"What Happens in Vegas…Doesn't Stay in Vegas"
+One-Shot+
By: Jude Quincy

---

A/N - Okay, guys. This is a challenge fic I did on DLS. Leave me some love!

---

Jude and Tom stumbled through the freshly-painted white doors, her giggling echoing through the empty building.

"I can't believe you took me to Vegas for birthday!" she squealed.

"Hey…y-y-you only t-t-turn…eighteen-n-n once," he slurred, grabbing her hand and leading her down a hallway to a set of doors.

Jude led out a loud laugh. Her eyes widened and her hand flew to her mouth. "I can't believe you let me drink so much!"

"H-h-h-hey! You only g-g-get a f-f-fake ID once!"

"True." Tom opened the door in front of them, following Jude inside. She gasped. "Tom, it's beautiful." She paused. "Where are we?"

"I d-d-don't know," he replied.

"Mr. Tom Quincy and Miss Jude Harrison?" an unfamiliar voice asked from behind them. Jude spun around and saw a middle-aged woman standing behind them, hands clasped together in delight. "Just on time!"

---

Jude opened her eyes slowly, groaning. Her head felt like someone had stomped on it repeatedly all night. She rubbed her eyes groggily, wishing unconsciousness on her body again.

Knowing her wish wasn't going to be granted, she sat up, instantly regretting it. Her eyebrows scrunched up in discomfort and she glanced around the hotel suite she barely remember reserving. Her eyes widened at the sight across the room.

Tom was asleep on the floor, face pressed into the carpet and limbs sprawled out in every direction.

"Tommy?" she whispered, throat hoarse. Struggling to her feet, she walked slowly over to his still body, kneeling at his side. Jude chuckled to herself, noticing the puddle of drool by his mouth.

As if to remind her of her current state, her head began pounding mercilessly. Groaning, she stalked over to her bag and pulled out a bottle of Tylenol. She poured herself a glass of water from the faucet and took two of the white pills. She sighed, hoping the effects would be quick, and walked back toward the bed.

Jude stopped dead in her tracks at the sight in front of her. A nylon veil was draped across the back of chair. She blinked a few times just to make sure it was real.

A veil?

Instinctively, Jude's gaze went to Tom's sleeping body. She tried to think about last night, hoping to remember why she felt so crappy and why she couldn't remember anything that happened after Tom had told her that her birthday present was a road trip to Vegas on his bike.

Tom's eyelids fluttered open and a smile played across his face. "Hey…" He sat up, stretching out his muscles.

"What happened last night?" she asked, looking down on him with eyebrows furrowed.

"We…" He paused. "I…I don't know." Jude stepped over to the chair and picked up the veil. Tom's eyes widened.

"Is that a--" Jude nodded. "Where--"

"It was on the chair this morning," she mumbled, looking deep in Tom's eyes for the answers to her questions. He glanced away, searching his memory for any clue as to what the hell happened last night. But everything was foggy.

"Jude, I…I don't remember anything," he admitted, sighing.

"Me either." Jude walked over to the kitchenette counter, sitting at the stool.

Tom stood up and paced the floor nervously, wringing his hands through his hair. "The last thing I remember is getting unbelievably drunk."

"Oh, my God," Jude gasped. Tom looked over at her small figure shaking, a packet of papers in her hand.

"What is it?" Rushing over to her side, he glanced down at what she was holding. Jude's breaths were coming out harsh and jagged. "What's wrong?"

She held the papers up, swallowing hard. "We…we…"

Tom scanned the file in front of him. "We got married!" She nodded, a worried look fixed on her face.

"Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God," Jude continued this mantra, but Tom didn't notice. He was too caught up in his thoughts.

I married Jude? And I don't remember it? This is not how I planned it. Not even close. Tom stole a look at Jude and his heart broke seeing her so distraught. I always thought this was what she wanted. For us to be official. This is about as official as you can get.

Tom stole a look at Jude and his heart broke seeing her so distraught.

Suddenly, Jude's cell phone rang on the counter, "White Lines" blaring. Tom handed it to her and she flipped it open. "Hello?"

"Jude?" Jamie's voice was soft through the phone.

"Yeah…?" Her mind was elsewhere.

"Where are you?" he asked, worry evident in his voice.

"I…I'm in Vegas." She glanced over. "With Tommy."

"I guessed as much," he muttered, faint curses drifting through to her.

"What do you mean?"

"Jude, you're all over the papers. New York Times. Washington Post. Everything."

She panicked. "What's all over?"

"You and Quincy. Running out of a Vegas chapel, hand-in-hand. You're wearing this godawful plastic veil and he's got this ugly black top hat on. It's on the front page of every newspaper."

Jude dropped the phone, tears forming in her eyes. Tom reached over and picked up her phone. "What's going on?" Jamie explained the whole thing to him and his face paled. "Thanks. We'll keep in touch." Hanging up, he looked over at Jude.

"Tommy, what are we going to do? My parents are gonna kill me! And this is not how I imagined this, let me tell you. I'm supposed to be in a gorgeous dress, not some plastic accessory. And you're supposed to be dressed in a tux. And…and…" She broke down into violent sobs.

"Jude…" He wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her shoulders reassuringly. "It's gonna be okay. I promise. We can….we can get an annulment. Something. I promise, this is going to be fine."

She looked up at him, eyes red. "I don't want to."

"You don't want to what?"

"I don't want to get an annulment. I…This isn't fair! I'm eighteen. I'm eighteen years old and I'm married. Married to you of all people!"

"Jude…we…I…"

"Tommy, I'm scared," she said all of a sudden, resting her cheek on Tom's shoulder.

"Of what?" he asked, stroking her hair absentmindedly.

"Of this. Of my parents. Of what people will say. Of…of you leaving me…"

"Jude, I'm not going anywhere," he insisted. She looked up at him, wide eyes wet with salty tears.

"But, us being married? And neither of us remembering it? That's……that's not…" She left her thought unfinished as she buried her face in Tom's chest.

"Jude, this isn't how I imagined it either, okay? You think I wanted you in jeans and tee-shirt, with some cheap veil? Of course not. I wanted you to have a beautiful white gown, with pretty lace. I wanted you to get all dolled up. I wanted it to be your perfect wedding. With family and friends surrounding us. Not withsome nameless stranger."

She was speechless. Tommy had thought about this? Her Tommy? The same Tommy who ran away any time she tried to get close. Ran away to Sadie. Ran away to Montana. Ran away to anything but her. But…he had planned their wedding? Down to the material on her dress? She felt like she was in the twilight zone.

"Tommy…I…I…I love you." Before he could answer her, she reached up and kissed him gently on the lips. "I don't want to get a divorce…or an annulment. Or anything. This is what I want. It might not be how I planned it, but…I want to be with you. Once and for all. I think this was meant to be."

"Jude…" There was a hint of hesitance in his voice.

"Don't you dare disagree, Quincy. You're the one who took me to Vegas, remember?" She frowned stubbornly.

He smirked at her, his love obvious. "I was just going to ask if you wanted to marry me." Tom kissed the top of her head.

She gave him a pointed look, but it quickly melted away into a loving smile. "I do."

---

The End!

What did you think? Any good?