Disclaimer: I don't own the following: Instant Star.

A/N: MonsterChild: Harsh indeed. RedLA: Thanks! It will be changed very soon so if you don't see updates at some point, check in the M category.

Thank you to everyone who read!

Chapter Seven: Pick up the Pieces

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There was a long silence.

"So…" Jude tossed her food around. "That was pretty harsh Tommy. I mean you seem more like enemies than siblings."

"It's a long story Jude." Tommy said.

"I've got time." Jude took a sip of her water. "All the time in the world."

"Maddy is a wreck and she always will be and I don't have the time and effort to help her." Tommy explained. "She has…a medical problem…with eating. I don't like talking about it."

"She has an eating disorder?" Jude asked.

"Yes." Tommy replied, he looked scared, Jude had never seen this side of him and it scared her. "Not only that but she has involved herself in drugs and alcohol and who knows what else."

"I'm sorry." Jude put her hand on his, causing him to quickly look up at her.

"I just don't have the time to keep an eye on her and I know she'll hurt herself somehow." Tommy went on. "I care about her but she's just too difficult."

Jude stood up. She took Tommy's plate as well as her own and put them in the sink. She walked back to the table and looked at Tommy.

Tommy stood up and looked in Jude's eyes. The gorgeous blue eyes showed his own reflection. He put his hand on her cheek and leaned in and kissed her.

After many minutes of lip-lock, Jude finally pulled away gently. All they could do was smile at each other. Tommy took Jude by the hand and led her upstairs. They walked down the hall towards the guest room.

"I guess we can chill in here." Tommy looked around the room. It was pretty cozy for a guestroom.

"That's fine."

Tommy and Jude both looked towards the door when they heard Maddy slam the bathroom door down the hall.

"I'm gonna go talk to her." Tommy told Jude. "I'll be right back."

Jude sat down on the big bed as Tommy exited the room. He headed towards the bathroom door. He heard something he didn't like and immediately pushed the door open.

"What is going on in here?"

Maddy looked up. She was hunched over the toilet throwing up.

"Leave me alone I'm sick." Maddy said, struggling to hold her hair back. She continued to throw up.

"So is this what you meant by telling me that you eat?" Tommy was angry and had a look of disgust on his face. "You eat now but you puke it all up?"

"Please go away!"

Tommy grabbed his 16-year old sister a cool face cloth and handed it to her. Maddy flushed the toilet and leaned back, sweat poured down her forehead.

"Go to bed." Tommy told her. "Get some rest, I will see you tomorrow."

Tommy got up and left the room. He walked down the hall and entered the guest room.

"Yelling all the time." Jude said, as Tommy laid down next to her. "Your usually so calm and collected."

"Yeah well that just goes to show how bad Maddy really is." Tommy replied.

"Maybe she's not all that bad." Jude said. "Maybe she just needs someone to talk to."

Tommy shrugged. "Let's just talk about something positive for a while."

"Sure," Jude rested her head on her hand. "Like what?"

"Like this." Tommy leaned towards the red-haired girl, until his lips met hers.