*Julia*

Paul and I share a few secrets. Our fully planned out intentions for what went down in room 460 that took a terrible turn, my sex dream I had once and made known to him by saying his name out loud, and the moment his lips began kissing my neck.

The few seconds of weakness was just that- a few seconds. A fleeting moment. Because right after, he dropped his head back down to my shoulder with a heavy sigh and came to his senses.

Paul backed himself away and lied flat on his back while I stayed frozen in my position.

This was no dream.

We both felt what we felt. It was only a few seconds, but it doesn't matter. We are off limits. It was just a slight moment of weakness. Which never happens with Paul. He is a very disciplined man. He takes pride in that which is why I ignored what just happened and let it slide without saying a thing or asking him about it.

"I'll go check on Mike." Paul grumbles and removes himself from the situation. We know to never discuss it just like we don't talk about room 460 or my dreams.

It's my turn to flip onto my back and stare up at the ceiling for a little while before I hear James and Trevor come in with what sounds to be, Casey and Evan by the way I can hear Maggie's excitement.

"Hey." The familiar voice I love erases the previous moments as James comes to check in on me. He kicks off his sneakers and replaces Paul's spot on the bed.

"Why are we staring at the ceiling, Miss. Moretti?"

"We just are." I answer my best friend. The one person I don't keep secrets from- except for the few mentioned above and the one with Jeremy I will take to my grave. 

"How was session?" I ask.

"Really good."

"You say that about every therapy session." I scoff and continue to stare up at the ceiling.

"I went into Cara's room. She actually let me pray for her."

"She did??" I turn to James. Whether you are religious or not, believe in anything or don't, James has a way of making you feel comfortable enough to accept his prayers over you.  Even Nate has done so during some of his worst times before they were ever friendly towards each other. Even back when they were archenemies.

"Well, I mean... she didn't really have a choice. Not like she could get up and leave." James smirks but then quickly regrets his words and bolts up to the sitting position. He nervously runs his hands through his hair.

"I-I mean-"

"You're fine. Relax before you give yourself a seizure." I tease and James lets out a breath of relief. I knew what he meant.  He didn't trigger me. James doesn't trigger me. He just... doesn't.

"Dr. Tremont said I'd make a good counselor here." His little smirk reappears making me roll my eyes.

"Blah, blah, blah. Here we go......I can see your head getting bigger by the second."

"Jealous much?" He laughs and kisses the top of my head.

"Whatever. Go be perfect somewhere else, will ya?" I kid around with him but his perfection IS something I will always desire.

"Nope. I'm staying right here. With you." James crawls under the covers and pulls me right on top of him in a big silly bear hug, making me laugh. "Just like this ...with my brat for a best friend... forever and ever."

******

*Nate*

[ Well look who the cat dragged in] 

I smirk as Paul walks in. I know he is here to see Trisha, not me. But he plays the game. He sits down on one of the chairs and gives me a slight wave.

"How you feeling?" He mumbles like he always does.

"Save it." Trisha rolls her eyes. "He knows."

Paul's eyes widen. He's not used to ANYONE knowing his personal shit, nevermind who he is dating. I mean, I knew a little about his long-term girlfriend Brittany who dumped him a while back. Like me, Paul's job is his life. She wanted more and he couldn't settle down and give it to her. But other than that, Paul is a very reserved, silent man.

"Sorry," Trisha sits next to him and takes his hand. "He knows I can't lie for shit."

[How's Julia] I scribble, not caring about Trisha and Paul. All I care about is Julia.

Paul shifts in his seat awkwardly. Something he doesn't usually do.

"She's fine now." He huffs and folds his hands behind his head, leaning back against the wall. "James is with her and she's busy helping Maloney with detox."

I nod. Good. Keeping her busy is what helps.

"Trevor is going to keep Jeremy away for a few days. I can't believe it was him, boss."

I shake my head. It sickens me to think Donovan had been watching Julia long before she ever stepped foot into the Avalon. And now... now she fucking lives next door to the prick. I begin to cough, which not only alarms Paul since he hasn't heard this bark before but also alarms my machine and beeping sounds start to alert anyone in the room I fucking coughed. I roll my eyes but it wakes Jonah up and he scrambles to my side.

"You ok?" He bangs on all the buttons, shutting each alarm off individually.

[ I fucking coughed. That's all I did. It gonna do that every time I fart now too because I've done that like a hundred times already.]

"Eww Nate." Trisha makes a face at me. "You're so gross."

I shrug. What? Everyone farts. Yes, even multimillion dollar heartthrob celebrities.

"That cough really doesn't sound good. I'm going to see if we can up your nebulizer treatments." Jonah is in full nurse mode and scurries out of the room.

"What the hell are nebulizer treatments?" Paul raises a brow.

"Breathing treatments to help open up his airways so he can breathe better. My mom had to have them often whenever she got pneumonia." Trisha frowns. Her mom was a sweetheart. She didn't deserve the hand dealt to her, certainly didn't deserve to pass away so young. She was more of a mom to me than my own mother was. Trisha looks just like her, too. She's beautiful just like her mom was.

I can tell Trisha is thinking of her and getting sad now so clear my throat so she looks at my writing.

[ You guys don't have to stay here you know. You'll see enough of me when I'm back on my feet. Go do something together. Just no fucking in my bed ... or my shower... or in my living room. No fucking in my apartment.] 

I chuckle to myself while writing and hold up my sign, getting eyerolls in return. Jonah comes in with a blue machine the size of a toaster, with tubing and a few vials of medicine for me.

"We're gonna keep at this round the clock, ok? I'll stay and make sure you get your treatments every 3-4 hours. Just for a little while." Jonah explains and I nod.

"Well, while you are doing that, I need to tell you how my meeting went with Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum before I leave." Trisha moves her chair a little closer and Paul begins scrolling on his phone to keep busy.

Jonah hooks me up with the nebulizer and I put the breathing device to my lips, breathing in the smoke. It takes a good five to ten minutes per treatment, but I don't mind if it weren't for the fact it makes me cough more. Which hurts more and opens up that cut more. At this rate I'm never going to heal.

I cough even more after Trisha told me about her meeting. I became tempted to talk, yell, get mad at how Richard treated her but got reprimanded by Jonah each and every time. Richard is a piece of work. He talked down to Trisha during their meeting. He wants me doing more even though I'm in the fucking hospital. Again, all the douche sees is money. He could care less about my talent or songwriting. Or the blood, sweat and tears I put into each and every one of my songs.

When Trisha is done talking, she stands up, ready to leave.

"Anyways, I didn't sign anything and nothing is changing right now, ok? I don't want you to worry about him.... I want you to get rid of him." Trisha sighs. We are cut off abruptly when there's a knock on the door and it swings open.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I sit up and glare at the man before I cough. Not one person reprimands me this time. In fact, Jonah shuts down the nebulizer all together. Paul stands up and crosses his arms over his huge chest muscles.

"I need to explain myself." Jeremy fucking Donovan walks into the suite. The suite he raped Julia in, demanding my attention? He's got some nerve.

"You need to leave." I sneer, this time, Jonah taps on the white board and shakes his head. I've used my voice too much already.

"He can't use his voice, and you can't explain away anything. You stalked the girl!" Trisha is very distraught. More than I thought she would, considering its Julia. But this hits home for her too. Because Dave became her stalker.

"Listen.." Jeremy tries again but raises his hands in defense. "I'm not here to cause trouble."

"You know. I find it ironic you went out of your way to help me get a restraining order against my ex, yet you do the same exact fucking thing to Moretti." 

Trisha is in rare form today.

"Considering your abusive ex is my cousin, yes, I went out of my way to help you. Even though he's family."

The room falls silent and Trisha's jaw drops. 

The kid just dropped a huge bomb on us with that secret. I had no idea and can tell no one else in the room had a clue either.

"Dave Brennan is your cousin?" Trisha asks and Jeremy nods.

"You two were at Sullivan's Tap together." Paul begins putting his own pieces together now.

"Yes, I frequently have to talk David off the ledge. I've been trying to help my cousin for years now. But you needed protection, Trisha. He was confiding in me as his therapist, so I knew what you were going through. I didn't like how the court system waved you off the way it did. You needed someone to advocate for you."

"I don't need SHIT from you!" She retorts, tears filling her eyes. She wants nothing to do with this man and feels somewhat deceived. I can see it written all over her face.

"Trish, let go down and get a coffee." Jonah takes charge now, knowing this encounter wasn't meant to drag her in the way it has. He also knows I need Paul here with me or I may just kill this man with my own two hands.

Trisha nods and leaves the room with Jonah.

"You're full of fucking secrets today, aren't you Donovan?"

"I don't think you should be using your voice..." Jeremy makes himself at home and fucking sits down across from me, pointing to my whiteboard. Paul remains standing but I give him a slight nod and the bulldog sits down. "I just need you to listen to me."

I cross my own arms like Paul, but my blood is boiling hot with anger. Jeremy drops his head, takes his glasses off and pinches between his eyes. 

"God, I don't even know where to start." Jeremy starts.

Paul answers for me.

"The beginning."

*******

*Julia*

Trevor stands in the doorway as Evan turns to me to ask if it is ok to let the doctor in. I nod and go back to loading my dishwasher. Casey is outside with James and the dog, and Mike is taking a hot shower in hopes to help with detox.

"I want to talk to him." I blurt out and close the door of the dishwasher. Trevor knows exactly who I am talking about. Jeremy.

"I don't think that is a good idea. Lets give you a few days so things can settle." Trevor stands in the living room. "I just came to check on you. I know this week has been a trying one for you."

"I need to know everything." I snap and Evan's eyes widen a little. He isn't around me much. My mood changes are unreal, especially lately. I ignore the attractive bodyguard Trisha for sure had a part in hiring and turn to the even more attractive doctor. Only in L.A....

"Are you sure? This is a lot to digest, Julia. And I'm sure there is much more to his story."

"There better be. I need answers." I cross my arms.

"Ok. If you'd like, I can set up a meeting. I will stay with you to supervise. But just know, whatever he says may not be what you want to hear."

"Oh, it won't be. I'm sure of it." I huff.

"Are you sure you want to know this stuff though? Why don't we give it a few days to-"

"Trevor. You can either set up a meeting or I go knock on his door right now and demand to know everything. And it won't be pretty." My eyes water a little. "Because I need to know why he...or why-" I stop short and turn around, no longer able to produce words just thinking about all the things he has done.

"That right there. You're not ready, Julia."

"I am." My voice comes out weaker than anticipated.

I look out the window and James meets my eyes. He smiles but then it fades when he sees the expression on my face. He furrows his brows and ticks his chin up towards me. His way of asking what's going on in here. I shake my head."

"I need to know everything."

*********

*Nate*

Jeremy tells us everything. The good. The bad. And most importantly, the ugly. Multiple times my blood pressure monitor went off sending Paul to slam on the button and tell me to take a breather. But I needed to hear this. And Julia needs to hear this.

"This is bullshit." Paul stands and points at Donovan. "I was THERE." Paul is usually pretty quiet. He doesn't get heated often, but after hearing Jeremy tell us everything, he's having trouble swallowing the information.

 "I saw you with my own eyes, you sonofabitch." Paul growls and a vein in his neck throbs in anger. He's really worked up which isn't like him. But this is understandable. Both Paul and I witnessed Jeremy in the act.

"Paul, sit." I whisper, trying to tame the bulldog in Paul and he obeys. He sits down but is still worked up and breathing heavier. He has been by Julia's side since day one. He cares for her.

I shake my head and scribble on my damn whiteboard... underlining key words. 

[This is FUCKED UP Donovan]

"I know." Jeremy croaks out softly. His eyes have been watery since the moment he started talking but now the man looks to be on the brink of tears. Everything he said was true, wasn't it? "I have no excuses. What I did..." He pauses and shakes his head at himself. "But I needed you to know everything. EVERYTHING."

And he told us everything. EVERYTHING.

[ I'm not sure Julia is ready to hear all of this though. This reopens a lot of wounds]

"They never closed, Nate. She will never heal the way she needs until she talks about it. She won't heal until she hears this either. And she will never trust me which is why I needed to explain it all to you first."

"I still call bullshit." Paul mumbles and stares the doctor down.  But I'm not certain Paul knew about Jeremy's mental health diagnoses either. Jonah and I were already aware of that due to our own private investigating, but I don't recall ever letting Paul in on the secret. Maybe I should have. Maybe if I did this wouldn't be so hard for him to wrap his brain around today.

Not that I am giving an ounce of sympathy to Jeremy for anything, I now understand why he fought tooth and nail so Julia would have to back down from pressing charges.

And now I know how dangerous Katherine Cohen is.

******