*James*

The hotel is usually busy in the mornings with people checking in and out, today being no different.

There are a few businessmen checking in, and I am going over the accommodations and breakfast times with the men.

I happen to look up when the lobby doors open. 

Julia.

She's been crying. Her eyes are swollen and red. She looks like she slept on a floor or something. She's all out of sorts and won't make eye contact with me. What the hell happened to her? My eyes trail her as she walks away, and my mind races, forgetting that I was mid-sentence with the businessmen.

"Sir?" I hear one of the men say confused, and I snap out of it.

"Right, yes..." I tear my eyes away from Julia and back to the men to finish my sentence, while Julia disappears down the hall.

She's not ok. Where was she all night?  Why does she look so sad? Something happened. Something bad.

*****

*Trisha*

It's almost noon. Nate missed his press conference this morning. I am NOT happy. Why do I bother reminding him of these things when he just gets drunk and forgets anyway?  I storm into his apartment, needing answers. 

There he is. In his bed. Sleeping. Is he seriously hungover? I'm so upset. There's so much going on in my own life, and now knowing Dave is in town, I'm already overly anxious. I can't tell Nate about Dave right now. I'm always trying to protect Nate from being overly stressed. When is someone going to love me enough to protect ME from the stress?

I take a deep breath before entering Nate's bedroom.

"Jesus Christ, Playboy. You're not hungover, are you?" I force open the blackout curtains, filling the room with bright light. Nate groans at me.

"What the hell, Trish!" He rolls over and puts a pillow over his head like a child.

"Stop acting like a teenager. Get up. It's almost noon, Nate."

"Sooo."

I sit on the corner of his bed and yank his blanket off him, but he just pulls it back up.

"So?? SO?? You missed your press conference this morning." I throw a pillow at him.

"I had to make up some lame excuse saying I accidentally double booked you. I took the blame for your sorry ass. YOU KNOW I don't make mistakes like that, Hollan."

"Fuck."Nate finally gives in and sits up now. "I'm sorry."

I study Nate's face.  I've gotten it all wrong, haven't I? He's not hungover at all. He looks sad. Depressed.  He looks like he's about to cry....

"Shit. You're not hungover, are you......"

"No."

"Talk to me, Nate." I take my shoes off and lay on his bed, ready to listen.

"I just can't fix anything."

Is he talking about his sister?

"Maybe it's not for you to fix." I watch Nate close his eyes, struggling with his emotions. I move closer to him and sit on my knees, then push his hair away from his forehead and rest my hand on his bare chest. "Hey, look at me."

"You're always trying to fix things, Nate. I get it. I do... But maybe your job isn't to fix her. Maybe your job is to just be there for her. To just listen and console her."

Nate doesn't respond.

"Hey." I poke his chest a little before taking my hand away. "You got this great big heart. You want to fix everyone. You take on everyone else's problems and try to solve them. I know you want to do more. You love everyone else more than you love yourself."

"That's not true." Nate furrows his brows at me.

"It is. Let's be honest. When you get drunk...... Is it because of YOUR problems you're thinking about or someone else's that you're trying to fix, Nate."

I watch him sulk down in defeat. I lean over and put my hand on the side of his face, rubbing my thumb on his stubble to comfort him. I sometimes forget his mother was never very motherly to Nate and Cara.  Rita was too busy being selfish.  Drinking, getting high, anything to drown out her own life.

"Cmon, Playboy. You made me miss breakfast, and I'm starving." I get up and throw his pants at him.  "You're buying lunch today."

*****

*James*

I need to know why Julia came into the hotel crying. Did Hollan upset her?

Once my shift is over, I put all the extra food that Al packed me to get me through another few meals on a tray, making it all look perfect.

I have a feeling that when Julia gets upset, eating is the last thing on her mind.  I can go without a few meals.  I would rather have her eat.

"Knock, Knock." I tap on Julia's hotel door, holding the breakfast tray.

"Hey. I thought you might need this." I hold out a to-go cup of coffee and the food, and smile at Julia in hopes to cheer her up.

"Thanks, James. That was nice of you to do."  Julia takes the coffee, and I put the plate on the counter next to the door, without entering her room, just in case she is uncomfortable.

"I won't bother you, I just wanted to make sure you're ok before I head home."

"I'm ok."

Julia fakes a smile.  She's not ok. I can tell.  But I also know sometimes people just need someone to care.  I'm not trying to fix anything but want to let her know I'm here whenever she is ready or if she needs someone to talk to. I just want to make sure she's ok.

"Good... Eat something and enjoy your day. It's supposedly to be nice out today. Go check out Griffith Park or something." It's my favorite place to go and helps me decompress when life gets overwhelming. I smile at her and walk away.

Before heading home to rest, I grab a banana and an orange off the fruit basket on the counter. This will have to hold me over for a while.

*****