*James*

Jeremy explained everything to us. It took well over an hour.  We sit at the kitchen table-Julia, Nate, Jonah, and myself - and listen to Jeremy ramble.

"At first the guy wanted nothing to do with you." Jeremy continues and looks at Julia as we all sit and listen.

"Why would he want nothing to do with her? This was his second chance." Jonah asks.

"Because Trevor felt like he failed Eric Furgeson. He was one of the last doctors after so many failed attempts by other physicians. He didn't get the time he needed to really know Eric and help him. Eric was already gone mentally, and then- physically. Julia, I had to BEG this guy to come here. And now he's here and you're the one fucking it up now." He raises his brows as she furrows hers.

"I'm not some rat you can run tests on to see what works and what doesn't." She frowns.

"No you're not. You're our second chance Julia. Between the two of us we can figure out the right pills, the right doses, the right treatment plan to help you live a productive life. Don't you want that? Let us help you." Jeremy stands up now. He's done explaining. "Listen," He looks down at his pager. "Unlike Trevor, I have other patients. Trevor is just meeting people and playing the part. But I hired him for you. Only you. That's the whole reason he is here."

Julia looks like she can't wrap her head around this. Actually, it's hard for any of us to.

"If he came here just for me, then what was the conversation out in the hall about when he said he wanted to take me off all medication and start from scratch? If he knew I was the next Eric Furgeson, why did he have a look of defeat when he walked back in."

Jeremy lets out a sigh.

"I was testing him, Julia. I never told him your name, whether you were male or female and he only had a brief five minutes to scan your medication list before your meeting. He hadn't looked at your file aside from a quick glance at the diagnosis. I had him meet a bunch of patients before you to see if he could find the one I hired him for. I wanted to make sure he was legit." He frowns. "You gave him a hard time. A really hard time. So when I told him who you were, how you were THE patient he came for, yeah... he felt defeated. You weren't giving him the time of day. He felt defeated because you were his toughest patient he had met all day. Your attitude alone stunk and you were trying to make everything difficult for him. Of all the patients he met he was hoping this brat wasn't going to be the one.But you are the one. So he now knows he has his work cut out for him and has to deal with your sour attitude on top of it all."

"How the hell was I supposed to know I had to 'be on my best behavior'. Give me a break."

"Please. Give him a chance to help you. I will send him down here, ok? Have your therapy session. Talk to him. Julia, trust him."

With that, Donovan leaves.

"I don't want to be some medical guinea pig." Julia shakes her head and walks to her bedroom, slamming the door.

"Can you believe this?" Jonah looks at me and Nate.

"I don't know what to believe anymore." I look at the time. "Wait, we're supposed to go to our grief therapy session in fifteen minutes. Is this guy coming now? I can't go alone."

"I can take you down and stay with you. I'm already registered here as a nurse." Jonah offers. "Nate, talk to her. This sounds like her only hope. But she needs to agree to it. She needs to work with the doctors and she's not right now."

We leave the apartment and start our walk down to where the REAL Avalon is.

"Do you think she will cooperate?" I ask.

"No. I really don't. She has a lot going on up here." Jonah taps the side of his head. "I don't think she will trust anyone for a long time."

I nod in agreement knowing it's true. Julia will always have trust issues, especially when it comes to doctors.

******

*Trisha*

"Wow. Read this!" I hand Paul my phone for him to read the text messages Nate just sent me. We lay in my bed, and it is seriously the best part of my day right now. Yes, we allowed Evan back up who rolled his eyes with a laugh when he walked by my bedroom. He's childish. We are completely dressed.... well, now we are.

I fit perfectly under Paul's arm and it's like we never broke it off. I was so wrong before. SO wrong.

I watch Paul's brows furrow as he reads the messages- Nate explaining this whole Jeremy, Dr. Tremont plan.

"I just don't trust that doctor. I don't know how anyone can." I close my eyes and shake my head.

"They make my job so much harder than it needs to be." Paul mumbles to himself. He will never trust Jeremy. He saw firsthand the monster the guy was to Julia. That's not something someone forgets. I think that is why he's so partial to Julia and shit. Paulie's a caretaker and God- we all know Moretti needs someone to take care of her.

"You've got your work cut out for you hotpants. Living there full time and all." 

Paul hands me my phone and kisses the top of my head. "You got your work cut out for you dealing with Hollan on tour. It's no different other than I don't have to travel now."

"I thought you liked traveling around the world?" 

"Been there, done that. I'm ok with settling down a little. I'm not getting any younger Trish."

"Oh please- you were an old man when you were twelve. You were probably reading newspapers and drinking coffee at fourteen." I tease and snuggle up to my 'old man' a little more.

"You weren't saying I was an old man ten minutes ago." Paul retorts and I laugh. God, no. I certainly was not. "Anyway. It's not so bad. Especially with James there now. He makes a damn good bodyguard when he's not seizing."

Poor James. His life has not been easy. He would have for sure been an excellent bodyguard. He has what it takes. It's his medical condition that stops him from ever pursuing that for real. I think about that for a moment before Paul breaks our silence again.

"Can I ask you something?" 

"Sure." I intertwine our fingers together.

"What about us was so boring to you?" Paul asks and when I look up at the grumpy old man he frowns. He never thought we were boring. He liked what we were.

"Nothing was boring. I'm just not good with... this." I admit. "I freaked out."

"So what is preventing you from freaking out this time?" Paul needs to know if he's wasting his time. I get it. He's not a man of many words but when he speaks you pay attention.

"I don't want to miss out on something good because I'm an idiot."

"Trisha Banks, I believe you have finally grown up." He smirks at me and pulls my in for a kiss. A perfect kiss. I'm not messing this one up this time. 

*******

*James*

I had a feeling Julia would freak out when it was time for her sleep study. She is overthinking everything. I can't blame her though. Bad things have happened to her in the middle of the night. Things she can never forget. 

Dr. Tremont went over everything with us and Nate just left the apartment to go to his studio whatever-whatever he does.

"You'll be just fine, Julia." Trevor stands up and straightens his suit jacket. "Ok, I will come and walk up with you and get you registered at 8pm. Be ready." The doctor lets himself out.

"Paul, are you sure you will be ok over night? With James, I mean?"

Paul lowers the paper down and gives Julia a sarcastic look. Paul knows how to take care of me. He's done it before. Julia is just trying to find ways to get out of tonight.

"Ok." She sulks. "C'mon James. I'll help you with your shower."

"You're really nervous about tonight, huh?" I ask as Julia puts the shampoo in my hand. I'm having a great day with my coordination so am able to wash my hair by myself.

"I don't know why I'm so nervous! This is stupid."  She throws her arms around my waist while I'm rinsing the shampoo out of my hair.

"Because it's something new, that's all. You don't know what to expect and not like we can really control what happens in our sleep. I have a feeling you will rip all the monitors off in your sleep and bolt." 

"You don't get it though, James. These dreams...." 

"No, you're right. I don't. Because you don't tell me. You used to tell me everything, Julia. You hold back now. Why?" I hold Julia in my arms but when I ask the question that has been on my mind she shrugs.

"I don't want to stress you out. I'm a big stressor, remember? I'm toxic."

That's why? My sisters got to her. Damn girls. I lift Julia's chin up so she has no choice but to look me in the eyes.

"Julia, Y-you are NOT toxic. Don't listen to my fucking sisters. They don't know what the hell they're talking about. I mean it. They're just mad at me that I chose to be here instead of with them. I've 'inconvenienced' them but they will get over it."

She's not convinced but says no more. We wash up and don't say anything more until after Julia helps me get dressed, trying to ignore the massive hard on I have for her right now.

"You sure you will be ok tonight?" She asks.

"Yeah, I'm gonna give Paul the bed and he will wheel the cot in here for me to sleep in so I'm not in here alone. Just in case I have a seizure in my sleep or something."  I sit on the edge of the bed while Julia stands in between my thighs, brushing my hair.  This is not helping my hard on go away. It's the little things she does sometimes. I put my hands on her hips and reel her in a little.

"Behave." 

Yeah, sure thing.

"I mean it."  She says softly yet runs her fingers through my hair, driving me insane. I close my eyes for a moment before I kiss her cheek, letting my lips linger before kissing her again. One kiss leads to another like always. How the hell is she going to marry Hollan when she still loves me too? Because I'm never gonna give up on her. I'm always going to take any opportunity I get to show her how right we are for each other. So right now? Right now I'm going to show her. Remind her. Love her.

I'm gonna love the fuck out of her so she sleeps just fine tonight.

Instead, this time, Julia takes over. She pushes my chest so I fall back onto the bed with a laugh and undresses me, then herself. I love that we always find ways to laugh together, even during intimate moments like these.

"We really don't have time for this." She says yet straddles me while my hand works on her core, getting her close to falling apart.

"It'll just be a quicky." I groan softly knowing Paul is in the other shower. Though I don't really give a shit if he can hear us or not - I know Julia does. She lines me up and sits down fully. God she always feels so good. I'm aching now, needing all of her as she rocks into me and orgasms from what my hand is doing. Just watching this woman fall apart has me throbbing inside her.

  "Yeah." I groan again and watch Julia pick up the pace.

Then, because she knows me so fucking well, She leans into me to kiss the crook of my neck before she bites down gently.

"Fuck." I lose all self-control now, pulling her in for more.

"James...."

"I know. I'm almost there." I admit, though I can sometimes take a while, and we really don't have time. I flip us over so she is on her back and I'm on top and slam into her now, watching her come undone again while I work hard to reach my own high. I drop down and round my back, giving her all I've got, and she scratches down my back making me come instantly before collapsing on her body.

"God," She lets out a gasp. "How are you so good at what you do?"

"Lots of practice." I answer and Julia laughs. "Just making sure you will sleep well tonight, that's all."

"Mmm-hmm." 

"And also reminding you what you can never give up." I add.

"I hate you, you know that?"

"I don't think you do." I smirk. 

*********

*Trisha*

"You sound like shit." I tease Nate when he begins hacking away in the studio. But he really doesn't sound good.

"I'm coming down with a cold or something."

"I'll have Evan pick up some Vitamin C on our way home." I look over at Evan who is sitting on one of the chairs scrolling through his phone. 

Apparently, Nate tells me how Ren declined fast as the day went on and now has the flu. That's why he dropped Nate off at home so he can ride with Evan and I. Suspended license and all. Looks like Evan will be our driver for a few days.

But right now, Nate really doesn't sound great. He begins coughing again and I stop what I'm doing on my laptop and look over at him. He puts his guitar down and tries to catch his breath.

"You good, Nate?" I ask with more concern.

"I'm fine."

I don't think much of it but pray he's not getting sick. We have so much happening next week. Interview after interview scheduled and Nate's voice lessons as well. Last thing we need is Richard on our ass if we cancel something. 

Nate really does need a new record label. Now's not the time to get into it with tour approaching but once he is home for a while, it's something that needs to be talked about. Switching producers is really hard to do, involves lawyers and very stressful. But Richard only sees Nate for the money he rakes in. He needs more now. He's getting older and set for life with money. Everyone knows who Nate Hollan is. He's no longer trying to make a name for himself and make it big in the industry. He IS big. He is who all artists wish to become. His success isn't because of Richard. It's because of Nate and the hard work he puts into his work.

 He needs a team of managers that see him for who he is, not what he brings in for a paycheck.

Nate needs to ditch Richard Benson.

******