AN: Well my wonderful readers/reviewers it is the time I know most of you want to hurt me for, the final chapter! But never fear! I have every intention of starting work on the sequel tonight so the first chapter should be up in the next day or two! I hope you all have enjoyed this story as much if not more than you did the first one! I love and appreciate your feedback! Thank you all so much! Songs used in this chapter are: Help Me Make It Through the Night; Elvis Presley and Running in the Rain; Hinder (though I did change quite a few of the words so it would work better with the chapter!) Enjoy!
Help Me Make It Through the Night
By An American Mom
Chapter Nine: Help Me Make It Through the Night
Tommy spent nearly a week in his private room of the hospital healing from the accident with Jude by his side around the clock before they finally moved him into the psychiatric portion of the hospital for his mandatory seventy-two hours. He'd abided by all of the rules, opened up to some degree with the resident psychiatrist though only as much as was needed for them to allow him to see Jude. For the first twenty-four hours of his hold she'd not been allowed to see him at all, but she'd stayed within the walls of the hospital sleeping in the waiting room the entire time knowing that the bond between the two of them was strong enough he'd know she hadn't left him alone, not really. He couldn't see her but he'd feel her, he'd know. At least this is what she spent those twenty-four hours telling herself.
For the second set of twenty-four hours she was only allowed with him two hours at a time, and then she had to be away again for two hours. So every other two hours she spent by his side talking to him, holding him, singing to him and with him. Everything she could think of to help him through this nightmare. They'd also talked, discussing everything he'd gone over with the psychiatrist during her two hour absence.
On the third and final day she was allowed three hours with him and two hours away from him. This time the psychiatrist only spent an hour of his separation time with Tommy, the other hour was spent in her office discussing things with Jude and Stuart in terms of recovery and his discharge agreements. This time seeing her would be mandatory and Jude was only allowed to accompany him to the visit she would of course have to remain in the waiting room. By the last visit of the day Tommy had finally agreed to the terms knowing it was the only way they would release him and of course Jude had also convinced him it was for his own good. She promised to go with him to every appointment; Stuart even agreed that if the appointment was during school hours she would be signed out of class so long as she agreed to do her work while he was in his session.
After Tommy's final session on the third day the psychiatrist allowed Jude to stay with Tommy for the night as he was due to be released at seven the following morning. Stuart stayed with both of them until ten, discussing the plan for his release the following morning. During Tommy's initial release Stuart was not at all comfortable with Tommy being at home alone but this time instead of sending Jude home with him he convinced Tommy to come home with them and stay in the Harrison house following his release. Given the extent of his physical injuries from the wreck, like the broken leg which hadn't healed yet of course, it was in his best interest to have someone around to help him out. Stuart intended to cut down on his hours at work planning to only be gone a couple of hours prior to Jude returning from school and staying into the late evening.
Tommy wasn't overly enthusiastic about being a 'burden' on either of them, but in the end he had agreed. He knew it was impossible with both Jude and Stuart siding against him. He's also not looking forward to dealing with Sadie who of course still views him as Tommy Q, his made up persona from his boy band days. The one thing he is looking forward to in all this is being with Jude full time for a while, at least until she goes on tour though by then he's sure he'll be back at his place anyway.
When they arrive at the Harrison house Stuart helps Tommy upstairs sort of regretting the fact they don't have a bedroom downstairs he could be placed in. Tommy shakes his head at the mumbled apology as he lies down in Jude's bed where he would be bunking during his stay. "Guess I'll be enjoying my meals alone?" He tries to keep a teasing edge to his voice though he fails miserably.
"Actually I had assumed you'd either slide down on your backside for dinner or I'd come up and help you down. I don't think Jude would allow you to eat up here by yourself during a family meal Tom. You should know her better than that."
"Good point." Tommy chuckles slightly before sighing just as Jude walks into the room. His smile is tired as he reaches towards her. "Just the girl I wanted to see, come here beautiful."
"Flattery will get you everywhere Quincy." She giggles slightly before crossing the room to him sitting down on the edge of the bed beside him facing him as her father quietly leaves the room.
For ours they sat on her bed and talked, a little about how he's feeling with his past open and on the table between them but mostly about the normal mundane things in their lives. After a while they'd switch to music working on a few different songs she'd been working on the last few weeks. That's when he finally brought up the new melody she'd been humming in the hospital. "Care to share what you were teasing me with in the hospital Harrison?" He teases her, his index finger gently poking into her side playfully.
She giggles at his touch before her features take on a serious undertone her head shaking softly. "I don't know if that's a good idea. It's a bit of a sad song."
"Oh? I guess what I told you inspired you huh?" He guesses softly knowing her better than anyone.
"Yes…"
"I'd still like to hear it Jude." He reaches up to brush the pads of his fingers along her jaw line waiting until she makes eye contact with him to offer a faint smile on his all too pale lips.
"If you're really sure…" When he nods she brings her guitar closer to her hitting an acoustic version of the song though she knows if she were to ever record it she'd probably do it on the piano.
He cuts himself to forget him
And every time his wounds get deeper
Tonight's the night he's gonna shed his skin
Cause he's thinkin' that she doesn't need him
He's wishin' all this would end
And he's gonna try to take his own life again
Wait, I know your hearts been shattered
But there's someone worth the wait
There's so much more that matters
And I know you will be alright, just try
to love the little things in life
Like running in the rain
He drinks alone to forget him
And every time the room starts spinning
He starts to thinkin 'bout where they were
When he told her that she doesn't need him
He's wishin' all this would end
And he's gonna try to take his own life again
Wait, I know your hearts been shattered
But there's someone worth the wait
There's so much more that matters
And I know you will be alright, just try
to love the little things in life
Like running in the rain
He's wishin' all this would end
And he's gonna try to take his own life again
Wait, I know your hearts been shattered
But there's someone worth the wait
There's so much more that matters
And I know you will be alright, just try
to love the little things in life
Like running in the rain
Running in the rain
But I know you will be alright, just try
to love the little things in life
Like running in the rain
She looks up at him when she's finished setting her acoustic aside when she sees the fresh trail of tears down his cheeks. She knew her newest song would get to him. She reaches up to wipe away his tears smiling faintly and keeping her voice soft. "It's true though there's more to life than what you've been through Tommy. We'll all help you through this, I promise you. All the things you've been through in your life, even the stuff I was with you for is bad and you didn't deserve to go through any of it but no matter what you face I will always be with you." She shifts positions to curl up next to him as he shifts to lie down. She lifts her hand running her fingers gently through his hair lying on her side facing him as he does the same.
"Don't you know you are what has kept me going all this time Jude? I'd never have made it this far if I hadn't met you my first day of school here. I don't think I could have survived my mother's hatred if I didn't have you loving me just as fiercely if not more so than she hated me. You were so young…" He trails off for a moment as he reaches up to brush her bangs from her forehead and then kiss her there softly. "You loved me with such intensity for someone so much younger than me and so innocently. You were my best friend from the very beginning. I'm sorry I kept all this from you for so long, I guess part of me just couldn't see past how much younger you are than me. I wanted to protect you from my past, from what I might become." He leans his head towards hers resting his forehead on hers so closely that every time he blinks his lashes flutter against hers.
She rests her hand on his cheek gently as she tilts her head just enough to brush her lips against his in a feather light kiss before speaking softly again, "You won't become him Tommy, I'll be right beside you to help you avoid doing the bad things he did and to be strong enough to be the good things he was. A person who could love you as deeply as I do could not have been all bad. You've spent our entire friendship protecting me from anything you could that could possibly hurt me, now it's my turn to protect you from yourself. That's how we're supposed to be, the give and the take."
"I love you so much girl." He brushes his lips softly against hers this time before sighing deeply as his eyes close with the on coming exhaustion. "The nights I can remember sleeping the best in all of my life were always the ones when I came in through your window and lied here with you in this bed, or when you shared my beds. I spent several years even after I met you telling myself I had to be strong and look to myself for everything even though I had you. It was supposed to be my job to protect you, but I think in a way even if I didn't see it until now you've always protected me even from myself without really trying. From the very beginning you let me come crawling through your window to you. You've always held me as much as I've held you if not more so. Your big heart and your compassion has always drawn me to you Jude." He opens his eyes suddenly pulling back to really look at her as his hand shifts to cup her cheek. "I'll never believe I have the right to ask you this, but I'm asking just the same… No, I'm begging you; promise me that no matter what happens I'll never lose you. I know I've been around the block more than my fair share of times and I have no right to ask you this, but I don't think I could ever bear to lose you to someone else even if it was just for a little while." His crystal blue eyes plead with her in the pale moonlight that spills over them from her always open window.
Her smile is light, honest, and loving all at the same time. "I don't need to leave you and play the field Tommy. I know what's out there and I've always known my life would lead me back to you. You had my heart from the very beginning before I was even old enough to understand what it really meant to give it to you I had given it to you."
"So you'll always be my girl?"
"Always and forever Tommy Q," She chuckles slightly calling him that.
He chuckles in response before brushing his lips tenderly over hers again. He brushes his fingertips over her eyes softly whispering inaudibly for her to close them before his own close and his voice ever so softly takes flight in song, the words that fall from his lips in a rhythm akin to a lullaby is an old Elvis Presley song that in this moment comes to his mind easily.
Take the ribbon from your hair
Shake it loose, let it fall
Lay it soft against my skin
Like the shadow on the wall
Come and lay down by my side
Till the early morning light
All I'm taking is your time
Help me make it through the night
I don't care what's right or wrong
I won't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
'Cause tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
I don't care what's right or wrong
I won't try to understand
Let the devil take tomorrow
'Cause tonight I need a friend
Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow's out of sight
And it's sad to be alone
Help me make it through the night
I don't want to be alone
Help me make it through the night
