A.N - Hey guys, sorry for the delay. School started, and teachers got a bit homework happy.

And I know this may be a tad unrealistic, and it was completely pointless. But, I need the time gap in order for a song to realistically be recorded, packaged, radio air play. Etc, etc.

Whatever. Hope you're still with me.

Eleven

Without you, the hand gropes, the ear hears, the pulse beats
Without you, the eyes gaze, the legs walks, the lungs breathe
The mind churns
The heart yearns
The tears dry, without you
Life goes on, but I'm gone
'Cause I die
Without you
-- Adam Pascal and Rosario Dawson

Three Months Later

His hair had grown longer, falling past his chin in choppy curls and a dusting of stubble lay, matted, around his mouth. Tommy sat in his apartment, sprawled in a comfy chair as he cracked open his beer and swigged a satisfactory mouthful.

The papers had been full of stories about his disappearances – speculating everything from his relationship with Jude to a past that was best kept hidden as the reason. There had been press conferences held by G Major where Darius Mills had calmly informed the reporters that Tommy had gone away for an indeterminable amount of time to work on songs for his new album, whilst G Major focused their attention on the career of the other Instant Star.

And what a career she'd had in these past three months.

Tommy had watched, listened and searched every possible type of publication for a sign of her. She'd grown up – too much, too soon – that much was evident. Her short blonde hair had been styled professionally as she hid the pain in her eyes with eyeliner and mascara. She didn't look like the girl with a love of music anymore. Her voice, also, had changed. It had become more mature, more emotion-filled.

"And now," the radio presenter jovially interrupted Tommy's thoughts. "The new song from Jude Harrison, which she will only ever dedicate with the words 'Thank you'. Here we go, this is Love To Burn."

He started, beer spilling from the bottle it was in and spreading across the hardwood floors as it dropped from his hand. Fumbling, he leaned over to turn up the volume dial so that her voice could fill the room.

His heart pounded in his chest when he heard her deep, husky voice. She was singing their song.

Tommy's eyes fell shut, listening to the words they'd written together entwine with the haunting melody as his mind treated him to flashbacks of them writing, laughing, joking, kissing. They opened again, painfully red, and focused on the radio. He missed her. So much.

Everything that he hadn't wanted to happen to her, career-wise, had. She'd been the cover story on numerous magazines, her face was used for the advertising purposes of too many companies and her voice was associated with the many deals the radio stations offered to their listeners. It was exactly what he hated in a celebrity – she had sold out.

Courtesy of G Major records, of course.

He knew Jude wouldn't have wanted that for herself.

He should have stayed, should have stood up to Darius for her, and shouldn't have believed the lies the newspapers told.

"Yeah you are here to stay."

The words cut him with there falsity. He wasn't, he hadn't been there to stay. He'd left her. The knowledge left him with a pain in his heart.

"I love you, Jude." He whispered to the empty room, turning off the radio as he did so. "And I'm coming back to you."

"Are you ready, Jude?"

Distractedly nodding at her best friend's voice, Jude paced the backstage area, fingers plucking at her guitar strings nervously. She looked out at the swarming crowd, catching a glimpse of a dark haired man. Her breath caught as she gazed out at him, wishing for him to turn around and reveal himself.

It wasn't Tommy, and she cursed herself for even entertaining the notion.

"You're on." Jamie wrapped a comforting arm around her, resting his head atop hers. "You'll rock, as always."

She nodded and grinned at him, pushing her hair behind her ear as she pulled away from him, walking towards the stage. "You bet I will."

The crowd erupted in applause at the first sight of their idol and she walked slowly to the microphone stand at the centre of the stage.

"Hey, everyone," she smiled at the audience, her voice amplifying back to her. "I'm sure you've all heard my new song by now." The crowd's cheering answered it for her and, laughing, she continued. "So, I'm going to sing it for you now. Um, this is for someone very special to me and, wherever you are, I love you."

Jude turned her head to the band behind her, nodding to indicate they should start before turning her head back to the crowd and taking a deep breath before singing what was being tipped as her next number one. Tears gathered in her eyes as sang the words.

She missed Tommy. Since that text, she hadn't heard from him. And nor had the rest of the world. The newspapers had stubbornly refused to tell her anything about his departure or whereabouts.

The song finished, the audience singing the words back to her as Jamie smiled supportively at her from the side of the stage. She smiled back at him, blinking back the moisture in her eyes.

Portia watched from her position behind the G Major desk, talking to Sadie Harrison as the sun filtered in through the large windows, as the tall, rugged-looking man walked into the building.

He had sunglasses covering his eyes and a beanie hat covering his hair, letting loose tendrils of curls as they curled along the shape of his face. His chin was speckled with stubble and he spoke deeply. "I'm looking for Jude Harrison." He informed them, letting his shades drop slightly as he looked at Sadie. "Can you tell me where to find her?"

"I'm sorry. We're not at liberty to divulge that information."

"Studio number one."

Both Portia and Sadie spoke at once and the former glared at the other woman before nudging her harshly and hissing at her. "You know we're not allowed to do that."

The man nodded and walked away in the direction Sadie had pointed him in.

"That's Tommy, you idiot." Sadie calmly replied. "He works here, remember?"

"Oh, right," Portia stared at the glass that separated Jude from the rest of the building and watched, fuming, as she jerked her head upwards and smile brilliantly, instantly putting down her guitar and running to embrace the man. "Of course. Excuse me."

Standing, she walked away, pulling out her cell phone as she did so. "Darius?" She muttered to her brother, ensuring that she wasn't overheard, all the while keeping her eyes on Jude and Tommy, whose reunion had progressed to what she could only assume was one hell of a welcome back kiss. "We have a problem."