One Heart

Nathalie’s POV

Over the course of the short flight I let Jimmy know all the details that I got from the clinic, grateful that it was a night flight since it meant Rae didn't last long until she finally fell asleep. In the end I had to carry her off since she was extremely stubborn in getting up, this amusing Jimmy to no end, especially when she curled her arms tighter around my neck in her sleep.

Once we had got the bags and made our way through the airport it didn't take long for us to get back to my old home, paying the cab driver after he had helped us get our suitcases and bags from the back. Looking up at it I had never really realised until now how luxurious my life really was- I guess when you live in riches all your life, it only really hits home once you've had to actually live as a 'normal' person.

I put Rae immediately to bed in what used to be a spare room, except now Val had transformed it to be a proper bedroom for my daughter. The room had been painted with various tones of pink; while on the wall closest to the large, four-poster bed was the painted depiction of a castle, making it really seem like a proper princess' room. All of the drawers and closet was already full to the brim with new clothes, probably due to Val and her nature to spoil my little girl rotten. It makes me wonder what Matt thinks when he sees the sudden loss of money from their account with nothing brought back to account for it.

Rae looked so peaceful behind the netting that draped around the bed, the smile that appeared remaining as I returned back downstairs where Val and Jimmy were waiting for me in the kitchen.

“Rae's room looks great, thank you Val,” I said as I looking around, marvelling at the home I had left behind. The place certainly didn't look like it had been left alone for a week, let alone four years. “Everything looks just like it did before.”

“Well I didn't do it alone,” she replied, crouching down behind the counter and pulling something up to show me before adding, “And guess what I found?”

In her hands was my custom, the very thing that was the reason why I met the band in the first place. If I hadn't of ordered it, I wouldn't have gone to the mall that day, and I wouldn't have... I wouldn't have ever been blessed with my daughter. Tears gathered in my eyes as I took it from her, running my hand across the smooth wood of the neck and the silver strings lining it. I placed it across the counter with care, knowing that I thought I would never see it again after I left it here, along with everything else.

“There is something else as well,” Val continued, guiding my attention to someone who had been staring out of the back door. I hadn't noticed them when I first came into the kitchen, probably because my mind was elsewhere. “Without him, I don't think I would've got this place sorted in time. I hope you don't mind.”

They turned until they were looking at me, their expression melded into a soft smile. “It's been a long time, Nat.”

“Alex?” His smile grew, proving I was right. I instinctively ran to him, burying my head in his chest as I wrapped my arms around him, just like I did when we were younger. “I can't believe you are here!”

His hand rubbed at my back, his smile centred upon me. “When Val said you were coming back for a while, how could I stay away? My baby sister was coming home.”

He said the last word differently to the rest, almost as if he was expecting I was going to stay forever. How wrong he was- at best, I was here for eight months, if that. I didn't want him to see my expression fall so I pressed myself further to him, hiding my face from view. Jimmy would understand, but I couldn't say the same for Alex or Val.

I deliberately changed the subject then, not wanting to run the risk that he would ask about me. “So how have you been?”

“Running things, like usual.”

“So being the big company man?” I teased, pulling back from him once I was sure I could feign a believable smile. “I'm glad I left things in your capable hands.”

“No hands are more capable than mine,” he replied, following me over to the breakfast bar where Jimmy and Val were waiting. “Plus who else is there that would take the job?”

I smiled. “I wouldn't ask for anyone else anyway.”

He took a seat beside me, obviously thinking about how he was going to say it before he came out with, “Is my niece somewhere around here?”

“She's upstairs,” I replied, soon adding, “Sleeping.”

His smile dropped slightly. “So I can't meet little...”

“Rachel,” I cut in.

It then returned. “Rachel? I should have guessed.” He chuckled lightly. “So I can't meet Rachel until morning?”

“It is almost midnight Alex, she's only four,” I said. “She can't stay up late like you or me. Don't worry; she'll still be here in the morning.”

“You aren't going to run out on me again, are you?”

His expression suddenly grew grave, almost as if he expected us to leave as soon as his back was turned. This time however, I'm not. Or more so that I can't.

I smiled to reassure him. “I'm here to stay Alex. Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere, and neither is Rachel.”

At my last comment Jimmy caught my eye, his smile dropping slightly as he knew it wasn't exactly true. Rachel would be sticking around, that's for sure, as for me... Well. That's different.

I pushed myself off the stool and stretched out my limbs. “It's getting a bit late; Alex you are welcome to stay for the night if you want. One of you is welcome to my room, and there should be two other spare rooms just down the hall, next to the bathroom, since the others aren’t prepared for guests. They are opposite each other, so you shouldn't miss them.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “And where are you going to sleep, if one of us takes your room?”

I shrugged. “I'll sleep on the couch. I've grown to prefer it.”

“Come on Nat, it's been a long day,” Jimmy said, looking me over. “You take your room, I'll sleep downstairs.”

I smiled softly. “I wasn't planning on getting much sleep tonight, there's too much to sort out. No point taking what I won't be in.”

“Nat, don't be silly,” Val interjected. “We can sort out everything else tomorrow; it's too late for that now.”

“No, it's alright. I want to.” I looked over at Val and Alex and noticed that they were both trying to keep from yawning- not that I couldn't blame them. They had been rushing around today to get the house ready for when we arrived, and I could tell they were absolutely exhausted. “Val, Alex, try to get some sleep. If not for yourselves, then at least do it for me. You've done a lot for me, so just let me offer tonight as thanks.”

Alex and Val exchanged looks, but I knew they were just trying to stare down each other's yawns. Eventually though Alex cracked and one let out, giving me the perfect moment to usher them out the kitchen without much protest. Jimmy hung behind, his expression instantly crumbling from the smile he had obviously had to feign at times to a frown. He moved instantly to my side as everything finally overwhelmed me, his arms the only thing keeping me upright as I cried into his chest.

“Don't be like this Nat,” he cooed, rocking me gently as if I were a child. “You can't breakdown like this.”

“I know I shouldn’t,” I sniffed, pulling back slightly in his arms so I could look at him. “But sometimes it is just hard to keep the smile on, you know?”

“No one said it would be easy Nat,” he said softly. “It never is. Although if you told Brian, he might be able to-”

“No,” I replied firmly. There were no tears now. “Not yet. I can’t handle him now.”

“You are going to have to tell him sooner or later.”

I sighed. “Look Jimmy, I know I will at some point, but I just got back here. I need time to… readjust, you know? I can’t just dive back into everything yet.”

“Well just know if you don’t do it yourself sometime soon, you know I will.”

“I know Jimmy,” I said, wrapping my arms tightly around him. “And that’s why you are my friend. You always look out for me.”

“Hey, you’re more than a friend to me Nat,” he murmured. “You’re family.”