E.T come home

Rosalina had been staying with Nat for three days. Nat tried to act like nothing she did bugged him but he was seriously ready to pull his hair out. Even though she was sleeping in the guest room he could hear her when she cried in her sleep. That drove him nuts because it took all the strength he had not to scoop her in his arms and kiss her.

Also everyone was worried about E.T. David hadn't been to rehearsal in days and that made Nat nervous. One night when Rosalina's crying had been really bad Alex shook Nat and said "go make her stop crying. I can't deal with this anymore my ears are bleeding! She's your girlfriend please stop this."

Nat said "Alex she'll calm down. Her parents are getting devoiced Alex. Remember how sad we were when mom died?"

Alex said "Nat I was just two when she died. I don't remember much at all. What does how we felt about mom have to do with Rosalina?"

Nat said "after mom died Alex you and I both cried a lot. Then we started to realize that we'd see her again. Rosalina is going though something ten times worse. She has to choose between two people she loves very much. I don't know what to do for her. If she needs anything she knows I'm here. I'm just not going to force myself on her not this time Alex. She needs a best friend not a boyfriend right now."

Alex sighed and said "can I do anything for her Nat? I'm her friend to and I want to cheer her up."

Nat hugged Alex and said "leave Rosalina to me. Now go back to bed it's late and we have looping first thing in the morning."

Alex lied down and tried to go to sleep. Once he heard Nat snoring he carefully snuck into the guest room. Rosalina was sitting up in bed crying. Alex climbed on the other side of the bed and set his hand on her shoulder gently.

Rosalina turned on the light next to her bed and faced Alex. She tried to wipe her tears on the sleeve of her nightgown Alex sighed and said "you ok Rosalina? I know you you've been crying I've heard you at night. I want to help you Rosalina please let me help you."

Rosalina wrapped her arms around Alex and sobbed. Alex felt hot tears rolling down his own cheeks. Rosalina sobbed "why won't Nat help me? He said he cared but he doesn't show it. Have I done something wrong? Maybe I should just go home Nat obviously doesn't want me here."

Alex pulled Rosalina close and gently lifted her face so she had to look at him. Then he softly said "you can't leave Rosalina. Nat does care about you very much he just thinks that because you haven't come to him that you don't want help. Nat doesn't say I love you unless he means it. You're the only girl he's ever said it to. Please don't leave Rosalina it would break Nat's heart. I can't handle him depressed it can get pretty bad and ugly."

Rosalina said "he does love me. I know that but he only ever said. He never showed it. All I want is for him to hold me close. I wish he'd come instead of you Alex. Don't get me wrong thank you for helping me."

Alex said "he did show it. All of the songs he wrote for you and the way he looks at you when you're hurt. He loves you and you know it stop moping and go talk to him."

Rosalina sniffed and wiped her eyes. She gave Alex a quick hug and said "thank you Alex I'll go talk to him now. You go back to your room though before I come in. Nat will kill you if he thinks you bugged me."

Alex ran into the bedroom and climbed into bed. Rosalina came into the room and climbed the ladder to Nat's bunk bed. She leaned over and kissed Nat on the cheek. Nat moaned in his sleep and opened his eyes. He smiled at Rosalina and said "what you doing up? If Alex woke you I'll kill him. You ok Rosie did you need something?"

Rosalina nodded and said "I need you to show me that you love me. I know I said I wasn't sure but now that I think about it I've never heard you say I love you to any girl but me."

Nat said "how about I walk to your room with you and stay until you fall asleep? Does that show you how much I love you? Please stop crying Rosie. Did I say something wrong? I'm sorry I'll just go to bed goodnight Rosie."

Rosalina sobbed "Nat please it's not you. I just miss my dad so much. When I was really little and would be sad or scared at night he would stay with me until I fell asleep. It always made me feel better knowing that he was there. I've never really been away from him for longer then a few weeks before."

Nat hugged Rosalina and said "I'm sleeping in your room so you don't feel alone tonight. Have you been crying at night because you miss your dad? It's ok Rosie if you were. After my mom died I cried at night. It's hard when you loose someone you love but things will get better. You just have to have a little faith that they will."

Rosalina sighed and wiped her eyes then she let Nat walk with her to her room. Rosalina snuggled under the blankets and tucked her in gently. Then he lay down beside her on the other side of the bed. Rosalina's body shook with sobs and Nat pressed his body against hers so she knew that he was there beside her. Eventually Rosalina's sobs quieted down and she fell into a deep peaceful sleep. At three in the morning Nat's cell phone rang. It was David and he sounded really excited.

Nat yawned and said "David slow down I can't understand you. What's the big news you haven't been to rehearsal in four days. Is E.T ok? I'm sorry David it's just that since she's going to be my dog soon I was worried about her."

David said "E.T is fine. I'm sorry I haven't been at rehearsal. I didn't think that it would worry anyone.

Nat said "David I'm not in the mood. I just had to sleep in the same bed as Rosalina."

David said "I must be hearing things did you just say that you're not happy about sleeping in the same bed as Rosalina? Why is she really that annoying when she's sleeping that you don't love her?"

Nat said "it's not that David. She's been crying for the past four days because of the divorce. Dad said this one was rough but I didn't think that it would hurt her this bad. She really misses her dad David I really don't know what to do."

David said "I'm sorry for calling so late. Mom just told me to let you know that E.T's fine. I'll let you go back to sleep Nat. The strange thing is that the vet has no clue what is wrong with her. They kept her overnight and everything but they still don't know anything."

Nat said "are you coming to looping tomorrow? I'm glad E.T's ok but we need you for looping in the morning. If you need a ride I can have dad come get you."

David said "yeah I'll be there Nat. I'm bringing E.T as well so she can get used to being at your house all the time. This is going to be harder than I thought. It's great that you're adopting her but I'll still miss her. Nat would you think I was being selfish if I didn't want you to take her?"

Nat sighed and said "David I know how much you love her. E.T is your best friend this is hard for you but you have to let go. We'll talk more about this in the morning. I really need to go to sleep."

David said "alright Nat I'm sorry for calling so late. I told mom you would be sleeping and that it could wait until morning but she insisted that I call you now."

Nat sighed and said "David don't worry about it. You're my friend and I was worried about you. I'm glad you called man I just don't want to wake Rosalina. She really hasn't been sleeping well and I need to be here for her."

David said "did you know that she's been crying? I don't mean to pry into your relationship with her but if you didn't comfort her she might think you don't love her."

Nat said "I knew she was crying David. I just didn't wake her because I thought that if she needed me she'd come get me. I was right and now she's sleeping with her head buried in the back of my shirt."

David said "you normally would have been the one to go to her. I get the feeling that Alex had Rosalina go to you. She's not really the type to come to people when she needs them. Then again you aren't either Nat. That's why you two fit so well together. Oh I forgot you wanted to go to bed. Night Nat what time are we rehearsing?"

Nat said "I'll call you David. Rosalina just woke up. I think she had another nightmare. I really have to go."

Rosalina screamed and kicked Nat in the face. Nat didn't move away instead he pulled her close and rubbed her back gently. Nat softly said "easy Rosalina. Nothing is hurting you. You're safe I've got you."

Rosalina's whole body shook with sobs as Nat held her in his arms. Nat noticed that in between sobs she said "why are you leaving? You said love could last through anything. I love you Nat. Please don't leave me."

Nat pulled her into his lap and carried her into the living room. He sat in his mother's rocking chair and rubbed her back. He whispered "Rosalina look at me. I do love you. I will never ever leave you. Do you want to talk about your nightmare? Did it have something to do with me breaking up with you?"

Rosalina sobbed harder nodded. Nat hugged her and let her talk. When her sobs became less intense Nat asked "would you like some hot chocolate? I think that will help you go to sleep. Mom always made hot chocolate for me when I had a nightmare."

Rosalina sniffed and said "you miss her don't you. Your mom I mean. Dads are great but they aren't anything like moms. Moms know how to make you feel better when you're sick or scared. My dad tries but he doesn't always know when I need him."

Nat said "I'll go heat the chocolate up. How melted do you want it? Do you want milk or water over the chocolate?"

Rosalina said "steamed milk sounds really good to me right now. I'm freezing I'm just going to grab my bathrobe. I'll be right back Nat don't burn the chocolate. The sound of the smoke detector will wake your dad."

Nat said "I won't burn the chocolate. Just hurry and get your bathrobe I don't know how to steam milk. I'll probably end up boiling it."

Rosalina came back downstairs and said "the way you steam milk is you put it in a sauce pan on low heat for 20 minutes. Oh I'm sorry for kicking you I was just so scared."

Nat said "yeah the chocolate is melted. I figured out how to do the milk on my own. Tell me if this is hot enough for you."

Rosalina took a sip of the chocolate and said "thanks for everything Nat. I love you so much."

Nat said "you didn't answer the question Rosie. Is that hot enough for you? If it's not I can heat it up again."

Rosalina said "it's fine Nat. Please sit down and drink some yourself. You've been so kind to me these past four days. The least I can do is let you rest you look really tired."

Nat sat down and hugged Rosalina close to him. Then he said "I'm not tired I'm worried about you though. You haven't slept the four days you've been here. Here use my phone and call your dad."

Rosalina said "Nat my dad is really hurting. This divorce isn't something my dad wanted to happen. I thought she was the one Nat. The one to take away my pain but she only added to it."

Nat said "Rosie you're all your dad has. Even though he hurts he still loves you to death. Call him Rosalina and then I'll tuck you in again ok."

Rosalina called her dad and left a message for him to call her phone. When she hung up tears were shining in her eyes. Nat saw the tears and said "spill Rosalina. What's wrong? I thought you wanted to talk to your dad. Is something wrong?"

Rosalina sobbed "he didn't answer. He almost never does but he said that I could call him when ever I needed to and he'd pick up. You're so lucky to have a dad that keeps his word."

Nat said "hey I'm sure there's a good reason he didn't answer. Maybe he was talking to his lawyer or is sleeping like we should be right now. Let's head back to bed we have to get up early for filming."

After Nat was sure that Rosalina was sleeping he got up and woke Alex. Alex said "Nat if I told you once I told you a million times never wake me up before seven unless someone is dieing or dead!"

Nat said "I need some advice Alex. Rosalina is loosing faith in her dad. What was I thinking when I told her to call him?"

Alex said "I don't know bro but if I have to get up at six I need my sleep. Don't worry about Rosalina. I don't know what you were thinking either but you did it. Now I'm going to bed good night Nat."

Nat went back into the guest room and lied down beside Rosalina. He gently stroked her hair and listened to her gentle breathing. He wanted to take her pain away but every time he tried he made things worse.