Hey everybody!! Another story yeah!!!! I don't know why but this story has been stuck in my head now for weeks so I finally started typing it up and I really found I liked it. So I hope everybody else does too. I love reading reviews so please leave one. I take criticism as long as it's constructive. Enjoy!!

Disclaimor: I do not own Instant Star. Wish I did but maybe someday...

Chapter 1

I walked out of the airplane smiling politely at the flight attendant who was thanking everybody for choosing Northwest. The plane ride had taken forever and I was ready for some piece and quiet. I hadn't even made it to baggage when my cell phone starting playing "Dontcha" from the Pussycat Dolls; Sadie's ring tone.

"Hey Sadie," I said dodging around a stray toddler who was breaking away from his Dad or Mom.

"You're coming tonight right," she asked sounding distracted.

"My flight was fine, thank you for asking," I said smiling when I heard Sadie taking a deep breath on the other end of the phone.

"I'm sorry Jude," Sadie said sheepishly. "Rissa's being obnoxious today and my patience ran out by ten this morning. School needs to get back in session like now."

"She's only in preschool," I said confused.

"Ask any mother Jude, two hours three times a week is like taking a week long vacation in Hawaii," Sadie said making me laugh.

"Don't worry, tell Rissa Auntie Jude will be there in a couple hours," I said smiling as I pictured Sadie's baby girl Marissa. She was a mixture of Sadie and Kwest in the looks department but her attitude was all Sadie. Which was probably why Marissa was constantly driving Sadie nuts. Kwest rarely complained but he also had to handle Sadie so he was used to it.

"Thank God," Sadie said making me laugh. "You don't understand, her knowing you are coming will give me at least a half hour of peace."

"Anything to help," I said grabbing my suitcase from the baggage belt.

"So meeting with Darius huh?" Sadie said changing the subject.

"Yep," I said making my way out of the airport. I saw Darius's driver holding up a sign with my name on it. I smiled as he held open the door of the car and I climbed in sighing as I settled back, relaxing for the first time in what seemed like forever. "I think we're going to talk about my next album and any upcoming appearances. It should be quick and then I have to head home to shower and change."

"I feel like I haven't seen you in forever," Sadie said quietly.

"You saw me last week," I said watching the scenery pass by. The airport wasn't far from G Major so I knew I only had a couple minutes before we'd get there.

"I know," she said even more quietly. "I just need to talk to you…tonight."

"Well I'm up for a sisterly chat," I said gathering my stuff together when I saw G Major coming up. "But I just got to G Major and I want to get the meeting over with. I'll be there soon Sade's."

"Bye Jude," she said before hanging up.

I closed my phone as I climbed out of the car and smiled and thanked the driver before I headed into G Major. It hadn't changed much over the years. Darius liked it's location and had opened another G Major in New York City. Hence my business trip I had just gone on. Being G Major's first success, I had to sing at the opening but whereas everybody else flew home yesterday, I'd stayed for one more night.

Jake Ryan, my first serious relationship in a long time, had had a movie premiere and had requested my appearance. Normally I avoided the media like the plague but I didn't want to get another lecture on how to be a proper girlfriend to a movie star. I was sick of fighting and by going to the premiere I had put off any lectures for at least a couple weeks.

"Jude," Jamie said walking up to give me a huge hug. It had been weeks since I'd seen him. The first week he had been on vacation where he'd joined Patsy on the last week of her tour and the second week he had been in Los Angeles doing damage control on a G Major's number one pain in the ass Karma.

"How's life?" I asked pulling back still momentarily surprised to see him in a suit. Ever since G Major had hired him on for Liam's old job he'd become quite the professional.

"Finally made peace with that hotel," he said rolling his eyes. "How any Pop Princess can do that much damage to a hotel is beyond me?"

"At least you saw sun," I said making a face as I looked back outside. Winter had officially hit Toronto with lots of snow and freezing temperatures. It was my least favorite time of year. "Did you go to the beach?" Before Jamie could say anything, I added, "and even if you didn't, lie to me."

Jamie smiled. "Yes Jude, I went to the beach where I swam in the ocean, laid in the sun and drank tropical fruit drinks with the little umbrellas."

"I hate you," I said pretending to glare at him.

"You told me to lie," Jamie said laughing. "The truth is far less exciting, believe me."

"Oh I do," I said imagining him in the countless meetings he probably attended.

"Jude! Darius is waiting," Kwest called from across the room.

"Gotta go," I said giving him one last hug. "Call me, we'll plan a night out."

"Patsy's already planned a night out for all of us," he said heading towards his office.

I shook my head remembering the last time I had gone out with Patsy. It had involved lots of alcohol, a fight with a couple of biker chicks and me bailing her out of jail. I don't think she ever told Jamie about that one.

"How was your flight?" Kwest asked as I finally joined him.

"Crazy turbulence, screaming kids and lots of autographs," I said shuddering just thinking about my flight from hell.

"So…normal," he said grinning.

"Yep," I said as we walked into Darius's office.

"So the star finally returns," Darius said laying the magazine down that he had been looking at.

"It was one day," I retorted rolling my eyes.

"Is it true?" Darius asked smirking.

"Is what true?" I asked looking at Kwest to see if he had any clue what Darius was talking about but he was just as confused.

"Jude Harrison's in love!" Darius said holding up the magazine he had been looking at.

I closed my eyes when I saw the article he was talking about. It was a picture of Jake smiling down at me and I was just staring up at him. It was outside the premiere and at the time I had been pleading with him to take me back to my hotel. There had been no love in that picture on my part.

"You see, this is why I don't go to his premieres," I said crossing my arms over my chest.

"It's just an article Jude," Kwest said trying to calm me down.

"But I can usually avoid this nonsense," I sat still a bit peeved.

"As long as you are dating Jake Ryan, you'll have to put up with the press," Darius pointed out.

I stared at Darius trying to see what he thought about the situation but I could never tell if he was okay with me dating Jake. At the beginning he had seemed fine with it but lately he almost seemed like he wanted us to break up.

"I know," I finally said. Ever since the bad press from the pictures I had not posed for, I'd done my hardest to have only good press or no press. But now that Jake's career had really taken off, keeping out of the press was beginning to be a problem.

"I just wish they wouldn't print something without asking us if it's true," I said quieting when I realized they were both staring at me. "Okay, so I know that'll never happen but I can always hope."

"Moving on," Darius said throwing the magazine in the trash. "The opening was good. Big crowd, good song choices but I think it's time we start working on your fourth album."

"I agree," I said smiling. I hadn't been in the studio for over a year with the touring schedule Darius had had me on and I missed it. I had a ton of songs already written and I couldn't wait to get back in the studio to lay them down.

"But I was thinking we might make a couple changes," Darius said slowly looking between Kwest and me.

"Changes?" I asked confused.

"I'm thinking about bringing in an old producer," Darius said leaning back in his desk chair. "Your last CD was good but I want this one to surpass all the others."

"I'm sure it will," Kwest said leaning forward. I knew he had to be worried. He produced my last album. He had been a great producer, they'd had a great time making my third album.

"Kwest," Darius said not even acknowledging what Kwest had just said. "I'm putting you on Karma's new album. She's becoming a hellion to work with and she's fired her last two producers. I need somebody who is good at keeping peace to produce her."

"But what about me?" I asked after a moment of silence had gone by.

"Like I said," Darius said smiling confidently at me. "I want to bring in an old producer."

"Don't you mean a new producer," I said trying to think of who he was talking about. He'd brought on two producers in the last year but they weren't experienced enough to work on my albums. They could possibly co-produce but never take on my whole album.

"No, I mean an old producer," Darius said taking a deep breath. "I've taken Tom Quincy back on as my head producer. He's expressed some interest in producing your album so I told him I'd run the idea by you."

"Tommy…" I mouthed his name. I couldn't even put any sound behind it. I hadn't seen him in three years. Not since he'd abandoned me on our…first date….or whatever the hell it was suppose to be. He'd never called and after the sixth month of no answer to my phone calls or emails. I'd never said his name out loud again and nobody mentioned him to me. It was almost like we'd forgotten he'd ever worked here.

The next thing I remember is driving to my apartment where I showered and changed without even realizing what I was doing. I kept picturing Tommy's face the last time I'd seen him. He'd been distracted about something and even a little angry. He'd left me standing in a busy street while he went off to only God knows where.

But now he was coming back. I looked in the mirror, trying to figure out what exactly I was feeling about the situation. I knew I was angry, really angry. I was still hurt that he'd never called me to explain. But another part of me was excited. I couldn't wait to see him again, I mean, it was Tommy.

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I tried to smile when Sadie opened her door an hour later but I knew I failed miserably when she pulled me inside and led me straight to the living room. I could hear the rest of the family in the kitchen but I wasn't ready to talk to them yet. I needed a sisterly chat.

"Kwest told me," Sadie said before I could say anything. "So he's really coming back huh? I can't say I was expecting it, I never thought he'd come back."

"Me either," I admitted biting my lip.

"You okay?" Sadie asked softly when she heard our father coming down the hall.

"I don't know," I said standing up when Stuart walked into the room. "Hey Dad, where's Yvette?"

"She's admiring Rissa's pony collection," he said giving me a big hug. "I am suppose to send you to her room as soon as I see you."

"I've been summoned," I said smiling as I walked out of the room.

Walking through Sadie's house, our old house, always brought back so many memories. She'd changed it, made it more hers than my mom's. But she'd done a good job. I especially loved the stairway, it was decorated in pictures of Rissa and she always looked like an angel.

"Where's my favorite niece?" I asked peeking around my old bedroom doorway.

Marissa's room was every three year old's dream. Well, three year old princess anyway. It was pink, every shade imaginable. With a princess canopy and a mural on the wall of a enchanted castle with fairies and butterfly's flying around. She had a wall dedicated to her favorite thing in the whole world, My Little Pony's. She collected them and her newest craze was to get the ones that were no longer available. Hence the pony in my pocket.

"Auntie Jude!" she yelled knocking me over with the strength of her hug. I was laughing as I sat us both up.

"That's the best greeting I could have asked for," I said kissing her all over her face.

"What'd you bring me?" she asked smiling innocently.

"Bring you?" I asked pretending I was confused. "Now why would I bring you anything? I mean, it's not your birthday or a holiday. It's actually just a Thursday, there's nothing special about today is there Yvette?" I looked at my Stepmom who was actually a really amazing woman.

It took me awhile to warm up to her but with Sadie's help, I tolerated and quickly grew to like her. My dad married her two years ago and both Sadie and I couldn't be happier. She made him so happy and I couldn't have asked for a better Stepmom.

"I don't think so," she said playing along. "I think it's just any other Thursday."

"Please," Rissa said pouting.

"Oh no, not the puppy face!" I sang ticking her until she started laughing. "That's the smile I love and so does Starcatcher." I put the latest pony I'd found at a cool little shop in New York City. It was no longer available in regular retail so I knew the gift would be a hit.

"Starcatcher!!!" she screamed getting up and running over to her pony castle. She immediately started playing and forgot that either Yvette and I existed.

"So…" Yvette said patting beside her on Rissa's bed where she was sitting. I got up and made my way so I was sitting beside her. "Sadie told me that he's coming back."

"Yeah," I said softly. I'd ended up telling Yvette the whole Jude and Tommy story at the night of her bachelorette party. I was drunk of course so my emotions had been all over the place but she didn't pass judgment. All she'd said was 'he's a fool.' I think that's when I really realized she was like my second Mom; and since I have no clue where my real Mom is, having Yvette around is nice.

"I'm guessing you're scared," Yvette said running her hand down my hair.

"Scared?" I asked more to myself than to her. "You could say that. I'm angry, nervous and…"

"Happy," Yvette supplied the last word.

"Does that make me sick?" I asked sounding way to pitiful to my liking.

"No, it makes you human," Yvette said shaking her head. "He was a big part of your life for awhile. When he left the way he did, you never got closure. You just had to move on and now I think you'll finally get that closure."

"Hey, nobody waited for me for the girl talk," Sadie said pouting in the doorway. See, I told you Rissa took after her mother.

"Just barely," I said motioning her over.

"So we're talking about Tommy," Sadie said after she got comfortable.

"Not anymore," I said shaking my head. I didn't want to talk about him anymore. Soon enough I'd have to talk to him and until that happened, I wanted to remain Tommy free. At least out loud, in my head it was like a projector was running with only pictures of Tommy and our conversations.

"But-" Sadie said confused.

"You told me you needed to talk," I said remembering our phone conversation. "So spill."

"It's stupid," Sadie said rolling her eyes.

"That may be," I said laughing when she smacked my arm. "But I still want to know. I could use some stupid talk right now."

"I'm pregnant," Sadie said quietly smiling when I stared at her with my mouth hanging open. "Yvette, I do believe I've made her mute."

"I'm just shocked you'd think that was stupid!" I said smacking her this time. "You're having a-"

"Glass of water with dinner yes," Sadie said motioning her head towards Marissa.

"How can you think that's stupid?" I asked glaring at her.

"Here I am worrying about having another baby and you actually have a real life soap opera moment happening in your life," Sadie rambled on. "I mean, your first…whatever he was, is coming back. It's like a story line right out of One Live To Live."

"Why are you worrying about having another one?" I asked ignoring the rest of her ramblings.

"It's too soon," Sadie said sadly. "We wanted to wait a couple more years. I mean, I was just getting ready to go back to work part time and now I'm going to be sick all over again."

"Maybe you won't have morning sickness this time," Yvette said quietly patting her belly.

"Plus Kwest is going to be producing Karma now instead of you," she said beginning to pout a little again.

"True," I said thoughtfully. "He's going to be working crazy hours with her and be all grumpy because Karma is a pain in the ass. She's good at causing drama."

"Oh I'm not worried about her," Sadie said shaking her head. "I'll just go all hormonal on her ass. No court would convict me."

I laughed. "I would pay to see that."

"I'm just afraid he's going to be upset with the timing," Sadie said finally. "He's been talking about how much work it's going to be producing Karma and I just don't want to add another baby to his plate."

"He's going to be happy Sadie," I said smiling reassuringly. "He loves you and he adores Rissa. He's going to flip when he finds out. Remember how excited he was when you were pregnant with Rissa."

"Yeah," Sadie said smiling at the memory.

"Well then," I said giving her a hug. "No more worrying."

"I say we go join the gentlemen," Yvette said standing up. Sadie led the way with Yvette right behind her talking baby names. I followed more slowly taking my time. I wanted to be talking baby names but I was too wrapped up with Tommy coming back. He was all I could think about once again. Damn, maybe I hadn't changed that much in three years.