Chapter 28

Jude couldn't help but laugh to her self when Tommy left the bathroom. She looked around and wished this were hers. Of course she had stuff everywhere, but it was still just Tommy's bathroom. Who was she kidding? Tommy had changed in the last two years, but moving in would be out of the question.

"So, Darius asked me an interesting question today." She said walking into the living room after she got dressed.

"What's that?"

"He asked if I had a new song to debut at my party."

"Well, do you? You were working on that one the other day."

"You distracted me. I haven't finished it yet."

That gave Tommy an idea. He'd been working on a song, but he wanted to make sure it was completely done before he played it for her. "Well, you still have a couple of days. Remember when you wrote seven songs in one night?"

"That was before I knew what it was like to get distracted." She said smirking.

"Oh really?" He said raising his eyebrows.

Before either could act on what they were thinking, both their stomachs growled loudly. Tommy laughed reaching for the phone. He ordered their dinner never breaking eye contact with Jude.

She just smiled completely lost in his baby blues. This was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. There were no better eyes to stare into. It was like their souls had private conversations. She felt her face getting hot, and broke the trance.

"I need water." She said getting up to go to the kitchen.

It was strange what she was feeling. First she wished she could move in with him, now she was seriously thinking about wanting to spend the rest of her life with him. Was she crazy? She was three days from eighteen. Sure she always thought about always being with him, but didn't girls always think that about being with their high school boyfriend forever? That rarely happened. Plus Tommy had been married before. She didn't think he'd ever consider it. Especially as young as she was. It made her panic. What if something tore them apart? They'd been through so much. Her heart couldn't handle loosing him. It wasn't that long ago she'd lost one of her closest friends. How could she ever loose the most important person in her life?

Jude was sitting out on the lawn with Jamie. He'd come over to play Patsy's 'new song.' Since he's been dating Patsy, or whatever, and working at G Major their friendship had put itself back together. She could tell he didn't always approve of Tommy, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Jamie, it doesn't even sound like her. Why did Patsy even record it?"

"Ah. I got her to lay down the vocals, and we kind of tweaked it. I screwed up okay."

"Well you have to apologize. If Tommy did that to me, I'd be through the roof."

"I know but I haven't seen her in days."

"Patsy needs freedom in the studio, and is a relationship; I'm guessing."

"It's kind of weird talking about this with you."

"Oh whatever, Jamie, you're my best friend. That's how it was meant to be."

Patsy ended up crashing the front lawn literally. Jude could see she was a bit out of control, but wasn't sure if it was more than usual. She didn't know if she could do anything to help the situation.

"Maybe if Jamie could get her to record another song?" She suggested while on the phone with Tommy.

"Darius loves this one, and you know how he is. Kwest told me Darius was smiling the big smile."

"Oh the 'White Lines' smile?"

"The one in the same."

"Maybe you could help."

"Jude, it's not my place."

"But Darius listens to you."

"I'll see what I can do. I will feel him out. If he is in a bad mood I won't even try."

"Thanks, babe."

"Anything for my girl."

The next day while talking to her dad, Jude realized Patsy didn't need her to save her. She just needed a friend, and she was determined to be that friend. Patsy didn't have anybody else. Her cell rang bringing her out of her thoughts.

"Hey, Tommy," She said answering after looking at the caller I.D

"Hey. Look, I didn't have a chance to talk to Darius this morning. Jamie was able to convince him, but Patsy's not cooperating. I went in to get something, and she went ballistic. She ran off."

"Oh no. Wait she's here I gotta go." She said flipping her phone shut.

Patsy said she was done, and wanted to celebrate. Though, Jude knew differently, she didn't question her. She was going to be her friend and go along with it. She thought maybe that's all Patsy needed was to calm down and blow off some steam.

The day was kind of crazy. They were refused service at a restaurant, and stole a goldfish. Jude noticed Patsy was drinking and insisted on driving. They drove around and had fun. Jude let her be herself. Every time Tommy would call she would ignore it. She didn't want Patsy to think she was reporting back to G Major.

They went to this spot on the beach and Jude's phone rang again. This time it was not Tommy. "It's Jamie." She said.

"We're not home." Patsy replied. "Congrats, Nancy Drew, you caught me. I didn't exactly leave G Major on the best of terms today."

"I already knew that. Tommy called and told me."

"That figures. I do have a song though."

Jude sat and listened to this beautiful song. She wondered why Patsy wouldn't let the world hear it. It was nothing like anything she'd ever done. Afterwards, she tried reasoning with her. Convince her to go back to G Major so the world could hear her music. "It's just one more day at G Major. One more day, then your music's out there forever."

"You're right. I just gotta suck it up."

"Want to head back?" Jude asked standing up.

"Ten more minutes?"

Jude was going to nod, but looked and saw Jamie coming. "Oh man."

Jude tried to stop him, and say she was handling it. Jamie wouldn't listen. He ended up giving Patsy an ultimatum. All Jude could do was stand back and watch as Jamie made her choose to work on the album, or they were over.

Of course she picked them being over. Jude followed her back to the car. "Are you okay?"

"Yep. G Major can kiss my ass and Jamie no longer gets to."

Jude shuddered at the too much information. "No, I meant to drive."

Patsy stopped, turned up her flask, and handed her the keys. "Not for long."

Jude took the keys feeling helpless and hopeless. They ended up at The Chain. Patsy was burning her contract, but Jude was still trying to convince her to not give up on her music. That completely backfired because Patsy turned on her, and ran off.

She grabbed her cell phone. "Tommy please pick up."

"So now you decide to not ignore me."

"Not now Tommy. I've lost her and I don't know what to do."

"Did Jamie find you two?"

"Yes, and I almost had her convinced to go back. Then he made her choose. She's been drinking and she turned on me. I was just trying to be her friend. I thought that's what she needed."

"Maybe Jamie found her again. Call him. I have a meeting to go to with some Italian act. I told Darius I could speak it, but I forgot to tell him it was crappy."

"Take Sadie. She speaks perfect Italian."

"Okay. If you need me, call. I'll leave my phone on."

"Thank you. I love you."

"Love you, too. And you're welcome."

She called Jamie and went to the rehearsal space hoping she was there. They couldn't find her anywhere. Jamie made her retrace everything that was said before she ran off.

G Major was the last place they thought she'd go, but it was the exact place they found her. Papers were everywhere, and she was in Darius' office. Jude watched as Jamie tried to reason with her. It was like no one could reach her. She was already too far-gone. After she destroyed everything she could, she was gone. Jude and Jamie were left to clean up.

Jude wanted to hold on to hope, but when Jamie got a call from the hospital, she felt it all go. Patsy had been in a wreck, and Jamie was her emergency contact.

"Did you find her?" Tommy answered when she called him on the way to the ER.

"Tommy." Was all she could choke out.

"Jude, what's wrong?"

"There was an accident. We are on our way to the ER."

"Oh god, are you okay?"

"I'm fine it's Patsy though. I wasn't with her. I was at G Major with Jamie when he got the call."

"I'll meet you there."

"No, Tommy. Stay home, and I will call you when I know something." Jude knew it was too close to the anniversary of Angie's death for him to deal with this. She wanted to guard him from unnecessary pain."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." She noticed they were almost to the hospital. "We're almost there. I love you, and I'll call you later."

"I love you, too, Jude. If you need me just let me know."

The wait seemed to last forever. Jude paced the waiting room going crazy. She just wanted to hear that Patsy was okay. Jamie didn't seem so positive at all. Then the doctor walked in. "I'm sorry."

Jude drank her water trying to shake the feeling something bad was coming. It always happened when things were going good for them. She felt like when they were happy in their relationship it jinxed them.

Tommy wondered what was taking her so long. "Jude, babe, what's wrong?" He asked walking in the kitchen and seeing that she was crying.

Jude hadn't even realized she was crying until he walked in. "Don't worry about it." She said but not real convincing.

"Talk to me. One minute everything was fine then the next you are running away. You know I'll listen to what ever you have to say."

"It's stupid."

"Nothing that ever goes through that pretty little head of your is stupid."

"I just feel like every time we settle in to being happy something bad happens. Remember when I left for tour? We were in a good place, but when I got home Darius had bought out G Major. When that all settled down, you pulled away around my birthday. Then my mom left, Darius sent you away. Then this last time I lost one of my best friends. What if I loose you next?"

Tommy couldn't help but chuckle. "Jude, I'm not going anywhere, not unless you are going with me. I know the past few weeks have been rough with out Patsy. She's who always helped you blow off steam. And when Jamie comes to grips with his grief you'll have his friendship again. It's hard, but Jamie is a lot like me. I know he'll come through it. He'll find someone that eases his pain like I did."

"Do you know how much I love you?" She asked finally being able to smile. He always knew the right thing to say.

He nodded. "As mush as I love you." He hugged her to him and kissed her forehead.

She felt a bit better, but in the back of her mind she had a nagging feeling. There was a knock at the door, and Tommy let go of her. "That's dinner. Why don't you go wash your face?"

"Okay." She said and kissed him lightly and headed upstairs.

She washed her face and changed into a more comfortable pair of pajamas. She just kept reminding her self that everything was fine. As long as they loved each other nothing could or would tear them apart. She was young. She had plenty of time to think about marriage. It didn't matter if the were dating, living together, or married, as long as she was with Tommy.

Let me know what you think. I started to skip it, but I already mentioned Patsy's death earlier in the story. I hate flash back's that are basically summaries, but that was the best way to do this one.

Now Jude is thinking all the same things Tommy is thinking. But she feels like Tommy is not on the same page as her. How will she react when she finds out he is.

Hope everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas. I hope to have a new chapter ready by the end of the week. Christmas day sounds like good day to curl up and write. We'll see.