffee with me again." James boldly invites.

*****

"I should go."

"Yeah." I breath out.

"I really should go." His lips brush up against mine.

"Yeah." I repeat and feel him press against her, walking me backwards to hit the wall next to the elevator.

"Trisha." 

"Yeah."

"I'm gonna go home now." He presses against me, making me let out a slight moan against his lips and gently pull his hair.

"Ok..." I whisper.

"I can't back away." James brushes his lips against mine again and my breath hitches.

"So don't back away."

"James."

"Yeah." 

"I need you to kiss me."

"I want to kiss you, Trish. God, I want to kiss you so fucking bad right now. But I don't want our first kiss to be because I'm hurting from another woman. I don't want our first kiss to be because I'm crying, and you feel bad for me."

"Yeah......"

"But I can't seem to back away. You're gonna have to be the one." He says.

"I can't."

"Please."

"No. I mean, I can't. You've got me pressed up against the wall and your dick is holding me in place." 

******

"Hey, you know you can always talk to me, right? About anything. We're friends. That's what friends do." James looks down at me and smiles. It's the kind of smile that makes you melt. It's the kind of smile that has me staring at his lips longer than I should be. "Aww, sweetie. Everything will be fine."

James wipes my tears away from my cheeks but then... we both feel it. He keeps his hands on the sides of my face with his eyes looking at my lips, leaning his body against mine. My stomach ties in a knot. We have been here before. So many times now. Where we are so close to each other. When it feels like everything is in slow motion. Our mouths are inches apart, and all I can think about now is what it feels like to kiss James. We've kissed before. It seems like a long time ago though and now...The urge to kiss him is overpowering. James leans his forehead on mine and we both close our eyes.

"I should go in." James whispers with his eyes still closed. 

"Yeah." I breathe out. This is something we constantly do as well. Test ourselves to see how far we can go before giving in to each other. Each time, doing a little more.

"I really should go in." His lips brush up against mine just barely as he says the words. I feel James's move his lips close to my ear and my pulse picks up in pace. "Trish." James says against my ear and then his lips brush against my neck. I let out breath I apparently was holding and pull his head in closer. He kisses my neck softly and my entire body tingles. This is a step further than last time. I tilt my head to the side and pull his hair a little. James lets out a slight groan against my neck and he presses his body against mine.

"I can't back away." He admits and I pull him in more.

"So don't back away." 

"It's so frustrating, isn't it? Being in love with people we can't have." I swallow hard admitting it out loud.

James nods. "Especially when those people are with each other." 

******

"Um.... who got you all turned on out there? It was Nate, wasn't it?" I tease.

"The human body. Gotta love it." James walks over to me and spins me around, making me throw my arms around him. "I can tell you how you can help Trisha the Personal Assistant..."

"James Gallo, behave yourself. Jesus, how do you walk around with that thing?"

"You could help with that.. Triiishaaa......" He whispers against my neck. "You do something for me I'll do something for you... That's what friends do."

"Ugh. You're too much. Fine. But you're gonna have to walk around with that thing until everyone falls asleep. And this is a no strings attached thing. Got that?"

"Can you give everyone sleeping pills? "You don't have to; I was just messing with ya."

But then I lean up and peck his lips.

"I was really just kidding... but God...you feel so good." James kisses me passionately.

****

"Sorry." James says like I would ever care about a few pieces of fallen rice.

"For what?"

"I fumble a little more when I get tired."

"Anndd........how is that new news to me? I don't care about that stuff James. You know that." I rub his back and help him put more rice on his spoon for him. He leans over and continues eating over his plate.

"Right. Yeah. I'm starting to get used to always having to explain my shortcomings to my sisters. I forget you already know."

"You're really having a hard time with them caring for you huh?" I don't even realize I am still rubbing his back but don't stop. It looks like it relaxes him. I put his bottle of beer in his hand and wait for his grip to be tight before letting go. He takes a sip and nods.

"Yeah. Just little stuff. Like that. I didn't have to ask you to help me with my drink or my food. Don't get me wrong. My sisters are all a huge blessing to me. I-"

"James." I stop him there and brush his hair away from his forehead. "You don't have to explain that to me. I get it. You know I do." My hand falls from his hair and rests on his cheek. My thumb gently strokes the stubble and I'm suddenly feeling all sorts of things. This is the first time James and I have been alone in a while. A long while. My eyes drop to his lips as he puts his utensil down and turns to me a little more. Our eyes lock and my heart begins to race. It races because I want this. It's James. What's not to love about James?

"Hey." He says in almost a whisper.

"Hey..."

James leans in slowly and my eyes fall back down to his perfect lips.

He nudges his nose with mine a little before our lips meet softly. A rush of warmth spreads through me. James lifts both hands and cups my face, leaning into the kiss more. His lips are soft, and the kiss is warm and tender and perfect. It's like everything is background noise now. The tv seems quieter. The room feels warmer, and we are comfortable together.

Everything about this moment feels perfect.

******

"So, what if we try it out? You and me? We were friends first and if it doesn't work out, we can still be friends later. I'm friends with ALL my exes." James says with confidence.

"I'm sure you are, hotstuff."

"But I'm serious Trish. I want to try to go slow. That back there? That wasn't going slow."

I blush a little thinking back to our little shower of oral sex a half hour ago and smile. "Sure did feel good though."

"God yes." He whispers and leans in for a kiss. 

"This isn't going slow..." I whisper before attaching my lips to his neck. I bite gently in a teasing way but quickly learned something new. James likes a little pain with his pleasure. 

"Christ. Trisha, you do that again I'm taking you right here on this couch." He laughs.

"Casey could come back any moment, Mr. 'I want to take things slow'." I say with lust filled eyes, still moving my hips against his lap. "You're kinda.... into things, aren't you James Gallo?"

"I'm into anything and everything." James crashes his mouth against mine and things get heated really fast.

*******

And that was that. We became a couple. Now? Now I don't even know if we're friends.

And now, here we are. Sitting in the courtroom. Waiting to find out James's fate.

*****