A few days later Sadie flew out to California to pick up Jude. Tommy had gone out to the shops to buy some more food for them when Sadie pulled up outside the house in a hire car. Jude heard the car horn and hurried as she finished writing a note of sorts to Tommy. Knowing he'd look for her in the music room when she got back she quickly ran there and placed the pieces of paper on the piano stool before she picked up her bags took one final look at the house and shut the door behind her. Sadie got out of the car to hug her younger sister and help her with her things. "Are you sure you want to leave Jude?" Sadie questioned the silent girl as she loaded her bags into the boot. Jude just nodded and fell into the passenger seat, switched on the radio and turned it off when a Boyz Attack song came on. Sadie shrugged her shoulders and slipped in to the driver's seat, started the car and pulled out of Tommy's driveway.

The drive back to the airport was silent, neither sister wanted to talk much and both had things to think about. When they pulled up outside the airport Sadie turned to Jude. "Tommy doesn't know you're leaving does he?" She asked gently, seeing the build up of tears in Jude's eyes. Jude nodded and wiped frantically at her eyes as they released tears onto her face. Sadie leaned over and hugged her sister where they stayed for several moments. As they headed into the airport Jude's cell sprung into life, she looked at the caller ID and her shoulders sagged. Tommy had arrived home and found her note, he must have guessed they wouldn't be out of California yet and decided to try and get her to stay. She cut off his call and switched of her cell. For once in her life Jude was going to go through with something, even if she did have more doubts than ever.

Back at the house Tommy swore as his call was cut off. When he tried again a pre-recorded message told him that Jude's phone was switched off. He punched the wall and swore again as pain shot through his fist. Spinning on his heel and dialling as he walked Tommy got back in his car and drove to the airport. There was still a chance he could catch them.

"Our flight's boarding Jude, lets go." Sadie prodded her sister from her trance and led her towards the gateway. Ever since they'd left the house Jude had been acting like a zombie, Sadie was worried about her but whenever she questioned her sister Jude had insisted she was fine. Sadie had also caught her discretely smelling the collar of her shirt and looking wistful as she fingered the hem. Not wanting to pry Sadie kept quiet and busied herself reading the magazine she had bought from the airport shop.

Jude could still catch slight whiffs of Tommy's natural smell on her shirt and each time she did she felt like crying. Truthfully Jude did need time to herself, and she had explained to Tommy in her note that it wasn't because of him she was leaving. She had to straighten out some things in her mind alone before she could even begin to consider making a choice about Tommy and Speid. Jude also didn't trust herself not to take things too far with Tommy before she was fully sure of it, she didn't want to make a mistake like that and end up hating Tommy. Jude smiled wistfully to herself as she remembered an event a year after her and Tommy had started dating.

Jude's Flashback

"So you two are dating now?" Asked a fan who had cornered Tommy and Jude while they were on a date. The girl was one of what the guys called a Boyz Attacker, one of their groupies basically, and Jude was amazed that the young girl seemed to be capable of stringing together a coherent sentence when usually the girls who approached Tommy just giggled manically and babbled. Tommy smiled at the girl and slipped an arm around Jude's waist. Jude smiled and snuggled up to him.

"We sure are, have been for a year now." Tommy grinned down at Jude and pecked her on the lips. Jude beamed back at him and felt a rush of love for Tommy. He always handled situations like this so well, he knew that he had to respect his fans and be nice but he never neglected the people he was with when he got approached. Also Jude liked that he didn't flaunt their relationship to everybody, he was like her and liked to keep it as personal as possible.

The Boyz Attacker sighed and turned to Jude. "You are so lucky! Congratulations about y'know the whole year together thing." Jude flashed the girl a genuine smile, usually when girls found out about her relationship with Tommy they'd shoot her dirty looks and throw themselves at Tommy, who always acted embarrassed. Jude willingly stood to one side as the girl posed with Tommy and her friend took a picture on a camera. The girl and her friend waved at them as they left the restaurant a few minutes later. It had all seemed so perfect back then, like a fairytale.

But fairytales don't always have happy endings, thought Jude bitterly as they finally took off, I can verify that. She unravelled her earphones from her pocket and shoved them in her ears, drowning out reality with her music, and stared out the small plane window into the night sky. Jude wondered if Tommy would come back to G Major again, or would he stay in California for good this time?

Back at the airport Tommy let out an exasperated sigh as the girl at the information desk informed him Jude's flight had already taken off. "When does the next flight leave?" He pleaded, knowing and not caring that he sounded desperate. The girl ran some checks and told him that the next flight was at 3am, and still had a few seats left. "I'd like to book a seat on that flight please." He handed the girl his credit card and raced back to the house to pack a small bag. He wasn't letting Jude go, not this time.

Back at the house it occurred to Tommy that Jude may have left him a note somewhere, he knew the music room was the most probable place as it had become their base in the evenings and quite often the early mornings. Sure enough Tommy found Jude's note on the piano stool. Along with her note Jude had left him a song. Tommy read it and found that he was crying, despite feeling utterly detached from the situation.

Tommy,

I'm sorry to take off like this but I don't think I can stay here any longer. I need to be at home; I need to be with Sadie; I need to visit Kat's family; I need to phone Jamie; I need to be at G Major; I need all the familiar stuff that makes me feel safe. I'm sorry to be leaving here, or rather leaving you. However I worry that if I stay one of us will do or say something we'll regret, most likely this will be me. Anyway please don't think it's because of you I'm leaving, because its not. I love you Tom Quincy, I loved you before you were Lil Tommy Q, I loved you whilst you were Lil Tommy Q and I'll probably always love you. First love never fades, that's what they say isn't it?

I know that I have to make a choice between you and Speid, not just for you two but for myself as well. The thing is I have to have some time to myself to figure it out. I thought I'd have that here, which is partly why I came with you in the first place. But old emotions kept stirring up and I would be caught up by nostalgia whenever I tried to do any thinking.

So please, don't blame yourself because this has nothing to do with you. I need to straighten things out in my mind. Of course I'll miss you, assuming you're staying in California for the rest of the time if not for longer, but this is something I need to do; even if I have to take baby steps to reach the ending. Also, this time by myself thinking- that's what it has to be. I'll be saying this to Speid as well, don't hassle me to make a decision or anything. You know what I'm like when I'm pushed to make a decision Quincy, I'll just pick at random. And I can't do that, there's hearts on the line and I don't want to destroy any of them. Although I suppose I'll be destroying one of them, but you know what I mean.

I'll see you back at G Major maybe?

Love always

Jude

XxX

Da Da Da Da
The smell of your skin lingers on me now
You're probably on your flight back to your home town
I need some shelter of my own protection baby
To be with myself and centre, clarity
Peace, Serenity

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry

The path that I'm walking
I must go alone
I must take the baby steps 'til I'm full grown, full grown
Fairytales don't always have a happy ending, do they?
And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Like the little school mate in the school yard
We'll play jacks and Uno cards
I'll be your best friend and you'll be my Valentine
Yes you can hold my hand if you want to
'Cause I want to hold yours too
We'll be playmates and lovers and share our secret worlds
But it's time for me to go home
It's getting late, dark outside
I need to be with myself and centre, clarity
Peace, Serenity

I hope you know, I hope you know
That this has nothing to do with you
It's personal, myself and I
We've got some straightenin' out to do
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket
But I've got to get a move on with my life
It's time to be a big girl now
And big girls don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
Don't cry
La Da Da Da Da Da

Tommy sighed and folded the pieces of paper so they'd fit in his pocket. He scanned the room for anything he'd take with him back home before leaving the room and locking the door behind him, trapping in his memories with Jude. He had some packing to do.