Author's Note: Well, I'm back. It's hard for me to write on weekends, but I do have a few new chapters. Thank you for the newest reviews. I've made an 'oops' that I am going to correct. Up till now, I have been calling Kyle of SME 'Chad.' I am still trying to figure out why I was doing that when I know his name (shrugging and laughing at myself). Anywho, thanks for the heads up and from this chapter on, he will be listed as Kyle. Smiles. Hope you are all still reading. Loved this weeks two new episodes! Still in an uproar over them and dying for next week. Friday can't come soon enough. I am very excited that it seems my characters are following in line with the show's prototype—Tommy the Philanderer, Spied's feelings for Jude, Liam's humor, Patsy's originality, and Portia's 'oh so helpful' attitude—even though my storyline is completely its own (no kidding huh? laugh). Please continue reading and please please please R&R. Always live for the reviews. Please, let me know you're still reading. Smiles—Angel.
Kwest, Tommy, and Portia at the European studio…
"You're determined to hurt her aren't you?" Portia asked Tommy quietly as she entered the room where Kwest and Tommy were mixing Jude's latest track. Tommy looked up at her with an unreadable expression before glancing quickly at Kwest and then turning back toward the soundboard.
"And you're determined to become a burr on my back that I can't shake loose, Portia." Tommy said in a low tone as Kwest scooted away from the two to meddle with some buttons further down on the board. Portia just shrugged and leaned casually against the back of Tommy's chair, bending over until her head was level with his.
"Tell me, are you cheating on her too, Tommy? Because you are incredibly good at that. Have you and Felicia shared a bed yet? Come on. You do it to every girl you are ever with. I may come off as a bitch, Tommy, but it's mainly because I am determined to keep you from hurting anyone else." Portia said evenly as Tommy looked at her with cold, emotionless eyes.
"Jude and I aren't dating, Portia, so I am not doing anything to her by dating someone else." He said with finality as he looked straight ahead, his face a mask of anger and fear. Portia blinked at him slowly before straightening back up.
"I repeat, Tommy. Are you seeing anyone else?" She asked almost in a whisper. Tom shook his head and glanced first to the soundboard and then to Portia.
"No." He answered to her shock and amusement. She chuckled as she looked at Kwest, who was staring at her with a quirked brow, and then at Tommy whose expression was dead serious. Doing this several times, her smile finally slipped off her face and disappeared.
"You're telling the truth aren't you? For the first time in his life, Little Tommy Q is practicing abstinence for a seventeen-year-old girl he's not even dating. You can't be serious." She said on a gasp as she stared down into Tommy's frowning face.
"Let it go, Portia." Kwest said suddenly from behind them as he glanced at Tommy's stricken face to Portia's more aghast one. Kwest knew from knowing them both as long as he had that Tommy was finally beginning to care for someone more than he cared for himself, and it scared Portia. The divorce had hurt her badly, and she had made it her mission in life to make sure Tommy felt miserable about every bad decision he ever made afterwards. Tom looked sadly over to Kwest and was about to say something when Jamie suddenly rushed into the room. He stopped with a jerk as he felt the tense air that circulated through out the small space before taking a deep breath and leaning against the doorframe gasping.
"Have you guys seen Jude?" He asked as he looked from one face to another curiously. Tommy, Kwest, and Portia just stared at him quizzically before Tommy finally shrugged nonchalantly.
"Earlier tonight. Why?" Tom asked suspiciously as Jamie's shoulders drooped dramatically. He looked almost defeated.
"Because I went looking for her in her room, and I couldn't find her. Did you two have a big fight or something?" Jamie asked persistently as Portia glared accusingly at Tommy while Kwest just sighed deeply. Tom shook his head.
"No, I took her for a walk in the city and then walked her to the hotel door before returning to the studio. What's going on, Andrews?" Tommy asked suddenly on alert as Jamie's expression changed from mildly curious to completely despaired.
"I think something's wrong." Jamie said finally as Tommy jumped up from his chair followed closely behind by Portia and Kwest.
"What do you mean something's wrong, Jamie?" Tommy remarked hoarsely. Jamie glanced back over his shoulder at SME and Patsy who were standing in the room behind him and then back at Tommy, Kwest, and Portia in the sound room. Noticing the rest of the gang standing behind Jamie for the first time, Tommy noted their worried expressions as his heart sped up into a crashing crescendo. Jamie shrugged.
"Her bedroom window was open and there was glass broken on the floor near the hotel room door. There are tennis shoes marks on the carpet, and I know for a fact that if Jude wasn't wearing heels then she was more than likely in flip flops." Jamie said in an agitated tone as Tommy grabbed his rental car keys and headed toward the door with Kwest and Portia following closely behind.
"Have you called the police?" Tommy asked insistently as they all piled into the vehicle outside. There was a collective gasp as he shifted gears and stepped on the gas, burning rubber as he went. Jamie just shook his head.
"I haven't. When I couldn't find her, I went looking for Patsy and SME. When she wasn't with them, I thought for sure you two had just had a spat and she was gone to make up with you. There is a history there, you know." Jamie said quietly as the engine roared through the streets. Portia was immediately on the phone with Liam, William, Devon, and Darius trying desperately to find out if anyone had seen her. By the time they pulled up in front of the hotel, the entire crew was waiting at the door to start a search. Upon entering Jude's room, Tommy knew instantly that something wasn't right, and he ordered Kwest to call the police as they all sat down to brain storm about what could possibly have happened to her.
Over to Jude…I woke up in darkness, stiff and sore as I suddenly recalled where I was and, in a panic, I kicked out at the box before suddenly drawing my knees up to my chest when I realized what had woken me up—voices. Two voices to be exact. I strained my ears as I squirmed to try and relax the pins and needles sensation that was beginning to spread up my arms.
"Did you get Jude?" One of the female voices asked and I winced as I realized the voice sounded familiar and hating myself because I couldn't quite place it. Another person shifted uncomfortably in the room outside my prison.
"I did." It said menacingly. "Now when do I get to have a chance at Tommy?" She asked in a tone that I swore bordered on maniacal. There was a sigh from the second female.
"In due time. First, we need to figure out what we're going to do with the girl." She said as I felt my heart go cold, numbing any pain that had started to radiate throughout my physique. Footsteps echoed throughout the room as someone started meddling with the lock that kept the lid of the chest sealed shut tightly. I began to sweat profusely, feeling without even having to touch it, the moist condensation that was beading up around my brows, and without any further provocation, I literally felt my heart stop as the lid began creaking open.
