Chapter 24 - The Bad Boy Is Back

The sun was coming out. Jude yawed just now realizing she had spend the whole night telling Jordan about her life. He got up, stretched and gave her a funny look.

Jude: "What?" she asked.

Jordan: "Wait here."

Jude: "Where are you going?"

Jordan: "I'll be right back."

Jordan walked away. Jude stayed behind wondering where he had gone off to. She laid her head down on one of the couches and took in the morning rays that shone so brightly through the lobby window. It was getting colder. A sing of summer ending.

Jordan walked to the back of the hotel and entered the storage area. He looked around through the junk that he referred to as antics. Finally in the back of the room he found what he was looking for. A smile crossed his face, he picked it up and dusted it off quickly.

Jude finally heard footsteps and jumped to her feet. She spotted Jordan carrying something in the distance. When he came closer she recognized what he was holding. Jude's eyes bulged out. She couldn't believe what he had brought her.

Jordan: "Here."

Jude: "What? How?" she took it and ran her hands over it softly.

Jordan: "It used to be my mom's. She played. When she died I just kind of threw it in the closet like the rest of her things."

Jude sat down and placed the beautiful, old guitar on her lap. She played with the strings a little teasing her fingers that had longed for so long to play again. She was absolutely overjoyed. She hadn't held a guitar or sung since she left Canada. Jordan saw how her face lit up. She hadn't even noticed him walked out.

Back In Canada

Kwest sat on his couch, Amy in his arms. It was early morning. He had turned on the news and they watched in silence.

Reporter: "Now to the entertainment part of today's news." the tiny woman said as the screen turned to a bar fight "It started off as a harmless night which turned into a blood fest later on. A fight erupted at Sam's pub last night after Tommy Quincy had a few too many drinks and decided to cause a scene." Kwest shot up at his friends name and turned the volume up. A security camera's footage showed Tommy and another man, twice his size, fighting. The man punched Tommy in the face and in return Tommy ran into his stomach causing them both to fall on the ground. The reporter went on "Tommy has had a rough time with his ex-girlfriend suffering a tragic death but it all leaves us wondering what's been going on with him. A few months back he was arrested for getting into another bar fight. If he continues at this pace the entertainment world as Tommy knows it will be taken right from underneath him and he'll spend his days in a jail cell." the footage ended and pictures appeared on the screen. One of Tommy walking out the bar all bloody and with a black eye. Another one of him assaulting the camera crew. "As bad as Tommy's bruises look he did not seek medical attention. That's all for now. We'll keep you updated on further Quincy fights that I'm sure are still to come. Loyal watchers keep your daughters inside, it looks as if though the bad boy is back" the woman smiled and the weather reporter flashed on the screen. Kwest turned the TV off and turned to Amy. He had no idea what to do.

Back To Jude

Jude got lost in her music. Jordan watched her transform into someone he hadn't met yet. This was the real Jude. The Jude he had waited for to meet. He saw her happy expression. She was so lost in her music nothing could have brought her out of it. She hummed to the melody. A few cords later she added a few lyrics.

Jude: "Mmmm yeah." she strummed a few cords "Looking out at the far distance,

No one knowing of my bear existence." she sang softly with her eyes closed.

Martin: "That sounds really good." he said looking down at her.

Jude stopped in the same instant. She hadn't even noticed him approaching her. She sat the guitar down quickly and jumped to her feet.

Martin: "Don't stop on my account. I'd like to hear something."

Jude smiled uncomfortably. This guy was from the city. What if he found out who she was? Jordan had known about her and he lived in the middle of nowhere.

Jude: "No, I don't really know how to play. I was just bored."

Martin: "Didn't sound like it to me. If I didn't know better I'd say you were a professional." he said hoping to see a reaction. "No one knowing of my bear existence? Except me. She can't stop singing. Its in her blood and she knows it." he thought as he looked at her.

Jude turned her head away from him. For a split second there she actually thought he did know who she really was "Jude there is no way he knows. How could he? Keep your cool." she tried talking herself down.

Jude: "Professional? Yeah right. Would I be here if I was a professional?" she lied hesitantly in a shaky voice. Martin's face was unreadable. He just accepted her answer and reached for the guitar.

Martin: "Mind if I try it?" he asked. Jude just nodded. He sat down, took the guitar on his lap and started to play. Jude couldn't believe her ears. He played like someone who'd been doing it they're whole life. The way his fingers flew over the cords elegantly gave the music a soft and gentle touch. Jude was in aw. He finally set it down, smiled at her expression and said "I'm a little rusty."

Jude: "Where did you learn how to play like that?" she asked amazed.

Martin just shrugged. "Mind if I borrow it?"

Jude: "No, just bring it back later on tonight. It's not mine."

A tall, gorgeous woman walked through the door. Jordan, Martin and Jude all turned to face her. She walked up to Jordan. Jude didn't really pay much attention to her. She thought the woman was just another guest. Martin waved goodbye, picked up the guitar and left. Jude went upstairs to take a shower leaving Jordan with the woman alone.

Back In Canada

EJ was trying to salvage what was left of Tommy's good reputation. She had been on the phone the whole morning trying to explain that Tommy is just having a hard time and just got caught up in last night's fight. Georgia was furiously trying to get a hold of him but he wasn't answering his phone. Kwest on the other hand wasn't doing anything. He had warned Tommy about losing the rest of the people that cared about him if he kept this behavior up but you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped.

Tommy was sound asleep on the couch in his apartment. Of course there were beer bottles everywhere. His bloody clothes were still on him. He had closed the blinds and the place was dark giving it a more dramatic look. His phone rang in his pocket but he didn't budge. He was out cold.

Back To Jude

It was around 6:30 PM. Jude came out of her room and approached Jordan who was looking through videotapes.

Jude: "What are you looking for?" she asked.

Jordan: "Something you should see." he said and turned back to the tapes.

Jude: "Who was that woman today?"

Jordan: "The real estate agent. I'm selling."

Jude: "Really?" she asked surprised not expecting him to sell this soon.

Jordan: "Yeah, it's time I move on." he said setting a tape down and picking up another one. He than continued: "By the way, I took care of Muriel's burial. Well she wanted to be cremated."

Jude: "Oh." she said not knowing how to really respond. He seemed to be dealing with things.

Jordan: "Here it is." he said pushing a tape in the VCR and sitting down next to her.

Jude: "What is it?"

Jordan: "You were up in your room the whole day and your memorial service came back on so I taped it. I would have called you but I thought you might have been sleeping."

Jude: "My memorial service?" she asked shocked. Part of her wanted to see it but the other part didn't. She didn't want to see her family crying. She didn't want to see Tommy. She was afraid she'd lose control of her senses and run back to them. Before she could protest Jordan had pressed play. It started off outside the church hall showing all the people that had gathered to show they're respect. They had placed her pictures and flowers on the steps and sang her songs. The camera zoomed in on the door, it flung open to reveal a hall full of people.

Jude's eyes narrowed, her throat closed up. She grasped the pillow that had been next to her and held on tight not being able to take her eyes off the screen. The camera zoomed in first on Shay and Johnny J. She couldn't believe Johnny was there. She watched Shay closely. She missed him. Than the camera moved to Kat and Jamie. Jamie wasn't wearing his glasses. His eyes were full of pain, he held on to a crying Kat. Moving on to Georgia and Andy and than to Sadie and Jason. Sadie looked strong but Jude knew it was just a façade. Jude's heart hurt seeing her family like this. Finally her heart stopped when the camera approached Victoria and Stuart. Her dad was holding her mom's hand while she cried. Jude eyes filled and she let a few tears fall.

She couldn't move. Shay got up and delivered a beautiful speech. Than the song Johnny J had sung for her. She cried and cried but wasn't able to take her eyes of the TV. She needed to feel this pain. She deserved to feel it after she had caused her family so much of it. She felt guilty. Jude desperately looked for Tommy but he was no where to be seen. She couldn't believe he didn't even show up. When she finally thought it was over the camera turned to the door and in walked a drunken Tommy. She couldn't believe the display she had witnessed.

She just now realized how torn he was over her. She had caused him all this pain and heartache. It hurt her heart to see him like this. He was becoming his father, something he promised never to become. Jude looked at Jordan when the tape finally ended. Jordan knew what Jude was thinking. She was finally going home to her family, her friends and to Tommy. Her Tommy. All things were forgiven.

Hey guys……It's me…I wanted to say HUGE thanks to all of you that read this and enjoy it so much. I am so happy to read your feedbacks and how much you enjoy this fanfic. Kinda surprised but in a good way. I hope you liked this last chapter.

I wanted to tell you guys that I won't be able to post for 2 weeks because I am going on vacation to Europe. I'll be back on Jan 5th (it's a Thursday) so I should be posting that weekend.

Please bear with me. Anyways I just wanted to give you the heads up……so you don't think I've completely given up on this ff.

Thanks for everything,

Minela