Author's Note: Hey you guys! Yes! I love having internet again! Here's the newest update on this one and I am so glad this is going over so well. I know that on.the.edge.x and and I are thoroughly enjoying this as well. Please R&R.

Spied and Jude at a café down the street from Galaxy Studios a few hours later…

"There are moments lately when I could strangle that man." I stated simply as I rolled my eyes at the order Tom had given me for the coffee he wanted me to deliver—taking advantage, I assume, of the opportunity to finally get alone time with my boyfriend by giving me errands. Artists didn't do errands. They sang. Spied stood next to me in line quietly—too quietly as I came off the high from just finishing a song I was really proud of.

"I wonder if we could go five minutes without mentioning your boss, Chica." Spied said suddenly as I looked over at him in surprise. Had I really been talking about Tom that much? I shrugged almost apologetically before glancing up at the register ahead sheepishly once I realized that I guess I had. Okay, so I needed to put things in perspective is all, right? I couldn't help it. My life was moving in a completely different direction right now and it was baffling me. Spied grabbed me by the arm, and I looked up into his serious gaze cautiously.

"Are we okay, Jude?" He asked quietly as I let my eyes look steadily into his own with as much honesty as I could muster. Once again, I couldn't help my uncertainty. I took his hand in mine.

"Would you be okay with me just telling you I don't know right now and letting us play it by ear. So much is going on, Spied." I replied honestly as he sighed before looking away from me a moment—seemingly collecting his thoughts before looking at me once again—nodding quickly, although not happily, as we grew even nearer to the counter. I felt lucky that he seemed willing to try—to at least give me the space I needed at the moment to figure things out. I had just opened my mouth to thank him when my cell phone went off, and I groaned as I grabbed for it and flipped it open. The name on display was obvious.

"Make sure they ground the beans for that coffee, Harrison, and tell them no confounded added flavors this time." Tom muttered into the line around what sounded like a mouthful of a sandwich or maybe even cake. I'm sure he was celebrating. God love the man because I'd hate to think what hating him would be like. But then again…

Tom and Darius at Galaxy about twenty minutes later…

Tom laughed at the growl Jude emitted as he hung up the phone for the third time in the past hour. She was on her way back now and he was enjoying aggravating her—probably way too much. He shook his head at that thought before turning toward the man that had just entered his office. Hmmm…this should be an interesting visit.

"Come to congratulate me Mills?" Tom asked as Darius scowled before throwing a sheet of paper on Tommy's desk. It was Jude's contract and damn, but didn't it look good laying there. Too good. Maybe now would be a safe time to admit that he was growing a little too attached to his new artist. There was a difference between being interested in an artist and being enraptured by an artist and he was quickly moving into the enraptured category. Bad idea altogether.

"I'm not here to watch you gloat, Quincy. I'm here to live up to our deal so take the contract and give it up from there. I'm done." Darius proclaimed with an irritated calm that signified the true fight he was having with himself internally. Tom could see it in his eyes as he watched Darius a moment before picking up the sheet of paper and perusing it quietly. Tom was quite satisfied with what he saw. He had won.

"Then I'll cash in my good fortune and leave my mouth shut." Tom remarked congenially as he stretched out his hand in that way all businessmen do when sealing a bargain. Darius wasn't as compliant. He didn't even move, so Tom shrugged and leaned back in his chair casually.

"Although, Mills, I am truly sorry for your loss." Tom stated simply before looking up at the door. This meeting was, in his opinion, as good as done. Or at least it was until he saw the figure standing as pale as a ghost in the office doorway. Tom sat up quickly.

"Jude…." He began as she shook her head, threw down the coffee he had ordered straight onto the tan carpet below, and spun on her heels angrily. Oh hell, she was so damn unpredictable when she was angry!

"Jude….!" He called again as Darius raised a brow in his direction. And then Mills actually smiled.

"Maybe there are a few things about this deal that I am going to thoroughly enjoy. How much do you want to bet that my former little fire cracker won't have you headline news in the tabloids by tomorrow morning?" Darius proclaimed as he laughed suddenly at the look that Tommy threw his way. Dammit! Both men just sat there in silence a moment as they both processed what Jude now knew about their deal. Georgia appeared in the doorway about twenty minutes later before crossing her arms decisively across her chest.

"Should I ask what just occurred boys or should I wonder more about why Jude has taken a duffel bag full of clothes out of E.J.'s wardrobe closet and sped away in her Mustang?" Georgia asked tritely as Tom catapulted out of his seat. Shit! What the hell was she up to? Darius just sat down slowly—glancing at Tommy as Tom grabbed his cell phone with a look that screamed devilish contentment. You could say Darius even looked a little pleased. Tom just hit a button on his phone and placed it to his ear. It didn't ring long.

"Calling to apologize, Quincy?" Jude asked sourly as the sound of a honking car could be heard in the distance. Something told Tom that the honking was coming from her. He placed a hand on his desk carefully as he clenched his jaw.

"Jude Harrison, what the hell do you think you're doing with half the wardrobe the studio has furnished stashed away in your car and an incomplete demo sitting on my desk? We don't have time for games. I could have you arrested for what you took from here." Tom remarked quietly as he tried desperately to keep his temper in check. Damn the girl! Jude just laughed. She laughed for God's sake.

"Games? That's a riot, Quincy. Someone should have told me how incredibly funny you are. I can just hear the crowds now. Can't you hear them, Quincy, because get this—they're booing their asses off. You want to know what I'm up to? My contract will be coming to an end with G major soon, and I intend to change venues—signing with a company that's above playing games behind my back." Jude confirmed rhetorically as Tommy cursed. Damn it all to hell, the little vixen really did have it in her. And the brutal truth was that she had the talent to make anything work as well as the name behind it. He had not won her now to lose her like this.

"What if we talked deals, Harrison?" Tom asked evenly as Jude sighed almost absently from the other end. So Tom was starting to reach for straws was he?

"Deals Smeals, Quince. You have connections. Maybe it's time you start showing me what you are made of. You want me as an artist, you have to find me first." Jude muttered before clicking shut her phone. Tom just stared at the dead line with incredulity.

"She can't be serious!" He whispered under his breath as Darius laughed again and Georgia smiled sympathetically.

"Trust me, Tommy. Whatever she just said to you on that line was dead serious. She is always painstakingly dead serious. And since you don't have a finished demo, which means no hit song, then I am still in the game." Darius replied with yet another laugh before sitting forward in his chair and steepling his fingers together. "And that means that Finder's Keeper's because your time is almost up." Darius replied with a snort as he grabbed for his own phone—dialing quickly before placing it up against his ear.

"Spied? It's Darius. Your girlfriend just took off and I need you to find her for me. I'd ask Mason to go with you. He knows her better than anyone else." Darius stated calmly as sudden exclamations were heard from the other line as Spied started yelling at someone in the background. Darius just smiled and clicked shut his phone. He looked up at Tom.

"Tick Tock, Tick Tock….the clock is ticking and the sand is falling through the hole of the hour glass…" Darius reiterated as Tommy shoved through his open office door—glancing only briefly at his employees as he grabbed his car keys and a suitcase out of a room at the back of the building that he kept packed for unplanned business trips or meetings. This could definitely be construed as unplanned. Damn her. He threw his stuff in his viper as he placed a set of sunglasses over his eyes and settled behind the wheel before grabbing his cell phone again. Jude's voice mail picked up. Tom just grinned.

"Fi Fie Fo Fum, my little runaway. I smell the blood of someone who needs a lesson in rash decisions." Tom declared to the machine before clicking the contraption shut and speeding off toward G major—pulling into the drive just as Spied and Mason exited with bags of their owns. Damn, but the boys were slow. Tom shoved his sunglasses down his nose.

"Hop in boys. You're going with me." Tom proclaimed as he pointed at his backseat. Spied just threw him a look riddled with anger.

"Dude…..and we should help your arrogant ass because?" Spied asked as Tommy grinned.

"Time is money gentlemen. I have the funds to get us where we need to go, and I have connections that Darius couldn't possibly pull out of that tight fisted sleeve of his. You two know Jude. Together we have a more likely chance of finding her. And I'll even make you a deal. If and when we find her, she refuses to return with me, I'll back off." Tom replied simply as his eyes glistened behind his sunglasses. What they didn't know was that Tommy had no intentions of letting Jude tell him no. Mason looked at Spied before shrugging.

"I say we go with him." Mason replied as he threw his own bag into the back of Tom's viper. Spied growled as he did the same before climbing into the passenger seat next to Tommy—narrowing his eyes at him as he did.

"You have some real nerve, Quincy, you know that." Spied exclaimed as Tom cocked his head to the side before shifting his car into reverse. This trip was going to be…interesting. What did Jude see in that boy anyway?

"Oh you have no idea." Tom muttered as his cell phone beeped, letting him know he had a text message. Too afraid to call was she? He flipped his phone open and bit his lip to keep from laughing.

Fi Fie Fo Fum…this little golden goose has flown the coop. As for lessons on rash decisions, here's lesson number 1. What makes even grown men weep?