AN: OMG, you guys are amazing! You're the best! I love you all! Lol. I'm finally back, and I hope you're still reading this (even though it's been way over a month). I'd written this chapter some time ago, but I wasn't satisfied with it. So I wrote, rewrote, and rewrote again, but it still didn't seem quite right. And then I came up with this version, which is the best I could do since I don't want to put this chapter off anymore. I hope you like it
Special ANS:
Seleana C, that's exactly what I was thinking. That Jude would give Tommy yet another chance, but not make it seem like she's weak. .
Wawesome, that'd be really interesting to see. Mr. Harrison on the date with Tommy and Jude…and every time they try to kiss, Mr. Harrison shoves something between them. Like a menu, a piece of paper, himself…lol :o)!
Alexis, OK, OK, OK, OK, OK…lol.
Jess, I'm working on it. I hope you like what I came up with.
Gab, I wish it were that easy…that Jude forgives Tommy, and then everyone's happy. Not that Jude won't forgive Tommy. Or will she? (laughs evilly…Mwa ha ha ha ha!).
Rachel, I put that part in because I thought it'd be nice for Tommy to express how he really feels. Especially to the two people who are his harshest critics. I wonder what they'll say…
judetomfan101, Jude and Tommy really need to make up. And fast. So I'll work on it some more, and as always, let me know what you think, OK?
Ally, I have no clue as to what Jude's gonna say. OK, maybe I do, but you might not like it. Then again, maybe you will ;o)!
Vicki, I'm so glad you like my story. I might need to read some of your fanfics for inspiration (or ideas) though. I hope you don't mind. Actually, I read a lot of people's fanfics, so I get great ideas from them when I'm blocked.
Tanya, I love your quote! "She just needs to kiss him. Yeah, that works. Don't talk, just kiss him, and if she won't, I will." - I love that! And thanks for the encouragement! You're awesome!
Karah, I love how you spell your name. That's so cool! And the quotes on your page? I think they're awesome! So, so true. Except for maybe the last one. How can it be better to be heartbroken as compared to never having experienced true love? I don't know if I'd choose to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.
Disclaimer: I only wish I owned Instant Star and its characters. But I don't. Except for Tim. He's mine, I tell you. Mine, mine, MINE! Lol.
Chapter 11: Instant Heartbreak (Part 1)
"Uh, Dad, do you mind giving me a minute alone with Tommy?" Jude asked, anxiously awaiting her father's response.
"Of course, honey," Mr. Harrison said, giving me a cold look just before he got up and walked out of the room.
Once we were alone, Jude looked at me, tears beginning to fall. She looked away, and said tiredly, "What do you want, Tommy?"
"You. Back. With me," I began, but Jude interrupted.
"No, Tommy. I won't let you do this to me. Not again. I'm tired of being the one who's always hurt. I'm sick of you always hurting me. I can't believe I let you do this to me again and again. I-" Jude was about to continue, but by that time, I'd slipped a CD of mine into the player, and pushed play.
Jude sat in silence as the sounds of a guitar playing filled the room, accompanied later by my voice. I poured my heart, my soul, my everything into that song. About how I felt about Jude, how I felt about being the father of her child, about Jude coming to the wrong conclusion that I didn't want to be the father, about being hurt, and about being in love with someone who didn't think I loved her enough to fight for her. As the music swirled around us, I watched as Jude's face showed many emotions. First sadness, shock, hurt, anger, disbelief…and acceptance? Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me.
Jude shut off the CD player before the song was done, her back towards me. I decided to keep quiet and let her make the first move.
"Why didn't you tell me you didn't want to have a baby?" Jude said, her voice full of emotion.
"Jude, I never said that," I denied. If anything, I'd love for our child to have Jude as a mother.
"Yeah, but it sounded like you did," Jude argued.
"That's because you never gave me the chance to explain," I shot back. Then I softened as I saw her stiffen in defense. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I'm just…I want to have this baby with you. I-I'm just as shocked as you are. About being a parent. That's all." And to make matters worse, the media would fly into a frenzy over this one. A producer and an artist, getting closer than they let on, and having a baby? This wasn't gonna be easy to live down.
"And what do you think I feel?" Jude said, desperation in her voice. "Tommy, I don't know if I'm ready. I mean, I've always wanted to have a baby, just not this soon. And I never thought that you'd be the one to make me a mom."
"What are you saying? That you don't want to have this baby?" I couldn't believe it.
"I don't know," Jude said, her voice quavering.
"Jude, you know you're not in this alone. There's Sadie and Kwest, Georgia and E.J., your parents, and me," I said, hoping to relieve her fears.
"Are you sure about that?" Jude said doubtfully.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I wondered.
"You know exactly what I mean. How do I know that you'll be there to help me raise our child? You left Portia," Jude worried.
"Jude, I was 18, I was scared," I admitted to her quietly.
"And what does that make me?" Jude said, her point sinking in.
"Jude, I promise, I won't leave you or our baby, I swear," I vowed. Nothing could come between the three of us.
"Do you?" Mr. Harrison stepped in, his eyes accusing. He'd been listening in on our conversation this whole time. "Do you know how many times I watched Jude cry herself to sleep because she thought she loved you, and she thought you didn't love her back? Do you know how hard it was for me to convince her that everything would work out OK, even though neither of us believed it? Do you?"
"Mr. Harrison, sir, I don't-" I was going to explain my actions, try and make them see that they were wrong about me. But something inside me told me to stop, to just let it go, that everything would work out in the end.
"Jude, I-" I pleaded with her. But Jude's eyes were filled with pain, and she turned her head away so I wouldn't see her crying.
"I think you should go," Mr. Harrison said. It wasn't a choice, since he was pulling me towards the door.
"Mr. Harrison," I said, trying to stand my ground.
"Just leave. Before you stick your foot in your mouth any more than you already have," Mr. Harrison warned.
Before I got to the doorway, I heard Jude call out, "Wait!" The two of us stopped in our tracks, and Jude looked into her father's eyes. They must've communicated silently, because Mr. Harrison nodded at her, and then at me. And then he walked away. But not before he whispered quietly to me, "If you ever break her heart again…"
"I won't," I promised him. "I love her just as much as you do."
Mr. Harrison gave me a look as if to say, "Even when I'm mad as hell at Jude, I'll still love her more than you do when you think she means the world to you."
"Uh, Dad?" Jude looked at her dad as if to say, "What are you still doing in here?"
"Right," Mr. Harrison said, taking the hint. He left quickly.
"So, Tommy," Jude said, slowly getting up. She started walking over to me, then her eyes glazed over in shock as she collapsed.
"JUDE!" I yelled, not knowing what was wrong with her. "MR. H!" I screamed, frantically trying to see if Jude was still OK.
Mr. Harrison came barreling back into the room, and roared, "What have you done to her?"
"I…she just collapsed into my arms. I don't know…" I said weakly, not knowing what to do.
"Call 911!" Mr. Harrison commanded, annoyed that I could be so stupid.
I automatically dialed the number, trying to remain calm. For all of us.
AN: So, what'd you think? I know, huge shock. But I know what I'm doing. Please PMS! And feel free to guess what's going on with Jude. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Oh yeah, 8 more reviews, and I'll try and put up the next chapter.