A/N: Hey all! I'm glad you guys all liked the last couple of chapters. I'm posting 24 now because it turns out I'm going to be working like a fiend over the next week. :D I hope you guys like this chapter. The ending of this fic has to be my favorite chapters of this story. :D I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 24

The next month, nothing changed for Jude Harrison. She no longer talked to Kat or Jamie and her and Tommy's relationship had suffered since the vandalize-ation incident. True to his word, Tommy kept the incident to himself, but Jude wondered for how long.

It was another night like any other and Jude was at the club, again, with Patsy. She strolled up to the bar, and leaned into the bartender and ordered her usual Sunrise, pretty much it was a strawberry daiquiri with orange juice added to it and it was her favorite drink. Jude paid the bar tender and danced her way back to the table. She sat down and took a drink.

"You've turned into everything you hate about music…How ironic." Tommy's words echoed in her mind and she dropped her drink and the glass shattered on the floor. Jude stared at it, a dumb expression on her face and she blinked rapidly, as if she had just woken up from a deep sleep. Jude leaped up from her seat and backed away, horrified at the thought of what she had been doing all these months. She felt tears spring to her eyes and she ran out of the club, sobs escaping her throat. She ran. She ran and ran until she couldn't run anymore. She collapsed to her knees and let out a strangled cry.

She let out another sob and bent over and cried. Only then did she realize it was raining. She stopped her tears and glanced up, staring the rain in the face and she stood up, her legs shaky. She contemplated what to do and she glanced at the cross streets and she knew where she was. Who she was close to. Jude wrapped her arms around herself and walked, slowly and shakily, down the street, shivering in the cold rain.

She came up to a familiar apartment building and hit the intercom button for a place she had only been to once before. "T-t-tommy?" her voice said, shakily and whiney, and Jude was surprised at the change. A moment later, he appeared at the door. He opened it and stood at her a moment and pulled her inside the building. Jude stood before him, sniffling, crying, and shaking. Tommy led her upstairs and they walked into his apartment. Once inside, Jude broke down and Tommy's arms circled around her.

"It's all so screwed up!" She said, sobbing into his chest. Tommy pulled back to study her. Her hair was plastered to her head, her make up had run severely and streaked her face. Her clothes were dripping and her shoes were squeaking downstairs. And she still managed to take his breath away.

"Why don't we get you out of those clothes and we can continue this conversation?" Tommy offered. Jude nodded and Tommy disappeared down the hall and reappeared carrying sweats. Jude took them and walked to the bathroom. She pealed off her wet clothes and exchanged them for his warm ones. She surveyed herself in the mirror and ran some water and washed the make up off her face. Now that that was gone, her blonde hair was matted and soaked, her eyes red, and face tear stained and her nose was running. Jude sighed and blew her nose and stepped out of the bathroom and into the living room where Tommy was seated on the couch. She sat down next to him and he waited for her to talk.

"You were right." She said, and shook her head, tears rolling down her face. "Look at me! Damn it! I'm a fake, and I hate myself." She said, looked away from him.

"Hey, you're not a fake…"

"Yes I am."

"Everyone has shit to work through." Tommy offered. Jude snapped her head up to face him.

"Yeah, and look at me! God, everyone hates me! Heck, I hate me!"

"Jude, Not everyone hates you."

"Name one person."

"Me."

"You're just saying that."

"No, I'm not." Tommy said and before Jude could argue, he held a finger to her lips to silent her. "Jude, I can't hate you. Believe me, I've tried. But Jude, you've been going through a lot lately and It's understandable you'd be under pressure but"

"I turned to drinking and vandalizing." Jude pointed out.

"Right, and at your age, I turned to drinking and sex." Tommy retorted. Jude looked away from him, and shook her head.

"I just…I don't know if I can make everything ok again."

"You can,"

"How do you know?" Jude asked, glancing into his blue eyes. Tommy smiled back at her, glad to have his Jude back.

"Because, you're Jude. You may have changed your hair, but your personality is anything but blonde. Girl, you're passionate and if you want something, you'll have it." Tommy said and added "And you're friends might be mad because of the brush off, but they're your friends and they care about you…it's hard not to." Tommy said, glancing away from her. Jude studied him a moment.

"What are you trying to say?" Jude asked. Tommy sighed, and glanced at her, his eyes sad.

"It's not the time." Tommy said, and Jude looked annoyed.

"Tell me." Jude said, staring him down.

"Girl, it's already been said." He pointed out and Jude stared at him, a confused expression on her face. He shook his head and Jude took the moment notice the suitcases by the door.

"You're leaving?" She asked, her heart sinking and color leaving her face.

"Yeah." He whispered.

"What!" Jude exclaimed, feeling tears stinging her eyes.

"I have some business to attend to out of the country." Tommy said, not meeting her eyes.

"What about my album?"

"I was released from my contract earlier today." At Jude's perplexed look, Tommy elaborated. "Darius fired me." Jude gaped at him and felt tears running down her cheeks.

"No," She whispered, and covered her mouth as she absorbed the shock of his news. Tommy was fired. That meant new producer, new co writer, new everything…and he was leaving…leaving Toronto, leaving G Major, leaving her.

"Jude"

"When do you leave?" Tommy was silent a moment.

"Tomorrow." Jude let out a sob and turned away from him.

"Jude,"

"No! You're leaving me!" She said, smacking his hand away as he moved it to lay it on her shoulder. "Damn it Quincy! Don't you know I need you!"

"You've never needed me." Tommy said, his eyes sad.

"Yes, I did, I still do." Tommy shook his head.

"I'm just the wing man. You'll do great."

"No, Tommy, you're not. Damn it! I can't go through this without you! You're my co writer, producer, best friend, inspiration, and the only one who ever understands me!" Tommy sighed and didn't say anything. "You can't just leave me!" She yelled, and then whispered "I need you."

"Jude, it's only for a few days…I don't plan on staying away long. I just…I have some business I need to take care of. I can't fill you in on the details right now, but" She shook her head, and tears flowed freely. Tommy reached out, tentatively and placed his hand on her shoulder. She turned to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"Damn it Tommy! Don't you know I love you!" She said, trying to keep him with her. She felt Tommy stiffen slightly at her words. She pulled back slightly, just enough to stare him in the eyes, a slightly horrified expression on her face as she realized what she just said.