Chapter 12

Though Tommy had turned up the heat to full blast in the car, Jude sat in the passenger seat, shivering and staring absently out the window, not really seeing what was passing her eyes. They didn't need to talk, they didn't have to. All their actions were unspoken as were their emotions. Jude glanced over at Tommy. To the outside observer, he was just driving home in the dark rainy night. She knew he was anything but calm; it was the way his jaw was clenched slightly and his eyes were more narrowed, yet soft in his mix of anger and concern. His hands gripped the steering wheel slightly harder than what was necessary, even in the current weather conditions. Tommy's eyes moved over and met hers, his brown eyes softened slightly as he glanced at her and back at the road and back again.

"You ok?" He asked, looking at her and turning his attention back to the rain slicked road. Jude sniffed, and didn't answer his question right away. She had to admit, when she had bolted out of the house and sat in the dark G Major, she was terrified. She felt like a cockroach when the lights in a dark house were turned on. Vulnerable and scurrying to hide. And then Tommy showed up. Her frazzled nerves had been calmed when he held her in his arms and she was further relaxing in the comfort of his Viper. Deep down, she knew she was safe with him though he did have the tendency to hurt her in the past. "I am now…" She whispered, looking back out the window. Jude didn't see the small smile that appeared on Tommy's face when he heard her words. He pretended not to hear her, not really knowing what to say to that and stated for her

"We're almost there." Jude nodded, but said nothing. They were silent once again and Jude's eyes began to feel heavy with sleep. I'll just close my eyes for a minute…Jude thought and seconds later fell into deep doze.

"Jude?" A voice said, and she felt a hand on her upper arm and give her a slight shake. She bolted awake, fearing the worst. Her eyes quickly scanned the unfamiliar place she found herself in. She panicked slightly, feeling her heart racing a marathon in her chest.

"Jude?" A voice said softly. Jude, in her fit of fear, flung her arm out and hit something solid. "oof." The muffled voice said. Jude turned to the side where her arm collided and saw Tommy squatted next to her, holding his nose.

"Oh my goodness! Tommy! I'm so sorry!" Jude said, feeling really bad that she hit him in the nose.

"I'm ok…" Tommy said, sounding slightly nasal.

"I'm sorry!" Jude said again, looking horrified. Tommy removed his hand from his nose and glanced at it, and Jude could see the blood coming out of his nose. Tommy let out a creative string of curses and quickly left the room before he got blood all over the carpet.

Jude fought the urge to laugh, and decided to give him his privacy. It hit her at that moment. She was in Tommy's apartment! She straightened on the couch, which was very comfortable, and glanced around, not really surprised at what she saw.

She was in the living room, which was just inside the door. It was large and open, in warm colors that made it very comfortable. The couch she was seated on was a deep red, and the walls a deeper brown. The floors where actually hard-wood with fancy, light colored rugs laid out above the wood. Across from her was a plasma TV hang on the wall that pretty much covered the whole center of it. On each side of the TV were bookcases filled with CD's, cassettes, A-tracks, and a couple records. She had to guess there were probably a few hundred organized neatly on the shelves. Below the TV was a entertainment style cabinet that had surround sound speakers built into it. Jude assumed the stereo was probably hidden inside the cabinet and jumped up to check it out.

She glanced through Tommy's CD collection and was in awe with what she saw. The man probably has every CD there ever was! Jude though, pulling out a couple rare-imported tracks. Jude moved over to the other bookshelves on the other side of the TV and gasped at what she saw. She had the same plague, but it seemed odd seeing it on display in Tommy's house. There was a copy of her first CD set into black velvet. Below the CD was a copy of her booklet and on the right of the CD and booklet was wrote in Gold lettering, Jude Harrison, Double Platinum.

Jude remembered when she and Tommy had both received the plagues from Georgia as congratulations on her first album going double platinum. Jude smiled at the memory and stepped away from the bookcase. She turned around and surveyed the rest of the apartment. To her left was a long hallway and to the right was a wall with a entry way. Jude glanced into the entry way and saw it led into a pretty good sized kitchen and dining room that she knew her mother would be envious of. Jude left the living room and walked down the hallway, not looking into any of the closed doors on either side of the hallway.

There was a light on half-way down the hall and Jude called out "Tommy?" She went down the hall and faced the open door. Tommy was seated in the bathroom on the closed toilet lid, his head was pitched forward and his fingers pinching his nose to stop the blood.

"You're supposed to tip your head back." Jude stated. Tommy shook his head and said very nasally

"No you're not. If you do that, the blood pours down your throat and you could end up choking." He said, and Jude winced at the image.

"Nice." Tommy just shrugged and continued holding his nose.

"I'm sorry." Jude said, after a beat of silence, looking at Tommy sympathetically.

"'s alright. Just gonna be the last time I wake you up." He said, removing his had and glanced at the tissue he held in his hand to catch the blood. He ran his hand under his nose to see if it was still bleeding. Jude continued to watch him soundlessly, and tears began to fall down her face.

"Hey, it's ok. I'll live…" Tommy said, turning towards her. Jude shook her head and Tommy stared at her a moment in bewilderment.

"I was so scared…" She choked out and let out a sob. Tommy quickly figured out what she meant and gave her a comforting hug. Jude wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulder. With each soft sob she let out, Tommy could feel his heart break. They stood together until Jude's sobs subsided. Neither of them wanted to move and Jude made the first movement and reluctantly let her arms fall back to her sides, and took a couple steps back.

"You ok?" Tommy asked her.

"Yeah, I feel better…" She admitted, letting out a sniff. Tommy reached out and dried her eyes. Jude just stared back at him, but did nothing to stop him. They both stared into each other's eyes and it was taking every ounce of restraintment power he possessed not to kiss her. I won't make that impulsive mistake again. Tommy thought, letting an awkward silence fall over the couple.

This is stupid. Jude though, her eyes narrowing. She glanced once more in Tommy's seemingly calm eyes and she knew she could loose herself in their depths. Damn the consequences, she thought and before Tommy could protest to her actions, she captured his lips in hers, putting all of her emotion into that one kiss.

Jude broke away and gave Tommy a smile before leaving him standing wide-eyed in shock in the bathroom. Jude called out as she left the room "You might want to close your mouth before the flies get in!"