To all of my loyal readers, I must make a small point before getting to the traffic of today's stage.

After reading over my story (ch 1-12II), I've realized progression is lacking. I apologize for this, but this chapter will be another one of those "emotional but moving them in the right direction" type deals. But just wait – chapter 14 will deal with some serious drama. I've also realized (by just reading too many FF's and by personal reflection on my writing) that I don't have Jude fly off at the handle at the drop of a dime nor have I made Tommy as confusing as he may actually be. All I can say is that, well, I dunno. (I have to get my personal feelings out towards my story.) I really wanted to blur the lines of "She's 17... only 17!" I want the reader to keep in mind that while Jude has cracked and has fallen into her doldrums, Tommy isn't infallible and is probably more... fucked up. (Ha.) Not to mention how everything over the past year is wearing thin on EVERYONE. The darkness... yeah. I wanted it dark in a pseudo-dark type way.

OH YEAH! Jaime and Kat will come in here at some pt. Watch for it. And we haven't heard the end of Sadie.

How I babble!

But yes... on with today's traffic and on with something that may have you screaming, "WTF! WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN!"

Haha...

Chapter 13 / Southside Bargaining Chip

Jude was drained. No amount of caffeine or sleep could energize her. Listlessness was the predominant feeling of the current production and it weighed down her mind. Songs came and went; chords filtered through the cracks; words and discussions and situations that were fantasy and would probably never happen couldn't help but play on the silver screen behind her eyes. It added to the strain but she smiled a masochistic smile; dreams were meant to be dreamed after all.

She sat on the floor, Studio A. She strummed the same song that restarted everything. Yes... It's about you. She damned the song. Her songs always hit so close to home and always stirred things that should have been left to die. She played harder, louder. She furiously hit the strings, the sounds growing to their peak intensity. She stopped, breathing hard and wanting to slam the guitar against the wall. If I walked away from all of this, would it fucking matter!

"Jude." Jude looked up from the guitar resting against her heaving chest. His hair was a disheveled mess, the way he liked it. His clothes hung perfectly from every inch of his body. He was rugged and his clean scent encompassed her senses even if he was ten feet away. He looked so good, so inviting, so warm and soft and wanting. It was antagonizing.

"Tommy." Her voice was a cracking mess of bitterness and depression. "If you're hear to explain something, don't. Just don't. I'm not in the mood." He said nothing as he walked to where she sat, sitting beside her on the burgundy carpeting, stretching out his long legs that threatened to share her personal space. His leather jacket rubbed her against her elbow, a maddening juxtaposition. He was too close for comfort, too far away for security.

"I do a lot of things." He straightened the leg of his jeans, his fingers brushing against her knee. "I'm damn good at what I do and sometimes, the things I'm best at are the worst things I could ever be. I have a mean temper that has caused more bloody faces and caused me to spend more nights in jail than are countable. I drink more than any living man should. I drive too fast and it shocks me that I haven't killed myself yet. And... I hurt you... over and over again. I don't mean to and god knows I don't want to. I just do. But... I think about it so much. Every step I try to plan and play, every move I make - no matter how calculated and thought out it is – it all backfires. You confuse me, Jude."

Honesty, more honesty than she'd heard in her 17 year old lifetime, more honesty than the man who could drive her to and from the brink of disaster had ever given her. It was too much. He was too much. She slumped forward, crying into her lap, silently but just enough to shake her. He didn't reach out for her. She mentally thanked him.

"I confuse you? Tommy... For the past year and a half, I've spent nights awake trying to understand you. Every time I get close to some sort of answer to it all, you pull out another trick. I don't get it. I confuse you. How?"

"You don't see the gimmick, girl. From the jump, you didn't look at me as 'Little Tommy Q' and if you did, it wasn't a good thing. I'm not used to girls like you. I've never met a girl like you. That's what's so confusing." Jude looked up from her position, eying Tommy. He stared into space, his eyes fixated on something on the ceiling. He looked as broken as she felt. The moment was an all-access granted pass; she had to ask her most deeply rooted questions.

"Why do you run from me?"

"You're 17 and I've never been with someone who feels me as much as you do. Don't you see how that can be unnerving? I shouldn't want you. I shouldn't need you, but I do. I want you and need you more than anything. It scares me."

"Why does it always have to go back to age with you?"

"You're 17. I'm 23.Forgetting how I feel, don't you get how it looks? I've gotten past it for the most part, but no one would understand. You'd be the innocent musician and I'd be the perv producer who was going after a kid."

She tried to digest and process what he said, but it still annoyed her. She knew he was right on some level; people wouldn't get it, but it didn't give him the right to mess with her head.

"You can say all this, but I know you'll pull away as soon as the heat gets too hot. No one knows about us, but you still run. Back there, when we were at the coffee place? When I told you I wanted something you couldn't give me? I meant..." She choked on the tears she'd pushed aside. "All I want is to know that you won't leave and you can't give me that. I want to know that you're here and you... really want me." Tommy pulled her into him, holding her against his chest. He smells so good...

"I want you, girl. I want you as mine."

"Why don't I feel it?" He pulled her away from him, cool air coming between them, killing the newfound warmth.

"Because... of me. You have to trust me, Jude. I'm tired of the games just like you are. I'm tired of knowing the hurt in your eyes in because of me." He ran his fingers along her jaw line, his touch putting the gnawing emptiness asleep. He wasn't a liar even if he didn't always tell her everything. She trusted him in that sense.

"Ok, Tommy..." She nodded her head in agreement. "Ok."

The woman walked thru G Major, purpose and assurance her aura of choice. She scanned the room for the few faces she'd recognize. She spotted EJ pacing in a restrained box, her cell phone cemented to her ear.

"I don't care who you think she sounds like, play the damn music!" The woman smirked, knowing she was referring to Jude. She walked up to EJ, breaking her walking path. She tapped her on the shoulder. "Hey!" The woman gave EJ a quick smile.

"Hey... Where's Georgia?" EJ's face showed indifference even if her nose crinkled at the question.

"She's... umm... in her office. She's a bit busy at the moment, but..." The woman cut her off.

"Thanks." She walked towards the door labeled Georgia Beavans, CEO. She knocked but waited for no answer. She stood in front of Georgia purposefully. "We should talk."

Kwest had seen the woman enter and it didn't register who she was until she turned to enter Georgia's office.

"This isn't good..."