Epilogue
Eight months later…I was sitting in the studio strumming quietly on my guitar while Tommy and Kwest mixed a hit single by none other than Tommy Q himself while I watched with a fond smile. Yep, Tom had finally decided to strike out on his own solo career, with a little help from me, and if I had thought he was critical of my work, then it was safe to say he was downright brutal to his own. Chuckling as Tommy cursed at something on the recording, I leaned over to lay my guitar at my feet.
"It sounds great, Tommy." I said with a smile as Tommy rolled his eyes at me uncertainly. Kwest nodded his head in agreement as he grabbed Tom's shoulder and squeezed.
"She's right, you know. It's hit material, Tom. You just wait and see." Kwest said with a wink as I suddenly doubled over in pain. Damn, this baby could kick. I was just about to call out to Tom about the 'selfish attention hogger' his unborn child was when I felt something wet spread out underneath me. 'Oh! Darius was going to kill me', I thought to myself mournfully as I looked at the soaked material of the chair I was sitting on. Tom and Kwest must have noticed how uncomfortable I was because they both looked up at me with concern.
"Are you alright, Jude?" Tom asked sincerely as he followed my gaze to the floor beneath the seat where I sat. I was still too shocked to say anything.
"ughhhh." Kwest said loudly as Tom backed against the soundboard.
"Is that what I think it is?" He asked shakily as a wave of pain tightened perceptibly in my abdomen. Grabbing at it before moaning loudly, I looked up at Tom and Kwest with wide, nervous eyes.
"I think it's time guys." I said on another moan as Kwest reached for the phone while Tom ran over to help me stand up. You know, how in the movies women are always more calm than the men when they go into labor? Well, let me set the record straight now. For someone who had never hardly held a baby in her life, I was scared shitless.
"Its okay." Tom said on a whisper as he supported me from behind as we walked out towards the viper. I looked back at him in shock as I looked first at the car and then at him again.
"Tom, I'm going to ruin the seats." I said on a cry as another pain ripped through my system while Tom shook his head with a small smile.
"We'll get them replaced okay." He said with a grin as he opened the door and practically lifted me into the car. I twisted uncomfortably in the seat as Tom drove as fast as he could without getting us killed all the way to the hospital. We both sighed in relief at the same time as the big building came looming into view, and I felt like I was in some really screwed up version of a 'Monty Python' comedy as Tom jumped out of the car and ran crookedly toward the hospital entrance screaming for someone to help his wife as he went.
"She's having a baby." He said pointlessly as the attending physician that followed him out smiled at him in amusement.
"I can see that." He said quietly as I yelled out in agony.
"Could someone shoot me, please!" I cried forlornly as the doctor tried not to laugh before motioning for a nurse to help me into a wheelchair. I was slumped over trying not to cry when I saw a few more vehicles squeal into the lot before SME, Jamie, Patsy, mom, Sadie, Kwest, Darius, Liam, and Portia exited with a flurry.
"I have a lot of friends." I said helpfully to the nurse whose jaw had literally fallen to the ground before she turned to wheel me into the building. I was being prepped for the birth when my mom and Sadie walked into the room to stand behind Tommy who was gripping my hand a little too hard.
"Are you okay?" Mom asked as I rolled my eyes at her indolently.
"What do you think?" I asked sarcastically as she laughed while peering into my pale face critically.
"Suddenly respect me a little more, don't you?" She asked on a chuckle as I thought about her having to do this twice.
"Oh, you have no idea." I groaned as the doctor came into the room to check how far I had dilated. Looking at us warily, the doctor motioned for the room to empty out.
"It's policy. We can only have one person in here with the patient, preferably the father. Her delivery is going a lot faster than normal for a first pregnancy so it's too late to give the epidural. She's fully dilated. We need to get her prepped now." He said quickly as he motioned to a nurse to get everything ready before he left to prep himself. Mom gave me a kiss on the cheek and Sadie hugged me before they looked at Tommy and patted him on the back reassuringly before walking out of the room. Tom rubbed his hand gently across my forehead before kissing me several times while I groaned in misery determined not to scream aloud like so many other women did.
"I need to push." I told Tommy quietly as he took my hand in his.
"Just hold on, girl." He said nervously as he squeezed my hand resolutely before rubbing the small of my back as I turned over on my side. The doctor entered then and pushed me over and down so that my legs were spread apart, settling gently into the loops of two stir-ups as I felt incredible pressure build up in my abdomen.
"I need to push." I repeated forcefully as sweat began to bead furiously along my brow. The doctor nodded resolutely as he got into position.
"Then make it a good one, Mrs. Quincy." He said firmly as Tom grabbed my hand and I pushed as hard as I could until I practically felt the veins popping up out of my forehead. Stopping to take a deep fortifying breath I heard the doctor say "almost there" as Tommy leaned his head wearily against mine. Gripping him like a lifeline, I used both our strengths to pour into the next push, and I almost cried in relief as the doctor yelled.
"We have the baby!" He said on a smile as I felt tears bead on my cheeks when the first cries were heard throughout the room. I heard a breath escape Tommy's mouth in a rush as the nurse carried a wrapped bundle over to the side of the bed before laying it between the two of us.
"Say hi to your baby girl." She said with a smile as a mix between a sob and a laugh escaped my lips while Tom looked at me in awe. Something told me this was the first time he had ever really been a part of a true family before. Looking first at the bundle of joy laying on my arm, and then at him, I leaned over and kissed his forehead gently before smiling at him.
"Welcome home, Quincy." I said on a sigh as Tom stared at me a moment in silence. He didn't cry, but I could swear that for the first time, his eyes got a little wet. Brushing his hair off his forehead, I grinned mischievously at him.
"Does this mean I can drive the viper now?" I asked teasingly as he raised a brow at me and grinned. Placing a hand behind my head, he pulled my lips gently toward his.
"Honey, you could have driven it a long time ago." He said on a sigh as his lips locked with mine.
Author's Footnote: Okay, that's it. I feel so homesick for it already. What did you guys think? R&R and let me know. Once again, I have to thank you guys SO much for staying with me so long. This story from the beginning to its end has been something else. First we took Jude from her father's death, to her seventeenth birthday, to L.A. for an interview and concert for Rolling Stones, through an earthquake, and through a big chance at stardom in 'Note to Self.' Then we went to Europe where we found out about Tommy's illustrious past, a finatic fan kidnapping Jude, meeting the Moores, watching Patsy and Jamie's relationship peak, fall, and peak again, to pulling pranks, to Tommy and Jude becoming intimate, to a charity event, an arm wrestling match, a séance, a boxing match, a huge practical joke, emotional turmoil, an eighteenth birthday, and a pregnancy. Hell, it was all about dawning realizations in 'Note to Self: Realizations.' Whew! (Rubbing the back of my hand across my forehead.) I feel like I've run a marathon, don't you? Anywho, I will shut up and let you tell me what you think. Here's some ideas for another story: Tommy goes to prison for a crime he didn't commit. What happens when they have to find a way to prove him innocent/Jude battles for her heart when she finds Tommy in bed with Portia, and the guys (Tom and Spied) are asked to fight in a public gladiator type event for a telethon./what happens when Jude's mom walks away forcing Stuart to move back into the house along with Yvette and her beguiling, handsome son/what happens when Jude discovers a secret about Kwest and Tommy that could cost them both their careers./ When a doctor discovers Jude is ill, will her career go up in smoke/ When Georgia and E.J. found a new studio, will Jude leave G Majors for good/ Hell, this is going to sound demented, but what about a fan fic that covers all those bases in one story? If you guys have any great ideas let me know. However, if I found I liked them and felt the need to utilize them, I will PM those reviewers first. I have no desire to infringe anyone's rights. Your ideas rightfully belong to you, and I know you have your own fan fics to write for. As for your ideas, I would give you a shout out in any disclaimers upon permission as well. As for shout outs, I want to give a yell to A9L908N7E for asking me to keep Tommy stuck with the group in Europe. The story just wouldn't have gone where it did without him. And a keen shout out to the rest of you who loved the dynamic between the characters. You're right, Giliwascool, Spied and Tommy's dynamic over Jude are killer. I may use that as a basis for another story. Who knows? And for those who liked Patsy as much as I do, I give you nods. I'm not sure why, but I really like her character, and I love her and Jamie as a couple. They just seem to work. Once again, lots of love to you all. Your reviews mean so much to me. R&R. If I can come up with a good idea by tonight, I will post my next fan fic starting tomorrow so look for it. Smiles. Angel.
