A/N: Okay this is kinda a short chapter, but a lot happens in it.
Nikki walked into her house with her bags the next morning. They got on an early flight, so she was home three hours early.
"I'm home," she said walking in. No one came out to greet her. "Hello?" She said. No answer. She looked at the clock. 9:30, and her parents were notorious for sleeping in. She walked up stairs. "Mom? Dad? I'm home." Still no reply. She walked to her Mom's room. She knocked on the door. "Mom?" She opened it and saw her mother's bed made, and no one in the room. "Okay, I get it," she said. "Revenge for making you watch horror movies right?" Still no answer through the house. She sighed. All of a sudden she heard something move in her father's room. She walked down the hall to find the door half way open. She pushed the rest of the way and her eyes bulged.
"Mom! Dad!" Nikki said surprised.
"Nikki?" Tommy said. Sitting up a bit. Jude was still asleep. "You aren't supposed to be home for a few more hours."
"We managed to get on an earlier flight," Nikki said trying to keep her cool in the awkward situation.
Tommy nodded. "You got lucky."
Nikki smirked. "Yeah. So did you."
For a second, Tommy was confused. He then looked down at his bare chest, then to his left where Jude was sleeping on her stomach. He noticed her naked back. He then remembered the night before and turned beat red.
"I'm gonna make some breakfast, the airport food kinda sucked," Nikki said while trying to hold in her laughter. She walked out and closed the door behind her.
Tommy winced as he realized he now had to wake up Jude. He tapped her on the shoulder.
"Jude," he said. She groaned. "Girl, you gotta wake up now."
"Mmm, five more minutes."
"Nikki's home," he said.
"What?" Jude said sleepily still laying down. "It's one already?"
"No, it's 9:30. She got an early flight. She walked in on us."
"What do you mean?" she said.
"Jude. Wake up. Now." Tommy said sternly.
"What?" She said angrily while sitting up. Jude fully opened her eyes and looked around. It wasn't her room. She looked at Tommy. He had no shirt on. She looked at herself, blushed and quickly pulled a sheet over herself. "So we?"
"Yeah," Tommy said.
"And what were you saying about Nikki?" Jude asked.
"She's home. She caught an early flight. And she just walked in the room before I woke you up."
"Oh God," Jude said and hit herself in the face. She kept hitting herself.
"Jude," Tommy said. She continued. "Jude..." still no stopping. "Jude!" he yelled and finally grabbed her hand.
"Sorry," she said.
"It's okay," he said. "You were just getting annoying."
"Bet I wasn't annoying last night," she said.
"Trust me, you were far from it," he said.
"Yeah, well you weren't so bad yourself," she said. He smiled at her. "Tommy. What does this mean?"
"What are you talking about?"
"This. us. Last night. What does it mean for us?" she asked.
Tommy cocked his head and looked at her the way he always looked at her.
"Tommy don't look at me like that."
"Why not?"
"Because if you do, we might have a repeat of last night," Jude said truthfully.
"I have no problem with that," he smiled.
"I'm serious!" Jude laughed.
"So am I!" he said.
"Tommy answer me. Are we back together or what?" she asked. Tommy leaned in to kiss her.
"Breakfast's ready!" Nikki shouted.
Jude closed her eyes. "Be right down!" She opened her eyes and looked back at Tommy.
"So," he said.
"So," she nodded.
"Breakfast?"
"Yeah," Jude got up and quickly slipped on one of shirts and walked to her room to change. Tommy changed as well and they both went downstairs.
An hour later everyone was silent in the car ride to G Major.
"So," Nikki said from the back seat trying to start a conversation. "You guys watch me yesterday?"
"Yeah," they both said.
"Well, what'd you think?"
"Good," they both said. Silence fell upon them again. Nikki fell back into her seat and looked out the window. She then leaned forward and put one hand over the other and started to move her thumbs. She put her hands between the driver and the passenger's seat.
'What is she doing?' Tommy mouthed to Jude.
Jude looked in between them and pushed Nikki's hands away. "Remind me to kill Kyle for ever teaching you the awkward turtle."
"Sorry," Nikki said. "So what'd you guys do while I was gone?"
"Nikki," Tommy warned.
"What simple question," Nikki said. "Right Mom?"
"You're grounded," Jude said.
Nikki's mouth went agape as they stopped at a red light. Tommy smiled and held Jude's hand. Nikki smiled when she saw it.
Everyone was sitting and standing in the lobby of G Major.
"What's up?" Nikki asked.
"Big meeting that Darius just called," Speed said.
"Came at the right time then," Jude said. SME moved over on the couch so that Jude and Nikki could squeeze in as Tommy sat on the armrest.
"Ladies and gentleman," Darius said coming into the room. "Thank you all for taking time out of our busy schedule to pay attention. Not that you really had a choice." Everyone gave a small laugh. "As you know, I've been president of G Major for over seventeen years. I only meant to do one, the one went to two and two, well let's just say it was hard for me to leave the place. These walls were like a second home, and the artists, producers, everyone became like a second family. I know many of you feel the same way about G Major. But let's face it, I'm getting old, I mean we've heard enough of SME's 'over the hill' jokes to last several lifetimes. So today I am officially retiring from the music business entirely."
A few gasps were heard as people began to whisper.
'Did you now about this?' Jude mouthed to Tommy.
He shook his head and pointed at her. She shook her head as well.
"Man, were our jokes that powerful?" Kyle asked.
"I don't think so. I thought they were kinda bad," Wally said. Speed hit him.
"The G Major Board has allowed me to choose my successor, but they will have to move out to LA to meet with the board and set up the new studio as soon as they accept the job," Darius said. Everyone looked around. Darius smiled. "So, T. You up for it?"
"Me?" Tommy asked shocked. "Darius, you hate me."
"How many times have you quit over the years?" Darius asked.
Everyone began counting on their fingers.
"It's not that many!" Tommy yelled at all of them. He looked back at Darius.
"And how many times have I given you your job back?"
"Everytime," Tommy said.
"Tom. You are the best man for this job and you know it. You have til the end of the day to give me your answer." Darius went back to his office. Everyone slowly made their way back to work.
"Lord Squinty Frown," Speed said. "Congrats."
"Thanks," Tommy nodded. SME walked away leaving Jude, Nikki, and Tommy the only ones in the couch area. "So..." he said.
"I'm going up to the roof, if you or anyone else comes after me, they're getting thrown off," Nikki said before walking away.
"Studio A?" Tommy suggested. Jude replied with walking towards the studio and Tommy followed behind As soon as they were both in, Tommy shut the door.
"You gonna take the promotion?" she asked sadly.
"Jude, this is a once in a lifetime chance," he said.
"So isn't this," she said and pointed to the two of them.
"It's not forever, just a few months, a year tops."
"Tommy. Last time you left it was without a word for fifteen years."
"That was when we broke up," Tommy said.
Jude had tears in her eyes. "What do you call this, Quincy?"
"Jude," Tommy said.
"Don't Jude me," she said. He tried to hug her ut she pushed him away. "I should have known this wouldn't work." She left studio A without another word.
Tommy ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.