Here's part one.Hope you like it

I must admit I'm having a little difficulty figuring out Jude and Tommy's dynamic now the truth is out...

Please comment.

Part 1
"It's not always rainbows and butterflies, it's compromise that moves us along"

Jude sat on the old rotting planks of the veranda floor with her back against the wall as she watched the steady rain cascade from the sky. She was aware of Tommy standing in the doorway to her right, watching her, watching for her reaction, waiting.

She pulled her knees up to her chest as she gazed at the rivulets of rain running down the metal surface of the car. Behind it puddles of rain water where merging to form one gigantic lake that covered the entire front lawn – somewhere, hidden beneath those pools of water where the keys. She could easily retrieve them and just… drive away. She had the feeling now that Tommy wouldn't stop her.

"So who is Chris?" she asked, not looking up at him.

She heard him shift, a floorboard squeaking in protest, "I don't really know. I met up with him the day before we picked you up. They'd arranged it, told us where to meet, everything. We went to a bar. The way I see it the best way to get to know a person is to get them drunk. He mentioned some things from his past, how they were blackmailing him and I did some research to fill in the blanks."

"So…" she paused for effect, aware of the bitter edge that was creeping into her voice, "You're like, the same…"

She could tell from his frustrated exhale that she was hitting a nerve and she chanced a glance in his direction. He was gazing steely eyed out onto the front lawn, "how do you figure that?"

"You're both being blackmailed for taking a life."

His expression darkened, "you have no idea what you're talking about."

She snorted derisively, nodding her head slowly, "I only know what you tell me," she sighed, "believe me – it's a very frustrating place to be."

They were silent for a few minutes leaving the steady drum of the rain the only sound in their world at that moment. How she wished he'd just go away.

"I want so much to just scream at you right now," she remarked tiredly.

"Maybe you should?" he moved out onto the veranda and extended on arm out beyond the roofing, cupping his hand so it filled with water then spreading his fingers so it fell to the ground helplessly.

She could feel it welling up inside her; the angry hate filled words but in that moment she didn't have the energy.

"Why do they want me?" she asked after a few minutes of silence.

He shrugged. "I don't know."

"I don't believe you," she lifted her chin defiantly as she glared at his back.

"I'm not surprised. I worked hard enough for it."

"You could have just told me the truth," so much for being tired; the anger was welling up again and her voice was rising.

"No, I couldn't have!" He was so frustrated, unable to make her understand what it was he was trying to say, to explain. He just wanted her blind forgiveness and understanding and was starting to realize just how blind he'd been in expecting to receive it.

She slid her legs flat onto the ground and arched her back as she leaned forward and away from the wall in an attempt to stretch out the stubborn kinks that were forming. He'd turned and was watching her and she instantly felt uncomfortable. She shrugged back into a normal, more modest position.

"What was with the camera?"

"Like I said; they wanted us to film you, to put you in these various situations and test you to see how you would react and deal with it. They wanted us to mess with you."

"So that's what that drug exchange with Chris was?"

There was an alarming pause in conversation as he processed her question. "What exchange?"

She explained about the drug deal she'd been forced to make with Chris that time they'd had to go off without Tommy.

Tommy swore, "That explains that money. They have that on tape?"

Realization began to dawn. "You think they'd use it?"

"Honestly? I don't know but I think they're up to anything."

Sighing, she leaned her head back against the wall and stared at the rusted iron roof above her. "What was next?"

"A couple of weeks like the ones we've had then I assumed they'd want me to take you to them. They never told me much in advance."

"What did you plan to do then?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "I hadn't figured it out."

"Well I think we should go to the police."

He scratched the back of his head, squinting as he gazed up at the sky. "I tried that once. He was crooked and I just about got myself killed."

"Not every cop can be brought."

"No," his eyes met hers, "but you've got to be willing to take that risk and believe me, it's not easy."

"I want to run," she said slowly, deliberately.

He turned to her, shaking his head, "It's no good, Jude. It won't work."

She stood up, brushing the dust from her jeans, "I'm not going to just roll over and die Tommy. Quite frankly I don't care what you think."

He put a hand to his forehead, smoothing back his hair as he groaned, "don't talk about dying."

She looked away, gritting her teeth as she willed her body to stay still. Every muscle and synapse was screaming at her to bolt. She had no destination, no knowledge of direction but anything bet the suffocating feeling of waiting to be captured and imprisoned.

"I'm going to do it," she said calmly. She looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm leaving."

She started walking into the house but his hand on her shoulder stopped her. It felt like a dead weight, something she just wanted to brush away and leave behind. She wanted to do away with these feelings, her confusion and resentment toward him. If anything she despised him more now that he'd told her the truth then she did when she was in the dark. She couldn't even decide if that was right or wrong. Everything was grey; there were no clear answers, no black or white.

"I'm coming with you," he said firmly, "if you run, I'll run."

She turned back to him. Unchecked, unprocessed words began to bubble out of her mouth before she even knew what she was going to say. "You're scared," she accused, "You're like some kid cowering from the headmaster. Grow a backbone Tom." She was surprised by the words as they spilled from her lips but with satisfaction registered the impact of the verbal slap. She could see the flicker of anger in his eyes. "Maybe you should stay. Tell them I got away somehow. Get of Scot free and go back to some sleepy existence."

His fingers tightened on her shoulder and she quickly reached up and physically pried them away then shoved his hand away. "That's not fair," he responded angrily, quickly, "I've ruined my life over the last seven months. I've risked everything, even my freedom. Even if I get off and these people don't reveal any of the secrets of my past… I fled the scene when Chris shot that guy. That's accomplice to murder. I've risked everything for you so don't go calling me scared!"

"It's not for me Tommy! It's for them! You haven't changed direction from what they wanted once until now. So if they're like you say this is calling down hell and you'd better be up to it."

"Shut up, Jude!" She looked surprised but he repeated it just as clearly, "just shut up. You don't know me. You don't know what I'll do or what I'm capable of. So don't go telling me what to and not to do."

"Fine!" she turned to leave then paused and spun around again. "But let's get this straight. I don't like you and I don't trust you."

"Fine!" He surprised her by leaning close, invading her personal space. "But one of these days girl, you're gonna to have to."

- -

"Note to self don't change for anyone. Note to self don't die. Note to self don't change for anyone. Don't change, just lie…"

The rain was pouring down at a steady pace as Tommy stepped out from the shelter of the house and strode to the car. He didn't speed his pace as the water pounded against his skin and through his clothes. Let it torment him, let it drown him if it so pleased. Thoughts of himself weren't foremost on his mind.

He opened the back seat and tossed the sack of clothes and supplies inside. After a brief glance at the house he leaned in and lifted the wooden floor of the trunk to expose the space that generally housed a space tire. Nestled in the alcove was an ominous black walkie-talkie, laptop, toolkit, a couple of guns and a pair of night vision binoculars.

He took a screwdriver from the tool kit and once again glanced around to check for Jude. After replacing the false floor cover and closing the trunk he knelt down on the overgrown gravel drive then slid under the back of the car. It only took a second of searching to locate the tracking device he'd known would be there. Quickly he unscrewed it then stood up once again, quickly brushing off the tell tale pieces of gravel that were sticking to his clothes.

He hurled the tracker onto the ground then stomped on it firmly. The sound of plastic shattering filled the air and after a few more firm stomps he was satisfied it was no longer functioning. He hurled it into the nearby bushed then set about searching for the keys he vaguely remembered tossing away the night before.

Teasers for Part 2
"The chaos that controlled her mind…"

He pointed to her apple, "If you throw that at me…"

She raised an eyebrow, "what will you do Tommy? Is there really anything you haven't done already?"

He rolled his eyes, "Get over it, Jude!"

There was a flash of red in front of her eyes and it wasn't the apple.