Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star or the song Family Portrait by Pink.

Chapter 16: Family Portrait

The doctors said that I could go home. They said that I would be fine. Of course, they were talking about my physical health.

That night's sleep was the worse that I ever got. I kept tossing and turning. I wouldn't be surprised if I kept Tommy awake too.

My dream wasn't the greatest. It made me question my decisions.

In the background, the song Family Portrait was playing.

Momma please stop crying, I can't stand the sound
Your pain is painful and its tearing' me down
I hear glasses breaking as I sit up in my bed
I told dad you didn't mean those nasty things you
said

I must've been years later since Tommy Jr. was a teenage. He was sitting in his room, listening to yelling from the kitchen below him.

You fight about money, bout me and my brother
And this I come home to, this is my shelter
It ain't easy growing up in World War III
Never knowing what love could be, you'll see
I don't want love to destroy me like it has done
my family

Tommy was yelling at me about something. I was just yelling back at him.

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave

I was pointing to the door, wanting him to get out, and leave me alone forever.

Daddy please stop yelling, I can't stand the sound

Make mama stop crying, cause I need you around
My mama she loves you, no matter what she says
its true
I know that she hurts you, but remember I love
you, too

Tommy Jr. the teenager came down the stairs and ran between me and his father. He was begging for us to stop fighting.

I ran away today, ran from the noise, ran away
Don't want to go back to that place, but don't have
no choice, no way
It ain't easy growing up in World War III
Never knowing what love could be, well I've seen
I don't want love to destroy me like it did my
family

This time I saw Tommy Jr. coming from what I was guessing was our house. He was carrying a back pack and it seemed like he had no intention of returning.

Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out? Can we be a family?
I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave

In our family portrait, we look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, let's act like it comes
naturally
I don't want to have to split the holidays
I don't want two addresses
I don't want a step-brother anyways
And I don't want my mom to have to change her
last name

I was sitting on the couch, staring at a photo of our small family. I was crying, just thinking of Tommy Jr. after he had run away.

In our family portrait we look pretty happy
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, act like it goes naturally

In our family portrait we look pretty happy
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
(I promise I'll be better, Mommy I'll do
anything)
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)
Let's play pretend act and like it comes so
naturally
(I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave)
In our family portrait we look pretty happy
(Can we work it out? Can we be a family?)
We look pretty normal, let's go back to that
(I promise I'll be better, Daddy please don't
leave)

My life had fallen apart in front of me. My son was gone, my husband had run off with someone else, and I was alone. The life I once loved was gone.

Mom will be nicer
I'll be so much better, I'll tell my brother
Oh, I won't spill the milk at dinner
I'll be so much better, I'll do everything right
I'll be your little girl forever
I'll go to sleep at night

I sat up from the dream, screaming. I curled my knees up to my chest and hugged them. Was that really going to happen? I didn't want it to.

I started crying at the thought. I felt him shift in his sleep besides me.

"Jude?" He asked, sitting up and wrapping his arms around me. "What's wrong?"

"What are we doing, Tommy?" I replied.

"Jude…"

"I mean it, what are we doing together? We fight. It has just been one disaster after another since you got back. So what's going to happen? We're going to get married for the sake of Tommy Jr. and then be miserable? That would make it worse for him."

"Jude, I'm not marrying you because I have to. I'm marrying you because I want to."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, what are you thinking?"

"I just had this weird dream. The song Family Portrait was playing in the background. And our actions and Tommy Jr.'s actions were following the words of the song. Like he was a teenager and listening to us fight. And I wanted you to leave and he broke up the fight. Then he ran away and I had ended up alone cause you left me. I just don't want to end up like that."

"We won't, we will always be together, I promise."

"How can you promise that? How do you know that we'll always be together?"

"Jude, chill. We just need to let nature run its course."

"I guess."

"Please, let's just go back to sleep."

"Alright."

"Night."

AN: Poor Jude… Anyways, R&R!