AN: Welcome back my wonderful faithful readers/reviewers! Welcome to the first sequel to Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen! I hope you enjoy this first chapter, I am currently in the middle of writing chapter five already! So updates should be reasonably quick, though the more reviews I get the faster I update! Same goes for my only other work in progress World Instant Star. I'm wondering what I'm missing with that one as the reviews of the last chapter were very few, though I am grateful for the ones I did receive and hope to get the fifth episode up very soon! Now, onto chapter one!

Help Me Make It Through the Night

By An American Mom

Chapter One: Disaster on the horizon

Tommy and Jude had both in their own musical way admitted a little of the hidden realities playing in their own minds. They had attempted to admit things were growing, changing in their own hearts for each other, but of course neither would say it out right to the other. Then as luck would have it two weeks after her party when her winter break started she went on tour along with SME, a fairly local tour only lasting four weeks. This of course meant four weeks apart for the pair, and two extra weeks of vacation from school for the four teenagers crammed on an older tour bus.

He had been excited for her first tour, intent on being front row for as many shows as he could get to, and he was despite the changes that occurred almost immediately after she left. What Jude didn't know and Tommy found out only hours after her bus pulled out of the G-Major parking lot with her and her three teenage companions/band mates, is that Georgia had wanted to not only get the girl exposure but have her anywhere but in the studio when the business of changing owners occurred. It turned out that Georgia was in debt further than anyone but EJ knew and so when Darius Mills expressed interest in the label she'd had no choice but to sell it or file bankruptcy. The ladder would have been worse for her artists, namely Jude, than allowing Darius to buy the label directly from her. His interest in her label had a great deal to do with the high spirited little red-headed artist as it was so her position within the label and her contract were safe. As a favor to Georgia and to Tom he even agreed to keep all of the staff, save for Georgia and EJ of course who he set up in another label of his in the states.

Georgia didn't have the heart to tell Jude so making sure she was gone on tour seemed the best plan, after all the girl would have Tommy to help her through the transition when the tour was over. What Georgia didn't realize was that Darius was bringing along his sister, Tom's ex-wife, as part of the package. Portia was taking over EJ's job and as hard as it might be to believe, with even more attitude and dominance.

Tom adjusted quickly enough to the idea of having to work for/with Darius again despite their falling out when he left Boyz Attack but the idea of working and being around his ex-wife was a different story. Since Jude was gone for the time being he went back to his old comfort as he had done towards the end of his marriage to Portia; alcohol. However due to the stress and pressure all of this put on him emotionally he didn't take into consideration the fact he was taking medication for a case of the flu he'd developed shortly before Jude left.

Tom had missed three days of work without word to anyone when Kwest decided to go to his place and check on him, finding the door unusually unlocked and the stereo blasting a bootleg copy of one of Jude's songs. When he walks into the dark apartment he finds the floors once again littered with empty bottles of alcohol leading him into Tom's bedroom, the floor still cluttered with the same. He glances around the room in search of his friend only to see the glow of the bathroom light out of the corner of his eyes. Finding no sign of him else where he heads towards the bathroom, close enough now to finally hear the shower running.

As he enters the bathroom he's shocked by what he finds, on the floor unconscious lay Tommy, his head slumped against the side of the tub where it's obvious he's fallen and hit his head shortly after turning on the shower. Frantic he kneels down checking his breathing and pulse finding his pulse weaker than it should be and his breathing shallow, he also finds a thing trail of drying blood along the side of the tub under his head. He reaches out to switch the shower to the tub and checks the temperature of the water for an estimate of time. The water is ice cold, but the steam hasn't fully faded from the mirror behind him, the tiniest amount remains and he guesses his friend's been in this state for around an hour. He pulls out his phone calling the paramedics while attempting to remain calm. The moment he is off the phone with them while he's waiting for them to arrive he calls Jude getting a very groggy and not too happy teenage rock star. "Jude, listen to me, I know it's three in the morning but this is an emergency. How far are you from Toronto?" He listens as she answers him with a dazed estimate but sounds as though she's barely sure of her own accuracy. "Okay, better question, where are you?" He nods as she tells him she's in Barrie. "Okay, listen carefully Jude. Tom's messed up bad, he's been mixing alcohol with the meds he was on for the flu, it looks like he's been drinking for days but maybe an hour ago it looks like he fell and hit his head. He's unconscious but he's breathing. I don't know anything else yet, the ambulance is on their way now. I'm having them take him to St. Michael's hospital. Soon as you can, meet us there. I hate to ask you to-"He's interrupted by her of course, threatening him if he dares to continue to apologize for her leaving tour for Tom. "Okay, I'll meet you there. I'm going to call your dad, I'm going to need his help with the hospital, because you're a minor."

By the time he hangs up with Jude the paramedics have arrived and start asking him a slew of questions he does his best to answer. He cringes when they ask about family. "The only family he has in Toronto are the Harrisons'."

"As in Jude Harrison?" One of the paramedics asks.

"Yes, that's his best friend. He's practically lived with them since he was twelve, when he was in Toronto that is."

"She's on tour though isn't she? What about her parents?"

"I'm going to call her father on the way to the hospital; she's on her way here from Barrie. She'll meet us at the hospital as soon as she can. She's canceling the last two stops on her tour."

"All right I'll inform the hospital when we arrive. It's likely they will admit him directly to ICU so it will be one visitor at a time and only family. The best thing to do is tell the staff the Harrisons' are his foster family, that will take care of their rights but there's nothing we can do about the number of visitors policy. You're welcome to hang out in the ICU waiting room though for them."

"No problem. When he comes to, Jude's going to be the most important sight for him in this state." He shakes his head as he quickly follows the paramedics out of the apartment, turning off the stereo and locking the door behind him.

--

While the doctors and nurses see to Tom Stuart watches Kwest pace anxiously back and forth near to wearing a hole in the floor of the ICU waiting room before he breaks the tense silence asking, "What set him off?"

Kwest shrugs before collapsing into a chair across from Stuart. "I can only guess, the only thing I know for sure is just before he stopped showing up to work he'd gotten into a fight with his ex-wife Portia. Don't tell Jude this when she gets here, but, Georgia had two choices. She could either file bankruptcy or she could sell the label to Darius Mills, Tom's old manager. So along with Darius we're also stuck with his ex-wife, she took EJ's position at the label. Tom's not been in for three days now, so I went to check on him tonight on my way home which ended up being later in the night than I intended since I've had his work load and mine for the past three days."

"I remember Jude mentioning that Tommy was coming down with the flu before she left on tour, right?"

"Yes, which from what I could tell he's mixed a crap load of flu meds with an even larger quantity of alcohol, hard alcohol. Someone seriously needs to knock some sense into him and soon. He's got to stop wallowing in liquor, or he's going to kill himself one of these days. I don't think that's what he's trying for though."

"I agree. Hopefully Jude can talk some sense into him, she's about the only person he listens to when it comes to something like this."

Before Kwest can respond to Stuart's words an older man in a white lab coat walks into the room asking, "Who's here for Tom Quincy?" Kwest had of course been the reason for his stage name on the hospital records as even he doesn't know Tom's real last name.

Stuart stands and approaches the doctor, "I'm his foster father, how is he?"

"To be honest, he's in bad shape. He's got a serious concussion and hasn't regained consciousness yet from a combination of alcohol poisoning and the blow to his head. We've pumped his stomach and we're giving him antibiotics to fight off the infection brought on by the flu. His temperature is over 104 right now, we're doing everything we can to try and bring it down." The doctor states gently.

"Can I see him? I'd like to stay with him until my daughter arrives. She's coming in from Barrie now."

"Yes, of course. We'll make sure she's sent in as soon as she arrives." The doctor of course unaware Jude's only sixteen, not that Stuart or Kwest will allow the hospital to stop her due to her age.

Kwest paces the length of the waiting room while Stuart sits with an unconscious Tom for less than a half an hour when Jude comes barreling into the waiting room in a panic. "Where is he? How is he?!"

Kwest reaches out and grabs the girl by the shoulders to stop her and calm her as he speaks. "He's stable, his fever is high and he has an infection, they had to pump his stomach, and he has a concussion. When he comes to they'll move him to a private room but until then only one family member is allowed with him at a time. Your dad is with him right now. When he's conscious before he's released they've said he is required to talk to psych. His drinking is bad Jude."

"What happened?"

"There have been some major changes at G-Major, one of them involves the presence of his ex-wife and they got into a big fight. Then for the past three days instead of coming into work he's been home drinking himself into oblivion while taking his meds. I don't know what's been going through his head kiddo, but I hope to God you can get through to him." He releases her and goes to the door of Tom's room opening it long enough to motion for Stuart to come out, the nurse eyeing them from her desk to make sure someone comes out before anyone else goes in.

"Hi honey, I'll be at home if you need me." Stuart greets his daughter gently as he hugs her before opening the door for her and ushering her in and gets ready to leave.

Jude walks into his room, her bright blue eyes filled to the brim with tears that spill carelessly down her pale cheeks as she walks towards his bed. She takes in the sight of him lying there unconscious, pale, sweating, and hooked up to machines and IV bags. She pulls the chair as close as she can to his bed side grabbing the hand with the IV tube coming out of it and resting her head on the railing of the bed. She starts rambling to him hoping he can hear her, though it really doesn't matter. "Oh Tommy… What did you do…? Why are you doing this to yourself, huh?" When she can no longer hold back she starts to cry, letting go of his hand long enough to lower the railing on her side before laying her head carefully on the hand she takes hold of again.

It's around 7am when Portia Mills storms into the ICU waiting room startling Kwest and even causing Jude to look towards the door in the direction of angry muffled voices. Well muffled on Jude's end, Kwest however cringes as Portia angrily spits, "How dare you not tell me as soon as he was brought in! I want to see him, now!"

"You can't Portia, family only and only one member at a time. If you think Jude's going to leave his side so you of all people can go sit with him you've lost your mind. "Kwest states, his arms folded across his chest.

"I am his wife!"

"Ex-wife! Get that through your head!"

"Well as far as the hospital is concerned we're still married, just legally separated."

"That's a lie."

"So is calling that child family! I want in there, now! Get her out here; I'll get her to let me in."

"Good luck." He shakes his head as he nods to the nurse and peeks into the room motioning for Jude to come to the door. He steps back slightly as Jude reluctantly walks to the door though only peeking out of it, refusing to actually leave the room." Jude, this is Portia. She wants to sit with Tommy a while."

Jude looks from the beautiful African American woman standing with her foot tapping on the linoleum floor with her arms crossed angrily across her chest. She then looks to Kwest who holds an apologetic look. She shakes her head once curtly and simply states, "No," Before she goes back into Tom's room shutting the door behind her without another word.

Kwest shrugs, "There's your answer Portia. You're welcome to wait around with me until he wakes up and see if he changes the situation, but don't hold your breath. The hospital will be lucky if they can get her to leave his side for anything including the required psych evaluation. I don't think he's going to let her out of sight once he wakes up and she's sure as hell not going anywhere until he says so."

--

Kwest and Portia continue to argue until after 8am when Tom starts to stir and Jude's fallen asleep on top of his hand, her fingers clutching his feverish hand for dear life. His eyes open slowly feeling as if his eyelids are made of led as they flutter open and look around the white sterile hospital room. He eyes the IV bags and the monitors and even looks towards the door as he hears the argument continue before finally looking down at his hand and the reason for the weight he feels against it.

He reaches up with his free hand and brushes her hair from her features, his voice is soft and hoarse, "My girl…"

Under normal circumstances something so simple wouldn't have woken her, but she wasn't in a deep sleep, just a barely unconscious state of exhaustion so his touch and voice wake her easily. She sits up bleary eyed when she releases he's awake before standing quickly and hugging him. "Tommy! You scared the living hell out of me!" She pulls back to thump his shoulder with an angry pout on her chapped lips. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"Ow! I don't even know what happened… At least I don't remember much."

"You've been drinking again, a lot. Why are you doing this to yourself Tommy?" Her voice is pleading and full of sorrow towards the end as she looks at him with worry in her eyes.

He pulls his gaze from hers looking down at the IV in his hand reaching over with his other hand to toy gently with the plastic tube sticking out of his vein. "I don't know Jude… Can we just not talk about this right now? Please?" He lifts his gaze for a moment only to bestow on her a pleading expression of his own.

"Okay. I need to go let the nurse know you're awake and Kwest." She pauses for a moment, hesitant to leave his side. "Do you want me to send him in? I'll have to leave unless you wait to see anyone else until you're moved from ICU…"

"Let's wait until they move me then." He says softly, squeezing her hand gently before releasing it to allow her to inform the nurse.

She leans in to kiss the top of his head before reluctantly leaving his side and heading for the door. As soon as her hand curls around the icy metal knob she turns her head back to look at him adding, "Your ex-wife is also waiting to see you…" She doesn't wait for a response as she leaves the room to talk to the nurse, letting him think over her news in her absence. A tiny part of her actually worried he'd kick her out of the room long enough to speak to the woman.

She reaches the nurses' station leaning across the counter to whisper to the woman out of Portia's earshot while eyeing Kwest out of the corner of her eyes. She informs the nurse of Tom's conscious status before leaning back onto the heels of her feet again and looking at Kwest as he reaches her. She wraps her arms around him in a quick hug whispering the same news to him all the while eyeing the ex-wife. She doesn't say a word to the beautiful woman; instead she slips back into Tommy's room as quickly and silently as she'd left it.

"Hey girl," Tommy greets her with a tired smile the hand not attached to the IV bag reaching out towards her.

She slips her hand into his as she reaches his bed, shaking her head at the silent offer to climb into bed with him, and again when he pouts in protest. She voices gently, "The doctor will be in here any minute to examine you Quincy. I'd be in the way."

He looks up at her with wide crystal blue eyes that have a dull haze over them from the fever his skin too pale and his face scruffy from near a week of not shaving, "Just until the doctor comes in, please?"

"Oh fine." She shakes her head with a slight smile before climbing into the bed beside him her arm looping around his and her head coming to rest lightly on his shoulder. With her free hand she traces idle designs on the back of his.

"So, Portia's here…" He says the words as a statement more than a question.

"Yes."

"Has she tried to get in here yet?"

"Oh yes. She argued with Kwest then tried to intimidate me. She also lied to the staff according to Kwest that you two are just legally separated but still married."

He snorts rolling his eyes lazily before shaking his head. "Yeah, separated, right… We've been divorced longer than we were married. Then again I think I've had colds last longer than our marriage…" His words were harsh true, but thankfully the woman in question isn't in the room to hear them. He lays the side of his head against the top of hers nestling himself closer to Jude as if his life depends on her presence. If Tom were to be honest with himself his existence did depend on her presence in his life. It was always during their times apart he made the stupidest choices in his life, like now during her tour. Her tour! His head jerks up and turns towards hers as it rises also. "You left tour early didn't you?"

"Of course," She looks at him confused. "You were taken to the hospital, put in ICU, had a concussion, a high fever, and your stomach pumped. Do you really think I'd stay in Barrie and perform with all of that? I think if dad or I hadn't been here every second you've been in the hospital they'd have you on suicide watch, do you know that?"

He cringes at the word suicide as though he'd been struck. "I wasn't trying to kill myself Jude…"

She shifts on the bed sitting up straighter and facing him a serious expression on her youthful face. "In a way you are Tommy. Your behavior every time something upsets you is to drink yourself into oblivion. It's self destructive behavior; it's sort of the same thing."

"I…" He bites his lower lip frowning and lowering his gaze from hers just as the doctor enters the room.

Jude climbs off the bed to get out of the older man's way spacing out a bit as he starts to question and examine Tommy. In her mind she starts seriously thinking over his behavior the last ten years and the words she's just spoken. It was no wonder the hospital was demanding a psych evaluation, there had even been talk of not allowing him home until he was either over the virus completely and off meds or under serious full time supervision to prevent a reoccurrence.

A few minutes later the doctor leaves the room, preparing to send someone in to move him to a private room out of ICU which lowers the visiting standards, at least through the hospital. He of course still doesn't want to even consider Jude leaving the room especially the idea of leaving him alone with any particular visitors. He also can't stand the look of disappointment in her eyes that remains from the discussion they'd started before the doctor came in. He pats the place on the bed again as he changes the subject. "So, while you were away there were some changes at G-Major, did Kwest tell you about any of it?"

"No," She looks at him confused again and mildly irritated he changed the subject on her but lets it alone for now. "What changes?"

"Georgia was in danger of going bankrupt, so she sold the label. Do you remember my old manager Darius? Portia's older brother?" As soon as she nods he continues, "Well he bought the label. He did it mostly because he could see how much money you'd be pulling in for the label over time, how big of a hit you already are and will continue to grow into. Of course in the process of buying the label from her he had to agree to allow everyone, except Georgia and EJ, to keep their jobs as they are. She did that to protect you and me of course. He agreed before he realized she'd teamed us up and remembering the history between us. So he's not thrilled and odds are he's already heard what happened between you and Portia so he's probably even less happy with us."

"So he's probably going to go ballistic about the fact I just effectively canceled the last two performances on my tour huh?"

"Yes. We'll be paying a high price for it that's for sure."

"It's worth it." She places her hand on his cheek lightly, "I wouldn't be anywhere else Tommy. Nothing, no one, especially no manager, is going to make me break my promise."

"Thanks Harrison." He says softly resting his forehead against hers his eyes half closing against her warm touch just as an orderly comes in to move him to another room.