Instant Star- Rise Of The Next Generation
Chapter 21: All Apologies
(Author's Note: Hi everyone! So... the mystery's solved... the secret's out... hope everyone enjoyed it! Now, to answer the question some of you have been asking- it's not quite over yet... there's two chapters left on this story... and I've still got a few little twists in store... gotta go out with a bang, not a whimper! Then, I'm toying with another idea... these Quincy's! They just won't leave me alone... you know! Anyway, as always, thanks to everyone who read and reviewed- a lot of work went into this and you guys made it all worth it!
Okay... onto this chapter... it's one I've been looking forward to writing for a while... plus, we haven't had any "musical" chapters for a bit... But I bet you all can guess which song appears here... hint: Nirvana... as usual, the lyrics were "customized" a little for this chapter.)
Chapter 21: All Apologies
A quick drive from the police station bought the Quincys back home. Ruby's face lit up as she walked inside and surveyed her familiar surroundings.
"Everything just looks sooo good today..." she sighed thoughtfully.
"I was afraid I'd never see this place again... Never see you guys again..."
Her emotional words brought fresh tears to her parents eyes.
"We're just glad you're home, safe." Jude said, hugging her again.
"We love you." Tommy added.
"That even goes for me!" Patrick added
After embracing her parents and brother yet again, Ruby wiped her eyes and smiled.
"Now, I'm going to take that shower..."
Upstairs, she quickly removed her torn and filthy clothing; as instructed, her mother carefully placed it in a plastic bag, to be used as evidence by the police. Wrapped in a plush towel, Ruby headed for the bathroom and turned on the shower, insuring that the water was steaming hot, just the way she liked it. After a long, relaxing and cleansing rinse, she turned off the faucet and stepped out. She dried herself off, before dressing in light red sweatpants, with a black tank top.
Downstairs, she found her parents sitting in the kitchen, drinking tea.
"You want anything?" her father asked her.
"Tea sounds good."
"And food?"
"Maybe just a sandwich... my stomach's still kind of funny..."
Tommy quickly prepared chicken sandwiches, Ruby's favorite, for everyone and the family sat down and ate the light meal
"That was good..." Ruby sighed sleepily.
"You look so tired... You need to get some rest..." Jude encouraged her.
"Yes... I think I will..." she said.
She went back upstairs, and curled up in her brass bed. Almost immediately, she fell into a deep sleep.
Tommy and Jude both checked on her repeatedly throughout the afternoon and early evening. They relaxed slightly as dusk set in. Tommy then turned to his wife and gently touched her face.
"You look exhausted, Jude..." he commented, lightly stroking the dark shadows under her eyes.
"So are you..." she echoed, noting the same discoloration on his skin.
Hands entwined, they walked towards their own bed.
A strange, creaking noise woke Tommy in the middle of the night. Instinctively, he touched the space besides him and bolted upright when he found it empty.
"Jude..." he called softly in the dark room. There was no response.
"Jude!" he repeated, raising his voice.
Panic setting in, he jumped out of bed.
"Relax... She's here somewhere... She has to be..." he admonished himself.
Tommy stepped into the deserted upstairs corridor and listened carefully. Again, he heard only silence.
"Jude..." he tried again, as he walked downstairs. On the first floor, he heard noises coming from the living room. Coming closer, he could hear a piano and her voice singing a haunting melody he had never heard before.
"What else should I be..."
"All apologies."
"What else should I say..."
"Everything's gray."
"What else could I write..."
"I don't have the right"
"What else should I be..."
"All apologies."
"In the sun, in the sun, we are as one..."
"In the sun, in the sun... I'm married..."
"Buried..."
"I wish I was like you...'
"Not so confused..."
"Find my nest of salt..."
"Everything's my fault...'
"I'll take all the blame..."
"Aqua seafoam shame..."
"Sun burn with freezer burn."
"Choking on the ashes of her enemies..."
"What else should I be..."
"All apologies."
"In the sun, in the sun, we are as one..."
"In the sun, in the sun... I'm married..."
"Buried..."
"All in all... we are, we are..."
Her voice trailed off, as she lapsed into mournful silence
Tommy approached her, moved by the agonizing pain etched so clearly on her face.
"Jude" he called lovingly.
Startled, she jumped slightly off the piano bench.
"I didn't mean to scare you..." he began.
"I didn't even know you were here..."
"I know, sweetheart." he said, sitting down right besides her.
"What's bothering you?" Tommy asked her, already knowing the answer. He had heard it minutes before when she sang.
"I just can't stop thinking about everything that's happened... Thinking it's my fault..."
"No, it isn't. No one blames you..." Tommy said soothingly.
"The girls will be fine... in time."
"Maybe... I hope so... But I've made so many mistakes..." she blurted out, as always harsh with herself.
"If you're talking about Darius, you couldn't have known... you couldn't have predicted it would turn out like this. He's crazy! Completely psycho! No one thought he'd do anything like this..."
"I just can't stop it... I keep thinking... couldn't I have done anything to prevent this... kept it from happening, somehow..." Jude berated herself.
"I ask myself that, too..." Tommy admitted.
"And?"
He slipped a comforting arm around his wife, who then rested her own head on his shoulder. It felt so good to share all this. A weight dropped off Tommy's chest as he continued.
"I don't see how we could have stopped it... How could we..."
"Have stopped something we never expected." Jude finished for him.
"Yeah..."
"But there's more to this... What about... us? I still hate myself for what I did to you..." Jude whispered.
"You need to let that go... You can... Somehow, with all that's happened... I did."
"Really?" she asked hopefully.
Tommy's eyes locked with hers as he answered.
"With all that's happened... I realize how justmuch you mean to me. I need you now... more than ever. I couldn't have gotten through this without you... Or what's coming..." he added, thinking of Darius's and Justin's trials, still left for the family to contend with.
Jude nodded, and embraced him.
"I love you. I'm here for you. Always...Remember..." she whispered, vowing just as she had on their wedding day.
"I promise to devote myself to caring for you. To being your partner and helpmate for life... I will trust and stand by you through everything that comes our way. For now, and for always."
"My forever..." Tommy whispered back.
"I never did give you my anniversary present." she replied wistfully.
"No. Neither did I..."
Jude rose quickly, retrieving an envelope from a drawer in a nearby table. Holding it, she happily returned to her husband's embrace and pressed it into his hand.
"Happy anniversary..."
"Sweetheart..." Tommy choked, moved beyond words by the love shimmering in her eyes.
Carefully, he tore open the thick cream colored envelope and beamed happily after he read the card inside.
Jude smiled back at him.
"I told you, you needed some time away... a vacation..."
"So, you decided to give us one?"
"Yes"
Tommy shook his head, as a thoughtful look appeared on his face. He took a light blue envelope from another drawer and gave it to Jude.
She smiled again, knowing already from his expression exactly what was in that envelope.
"You didn't..."
"Yes, I did... Just like I promised you when I fell asleep at G Major and you came and got me..."
"Yes, you did..." Jude said happily, remembering.
"As soon as things settle down here... Mom can watch the kids..."
"You and me... all alone..." Tommy sung softly, quoting one of her first songs.
Jude pressed her lips on his, silencing him. Their kisses intensified, as his hands wandered over her body, stroking her hair and then slowly sliding down her back.
"Jude..." he murmured, already completely lost in her.
"Yes?" she replied, breathless and eagerly anticipating what he would say next.
"Come back to bed..."
The family remained at home together for a few days, carefully watching over each other, especially Ruby. Rest, good food, and tender loving care helped her regain her physical strength. Emotionally, she started healing as well, although that would take much more time.
Three days after her ordeal ended, Ruby reached for her guitar. It felt slightly foreign in her hands at first; it having been a week since she played, which never happened before. Usually, she played something every day, even if it was just testing random song ideas, or playing old favorites. She was doing that now. The strumming motion helped calm her still-rattled nerves.
"Find my own way home, if I gotta..."
"Make it all alone..."
"I always loved that song..." a female voice said uneasily from the doorway.
Ruby put the instrument down and turned to face her unexpected visitor.
"Me too... Mom's first hit..."
"Remember when we sung that in the school talent show?"
"Third grade..." Ruby replied, nostalgically.
"Can I... talk to you for a minute?" Caitlin stammered.
Ruby stared at her former friend, trying to recall if she had ever seen her look this uncomfortable. She then remembered something Brian told her.
"Things change... They may change again for you two... You never know..."
"Yes?"
Caitlin stepped into the room and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. She played nervously with the hem of the comforter.
"Did you... want something?" Ruby prompted
"Yeah... I was really worried about you... I just needed to see that you were okay... You are, aren't you?" Caitlin asked, concern saturating her voice.
"Not completely... But I'm getting there." Ruby answered truthfully, still unable to lie to her former best friend.
"You will..." Caitlin agreed, thinking of her spunk and resilience.
"It takes time..."
"Yeah... Mom thinks I should see someone and talk about it... Even Dad thinks that's a good idea." Ruby shook her head at the irony of her stoic, fiercely independent father encouraging professional counseling.
"It probably is." Caitlin agreed, supportively.
"Yeah, well... Was there something else you wanted? Ruby asked, perceptively.
"Damm. She always knows..." Caitlin thought.
"Yeah... I'm sorry..." the dark haired girl blurted out.
"Hey, it's cool..." Ruby began.
"No. Let me finish. I'm not just sorry about what happened. I'm sorry we had that fight..."
"But that was totally my fault... I was so selfish... I didn't even think about you... I was just so excited about going to a real celebrity club with Stacie and..." Ruby paused, disgusted by what was coming next.
"Justin Blackburn?" Caitlin cautiously finished.
"Yeah" Ruby scowled. "What a dirtbag he turned out to be..."
"You really did like him, huh?"
"Yeah... well... sometimes... he was complicated. We were... complicated... Anyway, it's over."
"Are we?" Caitlin asked, with her characteristic directness.
"Oh, crap... I'm not good at this..." Ruby muttered.
"I'm sorry for everything. For blowing you off... Everything." she added.
"Well, I'm sorry too..." Caitlin replied. "I should at least have given you the chance to explain. To make it up to me..." she kidded, as Ruby grabbed a pillow and smacked it over her friend's head.
"You mean like that?" Ruby squealed.
"It's on!" Caitlin screamed, grabbing another pillow.
After a few minutes, both girls collapsed on the bed, breathless and laughing.
"I missed you!" Ruby smiled, and hugged her.
"I missed you too girl... Don't ask me why!"
They exchanged familiar, satisfied glances.
"So? When are you coming back to school, anyway?" Caitlin asked.
"Tomorrow. Mom and Dad said I could go back to the studio, too. It will be good to get back to normal..."
However, the next day at school was anything but typical. Ruby spent the whole time enduring the curious stares and overly solicitous questions of her classmates and teachers. By the end of the day, she was completely frustrated.
"Will people please stop looking at me like I'm about to explode! Or like I already have!" she snorted to Caitlin.
"Even Mrs. Turnbell kept asking me if I was okay..."
"She did... Sounded almost human!" Caitlin giggled.
"Yeah... who would believe she could!" Ruby remarked with her old sarcasm, as the two girls exited the building.
"At least your friends were cool about it! Didn't treat me like some sort of freak..." Ruby commented to Caitlin.
"See, girl? I told you they were okay..."
"Yeah... I guess I gotta give you that!" Ruby admitted.
"Anyway, now onto the better part of the day..." she smiled, saying goodbye to Caitlin and walking towards the parking lot, expecting to meet her brother and head over to the studio.
Instead of Patrick, she saw her father, leaning against his black car, silhouetted by the warm September sunshine.
"Dad? What are you doing here? Everything okay?" she asked.
"Yeah... I just felt like giving my girl a ride today."
Ruby looked at him and saw the love and protectiveness shining in his eyes.
"Cool" she said, as he opened the car door and she slid into the front seat.
They arrived a short time later at Q-Records, and parked. A white convertible pulled up right next to them and two blonde women stepped out of it.
"Ruby!" Stacie called out.
"Stacie" the younger girl replied. They had spoken on the phone, but hadn't seen each other since the kidnapping.
The two girls hugged.
"How are you holding up?" Stacie asked.
"Ok... I guess. You?"
"Same"
They exchanged an understanding look, as their parents watched them. Tommy broke the silence.
"Ok. Speaking as your boss... Back to work!" he ordered, grinning.
"Right!" Ruby grinned back.
The foursome walked into the lobby of the record company.
"OMG!" Stacie screamed, as Ruby's eyes widened with surprise.
The large space was festively decorated with large balloons and multicolored streamers. On each wall, huge silver signs with fat, hot-pink letters proclaimed "Welcome Home, Ruby and Stacie!"
"You guys!" Ruby shrieked, unable to contain her delight.
"You like?" EJ smiled smugly.
"It's great!" Stacie assured her.
"You so did not have to..." Ruby replied, modestly.
"Of course we did, girl..." Quest replied.
"Besides... EJ never misses a chance to throw a party..." he added.
"That's right!" their publicist beamed.
"Hey, do what you gotta do!" Stacie smiled, and everyone laughed.
"We're just glad to have you both back!" EJ said, as everyone cheered.
Brian then turned the music on, kicking the party into full-gear. People milled about, eating, drinking and talking.
Tommy found himself standing next to Quest on the perimeter of the room.
"They look good." Quest commented.
"Yeah, they do... Not that it has been or will be easy for either of them" Tommy replied thoughtfully.
"I just hope they lock those guys up for good!" Quest said fiercely.
"Me, too... We'll see..." Tommy said, afraid to expect or hope for too much.
"It hasn't been easy for you, either, man" his long-time friend and wing-man responded perceptively.
"No" Tom replied honestly. "I'd like to kill Darius for what he did to us. But I can't. I can't do anything... It's all courts and lawyers now..."
"Not your thing." Quest said wisely, knowing well how Tommy preferred taking care of his own problems.
"No" he replied, and quickly changed the topic.
"Anyway, I need to thank you. For stepping up and taking care of everything here while I was..." he began, struggling to find the word.
"Occupied?" Quest offered.
"Yeah"
"It's cool. We've been friends for a long time now..."
"Yeah... And that's it. That's why I owe you an apology. That night in the studio, I pretty much accused you of holding out on me. Of knowing... even being involved in what was going on... I insulted you... I should never have said that..."
"No, you shouldn't have." Quest said flatly.
"I was upset... scared. It was a stupid thing to say- it just came out. It shouldn't have... I should have known better. Deep down, I did. You would never have done anything like that to us... I"m sorry. I know I pissed you off."
"It did... Yeah, well... I've got something to confess too..." Q-Records executive producer admitted.
"Yes?"
"Well... when you got that partnership with Georgia, I got... kind of upset..." Quest struggled. Like Tommy, he was not one to verbalize his feelings, especially if they might make him seem weak.
"It's cool, man. I understand." Tommy replied, with an awareness derived from over thirty years of friendship. He could deduce Quest's jealousy.
"I owe you... a lot..." Tommy added.
"Yeah, well... So do I... Without you, I wouldn't even be in this business..." Quest said, accurately, mentally traveling back in time to the day he and Tommy met.
"Even?" Tommy asked.
"Even"
The two men exchanged a funny look.
"Oh, what the hell!" Tommy mumbled and embraced his friend.
"Aww... how sweet!" a third male voice chimed in.
"Chaz?" Tommy questioned.
The grin faded from Chaz's face and it turned serious.
"Tom... I know I've no right to be here... I just wanted to see you for a minute... I didn't know there was a party... I didn't know if you'd talk to me... I just had to try..."
"Ok" Tommy relented, as Quest tactfully withdrew, leaving the two alone.
"You got me. Talk."
"I wanted to apologize..." Chaz stammered. "I feel terrible. That my son did all this to your family... It sickens me..."
"Yeah, well..." Tommy blurted out, not knowing what else to say.
"It should sicken you..." he thought. He couldn't begin to understand or forgive Justin.
Chaz nodded.
"I know... I can't expect you to forgive us... It's my fault, too. If I'd been there for him... it might not have happened... if I'd been a better father... More like you."
Chaz watched at Tommy's eyes roamed automatically to the other side of the room, where Ruby and Patrick stood, talking with their friends.
"Yeah, well..."
"I'm going now... Again, I'm sorry." Chaz repeated, then turned and left.
Across the room, Ruby's perceptive gaze observed her father's interactions. She stood, watching with her brother, Caitlin and Stacie.
"Wonder what all that was about..." she said, and shivered.
"You can always ask Dad later... I'm sure he'll tell you." Patrick answered.
"I'm sure it's nothing you need to worry about." he assured her. "It's over."
"Yeah. You're right." Ruby said, taking a deep breath.
"Anyway. New topic. I see a really cute guy trying really hard to get your attention..." Caitlin grinned, shifting her eyes in the direction of that person, standing at the DJ station.
"Isn't that the guy from your parent's anniversary party?"
"Yeah... Brian."
"He's totally into you..." Caitlin observed.
"Yeah... that's what I've told her." Stacie agreed.
"Girl talk... Do I need to hear this?" Patrick groaned.
The three females just ignored him.
"Oh, come on!" Ruby protested.
"You're blushing..." Stacie giggled.
"Am not! I never..."
"Now you do!" Caitlin confirmed.
"Aiggh!" Ruby grimaced, then said seriously.
"I don't know how I feel... With all that's happened... I don't know if I'm ready..."
Her friends nodded understandingly. Then Caitlin couldn't repress a mischievous smile.
"Still... you could say hello... Come on... I think I feel a request coming on..."
Ruby shook her head as Caitlin led her away, leaving Patrick and Stacie standing together.
"Well... uh..." Patrick began.
"Actually... I wanted to talk to you..." Stacie stammered.
"Sure" Patrick nodded calmly.
"Could we maybe... go somewhere?"
"Sure"
The two headed down to Studio B. Stacie turned to face him.
"How are you doing? For real?" he asked, genuinely concerned.
"Ok... all things considered... I've been talking to my mom a lot... That's been good..." she replied.
"That is good." Patrick agreed.
"Yeah, we're actually spending time together for a change... Working stuff out... Talking about the mistakes we've made..."
He nodded encouragingly, seeing that she had more to say.
"My mom and my dad didn't have the greatest relationship... My mom's not exactly known for that... Commitment's never been her thing... It hasn't been mine, either... I've always been afraid of it..." Stacie confessed.
"Well... when I was... taken... I kept thinking... I was so scared... Then I realized what I was really afraid of..." she paused, breathless.
"I'm scared of living the rest of my life this way... As much as relationships scare me, I'm more scared of ending up alone... Scared of never feeling again what I felt that night with you..."
"Are you saying..." Patrick's voice drifted off, afraid to hope.
"Yeah" she answered, coming closer.
"But... let's go slow..."
"Of course." he promised, as he gently kissed her.