A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I love you all and welcome to chapter two of California. I hope people are wondering what I have in store for Jude, which I am still slightly trying to figure out since this is a more 'Jude' centered story. But yeah, please read and review and tell me what you really think!

Kwest was sitting in studio A, currently on his break, thinking about everything that's been going on. Sadie wouldn't let him know why Jude had left so suddenly, just that she did, and she had no idea when she would be back. Worrying about Jude was just the tip of the iceberg for Kwest. He was scared beyond all reasoning for her, Kwest almost felt like he was the only person Jude had left to talk to, and now that she was God knows where, there was no way for him to find her.

At that thought, Kwest's phone began to ring, and he immediately recognized the number, "Why isn't it the ghost from a month ago,"

"Look, I'm sorry that I didn't say goodbye to anyone, but look Kwest, I have a ton of shit going on right now that I need to deal with. I just called to see how everyone's doing," Tommy said on the other line. He was sitting on the back porch of his mother's old estate. Kwest filled him in on everyone's story, but he never did mention Jude.

"And Jude? How is she?" Tommy asked, concern filling his voice from noticing Jude wasn't mentioned at all.

"I don't know how to tell you this Tommy, but she's disappeared," Kwest said sighing into the phone.

"What do you mean disappeared? What happened? Is she ok? Where is-"

"Tommy, nobody knows what happened. Sadie isn't saying a damn word and neither is Darius, all we know is what he's saying in this press release, something about her taking a temporary hiatus for we don't know how long, and we don't know if she's coming back. All we know, is that she's not here, and won't be back any time soon," Kwest said telling him all the information he knew.

"Do you think, do you think it was because of me leaving?" Tommy asked, almost scared at his response.

"At this point Tommy, anything could have triggered her leaving. But Sadie said something happened yesterday, and she left later that night. That's all Sadie has told me," Kwest added.

"Thanks Kwest, I'll call again tomorrow," Tommy said hanging up the phone as he stared out into the Montana sunset.

Jude, what the hell is going on now? I can't help but worry about you every second I'm not dealing with my own issues. God Jude, just be careful wherever it is you are...

Jude continued to drive, listening to Craig David's version of 'Come Together' for his part of a tribute to John Lennon. Jude hummed along with the song as she drove along the high way enjoying the fresh air that her lowered windows brought in, and the quiet tranquility of the isolated highway. She wasn't feeling at peace with herself enough to say she was, but she had felt better than she had in a while.

What I realized during these long ass hours of driving to California, is that one, quiet is good. As much as I love loud rocking guitar riffs and the heavy pounding of those drums, and that deep bass line, the quiet sounds of the isolated outside world is just pure amazement. As I watch these tall trees pass by while I drive 60km ((that's about 70/80 mph right? lmao)) is that I've always taken all this stuff for granted since I'm such a city girl. Don't get me wrong, I'm nothing like Sadie, but there is no way I would be able to live without toasted pop tarts or hot pockets. But being out here, with just my music going, the fresh air circulating around me, and nothing bothering me has got to be the epitome of contentment from this past month.

Jude's thoughts were interrupted when her phone began to ring. She grabbed her phone which was on the dashboard of her car and quickly glanced at the caller ID. Jude took in a huge breath, and then finally brought the phone to her ear.

"Hi D. How is everything?" Jude said with a sugarcoated tone.

"Financially, never better. Work wise for G Major, decent. Your job, heh, well you better thank God your album sales are still growing or else you would be out of a label," Darius said sitting in his office.

"I'm assuming Sadie told you everything," Jude said stopping at the intersection she found herself at.

"She told me that you found out about how you're adopted, and how you've decided you're going to need an indefinite amount of time to figure things out," Darius said. Jude was starting to grow confused as to how father like Darius was acting.

"I'm sorry, that I can't be sorry about leaving D. I don't expect you to-"

"Understand? I do thought Jude. This isn't the first time I've dealt with adoption issues with an artist. Don't worry about your job or the press. I've put out a press release saying that you've taken a temporary hiatus, that your family only knows where you are, and that we are unsure when you will be back," Darius added.

"If I'm-"

"You're coming back if you can fight it or not. Because I know music is part of who you are, and creating it is the only moment of your life when you're truly happy. You'll be back, so don't sweat your place at G Major. Just focus on getting out of this funk, and you'll be fine," Darius explained.

"Thanks D. I knew underneath all that hip hop music mogul jazz you were a softie at heart," Jude said with a laugh as Darius chuckled on the other line.

"Yeah, if word gets out then you will have to worry about your place at G Major then," The two chuckled softly at this and wished each other the best of luck. Jude hung up the phone, feeling strangely ok with her situation with Darius now.

Sadie stood at the other end of the office just as Darius had gotten off the phone with Jude. Darius looked up at her and gestured her to take a seat. Sadie did so and then looked at Darius expectantly.

"Jude's going to be ok. She needs time and space right now. She will call when she feels the time is right, and she'll be back when she's got everything in that fake blonde head of her's figured out," Darius said with confidence.

"How are you so sure?" Sadie asked, obviously shaken up about her little sister still.

"She's Jude. As much as she's put this company through, she's always kept her promise and made up for her mistakes. She's pulled through every card that the industry and I have dealt her. She'll pull through this," Darius added with a father like smile.

"Thank you Darius, for everything,"

"Like I once told Jude, 'You take care of the coach, the coach take care of you,"

Sadie left Darius office and went back to her desk where she had found a note sitting on the daily planner. Sadie looked at it suspiciously then decided to just go ahead and open the damn thing.

Hey Sades,

Wanna have lunch with me today at 12? I know there's a lot of stuff going on right now, and I really think we both, you especially, need a break from the studio.

Love you,

Kwest

Sadie smiled softly to herself and then placed the note in her purse. She saw Kwest leaning against a door frame to one of the many studios, and she nodded yes. He smiled back at her and then returned to his work, as Sadie returned to her own.

Jude stopped at a local diner and decided it was time for her to put something in her stomach. She grabbed her wallet and ipod and walked proceeded to walk into the diner, noticing it was practically empty with the exception of a young man reading the newspaper in the corner and an elderly man sipping on his coffee in the other corner. Jude walked up to the bar and sat down, grabbing a menu and flipping through it.

"Good Day miss, what can I get you today?" asked the young waitress with her blue apron, white tee shirt, notepad and pen and name tag that said 'Kate'.

"Um, I'm not exactly sure. What do you recommend?" Jude asked lowering the menu.

"Well, honestly, I'd have to say, since it's just about noon now, I'd go with the filet sandwich with french fries. It's not exactly healthy, but you won't find it dipped in grease like all those fast food restaurants. And may I also recommend our strawberry lemonade?" the waitress replied.

"That actually sounds great, I'll have that, and thank you," Jude said handing the waitress her menu and then sitting back in the bar stool.

"I hope not to bother you, but we don't get many customers around this time and I get awfully bored," the waitress said leaning against the other side of the counter.

"I don't mind at all. You seem like a nice person," Jude commented taking one of her earbuds out and loweing the volume on her ipod.

"Wow, you have an ipod? I've been wanting one of these for a while now. But with paying college tuition and dorm finances, I barely have enough to afford food," the waitress added, "Oh, I didn't catch your name,"

"I'm Jude, and you are?"

"Kate, Kate Stuart," she said pointing to her name tag.

"Oh, so you're already in college? What's your major?" Jude asked.

"Psychology. I plan on becoming a counselor for troubled teens. What about you? What are you up to?"

"Oh well, I'm really into music and I'm sort of on a vacation," Jude replied.

"That's cool, so you are in? College? High school?"

"High school. I'm a junior,"

"You're only in high school and you're here alone?"

"It's a complicated story. Really long, and I'm not really in the mood to explain it all," Jude said, and almost let out a sigh of relief when she heard the cook ring the bell and Kate was already off grabbing the hot plate with the delicious looking sandwich.

"There you go, enjoy your lunch," Kate said going over to the refridgerator where she pulled out a pitcher of strawberry lemonade and refilled her cup. "Don't worry, I made this pitcher just this morning," Jude grinned as she took another bite out of the amazing tasting sandwich.

"This sandwich, my god, I haven't tasted anything so good before," Jude said inbetween bites, quickly finishing the sandwich and moving on to the french fries.

"I know, it's a family recipe of this restaurant. So is this your stop or are you traveling else where?" Kate asked.

"Else where, heading to California," Jude replied taking a sip out of her lemonade.

"California? That's quite a distance from here," Kate remarked.

"Yeah, it is," Jude said finishing up her french fries.

"I don't mean to psycho-analyze you, but I'm assuming this 'little' trip to California isn't exactly what you'd call a vacation," Kate mentioned cryptically. "Now, how about I make a little bet with you. If I guess your intentions right, you buy me lunch. If I guess wrong, your lunch is on the house," Jude just shrugged and decided sure why not. "I'm thinking more or less, there's something you haven't exactly dealt with, and this is your way of figuring it out. Maybe it's not just one thing, it could be a series of things. But my little hunch is telling me this has been building up for a while, and just recently something triggered this whole charade,"

Jude stared at her wide eyed, glass barely tilted towards her mouth, and mouth open. Jude quickly drank a gulp of her lemonade, and then reached into her pocket and pulled out a ten dollar bill.

"Have a good lunch," Jude said sarcastically with a little laugh.

"Oh, I will. So, you don't have to go into detail, but this thing. Was it huge, as in relationship this could be the end of the life I want to spend with my true love type of shit, or just big life changing shit?"

"I'd say ginormous life changing shit," Jude said taking another sip of her lemonade.

"Mhmm, so, in the past hour, I managed to learn that you're name is Jude, you're a junior in high school, you aren't from around here, and you're headed to California of all places because of some 'ginormous life changing shit' type of thing that happened recently. I'd say I did pretty good for an hour, am I right?" Kate asked in mock conceited glory.

"Heh, yeah you did good. If it makes your ego any bigger, I don't usually open up to strangers, so kudos," Jude said raising her glass and taking another drink out of it. "God, I'm so going to miss this lemonade when I have to leave. Is there any chance I could just take you with me on my little journey to continuously make me this lemonade?" Jude asked sarcastically.

"Ha, you wish. I'd love to go with you, but I got my job here and I can't exactly just up and leave my dorm for an indefinite amount of time," Kate rebutted jokingly.

"Yeah, yeah. But this is a good excuse. It's for Jude Harrison and it's you making the world's greatest strawberry lemonade," Jude said, immediately regretting announcing who she was.

"You're Jude Harrison? As in Canada's first ever Instant Star now known to be the daily party, Jude Harrison?" Kate asked astonished.

"Thanks to my surprising and ever changing manager Darius Mills, that last part is true to all people who don't know me," Jude said.

"So, the stories of you drunk aren't true?" Kate asked.

"Of course not. I'm 17, there was only two times where I had gotten drunk. Once because I was feeling rebellious and out with Patsy Sewer, and then the second was...yeah, just not a good night," Jude said trying to cover it up.

"Mhmm, I see. But wow, I can't believe I've been talking with Jude Harrison for the past what? Hour and a half? And I didn't even know it," Kate said taking off her apron and then walking around the counter to sit down on the barstool next to Jude's.

"Yeah, well. That goes to show how much of the real me everyone sees," Jude said finishing her glass of lemonade.

"Ah, well, it doesn't matter, I happen to know for a fact now that the Jude Harrison that everyone needs to know is the one in her music and not the one in the tabloids. I don't really believe those things anyway, I read them because, no offense, the out of this world articles about celebrities like you are kind of amusing," Kate said with a light chuckle as Jude just smiled.

"I'll admit that those were a guilty pleasure of mine too before I got into the industry. But anyways, I really should get going, I've got a long way to go before I get to California," Jude said handing Kate a twenty. "The change is your tip,"

"Wait, before you go," Kate pulled out Jude's newest cd "The Learning Curve", "For the hell of it, can I get your autograph?"

Jude smiled softly and then grabbed the pen Kate was holding out, pulled the cd jacket out, and on the notes page signed the cover.

Kate,

Thanks for the great suggestion of food to eat at the small diner. I am definitely going to come back and eat here again. Thanks for the 'psycho analysis' I'd have to say that you're going to be a great therapist some day. Haha, I'm starting to sound older than you! Maybe I'll see you again some time.

Yours truly,

Jude Harrison

Jude slid the cd jacket back into the case and handed it to Kate. "I left my email address in there too, email if you'd like, I could use someone to talk to. I'll see you around,"

And with that, Jude walked out of the diner and into her 67 Mustang and drove down the road and back onto the high way towards New York.

Sadie and Kwest were sitting at a cafe sipping their coffee as they waited for their food to arrive. Sadie was shockingly quiet and Kwest was growing worried at their lack of conversation for the first time in a while. Kwest noticed Sadie would constantly check her cell phone, knowing she was searching for maybe a missed call or text message from Jude.

"She's going to be fine Sades. You heard D yourself, she's ok. Wherever she's at, she's healthy and in one piece," Kwest said holding on to Sadie's hand comfortingly.

"I'm worried Kwest. Jude's out there all alone, driving to California, and I'm not out there protecting her from what is out there. I used to beat up bullies at the play ground for her and even though we never did really get along, I'd watch over her to make sure nothing was happening to her. I can't do that because she's not here," Sadie said sadly, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"Shh, Sadie, Jude needs this. You saw how bad she was getting within the past month. She needs sometime to herself right now. I'm worried about her, too. She's like a little sister to me, if you weren't around and something went wrong, I was her last resort. But D managed to get a hold of her, and she reassured him she is ok," Kwest said wiping Sadie's tear away as the waiter brought their food to them.

"Thanks Kwest, you're the only guy who knows how to make me feel better right now," Sadie said with a soft smile as she started to eat her house salad, as Kwest smiled at her.

"What can I say? It's god's gift to me," Kwest said with a light chuckle as Sadie cracked a full smile for the first time in the past two days.

Have you ever noticed how strange it is that it's so much easier to talk to people you don't even know, than the people you've known your whole life? I mean, I just spent almost two hours explaining to a college waitress a summarized version of why I'm driving all the way to California. Is that insane or what? Maybe it's because, strangers, they can't judge you. They don't know you, they don't know what happened in your past, they just know what you tell them. So they have no idea but to base who you are off of what they've learned in the last few moments. You can't exactly disappoint them, because they don't have any expectations of you. I think I've suddenly found a new respect for shrinks. I think they actually mean they can't judge you when they say they aren't there to judge you. Because if you think about it, all they know is the text in the file they were givent to read before they met you, they don't know anyone's side, just the cold hard facts. Isn't it part of their job to try and understand what it's like to be in the patient's shoes? To try and feel the way the patient does in order to find out ways to help them? If so, they can't exactly figure that out by the 'cold hard facts' right? They have to know what was there BEFORE the cold hard facts happened. So, if you think hard enough on it, reading the file is basically completely useless. Because when it comes to that one on one hour with each other, you're back at square one, trying to get some sort of emotions out of the patient. Wow, I sure did go off on a tangent about psychology and stuff. I think my head is about to explode from all this thinking, that's it, Kate has officially drawn me over to overthinking stuff. I'll have to yell at her in all caps in an email if she ever emails me.