AN: OMG! I can't believe I'm almost at 100 reviews! You guys are the best reviewers in the whole fanfic universe! If anyone objects to that, I'll challenge them to review as consistently as you do. I'd thought most of you would have given up reading this a long time ago. Thank you so, so much!

Special ANs:

hurray4harrison, just wait. You ain't seen nothin' yet.

Chloe, I completely understand. I'd hate me too ;o)!

timleesa, aww...that's so nice of you to say that you love this. Thank you :o)!

Tanya, that's a great idea. I don't know if I'll be able to use it just yet, but maybe…Thanks for the suggestion.

Rachel, I promise you'll find out soon. There's a reason why they got fired, and you'll find out why in the chapter after this one.

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: (I always forget this part) Of course I don't own Instant Star or any of the characters. But I wish I did. Then we wouldn't have to wait awhile to see Tommy and Jude hook up (if they even do in Season 3. But I'm thinking they won't for a while…even though I hope I'm wrong.)

Chapter 28: Good-byes Are Always The Hardest

I hopped in my Viper, and sped off to G Major. I would've picked Jude up, but that would've only reminded us of our last time driving to the studio together. Plus there wasn't enough space for my stuff and Jude's, since I didn't have a back seat , and my trunk wasn't that big.

I pulled into the G Major driveway, breezing by all the other cars that had the regular spots. I began to turn into my usual spot, but braked when I saw someone else was already parked there. Who could it be?

I soon found out as I walked in. People walked around, shooting glances at me as if to say, "Tough luck, Tommy." I strode over to my office, pulled out my keys, and opened the door, only to find that someone was inside.

"Tom, nice to see you," smirked Jamie.

"What are you doing here?" I said, thinking that Jamie had no chance of lasting here after Darius took over.

"Unlike you, Darius had the sense to realize my talent as a manager. I've been recruiting new artists for him, since I know the music scene a lot better than you think I do," Jamie boasted.

"Yeah right," I rolled my eyes.

"You know Mason, right?" Jamie continued.

"Yeah, that country and western guy," I said. I hated country music.

"I found him. Yup, that was me," Jamie said proudly.

"OK, so you got lucky once. Big deal," I waved it off.

"No, I got Nicole next. You know, Chaz' sister," Jamie went on. "And a few others too. My most recent find was Patsy." He looked at me, thinking that I knew everyone.

"Fine, whatever," I said. That was the closest I'd ever come to hinting that I'd no longer be working there. Then I had an idea about how to distract Jamie so that I could get my stuff out without him knowing. "Oh, that Patsy. Right!" I said, clapping my hand to my forehead in mock realization.

"What about Patsy?" Jamie narrowed his eyes in curiosity.

"Yeah, I think she wanted to talk to you about something," I lied.

I watched as Jamie gulped, then said bravely, "OK, well I'll go talk to her then." He rushed out without another word. Maybe my lie wasn't so far from the truth after all.

I hastily cleaned out my desk, as well as any other items I'd brought to my office from home.

I put it all in my Viper, then saw Mr. Harrison and Jude pull up. Jude looked as if she were crying, and I could hear Mr. H. yelling at her over the roar of his engine.

"I can't believe this!" Mr. H. roared. "I don't care how big or powerful Darius Mills is. He can't treat you like that. I'm gonna get you your job back if it's the last thing I do!"

I ducked inside, hoping that Jude hadn't told him what had happened. No such luck.

"TOM! GET BACK HERE NOW!" Mr. H. bellowed. He followed me into G Major. If Mr. H. was angry before, he was even more upset now. I glanced back, noticing that Jude was desperately trying to hold her father back.

If I had to fight for Jude, I would. I wouldn't care whose trust I'd had to earn. All that mattered was that I had Jude's love.

"Mr. H.," I nodded politely to Jude's dad. Mr. H. glared at me in response.

"This is all your fault!" He exploded. I cringed, knowing he was right. If I hadn't kissed Jude so publicly, she would still have her job.

"Dad, don't," Jude said, catching on to why I was there. But Mr. H. kept going.

"Jude might be 18, but she's still too young for you. How dare you go around and kiss her in front of all those people! You're a cradle-robbing pop-star wannabe!" Mr. H sputtered angrily.

"Mr. H, I love your daughter," I said honestly, hoping that would shock him into silence long enough. It didn't.

"Love? You don't know the meaning of it! A different girl every week! Don't think I don't read the tabloids. I won't let Jude get hurt. Especially not by you," Mr. H said, waving his finger in my face.

"I'd never hurt Jude. She means everything to me. And that's why I'm here. To get Jude her job back," I said as fast as I could without getting interrupted.

Mr. H started to respond, then stopped even though his mouth was open. He closed it, then opened it again.

"Jude, we'll get your job back. Don't worry. We'll get it without the help of your ex-producer," he said, stressing the word ex.

Mr. H took Jude and steered her toward Darius' office. Jude glanced back, shooting me an apologetic look. I shrugged, and smiled back at her as if to say, "It's OK." She smiled back before disappearing around the corner.

I followed them to D's office, and watched as they went inside.

I heard a lot of yelling, then Jude slipped out and came over to me.

I held her in my arms, not caring who was watching, and we stayed there together until Mr. H. and Darius burst out of his office.

"Jude knew the rules, and she still broke them. I can't allow that to happen, and there's nothing I or you can do about it," Darius said defensively. He wasn't smiling.

"Jude had a contract with you, and you're choosing to end it without a warning, some probationary period or something? Come on! Lots of musicians got involved with their producers. You can't do this!" Mr. H. yelled, his face red with anger.

"I have no choice. If you look at Jude's contract, you'll see it right there. You can't miss it." Darius repeated.

"Why don't you just fire Tom and keep Jude on? Tommy's the problem here, not Jude. He knew the rules, and he broke them also."

"Stuart, I can't keep both of them on. If I let them get away with it, other producers and artists will get the same idea. I can't have them distracted from their main focus, and that is to make music. Not to socialize, not to mess around, not to fall in love and have to deal with their complicated love lives. I'm not a baby-sitter, I'm a record exec. I can't afford to watch them, so I'm letting both of them go. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Darius looked annoyed, and retreated into his office, where Stuart followed him and was met with a door slammed shut in his face.

He turned around, still dragging Jude by the hand, and muttered to himself, "There's got to be a loophole somewhere. I'll find it if it's the last thing I do."

To his daughter, he said, "Jude, get your stuff, and let's get out of here. Jude ran around, collecting all her things, and soon re-emerged, worried that her dad might bite my head off while she was busy gathering her possessions.

"Jude, let me help you with that," I offered. Jude thanked me silently with her eyes, but her dad came in between us.

"You've helped enough, don't you think? Going around, pretending to love my daughter, when you're actually toying with her emotions?" Jude's dad still hadn't gotten over us being together.

I suppressed my rage, and held my tongue.

My POV: Pretending to love Jude? No one could. Either they did or they didn't. And ever since we met, there was no way in the world I couldn't love Jude. Even if Mr. H. paid me a zillion dollars not to love Jude, I wouldn't be able to help myself.

Jude saw me quietly controlling my anger, and pulled her dad away. "Dad, come on, let's get out of here." She started walking toward the door, then said, "I forgot my journal. I'll be out in a minute. I won't be much longer, I promise." Her dad glanced at me suspiciously before turning away and walking outside. It was his way of saying, Jude better not be talking to you.

Jude walked back inside, and glanced at me to follow her. I waited a few moments before she'd disappeared around the corner, so that Mr. H. wouldn't be able to see us. Then I walked around the corner, where she'd sat down.

"Tommy, what am I going to do? I won't be able to see you anymore," Jude said, beginning to sniffle. My heart broke at her words.

"I'll find a way. I'll email you, since your dad'll probably be screening your calls from now on."

"OK," Jude nodded, as I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around me and held me tightly, as if that was the last kiss we'd ever be able to have for a long time.

After a while, we pulled away, both of us not wanting it to end. "I love you, Jude. Don't you ever forget it."

"I love you, Tommy," Jude said, beginning to cry again. "Don't forget me."

I started tearing up myself, just looking at the woman of my dreams breaking down in front of me. "How could I? You're the only one for me," I said, my voice cracking with emotion. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her on the top of her head.

She slumped against me for a minute, then pulled away unwillingly. "I should go."

"Yeah, me too." I said, getting up. I held out my hand to her to help her up. She took it, and stood up. She let go, and started to walk away, then ran back into my arms and kissed me breathlessly.

"Bye," she whispered against my lips, tears flowing freely down her face.

"I love you, Jude. Always and forever," I murmured back, fighting the urge to cry. I had to be strong for the both of us. "Go on, your dad's waiting."

"OK," Jude sobbed, breaking away. She turned her back to me, walked away and left. She never looked back once, and I watched through blurry eyes as I saw her leave G Major for the last time.

AN: I know you all hate me right now, and I don't blame you. I was crying when I wrote this chapter…it's so sad :o(! But it's not the end. I don't know how I'll do it, but Tommy and Jude will see each other soon enough. If you have any ideas, let me know.