Jude got the call from Nora a week later as she sat with her guitar and tried to write. Nora said she'd made a decision regarding Benjamin's contract, and that Jude should come in to the studio right away. She did not ask "could you come in," instead demanding that Jude arrive in the next hour. The "or else" was implied.
When she got to Nora's office, the door was open, the desk chair empty. "Hey, Jude," came a voice from behind her as she walked into the office
She yelped, startled, and jumped about a foot in the air. "Jesus, Benjamin!" Jude cried when she turned to see him leaning casually against the wall of the office. "You gave me a fucking heart attack."
"Sorry," he apologized, standing up straight, away from the wall. "Didn't mean to startle you. I thought you saw me."
As the shock faded, Jude frowned. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Benjamin had been looking at her with a mostly sad expression, but at her question he looked angry. "What am I doing here? I'm trying to save my fucking career, since you're clearly so intent on destroying it."
"Excuse me?" Jude asked incredulously. "The way I remember it, you are the one who threatened to destroy my career."
"That's not fair!" he protested. "Jude, I was… I was hurt. I was just reacting to–"
"Reacting by threatening my career and my relationship. Maybe you don't realize how low it is to threaten to go to the tabloids, Benjamin, but in this business the media is vicious. Especially to women. It is a constant fear. If you had–"
"But I didn't!" he cut her off. "Obviously I should never have said it, I should never have tried to threaten you, that was so, so stupid of me, and I'm sorry, alright? But I've already apologized for it, I promised you I wouldn't tell anyone, and I haven't done. I did nothing to deserve what you've done to me."
"What the hell are you talking about? I haven't done anything to you."
Benjamin looked hurt and incredulous. "You asked—no, begged—my boss to sack me. From what I understand, you went out of your way, actually risked your own contract, just to try and lose me my career."
Jude's heart sank. Somehow, she hadn't even considered the impact this would all have on Benjamin. She barely thought of him at all when she'd been arguing with Nora. All her thoughts had been of her and Tommy. When she had thought of Benjamin, it had been in something of an abstract sense, as a reminder of her mistakes and an obstacle to her future happiness, not as a young and talented guy just trying to make it in the biz. She hadn't even considered the effect this would have on his career. She felt awful. "Oh, God. I'm so sorry. I swear I wasn't trying to–"
"What else could you have been trying to do?!" he protested. "I'm sorry for kissing you, is that what you want me to say? I shouldn't have done it, but then you kissed me back! This was not something I did to you, this was something we did, the both of us! You don't get to hate me for this!" He was becoming increasingly agitated, practically shouting.
"I know, I know, Benjamin." Jude held her hands up. "I don't blame you for what happened. I swear, I wasn't trying to lose you your career, I wasn't trying to hurt you. I was just trying to save my relationship, you have to understand–"
"Save your relationship at my expense! So I was, what? Collateral damage, to you? This is my life, Jude! This is my career!"
"I know, I didn't even think. I'm so, so sorry. Look, I'll do whatever I can to help you find a new contract, okay? You're so talented, someone else will sign you in a heartbeat. I'll put in a good word for you anywhere you want. I know A&R people, my sister works in publicity so she has contacts, I'll find you a new contract somewhere else, I promise."
"I don't need your help," he snapped. "For your information, I already have offers."
"Oh, well that's great!" Jude said, relieved.
"I shouldn't have to go with my second choice, Jude! I shouldn't have to start over! I do not deserve to lose my contract here!"
"That's debatable," Nora's cold voice came from the door, and Jude and Benjamin both turned to her. She walked behind her desk. "Sit," she commanded them both, and they complied. After they were seated, Nora sat too, putting her elbows on the desk and putting her steepled fingers over her mouth. She regarded them cooly for a long moment before saying, "I've made a decision. I am releasing Benjamin from his Bermondsey contract." Jude sighed in relief, Benjamin's jaw clenched in anger. "But there are a number of conditions," Nora continued. "Benjamin," she turned to him, "there is a non-compete clause in your contract, which I will void under the condition that you sign a non-disclosure agreement broadly covering any information about the personal lives of any of your colleagues here at Bermondsey. If a word of what happened here gets to the media, I will sue you, and you will lose."
Benjamin swallowed hard, and nodded. "Understood."
"Otherwise, you are free to pursue contracts with any other label, although I should let you know that I advise you not come to me for a reference. The words 'un-trustworthy' and 'cutthroat' do not a good recommendation make."
Jude actually flinched at that, and Benjamin looked furious, though he controlled his anger, saying "understood," again, through clenched teeth.
"Benjamin…" Jude said softly.
"Don't," he snapped.
She sighed and turned back to Nora. "I'm sorry for this, I am. But thank you. I really needed–"
"Not so fast." Nora cut her off. "There are conditions for you, too. I am not acquiescing just like that."
"What?" Jude asked, surprised.
"Maybe you are ignorant to how these things work, Miss Harrison, but this company invested significant time and resources into Mr. Kite. I am not letting him go without recouping as much of that investment as I can."
"The single–"
"Not enough." Nora cut her off again. She looked between the two of them and said, "You two will be doing a duet."
Jude cried, "What?" at the same time as Benjamin said, "Wait, seriously?"
"A duet," Nora continued, raising her voice a little, "released through Bermondsey Records. A final attempt to get my money's worth from the both of you."
"I have a song!" Benjamin interjected, sounding excited. "It's something new I've been working on for the last few weeks, but it was missing something, so I started putting harmonies to it this morning. It would be perfect, it'll sound amazing in Jude's voice. Can the song be released under my name, with Jude as featured?"
Nora nodded. "That would be acceptable."
"No!" Jude protested. "No that would most definitely not be acceptable! I am not doing a duet with him! No way!"
"Jude!" Benjamin cried, looking hurt. "What happened to doing whatever you can to help me save my career? This is what you can do to help me!"
"It defeats the purpose!" Jude cried. "Nora, you can't do this. Please."
"This is not a negotiation," Nora said firmly.
"The whole point is that I can't work with him! We can't release a duet together, there's no way, I won't do it!"
"These are my terms," Nora snapped. "I know you think you have all of the power here, Miss Harrison, but I assure you that is not the case."
"What if I refuse?" Her eyes were wide. "You can't force me to record anything."
Nora's lips pressed into a thin line. "You're correct. I won't force you. But these are my conditions for releasing Benjamin from his contract. If you refuse them, I would be happy to keep him on as an artist."
"Wait, really?" Benjamin cut in, but they ignored him.
"Please don't do this," Jude pleaded softly with Nora.
"You did this, not me. These are your choices," Nora said coldly. "You can do a duet, you can both stay under contract here, or you may leave as you threatened to do, but like I said, this is no longer a negotiation."
Jude pressed her lips into a hard line, glaring at Nora for a long moment before saying through clenched teeth, "Fine. Duet it is."
A/N: I created the character of Benjamin Ray Kite two and a half years before I wrote this scene (this was actually the second to last scene I wrote for the story) but it wasn't until I had Nora call him "Mr. Kite" in this chapter that I realized I had created a character whose name is a Beatles reference (as in, "being for the benefit of…") I did not do that to be clever, but it accidentally ended up being sort of clever.
Also, if I don't update Wednesday it will be because I'm out of town visiting my sisters for Thanksgiving. I should have time and wifi, but if I don't, that's why.