A/N: A One shot I did a while back.
Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star. That is all.
One Last Wish
Tommy walked into the party-lit G-Major for the first time in 4 years. He had been gone a long time but aside from the party decorations everything remained the same and everything reminded him of all he held dear. And he couldn't help but wonder why he had waited so long to tell her. This place brought them together. It pulled them closer, and all he had to do was take the next step. But eventually and inevitably, something had to tear them apart.
This time, This place
Misused, Mistakes
"Alright lades and gentlemen! Let's welcome the woman of the hour…Ms. Jude Harrison!" A man yelled into the mic when he said her name. Tommy recognized that voice instantly and turned his eyes over to Kwest standing in front of the stage. To him, he still looked the same except for maybe a shorter haircut. Tommy smiled to himself when he saw Kwest wrap his arm around Sadie and softly rub her now swollen belly. Then from the corner of his eyes he saw the gentle ruffling of a curtain, hiding the presence of someone who as haunted his dreams every night since he left.
Suddenly the curtain opened and revealed a more beautiful than ever Jude Harrison. She wore a satin yellow dress that flowed down to her ankles and her now red again hair was pinned up. Tommy's heart began to race when he saw her smile…it was breathtaking. He missed it, because whenever he saw it he remembered how calm it made him feel. No matter how bad he was feeling, when he saw her smile it somehow said that everything would be alright. No words needed. His eyes were glued to her as he watched her walk across the stage and waved to the onlookers.
Too long, Too late
Who was I to make you wait
Seeing Jude again brought back all of the memories: the good and the bad. But most of all, she brought back the memory of how he felt the day he left. How that afternoon he was the happiest he had ever been and how it all changed that night when he had to leave. His heart broke all over again as he played back the look on her face as he drove away that night, and seeing her so happy now, fear consumed him. He started to walk away, fearing that he'd hurt her again. He couldn't stand to see the hurt in her eyes like he had that night.
Before he could exit the building a hand took him back and he looked down at the young chocolate-skinned girl who had him in her grip.
"Daddy, where are you going?" the young girl had asked with concern-filled eyes.
"She's happy now. I don't want to ruin that," he replied. It hurt to even say the words. It hurt to believe that she could be happy without him. He knew it was selfish to think that but it wasn't fair. He had felt so lost without her.
"But she's the one, isn't she?"
Tommy nodded his head and smiled down at his clever daughter, "yeah baby girl. She's the one. But that's not important now. C'mon, let's go." He went to open the door again but he felt his daughter pull him back again. Shaking his head at the strength she had, he sighed and let her pull him back towards the stage where Jude was singing a song.
Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
Cause you know,
You know, you know
As he watched her sing he felt his daughter nudge him with her elbow quite forcefully and he looked at her face as it began to rile.
"You have to do it Daddy. It was my wish, remember? I need to know that you'll be happy." Tommy smiled as he thought back to the moment he made her that promise. He had asked her what she wanted most in life and she had answered that all she wanted was to see him smile. Not the kind of smile that he showed her everyday, but the ones she saw in the movies when the guy always got the girl. The ones from the pictures he would show her with a certain red haired girl that never seemed to leave his thoughts. "At least go and talk to her."
Talk to her? He didn't know how to begin. What would he say? How could he tell her that everything he had ever done would mean nothing without her? How would he just tell her? Tell her the only thing he's ever wanted to say but never could find the courage or will to say it.
That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
"It's not enough," he mumbled to himself. But his quiet tone wasn't quiet enough to hide it from his daughter.
"Huh? What are you mumbling about old man?"
Tommy raised a brow and smiled at the snide comment.
"Old man? Now let's get this straight young lady. You may be a fi—"
"Okay Dad! I'm sorry. But you're starting to annoy me with your 'I'm so scared' attitude. Just go! Get it over with! She loves you, I know it!"
"Oh, really? And how do you know?"
"Trust me. I know. Now go do what you said you would do."
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
And you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore
That was enough. If his daughter had that kind of confidence in him, then he had to have it for himself as well. He stood straight and started to walk towards the stage to finally do what he came there to do…to tell her. He was almost there when a pair of hands held his shoulders causing him to turn around.
On my knees, I'll ask
Last chance for one last dance
"What do you think you're doing?" Sadie asked as she held her back with one hand to support herself.
"I…just wanted…to ask her to dance."
"Well she doesn't want to dance with you. She's moved on Tommy. We all have if you haven't noticed." Sadie said with annoyance in her voice. She was happy to see that he was okay, but she knew that if Jude were to see him now, it would ruin her night and she didn't want that for her little sister.
"Sadie, I just wanted to see her…that's all."
"Well you saw her, now go. She doesn't need you anymore." And with that Sadie walked away feeling confident that she had just saved the day.
"But I need her." Tommy whispered to himself, watching the feisty blonde walking away.
Cause with you, I'd withstand
All of hell to hold your hand
I'd give it all
I'd give for us
Give anything but I won't give up
"Don't give up Daddy." He heard a small voice coming from behind him.
So far away
Been far away for far too long
So far away
Been far away for far too long
But you know, you know, you know
"It's too late." Tommy stated as he once again walked towards the exit to G-Major. As soon as he opened the door his heart stopped as he saw a figure in front of him. A figure he had not expected to see on the other side of the door. He looked back into the party again just to make sure he wasn't imagining things.
"Where do you think you're going?" Jude asked with a hand on her hip as she walked up to Tommy. "Are you leaving me again?" Her voice was calm, but curious. Soft but unyielding.
I wanted
I wanted you to stay
Tommy finally walked up to Jude and took her hand in his.
"I'm not going anywhere." He said leading her outside and pulling her along. " I just thought that talking to you wasn't enough. I had to show you."
"Show me what?" she asked when they finally made it to Tommy's motorcycle. She watched him take his helmet and pull something out of it. A picture. She looked curiously at him and then tilted her head to get a better look at the picture. He handed it to her and she examined it closer. On it, she saw a picture of a little girl about 10 years old with Tommy beside her. She laughing in that picture and so was he, and that caused a smile to crawl across her face.
"Who is she, Tom?"
Cause I needed
I need to hear you say
"She was my daughter." He saw Jude's eyes shoot up from the picture and he continued. "I found out about her…the night I left." A pain rushed through him as he relived the painful memory. "and that's why I had to leave."
"You were gone so long." Jude said more as a urge for him to continue more than just a statement.
"She was sick. Leukemia. She died last month."
Tommy's eyes began to water at the thought of his daughter. At how he wished he could have done more to help her. About how much he loved her. Soon he found himself wrapped in Jude's arms as she whispered into his ear.
That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I forgive you
For being away for far too long
"I came back Jude, because of her. Because she wanted me to be happy again and because I promised her that I'd tell you this." Jude looked curiously him as she took another look at the picture in her hand.
"Tell me what?"
"That I love you. That I've always loved you. And being away from you through all of this? Was the worst and best time of my life." Jude raised her eyebrow at the last statement and Tommy just smiled, understanding her skeptical expression.
"I met my daughter. And she was this beautiful, smart, sarcastic little girl. And I fell in love. And then I lost her. And that's when I realized that I didn't have all the time in the world. That I could lose this other girl that I fell in love with. And I couldn't let that happen. Not again. So here I am."
So keep breathing
Cause I'm not leaving you anymore
Believe and, Hold on to me and never let me go
"I'm sorry Jude. I really am. But I'll never leave you again. I promise you that."
Soon a smile crawled across Jude's face and when Tommy saw it, he knew. Everything would okay. Everything would be great. And she knew it too. Jude jumped into Tommy's arms and she kissed him with all that she had in her. All of the wait, all of the love…it was in that kiss. And in that kiss, the two found each other again.
When they finally pulled apart Tommy saw a little girl from the corner of his eyes and he watched her wave a hand goodbye, blowing a kiss his way. He held Jude close to him as he blew a kiss back to her. And he watched his little girl walk into the light, ready to move on because he was happy again, and that's what she had come there to achieve.
Keep breathing
Hold on to me and, never let me go.