A.N. This chapter jumps ahead a week or so. Tommy still hasn't talked to Jude since their last encounter.


Jude picked at a few of the dresses on the rack in front of her. Sadie had managed to drag her out of the house and forced her to go dress shopping with her and Portia. Jude had agreed, knowing that Noelle was spending the night at a friend's for the weekend. She heard Portia and Sadie gossiping behind her, laughing at some of the more interesting wedding gowns. Jude rolled her eyes. In ten years she had not changed that much. She still hated shopping, especially with Sadie Harrison.

"Oh Jude you should try this dress on here!" Jude turned to face her sister.

"Why? I am not the one getting married. Why do I need a dress?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips. Sadie sighed.

"Jude, as the maid of honor you have to wear a dress." Jude groaned. She had forgotten about that. She grumbled, but grabbed the dress, heading back towards the dressing rooms.

"As long as it isn't ugly and frilly I don't really care." She slammed the door shut as Portia and Sadie laughed.

Jude tried to pull the zipper up herself but couldn't do it.

"Okay, one of you needs to zip me up!" she called from behind the door. "And no laughing when I come out!" She walked out, and Portia rushed over to zip the zipper. Jude turned around and stood with her arms out.

"Well?" She asked impatiently. Sadie frowned and shook her head.

"No, that really isn't your color." Jude rolled her eyes and walked back into the dressing room to change back into her normal clothes. Just as she was stepping back into her shoes, she heard a knock on the door.

"Jude, Sadie wants you to try this one." Portia said. Jude rolled her eyes and grabbed the dress. It was dark purple with light pink ribbons. Jude stormed out of the dressing room to see Sadie laughing.

"I am not trying this on!" She demanded. Portia poked Sadie in the side.

"I told you she would hate that one!" Sadie giggled. Jude hung the dress up on a nearby rack.

"Whatever, I'm done playing dress up." Sadie shrugged. She and Portia continued looking around the store, trying on different dresses. Jude sighed and glanced at all the different dresses they had. She noticed a blue dress, stuffed between two hideous green dresses. Intrigued, Jude walked over to the dress and pulled it out. It was a knee length dress with rhinestone sparkles. It tied around the neck, leaving half of the back bare, like a modest halter dress. It was just Jude's style. Sadie walked over to her and swung an arm around her neck.

"What cha got there?" She asked. Jude went to hang it back up.

"I was just looking." Sadie pulled it back out, staring it down with her critical eyes.

"Jude, this dress is perfect!" Sadie cried. Jude looked at her, surprised that Sadie actually liked something that she liked. That wasn't a guy. Jude pushed that thought out of her head.

"You really like it?" She asked. Sadie nodded, enthusiastically.

"This goes perfect with Portia's dress! We were worried that we would never find a dress to go with hers that you would like!" Jude looked at her sister and shrugged.

"I guess someone really wants you and Kwest to have a perfect wedding!" She laughed. Sadie grabbed the dress and went to go ring it up. After everything was bought and paid for, the three headed for a café across the street. Jude glanced at the menu.

"I can't read like half of the items on this menu!" She joked, setting the menu down. Sadie rolled her eyes.

"Well, dear sister of mine, maybe you should have paid better attention in French class?" Jude scoffed.

"Like I should have paid attention in math, and chemistry, and biology, and physics?" Sadie shook her head.

"My sister the genius!" Portia placed her hand over Jude's and patted it.

"Just order the soup of the day; I think you would like it." Jude nodded, thanking Portia and glaring playfully at her sister. Someone's cell phone rang and all three women dove for their purse. Sadie held hers up triumphantly. With Sadie it was always a competition.

"It's Kwest, I wonder what he wants?" She asked, flipping her phone open.

"Hello?" She was silent while Kwest said something to her. Just then, Sadie jumped up out of her seat.

"Kwest! You got the wrong date!" Sadie walked off, hurriedly. Portia and Jude grinned.

"Men, you just can't live with them!" Portia joked.

"That's for sure." Jude replied. Portia excused herself to the restroom. Jude sat back in her seat, waiting for Sadie to come back.

"Jude?"

Jude turned around to see Tommy on the sidewalk, dressed in his leather jacket, his sunglasses covering his eyes.

"Tommy!" She said, surprised to see him. She hadn't talked to him since she ran out on their conversation a week ago.

"What are you doing?" She asked, being polite. It was still weird, having Tommy back in her life. Tommy shrugged, walking over to her table.

"I just felt like taking a walk. I'm staying in that hotel over there." He pointed down the street to a nice plaza- like hotel. Jude grinned.

"Tommy Q, never does anything out of style does he?" She joked. Tommy shrugged nonchalantly.

"There was a free room. What are you doing?" Jude groaned and pointed across the street.

"I was out dress shopping at that shop there," She mimicked him, "With Sadie and Portia." Tommy closed his eyesand pretended to shiver in pain.

"Must have been horrible for you." Jude rolled her eyes.

"You have no idea." Tommy raised his arms and looked around.

"So where's your company?" Jude laughed.

"Well, Kwest called Sadie and she ran off to yell at him in a more private location and Portia went to the restroom. She should be back soon." Tommy nodded, the grin slipping off his face.

"We need to talk, Jude." Jude nodded. Mason had told her about his accidental slip up.

"Yeah we do." Tommy pointed down the street.

"Can you ditch your pals and meet me at that corner in ten minutes?" Jude nodded. Tommy turned and walked away. Jude watched him, mentally telling herself to look away. She could not be falling for Tom Quincy, again. Portia came back out and sat down. She turned to look down the street Jude had just watched Tommy disappear in.

"What are we looking at?" Jude turned, surprised to see Portia.

"Nothing. I've got to go, can you tell Sadie sorry and that I'll call her later?" Jude said, grabbing her jacket and leaving the café. Portia stared after her.

"Okay?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jude rushed towards the designated corner where Tommy was waiting. He turned towards her.

"Well, that was fast." Jude shrugged. Tommy started walking down the street so fast; Jude had to run to catch up.

"Where are we going?" She asked, following him.

"You'll see." he answered vaguely. Jude came to stop and stared up at the sign.

"You brought me here?" She asked. Tommy nodded. She took a long glance at the sign that read Whitfield Park. Jude looked at Tommy, pain in her eyes.

"Why did you bring me here?" She asked, tearfully. Tommy sat down on a park bench.

"I told you once I liked it here." Jude nodded, looking away, unshed tears in her eyes. Tommy looked at her. He stood up and brought a hand under her chin, turning her head to face him.

"What's wrong?" Jude pulled away and flapped her arms.

"This place!" She cried. Tommy sat back down, hurt.

"What about this place?" Jude turned her back on him. Tommy watched her silently for a few minutes.

"Jude?" He called. He heard her take in a deep breath.

"After you… left," She started, without turning to face him. "I came here." Tommy looked down. Jude turned around.

"I thought that it would bring me closer to you." Tommy patted the seat next to him.

"Tell me." He asked. Jude shook her head, the cool air whipping her hair around her face, much like that night. She sat down next to him and crossed her arms.

"When you left, Tommy, a big part ofme went with you. The night of my album release I took off to join Mason in Barrie. I had a few drinks, and the next thing I knew, I woke up in Mason's hotel room with a major headache." Tommy stayed silent, letting Jude tell her story. He tried to keep the level of guilt from rising in his chest.

"I guess that night, this guy… I don't even remember his name… he took some pictures of me drunk. He sent them to me with a note saying he wanted 50,000 dollars of the pictures would go to the press." Tommy felt his fist clench, in anger.

"How dare he-" Jude put her hand out.

"Let me finish?" Tommy nodded. "Well, they accidentally got sent to Darius. He was pissed, but he took care of it. Then I went on tour for my sophomore album. When I came back, I guess I had a nervous breakdown because Darius and Liam ordered me to take a break. For a month, me and Sadie traveled through Europe. When I came back, my problems were all still waiting for me. I started on my third album." Jude stopped and stared at Tommy.

"It was hard with you... not being there." Tommy looked down. He took hold of Jude's hand. She looked at him in surprise.

"I'm really sorry, Jude." She nodded her head.

"I know." She gave him a small smile before taking her hand back to run it through her hair.

"I was depressed, and every song on that album was full of heartbreak. To this day I still don't understand how such a… angsty album went platinum." Tommy laughed.

"I guess people just love you no matter what." Jude smiled and shook her head.

"It's not my favorite time to think about. I wanted to die. Like, everyday." Tommy looked away. He didn't want Jude to see the guilt in his eyes. Jude glanced at Tommy and swallowed, knowing this next part was going to be hard to say.

"I made a mistake. After my third album was released, I made a huge mistake. I used somebody to make myself feel… anything." Tommy turned to face Jude, shocked. He himself had been known to bury his troubles with alcohol and mindless sex, but Jude?

"I wound up pregnant and alone." Tommy winced. This story seemed so familiar. Jude looked at Tommy and shook her head.

"Don't give me that look, Tommy. I know that I made a mistake, but my daughter is the best thing that ever happened to me. She gave me a reason to live. She was like my... light at the end of the tunnel, as corny as that sounds." Jude saw a stray tear fall down Tommy's face.

"Tommy?" She whispered. Tommy slowly turned to face her, tears in her eyes.

"This just sounds similar to what happened to my sister. I felt so guilty for making her turn down that road, and you!" Tommy looked away. Jude could see how hurt and guilty he was. Jude took a deep breath, for what she was about to do. She placed a hand under his chin and turned his face to her.

"Tommy," She whispered. Tommy turned to her, the tears threatening to fall. A moment passed between them. Tommy leaned in towards Jude. Her hand slipped from his face. She sat there, not moving, waiting for him. Slowly, Tommy cupped her cheek in his hand, bringing it closer to him.

"I am so sorry." He whispered. She closed her eyes.

"You are so forgiven." She whispered back. Tommy leaned in and closed the distance between them, sending an electric shock through Jude. Oh my god, I'm kissing Tommy! She thought. Oddly, I'm okay with that!