Holiday- An Instant Star Christmas Story
Chapter 1- The Road Home
Author's Notes: Hi, everyone! I'm back from vacation, and brought this little story back as my souvenir for everyone (I wrote it then). Yes, the seasonal madness has seized me. Seriously, those of you following IS- Next Generation have noted and commented on the "time jumps" in the story. For what its worth, they intrigue me, too. I wonder about the things that story leaves out. What was Tommy and Jude's first "real date" like? Not to mention their "first time"? I may well write about those and other "firsts" later. For now, I decided to start with their "first Christmas". And since there have also been requests for follow up to "Montreal, 1999", I figured that would fit in here nicely too. So, this story kind of ties in to both of those others...
Anyway... it starts out after Tommy and Jude get together (finally!). Soon after they start dating, she leaves on tour with Spiederman and he goes with her (don't we wish the season ended like this!)... It goes from there... So, anyway, read and please review... I am toying with a new idea... now that we have the review "response" feature, I'm thinking everyone who reviews will get a spoiler for the next chapter (unless you don't want one...). Seriously, let me know... I'll enjoy sending them... but you gotta ask!
Oh- since this is a new story, the usual disclaimer... I don't own IS, blah, blah, blah...
Now, without further ado...
Chapter 1- The Road Home
The tour bus was always a cold place to be on Sunday mornings in December. No matter how much she traveled in winter, eighteen year old Jude Harrison never completely got used to it. Although for this trip, things had improved. She discovered new, foolproof ways of keeping warm.
Jude snuggled tighter against her boyfriend's still-slumbering body. Her movements didn't rouse him. But, as if he sensed her need, Tommy's hands slipped further up under the sweatshirt that she wore, touching and warming her bare skin. He pulled her closer, the contact causing waves of heat to instantly engulf her. She sighed, contentedly.
"Better?" his voice softly whispered to her.
Jude glanced up into a pair of sleepily hazy blue eyes.
"I didn't mean to wake you" she said.
"I don't mind." he replied, looking at her sweetly flushed face and tousled red hair. No woman had ever looked so good to him.
"You're gorgeous. I like to look at you." he said, completely honestly.
"Mmmm." she mumbled, overwhelmed by his obvious admiration and love. Her hand caressed his bare chest, tracing the clearly defined lines of his pectorals and abdomen.
" I know. I have definitely gotten used to waking up to you like this" she answered.
"Although how you sleep that way is beyond me. Don't you get cold?" she teased him. It was an old joke.
"You complaining now? I thought you liked it?" he responded, pulling her whole body even closer to him.
"No, not complaining. And I do like it." she sighed happily.
"I always sleep like this. Even if it's cold. I'm used to it- just hot blooded, I guess. Besides, someone keeps stealing my sweatshirts."
"You complaining, Quincy?"
"No way. They look much sexier on you." He loved the way the oversized, baggy, fabric that actually concealed everything somehow also managed to highlight the delicate curves underneath. Probably because he knew they were there.
Jude's voice penetrated his thoughts.
"I don't know about that." she said, eyes sparkling. "You looked pretty good to me when you wore them."
"So, why'd you take them?" he said, already knowing her response.
"I get cold. Yours are bigger than mine and warmer. Why? Do you want them back?"
"No. You can have any of them you want. Whenever you want. But it doesn't leave me with much." he answered.
" I thought you didn't need much." she playfully responded.
"I don't. Just you." he said, as his hand found and traced down the side of her chin, tipping her face towards his, and meeting her lips with his own. A familiar heat released in their stomachs and spread throughout both their bodies.
"Now, this. This is exactly what I want. That is what keeps me going." he whispered.
"Me, too." Jude replied, still breathless. She yawned softly.
"Is that what I do to you? Put you to sleep." he kidded her, his hand now lightly stroking her long hair.
"No. You know it isn't. I think I showed you that last night." she lovingly responded.
"That was a great concert. You were wonderful" he said, teasingly.
"I wasn't talking about the performance" she insinuated.
"Neither was I. At least not that one." he grinned wickedly, remembering. "But both were amazing. You really are wonderful."
" So are you" Jude eagerly responded.
Both smiled, lost in a happiness greater than either had ever known before, especially Tommy. He and Jude had been together now for only four months and traveling for three of them. But the trip had brought them even closer together, enfolding them into the fabric of each other's lives. She was so delicious, so open about her feelings, her wants, her needs, that it stirred the same response in him. How easy it was to love and trust her now, so completely. How quickly she had become his everything. He looked at her, as she yawned again.
"I'm just tired. You know that. All the shows, the late nights. I think I'm worn down."
"Yeah, me too." Tommy admitted. "Producing these road tours is hard work. Plus, Georgia and Quest keep emailing me other stuff to look at from home."
"Well, that was the deal, if you wanted to come. Are you sorry?" she asked him, already knowing the answer.
"No. No way. Not if the other choice was being away from you for three months. I'd never make it. Besides, someone's gotta protect you from those Spiederman guys."
"Oh, they aren't so bad." Jude smiled fondly. She genuinely liked them, having worked with them for three years now.
"They're crazy. Were they always like this?"
"Well, yeah. And someone just produced their first solo album." Jude grinned impishly at that person, the man lying right there in her arms. "They're just happy. They aren't just my backup band this time, but my opening act. You know how hard they worked for that."
"Yeah, I know they are excited. But what was up with them in Niagra Falls?"
"Just having a little fun. Work hard, play hard. You always say that." she reminded Tommy.
"Jude, they scaled a wire fence, and jumped into a swimming pool. With all their clothes on."
"I remember. It's tradition. They always do that on tour. Harmless, really"
"I guess. Anyway, they'll be home soon. Where their parents can deal with them."
"Yes, grandpa." Jude said, joking easily about the six year age gap between Tommy and the band. The same difference that once kept them apart. How amazing it was now that this was finally no longer an obstacle.
"Funny." Tommy replied.
"I guess they've been bad this year." Jude went on. "I suppose they'll pay for that in a few weeks at Christmas" she laughed. "Seriously, I'm just glad we get to go home for the holidays."
"Yeah. But remember, it's back to the road after New Years. EJ and Georgia always plan tours like that." he told her.
"I know. Anyway, so what do you want for Christmas?" she asked him, love shimmering in and deepening her clear blue eyes.
"I want you to look at me that way forever." he thought silently, but said.
"I don't know. It feels like you've already given me everything I ever hoped for."
Jude bent over and kissed him, loving this poetic, romantic side of him; a secret to everyone but her.
"What do you usually do for the holiday?" she asked.
"Usually?" he repeated.
"Before me. Before us."
"I usually traveled." he informed her.
"Where?"
"Different places. Sometimes, I went skiing. Sometimes, I'd go someplace warm, to a beach. I didn't really have any place I needed to be. You know I don't really have any family.
Jude nodded. Tommy had confided all that to her soon after they started dating. Four nights afterwards, to be exact. She remembered the evening well. Her third CD finally wrapped, and Tommy took her back to his place to celebrate. He cooked her dinner and was in the kitchen cleaning up when she began looking through his photo album. Tommy then found her doing this; it surprised him, but he hadn't stopped her. Instead, he took her in his arms and told her everything; things he never discussed with anyone before. He spoke of the car accident and how his mother was killed by his drunk father who drove the automobile, and his subsequent estrangement from his father, who he now hadn't seen or spoken to in eight years. He had no other family and had been on his own ever since then. Tommy spoke of his pain and his anger, sharing his horrible past with the woman who loved him. Jude just listened as he released everything he kept locked up inside for so long.
That night had also been the first time they made love; Jude's first time ever. Secretly, she had never wanted to be with anyone else, and now he couldn't imagine that, either. Remembering that, they both smiled again, as she said.
"Well, things are different now. You're spending Christmas with me. With my family."
"Jude, I don't know..." he began.
"What's to know? We're together, aren't we?
"Yes. Of course." Tommy answered, without a moment's hesitation.
"Well, then?" she questioned.
"You sure they won't mind? I mean, from what you told me, they weren't too thrilled about our dating? And me going on this tour with you? Your parents don't like it"
" It's not that bad. They do like you. They always have. They are just, well, parents. Protective. They just need to get used to this. To us." she confidently replied.
"Is that what you want?" he asked, loving her idea.
"Yes. Of course. Why? You want us to spend the holidays apart?" The thought horrified her.
"No" Tommy quickly responded, punctuating his response with a deep, intense kiss. "How could I want that? Ok. I'm there. On one condition."
"What?" she asked, curious.
"You come with me to G-Major's New Year's Eve party."
"Like you even have to ask." she said, eyes sparkling as a thought flashed through her mind.
"What?" he questioned, intrigued by her expression.
"We've never been to a formal party together." she said, thoughtfully,
"I know. All your birthdays, other parties. You were always with someone else. All your other boyfriends." he mused.
"Me? What about you? What about that supermodel you brought to last year's party? Tiffany somebody?"
"I barely remember" he said
"Oh, really." she teased back.
"I only remember you. I could not stop looking at you. You were so beautiful. I wanted you then. Always." he confessed.
"I wanted that, too." she admitted. "But now, we can. Finally."
"I love you, Jude Harrison"
"I love you, Tommy Quincy."
Their lips met repeatedly, in a series of kisses, each one deeper and longer than the previous one. Tommy's hands began to move gently under Jude's shirt, then abruptly stopped.
"How out of it do you think the Spiederman boys are?"
"Those guys? They were out all night! Comatose." Jude assured him, knowing what Tommy was getting at.
"Good. The walls of this bus are just too damm thin. No privacy." he mumbled, his fingers already resuming their paths on her creamy skin. She moaned.
"Another reason to be glad we're going home soon" she whispered.
"Yeah" he said, crawling on top of her, and removing her shirt. Hands and lips roamed, touching and tasting, feasting greedily.
"Still cold?" he said, smugly.
"No" she sighed, lost in pure pleasure.
"Good" he replied, reaching for the drawstring on her pants and removing the rest of the clothes from her body. With now practiced gestures, Jude did the same to him. Breathing deepened and heartbeats accelerated as passion flooded their bodies, their desire finally consuming them completely.