A couple hours had passed, and Natalie was on her third cup of coffee. Peter and Stephen sat together on the couch, watching Natalie sip her coffee and pace the floor. The caffeine gave her the jitters, but at least it was bringing her down. "Ya wanna cool it on the pacing?" asked Stephen, who was getting dizzy from watching her. Of course he found it hard to look away from her.

"Oh, sorry Stephen," said Natalie, embarrassed. She sat down on the couch next to Peter, who was growing uncomfortable with the growing tension between Natalie and Stephen.

"Are you feeling better?" Peter asked to break the silence.

"Oh, yeah, thanks for the coffee Peter," said Natalie. "And sorry for getting into your stash…I kinda needed a break."

"It's fine," said Peter. "So…when you left Cass' place, did you come straight here?"

"Nah, I saw someone sitting outside and I decided to say hi," said Natalie.

"Oh?" asked Peter, curious as to who would be out that morning. "And who?"

"A girl names Joni," said Natalie. "She's very nice, and extremely talented." She turned to Stephen. "Stephen, did you know that Joni wrote 'Both Sides Now'? Judy's song?"

Stephen smiled. "Yeah, that's Joni Mitchell," he said. "You thought Judy wrote it?"

"Well, I wasn't sure," said Natalie. "But now I know! I can't believe it!"

"You got it sister," said Peter. "Joni's something else, I'll tell ya…"

Natalie smiled and looked up at Peter with a spark in her bright eyes. "Peter?" she said. "Do you fancy Joni?"

"Fancy?" asked Peter.

"Oh come on Peter, don't play dumb, you know what 'fancy' means, you've worked with Davy 'The British Midget' Jones for like two years already," said Stephen.

"I know what it means!" said Peter, feeling a little flustered. "And no, I don't. She's lovely and talented, but she's not for me."

"Besides, it looks like ol' Crosby has his eye on her!" said Stephen.

"David Crosby?" asked Natalie. "Yes, Joni did say that he found her in Florida and brought her here…do you think he fancies her?"

Stephen laughed. "Are you kidding?" he said. "He hasn't said anything, but he's smitten. It's gonna take a force of nature to bring him away from her, that's for sure."

"I think every dude in the Canyon has had his eye on either Joni or Cass," said Peter. Of course he'd had his eye on both in the past, but he didn't want to bring up that minefield at the moment. He knew Natalie would find out sooner or later, but not now, and not from him. Cass was a nice woman, but she was also a gossip and talked about everything she could find out about.

"Well, they're both lovely women," said Natalie. Suddenly she looked upset; her eyes grew dull and stared at the ground and she heaved a heavy sigh. Would someone ever feel that way about her? Ever since Freddie left, she'd started to lose hope in the fact that anyone would find her worth it ever again.

"Yes, they are," said Peter, smiling. Natalie always loved to see Peter's smile; the way it lit up his whole face, and his dimples that appeared on the sides of his face. It was a very sweet smile that could brighten anybody's day, even Natalie's for a second. "Nat, are you feeling all right?" asked Peter.

"I'm fine Peter," said Natalie, her eyes looking up and piercing Peter. Stephen tried to ignore the look she was giving Peter, but it was hard. No…she was just looking at him as a friend, nothing more. Besides, it was Stephen, not Peter, whose name she had been moaning behind closed doors.

"I think maybe you had too much caffeine," said Peter. "Crashing?"

"Eh," said Natalie. "I'm still trying to get used to the move. I don't think I'm over my bloody jetlag yet."

"But it's been two days!" said Stephen. "I've toured across the pond before, I'm sure the jetlag's not bothering you—"

"I said it's the jetlag," Natalie suddenly snapped. She got up off the couch sharply and stormed off to her own room.

Stephen stared after her in utter shock, even after she slammed the door shut. "What did I do?" he asked, waving his hands and shrugging.

"You really have no clue what she's been going through, do you?" said Peter.

"No, I don't!" said Stephen. "Neither of you two bothered to tell me the whole fucking story! You really can't blame me for what happened, can you? All I said was 'it's not the jetlag' and she just runs off! Women!"

"Man Stephen, it's called being sensitive!" said Peter, standing up. "The point is that you knew that something was up with her, so you should have been more careful!"

"Someone should tell me what's wrong!" Stephen retorted. "I feel bad for her, I want to know, dammit!"

"That's not for me to tell you," said Peter. "That's for you to find out from Natalie if she wants to tell you."

"I just…I want to know…" said Stephen, defeated. "I want to let her know that it's okay."

"I've been doing that Stephen," said Peter. He sighed and ran his hands down his face. "I'm gonna go in and talk to her." Stephen said nothing; he just sat there on the couch, staring at the floor, trying not to look up at the door Natalie disappeared behind. Peter stopped on his way to Natalie's room and turned to Stephen.

"You really like her already, don't you?" he asked.

Stephen, still looking at the floor, simply nodded. Peter felt sad for his friend, but still slightly annoyed. He tried not to let it show as he turned around and headed to Natalie's door. He knocked softly and waited to hear from Natalie. After a moment of silence, there was a soft answer of, "Come in," and Peter opened the door. He took one last look at a forlorn Stephen in the living room before he went into Natalie's room and shut the door behind him.

"Hey Natalie," said Peter, walking in to see Natalie huddled up on the bed, facing the wall.

"Hey Peter," said Natalie softly. She sounded hoarse, as if she had been crying. Peter definitely saw it as a possibility.

"Natalie…Stephen can be a little shit sometimes, but he didn't mean to hurt you," said Peter. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine, I guess," said Natalie, still facing the wall. "And it's not Stephen, really…you're right, he didn't mean it…I shouldn't be taking my feelings out on anyone."

"Everything will be fine," said Peter, walking toward the bed.

"You can sit down if you'd like," said Natalie. Nodding, Peter sat down on the best beside Natalie. His heart rate sped up, but that was probably because he wasn't quite sure how to deal with the softly sobbing young woman on the bed. He slowly reached out a hand out and touched her on the shoulder. He expected her to recoil, but she lay still. Peter stroked her shoulder and her long hair in silence.

Natalie stared at the wall as Peter stroked her. She felt so vulnerable…she didn't know why she snapped at Stephen; he did nothing wrong. She just wanted to believe it was only little things that were bothering her when she knew as well as anything that they were very big things. The breakup, her family falling apart at the seams…she didn't know what to do. Peter was the only one who could help her right now, no matter how much Stephen was growing on her.

It broke Peter's heart to see Natalie the way she was. He remembered meeting the bright, vibrant girl just a year before. It was amazing the sort of stupidity that could reduce her to this. For the rest of the time there, nothing was said; Peter just kept stroking Natalie's hair and Natalie just lay there still, trying not to completely break down. She would feel bad if she broke down now after all Peter was doing for her.

"Okay Nat, I'm gonna see how Stephen's doing," said Peter. He tried to get up, but before he could, Natalie turned over and grabbed him by the arm.

She looked at him with her pleading blue eyes, wet with tears, and squeaked out, "No…don't go."

Peter's heart broke at the sight of Natalie. "Natalie…you're gonna be okay," he said. "I have to go, but I'll just be in the other room if you need me. Please talk to me if you need me."

"But…" said Natalie. She pleaded silently with Peter; she really needed him.

"I'm not gonna be gone for long," said Peter. "Just come and get me if you need anything…and Stephen too. He can be a jackass, but he'd help you."

"O—okay," said Natalie, letting Peter's arm go. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," said Peter, ruffling Natalie's hair. "This is what I'm here for. I'll be back, I promise."

"All right," said Natalie. She watched as Peter walked across the room and to the door. She was hoping he'd change is mind and stay, but he was soon out with the door closed behind him. Natalie knew that Peter wasn't deserting her, but she felt so alone.

Peter walked out to see Stephen still sitting on the couch, but he must have gotten up at some point because he was sipping a glass of red wine, staring at the wall. "Hey, Steve?" Peter asked, sitting on the couch next to him. "Are you all right?"

"Getting by," said Stephen. He took a sip of wine and made a face. "This isn't the best stuff we've ever gotten."

"Yeah, the producers haven't been paying us very much," said Peter. "Hopefully that tour will give us some decent checks."

"Have you told her yet?" asked Stephen. "That you're going away?"

"No, I haven't," said Peter, sighing. "I can't seem to find the right time to do it."

"Well, you'd better do it soon," said Stephen. "When are you leaving?"

"The first show is in Australia on the eighteenth," said Peter. "So we're out of here early the day before that…a little more than two weeks."

"Shit," said Stephen. "You know you need to let her know soon."

"I know, I know," said Peter impatiently. "I'm just scared to do it now. She's so upset and alone Stephen, and it really wasn't your fault, it was gonna happen anyway. Not to say that you shouldn't be careful, but you know. Don't beat yourself up."

"Too late," said Stephen, sipping more wine. "Feelings suck."

"That they do," said Peter.

"Hey Pete," said Stephen. "I just wanna let you know—when you leave, I'll take care of Natalie for you. Don't be afraid of leaving her alone."

"I was never afraid," said Peter. "Just…oh, well, afraid at first." He and Stephen laughed for a bit. "But don't worry, I won't even be gone for a whole month. You and Natalie will be fine. Just…one thing?"

"Anything," said Stephen, wondering what "one thing" could possibly mean coming from Peter Tork.

"Don't try to…get with her or anything," said Peter. "I know that you like her already and all, but she's too damaged right now to be with anybody."

"I—okay," said Stephen. He was pretty disappointed, but he saw where Peter was coming from. But Natalie…she was so beautiful, so kind.

"And don't you still technically have Judy?" asked Peter.

"Well, yeah, but—" Stephen started.

"Why don't you invite Judy over after I leave?" Peter suggested, cutting Stephen off, looking him sternly in the eye. "I'm sure Natalie would love that. She really is a huge fan of her. It'll give her a little more female company too."

"I—I guess so," said Stephen, frowning.

"Man, I know it sucks, but I'm telling you now," said Peter. "This girl isn't in a good place, and the last thing she needs is another guy drooling all over her."

"But I'm not drooling all over her!" said Stephen, putting the glass down on the table. "I really do like her, I wouldn't do anything to fuck her up!"

"Look man, this is something you need to talk to Judy about," said Peter. "I know Reine and I were really open, but you and Judy are a different story. Just think of how she would feel if she knew you were fooling around with some young girl."

"I guess," said Stephen, feeling defeated. He should have known it would come down to this. Judy or Natalie? He felt he and Judy were on a downswing, but should be break off something he tried so hard to make work for some chick who randomly waltzed into his life? Or was Natalie randomly waltzing a sign? He needed to sleep on that one.

Peter put a hand on his younger friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry Steve," he said. "Maybe once you see Judy again things will be different. I still think it's a good idea for you to invite her over. Good for you and Natalie." Stephen just nodded, looking down. Peter hated to see Stephen that way, but he knew that he would be over it in a heartbeat. "So… have to go back in there," Peter said again, gesturing to Natalie's room. "I told her I'd be back and I don't wanna keep her waiting much longer. Do you mind?"

"Not at all," said Stephen, picking up his glass and finishing what was left of the wine. "She needs you."

Peter nodded and went to get up and over to Natalie.

"Wait a sec," said Stephen, stopping Peter.

Peter turned around. "Yeah?" he asked.

"You don't like Natalie, do you?" Stephen asked, his heart racing. He had to know…just…to know.

Peter smiled, but shook his head. "No man," said Peter. "This chick's like a sister to me; I don't think it's possible for me to fall for her."

"Okay," said Stephen. "Just…just wanted to know."

Peter nodded and smiled, and then went back to Natalie. Stephen watched the door, not knowing what was going on behind it. He was scared for Natalie, of course, and he was thinking about what Peter said, but he also couldn't shake his feelings. Every second he thought about it, he fell harder and harder for Natalie. "Judy…" he sighed. Her face and those blue eyes haunted him, but Judy and Natalie, the two blue-eyes beauties, fought it out in his head and heart.

Stephen sighed, picked up the empty glass, and went to the kitchen to the bottle of wine again. It may not be the best stuff, but it was something to help distract him. He filled the glass and made his way back over to the couch to sit alone; his best friend was behind a locked door, and the two women he loved were much too unattainable. Even the one he already had.

In New York:

Judy Collins walked off the stage holding her guitar after accepting her applause. "Great job," came from person after person backstage as she walked to her dressing room to relax after a long show, but it all felt empty. She hadn't heard from Stephen in much too long. She knew he could be busy, but it wasn't like him to disappear like that. She would try to call him later…maybe he wrote and she hadn't checked the mail yet? No, Stephen didn't write letters, that was silly.

"Lovely today, Miss Collins," said the latest suck-up who followed Judy to her dressing room.

"Thank you, sir," said Judy, ever graciously.

"May I offer you dinner?" the suck-up asked.

"Not tonight," said Judy. "I have rehearsals."

"But this was your last show of the tour!" said the suck-up.

"Oh!" said Judy. Of course she knew that…she was trying to get him away. "My apologies. Well, goodnight!" She closed the dressing room door in the man's face and sat in the chair, looking into the mirror. Every single one of her twenty-nine years shown on her face. Granted, she wasn't that old, but when she thought of Stephen's twenty-three, she felt old. Should she feel old when thinking about her boyfriend? No matter; she had other things to worry about.

"Oh Stephen, where are you?" she asked her reflection. There was no answer.