A/N: This chapter is mostly a filler and again, there is language so the rating has been moved up to teen. Thanks to those who review, and to anyone just reading and enjoying the story!

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Chapter 7

I blinked, trying to get my eyes to focus. My head felt...stuffy. Not quite like a hangover, but close. I was disoriented; where in the heck was I?

Once my eyes had adjusted to the light, I glanced around noticed a figure sleeping in a chair in the corner. They looked uncomfortable as hell. Taking in the rumpled clothes and messed brown hair, I suddenly realized just who was sitting in that chair.

Tommy.

Inwardly I groaned--what in the world had I done last night?

And then it all came crashing back--the awards, the phone call, the near-wreck, Mitch, Dr. Stevens, Stuart, Sadie, my hysteria in the parking lot...

I gasped, not because of my earlier actions, but because it was all true. This wasn't a dream. Sadie and Stuart--the only family I had left--were gone. Tears wet my eyes, but I didn't let them fall. Who would be there to wipe them away? I was alone.

In the corner, Tommy began to stir, and I belatedly realized my gasp had probably woken him. He looked like shit. I'm sure I looked worse.

It finally dawned on me that I was lying in a hospital bed--wearing a hospital gown, and nothing else. Oh, this is great. My family is dead and now I've been undressed by a complete stranger--gender unknown.

Wait--how did they manage to undress me? Why couldn't I remember it?

The last thing I remember was seeing Tommy standing nearby as I was locked in some brute's grip, and then a slight sting in my arm before darkness engulfed me.

Fuck.

I can't believe they sedated me!

Oops. I must've said that out loud, because now Tommy's eyes were open and he was looking right at me. I avoided his gaze.

"Jude." He stated quietly, simply. But his tone was loaded with everything that had happened last night.

You know, I'd always imagined that when I would think back to what had happened 'last night' involving Tommy one morning, it would be a pleasant occasion. Because in my imagination, what had happened because us was something x-rated. It didn't involved car crashes, or hospitals, or people dying.

Can somebody sedate me...again?

I began to laugh maniacally as the tears finally streamed down my face. Whether I was laughing because of remembering that line from Grey's Anatomy, or because of a momentary lapse of sanity, I'll never really know. All I knew was that my body and its functions were no longer under my control.

Somewhere in there the laughter turned into gasps and hacking, and a paper cup of water was thrust in my face. I grabbed it and gulped it down, just like a shot, before motioning for another. After about four total glasses of ice water, I laid back down on the pillows and closed my eyes.

"Jude, how are you feeling?" Tommy asked in a voice that sounded like he was afraid of how I might react. Well good--I'm glad I made people nervous now.

"Like I was drugged. Which is what happened last night in the parking lot last night, right? They sedated me?" I replied, a somewhat bitter tone coating my words.

He looked away. "Yeah. You were, um, making too much noise. It was disturbing the other patients and people nearby so they didn't really have a choice."

"Well fuck them. They didn't just lose their father and sister, now did they?" I snapped, taking out my anger and pain on the only way possible at the moment.

"No, they didn't." Tommy replied in a complacent tone as he shook his head. For some reason, this just pissed me off even more--my family hadn't even been dead for an entire day yet, and I was already loathing the sympathetic tone everyone used when they talked to me. I wasn't going to break--that had already happened. I didn't want everyone's pity. I didn't want to walk by and hear someone whisper, "Poor girl." I didn't want to be known as the girl who lost her family in a tragic car accident.

I managed to keep my anger and hurt in check, though; I'm pretty sure I'd have plenty of time to vent later. "Do you know what room Sadie is in?" I asked quietly, finally realizing just how sore my voice was. I guess screaming your lungs out isn't such a great idea, after all.

"221A, on the fourth floor. We're on the second right now." I nodded, then swung off the thin blanket that had been covering me. I clambered ungracefully from the bed, making a beeline for the door.

It took Tommy a moment to realize what I was doing, but when he finally did a hand latched onto my wrist. "Whoa, Jude, what are you doing?"

"Let me go, Tommy." I demanded, my voice brooking no argument.

"Jude, you can't just walk out of here. You're not even dressed!" Tommy argued, keeping a firm grip on my wrist.

"People can stare at my bare ass all they want. Now let me go." Now was not the time for him to be a stubborn jackass.

I felt him shake his head, denying my request.

"Tommy, please. Can't I go see my sister?" I pleaded, my voice cracking on the last word. I purposely left out any description of her besides 'my.'

Without a word, he released me, but I barely noticed the nonexistent pressure on my arm now.

"I'll go with you." He offered, his voice grave, understanding how much this was going to affect me.

I didn't say anything, merely exited the room with him walking closely on my tail, probably in an attempt to shield my naked rear from probing eyes. The last thing I cared about at the moment was having my butt plastered on the front cover of a tabloid. There were worse things in life, and if people were so low as to do that to me after my sister and father had just died, then so be it. The life of a celebrity--no privacy, even in the midst of tragedy.

The elevator ride was silent, and before I knew it I was staring at the door to room 221A. Behind that piece of wood was my sister--alive, but dead. I guess there is such a thing as the living dead.

Tommy moved to turn the door knob, but I reached out my hand to stop him. "No, Tommy, I need to do this alone."

He nodded and backed away, retreating to a chair several yards down the hall. Biting my tongue to keep from breaking down again, I opened the door and walked in.

She still looked like the beauty queen that she was. A white bandage was wrapped around her head, and some bruises discolored one side of her face. Still, she was beautiful. She was my sister.

A tube was inserted to help her breath, and I was mesmerized by the rise and fall of her chest beneath the pathetic excuse for a blanket. How was it possible that she would never wake up? It just looked like she was sleeping.

I pulled a chair up next to the bed and sat down, the hard plastic feeling cool against my bottom. Normally I would've been disgusted by the fact that I was sitting bare-assed on a filthy hospital chair, but with my sister lying in front of me like that, I wouldn't have cared if I was stark naked in a tank full of cockroaches.

Leaning forward, I grabbed her hand. It was warm. Her french manicure still looked perfect; I knew she had gotten it done the day before for the awards. There were still the slight remnants of makeup on her face. I suddenly realized that I'd never gotten to see her in her dress, which she had raved about for days but never let me see, claiming it was a surprise. Vice versa, I wouldn't let her see mine. Now she never would.

"Sadie..." I whispered faintly, my throat closing up as my vision became blurry.

I cried.

I was sure that more water was falling from my eyes than Niagra Falls, but it didn't stop. So I just kept crying, until I passed out next to my sister, still holding her hand.

x.xxx.x

A hand was jarring my shoulder, trying to wake me up. When I did, I found Tommy staring down intently at me, worry clearly evident in his eyes.

"Officer Steele is finally here...I think we should go talk to him." He stated gently, helping me get up from the chair. When my face showed confusion, Tommy clarified his statement. "About the accident?"

I nodded mutely and let him lead me back down to the second floor so I could change back into my clothes. As I walked away from the bed, Sadie's hand fell limply from my own. It was still implausible that she was dead.

When I exited the bathroom, now fully dressed, I found Tommy waiting silently in my room with another man, dressed in uniform. I didn't need an introduction to know who he was, but I got one anyway.

I limply shook his hand before waiting for him to get started. For a second, I didn't even want to know. What did it matter? They were dead. How it happened wasn't really a big deal anymore.

"Stuart Harrison was driving the 2006 Nissan Maxima, while Sadie was riding in the passenger seat. The collision occurred at a four way stoplight around ten o'clock last night. The other car, a 2003 Ford Explorer, hit on the driver's side, T-boning the Maxima." Officer Steele explained, keeping his facial expression impassive as he spoke.

"Wh-why did they hit each other?" I inquired, needing to know who I could blame for the collision.

"The traffic lights malfunctioned; all four ways had green lights showing." My gaze quickly shot to Officer Steele's, confused and angry.

"How the hell did that happen? I've never heard of something like that before." I almost shouted, trying to keep a rein on myself.

Officer Steele sighed. "That's why it took me so long to get here and talk to you. Several blocks away another accident occurred, single vehicle, though. A car had run into a power line, and we think that caused the problem at the traffic light. We had to shut down about seven lights and direct traffic by hand until someone could get out there and fix everything."

There was a moment of awkward silence as I digested this information. "What about the people in the other car? Were they okay?" I asked, torn about what I wanted the answer to be.

"The driver had a fractured wrist, and the passenger had a mild concussion. A child in the backseat was unharmed. Other than that, they were all fine." The man answered, looking away for a moment. "I'm sorry about your loss."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. How could this be happening to me? Why did both my father and sister have to die while the other people involved walked away with practically cuts and bruises?

Realizing that I was finally beyond words, Officer Steele mumbled something to Tommy that I didn't catch and left the room. As the door clicked shut, Tommy came over and cradled me in his arms. And for once, I didn't object.

We sat like that for a while, him rocking me like a frightened child that couldn't sleep because of a nightmare.

A knock sounded at the door.

And my nightmare continued.

Camsma -- Haha, thanks! I know, I know, I'm evil--but it keeps things interesting, right? And you're not bad--I used worse words all the time. Shh..

aubibi -- I wish I could give you a kleenex or something! It is sad about Stuart and Sadie...but I had to do it. About Mitch, though...you'll just have to wait and see! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

MyCrAzyWorld -- Aw, thank you! And somebody's using their noggin about Mitch...:P

mandy1485 -- I'm going to take me being evil as a compliment, lol. Sorry for the confusion, though. Did this chapter help clear things up? If not, just PM me or something and I'll be happy to explain.

tommyandjude4ever -- Thank you! I'll try and get the next chapter up ASAP since this one is pretty much a filler.

Funkyicecub -- I'll try and update soon! Thanks for reviewing!

Tanya50801 -- Have no worries--this story will definitely be a Jommy. It just might take a little while...or maybe a long while...Thanks for reading and taking the time to review, I appreciate it!

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