Instant Star- Rise Of The Next Generation

Chapter 16: Fade To Black

(Author's Note: Hope everyone saw and loved the S2 premiere- looks like this season's gonna be full of hook-ups, break-ups and shake-ups! Similarly, this chapter's got some twist to it...)

Chapter 16: Fade To Black

After her conversation with Justin, Ruby returned to the studio to finish her session with Quest. However, despite the break, her producer's preoccupation continued. After only another twenty minutes, he abruptly cut things off.

"Ok. That's it for today..." he told her.

"Is everything all right?" Ruby replied instinctively.

"Fine, girl... I just got a lot of stuff to take care of. We'll pick this up tomorrow." he assured her.

"Odd" she thought, walking back to Studio B and knocking on the still-locked door.

"Don't tell me that they haven't finished analyzing that CD yet..." she muttered to herself.

Smiling hugely, Patrick opened the door.

"Anything?" Ruby burst out immediately.

"Your timing's perfect. Dad and Brian finally figured this thing out!"

"Mostly Brian" Tommy admitted, giving credit where it was due.

"Thanks!" the dark haired boy grinned. "Anyway... here we go..."

Tommy, Ruby and Patrick crowded around him as he spread the printout on the table. The three of them then stared at the complex diagram on the page.

"What's all that?" Ruby asked.

"It's a "map" of the CD. You see these lines? Laser marks!" Brian informed them cheerfully.

"So many. Does that mean..."

"Yes, it does. The CD's a total mash-up. If you compare these laser marks to these other marks... where the sound breaks are, you'll see there are clear laser "tags"- between where your father speaks and the other sounds on the CD."

"OMG! So, its true..." Ruby asked, shocked.

"Yes" the intern replied evenly.

Tommy just stood there, completely frozen.

"Dad?" Patrick asked, frightened by the look on his face.

"I just... don't believe it. I knew there was an explanation... But that someone actually did this... It's just... sick.."

"I'm sorry, Dad..."

"Don't be." Tommy replied.

"At least I can show this to your mother. She'll have to believe me now. That's what most important ..."

"She will." his son replied confidently.

"And there's more..." Brian added.

"What?"

"There is a source code on the CD. But it's not Q-records'. This CD wasn't made here. Whoever did it, did it somewhere else."

"We still don't know who that is." Tommy confirmed.

"No" Brian agreed, then continued.

"But it could maybe be discovered. The CD's source code could tell us what machine produced it and then we'd see who owned that machine... But I wouldn't be able to do that... That's really more police work." he told them, regretfully.

"Wow! CSI, much!" Ruby replied, very impressed.

"Seriously, how do you know all this stuff?"

"My father was a cop. A detective."

"Was?"

"He died a few years ago. Working" Brian told his friends sadly.

"I'm sorry."

" Thanks. My brother plans to follow in his footsteps. He's in school now, and doing an internship in the crime lab..."

"This is a lot to ask. It's crazy. But I don't suppose..." Ruby began.

"He could check into that code? I don't know. But I'll ask him." Brian promised her.

"You've been so great. I just don't know how to thank you..." she continued.

"Hey, it's okay. I wanted to do it. My family was so torn up when my father died. I never want that to happen to anyone I care about. Your family was being messed up too... it wasn't the same, but I still wanted to help."

"You did. You may have saved it." Ruby said softly, then turning to her father.

Tommy barely heard their conversation. He stared, hypnotized by the printout and the CD that it came from. Suddenly, he grabbed both.

"I have to go!"

"You're going to see mom, aren't you?" his son asked..

"Yes... I need to tell her."

"Then what? You're coming home?" Ruby questioned, hope illuminating her blue eyes.

"I hope so, baby." her father responded.

"Good luck!" both children screamed, watching Tommy race towards the door.

Outside, he sped towards their home; arriving there, he found the driveway empty.

"Dammit! Where is she?" he demanded, impatiently.

Grabbing his phone, he hit the speed dial button. His heart raced at the sound of the most familiar ringtone.

"Take My Breath Away" he smiled.

"Come on, sweetheart. Please. Please answer..."

His prayers were unanswered, as her voice mail clicked on. Tommy left an urgent message.

"Jude, it's me. I'm at the house. Please come home as soon as you get this. I really need to see you as soon as possible. Its so important! Thanks."

"I love you." he thought as the phone disconnected.

His call completed, he just paced the room aimlessly, just waiting for his wife to return to him.

Back at the studio, Ruby excitedly told Stacie about the day's discoveries.

"Awesome!" her friend cheered.

"I knew your father didn't do that!"

"Yeah! And now he can prove it!" Ruby grinned.

"So, everything's gonna be okay?"

"I think so! I hope so!" Ruby answered, her smile widening by the second.

"Brian was just amazing. We owe it all to him..."

Stacie gave her friend a knowing look.

"What?"

"Do my eyes deceive me? Does Justin have a little competition here?"

"No! It's not like that..." Ruby began defensively.

"Please! I saw you two at your parents' anniversary party. So cute together! And the look on your face right now..."

"He's a good friend... I'm just really grateful..."

"Yes. And you really should thank him..." Stacie's voice drifted off suggestively.

"Stop it!" Ruby replied, as both girls broke out laughing. When they stopped, Stacie asked her an important question.

"So? What's up with you and Blackheart, anyway?"

"Nothing new. Not since the kiss I told you about earlier."

"So typical. Consistency has never been his thing." Stacie reminded her.

"Yeah, but... It's not like he's really had a chance. I've been under house arrest, remember?"

"True"

"I did see him for a bit this afternoon. He saw that bogus magazine article about my parents. He was really nice about it. Supportive..."

"You sound surprised about that."

"I guess... who knew he had it in him?"

"Yeah. Sure doesn't fit the image!" Stacie agreed.

"Yeah. But, he's still the same guy who ditched us at the club!" Ruby burst out passionately.

"Also true"

"I don't know if I can depend on him" she continued honestly.

"Who says you need to?" Stacie smiled.

"I guess... I always thought..."

"More romantically?"

"Yeah" Ruby confessed.

"Just take things easy. Give it a chance. Have some fun! See where it goes..." Stacie advised.

"Maybe" Ruby replied doubtfully.

As if on cue, her phone rang.

"Hello? Oh, hi Justin."

"Hey there..."

"What's up?"

"I've got an idea. Something that will really cheer you up..." he proposed.

"I'm already cheered up!" Ruby replied happily.

"Your parents?"

"Yeah... Dad's talking to mom right now. Straightening stuff out..."

"Cool! So, let's make it a celebration instead. And you can tell me all about it. Cause I've something really important to show you..." he tempted her.

"Are you asking me out, Blackburn?"

"Yeah. So? Meet me at Lorenzo's coffee shop." he replied confident of her response.

"I'm grounded, remember. I don't think I can..."

"Come on. Just for a few minutes. Like I said, I've something really special for you. It can't wait..."

Ruby remained silent for a few minutes as she considered his offer.

"Don't make me beg..." he continued.

"Actually... I'd like that!"

"Okay, then... Pleeeaaaseeee!" he chimed.

Ruby shook her head.

"One cup... A small one!"

"Deal!"

"Lorenzo's? Where the hell is that?"

He gave her an address.

"Get here as soon as you can. I'll be waiting..." he insinuated.

Still smiling, she disconnected the call, and turned to Stacie.

"He wants to meet up with me."

"So I heard..."

"But how am I gonna do that? I'm not supposed to... But I couldn't say no..."

"Yeah, he does have that effect on women... Come on, Ruby! We can find a way..."

"Well... I could tell Pat you're giving me a ride home... we had to work... Will you help me?" she asked.

"Done. So? Where are we meeting your boy, anyway?" Stacie asked her.

"Lorenzo's coffee shop. Ever hear of it?"

"That place!" Stacie scoffed. "It's a total dive! In the middle of nowhere!"

"Doesn't sound like Justin's scene." Ruby commented.

"No. Not usually... But sometimes he likes it... No fans, no crowds... Privacy, hmm..." Stacie smiled wickedly.

"Ok, now I really am curious to see what he's got in mind..."

"Well, they do make a killer apple pie. I may just have to come in and grab a piece..."

Ruby raised her eyebrow at that and Stacie laughed.

"To go." the blond girl promised.

"My treat, then!'

"So, let's go break the news to your brother..."

They found Pat still in Studio B with Brian, engrossed in a very technical-sounding conversation.

"Sheesh! What language are those two even speaking?" Stacie asked.

"Tech-ish? Machine-ish? No-one-understands-us-ish?' Ruby replied smartly.

The two girls walked right into the studio.

"Here to hurry me up? Cause I need a few. Brian's helping me with my school project. We're not quite done yet..." Patrick informed her.

Ruby smiled. This would be even easier than she had thought.

"Cool! Cause Stacie and I have some stuff to finish too. She'll drive me home."

He eyed the pair suspiciously.

"Ok" he relented.

"But make sure she gets there. And soon. Our parents don't need any more trouble right now..."

"Oh? I figured the opposite... Mom and dad might like the alone time..."

"Seriously, Ruby. No screwing around!" Patrick warned her.

"Ok" she agreed.

"Don't worry. I'll take her right home. Girl Scout's honor!" Stacie promised, smiling innocently.

Ruby struggled to keep a straight face as she saw her friend cross her fingers behind her back.

"Fine." Pat relented.

"Thanks!" his sister squealed.

She and Stacie rushed out the door.

"Girl Scout's honor?" she smirked.

"Well, yeah... But since I never was one... I guess it doesn't count!' Stacie snapped back as they walked outside into the warm September twilight.

Reaching Stacie's white convertible, the two girls quickly sat down, as Stacie lowered the top. The light wind ruffled their hair as they drove off into the Toronto evening.

As they headed for the outskirts of town, Jude drove far more purposely towards her home. Her mind kept replaying Tommy's phone message.

"Please come home as soon as you get this... I really need to see you... It's so important..."

"Tommy" she thought longingly, feeling that strangling ache in her chest. The past few days without him were completely miserable.

"And I really want to see you..." she thought.

Her heart lurched when she saw her husband's car already outside their home. She carefully steered her red Taurus into the driveway behind it.

Inside, Tommy jumped up when he heard a car park. He looked out the window and saw her walking up the front steps. He wanted to run to her, but pride restrained him.

"Tommy?" her voice called to him the second she entered the house.

"In here..." he answered, trying to sound strong.

She walked into the living room, where he waited for her. Their eyes met.

"How are you?' he asked

"Fine"

"Depressed... Scared... So lonely without you..." she thought.

Her obvious vulnerability was not lost on Tommy; he was too familiar with her and that mood. It always touched him; all he ever wanted to do when he saw Jude look that way was hold her in his arms, kissing her tenderly until her sadness dissipated. But that clearly wasn't an option now.

Jude surveyed him carefully.

"How are you?" she echoed.

"Ok..."

"I'm not... But I will be... once I make things right with you... with us."

Jude was no more deceived by his innocuous response than he had been by hers. She surveyed him carefully.

" He looks... broken... Just like I feel... But there's strength in his eyes too... hope... And what's that in his hand?"

Tommy saw the question in her eyes and spoke.

"Jude, I need to show you this. About that CD..." he began, unfurling the papers and showing her everything that he discovered that day.

"A mash-up? That never even occurred to me...It should have..." she breathed deeply, trying to absorb it all.

"It's so unreal... A microphone, planted in your office... And I..."

Jude's head swam dizzily as she began to tremble.

"Jude?" Tommy asked, concerned.

"I need... to sit down." she told him weakly.

She perched on the couch and Tommy placed himself besides her.

Horrified, she turned to him.

"I really don't know what to say... I was so awful to you... A total psychotic freak... I was so wrong..." Jude's began emotionally.

"Go on" he softly encouraged her.

"I didn't trust you. I didn't even give you a chance..." she blurted out guiltily, staring deeply into his blue eyes, which now turned icy. A chill ran down her spine.

"No. You didn't."

"I really hurt you... I'm so sorry... More than I can say..."

"You should be sorry!" Tommy exploded.

"I didn't deserve that! And you just pushed me away. Threw me out!"

Jude started to cry.

"I know. I was so wrong. I don't know what else to say or do. I don't know how to make this right for us... I don't know how you can ever forgive me... You'll never forget this..."

"No, I won't" her husband said truthfully. "And neither will you."

"No..." she trailed off, helplessly. Her look of complete despair and her tears finally shattered Tommy's resistance.

"I won't forget it." he repeated.

"But I can forgive you... I have to... I love you. I have for almost twenty-five years. That means everything. And I'm not going to throw it all away just because of this."

Gently, he took her sodden face in his hands, so he could meet her eyes.

"I love you, Jude Harrison Quincy. These past few days have been hell without you! And I'm not going to spend any more like that! And I don't think you want me to." he declared passionately.

"Of course I don't..." she answered, as the tears continued to flow down her face.

"I did a really stupid thing... I don't even know how you can forgive me... But you do have to..." she pleaded.

"Because I don't want to spend the rest of my life without you, either."

Tommy's eyes glistened too as he looked at her. Without thought, he reached for her and took her into his arms; he felt her warm breath on his neck as he held her as close as he could.

"It's going to be all right." he promised.

"We'll make it all right." she whispered, lifting her face to look at him

Her tears stopped as she lifted a hand to his cheek, softly caressing it.

"Can I..."

"Yes."

She reached up and kissed him, tentatively at first. But, as always, their lips recognized no such restraints. Involuntarily, the kiss deepened; drowning all their pain in its tender sweetness, which promised their tomorrow.

"I love you so much, Tommy" she whispered.

"I love you too, Jude"

"And I'm so sorry... I'll never do this again. Hurting you this way... I couldn't stand it..." she assured him.

"No. I know you won't."

"It was just that CD... too much..."

"I know... In a way... I do understand... Because if it had been you on that CD, I would have lost it, too..."

"But you wouldn't have blamed me... You would have tracked that guy down..." Jude smiled softly.

"Yeah, and totally wasted him!" Tommy grinned protectively.

"Always the bad boy..." she teased.

"Just what you want..." he replied smugly.

"Yeah" she answered contentedly.

Again, she reached up and their lips met in another soft, but passionate kiss. So engaged were they, that they remained oblivious to Patrick entering the room.

"Oh my! Full-on-lip-lock-ness!" he screamed joyfully.

Tommy and Jude looked at him.

"Ok. You caught us. Happy?" Jude asked.

"Does it mean..."

"Yes. I'm home." Tommy confirmed.

"Great!" his son replied.

"And I'm starving... Andrews wasn't a bad roomate. But that guy can't cook at all..."

"The housekeeper left a roast chicken in the oven." Jude remarked.

"Yeah, I know. I've been smelling it since I got here."

"It does smell great! I'm hungry too!" Patrick added.

"When aren't you!" Jude laughed.

"Ok, we'll eat... where's your sister?"

"She's not here?" Patrick asked, surprised.

"No"

"Stacie was driving her. She promised to come right here..."

"Oh, no..." Jude began to worry.

Tommy patted her hand reassuringly.

"She's probably fine. Just socializing. Which she knows she's not supposed to be doing right now..."

"I don't know. Ruby's already grounded. She knows when not to push it any more. She usually doesn't..." Jude answered, an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Yeah, she wouldn't... Especially considering what was going on between you two..." Patrick added, concerned himself.

"But still... there's probably a rational explanation." he added, logically.

"She could have called!" Tommy said sternly.

"Or we can" his son replied, reaching for his phone and dialing.

"No answer" he said.

He then tried Stacie's number.

"No answer there, either."

Moments earlier, Stacie and Ruby pulled up at the coffee shop. Dusk had fallen and the area looked shabby and deserted.

"This place creeps me out!" Ruby said.

"Yeah. It looks like a scene from a Hitchcock mystery movie."

Hurrying, the two girls exited the car and began walking around to the shop's entrance.

Suddenly, Ruby felt something metallic, cold and heavy press sharply against her temple.

"A gun..."

"Don't scream! Don't make a sound!" a voice threatened.

The two men then placed damp cloths with a slightly sour odor over the girls' faces. Immediately, they blacked out.

Now unconscious, the men tossed them roughly into the back of their windowless van.

"Got em! Let's go!"

(Author's Note: So? Surprising enough? You guys like it? As always, please let me know what you think... Thanks!)