A/N-This is an idea that came to me after listening to "Home" by Daughtry several times. It takes place after Celebrity Skin. There's really not much else to say. YOu should be able to figure everything once as you read.

Key:

Bold-song lyrics

Italics-flashback

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star or any part of it. Home is by Daughtry and Big Girls Don't Cry is by Fergie. I don't own those either. I own the idea, nothing more.
Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it all
You just might get it all
And then some you don't want
Be careful what you wish for
'Cause you just might get it all
You just might get it all, yeah

Oh, well I'm going home
Back to the place where I belong
And where your love has always been enough for me
I'm not running from
No, I think you got me all wrong
I don't regret this life I chose for me
But these places and these faces are getting old
I said these places and these faces are getting old
So I'm going home
I'm going home

Tommy Quincy finished his song and stepped off the stage. After putting his guitar back in its case he walked over to the bar and nodded to the bartender. "The usual?" The bartender asked, already pouring a drink. "Thanks, Mike." He replied as a cool glass slid into his hand. He stared at the rum and coke, his poison of choice. Several drinks later, he was still staring into the glass morosely, drowning in the amber liquid. He lifted the glass to his mouth and downed the contents in one gulp. He set the glass down and pushed it forward, indicating he wanted more. "Another one please, and this time hold the coke." Mike looked at him, making no move to refill the glass. "I'm not sure that's a good idea. I think you've had enough for one night." Tommy pushed the glass closer to the bartender, and when he made no move to refill it reached behind the bar for the bottle. Mike grabbed the bottle and filled the glass, knowing it wasn't worth making a scene. He set the glass in front of Tommy who promptly swallowed half the glass, relishing the burn as it slid down his throat. He set down the glass and resumed his staring.

"Why don't you do it?" Mike asked, breaking the silence and causing Tommy to look up from his glass. "Do what?" He knew what Mike was talking about, but he hoped playing dumb would get him to drop the subject. That and the edges of his vision were starting to get blurry and he kept blinking in an attempt to get it back to normal. "Go home?" Mike asked, though it came out sounding more like a statement. Tommy stopped his rapid blinking and sighed, to tired and drunk to lie. "Even if I did, it wouldn't matter. She probably hates me. I'd hate me too. I do hate me, actually." His words slurred slightly and he didn't object as Mike took the glass from him. "Why do you hate you? And why would she hate you?" Tommy sighed, "Why wouldn't she hate me? I kissed her on her sixteenth birthday, than told her to pretend it never happened. Then I started dating her sister. I broke up with her sister, got locked in an abandoned club with her on her seventeenth birthday. I kissed her, and then asked her out. I showed up to the date late, told her I was leaving and probably wouldn't be back, and left. But that's not all. I came back, she eventually forgave me. Then, this guy whose sister I was engaged to came to make me pay because his sister, the girl I was engaged to, died and he thought I killed her. The girl and I dated very briefly, until she walked in on her sister and me kissing. Which was actually her sister was kissing me. I was too drunk to stop her. Then the guy held her hostage, got me to come, had a knife, thankfully no one got hurt and he's in jail again. Then I left, and here I am. I did it to protect her, but I miss her so much. I love her more than she knows. There's always been something to keep us apart. I was too old, or we worked together. We finally got a chance to be together and I blew it. What do I do?" Tommy sighed, feeling drunk and stupid. The though of Jude made his heart ache, he wanted so badly to take her in his arms and take away every stupid thing he'd ever done. "If she loves you as much as you love her, all you have to do is make sure she knows it. If she really loves you, she'll be waiting for you." Tommy looked at Mike, fighting the throbbing that was starting in his head. "You think so?" The whole time he'd been coming to the bar and singing, he'd never stopped to think that maybe Mike had another life, something besides the bar. "I loved a girl once too. But I never go to tell her that. You have a chance to tell her how you feel. You can still get your girl. Don't let that chance pass you by." Tommy thought about this for a minute, then stood and set some bills on the counter, swaying slightly. He picked up his guitar case and left, hailing a cab as he got outside. Once he was back at the hotel guesthouse he was staying in, he downed two aspirin and half a bottle of water and fell asleep on the couch.

The next morning…

Tommy sat up and immediately closed his eyes. His head was throbbing and the sunlight pouring through the open curtains of the window opposite the couch wasn't helping. Half-asleep and eyes half-open, he stumbled across the living room and into the bedroom. Grabbing a bottle of aspirin from the bedside table, he opened his eyes fully and walked to the bathroom, with considerably less stumbling. He attributed this to the fact that he could open his eyes fully in the darkness. After swallowing the two pills he made his way back to the living room, much more awake. Groaning, he yanked the evil curtains shut. Able to see again, he made himself breakfast and coffee. A few hours later, he was packed and checked out and on his way to the airport. Once on the plane, he turned on his iPod and tried to focus unsuccessfully on the music. Memories of the day he'd left kept invading his thoughts and finally he took the ear buds out and turned off the iPod. He sighed and continued to shift restlessly in his seat as the memories came flooding back.

"I'm doing this to protect you, Jude. Please try to understand." Tommy pleaded with Jude, trying to make her understand. "Really? Because the last time I checked, protecting someone meant keeping them from getting hurt. This is hurting me!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and it broke his heart. "I'm so sorry Jude. I love you." He kissed her with everything he had before turning and walking to the plane, barely able to hold back his tears. He didn't look back; he knew he'd never leave if he did. He hated himself for hurting her again, but he was doing it for her own good. Right?

The pilot's voice came over the intercom, announcing they would be landing soon and jerking Tommy out of his memories. He fastened his seatbelt and put his iPod away, making sure he had everything. Half an hour later he had gotten the viper out of storage and was driving a familiar route. As he pulled up to the two story house he'd drive to so many times he heard a voice that sent shivers down his spine. He recognized the voice instantly as the song floated out of the open window. He could see her shadow framed by her window, pace and writing. His breath caught in his throat as he listened to the song.

The path that I'm walking
I must go alone
I must take the baby steps until I'm full grown
Fairytales don't always have a happy ending, do they
And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay

He got out and walked up the front steps. He knocked and waited as he heard shuffling on the other side of the door. "Go to hell." Tom winced as the door slammed in his face. "Sadie! Come on, open the door." The door opened, hitting the wall with a bang, to reveal a very angry Sadie. "I'm not going to let you hurt my sister again. I'm done cleaning up the mess you leave behind every time you break her heart." He felt his temper flaring but tried to stay calm. "I was trying to protect her. Hunter was trying to hurt me by hurting Jude. I couldn't let that happen again!" Tommy was breathing heavily, his eyes like icy fire. Sadie's eyes held the same amount of fire. "Why should I let you near her again? Why? You'll just hurt her like you always do!" What happened next shocked Sadie as much as it shocked Tommy. "I love her, that's why! I love her more than anything. I was miserable away from her." What was shocking was that he said it aloud, not that he yelled it for the whole neighborhood to hear. Although that was a bit shocking too. He had never said it out loud; he had never really needed to. Anyone could tell there was something between them.

"Well, she doesn't love you." Sadie said uncertainly. "She can speak for herself. Let him in Sadie." Jude had appeared at the door, her voice flat, the only emotion anger. "Jude, I am not going to let him hurt you again. Why should I?" Sadie stomped her foot in frustration. "Because I love him." Tommy and Sadie turned to look at Jude, who'd spoken as though she was commenting on the weather instead of her love for her co-producer and, well, soul mate. "What?" Tommy was sure he'd heard wrong. Jude could not have just said she loved him. Though he had just yelled to her entire neighborhood that he loved her, so nothing was impossible. "I love you. I'm tired of being miserable because I'm too afraid to let myself love you. We all know it's going to happen, so why try to stop it? There's no reason for us not to be together. I'm eighteen, that's not an excuse. I don't know about you Tommy, but I want to give us a chance." That's all Tommy needed to hear. He pulled her against him and kissed her passionately. They forgot Sadie was there until she cleared her throat. "Obviously I can't stop you, so if you're going to make out could you take it somewhere where the neighborhood and I can't see?" She was smiling as she said it, aware that she was possibly encouraging bad behavior. But as long as her sister was happy, she was happy. "Hm, the recording booths are soundproof." Tommy smiled at Jude devilishly. "Nice try Quincy." Jude replied, punching his arm playfully. "Ow!" Tommy cried with a exaggerated hurt expression. "Wimp." Jude coughed. Sadie laughed as she went back inside, shaking her head as she closed the door. Tommy chased Jude around the yard, threatening to tell everyone about the pair of Hello Kitty footy pajamas she'd bought as a joke. When he caught her he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist so she couldn't escape. "I'm glad you came home Quincy." Jude turned her head to look at him and both were immediately aware of how close their faces were. "Me too, girl, me too." He smiled as he leaned in to kiss her again. "So glad."