*EDITING* Point Of View 1 [*Do not read until you have read The Winner*]

The Fighter

*Trisha*

 I've been sleeping in Nate's bed, and both Paul and Jonah know it, but don't say anything. I've washed all his sheets beforehand except for his pillowcase. I don't wash it because it smells like his cologne and shampoo. It smells like Nate.

I cry a lot in this pillow, and a few times, Paul has come in to check on me in the middle of the night. Usually, it's Jonah checking on my medical status, but he's been exhausted lately going back and forth to the hospital and taking care of... everyone.

Tonight is another night I'm anxious. Nervous for Nate. Nervous for James.

I hear the usual knock on the door, and it opens slowly like the other times.

"You're crying again, Banks." Paul says this every time.

"Sorry, Paulie. Didn't mean to wake you." I sit up and turn on the small lamp on the nightstand. "I'm turning into fucking Julia, aren't I?"

Paul comes in and sits on the recliner like he has the last few times.

"No. You're upset because you have two friends that you care about in the hospital. Julia cries when her eggs are made the wrong way." He says and I burst out into laughter.

"You're not lying there!"

I lay back down on my side and face Paul. I study the shirtless muscles of a man in his forties who is currently in just a pair of jeans he threw on to come in here.  Maybe he's like Nate and only sleeps in his boxers. I wonder if James does too... 

Aww James.

"What if something happens?" I turn serious quickly and frown. God, I am turning into Moretti.

"Like what, Trish..."

"Like what if James doesn't pull through. And what if Nate's heart keeps getting weaker like his dad's. What if I lose them both?" 

Paul leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. He draws his hands down his face and rubs his jawline before sighing.

"I don't have an answer for that." He grumbles.

"Well you're of  no help to me." I sniff and tease him.

"Sorry." 

"This shit's hard.  Every time I close my eyes I see that fucking crash. And worrying about asshole Dave on top of it all. I feel like I'm losing my mind, Paul. This isn't like me.  I feel like I'm breaking apart at the seams. Sorry, you don't have to listen to me complaining. You deal with enough. You can go back to bed."

Instead of going back to bed, Paul gets comfortable on the recliner, resting his hands behind his head as a pillow and closes his eyes. 

"I want you to try and fall asleep. And if you wake  up from a nightmare, I'll be right here, ok?" He pauses and I nod. 

"Thanks Paul."  I close my eyes and hear my bodyguard inhale deeply as we both start to fall back to sleep.

******

For the first time since the accident, I sleep more than four hours and wake up with OUT a raging headache. Paul is already out of Nate's room and I smell coffee being brewed. I take a quick hot shower, let my hair air dry and throw on a pair of  black leggings and Nate's green Nike T-shirt, before heading out in to the main living area of the apartment.

Both Paul and Jonah are awake and slurping down bowls of cereal at the kitchen island like two teenage boys.

"Any news, Jonah?" I  ask while  pouring myself a cup of coffee. Him and Paul are the only one with cell phones right now. The rest of us have no idea where ours went in the crash. Same goes for purses, wallets, licenses, you name it. Gone. Just thinking about all the work I have to do starts up a headache. I squint my eyes and hold my temple with my coffee free hand.