-1A/ N: Here's the new chapter. Sorry it took so long to get this out but school has me crazy busy. Thank you to all those who review. I'm glad you guys like it. Don't forget to review. I promise Jommy this chapter and more the next.

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star.

Chapter 4

Darius motioned for Jude and Kwest to sit down. Jude swallowed nervously and clutched the package in her hand tightly to her chest.

"You're done recording your latest hit?" Darius smiled.

" Yeah, but there's actually something I need to talk to you about." Darius waited for Jude to continue but noticed the glance that she exchanged with Kwest.

Darius let out a heavy sigh. " I'm not going to like this am I Jude?" Darius shook his head.

" D. First of all I want to say.."

"Out with it."

Jude looked down at her feet then at Kwest who just smiled at her and nodded his head.

" There's a part about the night of my second album release party that I left out when you asked me about it."

"Which is?"

She began to tell Darius the whole story. How she was completely broken and just wanted to escape. About the guy at the bar and all the drinks he bought for her.

" The next morning I woke up to knocking on Mason's door. It was Jaime and well you know the rest."

"Jude. Why are you telling me this now?"

Jude took a deep breath and handed the envelope to Darius. He eyed Jude before he opened it. As soon as he skimmed through the contents his eyes grew wide.

"When did you receive this?" The anger in his voice more than evident.

" Today. I opened it about an hour ago." Jude said meekly.

Darius pressed the intercom on his desk.

" Sadie. Hold all my calls. I'm here for NO ONE! GOT IT?" he said sternly.

"Yeah. I got it." Sadie responded on the other end.

" What else happened with this guy?"

Jude looked at D with a confused expression. Darius raised his eyebrows at her. She suddenly understood what he meant. The pictures implied a lot of things. A lot of bad things.

" I don't remember exactly."

" Well. What do you remember exactly? "

" I remember we went to Mason's room and then I passed out." She said quickly.

" Did you sleep with him?" Darius said bluntly.
Jude was taken back by his directness.

Jude bit her lip in concentration. There were a lot of things she didn't remember and a lot of things she didn't want to remember about that night. She honestly couldn't remember everything that went on in that room.

" What if I did sleep with that guy and I don't remember? Oh come on Jude you would remember something like that."

She looked up at Darius who was still waiting for an answer.

" No. I didn't."

"You don't sound all that convinced."

Darius leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. Jude waited for Darius to let her have it. But instead he smiled at her.

" We can fix this Jude. Big D will make it go away." Jude let out a breath she didn't realize she had held.

Darius face turned sour again

" DON'T do that again. Understand?"

"Sure D. Good girl from now on." Jude held her hand over her heart.

" Good. Now get out of here. I have to get together with some people to see how we can fix this."

Kwest and Jude walked out of Darius office.

" You see Jude, everything will be o.k."

Jude smiled up at him and pulled him into a hug. She leaned in and kissed Kwest on the cheek. "What would I have done without Kwest" Jude thought.

Kwest stroked her cheek and led her back to the studio.

Sadie meanwhile had seen the whole scene take place and she was not happy. "Is there something going on with Jude and Kwest?" Sadie thought to herself. She bit down on her pencil and tried to figure out a way to ask Jude what was going on. " And why did they both go in to talk to Darius?"

A few days passed and Jude felt like everything in her life was falling into place. Her album had gone platinum, the press conference went great, Darius said the blackmail dude had agreed to keep quiet about the pictures with the money D offered him. And the new Instant Star finals were tomorrow. Jude had met some of the finalists. The one that stood out the most was Karma. Jude figured she would probably win. She seemed cool and she said she was Jude's # 1 fan. Who wouldn't love that right? Everything was perfect. Well almost. The only thing missing was Tommy. Oh and Sadie had been acting really weird lately. She could have sworn she gave her an evil look when Jude went out to lunch with Kwest yesterday. She was trying to figure out why Kwest had not asked out Sadie again. Nothing wrong with that.

Instant Star Finals ( Backstage)

" Jude!"

Jude turned around to see who was calling her. It that girl Karma.

"Hey what's up."

"I just wanted to thank you all your help this week. I know that if I win. It'll be all thanks to you." Karma smiled and pulled Jude into hug.

Jude felt awkward hugging her. I mean they had just met but hey, she was fan.

" Wow. You are so sweet. So are you nervous?"

"Yeah. A little."

"Well you'll do great. I know it."

"Karma you're up." Karma ran toward the stage hand and glanced back a Jude one more time. Flashing Jude one of her famous smiles.

Jude looked toward the stage and remembered when she won Instant Star. She was a nervous wreck. She never thought she would make it out of the bathroom. Jude laughed quietly to herself at the thought. Unexpectedly she felt someone looking at her. She turned around to see who it was. Nothing could have prepared her for who stood just a few feet in front of her.

" Hey girl." The man smiled at her .

Jude smiled back and walked towards him. Suddenly remembering she was supposed to be angry at him. But how could she? She had dreamt about seeing him again so many times. Thought about all the things she would say to him. Where did he go? Why did he go? But at that moment she could do anything but look at him.

"Quincy" Tommy walked towards Jude and reached for her. Jude soon found herself in the arms of Tom Quincy. His limbs wrapped around her tightly. He couldn't believe he was seeing her again. Months and months of waiting to come back and not being able to. With out even noticing it, he inhaled the scent of her hair. How good she smelled and so typically Jude.

Jude noticed him doing this but didn't say anything. She was guilty of the same thing. How she missed the smell of leather and cologne.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a little voice. It wasn't until she listened that she heard what the voice was saying.

Jude pulled away from Tommy to see a little girl of about four tugging at the bottom of Tommy's jacket.

" Daddy. I'm thirsty." The little girl said rubbing her eyes.

Jude's eyes flew from the girl to Tommy.

" Daddy?!" Jude said in a loud whisper. Before she could contain herself, tears stared to form in her eyes.

" Jude. It's not what you think."

Jude just shook her head at him and tried to rush past him. But she wasn't quick enough. Tommy had a firm grip on her upper arm.

" Girl let me explain."

" Don't call me girl. I'm not your girl." She spat. Tommy sighed and loosed his grip on her. She needed to leave. She didn't want to let Tommy see how easily he broke her.

She ran past Tommy towards the dressing rooms.

Jude tried to get away from Tommy.

"Tommy has a kid"

Jaime, who had seen the whole scene unfold, made his way to where Jude had ran to.

He saw her sitting in a chair. Her head resting on the table in front of her.

" Hey." Jaime said, quietly entering the room.

Jude looked up to see who had entered. She wiped her nose with her hand as best she could. Her eyes bloodshot and swollen from her tears.

"You ok?"

"Does it look like I'm ok. Jaime."

" No. Not really."

Jude let out a small whimper before putting her head down again. After a few minutes she looked up again.

" It's Tommy." She started.

Jaime rolled his eyes at her "Of course it is Jude."

"Excuse me?"

" When isn't one of your mental break downs not about Tommy?"

" He has a kid Jaime!! How could he not tell me!"

" Because he doesn't have to Jude!"

" You don't get it Jaime." Jude looked away from him.

"Get what? That your obsessed with a lame ex-boy bander?

" Obsessed? I'm not obsessed!"

" Oh really. Then what do call the reasoning behind these little mental breakdowns you have every time Quincy lets you down."

Jude didn't have an answer for that. Not one Jaime would be satisfied with anyway.

She looked at Jaime thought the mirror. " You don't know what it's like to love someone so much , that every little thing they do have affects you." She said sadly.

"Actually… I do." He said quietly.

Jude's head snapped up to look at him. He dug his hands in his pocket and looked at his feet. Jude continued to stare at him. Neither one knowing what to say next.

" Jaime I.."

" Don't say anything Jude."

She let out a soft sigh.

" You're so much better than this Jude. You're so much better than Quincy."

"What if I'm not?" She said wiping her cheeks.

Jaime walked up to her and pulled her up to him.

" Stop letting him do this to you. He's going to keep breaking your heart every chance he gets. But only if you allow it" Jaime drew Jude into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

" You're so strong when it comes to everything else. Except Tommy. Time to move on Jude. It's time for you to grow up."

They were interrupted by Portia who was standing at the door. She was beaming happily at both of them. Unaware of what had just happened.

" Jude. Come on they are about to crown the new Instant Star and Darius wants you to be there."

"Yeah, I'll be right there." Portia walked away and Jude pulled herself together. Jaime was right. Tommy wouldn't control her anymore. It was time for a new Jude. A Jude that could live without Tommy's approval.

She hugged Jaime and made her way to the side of the stage. Darius grabbed her hand and led her on stage. She put on her best smile. She wasn't pretending all that much. She felt a new sense of power over come her. She glanced at the other side of the stage where she spotted Tommy. He smiled at her and she glanced away. But not before seeing the look of disappointment that overcame his beautiful face when she didn't smile back.

Soon the new Instant Star was crowned. Karma. She was a nice girl. It' was going to be cool having another girl around the studio.

This was the start of something new. New album, new friends, and a new Jude. Yes, despite Tommy's return, things were looking up.

Nothing can keep me down. Jude thought with a smile.

Teasers for chapter 5 :

" Judging from Karma's performance, it seems you have some pretty heavy competition."

" There's only room for one super star at G-Major. And that's me."

Tommy shook his head. Preparing himself for Jude's usual rant. But instead she continued to look towards the sky.

Jude let herself fall on the couch. " Please tell me this isn't happening."

Speed sat next to her .

" Oh it's happening. Didn't know you had it in you Harrison."

"It's official. Everyone is going to think I'm a slut."