A five shot. It's sorta based around the song "What Hurts The Most" by Rascal Flatts. Jude and Tommy run into a relationship roadblock that they aren't sure contains a detour, and when everyone turns against them, they aren't sure if they'll pull through together, or alone.

If you read my other story, 'As The Story Continues', I've mentioned this a few times, but for some reason never got around to posting it. Like said above, it's only five chapters, and not to disappoint anyone, but they aren't as long as my usual chapters for ATSC. I've got this chapter done, duh, and the last one as well. The entire story's outlined and next chap is half way done, so it shouldn't be much a wait between posts. I'm also posting this on DLS if you wanna check it out there and also for ATSC fans, I've got the next chapter done except a tiny part, all that's left to do is transfer the written stuff to the computer and edit it, so look out for an update.

Well, without further rambling, here's, What Hurts The Most. Enjoy!

Part One
Innocence

He was never a TV person. Never had a lineup of shows to watch during the week or was one to watch sports, yet there he was, camped out on his couch channel surfing. The studio was closed for a week. Darius had business out of town and decided to let everyone off. Yeah. Surprised the staff too.

After the third round of going through channels, Tommy shut off the TV and tossed the remote at the other end of the couch. His eyes found the clock, and he only let out a sigh. It was barely four and he didn't have to pick Jude up for their date till seven. It only took him a half hour to get ready, shower included, so his only option was to just sit and wait.

For three hours.

Two hundred and eighty minutes.

Way too many seconds to calculate.

Maybe he could give her a call?

Although thinking he could call and see what she was up to only got as far as picking his cell off the table beside him before declining the idea. Jude's mom had returned home two weeks ago and was still making up for lost time. That's why their date wasn't until seven. If it were up to him, he'd call and make it at five, but Victoria just'misses her babies.'

Bored out of his mind he sat up from the couch and made his way down the kitchen, hoping to find something to eat maybe, when he heard the door to his apartment open up. Startled, wondering who his intruder was, he came around the corner to find Jude walking in.

"Hey." She greeted with a smile across her face.

In a slower tone, "Hey… What… I thought you were with your mom?" he asked, watching her drop her jacket by the door before making her way over to him.

"I was," Her arms found their way around his waist, him instantly returning the gesture, "but I'd rather be here."

The smile on his face couldn't leave as he looked down to her, "Well, I don't know Girl. I mean… I still have a little under three hours before I was supposed to pick you up. What am I supposed to tell my other girlfriend?"

She chuckled, "Please Quincy. You're lucky you got me." Standing on her tip toes, she reached up and gently placed a kiss on his lips. "You ain't got no other girl."

"Caught me." He replied, kissing her again before letting her slip from his arms to wander around. Not being able to help but chuckle, he watched her walk to the kitchen, helping herself to a water bottle from the fridge. "Glad to see you make yourself at home."

"Well," she began, as Tommy rested his back against the counter across from her. "when the host just stands there… Guess a girl's gotta help herself." Taking a drink she over-looked his appearance. "And I'm lovin' the Spider Man PJs, Quinc'."

He shot a look down, feeling a bit embarrassed she'd caught him in his pajamas, but shrugged it off, "I have clothes to change into. You… Well, let's hope the place I'm takin' ya thinks tank tops and jeans are semi-formal."

"I'm running home first to change at six." She replied in a matter of fact tone. Flashing him a smile she watched him make his way toward her and just as his hands were about to take her hips, she moved to her left, heading toward the living room. "Ah, ah. We're not on our date yet, buddy."

He raised an eye brow to her while making his way toward her, "I can't touch you?"

She playfully shook her head, continuing to head into the living room. "Don't really feel like it." She told him with a shrug.

Chuckling, he could only smile at her. "Yeah?"

"Yeap." She threw over her shoulder.

He nodded before reaching out and wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest and feeling her squirm beneath his grip. Her laughter at that moment made him high as he began to spin her around, keeping her feet from the ground as much as possible.

"Tommy!" she yelled in protest through her giggles. "Tommy, stop!"

"Or?" he asked while swinging her legs up so he could hold her to his chest, bridal style.

With her arms wrapped around his neck she looked to him, trying her best to suppress her smile. "Or I'll never kiss you again." She blurted out, her smile growing in size after the expression of shock washed over his face.

"Oh yeah?" he asked before digging his face in her neck, nuzzling her soft skin with his nose and making her squirm even more.

His hair tickled her cheek as he started to spin them around again, her laughter keeping him going, before he reached the back of the couch and pulled his head from her neck to look at her. Acting as if he were going to drop her over on to the couch, he felt her grip around his neck tighten, causing him to just smile.

"Don't." she warned.

"You'll never kiss me again?" he asked, but she didn't give any response.

He held her there, ready to be dropped onto the couch, just staring into her eyes. They both felt the atmosphere around them change. How her eyes turned soft as did Tommy's, and before he knew it she set her hand on his cheek, admiring him before her, and that's when he saw it. A new look in her eyes. It was a look of want—of love. It was a look that she had never contained before, but the desire was always there.

Slowly her hand caressed his cheek as Tommy leaned into her touch. Her eyes communicating with his own, letting him know what she wanted, before leaning up and gently kissing him.

With the simple kiss, their playful atmosphere quickly faded as he pulled her up from hovering above the couch. Sitting her on the back of the couch, Tommy kept the kiss going as his hands moved to her waist and his body moved in front of hers. A soft moan rose from the back of her throat, for their kiss grew in intensity, and Jude felt herself losing self control.

Needing air, she broke away. With her hands still holding his face, she let them slide down to gently grip his shoulder while letting their foreheads rest against each others. Jude let her eyes flutter open, watching Tommy's do the same seconds later as they stabilized their breathing. Her heart knew what she wanted, and never before had she felt more ready, more sure of herself, more in love with the man before her. Barely nodding her head, she told him, "I want to." In a voice so low, yet with words loud and clear.

His eyes searched hers for any sign of doubt, wanting this so bad, but the fear of her regretting later keeping him still, yet he couldn't find any uncertainty. She was ready. He was going to give her what she wanted. As his eyes left her own, they landed on her lips, but as he leaned in to connect his own with hers, she pulled back a little.

"Just…" she began, her tone quiet, and full of fear—unlike it had been seconds before. "Can we go slow?"

Tommy nodded his head, while bringing a hand from her waist up to her cheek. "Of course." He promised, giving her a comforting smile.

She nodded in return, trying her hardest to keep her eyes with his, yet divulging what she was about to say wasn't going to be easy. Not being strong enough, her eyes left his as she told him, "It's just…" but she couldn't say anymore.

"Jude." He said, getting her attention. As her eyes met his, she found the same comforting smile on his face. "It's okay. It's just me."

Nodding again, she took a breath before finding eye contact and finishing what she needed to tell him. "This… This is going to be my first."

When his eyes broke contact from hers, she felt a notch in the pit of her stomach, but no sooner did his eyes leave, did they find hers again. "Good."

Letting out a breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding, her own smile came to her face before Tommy leaned down and decided it'd been too long since his lips were on hers.

The fear she'd held while confessing she was still a virgin disappeared and Jude couldn't remember a time when she'd felt so comfortable and natural—especially when she was about to be more intimate with Tommy than she'd ever been with anyone before, and with that safety, she let herself be taken away to a world of new beginnings with no one other than the man she loves.

XxxxoxxxxX

"Will you stop watching me dress?" Jude asked, the playfulness evident in her tone as she zipped up her jeans. It was as if her self consciousness had disappeared as she stood there getting dressed. Standing there in jeans and an open blouse, she felt Tommy's eyes on her, not feeling at all shy of standing before him with her shirt unbuttoned, stomach showing, and bra visible to him. He'd seen more now that was for sure…

Tommy, who was sitting at the end of his bed with a Christmas morning smile on his face kept himself covered with the bed sheet as he watched Jude turn her back on him. "Girl, stop playin' around." He told her while reaching out and looping his fingers through the belt loop of her jeans. Pulling her toward him, "Come back to bed."

Turning back to face him she finished buckling her belt before getting to buttoning up her shirt as Tommy's hands slipped onto her waist and pulled her right in front of him.

"Tommy, I told you I have a date."

"At seven. It's five-thirty." He replied, continuing to pull her close. "Is your date ever on time?"

She innocently nodded, "I got him whipped."

Tommy rose his eye brows, "Really now?" he asked, watching the grin on Jude's face grow in size. Catching her off guard, his grip around her waist tightened as he quickly pulled her onto his lap, leaning back on the bed in the process. Jude let out a small squeal before feeling Tommy roll himself over to hover atop her. "I believe it was you—" his fingers danced along her side, tickling her stomach as she squirmed below him. "—who showed up to my place early to see me."

"Only 'cause I knew you missed me." She retorted, a smile playing across her face as her laughter died down.

Shaking his head, he leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips before rolling over and pulling her into his arms. "Just lay with me for a while." He asked, feeling her head rest atop his shoulder.

"If I lay down any longer I'm going to pass out." She told him, letting her arm drape across his chest to hold onto him tighter.

"And that's a bad thing because…?"

Yawning, she replied, "Because I have to go home and change still."

Taking it as the perfect opportunity, Tommy sat himself up a little to over look her. With a devious smile, she could tell he was up to something, however kept quiet as he looked over her. "You're right, Girl. I mean this shirt…" his hand slowly traveled up her side before gently tugging the blouse from her shoulders. "It's far too wrinkled."

Fear shot to her eyes as if realization had dawned on her. "Ohmygod." She spat out. "My… You don't think my Dad will tell will he. The shirt wasn't wrinkled before—"

To stop her rambling, Tommy set his hand over her mouth before telling her, "Jude. Stop." Chuckling, "If you talk any faster I'll have to take you to an auction, Girl. Relax. The only way your Dad could suspect anything is if you don't get that limp outta your walk."

Quickly sitting up, "I am limping?! Tommy—"

"Jude, I was kidding." He quickly assured her. "Calm down." Putting his arm around her, Tommy laid them both back down, laying a kiss atop her forehead before saying, "How'm I supposed to turn you into a nympho when you can't tell when I'm joking?"

"Tommy—"

"Kidding, kidding."

Jude let out a sigh and Tommy could tell she was going to worry herself to death and hoped to God that she wasn't going to regret what they had just shared. "I'm sorry."

Tommy looked down to her wondering why on earth she could possibly be sorry. "Girl, why're you sorry?"

She shook her head and made it a point not to find his eyes. "I'm freaking out about this… I'm…" and words left her as she took a deep breath. "I'm really happy though."

Seeing her look up to him and saying those words let Tommy know he could die a happy man. Another thought rushed through his head. "If you feel the need to apologize why not just do this instead."

His attention was hers, as she looked up at him, wondering what ever he wanted from her. "What?"

He smiled while looking down at her. "Stay the night with me. After our date. We don't have to do anything it's just…" he paused while looking away from her for a few seconds. Finding her eyes again, he finished, "I just want you to be the last thing I see before I fall asleep and the first thing I see when I wake up."

She couldn't help the smile forming on her own face as she looked up to him and placed her hand on his cheek. "You're turning into a girl, Quincy." She teased as he chuckled. "But it's a deal. I just… Well, you know my Dad would freak, so I'll have to go home first and sneak back out."

And there was that Christmas morning smile again as Tommy leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll be your knight in shining armor, rescuing you from the evil king of the Harrison household."

Bursting out in giggles, with her arms wrapped around his neck, she only shook her head before pulling him down to crash her lips onto his.