Jude bit her lip with a seductive smirk as she sped through the late-night city streets. Her adrenaline rose with every increase of speed she made, faster and faster. Once she hit the empty back streets, her viper roared to life, exerting full power. The lights, the buildings, the signs are blurred around her in a hazy glow. Slamming the breaks, she drifted around a sharp turn and laughed out loud when she nearly missed a pole, her pulse pounding in her throat.

During the near miss something flew to the passenger seat from the dash board. She gave it a quick glance and slammed the breaks, doing a complete 360 in an abandoned street. She sat still at for a moment glaring at the photograph of her and Josh. It wasn't fair that he turned in to such an asshole, it wasn't fair that he went from being her best friend to Sadie's and it simply wasn't right that he treated Sadie more like a sister then he did her. Her jaw clenched in disgust at what he'd become, the mere thought made her anger resurface.

She grabbed a lighter she knew he always kept in the glove department and lit the corner of the picture. She watched it as it burned, a small smile playing on her lips. Before it got too bad, she rolled the window and tossed it out, letting it burn to ashes on the concrete. In a need to calm down, she turned on the radio and put the volume all the way up.

Bum bum be dum bum bum be dum bum de bum bum

Jude burned out as she sped through an alley way, back on the city streets.

What's wrong with me?

Why Do I feel like this?

I'm going crazy now

The down town lights reflected off the tinted windshield of the black viper as she weaved through the streets. She missed this feeling more than anything - the speed, the knowledge that she could lose control at any moment made fire grow behind her eyes. Her fingers tapped the wheel along with the beat of the music, daring nothing to get in her way.

No more gas, in the red, can't even get it started

Nothing heard, nothing said, can't even speak about it

On my life, on my head, dont wanna think about it

Feels like I'm going insane, yeah

She smiled toward the radio, singing along. Going insane? That might be a good way to put it. When she realized that she was getting closer to the hot spots in the area, she lowered the hood and her speed. The moment the wind swept across her face she threw her arms up, feeling the speed rush between her fingers.

Put on your pretty lies, you're in the city of wonder

Ain't gon` to play nice, watch out you might just go under

Better think twice, your train of thought will be altered

So if you must falter be wise

Your mind's in disturbia, it's like the darkness is light

Disturbia, am I scaring you tonight?

Jude tapped her free foot lightly on the break, not daring to press it. She was unstoppable, like a bullet; once it's gone, you can't get it back. She looked at the digital clock which blinked 11:34 in green. It's been over an hour since she started driving. She carelessly draped her arm over the door, leaving a single hand on the wheel and leaned fully against the driver's seat. This didn't make her nervous, it never did, she had full control and confidence when the wheel was in front of her. It came second nature to her, always did, always will.

She cut a close corner and cursed when it caught the attention of a police car sitting at a red light. The car lit up and began following her. Jude snuck a glance in the review mirror; the cop was still a couple cars behind her. When those cars began to pull over, she took another corner and sped through an alley. For the first time, a panic started to bubble up in her chest. The plate on the viper was technically fake, and linked to her mom's maiden name. The police car was now blaring sirens behind her in addition to the flashing blue lights. "Okay" She breathed and pressed a button to bring the hood back up "Here we go."

Jude brought the car up to top speed and kept her path complicated through the dark backstreets on the industrial side of town. She took a sharp turn to the right, then immediately to the left to throw the cop off her tail. She watched in the mirror as the car continued straight rather than making the same dangerous turn she did. Jude scrambled for her phone and dialed up Speiderman, demanded him to be ready for impact, as she put it. He understood immediately and quickly disconnected the line.

Without the officer directly behind her, she rejoined traffic, heading for her neighborhood. She believed for a moment she was out of danger when the lights flashed in her review once again. She gaged the distance with a nervous breath, this was going to be close.

The roar of the engine broke the silence of her quiet little neighborhood. Somewhere in the distance, police sirens were certainly waking up a few suburban families as well. Jude turned on her street and the light of Speid's garage glowed like a lighthouse over a dark ocean, beckoning her to safety with a warm radiance. The second her car was in the garage, Speid rushed out and slammed the door behind her just as one of three police cars turned down their street.

Jude released a huge breath, her head falling against the headrest and her still limbs relaxed with a relief that brought comfort to her entire body.

"Dude!" Speid yelled through her window "You run over the mayor or something?!"

Jude opened the door and laughed, her breathing still working to return to normal "I was driving recklessly." She shrugged

"What else is new?" Speid shook his head with the slightest hint of amusement pulling up the corner of his mouth "Resisting arrest is a crime, you know."

Jude shrugged "Not if you don't get caught."

"There's wise logic." Speid remarked sarcastically before leaning up against the viper, his tone serious "Haven't seen you out in the viper in a while, dude. Thinking about getting back in the game?"

Jude nodded, slipping the sunglasses from her eyes and unzipping her leather jacket, "It's a perfectly good game, why not play?"

"This have anything to do with what Sadie did?" Speid asked

Jude paused, surprised, her smile faltering, "How do you know about that?"

"Sadie and Josh were outside talking about it. That was just… I wanted to hit him." Speid scowled down at his shoes "When did Josh become the devil?"

"I don't know," Jude sighed sadly "But, uh, I don't really want to talk about this right now." She cautiously lifted the garage door, listening for any sounds of movement before lifting it only enough to crouch under it. Speid followed and locked up the garage "I'll move the viper before your parents wake up." She told him

Speid reached over and pulled Jude into a warm embrace, resting his chin on her head, "Don't let them get to you." He whispered and pulled back

Jude pursed her lips a little and looked up at Speid, "I've got to get home before Victoria reams me out for missing curfew." She gave him a light squeeze and turned for her house but rather than go inside, she sat on the porch steps, envious of the peaceful homes surrounding her. The burden of her own home weighing heavily on her shoulders. Going inside was like contemplating walking on to a battlefield. The sound of a car coming fast down the street stiffened her muscles, thinking it might be the police, but her shoulders relaxed when the car rolled to a stop in front of her house. While the car was unfamiliar, she recognized Tommy immediately. His approach was calm and almost cautious, she watched his steps until he came to a stop a few feet in front of her "What do you want?"

Tommy shrugged a little, jostling his keys in his hand, "I wanted to talk to you."

Jude gaze turned exhausted and she exhaled a heavy breath, she really didn't want to have this conversation now, "About what?"

"You can't quit." Tommy said, pulling a CD case from his back pocket "You were born for this."

Jude sighed with a doubtful expression, "I don't know about all that." She said quietly, her eyes raising to meet his

Tommy offered a light smile and handed her the CD, "You want proof? Just listen."

Jude stared at her reflection on the CD and placed it on the step beside her, "Thanks." She began to gather her feet under her to stand "I have to go inside; I've got things to do."

Tommy tilted his head to the side with curiosity "Things like what?"

"Things that are none of your business." Jude retorted, now standing

Tommy creased his brow with a sarcastic expression "Oh, but it's okay for you to dig in to my business?"

Jude took on a challenging stare, more annoyed with the situation than the man before her, "I don't want any part of your business." She snapped

Tommy scoffed "Could've fooled me. You act like you know me."

"Let me guess," Jude breathed out, pretending to look in deep thought "You grew up with money – that much is obvious - and not used to hearing the word 'no', I bet." She paused, remembering something she read in a magazine, "You are the middle child between two sisters but during your quest for fame you lost contact with them and you regret it because they are all grown up now. And even though you've had everything you've ever wanted, you still wish that your parents were around more when you were young." She paused, taking a good look in his eyes "You carry a lot of pain and regret with you. I can see it in your eyes now."

Tommy stared at her for a minute with mixed look of surprise and confusion. "What the - how the hell do you know that?"

"You may think you have this brick wall around you but really, you're like an open book begging to be read."

Tommy stared at her, not sure what to think or feel, so he went with the nagging question, "How do you know about the other stuff?"

"Like the illegal racing?" Jude smiled a teasing smile "Well, we can start with that," She motioned to his viper "it's kind of a dead giveaway."

"What about the Porsche? How did you find out about that?" Tommy asked, assuming the answer by now, but needing to hear it from her lips to be certain.

Jude laughed with an incredulous shake of her head, "Wow you are extremely slow aren't ya, boy bander?"

Tommy glared, with a low, warning voice, "Don't call me that."

Jude rolled her eyes with a shrug "If the shoe fits." She crossed her arms and took a step closer to him, her head tilted with amusement, "I'm the one who sent you home with your tail between your legs, Quincy and I got that precious Porsche of yours. That's how I know."

"How? You were-"

"Only sixteen at the time? Yeah, it must sting getting beat by a teenager." Jude frowned in faux sympathy, then turned for the door "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me…if you play your cards right." She winked over her shoulder

Tommy stared blankly for a moment, almost unable to believe the situation. "Uh, uh, Jude." She turned back slightly "Monday morning, be at the studio."

There was a hesitation on Jude's part as she looked down at the disc in her hand, "Okay." She agreed tentatively "I'll be there."