A/N: HI! This is another story, obviously. But it's not really new. It's a remake. The original was titled "Your Future Looks Bright, Kinda" and if you know the story at all, I lost myself in regards to it. I felt as if I was forcing myself to make something out of it. Which really sucked because I don't want to write something that I feel is like a job all on its own. I have enough responsibility on my own that I don't want to be tied like that to a story and that is how I felt. So…I redid it. And this is the very beginning.
You can read the other version because it's still on here. They will be very similar in regards to what I've already given you, however, you will notice (once you read this prologue) that I've gone ahead and jumped a majority of the story that you haven't been given. So you will start out in the future (versus the present that I had in the other version)…although I guess it really is the present since I'm not going back really…I don't know. Whatever…my explanation sounds just great in my head, but you know how it goes when you're trying to tell someone else what the hell you're talking about. So I'll stop.
I'm writing this story (and two others) simultaneously, so updates might be erratic. Depends how fast I type, I guess. My other two stories should be updated by the end of the week, just so you know. ;D
Here's all the pertinent information that you'll need and anything you don't understand, you can just ask.
Summary: [Slightly AU [Remake of Your Future Looks Bright, Kinda She went to NYU thinking her past had finally been settled. But she was wrong. It stayed hidden until it reared its ugly head at the most unfortunate time. But she triumphed over it in the end. Now with her future beginning to brighten, her past decides it's not done with her yet.
Characters:
Jude Harrison and Tommy Quincy.
Other IS characters: Sadie, Kwest, SME (Spied, Kyle, and Wally), Jamie, Kat, Patsy, Mason, Karma, Chaz, Georgia, E.J., Portia, Darius, Liam, Paegan, Victoria, Don, Stuart, and Yvette. (They will appear accordingly.)
Apolo Anton Ohno, Allison Baver, and Brigid "Bridie" Farrell.
Other Short Trackers: Jordan Malone, Rusty Smith, Shani Davis, J.P. Kepka, Caroline (Hallisey) Kepka, Hyo-Jung "Halie" Kim, Derrick Campbell (Managing Director of ST), and Li Yan (ST coach). (They will appear accordingly.)
And introducing (for the second time :D):
Angelica "Angie" Martinez and Martin Martinez.
Setting
Toronto, Canada and Vancouver, Canada
New York City, New York and Lake Placid, New York
G-Major, G-Major New York, and G-Major London
New York University
Lake Placid Olympic Training Center
Various other places that I see fit
Title of FanFic inspired by: lyrics from the song "Past Future Perfect" by Ocean Blue. (I listened to the song and really disliked it…but the line "where the future meets the past" really struck me…so I decided to use it.)
Disclaimer [for ENTIRE fan fic:
I do not own any Instant Star character or anything related to the show. I also do not own anything related to the speedskating world (including athletes, places, competitions, national governing bodies, rules, etc.); I am just a fan. I am not a speedskating extraordinaire/insider, so anything I write about is just from outside influences. I will tell you, though, that I know quite a bit, so I may not be wrong. I do not own anything related to NYU, so anything I write is purely for my amusement and yours (ie. Dorms, classes, majors, etc.). Any songs or references to pop culture and such are also not owned by me, unless I say so in an Author's note. If anything arises that I have not mentioned that is not owned by me also, I will write in an Author's note. Anything else, I will write in an Author's note.
THANKS MUCHO!
Where The Future Meets The Past
Prologue
"Premise"
She slid to the wall as the ice underneath her vibrated from the crowd, a smile permanently plastered on her face. She grabbed her skate guards out of the basket in front of her and skated over so that the girls behind her could get their guards on as well. Once they were on, she got off the ice. The heatbox was packed with other skaters and beyond them were the fans.
The fans that were yelling and shouting her name. The ones that were making the ground shake. She walked over to her bench where her belongings stood and waved to the crowd. A group of college boys whistled in her direction causing her to blush slightly, but her happiness never wavered.
She took in the moment. Her head flushed with thoughts of the long and hard road she had taken to get where she was currently standing at the moment.
It made her light-headed, a little winded. She sat down, much to the dismay of the group of boys behind her, but her smile never faded.
How could it?
After all this time?
She had done it.
She had completed her goal.
She was now a National Team member.
She was an Elite.
The smile on her face grew as the realization hit her. And she knew she hadn't been this happy since – well, that day.
The day that she tried so very hard to forget, but couldn't. The one that had changed her life for the better, but also the worst.
But she wasn't going to let her past interfere with her present or more importantly her future. A future she wanted very dearly to prosper in.
She pushed the idea out of her head and focused on the moment at hand as many of her teammates passed her with words of congratulations.
She smiled in return, unable to form coherent sentences because she was deliriously happy.
And she had been prepared. He had told her what to expect, but nothing – nothing – he could have said, done, or shown her would have prepared her for what had happened.
She was in fourth place, round the last corner, when a burst of energy surged through her body. She didn't know where it came from, but she was happy it had. A few crossovers and a jubilant cry later, she was an official member of the U.S. National Short Track team.
And she had only been training for a year.
A very long, excruciating year. A year full of ice baths, blisters, and pulled muscles ending in short tracker thighs and an ass Beyonce would kill for.
But that had taken the cake to what she was experiencing then. Utter and complete happiness.
And it only got better from there.
Out of the corner of her right eye, she spotted him. Coming towards her. A smile plastered on his face, his skinsuit still zipped up to the top, even though there weren't any more races for the meet.
She tried to act oblivious, but he knew better than that.
Picking up her Nike gym bag and placing it delicately on the floor because he knew all too well about the damage mishandling would cause her equipment, he slid onto the bench and pulled her into an enormous hug.
His lips to her ear, he whispered, "I knew you could do it! I had faith in you. That was an amazing pass."
And as she thought her smile couldn't get any wider, it did. He was proud of her and that was all that mattered.
She pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes, noticing the genuine happiness and excitement for her in them.
"Thanks," she said softly, the first and only word she had spoken since she had won her last race.
He didn't respond, instead gazed at her lovingly until they were both called away to separate sides of the heatbox for interviews.
Hearing her name, she reluctantly got off the bench and walked over to the left side of the box, glancing over her shoulder once as he winked at her before stepping front of his interviewer.
She shuddered at his action and smiled widely, ready to turn on the short track charm she had learned from her teammates.
A young blonde reporter stood in front of her, smiling toothily. She cleared her throat once and the reporter started, her pen to her pad of paper, ready for the answers to her questions.
"Jude Harrison, how excited are you, now that you have solidified a coveted position on the U.S. Women's National Short Track team?"
- - - - - -
He groaned in frustration at the frozen computer screen, the names and times standing still for the past thirty minutes.
Stupid Live CyberScoreBoard.
He knew the race was over, but he wanted the results. Badly.
He needed to know.
He had to know.
Suddenly, the screen went black for a split second and then a newly rearranged list of the previous names and times took its place.
He scanned the list and his breath caught in his throat.
She had done it.
She had won. First place.
His girl was now a U.S. short track skater.
He smiled sweetly and pressed the red 'x' with his mouse, pushing his swivel chair back towards his printer, retrieving his boarding pass.
He pushed himself back towards his computer screen and placed the pass in his leather bound G-Major folder, amongst the rest of his important documents.
He logged off the computer for the final time in three years, happy to do so.
For one sole reason.
He was going home.
- - - - - -
She pulled her bad tighter to her body as she trekked through the semi-barren tunnel that led to the athletes' locker rooms. She turned right and pushed the door open just as her phone began to ring.
She pulled it out of the far pocket in her gym bag and opened it, not bothering to check who was calling; she was too tired to care.
"Hello?" she answered hesitantly.
"Jude, congrats!"
Her eyes widened and she sighed. It was her dad. And she hadn't talked to him since offseason had begun...five months ago.
"Hi Dad," she breathed.
She settled down on the nearest bench, noticing the room was completely deserted. She dropped her bag next to her, not caring if she messed up the rocker on her blades. Even if it meant she'd have to fix them when she got back to her hotel room before the banquet.
Stuart smiled on the other side of the phone. He hadn't talked to Jude in so long that it felt so great to do it then. Especially when she had just won.
"Yvette and I were watching that thing online. You know with the black screen?"
Jude sighed heavily. Yvette. Yuck. "It's called Live CyberScoreBoard, Dad."
"Yeah, that thing."
"Well, thanks. That makes one of my many family members who actually cares," she commented.
Stuart grimaced. He knew this was hard for her. She didn't have the support she was used to, but he knew she was strong enough without it and without them. "Jude, you know that's not true."
"Really?" she asked, her eyebrows rising.
"Yes, Yvette was watching too."
Jude scoffed. Her name was beginning to grate on her last nerve. "How can I not forget about her? Silly me," she commented sardonically.
"Oh and your sister too," he added. His eyes widened and he smacked himself on the forehead. What are you doing? he thought.
Jude's eyebrows rose even higher. They talked? She thought. And I thought today couldn't get any weirder. "Really? You talked to her?"
"Yeah, just now. She called about…stuff," Stuart said, trying to cover his ass, knowing full well his daughter would not buy a word of it.
Jude's eyebrows furrowed immediately and she sat up straight. She knew something was up. Her sister hardly called her father anymore, let alone talked about stuff with him. After all the drama they went through between both of their parents, Jude stuck to communicating with Stuart and Sadie had their mother, Victoria. It meant for less surprise visits and a hell of a lot less drama.
"Stuff, Dad?" she asked.
"Yeah, something about a meeting or something."
"With G-Major?"
"Um, I think. I forget," he said nonchalantly.
"Wow, you are either getting really senile or you're just a bad liar. I'd go for the latter at this point," she responded.
"Jude-" Stuart started. He knew she hadn't believed him, but he really didn't want to go through this with her. He didn't want to tell her. He wanted her to be able to revel in her triumph, instead of worrying about this.
Jude rolled her eyes angrily. "Oh come on, Dad. We all know you and Sadie hardly talk and when you do, it's just a bunch of arguing cause she still doesn't understand how you are still with Yvette."
"Jude, leave Yvette out of this."
"Fine, I don't care," she shouted, throwing her hands up in the air. "But if we aren't going to talk about that, then can you at least tell me what you did talk about with her?"
Stuart shook his head. "She told me I couldn't tell you."
"What?!" Jude yelled. It was then that she was officially grateful the locker room was barren. She didn't need anyone else in her drama.
Jude heard her father sigh loudly on the other end. "Jude, calm down."
"I can't calm down. You and Sadie are talking about me behind my back and you want me to calm down?"
"Jude, it's for your own good," he stated.
Jude clenched her jaw. "Fine, Dad. When I visit Sadie next week, I'll ask her."
"No, Jude. I don't think you should go and visit her. Not now, she's really busy," he spat out quickly. That was the last thing anyone needed. Especially Jude. She couldn't go. It wouldn't end well.
Jude made a sound in between a scream and a grunt. She didn't want to have this conversation anymore. Everyone said she was strong, but when given the chance to prove it, they all tried to defend her. It never worked out well. "Dad, stop lying!"
Stuart was beginning to get frustrated. He knew he shouldn't have called, but it wasn't like him to just text his congratulations to Jude. She would have been heartbroken even if she never admitted it. If only he hadn't opened his mouth. "She is busy, Jude. She has to deal with that ass of a man-" he started.
"Darius works at the New York division now?"
"No, Tom does," he finished. Stuart's eyes widened incredibly. He had done it. Even when he knew he shouldn't have. He had. He groaned loudly at the ass he was making of himself.
Jude closed her eyes, thinking she had heard wrong. That her mind had been playing tricks on her. "What?" she breathed.
He's back, Jude thought.
Stuart had no idea what to say. It wasn't as if he could tell her it was a joke. Because if it was, he'd kill whoever started it. This was not what anyone needed. "I mean, um, a, um. Shit. I'm sorry, Jude."
Jude sat in silence for a few seconds, having felt as if she had gotten the wind knocked out of her and she couldn't breathe. She looked down at the concrete floor in the locker room and sighed. "Yeah, me too. I think I'll call Sadie and tell her I'm going to postpone my trip for a bit."
Stuart nodded, noticing the instant sadness in her voice. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."
Jude sat up slightly. "Yeah, look Dad. I gotta go. I have a banquet to go to."
"I'm sorry, Jude. You shouldn't have found out this way. I am really sorry. But I'll let you go, so you can get your awards. Have fun! Yvette wanted to tell you Congrats and she loves you! I love you too, honey. Congrats again!" he exclaimed, trying to bring back some of the excitement he had diminished in his daughter with his announcement.
Jude nodded absentmindedly. Her mind was on one thing. Tommy. This was not good. "Yeah, thanks, Dad. Tell her I love her too. Bye."
Stuart's eyes widened. "Okay, Jude. Bye."
She hung up her phone and tossed it onto her bag before slumping down and putting her head in her hands.
Instantly, her head shot up again as her words finally registered.
Yvette wanted to tell you Congrats and she loves you!
Tell her I love her too.
Jude sighed dramatically, picking up her bag and phone. She cringed at the thought of even being remotely kind or respectful towards Yvette. She knew she should have gotten over her and all of the havoc she had helped cause on her family, but she wasn't. Not yet.
And if there was one man who could conjure up as much confusion and craziness with just his name, it was Tommy Quincy.
She groaned as she pushed the door open, leaving the USOEC for the last time that weekend.
As she walked to her rental car, hope rose in her. Hope that the banquet hall had a bar.
Because she was going to get drunk.
And party the night away.
Because she was now amongst the Elite. She was a U.S. Short Track team member.
And not even a fucker like Tommy Quincy was going to take that away from her. Ever.
She was going to make sure of it.
A/N: I'm sure you have questions now, especially if you've read the original (i.e. Why did Tommy leave?). I'm going to try my best and answer them accordingly. I'm still writing the next chapter, so you don't get a preview this time around. Sorry!
But I will tell you, you'll get to see Tommy coming home and Jude coming off of her high from winning. :D
A/N 2:USOEC United States Olympic Education Center (located in Marquette, Michigan; it is part of Northern Michigan University where student athletes train and where half the– mostly development – short track team used to train before they moved to SLC, Utah last year). Only the development team currently trains there; any national team members I believe are currently training in SLC. It is also one of four OTC (Olympic training centers) in the US. If you have any questions on ST, feel free to ask. ;D
